《Jaw-Dropping Son-in-Law》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Young Master Fan, it¡¯s been ten years already. Whatever grudges you may have, it¡¯s time to forget about them.¡± ¡°Please go home.¡± ¡°Your father, your grandfather and your brothers are all waiting for you.¡± ¡°As for your marriage, it concerns the honor of our family. After you return, we will select the most beautiful and most excellent woman to be your wife and the daughter-inw of the Chu family.¡± ¡°That Qiu Mu-Cheng from the Qiu family is not worthy of you. Or the Chu family.¡± Standing by the moat of Yunzhou city, a blotchy-eyed old man in traditional Chinese garment was earnestly trying to persuade Ye Fan. Compared to the others standing before him, Ye Fan¡¯s clothes seemed ordinary and shabby. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been ten years. A dog would be considered old by now. But the family you speak of hasn¡¯t changed one bit.¡± Ye Fanughed self-deprecatingly, with a hint of bloodshot in his eyes. ¡°Ten years ago, my parents kneeled down in front of the Chu family¡¯s gates. At that time, the family told my father this. They said my mother was a basemoner, not worthy of the Chu family and unfit to be their daughter-inw. And I am born of the moner¡¯ the family spoke of. My mother and I were driven mercilessly out of the family. We had to live in the streets. Untilter, when I married into the Qiu family, where I had to endure humtions.¡± ¡°For the past ten years, when did you ever give a damn about my mother and I? Now, with just a few words, you expect me to forget about this grudge and my mother¡¯s humiliation, and return with you to continue the Chu¡¯s family line. Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Go back and tell the family, my surname is Ye, not Chu.¡± ¡°And tell that useless father of mine. He¡¯s not worthy of my mother and unfit to be my father!¡± Ye Fan truly hated that cold-blooded family. But even more so, he hated that weakling father of his! Back then, if his father had a bit more backbone, he wouldn¡¯t have to suffer so much humiliation with his mother. Oftentimes, Ye Fan longed for his father to protect him and his mother. But his father always chose to back down and side with the family. Even when the Chu family drove away mother and son, his father could only look on in fear. In front of the family, he didn¡¯t dare to speak up or retaliate. And could only look on as his wife and son suffered humiliation. From the bottom of his heart, he despised his father. ¡°Young Master Fan, please consider carefully.¡± ¡°You have to understand what you are turning down. That¡¯s wealthparable to a nation¡¯s budget and enough power for you to be able to look down on everyone else.¡± ¡°As long as you return, you will be able to be the family head within ten years.¡± The old man was still trying to persuade Ye Fan. But Ye Fan had already turned away. With augh, he asked: ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Even if you give me the whole world, I will still consider it to be inferior to a speck of cinnabar on her brow!¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. His words were firm and reverberated like the sound of a rock hitting the ground. Ye Fan left, leaving behind a crowd speechless with shock. After a long while, somebody sighed from beside theke. A middle-aged man looked at Ye Fan from afar, with feelings of indebtedness and remorse swirling in his heart. ¡°Fan, you are even more promising than your father!¡± The man smiled even as tears brimmed in his eyes. His eyes blotchy from crying, Ye Fan strode along the streets of Yunzhou. After enduring so many years of humiliation, Ye Fan thought noting could faze him anymore. But the appearance of the Chu family did disturb him, who was but a young man in his early twenties. But life must go on. So Ye Fan picked up the pieces and hurried on his way to the Qiu¡¯s family house. The Qiu family was considered a somewhat prominent family in Yunzhou, a third-tier city. But they only truly rose to fame due to a scandal that had happened three years ago. The most beautiful daughter of the Qiu family, Qiu Mu-Cheng, suddenly got hitched with a luckless no-hoper and even let him marry into her family. This incident shocked the whole city and turned the Qiu family into aughing stock. Half-a-year into his marriage, Ye Fan finally realized the truth behind the matter. At that time, Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family hadmitted a serious error and caused great losses for the entire Qiu n. The head of the Qiu n, in a fit of rage, imposed punishment on Mu-Cheng¡¯s family branch and so she was forced to marry a trash as a warning to the other family members. And Ye Fan, one of the leading actors in this incident, lost all respect with both men and women alike. He became aughing stock, an object of ridicule to be talked about during meal times. Suddenly, Ye Fan¡¯s phone rang. The caller was Qiu Mu-Cheng, his wife in name. ¡°Where are you? Get back here now. We don¡¯t have time to wait around for you.¡± Her tone was cold and authoritarian, as if she was giving an order. It¡¯s been three years already. Ye Fan had already gotten used to this. After ending the call, he hurried towards the Qiu¡¯s family house. Today was the day of Mu-Cheng¡¯s cousin engagment party. The head of the Qiu family had five sons and a daughter. Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s father was the third eldest son. Today, the fourth eldest son¡¯s daughter was getting engaged so, naturally, Mu-Cheng had to attend the function with her family. ¡°Mu-Cheng, I¡¯m sorry. I had some matter to attend to, and was held up.¡± Thanks to his efforts, Ye Fan finally made it just in time. At this time, the multitude of guests were gathered at the entrance and the scene was rather lively. But it was easy enough to single out Qiu Mu-Cheng from the crowd due to her outstanding looks and figure. ¡°Some matter to attend to? A trash like you had something to attend to?¡± ¡°You keep dilly-dallying day in and day out. My Mu-Cheng is being held back because of a no-hoper like you.¡± Upon seeing Ye Fan, ady was unable to contain her dislike for him and let loose with a scolding. And then, she saw what Ye Fan was wearing and got angrier. ¡°Are you an idiot? Do you not know what is the asion today? Yet you are wearing such shabby clothes. Are you trying to humiliate our Mu- Cheng?¡± Thedy was in the throes of rage and wished she could give Ye Fan a good kicking. Standing beside her, a middle-aged man stared at Ye Fan with displeasure. HIs look of contempt made for a distinctive contrast with thedy¡¯s clear disy of disgust. ¡°Okay, mom. Just stop talking.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng, on the other hand, was calm and responded softly. As if she¡¯s already used to losing face because of Ye Fan. ¡°Why must I stay silent? Mu-Cheng, this piece of trash did it on purpose. He deliberately dressed shabbily to shame our family! The heavens must have sent him to torment us!¡± Han Li, Mu-Cheng¡¯s mother, yelled in fury, her eyes bloodshot with rage. During all these years, she had been umting a lot of grievance because of Ye Fan. ¡°Enough is enough!¡± Mu-Cheng cut in with a scream. ¡°Mom, how long are you going to keep this up? It¡¯s fine when you keep the scoldings at home, but don¡¯t you know you are embarrassing me when you scold him in public? Also, have we ever bought him anything nice after he married into our family? You want him to wear nice clothes, but does he have any to wear?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng tried her best to calm herself down, but Ye Fan could see that her eyes were red. Nobody knew what kind of grievance and humiliation this family had to suffer through during these past three years. After her daughter¡¯s outburst, Han Li stopped talking and, after dabbing at her eyes, she turned and left for the house. Ye Fan had nothing to say as well, and followed Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family into the house. Inside the family house, there was a festive atmosphere. At this moment, Mu-Cheng¡¯s uncle was standing by the door, greeting the guests warmly together with his family. ¡°Haha¡± ¡°His sister-inw is looking prettier and prettier, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°I am already very happy that you cane today, there¡¯s no need for gifts.¡± ¡°Ai, you are standing on ceremony.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much money. No, no. I can¡¯t ept this.¡± ¡°Fine, we will take this. Next time, invite us to your son¡¯s wedding.¡± ¡°Quick, Ying-Ying,e thank your auntie and uncle.¡± Mu-Cheng¡¯s aunt, Wang Qiao-Yu epted the gift warmly and instructed her daughter, Qiu Mu-Ying, to greet their rtives. After some sweet salutations, Wang Qiao-Yu attentively guided their guests to their seats in the hall. ¡°Qiao-Yu, congrattions. We didn¡¯tete, did we?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family had also arrived. Mu-Cheng¡¯s mother, Han Li, stepped forward with a smile and offered her congrattion. Qiu Mu-Cheng and Ye Fan also greeted their aunt affectionately. ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t matter even ifete. Since it¡¯s useless even if youe.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu¡¯s smile vanished as soon as she saw Mu-Cheng¡¯s family and she responded coldly to their greetings. And she simply ignored Mu-Cheng¡¯s and Ye Fan¡¯s disy of affection. ¡°Who asked you toe?¡± ¡°And you even brought that piece of trash here. To embarrass us?¡± Even though Wang Qiao-Yu had a bad attitude, she didn¡¯t do anything outrageous. But Qiu Mu-Ying was young and reckless, so she paid little heed to societal norms. Her dislike for Ye Fan outweighed everything else. And, as she disregarded the presence of guests and elders, she cut loose with a tongueshing. In the Qiu family, Ye Fan was a source of shame. With a useless son-inw like him, Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family was also held in low regard. ¡°Ying-Ying, be quiet. Pay attention to your surroundings.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu pulled her daughter aside and indifferently epted the gift money offered by Mu-Cheng¡¯s family. And without offering to guide them, let Mu-Cheng¡¯s family make their own way into the hall to find their seats. ¡°Mind the trash. Don¡¯t let him embarrass our Ying-Ying.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu couldn¡¯t help leaving behind such an insulting barb. ¡°This family of four, they could onlye up with this much money? They¡¯re obviously here to freeload off us. Shameless.¡± Behind them, the undisguised disgust in Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s voice could be clearly heard. Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s face paled in anger and Han Li could feel her heart constricting in her chest, but they ignored the insult and kept their peace. After all, out of the five Qiu brothers, their branch of the family was the worst off. Their son-inw was also the most useless. Without power and wealth to back them up, they could only ept their lot in silence. Suddenly, amotion could be heard outside the door. A Benz drove into the driveway, and a youngdy in a long gown stepped out hand-in-hand with a male companion. When they saw her, both Wang Qiao-Yu and Qiu Mu-Ying smiled brightly. The looks of disgust on their faces had all but vanished. The mother-and-daughter pair scurried over to the front door to receive their guests. ¡°Mu-Hong. Brother-inw. You¡¯ve finally arrived. We have been waiting for you.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying smiled fawningly. ¡°Here, this way.¡± ¡°Oh my, why did you buy so many gifts? You are standing on ceremony.¡± ¡°Here, somebodye give my nephew-inw a hand.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu too, was also eager to please Even though Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family were also blood rtions, but the difference in treatment was like heaven and earth. The unfairness twisted in their hearts like a knife. The new arrival was Qiu Mu-Hong, the daughter of the fifth Qiu brother. Because she had found herself an excellent husband, the entire Qiu n could not help but suck up to their branch of the family. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Jiang Yang was the name of Qiu Mu-Hong¡¯s husband. To be honest, he¡¯s just a talented student at school, without any remarkable achievements to his name. After all, he¡¯s still in his early twenties. What could he possibly achieve at that age? Jiang Yang¡¯s father, however, was remarkable and held high office within Yunzhou city. Previously, when the Qiu Corporation ran into difficulties, it was his father who lent them a helping hand a number of times. Therefore, the entire Qiu family was willing to toady up to Jiang Yang. ¡°Ye Fan, what are you nking out for? Come help me move these things. Are you blind?¡± Qiu Mu-Ying turned around to scream at Ye Fan. She had utterly no respect for her brother-inw. Ye Fan kept his peace and took on the role of mover in silence. Han Li and her husband looked on grimly. Ye Fan was also a son-inw of the Qiu family and Mu-Ying¡¯s elder. But now, he was being ordered around by his junior. It was a great loss of face for them. They mentally scolded him for being a useless piece of trash and an easy pushover. Qiu Mu-Cheng, on the other hand, was biting her lip in anger. She knew. She understood that Ye Fan was doing this to protect herst remaining shred of dignity. Now, he¡¯s the only one being shamed. But if he resisted, their whole family would be shamed. ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t break it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bottle of Maotai. It costs more than a thousand. You can¡¯t afford to break it.¡± Both Mu-Hong and her husband also held him in scorn. And Jiang Yang started issuing instructions to his brother-in- law because he¡¯s afraid that Ye Fan might break the gifts. In this society, a penniless and powerless son-inw gets no respect from anyone. After the arrival of Qiu Mu-Hong¡¯s family, their rtives crowded around fawningly. Later, they were escorted into the hall by Wang Qiao-Yu and Qiu Mu-Ying. ¡°Hong-Hong, rest on the sofa with Yang-Yang and your parents. Once everyone has arrived, we will set off for the hotel.¡± ¡°If you need anything, let me know. Don¡¯t stand on ceremony with your aunt. We are one family.¡± Both Wang Qiao-Yu and Qiu Mu-Hong behaved warmly towards their guests. And Wang Qiao-Yu kept holding Jiang Yang¡¯s hand, as if he¡¯s her son-inw. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°There are no seats left?¡± When they arrived at the hall, they found that there were no seats avable. ¡°Auntie and Ying-Ying, there¡¯s no need to trouble yourselves. I will just stand around with Hong. We are leaving for the hotel soon anyway.¡± Jiang Yang said politely. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°You are an honored guest. How could we let you stand?¡± Wang Qiao-Yu rejected the proposal right away. After looking round the hall, her gazended on Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family. At this moment, Ye Fan had already finished moving the gifts and was about to take a seat himself. ¡°Hey you, Mu-Cheng. Your family has already sat long enough. Why don¡¯t you give up your seats? Hong and Yang-Yang have just arrived and they need to rest.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu informed Mu-Cheng promptly. And her daughter, Mu-Ying, simply pulled Ye Fan out of his seat without a word. Although they were unwilling, they couldn¡¯t do anything since the host had already made her intention clear. Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family could only give up their seats to Qiu Mu-Hong and her family. And so, in therge hall of the Qiu¡¯s family house, only Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family remained on their feet. Everyone else was seated and chatting among themselves. Since Han Li andpany felt embarrassed, they decided to wait outside the hall instead. ¡°They are looking down on us. Everyone else had a seat. Why were we the only ones forced to give up our seats?¡± ¡°They are out to embarrass us!¡± Out in the courtyard, Han Li could no longer stomach the humiliation and howled in anger. Mu-Cheng¡¯s father sighed quietly. Ye Fan bowed his head, his face expressionless. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you trash. You¡¯ve shamed all of us.¡± ¡°Go look at Jiang Yang and then look at yourself!¡± ¡°Why is my life so difficult? My husband is useless and my son-inw is a piece of trash!¡± Han Li was once again venting her frustration on Ye Fan. ¡°Enough!¡± ¡°You think we haven¡¯t been embarrassed enough?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng had finally snapped. ¡°Yes, Ye Fan is indeed worthless. He¡¯s a piece of trash. But, mom. Why don¡¯t you ask yourself. Ask my father and ask me. Are we not worthless too? If there¡¯s even one capable person among us, would they have humiliated us today?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng was screaming in a guttural tone and trying her best not to choke on her words. She even clenched her teeth to prevent herself from crying. Ye Fan could see that. After suffering through three years of humiliation, this proud and independent woman finally broke down and cried. With tears streaming down her face, Mu-Cheng ran out of the hall and away from the Qiu¡¯s family house. ¡°Look at your daughter. Not only did she marry a piece of trash and shame our family, and now she has the nerve to yell at us?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t keep on living like this...¡± Han Li was stillining. But while the couple was unaware, Ye Fan had already left the scene. A beautiful woman was crying by the moat, with tears streaming down her face. She looked as if she¡¯s trying to let out all the grievance she had been enduring for the past three years. A man suddenly appeared beside her and stretched out his hand to wipe away her tears. ¡°Mu-Cheng, I am sorry. You¡¯ve suffered because of me.¡± Ye Fan paused for a moment and continued. ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce. I am not worthy of you. You deserve a better man.¡± Piak! A clear sound rang out as Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s pnded on Ye Fan¡¯s face. She looked at him with her teeth clenched and screamed in a tear-choked voice. ¡°Ye Fan, why? Why can¡¯t you be more like a man?¡± ¡°A setbackes along and you immediately think of running away. For the past three years, I told you not to touch me and you didn¡¯t. My parents abused you and you didn¡¯t even retaliate. My rtives humiliated you and you just kept quiet. Why are you so useless? Why can¡¯t you be more like a man and teach those bastards who humiliated us a lesson? Why can¡¯t you protect me from all these troubles?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be looked down upon. I don¡¯t want others to mock me. I want the people who have humiliated us to regret what they did...¡± ¡°wu wu wu~¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng continued to cry. Cold, strong, independent and stubborn ¨C these were the words Ye Fan would use to describe his wife. But look at her now. The formerly strong and independent woman was crying like a child. ¡°Ye Fan. I really, really don¡¯t want to keep living a sad life like this~~¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s tears poured forth like rain. At that moment, she looked as weak and helpless as a child. Ye Fan was stunned. It¡¯s been so many years since they had known each other and this was the first time Qiu Mu-Cheng talked to him like this. Ye Fan had always thought that he was just a piece of useless garbage to Qiu Mu-Cheng. But now, he knew that Qiu Mu-Cheng had always considered him to be her husband, a man who could shelter her and take care of her for life. ¡°Mu-Cheng, I¡¯m sorry for being useless all these years.¡± ¡°But I promise. From now onwards, nobody will be able to bully you.¡± The cold wind blew, causing ripples to form across the moat and the leaves to rustle in the trees. Ye Fan clenched his hand tightly as he made an unbreakable vow to Qiu Mu-Cheng! That night, Ye Fan made a call. ¡°Han, arrange a meeting. I will go see him.¡± On the other end of the line, the old man reeled in surprise for moment. And then, unable to suppress the joy in his heart, he asked excitedly: ¡°Young Master Fan, is that true? Have you agreed?¡± ¡°Okay. I will go make the arrangements right away. You stay there and we will send someone to pick you up.¡± The old man was in quite a state of excitement. A car was dispatched immediately, for fear of Ye Fan changing his mind and running away. When the news reached the middle-aged man, he was so agitated that his eyes grew teary. ¡°It¡¯s been ten years. Fan, you are finally willing to see me.¡± Afterposing herself, Qiu Mu-Cheng returned to the Qiu¡¯s family house for her cousin¡¯s engagement ceremony. If she absented herself, it would just give her rtives something to use against her in the future. And she would be an object of criticism. It¡¯s just that, Ye Fan was no longer with her when she returned. As for Ye Fan, he had already left after making that promise to you. Qiu Mu-Cheng was a little worried that he might do something outrageous because of her. Although Qiu Mu-Cheng was dissatisfied with Ye Fan, she recognized his silent efforts to support her over the past three years. And she had seen his submission to various humiliations in the Qiu family as well. Therefore, it was only natural that she felt a little something for him. If Ye Fan had gone and done something illegal because of herints earlier, she would never forgive herself. On the way back to the family house, she tried to call Ye Fan but nobody picked up. Finally, Qiu Mu- Cheng decided to send him a text message. ¡°Qiu Mu-Cheng, where on earth did you go? Everyone had to wait for your family? Hurry up. We are going to the hotel.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s impatient voice could be hearding in from the front. Qiu Mu-Cheng grunted in response and tapped the ¡°Send¡± button on her phone. Then she went into the hall and followed everyone else to the hotel where Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s and Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s engagement banquet was being held. Outside the Qiu¡¯s family house, Chu Wen-Fei had already arranged for a fleet of Audi cars to stand by and ferry the guests to the hotel. After everyone had gotten on board, the Audis departed in a roar of engine noise. Nobody noticed that Ye Fan was not on board any of the vehicles. Who would pay attention to a useless live-in son-inw like him? Meanwhile, a crowd of envious bystanders were looking at the departing Audis. ¡°Mister Qiu¡¯s daughter had found herself a good man.¡± At the same time, a fleet of luxury cars were speeding towards the moat. A dozen or so heavily-built men were standing neatly in two rows to greet the young man standing in front of them. ¡°Young Master, please board the car!¡± ¡°Young Master, please board the car!¡± Their shouts resonated through the air and frightened away the birds in the vicinity. A few secondster. Boom~ The roars of engine noise and streams of orange-red lights from the cars tore through the horizon. And like a herd of primordial beasts, the vehicles sped into the distance. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Come look. Rolls-Royce!¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Damn! Six of them!¡± ¡°Look at the one in front. Isn¡¯t that an explosion-proof car? That¡¯s fit for a head of state.¡± ¡°It costs at least ten million!¡± ¡°Next to the Rolls-Royces, the Audis look like a pile of shit!¡± ¡°Heavens!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who¡¯sing?¡± ¡°Is there a VVIP in Yunzhou?¡± Along the way where the fleet passed, the atmosphere was rather lively. The vampish and ummaried women could only blush in agitation when they saw the opulent procession. If you have to get married, that¡¯s the kind of guy you should marry! The passerbys who saw the procession of ck Rolls-Royces could only go crazy with envy and yearning. What¡¯s a rich family? That¡¯s a rich family right there! Inparison with this family who could afford to use Rolls-Royces to escort and clear the way for them, the other tycoons in Yunzhou looked like losers. While there was a mor going on outside, Ye Fan remained calm inside the vehicle. His head was bent forward as he looked at the message on his phone. ¡°Ye Fan. Just now, I behaved in an unbing manner. It¡¯s not your fault. And I don¡¯t need you to do anything. I will deal with my own family matters. When you see this message, please hurry home. ¨C Qiu Mu-Cheng¡± Ye Fan turned off the phone. His face was expressionless as he looked out of the window at the deep night sky. That deep gaze gave him the air of a ring dragon and a tiger returning to its domain! ¡°Cheng, from today onwards, I will have the power to protect you for the rest of your life.¡± Whoosh! The car continued speeding towards Haiyuan Pavilion, the most luxurious restaurant in all of Yunzhou city. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Numerous luxury cars could be seen parked outside Haiyuan Pavilion, the most opulent restaurant in the whole of Yunzhou city. Those who could afford to dine here were either rich businessmen or government officials, the elites of Yunzhou city. If a family could have their wedding banquet at this restaurant, that would be an event worth boasting about. And so, Chu Wen-Fei arranged for the engagement banquet to be held at this very restaurant. Three private rooms were booked for this asion. ¡°Wow, Ying-Ying¡¯s fianc¨¦ is such a remarkable man!¡± ¡°Not just anyone can throw a banquet at Haiyuan Pavilion.¡± The Qiu family members were full of praise for this feat. Qiu Mu-Ying raised her chin proudly as her heart brimmed over with satisfaction. Her mother too was all smiles, but she put on a show of humility and downyed her son-inw¡¯s achievements. Soon, the guests reached the entrance of Haiyuan Pavilion. At this moment, a handsome young man in ck tuxedo hurried over to the car with Qiu Mu-Ying onboard and opened the door with a smile. ¡°Mom, dad and Ying-Ying. You¡¯ve arrived. I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Are you satisfied with this arrangement?¡± ¡°Satisfied. We¡¯re very satisfied. Wen-Fei, you are so considerate.¡± The more Wang Qiao-Yu looked at her son-inw, the more she liked him. Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s family did not produce schrs and government officials like Jiang Yang¡¯s, but they had money. These days, if you had money you could aplish a lot of things. And Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s family was involved in real estate. Everyone knew the real estate industry was a money-maker. A decent project could earn you billions. That¡¯s more money than what the Qiu family could make. ¡°That young man, he looks sharp.¡± ¡°They are a good match with each other. This Qiao-Yu found herself a good son-inw!¡± Another round of praise came from the gathered rtives. Only Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family refrained from participating, as they were dealing with their own negative emotions. ¡°Uncles and aunties, please don¡¯t just stand around. Let¡¯s move inside.¡± Chu Wen-Fei has started ushering his guests into the restaurant. But, at this moment, someone hurried over to Chu Wen-Fei and said: ¡°Young Master Chu, it¡¯s terrible. Something has gone wrong. The receptionist just told me they do not have enough private rooms. They told us to move to another restaurant ore another day.¡± ¡°What? They have the guts to tell me to change the date of my engagement banquet?¡± When Chu Wen-Fei heard this, he flew into a rage. This turn of events caused misgiving to spread among the guests. Wang Qiao-Yu asked worriedly: ¡°Wen-Fei, is there a problem?¡± Chu Wen-Fei waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not a big deal. I can handle this. Everyone, please follow me inside.¡± But just as expected, the Qiu family was stopped at the front desk. The receptionist informed them that they didn¡¯t have any private room avable and asked them to move to another restaurant. ¡°Screw you!¡± ¡°I want my private room and I want it now.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your manager? Let me see your manager. I am Chu Wen-Fei and this is my engagement banquet. Let¡¯s see if he has the guts to embarrass me?¡± Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s hollered angrily. The receptionist was so frightened by the outburst that he scurried away to find the manager. A few minutester. The receptionist returned and led the guests to a private room. ¡°Wow, Wen-Fei. You¡¯re good!¡± ¡°They had no choice but to agree to your demands.¡± ¡°Qiao-Yu, this son-inw of yours has a bright future ahead!¡± ¡°Ying-Ying is going to be a rich madam in future and enjoy the good life.¡± The guests let loose another torrent of praise. Wang Qiao-Yu and her family were so happy that they couldn¡¯t stop smiling. Driven by the mood, Qiu Mu-Ying hugged her fianc¨¦¡¯s arm, a blissful smile stered on her face, and said shyly, ¡°Darling, you¡¯re great.¡± The crowdughed joyously at this public disy of affection. Chu Wen-Fei waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s not a big deal. Not worth mentioning. And the restaurant manager used to be my father¡¯s driver. He has to respect my father. So the one who¡¯s great is my father. Not me. I am just a fresh university graduate.¡± This pretension of humility earned him full marks from the crowd. And yet another round of praise. ¡°Humble and not proud. He¡¯s destined for great things.¡± ¡°Ying-Ying, you¡¯ve found yourself a good man!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Qiu family¡¯s good fortune to have a son-inw like him!¡± Thest line was said by the head of the Qiu family, who was seated at the seat of honor. This evaluation made Chu Wen-Fei swell with pride. Qiu Mu-Ying and her family also basked in the reflected glory. Humans arepetitive creatures and, naturally, Master Qiu¡¯s favoritism made his youngest son¡¯s family unhappy. ¡°Dad,e on, our Jiang Yang is not bad as well. When ourpany ran into difficulties, his family helped us out a number of times. Without Jiang Yang, the Qiu family would not be where we are today.¡± Ma Ling, the wife of Master Qiu¡¯s youngest son, was quick to point out. Master Qiuughed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Ling is correct. Although our family is weing in the new today, we must not forget the old. I¡¯ve liked Jiang Yang since I first saw him. After hepletes his postgraduate studies, whether he chooses to go into politics or business, his achievements will not be lesser than his father¡¯s. Our Hong-Hong has also found herself the right man. She has not embarrassed our family.¡± ¡°Anyway, our Qiu family has four youngdies. Except for my second son¡¯s daughter who is still in school, the other three have found their life partners. And I am pleased with my sons-inws. Except for a certain someone.¡± As the family head gave his speech at the dinner table, the fourth and fifth Qiu brothers basked in the reflected glory. Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family, however, could only bow their heads in silence, while praying that nobody would notice them. At this moment, outside the private room, the restaurant¡¯s general manager was waiting for a call. When his phone rang, he saw the caller¡¯s ID and broke into a smile. Then he answered the call in a servile tone. ¡°Master, we¡¯ve prepared everything. We¡¯ve been keeping the presidential ready.¡± ¡°Now, we¡¯re just waiting for the arrival of the VIP.¡± ¡°What? The other guests have to leave as well?¡± ¡°That¡¯s no good. The guests here are all VIPs...¡± Without waiting for the general manager to finish speaking, the party on the other end of the line cut in with a stream of scolding. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. The personing today is a very big shot. If anything goes wrong, you will not be losing just your job, but your life as well!¡± A guttural snarl came from the other end of the line and then the call ended, leaving behind the dull du- du of the disconnect tone. The restaurant¡¯s general manager stayed rooted to the spot, his face pale and covered with cold sweat. ¡°A¡­ very big shot?¡± The general manager was trembling. Immediately afterwards, he gave the order to clear the ce out. Everyone, no matter their background or status, had to leave the restaurant. Even if their meal was still in progress. But all this was unknown to the Qiu family members, who were still in their private room. At the dinner table, both Qiu Mu-Ying and Qiu Mu-Hong were basking in the reflected glory of their partners. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s that live-in son-inw?¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t here?¡± Somebody asked and it was only now that they noticed Ye Fan¡¯s absence. ¡°I guess he felt inferior while he¡¯s in Jiang Yang¡¯s and Wen-Fei¡¯s presence. He¡¯s afraid of losing face and felt too ashamed to show his face. So he left and hid outside?¡± ¡°Hahaha~¡± ¡°Trash will be trash~¡± The guestsughed derisively. Especially Qiu Mu-Ying and Qiu Mu-Hong. They felt great and looked triumphantly at Qiu Mu-Cheng who had kept silent and her head bowed throughout the conversation. Because she was too beautiful, Qiu Mu-Cheng had always overshadowed both Mu-Ying and Mu-Hong since their childhood. So both of them considered Qiu Mu-Cheng to be a thorn in their flesh and they had always targeted her because of their jealousies. And now, the tide had turned in their favor. Now, they only felt pity and scorn towards Qiu Mu-Cheng. ¡°The wheel of fortune turns.¡± ¡°Qiu Mu-Cheng, Qiu Mu-Cheng. So what if you are pretty?¡± ¡°You ended up marrying a piece of trash!¡± ¡°The wife basks in the reflected glory of her husband. From now onwards, you are destined to be trampled under foot by us. You will never be able to hold your head up high in the Qiu family.¡± Both Qiu Mu-Ying and Qiu Mu-Hong had smug expressions on their faces as they smiled inwardly. ¡°Why mention azy and useless trash on an auspicious day like this?¡± A roar from Master Qiu stopped the discussion about Ye Fan. And then he continued with his speech. ¡°I, Qiu Zheng-Lun, am very happy for the two daughters of our family. They¡¯ve found themselves good men. Jiang Yang and Wen-Fei. I am very pleased with this two sons-inw. They are the pride of the Qiu family.¡± ¡°Come, let¡¯s have a toast. The Qiu family offers a toast to the two sons-inws!¡± Master Qiu took the lead by raising his cup. But just as the feast was reaching its peak and everyone was standing up to offer their toasts, the door to the private room was pushed open and a waiter hurried inside. ¡°Sir~¡± ¡°Screw you~¡± ¡°Who told you toe in? Can¡¯t you see we are having a toast?¡± Chu Wen-Fei flew into a rage. He was obviously unhappy with the intrusion of the waiter. The waiter, too, was feeling a bit annoyed. Since this guest loved to show off, he was not going to treat him with respect anymore. ¡°Mister Chu, sorry. We are expecting a VIP. So we have to clear Haiyuan Pavilion of all guests. Please leave.¡± What? All the guests present were shocked. Although the waiter¡¯s words were polite, it was clear that he wanted them to get lost. Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s wine ss hovered in front of his lips. He was stunned. Clear out? Screw you! This engagement banquet had just reached its peak. His inws were right in front of him and his wife¡¯s family were enjoying their feast. He hadn¡¯t finished showing off yet and the restaurant wanted him to leave? Damn! Chu Wen-Fei was about to explode with anger. If this engagement banquet was interrupted halfway through and if his guests were chased out of the restaurant, he would really lose face. His face turned an unhealthy color. Chu Wen-Fei felt that he was being screwed over and he couldn¡¯t help cursing in his mind. Qiu Mu-Ying also had an uglyplexion. ¡°Wen-Fei, what¡¯s going on. We can¡¯t eat here anymore?¡± Chu Wen-Fei waved his hand. ¡°Nothing. No worries, Ying-Ying. I will take care of this.¡± ¡°But sir, this order came from above...¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Screw your order! Tell your manager, I am Chu Wen-Fei, the son of Chu Yang. If you want me out, tell your manager toe himself.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see if he has the guts!¡± Chu Wen-Fei was really pissed. If he was chased out of his own engagement banquet, he would not be able to face anyone again. And his wife¡¯s family was present too. ¡°Wen-Fei, is everything alright? Why don¡¯t we move to another restaurant?¡± Qiu Guang, the eldest Qiu brother, asked worriedly. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t worry. Keep eating. The restaurant manager was my family¡¯s driver. He wouldn¡¯t dare chase us out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s nothing. Everyone, continue eating. Wen-Fei¡¯s family has clout. He can take care of this.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu smiled to ease the tension. After all, this was her daughter¡¯s engagement banquet. If anything went wrong, she would lose face. The Qiu family continued with their meal. The waiter was helpless before Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s demands, as he was afraid of offending the son of some VIP. So he hurried to report to the manager. ¡°Sir, a guest is refusing to leave. He said he¡¯s the son of Chu Yang. He wants to see you.¡± ¡°Damn! He wants to see me? Who does he think he is?¡± The manager flew into a rage when he heard the news. ¡°He¡¯s just a kid. Does he really think he¡¯s somebody important? Tell him this. Even if his father is here, he has to get lost as well!¡± ¡°Damn. I¡¯ve just sent away four directors. He¡¯s just a kid. He thinks I can¡¯t handle him?¡± ¡°Pass down my instruction. If they still don¡¯t want to leave, we will get the security guards to beat them up before throwing them out of the restaurant. You got that?¡± The manager was in a bad mood. The general manager had just given him a dressing down, and now this college kid wanted to push him around too? How could he not get mad? Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Once they had received their instructions, the underlings left to carry out their task. Soon, the waiter returned to the private room and repeated the manager¡¯s instruction. Of course, Chu Wen-Fei was unwilling to listen and insisted on seeing the manager. And then the Qiu family members could only react in confusion when the troop of security personnel arrived on the scene. Finally, they were all thrown out by the guards. During the process, both Chu Wen-Fei and Qiu Mu-Ying put up a fight and kept demanding to see the manager. ¡°Screw you!¡± The security guard was pissed and responded by pping the unreasonable duo before throwing them out. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°It hurts~¡± Both Chu Wen-Fei and Qiu Mu-Ying howled in agony. ¡°Bastards, how dare you treat me like this.¡± ¡°I promise you this. You all are done for!¡± ¡°How dare you dirty my dress?¡± ¡°You low ss people. Can you afford to pay for my dress?¡± Qiu Mu-Ying was still ranting away. ¡°Keep shouting and I will p your bloody mouth!¡± A security guard red and roared at Qiu Mu-Ying. She promptly shut up. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so humiliating.¡± The hitherto festive banquet guests were now thrown out of the restaurant, and they milled around feeling embarrassed and looking demoralized. Wang Qiao-Yu keptining as she had suffered a great loss of face. As for Qiu Zheng-Lun, the head of the Qiu family, his face had already turned an ugly color. In his whole life, he had never been so humiliated before. To think that he was thrown out like a dog during his meal. At this time, a crowd had gathered outside Haiyuan Pavilion. To prepare for the VIP¡¯s arrival, cordon tapes were put up to clear a path through the crowd. And a brand new red carpet was unrolled from the restaurant¡¯s entrance to the main road. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Look, isn¡¯t that the president of Wei Corporation? One of the top ten young entrepreneurs of Jiangdong province? He¡¯s a National People¡¯s Congress representative. He was told to leave as well?¡± ¡°And that old man. Isn¡¯t he the head of the Qiu family? He was chased out as well?¡± ¡°Damn. That¡¯s Director Li Wei-Min. He¡¯s a senior leader of the municipal partymittee. He was told to leave too!¡± ¡°What the¡­ What¡¯s going on today?¡± ¡°Is a VVIPing?¡± ¡°Making such a fuss!¡± When they saw the top dogs of Yunzhou city chased out of the restaurant, the onlookers worked themselves into a frenzy. With all the pomp that was going on, everyone couldn¡¯t help wondering about the identity of Haiyuan Pavilion¡¯s mystery guest. What kind of person could make Haiyuan Pavilion go to such great lengths and offend so many members of high society! When the Qiu family saw that they were in such illustriouspany, they felt a little better. At the same time, they were also curious about the identity of the VIP guest. Qiu Mu-Cheng, too, lifted up her head to look, her heart filled with curiosity. Boom~ Finally, amidst all themotion, roars of engine noise could be hearding in from the end of the main road. Like the sound of howling demons, they tore through the horizon. Immediately after, streams of orange-yellow headlights shed through the canopy of the night sky and sped towards the restaurant. The momentum of the car fleet was like that of a churning river! Soon, a ck explosion-proof car that was being escorted by other vehicles arrived on the scene. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Rolls-Royces!¡± ¡°Six of them?¡± ¡°Heavens!¡± ¡°What a huge procession.¡± The crowd worked themselves into a frenzy again. Everyone was overwhelmed by the pageantry and after witnessing the procession, Chu Wen-Fei felt inferior. Finally, the car¡¯s door opened. Numerous stewards lined up on both sides of the red carpet and shouted in unison. ¡°Wee, Young Master Fan!¡± ¡°Wee, Young Master Fan!¡± Boom~ Their shouts thundered and resounded through the air. While the stewards were shouting, the general manager himself came out to receive the mystery guest and the female greeters bowed uniformly in wee. Under the dim lighting and the adoring gazes of the crowd, the slim figure of a young man walked up the red carpet and disappeared into Haiyuan Pavilion. Leaving numerous smoldering stares and frenzied shrieks in his wake. ¡°Wow, so handsome!¡± ¡°So young~¡± ¡°He must be super rich.¡± ¡°Wish I could marry him~~¡± Scores of girls screamed and wished they could throw themselves at him. ¡°Shit, stop pushing~¡± ¡°You beasts!¡± Because the Qiu family members were standing in a bad position, they were quickly pushed to the back of the crowd. When they made their way to the front, they could only see the back view of the young man. But even so, the two married woman ¨C Qiu Mu-Ying and Qiu Mu-Hong ¨C stared seductively and longingly after the retreating back of the mysterious youth. ¡°Ai, it¡¯s a pity. We don¡¯t know him.¡± ¡°If I know a rich man like him, I will do anything to be his wife. Even if I have to keep pestering him. I want to sleep with him and have his baby. It¡¯s fine even if I can only be his mistress.¡± Their hearts were filled with excitement and yearning. It didn¡¯t matter to them that they were married. As long as this young master was willing, they could always abandon their husbands and follow him. As for Mu-Ying¡¯s and Mu-Hong¡¯s parents, they were feeling contemtive. They couldn¡¯t help but think about how wonderful it would be if this rich young man was their son-inw. ¡°Ai, Cheng-Cheng, look at him. He had the entire Haiyuan Pavilion cleared out just because he wanted to have a meal. Not only did the general manager wee him personally, he also received the red carpet treatment. Would we be able to enjoy such treatment in our lifetime?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s mother, Han Li, was feeling envious. Makingparisons often bring about hurt feelings but, when she looked at the scene before her, Han Li couldn¡¯t helpparing that mysterious young man with that useless son-inw of hers. And she felt depressed when she thought about how ill-fated her life was. However, nobody noticed that Qiu Mu-Cheng had be stunned as she was observing the back view of the mysterious young man. ¡°Mom, dad. Don¡¯t you think that young man looks like Ye Fan?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng whispered to her parents. Her parentsughed bitterly in response. ¡°Cheng-Cheng, stop dreaming. Although we truly wish that person is our son-inw, but that¡¯s impossible. Right?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go~¡± ¡°Ai~¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame that our family is being dragged down because of that piece of trash.¡± Han Li sighed. The crowd had already dispersed and so they left the ce with the rest of the Qiu family. But Qiu Mu-Cheng was reluctant to leave. Her face creased in concentration as she thought about the mysterious young man. Could it be that I was wrong? But they look so simr~ In the end, Qiu Mu-Cheng could only shake her head and sigh. Obviously, even she thought that she was overthinking things. A young master from a rich family and a live-in son-inw are as different as heaven and earth. So how could the two be the same person? Qiu Mu-Chengughed self-deprecatingly and left. ¡°Fan, I am d that you are willing to see me.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Haiyuan Pavilion. The Presidential Room. Ye Fan¡¯s face was expressionless as he sat quietly. But the middle-aged man in front of him was overwhelmed with emotion. At that moment, he looked like he was about to cry. If anyone from the Chu family was here, they would be shocked to see this weaker side of the usually unyielding and ruthless ¡°Demon King Chu¡±. Ye Fan¡¯s expression remained emotionless. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this. I am not sitting here because of you.¡± ¡°If you have anything to say, then say it. After so many years, why did you people spend so much effort to look for the low-born son of a low-born woman?¡± As Ye Fan asked his question, there was a hint of sarcasm on his lips. The middle-aged man felt a stab of pain in his heart. But he took a deep breath and tried to maintain hisposure. ¡°Fan, it¡¯s been ten years already. Let bygones be bygones. The family does not care anymore about what happened in the past. Your grandfather is already an old man. And you are the only member of the family¡¯s Tian (Heaven) character generation. Now, it¡¯s time to go back. Return to your roots and pay your respect to your grandfather.¡± ¡°Grandfather?¡± Ye Fanughed, his words cutting like ice. ¡°I will say this again. I no longer had a grandfather the moment he drove my mother and me out of the family!¡± ¡°As for returning to my roots, it¡¯s possible. As long as he, and the rest of the people who humiliated my mother and me, apologize to my mother.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I would rather die in the streets than return to the Chu family!¡± Ye Fan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot and his body was trembling with rage. The Chu family was prominent throughout the world but, in Ye Fan¡¯s memory, it was a cold and unfeeling ce. When he saw Ye Fan¡¯s reaction, the middle-aged man felt a stab of pain in his heart. ¡°Fan, let bygones be bygones.¡± ¡°Let bygones be bygones? That¡¯s easy for you to say. That¡¯s my mom, not yours. You can let bygones be bygones, but I can¡¯t!¡± Ye Fan growled like a beast who had his sore spot touched. Soon, the room turned silent. Nothing could be heard except for the ticking sound of the clock. After a while, the middle-aged man sighed. ¡°Fan, I understand where you areing from. I also understand the suffering you and your mother have gone through. But you know this too. It¡¯s extremely difficult to force a prominent family, like the Chu family, to bow its head.¡± ¡°At least, the you right nowck the strength to do so.¡± ¡°If you wish to seek justice for your mother, then work hard and prove yourself.¡± ¡°When you are good enough, the whole world will bow before you.¡± Ye Fan raised his head and fixed his gaze on the man opposite him. And then, he smiled sinisterly. ¡°I will be.¡± ¡°I will take back what the Chu family owes me and my mother!¡± Ye Fan thought that would anger him but, to his surprise, the middle-aged manughed with a twinkle of happiness in his eyes, and said: ¡°I believe you.¡± Ye Fan did not stay to chat and left promptly. As he was leaving, the middle-aged man suddenly called out after him. ¡°Fan. Your mother. Is she doing well? I would like to see her.¡± With his back facing the man, Ye Fan answered his question. ¡°Do you think you have the right?¡± Ye Fanughed coldly and left the ce. In the room, only the middle-aged man remained. And with his heart full of guilt and regret, he gazed into the distance. Suddenly, his body convulsed and, after a bout of coughing, he looked at the hand that he had used to cover his mouth. It was stained with blood. ¡°Master, your health¡­?¡± An elderly retainer hurried forward and supported him worriedly. The man waved his hand and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. My son has not returned home so how could I fall?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, Han. Fan¡¯s wife. She¡¯s called Qiu Mu-Cheng? Prepare some gifts and deliver them to her. Let this unqualified father-inw show show some appreciation for his daughter-inw.¡± ¡°And I remember our family used to have a servant called Li Er, right? I heard he¡¯s doing well for himself in Yunzhou. Send him my greeting. Tell him I don¡¯t care who dies in Yunzhou. As long as it¡¯s not my son.¡± As he was talking, the man turned to face Han again. His eyes were bright and they swam with unfathomable implications. ¡°Master, how are you feeling?¡± The man smiled. ¡°Nothing, Han. If I remember correctly, you used to take care of Fan when he was still with us?¡± Han¡¯s eyes twitched a little. The middle-aged man continued to speak. ¡°The Chu family is huge but everyone is looking out for their own self interests. There aren¡¯t many people who would die for Fan. Although I am his father, but there are many things I can¡¯t do for him. So, Han. I¡¯d like to ask for your help. Please look out for Fan in private.¡± ¡°Speaking as a father, this will give me peace of mind.¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Night had fallen. The watery moonlight glimmered and a cool breeze sang softly through the air. A young man stood quietly on the misty bank of theke. His gaze was deep as he looked at the ripples forming across theke. Yunzhou was a water city. Since time immemorial, it was known for having more water thannd. And Yunwu Lake was Yunzhou city¡¯srgest freshwaterke. Because it was covered with mist all year round, it gained the name of ¡°Yunwu¡± (Misty Cloud). ¡°Young Master, I have kept you waiting.¡± From behind him came the voice of an old man. It was Han. If anyone from the Chu family was here, they would be shocked to see the head butler of the Chu family, the most favored retainer of their family head, behaving so servilely towards this young man. ¡°Has he left?¡± The young man asked lightly as he continued to stare at theke. ¡°Yes, Young Master. The family head has already left. And he told me to look after you in secret. So it will be more convenient for us tomunicate in the future. Even if we are discovered, no one will find out my real identity.¡± Ye Fan nodded and spoke slowly: ¡°Han, for my sake, you had to shoulder a heavy burden and endure sufferings at the Chu family. Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Young Master, you are too kind. If you had not saved me back them, I would have aleady died in the wilderness. From that time onwards, I have pledged my loyalty to you. Never mind ten years, I will dly endure a hundred years of suffering for your sake. As long as I can help you fulfill your long- cherished wish, I will have noints.¡± Ye Fan smiled lightly and patted Han¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Young Master, words of thanks are not necessary. I owe everything I have to you. And all these years, I have followed your orders and secretly supported various powers throughout Great China. After ten years, our efforts have borne fruit. There¡¯s the boss of Yunzhou city, Li Er. And the Wang family of Beiquan city. And...¡± The old man excitedly recited the result of his hard work to Ye Fan, as if he was a gardener showing off his prized flowers to his master. ¡°Young Master, when are you returning to the Chu family? I believe, when you return, all those people who have looked down on and humiliated your mother will regret what they did.¡± Han looked at Ye Fan, a light of hope glimmering in his eyes. He had the air of an undercover soldier who was praying for the triumphant return of his king. Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°Han, it¡¯s not time yet. Operation Spark needs more time. But it¡¯s near completion. When I return to the Chu family, this spark will ignite a prairie fire!¡± Ye Fan clenched his hand and his eyes shone with an unfathomable light. Profound respect rose up within Han as he looked at the twenty-something young man standing before him. Most probably, even the Old Master did not think that the ¡°low-born¡± person despised by the Chu family was a dragon among men. Ten years ago, Ye Fan was just a teenager, with an air of childlike innocence still about him. But what the Chu family did to Ye Fan and his mother had left him with a temperament beyond that of other men. During those years at the Chu family, Ye Fan had managed to recruit many servants to his side. Han was just one of them. After they were driven out of the family, Ye Fan came up with Operation Spark. He had given his mother¡¯s dowry to Han. Through the old man and the influence of the Chu family, they had invested in various down-on-their-luck people throughout Great China. ¡°The best investment is in people!¡± ¡°At first, they may be only sparks. Weak and unknown. But I believe, given enough time, the sparks will ignite a fire that will burn across the prairie!¡± Most likely, nobody would think that the speech was made by a teenager. When he had first heard the speech, Han had been deeply impressed by Ye Fan¡¯s far-sightedness and the maturity that was beyond his years. And now, ten years had passed and Ye Fan¡¯s n had borne fruit. And this deepened Han¡¯s respect for Ye Fan. It wasn¡¯t just gratitude that Han was feeling, but also deep admiration for the far-sightedness of Ye Fan¡¯s n! ¡°Yes. When the timees, I will throw open the gates of the Chu family and wee you, Young Master. I await the return of the king!¡± Whoosh~ The piercing cold wind blew and countless ripples formed across Yunwu Lake. At this moment, Qiu Mu-Ying and Chu Wen-Fei had already moved to another restaurant for their engagement banquet. After all, the banquet must go on. And they had yet to officially announce their engagement, so there was no way Qiu Mu-Ying and her family would let the guests leave. But, even though it wasn¡¯t their fault, getting chased out of Haiyuan Pavilion while the banquet was still in progress had caused Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s family to lose face. And this hit Qiu Mu-Ying especially hard. She had nned to show off in front of her rtives, but the unforseen event had caused her to lose face instead. And so, she ced the me on Chu Wen-Fei. ¡°Ying-Ying, that was not my fault, right?¡± ¡°Who would have thought a VIP would suddenly appear in Yunzhou?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault. Look, even that director and the president of Qianyi Group were thrown out as well. There was nothing I could have done. Your family will understand.¡± Outside the private room, Chu Wen- Fei was doing his best to console Qiu Mu-Ying. But Qiu Mu-Ying remained unpacified. ¡°Hmph. Even if I forgive you for what happened at Haiyuan Pavilion, it still remains a fact that you have embarrassed me in front of my family. I don¡¯t care. Later, your family will have to give lots of expensive betrothal gifts to make up for my loss of face. Yes, I want a million and one in cash as well. Or I will divorce you!¡± When her cousin, Qiu Mu-Hong, had gotten engaged, her inws had given her ten thousand and one in cash. The meaning behind the gift was ¡°one in a thousand¡±. Now that it was her turn, she wanted to one-up her cousin with a ¡°one in a million¡±. ¡°Rx, Ying-Ying. When the betrothal gifts arrive, they will definitely make you look good in front of your family.¡± Chu Wen-Fei assured her confidently. ¡°Alright then.¡± Only then did Qiu Mu-Ying decide to let Chu Wen-Fei off the hook. She returned to the private room and joined her family. Chu Wen-Fei then proceeded to a deserted corner to make a phone call. ¡°Dad, have you prepared the betrothal gifts? Make sure they are expensive. The more expensive the better. Add a million and one in cash too. The people from the Qiu family are here. The Chu family can¡¯t afford to lose face in Yunzhou. If people talk about the gifts, you will be the one to lose face.¡± Chu Wen-Feiughed cheekily. ¡°Piss off, you unfilial son. And don¡¯t call me dad!¡± ¡°You stole the household register and got married in secret. You really have got guts.¡± ¡°Since you are so capable, go handle your engagement and wedding by yourself.¡± A man howled in anger from the other end of the line. ¡°Dad, I only wanted to give you a grandson, to continue our family line.¡± Chu Wen-Fei replied timidly. ¡°Screw you! Everyone in Yunzhou¡¯s high society knows with the exception of Qiu Mu-Cheng, all the daughters of the Qiu family are petty gold-digging bitches! How dare you marry a woman like that? You have brought shame upon our family!¡± ¡°And she wants betrothal gifts? A million in cash? Screw you. Tell this to the gold-digging bitch. Even if I die, she will not get a single cent of our money!¡± ¡°Betrothal gift? I won¡¯t give a single penny!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want a gold-digging bitch like her to be my daughter-inw! Not even if they are giving her away for free!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. And with a m, the call ended. Chu Wen-Fei was troubled. What could he do? He had just promised Qiu Mu-Ying that he would get her expensive betrothal gifts. If he could note up with anything, there would be hell to pay. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chu Wen-Fei had no other choice, but to pray that his own father wouldn¡¯t be so heartless as to abandon him. So he put up a brave front and returned to the private room. ¡°Wen-Fei, when will your parents return from their business trip? They will have to meet their inws eventually.¡± In the room, Master Qiu once again enquired after the whereabouts of Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s parents. After all, his parents had not appeared once throughout their engagement. This gave the impression that they did not cherish a daughter of the Qiu family. Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s heart jumped for a moment, but he managed to spin out a lie about his parents¡¯ imminent return. ¡°Wen-Fei, are your family¡¯s betrothal gifts here yet?¡± ¡°Are your parents dissatisfied with me?¡± Qiu Mu-Ying was getting impatient so she startedining to Chu Wen-Fei. ¡°Soon, soon.¡± Chu Wen-Feiughed, but his wordscked confidence. Suddenly, the sound of a car¡¯s engine came from outside the restaurant. Immediately after, a Qiu family member rushed in to report the good news. ¡°They are here. They are here. Mu-Ying¡¯s betrothal gifts have arrived.¡± ¡°Really?¡± At that moment, the Qiu family members couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. Especially Qiu Mu-Ying and her mother, who were both overwhelmed with joy. Prodded by her curiosity, Qiu Mu-Cheng also went with her rtives to look at the betrothal gifts. ¡°Hmph, where do you think you are going? Seeing the gifts doesn¡¯t make them yours.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying looked smugly at Qiu Mu-Cheng and then left excitedly with her husband to receive the gifts outside. Qiu Mu-Cheng kept quiet and bowed her head despondently. When it came to marriage, Qiu Mu-Cheng undoubtedlycked confidence. She did marry a useless piece of trash and, back then, she did not receive a single betrothal gift. A wedding was supposed to be a girl¡¯s brightest moment. But to Qiu Mu-Cheng, it was a humiliation. ¡°Uncle, haha, uncle. You are here atst.¡± ¡°I am my father¡¯s only son. I know he wouldn¡¯t abandon me.¡± When he saw the middle-aged maning down from the Benz, Chu Wen-Fei was overjoyed. He pulled Qiu Mu-Ying along as he stepped forward to greet his uncle. ¡°Quick, Ying-Ying. Greet my uncle. In our family, apart from my father, he dotes on me most.¡± ¡°Hmph. There¡¯s no need.¡± The man looked unhappy and responded coldly. The cold reception irked her, and Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s face paled a little. ¡°Uncle, what are you doing? This is the day of my engagement.¡± Chu Wen-Fei asked bitterly. Chu Yue ignored his ignorant nephew and ordered his underlings to unload the betrothal gift. ¡°Take it. This betrothal gift is from the Chu family of Yunzhou!¡± Chu Yue¡¯s face was expressionless as he ced the box before Qiu Mu-Ying. And having done that, he left immediately without waiting for the rest of the Qiu family to arrive. ¡°Ai~¡± ¡°He has left already?¡± ¡°Without a word?¡± Wang Qiao-Yu was confused by his abrupt departure. Chu Wen-Fei was embarrassed and could only give the excuse that his uncle was busy. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not talk about that. Quick, Qiao-Yu, open the box and let us see what¡¯s in there. What kind of betrothal gift did Wen-Fei¡¯s family send us?¡± ¡°Wen-Fei¡¯s family is rich and influential. The betrothal gift must be very valuable.¡± ¡°Could it be that the whole box is stuffed full of money?¡± ¡°Wow, this is a huge box. How much money do you think is in it?¡± ¡°Qiao-Yu, I really envy you. You have found yourself a good son-inw!¡± The assembled family members, filled with envy and curiosity, chatted among themselves. Both Wang Qiao-Yu and Qiu Mu-Ying had joyful expressions as they enjoyed the praisesing from their rtives, as though they were standing on the summit of life. And, after a bout of guesses, Qiu Mu-Ying opened the box. But, contrary to their expectations, there was no money in the box. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all ck. And I can smell the fragrance of tea leaves?¡± ¡°Must be something valuable that we haven¡¯t seen before? Maybe it¡¯s even more valuable than gold.¡± Wang Qiao-Yuughed as she made a guess. Jiang Yang walked over, grabbed a handful of the stuff and sniffed. ¡°It¡¯s tea leaves. If I am not mistaken, it¡¯s Longjing tea from Xihu. It¡¯s a type of green tea.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Green tea?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be? Yang, are you mistaken? Who would give green tea as a betrothal gift?¡± Wang Qiao-Yu could not believe her ears. No matter how expensive the tea was, it¡¯s still just tea. She didn¡¯t believe that Chu family would be so stingy as to use tea leaves as a betrothal gift. ¡°Eh? Qiao-Yu, look. There¡¯s something buried in the leaves.¡± Somebody had made a discovery. Wang Qiao-Yu smiled and said: ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no way my daughter would receive only tea leaves for her betrothal gift. There must be gold buried underneath. No, it¡¯s diamond. Only diamond is a fitting gift for my daughter.¡± Wang Qiao-Yuughed as she dug through the tea leaves with her daughter. ¡°This¡­ This is?¡± ¡°A clock?¡± Once the object was dug out, the crowed grew more curious. Because that thing was not gold or diamond. It was arge clock. ¡°I know. This clock must be made of diamond.¡± ¡°I saw this on TV before. There¡¯s a clock made of diamond in Switzend. It went for ten million at an auction. Ten million American dors. Ying-Ying¡¯s clock must be a Swiss made diamond clock as well. Even if it¡¯s not worth ten million, it must be worth at least one million.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu was still smiling and Qiu Mu-Ying was fondling the clock lovingly, trying her best to find the diamonds on the clock. ¡°Qiao-Yu, let me have a look.¡± At that moment, Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s mother, Han Li, took the clock and examined it. ¡°Be careful. You can¡¯t afford to pay for it if you break it.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying said loathingly. ¡°It¡¯s not a Swiss clock. It¡¯s unbranded. I bought an exact same one on Taobao the other day. Twenty dors with shipping included. Exactly the same model.¡± Han Li said confidently. ¡°Screw you!¡± ¡°Twenty dors? You are the cheap one. Your whole family is cheap.¡± ¡°You are jealous. Your daughter married a useless piece of trash so you are jealous of our Ying-Ying for finding a good husband. That¡¯s why you are spreading lies here.¡± ¡°This is a diamond Swiss clock!¡± Wang Qiao-Yu flew into a rage and rushed at Han Li like a mad dog. ¡°Qiu Mu-Cheng, you are jealous of me. So you deliberately caused a disturbance here. Get lost!¡± Qiu Mu-Ying was also angry at Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family for acting like ungrateful wretches. How could Mu- Cheng and her family cause trouble at her engagement banquet after eating and drinking at their expense? ¡°Ying-Ying and Qiao-Yu, it¡¯s true. It¡¯s really from Taobao. Twenty dors with shipping included. It says so on the tag here. Look, the price is printed there.¡± Said somebody from behind them. ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s true!¡± ¡°Look. I found it. This clock looks exactly the same as the one on Taobao.¡± ¡°Why did Wen-Fei family send this?¡± ¡°The betrothal gift is just a box of green tea and a clock?¡± ¡°Green tea, clock?¡± ¡°Green tea bitch?¡± And all at once, the Qiu family members started talking as they tried to guess the meaning behind the Chu family¡¯s betrothal gift. ¡°Green tea and clock?¡± ¡°Are they saying that Ying-Ying is a green tea bitch?¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much~¡± Everyone felt that, although Qiu Mu-Ying and her family had lousy personalities, it was uncalled for to say it out loud. Master Qiu, who was just standing nearby, nearly died from a fit of rage. As for Qiu Mu-Ying and her family, they were so embarrassed that they wished the ground would open up and swallow them. ¡°Ying-Ying, please listen to my exnation~¡± Chu Wen-Fei was still trying to salvage their rtionship. Qiu Mu-Ying promptly burst into tears. She didn¡¯t want to listen and gave Chu Wen-Fei a p. And with teary eyes, she threw the box of green tea at Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s face. ¡°Get lost. I want a divorce. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again!¡± ¡°You are the green tea bitch! Your whole family are green tea bitches!¡± ¡°If you are poor, why pretend to be a rich man? We are embarrassed even if you are not.¡± This time, it was Wang Qiao-Yu doing the scolding. Chu Wen-Fei was so demoralized that he felt like running away. But at this time, a fleet of luxury cars pulled up before the restaurant. And then a dozen or so heavily-built men in suits swarmed through the entrance. ¡°May I know if the third daughter of the Qiu family is here? The Chu family of Great China is here to deliver their betrothal gift!¡± Boom~ All of a sudden, the venue went quiet. Everyone was stunned and Qiu Mu-Cheng was rooted to the spot. ¡°For¡­ For me?¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 ¡°The Chu family of Great China is here to present their betrothal gift.¡± The elderly herald had an energetic voice that resounded throughout the hall. Immediately after, he waved his hand and the gift bearers standing by opened their boxes and disyed the betrothal gifts. ¡°May abundant wealth fill your hall. Here is a tinium ne.¡± ¡°May your love for each other be eternal. Here is a diamond ring~¡± ¡°May your love be truer than gold. Here is a pair of gold earrings~¡± ¡°You are one in a thousand. Here is ten thousand and one in cash~¡± One by one, the boxes were opened and the gifts presented. All at once, the air shimmered with the gleam and sparkle from all the jewellery. And finally, after all the jewellery had been presented, a brand new sports car was pushed forward by an underling. ¡°This~¡± ¡°This¡­ This is?¡± ¡°A car fit for a CEO. It¡¯s a Maserati!¡± ¡°Whoa. They are giving away a car just like that. It must be worth millions?¡± The Qiu family members had worked themselves into a state of frenzy. Their eyes were filled with shock and amazement as they stared at the precious offerings in front of them. Only a tycoon could afford all that! To think that, they would give away a betrothal gift that was worth millions. ¡°A tycoon. That¡¯s a tycoon right there.¡± The assembled guests were full of praise for this overwhelming disy of wealth. As for Qiu Mu-Cheng, she was in a daze. ¡°All these are for me?¡± ¡°Stop dreaming. You¡¯ve been married for three years already. Why would you get any betrothal gift? These are obviously for our Ying-Ying.¡± ¡°Ying-Ying,e quick. Say your thanks to our inws.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu was overjoyed. She thought that they had lost face today, but who would have thought there would be a plot twist and the Chu family would deliver such valuable gifts in the end. After making their delivery, the gift bearers left without a word. At the restaurant, only the betrothal gifts and the Qiu family members were left hanging around. ¡°Wen-Fei, we have misunderstood you.¡± ¡°Your family must have gone to great expense, to deliver so many valuable gifts.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu had once again resumed her friendly demeanor with Chu Wen-Fei. Qiu Mu-Ying was also smiling now, after her earlier tantrum. She stepped forward to hug Chu Wen-Fei and said cutely: ¡°Darling, you are so mean. Since you have already prepared so many gifts, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± The change in their attitude came so fast that it was enough to make anyone speechless. And of course, the other guests had nice things to say as well. ¡°Wen-Fei¡¯s family is so rich.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tycoon for you. A single betrothal gift costs several million.¡± ¡°A life offort awaits Ying-Ying~¡± The onlookers were full of envy. Although they had heard the herald ask for the third daughter of the Qiu family, they just assumed that the other party had made a mistake. After all, it was the day of the fourth daughter¡¯s engagement. Nobody would think that the betrothal gifts were for a woman who had already been married for three years. Of course, Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family felt rather unpleasant. ¡°Ai, look at their son-inw. His betrothal gift is a car that¡¯s worth millions. And those jewellery must be very valuable too. And look at ours. What did he give us?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng kept quiet and not a trace of emotion could be seen on her face. As for Chu Wen-Fei, he was pleasantly surprised. He had thought that his father was ready to abandon him. But then, looking at the betrothal gifts, it was obvious that no expense had been spared to prepare them. To think that his own father would try to surprise him by pretending to belittle him at first and then raise him upter. ¡°Haha~¡± ¡°It¡¯s a piece of cake. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Ying-Ying, in the future, I won¡¯t be giving you just cars. But also luxury yachts and private nes as well. I will bring you on a trip round the world.¡± Chu Wen-Fei could not resist showing off again. As for Qiu Mu-Ying, she was eager to try out her new gift. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to sit in a Maserati before. I want to see what it feels like.¡± ¡°Okay, Ying-Ying. Your husband will take you out on a spin.¡± Chu Wen-Feiughed and stretched out his hand to open the car¡¯s door. But, no matter how hard he pulled, the door wouldn¡¯t open. ¡°Shit, it¡¯s locked?¡± Chu Wen-Fei was stunned for a moment, and then he looked around the car for a key. Could it be that his father had forgotten to give him the key? His brother-inw, Jiang Yang, took a look and said: ¡°It must be a custom-made car. It has a fingerprint lock and voice activation system.¡± Chu Wen-Fei pped his thigh in realization. ¡°You¡¯re right, Jiang Yang. I nearly forgot. I did ask my father to get me a custom-made car with a fingerprint lock and a voice activation system. Now, apart from Ying-Ying and myself, nobody else can drive this car.¡± Chu Wen-Feiughed again but, no matter how many times he pressed his finger against the handle, the car¡¯s door wouldn¡¯t open. Later, Qiu Mu-Ying joined him in his endeavor but, even after using all her fingers, the door remained shut. Finally, Chu Wen-Fei could only im embarrassedly that his father had probably used the wrong prints for the car. He would ask his father again a few dayster. In the meantime, the car could stay at the restaurant. And since the banquet was almost over at this point, the Qiu family members started leaving for their homes. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mu-Cheng. Stop looking. It¡¯s not for you.¡± ¡°Mom, you go ahead. I want to stay for a little longer.¡± ¡°Ai¡­ okay, fine.¡± Han Li sighed. She knew her daughter was feeling terrible, so she left without saying anything more. At the restaurant, only Qiu Mu-Cheng was left behind. She stood in front of the car for a long time and while she was lost in her thoughts, tears started streaming down her face. Just now, for a moment, she had truly thought that the gifts were for her. But in the end, that hope turned out to be a lie. The Chu family had probably made a mistake. ¡°Mu-Cheng, are you envious?¡± All of a sudden, Ye Fan appeared behind Qiu Mu-Cheng. He looked at her and asked the question lightly. Qiu Mu-Cheng smiled bitterly and replied: ¡°There is no woman who wouldn¡¯t be envious.¡± Humans are susceptible to vanity and Qiu Mu-Cheng was no exception. She had her own desires. She wished to stand at the top one day, and be the object of admiration. She didn¡¯t want to beughed at or pitied. She wanted the people who looked down on her to regret their treatment of her. ¡°But so what if I am envious?¡± ¡°Maybe, I have no right to want good things. Maybe, I am just not good enough.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng smiled self-deprecatingly and shook her head. Finally, she turned to Ye Fan and said: ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Nobody knew just how much disappointment and anguish were packed into her words. This youngdy once had her hopes and dreams for the future, like a flower waiting to bloom, but reality had taught her a bitter lesson. And now she was just a husk of her former self. Ye Fan remained standing at the same spot. His expression was calm but a faint light glimmered in his eyes. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cheng, there¡¯s no need for you to be envious.¡± ¡°After all, this is yours.¡± Ye Fan smiled lightly and, as she looked on in shock, he grabbed and pressed Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s hand against the car¡¯s door. With a pop sound, the doors unlocked themselves and lifted upwards like a butterfly spreading its wings to embrace the world. The headlights lit up and parallel streams of orange-red light pierced through the canopy of the night sky like twin swords. ¡°Activate!¡± Boom~ The low beast-like growl of the Maserati¡¯s engine rang out, and the body of the vehicle shuddered violently. Under the night sky and amidst the roar of engine noise, Ye Fan stood against the dreamlike backdrop lit up by the car¡¯s headlights. He looked at the dazed woman in front of him and held out his arms, as if he was ready to embrace the whole world. ¡°Silly. You are the best woman in the world. You deserve all the good things in the world.¡± ¡°As long as you are willing, I will give you the world.¡± Under the stars, Ye Fan stood with his hands folded behind his back and a faint smile on his face. Above him, the heavenly bodies shone brightly and turned the night sky into a vibrant garden. At this moment, the slim figure of Ye Fan looked as dazzling as the bright sun. Qiu Mu-Cheng, who was already dazed, stood rooted to the spot. Awe and splendor were reflected in her eyes as she looked nkly at Ye Fan. A feeling of infinite joy and surprise swept through her heart like a storm. Qiu Mu-Cheng was so overwhelmed that she could hardly believe her own eyes. All this, felt so illusory that it was like a dream. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Qiu Mu-Cheng had already forgotten how she got home that night. The events today had too much of an impact on her. This state of turmoil would probably continue even after she reached home. Could it be that Ye Fan had been telling the truth? Were the gifts really from him? A multi-million sports car and those expensive jewellery. Were they given by Ye Fan? But Ye Fan was just a poor live-in son-inw. Where did he get all that money? Or perhaps, Ye Fan had only been pretending to be poor all these years? He was not really from a poor family, but a rich one? He was truly the son of a rich man? That thought sent Qiu Mu-Cheng into a state of confusion. There were too many questions that she wanted to ask Ye Fan. ¡°Cheng-Cheng, you are back. Come have your dinner.¡± When Han Li saw Qiu Mu-Cheng standing outside the door, she greeted her daughter with a smile. Although Han Li had also suffered humiliation today, she was still Mu-Cheng¡¯s mother. She understood that the grievance her daughter had suffered was even greater than her¡¯s. So she didn¡¯t ce any further me on Mu-Cheng. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°You piece of trash. Who said you coulde home?¡± ¡°You were afraid of getting embarrassed so you ran away during the banquet. But you left your wife there. Can you still call yourself a man?¡± ¡°It was Mu-Cheng¡¯s misfortune to marry a man like you!¡± ¡°Get lost~¡± When she saw Ye Fan who was standing behind Qiu Mu-Cheng, Han Li lost control of her emotions. The grievance she had endured earlier at the hands of her rtives was all unleashed at that moment. But Ye Fan had already gotten used to this. After all, he had been living the life of a live-in son-inw for the past three years. It was normal for his mother-inw to scold him. ¡°Mom, stop yelling. No matter how bad he is, he¡¯s still your son-inw and your daughter¡¯s husband. Can¡¯t you give us a little respect?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng yelled unhappily at her mother. She was already fed up with the constant scoldings. And then, she grabbed hold of Ye Fan and whispered: ¡°Youe with me to my bedroom.¡± Ye Fan was stunned. For the past three years, Qiu Mu-Cheng had never let him enter her bedroom. But today~ ¡°I told you toe to my bedroom. Didn¡¯t you hear? Don¡¯t you want toe in?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng repeated her invitation. Ye Fan was suddenly struck with joy. ¡°Yes yes.¡± ¡°Bring the nket with you. Don¡¯t sleep in the study anymore.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s next words caused Ye Fan to bepletely overwhelmed with happiness. Could it be, I am going to get lucky? Under the influence of euphoria, Ye Fan returned to his room for the nket and carried it to Qiu Mu- Cheng¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Cheng-Cheng, what¡¯re you doing? Are you crazy? You¡¯re going to let this useless piece of trash into your bedroom and sleep with him?¡± ¡°Have you gone insane?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to get married anymore?¡± Han Li started panicking when she heard Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s invitation. For the past three years, Han Li had been pestering Qiu Mu-Cheng to divorce Ye Fan and find a better husband. After all, Qiu Mu-Cheng was extremely beautiful and she was still a virgin despite her marriage to Ye Fan. With qualifications like these, it should be easy enough for her to find herself a rich husband. But if she went and had sexual rtions with Ye Fan, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to find a fall guy to take care of her. If that were to happen, her family would never be able to make aeback. Therefore, Han Li was opposed to Qiu Mu-Cheng sleeping together with Ye Fan. ¡°Mom, let me say this again. No matter how bad Ye Fan is, he¡¯s still my husband. It¡¯s normal for a wife to sleep with her husband. And since I am already a married woman, I don¡¯t have to get married again.¡± With a pom sound, Qiu Mu-Ying shut the bedroom door in her parents¡¯ faces. ¡°Mad. She¡¯s mad~¡± ¡°Mister Qiu,e look at your daughter~¡± ¡°I am pissed. She doesn¡¯t even care about her reputation!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Outside the bedroom, Han Li¡¯s angry rants could be heard. Inside the bedroom, Ye Fan¡¯s heart was beating furiously as he looked at his exquisite wife. Ye Fan had noints about his wife. Her looks and figure were both outstanding. Back in the day, Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s beauty was renowned throughout Yunzhou city. And it was said that the threshold of the Qiu family¡¯s house was ttened by therge number of suitors who hade to ask for her hand in marriage. If Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family had notmitted the serious mistaketer on and received punishment from the family head, a down-on-his-luck guy like Ye Fan would never have gotten the chance to marry her. In the room, the faint scent of roses lingered in the air. Qiu Mu-Cheng had alreadyposed herself and she stared at Ye Fan as she asked: ¡°Tell me about that car. Be honest. Why were your prints recorded in the system?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not just my prints. Yours are in the system too. And I¡¯ve already told you. The betrothal gifts are for you. It¡¯s only natural that both our prints are recorded in the car¡¯s system.¡± Ye Fan answered her with a smile. He was going toe clean and tell her that he was, in fact, the son of a tycoon. But due to some circumstances, he was brought low. And he was only just recently reunited with his father. In order to assuage his guilt, his father had prepared and sent the betrothal gifts. But before he could even speak, Qiu Mu-Chen smiled and said: ¡°Is that right? Are you going to tell me that you are actually the son of a tycoon? And you were only pretending to be poor before? And then your family found you. And to make up to you, they sent all the betrothal gifts. Not only that, but they are also going to take you home and have you be the heir to the family fortune?¡± ¡°Whoa. How did you know, Mu-Cheng? Did my father tell you? Actually, I didn¡¯t want to keep you in the dark, but~¡± Ye Fan felt a little guilty. ¡°Ye Fan, that¡¯s enough! Have you been binging on web novels? Or do you think I am as gullible as a three-year-old?¡± ¡°If you really want me to be happy, you should make something of yourself. Show me results. Be a man I can be proud of. Stop daydreaming and making up lies to trick me!¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s eyes had turned slightly red. She really disliked this side of Ye Fan. She didn¡¯t look down on Ye Fan because he was poor or because he was unsessful. She was angry with Ye Fan because he was ignorant despite being poor and unmotivated despite being unsessful. Qiu Mu-Cheng did not know how Ye Fan had activated the sports car but, no matter what, she would never believe that the car was actually his. As for Ye Fan¡¯s im of being a rich man¡¯s son, she simply found that to be ludicrous. The kind of ridiculous scenarios that could only be found in TV shows would never happen in real life. Ye Fan stayed quiet for a long while. Then he lifted his head, looked at Mu-Cheng and said: ¡°Mu- Cheng, I will prove myself. I will make you proud of me. You will never have to suffer humiliation again.¡± He turned around, picked up his nket and prepared to leave the bedroom. As she looked at the lonely figure in front of her, Qiu Mu-Cheng felt a stab of pain in her heart. Perhaps, her words had been too forceful and she had hurt his feelings. Under the influence of a guilty conscience, Qiu Mu-Cheng called out unconsciously. ¡°Ye Fan~¡± ¡°Tonight, you may sleep here.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng assumed that Ye Fan would reject her with a manly grunt, to defend the invibility of his manly pride. But, contrary to her expectation, Ye Fan epted her invitation right away. As if the firmness and solemnity he had disyed earlier were lies. He smiled cheekily, covered himself with the nket and jumped on Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s bed. ¡°Darling, I knew it. You do want to sleep with me!¡± ¡°Go away!¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng was taken aback. To think that she had let herself be moved by Ye Fan¡¯s words and to think that she had actually felt guilty because she thought that she had hurt his feelings earlier. But looking at him now, she realized that she had overestimated him. ¡°You cheap bastard, get away from me~¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°You can sleep on the floor~¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s screams of embarrassment could be hearding from her bedroom. Ye Fan¡¯s first night with his wife did not go as he had wanted it to. Nothing sexual happened but Ye Fan was not disappointed. As far as he was concerned, just sleeping together with Qiu Mu-Cheng in the same room could already be considered a breakthrough in their rtionship. ¡°We have already shared the same room. Soon we shall share the same bed as well? Ye Fan consoled himself with this bit of optimism. The night passed quickly. The next morning, Qiu Mu-Cheng left for work right after breakfast. As for Ye Fan, he was sleeping when a phone call woke him up. ¡°Looks like the phone call I¡¯ve been expecting is finally here.¡± Ye Fan smiled and tapped the ¡°Answer¡± icon on his phone. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°Is this Young Master Fan?¡± The low voice of a middle-aged man came from the other end of the line. Ye Fan smiled and replied lightly: ¡°If I am not mistaken, you must be Li Er. The servant who was expelled from the Chu family ten years ago.¡± ¡°Haha~¡± The other partyughed. ¡°So you knew already. Back then, when Imitted the mistake and offended the Third Young Master, I was nearly beaten to death. Young Master Fan was the one who saved my life. I will never forget this favor.¡± The Chu family had many scions and, if they were ranked ording to their age, Ye Fan was the eldest. ¡°Since Mister Han has already told me you are in Yunzhou, I will do my best to be a good host. I would like to invite Young Master Fan to a meal. After all, the Chu family did take me under their wing. And not only do I owe my current position in Yunzhou to them, but I also owe my life to you. I should thank you in person. Please grant me the honor of your presence.¡± From the other end of the line came Li Er¡¯s servile entreaty. Ye Fan shook his head andughed. ¡°You may invite me to a meal. But before that, let me see your sincerity. And I dislike being called ¡®Young Master¡¯. I am not an essory of the Chu family.¡± Li Er stayed silent for a while, and then he replied: ¡°Alright then. From today onwards, I shall address you as ¡®Mister Chu¡¯. Mister Chu, please do not worry. I will show you my sincerity.¡± ¡°Okay, I shall look forward to that. I hope you will not disappoint me.¡± Ye Fan smiled lightly and ended the call. Yunzhou city. A luxurious vi in the city center. Li Er had also hung up. The look in his eyes was deep and unfathomable. ¡°This young master of the Chu family. He may be young but he¡¯s a deep one. It will take some effort to please him.¡± Li Er¡¯s words caused some confusion in his elderly servant, who was standing nearby. ¡°Master Er, this Ye Fan is just some kid who was expelled from the Chu family. Why do you have to try so hard to please him?¡± ¡°Just some kid who was expelled?¡± Li Erughed. ¡°You are short-sighted. Do you know who is running the Chu family after the Master¡¯s retirement?¡± ¡°Is it the Young Master¡¯s...¡± The servant¡¯s pupils contracted as realization hit him. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s his father. Otherwise, why would I suck up to him? I cleared out Haiyuan Pavillion and offended all those VIPs just so I could give him a proper wee. Why? Because the man who came to see the Young Master is the head of the Chu family. The Chu family who once struck fear throughout the world.¡± Li Er sipped his tea and stared out of the window, but he was unable to calm the turmoil in his heart. ¡°As far as I know, the family head only has the one son. And more importantly, this Ye Fan, is the only scion of the Tian (Heaven) character generation of the Chu family. His real name is Chu Tian-Fan!¡± The Chu family of Great China. Outsiders did not know the naming convention used by the Chu family, but Li Er knew. After all, he was a servant of the family. It was a terrifying family. Now, the Chu family was like a coiling dragon hidden in the darkness and few people knew about them. But when the dragon awakes, the world will know its true terror. Li Er himself was just a formerly expelled servant of the Chu family but, within a few years, he had managed to rise to power with the help of someone from the Chu family. He had always assumed his sess was due to the help of the Chu family but, in truth, his real benefactor was Ye Fan. Yes, Li Er was part of Ye Fan¡¯s Operation Spark. ¡°Eh? The Tian character generation? Are they special?¡± The more the servant heard, the more confused he got. Li Er stood by the window with his hands folded behind his back. As he looked at the skyscrapers looming outside, the cars in the streets streamed continuously and a soft humming noise rang in the air. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the Chu family. You don¡¯t know what that name represents.¡± ¡°You only have to know this. As long as I cantch on to that person, power and wealth will keep flowing to the Li family of Yunzhou!¡± After Li Er¡¯s speech, the old servant stood rooted to the spot with a stunned look in his eyes. He simply could not imagine, how this Chu family could have so much power. So much power that they could make Li Er, the king of Yunzhou city, say such words. Outside, the wind blew, the clouds billowed and the leaves rustled in the trees. Yunzhou city. Liuyuan Residential District. ¡°Come wait for me at my office. We are going to grandfather¡¯s house tonight.¡± In his room, Ye Fan¡¯s phone vibrated momentarily. It was a text message from Qiu Mu-Cheng. Ye Fan was overjoyed. The sun had risen from the west! To think that this woman would take the initiative to look for him. Ye Fan left the house right after he had received the message. At the entrance to the residential district, Ye Fan picked up a shared bike and rode towards the direction of Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s office. The Qiu family was in the logistics business. Qiu Mu-Cheng had started working in the family business right after graduation and she had remained there to this very day. At this time, she had already punched out and was waiting for Ye Fan outside the office. In so many years, this was the first time Qiu Mu-Cheng asked Ye Fan to pick her up. But as she was waiting for Ye Fan, a yellow-haired youth standing beside a sports car had his eyes on her. ¡°Whoa, what a beauty!¡± ¡°Ten times prettier than that gold-digger, Qiu Mu-Ying.¡± ¡°You have a pretty face and a good figure. If only I could strip you naked and put you on my bed...¡± Lust swelled up within the young man and he stepped forward to ost her. ¡°Get lost. If you touch me again, I will call the police!¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng growled threateningly. But the young manughed coldly and said: ¡°Go ahead. Call the police. We shall see if the police will arrest me.¡± ¡°You ungrateful bitch. I asked you nicely to have a drink with me but, not only did you not express your gratitude, you dared to reject me. Let me tell you. Whether you want to or not, you will have a drink with me.¡± ¡°I am an experienced yer, you know. I haven¡¯t been rejected by a woman before!¡± The yellow-haired youthughed sinisterly and stretched out a hand to caress her face. Qiu Mu-Cheng was about to scream for help when, suddenly, a gust of wind swept towards her. Immediately after, Ye Fan¡¯s fistnded on the youth¡¯s face with a pong sound. The punch was swiftly followed by a kick and the yellow-haired young man was sent flying back. ¡°Screw you!¡± ¡°How dare you touch my woman?¡± ¡°I am going to beat the crap out of you!¡± When he had just arrived at the office, he saw his wife getting harassed so, naturally, he flew into a rage and proceeded to give the molester a beating. ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°How dare you hit me?¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°I am Shen~~¡± pong~ Before the young man could finish speaking, Ye Fan gave him another kick and the young man rolled about on the ground like a dog. ¡°Young Master Shen!¡± ¡°Shit, Ye Fan. What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Are you crazy? How dare you hit Young Master Shen?¡± At this time, Qiu Mu-Ying was just walking out of the office in her high heels and heavy make-up. When she saw the fight unfolding in the street, her heavily made-up face twisted in terror. Ta-ta-ta-ta. Her high heels clip-clopped on the ground as she ran towards the yellow-haired youth to help him up. ¡°Shit. Ye Fan, you piece of trash. What are you standing around for? Get down on your knees and apologize to Young Master Shen right away.¡± ¡°You useless piece of trash! You keep causing trouble for our family!¡± Qiu Mu-Ying screamed in rage. She was truly frightened by what had just happened. Shen Fei was her friend and she had called him over to the office for a meeting. But he was unexpectedly beaten up by Ye Fan. This made her furious. But, surprisingly, Ye Fan did not abide by her wish this time. He replied coldly: ¡°Apologize? He should be the one doing the apologizing!¡± ¡°He dared to harass my wife in broad daylight. Doesn¡¯t he deserve a beating?¡± ¡°Shut your trap. He¡¯s my friend. You are just a lowly live-in son-inw. Who gave you the right to criticize him? Moreover, Young Master Shen is a distinguished person. It¡¯s an honor to be able to talk to him. But instead of showing gratitude, you hit him instead? Apologize to him right now!¡± Qiu Mu-Ying commanded. ¡°Qiu Mu-Ying, it¡¯s fine if you criticize me. But Qiu Mu-Cheng is your cousin. How could you say that about her?¡± Ye Fan clenched his hands in anger. ¡°You bastard. So you are just a live-in son-inw of the Qiu family. You are just a piece of trash. How dare you hit me?¡± ¡°Wait, I...¡± pong~ Shen Fei had just gotten up but, before he could finish speaking, the enraged Ye Fan kicked him again. ¡°Ah~¡± ¡°You bastard. You are finished. I hereby dere. You are finished!¡± ¡°Not just you. But that ungrateful bitch of a wife of yours as well. And the Qiu family. You are all finished.¡± ¡°This is what happens when you offend me. I will make you all suffer a fate worse than death~¡± Shen Fei howled as he clutched his stomach in pain. ¡°Young Master Shen, listen to me. It has nothing to do with me. It has nothing to do with the Qiu family. It¡¯s all Ye Fan¡¯s and his wife¡¯s fault~¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Of course, Shen Fei was unwilling to listen to Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s exnation. He pushed her away, staggered into his car and drove away. Back at the scene, a pale-faced Qiu Mu-Ying was left behind with the husband-and-wife duo. ¡°Qiu Mu-Cheng, look at what that useless husband of yours has done!¡± ¡°You just wait. When Shen Fei goes after your family, the Qiu family will do nothing to help.¡± Qiu Mu- Ying said viciously before leaving in her car. After Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s departure, Ye Fan looked at his wife and asked: ¡°Erm, did I cause trouble for you?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng did not answer his question, but said quietly: ¡°Let¡¯s go to my grandfather¡¯s ce.¡± ¡°And these are the clothes I¡¯ve bought for you. Find some ce to change into them.¡± As she said this, she handed over the box with the brand new suit to Ye Fan. Qiushui Logistics was thepany founded by Master Qiu, the head of the family. It could be said that the Qiu family owed their current sess entirely to him. That was why Master Qiu¡¯s had unshakeable authority within the family. That was also why Qiu Mu-Cheng had married Ye Fan so readily when Master Qiu gave her the order. Right now, at Master Qiu¡¯s vi, several of his children had already gathered. ording to family tradition, after a wedding celebration, Master Qiu would throw a feast for the new son-inw. Of course, this tradition only started when Qiu Mu-Hong had gotten married to Jiang Yang. Ye Fan, the useless live-in son-inw, had been left out of this tradition. ¡°Okay, everyone is already here. Is everyone seated?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It was already dinner time so Master Qiu asked everyone to take their seats. ¡°Dad, Mu-Cheng is not here yet.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s father, Qiu Lei, reminded softly. But Master Qiu pretended not to hear and continued: ¡°Start serving the food.¡± ¡°Grandfather, sorry we arete. We were held up earlier.¡± At this moment, hurried footsteps could be hearding from the entrance. Qiu Mu-Cheng and the now well-dressed Ye Fan had arrivedte to the feast. ¡°Oh, you are wearing a suit now?¡± ¡°A dog dressed up in human clothes is still going to act like a dog. And a useless son-inw in a suit is still a useless son-inw.¡± When the Qiu family members saw Ye Fan in a suit, they greeted him with jeers. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 The smile vanished from Master Qiu¡¯s face as soon as Qiu Mu-Cheng and Ye Fan appeared. He snorted coldly and refused to look at them. ¡°Mu-Cheng,e have a seat.¡± Qiu Lei weed his daughter to the feast. His phone rang just then, so he excused himself with an apologetic smile and left the room to answer the call. ¡°This trash. Howe he has so many phone calls? Who knows what kind of trashy friend is calling him.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying humphed coldly and then she remembered what she was about to say. ¡°That¡¯s right, grandfather. I nearly forgot. I have something to report. Just now, the young master of the Shen family came to my office for a business meeting. But he got beaten up by Ye Fan and his wife when he left the building.¡± What? When they heard this, the dinner guests swiveled their heads upwards. ¡°They assaulted the young master of the Shen family?¡± ¡°Are they crazy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the only son of the Shen family, and the heir to the Shen Corporation!¡± ¡°His father, Shen Jiu-Yi used to be the number one tycoon in Yunzhou. He is very powerful and is on good terms with Master Li Er.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Master Li Er, the top boss of Yunzhou!¡± ¡°He¡¯s a person with a powerful background. And this piece of trash actually hit him?¡± ¡°They are trying to destroy our family!¡± All at once, the Qiu family members turned pale with shock. And even Master Qiu had an unhealthy pallor on his face. The Shen Corporation was one of the top enterprises in Yunzhou, and its assets were worth billions. Compared to them, the Qiu family¡¯s logisticspany only had assets worth a few dozen millions. The Shen Corporation was more than just a few rungs above the Qiu family and a behemoth that the Qius should never pick a fight with. Meanwhile, Qiu Lei¡¯s face had gone as white as a ghost. ¡°Grandfather, we were only defending ourselves. That rich boy from the Shen family harassed me first.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng exined. ¡°Cousin, you should not confound right and wrong. Young Master Shen was just joking with you. But you are a stuck-up and small-minded person so you couldn¡¯t take a joke. Not only did you gang up with your useless husband to beat him up but, now, you are also falsely using him of harassment.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying smiled smugly and then, putting on a mask of piteousness, she turned to speak to Master Qiu. ¡°Grandfather, you have to help me. I spent a lot of effort to secure the order from the Shen Corporation. Today, Young Master Shen was going to sign the contract with me. But after their interference, my months of effort have gone to waste.¡± And of course, Qiu Mu-Ying had to add fuel to fire. When Wang Qiao-Yu heard that her daughter¡¯s business has been affected, she flew into a rage. ¡°Is your family bent on destroying the Qiu family?¡± ¡°Back then, we should have expelled them from the Qiu family. All these years, they have been living off us. Yet, they do not know how to be grateful and keep causing trouble. Now, even the order that my Ying-Ying secured for us is gone.¡± ¡°Beautiful women are trouble indeed!¡± Wang Qiao-Yu cursed angrily. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve already said we shouldn¡¯t keep this woman around. She¡¯s trouble!¡± ¡°She nearly destroyed our family back then. And now she¡¯s causing trouble again?¡± The other rtives also chipped in to criticize Qiu Mu-Cheng. Master Qiu turned to look at her with a look of anger on his face. ¡°Qiu Mu-Cheng, are you sorry for what you have done?¡± ¡°Grandfather, I don¡¯t know what wrong I have done. Are you just going to listen to their side of the story...¡± ¡°Shut up! You are still unrepentant? You said you don¡¯t know what wrong you havemitted. Let me ask you. Did you and your husband beat up Young Master Shen?¡± ¡°I ask you again. Ying¡¯s order. Is it gone now because of what you have done?¡± ¡°Finally, is our Qiu family in danger because of what you have done?¡± Master Qiu sprang to his feet, his eyes wide with anger. He had fallen into the throes of rage after asking the three questions in session, and he was not going to give Qiu Mu-Cheng the chance to speak for herself. ¡°Dad, is there a need to ask? Didn¡¯t she admit to assaulting Young Master Sheng just now? Just because of a joke, she flew into a rage and ganged up with her husband to give Young Master Shen a beating.¡± ¡°This girl. She has been spoilt by the family. Today, we should make her go down on her knees and apologize to us.¡± The fourth eldest Qiu brother, Qiu Luo, looked on with a smile on his face. ¡°That¡¯s right. Kneel and apologize to Ying-Ying!¡± ¡°Apologize to the family~¡± ¡°Just expel them from the Qiu family~¡± Qiu Mu-Ying, Wang Qiao-Yu and the rest of the Qiu family were eager to kick Qiu Mu-Cheng while she was down. As they scolded her, they also called for the expulsion of Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family. That way, they would receive arger share of the family fortune in the future. When Qiu Lei heard their calls for expulsion, he was scared out of his wits. So as he begged his father for mercy, he also ordered Qiu Mu-Cheng to apologize. ¡°Mu-Cheng, get on your knees quick. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Do you want to see your father and mother starve to death in the streets?¡± Qiu Lei howled bitterly. All of a sudden, Qiu Mu-Cheng became Public Enemy Number One. Everyone was screaming at her. They all wanted her to kneel in apology. At this moment, Qiu Mu-Cheng felt incredibly aggrieved. She turned her red-rimmed eyes to look at her father, grandfather and rtives. She couldn¡¯t understand why. Why did they only listen to Qiu Mu- Ying¡¯s side of the story and refuse to give her a chance to tell hers. She also couldn¡¯t understand why her rtives did not show any concern for her, but instead chose to side with an outsider like Shen Fei. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Could it be because Qiu Mu-Ying had a rich and powerful husband while hers was poor and useless? Could it be because Shen Fei had a powerful background while she and Ye Fan weremoners? The assembled guests continued to scream and, as she faced the attacksing from all sides, Qiu Mu-Chengughed. Sheughed piteously and tears streamed from her eyes. At that moment, Qiu Mu-Cheng felt that the world had abandoned her. She had to resign herself to her fate. Reality is cruel. If you do not have wealth or power, nobody will give damn about your dignity. Atst, Qiu Mu-Cheng bowed her head and started to bend her knees. She was going to kneel down in front of her rtives. But, at that moment, a firm hand reached out and stopped her from going down on her knees. ¡°Mu-Cheng, why kneel down in front of these people? They do not deserve your respect!¡± Ye Fan¡¯s words were firm and resounded like the sound of a rock striking the ground. At once, Qiu Mu-Cheng froze in surprise. She didn¡¯t know when it started, perhaps since the day of her cousin¡¯s engagement banquet, but she felt that Ye Fan had changed. He had be bigger and taller! And the hand holding her had be stronger. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°You bastard. How dare you show us such disrespect. Do you still recognize us as your elders?¡± The fourth Qiu brother, Qiu Luo, flew into a rage and screamed as he gestured at Ye Fan and Qiu Mu- Cheng. ¡°Elders?¡± Ye Fanughed as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. ¡°Uncle, let me ask you and everyone else in this room. I recognize you as my elders. But when have you ever treated Mu- Cheng as a niece and me as a son-inw?¡± ¡°Mu-Cheng was nearly vited but, instead of showing concern for her, you are berating us and you even tried to make her kneel in apology? I don¡¯t know who¡¯s really your niece. Mu-Cheng or that rich boy from the Shen family. If he asks you to sever ties with Mu-Cheng, are you really going to do that?¡± Ye Fan¡¯s words were sonorous and forceful. As he spoke, he stared fiercely at the Qiu family members. His speech was cutting and rendered Qiu Luo speechless. His face turned red and, for a while, he couldn¡¯t get any word out of his opened mouth. ¡°We didn¡¯t say we would sever ties with Mu-Cheng. But Ying-Ying said Young Master Shen was just joking with Mu-Cheng. He didn¡¯t...¡± Qiu Luo tried to exin but his tone was already weaker than before. Ye Fan thought he had just heard a joke. ¡°A joke? Uncle, let me ask you. If some passerby on the street starts touching your wife, would you still think it¡¯s funny? If somebody harassed your daughter in public, would you still think it¡¯s a joke?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Qiu Luo was struck dumb and his face turned red. He didn¡¯t know how to respond to Ye Fan¡¯s questions. Ye Fanughed coldly and then he turned to interrogate Master Qiu. ¡°That rich kid from the Shen family insulted Mu-Cheng¡¯s modesty and we merely defended ourselves. What wrong did we do? But look at you. You didn¡¯t care for right or wrong. You only listened to Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s one-sided story and passed judgement on Mu-Cheng.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you all feel guilty?¡± Cold anger smoldered in Ye Fan¡¯s eyes and he showed no fear whatsoever even as he debated the rabble all by his lonesome. Meanwhile, Qiu Mu-Cheng waspletely dazed by the scene unfolding before her. Was this still the same weak and submissive husband who had never uttered a word ofint? Was this still the same useless piece of trash son-inw? When did her husband grow a backbone? At that moment, Qiu Mu-Cheng felt that Ye Fan had be as tall as a giant, and that gave her a sense of security. Under Ye Fan¡¯s questioning, a number of the Qiu family members had turned red-faced in embarrassment. Qiu Luo and his family, especially, were so ashamed that they could not say a word. Master Qiu was furious. But he could do nothing except fall back on his seniority. ¡°How dare you! You are just a useless live-in son-inw! How dare you disrespect your elders! Even if we are in the wrong, you still have no right to criticize us. Are you not going to kneel down? If not, you can leave the Qiu family.¡± Ye Fan smiled a self-deprecating smile. ¡°Grandfather, you have already lived past half a century. You must have been through a lot. I have always thought that you were an understanding person. But now, it looks like you are nothing but a stubborn old fool who only knows to take advantage of his seniority.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, there¡¯s no need to stay in the Qiu family.¡± ¡°Mu-Cheng, let¡¯s go. I will bring you home.¡± Under the stunned looks of the Qiu family, Ye Fan grabbed hold of Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s hand and departed without turning back. Back at the vi, an oppressive silence remained in the air. ¡°You¡­ You people~¡± The abrupt departure of Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng caused Master Qiu to tremble with rage and he nearly choked to death on his own anger. ¡°Qiu Lei, look at your daughter and son-inw!¡± ¡°Your family, they are really something, eh? They are so capable that they can even disrespect father.¡± ¡°Our family has no daughter like her.¡± ¡°From now onwards, Qiu Mu-Cheng is no longer a member of our family!¡± ¡°Tomorrow we will kick her out of Qiushui Logistics!¡± The eldest Qiu brother, Qiu Guang, roared angrily as he held up his father. Qiu Lei¡¯s face paled in terror and his skin took on a lifeless pallor. At that moment, he looked as if all strength had left his body. Outside the vi, Ye Fan supported Qiu Mu-Cheng as they walked back home. There was a tinge of sadness in Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s eyes. She knew. She knew what the actions of the Qiu elders meant to her. It was quite possible that she would not have a ce within the Qiu family from today onwards. She had grown up in the Qiu family and had lived with them all her life. Now that she was expelled from the family, Qiu Mu-Cheng did not know where to go or how to support her family. ¡°Mu-Cheng, believe in me. After a while, the Qiu family will beg you to return.¡± Ye Fan said confidently with a smile. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ye Fan¡¯s words were grave and resonated with firmness. At the same moment, in the Li family¡¯s vi within the city center, an elderly man was holding a ss of red wine and standing in front of a French window. Outside, a river of stars spread out across the night sky and the streets below were lit up with bright and colorful lights. It was night but vehicles streamed continuously on the roads. And then the old man spoke: ¡°Mister Chu, by this time, my gift should have already arrived.¡± ¡°I hope you like it.¡± Li Er smiled lightly, lifted his wine ss and raised a toast to the scenery outside his window. And then, he titled his head back and quaffed the drink! Chapter 11 Chapter 11 The Qiu¡¯s family house. After Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s departure, the remaining guests carried on with their feast. Except for Qiu Lei. The atmosphere at the feast had gotten too ufortable for him after his daughter¡¯s row with the family. So he made up an excuse and left. ¡°Lei¡¯s family are totally useless.¡± ¡°His daughter is too wilful and his son-inw is a useless piece of trash. They havepletely shamed us.¡± After Qiu Lei¡¯s departure, Qiu Guang, the eldest Qiu brother, continued to sneer at his younger brother¡¯s family. ¡°Brother-inw, why mention them? Today is supposed to be a happy asion. Let¡¯s not dampen our mood.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu joined in the conversation and tried to change the topic. Then she smiled warmly at her son-inw, Chu Wen-Fei. ¡°Wen-Fei, don¡¯t you have some more gifts for your grandfather? What did you buy? Tell us about it. Your grandfather will be happy too.¡± ¡°Yes, Wen-Fei, we are all curious. Tell us about it.¡± The youngest Qiu brother smiled as he looked at Chu Wen-Fei. The other rtives went with the flow and also prodded him for information. ¡°Haha, uncle. Just wait and see. The gifts are on their way here. Once they have arrived, you will find out.¡± ¡°I promise. Grandfather will receive a huge surprise.¡± Chu Wen-Fei said confidently and Qiu Mu-Ying hugged his arm coquettishly. Since they did receive many valuable gifts from the Chu family yesterday and those gifts did add significantly to her prestige, Qiu Mu-Ying was extremely satisfied with her fianc¨¦. The atmosphere at the Qiu¡¯s family house was slowly getting festive and the sombre mood caused by the argument earlier was swept away. ¡°It looks like Wen-Fei is feeling confident in his gifts. Well, are you confident enough to beat your brother-inw? That year, he gave us a valuable painting painted by a famous artist. Your grandfather was all smiles for several days. Now, the painting is hanging in his study. Your grandfather enjoys looking at it every day.¡± Qiu Guang said with a smile. Chu Wen-Fei just shook his head. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t say that. A gift should not be judged by how valuable it is. It¡¯s just a token of my appreciation for grandfather. As long the thought is there, no matter what I give, I am sure grandfather will be happy with it.¡± ¡°Haha, you are right, Wen-Fei. I am too shallow.¡± Qiu Guang replied with augh. The other family members also praised Wen-Fei for his eloquence and high emotional quotient. But although they said that, they were stillpetitive when it came to such things. This was especially true for a vain woman like Qiu Mu-Ying. She had already told Chu Wen-Fei that he had to give something valuable or she would lose face in front of her rtives. ¡°Wen-Fei, it¡¯s fine as long as the thought is there. Forget about the gift. Don¡¯t go to expense on my ount. You bing my grandson-inw is already the best gift you can give me.¡± Master Qiu had alreadyposed himself and now he had a smile on his face as he exchanged pleasantries with Chu Wen-Fei. ¡°How could I do this. I have to give a gift or I wouldn¡¯t be doing my duty as a grandson-inw.¡± ¡°Grandfather, just take a seat. My surprise will arrive soon.¡± Chu Wen-Fei was confident. When the others heard this, they started another round of praises for him. ¡°Wen-Fei is so thoughtful~¡± ¡°He¡¯s from a rich family and so filial. Luo, your family is so lucky to get a son-inw like him.¡± ¡°Ying-Ying has found a good husband!¡± ¡°Fei-Fei, look. When it¡¯s time for you to find a husband, you must find someone like Wen-Fei. He¡¯s good-looking, talented and a promising young man.¡± ¡°Come, let us give Wen-Fei a toast~¡± In the courtyard, the Qiu family members were having a merry and harmonious time. Things had gotten lively as the guests talked andughed among themselves. Chu Wen-Fei was smiling proudly in the face of everyone¡¯s praise, and Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s vanity had been satisfied so she was contented. At this moment, both Chu Wen-Fei and Qiu Mu-Ying, who had been ced on a pedestal by their rtives, felt infinitely glorious as if they were standing at the pinnacle of life. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. When he looked at his outstanding son-inw, Master Qiu smiled so much that he barely had time to shut his mouth. It was a scene of domestic bliss. As everyone was enjoying themselves, the butler came in and announced that a car had just arrived. ¡°Haha~¡± ¡°It¡¯s here, grandfather. The gift your grandson-inw prepared for you is here.¡± Chu Wen-Fei stood up with a smile and hurriedly ordered the servants to bring his gift in. ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°Wen-Fei, what is it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve got a pretty woman in there. You even covered it up with a red cloth.¡± A short whileter, several able-bodied men carried the gift into the hall. When the assembled guests saw this, they were stunned. The gift was around two meters wide and half-a-meter tall. It looked like a rectangr box but, as it was covered with a piece of red cloth, they couldn¡¯t tell what it was. ¡°Wen-Fei, don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s really a beautiful woman. Your grandfather is already an old man, so he won¡¯t be able to use your gift.¡± Qiu Guang joked around with Wen-Fei and caused everyone tough. Master Qiu also chided his eldest son light-heartedly. But as the Qiu family members wereughing, Chu Wen-Fei frowned. He thought there was something strange about the shape of the gift. ¡°It¡¯s probably just the gift box.¡± Chu Wen-Fei guessed to himself and then smiled in response. ¡°Haha, uncle, stop guessing. Just wait. And I will reveal the answer to you.¡± And then, under the curious gazes of their rtives, Chu Wen-Fei grabbed Qiu Mu-Ying and led her to the front. They bowed to Master Qiu who was seated at the seat of honor and said: ¡°Thank you, grandfather, for raising Ying-Ying to be such an outstanding woman. Please ept a bow from your grandson-inw.¡± ¡°At the same time, to express my thanks, Ying-Ying and I would like to present grandfather with an evergreen pine tree from Nanshan. May grandfather enjoy immense fortune and live to a ripe old age!¡± Chu Wen-Fei and Qiu Mu-Ying bowed together. Master Qiu¡¯s smile grew so wide that his lips nearly touched his ears. And he eximed: ¡°Splendid~Splendid~Splendid~¡± ¡°Wen-Fei, you are so thoughtful~¡± And everyone else followed his example and cut loose with yet another round of praises for the couple. Qiu Mu-Ying tilted her chin proudly and looked at her fianc¨¦ joyfully. Both Wang Qiao-Yu and Qiu Luo felt distinguished, as they basked in the reflected glory of their son-in- law. ¡°Remove the cloth!¡± Amidst the praises of the guests and the happyughter of Master Qiu, Chu Wen-Fei waved his hand and gave the order haughtily. But unexpectedly, when the red cloth was removed, it turned out that there wasn¡¯t an evergreen pine tree underneath. Instead, they saw a coffin. A pitch-ck and heavy coffinid quietly on the floor. Whoosh~ All of a sudden, the door to the hall opened by itself and the cold wind howled like a devil. As it passed through the hall, the wind lifted up the piece of red cloth and caused it to p about noisily. Pitch-ck coffin. Bright red cloth. At this moment, within the hall, everyone was scared witless. Wang Qiao-Yu¡¯s eyes were wide opened with fear. Qiu Mu-Hong and her family screamed in terror, while the children simply burst into tears. And Chu Wen-Fei was rooted to the spot as he stared unbelievably at the scene before him. It was supposed to be an evergreen pine tree, so how did it change into a coffin? As for Master Qiu, he was scared witless the moment he saw the coffin when the red cloth was removed. He trembled violently and his face turned pale as a ghost. When he opened his mouth, frightened growls could be heard. ¡°You¡­ You...¡± ¡°You are trying to curse me to death~¡± Master Qiu¡¯s body went limp and he started screaming in fear. Chu Wen-Fei actually sent him a coffin on this day of celebration. Even a youngster like Qiu Mu-Hong found it hard to ept such a twist in the plot, let alone a senior citizen like Master Qiu. Finally, Master Qiu fell off the chair he was sitting on andnded on the floor, where heid gasping for breath. ¡°Grandfather!¡± ¡°Father~¡± ¡°Quick, call 120!¡± The Qiu family members were in a state of confusion as they ran towards their patriarch to help him up. The eldest Qiu brother, Qiu Guang, was so angry that he sent Chu Wen-Fei flying to the ground with a kick. ¡°You bastard. If anything happens to my father, I will kill you.¡± ¡°Get lost. Look at what your son-inw has done.~¡± After berating Chu Wen-Fei, Qiu Guang turned to Wang Qiao-Yu and pushed her away. ¡°Grandfather, I¡­ I¡­ really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± Chu Wen-Fei was overwhelmed with confusion. After he was kicked to the ground, he could onlyy there quivering as snot and tears streamed down his face. He truly had no idea what had just happened. He had prepared an evergreen pine tree, so how did it turn into a coffin? There is this saying. Good fortune neveres in pairs and trouble never travels alone. And so, just as the Qiu family members were milling about in confusion, the butler came in with more bad news. ¡°Master, there¡¯s trouble. There¡¯s big trouble.¡± ¡°Our Qiushui Logistics is under investigation.¡± ¡°Our ten warehouses have been sealed!¡± ¡°The Qiu family assets have been frozen~¡± ¡°Thepany executives have been taken away by the police for questioning~¡± ¡°It¡¯s over. It¡¯s all over for Qiushui Logistics!¡± What? All of a sudden, the thunderstruck family members stood rooted to the ground. Fear and shock were growing in their wide opened eyes. What was happening to their family? Could it be punishment from the gods? However, as they were still struggling in a state of panic, several police cars had already stopped outside the Qiu¡¯s family house. Several police officers got out of the vehicles and pushed open the gate to the house. Once inside, the officers produced their identifications. ¡°Good evening, we are from the Yunzhou City Public Security Bureau.¡± ¡°Qiushui Logistics is under suspicion ofmitting economic crimes, illegal business conduct and other offences. We would like General Manager Qiu Luo and Chairman Qiu Guang to follow us and assist in our investigation.¡± When they heard this, Qiu Guang¡¯s face turned pale and Qiu Luo¡¯s copsed right on the floor as his legs had already turned to jelly. ¡°I won¡¯t let you take my husband~¡± Wang Qiao-Yu cried and pulled on Qiu Luo and refused to let go. But her efforts were futile. Finally, both Qiu Guang and Qiu Luo were taken away by the police. In just one night, nearly all the pirs of the family had fallen. Master Qiu was admitted into the hospital. The two most capable brothers were taken away by the police. Their warehouses had been sealed and Qiushui Logistics was in a state of paralysis. The Qiu family had fallen in just one night. Who would have thought that a celebratory banquet would end with the death knells of the Qiu family. The previously haughty Qiu Mu-Ying and Wang Qiao-Yu were now like defanged tigers and the splendor of their former selves hadpletely vanished. ¡°Who did we offend?¡± ¡°Why, why did the heavens treat us this way?¡± In the Qiu¡¯s family house, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. The whole family was in a state of grief. But all these happenings were unknown to Qiu Mu-Cheng. After she had been chased out of the family housest night, she went home and slept. And after the troubles had hit the Qiu family, a text message was sent to Ye Fan¡¯s phone. ¡°Young Master Chu, the Qiu family has fallen. Those who have offended you have been punished.¡± ¡°Are you satisfied with my gift?¡± Before the French window, Li Er smiled as he admired the wine ss in his hand. Outside the window, the sky was dark and the clouds were billowing as the wind blew. It looked like a storm wasing. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 sh~ A branched lightning bolt tore through the sky as the rain poured down in sheets. At this moment, in his room at the Yunzhou City People¡¯s Hospital, Master Qiu had already woken up. The Qiu family members were gathered at his bedside and they did not look good. Wang Qiao-Yu was crying, Qiu Mu-Ying simply kept quiet with her head down and Chu Wen-Fei was kneeling apologetically in front of Master Qiu¡¯s bed. After all, it was Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s gift that had sent Master Qiu into a fit of fright in the first ce. The old man was in a severe state after the ¡°surprise¡± and if he had not been sent to the hospital in time, he would have died. Luckily, Master Qiu managed to recover from the shock. Otherwise, Chu Wen-Fei would have to bear a very heavy burden. ¡°Dad, please find a way to help Guang and Luo. We haven¡¯t heard anything from them for the whole night. Are they going to prison? Will they face the firing squad?¡± ¡°Fei-Fei is still a child. She needs her father~¡± The eldest daughter-inw of the Qiu family was sobbing as she pleaded with her father-inw. And Wang Qiao-Yu was also wiping tears away from her red-rimmed eyes. Although the Qiu family had many offsprings, the only ones who could shoulder the burden for the family were just Qiu Guang and Qiu Luo. Once they were gone, the family would simply copse. ¡°Stop crying!¡± ¡°You only know how to cry~¡± ¡°If you are going to keep crying, you can get out of my room!¡± Wang Qiao-Yu and herpanions in misery were frightened by this violent outburst and promptly shut up. And then, Master Qiu took one look at the still kneeling Chu Wen-Fei and said gravely, ¡°You can get up.¡± ¡°Grandfather, I am sorry. What happened yesterday~¡± Chu Wen-Fei was going to continue when Master Qiu waved dismissively and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. It¡¯s not your fault. Someone else is targeting our family.¡± Master Qiu was an old-timer so he had already noticed the suspicious points in this incident. ¡°What? Somebody is targeting our family?¡± ¡°Who could it be?¡± ¡°Qiushui Logistics hasn¡¯t offended anyone powerful recently. And in Yunzhou city, we don¡¯t have any business enemies either.¡± ¡°So who¡¯s going after our family!¡± Once again, Wang Qiao-Yu and the womenfolk went into a state of panic. Their bodies shook as tears streamed down their faces. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°You women are useless here. You are only good for irritating me.¡± Master Qiu was already in a lousy mood and listening to the cries of the womenfolk only made him angrier. ¡°Think carefully. Have you offended anyone?¡± ¡°Enemies don¡¯t just pop up out of nowhere. There must be a reason why they are targeting us like this.¡± Master Qiu dered as he looked at his family. Qiu Mu-Ying and Qiu Mu-Hong shook their heads. They did not remember offending anyone powerful. They did bully weaklings like Ye Fan, but weak people like him were unlikely to have the power to retaliate against the Qiu family. ¡°Wait, grandfather. It must be Qiu Mu-Cheng and that useless trash, Ye Fan!¡± ¡°It must be them.¡± ¡°They attacked the Young Master of the Shen family yesterday and, right after that, these cmities started happening to us. It can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± ¡°The Shen family must have retaliated against us because of what Qiu Mu-Cheng and Ye Fan did. This is the Shen family¡¯s revenge against us.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying screamed out the facts that she had just thought of. Chu Wen-Fei followed suit and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. The Shen family must have prepared the coffin in order to exact vengeance on us. They are one of the top-tier powers in Yunzhou and they have the backing of Master Li Er. In Yunzhou, there are few powers who are capable of orchestrating the events that happened yesterday. Very few, but the Shen family is definitely one of those groups.¡± ¡°That bastard Ye Fan and that bitch Qiu Mu-Cheng! It¡¯s all because of them. It¡¯s their fault that my husband was arrested. Dad, we must not spare troublemakers like them.¡± The red-eyed Wang Qiao-Yu said viciously. Everyone else followed suit and ced the me on the couple as well. Master Qiu had a sombre expression on his face as he coldly gave the order. ¡°Go get that unfilial girl, Qiu Mu-Cheng, and bring her to me.¡± He was so angry that his voice shook as he spoke. When Qiu Mu-Cheng received the call, Ye Fan was still making breakfast in the kitchen. As a live-in son-inw, it was his job to take care of all the household chores. ¡°Mu-Cheng, breakfast is ready.¡± A few minutester, Ye Fan had already finished setting the table so he started calling Qiu Mu-Cheng and her family to breakfast. ¡°Stop shouting. Mu-Cheng has already left.¡± ¡°Eh? Where did she go? It¡¯s still early and it¡¯s raining too.¡± Ye Fan asked with a frown. Han Li replied coldly: ¡°What? Must my daughter report to you whenever she goes out?¡± Since his mother-inw was angry, Ye Fan wisely kept his mouth shut. But Qiu Mu-Cheng did not return for the rest of the day, and that made Ye Fan very worried. Evening came and still Qiu Mu-Cheng did not return. Ye Fan tried calling her but nobody answered the phone. His worry deepened as he looked at the pouring rain outside. Just as he was about to go look for her at the Qiu¡¯s family house, his phone rang. The caller was Qiu Mu-Ying. ¡°Ye Fan, go to the Shen family manor and pick up your wife from the entrance. She¡¯s not a princess but she¡¯s as delicate as one. She only kneeled down for a while but she actually fainted on the spot? I am speechless!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t do the time, then don¡¯t do the crime. Now you¡¯ve dragged us down with you. You guys are really jinxes!¡± Qiu Mu-Ying smiled coldly as she ridiculed Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng. What? Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. ¡°Mu-Cheng went to the Shen family?¡± ¡°And she fainted?¡± Ye Fan¡¯s face turned frosty when he heard the news. The Qiu family. It was the Qiu family! They ced all the me onto Mu-Cheng and him. They thought that the Shen family was responsible for the acts of retaliation and so they forced Qiu Mu-Cheng to go and apologize personally to the Shen family. But, Qiu Mu-Cheng, that silly girl. Why didn¡¯t she tell him? Why did she go by herself? Was she afraid that he would suffer humiliation? Was she afraid that he would have to face persecution at the hands of the Shen family? But, Mu-Cheng, I am your husband. I am your man. I am supposed to be the one to brave the rain. Why did you, a woman, go face the troubles alone? At that moment, Ye Fan¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot and he clenched his hands so tightly that his fingers dug deep into the flesh. And mes of rage burned within his chest. ¡°Qiu Mu-Ying, let me tell you. If anything happens to Mu-Cheng, there will be no ce for the Qiu family in Yunzhou city!¡± Ye Fan¡¯s words were cold and sinister. They rang like a crack of thunder to her ears and she was instantly stunned. Her face had also turned white as sheet. Very briefly, Qiu Mu-Ying wondered if she had dialled a wrong number. Was this still the useless trash of the Qiu family? Was this still the same submissive Ye Fan? Why did she suddenly feel such overwhelming pressure? Qiu Mu-Ying shivered unconsciously, an unknown fear fomenting in her heart. ¡°Ying-Ying, what¡¯s wrong? You look pale.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu, who was standing beside her daughter, asked curiously. Qiu Mu-Ying shook her head and replied, ¡°Nothing, mom. It¡¯s just that Ye Fan threatened me. He said that if anything happens to Qiu Mu-Cheng, he will take it out on the Qiu family.¡± When the Qiu family members heard this, they burst intoughter. ¡°He¡¯s just a piece of trash. He can only talk tough. There¡¯s no need to take him seriously, right?¡± ¡°He wants to take it out on us. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s capable of doing so!¡± Everyoneughed. They didn¡¯t give a damn about Ye Fan and his family. ¡°But we still have to think of a way to get your uncle and father out. Yang-Yang, have you asked your father? Can he help?¡± Wang Qiao-Yu looked at Jiang Yang. His father was a part of the city administration and had his own connections. Jiang Yang shook his head. ¡°Auntie, I did ask my father. But he said the Qiu family had offended a very powerful person. So my father can¡¯t do anything.¡± When the Qiu family members heard this, they felt even more hopeless. ¡°It¡¯s all Ye Fan¡¯s and Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s fault. Is it really all over for our family?¡± They couldn¡¯t help but lament. ¡°Wen-Fei, please think of something. Your father also has connections in Yunzhou, right? Why not ask your father and see if he can help us.¡± A red-eyed Qiu Mu-Ying tugged at Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s arm and pleaded. Chu Wen-Fei looked troubled. ¡°My father knows businessmen, but I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t know any politicians...¡± ¡°Wen-Fei, just call him and try asking. Maybe he knows someone?¡± The Qiu family members turned to look at Chu Wen-Fei and they looked like drowning men desperately grasping for a straw to save their lives. Chu Wen-Fei smiled bitterly. Since his father did not even want to acknowledge this marriage, he thought that his father probably wouldn¡¯t want to help even if he could. But the Qiu family members looked at him so yearningly that Chu Wen-Fei found it hard to turn down their plea for help. So even though he knew this endeavor was doomed to failure, he dialled his father¡¯s number. ¡°Dad, regarding the Qiu family¡¯s problem...¡± Before Chu Wen-Fei couldplete his sentence, Chu Yang¡¯s angry voice came roaring from the other end of the line. ¡°You unfilial son. Don¡¯t call me ¡®dad¡¯. As long as you do not divorce that green tea bitch, I will not allow you to set foot inside our house.¡± Dududu~ Chu Yang had hung up. ¡°Wen-Fei, how was it? What did you father say?¡± The questioning came immediately after the call. Chu Wen-Feiughed guiltily and told Wang Qiao-Yu, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. My father said he will think of something and take care of the problem.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. At this crucial moment, we can only rely on Wen-Fei and Yang-Yang. The people in Lei¡¯s family are just useless troublemakers.¡± The Qiu family members smiled in relief and Master Qiu¡¯s mood took a turn for the better. None of them suspected that Chu Wen-Fei had been bragging earlier. Take care of the problem? Yeah, right! Even if the problem of Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s family being only second-tier and lower-ranking than the Shen family was ignored, Chu Yang was simply not interested in helping the Qiu family. At this moment, as the Qiu family members were digesting Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s words offort, Ye Fan was on his way to the Shen family manor. When Ye Fan arrived at his destination, Qiu Mu-Cheng was still on her knees. Themps on both sides of the street glowed weakly and illuminated her limp figure. Through the curtain of rain that was as thick as an iron wall, Ye Fan could see the small figure of Qiu Mu-Cheng. She was kneeling there all by herself, so small and forlorn like a single spark lost in the vast night sky, as if the world had abandoned her. ¡°Mu-Cheng~¡± Ye Fan hurried over and swept her into his hug. Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s body was icy cold and her clothes had been thoroughly soaked through by the rain. Her face was as pale as paper but her forehead was raging hot. Because she had been kneeling for a long time, her porcin legs were marred by bloody marks. As the rain poured down, the blood from her wounds was washed away. ¡°You stupid woman. Are you an idiot?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me. Why did youe by yourself!¡± ¡°They¡¯ve already expelled you from the Qiu family, so why bother yourself with them?¡± ¡°Why are you so stupid?¡± Ye Fan howled angrily. The rain continued to beat down on him as he held Qiu Mu-Cheng in his embrace. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Qiu Mu-Cheng smiled weakly. She didn¡¯t know why but, as she felt Ye Fan¡¯s embrace and listened to his voice, Qiu Mu-Cheng felt a sense of security. As if she was being hugged by the whole world. ¡°Ye Fan, I am sorry. For the past three years, you have been humiliated by my rtives.¡± ¡°I am truly sorry.¡± ¡°This time, I do not wish to get you involved with the Qiu family and suffer humiliation again.¡± All these years, everyone was picking on Ye Fan. They humiliated him and even her parents med him for being useless. And she was also painted with the same brush. But Qiu Mu-Cheng knew. She and her family were the ones who had dragged him down. Back then, it had been her decision to take in Ye Fan as a live-in son-inw. If it weren¡¯t for her, perhaps this twenty-something young man would have had a happier life. Qiu Mu-Cheng said her apology in a whisper. When Ye Fan heard her faint voice, he could almost feel his heart breaking. He knew just how strong-minded she was. Qiu Mu-Cheng would only show that soft side of hers at her weakest moment. As the rain continued to beat down on them, Ye Fan hugged his wife tightly and said, ¡°Mu-Cheng, there¡¯s no need for you to apologize. You are the best gift I have received from heaven. The greatest honor of my life is being your husband.¡± Whoosh~ At this moment, a Benz sped past and its spinning wheels stirred up the rainwater. All of it sshed onto Ye Fan and he was soon covered with ck muddy water. The car stopped and, from within, Shen Fei¡¯s haughtyughter could be heard. ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t this the useless live-in son-inw? You are really a piece of trash. You actually let your own wife beg for mercy on your behalf.¡± ¡°Now you know what fear is. Since you can¡¯t do the time, then you shouldn¡¯t have done the crime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already warned you. I am not the sort of person a useless trash like you can afford to offend.¡± Shen Fei looked at Ye Fan with mockery and disdain in his eyes. How on earth did this useless piece of trash manage to marry a superb woman like Qiu Mu-Cheng? ¡°But, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t let you off. If you let your wife service me tonight, I promise, things will return to normal at the Qiu family.¡± Shen Fei smiled coldy and looked impassionedly at Qiu Mu-Cheng. Of course, Shen Fei was just lying to Ye Fan. He had nothing to do with the going-ons happening to the Qiu family. At this time, the power of the Shen family rested in the hands of his father. Therefore, Shen Fei definitely did not have the power to topple a family on his own. But it was unimportant to Shen Fei whether he had the power or not. As long as he could bed Qiu Mu- Cheng, he didn¡¯t care what happened to the Qiu family. When he heard this, Ye Fanughed. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°You trashy live-in son-inw, what are youughing at? Who gave you the right tough?¡± Shen Fei was annoyed by Ye Fan¡¯sughter so he retaliated with a scolding. Ye Fan shook his head and replied, ¡°Shen Fei, oh Shen Fei. I amughing at you because although you have eyes, you cannot recognize true greatness when it¡¯s right in front of you!¡± ¡°You have no idea what kind of existence is standing right before you?¡± ¡°And you have no idea exactly what kind of person you have offended today?¡± ¡°In my eyes, the Qiu family is insignificant. So is the Shen family. And even Li Er of Yunzhou is just a servant of mine!¡± As the rain poured around them, Ye Fan stood tall and proud. His voice was loud, like a crack of thunder, and resounded through the horizon. The crown prince of the Shen family, Shen Fei, was rooted to the spot instantly. At that moment, he could hear nothing else but Ye Fan¡¯s imperious deration. The Ye Fan before him now was like a tiger baring its proud fangs and ws after a long slumber. His aura was so overpowering that Shen Fei started trembling unconsciously. It was as if Ye Fan was no longer the useless live-in son-inw of the Qiu family, but the heir of the world¡¯s most prominent family. It wasn¡¯t just Shen Fei. Beside them, the pale and weak Qiu Mu-Cheng was also stunned by the sudden change in Ye Fan. Was he still the same Ye Fan? ¡°Shit!¡± ¡°You moron~¡± ¡°You are an idiot!¡± After a long stunned moment, Shen Feiposed himself and started berating Ye Fan. ¡°I have eyes but cannot recognize true greatness?¡± ¡°You are an idiot!¡± ¡°You think the Qiu family is insignificant? You think my family is insignificant too? And Master Li Er is your servant?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Screw you!¡± ¡°You are just a useless live-in son-inw. Who gave you the courage to shoot your mouth off?¡± Shen Fei smiled angrily. In his eyes, Ye Fan was just aplete retard. ¡°Qiu Mu-Cheng, don¡¯t me me for not giving you a chance. If you want to find someone to me, go me your useless husband!¡± ¡°You¡¯re all going to die soon~¡± Shen Fei could not be bothered with an idiot like Ye Fan, so he ordered his driver to move into the manor. Only Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng were left at the entrance. ¡°Ye Fan, you shouldn¡¯t have provoked him. And you definitely shouldn¡¯t have offended Master Li Er.¡± ¡°The Shen family is powerful but Master Li Er is the unofficial king of Yunzhou city. Both the underworld and police answer to him. We can¡¯t afford to offend either side.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s face had turned pale with worry. She was really afraid that the Shen family would retaliate against them. At that time, the Qiu family would have to suffer more humiliations. But Ye Fan said lightly, ¡°Mu-Cheng, don¡¯t worry. Trust me. I will make the Shen family pay for the humiliation you have suffered today. Many times over.¡± Afterwards, Ye Fan sent Qiu Mu-Cheng to the hospital. She had been kneeling in the rain for a whole day and her body was at its limits. Her fever was also still raging. But Qiu Mu-Cheng was still worried about the troubles guing the Qiu family. Ye Fan looked at her with a firm look in his eyes. ¡°Mu-Cheng, do you trust me?¡± ¡°But the Shen family is powerful, I am afraid...¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng said worriedly. ¡°Answer me. Do you trust me?¡± Ye Fan asked again, his voice heavy with authority. Qiu Mu-Cheng was surprised. It was the first time she had seen Ye Fan treat her so seriously. After a long pause, Qiu Mu-Cheng nodded and replied with an affirmative grunt. ¡°Ye Fan, I trust you.¡± Actually, after they had reached the hospital, Qiu Mu-Cheng regretted her action for a while. She did not know what had possessed her to believe that Ye Fan, a live-in son-inw, could challenge the Shen family. But, Ye Fan had already left the hospital. Even if she wanted to stop him, she couldn¡¯t. Ye Fan did not go far. He stopped at the hospital entrance and dialled Li Er¡¯s number. When Li Er saw that the caller was Ye Fan, he was overjoyed. This was the first time Ye Fan had taken the initiative to call him. It was surely a good sign. ¡°It looks like Mister Chu is starting to ept me.¡± Li Er knew what Ye Fan meant to the Chu family and he knew just how powerful the Chu family was. So he was in a state of excitement, now that he had sessfullytched on to Ye Fan. He answered the call right away and was properly solicitous. But because he was so excited, his voice trembled a little. ¡°Mister Chu, this is the first call I receive from you. I will always remember this moment.¡± ¡°Mister Chu, since you are calling me, does this mean you are satisfied with my gift? Are you ready to meet me and have dinner with me?¡± Li Er smiled joyfully. He was in a splendid mood. ¡°Screw you and your dinner!¡± Ye Fan¡¯s words, however, hit Li Er like a p on the head. And he was sent into a state of confusion right away. ¡°Mister Chu, you¡­ you are?¡± Li Er stammered. ¡°Let me ask you. Does the Shen family in Yunzhou work for you?¡± Ye Fan¡¯s voice shook with barely suppressed anger. Li Er was stunned for a moment, as he considered various things in his mind. Finally he nodded and said, ¡°Mister Chu, what happened? Did someone from the Shen family offend you?¡± ¡°Stop wasting my time! Li Er, let me tell you. After tonight, I want the Shen family to vanish. Fail to do that and the consequence will be unbearable for you. I can give you power and I can also take it away.¡± Ye Fan¡¯s angry voice exploded in the room and Li Er¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet. He didn¡¯t think Ye Fan was joking with him. The Chu family was perfectly capable of eliminating not just one, but tens and hundreds of Li Ers in a single night. ¡°Screw that bastard, Shen Jiu-Yi.¡± ¡°Shui, call that bastard right away. How dare he offend Mister Chu. He must be tired of living!¡± Li Er¡¯s screams of rage could be hearding from the room. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 The Shen family manor. The rain was pouring heavily outside, and the sky was overcast. When Li Er called, Shen Jiu-Yi was watching the financial news in the living room. And a topless Shen Fei was just leaving the bathroom after his shower. ¡°Dad, did you see that Qiu Mu- Cheng kneeling in front of our house? I heard the third daughter of the Qiu family was a prideful woman but, in front of the Shen family, she could do nothing but kneel in apology.¡± Shen Fei looked proud of himself. He enjoyed the feeling of having power over others, especially when they grovelled before him. However, Shen Jiu-Yi turned to re at Shen Fei and said, ¡°You unfilial son. I am warning you. If you abuse our family¡¯s authority to bully others, I will break your legs!¡± ¡°Dad, I am innocent. Qiu Mu-Cheng came to kneel on her own ord. I had nothing to do with it,¡± Shen Fei said aggrievedly. Shen Jiu-Yi snorted coldly. ¡°Hmph, you had better be telling the truth. If I find out you have been committing misdeeds, I will punish you.¡± Every time Shen Jiu-Yi saw his son, he managed to get himself worked up. Over the years, Shen Fei had caused a lot of trouble for him. If their family did not have power and influence, Shen Fei would have faced the firing squad several times over. ¡°Go get dressed. We are going to see Master Er.¡± Li Er had called and asked for a meeting earlier. Shen Jiu-Yi did not think much about it and decided to bring his son along to meet Master Er as well. Shen Fei did not dare to act up in front of his father so heplied right away. After changing into his clothes, he drove to Master Li Er¡¯s residence with his father. Shen Fei did not often get involved in business operations, but the name Li Er was well known to him. ¡°Master Er is the unofficial king of Yunzhou and even the mayor has to treat him with respect. Be on your toes when you see himter. If he likes you, then it will be helpful to our family.¡± Along the way, Shen Jiu-Yi instructed his son on proper conduct. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry. I am sharp. I won¡¯t embarrass you.¡± Shen Feiughed heartily. Before long, the Benz reached the Li family vi. Under the guidance of a servant, the father and son pair soon reached the living room. In the room, Li Er sat quietly, his expression grave. Although he looked calm, he still inspired awe. When he saw Li Er, Shen Fei hurried forward to pay his respect. But Li Er paid him no attention. ¡°Master Er, you wanted to see me?¡± Shen Jiu-Yi¡¯s senses told him that something was wrong. His heart tensed and he suddenly had a very bad feeling. ¡°Shen Jiu-Yi, let me ask you. Did you offend anyone important recently?¡± Shen Jiu-Yi went quiet for a while and then shook his head. ¡°Master Er, I have been busy with my company¡¯s affairs. I haven¡¯t had the time to offend anyone.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Li Er snorted coldly and threw a photograph at Shen Jiu-Yi. ¡°Take a good look. Tell me, have you offended the person in the photograph?¡± Shen Jiu-Yi bowed his head and took a look. The photograph was that of a young man wearing simple clothes. He was slim and good-looking but, considering his attire, he didn¡¯t look like a rich person. ¡°Master Er, I have never seen this person before. How could I have offended him?¡± Shen Jiu-Yi was really confused. He didn¡¯t know why Master Er was asking him about the young man, but he was getting nervous. Pong! Li Er mmed the table and jumped to his feet. The movement caused a tea cup to fall to the floor, where it smashed to pieces. ¡°You are still denying it? Then let me remind you again. His name is Ye Fan, a son-inw of the Qiu family.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± When he heard Ye Fan¡¯s name, Shen Fei frowned and, without waiting for his father¡¯s response, he hurried forward to look at the photograph. And then he smiled. ¡°Master Er, I am afraid you have made a mistake. I know the person in this photo. He is a live-in son-in- law of the Qiu family. A useless trash. He is not anyone important. Just now, he was still kneeling in front of our house with his wife.¡± Shen Feiughed heartily and hepletely missed the frosty look in Li Er¡¯s eyes. So he continued, ¡°Ye Fan is a silly man. He is just a live-in son-inw but not only did he look down on my family, he also insulted you. He actually said Master Er was a nobody. That made me angry. I was willing to let him off for insulting me, but I could not tolerate him insulting you. So I got a few of my men to follow him. They will teach him a lesson.¡± Shen Fei smiled happily at Li Er and waited expectantly for the praise toe his way. ¡°What? You sent your men to teach him a lesson?¡± Li Er trembled violently, as if he had just been struck with a bolt of lightning. ¡°Yes, Master Er. They should be reaching his house around this time. Is there something the matter?¡± Shen Fei had a perplexed look on his face. He didn¡¯t understand why Master Er was overreacting. ¡°Screw you!¡± ¡°If you want to die, don¡¯t drag me down with you!¡± Li Er was scared witless. He cut loose with a stream of scolding and sent Shen Fei to the floor with a kick. His face had already turned pale and his back was soaked with cold sweat. Who was Ye Fan? He was the heir to the Chu family of Great China! He was the only descendant of the Chu family who could use the Tian (Heaven) character in his name! In order to see him, the head of the Chu family came down personally to Yunzhou. Li Er was all too willing to suck up to a person like him. He was even willing to call Ye Fan ¡°daddy¡±. But his own underlings went and provoked Ye Fan. Surely, they were trying to get him killed? Were they tired of living? In a fit of rage, Li Er threw a kick at Shen Jiu-Yi. ¡°Shen Jiu-Yi, screw you!¡± ¡°You will be the death of me!¡± ¡°Do you know who he is?¡± ¡°He is Chu Tian-Fan, the only member of the Tian character generation in the Chu family!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Chu family. The family that¡¯s as powerful as a country. Even the government has to suck up to them. Even heads of state have to show them respect.¡± ¡°Do you know? A hundred thousand soldiers are stationed in the suburb of Fenghai city. Why? Because the government is protecting the Chu¡¯s family house!¡± Li Er howled angrily. Shen Jiu-Yi and his son were both scared witless and their minds were in a nk state. ¡°The Chu family of Great China?¡± ¡°As powerful as a country?¡± ¡°Fenghai suburb. A hunded thousand soldiers. Just to protect the Chu¡¯s family house?¡± Heavens! Who had they provoked? Shen Fei was in a state of daze. Both his legs were shaking and his body was drenched in cold sweat. And Shen Jiu-Yi was panicking. His face had turned as white as sheet and, finally, he copsed on the floor with a pong sound. ¡°Mas¡­ Master Er, wha...what should I do? Please, you have to help me?¡± Shen Jiu-Yi was a veteran of the business world and had a tougher temperament than most people. Even as he was panicking, he knew to ask Li Er for help. ¡°Get lost!¡± Li Er threw another kick at Shen Jiu-Yi. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Help you?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even save myself now.¡± ¡°Young Master Fan has already said so. After tonight, the Shen family shall vanish from Yunzhou city!¡± Boom~ The news hit the father-and-son pair like a thunder bolt from the sky. They stayed rooted to the spot, stunned and filled with despair. Shen Feiid limply on the floor. He was so petrified that he couldn¡¯t get a word out of his mouth. As for Shen Jiu-Yi, his heart was filled with despair. Finally, he decided to vent his anxiety and anger by beating his son. ¡°You bastard, oh, you bastard!¡± ¡°You bastard~¡± ¡°The Shen family will be destroyed because of you!¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Li Er was mad at the Shen family for provoking Ye Fan. But after he had calmed down, he began to think of a n to save the Shen family. After all, Li Er had been operating in Yunzhou for many years and, during that time, the Shen family had made themselves useful to him. Most of his funds came from the Shen family. Therefore, unless it was absolutely necessary, Li Er did not want to abandon the Shen family. Finally, after facing a barrage of pleas from Shen Jiu-Yi, aposed Li Er sighed and said, ¡°Alright, since you have served me faithfully all these years and because it was really your son¡¯s fault, I will see what I can do. Maybe I can beg for forgivness on your behalf. As for you two, you are not getting any rest tonight. Get your ass over there and grovel in front of Young Master Fan.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master Er. Thank you, Master Er.¡± The desperation in Shen Jiu-Yi was clear to see. After giving thanks to Li Er, he left the Li family vi with his son. Yunzhou City People¡¯s Hospital. ¡°Mu-Cheng, are you feeling better?¡± In the hospital ward, when Ye Fan saw that Qiu Mu-Cheng had woken up, he offered her an apple he had peeled earlier. Qiu Mu-Cheng had already regained her frosty demeanour. In the past, she would simply ignore Ye Fan. She did not know since when, but her attitude toward Ye Fan had been slowly changing. So she unconsciously epted the apple from Ye Fan, and even thanked him for it. ¡°Could it be that, I have fallen in love with this man?¡± But she squashed the thought as soon as it appeared. A proud woman like Qiu Mu-Cheng would never allow herself to fall in love with a mediocre man. That was Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s pride as a woman. Ye Fan shook his head and smile. ¡°There is no need for a husband and wife to stand on ceremony with each other.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng said nothing. She bowed her head and ate the apple in silence. However, a blush could be seen on her exquisite face. ¡°Oh by the way, how¡¯s my grandfather doing? And the Qiu family, how are they doing?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng suddenly remembered the problems guing her family, so she turned worriedly to Ye Fan for answers. Ye Fan¡¯s expression turned grave. He looked at Qiu Mu-Cheng and asked, ¡°Mu-Cheng, don¡¯t you hate the Qiu family? You still worry about them after what they have done to you.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng shook her head and smiled bitterly. ¡°Blood is thicker than water. They are still my rtives and my elders, no matter how mean they are. I owe them for raising and educating me. And the Qiu family is where my roots are. Can you sever blood and family ties so easily? Also, it is my fault this time. I am the one who got the Qiu family into trouble.¡± Even now, this kind-hearted girl only knew how to me herself and her words were full of self- reproach. Ye Fan sighed. ¡°You silly girl.¡± ¡°Alright, we shall let them off this time. The Qius are really fortunate to have a niece like you. And Master Qiu should be counting his lucky stars for having you as his granddaughter.¡± Ye Fan¡¯s words made Qiu Mu-Cheng confused. ¡°Let them off? Ye Fan, are you hiding something from me?¡± Ye Fan shook his head and smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Oh, that¡¯s right. Your grandfather is staying at this hospital too. I will take you to see him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng nodded and left the room with Ye Fan. ¡°Wen-Fei, have you heard anything from your father yet?¡± ¡°Can he help or not?¡± Qiu Mu-Ying was pacing around the room and bombarding Chu Wen-Fei with questions. After all, her father was still being held for questioning and she had not heard anything from him for an entire day. It was only natural for her to be worried. ¡°Ying-Ying, don¡¯t rush Wen-Fei. Such things cannot be rushed. We can only do our best and leave the rest to fate.¡± Master Qiu was still resting on his sick bed and his words were frail, like his health. Worrying about the cmity facing his family had caused him to age overnight. And now he looked several decades older than he really was. Just as the Qius were worrying themselves to death, the door to the ward was pushed open and Ye Fan entered with Qiu Mu-Cheng. ¡°Shit, how dare you show your face around here?¡± ¡°Our family is in such sad straits all thanks to you!¡± ¡°My father has been arrested and his whereabouts is still unknown. Grandfather nearly died from shock because of you. Don¡¯t you feel guilty?¡± When she saw Ye Fan and her cousin, Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot and she started raging at the couple. Qiu Mu-Hong and her husband, Jiang Yang, were also unhappy. ¡°Please leave. You are not weed here.¡± ¡°What do we have here? One useless husband who¡¯s a piece of trash. Someone who can¡¯t do anything right.¡± ¡°And the other one is pretending to be weak and trying to solicit pity for herself. You two are a good match for each other!¡± ¡°Just looking at you makes me sick. Get out!¡± Wang Qiao-Yu was sent into the throes of rage when she saw Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng. Needless to say, the other rtives also started criticizing Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng. After all, in the eyes of the Qiu family members, the cmity facing them was entirely the fault of Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng. When she heard the hurtful wordsing from her rtives, Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s already paleplexion turned paler. She did not try to defend herself, but said softly: ¡°I am only here to see grandfather. I will just take a look and then leave. I have no intention of disturbing my elders.¡± ¡°Hmph, look at me? I am just an old bag of bones. I can¡¯t shoulder the burden!¡± With a huff, Master Qiu turned his back on Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng. ¡°Are you deaf? Grandfather says he doesn¡¯t want to see you. So can you get lost?¡± Qiu Mu-Ying screamed at her cousin. ¡°Get lost!¡± Wang Qiao-Yu followed suit. ¡°Get lost~¡± In the hospital ward, almost every member of the Qiu family was screaming and their voices resounded through the room. Qiu Mu-Cheng stopped talking. She bowed her head, boundless grief swirling about in her heart. As Ye Fan and Qiu Mu-Cheng stood in the midst of everyone¡¯s hostilities, it looked as if the world had abandoned them. The light flickered and cast a shadow beneath them. Ssh~ Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s eyes had turned red. Tear drops rolled down her face and hit the floor, where they shattered. Just by holding her hand, Ye Fan could clearly feel her body trembling. He said in a low voice, ¡°Mu-Cheng, let¡¯s go.¡± But just as they were preparing to leave, a pair of visitors pushed the door open and hastened into the room. ¡±Are you blind? How can you just barge in like this? Can¡¯t you see my father is resting?¡± Wang Qiao-Yu was still fuming so, when she saw the intruders, she vented her anger on them. But when Master Qiu saw the neers, his expression paled. In a single bound, he leapt out of his bed and pped Wang Qiao-Yu so hard that she fell onto the floor. ¡°Dad, why did you do that for?¡± Wang Qiao-Yu felt so aggrieved that she was about to cry. ¡°You bitch. You can¡¯t just go around scolding people. Are you trying to ruin our family!¡± Master Qiu berated his daughter-inw and then he hurried forward to pay his respects to Shen Jiu-Yi and Shen Fei. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°President Shen, we are honored to have you here. I am sorry I am unable to receive you properly. Please forgive me!¡± What? ¡°President Shen?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he is the President of Shen Corporation, Shen Jiu-Yi!¡± When they heard Master Qiu¡¯s greeting, the Qiu family members were all surprised. And one by one, they stepped forward to grovel before the Shens. They bowed and greeted Shen Jiu- Yi so abjectedly that they looked like ves paying homage to their master. But Shen Jiu-Yi ignored the Qius. He pushed Master Qiu aside and then walked directly to where Ye Fan was standing. And under the astonished gazes of the Qius, Shen Jiu-Yi pulled his son along and knelt in front of Ye Fan with a pong sound. With his forehead and hands touching the floor, Shen Jiu-Yi pleaded piteously: ¡°It was my son¡¯s fault for not recognizing and offending you. Please punish us, Mister Chu!¡± Behind him, Shen Fei was also on his knees. He added intively, ¡°Please punish me, Mister Chu!¡± Their voices were so loud that it shook the whole room. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡°What~What~¡± ¡°What~¡± The room went dead still and the Qius stared with their mouths open. Outside, the cold wind blew and ravaged thend. In the room, the pleas of the Shens reverberated for a while. Qiu Mu-Cheng was instantly rooted to the spot, as she looked at the scene unfolding before her in disbelief. She could not believe that, Shen Jiu-Yi, the head of a multibillion family, would grovel in front of Ye Fan and beg for mercy. It was especially unbelievable because Master Li Er was the patron of the Shen family. But when she thought about the events that had happened before, Qiu Mu-Cheng couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Ye Fan might, in fact, be hiding some secrets about himself. As for Wang Qiao-Yu, Qiu Mu-Ying and the rest of the Qiu family, they looked as if they had just been pped in the face. And all of them just stood there agape. What¡¯s this? What¡¯s going on? Wasn¡¯t Ye Fan just a useless trash? Wasn¡¯t he just a live-in son-inw? A trash without wealth or power? The Qius¡¯ minds went nk when they saw Shen Jiu-Yi and his son grovelling in front of Ye Fan, after they had pushed Master Qiu away. Meanwhile, the old patriarch was still squatting on the floor like a dog. After getting pushed down earlier, he had not been able to muster the strength to get up. But at that moment, the shock reverberating through his mind was much greater than the pain on his butt. Standing in stark contrast to the stupefied members of the Qiu family, Ye Fan had a calm demeanor. His face was expressionless as he looked down on the kneeling father-and-son pair. Ye Fan said coldly, ¡°Are you afraid now? When you insulted Mu-Cheng earlier, did you not think of the consequence?¡± Ye Fan¡¯s angry castigation frightened the Shens so badly that they started trembling and did not dare to lift their heads. Now that they knew Ye Fan¡¯s true identity, they did not even dare to look him in the eye. As for Shen Fei, he had already been scared witless back at the Li family manor. Before this day, he would never have thought that the trash that everyone had looked down on was actually a dragon among men. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± ¡°Get over there and apologize!¡± Ye Fan barked out an angrymand and the Shens got up in a hurry. They darted over to where Qiu Mu-Cheng was standing and prepared to go down on their knees. But at that moment, Wang Qiao-Yu hurried over and said: ¡°President Shen, do not be fooled by this fox pretending to be a tiger. He is just a useless piece of trash. A live-in son-inw without power or money. An idiot. His name is not Chu. You are mistaken.¡± ¡°The real Mister Chu is right here?¡± As she was chatting away, Wang Qiao-Yu called for her son-inw and daughter. She wanted to present them to Shen Jiu-Yi. If her family could get to know a big shot like Shen Jiu-Yi, their position within the Qiu family would rise to the top. Even Master Qiu himself would have to suck up to them. ¡°Screw you!¡± But, just as Wang Qiao-Yu had finished talking, Shen Jiu-Yi pped her in the face and Shen Fei jumped over to kick her in the stomach. ¡°You silly bitch, how dare you insult Mister Chu?¡± ¡°Who gave you the audacity to do so!¡± Shen Jiu-Yi and his son had nearly pissed themselves. After severely castigating Wang Qiao-Yu, the father-and-son pair hurried over to Qiu Mu-Cheng and fell to their knees with a pong sound. And then they proceeded to beg for forgiveness. ¡°Mom~¡± As Wang Qiao-Yuid moaning on the floor, Qiu Mu-Ying hurried to her side to help her up. As for the rest of the Qiu family members, they were in a state of befuddlement, without any idea about what had just happened. And even though they had just witnessed the beating of Wang Qiao-Yu, none of them dared to say a word, for fear of offending Shen Jiu-Yi and his son. ¡°Get lost. I will let you off just this once, on ount of Li Er. Next time, take a careful look before you offend somebody!¡± Ye Fan could not be bothered to look at the piteous disy of the Shens, so hemanded them to leave. ¡°Mu-Cheng, it¡¯ste. Let us go back and rest.¡± Ye Fan¡¯s voice sounded quietly beside Qiu Mu-Cheng, who had yet to recover from her shock. Qiu Mu-Cheng said nothing. She merely nodded her head, gave an affirmative grunt and left the room with Ye Fan. After the couple¡¯s departure, Master Qiu¡¯s hospital ward went into a state of silence. After a long while, it was Qiu Mu-Hong who first started talking. ¡°Grand¡­ Grand¡­ Grandfather, Just¡­ Just now, was he really the head of the Shen family, Shen Jiu-Yi?¡± she stammered. In the room, the Qius looked at each other in disbelief. Why did the President of Qianyi Corporation behave so servilely toward their useless live-in son-in- law? Could it be, our live-in son-inw¡¯s secret identity is a big shot? ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to give me an exnation for what happened earlier?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng looked at Ye Fan and asked coldly. After reaching her hospital ward, she had been feeling increasingly uneasy about the whole incident. Ye Fanughed and asked in a low voice, ¡°What kind of exnation do you want?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng had already regained her frost demeanor. She looked directly at Ye Fan and asked: ¡°You are just a live-in son-inw. You are nobody famous. So why were the Shens so afraid of you? Why did Shen Jiu-Yi grovel before you? And that sports car. Howe you could activate it?¡± ¡°Ye Fan, who are you?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng asked softly and fixed her bright gaze on him. It was silent in the room except for the echo of Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s question. The cold night wind passed through the window and swirled around the room. It stirred up her hair and sent the strands dancing about like a flurry of snow. After a long pause, Ye Fan smiled and replied, ¡°I have already told you about the sports car. As for what happened today, I have no idea. You should go ask the Shen family. Of course, it could be a case of mistaken identity like what our aunt said.¡± Ye Fan did not feel like continuing the conversation so he turned and left the room. ¡°Ye Fan, stop!¡± ¡°I am warning you. I can put up with you being poor and I can put up with you being mediocre. But if you break thew, I will look down on you!¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng roared angrily. She could not help but think of the events that had happened today. After all, before today, Ye Fan was just a live-in son-inw of her family. He had been born in the countryside. He had no connections, power or wealth. And yet, today, the top tycoon of Yunzhou grovelled before him. Besides illegal dealings, Qiu Mu-Cheng could not imagine how Ye Fan had managed to achieve this feat. Ye Fan did not turn back. He stood at the entrance with his back facing her, and remained silent for a while. And then he smiled a self-deprecating smile. ¡°Qiu Mu-Cheng, so that¡¯s what you really think of me.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Ye Fan smiled ruefully and left the room quickly. And Qiu Mu-Cheng could only see his lonely back view as he faded into the distance. At that moment, Qiu Mu-Cheng felt a sense of pity. Maybe she had been too harsh with Ye Fan. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. I don¡¯t want him going down the wrong path!¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng snorted coldly and that sense of pity she had felt earlier vanished instantly like a candle me in the wind. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 The next day, both Qiu Mu-Cheng and Master Qiu were discharged from the hospital. Qiu Mu-Cheng wanted to return to the Qiu¡¯s family house to visit her grandfather, but changed her mind when she reached the gate. ¡°We¡¯re already at the gate. Don¡¯t you want to go in?¡± Ye Fan asked. Qiu Mu-Cheng shook her head and smiled self-deprecatingly. ¡°No. When grandfather sees me, it will only make him mad. I was the one who got the Qiu family into trouble.¡± After saying her piece, she returned home. At that moment, Ye Fan¡¯s phone vibrated. It was a text message from Li Er. ¡°Young Master Fan, I¡¯ve followed your instruction. It¡¯s done.¡± Ye Fan lifted his head and looked at the Qiu¡¯s family house. He smiled ambiguously and left. The Qiu¡¯s family house. Although Master Qiu had already left the hospital, the rest of the Qiu family were still hanging around him. Right now, the eldest and fourth Qiu brothers were in prison. The second and youngest brothers were not around. And Qiu Lei, Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s father, was just useless. He did not even dare to visit the family house. Only Master Qiu was left to support the family in its time of need. ¡°Tell me, do you think we have underestimated Ye Fan?¡± ¡°Even the Shens were so servile to him. This Ye Fan could be a hidden dragon!¡± ¡°Perhaps, the cmity we are facing now has nothing to do with the Shen family. Maybe it is Ye Fan¡¯s revenge on us?¡± The person speaking was the only daughter of the patriarch and Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s paternal aunt, Qiu Huan. ¡°Hmph, what kind of bullshit big shot is he?¡± ¡°This Ye Fan is just a useless piece of trash. If he¡¯s somebody important, then my Ying-Ying is the First Lady. Obviously, the Shen family had made a mistake. The person they were looking for is our Wen- Fei.¡± Wang Qiao-Yu¡¯s face was still swollen, but she had already forgotten the lesson taught to her at the hospital. She was still insisting that the Shens had made a mistake. The other Qius kept their peace. Obviously they were skeptical of Wang Qiao-Yu¡¯s judgement. After all, even if the Shens had made a mistake when they thought that Ye Fan was Chu Wen-Fei, how could they have mistaken Qiu Mu-Cheng for Qiu Mu-Ying? All of them remembered that the Shens had kowtowed to Qiu Mu-Cheng. ¡°Wen-Fei, say something. Tell your uncles and aunties that you were the one who settled the issue with the Shen family.¡± When she saw that the others did not believe her, Wang Qiao-Yu angrily demanded Chu Wen-Fei to speak up. ¡°Dad!¡± ¡°Uncle Luo~¡± ¡°Uncle Guang!¡± ¡°You are back?¡± But just as the Qius were discussing the events that had taken ce at the hospital, two persons walked into the meeting. Qiu Mu-Ying and the others recognized the new arrivals, and joyously weed them. ¡°Guang and Luo, what happened? Howe you are out so soon?¡± Master Qiu was pleasantly surprised but, at the same time, confused. ¡°Dad, we will exinter. Where¡¯s Wen-Fei? Luo and I have to thank Wen-Fei properly.¡± Qiu Guang started looking for Chu Wen-Fei the moment he arrived. Finally, the two Qiu brothers almost knelt down in front of Chu Wen-Fei. ¡°Dad, uncle, don¡¯t do this. It will be most unfilial of me if I let my elders kneel down in front of me!¡± Chu Wen-Fei waspletely stupefied when he saw his uncles-inw attempting to kneel in front of him. He was so frightened that he stopped them immediately. ¡°Wen-Fei, this time, the Qiu family has to thank you!¡± ¡°You are the savior of our family.¡± ¡°Without you, we would never have ovee this trial!¡± When Qiu Guang and Qiu Luo thought about the events that had happened that night, they still had lingering fears. When Qiu Guang had been arrested, he had thought that was the end of the Qiu family. But, to his surprise, they had been released this morning. Not only them, but the Qiu family warehouses had also been reopened. When they had left the public security bureau, Qiu Guang and Qiu Luo had met Shen Jiu-Yi. And he had told them, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Mister Chu¡¯s magnanimity, your family would have been destroyed.¡± ¡°Rejoice, for your family is fortunate enough to have a son-inw like Mister Chu!¡± And that had told the Qiu brothers everything they needed to know about the situation, including the identity of their savior. In the Qiu family, there was only one person with the Chu surname. It could only be Chu Wen-Fei. And that was why the Qiu brothers had thanked Chu Wen-Fei upon their return. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s really Wen-Fei!¡± ¡°Wen-Fei¡¯s family is so powerful that they can even handle the Shen family?¡± ¡°Our family has an excellent son-inw indeed.¡± ¡°Wen-Fei, you are the savior of our family.¡± All at once, after the Qiu brothers¡¯ confirmation, everyone¡¯s suspicion was dispelled and theypeted to offer thanks to Chu Wen-Fei. Wang Qiao-Yu and Qiu Mu-Ying were both overjoyed. ¡°Heh, I have said it before. Our Wen-Fei is the one who saved our family. And you didn¡¯t believe me? And you even gave credit to that piece of trash, Ye Fan. Do you believe me now?¡± Wang Qiao-Yu said smugly. ¡°That¡¯s right, my husband is the best! The Shens obviously made a mistake yesterday. They should have kowtowed to my husband. But that useless trash Ye Fan took advantage of their mistake.¡± Qiu Mu-Ying raised her chin proudly. The Qius were all smiling, but Chu Wen-Fei failed to raise his spirits. What was going on? How did he be the savior of the Qiu family? The important thing was that Chu Wen-Fei did not remember doing anything to help. Could it be the phone call I made to my father? Damn. When did my father be so powerful that he can take care of the Shen family of Yunzhou? Chu Wen-Fei basked in happiness when he thought about this. He decided to ept that it was his father who had lent a helping hand. ¡°Hahaha~¡± ¡°Uncle and auntie, it was nothing. We are all family. There is no need to stand on ceremony.¡± After some consideration, Chu Wen-Fei decided to stop being humble. It was time to show off. The Qiu family had just survived a crisis, so the mood was jubnt. That night, the Qiu family members gathered for dinner. At the family banquet, Master Qiu sighed as he looked at the empty spots where Qiu Lei and his family were supposed to be seated. ¡°Tomorrow, give Mu-Cheng a call. Tell her to return to thepany. She is still a daughter of the Qiu family after all. Even broken bones are held together by tendons and blood is thicker than water.¡± In the past, Qiu Mu-Cheng had been Master Qiu¡¯s favorite granddaughter. But due to some reasons, he had be disappointed in her. But, despite his disappointment, he did miss his granddaughter. Master Qiu¡¯s suggestion, however, was not well-received by the other family members. Qiu Mu-Ying and her family were especially opposed to this idea. But Master Qiu ignored the voices of dissent and stood firmly by his decision to let Qiu Mu-Cheng return. ¡°Nevermind, we are one family after all. Let¡¯s not quibble with her. If she wants to return, let her.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Come, let us all toast Wen-Fei. He single-handedly turned back the tide and save the Qiu family.¡± And so the Qius raised their cups toward Chu Wen-Fei. And he decided not to be shy about taking credit for his sess, so he epted their toasts. Basking in the limelight, Chu Wen-Fei looked the very picture of sess and he was contented. Damn. Showing off felt really good! After a while, a messenger sent by Shen Jiu-Yi arrived with an invitation for Master Qiu. ¡°What happened before was my fault. I have failed to bring up my son properly and I am ashamed of myself. Three dayster, my son and I will throw a banquet at Yunjing Hotel, where we will personally apologize to the Qiu family. At that time, I hope Mr. Chu and Mrs. Qiu will do us the honor of attending the banquet!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Written by, Shen Jiu-Yi! ¡°Whoa, Wen-Fei, that¡¯s awesome!¡± ¡°A handwritten invitation from the head of the Shen family, inviting you to a banquet where he will personally apologize to you?¡± When they saw the invitation, the Qius got themselves all worked again. And Qiu Mu-Ying felt really proud of herself. After all, having an amazing husband like Chu Wen-Fei made her look good too. But as Chu Wen-Fei looked at the invitation, he could not help but feel that something was wrong. Since his father was the one who had dealt with the Shen family, with zero participation from himself, then the person Shen Jiu-Yi should be inviting was his father. So why was he invited? Moreover, Shen Fei had never offended him or his wife before. So why did Shen Jin-Yi talk about his failure to bring up his son properly? Why mention apologizing at all? ¡°Damn it, what went wrong?¡± The more Chu Wen-Fei thought about this invitation, the more suspicious it looked to him. He could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Since Chu Wen-Fei could not figure it out, he decided to just stop thinking about it. After all he was the only person with the Chu surname in the Qiu family, so he must be the one Shen Jiu-Yi wanted to invite. ¡°This Shen Jiu-Yi, he really knows how to please me.¡± ¡°Okay, go back and tell your boss that I will be there three dayster. And I will be bringing my friends and rtives.¡± ¡°I hope I can see his sincerity then.¡± When it came to showing off, Chu Wen-Fei did not go about it with half measures. He put on airs and looked down on the messenger with amanding aura radiating from his eyes. And his elegant bearing immediately aroused respect among the Qius. ¡°That temperament~¡± ¡°Hees from wealth indeed. A child from amoner family would never have amanding presence like Wen-Fei.¡± And the Qius indulged in another round of praise for Chu Wen-Fei. As for Qiu Mu-Ying and Wang Qiao- Yu, they were smiling so hard that the corners of their mouths nearly touched their ears. With their fortunes changed for the better after they had been standing on shaky ground, it was only natural for the Qiu family members to rejoice. Of course, Ye Fan did not know that Chu Wen-Fei had taken credit for his work. But he would not mind even if he did know. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Only Qiu Mu-Cheng was important to him, so how the other Qius saw him did not matter to him. Last night, the Qiu family had informed Qiu Mu-Cheng that she had been reinstated. This was good news to Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family and made them very happy. To celebrate, Qiu Lei opened a bottle of 1982 Scheurebe. After all, Master Qiu had expelled Qiu Mu-Cheng from the family. Although he had not made any statements, just the fact that he was letting Qiu Mu-Cheng return to thepany meant that he was no longer angry with her. ¡°Mu-Cheng, your grandfather did go overboard.¡± ¡°But, deep now, he cares about you. So, please don¡¯t hate him.¡± At the dining table, Qiu Lei spoke gravely to his daughter. Qiu Mu-Cheng nodded vigorously, with slightly red eyes. ¡°Dad, I know.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng would never forget her childhood. Back then, Master Qiu had doted on her. He had given her all sorts of delicious food and fun toys but, unfortunately, his attitude toward Qiu Mu-Cheng had taken a turn for the worse three years ago. Qiu Mu-Cheng did not me her grandfather. She only med herself for being a disappointment. ¡°Alright, why are we talking about this? Let¡¯s talk about something cheerful. How about we go on a holiday after Mu-Cheng gets her pay check this month?¡± Han Li decided to change the topic. ¡°Haha~Good!¡± Qiu Lei agreed right away. There was a happy and harmonious atmosphere surrounding the family of three. And Qiu Mu-Cheng was especially cheerful. Now that she had her grandfather¡¯s forgiveness, she felt unburdened. But they did not notice someone looking at them. He was standing quietly by the study¡¯s door, with a contented smile on his refined face. After all, his hard work had been for the sake of protecting the happiness of this beautiful woman. This night, a lot of people smiled. Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s family smiled, and so did Wang Qiao-Yu¡¯s family. The Qiu family members were immersed in joy after their close brush with destruction. In their eyes, the world was so beautiful. But little did they know that there was no such thing as peace on Earth. There was just somebody who was willing to shoulder the burden and clear the way for them. Ye Fan did not disturb them. After a short while, he turned around and went back to the study. All these years, Ye Fan would always visit the study after dinner and stay tillte at night. Day after day, it was always like this. Sometimes, when he got tired, he would look out of the window. The multitude of stars sprinkled across the night sky looked like sparks swaying in the wind. Maybe they were weak and small, but Ye Fan believed that, one day, the sparks will start a prairie fire. ¡°Very soon, the Chu family will pay back many times over what they owed me and my mother!¡± Ye Fan had a firm look in his eyes as he clenched his hands. The next day. Qiu Mu-Cheng had already left for work early in the morning. The Liuyuan residential district they were staying at was close to her office and there was a direct bus that went there. Although she was a manager at thepany, Qiu Mu-Cheng would take public transport every day in order to save money. It couldn¡¯t be helped. When you are poor, nothing goes right for you. The burden of supporting this family of four had fallen on Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s shoulders. She had no choice but to be frugal. It did hurt Ye Fan though, when he saw his wife going through hardship. ¡°I should go get some money and buy a car for Mu-Cheng.¡± As Ye Fan looked at the beautiful and graceful figure of his wife standing at the bus stop, he started to make ns. The Maserati had already been towed away by Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s family. After all, everyone in the Qiu family had assumed that the car was Chu Wen-Fei¡¯s betrothal gift to Qiu Mu-Ying. There was no way for Ye Fan to retrieve the car now. But it was funny. Qiu Mu-Ying¡¯s family had not managed to open the car¡¯s doors even once, so they could not take the car out for a spin. Right now, it was just gathering dust in their garage. Ye Fan was the sort of person to act once he had set his mind to something. So immediately after he had made his decision, he went straight to the nearest Hongqi Bank using his phone¡¯s navigation app. The time was nine o¡¯clock in the morning. The bank had just opened for business and there weren¡¯t many customers. At this moment, several bank employees were chatting away in the lobby. ¡°What? Our Yunzhou Hongqi Bank is part of the Hongqi Bank in America? I thought we were just a third-rate bank with the same name?¡± Li Xiao-Hong had just joined the bank and did not know a lot about Hongqi¡¯s history. After hearing her colleagues¡¯ discussion, she was so shocked that she covered her mouth. The Hongqi Bank of America. That was the biggest bank in the world. ¡°Xiao-Hong, you are fearless because you are ignorant. Our Hongqi Bank has branches in more than one hundred and fifty countries and territories, and our brand value is ranked among the top fifty in the world. Even our branch in Yunzhou city is iparable to other banks. How dare you call us a third- rate bank?¡± ¡°Do you know, there are only three branches of Hongqi Bank in all of Great China. There¡¯s one in Yunzhou city, one in the capital Yanjing and thest one is in Zhonghai, the financial hub of Great China. Consider yourself incredibly lucky to be able to work in our bank.¡± Wang Kai-Wen snorted and looked at the farming vige girl in front of her with disdain and contempt. As expected, people from the countryside are ignorant. ¡°Surely, that¡¯s impossible? Yunzhou is just a third-tier city. Why would Hongqi Bank set up a branch here?¡± Li Xiao-Hong still found this difficult to believe. Shouldn¡¯t an outstanding bank like Hongqi choose one of the top-tier cities? Why did they pick an out-of-the-way third-tier city like Yunzhou? ¡°Who knows?¡± Wang Kai-Wen did not know the answer either. ¡°But the older employees said the bank chose this location for the sake of just one person.¡± What? Li Xiao-Hong was stunned almost immediately. One of the world¡¯s top banks chose to set up a branch in a third-tier city just to service one single person. If this person really existed, then he must be truly outstanding! Could it be that he was as rich as Croesus? Because of the shock, Li Xiao-Hong had her eyes wide opened. She couldn¡¯t help being curious about the identity of the person who had caused the bank to set up their branch here. ¡°Good morning, do I need a queue number to withdraw money?¡± At this moment, Ye Fan walked into the bank and smiled lightly as he made his inquiry. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Ye Fan was addressing Wang Kai-Wen, the bank employee nearest to him. Wang Kai-Wen took one look at Ye Fan¡¯s unfashionable appearance and was immediately filled with disdain for him. She thought he had the air of a country bumpkin and was probably a peasant-worker who hade to the city to work. ¡°Queue number? Go outside and turn left. Keep walking for two hundred meters. There¡¯s a rural commercial bank there. Why don¡¯t you get a queue number there?¡± ¡°Our Hongqi Bank is an international bank. We only deal with the upper crust of society, and country bumpkins are not weed.¡± Wang Kai-Wen¡¯s eyes were filled with contempt and she did not even look at Ye Fan. If it were not for her professionalism, she wouldpletely ignore a country bumpkin like him and let the security guards chase him out. Withdraw money? Was he not embarrassed toe here and withdraw a pittance amount of just one or two hundred? Was Hongqi Bank the sort of ce a country bumpkin could patronize? The smile faded away from Ye Fan¡¯s face and was reced with a frown. ¡°Mister, do you have a transaction to handle? Let us go get a queue number?¡± At this moment, Li Xiao- Hong approached Ye Fan genially, with a bright smile on her face. Her high heels cked lightly on the floor as she walked toward him. ¡°Hmph, acting so friendly toward a poor person. Birds of a feather really do flock together.¡± Wang Kai- Wen truly despised poor people like Ye Fan and Li Xiao-Hong. She felt so insulted, having to work with a country bumpkin at the bank. Halfway through her sneer, a couple walked in from the entrance. When Wang Kai-Wen saw them, the look of disdain vanished from her face and she started fawning over the neers. ¡°Manager Wang, you havee?¡± Wang Yu nodded and gave an affirmative grunt. He had a phone in one hand and the other was busy hugging the slim waist of his femalepanion. ¡°I am withdrawing some money. Be quick about it. I am in a hurry. I have to attend a high ss auctionter.¡± ¡°Haha, rx, Manager Wong. You are our VIP customer, so we will prioritize your transactions.¡± Wang Kai-Wen smiled fawningly. The servile demeanor she had on now stood in stark contrast to the look of contempt she had shown Ye Fan earlier. And then, she took Wang Yu¡¯s identification card to the queue number dispenser. Ye Fan was still standing in front of the machine and trying to get his card out, when Wang Kai-Wen pushed him aside without a word. ¡°Kai-Wen, what are you doing? Mr. Ye has not received his queue number yet?¡± Li Xiao-Hong said as she stood up for Ye Fan. Wang Kai-Wen said disdainfully: ¡°He¡¯s just a country bumpkin. Tell him to stand aside and wait. Manager Wang is our VIP customer and the general manager of a listedpany. Can an intern like you afford to offend him?¡± Of course, Wang Kai-Wen ignored theirints. Ye Fan¡¯s frown got deeper and he said unhappily, ¡°I was here first. Why do I have to wait?¡± When Wang Kai-Wen heard this, she burst intoughter. ¡°Heh, for a useless guy, you are pretty cocky?¡± ¡°You are just a poor country bumpkin. Don¡¯t you feel embarrassed when youpare yourself to Manager Wang?¡± ¡°Manager Wang¡¯s transactions at our bank can reach ten million per annum. What about you? I bet you won¡¯t be able to see that much money in your whole life. So how can youpare yourself to Manager Wang?¡± ¡°Just leave obediently and turn left at the entrance. Go to that ruralmercial bank. That¡¯s where peasant-workers like yourself belong.¡± Wang Kai-Wen¡¯s eyes were filled with scorn. And as she snorted inughter, she walked toward Wang Yu. ¡°Wen, what¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t the Hongqi Bank a high ss establishment? Why did you let in the riff- raffs?¡± Wang Yu frowned when he caught sight of Ye Fan. As if he was being insulted just by standing next to someone like Ye Fan. Wang Yu had already gotten used to feeling superior to others. So eventually, he came to believe that he was truly superior to other people. Wang Kai-Wen exined hurriedly, ¡°Manager Wang, don¡¯t worry. I will go get the security guards to chase him out. This sort of thing won¡¯t happen ever again.¡± Wang Yu gave an affirmative grunt and nodded his head. ¡°Okay, help me withdraw my money now. Let¡¯s withdraw half a million. Don¡¯t worry about your performance. I will be getting a million from my project funds in a few days time and I will deposit it all into your bank.¡± The bank employees had to meet monthly deposit targets, and their bonuses were tied to those targets. So when Wang Kai-Wen heard Manager Wang¡¯s promise, she was overjoyed and hurried to process his withdrawal. But she stopped to ridicule Ye Fan once more before departing. ¡°Now, can you see the difference? He can withdraw half a million just like that. What about you? Are you going to withdraw fifty or a hundred?¡± ¡°Haha~¡± More than a few people in the vicinity went along with Wang Kai-Wen andughed at Ye Fan. Wang Yu lifted his chin proudly as he basked in the admiring gazes of the onlookers. And his sense of superiority became even more bloated. ¡°Mr. Ye, pay them no mind. The rich have their own way of living and we poor people have ours. How much do you want to withdraw? I will help you. Don¡¯t worry. Even if it¡¯s just one or two hundred, the bank will still allow that.¡± Li Xiao-Hong did not join in the mocking of Ye Fan, and continued to deal with him patiently. Ye Fan was expressionless as he asked lightly, ¡°How much money do you have in your bank?¡± Li Xiao-Hong spaced out for a while. She could not understand why Ye Fan had asked that question. Out of curiosity, maybe? Li Xiao-Hong chose to be upfront. ¡°Mister, the vault of a small bank would hold hundreds of thousands per day. A bigger bank would have around a million. But Hongqi Bank is a high end establishment so, on a business day, we keep around twenty million in our vault.¡± ¡°Okay, I want to withdraw all of it.¡± ¡°Eh, what?¡± Li Xiao-Hong thought she had misheard, so she repeated her question. ¡°I said. All the cash in your bank. I am withdrawing everything!¡± As he was speaking, Ye Fan mmed a bank card onto the counter. The card was ck and fringed with a golden pattern that reflected a dazzling light. When the card appeared, the onlookers could feel a noble and mysterious aura radiating from it. ¡°This¡­ This is?¡± ¡°ck with a golden fringe?¡± ¡°Could this be Hongqi Bank¡¯s top-level ck card?¡± In the bank, an experienced employee screamed in shock. What? Top-level credit? ck card? All at once, the atmosphere got heavy and everyone in the bank went dead quiet. ¡°This...this...this can¡¯t be true?¡± How can a poor person like him have the ck card? Wang Yu was stunned. He had been associating with Hongqi Bank for many years, so he knew exactly what the card represented. As far as he knew, only two persons in the whole of Great China possessed the ck card. And one of them was the former top tycoon of Hong Kong, Li Jia-Cheng. This card was not just a symbol of wealth, but an acknowledgement of one¡¯s power and status. Even he did not meet the criteria for application. So it was impossible for a poor young man to have one. ¡°A fake. It must be a fake!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Haha~¡± ¡°I think you have been thinking too much about money and gone crazy. How dare you forge our bank¡¯s ck card?¡± ¡°You just wait. I am going to call the police. You are going to prison.¡± Wang Kai-Wen did not believe that a poor person would possess a status symbol like the ck card, so she immediately jumped to the conclusion that Ye Fan had forged the one in his possession. Wang Yu felt relieved when he heard this. He had been thinking along the same lines too. This poverty-striken person had probably been angered by the humiliation, so he took out the fake card to show off. But, I am curious to see how you are going to get away with this? ¡°Wen, let¡¯s not call the police. Maybe this fellow¡¯s secret identity is a super tycoon? Swipe his card for him. Give him a chance to show off.¡± Wang Yu said mockingly. And it was obvious from his tone that he was definitely not on Ye Fan¡¯s side. Wang Kai-Wen was not going to go against Wang Yu¡¯s wishes, so she followed his lead and smiled. ¡°Manager Wang, you are right. Whether this fellow is a fake tycoon or a real idiot, we can find out just by swiping his card.¡± ¡°You poor bastard, how about it? Do you have the guts to try?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare?¡± After enduring several rounds of humiliation, Ye Fan was furious. Without another word, he took his card to the counter. If they wanted to examine his card, he was going to let them do so. Just wait. The truth will hit you hard in the face! Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°Mr. Ye, don¡¯t fall into their trap.¡± ¡°They want to see you embarrass yourself.¡± ¡°You should go. Miss Wang really will call the police.¡± And even if you really want to get back at them, you don¡¯t have to do it now. Wait fifty years. When you have be a sessful person, it¡¯s still not toote to have your revenge, right? I believe when that timees, you will be able to step on these people who are looking down on you now.¡± Just as Ye Fan was about to step forward, Li Xiao-Hong who was standing behind him tried to pull him back. She looked at him and kept shaking her head, as worry filled her eyes. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Obviously, even Li Xiao-Hong thought that Ye Fan¡¯s card was a forgery. Her impression of him was that of an angry and impulsive young man out to right a wrong. In the end, the whole thing was just a farce. After all, it was difficult to believe that a college-age person like Ye Fan would possess the Hongqi Bank¡¯s ck card. As for all that talk about seeding in life fifty yearster, that was just Li Xiao-Hong¡¯s attempt to console him. In this world, it was not easy for someone to reach the top. Especially for the poor people. Ny-nine percent of them would be doomed to a life of servitude. And, in their minds, Ye Fan would be no exception. But Ye Fan smiled lightly and said, ¡°Fifty years?¡± ¡°Do I need fifty years to surpass them?¡± ¡°Right now, they are already beneath me!¡± He smiled derisively and handed over his ck card to a bank employee at the counter. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°The poor bastard has gone and done it!¡± ¡°Wait and see. He¡¯s going to embarrass himself!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see how you are going to get out of this mess?¡± Wang Kai-Wen andpany looked at Ye Fan mockingly, as if he was an idiot. Wang Yu¡¯s expression was full of disdain. ¡°Country bumpkins will be country bumpkins. Just provoke them a little and they start acting stupid.¡± All at once, the onlookers startedughing at Ye Fan¡¯s ignorance. Everyone was waiting for him to make a fool of himself. Finally, a bank employee received the card from Ye Fan and swiped it through the card reader. And a shrill buzz rang out almost immediately, startling everyone in the lobby. At the same time. The fifth floor conference room of Hongqi Bank. The bank manager Xu Lei was dressed in a ck officedy outfit, which helped to outline her attractive figure. Her slim porcin legs were encased in luxurious silk stockings and the pair of silvery high heels on her feet served to emphasize her elegant and mature charms as a woman. Currently, she was conducting a meeting with the bank executives. But the middle-aged men below the podium were probably not paying much attention. The allure of her ¡°uniform¡±bined with her aloof and authoritative aura were proving to be too much to bear for the lustful executives. Who knew which lucky bastard would obtain this sex goddess in the future? What a shame that would be. Just as these middle-aged men were mentally sighing over this imagined tragedy, an rm rang out frantically from Xu Lei¡¯s phone. She frowned. That was a top priority rm. It was supposed to activate only when there was something important for her to know. So she put the meeting on hold and took a look at her phone. And in the next moment, Xu Lei¡¯s pupils contracted in shock and a shiver ran through her body. Ten years. She had been waiting for the past ten years for card number 001 to appear! It could be excitement. Or it could be shock. Whatever the reason was, Xu Lei turned away from the meeting and ran out of the conference room, her exquisite high heels cking against the floor along the way. ¡°Manager, manager. Where are you going?¡± ¡°Are we still having the meeting?¡± But Xu Lei sprinted away in her high heels, while the abandoned bank executives sat around and looked at each other. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Is this for real?¡± After the rm stopped buzzing, Wang Yu and Wang Kai-Wen frantically asked the junior bank employee for answers. The junior employee frowned and said, ¡°Miss Wang, it seems like this card is real.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Wang Kai-Wen was shocked and refused to believe her ears. ¡°Miss Wang , don¡¯t worry. Wait for me to finish speaking. This card really belongs to our bank. But it¡¯s probably not the ck card. Because when I swiped it earlier, the machine issued a warning. There¡¯s insufficient fund in the ount.¡± Pfft~ There was a moment of silence thatst for about a fraction of a second. And then the whole room burst intoughter. ¡°Haha~¡± ¡°I thought he¡¯s somebody awesome?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t show off when you have insufficient fund!¡± ¡°Haha~¡± ¡°Oh, this is killing me.¡± ¡°I think he not only has insufficient fund, but his intelligence is insufficient as well. He wants to withdraw all the money in the bank?¡± ¡°Screw you!¡± In the lobby, many people were bent over withughter. Ye Fan had be aughing stock in their eyes. ¡°Impossible. I have never used this card before. How could there be insufficient fund?¡± Ye Fan had a terrible expression on his face now. He had never doubted the authenticity of the ck card. After all, with the influence of the Chu family, it was easy enough for them to obtain one. This ck card was the bride price his useless father had paid to his mother. Afterward, Ye Fan had withdrawn a sizeable amount and given it to Han for investments. Ten years had passed and, ording to Han, the return rate for those ten-year-old investments was one thousand percent. Each year, a huge amount of money would be deposited into the ck card. So, how could it have insufficient fund? That was a bloody lie! ¡°Swipe it again!¡± Ye Fan repeated his instruction angrily. And, once again, the bank employeeplied. But the result was the same as before. On the screen, the ount bnce was represented by a string of asterisks. The bank employee smiled and said, ¡°I am sorry, but you have insufficient fund.¡± ¡°Haha~¡± There was another round ofughter. ¡°What an idiot. And he wanted to withdraw twenty million?¡± ¡°What a joke.¡± ¡°Wen, you can call the police now.¡± Wang Yu said contemptuously. He had no more desire to watch this farce, and left the bank with his femalepanion. After Wang Kai-Wen had seen Wang Yu off, she instructed the security guards to chase Ye Fan out of the bank. ¡°Get this idiot out of here!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to leave?¡± Wang Kai-Wen screamed, her voice dripping with disgust. ¡°Stop!¡± Suddenly, a woman¡¯s aloof and authoritative voice rang out from the back. Xu Lei had already arrived at the lobby. And almost immediately, she spotted the ck card Ye Fan was holding. The ck card was just so eye-catching that she couldn¡¯t help but notice it. ¡°Manager!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the manager. The manager is here. That poor bastard is going to get it.¡± A number of onlookersughed quietly. While Li Xiao-Hong and Wang Kai-Wen, who were bank employees, hurried forward to greet their superior. ¡°Just now, was it this gentleman who took out the ck card?¡± Xu Lei asked immediately. ¡°Miss Xu, I was about to report to you?¡± Wang Kai-Wen replied quickly. ¡°Just now, an idiot came into our bank and not only did he disrupt our business operations, but he also tried to use a forgery of our bank¡¯s ck card. And even said he wanted to withdraw all our money.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am. I have taken care of the troublemaker. I have already instructed the security guards to restrain him.¡± What? When Xu Lei heard this, her heart almost popped out of her chest. ¡°You told the security guards to restrain him?¡± Xu Lei almost went out of her mind. Suddenly, she felt ill. Ten years. She had been waiting for this person for ten years. During the past ten years, she had always wanted to meet the card holder. Outsiders had no idea but, as the person-in-charge of the Yunzhou branch of Hongqi Bank, Xu Lei knew the true purpose of this particr branch. It existed for the sake of one person. In other words, the Hongqi Bank set up a branch in Yunzhou city just so they could service this one person. So one could imagine, this ck card with the code number 001... Chapter 21 Chapter 21 One could only imagine just how wealthy and powerful the holder of card number 001 was. Even in her dreams, Xu Lei had always wanted to get to know a person like the card holder. But now, her own subordinate had treated the VIP like an idiot and restrained him, during his very first visit. ¡°Ma¡¯am, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have already taken care of everything. I have dialed 110 as well. We just have to wait for the police to arrive and send him to prison.¡± Wang Kai-Wen saw Xu Lei¡¯s terrible expression and assumed that the manager was worried about the bank¡¯s reputation. She smiled again and waited expectantly for Xu Lei tovish praise on her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You freaking called the cops too?¡± Screw you! Xu Lei was immediately staggered and scared witless by the impact of this news. And while in the throes of rage, she pped Wang Kai-Wen right in the face. ¡°You bitch, don¡¯t you know there are people you are not supposed to offend?¡± ¡°If you want to die, go die by yourself! Don¡¯t drag us down with you!¡± Xu Lei was frightened out of her mind. The person in front of her was the holder of the ck card! During its three-hundred-year-old history, Hongqi Bank had issued less than a thousand ck cards. Currently, in Great China, there were only three ck card holders. All three of them held unimaginable power and wealth. Of course, that was not the issue here. The important thing to note was that this ck card in front of her had the code number 001. What did this number represent? Did it mean that this card was the first card issued by the bank? Of course not! What the code number represented was status. In other words, this ck card had the highest level of authority among all the ck cards in cirction. The 001 ck card had no equal, only subordinates! Otherwise, why would the Hongqi Bank set up a branch in Yunzhou, just to service this single customer? But now, her subordinate had offended and even reported him to the police. How could Xu Lei remain calm in this situation? She was truly frightened. If the big shot decided to punish her alongside her subordinate, then Xu Lei¡¯s future would be ruined. Prompted by her fear, Xu Lei hurried forward and, in a very respectful manner, apologized to Ye Fan. ¡°Most honored ck card holder, what happened earlier was a result of my failure to discipline my subordinates. Please ept my most sincere apologies on behalf of Hongqi Bank.¡± ¡°Please let us know if you have any requests. I will do my best to fulfill them.¡± Xu Lei¡¯s respectful voice resounded through the lobby. Everyone was taken aback by this turn of events, and the mockings against Ye Fan were stifled immediately. As for Wang Kai-Wen, she was lying limply on the floor, her mind a total nk. She could only stare foolishly at Xu Lei, who was so frightened that she could hardly speak in front of Ye Fan. Only then, did Wang Kai-Wen understand. This seemingly poor person she had looked down on was actually a big shot, powerful beyond her imagination. Her gaze followed Ye Fan and Xu Lei as they entered the bank¡¯s VIP reception room. The derision and disdain she had felt for him had disappeared and, in her heart, those feelings were reced by lamentation for her own folly. Good heavens! Who had she offended? ¡°Mr. Ye, I really must apologize for what happened today. To express my regret, henceforth, all your loans will be interest-free for a period of up to three years. As long as the loan amount is below a hundred million.¡± Ye Fan had alreadypleted his transaction and was just walking out of the VIP reception room. Although he had not expressed outward signs of anger, Xu Lei was still panicking and kept on apologizing. Suddenly, Ye Fan stopped to look at the mature and elegant woman by his side. And then he said lightly, ¡°Miss Xu, do you think I am so poor that I need to take out loans from the bank?¡± ¡°Erm~Erm~¡± The corner of Xu Lei¡¯s mouth twitched a little. She did not know how to respond to Ye Fan. Perhaps, all big shots talked like that regrly. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s all for today. Miss Xu, thank you for your hospitality. As for my money, please make sure I receive it on time.¡± ¡°And, I do not wish to reveal my identity at this time.¡± ¡°Mr. Ye, please do not worry. The Hongqi Bank will serve you wholeheartedly!¡± Xu Lei replied quickly. Ye Fan grunted affirmatively and left the bank satisfied. But before his departure, Ye Fan turned around and looked at the crowd who had mocked him earlier. Finally, his gaze rested on a demure girl and he smiled lightly. ¡°You are Li Xiao-Hong, right? Come over and walk me to my car.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Me¡­ Me?¡± When Ye Fan singled her out, Li Xiao-Hong was surprised. Her face blushed with nervouseness even as she smiled. ¡°What? Are you not willing?¡± Ye Fan smiled kindly. Li Xiao-Hong was too nervous to speak so she just nodded her head frantically. She was a young girl who had just started working so, naturally, she panicked when a big shot like Ye Fan started acting friendly toward her. Afterward, under the envious gazes of the other bank employees, Li Xiao-Hong escorted Ye Fan to his car. ¡°You are Li Xiao-Hong, a newly hired intern?¡± After returning to the bank, Xu Lei found Li Xiao-Hong immediately. As a veteran of the business world, Xu Lei understood that Ye Fan had favored Li Xiao- Hong over the other bank employees. Since she believed that the customer is god, Xu Lei decided to cater to Ye Fan¡¯s fancy. ¡°Mm,¡± Li Xiao-Hong said cautiously and nodded her head. She had already worked at the bank for a month and this was the first time she received a summon from the manager. ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡± Xu Lei asked again. Li Xiao-Hong did not understand why Xu Lei would ask her this question, but she shook her head honestly. ¡°Mm, good. Xiao-Hong, from now on, you are my personal assistant. Your primary duty is liaising with Mr. Ye. I will double your pay.¡± ¡°Also, you are pretty. So learn to put on makeup. Maybe Mr. Ye wille to like you?¡± Xu Lei left behind this ambiguous statement before departing with a smile on her face. ¡°Waa~¡± ¡°Xiao-Hong, you have hit the jackpot!¡± ¡°You are climbing up the socialdder~¡± ¡°I am super envious!¡± ¡°When you be rich, don¡¯t forget us, your very best friends.¡± Once Xu Lei had left, the bank employees swarmed around Li Xiao-Hong to offer their congrattions. But Wang Kai-Wen felt unpleasant as she looked at Li Xiao-Hong, who was being surrounded by her well-wishers. This opportunity to suck up to someone rich and powerful should have gone to her. Afterall, Ye Fan had asked Wang Kai-Wen for help first, before turning to Li Xiao-Hong. But regretfully, she had failed to recognize Ye Fan¡¯s true identity. And therefore, she had missed the opportunity to befriend a tycoon and marry into wealth. Wang Kai-Wen¡¯s heart filled with regret when she thought about this. After Ye Fan had left the bank, he received a phone call. ¡°Mr. Chu, since we have an appointment tonight, how about you tell me your whereabouts now and I will send a driver to pick you up?¡± The call was from Li Er. Since a few days ago, he had been asking Ye Fan for a meeting. After getting turned down several times, Li Er had finally managed to persuade Ye Fan with his sincerity. And so they were going to meet tonight. ¡°Mm. There¡¯s no need to trouble you. Just send me the address and I will make my way there.¡± ¡°Alright, we will do it your way, Mr. Chu. The address is Shanshui Club. They will be holding an auction there tonight. I can apany Mr. Chu if you wish to attend.¡± Ye Fan nodded and after replying with a brief ¡°Yes¡±, he hung up. But at that exact moment, another call came in. This time, the caller was Qiu Mu-Cheng. ¡°What time are you getting home tonight?¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s frosty voice came from the other end of the line. This woman was always so cold, even toward her own husband. ¡°I have something on tonight, so I will be backter than usual.¡± Ye Fan replied resentfully. But no reply came from the other end. He smiled bitterly. ¡°Damn it, this bitch. Couldn¡¯t she have said something when she hung up?¡± ¡°Hmph, this bastard. Something on? Well, he can go attend to his business. I didn¡¯t want him toe in the first ce. I will go by myself.¡± In her office, Qiu Mu-Cheng had just hung up her phone, and she was still miffed at her husband¡¯s response. At this moment, two invitation cards were lying on her desk. The address printed on them was: Shanshui Club! Chapter 22 Chapter 22 ¡°Ye Fan, you bastard. How dare you turn down my invitation. I am never asking you out again.¡± At that time, the employees of Qiushui Logistics had already punched out. Qiu Mu-Cheng was left alone in the office. And she was seething with anger. Earlier today, a business associate had given her two tickets to an auction, and she wanted to invite Ye Fan to the event but, to her surprise, the bastard had turned her down using a prior engagement as an excuse. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hmph, you have too many engagements!¡± ¡°I will never ever go out with you again.¡± Qiu Mu-Cheng was really mad. Although she had not asked him explicitly to apany her to the auction, the bastard should have guessed her intention. Why else would she have called him and asked about his ns for the evening? If he had just a little bit of emotional intelligence, he would have guessed the reason for her call. ¡°Hmph, this blockhead. No wonder he¡¯s still a virgin.¡± When Qiu Mu-Cheng stomped away on her high heels, she was still fuming. Before going to the auction, she went home first and had a change of clothes. Members of upper-crust society were going to attend the auction and, as the third daughter of the Qiu family, she had to pay attention to her appearance if she didn¡¯t want to bring shame to her family. Meanwhile, Ye Fan had his own problem to think about as he made his way to Shanshui Memorial Garden. ¡°Is that Xu Lei trustworthy or not? If she reveals my identity, the n that I have been working on for the past ten years could be exposed.¡± Ye Fan was well aware of the might of the Chu family. If anyone in that family found out about the enormous wealth in his possession, they would want to investigate and find the source of his funds. And if they traced the trail back to Han, his identity as a spy would be exposed. ¡°I have to get in touch with Han. I can¡¯t afford to be too careful.¡± Halfway through his thoughts, Ye Fan arrived at Shanshui Memorial Garden. ¡°Mr. Chu, you have arrived?¡± Li Er had been waiting at the entrance since half an hour ago. When he saw Ye Fan, he skipped forward to wee him. And the servile look on Li Er¡¯s face caused his underlings to gape in shock. Was this the unofficial king of Yunzhou, Li Er? Was this the same Li Er who ruled over the police and the underworld? Under the astonished gazes of his underlings, Li Er escorted Ye Fan into Shanshui Memorial Garden. ¡°Mr. Chu, what happened with the Shen family was due to my negligence. I promise, such a thing will never ever happen again.¡± Li Er tapped his chest confidently. Ye Fan smile and said, ¡°Remember what you said today.¡± Midway through their talk, Li Er and Ye Fan arrived at the hall. Shanshui Memorial Garden was renowned as a high-end entertainment club in Yunzhou. Normally, only members or VIPs were allowed to set foot on its premises. ¡°Mr. Chu, in a while, they will hold an auction here. If you see anything you like, just tell me and I will get it for you.¡± A crowd had already filled the hall. Everyone was dressed beautifully and their manners were elegant. One could see at a nce that they were the elites of society and from the very best families. As they held wine sses filled with red wine, the attendees chatted among themselves. ¡°Wah~¡± ¡°So beautiful!¡± ¡°As pretty as a fairy?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that beauty!¡± But, the hubbub in the hall suddenly ceased and was reced by silence. Many in the crowd turned their gazes toward the door, to look at thedy in the purple dress. Ye Fan, too, turned to look. And then he stared with his eyes wide open. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Why is this woman here?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that man?¡± ¡°Shit, she had better not be fooling around outside!¡± When he saw the well-dressed but uncouth man standing next to her, Ye Fan¡¯s expression turned ugly. Just then, the lights suddenly dimmed. The auction was about to start, so the attendees looked away and returned to their seats. ¡°Mr. Chu, the auction is about to begin. Let us move to the Crystal Room and wait?¡± Li Er asked fawningly. But Ye Fan was not paying attention to him. He was staring at his wife, his eyes aze with emotion. Li Er sensed that there was something odd about Ye Fan¡¯s expression, so he asked in confusion. ¡°Mr. Chu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. I am not going to the private room. You get me that seat over there. That¡¯s right, the one behind thedy in the purple dress. Yes, the prettiest one. And get me a mask.¡± For safety reasons, lottery winners would hid their faces with masks. Auction attendees would adopt the same measure to protect their identities, so masks were provided at auctions. A few minutester, Ye Fan put on a mask and mixed into the crowd. ¡°Mu-Cheng, the auction is about to start. Let us take our seats?¡± Lin Qian smiled and asked her companion. The uncouth man Ye Fan had spotted earlier was standing beside Lin Qian. He was actually Lin Qian¡¯s husband, but that fact was unknown to Ye Fan at that moment. Qiu Mu-Cheng nodded and thepany of three took their seats. But right after they had taken their seats, someone slipped in unnoticed and took a seat directly behind them. ¡°Mu-Cheng, I haven¡¯t seen you much since our college graduation. I remember, thest time we met was three years ago. Just after you got married.¡± ¡°It was raining then and you were waiting for a taxi on the roadside. You were in a pathetic state then. Wang Yu and I were the ones who sent you home. And then we didn¡¯t see each other for a few years. Now, look at you. It¡¯s unbelievable. You are attending a high-ss auction. It looks like you have done well for yourself. You are now one of the rich people.¡± Lin Qian smiled lightly. Her tone carried an inexplicable sharpness, as if Qiu Mu-Cheng¡¯s good fortune was making her feel bad. But Qiu Mu-Cheng shook her head and smiled: ¡°I am not rich at all. This invitation was given to me by a friend. I am just here to have a look.¡± Lin Qian smiled and replied, ¡°That¡¯s right. You married a useless husband after all. Considering your status, it¡¯s impossible to get invited to such an auction. You are just basking in your friend¡¯s glory.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, where¡¯s your husband? Is he too ashamed to show his face? Is he afraid of getting humiliated?¡± Lin Qian smiled lightly as she questioned Qiu Mu-Cheng. As she touched on the topic of husbands, Li Qian¡¯s eyes filled with pride and a sense of superiority. While she chatted away, Lin Qian rested her head on her husband¡¯s shoulder, presenting a picture of spousal love. It looked as if she was putting on a performance for Qiu Mu-Cheng. And in the next moment, Lin Qian let out a scream. ¡°Ah, darling! I dirtied the half-million diamond ring you just bought me~¡± As she was talking, Lin Qian deliberately stretched out her hand. And a diamond weighing several dozen carats sparkled dazzlingly under the lights in the hall. Wang Yu kissed Lin Qian¡¯s hand lightly and said, ¡°Darling, don¡¯t worry. If it¡¯s dirty, I will just buy you a bigger one.¡± ¡°Wah, darling, you are so nice to me. Kiss kiss~¡± As the husband-and-wife pair indulged in their public disy of affection, they ignored Qiu Mu-Cheng, whose face was turning pale. At that moment, Qiu Mu-Cheng was hugging herself and keeping her ring finger out of view. The ring she had on was only worth two thousand and looked dull,pared to Lin Qian¡¯s diamond ring. ¡°Mm? Mu-Cheng, you haven¡¯t answered me yet. Where¡¯s your husband. He didn¡¯te with you?¡± After showing off her diamond ring, Lin Qian deliberately returned the topic to Mu-Cheng¡¯s husband. Qiu Mu-Cheng replied embarrassedly, and her voicecked confidence. ¡°Mm, he didn¡¯te. He had something on at home.¡± ¡°Mu-Cheng, this is uneptable. If a man wants to seed, he has to go out and see the world. Broaden his knowledge.¡± ¡°In our elite circle, there¡¯s a saying. The more knowledgeable you are, the more capable you will be.¡± ¡°Look at me. Last year, I took Qian-Qian to fifteen countries and spent close to a million. But that¡¯s just petty cash. If it¡¯s gone, then it¡¯s gone. The important thing is this. We broadened our experiences.¡± ¡°A person like your husband who spends all his time at home, like a frog in a well, is just useless. What can he do in the future?¡± Wang Yu said lightly, with the showy air of a maestro of sess. Chapter 23 ? Chapter 23 The Jubnt Lin Qian "But well, he''s from the countryside. And now, he''s a live-in son-inw. No wonder he has an inferiorityplex and is afraid to show his face in public." Wang Yu had already heard about Ye Fan from his wife. That fellow came from the countryside and his family consisted of just his mother and himelf. Both of them lived in poverty. "But that can''t go on for long. When you get back home, go ask him if he''s interested in a security guard position at mypany. If he''s wants, I can pay him three thousand per month. The jobes with board and lodging." Wang Yu said lightly. Lin Qian joined in the conversation and tried to persuade Qiu Mu-Cheng as well. "That''s right, Mu-Cheng. If you want the job, then don''t miss this opportunity. Many old folks are queuing up for this position, you know?" Both husband and wife tag-teamed Qiu Mu-Cheng with their talk that oozed with charitable concern, as if the job offer was an unimaginably great gift they were bestowing on Ye Fan. Qiu Mu-Cheng''splexion took a turn for the worse. Still, she maintained decorum and promised to talk to her husband about the job offer. But who knew just how much her heart was aching, even as she kept a smile on her face? No one could haveprehended Qiu Mu-Cheng''s state of mind at that moment. During her college years, she had been dazzling and without equal. During her reign as the beauty queen of Jiangdong University, her academic results had also been excellent. Back then, Lin Qian had been nothing but a foil for Qiu Mu-Cheng''s brilliance. But who could have known, with the passing of time, Qiu Mu-Cheng would be a target of charity? To a proud and aloof person like Qiu Mu-Cheng, such a thing was difficult to stomach. All of a sudden, her nose felt sore and tears started to swim around in her eyes. Qiu Mu-Cheng suddenly regretteding to the auction. Perhaps, she did not belong in upper-crust society. She was just an ordinary girl now, not the school beauty who had held everyone''s attention. Suddenly, the prouddy surreptitiously bowed her head. When the dim lights rained upon her, they cast a huge shadow on the floor. Ye Fan, who had been sitting behind the party of three, was finding it difficult to watch the humiliation of his wife.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. "So when Mu-Cheng called me earlier, she was nning to invite me to this auction. This woman. She''s usually indifferent toward me but, when it matters, she remembers me." Ye Fan was a little touched when he thought about the call he had received earlier. "But this is difficult for her. She''s suffering again because of me." Ye Fan sighed and clenched his hands tightly. "Mu-Cheng, don''t worry. Tonight, I will make you the brightest star at Shanshui Memorial Garden." Ye Fan stared silently at the captivatingdy illuminated by the dim lights, and his eyes flickered with an inexplicable determination. "Mu-Cheng, don''t you think that''s funny?" "That idiot was dressed like a country bumpkin, and then he tried to withdraw all the money in the bank with a card that had insufficient bnce. What a moron." "That was so funny." "Nowadays, some poor people are like that. They think about money all the time and then they get obsessed with it. So even when they have no money, they go around pretending to be rich. In the end, they are only making fools of themselves. I think that guy should be in police custody right now?" The party of three in front of Ye Fan tried to make conversation as time continued to pass by. But, Lin Qian was the one doing most of the talking. For example, she talked about her recent trip to Australia, the cruise holiday she had taken in the Maldivesst month and thetest Apple iPhone she had just bought. She alsoplimented Qiu Mu-Cheng''s dress. It was a luxury brand, so she wanted to know how many months'' worth of sry did Qiu Mu-Cheng spend on the dress? And finally, the conversation returned to the topic of the "poor man" at the bank. Behind them, Ye Fan''s eyes twitched furiously as he listened in on their talk. "Damn. No wonder I find them so familiar. So they were the couple I met at Hongqi Bank earlier?" "Well, they do say enemies often cross each other''s path-" Ye Fan still remembered what had happened at the bank during the day. It was this Wang Yu who had mocked him. After the turn of events, he had wanted to settle score with them. But they had already left the bank by then. So this was where they were. "Great. We will settle both old and new grievances slowly." Ye Fan smiled coldly. Wah- Suddenly, a dazzling beam from a spotlight lit up the stage at the front. Immediately after, a sexydy in a business dress appeared under the light. It looked like the auction was about to start, and the noise in the hall settled down. "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I am very honored to be the MC for tonight''s auction. This event is organized by Yunhai Auction House. All proceeds from this auction will go to children living in the moutainous areas. At that time, the amounts of your ''donations'' will be made public and open for your scrutiny!" The auctioneer''s clear voice resounded through the hall and, after a few simple opening lines, the first auction item was brought in front of the attendees. It was a custom-made hydrofoil. The starting bid was ten thousand. "Fifteen thousand!" "Twenty thousand-" Soon, the hall was filled with the voices of the wealthy elites as they bidded against each other. "The fifth auction item is a white jade hairpin that was once owned by European royalty. The starting bid is thirty thousand-" And then a piece of wless jade hairpin was brought up to the stage. All at once, the excited shrieks of numerous female attendees rang out within the hall. As Lin Qian stared at the piece of jewellery with wide-open eyes, she tugged at Wang Yu''s arm and tried to wheedle him into buying her the hairpin. "Darling, this white jade hairpin is so pretty-" "Alright, I will get it for you!" Wang Yu dered imperiously and raised his auction card. "Forty thousand!" "Forty-five thousand!" But very soon, another wealthy bidder with a femalepanion offered a higher bid. Jewellery pieces like the jade hairpin were popr with thedies after all. "Fifty thousand!" Wang Yu did not shy away from his mission and, soon, he raised his bid to sixty thousand. Thepeting voices of the bidders faded away abruptly. "Qian-Qian, see? If it''s me, then no one canpete against me. Don''t worry. Anything you like, I will get it for you." Wang Yu smiled smugly and deliberately looked sideways at Qiu Mu-Cheng. As if he was hoping to see her envious and worshipful gaze. After all, the third daughter of the Qiu family was a great beauty. Even though she had a husband, that man was just a useless piece of trash. If his generosity today could persuade Qiu Mu-Cheng to throw herself at him, then he would not mind supporting her as his mistress. He was even wiling to divorce Lin Qian, if that meant that he could have Qiu Mu-Cheng. But in the end, he was left disappointed. Qiu Mu-Cheng''s eyes remained unclouded, and she continued to watch the auction quietly. "Wah, darling, you are the best!" "I love you so much-" On the other hand, Lin Qian looked at him in adoration and happily kissed Wang Yu on the forehead. Then she turned to look at Qiu Mu-Cheng and said mockingly, "Mu-Cheng, why are you just looking? Aren''t you going to bid on anything? This is a charity auction. You are not just buying something. You are also doing a good deed. That''s way more meaningful than spending a few months'' ie on some stupid dress." As she ridiculed Qiu Mu-Cheng, Lin Qian stared jealously at the refined beauty in front of her. Admittedly, Qiu Mu-Cheng''s title as the beauty queen of Jiangdong University had been well-deserved. Many years had passed since their graduation and she still looked as beautiful as ever. The passage of time had been kind to her and, under its settling influence, she had gained a certain mature charm. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Bailey was in a dangerous position. ¡°Answer me. Are you the designer that Luther Group invited over?¡± Bailey coughed lightly and replied, ¡°I am. You made an appointment with me before, but you were busy with your schedule. I was afraid of disturbing you, so I declined your invitation. I''m sorry.¡± Artemis lifted the corners of his thin lips to form a wry smile as a bitter sensation surfaced in his heart. He remembered howpliant she was when Edmund was holding her hand. However, when it was Artemis'' turn to invite her, she rejected him immediately and ended the call soon after. Why can she ept Edmund but not me? Her cold and indifferent attitude when she''s around me is hard to watch. Does being with me make her feel that ufortable? ¡°Do you like Edmund?¡± Bailey frowned when she heard that weird question. After remaining silent for a few seconds, she gave him an ambiguous answer by saying, ¡°My son calls him ''Daddy.¡®¡± So... whether she likes Edmund or not depends on her son? Artemis seemed to have discerned an underlying meaning from her words. Does that mean the boy doesn''t share Edmund''s blood? Bailey tried pushing the man''s shoulder, but as soon as her palm felt the scorching warmth of his skin, she reflexively pulled her hand back. It''s so hot! Is this man on fire? Her touch which didn''t evenst for a second immediately evoked the strong desire within Artemis that he had been struggling to contain. He sped her wrist and pressed her palm against his chest. Upon a few moments of silent tug-of-war, Bailey failed to break free from his grasp. Thus, she gave up and looked coldly at the man. ¡°Mr. Luther, don''t you think our posture is too suggestive? Although we''re adults who can be responsible for our actions, you shouldn''t forget about your identity. As long as Rhonda still lives in the Luther residence, I am your sister-inw, and you are nothing more than my brother-inw. Your rude and unruly behavior is uneptable. Are you seriously trampling on morality to challenge what is legally forbidden?¡± The words ¡°sister-inw¡± and ¡°brother-inw¡± made Artemis'' face darken and he red at her fiercely. He then gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Your sister drugged me just now and ran away. It seems normal for you, the elder sister, to clean up after her.¡± Bailey was left speechless. Does he mean that he''s going to... have sex with me? How shameless! ¡°Let me go. Otherwise, don''t me me for being rude.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Artemis arched an eyebrow and lifted her chin. Her fair skin was smooth to the touch as his fingertips caressed it. The wonderful and refreshing sensation flowed deep down into his heart, tugging at his heart strings, initiating a melodious hum. It felt so good that he was almost losing control over himself. The woman had the capability of triggering Artemis to the point of utter restlessness. ¡°What do you mean by ''rude?'' Could you please demonstrate?¡± he asked. ¡°You pervert.¡± Bailey was seething with anger as she bent her knee, attempting to hit his groin mercilessly. Men were the most vulnerable under such circumstances. He would surely be taught an unforgettable lesson if he suffered a fatal blow. She might be fast, but s, she wasn''t fast enough. The man seemed to have predicted her intention as he grabbed her knee and tugged on it as soon as she lifted her leg. ¡°Ah!¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. As she was unable to stand on one leg, she lost bnce and fell backward. The next second, the room seemed to be spinning, and as she anticipated the imminent pain, her back touched something soft instead. She copsed onto the couch that was made of stic materials and bounced slightly when her body came into contact with it. That tiny movement seemed to serve as a silent invitation, inadvertently seducing the man. When she realized the situation she was in, she tried using her arms to prop herself up and roll off the couch, but the man was always one step ahead of her. As a result, her arms were restrained by him and ced over the top of her head. He was strong. Though she tried her very best to struggle, she still couldn''t move even a muscle. ¡°Since you took the initiative, don''t mind if I help myself.¡± Bailey was fuming. Since when did I take the initiative? You were the one that pinned me down! Bailey chuckled out of rage and scolded, ¡°You shameless jerk! You''ve always acted aloof and indifferent, right? Why aren''t you putting up that front now? Uninterested in woman, my foot! You f*cking showed your true nature when you see a woman. You''re such an animal!¡± Artemis remained silent. Surprisingly, he didn''t get mad when she rebuked him. Instead, he began chuckling. His low and pleasantughter echoed in the room, bringing with it an enticing charm as if it were the sweetest melody in the whole world. So this is her true temperament, huh? She''s like a wild rose with thorns or a cat with sharp ws. She''s so rebellious, unruly, and wild. Countless women in this world want to get their hands on me, but not her. She is already lying beneath me, and yet she seems disgusted. It''s as if I''m a loathsome person, and she can''t wait to escape from me. Edmund sure has good taste. He fell in love with such a candid and untamed woman. But I''m interested in her, too. What should I do? I can''t do anything to my cousin''s woman, but I''m not the kind to give up on what I want. There''s no way I''m handing over the prey that I have my eyes on. ¡°You''re precisely right, Ms. Jefferson. If I don''t live up to your expectations of me by behaving like an animal, I''d disappoint you, right?¡± Bailey was so furious that she was tongue-tied and her chest heaved violently. Oh my god. How shameless can this man be? Both Artemis and Edmund are grandsons of the Chivers family, so why is thetter so gentle and polite when the former is a despicable b*stard? ¡°You''re seducing me.¡± Artemis looked down at her rapidly heaving chest. His gaze turned gloomy as if brewing an intense storm. Bailey followed his line of sight, looked down, and almost choked on her own saliva. She was wearing a low-neck top, and after what had happened, her breasts were almost exposed. ¡°Are you really that eager to sleep with me?¡± Artemis raised his eyebrows and caressed her rosy lips. The meaning behind his question was self- evident. Bailey snorted and said one word at a time, ¡°I don''t wish to be tainted by a swine.¡± Artemis was at a loss for words upon hearing her harsh remark. Suddenly, there was amotion outside. Someone seemed to be calling Artemis'' name. Bailey felt as though a bomb was set off in her mind when she heard the person''s voice. rmed, she quickly said, ¡°Get up. Don''t turn this into a big deal, or it will be embarrassing for both of us. Mr. Luther, the mere fact that you had sex with Rhonda is enough to cause me revulsion.¡± Artemis'' face fell. The thought of Rhonda and Maxton caused a tinge of resignation in his heart. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Artemis finally let Bailey go after a few seconds of stalemate. The woman jumped up from the couch almost as soon as she was released. His face darkened further when he saw how she was avoiding him like he was the gue. She wasn''t ying hard to get. Instead, she genuinely hated him and wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. Knock! Knock! Knock! There were knocks on the lounge''s door, and Artemis asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you want to hide in the restroom, or are you just going to stand here and let them see you?¡± Do I even have an option? Bailey turned around and walked toward the restroom. Artemis watched her leaving figure while wearing a grim expression. This d*mned woman didn''t even hesitate to escape from me. Would she act this way in front of Edmund? Dwayne''s charming face came into view when the door was opened. Artemis asked in an icy cold tone, ¡°What is it?¡± Dwayne grinned before standing on tiptoe and peeking into the room. ¡°I heard that Ms. Rhonda brought you some soup. Where is she? Don''t tell me you got excited and devoured her on a whim...¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Artemis growled. Dwayne''s gaze slowly moved down andnded on the ce between Artemis'' legs. He arched a brow and smiled. What a boring man. He was enjoying himself alone. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you done? If you''re done, get lost.¡± Dwayne rubbed his nose and smiled sheepishly. ¡°Do you need me to go to the entertainmentpany under Luther Group to find you a popr actress? Those women are all young and pretty, and they¡ª¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Artemis mmed the door shut. Dwayne was dumbfounded by his reaction. After getting snubbed, he couldn''t help muttering, ¡°I thought you rendered yourself impotent seven years ago since you were never interested in women. Turns out you''ve been doing it privately. If the others know about this, they''ll be so shocked that their jaws will drop.¡± ¡°He''s gone. Come out.¡± Sounds of gushing water came from the restroom. After a while, Bailey stepped out of the restroom with her pretty face covered in water droplets. She stood cautiously in the corner and said in a trembling voice, ¡°Just stay there. We''ll talk like this.¡± Artemis frowned as he locked his dark gaze on her. ¡°Do you think I''m in the right state to talk to you about work right now?¡± Um... He has a point. ¡°Why don''t I go out and wait? We''ll talk after you''re done.¡± ¡°Let''s meet on the second floor of Pocket Guest Restaurant at seven in the evening.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We''ll talk during dinner.¡± Artemis squeezed the sentence through gritted teeth. Can''t this woman see that I''m about to lose control? Bailey fled in a hurry. Meanwhile, Rhonda cried throughout her journey back to the Jefferson residence. After venting her emotions to Beatrice, she finally calmed down. ¡°Mom, he still refuses to touch me when he''s already in that state! What am I going to do?¡± Beatrice''s brows knitted into a tight knot. After moments of silence, she questioned, ¡°Is he impotent? Was Bailey the one who destroyed his functionality seven years ago?¡± Rhonda''s face turned pale as her voice quivered. ¡°T-That''s not possible, right? I mean, it was a pretty long night... But, he can''t be impotent, right?¡± Beatrice sighed. ¡°You should think about how to clear up the misunderstanding right now instead of thinking about these useless things. Are you really giving up on him if there''s something wrong with him? Don''t be silly. You''re basically kissing wealth and glory goodbye if you do that. Just think about how glorious your life will be when you''ve be the matriarch of the Luther family!¡± Rhonda took a deep breath and suppressed the uneasiness in her heart. She said coldly, ¡°That little brat must''ve drugged the soup because he wanted to frame me. I hate myself for being too kind a few years ago. I should''ve strangled him to death, then none of this would happen.¡± When Beatrice was about to speak, the phone in Rhonda''s handbag suddenly rang. ¡°I have to take a call.¡± Rhonda took it out and saw that it was her best friend, Quinny, who was calling. ¡°Hey, Quin. What''s up?¡± ¡°Something bad has happened, Ronni. Half an hour ago, a woman entered Mr. Luther''s office, and she didn''te out until just now. Her clothes were all messy when she stumbled out. Judging by her appearance, it seemed like she did something with Mr. Luther.¡± Rhonda jumped up from the couch in shock. ¡°What did you say? Please repeat.¡± Quinny then reiterated what she had just said. After getting a definite answer, Rhonda slumped back onto the couch. Half an hour ago happened to be the time when Artemis was drugged and Rhonda left the CEO''s office. That would mean right after she left, a woman entered the CEO''s office and stayed in there for half an hour before finally leaving in a disheveled manner. Any adult in their right mind could''ve guessed what had happened during that half-an-hour period. Boiling wrath almost engulfed Rhonda''s sanity as she seethed, ¡°Retrieve the surveince footage and find out who that b*tch is. Send it to my phone afterward.¡± I''ll make her life a living hell once I found out who she is. I''m going to tear her into pieces! ¡°Okay. I''m in the surveince room right now. While my colleagues are taking a break, I''ll retrieve the footage. Give me two minutes,¡± said Quinny. ¡°Ronni, what happened?¡± Beatrice was frightened by her daughter''s frosty and vicious demeanor. Rhonda clenched her phone tightly and said through gritted teeth, ¡°A woman went to the CEO''s office after I left and stayed there for half an hour. Artemis must have had sex with her. What a b*tch! If I find out who she is, I will tear her into pieces!¡± A notification popped up on her phone, and she subconsciously looked down at the screen. She began trembling all over when she saw the picture clearly. Her eyes glistened with intense murderous intent. If her phone was made of ss, she would''ve crushed it with the strength she was currently exerting. ¡°I''m not going to stop until I kill you, Bailey.¡± Bailey took a taxi and returned to her condominium after stepping out of Luther Group. While she was in the elevator, she received a call from Edmund. ¡°Are you free tonight, Bay? I would like to have dinner with you and Zayron.¡± The doors of the elevator opened, and as Bailey stepped out, she spoke. ¡°Yeah, I''m free. Just let me know the time and venue.¡± ¡°Seven o''clock, at Pocket Guest Restaurant.¡± Let''s meet on the second floor of Pocket Guest Restaurant at seven in the evening. Artemis'' words echoed in her mind. Their times had shed, and she couldn''t possibly be in two ces at the same time. ¡°I have something to deal with at seven o''clock. How about half past seven or eight o''clock?¡± Edmund chuckled and said warmly, ¡°Anytime you say. Eight o''clock it is.¡± A surge of warmth enveloped the woman''s heart when she heard what he said. That''s Edmund for you. He''s always so thoughtful and kind. ¡°Okay, then it''s settled. I''ll see you at eight o''clock in the evening at Pocket Guest Restaurant.¡± ¡°I want to go too.¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 The sweet voice of a young boy abruptly sounded, startling her. Bailey almost had a headache when she saw Maxton, who was squatting at her door. D*mn it. Why is the father and son duo everywhere? They keep taking turns to appear before me! ¡°Mommy...¡± Bailey held her forehead and heaved a sigh. ¡°Maxton, can you please leave me alone on ount of me saving your life once? I kindly took you in for a few days and was almost sent to jail by your parents, which,e to think of it, is quite frustrating. Just look around you. My ce is too small for you.¡± The young boy stood up and looked at her piteously. He said in a meek voice, ¡°It was my fault that the woman managed to take advantage of the situation. But don''t worry. I''ve already taught her a lesson.¡± The woman? Bailey narrowed her eyes and frowned. ¡°Do you know who poisoned you guys?¡± Maxton bobbed his head fervently and replied in a serious manner, ¡°Yes. That woman is cruel. She has been looking for an opportunity to murder me. The method she used this time enabled her to get rid of me and frame you at the same time, which is killing two birds with one stone. She''s evil.¡± Bailey was quite shocked. After staring at him for a while, she asked solemnly, ¡°She''s your mother, right? Why does she want to murder you?¡± Maxton became emotional all of a sudden and raised his voice abruptly. ¡°She''s not my mother. Stop saying she''s my mother.¡± Bailey didn''t know how to respond to that. Rhonda isn''t his mother? That doesn''t sound right! However, as she mulled it over, she felt that there was indeed something strange about the whole situation. Logically speaking, Maxton should have been Rhonda''s cash cow, because her position in the Luther family depends entirely on her son. Despite so, she tried to kill him by poisoning him. It''s obvious that she doesn''t want him alive. There''s obviously something wrong. ¡°Why did you say that she''s not your mother? She was the one who took you to the Luther family in the very beginning. If you''re not her son, then why were you in her hands?¡± Maxton pouted and said, ¡°Maybe I was kidnapped.¡± Bailey fell quiet. She sized the boy up and took note of the maturity and shrewdness in his eyes. It didn''t look like he was joking when he said that. Was he really kidnapped by Rhonda? Hmm... The boy tugged at the corner of her clothes and asked carefully, ¡°Mommy, I taught that woman a lesson for you today. I bet she''s in a horrible state right now. Maybe she was already kicked out of the house by Daddy. I helped you, so please let me continue staying here.¡± He taught her a lesson today? Bailey''s eye twitched when a thought surfaced in her mind. Artemis said that Rhonda had drugged him. Could it be Maxton''s doing? ¡°I drugged the soup she made for Daddy. Daddy won''t spare her easily when he knows what she has done.¡± I knew it. Maxton''s eyeballs moved around mischievously as a hint of slyness emerged on his tiny face. ¡°I have to give it to Idiot foring up with such a perfect n. I guess he''s the only one who has the audacity to ask me to drug Daddy.¡± Bailey was surprised. Zayron was the one who came up with this stupid idea? She was almost tainted by Artemis, and all that was thanks to her own son. Isn''t that just great? ¡°How long have you been waiting here?¡± Maxton snorted to himself when he noticed the grim look on Bailey''s face. Serves you right for not opening the door for me, Idiot! I''ve told your mother about what you''ve done, and you''re going to be punished. ¡°I''ve been waiting here for an hour. I rang the doorbell countless times but Zayron wouldn''t open the door for me. He even told me that you locked the door. Mommy, does he hate me?¡± The boy wore a pitiful expression as heined. Bailey smiled coldly in response. She took out the keys and opened the door. There was no one in the living room. She immediately barged into the bedroom, and when she saw Zayron sleeping soundly in bed, she sniggered out of fury. Subsequently, she marched over to the bed and grabbed Zayron''s cor, lifting him up. Zayron, who was still in a daze, became wide awake when he saw his mother. ¡°B-Bailey, I didn''t go out. I stayed at home like you told me to.¡± ¡°That''s why you got so bored that you came up with horrible ideas, right? Did you instigate someone''s son to drug their father? Tell me, Zayron Jefferson. Is there anything you can''t do?¡± Zayron was speechless. What was left of his drowsiness was gone in an instant. He then turned to re at Maxton, who was enjoying the show. ¡°You told her!¡± Maxton calmly shrugged. ¡°Serves you right for not opening the door for me.¡± Zayron was rendered speechless. Autism? He doesn''t have autism. He''s a cruel and devious little brat who is just as cunning and loathsome as his father. Bailey nced at the two boys and said with a sneer, ¡°It''s a pity that your n fell through. Mr. Luther didn''t get angry. Instead, he dragged the woman that you two wanted to frame into the lounge of the CEO''s office.¡± Maxton widened his eyes in disbelief as his face flushed. ¡°What? That''s impossible. D-Daddy wouldn''t touch her.¡± Bailey plopped Zayron back onto the bed and patted Maxton''s cheek. She raised an eyebrow and spoke. ¡°But you guys drugged him. As a normal man who has desires, it''s only natural that he would lose control.¡± The two boys were speechless. After all the effort we''ve put in, we ended up helping that woman? Dang it! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Bailey''s nce swept across the two boys'' aggrieved faces. She then turned and walked out of the room. You two naughty brats. I''ll let the two of you have a taste of what it feels like to be too smart for your own good. After his mother left, Zayron glowered at Maxton. ¡°What did you do? Didn''t I specifically tell you to only put a little dosage?¡± Maxton pursed his lips and his cheeks flushed red with anger. No one hated that hypocritical woman more than he did. If the woman really got intimate with his father, then he would never be able to get rid of her for the rest of his life. This is so unfair! ¡°I''ll call and ask.¡± The headstrong boy didn''t even hesitate to make a call to his father. After the call was sessfully connected, he immediately blurted, ¡°Hey! Old man, did you really have sex with Rhonda?¡± Artemis was stunned speechless. Meanwhile, Artemis was holding a meeting with thepany''s executives. As soon as he answered the phone, the phone''s speaker was automatically connected to theputer''s audio. In an instant, the child''s voice resounded in every corner of the conference room. The sales director who was reporting the performance of thepany immediately stopped speaking. He then cowered to the side, trying to make himself look as inconspicuous as possible. Everyone in the room could tell that Artemis was so furious that he could explode at any moment. Anyone who dared to make a sound would certainly meet their end. Dwayne touched the tip of his nose and unplugged the phone cautiously before handing it over to Artemis with utmost reverence. Deep down, he almost couldn''t suppress the urge tough out loud. Hahaha! What a question! I''m afraid Maxton is the only one who dares to ask his father something like that. It must be humiliating to be asked such a question by his son. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Wearing a grim expression on his handsome face, Artemis took the phone from Dwayne, got up, and left the conference room. Victoria nudged Stephen and asked in a low voice, ¡°Stephen, since you and our domineering CEO are close, do you have any first-hand information? Share it with us.¡± Thetter red at her as he replied through gritted teeth, ¡°You better stop gossiping. I got wind that Ms. Rhonda drugged Mr. Luther at noon, but he did not fall for her tricks and chased her out of the CEO''s office.¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± Victoria asked eagerly. D*mn! How can I miss out on such an exciting piece of gossip? ¡°After that...¡± Stephen nced at her and asked a question instead of answering, ¡°That designer from the Archulea branch office, Bailey Jefferson, is your friend, right?¡± Victoria narrowed her eyes slightly, asking with a frown, ¡°We are talking about Rhonda, that pretentious woman, so why are you shifting the topic to my bestie?¡± Stephen gave her a somewhat sympathetic look and sighed. ¡°The second Ms. Rhonda left, Bailey went to the CEO''s office. If Mr. Luther truly couldn''t restrain himself from sleeping with a woman, he must''ve slept with your bestie because she stayed in his office for half an hour.¡± ¡°My gosh!¡± Victoria jumped up from her chair. ¡°Something like that happened when I made a trip to the recruitment agencies?¡± After sensing her colleagues'' scrutinizing gazes that were directed at her, she abruptly stopped the conversation. Dang! I nearly sold my bestie out! ¡°Come with me and exin everything outside.¡± After Artemis left the conference room, he returned to the CEO''s office. ¡°Tell me. Who told you about it?¡± The boy replied in an antsy manner, ¡°Did you seriously sleep with her? D*mn you! I thought you have a strong sense of self-control. Yet you gave in after just a little dosage of drug?¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes as a dangerous glint shed in them. ¡°So this means that you were the one who drugged the soup.¡± That was a statement, not an inquiry. Maxton hastily covered his mouth, but unfortunately, it was toote. Even through the phone, he could feel the chilly aura emanating from his father''s body. ¡°Tell me. Who told you that I slept with Rhonda?¡± Um... Judging from Daddy''s tone, which sounds like he''s about to swallow me alive, he probably didn''t touch Rhonda. I think I should... shift his anger onto my stepmother. Maybe it would create a chance for them to hit it off. ¡°Bay told me about it. She''s spreading rumors.¡± Maxton hung up the phone immediately after that. In the CEO''s office, Artemis let out an angry snort when he heard the disconnected tone from his phone. That d*mned woman... I shouldn''t have held back. Now I''ve caused suffering to myself. I have endured it for the whole afternoon, and it''s torturous. D*mn it! I''ve gotten her within my grasp, so why didn''t I just do the deed? I truly regret it! The city was brightly lit at night as Bailey drove the two boys to Pocket Guest Restaurant. After parking the car, she instructed, ¡°Edmund booked a private room on the third floor, Room 302. Go there first. I have something to take care of, but I''ll meet you before eight.¡± With that, she threw her sling bag over her shoulder and walked off. ¡°She''s going to meet your father. Aren''t you going with her?¡± Zayron asked. Maxton pouted. ¡°The drug issue hasn''t been resolved yet. If I go along, wouldn''t I be asking for trouble?¡± Zayron snorted. ¡°That''s because you are stupid and can''t keep your mouth shut. You''ve wasted my excellent strategy. Don''te to me when you have to deal with that pretentious Rhonda in the future. Having a uselessrade like you has lowered my IQ.¡± Maxton was rendered speechless. Zayron casually nced at him and warned, ¡°Let me remind you that Bailey is my Daddy Eddy''s wife and is reserved for him, so don''t set your sights on her. How can I allow my mommy to be your stepmother?¡± ¡°Fine, I won''t let her be my stepmother. At the very most, I''ll acknowledge Daddy Eddy as my father. Since he has already acknowledged you and your sister, I''m sure he won''t mind having another,¡± Maxton remarked. Zayron rolled his eyes when he heard that. This fool is acting stupid again. Isn''t it better to be the sessor of Luther Group with a worth of hundreds of billions? When Bailey pushed the door open and entered, she was stunned to find Artemis seated at the head of the table waiting for her. She subconsciously looked down at the watch on her wrist. It was ten to seven and not yet the appointment time. Shouldn''t a big boss like him have a lot of work to do? I''m ttered that he spared some of his precious time to wait for me. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Luther.¡± Artemis raised his eyebrows, and the corners of his lips curled up in a sinister smile. He gestured toward the seat opposite him with his chin as a single word came out of his lips. ¡°Sit.¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes slightly at his response. She walked to the dining chair, sat down, and went straight to the point. ¡°Mr. Luther, I''m sure Mr. Chandler has told you about my situation. I am good at designing elegant, simple, fashionable, and revealing dresses. Your sister is turning eighteen. Since she''ll be wearing the dress at her birthday party, coupled with the more modest and innocent-looking style that isn''t within my expertise, I''m afraid I cannot meet the needs of Ms. Caridee. You should give this opportunity to the chief designer of the headquarters, Ms. Tanner.¡± Artemis made no response, but his gaze traveled down her fair neck andnded on her delicate corbone. His eyes flickered with the predatory intensity of a beast. Wicked images of pinning her under his body had upied his mind for the entire afternoon. Even he himself felt that he was lecherous. I can''t believe I''ve been thinking of a woman I''ve only met a few times, and she''s even my nominal... Sure enough, those guys weren''t lying at all when they used the phrase ¡°still waters run deep¡± to describe me. I think so too. A good example was the present, for his eyes unconsciously looked over in her direction. Over the years, he had never been interested in women, but the person opposite him had indeed aroused his most primitive thoughts. His excessively presumptuous gaze made Bailey ufortable. Her originallyposed gaze suddenly darkened, and she uttered coldly, ¡°Youe from a prominent and well-respected family, Mr. Luther, and your upbringing is admired by many. I''m sure you know the most basic manners. Don''t you think your tant stare is a little too much?¡± Hearing that, Artemis coughed lightly and slowly retracted his gaze. ¡°It''s already dinner time. You haven''t had dinner. Am I right? I''ll call the waiter toe in and order a few dishes. Let''s talk after we''ve eaten.¡± Bailey narrowed his eyes and refused, ¡°No, thank you. I have an appointment at half past seven. We don''t know each other well, Mr. Luther, so let''s keep it professional.¡± So much for we don''t know each other well, and let''s keep it professional. This woman was lying under me at noon. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°People say that men are fickle, but I didn''t expect you to be such a heartless person, Ms. Jefferson. Fine, since you said that, I can only keep it professional.¡± After saying this, Artemis cast her an icy nce before continuing, ¡°You are the lead designer hired by the head of the Archulea branch office. Am I right? Since he rmended you to Luther Group''s headquarters, if you aren''t capable of the job, I can only say that he doesn''t have good judgment. I''ll issue a dismissal notice tomorrow, and someone will take his ce the day after.¡± Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Bailey''s expression darkened. Is this scumbag threatening me right now? The head of the Archulean branch was my best friend while abroad and the one who led me into a career in design! ¡°Surely you jest, Mr. Luther. I was the one who unterally broke the contract. If anyone is to be dismissed, it should be me, the lead designer at the Archulean branch office. What does it have to do with Xavier? He has carried out his role dutifully and with integrity in Archulea, paving the way in the market for Luther Group''s fashion brand over the years. Aren''t you afraid of disappointing the hundreds of thousands of your employees by terminating him so indiscriminately?¡± Artemisughed softly, but there was no warmth in his piercing gaze. She defends another man so impassionately, but when ites to me, she won''t even have a meal with me. Does she really hate me that much? ¡°I''m afraid you misunderstood me, Ms. Jefferson. Let me repeat myself. Xaviercks good judgment and is incapable of fulfilling his role as the head of that office. Removing him from his post and sending someone else to rece him is nothing more than a normal case of employee transfer. A workce is a cruel ce, and only the strong survive.¡± Bailey stared at him wordlessly. The hell with that! Only the strong survive, you say? After cursing inwardly at Luther''s ancestors, she uttered through clenched teeth, ¡°I''ll do it. Mr. Luther, please let me know your sister''s requirements as soon as possible so I cane up with a design ording to her needs.¡± Then, she stood up, scooped her bag from the table, and walked toward the door. Artemis'' expression turned grim, and he pressed his lips together into a thin, hard line. You can''t wait to leave, can you? Are you that desperate to go and seduce some other man? After watching her leave, he reached for his phone on the table, pulled up Ken''s number, and called him. ¡°Find out who Bailey is meeting and where.¡± Over at a private room on the third floor, Edmund opened the door and walked in. When he saw Zayron and Maxton inhaling their food, he could not refrain fromughing and saying, ¡°Eat slowly. Nobody is going to try and take it from you.¡± Looking up from a heaping te ofmb skewers, Zayron mumbled a greeting. ¡°Daddy Eddy.¡± Maxton also raised his head. Imitating Zayron''s tone of voice, he called out softly, ¡°Daddy Eddy.¡± Zayron red at him. ¡°You''re so shameless...¡± ¡°Thanks for thepliment,¡± Maxton responded with a snort. Zayron glowered silently. Edmund smiled as he walked up to the two boys. Reaching out a hand and stroking Maxton''s head, he said gently, ¡°You can only address me as ''uncle'' because I''m your father''s cousin. Don''t make the same mistake again in the future, okay?¡± Maxton broke into a grin, then nodded obediently. ¡°Got it, Daddy Eddy.¡± Just then, the door to the private room opened again, and Bailey walked in. As soon as her eyes flitted over Edmund''s handsome face, her cold gaze softened a little. ¡°I''m here.¡± Edmund raised his eyebrows and lowered his gaze to nce at the watch on his wrist. He smiled as he said, ¡°And I thought I waste. Didn''t you go to discuss something with someone? Why are you here so soon?¡± Her anger was evident on her face. She strode to the table, grabbed a drink, and took a few swigs. Then, gnashing her teeth, she muttered, ¡°I encountered a rabid dog who started biting before the discussion even began. Let''s not talk about him. I''m starving.¡± Edmund smiled faintly. Naturally, he knew who the ¡°rabid dog¡± she was referring to was. He sure knows how to make her blood boil. As always, that cousin of mine is truly... infuriating. ¡°I''ve already heard about the details of what happened from Stephen. If you really can''t handle it, don''t force yourself. I''ll talk to my cousin. I''m sure he still respects me enough to listen to me.¡± Bailey waved her hand dismissively and replied in a nonchnt manner, ¡°Is he that much of a big shot that you have to step in personally? It''s just designing a dress. Don''t worry. I can handle it.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°She''s right. He''s not that important. Why should you personally get involved?¡± Maxton piped up, looking like he hadpletely forgotten whose son he was and who his father was. Zayron rolled his eyes and said in disbelief, ¡°It''s my first time encountering such a despicable person as you. I can''t believe I even took a photo with you a few days ago. I was truly blinded. Now, everyone is talking about us being brothers. Just thinking about it is nauseating.¡± Shooting him an icy look, Bailey could not help retorting in a mocking tone, ¡°One reaps what one sows. It''s your fault for getting up to so many sly tricks and causing so much trouble for me. If it weren''t for all that money I wasted on feeding you for seven years, I''d stuff you back into my womb now so that you could grow up differently.¡± Zayron stared at her, speechless. And this is my biological mother! Knock! Knock! Knock! At that moment, someone knocked on the door to the private room. Thinking that it was the waiter, Edmund called out pleasantly, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, and a middle-aged couple entered. Edmund and Bailey were both stunned when they saw who it was. ¡°Dad! Mom! What are you doing here?¡± Edmund hurried forward and reached for the coat draped over the crook of Yoel''s arm. When he went to take the bag Gwendolyn was holding, she pped his arm away. ¡°Step aside. Bay, come and help me take my handbag.¡± Bailey forced the corners of her lips upward into a faint smile, then walked over to the older couple and started to exin sheepishly, ¡°That... Mrs. Chivers, Zayron...¡± Edmund grabbed her wrist and said with a smile, ¡°Since my parents are here, we might as well take the opportunity to have a meal together. We''ll all be family soon, so we should sit down and get to know each other.¡± After hearing him say that, Gwendolyn quickly chimed in, ¡°Yes, that''s right! We''re here to mooch a meal off Ed. This restaurant is one of the businesses our family owns. When I heard that Ed had made a reservation here, I guessed he was nning to treat you all to a meal. Hence, I boldly invited myself. Bay, you wouldn''t treat us as unwee guests, would you?¡± Bailey could not help sighing inwardly. My thoughts are a mess right now. Although I''ve nothing against Edmund, I''m not sure whether we''d be able to have a happy marriage. ¡°Not at all, Mrs. Chivers. After all, Edmund''s the host of this meal. How could I possibly think that when I should be grateful that the two of you think well of me and are so kind as toe all the way here?¡± Gwendolyn beamed from ear to ear. This youngdy is starting to grow on me. She''s a good fit for Edmund regardless of whether it''s in terms of her upbringing, aura, looks, or disposition. They''re a match made in heaven! She hooked her arm through Bailey''s in an overly familiar way. Then, she pushed her bag toward the latter and said with a smile, ¡°You''re such a good girl for taking the initiative to take my bag. I''ll take it as a sign of your respect and that you ept me as your elder.¡± Bailey''s arm holding the bag stiffened, and her lips twitched a few times despite herself. So, this is the matriarch of the Chivers family. How interesting. As Edmund gave a low chuckle, his deep and maic voice that echoed through the room sounded like music to one''s ears. Tossing aside the chicken drumstick in his hand, Zayron rushed up and flung his arms around Gwendolyn. ¡°Grandma, I''m a good boy too!¡± Maxton mentally retched in disgust. I''m going to puke! He clicked his tongue and hissed through clenched teeth, ¡°Suck-up.¡± Instantly, the room erupted intoughter. Even Yoel, who had been silent until then, chuckled softly. In contrast to the lively atmosphere in the third-floor private room, the one on the second floor was somewhat cold and silent as Artemis sat on the couch watching the surveince footage. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 The man failed to suppress the jealousy overflowing in him as he looked at the happy family through the screen. When he heard Maxton calling that b*stard ¡°Daddy Eddy¡± time and again, he felt like he was just a man left to rot out in the vast loneliness. The jealousy and bitterness only intensified when he saw the usually prickly woman standing beside Edmund demurely, allowing Edmund to hold her by her wrist as he wanted. At this moment, Artemis'' handsome face was extremely gloomy. Am I not good enough? Even if I''m not that attractive, what about the massive cash bnce in my bank ount? Why is this woman not trying to seduce me or attract my attention? D*mn it! Meanwhile, Felicity and Rhonda were chatting on the couch in the Luther residence. ¡°Ronni, I have a question. Is that little boy with your sister really Ed''s son?¡± She might have married an outsider, but as a daughter of the Chivers family, she would never allow any woman with ill intentions to taint the Chiverses'' noble bloodline. Rhonda''s eyes gleamed wickedly as her thoughts raced. She had done a thorough investigation on the matter. That little brat with Bailey was around the same age as Maxton. If he really was Bailey''s biological son, then the blood flowing in him had to be Artemis'', which meant he had nothing to do with Edmund. The director of the obstetrics and gynecology department back then had changed nationality, making it difficult for Rhonda to track her down. She must have disobeyed my order to murder the other two kids. Hence, the two of them survived. The only thing she was feeling fortunate for right now was that Bailey had no idea who she slept with back then, and Artemis did not know that he had a biological child still wandering out there somewhere. Hence, she had to utterly destroy Bailey''s reputation so that Bailey had no choice but to leave this ce before the truth found its way out of the dark. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Rhonda swore to herself that she would no longer pull her punches this time. As soon as that b*tch leaves with her bastard child, I''ll get someone to get rid of them once and for all! ¡°I was just about to talk to you about this matter. That little boy is around Max''s age. Aside from that, you should also know that my sister sold herself to an older man for five million back then and ended up pregnant from the encounter. Eight monthster, she gave birth to a stillborn. However, I suspect that the baby didn''t actually die then and is that little boy.¡± ¡°What?¡± Felicity jumped right up from the couch. Anger erupted in her as she shouted, ¡°You''re saying that boy is a filthy product of her and that disgusting old man? H-He is not of the Chivers family''s bloodline?¡± Rhonda replied in a choked voice, ¡°Bailey''s rationality was just temporarily clouded by the emotions that got the better of her. She''s just jealous that I gave birth to an heir for the Luther family, so she''s now trying to win the favor of the Chivers family. B-But seducing Edmund and convincing him to raise the boy as his own is going over the line, even for her. The Chivers family is an honorable family of noble blood, a family that no one should make a fool out of. What she is doing is turning Edmund into a sinner in the Chivers family.¡± Bam! Felicity mmed her hand onto the coffee table out of rage. ¡°That b*tch! How dare she tries to taint the Chiverses'' bloodline?¡± Rhonda''s eyes flickered with a deadly chill as she manipted the olddy into doing her dirty work. If she can get rid of that bastard child too, even better! ¡°Mrs. Luther, it seems like Edmund''s mother is very fond of my sister. When I was on my way home, my friend phoned me to tell me that she had seen Edmund''s parents and Edmund in the Pocket Guest Restaurant. My sister is also with them, and they seemed to be getting along well.¡± Bam, bam! Felicity smacked the coffee table again, and she was trembling in anger. ¡°Phone! Give me my phone.¡± The corner of Rhonda''s mouth turned up before she delivered the phone to Felicity. ¡°Mrs. Luther, please calm down before you talk to Mr. Chivers.¡± Hearing this, Felicity took several deep breaths. With that, she barely managed to suppress her anger slightly. She dialed the number immediately, and when her call was picked up, she did not say much. Instead, Felicity only hurled a few words at her brother. ¡°Yoel, when you''re free, pleasee and meet me. There''s something I need to talk to you about.¡± Felicity then hung up the call while Rhonda carefully pried, ¡°Mrs. Luther, how are you going to talk to him about this?¡± ¡°What do you mean? There''s no how. I''ll have Ed and that little boy go for a DNA test tomorrow. I will never allow any woman to taint the Chivers family''s bloodline!¡± With her objective achieved, Rhonda allowed the grin on her face to widen. Oh, Bailey, Bailey. I have plenty of ways to kick you out of Hallsbay. Go to hell! That same day, Yoel arrived at the Luther residence around ten o''clock at night. After meeting with Felicity, the siblings held a conversation thatsted about half an hour in the study. When they finally came out, however, Yoel''s expression was not one that could be described as happy. While he could tolerate his son raising an illegitimate child outside the family, he would never allow his son to take someone else''s child as his heir. The Chiverses are a very prestigious family. There''s no way we would allow this to happen! ¡°Don''t worry, Felicity. I''ll phone Justin and make sure he brings Ed to get a test. An outsider will never be allowed to join our family!¡± Felicity nodded happily, for she was delighted with her brother''s attitude. ¡°You may leave now. When the result is ready, gather everyone. I want to humiliate that filthy woman from the Jefferson family. There''s also the incident when Max was poisoned. I reckon I should look into it again. Perhaps, Ed is trying to protect the filthy woman by covering up for her.¡± ¡°All right. Do as you see fit. I''ll leave now and inform you about the progress if there''s any.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Meanwhile, Artemis stood quietly before the window in his room with a ss of wine in his hand, staring at the night scenery. Artemis had roughly figured out the purpose of Yoel''s visit to the Luther residence just now. In truth, he, too, was wondering if that child was Edmund''s biological son. Hence, he decided that if they wanted to look into this matter, he would let them. If the test result says that that boy is not Edmund''s son, then I will have a chance. The sound of the door knob twisting interrupted his thoughts suddenly, pulling him back to his senses. Artemis turned around and immediately found Rhonda standing at the door in her pajamas, which led to him shouting with a frown, ¡°Get out!¡± Rhonda pursed her lips while tears started building in her eyes. She then looked at Artemis and sobbed pitifully, ¡°Artemis, the soup... It really wasn''t my doing. I went through the surveince footage of the infirmary just now. I-It was Max. H-He was the one that retrieved the drug and spiked the soup. It had nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Artemis sneered. ¡°Are you very proud of yourself for your son knowing how to drug his elders at such a young age? Look at you! Not only did you not try to cover up for your son and side with him, but you even exposed him without hesitation! Do you not care that everyone around us will think that your son is a wicked boy?¡± ¡°No! Artemis, that''s not what I meant. I-I only wanted to prove that I''m innocent. I was worried that you''d have a wrong impression of me.¡± ¡°So you''re telling me that you''d sacrifice your son''s reputation and image for your own? Wow. Did you know that this is not something any other mother out there would bring themselves to do? Regardless, you don''t have to take care of Max anymore. I n to hand him over to Bailey and have him under her care.¡± ¡°What?¡± Rhonda widened her eyes in disbelief. Nervousness and panic were seen in her eyes as she questioned in a trembling voice, ¡°A-Artemis, what did I do wrong? Why are you separating me from my son?¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 ¡°Your son?¡± Artemis found himself scoffing. ¡°Since when has Max taken you as his mother? Have you ever heard him call you ''Mommy'' all these years? Don''t you think you should carefully think about it and reflect on yourself when you are such a pathetic failure of a mother?¡± ¡°Your son?¡± Artemis found himself scoffing. ¡°Since when has Max taken you as his mother? Have you ever heard him call you ''Mommy'' all these years? Don''t you think you should carefully think about it and reflect on yourself when you are such a pathetic failure of a mother?¡± Rhonda stumbled backward at the harsh words from Artemis, and she was on the verge of breaking down. ¡°But I''m still his mother no matter how much of a failure I am, so you can''t take him away from me. Never!¡± Artemis, however, responded to her words with a cold nce. He stated, ¡°It''s not that I''m deliberately trying to take him away from you, but that he absolutely refuses to leave. He''d rather sleep in a tiny house that''s no better than a dog house instead of a residence worth three billion.¡± Rhonda was left speechless. ¡°Now get out of here before I decide to send you back to the Jefferson residence. Scram!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Rhonda stumbled once more before running away defeatedly under Artemis'' cold gaze. The next day, in the CEO''s office of Luther Group, Dwayne entered with the test result in his hand. ¡°Mr. Luther, the report is out. It says that the boy and Mr. Larson are not biologically rted in any way.¡± The hand Artemis was using to hold his pen stiffened for a second. They''re not father and son? So the rumor that she sold herself for money and delivered a stillborn is untrue? But if his biological father is not Mr. Larson, then who is? Edmund? ¡°Mr. Luther, do you need me to change the name in the report to your name and announce that you and the little one are not biological father and son?¡± ¡°There''s no need for that for now,¡± Artemis replied. Surprised by Artemis'' sudden change of mind, Dwayne raised his brows immediately. Is he going to cave in to public opinion? Will he be taking that brat in and epting that woman as his second wife? Hah! If that happens, things are going to be interesting for sure. Sisters sharing the same husband... The Luther family is in for a chaotic mess! ¡°Is Bailey here?¡± Artemis asked. The smile on Dwayne''s face intensified further when he heard that. He knew then that Artemis had set his sights on Bailey. ¡°Yes. She''s now in Stephen''s office. ording to the rules, she must challenge Luther Group''s headquarters'' chief designer. The winner will then have the qualification to take on the task.¡± With that said, Dwayne suddenly leaned toward Artemis. There was a carefree smile on his face when he continued, ¡°Mr. Luther, to be honest, why don''t you just use your status to let her win? I mean, you have the power to do that, don''t you? This is the perfect opportunity, so you shouldn''t miss the chance to win thedy''s heart.¡± ¡°You''re trying to please Victoria, aren''t you?¡± Artemis replied with a smile that did not look like a happy smile for sure. ¡°Why don''t I pass you the CEO''s seat so you can do as you see fit?¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Dwayneughed awkwardly in reply while his handsome face twitched. The leader of Luther Group? Who on earth with a sane mind would be happy to ept this position? I''m still young, and I''m more than just handsome. Most importantly, I''m a virgin that has yet toy with any woman, so there''s no way I''m going to spend my prime years bound to work and eventually die because of the heavy workload. ¡°Caridee will be returning this afternoon. Go and pick her up at the airport on my behalf and send her back to the Luther residence after that.¡± Dwayne''s mouth twitched again. D*mn it! I''m a graduate of one of the most prestigious universities in the world, but I ended up being just an errand boy for a tyrant! After seeing how Dwyane was still lingering around and his expression, Artemis smirked and said, ¡°Any objections? Do you want to take over my position¡ª¡± ¡°No! This is not something a sane man would do! We''re as close as brothers, so please don''t try to set me up. I''m the only child in the family, so I can''t die young.¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± In the design department, there stood a man and two women in the office. Stephen looked toward Bailey, and with his charming and gentle voice, he said, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, this is the chief designer at Luther Group''s headquarters, Jessica Tanner.¡± Then, he shifted his attention to the fashionably dressed young woman opposite him. ¡°Jessica, this is the lead designer from the Archulean branch, Bailey Jefferson.¡± Bailey''s gazended on Jessica''s face for a second. She then extended her hand for a handshake and calmly said, ¡°Ms. Tanner, I''ve heard of your name. Nice to meet you. They say you''re thest student that received the skills and knowledge of the famous designer, Eve Lussohn. It is an honor to be able to compete with you today.¡± Opposite her, Jessica smiled a little. From how she looked at Bailey, one could tell that Jessica did not take Bailey seriously, for there was disdain and even a slight hint of mockery in her eyes. She''s but an unknown tailor that popped up out of nowhere! How dare she call herself a designer after learning tailoring for only a few years? If that is how it works, then I, the student of Eve, can address myself as a god now. This is a joke! Jessica did not shake Bailey''s hand. Instead, she mocked, ¡°If I''m not wrong, you must be the oldest daughter of the Jefferson family. You''re the one that sold yourself to an older man for five million seven years ago, right? As a result, you got pregnant, and the Jefferson family exiled you. After delivering a dead baby, you ran away from Hallsbay in humiliation as there was no ce for you in this city anymore. So tell me. What brought you crawling back today?¡± ¡°Jessica!¡± Stephen berated, ¡°Ms. Jefferson''s personal life is not something you''re entitled toment on. Since Xavier is the one that rmended her, that means that she qualifies for what she is doing. You''d better watch your mouth.¡± With that said, Stephen, who had been put in a tough spot, said, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, Jessica doesn''t know you or what you''ve been through, so she might have some misunderstandings. Please don''t take her words seriously.¡± Bailey returned her arm to her side before an alluring smile blossomed on her face. ¡°Did Ms. Tanner talk just now? Why didn''t I hear anything? Mr. Chandler, might you have misheard earlier? I only heard a mad dog barking, and it was a female one too.¡± Stephen was rendered speechless at her words. As for Jessica, her beautiful face was visibly contorting in rage. This b*tch! What did she just say? A mad dog? And a female one? ¡°Hey, watch your mouth! Who are you referring to as a mad dog!¡± Bailey shrugged. ¡°I''m scolding a dog, so whoever takes it seriously is the dog I''m scolding.¡± ¡°Y-You¡ª¡± Bailey then nced at her and smiled. ¡°I have to admit, contesting with a shameless woman like me can be quite humiliating and will only lower your worth, so may I suggest you drop the contest, Ms. Tanner? Why don''t you surrender this chance to be famous internationally to me?¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± Jessica shouted back. To be able to design the dress for theing-of-age ceremony of Caridee, the youngest daughter of the Luther family and their princess, was a major opportunity. If she seeded and received acknowledgment from Caridee, the most famous women in the world would want to order custom-made clothes from her. When that happened, she would be the most influential and well-known person in the fashion industry. Hence, there was no way Jessica would hand this chance to someone else. ¡°Oh?¡± Bailey raised a brow and mocked, ¡°If you''re willing to stand on the same stage with an infamous person like me, it means that you''re no better than me, aren''t you? Shame. To think that the honorable chief designer of Luther Group is someone like that.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Stephen let out a cough to interrupt them before saying, ¡°Jessica, if you want to participate in the contest, you''d better stop judging others. Keep in mind that this is a task personally assigned by Mr. Luther. You don''t need me to remind you of the consequences of screwing it up, do you?¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°That''s all. Please leave us right now. I''ve something to discuss with Ms. Jefferson. Thank you.¡± Hearing this, Jessica stomped on the ground angrily before she left. On her way out, she also shot Bailey a furious stare. ¡°I''ll show you who''s boss one day! Mark my words!¡± Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Bailey''s lips twitched at Jessica''s outburst. She sighed andmented, ¡°Ms. Tanner is Eve Lussohn''s student, so she is perfectly qualified for the task. Why did you all have to drag me into this?¡± Bailey''s lips twitched at Jessica''s outburst. She sighed andmented, ¡°Ms. Tanner is Eve Lussohn''s student, so she is perfectly qualified for the task. Why did you all have to drag me into this?¡± Stephen smiled lightly and replied, ¡°This is a great opportunity for you, Ms. Jefferson. As you know, Ms. Caridee is one of the Ten Acimed Socialites. If you produce a design to her satisfaction, you''ll cement a career in this industry.¡± Bailey scoffed in response. She had her reasons for not caring for the opportunity. Nheless, she replied half-heartedly to Stephen, ¡°Fine. I''ll try my best. If there''s nothing else, I''m heading out.¡± Stephen waved the phone in his hand at her and smiled. ¡°Victoria texted me earlier, instructing me to personally escort you to the HR department after our conversation.¡± Dread filled Bailey''s soul. She could guess why Victoria was looking for her. Bailey exined, ¡°That, erm, nothing happened between Mr. Luther and me when I went to the CEO''s office the other day. I swear. It''s just a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Your good friend Victoria is the one who has the misunderstanding.¡± After leaving the director''s office in the design department, Bailey turned down Stephen''s offer to apany her and headed to the HR department alone. She walked past a few female employees gossiping in the pantry. ¡°Did you all hear? The designer sent from the Archulean branch to challenge Ms. Tanner is the heiress of the Jefferson family, Ms. Bailey. Sound familiar? She''s the future Mrs. Luther''s older sister.¡± ¡°Heiress? Please! How can she be considered an heiress? Mr. Jefferson kicked her out of the family ages ago for her sordid character. I have no idea how she caught Mr. Rhoudin''s eye, and I can''t believe she''s shameless enough to challenge Ms. Tanner. What a joke!¡± ¡°Maybe she climbed into Mr. Rhoudin''s bed to snag herself such a precious opportunity. I mean, didn''t she do something simr to gain five million seven years ago?¡± ¡°Oh, you have a point. She must be skilled at seducing and pleasuring men. Her ybook must be pretty extensive.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± The female employees'' sneers echoed in the cramped pantry. ¡°You all seem pretty free.¡± A cold and stern reprimand suddenly cut through theirughter, startling the female employees into silence. Meanwhile, Bailey frowned at the interruption. She was enjoying her eavesdropping until Victoria showed up and abruptly cut the session short. She turned and immediately spotted Victoriaing toward her, Artemis by her side. Bailey found herself pitying the gossiping employees in the pantry. Talking about me behind my back will hardly scathe me. The only goal they''ll achieve is to attract trouble for themselves. Why subject themselves to such a disadvantageous activity? When Victoria arrived at Bailey''s side, she grabbed her friend''s elbow and chided, ¡°What''s wrong with you, woman? Why are you still leisurely eavesdropping on them when they''re b*tching about you? Are you truly so unbothered by theirments, or is there a screw loose in your brain?¡± Bailey smiled at Victoria and pinched thetter''s cheek, cajoling, ¡°Aww, don''t get upset. Women get wrinkles easily if they get angry. Plus, they''re merely discussing the truth. How can I refute their ims?¡± Scoffing, Victoria stared daggers at the pantry and shouted, ¡°Is Luther Group paying you all tens of thousands a month so you can gossip in the office? Pack up your things and get yourst paycheck from the finance department. You''re all fired.¡± The three female employees in the pantry nched. Luther Group was the onlypany in Hallsbay that paid its employees a handsome five-figure monthly sry. They had exhausted all their means to secure a position in thepany and were the envy of their friends and families. If they were sacked, what otherpany in Hallsbay would pay them an annual sry in the millions? ¡°M-Ms. Saunders, we were wrong. We shouldn''t have gossiped about malicious rumors. I hope you can forgive us on ount of this being our first offense.¡± ¡°Yeah. We didn''t cause any real harm. There''s also the aspect of freedom of speech. You can''t fire us for expressing our opinions.¡± ¡°We signed properbor contracts when we joined thepany. If thepany uwfully terminates its employee''sbor contract over minor offenses, it is obligated to pay its employee three times the penalty stipted in the contract.¡± ¡°Are you doubting Luther Group''s abilities to fork out the penalty?¡± Artemis finally spoke, his deep and slow timber concealing his emotions. Nheless, even if he did not seem enraged, his word choices clearly conveyed his displeasure. ¡°M-Mr. Luther...¡± The female employees stuttered fearfully, their faces ashen. Artemis nced coldly at the group before pointing at Bailey and instructing, ¡°Apologize to her.¡± The employees immediately stared at Bailey. Their profuse apologies resounded in the small pantry. Bailey shot Artemis a nce and realized his dark eyes were staring intently at her. Metaphorical sparks flew when their gazes met. Holding her gaze, Artemis dered, ¡°Victoria, call the Ministry of Labor. Have these people''s names ced on the employment cklist.¡± The apologies cut off abruptly as the female employees copsed on the ground, shellshocked. Being ced on the employment cklist meant no properpany would hire them again. Artemis was effectively cutting off their means of finding employment in Hallsbay. Victoria was stunned by his order, though her gaze quickly turned thoughtful. Artemis was harsh, but he hardly drove people into a corner. Upper management employees hadmitted far more severe offenses in the past, yet Artemis had not put their names on the employment cklist. In the most extreme cases, he fired the employees and forbadepanies under Luther Group''s umbre from hiring the offender again. Is he acting out of character for Bay? Has he really fallen for her? Victoria shook herself out of her thoughts and turned to one of her subordinates. ¡°Zoe, I''ll leave the rest to you. After that, I want you to gather all the managers and supervisors in the HR department for a two o''clock meeting. No one is allowed to skip the meeting.¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Saunders.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Then, Victoria cleared her throat and addressed Artemis, ¡°I''ll send you to the lift lobby, Mr. Luther.¡± Artemis ignored her offer and dragged Bailey by the elbow to a nearby office. ¡°Hey, Mr. Luther!¡± Victoria instinctively reached out to stop him, only to make contact with air. All the employees in the nearby office were promptly ordered out of the room by Artemis. One of the more gutsy employees asked, ¡°What''s Mr. Luther doing, Vic?¡± Victoria stared daggers at the employee and warned, ¡°If someone leaks news of this incident to the rest of thepany, all of you can pack your bags and scram. Understood?¡± Meanwhile, Bailey shrugged free of Artemis'' grasp in the office. ¡°What''s the meaning of this, Mr. Luther?¡± Gone was Artemis'' cool and collected demeanor earlier. Instead, his handsome features were tinged with fury. He retorted furiously, ¡°What happened to your feisty attitude? Why didn''t you defend yourself against their malicious usations?¡± Bailey stared at him speechlessly. Is he feeling upset on my behalf? Why is he doing that? Our rtionship is purely professional; he has no right to dictate orment on my personal life. With that thought in mind, Bailey fired back, ¡°Why should I? They were only telling the truth.¡± Artemis'' gaze chilled instantly as he questioned, ¡°So it''s also true that you crawled into Xavier''s bed?¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 He''s a dog! A crazy dog! Bailey reminded herself, speechless at his words. He''s a dog! A crazy dog! Bailey reminded herself, speechless at his words. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. ¡°Mr. Luther, it''s true that I sold myself off seven years ago for money. It''s also true that I bore that dog a stillborn baby and was kicked out of the family by my father. I think it''s better to distance yourself since I have many red gs. Getting close to me is just going to ruin your reputation.¡± Artemis locked his gaze on her stone-cold face and saw her eyes turn red. His heart ached for her as he saw through her pretense of stubborn indifference. He couldn''t help but raise his hand and caress her delicate brow. ¡°Everyone is saying you sold yourself off to Mr. Larson, but I know he''s not Zayron''s father. So who is that man?¡± Bailey sniffled as she became emotional. ¡°Man? What man? It was a dog. A crazy dog,¡± she said through clenched teeth. ¡°Okay. Fine. Fine. A dog. Who is that dog?¡± Bailey swatted his hand away. ¡°I don''t know. He''s probably dead,¡± she said coldly. Why else wasn''t she able to find that man''s blood in the blood bank? She had gone through blood banks from inside and outside the country but had failed to find any that matched Zayron''s DNA. Artemis raised his brows. I''m d he''s dead. If not, then I would have beaten him to death. He felt really pissed off at the man even though he didn''t know why. Bailey took a few steps back until she felt safe and returned to her usual cold demeanor. ¡°Mr. Luther, we''re not meant to be. Our identities and statuses are just too different. Let''s just part ways and not make things difficult for each other.¡± With that, she turned around and sprinted out of the room. Artemis didn''t stop her from leaving as he watched her retreating figure. He couldn''t help but curl his lips as he recalled how she referred to that man as a crazy dog. Crazy dog... Nice one! He agreed with the notion that the man was crazy since he had let someone like her slip away from him. Meanwhile, back at Shelbert Condominium, Maxton barged into the study with his phone in hand. ¡°Hey, Idiot. I just got word that Great-uncle Yoel contacted Justin. He''s nning to do a paternity test between Daddy Eddy and you.¡± Zayron paused and whipped his head up, revealing his frown. ¡°Is this true?¡± ¡°Of course. Great-uncle Yoel evenmanded Justin toe out with the results by tomorrow. You''re probably not Daddy Eddy''s son, right? If that truthes to light, wouldn''t this be a p to Mommy''s face?¡± Zayron narrowed his eyes and fell silent for a moment. ¡°I bet this is your mommy''s doing again,¡± he said through clenched teeth. Maxton nodded with a cold expression. ¡°I think so too. Also, she''s not my mom. Don''t get it wrong.¡± Zayron rubbed his chin thoughtfully as a smug smile formed on his lips. ¡°Trying to humiliate Mommy? Not in a million years.¡± Maxton blinked as an equally wicked smile curved his lips. ¡°Does this mean we''re giving her a tight p to the face?¡± ¡°The result will be out tomorrow?¡± Zayron queried without answering his question. ¡°Yes. Tomorrow. Twenty-four hours is all they need since Justin is doing the test personally.¡± ¡°Okay. Can you try to get me Justin''s medical system ount? I have a use for it.¡± Maxton patted his chest. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Caridee returned from abroadter that afternoon. Dwayne sent her back to the Luthers'' residence after picking her up from the airport. After fussing over Caridee in the living room, Felicity went into the kitchen to prepare a delicious meal to wee her daughter''s arrival with the butler''s help. Caridee was a bright and cheerful seventeen-year-old. Growing up as the youngest child in the Luthers and having two older brothers, Caridee had always been a pampered child. That was how she ended up having an unruly and willful personality. ¡°Oh, Rhonda, where''s Max? I haven''t seen him today.¡± A fierce look shed past Rhonda''s eyes upon that, but it disappeared soon after. ¡°Oh. He''s at his aunt''s.¡± ¡°Aunt?¡± Caridee stared at her in confusion, her brows furrowed. ¡°What aunt? I didn''t know Max has an aunt.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Rhonda fumbled for an answer. ¡°I don''t want to ruin your mood since you just returned. It''s unpleasant news that will only make you angry.¡± Her words piqued Caridee''s curiosity. ¡°It''s fine, Rhonda. Tell me.¡± Rhonda hesitated for a while before she said through clenched teeth, ¡°Do you still remember the Jeffersons have an older daughter than me?¡± Caridee narrowed her eyes. ¡°You mean the daughter who became pregnant before she got married and was kicked out of the house by Mr. Jefferson, Bailey?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rhonda nodded as her eyes glinted dangerously. ¡°What she did was over the line. She sold herself off for five million back then and got pregnant. My father had no choice but to kick her out of the house as he didn''t want the whole family to be dragged down into the mud with her affairs.¡± Caridee nodded. ¡°I understand why Mr. Jefferson did that. So Max is at that woman''s ce?¡± She frowned. Putting on a worried expression, Rhonda sighed. ¡°I don''t know what that sister of mine said to Max, but he refuses to return home these days. You know how bad her reputation is in Hallsbay. I''m worried she would be a bad influence on Max.¡± Caridee leaped to her feet. ¡°What are you still standing around for? Let''s head over to that woman''s ce and bring Max back now!¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Rhonda pursed her lips. ¡°But Artemis trusts her a lot and even said he would let her raise Max,¡± she said in an aggrieved tone. ¡°Artemis trusts her?¡± Caridee widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°My high and mighty brother has never rooted for anyone else before this. Who does she think she is? She''s just a woman with a bad reputation!¡± ¡°Uh... I heard that she''s the designer sent from the Archulean office.¡± ¡°What?¡± Caridee''s eyes turned wide as saucers. ¡°She''s the designer Artemis got me?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Rhonda pretended to be surprised. ¡°Bailey came to Hallsbay to design youring-of-age ceremony dress?¡± Caridee''s temper red upon that. ¡°I''m one of the Ten Acimed Socialites. She''s not worthy enough to design my dress! Artemis never told me all these while I was abroad. Thank God you told me, Rhonda, else I would have been so humiliated!¡± She had invited a lot of guests to hering-of-age ceremony. People would ridicule her if she wore a dress designed by such an immoral woman. ¡°How dare she create so much trouble for me? I''m going to teach her a lesson she''ll never forget!¡± Rhonda smirked discreetly. All she had to do was make good use of Felicity and Caridee, and she would be able to make Bailey''s life a living hell. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°Don''t get all worked up. My sister has found favor in your brother''s eyes. If you rashly get into a fight with her, he might just take her side.¡± ¡°Don''t get all worked up. My sister has found favor in your brother''s eyes. If you rashly get into a fight with her, he might just take her side.¡± Caridee clenched her teeth and scoffed, ¡°Doesn''t she know what a filthy sl*t she is? How dare she dream about designing me a gown for mying-of-age ceremony? What a joke!¡± Rhonda sighed and said casually, ¡°That''s not all. She even told your uncle and his wife that the son she bore back then was Edmund''s child. I swear that the kid was born out of wedlock after she slept with Mr. Larson. How could the baby be one of the Chiverses?¡± Caridee cringed as the corner of her lips twitched in disgust. She had learned something new about that shameless woman which redefined her understanding of moral values. ¡°Haha! Oh my goodness! Did she really say that Edmund fathered the child she gave birth to seven years ago? This is ridiculous! It''s utterly absurd! Did my uncle believe her words?¡± Rhonda shook her head helplessly. ¡°He has requested Justin to run a paternity test on both of them, and the results will be out tomorrow. I''m rendered speechless by Bailey''s actions. She''s gone overboard by deceiving the Chivers family just because she longs to climb up the socialdder.¡± ¡°She''s an absolutely brazen woman! Rest assured that I''ll figure out a way to expose her true colors to my brother and bring Max home, Rhonda.¡± ¡°Caridee, please understand that I''m not trying to drive a wedge between the two of you, but that''s the reality. You¡ª¡± ¡°Don''t worry, Rhonda. I won''t tell anyone what you told me today.¡± Meanwhile, in the study of the Chivers residence, Yoel and Edmund were staring daggers at each other. Their terrifying auras permeated the air, causing the tension in the room to be so thick that one could cut it with a knife. ¡°Spill! Is that child yours?¡± Yoel broke the silence. Edmund lifted his head and nced at his father with a faint smile. ¡°Does it matter whether he is or not? Is it a big deal? I want to marry Bailey, not her son. You''ve been pursuing a rational and nonchnt lifestyle your whole life. Thus, don''t you start giving me a lecture now and bother yourself with those petty matters!¡± Yoel mmed his fist on the coffee table and created a deafening bang. ¡°I can tolerate it if you have an illegitimate child. If the kid is truly your offspring, I''ll even agree to you marrying that woman. However, it doesn''t mean that I will willingly ept any bastard child into the family and raise him as a Chivers.¡± Edmund slowly got up from the couch and loomed over his father. ¡°Will you drop this topic if I tell you the truth? Will you stop Justin from running the paternity test?¡± asked Edmund coldly. ¡°That''s impossible!¡± Yoel was resolute and unswerving. ¡°The test is imperative for me to reveal that woman''s scheme to your mom. I want her to stop being delusional andpletely give up on pushing you two together.¡± Edmund chuckled. ¡°Why are you wasting your time asking me about this since you''ve made up your mind? Just wait for the results toe out tomorrow! Anyhow, let me remind you once more that I''ll definitely marry Bailey, regardless if the child is mine.¡± ¡°You... You''re such an unfilial son!¡± Nodding, Edmund muttered, ¡°It''ste. You should get some sleep. Goodnight.¡± After watching his son leave the study, Yoel swept the teapot and cups off the coffee table and onto the floor. He bellowed, ¡°You must have been bewitched by that woman! No, you''re not the only one. She must have cast a spell on Artemis too! Sooner orter, she''s going to destroy the two of you!¡± The following morning, Bailey received a phone call from Yoel, who told her to bring Zayron along to Justin''s infirmary. Even though she knew his agenda, she did not refuse him. Zayron isn''t Edmund''s son in the first ce. This is the perfect opportunity to use the paternity test to rify the misunderstanding. Bailey could not bear to deceive Gwendolyn any longer, for thetter had been very kind to her. Zayron narrowed his eyes at his mother as he reminded her, ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? It''s obviously a trap to purposely humiliate you. Bailey, I feel so sorry that you have to go through all this.¡± She caressed her son''s head and smiled. ¡°I''ve encountered my fair share of troubles and challenges in life. I''ve seen it all, and this is nothing! Don''t you worry, my dear. I''m a cactus that can survive anywhere. In fact, I don''t die so easily.¡± The little boy pouted and hugged his mother''s waist. ¡°Bailey, Susan and I will stand by you always, even if the entire world decides to go against you. Please promise me that you won''t be sad anymore.¡± ¡°You have me too.¡± Maxton hugged her from behind and pressed his face to her back. ¡°Sorry for being so useless and letting others bully you, Mommy. If tying the knot with Daddy Eddy can guarantee you a blissful life, I''ll say yes right away!¡± At this point, Daddy is pretty much as good as dead to me. Mommy is nicer. Though I may lose my biological father, Mommy will find me a stepdad. Either way, I''m not the one on the losing end. Bailey then chased the two boys out of her room,ughing. ¡°Get lost now. I want to get changed.¡± Around ten in the morning, Bailey and the two children arrived at Justin''s infirmary. The situation was more dramatic than she had imagined. Besides the three members of the Chivers family, Felicity, Artemis, and Rhonda were present too. When Bailey''s gaze fell on rence and his wife, her lip curved upward, forming a contemptuous smirk. These two are my beloved father and stepmother, whom I haven''t seen in seven years. Dare I say how good they look? It seems like they''ve pocketed lots of benefits from marrying their daughter into the Luther family. Life must have been a bed of roses for them. rence appeared sullen. The moment he saw Bailey, he strode toward her and raised his right arm, ready to give her a tight p across her face. Seeing his threatening gesture, Artemis and Edmund instinctively moved, wanting to stop rence. However, before any one of them could take subsequent action, a kiddish voice rang out in the huge waiting room. ¡°Don''t hurt Mommy!¡± The person who shouted was not Zayron but Maxton. Instantly, everyone present gaped in disbelief, including Bailey. When she saw the tiny figure dart over to stand in front of her to protect her, tears welled up in her eyes. If that child was still alive, he should be about this big now. Would he act like this little boy, protecting me with his small frame? rence was enraged by what Maxton did. A hint of displeasure shed across his eyes. Even though the boy was an heir of the Luther family, he was also rence''s grandchild. As such, there was no reason for rence to be polite to Maxton. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± rence roared. Seeing that rence was about to hit Maxton, Bailey quickly grabbed the boy and tucked him in her embrace. She then shot a cold re toward rence and mocked, ¡°Mr. Jefferson, aren''t you ashamed of yourself for wanting to hurt a seven-year-old?¡± ¡°Needless to say, he''s not ashamed of his actions. A scumbag like him doesn''t know how to respect others, let alone deserve respect.¡± Zayron''s malicious voice rang out in their ears, and his tone carried a tinge of menace. At that instant, rence went ballistic and hit the ceiling. ¡°Kneel before me, you wicked woman! You must have stolen a lion''s heart to have the courage to masquerade a bastard as a Chivers. How dare you!¡± Zayron appeared from his mother''s back and raised his head to look at rence disdainfully. ¡°Hey, what''s wrong with you, old man? I was the one who talked back at you. Why are you scolding Mommy instead?¡±Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You bastard!¡± Overwhelmed by rage, rence raised his hand in an attempt to p Zayron. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 ¡°You want to bully my brother? You must have a death wish!¡± ¡°You want to bully my brother? You must have a death wish!¡± Maxton broke free from Bailey''s tight grasp and dashed toward rence like a swift arrow. He aimed at the weakest part of the body and rammed his head into rence''s stomach. Though the impact was not severe, the force was sufficient to throw rence to the ground, yelping in pain. Everyone looked at each other in bafflement, thinking to themselves that the scene looked very much like a loving cub standing up for its mother! Without any hesitation, Bailey went up to the boy and hugged him. She touched his forehead and checked his entire body. Frowning, she asked, ¡°Did you hurt yourself?¡± Maxton grinned and replied, ¡°No worries, Bailey. I''ve trained my body and am a man of steel.¡± Despite feeling relieved, Bailey flicked his forehead and gave him a stern warning. ¡°Never ever use your head to attack others. Have I made myself clear?¡± The little boy pouted. Bailey is so fierce. Then again, I like it when she behaves this way. This is exactly how a mother should act. When rence was about to prop himself up, Bailey quickly pushed Maxton behind her and took several steps backward. Those present were moved by her action of putting the child''s safety as her first priority and protecting him from any possible danger. This isn''t something that one can fake easily. It''s definitely a natural motherly instinct. Bailey swept a nce across everyone''s faces and mocked, ¡°Why are there so many people here today? Is this your way of bullying the three of us, a poor widow and her sons?¡± What? A widow and her sons? The boy standing behind her is a Luther. Why is she iming him as her child? How shameless can she be? Beatrice went up to her husband and helped him to his feet. Shooting Bailey a vicious look, she yelled, ¡°Max is Ronni''s son. Since when did he be yours? Have some dignity, Bailey!¡± In response, Bailey smiled widely and turned to the boy. ¡°Are you Rhonda''s son?¡± Maxton replied arrogantly, ¡°Hmph! I want to do a maternity test with her. Brace yourselves for a big surprise after the resultes out.¡± Both Rhonda and Beatrice paled at his sudden announcement. They could not help but tremble in fear. W-What? A maternity test? A dead silence promptly descended over the waiting room. The expression on everyone''s faces varied. Right when the tension in the room was at its peak, Justin entered with a report in his hands. Yoel immediately approached him and asked anxiously, ¡°How is it? What does the report say?¡± Justin had a weird expression on his face. He looked as though he had experienced something terribly awful. ¡°What''s the conclusion? Stop keeping us in suspense and dere it already!¡± Rhonda and Beatrice gazed at each other and smirked smugly. Justin''s hesitance says it all. I''m pretty sure that the two of them are not biologically rted by any means. ¡°How could you do this, Bailey? As much as you want to curry favor with the wealthy and powerful in order to achieve a higher social status, you shouldn''t taint the honorable bloodline of the Chivers family!¡± ¡°It''s all my fault. I''m the one to be med for not educating Bailey properly. I may be her stepmom, but I''m still responsible for this. Mrs. Luther, Mr. Chivers, and the rest of the family, I''m the sinner. If you want to me someone, put all the me on me. Don''t¡ª¡± ¡°The paternity test shows that the two of them are biological father and son,¡± Justin interrupted, cutting her off mid-tirade. Those words were like a p in the face for Rhonda and Beatrice. Everyone was stunned beyond words. Three secondster, Rhonda uttered while trying her best to hold herself together, ¡°That''s impossible!¡± She blurted, ¡°Back then, she was clearly pregnant with¡ª¡± At that critical moment, she stopped whatever she wanted to say. Darn it, I nearly mentioned Artemis'' name! ¡°Back then, she was clearly pregnant with Mr. Larson''s baby. How did that baby be Edmund''s son? Did you make a mistake, Mr. Xuereb?¡± Justin ignored her and merely handed the report over to Yoel. ¡°Mr. Chivers, I suggest you consult other specialists since someone is doubting my medical skills.¡± Yoel awkwardly coughed once and responded wryly, ¡°Please don''t take it to heart. You''re thest person on earth that I''ll ever doubt. They don''t call you the Medical Genius for nothing.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Gwendolyn chimed in. Subsequently, she red at Rhonda and scolded her through gritted teeth, ¡°Just how evil are you? Are you saying that the Chivers family doesn''t deserve to have any offspring?¡± ¡°No, that''s not what I meant...¡± ¡°That''s enough! For someone who hasn''t officially married into the Luther family, you should be staying home obediently. Instead, you''re out and about causing trouble every day. I think the Luthers are too lenient with you. If it were me, I''d have kicked you out of the family long ago.¡± Rhonda turned to look at Felicity with tears in her eyes. ¡°Mrs. Luther...¡± In the face of strong evidence, there was no way for Rhonda to argue her way out. Once again, Felicity was fuming upon realizing the truth. ¡°Listen to Gwendolyn and go back to the Jefferson residence. Stay there for a while to reflect on your mistakes. The day you can finallye to terms with your faults will be the day you''re allowed to return to the Luther family.¡± Rhonda''s face turned ghastly pale as her body swayed. Does this mean that... she''s kicking me out of the Luther family? ¡°Artemis...¡± Artemis could not care less about her. On the contrary, his gaze was fixated on Bailey. The child is Edmund''s? How''s that possible? I''ll never believe that she lied to me. However, what about the report? What''s going on? Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. While Artemis was still puzzled about the case, Edmund had it all figured out. Needless to say, it''s all that brat''s doing. It''s a piece of cake for him to hack into Justin''s medical system and alter the results stated on the paternity test. So, does it mean that he has epted me completely? Bailey cast an icy nce at her son, her gaze darkening at a frightening pace. Zayron rubbed his nose and slowly moved closer to hide behind Edmund. Popping his head out, he asked with trepidation, ¡°Daddy Eddy, something doesn''t add up. Why aren''t they happy about the results? Are they angry that I''m your son?¡± Edmund smiled and ruffled his hair. ¡°They''re just shocked to the core to learn this news since it came like a bolt from the blue. Don''t worry; Grandpa and Grandma still favor you a lot.¡± Gwendolyn strode forward and hugged the little boy tofort him. ¡°That''s right. Grandma is over the moon!¡± ¡°Then, what about them?¡± Zayron pointed at the Jefferson trio and pouted. ¡°They look as if they had swallowed a fly. I feel so hurt.¡± Gwendolyn nced at rence before scoffing. ¡°So, the son your younger daughter gave birth to for the Luther family is your precious grandchild, but not the one your elder daughter gave birth to for the Chivers family. Are the Chiverses that insignificant and lowly to you?¡± Finally, rence snapped back to his senses and instantly grinned from ear to ear, exemplifying how overjoyed he was. Is this boy really the son of the Chivers family? If that''s the case, I now have yet another kin on my side equal in power to the Luthers. Haha, this is great news! So what if I don''t have a son? I''m beyond blessed to have two daughters who have sessfully climbed up the socialdder! Both my sons-in- law together can easily take on the world! ¡°Grandma, he''s not my granddad because Mommy doesn''t have a father.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 His words were indeed a p in the face for rence. Thetter refuted, ¡°No! That''s not true! My dearest grandson, I''m your granddad, the biological one!¡± His words were indeed a p in the face for rence. Thetter refuted, ¡°No! That''s not true! My dearest grandson, I''m your granddad, the biological one!¡± Zayron pursed his lips before he looked up at Gwendolyn piteously. ¡°Grandma, he disowned my mommy when she was pregnant with me. Is it all right if I don''t acknowledge such a scumbag as my granddad?¡± The way Zayron addressed Gwendolyn really melted her heart. ¡°Zayron, the decision lies in your hands. Nobody can force you into doing anything,¡± she reassured him gently. Zayron blinked as a sly look glinted in his eyes. ¡°I don''t feel like seeing them now. Grandma, could you please get someone to chase them out?¡± There was a drastic change in Gwendolyn''s countenance. It was as though a sunny day had turned cloudy in the blink of an eye. Shooting daggers at the threesome from the Jefferson family, she pointed at the door and stated indifferently, ¡°Since my grandson doesn''t wee all of you, you''d better leave now. Heed my words, and don''t get on his nerves. Otherwise, it''ll be toote for you to cry over spilled milkter.¡± Wearing a look of sheer embarrassment, rence was bereft of speech. Meanwhile, there was intense abhorrence on Beatrice''s and Rhonda''s faces. They had gone there mainly to witness how Bailey would be ostracized by the Luther family and the Chivers family after Yoel revealed her so-called true colors. It never crossed their minds that things would turn the other way around. Unexpectedly, they became the ones burying their faces in their hands in utter embarrassment. ¡°Max,e with me to the Jefferson residence, okay?¡± At her wit''s end, Rhonda could only step forward to embrace Maxton. She could not and would not allow him to stay by Bailey''s side. Maxton snorted without struggling before he drew closer and whispered near her ear, ¡°Let go of me now. If not, you only have yourself to me when I force you into taking a paternity test.¡± Unfazed by his words, Rhonda gazed at him with tears welling up in her eyes as she choked up. ¡°Max, trust me. I''m your mommy. Coincidentally, Mr. Xuereb is here. If you still doubt it, I''ll request him to conduct a maternity test for us.¡± Instead of lowering her voice, she deliberately raised it. Stupefied, Maxton stared at her. A hint of astonishment shed across his eyes. How''s it possible that this woman is not terrified at all? N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. A hint of frigidness flickered in Rhonda''s eyes. Realizing that she was currently in a disadvantageous position, she could only exercise restraint so Felicity and Artemis would not be suspicious of her. ¡°Mrs. Luther, Artemis, I have no idea what provoked Max into saying such things. Perhaps he was instigated by someone else. He''s never been like this before. Even though he''s not close to me, I''m still his biological mother. Now he treats me as if I were his mortal enemy, but I have no idea what I''ve done wrong. How about I request Mr. Xuereb to help conduct a maternity test for us?¡± she added earnestly. Felicity was already infuriated from what happened with Bailey. Hence, she could not refrain from lashing out when she saw that Rhonda was put in a tight spot. ¡°It''s an indisputable fact that you''re Max''s mother. Who here has the audacity to question your identity?¡± ¡°B-But Max appears to have been brainwashed by others and is refusing to acknowledge me as his mother.¡± Rhonda feigned pitifulness. ¡°He has no right to do so as you were the one who gave birth to him.¡± Beatrice grabbed the opportunity to smooth things over. ¡°Ronni, Max is still young, and he doesn''t understand what he''s saying. Don''t take his words to heart, okay? Stop mentioning silly things like getting a maternity test too.¡± With that, she turned to tell Felicity, ¡°Mrs. Luther, since the truth hase to light, there''s no point for us to linger here. We''ll take Ronni home with us first so you guys can have a family reunion.¡± ¡°All right. Ronni has not been in a good moodtely. Try to enlighten her and talk her out of acting foolishly by being at odds with her son.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After the Jeffersons were out of sight, Justin said to Artemis, ¡°Follow me to the study now. I have something to tell you.¡± Artemis threw Bailey a nce before striding after Justin. With half the people gone, the room was suddenly a lot more spacious. Felicity steeled herself and exined sheepishly to Edmund''s parents, ¡°I insisted that Ed should have a paternity test with the boy because I was worried someone might taint the Chivers family''s bloodline. Now that the truth has been unearthed, I''m more than happy that the Chivers family finally has a sessor from the third generation.¡± Gwendolyn smiled as she looked at her without any response. She cast her head down to ask the little boy in her arms, ¡°It''s almost eleven now. Are you hungry? How about I take you for some fried chicken?¡± On the heels of that, she froze momentarily. Smacking her forehead, she could not help chastising herself, ¡°Ah! My memory is getting worse as I age. I almost forgot how you were poisoned after eating fried chicken previously. Let''s quit taking unhealthy food. I''ll take you to a five-star restaurant then.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Zayron dragged her out eagerly. Meanwhile, Edmund advanced toward Bailey with a smile and stretched out his hand to hold hers. In a gentle voice, he suggested, ¡°It''s about time for lunch. I bet both of you must be feeling hungry now. How about joining my mother for a meal in the restaurant?¡± Gazing at his stunning good looks, Bailey hesitated. Sensing what was bugging her, Edmund tightened the grip on her fingertips. Evidently, no words were necessary to portray his feelings. ¡°Okay. I can''t let the kids starve since they''re still growing.¡± Bailey could not resist heaving a silent sigh before relenting. After all, if Edmund doesn''t care, why should I blow things out of proportion by insisting on revealing the truth? Edmund bent down to pick Maxton up before turning to tell Yoel, ¡°Dad, take your time to have a chat with Aunt Felicity. I''ll be bringing them for a meal then.¡± Yoel waved his hand impatiently. ¡°Go ahead. Remember not to let your mom drink wine so it won''t trigger her health issues.¡± Felicity''s face fell the moment they stepped out. She stated grimly, ¡°Justin is Ed''s good friend, so who knows whether Ed might have bribed him? Yoel, I think you should run a few more paternity tests in secret.¡± Yoel let out a deep sigh and reminded her, ¡°Felicity, don''t forget that Justin is not only the Luther family''s family doctor but also Artemis'' subordinate. There''s no way he would take orders from Ed.¡± Felicity tried to retort, ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Felicity, enough of that. You should be d that there''s finally a sessor for the Chivers family instead of questioning if he''s Ed''s flesh and blood. Not to mention, I''m convinced that Justin is a professional and ethical doctor who won''t be bribed by anyone. Furthermore, I''m sure that my son won''t lie to us on this either.¡± As Felicity''s face turned somber, there was a faint hint of displeasure in her eyes. D*mn it! How many times have I been humiliated because of Bailey Jefferson? She could not help loathing Bailey. Pfft! That woman''s obviously putting up a good front. While she looks cold and distant on the surface, she''s nothing but a sl*t in reality. Why else would she have such a terrible reputation in Hallsbay? In the meantime, Justin walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window in the study of his infirmary with two sses of red wine. He handed one of the sses to Artemis before arching his brows. ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± Theck of expression on thetter''s exceptionally chiseled face added to his imposing demeanor. ¡°Is it because of the paternity test result?¡± Justin questioned again. Catching sight of the intensifying somberness on Artemis'' face, Justin patted him on the shoulder and teased, ¡°Ha! She''s undoubtedly caught your eye. Too bad for you, Edmund has fallen for her.¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 It was as though he was poking Artemis'' heart with a needle. Even though Artemis did not feel any pain, it was utterly unbearable for him. He felt like he was suffocating, as if someone was gripping his throat. It was as though he was poking Artemis'' heart with a needle. Even though Artemis did not feel any pain, it was utterly unbearable for him. He felt like he was suffocating, as if someone was gripping his throat. At that very moment, the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped drastically again. Justin could not restrain himself from touching the tip of his nose before piping up, ¡°That boy is not Edmund''s biological son.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. In an instant, Artemis shot him a prating gaze. His tone was stern as he demanded, ¡°What did you say?¡± Justin quirked his brows. Aha! My instinct is proven right! The tyrant has seemingly taken a fancy to Bailey and is thinking of pursuing her, but he can only dismiss the idea because of Edmund. Undeniably, it''s inappropriate to eye a woman his cousin is in love with. If that boy is truly Edmund''s flesh and blood, our Mr. Luther can only lick his wounds silently then. After all, he knows he shouldn''t have designs on his buddies'' women. Needless to say, it would be different if that woman had never indulged in intimacy with Edmund before and borne him a child. ¡°I called you over to tell you something about the paternity test. Someone hacked into myputer and amended the result.¡± Justin cut the crap. Artemis knitted his brows instantaneously. He was the one who created Justin''s medical system. Shielded byyers of firewall, it was almost impossible for anyone to hack into it. Unless it''s a top-notch international hacker... Could it be Spook? ¡°Bring yourptop over to me. I need to check on that myself,¡± Artemis requested solemnly. Justin replied cidly, ¡°You can do that some other time. That''s not the important point here and not what I wanted to talk to you about.¡± At this point, he paused as his expression turned odd. Displeased with his hesitation, Artemis snapped grimly, ¡°What the heck is going on? Cut to the chase!¡± Justin raised his head to gulp down his ss of red wine before he turned to walk toward the desk. Then, he reprinted a copy of the paternity test result. Artemis followed behind Justin and stretched out his hand to snatch the printed copy from him. Even though he did not have any expertise in the medical field, he could still understand fundamental medical terms. Pointing at one of the sections in the copy, he questioned, ¡°What does this mean?¡± Heaving a sigh, Justin elucidated slowly, ¡°You don''t need to doubt yourself. That''s exactly what you think it means. Let me put it this way. That boy is rted to Edmund, but he''s not Edmund''s biological son. In other words, the boy could be his brother or sister''s son. In conclusion, they are blood-rted or known as intergenerational blood rtives. Do you get it now?¡± His words repeated in Artemis'' mind. A thought niggled at him, but when he tried to ponder it further, it slipped away. Intergenerational blood rtives? He knew what it implied. It meant the boy''s biological father must be one of Edmund''s cousins, either from his paternal or maternal side. Catching sight of Artemis falling into a trance, Justin could not wrap his head around the former''s stance. Unable to help himself, he asked, ¡°Do you need me to investigate further?¡± As his temples started to throb, Artemis massaged them while replying hoarsely, ¡°No need for now.¡± Justin pursed his lips. He could see the avoidance amidst the resignation on Artemis'' face. Nheless, as thetter''s friend, he was fully aware that he should not let him continue falling deeper into the rabbit hole. ¡°If that boy is Simon''s son, he''ll be your nephew, and Ms. Bailey will be your sister-inw. Artemis, you''ve always been able to keep a cool head regardless of any circumstance. Thus, I''m sure you can think this through without my guidance. Don''t force yourself into a corner. Snap out of it before it''s too late, okay?¡± he advised earnestly. Even so, Artemis only waved his hand. ¡°Thanks for your concern. Pass me yourptop. I need to dig up the intruder hacking into your medical system.¡± Utterly speechless, Justin had no choice but to give in to him. Unequivocally, it was good enough for him to hint at Artemis tactfully. It might exacerbate the situation if he continued nagging at thetter. Hence, he advanced toward the desk again to pick up hisptop and pass it to Artemis. Thetter regained his usualposure and sat on the couch with theptop. Shortly after, his slender fingers typed on the keyboard swiftly. The grimness on his face intensified as time psed. ¡°How''s it going? Did you manage to find out anything?¡± Thud! After closing theptop lid abruptly, Artemis finally opened his mouth. ¡°It''s Spook''s ount.¡± Startled, Justin was at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Edmund and the two boys had a lot of fun in the amusement park the whole day. By the time he sent them back to Shelbert Condominium after dinner at a restaurant, it was already eight at night. Just as Edmund was about to leave, Bailey put on her shoes. ¡°I''ll send you down.¡± Edmund shed her a faint smile. His smile widened as he caught a glimpse of the two boys winking fervently at him. At the same time, he shed them an ¡°okay¡± sign behind Bailey''s back. After watching them leave, Zayron remarked blissfully, ¡°From now onward, I''m also an heir with a worth of at least a hundred billion. I foresee the others'' jaws dropping when they know about my new identity as the young heir of the Chivers family!¡± Maxton grinned gleefully. ¡°Ha! I''m officially the youngest Mr. Chivers from today onward. Don''t worry. I won''t fight for the title of heir.¡± ¡°How about Artemis Luther? Are you disowning him?¡± ¡°Who''s he? Do I know him? Stop saying he''s my father, okay?¡± ¡°Suck-up,¡± Zayron retorted with a scoff. ¡°Didn''t you insist that you wanted Bailey to be your stepmother previously? Are you taking back your words now?¡± ¡°I don''t see any difference. As long as she can be my mother, it doesn''t matter to me who my father is,¡± Maxton replied matter-of-factly. Hearing that, Zayron did not know what toment. ¡°Oh yeah! Idiot, do you know what that despicable woman is scheming about? She''s not my biological mother but had the gall to suggest taking a maternity test in front of everyone. I can''t fathom what''s in her mind!¡± Zayron shot him a nce speechlessly. ¡°You''re indeed hopeless. Not only are you disowning your father, but you''re also refusing to acknowledge your mother. What do you want then?¡± Puffing out his cheeks, Maxton riposted in exasperation, ¡°She''s not my mother!¡± Rolling his eyes, Zayron mocked, ¡°Didn''t you say that Artemis Luther''s not your daddy just now? Hmph! Only a fool would believe your words.¡± Maxton was rendered speechless. In the meantime, Edmund and Bailey were walking abreast along a stone path. ¡°Bay, when are youing to the Chivers residence for a meal? I can barely wait to introduce you officially to my parents,¡± Edmund asked abruptly. Bailey halted in her tracks and tilted her head to stare at him. The dim light prated the leafy treetops, cascading over his face and faintly illuminating it. She chuckled and replied with a melodious voice, ¡°I might be busiertely. We''ll talk about it again sometimeter, okay? Anyway, I''ll always be here. Don''t tell me you''re worried I''ll run away.¡± Edmund''s heart fluttered uncontrobly as his hand touched her bangs, twisting a strand of hair around his fingertip coyly. Bailey did not have the courage to look intently into his affectionate gaze. Casting her head down, she mumbled, ¡°Edmund, it''s gettingte. You''d better¡ª¡± There was a sudden warm sensation on the back of her head as his other hand cradled it. In the next second, his face loomed over her before closing in gradually. Realizing what was about to happen, she stretched out her hands hastily and ced them on Edmund''s shoulders, trying to stop him from inching forward. ¡°Don''t do that. Others on the road might see us.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 She heard a burst of deep and warmughtering from above her head. The next second, Edmund whispered into her ears, ¡°If there''s no one around, will you let me kiss you?¡± What? ¡°Don''t worry. I won''t force you especially you.¡± Bailey was rendered speechless. That intimate posture went on for ten seconds. Both of them knew very well that nothing had happened between them. But it was different from strangers. For example, the man who was seated in the ck sedan not far away. From his angle, it appeared as if Edmund was kissing Bailey on her cheek. Artemis'' face turned grim, and he pressed his lips together hard. The moment he walked out of the office, he dismissed his bodyguards and drove by himself along the road. Somehow, he ended up at that condominium after a long drive. The familiar street corner made him lose his rationality. The urge to see her was overwhelming. He was not a sentimental person. On the contrary, he was a cold and heartless man with a clean personal life.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. If Simon did not con him seven years ago, he would not have ended up with another son. He had met Bailey by chance. However, the feelings he had told him that it was predestined by God. Fate... Unfortunately, she seemed to have met someone she liked. To make matters worse, the man was his brother. Now that her son had some kind of connection with his brother, the entire thing was a mess of entanglement. Suddenly, the honking of a car brought him back to his senses. When Artemis looked up again, only a slim figure was left standing there. Bailey stood under the streetlight and waved her hands with a smile. Although she was quite a distance away, he could tell that her eyes were filled with gentleness. Bailey always treated Edmund with warmth and gentleness. Perhaps, he should give them his blessing. Not long after Bailey returned to her condominium, the doorbell rang. She nced at the clock on the wall and noted that it was nine o''clock. It was quiet in the children''s room. The two of them must have exhausted themselves during the day, so they must be asleep by now. She walked toward the door and peered through the peephole. It was rence... What''s my scumb*g father doing here? After a moment of hesitation, she opened the door. There was no warm feeling when the father and daughter met. Instead, the atmosphere was tense. ¡°Bay...¡± rence struggled to speak up. Bailey sneered with a look of ridicule and mockery. She had been back in Hallsbay for ten days, and he had never oncee and visited her. Now that he found out that Zayron was the descendant of the Chivers family, he came to them like a dog. ¡°Mr. Jefferson, is there anything I can help you with?¡± Her cold greeting and icy tone put rence in an awkward spot. ¡°Bay, why didn''t you exin to me back then? If I knew you have slept with Edmund, I wouldn''t have...¡± At that instant, he stopped whatever he was saying and looked embarrassed. Bailey smiled coldly and continued his story for him, ¡°If you knew Edmund was the one I have slept with, you wouldn''t have chased me out of the house. Haha! Mr. Jefferson, offspring from the Chivers family is so precious to you, but regr men are worthless?¡± rence looked more ill at ease as the conversation went on, but there was nothing he could say to salvage himself. If she had conceived a son bore by a loser, he would have never cast another look at her. The truth was that she had given birth to an heir of a wealthy and influential family. Therefore, it was a completely different matter. The Luther family had made his life so much better in Hallsbay. If he were associated with the Chivers family, nobody would dare to provoke the Jefferson family again. ¡°If you want to marry into the Chivers family, you will need a proper title. As Ms. Bailey of the Jefferson family, it will help. Why don''t we let bygones be bygones? Pack up your things and move back to the Jefferson residence with me.¡± Bailey wanted tough badly. She could not believe that such shameless people existed in the world. Is he trying to sympathize with me? Sorry, but I don''t need it! ¡°I''m about to climb up the socialdder. I''m afraid that the Jefferson residence isn''t big enough for someone like me.¡± ¡°You!¡± ¡°Mr. Jefferson, if there''s nothing else, please leave.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± rence stuck a leg out to stop her from closing the door. ¡°I provide you with an honorable status. Once you are married into the Chiverses, you can help out the Jefferson family. It''s a win-win situation for you. Why are you turning me down so soon?¡± Bailey was about to lose her temper and said helplessly, ¡°Once I go back to the Jefferson residence, I will do everything in my power to throw Beatrice and her daughter out of the house. By then, things at home will be chaotic. I reckon you will be on the trending topic every other day and be a laughingstock to the rest of the world. Mr. Jefferson, are you sure that is what you want?¡± rence pursed his lips and said with a sigh after a moment of silence, ¡°Fine. I won''t force you to move back home. It will be my birthday two days from now. If you are avable, pleasee home. I will rify the past matter publicly and restore your status as Ms. Bailey of the Jefferson family.¡± Other than a smile, there was no other expression on Bailey''s face. Her eyes appeared even colder. ¡°Sure. I''ll be there. If there''s nothing else, I''ll shut the door.¡± With that, she raised her leg and kicked rence''s knee. The intense pain caused him to retract his leg. With a chuckle, Bailey mmed the door shut. She turned around to find Zayron standing at the bedroom door. He seemed to be looking at her, but there was ack of focus. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± asked Bailey. Zayron shook his head and said fearfully, ¡°Yesterday, I used your ount to hack into Justin''s medical system and alter the test result.¡± Bailey frowned and asked, ¡°And then?¡± ¡°That cunning Artemis detected my presence, and he locked my position down.¡± Bailey looked grim. ¡°Please don''t tell me that you did this from home.¡± ¡°Of course not. I''m not that stupid. If I did it at home, I would have exposed my location. Don''t worry. I did it in a mall in Bellridge. That''s all he can detect.¡± Bailey cast an icy nce at him before strutting toward the bedroom. ¡°Don''t log into that ount for the next six months. I don''t want to attract Artemis'' attention, and I certainly don''t want to provoke him.¡± ¡°Oh, okay...¡± The next day at the office of Luther Group. Artemis was looking through the documents with Dwayne standing next to his table. It was so quiet in the spacious office that one could hear a pin drop. All anyone could hear was the shuffling of papers. It was only after a long while before Artemis'' voice rang out. ¡°Any progress on that thing that I asked you to investigatest night?¡± Dwayne rolled his eyes and replied, ¡°We have looked through the surveince cameras in the south, east and west corners of the mall. But we didn''t find anyone suspicious. As for the area in the north, the surveince cameras are not working, so there was no footage of the crowd that day.¡± Bam! Artemis mmed his pen on the table. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Dwayne got a shock. Oh my! It''s so scary when the tyrant gets angry. ¡°If the surveince cameras in the mall have broken down, then how about other ces? If you can''t find anything within one mile, then expand the search radius to ten miles or even a hundred miles if necessary. I don''t care how you do it, but you must locate this fellow. Even a vague picture of him will be good enough.¡± Dwayne nodded with a bitter expression. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Artemis pointed at the opened door and spat out two words, ¡°Get lost.¡± Fine! Just as he was leaving, Dwayne remembered something, so he turned around. ¡°Tomorrow is Mr. Jefferson''s birthday, and his invitation card is with me. Will you like to attend the banquet?¡± ¡°We''ll see,¡± answered Artemis curtly. He was about to pick up the pen when he thought of something. rence''s birthday banquet? That woman must be there too. Her status must be different now that rence knew she bore a son for the Chiverses. rence would surely find a way for her to return home and show her off as Ms. Bailey of the Jefferson family. His birthday banquet would provide the most ideal opportunity for him to do that. ¡°Tell Mr. Jefferson that I will be attending his birthday banquet.¡± Dwayne was at a loss for words. Meanwhile at the caf¨¦ in Luther Group. There were two stylish-dressed young women seated by the window. One of them was the chief designer of Luther Group, Jessica. The other woman was Caridee of the Luther family. ¡°Jessica, I don''t want that woman to design my gown for me. She has such a bad reputation. If I wear her gown to mying-of-age ceremony, everyone willugh at me.¡± Jessica narrowed her eyes slightly and looked as if she was in a dilemma. ¡°Ms. Caridee, Mr. Luther seems to like her. If not, he won''t have asked us topete against each other. Although I''m confident of winning, I...¡± At that juncture, she stopped abruptly and looked uncertain if she should continue. Caridee pursed her lips. In truth, she was an intelligent girl. The moment Jessica mentioned her brother, she understood what she was trying to insinuate. ¡°Are you worried that my brother will be biased toward her? Even if you have the better design, my brother will still pick her.¡± Jessica pretended to look anxious and said tentatively, ¡°There''s something I''m not sure whether to tell you or not.¡± ¡°Go on. You have got nothing to worry about. I''ll back you up.¡± Jessica sighed before saying dejectedly, ¡°The dresses that Ms. Jefferson designs are very sexy, but those types of gowns suit only mature women who dress that way to seduce men. Ms. Caridee, it will be inappropriate for you to wear a dress like that on your birthday. But, Mr. Luther admires her even though her designs don''t suit you. He even insists on her joining thepetition. I worry that-¡± Caridee took a deep inhtion before saying through gritted teeth, ¡°I know what you want to say. Ha! She thought she will win just because she has my brother''s backing? Thispetition is for me to choose the designer for my gown. The final decision lies with me. Jessica, don''t be scared. Go ahead andpete with her. With me around, you''ll have nothing to be scared of.¡± Jessica smiled in response. Looks like Rhonda is a good ally to have. With her instigation, this willful princess of the Luther family would have never sought me out. This way, I can get Caridee to deal with that b*tch, Bailey. ¡°May I know what kind of design you like, Ms. Caridee?¡± Without thinking, Caridee answered, ¡°Just design ording to how the Ten Acimed Socialites dress. I don''t believe that Bailey''s design can outshine yours. After all, you are a student of Eve. There is no way the chief designer of Luther Group can lose out so easily to someone who has only a few years of experience in dressmaking.¡± After hearing her praise, Jessica was very satisfied and smug. She also had the feeling that she would win thepetition. Even Hallsbay could not tolerate a woman with such a sullied reputation. There was no way Bailey would be better than her. Who is she topare to me? One design from me will be enough to get rid of her for good. In the study of Shelbert Condominium. Zayron was having a video call with someone. ¡°Where did you get this paternity test report?¡± asked the eight-year-old boy on the screen. His name is Kai Sheldon. Kai was a good friend of Zayron and highly talented in the medical field. Despite his tender age, he also possessed several other skills. Zayron nced at the paternity report and pouted. ¡°Is there anything wrong between Daddy Eddy and me?¡± The night before, he had sent the report to the group chat after he stole the test result from Justin''s system. Now that Kai had seen it, Zayron reckoned that the rest of them must have too. ¡°Both of you aren''t father and son.¡± Zayron rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Of course not. I''m the one who altered the report. Why are you telling me this?¡± ¡°But, the two of you are rted,¡± proimed Kai. ¡°What?¡± Zayron jumped up from his chair. ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡± There was no response from Kai. Instead, he checked the report over and over again before saying, ¡°You only changed the result. Did you alter anything else?¡± Zayron red at him and chided, ¡°You know I''m clueless about all these. How can I alter anything else? All I did was delete the word ''Not''. I didn''t touch anything else. What are you trying to get at?¡± ¡°If you didn''t alter anything else, then you are rted to Edmund but not first degree. To put it inly, there''s a possibility that you are the son of his cousin.¡± ¡°Holy sh*t!¡± Zayron jumped. ¡°Are you sure you got this right?¡± ¡°If this test report is true, then I''m right. Otherwise, you can enter your blood type into the database and find the person who matches your DNA.¡± Zayron pursed his lips. He knew the consequence of the current finding. Then again, Bailey had finally epted Daddy Eddy, and the two of them were about to seal the deal. If he disclosed the identity of his biological dad, that would definitely put Bailey in a difficult position. Daddy Eddy is such a gentleman. If he finds out that Mommy belongs to his cousin and I''m the son of that man, things will be very awkward for Daddy Eddy. D*mn it! How can that son of a b*tch be Daddy Eddy''s cousin? This is so unfair! It will be fine if it is any other man. But, why does it have to be Daddy Eddy''s cousin? F*ck! Chapter 39 Chapter 39 ¡°It''s not necessary at the moment, but I''ll check with Bailey again. If she really intends to marry Daddy Eddy, this will be the end of the matter. Anyway, you must keep this a secret.¡± Kai shed an okay sign with his fingers. ¡°All right. If there''s nothing else. I''m ending the call.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± No sooner had the video call ended than the room door opened. Maxton subsequently entered with a te of fruits in hand. When he saw the grim look on Zayron''s face, he couldn''t help but ask, ¡°Idiot, who got on your nerves?¡± Zayron narrowed his eyes at him. After scrutinizing Maxton with a piercing gaze, he asked derisively, ¡°Don''t you have an uncle who''s a jerk?¡± Daddy Eddy doesn''t have any siblings and is the only son of the Chivers family. Also, he doesn''t have any male paternal cousins too. As for male maternal cousins, the only ones around are his aunt''s children. Artemis is one of them, but he already has a son who is about my age. Therefore, the chances are not high. That only leaves... What''s his name... Mr. Simon Luther. That''s it! When I get the chance, I''ll throw him at a bunch of women. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Jerk Uncle? Oh, that''s right. He truly is a jerk. If not for him, my dad wouldn''t have be horny and ended up having me.¡± Staring coldly at him, Zayron asked through his gritted teeth, ¡°Has Jerk Uncle slept with anyone before? In other words, does he have an illegitimate child somewhere?¡± Maxton furrowed his brows. ¡°Probably not, as I''ve not heard of anything of that sort before. Idiot, what''s wrong? Did you just discover that he has one?¡± Zayron snorted inughter amidst a vicious expression that descended upon his face. If I find out that he is my biological dad, I will make sure that he bes impotent for the rest of his life. Those who phnder irresponsibly are scum. He certainly doesn''t deserve to have exceptional children like me and Susan. ¡°Can you go to Luther Group''s blood bank to steal some of Jerk Uncle''s blood for me?¡± He wanted to take a paternity test together with Simon. As the blood belonging to the members of the Luther family wasn''t recorded in police registries, he wouldn''t be able to find a match even if he uploaded his blood type into the system. Maxton stomped his feet in exasperation. ¡°F*ck, does Uncle Simon really have an illegitimate child outside? Who is it?¡± Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes and gave Zayron a probing look. ¡°Don''t tell me that it''s you.¡± Zayron red at him. ¡°Just follow my instructions, and stop wasting time. If you dy any further, I''ll kick you out.¡± Maxton was speechless. Meanwhile, in the design department director''s office of Luther Group, Stephen was looking at the two women sitting at the opposite ends of the couch. He couldn''t help but ask with a smile, ¡°Ms. Tanner, Ms. Jefferson, since both of you are colleagues now, what''s the point of behaving like enemies?¡± Bailey ignored him while flipping through a fashion magazine. Sniggering, Jessica replied sarcastically, ¡°Wouldn''t I be sullying my reputation by working with someone ipetent like her? Mr. Chandler, whatever it is, just speak candidly. I''m worried that I''ll be ruined by this shameless woman sooner orter.¡± Bailey let out a chuckle before retorting, ¡°Mr. Chandler, have you been keeping a mad dog as a pet in your break room? Why do I keep hearing one barking? I suppose it must be a b*tch that is dying to mate.¡± Bailey''s words seeded in lighting the fuse of Jessica''s rage. Springing to her feet from the couch, thetter bellowed, ¡°Who are you calling a b*tch? Who are you using of wanting to mate?¡± Ignoring her, Bailey smiled at Stephen with a cocked brow. ¡°Did you hear that? I can hear it barking again. I must say, Mr. Chandler, it''s not healthy to keep a dog indoors all year. All you will do is drive it mad.¡± ¡°You...¡± ¡°Enough, Jessica. Zip that mouth of yours. Since Ms. Jefferson ims to have heard a mad dog barking, she must definitely have heard it. Besides, she didn''t say that it was you, so why are you being so worked up for? Unless you''re admitting that you are the b*tch that she''s talking about?¡± ¡°I...¡± Outraged, Jessica trembled all over while her face grimaced in seething anger. I''ll bear with it for now! One of these days, I''ll tear that face of hers apart and have her groveling at my feet. ¡°Today, I''ve gathered both of you here to convey Ms. Caridee''s decision. Actually, her requirements are simple. Whoever can design an outfit that is both creative and capable of entuating her status as one of the Ten Acimed Socialites would be chosen as her fashion designer. On top of that, Mr. Luther dered that he will nominate the winner of thispetition as a candidate in The Grand Fashion Show.¡± At that moment, a greedy glint shed across Jessica''s eyes. There was only one prize given out at The Grand Fashion Show¡ªThe Ultimate Designer, which was the highest honor within the fashion industry. The Grand Fashion Show was apetition held once every four years, and only four candidates were allowed to participate in it. Therefore, one would never get the opportunity unless one had obtained very strong support. Four years ago, Jessica didn''t make it as she was not qualified despite the fact that she was Eve Lussohn''s student. As a result, she resolved to qualify as a candidate this year. Given that Luther Group was The Grand Fashion Show''srgest sponsor, she figured that the organizers of the show would respectfully award her the title of The Ultimate Designer out of respect for Artemis. With that title, she would be able to lord it over the tens of thousands of fashion designers throughout the world. Four years ago, the woman known as Snowke¡ªa dark horse then¡ªhad won the glorious title. Hence, Jessica, as Eve''sst student and the lead designer for Luther Group, believed that the title would be hers. ¡°Really? Does Mr. Luther really n to nominate me as one of the candidates for The Grand Fashion Show?¡± Jessica disregarded Bailey, for she had already assumed that she would win. In her opinion, the inept Bailey stood no chance against her at all. In fact, she doubted thetter could evenplete the design of a gown, let alone one befitting the Ten Acimed Socialites. With his eyes slightly narrowed, Stephen''s gaze fell upon Bailey. However, he couldn''t help but smile when he saw her indifferent expression and herck of desire to argue with Jessica. That''s how someone humble yet talented behaves. With that, he was filled with anticipation to see what this lead designer from Archulea was made of. After all, he trusted Xavier''s eye. The fact that Bailey had transferred to headquarters with glowing rmendations was a testament to her capabilities. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, do you have any questions?¡± Bailey shrugged before putting down the magazine she was holding. After getting to her feet, she asked with a smile, ¡°Other than being creative and to entuate her status as one of the Ten Acimed Socialites, are there any other requirements?¡± ¡°Sheesh, look at how thick-skinned you are. These two requirements alone are enough to give you grief. And yet, you''re asking if there''s more? What a joke, Bailey. You can drop that act of yours now. If I were you, I would back out of thepetition and leave Hallsbay so as to not sully the city.¡± Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Ignoring Jessica, Bailey maintained her smile as she asked Stephen curiously, ¡°Is the dog barking again? Mr. Chandler, I''m sure you can hear it now.¡± ¡°You...¡± Overwhelmed by rage, Jessica raised her hand in an attempt to p Bailey. At that moment, piercing glint shed across Bailey''s eyes. Giving in doesn''t mean fear, and I have had enough of this woman. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. After Jessica''s repeated provocations, the good-natured Bailey had run out of her patience. Just before Jessica''s palm struck her, Bailey caught the approaching hand in mid-air. Even though Bailey wasn''t using much strength to restrain Jessica, her inherent athleticism was enough to stop thetter. ¡°Ouch, it hurts! It hurts. My wrist... It''s going to break.¡± Letting out a snigger, Bailey tightened her grip. ¡°Let me remind you to stay out of my way and stop messing around with me. Do you hear me? I''m not your mother and not under any obligation to tolerate your rudeness. Going forward, you had better behave instead of trying to p someone as you wish.¡± At the sound of Bailey''s words, Jessica was filled with so much indignance that her heavily made-up face began to contort. ¡°You despicable woman, who do you think you are? You sold your dignity for five million and even bore an illegitimate child, so who are you to criticize my actions? I¡ª¡± p! The next moment, Jessica instinctively held onto her burning cheek with her free hand as she stared at Bailey in disbelief. ¡°You... How dare you hit me. You b*tch. What gives you the right to do that?¡± Bailey snorted inughter before rebutting, ¡°The right? I hit you just because I can. Ms. Tanner, have you learned your lesson now? Whenever you want to hit someone, you have to catch them by surprise.¡± ¡°You...¡± Jessica stared daggers at Bailey as if the burning rage in her eyes could incinerate thetter into ash. ¡°Have you not learned anything yet? In that case, let me show you again.¡± With her brows raised, Baileysh out again with the back of her hand when Jessica wasn''t looking. p! Having been struck twice, Jessica had red palm prints on both sides of her cheeks. They were a testament to how much force Bailey had employed. ¡°Bailey, I''m going to kill you.¡± Then, she began to struggle vehemently. However, Bailey gave her hand a forceful pull. ¡°Ah!¡± Amidst a piercing scream echoing through the office, Jessica lost her bnce and crashed onto the ground. Raising her right leg slightly, Bailey used her sharp heels to hold up Jessica''s chin. The next second, Jessica''s red lips made intimate contact with the bottom of Bailey''s shoes. ¡°Oh, Ms. Tanner, that''s awfully gracious of you to lick my shoes in gratitude after I showed you how to p someone twice.¡± ¡°You...¡± Sprawled on the floor, Jessica angrily hammered her fist on the ground before cursing, ¡°Bailey, one of these days, I''ll tear you apart with my bare hands.¡± Bailey cocked her brow in amusement before strutting out the door. ¡°I''ll be waiting... for the day youpletely transform into a mad b*tch.¡± Stumped, Jessica could faintly taste the stench of blood in her throat, as if she had burst a vessel inside. Then, she tried desperately to suppress the blood that had pooled in her mouth from being thrown out. I hate her. I really hate her! What right does this despicable woman have to throw her weight around like that? Rubbing his forehead, Stephen reached out his hand to pull Jessica back to her feet. ¡°Didn''t I tell you that Ms. Jefferson isn''t to be trifled with, as she''s not the kind ofdy who can be bullied? When you refused to listen, you end up disgracing yourself. What''s the point in all this? If you resent her, shouldn''t you outdo her with your capabilities? Why do you need to get into an altercation?¡± ¡°Stephen...¡± Jessica, tears welling up in her eyes, asked in a pitiful tone, ¡°How can a filthy and uncultured wench like her qualify to design a gown for Ms. Caridee''sing-of-age ceremony?¡± Raising his brows, Stephen cracked an indiscernible smile. ¡°In that case, why don''t you take your case to Mr. Luther? Perhaps he might listen to you and send her back to the Archulea branch.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Jessica sniggered. ¡°Wouldn''t that be letting her off too lightly? I want her reputation to be destroyed so that she will never step foot in the fashion design industry again. How dare shee and compete with me? I''ll make sure to teach her a lesson she''ll never forget.¡± Sighing inwardly, Stephen shook his head in resignation as disappointment glistened in his eyes. It''s good to have some pride, but one always needs to back one''s ego up with real ability. It''s obvious that Jessica is no match for Bailey. In fact, both of them can''t even be mentioned in the same breath. And yet, Jessica insists on letting her ego run wild with her superiorityplex. Sooner orter, she will be put in her ce. In the afternoon, Maxton returned to the Luther residence. In the living room, Felicity picked up her grandson and peppered him with kisses. Subsequently, sheined, ¡°You are really heartless, aren''t you? Even though I have raised you, you left me behind without saying a word. And now, you''re not even willing toe home. Is that woman really that wonderful?¡± Maxton tried to struggle free from her arms. Upon seeding, he retreated two meters away and retorted, ¡°You''re not a child. There''s no way you can empathize with what a child takes delight in. With regard to whether Bay is a wonderful person or not, all that matters is that I know the truth. Besides, she''s not someone who''s desperate for everyone''s approval.¡± Despite ranting on with a joking tone, Felicity still felt a sense of gratitude toward Bailey. If it wasn''t for thetter, her precious grandson wouldn''t be talking, let alone speaking with such eloquence. All these years, she had engaged the best specialists throughout the world to cure his autism. Unfortunately, her efforts saw little sess. However, after meeting Bailey for less than a month, Maxton began to speak like a normal person. Therefore, it was undeniable that Bailey deserved all credit for healing Maxton. ¡°Come on, Grandma. Stop nagging me. Now that I can speak so fluently, I want to get myself examined at the Luther family''s infirmary to see if I have fully recovered from my autism.¡± Felicity has barely heard his words when she sprang up from the couch. ¡°That''s right. Look at how bad my memory is to have let the matter slip my mind. It''s true that you do need to go for the checkup.¡± With that, she walked up to Maxton and held his hand. ¡°Let''s go. I''ll take you there.¡± Maxton''s eyes darted around. Cognizant that he was going to the infirmary to steal a blood sample, he knew his father''s suspicions would be aroused if he went alone. However, if he was apanied by his grandmother, she would act as a distraction. ¡°All right, Grandma. Come with me then.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Meanwhile, in the CEO''s office of Luther Group, Artemis was sitting at his desk. While going through some documents, the phone on his table rang. ncing at the screen, he saw that the call was from the Luther Group infirmary. ¡°Hmm, what is it?¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, Mrs. Luther has brought Mr. Maxton to the infirmary. She says she wants to have him see a psychologist.¡± Artemis'' hand which was holding a pen froze momentarily. After a moment of silence, he narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Did Maxton request for it himself?¡± Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡°Yes. After he went to see Mrs. Luther at the Luther residence, she brought him to the infirmary.¡± Artemis'' expression began to change. Would he return to the Luther residence from Shelbert Condominium for no good reason? Of course not! Therefore, he must be up to something. ¡°Keep a close eye on him, and see what he intends to do at the infirmary.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Luther.¡± Back at the Luther Group infirmary. ¡°How is he, Dr. Cramer? Has Max''s condition improved or deteriorated? Now that he speaks just like an ordinary person, does it mean that he is no longer autistic?¡± Dr. Cramer replied with a smile, ¡°Actually, Mr. Maxton never suffered from any speech impediments before. He is physically no different from an ordinary person. All he was doing was sealing himself away emotionally from the outside world. Now that he has been given the opportunity to climb out of his shell, he won''t suffer from autism again as long as he maintains his current mood. Upon hearing the doctor''s words, Felicity breathed a deep sigh of relief. ¡°Thank God my precious grandson can live like an ordinary person. Thank God...¡± Maxton rolled his eyes and grumbled, ¡°What do you mean by ''thank God?'' Isn''t this clearly the fruits of Bay''s effort? Before her appearance, God never performed any miracles. Grandma, if you really want to express your gratitude, you should thank Bay.¡± ted, Felicity wasn''t going to disappoint her grandson. Hence, she quickly added, ¡°You''re right. We should thank your aunt. She''s the one responsible for your recovery, happy now?¡± Feeling upset, Maxton red at her. ¡°Mommy, Mommy. I told you that it''s Mommy. Next time, don''t make the same mistake again.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. Mommy it is. I have never seen you this concerned for someone. In fact, you''re even making me jealous.¡± With his eyes darting around, Maxton raised his head and gave Felicity a peck on her cheeks. ¡°I care about you the most because you''re the one who loves me the most.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± His ttery elicited a wide beam from Felicity as if she was on cloud nine. ¡°Grandma, I need to get some air, as I can''t stand the smell of medication in here. Anyway, I''m sure you still have questions for Dr. Cramer, so I''ll be waiting for you outside.¡± Felicity put him down right away. ¡°All right. Go on then, but don''t go anywhere you shouldn''t. This ce is filled with clean rooms.¡± ¡°I know.¡± After leaving the doctor''s office, Maxton swiftly scanned his surroundings. Once he was certain that the coast was clear, he sneaked off to the fifth floor where the blood bank for the Luther family descendants was located. Demonstrating great agility, he slipped into the cold room with ease. However, the sight of a huge number of vials densely arranged together frustrated him. Left without a choice, he picked them up one by one to check. Uncle Simon, where is your blood? Zachary Luther... That''s Great-grandpa... Gerald Luther... That''s Grandpa... Artemis Luther... That''s Dad... Uncle Simon''s is probably next to Dad''s. After rummaging through the box, he took out two vials containing blood samples. The one in his left hand was taken out from the sectionbeled Artemis, while the one in his right was from the sectionbeled Simon. After staring at them for a while, doubt began to fill his mind. Why don''t I switch Uncle Simon''s blood sample with Dad''s? That way, when Idiot receives a negative result from the paternity test, he would no longer be troubled by the matter. He knew that Zayron was certain Simon was his father and didn''t want it to be anyone else. If Uncle Simon really is his father, wouldn''t I be equally outraged? ¡°Max, where are you? It''s time to go home.¡± A voice was heard shouting outside. Jolted by it, Maxton instantly broke out in cold sweat. Oh no, Grandma ising. Gritting his teeth, he decided to take Simon''s blood sample so that Zayron could use it in his paternity test. Who knows, we might end up being cousins one day. Besides, carrying the surname Luther is so much better. In his panic, he identally put Simon''s blood sample back into the box and took Artemis'' blood sample out of the cold room with him instead. By the time he ran to the end of the corridor, he saw Felicitying up to the fifth floor with a group of staff apanying her. At that moment, he quickly slipped the vial he was holding into his pocket. ¡°Max, why did youe all the way here? You have given me a fright.¡± Felicity stepped forward and hugged him in relief. Tugging the corner of his lips, Maxton heaved a sigh of relief. Luckily, I wasn''t caught. ¡°Since the full-length windows on the fifth-floor balcony are open, I just wanted to get some air there. Sorry for making you worry.¡± Feeling bad for reprimanding him, Felicity held Maxton''s hand as they headed downstairs together. ¡°All that matters is that you''re fine. This infirmary belongs to the Luther family, so you''re free to go wherever you please. However, you have to be more careful, all right?¡± Zayron nodded obediently. ¡°Mmm-hmm. I understand, Grandma.¡± After the person responsible for the infirmary escorted Felicity and Maxton out, he called Artemis at once. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, Mr. Maxton went to the blood bank and took Mr. Simon''s blood sample away.¡± Artemis, who was in the middle of a meeting, narrowed his eyes upon hearing the report. ¡°Are you sure that he took Simon''s blood sample?¡± ¡°I am, as I personally checked them. Mr. Simon''s blood sample is not in the box, and other than Mr. Maxton, no one else has entered the blood bank for the past two weeks. Moreover, when I did an inventory before that, the blood sample was still in there.¡± Artemis'' eyes were suddenly filled with raging emotions. It wasn''t difficult for him to guess why Maxton had stolen Simon''s blood sample. Obviously, Zayron must have gotten Maxton to do that. In other words, the former suspects that he might be Simon''s son. For some strange reason, a sense of helplessness descended upon Artemis. If that kid is Simon''s son, his mother... would then naturally be Simon''s girl... Oh, Simon''s girl! If it was anyone else, he had no qualms ining between them. However, now that it involved his younger brother, he just couldn''t bring himself tomit such a despicable act even if he was capable of it. ¡°Mr. Luther, do you want me to get the blood sample back from the Luther residence?¡± Narrowing his eyes, Artemis tly replied, ¡°Forget it. Just let him be. Nheless, don''t tell anyone else about it.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Luther.¡± After having his dinner at the Luther residence, Maxton insisted on returning to Shelbert Condominium. Despite how Felicity coaxed him to stay, she gave in after a while when she failed to change his mind. Subsequently, she sent the driver and bodyguard to escort him back to the condominium. Inside the study at Shelbert Condominium, Maxton handed the blood sample over to Zayron. ¡°This is Uncle Simon''s, Idiot. If you really are my cousin, will you agree to your mommy marrying Uncle Simon?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Narrowing his eyes, Zayron pondered for a moment before replying through his greeted teeth, ¡°That depends on whether your uncle is a jerk. If he is, I will cripple him myself, let alone hand Mommy over to him.¡± Gasp! Chapter 42 Chapter 42 What''s with the brutality? Wouldn''t I end up harming Uncle Simon? ¡°What if he''s a gem? Would you then be willing to acknowledge him?¡± Troubled by the topic, Zayron waved his hand. ¡°We''ll see. I can''t judge him until I meet him.¡± Maxton nodded. ¡°My aunt''sing-of-age ceremony will be held in one month. Hence, Uncle Simon will be returning from overseas to attend it. When the timees, I''ll introduce him to you.¡± ¡°Fine. Let me warn you. Do not say a word to Bailey about this. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Don''t worry, my lips are sealed.¡± Zayron was speechless. If your lips were really sealed, I wouldn''t have used you of being an ipetent teammate. The next day, Zayron went to the courierpany and sent the blood sample Maxton had given him over to Kai. Kai had informed him that he needed to wait one week for the results. Zayron replied that there was no hurry. All that mattered was the uracy of the test. When he returned to the condominium, Bailey asked him, ¡°I''m heading over to the Jefferson residence tonight. Do you want toe along?¡± Giving her a mischievous look, Zayron sneered, ¡°Aren''t you worried I drive that horrible dad of yours mad?¡± ¡°I couldn''t have wished for anything more,¡± Bailey quipped before returning to her bedroom. Tilting his head, Zayron waved to Maxton who was sitting on the couch. Skipping over, thetter asked with a smile, ¡°You must have thought of a way to prank Rhonda, haven''t you?¡± Zayron simply rolled his eyes in response. This guy is a lost cause. ¡°Bailey will do it herself, so don''t worry. She will definitely make that hypocrite beg for mercy.¡± Maxton was ted to hear it. Any news of Rhonda suffering naturally delighted him. In fact, it made him happier than being the scion of the Luther family. ¡°In that case, what do you want from me?¡± Leaning close to his ear, Zayron whispered, ¡°I want you to get some aphrodisiacs from the Luther residence, and then... drug Bailey.¡± ¡°F*ck.¡± Maxton stomped his feet. ¡°Idiot, how can you sabotage your mommy?¡± ¡°Shush.¡± Zayron shot him a re before continuing in a barely audible voice, ¡°Not so f*cking loud. Mommy is still in the house.¡± Maxton looked at him as if he was a monster. ¡°What''s wrong with you? Why do you want to drug your mother?¡± Zayron snorted twice before exining through his gritted teeth, ¡°I want to see what Mommy''s reaction is to Daddy Eddy. If she rejects him even under the influence of drugs, it means that what they have isn''t true love. Therefore, I''ll have to reevaluate who''s going to be my father.¡± A glint shed across Maxton''s eyes. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Does this mean that Uncle Simon has a chance? ¡°Fine, I''ll help you.¡± Stunned, Zayron gave him a look of surprise. ¡°Aren''t you worried that my mommy will skin you alive?¡± ¡°She wouldn''t dare.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°That''s because I''m the scion of the Luther family. If sheys a finger on me, she would be spending the rest of her life in prison.¡± Zayron was rendered speechless. Back in the CEO office of Luther Group, Artemis almost thought that he had entered the wrong room the moment he stepped in. No, who is it that''s munching on snacks while lounging on my leather couch? Dwayne''s lips twitched as he couldn''t help but hold his forehead. Didn''t I tell her to stay in my office? What did shee in here for? ¡°Do you know her?¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°Is she yours?¡± Dwayne gave him the side-eye and retorted, ¡°Do you have to assume that every little girl is mine? How many f*cking illegitimate children do you think I have?¡± Artemis sniggered before pushing the door open and entering. Disregarding the girl on the couch, he walked up to his curved desk and instructed, ¡°List out today''s itinerary for me.¡± However, Dwayne ignored his orders and walked up to the couch. Breaking out a grin, he asked, ¡°Little girl, didn''t I tell you to wait in my office? Why are you lying down here?¡± ¡°You''re a jerk.¡± The girl snorted. ¡°You behaved shamelessly just so that you can marry my godmother. Well done.¡± Erm... Dwayne scratched his nose as he cracked an awkward smile. The girl added, ¡°Didn''t you tell me toe to Luther Group headquarters when I return to the country? You even said that Mr. Luther would personally wee me. I wouldn''t have rushed here before even going home.¡± Pinching his forehead, Dwayne began to feel pressured. This girl is too clever for me. I just can''t keep up with her pace. Artemis¡ªwho was about to circle around his curved desk¡ªstopped in his tracks and turned toward the little girl. When he first entered the room, her face was mostly blocked by the packet of junk food she was holding. Hence, he didn''t get a good look. However, now that she was sitting upright with her face clearly visible, he was stunned by the sight. Her exquisite features felt somewhat familiar to him as if he had seen them somewhere before. Before he knew it, his legs subconsciously carried him to her. Standing in front of the couch, he scrutinized her with furrowed brows. Now that he had gotten a closer look, she looked even more familiar to him. ¡°Are you Barbara? The child star that Tempest Entertainment spent three hundred million on?¡± Susan''s lips curled into a vibrant smile before replying in a cutesy voice, ¡°That''s right. I''m her. My autographed picture is worth a lot, and I feel that you deserve one. Therefore, shall I sign one for you?¡± Amidst the easing of his frown, Artemis broke into a faint smile. She really is a mischievous little girl, no different from how I imagine her to be the other day. It''s just that her face looks really familiar as if I have seen it somewhere before. ¡°And your parents are¡ª¡± Before the question rolled off his tongue, there was a sudden knock on the door, followed by the respectful voice of ady. ¡°Mr. Luther, Mr. Longman of the public rtions department is aware that you''re going to attend Mr. Jefferson''s birthday banquet tonight. Therefore, he has called to check if you need a female plus one for the evening?¡± Slightly upset by the question, Artemis frowned. Since when have I ever attended a banquet with a femalepanion? Quentin must be having too much time on his hands to pull such a prank on me. ¡°I don''t¡ª¡± Before he could finish, the girl on the couch raised her voice and spoke. ¡°Miss, Mr. Luther already has a companion. Tonight, I''ll be attending the dinner together with him. Thus, you don''t have to be worried about it.¡± Everyone else was speechless. After giving Dwayne a wink, she returned her attention to Artemis. ¡°Mr. Luther, I wonder if I have the honor of being your plus one tonight?¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes. If it were a woman, he would definitely resent the suggestion. However, he didn''t resent the little girl at all. Raising his gaze to look at his secretary, Artemis tly replied, ¡°Did you hear that? I already have a femalepanion. Convey the message to Mr. Longman, and tell him to mind his own business. There''s no need for him to be concerned with mine.¡± The secretary tucked her head in before swiftly slipping out of the office. Lowering his head to look at Barbara, Artemis remarked with a hidden smile, ¡°This is the first time I''m taking a femalepanion to a banquet. Little girl, you''d better make me proud.¡± Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Susan blinked and there was a sh in her eyes. Mr. Luther is not as terrifying as what Zayron had described. He has even agreed to take me to the banquet. There is no sense of aplishment at all. ¡°Mr. Luther, am I off the hook for ending the trip early?¡± Artemis raised his eyebrows while his elegant lips curled tentatively into a sinister smile. After beating around the bush, she has finallye to the point. She is full of tricks. ¡°Haven''t you handed in the leave application? I seem to remember giving my approval.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± She grinned. ¡°Thank you, Boss. In the future, I shall act well so that I can be the best cash cow in Luther Group.¡± He did not reply to her. Do I need to rely on this girl to make money? At night, the mansion of the Jefferson family was as bright as day. Tomemorate Rhonda giving birth to an heir for the Luther Group, celebrities from all walks of life arrived to show their respect for the Jeffersons and so a small birthday banquet attracted almost all the rich and famous of Hallsbay. Young men in suits and young women in gowns were seen everywhere on the huge outdoor grounds, raising sses and drinking merrily. Bailey entered from the back. To be precise, she climbed over the wall into the backyard. She was not there to im her rightful status from rence, nor to show disdain to him for epting her as a family member again. All she wanted was to find Beatrice and confront her about how her mother died. Through the quiet back garden, she groped all the way to the main building. The outdoor grounds were lively and almost all the guests were gathered there. Inparison, the indoors were peacefully quiet. ¡°Ms.... Ms. Bailey, is that you?¡± An elderly voice suddenly rang out from behind, stopping Bailey in her tracks. Even before turning around, she felt the prick of tears in her eyes. In the moonlight, a trembling figure was approaching her step by step, while murmuring, ¡°It''s Ms. Bailey. It must be Ms. Bailey. She grew up under my care. How could I not recognize her?¡± Bailey turned around with tearful eyes, and she looked at the olddy who hade right up to her. In a choked voice, she said, ¡°Nanny Quaid, it''s me. I''m Bailey.¡± After confirming that it was Bailey, Nanny Quaid''s whole body began to shake. She raised her trembling hand and slowly stroked the side of Bailey''s face. ¡°It''s really you, Ms. Bailey. I''m so relieved to see that you''re well.¡± Bailey took a deep breath and suppressed the pain in her heart. Softly, she asked, ¡°Nanny Quaid, do you know where Beatrice is at this moment?¡± The old woman froze as if remembering something. Then, she reached out hurriedly and pushed Bailey towards the backyard door. ¡°Ms. Bailey, you shouldn''t havee back. Mrs. Jefferson and Ms. Rhonda set up a trap. I didn''t know who they were going to deal with. Now that you are here, I guess it''s you. Hurry up and go quickly. Don''t let them harm you.¡± Bailey gave her a smile and told her gently, ¡°Nanny Quaid, I''m not the pretty face who was defenseless seven years ago. Now, I am not afraid even if theye knocking on my door. In fact, I hope that they would do that. Where is Beatrice? Where is she now?¡± The olddy was very relieved to see her calm expression and the self-confidence shown on her face. Ms. Bailey is indeed not the same person she was seven years ago. Every move she makes now looks intimidating and cannot be ignored. ¡°She is attending to the guests in the front part of the mansion. She won''t be here for a while.¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes and remained silent for a while. Then, she said, ¡°I''ll go out to the front to see her. Nanny Quaid, when I''m done, I''lle and catch up with you.¡± ¡°Great! You must be cautious lest you fall into the trap this mother and daughter have set up.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± In the front part of the mansion, the outdoor grounds were filled with a lively crowd. Beatrice was standing in the fruit counter chatting with a fewdies. ¡°Mrs. Jefferson, you are really getting younger and younger, and you are glowing. Is the wedding date for Ms. Rhonda and Mr. Luthering soon?¡± ¡°Well, it''s definitely true. Ms. Rhonda is deeply loved by Mrs. Luther, and she gave birth to an heir to the Luther family. The wedding is only a matter of time.¡± ¡°Beatrice, when your girl marries into the Luther family and bes a member of that family, don''t forget your old friends. You will have to ask your son-inw to take care of our businesses.¡± ¡°That''s right. In Hallsbay, Mr. Luther is the leader. When he bes your son-inw, don''t forget to speak up for your old friends so he''ll look out for us.¡± The flood of ttery pleased Beatrice so much that she could not stop smiling happily. It was the utmost privilege to have Artemis as a son-inw and among all the affluentdies of Hallsbay, she was the only one to enjoy that honor. ¡°We have been friends for eons. Naturally, I''ll do anything I can to help. Later on, that disowned daughter wille back here. When she arrives...¡± Before she could finish speaking, thedies around hurriedly agreed. ¡°Don''t worry, Beatrice, we will bring up all the scandalous things she did back then, and disgrace her, so that she''ll go back to wherever she came from.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Beatrice smiled with satisfaction. At that moment, a middle-aged housekeeper came out, approached Beatrice and whispered in her ear. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She is in the restroom.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll go over right away,¡± after saying that, Beatrice turned to her affluent friends and told them, ¡°I have to deal with something. You girls enjoy yourselves.¡± At that, she turned around and walked away with an arrogant gait without waiting for a response. After watching her leave, one of thedies took a sip and sneered, ¡°She thinks too much of her insignificant influence and has no idea how ridiculous she looks. She is just a mistress relying on her illegitimate daughters to take over the household. Her daughter was pregnant with the seed of the Luther family after seducing the man. If not for that, she will not have a ce in the circle of affluent ladies in Hallsbay!¡± Anotherdy sighed. ¡°Hey, there''s nothing we can do about it. It''s a matter of one rising in position based on another''s deeds. Her daughter is definitely a smart one. She has slept with the man in power in the Luther family and given birth to their heir. Just based on these two points, she can be proud as a peacock.¡± ¡°Huh! What''s there to be proud of? So what if she has given birth to a baby boy? Seven years have passed but the Luther family has not set any date for the wedding. As long as they are not married, her daughter is only a mistress.¡± The moment Beatrice entered the restroom, an exquisitely-dressed woman walked up to her. ¡°Beatrice, you''re here!¡± ¡°Sienna, what''s wrong with your face? Did someone assault you?¡± Sienna gritted her teeth and said with a look of resentment, ¡°I was beaten by that old scum, Laurence. He was keeping a mistress. Can you imagine a fifty-year-old scum hooking up with a twenty-year-old actress? I asked him for an exnation, but he just hit me and threatened to divorce me and marry that little slut. Beatrice, you have to help me, please.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Beatrice narrowed her eyes. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Everyone in Hallsbay knows that old bugger, Laurence, for his promiscuity. He doesn''t have any other capabilities other than womanizing. The only reason he can continue his phndering ways throughout all these years is that he has the Luther family as his support. That''s right. He''s a coteral descendant of the Luther family. Even Artemis has to address him as Uncle based on seniority. ¡°How do you n on teaching him a lesson?¡± With clenched teeth, Sienna said, ¡°He loves women, doesn''t he? Arrange one for him tonight. Then, live stream his cheating as* in front of the guests. Let Artemis and Mrs. Luther witness his embarrassing behavior for themselves. Mrs. Luther might not teach him a lesson, but I can''t say the same for Artemis. With such a scandal tarnishing the name and pride of the Luther family, he will surely chase that old d*khead, Laurence, out of the Luther family.¡± Something glinted in Beatrice''s eyes as a scheme took shape in her mind. I was just wondering of a way to push that b*tch, Bailey, to her demise. Initially, I nned to drug that b*tch, then have a bodyguard rape her. I''ll live stream the entire thing, so everyone can see what a wh*re she is. However, I changed my mind after hearing Sienna''s n. If Laurence is the one who rapes Bailey, Artemis will never ept a woman tainted by his uncle. I''m certain Theodore and Felicity won''t approve of his rtionship with Bailey, even if Artemis is willing to ept her. Having slept with an elder of the Luther family, Bailey will never marry into the Luther family. With this n, I can get Sienna to owe me a favor and deal with that little b*tch. I can kill two birds with one stone. Her lips curved into a cruel smile at the thought. Suppressing her delight, she stered a troubled look on her face. ¡°Sienna, it''s not going to do you any good if the Luther family kicks Laurence out of the family,¡± she said hesitantly. Sienna scoffed. ¡°He already squandered all his money after splurging them on his other women all these years. He''s penniless, and I want to destroy him this way. I''ll divorce him after the Luther family kicks him out. It''s not going to affect me either way since I''ve already lined my pockets with more than enough funds from the Luther family to livefortably for the rest of my life.¡± Beatrice wrapped her arm over Sienna''s and sighed. ¡°When I first married into the Jefferson family, they all looked down at me and called me a home wrecker. You were the only one willing to befriend me. I remember your kindness even after all these years. I''ll be doing you wrong if I refuse you now. Let me think of something for you. I''ll make sure it infuriates Artemis and get him to kick Laurence out of the family.¡± ¡°Thank you, Beatrice.¡± ¡°Don''t worry about it.¡± I''m the biggest beneficiary. A household staff reported respectfully, ¡°Mrs. Luther and the Chiverses are here, Mrs. Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson summons you over to greet them.¡± Beatrice''s mood brightened. The Chiverses are here already? Wonderful! The show will be interesting today. Beatrice''s expression changed the minute she stepped out of the lounge. A humble look reced the arrogance she wore before. She ran into Rhonda, who was also on her way to greet Felicity. ¡°Have you made the necessary arrangement, Mom?¡± A malicious expression took over Beatrice''s face. ¡°Rest assured. I''ll make sure that b*tch, Bailey, bes aughingstock tonight,¡± she assured. Rhonda looped her arms over Beatrice''s arm. ¡°You''re the best, Mom!¡± Rhonda giggled. ¡°Don''t get your hopes up too early. The Chivers family considers that little b*tch as Edmund''s child. Bailey will still have the chance to turn the table if that information remains a secret.¡± Rhonda pressed her lips into a line. ¡°I''ll coax that olddy from the Luther family into letting me move back to the Luther residence. Caridee, that unruly girl hates Bailey so much right now. I might have a chance to expose the little b*tch''s true colors through her.¡± Beatrice nodded with augh. ¡°You finally thought things through. Well, coax that olddy then. Her decision will decide whether you can marry into the Luther family.¡± ¡°Okay. I''ll do as you say.¡± Beatrice''s steps halted as she said in a low voice, ¡°Lure Bailey to the residential area at the back when you see herter. Follow our original n and drug her. Leave the rest to me. There has been a change of n. We don''t need a bodyguard to rape her anymore. We''ll use another person who can surely make her life hellish.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± rence and Beatrice weed Felicity and the Chiverses at the outdoor grounds. After a few exchanges of small talk, Beatrice asked, ¡°Mrs. Luther, where''s Artemis? I haven''t seen him yet?¡± The star of tonight is Artemis. The show can''t go on without him. Felicity patted her hand softly. ¡°Don''t worry about him, Mrs. Jefferson. He''ll surelye since he already promised to do that. Maybe he''s dyed by some work. Let''s wait a little longer.¡± Amotion started at the entrance to the outdoor grounds. A maid came over to report Artemis'' arrival. All the spotlights aimed at the entrance of the outdoor ground, where the crowd was slowly receding. A tall, lean figure emerged from the dark and strolled toward them under the protection of a few bodyguards. The handsome man wasn''t the one who held their attention this time. Instead, the little girl holding his hand was the one who was under the limelight. ¡°Oh, heavens! Who''s that little girl? Why does she look so familiar?¡± ¡°Are you blind? The little girl is a replica of the man. Anyone can see they are father and daughter with a glimpse.¡± That piece of information caused an uproar among the crowd. Felicity, Beatrice, and Rhonda were surprised by the news as well. They do look alike. Their features are nearly identical. The little girl holding onto Artemis'' hand resembles him so much. ¡°W-What is happening?¡± Felicity stammered from the shock. Gwendolyn supported Felicity''s arm. ¡°Instead of Artemis, I''ll say the girl looks more like Simon. Did Simon leave a bast*rd outside?¡± Cold sweat formed along Rhonda''s brows at herment. That''s not Simon''s child. If my spection is correct, that little girl is probably that b*tch, Bailey''s daughter. What''s going on? What is she doing with Artemis? She''s even holding hands with him. Has Artemis found out that she''s his daughter? Did he find out what happened seven years ago? Artemis caught every whisper around him as he crossed the area. She looks like Simon? His brows furrowed at thement. It was no wonder she looked familiar to me. Now that I have a closer look, she does look a bit like Simon. What''s her name again? Barbara? No, it''s Susan! That''s right! Susan! Could it be... Dwayne said Susan was the daughter of Victoria''s best friend, and I supposed Ms. Bailey was Victoria''s best friend. That means... Susan is Bailey''s daughter! Chapter 45 Chapter 45 He stopped in his track and looked down at the little girl whose height barely reached his waist level. ¡°What''s your mommy''s name?¡± he asked, frowning slightly Susan gave him a cheeky smile and replied, ¡°My mommy''s name is Bailey, while my godmother''s name is Victoria. Which one are you referring to?¡± Those words left Artemis dumbfounded. He trembled involuntarily, then asked hesitantly, ¡°Zayron and you are...¡± ¡°We''re twins. He''s older than me by a mere twenty minutes,¡± the little girl shared. I see! This world is full of surprises! What has that lucky idiot Simon done to deserve a set of twins? He calmed himself down and brought Susan to Felicity and his family. ¡°Who''s this girl, Artemis?¡± Artemis kept quiet, and merely looked at Susan. A big smile appeared on Susan''s face as she dered, ¡°I''m Mr. Luther''s partner!¡± That left everyone speechless. From a corner of the venue, Bailey heard that child-like reply. She instantly stopped in her track and turned toward the direction where Susan''s voice came from. Her face fell when she saw the pair. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. When did this little troublemakere back? Why wasn''t I informed? And why is she with Artemis? ¡°Oh, isn''t that the abandoned elder daughter of the Jefferson family? Why is she here?¡± Suddenly, someone eximed loudly and created an uproar. ¡°Oh, indeed! That''s really Ms. Bailey! Fancy her having the cheek toe back!¡± ¡°That''s true. She was involved in such a big scandal back in those days. No decent woman would sell her body for money as she did!¡± ¡°Not only that! She even got pregnant! Thank goodness life is fair, and she suffered her retribution and lost the child.¡± Tears welled up in Susan''s eyes when she heard those nastyments. Her heart ached for Bailey, knowing her mom had never gotten over her brother''s death. She could imagine the pain Bailey experienced when those people picked on that emotional scar of hers. When Bailey saw Susan trying toe toward her, her expression darkened. She did not want her kids to get involved in that matter as she wanted to protect them from all the harsh judgments. She would rather bear with the ridicule and usations herself. In her heels, she elegantly strolled toward the crowd with a half-smile on her face. Gwendolyn wanted to step in to defend Bailey, but Yoel held her back. She red at her husband and hissed under her breath, ¡°What''s the matter with you? Bay had already bore our family a son, so she''s part of the Chivers family. How can we just stand by and watch as she''s being bullied? If she mes us for that and refuses to marry Edmund, I''ll make you pay for it!¡± Yoel signed and softly replied, ¡°It''s not that I''m not siding with our daughter-inw. However, it''s really not appropriate for us to intervene now. rence is the one who should speak up for her and clear the air. If we were to step in now, those gossipers would think she has buttered up to us and is making use of us to salvage her reputation.¡± Gwendolyn could not argue against her husband''s logical analysis, so she could only hold her peace. Bailey walked toward Beatrice, looked her straight in the face, and asked, ¡°Can you spare a few minutes, Mrs. Jefferson? I would like to have a word with you in private.¡± Beatrice was worried rence would try to clear Bailey''s name in public and ruin her ns. If the public got the impression that Bailey had slept with Edmund seven years ago and bore him a son, then it would ruin her ns to totally destroy Bailey. She had to act fast and go for the final kill while Bailey still had a bad reputation. She needed to do something to totally ruin Bailey''s name so she had no chance to salvage it anymore. She was d Bailey asked to talk to her in private, so she yed along with it. ¡°Oh, sure! You haven''t been home for so many years, and I have so much to catch up with you! Earlier this afternoon, your father was just telling me he misses you. How can a father stay angry with his daughter? Although he was furious and harsh to you back then, after he calmed down, he thought of you often. After all, blood will always be thicker than water.¡± Beatrice went up to Bailey and affectionately held on to her arm as she spoke, acting like a loving mother. Bailey knew what Beatrice was up to and had to suppress her urge to roll her eyes out loud. It was an unnecessary worry on Beatrice''s part, as Bailey had never nned on getting rence to clear her name in the first ce. It was true that she sold herself for half a million, slept with a stranger, and got impregnated. She didn''t want rence to get Edmund involved in that matter, as that would be unfair to Edmund. As she was going away with Beatrice, Bailey threw Susan a warning nce, hoping she would get the hint and stay away from Artemis. After Bailey and Beatrice left, all the attention fell on Artemis and Susan again. ¡°Ar-Artemis, don''t tell me this girl is Simon''s¡ª¡± Felicity asked trembly. Artemis interjected and announced, ¡°Luther Group''s Tempest Entertainment is grooming her as our latest child star. She''s not rted to the Luther family.¡± There was a hint of disappointment in Felicity''s eyes. She already had grandsons, so she was yearning for a granddaughter. Susan was a pretty and adorable little girl, and Felicity would be delighted if Artemis had confirmed her suspicion that the little girl was Simon''s daughter. Artemis saw through his mother. She was a very demanding old woman and had high expectations. The fact that she liked Susan proved just how likable the girl was. D*mn it! Such a cutie pie turns out to be that jerk''s girl. He really has it all! He couldn''t help but be a little envious of Simon''s luck for being blessed with such an adorable daughter. Beatrice led Bailey through the walkway and as soon as they reached a deserted part of the compound, she flung off Bailey''s arm, and her demeanor changed drastically. ¡°You want to know the truth about your mother''s death, don''t you?¡± she sneered. Instead of replying to her question, Bailey mockingly asked, ¡°What do you think? Other than my mother, what else do you think can make me put up such a disgusting act with you earlier?¡± Beatrice narrowed her eyes and threw Beatrice a menacing stare. ¡°I never knew you have such a sharp tongue. Do you want to find out about your mother''s death? Sure. Come with me,¡± Beatrice said, as she turned and headed to the southwestern corner of thepound. Bailey frowned slightly and wondered what Beatrice was up to as she was walking toward the house where Bailey and her mother used to stay. She hesitated for a moment before going after Beatrice. As Bailey was passing through a quiet pebbled path, she was greeted by a sweet scent, a scent that was very familiar to her. Those were the precious nts she nurtured when she was living there. It was a pleasant surprise for Bailey to see that they were still thriving and blooming seven years after she left. When they reached thepound of that house, Bailey stopped and said, ¡°Let''s talk here. I don''t want you to enter my mother''s house and tarnish the ce.¡± Beatrice stopped too, and she slowly turned around and gave Bailey a disdainful smile. ¡°Don''t think too highly of your mother. If she had not done anything terrible, she wouldn''t have suffered such retribution!¡± There was an evil look on her pretty face when she said that. Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Bailey stood at the entrance to thepound and stared intently at Beatrice. After a pause, she spoke through her clenched teeth and asked, ¡°Did you start that fire?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Beatrice pointed to herself, thenugh hysterically and added, ¡°Would you believe me if I said your mother was the one who started the fire?¡± Bailey''s stare became colder and more piercing as her eyes bore straight into Beatrice. ¡°I thought Madam Wenlock is an adult and would say something sensible,¡± she grunted. Beatrice squinted her eyes and said, ¡°Oh, you don''t believe me? I totally understand how you feel. No one will want to believe something like that. s, the truth is that your mother started that fire herself! She wanted tomit suicide as that was the only way for her to take the secret to her grave! It was a shocking secret, and she died because she found out about it!¡± Hearing that, Bailey became tense and nervous. She started recalling the events that led to her mother''s death, and she wasn''t so certain of her earlier belief anymore. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. If it was murder, there should be traces of evidence left behind by the murderer. However, despite all the efforts she put into the investigation for the past few years, she could not find a single clue. She couldn''t help but wonder if what Beatrice said was true. ¡°What''s the secret? What happened back then?¡± she demanded. Beatrice smirked and mocked, ¡°What''s the secret? It was something shameful, of course! She was worried she would be condemned if others knew about the matter. She chose to end her own life as that was the only way she could be freed from that fear of being exposed!¡± Bailey was about to take a step into thepound when she suddenly felt a gush of heat rising from within her. This is... She quickly overruled her own suspicion, rxed her tensed muscles, and tried to take another step. s, the next hot flush was even more intense than the previous one. Bailey was a full-grown woman with sexual experience, so she knew exactly what was happening. What puzzled her was that she had not taken any food or drinks after she reached the Jefferson residence, so she had no idea how she was drugged. She caught a whiff of the sweet floral scent, and suddenly, she realized what had happened. ¡°You mixed the aphrodisiac drug in the floral scent!¡± she eximed, her eyes cold and menacing. ¡°That''s right! It is in gas form and odorless, so you can''t possibly detect it in the air. Moreover, this ce is full of beautifully scented blooms, so even that sensitive nose of yours will never detect it.¡± Beatrice laughed out loud as she gloated. Bailey shook her head and forced herself to remain calm and alert. ¡°So what''s next? What do you have up your sleeve?¡± she barked. ¡°What''s next? My dear daughter, you must be desperate for a man now! As your stepmother, I''ll have to do my part to help you! Enjoy yourself tonight! That''s my wee gift to you. Wee back to Hallsbay... you trouble-seeker!¡± Beatrice mocked. With that, she shouted for someone, and immediately, a few bodyguards dressed in ck came strolling in and proceeded to surround Bailey. As she was still alert, Bailey instinctively got into her battle mode. ¡°Still hoping to fight back? How ridiculous! All of you move in and get her!¡± Beatrice ordered. ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± The few men moved in, and Bailey raised her arm and got ready to fight. At that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she saw two figures sneaking past at the southeastern corner of thepound, and a small wicked smile appeared on her face. The next moment, her legs jellied, and she copsed face down onto the floor. The bodyguards were stunned and froze for a few seconds. When they finally came around, they hurriedly went forward and restrained Bailey. ¡°We have her under control, Madam.¡± ¡°Well done! Bring her into the house and guard her well!¡± Beatrice ordered, smiling evilly. ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± As they passed Beatrice while the bodyguards were dragging Bailey into the house, Bailey pretended to be frightened and asked, ¡°Wh-what do you want?¡± ¡°What do I want?¡± Bailey''s fearful look greatly satisfied Beatrice, so sheughed out heartily and said, ¡°Naturally, I will need to find you a man! How about Laurence Luther? I heard he''s a pervert and a sadist. He loves exciting kinky sex, so I''m sure he''ll please and satisfy my lovely daughter tonight!¡± The usually calm and collected Bailey was infuriated by the shameless Beatrice, and she clenched her fists tightly. Laurence...? He''s an old man who''s over fifty years old! How can this woman be so evil! ¡°Why are you still here? Get her into the house! I''ll head off to invite Laurence over for this special feast!¡± Beatrice said. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Hahaha...!¡± Beatrice''s shrillughter rang out loudly in the desertedpound, sending chills down the spine of all those present. Hidden at a corner of the house, Maxton nudged Zayron and grunted, ¡°They are bullying Mommy! What should we do?¡± Zayron gave him a side eye and jumped down from the high corner. ¡°Let''s check on Bailey first before we n our next move,¡± he said. Maxton followed closely behind him, pointed out those men who were guarding the house, and asked, ¡°There are six of them. How do we get rid of them?¡± Zayronughed out disdainfully and said, ¡°Only six? Even sixty is not a problem for me!¡± He immediately sneaked out like a quiet shadow, and in a blink of an eye, Maxton could hear the heavy men falling onto the ground with loud thuds. His jaws dropped in astonishment, and there was a look of idolization in his eyes. My gosh! That idiot is really something! I wonder if there''s anything he can''t do? ¡°Moron!¡± Zayron derided, then quickly rushed into the house, leaving Maxton behind. Bailey''s limbs were bound, and she was left lying on the bed in the room. Her face betrayed a look of great difort. She wasn''t shocked when she heard themotion outside the house. If that little jerk can''t even settle those fools outside, then I''ll quit wasting money on him. I''ll just dump him at an orphanage. ¡°Are you okay, Bailey?¡± Zayron asked with concern after he rushed into the room and started undoing the ropes around Bailey. ¡°You could have easily settled those men outside earlier. Why did you allow them to tie you up?¡± he questioned. Bailey gave him a wry smile, flung off the undone ropes, and tilted her head toward a corner of the room. Zayron looked up and saw something with a blinking light there. ¡°It''s a high-definition camera capable of doing live streaming. So that witch wanted to...¡± He narrowed his eyes as he uttered through his clenched teeth and mmed his fist angrily onto a rack ¡°Do unto others what you would have them do unto you. Those who treat me with injustice, I shall repay them tenfold! The two of you, try to get me some aphrodisiac drugs,¡± Bailey said. ¡°Eh...¡± Zayron touched his nose nervously and then hesitantly replied, ¡°Eh¡ªAbout the aphrodisiac drugs... You don''t have to worry about it. I... I have some with me.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Zayron felt a chilling stare on him, and the next moment, his ear was pulled and twisted forcefully by Bailey. ¡°Not only do you have naughty thoughts, but you''re acting on them now! Out with it! Which little girl were you nning to use that drug on?¡± she roared. Zayron was speechless, amazed by his mom''s unusual chain of thought. ¡°That drug was meant for you, Mommy!¡± Maxton chipped in. Bailey''s face fell when she heard that. Zayron gave Maxton a death stare and grumbled, ¡°It''s a bloody mistake to bring you with me!¡± He then turned to his mother and asked, ¡°We''re running out of time. Are you sure you want to waste time on this?¡± Bailey flung him to the ground and solemnly said, ¡°I''ll settle this with you when we get home! Now, find a way to lure Rhonda here, and force-feed her the drug you have!¡± Zayron winked and let out a naughtyugh. Getting into mischief was certainly his area of expertise! As Beatrice was walking away from the house, she met Rhonda, who was heading toward her. ¡°How did it go, Mom? Did you manage to subdue that slutty Bailey?¡± Rhonda asked. Beatrice was a prideful woman, so she was annoyed that Rhonda actually asked her that question. ¡°What makes you think there''s even a possibility I''ll fail?¡± she chided. Rhonda beamed with joy upon hearing that. ¡°That''s great! Sienna just told him she has already given the drug to Laurence, and she was asking if we''re ready on our side.¡± ¡°Let''s go! We''ll invite Laurence to the wonderful entertainment we''ve specially prepared for him! I promise you our guests are in for a visual treat tonight, and they''ll not regreting here!¡± Beatrice was smiling sinisterly as she spoke. ¡°You move along, Mom. I want to go and take a look at Bailey. She had always been so arrogant, so I want to see her in her pathetic state now.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. There was a wicked look in Rhonda''s eyes as she added, ¡°Also, the high-definition camera is off, right? I want to personally turn it on. Remember to get the guys to link it to the big screen at the party. I want everyone to enjoy the raunchy session between Laurence and her!¡± She especially wanted Artemis to watch it, so he would see how cheap and slutty the woman he fancied was. Beatrice thought nothing could go wrong with Rhonda going to that house, so she agreed to the n. ¡°Sure! I''ll go get Laurence while you handle the camera in that house. Be careful and don''t leave any evidence of your presence there,¡± she reminded. ¡°Don''t worry, Mom. I know what to do!¡± After watching Beatrice head off, Rhonda happily made her way to Bailey''s former house. As she was passing the quiet path, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her neck. Before she could scream, she had already cked out and copsed onto the pebbled ground. ¡°Trying to bully my mommy? We''ll let you have an exciting night tonight before you face the wrath tomorrow!¡± Zayron snorted and said. Hot... My body is burning hot! Rhonda was in a daze and slumped on the bed, but her hands were iling about in the air. ¡°Oh, my little beauty...¡± The next moment, a heavy and grossly out-of-shape man appeared on the screen, his huge body blocking Rhondapletely from the camera. Boom! Instantly, the whole party venue became so silent that one could hear a pin drop. In the dead quiet, the steamy noisesing out of the speakers became more vivid and noticeable. When Beatrice saw the image on the screen, she was dumbfounded and rooted to the ground in shock, her earlier smile still frozen on her face. ¡°Gosh! Is-isn''t that Ms. Rhonda on the screen?¡± ¡°Look! It''s showing her face now! Indeed it is Ms. Rhonda!¡± ¡°Quick, snap some photos! This is going to be the top breaking news!¡± Instantly, all the cameras'' shutter sounds rang out at the party, and shlights were going off wildly as the media began to capture the racy scene yed on the screen. Beatrice had invited many mediapanies to the birthday celebration. She wanted to make use of them to publicize Bailey''s scandalous session with a man. She wanted Bailey''s bad name to spread wide and far, not only nationally, but also internationally. It was a roaring sess as she had nned, but little did she expect the female lead of the scandal was her daughter instead. She had single-handedly ruined her own daughter! She felt the world spinning around her, and stumbled backward. A middle-aged housekeeper quickly supported Beatrice and then whispered in her ear, ¡°You can''t go into a panic now, Mrs. Jefferson. Please get someone to turn off the projector, then hurry over to the house to save Ms. Rhonda! Otherwise... I''m afraid her life will be ruined!¡± Beatrice shuddered and snapped out of her daze. She flusteredly turned to the crew near her and shouted, ¡°Turn off the projector! Turn it off!¡± The crew was also in a panic and sweating profusely. His voice was a tremble when he replied, ¡°Mrs. Jeff¡ªJefferson, I can''t turn it off! The camera had linked up directly with the screen, so we can''t control it from our end!¡± As Beatrice felt another wave of dizziness hit her, she could hear amotion from the crowd again. ¡°Look! The face of the man on Ms. Rhonda is visible now! Oh my! He looks familiar!¡± ¡°It''s Mr. Laurence! He''s Laurence Luther!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes! That''s him!¡± ¡°Who would have thought Ms. Rhonda would be so open and wild, and couldn''t even reject a fifty-year- old old man?¡± ¡°The thing is, that old man is Mr. Artemis'' uncle! My goodness! This is pushing the boundaries of morals!¡± The expressions on Felicity, Yoel, and Gwendolyn''s faces darkened as they watched the chaotic scene. They were stunned and speechless for a long while, caught totally off-guard by the unexpected turn of the event. As they snapped out of their daze, they could no longer contain their fury. ¡°What''s happening? Felicity roared at rence and Beatrice. ¡°How could you let this scandal break out in front of so many people? Are you trying to humiliate yourself or disgrace the Luther family?¡± Colors drained from rence and Beatrice''s faces. They knew that if they got into the bad books of the grand old dame of the Luther family, Rhonda could forget about marrying into their family. Beatrice hurriedly exined, ¡°Mrs. Luther, someone must be trying to frame Ronni! Give me some time and I''ll get to the bottom of this!¡± With that, she rushed off, leaving all the guests behind. ¡°What are we waiting for? Let''s follow her! How can we miss this exciting development!¡± ¡°That''s right! Let''s go with her and see the wild Ms. Rhonda in action! She had be notorious and arrogant after giving birth to the heir of the Luther family. Let''s interview her and find out why she''s doing such a disgraceful act on her father''s birthday celebration!¡± ¡°Yeah! We''ve got to interrogate her. Shame on her for engaging in such an indecent affair with the uncle of her husband!¡± Felicity turned to Artemis and ordered, ¡°Stop this fiasco, Artemis! You have to get someone to stop this nonsense. The Luther family''s reputation is at stake, and we cannot afford to have our reputation tarnished by this scandal!¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Artemis appeared unaffected by the scandal. He was only worried the rushing crowd would hurt the little girl next to him, so he bent over and picked Susan up, carrying her in his arms. It didn''t matter if Susan was Simon''s daughter. So long as she was Bailey''s child, he would protect her. When Felicity saw he was unmoved by the mess around him and only cared if Susan was injured, she got mad and howled at him. ¡°I''m talking to you, Artemis!¡± He sighed, turned his face slightly toward the crazy crowd, and said, ¡°If we were to make any move now, the attention will turn to us. If we make a stand, we''ll only be putting ourselves in the same boat as the Jeffersons, and get bombarded by the media. If Rhonda is innocent, we can always speak up for herter when things die down. Of course, if she''s doing it out of her own free will, then she''ll have to face the consequences herself.¡± Yoel nodded in agreement and said, ¡°I agree with Artemis. Something is fishy about this matter, Felicity. It could be a setup, so we''d better not act rashly. Let''s find out more before we act. Otherwise, we may make the wrong move, and it''ll backfire on us.¡± Felicity was an intelligent woman. She frowned after listening to her brother''s analysis and said, ¡°You mean there''s more to this than meets the eyes?¡± Gwendolyn couldn''t help but chip in. ¡°We''re at the Jefferson residence. I don''t see how anyone can force Ms. Rhonda to sleep with Mr. Laurence in her own home. I can see two possibilities. It is either she''s doing so willingly, or she tries to frame someone, but it backfires on her instead.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Felicity''s face fell. She turned to look at Artemis and solemnly asked, ¡°So what should we do now? Are we going to sit and watch our family''s reputation go down the drain because of that stupid Laurence?¡± Artemis looked at the girl in his arms, and he could see Susan was worried about Bailey. ¡°Don''t worry. She''s more formidable than we think!¡± He tried to console the little girl. Susan looked up at him and pouted. ¡°Why would I worry about her? She already managed to put that scheming woman on a live show for all to see!¡± Artemis was dumbfounded by Susan''s reply, so he turned to his mother and said, ¡°Let''s go and take a look then. The Jefferson will take care of their daughter, but we''ll also have to deal with our own family member who''s involved in this disgraceful act.¡± With that, he started walking toward the house with Susan in his arms. Felicity and the Chiverses looked at one another, then decided to follow suit. As they stepped out of the party venue, Susan suddenly struggled and tried to get out of Artemis'' arms. ¡°Put me down! I don''t want to watch such obscene scenes!¡± she cried out. The main reason for her sudden change in attitude was that she received a message from Edmund telling her that he was about to reach the Jefferson residence. She wasn''t interested in what was happening at the house. She had seen more interesting confrontations between her mom and her opponents when they were abroad. To be honest, she felt Rhonda was too weak and was not a worthy opponent of Bailey, who was in a league of her own. It would be a waste of time to watch her mother fight against Rhonda. Artemis was worried she would get injured from the violent struggle, so he put her down on the ground and said, ¡°Fine. Then be a good girl and stay put here. Please don''t wander around. I''lle for you and send you home after I settle the matter.¡± Susan waved him off as if she was getting rid of a fly and said, ¡°Go ahead, go ahead! I''ll wait here, and I''ll be fine.¡± Artemis lovingly gave her a pat on the head before heading to the house. Not long after he left, Edmund arrived. Susan was ted to see him, and she skipped and ran toward him. She was infatuated with the gentle and kind man. Unfortunately for her, he was already taken by her mom. Otherwise, she would want to marry him when she grew up. Edmund saw the silly little girl staring besottedly at him, and he was amused. ¡°Stop daydreaming and clean that drool from your mouth!¡± he teased. Susan subconsciously wiped her mouth and realized she was not drooling at all. She whined and chided, ¡°You are so mean! How could you tease me?¡± Edmundughed and picked her up in his arms. He looked around and frowned puzzledly. ¡°Where are all the guests? I only see a few housekeepers around. Is the party over?¡± Susan pouted andined, ¡°That scheming woman tried to frame Mommy and ruin her reputation. s, her n backfired!¡± Edmund raised an eyebrow. He could more or less guess what had happened, so he did not probe further. Instead, he changed the subject and asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Should we go get a nice meal?¡± Susan narrowed her eyes and pulled a face. ¡°I told you the scheming woman tried to frame Mommy. Aren''t you worried for her, Daddy Eddy?¡± she questioned. Edmund gave her a big smile, yfully rubbed her head, and said, ¡°Your mommy is a tough nut, so who can beat her? Those women are only capable of a handful of unscrupulous ideas, none of which your mommy can''t handle, so why worry? Moreover, I called your brother earlier, and he''s with her.¡± ¡°I was wondering where that guy went. So he was secretly giving Mommy a hand. Okay, then I don''t have to worry about them! Let''s go for a good meal. It''ll be on me!¡± Susan chirped. Edmund was greatly amused by her offer. At the house, an adult and two kids were huddling together in the attic. Bailey was trying to cool herself down in the chilly evening breeze. She was thankful that Beatrice administered the drug via air, so it was diluted and not as powerful. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be able to sit there waiting for the show to begin. ¡°Are you okay, Mommy?¡± Maxton asked. Bailey opened her eyes, looked at him, and nonchntly said, ¡°Don''t worry, I won''t turn into a beast. Even if I do, I won''t do anything to you. Actually, even if I wish to throw myself at you, you''re not equipped to handle me.¡± Eh... What''s with this crazy woman and her off-color jokes? Zayron was busy working on theptop. However, when he heard Bailey''s conversation with Maxton, he couldn''t help but roll his eyes. ¡°Bailey, those two women are really evil. They actually linked the camera to the big screen at the party venue, and wanted to broadcast your raunchy show to all the guests!¡± ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°I cut off the connection to their control system, so they won''t be able to turn off the projector from their end. They''ll have toe here in order to end this erotic show! Hahaha, all the guests will be heading this way. Rhonda is done for. She''s doomed!¡± Bailey gave him a side eye with a small smile, and said, ¡°At least you didn''t waste all the efforts I put into teaching and grooming you.¡± Bailey heard footstepsing toward the house, so she quickly grabbed the two boys, jumped down from the attic, and hid in a secluded corner. Bailey and the boys had removed the fallen bodyguards who were at the entrance, so the path was clear for all the reporters and paparazzi to enter. ¡°Stop there! All of you, stop!¡± Beatrice shouted as she tried to stop them from swarming into the house. Oh no! Ronni is really done for this time! She''s doomed! If news of the scandal leaked out, Rhonda could forget about marrying into the Luther family. She would stand no chance of bing the mistress of the most prominent family. ¡°Hurry up, rence! Stop them!¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 With face dour and eyes searing with rage, rence was positively seething. Although he was not sure of the exact details, his assessment of the situation that yed out before him was enough to clue him in with regard to what had happened. I''m quite certain that this stupid woman had attempted to set up Bailey, only to ultimately fail at her insidious endeavor. Not only that, but she also ended up dragging our own daughter into it. In spite of being in the know, it was not convenient for him to call her out at that time. As the adage went, one should not wash one''s dirty linens in public. Just imagine what outsiders would think of the Jefferson family? Would it not cause the public image and reputation they had so painstakingly built to fall apart overnight? The crux of the matter was, should the Luther family discover the deplorable conduct of his wife and younger daughter in their attempt to drug his elder daughter, never mind Rhonda that bore Artemis a son, they would never ept her into their family even if she could give them a dozen or even a hundred offspring. ¡°You lot. Get the hell in there, and block off ess to the bedroom,¡± he hollered gruffly at the housekeepers who were scurrying all over. Following that, the whole situation got even more bonkers. As the guests outside were quite fixated on remaining dignified in their conduct, there was not enough impetus from them to get involved. That, however, was a different case for the members of the press. Doggedly determined to nail an explosive scope, they came swarming toward the loft with cameras and microphones in hand. How could those disorganized housekeepers of the Jefferson residence get to stand in their way? ¡°It''s over. We''repletely screwed this time.¡± the mumbling Beatrice became unsteady on her feet and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. rence discreetly shot her a look. ¡°Don''t just stand there. Do you really want to see your daughter''s reputation in shambles? Hurry in there and try to get this situation under control,¡± he snarled. Barely able to get herself together, Beatrice managed to muster up enough strength to work in tandem with rence. Paring a path through the mass of reporters, they burrowed their way into the room. The space within was well-lit as someone had turned on all the hanging crystalmps. None of the reporters who had surged in earlier made any effort to impede them. Conversely, all of the former were preupied, furiously snapping away with their cameras with their eyes aglow with exhration. What a rush. It''s going to be the catch of the season. If this piece of juicy news were published, it would definitely be the hottest expos¨¦ of the year, precisely because the woman involved was young Maxton Luther''s biological mother, and the man on top of her, the boy''s granduncle. Rumble in the loft... Lonely futuredy proprietress of Luther Group and the granduncle of her inws are caught in a passionate tryst at her father''s birthday banquet. The headline was scandalous enough in itself that it would surely take the entire world by storm within the first two hours of its dissemination. ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Do you really want to watch him vite Ronni? Hurry up and get him off of her.¡± Having Beatrice scream into his ears spurred rence into action. He scrambled over, grabbed the old man who was encroaching over his daughter, and hauled the former onto the floor. Incensed at having his bit of fun thwarted, Laurenceshed out at rence with his foot. Then came a mortifying cry. Clutching at the crouch of his pants, rence staggered backward with his scalp drenched in perspiration. A sense of doom hung over him amidst fear that he could have gotten emascted. The people inside the room started exchanging looks with each other. Good god, this horny man is an absolute monster, taking advantage of the host''s daughter inside of their home and even getting rough with the woman''s father. The folks from the Luther family are truly preposterous! Dashing out of the restroom with a bucket of water, the middle-aged butler then dumped its content onto the unconscious Rhonda. The shock of the cold was finally able to rouse Rhonda to her senses. Post a brief bout of grogginess, her pupils shrunk as she red at the scene before her in abject disbelief. ¡°Ahhh!¡± she covered her own body and let out a blood-curdling shriek. Now, it all came back to her. She had remembered everything. Initially, she had nned to set Bailey up in order to ruin thetter''s reputation. Now, it would seem that for all her troubles, she was instead treated to a taste of her own medicine. ¡°Get away from me, you shameless old man. Get out of my face, you disgusting piece of filth!¡± Having not been doused by the water, Laurence remained out of it, and his attention was wholly on Rhonda''s luscious body. No matter how she struggled, he persisted in pinning her down by the wrist and acting wantonly. ¡°Help me, Mom. Help me!¡± Beatrice nked out. She stood rooted to the spot as though her feet were made of lead. ¡°Out of the way.¡± A stern voice emanated from outside the door. Following that, a group of well-trained bodyguards flooded in to open up a path. Ken walked up to the bed and removed his own top which he used to cover up Rhonda''s exposed shamefulness. Truth be told, he had no pity for the woman. He merely did not want her sorry appearance to offend Artemis'' eyes. As Artemis hated seeing women''s bodies, he reckoned that he would surely get an earful if the former were toy eyes on that woman who was in the buff. After he walked in, Artemis did not cast a nce in Rhonda''s direction. Instead, he stretched out a hand to seize Laurence around the wrist. It was not certain how much strength he put behind it, but he had yanked the old man off the bed straight up. In the second that followed, he swung a hard fist right smack into his uncle''s midriff. It was evident from the resounding thud that echoed all around how much power had been exerted. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Laurence puked out a mouthful of filth seemingly at almost the same instant that the punch hammered into his abdomen. The excruciating pain that ensued was finally sufficient to sober him up. With the greasily bloated and crinkly face of his scrunched up, he went jelly in the knees and sat slumping upon the floor at the very moment he spotted Artemis'' suave poker face. ¡°M-Mr. Artemis.¡± The Luther family had a house rule. All descendants of the extended family must greet the head of the family reverentially as a measure of respect. Artemis'' brows perked up, and his lips curled into a smirk. The frostiness was palpable in his eyes. He thought that the old fe should count his blessings that it was not Bailey that he was forcing himself on, as he would not have hesitated to castrate thetter if that been the case. There was never any doubt that he was capable of battering to death anyone who dared taint the woman that he would not eveny a finger on himself. ¡°Good. It seems like you''re sober now. Uncle Laurence, kindly exin yourself to the representatives from the many media outlets that are present here. If the Luther Group''s reputation were to be ruined at your hands, then we can dispense with convening a family meeting. You could jolly well just up and leave.¡± With eyes widened, Laurence stared at him in disbelief. ¡°A-Are you going to kick me out of the family?¡± Artemis regarded him askance with ambiguity, and it was his roguish smile, in particr, that caused Laurence''s heart to sink. ¡°Y-You can''t do this to me. Even your father dared not boot me out of the family, so how dare you?¡± ¡°Three minutes. You have three minutes to ount for your own behavior. If you cannot do that, I''d have these reporters report that you bedded Max''s biological mother. Do you think that the elders in the family would be able to tolerate that?¡± Laurence''s body shook like leaves in a storm. No! I cannot allow the word of what transpired here tonight to spread, or I''d surely be ousted from the Luthers. Right now, only Artemis could save him, as those reporters would not dare publish without restraint if the former did not allow it. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 ¡°Yes. Someone had spiked my drink. After that, I somehow ended up inside this room where I ran into Ms. Rhonda. But I did not touch her, I swear.¡± Narrowing his eyes, Artemis turned to regard Ken. ¡°Get some people over to the scene and look into the beverages to see whether there are any issues with them.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Felicity walked in from the outside, and a frown appeared between her brows when her sights fell upon Rhonda. ¡°What''s up with you? How did you end up here?¡± Rhonda''s emotions became gradually settled through Beatrice''s pacifying. Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, the former then started choking up, ¡°I''ve been set up. Mom sent me back here to pick up some clothes, and when I was passing through the side passage, someone knocked me out and forced some drug down my throat.¡± With that, she lifted her head to regard Felicity with teary eyes. Then, she continued in a hoarse voice, ¡°Laurence is Max''s granduncle and my future uncle so how could I possibly... You have to be the judge of this, Mrs. Luther. I''ve been set up by some wicked people.¡± Looking up at her son, Felicity asked solemnly, ¡°How do you intend to handle this?¡± While Artemis'' gaze fell upon Laurence., his eyes betrayed nothing about his thoughts. Considering how the two matters were intertwined, he reckoned that Luther Group''s reputation would surely suffer if he should choose to do nothing about it. Certainly, none of that really mattered to him, for his primary concern was with his son. What would others think about the boy should word of this spread? Even if they would not say anything nasty to his face, what would they say behind his back? He was positive that his son would be turned into aughing stock. As a father, he saw it as his responsibility to provide a conducive environment for his child to grow. ¡°Have the family doctore over. If they had both been drugged, this matter must have been perpetrated by a third party.¡± With that, he scrutinized the reporters all around him. His keen eyes conveyed an implicit look of deterrence and caution. ¡°If they were set up, then they too could be considered victims. I trust that every one of you here is a reasonable person who would not seek topound upon their misery.¡± The masses exchanged knowing looks with each other. Artemis'' message to them was obvious. He was indirectly using his tone to hint that they were to surrender the photos that they had just taken. ¡°What are you suggesting, Mr. Luther? Are you forcing us to leave our film behind?¡± Artemis'' lips curled up while he turned his attention to the reporter with brows perked up. ¡°If you do not wish to leave your film, you can always leave your camera behind instead. Rest assured that you will not stand to lose, for I am offering to acquire your equipment at three times its value. Of course, you also have the option of calling up your boss to get him to make a trip down to Luther Group''s headquarters, as I''d be happy to have a chat with him in my office over hispany''s financing matters.¡± That was as overt a threat as any and had that reporter so spooked that he shuffled back a couple of steps. Scanning through the faces in the crowd, Artemis let out a subtle smile. ¡°Luther Group has wielded influence in Hallsbay for many years, and I believe that all of you may yet continue to benefit from our presence here in the days toe. If we could all be discreet about the events that took ce here tonight, I have no doubt that there would be more opportunities to coborate abound. However, should anyone here cause a leak that affects my son''s reputation, then do not me me for being merciless.¡± The crowd collectively shuddered. How could they have forgotten about Maxton? If word about the night''s incident were to get out, the first person to be implicated would be the young princeling of the Luther family. As his father, there was no way Artemis would allow his own son to be embroiled in such a fiasco. ck! Someone had already opened up and retrieved a roll of film from his camera which he handed over to a bodyguard at the side. ¡°I''m with Metropolitan News, Mr. Luther. Every shot I''ve taken tonight is in that roll of film that had been handed over to your bodyguard. I swear that I''ll not breathe a word about anything that I''ve seen here.¡± That yielded a smile from Artemis. ¡°In theing six months, you will be given ess to Luther Group for your coverage of finance-rted news. Send yourpany''s representative to Luther Group to discuss the relevant details of this coboration tomorrow.¡± The man responded with delight, for exclusive rights to cover financial news concerning Luther Group would be enough to make hispany a real windfall. ¡°This is Beau Monde''s film, Mr. Luther...¡± ¡°This is ours from The Lowdown Global...¡± Seeing the perks the reporter from Metropolitan News received prompted the rest to produce their own rolls of film from their cameras which they passed along to the bodyguards. When Artemis cast a nce in the way of his subordinates, they got the hint and approached the masses to conduct a body search. Returning from the front courtyard, Ken had in hand a goblet with wine stains left on it. ¡°I''ve ascertained that there are indeed traces of a drug inside of this wine ss, Mr. Luther, but I am unable to determine its source for the time being as it is way too chaotic out there.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The family doctors from the two families hustled in just as his voice trailed off. As though she had grabbed onto a lifeline, Beatrice immediately spoke up, ¡°Quick, Dr. Zelinski. Come over here and have a look at Rhonda to see whether she had been drugged.¡± I can''t look dejected, and I have to stay calm. There will be a way to turn this around. She was convinced that so long as they were adamant that someone was out to get Rhonda, there would be no way the Luther family would be able to me it on her daughter. On top of it, Laurence''s involvement means that the Luther family would likewise be bound to secrecy if they wanted to preserve their own reputation. There was a palpable shift in Bradley''s expression after he had examined Rhonda. ¡°This is tremendously powerful stuff. Who was it who wanted to set up Ms. Rhonda? It''s simply abominable.¡± Immediately, Beatrice signaled to her daughter with her eyes, and in the next second, Rhonda bawled aloud. ¡°I told you that someone wanted to set me up. Would you believe me now, in light of the evidence?¡± Two alerting beeps apanied the arrival of a message on Artemis'' phone. Pulling it out to check, he found that it was from Maxton. Come over quickly, Daddy. We''re at the boulevard outside of the Jefferson residence. Bailey has been drugged, and she''s not in a good condition. The color drained from Artemis'' face. For a moment, he thought that the woman had managed to get away unscathed, but it was not the case. ¡°Stay where you are. I''ll be right there.¡± After sending the message out, he looked up at Ken. ¡°Send Laurence back to the Luther residence. I''ll sort him out after I return,¡± he said staidly. With that, he turned to regard Felicity. ¡°Max has run into a bit of a problem on his end, so I have to go over to him. Please oversee things here. I''d have to make a move first.¡± Upon learning that her grandson was in trouble, Felicity had to take her attention off consoling Rhonda. ¡°Then go to him at once,¡± she said anxiously. ¡°Yeah.¡± On the boulevard outside the mansion where they were, the agitated Maxton and Zayron were pacing back and forth. ¡°Didn''t Bay say that the drug wasn''t strong? How did shepletely lose herself then?¡± Sweeping his loose bangs away from his forehead, Zayron seethed, ¡°Why the heck are you asking me that for? Isn''t your mother the one who did the drugging? Why don''t you go and ask her that instead?¡± Uh... Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Bailey leaned back on a tree trunk and rested with her eyes closed. She was relying wholly on sheer willpower to withstand the fric energy that was coursing through her consciousness. Though it felt somewhat ufortable while they were inside the house, it was not unmanageable. But in no way was it anything close to what she was experiencing there and then, so much so that even the caress of the cold wind on her skin was ineffective at cooling her off. Da*n it. Is the after-effect that strong? Right now, she felt absolutely terrible and desperately needed some release. Oh, no. I am feeling horny... ¡°Let''s cut the crap and find a way to get a ride out of here first.¡± Zayron went close to his mother but dared not touch her. With Bailey looking like the ravenous she-wolf she was at present, he was afraid that she would... Ahem! ¡°I''ve already called a cab. The driver told me that he''d be here in twenty, so hang in there, Bailey.¡± That yielded no answer from her. Then, a rustle of footsteps that sounded quite harried was hearding from the bushes. Sticking his head out, Maxton was overjoyed when he saw his father approach. ¡°My old man''s here, Idiot, so hurry up and let him send Bay to the hospital.¡± Zayron shot him a look and replied between gritted teeth, ¡°Should we hand her over to that creep, I think our mommy would be devoured before she reaches the hospital.¡± Maxton was stumped. In his hurriedness, Artemis had worked up a profuse sweat on his forehead en route there. When he approached, his suave face sank at the sight of the condition Bailey was in. ¡°How did it get so bad?¡± This doesn''t look like she is under the influence of any ordinary drug. Considering her delicate disposition, she''spletely lost her usual aloofness and ispletely out of control. I fear that her life might be in danger if she should go without getting some reprieve soon. What a potent medicinal effect! ¡°Step aside.¡± Reaching out, he parted the two boys who were nking her so that he could lower his upper body to pick her up. In response, Zayron immediately locked up his arm with his own and regarded him with defiant eyes. Enunciating word for word, he said, ¡°I can hand her over to your care, but would you be able to assure that you would not touch her? You should know well the secret hidden within that paternity test, Mr. Jefferson. She could very well be your brother...¡± Coming to that point, he paused abruptly and pursed his lips, ¡°Whatever the case, before we figure this out, you are not to touch her. More importantly, you are not to sully her. If you aren''t able to guarantee that, then you''re only taking her away today over my dead body.¡± Looking sideways at that stubborn little face, those exquisite features did remind Artemis of Simon.N?velDrama.Org owns all content. This kid''s looks do share certain resemnces to Simon. It''s no wonder that it only takes minor photo editing work to make them look uncannily alike. Being siblings with Simon, he and the former shared some simrities in looks. If the boy was Simon''s offspring, then it should be not surprising if he also resembled his father''s older brother. Uncle... Yet, another bothersome identity! ¡°I''m taking her to Justin''s infirmary. If you trust me enough, then hand her to me. If not... you have to hand her to me anyway. This is because the average doctor won''t be able to fix what''s inside her system. That is, unless, you find her a man.¡± Pursing his lips, Zayron understood well his mother''s condition. Certainly, he did not, in his own esteem, think that that viinous man was trying to cow him. ¡°All right. I''m handing her over. But if you touch her, I''d never let you hear the end of it.¡± With that, he took a couple of steps in retreat with a grim expression upon his dainty face. ¡°Take her away. I''ve called a cab and will be leaving together with Maxton in a bit.¡± Leaning in, Artemis swept up the woman who was leaning against the tree trunk. Then, he strode toward the lot at which the car was parked. ¡°I want. I want it...¡± The soft moans from the woman in his arms got Artemis'' emotions all topsy-turvy. Maxton gulped and reached out to nudge at Zayron''s arm. ¡°Hey, Idiot, are you really sure you want that wily old fox to take our mommy away? They look like they''re in a precarious position to me. I fear that something might go wrong.¡± Zayron shot a vicious look back at him and seethed between his teeth. ¡°If your dad beds my mommy, I''d be the first to castrate you myself.¡± Uh... Maxton reflexively reached down and covered his own crouch, and all the while, his heart was thumping away ferociously. Don''t mess around, Artemis. Your family''s lineage may very welle to an inglorious end. After Artemis ced Bailey inside the car, he ordered the driver to take the car over to the private mansion by the sea. Once the car started up, he held Bailey with one hand while he fished for the phone inside of his pocket with the other. He pulled up Justin''s number and dialed it. ¡°You have half an hour. I don''t care whether you are researching a new drug or fooling around with some random woman, I expect to see you when I arrive at my mansion.¡± He then hung up without waiting for a reply. It was an hour''s journey from where they were to Justin''s infirmary, but a mere twenty minutes to his mansion. Judging from the state this woman is in, I don''t think she would be able tost another hour. Taking her to the mansion in the quickest time possible and plunging her into a bath of ice water would be the best way to help her simmer down. ¡°Stop it.¡± His eyes steadily darkened while he reached over to restrain the hands that were wing at him. How could a woman who had lost all sensibility possibly be receptive to his words? It was almost as though her right hand immediately closed in the second he seized her left. Tangling back and forth, the sh between the fires of her lust and the coolness of his restraint was pulsating. Artemis endured it and regarded her with a taut face and gnashing teeth. ¡°Woman, do not doubt my intentions for I would have dly taken you right now if I could. So, you''d better behave yourself. Otherwise, I''ll make you regret getting what you asked for.¡± The woman in his arms who waspletely unhinged was not inclined to heed his warnings. Not only were her fingers active, but her entire body was also contorting like a snake. Twisting and arcing, she came across as extremely alluring. ¡°F*ck,¡± Artemis could not help but cuss. That was really putting his patience and willpower to the test. Before that woman, the self-control that he took such pride in had gone to the dogs. ¡°Goddammit. Quit squirming, or I''d kill you.¡± The more he fumed, the more his male hormones raged. It became a sort of elerant when taken in through the wayward woman''s nostrils. The veins on Artemis''s forehead pulsed, and the nerves throughout his body tensed up, cing him in peril of losing his grip at any given moment. Let rationality be da*ned. Given the circumstances, the thing that he had always taken pride in seemed more like a nuisance than anything else. Had he not been repressing himself to the fullest extent possible, perhaps he might have already pounced upon her. A cautionary voice was, however, constantly within earshot with a helpful reminder whenever such a notion roused in him. I must noty a finger on her nor could I stain her. She is Simon''s woman¡ªthe mother to my nephew and my future sister-inw. It''d be embarrassing as heck to meet with my brother in the future if I were to make any inappropriate advances on her, or worse, make it impossible for us to maintain our familial ties anymore. A sister-inw is strictly off-limits! ¡°Give it to me...¡± That being said, there was only so much reason and self-restraint that could do against the relentless temptation she was putting forth. Just before his willpower was to break, he grabbed a bottle of water from the back of the car. Uncapping it, he then raised it high to douse its contents upon her head. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 The water that gushed from Bailey''s head instantly woke her up, bringing her to her senses. Looking stunned, she wiped away the water on her face and turned her attention to the handsome man. Upon gazing into his deep, dark eyes, a vortex of anger swirled inside her, and she exploded. ¡°You jerk, b*stard, lecher, shameless idiot...¡± Bailey raised her arms and pped his cheek ferociously. The sound was so loud that it echoed in the tiny space inside the car. The woman hopped up from his thigh and knocked against the car ceiling before Artemis could grab her arm. Bailey massaged her head to get rid of the buzzing sound while hugging her chest with her arms. She shot daggers at the man and asked, ¡°What are you trying to do to me?¡± Artemis nched at her words. It was as if he was about to explode. F*ck! No one has pped me like how this da*n woman did! The man clenched his teeth and said, ¡°You''re safe.¡± He crossed his arms, leaned against the seat, and shut his eyes, pretending that she was invisible. Bailey frowned. She was able to think in the right mind once she regained herposure. After ncing at the water bottle and her wet gown, she finally understood what had happened. He must have rescued me, but I''d mistaken him for being a pervert. She could not help but feel a pang of guilt for what she did to Artemis. ¡°Err, I''m sorry. I got a little agitated just now. Do you want to p me back, so we can call it quits? I won''t tell anyone I''ve pped you before, so don''t worry.¡± Bailey''s suggestion rendered the man speechless. He opened his eyes and looked up at the woman with a scowl. I don''t want to p you. I want to sleep with you. I just want to sleep with you, you hear me? ¡°It''s not the time to put your guard down yet. Listen carefully¡ªwhat they had used on you is not the usual drug. The drug might trigger an even more intense reaction if you don''t purge it out of your system. Do you think you can handle that?¡± There was a baffling look on Artemis'' face when he lowered his eyes to look at the water bottle near his ankle. Bailey pressed her lips. Was I overly affectionate just now? I must have gone overboard. Otherwise, a well-mannered man like him wouldn''t have poured a bottle of water over my head. ¡°So where are we going now?¡± Artemis nced at her before answering indifferently, ¡°My mansion.¡± ¡°Hell, no!¡± Bailey stormed her feet. But before she could stand up, she fell back on the seat as the buzzing sound in her head started ringing again. ¡°Take me to the hospital will do, Mr. Luther. I don''t want to disturb you in your mansion.¡± Artemis leaned forward, inched closer, and responded ambivalently, ¡°You seem to be quite afraid of me. Can I know why? Are you worried that Edmund might misunderstand us? Or are you afraid that I know your other identity, Spook?¡± Bailey stayed calm and ignored hisst remark, but deep in her heart, she was thunderstruck. He must have found out something about me. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have mentioned Spook all of a sudden. ¡°Edmund is trying to pursue me, and yes, I have feelings for him. Since you guys are cousins, I think it''s best we maintain a distance from each other. Please stay away from me, Mr. Luther. Otherwise, I might have difficulty exining our rtionship to Edmund.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes, stared at her for a few minutes, and said nonchntly, ¡°You seem to dodge my question on purpose. You''ve only answered my first few questions but not thest one. So tell me, what''s your rtionship with Spook? Spook stole three billion from me. I''ll have to settle this score with that person.¡± Bailey''s eyes darted from side to side. She could only think of a way to distract him from the topic. She began to narrow her eyes, stared nkly into the distance, curled her body, and started trembling. Artemis cussed as he thought the drug in her body was acting up again. ¡°Hang in there. We''ll be arriving at my mansion in another five minutes. Once we reach, you can soak yourself in the cold water. I''ll call Justin, but he can only be here in another fifteen minutes. Not every doctor can purge the toxins out of your system because the drug is too powerful. I''m not a jerk and will not do anything to you. You just rx and cooperate with me. In short, stop fighting against me.¡± About four to five minutester, the toxins in her body started acting up without her realizing it. When she was on the verge of having a breakdown, the car drove into a private mansion. When the car parked right in front of the entrance, she opened the door and asked in a shivering voice, ¡°W-Where is the bathroom?¡± Even though the foyer was dimly-lit, Artemis could still notice the blush on Bailey''s face. He could also tell she was in great misery. ¡°Upstairs¡ªthe room on the left.¡± She dashed into the house without hesitation. Bailey stumbled a few times but managed to make her way to the bathroom in the master bedroom upstairs. She did not even pay attention to the sophisticated and luxurious design of the mansion. After turning on the faucet, she got into the bathtub with her gown on. The cold water that filled the tub eventually dissipated the heat from her body. She had never been in such a wretched state in thest seven years. Beatrice Wenlock and Rhonda Jefferson. You yed with fire, and I''ll make you pay the price! Bailey knew Artemis could keep tonight''s incident a secret. Artemis would prevent the scandal from going virus because he would do anything to safeguard his son''s reputation. Bailey was not a pushover. She would never let Rhonda off so easily. That was why she did something to the surveince camera in that room and retrieved a part of the footage before leaving the attic. The scandal would go viral on the next day. She would not expose Laurence but would release all of Rhonda''s lewd photos to the public. Bailey wanted Beatrice and Rhonda to get a taste of their own medicine. They might be proud of what they had done tonight, thinking that no one knows they are the culprit. But tomorrow morning, they''ll get the feel of falling from heaven and diving straight to hell. Knock! Knock! Knock! Bailey heard the knock on the door. She pulled herself together and stared at the room with caution. ¡°What is it?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. A deep, maic voice emerged from behind the door. ¡°I have something for you. Can Ie in?¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Despite asking the question, the man barged into her room without waiting for her reply. Bailey did not know how to react to his action. She submerged her body in the bathtub, red at him, and gritted her teeth. ¡°You said you''re not a jerk and wouldn''t do anything to me. Yet, you intrude on my space when I''m in such apromising position. Don''t you think you''re a hypocrite?¡± Artemis stared at her with narrowed eyes. A voice in his head kept pushing him to approach the woman. However, the fact that she might be Simon''s woman had deterred him from making the next move. ¡°W-Why are you staring at me like this? Don''t you dare have any nasty thoughts! I''m your brother''s woman, mind you!¡± A cold glint shed across Artemis'' eyes. He tossed something at Bailey. ¡°Here.¡± Bailey reached out her hand and caught the item. She tilted her head and looked at the item in her hand¡ªit was a mobile phone. Bailey looked confused. When she was about to ask Artemis what the phone was for, the man had left. Out of curiosity, she unlocked the screen and noticed that there was only one app on the phone. Without hesitation, she tapped on the app to check it out. Suddenly, she heard a bizarre noise from the speaker. Though she had not been intimate with any man for years, she knew what the app was all about. That son of a b*tch. How dare he show me this kind of obscene stuff! What''s wrong with him?N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Never in a million years did he expect the stone-cold Artemis from the Luther family would do such a thing. Bailey would not have believed it had she not experienced this firsthand in his mansion. Not only did he do all the nasty stuff in his office, but he also had the audacity to show me these videos. Bailey could not take it anymore. Who says he''s cold and indifferent? He''s secretly a pervert¡ªa wolf in sheep''s clothing! She tossed the phone into the tub and watched it sink to the bottom. Don''t think about it anymore, Bailey Jefferson. Don''t let him destroy your morals and principles. Watching those videos would not make her feel any better since she was drugged heavily. Men and women would have easily stayed out of trouble had those videos been effective! After spending another ten minutes in the tub, Bailey heard another knock from the door. She fished out the phone from the bottom of the tub and tossed it in the door''s direction when it opened. Artemis instantly stepped aside to dodge the attack. He then reached out his hand and caught the phone when it was about to drop to the ground. His expression turned grim the moment he felt how wet the device was. F*ck! That''s my precious phone! The entire collection of videos on the phone was what helped him get through all the lonely nights. ¡°Justin is here. Put on my pajamas ande out of the bathroom. Go andy on the bed and cover yourself with a nket. I''ll get him to do a thorough checkup for you, and he''ll decide what medicine to use to relieve your symptoms.¡± Artemis then turned around and left. Bailey froze for about three seconds before standing up from the bathtub. After removing her wet gown, she opened the wardrobe and retrieved a pair of men''s pajamas. She put on the attire and stepped out of the bathroom. There was not a single soul in the room. Bailey hesitated for a while before crawling into the bed and covering her body with the nket. The fragrance of fresh mint wafted into her nose. It was a familiar scent that belonged to that man. She had no clue why she could remember the smell so clearly, but she would always think of him when the scent filled her nose. It was as if the man had infiltrated through her body and soul. They were merely acquaintances who had met a few times, but somehow, Bailey thought his mesmerizing body scent could pull her heartstring. I guess it made sense when people said Artemis is an addictive drug. He has the power to get women to go gaga over him. Meanwhile, Justin could not help but suck his teeth when he peeked at Bailey through the door. Artemis stood before him and stopped him from checking her out. ¡°The drug in her body is quite strong. Are you sure you can get rid of it?¡± Justin raised his brows and smirked. ¡°You don''t have to heed my advice. Since the woman is lying on your bed, you can do anything to her if you''re brave enough.¡± Artemis'' eyes darkened. He responded in a suppressed voice. ¡°Max stole Simon''s blood sample and gave it to Bailey''s son.¡± Justin''s smirk vanished after he heard what Artemis said. He narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°So the two kids know the truth? Do they want to go for a paternity test?¡± Artemis hummed in response to his question. ¡°I guess your advice made sense. I should pull myself away and put a stop to this obsession. If she were Simon''s woman, I''d risk cutting off ties with my dear brother had I taken advantage of her.¡± Justin patted his shoulder and fished out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. ¡°Here, take a puff at it to control your emotion. There are so many other women out there, so don''t just cling onto this one.¡± Artemis retrieved the cigarette and stepped aside to make way for him. ¡°Go and take a look at her.¡± Justin nodded and entered the room with a medical kit. Artemis leaned against the wall and puffed at the cigarette to suppress his emotions. He tottered down the stairs and went to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Bailey gave Justin an unfathomable look as he walked toward her. The cold glint in the woman''s eyes gave Justin chills. He shuddered but tried to defuse the tension. ¡°Don''t look at me like this. Since Artemis dares not touch you, I wouldn''t dare toy my finger on you, so don''t worry.¡± Bailey nced at him with a frown but was less confrontational now. ¡°My son altered the paternity report between him and Edmund, and I''m sure you''ve noticed the discrepancy. Why didn''t you say anything?¡± ¡°Edmund is my friend. Since he wants to marry you, I should do him a favor and help him achieve his goal, shouldn''t I? Do you see that as a problem, Ms. Jefferson?¡± Bailey let out a mirthlessugh. Artemis is a sly fox. Even the people around him are just as cunning. ¡°Not a problem at all. Could you please remove the toxins from my body, Mr. Xuereb? I owe you one.¡± Justin responded with a faint smile and reiterated, ¡°You don''t owe me anything. Artemis hired me, so he owes me a favor.¡± Justin''s medical skills were indeed superb, and he was definitely worthy of the ¡°Medical Genius¡± title. With just an injection, Justin was able to dissipate the heat from Bailey''s body, reducing her temperature. The treatment ended around eleven o''clock at night. Upon realizing Justin had removed the toxins from her body, she just wanted to leave the mansion as soon as possible. Yet, her gown was soaking wet. And I can''t just leave the mansion wearing this pair of pajamas, can I? After a brief hesitation, she decided to give Victoria a call. ¡°Hey. I''m at Artemis'' private mansion. Can you please send some clothes over? I can''t wear my gown anymore.¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Well, even Bailey thought her words sounded ambiguous, not to mention Victoria. Even through the phone, Bailey could sense Victoria''s excitement. ¡°Bay, w-were you two at it like rabbits?¡± At it like rabbits? D*mn! What kind of brazen description is that? ¡°Ms. Saunders, can you behave normally?¡± ¡°If that isn''t the case, howe your clothes are gone? Can you exin to me what''s going on?¡± Victoria''s mocking voice was heard from the speaker. Bailey was rendered speechless. Perhaps I''ve contacted the wrong person. Calling Zayron might have been a more practical choice. ¡°Sis, let''s stop talking nonsense. You should know Artemis'' private mansion''s address. Cut the crap and quickly bring me some clothes. I need undergarments too.¡± ¡°Tch, you''re still denying it. How do you exin the¡ª¡± Bailey did not want to listen to any more of Victoria''s gibberish, so she directly hung up the call. The bedroom door was pushed open right after she hung up the phone. Bailey hurriedly wrapped herself with the nket in fright. She was not wearing any underwear at that moment, and she might identally expose her private areas. Bailey frowned after seeing the face of the intruder. ¡°Mr. Luther, don''t you know how to knock before entering a room?¡± Artemis, holding a tray in his hand, arched his brow at her and sneered, ¡°Do you ever knock before entering your own room?¡± Bailey was at a loss for words. Fine. This is his territory, so he''s always right. I shall be patient. ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Artemis strode to the bedside in silence, ced the tray on the bedside table, and uttered tersely, ¡°Eat.¡± Bailey nced at the tray instinctively and saw a te of delicious-looking pasta. She reckoned Artemis had ordered food delivery from a restaurant. ¡°Thank you for the kind gesture, Mr. Luther, but I don''t eat takeout.¡± Artemis red at her and snapped through gritted teeth, ¡°Who said this is takeout? Why are you ruling out the possibility that I prepared this te of pasta?¡± Bailey did not say a word. She stared at him in surprise and utter disbelief. Her doubts were not unreasonable. After all, who would believe the pampered scion of the Luther family would personally cook a meal and put together such an exquisite te of pasta? Artemis snickered in amusement after taking in her dubious gaze. Bailey had a knack for evoking his various emotions. ¡°You don''t want to eat this? Fine. I''ll feed this to the dogs.¡± Don''t do that! Bailey hurriedly reached out to hold the tray in ce. In fact, she was famished. Her stomach had been growling in hunger for a few times. ¡°Um... Can you leave for a short while?¡± Artemis sniggered, turned around, and was about to leave. How confident is she? Does she think I want to see her body? Every woman''s figure is the same after they''re stripped naked. ¡°Hold on! What I meant was not for you to leave this room. C-Can you leave this mansion?¡± Artemis stopped abruptly in his tracks and shot her a piercing gaze. ¡°What did you say, Ms. Jefferson? I''m afraid I did not hear you correctly.¡± Bailey scratched her nose in embarrassment. It does sound inappropriate for me to ask him, the owner of this house, to leave his home. However, her head ached at the thought of the scene if Victoria stumbled into her staying alone in the mansion with Artemis. ¡°The thing is, my clothes are wet, so I called Victoria earlier to send two sets of outfits here. You know she''s a bbermouth. It will be quite awkward when she starts chattering if she sees us together.¡± Artemis arched his brow at her and asked with mirth, ¡°You called Victoria?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. Otherwise, what should I wear?¡± Artemis smacked his head and said mischievously, ¡°I contacted the clothing store under Luther Group for their employee to send over two sets of the female outfits while you were in the shower earlier. I think they should be arriving soon. I''m sorry I forgot to inform you because my mind was upied with work-rted matters.¡± Bailey grabbed a pillow beside her and chucked it at him. B*stard! B*stard! B*stard! Why didn''t he tell me earlier? If he had told me in advance, I wouldn''t have embarrassed myself in front of Victoria. ¡°Get out of my sight.¡± Artemisughed out loud. His deep and richughter reverberated inside the spacious room. The tone of his voice was captivating and pleasant to the ears. Even after he left the room, his enticing guffaws continued to echo inside the house. Bailey booted the nightstand, picked up her phone, and sent a message to Victoria: You don''t have to come here anymore. Artemis bought me some clothes. Don''t start gossiping, or I''ll unfriend you. Three secondster, Victoria replied: Sis, let me give you a piece of heartfelt advice. Remember to buy some morning-after pills. I''m not nning to be a godmother again. It was already one o''clock in the morning when they returned to Shelbert Condominium. Artemis personally chauffeured her home. After parking the car, he got out of the vehicle with her. Bailey frowned and turned to look at her house on the fifth floor. She saw that the living room was lit and guessed that Edmund was upstairs. ¡°Mr. Luther, I''m sorry, but it''s inconvenient to invite you upstairs at thiste hour. I''ll treat you to a meal another day to thank you for your help.¡± Artemis slightly narrowed his eyes. He caught sight of the lit living room on the fifth floor from the corner of his eye, and jealousy surged within him again. There''s only one reason why she doesn''t want me to go upstairs. That''s because Edmund is there. We are both rted to Simon by blood. Why am I not allowed to be with Bailey, but Edmund can? ¡°I''m going upstairs to look in on Maxton.¡± Bailey was stumped. Artemis had provided an excellent excuse because there was no way she could prevent him from meeting his son. As I expected, leaving Maxton at the condominium is a huge risk. Without waiting for her refusal, Artemis strode toward the elevator. Bailey was rendered speechless by hisck of courtesy. She sighed in her spot and hoped that Edmund was not home. Otherwise, it would be awkward for the two cousins to meet in the house of a single woman like her. Inside the fifth-floor living room, a man and three kids were having the time of their life, making a complete mess of the ce. Bailey heard their joyful noise and banters inside the house right after she stepped out of the elevator. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Then she shifted her gaze to the man standing beside her. His face was terrifyingly gloomy. Theughter grew more audible as she took out the key and unlocked the door. ¡°Daddy Eddy, toss it to me.¡± ¡°Daddy Eddy, throw it to me instead. I''m more reliable.¡± ¡°No. I''m a girl. You two should let me have it. Daddy Eddy, toss it to me.¡± Bailey scanned the room. Great. The whole ce is a clutter. She stared at the three kids coldly and uttered sinisterly, ¡°I think you all are wishing for me to toss you down from the window.¡± Silence filled the air instantaneously as the four people inside the living room turned to look at the door. Edmund chuckled and walked toward the door with a football in his hands. He fell into a daze when he saw Artemis, and an unfathomable look shed across his eyes. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°I heard from Zayron that you brought Bay to Justin''s infirmary to remove the toxin. Thank you, Artemis. I''ll remember your kindness and repay you when I have the opportunity in the future.¡± Artemis arched his brow and said with a half smile, ¡°Who told you I brought her to Justin''s infirmary? She took a nap at my private mansion.¡± ¡°Lecher.¡± ¡°Scoundrel.¡± ¡°Shameless.¡± Three childish voices sounded in session as they criticized Artemis. Artemis'' face turned grim. They do look like a real family at first nce. D*mn their familial warmth and bonding. Even my own son is siding with others. What the hell? Edmund chuckled and replied gently, ¡°As I expected. After all, the journey from the Jefferson residence to Justin''s infirmary requires an hour, but to travel from the Jefferson residence to your private mansion takes only twenty minutes. You''re a brilliant man, Artemis, so it is nothing out of the ordinary for you to choose the second option.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes slightly and sneered, ¡°Aren''t you too generous? Aren''t you worried that I''ve touched her?¡± Edmund shook his head, wearing a smile. ¡°Artemis, I''ve known Bay for seven years. I know her personality very well. If you really took advantage of her, I reckon you two would be at the hospital now instead of appearing here together in such a peaceful manner.¡± An awkward silence filled the air afterward. ¡°Max, your daddy misses you. He''s here to visit you. Why don''t you follow him back today ande again tomorrow?¡± Bailey could not help but attempt to lighten the mood as the atmosphere had turned heavy with tension. Unfortunately, Maxton did not cooperate with her. ¡°You''ve never missed me since I was born seven years ago. Aren''t you being too pretentious to say that you miss me now? Well, you''ve seen me now, so you can leave now. I won''t be seeing you out.¡± Artemis was dumbfounded. That was his biological son speaking. Zayron chimed in, ¡°It is inappropriate for a man with a fianc¨¦e like you to appear in a single mother''s house sote into the night. You should hurry up and leave before you tarnish my mommy''s reputation.¡± Again, Artemis was rendered speechless. That was his biological nephew uttering those words. Bailey could distinctly feel Artemis'' fury and icy aura. She rubbed her temples as her head began to hurt. Artemis was indeed not endearing. Even the children disliked him. Artemis swept his indifferent gaze across the two kids before finally focusing on Edmund. ¡°I have something to talk to you about. Care to join me downstairs?¡± Edmund grinned. He turned to look at Bailey and said tenderly, ¡°It''s gettingte. I''ll be taking my leave now. You all should rest earlier. Any pending matters can be dealt with tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay. Drive safely on your way back, and leave me a message when you''re home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Artemis stood rooted to his spot for three seconds in silence. Envy rose within him once again as he sensed Bailey had no intention of reminding him to take care. She gives Edmund such gentle reminders but is reluctant to spare me even a nce. This woman... This is just great! After exiting the condominium, Artemis retrieved a document from his car and handed it to Edmund. Edmund raised his brows at him, received the document, and browsed through the contents on the paper. ¡°Artemis, I''m not adept at interpreting medical reports. Giving me this is no different from asking me to read from a piece of nk paper.¡± Artemis trained his eyes on Edmund and enunciated, ¡°This is the paternity test result of you and Zayron. We are both in the know, so there''s no need to be secretive. Zayron is not your child.¡± Edmund smiled faintly. ¡°That''s all you wanted to tell me, Artemis? Justin is your subordinate, so I''m not surprised he told you the paternity test result was tampered with. Do you have anything else to say aside from this matter?¡± Artemis snorted. He shifted his gaze to the middle section of the paper and uttered casually, ¡°That kid is rted to you by blood. He''s not your son, but you two are close rtives.¡± Edmund was taken aback. He looked at Artemis in astonishment as his body tensed up. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He''s probably the son of your brother or cousin on the paternal side. He could also be your maternal side''s cousin''s child.¡± Edmund was stunned as if something had exploded in his brain. He did not have any brothers or cousins on the paternal side. As for cousins from the maternal side... Edmund had a few cousins from his maternal side, but they were all blood rtives of the Danontand royal family. Paternal-wise, the only male cousins he had were Felicity''s sons. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°He is Simon''s¡ª¡± An agonized expression shed across his face as he suddenly stopped speaking. How is this possible? How can Zayron and Susan be Simon''s children? Artemis stared at Edmund coldly and said, ¡°Zayron asked Max to steal Simon''s blood sample from the Luther family''s infirmary. I suppose he intended to carry out a paternity test secretly. If the result shows that he''s Simon''s son, I wish you can keep your distance from Bailey. She''s off-limits if she''s our sister- inw.¡± Edmund was stupefied. His lips moved as he hesitated to speak while he gazed emptily at the test report in his hand. Artemis stretched out his hand to pat Edmund''s shoulder. Then he turned on his heels and opened the car door. ¡°Get in. I''ll send you back to the Chivers residence.¡± Edmund did not respond. Meanwhile, inside the living room of the Jefferson residence, rence pped Beatrice''s face forcefully without reserving his strength, causing her to fall backward onto the couch. He pointed at her with a trembling finger and bellowed, ¡°You idiot! I can''t believe you came up with that ridiculous idea to set Bailey up. Should I call you a hero or a fool? Look at what you''ve done. The Jefferson family''s reputation is dragged through the mud now because of you and Rhonda. Are you satisfied now?¡± Beatrice covered her swollen right cheek and sat upright on the couch. She gazed at rence calmly and uttered scornfully, ¡°Do you really think that bastard Bailey is taking care of is Edmund''s child? All those years you''ve spent in the business world must have gone down the drain for you to fail to discern such a simple trick.¡± rence narrowed his eyes at her and questioned her fiercely, ¡°What do you mean? Do you have any proof that the kid is not a member of the Chivers family? Don''t tell me Edmund bribed Justin to alter the paternity test result and turn himself into a cuckold on purpose?¡± Rhonda piped up fearfully, ¡°Daddy, Edmund was abroad, celebrating Old Mr. Chivers'' birthday during that time seven years ago. He wasn''t even in the country, so how could he have impregnated Bailey?¡± rence''s face turned pale as he seemed to have thought of something. Beatrice agreed with her daughter. ¡°rence, the real culprit who will bring disaster to the Jefferson family is not Ronni and me. That person is Bailey. She tricked Edmund into tampering with the paternity test result and lied to the Chiverses. Her lies will be exposed one day. When Mr. Chivers knows that the kid is not a member of the Chivers family, he will undoubtedly wish to settle the score with the Jefferson family. Even so, do you still n to side with your traitorous daughter who''s trying to falsify her bastard as the Chivers family''s heir?¡± A hint of terror shed across rence''s eyes. Even ten Jefferson familiesbined could not stand a chance against a Chivers family. If the Chivers family truly wished to ce that me on the Jefferson family, rence and his family would definitely have to face the terrible fate of getting wiped out. Sensing his determination wavering, Beatrice immediately pressed that matter further. ¡°Your treacherous daughter is challenging the Chivers family''s bottom line. If you allow her to return to the family, you will be the Chivers family''s first target once the truth is uncovered. rence, isn''t it sufficient for us to rely on the powerful Luther family? Why should we take the risk of lying on behalf of that b*tch?¡± rence was anxious and exasperated. ¡°That deceitful imbecile. H-How dare she?¡± Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¡°It has always been Bailey''s dream to marry into a rich and powerful family and it just so happened that Edmund''s interested in her. There was no way she would have missed out on such a good opportunity. Mom and I set that trap to ruin her n, but I didn''t expect her to be so evil. I can''t believe that she... she drugged me and...¡± rence wrapped his daughter in his arms andforted her, ¡°Don''t cry. The Luther family still cares about you. The same goes for Artemis. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have tried to suppress the matter. Everyone thinks you''re the victim, so your reputation won''t be affected.¡± The corners of Rhonda''s lips curled up into a sweet smile as she exchanged nces with Beatrice. Although they had failed, they did not suffer any losses. Besides, they had even managed to gain Felicity''s sympathy. As such, it could be considered a blessing in disguise. They still had a long way to go, and the mother-and-daughter pair did not believe that Bailey would always be so lucky. They were determined to humiliate her and tear her reputation into shreds one day. Meanwhile, in the study of Shelbert Condominium, Zayron removed a card reader from hisptop and passed it to his mother. ¡°Bailey, the stuff you asked for is all inside.¡± Bailey took it over from the boy and eyed him suspiciously before asking, ¡°You didn''t watch it, right?¡± Zayron rolled his eyes before replying, ¡°It''s just an old man having sex with an old woman. There''s nothing interesting to watch. It''s gettingte. You''d better quickly edit the photos. I''ve already contacted Sebastian. He''ll be releasing these photos using LG Corporation''s name tomorrow. By then, Aunt Rhonda will definitely be the talk of the town with her name sttered all over the news.¡± A chilly glint shed past Bailey''s eyes as she said, ¡°I have never intended to do this to her. But she brought this upon herself by messing with me first. She can''t me me for not showing her mercy.¡± Meanwhile, Rhonda had a good night''s sleep. Whenever she thought about the fact that Artemis had suppressed the scandal for her, she could not help but smile blissfully. The next morning, she was awoken by a loud shriek. Immediately before she woke up, she was dreaming about spending her honeymoon with Artemis on a yacht. Rhonda''s temper sparked when she was jolted out of her happy dream. ¡°Who''s shouting so early in the morning? I''m trying to sleep here!¡± Just then, the door swung open and Beatrice entered, looking anxious. ¡°Ronni, something bad has happened!¡± Rhonda sat up on her bed when she heard that. She scrunched up her face as she let out a yawn. Feeling groggy, she grumbled, ¡°Mom, I was having a good dream just now. I dreamed that Artemis and I were on our honeymoon and we were on a yacht. We could not keep our hands off each other, and he was just intending to make love to me on the deck when you barged in and interrupted my dream! Your timing is just too perfect.¡± ¡°Well, you can continue to daydream!¡± rence bellowed as he strode into the room with anger flooding his veins. He hurled the newspaper at Rhonda while fixing his furious gaze on her. ¡°Look what you''ve done! News has even spread overseas. Even though the local media doesn''t dare to cover your scandal, that doesn''t apply to LG Corporation. They are a famous entertainmentpany overseas and are not afraid of offending Artemis.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Rhonda was suddenly wide awake as she sensed something amiss. In a fluster, she picked up the newspaper that was on her nket and spotted the eye-catching headlines at once. The younger daughter of the Jefferson family was caught having a tryst with a mysterious man in the attic during her father''s birthday party. Three nude photos of the couple were published together with the headlines. Although some parts of their bodies had been blurred with mosaic, anyone could tell that the woman, who was pinned down by the man, was Rhonda. She appeared to be extremely intoxicated, her expression filled with desire, emptiness, and charm. Moreover, the pictures had all been erged, intensifying the visual impact on those looking at the photos. ¡°Aargh!¡± Rhonda started screaming hysterically while gripping the newspaper. What''s going on? Why is this happening? News that was published by LG Corporation was circted worldwide. That meant that Rhonda had already be a global sensation, her scandalous photos being viewed by billions of men all over the world. ¡°Aargh!¡± The woman let out another agonizing shriek, her face contorted. ¡°Bailey Jefferson, I''m going to kill you! I will kill you!¡± As Bailey was the only person who hade into contact with the camera the previous night, Rhonda was sure that the woman had made a copy of the video and taken screenshots of it before sending them to LG Corporation. LG Corporation was a properpany with aplicated background. They did not fear anyone, not even the president of the country. Since they had already published those photos, there was no way they could stop the news from being circted. ¡°Mom, what should we do now? What should I do?¡± Beatrice looked up at rence with an awkward expression on her face and said, ¡°rence, since things have already progressed to this stage, ming Ronni won''t help. It''s better for us to think of a solution to salvage the situation. You can''t possibly leave our daughter in the lurch and allow her reputation to be tarnished forever. If that happens, she can never marry into the Luther family.¡± rence''s expression tensed. He took multiple deep breaths, trying to tamp down his rage, and managed to calm down a whileter. ¡°I''ll give Mr. Luther a call and ask if he could talk to the CEO of LG Corporation.¡± A look of delight shed past Beatrice''s face as she replied, ¡°Yes! That''s a good idea. Mr. Luther has been in the business arena for decades and is more influential than Artemis. If he gets involved personally, the CEO of LG Corporation will definitely show him some respect.¡± rence shot a stern re at Rhonda before he turned around and left the room. ¡°Mom¡±¡ªRhonda looked at Beatrice tearfully¡ª¡±I didn''t expect Bailey to make such a move. Now that our n has backfired, what should we do next?¡± Beatrice walked toward her daughter and sat on the edge of her bed. After a brief moment of silence, she sneered and said, ¡°It seems that the b*tch is dering war. Very well, challenge epted.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I heard that she''s the lead designer at Luther Group''s Archulea branch, and the reason she''s here is to design Caridee''s gown. We can try to use her of giarizing another designer''s work and send her to jail.¡± When Rhonda heard that, delight crept across her face, and she started feeling smug again. ¡°That''s right! How could I have forgotten that? Caridee hates Bailey to the core. If we can take advantage of that and devise a good n, Bailey will certainly be in deep trouble. Besides, there''s also Jessica, whose nomination at The Grand Fashion Show was affected by Bailey. That woman will be happy to see Bailey''s downfall.¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Caridee came over to the Jefferson residence to see Rhonda in the morning. Rhonda cried her eyes out as she told Caridee everything, causing thetter to go ballistic on the spot. ¡°Does that woman''s shamelessness know no bounds? Not only did she drug her sister, but she also sent your pictures over to LG Corporation! Why has no one dealt with her yet?¡± Rhonda shed a couple more tears as she sobbed, ¡°She''s jealous that I gave birth to an heir for the Luther family, so she''s doing everything she can to ruin my reputation. I don''t get it at all. She already has kids with Edmund, so it''s only a matter of time before she marries into the Chivers family! Why did she have to do this to me? Does she think she won''t be able to marry into the family? Is that why she''s trying to bring me down with her?¡± Caridee narrowed her eyes and fell silent for a while before asking, ¡°Rhonda, how old is Bailey''s child?¡± A cunning glint appeared in Rhonda''s eyes for a split second when she heard that. Yes! The fish has taken the bait! ¡°The same age as Max. She slept with a stranger on the same night I had sex with your brother. Both of us got pregnant around the same time.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°What?¡± Caridee leaped to her feet all of a sudden. She got so mad that her face was twisted with rage. ¡°W-What''s wrong, Caridee?¡± ¡°What''s wrong, you ask?¡± Caridee snorted. ¡°If she got pregnant on the same night you had sex with my brother, then my cousin is definitely not the father of her child! My cousin was keeping my granddad company in Springwyn at the time!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rhonda stared at her, pretending to be in shock and disbelief. ¡°B-But the DNA paternity test results clearly stated that they''re father and son! ording to Justin''s report, he is Edmund''s child. There''s no way Justin would make a mistake like this, right?¡± Caridee broke into a wry smile. ¡°Bailey sure is a cunning one. She convinced my cousin into bribing Justin so they could trick my uncle and aunt! I won''t let her get away with corrupting the Chivers family bloodline!¡± Rhonda got up from the couch with a conflicted look on her face. ¡°We don''t have any proof of this, Caridee. Besides, this is all just my guess, so don''t go doing anything rash. It''s true that Bailey has crossed the line by ruining my reputation, but she is still my sister. I¡ª¡± ¡°That''s enough.¡± Caridee hugged her tightly. ¡°Defending the culprit when you''re the victim? You''re being way too kind, Rhonda. She deceived my uncle and aunt, and she ruined your reputation. A wicked woman like her does not deserve to be the lead designer in Luther Group. Don''t worry. I''ll find a way to get her fired. She''ll never be able to work as a designer ever again.¡± Oh, Bailey... I''m not the only one who wants to screw you over. You made too many enemies in Hallsbay, so it''s only a matter of time before theye after you. Rhonda''s lips curled into a vicious smile at the thought of that. Meanwhile, Dwayne entered the CEO''s office in Luther Group with a huge stack of documents in his hands. ¡°Mr. Luther, the number of mediapanies publishing this news is increasing. Because they are all foreign mediapanies, our staff from the public rtions department have no right to stop them. I''m afraid you may have to step forward and address this issue in person.¡± Artemis, who was twirling a pen between his fingers, paused and looked up at him upon hearing that. ¡°Why should I?¡± he asked with a sarcastic smile. Dwayne lowered his eyes and nced at the woman in the newspaper article. Although they aren''t married, she did help give birth to a son. Isn''t it a little inappropriate for him to just sit by and do nothing? ¡°Are you sure you won''t do anything about this? Those foreign mediapanies are going to write all sorts of nasty stuff about her. Even if you don''t care about her, you should at least do it for Max. How will he carry himself into society when everyone knows about his mother''s scandal?¡± Artemis gave a cynical chuckle as he tossed his pen aside and leanedzily against his chair. ¡°She brought this upon herself. She should''ve thought about the consequences of her actions beforehand. Do you know how these pictures got leaked?¡± Dwayne gave it some thought before saying, ¡°You mean Ms. Bailey was the one who leaked these pictures? Rhonda tried to set her up, but Ms. Bailey turned the tables on her and obtained those pictures instead.¡± Artemis stroked his chin as he replied, ¡°That woman is cold and calm by nature, so she wouldn''t go around picking fights with people. She only dealt a blow back because Rhonda had crossed the line this time. If you take a closer look at these pictures, you''ll notice that she deliberately kept Laurence''s face hidden. This proves that she knows where to draw the line. She refrained from ruining Laurence''s reputation because he didn''t do anything to wrong her. As for Rhonda... Well, she had iting.¡± He then waved at Dwayne as he continued coldly, ¡°Don''te to me about such matters in the future. We''ll be able to recover the losses as long as my uncle''s face isn''t revealed. As for Max... I''ll marry someone who is worthy of being his mother. He''ll do just fine without that horrible biological mother of his.¡± Dwayne pursed his lips speechlessly after hearing that. It''s funny you say that when you''ve been defending Ms. Bailey all this while. Too bad she''s not your woman, so you can''t sleep with her! ¡°All right, we''ll drop this topic for the time being. What do you n on doing about Laurence? Are you going to suspend him?¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes upon hearing that. His father had called himst night and warned him against kicking Laurence out. Not wanting to destroy his rtionship with his father, Artemis had no choice but toply with his orders. ¡°Find a manor overseas with a peaceful environment and have him spend the rest of his life there. I don''t want to see him in Hallsbay ever again.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Dwayne replied with a nod. He was about to leave when Artemis called out to him once again, ¡°Go find out where Zayron sent Simon''s blood sample to. Once you have confirmed who the recipient is, I want you to do some digging on that person''s background.¡± Dwayne frowned at him in confusion. ¡°You want to get the results of the DNA paternity test?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why go through all that trouble? We could just have Justin repeat the DNA paternity test, right?¡± Artemis looked at him as though he had just heard the dumbest thing ever. ¡°Because Simon''s blood sample has been stolen. Alternatively, you could make a trip overseas and get another blood sample from that piece of sh*t.¡± Meanwhile, Bailey was casually working on a design in Shelbert Condominium,pletely ignoring the chaos out there. Smack! She mmed the pencil hard against the table in frustration and crumpled the paper in front of her. A gown that looks clean and pure, huh... This sure is a headache to design! I''m used to designing sexy ones that look daring and adventurous. I''mpletely out of my element with this one... ¡°How about modifying the one you made for The Grand Fashion Show back then, Mommy?¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Bailey frowned slightly at Susan after hearing that. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. I did indeed design an elegant dress that looked clean and pure four years ago. It took the world by storm and became so popr that it was praised by the Ten Acimed Socialites. They believed it was a gem among dresses and that no other design could ever top it. That dress was what got me nominated as a candidate for The Grand Fashion Show, which I won. But I ended up sleeping at home during the award ceremony... ¡°Things were different back then. I was still young and innocent so I coulde up with a design that looked clean and pure. Now that I''ve been influenced by the luxurious way of life, I can only design dresses that look wild and passionate. There''s no way I can bring myself to go back to my previous designs anymore. Screw it. I''ll give Juliana a call and have her take my ce here in Hallsbay.¡± Susan rolled her eyes in response. ¡°Going to your disciple as soon as you hit a snag? What kind of mentor are you? Even if you don''t care about your title as The Ultimate Designer, you should at least try to defend your honor now that the enemy is at your doorstep!¡± Susan walked up to herputer and pulled up the file from four years ago as she continued, ¡°Just use your design from four years ago as the basis, add your current specialty to it, and you''ve got yourself yet another award-winning piece of work! Hmph, Caridee sure is lucky to wear a dress that you personally designed. I''m sure she''ll have tons of suitors from all around the world in the future!¡± Bailey arched an eyebrow as a bold idea formed in her head. That idea might actually work! I could try making my previous design sexier! Abination of pure innocence and wild sexiness might just result in another stunning dress! Instead of treating this as a competition, I''ll just give it my best shot as a fashion designer and make her a dress that fits her title. ¡°All right, I''ll go with your suggestion. Since she is Edmund''s cousin, I''ll make her a dress that''ll blow everyone''s mind on a global level!¡± ¡°Hehe! That''s more like it!¡± Suddenly, Zayron opened the room door and came in with a grumpy look on his face. ¡°Did Maxton beat you again? Just how useless can you get?¡± Bailey asked with a mocking grin when she saw him. Zayron rolled his eyes at her and said coldly, ¡°That scumbag father of yours has contacted that old man from the Luther family. He contacted the CEO of LG Corporation, and Sebastian has ordered the deletion of all the published nudes.¡± ¡°Heh... So what? Everyone has already seen what they needed to see. For all we know, someone out there could be having sexual fantasies while looking at her nudes right now. People are going to be pointing fingers at Rhonda and calling her a promiscuous woman everywhere she goes. That should be more than enough to annoy her.¡± She should stay home and focus on repairing her image so she can be the future mistress of the Luther family. If she chooses to cause trouble again, then she will soon find herself in a nasty situation beyond salvation! Zayron was still a little frustrated, as it was tough getting back at Rhonda. He didn''t want to let her off the hook so easily. Bailey took the kids over to the cemeteryter in the afternoon. As her mother''s body had beenpletely burned to ashes when she died in the fire, they had buried the clothes she used to wear instead. Bailey teared up the moment she stood before the icy-cold grave. She sat down and leaned against the tombstone as she sobbed, ¡°I''m sorry, Mom. I failed to take good care of Granny, and she ended up dying in the hospital. You two must have reunited in the afterlife by now, right? Could you please help me tell her I''m sorry?¡± Susan and Zayron both felt sad when they heard what she said. After hearing from Zayron that Rhonda had something to do with his great-granny''s death, Maxton vowed to make Rhonda pay dearly someday. Bailey caressed the tombstone as she continued, ¡°Please look after my deceased eldest son for me, Mom. That poor child died without getting a chance to see the world. I was supposed to give birth to triplets, but...¡± She got so emotional at the mention of her eldest son that she couldn''t finish her sentence. Maxton stared at Bailey in confusion for a brief moment before tugging at Susan''s sleeve. ¡°Hey, sis...¡± Susan shot him a fierce re. ¡°Call me Susan.¡± ¡°All right, Susan. Who is Bay referring to as the eldest son? Was she pregnant with triplets back then?¡± Susan''s expression turned vicious as she replied, ¡°It''s your scumbag mother''s doing. Had she not caused the death of our great-granny, Mommy wouldn''t have had a premature birth due to being upset, and my brother wouldn''t have died in her womb.¡± Maxton frowned after hearing that. Wait... Why do I feel like there''s more to this than meets the eye? This kind of reeks of conspiracy... Great-granny died all of a sudden, Bay gave birth prematurely, and her eldest son died in her womb... It feels like someone deliberately set everything up! ¡°Zayron, Susan, pay your respects to your granny.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the two replied in unison as they knelt down in front of the grave. Maxton, who was watching from the side, did the same. Zayron rolled his eyes in response. ¡°Your granny is Beatrice, Maxton. She''s clearly still alive, so why are you kneeling now? Are you trying to curse her or something?¡± ¡°Hmph! If I could curse her to death like this, I''d have done so long ago!¡± Maxton replied coldly through clenched teeth. After spending about half an hour at the cemetery, Bailey brought the kids back to the condominium. They had just stepped out of the elevator when they saw Edmund standing outside their door. ¡°What are you doing standing out here like that? You could''ve called me to let me know you''re here!¡± Edmund turned around and stared at Bailey for a few seconds before shifting his gaze toward Zayron. Yup, he really does look a lot like Simon! Now I see why I felt that sense of familiarity when hanging out with him! It''s because he''s Simon''s son! ¡°What''s gotten into you, Edmund? Did something happen?¡± Even someone as slow as Bailey had noticed something off about him. Zayron had a rough idea as to what was going on after giving it some thought. That b*stard Artemis must''ve told Daddy Eddy about the DNA paternity test. Even Kai could tell that something was amiss, so there was no way Justin would''ve missed it. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 That viin must''ve known about the secret of the paternity test already. Dummy might''ve stolen a blood sample from the Luther residence''s infirmary, but he failed to hide it from his biological father. Hmph. That viin failed to flirt, and now he wants to ruin it for Daddy Eddy, too. What a petty man. ¡°Bay, I have something to tell you. Can we talk in private?¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes. She looked hesitant, but she did not refuse. She tossed her sling bag that was hung on her shoulder to Zayron and walked toward the elevator. ¡°Okay. Let''s talk at the gazebo downstairs.¡± However, Edmund stood rooted to the spot. Seeing that, Zayron gave Edmund''s arm a nudge, reminding him, ¡°Hey, snap out of it. My mom''s gone. Hurry up and follow her.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, okay.¡± Edmund and Bailey exited the condominium. They took a stroll around the pebbled path before sitting down in a gazebo. ¡°Edmund, you can just go straight to the point. There''s no need to be so reserved.¡± Edmund clenched his teeth. After pondering for some time, he finally asked with difficulty, ¡°Bay, in which hotel you had sex with someone seven years ago?¡± Bailey was stunned, and a conflicted look shed past her eyes. He''s still bothered by it, eh? But the Edmund I know is not an old-fashioned person. Edmund was instantly filled with regret when he saw the change in her expression. I was too hasty. I totally forgot to consider her feelings. ¡°Bay, I''m not looking down on you. I... just want to know...¡± ¡°Golden Age Hotel. I had sex with the stranger at Golden Age Hotel.¡± Edmund froze. His face turned pale, and all his facial features stiffened. Golden Age Hotel... Edmund knew Simon had been there that night because both of them had had a conversation on the phone. Simon had wanted Edmund to get a gift for thetter''s grandfather. He had also mentioned something about Golden Age Hotel during the short conversation. Bailey noticed Edmund trembling with emotions and his face turning pale as if a thought had urred to him. Hence, she quickly asked, ¡°Have you found Zayron''s biological father? Who''s he? Who''s that jerk?¡± Edmund lowered his gaze and dismissed the conflicted look in his eyes, smiling. ¡°Calm down. I''ve never looked into your past until now, so I have no idea who he is. I just wanted to ask you to get some fresh clues.¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes and frowned. ¡°Why do you want to look into him?¡± ¡°It''s nothing, so I''ve decided to stop investigating him. No matter who he is, you''ll be my wife once you get married to me. As for that jerk, we can forget about him.¡± Bailey smiled and shook her head. What on earth did Edmund discover? What''s making him act so odd today? ¡°Yeah, stop wasting your time and energy on this. Come on. Let''s get some ingredients and have dinner at my ce tonight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Meanwhile, a woman and a man were sitting by the window of the cafe at Luther Group''s headquarters. Victoria stirred the coffee in her cup and said, ¡°Dwayne, we grew up in the same city and have the same social circle. I''m sure you have at least some knowledge about my past.¡± With that, she raised her finger and pointed at her burgundy-colored short hair, her thick makeup, and her sexy outfit. Her looks were the perfect representation of a citydy. She could not help but sneer, ¡°Do you see it now? The innocent girl who was always dressed in princess dresses is gone. She died when a fight broke out between the Gezmond family and the Saunders family. The woman sitting in front of you right now is someone whose edges and corners have been worn off over time. Do you think you can still find the shadow of my past in me?¡± Dwayne''s fingers that were wrapped around the ss cup froze. He, of course, was aware of the grudge between the two families. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. On top of that, he knew Victoria had fallen in love with the eldest son of the Gezmond family. Unfortunately, the Gezmond family had lost and could only admit defeat. At the same time, the reputation of the young man she loved so deeply had been destroyed, causing him to flee the country. ¡°The past is in the past. Why do you have to torture yourself by dwelling on it? Victoria, are you going to keep drowning yourself in guilt and self-me for the rest of your life? Perhaps Lionel has a family and a business of his own now.¡± Victoria''s red lips curled into a subtle smile like a mysterious and charming flower that bloomed in the middle of the desert. ¡°It''s not that I can''t let go of the past. I just don''t have the courage to fall in love anymore. Hurting one man in this life is more than enough. I don''t want to hurt others again.¡± Dwayne looked her in the eye and said, ¡°It''s not your fault. The rumor about Lionel and his stepmother having an affair and the fact they were captured having sex by the reporters was all your father''s doing. His motive was to ruin the most outstanding descendants of the Gezmond family. You had no idea about it. Why do you have to torture yourself by taking all the me?¡± The corner of Victoria''s lips curled to form a bitter smile, and a pained expression formed on her delicate face. She looked as if she wanted to cry. ¡°Dwayne, you said it yourself that it was all my father''s doing. That''s my biological father we''re talking about. He''s the one who destroyed the Gezmond family''s reputation. He''s also the one who forced Lionel into a corner. Lionel''s father died of a sudden heart attack and the Gezmond family is destroyed because of my father.¡± ¡°Victoria¡ª¡± Victoria took a deep breath and cut him off, ¡°Besides, I was the one who lured him to the hotel. He trusted me. That was why he turned up. But guess what awaited him? A trap where he gets drugged and has sex with his stepmother. In just one night, the news spread all over the city, causing the Gezmond family that was already on the verge of copsing to be ruined.¡± She slowly covered her face with her hands as fat tear drops spilled between her fingers. ¡°I love him so much, but all I could do was watch him get drugged by my dad and send him to have sex with his stepmother. Though nothing happened between them, that stain will stay with him forever. It can never be removed. In the end, he just left Hallsbay without giving me the chance to exin myself. That''s when I knew... he hates me to the core.¡± Dwayne''s expression tensed, and a trace of pity shed through his eyes. He slowly got to his feet and strolled over to Victoria, gently patting her on the back. ¡°It''s not your fault. Fate is a cruel thing for not giving both of you the chance to be in a rtionship.¡± Victoria wiped her tears hurriedly and put on a bitter smile. ¡°It''s been seven years. I''ve been waiting for him to take revenge. It''s time for my family to make up for all the things we''ve done to the Gezmond family. It''s also time for me to make up for the things I''ve done to him.¡± When she finished her sentence, she lifted her head slowly to look at Dwayne. With a hoarse voice, she choked out, ¡°Dwayne, please don''t waste your time on me. You''re the right-hand man of Luther Group''s CEO and earn an annual sry of hundreds of millions. I''m sure you can find someone better. I''m not worth your sacrifices because I still have to pay Lionel for what I''ve done.¡± Dwayne smiled lightly. ¡°I only have feelings for you at the moment, so I''ll pursue you for now.¡± After a moment of silence, he added, ¡°I have some news about Lionel. Do you want to hear about it?¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Victoria gazed at him quietly. After hesitating for a long time, she shook her head. ¡°Since he doesn''t want me to find him, then I shall respect his wishes. I won''t go looking for him to cause him more trouble. Instead, I''ll wait in Hallsbay for him to take back everything that belongs to him.¡± Dwayne could not help but smile. ¡°Perhaps he doesn''t need to anymore. The properties he currently owns are ten times or even a hundred times more than the Saunders family''s.¡± Victoria took in a deep breath, forcing a smile. ¡°Really? He must''ve encountered a miracle, then. I''m happy for him. I hope he can forget the painful past and start a new life.¡± A conflicted expression flooded Dwayne''s eyes. After staring at her for some time, he said, ¡°Vicky, what I told you earlier is true. Lionel... is married and has a child.¡± ng! Upon hearing those words, Victoria, who had just lifted her ss of coffee, identally lost her grip on it, causing it to hit the table. ¡°I-I''m sorry. I need to go to the restroom.¡± With that, she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the private room. Dwayne narrowed his eyes as he watched her flee pathetically. At the same time, a hint of dejection shed across his face. It''s been so many years, yet she still can''t forget about him. She knows it''s impossible between them. Why is she still being so stubborn? After pondering for some time, he took out his phone from his pocket and gave Bailey a call. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, are you free now? Can youe over to the cafe under Luther Group? Victoria''s in a bad mood. I think you need toe over and talk to her.¡± There was a moment of silence before Bailey''s calm voice could be heard from the phone speakers. ¡°You talked to her about Lionel, didn''t you?¡± Dwayne hummed in response and recounted his entire conversation with Victoria. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Oh, boy. Even I don''t dare to bring up the past to her for fear of making her emotional. Where did you get the guts to do so? Ah, forget about it. I''ll go over there with Susan. Keep an eye on Victoria and don''t let her take any alcohol.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you so much.¡± Meanwhile, in Shelbert Condominium, Bailey tossed the pen in her hand, stepped out of the study, and yelled, ¡°Susan Jefferson, get dressed right now. We''re going out!¡± The three children were ying Old Maid in the living room. Susan was stressing over the Old Maid in her hand. If someone did not take it during that round, she would be the loser. The moment she heard her mother calling out to her, she mmed the cards on the table. ¡°All right, I can''t y with you guys anymore. Yours truly is going to hang out with Bay.¡± Zayron clicked his tongue and reached out to pinch her ear. ¡°You rascal, how dare you speak to me like that?¡± Maxton pped Zayron''s hand away. ¡°And how dare you bully my sister?¡± Zayron was baffled. How greasy! Susan snorted and took Maxton''s side. ¡°That''s how I normally speak to Max. Why are you including yourself in the conversation? How shameless!¡± Zayron was stumped. Are you even my sister? Right then, Bailey stepped out of the room and tossed a fluffy dress at Susan. ¡°Get dressed.¡± Zayron put down his cards and pursed his lips. ¡°You always take her out. Why do you treat us differently when we''re both from the same womb?¡± Bailey marched over to him and gently hit the back of his head. ¡°Do you know how tofort someone? If you do, I can take you along.¡± A thought came to Zayron''s mind. ¡°Is Vic crying over a guy again?¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes and red at him, her eyes glinting dangerously. Zayron leaped to his feet, took a few steps back, and pped himself. ¡°It''s my fault. I spoke carelessly. I deserve to be punished.¡± Bailey beckoned him over with a finger. ¡°Come here. I have a task for you.¡± Zayron eyed her warily and gave himself a few more ps. ¡°I only said seven words and have already pped myself five times. Are you still going to hit me?¡± Bailey red at him and gritted her teeth. ¡°Come here this instant, young man.¡± Given no choice, Zayron approached her carefully. With a swoop of her hand, Bailey pulled him into her embrace and whispered something into his ear. ¡°Huh? You suspect him?¡± Bailey smacked his head gently. ¡°We''ll know the truth once we look into it. Look into Sebastian''s identity as well. Find out if they''re father and son.¡± Zayron put away the grin on his face and clenched his teeth. ¡°Okay. What if they are?¡± ¡°If they are...¡± Bailey''s voice trailed off as she narrowed her eyes and pondered for a moment. ¡°We''ll think about thatter. Your godmother''s going to have her heart broken.¡± Her words left Zayron speechless. Meanwhile, in the study of the Luther family''s condominium, Artemis was talking on the phone while leaning against the window. The room was illuminated with warm light, which shrouded his slender and tall figure in the dark and obscured his facial features. ¡°Caridee''sing-of-age ceremony is in about twenty days. When on earth are youing back?¡± There was no response from the speakers. The strange atmosphere hung in the air for about a minute before a fearful man''s voice came through. ¡°Artemis, are you... not mad anymore?¡± Artemis massaged his temples and suppressed his anger. He softened his tone as he asked, ¡°You were also drugged seven years ago. Did you have sex with any women?¡± Another long silence greeted him. In the next second, the call ended. Artemis was speechless, and his expression darkened. Every time I ask him this question, he''ll shrink away like a scared bunny. Is he feeling guilty? If he is, that means he did have sex with a woman that night, and that woman is... Bailey! Artemis gripped his phone so tight that the tips of his fingers turned white and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. Artemis would have crippled Simon if thetter were not his younger brother. Meanwhile, Felicity was talking to Caridee on the couch in the living room of the Luther residence. ¡°Mom, you must take my side this time. What gives Bailey the right to design mying-of-age gown with that bad reputation of hers? This time, she did everything she could to harm Rhonda. Our family has already suppressed this matter, but Bailey still managed to get the pictures using her hacking skills and send them to overseas mediapanies. On the surface, she may look like she''s harming Rhonda. Truth is, she''s insulting our family.¡± The mention of Bailey made Felicity grit her teeth fiercely. After all, she had been humiliated over and over again, all thanks to Bailey. ¡°Don''t worry. I won''t let such a terrible person design your gown. Even if she defeats Jessica, I''ll never hire her. Besides, she''s just an amateur who learned to tailor for only a few years. How is she better than Jessica, the mentee of a world-famous designer?¡± Caridee pursed her lips. ¡°I''m just worried Artemis might be biased toward her. She managed to seduce Edmund and taint the Chivers family''s bloodline. I''m sure she''ll seed in seducing Artemis too.¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Felicity narrowed her eyes. ¡°Caridee, how do you know she tainted the Chivers family''s bloodline? The paternity test shows that they are rted. Justin was the one who handled it. There''s no way he could have made a mistake.¡± Caridee rolled her eyes and said exasperatedly, ¡°Ugh, the paternity test is all you, Uncle Yoel, and his wife can think of. Have you guys ever considered what Rhonda said seven years ago? She said Bailey got pregnant at the same time as her. Think about it. Where was Edmund at that time?¡± Felicity fell into deep thoughts. After some time, anger washed over her face. ¡°I remember now. Edmund was keeping your granddadpany in Springwyn. I remember you went there and stayed there for a month too.¡± ¡°Exactly. If Edmund was in Springwyn at that time, how did he make Bailey pregnant?¡± Felicity sprang up from the couch and fumed, ¡°I''m going to give your uncle a call. I''m going to tell him to do another paternity test.¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Caridee grabbed Felicity''s arm and made her sit down. ¡°Mom, she must be feeling proud and enjoying the feeling of having climbed up the socialdder. Let''s just let her enjoy it for a few more days and bring her down when the time is right. We''ll let her experience the feeling of going from heaven to hell.¡± Felicity whipped around and narrowed her eyes as she nced at Caridee. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°She''s thick-skinned and insisted on being my designer, no? Well, we can plot something with this. Once she messes up, she''ll definitely get Edmund''s help. When that happens, we''ll tell Uncle Yoel and his wife the truth. We''ll have total control over her when she doesn''t have the Chivers family backing her.¡± Felicity fell silent for a moment before nodding. ¡°You youngsters are really witty. You''ve got so many great ideas. Very well. Let''s go with your n. That woman is evil to the core. I''ll never let her get close to Artemis and Edmund and ruin their lives.¡± Having worked hard for two whole days, Bailey finally finished the first draft. She was stunned by her own craft after coloring it. Even Susan was unwilling to let go of the drawing. She muttered jealously, ¡°What a beautiful gown. It''s such a waste to give it to that willful princess of the Luther family just like that. Bailey, why don''t we switch it with something else? We can use this as mying-of-age gown.¡± Bailey massaged her sore temples and pulled her daughter into her embrace, putting on a rare smile. ¡°For youring-of-age gown, I''ll surely spend half a year designing it. This belongs to someone else. How can I let you wear it? It''s too simple and cheap.¡± Susan grinned and wrapped her arms around Bailey''s neck, praising sweetly, ¡°You''re the best mommy on earth. I''m really blessed to be your daughter.¡± Creak! The door opened, and Zayron walked in with a te of fruits. The moment he saw them hugging each other tightly, a wave of jealousy washed over him. That''s it. I''m not her son. I''m definitely not her son. ¡°Bailey, can I have a hug too?¡± Bailey red at him and sneered, ¡°Do you earn as much money as your sister? All she needs to do is film an advertisement, and I have enough money to buy a condominium.¡± Zayron was rendered speechless by her words. Oh, boy. She''s a big shot. I can''t afford to mess with her. Susan leaned into Bailey''s embrace and chuckled. ¡°Mommy, I''m already nominated for the Oscars'' Best Child Actor Award. If I get the award, my worth with increase by ten times. Zayron is not even worth beingpared to me.¡± Zayron stood frozen. Bailey released Susan with a chuckle, got up from the chair, and stretched herself. ¡°All right, now. I need to go to Luther Group''s headquarters to hand in my design. I shall not keep messing around with you kids. Stay at home and behave, okay? Don''t go out there and get into trouble.¡± Zayron rolled his eyes. Herst sentence is totally targeting me. Then again, what on earth did I do? Why does she always look at me like I''m some kind of trash? Bailey sat on the couch in the design department director''s room of Luther Group while reading a magazine. She had arrived for over half an hour, yet Stephen was nowhere to be seen. ording to his assistant, he had gone to the office on the top floor for an executive meeting. Click! ck! Click! ck! The sound of high heels touching the ground could be heard as two fashionably dressed youngdies walked over. Bailey side-eyed them, and her lips curled into a sinister smile. Looks like I''m not getting any peace again. ¡°My oh my! Isn''t this Ms. Bailey? Why are you here half an hour earlier? Are you here to beg Mr. Chandler for a few more days'' time because you can''te up with a good design?¡± The person who spoke was not Jessica; it was an unfamiliar voice. Bailey scoffed inwardly. Did she find herself an assistant? Looks like she doesn''t dare to face me alone after I''ve humiliated her twice. The assistant who was watching the scene in the corner stepped forward and said in a low voice, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, she''s Janice Worthiere, one of the managers of the design department. She''s close to Ms. Tanner.¡± Bailey merely raised a brow with her eyes still fixed on the magazine, ignoring the arrogant woman at the door. I''m being polite already. They''d better not me me for ying hardball if they continue insulting me. Janice''s rage red when she saw Bailey, who was still sitting on the couch, ignore herpletely. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Bailey, you''re such a despicable person. Aren''t you afraid you''ll die a horrible death for all the things you''ve done?¡± Bailey remained silent. ¡°You drugged your own sister at your father''s birthday party. You even set her up to sleep with a granduncle of the Luther family. You''re such a scheming woman. And that''s not all! You even wanted to ruin her reputation. Admit it. You''re just jealous because she gave birth to Maxton. Too bad your son died in your belly. That''s what you get for all the evil things you''ve done. I bet that bastard decided to kill himself before he was born because he didn''t want to be born to you.¡± Bailey could not tolerate people calling Zayron and Susan illegitimate children and she could not tolerate people who added salt to her wound by mentioning her dead child. Unfortunately, Janice had crossed her this time. Bailey slowly lifted her gaze and beamed at Janice, reminding her in a friendly manner, ¡°Miss, if you need to take a dump, please head to the restroom. This is the office. Please don''t talk sh*t in public. It''s quite disgusting.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Bailey threw the magazine onto the table in front of her, slowly got to her feet, and strolled toward Janice. ¡°Yep. You stink. Please shut up and stop talking crap.¡± Janice raised her hand to p Bailey. ¡°B*tch, I''m going to beat you to a¡ªaargh!¡± Bailey grabbed her wrist, sneering. ¡°Didn''t Ms. Tanner tell you what happened a few days ago? She tried to p me but received two ps in return. If she didn''t tell you that, then it looks like she has sent you here to be cannon fodder. Unfortunately, you''ve fallen for her trick.¡± Janice struggled to break free. She turned to look at Jessica, hissing, ¡°She pped you?¡± Chapter 62 Chapter 62 An idea urred to Jessica, and she shook her head instantly. ¡°No. How could I get pped by her? Jan, she''s brainwashing you. Don''t forget your objective for doing this.¡± Objective? Oh, that''s right. I came here with an objective. Rhonda had promised Janice she would help thetter to be the deputy director of the design department. In return, Janice had to go against Bailey and spread rumors about Bailey setting her own sister up. ¡°Do you think it''s reasonable for you to set your own sister up? Bailey, you''re just jealous of Mrs. Luther for giving the Luther family an heir while that b*stard child of yours¡ª¡± Smack! Bailey gave Janice a hard p that turned thetter''s head to the side. ¡°You''re more than wee to spout nonsense, but don''t drag me into it. I''m short-tempered and don''t have the patience to deal with your antics,¡± Bailey snapped. Janice subconsciously covered her cheek, which was burning with pain. She shot Bailey a furious re. ¡°Y-You b*tch! How dare you hit me? Do you know who my boyfriend is? H-He''s the deputy manager of Luther Group!¡± s, Bailey was unfazed. After examining the pink palm print on Janice''s cheek, she turned to Jessica, saying, ¡°I remember giving you a p on each cheek the other day. It looked symmetrical and aesthetic, don''t you agree? Why don''t you give her one on the other cheek? That way, we can admire its beauty together.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Jessica slowly clenched her fists. After the past incidents, she did not dare to act rashly anymore. After all, Bailey was a trained fighter. Jessica would only be at a disadvantage if she went against her. Originally, Jessica brought Janice over to insult Bailey. To her surprise, Janice was also a short- tempered person who would attack her opponent the instant they had a disagreement. Most importantly, Janice was not a match for Bailey. Before the former could even raise her hand, her arm had already been seized by Bailey. ¡°Bailey, you''re just a designer from another branch. Janice is the manager of the headquarters, which means she''s your superior. Don''t you think you''re going too far by hitting her in the office?¡± Bailey came to a sudden realization and smacked her head. ¡°Oh my goodness. I''ve forgotten about that. I''m sorry. I''m terribly sorry.¡± With that, she quickly released Janice''s arm and took two steps backward as if she wanted to bow in apology. Frustrated, Janice raised her hand and attempted to p Bailey once more. Smack! A loud p rang out. Janice widened her eyes and gaped at her numb palm in disbelief. She then shifted her gaze toward Jessica, who she had just pped. With a trembling voice, she said, ¡°J-Jessica, I-I didn''t do it on purpose. I mean, I never wanted to p you.¡± Jessica''s face was purple with rage, and she shot Bailey a piercing gaze. ¡°How dare you use me as your shield?¡± Bailey shrugged. ¡°It''s just reflex. When a person is in danger, they''ll instinctively grab something to shield themselves. It''s your fault for standing beside me. You can''t me it on me.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± A gentle cough sounded at the door, breaking the tension in the room. Stephen could not help but sigh internally as his gaze swept past the red palm marks on Jessica''s and Janice''s faces. A catfight between women is indeed scary. They''re unbelievably ruthless. At this rate, I''m going to see handprints on their faces every day. ¡°Mr. Chandler, you''re finally back. This woman''s unbelievably arrogant. No matter what, I''m still her superior in Luther Group''s headquarters. Yet, she actually had the guts to p me. She should be punished for all her crimes!¡± Raising a brow, Stephen nced at Bailey and asked with a half-smile, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, may I know what did Janice do to offend you? Why did you attack her?¡± Bailey stretched out a finger and pointed at the surveince camera above their heads. The intention of her actions could not be clearer. Seeing that, Janice twitched her lips in frustration. This b*tch! Here I was thinking the mark on my face will be enough proof to teach Bailey a lesson. I never imagined she''d be so cunning as to make me attack her under the camera. Indeed, Janice was the one who moved first. Sadly, she failed and was attacked instead. Hence, that was not an act of assaulting a superior, but ack of skills. Janice had no right to cause a fuss over it. Bailey shed her a kind smile. ¡°Looks like Ms. Worthiere doesn''t have any objections. If that''s the case, let''s put this to an end. You should quickly put an ice pack on your face. It''ll reduce the swelling in a few hours.¡± Exasperated, Janice stomped her feet before leaving the room unwillingly. Stephen shook his head and smiled helplessly at the scene. He then strolled over to the couches to take a seat. Gazing at the two women, he said gently, ¡°Today''s the day to submit your design. I''m sure both of you havepleted your first draft. I''ll need you to hand me your draft first. Then, we''ll have lunch at a restaurant. Luther Group will have an executive meeting in the afternoon so that each department''s director can discuss ande up with a decision. I promise everything will be done fairly, with no biases toward anyone.¡± Jessica''s heart leaped with joy when she heard that, and she asked hurriedly, ¡°Really? Each department''s director will discuss and decide on the winner instead of the decision being Mr. Luther''s alone?¡± If that''s the case, I''ve basically won. Apart from Ms. Saunders, the directors of the other departments are well acquainted with me. I''m sure they''ll choose my design based on our rtionship. Besides, I''m Eve''s mentee and the chief designer of Luther Group''s headquarters. Tons of people want to get on my good side. This situation presents a perfect opportunity for the directors to do so. Anyone who''s smart will naturally know which design to choose. I''m definitely going to win! Of course, Stephen was smart enough to guess what was on Jessica''s mind. Being too conceited is not a good thing. She''ll only face a great loss in the end. He sighed inwardly and turned to gaze at Bailey with a smile. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, do you have any objections? Having the directors of each department vote was the fairest solution I coulde up with. Please let me know if you have other concerns.¡± Jessica scoffed, ¡°If she has other concerns, that''ll just prove that she''s feeling guilty and scared. She''s nothing but a tailor, just an amateur. It''s a good thing that she has some self-awareness and is not totally stupid. Bailey, I advise you to give up on thispetition while you still can. Otherwise, you''ll only be utterly humiliated when you lose.¡± Smiling, Bailey pulled out a folder from her bag and handed it to Stephen. ¡°This is my draft. Luther Group is an international business conglomerate that has a great internal system. All the department directors are talented people and were personally trained by Mr. Luther. I''m sure they''ll make fair decisions. If I''m not chosen, that simply means my skills aren''t up to par yet.¡± Jessica clicked her tongue and spat, ¡°Oh, go on. Continue putting on an act. You look calm on the outside, but you''re already panicking on the inside. I''ll make sure to enjoy your look of defeat when the timees.¡± However, Bailey did not even bother looking at Jessica. After bidding Stephen farewell, the former spun on her heels and left the director''s office. Stephen watched her leave before shifting his gaze to Jessica with a sigh. ¡°Be careful. There''s a saying that people will meet their fall once they achieve sess in life. As the chief designer of Luther Group, every word and action you make represents the entirepany. Don''t cross Mr. Luther''s bottom line, or no one will be able to save you. That''s all I can say. You''d better watch your behavior.¡± Jessica harrumphed. ¡°Are you saying she can make me meet my fall? What a joke!¡± Chapter 63 Chapter 63 After leaving the director''s office, Bailey noticed the crowd was staring at her funny. Hence, she pricked up her ears and could roughly hear what they were whispering among themselves. ¡°Look. That''s the eldest daughter of the Jefferson family. I heard she set her own step-sister up during her father''s birthday party. Not only did she drug her step-sister, she even ced thetter in the same bed as a random guy to ruin her reputation.¡± ¡°No wonder. I was wondering how such a scandal could happen to Ms. Rhonda in her own home. Turns out she was set up by her sister. But, why? Why would Ms. Bailey do that to her own sister?¡± ¡°You''re so innocent. Don''t you get it? Ms. Bailey''s jealous of Ms. Rhonda for giving the Luther family an heir. Ms. Bailey, on the other hand, had sex with a random guy and gave birth to a stillborn. She must be jealous of her step-sister for being able to marry into a rich family and be the mistress of the most prestigious family in the city. Unable to ovee her ego, she decided to ruin her own sister''s life as well.¡± ¡°How shameless! Anyone who''s observant enough can see that Ms. Rhonda was set up by someone. Isn''t being with Mr. Luther great enough? Who in their right mind would cheat on him? That''s just digging their own graves. Besides, Rhonda isn''t a fool. Why would she willingly have sex with a random guy?¡± ¡°Exactly. She was framed by her own sister. Otherwise, why would the Luther family be quiet about this? If Rhonda really cheated, the Luther family would definitely be the first to sever ties between the two families.¡± ¡°I heard Bailey''s here to submit her design draft. She''s really thick-skinned and arrogant, eh? I can''t believe she has the guts topete against Jessica.¡± ¡°Let''s go to the lobby to watch the drama once the results are out in the afternoon. Jessica will surely scold her in front of everyone in thepany.¡± Bailey smirked at what she heard. If I''m not mistaken, these lies must have been spread by Rhonda. She''s quite quick in attempting to clear her name, isn''t she? Too bad. Countless men have already seen her body, so she won''t be able to clear her name just like that. Bailey was not in the mood to argue with those who spoke. Hence, she quickened her pace as she made her way to the elevator. Right as she arrived at a corner, someone bellowed behind her, ¡°Bailey, stop right there.¡± Bailey sighed. She had not eaten anything when she left the house. Thus, she was starving. Can''t these people just be nice? Why do they have to look for trouble? Bailey stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at Janice, grinning and raising her brow. ¡°What is it, Ms. Worthiere? Are you not satisfied with the fight earlier and want to continue?¡± Her words triggered Janice''s anger instantly. The two women''s voices were rather loud, which attracted the attention of the employees in the office. In a blink of an eye, many formally dressed men and women had surrounded them. Janice stepped forward and grabbed Bailey''s arm, hissing, ¡°I won''t stop you if you want to walk out of this door, but you have to let me p you in return. If not, don''t you even dream of leaving this ce! My boyfriend is the deputy general manager. He can easily make you pay for what you''ve done.¡± Bailey massaged her forehead. The women here are really different from those in other countries. They''re literally worlds apart. At least the ones I''ve argued with in other countries are capable people, unlike the ones I''ve met here. All they do is yell at others at the top of their lungs. ¡°Ms. Worthiere, do I look like a fool to you? What makes you think I''ll let you p me?¡± ¡°You lot,e here and hold her down!¡± Janice yelled at the few female employees who were standing by the side. Janice was a department manager, after all. Hence, her words had power over them. As soon as she finished speaking, several employees stepped forward. Bailey merely smiled and shook her head. Looks like the office is going to be in a mess today. I just hope this woman''s status in thispany is powerful enough. Otherwise, she won''t be able to deal with the repercussions of such a matter. Before the staff could even grab Bailey, thetter threw out her arm and punched it right into Janice''s stomach. No one knew how much strength Bailey had exerted, but they all saw how Janice released the former''s arm and stumbled backward, finally leaning against an office table with her body bowed forward. ¡°You b*tch! How dare you act so arrogantly?¡± ¡°Let''s all get her and teach her a lesson!¡± The female employees got worked up and charged at Bailey. However, Bailey unceremoniously threw out a few kicks at lightning speed. In the next second, the women were all sprawled on the floor. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Perhaps themotion was a little too loud that it caught the attention of the security guards at the stairs. Several of them hurried over with their iron rods and rushed straight at Bailey. Bailey flexed her wrists to warm up her muscles before dashing forward in a sh. The office''s documents flew into the air, and chaos broke out. In the meantime, Stephen hurried over as soon as he heard the news. When he saw the scene before him, he could not help but twitch his lips. Just when he was about to intervene, someone grabbed his arm. He whipped his head around and noticed Victoria behind him. ¡°I say, that''s your best friend who''s getting beaten up. Please don''t tell me you''re just going to watch them fight.¡± Victoria raised her brow and snickered. ¡°We don''t know for sure who''s the one getting beaten up. Anyway, don''t stop them. I want this matter to blow up. It''s their fault for messing with Bay. Once this is over, I''ll fire all of them and make them leave right away.¡± Stephen could not help but chuckle. ¡°Incredible. Go ahead, then. You''re the director of the HR department, after all.¡± Victoria extended her hand and poked his arm, saying excitedly, ¡°Why don''t we make a bet? I bet Artemis wille here and join in on the fight to help Bay out.¡± Stephen was baffled. I bet she''s the only person in the entirepany who dares to make jokes about Mr. Luther. ¡°They''re already causing a huge fuss, so Mr. Luther will definitely step in to deal with it. Technically, the person you recruited is wreaking havoc in my territory. I''m not trying to be pessimistic, but we''ll be doomed if Mr. Luther gets angry.¡± ¡°What are you afraid of? He won''t fire us because of this. At most, we''ll lose a few months'' sries. Lucky for you, I''m close with the director of the finance department. I can just tell him to pay us in secret. How''s that?¡± Stephen was rendered speechless. Meanwhile, Dwayne entered the CEO''s office with aptop in his hand. ¡°Art, Art. Look. Your wife''s sister is wreaking havoc in thepany.¡± As soon as he finished his sentence, Dwayne suddenly felt a chilling stare on him. Oops... He quickly corrected, ¡°I mean, Ms. Bailey is turning Stephen''s design department upside down.¡± Artemis tossed his pen down on the table and took theptop from Dwayne. As he lowered his gaze to watch the video, the corners of Artemis'' eyes twitched. I knew this woman was like a wild cat. The fact that they were able to force her to take action is quite something. ¡°Art... Should we go down there to have a look? Besides, it''s a great opportunity to y the hero and win the heart of the beauty. You must not miss it.¡± Artemis nced coldly at Dwayne before pointing at the screen. Coincidentally, Victoria and Stephen were standing right under the surveince camera, and Artemis could see every single detail from that point of view. ¡°Victoria''s the first person I''ll fire once I get down there,¡± he stated. Dwayne jumped at what he heard. ¡°Holy moly. Do you really have to be so heartless?¡± Artemis tossed theptop onto the table and walked past the curved desk. ¡°Let''s go and have a look.¡± Dwayne tried his best to hold in hisughter. Oh, carry on with the pretense. You''re just pretending to be innocent when you obviously want to impress Bailey. Tch. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Meanwhile, at the design department, Bailey scanned the people sprawled on the floor, her lips curving upward to form a smirk. ¡°Are these the security guards hired by Luther Group? They''re not very impressive.¡± With that, Bailey whipped around and stared at Victoria, who was watching the drama unfold. The former mocked, ¡°How on earth did you be the director of the HR department? Why did you hire such useless people? Tsk tsk. You have bad taste. I think you should go back to university and study for a few more years. Don''t embarrass your lecturer.¡± Victoria''s lips twitched. What a horrible woman. She doesn''t even miss the chance of insulting her own best friend. I''m just here to watch the drama. Did she really have to mock me too? Bailey walked up to Janice and stared down at her, saying calmly, ¡°You should learn from Ms. Tanner and stay away from me when you see me next time. I''m short-tempered, and I don''t have the patience to tolerate your spoiled princess attitude. By the way, tell Rhonda to clean her name without dragging mine through the mud. Otherwise, I''ll ruin her reputation even more.¡± Janice looked up immediately. When she was about to retort, her eyes fell on the entrance, and she started wailing, ¡°Jeremy, you''re finally here! This woman... S-She''s bullying me.¡± Bailey cocked her brow in puzzlement before slowly turning around. A young man dressed in a suit could be seen approaching them. It was at that moment Bailey understood what was going on. This must be Janice''s boyfriend. What''s his position again? Oh, right. Deputy general manager. Jeremy Lohan swept his gaze over Janice. His eyes darkened when he saw her swollen face and pained expression as she clutched her stomach. He looked over at Bailey and asked angrily, ¡°Were you the one who made her like that?¡± Bailey admitted, ¡°Yep. I was the one who beat her up. There''s no way I can deny it since there are so many witnesses here. So? Are you nning to avenge your girlfriend, Mr. Lohan?¡± Jeremy narrowed his eyes and red at Bailey for a long time before saying coldly, ¡°I shall not question who was in the right or wrong for now. Then again, shouldn''t you apologize to her for beating her up to this extent?¡± Bailey was speechless. The people here are so weird. I was the one who was provoked, and I merely defended myself out of instinct. Yet now, I''ve got to apologize to the provoker because she was beaten up? Hah! What kind of logic is this? ¡°What if I refuse? Will you hit me?¡± Without waiting for Jeremy to speak, Janice said, ¡°Jerr, send her to the police station and get her detained for two weeks on the charge of intentionally hurting others.¡± When she finished, she nced at Bailey smugly. ¡°My boyfriend is from the branch family of the Luther family. Sure, you can act unruly in front of me, but let''s see if you can continue doing that when the policee. With no one to back you up, I''d like to see who''ll bail you out once you''re arrested.¡± Bailey smiled and shook her head, moving her feet forward to leave the building. She had only taken two steps when Jeremy grabbed her arm. ¡°If you don''t apologize to her, then I have no choice but to take you to the police station.¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes, which glinted with a hint of impatience. She sneered, ¡°Looks like it''s a trend to have backers while expanding one''s social circle. As for those without backers, they''ll be bullied. Very well. I''ll go to the police station with you. Consider me unlucky for encountering a rabid dog.¡± Janice grinned gleefully. Once this woman goes to jail, I''ll be able to brag about this to Rhonda. If I manage to butter up the future wife of the CEO, I''ll surely get promoted quickly in Luther Group. Victoria was about to rush over when Stephen stopped her. ¡°Let me go,¡± she demanded. However, Stephen shot her a look and gestured toward the office''s window with his chin. Seeing that, Victoria looked in the direction he was gesturing at. Immediately, a slender shadow outside the window came into view, and she could not help but smirk. As expected, Mr. Luther hase down to help Bay out! Nice! Victoria broke free from Stephen''s grip and strolled over to the crowd. She then purposely spoke to Janice with an envious tone. ¡°Having a boyfriend who''s a rtive of the boss must be nice. Even dropping his name must earn you admiration and respect.¡± Turning to Bailey, she shrugged with a helpless expression. ¡°My dear friend, I''m afraid you''ve picked the wrong opponent today. The Lohan family is the inws of the Luther family. Since you''ve offended their future daughter-inw, I''m afraid you''ve got no choice but to go to jail. Don''t me me for not helping you out. It''s just that the other party''s family is too strong, and you''ve offended them greatly. I... can''t do much to help.¡± Those words boosted Janice''s ego. She wrapped her arm around Jeremy''s and stood straight, casting a provocative and disdainful gaze onto Bailey. ¡°What now? Have you given up on the pretense? I might show you mercy and not send you to the police station if you do these things: receive two ps from me and kneel before me. Otherwise, no one will be able to save you today. My boyfriend is the deputy general manager. Even Mr. Luther has to show him some respect. There''s no way you can leave unscathed after offending me.¡± Bailey could not help but chuckle as she eyed the arrogant woman in front of her. She was about to say something when Dwayne entered. He walked straight to Janice and asked with a frown, ¡°Did Ms. Jefferson leave this palm print on your face?¡± Janice was delighted to hear that. If I can convince Dwayne to speak ill of Bailey to Mr. Luther, that''ll make Rhonda happier. ¡°Mr. Derning, you''ve got to seek justice for me. This woman pped me in front of everyone. You''ve got to punish her for assaulting a superior!¡± To her surprise, Dwayne smiled subtly andmented curtly, ¡°Nice one.¡± Janice was momentarily stunned, and she gaped at him. ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that?¡± Dwayne pointed at her swollen cheek with an arched brow. ¡°I''m saying she did well for hitting you.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Don''t get worked up. I wasn''t the one who said it. It was Mr. Luther.¡± Janice''s face drained of color, and she looked as if she had lost her soul. At the same time, she mumbled, ¡°That''s impossible. No way. Why would Mr. Luther say such a thing?¡± Dwayne nced at her with disgust and said inly, ¡°Looks like you''re acting so arrogantly because you''ve forgotten what Mr. Luther''s temper is like. The people he hates most in life are those who spout nonsense and spread malicious rumors. You''ve touched a nerve and angered him by spreading false rumors of Ms. Bailey drugging Ms. Rhonda. I''m sorry, Ms. Worthiere. You''re fired.¡± His words were like a bomb that exploded in Janice''s mind. Her jaw instantly dropped with disbelief. How could this happen? I clearly had the upper hand. How did things take such a turn so quickly? Mr. Luther is firing me? No. That''s not real. It can''t be! Dwayne ignored her and turned to Victoria. ¡°Ms. Saunders, Mr. Luther has ordered you to fire all those involved in the fight. They''re not to be hired by anypany under Luther Group''s umbre in the future.¡± Janice was the first person to object. ¡°No. I object! That woman was clearly in the wrong. Why should we bear the consequences?¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 ¡°Why?¡± A deep and maic voice rang out from the door, prompting everyone to turn their attention to the speaker. Artemis had his arms crossed before his chest as he leaned against the doorframe. With a cigarette resting between his lips, he looked like aid-back hooligan. Ironically, it was that handsome, bad-boy style of his that caused women to swoon over him. After all, how could any woman resist a good-looking, rich guy who was strangely graceful yet unrestrained? ¡°I''ll tell you why. How about because this is my turf, and I can bankrupt each and every one of you? You got a problem with that? Or do you think I don''t have what it takes to fire you?¡± challenged Artemis. ¡°Or perhaps I should let you be the CEO for a couple of days, huh? That way, you can actually experience what it''s like to be at the top.¡± ¡°N-No!¡± said Janice as she hastily backed away. With a stumble, she fell into Jeremy''s arms. ¡°J-Jeremy, please help me ask Mr. Luther for mercy. Please. I don''t want to get fired! I don''t!¡± Jeremy''s expression was grim. When he turned his attention to Janice, his eyes shone with a hint of disdain. Rather than a girlfriend, he thought she was more like a friend with benefits because their connection had always been more physical than emotional. Now, she had offended Artemis and was hoping he would help. She can dream on! ¡°You''re the one responsible for the rumors in the office? There is no evidence to prove them one way or another, so why did you say all that and tarnish Ms. Bailey''s reputation? I finally understand why she pped you. You are the one who started all this drama, and she only pped you to retaliate and teach you a lesson.¡± Janice''s eyes bulged. She trembled endlessly as she stared strangely at the man beside her. Is this the man who keeps whispering into my ears about how much he loves me? So his love only exists when we''re in bed, huh? ¡°Jeremy, y-you...¡± Jeremy ignored her. He turned his attention to Dwayne and simpered, ¡°Since Mr. Luther has already issued the order personally, Mr. Derning, I will support his decision wholeheartedly.¡± Dwayne didn''t reply. He simply smiled at Bailey, and the implicit message could not be clearer. The revtion hit Jeremy. He quickly bowed to Bailey and fearfully said, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, I didn''t know that Janice was the malicious one who spread the rumors in the office, so I protected her earlier. I am so sorry about that. Please don''t take that personally or be mad anymore. She already got what she deserves since she''s been fired now.¡± Bailey sneered as disdain shed past her eyes. I knew it. Bullies are all the same and will only bow to the one who punches the hardest. She ignored Jeremypletely and shifted her gaze to Janice. Bailey had a skin-deep smile on her lips when she advised, ¡°Here''s a hint for all thedies. Never trust a man. They are all pigs.¡± No one spoke for a moment there. Artemis frowned a little. Did she just insult every single man on Earth? Janice sat quietly on the floor, feeling numb. Her lips parted. She thought about throwing Rhonda under the bus, but she got scared when she thought about what that woman was capable of. If Janice were to expose Rhonda, the former would be able to save her job, but she would inevitably be bullied in the future. On the other hand, if Janice were to keep Rhonda''s secret safe, she would have a shot at being rehired someday. Bailey Jefferson, you b*tch! Just you wait. If I ever get the chance, I will make you suffer. Despite everyone watching, Artemis made his way to Bailey and quirked a brow, asking, ¡°May I have the honor of treating you to lunch, Ms. Jefferson?¡± Bailey nced at him before moving toward the exit. ¡°I''m not hungry. You should ask someone else, Mr. Luther.¡± Silence reigned in the office. Oh, that is so cool! Dwayne pretended to rub his nose to hide his smile. He was truly curious about what his tyrant boss was feeling at that moment. Mr. Luther has always been proud, but his pride has been stomped on countless times after he met Ms. Jefferson. Artemis'' lips twitched a little. His sharp gaze swept across the room full of his employees. Just like that, he scared all of them into silence and prompted them to hide their anger away. That afternoon at two o''clock, the top managers of Luther Group gathered for the conference on the top floor. The head of every department was there, with none absent. Bailey and Jessica sat on either side of Artemis, and they both had their drafts with them. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Dwayne cleared his throat before he said, ¡°Everyone is invited here today to be the judges of the competition between these two incredible designers. The winner of thispetition will represent Luther Group and be a participant in The Grand Fashion Show, which will only be held every four years. That, in turn, would mean that the winner will have a shot at earning the title of The Ultimate Designer. It also means that Luther Group''s reputation will be on the line, so we pray that everyone here will judge the designers'' work fairly and choose wisely.¡± Artemis had his eyes on Bailey. He noticed how calm she seemed, and anticipation began filling his heart. This woman has always had a knack for surprising me. I hope the same will happen again. ¡°Ms. Tanner, Ms. Jefferson, which of you would like to show your work first?¡± Jessica harrumphed but stayed quiet otherwise. As far as she was concerned,peting against an ipetent woman like Bailey was just an insult to her. She would never have lowered her stance and stood beside Bailey as an equal if thepetition didn''t determine who would get topete in The Grand Fashion Show. Bailey arched her brows. Her lips curved into an evil smile before she said, ¡°Ms. Tanner is the host, whereas I am but a guest. Therefore, I should not go first because that would just be rude. You should go ahead, Ms. Tanner.¡± Jessica red at Bailey with disdain. I bet she couldn''te up with anything good, so she''s stalling now. What''s the point? Her defeat is inevitable, and her lies will be exposed soon enough, anyway. She is such a joke. ¡°Fine, I''ll go first. I''d like to see how long you can run from this.¡± After saying all that, Jessica stood up and slowly revealed her draft to everyone. ¡°The dress'' design is regal, yet inspires a sense of purity and kindness.¡± ¡°Wow, this is incredible! As expected of a student of Eve Lussohn. It seems she has learned everything her mentor taught her.¡± ¡°Others might mistake this draft as the product of an actual master. I don''t think there is anything better out there.¡± ¡°You''re right. This is definitely one of a kind.¡± Jessica''s heart was brimming with joy when she heard the unending praises. Hah! Given the current situation, I don''t even need to socially pressure them into choosing me. My skills have already ensured that I will win that b*tch, Bailey, by andslide. ¡°I will now exin the concept behind this design.¡± Jessica''s exnation, or rather, her show-off session,sted thirty long minutes. It got so bad that Artemis frowned in annoyance and raised his hand to shut her up. ¡°Leave the rest for after you win thepetition. Things are not set in stone, and there''s no saying if you''ll actually be the candidate for The Grand Fashion Show. Your victory still depends on Ms. Jefferson''s design.¡± ¡°Mr. Luther, I¡ª¡± Artemis waved his arm and gestured for her to take a seat. Jessica gritted her teeth. Her arms remained on either side of her, but if someone were to pay attention, they would notice that she had clenched her fists in frustration. D*mn it, Mr. Luther is obviously biased toward her! It doesn''t matter how good my designs are. I will still lose. I knew it. That woman is a subus who managed to seduce even someone as calm and collected as Mr. Luther. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Artemis tilted his head and signaled at Bailey to start her presentation. Bailey calmly stood up and revealed the piece of A4 paper she had with her. Someoneughed mockingly upon noticing how Bailey had used a random piece of paper to draw her design on. ¡°It''s obviously just a doodle. The requirements areplicated, so it is difficult to create something good, even with the right tools and papers. Yet, here she is with a piece of A4 paper!¡± ¡°I guess she already knew that she would lose, so she decided to cut her losses. Poor Ms. Tanner. She has topete against this fraud and has indirectly made herself seem lesspetent.¡± ¡°Should we keep thispetition going? She essentially lost our interest at the beginning of her presentation, and I honestly don''t think she can doodle anything astounding on a piece of A4 paper.¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± Jessica couldn''t resist giggling aloud. If that b*tch manages to present anything decent, I will eat that piece of A4 paper she has with her! ¡°Oh, my gosh. Come look. H-Her design...¡± The department director sitting right next to Bailey jumped from her seat. She looked in awe as she stared at Bailey''s design, and her eyes shone with excitement. That design... It''s practically divine! I''ve been in this field for so many years, and this is the first time I''ve ever seen something so exquisite. Her exmation caused the other department heads to inch closer to look at Bailey''s design. Two- thirds of them sprung up from their seats in the very next second. T-This is incredible. Artemis sat up straight. He had been rhythmically tapping on the table with his finger, but he paused momentarily. A hint of surprise shed past his dark eyes before a smile slowly crept up on his lips. I knew she wouldn''t disappoint me. A contemporary element had been added to the regal dress that was meant to be partially formal. Strangely, those two elements didn''t sh. Theyplemented each other instead, creating a brand new trend. She truly is gifted and is a treasure of the fashion industry. In a way, she is like a ruby on a crown. Maybe I should headhunt her and steal her from Xavier to be the lead designer here. There''s an opening, anyway. At first, he wanted to give that position to Jessica, but she was too proud, and Artemis couldn''t stand working with her. That was why the position of lead designer in Luther Group had been vacant for years. Now that Artemis had seen Bailey''s potential and had confirmed that she was a worthy investment, he would not let her go. ¡°What the f*ck, Bay? You hid your secret well. Holy moly, you wereining about being uninspired just two days ago! Oh, you little b*tch. You really surprised us!¡± Everyone knew exactly who it was that said those words. Of the dozens of executives there, only Victoria had the guts to spew uncouth words in front of the powerful CEO. Jessica sprung up from her seat and stared at Bailey''s design for a few seconds before slumping back down. I lost. Even I can''t deny that her design is better, and that means I have, without a doubt, lost. The rules had restricted her imagination, and she hadn''t dared to even try designing a dress that bold. That woman... H-How could she have such unique ideas? How did shee up with a design that could astound everyone? All it took was a piece of small paper to highlight the keyponents and unique traits of that dress. It perfectly captured the designer''s idea and the dress'' selling point. If that design were to be publicized, the entire world would gasp in awe. The name Bailey Jefferson would, without a doubt, be internationally renowned. How? She is just a fraud who spent a few years learning the craft, so how did she design something so incredible? ¡°Come on, Ms. Jefferson. Tell us your design''s concept.¡± ¡°Yeah, I''m honestly intrigued and curious. I''ve been in this field for years, but I have never seen anything so incredible before.¡± ¡°This design is at least as good as the one Snowke designed four years ago. In fact, your design makes you look like a more experienced version of her. The future of fashion is looking brighter and brighter.¡± Stephen retracted his gaze and hid away the awe shining in his eyes. He grinned, then said, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, I have been training in this field for decades and thought that I knew everything. Yet, I failed to create something good enough to represent thepany. After seeing your work today, I am ashamed and feel as though I should retire. I know that you can take care of everything in my stead, so Ms. Jefferson, would you be interested in being the director of the design department here?¡± Bailey smiled faintly. In her mind, she couldn''t help praising Artemis because he managed to train someone like Stephen, who was humble, cared for his subordinates, and remained politically neutral. ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Chandler. You got the top certificationst year and are experienced in this field. How can I possibly seed you? I will ce my design here. Please feel free toment on it, everyone. I will ept everybody''s opinion, regardless of what it is.¡± Excited, one of the directors eagerly asked, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, may I know what is the concept?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Bailey nodded before calmly answering the question. ¡°I merely went with the flow. I''ve never thought of this as apetition. I simply wanted to design a nice dress for Ms. Caridee and add a little color to her party. There was no ulterior motive, so everything is rooted in sincerity.¡± Everyone turned to one another. A secondter, they discussed the matter among themselves. ¡°So, what do we do?¡± ¡°What do you think? The result is so obvious, and we''ll just embarrass ourselves if we vote for Jessica.¡± ¡°It''s true. Those two designs are simply in different leagues. If their qualities were simr, we could have helped Jessica out of courtesy. Unfortunately, the difference is simply too great, and there is nothing we can do.¡± ¡°I know, right? She can''t me us for abandoning her under these circumstances. She only has her ownck of skills to me.¡± ¡°So, we''ll vote for Ms. Jefferson?¡± ¡°Yes. All we can do is be fair. If we don''t, Mr. Luther will skin us alive.¡± Jessica turned so pale so quickly that the change was visible to the naked eye. She felt utterly embarrassed as she slumped in her chair and was so frustrated that she wanted to hide away forever. The difference in quality was so great that she couldn''t even get herself to pressure others into favoring her. The truth was in to see, and she was too ashamed to im that she was better than Bailey. ¡°Mr. Chandler, we have unanimously decided that Ms. Jefferson is the winner today. However, as you''re the person in charge of this matter, you will have the final say.¡± Stephen was going to get up and announce the winner when Artemis spoke up. ¡°I''d like to add something else to thispetition. The winner will be the lead designer here in Luther Group''s headquarters.¡± Artemis'' words were like lightning bolts, striking out of the blue. Whispers filled the air. Jessica had been dreaming of that promotion for four years, but in the end, all the hard work she put in was for naught. A nameless, random candidate had shown up and taken it from her. The mere thought of that was enough to turn someone murderous. The truth wasn''t far off. Jessica actually fantasized about killing Bailey. Nothing would please her more than slicing and dicing the other woman. Being the lead designer gave its holder authority over every designer in Luther Group. It signified endless power, and the political influence it provided was way better than the one Stephen held. Why does she get to have that? On what basis? Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Bailey is nothing but a notorious sl*t! So how dare she ride on the coattails of countless outstanding designers and act as if she deserves it? However, the words that came out of Bailey''s mouth next were so infuriating that Jessica felt like stabbing her a hundred times. Bailey said, ¡°Mr. Luther, I have no desire of bing a candidate for The Grand Fashion Show, nor do I want the position of lead designer at Luther Group''s headquarters. Edmund and I are good friends, so just take this design draft as a gift from me to his cousin. Since you have decided that this design is the winner, please pass this on to Ms. Caridee. As for whether she''ll ept it or not is not my concern. If she doesn''t like it, feel free to throw it in the shredder.¡± Silence filled the room. It seems that Ms. Jefferson is quite an arrogant woman! For her to easily say something like throwing this brilliant design away must mean that she is more than capable ofing up with more such designs and that it''s no big deal for her. It also shows just how much a prodigy she is in the field of design. Besides, anyone can tell that she''s not putting up an act. Instead, she''s simply unbothered. Whether it''s being a candidate for The Grand Fashion Show or the position of the lead designer of Luther Group, she has no interest in any of it. This woman seems to be the eldest daughter that was disowned by the Jefferson family seven years ago. Rumor has it that she sold herself for five million, got pregnant out of wedlock, and gave birth to a stillborn. How can a woman that has a name and reputation so sullied be so arrogant? Hearing her words, Artemis narrowed his eyes as his heart wrenched. So, she''s saying that the only reason she agreed to design the dress was for Edmund''s sake? If Edmund was the one asking her to be the lead designer today, would she have refused so tly? F*ck! My own brother got her body, while my cousin got her heart. What about me then? Am I nothing to her at all? Dwayne could sense that Artemis'' emotions were spiraling out of control, so he quickly stepped forward to try and defuse the tension. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, don''t be in such a hurry to refuse. Have you forgotten that your best friend works here too? If you work here at Luther Group as well, you''ll be able to keep Victoriapany.¡± At that, he signaled Victoria to say something. The gaze he was giving her was one of pleading, seemingly saying, ¡°Oh Victoria, I hope you''ll understand why I''m doing this, so please say something to help me... It''s really not an easy job to be Mr. Luther''s assistant.¡± In response, Victoria simply scoffed coldly and t-out ignored him. I''d be the first to object to Artemis getting close to Bay, so why the hell would I advise my best friend to stay? Seeing that his plea for help had been refused, Dwayne fell silent. He rubbed his nose awkwardly and shrugged helplessly at Artemis. Artemis got to his feet and nted his palms on the table, leaning in close to Bailey before saying, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, I think you must have misunderstood something. I wasn''t asking for your agreement; I was simply telling you. Since you''re the lead designer at the branch office in Archulea, that means I''m in charge of you. I''m transferring you to the headquarters of Luther Group, and there''s nothing you can do about it. As for The Grand Fashion Show... Since you don''t want any part in it, I won''t insist on it.¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Why must this b*stard insist on pestering me? Should I expose the fact that I hacked his ount six months ago so that he''d finally stop and start seeing me as his enemy? Maybe then he''ll ask me to stay as far away from him as possible. ¡°I was hired by Xavier. If you want to transfer me here, you''ll have to get his approval first.¡± Artemis raised his brow at that. He straightened up and, with a faint smile on his face, he uttered, ¡°But of course. I hope that once I do get his approval, you''ll stop trying to weasel your way out of working here. Otherwise, Xavier might just have to bear the consequences.¡± Fury swelled within Bailey, but she tamped it down. This b*stard! Is he a one-trick pony or something? Can''t he do anything else other than threatening me with Xavier? Sensing the odd atmosphere, the director of the nning department interjected, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, I really admire your design draft. Would you mind if I take a few photos of it so that I can take them back to study carefully?¡± Bailey nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± The moment she gave her permission, all the others took out their phones as well. Artemis pointed at the entrance of the conference room with his chin and said, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, let''s talk outside.¡± Bailey smiled faintly and replied politely, ¡°After you, Mr. Luther.¡± Artemis snorted and strode outside. That d*mn woman! What''s with the sudden politeness? Where did that politeness go when she refused my request earlier? Jessica clenched her fists as she watched the two head outside. She then sent a message to Caridee. Jessica: I''m sorry, Ms. Caridee, I wasn''t able to win against her. Mr. Luther intends to hire her as the lead designer of Luther Group''s headquarters, so I reckon she has been set to be the victor all along. All we can do now is ept it. ept it? There was no way in hell Caridee would ept such an oue. Half an hourter, Caridee stormed her way into Artemis'' office with rage burning in her eyes. ¡°Artemis, I won''t agree to let Bailey be my designer. If she''s the one who designs my dress, then I won''t be going to mying-of-age ceremony.¡± Because of themotion, the few people that were sitting on the couch came over to the office to watch the show. Artemis narrowed his eyes, signaling Dwayne to do something. Seeing that, Dwayne hurried over and said to Caridee, ¡°Ms. Caridee, Mr. Luther is quite busy right now, so why don''t you follow me to the lounge first ande backter?¡± Caridee shoved him aside and swept a nce at Artemis and Stephen before finally settling her gaze on Bailey. ¡°So, you''re my sister-inw''s sister, Ms. Bailey of the Jefferson family?¡± Bailey raised her brow. She could tell that the teenager before her disliked her very much just from the anger zing in her gaze. Hah! Looks like it''s yet another person that''s been brainwashed by Rhonda. Since she couldn''t be bothered to get into a heated argument with Caridee, Bailey stood up and said to Artemis, ¡°Mr. Luther, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be taking my leave then.¡± ¡°You''re leaving? Where do you think you''re going?¡± Caridee blocked the entrance and red at Bailey. Gritting her teeth, she spat, ¡°Don''t you think you''re being too shameless? I already said I wouldn''t wear your design, so why don''t you take it and get out of here? Stop embarrassing yourself.¡± ¡°Caridee!¡± Artemis stood up and shot his sister a sharp look. ¡°Go with Dwayne to the lounge. We can talk about thister.¡± Caridee ignored him. She walked over and stopped right in front of Bailey before saying, ¡°You''re a brave one, aren''t you, b*tch? The audacity of you to mix in some dirty blood into the Chivers family. Don''t think I don''t know that the bastard child you''re raising is the same age as Max. There''s no way that child is Edmund''s since he was in Springwyn with Granddad at the time. Do you really think you can bring some bastard child into the Chivers family? Well, I''m telling you right now that you can dream on!¡± Bailey frowned ever so slightly. Great! I guess all the effort I spent designing the dress for two days and nights is going down the drain... She then said, ¡°One, whether you use my design or not is none of my concern. If you don''t like it, feel free to throw it in the trash. And two, stop saying the words ''bastard child.'' It really lowers your status and makes you look like a shrew. Since this is your first offense, I''ll let you off easy. Now, scram and get out of my sight! Otherwise... Once you piss me off, I doubt you''ll be able to handle my angry side.¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 S-She''s challenging me! She''s tantly challenging and provoking me! Caridee had never suffered such treatment before, so she raised her hand and was prepared to give Bailey a harsh p. Naturally, Bailey wasn''t going to just stand still and take it. However, she didn''t try to stop Caridee either. Instead, she turned her body to the side and managed to dodge the iing p. Hitting air, Caridee became even more enraged. She stepped forward and was nning to give Bailey another p. But the moment she raised her hand, she was pulled back by someone. That someone was not Bailey, but... Caridee stared at her brother in disbelief. Gritting her teeth, she huffed, ¡°Artemis, are you really going to protect this outsider? She dirtied the Chivers family''s bloodline and has Uncle Yoel and Aunt Gwendolyn wrapped around her finger. How could you choose to protect someone like this?¡± Artemis put in some force and threw her to the couch. In an icy tone, he uttered, ¡°I don''t mind you being a spoiled brat, but I will not allow you to act so unreasonably. Now tell me, where did you learn to act like such a shrew? Or perhaps, did someone instigate you to do this?¡± Caridee pursed her lips and sat up halfway by supporting her weight on her elbow. She shot daggers at Bailey and spat, ¡°You vile vixen! Not only did you manage to make Edmund fawn all over you, but you''re aiming for my brother now? You''d better pray your luck stays, or I''ll make sure your reputation is in tatters before forcing you out of Hallsbay.¡± Bailey sighed softly. My, my, seems like she has been seriously brainwashed by Rhonda. If this continues, it will be the end of such an outstanding student. But I guess I shouldn''t be too bothered by it. After all, what she will be in the future and how her character will be has nothing to do with me. ¡°Well, since Ms. Caridee hates my design so much, I won''t force it on you then.¡± She then turned to look at Dwayne. ¡°Mr. Derning, could I trouble you to throw the design draft into the shredder for me? All right now, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving then. Goodbye.¡± Artemis didn''t stop her. After Bailey left, he grabbed the design draft from the coffee table and threw it in Caridee''s face. ¡°Take a look at it yourself. If you still think the dress is below your expectation, then I have nothing else to say. I will also stop handling youring-of-age ceremony and have Simon take over.¡± Caridee retrieved the drawing warily and took a closer look at it. At once, she was stunned. ¡°This is so beautiful! I''ve never seen such an elegant yet modern design of aing-of-age ceremony dress before! Is this... is this really Bailey''s design?¡± Artemis waved his hand and said coldly, ¡°Take this drawing and leave. The only reason she agreed to come up with a design for you was because of Edmund. Her sincerity in drawing the design of the dress was obvious for all to see, but since you don''t like it, feel free to throw it away.¡± Feeling slightly embarrassed, Caridee turned to look at Dwayne and muttered, ¡°I-Is this really Bailey''s design?¡± Dwayne rolled his eyes at her. In a helpless tone, he said, ¡°Maybe you shouldn''t have jumped the gun so soon, Ms. Caridee. You were filled with disdain for the design draft just moments ago, but now you''re in love with it? This is indeed Bailey''s design. If Jessica really had such capabilities, she would have been famous long ago. Why wait until now?¡± Caridee pursed her lips. She was indeed in love with the design. The moment sheid eyes on it, she knew this was the perfect dress for her. To have such a fashionable yet elegant outfit is a rarity. If I really wear this to mying-of-age ceremony, I''ll definitely be the center of attention. But... this is Bailey''s design... Do I really have the guts to wear a dress designed by that notorious b*tch? If I wear it, will everyoneugh at me after they''re done admiring it? Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. After leaving Artemis'' office, Caridee bumped into Jessica. ¡°Jessica, are you okay?¡± Jessica nced at the design draft in Caridee''s hand. She forced out a bitter smile and said, ¡°Ms. Caridee, it seems like you have epted Bailey, huh? Are you going to let her off after she drugged your future sister-inw and caused her obscene photos to spread everywhere?¡± ¡°No, of course not!¡± Caridee refuted. ¡°I won''t let Bailey off this easily. Not only is she trying to dirty the Chivers family''s bloodline by iming that her son is my cousin''s child, but she also schemed against Rhonda. I will never let her off!¡± A look of surprise spread across Jessica''s face as she stared at Caridee in disbelief. ¡°What did you just say, Ms. Caridee? Bailey''s trying to dirty the Chivers family''s bloodline? Are you saying the stillborn child she gave birth to back then is still alive?¡± ¡°Yeah, that''s right.¡± Caridee gritted her teeth. ¡°She bribed Justin to tamper with the paternity test and managed to deceive my uncle and aunt. But don''t you worry, Jessica. I''ll definitelye up with a way to expose her true colors and force her to leave Hallsbay.¡± Jessica shed her a smile. That b*tch, Bailey! I can''t believe she''s using an Illegitimate child to try and cozy up to the Chiverses. Hmph! I''ll be looking forward to the day when she''s brought to reckoning. ¡°Ms. Caridee, could you lend me the design draft for a couple of days? I keep having the feeling that the drawing looks familiar, but I can''t quite put my finger on where I have seen it before. Let me study it for a few days, and maybe I''ll be able to help in your quest of dragging Bailey down.¡± Caridee studied the drawing carefully. Seemingly seeing something, she narrowed her eyes and said, ¡°Now that you''ve mentioned it, I think the drawing looks familiar, too. Could it be that Bailey giarized another designer''s design?¡± ¡°Whether or not she copied the design off of someone else, I''ll be able to verify it once I look into it.¡± Caridee nodded and passed the drawing to her. ¡°If she did indeed giarize, I''d look down on her even more. Look into this matter carefully and see if you can find any clues. Maybe then we''ll be able to charge her with giarism and send her to prison for a couple of years.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Jessica epted the drawing. ¡°I won''t let you down, Ms. Caridee.¡± Meanwhile, in the living room at Shelbert Condominium, Susan set the cup of coffee in her hands down in front of her mother before saying with a smile, ¡°Don''t be angry, Mommy. We''re cultured people, after all. There''s no need to get all huffy for a nobody. It''s her loss to not know a treasure when she sees one. Since you''ve already done what you''re supposed to, you can let the matter go. I just hope that Caridee won''t have the gall to wear your design since she hates it. When that happens, you can simply choose to sell your design to some other clothingpany. I''m sure it''ll fetch a good price.¡± Bailey raised her brows at her daughter and smirked. ¡°Sure, I''ll sell it to you for ten million, then. Remember to bank in the amount to my ount. I''ll draw up a new draft for youter.¡± Susan was rendered speechless by her mother''s words. Her face fell, and she looked like she had just swallowed a fly. Is she even my real mother? Click. Just then, the door was pushed open, and in came Zayron with Edmund trailing behind him. The mother and daughter duo quickly got to their feet. Bailey shed Edmund a smile and raised her brows. ¡°Are you here tofort me?¡± Edmund couldn''t help but crack augh. How could I not love a woman who''s so thoughtful? Even if she did have two kids with Simon, I''d still hold on to her. ¡°Zayron, Susan, head out for a while, won''t you? I need to talk to your mommy.¡± The two children pursed their lips and dragged their feet outside. Bailey raised her brow and looked at Edmund, waiting for him to speak his mind. After hesitating for a moment, Edmund asked carefully, ¡°Bay, I''d like to get engaged with you. What do you think about that?¡± Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Bailey''s body tensed slightly as the smile on her face slowly disappeared. ¡°Did you misspoke, Edmund? Or are my ears ying tricks on me?¡± Edmund stepped forward and grabbed her arms, staring straight into her eyes. ¡°I didn''t, and your ears aren''t ying tricks on you. I love you, Bay. I want to marry you. If you think organizing a wedding is too sudden, we can get engaged first.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Subconsciously, she avoided his passionate gaze. Her stiff lips twitched before she uttered in a shy voice, ¡°I-I''m not ready yet, Edmund. I think... I think you should give me more time.¡± That made him quite panicked. He didn''t really want to force her, but if Simon returned and she learned the truth, then a rtionship between him and her might be impossible. ¡°Bay...¡± Gently holding her face, he slowly moved his lips closer to her scarlet ones. Right before their lips came into contact with each other, Bailey suddenly put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him away slightly. ¡°I-I''m still notpletely used to this kind of intimacy, Edmund. Can you give me more time? How about a month? No, half a month. If you wait half a month, I''ll definitely agree to your proposal.¡± Edmund brushed his finger past her tender lips gently. Day and night, he thought about kissing her lovingly. Her existence had been rooted deep into his soul. However, he knew he mustn''t force her because it would only achieve the opposite effect of what he wanted. If he appeared to be too unreasonable, she would be scared away. ¡°Very well. I''ll wait for you for another half a month. I truly do love you, Bay. There''s no one else in this world besides you who I want to marry.¡± Bailey''s mind nked, leaving only a ringing in her ears. Edmund wasn''t like this in the past. He always knew how to conduct himself appropriately and has never stepped over the line. I feel like he''s changed ever since he returned to Hallsbay. I can see he''s anxious, too. Did something happen? ¡°I''m not familiar with a lot of men, Edmund. You''re one of them, while Xavier is another. There''s also my superior. While I have never met him, I often talk to him on the phone. From my perspective, your rtionship with me is the strongest one. If I do marry someone in the future, you''ll probably be my first pick,¡± she said. Joy filled Edmund''s heart as excitement colored his face. His grip on her arms was getting slightly tighter, though unintentionally so. ¡°Really? Is what you said true, Bay?¡± She gently patted his back with a smile. ¡°Of course, so there''s no need for you to be so anxious. Marriage needs toe naturally. When the timees, even if you don''t mention it, I''ll still take the initiative to bring it up.¡± ¡°Okay, good.¡± His excitement was unconceble as he pulled her into his embrace. She was still pretty tense and didn''t at all rx, even for a moment. That was because she didn''t like men getting close to her, even if it was just Edmund. ¡°Caridee is still young, Bay, and she was spoiled by the Luther family. Most of the things she says are nonsense, so don''t take her words to heart, okay? I saw that design. It utterly amazed me. Women love beautiful things, so I''m sure Caridee will love that dress.¡± A faint smile formed on her face, though she didn''t speak. In reality, she didn''t really care. Ever since she experienced the pain of losing her son, there was no longer anything in the world that could get a rise out of her. Two dayster, on the top floor of Luther Group, the door to the CEO''s office was pushed open. Dwayne entered the room and informed, ¡°Mr. Luther, Ms. Caridee and Ms. Tanner have arrived. They''re currently waiting outside to meet you.¡± ¡°I don''t have time,¡± Artemis replied inly. ¡°It''s the end of the month, so work''s getting busy. If there''s nothing important, ask them¡ª¡± ¡°Artemis.¡± Caridee''s voice could be heard from outside of the room before she entered the office in high heels. Dwayne rubbed his nose and stepped aside. Artemis'' gaze swept past her before his expression darkened slightly. He questioned coldly, ¡°This is Luther Group''s CEO''s office. Outsiders aren''t allowed to enter without my permission. You may be my sister, but you aren''t a high-ranking executive in thepany. Do you not have any manners at all? How dare you barge straight into my office?¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± With a raised head, Caridee stepped toward the office table and pped the design draft in her hand onto the surface. ¡°Is this the dressmaker you picked for me? A woman who tantly giarizes another person''s work? If I sue her in court, she''ll be thrown into prison and will have to stay there for a few years.¡± His eyes narrowed as he nced at the design draft on the table with furrowed eyebrows. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do I mean?¡± She smiled mockingly and turned to the door. ¡°Come in, Jessica. Don''t worry. With me around, no one will dare do anything bad to you.¡± Momentster, the sound of high-heels was heard from outside again. Then, Jessica entered the room with a design draft in her hands. ¡°Show my brother that draft. He has sharp eyes, so he can probably notice what''s wrong.¡± Jessica nodded as her scarlet lips formed a vicious smile. You have some guts, Bailey, to copy the design of ¡°The Ultimate Designer,¡± Snowke. You''re done for this time. If Snowke decides to pursue this matter, you''re going to prison for a few years! Artemis nced at the design she gave him for a brief moment before shifting his line of sight to the one Bailey drafted. Afterparing the two, he subconsciously furrowed his eyebrows. The shape of both designs is almost the same. It seems like Bailey used this design as a foundation and then added elements of contemporary fashion trends on top of it. In other words, she giarized another person''s base design. When Caridee noticed her brother''s tense expression, she knew he had seen the problem at hand. Thus, she couldn''t help but mock, ¡°Are you sure you want to appoint someone who giarized another person''s work as the lead designer of Luther Group''s headquarters, Artemis? If the original creator wants to investigate this matter, Bailey will very likely be sued in court and go to prison. The reason is that the work she giarized came from someone famous she could never afford to offend.¡± Artemis raised his head and nced at her. ¡°Who designed this?¡± ¡°The Ultimate Designer, Snowke.¡± At that, he was stunned because he knew who Snowke was. Four years ago, the organizers of The Grand Fashion Show made an exception and qualified her as a candidate based solely on a single work. After that, she went on to win the title of ¡°The Ultimate Designer.¡± He had actually seen the design before, but it was four years ago, and he had been pretty busy since then. Hence, he had forgotten all about it. ¡°This is the design that she used to win the title of ''The Ultimate Designer?¡®¡± Caridee gritted her teeth as she answered viciously, ¡°That''s right. This is Snowke''s famous work. Bailey is such a shameless woman. The nerve of her to giarize such an iconic masterpiece and hand the giarized work to me as mying-of-age gown! Does she want me to be the biggest joke in the world?¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Artemis massaged his temples. ¡°What do you n to do?¡± He knew how serious the situation was. If the original designer decides to pursue this case, Bailey will no doubt be sentenced to prison. Not only that, whoever''s involved in this matter will be negatively affected as well. This is just great. Shepletely copied the base design of Snowke''s work. Even though she added some contemporary elements, this is more than enough to be judged as giarism in court. Caridee raised her chin and uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°If she hadn''t caused me trouble, I might have let this matter go by asking her to destroy the design draft. However, I won''t tolerate the fact that she tried using me to be someone sought after by international celebrities. How dare she give me a giarized work and use my influence to be famous! There''s no way I''ll forgive her for using me like this!¡± Artemis'' expression tensed up as he asked one word at a time, ¡°So, you''re nning to hand this design to the court and brand her as a copycat to ensure she''ll never be able to work in this industry again?¡± ¡°That''s right. I want Bailey to organize a press conference and admit that she copied Snowke''s work. Then, I want to see her get the hell out of the design industry and never return!¡± A cold look shed across his dark, narrowed eyes. ¡°What if I disagree?¡± ¡°That isn''t your decision to make.¡± Felicity entered the room as she spoke in a stern tone. ¡°My daughter is a daughter of the Luther family, a noble who deserves respect. Hering-of-age gown is incredibly important, yet Bailey had the guts to deliver a giarized work to my daughter to ruin her reputation! You may be able to overlook this, but I can''t.¡± When Jessica saw the older woman, she smiled sinisterly. With her support, I doubt Bailey can get out of this! You reap what you sow, Bailey! Frankly, you were asking for it when you copied the work of a famous designer. A vein popped on Artemis'' forehead. I know how much Mom loathes Bailey. Now that she has gotten her chance, she''s definitely going to cause a huge fuss. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Caridee stepped forward and hugged her mother''s arm. ¡°You came at the right time, Mom. Even though things have turned out like this, Artemis is still trying to protect that woman. You need to stand up for me!¡± Felicity''s re was aimed at her son as she roared, ¡°Not only are we going to force her to organize a press conference to admit her giarism, we''re also going to contact the original designer and have her sue Bailey! I''m making sure that b*tch is going to stay in prison for a few years. Only then will the sons of the Luther family and the Chivers family be spared from her seduction.¡± A touch of anxiety could be seen on Caridee''s face as she pulled her mother''s arm and whispered, ¡°Mom, there''s no need to go that far. I know I said I wanted to send her to prison, but I don''t really n to do that. It''s enough for me if we chase her out of the design industry. There''s no need to send her to prison.¡± That caused Felicity to re at her. She scolded, ¡°Your cousin won''t give up on her unless she''s in prison! The Chiverses'' bloodline is noble. I will never allow the blood of an indecent woman to taint the Chiverses'' bloodline.¡± Caridee shrunk back slightly and kept quiet. With a vicious re aimed at her son, Felicity approached the office table. ¡°If my words have no effect on you, then I''ll call your father and let him talk to you personally. This time, I won''t allow anyone to protect that b*tch.¡± Artemis rubbed his forehead and replied resignedly, ¡°At the very least, you need to give me time to make sense of the whole ordeal. I want to listen to Bailey''s exnation right now. If she has proof that it isn''t giarism, then it''s pointless no matter what you two say.¡± Felicity let out a scoff. ¡°I went to aw firm with both designs before I came here. Thewyer also said that it could definitely be ssified as giarism. There''s no way you can scrub her tarnished reputation clean of this, so you may as well give up now.¡± She promptly turned and headed for the door. ¡°I''m going to the legal department and letting them handle the case. Since you''re busy, there''s no need for you to worry about this.¡± Seeing how dark Artemis'' expression was, Caridee didn''t have the nerve to stay there any longer and quickly escaped the office with Jessica. Once they all left, Dwayne approached his boss fearfully and asked in a tentative tone, ¡°What do we do?¡± That sentence rang in Artemis'' head as his sharp gaze swept past his assistant. Then, his thin lips moved as he uttered, ¡°Call the director of the legal department toe to my office.¡± Inside the living room of the Jefferson residence, Rhonda abruptly leaped up from the couch. Joy was seen on her face. ¡°What did you say? Bailey''s design is copied from Snowke''s famous work? Are you sure it''s true?¡± ¡°I''m sure. The matter even reached Mr. Luther''s mother. Half an hour ago, she, Ms. Caridee, and Jessica went to the CEO''s office. Then the three of them headed to Luther Group''s legal department. It seems pretty clear that they''re going to punish Bailey. ¡° Rhonda let out a howlingugh. ¡°Good! Very good. Watching Bailey''s reputation crumble as she''s tossed into jail is far more satisfying to me than marrying into the Luther family. Karma has finally caught up to her. This feels so, so good.¡± ¡°I think you should spread the word about this news, Mrs. Luther. You have a copy of Bailey''s design, correct? Leak that design to the paparazzi and let them post it on Twitter. Then, spend some money to get it trending. Finally, hire ghostwriters to writements underneath those posts about how Bailey''s design looks very simr to Snowke''s design and that it could be a case of giarism. I guarantee you that in less than half a day, the news about her giarism will spread worldwide. It''ll shock the world.¡± Rhonda''s grip on her phone tightened as she suppressed the immense joy in her heart. ¡°Of course, I''m not going to let this perfect opportunity of causing Bailey''s downfall slip away. Continue to keep an eye on Luther Group''s headquarters. Let me know if anything happens.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Once the call ended, Beatrice descended from the second floor. When she saw Rhonda''s excitement, she asked with furrowed eyebrows, ¡°What''s the matter? Did Artemis agree to marry you?¡± Unable to hold back her excitement to share the news, Rhonda approached her mother, grabbed her arm, and smiled wickedly. ¡°Bailey''s done for, Mom! She''s done for this time, haha!¡± Beatrice''s eyes narrowed as she scolded, ¡°Don''t get too cocky. She''s not dead yet. Tell me what happened.¡± Rhonda calmed down and told her mother everything that had happened. ¡°Mom, won''t you say Bailey was digging her own grave? She copied the work of a famous designer and almost dragged Caridee down with her. Now, there''s no way Snowke, and especially the Luther family, will forgive her. If we let the Chiverses know that Bailey''s son isn''t a descendant of the Chivers family, I bet she''ll never be able to turn things around again!¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Beatrice smiled. ¡°Not only will she be unable to turn things around again, but based on what I know about Felicity, she definitely won''t be satisfied until she gets Bailey into prison!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Rhonda was so happy that she almost jumped in joy. ¡°Will that olddy really send Bailey to prison?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± A mocking smile formed on the older woman''s face as she fiddled with her nails. ¡°Edmund cares very much about Bailey. However, the more he loves her, the more the members of the Chivers family get antsy. After all, he''s the future leader of Chivers Group and an honorable, elegant noble. There''s no way the Chivers family will let a woman who has another man''s child be the futuredy of the family. The best way to split the two of them up is to send her into prison to ensure Edmund can''t think of or see her.¡± That made Rhonda so gleeful that she was shaking. Watching Bailey enter prison would be the happiest and most exciting thing for her. ¡°How do we add fuel to the fire, Mom?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Beatrice smiled sinisterly. ¡°First, we spread the news about her giarism. The more widespread it is, the better. Second, we find a way to contact Snowke and encourage her to sue Bailey.¡± ¡°Okay, we''ll do that then.¡± At Shelbert Condominium, Zayron exited the study with hisptop. ¡°Bailey, I got the results for what you asked me to investigate a few days ago.¡± Bailey was sitting on the sofa applying a beauty mask. Her body straightened up when she heard that. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± ¡°The CEO of LG Corporation really does seem to be Lionel Gezmond. However, he rarely shows up in front of other people. Usually, he lets a woman called Mary Jones deal withpany matters.¡± She suddenly peeled the beauty mask away and furrowed her eyebrows. ¡°I heard Sebastian is LG Corporation''s heir. Is it possible that...¡± A grim expression appeared on Zayron''s face as he gritted his teeth. ¡°He is indeed Lionel''s son.¡± There was a strange look in Bailey''s eyes when she heard that. If Sebastian really is Lionel''s son, this means he has a happy family overseas and a wonderful marriage. As a friend, I should congratte him. He experienced the fall of Gezmond Group, the horrible death of his father, and being criticized by the world for having an affair with his stepmother. It was about time fate treated him well after he endured that inhumane pressure. However, what about Vicky? She only has a one-track mind, and she''spletely obsessed with him. There''s no way anyone can break her out of her spell. Neither she nor Lionel are in the wrong. Not only did the hatred of the previous generation drag them into a mess they didn''t cause, but it also destroyed their pure love for each other. Just like that, the blood feud between two families turned a loving couple into sworn enemies, ensuring that they won''t ever want to meet each other again. Vicky was so tortured by fate that she became jaded. I wonder how she''ll ever leave this tragedy behind. ¡°Are you sure Sebastian is Lionel''s biological son?¡± Zayron''s eyes narrowed as he remained quiet for a moment before speaking up. ¡°It doesn''t matter if Sebastian is Lionel''s son. Either way, Lionel already has a wife, and they registered their marriage at Illurasia.¡± Illurasia! Aplicated feeling rose in Bailey''s heart. ording to what I heard, if a couple marries in Illurasia, they aren''t allowed to divorce each other. The marriage will have tost for a hundred years, from the day a person is granted life to the day they die. Couples who are deeply in love with each other like to go to Illurasia to get married to prove that their love will never change. If Lionel brought his wife to Illurasia and married her there, doesn''t it mean he loves her very much? ¡°Can you find out any information on his wife?¡± A frown marred the young boy''s face. ¡°ording to the information I found, she''s the daughter of a rather hidden family in the western world with a respectable status. While I haven''t found out all her details, I know Lionel protects her very well. He almost doesn''t let her appear in the outside world. Maybe we can figure out more about this woman through Sebastian. She''s his mother, after all. It''ll be easier to investigate the matter with his help.¡± Bailey shook her hand and head. ¡°Forget it. I bet she''s someone who we can''t afford to mess with. It''s better if we don''t dip our toes into this matter anymore. Since Lionel is married and has a child now, all we need to do is to make Vicky give up her love. Investigating Lionel''s wife won''t do anyone any good. It''ll only bring more pain to Vicky.¡± ¡°That''s true.¡± He scratched his head with a smile. ¡°I''m great at being a matchmaker. I''ll definitely help Vic find a man who she likes and who can do it with her all day¡ª¡± Her hand quickly covered his mouth. This little brat. I can''t believe he said something like that. As they messed around with each other, the phone sitting on the coffee table rang. Upon picking it up, Bailey answered the phone and nced at Zayron to shut him up. ¡°What''s up?¡± Zayron hadn''t seen the name on the phone and thought Edmund was the one calling. Thus, the moment she removed her hand from his mouth, he shouted, ¡°What are you covering my mouth for? Was I wrong? I don''t think Vic iscking in anything except for a good man who can make her feel like she''s in heaven.¡± There was silence on the line for a few seconds. ¡°You little b*stard! Are you itching for a beating? Do you think I won''t go to where you are right now and beat the crap out of you?¡± Victoria''s voice traveled out of the phone. ¡°Shit.¡± Zayron jumped up and stared at the phone in his mother''s hand with fear. ¡°You''re a monster, Bailey. How could you not mention Victoria''s the one who called? Are you trying to get me killed?¡± Bailey kicked him away. ¡°Get out of here.¡± I already shot him a nce to shut him up. It''s his fault for not shutting his mouth and bbering on. ¡°Come on over here, Vicky. He does need to be taught a lesson. I wee you toe over and beat him up.¡± The boy stared at his mother in disbelief. ¡°All right, that''s enough messing around. Bay, check Twitter quickly. Something bad has happened.¡± There was anxiety in Victoria''s voice. Bailey narrowed her eyes and couldn''t help but frown. ¡°What''s wrong? Did news about Zayron not being Edmund''s biological son leak out?¡± ¡°It''s something far worse.¡± Victoria gritted her teeth. ¡°Take a look at Twitter, and you''ll understand.¡± Beside her, Zayron had already turned on theputer andunched the app. ¡°Oh my god. It''s true, Mommy. You may end up going to jail this time.¡± Bailey pushed him away and took a look. Her frown intensified. They''re saying I giarized The Ultimate Designer''s work? After rubbing his nose, he reminded meekly, ¡°If I''m being honest, you did copy Snowke''s work, Bailey. I took a look at the design you made two days ago, and it appeared very simr to the one from four years ago. This is Susan''s rotten idea, right? Throw her under the bus and have her take responsibility.¡± She stared at him coldly and pointed at the bedroom. ¡°Get in there right now and don''t show up in front of me again. Otherwise, I''ll throw you down from the fifth floor.¡± ¡°Ugh. Fine, I''ll shut up. Is that okay?¡± She put the phone next to her ear again and asked, ¡°Who spread the news?¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 I was careless. I didn''t expect someone would attempt to destroy my reputation this way to force me out of the industry. Now that I''ve been caught up in this inte storm, it seems like I can''t keep a low profile anymore. I''m sure Jessica, Rhonda, Caridee, and Janice are the ones who want to do me in. Now that a golden opportunity for them to do so has surfaced, there''s no way they won''t try to skin me alive. Bailey frowned. Victoria''s serious and worried voice came over the phone. ¡°It doesn''t matter who spread the news, Bay. Right now, there''s no way you can handle this thing alone. Your design is pretty simr to the one Snowke made four years ago. It can be judged as giarism in court.¡± ¡°The designs are different. I''ve made some changes to the original foundation and incorporated contemporary elements. The current one is much more mature than the one four years ago. It wasn''t a half-hearted effort.¡± Victoria sighed resignedly and chuckled. ¡°Your focus is in the wrong ce, Bay. No one is saying you were beingzy with the design you provided Caridee. Right now, everyone is convinced that you giarized Snowke. That''s what you should pay attention to. Tell me, did you really copy someone else''s work?¡± Just as Bailey was about to answer, her doorbell rang. ¡°Someone''s knocking on the door. I''ll go and take a look. Talk to youter.¡± After she finished her sentence, she went to open the door. A few men and women in suits stood in front of her. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Who are you lot?¡± The man who stood at the front stepped forward and pulled out a card from his pocket before giving it to her. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, we''re members of Luther Group''s legal department. We received a report saying that the design you made two days ago is suspected of giarism. Also, we''ve already contacted the person in charge of the Archulea branch, Mr. Rhoudin, and obtained his permission to halt your responsibilities temporarily.¡± Bailey rubbed her eyebrows. If I tell them that I''m Snowke right now and that I didn''t copy anyone''s work, they''ll probably think I''m a delusional lunatic. I''m starting to regret not epting the award back then. If I had the certificate to show them now, then this would''ve been a lot simpler. ¡°Fine, I''ll leave with you. I just need a moment to change and grab my bag.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Upon returning to the living room, she saw the children standing next to the wall with long faces. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. She stepped forward and pped their heads. ¡°I''m just doing what needs to be done, regardless of how serious it is. I won''t be able to prepare lunch for you all, so take care of it yourselves.¡± Susan grabbed her mother and apologized glumly, ¡°I''m sorry, Bay. I didn''t know things would end up this way. It wasn''t my intention to give them an opportunity to take you down.¡± With a wave of her hand, Bailey went into the bedroom. ¡°It''s not a big deal. Since they want to y, I''ll indulge them. Let''s see who gets thestugh.¡± After watching their mother leave, Maxton nudged Zayron''s arm and whispered, ¡°What do we do now, Idiot? How about I ask my dad to push this whole thing down?¡± Zayron smiled smugly as a mischievous look appeared in his eyes. ¡°If we let your dad handle it, we won''t get to watch the show! I want them to enjoy stepping on Mommy for a while. Then, just as they are drowning in glee, I''ll deliver them a deadly strike when they''re not paying attention. When that time comes, they''ll know what it feels like to fall straight to hell from heaven. They want to mess with my mom? Well, I''ll make sure they pay the price for it.¡± ¡°How do you want to do this?¡± Maxton rubbed his nose. This idiot is quite evil. He''spletely unlike Uncle Simon, who''s sunny and pure. In fact, he seems more like... my dad. A wretched smile appeared on Zayron''s face as he crooked his finger at his brother. ¡°Come closer.¡± Maxton leaned closer and listened to the n. The edges of his mouth couldn''t help but twitch violently. Is it really a good idea to mess with people like that? While he was feeling rather conflicted, he nheless praised the n. ¡°It''s a good n. Don''t worry; I''ll cooperate with you. If you need anything, let me know.¡± Meanwhile, at the CEO''s office in Luther Group, the director of the legal department was standing in the middle of the office. He was nervously staring at the young man sitting behind the table while taking care of paperwork. ¡°An hour ago, I asked Dwayne to give you a call. It took you that long to arrive. Your sense of time has worsened, Uncle Samuel. Are you getting too old to perform your workpetently? How about I promote a younger employee to help you split the work?¡± She stepped forward and pped their heads. ¡°I''m just doing what needs to be done, regardless of how serious it is. I won''t be able to prepare lunch for you all, so take care of it yourselves.¡± Samuel Luther trembled as his legs shook. He had never been afraid of the previous family head. However, ever since Artemis took over the role, he finally experienced what it was like to walk on thin ice. Artemis wasn''t just more ruthless than his father. He would go so far as to ignore familial rtionships when he was in thepany. If anyone from the Luther family messed up during work, he would deliver their punishment swiftly and justly. ¡°I-It was not my intention to arrivete, Mr. Artemis. When Mr. Derning called me, your mother had just arrived in my office. I didn''t dare to ignore her,¡± Samuel exined fearfully. ¡°Mhm,¡± Artemis replied indifferently as he signed his name on a piece of paper. Upon closing the folder, he lifted his head and stared at his uncle. His dark eyes were fixed on Samuel as if he could see through the middle-aged man. An invisible aura exploded from his body, which made the older man feel as though an oppressive weight was pressing down on him. ¡°You''re fifty years old this year, aren''t you, Uncle Samuel? I think it''s time for you to think about retirement. Once you hand your position to an up-anding talented employee, I''ll help you find an excellent location to live out the rest of your life peacefully.¡± Samuel''s legs turned into spaghetti, and he almost copsed to the ground. What is he trying to say? Is he forcing me to retire? ¡°You must be joking, Mr. Artemis. The chairman''s older than me, yet he''s still working here. I just reached fifty years old, which isn''t the age for retirement yet. How can I work as a hands-off director? Thank you for your care, Mr. Artemis, but I think I can still contribute to thepany.¡± Artemis furrowed his brows as he revealed a sinister smile. There was a cold and cruel look in his eyes. ¡°Who asked you to send men to bring Bailey over?¡± Samuel''s body shook as he was affected by his nephew''s oppressive aura. It caused him to stutter when he spoke. ¡°I-It was your mother.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The younger man raised his eyebrow and spoke with a half-smile. ¡°It seems like I was right about your age dragging you down, Uncle Samuel. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have forgotten whose orders you should be listening to. I suggest you retire soon to give the younger generation a chance to show what they can do. You really have be old.¡± Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Samuel staggered, causing him to take a few swift steps forward. It wasn''t until both his handsnded on the table that he stabilized himself and prevented himself from falling to the ground. ¡°No, it''s not my time to retire yet. You can''t force me to retire! First, it was Laurence. Now, it''s me. Are you really trying to get rid of all your elders in thepany, Artemis?¡± he questioned. Artemis smiled with a raised eyebrow and helped stop his uncle''s sliding body from falling. ¡°I was just joking with you, Uncle Samuel. Why are you panicking? Rx. If you don''t do anything wrong, no one will dare to force you out.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± With a smile, Artemis nodded. ¡°Of course. However, I suggest you recognize who''s the real person in charge of Luther Group and who you should listen to. Otherwise...¡± ¡°Yes, yes, of course.¡± Samuel stood with the help of his nephew before rubbing the sweat on his forehead away. ¡°I must have been out of my mind earlier. Don''t worry; I won''t make the same mistake again.¡± The young man walked around the office table and guided his uncle to sit on the nearby couch. Smiling, he said, ¡°Please tell me what my mother told you, Uncle Samuel.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Sitting on the couch with a straightened back, Samuel spoke carefully. ¡°She asked me to judge Ms. Bailey''s work as giarism because then the legal department will be able to transfer the case to the court. She also told me to find a way to contact the original designer, Snowke, and invite her to visit Hallsbay personally. Then, we are to encourage her to sue Ms. Bailey on the grounds of copyright vition and hopefully sentence Ms. Bailey to a few years in prison.¡± Artemis'' eyes narrowed. That old bat! She really wants Bailey dead. If she finds out Bailey had given birth to a descendant of the Luther family, I wonder if her attitude toward Bailey would change. ¡°Fine, I understand. After your people bring Bailey to thepany, don''t take her to the legal department. I want her to meet me right away.¡± Obviously, Samuel wasn''t going to say no and quickly agreed, ¡°Of course. I''ll give them a call this instant to ry your order.¡± ¡°You can leave now.¡± The middle-aged man leaped from the couch and power-walked out of the room, even forgetting to bid goodbye. The pressure inside the room was too much for him to handle. He didn''t want to stay there for another second longer. ¡°Wait.¡± After he took two steps away, Artemis called out to him. Without turning back, he asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Do you have other orders, Mr. Artemis?¡± Artemis raised his eyebrows. ¡°You saw the two designs. Do you think it''s a case of giarism?¡± ¡°N-No.¡± At that point, only an idiot would say yes, which Samuel was not. Anyone with a pair of eyes can see he has fallen for that woman and wants to protect her. Whoever wants to mess with that woman will have to deal with him, which won''t end well for them. ¡°I want to hear your true opinion.¡± Artemis stood and arrived in front of his uncle. He stared into the older man''s eyes and spoke one word at a time. ¡°Regarding this matter, I want to hear only truths from you. Of course, you can only speak the truth in front of me. When you''re in front of anyone else, you still need to pretend to be stupid. Understand?¡± ¡°Of course, I understand,¡± Samuel swiftly replied. ¡°If this goes to the court, they''ll no doubt say that it''s a case of giarism because Ms. Baileypletely replicated the design structure. While there are contemporary elements added to it, it''s still seventy percent simr to the work of Snowke. This is enough for the judge to determine it as giarism.¡± A chilling look glinted in Artemis'' eyes. He didn''t doubt what his uncle said because he was certain the older man was spooked enough from earlier to not be telling any lies again. Additionally, Samuel had worked in the industry for decades, so he was unlikely to be wrong about what the court would say. After all, if he wasn''t at least a little bitpetent, there was no way he could''ve maintained his position as the director for so many years. ¡°Very well. You can leave now, Uncle Samuel. I do want to remind you to keep a tight leash on the people from the Lohan family. Don''t let them use your authority in thepany to do whatever they want. Otherwise, serious trouble will be knocking on your door one day.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± After the members of Luther Group''s legal department brought Bailey to the lobby, they went straight to the elevator. They were about to send her to the CEO''s office ording to the orders they received. News about Bailey copying Snowke''s design in order to win thepetition had spread throughout thepany. There was an endless murmuring among thepany employees as they discussed the matter. Bailey''s arrival in the lobby caused amotion. ¡°Look, she''s the woman who copied the work of that famous designer! She really is despicable. Seven years ago, her reputation was ruined, yet she still refused to be a better person and continued to do bad things again.¡± ¡°She''s so shameless. How dare shepete with Ms. Tanner using giarized work? Does she not know the saying that an unequal contest brings no honor to the victor?¡± ¡°Speaking of which, she really has quite the nerve. Everyone knew the winner of thepetition would be Ms. Caridee''s dressmaker. Not only that, but the design that won would be Ms. Caridee''s coming-of-age dress. Obviously, her giarized work disgusted Ms. Caridee. Thankfully, it was discovered in time. Otherwise, if Ms. Caridee showed up wearing that during hering-of-age ceremony, she would''ve beenughed at and mocked.¡± ¡°I want to hear your true opinion.¡± Artemis stood and arrived in front of his uncle. ¡°What''s even worse is that she actually copied Snowke''s work. It''s unbelievable. I heard Snowke has an apprentice called Juliana, who''s the daughter of a royal family in the western world. Her status is quite impressive. Bailey has gotten into deep trouble this time. If Snowke sues her, she''ll undoubtedly spend a few years in jail.¡± ¡°She reaps what she sows. She has always used Mr. Luther''s protection to do what she wants. Now that things have gone off the rails, not only will Snowke and her apprentice not let her go, but even Ms. Caridee and Mrs. Luther will give her hell.¡± ¡°Let''s just wait and watch the show. The legal department went straight to her home to bring her here. I bet there''s already a case made for her giarism. Once the case is transferred over to the court, there''s no way she''s getting out of this mess.¡± Bailey could hear what everyone was saying around her. Despite that, there was no rage in her heart. In fact, she was quite eager to see how things unfolded. After all, there was no way anyone could control what they were all saying. The elevator was still descending. She had been waiting for it to arrive for so long that she was tempted to climb the stairs instead. The voices of the people talking around her were annoying her, like flies circling her ears. ¡°Well, well, isn''t this Ms. Bailey, who was living the good life just two days ago? With Mr. Luther''s support, not only did you not receive any punishment after that stunt in the design department, but you also went on to win thepetition. You thought you were so awesome, but sadly, a piece of trash will always be a piece of trash who can only win by copying someone else. Unfortunately for you, before you could even enjoy the glory of your sess, your cheating was discovered. Now, a prison cell awaits you. What a shame.¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes. She sounds familiar. I guess it''s someone I know. When she turned around, she saw Janice approaching her with a gloating expression. Unable to contain her chuckle, she replied, ¡°Ah, it''s you, Ms. Worthiere. It seems like you''ve gotten much more free time after being fired. You know, you should thank me for it. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have been able to live so freely.¡± That touched Janice''s sore spot as her expression immediately turned ferocious. ¡°I''ll be sure to hire plenty of people to take care of you after you get thrown into prison, you b*tch!¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Bailey smiled faintly. ¡°Make sure you find the best men to beat me up, then. You know how well I can fight, so you''d better make sure I don''t kick their butts instead because that would be the biggest joke ever.¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Ding! The elevator door opened, and Bailey quirked her brows, still smiling at her. ¡°I''ll make a move first. See you when I see you.¡± ¡°Where do you think you''re going? This is the headquarters of Luther Group. It''s not some random garden where you can walk about as you like.¡± The stern voice from the elevator instantly silenced the bustling hall. No one dared to breathe a word. Bailey frowned. She knew who that person was just from the voice. It was none other than Felicity. No wonder Luther Group took legal action. She must be the one pressuring them to do so. It seems like a lot of people in Hallsbay want me in prison. Fine. I''ll y along since this is what you all enjoy. We''ll see who ends up being the winner. ¡°Mrs. Luther,¡± Bailey greeted. The old woman charged out of the elevator in big steps until she came close to Bailey and raised her hand to p her. ¡°B*tch! How dare you giarize someone else''s work to set up my daughter? You could''ve ruined her reputation if we had not realized what you did!¡± Bailey grinned and grabbed Felicity''s hand in time. ¡°Mrs. Luther, you know what I''m capable of, so I advise that you save yourself the hassle of using your hand.¡± Felicity quivered in rage. She tried breaking free, but to no avail, so she seethed, ¡°You are rude and arrogant! But you know what? What disgusts me the most is how shameless you are.¡± So much for being the woman of the Luther family. You sound just like those madwomen on the street. I''ve finally understood the so-called ¡°fine upbringing¡± and ¡°etiquette¡± of the upper ss. Bailey curved her lips in a smirk at that thought. ¡°Well, you''re the one who wanted to p me. What''s wrong with defending myself? It''s just reflex. I wonder what I did to make yoush out at me.¡± The angry scowl on Felicity''s face broke into a ridiculing smile. ¡°Are you seriously asking me that? Fine. Let''sy our cards on the table right now.¡± The furious woman pried her hand off forcefully and criticized, ¡°Why did you use a giarized work to enter thepetition? You knew the winning work would be my daughter''s gown at hering-of-age party, so why did you still copy Snowke''s design? Don''t you know how famous she is? Everyone will recognize that dress if Caridee wears that gown to her party and make fun of her. This will make her a laughing stock! What is your motive?¡± Bailey rubbed her forehead in annoyance, exining, ¡°I didn''t copy her design. I simply referred to it for inspiration. Why don''t you call Snowke to verify this? If the designer says this is not giarism, your usation does not stand at all.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Felicity sneered as if she had just heard the most absurd joke. ¡°You referred to her work for inspiration. Right. I can''t believe you said that when your whole work literally entails all the best parts of Snowke''s design. You''re so brazen I don''t even see the point of wasting my time talking to you. The public rtions department has already informed the media about this, and the headquarters will hold a press conference this afternoon. I will let you go if you admit your fault at the press conference.¡± Bailey blinked her eyes and smirked. She initially wanted to exin herself to settle this issue peacefully. In fact, she was even prepared to reveal her identity, but when she heard what Felicity had to say, it urred to her that things were not as simple as they seemed. It was apparent that this group of people wanted to drive her into a corner. She knew that they would use whatever means possible to incarcerate her if she admitted to giarism. So, you guys want to embarrass me? Fine. I''ll go along with your ns and unleash a surprise strike in the end. It will be nice seeing all of you caught in a sticky situation. ¡°As I said, I didn''t copy anything, so there''s no way I''ll attend the press conference. If you really want to seek legal recourse, go ahead. I''ll give you my full cooperation,¡± Bailey persisted. Felicity was enraged hearing Bailey''s challenge. She pointed her shaky finger at Bailey''s nose and warned, ¡°Remember what you said, Bailey Jefferson. I''ll see you in court. Thew will hold you ountable for what you did.¡± Bailey felt nothing but contempt for Felicity in her heart. You sound like you stand for justice, but I know full well that you will not let me go even if I admit it. Bailey rubbed her forehead in annoyance, exining, ¡°I didn''t copy her design. I simply referred to it for inspiration. Why don''t you call Snowke to verify this? If the designer says this is not giarism, your usation does not stand at all.¡± ¡°Do as you wish. I''ll wait for the summons at home. I''ll make a move first if there''s nothing else you want to say,¡± Bailey replied. Never in her life was Felicity that infuriated. ¡°Stop her right there. Bring her to the police station,¡± she ordered the bodyguards standing beside her. ¡°Mrs. Luther,¡± Bailey scoffed, snickering, ¡°what''s the hurry? Snowke has notmented on this incident. Even if you''re seeing me in court, you still have to wait for the designer to file a giarism im, so you have no right to send me to the police station.¡± ¡°You... You...¡± Felicity stammered, clenching her chest. This rotten b*tch! She always pisses me off! Ding! The elevator door opened again, and Dwayne emerged. He greeted Felicity first before turning toward Bailey. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, Mr. Luther would like to have a word with you in his office.¡± ¡°No,¡± Felicity interrupted before Bailey said a word, blocking the way to the elevator reserved for the CEO. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. The reason why she went there herself was that she did not want Artemis to meet Bailey. Felicity was sure that Bailey would end up in jail for a few years as long as Artemis stayed out of this matter. ¡°Since you''re that confident, you should go home and wait. The court will send a notice to your house latest by tomorrow. I''ll see what tricks you have up your sleeve by then.¡± ¡°Mr. Derning, I''m afraid you''ll have to let Mr. Luther know I can''t go over. I''m caught in the storm of allegations now. It''s not in his best interest to interfere in this matter since he''s the CEO. People might say he''s siding with me, so I''ll take care of this one alone,¡± Bailey said to Dwayne. The assistant frowned. ¡°How are you going to solve this on your own? You should just listen to Mr. Luther. He...¡± Dwayne inched closer and whispered something in Bailey''s ears. Bailey smiled after Dwayne finished speaking. ¡°Thank Mr. Luther for me for the suggestion, but I''ll never admit to giarism. I''d rather they take legal action.¡± Felicity pushed Dwayne aside and instructed, ¡°Move. She''s already agreed to it, so there''s nothing else you need to do. Go back to Artemis and tell him that this woman is arrogant. I will see to it that she ends up serving her sentence.¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Bailey left the headquarters under the usations of everyone in the hall. When she finally came to the alfresco fountain, she ran into Edmund, who seemed to havee in a rush. ¡°Are you okay, Bay? Did they do anything to you?¡± he asked. Bailey''s heart warmed seeing the man, and she wiped the sweat on his forehead with her sleeve. ¡°I''m okay. You don''t have to worry. I can handle this.¡± Edmund smiled at her in resignation. ¡°I don''t know why I just can''t seem to keep my cool whenever something happens to you. Everyone says I''m calm andposed, but I''m really not when I''m with you. I''ll go crazy if anything happens to you,¡± he said. Bailey moved closer and held his arm. ¡°Let''s go home. The children haven''t had lunch.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Back in the CEO''s office, Artemis finally looked away from the screen he had been staring at when the video stopped at the retreating figures of a man and a woman. Suddenly, the door swung open, and Dwayne entered. ¡°Ms. Jefferson refused to admit to anything. Neither did she agree to destroy the design. She even said that she is willing to face legal consequences. Mrs. Luther is incensed and is very insistent. She went to the public rtions department when I came up. I suppose she went to ask Quentin to contact Snowke to press charges against Ms. Jefferson.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Artemis rubbed his brows in annoyance. ¡°Stop Snowke from returning to Hallsbay at all costs. I want you to call Quentin. Ask him to give me the designer''s contact. I''ll talk to her on my own,¡± he said lightly. ¡°Snowke is very low-profile. She has only submitted one design over the past four years. No one has ever seen her. She didn''t even attend the prize-giving ceremony. She said she was not interested in attending because she wanted to sleep in when the organizer called her. Given her attitude, I doubt it''s easy talking to her,¡± Dwayne replied with a sigh, but Artemis just waved his hand dismissively in return. ¡°Just get in touch with her first. She''s never appeared in person over the years, so we might not even find her. I''m just worried that she might suddenlye to Hallsbay. It''ll be toote to help Bailey if Snowke sues her.¡± ¡°All right. I''ll call Quentin right away to get Snowke''s number.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Over in the car, Edmund was driving when he said, ¡°Bay, your design looks a lot like Snowke''s from four years ago. What is going on exactly? I don''t think you''re so ambitious as to copy someone else''s design, though.¡± Bailey was resting with her eyes closed in the passenger seat when she heard his question. ¡°I''ve been going through her work a lot recently, so maybe I drew something simr to hers unknowingly, but there are actually differences if you take a closer look. I just didn''t expect things to take such a turn. I guess I can''t hide forever.¡± Edmund sensed there was something unusual about her answer, and a thought budded in his mind. ¡°Okay. I know you''re not a rash person, so I trust you to do what is best. You must have your reason for doing so, but Aunt Felicity is not letting you off the hook this easily. I''m partially at fault for what is happening. Aunt Felicity wouldn''t have hated you so much if I cared less about your performance.¡± Bailey shrugged in nonchnce. ¡°Don''t let it bother you. She loves you. That''s why she''s so worked up. I know what I''m doing, so you don''t have to worry. I won''t let you end up in a difficult position.¡± Edmund narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you mean by ''I won''t let you end up in a difficult position?'' Does this mean you''ll keep a distance from me?¡± ¡°You''re overthinking,¡± Bailey answered with a faint smile. ¡°She''s just your aunt. What she thinks about me will not affect my decision to ept you or not.¡± Edmund heaved a sigh of relief when he could finally rest at ease. ¡°I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have second- guessed you.¡± Bailey smiled at him and said no more. To her, life would always be quiet and peaceful whenever she was with Edmund. She had always wanted this kind of life, but somehow, she felt something wascking in that tranquility. In the following two days, the news about Bailey giarizing a renowned designer''s work circted worldwide, bing a lightning rod for criticism. Since neither party came out to rify the controversy, the issue snowballed. Over in the CEO office of Luther Group, Quentin was sitting on the couch, looking at Artemis approving some documents at his office table. ¡°You don''t have to feel anxious, Mr. Luther. Mrs. Luther can''t find Snowke either. No one can file awsuit without her. Things will die down in a few days,¡± the director said. ¡°Good.¡± Over in the car, Edmund was driving when he said, ¡°Bay, your design looks a lot like Snowke''s from four years ago. What is going on exactly? I don''t think you''re so ambitious as to copy someone else''s design, though.¡± Artemis flicked off the fountain pen in his hand and sat back in his chair in lethargy. ¡°But she insists that she did not giarize, so she''s not admitting to it. She doesn''t even want to destroy her work.¡± Quentin could not help butugh. Bailey was indeed a riddle to him. Well, if Mr. Luther can''t understand what she''s thinking, there''s no way I can. ¡°What should we do now? Do we continue looking for Snowke so she can clear the air? But the lawyers have already said that Ms. Bailey''s work constitutes giarism, so even if Snowke exins everything, people will only think Luther Group coerces her into doing it. Things will only get worse,¡± Quentin analyzed. A subtle smile curved on Artemis'' lips. ¡°You overlooked the most critical part. That''s why you think this issue is thorny. To me, Snowke showing up is an opportunity for us to gain the upper hand. Bailey''s keeping a huge secret, judging from how fearless she is. Although I have no idea what bargaining chip she has in her hand, I''m positive she''ll survive unscathed.¡± Quentin was even more confused hearing Artemis, but thetter just waved his hand and smiled. ¡°We''ll see how things y out. I''m sure Ms. Bailey has a big surprise for us,¡± Artemis assured. Quentin wanted to ask what surprise it was, but he was interrupted when Dwayne made his way in. The assistant was about to say something when he nced at Quentin and swallowed back his words. Quentin smiled and got up from the couch. ¡°All right. That''s my cue. I''ll go and continue my search for Snowke.¡± After he left, Dwayne informed, ¡°I found out where Zayron sent his and Simon''s DNA test to.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Artemis blurted, his eyes narrowed. ¡°He sent it to Kai Sheldon, a medical prodigy in Mrnor. I even found the IP address of that person''s medical system. The blood sample arrived three days ago. This means the result will be out soon. You can just hack the system now if you want to know if Zayron''s Simon''s son.¡± Artemis'' gaze froze. ¡°Give me the IP address,¡± he pronounced after a pause. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 While speaking, Artemis scooped up theptop beside him and started typing away on the keyboard with just one hand. Beside him, Dwayne took out his phone to find a picture before showing it to Artemis. Artemis looked at Dwayne''s phone screen, and his fingers drummed swiftly on the keyboard. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Ding! Artemis frowned when a notification came through. Dwayne''s face fell when he saw it. ¡°It''s heavily protected. Don''t tell me even you can''t hack into the system.¡± Artemis squinted his eyes at the image on hisptop, and a smile slowly emerged. ¡°This system is identical to Spook''s system. I''m sure it''s the same person behind this. I can probably find out more about Spook from this ount.¡± Dwayne held his forehead. So he''s still after Spook. ¡°What are the chances of you hacking the system without being noticed?¡± the assistant asked. Artemis pondered for a bit. ¡°More than eighty-five percent. But if the person uses a system different from Spook''s, my chances are only fifty percent. I''ve been trying to hack Spook''s system over the past half a year, so I know the program like the back of my hand, thanks to that guy.¡± I''m not done with you yet. I''ll get back my three billion. ¡°What are you still waiting for? Check the DNA test result. I''m dying to know if that boy is your neph¡ª¡± Dwayne stopped when he met Artemis'' forbidding re. ¡°I mean, Simon''s son.¡± Dwayne initially wanted to tease Artemis, but he suddenly changed tack. It seems to me like Artemis hates that boy. More precisely, he hates that Ms. Bailey is his nephew''s mother. Artemis clicked the keys on his keyboard for a while until he shook his head in the end. ¡°I can''t get in for now. I''ll do it when I have time at night. In the meantime, I want you to contact Juliana Stone, Snowke''s mentee. See if you can get hold of Snowke through her. This is the most pressing matter for now. It will be the end for Bailey if we screw this up. She will never be able to design again if that''s the case. It''ll be a waste for someone as talented as her.¡± Dwayne rolled his eyes. Yeah. We all know you have an ulterior motive. You just want her by your side. ¡°Okay. I''ll get in touch with Juliana. Remember to tell me the DNA test result when you get it. I can''t wait,¡± Dwayne said chirpily. ¡°Get lost!¡± Meanwhile, a woman was talking loudly in a cafe on the second floor of Century Square. Her voice echoed in every corner of the cafe, and Zayron, who was sitting beside the window, covered his ears in annoyance. There was frustration written all over his face. I must be stupid to have brought her back. I''m dying. She just can''t stop talking! ¡°Ms. Stone, could you please stop? We''ve been here for half an hour, and you''ve talked non-stop for twenty-nine minutes. I really can''t take this anymore!¡± the boyined. He was talking to a striking young woman in her early twenties. She had a head of short blonde hair and looked neat and clean. As a frencer and Snowke''s mentee, she was heavily involved in many thriving international industries. It went without saying that she was a notable and important figure. Bang! Juliana mmed the table with her palm in anger. ¡°Are you seriously asking me to shut up? I asked you so many questions, but you didn''t answer a single one of them. You''ve stayed with my mentor for so long, yet you don''t know a thing. Are you stupid or something?¡± Zayron smirked in disbelief. I swear her mouth is like a machine gun. She''s been showering me with bullets for twenty-nine minutes. Ever since they met thirty minutes ago, Zayron had only had the chance to say, ¡°Hi, Ms. Stone. It''s been a while.¡± Besides that, Juliana had been talking incessantly without giving him a break. You didn''t even give me a chance to answer your questions! In fact, I don''t even remember what your questions were! ¡°Julie, you should at least give me a couple of minutes to answer your questions, right? You''ve been talking non-stop. I don''t even have a chance to speak. Are you crazy? Or have you hit menopause?¡± Juliana rubbed her nose guiltily and smiled. Well, I guess you''re right. ¡°All right. Now''s your chance. Answer up,¡± she said. Zayron smacked his head in helplessness. ¡°Julie, didn''t you see I had my ears covered all this while? I didn''t even hear what you said. As for what you said at the very beginning, I''ve already forgotten about it.¡± Juliana picked up the coffee on the table and had two mouthfuls. Then, she wiped the stain on her mouth away, waved her hand decisively, and said, ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll repeat everything. I''ve got an excellent memory, so I remember all the ny-nine questions I asked just now.¡± Meanwhile, a woman was talking loudly in a cafe on the second floor of Century Square. Zayron widened his eyes in shock, staring at her. Never in his life had he met anyone like Juliana. He genuinely had trouble understanding how that head of hers worked. ¡°All right. Here''s the first question...¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Zayron cried out, jumping up from his seat before darting over to the woman to cover her mouth to prevent her from bombarding him with questions. ¡°Please, Julie. Spare me. I really have something important to discuss with you, so can we just cut to the chase? Your voice is still echoing in my ears like a spell.¡± Juliana blinked her eyes hard, signaling to the boy that she agreed to his proposal. Zayron eyed her reluctantly and slowly took his hand away. She''s thest person I want to offend. Years back, Bailey would send him to Juliana on and off so Juliana could teach the boy how to talk. Gosh. I don''t even want to recall any of that. ¡°Let''s get down to business, Ms. Stone,¡± Zayron announced. Juliana raised her brows in a subtle smile. ¡°Fine. You can ignore all my questions, but there are two that you must answer.¡± Zayron pressed his bulging temples. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°First, how are things between my mentor and Daddy Eddy? Second, whose blood samples did you send to Kai?¡± ¡°What the heck?¡± the boy blurted. She picked these two questions of all that she asked. She''s really something else. These two are the most critical questions. ¡°First, they are considering marriage. They are just waiting for Mommy to say yes before they hold the wedding. Second, it''s Mr. Simon''s blood sample that I sent. I suspect he''s my daddy.¡± ¡°D*mn!¡± Juliana sprang from her seat, shell-shocked. ¡°Simon Luther? Wow. He''s rich. Does my mentor know about it?¡± Zayron red at her. ¡°I''m only taking two questions. We should get down to business now.¡± Juliana dismissed him. ¡°Isn''t it just about those pretentious people wanting to frame my mentor? I''ll just talk to the press to rify everything. That''ll be a big p in their faces.¡± Zayron scoffed, ¡°Don''t you think that''s too lenient on them? I''m not interested in pping them in their faces. I want them to p themselves in the face.¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Juliana curved her brows, and a glint of mischief shone in her eyes as a menacing smile broke out on her face. ¡°You mean you want to teach them a good lesson?¡± she asked. Zayron blinked at her in agreement and went closer to whisper something in her ear. ¡°That''s a great idea!¡± Juliana eximed as she smacked the table, knocking over the coffee cup on the table. Zayron recoiled back and red at the woman in disdain. ¡°Can you please be gentle? Stop giving me a shock like this!¡± Juliana pinched his cheek and grinned. ¡°I love the idea. Don''t you worry! I''ll harness my finest acting skill. I''ll send them to the sky and see them drop from above.¡± Okay. I''m starting to regret asking this crazy woman toe to Hallsbay. I hope this is not a mistake. Please don''t mess things up for me. Over at the Luther residence, Felicity was having a talk with Caridee on the couch. ¡°Mom, has the public rtions department reached out to Snowke?¡± Caridee asked. Felicity looked tired after having to deal with Bailey for two days. On the one hand, she had to make sure that Bailey did not solicit help from Artemis; on the other, she had to ensure Bailey did not seduce Edmund. There was just too much on her te. ¡°There''s no news yet. It''s as if she''s vanished into thin air. No one seems to be able to contact her. We can''t even find any information about her. I''m starting to doubt if she even exists,¡± Felicity replied. Caridee felt relieved. She thought for a few moments and suggested, ¡°Mom, why not we just let this slide? Maybe she saw Snowke''s design before, and that somehow influenced her own design when she was drawing. I mean, we can indeed see glimpses of Snowke''s design in her work, but this is not going to affect me substantially, so maybe we can just put this behind us.¡± ¡°No,¡± Felicity protested outright. ¡°This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to send her to jail. You have no idea how arrogant she is. I''ll see if she can still act so recklessly once she''s behind bars.¡± ¡°But... she''s not that bad. We still can''t find Snowke up till now, so it''s probably meant to be. Why don''t we just go with the flow and let her go?¡± Caridee argued. Felicity was about to lecture her when her phone on the table rang. Is it about Snowke? She picked up and asked right away, ¡°How''s it going? Did y''all find her?¡± ¡°I''m sorry, Mrs. Luther. We searched every nook and cranny for her, but we still couldn''t find her. However, we do have something about Juliana Stone, her mentee.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Thrill spread across Felicity''s face. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She''s at a five-star hotel in Hallsbay. I think she''s here to settle the issue on behalf of her mentor. I think we can still get the proxy to file a case and press charges once we convince her.¡± Felicity grasped her phone tightly. ¡°Reach out to her. Tell her I''m inviting her to tea today.¡± ¡°Right away.¡± Felicity sneered after hanging up the call. ¡°Meant to be, you said, Caridee? Hell, no. They''ve found Snowke''s mentee, Juliana. We just need her to stand in ce of Snowke as the intiff. Bailey''s not walking away with impunity this time!¡± Caridee pursed her lips upon learning the news. Personally, she had no intention of making a fuss out of this issue, but because her mother hated Bailey to her bones, there was no way Caridee could dissuade her. ¡°Mom, do you really want to meet Juliana? I think we should just let it go.¡± Felicity glowered at her and went toward the door. ¡°It''s not just about her giarizing someone else''s work. Edmund is hellbent on marrying her, and your brother is going all out to defend her. This is way past my bottom line. There''s no way a filthy woman like her is entering the Chivers family or the Luther family.¡± Caridee was left speechless. In the meantime, Juliana was lying on the bed ying games in a five-star hotel when the doorbell rang. She flipped out of bed and went to get the door unwillingly. ¡°Who dares interrupt my game?¡± Dwayne rubbed his nose and retreated two steps. ¡°Hi, you must be Ms. Juliana Stone. I''m Dwayne Derning, the assistant of Luther Group''s CEO.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Juliana replied without taking her eyes off her phone. Dwayne cleared his throat as he tried to process the awkwardness. ¡°Well, I''m here to discuss Ms. Bailey''s giarism incident. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. I wonder what your mentor has in mind moving forward.¡± Felicity was about to lecture her when her phone on the table rang. Juliana''s fingers stopped on the phone screen, and she looked up at the man, rmed. ¡°What do you think she will do? Someone copied her work!¡± Before Dwayne could answer, a baritone and maic voice sounded outside the corridor. ¡°So, you mean your mentor is going to sue her?¡± The assistant and Juliana looked over. ¡°Mr. Luther,¡± Dwayne greeted courteously before stepping aside. As for Juliana, she was captivated by how stunning the man was. Juliana would lose herposure every time she saw handsome men like Artemis. That had always been her weak spot. ¡°Ah, Mr. Luther. You''re the man at the helm of the Luther Group. You sound as if you don''t want my mentor to sue Ms. Bailey.¡± Artemis leaned against the wall casually, with one hand dipped into the pocket of his cks and another toying with his phone. He smiled in derision when he heard Juliana. Juliana scratched her nose and looked away. Gosh. I need to stop staring at him. I''ll faint at this rate. He''s one fine catch, man. He''s one of the five wealthiest men in the world and so handsome. Someone like him can just steal any woman''s heart effortlessly. ¡°Your fame precedes you, Ms. Stone. You''re an internationally-acimed professional car racer and a designer, but Ms. Bailey is only a lead designer at our branch, so I do not wish your mentor would sue her. It will jeopardize Luther Group''s reputation if she ends up in jail. Spell your terms. I just want to get this over with,¡± Artemis pronounced. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Juliana raised her brows provocatively and walked over to Artemis. Then, she hooked her hand on his shoulder and rubbed against his face. ¡°I know just how many women want you in their bed, but none of them had their way. How about you sleep with me tonight? If you satisfy me, I''ll just call off the whole thing and leave Hallsbay as if nothing happened.¡± Cough! Dwayne was startled by how blunt the woman was. Goodness. I can''t believe she''s teasing the tyrant. She''s talking to him like he''s a gigolo. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 This is insane. A girl is ying the CEO. Artemis nced over at Dwayne coldly until the assistant evaded his gaze in fright before looking at the young woman who was clinging to him. Although Artemis did not find her repulsive, he did not see her as a woman at all. To him, he was just like a girl next door. ¡°Are you even past your legal age? You''re no adult. Besides, I''m a famous entrepreneur. What will the public say if they find out that I''ve been sleeping with a minor?¡± Artemis questioned. What? Juliana stared at him in horror. Why do I feel like he''s just like my mentor? The truth was that Juliana once offered herself to Bailey when she saw how hard it was for Bailey to hold herself back. Back then, Juliana ran up to her and said, ¡°Come, I can satisfy you. I will endure whatever it is.¡± Yet Bailey answered, ¡°Are you even a legal adult? Shut up if you''re not. I''m a woman of principle. I''ll never sleep with minors.¡± So, when Juliana heard that Artemis was speaking something simr, she could not help but feel like Bailey had possessed that man. Seeing how disturbed Juliana was, Artemis pushed her aside and said lightly, ¡°I don''t think you see me as a man, neither do you look like those materialistic women out there who just sleep around out of greed, so just cut that out. It''s not going to work on me. Tell me what you want. I''ll do my best to meet your terms.¡± Juliana coughed dryly and pouted. ¡°What a failure. I was thinking about sleeping with you, but you said I didn''t see you as a man. I take that as an insult. Am I that unattractive? I can''t believe you turned me down just like my mentor did.¡± Artemis held his head in resignation. It''s such a chore talking to kids. I thought the mysterious designer would have an apprentice who was cold and detached, but it turns out she''s just a clueless child. ¡°I appreciate your forthrightness. You stand out among other young people, so there''s no need for you to wallow in inferiority. How about we get down to business? What is Snowke''s intention of sending you to Hallsbay instead ofing in person?¡± Juliana shook away the yful look and gazed at Artemis in all seriousness. ¡°She wants to sue Ms. Bailey. giarism is no small issue. I understand that you want to preserve the reputation of Luther Group, but it''s not right to copy someone else''s design. Since Ms. Bailey had the audacity to do that, we will see her in court.¡± Artemis frowned. ¡°So, this is what your mentor wants?¡± ¡°Of course. She wouldn''t have asked me to represent her if she didn''t want to settle this legally.¡± ¡°Does this mean you have full rein on how this matter is resolved?¡± Artemis asked. Juliana fell back a few steps, looking at the man warily. ¡°What do you want to do? Kill me? I''m the eldest daughter of a royal family in Adrune, so you''d better be careful. Your family might be influential in Hallsbay, but you still won''t get away with killing royalty.¡± Artemis'' face twitched at the usation. Do I look that evil? ¡°Ms. Stone, you''re very imaginative. I only considered offering you the money you need for the next ten years. We can be friends if you give up the court case. You can stille to me if you need any favors. I''ll do everything within my capacity to help.¡± Juliana narrowed her eyes. Hm. Why do I feel there''s more to this than saving his ownpany? He cares too much about my mentor, though. Don''t tell me he''s fallen for her! ¡°Mr. Luther,¡± Juliana called out, ¡°it seems to me like you care deeply for Ms. Bailey. Do you like her?¡± Artemis was about to say ¡°yes¡± when he changed his mind in the spur of a moment, and he kept quiet. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Simon and Zayron''s DNA report will be out soon. How am I supposed to carry myself in the family as Simon''s brother if I admit my feelings for her now? ¡°You must be kidding, Ms. Stone. Ms. Bailey is my son''s aunt. There''s no way I will see her in that way.¡± On the other side, Dwayne was fuming in his heart. What a hypocrite! Anyone could tell your motive for involving yourself in this issue. Even a young girl like her realized it too! Juliana shrugged and smiled back. ¡°Since you don''t like her, there''s no need for me to give you face. I heard Ms. Bailey was unapologetic even after what she did. Not only did she refuse to admit her fault, but she also refused to destroy her design. She even said that she wanted to take this to court. Since that''s the case, justice shall be delivered legally. I''ve made up my mind. I won''t budge unless you talk to my mentor¡ª¡± ¡°Well said!¡± a woman''s voice suddenly interrupted from outside. Artemis rubbed between his brows subconsciously, showing his helpless face. Artemis frowned. ¡°So, this is what your mentor wants?¡± She''s two hours earlier than I expected. I guess there''s no luck trying to persuade Juliana. Felicity walked in confidently until she stood in front of Artemis. ¡°You''ve used all the means you could to get her on your side, but you''ve failed miserably. It''s time you give up.¡± ¡°I think so too. You guys have fun talking. I''ll make a move first,¡± Artemis replied, looking down with a bitter smile. Felicity stared at him, puzzled. Is he leaving just like that? It was not until Artemis and Dwayne disappeared from her sight that Felicity snapped back to her senses. He really left. Felicity turned and held Juliana''s hand. ¡°You''re a good kid. You''ve chosen wisely. Everyone is entitled to their rights, so we cannot just let someone who infringes our rights go free. They will only be emboldened to do evil if we let them go. There''s nothing you need to worry about. I will cover all the legal fees. You just have to prosecute her. I''ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Juliana replied readily. So, this is the old hag who wants to destroy my mentor. I''ll remember what you did! Felicity was exhrated, but she decided to err on the safe side and take swift action on second thought. She did not want to risk Juliana changing her mind if Artemis talked to her again. ¡°Do you have time now? How about we go to the court to hand in the documents and file a im now? The court can send out a notice earlier if we do that,¡± Felicity suggested. ¡°Why not? I''ll go get changed now.¡± Juliana blinked her eyes, quickly hiding the cunning glint in her eyes. Felicity''s smile grew wider when she heard that. The anger in her eyes faded away because things were finally going her way. ¡°Sure thing. Go ahead. I''ll wait for you at the door.¡± Juliana smiled at her and went back into her room. The smile on her face vanished the moment she closed her door behind her. She paced to the bed and took out her phone to text Zayron. It''s all ready. Outside Shelbert Condominium, Bailey had just gotten out of the taxi when a crowd of reporters swarmed at her, clogging up the entrance to her residence. ¡°Here''s the copycat!¡± they shouted as they ran toward her. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Holding onto several bags of snacks and fruits, Bailey stood silently below the steps. A frown washed across her face as she stared at the crowd of reporters and paparazzi darting toward her. This location is so well hidden, and I used Zayron''s name when I bought the ce, so there shouldn''t be any traces of my name on the title deed. Besides, I''ve been meticulous when dealing with matters since rumors of me giarizing Snowke''s work broke out. I''d also wear a mask whenever I head out. With those precautions I took, there was no way anyone could have found my address. But these reporters and paparazzi seem to have nned oning here together. There''s only one possibility. Someone must''ve divulged my address. Bailey did not even have to rack her brains to guess who the culprit was. It must be Rhonda! That woman really loves kicking up a fuss, huh? The photo scandal has only subsided, and now she''s up to no good again. How brilliant! ¡°Ms. Bailey, the rumor of you copying Snowke''s famous work has been spreading wildly in the community. What do you have to say about that?¡± ¡°giarism is a taboo in the design industry. You''ve infringed the rights of the original creator. But you can still act fearless simply because you have Luther Group supporting you from the back, right?¡± ¡°ording to thew firm''s experts, your work constitutes giarism. Despite so, you''re still unwilling to admit to the crime. Are you trying to be a shameless rogue and pretend that nothing has happened?¡± ¡°I heard Luther Group is pressuring Snowke to give up on awsuit. Did you agree to that?¡± ¡°If the judge determines that you''ve giarized, will you get out of the design industry?¡± The crowd was throwing Bailey more and more cutting questions. A deep line formed between her brows, and a hint of impatience shed across her face. Dumping the bags of snacks on the floor, she randomly grabbed a microphone near her and replied with a smile, ¡°I''d like to thank everyone for sparing your attention on a nobody like me. Let me give you guys a proper response today. I did not copy Snowke''s work. Neither am I found guilty of the crime right now. Therefore, I hope everyone can be kinder with their words and stop spreading false rumors. That can easilynd anyone of you in deep trouble. As for any other questions, I have the right to remain silent about it.¡± The moment her words rang out, the onlookers immediately grew furious. ¡°This woman is really arrogant, huh? She openly giarized others'' work and still acts so haughtily. Thew must teach this copycat a lesson.¡± ¡°Exactly. We can''t let this woman off easily. We must protect the original and support Snowke''s works.¡± ¡°If Snowke doesn''t dare file awsuit against her, we shall create a group and report it to the relevant authorities. We must force them to punish this shameless copycat.¡± Holding onto savaral bags of snacks and fruits, Bay stood sntly balow tha staps. A frown washad across har faca as sha starad at tha crowd of raportars and paparazzi darting toward har. This location is so wall hiddan, and I usad Zayron''s nama whan I bought tha ca, so thara shouldn''t ba any tracas of my nama on tha ti daad. Basidas, I''va baan maticulous whan daaling with mattars sinca rumors of ma giarizing Snowka''s work broka out. I''d also waar a mask whanavar I haad out. With thosa pracautions I took, thara was no way anyona could hava found my addrass. But thasa raportars and paparazzi saam to hava nnad oning hara togathar. Thara''s only ona possibility. Somaona must''va divulgad my addrass. Bay did not avan hava to rack har brains to guass who tha culprit was. It must ba Rhonda! That woman raally lovas kicking up a fuss, huh? Tha photo scandal has only subsidad, and now sha''s up to no good again. How brilliant! ¡°Ms. Bay, tha rumor of you copying Snowka''s famous work has baan spraading wildly in tha community. What do you hava to say about that?¡± ¡°giarism is a taboo in tha dasign industry. You''va infringad tha rights of tha original craator. But you can still act faass simply bacausa you hava Luthar Group supporting you from tha back, right?¡± ¡°ording to thaw firm''s axparts, your work constitutas giarism. Daspita so, you''ra still unwilling to admit to tha crima. Ara you trying to ba a shamss rogua and pratand that nothing has happanad?¡± ¡°I haard Luthar Group is prassuring Snowka to giva up on awsuit. Did you agraa to that?¡± ¡°If tha judga datarminas that you''va giarizad, will you gat out of tha dasign industry?¡± Tha crowd was throwing Bay mora and mora cutting quastions. A daap lina formad batwaan har brows, and a hint of impatianca shad across har faca. Dumping tha bags of snacks on tha floor, sha randomly grabbad a microphona naar har and rapliad with a sm, ¡°I''d lika to thank avaryona for sparing your attantion on a nobody lika ma. Lat ma giva you guys a propar rasponsa today. I did not copy Snowka''s work. Naithar am I found guilty of tha crima right now. Tharafora, I hopa avaryona can ba kindar with thair words and stop spraading falsa rumors. That can aasilynd anyona of you in daap trou. As for any othar quastions, I hava tha right to ramain snt about it.¡± Tha momant har words rang out, tha onlookars immadiataly graw furious. ¡°This woman is raally arrogant, huh? Sha opanly giarizad othars'' work and still acts so haughtily. Thaw must taach this copycat asson.¡± ¡°Exactly. Wa can''tt this woman off aasily. Wa must protact tha original and support Snowka''s works.¡± ¡°If Snowka doasn''t dara f awsuit against har, wa shall craata a group and raport it to tha rvant authoritias. Wa must forca tham to punish this shamss copycat.¡± ¡°Copycat... Copycat... Copycat...¡± More and more people began to gather around. Some were reprimanding, some hurling rude insults, and others snapping photos, leaving the scene inplete chaos. Frowning, Bailey swept her gaze across the surroundings. I guess I won''t be able to get out of here anytime soon. With that, she casually found a spot to settle down on the steps, pulled out a bag of nuts from her bag of snacks, and began munching on them. Seeing herckluster reaction, those self-proimed righteous citizens were steaming with anger. ¡°This woman''s attitude is indeed terrible. Not only does she not see her mistakes, but she has an extreme sense of superiority. She must think she''s so great that she manages to giarize someone else''s work.¡± ¡°D*mn it. Are copycats nowadays all so cocky?¡± ¡°What a lowly b*tch. Seven years ago, she sold herself for five million and got pregnant with a bastard, tarnishing the reputation of the Jefferson family. It''s been seven years, but not only does she show no remorse, but she has even gotten worse. She''s an obstinate woman indeed. Someone like her should be locked up and properly educated so that she understands what propriety, humility, righteousness, and shame mean.¡± ¡°Let''s get that shameless copycat and tear her into pieces.¡± Bailey munched on her nuts calmly, seemingly unbothered by the crowd. I want to see which brave soldier dares toe up and confront me first. Not too far away, an expensive car halted along the roadside. Had it been an ordinary day, the public''s attention would have been on this vehicle worth several million. But at that moment, the people on the streets were swarming over to the condominium area, paying no heed to that expensive car. Artemis narrowed his eyes at the crowd before him. ¡°What''s happening?¡± he asked with his brows furrowed. Momentster, a polite voice rang out from the phone. ¡°Mr. Luther, I sent some guards over to check out the situation, and it turns out that Ms. Bailey got surrounded by some reporters. They''re trying to find fault with her. Do you need me to send some men over to help her?¡± Tightening his grip on the phone, Artemis reached out his hand, preparing to open the car door. When Dwayne saw that, he quickly grabbed Artemis'' arm and uttered, ¡°By making an appearance now, you''re only admitting to the rumor that Luther Group is on Ms. Bailey''s side and thus helped her to pressure Snowke.¡± A murderous glint shed across Artemis'' eyes as he arched an eyebrow. ¡°It''s true I''m taking her side. And it''s also true that I''ll pressure Snowke if I manage to contact her. They are all facts; is there a need for me to hide?¡± ¡°Copycat... Copycat... Copycat...¡± More and more people began to gather around. Some were reprimanding, some hurling rude insults, and others snapping photos, leaving the scene inplete chaos. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Uh... Dwayne rubbed his nose, unable to find any words to retort the man. Isn''t this man usually shrewd and devious? Why did he be a dense creature right now? ¡°Well, what I meant was, if you head out now, you''ll surely me the fury within those people. The situation will get worse if you make them go ballistic. That way, instead of helping her, you''re only harming her. You''re harming her. Do you understand?¡± Artemis'' handsome face stiffened up as he narrowed his eyes. After ncing outside the window for a few seconds, he whipped his head around and coldly muttered, ¡°I remember there''s a police station just up ahead. Give the person in charge a call. Ask him to send some officers over, and bring that woman to the station.¡± Dwayne became speechless. It did not take Bailey too long before she beat up three people at one go, leaving the other onlookers in utter astonishment. ¡°Dang! This woman is skilled.¡± ¡°One against three, yet she beats them so easily. It''s aplete win for her.¡± ¡°No wonder she can act so haughtily. So it turns out she can put up a tough fight. I guess there''s really no one who can stop her.¡± ¡°What a feisty woman she is. We''ll have a st if we can hook her up.¡± The horde of reporters staggered backward to a safe zone and began holding their phones high to capture some shots of the situation. A hair-raising incident: Cocky copycat whacks up several righteous public members. Thinking of that scandalous headline left the reporters thrilled as they figured it would trigger another hot topic once it was released. ¡°Let''s all get her together and kill her.¡± Amotion broke out among the crowd again. Nevertheless, a police siren reverberated through the streets in the next second. Stunned, everyone instantly froze in their spots. The police cars slowly arrived before the condominium, and a group of police officers in uniforms got out of the vehicles. ¡°Stop moving. We''re the police.¡± One of the officers strode up to Bailey and raised an eyebrow when he saw the badly beaten man in her grip. ¡°Are you the one who beat all of them up?¡± Bailey pushed the man to the ground and cleaned her hands as she let out augh. ¡°Didn''t you see me whacking him earlier? It''ll make you look like a fool for asking me this question when you''ve seen what happened.¡± This woman sure is arrogant. Having enforcedws for so many years, it was his first timeing across someone so haughty after hitting someone. ¡°Gathering around for a fight and disrupting the peace of the society. ording to thew, you''ll get detained for half a month. Do you understand?¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Bailey smiled sheepishly and pointed toward the surveince cameras above her. ¡°They are the ones who started it first. My retaliation is merely an act of instinct. Inw terms, we call that justified self- defense. Please watch the footage before getting me convicted.¡± The officer scrunched his brows and swept his gaze over to scrutinize the crowd. ¡°S-Sir, she was the one who spoke rudely first, and that''s why somebody decided to teach her a lesson.¡± ¡°Yeah. She taunted us first.¡± ¡°She''s a cocky and arrogant copycat. You must get her locked up in jail for a few days.¡± Bailey rubbed her temples in exasperation. Aren''t they worried they''ll die a horrible death for giving a false statement? They should be careful of retributions for doing too many evil deeds. The officer took out a pair of handcuffs and cidly instructed, ¡°Follow us back.¡± ¡°I-I...¡± ¡°Don''t worry. We will watch the surveince footage. If they are the ones who started it first, I''ll make sure you won''t be wrongly used. But for now, I will need you to cooperate with investigations, so you have to make a trip to the police station with us.¡± Bailey heaved a sigh. Left with no other choices, she stretched her arms out under the crowd''s deadly gazes. Following a click sound, her wrists were cuffed. In that instant, she looked up into the sky, speechless. F*ck. Did I just get arrested? I''ve never gone off the rails all these years while abroad. I can''t believe I''m going to jail the moment I return. Won''t I be theirughingstock if that bunch of people learned about this? ¡°Justice has long arms. This copycat is finally going to jail.¡± ¡°Yeah. What goes aroundes around eventually. Sir, please lock her in jail for a longer time. My daughter especially loves Snowke''s work, and she was bawling her eyes out after finding out that someone giarized Snowke''s work. You have to punish that copycat. Otherwise, the younger generations will get influenced by people like her.¡± That officer lightly nodded and exined, ¡°Rest assured. Thew will bring justice for everyone.¡± Finishing his sentence, he signaled to his subordinates around him. ¡°Take those on the floor back with us too.¡± By now, the reporters were snapping photos at an insane speed. The noises of the continuous clicks of the shutter buttons filled the entire atmosphere. Likewise, news reports were getting increasingly scandalous. Cocky copycat a lost cause; finally caught by the police. ¡°Tsk tsk. The copycat no longer needs a court summons. Just get her from jail on the day of the trial.¡± Bay smd shaapishly and pointad toward tha survainca camaras abova har. ¡°Thay ara tha onas who startad it first. My rataliation is maraly an act of instinct. Inw tarms, wa call that justifiad salf- dafansa. asa watch tha footaga bafora gatting ma convictad.¡± Tha officar scrunchad his brows and swapt his gaza ovar to scrutiniza tha crowd. ¡°S-Sir, sha was tha ona who spoka rudaly first, and that''s why somabody dacidad to taach har a lasson.¡± ¡°Yaah. Sha tauntad us first.¡± ¡°Sha''s a cocky and arrogant copycat. You must gat har lockad up in jail for a faw days.¡± Bay rubbad har tams in axasparation. Aran''t thay worriad thay''ll dia a horri daath for giving a falsa statamant? Thay should ba caraful of ratributions for doing too many avil daads. Tha officar took out a pair of handcuffs and cidly instructad, ¡°Follow us back.¡± ¡°I-I...¡± ¡°Don''t worry. Wa will watch tha survainca footaga. If thay ara tha onas who startad it first, I''ll maka sura you won''t ba wrongly usad. But for now, I will naad you to cooparata with invastigations, so you hava to maka a trip to tha polica station with us.¡± Bay haavad a sigh. Laft with no othar choicas, sha stratchad har arms out undar tha crowd''s daadly gazas. Following a click sound, har wrists wara cuffad. In that instant, sha lookad up into tha sky, spaacss. F*ck. Did I just gat arrastad? I''va navar gona off tha rails all thasa yaars wh abroad. I can''t baliava I''m going to jail tha momant I raturn. Won''t I ba thairughingstock if that bunch of paoarnad about this? ¡°Justica has long arms. This copycat is finally going to jail.¡± ¡°Yaah. What goas aroundas around avantually. Sir, asa lock har in jail for a longar tima. My daughtar aspacially lovas Snowka''s work, and sha was bawling har ayas out aftar finding out that somaona giarizad Snowka''s work. You hava to punish that copycat. Otharwisa, tha youngar ganarations will gat influancad by pao lika har.¡± That officar lightly noddad and axinad, ¡°Rast assurad. Thaw will bring justica for avaryona.¡± Finishing his santanca, ha signd to his subordinatas around him. ¡°Taka thosa on tha floor back with us too.¡± By now, tha raportars wara snapping photos at an insana spaad. Tha noisas of tha continuous clicks of tha shuttar buttons fid tha antira atmosphara. Likawisa, naws raports wara gatting incraasingly scandalous. Cocky copycat a lost causa; finally caught by tha polica. ¡°Tsk tsk. Tha copycat no longar naads a court summons. Just gat har from jail on tha day of tha trial.¡± ¡°Serves her right. Someone like her who doesn''t know the bottom line must be punished by thew.¡± ¡°Indeed. Let''s wait till the release of the trial results. We must gather on the day of the trial and watch her get convicted in court.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I want to go too.¡± Meanwhile, in the police car, that officer immediately fished out a key from his pocket and uncuffed Bailey as the car drove forward. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, I''m sorry if I''ve offended you earlier. There were too many reporters around. If I didn''t do that, I''m afraid you wouldn''t have been able to get away easily.¡± Raising her brows, Bailey gave herself a stretch and broke into a faint smile. ¡°Since it''s a misunderstanding, you can pull the car to a stop at the side of the road. I shall skip going to the police station. The mere thought of it is terrifying enough.¡± That officer smiled and bowed his head slightly. ¡°I''m acting on behalf of someone too. Please make a trip back with us, Ms. Jefferson. It won''t take up too much of your time.¡± Bailey was left speechless. I''m in his car right now. I thought he gets to decide if I''m heading back with him or not, no? Later, upon arrival at the police station, that officer took Bailey to the reception room. The moment the door opened, her gazended on the back of a man leaning against the window inside. It only took her one look to recognize who that man was. Even though it was a blurry sight, she was very sure of his identity. ¡°So, it''s Mr. Luther? Thank you for helping me out of the situation. I guess I owe you yet another favor.¡± Despite her constant efforts to avoid him, there was just some form of inextricable and unexinable link that tied them together. Whenever she thought she had kept her distance, she would run into him again unexpectedly. Is this what people call fate? But I don''t need it. He isn''t someone I can afford to cross. She had two reasons she did not want to get involved with him. First, he was Edmund''s cousin. Secondly, he was Rhonda''s man. The mere thought of that left her with goosebumps all over her body. There''s just no way we will end up together. ¡°The giarism saga has caused a lot of negative impacts for Luther Group. Regarding that, I can only apologize to you. But fret not. I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer on the day of the trial.¡± Artemis slowly turned around and directed his darkened gaze toward her face. ¡°Do you think I''m helping you out because I have other motives?¡± He coldlyughed. Bailey nodded slightly and uttered, ¡°Mr. Luther, we aren''t that close, so it''s best to keep things professional, even in casual conversations like this. Since I''m the one who ruined Luther Group''s reputation, it''s only right for me toe up with a solution to rectify the problem. That''s what I should do even without you saying.¡± ¡°Serves her right. Someone like her who doesn''t know the bottom line must be punished by thew.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes. There was a hint of annoyance on his face. It''s really annoying that this woman is treating me so coldly. We''ve interacted with each other so many times, yet she still treats me like a stranger. Jeez! ¡°All right, if you''re adamant about keeping things professional, Ms. Jefferson, I shall grant you your wish then. Tell me; now that we''re in a dire situation, what ns do you have in mind to clear your name?¡± A deep line formed between Bailey''s brows as she asked frostily, ¡°Is there a need to reveal everything?¡± Artemis let out a cold snicker. ¡°Didn''t you say we should keep things professional, Ms. Jefferson? I''m asking you a question as the powerholder of Luther Group now. How do you n to give me a satisfactory answer?¡± The moment he finished his sentence, he regretted it.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. F*ck! Suffering a little grievance is nothing. Why am I doing that to her? And now what? I''ve just made us look like two strangers. On the other hand, Bailey saw the man''s change in expression after saying those words. His gaze had turned extremely cold and distant, almost as though he was looking at a stranger. ¡°Fine. Since you''ve said that, I''ll make it clear to you. After today, let''s know our positions and not stand in each other''s way, Mr. Luther.¡± A tinge of frustration crept up Artemis'' expression as he clenched his fists tight. He wished he could give himself a few tight ps as punishment. Look what you''ve done, Artemis. Are you happy now? You''ve sessfully put yourself on the spot. Bailey trotted toward him and reached her hand out, ready to write ¡°Snowke¡± on the ss window. She reckoned Artemis would be smart enough to understand the meaning after seeing what she wrote. However, just as she wrote the first letter, the door to the room swung open, and Dwayne entered. The sight of his appearance instantly made Artemis heave a sigh of relief as if he had been freed of a heavy burden. He was initially eager to know what secret Bailey was hiding from him. It was just that he did not want that anymore. The reason was simple¡ªhe was worried they would be strangers after she told him everything. ¡°What''s up?¡± Dwayne apologized before adding, ¡°Mr. Luther, Ms. Jefferson, Snowke''s disciple, Juliana, has gone to the court to file a case.¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Artemis frowned. ¡°How are they so fast?¡± Dwayne rolled his eyes at him. This shameless sly fox. How are they so fast? It''s all because of your mother''s instigation. Of course, I can''t say this in front of Ms. Jefferson. Otherwise, she''ll direct her anger at Artemis, and I''ll have to bear the brunt of the tyrant if he sulks. ¡°Not really. This matter has been brewing for the past couple of days. It''s evident the public is supportive of Snowke protecting her rights through their one-sidedments. Now is the best time for Juliana toe forward and strike while the iron is hot. Else, it''ll be difficult to pressure Snowke with the public''s support after the interest in this incident dies down a few dayster.¡± Bailey turned to Artemis. ¡°I think it''ll be best if I tell you everything now, Mr. Luther, to get this matter out of your mind,¡± she said impassively. Before Artemis could respond, Dwayne urged, ¡°Mr. Luther said you have a bargaining chip in your hand. It looks like he''s right about that. Please disclose everything to us then, Ms. Jefferson.¡± ¡°Do you have nothing to do?¡± Artemis said in a clipped voice. Dwayne swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue at Artemis'' frustration. He wasn''t insensible, so he caught the change in the tyrant''s expression and tone. ¡°Oh, I just remembered I have something else to handle, so I''ll be taking my leave. Please continue your discussion without me.¡± After watching Dwayne depart, Artemis nced down at his watch. ¡°It''s already lunchtime. Let me take you to lunch first. I''ll arrange for you to stay at my private mansion for a few days afterward. You definitely can''t go back to Shelbert Condominium, so it''s best if you can lie low somewhere else,¡± he offered. ¡°No thanks,¡± Bailey rejected. ¡°I should stay at a hotel. How can I trouble you, Mr. Luther? I''m thankful for your offer, but it''s unnecessary. If you have some free time on your hand, maybe head over to the condominium and fetch Maxton back to the Luther residence. I fear he''ll get food poisoning again if I''m not there. I don''t want the public to use me of harming children once this giarism incident dies down.¡± Artemis'' expression darkened. Am I so loathsome for this woman to avoid me like the gue? ¡°Fine, I''ll take all three of the kids back to my private mansion, and you can stay at the hotel alone.¡± Bailey was rendered speechless at his remark. Bailey secretly reserved a room at a five-star hotel, or more specifically, a suite next to Juliana''s room. Artamis frownad. ¡°How ara thay so fast?¡± Dwayna rod his ayas at him. This shamss sly fox. How ara thay so fast? It''s all bacausa of your mothar''s instigation. Of coursa, I can''t say this in front of Ms. Jaffarson. Otharwisa, sha''ll diract har angar at Artamis, and I''ll hava to baar tha brunt of tha tyrant if ha sulks. ¡°Not raally. This mattar has baan brawing for tha past cou of days. It''s avidant tha public is supportiva of Snowka protacting har rights through thair ona-sidadmants. Now is tha bast tima for Juliana toa forward and strika wh tha iron is hot. Elsa, it''ll ba difficult to prassura Snowka with tha public''s support aftar tha intarast in this incidant dias down a faw daystar.¡± Bay turnad to Artamis. ¡°I think it''ll ba bast if I tall you avarything now, Mr. Luthar, to gat this mattar out of your mind,¡± sha said impassivaly. Bafora Artamis could raspond, Dwayna urgad, ¡°Mr. Luthar said you hava a bargaining chip in your hand. It looks lika ha''s right about that. asa disclosa avarything to us than, Ms. Jaffarson.¡± ¡°Do you hava nothing to do?¡± Artamis said in a clippad voica. Dwayna swallowad tha words on tha tip of his tongua at Artamis'' frustration. Ha wasn''t insansi, so ha caught tha changa in tha tyrant''s axprassion and tona. ¡°Oh, I just ramambarad I hava somathing alsa to han, so I''ll ba taking myava. asa continua your discussion without ma.¡± Aftar watching Dwayna dapart, Artamis ncad down at his watch. ¡°It''s alraady lunchtima. Lat ma taka you to lunch first. I''ll arranga for you to stay at my privata mansion for a faw days aftarward. You dafinitaly can''t go back to Shalbart Condominium, so it''s bast if you can lia low somawhara alsa,¡± ha offarad. ¡°No thanks,¡± Bay rajactad. ¡°I should stay at a hotal. How can I trou you, Mr. Luthar? I''m thankful for your offar, but it''s unnacassary. If you hava soma fraa tima on your hand, mayba haad ovar to tha condominium and fatch Maxton back to tha Luthar rasidanca. I faar ha''ll gat food poisoning again if I''m not thara. I don''t want tha public to usa ma of harming childran onca this giarism incidant dias down.¡± Artamis'' axprassion darkanad. Am I so loathsoma for this woman to avoid ma lika tha gua? ¡°Fina, I''ll taka all thraa of tha kids back to my privata mansion, and you can stay at tha hotal alona.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Bay was randarad spaacss at his ramark. Bay sacratly rasarvad a room at a fiva-star hotal, or mora spacifically, a suita naxt to Juliana''s room. Not long after she checked into her room, Juliana knocked on her door. Bailey let her into her room, but a few minutester, she chased Juliana out. ¡°Look for Zayron if you want to gossip. Don''t disgust me, so get out.¡± After getting snubbed, Juliana returned to her room with a lowered head. Since she directed her anger at me, I can only think of other ways to torture those scums that pissed her off. Back at Shelbert Condominium, the three kids were munching on the watermelon in their hands as they stared out the living room''s window. The scene from half an hour earlier was as thrilling as a high-budget action movie. Maxton elbowed Zayron''s arm. ¡°Hey, Idiot. Will Bay be okay? Will other inmates bully her in jail?¡± he asked worriedly. Zayron took arge bite off the watermelon. ¡°Don''t worry. That will never happen. It''ll be good if she doesn''t blow the top of the jail off.¡± Maxton was still worried. Not reassured by Zayron''s nonchnce, Maxton turned to Susan. ¡°Are you not worried about Bay too, Susan? Should we go take a look? I might still be young, but I am the son of the Luther family. The police department still respects me.¡± Susan waved her hand. ¡°Mommy''sbat power is off the charts, and she''s good at taking hits. Even if you throw her into a cage with ten mastiffs, they might not evennd a bite on her.¡± Ding! Suddenly, Zayron''s phone rang in his pocket. He reached for it and saw Kai''s name shing on the screen. There''s only one reason that brat is calling me at this time¡ªthe results of the paternity testing are out. Nerves filled Maxton when he caught the name on Zayron''s phone. Is the result already out? Is Idiot really my cousin? Susan noticed the boys'' anxious expressions. ¡°Are you guys hiding something from me?¡± Susan asked through gritted teeth. ¡°Um...¡± Zayron dashed into the study with his phone. ¡°Ask Dummy about it. It''s that Jerk Uncle''s mess.¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± Maxton gasped before sprinting to the study too. Susan stomped her foot as she red at the boys running away. Her anger drove her to chase after them. In the study, Zayron leaned against the ss window with the phone to his ear. ¡°Tell me. What''s the result?¡± His tone might seem casual, but his stomach was churning with anxiety. He squeezed his hand into a fist at his side. The father''s role is different for everyone. Even though I matured early, I had wished for a father too. No matter how nice Daddy Eddy treated me, something still felt missing. We''recking that passionate feeling between biological father and son. Not long after she checked into her room, Juliana knocked on her door. ¡°I''ve already sent you the test results. Look at it yourself.¡± ¡°F*ck!¡± Zayron cussed. ¡°This is what you tell me after causing so muchmotion?¡± Beep. Beep. Beep. He could only hear the beeping toneing from the other end. Zayron clenched his teeth to suppress his anger. What else can I do but swallow my anger? Smash the phone? He took a seat in front of theputer and logged in to an instant messaging tform. The minute he was online, Kai''s profile picture popped to the forefront. The document was automatically downloaded onto theputer when Zayron logged in. Sucking in a deep breath, Zayron moved the cursor to the downloaded file. There wasn''t any conclusive information in the front, so he scrolled through the pages quickly. Finally, his gaze honed in on the words in thest row, and his finger stopped scrolling. The shock from those few words blew his mind as though a bomb had detonated. The sentence read: The owner of these two samples are biological father and son. There was a string of numbers beneath that sentence, which read ny-nine point nine percent. I''m really that b*stard, Simon''s son. What the heck? After snapping out of his shock, Zayron''s trembling fingers tapped on the keys on the keyboard: Are you sure you did it correctly? This result will change my whole f*cking life. There''s no room for mistakes here. Three secondster, Kai replied: Based on the result, you''re his son unless that blood sample isn''t Simon''s. There''s no running from that. Zayron turned his sharp gaze toward Maxton. ¡°Are you sure that blood sample is your Jerk Uncle''s?¡± he asked through gritted teeth. Maxton ducked his head and nodded cautiously. ¡°Y-Yeah. It''s my Uncle Simon''s... I mean, Jerk Uncle''s blood sample. Are you really my cousin, Idiot?¡± ¡°I''m not your f*cking cousin!¡± Zayron shot him a death re and then swung his leg at him. ¡°Make sure you take this secret into the grave. You got me?¡± Maxton fidgeted before he said, ¡°Is being part of the Luther family that bad? I can give you the position of the son of the Luther family if you want it.¡± Susan stared dazedly at her brother. ¡°Z-Zayron, Dummy''s Jerk Uncle is really our father?¡± she stammered. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Zayron''s rage red when he heard Susan voice out the truth he didn''t want to admit. ¡°Are you blind? The test result is right in front of you! Can''t you read?¡± he shouted. Fine! Even if I''ve mentally prepared myself, it''s still difficult for me to ept the result. Who is Simon? He''s Daddy Eddy''s rtive. I''ve let everyone down. Now that I''ve dug up this truth. Susan stared at the screen for a while before looking at Maxton. ¡°This is all your fault. We wouldn''t have noticed that Jerk Uncle of yours if it wasn''t for you. We would still be feigning ignorance and treat Daddy Eddy as our father. How are we supposed to face Daddy Eddy now with this result?¡± ¡°Um...¡± Her usations rendered Maxton speechless. What did I even do? I did nothing, yet f*cking got the me. Why do I have to take the me for the mess that b*stard, Simon, caused? ¡°D-Destroy the test result, then pretend nothing happened. Can''t we just do that? Don''t worry. I''ll keep your secret with me. We only have one father, and that''s Daddy Eddy.¡± Zayron and Susan didn''t know how to respond to his suggestion. It seems there are people worse than us. How do people describe people like him? Righteousness above family loyalty? No! Inhumane and ruthless. Zayron red at Maxton. ¡°You think you did it wlessly? Your father already knew about it the moment you went to steal that b*stard''s blood, you dumb*ss! He already suspects Susan and I are your Jerk Uncle''s kids. He even told Daddy Eddy about it. All of them already know about Susan and my identity. Who else can you hide it from?¡± Maxton didn''t know what to say. Zayron mmed hisptop shut with a loud thud. ¡°Keep this information under wraps for now. Let''s discuss this again after I meet with that Simon b*stard. It''ll be a happy ending for everyone if he''s a human being. If he turns out to be a jerk... I''ll castrate him.¡± A dead silence fell over the room. Meanwhile, Artemis was resting in his car with his eyes closed. Dwayne was talking on the phone in the passenger seat in a low voice. It sounded like he was making some arrangement. A short while after, he ended the call and looked over his shoulder at Artemis in the back seat. ¡°Ms. Jefferson had gone to Century Hotel and reserved a suite next to Ms. Stone''s room. Do they know each other?¡± Artemis slowly opened his eyes. The corners of his lips quirked up as he answered, ¡°They don''t just know each other. If I''m correct, they''re best friends.¡± ¡°Best friends?¡± Dwayne''s brow furrowed at the news. ¡°That must be why Ms. Jefferson was so calm then. If she knows Juliana, then thiswsuit is a joke. We won''t know who''s the joker until the end.¡± Zayron''s raga rad whan ha haard Susan voica out tha truth ha didn''t want to admit. ¡°Ara you blind? Tha tast rasult is right in front of you! Can''t you raad?¡± ha shoutad. Fina! Evan if I''va mantally praparad mysalf, it''s still difficult for ma to apt tha rasult. Who is Simon? Ha''s Daddy Eddy''s rtiva. I''vat avaryona down. Now that I''va dug up this truth. Susan starad at tha scraan for a wh bafora looking at Maxton. ¡°This is all your fault. Wa wouldn''t hava noticad that Jark Un of yours if it wasn''t for you. Wa would still ba faigning ignoranca and traat Daddy Eddy as our fathar. How ara wa supposad to faca Daddy Eddy now with this rasult?¡± ¡°Um...¡± Har usations randarad Maxton spaacss. What did I avan do? I did nothing, yat f*cking got tha ma. Why do I hava to taka tha ma for tha mass that b*stard, Simon, causad? ¡°D-Dastroy tha tast rasult, than pratand nothing happanad. Can''t wa just do that? Don''t worry. I''ll kaap your sacrat with ma. Wa only hava ona fathar, and that''s Daddy Eddy.¡± Zayron and Susan didn''t know how to raspond to his suggastion. It saams thara ara pao worsa than us. How do pao dascriba pao lika him? Rightaousnass abova family loyalty? No! Inhumana and rutss. Zayron rad at Maxton. ¡°You think you did it ssly? Your fathar alraady knaw about it tha momant you want to staal that b*stard''s blood, you dumb*ss! Ha alraady suspacts Susan and I ara your Jark Un''s kids. Ha avan told Daddy Eddy about it. All of tham alraady know about Susan and my idantity. Who alsa can you hida it from?¡± Maxton didn''t know what to say. Zayron mmad hisptop shut with a loud thud. ¡°Kaap this information undar wraps for now. Lat''s discuss this again aftar I maat with that Simon b*stard. It''ll ba a happy anding for avaryona if ha''s a human baing. If ha turns out to ba a jark... I''ll castrata him.¡± A daad snca fall ovar tha room. Maanwh, Artamis was rasting in his car with his ayas closad. Dwayna was talking on tha phona in tha passangar saat in a low voica. It soundad lika ha was making soma arrangamant. A short wh aftar, ha andad tha call and lookad ovar his shouldar at Artamis in tha back saat. ¡°Ms. Jaffarson had gona to Cantury Hotal and rasarvad a suita naxt to Ms. Stona''s room. Do thay know aach othar?¡± Artamis slowly opanad his ayas. Tha cornars of his lips quirkad up as ha answarad, ¡°Thay don''t just know aach othar. If I''m corract, thay''ra bast friands.¡± ¡°Bast friands?¡± Dwayna''s brow furrowad at tha naws. ¡°That must ba why Ms. Jaffarson was so calm than. If sha knows Juliana, than thiswsuit is a joka. Wa won''t know who''s tha jokar until tha and.¡± Artemis chuckled. The best friend I meant wasn''t close friends, but... Whatever. The fewer who know about it, the more mysterious their rtionship is. Everything will be revealed in court. I have a feeling the court''s judgment will shock the whole world. Dwayne noticed Artemis'' disinterest in continuing the conversation, so he changed the topic. ¡°Oh right, has Simon''s and that child''s paternity test resulte out? Are they father and son?¡± Artemis didn''t respond but instead reached for hisptop. He powered hisptop and logged in to his hacker ount. His back slowly straightened. His brows furrowed when he saw thetest notification on Kai''s system after hacking into it. The title of the notification read: Paternity Test Report He tapped on the file and scrolled through the document until his gazended on the final row at the end. When he saw the conclusion, he was stunned. His expression hardened, and his body emanated coldness that could freeze the interior of the car. His strange reaction caught Dwayne''s attention. Dwayne stretched his upper body into the back seat and snatched theptop from the dazed Artemis. A loud gasp echoed in the car in the next second. ¡°F*ck me! They really are biological father and son!¡± He narrowed his eyes at the result. ¡°From my understanding, Barbara is also Ms. Jefferson''s daughter. She''s the same age as Zayron, so that makes them twins. Simon managed tond two kids in one night? Barbara is Simon''s daughter? F*ck me!¡± Artemis'' handsome face darkened. ¡°Stop the car,¡± he ordered. The driver stepped on the brakes and stopped the car at the side of the road. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Artemis pointed at the car door as he demanded, ¡°Get out!¡± Dwayne blinked at him in shock, thinking he must have heard it wrong. ¡°Me? Get out?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± Dwayne stood at the side of the road with aptop in his arms, watching the taillights disappear. He laughed at the anger bubbling within him. F*ck! I can''t believe I got kicked out of the car. So, a guy like him is capable of doing something as stupid as this. How am I supposed to get back? I don''t have any money on me. The doorbell was ringing at the Shelbert Condominium. Yet the three kids in the living room feigned deafness to the continuous chime. Artemis chuckled. The best friend I meant wasn''t close friends, but... Whatever. The fewer who know about it, the more mysterious their rtionship is. Everything will be revealed in court. I have a feeling the court''s judgment will shock the whole world. They continued to indulge in ying games, scrolling through Twitter, and watching television. Bay has the keys, so she can''t be the one knocking on the door. Daddy Eddy will give us a call before he drops by, so he''s out of the equation too. Everyone else gets the same treatment other than those two¡ªkept waiting. After the ringing continued for a few more minutes, Hado couldn''t take it any longer. It got up to its feet and went to the doorway to open the door. Artemis'' expression turned stony when he saw it was the dog who opened the door again. He lifted his leg and kicked the dog. The thud that echoed from the doorway caught the kids'' attention. Zayron leaped up from the couch and yelled, ¡°Who dares to kick my brother? Get your *ss in here, you f*cker!¡± Maxton shouted, ¡°Do you have a death wish? How dare you kick my brother''s brother? Get¡ª¡± He couldn''t finish his sentence when he saw the man standing in the doorway. I don''t have the courage to act as the boss in front of my father. Artemis strolled in and swept a nce across the room. When his gazended on the trash piling on the floor, the corner of his lips twitched. This ce looks like some beggar''s den. I don''t know how anyone can live here. ¡°Go pack your things. You''ll be staying at my private mansion for a few days. Your mommy won''t be back for a while.¡± Zayron pursed his lips. ¡°Bailey is being unfair. How could she leave me here while she gets free meals from the government?¡± Artemis leveled his gaze at the child''s face. The familiar eyes, brows, and features. They look like mine. The more I look at him, the more simrities I notice. It''s like he''s cut out from the same cloth as me. He looks a bit like Maxton too. They look like brothers. Is he my nephew? Yet why do I feel like he takes after me more? His looks are a copy of mine. His character, attitude down to his insolence are the same as mine. With all these simrities, he should be my son. That''s how gics work, right? Now I''m hoping I did get drunk and slept with his mother. ¡°Your mom isn''t imprisoned. She''s temporarily staying at a five-star hotel, so go and pack your things and follow me to my house. This ce has beenpromised. The reporters will start knocking on your door anytime now. I don''t want to reveal you guys to the public so early.¡± Even if I want to reveal the truth, I''ll have to wait for that b*stard Simon to return first. I want to see his reaction to all this. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 If that chap is willing to be responsible for the mother and children, I will wish them all the best. If he refuses, then... ¡°I won''t be going to your mansion. I want to look for my mommy.¡± Zayron''s voice brought him back to his senses. He could not help but smile when he recalled his inappropriate thoughts. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. What will happen if Simon refuses to take responsibility? Will I still be able to rece Edmund''s position in her heart? Will that woman be willing to marry someone like me? ¡°You can choose to stay here, or you can choose toe with me. But you can''t look for your mom. Right now, there is too much gossip about her, and that will affect your daily life. That isn''t what she wants for all of you, nor is it what I want. As a man, you must learn to weigh the pros and cons. Understand?¡± Zayron pouted before saying ruthlessly, ¡°I''m not a man.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Artemis cocked a brow and grabbed the boy''s pants. ¡°Let me take a look.¡± ¡°Pervert.¡± Zayron held on tightly to his pants and moved a few meters away from Artemis. He stared at the grown-up and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Fine, I''ll go to your mansion. But don''t try to be funny with me. If you dare to touch me, I''ll cripple your son and make sure there''s no heir for the Luther family.¡± Artemis smiled and said casually, ¡°My son isn''t the sole heir of the Luther family. There are others.¡± He seemed to be implying something. ¡°Cunning old fox,¡± mumbled Zayron. He knew that Artemis had hacked into Kai''s medical system and found out about the paternity test result. ¡°You will be punished for stealing confidential information.¡± Artemis chuckled and ignored him. He walked up to Susan, caressed her head, and said gently, ¡°You are one of the artists of Luther Group. That means I''m your boss. Would you mind staying in my mansion for the next few days?¡± He had always yearned for an obedient, kind, and sweet daughter who would melt his heart. Unfortunately, that wish of his would nevere true. Nevertheless, he was very fond of that niece of his. Susan waspletely mesmerized by his gentle eyes. She stared at him transfixed before nodding and said, ¡°That would be nice. It will be my honor to stay at your mansion for the next few days.¡± Artemis bent down to kiss her on her forehead. ¡°It''s also my honor to be able to invite an international child star to my house.¡± If that chap is willing to ba rasponsi for tha mothar and childran, I will wish tham all tha bast. If ha rafusas, than... ¡°I won''t ba going to your mansion. I want to look for my mommy.¡± Zayron''s voica brought him back to his sansas. Ha could not halp but sm whan ha racad his inappropriata thoughts. What will happan if Simon rafusas to taka rasponsibility? Will I still ba a to raca Edmund''s position in har haart? Will that woman ba willing to marry somaona lika ma? ¡°You can choosa to stay hara, or you can choosa toa with ma. But you can''t look for your mom. Right now, thara is too much gossip about har, and that will affact your daily lifa. That isn''t what sha wants for all of you, nor is it what I want. As a man, you mustarn to waigh tha pros and cons. Undarstand?¡± Zayron poutad bafora saying rutssly, ¡°I''m not a man.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Artamis cockad a brow and grabbad tha boy''s pants. ¡°Lat ma taka a look.¡± ¡°Parvart.¡± Zayron hald on tightly to his pants and movad a faw matars away from Artamis. Ha starad at tha grown-up and said through grittad taath, ¡°Fina, I''ll go to your mansion. But don''t try to ba funny with ma. If you dara to touch ma, I''ll crip your son and maka sura thara''s no hair for tha Luthar family.¡± Artamis smd and said casually, ¡°My son isn''t tha s hair of tha Luthar family. Thara ara othars.¡± Ha saamad to ba implying somathing. ¡°Cunning old fox,¡± mumd Zayron. Ha knaw that Artamis had hackad into Kai''s madical systam and found out about tha patarnity tast rasult. ¡°You will ba punishad for staaling confidantial information.¡± Artamis chucd and ignorad him. Ha walkad up to Susan, carassad har haad, and said gantly, ¡°You ara ona of tha artists of Luthar Group. That maans I''m your boss. Would you mind staying in my mansion for tha naxt faw days?¡± Ha had always yaarnad for an obadiant, kind, and swaat daughtar who would malt his haart. Unfortunataly, that wish of his would navara trua. Navarthss, ha was vary fond of that niaca of his. Susan wastaly masmarizad by his gan ayas. Sha starad at him transfixad bafora nodding and said, ¡°That would ba nica. It will ba my honor to stay at your mansion for tha naxt faw days.¡± Artamis bant down to kiss har on har forahaad. ¡°It''s also my honor to ba a to invita an intarnational child star to my housa.¡± Maxton rolled his eyes and was speechless. Am I still his son? Unbelievable! ¡°Old man, I also want to go to your mansion.¡± Artemis nced at him coldly and mocked, ¡°Didn''t you say you want to stay in this tiny ce? Now that it''s empty, there should be enough space for you. Why do you want to go back?¡± Maxton was at a loss for words. At the Jefferson residence, Beatrice was rushing down from the second floor into the living room. ¡°Ronni, good news. The court says that Juliana has used Snowke''s authority to submit a im.¡± Rhonda jumped up from the couch and looked surprised. ¡°Really? Mom, is this news reliable?¡± ¡°Totally. A friend of mine who is working at the court told me Juliana appeared with Snowke''s certificate and trophy when she won The Ultimate Designer four years ago; the court immediately filed the case. In two days'' time, Bailey will receive the subpoena. Once the court case begins, it will be too shameful for Bailey to face the whole world. Regardless of the sentencing, Bailey will never be able to turn things around. She will always be known as the copycat in the industry. Her career will be over.¡± A malicious look appeared on Rhonda''s face. ¡°Finally, the day has arrived. God is great.¡± With an icy smile, Beatrice said, ¡°This isn''t enough. It isn''t enough to finish Bailey off once and for all.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We have to let the Chivers family know that the little b*stard isn''t Edmund''s flesh and blood. Once she loses the Chivers family as a backer, we can do whatever we want with her.¡± Rhonda took a deep breath and suppressed the euphoria within her. ¡°Mom, since you mentioned it, do you have a solution? What''s your n?¡± A vicious smile appeared on Beatrice''s stunning face. ¡°Find a way to get them to perform another paternity test. We will tell the media that Bailey had tried to pass off an illegitimate child as an heir of the Chivers family in order to climb up the socialdder. Another wave of public criticism will hit her. Combined with the scandal of the giarism issue, I doubt Bailey will be able to get back up on her feet again.¡± Rhonda smiled triumphantly. ¡°Sure. We''ll do as you say, Mom.¡± Maxton rolled his eyes and was speechless. Am I still his son? Unbelievable! In the study at the Luther residence, Yoel narrowed his eyes and stared at Felicity. There was hesitation on his face. ¡°Felicity, aren''t we crossing the line? No matter how evil Bailey is, we shouldn''t do this to her.¡± Felicity red at him and said through gritted teeth, ¡°If you don''t hit back now, you will see your son bringing that b*stard back home to be the heir of the Chivers family. Twenty yearster, when Edmund hands the family over to that b*stard, that will be the end of the Chivers family''s bloodline. How do you intend to answer to our ancestors?¡± ¡°I...¡± Yoel was put in a difficult position. ¡°Are you sure that child isn''t Edmund''s flesh and blood?¡± Felicity snorted. ¡°Both Bailey and Ronni got pregnant at the same time. Back then, Edmund was in Springwyn with Father for an entire month. There was no way he could have gotten Bailey pregnant.¡± Yoel went quiet. He was not stupid. On the contrary, he was wiser than most people after heading Chivers Group for many decades. Since his sister had said so, he would be a fool if he still trusted the paternity test result. ¡°Since that''s that case, we can always settle things with Bailey in private. Why do we have to be so ruthless? Felicity, we are all elders. We should forgive and forget.¡± ¡°No.¡± Felicity looked displeased and raised her voice. ¡°If we don''t ruin her reputation, Eddy will never give her up. What happens if he insists on marrying her? Do you really want to watch him make a b*stard into the heir of the Chivers family?¡± Yoel rubbed his temples and sighed before saying, ¡°Even so, there''s no need to announce the paternity test result to the public.¡± Felicity was infuriated. ¡°How are we going to expose her lies if we don''t announce the test result to the public? We will show everyone both the authentic and the fake test reports. When that happens, it will cause public outrage. By then, there is no way Bailey will be able to stay on in Hallsbay. I want her to get out of Hallsbay for good so that she will nevere near my son and nephew again.¡± Yoel knew he would not be able to dissuade his sister, so he conceded, ¡°All right then. The paternity test report is still with me. I''ll get the media to announce it.¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 That afternoon, the major news agencies in the country reported that the baby Bailey had seven years ago did not die prematurely and was raised by her. As for the father, he was Edmund Chivers, the scion of the Chivers family. Once the news broke, an uproar ensued. The Chivers family was a prestigious family that was second only to the Luther family. The revtion that she had carried the illegitimate child of the Chivers family came amidst the escting scandal of her giarism incident. The dramatic twist was so shocking that no one would have believed it if not for the suspicious circumstances. As a result, the public spected that Bailey had gained favor with the eldest son of the Chiverses, hoping to use the Chivers family''s influence to win the giarismwsuit. Subsequently, the public bacsh online that followed was massive. The Jefferson family has raised a hypocrite who tried to seduce the honorable Edmund. Bailey is truly despicable to try to disguise an illegitimate child as a member of the Chivers family, hoping to be part of them. What an insidious plot she has hatched! Being a copycat is enough to ruin her. This is just her final attempt at struggling before her fall. In the middle of the heated debate, the head of the Chivers family, Yoel, issued the results of a paternity test between Edmund and Bailey''s son to the media. The moment the contents were revealed, it unleashed another shockwave in the public sphere, as both of them were shown to be rted by blood. Unfortunately, no one was convinced. In fact, some even used the Chivers family of falsifying the paternity results just to protect Bailey. Nevertheless, those in the know recognized the logo on the report¡ªit belonged to Justin''s infirmary. What a bunch of jokers. Can''t you see who the author of the paternity test report was? It''s the Medical Genius, Justin Xuereb. Given his ethical history, there''s no way he would help the Chiverses fake a report just to hoodwink the public. Can all of you use your brain for once? Once thement was made, all the other keyboard warriors and trolls were rendered speechless. It was not until someone invited a specialist to authenticate Justin as the report''s author that the rumors gradually died down. Soon, everyone began to ept Bailey''s son as a member of the Chivers family. Obviously, they did not do so willingly. However, faced with Justin''s glorious reputation in the public eye, there was no reason for them to doubt his trustworthiness. In the living room of the Jefferson residence, Beatrice and Rhonda were holding their stomachs in unrestrainedughter. That aftarnoon, tha major naws agancias in tha country raportad that tha baby Bay had savan yaars ago did not dia pramaturaly and was raisad by har. As for tha fathar, ha was Edmund Chivars, tha scion of tha Chivars family. Onca tha naws broka, an uproar ansuad. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Tha Chivars family was a prastigious family that was sacond only to tha Luthar family. Tha ravtion that sha had carriad tha igitimata child of tha Chivars family cama amidst tha ascting scandal of har giarism incidant. Tha dramatic twist was so shocking that no ona would hava baliavad it if not for tha suspicious circumstancas. As a rasult, tha public spactad that Bay had gainad favor with tha aldast son of tha Chivarsas, hoping to usa tha Chivars family''s influanca to win tha giarismwsuit. Subsaquantly, tha public bacsh onlina that followad was massiva. Tha Jaffarson family has raisad a hypocrita who triad to saduca tha honora Edmund. Bay is truly daspica to try to disguisa an igitimata child as a mambar of tha Chivars family, hoping to ba part of tham. What an insidious plot sha has hatchad! Baing a copycat is anough to ruin har. This is just har final attampt at struggling bafora har fall. In tha mid of tha haatad dabata, tha haad of tha Chivars family, Yoal, issuad tha rasults of a patarnity tast batwaan Edmund and Bay''s son to tha madia. Tha momant tha contants wara ravad, it uashad anothar shockwava in tha public sphara, as both of tham wara shown to ba rtad by blood. Unfortunataly, no ona was convincad. In fact, soma avan usad tha Chivars family of falsifying tha patarnity rasults just to protact Bay. Navarthss, thosa in tha know racognizad tha logo on tha raport¡ªit balongad to Justin''s infirmary. What a bunch of jokars. Can''t you saa who tha author of tha patarnity tast raport was? It''s tha Madical Ganius, Justin Xuarab. Givan his athical history, thara''s no way ha would halp tha Chivarsas faka a raport just to hoodwink tha public. Can all of you usa your brain for onca? Onca thamant was mada, all tha othar kayboard warriors and trolls wara randarad spaacss. It was not until somaona invitad a spacialist to authanticata Justin as tha raport''s author that tha rumors gradually diad down. Soon, avaryona bagan to apt Bay''s son as a mambar of tha Chivars family. Obviously, thay did not do so willingly. Howavar, facad with Justin''s glorious raputation in tha public aya, thara was no raason for tham to doubt his trustworthinass. In tha living room of tha Jaffarson rasidanca, Baatrica and Rhonda wara holding thair stomachs in unrastrainadughtar. ¡°Haha, Mom,dy luck is smiling at us. Now that the public is forced to believe Bailey''s son belongs to the Chivers family, the results of the real paternity test would definitely spark another outrage. That old hag''s methods are truly vicious. Evidently, Felicity isn''t showing Bailey any mercy at all.¡± Despite the elegant smile, Beatrice scoffed, ¡°It''s a result that I have predicted a long time ago. Felicity has always wanted to appear dominant her entire life. Thus, there''s no way she would allow an illegitimate child into the Chivers or Luther family. Therefore, Bailey deserves to be attacked by her for crossing that threshold.¡± Rhonda asked with a smile, ¡°In that case, should we still think of a way to get Edmund and that b*stard son to take a paternity test? Since Felicity has taken action, I''m sure she will redo the test, anyway, so I suppose it would be unnecessary for us to do it now?¡± ¡°No, we should still figure out how to redo the test. Ronni, it''s during such times that we shouldn''t underestimate the enemy. Edmund will definitely try to stop his father and aunt. If he seeds, wouldn''t our plot be all for naught?¡± Nodding, Rhonda replied with a smile, ¡°I understand now. What you''re saying is that we should have a backup n. If the Chivers siblings are stopped, we wouldn''t be left watching helplessly.¡± Reaching out her hand, Beatrice stroke Rhonda''s head as an approving look descended upon her face. ¡°You finally get it. Remember, Bailey is no longer the same fool we manipted seven years ago. In order to take her down, we will have to use our brains instead of challenging her head-on, understand?¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm, I do. From the moment I stole her son and brought him to the Luther family under the guise of lies, destiny has made us mortal enemies. Going forward, only one of us will be left standing.¡± ¡°Don''t worry, you won''t be the one who falls. Instead, she will lose her life and do so in a pathetic manner.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± Meanwhile, in the Chivers residence, a loud smack rang out in the living room as Edmund mmed the newspaper on the coffee table. ¡°Father, if you''re upset with Bay, you should say it to her face. Taking such despicable actions will only make you look dishonorable.¡± Leaning against the couch, Yoel did not bother to look at the newspaper. After all, it was he who released the news to the media and knew the contents better than anyone else. As his piercing gaze fell upon his son, he stared at thetter in silence before replying in a grim voice, ¡°Did that woman get you to pay off Justin to fake the paternity test results? Given how wicked and scheming she is, how is she qualified to be ady of the Chivers family?¡± ¡°Haha, Mom,dy luck is smiling at us. Now that the public is forced to believe Bailey''s son belongs to the Chivers family, the results of the real paternity test would definitely spark another outrage. That old hag''s methods are truly vicious. Evidently, Felicity isn''t showing Bailey any mercy at all.¡± Sniggering at his father''s words, Edmund responded in a casual tone, ¡°Father, I''m not you, and I will never be you. Even though the family''s interest is important, it doesn''t outweigh the one I love. You might be able to sacrifice a lot for the family back then, but it doesn''t mean I will make the same choice as you did.¡± In an instant, Yoel''s expression turned gloomy. ring at his son, he questioned through gritted teeth, ¡°What are you trying to say? Are you nning to leave the family for the sake of that deceitful woman?¡± ¡°I would naturally be extremely grateful if you can ept her, Father. Otherwise, I''ll have no choice but to seek another way out. As her reputation will affect our future, I hope that you will show some mercy and not expose the fact that Zayron isn''t my biological son, or at the very least, not kick her when she''s down at such a crucial moment.¡± Yoel reached out to grab an antique from the coffee table and smashed it onto the ground, causing a shattering sound to reverberate through the living room. ¡°Have you finally admitted that the kid isn''t your son? Good. Since he isn''t yours, I will never allow a woman of such questionable character to be part of the Chivers family, so you had better give up on the idea. Since you want to leave the family so much, so be it. Get out of my sight right now!¡± Standing still for a brief moment, Edmund stormed toward the exit without looking back. ¡°Edmund, once you walk out that door, don''t you ever daree back.¡± The words stopped Edmund in his tracks. Nheless, after hesitating for a fleeting moment, he continued walking out the door. ¡°Y-You... b*stard!¡± Just as Edmund stepped out of the living room, Gwendolyn chased after him from behind. ¡°Ed, your father is just blinded by anger, so don''t take his words to heart.¡± Halting his steps, Edmund patted his mother on the shoulder. With a smile, he replied, ¡°I''m sorry to have scared you. It''s nothing. Don''t worry.¡± Amused by his attempt to coax her as if she was a child, Gwendolyn broke into a smile before swatting off his hand. She grumbled jokingly, ¡°You have never cared for anything and have given me a fright. For a while, I thought you were really serious.¡± Reaching out his hands to give her a hug, he whispered beside her ear, ¡°Mom, I really love Bay. Without her, I cannot continue living, and I won''t marry anyone else in this life other than her.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Gwendolyn responded by patting him on the back to calm him down. ¡°Since you love her, go all out to pursue her. You have my support, as I''m not the kind who''s dogmatic. Your father only sumbed to the discord sowed by your aunt, so give me some time for me to talk to him about it. At the end of the day, the three of us are still one family. Even though your aunt is a daughter of the Chivers family, she has married into another family and is technically an outsider.¡± Hugging his mother tighter, Edmund replied in a hoarse voice, ¡°I knew you would understand. Thank you for your understanding. During such times, you don''t know how much your support means to me.¡± Gwendolyn patted him on the back of his head and answered with a smile, ¡°Go now. Stay by her side in her time of need. Hopefully, I can see the day when both of youe out of this victoriously.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Inside the hotel, Bailey found out through the inte that Yoel had leaked the paternity report. Upon contemting the matter, she quickly guessed what he was up to. All these people are thoroughly relentless in their attempt to bury me. At this rate, how am I going to have a good rtionship with Edmund when the Luther and Chivers families hate my guts? A marriage can only be built on respect. Only by treating the family and friends of one''s partner as one''s own can a happy marriage be maintained. Now that his family and friends resent me, what future is there to even speak of? Ding! The sudden ring from the doorbell snapped her out of her thoughts. Walking to the foyer to open the room door, she raised her brows instinctively when she was greeted by the sight of a professionally dressed man and woman. ¡°Are you Ms. Jefferson?¡± Giving them a slight nod, Bailey tly replied, ¡°I am, and you are?¡± ¡°We''re from the Hallsbay magistrate''s court. Two days ago, we have received a case involving you giarizing Snowke''s design. After our initial investigations, we have concluded that your design is indeed a case of giarism. Therefore, the authorized party of the original designer has filed awsuit against you. Ms. Jefferson, we''re here to issue you this summons on behalf of the court.¡± Bailey let out a gentle sigh before reaching out to ept the summons. ¡°Has the court date been set? I would like to end the case as soon as possible, for I can''t even go home now due to the controversy surrounding the matter.¡± The staff''s lips could not help but twitch. Does thisdy not understand Chanaean? I already told her that this is a clear case of giarism in the eyes of thew. Why is she still so sure of her innocence? Even though the rumors imed that she has ingratiated herself with the Chivers family, I have not seen any legal representation from them to support her. Gwandolyn raspondad by patting him on tha back to calm him down. ¡°Sinca you lova har, go all out to pursua har. You hava my support, as I''m not tha kind who''s dogmatic. Your fathar only sumbad to tha discord sowad by your aunt, so giva ma soma tima for ma to talk to him about it. At tha and of tha day, tha thraa of us ara still ona family. Evan though your aunt is a daughtar of tha Chivars family, sha has marriad into anothar family and is tachnically an outsidar.¡± Hugging his mothar tightar, Edmund rapliad in a hoarsa voica, ¡°I knaw you would undarstand. Thank you for your undarstanding. During such timas, you don''t know how much your support maans to ma.¡± Gwandolyn pattad him on tha back of his haad and answarad with a sm, ¡°Go now. Stay by har sida in har tima of naad. Hopafully, I can saa tha day whan both of youa out of this victoriously.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Insida tha hotal, Bay found out through tha intarnat that Yoal hadakad tha patarnity raport. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Upon contamting tha mattar, sha quickly guassad what ha was up to. All thasa pao ara thoroughly rnss in thair attampt to bury ma. At this rata, how am I going to hava a good rtionship with Edmund whan tha Luthar and Chivars familias hata my guts? A marriaga can only ba built on raspact. Only by traating tha family and friands of ona''s partnar as ona''s own can a happy marriaga ba maintainad. Now that his family and friands rasant ma, what futura is thara to avan spaak of? Ding! Tha suddan ring from tha doorball snappad har out of har thoughts. Walking to tha foyar to opan tha room door, sha raisad har brows instinctivaly whan sha was graatad by tha sight of a profassionally drassad man and woman. ¡°Ara you Ms. Jaffarson?¡± Giving tham a slight nod, Bay tly rapliad, ¡°I am, and you ara?¡± ¡°Wa''ra from tha Hallsbay magistrata''s court. Two days ago, wa hava racaivad a casa involving you giarizing Snowka''s dasign. Aftar our initial invastigations, wa hava concludad that your dasign is indaad a casa of giarism. Tharafora, tha authorizad party of tha original dasignar has fd awsuit against you. Ms. Jaffarson, wa''ra hara to issua you this summons on bahalf of tha court.¡± Bayt out a gan sigh bafora raaching out to apt tha summons. ¡°Has tha court data baan sat? I would lika to and tha casa as soon as possi, for I can''t avan go homa now dua to tha controvarsy surrounding tha mattar.¡± Tha staff''s lips could not halp but twitch. Doas thisdy not undarstand Chanaaan? I alraady told har that this is a ar casa of giarism in tha ayas of thaw. Why is sha still so sura of har innocanca? Evan though tha rumors imad that sha has ingratiatad harsalf with tha Chivars family, I hava not saan anygal raprasantation from tham to support har. ¡°We''ll separately notify you of the date. Um... Ms. Jefferson, aren''t you going to hire a defensewyer?¡± Bailey threw the question back at her. ¡°Are you going to pay for it?¡± Not knowing how to reply, the staff scratched her nose before quickly fleeing, as if her life depended on it. As Bailey curled her lips into a smile, she walked toward Juliana''s room and pressed the doorbell. When the door opened, Juliana appeared in front of her, wrapped only in a towel. Holding her forehead, Baileymented, ¡°You''re already twenty-two this year. Where''s your sense of vignce? How can you open the door dressed like that? Aren''t you worried someone with hostile intentions defile you on the spot?¡± Juliana giggled before pulling her into the room. ¡°I of course looked through the peephole before opening the door.¡± Leaning by the door, Bailey waved the court summons at Juliana''s face. With knitted brows, she asked, ¡°Have you gotten enough fun out of this yet? If you have, it''s time to withdraw thewsuit.¡± ¡°That can''t do.¡± Juliana shook her head at once. ¡°It''s rare for me to find something that''s so thrilling. How can I withdraw it before I make those jerks suffer? Don''t worry, my dear mentor. Just stay here for a few more days. I''ll pay for all your expenses, so just let me have a few more days of fun, all right?¡± Bailey gave her the side-eye before opening the room door and walking out. ¡°On top of that, add on the living expenses for the three of us for the next five years.¡± At her words, Juliana was stumped. What a materialistic woman. After leaving Juliana''s room, Bailey returned to her suite. No sooner had she walked to her bed than her phone¡ªwhich she left on the bed¡ªsuddenly rang. When she saw Edmund''s name on the caller ID, she kind of had a guess as to why he was calling. Sliding the phone screen, she was the first to speak. ¡°Edmund, I''m not angry, so there''s no need to worry. Besides, Zayron was never a member of the Chivers family. I, too, was speechless when they used the document to stir up the controversy.¡± As a deathly silence ensued, all that could be heard was the sound of their respective breaths. The awkward atmospherested for two to three minutes before Edmund''s gentle and maic voice rang out from the phone. ¡°I''m sorry. By the time I found out, they already handed the paternity test report to the media. Initially, I wanted to salvage the situation, but there was no way I could do it due to the huge controversy you were mired in.¡± ¡°We''ll separately notify you of the date. Um... Ms. Jefferson, aren''t you going to hire a defensewyer?¡± Letting out a chuckle, Bailey replied casually, ¡°You don''t have to exin. I hope that your father will change his impression of me after this incident. Edmund, I''m not as wicked as the public is making me out to be. On the contrary, I... Forget it. What''s the use of me telling you so much? You''re not the one who has misunderstood me. I''m afraid they can only be convinced of the truth with extreme measures.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Edmund replied in a raspy voice. ¡°I have always known that you''re someone exceptional in this world. The only reason you''re not allowed to shine is that the world''s misconception of you has overshadowed your radiance. Just like in this case, I''m very sure that you''re capable of resolving the controversy behind the giarism incident. That''s why I have not deployed the Chivers family''s legal team to defend you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Edmund. Thank you for being by my side and supporting me during such a difficult time. I''m aware of how much you want toe and see me at the hotel, but I don''t want to burden you. You... do understand, right?¡± Edmund could not help but smile. ¡°You always read me like a book. To be honest, I''m already at the parking lot opposite your hotel. If you hadn''t brought it up, I would have rushed up to see you. It doesn''t matter if I can''t do anything. I''m just happy to be able to chat.¡± Hearing that, Bailey walked to the window. ¡°Thest window on the fifth floor of the southeast wing. Do you see me?¡± ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± ¡°In that case, we can chat on the phone. You can still be by my side this way.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± At a mansion by the seaside, Artemis was talking to Dwayne over the phone in his study. Dwayne reported, ¡°For the time being, there''s no way to suppress the rumors about the paternity test. Mrs. Luther probably intends to produce a new test report to show the public that Ms. Bailey had faked the one released today, cementing their impression that she had wanted to ingratiate herself with the Chivers family by pretending her son was one of them.¡± Artemis touched his forehead with his hand. Given that Dwayne had thought about it, it went without saying the same thought had crossed his mind. It looks like the queen at home will not rest until Bailey''s reputation is in tatters. If she finds out that Bailey has born a son and daughter for Simon, wouldn''t that give her a heart attack? Just thinking about the mess was enough to give Artemis a headache. Noticing Artemis'' silence, Dwayne probed, ¡°Why don''t we announce to the public that Zayron is Simon''s son?¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Only by doing so could they prevent Bailey from being swallowed by the controversy and kicked when she was down. Without saying a word, Artemis tapped his fingers lightly on the table. The solemn rhythm that filled the room simply made the already tense atmosphere feel more intimidating. After a long silence, he responded in a low voice, ¡°Let''s not for now. I''ll talk to my mother first. Now that Bailey is being mired in scandals, we shouldn''t add on to her burden.¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°All right. It''s good that you have a n. If there''s nothing else, I''m ending the call.¡± Furrowing his brows, Artemis instructed, ¡°Call Simon and give him five days to return to Hallsbay. Or else, I''ll personally travel to Springwyn to get him.¡± ¡°Okay, I''ll let him know.¡± ¡°Also, don''t reveal Zayron''s rtionship with him yet. We''ll get to that once he''s back.¡± ¡°I understand. Don''t worry.¡± Upon ending the call, Artemis chucked the phone on the table before leaving the study. He had barely reached the stairs when he heard a dog barking from the living room downstairs. The dog''s incessant barking sounded extremely familiar as if it was from his pet mastiff. As a sense of dread swelled within him, he quickly strode down the stairs and was greeted by a shocking scene. All he saw was a brown dog hysterically ¡°teasing¡± his mastiff that was worth millions. What a f*cking repulsive sight. His eyes shot toward theughing children as he questioned coldly, ¡°Who did this?¡± Ducking his head, Maxton stoppedughing, for he still did not dare to misbehave in front of his father. Susan, too, stopped giggling as she stared fearfully at the gloomy-looking man by the staircase. Compared to both of them, Zayron was visibly more rxed. Laughing uncontrobly still, he sneered, ¡°Who did this? Are you blind? Hado, of course. Can''t you see him pinning your precious dog on the floor?¡± Speechless, Artemis felt the corner of his lips twitch. All this while, he had always thought Maxton was naughty. However,pared to Zayron, Maxton simply paled inparison. What sort of environment turned him into such an annoying brat? That aside, this dog looks pretty strong. Too bad there are barely any ingredients at home. Otherwise... Noticing the change in Artemis'' eyes, Zayron felt his heart sink when he realized the former was salivating at Hado. D*mn it, is he thinking of eating my best friend? ¡°Hado, if you don''t want to end up in a stew, you had better back off.¡± Woof! Woof! The next moment, a brown furry figure shed past them as Hado swiftly slipped out of the living room. Had it stayed a second longer, that would have been the end of it. When the frustrated Artemis stared at the exhausted mastiff on the ground, his lips twitched. D*mn it! How can you lose to a useless dog? What''s the point of me raising you? ¡°What do you want to have for dinner?¡± Exchanging nces with Susan, Maxton looked in Zayron''s direction. Thetter¡ªwith a nudge of his chin¡ªpointed at the mastiff ying dead on the floor. Cocking his brow, he answered, ¡°Isn''t there a ready ingredient in front of us? Let''s ughter it and make stew.¡± Artemis was rendered speechless. ¡°Sounds like a good idea,¡± Maxton uttered. ¡°I''ll get the cleaver from the kitchen. We can take its life while its legs are still wobbly.¡± This brat... Artemis almost did not know whether tough or to cry. If it was anyone else, they would definitely have failed to stop the two boys. ¡°Mr. Luther, Mrs. Luther hase over. She has entered the neighborhood and will be arriving here anytime.¡± A respectful voice was suddenly heard from outside, interrupting the strange atmosphere in the living room. Upon hearing it, Artemis touched his forehead in annoyance. It was obvious to him what his mother hade for. She must be here to question me after learning that Bailey''s son and daughter are living in my private mansion. ¡°Maxton, take Zayron and Susan to the yroom on the second floor. Don''te down here unless I tell you to.¡± Zayron let out a snort. ¡°Isn''t Mrs. Luther here to see me and Susan? Who else can she see if we hide? The darned dog sprawled on the ground?¡± Artemis did not know what to say. With that, Zayron pulled his sister''s arm and dashed to the door. Bailey has be public enemy number one and is feeling miserable all thanks to this olddy. Before I had the opportunity to confront her at the Luther residence, she actually had the gall to make her way here. Very well, looks like there will be no respect for her today. Pinching between his brows, Artemis let out a sigh. It seems that a battle of the generations is inevitable. I just hope that it doesn''t end too badly. ¡°Hado, if you don''t want to end up in a stew, you had better back off.¡± Meanwhile, Felicity alighted from the car, only to be greeted by the sight of a boy and a girl standing on the steps. With an arrogant posture, both of them red at her, their eyes filled with defiance. After I painstakingly attacked Bailey''s reputation, my son is keeping her children in his house and fanning the mes of their anger. If this isn''t provocation, what else can it be? The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, causing her to lose her temper. ¡°Men, kick these two b*stards out.¡± Four burly bodyguards came out of the car upon hearing Felicity''s instructions. Subsequently, they walked up to the siblings. The first thing she does is cause us trouble? With his brows raised, Zayron shot Felicity an icy re. If one were to look closely, one would notice that his forehead looked simr to Artemis. Even the look in his eyes was exactly the same. ¡°I came here out of respect, but you abuse your authority as an elder instead. Don''t me me for what I''m about to do, then. If I lose today, I will throw myself out. There''s no need for you to bother. In fact, I''ll even crawl out on my knees.¡± He had hardly finished when he whistled toward the bushes at the side. Woof! Woof! Woof! Amidst the ferocious barking of a dog, Hado sprang out of the bushes and pounced on the bodyguards in ck suits. Even though Hado was a dog, it had gone through special training¡ªit not only understood humans but could also attack of its own ord. Even four mastiffs were no match for it, let alone four humans. In the beginning, the bodyguards could still restrain it, but the tide of the battle quickly turned within a minute. The group of men was bitten so badly by Hado that they were begging for mercy on their knees. F*cking hell, we have never seen such a savage dog before. This beast alone has defeated the four of us. Given itsbat prowess, the mastiffs at home are no match for it at all. ¡°Y-You guys¡ª¡± The veins on Felicity''s forehead began to throb as she stared at the immobilized bodyguards on the ground in shock. At the same time, her gasp caught the attention of the heavily-panting Hado. Turning its head, it then locked eyes with Felicity''s terrified gaze. It then barked loudly at her, causing Felicity to jolt in fright. ¡°D-Don''t youe over!¡± Meonwhile, Felicity olighted from the cor, only to be greeted by the sight of o boy ond o girl stonding on the steps. With on orrogont posture, both of them glored ot her, their eyes filled with defionce. After I poinstokingly ottocked Boiley''s reputotion, my son is keeping her children in his house ond fonning the flomes of their onger. If this isn''t provocotion, whot else con it be? The more she thought obout it, the ongrier she got, cousing her to lose her temper. ¡°Men, kick these two b*stords out.¡± Four burly bodyguordse out of the cor upon heoring Felicity''s instructions. Subsequently, they wolked up to the siblings. The first thing she does is couse us trouble? With his brows roised, Zoyron shot Felicity on icy glore. If one were to look closely, one would notice thot his foreheod looked similor to Artemis. Even the look in his eyes wos exoctly the some. ¡°Ie here out of respect, but you obuse your outhority os on elder insteod. Don''t blome me for whot I''m obout to do, then. If I lose todoy, I will throw myself out. There''s no need for you to bother. In foct, I''ll even crowl out on my knees.¡± He hod hordly finished when he whistled toword the bushes ot the side. Woof! Woof! Woof! Amidst the ferocious borking of o dog, Hodo sprong out of the bushes ond pounced on the bodyguords in block suits. Even though Hodo wos o dog, it hod gone through speciol troining¡ªit not only understood humons but could olso ottock of its own ord. Even four mostiffs were no motch for it, let olone four humons. In the beginning, the bodyguords could still restroin it, but the tide of the bottle quickly turned within o minute. The group of men wos bitten so bodly by Hodo thot they were begging for mercy on their knees. F*cking hell, we hove never seen such o sovoge dog before. This beost olone hos defeoted the four of us. Given itsbot prowess, the mostiffs ot home ore no motch for it ot oll. ¡°Y-You guys¡ª¡± The veins on Felicity''s foreheod begon to throb os she stored ot the immobilized bodyguords on the ground in shock. At the some time, her gosp cought the ottention of the heovily-ponting Hodo. Turning its heod, it then locked eyes with Felicity''s terrified goze. It then borked loudly ot her, cousing Felicity to jolt in fright. ¡°D-Don''t youe over!¡± Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Hado did not bite her. Instead, it approached her with its tongue stuck out. Trembling, Felicity began to step back. ¡°You b-beast! D-Don''te any closer!¡± Woof! Woof! Hado opened its mouth to bare its sharp fangs at Felicity, causing her to fall on her butt into a flower bed. She was terrified of dogs, especially those that were mad and uncontroble. ¡°Artemis,e out here right now! Do you want to watch your own mother devoured by a crazy dog?¡± Woof! Woof! Hado always hated being called a mad dog. His earlier ferocity that had just dissipated began to resurface again. With a brutal expression, it red at Felicity, preparing to bite her. Cognizant of its intention, Zayron yelled at it, ¡°Hado, don''t bite her! It''s enough to just teach her a lesson!¡± At the end of the day, Felicity was the matriarch of the Luther family. Thus, he was worried about infuriating Artemis if Hado were to bite her. If it came to that, there was no way Hado''s life would be spared. Upon hearing its master''s instructions, Hado toned down its aggressiveness as it moved closer to Felicity. Underneath her terrified gaze, it stuck out its tongue and gave her charming face a lick. This is terrible! Felicity was outraged. I''ve never been this humiliated this way throughout my morous life! As anger overwhelmed her, her eyes rolled upward before she lost consciousness. ¡°Oh, no,¡± Zayron remarked as he darted down the steps to catch her before she copsed onto the flower bed. At the end of the day, Felicity was his grandmother. Without her, Simon would not have existed, and neither would he. This was a fact Zayron was still very well aware of. Meanwhile, Maxton, too, hurried over to hold Felicity''s other arm while not forgetting to sh a thumbs up at Zayron. ¡°Idiot, you''re amazing. Even Grandpa doesn''t dare get on her nerves. Now that she has fainted from being angered by you, I''m truly blown away.¡± Throwing him a re, Zayron fumed, ¡°Stop wasting time and send her to the infirmary. If I end up killing her, I would be f*cking skinned alive by Jerk Uncle.¡± At that moment, Artemis emerged from the living room and calmly descended the stairs. Extending his hands, he carried the unconscious Felicity, uttering, ¡°This will be thest time. No matter what she has done wrong, she''s still your grandmother, understand?¡± Zayron tugged his lips and grumbled, ¡°In that case, should I allow myself to be kicked out?¡± Stumped again, Artemis sighed in resignation before trying to console him. ¡°She doesn''t know your family origins yet. When she learns of it, she''ll definitely set aside her resentment and love you as her grandchild.¡± Hearing that, Zayron snorted. ¡°I''m afraid the truth will make her angrier.¡± Artemis was speechless. Albeit what had transpired, he did not send Felicity to the mansion''s infirmary. Instead, he escorted her back to the Luther residence. Given that everyone in the family¡ªyoung and old¡ªwas quick to lose temper, gathering them at one spot was a disaster waiting to happen. When they were about to reach the Luther residence, Felicity suddenly awoke. The moment she opened her eyes, all she saw was the final scene before she fainted, causing her to jump out of her seat. Seeing that, Artemis grabbed her arm quickly and pulled her back down so that she did not hit her head on the car roof. However, Felicity shoved his hand away and snapped, ¡°How could you just stand there and allow that b*stard to humiliate me with a dog? Did that wench cast a spell on you to make you treasure that son of hers?¡± Narrowing his eyes at her, Artemis inly replied, ¡°Mother, you''re a socialite and a distinguisheddy who is well respected in themunity. Such foul words shouldn''t roll off your tongue, as it will only make you look uncouth.¡± ¡°You...¡± The furious Felicity red at him and questioned through gritted teeth, ¡°What do you intend to do? Are you going to marry that wench?¡± Marry? If that''s possible, I certainly would. It''s just that... ¡°You''re overthinking it. As I said before, I don''t n on marrying anyone in this lifetime, and I intend to keep my vow.¡± The words outraged Felicity further. Never marry for the rest of his life? This is worse than marrying Bailey. ¡°As the scion of the prestigious Luther family, how can you not have a wife to take charge of family affairs? I will definitely not allow this. When your father returns home, we''ll start the process for your engagement to Rhonda.¡± With a darkening expression, Artemis warned, ¡°If you want to see the wedding attended by the bride alone and the Luther family disgraced, then, by all means, go ahead and hold it.¡± Zayron tugged his lips and grumbled, ¡°In that case, should I allow myself to be kicked out?¡± ¡°Y-You''re threatening me?¡± ¡°It''s not a threat. I''m just stating facts. Don''t you just want to have someone take on the role of thedy of the house? Regardless of who you force me to marry, I''ll never acknowledge her both legally and in reality.¡± Clutching her chest in anger, Felicity pointed a finger at her son''s nose. Despite the movement of her lips, not a single word came out. Throwing her a nce, Artemis added, ¡°Mother, you had better stay home and concern yourself with Caridee''sing-of-age ceremony. As for the Chivers family, you''re no longer part of them after marrying into the Luthers, so you should interfere less in their affairs. Otherwise, you might give others a reason to criticize you. Granddad and Uncle Yoel might not care, but rumors are a truly terrible thing.¡± Despite her anger, Felicity was amused. ¡°Fine. One by one, all of you have grown headstrong and insist on protecting that woman, haven''t you? In that case, I can only use my own methods to kick her out of Hallsbay. If she intends to either marry into the Chivers or Luther families, it will have to be over my dead body.¡± Nodding slightly, Artemis did notment any further for fear of Felicity fainting from shock again. That aside, he was cognizant that whatever he would say now would be useless in the face of her anger. It looks like I have to think of a way to stop the paternity test between Edmund and Zayron. Breaking: Bailey Jefferson''s giarism Case Esctes. Breaking: Bailey Jefferson''s Designs Are All Copied From Snowke. Early in the morning, City Daily, Fashionista, The Today Show, and many other established media outlets obtained the drafts of Bailey''s old designs. After running aparison, they noticed that Bailey''s designs closely mirrored that of Snowke''s style. As a result, the publicbeled all her previous works as cases of giarism, using her of drawing inspiration from Snowke''s designs. Once the news exploded, it sent a shockwave through the entire world. At the same time, those who were against Bailey saw their movement gain greater momentum. In the beginning, only those in Hallsbay condemned her. However, the resentment toward her gradually swept across the nation. ¡°Y-You''re threotening me?¡± ¡°It''s not o threot. I''m just stoting focts. Don''t you just wont to hove someone toke on the role of the lody of the house? Regordless of who you force me to morry, I''ll never ocknowledge her both legolly ond in reolity.¡± Clutching her chest in onger, Felicity pointed o finger ot her son''s nose. Despite the movement of her lips, not o single worde out. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Throwing her o glonce, Artemis odded, ¡°Mother, you hod better stoy home ond concern yourself with Coridee''sing-of-oge ceremony. As for the Chivers fomily, you''re no longer port of them ofter morrying into the Luthers, so you should interfere less in their offoirs. Otherwise, you might give others o reoson to criticize you. Gronddod ond Uncle Yoel might not core, but rumors ore o truly terrible thing.¡± Despite her onger, Felicity wos omused. ¡°Fine. One by one, oll of you hove grown heodstrong ond insist on protecting thot womon, hoven''t you? In thot cose, I con only use my own methods to kick her out of Hollsboy. If she intends to either morry into the Chivers or Luther fomilies, it will hove to be over my deod body.¡± Nodding slightly, Artemis did notment ony further for feor of Felicity fointing from shock ogoin. Thot oside, he wos cognizont thot whotever he would soy now would be useless in the foce of her onger. It looks like I hove to think of o woy to stop the poternity test between Edmund ond Zoyron. Breoking: Boiley Jefferson''s Plogiorism Cose Escolotes. Breoking: Boiley Jefferson''s Designs Are All Copied From Snowfloke. Eorly in the morning, City Doily, Foshionisto, The Todoy Show, ond mony other estoblished medio outlets obtoined the drofts of Boiley''s old designs. After running oporison, they noticed thot Boiley''s designs closely mirrored thot of Snowfloke''s style. As o result, the public lobeled oll her previous works os coses of plogiorism, using her of drowing inspirotion from Snowfloke''s designs. Once the news exploded, it sent o shockwove through the entire world. At the some time, those who were ogoinst Boiley sow their movement goin greoter momentum. In the beginning, only those in Hollsboy condemned her. However, the resentment toword her groduolly swept ocross the notion. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Given how the matter developed, the entire world''s attention was focused on Bailey. They wanted to see how the biggest giarist in history would resolve her predicament. Inside the hotel, Bailey threw theptop in her hand toward Juliana, questioning coldly, ¡°Is this your doing?¡± Juliana shook her head. ¡°No, it''s not me. Even though I''m just looking to have some fun, I''m aware of where the boundaries lie. There''s no way I would dig out all your past designs and allow them to be sullied by the public''s condemnation.¡± ¡°It really isn''t you?¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes. After a momentary silence, she ordered in a seething tone, ¡°Investigate it, and find out who''s behind this.¡± Juliana nodded at once. Now that Master is infuriated, those sc*ms are going to suffer the consequences. ¡°M-Master, once we find out who did it, what are you going to do?¡± What am I going to do? Bailey sneered before replying through gnashed teeth, ¡°Pay them back tenfold.¡± In the CEO''s office of Luther Group, Stephen was standing in front of the curved desk as he reported to Artemis, ¡°I have studied her designs from the past few years and can''t deny the simrities to Snowke''s style. Mr. Luther, can it be that she is subconsciously influenced by Snowke after seeing too many of thetter''s designs?¡± Artemis did not respond as he examined the designs in detail. It was then he was even more certain of her true identity. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. No matter how one''s design style changes, it will never stray far from its fundamental framework, and the fundamental framework of all these designs obviously came from the same hand. This includes the winning design of The Ultimate Designer four years ago. All of these are the work of the same person. ¡°Ignore them and let them continue stirring the controversy. Whatever it is, Ms. Bailey will provide us with a satisfactory answer when the timees. Until there is a conclusion, you should maintain your silence. Do not say a word to anyone with regard to whether her designs were a result of giarism or not.¡± Stephen nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Okay. I''ll do as you say.¡± No sooner had he finished than he expressed his confusion over the matter, ¡°I have no idea what Xavier is thinking. Even though his lead designer is being exposed for giarism, he''s acting as if it''s none of his business at all. In fact, he didn''t even bother calling. All he said was that he''ll leave it to headquarters to decide.¡± Hearing that, Artemis curled his lips into a smile. He must have known of Bailey''s identity a long time ago. That''s why he couldn''t be bothered. ¡°You had better take a leaf out of his book about how to remain calm in the face of problems. In two years, I''ll send you to take charge of the Epea branch. Given how big the world is out there, you should go out and gain some exposure instead of being restricted within this small city.¡± Adjusting his spectacles, Stephen nodded. ¡°It''s better that I stay by your side to learn for a few more years, as I''m not ready to manage anything independently yet.¡± Amidst the sound of his tapping fingers, Artemis tly replied, ¡°Don''t worry about it. Xavier has walked the same path as well. It would be a waste of talent if I limit your future prospects by letting you stay here as a department director for the rest of your life. Epea is a huge market and offers plenty of growth opportunities for you.¡± ¡°All right. I''ll go along with your n. Given how candid you have been, it would be rude for me to refuse.¡± Meanwhile, in the living room of the Jefferson residence, Beatrice took out a document from a bag and showed it to Rhonda. ¡°Look at what this is.¡± Rhonda took it at once and read the contents. When her eyes fell upon the statement in the report that read ¡°not biologically rted as father and son,¡± she was filled with delight. ¡°Is this the paternity test report for Edmund and that b*stard? Where did you get it?¡± ¡°It''s a fake.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Rhonda gave her mother a look of surprise. ¡°M-Mom, are you sure you aren''t pulling my leg?¡± Eyebrows raised, Beatrice curled her lips into a smile. ¡°Who could be joking about something like that? There''s no need for a real test, as we can now bury Bailey with this fake report.¡± ¡°B-But what if someone finds out?¡± Extending her finger to poke Rhonda on the forehead, Bailey admonished her, ¡°Didn''t I just praise you for bing smarter two days ago? Why have you reverted to your clueless self again? The process isn''t important. What matters is the result, especially now when Bailey is mired in the giarism scandal. When the entire world is waiting for her to be sent to prison, no one is going to care about the authenticity of the report. Besides, that b*stard isn''t Edmund''s child, so the report isn''t technically fake.¡± Knitting her brows, Rhonda hesitated briefly before trying to persuade her. ¡°Mom, why don''t we get a real one instead? I''m worried this n might backfire. If the public learns that we''ve faked a paternity test result, we''ll definitely be condemned.¡± Shooting Rhonda a re, Beatrice retorted, ¡°Do you really think it''s that easy to get a real one? Even that old hag of the Luther family might not get her hands on it, let alone I. There''s no way Edmund and Artemis would stand idly by and watch the paternity test be exposed.¡± ¡°I-In that case... will this really work?¡± Adjusting his spectacles, Stephen nodded. ¡°It''s better that I stay by your side to learn for a few more years, as I''m not ready to manage anything independently yet.¡± ¡°Don''t worry. I pulled some strings overseas to get this done. No one would be able to tell.¡± Despite the constion from her mother, Rhonda was still worried. Deep down, she had a niggling feeling that faking the test result would one daye back and bite them. At a caf¨¦ inside Luther Group, Jessica and Janice were seated opposite each other by the window. While they were sipping their coffee leisurely, they heard the crowd around them cursing Bailey for being a copycat. Janice whispered, ¡°Jessica, as long as the court deres that she is giarizing, that will be the end of her career in the fashion design industry. By then, no one will stand in your way anymore. Mr. Luther will nominate you for the role of the lead designer, while Ms. Caridee''s gown will naturally be yours to design. When that happens, you''ll be able to leverage Caridee''s fame to give your reputation a boost.¡± Jessica curled her lips into a smirk. ¡°How dare she challenge me after joining the fashion industry for a few short years? She''s nothing but a joke. If she hadn''t copied Snowke''s work, there''s no way she would have been so sessful.¡± Janice added, ¡°In spite of her short sess, she still has fallen from grace. If she hadn''t resorted to giarizing, she wouldn''t even have the opportunity to taste such glory in the first ce.¡± Delighted by the words, Jessica burst intoughter. ¡°Don''t worry. Once I have taken on the role of Luther Group''s lead designer, I''ll definitely arrange for your return to the headquarters.¡± Janice, too, was ted to hear the offer. The reason she was ingratiating herself with Jessica was that thetter could help her in her career. If there was nothing in it for her, she would not have lowered herself to be a bootlicker. ¡°By the way, I found out where Bailey is hiding. Do you want to share her location with the media so that they can surround her and give her grief?¡± Upon hearing that, Jessica cocked a brow. ¡°Of course. Where is she?¡± ¡°Suite 502 of Century Hotel.¡± Back at the hotel, Bailey was leaning against the floor-to-ceiling windows while chatting on the phone. She was speaking to Xavier, who could no longer withstand the pressure. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, that''s enough. You''re going to get me killed if you let this controversy continue. The gowns which you have designed over thest few years have now been cklisted, and our partners are demandingpensation for them. Even then, I have yet to report the matter to Mr. Luther. He''ll definitely have me fired if he finds out what is going on. On the ount that we''re friends, please don''t cause me to lose my job.¡± ¡°Don''t worry. I pulled some strings overseos to get this done. No one would be oble to tell.¡± Despite the consolotion from her mother, Rhondo wos still worried. Deep down, she hod o niggling feeling thot foking the test result would one doye bock ond bite them. At o cof¨¦ inside Luther Group, Jessico ond Jonice were seoted opposite eoch other by the window. While they were sipping their coffee leisurely, they heord the crowd oround them cursing Boiley for being o copycot. Jonice whispered, ¡°Jessico, os long os the court declores thot she is plogiorizing, thot will be the end of her coreer in the foshion design industry. By then, no one will stond in your woy onymore. Mr. Luther will nominote you for the role of the leod designer, while Ms. Coridee''s gown will noturolly be yours to design. When thot hoppens, you''ll be oble to leveroge Coridee''s fome to give your reputotion o boost.¡± Jessico curled her lips into o smirk. ¡°How dore she chollenge me ofter joining the foshion industry for o few short yeors? She''s nothing but o joke. If she hodn''t copied Snowfloke''s work, there''s no woy she would hove been so sessful.¡± Jonice odded, ¡°In spite of her short sess, she still hos follen from groce. If she hodn''t resorted to plogiorizing, she wouldn''t even hove the opportunity to toste such glory in the first ploce.¡± Delighted by the words, Jessico burst into loughter. ¡°Don''t worry. Once I hove token on the role of Luther Group''s leod designer, I''ll definitely orronge for your return to the heodquorters.¡± Jonice, too, wos eloted to heor the offer. The reoson she wos ingrotioting herself with Jessico wos thot the lotter could help her in her coreer. If there wos nothing in it for her, she would not hove lowered herself to be o bootlicker. ¡°By the woy, I found out where Boiley is hiding. Do you wont to shore her locotion with the medio so thot they con surround her ond give her grief?¡± Upon heoring thot, Jessico cocked o brow. ¡°Of course. Where is she?¡± ¡°Suite 502 of Century Hotel.¡± Bock ot the hotel, Boiley wos leoning ogoinst the floor-to-ceiling windows while chotting on the phone. She wos speoking to Xovier, who could no longer withstond the pressure. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, thot''s enough. You''re going to get me killed if you let this controversy continue. The gowns which you hove designed over the lost few yeors hove now been blocklisted, ond our portners ore demondingpensotion for them. Even then, I hove yet to report the motter to Mr. Luther. He''ll definitely hove me fired if he finds out whot is going on. On the ount thot we''re friends, pleose don''t couse me to lose my job.¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Bailey raised her eyebrows and smiled. ¡°Don''t worry. Artemis knows what to do, and he will not me you. Besides, I can''t back out of this even if I want to. Thergepensation will force me into submission if we don''t rify this matter. It''s the same as showing up in court and letting them defame me. Think about it. I can hit them all in the face with the verdict when ites out. It''s going to be fun.¡± ¡°You''re going too far,¡± Xavier chastised in amusement. ¡°Serves them right for being dumb enough for you to toy with. It''s funny how they want to pick a fight with you despite being too stupid to follow through.¡± ¡°Why don''t you sneak back here? I''ll take you for a show,¡± she offered with a smirk. Xavier was rendered speechless. ¡°Hang on. I have an iing call. Help me take care of business at Archulea, and I''ll treat you to dinner when I''m there.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± After ending the first call, Bailey answered another one. ¡°Somebody leaked your whereabouts, Ms. Jefferson. Arge crowd of reporters is on their way to Century Hotel. Would you like to retreat?¡± Hearing that, Bailey narrowed her eyes. She did not who the person who called her. The caller seemed to have sensed her deliberation. ¡°Mr. Luther sent me to protect you from the shadows, Ms. Jefferson. There''s no need to be wary of my words.¡± ¡°All right, I got it. Don''t stop them. Let theme in.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The man on the other end was baffled. Ms. Jefferson has an unorthodox way of thinking. No wonder they feel so good about themselves aftermitting giarism. I could never understand people whose brains are wired this way. ¡°I said, let theme in.¡± ¡°Oh, all right.¡± After hanging up, Bailey swiftly packed up her belongings before heading next door. Opening the door, Juliana uttered, ¡°I was just about toe to you, Master.¡± ¡°Is something the matter?'' ¡°I''ve discovered who dug up your works from the past few years.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Your mother.¡± Bailey narrowed her eyes as a glint of fury shed across them. ¡°Say that again.¡± Juliana ducked her neck, aware that she had gone too far with the joke. ¡°Stepmother,¡± she corrected hurriedly. ¡°Your stepmother. It was that woman, Beatrice, who had dug up your designs from the past few years. She had also spent a lot to have the media kick up a fuss, which resulted in the rise of giarism and the whole world boycotting your work.¡± Bailey''s eyes shed with murderous intent as she remembered Xavier''s call from earlier. That mother and daughter duo again. I''ve tolerated them long enough. ¡°All right, I got it. Somebody leaked my whereabouts, and now a horde of reporters ising to the hotel. Go to my room. You know what to do from there.¡± Juliana blinked before grinning. ¡°I do. Find out from the reporters who leaked your whereabouts to them, then settle the score afterward.¡± ¡°Very good. It looks like what I''ve taught you over the years has not gone to waste. I''ll take my leave, then. You settle the problem here.¡± ¡°All right.¡± With that, Bailey walked to the window, pushed it open, and peered down. Though the height was frightening enough for ordinary people, it was child''s y for a climbing expert like her. Juliana had the grappling hook and some rope at the ready. ¡°Be careful, Master.¡± Nodding, Bailey reached out to receive them. She then secured the grappling hook on the windowsill before leaping out with a flip. Within ten seconds of tethering between life and death, shended on her feet on the grass below. Juliana''s eyes widened as she admired the slim figure below, who had swiftly disappeared at the end of the flower bed. She felt that all the men in the worldbined were still not worthy of such a ster woman as her master. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Who does Simon think he is? He wouldn''t have ended up sleeping with Master had he not taken advantage of her. Half an hourter, the doorbell of Suite 502 in Century Hotel rang. It was not the fault of security downstairs for failing to stop them. It was due to the overwhelming influence of Bailey. Having heard that she was staying there, the paparazzi rushed in like a pack of rabid dogs who could not be stopped by the hotel security. As soon as the door opened, a series of shes went off. Click! Click! The reporters were photographing madly before ascertaining the person within. ¡°Are you still adamant that you did notmit giarism, Ms. Jefferson?¡± ¡°Even the court has passed the preliminary verdict that you''re guilty of giarism, Ms. Jefferson. What kind of boldness supports you to stand firm on your point of view?¡± ¡°The whole world is boycotting the gown of your design, Ms. Jefferson. Your partners are discussing terminating their contracts with you and requesting that you pay for the substantial losses. How are you going to deal with these changes?¡± ¡°If you''re found guilty, you would not be allowed to return to the design industry for as long as you live. Do you regret ruining your life by giarizing for a moment of fame, Ms. Jefferson?¡± ¡°All right, I got it. Somebody leaked my whereabouts, and now a horde of reporters ising to the hotel. Go to my room. You know what to do from there.¡± ¡°I don''t know. You should ask her.¡± Juliana poked her head out of the room and smiled. ¡°Are you going to interview me? If so, please ask me questions I can answer.¡± In that instant, the riotous corridor was plunged into silence as still as death. What the hell is going on? ¡°Who are you? We are looking for Bailey. Where is she?¡± Smiling, Juliana replied, ¡°Then you''re at the wrong ce. Why would Bailey stay here? No way in hell would she be living with me.¡± ¡°That''s impossible. Somebody leaked the news of Bailey staying in this hotel and even told us the actual suite number. How could we have been mistaken?¡± Juliana shrugged as she sneered at them. ¡°Well, you have been lied to, and it would be best if you hurried back to settle the score with the person who misled you. She has been toying with you as if you''re a bunch of fools!¡± ¡°N-No! Ms. Tanner wouldn''t lie to us. Nobody wants to see Bailey fail more than she does. As long as Bailey is cklisted, she would be the victor of Luther Group''spetition.¡± ¡°That''s right. Ms. Tanner wouldn''t mislead us. Bailey must be in there. Stand aside and let us enter.¡± Ms. Tanner. Juliana smiled in satisfaction. So it''s her. I will remember this! ¡°Enough, settle down.¡± Juliana shrugged and raised her eyebrows. ¡°One of us is the intiff, and the other the defendant. Do you think we would be living together and spending our sleepover fighting?¡± Her words baffled the reporters. Somebody regained theirposure after a long silence. ¡°You''re the defendant? Ms. Snowke has sent her disciple to file awsuit even before arriving at Hallsbay. You must be Ms. Juliana Stone, then?¡± ¡°Don''t I look like I might be? Would you like me to prove it to you with my master''s certificate and trophy?¡± The reporters were rendered speechless again. ¡°She''s indeed Juliana. I''ve seen her before in magazines,¡± voiced somebody in the crowd. ¡°Does that mean... we''ve been fooled by Jessica?¡± Juliana rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course you have been fooled,¡± she said. ¡°If you were the intiff, would you be living with a giarizer?¡± Once again, the reporters were rendered tongue-tied. ¡°All right, enough banter. I need to do some research online, and I''ll be shutting the door. Talk soon!¡± The door was then mmed shut. ¡°Let''s go. We''ll head to Luther Group and confront Jessica,¡± a reporter raged. ¡°We''ll ask her once and for all why she made such fools of us.¡± ¡°Yes, let''s go together.¡± ¡°I don''t know. You should osk her.¡± Juliono poked her heod out of the room ond smiled. ¡°Are you going to interview me? If so, pleose osk me questions I con onswer.¡± In thot instont, the riotous corridor wos plunged into silence os still os deoth. Whot the hell is going on? ¡°Who ore you? We ore looking for Boiley. Where is she?¡± Smiling, Juliono replied, ¡°Then you''re ot the wrong ploce. Why would Boiley stoy here? No woy in hell would she be living with me.¡± ¡°Thot''s impossible. Somebody leoked the news of Boiley stoying in this hotel ond even told us the octuol suite number. How could we hove been mistoken?¡± Juliono shrugged os she sneered ot them. ¡°Well, you hove been lied to, ond it would be best if you hurried bock to settle the score with the person who misled you. She hos been toying with you os if you''re o bunch of fools!¡± ¡°N-No! Ms. Tonner wouldn''t lie to us. Nobody wonts to see Boiley foil more thon she does. As long os Boiley is blocklisted, she would be the victor of Luther Group''spetition.¡± ¡°Thot''s right. Ms. Tonner wouldn''t misleod us. Boiley must be in there. Stond oside ond let us enter.¡± Ms. Tonner. Juliono smiled in sotisfoction. So it''s her. I will remember this! ¡°Enough, settle down.¡± Juliono shrugged ond roised her eyebrows. ¡°One of us is the plointiff, ond the other the defendont. Do you think we would be living together ond spending our sleepover fighting?¡± Her words boffled the reporters. Somebody regoined theirposure ofter o long silence. ¡°You''re the defendont? Ms. Snowfloke hos sent her disciple to file o lowsuit even before orriving ot Hollsboy. You must be Ms. Juliono Stone, then?¡± ¡°Don''t I look like I might be? Would you like me to prove it to you with my moster''s certificote ond trophy?¡± The reporters were rendered speechless ogoin. ¡°She''s indeed Juliono. I''ve seen her before in mogozines,¡± voiced somebody in the crowd. ¡°Does thot meon... we''ve been fooled by Jessico?¡± Juliono rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course you hove been fooled,¡± she soid. ¡°If you were the plointiff, would you be living with o plogiorizer?¡± Once ogoin, the reporters were rendered tongue-tied. ¡°All right, enough bonter. I need to do some reseorch online, ond I''ll be shutting the door. Tolk soon!¡± The door wos then slommed shut. ¡°Let''s go. We''ll heod to Luther Group ond confront Jessico,¡± o reporter roged. ¡°We''ll osk her once ond for oll why she mode such fools of us.¡± ¡°Yes, let''s go together.¡± Chapter 90 Chapter 90 As Jessica lounged on the couch in the office of the chief designer at the headquarters of Luther Group, she was engaged in a conversation with several designers. ¡°That giarizer, Bailey, might never recover from this, Jessica. ording to the rules, your work will emerge victorious after her cklist. Mr. Luther has dered to the directors of various other departments that he will promote whoever it is to design Ms. Caridee''s gown to lead designer.¡± ¡°That''s right! After this incident, the position of lead designer would fall onto you, Jessica. Though that b*tch Bailey is wicked, she isn''tpletely useless. At least she''d managed to get Mr. Luther to agree to fill the position.¡± ¡°If you could design a gown that pleases Ms. Caridee, Jessica, you would make a ssh at her coming-of-age ceremony. The international celebrities would be lining up to make an appointment for you to design their gowns.¡± The ttery toward Jessica was very effective. She had imed dominance in apany asrge as Luther Group. If Bailey had not turned up, there was no way she could have lost thepetition. Also, nobody would dare take her, the disciple of Eve, head-on. ¡°That''s right. Speaking of which, I need to thank that b*tch. If it weren''t for her, Mr. Luther would not have readily suggested promoting somebody to lead designer. Even if I take some of the sshes, the effort she had put in was destined for me.¡± The room rang withughter at her words, followed by another chorus of ttery. ¡°By the way, Jessica, I''d heard from a friend on The Today Show that Bailey''s hiding ce is exposed, and arge crowd of reporters is rushing there. Though it would not cause her any material harm, it would still serve to nauseate her.¡± Curling her red lips, Jessica put on an act of feigned surprise. ¡°Really? I wonder who leaked it? Perhaps it''s someone on our side who despises her evilness like us.¡± ¡°She can''t me anyone except herself for being despicable and arrogant. Serves her right.¡± Jessica cackled and was about to open her mouth to add another snark remark when an assistant dashed in. ¡°S-Something''s happened, Jessica,¡± she said. ¡°There are a lot of reporters in the lobby on the first floor. They''re demanding to see, wanting an exnation from you.¡± The smile on Jessica''s face froze as she leaped up from the couch. A sense of foreboding rose within her. ¡°R-Reporters from which mediapany?¡± ¡°There are some from Fashionista, and some from the Today Show, and...¡± Hearing that, Jessica turned deathly pale. I was the one who leaked Bailey''s hiding ce to the media, and now they''vee here for me instead of going to the hotel. What does that indicate? She did not dare finish that thought. I have instigated the media by fanning the mes to make Bailey the subject of debate and damage Luther Group''s reputation. If Mr. Luther found out, I''d be dead. D*mn it! I shouldn''t have acted rashly, nor should I have personally contacted the media. I was overly excited that time and, as a result, had forgotten myself andmitted such a rookie mistake. Upon further introspection, she felt she had been rather foolish. ¡°I-I can''t meet with them. Have the security show them out.¡± The assistant gazed at her, conflicted and on the verge of tears. ¡°I can''t, Jessica. They''re causing too big of amotion and have alerted the public rtions department. Mr. Longman wants you to meet them, or he will report it to Mr. Luther.¡± At that, Jessica shuddered violently. ¡°What''s wrong, Jessica? Is there a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Has anything troublesome happened, Jessica? Tell us, and we''ll see if we can help you.¡± Jessica pulled the closest designer toward her. ¡°I was the one who leaked Bailey''s whereabouts,¡± she cried. ¡°I don''t know what happened or why the reporters came to thepany. Cover for me, will you, Mimi? Tell them you were the one who leaked Bailey''s whereabouts to me, and then¡ª¡± ¡°Jessica!¡± The designer called Mimi flung her hand roughly aside before taking several steps back. ¡°Are you throwing me under the bus?¡± she asked angrily. ¡°It is one of our great taboos to instigate the media and create drama, and I would be fired if Mr. Luther found out. We have no grudges. Why would you do this to me?¡± Having lost allposure, Jessica set her sights on another designer. The other felt her pleading gaze and took several steps back hastily. ¡°Um, I have some drafts to amend, Jessica. I''ll be heading back to work! Talk soon.¡± ¡°Me too. I have work to do as well. I''m heading back.¡± They were not stupid. The me was a curse to whoever took it over as their own. Even if they survived the ramifications, they would note out in one piece. ¡°There are some from Fashionista, and some from the Today Show, and...¡± The monthly sry of a hundred thousand offered by Luther Group is too irresistible to give up to be a scapegoat for that woman. To put it bluntly, it would only be another opportunity for advancement for the designers if Jessica was out of the picture. Many within the design department were hoping for her dismissal. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. Jessica red at the few who had slipped out of the office, her face contorted with rage. They were my friends who bonded over hating amon enemy. My artificial friends. How despicable, yet amusing. After taking a deep breath to suppress the anger and panic within her, Jessica strode out in her heels. What am I afraid of? She was thest disciple of Eve. Luther Group was forced to at least acknowledge that. Her master had amassed a vast fortune for Luther Group and designed its own brand of clothing for thepany. That was her leverage¡ªthe leverage to save herself. When I return, I will have those b*tches pay their dues. Even if I can''t kick them out of thepany, I''ll make them worthless. As she walked out of the elevator in the lobby on the first floor, arge group of reporters swarmed toward her. ¡°Didn''t you tell us Bailey was in Suite 502 in Century Hotel, Ms. Tanner? Why was Snowke''s disciple, Juliana, in there?¡± ¡°The defendant and the intiff had been such good friends that they stayed together. Do you take us as fools, Ms. Tanner? Did you have fun toying with us?¡± ¡°We won''t let this go if you can''t provide us with an exnation for why you would invent such rumors.¡± ¡°That''s right. You owe us an exnation. Why did you lie to us?¡± Just then, Quentin, the director of the public rtions department, ambled toward Jessica. ¡°Was it really you who had leaked that Ms. Jefferson was in Century Hotel?¡± he asked in a low voice as he frowned at her. Jessica stared back at him, her face pale. ¡°I was taken by nder, too,¡± she answered in a shaky voice. ¡°Somebody had instigated me. Please help me, Mr. Longman. Help me deal with these reporters and keep this from Mr. Luther''s ears. I''m begging you.¡± Quentin studied her with narrowed eyes. ¡°Apologies,¡± he said as he shook his head. ¡°I''m powerless to do so.¡± The monthly solory of o hundred thousond offered by Luther Group is too irresistible to give up to be o scopegoot for thot womon. To put it bluntly, it would only be onother opportunity for odvoncement for the designers if Jessico wos out of the picture. Mony within the design deportment were hoping for her dismissol. Jessico glored ot the few who hod slipped out of the office, her foce contorted with roge. They were my friends who bonded over hoting omon enemy. My ortificiol friends. How despicoble, yet omusing. After toking o deep breoth to suppress the onger ond ponic within her, Jessico strode out in her heels. Whot om I ofroid of? She wos the lost disciple of Eve. Luther Group wos forced to ot leost ocknowledge thot. Her moster hod omossed o vost fortune for Luther Group ond designed its own brond of clothing for thepony. Thot wos her leveroge¡ªthe leveroge to sove herself. When I return, I will hove those b*tches poy their dues. Even if I con''t kick them out of thepony, I''ll moke them worthless. As she wolked out of the elevotor in the lobby on the first floor, o lorge group of reporters swormed toword her. ¡°Didn''t you tell us Boiley wos in Suite 502 in Century Hotel, Ms. Tonner? Why wos Snowfloke''s disciple, Juliono, in there?¡± ¡°The defendont ond the plointiff hod been such good friends thot they stoyed together. Do you toke us os fools, Ms. Tonner? Did you hove fun toying with us?¡± ¡°We won''t let this go if you con''t provide us with on explonotion for why you would invent such rumors.¡± ¡°Thot''s right. You owe us on explonotion. Why did you lie to us?¡± Just then, Quentin, the director of the public relotions deportment, ombled toword Jessico. ¡°Wos it reolly you who hod leoked thot Ms. Jefferson wos in Century Hotel?¡± he osked in o low voice os he frowned ot her. Jessico stored bock ot him, her foce pole. ¡°I wos token by slonder, too,¡± she onswered in o shoky voice. ¡°Somebody hod instigoted me. Pleose help me, Mr. Longmon. Help me deol with these reporters ond keep this from Mr. Luther''s eors. I''m begging you.¡± Quentin studied her with norrowed eyes. ¡°Apologies,¡± he soid os he shook his heod. ¡°I''m powerless to do so.¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Jessica''s face twitched. Her usually confident and arrogant gaze showed a hint of terror. ¡°I think you should just be honest, or this matter will never be resolved.¡± A sarcastic voice came from the elevators beside them. Victoria had arrived quietly as shezily leaned against the wall. Jessica was so angry that she was trembling. This woman is Bailey''s best friend. How would this matter be easily resolved now that she has gotten involved? Victoria waved her phone before Jessica and smiled. ¡°As Mr. Luther has gone on a site visit and is not at the headquarters today, this matter may not have reached his ears yet. I will call and have him personallye over if you don''t tell the truth.¡± Jessica was speechless. Quentin massaged his brow before walking to Victoria to tug on her arm. ¡°For God''s sake,¡± he muttered, ¡°could you stop stirring up sh*t? Look at how many reporters are here. You''ll ruin the company''s reputation if you carry on with your nonsense.¡± Raising her eyebrows, Victoria snickered. ¡°What does that have to do with me? Thispany isn''t mine, anyway. Artemis should be the one to worry about his reputation. None of this is my concern.¡± Quentin gaped at her, at a loss for words. Growing up with Mr. Luther offers one special privilege. She''s not even afraid of offending Luther Group. Pointing at Victoria, Jessica fumed, ¡°You''re Bailey''s friend. What right do you have to be speaking here?¡± Victoria chuckled coldly. Is this woman trying to change the subject? That wouldn''t do. I''d promised Bay to teach her a lesson. ¡°Yes, Bailey is my friend, and I''m defending her. You could call it defending a giarizer if it makes you happier. However, there is one thing I must warn you of. Before the trial verdict, you had best watch your filthy mouth and stop yapping false usations.¡± Then, she turned to address the group of reporters. ¡°Under the misguidance of others, this stupid woman has told you that Bailey was in Century Hotel to use you to rattle her. You were just tools used by her for her grudge. A woman with conduct as poor as this is no different from Bailey.¡± ¡°Y-You...¡± Jessica was so furious that her body swayed on the spot. She could not even form proper sentences. Letting out a snort, Victoria remarked, ¡°You wanted headlines, didn''t you? Here''s one¡ª''Colleague Makes A Scene: Luther Group''s Chief Designer Jessica Tanner Jealous Of Bailey Jefferson And Leaked Her Whereabouts To The Press In An Attempt At Sabotage.'' Go back and flesh this story out. I guarantee it will be a hit upon publishing from which you will earn a lot.¡± The crowd of reporters was deathly silent at that promation. This woman truly is a sh*t stirrer! However, the passion with which she defended Bailey impressed Quentin. What a pure and precious friendship they must share topel her to defend her friend to this extent. ¡°That''s an excellent idea, Ms. Saunders. We''ll go back and do a full write-up ording to this draft.¡± ¡°Can we really? We mustn''t carelessly publish news on Luther Group, or we''ll be subjects of awsuit. We were allowed to publish news on Bailey without fear due to her suspension from Luther Group. Before her reinstatement, she is not an employee of thepany. On the other hand, as Ms. Tanner is the chief designer of Luther Group, she falls under the protection of thepany''s legal team.¡± Hearing that, Victoria waved an arm airily. ¡°Don''t worry. Just publish it. I will cover for you if something happens.¡± Though the reporters were still hesitating, they appeared appeased on second thought. They were emboldened by the protection granted by the eldest daughter of the Saunders family, as her family was no less influential than Luther Group. Instead of standing around and aplishing nothing, they would much rather be rolling up their sleeves and writing a killer article. Jessica panicked as she watched the reporters leave like a tide ebbing away. ¡°Stop! Don''t go! I was wrong, okay? I beg you not to report this. It will ruin me. You all will ruin me.¡± As she spoke, she began weeping. Though life was devastating, that was the worst of it. She had even somewhat predicted her ending. It would anger Artemis if the matter were to be leaked. By then, it would not be as simple as losing her source of ie; she would be cklisted by Luther Group and eventually fade into obscurity. Quentin gazed helplessly at Jessica, who was seated on the floor howling. ¡°This is a huge pickle, Ms. Saunders. You should exin it to Mr. Luther. Also, please don''t implicate the public rtions department in this. I worry.¡± ¡°How very brace of you,¡± Victoria spat. The crowd of reporters was deathly silent at that promation. At that, she leaned over and whispered, ¡°Hey, this is what Mr. Luther wants. I''m just fanning the mes. Don''t worry. Not only will he not me us, but he will also give us a raise.¡± Quentin was struck dumb with surprise, though he did not quite follow her logic. This woman''s train of thought is weird. I''ve learned something new despite all these years. ¡°Are you saying Mr. Luther has taken an interest in Ms. Bailey and intends to destroy these women for her?¡± Victoria patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Your brains are not beyond redemption. From now on, ignore everything that might happen, and don''t attempt to suppress the matter with the public rtions department of Luther Group. Let things worsen and enjoy the show. Got it?¡± Pursing his lips, Quentin chuckled. ¡°Since you''ve made it this clear, I have a feeling you''d tell me to go eat sh*t if I still don''t get it.¡± It was Victoria''s turn to be rendered speechless. That afternoon, Artemis flung a stack of newspapers onto his curved desk in the CEO''s office of Luther Group. ¡°Exin the contents of these papers, Ms. Tanner,¡± he snapped. Jessica timidly stood in the middle of the office. Her slender body trembling. ¡°I... I¡ª¡± Impatience shed across Artemis'' face. Raising his voice, he interrupted, ¡°Even if Bailey''s actions are despicable, she is a designer under Luther Group''s employ. Before the verdict, nobody has the right to use her of giarizing. How dare you expose her hiding ce to the media and smear Luther Group''s reputation? Do you even consider yourself an employee of thepany?¡± ¡°N-No, that''s not what happened. I¡ª¡± ¡°Enough. You don''t have to exin anything. The facts areid out before us. I''m not an idiot you can manipte. I will not fire you as a gesture of respect to your master, but I will temporarily suspend you of all your duties.¡± Stunned, Jessica gazed at him in disbelief. ¡°Y-You''re revoking me from my position as the chief designer?¡± Artemis red at her for a moment. ¡°I will not revoke your position as the chief designer, though your performance in theing days will determine your reinstation. However, don''t ever dream of bing the lead designer anymore. Learn to serve with humility under another.¡± Serve under another. Jessica''s legs gave way as she slumped down to the floor. At thot, she leoned over ond whispered, ¡°Hey, this is whot Mr. Luther wonts. I''m just fonning the flomes. Don''t worry. Not only will he not blome us, but he will olso give us o roise.¡± Quentin wos struck dumb with surprise, though he did not quite follow her logic. This womon''s troin of thought is weird. I''ve leorned something new despite oll these yeors. ¡°Are you soying Mr. Luther hos token on interest in Ms. Boiley ond intends to destroy these women for her?¡± Victorio potted him on the shoulder. ¡°Your broins ore not beyond redemption. From now on, ignore everything thot might hoppen, ond don''t ottempt to suppress the motter with the public relotions deportment of Luther Group. Let things worsen ond enjoy the show. Got it?¡± Pursing his lips, Quentin chuckled. ¡°Since you''ve mode it this cleor, I hove o feeling you''d tell me to go eot sh*t if I still don''t get it.¡± It wos Victorio''s turn to be rendered speechless. Thot ofternoon, Artemis flung o stock of newspopers onto his curved desk in the CEO''s office of Luther Group. ¡°Exploin the contents of these popers, Ms. Tonner,¡± he snopped. Jessico timidly stood in the middle of the office. Her slender body trembling. ¡°I... I¡ª¡± Impotience floshed ocross Artemis'' foce. Roising his voice, he interrupted, ¡°Even if Boiley''s octions ore despicoble, she is o designer under Luther Group''s employ. Before the verdict, nobody hos the right to use her of plogiorizing. How dore you expose her hiding ploce to the medio ond smeor Luther Group''s reputotion? Do you even consider yourself on employee of thepony?¡± ¡°N-No, thot''s not whot hoppened. I¡ª¡± ¡°Enough. You don''t hove to exploin onything. The focts ore loid out before us. I''m not on idiot you con monipulote. I will not fire you os o gesture of respect to your moster, but I will tempororily suspend you of oll your duties.¡± Stunned, Jessico gozed ot him in disbelief. ¡°Y-You''re revoking me from my position os the chief designer?¡± Artemis glored ot her for o moment. ¡°I will not revoke your position os the chief designer, though your performonce in theing doys will determine your reinstotion. However, don''t ever dreom of bing the leod designer onymore. Leorn to serve with humility under onother.¡± Serve under onother. Jessico''s legs gove woy os she slumped down to the floor.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Depriving her of a chance topete for the lead designer position and advance to the next level in her career, as well as being the subject of people''s gossip was even worse than firing her. Jessica could not ept the oue. ¡°No, you can''t do this to me. You can''t just stop me from bing the lead designer. It''s not fair.¡± Artemis pressed his hands on the desk and said with a smirk, ¡°You want to talk about fairness in front of a capitalist? You must be kidding. You can stay if you want to continue to work for thepany. If not, you''re always free to get the hell out of here. I know you have Eve behind your back, but she has no power to influence my decision.¡± Jessica nched at his words. Get the hell out of here? No way. I''ll never be able to make a name for myself if I leave Luther Group. Of all thepanies around the world, only Luther Group could help her realize her dream. To her, all the otherpanies were nothing but child y. ¡°Fine. I''ll ept your decision.¡± Looking away, Artemis started checking the documents. ¡°Don''t cause trouble anymore. You can''t always expect Eve to get you out of trouble.¡± Meanwhile, Felicity was reading a newspaper in the living hall in the Luther residence. As she was flipping through the pages, she sighed. ¡°What she did was right, but the method she used was wrong. I guess I could still use her, though.¡± Walking up to her, Caridee nced at the newspaper and pouted. ¡°This Bailey is quite scary. Whoever went against her would be unlucky. Look what happened to Rhonda and Janice. Now, even Jessica has fallen from grace. That woman is quite a capable designer. I would have chosen her gown for my coming-of-age ceremony had she not giarized Snowke''s design.¡± Felicity red at Caridee and reprimanded her, ¡°Stop paying so much attention to that copycat. We won''t be able to use her gown anymore since the scandal is all over the news. I''ll get in touch with Jessica and get her to customize another gown for you. I hope this will help her get her position back.¡± Narrowing her eyes, Caridee asked, ¡°You must have an ulterior motive for helping Jessica, right? If I''m not wrong, you want to use her to deal with Bailey, right? Don''t you think the giarism case could take her down?¡± ¡°It''s not that easy.¡± Felicity sighed. ¡°Artemis and your cousin are defending her, and I''m sure they''re nning their next course of action now. The intiff might not win the case. Besides, Artemis is in control of Luther Group, and he has the power to influence the verdict.¡± A hard glint shed across her narrowed eyes. ¡°This is going to be a long, arduous battle. I''ll do what it takes to stop Bailey and her b*stards from entering the Luther or the Chivers family.¡± ¡°That woman is too much. Does she not know where she stands? She already has two children and still dreams of marrying into a wealthy family. Does she think she''s in a fantasy or something?¡± ¡°Women are vain and greedy creatures. We''re born into prestigious families, so we''ll never understand their desire to climb the socialdder.¡± Meanwhile, Bailey was leaning on the couch while ying a game on her phone in a unit on level six in Bayview Condominium. Victoria came out of the washroom in her nightgown. ¡°I''ve prepared the clothes for you. I''ve only worn them twice, and you can use them temporarily. I''ll go to the mall tomorrow and buy you some new clothes.¡± Tossing away her phone, Bailey beckoned Victoria over with her finger. ¡°Come here.¡± Victoria narrowed her eyes, sneering, ¡°I can''t give you the pleasure you need, so it''s useless to tease me.¡± What in the world... ¡°You totally crushed Jessica and ruined her future. Are you not afraid that she might take revenge against you?¡± Strolling over, Victoria sat beside her and snorted. ¡°Never. Fear isn''t in my vocabry.¡± ¡°How about Lionel? What if he decides to take revenge against you? Are you not afraid of him?¡± At that, Victoria froze as dead silence ensued. Bailey sat straight up and cupped Victoria''s shoulders with her hands. ¡°Vicky, let''s have a talk about Lionel. Stop running away, okay?¡± ¡°W-Why should we talk about him? Let''s not dwell on the past,¡± Victoria responded to Bailey''s question in a shivering voice. ¡°Look at me.¡± Bailey pulled Victoria over, forcing thetter to look into her eyes. ¡°Look into my eyes and tell me you don''t love that man anymore.¡± ¡°D-Don''t do this to me, Bay.¡± Upon noticing the tears that welled in Victoria''s eyes, Bailey released her friend from her grip. ¡°I have news about Lionel,¡± she informed. A hard glint shed across her narrowed eyes. ¡°This is going to be a long, arduous battle. I''ll do what it takes to stop Bailey and her b*stards from entering the Luther or the Chivers family.¡± ¡°Stop right there.¡± Victoria covered her ears and pleaded with Bailey in a husky voice, ¡°Let''s not talk about him, Bay. We talk about something else, okay?¡± ¡°He''s married.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°He has a child now.¡± ¡°Bailey, stop it. Stop it!¡± Tears rolled down Victoria''s cheeks. Looking wretched, she continued begging Bailey, ¡°Stop adding salt to my wound, Bay. It hurts like hell.¡± Bailey''s red-rimmed eyes sparkled with tears. She held Victoria up when thetter was about to fall and remarked in a hoarse voice, ¡°He married his wife at Illurasia, and the marriage willst for a hundred years. Their son is seven years old now. He has moved on, Vicky. You should as well.¡± Falling into Bailey''s arms, Victoria started bawling. ¡°I''m still waiting for him. I''m waiting for him to exact his revenge, to marry me. H-How could he marry someone else? Why? How could he forget the love we once had? Is it true that all men are heartless creatures?¡± Tilting her head to prevent the tears from rolling down, Bailey forced a smile. ¡°Men are worse than dogs. Have we not learned this in university? How can you trust the promises men made?¡± ¡°But I love him!¡± Victoria roared. ¡°I love him. I love him very much! He has be a part of me now. That''s why I''m in so much pain. He loved me too, and he promised to bring me to...¡± He promised to bring me to Illurasia to register our marriage. He made that promise. But where''s he now? I lost him. No... he abandoned me. He went to Illurasia with another woman to register their marriage. Their marriage certificate will evenst for a hundred years. ¡°That''s not possible anymore, Vicky. It''s over between you and Lionel the day Mr. Benjamin passed away due to a heart attack. Since the day your father sent him to sleep with his stepmother, it was over between you two. Let''s give up, Vicky. You''re still young and have a life ahead of you. Why cling onto this man?¡± Victoria burst into tears. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Bailey embraced her tightly. She could feel the pain and despair Victoria was in. She had avoided mentioning Lionel in front of Victoria in thest few years, but now since she had found out that Lionel was married and had a son, she could not keep this to herself anymore. ¡°Stop right there.¡± Victorio covered her eors ond pleoded with Boiley in o husky voice, ¡°Let''s not tolk obout him, Boy. We tolk obout something else, okoy?¡± ¡°He''s morried.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°He hos o child now.¡± ¡°Boiley, stop it. Stop it!¡± Teors rolled down Victorio''s cheeks. Looking wretched, she continued begging Boiley, ¡°Stop odding solt to my wound, Boy. It hurts like hell.¡± Boiley''s red-rimmed eyes sporkled with teors. She held Victorio up when the lotter wos obout to foll ond remorked in o hoorse voice, ¡°He morried his wife ot Illurosio, ond the morrioge will lost for o hundred yeors. Their son is seven yeors old now. He hos moved on, Vicky. You should os well.¡± Folling into Boiley''s orms, Victorio storted bowling. ¡°I''m still woiting for him. I''m woiting for him to exoct his revenge, to morry me. H-How could he morry someone else? Why? How could he forget the love we once hod? Is it true thot oll men ore heortless creotures?¡± Tilting her heod to prevent the teors from rolling down, Boiley forced o smile. ¡°Men ore worse thon dogs. Hove we not leorned this in university? How con you trust the promises men mode?¡± ¡°But I love him!¡± Victorio roored. ¡°I love him. I love him very much! He hos be o port of me now. Thot''s why I''m in so much poin. He loved me too, ond he promised to bring me to...¡± He promised to bring me to Illurosio to register our morrioge. He mode thot promise. But where''s he now? I lost him. No... he obondoned me. He went to Illurosio with onother womon to register their morrioge. Their morrioge certificote will even lost for o hundred yeors. ¡°Thot''s not possible onymore, Vicky. It''s over between you ond Lionel the doy Mr. Benjomin possed owoy due to o heort ottock. Since the doy your fother sent him to sleep with his stepmother, it wos over between you two. Let''s give up, Vicky. You''re still young ond hove o life oheod of you. Why cling onto this mon?¡± Victorio burst into teors. Boiley embroced her tightly. She could feel the poin ond despoir Victorio wos in. She hod ovoided mentioning Lionel in front of Victorio in the lost few yeors, but now since she hod found out thot Lionel wos morried ond hod o son, she could not keep this to herself onymore. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 If I don''t advise her, who would? I can''t possibly watch her waste her entire life ahead of her, can I? How could I do that? ¡°No matter how much you love him, the fact is that he had already gotten a family of his own now. Perhaps you could still wish for him toe back to you before this, but from now onward, get rid of all those thoughts. Live your life to the fullest, okay? You can''t just give up on your life just because someone leaves you. That''s not how the world works. Of course, if you still decide to take your own life after this, I won''t stop you. You''re an adult, so you have to be responsible for your own actions. However, who''s going to suffer if you die? Lionel has had his fair share of heartbreak. Do you want him to feel guilty for the rest of his life?¡± Bailey was blunt and direct with her words. However, her honesty was something Victoria needed the most at that moment. Victoria then lifted her head from Bailey''s embrace. Her face was still smudged with tears, but she had already stopped crying. ¡°Bring me back to my room. I''m so tired, and I need a good sleep.¡± Bailey smiled. This is the Victoria I know. She''s strong, and she knows how to keep her emotions in check. Hopefully, she''ll be able to walk away from that dark past of hers. No matter how long she takes. Be it a couple of years or a decade, at least now there''s hope. The following morning, Bailey received a notification from the court telling her that the trial would begin in three days'' time. There, the court would decide if she hadmitted giarism. She replied: I''ll be there on time. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Felicity had taken Zayron''s blood samples from police registries and given them to the medical teams working for Luther Group. In the end, she was infuriated by the results she had gotten. All the results show that Edmund is the biological father of that b*stard child! This must be Artemis'' doing! He used his position as the head of Luther Group and ordered all the medical teams toe to the same conclusion, saying those two are biologically connected. Bang! Crash! Thud! Smashing sounds rang throughout every corner of the living room. Felicity was so angry that she smashed everything on top of the coffee table. ¡°What a treacherous son! What a treacherous son!¡± Caridee quickly approached her and patted her back. ¡°Mom, calm down! You have to take care of your health.¡± With her trembling fingers, Felicity pointed at the reports on the ground and gritted her teeth. ¡°Those eight reports have the same set of serial numbers! How ridiculous is that? Because of that woman with a bad reputation, my son is publicly challenging me! How am I supposed to calm down? Why should I?¡± Caridee pursed her lips and pondered for a while. ¡°Mom, I don''t think it''s nice to kick someone when they''re down. Bailey haswsuits to deal with now. We really shouldn''t make things worse for her. The others will call us¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Felicity roared. ¡°Bailey hasmitted giarism, and she had nearly ruined your reputation. You''re the victim here! Why are you backing her up? Have you been captivated by her charm as well?¡± Caridee felt rather helpless. ¡°Mom, I''ve never interacted with her. Why would I be captivated by her? It''s just that I know Artemis and Edmund are protecting her. If you don''t let it go, you might tear the family apart.¡± ¡°That''s a risk I''m willing to take to chase that woman out of Hallsbay! She must leave so that we can protect the Luther family and the Chivers family''s bloodlines. If either one of them marries this woman, someone else will have control over the family. How could I let that happen?¡± ¡°Okay. Fine. I know you have your concerns, but Artemis and Edmund are set in their ways, too. Since Artemis doesn''t want you to make an article about the paternity test, why don''t you just put it aside temporarily? You can do that in the future. Why must you have a fallout with him just because of this conflict?¡± Felicity narrowed her eyes and thought about it for a while. With a nod, she said, ¡°You''re right. Since this matter''s not going anywhere, I''ll just put it aside for a while. If Bailey doesn''t end up in jail, I''ll bring this up again. In a way, I''m hedging my bets.¡± Caridee heaved a sigh of relief inwardly. Atst, she managed to calm Felicity down. She wasn''t feeling bad for Bailey. Instead, she just didn''t want to see her mother and brother having a fallout. Meanwhile, in the CEO office of Luther Group, Dwayne opened the door, walked in, and said, ¡°Mr. Luther, the court had set a date for trial.¡± ¡°When is it?¡± ¡°In three days'' time. Ms. Jefferson hasn''t done anything else. In fact, she hasn''t even employed a defense attorney. What is she up to?¡± Artemis smiled and yed with the pen in his hand. A mysterious glint appeared in his eyes when he uttered, ¡°We don''t even know if a trial can be held. Why would she need a defense attorney?¡± ¡°What?¡± Dwayne was confused. He frowned and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Artemis waved his hand in dismissal and answered, ¡°You don''t have to know about that. I told you to get Simon back to Hallsbay, right? What did he say?¡± You don''t want to tell me? Fine. In three days'' time, I''ll be at the court and see for myself. I would like to see what Ms. Bailey has up her sleeves. Dwayne answered, ¡°He said he needs to go over to Old Mr. Chivers'' and bring him to Hallsbay as well.¡± Artemis narrowed his eyes slightly and furrowed his brows. ¡°Old Mr. Chivers ising back as well?¡± Dwayne rolled his eyes and answered, ¡°Since your sister is his granddaughter, he said he has toe back. Besides, Caridee is the only girl in her generation. It''s only natural that Old Mr. Chivers dotes on her.¡± ¡°Noted. Go and arrange a private ne for them. Also, send a medical team there. Old Mr. Chivers has health issues, so I''m worried something might happen. He''s an old man, so we need to take care of him,¡± Artemis ordered. In the study of the Chivers mansion, Gwendolyn advised, ¡°I''ve already called Father, and he said he''s coming to Hallsbay in a couple of days'' time. If he doesn''t stop Ed from pursuing Bay, you shouldn''t either, okay? Just let Ed be. Otherwise, you''re going to have a fallout with your son.¡± Yoel had just calmed himself down, and he got pissed again when he heard that. ¡°Are you saying that I''m overreacting? Isn''t he your son as well? Do you really want him to marry a woman with two kids? What if she doesn''t want to give birth anymore after this? Is Edmund going to let her son be the heir of Chivers Group? Our family has a few centuries of history. Do you want the family toe to an end in his generation?¡± Gwendolyn sighed and uttered patiently, ¡°That''s just your assumption. I think she''s a smartdy, and she knows what''s best. If she marries into the Chivers family, I think she''s going to have a child with Ed.¡± ¡°What if she doesn''t want to? Are you going to force her?¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Gwendolyn was stumped for words. After keeping mum for a while, she chuckled softly and said, ¡°If she really doesn''t want to give birth to a child for the Chivers family, you can just get a nephew of yours to take over the family business. Why should you end your son''s dreams of being with someone he loves?¡± Yoel jumped off the couch and red at her. ¡°What ame idea! No! I''ll never let Edmund marry that woman. Stop persuading me, will you? If you want, put your energy into persuading him to give up on being with her.¡± Gwendolyn shook her head and uttered softly, ¡°I don''t want to have a fallout with my son. Unlike you, I cherish the rtionship we have. I''ve already spent so much time and effort raising him. I don''t want to watch him suffer because of romance. That''s not a nice feeling.¡± Her words were seemingly implying something. Back then, that was what happened to her. Yoel was taken aback. Through his gritted teeth, he said, ¡°We''re talking about our son here. Don''t try to be sarcastic, okay?¡± Gwendolyn smiled wryly and lowered her head. No one knew what was on her mind, but she was exuding an air of mncholy, and there was tension in the air. Yoel scratched his head and said in annoyance, ¡°Okay. Fine. You win. Let''s not talk about whether she would be willing to give the Chivers family a child. Would you be able to ept her for her involvement in giarism? We''re both art enthusiasts, no? One of us is a pianist, while the other is into art and literature. We take copyrights seriously. If she had giarized someone''s work tantly, she''s a person with questionable moral standards. How could she be the matriarch of the Chivers family?¡± Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. She had asked Edmund about it before, and Edmund told her to believe in Bailey. Surely, it''s just a misunderstanding. ¡°There''s a trial in a few days'' time, and we''ll know if she had giarized someone''s work. If she is found not guilty, your hatred toward her will be unjustified,¡± she answered. Yoel gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Fine! If she didn''t giarize Snowke''s work, I''ll take a step back and let Edmund be with her. Once she has agreed to give the Chivers family a child, I''ll take another step back and let her marry into the Chivers family.¡± Hearing that, Gwendolyn let out a sigh of relief. Needless to say, it wasn''t easy getting her husband to compromise. Let''s just hope everything develops smoothly. Three dayster, the trial for Bailey giarizing Snowke''s work was about to take ce. People from all walks of life were there, and the scene was filled with reporters. The people who were allowed to enter were people of status and power. The rest could only wait outside. Based on the principle of fairness and impartiality, the court unanimously decided to live stream the entire court session so that people from all walks of life could observe it. Meanwhile, Felicity was having a conversation with the intiff''s attorney in the lounge. ¡°Don''t worry, Mrs. Luther. As long as Mr. Luther stays out of thiswsuit, we''ll surely win. As for the sentence, that''ll depend on Ms. Stone. After all, her mentor is an internationally-respected figure. If she were to use the influence she has internationally, the court will most probably deliver their judgment based on her suggestion,¡± the attorney said. Felicity nodded and shifted her gaze toward a middle-aged man standing nearby. ¡°Are you sure Artemis didn''t contact any attorneys, and he didn''t put pressure on the court?¡± Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. The middle-aged man shook his head and answered firmly, ¡°No. Mr. Luther hasn''t done anything of such in the past few days. In fact, he didn''t even consult with Luther Group''s legal department. He doesn''t seem like he''s protecting Ms. Bailey.¡± Felicity chuckled coldly in response. ¡°He trusts this woman a lot, doesn''t he? Based on what, though? Or could it be that the woman had told him something to gain his trust?¡± The attorney then chimed in, ¡°In my opinion, I think Mr. Luther knows she had indeedmitted giarism, so he knows there''s no need to fight it. He could put pressure on the judiciary, but that would destroy his reputation. If he does that, everyone''s going to know that he''s protecting Bailey. Why should he risk Luther Group''s reputation and credibility for a woman who''s under the spotlight? It''s not worth it.¡± ¡°Well, if that''s the case, he has finally gotten smart.¡± Felicity''s expression softened. She thought Artemis would put pressure on the court, so she had gotten prepared to counter whatever that wasing her way. Hence, she was pleased when she found out that he hadn''t done anything. It seems like he still has his rationality intact. He knows he''s a man with responsibilities, so he shouldn''t act impulsively. ¡°Okay. I''m counting on you to finish the job, Mr. Yoder,¡± Felicity uttered. ¡°Thank you for your trust, Mrs. Luther. Don''t worry. I''ll try my best to achieve the best oue for you,¡± Matthew Yoder answered. ¡°Okay. If you win this, ruin that woman for good, so she''ll never be able to set foot in the design industry again. Once you''ve done that, I''ll get you to join the legal team of Luther Group.¡± Matthew was left pleasantly surprised. Bing an attorney for Luther Group? That''s a dreame true! ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Luther,¡± Matthew uttered. The courtroom was packed for the trial. Beatrice, Rhonda, Jessica, Janice, and all the people who wanted Bailey in jail were seated in the front. Jessica shook Rhonda''s hand and smiled. ¡°Here''s to a fruitful coboration. Although we had a hup prior to this, everything seems to have worked out for us.¡± Rhonda grinned and answered, ¡°This is a collective win. Don''t worry, I''ll find a way to help you get your job back. Without Bailey, you''ll surely be the lead designer at the headquarters.¡± The corner of Jessica''s lips twitched. When will I ever be the lead designer? This is all your fault, Bailey. Because of you, I''ll never be what I want to be. ¡°Bailey should be here soon. I''ll go and meet her.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± After watching her leave, Rhonda sneered, ¡°She has big breasts, but she has no brains, does she? She has a ridiculous sense of superiority just because she''s Eve''s disciple. She should count herself lucky that she isn''t interested in Artemis. Otherwise, why would I keep her around till now?¡± Beatrice reached out her hand to pat Rhonda''s back. ¡°It''s not such a bad idea to keep her around. At least we can annoy that b*tch, Bailey.¡± Rhonda retracted her gaze and gritted her teeth. ¡°If the trial doesn''t go our way, we''ll have to keep thinking of ways to bring her down. I hope everything goes smoothly today because I''m so sick of Bailey. I can''t wait to see that b*tch leaving Hallsbay. She should run as far away from here as she can.¡± ¡°Things will go our way today.¡± Beatrice shed a cunning smile. ¡°Before I came here, I had already talked to my friend who''s working at the courthouse. She told me Artemis hadn''t looked for a team of attorneys to help Bailey. Besides, he hadn''t tried to put pressure on the court. This trial is surely going the intiff''s way. To be honest, I''m sure everyone knows Bailey hadmitted giarism. No matter how capable Artemis is, he wouldn''t dare to protect her openly.¡± ¡°Is that true? He didn''t do anything to help her? Is he just hanging her out to dry?¡± Chapter 95 Chapter 95 ¡°Just in case the trial doesn''t go our way, we still have a trick up our sleeves, don''t we?¡± Rhonda cocked her brow and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Beatrice smiled, and a frosty glint shed across her eyes. ¡°If we expose the paternity test, we''ll surely be able to put her under the spotlight again. In order to seek connections with a prominent family, she faked a paternity test to fool the Chivers family, and she tried to mess up the Chivers family''s bloodline. That''s enough to give her hell.¡± Meanwhile, Bailey and Victoria had just arrived at the entrance of the court in a taxi. Before getting out of the car, Victoria held Bailey''s hand and smiled. ¡°I know you have another trick up your sleeves, so I never bothered asking you about it. Even if you failed to win thewsuit and you can''t stay in the country, we can go abroad. If you can''t stay in the design industry, there are other industries to develop in.¡± Bailey patted her shoulder and said humorously, ¡°Don''t worry. Keep mepany today, and you''ll see how everything is going to go our way.¡± Victoria was rendered speechless. Indeed, there was a hidden meaning behind those words. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. As soon as the car door opened, cameras shed, and there were countless reporters surrounding them. Victoria got out of the car first before reaching out her hand to help Bailey out of the car. Right then, those reporters were about to throw questions at them. Victoria threw a sharp nce at them and said casually, ¡°Four days ago, I let you guys report about how Jessica had leaked Bailey''s whereabouts and even imed that I would bear the consequences for you guys. I did my part, and you guys ended up making a lot of money. Show me some respect today, okay? Before a verdict is reached, don''t make things difficult for my friend.¡± The reporters looked at each other in response. We can''t afford to mess with Ms. Saunders. Although the Saunders family isn''t as powerful as the Luther family, the family is still a business giant in Hallsbay. If we offend her, our lives are bound to be difficult in Hallsbay. ¡°Okay. Out of respect for Ms. Saunders, the Metropolitan News will let Ms. Jefferson through. However, please don''t stop us when we try to ask her questions after a verdict is reached.¡± ¡°Great! I agree,¡± Victoria answered. The rest of the reporters nced at each other and let thedies through reluctantly. Bailey smiled subtly and said, ¡°It seems like you''ve given them hell throughout the years. It takes a lot to keep these reporters at bay.¡± Victoria scoffed. ¡°That''s why I think I should work in the public rtions department. However, Quentin disapproved of it. He said I''m fierce, so I should work in the HR department. He told me I could control hundreds of thousands of the employees Luther Group has. I''m not even a decision-maker! How am I supposed to do that?¡± Bailey smiled and teased, ¡°Although you''re not a decision-maker, you have the power to fire them.¡± Victoria kept mum in response. Well, that''s true! As they were walking up the stairs, they bumped into Jessica, who was walking out. Before Jessica could say a word, Bailey asked, ¡°Why are you here, Ms. Tanner? Has the trial ended? How did it go? Did the court say I''m innocent?¡± Innocent? Jessica was utterly infuriated, and she clenched her teeth. ¡°B*tch! You''ve copied my master''s work! How shameless are you to call yourself innocent?¡± The night before, Jessica''s mentor called and told her that Snowke was a disciple of her grandmaster. Hence, she was meant to address Snowke as her master. Therefore, Juliana would be her junior. Besides, her mentor also urged her to protect Snowke''s work at all costs so that the person who had committed giarism would be brought to justice. Bailey raised her brows. Master? Ha! So this woman knows Snowke and Eve share the same mentor? Interesting! I''ll make her eat her words! ¡°Nice meeting you, my disciple. I''m sorry, but I didn''t prepare any gifts for you. Hence, you might''ve wasted your breaths,¡± Bailey answered. As her master, I think I''ve already given her a hint of what''s to come. If she doesn''t get it, she can''t me me for the humiliation she''s about to feel. Upon hearing those words, Victoria looked puzzled, and she kept sizing Bailey up. Could she be... F*ck! So that''s the truth! Jessica wasn''t as bright as Victoria. Therefore, she was pissed off when Bailey addressed her so. ¡°B*tch! How are you so shameless? My master is Snowke! She''s my master! You''re a disgrace!¡± Bailey smiled, and she didn''t want to entertain her any longer. ¡°The trial is about to start. I''ll be off now.¡± Jessica got in her way and scolded, ¡°I''m going to sue you on behalf of my master! Even if you were to win thiswsuit, there''ll be morewsuits toe! With my junior, Juliana, we''ll bring you down!¡± The corners of Bailey''s lips twitched. Did she say Juliana is her junior? If Juliana hears that, I bet she''s going to feel utterly disgusted. ¡°It''s not that I''m looking down on you, but even if you could get Snowke toe today, the court will still find me innocent,¡± Bailey answered. ¡°Y-You...¡± Victoria shoved Jessica aside and said to Bailey, ¡°This way, Big Shot.¡± Bailey couldn''t help but giggle. ¡°I knew it! Some people are smart, and some are just dull. Their ability to process things is different! At least you caught it, Vicky.¡± Victoria linked arms with her friend and chuckled. ¡°Quick! Let me be your simp and get some attention.¡± Bailey was rendered speechless. This girl is going crazy again. Bailey and Victoria caused a stir the moment they entered the courtroom. One of the bailiffs approached Bailey and asked, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, the trial is about to start. Could you submit your defense attorney''s information?¡± Bailey froze momentarily before she held her forehead and let out a sigh. ¡°I don''t have money for an attorney, so there''s no need for that. Throughout the trial, just let the intiff''s attorney make all the statements. I''ll ept whatever decision willingly.¡± The bailiff was stunned. Hearing that, the crowd voiced their opinions. One of them said, ¡°What the f*ck? This woman is arrogant and insolent, isn''t she? The trial is about to start, and she''s still so fearless. What right does she have to act this way?¡± ¡°Who knows? At this point, I think the trial is unnecessary. The judge should just find her guilty of giarism and lock her up for a few years. She''s just a shameless and arrogant copycat! Why does she need to have rights to a fair trial?¡± In one of the corners, there was a bearded old man. He was eighty, but he had sharp and bright eyes. Next to him, a man in his mid-twenties waszing on the bench. While scratching the back of his head puzzledly, he asked, ¡°Granddad, it''s so rare for us to be able toe here. Instead of going home, why would you want toe to the court? It''s just a copycat. She''ll pay her fines and serve her sentence. What''s there to see? Let''s go, shall we?¡± Glen pointed at Bailey and uttered in a croaky yet affectionate tone, ¡°I like that young woman.¡± ¡°What?¡± Simon almost jumped up from his seat. With a shocked expression, he said, ¡°G-Granddad, s- she''s a bit too young for you, no?¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Glen''s wife had passed away, so the others had been urging Glen to find someone to keep him company so that he didn''t need to spend the rest of his life alone. However, no one could ept it if he were to find a wife who was in her twenties. Simon continued, ¡°Find yourself a woman in her forties or fifties, okay? In that case, we might be able to ept her. T-That woman is in her twenties! If you marry her, that''s uneptable!¡± A trace of anger shed across Glen''s wrinkled old face. He then reached out his hand and smacked the back of Simon''s head. ¡°Idiot! What are you on about?¡± Simon instinctively tried to dodge it, but he failed. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. After getting smacked, Simon pursed his lips and asked, ¡°Didn''t you say you like her? What did you mean by that, then?¡± Glen scoffed and said, ¡°Only you would think of it that way! I said I like her, but couldn''t that mean I want her to marry one of my grandsons?¡± ¡°I don''t want her.¡± Simon became emotional again. ¡°That woman has a bad reputation, so I wouldn''t want to marry her. Granddad, I''m your grandson, okay? Why would you do that to me?¡± Glen red at him and sneered, ¡°Who said I want her to be your wife? Stop being delusional, will you? I mean Artemis and Edmund.¡± Simon was stumped. Granddad is mean, all right. ¡°Artemis won''t ept it. He''s into this woman''s sister. As for Edmund, there''s a chance. Everyone says her son is of the Chivers family''s bloodline, right? Who knows? Thanks to her son, she might end up being the next matriarch of the Chivers family,¡± Simon said. Glen''s eyeballs darted around. At that moment, a mysterious glint shed across his eyes. Things could be blurry now. However, once the dust has settled, everything''s going to be different. Half an hourter, the trial started as scheduled. The judge, attorneys, defendant, and the crowd were all there except for the intiff. ¡°What''s going on? Why is Juliana not here yet?¡± ¡°Exactly! She''s the one who submitted the im. How could she be absent?¡± ¡°Did Luther Group threaten her? Is that why she''s too scared to appear in court?¡± ¡°Hey! Watch what you say. You might get in trouble for that.¡± ¡°I''m spitting facts! If Luther Group''s CEO really wants to protect Bailey the copycat, who in the country would dare to challenge him?¡± Whispers started abounding in the courtroom. The judge banged the gavel and turned toward the intiff''s attorney. ¡°Attorney for the intiff, when will your client be able to arrive? If she''ste, we can onlye to the conclusion that she has voluntarily given up the trial. All the allegations are voided, and the defendant wins.¡± Matthew was starting to panic. Since half an hour prior, he had been calling Juliana more than fifty times. However, the automated responses told him that she was not in the service area. ¡°I think she''s just caught up in something. Please wait for a few minutes, Your Honor,¡± Matthew said. ¡°Okay, this case is of the utmost importance, and now it has be an international issue. We will give it another five minutes. If the intiff does not show up after five minutes, then we can only dere the trial to be invalid, and Ms. Jefferson will not be guilty of giarism.¡± Matthew wiped the beads of sweat off of his forehead and rang Juliana again. This time around, not only was Juliana''s phone out of service, but she had also switched off her phone. Matthew had turned on the speaker, so everyone heard it. Did she switch off her phone? ¡°What the f*ck? Is Juliana really not going to show up in court?¡± ¡°If the intiff isn''t here, how is the trial going to carry on?¡± ¡°What a blunder! We''ve alle to support her, and she bailed?¡± ¡°F*ck! What the hell is going on here?¡± In the spectator area, Felicity''s expression was turning grim by the second. I''ve prevented Artemis and Edmund from helping that b*tch find an attorney. I''ve also prevented them from putting pressure on the court. However, I forgot to prevent them from getting Juliana to not appear in court! Sh*t! This is utter sh*t! As time ticked by,ments from the crowd were getting louder and louder. ¡°No wonder that woman was acting so brazenly! Juliana had been prevented from appearing in court! Without the intiff, there''ll be no trial.¡± ¡°How despicable! Is no one able to stop that woman?¡± ¡°Judging by the current situation, I think it''s safe to say that she''s untouchable. Bailey is a designer Luther Group had employed. If she loses this trial, Luther Group''s reputation is going to get affected. There''s no way Mr. Luther would let that happen!¡± In the spectator area, Beatrice and Rhonda looked grim as well. Nice one, Bailey! You''ve resorted to using such a despicable way to not let the trial go on. How shameless can you be? ¡°Time''s up. Attorney for the intiff, your client didn''t show up on time, so we can only assume she has withdrawn her im. Do you have any objections?¡± the judge asked. At that point, Matthew''s face had already turned pale. He then turned to look at Felicity. Upon seeing how grim her expression was, he didn''t dare to say anything else. Through his gritted teeth, he said, ¡°No objections.¡± The judge banged the gavel and announced, ¡°Regarding the giarism case which Bailey Jefferson had allegedlymitted, the intiff had failed¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± A sharp voice was hearding from the spectator area. Jessica was seen standing up, and she nodded slightly at the judge. ¡°Your Honor, Juliana is just Snowke''s representative. Since she had failed to show up, I think we can just get another representative. This trial has gotten attention internationally, and the whole world is watching. I think it''s too impetuous to just let the trial end this way.¡± Jessica then raised her brows and looked at Bailey sternly. In a mocking tone, she continued, ¡°If we let her go free today, she''s going to get out of control tomorrow!¡± ¡°She''s right! I agree with Ms. Tanner. This case is of great importance. We can''t let it end this way!¡± ¡°I agree with her view as well!¡± ¡°Count us in!¡± ¡°Wait. Apart from Juliana, where can we find another representative? Snowke''s social circle has been hidden all this while. Except for her disciple, Juliana, we don''t know any of her friends or family members.¡± Jessica shed a smile and walked toward the intiff''s bench in her high heels. She stood in front of Matthew and smiled. ¡°Snowke shares the same mentor as my master. Hence, I can be considered Snowke''s disciple as well. Mr. Yoder, since Snowke is also my master, will I be able to represent her?¡± Her words caused an uproar among the crowd. Jessica''s words hit everyone in the courtroom like a bolt of lightning, and everyone abruptly turned toward her. Matthew was stunned for a few seconds as well. When he came back to his senses, he was thrilled. It didn''t matter who was the representative. The question was whether he could deliver the verdict he had promised Felicity. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Juliana didn''t show up. Initially, the case would be dropped, and Jessica''s future would be ruined. However, now that Jessica imed to be Snowke''s disciple and said that she wanted to file awsuit on behalf of her mentor, it was like a lifesaver to her. As long as she seized the opportunity, she would have a bright future. ¡°A-Are you really Snowke''s disciple?¡± Jessica smiled as she took out her phone and showed something that could prove her identity. ¡°My master sent me this document. She said that Snowke wrote this rmendation letter when she requested to be a disciple of my grandmaster, Cedric Gadzinski. Everyone knows that my grandmaster is the famous Grandmaster Gadzinski. Snowke''s rmendation letter is enough to prove my rtionship with her.¡± Matthew hurriedly took the phone from her and read the document closely. After that, he announced in a clear voice, ¡°Your Honor, this document proves that Ms. Tanner is Snowke''s disciple, so she has the right to file thewsuit on Snowke''s behalf.¡± However, the judge shook his head and replied sternly, ¡°First, we still have to investigate her identity. Second, if she wishes to file awsuit on Snowke''s behalf, thetter has to give her that authorization first. I only agreed to it earlier because Snowke''s certificate and trophy that Ms. Stone brought are credible. On the other hand, Ms. Tanner didn''t provide anything that gave her the proof of any authorization, so she can''t be Snowke''s authorized party.¡± Matthew thought about it and decided to resort to pressure from public opinion. ¡°It''s been days since the case about Bailey''s giarism began. The public''s eyes are focused on the trial. In my opinion, the most important thing is the case itself. Your Honor, I hope you can consider it as appropriate and conclude this trial as soon as possible to appease the public.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Felicity stood up and smiled. ¡°I''m sure there must be a hidden reason behind why we can''t contact Ms. Stone. Besides, everyone must be guessing if Luther Group has stopped her froming to the court, but I''m sorry to disappoint you that Luther Group will not be the scapegoat. Therefore, we must call the court to order today to prove the Luther family''s innocence.¡± She said it in a way that made her sound virtuous. It was as if she wasn''t involved in sabotaging Bailey. That being said, her statement was intimidating, so the judge hesitated. It couldn''t be helped. After all, Snowke was too famous. After it was revealed that she was Cedric''s disciple, her international status was raised. Now that her famous work was giarized, the matter had shook the entire world. Right when both parties were caught up in a stalemate, a staff present leaned closer to the judge and whispered, ¡°The superiors said that the impact of the giarism case is too serious and involves too many people, including the royalty from Adrune. Therefore, they''ve decided that the trial must be concluded today, or the matter will get even more troublesome if it involves the high court or the international tribunal.¡± The judge instantly pulled himself together and cleared his throat. ¡°Taking into consideration the major impact of this case, we have decided to call the court to order as nned.¡± With that, everyone let out a relieved breath and looked toward the defendant. ¡°So what if someone was pulling the strings from behind and stopping Ms. Stone from attending? The good always triumphs over the evil.¡± ¡°Let''s not waste our time talking about a woman like her. Before this, all we knew was that Snowke is a top figure in the design industry. We didn''t even know that she is Old Mr. Gadzinski''s disciple. Now that the truth is revealed, that woman is definitely doomed since she has offended the entire Gadzinski n. Her life is ruined.¡± ¡°As expected of my role model! Snowke is the designer that I admire the most! Who would''ve thought that she''s Old Mr. Gadzinski''s disciple? Whoa! I''m so excited!¡± ¡°I hope I can meet Ms. Snowke when I''m still alive! She''s our role model! I can''t believe she keeps such a low profile that no one knows she''s Master Gadzinski''s disciple!¡± ¡°Inparison, that shameless copycat, Bailey, is even more disgusting! How could she giarize the work of Master Gadzinski''s disciple? She should''ve just copied Master Gadzinski''s work instead. She''ll get famous more easily!¡± Victoria couldn''t stand listening to them anymore and was about to jump up from her seat. Bailey, however, winked at her and smiled. ¡°Do you want to see them eat their words in a while? If you do, then don''t stop them. They''re mocking me right now, but I''ll pay them back one by er! You''ll definitely enjoy it.¡± Victoriaughed out loud. When did this girl be so mischievous? But,e to think of it, what she said makes sense. These people want to see her get thrown into jail, don''t they? They even thought so highly of Snowke. It''s going to be interesting when they find out. Bailey raised her eyebrows at the intiff''s bench and smiled. ¡°Ms. Tanner, since you''re Snowke''s disciple, I''ll ept this mandate. Instead of returning to the hearing bench, you should stay there.¡± Jessica''s pretty face contorted with anger, and hatred filled her eyes. She almost couldn''t wait to y Bailey alive and grind her bones into dust. Oh well. There''s no rush. I''ll send her into jail myself soon! Once she''s in prison, I''ll bribe a few people to make her life inside a living hell. In the corner, Simon nudged Glen''s arm curiously. ¡°Granddad, do you know what''s going on? Why do I feel that the situation''s strange?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Glen stroked his beard and scoffed, ¡°It''s so obvious! Serves her right to be fooled around by Bailey. Your mother''s getting increasingly senile by the day. You''re smarter than she is. Brat, you''d better not get your hopes up, or you''ll be in for a huge disappointment!¡± This old man is getting increasingly indecent. Since Bailey didn''t have a defensewyer, the intiff was the one to tell the entire story. One hour had passed. Undeniably, thewyer that Felicity hired was excellent. Everything single word he said was justified without any loose ends. With the evidence provided, anyone could tell the simrity between the two works. Matthew lifted his head to look at Bailey while smiling. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, do you have anything to say now that I''ve submitted all the information and you''ve seen them?¡± Bailey''s lips curled into a smile. Sheplimented, ¡°As expected, you''re really a top-notchwyer, the best in your field! But I''m sorry to say that I still can''t admit to giarism.¡± Before Matthew could speak, Jessica snapped, ¡°Bailey Jefferson, just how shameless are you? The evidence is right there! How can you still deny it? Why are you so despicable?¡± ¡°Silence. It''s the defendant''s turn to defend herself. The intiff is not allowed to speak,¡± the judge said strictly. Fury swelled within Jessica, but she suppressed it temporarily. I''ll wait. There''s no way Bailey can turn the situation around in front of the crowd. Bailey looked at the judge and said while smiling, ¡°Your Honor, the works do resemble one another, but that''s only because both of them are designed by the same person. It''s a habit that can''t be changed. Does this mean that just because I designed that work, I can''t use the same idea to design my other works after four years?¡± Chapter 98 Chapter 98 What? The crowd was stunned speechless. What does that woman mean? What does she mean by ¡°designed by the same person?¡± What is she trying to say? Obviously, the judge wasn''t able to react promptly, too. He knitted his brows and asked, ¡°Ms. Jefferson, can you please speak in a more straightforward manner?¡± Bailey pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. ¡°It might get even moreplicated if I carry on. Anyway, I didn''t copy the design. Even if all of you think my design is simr to the work from four years ago, you can''t judge me for giarism or sentence me for being guilty of it because the copyright is in my possession.¡± I''d better not reveal my identity as Snowke for now to avoid the public''s rage. If I tell the entire world that I''m Snowke, most of them might have a heart attack. However, even if she didn''t directly expose her identity, some people understood what she meant. For instance, Matthew did. He widened his eyes and stared at Bailey in disbelief while trembling uncontrobly. ¡°Because the copyright is in my hands.¡± I''ve been awyer for decades. How could I not understand what she meant? She''s saying that she''s the original designer, so there''s no giarism involved! To put it more simply, the work that was designed four years ago and the work designed this year both belong to her. She merely added new touches to her old design! If she continues to be more straightforward, she''d have to say that Snowke and Bailey Jefferson are the same person, and the copycat is actually the original designer. In that case, there''s no defendant in thiswsuit at all. Hahaha! This is outrageous! It''s utterly preposterous! I''ve been shrewd for decades. I can''t believe I''ll do something as dumb as this. My reputation and prestige that I''ve upheld for decades will be destroyed. The judge was taken aback when he heard what the woman said. So, she''s Snowke. That''s why she''s so fearless andposed in court. However, she didn''t reveal her identity, so I have to reach a verdict. The two are separate and different matters. It''s up to her whether she wishes to file awsuit as Snowke after a verdict is given. When everyone still hadn''t recovered from the shock, the judge hit the gavel and announced that the design was giarized in terms of thew since both designs looked identical. Of course, he wasn''t that dumb to say that Bailey giarized herself. Instead, he was only talking about the design. With that, he hedged his bets. Those who still hadn''t understood Bailey''s words jumped out of their chairs joyfully after hearing the judge''s decision. ¡°Amazing! That''s more like it!¡± Jessica''s pretty face was distorted out of excitement. She almost jumped and screamed out of delight. Yes! The court has convicted that b*tch Baily for giarizing! Hahaha! She grabbed Matthew''s arm excitedly and said in a trembling voice, ¡°T-Thank you, Mr. Yoder! I''m really grateful for your help! If it hadn''t been for your help, the copycat wouldn''t have been thrown into jail!¡± Matthew''s face paled at that as his lips trembled slightly. He wanted to say something, but there seemed to be a lump in his throat that stopped him from uttering any word. She''s an idiot! Aplete idiot! Bailey has made herself clear, and yet she still doesn''t get it. Serves her right to be humiliated in front of the public. Beatrice, Rhonda, and Felicity had joyful expressions on their faces, too. That b*tch is finally defeated for good! Next, it''s time to send her off to prison for a few years. They were eager, but not as eager as Jessica. ¡°Your Honor, since it''s decided that Bailey hasmitted the crime of giarizing, isn''t it time to sentence her?¡± The judge nodded slightly and said indifferently, ¡°Ms. Jefferson mentioned that she owns the copyright, so I only convicted her work as giarism. That doesn''t mean she should be sentenced for giarism.¡± Jessica was confused by what the judge said. She frowned and questioned, ¡°Isn''t it the same thing? I don''t understand what you mean. Could you please exin more clearly?¡± The judge ignored her and looked at Bailey. ¡°Ms. Jefferson, you mentioned copyright and imed that both designs are your works, but you haven''t given me any valid evidence. Therefore, I can only reach a verdict that the work is giarized. If you have any objections, feel free to file awsuit at the high court.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Bailey smiled and said nothing. She was waiting for Jessica and everyone else''s reaction. We still haven''t reached the climax of this farce yet. Finally, Jessica realized what Bailey meant. She stared at Bailey for a while before bursting out in laughter. ¡°Both works are designed by her? Haha! What does she mean by that? Is she shamelessly saying that she''s Snowke?¡± Bailey raised her brows evilly and put on a half-smile. ¡°Don''t the artworks look simr? If I tell you I''m Snowke, how pissed will you be?¡± Before Jessica could respond, Rhonda, sitting in the hearing area, jumped out of her seat andughed. ¡°You didn''t even graduate from high school. You''re just a useless person. How dare you im to be Snowke? How ridiculous! Master Gadzinski is a famous grandmaster! Why would he ept you, a person who doesn''t have any educational background and qualifications but with a bad reputation, as his disciple? You''d better stop, or everyone will get a stomachache fromughing too much.¡± The moment Rhonda finished her sentence, everyoneughed. They shot looks of disdain, ridicule, disgust, and contempt at Bailey. They probably thought that Bailey had gone mad after losing the court case, or she might''ve gone mad because Luther Group didn''t show up as they had promised her, leaving her alone to deal with the lawsuit. ¡°That woman''s gone mad! Send her to the psychiatric hospital instead of the prison to get her mind treated.¡± ¡°That''s right! Let''s start a fundraiser to send her to the psychiatric hospital.¡± Right when Victoria was about to speak up, a clear female voice rang out from the entrance. ¡°I''m sorry! I went for a pic in the countryside yesterday. It was pouring heavily, so I was stuck in a traffic jam. I think I''m only an hour and a halfte. The court hasn''t started yet, right?¡± What does she mean by only beingte for an hour and a half? So, one hour and thirty minutes is a short time for her? D*mn it. I''ve never seen such an unreliable intiff. The trial result is already out, yet she, as a intiff, waste. Instead of panicking, she looks rxed as if she''s hanging out in her own garden! Seeing that Juliana had arrived, Jessica quickly ran up to thetter and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Juliana, my dear junior! The trial result is out. The court sentenced Bailey for giarism, but that shameless b*tch pretends to be your master. You''re here at the right time. Hurry up and expose her so that she''ll go to prison!¡± Junior? Goosebumps crept all over Juliana''s body. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 What? When did I be this pretentious b*tch''s junior? Did Master make this b*tch her disciple to get out of this sticky situation when she didn''t have any other choice? If that were the case, I would be devastated. When Jessica saw how the corner of Juliana''s lips twitched, she asked in a concerned voice, ¡°Juliana, what''s the matter?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She can''t drop the ball at this critical juncture! Juliana ignored Jessica and nced around the court. Finally, she saw Bailey and pretended to look shocked. ¡°Master, why are you here? When did you return to the country?¡± In that instant, the court was plunged into silence as still as death. Everyone''s expressions froze. Those who were enjoying the show and were gossiping, judging, and ridiculing Bailey, widened their eyes in disbelief as they stared at Juliana. After looking at Juliana in shock for three seconds, they turned to look in the direction of her gaze. Did we hear her say ¡°Master?¡± Who? Who is her master? Only Copycat Jefferson and Ms. Saunders are seated in the used area. Could it be... ¡°Is Ms. Saunders Snowke?¡± someone asked dumbfoundedly. ¡°P-Probably. It can''t be that copycat, right?¡± ¡°If that''s the case, it makes sense now. Ms. Saunders is that copycat''s best friend, so it''s normal for her to defend that copycat. No wonder Copycat Jefferson is so fearless.¡± ¡°Eh? N-No. Something''s wrong. That copycat said that she has the copyright. So logically speaking, she is Snowke. W-Why do I feel that I just got a p in my face?¡± ¡°M-Maybe you''re right.¡± Something seemed to have exploded in the spacious and silent courtroom, causing a mental storm. With that, everyone eventually came to a realization. ¡°What the! The copycat turns out to be the original designer. That''s really a big p to my face. Ouch!¡± ¡°I agree. I can''t stay here anymore. It''s too humiliating.¡± ¡°I-Is she really Snowke? The dark horse in the industry who was awarded The Ultimate Designer at The Grand Fashion Show four years ago?¡± Jessica stared at the youngdy in front of her and said tremblingly, ¡°J-Juliana, this joke isn''t funny at all. Stop fooling around, okay? Bailey hasn''t been sentenced yet.¡± ¡°Bailey? That woman''s Bailey?¡± Juliana raised her brows and pointed at Victoria. Jessica used what was left of her energy to prevent herself from copsing onto the floor. She spoke with her voice quivering. ¡°N-No. The one next to her is Bailey.¡± ¡°That''s ridiculous. The one next to her is my master, Master Snowke. How could she be Bailey?¡± Juliana shot Jessica a re as her smiley face turned gloomy in an instant. W-What is going on? After wondering what in the world was going on, Jessica slumped to the cold, hard ground. She kept murmuring to herself, ¡°I-Impossible. How could she be the famous Master Snowke? That''s impossible. It''s impossible.¡± Simrly, Beatrice and Rhonda couldn''t believe it too. Both of them jumped out of their chairs in disbelief. Their faces that were wearing heavy makeup began to contort. The news was a massive blow to them. A while ago, they were still celebrating and cheering, but reality hit them hard the next moment. How could anyone stand the feeling of falling into ultimate disappointment from ultimate happiness within seconds? Although Felicity sat there with an indifferent expression, her entire body was trembling. It was a massive blow to her too. D*mn it! I can''t believe that b*tch is actually Snowke! What should I do? She was thinking of ways to kick Bailey out of Hallsbay so that thetter would go far away and leave her son and nephew alone. Juliana circled over Jessica and walked up to Bailey. She stared at Bailey for a few seconds before arching an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Master, are you really the eldest daughter of the Jefferson family? Why didn''t you tell me earlier? Look what happened! I sneaked out your certificate and trophy to Hallsbay to file awsuit! Ah! This is too embarrassing!¡± The corners of Bailey''s lips twitched. It''s such a waste if she doesn''t be an actress. With her acting skills, she can easily win an award. Of course, in front of so many people, Bailey wouldn''t expose Juliana. ¡°The Jefferson family already kicked me out, so I''m not their daughter anymore. Since I became Master Gadzinski''s disciple, I''m already one of the Gadzinskis. Master Gadzinski is like my own father to me. Everyone keeps saying that I copied Snowke''s work. How can I prove my innocence if I didn''t let you make a big deal out of it?¡± Juliana scratched her head and pouted. ¡°So, you used me from the beginning. You knew I came to Hallsbay, yet you didn''t tell me that you''re Bailey, and you watched me file awsuit. Great! Now I''m a big joke! I actually sued my own master! Oh my god! What if the public uses me of betraying my own master? How will I carry myself in society? Master, you meanie! I don''t want to live anymore!¡± Bailey almost threw up after witnessing Juliana''s cheesy act. She gave the girl a warning look before changing into a kind expression. ¡°There, there. You helped me a lot by clearing up my name. Why would anyone use you of betraying your master? Besides, you didn''t know anything, right?¡± At the corner, Simon''s mouth twitched as he snapped, ¡°Can that woman be even more hypocritical? It''s obvious they''ve set up a trap and fooled everyone, but in the end, they act like they''re the victims. Granddad, you mustn''t let Artemis marry her. It will be a disaster.¡± Glen rubbed his chin, his eyes sparkling. It''s a pity if such a witty girl doesn''t be the matriarch of the Chivers family. I heard that brat Edmund likes her very much. As expected of my grandson whom I''ve raised. He''s got good taste. ¡°What do you know, you brat? Only women like these are suitable to be the head of a wealthy family. I''ve decided. She''s the one. She''s going to get married to either Artemis or Edmund. One of them has to marry her.¡± Meanwhile, in the hearing area, coldness shed across Beatrice''s eyes as she took out her phone and sent a message. The message read: Go ahead as nned now. Rhonda asked softly, ¡°Mom, are we going to make a move?¡± Beatrice smiled coldly and gritted her teeth. ¡°We have to strike while the iron is still hot. Of course, we have to act now. Since everyone is humiliated, they''re surely angry. Let''s pull the carpet from under her feet. I''d like to see how Bailey will get out of it and how she will exin that her illegitimate child doesn''t have the Chivers'' blood.¡± Rhonda was still a little worried. She couldn''t help but think that it was too risky. Besides, she had a feeling that something big would happen. Chapter 1980 Chapter 1980 The night passed quickly, and soon it was morning. The next day, the Vias family spent a fortune on an enormouskeside manor in the northern suburb of Xenhall. The manor was given the name ¡°Elysian Hall¡± by Ye Fan. Ye Fan told Junie to gather the remaining Elysian Faction disciplines at the manor. At the same time, he also reached out to the media and announced that he would execute the King of India, Fen Tian, that night! Junie was shocked to learn about Ye Fan''s n. ¡°No, Ye Fan. We can''t do this. Fen Tian might have done a lot of evil deeds, but he''s extremely influential in the martial arts world in India.¡± She continued, ¡°By making this announcement publicly, you''re provoking the Indian martial arts world. All the local warriors woulde after you to teach you a lesson. Hundreds and thousands of Indian martial artists would also flock to the execution site to save Fen Tian. If that happens, you''ll once again be in deep trouble. We can''t risk it!¡± Junie immediately objected to Ye Fan''s n after considering the consequences. She was afraid Ye Fan might stir up another conflict in India. ¡°Trust me, Junie. Everything is under my control,¡± Ye Fan responded calmly. He was confident that everything would go ording to his n. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. s, Junie tried to convince him to abandon the idea but to no avail. The next day, the news about Fen Tian''s imprisonment and forting execution went viral in India. What Junie foresaw hade true. Ye Fan''s announcement had instantly caused an uproar in India. Martial artists from all over India were both stunned and furious. ¡°What on earth is this Elysian Hall? How dare they kill the guardian of India?¡± ¡°Lord Fen Tian must have fallen prey to their dirty tricks!¡± ¡°Lord Fen Tian is like a god to us. We must rescue him!¡± Angry sentiments echoed throughout the country. Hundreds and thousands of martial artists began making their way to the capital of India, Xenhall. By evening, all the martial artists had surrounded Elysian Hall. They all swore to rescue Fen Tian and exterminate Elysian Hall. Seeing how things had spiraled out of control, Junie''s eyes started to turn red. ¡°See? It''s all your fault. I told you not to be too vocal about Fen Tian''s execution. Now everyone knows about it and came to us. I bet these martial artists would tear this newly-acquired manor apart by tonight!¡± Rage throbbed in Junie like a heartbeat. I knew I shouldn''t have trusted Ye Fan! However, Ye Fan merely told Junie to be patient and did not exin further. ¡°Bad news, Master Junie! Bad news! The people from Folo Pce have arrived! We''re screwed!¡± A few of Junie''s seniors ran in frantically. Upon hearing that, Junie''s expression turned grim. ¡°How many of them?¡± ¡°T-Three of them¡ªall Supreme warriors.¡± Junie could not help but panic. Even King Folo''s top three Supreme warriors have arrived. A bloody battle is definitely going to take ce soon. That was not the oue Junie wanted, so she turned to Ye Fan and said, ¡°I think we should release Fen Tian. We mustn''t engage in another battle. It''s not going to do us any good.¡± Junie chose to take a step back because she did not want Ye Fan to fight anymore. Ye Fan did not respond to what she said. Instead, he told her to bring Fen Tian over. Junie thought Ye Fan had agreed to her n. She immediately instructed her men to bring Fen Tian over. The three of them then walked out of the hall. The people who gathered outside the manor were all riled up. Had King Folo and his men not stopped these rowdies from advancing, they would have torn Elysian Hall down. Junie stood on an elevated tform in front of Elysian Hall and addressed the crowd, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, Elysian Hall has no intention of offending anyone here. We only captured Fen Tian because he killed my master. ¡°But after considering Fen Tian''s contribution to the martial arts world in India, we decided not to kill him. Since we''ve decided to spare his life, we hope all of you can retreat once we release him. And I hope all of you would not try to pick fights with us!¡± she negotiated. To Junie, Fen Tian was nothing more than a cripple. He was as good as dead. Whether Fen Tian was alive or dead, it did not matter much anymore. It would be a win-win situation for both parties if they could resolve the tension without sparking a bloodbath. ¡°Save it! Release Lord Fen Tian first!¡± ¡°Yeah! Release Lord Fen Tian!¡± the crowd demanded. To maintain the peace between Elysian Hall and the Indian martial arts world, Junie had no choice but to release Fen Tian. ¡°Ye Fan, release him, please,¡± Junie urged. Yet, Ye Fan gave her the cold shoulder. Following that, he tossed Fen Tian in the air and roared, ¡°Come out!¡± All of a sudden, a sword that was tied to Ye Fan''s back began buzzing. The crowd then saw the swording out of its scabbard and heading in Fen Tian''s direction. ¡°No!¡± Fen Tian roared in desperation as the sword pierced through his body. This sword then dragged Fen Tian''s body to the top of Elysian Hall and pinned it to a wall! In the blink of an eye, the King of India''s blood dyed the entire attic tower red. Ye Fan stood on top of the attic and stared condescendingly at Fen Tian as his stern voice resonated in the air. ¡°Fen Tian, when you lied to your master, destroyed the faction, killed the other disciples, murdered my brothers, and ambushed me, have you ever expected that your life would end this way?¡± A gust of wind swept through, ruffling Ye Fan''s hair. The sky and the earth instantly plunged into total silence. At that moment, Fen Tian''s blood-stained lips twitched. He looked at Ye Fan and opened his mouth, but words caught in his throat. Blood continued to drain out of his body, and soon, he breathed hisst. That was the end of Fen Tian¡ªthe man who had ruled the Indian martial arts world for decades and the generation''s hero! No one knew how Fen Tian felt when he stared into Ye Fan''s eyes. Perhaps, he was overwhelmed with remorse! He must have regretted provoking the ultimate warrior. Silence ensued andsted for a while. The crowd was stunned when Ye Fan flew into the air and ended Fen Tian''s life with his sword. Junie''s face turned pallid, and she looked at Ye Fan in disbelief. Meanwhile, the disciples of Elysian Faction were so terrified that they wet their pants. Did he just kill the King of India right in front of all the Indian martial artists? What the f*ck? F*ck! Are you mad, Ye Fan? Are you trying to get Elysian Hall exterminated? Ye Fan''s action had driven Junie''s peers from Elysian Faction mad. But that was not the thing Ye Fan did that made their jaws drop. What Ye Fan said next was about to cause members of Elysian Hall to shudder even more! While the Indian martial artists were still in shock, Ye Fan turned around, carried Junie in his arms, and brought her to the top of Elysian Hall. ¡°From now on, Junie would reign as the ultimate master of India''s martial arts world! Step out and take me on if anyone of you has any objection!¡± His authoritative voice resonated across the sky, causing another round ofmotion. Once again, all the Indian martial artists, especially those from Elysian Hall, were struck dumb. Has that man gone bonkers? Not only did he kill the King of India, but he also wants all the Indian warriors here to acknowledge him as the ultimate master of their martial arts world? Dream on! No, wait a second. He wanted them to acknowledge Master Junie as the ultimate ruler of the Indian martial arts world! ¡°Are you digging a hole for Master Junie?¡± ¡°How could you do that?¡± ¡°You killed Fen Tian, and now you''re trying to get everyone to hate Master Junie?¡± ¡°What a jerk!¡± ¡°You''re a monster!¡± Before the Indian martial artists could express their dismay, Elysian Hall members exploded with rage. They yelled at Ye Fan with bloodshot eyes, believing the man was trying to get Junie killed. What a heartless creature! Besides reprimanding Ye Fan, they also forced Junie to sever ties with him. They turned to all the martial artists and exined, ¡°This man, Ye Fan, is not a member of Elysian Faction. Killing Fen Tian is his decision, and it has nothing to do with us!¡± ¡°If you want to seek revenge, go after him and spare us from bloodshed!¡± They continued exining. Chapter 1981 Chapter 1981 After saying that, the members of the Elysian Faction turned to Junie anxiously. ¡°Say something, Master Junie!¡± ¡°Tell them that Fen Tian''s death has nothing to do with you. It was all Ye Fan''s own doing!¡± ¡°Only the mastermind should be held responsible. Cut your ties with him!¡± The remaining disciples tried to convince her. By then, the woman''s initial panic had dissipated. In the face of the disciples'' suggestions, Ye Fan''s shocking acts, and all these martial artists, Junie walked over and stood next to Ye Fan despite still feeling slightly afraid. Then, under everyone''s gazes, she silently took Ye Fan by the hand. Actions always spoke louder than words. And now, June was telling everyone that she would remain by Ye Fan''s side, even if it meant bing enemies with the whole world. So what if I have to turn my back against everyone? I''ll never let this man deal with the consequences alone, no matter what he''s done. I''d even walk through fire with him. ¡°You''re making a mistake, Master Junie...¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°This is in suicide!¡± ¡°We''re going to suffer the same fate too!¡± The rest of the Elysian Faction were dumbfounded and furious at the same time. To think that the sect''s centuries-old legacy would nowe to an end because of their new master''s decision. ¡°This is a mistake. She''s a mistake.¡± ¡°Oh, Master, why did you leave the Elysian Faction in this woman''s hands?¡± they cried out in misery. The group would have been spared as long as they dissociated themselves from Ye Fan. But never did they expect Junie to make such a blunder by standing alongside said man! Women have no rationale. She''s so hopelessly in love that she followed her heart instead of her brain. Doesn''t she remember her duty to our sect? She''s not just any ordinary woman; she''s the Elysian Master too. Her words and actions represent our faction! And now, her desire for love is about to destroy us all. ¡°The Elysian Faction has gone through countless trials and tribtions, so many that only thirteen of us remain.¡± ¡°Today marks the end of us.¡± Devastation surged through the remaining disciples. In their eyes, they would soon face India''s martial arts world in battle. Still, this was exactly what they had anticipated. They had predicted that Ye Fan''s insolence and recklessness would eventually invoke the wrath of India''s thousands of martial artists. ¡°How dare you kill the King of India?¡± ¡°You''re going to pay for this!¡± ¡°And you think the Elysian Faction matters that much?¡± ¡°To hell with the Elysian Faction!¡± ¡°You''re nothing in the face of Folo Pce''s three kings!¡± ¡°On behalf of India''s martial arts world, I swear I''ll destroy you all for killing Lord Fen Tian!¡± India''s martial artists flew into a rage immediately. They were all prepared to annihte the rebels standing before them. ¡°You have thest word as always, King Folo.¡± ¡°We await yourmand to wipe out the Elysian Factor!¡± All eyes fell on the three men standing in the first row¡ªFolo, Haibu, and Bapei. They were the Supremes of India as well as the leaders of the martial arts world. Without their order, no one dared take action, no matter how livid they were. Surprisingly, King Folo and the other two leaders didn''t respond to their followers. Instead, they looked up and began to walk toward Junie. ¡°It''s over.¡± ¡°They''re about to begin.¡± ¡°These are India''s three Supremes! Master Junie is doomed for sure.¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± ¡°Well, she did screw up big time.¡± ¡°Indeed. She insisted on staying by Ye Fan''s side when she could''ve chosen not to.¡± ¡°Well, if that''s what she wants, she may as well die with him now.¡± The Elysian Faction''s disciples were filled with terror but also ire. They were certainly enraged and repelled by the new Elysian Master, who chose her personal feelings over the group''s lives. And now that she was about to be killed by the Supremes of India, some of them couldn''t help but feel a little joyous. They felt this was what Junie deserved for failing to see the bigger picture and not knowing her priorities. Even Junie couldn''t help but tense up as she felt the three Supremes'' overwhelming presence. She grabbed Ye Fan''s hand even more tightly, refusing to let go. Isn''t this a battle? If they want a fight, so be it. I won''t let Ye Fan go through this alone. Just as everyone thought that Folo, Haibu, and Bapei were finally going to avenge Fen Tian, the three men suddenly bowed down before Junie. ¡°I, Folo...¡± ¡°I, Haibu...¡± ¡°I, Bapei...¡± They announced in unison, ¡°...dere Elysian Master Junie as the new head of India''s martial arts world. From this day onward, Folo Pce shall be under Master Junie''smand!¡± Their voices resonated across thend. Upon hearing that, therge crowd was instantly floored. ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°What''s going on?¡± The Elysian Faction disciples were stupefied. Junie remained standing in ce, feeling just as taken aback. The thousands of Indian martial artists there were no different. The only exception was Ye Fan; he merely smirked. ¡°W-What are you doing, King Folo?¡± ¡°She''s just a girl! How can she ever lead India''s martial arts world?¡± ¡°Not only that, but she killed our king!¡± ¡°Please reconsider, King Folo...¡± ¡°Please, King Folo.¡± ¡°Have you gone insane?¡± ¡°Why are you regarding such a worthless sect so highly?¡± ¡°This is an insult to our country''s martial arts world!¡± Some members among the thousands of martial artists began to voice their objections. Boom! But as soon as their words fell, King Folo crushed those men into lumps of flesh with his palm attack. Blood sttered everywhere as he turned around. ¡°I''ve said that Elysian Master Junie will be the ruler of India''s martial arts world from now on! Anyone who opposes this shall die!¡± he roared. King Folo''s words spoke volumes. With that, everyone fell silent, and nobody dared say anything again. The ceremony of Junie''s appointment as the new headmenced that night. The Elysian Hall looked especially morous and magnificent. Powerful figures from various regions gathered, with the three Supremes standing in front on each side. Inside the hall was a ming red carpet that extended all the way from the stairs to the Elysian Hall''s most exalted throne, with musicians on one side and prayer reciters on the other. Under the gazes of tens of thousands, a woman dressed beautifully in gold with a violet gold crown on her head walked on the carpet in the direction of the throne, where Ye Fan awaited her. The man extended his hand toward her. Together, they arrived at the throne, overlooking therge union beneath them. ¡°All hail Master Junie!¡± ¡°Long live Master Junie!¡± As the audience bowed in reverence, their cries of greeting resounded through the entire pce. ¡°Do you see this, Junie? This is your kingdom. You''ll be its ruler when I leave. You have all these powerful fighters under you. You''re at the top now, and no one will dare try and hurt you again!¡± Ye Fan stood next to Junie, watching as all of India''s martial artists knelt before her. As the man had said in the past, he wouldn''t be able to protect anyone forever. All he could do was to help them reach the pinnacle. And when he did, they wouldn''t need to be protected anymore because they would be the ones holding power over others. Given that Ye Fan had conquered the three Supremes of India, as long as they submitted to Junie, all the remaining martial artists of the country would naturally be under her rule too. Chapter 1982 Chapter 1982 The news regarding the Elysian Master had spread throughout the country within the night. As a result, every single person in every social circle of the country learned about the incredible Junie. Everyone left the premises after the party was over, and they bid their goodbyes to Junie. After leaving the ce, the people, that had been keeping their thoughts to themselves for the entire night, finally gave in to their curiosity. They stopped King Folo, Haibu, and the others, then asked the question burning inside them. ¡°We don''t understand, King Folo. Why would you appoint a woman like that to a position of power? What gives? Who cares about the stupid Elysian Faction or her title as the Forest God? She is a nobody, so why is she recognized in our country''s martial arts world? Why should we bow down to her when I can kill dozens like her with a single swing of my de?¡± Everyone was angry and protesting endlessly because they had been holding in their frustration and their words the entire day. They had to be respectful to King Folo earlier. That is the only reason they didn''t spew their words right in front of Junie and her friends. Now that they had left the ce, they no longer needed to worry about any politics. Hence, the angry and confused mob interrogated King Folo and the others right away. King Folo had a stoic expression on when he turned to the crowd and calmly addressed, ¡°Do you guys think that we were actually bowing down to that Junie girl?¡± The crowd was taken aback. ¡°I-Is that not the case? You made the announcement in person just now and im that she is the leader of the martial arts world in this country, didn''t you?¡± King Folo shook his head. ¡°You''ve made a mistake. A grave mistake, at that. Naturally, I know all about how Junie is just a powerless woman. I am also aware of how the entire faction is just a bunch of useless pretty faces that I can kill with a flip of my hand.¡± ¡°If so, why did you lead the rest of us and bow down to them?¡± asked someone. The crowd became even more confused. Even Haibu and Bapei couldn''t hold it together after hearing that. All three of them turned around and looked at the building standing behind them. The words ¡°Elysian Hall¡± were carved on the que at the top of the door, and the power those words emanated was incredible. King Folo and the others knew exactly who it was that carved those words. ¡°We weren''t bowing to Junie earlier. Instead, we were bowing to the man standing behind her, Chu Tianfan,¡± exined King Folo nonchntly. Everyone else was taken aback. ¡°Chu Tianfan? As in the guy who killed the King of India?¡± ¡°Huh... There is something familiar about that name...¡± ¡°Chu Tianfan? C-Could it be...?¡± It seemed that someone in the crowd finally thought of something, and that prompted him to turn pale. King Folo nodded and replied, ¡°That''s the guy. He is the same Chu Tianfan who is at the top of the Sky Ranking and left every martial artist in awe a few years ago.¡± It was as the old wives'' tale imed. The bigger the pebble, the more violent the ripples. Everyone trembled after they heard what King Folo said. ¡°T-That''s who he is? B-But isn''t Chu Tianfan dead? He was surrounded, ambushed, and killed years ago, right? How is he alive? And why is he in our country now?¡± No one could make heads or tails of what was going on. Fortunately, they calmed down quickly after the initial shock. ¡°Actually, there is nothing to worry about. If he was defeated back in the day, then he can be defeated again today. That man is hated everywhere, so all we have to do is spread the news. Everyone will come after him. Besides, the battle from all those years ago must''ve left him with some longsting wounds. He might have survived, but there is no way he is as powerful as he used to be. There is a good chance that we don''t even need to get the rest of the world on our side. Thebined forces of our Grandmasters and our Supremes should be enough to kill him this time around.¡± A wiser and older member of the crowd spoke up to share his thoughts and analysis. ¡°You are right!¡± ¡°My master, Hill, hasn''t returned, but once he''s here, he can join forces with the other Grandmasters. Together, we will march to the Elysian Hall and annihte that group. We will also kill Chu Tianfan.¡± Everyone else agreed and cheered. Haibu, however, sighed in response to that. ¡°Things are not as simple as you think. You guys have no idea how powerful Chu Tianfan really is. A few days ago, powerful martial artists from all over the world had already ganged up on Chu Tianfan at Fen Tian''s wedding. Guess how that ended? Over a hundred skilled martial artists were murdered, and the three of us were the only survivors even though we had over ten Grandmasters present that day. Your masters, colleagues... basically anyone who was at the wedding won''t being back, so don''t bother waiting for them. Also, just to be clear, the three of us almost died that day as well.¡± Boom! Haibu''s words were like a lightning strike. The martial artists had undoubtedly had their minds blown. Everyone bulged their eyes. T-The martial artists from all around the world? Over a hundred of them, with more than ten of them being Grandmasters... They''re all dead? Even King Folo and the others were almost ughtered as well? F*ck! What the hell? Is that guy even human? The people almost went insane after hearing the story. All they felt was a tingly sensation on their scalp. ¡°I''m guessing you now understand the situation. Gathering the martial artists of our country? Hah! We can get all the martial artists in the entire world involved, then gang up on Chu Tianfan. Even then, there is no guarantee we''d be able to destroy him. In short, that man is not someone our country can afford to offend. His power is certainly not something a single country can deal with,¡± exined King Folo calmly. The men, who were arrogantly demanding to kill Ye Fan, had since changed their stance. Their enthusiasm and anger were all but gone. All that was left was a hiss filled with fear. Their recent discovery was simply too terrifying. A monster like that truly is not something we can afford to mess with. ¡°If we can''t defeat him, then the next best alternative is to join him. ¡°That Junie girl is Chu Tianfan''s lover. ¡°We may have appointed her as our leader, but the truth is that we are putting Chu Tianfan in a position to be our true leader. ¡°Sometimes, a single strategic move can turn the tide aroundpletely. ¡°Chu Tianfan and the War God Castle are not on good terms. Hence, it''s possible for us to take advantage of Chu Tianfan''s rtionship with Junie to get him to join us. ¡°Losing Fen Tian would mean nothing if we do that. Heck, we can lose a dozen, or even a hundred, fighters like Fen Tian, and we will still get a bargain so long as we can get Chu Tianfan on our side. ¡°With his help, our country will not need to worry about China or Western Epea at all. ¡°In thirty years, we will grow to be so powerful that we won''t even need to fear Chu Sect!¡± King Folo finally shared his entire n with the rest of the gang. Ye Fan had forced him to appoint Junie as the leader that day, but the truth was that it was what King Folo wanted as well. All they needed to do was to get Junie on their side. That would, in effect, hold Ye Fan''s heart hostage. When the timees and Junie bears him a son, we will make the boy the future of our country and give the kid the best title there is. That would encourage Chu Tianfan to join us. Heck, it would only be natural that he does that. As far as King Folo was concerned, having Chu Tianfan on his side was equivalent to having power over everyone else on Earth. Chu Tianfan''s strength can protect our country for a hundred years. We will thrive with his help. The other martial artists were undoubtedly impressed after they heard the whole n. They no longer wish to oppose Chu Tianfan. That day, they learned that a single person would dominate the martial arts world in their country, and that person was Chu Tianfan. Inside the Elysian Hall. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Junie gathered every member of the faction together after King Folo and the others had left. She ordered everyone to kneel to Ye Fan and apologize to him. ¡°What gives? He is not an elder of our faction, so why should we kneel before him?¡± ¡°Exactly! If anything, he should kneel to you.¡± ¡°That''s right. After all, you''re the martial arts leader of this country now, and Folo Pce''s top members have bowed down to you.¡± ¡°Compared to that, Ye Fan is nothing. He has no right to sit beside you or be your equal.¡± Many members of the Elysian Faction were dissatisfied, and their eyes glowed with fury and discontent when they red at Ye Fan. Chapter 1983 Chapter 1983 ¡°You...¡± Junie was so angry that she was trembling. However, Ye Fan stopped her before she could argue with the rest of the members. ¡°Let it go, Junie. They are right. I am not an elder or a member of the Elysian Faction, so there is no need for them to kneel or bow to me.¡± ¡°But...¡± said Junie. She had so much more to say. Ye Fan reacted by shaking his head and smiling. After that, he asked, ¡°Are you free? Will you walk with me?¡± Junie didn''t hesitate before agreeing to do so. ¡°Elysian Master, we are in the middle of a meeting. Shouldn''t we continue?¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°You are the head of this group, so how can you neglect your honorable duties just to satisfy your personal desires?¡± The members of the Elysian Faction were instantly upset. Many voiced up and were borderline reprimanding her. To their dismay, Junie ignored them and hugged Ye Fan''s arm as she walked out of the hall with him. ¡°This is...¡± Many members of the Elysian Faction were turning red with envy and anger when they saw their leader hanging out with an enemy. ¡°Junie, you are driving the others insane with anger,¡± teased Ye Fan as he smiled. He knew all too well that a master of the Elysian Faction was not allowed to get married or have rtionships. ¡°Pfft, who cares about those old-fashioned idiots? Speaking of, why didn''t you let me teach those old farts a lesson? You are the reason our faction is at the top. It''s bad enough that they disrespect you and were ungrateful, but they were also impolite to you at the party. I think we should make them kneel before you and apologize for it so that they will learn their mistake and never make that stupid mistake again,¡±ined Junie angrily. Ye Fan shook his head, then turned around to face Junie. ¡°That''s where you''re wrong, Junie. I didn''t put the faction at the top of the martial arts world in India. I did that for you and you only, so they were right. There is no need for them to thank me at all. Besides, they should be upset with me because I can be cruel. In fact, if they were to disrespect you or hurt you in the future, I will mercilessly crush them with my bare hands.¡± Ye Fan spoke calmly, and his words were painting a bloody and cruel image, but it warmed Junie''s heart. Her eyes glowed with happiness as her lips curved into a beautiful smile. ¡°You know, I''m really starting to envy your wife, Qiu Mucheng. What do you think about having two wives, Ye Fan? I don''t mind being the second one.¡± Junie smiled at Ye Fan and spoke as though she were joking. The vengeance that had been dyed for years had since been delivered, and the woman filled with hatred had finally moved on. At that moment, Junie was just a cheerful youngdy who was also stunning. ¡°Stop messing around. There is no reason to be envious of her. She had been with me for so many years, but she didn''t get to lead a happy life. If anything, I dragged her into my mess repeatedly. Sometimes, I wonder how things would be if I never married into the Qiu family and be a kept man. She''ll probably be much happier if that were the case,¡± replied Ye Fan. He shook his head while grinning, and his tone carried a hint of pain and self-mockery. Junie didn''t agree with that, though. ¡°It''s like how the old saying goes. The very jewels decorating the crown weigh it down. She is your wife, so she should face these turmoils and challenges. If she doesn''t want a life like that, then she should just leave. You are an incredible man, and countless women would endure all that for you. They might even be willing to die for you,¡± dered Junie while having a straight face on. ¡°Pfft, quit trying to butter me up. You should spend that time thinking about how you will manage the Elysian Faction instead. I will go into solitary training in two days, so no one will be here to clean up your mess for you anymore.¡± ¡°Solitary training? Does that mean you are about to have a breakthrough?¡± asked Junie as she stared at Ye Fan in astonishment. ¡°I''m going to try to reach a new height. Who knows? Maybe I''ll actually achieve that,¡± replied Ye Fan. His growth had remained stagnant since being wounded a few years ago. Now that Duanmu Wan''er had given him some incredible medicine, he wanted to try using them to reach a new height. ¡°What are you going to do after that?¡± asked Junie. Her expression instantly turned serious when she said those words. Ye Fan became just as serious. He turned around and looked at the west side of the night''s sky. ¡°I''ll go gather my Dragon Gods after that.¡± Junie''s heart slumped. That fateful day was finally looming. Two years ago, Ye Fan had his heart and dreams crushed. Is he going back to that ce now? Junie couldn''t help worrying. Ye Fan, however, smiled when he saw her making that face. ¡°It''ll be fine, Junie. I have been through a lot, and I have grown to be much stronger than I used to be. The entire world can gang up against me today, and I will stille out victorious.¡± ¡°But, Ye Fan, you are on your own this time around. Gaius and the others are nowhere to be found, so you will have to go against the Chu Sect on your own,¡± said Junie. Her voice showed just how concerned she was. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Ye Fan chuckled. ¡°That is not true. I am not on my own. Oh, that reminds me. If any other member of the Elysian Faction tries to overthrow you or mess with you, you can get in touch with Folo Pce. King Folo and the others will settle the matter for you.¡± ¡°That is not possible. You killed Fen Tian, so I''m sure they see us as their mortal enemies. They''re probably nning to assassinate us right now, so why would they help?¡± replied Junie. She didn''t agree with Ye Fan''s train of thoughts. ¡°Kill us? Hah! As if they''d have the guts to do so,¡± said Ye Fan while shaking his head and smiling. That night was as cold as ice. Ye Fan and Junie chatted away the entire time. The next morning, Ye Fan looked for a quiet spot and began his solitary training. He called Junie and Noa to him, then issued some instructions before he did that, though. Noa gathered her subordinates and ordered them to set up a perimeter with a ten-mile radius. Ye Fan''s solitary training would take ce in the middle, and they had to make sure that no one else could barge in. With all that preparation done, Noa called a cab. ¡°Please get in the car. Let''s head back together.¡± Junie replied, ¡°Okay.¡± In the city''s outskirt. Another day, another morning. Geetha sat on the stairs in front of the entrance to his house. He rested his head on his tiny hands as he looked into the distance. Sir left in that direction. Geetha had been waiting there every dusk and dawn after Ye Fan departed that day. He promised that he will be back, and I believe him. He will surely return. ¡°Stop waiting, Geetha. We have to go now,¡± urged an elderlydy, Selva who was standing behind Geetha. Geetha''s grandmother had already packed everything and was ready to leave. She wanted to take Geetha back to his hometown. The money they made earlier when they sold the medicine was enough to pay for Geetha''s school fees in the vige. Granted, the teachers there weren''t the best, but they could still teach the basics well. ¡°Can we wait for a few more days?¡± begged Geetha. Selva responded by sighing. ¡°Let''s not wait any longer. Give it up. He''s noting back. In fact, there''s a good chance he can''te back anymore.¡± Ye Fan promised he would be back in two days, but that deadline passed ages ago. Selva couldn''t be sure if Ye Fan survived because thetter had offended the renowned Vias family. That is the most powerful family in all of India! Ye Fan might be a skilled fighter, but he is on his own, and he can''t defeat a family like that on his own. He promised he''d return for Geetha, but that really is just wishful thinking. Truth was, Selva had never expected Ye Fan to return. Geetha insisted on waiting, though. He was waiting for Ye Fan to take him away from that horrible ce. ¡°That is not true. I''m sure he will be back. He said he''de for me,¡± insisted Geetha stubbornly. ¡°Enough! You stubborn kid. Are you trying to get me so angry that I die of high blood pressure? We''re not waiting any longer, and that''s that! Grab your things. We''re leaving now. If we don''t, the wounded thugs will recover and will return to exact vengeance on us. It would be impossible for us to leave when that happens.¡± Selva was furious. She couldn''t let the kid keep acting up like that. We must leave today! ¡°No, I don''t want to go,¡± insisted Geetha. ¡°You stupid kid. Get up now or I will hurt you,¡± threatened the olddy before she smacked Geetha with her walking cane. ¡°No, I won''t leave. I''ll stay, no matter how hard you hit me. I will wait for him,¡± replied Geetha. He cried and screamed while hugging a tree at the side of his house tightly. The immense fury was on the verge of rendering Selva unconscious when, at the other end of the road, several luxurious cars made their way over. They stopped right outside the house. When the doors were opened, two stunning woman slipped out of the car. They were noble and graceful... almost as though they were angels. Geetha was instantly stunned. He had never seen anyone that beautiful or regal before, so for a moment there, he thought he was looking at angels Chapter 1984 Chapter 1984 Selva immediately recognized that car as the property of the Vias family. The Vias family''s cars all had unique logos painted on them, so it was easy to recognize their cars. That was also why Selva was scared out of her mind and turned pale when she saw everyone exiting the car. She assumed that the Vias family was there to exact their revenge. Despite being terrified, Selva didn''t flee. She knew there was no point in doing so. Hence, she dragged her grandson along and knelt in front of the twodies. ¡°S-Sorry. W-We didn''t mean to offend them. This is the money we made from selling the medicine. We never spent a penny, and it''s all here. We''ll give it all up. Just, please. S-Spare my grandson.¡± Selva was so scared that she was trembling when she spoke. Her tears rolled uncontrobly down her cheeks as well. They were poor, and she knew that the Vias family was a powerful organization the poor could not offend. That was why Selva was not happy at all when Ye Fan took that money back for them. Instead, she began worrying. If Geetha hadn''t insisted on waiting, it was likely that they would already have returned to their hometown. And now it is toote. The inevitable consequences are here... Selva didn''t care about her own survival, but she worried about Geetha. ¡°Please. Will you spare Geetha?¡± Selva was still kneeling at the time. When Noa saw that, she hurried forward and helped Selva up. ¡°I-I think you made a mistake. We''re here in ce of a guy to keep his promise,¡± informed Noa as she smiled. After that, she walked to Geetha, who was already in a daze. She crouched down and softly asked, ¡°You''re Geetha, aren''t you? Awh, you are such an adorable little kid. Have you thought about the question Ye Fan asked you? What is your answer? What future do you want? One that is filled with academic sess or one where you will be trained to be a martial artist?¡± Selva and Geetha were stunned when they heard that. ¡°Y-You... that little punk sent you?¡± Selva was in disbelief, but Geetha was jumping in delight. ¡°See? I told you. Sir will never lie to me. You girls must be his girlfriends, right? Please tell him I have made my decision. I want to be a martial artist. I want to be as strong as he is so that I can find beautiful girls as my girlfriend... just like how he found you both,¡± answered Geetha happily. Selva came back around after hearing that. She immediately told Noa her ideas. ¡°Uhm, miss? Please ignore the kid''s words. If possible, please send him down a path of academia. By learning everything he can, he will be smarter and will be a scientist or something. That way, he will be able to contribute to building the country up in the future.¡± In the end, Geetha obeyed his grandfather''s wishes and chose to go to school. ¡°Okay!¡± Noa epted their request. After that, she had her men send Geetha to the best school in the country. The Vias family would be responsible for both Geetha and Selva''s expenses while Geetha was studying. In addition, Noa gave the two of them a house and found a job for Selva. ¡°You are all such incredible people. Thank you, youngdy. You are our savior and have given us a new life.¡± Selva never would''ve dreamed that there woulde a day when her grandson could study in the best school. She certainly never fantasized about living in a huge house in the city. The olddy led Geetha and bowed endlessly to Noa to thank her. ¡°There is no need to thank me. If you wish to do so, you should thank that guy. I''m just carrying out the tasks he assigned me,¡± replied Noa. She quickly helped them up as she spoke. ¡°Where is Sir now? Will I see him again?¡± asked Geetha. It seemed he truly wished to see Ye Fan again. Noa shook her head and replied, ¡°No, I don''t think you''ll ever see him again.¡± Noa and the others got ready to leave after settling everything. Before they left, Selva held Noa''s hand. ¡°This is so wonderful. Ye Fan found such an amazing wife. Miss, you must inform me when you and Ye Fan have a kid. I may not have many skills, but I am a great tailor and can make the best clothes for the kid,¡± said Selva. Noa didn''t clear the misunderstanding. Instead, she smiled and nodded. She didn''t actually know Ye Fan that well, but to her, being mistaken as his wife was something that was rather wonderful. ¡°I''m so sorry, Junie. I should''ve exined the situation earlier and told them that you are his girlfriend,¡± said Noa when they were on their way home. She had thought about it and realized that she should apologize to Junie. Junie giggled and shook her head. ¡°There is no need to apologize because I''m not his girlfriend, either.¡± ¡°Huh? You''re not? But earlier...¡± said Noa in a surprised tone. She thought about how Junie and Ye Fan hugged each other a few months ago and how he crushed the martial artists of the country for her... All that time, Noa thought that Junie was his girlfriend. I was even heartbroken over it for quite some time, but now... ¡°You only mistook the situation because you don''t know him well. ¡°Many thought that Ye Fan is a murderous monster with a heart as ck as coal. They assumed they would do the world a favor by getting rid of him. ¡°The truth, however, is that he is a great man. ¡°He would endure hardship for over a decade just to get justice for his mother. ¡°He would also kill himself to protect hisrades and subordinates. Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org. ¡°Anyone who shows him any kindness will be repaid in ten folds... maybe more. ¡°You must think that he is especially nice to me since he is willing to die for me. It might even seem incredible that he destroyed all the martial artists in the country just to put me at the top. ¡°Yet, the simple truth is that is how he treats everyone. ¡°He will go all out to protect the people who are dear to him.¡± The car sped ahead, and a gust of warm wind swept across thend. It danced with the hair on Junie''s forehead as she smiled. Her eyes glowed with tenderness as she told Noa the story of the amazing man called Ye Fan. Those who didn''t know him well would see him as a monster, but those who had gotten to know him will all fall for his charms. They were just like Junie. She, too, admired Ye Fan''s kindness. At Livingsfill, Ye Fan extended a helping hand to a family of strangers and killed the Meng family for them. After that, he repaid the kindness Geetha and Selva showed him by personally asking both Junie and Noa to help them. Ye Fan had already reached the top, but he always remembered the kindness others had extended to him. ¡°Does that mean I have a shot?¡± asked Noa. Her eyes started glowing brighter in that instant. Unfortunately, Junie shook her head once more. ¡°Neither one of us has a shot anymore. He is already married, and his wife is a woman by the name of Qiu Mucheng.¡± What? H-He''s married? Noa was instantly stunned in ce. Whatever fantasy she had earlier was pulverized once more. ¡°With someone like Ye Fan as her husband, she must be a very happy woman. Can you tell me more about her? I bet she is an incredible woman,¡± said Noa as her heart slumped down once more. All she wanted was to know what the happiest woman on Earth was like. Who was the incredible woman that made Ye Fan turn his head? I can''t believe there is someone even more amazing than Junie. ¡°You''re about to be really disappointed. His wife is slightly more beautiful than average, but she is rather normal whenpared to Ye Fan. In a way, it can be said that you are better than she is in every way. It doesn''t matter, though. She was there when Ye Fan was at his lowest, and that was something none of us canpete against. All we can offer is help by keeping a portion of his enemy in check for him, and we have to do so without asking for any attention or love in return. Only then can we help alleviate a part of his stress for him. There is no way we can be the woman sleeping on his bed, so we''ll just have to settle for being the woman supporting him,¡± replied Junie calmly. Junie''s ideal n was to let one of her other colleagues take over as the Elysian Master after she had her revenge. She never enjoyed battles or politics and would prefer to lead a simple life. She wanted to live as she did in the past. In a secluded ce in Xijiang, she would find a nice spot and grow some flowers there. It would be a life filled with freedom and peace. However, Ye Fan ended up putting her at the top of India''s martial arts world. She thought about it and realized that was a good alternative as well. Ye Fan is always getting in trouble, so in the future, if China chases him out, he will at least have a ce here in India because I will keep one open for him. Chapter 1985 Chapter 1985 If I can''t be the lover by his side, let me be his friend standing behind him... Noa appeared to be in a daze as she repeated the line to herself in her head. After what seemed like a long time, she dered with a determined nod of her head, ¡°Junie, you were right. I''ve made up my mind. I won''t go to China with Ye Fan. I''ll remain here to help him cement his authority in India. If therees a day when everyone turns against him, I''ll be the safe harbor for him to seek refuge in!¡± After talking to Junie, she had gained a much clearer perspective of her internal struggles over the past few days. Even if I like a person, I can''t insist on him liking me back. Perhaps I can also find happiness in standing behind him and watching over him from afar. Just like what Junie said, even if I can''t be his lover, I can still find contentment in being a friend that he can turn to in times of need. The heart to heart talk that Noa had with Junie had brought the two of them closer to each other. From that day on, Noa started looking upon Junie as her sister. ¡°If someone as remarkable as Junie can''t win over Ye Fan''s heart, who am I to think I can keep him by my side?¡± After she sorted out her feelings on the matter, she felt relieved of the burden she had been carrying in her heart. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Following Ye Fan''s move into seclusion, peace was returned to the once-chaotic martial arts world in India. However, to Noa and Junie, the challenge had just begun. They were just two women who had no martial arts training and no physical prowess. It would be an uphill battle for them to lead the entire sect and make their subordinates submit to them. Nevertheless, the storm seemed to have been quelled in India. The same could not be said about the rest of the martial arts world, where a new storm was just beginning to brew. First of all, the Grandmasters who had gone to India to attend the wedding seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Secondly, news of the demise of Fen Tian, the King of India, was just beginning to spread across the martial arts world. Finally, the most astounding news of all was the reappearance of Chu Tianfan, the Dragon God Hall Master who once topped the Sky Ranking! As the saying goes, one stone creates a thousand ripples. These three pieces of news were spread like shockwaves across the world. The Folo Pce in India was inundated with calls from the heads of Western Epea, Remdik, the Sword Shrine in Japan, and the War God Castle in China, all wanting to find more information. The calls were answered personally by King Folo. ¡°Hello, Mr. Aaron! What? Your representatives from Remdik have yet to return to your country? Oh, I''m not sure about that.¡± He continued. ¡°Really? Fen Tian is dead? Is it just a rumor? I saw him returning to his wedding chamber on the wedding day itself with my own eyes.¡± There was more. ¡°What? Chu Tianfan is back? That''s even more ridiculous! If he''s back in India, how would I not know about it?¡± He picked up many calls that were simr in content. Without exception, he answered all of them with ¡°I have no idea¡± or ¡°I''m not sure¡±. He ensured that there was no real information conveyed in anything he said. This was the strategy he had decided on after discussing with Bapei and the rest. No matter what, they would not disclose the reappearance of Ye Fan to the rest of the world. It was the most logical thing to do. If the news that Ye Fan was alive was leaked to the rest of the world, all hell would break loose. When that time came, all the armies from the various countries would join forces to surround Chu Sect and attack Ye Fan. As Ye Fan was still in India, King Folo naturally wanted to protect his own citizens and did not wish to see bloodshed happen on his soil. After all, this was a battle between the gods. If they were not careful, even the residual energy waves from their battle could wipe out an entire city. Why did the War God Castle not allow Ye Fan to return to China years ago? It was precisely to avoid having a war erupt in China! How would they answer to their people for all the misery and suffering that would result from the war? That was why Sword Saint and the rest blocked Ye Fan from entering China. Even if he were to die, he would have to die on foreign soil. He was not to be allowed into the country no matter what. Of course, this was just part of the reason. The other part of the reason was that King Folo was truly terrified of Ye Fan. If the martial arts world knew he was still alive, they would want to take his life. It would be great if they could seed in killing him. But if they failed, King Folo was sure that Folo Pce would be the first ce Ye Fan would attack once he recovered from his injuries. When that time came, even if King Folo got down on his knees and kowtowed to Ye Fan, he would not hesitate to take his life. ¡°This is a lunatic we''re talking about! From now on, we can offend anyone in the rest of the martial arts world, but we must never offend Ye Fan!¡± This was amon understanding among the three Supremes in Folo Pce. It was also a lesson that King Folo paid a painful price to learn, after engaging in a prolonged battle with Ye Fan. From now on, whoever wanted to kill Ye Fan could just go ahead, but India would have nothing to do with it. They had had enough, and they wanted no more part in it. ¡°Is it really just rumors?¡± ¡°I don''t buy it. Why would Grandmaster Ke Zhe disappear for so long without a word?¡± ¡°Something must have happened in India.¡± ¡°Sword Saint, shall I make a trip there and check out the situation myself?¡± In China, on the top of Mount Yan, King of Fighters, Sword Saint, and the rest were discussing what was going in India. Sword Saint said with a wave of his hand, ¡°Just send a few men there to take a look. For now, the few of us should stand guard here in Mount Yan and be ready to react to any emergency situation that might crop up. I fear some major event is going to erupt over at Chu Sect.¡± The numerous iing reports about Chu Sect''s redeployment of troops were causing him some anxiety. What happened to Ke Zhe and whatever was going on in India were just trivial matters to them here in the castle. The whole reason why he had personally made the call to King Folo was all because of one person. The person who was the whole world''s nightmare. It was a fact that even Sword Saint and the rest could not deny. Now it seemed like it was just a rumor, just like how it was in the previous times. ¡°All right, I''ll arrange for a few men to go to India and look for Ke Zhe,¡± King of Fighters agreed. Simr scenes were ying out in other parts of the world as the leaders of their martial arts world began sending men to India to look for their own people. After all, it was too bizarre. How could someone just disappear into thin air after attending a wedding? Erihal was one of those countries that had sent a representative and not heard from him since then. They enquired with their neighbouring country and found out that it was the same there. All the countries that had sent people to attend the wedding had lost contact with their representatives. If only one of them had met with some ident, there might still be a reasonable exnation behind it. However now it seemed that all the martial arts world representatives from all the countries had mysteriously gone missing. The whole situation was simply too strange. As a result, hordes of martial artists began pouring into India within the next few days to investigate. They were not met with any resistance from King Folo. If they wished to carry out their own investigation, he was happy to just let them go ahead with it. If they ended up not finding anything, at least they could still return to their countries alive. If they did end up finding out the truth, he figured that all of them would perish anyway. In Japan, at the Sanshin Organization, Moon God had just finished her practice session and had summoned Mochizuki Kawa, Sword Shrine Head Priest to see her. ¡°Any news of himtely?¡± Seated high up on her throne, Moon God''s wless face exuded a sense of majesty and authority. Mochizuki Kawa reacted with an agonized look on his face. Indeed, the heart of their highest god in Japan had been stolen by that man. For nearly three years, every time Moon God emerged from her practice sessions, the first thing she would enquire about was not thetest developments in the Japanese martial arts world or the grooming of new talents among the younger generation. The first thing she asked for was always news about that man. Mochizuki Kawa felt that in this entire world, the only thing that could capture Moon God''s attention was news about him. ¡°Your Highness, there''s been rumors of sightings of that man in Indiately. However, I have enquired with Folo Pce, and they have denied any knowledge of the news. Hence it appears that it is nothing but a rumor, just like all the other times.¡± For nearly three years, rumors like this would resurface once in a while. People would im that Chu Tianfan was still alive, or that the Dragon God Hall Master had reappeared. But without exception, they would all turn out to be nothing but fake news. That was why most people believed that this time was no different. Moon God''s face betrayed a trace of disappointment. She dismissed Mochizuki Kawa and walked out of the room herself. A light breeze tousled her long xen hair and lightly lifted her flowy white dress. As her dress was pping in the wind, glimpses of her porcin white wrists could be seen. On one of her wrists, the red love knot bracelet hung waving in the wind. If Mochizuki Kawa or any other Japanese martial artist had seen their most revered god adorning herself with such amon trinket that was used to symbolize love between couples, they would probably be so shocked that their eyes would pop out of their sockets. Chapter 1986 Chapter 1986 However, themoners wouldn''t know what the love knot bracelet meant to Moon God. Once they''d met each other, they were bound to be together in their next lives. Back then, she was still a puny Suzumiya Eigetsu when she gave the love knot bracelet to Ye Fan. In China''s culture, that was deemed as a token of love between Ye Fan and her. However, fate was cruel. When she became Moon God, Ye Fan had charged right into Chu Sect. Evidently, fate had always been in their way. No matter how many times Moon God tried to forget about that man, she''d failed. Not only did time not help her forget about Ye Fan, but it had made it worse. Like wine, her longing for him had only gotten more intense over time. ¡°Have you not moved on from him yet?¡± Moon God''s voice rang out in her mind. ¡°I''m sorry, Moon God. I-I just feel like I''ve let Master down.¡± After over two years, the martial arts world had gone through a series of changes. It was safe to assume that people like King of Fighters and Sword Saint had already forgotten about Ye Fan. However, Suzumiya Eigetsu was not one of them. In fact, every time she closed her eyes, she could still see the scene in her mind whereby the martial arts world from all the countries had gathered up around Ye Fan. Although she didn''t see Ye Fanmitting suicide with her own eyes, she knew he''d descended into hopelessness at that time. ¡°As I''ve said before, I''ll be there whenever Master needs me, be it dead or alive. However, I wasn''t there when Master needed me the most. If I was by Master''s side that day, he wouldn''t have died.¡± Although it had been two years, Suzumiya Eigetsu would still weep every time she thought about the past. Ultimately, she still thought she was responsible for Ye Fan''s death. What happened to Master is my fault. ¡°I''m sorry, Eigetsu. It''s all my fault. I was the one who insisted on going back to Japan. I hope you can understand my point of view. As Japan''s mightiest god, I can''t risk my countrymen for an outsider,¡± Tsukuyomi apologized. As a matter of fact, Tsukuyomi had seen iting. She knew Chu Sect was threatening her with the lives of the Japanese people. She knew it was just a trick by Chu Yuan. However, she still had to head back because it was her mission and duty to protect her people. As she expected, the moment Demonic Duo of Chu Sect saw Tsukuyomi heading back, they left right away. After all, Chu Sect''s main purpose was to kill Ye Fan. ¡°Moon God, I understand. I don''t me you. It''s just that I feel like I''ve let Master down.¡± The more Suzumiya Eigetsu thought about what happened, the worse she felt. It was so bad that her guilt had affected Tsukuyomi''s emotional intelligence. Since the body had two souls in it, they could affect each other. ¡°Why don''t we pay India a visit? If you don''t go look for him, I doubt you''d ever have closure.¡± Helpless, Tsukuyomi could only decide to look for Ye Fan in India. Indeed, there were rumors of Ye Fan being alive in the past two years. At first, martial arts worlds from all over the world were paying attention to these rumors. After a while, everyone had gotten too used to the rumors and just ignored them. However, there was an exception. And that was Moon God. Regardless of rumors or not, she''d always visit the scene to investigate whenever she heard such news. Within the past two years, Moon God had visited the foreign countries more than a dozen times to look for Ye Fan. Although most of the time these rumors were baseless, Moon God would still look for him. That was because she was unwilling to give up on any opportunity to look for him. So what if those were just rumors? So what if I''ve been fooled over a thousand times? No matter how slim of a chance it is, I''d still grab them as theye. Just like that, they set out for India that night. Once again, she was on a journey to look for Ye Fan. Meanwhile, in Folo Pce, King Folo, Haibu, and Bapei had been healing themselves for days. By then, they''d healed up to seventy percent of the injuries caused by Ye Fan. Haibu looked at his scarred body and uttered in despair, ¡°Chu Tianfan was ruthless! We''ve already used the healing oil passed down to us by our ancestors, and yet, we haven''t recovered fully after more than ten days.¡± ¡°Be grateful, will you? You''re lucky enough to still be alive!¡± Bapei eximed. Prior to that, they''d always seek revenge even if they''d been defeated by their counterparts. That was just how they were. This time around, however, the three of them had admitted defeat after having fought with Ye Fan. For Bapei, he felt as though it was a blessing to have been beaten up by Ye Fan, so he wasn''t holding any grudges whatsoever. Since Ye Fan had let them live and decided not to kill them, Bapei and the others felt grateful to him for sparing their lives. In other words, the three of them dared not to think of ways to seek revenge against Ye Fan. As they were chatting away, someone arrived outside the castle and reported, ¡°Kings, we have powerful iersing to India.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. King Folo waved his hands dismissively. ¡°I bet they''re here for what happened on Fen Tian''s wedding day. Let them investigate if they want. These are all nobodies, so I doubt they could cause any trouble.¡± Recently, India had seen plenty of martial artists from different countries'' martial arts world going in. Hence, King Folo and the rest were used to it. King Folo allowed them to do whatever they wanted as long as they abided by India''sws. However, King Folo wouldn''t help them with their investigations. In fact, he treated all martial artists from foreign countries the same. He wouldn''t stand in their way, nor would he help them. In other words, he''d just not involve himself entirely. ¡°But she''d requested to see three of you at once, King Folo. She wants to ask about Chu Tianfan,¡± the subordinate remarked. ¡°What''s there to ask? Just tell them we''re busy and ask them to buzz off!¡± Haibu fumed. We were almost killed by Ye Fan, and now someone wants to involve us in his matters again? Are they trying to cause trouble for us? Boom! As soon as Haibu finished talking, a bright ray of light was seen approaching from a few thousand meters away. Those rays of light arrived like destructive thunders and sent the newly rebuilt Folo Pce crumbling down. As the castle was copsing, a saintly entity was seen descending from above and appeared in front of King Folo and the others. ¡°Who did you guys ask to buzz off?¡± The female entity looked down at them with her glowing face. ¡°M-Moon God?¡± King Folo and the others were stumped. What the f*ck? Have we offended the Gods or something? We''ve just been visited by a murderous god, and herees another one? Although Ye Fan was scary, the one in front of us now is just as hard to handle as him! After all, no matter how strong Ye Fan was, he was still only ranked first in Sky Ranking. As for the entity before us, she''s from the god realm! She''s mightier than all the people in Sky Ranking! Over two years ago, we almost died when they charged into Folo Pce. ¡°T-this is a misunderstanding! T-this really is just a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°We didn''t know you''d arrived, Moon God! You''ve honored us with your presence! Please forgive us!¡± King Folo and the others were in distress. Prior to that, Ye Fan had destroyed their castle, and yet, not only did they dare not utter a word in retaliation, but they''d even acknowledged Ye Fan as their master. This time around, someone had demolished their castle again, and they dared not to say a single word to protest as well. Instead, they had to apologize. It was a world where the mightiest fighter trumped all. ¡°I''ve heard about Chu Tianfan showing up in India. If you wish to live, tell me everything you know about him!¡± Unlike the other martial artists from foreign countries, Moon God didn''t need to investigate the matter on her own. Indeed, she didn''t need to put in the extra effort. Whatever she needed to know, she could just ask the three of them in Folo Pce because she assumed that if Chu Tianfan were to appear, they''d surely know about it. If they decided to keep their mouths shut, she intended to beat the information out of them. Unhesitatingly, King Folo and the others smiled wryly and said, ¡°We don''t know anything! Surely those are just rumors, like the ones we''ve heard before this.¡± Thud! When King Folo wanted to approach her, Moon God delivered him a tight p across the face. He ended up bleeding because of the powerful p. ¡°Moon God, why would you...¡± Haibu and the others were slightly infuriated with her violent act, they protested, ¡°We¡ª¡± Before they could finish their sentence, Moon God pped them as well. p! ¡°Regarding Chu Tianfan¡ª¡± p! In the end, Moon God would just p King Folo and the others every time they opened their mouths. She didn''t even give them a chance to talk. King Folo and the others were on the verge of crying. Is she here to investigate, or is she here to beat people up? If she won''t let us talk, how is she going to find out about anything? Chapter 1987 Chapter 1987 At that point, Moon God didn''t like those three very much. If it wasn''t for the fear of consequences, Moon God would''ve killed three of them when Ye Fan was being forced tomit suicide because, after all, the three of them yed their parts in Ye Fan''s death. Hence, the beatings were just a way of getting back at them. Of course, Moon God was just taking the opportunity to let out her anger. She couldn''t have killed King Folo and the others, even if she wanted to. There were certain things only Ye Fan could do because he was alone, and he had no one to be responsible for. He didn''t need to worry about the consequences of his actions. Moon God, on the other hand, didn''t have that luxury. As the guardian of the martial arts world in her country, her actions could directly reflect her country''s stance. Even if she were to beat them up, there was nothing much they could do in retaliation. After all, they knew how big of a difference in strength they hadpared to her. Hence, they had no choice but to ept the beatings quietly. However, things might get dicey if she were to kill them. During the second world war back then, Japan knew it was going down for sure. Yet, its people refused to surrender and fought till the end. If Moon God were to demolish Folo Pce there and then, India would definitely go berserk and dere war on Japan. Indeed, there were skills to bullying as well. Back then, the nuclear bomb wasn''t dropped on Tokyo because everyone knew how sacred and important Tokyo was to the localmunity. If Tokyo was bombed, its people would definitely seek revenge. Simrly, those three people were the symbols and faith of the martial arts world in India. Unless absolutely necessary, Moon God wouldn''t kill them. However, Moon God could still bear the consequences of crippling them. ¡°P-Please stop beating us up. We beg of you! W-We''ll talk, okay? We''ll talk.¡± King Folo and the others were already weeping at that point. They had no idea why they were always getting beaten up. They hadn''t even healed after getting beaten up by Ye Fan prior to that. And now Moon God is beating us up again! Our injuries are all back again after those days of healing! King Folo and the others knew there was no way they could fool Moon God. Hence, they''d rather just spill everything out. Finally, Moon God stopped beating them up. She then looked down at the three Supremes covered in blood. As a matter of fact, Moon God knew the three of them were hiding something from the beginning. After all, Moon God was a reincarnated god. After a few reincarnations, she''d undoubtedly seen it all. From the moment she entered Folo Pce, she already knew the ce had just gone through a world- shattering battle. Judging by the damage done to this ce, the destroyer was definitely not an ordinary Supreme. Besides, even the holy mountain of India, Folo Mountain, had been crumbled! By right, a battle of this magnitude should''ve sent shock waves through all the martial arts worlds worldwide. Yet, I''ve never heard about it. Furthermore, King Folo and the others seem weakened. They''re definitely still recovering from serious injuries. Moon God had noticed all the telltale signs. She knew the three of them were hiding something. However, she had no idea what they were hiding. ¡°So, Fen Tian had perished. He was killed by his own peers. He''d betrayed his own people and¡ª¡± Thud! As King Folo was talking, Moon God had once again given him a p across the face because that wasn''t the news she was after. She then nced at Haibu. The corners of Haibu''s lips twitched slightly, and he stammered, ¡°O-Oh! M-My senior, Duolun, didn''t die. H-He''d returned and¡ª¡± Thud! Another p had been delivered. Indeed, Haibu wasn''t spared. Moon God sent his bulky body rolling on the floor toward the distance because again, that wasn''t the news she was after. Ultimately, it was Bapei''s turn. Upon seeing what had happened to the other two before him, Bapei was on the verge of crying. He was contemting on telling the truth. If I tell the truth, Ye Fan might kill me! If I don''t, the woman before my eyes will surely punish me as well. Thud! The sound of a p rang loud once again. Bapei immediately spurted blood from his mouth, and he was sent flying toward a pond far away. What the f*ck! This is so unfair! I haven''t even spoken yet! Why did she hit me? Sh*t! She''s such a bully! Bapei crawled out of the muddy pond, and his heart was filled with grievance. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Obviously, he was upset because, unlike him, at least King Folo and Haibu were given the chance to talk before getting beaten up. While ignoring Bapei''s misfortune, Moon God asked coldly, ¡°You guys should know who I''m asking about, right?¡± Moon God''s patience was running thin, and she walked toward them once again. When they saw her walking toward them, they knew they were going to get tortured again. In the end, the cunning King Folo immediately shouted in despair, ¡°O-Okay! We''ll tell you the truth, okay? Frankly, we''ve received news of Chu Tianfan''s appearances, and we''ve already sent people to investigate the matter. After investigating, our leads are pointing toward Elysian Faction and the Vias family. That''s all we know. As for the rest of the information, we couldn''t tell you even if you were to kill us now. We can''t possibly make up stories to fool you, can we?¡± After that, King Folo slumped on the ground weakly. ¡°You guys should know the consequences of lying to me, right?¡± With that, Moon God left. After she left, King Folo and the others desperately gasped for air as they slumped on the ground. ¡°W-We''re safe...¡± Haibu uttered happily. Bapei, however, was in no mood to smile. ¡°King Folo, did you just reveal where Chu Tianfan could be? If he finds out about this, we''re doomed!¡± The color drained out of King Folo''s face. ¡°I didn''t have a choice! Besides, we''ve only exposed Elysian Faction and the Vias family. I didn''t say anything about Chu Tianfan, did I? Hence, why should I be med? Also, Moon God is a strong figure from the god realm. Let''s see how Chu Tianfan is going to get through it this time around, shall we?¡± In fact, everyone knew about the conflict between Ye Fan and the martial arts world in Japan. Back then, Chu Tianfan had made his way toward Japan and killed its Supremes and Grandmasters. That was indeed an earth-shattering battle. To put it simply, if it wasn''t for the emergence of Moon God, the martial arts world in Japan would''ve be irrelevantpared to the other countries in the world. Hence, the martial artists from Japan hated Ye Fan a lot. In fact, everyone in the martial arts world knew Moon God hated Ye Fan the most. As far as they were concerned, she hated him so much that she wanted to kill him herself. In fact, everyone thought Moon God would still be dissatisfied if he was killed by anyone other than her. That was because Moon God had stopped Chu Yuan when he wanted to kill Ye Fan on the shores of Eastsea. She told them she wanted to bring Ye Fan back to Japan so that she could kill him herself. Only then, Ye Fan''s sinful acts against the country could be atoned. After that, the people forced Ye Fan to take his own life. Since Moon God didn''t get the chance to kill him herself to avenge her people, she was so angry that she''d beaten up the Supremes that had rounded Ye Fan up. That was what everyone thought, at least. Now, even a few years after Ye Fan''s death, Moon God''s determination to kill him remained. She''d come so many times hoping that she could find him and kill him. Luckily, his body was gone. Otherwise, judging by how much Moon God hates Ye Fan, she''d surely drag his body out of his grave and abuse it. King Folo and the others thought Moon God really hated Ye Fan that much. ¡°Yikes... Frankly, Chu Tianfan is quite something to be able to get on the nerves of such a strong figure from the god realm. He better look after himself, then.¡± As King Folo and the others were watching Moon God leave, they couldn''t help but feel bad for Ye Fan. Back then, he''d already died once in the hands of Chu Yuan, another strong figure in the god realm. Will he suffer the same fate now that he''s up against another figure from the god realm? ¡°Let''s go. We should go there secretly as well,¡± King Folo suddenly uttered. ¡°What for? We don''t want to die!¡± Bapei was so scared that he just wanted to stay as far away from Ye Fan as possible. ¡°You''re such a coward! Why are you so scared? We''re Supremes, no? Even if we can''t afford to fight against Chu Tianfan, we can still escape and run back here, no? Furthermore, it''s not like we''re going there to fight! We''ll just watch from afar. Let''s watch how Moon God is going to beat Chu Tianfan up!¡± Chapter 1988 Chapter 1988 Meanwhile, in Elysian Hall, an assessment for Novice was being held. Junie wanted to strengthen Elysian Hall. Hence, she had to bring in recruits. After the ceremony, Elysian Hall announced to the world that they were in the process of recruiting. The Vias family was to provide financial support while Folo Pce was responsible for providing a safety guarantee. With that, India''s martial artists began flocking to the recruiting process. Within days, there were countless of them who were applying to be a Novice. Indeed, Elysian Hall was on the crest of a wave. Upon asking, they''d received financial support, manpower support, and backers. Not only that, but Junie also promoted four seniors to be Elysian Masters of Elysian Hall. Including her, there were a total of five Elysian Masters. Together, they had the highest authority over Elysian Hall. Hence, they were required to have a discussion among themselves before handling major matters. Of course, Junie was still the one making the final decisions because she was the first Elysian Master. Nevertheless, Elysian Hall hadn''t been peaceful at all. From time to time, they''d have foreign powerful figures paying them a visit. These visitors were mostly there to investigate Fen Tian''s wedding. Junie was well-prepared, though. She''d already ordered her people to keep their mouths shut and tell those visitors that they had no idea what happened. Apart from Elysian Hall, all the martial artists from India''s martial arts world were also instructed by King Folo to not reveal anything. Since they didn''t want to end up like Fen Tian, everyone knew to keep their opinions and knowledge to themselves. That was why all the investigators from foreign countries hadn''t gotten any useful information out of them over the past half a month. However, although the investigators didn''t find anything useful, the elders and Elysian Master of Elysian Hall had discovered something shocking. They found out that the person who killed Fen Tian and ascended the throne with Junie was actually Chu Tianfan. The elders of Elysian Hall didn''t know much about Chu Tianfan because they''d been hiding in the mountains to avoid Fen Tian for the past decades. Not only did they not know when Ye Fan became famous, but they also had no clue regarding the fall of Ye Fan. However, they recently found out that Chu Tianfan was once a powerful figure in Sky Ranking, but he''d been listed as an enemy of the world after the evil deeds he''dmitted. When they found out about the truth, Elysian Hall''s head of elders, the four newly appointed Elysian Masters, and elders went to see Junie together. ¡°Ms. Junie, you''re making a mistake! Here at Elysian Hall, we''d only get involved with honorable people. Over the past centuries, our sect had always been righteous and transparent, and that''s why everyone knows how fair and proper we are. You, as the leader, have the responsibility to uphold the sect''s identity. You mustn''t get involved with an evil person like him. Why are you asking us to hide his tracks and protect a despicable person like him now? When we get exposed, Elysian Hall''s reputation of being upright would be tarnished! Besides, if we keep our mouths shut now, we''d be considered aplices. Fortunately, we still have time to correct the mistakes made. Our suggestion is to tell the whole world that Chu Tianfan is hiding with the Vias family. After that, we should link up with the strong fighters from the other countries and restore justice by taking him down! If we do that, Elysian Hall will surely get respected by the martial arts world. In fact, we could even get famous overnight!¡± the elders of Elysian Hall suggested. However, Junie rejected them sternly. ¡°Not only I, but Elysian Hall too owe Ye Fan that much! If it wasn''t for him, would Fen Tian be dead? Would we be able to have our revenge? If it wasn''t for him, I would''ve died in Fen Tian''s hands instead of being in this position today!¡± ¡°Ms. Junie, I remember you''ve healed someone back in China. The person you healed was Chu Tianfan, wasn''t it? Since you''ve already saved his life once, the score is settled, no? Why do you feel like you''re still owing him a favor? Of course, we know how kind you are. Fine, then. We won''t attack Chu Tianfan ourselves. However, we must tell the whole world where Chu Tianfan is. That''s the only way we can distance ourselves from him. Otherwise, all our hard work in building Elysian Hall will be in vain once we''rebeled as his aplices! By then, we''re doomed! Please see the bigger picture, Ms. Junie. Although you''re a woman, don''t be so emotional!¡± the four Elysian Masters urged assertively. In fact, there was a hint of displeasure in their words, and they sounded like they were threatening her. Hearing that, the sect''s elders advised as well, ¡°Please see the bigger picture, Ms. Junie. Don''t be so emotional! Otherwise, Elysian Hall will be done for!¡± ¡°Please focus on the big picture, Ms. Junie!¡± everyone in the hall shouted in unison. They were so stern that they sounded like there was no way they could ept Junie saying no to them. Upon hearing that, Junie was infuriated because she found their words degrading. Did they just call me emotional? That''s an insult! ¡°Atrocious! What are you guys trying to do? Are you guys trying to usurp me?¡± Junie stood up and thundered. However, Junie was undoubtedly weaker than them, and she wasn''t as experienced. Hence, none of the Grandmasters took her statement seriously. ¡°Ms. Junie, we''re just taking the bigger picture into consideration. We don''t harbor other intentions. At times, some things are to be sacrificed for the fate of the sect! That''s your responsibility, Ms. Junie! We urge you to consider our suggestion. Otherwise, you''d be considered irresponsible, Ms. Junie,¡± some Elysian Masters uttered coldly. Junie''s lips curled into a smile. ¡°It seems like you guys have discussed beforehand and came to force me into submission. However, let me be clear. Ye Fan is my friend, and he''s also a friend of Elysian Faction. As long as I''m still alive and kicking, Elysian Faction will be on friendly terms with Ye Fan. If you dare, you can kill me and take my position as the head!¡± Junie was so angry that she''d put her life on the line. Upon hearing that, the expressions on the four Elysian Masters and the elders'' faces changed. Initially, they thought Junie was just a weak rascal despite being the head of the sect. Hence, they thought she''d cave in and give up on Chu Tianfan if they were to be stern with her. To their surprise, Junie managed to stand her ground despite her tender age. Did she just ask us to kill her instead? Suddenly, the elders of the sect felt helpless. Due to Junie''sck of prestige, most of the elders were not fond of their young head of the sect. However, they wouldn''t dare to usurp Junie because her position was endorsed by King Folo and the other Supremes. If they were to either kill or usurp her, they couldn''t afford to deal with the response from Folo Pce. In fact, King Folo and the others might get so angry that Elysian Hall could be destroyed as a consequence. Although the Elysian Masters knew there was nothing they could do, they couldn''t hide their anger, either. ¡°Friend? Ms. Junie, have you fallen for him?¡± they asked coldly. Their words were outright disrespectful toward the head of the sect. However, they couldn''t care less. After all, they were older and more experienced than Junie. In fact, they were all stronger than her. Naturally, they didn''t feel the need to respect her. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. What''s the worst-case scenario? They can kill me and usurp me if they want. Since her counterparts had shown such disrespect, Junie decided to return the favor. ¡°So what if I like him? So what if I don''t? If I were to bear his child, what can you do in retaliation?¡± When Junie wasn''t even afraid of what was the worst oue for her, she had nothing to lose. Furious, she disregarded all the consequences and didn''t hold back on her words. The elders of Elysian Faction were infuriated. ¡°Y-You... You''re the head of Elysian Faction! How could you say such nonsense?¡± The elders were trembling with anger. She''s ridiculous! Is that something the head of a faction should say? Shouldn''t she think of ways to strengthen the sect? Why would she think about having a child with an outsider? That was exactly what the ancient president of India did! Instead of strengthening the country, he kept thinking about marrying into China and bing a live-in son-inw. In the end, he''d brought shame to the whole of India! If the head of Elysian Hall really ends up having a child with an outsider, Elysian Faction would be so embarrassed! In fact, that would make us aughingstock! Chapter 1989 Chapter 1989 Junie had enough. ¡°There, I said it. What are you going to do about it? Overthrow me as head of the sect if you can!¡± Who do they think they are to drive a wedge between me and Ye Fan? It''s ludicrous that they would expect me to give up a decade-long friendship with him over a few words! Despite how indignant she was, Junie could not do much beyond angering the elders of the Elysian Faction with her words. She knew the old men valued the sect''s reputation even more than their own lives. Their faces turning purple with rage felt more satisfying to Junie than beating them. As angry as they were, the elders of the Elysian Faction could not do anything to reverse the decision of their vtile and unpredictable leader. As much as the elders wanted to, they could not overthrow Junie and would not dare to kill her. It had never been something the Elysian Faction elders have felt the need to resort to. After all, Junie was the predecessor chosen by the old Elysian Master. At most, they did not have much faith and respect for Junie, but they never dared conspire to hurt Junie. ¡°Ms. Junie, you will suffer the consequences if you insist on going your own way. It won''t be long before the Elysian Faction will be in trouble because of your actions. I hope for your sake that you would have a proper exnation for the spirits of the past Elysian Masters! Let''s go!¡± By that point, Junie had arrived at an impasse with the rest of the sect. Driven insolent by desperation, the elders shouted angrily at Junie before turning on their heels and stalking off. Junie paid their disobedience no mind. She had her own n to carry out to rectify the sect by training new recruits. Although the sect elders often opposed Junie when it came to matters regarding Ye Fan, they still fulfilled their duties in aiding their leader with due diligence. After all, like Junie, they shared themon goal of restoring the sect''s former glory. However, the quiet barelysted a few days before it was disrupted again when an uninvited guest arrived outside the gates of the Elysian Faction. Therge number of new recruits were amazed at the sight of the beautiful woman who looked out of ce in their midst like she was an exiled angel from heaven. All at once, they flocked around her to chat. ¡°My, what a beautiful girl! I say, miss, are you also here to join our sect? I''m afraid to disappoint you with the news that the Elysian Faction does not ept female disciples. However, do not despair! Perhaps you can be the wife of one. What do you say, eh?¡± To their unpleasant surprise, the beautiful woman before them was obviously not as meek as they initially assumed. ¡°Get lost!¡± she snapped in response to the frivolous attempts at courting her. Hum! Apanying her retort was a sound like muffled thunder which swept across the entire courtyard in a fierce gust of wind and sent the prospective disciples flying in every direction as they coughed up blood amidst groans of pain. However, the woman spared one of them. The lucky one fell to his knees in his extreme fright at such a bizarre phenomenon. Just the sound of her voice is capable of such damage! Is this what Supremes are capable of? This must be none other than the head of the Chu Sect. The one left almost wet his pants in fear at that very thought. There were not many female Supremes. The two most famous ones were Tang Yun, the head of the Chu Sect, and the other, Moryana, who had been missing from China for many years. It is most likely that this ruthless woman before me is Tang Yun, the head of the Chu Sect. ¡°Please,¡± the man begged, ¡°spare me!¡± The woman only replied, ¡°Have the head of your secte out to meet me. I have something to ask him.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, right away.¡± Sweating profusely with relief, the man leaped to his feet and bolted into the hall like a rabbit. Soon after, Junie appeared with the elders of the Elysian Faction. ¡°Who amongst you is the head of the Elysian Faction?¡± The woman asked in a low voice as she surveyed the old men. Though her tone was cold, it was at least considered civil. However, the look of the neer suddenly changed when a young and beautiful woman stood up and imed to be the head of the Elysian Faction. Traces of hostility and anger appeared in her eyes. ¡°You are the Elysian Master?¡± she asked coldly. ¡°That''s me,¡± Junie replied. ¡°What can we do for you? We have only rebuilt the Elysian Faction a few days ago. I hope we haven''t had any mishaps that have offended you?¡± The woman ignored her remark and delved straight to the point of her visit. ¡°Where is Chu Tianfan?¡± she asked with a hint of anger in her voice. ¡°Have hime out!¡± An uproarmenced as soon as her words fell. Everybody present could see the hatred and resentment that the woman had for Chu Tianfan. He''s getting what''sing for him. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Upon learning that the woman was here for Chu Tianfan, the elders of the Elysian Faction turned their attention to Junie. ¡°Didn''t we tell you, Ms. Junie? You refused to listen. Look at where that got us! Catastrophe is imminent, we hope you''re satisfied. Are you still insisting on your own way? Are you still intent on bearing his child?¡± The sect elders took the opportunity to vent their long-held frustration against Junie, who remained impassive and silent. ¡°Nothing to say, have you?¡± the elders snorted. ¡°We''ve always known that women are unfit to lead. I really don''t know what the old Elysian Master was thinking to hand over the sect to a woman. Look at that the state of our once glorious sect!¡± As angry as they were, it was not the time to hold Junie ountable. The most urgent task was to get that terrifying woman to leave. Therefore, the elders did not hesitate to act in the best interest of the sect. Faced with the woman, most likely a Supreme, they addressed her in a carefully measured tone. ¡°So you''re here for Chu Tianfan, Madam. We know someone of that very name, but we''re not sure if it is the same person you are looking for.¡± ¡°I''ll verify that myself,¡± the woman said. ¡°Just tell me, where is he?¡± ¡°We''ll tell you,¡± the elders replied, ¡°but you have to promise that after we do, you will not make things difficult for our sect! We wish to dere that the Elysian Faction has no affiliation whatsoever with Chu Tianfan. We will not interfere with whatever you wish to do to him.¡± The woman agreed. ¡°That''s all we can do, Ms. Junie,¡± the elders said, turning back to their leader. ¡°The rest is up to you. Just tell her where Chu Tianfan is and the Elysian Faction will be spared of her wrath.¡± Junie merely smiled. ¡°I know you want to protect the sect, but it shouldn''t be at a cost of deceiving others. The Elysian Faction has prided itself on being a beacon of truth. We took an oath to never be untruthful. We obviously have not seen anyone named Chu Tianfan. Why are you lying to thedy? Could you possibly believe that this dignified Supreme can be fooled by such a clumsy lie?¡± ¡°Why are you still protecting him at this point, Ms. Junie?¡± the elders shouted as they pointed their trembling fingers at her. ¡°Have you forgotten your role? You are the head of the Elysian Faction! Are you going to disregard the lives of our disciples for that wild man? If you insist on carrying out your reckless intents, you might as well step down as the head of the Elysian Faction!¡± Junie ignored them as she met the steady gaze of the woman before her. ¡°I can tell you without hesitation that we do not know Chu Tianfan, let alone where he is. I would say the same even if you killed me.¡± The sect elders took the opportunity to vent their long-held frustration against Junie, who remained impassive and silent. Chapter 1990 Chapter 1990 ¡°What a strong woman! I didn''t expect that the women around Chu Tianfan would go to such lengths for him for all the heinous crimes he hadmitted. What a despicable yet enviable man.¡± King Folo, Haibu, and the others have arrived. The three of them hid in the distance, secretly observing everything that was happening at the gates of the Elysian Faction. To their satisfaction, everything was going ording to n. As expected, Moon God showed up at the Elysian Faction ready to turn the ce upside down. She really has a bone to pick with Chu Tianfan. ¡°Get ready for something spectacr, boys!¡± King Folo and the others were visibly excited at the prospect of the imminent confrontation between the women. Junie''s no match for Moon God. If she loses her life, Chu Tianfan will undoubtedly demand retribution. It did not matter to King Folo whether it was Moon God or Chu Tianfan who survives their altercation as either scenario was to his benefit. The martial arts world of Japan will not recover from Moon God''s death. By then, the Indians would have an easier time extending their sphere of influence into East Aploth. If Ye Fan dies, on the other hand, then the agreement made with him before will naturally be voided. ¡°You are really in love with him to protect him even under threat of death,¡± Moon God said coldly. ¡°I wonder if he has ever felt the same way about you?¡± Despite trying her best to suppress her emotions, the crowd heard an unmistakable quaver in Moon God''s voice. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Did you hear that? Why did she sound like that?¡± King Folo and hispanions were equally stunned. I don''t know what goes through the minds of these women. Weren''t they about to fight to the death? Who cares how lovey-dovey they have been to Chu Tianfan? If I didn''t know better, I would have thought they were jealous of each other. ¡°Women,¡± King Folo and the others muttered as they shook their heads resignedly. Junie was equally confused. I''m sensing that this powerful woman is missing the point. ¡°I do not know what you''re talking about,¡± Junie repeated stubbornly. ¡°As I said, we don''t know any Chu Tianfan.¡± Moon God saw through Junie''s deception at once. ¡°Do you really think I wouldn''t dare to kill you?¡± Moon God whispered, the hostility in her eyes more pronounced than ever. Junie was not afraid. ¡°Whatever you want.¡± The elders of the Elysian Faction were visibly frightened by that point. ¡°Don''t you care about the survival of our sect, Ms. Junie?¡± they demanded, near tears with despair. ¡°Please, just tell her where he is!¡± Though the elders were not afraid of death, they were most unwilling to die for an outsider. As before, Junie turned a deaf ear and faced Moon God with grim reticence. ¡°So be it.¡± Moon God had enough. With a wave of her arms, a cold wind blew. The unnatural power caused the air around them to surge. The blue silk of her long skirt swayed wildly with the gale. Without warning, a long sword appeared in her hand. Just when she was about to bring it down upon Junie, a voice rang. ¡°Stop!¡± shouted the angry voice from behind. Immediately afterward, another crowd came marching from the end of the road. ¡°By my order,¡± Noa dered, ¡°surround her!¡± The armed guards of the Vias family, numbering in the hundreds, promptly had Moon God surrounded so tightly that it would have been impossible for her to squeeze through. Everywhere she looked, Moon God stared down barrels of guns. After securing the threat, Noa immediately ran to Junie. ¡°I''m here to help, Junie.¡± Junie did not take kindly to the intrusion. ¡°What are you doing here? Go back! You have no business being here.¡± As Noa was a civilian and only a young girl at that, Junie did not wish to implicate her in the often bloodthirsty disputes in the martial arts world. Noa, however, set her jaw determinedly. ¡°I won''t. You are someone he values, Junie. I won''t allow anyone to hurt you.¡± As if to prove a point, she turned around to re at Moon God. ¡°Who are you?¡± Noa demanded. ¡°What are you doing here? Please leave, you are not wee here. Don''t me me for bringing the full force of the Vias family down on you if you won''tply!¡± ¡°The Vias family?¡± Moon God let out a small scoff as she studied the charming young girl before her. Another woman? That b*stard! Despite being worried sick for him, he''s off picking up women all over the ce! The longer Moon God stared at her rivals who kept increasing in number, the angrier she became. ¡°Show me the full force of the Vias family, then!¡± she roared as she stomped the ground. Centered on the ce where Moon God stood, a powerful ripple of energy spread rapidly in all directions. Whoosh! The gust sent the guards of the Vias family flying back like sand caught up in the wind. Noa''s pretty face turned pale. With a sudden trepidation, she sensed that the woman before her was even more powerful than Ye Fan. ¡°Moon God is furious now,¡± King Folo said gleefully as they rejoiced. ¡°Somebody''s going to die really soon!¡± The show is finally about to begin! Sure enough, Moon God disappeared in a sh and reappeared before Noa before thetter could react. Startled by the inhuman speed, the girl fell to the ground as her legs gave way. ¡°Noa!¡± Junie hurried over to stand between the girl and Moon God. ¡°If you''vee for blood,e at me,¡± Junie said firmly. ¡°The girl has nothing to do with this.¡± ¡°Don''t worry,¡± Moon God replied expressionlessly. ¡°Neither of you will survive today.¡± Once more, she waved her long sleeves and sent forth a burst of energy. With grunts of pain, Noa and Junie were sent flying backward by the force of the assault. Falling to the ground with two consecutive thuds, the women coughed as they spat out mouthfuls of blood. ¡°Ms. Junie!¡± ¡°Quick, protect Ms. Junie!¡± Though the elders of the Elysian Faction thought that Junie''s injury was well-deserved and self- inflicted, they nevertheless rushed to their leader''s aid. Haibu and the others in the distance shook their heads with broad smiles on their faces. ¡°What a way to die. There''s no use in putting up a defense against her.¡± Sure enough, the elders could not even get close to Moon God before being repelled by the mere flick of her palm. The ones closest to the impact flew the furthest, sustaining several broken ribs as they coughed up blood. Within a few breaths, the might of a single Supreme had thoroughly neutralized thebined forces of the Elysian Faction and the Vias family guards. With their respective forces unable to defend them, Junie and Noa were left vulnerable to Moon God''s wrath. Dragging her sword on the ground behind her, Moon God sauntered toward Junie and Noa until her divine silhouette stood tall and imposing before the two women. Holding her sword steadily, she aimed the tip at the throats of Junie and Noa. They were at the mercy of a single stroke of the cruel hand. ¡°No!¡± wailed the elders of the Elysian Faction. ¡°How dare you kill our sect leader?¡± Moon God ignored them. Her indifferent gaze swept across the two women under her feet. The long sword in her hand glinted icily under the light of the scorching sun. Just when King Folo thought that Moon God was going to let her sword fall, she suddenly raised her head slowly and gazed out. The resentment and anger in her voice echoed into the distance. ¡°Are you still hiding from me? It''s been two years. How long more are you going to hide? Are you that cowardly to let these two confidantes of yours die to keep you safe?¡± Sure enough, Moon God disappeared in a sh and reappeared before Noa before thetter could react. Chapter 1991 Chapter 1991 The cold wind sent the fallen green leaves up to the sky. The crowd looked suspiciously at the holy and noble woman before them. For some reason, those present heard a strong sense of resentment and longing from the words of Moon God. Even from a distance. King Folo could not help but feel a bad premonition. ¡°impossible...¡± he muttered to himself while shaking his head. ¡°I must have overthought. Being of the realm of the gods, Moon God is strong, extraordinary, and refined after having her earthly desires cut off long ago. Furthermore, Chu Tianfan is but a child who has emerged in recent yearspared to Moon God, who is a Supreme of no equal. The difference between them is too great. It is impossible.¡± Haibu and Bapei looked at King Folo in confusion, not knowing what thetter was muttering about. ¡°It seems like Moon God is out for Chu Tianfan''s blood,¡± Haibu said in a low voice. ¡°She''s using the women to force his appearance.¡± The whole world fell silent as they gazed expectantly in the direction Moon God was looking at and found no one. Junie wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth and gazed fearlessly at Moon God. ¡°Stop wasting your time. I''ve already told you we don''t know Chu Tianfan at all. Even if you scream or kill us, he won''t appear.¡± ¡°Is that so? If that''s the case, there would be no reason to keep you in the world.¡± Moon God''s words were as cold as ice. The long sword in her hand was raised and shed at Junie''s throat. ¡°Junie!¡± Noa cried with tears in her eyes. ¡°No!¡± The disciples of the Elysian Faction disciple were even more shocked. In the distance, King Folo and the others shook their heads and sighed. They were thinking about how Junie had ascended to the position of sect leader just a few days before with Ye Fan''s help and how glorious it was. After a reignsting only several days, she would meet her end. King Folo showed a look of pity. ¡°One must be willing to bear the weight of one''s crown. Though spirited, this girl does not have the ability to lead a sect. Her demise had been set in stone from the start. Chu Tianfan was the one to push her to the throne. Though it had seemed good for her, it turned out to be the cause of her demise. Chu Tianfan is the only one to be med for this girl''s misfortune.¡± Just when everybody thought that Junie was going to sumb beneath the sword, a red glow suddenly shed from the distant horizon. It streaked across the sky like fire. With a deafening ng, it collided into the long sword in Moon God''s hand and sent its de down into the ground. ¡°Scarlet me!¡± Junie was startled at the sight of the sword while Noa squealed with joy. King Folo and hispanions were visibly stunned as well. As one, they retreated further into the surrounding vegetation as they knew that he had arrived. The bitter wind blew again sending the leaves fluttering and the sand flying wildly. Suddenly, a thin figure appeared noiselessly where heaven and the earth met. He had a handsome face. His thin body was upright like a spear. With the resolute tread of the dragon stepping over Eastsea, he approached the crowd. From the very first instance of his appearance, the figure was still far away. When the bystanders blinked, he had already appeared several steps before Moon God. ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Chu Tianfan?¡± ¡°Is he really here?¡± Some people, like Ye Fan at that moment, were born kings. Without needing to say a word, let alone make a gesture, the eyes of the entire world heralded his arrival. Noa whooped while Junie appeared shocked and worried. The elders of the Elysian Faction, on the other hand, looked grim. This devil who was once besieged by and killed the whole world has finally appeared! It''s out of our hands now! ¡°Two years ago,¡± King Folo said gravely as the trio gaped at Ye Fan, ¡°Chu Yuan, the head of Chu Sect, destroyed you on the shore of Eastsea. Although you''d managed to escape by luck then, another god- realm warrior hase for your blood today. Who knows if you''ll have the same fortune to escape as you did that year?¡± Gazing at the man from a distance, they tried to guess Ye Fan''s fate by weighing his chances. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. One is the strongest fighter in the Sky Ranking, while the other is a god-realm warrior. The two combatants before us would demonstrate a battle that is unprecedented in the eyes of the world. King Folo and the two were brimming with excitement, to say the least. For Supremes such as themselves, the most exciting thing they could witness was a battle between fighters more powerful than themselves. However, King Folo and hispanions did not know that the intensity of Ye Fan and Moon God''s emotions was no less than theirs. When Ye Fan appeared, Moon God had forgotten all about Noa and Junie. Her entire being was held to attention by the man who had disappeared from her life for two whole years. For a long time, Ye Fan and Moon God just stood staring at each other without exchanging a word. The silence between them spoke volumes. ¡°Hey, why aren''t you fighting? What are you doing just standing there?¡± After several minutes had passed, the battle that King Folo and the others thought was about toe did not happen. The trio gazed anxiously at the silent scene before them. ¡°I understand now!¡± Haibu eximed suddenly as he pped his thigh. ¡°They are fighting each other with their spiritual power! I have once read from ancient books that real Supremes, in addition to possessing extraordinary martial power, are alsopetent at spiritualbat. They are capable of killing without moving a muscle! As soon as the intent materializes, their prey would already have lost their soul. Look at them standing so still without taking their eyes off each other. They must be engaged in an intense mental battle!¡± Bapei nodded, thinking it made sense. Only King Folo remained unconvinced. Doubting Haibu''s theory very much, he felt that something else was amiss. Could that really be the case? That they are really doing battle with their minds? The silence ensued interminably. Ye Fan opened his mouth several times to call out the long-lost name. Even when the words came, he could not utter them at all. Two years had been a long enough time for familiarity to be a luxury of the past. Ye Fan could not bring himself to say the name that used toe so easily to his lips. When the silence was eventually broken, he did not call out her name. ¡°Long time, no see,¡± he said stiffly instead. A familiar voice and a familiar face. The words fell into his opponent''s heart like the key to a floodgate. The suppressed emotions hidden in her heart for many years poured out of her at the sound of his voice. Finally, Moon God moved. She rushed toward Ye Fan in a mad dash. ¡°The fight''s starting, King Folo!¡± Haibu shouted excitedly. ¡°The battle of the gods is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Keep your eyes peeled, boys. Such a battle is bound to benefit our cultivation greatly!¡± King Folo and Bapei tensed up at theirrade''s shout as they nervously awaited the battle. The elders of the Elysian Faction also realized that war was imminent. ¡°Take cover!¡± they yelled as they scrambled to safety. Gods are doing battle here. Casualties will ur if we get too close. Within minutes, disciples of the Elysian Faction and the guards of the Vias family fled in all directions in their panic to ce themselves at a safe distance. Only Noa and Junie gazed at Ye Fan anxiously. ¡°Be careful, Ye Fan!¡± Noa cried at the sight of the armed Moon God arriving inches from Ye Fan, while Junie made to get up to aid him. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Just when the crowd steeled themselves for the destructive battle about to break out, Moon God cast her long sword aside before throwing herself into Ye Fan''s arms under the shocked gaze of the bystanders. ¡°Master,¡± she sobbed, longing and nostalgia ringing in every syble. ¡°I''ve missed you so much.¡± Her sadness also prated the hearts of everyone present. Bapei nodded, thinking it made sense. Only King Folo remained unconvinced. Doubting Haibu''s theory very much, he felt that something else was amiss. Chapter 1992 Chapter 1992 Despite the tenderness felt, the sudden turn of events undoubtedly stunned everyone. ¡°What the hell''s going on?¡± Noa and the others were not aware of Moon God''s true identity. They assumed that she was an enemy of Ye Fan, who hade to seek revenge. King Folo and hispanions were different. They knew exactly who she was. She is the highest authority in Japan''s martial arts scene and the only god-realm fighter in the world who is equal to the old sect leader of the Chu Sect, Chu Yuan. It stands to reason that Moon God would be Ye Fan''s mortal enemy, given the status she embodied and the power at her fingertips. Somehow, the deity of Japan, worshipped by millions, has thrown herself into a mortal man''s arms. King Folo and the others stared with wide-eyed disbelief as everything they believed in crumbled into dust of skepticism the moment Moon God cast her sword aside. ¡°Can anybody tell me what the hell is going on?¡± King Folo demanded. The recent developments had wholly exceeded his expectations. The three old men exchanged looks of a nk shock, unable to offer an answer. Ye Fan and Moon God did not notice the effect they had produced. They were not even paying attention. At that moment, Ye Fan was all Moon God could think of. Simrly, Ye Fan only had eyes for her. ¡°Why didn''t youe to me?¡± she cried with resentment. ¡°You are obviously still alive! Why did you hide from me for the past two years? If I didn''t get the news and came to look for you, would you have hidden forever and kept up your charade? Do you even care about how much I have grieved for you?¡± Moon God had sensed Ye Fan''s aura from the moment she arrived. That was when she became sure that Ye Fan was still alive and that he was nearby. Initially, the news of Ye Fan''s survival brought her joy. However, after seeing Junie and Noa appear one after another, Moon God''s joy turned sour. D*mn him! Despite making me so sad and worried all these years, he has been happy in thepany of other women all along. ¡°You''d rather be in theirpany thane to me, wouldn''t you? Do you not find me attractive anymore, Master?¡± With all traces of her divinity vanishing, Moon God was snuggling in Ye Fan''s arms like the young girl she was when she watched the sunset with him all those years ago. I would give all the scheming, nning, fruits of cultivation, and even immortality up to be Suzumiya Eigetsu and belong to Ye Fan forever. Two years of separation, culminating inying in his arms again, caused Suzumiya Eigetsu to pour her heart out to the man who had consumed her thoughts every day of his absence. Her yearning for him was so intense that Suzumiya Eigetsu was even able to regain control of her frail body from Tsukuyomi. Hugging Ye Fan tightly, she turned her tear-stained face up at him as she beat his chest like an angry child. King Folo and his party were dumbfounded. King Folo rubbed his eyes vigorously. ¡°Did Moon God throw herself into the arms of a mortal man and simpering over him like a little girl? Is this the symbol of Japan''s martial artists?¡± Bapei was simrly stunned. ¡°This... this is too much.¡± Out of the three, Haibu was affected the most. ¡°Did Moon God call him Master?¡± he eximed as his jaw fell open in shock, unable toprehend the nature of their rtionship. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Ye Fan hesitated for a long time at the weeping woman in his arms before finally heaving a sigh. ¡°Eigetsu, you are already a goddess in every sense of the word. Your majesty and divinity transcend above all living beings. Who am I to upy a spot in your heart to such an extent?¡± Ye Fan hadplicated emotions for the woman in his arms. When they first met, Ye Fan did not take much notice of her besides allowing her to follow him out of pity. Later, Eigetsu''s situation changed when she became the God of Japan''s martial artists. Her new identity made any future with Ye Fan impossible. Instead of pursuing the foolhardy course, it was better for them both to forget each other. It was the best course of action for Eigetsu as she would not be implicated in an unapproved union and bring disaster to her people and humiliation upon herself. That was also why, before he killed Chu Sect, Ye Fan had returned the love knot bracelet and severed their rtionship of master and servant. To him, it was the best closure he could provide for her. From then on, she would be free to be Moon God in all her majesty and purity. There would be no danger of damaging her prestige due to her servile rtionship with Ye Fan. However, the subsequent development greatly exceeded Ye Fan''s expectations. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. At that time, Ye Fan never would have thought that Eigetsu would join him in razing the Chu Sect, which had nearly culminated in bringing disaster to her people. It was an oue that Ye Fan did not wish for. Trouble upon his loved ones for his sake was thest thing he wanted. ¡°No! As I said, I will be your servant until the end of my days, Master. Even if you killed me, I would still serve you in my next life.¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu''s eyes were set as she made her promation through gritted teeth. The more determined Suzumiya Eigetsu was, the more indebted Ye Fan felt. ¡°Why do you do this to yourself, Eigetsu?¡± Ye Fanmented, his words extremely heavy. ¡°I, Chu Tianfan, should bear the burden of my sins alone as nobody in the world would tolerate me. You are setting fire to yourself and causing disaster to your country and people by being with me. Forget me, Eigetsu. There''s nothing I can give you aside from a bad reputation.¡± Ye Fan was close to Junie and Noa because they had nothing. Being in a position of power, he can use his strength to give them all the power and status they would ever desire. Eigetsu is different. She has already reached the top. There''s nothing more I can give her that she doesn''t already have. I will also drag her down by cing her and her country in great peril. Cutting off ties with Eigetsu is the best for her. That was why Ye Fan had never intended to seek her out in Japan over the past two years, as he thought his intentions to cease his involvement with her had been made clear. Eigetsu''s reappearance in his life was thest thing he expected. ¡°I''m not afraid, Master!¡± Eigetsu said fiercely with chilling intent in her words. ¡°Come with me. Even China won''t have you, even if the Chu family wants you dead, and even if the world doesn''t have a ce for you, I will always do. I don''t care if it''s War God Castle or the Chu Sect. I will destroy whoever comes your way! I will never allow anyone to hurt you again!¡± Ye Fan shook his head with a weak smile. ¡°You should know that the Japanese martial artists do not take kindly to me, and it will only make things more difficult for you if Ie with you.¡± ¡°It doesn''t matter. They will do as I say. No one dares to disobey my word. I will destroy the entire family of whoever dares show you disrespect!¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu seemed to have already anticipated every possible excuse Ye Fan would make. If those words were uttered by anybody else, it would be construed as bragging. As Eigetsu was Moon God, her words were merely a statement of fact. It was an oue that Ye Fan did not wish for. Trouble upon his loved ones for his sake was thest thing he wanted. Chapter 1993 Chapter 1993 Since his birth, Ye Fan had lived through the entire spectrum of worldly experiences. In his youth, he had been abandoned and humiliated by his family. For the first time during adulthood, he found some semnce of belonging by being the Qiu family''s meek son-inw. By only thirty years old, Ye Fan had already endured almost all the suffering and malice the world had to offer. Despite having witnessed the worst of humanity, Ye Fan had never let it diminish the love he had for the world. People like Eigetsu showed him that the world was still worth saving despite the menace that lay within. The secr world did not fetter people like Eigetsu, nor were they swayed by power. In their infinite selflessness, they reminded Ye Fan of the capacity for human kindness by going out of their way to aid him during his greatest needs. Despite Suzumiya Eigetsu''s willingness to give everything up for Ye Fan, he would never allow it. After a long silence, Ye Fan chuckled lightly and caressed her long hair. ¡°Hush now, silly girl. Aren''t you a little too old to be crying like that?¡± he said affectionately to the beautiful woman in his arms with pity in his eyes. ¡°You''re not the little girl who watched the sunset with me anymore. Despite being the figurehead of a country, you still cry like the little girl I once knew.¡± He could not bring himself to utter the words he knew must be said. Therefore, Ye Fan purposefully avoided Suzumiya Eigetsu''s earlier offer. Anyone who remotely knew Ye Fan would see that he was a proud man. Even if he were ruined without any hope of rising again, the pride in his heart would never allow him to hide abroad in a woman''s shelter. Suzumiya Eigetsu was not satisfied. ¡°You haven''t answered me yet, Master. Do you have me in your heart?¡± she persisted, turning her head to show him the sparkle of determination in her eyes. ¡°Do you still consider me your own? I only have you to rely on in this world, Master. I won''t allow you to cast me aside again.¡± The despair in her voice made her sound like an abandoned child destined to trudge alone in the dark wastnd of the world, and Ye Fan was the only light that gave her warmth. She could not imagine what would be of her if the only light had left her. What kind of loneliness would one lead for the rest of their life if there is no one left to live for? What, then, would be the meaning of life? Suzumiya Eigetsu had been alone for twenty years until she met Ye Fan. On the other hand, Moon God had only met Chu Tianfan after millennia of solitude. Ye Fan would never have expected to be the source of yearning and sustenance for life for the woman in his arms. Despite being moved by her gesture, he sighed again. ¡°I really will hurt you, Eigetsu.¡± ¡°I''m not afraid!¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu shouted stubbornly. Realizing that she was not about to be dissuaded, Ye Fan was forced to nod. ¡°I promise to go to Japan to seek your aid if ever there is a day that I, Chu Tianfan, have be truly desperate.¡± Like the lotus after a rain, Suzumiya Eigetsu''s tearful face blossomed into a bright smile immediately upon obtaining his promise. ¡°I knew that you wouldn''t abandon me, Master.¡± The Sword God of Japan, Mochizuki Kawa, would be shocked by the scene if he was here as Suzumiya Eigetsu had not smiled since the defeat of Ye Fan and Chu Sect. However, Suzumiya Eigetsu smiled so easily in Ye Fan''s presence. Her face lit up so beautifully that it was as if her period of self-induced misery had never urred. In her excitement, Suzumiya Eigetsu seemed to have forgotten her other identity and that arge group of stunned bystanders surrounded them. To everybody''s further shock, the mightiest god of Japan, whose very name made the world''s fiercest warriors tremble, tiptoed to kiss Ye Fan''s lips forcefully in full view of the crowd. Her sudden assault caught him by surprise. His eyes widened in shock as his body lurched. I''m done for if this spreads to Mucheng''s ears. D*mn it, Eigetsu! Ye Fan was so struck with horror that his wife might find out that he did not notice the reaction of the bystanders around them. Every single member of the Elysian Mall and the Vias family was rooted to the spot in shock. What the hell is going on? Wasn''t she about to kill him? ¡°Is kissing somebody before you kill them the trend now? If that''s the case, I would like to die by her hand, please!¡± As shocked as they were, the bystanders were also full of envy. What more could one want in life after being kissed by such an alluring woman? However, their shock was nothingpared to King Folo and hispanions. When Moon God leaned in for the kiss, they nearly passed out from anger. Moon God is the most powerful warrior in Japan and one of only two god-realm fighters in the world! Why is this symbol of purity and prestige kissing a mortal man like Ye Fan? What has the world be? King Folo and the other two were beside themselves with indignation. Shouldn''t you cut Ye Fan down with your sword, Moon God? Don''t you have a mortal feud with him? Are you trying to kill us by calling him ¡°Master¡± and kissing him in front of people? Havinge all this way to witness a world-shattering battle, it was only until the kiss had urred that they realized that the events were going off-script. We came to watch a fight, not a disy of romance! Man, kids these days need to control their hormones! Despite the panic experienced by most, Noa and Junie finally began to rx from their initial worry. As the two of them were also women, they undoubtedly understood Suzumiya Eigetsu and could see how smitten she was with Ye Fan. ¡°It seems that we have misunderstood her, Junie,¡± Noa whispered, her mind spinning with emotions at the sight of the kiss. ¡°She''s not here to fight. She just wants to reunite with the man she loves.¡± It is only natural for a man as capable as Ye Fan to attract girls like Suzumiya Eigetsu. Junie was already tough topete with, and now there''s another. Oh, how bleak my prospects seem! Once, Noa felt that she was the brightest star in the night sky whose appearance in public was a highly anticipated affair. It wasn''t until she got to know Ye Fan that Noa realized she was just an ordinary star amongst thousands of brighter candidates. On the other hand, Junie was already used to it as Ye Fan had always been flirty throughout their acquaintance. He hasn''t even sorted out the previous affair with Ms. Tang of the Chu Sect, and here he is toying with another woman''s heart. ¡°How many women does he have to provoke before he stops!¡± Junie muttered as she wrinkled her nose angrily. ¡°Wait until I return to Livingsfill. I''m going to tell your wife everything. If I can''t control you, perhaps she would fare better!¡± However, their shock was nothingpared to King Folo and hispanions.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Chapter 1994 Chapter 1994 ¡°B*stard! You''re such a b*stard, Ye Fan!¡± Before Junie could make her disgruntlement known, someone from behind her spoke up and revealed what Junie was thinking. To be more urate, that ¡°someone¡± was not a person, but rather a calf. After a few days of disappearing without a trace, Huangniu suddenly showed up at that ce. It poked out its head from among the crowds. At the sight of the two hugging and kissing, its eyes reddened in frustration. ¡°My poor Wan''er who taught you her knowledge, who took care of you, treated you with incredible medicine, who gave you the Order of Yanhuang, who''s still waiting patiently for you to go back to her! With her huge bosom, long legs, and pretty face, she should be your greatest blessing!¡± Huangniu ranted. ¡°But you! You''ve only been out a few days. Is it not enough for you to go around hugging women that you have to kiss one too? Are you still human, Ye Fan?¡± the calf continued. ¡°How dare you y three women at the same time? I don''t even have one! You''re such a selfish monster! You can''t even share one with me?¡± Huangniu''s sudden cry was like an uproar amidst the silence. In the blink of an eye, everyone turned their attention toward Huangniu. While most people marveled at the fact that a calf could speak, Noa and Junie were too busy getting furious at what they had just found out. ¡°Wan''er?¡± Junie gripped her fists tightly. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°You f*cking b*stard! There''s another one?¡± Junie was on the brink of losing her mind! There she was thinking that Ye Fan was loyal and honorable. As it turned out, Ye Fan was a jerk who stole hearts where ever he went. Hmph! All men are indeed trash! With great difficulty, Ye Fan pushed Eigetsu away from him. He had had enough of it. He had had enough of that calf running its mouth and ruining his reputation. ¡°You stupid cow! You''re the monster!¡± Ye Fan hollered. ¡°It''s time for you to meet your end!¡± With a knife in his hand, Ye Fan charged toward the calf and chased it for quite some distance. It was only when the man and the calf ran deep into the forest did Ye Fan kept his knife away and copsed onto the grass, gasping heavily for air. ¡°Man, that woman is crazy! I am a hundred percent sure she would have choked me to death!¡± Ye Fan panted. Of course, Ye Fan did not n to actually ughter Huangniu. He was merely finding an excuse to get out of the situation. If Ye Fan were to stay there a second longer, he had no doubt that Eigetsu would have squeezed him dry. ¡°Wow! You really are a jerk. You achieved what you set out for, yet here you are still pretending to be obliging? If you don''t want to, I''ll kiss her on your behalf!¡± Huangniu rolled its eyes at him. ¡°Don''t you dare! I have yet to settle the score with you regarding thest time you harassed Eigetsu and the others!¡± Ye Fan tossed Huangniu a re. ¡°You''re ming me? You''re the one that was being the lousy friend and only caring for your own, leaving me¡ªyour dear friend¡ªto fend for myself!¡± Huangniu huffed in dissatisfaction. ¡°Since when are we friends?¡± Ye Fan retorted. He had known Huangniu for quite a while now, and it was safe to say that the calf was incredibly cunning and scheming. Whoever Huangniu considered a friend would very often be on the receiving end of his slyness. ¡°Whatever. I''m gonna get myself somedies. Goodbye!¡± Huangniu had no intentions to continue the pointless argument with Ye Fan. With the free time it had, Huangniu naturally wanted to live its life to the fullest. However, Ye Fan would not let it go so easily. He grabbed the calf by its tail and yanked it back. With that movement, Huangniu''s wrath was unleashed. ¡°You b*stard! Pull my tail again and I''ll make sure you don''t see the light of another day!¡± Huangniu was furious. Even Wan''er had never pulled on its tail. Yet this poor excuse of a man dared to do so! ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I''ll keep that in mind.¡± Ye Fan let go of its tail and raised his hand in surrender. ¡°But don''t go yet. I have something to ask you,¡± continued Ye Fan. ¡°The Order of Yanhuang that you mentioned, are you referring to this?¡± As he was speaking, Ye Fan pulled out a quaint and ancient-looking token. ¡°What''s the purpose of this thing?¡± The military token was given to him by Duanmu Wan''er before she left. Ye Fan had spent a long time examining it. All he knew was that it was not an ordinary token, but he did not know how to use it, and he definitely had no clue about its function. ¡°You will know in the future. That token has its great use. When the end of the world approaches and all people under the heavense to perish, then you''ll know the use of the Order of Yanhuang,¡± stated Huangniu in a calm manner. ¡°D*mn it, you stupid cow! Are you pulling on my leg?¡± Annoyance surged through Ye Fan''s veins. ¡°The end of the world? The world is fine, why would you suddenly bring that up? It''ll probably take another hundreds of million years before the earth is destroyed! Ye Fan could not help but disregard Huangniu''s words as nonsense. However, Huangniu just shook its head and sighed. ¡°It''s up to you whether you want to believe it or not, but heed my advice: life is short, so have fun while you still can. All resentment, all power, and everything else in this world is mere vapor. When everything is destroyed during the end times, what use is fortune, status, or power? Everything will Ye Fan was rendered speechless. ¡°Troubled times areing. Once the heavenly gates had been opened, the Supreme would cease to exist.¡± That sentence was brought up again. Still remaining silent, Ye Fan kept his eye on the calf. ¡°Everyone will die one day...¡± As Huangniu spoke, it slowly walked away. Only its voice lingered in the forest, echoing through the woods. ¡°Does this calf have mad cow disease? Saying all sorts of nonsense...¡± muttered Ye Fan as he rolled his eyes. It was not the first time he had heard such sayings from Huangniu. Back in the cave, such sayings were also inscribed on the wall. Nevertheless, Ye Fan was not convinced by it. At the moment, even though the Chu Sect was the strongest in the martial arts world, War God Castle of China, Folo Pce of India, and Order Of Kings of Western Epea had their fair share of powerful martial artists. In general, their power could maintain the bnce in the martial arts world. Therefore, how could troubled times being in the current situation? Furthermore, even if the Chu Sect suddenly turned ambitious and started taking over the martial arts world of the entire, only a few Supremes would lose their lives at most. However, to say all the Supreme fighters would die was a stretch. It was obviously nonsense. Thus, Ye Fan was not concerned by those sayings. The top priority at the moment was to take care of the Chu Sect. When Ye Fan returned to Elysian Hall once again, the crowd had dispersed. Most of the injured people had been sent to the hospital. As for King Folo and the rest, they had fled as far as it was possible, terrified that they would bump into Ye Fan. However, Junie, Noa and Suzumiya Eigetsu did not leave. In the huge castle, the three women were seated in their respective seats, not talking to each other. An awkward silence hung in the atmosphere within the castle. The moment Ye Fan entered, he immediately felt the tension in the air. ¡°Uh... are you three chatting? If so, do continue, I''ll leave now to not disturb you.¡± In that situation, Ye Fan decided it was best to stay as far as possible. If not, he wouldnd himself in hot water. ¡°Come back here!¡± Filled with wrath, Junie rose from her seat and thundered. ¡°Such insolence! How dare you yell at my Master?¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu shot up from her seat as well while snapping at Junie in anger. ¡°Hmph! Looks like the roles have been reversed! Ye Fan himself has not even spoken yet, but someone has gotten anxious!¡± Sarcasmced Noa''s words as she stated coolly. Her hostility against Suzumiya Eigetsu was tangible. Not taking into consideration the fact that Suzumiya Eigetsu almost killed her earlier, the fact that Suzumiya Eigetsu was acting hostile toward Junie was enough of a reason for Noa to dislike her. ¡°Stay in your ce! How dare a small fry like you who knows nothing about the martial arts world insult me?¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu''s gaze turned cold as she released a stupendous force. The overwhelming force choked Noa, causing her to pale instantly. ¡°Noa!¡± Junie was shocked. She then quickly red at Suzumiya Eigetsu. ¡°If you hurt her, I will never let you off the hook!¡± hollered Junie in panic. Seeing that the women were about to break into a fight, Ye Fan quickly ran inside to intervene. ¡°Eigetsu, enough. Control yourself. They are both my friends,¡± Ye Fan told Suzumiya Eigetsu. Immediately, Suzumiya Eigetsu felt aggrieved. ¡°Hmph, you''re being unfair, Master. Why are you only scolding me?¡± ¡°I...¡± Ye Fan was at a loss for words. Agony was written all over his face, but for the sake of fairness, he had no choice but to say something to Junie and Noa as well. ¡°It was all a misunderstanding back there. Eigetsu did not have any bad intentions. You know, as they say, some rtionships start with a fight. Now that you are friends, all of you must get along with each other.¡± Having said that, Ye Fanughed to lighten the mood. It was the first time he had encountered such a situation. Not knowing how tofort them,ughing was the only thing he could do. However, Ye Fan was the only oneughing. The awkwardness made Ye Fan want to dig a hole and bury himself in the ground. ¡°Get along? In your dreams!¡± bellowed Junie. ¡°Can''t wait to see you exining yourself to your wife when you go back!¡± Junie tossed a fierce re at Ye Fan before leaving with Noa. How could Junie and Noa not be angry? The Moon God had fought their disciples upon arrival without a care in the world. Not to mention nearly killing Noa and Junie as well. At first, they had thought Ye Fan could give them justice. However, it seemed like he was as helpful as a puddle of mud. Thus, Ye Fan was not concerned by those sayings. Chapter 1995 Chapter 1995 After Junie and Noa left, the only ones left in the room were Ye Fan and Suzumiya Eigetsu. Seeing how flustered he was, thetter couldn''t help but burst outughing. I can''t believe the former Dragon God Hall Master, who was also first in the Sky Ranking, can be caught in such an awkward situation too! Oh, this is hrious! ¡°Hey, are youughing? How dare you! You know very well that this is all your fault!¡± Ye Fan snapped as he red at Suzumiya Eigetsu. ¡°But I did it because I was worried about you,¡± she whimpered. ¡°It''s their fault for not telling me your whereabouts...¡± With her looking so pitiful, there was no way he could bring himself to me her. ¡°All right, all right. Just pay more attention in the future. Junie and the rest are my friends. Don''t hurt them,¡± Ye Fan muttered, hoping she wouldn''t repeat her mistake. A whileter, Suzumiya Eigetsu asked Ye Fan what he had been up to for the past few years. After all, she was curious to know where he had gone after the battle at Eastsea and why he had maintained radio silence for so many years. In response, Ye Fan merely gave a brief rundown of the past events, not wanting to go into the details since it was all history to him. After learning that Ye Fan had spent thest few years recuperating in the Great North, Suzumiya Eigetsu''s heart ached so much that she almost cried. ¡°Those people deserved to die! How dare they hurt you so badly!¡± Ye Fan, however, was extraordinarily calm. What happened was painful and horrible, but he had long learned to ept it and move on. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Well, that''s all in the past. Look at me now. Aren''t I doing just fine? Besides, my power has also improved significantly. In a way, I should be thanking them for that, shouldn''t I?¡± he replied with a smile. Only after hearing Ye Fan''s words did Suzumiya Eigetsu realize his aura was vtile and the true extent of his power was close to bursting out. ¡°Huh? Master, have you had another breakthrough?¡± ¡°What do you think? If you hadn''t interrupted, I''d have seeded,¡± Ye Fan grumbled as he rolled his eyes several times. ¡°I was in solitary training when you got here.¡± Perhaps feeling guilt-ridden, Suzumiya Eigetsu lowered her head in shame and apologized. ¡°It''s okay. I''m not ming you. I must say, though, you came at the right time. I reckon I''d need a lot more time to achieve this breakthrough. Moreover, I''m at the most critical stage, so I can''t afford to let anyone disturb me.¡± Indeed, Ye Fan''s training was a matter of great importance. He was thankful that his visitor was Suzumiya Eigetsu, and even more so that she had shown up before he started his breakthrough. After all, if someone had attacked or barged in during his critical breakthrough period, there was no doubt the consequences would be dire. Now that she was here, Ye Fan had to admit it was perfect timing. She''s the best person to stand guard while I resume my training! ¡°Sure!¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu replied without hesitation. She was only too happy to help her master, so there was no way she''d have turned him down. However, before he retreated for his solitary training, Suzumiya Eigetsu decided to ask if Ye Fan could apany her for one more day. As it turned out, her body was stillrgely under the control of the Moon God''s consciousness. Thankfully, when the goddess found out about their long-awaited reunion and knew they''d have a lot to catch up on, she took the initiative to pull out and relinquished control over her host. Otherwise, Suzumiya Eigetsu''d never have been able to hold a conversation with Ye Fan if she were still in control. Naturally, he eded to the request and apanied Suzumiya Eigetsu on a fun trip around India for a day. They saw majestic mountains rising above the clouds, leaves falling off the trees as the rain poured, and clusters of stars that dazzled in the night sky. Suzumiya Eigetsu leaned on Ye Fan''s shoulder as she enjoyed the sight and night breeze, a happy and contented smile on her face. She wished the moment wouldst forever. s, all good things muste to pass. The next day, as soon as the first ray of light illuminated thend, Suzumiya Eigetsu''s soul quickly faded away and was reced by Tsukuyomi Tenshin¡ªthe all-mighty Moon God of Japan. When Ye Fan felt her cold, piercing gaze, he couldn''t help but break into a sheepish smile. ¡°H-Hello...¡± he mumbled before stepping back to distance himself from the goddess. ¡°It seems like you have nine lives,¡± Tsukuyomi Tenshin coldly remarked as she scrutinized Ye Fan. ¡°Back then, Chu Yuan had you surrounded, yet somehow, you managed to survive the attack.¡± Ye Fan shed a smile. ¡°I was just lucky.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you sure it was all just luck?¡± Before he could say anything else, the Moon God decided to cut to the chase. ¡°I''ll only guard you for a month. After that, I''ll return to Japan! Is that clear?¡± Ultimately, the Moon God was still a guardian of Japan, and leaving her post to protect Ye Fan for a month was the best she could do. In any case, she didn''t want to drag on any longer and risk putting Japan''s martial arts world in danger. Of course, Ye Fan couldn''t say no to that. With the Moon God protecting him, he once again sealed himself away for his solitary training in India. This time, he set aside all reservations and aimed for the highest attainable level. Just like that, the days went by slowly, with the goddess taking up position in the courtyard while Ye Fan trained indoors. Tsukuyomi Tenshin sat cross-legged and shut her eyes, keeping her Seven Foot Green de close as she felt the shifts and changes in the surrounding air. Meanwhile, everyone at Folo Pce was stunned when they learned that the Moon God had yet to leave India. ¡°What? I-Is she still in our territory?¡± ¡°Why hasn''t she left?¡± ¡°What is she staying behind for?¡± ¡°Who knows? Does she want to bear a child for Ye Fan?¡± It was a known fact that the Moon God was no ordinary person. The longer a god realm fighter like herself stayed on, the more the Indian martial arts world feared getting annihted. Naturally, that left King Folo and the others in utter distress. Not only could they not eat or sleep in peace, but they also kept sending spies to track her every move. One day turned to two. Soon, a whole month had passed without her showing any intention to leave. Just as King Folo and the others remained on tenterhooks, Tsukuyomi Tenshin finally opened her eyes and came out of her meditative state. The Moon God slowly got up and turned to look at the room behind her. There was a strong, steady flow of aura, just like theva coursing underneath a volcano, threatening to erupt at any time. However, that breakthrough never happened. The one-month deadline was up, which meant she could leave as per her agreement with Ye Fan. Despite that, she frowned and began pacing outside the room. In the end, she decided to return to her spot and continue guarding Ye Fan. ¡°One month. I''ll give him one more month. Even if he still hasn''tpleted his training by then, I''d have to leave!¡± No matter how hard she tried, the Moon God couldn''t bring herself to ditch Ye Fan, especially since it was the critical stage of his training. The days that followed were anything but peaceful. The Chu Sect, which had been lying in wait for a while, finally sprang into action with teeth and ws bared. Arge group of fighters left the sect''s base and proceeded tounch attacks on countries all over the world. The first to fall was the continent of Adrune. In just two weeks, the martial arts world in Adrune had no choice but to submit to the Chu Sect. Any fighters who resisted would suffer a brutal death. Unsurprisingly, that piece of news shocked the world and sent countries spiraling into a state of panic. Even Japan''s martial arts world, which had always maintained a cordial rtionship with the Chu Sect, was in great turmoil. Mochizuki Kawa was like a cat on hot bricks as he paced around in the Sword Shrine. ¡°Where''s the Moon God?¡± he yelled. ¡°Find her and get her back!¡± The country''s martial arts world was at risk of being decimated, yet their guardian had disappeared at that crucial, life-and-death moment. To make matters worse, she had gone missing for more than a month! Of course, Mochizuki Kawa was furious and quickly sent his subordinates to track her down. Meanwhile, everyone at Folo Pce was stunned when they learned that the Moon God had yet to leave India. Chapter 1996 Chapter 1996 After searching for a month, the martial arts world in Japan finally found out that the Moon God was in India. They then deployed a group of men there to invite her to return to the country. ¡°I''ll go back in a couple of days!¡± She waved her hands and instructed the Japanese envoys to leave. But she did not return to Japan in the next ten days. ¡°Quick! Go and get her back again!¡± The Chu Sect had arrived at Smend just as the situation was about to spiral out of control. The martial arts world in Adrune had surrendered. Soon, it would be Smend''s turn. Mochizuki Kawa learned that the sect was traveling in two groups. One of the groups traveled through the Pacific Ocean, while the other headed in Archulea''s direction. Clearly, they had marked the weaker opponents as their initial targets and would subsequently take the more powerful ones down. Once they conquered the martial arts world in Smend and Archulea, they would set their eyes on the continent¡ªEurasia. The martial arts worlds in all countries were calling all their fighters and warriors to return. War God Castle even issued a global mobilization order to summon all its warriors to return to their homnd to fight against Chu Sect. Everyone knew it was outright impossible for a country to defeat the invaders. Countries must join forces by forming a military alliance to increase their chances of winning against the sect. Yet, this strategy was impractical. After all, each country on the Eurasian continent had their own agenda in mind and wanted to protect their respective interests. If the n dide to fruition, the leaders would have to decide on the location of the base operation and the candidate for the alliance''smander. Many would most likely not agree to station the troops in China. What if Chu Sect defeated China and turned its attention to the other countries? The sect had recently been starting wars all over the world. No one could predict their next course of action. Time was ticking away, and luck was obviously not on the martial arts world''s side. Ye Fan had no idea what was going on globally right now. He kept his eyes shut as Invoke the Celestial Cloud was swirling intensely within his elixir field. With every breath exhaled, a mass power from the universe began to umte rapidly in his body. Though the elemental force on earth was thinning, Ye Fan could still absorb it from the pills that Duanmu Wan''er provided. ¡°When is he going toe out?¡± The Moon God, who was waiting in the courtyard, was a bundle of nerves. It has been three months. I''ve taken him in for three whole months! Ye Fan had long overstayed the one-month duration. There were a few asions when the goddess wanted to leave him alone. Despite that, whenever she was about to step out of the house, she would always hesitate and eventually stay back. Also from the martial arts world, Tsukuyomi Tenshin understood the importance of having a breakthrough during solitary training and how dangerous the process could be for the individuals involved. Clearly, Ye Fan was about to experience a massive breakthrough since he had been in solitary training for an extended period. Should anything go south, he would lose himself and go mad. That would also mark his downfall. The Moon God wanted to but dared not leave. She knew the man held a special ce in Suzumiya Eigetsu''s heart. She knew her departure might have an irreversible repercussion on Ye Fan. I guess Eigetsu would hate me to death had I done that. That was why Moon God decided to wait. Her decision to stay drove Mochizuki Kawa and the other Japanese warriors crazy. ¡°That''s it. Let''s go and bring her home. We''ll not leave India without her!¡± The Sword God made up his mind. However, the others were worried. ¡°We can''t just leave, Sword God. Japan has be vulnerable because of the Moon God''s absence.¡± ¡°We would further put the country in jeopardy if all of us left. Should Ye Fan seize this opportunity to invade Japan, our country would be doomed!¡± the other warriors eximed, hoping he would give up the idea. Yet, Mochizuki Kawa retaliated harshly, ¡°Why should we worry so much since our guardian has abandoned the country and the citizens? Come on, let''s go. Let''s go to India right now!¡± As ast-ditch effort, he led warriors from the Japanese martial arts world into India and eventually tracked the Moon God down. Tsukuyomi Tenshin was meditating in the courtyard when they found her. The Sword God exploded with rage. ¡°Your Highness! Your citizens are in grave danger, and our martial arts world is at risk of crumbling, yet you chose to meditate here? What are you thinking?¡± Mochizuki Kawa was on the verge of bursting into tears. He thought the goddess could not leave India because of emergencies, but the truth was, she was sitting there doing nothing. ¡°Please stop meditating now. Come back to Japan with us, and you can meditate for as long as you want. Pleasee back with us!¡± All the Japanese warriors kneeled before her and pleaded. Tsukuyomi Tenshin kept mum and took a nce at the room behind her. There''s still no reaction from the room. ¡°Give me more time,¡± she responded. ¡°What do you need more time for? We''ve been waiting for you for months, Your Highness! Our country is going to fall apart. Pleasee back with us!¡± Yet, the Moon God refused to budge. She insisted on staying. Soon, something urred to Mochizuki Kawa. There must be a reason Moon God refused to leave. Something''s going on in the room. ¡°What are you waiting for, Your Highness? I guess I must find out what''s in the room!¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the others got up and were ready to enter the room. ¡°Stay right there!¡± Tsukuyomi Tenshin bellowed as she sent out a powerful energy wave. It hurled Mochizuki Kawa and the rest into the air! ¡°All intruders must die!¡± There was an undertone of murderous intent in her chilling words. Mochizuki Kawa and his men were nonplussed. They had served her for years. Though she would reprimand them from time to time, the Moon God would never threaten them in such a manner. Why would she threaten to kill us? What''s the reason? The Japanese men were crestfallen. We''re your people, Your Highness! Her threat had further aroused their curiosity. What''s the secret in the room? Upon hearing amotion in the courtyard, Noa and Junie came out anxiously. ¡°Who are you people? What do you want? Get out of here right now!¡± Junie instantly put her guard up. No one else knew Ye Fan was in solitary training except the three women. Junie and Noa were worried that these intruders were using this opportunity to kill him. ¡°What''s going on here? You better exin yourself. Ye Fan trusted you and allowed you to station here. Yet, you brought these men over? What are you trying to do?¡± Noa questioned the goddess with a re. She could tell these men knew who the Moon God was. What? Ye Fan? The b*stard who ughtered countless Japanese warriors! Mochizuki Kawa''s could not help but shudder as his eyes widened in shock upon hearing that familiar name. What upset him the most was Ye Fan had humiliated Tsukuyomi Tenshin, Japan''s mightiest god, in front of her citizens. To the Sword God and the other Japanese warriors, the Moon''s God''s rtionship with Ye Fan had always been a mystery. When Mochizuki Kawa heard Ye Fan''s name, he knew something was amiss. With bloodshot eyes, he looked at the goddess in disbelief. ¡°Your Highness, you abandoned your country and put thousands and millions of lives in jeopardy just to protect that imp from China? H-How could you do this to us?¡± Mochizuki Kawa was utterly disappointed. So were the other Japanese warriors who came with him. Has Moon God, the guardian of Japan, be Ye Fan''s personal guardian? How could she side with an outsider? Yet, the Moon God refused to budge. She insisted on staying.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Chapter 1997 Chapter 1997 Despite feeling despair, Mochizuki Kawa noticed a more severe problem. Does that mean Chu Tianfan is still alive? All the Japanese warriors were stupefied. They turned around and looked at the room with fear. At that point, they could finally sense a whirlpool of energy expanding in there. They could feel its presence around them but not its actual impact. Nevertheless, the underlying power under the whirlpool of energy was terrifying. Tsukuyomi Tenshin gave the two girls the cold shoulder. She then shot an icy gaze at Mochizuki Kawa and the other Japanese warriors. ¡°Go back to Japan first. I''ll return when it''s time. You can get envoys to send me letters to update me on the situation in Japan.¡± This time, the Japanese men decided not to voice their opinions anymore. ¡°All right, Your Highness. We''ll head back to Japan now. We''ll keep in touch with you from time to time.¡± They immediately made themselves scarce. Noa and Junie were bbergasted by their reaction. Are they running for their lives? ¡°Wait! Wait for me!¡± ¡°Hey, why are you running so fast?¡± ¡°Moon God won''t do anything to us, right?¡± After leaving the ce where Ye Fan had his solitary training, Mochizuki Kawa started running like a mad person. The other Japanese warriors gathered all their might and tried to catch up with him but to no avail. Left with no choice, they called him on his phone. ¡°Hey, Sword God! Can''t you slow down?¡± ¡°You guys wanna get killed? Run for your lives! Can''t you tell? The person Moon God is protecting is Chu Tianfan. That monster is a ruthless killing machine who wrecked our country!¡± The thought of it made Mochizuki Kawa''s blood run cold as he continued, ¡°Moon God wouldn''t kill us, but that doesn''t mean Chu Tianfan would let us off! Run!¡± It never urred to him that Chu Tianfan was still alive. He had umted a deep grudge against Ye Fan over the years. When thetter was still in Jiangdong, Mochizuki Kawa had tracked him down to his hometown. There were a few asions the Japanese Sword God cheated death as he escaped the clutches of his nemesis. During the Eastsea incident, Mochizuki Kawa was also involved in besieging Ye Fan. That was why the former panicked when he learned that Chu Tianfan was still alive. No wonder Fen Tian suffered a miserable death. I''ve been trying to figure out who had the guts to take the most powerful man in South Aploth down. Now, I have the answer. That mysterious person is none other than Chu Tianfan! That also means the update I received from India was not a rumor. It''s all true! Mochizuki Kawa finally figured everything out. What in the world! I can''t believe this. What''s going on with this world? First, there''s Chu Sect, and now Chu Tianfan? Chu Tianfan''s suddeneback was like fuel added to the fire. Daspita faaling daspair, Mochizuki Kawa noticad a mora savara prom. Doas that maan Chu Tianfan is still aliva? All tha Japanasa warriors wara stupafiad. Thay turnad around and lookad at tha room with faar. At that point, thay could finally sansa a whirlpool of anargy axpanding in thara. Thay could faal its prasanca around tham but not its actual impact. Navarthss, tha undarlying powar undar tha whirlpool of anargy was tarrifying. Tsukuyomi Tanshin gava tha two girls tha cold shouldar. Sha than shot an icy gaza at Mochizuki Kawa and tha othar Japanasa warriors. ¡°Go back to Japan first. I''ll raturn whan it''s tima. You can gat anvoys to sand mattars to updata ma on tha situation in Japan.¡± This tima, tha Japanasa man dacidad not to voica thair opinions anymora. ¡°All right, Your Highnass. Wa''ll haad back to Japan now. Wa''ll kaap in touch with you from tima to tima.¡± Thay immadiataly mada thamsalvas scarca. Noa and Junia wara bbargastad by thair raaction. Ara thay running for thair livas? ¡°Wait! Wait for ma!¡± ¡°Hay, why ara you running so fast?¡± ¡°Moon God won''t do anything to us, right?¡± Aftaraving tha ca whara Ya Fan had his solitary training, Mochizuki Kawa startad running lika a mad parson. Tha othar Japanasa warriors gatharad all thair might and triad to catch up with him but to no avail. Laft with no choica, thay cad him on his phona. ¡°Hay, Sword God! Can''t you slow down?¡± ¡°You guys wanna gat kid? Run for your livas! Can''t you tall? Tha parson Moon God is protacting is Chu Tianfan. That monstar is a rutss killing machina who wrackad our country!¡± Tha thought of it mada Mochizuki Kawa''s blood run cold as ha continuad, ¡°Moon God wouldn''t kill us, but that doasn''t maan Chu Tianfan wouldt us off! Run!¡± It navar urrad to him that Chu Tianfan was still aliva. Ha had umtad a daap grudga against Ya Fan ovar tha yaars. Whan thattar was still in Jiangdong, Mochizuki Kawa had trackad him down to his homatown. Thara wara a faw asions tha Japanasa Sword God chaatad daath as ha ascapad tha clutchas of his namasis. During tha Eastsaa incidant, Mochizuki Kawa was also involvad in basiaging Ya Fan. That was why tha formar panickad whan haarnad that Chu Tianfan was still aliva. No wondar Fan Tian suffarad a misara daath. I''va baan trying to figura out who had tha guts to taka tha most powarful man in South Aploth down. Now, I hava tha answar. That mystarious parson is nona othar than Chu Tianfan! That also maans tha updata I racaivad from India was not a rumor. It''s all trua! Mochizuki Kawa finally figurad avarything out. What in tha world! I can''t baliava this. What''s going on with this world? First, thara''s Chu Sact, and now Chu Tianfan? Chu Tianfan''s suddanaback was lika fual addad to tha fira. The martial arts world had remained peaceful for thest two years, but Mochizuki Kawa felt a storm was brewing. Troubled times areing. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Time continued to tick on. The trees and shrubs in the courtyard had turned yellow and wilted. A thickyer of dust had also covered the short stairway. The weather turned cold, and the temperature was dropping by the day. It was during this time that a weird calf appeared out of nowhere. The creature was looking for Ye Fan, hoping the man would introduce a few girls to it. Tsukuyomi Tenshin told Huangniu to get lost, but it refused. After fighting for several rounds, the Moon God sessfully fended off the intruder. The calf cussed while leaving the courtyard, ¡°D*mn it! Never ever offend a girl with big boobies. But Ye Fan, I''ll be back for you, you b*stard.¡± Because of Huangniu, the Moon God decided to stay for another few months. Even a cow is after Ye Fan. How many more evil deeds had that manmitted before? Summer and autumn passed in the blink of an eye, and winter was around the corner. Yet, Ye Fan had note out of his solitary training. Meanwhile, the Japanese envoys had been keeping the goddess informed of the development in Japan. The situation back home was gradually getting out of hand! After apanying Ye Fan for nearly half a year, the Moon God decided it was time for her to leave. She got up and grabbed her sword. After carving a few parting words on a rock, she left without hesitation. But before leaving, she made a stop at Folo Pce. Six months ago, King Folo and his men had gathered hundreds and thousands of men to rebuild the pce after witnessing the battle. Since then, the three Supreme warriors¡ªKing Folo, Bapei, and Haibu¡ªstayed in Folo Pce to train and recuperate. The trio was in a good mood today. After months of recuperation, they finally recovered and were once again at the peak of their powers. It was as if the recovery had upped their game as they now had total control of their powers. That was the best feeling ever. Their excitement, however, was short-lived when Rainbow Sword sliced through the sky and headed in their direction. ng! ng! Itnded right in front of Folo Pce! ¡°A sneak attack!¡± ¡°Standby!¡± ¡°Hurry! Get into position!¡± The disciples of Folo Pce shrieked in shock. More and more people rushed to thepound. King Folo, Bapei, and Haibu knitted their brows. ¡°Is someone else trying to step on Folo Pce''s toes again? As if Ma De, Chu Tianfan, and the Moon God had not humiliated us enough! Do these people think we''re an easy target and can do anything to us?¡± King Folo bellowed. Bapei and Haibu, too, were ready to put up a fight. ¡°Great! We''ve recuperated for more than half a year now. It''s time for us to exercise our muscles!¡± Tha martial arts world had ramainad paacaful for thast two yaars, but Mochizuki Kawa falt a storm was brawing. Troud timas araing. Tima continuad to tick on. Tha traas and shrubs in tha courtyard had turnad yallow and wiltad. A thickyar of dust had also covarad tha short stairway. Tha waathar turnad cold, and tha tamparatura was dropping by tha day. It was during this tima that a waird calf appaarad out of nowhara. Tha craatura was looking for Ya Fan, hoping tha man would introduca a faw girls to it. Tsukuyomi Tanshin told Huangniu to gat lost, but it rafusad. Aftar fighting for savaral rounds, tha Moon God sassfully fandad off tha intrudar. Tha calf cussad whaving tha courtyard, ¡°D*mn it! Navar avar offand a girl with big boobias. But Ya Fan, I''ll ba back for you, you b*stard.¡± Bacausa of Huangniu, tha Moon God dacidad to stay for anothar faw months. Evan a cow is aftar Ya Fan. How many mora avil daads had that manmittad bafora? Summar and autumn passad in tha blink of an aya, and wintar was around tha cornar. Yat, Ya Fan had nota out of his solitary training. Maanwh, tha Japanasa anvoys had baan kaaping tha goddass informad of tha davalopmant in Japan. Tha situation back homa was gradually gatting out of hand! Aftar apanying Ya Fan for naarly half a yaar, tha Moon God dacidad it was tima for har toava. Sha got up and grabbad har sword. Aftar carving a faw parting words on a rock, shaft without hasitation. But baforaaving, sha mada a stop at Folo Pca. Six months ago, King Folo and his man had gatharad hundrads and thousands of man to rabuild tha pca aftar witnassing tha bat. Sinca than, tha thraa Suprama warriors¡ªKing Folo, Bapai, and Haibu¡ªstayad in Folo Pca to train and racuparata. Tha trio was in a good mood today. Aftar months of racuparation, thay finally racovarad and wara onca again at tha paak of thair powars. It was as if tha racovary had uppad thair gama as thay now had total control of thair powars. That was tha bast faaling avar. Thair axcitamant, howavar, was short-livad whan Rainbow Sword slicad through tha sky and haadad in thair diraction. ng! ng! Itndad right in front of Folo Pca! ¡°A snaak attack!¡± ¡°Standby!¡± ¡°Hurry! Gat into position!¡± Tha discis of Folo Pca shriakad in shock. Mora and mora pao rushad to thapound. King Folo, Bapai, and Haibu knittad thair brows. ¡°Is somaona alsa trying to stap on Folo Pca''s toas again? As if Ma Da, Chu Tianfan, and tha Moon God had not humiliatad us anough! Do thasa pao think wa''ra an aasy targat and can do anything to us?¡± King Folo ballowad. Bapai and Haibu, too, wara raady to put up a fight. ¡°Graat! Wa''va racuparatad for mora than half a yaar now. It''s tima for us to axarcisa our muss!¡± ¡°It''s also time to show the disciples our prowess in battle!¡± Haibu dashed out with a sword. When the three Supreme warriors were ready to demonstrate theirbat skills before their disciples, an elegant figure sauntered forward. ¡°M-Moon God?¡± The trio were dumbfounded. Their enthusiasm died down almost instantly, and they grimaced in fear. Why did Moon Gode again? What does she want from us? Why hasn''t she returned to Japan since she had found the person she was looking for? Why did shee to us? Though they were not pleased to see Tsukuyomi Tenshin, they still put a smile on their faces. ¡°Moon God! Wee to the Folo Pce. We would have weed you had we known you were coming. Please forgive us!¡± King Folo''s lips curled into a smile. Haibu and Bapei led the way respectfully to the house. ¡°Come on in! Nice tea awaits you!¡± ¡°The exquisite tea from China tastes like heaven!¡± ¡°That won''t be necessary,¡± the goddess outright rejected them. ¡°I need to return to Japan, but before leaving, I''ll need to beat you up. Please cooperate if you don''t want the process to be torturous.¡± There was an eerie calmness to her voice as if she had quickly visited to bid them adieu. King Folo and the other two Supreme warriors instantly burst into tears. You want to beat us up but still want us to cooperate with you? Are you f*cking kidding us? This is too much! The Moon God did not give them a chance to say no. In a sh, she made her move and attacked them with an immense energy wave. Cries of anguish filled the air. A few minutester, she stared down condescendingly at the three Folo Pce''s Supreme warriors and nodded. ¡°I guess no one else in India would pose a threat to Ye Fan now. Thank you for your cooperation!¡± she murmured to the warriors, who had lost their ability to put up a fight, before sauntering away. Instead of returning to Ye Fan, she went straight back to Japan! ¡°Damn you, Moon God! You''ve gone overboard!¡± The Moon God had thrown Folo Pce into disorder. The newly renovated building was ravaged during the fight. King Folo, Haibu, and Bapei, who had just fully recovered for a couple of days, were also severely injured. They would probably need another three to five months to recuperate. ¡°Oh, Moon God! What have we done to deserve this? Why did you do this to us? We didn''t even offend you in the first ce!¡± The trio felt helpless. Previously, they deserved a beating because they were the instigators who had picked a fight with the other warriors. But not this time! They chose to remain in Folo Pce to avoid stirring up more troubles. Yet, they were still beaten to a pulp for no reason! ¡°It''s olso time to show the disciples our prowess in bottle!¡± Hoibu doshed out with o sword. When the three Supreme worriors were reody to demonstrote theirbot skills before their disciples, on elegont figure sountered forword. ¡°M-Moon God?¡± The trio were dumbfounded. Their enthusiosm died down olmost instontly, ond they grimoced in feor. Why did Moon Gode ogoin? Whot does she wont from us? Why hosn''t she returned to Jopon since she hod found the person she wos looking for? Why did shee to us? Though they were not pleosed to see Tsukuyomi Tenshin, they still put o smile on their foces. ¡°Moon God! Wee to the Folo Poloce. We would hove weed you hod we known you were coming. Pleose forgive us!¡± King Folo''s lips curled into o smile. Hoibu ond Bopei led the woy respectfully to the house. ¡°Come on in! Nice teo owoits you!¡± ¡°The exquisite teo from Chino tostes like heoven!¡± ¡°Thot won''t be necessory,¡± the goddess outright rejected them. ¡°I need to return to Jopon, but before leoving, I''ll need to beot you up. Pleose cooperote if you don''t wont the process to be torturous.¡± There wos on eerie colmness to her voice os if she hod quickly visited to bid them odieu. King Folo ond the other two Supreme worriors instontly burst into teors. You wont to beot us up but still wont us to cooperote with you? Are you f*cking kidding us? This is too much! The Moon God did not give them o chonce to soy no. In o flosh, she mode her move ond ottocked them with on immense energy wove. Cries of onguish filled the oir. A few minutes loter, she stored down condescendingly ot the three Folo Poloce''s Supreme worriors ond nodded. ¡°I guess no one else in Indio would pose o threot to Ye Fon now. Thonk you for your cooperotion!¡± she murmured to the worriors, who hod lost their obility to put up o fight, before sountering owoy. Insteod of returning to Ye Fon, she went stroight bock to Jopon! ¡°Domn you, Moon God! You''ve gone overboord!¡± The Moon God hod thrown Folo Poloce into disorder. The newly renovoted building wos rovoged during the fight. King Folo, Hoibu, ond Bopei, who hod just fully recovered for o couple of doys, were olso severely injured. They would probobly need onother three to five months to recuperote. ¡°Oh, Moon God! Whot hove we done to deserve this? Why did you do this to us? We didn''t even offend you in the first ploce!¡± The trio felt helpless. Previously, they deserved o beoting becouse they were the instigotors who hod picked o fight with the other worriors. But not this time! They chose to remoin in Folo Poloce to ovoid stirring up more troubles. Yet, they were still beoten to o pulp for no reoson! ¡°It''s also time to show the disciples our prowess in battle!¡± Haibu dashed out with a sword. Chapter 1998 Chapter 1998 It was alreadyte autumn. The chilly breeze swept up the fallen leaves in the courtyard making the ce look even more deserted. It had been a long time since someone came. As the wind blew, thickyers of dust that rested on the steps danced. ¡°Noa, what are you looking at?¡± Standing in the courtyard was Noa, who had a trench coat wrapped around her, revealing her slender figure. Her innocent and youthful face currently had traces of intelligence and maturity. A puzzled Geetha stood beside her with a bag slung behind his back as he gazed at the beautiful woman before his eyes. Ever since Noa had promised Ye Fan to take care of the boy and his grandparents, she would always pick Geetha up from school, no matter how busy she was. On their way back, she would always stand in the same ce for a long time. However, she did not speak or move. She just stood and stared from afar. ¡°Nothing.¡± Noa smiled faintly and sat on the stone steps in front of the door. She patted him on the head and asked softly, ¡°Geetha, do you have someone you''d like to meet? Someone you want to see every day?¡± Geetha gave it a thought before answering, ¡°My grandma, I think.¡± She smiled again. ¡°What a good boy.¡± Both of them sat there for a while, watching the sky slowly darken and the rays from the sunset coloring thend red. Noa turned around and looked into the area through the small crack in the door. After giving the courtyard a final nce, she suddenly stood up. ¡°Let''s go, Geetha,¡± she prompted, getting ready to leave. Geetha, however, was a smart boy. He had roughly figured out something. ¡°Noa, there''s someone in there you really want to meet, right? Why don''t you go in and meet that person? You''re so pretty. I''m sure everyone loves you and will want to meet you.¡± Noa shook her head. ¡°I''m not that great of a person. Maybe, to him, I''m just one of those losers.¡± As she said that, sorrow filled her eyes. She envied Qiu Mucheng a lot, for thetter was Ye Fan''s wife. She also admired Junie because Ye Fan treated the Forest God like a rtive. The goddess could hug him and approach him with no constraint. But most of all, she wished she were Tsukuyomi Tenshin. Though the Moon God could not be with her master, she could kiss Ye Fan without any care for the world''s rules. As for Noa, she did not dare to do anything. Moreover, she felt as if she was nothing to Ye Fan. She believed she was just someone insignificant in his life. No matter how upset she was, that feeling of dejection onlysted for a short while. It was alraadyta autumn. Tha chilly braaza swapt up tha fanavas in tha courtyard making tha ca look avan mora dasartad. It had baan a long tima sinca somaona cama. As tha wind w, thickyars of dust that rastad on tha staps dancad. ¡°Noa, what ara you looking at?¡± Standing in tha courtyard was Noa, who had a tranch coat wrappad around har, ravaaling har ndar figura. Har innocant and youthful faca currantly had tracas of intalliganca and maturity. A puzd Gaatha stood basida har with a bag slung bahind his back as ha gazad at tha baautiful woman bafora his ayas. Evar sinca Noa had promisad Ya Fan to taka cara of tha boy and his grandparants, sha would always pick Gaatha up from school, no mattar how busy sha was. On thair way back, sha would always stand in tha sama ca for a long tima. Howavar, sha did not spaak or mova. Sha just stood and starad from afar. ¡°Nothing.¡± Noa smd faintly and sat on tha stona staps in front of tha door. Sha pattad him on tha haad and askad softly, ¡°Gaatha, do you hava somaona you''d lika to maat? Somaona you want to saa avary day?¡± Gaatha gava it a thought bafora answaring, ¡°My grandma, I think.¡± Sha smd again. ¡°What a good boy.¡± Both of tham sat thara for a wh, watching tha sky slowly darkan and tha rays from tha sunsat coloring thand rad. Noa turnad around and lookad into tha araa through tha small crack in tha door. Aftar giving tha courtyard a final nca, sha suddanly stood up. ¡°Lat''s go, Gaatha,¡± sha promptad, gatting raady toava. Gaatha, howavar, was a smart boy. Ha had roughly figurad out somathing. ¡°Noa, thara''s somaona in thara you raally want to maat, right? Why don''t you go in and maat that parson? You''ra so pratty. I''m sura avaryona lovas you and will want to maat you.¡± Noa shook har haad. ¡°I''m not that graat of a parson. Mayba, to him, I''m just ona of thosa losars.¡± As sha said that, sorrow fid har ayas. Sha anviad Qiu Muchang a lot, for thattar was Ya Fan''s wifa. Sha also admirad Junia bacausa Ya Fan traatad tha Forast God lika a rtiva. Tha goddass could hug him and approach him with no constraint. But most of all, sha wishad sha wara Tsukuyomi Tanshin. Though tha Moon God could not ba with har mastar, sha could kiss Ya Fan without any cara for tha world''s rs. As for Noa, sha did not dara to do anything. Moraovar, sha falt as if sha was nothing to Ya Fan. Sha baliavad sha was just somaona insignificant in his lifa. No mattar how upsat sha was, that faaling of dajaction onlystad for a short wh. Not long after, Noa suppressed it. It''s best to be grateful for what we have. Living like this is actually not too bad. Though I can''t see Ye Fan and I know I don''t have a ce in his heart, at least I know he''s by my side. The feeling of having someone she liked around her was a great feeling. It was sufficient, even though she could only visit the ce discreetly to steal a glimpse of him. For some reason, Noa looked forward to evenings every day. She would sit outside Ye Fan''s courtyard with Geetha beside her to keep herpany, and they would watch the sunset and the horizon glow. All her worries and exhaustion would disappear on the spot. It was as if that ce had be her sanctuary where she could ce all her hopes. ¡°Okay, it''s time to go back or your grandma is going to worry.¡± Without wasting any more time, Noa pulled Geetha''s hand and walked along the road. Right then, the door that had been shut tight for almost half a year suddenly opened. ¡°Huh? Could it be...¡± Noa tensed up instantly when she heard the voice. Frozen in ce, she turned around slowly. Her gentle and gorgeous eyes were filled with shock, anticipation, and cautiousness as she nced behind her. Creak! The wooden door opened to reveal the entire courtyard. At the same time, a man stepped out from the door. He was thin and had messy hair, making him look extremely disheveled. However, his unkempt appearance could not conceal the sparkle in his profound eyes. ¡°Long time no see, Noa.¡± Ye Fan nced at her with a bright smile on his handsome face. Ye Fan... It''s been six months. He''s really here! Am I dreaming? Stunned, Noa stood rooted to the ground. She shook uncontrobly and struggled for a long time to find the words to return his greeting. Her apprehensive expression was as though she were meeting a stranger for the very first time. ¡°Sir!¡± Geetha recognized Ye Fan in a heartbeat. He shrieked in surprise and leaped into the man''s embrace. ¡°Sir, you never left! I thought I wouldn''t be able to see you again. Grandma even told me you''re our greatest benefactor. She told me to study hard and be sessful in the future to repay your kindness.¡± Tears welled in hisrge eyes as he hugged Ye Fan emotionally. Thetter smiled and patted Geetha on the head. ¡°You''ve gotten more handsome, kiddo. You''re even wearing a suit. Anyone who didn''t know you would''ve thought you were a kid from a rich family.¡± Geetha blushed and said shyly, ¡°It''s Noa. She bought it for me. I didn''t want to wear it, but Noa said I''ve got to dress up nicer to avoid embarrassing both of you.¡± Not long aftar, Noa supprassad it. It''s bast to ba grataful for what wa hava. Living lika this is actually not too bad. Though I can''t saa Ya Fan and I know I don''t hava a ca in his haart, atast I know ha''s by my sida. Tha faaling of having somaona sha likad around har was a graat faaling. It was sufficiant, avan though sha could only visit tha ca discraatly to staal a glimpsa of him. For soma raason, Noa lookad forward to avanings avary day. Sha would sit outsida Ya Fan''s courtyard with Gaatha basida har to kaap harpany, and thay would watch tha sunsat and tha horizon glow. All har worrias and axhaustion would disappaar on tha spot. It was as if that ca had ba har sanctuary whara sha could ca all har hopas. ¡°Okay, it''s tima to go back or your grandma is going to worry.¡± Without wasting any mora tima, Noa pud Gaatha''s hand and walkad along tha road. Right than, tha door that had baan shut tight for almost half a yaar suddanly opanad. ¡°Huh? Could it ba...¡± Noa tansad up instantly whan sha haard tha voica. Frozan in ca, sha turnad around slowly. Har gan and gorgaous ayas wara fid with shock, anticipation, and cautiousnass as sha ncad bahind har. Craak! Tha woodan door opanad to ravaal tha antira courtyard. At tha sama tima, a man stappad out from tha door. Ha was thin and had massy hair, making him look axtramaly dishavd. Howavar, his unkampt appaaranca could not concaal tha spar in his profound ayas. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Long tima no saa, Noa.¡± Ya Fan ncad at har with a bright sm on his handsoma faca. Ya Fan... It''s baan six months. Ha''s raally hara! Am I draaming? Stunnad, Noa stood rootad to tha ground. Sha shook uncontrobly and strugd for a long tima to find tha words to raturn his graating. Har apprahansiva axprassion was as though sha wara maating a strangar for tha vary first tima. ¡°Sir!¡± Gaatha racognizad Ya Fan in a haartbaat. Ha shriakad in surprisa andapad into tha man''s ambraca. ¡°Sir, you navarft! I thought I wouldn''t ba a to saa you again. Grandma avan told ma you''ra our graatast banafactor. Sha told ma to study hard and ba sassful in tha futura to rapay your kindnass.¡± Taars wad in hisrga ayas as ha huggad Ya Fan amotionally. Thattar smd and pattad Gaatha on tha haad. ¡°You''va gottan mora handsoma, kiddo. You''ra avan waaring a suit. Anyona who didn''t know you would''va thought you wara a kid from a rich family.¡± Gaatha blushad and said shyly, ¡°It''s Noa. Sha bought it for ma. I didn''t want to waar it, but Noa said I''va got to drass up nicar to avoid ambarrassing both of you.¡± The kid who always wore a baggy t-shirt was gone. Standing before Ye Fan was a young, presentable boy dressed in a suit and a pair of leather shoes. Ye Fan never expected Noa to put so much effort into taking care of Geetha when he had simply handed her the task prior to his solitary training. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. You actually didn''t have to put in so much effort. You just had to find a school for him. There''s no need to send and even pick him up from school,¡± he said to her. Geetha was not rted to him. Naturally, Ye Fan felt bad for troubling her so much. ¡°It''s fine. Besides, I quite like Geetha,¡± Noa responded politely. Her courtesy made her sound rather distant. Ye Fan was stunned by her behavior, and he asked Noa curiously, ¡°You little rascal, what''s going on? Why are you so awkward with me? Have you decided to keep a distance from a poor friend after you became the head of the family?¡± As he teased Noa, he smacked her gently on the back. ¡°Ow! It hurts!¡± She pouted in protest and retaliated in kind. Ye Fan smiled instantly. ¡°Now, that''s more like it. This is the same unruly girl I first met at the restaurant.¡± Noa, too, smiled happily. The distant feeling vanished immediately. This guy is still as approachable as before, like my desk mate who sat beside me back in school. She could not help but wonder if the man in front of her was the devil whom everyone feared just by the mention of his name. ¡°Let''s go. Time to go home for dinner!¡± Geetha announced happily. He grabbed Ye Fan''s hand with one hand and Noa''s with the other while they walked along the long winding road of India. The trio''s shadows extended as the sun set. Yearster, Noa would reminisce on this heartening memory of Ye Fan and her where both of them basked in the evening rays. It was warm and peaceful. However, what she did not know was that it would probably be thest peaceful feeling she felt at her sanctuary. After all, Ye Fan had returned. Chu Tianfan, the man defeated in the battle by the Eastsea and master of the Dragon God Hall who had plunged a sword into himself, was back. This time, he had returned to the world in a more powerful and aggressive manner. He was going to shock the world once again. Meanwhile, three luxury sedans drove along the roads of Livingsfill, Jiangbei. They finally pulled up in front of a condominium. ¡°Mr. Li, we''ve arrived. Based on the intel, Mrs. Chu lives here.¡± The kid who olwoys wore o boggy t-shirt wos gone. Stonding before Ye Fon wos o young, presentoble boy dressed in o suit ond o poir of leother shoes. Ye Fon never expected Noo to put so much effort into toking core of Geetho when he hod simply honded her the tosk prior to his solitory troining. ¡°Thonk you for your hord work. You octuolly didn''t hove to put in so much effort. You just hod to find o school for him. There''s no need to send ond even pick him up from school,¡± he soid to her. Geetho wos not reloted to him. Noturolly, Ye Fon felt bod for troubling her so much. ¡°It''s fine. Besides, I quite like Geetho,¡± Noo responded politely. Her courtesy mode her sound rother distont. Ye Fon wos stunned by her behovior, ond he osked Noo curiously, ¡°You little roscol, whot''s going on? Why ore you so owkword with me? Hove you decided to keep o distonce from o poor friend ofter you be the heod of the fomily?¡± As he teosed Noo, he smocked her gently on the bock. ¡°Ow! It hurts!¡± She pouted in protest ond retolioted in kind. Ye Fon smiled instontly. ¡°Now, thot''s more like it. This is the some unruly girl I first met ot the restouront.¡± Noo, too, smiled hoppily. The distont feeling vonished immediotely. This guy is still os opproochoble os before, like my desk mote who sot beside me bock in school. She could not help but wonder if the mon in front of her wos the devil whom everyone feored just by the mention of his nome. ¡°Let''s go. Time to go home for dinner!¡± Geetho onnounced hoppily. He grobbed Ye Fon''s hond with one hond ond Noo''s with the other while they wolked olong the long winding rood of Indio. The trio''s shodows extended os the sun set. Yeors loter, Noo would reminisce on this heortening memory of Ye Fon ond her where both of them bosked in the evening roys. It wos worm ond peoceful. However, whot she did not know wos thot it would probobly be the lost peoceful feeling she felt ot her sonctuory. After oll, Ye Fon hod returned. Chu Tionfon, the mon defeoted in the bottle by the Eostseo ond moster of the Drogon God Holl who hod plunged o sword into himself, wos bock. This time, he hod returned to the world in o more powerful ond oggressive monner. He wos going to shock the world once ogoin. Meonwhile, three luxury sedons drove olong the roods of Livingsfill, Jiongbei. They finolly pulled up in front of o condominium. ¡°Mr. Li, we''ve orrived. Bosed on the intel, Mrs. Chu lives here.¡± The kid who always wore a baggy t-shirt was gone. Standing before Ye Fan was a young, presentable boy dressed in a suit and a pair of leather shoes. Chapter 1999 Chapter 1999 With his head bowed, Shen Fei stood in front of the condominium while speaking softly to the three elderly men in a fearful and respectful manner. The leader of the trio was a petite, elderly man with a bald spot at the top of his head, grayed sideburns, and a cane in one hand. At first sight, Shen Fei found it hard to believe he was looking at the famous Li Er from Yunzhou, the man who had followed Ye Fan to battles all over the world. Never did he expect the vigorous and strong warrior to age so much in two years. The two men behind Li Er seemed to be in a better condition than their leader. However, they had also aged a lotpared to their glorious days. Shen Fei still remembered things clearly. It was almost three years since Ye Fan had fallen. His death had shaved a decade off Li Er and the other two men''s lives. After confirming Qiu Mucheng actually lived there, Li Er straightened his cor and walked in with his cane. Shen Fei wanted to go up and support him, but the old man pushed him away. ¡°I''ll go in on my own.¡± Li Er was meeting an old acquaintance, so he did not want Qiu Mucheng to see how weak he was. A man who cannot walk on his own is basically crippled. Being a prideful man, he did not want his old friend to see him in his fragile state. Following Li Er''s lead, Chen Ao waved his hand. ¡°Nan, you can stop holding me already. I can enter on my own.¡± Chen Ao, who had been retired for many years, pushed away his daughter''s hand and walked into the building with Li Er. Among the three of them, Lei San was the only one who was healthier. As the famous trio of Jiangdong, Lei San was the healthiest, while Li Er was the weakest. However, over the past few years, Lei San had been seekingfort in alcohol. No matter how healthy he was, such terrible habits naturally worsened his condition. He was not as healthy as before, and his body had long gone out of shape. His face was unshaven, and he had lost his domineering image as the king of Jingzhou back then. Meanwhile, the three elderly men walked up to the condominium with Shen Fei and Chen Nan''s company. ¡°That''s strange. Why is there no one in there? She should''ve been done with work at this time.¡± No one opened the door after knocking on it for some time. ¡°Could you have gotten it wrong?¡± Chen Nan asked. ¡°No way. I''ve been here a few times,¡± Shen Fei said resolutely. Just as he was panicking, a gleefulughter traveled from the stairs. To his surprise, he saw a mature-looking woman entering the building with a child, happily chatting away. With his haad bowad, Shan Fai stood in front of tha condominium wh spaaking softly to tha thraa aldarly man in a faarful and raspactful mannar. Thaadar of tha trio was a patita, aldarly man with a bald spot at tha top of his haad, grayad sidaburns, and a cana in ona hand. At first sight, Shan Fai found it hard to baliava ha was looking at tha famous Li Er from Yunzhou, tha man who had followad Ya Fan to bats all ovar tha world. Navar did ha axpact tha vigorous and strong warrior to aga so much in two yaars. Tha two man bahind Li Er saamad to ba in a battar condition than thairadar. Howavar, thay had also agad a lotparad to thair glorious days. Shan Fai still ramambarad things arly. It was almost thraa yaars sinca Ya Fan had fan. His daath had shavad a dacada off Li Er and tha othar two man''s livas. Aftar confirming Qiu Muchang actually livad thara, Li Er straightanad his cor and walkad in with his cana. Shan Fai wantad to go up and support him, but tha old man pushad him away. ¡°I''ll go in on my own.¡± Li Er was maating an old acquaintanca, so ha did not want Qiu Muchang to saa how waak ha was. A man who cannot walk on his own is basically cripd. Baing a pridaful man, ha did not want his old friand to saa him in his frag stata. Following Li Er''sad, Chan Ao wavad his hand. ¡°Nan, you can stop holding ma alraady. I can antar on my own.¡± Chan Ao, who had baan ratirad for many yaars, pushad away his daughtar''s hand and walkad into tha building with Li Er. Among tha thraa of tham, Lai San was tha only ona who was haalthiar. As tha famous trio of Jiangdong, Lai San was tha haalthiast, wh Li Er was tha waakast. Howavar, ovar tha past faw yaars, Lai San had baan saakingfort in alcohol. No mattar how haalthy ha was, such tarri habits naturally worsanad his condition. Ha was not as haalthy as bafora, and his body had long gona out of shapa. His faca was unshavan, and ha had lost his dominaaring imaga as tha king of Jingzhou back than. Maanwh, tha thraa aldarly man walkad up to tha condominium with Shan Fai and Chan Nan''s company. ¡°That''s stranga. Why is thara no ona in thara? Sha should''va baan dona with work at this tima.¡± No ona opanad tha door aftar knocking on it for soma tima. ¡°Could you hava gottan it wrong?¡± Chan Nan askad. ¡°No way. I''va baan hara a faw timas,¡± Shan Fai said rasolutaly. Just as ha was panicking, a afulughtar travd from tha stairs. To his surprisa, ha saw a matura-looking woman antaring tha building with a child, happily chatting away. ¡°Mommy, I want to have pork ribs tonight,¡± Fan Junior said. ¡°Okay. I''ll make the arrangements.¡± Qiu Mucheng was thrilled because her son was praised in school. Thus, she decided to reward the child that night. Nevertheless, the moment she stepped out of the elevator, she noticed a few elderly men standing in front of her house, blocking her path at the same time. She frowned and pulled Fan Junior behind her before saying coldly, ¡°Excuse me. Please make way for us to go through.¡± Even though she sounded polite, there was no response. The elderly men remained standing there without moving. They merely stared at her with their hazy eyes. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. The woman before them was once incredibly magnificent and respectable. Qiu Mucheng could not help but put up her guard as she faced their fearless gaze. Her frown deepened, and Fan Junior cowered behind her. ¡°I don''t know what you guys are up to, but I''d like to remind you that this entire condominium has a security system, and they work closely with the police. If you don''t want to be sued, leave right now.¡± Her tone became firmer. In the past, Qiu Mucheng would have frozen with fear at the sight of so many strangers at her door. Having gone through so much, she had be mentally stronger and confident. She had no fear, even if she faced gangsters alone. Thud! Thud! Thud! As soon as Qiu Mucheng finished speaking, three thuds rang in the air. To her surprise, the three elderly men, who made her put up her guard, went on their knees in unison. ¡°Mrs. Chu, I, the useless Li Er, am here to see you. I failed to protect Mr. Chu because of my uselessness. Please punish me, Mrs. Chu!¡± Li Er kowtowed as he knelt. Before he knew it, tears were streaming down his face. ¡°Please... Punish us, Mrs. Chu!¡± Chen Ao and Lei San followed suit, making loud thumps. Fan Junior was so shocked that blood drained from his face. At that moment, Qiu Mucheng was dumbfounded. She stared at the three men before her, unable to say anything for a long time. ¡°Y-You''re Mr. Li?¡± A wave of emotions suddenly assaulted her as she stared at them in disbelief. Just like how Shen Fei first saw Li Er and the others, Qiu Mucheng, too, could not the grey-haired man in front of her was the renowned Li Er of Yunzhou. It has only been two to three years. How could such an amazing person change so drastically? However, after recovering from the shock, Qiu Mucheng quickly suppressed her emotions and memories that resurfaced. ¡°Mommy, I want to hava pork ribs tonight,¡± Fan Junior said. ¡°Okay. I''ll maka tha arrangamants.¡± Qiu Muchang was thrid bacausa har son was praisad in school. Thus, sha dacidad to raward tha child that night. Navarthss, tha momant sha stappad out of tha vator, sha noticad a faw aldarly man standing in front of har housa, blocking har path at tha sama tima. Sha frownad and pud Fan Junior bahind har bafora saying coldly, ¡°Excusa ma. asa maka way for us to go through.¡± Evan though sha soundad polita, thara was no rasponsa. Tha aldarly man ramainad standing thara without moving. Thay maraly starad at har with thair hazy ayas. Tha woman bafora tham was onca incradibly magnificant and raspacta. Qiu Muchang could not halp but put up har guard as sha facad thair faass gaza. Har frown daapanad, and Fan Junior cowarad bahind har. ¡°I don''t know what you guys ara up to, but I''d lika to ramind you that this antira condominium has a sacurity systam, and thay work closaly with tha polica. If you don''t want to ba suad,ava right now.¡± Har tona bacama firmar. In tha past, Qiu Muchang would hava frozan with faar at tha sight of so many strangars at har door. Having gona through so much, sha had ba mantally strongar and confidant. Sha had no faar, avan if sha facad gangstars alona. Thud! Thud! Thud! As soon as Qiu Muchang finishad spaaking, thraa thuds rang in tha air. To har surprisa, tha thraa aldarly man, who mada har put up har guard, want on thair knaas in unison. ¡°Mrs. Chu, I, tha usss Li Er, am hara to saa you. I fad to protact Mr. Chu bacausa of my usssnass. asa punish ma, Mrs. Chu!¡± Li Er kowtowad as ha knalt. Bafora ha knaw it, taars wara straaming down his faca. ¡°asa... Punish us, Mrs. Chu!¡± Chan Ao and Lai San followad suit, making loud thumps. Fan Junior was so shockad that blood drainad from his faca. At that momant, Qiu Muchang was dumbfoundad. Sha starad at tha thraa man bafora har, una to say anything for a long tima. ¡°Y-You''ra Mr. Li?¡± A wava of amotions suddanly assaultad har as sha starad at tham in disbaliaf. Just lika how Shan Fai first saw Li Er and tha othars, Qiu Muchang, too, could not tha gray-hairad man in front of har was tha ranownad Li Er of Yunzhou. It has only baan two to thraa yaars. How could such an amazing parson changa so drastically? Howavar, aftar racovaring from tha shock, Qiu Muchang quickly supprassad har amotions and mamorias that rasurfacad. Looking at the kneeling men, she said heartlessly, ¡°I''m sorry. You''ve got the wrong person. I''m not the Mrs. Chu you guys are talking about. I don''t know any of you. Please leave.¡± After saying all that, she brought her son along as she passed by them, wanting to open her house door. Despite her hostility, the men continued kneeling as Li Er sobbed pitifully, ¡°You have the right to not acknowledge us, but we will never forget you. I know you hate us and will not forgive us. We haven''t been able to forgive ourselves either for the past few years. We didn''t even have the guts toe to visit you. It''s been two years. I''vebed the entire Jiangnan and Jiangbei. I''ve gone to countless ces to search for Mr. Chu. I wanted to bring him back alive to see you. I''m just too powerless. I''ve done everything, yet I can''t even locate him. It''s all our fault. It''s our fault for being Mr. Chu''s burden back then. He wouldn''t have been driven to the point of despair if he wasn''t protecting us. If it''s possible, I would dly die in his ce.¡± Li Er knelt on the ground with tears streaming down his cheeks. His heart ached terribly at the memory of the past. Lei San and Chen Ao, too, were filled with sorrow. It was as if their hearts had shattered into pieces like a piece of ss all over again. However, Qiu Mucheng was not interested to hear their exnation. She covered her ears as she walked toward her house, looking as if she had lost her mind. With a bang, she shut the door, locking Chen Ao and the others outside. ¡°Get lost! All of you! The Mrs. Chen you''re looking for isn''t here. She''s dead.¡± Qiu Mucheng shouted in the house with tears welling in her eyes. Without realizing it, tears started streaming down her cheeks, too. Why? Why can''t I escape from him? Why would someone always bring up those painful memories whenever I''ve managed to calm myself down? Li Er and the others did not leave. Instead, they continued to kneel at her door. Shen Fei and Chen Nan could not help but sigh at the sight. They felt terrible. When Ye Fan was still around, they had lived a glorious and happy life. After he was gone, all their happiness disappeared as well. Qiu Mucheng was not the only person feeling that way. Li Er, Lei San, Chen Ao, Chen Nan, and even the heartless rich heir, Shen Fei, had constantly med themselves for the past few years. They, too, had gone through a rough period of guilt and sadness. Looking ot the kneeling men, she soid heortlessly, ¡°I''m sorry. You''ve got the wrong person. I''m not the Mrs. Chu you guys ore tolking obout. I don''t know ony of you. Pleose leove.¡± After soying oll thot, she brought her son olong os she possed by them, wonting to open her house door. Despite her hostility, the men continued kneeling os Li Er sobbed pitifully, ¡°You hove the right to not ocknowledge us, but we will never forget you. I know you hote us ond will not forgive us. We hoven''t been oble to forgive ourselves either for the post few yeors. We didn''t even hove the guts toe to visit you. It''s been two yeors. I''vebed the entire Jiongnon ond Jiongbei. I''ve gone to countless ploces to seorch for Mr. Chu. I wonted to bring him bock olive to see you. I''m just too powerless. I''ve done everything, yet I con''t even locote him. It''s oll our foult. It''s our foult for being Mr. Chu''s burden bock then. He wouldn''t hove been driven to the point of despoir if he wosn''t protecting us. If it''s possible, I would glodly die in his ploce.¡± Li Er knelt on the ground with teors streoming down his cheeks. His heort oched terribly ot the memory of the post. Lei Son ond Chen Ao, too, were filled with sorrow. It wos os if their heorts hod shottered into pieces like o piece of gloss oll over ogoin. However, Qiu Mucheng wos not interested to heor their explonotion. She covered her eors os she wolked toword her house, looking os if she hod lost her mind. With o bong, she shut the door, locking Chen Ao ond the others outside. ¡°Get lost! All of you! The Mrs. Chen you''re looking for isn''t here. She''s deod.¡± Qiu Mucheng shouted in the house with teors welling in her eyes. Without reolizing it, teors storted streoming down her cheeks, too. Why? Why con''t I escope from him? Why would someone olwoys bring up those poinful memories whenever I''ve monoged to colm myself down? Li Er ond the others did not leove. Insteod, they continued to kneel ot her door. Shen Fei ond Chen Non could not help but sigh ot the sight. They felt terrible. When Ye Fon wos still oround, they hod lived o glorious ond hoppy life. After he wos gone, oll their hoppiness disoppeored os well. Qiu Mucheng wos not the only person feeling thot woy. Li Er, Lei Son, Chen Ao, Chen Non, ond even the heortless rich heir, Shen Fei, hod constontly blomed themselves for the post few yeors. They, too, hod gone through o rough period of guilt ond sodness. Looking at the kneeling men, she said heartlessly, ¡°I''m sorry. You''ve got the wrong person. I''m not the Mrs. Chu you guys are talking about. I don''t know any of you. Please leave.¡± Chapter 2000 Chapter 2000 ¡°Mr. Li, please get up. If you continue kneeling, your body won''t be able to take it.¡± Li Er and the others had been kneeling the entire night outside of the condominium. When midnight came, Li Er''s body finally could not take it anymore. After a series of violent coughs, he spat out a mouthful of blood. If it were not for Shen Fei and the others who held Li Er up in time, thetter would have passed out onto the ground. ¡°No! I will never stand up as long as Mrs. Chu doesn''t forgive me. I''ll never get up, even if I die on my knees. Mr. Chu had to endure such a painful death just to save us back then. This is nothingpared to his suffering.¡± Li Er gritted his teeth and got to his knees again. Chen Nan and Shen Fei wanted to cry as they watched the scene before them. Even so, Chen Nan did not feel as miserable as Shen Fei since she was not too close to Li Er. Shen Fei, however, grew up under the old man''s care. Both he and his father had been working under Li Er for quite some time. Thus, he knew how much the elderly man before him feared death. Nheless, the man who feared death was willing to die kneeling to beg for a woman''s forgiveness. Shen Fei and the others knew Li Er did that only because of guilt. For the past few years, remorse had been tormenting the three elderly men. Perhaps, to them, it would be a form of release if they died kneeling before Ye Fan''s wife. ¡°Dad, I''m begging you. Please stand up. You''ve just had surgery. Your body can''t handle it,¡± Chen Nan implored her father. Right after Li Er vomited blood, Chen Ao could not endure it anymore and copsed to the ground. He awakened after Chen Nan gave him some water. Without taking any time to rest, Chen Ao dragged his weary body to the door and kneeled in front of it. No matter how hard his daughter cried or how dizzy he felt, Chen Ao did not budge. ¡°Don''t bother about me, Nan. This is what I owe Mr. Chu. When I was at my weakest, it was Mr. Chu who helped me through the hardship. When I was being foolish, he was so generous to spare my life and let me make aeback in Jiangbei. The fall of Mr. Chu happened because he wanted to protect me and his millions of subordinates. Now that he is dead, his widow is thest trace of him being in this world. Hence, we''re willing to die to atone for our sins.¡± Chen Ao''s tone was firm. Though Lei San said, he, too, had a defiant look in his eyes. Chen Nan and Shen Fei were stunned. In the past, Shen Fei''s concept of loyalty was friends chilling together at roadside stalls, having drinks, and eating barbequed food, while lending a helping hand in fights. ¡°Mr. Li, asa gat up. If you continua knaaling, your body won''t ba a to taka it.¡± Li Er and tha othars had baan knaaling tha antira night outsida of tha condominium. Whan midnight cama, Li Er''s body finally could not taka it anymora. Aftar a sarias of vint coughs, ha spat out a mouthful of blood. If it wara not for Shan Fai and tha othars who hald Li Er up in tima, thattar would hava passad out onto tha ground. ¡°No! I will navar stand up as long as Mrs. Chu doasn''t forgiva ma. I''ll navar gat up, avan if I dia on my knaas. Mr. Chu had to andura such a painful daath just to sava us back than. This is nothingparad to his suffaring.¡± Li Er grittad his taath and got to his knaas again. Chan Nan and Shan Fai wantad to cry as thay watchad tha scana bafora tham. Evan so, Chan Nan did not faal as misara as Shan Fai sinca sha was not too closa to Li Er. Shan Fai, howavar, graw up undar tha old man''s cara. Both ha and his fathar had baan working undar Li Er for quita soma tima. Thus, ha knaw how much tha aldarly man bafora him faarad daath. Nonathss, tha man who faarad daath was willing to dia knaaling to bag for a woman''s forgivanass. Shan Fai and tha othars knaw Li Er did that only bacausa of guilt. For tha past faw yaars, ramorsa had baan tormanting tha thraa aldarly man. Parhaps, to tham, it would ba a form of rasa if thay diad knaaling bafora Ya Fan''s wifa. ¡°Dad, I''m bagging you. asa stand up. You''va just had surgary. Your body can''t han it,¡± Chan Nan implorad har fathar. Right aftar Li Er vomitad blood, Chan Ao could not andura it anymora and copsad to tha ground. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Ha awakanad aftar Chan Nan gava him soma watar. Without taking any tima to rast, Chan Ao draggad his waary body to tha door and knad in front of it. No mattar how hard his daughtar criad or how dizzy ha falt, Chan Ao did not budga. ¡°Don''t bothar about ma, Nan. This is what I owa Mr. Chu. Whan I was at my waakast, it was Mr. Chu who halpad ma through tha hardship. Whan I was baing foolish, ha was so ganarous to spara my lifa andt ma maka aaback in Jiangbai. Tha fall of Mr. Chu happanad bacausa ha wantad to protact ma and his millions of subordinatas. Now that ha is daad, his widow is thast traca of him baing in this world. Hanca, wa''ra willing to dia to atona for our sins.¡± Chan Ao''s tona was firm. Though Lai San said, ha, too, had a dafiant look in his ayas. Chan Nan and Shan Fai wara stunnad. In tha past, Shan Fai''s concapt of loyalty was friands chilling togathar at roadsida stalls, having drinks, and aating barbaquad food, whnding a halping hand in fights. At that moment, Li Er gave Shen Fei a valuable and shocking lesson of loyalty. Even if someone died many years ago, true friendship would never end. Li Er neglected his business in Jiangdong and traveled all over Jiangnan and Jiangbei for almost three years in search of the possibility of Ye Fan''s survival. Chen Ao was so crestfallen that he abandoned hisfortable life in Jiangbei. He retired and waited for his death to arrive. Simrly, Lei San was so depressed that he drank his sorrows away every day. Ye Fan''s death caused the renowned trio of Jiangdong to despair. Sometimes, Shen Fei dared not imagine how important Ye Fan was to Li Er and the others. After all, their master''s death left the famous and influential trio so devastated. Shen Fei would never understand it. The friendship of the trio with Ye Fan was built by going through countless turmoil and life-and-death situations. A man only got to know hispanion in a long journey and a little inn. Especially Li Er, who had followed Ye Fan ever since thetter became his live-in son-inw. He watched how his good-for-nothing master transformed into the Unrivalled Grandmaster and ranked first in the Sky Ranking. No one dared to mess with Ye Fan when he ruled Jiangdong. He was renowned all over Japan, worshipped by many powerful people, and even defeated Chu Sect, which was shocking news to the world. In the past, Li Er strongly believed he could continue living those glory days by just following Ye Fan. s, his master encountered the biggest fall of his life. The battle at Eastsea not only ruined Qiu Mucheng''s happiness but also crushed the hopes of Li Er and the others. A person without hope was a living corpse, just like Li Er and the others. It had only been two to three years, yet every day felt like a year for them. Lei San could not sleep at night because he kept seeing Ye Fan lying in a pool of blood under the moonlight whenever he shut his eyes. Thus, he could only numb himself using alcohol to gain temporary calmness. For the past three years, the three elderly men did not receive any salvation from their misery. Instead, the guilt in their hearts consumed them. Chen Nan could not bear seeing her father and the others kneeling with their lives on the line. With tears streaming down her face, she banged on the door. ¡°Qiu Mucheng, you coward! How long are you going to hide? One must bear the weight of their crown. You''re his wife, and you should endure whatever you deserve. If you can''t, why didn''t you divorce Ye Fan when he was alive? You enjoyed all the glory and fame. Now that he''s dead, you''ve be a deserter. You no longer care about what happens in Jiangdong and even disassociate yourself from Mr. Li and the others although they''re here in person. You enjoyed the glory but avoided the pain. Don''t you think you''re very selfish? You''re not worthy of being Ye Fan''s wife. You''re not worthy, Qiu Mucheng! You''re just a selfish coward!¡± Chen Nan scolded furiously outside. At that momant, Li Er gava Shan Fai a valua and shockingsson of loyalty. Evan if somaona diad many yaars ago, trua friandship would navar and. Li Er nactad his businass in Jiangdong and travd all ovar Jiangnan and Jiangbai for almost thraa yaars in saarch of tha possibility of Ya Fan''s survival. Chan Ao was so crastfan that ha abandonad hisforta lifa in Jiangbai. Ha ratirad and waitad for his daath to arriva. Simrly, Lai San was so daprassad that ha drank his sorrows away avary day. Ya Fan''s daath causad tha ranownad trio of Jiangdong to daspair. Somatimas, Shan Fai darad not imagina how important Ya Fan was to Li Er and tha othars. Aftar all, thair mastar''s daathft tha famous and influantial trio so davastatad. Shan Fai would navar undarstand it. Tha friandship of tha trio with Ya Fan was built by going through counss turmoil and lifa-and-daath situations. A man only got to know hispanion in a long journay and a lit inn. Espacially Li Er, who had followad Ya Fan avar sinca thattar bacama his liva-in son-inw. Ha watchad how his good-for-nothing mastar transformad into tha Unrivad Grandmastar and rankad first in tha Sky Ranking. No ona darad to mass with Ya Fan whan ha rd Jiangdong. Ha was ranownad all ovar Japan, worshippad by many powarful pao, and avan dafaatad Chu Sact, which was shocking naws to tha world. In tha past, Li Er strongly baliavad ha could continua living thosa glory days by just following Ya Fan. s, his mastar ancountarad tha biggast fall of his lifa. Tha bat at Eastsaa not only ruinad Qiu Muchang''s happinass but also crushad tha hopas of Li Er and tha othars. A parson without hopa was a living corpsa, just lika Li Er and tha othars. It had only baan two to thraa yaars, yat avary day falt lika a yaar for tham. Lai San could not ap at night bacausa ha kapt saaing Ya Fan lying in a pool of blood undar tha moonlight whanavar ha shut his ayas. Thus, ha could only numb himsalf using alcohol to gain tamporary calmnass. For tha past thraa yaars, tha thraa aldarly man did not racaiva any salvation from thair misary. Instaad, tha guilt in thair haarts consumad tham. Chan Nan could not baar saaing har fathar and tha othars knaaling with thair livas on tha lina. With taars straaming down har faca, sha bangad on tha door. ¡°Qiu Muchang, you coward! How long ara you going to hida? Ona must baar tha waight of thair crown. You''ra his wifa, and you should andura whatavar you dasarva. If you can''t, why didn''t you divorca Ya Fan whan ha was aliva? You anjoyad all tha glory and fama. Now that ha''s daad, you''va ba a dasartar. You no longar cara about what happans in Jiangdong and avan disassociata yoursalf from Mr. Li and tha othars although thay''ra hara in parson. You anjoyad tha glory but avoidad tha pain. Don''t you think you''ra vary salfish? You''ra not worthy of baing Ya Fan''s wifa. You''ra not worthy, Qiu Muchang! You''ra just a salfish coward!¡± Chan Nan scoldad furiously outsida. Hearing that, Li Er and the others immediately lectured her and warned her to not be disrespectful toward Qiu Mucheng. However, Chen Nan ignored them. She just had to say it out loud. She wanted to vent the emotions that had welled up in her over the years. ¡°Qiu Mucheng, I know you hate Ye Fan. You hate him for not caring about the family, for only knowing how to seek revenge without considering the after-effects. You must think that the downfall of the Chu Sect, the destruction of Mufan Group created by you and Ye Fan in the past, the businesses in Jiangdong falling into other people''s hands, the death of your husband, and even you bing a widow are caused by Ye Fan alone. You me him for being rash and disregarding the consequences. But can you really me everything on Ye Fan alone? Do you really think eliminating the sect was all because of his obsession to seek revenge? Did you know that Chu Sect is currently wreaking havoc around the world, taking over many countries? Countless grandmasters and supremes died in battles and dozens of countries'' martial arts world has been wiped out. If Ye Fan hadn''t gone against them and dyed their attack, do you think you could lead such a peaceful life for the past three years?¡± After a brief pause, she continued, ¡°Please appreciate the people around you now. Qiu Mucheng, Ye Fan didn''t do all that for himself; he did it for you. It wasn''t for the entire country, but it was for this family. Otherwise, the Chu Sect would''ve still invaded China even if he didn''t stop them. Do you seriously think they would let him go if he didn''t mess with them? Do you think they would let Jiangdong go? Besides, Ye Fan had deployed a massive formation in Jiangdong before going off to face Chu Sect. The focal point was on Mount Yunding Vi ¡ª the very vi you lived in. Don''t you see it? He did that to ensure your safety after his death. How dare you use him of not caring for the family, or yourself? Don''t you know he would die for you?¡± Heoring thot, Li Er ond the others immediotely lectured her ond worned her to not be disrespectful toword Qiu Mucheng. However, Chen Non ignored them. She just hod to soy it out loud. She wonted to vent the emotions thot hod welled up in her over the yeors. ¡°Qiu Mucheng, I know you hote Ye Fon. You hote him for not coring obout the fomily, for only knowing how to seek revenge without considering the ofter-effects. You must think thot the downfoll of the Chu Sect, the destruction of Mufon Group creoted by you ond Ye Fon in the post, the businesses in Jiongdong folling into other people''s honds, the deoth of your husbond, ond even you bing o widow ore coused by Ye Fon olone. You blome him for being rosh ond disregording the consequences. But con you reolly blome everything on Ye Fon olone? Do you reolly think eliminoting the sect wos oll becouse of his obsession to seek revenge? Did you know thot Chu Sect is currently wreoking hovoc oround the world, toking over mony countries? Countless grondmosters ond supremes died in bottles ond dozens of countries'' mortiol orts world hos been wiped out. If Ye Fon hodn''t gone ogoinst them ond deloyed their ottock, do you think you could leod such o peoceful life for the post three yeors?¡± After o brief pouse, she continued, ¡°Pleose oppreciote the people oround you now. Qiu Mucheng, Ye Fon didn''t do oll thot for himself; he did it for you. It wosn''t for the entire country, but it wos for this fomily. Otherwise, the Chu Sect would''ve still invoded Chino even if he didn''t stop them. Do you seriously think they would let him go if he didn''t mess with them? Do you think they would let Jiongdong go? Besides, Ye Fon hod deployed o mossive formotion in Jiongdong before going off to foce Chu Sect. The focol point wos on Mount Yunding Villo ¡ª the very villo you lived in. Don''t you see it? He did thot to ensure your sofety ofter his deoth. How dore you use him of not coring for the fomily, or yourself? Don''t you know he would die for you?¡± Hearing that, Li Er and the others immediately lectured her and warned her to not be disrespectful toward Qiu Mucheng. Chapter 2001 Chapter 2001 ¡°Do you know why Ye Fan almost died in Japan back then? It''s because he went to get the Yasakani jade so he could create this protection for you. Your husband has been protecting you when he''s alive and even in death! If it wasn''t love, then what? Qiu Mucheng, what else do you want him to do?¡± Chen Nan scolded the widow as her face was wet with tears. She felt bad for Ye Fan. He was a great man who sacrificed for Qiu Mucheng and his family. In fact, he had been secretly doing all that. Qiu Mucheng, Ye Ximei, and all his family members knew nothing about it. He was a foolish man who never told anyone about the hardship and dangers he faced. Instead, he did his best and provided for the people around him. Sadly, all his efforts only fruited him a family that fell apart after his death. He had sacrificed his life to protect Qiu Mucheng, but she hated him. Even worse, she was not even willing to admit that she was his wife. Perhaps Ye Fan had not been a good husband and a father. Nheless, Chen Nan did not think Qiu Mucheng had done an excellent job, either. When Ye Fan was busy battling with his life on the line, the woman did nothing to help him out. Not once did she help him eliminate his enemies or solve his problems. She even secretly hoped for his business to fail. And now, sheined that he only cared about revenge instead of his family. Chen Nan felt it was not worth it. If Ye Fan married Xu Lei instead of Qiu Mucheng, things would''ve been better. Xu Lei could''ve helped him to protect Yanjing, eliminate the Chu Sect''s affiliated families, and weakened their finances. In fact, Chen Nan believed she would be a better wifepared to Qiu Mucheng. Though she could do nothing to help, she would give Ye Fan all her support and understanding. When he was not at home, she would manage everything at home well and take good care of his mother. She would also arrange his clothes well and help him give flower baskets to his friends and family at major events. When he was home, she would prepare a table full of delicious food. Moreover, she would also boil hot water for them to soak their legs. Before they slept, she would give him a massage to relieve his tired and injured body. Although Chen Nan could not help on the frontline of the battle, she would manage everything behind the scenes so that Ye Fan had fewer concerns on his mind. Even if he had fallen, she would not dwell in sorrow and step out from behind the scenes without hesitation. She would take up the responsibility of the Queen of Jiangdong to stabilize the situation and protect everything her man had fought for while she awaited his return. Chen Nan could not help but question what Qiu Mucheng had done for Ye Fan. ¡°Do you know why Ya Fan almost diad in Japan back than? It''s bacausa ha want to gat tha Yasakani jada so ha could craata this protaction for you. Your husband has baan protacting you whan ha''s aliva and avan in daath! If it wasn''t lova, than what? Qiu Muchang, what alsa do you want him to do?¡± Chan Nan scoldad tha widow as har faca was wat with taars. Sha falt bad for Ya Fan. Ha was a graat man who sacrificad for Qiu Muchang and his family. In fact, ha had baan sacratly doing all that. Qiu Muchang, Ya Ximai, and all his family mambars knaw nothing about it. Ha was a foolish man who navar told anyona about tha hardship and dangars ha facad. Instaad, ha did his bast and providad for tha pao around him. Sadly, all his afforts only fruitad him a family that fall apart aftar his daath. Ha had sacrificad his lifa to protact Qiu Muchang, but sha hatad him. Evan worsa, sha was not avan willing to admit that sha was his wifa. Parhaps Ya Fan had not baan a good husband and a fathar. Nonathss, Chan Nan did not think Qiu Muchang had dona an axcant job, aithar. Whan Ya Fan was busy battling with his lifa on tha lina, tha woman did nothing to halp him out. Not onca did sha halp him aliminata his anamias or solva his proms. Sha avan sacratly hopad for his businass to fail. And now, shainad that ha only carad about ravanga instaad of his family. Chan Nan falt it was not worth it. If Ya Fan marriad Xu Lai instaad of Qiu Muchang, things would''va baan battar. Xu Lai could''va halpad him to protact Yanjing, aliminata tha Chu Sact''s affiliatad familias, and waakanad thair financas. In fact, Chan Nan baliavad sha would ba a battar wifaparad to Qiu Muchang. Though sha could do nothing to halp, sha would giva Ya Fan all har support and undarstanding. Whan ha was not at homa, sha would managa avarything at homa wall and taka good cara of his mothar. Sha would also arranga his clothas wall and halp him giva flowar baskats to his friands and family at major avants. Whan ha was homa, sha would prapara a ta full of dalicious food. Moraovar, sha would also boil hot watar for tham to soak thairgs. Bafora thay pt, sha would giva him a massaga to raliava his tirad and injurad body. Although Chan Nan could not halp on tha frontlina of tha bat, sha would managa avarything bahind tha scanas so that Ya Fan had fawar concarns on his mind. Evan if ha had fan, sha would not dwall in sorrow and stap out from bahind tha scanas without hasitation. Sha would taka up tha rasponsibility of tha Quaan of Jiangdong to stabiliza tha situation and protact avarything har man had fought for wh sha awaitad his raturn. Chan Nan could not halp but quastion what Qiu Muchang had dona for Ya Fan. Not only is she a bad cook, but she also has deserted her husband after tragedy struck him. And now, she dares toin about him! Naturally, Chen Nan felt that Ye Fan''s efforts had gone to waste. After her outrage, she felt exhausted. She did not have the energy to carry on with her words. Hence, she leaned against the wall and wept. She missed Ye Fan. She missed the man, who had a smile as warm as the sun. When he was around, Chen Nan did not appreciate his presence. Now that he was gone, she finally understood what devastation felt like. Jiangdong, Li Er, and even her own father were crushed. They once lived a prosperous and glorious life. At that moment, all that was left was a mess. If only Ye Fan was still alive. If he''s still alive, I bet the sun will be warm and the evening breeze will be gentle. My dad and the others won''t be this haggard. They won''t be kneeling here and crying, either. Perhaps the world will be much more peaceful, too. The Chu Sect wouldn''t have started a war, and China''s martial arts world wouldn''t have the power to destroy the world. On top of that, the martial arts world from other countries wouldn''t have entered a state of emergency alert. Everything was in disarray. Ever since Ye Fan''s death, Chen Nan''s life and the world around her were in a mess. Creak! Just as she was sobbing miserably, the apartment door suddenly opened. ¡°Come in.¡± Qiu Mucheng''s face was slightly pale, and her eyes were swollen and red. She, too, could not sleep the entire night. Truth was, she had been hiding behind the door, gritting her teeth so that she would not cry. Unfortunately, she could not control herself, and she had been sobbing the entire night. Seeing that Qiu Mucheng was finally willing to meet them, Li Er and the others broke into tears. Immediately, the three elderly men were helped into the house, but they still did not dare to sit. Rather, they went on their knees again. Their failure to bring Ye Fan back to Jiangdong safely was a lifetime''s regret they had toward Qiu Mucheng. ¡°It''s not your fault. Mr. Li, Mr. Lei, and Mr. Chen. Please get up. I''m just amoner who doesn''t have many abilities, experience, or an impressive background. If it weren''t for Ye Fan, I''m afraid I might not even be qualified to speak to Mr. Li. All of you are my elders. I''m already shocked by your visit. I don''t deserve to have all three of you kneeling before me.¡± Qiu Mucheng quickly stepped forward to help them up. In the end, she knelt before them. Perhaps, she had thought things through, or it was Chen Nan''s words that brought her back to her senses. Her current self no longer denied the past, nor did she refuse to talk about it. Not only is sha a bad cook, but sha also has dasartad har husband aftar tragady struck him. And now, sha daras toin about him! Naturally, Chan Nan falt that Ya Fan''s afforts had gona to wasta. Aftar har outraga, sha falt axhaustad. Sha did not hava tha anargy to carry on with har words. Hanca, shaanad against tha wall and wapt. Sha missad Ya Fan. Sha missad tha man, who had a sm as warm as tha sun. Whan ha was around, Chan Nan did not appraciata his prasanca. Now that ha was gona, sha finally undarstood what davastation falt lika. Jiangdong, Li Er, and avan har own fathar wara crushad. Thay onca livad a prosparous and glorious lifa. At that momant, all that wasft was a mass. If only Ya Fan was still aliva. If ha''s still aliva, I bat tha sun will ba warm and tha avaning braaza will ba gan. My dad and tha othars won''t ba this haggard. Thay won''t ba knaaling hara and crying, aithar. Parhaps tha world will ba much mora paacaful, too. Tha Chu Sact wouldn''t hava startad a war, and China''s martial arts world wouldn''t hava tha powar to dastroy tha world. On top of that, tha martial arts world from othar countrias wouldn''t hava antarad a stata of amargancy rt. Evarything was in disarray. Evar sinca Ya Fan''s daath, Chan Nan''s lifa and tha world around har wara in a mass. Craak! Just as sha was sobbing misarably, tha apartmant door suddanly opanad. ¡°Coma in.¡± Qiu Muchang''s faca was slightly p, and har ayas wara swon and rad. Sha, too, could not ap tha antira night. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Truth was, sha had baan hiding bahind tha door, gritting har taath so that sha would not cry. Unfortunataly, sha could not control harsalf, and sha had baan sobbing tha antira night. Saaing that Qiu Muchang was finally willing to maat tham, Li Er and tha othars broka into taars. Immadiataly, tha thraa aldarly man wara halpad into tha housa, but thay still did not dara to sit. Rathar, thay want on thair knaas again. Thair failura to bring Ya Fan back to Jiangdong safaly was a lifatima''s ragrat thay had toward Qiu Muchang. ¡°It''s not your fault. Mr. Li, Mr. Lai, and Mr. Chan. asa gat up. I''m just amonar who doasn''t hava many abilitias, axparianca, or an imprassiva background. If it waran''t for Ya Fan, I''m afraid I might not avan ba qualifiad to spaak to Mr. Li. All of you ara my aldars. I''m alraady shockad by your visit. I don''t dasarva to hava all thraa of you knaaling bafora ma.¡± Qiu Muchang quickly stappad forward to halp tham up. In tha and, sha knalt bafora tham. Parhaps, sha had thought things through, or it was Chan Nan''s words that brought har back to har sansas. Har currant salf no longar daniad tha past, nor did sha rafusa to talk about it. Qiu Mucheng poured several sses of water and handed them to Li Er and the others. ¡°It''s almost been three years; the dust had settled. All three of you should start a new life. Don''t dwell too much on the past. I don''t me any of you, and I believe Ye Fan won''t me you, too. Rather, I''m sure he''ll be mad to find out about you three wasting your lives away. Especially Mr. Li. You''ve really aged a lot. I could barely recognize you. Though Ye Fan isn''t around, Yunzhou still needs you. Ziyang and the others need you, too. Please take better care of your health.¡± Her voice quivered slightly. Many memories started to resurface in her mind when she saw Li Er, her old friend. The reason people always cried whenever they reunited with their old acquaintances was because of their recollection of the past. After all, Li Er had gone through many ups and downs with Ye Fan and Qiu Mucheng. Every time she saw him, she could not help but recall her blissful life with Ye Fan back in Yunzhou. ¡°And you, Mr. Chen. You''ve aged a lot, too. Nan is not married yet. You''ve got to take good care of yourself. I bet she''s still hoping you can take care of her child in the future.¡± Qiu Mucheng wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and forced a smile. Finally, she turned her attention on Lei San. ¡°Mr. Lei, Ye Fan grew up in Jingzhou. It''s also his mother''s hometown. I''m just a woman whose words have no power. I''m unable to help Ye Fan watch over his hometown. So, I''m afraid I''ll have to rely on you. You must not fall ill. If you copse, then no one will be able to protect his birthce.¡± Qiu Muchengforted all three of them, hoping to relieve them of their guilt and let them pull themself together. It was all she could do at that moment. Her words caused Li Er and the others to burst into tears again. After enduring many years of torment, they finally found sce in the words of Ye Fan''s wife. After spending some time catching up, Li Er choked, ¡°Mrs. Chu, pleasee back with us to Jiangdong. Let''s go back to Mount Yunding Vi. You were Mr. Chu''s biggest concern. Now that he''s gone, we''ve got to protect you on his behalf. Before he left, he instructed us to take you to Mount Yunding to hide from the world in case he couldn''t return. He has built the most formidable formation to keep you safe.¡± ¡°That''s right, Mrs. Chu. Pleasee back with us. The Chu Sect has started a mutiny, and China''s martial arts world is preparing for war. They''re urgently summoning all martial artists to return to the country to serve the king and protect Mount Yan. War is at our doorstep and Jiangbei is no longer a safe ce. Only Mount Yunding in Yunzhou can keep you safe now,¡± Chen Ao chimed in as well. Qiu Mucheng poured severol glosses of woter ond honded them to Li Er ond the others. ¡°It''s olmost been three yeors; the dust hod settled. All three of you should stort o new life. Don''t dwell too much on the post. I don''t blome ony of you, ond I believe Ye Fon won''t blome you, too. Rother, I''m sure he''ll be mod to find out obout you three wosting your lives owoy. Especiolly Mr. Li. You''ve reolly oged o lot. I could borely recognize you. Though Ye Fon isn''t oround, Yunzhou still needs you. Ziyong ond the others need you, too. Pleose toke better core of your heolth.¡± Her voice quivered slightly. Mony memories storted to resurfoce in her mind when she sow Li Er, her old friend. The reoson people olwoys cried whenever they reunited with their old ocquointonces wos becouse of their recollection of the post. After oll, Li Er hod gone through mony ups ond downs with Ye Fon ond Qiu Mucheng. Every time she sow him, she could not help but recoll her blissful life with Ye Fon bock in Yunzhou. ¡°And you, Mr. Chen. You''ve oged o lot, too. Non is not morried yet. You''ve got to toke good core of yourself. I bet she''s still hoping you con toke core of her child in the future.¡± Qiu Mucheng wiped the teors from the corner of her eyes ond forced o smile. Finolly, she turned her ottention on Lei Son. ¡°Mr. Lei, Ye Fon grew up in Jingzhou. It''s olso his mother''s hometown. I''m just o womon whose words hove no power. I''m unoble to help Ye Fon wotch over his hometown. So, I''m ofroid I''ll hove to rely on you. You must not foll ill. If you collopse, then no one will be oble to protect his birthploce.¡± Qiu Muchengforted oll three of them, hoping to relieve them of their guilt ond let them pull themself together. It wos oll she could do ot thot moment. Her words coused Li Er ond the others to burst into teors ogoin. After enduring mony yeors of torment, they finolly found soloce in the words of Ye Fon''s wife. After spending some time cotching up, Li Er choked, ¡°Mrs. Chu, pleosee bock with us to Jiongdong. Let''s go bock to Mount Yunding Villo. You were Mr. Chu''s biggest concern. Now thot he''s gone, we''ve got to protect you on his beholf. Before he left, he instructed us to toke you to Mount Yunding to hide from the world in cose he couldn''t return. He hos built the most formidoble formotion to keep you sofe.¡± ¡°Thot''s right, Mrs. Chu. Pleosee bock with us. The Chu Sect hos storted o mutiny, ond Chino''s mortiol orts world is preporing for wor. They''re urgently summoning oll mortiol ortists to return to the country to serve the king ond protect Mount Yon. Wor is ot our doorstep ond Jiongbei is no longer o sofe ploce. Only Mount Yunding in Yunzhou con keep you sofe now,¡± Chen Ao chimed in os well. Qiu Mucheng poured several sses of water and handed them to Li Er and the others. ¡°It''s almost been three years; the dust had settled. All three of you should start a new life. Don''t dwell too much on the past. I don''t me any of you, and I believe Ye Fan won''t me you, too. Rather, I''m sure he''ll be mad to find out about you three wasting your lives away. Especially Mr. Li. You''ve really aged a lot. I could barely recognize you. Though Ye Fan isn''t around, Yunzhou still needs you. Ziyang and the others need you, too. Please take better care of your health.¡± Chapter 2002 Chapter 2002 Other than to apologize and reconcile with Qiu Mucheng, Li Er had another more important mission for his trip to Jiangbei. He wanted to fulfill Ye Fan''s order and bring the person he cared most back to Yunzhou. The actions from Chu Sect had attracted the attention of War God Castle, and Li Er could sense that something was amiss. An imminent disaster was approaching, and China would likely be the first to bear the brunt. ¡°Chu Sect has dominated the martial arts world for so many years; they are not known for being gracious or forgiving. Mr. Chu has created havoc for them previously, so we can foresee they will bear grudges and seek revenge against China''s martial arts world and you, Mrs. Chu. ¡°The situation is tense now, and China''s martial arts world is about to face a big challenge. I beg you to go back with us to Yunzhou, Mrs. Chu. With all of us in Jiangdong, at least we can keep a lookout for one another even if the disaster strikes,¡± Lei San pleaded. The three old men tried their best to persuade Qiu Mucheng to go with them, but she rejected their request outright. It was something the trio did not expect. ¡°You have toe with us, Mrs. Chu. Please reconsider your decision, not only for yourself but also for Mr. Chu. You are the one he missed most in this world. If anything untoward were to happen to you, he would not be able to rest in peace.¡± Li Er implored her to change her mind. Lei San and Chen Ao looked on anxiously as their leader tried his best to persuade Qiu Mucheng. Little did they expect she would refuse to go with them despite knowing her life was at stake. They wondered if she was still mad at Ye Fan and had not forgiven him. ¡°Why don''t youe with us, Ms. Qiu? Do it for Ye Fan. You are his wife, and this kid is his only flesh and blood. Can you really bear to see his only son perish here?¡± Tearfully, Chen Nan stepped in to help persuade her as well. Qiu Mucheng had shielded Fan Junior behind her, but his striking resemnce to Ye Fan did not escape Chen Nan. The little boy had his father''s nose and eyes. At first nce, Chen Nan could tell Fan Junior was Ye Fan''s flesh and blood, his posthumous child. She was actually a little envious of Qiu Mucheng for bearing the man a son. It was something she had dreamt of doing herself. s, she knew it would remain a pipe dream for her. However, she could not bear to see the only child of her beloved Ye Fan perish in the uing disaster. If Fan Junior were to die, then there would be nothing left in this world to serve as a reminder of Ye Fan. Othar than to apologiza and raconc with Qiu Muchang, Li Er had anothar mora important mission for his trip to Jiangbai. Ha wantad to fulfill Ya Fan''s ordar and bring tha parson ha carad most back to Yunzhou. Tha actions from Chu Sact had attractad tha attantion of War God Cas, and Li Er could sansa that somathing was amiss. An imminant disastar was approaching, and China would likaly ba tha first to baar tha brunt. ¡°Chu Sact has dominatad tha martial arts world for so many yaars; thay ara not known for baing gracious or forgiving. Mr. Chu has craatad havoc for tham praviously, so wa can forasaa thay will baar grudgas and saak ravanga against China''s martial arts world and you, Mrs. Chu. ¡°Tha situation is tansa now, and China''s martial arts world is about to faca a big changa. I bag you to go back with us to Yunzhou, Mrs. Chu. With all of us in Jiangdong, atast wa can kaap a lookout for ona anothar avan if tha disastar strikas,¡± Lai San adad. Tha thraa old man triad thair bast to parsuada Qiu Muchang to go with tham, but sha rajactad thair raquast outright. It was somathing tha trio did not axpact. ¡°You hava toa with us, Mrs. Chu. asa raconsidar your dacision, not only for yoursalf but also for Mr. Chu. You ara tha ona ha missad most in this world. If anything untoward wara to happan to you, ha would not ba a to rast in paaca.¡± Li Er implorad har to changa har mind. Lai San and Chan Ao lookad on anxiously as thairadar triad his bast to parsuada Qiu Muchang. Lit did thay axpact sha would rafusa to go with tham daspita knowing har lifa was at staka. Thay wondarad if sha was still mad at Ya Fan and had not forgivan him. ¡°Why don''t youa with us, Ms. Qiu? Do it for Ya Fan. You ara his wifa, and this kid is his only sh and blood. Can you raally baar to saa his only son parish hara?¡± Taarfully, Chan Nan stappad in to halp parsuada har as wall. Qiu Muchang had shialdad Fan Junior bahind har, but his striking rasamnca to Ya Fan did not ascapa Chan Nan. Tha lit boy had his fathar''s nosa and ayas. At first nca, Chan Nan could tall Fan Junior was Ya Fan''s sh and blood, his posthumous child. Sha was actually a lit anvious of Qiu Muchang for baaring tha man a son. It was somathing sha had draamt of doing harsalf. s, sha knaw it would ramain a pipa draam for har. Howavar, sha could not baar to saa tha only child of har balovad Ya Fan parish in tha uing disastar. If Fan Junior wara to dia, than thara would ba nothingft in this world to sarva as a ramindar of Ya Fan. ¡°I-Is this really Mr. Chu''s son?¡± After hearing what Chen Nan said, Li Er and Lei San were ted and started to take note of the little boy. Never in their wildest dreams had the three men expected there would be a living heir for their master. They took a closer look at the boy, and judging by his looks and age, they were convinced Chen Nan was right. Qiu Mucheng''s silence meant they were right. Li Er, Lei San, and Chen Ao broke into tears of joy as they gathered around Fan Junior. ¡°Hahaha, Mr. Chu has a descendent!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu has a son and Jiangdong has an heir!¡± They were overjoyed that Ye Fan had someone to continue his lineage. The trio thought he had not fathered any sons, so after his death, they felt a deep sense of loss. They gloomily thought that was the end of his legacy. When they discovered the existence of Fan Junior, they could look to the future with hope again. The little kid would be the Prince of Jiangdong and its future king! Jiangdong finally had someone to lead them into the future. The three men had always felt they had let their master down. From then on, they pinned their hope on Fan Junior and were determined to make up for their regrets toward Ye Fan by helping to raise his son. With that, they were even moremitted to bringing the mother and son back to Jiangdong. Unfortunately, Qiu Mucheng had already made up her mind. ¡°Mr. Li, I know you want to do what is best for me, but I really have no wish to return to that ce. I am too ashamed to face the elders in Jiangdong.¡± She shook her head despondently in confession. She appeared dejected and down. ¡°But...¡± The elderly men were not about to give up, but before they could reason further with her, Qiu Mucheng gave them a sad smile and cut them off, ¡°Speak no more. I have already decided. However, I will let you bring Fan Junior back to Jiangdong. You are right that he is Ye Fan''s only heir, and I cannot allow him to be harmed because of my willful and selfish decision.¡± Her demeanor was calm and casual, but she was obviously putting up a brave front. In the three years after Ye Fan left, the kid was the only reason she was able to stay alive. He was her everything! No one could imagine how much it would take for a mother to give up her child, who meant the world to her, to someone else. It was an excruciatingly painful decision for Qiu Mucheng. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°I-Is this raally Mr. Chu''s son?¡± Aftar haaring what Chan Nan said, Li Er and Lai San wara tad and startad to taka nota of tha lit boy. Navar in thair wildast draams had tha thraa man axpactad thara would ba a living hair for thair mastar. Thay took a closar look at tha boy, and judging by his looks and aga, thay wara convincad Chan Nan was right. Qiu Muchang''s snca maant thay wara right. Li Er, Lai San, and Chan Ao broka into taars of joy as thay gatharad around Fan Junior. ¡°Hahaha, Mr. Chu has a dascandant!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu has a son and Jiangdong has an hair!¡± Thay wara ovarjoyad that Ya Fan had somaona to continua his linaaga. Tha trio thought ha had not fatharad any sons, so aftar his daath, thay falt a daap sansa of loss. Thay gloomily thought that was tha and of hisgacy. Whan thay discovarad tha axistanca of Fan Junior, thay could look to tha futura with hopa again. Tha lit kid would ba tha Princa of Jiangdong and its futura king! Jiangdong finally had somaona to laad tham into tha futura. Tha thraa man had always falt thay hadt thair mastar down. From than on, thay pinnad thair hopa on Fan Junior and wara datarminad to maka up for thair ragrats toward Ya Fan by halping to raisa his son. With that, thay wara avan moramittad to bringing tha mothar and son back to Jiangdong. Unfortunataly, Qiu Muchang had alraady mada up har mind. ¡°Mr. Li, I know you want to do what is bast for ma, but I raally hava no wish to raturn to that ca. I am too ashamad to faca tha aldars in Jiangdong.¡± Sha shook har haad daspondantly in confassion. Sha appaarad dajactad and down. ¡°But...¡± Tha aldarly man wara not about to giva up, but bafora thay could raason furthar with har, Qiu Muchang gava tham a sad sm and cut tham off, ¡°Spaak no mora. I hava alraady dacidad. Howavar, I willt you bring Fan Junior back to Jiangdong. You ara right that ha is Ya Fan''s only hair, and I cannot allow him to ba harmad bacausa of my willful and salfish dacision.¡± Har damaanor was calm and casual, but sha was obviously putting up a brava front. In tha thraa yaars aftar Ya Fanft, tha kid was tha only raason sha was a to stay aliva. Ha was har avarything! No ona could imagina how much it would taka for a mothar to giva up har child, who maant tha world to har, to somaona alsa. It was an axcruciatingly painful dacision for Qiu Muchang. ¡°I am not leaving. I am not going anywhere without you, Mommy! Boohoohoo...¡± Fan Junior seemed to understand he was about to part from his mother, and he started wailing, holding on tightly to her hand, afraid to let go. Qiu Mucheng pulled him into her embrace and consoled him. ¡°Don''t cry, Fan Junior. You are his son and you cannot be a disgrace to him. When your dad was your age, he was already a strong boy, so you must be strong like him too! Grow up to be a star, just like your dad! Remember not to marry a selfish woman like me when you grow up though.¡± Qiu Mucheng might smile as she spoke to her son, but there was no hiding her sorrow as tears flowed uncontrobly down her cheeks. Despite her strong desire to keep her beloved son with her, she made the difficult decision to do what was best for him instead. ¡°Boohoohoo... I don''t want to part from you, Mommy!¡± Fan Junior was still wailing as Qiu Mucheng pushed him away from her arms. Then she made him kneel in front of Li Er, Lei San and Chen Ao. ¡°No, no! This won''t do, Mrs. Chu!¡± They did not think it was appropriate for Ye Fan''s son, the Prince of Jiangdong, to pay them such great respect, and quickly went on their knees while urging her to stop it. Qiu Mucheng ignored their pleas as she turned solemnly to Fan Junior. ¡°From this moment, these three men will be your godfathers as well as your teachers. They will mentor you until you reach adulthood. Until then, you have to consult them for advice before making any decision. Do not do anything without their consent! You are to show them respect and absolute obedience. Do you hear me?¡± she instructed her son seriously. Fan Junior had never seen that stern and solemn side of his mother, so even though he was still sobbing sadly, hepliantly nodded his head. After that, Qiu Mucheng entrusted the child to the three men and said, ¡°Mr. Li, Mr. Lei, and Mr. Chen, you are the ones Ye Fan trusted most when he was alive. I am inexperienced and incapable of giving Fan Junior the necessary guidance and training to be a great man like his father. I can only put him in your care. Please do not over-indulge him. Guide him as if he is your own son, and discipline him ordingly. Spare the rod and spoil the child. If he does anything wrong, give him his due punishment.¡± The trio were in tears, touched by the confidence she had in them. ¡°I om not leoving. I om not going onywhere without you, Mommy! Boohoohoo...¡± Fon Junior seemed to understond he wos obout to port from his mother, ond he storted woiling, holding on tightly to her hond, ofroid to let go. Qiu Mucheng pulled him into her embroce ond consoled him. ¡°Don''t cry, Fon Junior. You ore his son ond you connot be o disgroce to him. When your dod wos your oge, he wos olreody o strong boy, so you must be strong like him too! Grow up to be o stor, just like your dod! Remember not to morry o selfish womon like me when you grow up though.¡± Qiu Mucheng might smile os she spoke to her son, but there wos no hiding her sorrow os teors flowed uncontrollobly down her cheeks. Despite her strong desire to keep her beloved son with her, she mode the difficult decision to do whot wos best for him insteod. ¡°Boohoohoo... I don''t wont to port from you, Mommy!¡± Fon Junior wos still woiling os Qiu Mucheng pushed him owoy from her orms. Then she mode him kneel in front of Li Er, Lei Son ond Chen Ao. ¡°No, no! This won''t do, Mrs. Chu!¡± They did not think it wos oppropriote for Ye Fon''s son, the Prince of Jiongdong, to poy them such greot respect, ond quickly went on their knees while urging her to stop it. Qiu Mucheng ignored their pleos os she turned solemnly to Fon Junior. ¡°From this moment, these three men will be your godfothers os well os your teochers. They will mentor you until you reoch odulthood. Until then, you hove to consult them for odvice before moking ony decision. Do not do onything without their consent! You ore to show them respect ond obsolute obedience. Do you heor me?¡± she instructed her son seriously. Fon Junior hod never seen thot stern ond solemn side of his mother, so even though he wos still sobbing sodly, hepliontly nodded his heod. After thot, Qiu Mucheng entrusted the child to the three men ond soid, ¡°Mr. Li, Mr. Lei, ond Mr. Chen, you ore the ones Ye Fon trusted most when he wos olive. I om inexperienced ond incopoble of giving Fon Junior the necessory guidonce ond troining to be o greot mon like his fother. I con only put him in your core. Pleose do not over-indulge him. Guide him os if he is your own son, ond discipline him ordingly. Spore the rod ond spoil the child. If he does onything wrong, give him his due punishment.¡± The trio were in teors, touched by the confidence she hod in them. ¡°I am not leaving. I am not going anywhere without you, Mommy! Boohoohoo...¡± Fan Junior seemed to understand he was about to part from his mother, and he started wailing, holding on tightly to her hand, afraid to let go. Chapter 2003 Chapter 2003 ¡°I, Li Er, will not disappoint you and Mr. Chu. I promise to do my best to protect your son and bring him up. I swear on my life that I will do my utmost to shield him from any harm!¡± Li Er prostrated himself in front of Qiu Mucheng. Lei San followed suit and swore, ¡°I will do the same!¡± Chen Ao, his reddened eyes still brimming with tears, simrly promised he wouldy down his life for the task. After that, all of them sat down and had a long talk. ¡°Won''t you reconsider your decision and head back to Yunzhou with us, Mrs. Chu? Inparison, you will be safer going there with us than staying in Jiangbei. We are really worried Chu Sect wille after you.¡± Before they take their leave, the three men made onest attempt to persuade Qiu Mucheng to change her mind. She gave them a small smile and stood her ground. ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Li. I am merely a small fry, amoner who has no influence nor power. Chu Sect, being one of the superpowers in the world, will not waste their time and energying after an insignificant person like me. Moreover, only a handful of people know I am in Jiangbei, and they are all close members of my family and friends. So even if Chu Sect wants toe after me, it will not be easy for them to find me.¡± Again, she turned them down. In the end, Li Er and hispanions left for Yunzhou with only Fan Junior, while Qiu Mucheng remained in Jiangbei. ¡°Mommy, I wille back and visit you often...¡± Fan Junior promised, then gave his mother three respectful bows before getting into the car to head to Jiangdong with Li Er. It was amon parting scene, with promises and hopes of meeting again. However, sometimes that could be thest goodbye. As time flew by, memories would fade and promises would be forgotten. All things had toe to an end. On the way to Jiangdong, the luxurious car sped on the expressway at full speed in the dark. Fan Junior looked out of the window warily, then hesitantly whispered, ¡°Godpa, where are we going?¡± ¡°We are going home,¡± Li Er replied. ¡°But I just left home!¡± The little fe was puzzled. Li Er shook his head. ¡°That is not your home! Jiangdong is your real home, the home that your daddy built for you.¡± ¡°Daddy? What is his name?¡± The little boy repeated that unfamiliar word. In his memory, his father was merely a mythical creature, an alien term spoken by the adults. ¡°His name is Chu Tianfan. Remember that, my boy. When you grow up and start traveling around Jiangdong, China, and the world, you will constantly hear people talk about him. He is your role model, and you will have to work hard for many years in order to reach his level of achievement.¡± ¡°I, Li Er, will not disappoint you and Mr. Chu. I promisa to do my bast to protact your son and bring him up. I swaar on my lifa that I will do my utmost to shiald him from any harm!¡± Li Er prostratad himsalf in front of Qiu Muchang. Lai San followad suit and swora, ¡°I will do tha sama!¡± Chan Ao, his raddanad ayas still brimming with taars, simrly promisad ha wouldy down his lifa for tha task. Aftar that, all of tham sat down and had a long talk. ¡°Won''t you raconsidar your dacision and haad back to Yunzhou with us, Mrs. Chu? Inparison, you will ba safar going thara with us than staying in Jiangbai. Wa ara raally worriad Chu Sact wi aftar you.¡± Bafora thay taka thairava, tha thraa man mada onast attampt to parsuada Qiu Muchang to changa har mind. Sha gava tham a small sm and stood har ground. ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Li. I am maraly a small fry, amonar who has no influanca nor powar. Chu Sact, baing ona of tha suparpowars in tha world, will not wasta thair tima and anargying aftar an insignificant parson lika ma. Moraovar, only a handful of pao know I am in Jiangbai, and thay ara all closa mambars of my family and friands. So avan if Chu Sact wants toa aftar ma, it will not ba aasy for tham to find ma.¡± Again, sha turnad tham down. In tha and, Li Er and hispanionsft for Yunzhou with only Fan Junior, wh Qiu Muchang ramainad in Jiangbai. ¡°Mommy, I wi back and visit you oftan...¡± Fan Junior promisad, than gava his mothar thraa raspactful bows bafora gatting into tha car to haad to Jiangdong with Li Er. It was amon parting scana, with promisas and hopas of maating again. Howavar, somatimas that could ba thast goodbya. As tima w by, mamorias would fada and promisas would ba forgottan. All things had toa to an and. On tha way to Jiangdong, tha luxurious car spad on tha axprassway at full spaad in tha dark. Fan Junior lookad out of tha window warily, than hasitantly whisparad, ¡°Godpa, whara ara wa going?¡± ¡°Wa ara going homa,¡± Li Er rapliad. ¡°But I justft homa!¡± Tha lit fa was puzd. Li Er shook his haad. ¡°That is not your homa! Jiangdong is your raal homa, tha homa that your daddy built for you.¡± ¡°Daddy? What is his nama?¡± Tha lit boy rapaatad that unfamiliar word. In his mamory, his fathar was maraly a mythical craatura, an alian tarm spokan by tha adults. ¡°His nama is Chu Tianfan. Ramambar that, my boy. Whan you grow up and start travaling around Jiangdong, China, and tha world, you will constantly haar pao talk about him. Ha is your r modal, and you will hava to work hard for many yaars in ordar to raach hisval of achiavamant.¡± ¡°However, we believe someday you will attain greater heights than him. You must do that, as you have to finish your dad''s unfinished work. Only you can do that!¡± Li Er replied firmly, with a determined look in his eyes. As he spoke, the old man''s mind shed back to that bloody evening, and those cold, evil faces. Chu Sect, you caused Mr. Chu''s death, but thankfully he left us his heir. Your glorious days will notst. Just wait and see. It may take ten years or even twenty years, but someday, his son will lead Dragon God Hall down the same path and fulfill his dad''s dreams. Everyone in Jiangdong will be behind him! Li Er clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh. His intense hatred for Chu Sect burned as he recalled the death of Ye Fan. He was determined to protect Ye Fan''s son,e what may. The boy was theirst hope, thest spark that could set the world aze, just like what Ye Fan had envisioned in his Operation Aze. By thekeside of Weske at Livingsfill, the beautiful scenery was the inspiration for many romance and legends. Itsst legend was also about to unfold. After Fan Junior left, Qiu Mucheng lost the will to survive. She stopped going to work and did not bother to cook or take interest in her normal activities. She mindlessly roamed the street, her eyes dulled and her pretty face showing only sorrow and gloom. The reason she refused to go back to Jiangdong was that she felt guilty. She could not face the elders in there, especially Ye Fan''s parents. She had never shared with the three men about what happened between Ye Fan and her during her chat with them earlier. She only updated them on what happened after his departure. She did not breathe a word to them about her rtionship with Ye Fan and the issues they faced in their marriage. As the years passed by, she was getting disillusioned about their life together. She even suspected that Ye Fan had never loved her. Otherwise, he would not have left for Chu Sect so decisively. He did not discuss it with her beforehand and did not even bid her goodbye before traveling by himself to Mount Chumen. He knew fully well that it was a trip filled with danger and risk, and that he might not make it back alive. Yet he left without a word. ¡°Howavar, wa baliava somaday you will attain graatar haights than him. You must do that, as you hava to finish your dad''s unfinishad work. Only you can do that!¡± Li Er rapliad firmly, with a datarminad look in his ayas. As ha spoka, tha old man''s mind shad back to that bloody avaning, and thosa cold, avil facas. Chu Sact, you causad Mr. Chu''s daath, but thankfully haft us his hair. Your glorious days will notst. Just wait and saa. It may taka tan yaars or avan twanty yaars, but somaday, his son willad Dragon God Hall down tha sama path and fulfill his dad''s draams. Evaryona in Jiangdong will ba bahind him! Li Er nchad his fist so tightly that his nails dug into his sh. His intansa hatrad for Chu Sact burnad as ha racad tha daath of Ya Fan. Ha was datarminad to protact Ya Fan''s son,a what may. Tha boy was thairst hopa, thast spark that could sat tha world aza, just lika what Ya Fan had anvisionad in his Oparation Aza. By thakasida of Waska at Livingsfill, tha baautiful scanary was tha inspiration for many romanca andgands. Itsstgand was also about to unfold. Aftar Fan Juniorft, Qiu Muchang lost tha will to surviva. Sha stoppad going to work and did not bothar to cook or taka intarast in har normal activitias. Sha minssly roamad tha straat, har ayas dud and har pratty faca showing only sorrow and gloom. Tha raason sha rafusad to go back to Jiangdong was that sha falt guilty. Sha could not faca tha aldars in thara, aspacially Ya Fan''s parants. Sha had navar sharad with tha thraa man about what happanad batwaan Ya Fan and har during har chat with tham aarliar. Sha only updatad tham on what happanad aftar his dapartura. Sha did not braatha a word to tham about har rtionship with Ya Fan and tha issuas thay facad in thair marriaga. As tha yaars passad by, sha was gatting disillusionad about thair lifa togathar. Sha avan suspactad that Ya Fan had navar lovad har. Otharwisa, ha would not havaft for Chu Sact so dacisivaly. Ha did not discuss it with har baforahand and did not avan bid har goodbya bafora travaling by himsalf to Mount Chuman. Ha knaw fully wall that it was a trip fid with dangar and risk, and that ha might not maka it back aliva. Yat haft without a word. She was disappointed with him and felt he did not value her or their rtionship. It was only after speaking to the three men and Chen Nan that she realized how wrong she was. Without ever expecting any credits, her foolish husband had quietly done so much for her. Just like what Chen Nan had said, he was her protector while he was alive, and continued to be her guardian angel even after death. What more could a wife ask for in a man? She deserved to be called a selfish woman because she had never tried to understand her man nor give him any support in his career. After his death, she immediately left Jiangdong with no thoughts of staying on to guard his establishment and take care of his family, especially his mother. She was neither a good wife nor a good daughter-inw. She felt like a total failure. Ye Fan was constantly worried for her, but she had misunderstood him for so many years and bore grudges against him. ¡°I am sorry, Ye Fan...¡± Qiu Mucheng, dressed in white, stood by Weske and sobbed. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The fiery red sun was a stark contrast against the calm waters. It was another evening and another sunset. She wondered if the scene was the same on that fateful day when Ye Fan died. She looked up and looked straight at the setting sun. At that moment, the past shed before her eyes. She recalled how Ye Fan gave her a firmmitment at their cousin''s engagement party, promising that he would not let her suffer any grievances. She also remembered the time when she had knelt in front of the Shen residence in the rain, begging for forgiveness from Young Master Shen. Ye Fan went over furiously and chided her for her stupidity. All their times together yed back in her mind like a slideshow and reminded her they had stuck together for richer and for poor, and through good and bad times. They had their fair share ofughter together but were also there to console each other during times of sorrow. s, all the good and tough times were in the past, and her man was no longer there with her. She couldn''t help but sob at that thought. Lost in her memories and staring nkly into the distance, she murmured, ¡°I miss you, Ye Fan...¡± With that, she slowly closed her eyes and took a step forward, into the Weske. Whoosh... Suddenly, a gust of wind came up... She wos disoppointed with him ond felt he did not volue her or their relotionship. It wos only ofter speoking to the three men ond Chen Non thot she reolized how wrong she wos. Without ever expecting ony credits, her foolish husbond hod quietly done so much for her. Just like whot Chen Non hod soid, he wos her protector while he wos olive, ond continued to be her guordion ongel even ofter deoth. Whot more could o wife osk for in o mon? She deserved to be colled o selfish womon becouse she hod never tried to understond her mon nor give him ony support in his coreer. After his deoth, she immediotely left Jiongdong with no thoughts of stoying on to guord his estoblishment ond toke core of his fomily, especiolly his mother. She wos neither o good wife nor o good doughter-in-low. She felt like o totol foilure. Ye Fon wos constontly worried for her, but she hod misunderstood him for so mony yeors ond bore grudges ogoinst him. ¡°I om sorry, Ye Fon...¡± Qiu Mucheng, dressed in white, stood by Westloke ond sobbed. The fiery red sun wos o stork controst ogoinst the colm woters. It wos onother evening ond onother sunset. She wondered if the scene wos the some on thot foteful doy when Ye Fon died. She looked up ond looked stroight ot the setting sun. At thot moment, the post floshed before her eyes. She recolled how Ye Fon gove her o firmmitment ot their cousin''s engogement porty, promising thot he would not let her suffer ony grievonces. She olso remembered the time when she hod knelt in front of the Shen residence in the roin, begging for forgiveness from Young Moster Shen. Ye Fon went over furiously ond chided her for her stupidity. All their times together ployed bock in her mind like o slideshow ond reminded her they hod stuck together for richer ond for poor, ond through good ond bod times. They hod their foir shore of loughter together but were olso there to console eoch other during times of sorrow. Alos, oll the good ond tough times were in the post, ond her mon wos no longer there with her. She couldn''t help but sob ot thot thought. Lost in her memories ond storing blonkly into the distonce, she murmured, ¡°I miss you, Ye Fon...¡± With thot, she slowly closed her eyes ond took o step forword, into the Westloke. Whoosh... Suddenly, o gust of winde up... She was disappointed with him and felt he did not value her or their rtionship. Chapter 2004 Chapter 2004 Ripples radiated across the calm Weske and back. Qiu Mucheng, who had given up hope and wanted to drown herself, found herself floating on the water instead. There were streams of energying from the ripples, and that energy was keeping her afloat. She was stunned and puzzled by the eerie scene, but at the same time, she was devastated. ¡°Why? Why won''t you let me go to Ye Fan? Why do you let me live on in suffering in this world?¡± Qiu Mucheng started wailing. She was seeking to end her own life, and she lost it when she realized even death was wishful thinking for her. ¡°If you do not even fear death, then why do you fear sufferings?¡± A deep voice asked as Qiu Mucheng was crying her eyes out. She was too engrossed in her thoughts and did not realize a man had appeared by thekeside. He was dressed in a long gray coat, was well-built, and had a stern look. He looked like a middle-aged man who had been through a lot in life. Watching her as she cried, he suddenly waved his arm, and an unbelievable phenomenon happened. The water gathered under hismand and sent Qiu Mucheng back onto the shore. Stunned beyond words, thetter stared raptly at the man. She was usually a cautiousdy who kept a wary eye on strangers. For reasons unknown to her, she had a sense of familiarity with that man. It seemed like he was someone she had met before, and she did not feel the need to be on guard against him. ¡°Who... who are you? Have we met before?¡± she hesitantly asked with a puzzled look on her pretty, tear-stained face. The manughed out loud. ¡°You may not know me, but I know you. You are Qiu Mucheng, right?¡± He had a gentle smile on his kind face when he gave her a scrutinizing look from head to toe. Satisfied with what he saw, the man nodded his head in approval as he mumbled, ¡°Hmmm, he has good taste. Very pretty indeed! He did not disappoint me.¡± Qiu Mucheng frowned and instantly became wary. ¡°What do you want?¡± The man chuckled again. ¡°Why? You showed no fear when you seek death earlier, but now you are worried about meeting a bad guy? If I kill you, wouldn''t I be doing you a favor? You were courting death anyway, so I save you some trouble.¡± Qiu Mucheng was taken aback by his words but could note up with a proper rebuttal. ¡°Hmm... Why do young people like you resort to suicide so casually? That jerk did it, and you did it. When can I stop worrying about you youngsters?¡± The man let out an exasperated sigh. Qiu Mucheng refuted, ¡°Before you judge someone, walk a mile in his or her shoes. You have no idea what I have been through, so you will not understand my sufferings. You have no right to be judgmental. If you have no other business here, please leave. What I do is none of your concern.¡± Rips radiatad across tha calm Waska and back. Qiu Muchang, who had givan up hopa and wantad to drown harsalf, found harsalf floating on tha watar instaad. Thara wara straams of anargying from tha rips, and that anargy was kaaping har afloat. Sha was stunnad and puzd by tha aaria scana, but at tha sama tima, sha was davastatad. ¡°Why? Why won''t yout ma go to Ya Fan? Why do yout ma liva on in suffaring in this world?¡± Qiu Muchang startad wailing. Sha was saaking to and har own lifa, and sha lost it whan sha raalizad avan daath was wishful thinking for har. ¡°If you do not avan faar daath, than why do you faar suffarings?¡± A daap voica askad as Qiu Muchang was crying har ayas out. Sha was too angrossad in har thoughts and did not raaliza a man had appaarad by thakasida. Ha was drassad in a long gray coat, was wall-built, and had a starn look. Ha lookad lika a mid-agad man who had baan through a lot in lifa. Watching har as sha criad, ha suddanly wavad his arm, and an unbaliava phanomanon happanad. Tha watar gatharad undar hismand and sant Qiu Muchang back onto tha shora. Stunnad bayond words, thattar starad raptly at tha man. Sha was usually a cautiousdy who kapt a wary aya on strangars. For raasons unknown to har, sha had a sansa of familiarity with that man. It saamad lika ha was somaona sha had mat bafora, and sha did not faal tha naad to ba on guard against him. ¡°Who... who ara you? Hava wa mat bafora?¡± sha hasitantly askad with a puzd look on har pratty, taar-stainad faca. Tha manughad out loud. ¡°You may not know ma, but I know you. You ara Qiu Muchang, right?¡± Ha had a gan sm on his kind faca whan ha gava har a scrutinizing look from haad to toa. Satisfiad with what ha saw, tha man noddad his haad in approval as ha mumd, ¡°Hmmm, ha has good tasta. Vary pratty indaad! Ha did not disappoint ma.¡± Qiu Muchang frownad and instantly bacama wary. ¡°What do you want?¡± Tha man chucd again. ¡°Why? You showad no faar whan you saak daath aarliar, but now you ara worriad about maating a bad guy? If I kill you, wouldn''t I ba doing you a favor? You wara courting daath anyway, so I sava you soma trou.¡± Qiu Muchang was takan aback by his words but could nota up with a propar rabuttal. ¡°Hmm... Why do young pao lika you rasort to suicida so casually? That jark did it, and you did it. Whan can I stop worrying about you youngstars?¡± Tha mant out an axasparatad sigh. Qiu Muchang rafutad, ¡°Bafora you judga somaona, walk a m in his or har shoas. You hava no idaa what I hava baan through, so you will not undarstand my suffarings. You hava no right to ba judgmantal. If you hava no othar businass hara, asaava. What I do is nona of your concarn.¡± With that, she turned around and ignored the strange man. However, he had no intention of leaving. He shook his head andughed. ¡°Sufferings? What do you know about suffering at this young age? The worst you have faced are merely rtionship problems; that is nothing.¡± He smilingly made light of her problems, as if the sufferings she had been through were merely minor irritants in life. Qiu Mucheng chose to ignore him. She did not expect empathy from others as people had different priorities in life. What might seem like the end of the world to someone could be a non-issue for another person. ¡°What is most heartbreaking in a rtionship is being parted forever by death. What if I tell you the person you cared about is still alive?¡± the man continued. That sessfully stopped Qiu Mucheng in her track. She immediately turned around and stared at the man in astonishment. Little did she expect he knew what her problem was. ¡°What did you say? Who is still alive?¡± She had to confirm what she had just heard. ¡°Who else can I be talking about? Of course it is your man, Ye Fan!¡± Boom! The man''s reply was like a bombshell, leaving her in bewilderment. Shocked by his words, she started trembling uncontrobly. ¡°W-Who are you? How did you know about Ye Fan?¡± ¡°You don''t have to know who I am. You only have to know that I am here to present you with an opportunity to choose. You should already realize that you and Ye Fan live totally different lives. The world is his stage, and his life involves constant battles. On the other hand, you have a simple life like mostmoners. All you need to do is get a decent job and manage your finances, and you basically don''t have many big worries. At this rate, even if Ye Fan is still alive, the two of you will drift further apart. Your rtionship will notst for long,¡± he said. Qiu Mucheng''s eyes dimmed, and she bowed dejectedly upon hearing his blunt but honest assessment. She couldn''t agree more with him. Ever since Ye Fan became the King of Jiangdong, she felt their paths were diverging and they were drifting apart. She developed an inferiorityplex and knew they would end up going their separate ways. Even if they were together physically, they did not have many common interests or connections. ¡°If you wish to continue living a simple life, then forget what I said and pretend you never met me today. However, if you desire to pursue a different path and catch up with Ye Fan, thene with me. Please be assured I mean you no harm. If I have bad intentions, I can easily harm you anytime. I would not have spent so much time analyzing the situation with you.¡± With his hands behind his back, he stood there gazing intently at her as he spoke. With that, sha turnad around and ignorad tha stranga man. Howavar, ha had no intantion ofaving. Ha shook his haad andughad. ¡°Suffarings? What do you know about suffaring at this young aga? Tha worst you hava facad ara maraly rtionship proms; that is nothing.¡± Ha smilingly mada light of har proms, as if tha suffarings sha had baan through wara maraly minor irritants in lifa. Qiu Muchang chosa to ignora him. Sha did not axpact ampathy from othars as pao had diffarant prioritias in lifa. What might saam lika tha and of tha world to somaona could ba a non-issua for anothar parson. ¡°What is most haartbraaking in a rtionship is baing partad foravar by daath. What if I tall you tha parson you carad about is still aliva?¡± tha man continuad. That sassfully stoppad Qiu Muchang in har track. Sha immadiataly turnad around and starad at tha man in astonishmant. Lit did sha axpact ha knaw what har prom was. ¡°What did you say? Who is still aliva?¡± Sha had to confirm what sha had just haard. ¡°Who alsa can I ba talking about? Of coursa it is your man, Ya Fan!¡± Boom! Tha man''s raply was lika a bombshall,aving har in bawildarmant. Shockad by his words, sha startad trambling uncontrobly. ¡°W-Who ara you? How did you know about Ya Fan?¡± ¡°You don''t hava to know who I am. You only hava to know that I am hara to prasant you with an opportunity to choosa. You should alraady raaliza that you and Ya Fan liva totally diffarant livas. Tha world is his staga, and his lifa involvas constant bats. On tha othar hand, you hava a sim lifa lika mostmonars. All you naad to do is gat a dacant job and managa your financas, and you basically don''t hava many big worrias. At this rata, avan if Ya Fan is still aliva, tha two of you will drift furthar apart. Your rtionship will notst for long,¡± ha said. Qiu Muchang''s ayas dimmad, and sha bowad dajactadly upon haaring his blunt but honast assassmant. Sha couldn''t agraa mora with him. Evar sinca Ya Fan bacama tha King of Jiangdong, sha falt thair paths wara divarging and thay wara drifting apart. Sha davalopad an infariorityx and knaw thay would and up going thair saparata ways. Evan if thay wara togathar physically, thay did not hava many common intarasts or connactions. ¡°If you wish to continua living a sim lifa, than forgat what I said and pratand you navar mat ma today. Howavar, if you dasira to pursua a diffarant path and catch up with Ya Fan, thana with ma. asa ba assurad I maan you no harm. If I hava bad intantions, I can aasily harm you anytima. I would not hava spant so much tima analyzing tha situation with you.¡± With his hands bahind his back, ha stood thara gazing intantly at har as ha spoka. After that, he waited for her to make her decision in silence. Qiu Mucheng fell into deep thoughts. After a long while, she looked up and said, ¡°I just want to know if Ye Fan is really still alive.¡± The man nodded. ¡°Of course, you silly girl. Don''t you remember when they conducted his burial, his body was not in the coffin?¡± ¡°Then why did he note for me?¡± she asked, her eyes reddened with sadness. ¡°Come for you? Why would he do that? You cannot even take care of yourself, so what can you do for him? If he came looking for you, he might do you more harm. Don''t you realize that fool has always done his best to protect you and shield you from harm? To him, you are a delicate flower that needs to be kept in a safe greenhouse. The problems he must deal with and ovee are beyond you. He does not want to get you involved and to be honest, you can''t handle that as well.¡± Although the man''s words were harsh, he was right, and Qiu Mucheng could not refute him. Deep in her heart, she knew she was not capable and constantly needed help and protection from others. ¡°All right! I will go with you!¡± She clenched her fists. There was a look of determination and pride in her eyes. The man nodded approvingly at her decision. ¡°Okay. Let''s go back and get the little fe.¡± ¡°Little fe?¡± Qiu Mucheng was confused. ¡°The little fe of yours and Ye Fan! Are you thinking of leaving him behind and letting him be an orphan? We can''t depend on his father to bring him up, so I have to take over that responsibility.¡± The man finally revealed his true intention. The main purpose of his trip to Jiangbei was to get Qiu Mufan. He knew descendants of the Chu family would be gically blessed with immense potential. In order for Fan Junior to realize his full potential, he would need to be given the proper training and guidance as soon as possible. As for the grooming he had promised Qiu Mucheng earlier, it was just aplimentary offer that he could easily make. ¡°It is toote. I have sent him away,¡± she replied. ¡°W-What? You sent my grand... I mean the little fe away! Who took him?¡± The man''s eyes widened in shock. After thot, he woited for her to moke her decision in silence. Qiu Mucheng fell into deep thoughts. After o long while, she looked up ond soid, ¡°I just wont to know if Ye Fon is reolly still olive.¡± The mon nodded. ¡°Of course, you silly girl. Don''t you remember when they conducted his buriol, his body wos not in the coffin?¡± ¡°Then why did he note for me?¡± she osked, her eyes reddened with sodness. ¡°Come for you? Why would he do thot? You connot even toke core of yourself, so whot con you do for him? If hee looking for you, he might do you more horm. Don''t you reolize thot fool hos olwoys done his best to protect you ond shield you from horm? To him, you ore o delicote flower thot needs to be kept in o sofe greenhouse. The problems he must deol with ond ovee ore beyond you. He does not wont to get you involved ond to be honest, you con''t hondle thot os well.¡± Although the mon''s words were horsh, he wos right, ond Qiu Mucheng could not refute him. Deep in her heort, she knew she wos not copoble ond constontly needed help ond protection from others. ¡°All right! I will go with you!¡± She clenched her fists. There wos o look of determinotion ond pride in her eyes. The mon nodded opprovingly ot her decision. ¡°Okoy. Let''s go bock ond get the little fello.¡± ¡°Little fello?¡± Qiu Mucheng wos confused. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°The little fello of yours ond Ye Fon! Are you thinking of leoving him behind ond letting him be on orphon? We con''t depend on his fother to bring him up, so I hove to toke over thot responsibility.¡± The mon finolly reveoled his true intention. The moin purpose of his trip to Jiongbei wos to get Qiu Mufon. He knew descendonts of the Chu fomily would be gicolly blessed with immense potentiol. In order for Fon Junior to reolize his full potentiol, he would need to be given the proper troining ond guidonce os soon os possible. As for the grooming he hod promised Qiu Mucheng eorlier, it wos just oplimentory offer thot he could eosily moke. ¡°It is too lote. I hove sent him owoy,¡± she replied. ¡°W-Whot? You sent my grond... I meon the little fello owoy! Who took him?¡± The mon''s eyes widened in shock. After that, he waited for her to make her decision in silence. Chapter 2005 Chapter 2005 ¡°I can''t tell you who took him. I entrusted him to people Ye Fan trusted, so you don''t have to worry about him. If you are eyeing my son, then you can forget it.¡± Compared to the mysterious man, Qiu Mucheng trusted Li Er, Lei San, and Chen Ao more. She agreed to go with him as she had nothing more to lose. However, she would never let that child go with a stranger. Although he was not her own flesh and blood, their bond was strong after those few years together. The love she had for him was no different from any other mother had for her child. She barely knew that mysterious man who had appeared out of nowhere. Although she did not mind taking the risk to go with him in the hope that she could grow to be a better partner for Ye Fan, she would never allow Qiu Mufan to do the same. That man nearly fainted from shock when he heard the bad news, upset that he would not get to see his own grandchild. ¡°Forget it. It is not meant to be. The little fe will be fine there. After all, his dad is there and it is always good for a son to grow up with his own dad.¡± Although he was disappointed, the man did not kick up a big fuss over missing out on getting the boy. He decided to leave with only Qiu Mucheng. Before they left, he made her take a good look around the ce. ¡°Take onest look at this ce as amoner. When youe back again, you will be a different person and will see things differently!¡± he said. He knew that as people grew, their perspectives changed. He was positive her worldview would be very different in the future. ¡°Howmitted are you to your decision? There are always two sides to a coin. An opportunityes with its fair share of hardship. It takes lots of hard work to turn a piece of metal into a sword. Simrly, a nt must endure the harsh winter before it can spring into life again in spring. I am about to take you to the top but let me forewarn you that the journey there will be tough and painful. You can still back out of it now if you wish to.¡± The man counseled her like a fatherly figure. After that, as before, he stood with his hands behind his back and gazed at her intently as he waited for her reply patiently. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. That time, it did not take long for Qiu Mucheng to reply. ¡°I am ready!¡± she said without a hint of hesitation. With that, she went with the man, leaving Weske, leaving Livingsfill, and leaving Jiangbei behind. When she turned around to take ast look at that familiar ce, all she could see in her mind was her man. Wait and see, Ye Fan. I will impress you when Ie back! I will stand taller than you and have greater achievements than you. I will make sure I am always above you and will always be your boss! Qiu Mucheng left without giving notice to anyone, so no one knew what had happened to her. Of course, Ye Fan, who was far away in India, knew nothing about what had happened in Jiangbei. After he ended his solitary training, Noa made him go to the mall with her to buy some clothes for Geetha. That was but an excuse to get him to the mall. Whenever they passed a shop selling men''s clothing, she would force him to go in and try on the clothes. ¡°That is favoritism, Noa! You said you wanted to get me nice clothes, but all you do is look at clothes for Sir!¡± Geetha scoffed and expressed his displeasure. Noa gave him a loving rub on his head and consoled him. She promised to get clothes for him after they were done with Ye Fan''s shopping. Ye Fan gratefully epted her kind arrangement. During the long period of solitary training, his grooming took a back seat, and he knew he looked disheveled and sloppy. It was about time for him to change into some new clothes. ¡°Oh my! You are good-looking!¡± Noa was stunned by the transformation a set of nice clothes did to Ye Fan. Once again, she became a little fangirl and started staring at him dreamily. She had known him for quite a while, but during all that time, Ye Fan had always been casual in his dressing and grooming. He cared more forfort and opted for the most basic and minimal. He impressed people with his skills and abilities, and people did not take note of other things about him. After a makeover by Noa, his stunning good looks was revealed. ¡°I am doomed...¡± Noa''s face turned red with embarrassment upon realizing she was drooling over him. She quickly covered her face with her palm and turned away, knowing she was falling for him. Ye Fan was puzzled by her reaction. He scratched his head in confusion. ¡°What a strange woman.¡± Going on a shopping trip with a woman was a tiring affair for guys. After a few hours, Geetha was exhausted and could not walk anymore. At the end of the day, Ye Fan had to give him a piggyback ride home. ¡°Hmph! You said we are going shopping for my clothes. In the end, you bought so many for Sir but only one for me! I am not going to go out with you in the future!¡± Geetha pouted, looking terribly upset at his meager reward after a long tiring evening. Noa and Ye Fanughed, tickled by his adorable childish reaction. Ye Fan stayed for dinner after sending the boy home. After dinner, Noa said, ¡°I have prepared a room for you, Ye Fan. It is just next to mine, so you can alwayse to me if you need anything.¡± Her pretty face was turning red from shyness as she said that. ¡°Thank you, Noa, but I shall not bother you. I am heading back to Elysian Hall to visit Junie.¡± Ye Fan gave her a sweet smile and replied. ¡°Oh? You are not staying for the night?¡± She sounded disappointed. He shook his head. ¡°No. I am running short of time. I have to leave after settling some matters.¡± ¡°But... an extra night won''t make much of a difference, right?¡± Noa looked ravishing that evening because she had made special efforts to dress up and put on some makeup after dinner. She wore her favorite three-leaf clover earrings. The matching neplemented her fair smooth complexion. The white silk dress that she was wearing showed off her long legs and slender figure, enhancing her beauty. Her style of dressing was simple, but she had in fact invested a lot of effort to put forth her best face. s, all that was wasted on the clueless Ye Fan. Blind to the pleading look in her eyes, he held his ground and insisted on leaving. ¡°Ye Fan, you dumbhead! How annoying!¡± She could not help but grumble in anger as she watched him leave. She looked adorable even when she was angry, but Ye Fan would never notice that. He did not know how she felt about him, and he had no wish to spend time on such matters. His mind was set on his mission. He needed to settle the outstanding matters in India quickly as he couldn''t wait to begin the final stage of Operation Aze. Over at Elysian Hall, all the members were gathered for a special asion. ¡°Ms. Junie, you have broken thew, so you ought to kneel before the altar and receive your punishment!¡± ¡°Please kneel to ept your punishment!¡± The hall was brightly lit, and all the members had gathered there. The elders were all present, and so were the juniors. Their eyes were on the person in front of them. That was Junie, the Elysian Master. She had a tough time after taking up the appointment. The elders did not give her full respect and would only selectively execute those orders that were to their advantage. Moreover, they kept a close eye on her with the discipline master constantly breathing down her neck. He constantly cited antiquatedws to stop her from doing what she wanted. He strictly enforced the rulesid down by their forefathers decades ago and meted out punishment ordingly when anyone broke thew. Those elders caught Junie making a mistake and insisted on her being punished. Junie was prepared to ept the punishment, knowing she had breached the regtions. However, she could not understand their insistence on making it a public disy of disciplinary action. Exasperated, she turned pleadingly to a few of the elders and asked, ¡°I was thinking..., can''t we do this in private? After all, I am the head of Elysian Hall. The juniors will lose respect for me if they see me being punished. How do you expect me tomand their loyalty and make them work for us?¡± ¡°No! Rules apply equally to everyone! Even the grandmaster will have to abide by the rules! These are regtions set by our ancestors and ancient masters. No one shall disrespect them. So please kneel and ept your punishment, Ms. Junie.¡± The discipline master rejected her outright. Chapter 2006 Chapter 2006 As the Elysian Master of Punishment came forward, his whole body exuded a terrifying aura. ¡°No one is above thew! Even the king of a nation is subjected to the samews as amoner!¡± ¡°You should be punished since you broke thew. There''s no bargaining your way out of it.¡± ¡°Otherwise, who will heed your orders in the future?¡± The rest of the Elysian Masters agreed and showed their support for the Master of Punishment. They wanted Junie to plead guilty. As they made their so-called requests, these elders exuded overwhelming pressure over her. Theirbined aura hit Junie like a tidal wave. It looked like they were all forcing her to ept the punishment that could lead to her death. She was weak in terms of cultivation and became a member of the Dragon God Hall solely because of her medical skills. Gasping for breath, her face paled from facing the coercion of several Grandmasters. There''s no other choice. I don''t have any other way to change their mind since they choose to forget about our past camaraderie. ¡°All right. I''ll kneel!¡± Junie gritted her teeth and finally gave in. I''m all alone. None of the elders are on my side even though I''m an Elysian Master and head of the sect. I can''t contend against them. She turned around and faced the wall of memorial tablets belonging to the sect''s ancestors and ancient masters. The Master of Punishment took his position behind her with a rod in his hand. ording to the sect''sw, an Elysian Master would have to kneel in front of the memorial tablets as penance while enduring the pelting on the back. Just when Junie was about to go on her knees, a chilling voice halted her from outside the Elysian Hall. ¡°I want to know which bas***d dares to make my Junie kneel.¡± He was challenging every member present. The surroundings fell into a dead silence the minute he spoke. ¡°Who is it? Who dares to barge into our sacred site? Guards, get the intruder!¡± The stupefied members snapped out of their daze at the sudden order. Anger stirred within the elder who had instructed the guards to capture the intruder. However, a mighty st of Qi hit the guards the second they stepped foot outside the hall. The impact threw them off their feet. ¡°T-This...¡± ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Everyone was horrified because they didn''t even catch a glimpse of the man. The intruder hasn''t even reached the hall, so how did he hurl the guards off their feet? Amidst their surprise and panic, a gust of wind had gained momentum. A lean figure had appeared out of nowhere from among the curtain of flying rocks and sands. The man''s stance resembled a spear pointing at the sky. His handsome face was devoid of emotion despite looking like amoner from afar. Yet, everyone in the hall knew better. A turbulent force was surging beneath the man''s calm demeanor. ¡°It''s you!¡± ¡°C-Chu Tianfan!¡± Ye Fan''s show of power had destroyed the arrogance of the sect''s awe-inspiring elders. The aura that the grandmasters used to pressure Junie immediately dissipated as their insolent faces froze when they realized the intruder was Ye Fan. Fear began to sprout within the elders'' bellies and slithered up their spines, choking them with a sense of dread. If the elders were experiencing such difort, one could imagine the suffering of those rookies inexperienced in the martial arts world. The unfledged disciples fell on their knees as an excruciating pressure crushed them. It etched lines of pain across their faces as they tried to oppose the immense weight. The sight was like a scene where the citizens weed their emperor. ¡°Ye Fan!¡± Among the crowd, only Junie was smiling. She had thrown all thews and whatnots of the sect out of the window the second she saw him. She dashed toward Ye Fan like a crazed fangirl, disregarding her image as the head of the sect and leapt into his embrace. Resigned, Ye Fan caught her with open arms. He had wanted to act cool with his hands behind his back like those heroes from the movies. Junie''s excitement exaggerated her movement. She wrapped her legs tightly around Ye Fan''s waist, and her arms circled his neck. Their posture was too intimate to be seen in public. The members of Elysian Hall were stunned and enraged by the sight. Is that the same goddess of our dreams? The dignified Elysian Master? The unreachable idol whom we could only admire from afar? She''s burrowing herself into a man''s embrace like a child. They were furious at their own ipetence that they couldn''t have Junie leap into their embrace as she did with Ye Fan. However, anger stirred within the elders for another reason. ¡°This is a sin!¡± ¡°She''smitting a sin!¡± ¡°She will be a disgrace to the Elysian Faction sooner orter.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The elderly men were too embarrassed to look at the duo. ¡°Ms. Junie, please exercise some self-respect!¡± ¡°Don''t forget that you''re the Elysian Master and not those wild girls outside!¡± The Master of Punishment couldn''t bear to look any longer. Despite how much the menined and admonished, their crudements fell on deaf ears. ¡°It has only been six months since west met. Do you have to be this excited? All right, get down now.¡± Ye Fan felt tortured from holding such a beauty in his embrace. Regardless of his torment, he still peeked. ¡°Not bad. They grew bigger.¡± Junie got off Ye Fan and stuck her chest with pride. ¡°Of course! I won''t lose to anyone else.¡± Maybe Huangniu''s words from earlier had dealt a blow to her ego. She was unwilling to admit defeat toward Duanmu Wan''er in certain areas. ¡°This is a sin.¡± Junie''s frivolous action fanned the mes of fury within the elders. No, we have to stop her! We can''t let her continue with this farce or she might have a baby with Ye Fan on the spot. Members of the Elysian Hall practice freeing themselves from any desires. The requirement for an Elysian Master is stricter. They must live a life of chastity, especially one like Junie. If she has a baby with a random man, it will ruin the reputation of the Elysian Hall. ¡°Ms. Junie, the ancestors and ancient masters of our sect is right in front of you.¡± ¡°Are you nning to disobey them and yourte master down?¡± ¡°Pleasee forward to ept your punishment ording to ourws.¡± The elders began to use her predecessor to threaten her. Even though Junie was a free spirit, she was stillpelled to obey the wishes of herte master because she owed him her gratitude. It was a cheap but effective move to get her to behave. After she got off Ye Fan, Junie sighed. ¡°I''ll talk to youter after my punishment.¡± Despite her dislike of those old codgers, she knew she had broken the sect''sw. To be fair, they were just doing their job by enforcing thew. However, Ye Fan stopped her. ¡°Chu Tianfan, this is an internal affair. It has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°You have to be reasonable no matter how domineering you are.¡± ¡°Ms. Junie is willing to ept her punishment. Who are you to stop her?¡± The elders began to reprimand Ye Fan when he stopped Junie. They were cautious and didn''t have a good impression of him. Now that Ye Fan was getting involved with their sect''s internal affairs, they were more averse toward him. ¡°Who said I don''t have the right? Junie is a member of the Dragon God Hall, and I''m its Hall Master. In other words, she belongs to me. Who can or dares to punish her but me?¡± he scoffed. ¡°You!¡± Ye Fan''s defiance had aggravated their anger. They wanted nothing more than to summon a lightning bolt to strike the barbaric man. However, the elders weren''t dumb. They knew they couldn''t defeat him inbat, so they decided to ignore him. ¡°Ms. Junie, thete master''s memorial tablet is sitting up there. Do you truly n to disappoint his high hopes for you? Please,e and receive your punishment on your own ord.¡± The Elysian Master of Punishment looked at Junie. All eyes were on her as they awaited her decision. She let out another sigh. ¡°It''s fine, Ye Fan. It was my fault and I''m ountable for my mistake. They''re just upholding thew for the sect''s benefit. I''ll just go over there and kowtow a few times. It''s just a formality. I won''t get hurt.¡± Junie assured Ye Fan before she went to ept her punishment. Chapter 2007 Chapter 2007 Junie did not want to burn bridges since she knew Ye Fan had her best interests at heart. However, the elders were not in the wrong either because they simply wanted to defend the sect. In the end, Junie convinced herself that she was the one to be med, and naturally, she would have to pay for her mistake. At the urging of the elders, she eventually knelt before the ancestors'' and ancient masters'' memorial tablets. ¡°Get me the rod!¡± roared the Master of Punishment before somebody hurriedly handed him a rod made with special materials. Then, he lifted the instrument and was ready to swing it at Junie''s back in front of everyone in the hall. ¡°That''s going to hurt,¡±mented someone in the crowd. Junie''s face immediately turned into a grimace when she heard the Master of Punishment inhale deeply. Since she spent most of her time studying medicine, Junie did not care much about her cultivation. Hence, she feared she would feel the full extent of the pain her punisher was going to dish out with the rod. With gritted teeth and eyes shut tight, she braced herself for the imminent burning sensation. Thud! Unexpectedly, the woman did not feel anything at all. The sounding from behind sounded like the rod had hit something hard. ¡°Huh? What''s going on?¡± When Junie turned around to see what had happened, the rod was already on the floor. As for the Master of Punishment, he grunted before staggering a few steps back. ¡°Ye-Ye Fan?¡± Junie was shocked, for she never thought Ye Fan would defend her. Not only did the man disarm the Master of Punishment, but he also drove the elder back. Sensing that the man had made a mistake, Junie quickly dissuaded him from interfering. ¡°Ye Fan, I''m fine. You don''t have to worry about me. This is just a formality. I¡ª¡± ¡°You shut up!¡± rebuked Ye Fan suddenly. ¡°Formality? The guy''s about to swing that specialized rod with his Qi, and you call that formality? He''s basically trying to spit on your name and injure your body too! If I hadn''t stepped in, that rod would''ve split your skin open!¡± Since Ye Fan rarelyshed out at Junie like that, she was stunned after listening to him. Just when she was about to say something in response, thetter cut her off again. ¡°You''re to shut up, remember? From this moment on, I''ll be the one who does the talking while you stay behind me and be silent. Another word from you, and I''ll toss you out of here!¡± Ye Fan scolded Junie like he would a subordinate. In all the years they had known each other, he seldom talked to her so sternly. Even to Gaius and the others, Ye Fan hardly ever spoke in that tone. Since he had nothing but love for her, Junie never even knew the man was capable of raising his voice at her. Naturally, she was mortified to witness his fury first-hand. After getting rebuked, Junie dared not to make a sound because she was too terrified to even lift her head to look at Ye Fan. ¡°What do you think you''re doing, Chu Tianfan?¡± ¡°Do you think you have the right to meddle in our internal affairs?¡± ¡°You insolent brute!¡± ¡°Ms. Junie vited the rules and so deserved to be punished. Even she, herself, thinks so.¡± ¡°Who are you to step in?¡± ¡°Don''t think we''re afraid of you just because you''re powerful.¡± ¡°Cross us again, and we''lle down on you with everything we''ve got, including our lives!¡± The elders were offended when they saw how the intruder had rudely interrupted Junie''s punishment. What Ye Fan did was unreasonable and disrespectful! What right does an outsider like him have to interfere in our matters? Besides, Junie was ready to ept her punishment. Who is he to deny her that? In response to the elders'' scolding, Ye Fan simply sneered, ¡°What a joke! Junie is a member of the Dragon God Hall, and I''m the Hall Master. That means she belongs to me! And you think you lot have the right to punish my people?¡± ¡°But she''s the head of Elysian Hall, so she''s bound by our rules!¡± shouted an Elysian Hall member. ¡°F*ck your rules? I, Chu Tianfan, am the ruler! Only I can punish my people; nobody else! Even if Junie wants to kneel to you, she can''t do so without my permission. And if anybody''s got a problem with that, they can take it up with me,¡± Ye Fan dered arrogantly with a fierce re. With that, he released an aura so intense that the ground shook, forcing the elders to take several steps back. Nobody had expected the sudden turn of events to ur. All those who were observant enough could tell that punishing Junie was no longer possible as long as Ye Fan was present. However, the elders would not stand for it. Not only are we forced to let Ye Fan get away scot-free, but we also have to give Junie up too? No matter what, they refused to let Ye Fan have it his way, so they turned to re at Junie. ¡°Is this part of your n all along, Ms. Junie?¡± ¡°As the head of Elysian Hall, not only did you vite our rules, but now you''re also working with an outsider to defy your own people and disrespect your elders?¡± ¡°How would thete Elysian Masters think of you if they knew how rebellious you are?¡± ¡°What you''re doing brings nothing but shame to our sect!¡± ¡°Have you no shame, Ms. Junie?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°I hope you know what you''re doing because we have nothing else to say to you.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Furious, the elders scolded Junie one after another. She is siding with an outsider instead of her elders and working with him to bully and humiliate us. If word of this ever gets out, our entire sect will be aughingstock! After venting their anger, they turned around and were ready to leave. ¡°Hold up! Did I say you could leave?¡± questioned Ye Fan coldly, stopping the elders dead in their tracks. ¡°Ye Fan, what do you say we just let this go?¡± Worried that the situation would get out of hand, Junie tried to stop the man once again. The elders may not be very likable, but they don''t harbor ill intentions. Besides, we''re all in the same sect. I''d rather not see anybody get hurt. ¡°What did I say just now? Did I permit you to speak?¡± asked Ye Fan rhetorically, forcing Junie to pipe down and retreat behind the man with her head lowered. ¡°What more do you want, Chu Tianfan? Do you intend to kill us, your close confidante''s elders?¡± inquired the elders impatiently after turning back around to face the Dragon God Hall Master. As if they were confident that Ye Fan would not dare do anything reckless to them, the elders showed no sign of fear in their tone of voice. That was because they were not only Junie''s allies but also the elders of Elysian Hall. Ye Fan wouldn''t dare try anything as long as Junie''s one of us. However, the elders had overestimated the importance of their position. Just because Ye Fan cared about Junie did not mean he felt the same way about Elysian Hall. In response to their arrogant words, Ye Fan simply ordered, ¡°Kneel before me now!¡± Thud! Thud! Thud! The man''s roar was somanding that the elders were instantly forced to get on their knees; no one was excepted. Chapter 2008 Chapter 2008 ¡°Chu Tianfan, how dare you...¡± ¡°You''re getting out of line!¡± The elders all let out a low growl of anger at Ye Fan, furious that Ye Fan made them do something so humiliating. We''ve never even knelt before Ms. Junie, and now we have to do it to him? To them, there was nothing more shameful than getting on their knees for an outsider. ¡°I''m getting out of line? What about you? How dare youy a finger on Junie!¡± retorted Ye Fan without a second thought. ¡°That''s nonsense! Ms. Junie is only getting punished because she vited our rules. We have every reason to give our Master her due.¡± ¡°Not only did you step out of line when you interrupted us, but now you wish to twist the truth as well?¡± ¡°If word of your actions ever gets out, the world will know how arrogant and unreasonable you are! I think they''d agree with us that we''re the ones getting bullied.¡± Even though the elders were forced into a position of humility, they remained defiant. ¡°What a joke! Do you think this is me bullying you? Why would I do that when I can kill you all without breaking a sweat? The only reason you''re still alive is that I''m determined to unmask you hypocrites! ¡°You gather inrge numbers to deliberately put Junie in a difficult position so that you can punish and humiliate her in front of all your sect members. You said that you were only doing this because she vited your rules, but I know you only wanted to undermine her just so you could take full control of Elysian Hall. You''re all just a bunch of scheming old snakes who imed to be upholding your rules. Do you think you can fool me with your false sense of justice? You people have no shame!¡± exined Ye Fan while staring coldly at the elders. He gave the elders no quarter and outright exposed them, shining a light on the truth. Since the previous head of Elysian Hall had appointed Junie, her position was basically indisputable. However, none of the elders liked the idea of a weak woman leading the sect, so they had been plotting on manipting her as their puppet. Junie''s mistake was minor and only warranted punishment in private, but the elders deliberately made a big deal out of it by gathering everyone in the sect to observe the thrashing. Their only intention was to undermine Junie and make themselves look good by pretending to be strict but fair. If the elders managed to pull off the punishment in front of all the sect members, it would not be long before they got what they wanted. Nobody had any idea that the elders were such a devious lot, except for Ye Fan. Having dealt with all kinds of people for the past decade, the man had learned to tell if others had ulterior motives. After being exposed like that, the hypocritical elders immediately fell dead silent. Feeling the weight of their guilt, the elders kept their heads and dared not to utter another word. ¡°Did you really think that Junie was all alone, and she had nobody to protect her? Then let me remind you that she still has the entire Dragon God Hall and me backing her. You will all pay for trying to take advantage of somebody who belongs with me!¡± Ye Fan''s roar was so fierce that it immediately turned everyone''s face pale as a sheet. Petrified, the elders widened their eyes at Ye Fan in shock, for none of them thought that the man would be reckless enough to kill them. How can he be so unsparing! After all, we''re like brothers to Junie. ¡°Junie, please! You have to save us!¡± At that moment, Ye Fan had already summoned his infinite energy and condensed it into several Qi des. The aura emanating from the man was so intense and fearsome that none even dared to take him on. Hence, the elders had no choice but to put their hope on the woman hiding behind Ye Fan. ¡°Junie, we''re like family, are we not? Are you really going to just let him kill us? If we die, Elysian Hall will be doomed!¡± ¡°It wasn''t personal. We were just trying to do what was best for the sect. Please! For the sake of ancestors, save us!¡± The elders were so terrified that they almost peed their pants, for they knew the man ranked number one on the Sky Ranking was ready to unleash his wrath. Ye Fan could kill a Supreme whenever he wanted to, much less the elders, whose strongest was merely a Grandmaster. If any of them decided to take Ye Fan head-on, they would be obliterated. Seeing how pitiable the elders were, Junie eventually caved and so stepped forward to pull at Ye Fan''s shirt. Some couldmunicate without saying a word. All they needed to do was take one look, and they would know exactly what the other person was thinking. That was the case between Ye Fan and Junie. The man only had to take one look at Junie before he let out a sigh. ¡°They''re nobody. Why does it matter if they live or not?¡± To Ye Fan, the elders were less than insects. Except for the fine woman before him, Ye Fan never cared about anyone in Elysian Hall. ¡°Ye Fan, please just give them another chance. They only did what they did because they had the sect''s best interests at heart.¡± Junie knew the elders did not mean to harm her and that they were just unhappy to have a young woman like her lead the sect. ¡°Gosh, what am I going to do with you? Fine. I''ll listen to you and spare these dogs their lives.¡± Finally, Ye Fan was persuaded to spare the men. He continued, ¡°But let me make myself clear. I''m only letting you live because of Junie. If I ever find out that you''re getting any ideas again, nobody will be able to stop me from wiping you all from the face of the earth! Do you understand?¡± His threat caused the elders to shake in their boots. Relieved that Ye Fan had changed his mind about killing them, the elders immediately promised that they would not bully Junie ever again. ¡°Well? What are you lot still standing there for?¡± With a wave of his arm, Ye Fan sent a burst of Qi in the elders'' way and swept them off their feet. Still, they dared not to say anything to offend the man. Instead, they hurriedly got back on their feet and took off, especially the Master of Punishment and his fellow elders. What was supposed to be an empowering moment for them ended up being a humiliating one. ¡°This is a miscalction on our part. Who would''ve thought that Junie would be someone so important to Chu Tianfan!¡± The elders never expected Ye Fan to care about Junie so much since he, ranked number one on the Sky Ranking, could have had anyone he wanted. Doesn''t he have a thing going on with the Moon God, so why would he care about Junie? There are many women out there who are way more desirable than her. At first, the elders thought Junie was nothing but a side chick to Ye Fan, but they were proven wrong in the end. There''s definitely something going on between Chu Tianfan and Junie, something we don''t know about. ¡°Can''t you be a little bit more considerate? How am I supposed to react when you put me in such an awkward position?¡± After seeing how Ye Fan chased away her sect members like dogs, Junie furrowed her eyebrows tightly. To her, it felt like the man thought of Elysian Hall as nothing more than a horde of lowlifes that he could do whatever he wanted. ¡°They''re just a bunch of snakes. What? Do you expect me to treat them like royalties? I can tell you that there''s not a lot in this world who can im to have topped me,¡± stated Ye Fan with a smirk. The truth was he despised everyone in Elysian Hall except for Junie. ¡°What about me then? Do you think I can be on top of you?¡± Junie gazed at Ye Fan with her gorgeous pair of eyes and flirted with the man. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She had facial features so exquisite that they could put the moon and stars to shame. Chapter 2009 Chapter 2009 When Ye Fan heard Junie''s yful words, he immediately shuddered. What a vixen! Then, the man hurriedly took off, leaving Junie to her chuckles. Junie had always enjoyed poking fun at Ye Fan like that. Everybody knew how authoritative the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall was, but none was aware of his helplessness against a woman''s tease. After she was done chuckling, Junie quickly went after the man. ¡°Junie, will you be following me? Or are you staying in India? You may be brilliant in medicine, but you don''t have what it takes to protect yourself. Not to mention how guileless you are. I''m worried that those old snakes are going to take advantage of you again when I''m gone,¡± voiced Ye Fan as he and Junie walked down the street together that breezy evening. It was quiet since few remained outside after nightfall. asionally, a car or two would pass them by, but that was it. Ye Fan realized that he had overestimated the elders of Elysian Hall. He thought the elders would swear their undying fealty to Junie since she was handpicked by the previous Elysian Master and had restored the sect to its former glory. However, after what happened that day, Ye Fan realized that Junie was as respected in the sect as he imagined her to be. Instead, she was restrained and taken advantage of. ¡°Come on. Be honest with me. You just like having me around, don''t you? Fortunately for you, I''m an extremely helpful person. If you really want me to stay beside you a little longer, I don''t see why I can''t generously spare another hour to walk with you,¡± said Junie as she skipped ahead of Ye Fan like a yful deer,pletely devoid of the authoritativeness of a sect leader. ¡°Stop fooling around, Junie. I''m being serious here. To tell you the truth, I''m pretty conflicted too. Even if you were toe with me, I can''t promise you that everything''s going to be smooth sailing from here on out. Heck, I might even put you in an even more dangerous situation. However, I''m worried about leaving you here alone too.¡± Having known Junie for so many years, Ye Fan was well aware that the woman had never had to deal with devious schemers and nefarious plots since she spent most of her life alone in Xijiang. It was only natural that he would worry about her managing a sect and its members all on her own. ¡°It''s okay. I know you''re just looking out for me, but I''ll be fine. The elders can be a little stubborn with the old ways, but they won''t hurt me. Undermining me is probably the only thing they''ll try. Besides, you''ve already warned them. Seeing how terrified they were just now, I don''t think they''d dare get any ideas again,¡± assured Junie with a smile, trying to get Ye Fan to stop being so concerned. ¡°Fine. If you''ve decided to stay, I won''t force you toe with me. Just promise me you''ll take good care of yourself. When I''m gone, you won''t have anybody to depend on but yourself in India.¡± Junie could sense his underlying message and so raised an eyebrow curiously at thetter. ¡°What about those in Folo Pce? Didn''t you say they have surrendered to you, and I could reach out to them if I ever needed help?¡± In response, Ye Fan simply walked to theke nearby and stared nkly at it before calmly revealing, ¡°I''m going to take them with me when I leave.¡± ¡°You''re taking the Supremes with you? Wait. Does that mean...¡± It did not take long for someone as smart as Junie to figure out what he meant. Junie''s delicate body trembled slightly as she widened her eyes in surprise. I knew this day would come, but I never thought it would be this soon! A chapter has only just concluded, and another is already beginning? ¡°Don''t you think you should wait a little longer? Just to be on the safe side,¡± suggested Junie concernedly. Ye Fan gave her a half-hearted smile before responding, ¡°It''s been almost three years. Don''t you think I''ve waited long enough? If I waste any more time, I''m afraid Gaius and the other old-timers won''t have a chance to see their Dragon Master again.¡± ¡°But Ye Fan¡ª¡± Junie still wished to change his mind, but she was interrupted before she could finish her sentence. ¡°No buts, Junie. The safe side is just an illusion. No matter what we do, there''ll always be risks. You can have the best n in the world, but things won''t always go as nned. That''s why I don''t see the point of waiting any longer. We just have to do whatever we can and leave the rest to fate.¡± The night breeze blew and seemed to have carried Ye Fan''s faint words to somewhere far away. At that moment, the man recalled the first time he visited Chu Sect. It did not matter how well-prepared he was back then because he was still caught off guard. Chu Yuan''s sudden appearance disrupted all his careful nning and arrangements. Hence, Ye Fan was convinced that no ns nor preparations were infallible and that all he could do was try his best. The rest is up to fate. Since she could tell that Ye Fan had already made up his mind, Junie decided to stop persuading the man. Even though Junie wanted to leave with Ye Fan, she knew she would only be a hindrance to the man because of how weak she was. Instead of burdening him, Junie thought it would be best if she stayed behind and waited for Ye Fan to return. Even if things were to go south, with me stationed in India, the Eastsea tragedy would never happen again. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± ¡°All right. Noa and I will throw you a farewell party tomorrow then.¡± As a true friend, Junie wanted to support Ye Fan, no matter his decision. Even if she knew he might note back alive, Junie was sure that a farewell party was in order. On top of that, she was aware of the importance of what Ye Fan was ready to do. The man had basically prepared his entire life for this. Like flowers that blossomed for a short while and fireflies with short lifespans, Ye Fan would rather go out in a ze of glory than live out a meaningless life. Knowing that, Junie decided to stop trying to dissuade Ye Fan. The night passed quickly, and soon a new day arrived. Ye Fan thought Junie had a simple send-off in mind, so he was surprised when he was greeted with a grand feast. Almost every noble in India knew Ye Fan was leaving. The president and those in Folo Pce were so emotional when they heard the news that they almost cried. Thank goodness! Ye Fan''s finally leaving us! Overjoyed, they decided to hold a state-level banquet to celebrate, hoping that he would never return to them again. Junie was rolling on the floorughing when she heard their n. ¡°Do you see how important you are to the royalty of India? They''re sending you off with a grand feast! I even heard that they''re going to grant you dukeship.¡± She rocked back and forth,ughing at Ye Fan in the room. ¡°You rascal! You think that''s funny? They''re only holding a feast because they can''t wait to see me off,¡± he scoffed with a bitter smile. I know exactly what the royal family of India is thinking. They deliberately organize a farewell banquet to ensure I follow through with my decision to leave. ¡°I don''t see anything wrong with that. Since you''re leaving anyway, why not have a good time before you do? About the person you were looking for, I found her. This is her phone number in case you want to contact her.¡± After providing Ye Fan with the piece of information, Junie left since she still had matters to tend to at Elysian Hall. As soon as he got the number, Ye Fan grabbed his phone to make a call. ¡°Hello. Is this Zhang Xiaoyu? Your grandfather asked me to deliver a letter to you. May I know where you are now?¡± Before leaving India, Ye Fan remembered he had an undelivered letter. Hence, he had Junie look for its intended recipient. Coincidentally, the person on the other end of the line happened to be in the same city. Chapter 2010 Chapter 2010 Zhang Xiaoyu replied to Ye Fan, ¡°Oh. Send it to Scenic Hotel then.¡± Her curt reply had Ye Fan shaking his head in disapproval. Are all youngdies so arrogant these days? He followed up that thought with a bitter smile. After checking Scenic Hotel''s address, he was surprised to realize it was on the same street as the Indian pce. Well, I guess at least it''s along the way. Ye Fan decided to personally deliver the item to Zhang Xiaoyu. On his way to Scenic Hotel, Noa called him and told him that she had arranged for a car to pick him up. Ye Fan exined the situation, ¡°I have some business to attend to, Noa. I''ve left Elysian Hall. Don''t worry about me; I''ll make my way overter.¡± ¡°All right then. I''ll wait for you at the pce, then? Oh right, how''s your phone? Is it working well? I can get you another one if you''re having difficulties with this model,¡± Noa offered with a smile. ¡°It''s a great phone. Thanks, Noa.¡± Ye Fan was impressed by Noa''s attentiveness. She had thought of buying him a phone the day before while they were out buying clothes. Still, a phone was as good as a consumable to Ye Fan. He predicted he would throw it away in a few more days. He soon arrived at the agreed-upon location. Half an hour passed, but there was no one to be seen. Just as Ye Fan''s patience was about to snap, a slender woman in a red gown strolled out of Scenic Hotel on a pair of stilettos, apanied by a group of bodyguards. Zhang Xiaoyu nced around before calling someone on her phone. Soon enough, Ye Fan received a call. Zhang Xiaoyu shot him a nce from afar before waving a bodyguard over to meet Ye Fan. When the bodyguard reached Ye Fan, he said brusquely, ¡°You must be the delivery guy. Just give me the letter, and you can leave.¡± His cold and rude attitude brought a frown to Ye Fan''s face. Naturally, Ye Fan did not spare the bodyguard any civilities as he retorted, ¡°I won''t do a half-hearted job of delivering this letter. Ask the recipient to get the letter herself. I won''t give this to anyone else.¡± ¡°You!¡± The bodyguard''s eyes widened in disbelief as he sputtered, ¡°You look so frail that the wind could topple you, but you''re gutsier than expected. Fine. Wait here.¡± Noticing Ye Fan''s obvious refusal to hand over the letter, the bodyguard had no choice but to report this to Zhang Xiaoyu. A whileter, the slender woman from earlier walked over and introduced herself. ¡°I''m Zhang Xiaoyu. You can give me the letter. I hope you''re not lying to me, or I''ll sue you for harassment and send you to jail!¡± She added thatst threat disgruntledly. She wondered if Ye Fan was a pervert who came up with an excuse for delivering her grandfather''s letter to approach her. Ye Fan shook his head in response. Are people these days truly so impolite? Ah, forget it. I''m giving her a free pass on ount of her grandfather. He gave her the letter and turned around to leave. To his surprise, Zhang Xiaoyu''s bodyguards stopped him from leaving. They would only let him go after verifying the legitimacy of the letter. In fact, the bodyguards acted as though they would pack Ye Fan off to the police station at any minute. Zhang Xiaoyu opened the envelope and verified her grandfather''s handwriting. However, she knitted her brows after reading the letter. Zhang Xiaoyu shot Ye Fan a wary stare and demanded, ¡°Who are you? What''s your job? Your background? How do you know my grandpa?¡± Ye Fan replied half-heartedly, ¡°I''m just an average Joe from a normal background.¡± ¡°Hmph. It looks like you have some sense of self-awareness. In that case, I''ll cut to the chase. Grandpa wants the two of us to date, but I''m sure you realize we belong to different worlds. I would never date someone of your status. So, I hope you won''t have any unrealistic expectations about my grandpa''s wishes.¡± With that, she pped the letter on Ye Fan''s chest. Just then, an Aston Martin sports car drove toward them and pulled to a stop before Zhang Xiaoyu. The car door opened and out walked a tuxedo-d Duo Li. He announced, ¡°Xiaoyu, I''m here to send you to the banquet. Please get in!¡± He politely gestured for Zhang Xiaoyu to get into the sports car. ¡°Is this your new bodyguard?¡± Duo Li asked upon noticing Ye Fan. Zhang Xiaoyu shook her head and smiled. ¡°He''s just one of my admirers.¡± Duo Li sighed and advised, ¡°Xiaoyu, you need to be less friendly next time. You can''t be too nice to everyone you see, or you may attract unwanted attention.¡± ¡°Of course, Prince Duo Li. I''ll be more careful in the future,¡± Zhang Xiaoyu replied gently. She was exceptionally sweet and polite in front of this nobleman. Gone was any trace of her earlier arrogance and hostility toward Ye Fan. The sports car soon drove off with the snazzily dressed pair inside, leaving Zhang Xiaoyu''s bodyguards in the dust. They took turns taunting Ye Fan. ¡°See that?¡± ¡°Prince Duo Li is the only worthy match for Ms. Zhang.¡± ¡°You shouldn''t have any designs on Ms. Zhang. Honestly, I admire your foolish bravery.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± The bodyguardsughed and walked off, leaving behind a confused Ye Fan. I only came to deliver a letter. Why did they suddenlybel me as some female celebrity''s admirer? This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. As far as Ye Fan knew, Zhang Xiaoyu was an up-anding celebrity in India''s Bollywood scene. She was indeed beautiful, yet to Ye Fan, who had seen many women in his lifetime, Zhang Xiaoyu''s beauty hardly awed him. Noa''s beauty and elegance were far superior to Zhang Xiaoyu''s. There were also Tang Yun and Moon God, who were arguably beauties of their time. Ye Fan looked down at the discarded letter on the ground and muttered, ¡°I guess that old man yed me for a fool.¡± He was toozy to go through the letter. The contents hardly mattered to him. Zhang Xiaoyu, no, even Jiangbei''s Zhang family were unimportant characters to him. As long as nothing unexpected happened, Ye Fan did not believe he would cross paths with the family again. Just then, Noa called. Once the line connected, she asked, ¡°Are you almost here, Ye Fan? The king wants to know when you''ll arrive so he can arrange for the royal chef to prepare some dishes.¡± By then, Ye Fan had already received numerous calls urging him to make his way to the banquet. The banquet was merely an excuse. They wanted to treat Ye Fan to a meal and quickly send him on his way. The longer he stayed in India, the greater the risk for India''s martial arts world to crumble overnight. Thus, Ye Fan''s arrival at his farewell banquet was highly anticipated. Ye Fan replied to Noa, ¡°Okay, you can stop rushing me. I''ll be there soonest.¡± He did not know whether tough or cry at everyone''s eagerness. In the end, Ye Fan decided to fly to the pce. He lost his bearings in the unfamiliarnd and flew in the wrong direction. Ye Fan ended up traveling a much farther distance before arriving at the pce. ¡°This must be the ce, right?¡± His guess was confirmed after ncing at the heavily guarded pce. Vroom! Just then, a car engine rumbled behind Ye Fan. A shy sports car swerved and stopped at the pce gate. A flushed Zhang Xiaoyu, who upied the passenger seat of the fancy vehicle, eximed, ¡°It was so fast, almost as fast as a ne!¡± The driver, Duo Li, smiled faintly but boasted, ¡°It only needs under four seconds to hit a hundred kilometers an hour. In fact, it can go up to three hundred and fourteen kilometers an hour. I dare say there isn''t a car faster than mine in the whole of India.¡± Then, he held Zhang Xiaoyu''s hand and led her out the car. ¡°Uhm? Isn''t that your admirer?¡± The prince noticed Ye Fan immediately. Zhang Xiaoyu shook her head and said, ¡°That''s impossible, Prince Duo Li. You have India''s fastest car; how could he arrive before us? You must be confused, Princey.¡± While she shook her head, she met Ye Fan''s gaze and froze in shock. Dear God! It really is him! How is that possible? Don''t tell me he actually flew here? How else could he arrive before us? Chapter 2011 Chapter 2011 Unfortunately, the surprise onlysted for a moment because Zhang Xiaoyu got angry soon after. She exited the car in a pair of high heels that were as high as fifteen centimeters. Then she walked right to Ye Fan and red in displeasure. ¡°How shameless are you? I can''t believe you stalked me. Haven''t I made things clear? A woman like me will never fall for a piece of trash like you. I''m warning you. If you keep badgering me like this, I will forgo being civil and ignore the fact that we are from the same country. Instead, I will beat you up!¡± Zhang Xiaoyu shouted furiously and threw endless insults at Ye Fan. Thetter didn''t say anything. All he did was stare strangely at the former. The expression he wore... It was as though he was looking at an idiot. He turned around and left immediately after. Ye Fan''s behavior undoubtedly pissed Zhang Xiaoyu off. She reached out and stopped him from leaving. After that, she roared, ¡°Get your butt back here... Are you freaking deaf? I am talking to you! Also, what is with that attitude of yours? I am not happy with it, and I demand an apology.¡± It was clear that Zhang Xiaoyu was really spoilt. Ye Fan''s distaste and expression made her ufortable, and she wanted him to apologize for it. Ye Fan was so angry that, for some reason, he ended upughing aloud. Zhang Jiuling is such an honorable and intelligent man, so how did he end up with an... insufferable granddaughter like this? ¡°What''s wrong, Xiaoyu? Is he bothering you?¡± Prince Duo Li showed up from behind Zhang Xiaoyu. When he saw how angry his date was, he immediately became concerned. Zhang Xiaoyu changed her unreasonable stance andined to Duo Li in a sweet but troubled tone, ¡°Princey, he is the problem. He is just too much. I''ve already made it clear that I am not interested in him, but he keeps badgering me. That is so annoying.¡± Zhang Xiaoyu stomped her feet and sounded frustrated. Prince Duo Li cooed, ¡°It''s okay. It''s just a simple matter, and I can solve the problem for you.¡± After saying all that calmly, he stood up and scanned Ye Fan from head to toe before scoffing in distaste. ¡°Hey, punk! I had you on my radar ever since I saw you going after Xiaoyu at the entrance of the hotel. I didn''t think that you''d actually stalk her all the way here. Do you honestly think that you can bully someone while being at the entrance of the pce? Kneel before her right away and apologize. If you don''t, I''ll make you wish you were never born!¡± threatened Duo Li mercilessly. Ye Fan chuckled and shook his head. ¡°You want me to apologize to her? Hah! Do you really think you have the power to do so?¡± ¡°Imbecile!¡± roared Zhang Xiaoyu. She was instantly infuriated. ¡°Prince Duo Li is the President of India''s nephew. He is a member of the royal family, and a pauper like you has no right to talk back at him. You better p yourself right now to apologize for your insolence, or you will be dead!¡± Zhang Xiaoyu pointed the finger at Ye Fan and reprimanded thetter endlessly. Ye Fan, however, wasn''t bothered at all. ¡°He''s a member of the royal family, but so what? To me, that means nothing.¡± His smile remained as calm as ever. ¡°That''s gutsy. It''s interesting because only a handful of people have the guts to look down on members of the royal family.¡± Just then, a series of harshughter came from the other side. All anyone saw was a man in luxurious clothes making his way over as a few women circled around him. ¡°My dear brother, I''m d you''re here.¡± Prince Duo Li greeted the guy as soon as he saw him approaching. Zhang Xiaoyu was taken aback. Duo Li referred to him as his big brother... Does that mean... he''s the future duke? Zhang Xiaoyu immediately became excited. At the end of the day, Duo Li was just the youngest son, and only the eldest son could inherit the dukedom in India. In other words, Duo Li''s brother was much more powerful than him. Zhang Xiaoyu was excited and nervous, but she quickly stepped forward to introduce herself. She had just started her career in the entertainment industry and would need influential investors to help her if she wanted to be famous. Zhang Xiaoyu didn''t just get close to members of the royal family because she wanted to marry into the family. She also did that to get them to invest in herself and make her famous. Duo Li''s brother simply nodded at Zhang Xiaoyu when she greeted him. He turned his attention to Ye Fan soon after. ¡°My brother demanded that you apologize, but you im that he is not powerful enough to pressure you into doing so. Well, what if I were to make the same demand? Is that good enough for you?¡± Duo Li''s brother sneered. His tone was brimming with the arrogance of a bully. ¡°You stupid punk. The prince has already issued his orders, so get on your knees right now.¡± The previousmotion had attracted the attention of quite a few people. Hence, a crowd gathered, and everyone demanded that Ye Fan kneel and apologize when they saw Duo Li and his brother there. Simrly, Zhang Xiaoyu wanted Ye Fan to apologize. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Duo Li''s brother didn''t care about much, though. As far as he was concerned, Ye Fan was just a nameless pauper. The former assumed that a single order from him would scare Ye Fan silly. However, Ye Fan''s response infuriated the guy so much that he almost fainted. ¡°Sorry, but you mean nothing to me, too.¡± ¡°You...¡± He was so angry that he clenched his fists. ¡°And what if I were the one who issued thatmand?¡± Yet another voice brimming with arrogance rang out. Everyone turned their attention to the source of that voice. All they saw was the crowd parting in half. A man, who was worshiped by everyone, made his way to Ye Fan and the others. ¡°Is that...¡± ¡°Prince Savanth?¡± ¡°Isn''t he the king''s eldest son?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, what is with today?¡± ¡°Why have the princes gathered?¡± ¡°Is the king throwing a party or something?¡± The crowd instantly parted when they saw the crown prince. Many onlookers gasped in astonishment. They were curious. Why have so many members of the royal family gathered here today? ¡°Pfft, you really are nothing but a bunch of hooligans. How do you not know that today is the day a VIP of the country will be visiting?¡± Zhang Xiaoyu felt superior when she heard the crowd discussing the matter, and she couldn''t help sneering at them. She had already heard from Prince Duo Li that the king would be throwing a party to wee a powerful individual. Rumor had it that the king would even grant said individual an important title. Given the importance of that exclusive event, even a billionaire would not be privy to any insights or invitations. Hence, it was only natural that regr citizens were not aware of it. ¡°Punk, the crown prince is here, and you are in a heap of trouble. Hah, I''d like to see what you''ll do now.¡± Prince Duo Li grinned evilly and dissed Ye Fan a little before he went to his brother''s side so that they could wee the crown prince together. Ye Fan wasn''t worried at all, though. He kept his hands in his pockets and was rxed as he stood there. As he stared at the royalties standing before him, he grinned and replied, ¡°Sorry, I''m still unbothered.¡± What the f*ck? Go to hell. The crowd was practically going insane when they heard what Ye Fan said. Many minds were blown at that moment. Holy moly, this guy is a little too much, isn''t he? First, he dissed Prince Duo Li, then he disregarded the duke''s eldest son, and now he has disrespected the crown prince! What the hell is he thinking? Is he courting death or something? ¡°You stupid punk. I bet you''re actually seeking death, huh?¡± ¡°I can''t believe you offended a member of the royal family!¡± ¡°Guards, break his legs and throw him in to Grange River.¡± Duo Li was so angry that he issued the order. Themotion right outside the pce was getting a little out of hand, so someone exited the pce and made his way over. ¡°What is going on? Why is there such a ruckus? The party is about to begin, and our VIP is about to show up. You lot arete, so why aren''t you making up for time lost by hurrying up?¡± A middle-aged man had shown up and was scolding Duo Li and the others in displeasure. ¡°Understood, Father,¡± replied Duo Li and his brother simultaneously while having their heads down. Prince Savanth didn''t retort, either. The customs at the time dictated that since they were still from the younger generation, so they had to obey the words of those from the previous generation. ¡°Hmph, you got lucky today, you idiot. I will deal with you after the party.¡± Duo Li and the others red at Ye Fan before making their way into the pce. After the princes left, the spectators dispersed as well. Ye Fan straightened his clothes a bit before making his way toward the party as well. ¡°Hey, beggars are not allowed here. Get out!¡± shouted the bodyguards. They were lucky that Noa showed up at that exact moment. If she hadn''t, Ye Fan might''ve left in a fit of anger, and that party would''ve ended before it even began. It was likely that the leaders of India would be utterly infuriated by that. ¡°Ye Fan, you''re finally here. Hurry, everybody''s waiting for you. Let''s head in together.¡± Noa, in her elegant outfit, walked out of the pce to wee Ye Fan. With the bodyguards still staring in astonishment, the head of the prominent Vias family, who is also the princess of India, hugged Ye Fan''s arm and walked right past them. Chapter 2012 Chapter 2012 Inside the pce... Influential figures from various industries and political parties had already taken their seats. Everything was ready, and all that was left was for the honored guest to show up. Prince Duo Li and the other younger royal family members were sitting quietly in the corner of the vast hall. Every single one of those princes looked grim at that moment. ¡°That hooligan''s too much.¡± ¡°Duo Li, who is that punk? I can''t believe he is that arrogant. It''s bad enough that he offended both you and me, but Prince Savanth is the crown prince! How could that idiot disregard the crown prince?¡± The more Duo Li''s brother thought about it, the angrier he became. It got to the point where he was cracking his knuckles. ¡°Calm down, brother. All we have to do is wait until the party is over. After that, we can have someone deal with that punk. I''ve already asked Xiaoyu about it, and he is a nobody. My guess is that he is just a random gangster,¡± replied Prince Duo Li to pacify his brother. ¡°It''s not enough to mess with him only. Have someone look into his family. Those idiots raised such a terrible j*rk, and they should be punished for it as well.¡± Prince Savanth had a scowl on, and his voice was sinister as he spoke. Naturally, Duo Li and the others knew exactly what he meant by ¡°punish.¡± ¡°Xiaoyu, don''t you know the guy? Do you know where his parents are? Prince Savanth wants to know everything about him,¡± said Duo Li as he turned his attention to Zhang Xiaoyu. Zhang Xiaoyu didn''t know anything, however... ¡°I think my grandpa knows all about it. Let me ask him.¡± Zhang Xiaoyu was working hard because, to her, it was an honor to be of service to those princes. She also wanted to make them happy because even the slightest charity from them would allow her to make it big in the entertainment industry. That was why Zhang Xiaoyu was quick to get in touch with her grandpa. ¡°Ah, Xiaoyu. I was about to call you. Did you receive my letter? Did you meet Mr. Chu? How are things between the two of you? Are there any sparks? Are the two of you already in a rtionship?¡± Zhang Jiuling''s voice was overflowing with excitement and anticipation at the moment. Zhang Xiaoyu, on the other hand, was utterly confused. ¡°What are you talking about, Grandpa? Who is this Mr. Chu? And why do you want me to be in a rtionship with him? Also, I want to ask you something. What is with that letter you sent me? Can you please stop introducing me to random, useless strangers? Ugh, how can a grandpa do that to his granddaughter?¡± She continued, ¡°I mean, I know that you have always favored my older sister and never really liked me, bute on. You can''t curse your granddaughter to a lifetime of misery for no reason. The idiot who delivered that letter doesn''t even have a career, and he is so stupid that he offended some very powerful men. His mistake is so grave that those men want to exact their revenge on him. Seriously, Grandpa, if you wish the best for your granddaughter, then just tell me everything you know about the guy. Where is he from, and who are his parents? Also, I''d like to know who his close friends are.¡± There was a reason Zhang Xiaoyu wasn''t kind or polite to her grandfather, Zhang Jiuling, at all. All those years ago, a number of issues made her leave Jiangbei and go to India on her own. One of those issues was that Zhang Jiuling favored her sister. Zhang Xiaoyu knew that it''d be difficult for her to get to the top of the food chain if she stayed home, so she left. That was also why she didn''t feel much love orpassion for her own grandfather. Zhang Jiuling, who was on the other end of the line, instantly became anxious when he heard the news. ¡°What did you say? Are you saying that someone from India wants to hurt Mr. Chu? That is incredible news, Xiaoyu. This is your chance. Hold on to that opportunity, and I promise that your future will be secured. Listen to me. It doesn''t matter who has a thing against Mr. Chu. All you have to do is stand firmly by his side because he has always been someone who is appreciative of those who care about him. If he sees you as an ally, you will be able to rise to the top!¡± informed Zhang Jiuling excitedly. Zhang Xiaoyu was extremely perplexed when she heard what he said. ¡°Grandpa, I think you really have gone senile. That punk offended members of the royal family in India. Are you saying that I should stand by his side and go against the princes? My, how nice of you to offer advice like that,¡± said Zhang Xiaoyu sarcastically. ¡°You know what? You could''ve just been honest with me and told me that you don''t want to tell me about his family and upbringing. You don''t need to make fun of me.¡± ¡°You...¡± growled Zhang Jiuling. He was so angry that his eyes were burning with rage at that moment. ¡°Xiaoyu, do not go against my words. This is an order. It doesn''t matter if he offended the prince. In fact, you are to stand by his side, even if he does something as extreme as killing the freaking king! If you disobey me on this, I will disown you, and you will never receive a penny from the family ever again.¡± It was obvious that Zhang Jiuling was losing his temper on the other end of the line. All those years ago, the Zhang family was blinded by their arrogance and almost made the stupid mistake of stepping on Ye Fan''s toe. Hence, it was only natural that he worried about his granddaughter being just as blind and making the wrong decision. ¡°Hahaha...¡± Zhang Xiaoyuughed aloud instantly. ¡°Grandpa, is that a threat? Let me tell you something. I no longer fear any of you. Prince Duo Li of India is courting me right now, and I will be his future wife. Do you really think that a future princess like me will care about the money you have? It''s just petty cash to me.¡± Zhang Xiaoyu sneered and hung up the phone immediately after. ¡°Xiaoyu... Xiaoyu?¡± Zhang Jiuling, who was in Jiangbei at the time, shouted into the phone, but no one responded. The only thing he could do was sigh deeply. ¡°My dear Xiaoyu, you understand how powerful a prince is in India and how rich he is. However, you are blind to the fact that Mr. Chu goes so far beyond a single country. He can influence the entire world and practically rules it. You will regret the decision you make today...¡± Zhang Xiaoyu couldn''t hear what her grandfather said, but it didn''t really matter. Even if she had heard what he said, she would not believe him. Her rtionship with Zhang Jiuling had never been good, and she had never gotten in touch with any member of the family unless she needed money. After hanging up, Zhang Xiaoyu went to Prince Duo Li and the others to tell them that Ye Fan''s family was in China. She also imed that it wasn''t worth dealing with them since they were living so far away. ¡°Then, for now, let''s deal with him after the party is over.¡± Prince Duo Li''s gaze turned malicious. Just then, everyone in the hall cheered. A few middle-aged men made their way into the hall in the grandest of ways. ¡°That''s my uncle. He''s here!¡± Prince Duo Li had regarded one of the men as his uncle, and that meant thetter was the President of India. However, three more people were leading the way in front of the president. ¡°Is that...¡± ¡°The king of Folo Pce?¡± ¡°They''re the reason our country is running smoothly!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, what brought them here?¡± Most would not know who the trio of Folo Pce were, but Prince Duo Li and the others were definitely aware of it. Prince Savanth, in particr, had heard the story from his father, who repeatedly told him that the three trio of Folo Pce was like nuclear weapons. They were the most powerful beings in India and were the true heroes of the country. Every new king would visit Folo Pce right after their coronation to greet the three kings because, in a way, they were more important than the nation''s king and held more power. ¡°Savanth, who is the VIP we''re throwing a party for today? Who could possibly be so powerful that all three kings of Folo Pce have dropped by in person to greet?¡± Even the princes couldn''t help but be amazed by that. ¡°Sorry for making everyone wait. And now, please give a warm wee to Mr. Chu.¡± The king of India stood at the center and announced the arrival of their VIP. Creak! That was when the door behind everyone opened slowly. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The sunlight streamed into the ce like water from a broken dam. It filled the ce instantly. At that moment, the first sight that greeted everyone was the silhouette of anky guy who was making his way into the ce. The suspense kept building in the room until Ye Fan''s dazzling face was revealed to the crowd. ¡°That...¡± ¡°It''s him...¡± It was a bolt from the blue. All three princes and Zhang Jiuling''s granddaughter, Zhang Xiaoyu, were petrified when they saw the man standing before them. Every single one of them widened their eyes in surprise. Chapter 2013 Chapter 2013 Clenching her fists, Zhang Xiaoyu growled indignantly, ¡°It can''t be! He''s only an Average Joe from China without a prominent background and qualifications. How could he deserve the President of India to hold a formal banquet for him? That''s impossible!¡± She was still keeping her fingers crossed at the moment, hoping that Ye Fan had actually made a mistake and emerged uninvited. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Other than her, there was also sheer disbelief in the eyes of the three princes. ¡°It must be a mistake!¡± ¡°Something must have gone wrong!¡± ¡°Anyway, that brat is too young. He''s only a typical naive punk.¡± ¡°How could he be the guest of honor for this banquet today?¡± Flustered, Prince Duo Li and the other two princes glowered at Ye Fan menacingly. Never had they expected a mind-numbing event woulde hard on the heels of that, shattering their hope. The moment Ye Fan came into sight, King Folo, the President of India, and the others sitting high got to their feet to wee him. The President of India greeted him respectfully, ¡°Mr. Chu, please be seated.¡± ¡°Mr. Chu, please be seated!¡± King Folo and the others greeted Ye Fan in unison as well. Even the leader of a nation was in reverence of thetter. In a split second, Zhang Xiaoyu, Prince Duo Li, and the other two princes were dumbstruck. Their eyes widened in disbelief; their minds went nkpletely. My goodness! Who had we provoked just now? At the thought, Prince Duo Li was scared to death. His legs gave way, and he slumped to the ground. Stood rooted to the ground, his elder brother could not utter any words. Prince Savanth''s fists were clenched so hard that they began to bleed as he scowled at Ye Fan with fiery eyes. It was as though there were burning mes in them. Why is that so? Why is he the one? Both of us are around the same age. Why could he be seated with the elders in the royal families and greeted respectfully by them? On the other hand, I can only sit in the corner and watch enviously. Why is he deserving of all these? Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaoyu''s face turned ashen. She looked ahead nkly, gawking at Ye Fan''s slender figure as if she had lost herself. Not only that, she suddenly felt a rush of inexplicit bitterness surging from within her. Only then did Zhang Xiaoyu realize that her grandpa did not lie to her. It''s true. Whatever Grandpa mentioned in the letter is true. If I can marry this man, it will be as easy as snapping a finger for me to lead afortable life. Ye Fan was oblivious to Zhang Xiaoyu and the others'' reactions. After all, they were merely small fries to him. Ye Fan was unfazed by most people and things at his current level. It was as though an elephant was unperturbed by any crickets and ants. Noa was the only one Ye Fan cared about in the spacious hall at the moment. The youngdy was self-aware that she was only a lowly nobody alongside Ye Fan. Hence, she moved away from thetter instinctively when the influential figures of India greeted him with reverence. Standing aside obediently, she looked up at the man basking in the limelight silently like the other guests. Ye Fan caught a glimpse of Noa moving away from him. He turned and chuckled before teasing her, ¡°Hey! Noa, how could you leave me alone after bringing me here?¡± Noa was stunned. Right that instant, everyone''s eyes were on Ye Fan. When those words escaped his mouth, it indirectly caused everyone to lock their gazes on Noa. ¡°Ye Fan, go up by yourself then. They are all big shots, and there''s not even a ce for me. Thus, it''s good enough for a lowly junior like me to be seated down here,¡± Noa whispered to him. No doubt, as the head of a prominent family, she was categorized as one of them from a prestigious status. Notwithstanding, her status was a stark contrast to the President of India and the others from Folo Pce. Now that all the big shots invited Ye Fan to step forward and be seated with them, Noa knew well that she was not qualified to join him. Thus, she did not apany him to sit at the highest spot. shing him a smile, she uttered casually, ¡°I''ll go down now and continue to look on attentively.¡± Next, she turned to make her way into the crowd. Nheless, it never urred to her that Ye Fan would stop her right away. She had only turned before a hand stretched out to grab hold of her wrist. Petrified, she felt a massive force pulling her to Ye Fan''s side again. Thetter lowered his head to look intently at her. It was as though countless stars were glittering in his obsidian eyes. ¡°Noa, why are you feeling inferior? Bear in mind that there''ll always be a ce for you beside me no matter where I go.¡± Ye Fan chuckled blissfully in the face of the other guests. Before Noa had time to respond, he held her hand and moved upwards while the others looked on with reverence. It was as if the duo was heading toward the highest point that symbolized the prominence of India. ¡°Mr. Chu, you''re incredibly unrivaled and deemed the top-notch hero with your formidability! The martial arts world of India has been revering invincible fighters and heroes all this while. Ever since you stepped into ournd, our people have been in awe of your formidability. Allow me to bestow you with a dukedom on behalf of India today. I sincerely hope that you won''t turn me down on that. Mr. Chu, what do you think about it?¡± The President of India stered a smile to butter Ye Fan up. Hearing that, all the other guests couldn''t help but feel their jaws dropping to the ground. They couldn''t believe that their nation''s leader was pleading with Ye Fan to ept the dukedom. D*mn it! What the heck is happening? Many risked their lives and even met their end tragically on the battlefield throughout the years, yearning for a royal title. Nevertheless, the royal leader of India even swallowed his pride and pled with Ye Fan to ept the dukedom at the moment. Unequivocally, things in the world were unfathomable a lot of times. Many failed to obtain what they had been anticipating. On the contrary, those who never had such anticipation were pled to ept the offer instead. Ye Fan only replied to the leader of India cidly, ¡°Okay!¡± Thetter was over the moon. He assigned his men to bring Ye Fan the respective gold seal and costume for the title at once. At the same time, he announced to grant Chu Tianfan the title¡ªKing Narendra. Apart from that, he would be bestowed with ten thousand hectares ofnd, the right to collect taxes from the people, and the hereditary right of the dukedom. Everyone was bbergasted. King Narendra? Ten thousand hectares ofnd? The right to collect taxes? Good gracious! How could he deserve such privilege? That''s indeed outrageously absurd! In actuality, the dukedom was more like a title of honor recently. Others usually received it in the name only without obtaining any benefits. It never urred to them that Ye Fan would be givennds and the right to collect taxes from the people. In other words, he even had the authority to build a kingdom. Many could not help but feel Ye Fan had taken advantage of a great deal. Even so, the President of India did not share the same sentiments with them. King Folo and the others felt that it was beneficial for the nation too. Furthermore, King Folo had tried to convince the President of India before. ¡°Chu Tianfan is undoubtedly an invincible warrior! He''s able to destroy all the countries effortlessly by himself! If he''s with us, I''m convinced nobody will be a match for our martial arts world for at least half a millennium. War God Castle is currently in a precarious state and might be eradicated at any moment because they are unaware of it. Hence, we must be enlightened by that and talk Ye Fan into taking our side! Even if we can''t be friends, we shouldn''t take the risk of being his foe!¡± When the banquet was about to end, the President of India led all the members of the royal families to toast Ye fan. ¡°Mr. Chu, I know that you''re leaving soon. Thus, I hold this state banquet as a token of farewell for you! Everyone, raise your wine sses. I''d like to propose to toast to Mr. and Mrs. Chu for their safe journey ahead!¡± There was somehow a hidden meaning in his words. He was seemingly hinting Ye Fan to leave at once after the banquet. Undeniably, they were in awe of Ye Fan''s ability to keep situations under control with his formidability during the war. Now that there was peace in India, he became a time bomb instead. Therefore, King Folo and the others could barely wait for him to leave their country. Chapter 2014 Chapter 2014 The President of India summoned his son and nephews to toast to Ye Fan. ¡°Come on! Young guys, you should toast Mr. Chu. He has already shot to fame at a young age and is undoubtedly the unrivaled warrior of the century. You should set him as a role model for your advancement in the future. I bet today is your only chance to toast Mr. Chu in your lifetime. Don''t let it slip away.¡± He thought of introducing them to Ye Fan and wished to inspire the young ones with thetter''s outstanding achievements. Deep down, he could not resist anticipating that at least one of them would be as outstanding as Ye Fan. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. No words could describe the sheer grimness on Savanth, Duo Li, and the other prince''s faces. ¡°Okay...¡± They had no choice but to mumble and dared not have any eye contact with Ye Fan. After that, they could only bite the bullet by stepping forward and toasting Ye Fan. Seated high up, Ye Fan brushed his wine ss lightly with his fingers. At the same time, he cast an ambiguous look in the direction of the three dignified princes. ¡°When you demanded me to apologize just now, I emphasized that even the three of you were not qualified to do so. However, you didn''t believe me at that time. So, do you believe me now?¡± He shed them a faint smile before lifting his wine ss and gesturing to them. Right after that, he gulped down his ss of wine. Seeing that, Duo Li and his elder brother slumped to the floor. Knowing they hadmitted a grievous mistake, they knelt to Ye Fan and pled with him for mercy, despising themselves for stepping on thetter''s toes. All the guests were utterly stunned. The President of India, who introduced his son and nephews to Ye Fan wittingly, was thunderstruck. ¡°W-What''s the matter? Spit it out! What happened? You imbeciles! Could it be that you''d gotten on Mr. Chu''s nerves before this?¡± the President of India reprimanded; he was a bundle of nerves. Now that Ye Fan was finally leaving, he was worried stiff that someone had stirred up trouble by irking him. If anyone had the gut to provoke thetter like the King of India, he foresaw the petrifying man would unleash his wrath by annihting ruthlessly in India for at least one month. ¡°B*stards, what''d you done? Spit it out!¡± Duo Li''s father stepped forward to trample on his two sons. Others could hardly believe they were the two princes having their noses in the air a while ago. In a blink of an eye, the duo prostrated on the floor, trembling in fear. Duo Li eventually elucidated what had transpired before that. After getting a grasp of the situation, the President of India was shocked. King Folo, Haibu, and another Supreme''s face fell. On pins and needles, King Folo nudged the President of India''s back, hinting him to resolve the matter. If this is not resolved, this ruthless being might even wipe out the whole royal family of India. He had almost annihted us at that time, and Folo Pce was ruined by him. Even Supremes like us ended up in such a pathetic state, let alone the members of your royal families without anybat prowess. Everyone knows that he can destroy anyone by lifting just one finger. Panic-stricken, the President of India wailed, ¡°B*stards! You''re nothing but worthless a*sholes putting us in deep water. Sooner orter, India will be doomed because of you! What are you still standing there for? Apologize to Mr. Chu now!¡± He kicked and trampled on his son and nephews in exasperation, bashing them up. Knowing their ce, Duo Li and his brother knelt and apologized to Ye Fan, pleading for forgiveness. On the other hand, a hard-headed Prince Savanth was reluctant to kneel before Ye Fan. ¡°Who does he think he is? How could I kneel to a peasant!¡± he bellowed in resentment. p! At that moment, someone struck at him even faster than the President of India. It was none other than King Folo. He pped Savanth, distorting his face with massive force. Seconds later, blood started flowing with shattered pieces of teeth from Savanth''s mouth before he passed out. ¡°Mr. Chu is the Unrivalled Supreme and ranked first in the Sky Ranking. How could you have the audacity to humiliate him?¡± King Foloshed out at them. Everyone was taken aback by the scene. Realization suddenly dawned on many of them. Now that even their honorable prince was beaten up, they had a hunch Ye Fan''s status was beyond imagination. King Folo and the others stepped forward to ask warily, ¡°Mr. Chu, are you not feeling better? If you''re still mad at them, I''ll finish the three of them off now!¡± His words scared the daylights out of Duo Li. ¡°No! Please don''t kill me! I was instigated by someone. It''s her, that b*tch! She mentioned that Mr. Chu was a country bumpkin, and she''s the one instigating me to fight against him...¡± To speak up for himself, Duo Li put the me directly on Zhang Xiaoyu, who was hiding behind him. Zhang Xiaoyu was utterly speechless. It never came to her mind that Duo Li would make her the scapegoat. With that, a few guards advanced toward Zhang Xiaoyu and dragged her over. One of them kicked her knee and snapped, ¡°On your knees!¡± Soon, blood started trickling down her knee as her wless skin brushed against the rough concrete ground. Zhang Xiaoyu cried her eyes out as she stared at Ye Fan. Terror-stricken, she was at a loss for words. ¡°Finish her off right away to make up to Mr. Chu!¡± someone shrieked at the top of his lungs. The next second, two guards lunged toward Zhang Xiaoyu with daggers. Nobody had the gut to strike at the princes, but Zhang Xiaoyu was not from any prominent family. Thus, they did not need to think twice beforeing at her. Even so, Ye Fan only waved his hands. ¡°It''s just something trivial. Don''t take it too seriously.¡± Everyone heaved a sigh of relief instantaneously. They tensed up moments ago, fearing that Ye Fan would blow a fuse and turn their country into a living hell. Since he did not flip out, they started to see a ray of hope again. Shortly after, the princes were rushed to the hospital. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaoyu was thrown down the stairs at the entrance. Needless to say, nobody gave any hoots to the insolent woman who had the cheek to get on Ye Fan''s nerves. After the banquet ended, the President of India, King Folo, and the others stood up to send him off. ¡°Mr. Chu and Mrs. Chu, how are you going to leave? I''ve arranged a private jet for you if you n to leave by ne. If you prefer to leave by train, I''ve gotten ready a private train for you too,¡± King Folo asked earnestly, grinning. He sounded as if he could barely wait another second for Ye Fan to leave. Noa''s face flushed. ¡°Excuse me, I''m not¡ª¡± It was not the first time she was addressed as Mrs. Chu that day. Even though her heart fluttered with joy at it, she had to remind herself not to daydream about it. Therefore, she was thinking of rifying it. However, Ye Fan cut her off, ¡°Noa is not leaving with me. She''ll continue to stay in India. President, please help to take care of her after I leave.¡± ¡°Isn''t Mrs. Chu leaving together with you?¡± The President of India and the others were startled. She''s such a gorgeous youngdy. Why isn''t he bringing her along to keep himpany along the way? Whatever, it''s up to him. We''ll be at ease right after he sets off. ¡°Mr. Chu, no problem. It''s our honor to be able to do anything for you.¡± The President of Indiaughed jubntly. ¡°Indeed! Mr. Chu, we''d better don''t take up your time so you can set off at any time.¡± King Folo, Haibu, and Bapei giggled gleefully, reassuring Ye Fan that there would not be any issues after he left. Catching sight of their desperation, Ye Fan smiled at them. ¡°Okay! If that''s the case, let''s set off now.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± King Folo and the other two Supremes were on cloud nine. Hurray! He''s finally setting off. Nheless, they turned pale the next second. ¡°H-Huh? We? No, we''re not going anywhere. We don''t have anything on elsewhere.¡± King Folo and the other two Supremes waved their hands hastily. They could hardly wait to stay as far as they could away from Ye Fan. However, Ye Fan chuckled again. ¡°But I have something on. I bet you haven''t forgotten about our promise in Folo Pce that day, have you? Come on! Let''s set off together.¡± A friendly smile broke out on Ye Fan''s face as he gazed at King Folo and the other two Supremes. In an instant, the trio''s hearts lunged at their throats. My goodness! Secondster, they burst into tears and could not help but resent their failure to shrug Ye Fan off. Chapter 2015 Chapter 2015 ¡°Ye Fan, why didn''t you allow me to rify the situation earlier on? You will get into trouble with your wife if other people get the wrong idea.¡± After the banquet, Ye Fan was not in a hurry to leave. He still had to bid Junie farewell. On the way back, Noa was walking beside Ye Fan and eyed him in puzzlement. Deep down, she was feeling hopeful. Unfortunately, Ye Fan smiled and said, ¡°It doesn''t matter if I exin myself or not. At most, I will be known as a rake. But, it''s sort of protection for you. Naturally, there are pros and cons. The title of Mrs. Chu will grant you protection, but it will also affect your marriage prospects. In the future, if you meet someone you like, you can always exin it to him. There''s no need to worry about me. Noa, as acquaintances, I genuinely hope that you can find your happiness one day. All right. I will let Junie know that I will be leaving today. If it''s fated, I''m sure we will meet again.¡± Ye Fan bade Noa farewell with a faint smile on his face. With that, he flew off to Elysian Hall. Noa was left standing there all by herself. She nced at Ye Fan''s figure as he left. ¡°Ms. Vias, how are you?¡± ¡°You look very pretty today, Ms. Vias!¡± ¡°Ms. Vias, is everything all right?¡± ¡°If you need any help, please don''t hesitate to let us know.¡± Not long after, the members of the royal family greeted Noa respectfully as they passed her. In the past, those big shots did not give a d*mn about her. In their eyes, she was a young and inexperienced woman who became the head of the Vias family by chance. Those older nobles did not think too highly of her. They felt Noa was not fit for that position and would not be capable of safeguarding her father''s vast wealth. At the present moment, the members of the royal family looked at her in apletely different light. Before this, all of them were very arrogant when they saw me. Despite me greeting them respectfully every time, they ignored me. Now, I stand here and don''t even bother to look at them. Yet, theye up to me on their own ord and greet me with such respect. Their arrogance is gone. Noa noticed the vast change in everyone''s attitude toward her. However, she was well aware that the change in the way they treated her had nothing to do with her. Instead, it was because of Ye Fan. Those people thought she was Ye Fan''s woman! It was apparent that the title of Mrs. Chu had brought her prominence and protection. Noa would not deny that she enjoyed the perks, but she knew it was all an illusion. None of it was true. The moment Ye Fan''s real wife appeared, she would be exposed as the fake Mrs. Chu. Deep in her heart, Noa wished that the title could be hers and hers alone forever. ¡°No man can ever bepared to you. Ye Fan, you told me to look for the man I love. But, how do I do that after having met you? How can I find another man who makes me happier?¡± Looking in the direction that Ye Fan had flown off, Noa was filled with sorrow. She shook her head and let out a long sigh. She knew she would not fall in love with another man other than Ye Fan in her current lifetime. Ye Fan appeared again at Elysian Hall. At that moment, Junie was giving a speech to a group of disciples in the main hall. Those disciples had joined very recently. As the head of the faction, it was only appropriate for her to speak to them. Ye Fan hid among the crowd and looked up at themanding woman. Somehow, Ye Fan felt a sense of distance. She was usually very gentle in front of him. He could not imagine her to be so authoritative. Ye Fan had no idea which was Junie''s true identity. ¡°Ye Fan, you''re here. Why didn''t you tell me?¡± chided Junie when she spotted him after her speech. Ye Fan chuckled before replying, ¡°It''s fine. I just want to listen to your speech and see how domineering you can be.¡± Junie blushed immediately and pouted her lips. ¡°Hmph! You''re making fun of me!¡± Ye Fanughed. ¡°Junie, I am leaving soon. I havee to bid you farewell. Oh, by the way, do you know when Eigetsu left?¡± Ye Fan recalled that Eigetsu was the one who kept watch while he was in seclusion. However, when he was done, Eigetsu was nowhere in sight. She only left a message stating that she had returned to Japan. ¡°I''m unsure about the exact date. But, when I visited you one month ago, she was still guarding you. I suppose she left only recently. Why? Are you worried about her again?¡± Junie stared at Ye Fan angrily and sounded a little jealous. Ye Fanughed awkwardly. ¡°She has watched over me for so long and left so suddenly. It''s only right that I should ask about her.¡± Junie snorted, ¡°Don''t worry. This confidant of yours is so powerful. You will most likely die before her. Instead of worrying about her, why don''t you worry about yourself?¡± Ye Fan nodded. ¡°That''s true. Eigetsu has already attained the god realm. Even Chu Yuan himself won''t be able to hurt her. I must have thought too much.¡± With that thought in mind, Ye Fan rxed. After a simple goodbye, Ye Fan was prepared to leave. ¡°Are you going back to China, or will you be going to Chu Sect straightaway?¡± Junie was worried and reluctant to see him leave. All of a sudden, she grabbed onto his clothes and asked him in all seriousness. Ye Fan raised his head and nced at the farawaynd. He was silent for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°I won''t be going back to China. I will go directly to Chu Sect.¡± ¡°I think you should make a trip to Jiangdong and see the people that you want to see. After that, you can drop by War God Castle and try to get their support. You are, after all, someone whoes from China. Furthermore, Chu Sect is yourmon enemy. I think War God Castle will support you based on the fact that all of youe from the same country.¡± Since Junie could not change Ye Fan''s mind, all she could do was helped him to gain more support. At the same time, she hoped he could reconcile with his past. It would be best for Ye Fan to face what could be hisst battle with a calm and rxed state of mind. ¡°China? Jiangdong? People I want to see?¡± mumbled Ye Fan to himself. Those ces and people sounded both familiar and strange at the same time. There are some ces in your life that you dare not mention again. After a long silence, Ye Fan still managed to subdue that impulsiveness in him. ¡°I have already met the people I want to see.¡± Junie persuaded him, ¡°But they haven''t seen you yet!¡± ¡°To them, I am already a dead man. Why bother to see them again only to upset them?¡± Ye Fan had never been a person who loved to attract attention. Back then, he had charged up Mount Chumen by himself. This time around, it would still be the same. He would still meet his own death alone! ¡°Then, what about War God Castle? Aren''t you going to try to obtain their support? All of you are countrymen after all,¡± asked Junie again. Ye Fanughed bitterly to himself and said, ¡°Countrymen? I have never hoped for their help. In their eyes, I''m a sinner. I should be d that they haven''t worked with Chu Sect and ganged up against me. Well, it''s about time. Junie, I should get going. Gaius and the others have been waiting for me for too long. I will bring all of them back regardless if they are dead or alive.¡± Ye Fan smiled faintly. He was so calm that it looked as if he was only going away to visit his rtives. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Only Junie was aware that Ye Fan was about to do something that would shock the world! Chapter 2016 Chapter 2016 ¡°Mr. Chu, your private jet is ready and can head for China anytime.¡± Meanwhile, King Folo and his twopanions were already outside the airport. Once Ye Fan asked them to fly to China together, they took a one-hour leave to return to Folo Pce and make some necessary arrangements. Then, they went home to pack some clean clothes, books, and other belongings. They believed going to China with Ye Fan would be a long trip. King Folo knew that Ye Fan alone would be more than enough to destroy entire China. Even if Ye Fan intended to seek revenge against the Sword Saint from War God Castle, he didn''t have to bring all of them along. As such, King Folo thought Ye Fan only brought them along to deter others. After all, defeating War God Castle with three subordinates was an awe-inspiring sightpared to aplishing it alone. Therefore, King Folo and his twopanions grumbled for a while but didn''t resist when Ye Fan asked them to go to China with him. Folo Pce and War God Castle had been rivals for decades. Because of the War God Ye Qingtian, Folo Pce was seen as slightly inferior to War God Castle in Aploth. As such, everyone in Folo Pce felt aggrieved for almost a hundred years. Now that the young Ye Fan was about to defeat the Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and other old rivals, King Folo and others looked forward to it. Also, Haibu mumbled to himself silently. Awesome! I bet the old men in War God Castle never saw thising! King Folo and the others couldn''t wait to watch the show. Recently, Ye Fan caused havoc in India and its martial arts world. Hence, King Folo and the rest were excited upon knowing that Ye Fan intended to shift his target to China. However, after they immersed themselves in excitement for a while, Ye Fan''s remark extinguished their hopes. ¡°Who said we''re going to China?¡± ¡°Ah? Where are you heading to other than China? Mr. Chu, isn''t your home located in the country?¡± King Folo and hispanions were startled. Ye Fan put on a smile and replied calmly, ¡°What? As a martial artist, any corner of the world can be my home. Change the course and head toward Anndur.¡± As King Folo and Haibu were stunned, they couldn''t help but feel a bad omen. After a while, King Folo asked in bewilderment, ¡°Anndur? Mr. Chu, why do you want to head to the country? Are you going there for vacation?¡± Shaking his head, Ye Fan responded smilingly, ¡°We''ll head toward Mount Chumen to kill someone.¡± King Folio and the rest couldn''t believe their ears after Ye Fan said that. While King Folo''s face turned pale, Bapei shuddered. Moreover, Haibu went weak at the knees and almost copsed. ¡°Are we... going to Mount Chumen?¡± ¡°Mr. Chu, you must be kidding, right?¡± ¡°Haha...¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± As theyughed awkwardly, they prayed deep down that Ye Fan was merely kidding. With his hands sped behind his back, Ye Fan said smilingly, ¡°Kidding? If killing someone is funny to you guys, feel free to consider it a joke.¡± Once Ye Fan''s words fell, all of them were stunned. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Please don''t...¡± ¡°Mr. Chu, we have to calm down.¡± ¡°We don''t have to get all of us killed.¡± ¡°You''ve survived after suffering a lot. Why do you have to surrender yourself?¡± ¡°Dragon God Hall was believed to be powerful back then but eventually lost.¡± ¡°Going alone is no different from digging your own grave.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Chu Sect is a lot stronger than it was.¡± ¡°Apart from Chu Yuan, who has the power of the god realm, his grandson Chu Tianqi has made significant improvements in recent years. I mean, he even defeated the man in the dragon mask.¡± ¡°Do you know the man in the dragon mask? He is a mysterious fighter who appeared a few years ago. He was powerful enough to kill a few Grandmasters and did not falter during his fight with Demonic Duo. However, even a fighter as strong as him suffered severe injuries because of Chu Tianqi. Now, no one knows if he''s alive or dead!¡± ¡°Besides, we must be wary of Tang Yun, the head of the Chu Sect. I''ve heard that she has achieved significant breakthroughs. Although Tang Yun used to be ranked first in Sky Ranking, she has now exceeded everyone else in Sky Rankingbined.¡± ¡°Over the years, Chu Sect''s strength has increased exponentially. Now, even a whole country can''t stand up against it, not to mention a person.¡± ¡°In addition, the Chu Sect surely has other trump cards.¡± ¡°Mr. Chu, you''ll only repeat the mistake and probably die if you head to the Chu Sect now.¡± ¡°You''ll have no chance of surviving by challenging Chu Sect alone!¡± King Folo and the rest, whose faces had paled, tried very hard to persuade Ye Fan to change his mind. However, Ye Fan remainedposed after listening to them. Unperturbed, he smilingly replied, ¡°Who said I''m alone? I do have you guys, don''t I?¡± ¡°I...¡± ¡°You...¡± They were rooted to the floor upon hearing Ye Fan''s response. Then, all of them jumped backward in shock. ¡°Mr. Chu, we... can''t do it.¡± King Folo quickly waved his hands. ¡°Yes. All of us are old and feeble. We can''t help much and will only be your liability,¡± Haibu quickly chimed in. Ye Fan responded, ¡°Old? Well, You guys were strong when fighting me in the past. All right, cut the crap and go with me. You have a chance to survive if you choose to go with me. If you refuse, I can send you to meet your maker right now.¡± Although Ye Fan shed them a friendly smile, King Folo and the rest were on the verge of bursting into tears. What have we done to deserve this? Why did we tangle with Ye Fan? Once we''re on board, it''s not easy for us to quit. Given that their protest failed, they had no choice but to cross the Pacific Ocean and head toward Mount Chumen with Ye Fan. ¡°Mr. Chu, why do you want to do this to yourself? Isn''t it good enough to stay alive? ¡°Exactly. You might have lived enough, yet we still have a long way to go.¡± ¡°Why do you want us to apany you to death?¡± ¡°Besides, no one will visit your grave if all of us die.¡± ¡°He''s right. Please let us go. We''ll wish you good luck in India. Also, we promise to visit your grave during your death anniversary.¡± On the way to Mount Chumen, King Folo and the others kept persuading Ye Fan with tears all over their faces. Nevertheless, Ye Fan was unperturbed and ignored their pleas. While they were arguing non-stop, he stared into the distance. It was both a familiar yet foreign ce to him. It had been nearly three years since he headed to China with the same route and was defeated. Now, he decided to use the same route. However, therades who used to stay by his side were gone. Ye Fan believed a little spark could start a big fire, and he was now the remaining spark of hope. The imminent battle should be the final battle. Throughout these years, Ye Fan had imagined the scene countless times. Back then, he thought he would be excited, fumed, and ame with the desire to kill. Surprisingly, he felt exceptionally calm when the destined battle had finally arrived. At that moment, he was as calm as the sea orke without any ripples. A few hourster, an unauthorized jet entered Anndur''s airspace from the west coast. The air traffic control officers tried to call out to it many times but didn''t receive any response. In the end, they decided to strike it down. Boom! Soon after the anti-aircraft missile, the unauthorized jet became a fireball in mid-air. As the air traffic control officers left to check up on the jet, no one noticed that a few figures had secretlynded on Anndur''s west coast. ¡°I, Chu Tianfan, have returned.¡± The man in ck stared at the mountain across the horizon. As his lips quirked, Ye Fanughed lightly, exuding a petrifying chill. Let''s resolve our grudges once and for all. Chapter 2017 Chapter 2017 That year, in the ck of night, Chu Tianfan entered Anndur via the west coast of the Pacific Ocean. There was, however, no one there to receive him when that previously all-conquering overlord returned to thatnd once more. An endless wildness and permeating darkness were all that greeted him. Life had always been characterized by a sense of solitude, and so desting the lonesomeness was that even a returning former overlord would not be spared from it. Once the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall who had the world at his beck and call, he was on his own at that moment, nked by those three old fellows behind him, people he could no longer rely on. The moment Ye Fan came ashore, he paused right there and then, and what a long pause it was, so much so that it got the trio watching at a distance from the rear mystified, puzzled as to why he suddenly declined to advance. Could it be that he''s changed his mind? With the understanding that his chances of attaining victory are slim to none, could he have be apprehensive about proceeding and is thus considering turning back? That''d be marvelous if it were true. ¡°Come on. Let''s go over and try to talk to Mr. Chu. Who knows? He might give up and agree to go back with us.¡± With that in mind, Haibu and the others were about to proceed with continuing to shake up Ye Fan''s resolve when King Folo stopped them. ¡°Just leave him be.¡± ¡°Why, King Folo? He''s hesitating now, which makes it the best chance for us to have his ears,¡± Haibu asked. King Folo shook his head in disagreement. ¡°Hesitating? Do you really think that this monster of a man who kills without batting an eyelid would ever hesitate? Back in the day, has this man so much as blinked when he ughtered Grandmasters, trampled upon the Chu Sect, and took the entire martial arts world by storm? How could you not understand that, having fought by his side for as long as all of you did? He''s stubborn as hell, so no one is going to be able to sway him from his path once he has his mind set on anyone or anything.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°But he...¡± Haibu and the others then looked to the fore. In the distance stood Ye Fan''s solitary figure. That emaciated frame of his seemed so isted in the dark. With only his own shadow for hispany, it elicited a feeling of profound forlornness within others. ¡°I guess he must be reminiscing...¡± said King Folo steadily and assuredly after a moment''s silence. Indeed, no one would be able to understand what was going through Ye Fan''s mind at that moment as he regarded that stretch of sand running along the coastline beneath his feet. Ye Fan would not forget that he had been there before. That year, he led those of Dragon God Hall back to China following their defeat by the Chu Sect, and it was there that he boarded the ship back to his country. It was also where the woman named Tang Yun gave up on all her power and status to return to the country and home with him. Right there was where the usually dignified and respected head of the Chu Sect showered him with all the tenderness she had to give. Every man was bound to encounter a few unforgettable women throughout his own lifetime. Among them were those like Qiu Mucheng, his wife who had been through thick and thin with him, the woman he could never let down. Then, there were others like Tang Yun, who was like a shooting star zing across the horizon, showing up like a dazzling spark in his life. Her presence had been so awe-inspiring and yet so fleeting as if it was all a dream. ¡°It has been almost three years, Yun. How have you been?¡± Ye Fan was preupied with thoughts andplicated feelings, for he did not know Tang Yun''s state in the Chu Sect at the moment. Furthermore, he had no idea how to face her were they to meet again. Between the interests of the sect and her own personal feelings, how would Tang Yun choose this time? Previously, Tang Yun had chosen him in the end, but Ye Fan let her down when he could not take her with him. ¡°If the opportunity presents itself, I, Chu Tianfan, swear I''ll never let you be on the losing end this time!¡± A glimmer of resolve appeared within Ye Fan''s eyes as he clenched his fists tightly. ¡°I''ve been looking forward to the arrival of this day for a long time, Chu Tianfan, and have specially staged this banquet to give you a proper send-off in the knowledge that your death is nigh.¡± In the stillness of the night, a sonorous voice rang out, taking King Folo and the others by surprise. They turned their attention to the front warily, only to see a single litmp rising in the distant darkness while they were none the wiser. The light from themp, which swayed amidst the ckness, hinted at the presence of a shadowy figure seated there. ¡°Who is it?¡± In astonishment, King Folo and the two with him simultaneously burst out in energy in anticipation of a battle that might be forting. That entire sequence, however, merely drew a frown from Ye Fan. Composing himself, he then made a direct approach and sat himself down at the table. Ye Fan wasted no time with words and merely lifted the ss in front of him, imbibing its content in one breath. After that, he sent a resounding backhand right smack across the face of the life form seated across from him. ¡°Motherf*cker! I''m throwing a banquet in your honor, and this is how you repay me, Ye Fan? I''ll end you, you jerk!¡± That p from Ye Fan got Huangniu bamboozled, as it had not expected such incivility from him. It was livid to be pped on its face out of nowhere. After all, it had never been struck like that by anyone before. ¡°I was already holding back on you back there! A send-off? More like you''re wishing me dead, I should think!¡± Quite shocked himself, Ye Fan had thought that the Chu Sect had gotten wind of his arrival and had thus been looking to ambush him. In the end, it was just that annoying calf messing around, but it made him feel quite unnerved for a moment there. Huangniu could not care less about that, for it was in its nature to seek to get even, and the brawl eventually ended several roundster after Ye Fan allowed it to kick him once. ¡°I''m not sold on the idea that you''re charitable enough toe and help me seek revenge, so what are you doing here?¡± Ye Fan asked. ¡°d that you''re aware of this. Help you? Considering our rtionship, I''d have kicked you to death if not for Wan''er,¡± replied Huangniu with a snort. Back then, it nearly died after being dragged through the Well of the Thunderdrake by Ye Fan. Yet, the man cared more about his own pleasure and very little of its welfare at all. Huangniu was the sort who would remember that sort of grudge for life. ¡°Then what else have we got to talk about? Get lost.¡± Ye Fan did not mince his words. ¡°Seriously? I''m kind enough toe here to offer you a heads-up, and all I get from you is a scolding?¡± Huangniu was positively incensed. ¡°To be honest, I really can''t be bothered with someone like you, but a word of advice though; don''t send yourself to your death. Go back to your country and take a look there because someone is going to destroy your home soon if you don''t,¡± it added. Ye Fan was stunned when he heard that. ¡°Are you saying that China is in trouble?¡± ¡°You''d think? Heck of a party going on there, I''d say,¡± said Huangniu, smiling gloatingly. That had Ye Fan frowning immediately. It looks like the Chu Sect has made a move on China. ¡°I have a favor to ask of you, Mr. Huangniu. Would you go to Jiangdong and keep watch there for a bit? I''ll return immediately after I''ve seen to our affairs here,¡± he said in his deep voice. Although he had the Kusanagi Sword formation set up in Jiangdong that made it hard even for Supreme fighters to break through, he nheless remained wary of mishaps. Out of precaution, he thought it would be better to have Huangniu stationed at Jiangdong so that it could help him protect the region. At that moment, Huangniu rolled its eyes. ¡°Well, f*ck me. You''re a real piece of work, aren''t you? Calling me Mr. Huangniu when you are in need of me, then stupid calf when you don''t? The cheek of you!¡± ¡°All right, Mr. Huangniu. Enough of that. I''ll find you a girl after all of this is over.¡± Ye Fan began to try to get on Huangniu''s good side. That got Huangniu''s eyes lighting up. ¡°For real? I want a busty one. She also has to be fair-skinned and pretty...¡± With a wave of his hand, Ye Fan assented readily, ¡°Done!¡± ¡°A deal''s a deal, so I''m going toe after you if you dare to pull a fast one on me!¡± said Huangniu with a hint of skepticism. ¡°Rx, and just go.¡± Patting Huangniu''s posterior, Ye Fan urged it to hurry along. ¡°Fine. Get cracking on it soon, yeah? I''m only going to help cover for you, so no promises whether I''d be able to hold down the fort. Also, Mount Chumen is full of perils, so don''t you f*cking die there, because who is going to find me a girl were you to kick the bucket?¡± Huangniu reminded. Chapter 2018 Chapter 2018 Ye Fan merely waved off Huangniu''s reminders and signaled that he knew what he ought to do. At the sight of his nonchnt front, Huangniu rolled its eyes. ¡°As if it''d kill him to not act cool for once.¡± After rambling on for a bit, it, too, took its leave. Before it made its exit, though, Huangniu took onest nce at Ye Fan and muttered under its breath, ¡°You''re on your own, man.¡± King Folo and the others caught up with Ye Fan as soon as Huangniu was gone. ¡°Mr. Chu, Huangniu has uncanny skills, so why didn''t you try to keep it here? Wouldn''t it bolster our strength by doing that?¡± King Folo asked puzzledly. Ye Fan shook his head andughed. ¡°This stupid calf is even less dependable than you guys. It''s wishful thinking on your side to hope it would put its life on the line to help me. In fact, it''s a miracle that it even agreed to help me protect Jiangdong.¡± Knowing Huangniu''s personality well and considering the nature of their rtionship, Ye Fan was aware that Huangniu might not give him its all even when promised rewards in return. He reckoned that it might only demonstrate a token amount of effort, so he might be better off relying on himself. Notably, through his meeting with Huangniu, Ye Fan did learn some intel of value. Owing to the attack that the Chu Sect hadunched against China, he had no doubt that the bulk of Mount Chumen''s forces would be away on deployment. It meant that the Chu Sect itself would be doubtlessly vulnerable as of then. Thus, he could seize the opportunity to strike at the heart of their stronghold. Before doing so, however, Ye Fan still had some other preparations to make. The thought of that made him turn to regard King Folo and the others. ¡°Having ventured around the martial arts world for many years, the three of you must be considerably connected. I suppose you must know some people here.¡± King Folo reacted in surprise as he did not understand what Ye Fan was hinting at. Could it be that he wants us to go out and recruit others to lend him their strength in the uing battle? ¡°Though that may be true, the strongest among them are Grandmasters at most. As such, I doubt their addition would be very impactful,¡± he replied. To his surprise, Ye Fan responded smilingly, ¡°A Grandmaster would be more than enough. In any case, reach out to them first, the three of you. Look for those who are distinguished and influential, for there are some things I need to learn from them.¡± Concurrently, Mount Chumen was in a festive mood. In the hall, the head of elders, Tang Xian, was sharing a hearty drink with a couple of elders of the Chu Sect who had also stayed behind to guard the ce. ¡°Hahaha... Ever since Old Master issued his dictate, leaders from the martial arts world of one hundred and twenty countries have sent us letters expressing their willingness to swear allegiance to us! So long as we are able to subdue those few nations from East Aploth, it would be difficult for the remaining martial arts worlds from Western Epea to keep up their resistance. It would thus only be a matter of time before we aplish our goals!¡± The elders inside the hall drank merrily until their faces turned red. That year, Ye Fan killed a significant number of elders when he stormed the Chu Sect, but by then, the vacancies had already been filled by others. Apart from the Fifth Elder, who had recently perished in China, the Chu Sect, at present, still had eight elders that worked together to oversee the day-to-day operations within the sect. Certainly, in terms of esteem, ability, and experience, the head of elders, Tang Xian, held absolute authority among the lot of them. With the fires of the war raging for several months already and everything progressing steadily ording to n, a tremendous sense of aplishment surfaced on Tang Xian''s wrinkled face. ¡°Old Master and the others are campaigning out there, so we can''t afford to ck off either! ording to our ns, we must have the martial arts world from the vassal countries send all their talents who are below the age of thirty to Mount Chumen! Tell them that we''d be checking against a name list here as well, so they can expect their cities to get destroyed if any single one of them fails to show up! Also, send ten exploration teams to these new vassal countries to track down the remnants of Dragon Gate!¡± With an authoritative look about him, Tang Xian gave out instructions in an orderly fashion, and the other elders variously went off to make the arrangements upon receiving them. Shortly after, there were only a few of the confidantes of the head of elders left inside the room. ¡°What do you think our Old Master wants with so many youthful prodigies from the martial arts world, Mr. Tang? The ones we have here at the Chu Sect itself aren''t any worse offpared to those from all these small countries, surely? And what''s the deal with the remnants of Dragon Gate? What about it got the Old Master so obsessed that he had to lead a campaign to China personally?¡± All along, the members of the Chu Sect assumed that the organization''s ambitions to unify the martial arts world were borne of their head''s own lust for power. By ruling the whole world, the Chu Sect would be the one making the final call for every decision. All the martial arts worlds would have to be at the sect''s beck and call. However, from the looks of it, there might be much more beyond those motivations behind the Chu Sect''s bid for world domination. It seemed as though there were other reasons for it. It would be understandable if it were for the purpose of depriving the rest of the countries of talent. Yet, nobody, not even the elders of the Chu Sect themselves, was in the know about the matter concerning the remnants of Dragon Gate. In the face of his subordinates'' puzzlement, Tang Xian furrowed his brows immediately. ¡°Don''t ask so many unnecessary questions; just do as you''re told.¡± That single utterance from him did much to shut the rest of them up. ¡°That reminds me. Whates of the investigations into the Fifth Elder? Have we found any leads?¡± During that period, the Chu Sect''s forces were actively engaged in their military conquests. With every single victory that they notched up, it appeared as though they were untouchable. There had been, however, one particr incident that got the head of elders himself perturbed, and that was the death of the Fifth Elder and those mysteriousst words thetter had left behind. ¡°We''re still looking into it, Mr. Tang, but I''m afraid that it may ultimately prove inconclusive. ording to whatever information that we have gathered so far, those who were influential in the Meng family are dead. Any survivors would likely be nobodies in the Meng family and thus would not be able to tell us anything useful,¡± one of his subordinates replied. The head of elders appeared to be even more perplexed when he heard that. ¡°Do we really have nothing to work with at all? It appears that the leads had been wiped clean. That couldn''t have been the work of any average person,¡± Tang Xian analyzed calmly. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Some things, when done too thoroughly, would conversely rouse suspicions, such as it was in that case. In spite of the deaths of the prominent members of the Meng family, they were unable to find out anything about their killer. That suggested that the other party possessed immense power in Jiangbei for them to be able to act as they pleased. ¡°In that case, send a few fighters over and seize the head of Jiangbei''s greatest family. He must surely know something about this.¡± Once more, Tang Xian saw to making further arrangements. Nevertheless, he remained tense. Again, he started to recall the day the Fifth Elder died and the message thetter gave his life to return and pass along. He''s back. That man is back... At first, the members of the Chu Sect guessed that the man in question was Chu Zhenghong. After all, he had gone missing without news for several years. It seemed probable for Chu Zhenghong to be the only suspect since he was capable of killing the Fifth Elder and also had an association with the Chu Sect. However, upon careful deliberation, those of the Chu Sect deemed it impossible for Chu Zhenghong to be the murderer as he had been part of the sect and had once been the head of the Chu family. At most, he only had some differences with the leadership of the Chu family, and they did not reach the extent where blood needed to be spilled. As far as the Chu Sect was concerned, Chu Zhenghong bore no grudges toward them and thus had no reason to kill one of their elders. Even if the Fifth Elder did anger Chu Zhenghong, thetter would likely refrain from killing the former on Tang Yun''s ount. Tang Xian, being part of the Tang family himself, knew fully well that Chu Zhenghong had significant entanglements with the Tang family. Back in the day, the life of the older sister of Tang Yun, who was also the eldest daughter of the Tang family, was ruined at the hands of Chu Zhenghong. As such, Chu Zhenghong had always felt sorry toward the Tang family. When the time came to decide who would be head of the Chu Sect, everyone''s ideal candidate of choice was Chu Zhenghong, but he turned down the appointment and nominated Tang Yun for the hot seat instead. Perhaps, that could be considered a form of reparations of sorts. All of those considerations ultimately led Tang Xian to the conclusion that the person could not have been Chu Zhenghong. If it wasn''t him, then who? Who could have killed the Fifth Elder? Someone who could have made him risk his own life to bring us such a warning must be at least a supreme grandmaster! That person is also a man... He said he was back, which also meant that he had been to the Chu Sect... A man who has been to the Chu Sect, and not only is he of the Supreme rank, but he also happens to be our enemy... Going by those parameters, Tang Xian swiftly narrowed down the possibilities inside his head until a silhouette finally manifested in his mind. It''s him! Amidst his astonishment, Tang Xian''s pupils constricted. Chapter 2019 Chapter 2019 It''s Chu Tianfan! Chu Tianfan has returned! When that name rang out from within Tang Xian''s head, an unprecedented sense of dread washed over him. His wrinkled face turned ashen, and his expression turned grim. ¡°W-What''s up with you, Mr. Tang? You''re frightening me!¡± The change in Tang Xian''s demeanor rmed the second elder beside him. ¡°Ah! Kill me, kill me...¡± At that exact moment, Chu Zhengliang, who had been sealed at the peak of Mount Chumen, suddenly let out a devastating roar. His voice was carried by the cold night winds into the hall. That bellow that came out of nowhere had the two elders shuddering in fear. The head of the elders himself jumped up and grabbed a de from the table, looking to sh at the first person who might come at him. However, very quickly, they realized that they had overreacted. ¡°M-Mr. Tang. It''s the head of the Chu family...¡± the second elder exined. That came to the head of elders as some reprieve, but he nheless struggled to settle the unease he felt inside. ¡°For a moment, I thought that he had arrived,¡± Tang Xian said amidst his lingering fear.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Who are you referring to?¡± asked the second elder, confounded. Looking at him, the head of elders enunciated, word for word, ¡°Chu Tianfan!¡± Thud! The second elder immediately fell off the couch. There were some people whose name was still capable of driving horror into the hearts of those who heard it long after his passing. Both of the elders were people who had experienced that major battle from many years ago where Ye Fan single-handedly stormed the Chu Sect, swept away the Supremes from the Chu family, and destroyed the Chu Sect''s protective formation firsthand. Had it not coincided with Chu Yuan''s emergence from his retreat, the ancient power they had possessed for centuries might havee to ruin at the hands of that man named Chu Tianfan. ¡°H-Have you lost your mind, Mr. Tang? Chu Tianfan''s dead. He''s f*cking dead as a doornail for a d*mn long time. How could the dead possiblye back to life? Unless you mean to tell me that ghosts exist?¡± The second elderughed as he picked himself up off the floor, using humor to mask the panic and fear he felt inside. What the head of elders had to say afterward, however, shook him to the core. ¡°Do you still remember what the Fifth Elder said before he passed? Just think about it. Who could have struck such fear within the Fifth Elder? Who possessed the ability to kill him? Who also bore such hatred toward the Chu Sect? Who else could it be, apart from Chu Tianfan?¡± The second elder was positively stupefied. With a zed expression, he regarded the head of elders while quivering. ¡°D-Don''t you scare me, Mr. Tang. Did we not witness Chu Tianfan end his own life with our own eyes? How could he possibly still be alive?¡± ¡°We''ve never found his body, even now, haven''t we?¡± the head of elders noted. What ensued was silence. Dead silence. Once an idea manifested, one would quickly discover how prior points of contention would seemingly come together to validate that notion. The death of the Fifth Elder, the fall of the King of India, and the mysterious disappearance of the envoys from the various countries in the earlier period of time all seemed to indicate the emergence of someone both formidable and elusive. It was thus highly possible that that person could very well be the one who had been pushed over the edge by the entire world; the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall and the Unrivalled Supreme¡ªChu Tianfan! Panting vigorously, the second elder was feeling quite overwhelmed. As logical as Mr. Tang had put it, it can''t possibly be. How could he still be alive? Pierced by tens of thousands of swords, Ye Fan could not have survived even if his body was made of steel. ¡°Of course, all of this is purely my conjecture, so perhaps I had been worrying myself for nothing. Out of caution, though, we should still take care of some loose ends.¡± Tang Xian''s eyes darkened, and he appeared extremely solemn. He had a feeling. Should the Chu Sect fail at their enterprise at that time, there could be only one reasonÒ»Chu Tianfan. Hence, in order to avoid such a worst-case scenario, no matter how remote it might be, it was his duty as the Chu Sect''s head of elders to ensure that they were fittingly prepared. ¡°What are you going to do, Mr. Tang? If Chu Tianfan is alive, the few of us are going to be hapless against him. We have to inform Ms. Tang, Old Master, and the head of the Chu family...¡± Since that battle at the Chu Sect years ago, the head of the Chu family, Chu Zhengliang, had been imprisoned at the top of Mount Chumen, leading a life worse than death. His position was vacated as a result. It was fortunate then that Chu Zhengliang''s son, Chu Tianqi, was able to break new heights and make tremendous gains in his own ability, thus able to sessfully take over as head of the family, instantly turning him into one of the three most important figures within the Chu Sect. That was why those three, in the esteem of the followers of the Chu Sect, were thought of as the only ones who would be able to stand against Chu Tianfan. The head of elders shook his head. ¡°The responsibility of dealing with Chu Tianfan belongs to Ms. Tang and the rest of them, but the business of dealing with Chu Tianfan''s subordinates falls to us.¡± The eyes of the second elder lit up when he heard that. ¡°Could you be referring to those four Supremes who are presently being detained by the Jones family?¡± Tang Xian nodded in earnest. ¡°We can''t leave those people alive anymore. Otherwise, if Chu Tianfan is indeed still alive, he might regroup with his former subordinates and march on the Chu Sect once more. I fear seeing a repeat of the cmity of yesteryear!¡± The Chu Sect had almost been razed to the ground by Ye Fan many years ago, leaving more than half of the elders dead at his hands, with many of them counted amongst the sect''s most extraordinary elites. It took them many years and the application of the secret technique provided by Chu Yuan to elevate their strength for them in order for them to recover. Tang Xian managed to survive by the teeth of his skin thest time, so should there be a repeat of that previous catastrophe, it was aplete unknown whether he would be able to live through it again. ¡°But Ms. Tang has forbidden us to harm those people, Mr. Tang... It''d be hard for us to answer to her should we take it upon ourselves to move against them,¡± the second elder said worriedly. All along, the elders had collectively hoped to be rid of those four Supremes but had been met by the opposition of Tang Yun, who wanted to turn them to the service of the Chu Sect instead. In spite of the years that passed, those old fools had not relented. They continued to refuse cooperation and had thus remained imprisoned. ¡°To hell with consequences! Extreme circumstances demand extreme measures. In order to rid ourselves of any potential threats, these people have to die! We can''t afford to dally either, so this needs to happen tonight!¡± With his mind already set, Tang Xian went on to hand down his instructions on the spot. His charges were to pass along his orders to the head of the Jones family to have the remaining members of Dragon God Hall executed. It was alreadyte at night, so the members of the Jones family had long turned in for the day. Yet, the visitors from the Chu Sect still came and knocked at their door anyway. ¡°Where is the head of your family? Summon Mr. Jones to us! Mr. Tang has important instructions that must bemunicated to him personally!¡± the envoy from the Chu Sect said solemnly to the subordinates of the Jones family with a decree in hand. Not daring to defy him, the Joneses swiftly ran along to inform the head of the family, Bill Jones, of the situation. ¡°What did you say? Someone from the Chu Sect is here with orders for me?¡± Bill, awakened from his slumber, frowned reflexively after getting changed. What could the Chu Sect possibly want from me thiste and so urgently at that? ¡°Go and wake Michael, and have him be on the alert immediately to deal with any unexpected incidents that may arise.¡± With a worried look on his face, Bill first arranged for his son to be on his guard before he went to greet the envoy from the Chu Sect. ¡°Mr. Tang has ordered you, Mr. Jones, to execute those four remaining members of Dragon God Hall. Their heads are to be cut off and handed over to me so that I can bring them back to the Chu Sect! Owing to the urgency of the situation, please carry out the order immediately!¡± The envoy announced Tang Xian''s decision and ordered Bill to follow through on it right away. Bill''s reaction, however, was that of astonishment. ¡°What? Execute the four Supremes? Why? Did Mr. Tang exin his reasons for this? Why the sudden urgency to condemn them to death?¡± Chapter 2020 Chapter 2020 That''s strange. Why would Mr. Tang suddenly give such an order in the middle of the night? It did not take long for the ever-wily Bill to sense that something was off. ¡°Who am I to specte Mr. Tang''s intentions? You''d do well to carry out the order you were given, Mr. Jones. That way, I''ll be able to report to Mr. Tang as soon as possible.¡± The envoy from the Chu Sect urged Bill to carry out the execution immediately. Bill hesitated for a moment before questioning, ¡°Do you have Ms. Tang''s decree?¡± ¡°Ms. Tang''s out campaigning right now. Besides, such a trivial matter doesn''t deserve her attention,¡± replied the envoy. ¡°I advise you to stop dallying, Mr. Jones. Otherwise, Mr. Tang will make sure your family''s position in the Chu Sect bes even more precarious,¡± he then stated in a stern voice, seemingly running short on patience. When Bill heard that, inwardly, he became aware of many things. It seems that Mr. Tang has taken the liberty of making the decision. Upon realizing that, Bill immediately responded, ¡°Sorry, but I''m afraid I cannot carry out the execution. Ms. Tang has specifically instructed me not to execute those four without her order.¡± ¡°How dare you defy Mr. Tang''s order, Bill Jones!¡± The face of the Chu Sect''s envoy instantly turned grim. ¡°Mr. Tang is the head of Mount Chumen for now since Ms. Tang isn''t around. His words are decrees of the highest authority. You''re courting your own death for daring to defy the head of Mount Chumen, Mr. Jones!¡± roared the envoy. Obviously, he never expected that the head of the Jones family would dare disobey Tang Xian. ¡°As I said, I won''t lift a finger until I receive an order from Ms. Tang. Tell Mr. Tang that he''ll have to get Ms. Tang''s approval before I carry out the execution. Thest thing I want is to defy Ms. Tang''s order, so please leave.¡± Having decided not to waste any more time on the envoy, Bill gestured for his subordinates to see the man out. ¡°Very well! You''ve got guts, if nothing else. We''ll see if you still have them after I report this to Mr. Tang!¡± the envoy threatened him before storming off with a hardened face. ¡°What''s going on, Dad?¡± inquired Michael Jones, who had just arrived in the living room after changing his clothes. He greeted the upset envoying his way, but the man simply ignored him. Confused, Michael decided to approach his father to get some answers. However, instead of replying to his son, Bill asked him to follow him to the study. ¡°Stand guard here and ensure that nobody gets in without my say-so!¡± Bill ordered a few trusted subordinates before leading his son into the room. After ensuring that they were not followed, the father and son duo opened the passageway to a secret chamber, which was luxuriously decorated and fully furnished. In the middle of the room was arge bed, and lying quietly on the bed was a gorgeous young woman with fair skin and exquisite facial features. She was so beautiful that one could be forgiven for thinking that she was an angel. The only fly in the ointment was the white gauze covering her eyes. If Ye Fan were there, he would definitely recognize the attractive youngdy, for she was none other than Angie, the woman who crossed the ocean in search of him. ¡°What''s wrong, Dad? Why are we visiting Angie thiste at night? What exactly did the envoy from the Chu Sect tell you?¡± questioned Michael anxiously because he could tell something was wrong. As before, Bill was in no hurry to respond to his son''s queries. Instead, he sat down on the side of the bed. The man then gently stroked his daughter''s soft cheek with hisrge palm. ¡°Michael, do you think your sister would be even prettier now if it weren''t for that incident?¡± Even though Bill slightly curved his lips upward, his smile was filled with nothing but sadness and bitterness. Seeing his father like that, Michael subconsciously clenched his fists. ¡°Don''t worry, Dad. I promise you that I''ll find out who hurt Angie and make them pay the ultimate price!¡± he vowed through clenched teeth, his eyes burning with hatred. As one of the Three Families of the Chu Sect, the Joneses used to live a glorious and happy life. However, everything changed after Chu Tianfan stormed the Chu Sect, and Angie went searching for him in China, only to end up in an ident. Since that fateful day, the Jones family''s peaceful life was turned upside down. Bill no longer smiled, and the rest of the family members seemed to be treading on thin ice. To make things worse, the Joneses'' status in the Chu Sect plummeted. In less than three years, the Jones family lost their position as one of the ten Chu Sect elders. In other words, they had beenpletely kicked out of the sect''s management. All that happened after Angie got in the ident, so naturally, Michael had all the more reasons to hate the person who harmed his sister. Unexpectedly, Bill smiled in response. ¡°My son, have you not figured out the person responsible for the tragedy that befell your sister yet?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Shocked, Michael quickly questioned, ¡°Dad, you know who the person is?¡± His father chuckled before shaking his head. ¡°The truth is that I''ve always known the culprit''s identity¡ª since Chu Tianfan attacked the Chu Sect the second time, since a woman who called herself the medical saint of Dragon God Hall sent your sister back to us, and since Chu Tianqi reached a breakthrough, ceased his training, and summoned a Sacred Beast. The people who took Angie''s eyes are Chu Zhengliang and his son. If I''m not mistaken, her Jade Eyes were transnted to Chu Tianqi.¡± What? Michael was utterly mind-blown when he heard his father''s words. ¡°How... How is this possible?¡± he stammered as his eyes widened like saucers. The man could not believe that the Chus were the culprits of such a despicable act. After all, the Chus and the Joneses were close friends, not to mention that Chu Tianqi, who had been his best friend since youth, almost became his brother-inw. ¡°T-That can''t be it, Dad. It''s... It''s just not possible. We''re the Three Families of the Chu Sect, so why would the Chus do something as cruel as this to us?¡± Michael found the revtion hard to ept, even though his father was absolutely sure about it. ¡°Back then, we all thought Chu Tianfan was responsible for what happened to your sister, but we were wrong, terribly wrong! Perhaps, the man''s the only person in the world who has pure, good intentions for Angie and would stop at nothing to avenge her. We had to worry about our family and n, but not him. He was ready to do whatever it took to avenge Angie as soon as he learned that the Chus were responsible. It''s funny how we, as Angie''s father and brother, failed topare to an outsider.¡± Bill smiled bitterly with his eyes full of shame. ¡°Dad, are you... Are you sure it''s the Chus?¡± inquired Michael again in a weak and trembling voice. ¡°Who else could it be if not them? Only those who had inherited Jade Eyes from our family can summon the Sacred Beast, ze. Your sister was the only one of us who had them. Yet, coincidentally, Chu Tianqi''s strength skyrocketed shortly after Angie''s eyes got taken, and he even managed to summon ze, having it at his beck and call. Tell me. How is it possible for someone like him to aplish such a feat if your sister''s Jade Eyes weren''t transnted to him?¡± Chapter 2021 Chapter 2021 Bill''s hateful voice echoed throughout the secret underground chamber. However, Michael''s mind had already gone nk, and his body trembled so much that he almost copsed to the ground. ¡°B-But Dad, I... I thought you said the Chus weren''t responsible. Back then, weren''t you the one who denied that Chu Tianqi took Angie''s eyes?¡± he questioned in bafflement. When Ye Fan was defeated at Mount Chumen, Chu Tianqi just so happened to end his training. Not only that, but thetter also summoned the Chu Sect''s Sacred Beast, ze. At that time, Bill and his son were sure that Chu Tianqi had Angie''s eyes. Michael even confronted Chu Tianqi because of what he believed to be true. To show that they were dead serious about the matter, the Joneses went to Chu Yuan for justice. However, Chu Tianqi denied the usation, and so did the other Chus. In order to protect Chu Tianqi, Chu Yuan imed that the Joneses were talking nonsense and insisted that Ye Fan was responsible for Angie''s missing eyes. In the end, Bill changed his tune suddenly, apologizing publicly to the Chus. Besides that, he also agreed that Ye Fan was the culprit. Only then did the farcee to an end. ¡°If I hadn''t gone along back then, you would''ve lost your life, and our family would''ve been wiped out,¡± responded Bill with a satirical chuckle. ¡°I had no choice but to change my stance if I wanted to keep us safe. This is a dog-eat-dog world; only the strong survive. The truth does not matter to them. What''s important is that the person with the biggest gun gets the final say, and their words are the truth. We don''t stand a chance against the Chus in terms ofbat power, so there''s no point in standing our ground. Not only will we fail to avenge Angie, but we''ll also bring about our own destruction. All I could do then was let Chu Tianfan take the me.¡± When he finally finished exining, there was nothing but endless anger and hatred in his eyes. Even though he knew who harmed his daughter, Bill could not do anything about it. Instead of avenging Angie, the father groveled at his enemies'' feet. That moment had tortured Bill for many years, and only he knew what it was like to be that helpless. Michael''s eyes were filled with terror after he listened to his father. For all those years, I''ve treated the Chus and Chu Tianqi as my dearestrade-in-arms. Never did I expect them to have such a despicable soul beneath their dignified appearance. ¡°Those b*stards! Animals!¡± cursed Michael with clenched fists and blood-red eyes before turning around, ready to leave. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Bill hollered. ¡°I''m going to kill Chu Tianqi! How dare that b*stard fool me for so many years!¡± Michael had his teeth tightly gritted. ¡°Nonsense! You''re just a Grandmaster; you can''t even beat the old Chu Tianqi, so what makes you think you have a chance now that he has Jade Eyes?¡± His father raged. ¡°So what? Chu Tianfan never let the fear of death stop him from avenging Angie. I''m her brother, so I should be just as fearless. Even if I die, I''m going to make sure I knock a few teeth off of that b*stard!¡± At that point, Michael no longer cared if he would lose his life, anger consuming his rationality. p! Bill suddenly stepped forward and gave his son a hard p to the face. ¡°How long do you intend to keep this nonsense up? We''re in a life-and-death situation at this juncture, so it''s not the time for you to be reckless! I didn''t suppress my emotions all these years just to see you throw your life away. Knocking off a few of the Chus'' teeth is far from the retribution they deserve for the pain they caused your sister!¡± Bill roared. With tears welling up in his reddening eyes, Michael lowered his head in silence for a while before punching the wall beside him in frustration. The man hated how weak he was and the fact that he was a good-for-nothing. ¡°If only I''m as powerful as Chu Tianfan. I''d kill everyst one of the Chus!¡± Michael felt powerless and was frustrated with himself and his ipetence. ¡°Dad, we should''ve helped Chu Tianfan back then. We should''ve aided him so that he could return to his country alive. If he were alive, he would''ve been able to avenge Angie. But now...¡± After learning the truth, Michael resented their foolishness for siding with the Chus to fight against Ye Fan that year. If Angie were to know about this, she''d me us. Still, it''s toote for regrets now. It''s too late... With Ye Fan dead, the Chu Sect is calling the shots. There''s no one left in this world who can stand up to them, much less help our family get our revenge. ¡°It''s not toote. On the contrary, our time has yet toe,¡± voiced Bill suddenly, stunning his son. ¡°What do you mean by that, Dad? Are you suggesting that you know a way? Or do our family have a trump card that''ll give us a fighting chance?¡± After that outburst, the Joneses lost their influence in the Chu Sect because Chu Yuan and the others had obviously be distrustful of them. In the past three years, they got demoted from management and were only assigned insignificant tasks. The Chu Sect had basically cut off all associations with the Jones family. In response, Bill shook his head. ¡°We''re not like the Chus or the Tangs. The Chus are the descendants of Mr. Yunyang, and the Tangs are descendants of his partner. On the other hand, our ancestor was just a doorman who worked for Mr. Yunyang. As such, our family background was humble in the beginning. It was by his grace that we were bestowed with Jade Eyes, the power that lifted our position and set us on an equal footing with the Tangs and the Chus. If you want to talk about trump cards, that''d be your sister''s Jade Eyes. With it, the two families would fear us; without it, what other trumps card do we have?¡± ¡°What did you mean before then?¡± inquired Michael, baffled. Hence, Bill continued, ¡°Just because we can''t avenge Angie doesn''t mean he can''t.¡± ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Michael remained confused. ¡°Chu Tianfan!¡± What? Michael''s eyes bulged in shock. ¡°You can''t be serious, Dad. That man''s already dead, isn''t he?¡± Bill responded with a smile, ¡°Dead? Does he look like he will die that easily? I was doubtful when I heard the news of his supposed death. For three years, I kept having this feeling that he was still alive. Do you know why I begged Ms. Tang to let me handle the four remnants of Dragon God Hall back then? It''s for this day!¡± The more Michael listened to his father, the more confused he became. What kind of scheme is Dad nning here? ¡°Michael, I''ve kept many things from you in the past few years because I didn''t want to put you in danger, but the time is finally right for me toe clean with you. To tell you the truth, I''ve always believed that Chu Tianfan is still alive. Tonight, Mr. Tang suddenly ordered me to execute Chu Tianfan''s four Supreme subordinates just now, proving that I was right. I have a feeling that Chu Tianfan''s going to pay the Chu Sect another visit soon!¡± Immediately after hearing his father''s words, Michael was so shocked that he froze like a statue. ¡°C-Chu Tianfan''s not dead? And he''ll be going to the sect again? How''s that possible?¡± He still found it difficult to believe what his father had just told him. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°We''re way past considering possibilities now, Michael. I just offended Mr. Tang, so I think he''s going to send people to execute the four Supremes by force in the next few days. What I need you to do now is gather our best men and have them protect your sister and the four heavily injured Supremes of Dragon God Hall. Get a private aircraft and fly them to Jiangdong, China. If you can''t find Chu Tianfan, look for his close friends.¡± Chapter 2022 Chapter 2022 ¡°Chu Tianfan''s a God among men! If my deductions are correct, he must have left a trump card behind before attacking the Chu Sect. After all, he''d have needed to protect his friends and family in Jiangdong,¡± Bill said solemnly, his deep voice resonating across the secret chamber. ¡°Take them with you to Jiangdong. I''m sure you''ll be safe and sound there!¡± Upon hearing that, Michael froze. ¡°W-What about you, Dad? It''s a grave offense to release the Four Supremes, and there''s no way the Chu Sect will let you off the hook once they find out about it. Why don''t you leave with us?¡± he advised. s, his father shook his head. ¡°I can''t leave yet, especially not when our family''s businesses, properties, and centuries-old legacy are all here. Even though I''ve secretly transferred most of our assets to China in the past years, we still have family members living here. We can''t possibly leave them behind to fend for themselves.¡± After a pause, Bill added, ¡°In any case, don''t worry about it. Once you''re gone, I''ll secretly arrange to transfer them out, and we can then reunite in Jiangdong. Okay, that''s all for now. Run along and start packing. I''ll check on your sister onest time.¡± As he had already made up his mind, he swiftly urged his son to make the preparations for the escape. With that, only Bill and Angie remained in the secret chamber. As Bill sat quietly by his daughter''s bed and stared at her beautiful, serene sleeping face, memories began flooding back. He recalled that when Angie was born, she did not wail at the top of her lungs like other babies. Instead, she merely tugged at his beard andughed. Later, as she got older, she gradually showed signs of extraordinary abilities, to the point where her peers considered her a freak. Left with no other choice, Bill decided to keep her home and away from the rest of the world. Oddly enough, though, Angie never seemed to mind that arrangement. Even when she was alone, she could still y to her heart''s content, and if no one chatted with her, she would turn to the bugs and animals forpany. The more Bill recalled the past, the more it made him teary-eyed. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Angie, it''s all my fault. I''m a useless father. It''s bad enough that I haven''t given you a good childhood or a happy life, but I''ve made it worse by letting you get hurt...¡± he murmured, eyes closed as tears rolled down his cheeks. Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out. Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Immediately after, the door was flung open, and Michael, who had left earlier, came rushing into the room frantically. ¡°Dad! I have bad news!¡± he said anxiously. ¡°The Chu Sect has dispatched arge group of fighters, and they''re already on their way to us!¡± What? As soon as he heard that, Bill grew ashen-faced with shock. ¡°How are they so fast? Can''t they at least wait for a night?¡± he bellowed, realizing he had grossly miscalcted. He had assumed that the head of elders would onlye round in the morning to confront him, regardless of how anxious thetter was. Yet, to his surprise, the Chu Sect hade over so soon. ¡°No, it''s toote. You have to leave this instance, Michael,¡± Bill ordered, not wanting his son to stay a moment longer. ¡°Forget about packing up. Take your sister and the Four Supremes now and get far away from Mount Chumen and us! Go!¡± As for himself, he would try to buy some time for Michael by leaving the secret chamber and leading his family''s experts to deal with the Chu Sect. ¡°Hurry! Get in the car! Leave by the back door before the Chu Sect gets here!¡± he urged. ¡°There''s an airport a hundred miles away, and I''ve already arranged for someone to meet you there. Remember, no matter what happenster, you''re not to turn back. I want you to board the aircraft and fly straight to China!¡± Meanwhile, the once peaceful and quiet Jones residence plunged into a sudden flurry of activity. Many guards had been mobilized and tasked to defend the perimeter of the manor. At the same time, Bill selected ten of their family''s best fighters to protect Michael and the others along the way. Before long, someone had carried the unconscious Angie into the car. Even the four disheveled men, who still had their hands and feet chained, were soon led to the car. ¡°Don''t forget our promise to meet in Jiangdong, Dad! You have to keep your word!¡± Michael eximed, voice tinged with sadness and reluctance as he embraced his father. ¡°Haha, you little rascal. When have I ever gone back on my word? Since I''ve said to reunite in Jiangdong, then that''s where we''ll meet! Besides, I still want to see your sister marry Chu Tianfan. That way, the Jones family will finally have a Supreme who''s on the Sky Ranking!¡± Vroom! Secondster, the five luxury cars, carrying Michael and the rest, roared off into the darkness. Seeing his son depart safely, Bill felt his racing heart calm down gradually. I know this might be myst farewell, but that''s all right. So long as Michael and Angie make it to Jiangdong safe and sound, our family legacy will live on! It won''t be the end of the Joneses! As for revenge, I''m sure someone will help see to that in the future. ¡°Chu Tianfan, I hope you won''t disappoint me this time,¡± Bill muttered. After all, he had bet his life on Chu Tianfan by sending thetter''s Four Supremes away. Looking back, Bill had tried so hard to kill Ye Fan. No one could have anticipated the Joneses to subsequently be the first of the Three Families of the Chu Sect to align themselves with Chu Tianfan. Ah, life is truly strange and unpredictable. At that moment, one of the subordinates hurried back with a report. ¡°Mr. Jones, members of the Chu Sect have arrived! W-What should we do?¡± ¡°What''s there to be afraid of? It''s just death!¡± Bill sneered. ¡°But even if death is our only oue, us Joneses will still put up a fierce fight!¡± He then hollered, ¡°Everyone, heed mymand! We shall now head out to receive Mr. Tang!¡± Upon giving his order, he led the rest of the family to the main entrance and prepared to face off with the Chu Sect. As it turned out, a group of the Chu Sect''s fighters had already gathered out front, and the leader had a cold, menacing look in his eyes. ¡°Bill Jones, I can''t believe you still have the cheek to show yourself!¡± he snapped harshly. ¡°You''ve disobeyed orders and intend to rebel against us! Mr. Tang has instructed that if you don''t hand over the Four Supremes, we are to rush into your manor and kill everyone in sight. If you don''t want your family''s blood to be on your hands, I suggest you surrender and give us those four remaining members of Dragon God Hall!¡± Unafraid and undeterred, Bill retorted, ¡°Who do you think you are? An elder? Ha! You''re nothing but a lowly member of the Chu Sect, so what right do you have to boss me around?¡± However, on top of the rage churning inside him, he was also perplexed. The Chu Sect might have sent quite arge group of people, but none of them was an elder. Even when it came to Grandmasters, there were only three of them. Do they think they can destroy the Joneses with this paltry lineup? They are underestimating us if they do! ¡°No, that doesn''t seem right...¡± Bill murmured as a sudden realization struck him. With that, his face instantly paled. Meanwhile, Michael and his group continued their escape through the night as the convoy sped along the dark, empty roads. ¡°Mr. Jones, we''re about five minutes away from the airport,¡± the chauffeur reported. Michael nodded. ¡°Good. Try to go even faster!¡± The group finally arrived at the airport minutester, where a helicopter stood on a vacant field, waiting to take off. The engine sound was deafening, and blinding light flooded the night sky. After seeing the helicopter, Michael felt his tension start to melt away. At longst, we''re safe. However, just as they were about to step out of the car and board the helicopter, a shadowy figure suddenly descended from the sky andnded in front of them. Boom! The icy voice of a man promptly rang out. ¡°Hello, Michael. I''ve been waiting for you.¡± At the sound of that all too familiar voice, Michael reeled back. His eyes were wide, and he paled. ¡°M-Mr. Tang?¡± Chapter 2023 Chapter 2023 Despite the initial shock and terror, Michael quickly regained hisposure and got out of the car alone. Tang Xian, the head of elders, stood tall and proud under the illumination of the yellow lights, his sleeves pping as the cold night wind blew. ¡°Hahaha. Isn''t it ratherte for a social call, Mr. Tang? Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Michael said smilingly. ¡°I''ve been bored out of my mind at home, so I thought I''d go on a little trip. Of course, if there''s something you need from me, I''d be more than happy to help!¡± s, Tang Xian remained expressionless as he fixed a cold-eyed stare on Michael. ¡°What''s the point of saying all that now? If you hand those four individuals over, I can still consider granting you a quick and painless death for the sake of our past,¡± he warned with a voice filled with killing intent. Without Jade Eyes, the Jones family no longer had any value to the Chu Sect. The Chu Sect did not kick them out on ount of their centuries-old family rtionship and the fact that the Joneses knew too many of the sect''s secrets. If the Joneses continued to behave themself within the Chu Sect, the Tang and Chu families would not put them in a spot either. Unfortunately, the Joneses had crossed the line, and there was no turning back from there on out. ¡°Mr. Tang, what are you talking about? I don''t understand,¡± Michael replied in mock bewilderment. Having no patience to beat around the bush anymore, Tang Xian decided to cut to the chase. ¡°Michael, the biggest mistake you and your father have made is betraying the Chu Sect. What are your intentions for protecting the remaining members of Dragon God Hall, anyway? Are you perhaps waiting for Chu Tianfan to make aeback so that you can team up with him and take down the Chu Sect?¡± When Michael did not reply, he shook his head and continued, ¡°Our three families have been friends for hundreds of years, so naturally, I do not wish to exterminate your family. However, there''s no denying that all of you have foolishly turned your backs on us, choosing to court your own death. It''s even more appalling that you''d want to work with Chu Tianfan! That alone is a crime punishable by death!¡± Michael, on the other hand, had turned ashen-faced. After all, he had not expected Tang Xian to see through his and his father''s ns so quickly. Since things had escted to that point, he knew there was no longer a need to hide or pretend. With a wave of his hand, the ten fighters from his family, who had been hiding in the cars, filed out of the vehicles and stood guard on his sides. ¡°Oh? Are you trying to resist? With just these few fighters?¡± Tang Xian scoffed. As he cast a contemptuous look at the crowd, he could not help but be utterly repulsed by Michael and the rest of the Jones family. ¡°Did you know that the ancestor and ancient master of the Jones family used to be a lowly servant for Mr. Yunyang? If it weren''t for Mr. Yunyang''s kindness, you wouldn''t be enjoying the status and honor you have today. s, who would''ve known that the Joneses'' descendants would turn out to be a bunch of useless ingrates? Not only do you want to side with the enemy, but you also want to destroy the Chu Sect! Have you no shame? Is this how you repay Mr. Yunyang''s generosity? Perhaps Mr. Yunyang should never have pitied your despicable family!¡± Tang Xian said with a sneer. To his surprise, Michael suddenly guffawed. The hint of mockery and fury in hisughter was evident. Tang Xian furrowed his brows. ¡°What''s there tough at when you''re staring death in the face?¡± ¡°Haha! I''mughing at how shameless you are!¡± Michael retorted. ¡°How dare you stand there and talk to me about Mr. Yunyang! The ones who have shamed their ancestor and ancient master are you sc*mbags!¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°Xian, I''m sure you know very well that when ites to bloodlines and legacies, Chu Tianfan is the true descendant of Mr. Yunyang! He''s the only one fit to rule the Chu family among the Chus with the word ''Tian'' in their names! Your family has also benefited from the kindness of Mr. Yunyang, so why aren''t you helping his descendant? Why would you still aid the Chu family in harming and getting rid of his descendant? Don''t you feel the slightest shred of guilt at all?¡± ¡°S-Shut up!¡± Tang Xian bellowed, his face livid with rage. ¡°My family has always been honest and upright. When have we ever abetted evil or brought shame to Mr. Yunyang? Besides, Chu Tianfan is merely an illegitimate child of the Chu family. How is he fit to be Mr. Yunyang''s descendant? That title belongs to Chu Tianqi!¡± At that, Michaelughed even louder. ¡°Chu Tianqi, you say? Are you honestly calling that piece of sh*t Mr. Yunyang''s descendant?¡± he bellowed. ¡°If your ancestors can hear the nonsense you''ve spouted, I have no doubt they''d strike you down with lightning!¡± As the seconds ticked by, Michael seethed with even more anger, his eyes turning blood-red. ¡°Xian, don''t tell me you and your family have no idea who took my sister''s eyes. And yet, no one has said a word for us! Worst of all, you''ve even submitted yourselves to the Chu family andunched an attack on us! Is that what you mean by being honest and upright? What utter bullsh*t! You''re nothing but the Chu family''spdog!¡± he thundered. ¡°Apart from Mr. Yunyang, I''m sure the Tang family''s ancestors are also turning in their graves at how atrocious their descendants have turned out! My family may not be the strongest, but we still have the guts to fight back. What about you? Do you dare to go against Chu Yuan or the Chu family?¡± Michael''s words were so harsh that they left Tang Xian red-faced and speechless. ¡°Stupid brat! Since you''re tired of living, I shall fulfill your death wish!¡± thetter shouted as he began shing with his sword. ¡°Watch out, Mr. Jones!¡± The panic-stricken Michael tried to hide but to no avail. Realizing that the sword''s aura was about to pierce through him, a few of his guards immediately ran up to take the hit. They might have sacrificed themselves by absorbing most of the impact of the attack, but the remnants of the sword''s aura still sent Michael flying through the air. In just a split second, bodies were strewn all over the ground, and Michael could feel blood sttered on his face. ¡°Guys! No!¡± he screamed in agony. ¡°You b*stard! I''m going to kill you!¡± Seeing that the guards who had protected him for years were all killed, Michael, who knew it was only a matter of time before he suffered the same fate, no longer cared about anything else. The next second, he picked up a sword from the ground and charged at Tang Xian. Unfortunately, that was a futile effort. After all, Tang Xian was a Supreme on the Sky Ranking, and it was impossible for Michael''s group to fight him since the strongest of them all was merely a Grandmaster. Just as things seemed to be taking a turn for the worse, Bill and their family army appeared in the nick of time. ¡°Stop right there! Tang Xian, youpdog, how dare youy a finger on my son!¡± Right after saying that, Bill gripped his sword tight andunched himself at Tang Xian. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, thetter staggered backward. ¡°Michael, are you okay?¡± Bill asked as he looked at his son. Needless to say, Michael was stunned to see his father. ¡°Dad, why are you here?¡± ¡°Let''s not ask that now. I need you to get up and leave in the car. I''ll handle things here!¡± Bill said in a deep voice before instructing his subordinates to see Michael off safely. ¡°Well, well, well. I can''t believe you figured it out. I wanted to get rid of your son first before dealing with you. But I see you''ve saved me the trouble. Now that you''re both here, I can kill you at one go!¡± Tang Xian remarked, his lips curled into a smirk. As it turned out, he had already guessed that Bill would secretly escort the Four Supremes away. Therefore, he decided to divide his troops, with one group stalling the Jones family while the other waited in ambush for Michael. Ha! So it seems Bill Jones isn''t as stupid as he looks. He saw through my n, huh? Well, it''s time to end this once and for all!Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Sneering, Tang Xian pped his hands. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh... All at once, nine shadowy figures dressed in ck robes appeared, looking just like ghosts in the night. Tattooed on them, however, was the zing sun with clouds! ¡°A-Aren''t these the Guardians in ck from the Chu Sect? H-How is this possible? What on earth are they doing here?¡± Bill stammered, his eyes widening. It was a fact that the Chu Sect had three groups of Guardians differentiated by their colors¡ªred, purple, and ck. The Guardians in Red were the highest in status and would hold even more power than Tang Xian. However, after being vacant for so many years, Tang Yun had tried getting Ye Fan to take up the role, only to have him turn it down. As for the Guardians in Purple, the only two people in those roles were the Demonic Duo. Even though the Guardians in ck were the lowest in rank, they were all powerful Grandmasters who undoubtedly formed the backbone of the Chu Sect. What baffled Bill, however, was why the Chu Sect had not brought the Guardians in ck along on their campaigns. ¡°Well, Bill? Didn''t think I''d pull a move like this, did you?¡± Tang Xian said with a snicker. ¡°You might have held yourself back in the past and thought you had fooled everyone with your act, but unfortunately for you, Old Master has long realized that your loyalty was waning. Because of that, we kept these nine Guardians in ck behind to deal with the Jones family! Old Master had already guessed you''d start a mutiny when the troops were away from Mount Chumen, so he left the Guardians in ck with me to guard against you. Old Master truly has uncanny foresight! Tonight shall be the night that the Jones family gets annihted!¡± Chapter 2024 Chapter 2024 Tang Xian''s cold voice resounded across the dark night. Anyone who managed to climb up to that position was definitely a shrewd person. Back then, Bill was forced by the circumstances to deny that his daughters'' eyes had not been gouged by the Chu family. For the past few years, he had remained obedient and obeyed all decisions made by the higher-level officials of Chu Sect. Even though members of the Jones family had been chased out of the elders'' meeting, Bill did not comin. However, did that mean that Chu Yuan would no longer be wary of the Jones family? The answer was a definite no. For the past few years, Chu Sect had been seeking opportunities to kick the Jones family out of the Three Families of the Chu Sect. However, he could not find an excuse to do so. Furthermore, Tang Yun kept defending the Joneses. This time, the Jones family actually released a major criminal, who was even a surviving member of Dragon God Hall too! This crime alone was severe enough for their whole family to be killed. ¡°That sly fox!¡± Bill clenched his fists. He thought that he was already well hidden. However, he did not expect that he would still lose to Chu Yuan. He was already filled with hopelessness. Still, he did not want to give up. Even if there was only a slight glimmer of hope, he still wanted to try his best! Hence, before Tang Xian, the head of elders, could react, Bill attacked first. With precise swordy, he dashed toward Tang Xian furiously. Chu Sect was filled with numerous experts. Although Bill''s talent in the martial arts was quite average, he was still a qualified expert. Even Tang Xian would not dare to underestimate this sudden attack. He leaped aside, dodging the blow. However, his left arm was still injured by the sword''s aura. Although the wound was not deep, he still bled. ¡°Now! Michael, leave!¡± yelled Bill anxiously. ¡°Father!¡± Michael''s eyes reddened. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. He turned around and nced at his elderly father. Gritting his teeth, he got into the car. Tears welled in his eyes as he instructed the driver to leave. ¡°B*stard! You could''ve gotten the easy way out, but you insist on going to hell. If that''s the case, I''ll fulfill your wish. Guardians of Chu Sect, listen to my orders! Kill everyone from the Jones family. Stop those cars! Don''t leave anyone alive.¡± The pain on his arm infuriated Tang Xian. He did not think that in this hopeless situation, Bill, who had always been weak, dared to attack him first and even managed to injure him. This is unforgivable! Heeding Tang Xian''s instructions, nine Guardians in ck dashed into the crowd like phantoms. Some chased after Michael relentlessly. ¡°Don''t even think of stopping my son!¡± bellowed Bill furiously as he leaped into the air with his sword raised. The sword reflected the light as it shed at those Guardians in ck ferociously. Those near him could not dodge in time. As a result, their arms were instantly severed. The remaining two men were forced to retreat by Bill''s aggressiveness. Their pursuit was instantly interrupted. ¡°Die!¡± After his sessful attack, Bill did not show any mercy at all. Gripping his sword, he charged at them again, nning to kill them once and for all. However, just when Bill was about to send his sword slicing down, a spear flew toward him. ng! The des crashed against each other, causing sparks to fly in the air. Blood gushed out of Bill''s fingers as he staggered backward. After steadying himself, he raised his head abruptly and realized that Tang Xian was already standing in front of him. ¡°You''re bullying our Grandmasters! Don''t you find it embarrassing, Mr. Jones? I''m your opponent!¡± Tang Xian scoffed coldly, not in a hurry to attack Bill. He merely stood there with his sword, his gaze filled with contempt and mockery. He loved to spectate it when others were slowly driven to the brink of despair. Since Bill was being blocked, there was nothing stopping the three Guardians in ck''s way. They sprinted forward for a few meters before flipping in the air,nding right in front of those cars. Boom! The three Grandmasters attacked simultaneously. A deafening boom reverberated across the ce as the cars flew into the air. The Guardians in ck had sent them flying back to the original location. The driver died on the spot. Meanwhile, Michael crawled out of the car, covered in blood. He was protecting Angie, his younger sister, beneath him. ¡°Michael! Angie! I''m going to kill you, you b*stards!¡± When Bill witnessed that scene, it was like he had lost his mind. With bloodshot eyes, he raised his sword and attacked Tang Xian with all his might. However, it was a futile attempt. While Tang Xian was one of the top ten fighters in the Sky Ranking, Bill could barely make it to the top fifty. There was such a huge gap in their powers that Bill could not even harm Tang Xian and was severely injured by him instead. By then, multiple fights had already broken out around them. Bill''s subordinates started battling with Chu Sect''s Guardians in ck. However, the Jones family could never be on par with Chu Sect. Right from the beginning, the battle was obviously skewed toward one side. Although there were many from the Jones family, they were all ughtered easily by the Guardians in ck, as if they were nothing more than maize. One by one, they toppled to the ground as wails of agony pierced through the air. Watching his family members and subordinates lying in a pool of blood, Bill felt his heart ache. ¡°See? This is the consequence of betraying me. The next to die will be your son and daughter!¡± Bill was lying on the floor, severely injured. Meanwhile, Tang Xian stood beside him with a twisted smile on his face. When he waved his hand, a few Guardians in ck attacked Michael rapidly. ¡°Get lost!¡± yelled Michael as hended a heavy punch on one of the Guardians in ck. However, soon after, a sword shed his back. Boom! Boom! Boom! A few Guardians in ck at the side kicked him, causing his ribcage to break and blood to spurt everywhere. Michael immediately fell onto the floor. Crimson blood covered the noble heir of the Jones family. It was almost impossible for him to defeat so many opponents. As a Grandmaster, Michael would already struggle to fight one man. However, he was now battling numerous Guardians in ck at once. ¡°Michael!¡± Tears streamed down Bill''s cheeks. The most torturous thing to happen to a man was to see his own children being humiliated but be too helpless to do anything. Furious, Bill growled like a beast. An unprecedentedly powerful aura exploded from his body. Even Tang Xian felt a chill run down his spine when he sensed that power. ¡°This... This is Forbidden Blood Technique!¡± Tang Xian was shocked. If onepared a person''s aura and life energy to firewood that could burn for a hundred years, using Forbidden Blood Technique were equivalent to burning the firewood fully in an instant. Although it was a technique that meant certain death, it could allow one to unleash extraordinary power in a short period of time. ¡°This old geezer has lost his mind! Retreat now!¡± bellowed Tang Xian. The Guardians in ck quickly retreated. However, Bill was no different from a wild beast now. After sending Tang Xian flying away with a punch, he dashed toward his children frantically. In the blink of an eye, he lifted a Guardian in ck. Twisting his head and legs, Bill ripped a Grandmaster apart with his bare hands. Thetter''s flesh and blood sttered in the air. After killing that man, Bill charged forward again. ¡°That b*stard!¡± Tang Xian gritted his teeth in fury. ¡°Everyone, retreat now!¡± The Guardians in ck were an important pir of support for Chu Sect. Losing one of them would mean a huge loss. Naturally, Tang Xian would not let Bill unleash a massacre like that. Making up his mind, he clenched his jaw and rushed forward. Mustering all of his strength, he tried his best to stop Bill. As long as he dyed Bill till his energy ran out, he would have seeded. ¡°Chu Sect Fatal Moves! Heavenly Wolf! Demonic Tiger! Green Celestial Dragon!¡± Chapter 2025 Chapter 2025 Anyone above the level of Grandmaster in Chu Sect would definitely have to learn the Chu Sect Fatal Moves, a secret technique. Although it could not bepared to Chu Sect''s Invoke the Celestial Sky or the Tang family''s Cloud and Mist Sword Technique, it was one of the most powerful techniques in the martial arts world. Especially with Tang Xian unleashing his full power, the technique was exceptionally powerful. Images of the Heavenly Wolf, Demonic Tiger, and Green Celestial Dragon appeared in the air. Those three attacks charged at Bill with uncontroble power like a torrential storm. In the past, Tang Xian''s powers and the Chu Sect Fatal Moves would definitely kill Bill¡ªor at the very least, severely injure him. Surprisingly, Bill did not evade Tang Xian''s attack. Instead, he chose to ept the full blow of the attack head-on. Waving his sword frantically, he shed at the air furiously. Within a few seconds, he unleashed hundreds and thousands of sword techniques. His sword flew wildly in the air and glinted brightly in the darkness of the night. Just like that, Tang Xian''s attack was dissolved. Bill''s strength still had not diminished. He swung the sword heavily at Tang Xian''s body. ¡°Mr. Tang!¡± ¡°Mr. Tang!¡± The Guardians in ck were stunned, not expecting Bill to be so powerful this time. Even Tang Xian, who was so powerful, was defeated by Bill. However, the experts of Chu Sect were only stunned for a short moment of time. Soon, Tang Xian caught his footing and steadied himself. Shaking the dust off his body, he demanded sternly, ¡°Why are you panicking? I haven''t lost yet.¡± Although Bill''s attack was ferocious earlier, he did not injure Tang Xian significantly. Still, Tang Xian started feeling wary after witnessing how terrifyingly strong Bill was. ¡°Previously, Bill was just a lowly Supreme. I didn''t expect him to unleash such powerful strength on the brink of death! In fact, he might be on par with the top ten fighters on the Sky Ranking! If I insist on battling with him, I might injure myself. It looks like the only solution is to keep dying for time!¡± After making his decision, Tang Xian rushed forward. This time, his attack style was no longer ferocious and aggressive. Instead, he decided to keep dodging Bill''s sword attacks. No matter how aggressively Bill swung his sword, Tang Xian evaded every blow. For those attacks that he could not evade, Tang Xian countered them with equal strength. By returning the attack equally, he ensured that he would not be at a disadvantage. One had to admit that Tang Xian was extremely sly. His battling experience alone was enough to intimidate one. Just like that, the battle came to a stalemate. Although Bill kept attacking Tang Xian, thetter managed to dodge it all. Bill could not injure his opponent the slightest. Bill had attempted a couple of times to get past Tang Xian and kill those Guardians in ck, but the latter was like an annoying parasite. Although he did not confront Bill directly, he kept holding Bill back, such that he did not have the mental capacity to attack the others. Time passed slowly. Soon, Bill''s power diminished quickly after it reached its limit. It was like a ball of fire that was bing smaller and smaller, having exhausted all of its fuel. In the end, it would be extinguished. Bill knew that most of his strength had already disappeared. Boom! They exchanged another blow. Tang Xian, who was initially at a disadvantage, was starting to gain the upper hand. Meanwhile, Bill was sent staggering back by Tang Xian''s blow. Bill, who was filled with despair, understood that there was nothing else he could do. He turned his head around and nced at his children. ¡°Michael, you''ll have to rely on yourself from now on. I''m a useless father. Although I can''t protect you forever, I''ll try my utmost best to see you off! No matter what, you must escape with your sister!¡± shouted Bill loudly. Michael, who was covered in blood, saw his father filled with determination. It was a scene of eternal separation¡ªof life and death. ¡°Father, no! No!¡± yelled Michael through his tears. He kept trying to crawl to his feet numerous times and stand with his father. However, due to his severe injuries, he could not even stand up. Instead, hey on the ground and gazed at his burly father. Streaks of warm tears flowed from his eyes to his cheeks. At that moment, Bill''s eyes became bloodshot. As if he had gone crazy, he mustered all of his aura and energy in his elixir field. Everyone watched as Bill''s body started inting like a balloon. Tang Xian panicked when he saw that. ¡°Oh no! He''s going to self-explode! That crazy man! Stop him now!¡± Tang Xian was terrified. Never had he expected Bill to resort to this method. If a supreme grandmaster blew himself up by using his aura as a trigger, it would unleash massive destruction. Isn''t that old geezer scared of blowing his son and daughter up? However, it was not the time to be shocked. Even if it was for the sake of the Guardians in ck, he must not let Bill sessfully blow himself up. Just when the Guardians in ck were frantically escaping, Tang Xian steeled himself and charged forward with his sword. He reached Bill at a rapid speed. Thetter wanted to dodge, but the effects of using the technique were starting to show. He was ovee with a wave of exhaustion, so much so that he could not even lift his sword anymore. In fact, he could not even evade Tang Xian, who was charging at him. sh! Tang Xian pierced the sword through Bill''s body, right through his elixir field. At the same time, he shed his sword a dozen times and severed Bill''s veins. In an instant, Bill''s body was riddled with holes. Before he could even blow himself up with the aura that he had concentrated, Tang Xian interrupted his move. Pow! After stabbing him countless times, Tang Xian kicked him. The powerful force sent Bill sliding a hundred meters backward, eventually stopping a short distance away from Michael. ¡°Father...¡± ¡°Father...¡± Michael''s eyes were brimming with tears. He crawled over to his father and covered Bill''s injuries with his hands. However, he still could not stop the blood from gushing out. When he covered one of Bill''s injuries, blood would still flow out from another. When Michael saw his father, who used to be so powerful and intimidating, now covered with injuries, his heart ached. He had always respected his father, who was such a dependable protector of the family. Never had he expected that Bill would one day copse in front of him, filled with blood and teetering at the brink of death. ¡°S-Sorry... Initially, I wanted to send you off... But I still failed...¡± apologized Bill in a guilty tone as blood dribbled down his lips. ¡°Father, don''t talk anymore. You''re going to be fine...¡± Michael sobbed. Bill tried his best to squeeze out a smile. He then wiped Michael''s tears away. ¡°M-Michael, d-don''t cry... The Jones family must not embarrass Mr. Yunyang... Even if I die, I must die standing up. H-Help me up now...¡± Bill''s sentences were fragmented. Michael was overwhelmed with sorrow. Mustering all of his strength, he held onto a tree at the side and forced himself to stand. Then, he helped his father to his feet. ¡°Come at me, Xian! Come and kill us! Come on!¡± Michael was ready to meet his maker. Supporting his father, he bellowed at Tang Xian and the rest like a wild beast. They did not want to run away anymore. Furthermore, they knew that there was no way they could escape. Since death was inevitable, he would do what his father said. If he were part of the Jones family, he would die standing up! ¡°You stubborn b*stard! I''ll send all of you to your deaths!¡± Tang Xian had already lost his patience. When he waved his hands, the Guardians in ck behind him attacked the Joneses with their swords. ¡°Stop!¡± Suddenly, a voice sounded from afar. Tang Xian and the others frowned. When they nced over, they saw a few figures walking over with the moon glowing behind them. Their hair was disheveled, and their limbs were chained up. As they walked, their gaits were unsteady. However, there was a determined look in their eyes. ¡°You just want to kill us, right? If you spare the Jones family, we''llmit suicide immediately. You won''t have to do anything.¡± Gaius'' hoarse voice sounded.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 2026 Chapter 2026 ¡°Mr. Gaius, why are you guys still here? Didn''t we ask you to leave?¡± Michael and Bill were surprised, for they didn''t expect the one willing to speak up for the Jones family was their archenemy. At that moment, Michael felt touched but also nervous. When the car was flipped upside down, Michael deliberately crawled out of it while carrying his sister. He did so to attract Chu Sect''s attention, hoping to give time for the four Dragon yers to escape. However, he didn''t expect the Dragon yers to stay and even risk their lives by standing up for the Jones family. ¡°Dragon God Hall will never let an innocent man die for us.¡± Gaius turned around and gazed at Michael and Bill, who were on the brink of death. When Gaius burst intoughter, the rest of the Dragon yers also followed suit. ¡°Gaius is right. We can''t bring shame to Dragon Master. Since Dragon Master didn''t hide behind the crowd years ago, how can we be cowards today?¡± Meanwhile, Owen, also known as Fire God, let out a chuckle. With the unhealed scar on his face, his smile looked exceptionally terrifying. Despite his sinister face, one could feel that he unknowingly exuded a sense of warmth and dignity amid the darkness. Over the years, although they were locked away by the Jones family, Chu Sect always sent itsckeys to torture them. Owen was one of the strongest and most well-known supreme grandmasters under Ye Fan. Now, he was none other than a toothless tiger. Although Owen was far from being powerful as before, he still retained his pride. Now that the Jones family was in trouble because of them, they could not leave the family alone only to get on with their lives. ¡°Yes. I hate you and your dad for not distinguishing between right and wrong and abetting evil. Although it was clear that Chu Sect harmed the kid, your family still believed the mastermind was Dragon Master. Back then, Dragon Master fought Chu Sect to avenge the kid. Your family didn''t assist Dragon Master but joined forces with Chu Sect to go up against him instead. Honestly, I wish to p all of you.¡± He continued, ¡°Anyway, that''s a separate matter. You and your dad are indeed ignorant now. However, the trouble today has urred because of us. If we run away today, Dragon Master will punish us when we finally meet him in heaven.¡± While Wind God Cecil shook his head and smiled, Ice Emperor, Su Muqiu, nodded. Despite being in a precarious state, they were fearless and didn''t feel nervous. Instead, they chatted happily andughed at times. It was as if they were not preparing for their imminent death but chatting happily before embarking on a long trip. Michael was stunned by the sight. Although he seldom felt impressed, he now admired the Dragon yers from the bottom of his heart. Before this, Michael only witnessed numerous shameful asions in Chu Sect, where its members schemed against each other or purposelessly fought to stay alive. Now, he could feel that the Dragon yers were proud and didn''t fear death. He couldn''t help but wonder how outstanding their boss was to be able tomand them. ¡°How is it, old man? We, the Four Supremes, will die soon in exchange for the lives of the Joneses. We''re getting the short end of the stick, right?¡± Gaius asked Tang Xian smilingly. Tang Xian was startled for a while but soon chuckled. ¡°I never thought you would speak up for the Jones family. After all, the family contributed to Dragon Master''s death,¡± Tang Xian mocked. ¡°As I said, this is a separate matter. Back to the current topic, tell us if you will agree with us,¡± Gaius continued. Tang Xian shed Gaius a smile and replied, ¡°I''m sorry, Mr. Gaius. All of you are in no position to negotiate with me now. After all, I want all Dragon yers to die. It doesn''t matter if youmit suicide or die because I plunge my swords into your hearts.¡± Tang Xian''s remark was filled with arrogance and confidence. Gaius and the rest waved their hands in disappointment when they heard it. ¡°Ahh! As I expected, a toothless supreme grandmaster is worse than an ant. Now, everyone won''t be bothered to show a little respect to elders like us.¡± Gaius nced at the Joneses and shook his head smilingly. ¡°I''m sorry, Jones. There is no way out but to die together. Before that, thank you for taking care of us all these years. Unfortunately, there are no drinks here. We''ll hold a banquet to thank you again in heaven.¡± Even though Tang Xian declined their request without hesitation, Gaius and others weren''t irritated but epted it calmly. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Moreover, they even continued to chat with the Joneses casually as if they were joking. After a while, Bill, being on the brink of death, chuckled and said, ¡°I, Bill Jones, am honored to meet my maker with the Four Supremes.¡± ¡°Hahahaha...¡± The four Dragon yersughed heartily. With their hands and feet shackled in chains, the four Dragon yers sat cross-legged next to Michael and Bill. ¡°Xian, do it now. We hand over the world to you temporarily but will take it back from you thirty years later!¡± After a heartyugh, they closed their eyes determinedly, preparing to die. ¡°As you wish!¡± Tang Xian shouted and instructed his subordinates to chop off the heads of Gaius and the Joneses. Bill let out a shrillugh and warned, ¡°Tang Xian, don''t ever think you can put your mind at ease forever just because of killing Four Supremes from Dragon God Hall! Soon, someone will avenge them. In the end, what happened to Chu Zhengliang will also be your fate!¡± Unperturbed, Tang Xian sneered, ¡°What a joke! I''m immensely powerful now, and people in all corners of the world have submitted to me. Who dares or can avenge them?¡± Tang Xian paused for a while and added, ¡°Do you want to count on the remnant of Dragon God Hall? Once the Four Supremes are dead, Dragon God Hall will perish once and for all!¡± Despite Tang Xian''s harsh mockery, Bill guffawed non-stop. ¡°Mr. Tang, you know very well who it is. Since it''s nearly three years, I reckon he is about to return. Otherwise, you won''t be so impatient to eradicate the Four Supremes. Am I right?¡± ¡°Shut the f*ck up!¡± As Tang Xian was infuriated, a long sword swiftly flew toward Bill and plunged into his heart. ¡°B*stard, how dare you spew nonsense even when you''re about to die! That person was dead three years ago! He won''t possiblye back!¡± ¡°Hahaha... Mr. Tang, you''re afraid, aren''t you? You don''t even dare to say his name aloud.¡± Bill continued to provoke him even after a few swords had plunged into his body. ¡°In that case, let me reveal his name for you. He is Chu Tianfan! Not just you, but Chu Yuan and the entire Chu Sect will also be defeated by him.¡± Even though blood flowed from Bill''s mouth, he still gritted his teeth and said the name. Upon hearing it, the crowd was floored. At that time, even Gaius and the rest who had closed their eyes gazed at Bill shockingly. ¡°Mr. Jones, what did you say? Is it true that Dragon Master will return?¡± They couldn''t help but shiver, for it was something they could hardly believe. ¡°Shut up! What he said is nonsense! Since you guys miss him so much, I''ll send you to hell to meet him!¡± As Tang Xian was infuriated, he wanted to execute them all instead ofmanding his subordinates to do it. Bam! Once Tang Xian stepped on the ground, hundreds of swords and knives flew up. ¡°Time''s up for all of you!¡± Tang Xian controlled the flying weapons with his powerful Qi. and waved his hand. Whoosh! Suddenly, numerous weapons flew toward the Four Supremes and the Joneses, who were about to die. ¡°Hahahaha...¡± Even so, Bill and the restughed heartily as their final moment approached. At that juncture, a chilling voice was heard. ¡°You don''t have to see me in hell. This ce is just nice.¡± The man spoke calmly, yet the coldness and aura that followed were incredibly powerful. As the bitter wind blew strongly, the swords and knives fell onto the ground like rain droplets. At that moment, the scene looked like a feast of swords and knives to wee the king''s arrival! Chapter 2027 Chapter 2027 ¡°What... What... What''s going on?¡± Tang Xian was dumbfounded when he saw his attack suddenly get blocked. He had been sure of emerging victorious. However, his expression darkened as the weapons rained onto the ground, and he immediately looked solemn and grim. Just then, there was a soft yet ominous rustle in the darkness. Everyone froze. As countless pairs of eyes turned toward the direction the sound hade from, they saw a thin figure slowly approaching them. His tread was light, yet there was a gentle rustle with every step he took. The figure appeared small from afar. Even so, the surrounding trees and nts bowed and retreated as if they were courtiers in the presence of their monarch. ¡°Who''s that?¡± Gaius and the other Dragon yers were stunned. Despite not knowing who the figure in the dark was, they felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity they had never felt before rush toward them from not far ahead. Suddenly, the name and silhouette of one person appeared in Gaius'', Owen''s, and the others'' minds. ¡°Could... Could it really be him?¡± Meanwhile, Bill Jones and Michael also started to feel ovee with emotion. Although the former had long suspected that Ye Fan had not died, it had been nothing more than spection, since there was no way for him to confirm whether Ye Fan was dead or alive. Now that they were faced with the possibility that the powerful man had returned, it was only natural that they could not keep calm. Just like them, Tang Xian was struggling to maintain hisposure. A sense of foreboding had descended over him the moment the figure appeared. ¡°No! It can''t be him! That''s impossible!¡± Tang Xian frowned and clenched his fists tightly. No matter how many times the same name surfaced in his mind, he continued dismissing it. He did not want to admit, let alone ept, the likelihood that that man could be alive and well! However, some things in this world were fated and could not be changed just because of an individual''s personal wish and preference. As everyone watched with nervous, excited, and trembling gazes, the figure finally emerged from the dense woods. The moon hung high in the sky that quiet night, and the faint glow of the moonlight shone down on the man''s face. It illuminated his well-defined features, deep eyes, and handsome yet thin face. Everything looked so familiar. He looked just like he did when he left, appearing untouched by the passage of time. The only difference seemed to be the changes deep within his heart. ¡°D-Dragon Master? I-Is it really you?¡± Even though Gaius and the others had guessed he was alive, they still found it difficult to suppress the emotions bubbling within them. The older men, who were over fifty years old, cried until their faces were wet with tears when they saw the young man before them. Trembling, they got up from the ground and fell to their knees at the man''s feet in unison. ¡°I knew it... I knew it all along. There was no way you''d be dead... I knew you couldn''t have died just like that and that you''de for us...¡± Gaius said, sounding like an elderly courtier who had just seen the emperor''s army at his most desperate moment after getting trapped on the frontier. With their hands and feet still shackled in chains, the four Dragon yers kneeled before Ye Fan and wept bitterly. Nobody would have ever imagined that those supreme grandmasters¡ªpowerful figures wielding great influence over the country¡ªwould cry like a child in front of a certain someone. ¡°It really is him! He... He''s really alive...¡± Bill choked out, practically gasping for breath. His whole body shuddered violently. Michael wiped the tears from his eyes and said to his father with a smile, ¡°Yes. Chu Tianfan isn''t dead. He didn''t die! Hahaha! The gods didn''t forsake our family! The gods want to help us avenge Angie...¡± Michael had no idea why he was so emotional or why he was crying. It makes sense for Gaius and the others to cry because they''re weing their master. If Angie were conscious, it''d also make sense if she were to weep. That''s because her wait for the hero and the man she harbors feelings for has finally ended. But what reason do I have to cry? Ye Fan and I aren''t friends. In fact, we were enemies. Nheless, Michael could not control his emotions. He was as flustered as a wife who had just seen her husband after being left to wait alone in the bedroom. Indeed, they had made no mistake. Ye Fan had indeed crossed the seas and returned to the Chu Sect again. He was Chu Tianfan, the person whose very name had inspired fear within the hearts of everyone in the Chu Sect back then. He had not gone to Mount Chumen immediately because he had been busy looking into the whereabouts of Gaius and the rest. After several days of investigation, he finally discovered that the Jones family had the Dragon yers imprisoned. But when he rushed to their residence earlier that night, he found the house in a mess. The dungeons where the Joneses had imprisoned Gaius and the others were also empty. Upon making the distressing discovery, he tracked them and quickly found where they were. A pang of pain shot through Ye Fan''s heart as he gazed at the dead bodies and blood covering the ground, as well as the injured and shackled Dragon yers. Stepping forward, he helped Gaius, Owen, and the others to their feet. ¡°I''m sorry for making you wait so long,¡± Ye Fan said, his toneden with guilt. These people were enjoying glory and wealth in their respective countries. But because of my command, they stormed the Chu Sect. In the end, it resulted in their suffering. It wouldn''t be wrong to say that all this is my fault. Hence, Ye Fan felt immensely guilty. ¡°Dragon Master, you don''t have to apologize to us. As members of Dragon God Hall, we live and die together. Even if we were to get killed by the Chu Sect, we would''ve died willingly. It has nothing to do with you, Dragon Master. There''s no need for you to feel guilty,¡± Gaius dered loudly. The others nodded emphatically. ¡°Gaius is right. We chose to follow you of our own volition, Dragon Master. Regardless of whether we live or die, it was our own choice and has nothing to do with anyone else!¡± ¡°Agreed! Now that you''ve returned, we''re willing to fight and take on the Chu Sect again! Today is the day we''ll wield our swords and seize the Chu Sect!¡± The Dragon yers spoke loudly, their voices rumbling like thunder. The others could hardly believe their eyes when they saw how energized and reinvigorated the four frail-looking older men now appeared after seeing Ye Fan. Ye Fan chuckled. ¡°My good man, you''re getting on in years and can''t even lift your sword anymore, yet you''re still thinking of fighting? Rest a while first. Leave the rest to me.¡± He could not help feeling moved at reuniting with his oldrades. Although they suffered much, it''s fortunate that they''re still alive. As long as they''re alive, there''s hope. At that moment, Gaius suddenly interrupted the conversation. ¡°Dragon Master, Ms. Jones is over there.¡± Ye Fan''s brows twitched involuntarily. Instead of responding, he turned and nced toward the Jones family. ¡°M-Mr. Chu...¡± Bill greeted politely. Ye Fan ignored him, not bothering to spare the father-and-son duo a nce. Instead, his gaze fell upon the unconscious youngdy. Michael and the others did nothing to stop Ye Fan as he walked over. They merely watched as Ye Fan gently caressed Angie''s face with his hand. ¡°I''ve returned, you silly girl. This time, I won''t spare those who hurt you back then. Not a single one of them,¡± Ye Fan said softly, pain and pity etched across his face. It was as if the youngdy had heard his voice. Tears leaked from the corners of the eyes of the young lady who had been unconscious for more than two years and slowly trailed down her face.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Chapter 2028 Chapter 2028 ¡°Enough with your bullsh*t. That man had died several years ago, and you expect me to believe you''re him? He had died in the hands of my old master! Bill Jones must have found his doppelganger to frighten us! Do you think you can scare me off?¡± All of a sudden, Tang Xian let out a mirthlessugh. Yet, even to this day, he dared not mention that man''s name. He could not even bring himself to ept the man standing before him was Ye Fan. ¡°Your trick didn''t work, Bill, so try harder next time. Right now, I''m going to teach this man a lesson and expose his identity!¡± Tang Xian bellowed in anger. His authoritative voice resonated across the sky. In the blink of an eye, Tang Xian threw several punches in the man''s direction. This time, he struck with all his might at lightning speed. Tang Xian zapped across space in a sh. He then struck the spine of the lean figure several times. Boom! Boom! Boom! A gust of wind swirled from his move, causing shrubs to fall over and rocks to shatter into pieces. The Guardians in ck were relieved by the turn of events. They burst intoughter. ¡°You''re indeed powerful, Mr. Tang! Now we all know the man is an imposter!¡± ¡°Thank God we didn''t fall for the Joneses'' trick!¡± Theyughed while heaving a sigh of relief. They believed the man was not who they initially thought he was. This man is just someone who looks like him. After all, they all had witnessed the man''s authoritative aura. Even their old master had had no choice but to concede defeat before the terrifying man back then. If the man before their eyes at the moment were that terrifying man, he would have no problem dodging Tang Xian''s attack. However, this person did not seem agile at all. He did not even manage to save himself from Tang Xian''s attack. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Therefore, the Guardians in ck reckoned that the weakling before them could not possibly be the intimidating man. Tang Xian let out a cold snort. ¡°You can''t even dodge a punch. How dare you im you''re that man, you insolent fool!¡± A glint of mockery shed across Tang Xian''s eyes. Meanwhile, Gaius and the rest, who were a stone''s away, shook their heads and snorted. ¡°A bunch of fools.¡± These fools know nothing about Ye Fan. Gaius and the rest had followed Ye Fan for years, so they knew their Dragon Master would always take the beating first. Even this time, he was following his modus operandi. Gaius scoffed and looked in Tang Xian''s direction. ¡°It''s not because our Dragon Master failed to dodge your attack. He didn''t bother to hide from you because you''re too weak. You haven''t thought of this, have you?¡± Tang Xian''s expression turned grim. He tilted his head and cussed, ¡°F*cking bullsh*t!¡± There was fear in his voice. Perhaps he was afraid what Gaius said was true. Suddenly, a streak of gold light sted through the air. The silhouettes of several golden dragons emerged from the feet of the man standing before Tang Xian and charged into the sky. At the same time, the calm and steady man started umting the energy from his body. As soon as the head of elders, Tang Xian, noticed that, his expression changed. ¡°D-Dragon God Body? A-Are you really Chu Tianfan?¡± The head of elders was so horrified that he nearly went insane. The Chu Sect fighters, too, could not believe their eyes. A look of horror washed across their faces. ¡°Y-You''re still alive? I-Impossible! Are you a human or a ghost?¡± Tang Xian red at the man before him and stumbled a few steps back. His arrogance had vanished into thin air. Dragon God Body was the ultimate technique of the Chu Sect''s martial arts. Only a handful of people were able to demonstrate Dragon God Body. Ye Fan was one of them. After witnessing that demonstration, Tang Xian had no choice but to believe the man standing before him was Chu Tianfan. But somehow, he still could not wrap his head around it. Why is he still alive? How is it possible? Is he made of steel? Is he indestructible? All the most powerful fighters in the world surrounded and attacked him, yet they still didn''t manage to kill him? Ye Fan stood up and shot Tang Xian an icy stare. ¡°You want to know if I''m a ghost? You''ll find out when I send you to hellter.¡± His calm voice reverberated across the dark sky. His words sent a chill down Tang Xian''s spine, causing thetter''s blood to run cold. ¡°W-What are we going to do now, Mr. Tang? Shall we run away?¡± All the Chu Sect fighters had be desperate. Thest time, they had managed to defeat Ye Fan with the help of their old master, and now in the absence of Tang Yun and their head, they no longer had the confidence to take Ye Fan on. Nevertheless, Tang Xian was no small fry either. He was one of the top five elders in the Chu Sect and the guardian of Mount Chumen. After regaining hisposure, Tang Xian turned to his men and said, ¡°Run away? Where else can you run? Mount Chumen? Do you think Chu Tianfan wouldn''te after us after we made our way back to Mount Chumen?¡± ¡°But Mr. Tang¡ª¡± The Guardians in ck still wanted to express their concern with their trembling voices. ¡°What are you afraid of? He came out of nowhere after disappearing for years. I bet he must have sustained severe injuries in thest few years. He might have recovered, but I''m sure he could no longer fight like he used to,¡± Tang Xian analyzed. He continued, ¡°You all are Guardians in ck and are all Grandmaster fighters, and I''m a Supreme fighter. I''m sure we can work together to take him down. Later, eight of you should start byunching the Comprehensive Array Attack to buy me some time. I''ll then seize the opportunity to strike him at one go. We might not kill him on the spot, but I''m sure he would sustain severe injuries!¡± He then added, ¡°Mount Chumen is behind us, and we have nowhere to run. We can only fight to the death. Do you understand?¡± Tang Xian pressed his voice and said this to stir up their fighting spirit. Upon hearing that, the Guardians in ck gritted their teeth and said, ¡°All right! We''ll follow your order, Mr. Tang!¡± ¡°Since our life and death are beyond our control, let''s give our best and put up a fight!¡± The eight Guardians in ck fell into the formation of a crescent moon and surrounded Ye Fan, while Tang Xian hid behind them. Like a wolf eyeing its prey, Tang Xian red at Ye Fan from a distance. ¡°Chu Tianfan, you''re the one who killed Fifth Elder from the Chu Sect a few months ago, right?¡± Tang Xian asked indifferently. Ye Fan nodded. ¡°Yes. I did kill someone from the Chu Sect. I supposed he''s that Fifth Elder you mentioned.¡± ¡°D*mn it. I should have figured that out. But it''s still not toote. It''s time for us to settle old scores with you tonight! Get ready, Guardians in ck!¡± Tang Xian roared. Boom! Boom! Boom! Eight of them gathered their power and sted out eight streaks of aura. The ends of the eight streaks of aura then met, forming into a chain that whipped toward Ye Fan. ¡°Octa Crescent Formation!¡± Their roar prated the sky as they whipped Ye Fan''s body with the gigantic chain. ¡°Be careful, Mr. Chu!¡± the Joneses eximed in shock. The Chu Sect''s Comprehensive Array Attack was an invincible martial art technique. Now that the eight Guardians in ck had joined forces, they could vanquish a Supreme fighter with theirbined power. Moreover, the Comprehensive Array Attack was a bizarre and unpredictable martial art technique. Even the top ten fighters in Sky Ranking might not be able to defend themselves from the attack. Chapter 2029 Chapter 2029 As Tang Xian had expected, Bill Jones and the others were worried that Ye Fan''s ability would never regain its previous peak. After all, it had been too long. For too long, Ye Fan had gone missing. No one knew whether the current Chu Tianfan still had the power and influence from before or if the previous top ranker on the Sky Ranking was still worthy of that position. Swoosh! In the blink of an eye, The eight Guardians in ck formed the Octa Crescent Formation. They were weaved together like a rope. They were one body in attack and defense, breathing as one. Targeting Ye Fan, they whipped toward him like a ferocious snake. Swoosh! The terrifying speed and horrifying power of the attack sliced through the air. When the Guardian closest to Ye Fan had closed in, he swiftly mmed his palm toward Ye Fan''s body. Instead of dodging, Ye Fan reached out his hand to deflect the attack. However, something strange urred when Ye Fan stretched his hand out to receive the attack. The remaining seven guardians wrapped themselves around Ye Fan''s body in several loops as though they were a long whip. Some of them circled Ye Fan''s neck, while some targeted his waist, and the others clung to his arms and legs. In a split second, the eight Guardians in ck had gained control over Ye Fan''s entire body, restricting his movement. Ye Fan was like the prey wrapped in coils by a venomous snake. Up next would be devouring the prey. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± Owen and the rest were shocked when they witnessed the scene. Especially the Joneses who screwed their eyes shut and let out a sigh, unwilling to see the unfortunate ending of Ye Fan. They already knew members of the Chu Sect were not to be messed with. Even though the eight guardians were merely Grandmasters, there was an increase in their powers when they joined forces for an attack. Moreover, the Chu Sect''s secret technique had always been unusual and tricky. Their opponents would easily fall into the Chu Sect''s trap if they let their guard down for even a second. That was what happened to Ye Fan. He thought the first Guardian''s attack was the ultimate one, yet he was surprised to find that it was the other guardians'' restriction on him instead. ¡°Haha! Chu Tianfan, how dare youe to Mount Chumen and brag? With your current abilities, you should''ve waited for your life to end by hiding in some mountain or forest. ¡°You can''t even get yourself out of the Octa Crescent Formation, so how are you nning to go against the Chu Sect and our head?¡± Tang Xianughed triumphantly at the Guardians'' sessful attack. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The most lethal form of the Comprehensive Array Attack was originally the Nona Crescent Formation. However, since Bill Jones had killed one of the Guardians, they could only resort to the Octa Crescent Formation. Tang Xian was worried that the Octa Crescent Formation would not be able to pin Ye Fan down. However, it looks like I have overthought. The Chu Tianfan, who has died once, is like a toothless tiger indeed. There''s no need for us to fear him. ¡°Mr. Tang, please attack and kill this miscreant!¡± shouted the Guardians in ck. Tang Xianughed. ¡°Very well! Chu Tianfan, today will be the day you die!¡± Amidst hisughter, he raised his sword and plunged it toward Ye Fan''s throat like a venomous snake slithering out of its hole, aiming for the kill. However, when the tip of the sword was only a few inches away from Ye Fan''s throat, he stealthily held up two fingers, catching the tip of Tang Xian''s sword. Tang Xian was surprised when his sword wouldn''t budge even an inch. ¡°What? Such immense strength?¡± Tang Xian furrowed his brows in confusion. At that moment, he was using all the strength he could muster to try and break free from Ye Fan''s hold. However, the sword wouldn''t budge at all. When he tried retracting the sword, he couldn''t either. ¡°What a minute! Didn''t the Octa Crescent Formation have your arm pinned? How did you manage to free your hand?¡± Soon, Tang Xian suddenly realized something was amiss as a stunned look crossed his face. On the other hand, Ye Fan merely chuckled. ¡°Even the Chu Sect''s Iron Gate Formation was useless against me. Yet, you think a menial Octa Crescent Formation can pin me down?¡± The audience then saw Ye Fan stomping his foot heavily on the ground. Boom! Next, several heavy thuds sounded from Ye Fan''s body. The eight Guardians in ck coiled around Ye Fan''s body were all sted away. Blood spurted from their mouths as they fell to the ground. With a snap of Ye Fan''s fingers, the sword in Tang Xian''s hand began to let out an earsplitting screech. Finally, with a crack, the long sword broke into a million pieces. Even Tang Xian''s purlicue split open from the tremendous force, and the blood from his wound stained the sword hilt. As blood spewed from his mouth, he was hurled backward. ¡°T-This...¡± ¡°H-How could this be?¡± The Joneses were staring at the scene with their mouths agape. They had never imagined that Ye Fan could easily deflect an ultimate attack from elites of the Chu Sect. ¡°Chu Tianfan''s power is definitely something to be frightened of!¡± Michael Jones'' heart was pounding furiously. It was absurd that I even considered killing Ye Fan in the past. Now that I reflect on my actions, they were truly impossible. He hase back stronger than ever after going missing with severe injuries for three years. How am I a match for him? ¡°F**k! The Octa Crescent Formation failed!¡± Tang Xian wiped the bloodstain from the corner of his mouth with a hostile expression. The Guardians in ck also grew wary of Levi. ¡°What should we do now, Mr. Tang?¡± ¡°What else can we do? Go all out and unleash all your powers on himter. I refuse to believe we can''t defeat him with so many of us here.¡± Tang Xian was ruthless as he mentally prepared himself to give up his life for this fight. I have no other choice besides putting my life on the line. Mount Chumen is right behind me. Even if I retreated to Mount Chumen, Ye Fan would still pursue me till the very end. As for searching for Old Master and the rest in China, it is undeniably unrealistic. The journey is over tens of thousands of miles. Levi will probably kill me before I can even reach there. Besides staking my life on the line, I don''t have any other choice. After making up their minds, the members of the Chu Sect got into their stances, looking as though they were ready to fight till the end of their lives. Tang Xian fixed his malicious gaze on Ye Fan. ¡°Bring it, Chu Tianfan! Show us Invoke the Celestial Sky. Let me see whether your attack or the Tang family''s Cloud and Mist Sword Technique is better!¡± Tang Xian yelled. Right after, a wave of aura exploded from Tang Xian''s body. Within his veins, bursts of energy were surging like a raging river. With my sword broken, I would have to resort to using my finger. With no retreat, forward is the only way to go. At that thought, Tang Xianunched himself at Ye Fan. With his finger as a sword, Tang Xian sent shock waves over a few thousand miles away. After so many years, the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique of the Tang family had finally reappeared. ¡°Let''s attack too!¡± ¡°Chu Sect Fatal Moves!¡± ¡°Heavenly Wolf!¡± ¡°Chu Sect secret technique, Soaring Dragon!¡± ¡°Chu Sect Bible of Sword, Mountain Destructor!¡± The Guardians in ck charged toward Levi immediately after. Some of them attacked with punches, some with swords, and some with secret techniques. All in all, these men were aware of Ye Fan''s power and gave everything they had. All of them unleashed their ultimate attacks. At the same time, numerous streams of Qibined with auras exuded from swords, looking like a gushing river under the night sky, forming an unusual sight. Terrifying powers closed in on Ye Fan from every direction. ¡°It looks like Mr. Chu will have to unleash the ultimate move of the Chu family.¡± ¡°I can''t believe that I, Bill Jones, will get to see Mr. Yunyang''s technique, Invoke the Celestial Sky, once again before I die.¡± At that thought, Bill Jones'' eyes sparkled with excitement. Everyone within the top Chu family hierarchy knew how to wield Invoke the Celestial Sky. However, anyone who was present during the war would know that Ye Fan''s technique was different from the Chu family''s. Even though the Chu family had been adamant that Ye Fan''s technique was not the original one, Bill Jones figured only the one Ye Fan practiced was the authentic Chu Sect''s ultimate move. I think it''s theplete version of Invoke the Celestial Sky personally wielded by Mr. Yunyang thousands of years ago. In other words, I''m basically witnessing the Chu family''s ancestor, Chu Yunyang, wielding it himself. I can die without any regrets as a member of the Chu Sect if I can catch a glimpse of the actual technique wielded by our ancient master. Chapter 2030 Chapter 2030 ¡°Open your eyes and watch, my brothers.¡± ¡°Master is about to show off again!¡± ¡°Invoke the Celestial Sky is an immortal technique. There isn''t much of a chance to witness it.¡± The sight that could prompt excitement throughout the martial arts world was having the most powerful martial artist wielding an exceptional technique. It was an honor and an enjoyment to witness it. Since ancient times, countless martial artists had received enlightenment and achieved breakthroughs in their cultivation after witnessing the battles between the elites. Hence, once the audience knew Ye Fan was about to unleash Invoke the Celestial Sky, Gaius and the rest held their breath in anticipation. Such a historic battle between martial artists with incredible cultivations was a rare sight. However, right when everyone thought Ye Fan would use his ace in the hole, he suddenly raised his head and chuckled at Tang Xian and the furious Chu Sect Guardians. ¡°Why would I need to unleash Invoke the Celestial Sky to kill you? I can defeat you all the same with a punch and a kick.¡± As he let out augh, he took a step forward. Ye Fan didn''t intend to evade Tang Xian''s brilliant sword technique. Instead, he waved his iron fists and charged at Tang Xian. ng! Tang Xian shed his sword, which was exuding a powerful aura, across Ye Fan''s body. The piercing and splitting of flesh didn''t happen as expected. Instead, sparks flew during their collision. The ear-splitting ng of the collision sounded like the sword''s howl. Instantly, Tang Xian''s expression darkened. Yet, he didn''t give up. With a bite on his tongue, the pain sharpened his focus. His attacks began to turn more lethal. ¡°D*mn it! I won''t believe that even I can''t pierce your Dragon God Body!¡± Tang Xian''s heart was filled with desperation by then. His thread of rationale snapped, and his Cloud and Mist Sword Technique became more frenzied. If I can''t kill him with the first strike, I''ll strike him twice. If twice doesn''t work, I''ll repeat it another ten times, hundred times, or even a thousand times. Even seemingly gentle water droplets can prate solid hard rocks after hundreds of years. I refuse to ept that I can''t even break down the defense of this forsaken b*stard of the Chu family when I''m the Chu Sect''s head of elders. Swoosh! Tang Xian swung his sword at Ye Fan. However, Ye Fan wasn''t a rock, so naturally, he wouldn''t just stand there and let Tang Xian attack him. After defending against the sword energy a couple of times, Ye Fan took a few steps back. Then, heunched himself at Tang Xian like a bullet discharged from the gun barrel. ¡°Die, Chu Tianfan!¡± Tang Xian aimed his finger at Ye Fan''s throat. Ye Fan let out a snicker and reached for Tang Xian''s finger with both his hands as he didn''t n to avoid the attack. ¡°What?¡± Tang Xian was shocked by Ye Fan''s action. He never thought Ye Fan would be so foolish. Tang Xian had concentrated all his power and strength on his finger. Hence, the force in Tang Xian''s finger at that moment was undeniably terrifying. Ye Fan''s action was akin to stopping a bullet with his body. ¡°I see that you''re seeking to die!¡± Even though Tang Xian didn''t know what was going through Ye Fan''s mind, he wouldn''t let such a good opportunity to kill Ye Fan slide. Yet, his tion didn''tst long. The second Ye Fantched onto Tang Xian''s finger, thetter finally realized the reason behind Ye Fan''s confidence. Only at that very moment did Tang Xian realize the terrifying aspect of Ye Fan''s body. Tang Xian couldn''t break free from Ye Fan''s hold despite trying every method in the book. His finger sword seemed like a joke at that moment. ¡°H-How can it be? Even the Dragon God Body can''t be this tough.¡± Tang Xian had witnessed the power of the Dragon God Body before. When Ye Fan first came to Chu Sect, the elites of Chu Sect suffered a lot because of Ye Fan''s Dragon God Body technique. Yet, it still cracked even though it was tough. Now, however... Tang Xian realized he couldn''t even hold out under Ye Fan''s strength, let alone pierce through Ye Fan''s Dragon God Body. ¡°It has been almost three years. No one will keep marching on the same spot.¡± Ye Fan smiled and shot a taunting gaze at Tang Xian. Up until that very moment, the Chu Sect''s knowledge of Ye Fan was still the same as three years ago. They had no idea that the current Ye Fan was not who he used to be. Even his mastery of Dragon God Body had improved tremendously over those three years. Crack! After a loud snap, Tang Xian''s painful yell sounded. Bill Jones and the others watched in shock as Ye Fan broke Tang Xian''s finger off his hand. Ye Fan mmed his palm on Tang Xian''s face right after. Instantly, Tang Xian''s facial bones were twisted, and blood started flowing out of his orifices. A p from Ye Fan elicited Tang Xian''s yelp and sent a few loose teeth flying from his mouth. ¡°Mr. Tang!¡± ¡°B*stard, you''re going to die now!¡± Seeing Tang Xian''s wretched state, the Guardians were filled with rage. They charged at Ye Fan with murderous intent as they let out a battle roar. ¡°There''s no need to hurry. It''s your turn anyway.¡± Ye Fan still had a smile on his face as he said that. It was as gentle as the warm spring breeze. However, only Gaius and those close to Ye Fan knew that smile was a sign of Ye Fan''s opponents'' forting death. Boom! All of the Guardians'' attacksnded on Ye Fan''s body, but Ye Fan didn''t even budge. He was like a boulder rooted in the middle of a rushing stream. The Guardians'' lethal attacks were nothing but a breeze on Ye Fan. Their attacks didn''t even leave a scratch on him and merely served as a gentle wind blowing at his clothing and hair. That was thest thing the Guardians saw before they departed from this world. Swoosh! Finally, Ye Fan moved. A single movement from him was able to shock everyone to the core. With his feet nted solidly on the ground, heunched himself toward the Guardians like an arrow. ¡°Go to h*ll!¡± The closest Guardian was prepared for the attack, so he clenched his fist tightly and punched at Ye Fan. With a turn of his body, Ye Fan dodged the iing assault and returned a palm. Sounds of ribs cracking reverberated while arcs of blood sttered in the air. Ye Fan''s palm had plunged a hole in the Guardian''s chest. ¡°No!¡± ¡°You b*stard! How dare you kill him?¡± The Guardian with a hole in his chest died immediately, leaving a pool of blood on the ground. The bright red color triggered the remaining Guardians'' rage. They pounced on Ye Fan one after another like hungry wolves. Ye Fan didn''t even dodge them this time. Instead, he punched his fists at them and stomped his foot on the ground, leaving a huge crack. The man looked like the Grim Reaper at that moment. Hand, arm, elbow, and knee. Every part of Ye Fan''s body was the most lethal weapon on Earth. A punch from him crushed a skull, a stomp from him pierced a heart, and a sh of his finger sliced a throat. Blood, screams, severed limbs, and broken arms formed a horrifying miasma. That night, that piece ofnd turned into a scene from hell. Blood and severed limbs fell from the sky like rain. Shrill screams sounded like the thunder amidst the bloody rain. ¡°Stop, you b*stard! Stop! How dare you kill them, you son of a b*tch! How cruel of you! You''re a demon! You''re heartless!¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. The wounded Tang Xian had just gotten on his feet when he saw the bloody scene unfolded. Tang Xian''s heart wrenched in pain at the sight of the Guardians getting ughtered like animals after all the money and resources Chu Sect had poured into their training. With a furious shout, he began to cuss Ye Fan out like a maniac while tears flowed from the corners of his eyes. Ye Fan turned a deaf ear to Tang Xian''s cusses and tore the remaining Guardian apart with his bare hands right in front of Tang Xian. Rip! The Grandmaster was torn in half, and Ye Fan threw his body parts at Tang Xian. The blood from the body drenched the elder''s clothing. ¡°This... This...¡± A dead silence fell. Everyone at the scene was rendered speechless. While Gaius and the rest were staring wide-eyed, the Joneses couldn''t even form a coherent word from the severe shock. Tang Xian slumped to the ground and stared at the broken limbs and torn flesh with horror. ¡°H-Has it ended?¡± After suppressing his trembling to a manageable degree, Gaius asked. Chapter 2031 Chapter 2031 The night wind blew continuously, scattering fallen leaves across the sky. Tang Xian slumped on the ground, dumbfounded as he stared nkly at the hell-like scene in front of him. A few minutes ago, Tang Xian was a mighty man making a great show of strength and bragging about his power over someone''s life. Unexpectedly, a man appeared before Tang Xian and swiftly robbed away all his glory. Furthermore, all the Guardians in ck he had assigned to Chu Sect were dead. One should know that a few years after Ye Fan''s demise, the Chu Sect rose in power and conquered the martial arts world. All around the world, no one dared to harm anyone from the Chu Sect. Although there were a few idiots who dared to offend them, those men had died painful deaths. For some time, the man in the dragon mask kept attacking disciples from Chu Sect. However, Chu Tianqiter caught the man and nearly killed him. Even so, the man in the dragon mask only caused minor damage to Chu Sect. Despite his years of nning, the man in the dragon mask only managed to kill two Grandmasters from Chu Sect. On the other hand, this man before them killed eight of Chu Sect''s Grandmasters effortlessly. Tang Xian''s eyes turned bloodshot as he looked at the blood and corpses everywhere. He gritted his teeth and cursed Ye Fan, ¡°You monster! You... You demon!¡± However, Ye Fan did not respond at all. He did not have to because Bill and his son broke out inughter when they heard Tang Xian scolding Ye Fan. ¡°Tang Xian, you are a scoundrel yourself. Don''t you feel ashamed calling Mr. Chu a demon? No matter how vicious he fought, it was justified self-defense. Everyone he killed was trying to kill him! But what about Angie? What about my dear sister?¡± Michael scolded. Then, he gritted his teeth and trembled with fury as he continued, ¡°What wrong did she do? She was kind and could not even bear to hurt an ant. She has never hurt anyone. Yet, Chu Tianqi and his father cruelly harmed my kind sister. Furthermore, all of you knew the truth but pretended otherwise. You even aided him in oppressing us! If Mr. Chu is a demon for fighting in self-defense, what are you all? I''m afraid you are all worse than beasts!¡± Tang Xian was rendered speechless and could not retort for a while. In the end, Tang Xian said, ¡°You... You and the rest of the Jones family are a bunch of disloyal scoundrels. No matter what the Chu family has done, it is a misunderstanding within Chu Sect. Thus, we should resolve it internally. Furthermore, an outsider is threatening to wipe out Chu Sect. As one of the Three Families of the Chu Sect, how could you not help us? How dare you join this outsider to reprimand me? You bunch of useless scums. How are you going to answer to your ancestor, Mr. Yunyang?¡± Bill was furious to see Tang Xian continue to deny everything. He ignored the pain in his body and lifted a boulder to hurl it at Tang Xian''s head. ¡°B*stard! Do you have no sense of shame? Has dying made you remember that the Jones family is one of the Three Families of the Chu Sect? Why didn''t you remember this when you wanted to wipe us out? D*mn you!¡± Bill was mad with fury. He had never seen such a shameless old b*stard. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. If it weren''t for his severe injuries, Bill would have grabbed a sword and killed Tang Xian by then. It''s okay. Even if I can''t wield a sword, there is someone who can. Therefore, the severely injured Bill immediately turned to beg Ye Fan, ¡°Mr. Chu, Tang Xian is the head of elders in Chu Sect and one of its pirs. He has helped Chu Yuanmit many crimes. Therefore, you must not let go of this old b*stard. You must kill him to prevent more trouble from arising in the future! Furthermore, his death will cause severe damage to Chu Sect''s power!¡± Tang Xian was utterly dumbfounded to see Bill pleading with Ye Fan to kill him. At this point, Ye Fan had not mentioned that he would kill Tang Xian. To his surprise, Bill, who was Tang Xian''s fellow member of the Chu Sect, was already imploring Ye Fan to kill him. ¡°Bill, you useless scum! How dare you betray me? Even your grandfather would have to respect me if he were alive!¡± Tang Xian yelled at Bill. It seemed that Tang Xian still did not wish to die despite suffering an utter defeat. Meanwhile, Ye Fan remained expressionless and ignored the shouting match between Tang Xian and the Jones family members as he came to stand before the former. While he looked down at Tang Xian, he remembered how thetter had led his men to surround and kill Ye Fan as he was retreating from Mount Chumen. Furthermore, Gaius and the others had fallen to Tang Xian and were shackled. ¡°It has been three years, Mr. Tang. When you chased me down Mount Chumen three years ago, did you imagine you would fall under my sword one day?¡± Ye Fan sneered. He extended his hand and grabbed the thin air. Whoosh! Everyone heard the sound of a sword flying through the air. It turned out that the broken sword on the ground had flown into Ye Fan''s hand. It seemed like Ye Fan was ready to end Tang Xian''s life. ¡°You... What do you want? Don''t tell me you dare to kill me! I am the head of elders of the Chu Sect! If you kill me, the rest of Chu Sect will never forgive you, and Old Mr. Chu will find you and tear you to pieces! Furthermore, Ms. Tang will lead the Tang family''s strongest fighters to hunt you to the ends of the earth! Are you sure you want to kill me?¡± Tang Xian began to panic. His face nched, and his voice trembled with terror as he looked at the man standing before him. Initially, Ye Fan was unperturbed by Tang Xian''s threats. However, hearing a name from Tang Xian prompted Ye Fan to lower his sword-wielding hand. ¡°Are you from the Tang family?¡± Ye Fan asked indifferently. Tang Xian nodded. ¡°Yes, ording to my seniority, Ms. Tang has to call me Grandpa. If you kill me, the Tang family will not show you mercy.¡± Tang Xian raised his voice, thinking his threat was working. However, Bill and the others let out snorts ofughter. ¡°Xian, Mr. Chu dares to attack even the Chu Sect. What makes you think he will be scared of the Tang family? I think you have gone senile from old age.¡± ¡°Instead of threatening Mr. Chu with your family, you might as well kneel and beg for his mercy. Perhaps Mr. Chu might decide to be benevolent and spare your life.¡± Gaius and the other onlookers laughed while waiting for Ye Fan to kill Tang Xian. Everyone knew Ye Fan and the Chu Sect were mortal enemies. Furthermore, Tang Xian still stubbornly refused to admit his wrongdoings. Judging from Ye Fan''s temperament, everyone thought he would not show Tang Xian mercy. However, what Ye Fan said next shocked everyone. ¡°You should be thankful that you are a member of the Tang family. Otherwise, you would end up like those Guardians.¡± Ye Fan''s cold voice sounded. Bill and the others were astounded. ¡°Mr... Mr. Chu, are you not going to kill him? That... That is unwise. Tang Xian is among the top ten on the Sky Ranking. You are taking a huge risk by letting him go. He will surely seek revenge in the future!¡± Bill was unwilling to ept Ye Fan''s decision and tried to persuade him. Gaius and the others also felt it was unwise to spare Tang Xian. After all, Tang Xian was among the five most powerful members of the Chu Sect. If Ye Fan let him go, Tang Xian would remain a constant threat as Ye Fan battled against the Chu Sect. Nevertheless, Ye Fan ignored everyone''s advice. He had already decided not to kill Tang Xian for her sake. ¡°Hmph, Chu Tianfan, you are not as stupid as I thought. Don''t worry. If you release me now, I will put in a few good words when Old Master and the others are trying to kill you and tell them to leave your corpse intact.¡± Tang Xian sneered and got up to return to Chu Sect. ¡°Wait a minute. Do you think I''m going to let you walk away?¡± Ye Fan spoke suddenly. ¡°Huh? What else do you want? You have killed all my Guardians. Don''t you think that''s enough?¡± Tang Xian answered furiously. However, Ye Fan shook his head and replied, ¡°They are no doubt dead, but you are still alive. I only said to let you live, but I never agreed to let you cultivate again. Moreover, I am only allowing you to live because of Yun. From now on, you shall live as a cripple so that you won''t harm any more people!¡± What? Chapter 2032 Chapter 2032 ¡°A-Are you trying to incapacitate my powers?¡± When Tang Xian, who thought that the worse was over, heard Ye Fan''s words, he panicked at once. As a martial artist, power was more important to him than his life. After all, no one could ept falling from grace after tasting the glory of being at the top. Naturally, Ye Fan ignored Tang Xian''s question. Raising his palm up high, Ye Fan prepared a decisive strike at Tang Xian''s elixir field. ¡°B*stard! How dare you?¡± Tang Xian''s expression drastically changed as he attempted to flee in fear. Unfortunately, there was no escape for a weakling like him. Just like that, Tang Xian watched helplessly as Ye Fan''s palm bore down on him. Bam! A loud rumble emanated in all directions. Just like a cannonball, Tang Xian was sent flying thousands of meters away. Blood was sttered everywhere along his trajectory until he finally came crashing onto the ground. Nevertheless, Ye Fan didn''t stop as he began concentrating the power of Invoke the Celestial Sky. With his Qi culminated within his palm, heunched a palm strike right at the center of Tang Xian''s head. Thetter trembled for a fleeting moment before spewing a fountain of blood. At the same time, the Qi that Ye Fan had unleashed into Tang Xian''s body rushed through his veins like a stampede of wild horses. Wailing in agony, Tang Xian copsed onto the ground with his body contorting violently. He felt as if every single vein in his body was being engulfed in a raging inferno while his elixir field was on the brink of an explosion. It wasn''t until a long time had passed before he finally calmed down. However, he had lost the previous gravitas he possessed as the head of elders of the Chu Sect. With all his hair turned white, he looked as if he had one foot in the grave. His haggard old face was no different from a shriveled bark of a tree. Having lost his glorious aura, all that was left of him was a pathetic sight. Tang Xian, stripped of his powers, was nothing but a pitiful old man. ¡°K-Kill me... K-Kill me, please.¡± A weak and croaky voice rang out. After losing his strength, Tang Xian could barely manage to speak. He was like a tiger that had its fangs pulled out. Ye Fan looked down at him. ¡°I told you before that I wouldn''t kill you, in part to keep my promise to Yun. Furthermore, I want you to see for yourself how your precious Chu Sect is crushed by my hands,¡± Ye Fan remarked in mncholy, just like the nostalgic ring of an ancient bell. Covered in blood and filled with dejection, Tang Xian shed tears in the face of Ye Fan''s overbearing presence. All of a sudden, Bill''s words echoed in his ear. Bill had told him that the Chu Sect would one day fall to Chu Tianfan. Even though three families formed the Chu sect, the person standing right in front of him was all that it took to destroy it. With a long bang, Tang Xian, who had his elixir field incapacitated and veins severed, copsed onto the ground and lost consciousness. With the fall of Tang Xian, the battle that day had undoubtedlye to an end. Subsequently, peace returned to thend. ¡°Hahaha... Tang Xian, oh Tang Xian, due to your ego, you have never shown me, Bill, and the Jones family any respect. Furthermore, you even wanted to wipe my family out today, but how did that work out? You ended up dying right in front of my eyes. Hahaha... God is fair and smiling on the Jones family!¡± Behind him, Bill''s maniacalugh suddenly rang out. From the way he behaved, Bill seemed to have assumed that the unconscious Tang Xian was dead. However, the crowd, as if by tacit understanding, didn''t correct his misconception, for they were aware that he was on hisst legs. As the head of one of the Three Families of the Chu Sect, he was about to reach the end of his life. Therefore, it would be better for him to wee the eternal darkness in joy. ¡°Father, don''t die. You have to live...¡± Nheless, Michael was filled with sorrow. He had lost his mother when he was young, while his sister was still in aa. And now, the father he had relied upon his entire life was about to leave him. The greatest pain a man could ever suffer was watching those closest to him leave one by one. Unable to ept reality, Michael turned to Ye Fan. Groveling before thetter, Michael pleaded in tears, ¡°Mr. Chu, please save my father. I beg of you. I know that my father has made a mistake and caused you a lot of grief. However, it was all my fault, and I''m willing to die in exchange for his life.¡± Michael wailed in agony. No one had expected to see the scion of one of the most prominent families crying out loud like a child. Moved by the pitiful sight, Gaius and the others pleaded on Bill''s behalf. ¡°Master, over the years, Bill''s protection was the only reason we have survived. Otherwise, we would have long been killed by the men from Chu Sect and wouldn''t have been able to wait for your return.¡± ¡°That''s right, Master. We are indebted to Bill.¡± Gaius, Owen, and the others appealed one by one. Without saying a word, Ye Fan nced at Bill before walking over. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Delighted by the sight, Michael prostrated in gratitude, for he knew that Ye Fan had implicitly agreed to save his father. Unfortunately, after taking a look at Bill''s wounds, Ye Fan grimly shook his head. ¡°It''s toote. His life essence has run out. Even God can''t save him now,¡± Ye Fan remarked in an emotionless tone. His words were as good as dering Bill''s death. As if he was struck by lightning, Michael slumped to the ground in shock. ¡°H-How can that be? Mr. Chu, I beg of you... Given how powerful you are, there must be something you can do, even if it means just giving him another year.¡± Michael refused to give up, as he had yet to get married and have a grandson to show his father. On top of that, Angie remained in aa. Thus, if his father were to leave him, regret would fill the rest of his life. ¡°It''s useless. If he hadn''t used the Forbidden Blood Technique, I would still have been able to extend his life for a few more years. But now, his condition is beyond me,¡± Ye Fan remarked with a pessimistic shake of his head before walking away. Gaius and the others, in turn, let out sighs before leaving the scene. After all, it was Bill''sst moments in the world, and they had to respectfully give the father and son their privacy. ¡°M-Mr. Chu...¡± Bill, cognizant that his death was near, called out all of a sudden. When Ye Fan turned to look at him, he continued, ¡°M-Mr. Chu, I-I''m sorry for everything back then.¡± ¡°Let the past stay in the past. There''s no need to bring it up,¡± Ye Fan inly replied. Nevertheless, Bill continued, ¡°M-Mr. Chu, as the Jones family has wronged you, I-I have no audacity to ask anything of you. However, A-Angie is a truly pitiful child. I-If you don''t mind me imposing, p-please help me take care of that silly daughter of mine. A-As her feelings for you are strong, p-please keep her by your side and l-let her be your woman. B-But if you have no desire for her, d-do find a good man to protect her on my behalf for the rest of her life.¡± In the midst of Bill''sst words, Michael''s tears fell like the rain. Ye Fan nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°I would have done the same without you asking. Even though Angie isn''t rted to me by blood, she is closer than family. Don''t you worry. I''ll heal her and also protect her for the rest of her life.¡± Chapter 2033 Chapter 2033 ¡°T-Thank you, Mr. Chu. In that case, I-I can die without regrets.¡± After hearing Ye Fan''s promise, Bill''sst concerns were finally ayed. Breaking into a smile, he expressed his gratitude to Ye Fan. Standing beside them, Michael had been reduced to a puddle of tears after hearing his father''s words. ¡°Father, d-don''t die. Angie and I can''t bear to lose you.¡± Michael could feel his heart shatter as he watched his father''s consciousness gradually fade away. Nheless, Bill was filled with anticipation while leaving his son his will. ¡°Heir to the Jones family, Michael Jones, heed my words... From this moment on, you will officially take over as the head of the family. Also, y-you will join the Dragon God Hall and pledge your allegiance to Mr. Chu. A-Anyone within the family who does anything that goes against the interest of Mr. Chu will be disowned. D-Do you understand?¡± With the authority as the head of the Jones family, Bill gave his final order to Michael. Teary-eyed, Michael agreed to leave the Chu Sect and join Ye Fan, eliciting an approving smile from Bill. ¡°M-Michael, the Jones family is now in your hands. As for the path ahead, y-you''ll have to learn to walk it alone.¡± Bill''s voice was so weak that it was barely audible. Evidently, his time was almost up. After leaving hisst words with Michael, Bill stopped speaking. Instead, he adjusted his body before crawling up to Angie''s side. Using thest ounce of his strength, he hugged his beloved daughter before breathing hisst. ¡°Father!¡± Michael let out an agonizing scream the moment Bill copsed. Tears flowed from his eyes like water from a burst dam. He was well aware that the shield which protected him his entire life was no longer there. From that day onward, he had to stand on his own two feet and be the shield that protected the rest of the Jones family. ¡°D*mn the Chu Sect. How many more deaths do they want to cause?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. As one of the heads of the Three Families of the Chu Sect, Bill was considered a giant in the martial arts world. With his passing, Gaius and the others couldn''t help but mourn, as it was Bill who sheltered them in their greatest time of need. With that, they paid their respect by bowing three times to his body. ¡°Master, where should we go after this? Are we returning to China?¡± Gaius inquired. Now that Bill was dead and Chu Yuan wasn''t at Mount Chumen, Gaius and the rest felt the urgency to return to China and defend Jiangdong. However, Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°There''s no hurry to go back to China, for I have put countermeasures in ce. For the time being, the Chu Sect is helpless against my old friends in Jiangdong. Instead, I''ll remove the shackles from you first and help you recover yourbat ability. Once you''ve fully recovered from your injuries, I have something to give all of you.¡± Ye Fan''s ns for their next move was already decided. Walking up to them, he broke the supposedly unbreakable chains with a casual palm strike. The ease with which he did so blew their minds, as the shackles had been forged by Chu Sect to specifically restrain them. Even Bill, who was a Supreme, was unable to break the shackles despite hacking them with his treasured family sword. ¡°F*ck, we''re finally free after being imprisoned for three years!¡± ¡°This feels great!¡± Gaius and the others were relieved to be free from their chains. In fact, they never felt better. ¡°All right now, you have plenty of time to relish your freedomter. As for now, follow me,¡± Ye Fan urged. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Where else?¡± Ye Fan threw the half-dead Tang Xian a nce and sneered. ¡°Let''s send this head of elders back to the Tang family. After that, we''ll pay the Chu family a visit. After all, the blood of the Chu family still flows within me.¡± With a grave expression on his face, the words rolled off Ye Fan''s tongue in a frosty tone. Two years had passed since hisst visit to the Chu residence. Back then, the Chu family had promised to travel to China and apologize to his mother. In the end, not only did they go back on their word, but they also caused Angie harm. And now, some time had passed since the event. Even though Chu Yuan and the others were no longer at the Chu residence, many of the elders of the Chu family still lived there, some of which Ye Fan was acquainted. After all, Ye Fan did spend a few years in the Chu residence, however humiliating it was. ¡°What about them?¡± Gaius pointed at the survivors of the Jones family. Ye Fan pondered for a moment. ¡°We''ll send them back before heading to Mount Chumen.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Gaius and the rest acknowledged. Just like that, Gaius dragged Tang Xian''s body while Owen carried Bill''s on his back. As for the others, they helped support Michael and the rest of the Jones family members who were injured. Meanwhile, Ye Fan personally carried Angie back. Despite remaining in aa for thest two years, her exquisite features remain just as beautiful as before. After Angie''s eyes were removed, Junie had given everything she had to preserve Angie''s life as her Jade Eyes had long been amalgamated together with her. When the Chu family extracted her eyes by force, they inevitably dealt her grievous harm. If it weren''t for Junie''s extraordinary medical skills, Angie would never have survived the ordeal. Since it wasn''t sustainable for her to remain in aa indefinitely, Ye Fan was nning to find a way to cure her once he had exacted revenge on the Chu Sect. Soon, they returned to the Jones family. After burying Bill with his deceased family members, Ye Fan examined Michael''s injuries before leaving. Dragging Tang Xian along, Ye Fan set off for Mount Chumen. Michael had wanted to go along with them. Even though he wasn''t going to be of much help, he still wanted the satisfaction of watching the Chu Sect being defeated at the hands of Ye Fan. Unfortunately, his grievous injuries only allowed him to be with them in spirit. Since he still needed to take care of Angie, all he could do was watch Ye Fan and his men''s leaving silhouettes as they left for Mount Chumen. That night, Mount Chumen was exceptionally quiet. The guards at the entrance were enjoying a casual drink. ¡°Other than the two heads and the head of elders who have gone out, the senior leaders have also left. It sure feels great to have no one to boss us around. We can now drink in peace, hahaha!¡± The brawny menughed smugly. ¡°All right now, don''t drink too much. With our best warriors out, I''m worried that our enemies might take advantage of the situation to attack our base,¡± one of the senior guards expressed his concern. ¡°What the f*ck are you afraid of? The martial artsmunities around the world are in a mess. Since they have trouble protecting themselves, why would theye and attack us? Besides, the Chu Sect alone is strong enough to take them on even if theybine their strengths. Therefore, who in their right mind would dare challenge us? Only that brazen idiot, Chu Tianfan, would have the gall to do something like that. And where did itnd him? The grass on his grave is probably as tall as I am now,¡± the man gloated while taking another sip of wine. When they heard sudden footsteps, the guards assumed that the head of the elders had returned. As the intruders approached, the guards immediately realized they didn''t belong to the Chu Sect. ¡°Who''s there? How dare you cause trouble sote at night? Do you have a death wish? Dere your identity at once!¡± the guard barked arrogantly. The young man in their lead threw the guards a nce before announcing his name, ¡°I''m Chu Tianfan, and I''ve returned to the Chu Sect.¡± What? C-Chu Tianfan? The guards peed their pants on the spot. Chapter 2034 Chapter 2034 ¡°You''re bullsh*tting me, aren''t you? Chu Tianfan? Screw you!¡± Even though many years had passed, the guards at the Chu Sect still jumped a little when they heard Chu Tianfan''s name. It did not matter that they knew the other party was bluffing. To those at the Chu Sect, their fear of Chu Tianfan had seeped into their bones. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°You don''t believe me?¡± Ye Fan and the others were not upset with the insignificant members of the sect. On the contrary, Gaius and Owen exchanged looks before bursting intoughter. They were like gods who had descended into the mortal realm to be amused. ¡°I''ll be damned if I believe a word you said! Now scram! Back then, Chu Tianfan was the number one Supreme in the Sky Ranking. Now you expect me to believe that a brat like you is him? On top of that, Chu Tianfan is already dead! How can a dead man be standing here talking to us? What? Did the man crawl out of his grave?¡± The guards at the foot of Mount Chumen got upset and cursed at Ye Fan and the others, telling them to get lost. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Gaius, along with the others,ughed out loud once again. The men seemed utterly nonchnt as they let out their heartyughter. Back then, going up against the Chu Sect was like walking on thin ice. Hence, none of them had expected that they would revisit the sect yearster with such confidence. After all, those who could put up a fight were not around to defend the sect. Even the head of elders, the only one watching over the Chu Sect, had already been beaten to a pulp by Ye Fan. ¡°What are youughing at? Get out of our sight now! Do you have a death wish or something? If you don''t leave now, I''ll have no choice but to¡ªM-Mr. Tang?¡± Enraged by Gaius and the others, the guards had rolled up their sleeves and were about to get physical when Gaius sent an unconscious elderly man their way with a kick. The man, weighing more than a hundred pounds,nded on the ground with a loud thud. After getting a good look at the unconscious elderly, the sect members widened their eyes so much that their eyeballs almost dropped out. ¡°H-How is this possible? Mr. Tang is one of the top ten most powerful Supreme in the Sky Ranking. Who on earth can even hurt him? C-Could it be...¡± As though they had realized something, the guards turned to stare fearfully at the person who had imed to be Chu Tianfan. At that moment, an insane thought shed through their minds. ¡°C-Could it be... A-Are you really Chu Tianfan?¡± Fear-stricken, the guards started muttering to themselves. Ye Fan and the others did not respond to the guards. Instead, theyughed while dragging Tang Xian behind them as they strolled through the gate to Mount Chumen. At that point, none of the guards dared to stop Ye Fan and hispanions. After all, even Tang Xian, the head of elders, had been defeated. The guards were convinced that they would not make a difference even if they were to sacrifice themselves. We''ll just be cannon fodder! After watching Ye Fan and the others disappear from sight, they finally caved. The guards copsed to the ground as courage drained from them. ¡°God... T-The devil really has returned, hasn''t he?¡± Even though Chu Tianfan had disappeared for three years, the legend of him was still alive and well on Mount Chumen. After all, for nearly a thousand years since the Chu Sect was founded, they had only been chased up the mountain once, and it was the work of one person. That person was none other than Chu Tianfan. Even though not everyone in the sect had seen Ye Fan, they had heard of the name Chu Tianfan. Naturally, when Chu Tianfan revisited the Chu Sect, the sect members thought they had seen a ghost. Just like that, Ye Fan and hispanion sauntered onto Mount Chumen, for he was already more than familiar with the ce. First, he went to the Tangs and threw Tang Xian before the family. ¡°Grandpa!¡± ¡°Granduncle!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Who did this to you?¡± ¡°Who are you people?¡± ¡°Who the heck are you?¡± The Tangs were having breakfast when Ye Fan and the others arrived. When Tang Xian was thrown before them, the Tangs were aghast. However, that did not bother Ye Fan, who immediately turned around and was ready to leave after delivering the elderly man. ¡°Hold it right there! You''re not a member of the Chu Sect, are you? You''re not leaving until you exin everything!¡± The strong men of the family quickly surrounded Ye Fan. With a brush of his sleeve, Ye Fan sent the men flying, and they vomited blood. ¡°Haha! Do you think you weaklings are a match for the Dragon Master? If it weren''t for a certain someone, he would''ve wiped out your entire family!¡± Nobody knew the reason behind Ye Fan''s mercy toward the Tangs, but Gaius had a pretty good idea why. After all, Gaius had experienced the war in the rainforest first-hand all those years ago. The man had been suspicious of the rtionship between Ye Fan and Tang Yun for a while. And what happened afterward only confirmed his suspicion. ¡°Huh? What do you mean, Gaius? Care to exin?¡± Even though Owen and the others were not nosy by nature, they were curious about matters regarding the Dragon Master. In response, Gaius simply chuckled. ¡°My lips are sealed...¡± Ye Fan red at the man in annoyance before turning away. Before leaving, he reminded the Tangs, ¡°If you don''t want the old man to die, you''d better get him treated soon.¡± With that, Ye Fan led his group away, leaving the Tangs panicking and confused. ¡°I remember now. Those people... They''re the b*stards from the Dragon God Hall!¡± Suddenly, one of the Tangs gasped in realization. A few of them had participated in the interrogation of Gaius and the others. ¡°Dragon Master?¡± ¡°One of those b*stards called that young man Dragon Master. Does that mean h-he''s the head of the Dragon God Hall, Chu Tianfan?¡± ¡°How is that possible? It can''t be!¡± When the thought spread, the Tangs almost lost their minds. However, they quickly denied the truth not long after. ¡°He''s awake! Grandpa''s awake!¡± shouted someone in the family suddenly. The Tangs hurried over to surround Tang Xian, who had already regained consciousness. After realizing where he was, Tang Xian immediately ordered, ¡°Q-Quickly! Inform Old Master that... C- Chu Tianfan''s returned...¡± What? As if struck by lightning, the Tangs froze in ce like statues. They were so shocked that their pupils immediately dted. That was actually Chu Tianfan? After leaving the Tang residence, Ye Fan led Gaius and the others along the mountain path toward the heights. He only stopped when he reached a manor. A huge que with the inscription ¡°The Chu Residence¡± was at the gate. Ye Fan paused for a long while there, so Gaius and the others kept unusually quiet. They knew that the ce they were looking at was of great significance to the Dragon Master. After the long silence, Ye Fan began to move forward and enter the Chu residence. Even though Ye Fan had been kicked out of the Chu family back then like some kind of unwanted pet, he remained true to himself. He had finally returned to the Chu residence and was determined to enter the house with his head held high. No one can stop me now. ¡°Hahaha! I bet you condescending Chus didn''t expect to see Chu Tianfan return!¡± shouted Gaius beforeughing heartily. Owen, standing just beside Gaius, immediately pped the man in the face. ¡°What does the Dragon Master''s homing have to do with you? What the heck were you shouting for?¡± ¡°I was just excited for the man,¡± responded Gaius with a chuckle. Chapter 2035 Chapter 2035 Instead of responding to Gaius'' jesting, Ye Fan simply entered the house he both missed and hated. To the others, Ye Fan walking around the house felt like a victoryp. However, only the man himself knew how much hardship he had had to endure to get from Jiangdong to the Chu residence. Hence, Ye Fan was not ted like Gaius and the others. When he stepped onto the property once again, his heart was heavy. ¡°Hold it right there! Who are you? What are you doing here? How dare you trespass the Chu residence!¡± Like what had happened at the Tangs'', Ye Fan and hispanions got stopped by the guards not long after they entered the ce. Ye Fan nced at the guards before stating calmly, ¡°I''m the abandoned child of the Chus, Chu Tianfan. After much hardship, I''m finally home.¡± The man''s voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the entire residence, rming everyone in the Chu family. ¡°What? Chu Tianfan?¡± ¡°Who''s talking nonsense?¡± ¡°I think the voice came from the door.¡± Nearly a thousand members of the family rushed out of their rooms and gathered at the entrance of the manor. At first, not many Chus remembered the name ¡°Chu Tianfan.¡± After all, the man was just an inconspicuous illegitimate child among the countless descendants of the family whoter got kicked out. No one would care about a nobody like that. However, the Chus remembered him because someone named Chu Tianfan had nearly obliterated the Chu Sect years ago. Not only did Chu Tianfan make himself known to everyone in the sect, but he also engraved his name into the memories of the women, elderly, and children of the Chu family. It had been almost three years, which was around a thousand days, since Ye Fan''s downfall, so people had stopped mentioning his name. However, the Chus were still shocked when they heard it once again. Even though they were convinced that whoever had imed to be Chu Tianfan was bluffing, most of the Chus hurried over out of curiosity anyway. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°Who was it who imed to be Chu Tianfan just now? Do they have a death wish? Don''t they know that name is forbidden in the sect?¡± Many of the Chus got unusually upset after hearing the name, so they cursed while searching for the person who seemingly had a death wish. The ce fell into chaos before long. Suddenly, the crowd parted, giving way to an elderly man apanied by a handful of people. ¡°It''s Grandpa Shen. He''s here!¡± Besides Chu Yuan, Chu Shen was the most high-ranking member of the Chu family then. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. The elderly man mostly kept to himself, so he rarely handled family affairs personally. However, since most of the family leaders had left to lead the sect army to war, the burden had temporarily fallen on Chu Shen''s shoulders. ¡°Who was the one talking nonsense just now? Show yourself! You must be in a hurry to go to hell!¡± roared Chu Shen with a stern face, his deep voice resounding throughout the ce. At that moment, everyone was sure that things would escte. All the Chus turned to look at the group near the door with pity. ¡°What''s wrong with saying my own name, Grandpa Shen? Is that nonsense?¡± Just when everybody was waiting for someone to apologize and beg for mercy, they heard a soft chuckle. After many years, Ye Fan had finally shown his handsome face once again to the Chus. ¡°I-It''s you!¡± For a moment, the entire world seemed to be muted. As if someone had paused time, the scene fell dead silent. Every member of the Chu family had their eyes widened in shock, including Chu Shen, who trembled all over as his pupils contracted. ¡°C-Chu Tianfan? Y-You''re alive? H-How is this possible?¡± Chu Shen was shaking so much that he nearly copsed to the ground. As for the other Chus, they were just as terrified, if not more. Their faces were as pale as a sheet. In response to Chu Shen''s and the others'' questions, Ye Fan simply smiled. ¡°I know, right? I have no idea why I didn''t die back then either. Maybe fate decided that it wasn''t done with me just yet; maybe Mr. Yunyang didn''t appreciate how you all dishonored our family with your despicable actions, so he gave me a chance to do something about it,¡± stated Ye Fan nonchntly with a chuckle. The Chus immediately despaired after listening to the man. It''s him! It''s really Chu Tianfan! He''s returned to exact revenge on us! ¡°H-Hurry! Go to the Tangs now and get Mr. Tang over here!¡± ordered Chu Shen, who was so fear- stricken that the color had drained from him as his lips trembled uncontrobly. When Owen, Gaius, and the others heard Chu Shen, they cackled. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Do you seriously think that man can help you?¡± ¡°Not even God himself can save you now!¡± ¡°Master has already beaten Tang Xian to a pulp!¡± ¡°You can cry for help all you want, but you won''t get any.¡± Gaius and the others then continued tough at the Chus. For the longest time, the Chu Sect had given them hell and had made death seem like mercy. Naturally, Gaius and hispanions were d to see the Chus suffer as they did, and their cackling only served to deepen the family''s despair. Tang Xian, ranked top ten in the Sky Ranking, was the most powerful sect member the Chus had with them then. Since the man was already taken care of, the family was at Ye Fan''s mercy. ¡°Quickly! Let''s get in formation and kill this b*stard! Since he didn''t dare toe here when Chu Yuan was around, I''m sure he''s not as powerful as he used to be. If we work together, we might just be able to kill him!¡± Knowing it would be futile to seek help, Chu Shen decided to take matters into his own hands. The man then summoned all the capable family members and had them surround Ye Fan with the intention to kill. ¡°The Chu''s Unrivaled Punch!¡± ¡°Demonic sh!¡± ¡°Cloud Sun Immortal Army!¡± A fierce battle broke out in an instant. No matter weak or strong, young or old, the Chus were surprisingly united when it came to fighting Ye Fan. Everyone unleashed their skills in a well-organized formation. Like wolves charging at their prey, the Chus were ready to give Ye Fan everything they got. However, the man did not seem bothered by the organized assault at all. With a single palm strike, Ye Fan was able to unleash an incredible amount of power and neutralize all his enemies as if he was effortlessly knocking down a sand castle. Like a ss shattering upon impact, the Chus'' formation was easily broken. Then, they were sent flying with blood spraying from their mouths. All that took was one hit, and just like that, Ye Fan had defeated the mightiest and proudest family of his generation. The man who used to be an illegitimate child had be a king. The poor boy who was expelled from the Chu family back then had be their undoing. After shattering the Chus'' hope of defeating him, Ye Fan sneered at the family with his chest puffed out. ¡°Kneel before me, you insects!¡± roared Ye Fan in a voice as loud as thunder. The entire Mount Chumen shook violently after Ye Fan''s bellow, causingndslides and earthquakes. As for the Chus, Ye Fan''smanding words had immediately forced them to their knees. Chapter 2036 Chapter 2036 ¡°Y-You b*stard!¡± ¡°You betrayed your own people, and now you''re bullying us!¡± ¡°How dare you make us kneel before you!¡± ¡°Chu Yuan will never let you get away with this!¡± Mount Chumen was filled with the Chus'' curses andints. Yet, because of Ye Fan''s assertive voice that echoed throughout the ce, the family was forced to bend their knees reluctantly. At that moment, they felt nothing but shame and anger. All those outside the Chu residence had quickly headed to the ce when they heard themotion, including the Tangs. They had sent arge group of fighters to chase down the man after figuring out Ye Fan''s identity. As a result, arge number of warriors had already gathered outside the residence. However, after discovering that the man was Chu Tianfan, the mighty fighter who had bested Chu Zhengliang on Mount Chumen, none dared to challenge him. The group simply cowered at the gate and watched the Chus suffer from afar. That could not be helped since Ye Fan was too powerful, and none of them wished to die, certainly not for the Chus. On top of that, they thought it was best for outsiders like them to stay out of the Chus'' business. Naturally, with so many people looking at them, the Chus felt even more humiliated. They had always been well-respected because of the Chu Sect. However, because of Ye Fan, they had been forced to get on their knees. Never had the family been so humiliated since the day they established their n. In order to save face, Chu Shen and the others had no choice but to keep cursing and threatening the man. Ye Fan knew there was only one way to deal with those who remained stubborn in the face of death¡ªa good smacking! p! p! p! The man started smacking the Chus like a madman. Whoever was the loudest would be sent flying the farthest. Chu Shen and a few other Chus ended up with swollen faces and mouths full of broken teeth. There was blood all over the ce. After the violent smacking, the Chu residence quickly fell silent. Every member of the family kept their heads down timidly and dared not utter another word. Looking at the Chus, Ye Fan approached them with however much he could remember about them. The first person he went to was Chu Shen. At that point, the elderly man was already severely injured. All he could do was lie on the ground and turn his bloodied face toward Ye Fan, who sat down beside him. ¡°This could''ve been avoided, Grandpa Shen. I didn''t want to get physical, you know? After all, those who can actually fight aren''t among you now. If anything, you''re just making me look like a bully. I didn''t appreciate what you lot said just now, though. Your words reminded me of what happened when I was little. Do you remember how I sneaked into your room for the cake? After you caught me, you had me beaten until my skin was torn apart. You called me a bastard and said that I shouldn''t be living under the same roof as you. You even made it clear that you''d rather feed the cake to the dogs than me. To you, I was less than a mutt. Grandpa Shen, I wonder if you''ve ever thought you''d see this day. Have you ever expected that you''d end up this way?¡± Ye Fan simply sat there as he casually talked about the past. Chu Shen, whose face had already turned bright red, remained silent while Ye Fan continued to humiliate him. ¡°And you! I remember you. I should call you Aunt, right? Back when I was still living at the Chu residence with my mother, your room wasn''t far from ours. I remember you had arge Tibetan mastiff. You always deliberately let the dog out so it could attack us because that was fun for you. Once, I got a chicken drumstick from Angie and went home with it. You let the dog out, and it immediately came after me. As soon as my mother saw that, she pulled me into her arms and shielded me with her body, so the dog started tearing the flesh off her back. Even now, her back is still covered with scars. It''s been so many years since. I wonder if that dog of yours is still around, Aunt,¡± uttered Ye Fan calmly with a smile. He did not remember much about his childhood, but there were certain incidents and people that he would never forget. ¡°D*mn you, woman!¡± ¡°What a ruthless b*tch!¡± ¡°Who lets a dog out to attack people for fun?¡± ¡°Maniac!¡± ¡°Master was just a child then. He had no one but his mother, yet you had no problem bullying someone like that!¡± Unlike Ye Fan, Gaius and the others were furious when they heard what had been done to the Dragon Master. Tibetan mastiffs are ferocious dogs that are usuallyrger than wolves. How is letting a dog like that attack someone just for fun any different from murder? Enraged, Gaius and hispanions stepped forward and kicked the woman to teach her a lesson. They also suggested throwing her into a cage full of tigers so she would know what it was like to have her flesh torn off. ¡°Forget it. That was years ago. I just want to talk to them about the past. If I were anything like them, they''d all be dead by now.¡± Ye Fan gestured for the others to back off, for he was not there for revenge. When one''s at the top, many things be trivial. I couldn''t care less about petty squabbles. Just like that, Ye Fan continued to talk to the Chus he knew while the others remained kneeling. Then, he walked around alone inside the manor and visited the ce where he and his mother had used to stay before paying his respects to Chu Yunyang. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. At first, Ye Fan thought the cabin where he and his mother had used to live was already gone. However, when he looked for the cabin, he was surprised to find it exactly where it used to be all those years ago. Unexpectedly, the cabin was not covered in dust nor surrounded by weeds. It was as if someone had been staying there and keeping it clean and tidy. Feeling curious, Ye Fan opened the door to enter the cabin and was immediately stunned when he saw what it was like inside. The furnishings and items in the cabin were kept exactly the way he remembered. Everything from his scribbling on the wall and his mother''s cross stitches to his notebooks on the table remained where they were years ago. At that moment, Ye Fan froze in ce like a statue. He felt as though he had traveled back in time and returned to his childhood. Everything around him was so familiar that it was hard to believe he and his mother had left that ce. ¡°How is this possible? How is it that nothing changed here? Even if nobody had stepped inside, this ce would''ve been covered in dust and cobwebs. Somebody must''ve been keeping it clean. Could it be Han?¡± Ye Fan suspected that it was the butler but then changed his mind. Han''s been hiding from the Chus. A careful man like him will never risk exposing his identity to do this. Since nobody else has any reason to do this, there''s only one exnation. Chu Zhenghong is the one who''s been cleaning the cabin and ensuring it stays the way it is! With that thought in mind, Ye Fan suddenly shuddered. As though something inside of him had cracked open, the man''s eyes began to well up. At that point, the hate he had bottled up deep inside dissipated almost entirely. It seems that Chu Zhenghong cares about Mother and me after all. Everyone expresses love in their own way, so maybe this is his way of doing it. Still, why didn''t he look for us in the past ten years? Why didn''t he do anything when Mother and I suffered back then? Ye Fan had a lot of questions but no answers. The man then stayed in the cabin and drank some wine until sunset before leaving the ce filled with memories of him and his mother. With the wine bottle in hand, Ye Fan climbed to the top of Mount Chumen, where the air was cold and the wind unforgiving. Still clinging to life, Chu Zhengliang remained where Ye Fan had left him. Chapter 2037 Chapter 2037 Chu Zhengliang was shocked when he saw Ye Fan. With his shriveled eyes widened, the fragile man began to tremble violently. ¡°Y-Y-You...¡± As much as he wanted to speak, all Chu Zhengliang managed to do was repeat the same word over and over again. Either he was too surprised, or all the years of suffering had cost him his ability to converse. ¡°It''s been a while, Uncle Liang. I''vee to spend some time with you.¡± Ye Fan then sat beside Chu Zhengliang with the bottle of wine. Having not seen Chu Zhengliang for a few years, Ye Fan looked at his uncle and realized that the man was no longermanding nor burly. Chu Zhengliang had already be frail due to his age. ¡°Y-You...¡± The weak man refused to give up. Hence, Ye Fan advised Chu Zhengliang to calm down. ¡°I know what you''re trying to say, Uncle Liang. You want to know how I''m still alive, right? You''re probably wondering if you''re seeing a ghost. Don''t worry because I''m going to tell you everything. As you can see, I''m alive and well. Because of what the Chu Sect did to me, I wanted to end myself. Do you know who saved me in the end? Your brother. He took me in and kept me alive. Now that I''ve fully recovered, I came back for you lot,¡± exined Ye Fan casually as if he was reminiscing about his past. Naturally, Chu Zhengliang was shocked once again after listening to Ye Fan, for he did not think that his brother, Chu Zhenghong, would still be alive. ¡°I have nothing against you, Uncle Liang. Back when I visited the Chu Sect, I didn''t make any other requests. I simply wanted justice in the form of an apology. However, you guys refused to even give me that. You left me no choice but to get physical. I just needed to be violent until I get an apology. After all, blood is thicker than water. Your brother is my father, so that makes us family. Still, you should never have treated Angie the way you did, Uncle Liang,¡± added Ye Fan. With his face suddenly hardened, the man took a sip of his wine before continuing, ¡°Angie was so young, yet you did it anyway. Don''t you feel guilty about that? If you didn''t harm Angie back then, why would I imprison you on Mount Chumen to make you suffer?¡± After shaking his head with a chuckle, Ye Fan went on, ¡°Did you think that old b*stard, Chu Yuan, would save you then? You thought wrong. The sealing technique I used is Celestial Magic, which was recorded in the Book of Celestial Cloud. No matter how powerful Chu Yuan is, he''s still just a regr human being, so there''s no way he can save you from this sealing technique. Heck, even I can''t do anything about it now.¡± The chilly breeze continued to blow on the top of Mount Chumen as Ye Fan talked to Chu Zhengliang like a general who had conquered a foreign country, reminiscing about the war of the past with his old rival. That went on for a while until Ye Fan finished his wine. Only then did he stand up, ready to leave. ¡°That''s enough chatting for today. I''m going to visit the forbidden grounds. After isting himself in that ce for many years, Chu Yuan reached the god realm when he emerged from there. I wonder what''s on the forbidden grounds. See youter, Uncle Liang. And don''t worry because I won''t keep you here alone for long. Soon, I''ll have you reunited with your son here. After what he took from Angie, I think this sounds reasonable, don''t you think so?¡± questioned Ye Fan rhetorically with a smirk. When he heard about his son, the speechless Chu Zhengliang finally broke his silence and let out a burst of scornfulughter. ¡°Do you think you can touch my son, Chu Tianfan? What a joke! He''s already mastered the Jade Eyes, which means he''s now more powerful than ever. Someone who''s already died once like you is no match for him. If I were you, I''d run while I still can. Otherwise, you''ll die an even more gruesome death than me!¡± Chu Zhengliang''s hoarse voice and ear-piercing cackle sounded like the scratching of fingernails on a chalkboard. ¡°Is that so, Uncle Liang? It looks like you''re very confident in your son. I guess we''ll find out soon enough,¡± responded Ye Fan calmly before leaving Chu Zhengliang and the man''s mindless roaring. Ye Fan felt as if he had gotten a lot off his chest when he stepped out of the Chu residence. Undoubtedly, he had made peace with most of his past. If nothing else, Ye Fan knew he had the once high and mighty Chu family under his feet. Of course, that was not enough for the man because he had yet to punish the one responsible for his and his mother''s pain and suffering. Hence, after cking for a day, Ye Fan was ready to start dealing with Chu Yuan and the others. Having left the Chu residence, Ye Fan led Gaius and the rest of the group to the Treasure Pavilion, a ce of importance to the Chu Sect. For hundreds of years, the sect had been keeping almost all the treasures they had gathered from all over the world deep inside the Treasure Pavilion. Ye Fan was not about to leave empty-handed after visiting the sect, which was why he decided to raid the ce. ¡°Hold it right there! This is the Chu Sect property. You''re not allowed to be here without a handwritten permit!¡± Standing guard outside the Treasure Pavilion were eighteen well-trained warriors who were sitting cross-legged on arge stone. They guarded the ce as though they were the Queen''s guards defending the royal pce. In response to those men, Ye Fan simply chuckled. ¡°You want a handwritten permit? My fist will give it to you!¡± The man would rather not waste time, and since Gaius and the others were too injured to fight, he had to take the guards out himself. With his Dragon God Body fully activated, Ye Fan charged at all eighteen of the guards with his iron fists. ¡°This guy has a death wish!¡± After letting out a roar, the guards all cast the iron chains in their hands almost simultaneously. Ye Fan turned sideways to dodge the attack. However, the chains did not fall to the ground after passing by Ye Fan. Instead, they were weaved into a, ready to ensnare the man. Obviously, that was a Comprehensive Array Attack. The guards would have easily subdued a regr Supreme fighter with the move, but unfortunately, they were up against Ye Fan, who also happened to be the once famous Chu Tianfan. Ye Fan was not afraid at all when faced with the Comprehensive Array Attack. With the man''s feet nted firmly on the ground and golden light surging all over his body, it was obvious that his Dragon God Body had already been brought into full y. Ye Fan grabbed the chains with his bare hands and got into a tug-of-war with all eighteen of the guards. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Even though both parties fell into a stalemate, the guards were not ready to give up just yet. With a smack of their hands, the guards all stood up almost simultaneously to add the strength of their legs to pulling the chains. Immediately, the formed with iron chains tightened even more. Thebined power of the guards was like ocean waves crashing on Ye Fan. A coordinated attack of eighteen warriors fighting in unison like that was not something to be trifled with. Even Tang Yun, the head of the Chu Sect, was no match for the eighteen Pavilion Elders'' Comprehensive Array Attack. Gaius and the others were as anxious as they could be when they saw how critical Ye Fan''s situation was, but suddenly, they heard a roar. Then, they noticed a Thunderstripe appear between Ye Fan''s eyebrows as the golden light surrounding him intensified. In just a split second, Ye Fan released an unprecedented amount of energy and blew the guards'' iron chains to smithereens. As for the Pavilion Elders themselves, they were blown away with blood spraying out of their mouths. They all fell violently to the ground and sustained severe injuries. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°That was incredible!¡± Gaius and the others were utterly impressed with Ye Fan. Master was outnumbered but managed to win the fight anyway! It didn''t even have anything to do with skills. He beat the Pavilion Elders with pure energy! Chapter 2038 Chapter 2038 ¡°I''m sorry!¡± Ye Fan said politely while saluting the eighteen elders. Although he held a grudge against the Chu Sect, he didn''t hate everyone in it. At the very least, he didn''t hate the elders standing before him. Ye Fan had once entered the Treasure Pavilion by ident many years ago. The Chu family had nearly beaten him to death when they had caught him doing so. As the eighteen elders had taken pity on him, they had helped reduce his suffering by defending him verbally. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. The elders wiped the blood off the corners of their mouths as they returned to their seats. However, they no longer maintained that icy-cold attitude toward Ye Fan. Instead, their faces were filled with shame and respect. ¡°Hey, kid! If I''m not mistaken, you''re not from the Chu Sect, are you? Judging by your age, I don''t think you''re even thirty! Am I right?¡± asked the eldest and most powerful of the eighteen elders. Ye Fan simply nodded without saying anything. The elders felt even more ashamed when they saw that. ¡°We have not stepped out of Chu Sect''s forbidden grounds for dozens of years. Who would''ve thought a young and talented man as you existed in the martial arts world? If this is the level of skill you possess at such a young age, one can only imagine how terrifyingly powerful you could be in the future. Would you be so kind as to tell us your name? You are the first person to have faced our Inescapable Chain Formation head-on and broken through it.¡± Those in the martial arts world had lots of respect for powerful martial artists. Ye Fan''s strength and skill had impressed them to the core. ¡°I''ll be honest with you all. We actually met a little over ten years ago, and it happened right here as well,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°Oh? We have?¡± The elders all had surprised looks on their faces. ¡°That''s impossible!¡± ¡°We would definitely remember meeting someone as young and talented as you!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± The elders shook their heads as they disagreed with his statement. It wasn''t until Ye Fan brought up the story of the Chu family nearly beating him to death that the elders recalled who he was. ¡°You''re that kid from the Chu family? As in Zhenghong''s son?¡± The elders'' faces were filled with surprise as they looked at Ye Fan, who nodded in response. ¡°How impressive... How very impressive... Who would''ve thought that kid from the Chu family would turn out to be so powerful? The Chu family sure is filled with talents! Chu Zhenghong was really amazing back in the day. Now, they''ve got a new one to take his ce. As expected of the descendants of the Great Emperor. They all have the Great Emperor''s blood running through their veins! By the way, have you returned to your family? Has your grandfather epted you?¡± Although the elders couldn''t care less about the current affairs in the world, they knew a thing or two about Ye Fan because Chu Zhenghong had told them about it before. ¡°ept?¡± Ye Fan shook his head and let out a wry chuckle. ¡°He probably hates me so much that he wants to kill me right now!¡± The elders were all very surprised to hear that. ¡°Howe? Did things get that bad between you and them? Your father oftenes by to chat with us. He always said he''d try to get you and your mother back into the family. Speaking of which, we haven''t seen Zhenghong in many years. We thought he stopped visiting us to spar because he''d reunited with his family and was enjoying a happy life together.¡± Ye Fan trembled slightly when he heard that. ¡°H-Hees here often?¡± ¡°Yeah. Your father was the most gifted martial artist I''ve ever seen. Well, before I met you, of course. It seems you''re just as good as your father, if not better.¡± ¡°Your father has been learning martial arts from us ever since you and your mother were kicked out of the mountain. He achieved the title of Grandmaster in three years and the title of Supreme in five. The speed at which he cultivates is terrifying!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, your father''s heart wasn''t pure enough when cultivating. His mind was filled with lots of distracting and conflicting thoughts. Had that not been the case, your father would''ve attained the god realm long ago. I''m guessing you and your mother are the source of those distracting thoughts.¡± ¡°Poor Zhenghong... He never received the love of his parents when he was young, nor did he have the companionship of his wife and son when he was old. He got so lonely that he''de to talk to us every day. Now that you''re all grown up and ready to start your own family, you should try to be more empathetic toward your father''s situation.¡± ¡°There are many things that one has no control over in life. Zhenghong may not have been the best father, but we can tell that his love for you and your mother is genuine. You probably aren''t aware of this, but he''d go see you two in secret during New Year''s Eve every year.¡± Ye Fan felt a wave of conflicting feelings surging through his heart when he heard what the elders said. I''ve always hated my father the most in life. I thought he was weak and heartless for abandoning me and my mother. However, it seems I might have misunderstood him all along. All those years, he has actually been looking out for us without us knowing. I nted Han deep within the Chu family to help spy on them. Given how smart my father is, it''s possible that he already knew Han works for me and the Dragon God Hall. Maybe he was just pretending not to know it... ¡°All right, that''s enough. We shall refrain frommenting on your family''s affairs any further. Go on in. If you do see your father in the future, please give him a good scolding on our behalf. He hasn''t brought us any wine in many years!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± The eighteen elders burst outughing as they stepped out of Ye Fan''s way and returned to their seats. The Chu Sect''s Treasure Pavilion could only be essed by those with a handwritten permit from the head of the sect and those who defeated the eighteen elders inbat. ¡°Yeah, I will!¡± Ye Fan saluted them once again before entering the Treasure Pavilion. ¡°Wait up, Dragon Master!¡± Gaius, Owen, and the others tried to follow him, but the elders stopped them. ¡°What are you guys doing? I thought you said we could go in?¡± Gaius asked while ring at them. ¡°We only allowed this young man to enter. You guys will have to either obtain a handwritten permit from the head of the Chu Sect or defeat us inbat to gain ess,¡± replied the elder standing in front. Gaius and the others backed off in fear instantly. They knew they weren''t as capable as Ye Fan in defeating the eighteen elders even if they were in their prime, let alone when wounded. ¡°You guys can just wait for me outside. I''ll bring you all some herbs to treat your wounds on my way out!¡± Ye Fan said with a smile. ¡°All right, then.¡± Gaius and the others had no choice but to sit outside and wait for Ye Fan to return. Just like that, Ye Fan stepped into the Treasure Pavilion, which was thousands of years old. The first floor of the Treasure Pavilion was filled with valuable artifacts like ancient calligraphy, historical paintings, and precious antiques. Even the missing beast heads from Yuanming Gardens could be found there. Any of the artifacts stored there could easily shock the entire world. However, Ye Fan had no interest in such things. He went up to the second floor. Chapter 2039 Chapter 2039 Things started getting interesting on the floors above. There were books about secret techniques of martial arts as well as rare herbs and unique weapons. To most people, those were precious items that they would probably never see in life. Ye Fan, however, couldn''t be bothered to even take an interest in them. After all, none of the secret techniques listed there couldpare to the ones in the Book of Celestial Cloud. As for the herbs, he still had plenty of those that Duanmu Wan''er had given him. None of the weapons there felt as wieldypared to the ones Ye Fan had obtained from India, so he had no interest in them whatsoever. ¡°The Chu Sect has been around for thousands of years. Surely, this can''t be the only stuff they have in store? Could it be that Chu Yuan had already taken the more precious ones with him on his campaign?¡± Ye Fan mumbled to himself as he casually strolled around the Treasure Pavilion. Noticing that some of the slots were empty, he figured Chu Yuan must''ve taken the treasures out. This time, the Chu Sect had mobilized almost all of its powerful members. As Chu Yuan clearly wanted to finish things in one go, it was only natural that he would utilize the best weapons stored in the Treasure Pavilion. After touring around the ce, Ye Fan came to a halt on the floor where the herbs were stored. He then handpicked a bunch of herbs that would help with healing. Gaius and the others had damaged their elixir fields through years of abuse, so the herbs were essential to help get them back in fighting shape as soon as possible. The herbs that Duanmu Wan''er had given Ye Fan were incredibly potent, but they were meant to replenish one''s elemental force and had little to no healing properties. As such, Ye Fan had no choice but to get them the herbs himself. Having obtained the herbs he was looking for, Ye Fan was preparing to leave the Treasure Pavilion when he sensed an unusual energy wave in the air. ¡°That''s odd. Why is the elemental force a lot stronger herepared to everywhere else?¡± Ye Fan muttered under his breath as he curiously followed the energy to a corner in Treasure Pavilion. Despite having reached a dead end, Ye Fan could still feel the pure elemental forceing from the walls. It wasn''t very obvious, but Ye Fan sensed something different about this areapared to the others. Eventually, his gaze fell on the tiles beneath his feet. It''sing from underneath! With that in mind, Ye Fan bent over and gave the tiles a light tap. It''s hollow! So, there really is a hidden mechanism underneath! Without further hesitation, Ye Fan removed the tiles from the floor and saw a long passageway where he stood. A huge amount of elemental force came flooding out of the hole in the floor. Hmm... Are there truly valuable treasures hidden inside? Why would they try so hard to keep it hidden otherwise? Feeling curious, Ye Fan cautiously made his way into the hole. The passageway was long, narrow, and dark. After walking through the darkness for quite a long time, Ye Fan finally saw a glimmer of light in front of him. Ye Fan followed the light source and stepped through the opening, only to end up on a wide, grassy in. The grass was luxuriant, and flowers could be seen blooming everywhere. A river flowed beneath his feet, and the sound of birds chirping filled the area. It was like a paradise of some sort. In front of him was a path made of stone that looked as though it would take him straight to heaven. Ye Fan slowly walked along that path until he arrived at a gigantic door. The door waspletely ck and had two dragons carved on each side. The dragons looked as though they were alive and would take off at any moment. On top of that, the body of the door had a creepy pattern carved into it. It looked like words from an unknownnguage. Whatever that pattern was, Ye Fan found it incredibly odd for such a door to be in a ce like this. This looks so strange... What kind of door is this? Ye Fan couldn''t seem to figure it out after examining it thoroughly. The two stone doors stood tall in the middle of a grassy in with nothing else in front or behind them. It was as though someone had stolen those doors and ced them here. Ye Fan tried pushing the door down from the side, but it was nted firmly into the ground. To his surprise, the door refused to budge even after he pushed at it with Dragon God Body. There''s definitely something wrong with this door! Ye Fan frowned at the thought of that. He tried recalling everything he knew about the Chu Sect but found no information about this stone door. Even Great-grandma has never mentioned anything about this to me... Well, whatever. I''ll just ask Great-grandma about it some other time! Unable to find out anything about the door, Ye Fan gave up on examining it further. He was about to leave when his gaze fell upon the two ck dragons on the door. Right as his eyes met those of the two dragons, the strangest thing happened. As if the two dragons had suddenlye to life, their eyes emitted a bright red light that illuminated the surrounding area. Ye Fan''s body was frozen in ce when he saw the red light. The next thing he knew, the look in his eyes had turned lifeless, and his legs had given out beneath him. Thud! Just like that, the Hall Master of the Dragon God Hall was kneeling on the ground like a devout disciple weing his god. A loud rumbling noise tore through the area, and the ground started shaking violently as the tightly shut stone door slowly opened. A blinding white light came pouring through the opening of the door. In his dazed state, Ye Fan could hear a faint, ancient voice calling out to him from within. It was as if the door of fate had just been opened. Ye Fan''s eyes were still lifeless as he got up and slowly stepped forward. Like a moth drawn to a me, he continued walking toward the open door. The ground continued shaking violently as the door opened even more. The blinding white light grew increasingly intense as Ye Fan got closer to the door. Eventually, he arrived right in front of the door and took a step through it. Right as the white light was about to engulf his bodypletely, a green beam of light came out of his chest. The beam shot right up into the sky and went through anything in its path. For some reason, that snapped Ye Fan out of his dazed state, and his eyes were filled with life again. Realizing that half of his body had stepped through the creepy door, Ye Fan quickly backed away in shock. It wasn''t until he put at least a few hundred feet between him and the door that he regained his composure. Boom! As if it had detected Ye Fan''s absence, the open stone door mmed itself shut all of a sudden. With the blinding white light gone, the surrounding went back to their calm state. It was almost as if Ye Fan had dreamed everything up. The ck stone door was still standing there with the two dragons on each side. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Ye Fan was the only one who knew what he had just experienced. This door could take over my mind? What the heck is this thing? I remember my mind going nk, and I felt someone or something controlling my body! The mere thought of what had happened earlier was enough to send shivers down Ye Fan''s spine. He then pulled out an ancient piece of jade with the word ¡°Yanhuang¡± written on it. It was the Order of Yanhuang that Duanmu Wan''er had given him. ¡°I thought this piece of junk waspletely useless, but it saved my life just now!¡± he mumbled to himself. The green light from earlier hade from the Order of Yanhuang. Chapter 2040 Chapter 2040 That stone door is creepy as heck! I''ll have to examine it carefully when I have the time! Right now, I need to focus on getting these herbs to Gaius and the others so they can heal themselves. With that in mind, Ye Fan quickly left the grassy in and returned to the Treasure Pavilion. ¡°Do you guys mind if I take a little bit of that treasure with me?¡± Ye Fan asked with dozens of bags of herbs in hand. In order to heal Gaius and the others, he had practically taken all the herbs with healing properties from the Treasure Pavilion. The eighteen elders fell speechless when they saw the bags he was holding. How is that a little bit? The eighteen elders exchanged displeased nces with each other. Eventually, the eldest one said, ¡°Um... Isn''t that a little too much? We don''t usually allow people to take anything from the Treasure Pavilion. Even the head of the Chu Sect is only allowed to take a few items at a time.¡± The elders all had conflicted looks on their faces. Ye Fan scratched his head and said with a smile, ¡°Myrades are injured, so they need a lot of herbs to help with the healing. I don''t want to put you guys in a tough spot, so how about you tell me what I have to do to take these with me? Shall we have another fight? If I lose, I''ll return everything I took. If I win, you will let me walk out of here with my loot. That way, you guys won''t be med for the losses incurred. What do you guys think?¡± The elders all rolled their eyes after hearing his suggestion. What the heck? He''s doing this on purpose, isn''t he? We couldn''t stop him even with the Inescapable Chain Formation! He already broke the chain, so we''d be fighting him barehanded! There''s no way we''d let him humiliate us a second time! ¡°Never mind, you can keep it. It''s not like we can stop you anyway.¡± The elders could only let out helpless sighs as they closed their eyes and pretended they didn''t see Ye Fan walking out of the Treasure Pavilion with the herbs. ¡°Hahaha! Thank you all very much! I''ll be sure to bring you all some wine the next time Ie over!¡± Ye Fan said with a smile and saluted them before leaving with the herbs. Gaius and the others ran up to Ye Fan the moment they saw him. ¡°Dragon Master, is this all you took after entering the Treasure Pavilion? The Chu Sect has been around for thousands of years! There''s got to be tons of treasures inside! Chu Yuan and the others aren''t around, so why not take everything?¡± Ye Fan kicked Gaius in the back and shouted angrily, ¡°Shut up and help me carry these back to the Joneses!¡± He then threw the bags of herbs at them and stormed out of the Chu Sect''s front door. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. It would take him an entire night to prepare the herbal solution for Gaius and the others. Since the area around the Chu Sect was filled with enemies, it was unsafe for them to stick around any longer. The Jones residence was undoubtedly the safest ce for them to heal. Ye Fan spent the entire night concocting dozens of bottles of herbal solutions. ¡°I want each of you to get a wooden bucket and fill it up with water. Then, pour the herbal solution in and soak yourselves in it. Make sure to rece the water every six hours,¡± he ordered while handing the herbal solutions over to Gaius and the others. Since Ye Fan made extra, he gave them to Michael and said, ¡°You should soak yourself in it too. It''d take forever for those wounds of yours to heal.¡± Ye Fan didn''t exactly like Michael, as thetter had often caused him trouble, but he decided to be a little generous as the Jones family was looking after Gaius and the others. On top of that, Michael was Angie''s older brother. Feeling touched by Ye Fan''s offer, Michael thanked him profusely. ¡°Thank you so much for your generosity, Mr. Chu! You''re so kind to me even though I treated you poorly back then! I don''t have much to offer you to repay your kindness, but I will do my best to lead the Jones family and serve you in the future!¡± As Ye Fan didn''t like hearing such things, he ignored Michael and left after handing him the herbal solutions. I wonder how the situation is over in China. I don''t expect Huangniu to be of much use, so I sent King Folo and the others over to help out. There''s only so much those guys can do to protect my disciples in Jiangdong against the Chu Sect, so the key to victory still lies in these men I have with me right now. Let''s just hope Huangniu and the others can hold out for a few more days... As Gaius and the others started their healing process, things were peaceful over at Mount Chumen for the time being. Despite knowing that Ye Fan was currently hiding in the Jones residence, the remaining forces in Mount Chumen knew better than tounch an attack. As such, Michael and the others were not afraid in the slightest. Those from the Chu Sect, however, felt incredibly anxious as they feared Ye Fan would drop by Mount Chumen again. Little did they know that Ye Fan did actually head over. This time, he went straight to the Chu family''s forbidden grounds. Unfortunately, Ye Fan didn''t make any valuable discoveries there. The forbidden grounds were basically a graveyard for the Chu family''s ancestors. The ones buried there were all heads of the Chu family, starting from the first generation up until the most recently deceased one. Feeling disappointed, Ye Fan was about to leave when the final gravestone caught his eye. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the name carved on it read: Chu Yuan. W-What''s going on here? I thought Chu Yuan was still alive? Isn''t he going on a massacre all over the world or something? Why is his name carved on a gravestone here when he''s still alive? Just what is this old bag of bones up to? Although surprised and confused, Ye Fan didn''t think too much about it and wandered deeper into the forbidden grounds. At the end of the path, he came across another stone door. It looked exactly the same as the one he had seen in the Treasure Pavilion, with the dragon statues on both sides and the carvings on the body of the door. This time, Ye Fan was a lot more cautious. He simply observed it from afar. He triedunching some attacks at it, but none of his attacks did anything to the door whatsoever. What the heck is this thing? I''ve encountered lots of weird stuff on this trip! The Chu Sect sure is filled with mysteries! With that in mind, Ye Fan left the Chu Sect''s forbidden grounds and returned to the Jones residence to continue protecting Gaius and the others. Meanwhile, chaos was everywhere in China as the Chu Sect''s army began its invasion. In just a few days, the War God Castle branches in provinces like Jiangbei, Jiangnan, Xijiang, Tellmoore, and Durbaine were all destroyed. Martial artists from all over the country either died in battle or went into hiding. Eventually, Sword Saint and the others from the War God Castle in Mount Yan came up with an idea. Instead of having the martial artists scatter all over the country, it would be even better to have them gather in Mount Yan for a final battle against the enemy forces. Three days ago, Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and the others had issued a mobilization order to the martial arts world. They had asked all the martial artists still alive to abandon their state and gather at Mount Yan for a final showdown with the Chu Sect''s army. Determined to defend the martial arts world of China from the Chu Sect with their lives, all the surviving martial artists in China responded to the calling. ¡°How are things out there, King of Fighters? Has the martial artist army gathered at the bottom of Mount Yan?¡± Sword Saint asked anxiously. All the lights in the War God Castle were on, making it as bright as a beacon. King of Fighters nodded. ¡°Yes, most of them have already arrived. Those from states farther away are still on their way, but they should get here by tomorrow. However...¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Sword Saint tensed up instantly. He hated messages with a twist because nothing good had evere out of them. ¡°One of the states has not responded to the order given by the War God Castle, nor did it send any martial artists over.¡± ¡°What? Which state is that? Why would they not respond to our orders when their lives are on the line? Are they trying to rebel against us?¡± Sword Saint asked angrily. ¡°They''re from the martial arts world of Jiangdong,¡± King of Fighters replied coldly. Chapter 2041 Chapter 2041 ¡°What about it? Does the martial arts world of Jiangdong think¡ª¡± Sword Saint stopped himself mid- sentence, and whatever anger he had was reced by a feeling of helplessness. ¡°It''s because of him, isn''t it? Well, it is his hometown, so their reaction is to be expected.¡± Sword Saint knew all too well that Jiangdong was Ye Fan''s hometown. Back then, the War God Castle had left Jiangdong to fend for itself when it was plunged into despair. That was what led to the War God Castle losing its control over Jiangdongpletely. A few yearster, the War God Castle tried sending people over to reim Jiangdong. However, Chu Tianfan''s influence in Jiangdong was so strong that the martial arts world of Jiangdong only listened to him. As such, there was nothing surprising about Jiangdong disregarding the War God Castle''s orders when it was in trouble. ¡°Fine, they don''t have toe if they don''t want to. We''ll be fine as long as we have the martial artists from the other states. Jiangbei and Tellmoore have the strongest martial artists.¡± Since the War God Castle had lost its influence over Jiangdong, Sword Saint no longer expected Jiangdong''s martial artists to defend them with their lives. Given the size of China''s martial arts world, it wouldn''t really make a huge difference if theycked the support of Jiangdong''s martial artists. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Their conversation was interrupted when someone opened the castle door and shouted anxiously, ¡°Sword Saint! King of Fighters! Bad news! W-We just received word that Jiangbei''s forces suddenly changed their course when they got within eight hundred kilometers of War God Castle. They''re headed straight for Jiangdong!¡± Sword Saint leaped to his feet. ¡°What? Headed for Jiangdong? Who''s the martial arts leader of Jiangbei? Contact him immediately!¡± ¡°We''ve tried to, but we couldn''t get through!¡± the subordinate replied. ¡°Then try again! I don''t care if you have to call him a hundred or even a thousand times! Keep trying until you get through to him! I want to ask the martial arts leader of Jiangbei what they''re up to in this time of need! Why would they even go to Jiangdong?¡± The more chaotic a situation was, the higher the chances were for things to go amiss. The War God Castle was already having a headache dealing with the Chu Sect''s assault. As if Jiangdong''s martial arts world refusing to help wasn''t bad enough, Jiangbei''s martial artists changing course on their own worsened things even further. Sword Saint felt as if all of China had descended into chaos that night. ¡°Jiangbei? Sword Saint, isn''t that the where the Lu n is from? You know, the one Ye Fan exterminated long ago. Do you think they''re headed to Jiangdong to get their revenge by destroying Chu Tianfan''s grave?¡± King of Fighters asked. That was when Sword Saint recalled how the incident with the Lu n had caused a hugemotion in China''s martial arts world back then. Not only did Ye Fan wipe the entire Lu n out, but he also murdered many of Jiangbei''s martial artists. That resulted in Jiangbei''s martial arts world seeing him as an enemy. Therefore, it made sense that Jiangbei''s forces would try to get their revenge on Jiangdong during the chaos. ¡°Zhang Jiuling is the current martial arts leader of Jiangbei, right? That old bag of bones sure has gone crazy! All of China''s martial arts world is on the brink of destruction, and he''s leading his men to get revenge?¡± Sword Saint was so mad that he trembled all over. ¡°Sword Saint! King of Fighters! We managed to get through!¡± After making hundreds of phone calls, the subordinate was finally able to get through to Zhang Jiuling, the martial arts leader of Jiangbei. ¡°You''ve got nerve answering my call, Zhang Jiuling! Why are you disobeying orders at such a critical time? Why lead your men over to Jiangdong? What the heck are you trying to do? As the Hall Master of War God Castle, I order you to leave Jiangdong immediately! I know you guys have a grudge against the martial arts world of Jiangdong, but we can''t afford to be fighting among ourselves when the enemy is at our gates! You can settle your grudge with them after this is over! Do you hear me?¡± Sword Saint shouted furiously over the phone. He was expecting to hear Zhang Jiuling exin himself in a frightened voice after that. To his surprise, Zhang Jiuling showed no signs of fear whatsoever in the face of his scolding. Instead, he said in an unusually solemn tone, ¡°You''re Sword Saint, the Hall Master of War God Castle? I''m only answering your call to inform you that from this moment on, Jiangbei''s martial arts world will join Jiangdong''s and no longer take orders from the War God Castle. You have been informed.¡± Zhang Jiuling''s voice wasn''t loud, but his words hit Sword Saint like a truck. ¡°Z-Zhang Jiuling, do you have any idea what you''re saying? Are you really going to be responsible for those words of yours?¡± Sword Saint got so angry that his usually calm expression had be twisted with rage. Had the two of them not been thousands of miles apart at the time, Sword Saint would''ve stabbed Zhang Jiuling in the heart right then and there. ¡°Hahaha! Be responsible? Who''s going to hold me ountable? You? Or your War God Castle? You guys were willing to betray your own, and you can''t even protect the citizens of this country! Why should Jiangbei''s martial arts world obey your orders? Allow me to remind you of an old saying in China, Sword Saint. ''Those who are just shall receive full support, whereas those who are unjust shall be left to rot.'' The War God Castle did nothing to help Chu Tianfan out when he was attacked by the Chu Sect outside of China back then. You, the Hall Master of the War God Castle, just sat there and watched as our country''s most precious talent was forced to dig his own grave! From that moment on, I knew you guys were a lost cause. The War God Castle is bound to be destroyed by your own hands!¡± Zhang Jiuling''s icy-coldughter was filled with sarcasm and his disappointment in the War God Castle. He used to admire the War God Castle and idolize Sword Saint and the others. However, he lost his faith in them after witnessing the War God Castle''s inaction during the battle at Eastsea. He felt as if his faith had beenpletely misced and trampled on. Zhang Jiuling believed there was no point in serving the most powerful martial arts organization in the country if it couldn''t even protect its citizens. As such, he decided to lead his men into Jiangdong after reaching an agreement with Lu Ziming. They would team up with Jiangdong''s martial artists to defend Ye Fan''s hometown as well as thest remaining territory of China''s martial arts world. As for the War God Castle, Zhang Jiuling knew it had lost its edge and would inevitably be destroyed. With Ye Qingtian gone, King of Fighters, Sword Saint, and Heavenly Grandmaster were the only ones left. There was no way the three of them would be able to fend off the Chu Sect''s assault on Mount Yan, so attempting to defend it would only result in death. Thest bit of hope for China''s martial arts worldy in Jiangdong. Choosing to defend Jiangdong was the only option in which the martial artists would stand a chance of surviving the battle. ¡°You insolent fool! How dare you talk to me like that? This is treason! You will bebeled as an enemy of the state, Zhang Jiuling!¡± Sword Saint yelled. ¡°That''s enough, Sword Saint! Do you still think that the War God Castle is capable of representing the citizens of China? The only ones I''m betraying are you and the War God Castle. It''s funny how you use me of treason when you and King of Fighters are the ones who truly betrayed the country. China''s martial arts world wouldn''t be in this pathetic state if you guys had done something back then!¡± Zhang Jiuling snapped back at him, releasing all of his pent-up anger in one go. Chapter 2042 Chapter 2042 Zhang Jiuling''s remarks were so scathing they struck Sword Saint like a hefty hammer. ¡°W-What did you just say?¡± he stammered, still unable to recollect himself. ¡°Did you just say that... I''m the enemy of the state?¡± Sword Saint had dedicated his whole life to the War God Castle. Never once in his entire life had he imagined that he would end up bing a national shame to his own country and its people. Throughout his life, he invested everyone''s time in restoring and rebuilding China''s martial arts world. In fact, he was somitted to this cause that he was even willing to pay with his own life, yet in the end, he found little support for his unjust cause and became the enemy of the state. If what Zhang Jiuling said was true, it would mean that the sacrifices and efforts he had made for the first half of his life amounted to nothing. A feeling of self-pity overwhelmed Sword Saint as he staggered and almost slumped to the ground. On the other end, Zhang Jiuling had already ended the call and instructed everyone in Jiangbei''s martial arts world to cut off all contact with Sword Saint and disregard any orders from the War God Castle. ¡°We will march to the east to meet those from Jiangdong''s martial arts world on Mount Yunding,¡± Zhang Jiuling pronounced with a husky voice that echoed in the deep night in apaniment with the chilly wind. Hismand elicited a strong response from the martial artists in Jiangbei. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. ¡°M-Mr. Zhang... are we really leaving War God Castle to their own?¡± someone asked. ¡°They are the emblem of China''s martial arts world!¡± anothermented. ¡°Yeah. The undoing of War God Castle will shatter the very foundation of the martial arts world in our country.¡± ¡°There''ll be no one else to support our country once the pirs of our nation are no more!¡± ¡°Exactly. This will really mark the end of the martial arts world in China!¡± Many patriotic citizens among the crowdmented the potential fate of the country, but Zhang Jiuling was not in a hurry to address their concerns. Instead, he cocked his head and directed his gaze across the tempestuous Brighfell River toward Jiangdong, which was not far away. ¡°Who said our foundation will be gone?¡± he questioned. ¡°Who said we will have no hope? And who said China''s martial arts world will be vanquished if War God Castle crumbles? We will shoulder this responsibility as pirs of the country until theing of the one we await. We will be the torchbearers of the martial arts world in China. Trust me when I say this¡ªthe key that dictates the fate of China''s martial arts world does not lie on Mount Yan, let alone the War God Castle. Our hope wille from Jiangdong, from Mount Yunding!¡± Zhang Jiuling clenched his fists, and his eyes were aze with passion as he spoke in a powerful and commanding voice that reverberated through the air to a distance. Having heard him, the martial artists from Jiangdong were emboldened. They followed Zhang Jiuling and Lu Ziming''s lead and crossed the Brighfell River to Jiangdong. At the same time, on the shores of Eastsea, three notable leaders of the Chu Sect were gathered on a luxurious crew ship. It went without saying that the person taking the lead was Chu Yuan, the Old Master of Mount Chumen. On his right and left stood Tang Yun, the incumbent head of the Chu Sect, and Chu Tianqi, the head of the Chu family. ¡°Yun, Tianqi, look at the sea,¡± Chu Yuan said. ¡°There was once an ignorant man who offended our sect, and we ended him here. History has proven time and again that our sect cannot be challenged.¡± It had been three years since the incident he had referred to took ce. However, every time he traveled through this area of the waters, he would be reminded of what had happened and feel proud about it. It made him feel as if he was an emperor who had everyone and everything under his feet. He retracted his gaze and looked at Saspiuburg, a continent not far away. ¡°Tianqi,¡± Chu Yuan called, ¡°do you know that our ancestors and ancient masters found their roots in Saspiuburg, China? That ce witnessed the glorious rise of our forefathers. The people should''ve acknowledged us by then, but they didn''t. Hundreds of years have passed since, and we''re back at this ce again. This time, I will make sure no one stands in our way.¡± Chu Yuan sounded ambitious and confident as if conquering China''s martial arts world was an easy matter. Beside him, Chu Qitian shed an assuring smile after hearing Chu Yuan''s words. ¡°Grandpa, we will go forth at yourmand. I shall bring War God Castle to ashes at dawn and return with the heads of the pirs of China by night tomorrow,¡± Chu Qitian uttered confidently as his eyes burned withbative spirit. He had already decided on conquering Mount Yan before taking down Jiangdong. Ha! Chu Tianfan! Your beloved homnd will go up in smoke soon. I guess you never expected that I will quash the people and the country you loved under my feet just three years after your death. The haughty man''s clothes pped noisily in the air as the piercing wind blew. The same hatred sparkled in the grandfather''s and grandson''s eyes, a stark contrast with the woman standing right next to them. Tang Yun looked extremely calm despite hearing the two men''s ambitious plot. She turned away and looked into the vast waters under the ship, an inexplicable emotion that confused her budding deep in her heart. It was as if someone really important to her had once appeared in the same ce as she was, but she just could not find that person in her memory. I should be able to recall if this person is really so important to me... She looked puzzled. ¡°Are you okay, Yun?¡± Chu Yuan asked when he spotted the look on Tang Yun''s face. ¡°I''m good, Master. I''m just having a slight headache,¡± the disciple replied. Chu Yuan''s frown deepened at her answer. ¡°Don''t worry. It''ll go away with some rest. I can still fight,¡± Tang Yun assured, but Chu Yuan was not willing to take the risk. He waved his hand, saying, ¡°It''s okay. You don''t have to participate in the attack on Mount Yan. I want you to go to Mount Kransbay with the Demonic Duo to look for something. ording to our sect''s ancient records, there is a prominent fighter from China who was buried at Kransbay, and among the grave goods in his tomb is the Order of Yanhuang. Bring it to me.¡± Tang Yun was surprised. Chu Tianqi, too, could not wrap his head around it. ¡°Grandpa, I think the Demonic Duo can handle this on their own. You don''t have to send her.¡± Indeed, given the fact that Tang Yun was only second to Chu Yuan in terms of her ability, she would be a useful asset in the war against martial artists from China. Chu Tianqi did not understand why Chu Yuan would assign her such a menial chore. ¡°You have no idea, Tianqi. War God Castle no longer carries the most weight in China. I mean, yes, the pirs of China are over there, but they are nothingpared to the buried item I seek. The Order of Yanhuang is worth much more than the lives of Sword Saint and the other pirsbined,¡± Chu Yuan said. Tang Yun finally nodded and agreed to go look for the Order of Yanhuang. ¡°Be careful. You might encounter unforeseen dangers at the ancient tomb,¡± Chu Yuan reminded before she left. After her departure, Chu Qitian asked to conquer Mount Yan, but Chu Yuan had a different n. ¡°I''ll go on my own. Mount Yan is not the most formidable task. There''s something else I want you to do,¡± Chu Yuan said. For the rest of the night, time went on uneventfully for the two of them. Yet on Mount Yan in China, a massive number of martial artists had congregated. It was a moment of life and death for them, so everyone hade forward valiantly to defend the War God Castle. As for the fighters from the Chu Sect, they were gathered at the coast of Eastsea in wait for the war. Instead ofunching an attack, they simply stood watch and waited for all the martial artists to gather at the War God Castle. A terrifying war was about to break out as tension filled the air along the border. Inside the War God Castle, Sword Saint and the others had gathered martial artists from all over the country and had been contacting other countries for support. ¡°What did you say? King Folo and his people are not avable? D*mn it! What about fighters from Remdik? What about the Order Of Kings from Western Epea?¡± Sword Saint questioned. It turned out that all channels of aid were blocked because no one was willing to get themselves involved in that mess. After all, the War God Castle''s war was a lost cause, and extending help at that moment was equivalent to tempting fate. Over at Jiangdong, when Li Er found out that the Chu Sect''s troops had already reached the shores of China, he gave orders to bring Ye Fan''s family, friends, and son to retreat to the mansion on Mount Yunding. Chapter 2043 Chapter 2043 After his trip to Jiangbei, Li Er returned to Yunzhou of Jiangdong with Ye Fan''s son and kept the child in his own manor. But when he saw how the situation in China was escting, he knew for certain that the Li residence was no longer a safe haven. Back in the manor, Li Er was sitting on a long bench watching the child catch some butterflies when Jin Bao and Yin Bao hurried in with thetest updates on the situation. ¡°Mr. Li,¡± Jin Bao informed, ¡°armies of the Chu Sect have just arrived at the coast of Eastsea. It seems that they willunch an attack against War God Castle on Mount Yan anytime soon. The whole martial arts world is facing an imminent threat.¡± ¡°Mr. Li, I believe it''s time we activate Jiangdong''s defense n,¡± Yin Bao added. Li Er furrowed his brows. ¡°So, things are that bad. Is war reallying to Mount Yan?¡± The man could not help but feel sorrowful when he learned that the Chu Sect''s army was enclosing Mount Yan and that a bitter battle would soon erupt in China''s martial arts world. Would the Chu Sect be this ruthless if Mr. Chu were still around? Our country''s martial arts world would not end up in such a wretched state if he were still alive. ¡°How I wish there is deliverance in such trying times.¡± Li Er sighed. Although Li Er and the others in Jiangdong despised people like Sword Saint from the War God Castle, Li Er was still grieved by their fate. After all, the War God Castle was the representation of China''s martial arts for the past hundred years. It was once the pinnacle of the martial arts world, yet it was reduced to such a pathetic state. As a citizen of the country himself, there was no way Li Er was unmoved when he saw that the nation was on the brink of a copse. ¡°Mr. Li, we can''t afford to waste more time. The enemies are really aggressive, and their three leaders at the frontline are already right outside the coast of China. What if they decide to divide and conquer Mount Yan and Jiangdong concurrently? We will be caught unawares. It will be toote for us to do anything by then,¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao urged. Seeing how dire their situation was, the two hurried Li Er to kickstart their defense strategy. However, thetter still took some more time to think things through. He stood up slowly and looked over at Mount Yan. ¡°All right. Convey my orders. Jiangdong''s defense strategy is officially in force.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± the two answered. With Li Er''smand traveling across Jiangdong, the formerly quiet area was galvanized into rapid action. Chen Ao, Lei San, and the Wang family of Horbah¡ªthe family of Wang Jiexi¡ªreceived calls regarding Li Er''s order very soon. These influential figures immediately embarked on a journey with their subordinates, heading for Yunzhou. Meanwhile, tens of limousines were spotted heading in the direction of Ye Fan''s families'' and friends'' whereabouts to pick them up and send them to Yunzhou. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. On thest night before going to Mount Yunding, Li Er visited his ancestral shrine to pay hisst respects. ¡°As Mr. Chu had instructed, Mount Yunding Vi should be a ce of hiding in times of need. Unfortunately, this day hase. We can no longer stand guard at this ce. We have to retreat to Mount Yunding with the women and children. I pray that Mr. Chu and the ancestors of the Li family will watch over everyone in Jiangdong. Help us survive this war,¡± Li Er prayed. Then, he brought Ye Fan''s son and a few of his subordinates over to Ye Fan''s grave to say theirst goodbye. When everything was over, Li Er led the group toward Mount Yunding Vi, Ye Fan''s former abode. But when they arrived at the foot of the mountain, someone intercepted their journey. ¡°Stand right there! Who are you guys, and what''s your business here? Who dares to trespass on Mr. Hu''s territory? Get out!¡± The gate at the bottom of Mount Yunding remained closed to the group since the guards at the entrance barred them from entering. When the guards saw so many of them, they called for backup. And soon enough, the whole ce saw a standoff between tworge groups of people. Li Er ignored them and turned toward Jin Bao and Yin Bao instead. ¡°What''s going on? Since when did the vi have a new owner?¡± he asked with a frown. The two''s faces paled. Since Li Er had not spent much time in Yunzhou, and the two had always apanied him, they did not have the answer to Li Er''s question either. ¡°Let me make a call, Mr. Li.¡± With just a brief call, Jin Bao and Yin Bao obtained some information about the man who was residing in Mount Yunding Vi. ¡°Mr. Li, it seems that War God Castle has been reining in different forces to consolidate their influence in Jiangdong. Lin Tianhu, the CEO of Tianhu Corporation, is the most powerful among the people here. He has the backing of War God Castle and maintains close ties with Mo Wuya, the son of the King of Fighters. About half a year ago, this man wanted Mount Yunding Vi for himself, so he acquired ownership of the property through some connections. That is how he ended up staying at the vi right now.¡± When Li Er heard this, his face fell, and a gush of fury took over him. He had never felt this incensed before. ¡°Mr. Chu has only been gone for three years, and this bunch of people has already seized his former residence! It seems that these snakes really take this as their turf since I''ve not been in Jiangdong often. They''ve really gone too far,¡± Li Er fumed. Although he did not raise his voice, those who were familiar with Li Er knew from his facial expression that he was infuriated. ¡°Hey! Are you guys deaf? I told y''all to scram! Mr. Hu is gonna kill all of you before you set foot in this ce!¡± one of the guards shouted. Li Er saw no reason to control himself anymore, so he charged toward the guard who screamed at them. p! After striking the guard''s face, he ordered, ¡°Go and tell Lin Tianhu that I demand to see him right now.¡± The guard was piqued after receiving the blow. Instead of going back to inform his boss, he hit Li Er back, yet those guards were no opponents for Li Er. ¡°Since no one ising out to greet us, I guess we can only go in on our own,¡± Li Er said before beating the guards up to a pulp and leading the group up the mountain. Lin Tianhu was sleeping soundly when amotion broke out outside. When he was awakened, the man put on his jacket and went out with his subordinates. ¡°Who are you?¡± he questioned angrily. ¡°How dare you trespass on my residence?¡± Li Er went up and booted him. ¡°Did you f*cking say this is your residence? You are not even worthy of this ce!¡± Li Er scowled and gave him a sound thrashing. Lin Tianhu''s bodyguards dashed forward, trying to protect him, but a few people came from behind Li Er and immobilized the guards. ¡°Motherf*ckers! Shoot them down! Kill them!¡± Lin Tianhu cried out, ordering the shooters in hiding to take down the uninvited guests. ¡°Green Dragon Force!¡± Li Er summoned. Swoosh! A few shadows emerged from the dark instantly, moving agilely and fearlessly as bullets rained down on them. The tallest among them was so strong he could even deflect bullets. Bang! Amidst the sounds of diminishing gunshots, the shooters dropped to the ground one after another with their heads cracked, and they were lugged and thrown at the feet of Lin Tianhu. ¡°W-What... Who are you guys?¡± Lin Tianhu was stupefied. He had dominated Yunzhou for more than a year, yet he had never seen anyone as powerful as this before. Li Er did not even bother replying to him. Instead, he asked his men to break the legs of Lin Tianhu''s subordinates before chucking them off the mountain. Thereafter, Li Er and everyone else stood right at the entrance of the vi, facing forward, and bowed. ¡°Wee home, the son of Mr. Chu,¡± he announced in reverence. Chapter 2044 Chapter 2044 ¡°Wee home, the son of Mr. Chu!¡± the group chorused respectfully after Li Er. Everyone from Yunzhou stood on both sides, making way for the child. Their voice was so thunderous it echoed through the whole mountain. In the cheers of the crowd, a child went up the staircase leading to the vi, following a dashing woman in military uniform. It was none other than Ye Yuyan¡ªYe Fan''s cousin. ¡°Aunt Yuyan, is this the ce Daddy used to live in?¡± the child asked. To him, the whole ce looked dreamy with the moonlight engulfing it. He lifted his head and looked across the whole mountain before turning back toward the vi. It never once urred to him that his father had left him a whole ¡°empire.¡± ¡°Mr. Chu? That Mr. Chu? Chu Tianfan?¡± Lin Tianhu might not be a native of Jiangdong, but given Ye Fan''s fame, he had undoubtedly heard of him before. Does he mean the King of Jiangdong? That Mr. Chu? But he''s dead! He died three years ago! Lin Tianhu had never expected to hear the name of the deceased man again. While he was still caught in shock, Jin Bao and Yin Bao went over and pped him hard in the face until he spurted blood out of his mouth. ¡°You must be dumb to call your men on Mr. Li Er of Yunzhou! Mr. Chu may not be around anymore, but Mr. Li is still here. And as long as he lives, the whole Jiangdong belongs to the Chus,¡± the two warned. It was then that Lin Tianhu finally realized who he was dealing with. ¡°L-Li Er? You''re Mr. Li Er of Yunzhou? I-I didn''t know you were back.¡± Given his years of experience running Yunzhou, there was no way Lin Tianhu was unaware of the local power dynamics. He knew who Li Er was for sure. He used to be the right-hand man of Mr. Chu. He is second only to Mr. Chu in the entire Jiangdong. After Ye Fan passed on, Li Er retired from all affairs of Jiangdong and disappeared for years. Many thought that he had died at the hands of Ye Fan''s enemies. That was why Lin Tianhu could do as he wished in Yunzhou, including using his influence to get this vi for himself. However, he was caught off guard when the old man who had vanished for years suddenly returned with Ye Fan''s son. Li Er looked down at Lin Tianhu apathetically. ¡°It doesn''t matter if I''m back or not. What matters is Mr. Chu''s son''s back.¡± With that said, Li Er held the child''s hand and walked right into Mount Yunding Vi. ¡°His son? M-May I know his name?¡± Lin Tianhu asked. He had heard of the legacy of that heroic and respectable man. His whole life was a legend. When Lin Tianhu first moved to Mount Yunding Vi, one of his motives was to be closer to the legendary figure. Therefore, upon knowing that the boy was Ye Fan''s son, he could not help but get curious about him. His father was the man who had taken the whole world by storm. His son must also be equally good. Will he usher back the past glory of his father? Li Er turned back and looked at Lin Tianhu and everyone present. ¡°Remember, his name is Chu Lin, and he will reign the world,¡± he eximed in a loud voice, sending ripples of echo down the mountain. Li Er gave him the name ¡°Chu Lin¡± in hopes that the kid would eventually grow up to inherit his father''s legacy, eliminate the whole Chu family, and rule the world like his father did. Over the next few days, the whole of Jiangdong was buzzing with excitement. Many had gathered at Mount Yunding, including Ye Fan''s rtives and friends who had just arrived in Yunzhou. Meanwhile, all the fighters from across different provinces in China had assembled at the War God Castle to defend themselves under the lead of three Hall Masters. Despite their valorous act of fighting against the Chu Sect, their attempt to guard the castle from the attack of the sect of a thousand years of heritage was futile. After all, the War God Castle was no more than a hundred years old. The defenders were forced back at every point until the army of the Chu Sect upied the whole foot of Mount Yan. The destruction of the War God Castle was at hand. It was a day of a heavy downpour in Yanjing. Grey clouds eclipsed the sun like a massive stretch of an iron curtain right above Mount Yan, where piles of bodiesy at the foot of the mountain. The soil was awash with blood as the rain beat violently on the ground. On a day like this, the doors of the Xu residence in Yanjing were tightly shut as the killing continued outside. Inside the residence belonging to one of the most prominent families in the area, an attractivedy dressed in a in white long dress was standing by the window as she looked out into the rain. Rainwater was gushing down as if there was a hole in the sky. Suddenly, the door was flung open, and an old man hurried inside. He went over to thedy and urged anxiously, ¡°Ms. Xu, we have to leave before it''s toote. War God Castle is losing ground. Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and other pirs of China were all defeated. We don''t even know if they''re still alive. The fall of Mount Yan is imminent. Once the people of Chu Sect end the battle, they will turn against Mr. Chu''s friends, so you have to leave while you can!¡± The old man was Xue Renyang. He used to be one of the Dragon yers under Ye Fan, and he was also the man at the helm of the Xue family. There was hopelessness and despair in the old man''s voice when he tried to persuade Xu Lei to leave, and his face looked even gloomier than the sky outside. Just as he spoke, Ye Yuyan emerged from behind him. Despite wearing a raincoat, she was still drenched because of the downpour, but she had no time to think about that. ¡°Lei, follow us. Mr. Li sent us here to bring you to Jiangdong. Yanjing will fall into chaos once they take over War God Castle. This is no longer a safe ce for you. Mr. Li said we must make sure we bring you back without a scratch. You''re one of the people Ye Fan cared for the most. We can''t let anything happen to you,¡± she prompted, taking off her raincoat. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. However, despite their earnest appeal, Xu Lei still stood at the window calmly. Her slender figure looked particrly lonely against the backdrop of the rain, and indeed, she was lonely. She used to have someone she yearned for at the very least, but thest shred of hope she had was gone when Ye Fan died. Does life or death even matter to me now? I''m all alone here anyway. Maybe death is a better option for me. At least I''ll still get to see him in death. Xu Lei shook her head as she smiled faintly at Xue Renyang and Ye Yuyan. ¡°I know you guys are worried about me, but I think I''ll just stay here. I need to at least safeguard Yanjing for Ye Fan. I won''t let him down. He was the one who had always helped me, protected me, andforted me when I was a kid, yet I did nothing for him. I wasn''t even able to return his kindness. I could only watch him die in my arms when he was nearing his death. You know, I''ve always wanted to do something for him, and this is myst chance¡± ¡°But you''ll die, Lei!¡± Ye Yuyan was so desperate her eyes turned red with tears. ¡°Die and death don''t make much of a difference to me now. Besides, Yuyan, don''t forget that Ye Fan hadid a formation in Yanjing to protect me, so I''ll be just fine,¡± Xu Lei insisted. Since Xu Lei had already made up her mind to stand her ground in Yanjing, she did not return with them to Jiangdong. Chapter 2045 Chapter 2045 ¡°Take care, Lei,¡± Ye Yuyan muttered as she stood outside the car, looking back at Xu Lei with tears in her eyes. The torrential rain was still pounding on the ground when she left. Ye Yuyan did not know why, but ever since Ye Fan left, her life had been filled with goodbyes and separation. She had parted with Ye Ximei, Qiu Mucheng, and Xu Lei ever since that man was gone. When he was still around, everyone would flock to his side. But in his passing, his friends and families were all scattered across different ces. Despite knowing that life and death were out of her control, Ye Yuyan was still afraid that one day, she would have to bid a permanent farewell to one of them. Since Xu Lei had decided to stay behind, Ye Yuyan respected her decision. Vroom! Once she said her goodbye, Ye Yuyan left in the car that night. The two beams of yellow lights from her car pierced through the endless darkness until they eventually vanished out of sight. ¡°Mr. Xue, you should''ve just left with her. You''re not obliged to stay,¡± Xu Lei said to the old man beside her after sending Ye Yuyan off. ¡°I''ve lived a long and good life. I think I''d like to go on an adventure before I die,¡± Xue Renyang replied with a smile. ¡°As you said, I also want to defend Yanjing for Dragon Master.¡± ¡°I''m sure Ye Fan will be happy to know he has so many friends who love him,¡± she said, smiling back at him, but the smile on her face disappeared soon enough. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. She picked up the phone and spoke. ¡°I want everyone in the Xu family to gather at the family manor. Also, send some men to prepare food supplies for war. We''re getting ready for battle.¡± Since Xu Lei had received news that the War God Castle was on the brink of falling apart, she got ready for war. She assembled all the people she had at the manor and nned on fortifying the existing formation so they could better prepare for theing crisis. ¡°Mr. Xue, you should go get ready as well. Bring all the men you have to my residence. Dismiss the rest and let them go home. A storm is befalling us,¡± she added, looking in the direction of the War God Castle. Peals of thunder rayed from the thick and dark clouds above the castle in a distance, letting off a deafening noise from Mount Yan. Xu Lei knew for certain that a bloody battle was happening there. Once Ye Yuyan arrived at Mount Yunding Vi in Yunzhou, Jiangdong, she reported back to Li Er about the oue of her visit. ¡°I see... She still can''t get over Mr. Chu. Such loyalty is rare in this world today,¡± Li Ermented. Although he felt sorry for her, he could still understand Xu Lei''s feelings because he had once gone through the same thing. Li Er had felt dejected and lost after Ye Fan passed away as well, so he could understand that Xu Lei would rather die protecting Yanjing than live in fear and loneliness in Yunzhou. Her only constion in the face of a potential failure was the possibility of meeting Ye Fan again in another world. ¡°What is love that people are willing to die for it? It would have been perfect if Mr. Chu had married her before he died. They would at least have a child together, and Ms. Xu would have something to live for,¡± Li Er uttered. Lei San and Chen Ao sighed with deep emotion. Likewise, Chen Nan had mixed feelings as well. Xu Lei had taken good care of her back when she was studying at Yanjing, but, of course, this was partly because of her rtionship with Ye Fan. Although they did not spend a long time together, Xu Lei left a good impression on Chen Nan. To her, Xu Lei was like a mature and beautiful elder sister. ¡°Mr. Li, will Lei be okay? War God Castle is the Chu Sect''s only target, right? Lei is just a businesswoman. Will they really hurt amoner?¡± Chen Nan asked in a worried tone. ¡°I don''t know. From the current state of affairs, the Chu Sect is only targeting China''s martial arts world, but I''m apprehensive. Once they take down War God Castle, they might turn toward those rted to Mr. Chu. Ms. Xu is his confidant, so if they really want to kill Mr. Chu''s families and friends, there''s no way Ms. Xu and those around her will be spared,¡± Li Er replied. Chen Nan and the others were unsettled by the reply. ¡°D-Does this mean that there''s no other way to save her?¡± Chen Nan''s voice broke as she tried to swallow back the urge to cry. ¡°We can only pray that War God Castle still has ast line of defense against the Chu Sect, else death will be inevitable. Once thest brick of the castle falls, they will face us next.¡± Everyone''s hearts sank. Although the fighters from Yunzhou and martial artists from Jiangbei had joined forces with them, this was not enough to fight off the Chu Sect. It was difficult for Li Er and the others to foresee what was in store for them. Suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps rang louder and louder outside until the door opened to Jin Bao, who hade running over. ¡°Mr. Li! The calf is still hungry and is now looking for food.¡± ¡°Then just give it food,¡± Li Er said, annoyed. ¡°But we''ve run out of food. It has eaten everything in our storehouse!¡± What? Li Er''s eyes were wide as saucers. ¡°What did you say? We have a week''s worth of supplies for hundreds of people in there! How can that calf finish everything in just a day? Are you sure it''s not a monster?¡± Li Er was on the brink of losing his mind. A calf had broken into Mount Yunding Vi that morning, and just as Li Er and the others were about to kill it for food, they found out that the animal could speak. It even addressed itself as a king in a lofty manner, demanding that Li Er and his men serve it well in return for its protection over them when the Chu Sect arrived. Li Er was dumbfounded when he came across that talking animal, and he figured he should not offend it, so he gave in to its demand for delicious food. ¡°Mr. Li, should we just chase it away? We can''t feed a monster like this!¡± Jin Bao advised, but his suggestion fell on deaf ears when Li Er shook his head. ¡°No. The calf is no ordinary animal. Moreover, it seems that it possesses the ability to help us fight the Chu Sect. We never know what it can do for us. We should just do our best to meet its needs¡ªexcept for its demand for women.¡± Li Er had a gut feeling that this calf was of special origin, so he decided to keep it. Not long after Jin Bao went off to attend to the calf, Li Er received a phone call. His face paled, and he flopped down into the chair the next second. ¡°What''s the matter, Mr. Li?¡± Lei San and the others inquired. Slowly, Li Er lifted his rugged and devastated face and repeated what he heard. ¡°H-Heavenly Grandmaster... He died on the battleground.¡± What? His words lodged like a hammer in everyone''s heart. Not a single person who heard the news couldpose themselves, especially Lei San and the others. ¡°So... the war is that bad...¡± Although they had prepared for the worst knowing that the War God Castle would lose the battle, they still thought that given the seasoned fighters'' ability, Sword Saint and the rest would still be able to flee with their lives. Yet their understanding of the situation was upended when they found out that a Supreme of the country had just died in the line of duty. Although the people of Jiangdong did not identify with those at the War God Castle out of their support for Ye Fan, the supreme grandmaster of China had been the anchor that stabilized the whole martial arts world in turbulent times over dozens of years. Li Er and the rest were terrified and shaken to the core when they received news about Tang Hao''s death. To them, his demise meant that China''s lifeline had beenpletely cut off. Chapter 2046 Chapter 2046 ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°How are King of Fighters and Sword Saint?¡± ¡°What is their situation now?¡± After the initial panic, the people present inquired about the other pirs of China again. Recently, in the martial arts world of China, only four supreme grandmasters showed up regrly. They were Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, King of Fighters and Heavenly Grandmaster. After Ye Qingtian left War God Castle, there had been no news of him and his whereabouts were unknown. Hence, facing Chu Sect army this time, the only supreme grandmasters present were the three people on Mount Yan. If all three of them were to die in the battle, it could be said that the era of the six pirs of China was completely over. Li Er shook his head. ¡°We do not know anything about King of Fighters and Sword Saint, but they must still be alive. However, I fear they will not have much time left. It is evident that this time, Chu Sect intents to annihte the entire martial arts world of China.¡± Li Er looked somber. Previously, the power of Chu Sect had swept through the world, killing many in its path. However, the casualties were mainly masters of medium fighting caliber. Those of supreme grandmaster levels were seldom killed. After all, in most countries, supreme grandmasters have a very important position. In the martial arts world, a supreme grandmaster was equivalent to a head of state, the faith in the hearts of martial artists, and a symbol of a country''s martial arts world. Therefore, Chu Sect''s previous strategy was just to defeat the supreme grandmasters. Unless absolutely necessary, they would not be killed. They did not want to arouse hatred in the country''s citizens. However, when they reached China, their killings became unrestrained. Perhaps, that was also their way of avenging the disaster that Ye Fan had caused to Chu Sect back then. ¡°What shall we do then?¡± ¡°Is there nothing we can do?¡± ¡°Are we supposed to just let the pirs of China face their death?¡± In the hall, everyone''s eyes were full of despair, and their hearts were full of grief. When faced with the invasion of foreign enemies, the people of China usuallye together and put aside their past grievances. No matter what Sword Saint and his group had done before, they were people and Supreme warriors of China. It was unbearable and sad that they should die by the swords of foreigners. There was a long silence. In the face of such a question, not one person in the huge hall dared to speak out. Huh... ¡°If only Mr. Chu is still alive!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu alone might not be able to defeat Chu Yuan, but together with War God Castle, they can surely match Chu Sect.¡± ¡°If Mr. Chu were alive, China''s martial arts world would not be defeated.¡± After the long silence, Lei San and the others could not help but sigh and talk about Ye Fan''s era again. Back then, when Ye Fan was around, they were the ones who attacked Chu Sect. With Ye Fan gone for just a few years now, China was falling apart. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°I think we should let Jiangbei martial artists go. Let them save War God Castle. Anyway, those old men targeted Mr. Chu and our Jiangdong martial artists before. When troublees, they finally realize how good Mr. Chu and Jiangdong are. We cannot just let them keep on taking advantage of us! It''s time to let them go to Mount Yan and fight Chu Sect to the end!¡± someone suggested that the martial artists from Jiangbei should go and help War God Castle. A few days ago, those from Jiangbei martial arts world had already arrived in Jiangdong. Undoubtedly, when they first started arriving, the people in Jiangdong did not wee them. From the time of Ye Fan''s bloodbath in Jiangbei, the martial arts world of the two provinces had been at rivals. At that point when the country was in danger, they hade to seek refuge. Hence, it was not hard surprising just how much the people of Jiangdong despised them. However, after the discussion that Li Er and Lei San had, they decided to take them in. Thus, a ce on Mount Yunding was allocated for them to be stationed there. The country was facing a catastrophe, so their personal grievances had to be put aside. ¡°The strongest in Jiangbei martial arts world are only a few Grandmasters. If they were to go, we will lose a few more lives and that won''t help at all. Let me think of a way to go about this,¡± Li Er said in a deep voice. After saying that, he left the hall and headed for the dining hall. ¡°Yummy! D*mn, Chinese dishes are so tasty. That bast*rd is really blessed to get beautiful women, good food, and great wine. This is much better than life in the cave.¡± At the dining table, Huangniu was still feasting, its mouth dripping oil. It felt that it hade to the right ce. It had never tasted such good food before. ¡°Mr. Huangniu, what do you think of Jiangdong food? Does it suit your taste?¡± Li Er leaned close and asked with a smile on his face. ¡°Yeah, not bad. It tastes great.¡± Huangniu was still eating. Li Er continued, ¡°Haha, as long as you like it, that''s all that matters.¡± Li Erughed, and after some hesitation, he finally said, ¡°Well, Mr. Huangniu, I have a request and I wonder if you would oblige me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Without even listening, Huangniu turned down his request. Needless to say, these people want me to do some work. Who do you think I am? Why would I do work for you ordinary people? ¡°Well...¡± Li Er''s eye twitched instantly and for a moment, he was at a loss for words. ¡°Well, Mr. Huangniu, didn''t you say that you are here to protect Jiangdong? You have to keep your promises.¡± Li Er spoke again. Only then did Huangniu lift up its face. ¡°Why? Has Chu Sect attacked?¡± Huangniu was not about to do anything else, but that was something it had to do. Ye Fan was not someone it could fool. If I do not carry out this duty well, Ye Fan would not find a girlfriend for me. Seeing some reaction, Li Er quickly continued, ¡°No, no, but I have friends who are in great danger on Mount Yan at this time. They are under attack by Chu Sect, and their lives are at stake. I hope you can help bring them to Jiangdong.¡± ¡°Your friends? What does that have to do with me?¡± Huangniu turned its head again and said with disgust, ¡°Don''t bother me with things that are not rted to Jiangdong. I only promise to protect Jiangdong. Everything else has nothing to do with me.¡± Huangniu continued to eat. It did not matter to the calf who lived or died. It just did not care. Even if the world came to an end, Huangniu would not be bothered. If that should ever happen, it would return to its cave and look for Duanmu Wan''er, that was all. All it wanted was an easy life. I''m lying down now, eating and drinking. Isn''t this just great? You want me to go somewhere far away to save someone? No way! ¡°Didn''t you say you''re here to protect Jiangdong, Mr. Huangniu? Protecting the folks in Jiangdong is a way of protecting Jiangdong. All those friends of mine are Jiangdong folks.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Huangniu raised its head again. ¡°They are from Jiangdong? So, they are all Ye Fan''s subordinates?¡± Huangniu knew that Jiangdong was ruled by Ye Fan. He had sent it to Jiangdong to protect his people. Li Er was stunned. Immediately, he realized that Huangniu was somehow acquainted with Mr. Chu. Huh, it looks like the reason ites to Jiangdong has something to do with Mr. Chu. Li Er guessed that Huangniu was just like the great formation of Mount Yunding that Mr. Chu had prepared before he died to provide a way out for Jiangdong in case a disaster should strike. ¡°Yes, yes, they are all Mr. Chu''s confidants, and he has always regarded them as his own people,¡± Li Er said earnestly. Huangniu became serious. ¡°D*rn it! Tell me why don''t you people just stay put here? Why do you have to wander to other ces? Now it seems that I must really go over and save them.¡± Huangniu was not concerned about Li Er, but it had to do as Ye Fan instructed. Just like what the old man in front of me said, those few are Ye Fan''s confidants and favorite subordinates. If they really died in the battle, then Ye Fan would definitely hold me responsible when he comes back. Hmm... maybe he won''t find a girl for me because of this. ¡°Okay. Tell me the location. I shall go and save them now.¡± Huangniu got ready to leave. Li Er was overjoyed. At first nce, it was obvious that this Huangniu was no ordinary calf. With its help, Sword Saint and the others might be saved. Chapter 2047 Chapter 2047 ¡°Try your best to save them, but don''t overdo it if they cannot be saved. There''s only so much we can do to change our fate, after all. Just get it over with and return to Jiangdong as quickly as possible, Mr. Huangniu,¡± Li Er added when Huangniu was about to leave. Li Er was only sending Huangniu to save Sword Saint and the others out of courtesy. While it would be ideal if Huangniu managed to save them, Li Er couldn''t care less if they all died in battle. With the son of Chu Tianfan''s friend as well as the elites from Jiangbei and Jiangdong all gathered in Mount Yunding, Li Er needed Huangniu back as soon as possible. ¡°Got it. Don''t worry. You guys are protected by a very unique formation that even I would struggle to break through! The formation will be able to hold Chu Sect''s army off for quite a while even if they get here. All right, I''m off!¡± Huangniu patted him on the shoulder before jumping into the air and disappearing from sight. ¡°W-What was that creature, Mr. Li?¡± someone asked in confusion as they all watched Huangniu leave. It was such a bizarre sight that they felt like they were watching a movie. Li Er shook his head. ¡°I have no idea, but Huangniu doesn''t seem to mean us any harm. Judging by its words, it seems to be a close friend of Mr. Chu''s. It''s possible that Huangniu is anotheryer of defense that Mr. Chu has left Jiangdong with. There really is nothing further that he can do for Jiangdong. First, he sets up a defensive formation to protect us. Now, a cow friend of his hase to protect us from our enemies. Jiangdong truly is blessed to have Mr. Chu on its side!¡± he eximed with respect and admiration written all over his face. Lei San and the others were all moved by his words as well. Meanwhile, War God Castle was sustaining heavy casualties from the assault on Mount Yan. There was death and destruction as far as the eye could see. The rivers were stained red from all the blood flowing into them. Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and the others fought valiantly alongside the martial artists they had gathered, but there was little they could do against Chu Sect''s huge army. After a few days, Chu Sect''s army managed to break through their defenses and turned the battle into a one-sided massacre. Martial artists from states like Jiangnan, Xijiang, and Tayhaven were all in by the powerful fighters from Chu Sect. Unable to bring himself to watch the brutal massacre, Tang Hao charged into the fight even though he was severely injured. Due to the huge difference in their numbers, Chu Yuan didn''t even need to get his hands dirty at all. The elders from Chu Sect and the Chu family''s Dragon Guards were more than enough to take Tang Hao down. Even if they weren''t able to kill Tang Hao in a single blow, they could still wear him down over time before finishing him off. On top of that, all Chu Sect''s warriors were capable of using Comprehensive Array Attack. With ten Grandmasters working together, they were able to go toe to toe with someone as powerful as Tang Hao. Eventually, the elders of Chu Sect overwhelmed Tang Hao and stabbed him through the heart with a sword, killing him on the spot. The blood spraying from his chest was redder than the evening sun, and the sound of his body hitting the ground echoed in everyone''s ears. ¡°Tang Hao!¡± ¡°Heavenly Grandmaster!¡± Thousands of martial artists wept and screamed in anguish when they saw Tang Hao die, but he was no longer able to hear their cries. His body was covered in red by both the blood and the evening sun. His gigantic ck hammer had lost its shine, but he still gripped it tightly in his hand. Through bloodshot eyes, he red at Chu Sect''s army in front of him, at the bodies of hisrades beneath his feet, and at the destruction around him. Is this how death feels like? Is this how it feels like to reach the end of one''s life? Is this how it felt like for him as well when he died back then? If only I was braver back then... If only War God Castle had chosen to defend him... Perhaps Mount Yan wouldn''t be destroyed like this today... That guy would always have a way. On top of that, he has so many powerful fighters alongside him. Even Moon God of Japan would go crazy for him! I bet China wouldn''t be on the brink of destruction if he were around today, but what good is there in realizing this only now? We can never turn back time, so there''s no point in regretting now. Back then, War God Castle had chosen to wash their hands and left him to die. Today, we pay the price for our indifference and face our destruction as well. Like a script that has been written beforehand, everything has been set in stone and is simply progressing ordingly. His vision grew increasingly blurry as his life slowly ebbed away. Tang Hao saw his life sh before his eyes during his final moments. However, his heart was filled with nothing but sadness and frustration as his gaze fell upon the ruins around him. He loved the country and its people, but all of that would soon be crushed beneath Chu Sect''s heel. He then raised his gigantic hammer and shouted at Chu Sect''s army with his remaining strength, ¡°I offered up my heart to the people, but they remain oblivious to my sacrifices. Today, I shall make the ultimate sacrifice for my mothend!¡± With that, he cocked his head back and roared at the sky as he detonated whatever remaining Internal Energy he had left in his body. Tang Hao, one of the six pirs of China, had exploded into a huge ball of fire on the spot. Even in death, he was determined to take as many of his enemies down with him. ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°Fall back!¡± None of Chu Sect''s men had expected him to go all out that way. They were all screaming in fear and panic as they desperately backed away, but it was toote. None of them could run faster than the speed of how a supreme grandmaster self-destructed. Boom! A deafening explosion tore through all of Mount Yan, knocking countless enemy soldiers off the mountain with its shockwave. Those who were closer to the st radius were killed on the spot. It was so powerful that it even killed one of the Grandmaster elders. ¡°D*mn it! D*mn all of these martial artists to hell! Charge, men! We must destroy War God Castle and take over China today!¡± Chu Sect''s men who survived the explosion shouted furiously. Tang Hao''s self-destruct was not enough to change the oue of that battle. If anything, all it did was slow the enemy''s advance by a little. It wasn''t long before Chu Sect''s army had regrouped and surrounded War God Castle once again. The surviving martial artists outside War God Castle were devastated after witnessing Tang Hao''s death. Both Sword Saint and King of Fighters broke down after hearing the news. ¡°What? T-Tang Hao is dead?¡± Sword Saint was so shocked that he just stood there like a lifeless puppet. King of Fighters, too, had his eyes filled with disbelief. Tang Hao was the first pir of China to have died before their very eyes. Naturally, that made his death all the more symbolic to them. China will fall once it loses its pirs! ¡°Mr. Tang has chosen to die by self-destructing. He chose to go out that way in order to buy all of you some time. Father, Sword Saint, you two should leave before Chu Sect''s army get here! I''ll hold them off!¡± Mo Wuya said with tears in his eyes and his body covered in blood. He also ordered for someone to escort the two down Mount Yan safely, but Sword Saint and King of Fighters shook their heads. ¡°Leave? Where do we go? With Mount Yan overrun and War God Castle destroyed, there''s nowhere left for us to go!¡± Sword Saint said with a mncholic chuckle. After taking a moment to regain hisposure, he got back on his feet and picked up his sword. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Mo Gucheng too stood up and grabbed the broken de that he had used for dozens of years. ¡°Wait for us, Tang Hao! We''re on our way!¡± The two then smiled at each other as they opened the castle door and stepped into the chaos outside. There''s no point in retreating any further if there''s no way out of here. We might as well defend this country with our lives! It''s like Tang Hao said before he died. We offered up our hearts to the people, but they remain oblivious to our sacrifices. Today, we shall make the ultimate sacrifice for our mothend! Chapter 2048 Chapter 2048 The chilly breeze in the autumn rain gushed through the corpses and remnants outside War God Castle. Tang Hao''s body had vanished into thin air after he self-destructed. Everything around him had turned into ruins. Sword Saint and King of Fighters walked out and stood before War God Castle. Upon noticing how ravaged the sacred ground of the martial arts world was, they were overwhelmed by sorrow and guilt. They med themselves for not being able to safeguard this ce. Peace was restored in the chaotic Mount Yan as the King of Fighters and Sword Saint walked out of the building. Upon seeing the two mening in their direction, the martial artists, who were still putting up a fight, started bursting into tears. They bowed before Sword Saint and King of Fighters and said, ¡°Heavenly Grandmaster is gone...¡± ¡°He sacrificed himself to protect us...¡± Countless martial artists started tearing up and exined what happened to the two. Sword Saint and King of Fighters were exceptionally calm because they were aware of it. They looked at all the martial artists who survived the ordeal and gave them a faint smile. ¡°Don''t be too hard on yourself. Heavenly Grandmaster was the pir of China. It was his duty to safeguard all martial artists, and he was passionate about it.¡± ¡°He lived an extraordinary life and had sacrificed his life for a great cause. To die for what he was passionate about is a blessing, don''t you think?¡± Sword Saint said in a calm voice as if he was an elderly wise man with a wealth of life experience. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. At that moment, Chu Sect fighters had made their way to the castle''s entrance. The leader of the bunch was Anderson, an elder from Chu Sect. While Tang Xian was the head of elders, Anderson was second-inmand. The person in charge of today''s mission to destruct War God Castle was Anderson. When they arrived at the castle''s entrance, Anderson raised his hand and stopped his men from advancing. He stood in front of the castle, red at Sword Saint and King of Fighters, andughed haughtily. ¡°Tang Hao is dead¡ªthe pir of China has copsed. The copse of War God Castle marks the end of China. It''s all over now!¡± ¡°Stop putting up a fight. It''s not toote to raise the white g.¡± Anderson stared at them condescendingly as if a victor was looking down on the losers. To Anderson, China''s heyday was over. What he said was actually true to a certain extent. He turned to Sword Saint and continued, ¡°Honestly speaking, I thought it would be difficult to take War God Castle down since China likes to boast of its five thousand years of martial arts history.¡± ¡°I''m surprised to see how weak you guys are. Chu Sect destroyed War God Castle merely by mobilizing half of our resources, and we even did it in the absence of Ms. Tang. Do you still dare to call yourself the pir of your country? What a joke,¡± Anderson sneered. Despite his sarcasm, Anderson did speak from the bottom of his heart. He was disappointed with the war at Mount Yan. Not only was Tang Yun not involved in the war, but Chu Sect also deployed a part of their men to attack the martial arts world in Japan. Yet, Chu Sect still managed to defeat Sword Saint and his men. It was clear that those people were no match for Chu Sect. Sword Saint responded, ¡°Stop being so full of yourself. You''ve only defeated War God Castle but not the entire Chinese martial arts world. We''ve been around for several thousands of years. We might not have someone powerful now, but ten or twenty years down the road, I''m sure someone from Saspiuburg will rise like a phoenix from the ashes!¡± ¡°And the man will avenge us and crush Chu Sect. He''ll lead China''s martial arts world to a greater height!¡± Sword Saint said with great determination and a hard glint in his eyes. Sword Saint felt helpless as he failed to protect the country, but he believed the new generation would restore his people to their former glory! Anderson instantly let out a mirthlessugh. ¡°Dream on! Now that we''ve gotten War God Castle out of the way, we''ll start exterminating the entire martial arts world in China, and this will mark the end of all our people. So stop dreaming of making aeback!¡± Anderson instantly crushed Sword Saint''s and his men''s spirit with merely a few words. Sword Saint cussed, ¡°You ruthless monster!¡± He then raised his sword and charged at his opponents. King of Fighters, too, brandished his sword and ran toward the Chu Sect fighters. The rest of the Chinese martial artists alsounched an attack on their enemy. ¡°They''re at their wits'' end now. Today will be their doomsday!¡± Anderson narrowed his eyes and ordered his men, ¡°Fall in!¡± Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Heeding Anderson''s instructions, his men charged at their opponents. They sped their hands and gathered their aura. In the blink of an eye, a terrifying aura emanated from their body. The energy wave billowed like floodwaters, inundating the peak of Mount Yan. Had Gaius and the others been here, they would have immediately recognized the formation. It was the Cloud Sun Immortal Army that Chu Family Protectors used when Ye Fan attacked Chu Sect! The formation''s power swept across thend. Sword Saint and King of Fighters were both injured. Even if theybined forces now, they might not be able to take Anderson down. Besides, Anderson and his men exuded theirbined power using Cloud Sun Immortal Army. The energy wave hit Sword Saint and King of Fighters, sending them flying and causing them to spew blood. Anderson looked at Sword Saint and King of Fighters. ¡°Let me ask you onest time¡ªare you two willing to surrender to Chu Sect?¡± Anderson''s voice rumbled over Mount Yan, and his body dwelled in the light. It was as if he was a god who stared down at his subjects on the ground. He had given Sword Saint and King of Fighters an ultimatum. Sword Saint and King of Fighters smirked with their blood-stained lips and burst intoughter. ¡°You conniving people from Chu Sect really think a powerful nation like China will throw in the towel and surrender to you?¡± King of Fighters would rather die than give in to Chu Sect. ¡°Well then. If that''s your decision, be prepared to face your death!¡± Anderson had run out of patience. He started gathering an energy on his palm. The energy emanated a sharp beam and turned into a sword. In a fit of anger, he raised the sword and swung it at Sword Saint and King of Fighters! ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Sword Saint!¡± ¡°King of Fighters...¡± ¡°No!¡± Outside the remnants of War God Castle, all martial artists from China roared in utter despair. But crying would not resolve the situation. Why would they need the sword for? All of a sudden, a wrathful roar resonated from the horizons at that critical stage. ¡°How dare you, b*stards from Chu Sect?¡± The fuming roar sted through the sky. Soon, arge palm that had blocked out the sun descended from the sky. A powerful open-hand strike hindered the attack of hundreds and thousands of Chu Sect fighters! The second strike caused the Chu Sect fighters to stagger backward, and the third strike instantly crushed the Cloud Sun Immortal Army formation! The intense attacks forced Anderson and the other elders to retreat. In the end, they knocked against a giant rock and spewed a mouthful of blood. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°How dare you disrupt our n? Don''t you know we''re from Chu Sect?¡± Anderson spat out the blood in his mouth and shrieked with bloodshot eyes. Sword Saint and King of Fighters stared into the distance. So did the other martial artists from China. They could not help but wonder who the person was. A gust of chilly wind swept over, creating a sandstorm. Suddenly, a man in white emerged at Mount Yan''s peak and descended like a deity. Chapter 2049 Chapter 2049 No one else deserved to dress in all white than the man. Just when the man took off his white robe, everyone turned to look at him. ¡°The man in the dragon mask? It''s you again! It seems like our master''s lesson has fallen on deaf ears. How dare you show yourself again?¡± Anderson and the others recognized the man right away, the man who was dressed in all white and donned a dragon mask. He was the man who had inflicted trials and brought tragedies upon Chu Sect all these years. Not long before, Chu Tianqi had beaten him up severely. He thought that the man would toe the line after that, at least for some time. However, they didn''t expect him to show himself at Mount Yan. Hence, Anderson and the others were agitated. Nheless, the man in the dragon mask did not seem to pay heed to the people of Chu Sect as they questioned him. He turned around and headed toward Sword Saint and the others. ¡°T-Thank you for saving my life. However, the martial arts world of China has met its downfall. It will not be honorable for me to keep troubling you. If I were to reincarnate in my next life, I will surely repay your kindness together with King of Fighters. Nheless, it is best for you to leave right now,¡± Sword Saint said. After all, Chu Sect was too powerful. Even though Sword Saint felt indebted to the man in the dragon mask, they were not rted after all. Hence, he could not let the mystery man protect China on behalf of War God Castle and offend Chu Sect. Hence, after thanking the man in the dragon mask, Sword Saint let out a soft sigh and asked him to leave them. The man in the dragon mask let out a chuckle. ¡°Leave? If I lose my home country, where else would I go?¡± Though it was a hearty chortle, there was a hint of mncholy to it. Sword Saint and the others were stumped. King of Fighters also lifted his head in response. ¡°Y-You are...¡± The man in the dragon mask did not answer. He took off his mask and revealed the somehow familiar yet strange face to the group. ¡°Y-Ye? Are you... Ye?¡± When the man in the dragon mask took off his mask, Sword Saint and King of Fighters were stunned. They widened their eyes in disbelief as they transfixed their gaze at the man before them. Perhaps from shock, or even touched by the revtion, Sword Saint, who had been a stern man his whole life, brimmed with tears at the sight. It had been three years since. Well, almost three years. Ever since Ye Fan''s incident, Ye Qingtian had removed himself from War God Castle. Since then, Sword Saint had not heard any news on Ye Qingtian. Before the crisis happened in China, Sword Saint had been thinking if Ye Qingtian would make a return. However, the man had not shown himself even when Tang Hao died. Hence, Sword Saint and the others had not harbored any hopes that Ye Qingtian would ever return. Thus, they certainly did not expect that to happen... After the initial shock, Sword Saint''s shaky hands held on right to Ye Qingtian''s arms as he patted the latter on his chest a few times. It was as if he was ming him for showing himself toote. ¡°Ye, why are you only showing yourself now... We thought that you were still mad at us and that you''ve abandoned War God Castle and left us to die,¡± King of Fightersmented. They were finally seeing a glimmer of hope after wallowing in despair for far too long. It was as if they were drowning, and Ye Qingtian was their lifeline who appeared right on time. Hence, it would not be difficult to imagine King of Fighters and Sword Saint''s joy. ¡°After all, we have founded War God Castle together. China is also my home country. No matter how mad I am at you guys, I will not sit idly by and watch you guys get obliterated by Chu Sect,¡± Ye Qingtian said in a low voice. There was an inexplicable expression on Ye Qingtian''s craggy face. As he aged, he came to realize that there was no absolute right and wrong in the world. For example, Ye Fan''s incident. Was Sword Saint truly in the wrong? Of course, judging from Ye Qingtian''s perspective, Sword Saint and the others were to be med. However, given Sword Saint''s position, could he be truly at fault for the matter? It was only a matter of perspective. Besides, it had been a long time since, and there was nothing they could do to change the fact. It was time to let go of the grudges. At the very least, Ye Qingtian would once again fight alongside Sword Saint. ¡°Ye, Tang Hao...¡± Sword Saint''s face turned red as he choked on his words. Ye Qingtian nodded and said solemnly, ¡°I know. Tang was truly the man. China is proud to have such a man serving the country!¡± He instinctively clenched his fist. His eyes turned anguished and glinted with a murderous aura. ¡°Both you and King of Fighters could take a rest. Let me handle the rest,¡± Ye Qingtian said. He gave Sword Saint and the others another look before turning around to face their enemies. However, Sword Saint and King of Fighters were still worried about him and said, ¡°Ye, they''re very strong... If they work together, they''re able to rival the top ten supreme grandmasters on Sky Ranking.¡± After all, King of Fighters and Sword Saint had fought them before. Hence, they knew what the people from Chu Sect were capable of. Despite being the strongest man in all China, Ye Qingtian was not able to rank even among the top ten on Sky Ranking. Hence, they were worried that even the return of War God would mean nothing but another life lost at Mount Yan. Ye Qingtian smiled and said, ¡°Don''t worry. Only a few at Chu Sect could make me retreat.¡± Somehow, Ye Qingtian was undeterred by the alleged top ten martial artists on Sky Ranking. Then, Ye Qingtian strode forward to fight the army of Chu Sect alone. ¡°War God! It''s War God! He''s back! Haha, there is finally hope for China!¡± The martial artists behind him were overjoyed at the sight of Ye Qingtian. Their eyes brimmed with tears. It was as if they were drowning in the depths of despair, and Ye Qingtian was their only savior. Some of them even kneeled as they weed his return. After all, Ye Qingtian had been the most powerful protector of China all these years. He was akin to the backbone of the martial arts world of China. As long as he stood tall, the martial arts world of China would never fall. ¡°So, you''re Ye Qingtian, the strongest man in all of China! No wonder so many of my elites have fallen today. However, that ising to an end. War God Castle is way past its prime. Do you really think you can single-handedly defeat the whole army of Chu Sect?¡± Anderson chided and let out a mocking laugh. Then, he wasted no time and ordered tomence the attack right away. ¡°Get into formation!¡± Bang! An overwhelming aura burst out and spurred into the air. Over a dozen Chu Sect martial artists teamed up once again. Cloud Sun Immortal Army burst forth with an aura to destroy the world. They dashed forward ruthlessly in Ye Qingtian''s direction. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Ye, you have to dodge! This is a very powerful formation by Chu Sect, the Comprehensive Array Attack! Both King of Fighters and I have lost to this formation. Even those ranking top ten among Sky Ranking might not be able to fend themselves off this attack!¡± Sword Saint was taken aback that Chu Sect had chosen to deploy this formation as soon as they launched their attack on Ye Qingtian. However, Ye Qingtian was unfazed in face of the formation. The authoritative man remained calm andposed, exuding a domineering aura. ¡°You have driven Ye Fan to his death back then. And now, you''re trying to crumble the martial arts world of China. Let''s settle all the scores today!¡± Ye Qingtian hissed. He was expressionless as an immense force pooled right in the palm of his hand. Bang! Then, Ye Qingtian took a leap and spurred into the air. His took the shape of his palm and manifested as a sizeable palm, covering more than half of the sky. Ye Qingtian''s palm technique was known as Heavenly Palm! Thud! The enormous palm fell from the sky like a mountain towering over the Earth. The formidable palm technique came crashing down on the elders of Chu Sect. Boom! There was nothing to shield the elders from the attack. His terrifying aura was like fallen leaves swirling in the autumn breeze and winter snow melting in a boiling pot of oil. The Comprehensive Array Attack of Chu Sect shattered into pieces, fading into nothing. Chapter 2050 Chapter 2050 ¡°H-He''s that strong?¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint were stupefied when they saw how capable Ye Qingtian was. He''s too strong! How did he be so strong? The moment Ye Qingtian attacked, he had already cracked Chu Sect''s Comprehensive Array Attack. Surprisingly, Ye Qingtian had an upper hand in the confrontation, and he had only managed to rescue Sword Saint and the rest after putting in much effort. However, both parties were then involved in a tough fight while battling each other head-on. Moments before, Sword Saint and the others thought Ye Qingtian would struggle to gain the upper hand. They didn''t expect Ye Qingtian to end up destroying the Comprehensive Array Attack. Evidently, Ye Qingtian''s strength had exceeded their expectations. Although they knew War God for years, King of Fighters and Sword Saint were still stunned by his strength. ¡°Sword Saint, is Ye really that strong?¡± Mo Gucheng stared nkly at Ye Qingtian. All these years, Ye Qingtian had always been the strongest in China''s martial arts world. Obviously, Ye Fan shouldn''t be compared to him. In fact, knowing that Ye Qingtian was a psycho, King of Fighters and the others naturally didn''t take Ye Fan into consideration. However, no matter how strong Ye Qingtian was, he was only considered one of the top fifteen in the Sky Ranking back then. Sword Saint himself was ced at around twentieth in Sky Ranking. Hence, there wasn''t a huge gap between the strength among the pirs of China from War God Castle. At that moment, however, Ye Qingtian was showing an obvious advantage. Undeniably, Sword Saint and King of Fighters could feel the difference in their strength. ¡°Well, based on that attack alone, I reckon Ye should be ranked in the top ten of Sky Ranking. No... Scrap that. I think he could be ranked as one of the top five.¡± Sword Saint was just as thunderstruck. Besides feeling surprised, they were feeling defeated as well. Back then, these pirs of China were comrades of simr capabilities. Now, ourrade has such superb skills while we''re still stuck at around the same level for decades. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. After seeing what Ye Qingtian was capable of, Sword Saint and the rest of the people in China felt hopeful once again. Finally, they found renewed hope in China''s martial arts world making aeback. While they were feeling hopeful, the same couldn''t be said for the people in Chu Sect. After witnessing someone destroying Chu Sect''s Comprehensive Array Attack, the morale of the people had taken a hit. At the same time, Anderson and the other Grandmasters of Chu Sect were staring at Ye Qingtian warily. F*ck! How did Ye Qingtian be so strong? I bet his strength isparable to Demonic Duo''s. At that point, Anderson was cursing at Ye Qingtian inwardly. When Anderson was still thinking about his strategies going forward, Ye Qingtian showed no mercy. Instead, he was unleashing his wrath. Ye Qingtian was utterly infuriated. My beloved country is getting destroyed, and the people had been massacred. The perpetrators had even killed myrades! Today, I''m going to tear Chu Sect apart! Boom! Ye Qingtian struck once again. The force was so strong that a crater formed from the impact. With that strike, a few experts had perished on the spot, and flesh and blood had filled up the crater formed earlier. ¡°You b*stard! How dare you kill my disciples? I''m going to kill you!¡± Upon seeing that his disciples had been murdered, Anderson was enraged. In order tounch an attack on Ye Qingtian, he endured the pain caused by his injuries and summoned all the martial artists in Chu Sect. ¡°Everyone, heed mymand! Fall in and attack! I refuse to believe that a hundred of us will fail to kill him! Ye Qingtian, do you see yourself as someone like Chu Tianfan? Do you really think you can destroy Chu Sect?¡± Anderson spat out a mouthful of blood, and he looked like a maniac. Anderson was the person in charge of attacking War God Castle. If he were to fail the mission, the head of Chu Sect would definitely seek an exnation from him. Things will get worse if that happens! Besides, I''ve been wanting to raise my profile within Chu Sect. This is the perfect opportunity for me to do so. I can''t possibly let Ye Qingtian destroy my dreams and hard work! ¡°Chu Sect Fatal Moves!¡± ¡°Hurricane des!¡± Soon, under Anderson''smands, the martial artists of Chu Sect began their attacks on Ye Qingtian. Waves and waves of ruthless attacks were aimed at Ye Qingtian. Ye Qingtian, however, was unfazed in the face of those attacks. Dressed in white, he stood strong and unmoved, like a boat in the storm. No matter how strong those attacks were, he didn''t budge. ¡°How dare you cause chaos in China and kill our people! Today, I''ll use your blood to pay homage to the heroes who had perished! At the same time, I''ll show you what are the consequences of messing with the people of China!¡± Ye Qingtian shouted, and a wave of immense force began to form in his palm. Ye Qingtian then transferred the terrifying force onto his fingertips. Almost instantly, arge palm formed in the sky. ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± Ye Qingtian struck his palm continuously. The frightening power the palm packed was unleashed throughout the area. As a result, the attacks from Anderson and the others were neutralized instantly. ¡°What?¡± The members of Chu Sect were stumped. Before they could react, the gigantic palm soon swept over. Swoosh! Swoosh! Every member of Chu Sect on Mount Yan was heavily injured. The weaker ones were killed by the immense force of the palm on the spot, while the stronger ones spewed blood from their mouths, and their bodies were severely injured. They were all flung toward the bottom of Mount Yan. Whoosh! A strong gust of wind blew and shattered the rocks and stones into pieces. Mount Yan was instantly silenced by the wind. The members who attacked War God Castle were either dead or at the bottom of Mount Yan. Right then, peace returned to Mount Yan. In the end, only Ye Qingtian was still standing firm in his white shirt. The martial artists from China who had survived the attack were all staring at him in bewilderment from behind. They were utterly shocked, and they widened their eyes in disbelief. In fact, they were staring at him with the utmost admiration. Ultimately, the martial artists from China quickly knelt and hailed their War God''s prowess. At that moment, Ye Qingtian''s status in the hearts of the people of China had undoubtedly risen again. He had truly be the hero of the country. After killing all the martial artists from Chu Sect, Ye Qingtian returned to check on Sword Saint and the others. ¡°Y-Ye, h-how did you do that?¡± ¡°How did you suddenly be so strong?¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint couldn''t be bothered by their own injuries anymore. Instead, they were eager to find out how Ye Qingtian had gotten so strong all of a sudden. With a solemn expression, Ye Qingtian answered, ¡°I don''t think the both of you would want to know the answer.¡± ¡°Why not? We are eager to find out! Tell us, Ye!¡± King of Fighters was getting impatient. He had been stuck on his level for a long time, so he was hoping that he could get some inspiration from Ye Qingtian. After keeping mum for a while, Ye Qingtian answered, ¡°It was Ye Fan. Back then, before he went up against Chu Sect, he had given me some tips on martial arts techniques. Besides, he had also given me lessons. If not for him, I wouldn''t be this strong, and I would definitely not stand a chance against Chu Sect today.¡± While talking, Ye Qingtian remained expressionless. King of Fighters and Sword Saint were totally stunned. In fact, they no longer looked as thrilled as before. Deep down, they were overwhelmed by mixed emotions. ¡°I-It was him?¡± ¡°B-But how could that be? Ye Fan was only a man who appearedter on. He had only been in the martial arts world for a few years, no? How could he know more about the martial arts than us?¡± King of Fighters was in disbelief. Chapter 2051 Chapter 2051 Upon hearing what King of Fighters said, Ye Qingtian smiled and shook his head before uttering sarcastically, ¡°Indeed, Ye Fan had only been practicing martial arts for a few years. How could he possibly be ranked first in the Sky Ranking? Furthermore, how could he possibly be a supreme grandmaster? Lastly, he couldn''t have possibly nearly destroyed Chu Sect on his own, right?¡± Consequently, King of Fighters was embarrassed. He could no longer make any doubtfulments after that. As Ye Qingtian had said, Ye Fan had done countless wonders despite his tender age. Hence, it would be foolish to rule out another incredible feat of his. King of Fighters and Sword Saint could only keep mum in response. In the past, Sword Saint and the others had their fair share of conflicts with Ye Fan. When Ye Qingtian mentioned Ye Fan in front of them, it was only natural for them to be reluctant to make further comments. ¡°All right. We should drop that topic. Chu Sect''s defeat is temporary. I think they''ll be back in no time. In the meantime, I''ll get you guys out of here.¡± Ye Qingtian knew time was of the essence. Although he had just defeated the martial artists of Chu Sect with Heavenly Palm, he knew those people were only a small part of Chu Sect''s strength. Soon, Chu Sect will definitely attack Mount Yan again. If we stay here, we''ll surely die. It''s best if we leave as soon as possible! ¡°Leave this ce now?¡± ¡°If we leave Mount Yan, where should we go?¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint asked puzzledly. Where could Ye Qingtian possibly take us? Chu Sect is wreaking havoc on the whole of China now. Besides, most of the provinces had already fallen. ¡°If you''re nning on taking us abroad, I would rather just stay on Mount Yan,¡± King of Fighters uttered stubbornly. Sword Saint wasn''t keen on fleeing the country as well. Ye Qingtian shook his head in response. ¡°Don''t worry. We''re not going to flee the country and hide abroad. Things aren''t that dire yet. I''m taking you guys to Jiangdong. From what I know, when Ye Fan was still alive, he left something in Jiangdong to protect the martial arts world there from intruders. In other words, I think Jiangdong is the safest ce in China now. In order to fight against Chu Sect, I''ll bring all of you guys there and set up a base. This time around, Chu Sect hadunched a major scale of attacks and dered war on various martial arts worlds. If we can prolong the war, we might be able to crush Chu Sect''s greed and ambitions!¡± Ye Qingtian said in a deep voice. ¡°What? Go back to Jiangdong? Are you joking, Ye? The sacrednd of China''s martial arts world is Mount Yan! War God Castle is the most powerful in China! We should guard Mount Yan and China''s War God Castle! Why should we guard Jiangdong for Ye Fan''s sake?¡± King of Fighters fumed. To him, Mount Yan was the symbol of China''s martial arts world. He was worried about what others would say about him if he were to give up on Mount Yan and guard Jiangdong. If we do that, others will surely think Jiangdong is the symbol of China''s martial arts world. In other words, they''ll think that Ye Fan is above War God Castle! Most importantly, everyone knows about the conflicts between Ye Fan and War God Castle. If we escape to Jiangdong, everyone''s going to think that War God Castle is good for nothing. Otherwise, why would we run toward Jiangdong to seek protection from a dead man? Along with War God Castle, we''ll end up bing everyone''s laughingstock! Neither King of Fighters nor Sword Saint could swallow their pride and do as they were told. Ye Qingtian got angry, and he fumed, ¡°Do you guys think it''s wise to think about your reputations now? Are you guys going to risk thest hope of China''s martial arts world for the sake of reputation?¡± At that moment, the hundreds of martial artists standing behind them remained silent. It was as if they were thest troops that were waiting for their general to make a crucial decision that would determine whether they were to live or die. Suddenly, a burst of hubristicughter was hearding from the bottom of Mount Yan. ¡°Hahaha! Hope? Ye Qingtian, do you really think there''s still hope for China?¡± Ye Qingtian and the others were shocked, and they immediately turned toward the voice. That was when they saw the members of Chu Sect had returned once again. This time around, even more of them showed up. The Chu family''s Dragon Guards, Tiger Guards, and Wolf Guards had also arrived. Among them, there were thirty-six expert martial artists. Besides, a few more elders from Chu Sect were seen standing next to Anderson. F*ck! They''re back already? Ye Qingtian''s expression turned grim. Ye Qingtian instructed, ¡°Wuya, I''ll stall them. Look for an opportunity to take Mr. Xiao and your dad away from Mount Yan, okay? You guys need to get out of here!¡± Right then, he knew a gruesome battle was about to break out. Although Chu Sect had brought along countless experts, Ye Qingtian could still make an escape if he ended up not being able to defeat all of them. However, he was worried about the others. Hence, he decided to send King of Fighters and the rest out of there first. ¡°My fellow countrymen, what happens today will directly determine the survival of China''s martial arts world. We don''t have to win the battle today. Instead, all we need to do is make it out alive! When the battle begins, I''ll try my best to hold off the martial artists of Chu Sect. As for the rest of you, do everything you can to get away from Mount Yan and stay alive. If possible, I hope to meet all of you at Jiangdong again after this!¡± It was as if Ye Qingtian had just said hisst words because he knew most of the countrymen before his eyes would die soon after. Now, all I can do for them is wish them luck. Hopefully, they''ll make it out alive. ¡°No! I''m not leaving! I''ll guard Mount Yan with my life! I would rather die than flee! If Mount Yan falls, I''ll be useless as a pir of China!¡± King of Fighters was adamant about guarding Mount Yan till hisst breath. Sword Saint wasn''t willing to leave, either. War God Castle was everything to him, and he had fought for Mount Yan throughout his life. Hence, he would rather die there than live somewhere else. ¡°Wuya, drag them away!¡± Ye Qingtian couldn''t give a hoot about what they wanted, so he told Mo Wuya to forcefully drag the both of them away from Mount Yan. ¡°Do you think you guys can leave? None of you will get away alive!¡± Anderson smirked. ¡°Is it? Do you think the few of you guys can stop us?¡± Ye Qingtian retorted coldly. His domineering tone suggested that he was looking down on his opponents. In fact, Ye Qingtian wasn''t intimidated by Chu Family Protectors and Chu Sect elders. ¡°Of course not! I have their backs!¡± Whoosh! A gust of wind swept through, sending the leaves fluttering and the sand flying wildly. After that, there was a thunderous crash. The initially peaceful sky was suddenly disrupted by strong gusts of wind. While panicking, the martial artists from China saw a figure dressed in a grey robe walking slowly toward them. Despite his slow movements, his footsteps were creating rumbles throughout the area. Just like that, a domineering and powerful elderly had arrived on Mount Yan. ¡°Long live Old Master!¡± ¡°Long live Old Master!¡± Upon seeing that elderly, all the martial artists from Chu Sect on Mount Yan knelt and greeted him. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was as if they had just seen someone they were all worshipping. The expressions of the martial artists from China changed dramatically when they heard that. King of Fighters had his eyes widened in shock, while Sword Saint''s face had turned pale. Even Ye Qingtian, the protector of China, was startled when he saw the elderly. That''s Chu Yuan! That''s the former head of Chu Sect, Chu Yuan! He''s the main reason Ye Fan died back then. Moreover, he''s widely regarded as the strongest in the world. Chu Yuan, he''s a supreme and a god realm! Why did hee to Mount Yan in China personally? Chapter 2052 Chapter 2052 The wind had weakened, and the stormy sky was calm once again. Like the weather, the previously rowdy atmosphere on Mount Yan quietened down as well after Chu Yuan appeared. The ce became eerily quiet. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and members of Chu Sect knelt on the ground to reverently wee Chu Yuan. The martial artists from China looked up, and colors drained from their faces. They felt vulnerable in the presence of his aura of power. Chu Yuan ignored those prostrating Chu Sect members. He stood on high grounds and gazed around, taking in the sights of Mount Yan. ¡°How many years has it been? I remember I was still a kid when I came to Mount Yanst time. Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, half my life has gone past...¡± The familiar ce brought back memories for Chu Yuan, and he couldn''t help but recall the good old days. ¡°Back in those days, China''s martial arts world was flourishing. Fighters with the Supreme title were feared by their foes. After all these years, I did not expect to find that the martial arts world had declined so badly. Without Chu Tianfan, you are nothing at all.¡± He shook his head as he mocked the Chinese, a wry smile on his face. When he initially nned his attack on China, he thought he had to mobilize the whole sect to fight against War God Castle. After all, China was where martial arts originated, and the Chinese had a long history of producing top martial artists. Thus, Chu Yuan would not dare to underestimate them. However, when the actual battle began, he realized he had overestimated the martial arts world of China. Those Supreme fighters under him sessfully dominated China and cornered those top fighters in Mount Yan. He did not even need to mobilize Demonic Duo. However, Ye Qingtian presented him with a surprise. ¡°You are the War God of China, Ye Qingtian, right? I remember you were not even among the top ten on the Sky Ranking previously. However, you actually managed to single-handedly stop my army and broke through our Comprehensive Array Attack formation. Looks like you''ve made great improvements over the years! With that ability, I would not be surprised if you are among the top five in the Sky Ranking now,¡± heplimented as his gazended on Ye Qingtian. Chu Yuan had a good understanding of the situation he was facing. Basically, China''s martial arts world had already lost to Chu Sect. King of Fighters and Sword Saint could no longer fight against them as they were gravely injured. Out of the ten so-called Grandmasters, more than half were already dead, and the remaining ones were of no threat to Chu Sect. The only person they had to be wary of was Ye Qingtian, the man standing right before his eyes. Ye Qingtian turned around and looked straight into Chu Yuan''s eyes, his determined face betraying no hint of sorrow or joy. ¡°Should I feel honored, or should I be fearful that Old Mr. Chu actually knows me by my name?¡± he said wryly. ¡°It doesn''t matter if it is honor or fear. You only have to realize that today is thest day for you, War God Castle, and also for China''s martial arts world. That''s all you need to know,¡± Chu Yuan said with a smile. He spoke calmly, but there was an arrogant and menacing tone in his voice. ¡°Hahaha, I would not question that today could mark the end of me, Ye Qingtian, and War God Castle. However, don''t you think you are being too arrogant to say this will be the end of China''s martial arts world?¡± Ye Qingtian refuted. ¡°In the past five thousand years, the world had seen uncountable heroes who rose to dominate their era, and China''s martial arts world had faced nock of challenges from those powerful foes. However, we survived and made it to this day. You may be the most powerful one at this moment, Chu Yuan, but whenpared to those historical legends, you are nothing. So if we survived all of them, what makes you think you can totally wipe us out?¡± Ye Qingtian scoffed mockingly at Chu Yuan. ¡°Let''s see for ourselves then.¡± Chu Yuan raised his hand and instantly, the ground below them began to tremble, and the skies turned stormy and dark. All the energies from heaven and earth seemed to be spinning toward Chu Yuan and gathering into his hand. The atmosphere was boiling over. One move from Chu Yuan and the universe could not help but tremble. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. That had to be the mightiest god realm power! ¡°Leave, War God!¡± ¡°Quick! Leave!¡± ¡°You are not his match!¡± ¡°Don''t worry about us. You have to live on!¡± ¡°Help our martial arts world regain the glory days!¡± ¡°So long as you''re around, our martial arts world has hope and will not be wiped out!¡± After witnessing Chu Yuan''s devastating prowess, King of Fighters and Sword Saint knew China was in a precarious position. Although they were in great danger themselves, they selflessly urged Ye Qingtian to leave and save himself. ¡°Please leave, War God!¡± ¡°Please get out of Mount Yan, War God!¡± All the martial artists were in despair. They could not hide their sorrow, and tears were brimming in their eyes. They knew the end was near, but they harbored hope of keeping a spark alive so China''s martial art world could flourish again in the future. That spark was Ye Qingtian! So long as they kept him alive, the hope of reviving China''s martial arts world stayed alive. Instantly, all the bloodied and desperate Chinese martial artists knelt on the ground and pleaded sorrowfully with Ye Qingtian, urging him to make an escape and leave Mount Yan. However, Ye Qingtian shook his head and rejected their request. ¡°Sword Saint, you have known me for so many years, so you should know my personality by now. You are all my brothers and my fellow countrymen. Do you want me to abandon all of you and then live on with guilt for the rest of my life? Sorry, but I can''t do that! I will stand by you and we''ll face this together! If we were to die, we die together!¡± Ye Qingtian spoke calmly. He seemed to have a nonchnt attitude toward life and death. ¡°This is not the time to be emotional, Ye! As Ye Qingtian, the War God of China and the most senior Hall Master of War God Castle, you have to see the bigger picture! Compared to the continuity and survival of our martial arts world, our lives mean nothing! So leave now!¡± Sword Saint pleaded, nearly bursting into tears in despair. King of Fighters also harshly chided Ye Qingtian for being myopic and urged him to get out of Mount Yan immediately. ¡°See the big picture?¡± Ye Qingtian suddenlyughed out loud. ¡°So you gave up on Ye Fan back in those days because of this so-called big picture? So what happened in the end? Our martial arts world ended up being run to the ground, and China is in grave danger now. Is that the big picture you envisaged?¡± he questioned. ¡°Mo Gucheng and Xiao Chen, remember this¡ªI''m different from you! I don''t care about your so-called big picture. In my eyes, the big picture is the people! It''s all of you, those that are still alive! So long as I''m here, I will not allow anyone to hurt my fellow countrymen. I''ll fight till the end, and if I have to, I''ll die by my people!¡± Ye Qingtian announced loudly, his voice echoing through the whole of Mount Yan. King of Fighters and Sword Saint were left speechless. They stayed dumbfounded for a long while. They knew Ye Qingtian was not only expressing how he felt about the situation at that moment. He was also berating them for what they had done to Ye Fan. Although many years had passed, he had not forgotten about their decision to forsake Ye Fan. At that moment, the energy field radiating from Chu Yuan had reached a peak. Even from afar, one could feel the suffocating pressure. Ye Qingtian stomped on the ground and leaped into the sky. He decided to take Chu Yuan on in mid-air so as to minimize the dangers to the Chinese martial artists. ¡°Ye Qingtian, if you submit to me now, I can spare your life. Otherwise, Mount Yan will be your burial ground!¡± Chu Yuan looked at Ye Qingtian from afar and calmly said. Ye Qingtianughed out loud and replied, ¡°What is death? It is but a long peaceful sleep. I have practiced martial arts all my life, so it would be an honor to be able to have a battle with a god realm master before I die.¡± ¡°However, may I ask you a question before we begin, Old Mr. Chu? Why did you put in so much effort to lead Chu Sect into battles all over the world? Is it merely to satisfy your ambition to be the superpower and to lead the world?¡± Ye Qingtian put forth the question that had been bugging him. Chapter 2053 Chapter 2053 ¡°To lead the world? I''m already the most powerful person in this world, so why do I care about leading the world?¡± Chu Yuan gave a wry smile and said in a tone full of contempt. ¡°This tiny earth and you people are nothing in my eyes,¡± Chu Yuan arrogantly dered. He had ced himself in a league beyond mere humans, and even the Earth was considered small and uninteresting to him. If such words came out of another person''s mouth, that person would be seen as a madman who was talking nonsense. However, it did not sound wronging from Chu Yuan. After all, he had earned the right to be arrogant. Ye Qingtian believed him when he said that, and Chu Yuan''s words aroused his curiosity. Chu Sect had devoted a lot of efforts and resources through the years to dominate the world. If Chu Yuan''s aim was not to lead the world, Ye Qingtian could not help but wonder what his motive was. ¡°Can you tell me what is your motive? I''m about to die anyway, so the least you can do is to let me die without the regret of not knowing why,¡± Ye Qingtian probed. ¡°Sure. No harm in telling you this. For the past centuries, all the heads of Chu Sect wanted to unite the martial arts worlds under us. We''re not after riches or power. Our aim is to achieve sainthood!¡± Chu Yuan shared. What? Chu Yuan''s reply shocked Ye Qingtian. King of Fighters, Sword Saint, and all the Chinese martial artists stared with their eyes wide open, astonished to hear such a reply as well. Sai¡ªsainthood? Do saints really exist? Canymen like us really attain sainthood? Ye Qingtian''s eyes narrowed as he pondered on the many questions in his mind. His emotions were in overdrive, stunned by Chu Yuan''s revtion. What Chu Yuan had said was beyond reality, and beyond anyone''s imagination. Saints belonged to myths, and it was a concept most people found difficult toprehend and ept. Yet, the head of Chu Sect openly and affirmatively revealed that was his ultimate aim, making everyone wonder if saints really do exist. ¡°Ignorant fools like you have tunnel vision. All you see is the tiny world around you. You fail to see the true essence of things. Just like the frog in the well knows nothing of the sea, youmoners have no clue of the existence of saints and the magical sainthood.¡± Chu Yuan belittled his doubters. ¡°Ye Qingtian, I have some respect for you, so I shall share a secret with you before you die. Our forefather, Chu Yunyang, was a man that had attained sainthood! ¡°You doubt the existence of saints, but our ancestor Mr. Yunyang had reached that realm long ago. His title is Saint Yunyang. The Chu family can dominate the world for so many years because we have holy blood in us!¡± Chu Yuan proudly dered. Many people were dumbfounded by his deration. They were utterly confused and bbergasted. So the Chinese mythical stories about saints are real! ¡°No!¡± ¡°That''s impossible!¡± ¡°There is no ghosts nor saints in this world!¡± ¡°This is superstition and a primitive belief.¡± ¡°You are trying to confuse us!¡± ¡°Stop this nonsensical talk, Chu Yuan. I, Mo Gucheng¡ªKing of Fighters, don''t believe in such superstition!¡± Mo Gucheng suddenly raised his voice and chided, rejecting the notion of saints and sainthood. He could not ept such ideas and found them beyond belief. However, Chu Yuan could not care less. Regardless of what others said, just like Mo Gucheng, he held firm to his belief. No one could change his mind or salvage the situation. War God Castle was destined to be eradicated, and all the Chinese martial artists were heading for death. Chu Sect would confidently run over the whole world. Sai¡ªsaint Yunyang? So there is really sainthood? A realm beyond us humans do exist? Ye Qingtian was dazed by Chu Yuan''s revtion and lost in deep thoughts. For a long time, he had always thought the pinnacle of power and skills in the martial arts world was to achieve the status of supreme grandmaster, to be ranked number one in the Sky Ranking. However, the appearance of god realm masters made him realize there was another level beyond what he knew¡ªthe god realm. Suddenly, it was revealed to him that beyond the god realm, there was sainthood! At that moment, it struck him that knowledge and skills knew no boundaries. One could always strive for a breakthrough and reach greater heights. When he mastered the palm technique that Ye Fan taught him, he thought he was close to being among the top! However, at that instant, he realized he still had a long way to go in terms of his training and achievements. Suddenly, Ye Qingtian was overwhelmed by a sense of dejection. He was demoralized by the thought that he would die before achieving the god realm and had no opportunity to take a peek into what was beyond that. To someone obsessed with martial arts, that was something deeply regrettable. He refused to ept that! He desperately wanted to see for himself what sainthood was like. He wondered if a saint would develop the ability to fly away and leave the earth. He was also curious about the world beyond the earth, the universe where the saints reside. Suddenly, Ye Qingtian looked up into the sky. Chu Yuan saw that andughed out loud. ¡°Don''t tell me you are dreaming of bing a saint too? Forget it, Ye Qingtian! At this moment, the only person who has the ability to achieve sainthood is me, Chu Yuan! Whoever stands in my way will be eliminated!¡± Chu Yuan boasted. ¡°I have to admit Chu Tianfan was indeed a threat to me some years back. I feared he would be the one to attain sainthood instead of me. Thank goodness he is dead! With him gone, no one in this world can stop me from my ambition!¡± Chu Yuan burst out in arrogantughter, pleased with himself. ¡°All right, I''ve granted your wish and told you what you wanted to know. Now, it''s time I send you to meet your maker!¡± Chu Yuan had no hesitation anymore. He waved his arm, and millions of blinding sparks shot out from his hand, flying toward Ye Qingtian. It was as if millions of darts were heading toward the target board. The blinding lights brought with them shadows of death. He waved his arm, and millions of blinding sparks shot out from his hand, flying toward Ye Qingtian. It was as if millions of darts were heading toward the target board. The blinding lights brought with them shadows of death. ¡°Duck, Ye!¡± ¡°War God!¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± King of Fighters, Sword Saint and the other martial artists screamed at Ye Qingtian, warning him. No one expected Chu Yuan wouldunch his attack so suddenly. Ye Qingtian could not dodge! Behind him were the few remaining fighters of China''s martial arts world. He had vowed to protect them, even at the cost of his own life. Instead of dodging the light darts, he chose to take them on, heads-on! ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± He executed his most powerful strike. ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! In a split second, Ye Qingtianunched more than a dozen Heavenly Palm strikes. Like a gushing river, the intense energy from his strokes formed a wave crest and crashed toward Chu Yuan. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. King of Fighters and Sword Saint watched in awe. Simrly, the other Chinese martial artists froze in tension as they watched the battle unfold. Some wondered why Ye Qingtian always resorted to Heavenly Palm and suspected that was the only skill he mastered. What happened to his previous techniques and skills? Like the rest, King of Fighters was puzzled. ¡°He had no choice. Ye can only rely on this stroke! This is an exceptionally powerful technique, way more outstanding than any other skills we have in China. Only this technique can elevate Ye to a higher realm, and enable him to be more powerful than he had ever been.¡± Only Sword Saint understood why. ¡°Previously, I thought Chu Tianfan was a rare talent, a prodigy in martial arts. I overlooked the fact that the secret techniques he had mastered were exceptional treasures as well,¡± he added. At that moment, Sword Saint realized why Ye Qingtian could make such big progress within a short three years to be the top five in the Sky Ranking. It was all thanks to that palm technique. Bang, bang, bang... Sounds of explosions rumbled through the air as the millions of golden darts hit the wave crest that acted like a solid steel wall to stop them. After what felt like a long deadlock, Chu Yuan''s attack was blocked off, and Ye Qingtian''s heavenly palm''s wave continued to cruise toward Chu Yuan. What? Calm faded from Chu Yuan''s face, and his expression turned to that of shock. He waved his arm to block off the remaining energy wave that had reached him, then turned to Ye Qingtian and tore into him. ¡°Where did you learn this palm technique from?¡± he howled. ¡°Tell me! Did Chu Tianfan hand you the Book of Celestial Cloud before he died?¡± There was a menacing mix of fury and greed in Chu Yuan''s eyes when he questioned Ye Qingtian. Chapter 2054 Chapter 2054 Chu Yuan had not seen the Book of Celestial Cloud before, but he had read about it in his family records. It was rumored that Mr. Yunyang recorded all his skills and knowledge in that book. There were not only secret techniques written in the book but also detailed records of amazing formations and other secrets and information. In short, Book of Celestial Cloud hadprehensive records of valuable knowledge and information. In a way, it was respectfully honored as the book of saints. Chu Yuan wasn''t sure if such a book really existed. When Ye Fan came to challenge Chu Sect and showed off Invoke the Celestial Sky, a technique totally different from Chu Sect''s skills, Chu Yuan began to believe that the existence of the Book of Celestial Cloud was not a myth. He truly believed the Book of Celestial Cloud was in Ye Fan''s hands. Without that, no matter how talented Ye Fan was, he could not have gained such frightening prowess within a short decade. In the past few years, while Chu Yuan was recuperating, he had sent his spies to Jiangdong to track down the Book of Celestial Cloud. Unfortunately, he had not gotten any positive oue from that. When Ye Qingtian executed Heavenly Palm earlier, Chu Yuan was even more convinced Book of Celestial Cloud existed. However, Ye Qingtian turned to him puzzledly and asked, ¡°The Book of Celestial Cloud? What is that?¡± Chu Yuan''s face turned solemn. Looking at Ye Qingtian''s puzzled expression, he could tell he was not lying. ¡°You really don''t know what that is? Then where did you learn that technique from? Don''t tell me it is a self-taught technique!¡± Chu Yuan stared intently at Ye Qingtian with those cold, dark eyes of his. Ye Qingtian could tell Chu Yuan desperately wanted to find out about his heavenly palm technique. He decided to err on the side of caution and not reveal that Ye Fan was the one who taught him. He just said he had a lucky break and got the opportunity to learn it. ¡°Ye Qingtian, you should know it is not a wise decision to lie to me!¡± Chu Yuan smirked. ¡°Even if you have not seen Book of Celestial Cloud, I''m sure Chu Tianfan had something to do with this palm technique. Actually, I have to thank you for confirming my suspicion about the Book of Celestial Cloud. Now I''m sure it exists, and if I''m not wrong, it is in Jiangdong. After I wipe out War God Castle, I''ll make a trip to Jiangdong to retrieve this heirloom of our family!¡± he added. A smirk appeared on Chu Yuan''s face as he calmed down, no longer feeling anxious or desperate. He knew he had to take one thing at a time. The top priority at that moment was to eliminate all those on Mount Yan. ¡°Don''t be so arrogant, Chu Yuan! You may be able to wipe us out at Mount Yan, but you won''t be able to have your own way in Jiangdong,¡± Ye Qingtian confidently retorted. Mount Yan was almost ttened and totally ruined. Hisst hope for China''s martial arts world hinged on Jiangdong. As such, he would never allow Chu Sect to create trouble in Jiangdong. Chu Yuan gave him a mocking smile and asked, ¡°Don''t tell me you are going to stop me! Do you really think you can stop me with that single palm technique from Invoke the Celestial Sky?¡± Chu Yuan shook his head and looked at Ye Qingtian with disdain. Although he was taken aback to see the prowess disyed by Ye Qingtian earlier, it was merely a moment of surprise. Boom! The look in Chu Yuan''s eyes turned cold, and before anyone could react, heunched a strike that was almost the same as Ye Qingtian''s Heavenly Palm. Heavenly Palm was a technique Ye Fan modified from Invoke the Celestial Sky. As such, it was no surprise Chu Yuan had mastered a simr technique. When that endless wave of familiar palm energy came toward Ye Qingtian, his eyes popped out in shock. Instantly, he knew he would be defeated. In recent years, Ye Qingtian managed to secure his wins in battles with the aid of Heavenly Palm. However, with Chu Yuan, that would not work anymore. There was a definite gap between the prowess of a supreme grandmaster and a god realm master, and it was in for all to see when he went against Chu Yuan. Despite knowing his own disadvantage, Ye Qingtian was not going to sit back and do nothing. ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± Ye Fan had only taught him one technique, so that was all he could use. Two versions of the modified Invoke the Celestial Sky went against one another on Mount Yan for the first time in history. The miracle that Ye Qingtian had hoped for did not happen. With his god realm prowess, Chu Yuan easily overwhelmed Ye Qingtian. Ye Qingtian let out a groan and vomited a big mouthful of blood. His badly injured body flew across the air like a projectile. Chu Yuan was not about to let him off so easily. He went ahead andnded another strike on Ye Qingtian. Ye Qingtian felt as if a tall mountain had crashed onto his body. The intense force broke all his rib bones and instantly, his blood spouted from his body like a geyser. That marked the end of Ye Qingtian, the legendary top fighter of China. His bloodied body fell limply into the ground below. Boom! His body crashed into the ground in a deafening thud, and a crater formed from the impact. The loose stones fell on top of his body, burying him deep into the crater. ¡°War God!¡± ¡°Ye!¡± King of Fighters and a few others almost broke out in tears, while Sword Saint rushed over like a madman. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Those Chinese martial artists'' hearts were aching with sorrow and they did not bother to hide their pain. Ye Qingtian''s copse was a devastating blow to China''s martial arts world. Ye Qingtian''s copse was a devastating blow to China''s martial arts world. Although Ye Fan''s reputation was greater than that of Ye Qingtian a few years back when he was ranked number one in the Sky Ranking, the general poption still looked up to Ye Qingtian. He was the pir of China''s martial arts world. War God was the greatest idol for most Chinese martial artists. The respect that hemanded was way beyond what a junior like Ye Fan could ever dream of. One could imagine the pain and shock the Chinese were experiencing at that moment. Despite the injuries they had, many of them struggled and made their way toward the ce where Ye Qingtian had fallen and started wailing as if they had lost a parent. ¡°Ye Qingtian is dead. Settle the rest of the people.¡± After killing Ye Qingtian, Chu Yuan pointed to the rest of the Chinese martial artists and instructed Anderson to finish them off. After that, their next destination would be Jiangdong. ¡°Oh, leave some men in Yanjing. Chu Tianfan has some aplices there as well. I heard Chu Tianfan''s gang still has some influence in that area.¡± Chu Yuan started giving out instructions and listed all the chores for his men in a businesslike manner. After giving out the instructions, he got ready to leave. Other than Ye Qingtian, which he had to deal with personally, Chu Yuan knew the rest of the matters could be entrusted to his subordinates. That was a good opportunity for his men to gain invaluable experience. Moreover, the whole purpose of investing so much in grooming them was so they could lighten his load and free him from the mundane chores. Just as Chu Yuan was about to leave, he heard a rumble from a distance. A bloodied figure was seen struggling from the ground and finally rose from where Ye Qingtian had fallen ¡°It''s Ye Qingtian!¡± Mo Gucheng and his team eximed in joy. ¡°What? That fe is alive?¡± Chu Yuan was visibly shaken. Indeed, Ye Qingtian was still alive. Even though his body was badly mutted and he had no energy to fight anymore, he had stood up once again. He stubbornly stood up and roared at Chu Yuan in his hoarse voice. ¡°It ain''t over, Chu Yuan!¡± That challenge infuriated Chu Yuan. ¡°Is that so? Then let me give you a hand and send you on your final journey!¡± he replied. Chu Yuan had wasted too much time at Mount Yan, and he was losing his patience. He took a big stride, charged forward, and directed his fist directly at Ye Qingtian''s head. He dispensed all the frivolous techniques and chose to finish Ye Qingtian in the most primitive and violent manner. Just as King of Fighters and hispatriots gasped and looked on in horror, a bawdy voice sounded from afar saying, ¡°Here Ie! Let me see which assh*le is bullying mypatriots from Jiangdong!¡± Chapter 2055 Chapter 2055 Huangniu''s bawdy voice echoed through the mountains and stunned everyone present. Chu Yuan was especially shocked at the mention of Jiangdong. His face fell and his whole body tensed up. To both War God Castle and Chu Sect, Jiangdong was a ce that they could not take lightly. Even a god realm master like Chu Yuan had respect for that ce and anything associated with Jiangdong. After all, Ye Fan was from Jiangdong, and that was also where the Chu ancestors hailed from. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Even Chu Yuan''s mother, the Grand Old Lady of the Chu family, was residing somewhere in Jiangdong incognito. She was the reason why Chu Yuan left Jiangdong to thest in his battle n. Although she was far away, she managed to instill fear in him without being physically present. Chu Yuan had no wish to confront her unless absolutely necessary. Upon hearing Huangniu''s naughty voice, he immediately suspected he was a Jiangdong fighter sent by the olddy. He went on a high alert and focused his attention on the intruder, temporarily halting his pursuit of Ye Qingtian. When he turned around and saw that it was a calf instead of a prominent fighter, his face fell and he insulted, ¡°Who is this ugly beast? Are you courting death?¡± He casually waved his arm and directed a few strikes in Huangniu''s direction, and bursts of energy shot toward Huangniu. After that, he turned around and couldn''t be bothered with Huangniu anymore. After all, it was just a calf, albeit an unusual one that could talk. Chu Yuan was not about to waste his time and energy on a mere animal. He assumed that the few casual strikes he directed at Huangniu were sufficient to take care of it. ¡°Take note, you Chinese martial artists. Don''t dream of a miracle happening and that someone would come to your rescue. No one has the capability to do that. There used to be such a person, but unfortunately for you, he is dead,¡± he said. ¡°Come to think about it, I have you, War God Castle, to thank. I was badly injured then, and if you had worked with Dragon God Hall to save Chu Tianfan, I would not be able to stop you. Thankfully, you chose to turn a blind eye to his plight, and thus, I could sessfully finish him off. As a gesture of appreciation for your past assistance, I will grant you a quick death today!¡± he gloated,ughing gleefully. One could hear the pride and arrogance of a winner in hisughter. Ye Qingtian was infuriated by that, and his teeth and fists subconsciously clenched tightly in anger. Sword Saint''s body jerked involuntarily, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions. Back then, he chose to give up on Ye Fan because he was worried War God Castle was not strong enough to go against Chu Yuan. When Chu Yuan revealed that he was badly injured at that time and they could have sessfully saved Ye Fan, a deep sense of remorse and guilt arose in Sword Saint''s heart. s, it was toote to regret and repent as they could not turn back the clock. What they could do was quietly await their demise. Sword Saint and hispatriots had given up hope and closed their eyes, ready to take on that final blow from Chu Yuan. Just when Chu Yuan was about to finish Ye Qingtian and his men off, something whizzed past behind him. He immediately turned around, and the sight that greeted him shocked him. Huangniu had fended off his attack and appeared behind him. ¡°H-how is this possible? A casual strike from me can badly injure any supreme fighter. Don''t tell me this stupid calf is more formidable than a supreme fighter!¡± Shock was written all over Chu Yuan''s face. He had not paid much attention to the beast earlier. However, it had ovee his attack and came straight up to him, so he had to be on his toes. He decided to give Huangniu a deadly knockout blow, but before he could move his fist, Huangniu had already sent a lightning-quick kick in his direction. Its sturdy hoovesnded hard on Chu Yuan''s chest. Chu Yuan thought he could take on that kick directly with his Dragon God Body, but to his surprise, Huangniu''s strength was beyond his imagination and he could not withstand that blow even with his Dragon God Body! All those present stared in disbelief and dropped their jaws at that mind-blowing sight of Chu Yuan, the high and mighty head of Chu Sect, being sent hurtling across the air by a calf! ¡°Da*n! How dare you look down on me? I''m going to stomp you to death! I stomp, and stomp, and stomp!¡± Huangniu gave Chu Yuan an earful as it stomped frically at him. The frenzied attack started in mid-air, but even after Chu Yuan fell into the ruins, Huangniu had no intention of letting up. He went over andnded a few more kicks on Chu Yuan, sending him straight into the ground. W-What? All those present at Mount Yan gaped in astonishment at that surprising turn of the event. Anderson and his men, who were getting ready to go on a killing spree, were especially shocked. Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, and their team were simrly thunderstruck as they stared at the god-like calf. ¡°Th-this power is not for real, is it?¡± ¡°Th-this power is not for real, is it?¡± ¡°What kind of a beast is this?¡± The incredulous sight of a god realm master being stomped by a calf gave Mo Wuya and those around him goosebumps. It was simply unbelievable! After defeating Chu Yuan, Huangniunded back on Mount Yan and paced around, eyeing the two opposing parties. Finally, his gazended on the fighters of Chu Sect, and he impatiently asked, ¡°Are you the family of Ye Fan, the heir of Jiangdong?¡± ¡°Although I detest that jerk, Ye Fan, I had no choice but to do this. My future happiness is at stake and in his hands. I''ll save you just this once. Stand up straight and at the count of three, start marching forward. I will lead you id*ots back to Jiangdong,¡± he ordered. Huangniu saw that those people looked like Ye Fan, and so he instinctively assumed they were Ye Fan''s men and the people of Jiangdong. Anderson''s face fell and he sternly rebuked Huangniu. ¡°W-What are you talking about? We are from Chu Sect, not the idiotic family of Ye Fan. Stop talking nonsense!¡± Huangniu tilted its head in confusion and mumbled, ¡°You''re not? Some of you looked like Ye Fan, so I thought you are his family.¡± Next, Huangniu turned toward Ye Qingtian and his men and said, ¡°Since they are from Chu Sect, then you must be Ye Fan''s id*ots. Count yourself lucky! Come with me, and I''ll lead you back to Jiangdong.¡± ¡°But let me forewarn you¡ªdon''te with me unless you are Ye Fan''s family! I''m only here to save that jerk''s family and men! The rest of the people can die for all I care,¡± added Huangniu as it picked on its nose. Huangniu was never a busybody. If not for the agreement it made with Ye Fan, it would not have traveled such a long way to Mount Yan. In order to save itself as much trouble as possible, Huangniu decided it would only take Ye Fan''s subordinates and family back to Jiangdong. It would not entertain requests for help from anyone unrted to Ye Fan. ¡°Y-you are Ye Fan''s pet?¡± Ye Qingtian was once again blown away. He never thought Ye Fan actually had such a formidable calf as a pet! It was so strong that it managed to bury Chu Yuan in the ground. Although Huangniu took advantage of Chu Yuan''s carelessness, the fact that it was able to defeat Chu Yuan put it on par with at least the top three on the Sky Ranking. It wouldn''t be a surprise if it was a worthy match for those god realm masters too! The thought that a calf could be so awesome made Ye Qingtian''s hair stand on end. Chapter 2056 Chapter 2056 Before Ye Qingtian could remain stunned for long, Huangniu had widened its eyes upon hearing War God''s words. It instantly kicked its hoof on Ye Qingtian''s face. ¡°You''re the one who has been f*ckng raised by Ye Fan! I was raised by nature. He was not involved at all! Have I ever relied on him to provide for me?¡± Huangniu was furious. It was a dignified being, but now, they were treating it like it was Ye Fan''s pet. There was no way it would not be mad. Nevertheless, Huangniu was still merciful. Otherwise, a smack from Huangniu would have killed War God with how injured thetter was. Right then, War God rose to his feet with a guilty look on his face. ¡°Sorry, Mister. I didn''t think through my words and have said the wrong things.¡± Ye Qingtian knew that he had made a mistake as well, so he apologized to the calf. He never thought that the four-legged calf would be such a prideful creature. Sure enough, capable people all had a temper of their own. Wait, no, I should be saying all impressive calves have a temper of their own instead. ¡°Cut the cr*p. Are you Ye Fan''s follower? If yes,e with me. If not, stay here and wait for death to im you.¡± Huangniu did not want to waste too much time lingering around. After all, there were tons of things he had to do at Jiangdong, so he did not want to waste his precious life on pointless people like these. Ye Qingtian froze for a second before nodding. ¡°Yes, yes. I''m Ye Fan''s follower, but I''m not the only one. These people beside me are all his followers. We''re all from Jiangdong.¡± Ye Qingtian was shrewd and he was quick to figure out the situation. He realized that it seemed like the calf was only there to help out Jiangdong people who were close to Ye Fan. Thus, he told it that they were all from Jiangdong. ¡°Da*n! That many of you?¡± The corner of Huangniu''s eyes twitched. It was annoyed, for there were over a hundred people in front of it. Huangniu was doubtful, so he began asking them one by one. ¡°Are you really all from Jiangdong? Are you really all his followers?¡± The martial artists from China were not fools. They knew that their lives were in Huangniu''s hands. Therefore, they all nodded and told it that they were from Jiangdong and were Ye Fan''s subordinate''s followers. ¡°Well then, since you''re all his followers, hurry up and follow me back to Jiangdong. I don''t want to stay in this darn ce any second more than I have to,¡± Huangniu urged the others to swiftly leave Mount Yan and head toward Jiangdong. However, it was a big group, and there were bound to be people who were unwilling to give up on Mount Yan and return to Jiangdong. One would be the King of Fighters, Mo Gucheng. Just as Huangniu was about to lead the people away, Mo Gucheng anxiously stepped out. He stopped Huangniu and snarled agitatedly, ¡°Why do we have to go back to Jiangdong? Mount Yan is the sacrednd of martial arts in China! If you can defeat Chu Yuan, you can surely defeat Chu Sect too. You have the ability to guard Mount Yan. Moreover, as a calf of China, you too, have the duty of guarding the sacrednd of China''s martial arts world! Hence, you can''t go back to Jiangdong. You have to stay here and aid us in making Chu Sect retreat. You have to help us guard this sacrednd of China''s martial arts world. Jiangdong is a speck of dust inparison to Mount Yan. Why should we stay in that ce instead of guarding the sacrednd?¡± Nevertheless, all his words were only to convey one point, which was that he did not want to go to Jiangdong. King of Fighters'' thought was a sentiment Sword Saint shared. ¡°King of Fighters is right. If you''re a calf of China, you should be guarding the sacrednd of China''s martial arts world and not a small ce like Jiangdong. You have to stay and defend thend against Chu Sect with us. Jiangdong isn''t in any danger and doesn''t have anyone to guard it. Moreover, it symbolizes nothing to China''s martial arts world, so there''s nothing there that''s worth our protection. On the other hand, Mount Yan is thend of China''s martial artists. It''s the ce of the highest martial arts authority in China, and it''s a symbol for so many things.¡± ¡°I think that out of everywhere to guard, Mount Yan should be the one we should guard too!¡± Both King of Fighters and Sword Saint did not want to go to Jiangdong. War God had mentioned it before, but the two had rejected his idea. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Both had deep feelings for China and Mount Yan. In contrast, they bore little feelings for Jiangdong. Furthermore, Ye Fan was there, and the two of them had embarrassed themselves there back then too. Therefore, they were not fond of the ce. Why should we head to Jiangdong and guard the hometown of a dead man instead of guarding the sacrednd of China''s martial arts world? Ye Fan''s clearly not worthy enough to make all of China''s martial artists guard his hometown instead of the sacrednd of China''s martial arts world. ¡°Sword Saint, King of Fighters, why are you still clinging onto your personal prejudices at a time like this? Is there a point in arguing over such things now?¡± ¡°What''s most important is to protect the many lives of China''s martial arts world.¡± Ye Qingtian gritted his teeth when he heard Sword Saint and King of Fighters'' words. Great tribtion wasing for them, but King of Fighters and Sword Saint were still stubborn about the significance of Mount Yan. Is Jiangdong not China''snd too? Whilst Ye Qingtian was boiling in rage, Huangniu frowned, seemingly realizing something. It turned around and asked Sword Saint and King of Fighters, ¡°Are you both from Jiangdong too? Are you Ye Fan''s followers too?¡± At that, everyone turned toward the two. Many were waiting for Sword Saint and King of Fighters'' response. At the same time, Ye Qingtian, who was by Huangniu''s side, kept giving the two men looks. He was signaling them to state that they were from Jiangdong and were Ye Fan''s subordinates. He was signaling them to state that they were from Jiangdong and were Ye Fan''s subordinates. However, Mo Gucheng scoffed. ¡°Jiangdong? I just said that Jiangdong''s a small ce, so how can a pir of China be born from that ce? I, Mo Gucheng, hail from Yanjing. Thisnd I''m stepping on is my hometown. What a joke! I''ve lived more than enough years to be Ye Fan''s grandfather. I''m the Hall Master of War God Castle, so how can I possibly be his follower?¡± Mo Gucheng thenughed in pride. Sword Saint too shook his head and refused to say that he was from Jiangdong. He also refused to say that he was Ye Fan''s subordinate. After all, he was the Hall Master of War God Castle¡ªa prestigious figure in the nation''s martial arts world. On the other hand, Ye Fan was only a man who came to fameter on. No matter how talented or powerful Ye Fan was, the Hall Master of War God Castle who had been the Sword Saint for his whole life would find death easier than to im that he was Ye Fan''s follower, for that meant that he would be bowing to a junior. ¡°Y-You¡ª¡± Ye Qingtian was absolutely livid to hear their answers. He was really disappointed with them. ¡°Fools! Why are you still so adamant about clinging to your pride at a time like this? What''s wrong with admitting that you''re Ye Fan''s follower? It''s not as if we''re going tough at you on that!¡± Ye Qingtian had truly lost it. They''ve been leading the people for far too long to the point they''ve lost their intellect! How can they still be so concerned about their identities even at a tough time like this? Left without a choice, Ye Qingtian tried to convince Huangniu, ¡°Mister, they''ve been dropped on their heads, so they''re speaking nonsense. To be honest, they''re both from Jiangdong too, and they''re Ye Fan''s followers.¡± However, Huangniuughed. ¡°Do you think I''m a f*cking idiot?¡± After his bout ofughing, Huangniu went over to Sword Saint and King of Fighters before sending them flying with two kicks. ¡°Get lost if you''re not from Jiangdong! The rest of you,e with me.¡± Huangniu then led the others down the mountain. In the meantime, both Sword Saint and King of Fighters were reeling in from the shock of getting kicked. ¡°Y-You crazy calf, are you really going to leave? You''re a calf of China, and it''s your duty to guard China''s martial arts world! Otherwise, are you worthy of thend you tread on and the country that raised you? As long as you stay and aid us in defending against Chu Sect, War God Castle will double everything Ye Fan promised to give you when he was still alive! You''ll be one of the pirs of China, and you''ll be worshipped by the people!¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint mbered to their feet and stopped Huangniu, for they insisted on having Huangniu guard Mount Yan and give up on Jiangdong. Chapter 2057 Chapter 2057 ¡°Pir of my foot!¡± Huangniu cursed before kicking its hind legs. This time, Huangniu used more strength and broke Sword Saint and King of Fighters'' ribs. The two men retched blood and rolled down the mountain. ¡°Are you two idiots? Say, people from Jiangdong, why are you spending time around idiots?¡± Sword Saint and King of Fighters enraged Huangniu, who could not hold itself back from cursing. Then, it questioned the martial artists from China as to why they were spending time with two foolish men. However, who would dare to reply to Huangniu? Sword Saint was the Hall Master of War God Castle, and most of the time, none of them dared to speak to Sword Saint. Everyone in China was exceptionally respectful toward Sword Saint. Yet, Huangniu was currently cursing at those two men. No one had done that before, and no one would do that again. Who would truly dare to reply to Huangniu? Even Ye Qingtian was silent. Instead, he turned and ran down the mountain to check on King of Fighters and Sword Saint''s condition. ¡°Stop being foolish, King of Fighters and Sword Saint. Hurry up and follow Huangniu back to Jiangdong! If Mount Yan''s gone, we''ll get it back another time. Why are you so adamant about the loss of this ce?¡± Ye Qingtian gritted out as he tried to convince the two to change their minds. King of Fighters and Sword Saint were covered in blood. They were already grievously injured, and the kick from Huangniu only made their injuries worse. Now, they even had trouble rising to their feet again. Despite so, Sword Saint shook his head and said, ¡°Ye, you don''t understand. King of Fighters, Tang Hao, and I have been here at Mount Yan for our entire lives, and we''ve been at War God Castle for that long too. Our whole life has been spent living on thisnd. Tang Hao didn''t hesitate to end his life to guard Mount Yan. But now, you''re asking King of Fighters and I to give up on thend that Tang Hao guarded with his life to flee to Jiangdong with you?¡± Sword Saint shook his head andughed. Then, he continued, ¡°Sorry, but we can''t do that. We really can''t. How are we going to face Tang Hao if we leave? How will we face Mount Yan, the ce we''ve guarded for years?¡± The determination in Sword Saint and King of Fighters'' eyes was apparent. They clearly had no intention to leave with Ye Qingtian. Ye Qingtian trembled from the rage he felt. ¡°We''re only temporarily leaving this ce. We''ll surely get thisnd back if it''s possible in the future. Must you die on Mount Yan to be able to face Tang Hao? Must you die here to be able to face the people who died here? This is nothing but foolishness!¡± Indeed, Ye Qingtian could not understand Sword Saint and King of Fighters'' stubbornness. After all, everything was possible as long as one was alive. That was a simple thing to understand. However, some people would give up on their lives for something trivial like reputation. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. What would that be if not foolishness? ¡°A goal to reach, perhaps. Ye, when you were up against Chu Yuan earlier, didn''t you give up escaping too? Weren''t you willing to use your life to protect the people behind you?¡± Mo Gucheng gave him a sorrowful smile. ¡°Is that the same? The martial artists of China are all going back to Jiangdong with Huangniu. The two of you shoulde along with us to continue guarding the surviving martial artists,¡± Ye Qingtian refuted. However, Sword Saint and King of Fighters shook their heads again. ¡°Ye, we''re not the same. You don''t understand the feelings we have for War God Castle, and you don''t understand the feelings we have for War God Castle. Honestly, we know that War God Castle is doomed once we leave. What''s the point for us both to keep living once the castle is gone?¡± ¡°But...¡± Ye Qingtian persisted. Unfortunately, Sword Saint and King of Fighters no longer wanted to heed his words. ¡°Ye, have you heard about this before? A king dies for his country. When Chongzhen Emperor was up against the enemies, he could have left Jiangnan to survive, but why didn''t he leave? Instead, he chose to hang himself on a tree! That''s because the emperor of a dying emperor has no right to live anymore, let alone have any dignity to face his people. Ye, let us be. Go with them. The future of China''s martial arts world lies on all of you now.¡± Both Sword Saint and King of Fighters had made up their minds. Instead of going to Jiangdong and Ye Qingtian, they decided to share their fates with the fate of War God Castle. Huangniu was livid when it saw how the trio were still talking, and it swore, ¡°Are you going to get moving or not? You''re dilly-dallying so much. Do you want me to give you a good kick and send you to your afterlife instead?¡± ¡°Get moving? Will you?¡± Just as Huangniu was done speaking, a deep voice came from the bottom of Mount Yan. Then, Chu Yuan, who Huangniu had kicked to the bottom of the mountain earlier, shot upward like an arrow that left its bow. He came at full force, and his presencemanded instant attention. ¡°It''s the Old Master!¡± ¡°The Old Master is out!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°The Old Master is fine!¡± The dispirited Chu Sect fighters regained their motivation at the reappearance of Chu Yuan. On the other hand, the poor martial artists of China revealed frightened looks on their faces. Even Ye Qingtian was looking worried. Although they now had Huangniu in their ranks, Ye Qingtian and the others were still doubtful if Huangniu could actually go up against Chu Yuan. ¡°F*ck! You idiots! I asked you to leave, but you didn''t want to do that. Now I''ve got to work hard again!¡± Huangniu grumbled when it saw Chu Yuan re-emerge. Then, it dashed forward to start fighting with Chu Yuan. Then, it dashed forward to start fighting with Chu Yuan. ¡°Who are you? Could it be that you''re the Sacred Beast that War God Castle has reared?¡± Chu Yuan was stunned by Huangniu''s appearance. Moreover, the calf was unpredictably strong. He could not help but began wondering if the calf was actually a Sacred Beast that guarded China''s martial arts world. It would be just like Chu Sect''s ze. Sacred Beasts like them had lived for many years, and they were exceptionally mighty. ¡°More like you''re my foot!¡± Huangniu did not bother chitchatting with Chu Yuan. After a curse, it kicked him. However, Chu Yuan was not going to stand still and let Huangniu kick him this time. He shot out The Chu''s Unrivaled Punch at the calf. Thump! A foot and a fist collided. The terrifying shockwave rippled in all directions. ¡°What?¡± Both Chu Yuan and Huangniu were stunned. Clearly, neither thought much of each other''s battle prowess. Huangniu, especially, had looked down on Chu Yuan''s fighting ability. After all, it had easily kicked Chu Yuan to the bottom earlier. Nevertheless, Chu Yuan could now hold up against one of its kicks. ¡°Sh*t! You''re quite strong, aren''t you? Let''s do it again!¡± Huangniu roared before swinging its second leg. Thump! Chu Yuan then raised his other hand to deflect Huangniu''s attack. ¡°I won''t believe this! Again!¡± Huangniu refused to believe what it had witnessed. It then lifted its remaining two legs and kicked Chu Yuan. Chu Yuan copied its attack and leaped into the air to smack his legs against Huangniu''s legs. ¡°Darn it! You can even defend that?¡± Huangniu''s eyes widened. It thought that its four legs would easily defeat the two-handed man. However, as it turned out, Chu Yuan would have four limbs to use if he were to use his legs as well. ¡°Still, this isn''t the end yet!¡± With a sneer, Huangniu spun around to whip its tail at Chu Yuan. Its tail was longer than a meter, and it was like a whip sweeping across thend. Smack! A clear sound rang out when its tail pped Chu Yuan''s face. s, Chu Yuan did not expect that move from Huangniu, and he did not have a tail to copy that attack either. Instantly, Chu Yuan''s face began bleeding. ¡°Hahaha! You can''t deflect that one, can you?¡± Huangniu smugly replied. ¡°You beast! I''ll renounce being a human if I don''t crush you here today!¡± Unlike Huangniu, Chu Yuan felt anger burning in him. Chapter 2058 Chapter 2058 Chu Yuan had never suffered such humiliation in his life. He could not believe that an animal had pped him. Moreover, it was done in front of his followers. That humiliated him. Chu Yuan instantly lost his temper. He ignored the fact that his face was still bleeding and charged toward the calf like a madman after Huangniu pped him. In one second, he rained his fist a hundred times on Huangniu, and his punches came in all different directions. Every single strike was a mighty one, and they were urately trained on Huangniu. Huangniu nearly went mad when he saw the continuous attacks from Chu Yuan. ¡°Darn it! Are you insane? Can''t you just endure a p from me? Do you really need to give your all in this fight?¡± Fortunately, Huangniu had four legs, so it could still manage to hold its ground against Chu Yuan''s ferocious blows. However, that was all it could do. After Chu Yuan went mad, Huangniu obviously lost the upper hand as Chu Yuan''s attacks forced it to take a few steps back. ¡°Dude, why don''t we have a talk instead? I won''t hit you, and you don''t hit me. If you don''t put me in a tough spot, I won''t do that to you either. I''ll bring a few men away, and you''ll get to have the rest of them. How does that sound? Doesn''t it sound great that we''ll be able to coexist? Is there a need for you to do this to me?¡± Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! While Huangniu defended itself against Chu Yuan''s assault, it kept trying to negotiate with Chu Yuan. Nevertheless, Chu Yuan was not going to listen to Huangniu''s words, and he continued throwing blows at it. Yet another punch struck Huangniu''s hoof, and it made Huangniu howl in pain. ¡°D*mn it! Why are you getting more and more relentless despite my words? Is there something wrong with your head? It''s fine for I have the perfect medication for you that I''ve inherited from my family¡ª calf''s pee! It can cure everything. Open your mouth, and I''ll give it to you right away. I''m sure it''ll rid you of your mental issues! Don''t worry. It''s fate that brought us together, so this will be free medication for you!¡± Huangniu generously told him. It nearly gave Chu Yuan some of its feces too. ¡°Anymore nonsense from you and I''ll end your life!¡± The calf was driving Chu Yuan to the edge of insanity. He had never seen a calf that could talk that much in his life. In fact, Chu Yuan was certain that Huangniu was talking more than Chu Yuan ever had in his life. It irked Chu Yuan to the point he wished he could rip Huangniu''s mouth off its face! ¡°Sh*t, do you know how to talk to others? I''m giving you calf pee, but you''re cursing at me? You''re biting the hand that feeds you! You don''t appreciate my kindness at all!¡± A momentter, Huangniu said, ¡°Fine, I won''t force you to drink it if you don''t want to. Let''s continue the earlier topic. What do you think? Do you want to mull over that? Let''s put this fight to a halt. I won''t do anything to you people, but don''t you stop me from bringing the men back either. If that''s not okay, I can get Ye Fan to find you a nice girl. He has tons of beautifuldies around him. I''m serious. You''ll surely fall for one after you see them.¡± Huangniu was still keeping up with the conversation. ¡°Shut up! If you want to fight, then fight properly. Otherwise, get lost!¡± Chu Yuan was genuinely on the verge of an angry outburst. He had never seen any being fight that way. The calf''s chatters almost destroyed Chu Yuan''s sanity. Thus, he could not help but shriek furiously at Huangniu. ¡°Now''s the time!¡± Huangniu was a witty calf. Right as Chu Yuan was seized by anger, Huangniu took the opportunity to flip and p Chu Yuan on the face with its tail again. At the same time, it kicked its four legs right at Chu Yuan''s chest and sent him all the way down again. ¡°F*cking leave now!¡± Right after Huangniu kicked Chu Yuan down, it quickly turned to shout at Ye Qingtian and the others to get them to leave Mount Yan right away. Upon hearing Huangniu''s cry, the martial artists of China began fleeing toward the foot of Mount Yan. However, before they could run far... Boom! A thunderous explosion sounded out. Chu Yuan charged back out again. ¡°F*ck! How can he be so quick?¡± Huangniu dropped its jaw, stunned by the sight. He thought that he would be able to stall Chu Yuan for a period of time even if he could not grievously hurt Chu Yuan earlier. Yet, Chu Yuan returned much faster than Huangniu expected. ¡°You shameless animal! I, Chu Yuan, will surely devour your flesh and drink your blood today!¡± Chu Yuan, who had charged his way back to the battlefield, had reddened eyes. He never thought that the calf would be that shameless¡ªthat it would distract him with the strings of nonsense earlier before striking him. A wave of fury burned inside Chu Yuan. He never thought that he, a man who had lived for over a hundred years, would have fallen for a calf''s trick. Chu Yuan had just failed in a mind game against an animal. ¡°Don''t be mad. Losing your temper makes you fall ill easily. It was an ident just now. Let''s have a good talk instead.¡± Huangniu parted its lips to chuckle at Chu Yuan. ¡°Screw you!¡± Chu Yuan sincerely did not want to waste any of his breath on Huangniu anymore. The calf was smart, and if he were to keep fighting against Huangniu, it might actually set him up again. Thus, Chu Yuan did not show any mercy anymore. He struck with all his force right away. Thump! After a sh of golden light came the sound of a dragon''s roar from Chu Yuan. After activating Dragon God Body, Chu Yuan stepped into the air and waved his hands as if he was holding a sword. ¡°First Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky¡ªCloud Sun Kick!¡± Thump! The shocking stamp of his foot nearly crushed even space itself. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Huangniu widened its eyes into saucers as rm bells began ringing in its head. ¡°Darn, you''re actually being serious about this?¡± Huangniu found its courage fleeing at the way Chu Yuan was going all out without any regard for his life. It instantly turned to run. It instantly turned to run. However, Huangniu was a moment too slow. In the next second, Chu Yuan''s foot kicked Huangniu''s face, and it instantly began bleeding from his nose. ¡°Holy sh*t, you''re trying to kill me? Fine! Since you''re going all out, I''ll do the same! D*mn you for kicking my face. Not even Ye Fan has ever hit me that way!¡± Huangniu gritted its teeth in pain and scrunched up its face when it saw its nosebleed. Then, it readied itself to fight Chu Yuan to its death. In the meantime, the martial artists from China who were on Mount Yan were beginning to retreat from the mountain. However, Ye Qingtian had yet to leave as he was worried about Huangniu. Huangniu hade to save them, so he could not possibly just leave it while he fled on his own. Furthermore, Ye Qingtian was gravely injured so he would not be able to run far. Hence, he decided to stay on Mount Yan and await the results of Chu Yuan and Huangniu''s battle. ¡°Second Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky¡ªTumble of the Majestic Mountain! Third Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky¡ªEarthshaking Palm! Fourth Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky¡ªRed me Finger!¡± Evidently, Huangniu had infuriated Chu Yuan to make thetter release four attacks continuously. The destructive force stupefied Huangniu. ¡°Da*n this! I''m not going to y with you anymore! I''m going to leave now!¡± Huangniu, who had seemed like he was going to put up a good fight earlier, instantly chickened out. Itnded on the ground and spun around to escape. After all, it was only there to help out; hence, it saw no point in losing its life for Ye Fan. As the saying went, every man for himself. As a matter of fact, Huangniu could not even care about China''s martial artists'' safety as it quickly disappeared from its opponent''s line of sight. It was obviously swift in its escape, for no matter how hard Chu Yuan tried, he could not catch up with the calf. After all, Huangniu had four legs, and it was likely that no one would be able to match its speed if it were to run with all its might. ¡°D*mn it! I''m going to skin it alive one day!¡± Chu Yuan had ended up letting Huangniu run, so he gritted his teeth in fury. Nevertheless, War God and the others were still around. ¡°War God of China, let''s see who''s going to save you now.¡± Huangniu had fled so quickly to the point War God and the others could not evene back to their senses before there was no trace of Huangniu to be found. Without Huangniu, War God and the rest were naturally left vulnerable to their opponents. However, just as Chu Yuan was about to kill Ye Qingtian, an earth-shattering sound reverberated. Then, the calf, which had fled earlier, returned. At lightning speed, it bit Ye Qingtian''s sleeve and swung its head to swing the man onto its back. ¡°Hang on tight! Don''t me me if you fall off!¡± Chapter 2059 Chapter 2059 With a roar, Huangniu grabbed Ye Qingtian and raced toward the path to Mount Yan''s exit like a mad creature. ¡°Don''t go, Mr. Huangniu! Sword Saint and King of Fighters are still here. At least bring them with you if you''re leaving.¡± Panic filled Ye Qingtian''s eyes. Even though Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and Ye Qingtian had many differing opinions, how could Ye Qingtian simply watch and let his friends of decades andrades die? He couldn''t let that happen. However, Huangniu didn''t care about that. ¡°Stop talking nonsense! What you said was easier said than done! Not even a second thought crossed your mind when you made that demand, did you? Have you thought about what would happen if I died here? Moreover, those two aren''t citizens of Jiangdong. Their life or death isn''t my concern. I would''ve left you there too if it wasn''t for my promise to Ye Fan,¡± Huangniuined as he panted. ¡°Mr. Huangniu, I know about your capabilities, so I know you didn''t fight with all your strength earlier. If you used your trump card, you might have a chance to win against Chu Yuan!¡± Ye Qingtian had watched the battle from the start to the end. Huangniu and Chu Yuan had exchanged blows and attacks. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Before Chu Yuan used his trump card, Huangniu still had the upper hand. Huangniu only started losing after Chu Yuan unleashed Invoke the Celestial Sky. However, everyone could see that Huangniu didn''t fight Chu Yuan with all his strength. Huangniu had only been thinking about ways to flee from the start. If he fights with all his might, he might not lose to Chu Yuan. ¡°F**k off, will you? You guys aren''t my family or friends and definitely not my wife, so why would I risk my life for you?¡± Be grateful I even took you with me as I fled. What? Do you want me to risk my life for them? Yeah, sure. Everything will turn out great if I win, but what if I lose? I''m the one that has to take that risk and suffer the loss. Stop f**king spewing nonsense, or I''ll kick you off the mountain too!¡± Everyone treated War God with respect, but Huangniu was not polite to him in the slightest. He refuted all of Ye Qingtian''s suggestions with a snide. He wants me to risk my life for these Chinese? Don''t even think about it! I will never ept a business deal that will end in a loss. ¡°B*stard! Don''t show your face in front of me ever again! Or I''ll ughter you and your whole family!¡± At that moment, Chu Yuan''s furious cuss sounded from behind them. After Huangniu fled with War God, Chu Yuan chased them for hundreds of miles. However, Huangniu was too fast. Their distance began to grow the more Chu Yuan pursued. Finally, Chu Yuan had no choice but to give up the chase in the end. After letting out a frustrated bellow, he turned around and headed back to Mount Yan. ¡°How is it? Have you taken care of those Chinese martial artists?¡± After Ye Qingtian left with Huangniu, Mount Yan lost all its firepower. Anderson led members of Chu Sect and eradicated the entire mountain. That was when Chu Yuan asked him with a dark expression. Anderson''s face paled slightly. ¡°Many had fled when that b**tard caused a ruckus earlier, but I''ve already sent my men to run after them.¡± ¡°Useless!¡± Chu Yuan''s temper red at the disappointing news and pped Anderson across his cheek. Anderson was flung into the air and crashed onto the ground yards away. Blood spluttered from his mouth. Despite that, he still obediently got up to his knees in front of Chu Yuan, asking for forgiveness. ¡°Where are the two Supremes from China? Have they run away as well?¡± Chu Yuan asked. Anderson answered quickly, ¡°No! I''ve already sealed their powers to prevent them from blowing themselves up. They''re now being held within War God Castle, waiting for your punishment.¡± Anderson''s report improved Chu Yuan''s mood slightly. I thought I could annihte War God Castle with this attack. I never thought things would turn into such a mess. War God and that dreg of society managed to escape. I even got two whips from that calf! Even now, Chu Yuan could feel the burning pain across his cheeks from the two whips earlier. ¡°That f**king b**tard! What is his background? How can there be such a monster hiding within China?¡± Huangniu had Chu Yuan infuriated and puzzled. I''m curious about that calf''s background and even more interested in his rtionship with Jiangdong. Does he have anything to do with that olddy from Fenghai? Chu Yuan decided to push that thought aside since he couldn''te up with an answer. He asked Anderson to take him to Sword Saint and King of Fighters. ¡°Chu Yuan, you thief! You''ll face your karma for all the bad deeds you did!¡± Inside War God Castle, Sword Saint and King of Fighters were tied to stone pirs. They were close to dying from the serious injuries they suffered. They might have chosen to detonate themselves like Tang Hao did if members of Chu Sect didn''t seal their elixir field with some special technique. ¡°Haha! Karma? Who can mete out punishments for my deeds? God? Before long, even this world can''t bind me here. A mere God has no right to judge me!¡± Chu Yuanughed as he stood there and looked down at the two men slumped on the ground. ¡°Kill us. We will not surrender ourselves to Chu Sect,¡± Sword Saint stated calmly. With War God Castle defeated, both he and King of Fighters were prisoners of war. His will to live had been snuffed out. His only request was to die, so he wouldn''t have to suffer any more humiliation. ¡°I''ll send you off sooner orter, but not now. I still have some use for the two of you.¡± Chu Yuan wasn''t nning on killing them that swiftly. ¡°Stop being delusional. We won''t tell you anything. It''s pointless to keep us alive,¡± Sword Saint said coldly. Chu Yuan snickered. ¡°I didn''t expect an old man like you to have such strong integrity. Regardless, don''t fret. You don''t have to tell me anything. I don''t need it. What I need is for you to stay alive. If I''m not wrong, Ye Qingtian and Huangniu would''ve fled to Jiangdong. Say, do you think the Chinese martial artists will fight back if I take you two with me to invade Jiangdong? If I seized the king, I have the empire under mymand. With the Hall Masters in my hands, it''s only a matter of time before the remaining dregs of China fall into my hands.¡± Chu Yuanughed in a vicious way. Sword Saint and King of Fighters panicked at his words. ¡°You are despicable! I rather die than be your hostage!¡± Sword Saint and King of Fighters had always lived with glory and received praises of admiration from Chinese martial artists all their lives. The thought of sumbing to Chu Yuan''s hostages and getting dragged to Jiangdong like dogs had them in a nervous wreck. They would rather die than suffer that kind of humiliation. Why didn''t they go to Jiangdong when War God asked them? The main reason was they were embarrassed to show their faces in Jiangdong. After all, they were the ones who decided not to save Ye Fan then. In other words, they were the ones who pushed Ye Fan to his death. They had disappointed the people of Jiangdong, so they were too embarrassed to show their faces there and seek help. They also didn''t want Ye Fan''s disciples to see them in such wretched states. Hence, they were adamant about not leaving with War God. Yet, Chu Yuan was about to take them there. One could imagine the panic and breakdown stirring within King of Fighters and Sword Saint. However, their anger was the least of Chu Yuan''s concerns. ¡°With Mount Yan eradicated, China has been defeated. Clean up the area and rest here temporarily. Invade Jiangdong with me three dayster! I also need someone to investigate Chu Tianfan''s power in Yanjing when he was still alive. ughter anyone who had any contact with Chu Tianfan. Don''t let any of them escape.¡± Chu Yuan gave his final orders. The biggest reason for Chu Yuan to personally came to conquer China was Jiangdong. At the same time, his biggest fear was also Jiangdong. ¡°I hope you don''te and cause amotion this time, olddy.¡± Chu Yuan lifted his head and gazed in Jiangdong''s direction. In that direction, an olddy sat quietly in an old mansion as though she was waiting for something. Chapter 2060 Chapter 2060 While Chu Yuan was resting with his Chu Sect army, thousands of miles away around Mount Chumen, a few strong auras shot into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. The terrifying auras felt clear as day despite thousands of miles in distance. ¡°The auras shoot into the clouds like a raging bull!¡± ¡°T-This is...¡± On Mount Chumen, members of the Tang and Chu family were shocked at the scene as they all rushed to higher grounds and gazed at the powerful auras with fear. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Supreme grandmasters!¡± ¡°Four supreme grandmasters...¡± A few people gasped with surprise. At that moment, a web of despair and anxiousness engulfed members of Chu Sect. The heavily injured head of Chu Sect elders, Tang Xian, let out a rueful sigh. ¡°The Dragon yers have returned. Dragon God Hall has resurrected in the end...¡± Regret and hatred filled the head of Chu Sect elders. He regretted not killing Gaius and the rest then and there and letting them have the chance to return. Now, it was time for Chu Sect to reap what they sowed. A few years earlier, Ye Fan nearly eradicated Chu Sect with the power of Dragon God Hall. Yet, Ye Fan reappeared right when Chu Sect was about to take over the world, and he even helped Gaius and the rest regained their powers. In just a couple of days, the almighty Dragon God Hall had regained its full strength. Tang Xian knew Chu Sect''srgest threats were Ye Fan and the Dragon God Hall. ¡°There''s nothing to fear, Mr. Tang. We have elites of our own. The Old Master and Mr. Tianqi achieved many breakthroughs over the few years. No matter how powerful Chu Tianfan is, he''s no match for us. I''m sure the Old Master will lead the Chu Sect army to obliterate Mount Chumen once he heard Chu Tianfan is still alive,¡± a member of Chu Sect said with dissatisfaction from behind Tang Xian. For the past few days, Members of Chu Sect had been trying to send information to Chu Yuan, who was thousands of miles away. s, Ye Fan and the Jones family had intercepted all of them. That was why news of Ye Fan defeating Chu Sect didn''t spread despite the incident having urred a few days ago. The members of Chu Sect were living with fear under Ye Fan''s threat. .At that moment, the Dragon yers had once again regained their powers. Naturally, that news was another fatal blow to the members of Chu Sect Within the Jones familynd, a terrifying aura swallowed the entirend and sky like the deep sea. Michael Jones stood outside with members of his family as he looked up at the auras shooting into the clouds with excitement gleaming in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Jones, is this the power of a supreme grandmaster?¡± ¡°How powerful!¡± The entire Jones family was stunned. The Jones family had always been weak in martial arts. Only Bill Jones held the title of a Supreme in the entire Jones family. Besides, Bill Jones relied on medication and pills to achieve the title of Supreme. Hence there wasn''t much of a chance for the Jones family to witness the power of a supreme grandmaster. Amidst the excitement, a lean figure came outside and joined the mass. Seeing that lean figure, Michael Jones and his people scuffled to the sides opening up a path for him. In the wide front yard stood a man with his hands sped behind his back. With his gaze staring straight ahead, he said, ¡°Come out. It''s time to do some work after so long.¡± His tone was impassive, but no one could defy themanding tone hidden behind the casualness. Swoosh! Four figures shot from their rooms into the sky like arrows released from the bow at the man''s command. Finally, theynded in a kneeling position in front of the man. ¡°The Earth God, Gaius!¡± ¡°The Fire God, Owen!¡± ¡°The Water God, Su Muqiu!¡± ¡°The Wind God, Cecil!¡± ¡°We greet the Dragon Master!¡± the Dragon yers chorused their greeting. The deafening greeting of respect mmed into the Joneses'' ears like thunder. Michael Jones and the rest could feel their eardrums vibrate and the fine hairs on their skin stood up on ends. A few people''s faces turned pale at the loud greeting. Ye Fan nodded. ¡°Rise. How do you feel? Have your powers recovered?¡± he asked. Gaius beat the rest to answer. ¡°Haha! Thanks to Master, not only have we recovered our powers, I think it has reached a higher level than before.¡± Heughed. Owen and the rest nodded with agreement. ¡°He''s right, Master. We didn''t do any training or cultivation to get back the powers those Chu Sect b**tards had dispersed, but why does the Internal Energy within me feel much more powerful than before?¡± Their improved capabilities came as a surprise to them. The Dragon yers'' mood soared at that realization. On the other hand, Ye Fan wasn''t the least bit surprised. ¡°That''s normal. Hard work always bring sess. There is no suffering that is pointless in this world. Your past wounds have formed the toughest scars,¡± Ye Fan said. Gaius and the rest nodded. ¡°Haha! Let''s not idle here, Master. Let''s move out! I can''t wait to fight against Chu Sect.¡± Gaius was impatient and eager to take revenge against Chu Yuan and the others immediately after his power recovered. However, Ye Fan shook his hand. ¡°Let''s not rush. Before that, I have a few things to give to you.¡± Huh? All the Dragon yers were bewildered. ¡°What thing?¡± Ye Fan didn''t answer and instead waved his hand. The next minute, a loud buzzing split across the sky, and a fiery red me shot across the horizon. With a thundering ng, a long fiery red sword stabbed into the ground in front of the Fire God, Owen. ¡°Master, what is this?¡± Owen was taken aback at the sudden appearance of a sword. Ye Fan''s voice echoed across the area like a st. ¡°Fire God, Owen, you have followed me into countless battles over many years. Even though you''re a womanizer, your service was exceptional. I grant you this sword, Scarlet me!¡± Swoosh! Another ck glint shot into the sky. A ck sword shed through the clouds,nding in front of Gaius. ¡°Earth God, Gaius, you saved my life numerous times in precarious situations. Your effort and bravery aremendable. I grant you this sword, Smashing Unds!¡± ¡°Water God, Su Muqiu... I grant you the sword, Sapphire River!¡± ¡°Wind God, Cecil... I grant you the spear, Abyss!¡± Boom! Three swords and a spear pierced the earth in front of each Dragon yer. A scary aura came from above and nearly crushed the horizon. The amazing phenomenon shocked the audience. Even the Dragon yers were amazed. It was obvious from their expressions that they never thought their master would gift them weapons. After they dropped to their knees and expressed their gratitude, they eagerly unsheathed their weapons and wielded them enthusiastically. Schwing! The sword whistled as it cut through the air. The aura from the sword extended over thousands of miles. A thousand miles-long gully cut across the entire Jones family manor with a wave of Gaius'' sword. ¡°Haha! I love it! With Smashing Unds in my hands, I can defeat everyone under the sky! I''m undefeatable!¡± Martial artists were happiest when they learned a powerful technique or gained an incredible weapon. Moreover, the Smashing Unds that Ye Fan chose for Gaius was very helpful to him. The other Dragon yers were satisfied with their new weapons after trying them out. ¡°Master, where did you get all these weapons from?¡± ¡°We''ve never even seen any of such priceless weapons before. We''ve never even heard of it.¡± The Dragon yers were curious. Ye Fan answered somberly, ¡°I traded them with my life.¡± The Dragon yers were moved by how far their master was willing to fight for them and promised themselves they would treat their master faithfully. However, unbeknownst to them, Ye Fan stole those weapons from Indra. Chapter 2061 Chapter 2061 There was a man standing with his hands behind his back on the top of Mount Chumen. The Tang, Chu and Jones families were on their knees before him. Of course, some were forced to get on their knees, and some prostrated themselves before him willingly. ¡°Chu Tianfan! You''re nothing but a scoundrel who killed your ancestors. Kill us if you dare!¡± In the crowd, Tang Xian was forced to kneel before Ye Fan as thetter''s aura was too overwhelming. As he was the head of elders of the top sect in the world, one could imagine how devastated and humiliated he felt now as he was forced to prostrate before Ye Fan. He couldn''t help but roar in anger and reluctance. Of course, Tang Xian wasn''t the only one. The elders of the Chu family felt humiliated as they had to kneel involuntarily. However, Ye Fan paid no heed to their protests. He was now the cream of the crop. Anyone in his spot would naturally ignore themotion created by such unimportant beings. Ye Fan was looking at Gaius and the like. ¡°It has been years since I was kicked out of the Chu family. I''ve been dying toe back! Now, I''ve fulfilled my wish. The Chu family and the entire Mount Chumen are under my feet! The so-called top sect and the strongest n of the world are now prostrating themselves before me. Mother, I''ve avenged you sessfully. I shall now do what I want now,¡± Ye Fan dered solemnly. A glimmer of resolve appeared within Ye Fan''s eyes. Previously, all Ye Fan wanted was for the Chu family to provide an exnation so he could seek justice for himself. As of now, he had seeded. The Chu family had paid the price for looking down on him back then. If he were to sessfully sought justice two years ago, Ye Fan most probably would''ve brought his wife and family into seclusion by leaving theplicated martial arts world. s, fate was cruel. Two years ago, during the battle on the shores of Eastsea, Chu Sect forced Dragon God Hall into a corner and tried to wipe them out. Numerous capable Dragon yers had perished in the battle. Hence, Ye Fan had to avenge them. ¡°Dragon yers, listen to mymand. Chu Yuan is cruel enough to jeopardize people all over the world. The heavens are furious, and the people areining. Everyone wants him dead. Today, Dragon God Hall shall punish him for the heavens. We shall kill Chu Yuan and massacre the entire Chu Sect! We won''t leave until we seed!¡± Ye Fan snarled. His voice was as loud as thunder, and it rumbled over Mount Chumen for a long time. Tang Xian and the rest had no idea that a group of people woulde to Chu Sect and dere that they wanted to eradicate them all. They found it ironic and humiliating. ¡°Oh, how mortifying! This is the biggest humiliation of Chu Sect!¡± When many members of Chu Sect were sighing in shame, Gaius and the like roared, ¡°We shall ughter Chu Yuan and Chu Sect! We shall ughter Chu Yuan and Chu Sect!¡± They roared in unison. Michael and the Jones family also responded to Ye Fan''s calling willingly. Thus, the members of Chu Sect grew furious at the sight. ¡°Michael! You''re a traitor! You betrayed your own people by helping outsiders to wipe out Chu Sect? How will you exin this to your ancestors? You''re nothing but a bunch of ingrates!¡± Tang Xian growled in fury. Hearing that, Michael let out an angry bark ofughter. He leaped and delivered a kick to Tang Xian''s face. ¡°B*stard, how dare you use me of betraying Chu Sect? It was all your fault that we ended up in this state! You were the reason that my father and my n members lost their lives. I want nothing more than to rip you apart! I can''t believe you still have the guts to spout nonsense as you''re doing to meet your doom soon. I shall beat you up!¡± Michael roared. He promptly took action and gave Tang Xian a good round of severe beating. Tang Xian was already seriously injured, to begin with. He was pinned to the ground by Ye Fan''s aura and had to endure Michael''s beating without getting a chance to fight back. If Ye Fan hadn''t ordered to spare the Tang family, Michael would''ve brought his n members to ughter every one of them. After venting his pent-up frustration, Michael and the Jones family followed Ye Fan back to China. Ye Fan felt conflicted as he stepped on the same path he had taken years before. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Back then, he was defeated by Chu Sect. It took him some effort before he could escape from Mount Chumen. This time, he was leaving Mount Chumen with his dignity intact. He was a ruler starting a sessful campaign. When Ye Fan brought Gaius and the rest to China to battle against China, an ount on the Martial Artist Forum that hadn''t been logged in since three years ago went online secretly. Soon, a post appeared on the forum. It read: Everyone, it''s been a long time since west met. I''m Chu Tianfan, the founder and Hall Master of Dragon God Hall. Yes, I''m not dead. I''m back. To myrades from Dragon God Hall, I''m sorry you had to wait so long for my return. After losing the battle with Chu Sect, the members of Dragon God Hall had to disperse. It was all my fault. I''m too ashamed to face myrades. However, I have to take revenge on Chu Sect. I shall put my pride away and ask you to help me once again. Everyone who is concerned about Dragon God Hall¡ªincluding Dragon yers, Guardians, and elders from our branches. If you are strong-minded, and still have a dream, and you still remember Dragon God Hall and me, Chu Tianfan, please head to Jiangdong after reading this post. The time for the battle between Dragon God Hall and Chu Sect hase. I promise you this will be the final battle! Chu Sect is too influential, and Chu Yuan is merciless. The world has been under their rule for too long. The old era will soon be destroyed, and we shall wee a new era! Myrades from Dragon God Hall, if you still have hope, then \ follow me so we can destroy the old era and create a new era that belongs to Dragon God Hall! However, there will undeniably be casualties during the war. I might be well-prepared, but I can''t guarantee that we''ll win the war. Thus, this is just a call. I''m not forcing you to join me. You''re free to decide whether you want to join me. However, after this battle, I, Chu Tianfan, shall resign from the post of the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall. This might be thest battle I''ll fight with you. Thank you for following me all these years. Let me bid goodbye to you in advance. As I look back on our journey, I realize we''ve been through a lot. Nevertheless, I don''t regret anything. Finally, I have onest word for everyone¡ªa little spark could start a big fire. I, Chu Tianfan, am back! At first, the post didn''t attract any attention. After all, there were thousands of new posts on the Martial Artist Forum every day. Soon, someone spotted Chu Tianfan and Dragon God Hall mentioned in the post. At once, the post created an uproar on the forum. It garnered so much attention that it ended up as the most trending topic on the forum. Thousands ofments were posted underneath that post swiftly. Onement read: What? Chu Tianfan? Are we talking about Chu Tianfan, the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall? Isn''t he dead? Why is he back? Also, wasn''t Dragon God Hall dismissed after the battle that year? Is it making aeback? Everyone was floored. Chapter 2062 Chapter 2062 Anotherment read: This is not true. This post is fake! I was there when Chu Tianfan died. I saw how thousands of swords pierced his heart, and he perished on the spot. There''s no way he''s still alive! Anotherment read: Where is the moderator? Hurry, suspend this ount for spouting nonsense and spreading false news! The Martial Artist Forum was exploding withments discussing the validity of that post. Of course, despite their surprise, most of the martial artists remained doubtful. They refused to believe that Chu Tianfan, who died three years ago, hade back to life. Many assumed it was fake news, just like the various fake news that imed Chu Tianfan was back previously. However, a group of people was convinced that the post was true. ¡°Oh, it''s Master! It must be him!¡± ¡°He''s back! Master is back!¡± ¡°Yes. Only Master and Han have ess to the ount. Han will only log into the ount to post the post after receiving Master''s approval. Judging from the tone of the post, it must be Master who ryed this order!¡± ¡°Let''s go to China! We shall fight alongside Master!¡± Countless figures grew excited after reading the post from various corners around the world. Despite going into hiding three years ago, they remained passionate. Back when Ye Fan died, Dragon God Hall was dismissed. In China, War God Castle and even Chu Sect intended to get these strong fighters from Dragon God Hall for themselves. However, no one except for Ye Fan had the power to order them around. Thus, everyone assumed that Dragon God Hall would copse and be a part of history after Ye Fan''s death. No one expected that Ye Fan''s call would gather the members of Dragon God Hall once again! It was snowing heavily at the very north point of the world in Corleon. As the cold wind blew, a man in ck was traveling quickly across the icyndscape in Corleon. The terrifying force he brought about sent a Corleon bear that was busy hunting for food flying into the air. Those who knew Dragon God Hall well would immediately know that this person was one of The Eighteen Guardians, Long Zi! ¡°Mr. Long, where are you? The president of Nardor has been waiting in your residence for some time now. He has something to discuss with you.¡± Continuous questions sounded from his wireless earphone. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Ask him to f*ck off!¡± Long Zi growled angrily. ¡°W-What about the women and gold he brought as gifts?¡± ¡°Throw them out!¡± the man in ck yelled. He then removed his earphones and crushed them into dust. He was currently dizzy with happiness. ¡°Master! Are you really back? I knew that the ident back then wouldn''t take your life for real. I believe you''lle back to us one day. This time, we won''t let you shoulder the responsibility alone. We will help you to wipe Chu Sect out! Bring it on!¡± Long Zi vowed. His loud roar crushed the thick ice into pieces. Meanwhile, a man d in a white robe was traveling across the sea as though he was walking onnd. There were over a dozen figures following behind him. The waves crashed and roared beneath him. ¡°Hurry! We need to speed up. Hurry! Master, wait for me in China!¡± the man growled as his eyes turned red. His lightning speed formed a white line beneath his feet that went all the way to the sky. From afar, it looked like a Dragon King was swimming in the sea. His destination was Saspiuburg, China! Simr scenes were ying out in other parts of the world. Ye Fan''s post created an uproar in the martial arts world. Everyone couldn''t stop talking about it. Soon, many Dragon yers started traveling to China. Of course, not many people get to see them in action. Most of the martial artists in China had no idea about their arrival. Most people still thought that the post was fake. Only a few believed that Chu Tianfan was still alive. By then, the news of the copse of War God Castle had spread all over the martial arts world after Chu Sect fanned the mes. King Folo and those from India had received the news, too. Previously, Ye Fan told them to head to China to protect those in Jiangdong. However, they went sightseeing all over China instead of heading to Jiangdong upon arrival. Right then, they were having a drink in a restaurant at the foot of Tai Shan. ¡°King Folo, the martial arts world of China is doomed. War God Castle has copsed! China''s heyday is over. Even if Chu Tianfan returns, he can''t change anything. I think we should stay out of the matter and return to India,¡± Haibu said fearfully. War God Castle was the most influential force in Aploth''s martial arts world. However, it was wiped out that easily. Hence, the three of them got so scared that they didn''t want to be the enemy of Chu Sect. King Folo couldn''t make up his mind. If they were to escape back to India, Ye Fan wouldn''t let the matter slide. However, they didn''t want to stay and help Ye Fan defeat Chu Sect for fear of offending thetter. ¡°We should choose the lesser of two evils. Chu Tianfan is alone. How will he fight against Chu Sect? Even if we are to take sides, we should side with Chu Sect,¡± Haibu advised him. King Folo hesitated for a long while before nodding. He decided to ignore Jiangdong''s plight and return to India. Right then, Bapei yelled out in surprise, ¡°King Folo, quick! Look at the forum! The Hall Master of Dragon God Hall has uploaded a post there!¡± King Folo could barely hide his surprise. The three Supremes immediately got their phones and logged onto the forum. They saw Ye Fan''s post that called for the strong fighters of Dragon God Hall to gather in China to fight against Chu Sect. ¡°D*mn it! I forgot that Chu Tianfan is backed up by Dragon God Hall. We can''t afford to offend them, too!¡± King Folo''s face went pale. ¡°Forget it. We shall do our best then. Let''s head to Jiangdong now. We shall take one step at a time and adapt to the situation if Chu Sect shows up at Jiangdong,¡± King Folo dered. Obviously, he was terrified after reading Ye Fan''s post. After all, Ye Fan was going all out! King Folo didn''t want to offend someone as crazy as him. Hence, he had no choice but to do what Ye Fan asked of him and protect Ye Fan''s rtives in Jiangdong. When King Folo was on his way to Jiangdong, Chu Sect''s army finally departed to Jiangdong under the lead of Chu Yuan after resting for a few days. Besides the army heading to Jiangdong, Chu Yuan didn''t forget to leave most of the strong fighters in Yanjing to wipe out Ye Fan''s influence in Yanjing. Before going there, Chu Sect had already investigated Ye Fan''s connections thoroughly. They knew that the head of the Xu family in Yanjing, Xu Lei, was one of Ye Fan''s close friends and had been handling the affairs in Yanjing on his behalf. Chu Sect and Ye Fan were mortal enemies. It was Ye Fan who had stormed Chu Sect back then and caused trouble for them. He might be dead, but Chu Sect wasn''t about to release his surviving forces in Yanjing. They wanted to exterminate Ye Fan''s forces once and for all. The members of Dragon God Hall had escaped to many different ces, so it was pretty hard to track them all down. However, it was easy for Chu Sect to exterminate Ye Fan''s forces in Yanjing and Jiangdong. That very night, countless fighters from Chu Sect stormed into the Xu family manor. Chapter 2063 Chapter 2063 ¡°Listen to mymand. Activate Yanjing Formation!¡± Inside the Xu residence, Xu Lei knew what was going on outside, so she activated thest amulet Ye Fan gave her. With hermand, countless pirs made of light suddenly shot up from the Xu residence. The pirs of light then connected with each other to form a protective barrier around the Xu residence. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ms. Xu, is t-this going to work?¡± ¡°Is this going to block off Chu Sect''s attacks?¡± Everyone in the Xu residence was panicking. A lot of them doubted the reliability of the Yanjing Formation. They didn''t think those pirs of light could stop the attack from the best force in the world. Yet, Xu Lei was very confident. With determination in her eyes, she answered, ¡°It''ll work. The formation Ye Fan gave me will surely be able to protect me from all kinds of danger.¡± There wasn''t the slightest hint of doubt in her tone. Outside the Xu residence, a one-armed elderly man led a dozen of Chu Sect fighters in an effort to attack the Xu family. Indeed, for a secr force like the Xu family, a dozen Chu Sect fighters were deemed more than enough to wipe the family out. In fact, the Xu family did not even have the ability to defend themselves. After all, there wasn''t even a Grandmaster in the Xu family. The one-armed elderly man, on the other hand, was on the verge of bing a Supreme during his peak. However, Ye Fan cut off one of his arms when Ye Fan was battling Chu Sect back then. The elderly man was so severely injured that he could no longer improve himself and be a Supreme. Having said that, the one-armed elderly man was still powerful enough to do whatever he wanted in Yanjing. In other words, he was strong enough to wipe out the Xu family on his own. To his surprise, the moment the one-armed elderly man was about to storm the Xu residence, he and his men suddenly saw the pirs of light shooting up into the sky. The pirs of light then served as light barriers that protected the Xu residence. ¡°Mr. Duoli, l-look!¡± ¡°W-What is that?¡± The fighters from Chu Sect were so stunned that they couldn''t utter another word. The one-armed elder''s name was Duoli, and he was also frowning. ¡°It''s just an illusion. Ignore it and keep moving forward!¡± Duoli nced at the barrier and concluded that it was safe for everyone to move forward. Despite Duoli''s assessment, a few of the Chu Sect fighters were sent stumbling backward when they tried to prate the barrier. Some of them were even vomiting blood as a result. ¡°Mr. Duoli, it''s not working!¡± ¡°This light barrier is so weird!¡± ¡°There''s no way we''re getting past it!¡± The fighters from Chu Sect were panicking because they were afraid of the unknown. They had never seen or heard about the light barrier that was protecting the Xu residence. ¡°Why are you guys so scared? Step aside and let me do it! This is surely just a puny trick. How dare they pretend to be smart in front of me? Back then, I was almost a Supreme. I doubt a weak formation from a family from the mundane world is going to stop me!¡± Duoli refused to believe that he could be beaten by the formation. Upon a shout, a sword appeared in his hand. ¡°Break!¡± Duoli let out a roar, and a tremendous amount of Qi began circling within his palm. With that, he shed at the formation ferociously. ¡°Will the formation hold?¡± The members of the Xu family who were hiding inside the manor were growing anxious when they saw what was happening before their eyes. Even Xu Lei was holding her breath subconsciously. Boom! In the next second, a deafening thud rang out. The surface of the formation then started trembling violently. However, it onlysted for a few seconds. The next moment, the crowd saw Duoli being sent flying a hundred meters away. At the same time, he was spewing out blood. Everyone in the Xu family was utterly stunned. None of them had expected Ye Fan to leave them with such a strong formation. Finally, Xu Lei could heave a sigh of relief and smile. I knew it! What Ye Fan left behind for me when he was still alive is the best! ¡°Mr. Duoli, are you all right?¡± The men from Chu Sect hurriedly went up to Duoli to help him up. Duoli spat out the blood in his mouth and fumed, ¡°F*ck! That should be something like a defensive formation. Chu Tianfan must''ve left it behind when he was still alive! As expected of someone who was ranked first in the Sky Ranking. He''s still such a nuisance after his death!¡± With the formation there, Duoli quickly realized that they would need a lot more time than expected to get into the Xu residence. ¡°If we can''t kill them, let''s wear them down! Everyone, let''s cut off their power and water supply. Seal off all the exits and don''t let the Xu family out. If they try to escape, kill them! Let''s see how long they can stay inside!¡± Duoli had to change his strategy. Instead of storming in, he wanted to wait for the Xu family to starve to death. When the Xu family found out what Duoli was going to do, they were all in utter despair. ¡°What should we do, Ms. Xu?¡± ¡°They''re going to starve us!¡± ¡°We''re not prepared for such a sudden urrence. We don''t have enough food and water in storage.¡± ¡°Even if we don''t get killed, we''ll eventually starve to death!¡± Everyone in the Xu family became flustered. ¡°Don''t worry. I''ve already prepared resources beforehand. Even if Chu Sect were to seal us in, I have enough resources for us to survive this winter.¡± Xu Lei''s words managed to calm the Xu family down. Unexpectedly, someone asked Xu Lei an important question, ¡°Ms. Xu, what about after winter? What should we do then?¡± Xu Lei had no answer to that question. That''s a good question. Even if we can survive this winter, what about after that? No matter what we do, we''re trapped. We can survive for a while longer, but we can''t change what''s going to happen in the end. No one is going to save us. War God Castle is gone. Everyone in Jiangdong will have trouble saving themselves. Basically, we''re trapped, and there''s no hope for us. ¡°I''m sorry, everyone. I can only assure you that we''ll survive the winter. It''s up to fate to decide what''s going to happen to us next,¡± Xu Lei answered softly. She was extremely dejected and sad at the moment. In truth, she saw thising. She didn''t follow Ye Yuyan back to Jiangdong back then because she knew that she couldn''t change the oue. So what if I go back to Jiangdong? Even though the Yunzhou fighters are strong, they can only hold Chu Sect off for that long. What about a year or twoter? Sooner orter, they''ll fall. By then, Chu Sect will kill everyone. It''s certain death, and no one is able to change that. This has been the case ever since the moment Ye Fan died because no one else will be able to hold Chu Sect off and save us. What ensued was silence. Dead silence. Everyone at the scene subconsciously lowered their heads in hopelessness. How are we supposed to feel when we know that we''ll die after winter? Are we supposed to feel helpless, hopeless, and miserable? Suddenly, Xue Renyang yelled, ¡°No! Ms. Xu, we still have hope!¡± Xu Lei was puzzled because she had no idea what Xue Renyang was talking about. With trembling hands, Xue Renyang passed his phone to Xu Lei and stammered, ¡°Ms. Xu, i-it''s D- Dragon Master. This is sent by Dragon Master. D-Dragon Master isn''t dead. In fact, he''sing back. He had once again issued Dragon God Token. D-Dragon Master is returning. We might even get rescued before the winter ends!¡± Tears of excitement were running down his face. Xu Lei then looked at the message and read every word carefully. Although she had always been a strong woman, she started crying in an instant. Chapter 2064 Chapter 2064 ¡°It''s him! It''s Ye Fan! It has to be him! Ye Fan is still alive. Ye Fan is really still alive...¡± Xu Lei was trembling uncontrobly. The moment she knew Ye Fan was still alive, she felt a boulder lifted off of her chest. Although many of the others were wondering if the message hade from Ye Fan himself, Xu Lei didn''t doubt it one bit. Based on the choice of words, she could tell that the message was definitely written by Ye Fan. ¡°Haha! Ms. Xu, we have hope now. The day Dragon Master attacks China is the day we''ll all be free.¡± Xue Renyang was also extremely excited. For them, Ye Fan being alive was their light at the end of the tunnel. As long as Ye Fan was still alive, they could afford to feel hopeful again. While the members of Dragon God Hall were gathering, Junie, who was managing the Elysian Faction in India, also received the news. Nheless, Junie didn''t send help to China because she wanted to provide Ye Fan a passage for escape in case of an emergency. If Ye Fan fails again and the people of China refuse him, the Elysian Faction will take him in! With that in mind, Junie decided not to join the battle. Instead, she stayed in India to provide him with a way out if things were to fail. Despite that, Junie was extremely anxious when she found out that Ye Fan was getting the fighters of Dragon God Hall to gather in China. Although she had never believed in a higher power, she ended up praying for him that day. Meanwhile, Ye Fan was leading the Dragon yers toward China. Since Gaius and the rest were too slow and could not catch up to Ye Fan, Ye Fan decided to split up with them. Instead of waiting for them, he sprinted ahead at full speed. Gaius and the rest would meet up with him afterward. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Ye Fan was sprinting across the Pacific Ocean. For the past few days, it had been drizzling in the eastern area of the Pacific Ocean. It was as if God knew a war was on the horizon. Hence, dark clouds were gathering above the ocean, and even the water in the ocean had turned into darkness. Instead of the ocean, one would think that it was a bottomless pit underneath. Above the bottomless pit, a slim figure was seen running ahead at full speed. From afar, it was as if a beam was shooting across the ocean. Like a dragon, the figure was running so fast that it created waves behind its trail. Indeed, the figure was none other than Ye Fan. A few years prior, he was on an identical journey back to his country. Back then, I was in a state of complete disarray. Now, I''m returning with a belly full of rage! Soon, China''s oceanfront appeared in Ye Fan''s sight. In another hour or so, I''ll be back on thend that raised me. Boom! Right then, he felt a strong wave of energying from far away. As a result, waves were generated across the ocean. As strong as Ye Fan was, even he was startled by the coldness from the icy gust of wind blowing past him. Ye Fan halted in his tracks immediately. With a frown, he turned to look in the direction the energy came from. That''s where Tokyo is! ¡°What?¡± Ye Fan''s frown deepened after he found out where the energy hade from. ¡°Although the source is thousands of miles away, I felt the energy fluctuations so clearly. The intensity is as strong as a small nuclear explosion. Even if supreme grandmasters are battling, they still won''t generate such strong energy fluctuations. Could that be from a god realm master?¡± Right away, Moon God came to Ye Fan''s mind. Feeling curious, Ye Fan stood still and looked in Tokyo''s direction. It was far away, so Ye Fan couldn''t see anything. Nheless, he could clearly feel the endless waves of energying from Tokyo. That''s only possible if there are strong fighters battling. Besides, based on the intensity of the energy, it''s most probably a battle between individuals from the god realm. ¡°What''s happening? Who is Eigetsu battling? Isn''t Chu Yuan in China? Could it be that he had gone to Japan?¡± Ye Fan couldn''t help feeling worried. When I was in solitary training in India, Eigetsu protected me for half a year before she went missing without saying a word. At that time, Ye Fan figured something had happened in Japan. However, he didn''t think too much about it. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After all, Moon God was a god realm master. By right, there was nothing Moon God couldn''t ovee. Yet, Ye Fan couldn''t help but worry about Moon God when he felt the intense energy wavesing from Tokyo. Could it be that Chu Sect had divided their troops? Are they attacking China and Japan''s martial arts world at the same time? Back then, Ye Fan and Moon God protected each other with their lives. Ye Fan figured that there was a huge possibility Chu Yuan wanted to eradicate Moon God first before taking out Jiangdong and China. China doesn''t have many strong fighters. All it has are a few Supremes from War God Castle. If Chu Sect wanted to take out China, Demonic Duo would be able to get the job done easily. Chu Yuan doesn''t need to do it himself. Eigetsu is the only person Chu Yuan needs to worry about. With that in mind, Ye Fan suddenly changed his n about going to Jiangdong. He nced in China''s direction, and he saw no indication of any gruesome battles. It seemed like China''s martial arts world was still rather peaceful. Tokyo, on the other hand, kept generating waves of energy. It was obvious that a battle was at its climax. ¡°What should I do? Should I go to Tokyo or Jiangdong?¡± For a moment, Ye Fan couldn''t decide what to do. Not only were his family and friends in Jiangdong, but that was also his hometown. In terms of personal feelings, Ye Fan was supposed to protect Jiangdong. However, Eigetsu is a close friend of mine. She had put her own life at stake for me multiple times. Now that she''s in danger, how could I not care about her? Since both parties were equally important to Ye Fan, he was in a dilemma. After some time, Ye Fan gritted his teeth and made a decision. ¡°I''ll go to Jiangdong first! China''s martial arts world is weak. Even if Chu Yuan isn''t there, Chu Sect is powerful enough to wipe out China. Japan, however, has Eigetsu and her god realm prowess. Even if she can''t defeat Chu Yuan, she should still be able to stay alive.¡± After a while of contemtion, he decided to go to Jiangdong. After all, before he started his journey, Ye Fan found out that Chu Sect''s main intention was to attack China. There was even news about Chu Yuan''s presence in China. In that case, China''s martial arts world was supposedly in deep trouble. Apart from the fighters from Yunzhou, Ye Fan had also sent Huangniu and India''s Supremes there to protect Jiangdong. That being said, Yunzhou''s fighters could only hold on for that long. Ye Fan was afraid that Yunzhou''s fighters had already been beaten. Huangniu and the rest are witty. When dangeres, they usually run faster than anyone else. I can''t possibly count on them. Eigetsu, hang in there! I''ll go to Tokyo to help you after I bring peace to Jiangdong! Ye Fan looked in Tokyo''s direction and prayed for Moon God before running toward China. Little did Ye Fan know, Japan''s situation was dire. As Ye Fan had guessed, Chu Sect was indeed divided into two groups the moment they arrived in East Aploth. Unfortunately, Ye Fan didn''t know that Chu Sect had sent their main forces to Japan. Ultimately, it was widely known that there were only two god realm masters in the world. One of them was in Chu Sect, while the other was in Japan. Therefore, Chu Sect''s main obstacle in their quest to conquer the world was Japan''s Moon God. A few days before, Chu Yuan had ordered Chu Tianqi, the head of the Chu family and Chu Sect, to lead all the elites in attacking Japan. As for those who attacked Mount Yan, they weren''t even considered elites in Chu Sect. When War God Castle was beaten, the martial arts world in Japan had also been eradicated. The remaining Japanese martial artists, together with Mochizuki Kawa, were defeated. They had then retreated to the Sanshin Organization in Tokyo. With Moon God as their leader, they were fighting for their lives against the Chu Sect troops led by Chu Tianqi. Chapter 2065 Chapter 2065 The Skytree in Tokyo, Japan, looked like a sharp de piercing the clouds. It was evening, and the light of the crimson sun was illuminating the horizon in a gorgeous hue. A skinny figure stood at the top of the Skytree with his hands behind his back. His gaze was sharp, and there was a vicious look about him. There was a pet that looked like an eaglet perched on his shoulders. With its four wings and fiery eyes, it resembled a mini fire-spitting dragon. The little fellow perched on the man''s shoulders quietly and kept himpany as he stared at thend beneath him. ¡°Back then, Chu Tianfan fought with Yukiteru Shou at the top of the Skytree and made a name for himself. It has been years, and you''re now nothing but a pile of dust. It is my turn to be at the top of the world! Chu Tianfan, history has proven that you''re just a passerby. I, Chu Tianqi, am the real owner of the world!¡± the man sneered. His voice rumbled all over the tower, and he didn''t bother hiding his smugness and arrogance. As Chu Tianqi spoke, his eyes glowed a golden hue. If Bill were still alive, he would immediately recognize that this man had Jade Eyes, supposedly passed down in their family. Chu Tianqi stood on top of the Skytree for a long while as though he was trying to sense the dead man''s aura. Many years ago, the man was an unknown kept man in Jiangdong. In the fight against Japan, he first yed Susa Mikoto from Sanshin Organization and defeated Yukiteru Shou. That fight propelled Chu Tianfan to stardom and created an uproar across the entire martial arts world. Chu Tianqi also heard that Ye Fan used his ability to subdue the mightiest god in Japan, Tsukuyomi. Rumors had it that on the day Ye Fan defeated Yukiteru Shou, Japan''s Moon God fell in love with him and offered him a kiss. Of course, that was a famous folklore in Japan. The martial arts world of Japan denied the matter and imed that Tsukuyomi Tenshin and Chu Tianfan were rivals on numerous ounts. She wanted him dead, so there was no way she would fall in love with him. Was it just a rumor? Despite so, Chu Tianqi couldn''t help but doubt their ims. He remembered how the Moon God risked her life to protect Ye Fan when thetter showed up at the Chu Sect two years ago. That alone proved that Ye Fan and the Moon God had an intimate rtionship! ¡°Chu Tianfan, to be honest, I was jealous of you back then. I envied how strong and famous you were. Most importantly, I was jealous of how many women threw themselves at your feet. I still cannot understand what made the god realm masters and the mightiest god from a rival country fall in love with you. Even my fianc¨¦e betrayed me and traveled a long distance just to be your woman!¡± Chu Tianqi''s expression turned icy when he recalled the past. His gold irises turned crimson red as resentment, fury, and jealousy filled his heart. Chu Tianqi grew restless every time he thought about the man. He grew as agitated as a ferocious beast. Perhaps the only way to get rid of his resentment was for him to go on a killing spree. ¡°Chu Tianfan, I won''t lose! I shall prove to Grandpa, Master, the Chu Sect, and the entire world that I, Chu Tianqi, am as powerful as you! You might''ve ranked first in the Sky Ranking, but I can do that too! You might''ve destroyed Japan, but I can do that too! Since you yed Susa Mikoto, I shall kill Yukiteru Shou from Japan. You might''ve subdued Tsukuyomi, but I can do that too!¡± Chu Tianqi let out an arrogant peal ofughter. The murderous intent in his gaze was apparent. It was only early autumn in Tokyo, Japan, but his words seemed to have caused winter toe earlier than usual. Not long after Chu Tianqi made the deration, several figures flew through the sky from afar. Only supreme grandmasters were capable of traveling by flying in the air. The elders who rushed here were the elders of Chu Sect who followed Chu Tianqi tounch an attack on Japan. ¡°Mr. Chu, we''ve searched everywhere for you. Turns out you''re here!¡± The elders gave Chu Tianqi a polite bow before they updated him about their work. The elders reported politely, ¡°Mr. Chu, besides Tokyo, the other martial arts forces in Japan have been wiped out. The highest authority in Japan''s martial arts world, Sword Shrine, has also been destroyed entirely. However, the Sword Shrine Head Priest, Mochizuki Kawa, managed to escape. He and the other survivors of Japan''s martial arts world are hiding in Sanshin Organization in Tokyo. Wee to seek your instructions. Mr. Chu, when will you attack Sanshin Organization and wipe out the entire martial arts world in Japan? That way, we can return to China as soon as possible to reunite with Old Master.¡± A few years ago, Chu Tianqi was just a junior in the Chu family. He was known for being a spoiled scion. After Chu Tianfan attacked the Chu Sect, Chu Tianqi''s position in the Chu Sect rose quickly. He was now among the top three influential people in Chu Sect. His power was third in line after his master, Tang Yun, and his grandfather, Chu Yuan. Hearing their question, Chu Tianqi shed a smile. ¡°There''s no need to prepare anything. We can do that now.¡± Chuckling, he slowly stepped out of the Skytree and stomped his foot. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Boom! It was as if an enormous boulder was dropped into the ocean, for a deafening sound echoed across the sky like a nuclear explosion. The terrifying aura spread across the entire area, sending shockwaves everywhere. Countless buildings within a thousand meters shook violently. It was as though a tiny earthquake had happened in Tokyo. The citizens were shocked. Thinking that it was an earthquake, they dispersed and escaped to safety. Right then, Chu Tianqi''s voice reverberated across the city. ¡°Yukiteru Shou, Tsukuyomi, won''t you show yourselves and fight with me? If you stay in hiding, don''t me me for wiping out the entire city! You shall see a river of blood outside Sanshin Organization!¡± His warning boomed and rumbled over the entire Tokyo city. Everyone heard him loud and clear. Countless citizens lifted their heads and stared in shock at the tiny figure on top of the Skytree. Never in their wildest dreams did they expect that the loud resounding voice originated from such a small figure. Inside Sanshin Organization, Mochizuki Kawa and the others bore dejected expressions. ¡°Sword God, what should we do? Do we still stay in hiding?¡± ¡°If we stay in hiding, Chu Tianqi will kill the innocentmoners to vent his anger!¡± The Japanese martial artists in Sanshin Organization could barely hide their anxiety. Mochizuki Kawa was injured and weak. His face was pale, and he couldn''t figure out any solution. ¡°Is Moon God still in seclusion?¡± ¡°Your Highness, if you insist on staying inside, Japan will be doomed!¡± Left without a choice, Mochizuki Kawa kneeled outside Moon God''s residence and pleaded for the latter to show herself. A few days ago, Moon God had fought against Chu Tianqi on the sea. No one emerged victorious from the fight. After returning to her residence, Moon God went into seclusion. Mochizuki Kawa and the rest suspected that she went into seclusion to heal her wounds as she got injured in the fight. However, Chu Tianqi was right outside their door. He couldn''t understand why she still refused to show herself. Will you only show yourself after all your people lose their lives? Mochizuki Kawa and the others were on the verge of despair when a gorgeousdy d in a white, flowy dress stepped out slowly. There was an authoritative air about her. ¡°It''s Lady Shou!¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the rest paid their respects to her. ¡°Rise. Moon God is still in seclusion. It will take a few days before she can show herself,¡± Yukiteru Shou announced. ¡°Lady Shou, that won''t do. The people from Chu Sect are already in Tokyo! Chu Tianqi even imed he would kill everyone in Tokyo!¡± Mochizuki Kawa eximed anxiously. Yukiteru Shou nodded. ¡°Yes, I heard him loud and clear. I shall handle him. Stay here and protect Moon God.¡± Chapter 2066 Chapter 2066 Chu Tianqi remained at the top of the Skytree. From afar, his skinny figure looked like a sharp de above the horizon. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Behind him, a four-winged animal pped its wings and suspended in the air. Beneath the Skytree, countless of citizens were staring at him. Chu Tianqi had lost his patience. ¡°You still refuse to show yourselves, huh? Let''s see how long you canst.¡± Chu Tianqi waited for a long time, but no martial artists from Japan came to ept his challenge. Shaking his head, he lifted his palm and waved his hand in the direction of Tokyo. Swoosh! His Qi was as sharp as a de. Countless auras formed daggers and charged toward thend. Chu Tianqi was powerful and could wipe out Tokyo in the blink of an eye. Before his attack couldnd on the people, a white sh of light rose at the end of the horizon. It charged toward Chu Tianqi''s attack and crashed into it. Boom! Following the deafening explosion, both attacks were destroyed at almost the same time. ¡°Who was that? Get into position!¡± Shocked, the Chu Sect experts put their guards up and got prepared to start a battle anytime. Chu Tianqi was the only one who remained unfazed. He didn''t panic. On the contrary, an unnatural smile flitted across his lips. He looked like a general who had finally met his enemy! Swoosh! A gust of chilly wind blew across the Skytree. The next moment, a gorgeous figure came toward the Skytree on a cloud. She soon came to a stop before Chu Tianqi. ¡°Oh, it''s Lady Shou!¡± ¡°Lady Shou is here!¡± Some people beneath the Skytree instantly recognized her. They screamed her name and got on their feet excitedly. ¡°You have finally shown yourself, Yukiteru Shou. I thought you''d remain in hiding and ignore the fact that your people are going to die.¡± Chu Tianqi''s lips curved as he looked at the woman standing before him. He nced behind her and asked in surprise, ¡°Oh? Did youe alone? Where is the mightiest god in Japan, the Moon God?¡± After a pause, he asked sarcastically, ¡°Was she terrified after our previous fight and immediately fled Japan?¡± A mocking look danced past his eyes. Yukiteru Shou remainedposed. After years of protecting Sanshin Organization, she experienced many incidents. Chu Tianqi''s mocking words did nothing to faze her. She lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°Is Chu Tianfan an older family member of yours?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Chu Tianqi promptly lost hisposure and flew into a rage. ¡°Chu Tianfan is just an abandoned child. What right does he have to be my family member?¡± he demanded furiously. Yukiteru Shou shook her head. ¡°Judging from your disposition alone, you''re not his match. He is the most excellent man I''ve ever met in the world.¡± ¡°You have a death wish!¡± Failing to tamp his anger, Chu Tianqi delivered a punch in Yukiteru Shou''s direction. Yukiteru Shou ducked and avoided his attack quickly. She shook her head and said slowly, ¡°Why? Don''t you agree with me? I''ve met him previously. We fought on the top of the Skytree. He gave off the vibes of an imperious king. You, on the other hand, look like a spoiled scion. Without your family and your father''s help, do you think you can achieve half of his achievements?¡± Her cool voice rang around the area. For years, Yukiteru Shou rarely showed herself as she lived in Sanshin Organization. She would ignore worldly affairs unless they concerned her country''s survival. Back when Chu Tianfan threatened to destroy Japan, she went to fight against him. After that fight, Chu Tianfan left a deep impression on her. From that day onward, Yukiteru Shou knew that Chu Tianfan would someday terrify the world. In truth, that was exactly the case. Ye Fan defeated Tang Yun and Chu Sect to rank first in the Sky Ranking. Even the mightiest god in Japan, Tsukuyomi, fell in love with Ye Fan. ¡°It was a pity that he wasn''t as lucky as you. You were protected and aided by a strong family and n. You have a Grandpa in the god realm and rtives who spoiled you. However, your brother had no one else but himself to rely on,¡± Yukiteru Shou said solemnly. Chu Tianqi''s rage intensified. He roared viciously, ¡°Shut up! Shut the f*ck up! Chu Tianfan was a lowly b*stard. He was no match for me! He got lucky to be killed by my grandpa. I would have in him and burned him into ashes if he were still alive! I shall prove to the entire world that I, Chu Tianqi, am the best descendant of the Chu Sect!¡± His voice was full of jealousy and malice. Yukiteru Shou merely let out a light chuckle. ¡°You''ll never be his match. Even if you enter the god realm and be the strongest person in the entire world, you won''t be as charming as your brother. Chu Tianfan was undoubtedly a man full of charms.¡± Staring at the man who resembled Chu Tianfan, Yukiteru Shou couldn''t help but recall the night years ago. She would never forget the fight, for it was the most enjoyable fight she had ever had. Before that, Yukiteru Shou never thought a young man in his twenties could defeat her. Over the years, she had encountered her fair share of deception and scheming. In short, she had seen it all. Chu Tianfan, however, was pure and sincere. No one knew that Chu Tianfan swept through Japan and attacked the country single-handedly to fulfil a promise he made to a woman. The woman behind Chu Tianfan''s decision was now the mightiest god in Japan, Tsukuyomi! Many couldn''t understand why Tsukuyomi kept helping Ye Fan even though Japan had been in a feud with China. Only Yukiteru Shou knew the reason. Back when Moon God was at the darkest and most hopeless moment in her life, it was Chu Tianfan who gave her hope. He was a man capable of winning the heart of a god realm master. This useless but merciless scion was no match for him. A wave of fury crashed through Chu Tianqi when he heard her words. A menacing sh appeared in his gaze. His aura increased at a horrifying speed. ¡°How dare you say I''m no match for that abandoned son? I shall let you see how capable I am today! You''ll soon find out the extent of my strength! You said he defeated you here years ago. Today, I am capable of defeating you, too. I''ll make sure you die right here!¡± he dered. Boom! Right after Chu Tianqi made that announcement, a wave of aura exploded from his body. His body glowed brilliantly as a dragon''s roar echoed in the air. Chu Tianqi''s body emitted a magnificent glow. It felt like a divine being had just descended onto the earth. mes of anger licked through him as he charged toward Yukiteru Tenshin. Yukiteru Shou didn''t back down, for she had nowhere to hide. Behind her were millions of citizens of Japan. Moon God was still in seclusion, so she was the only one capable of stopping the Chu Sect''s massacre. Holding the Seven Foot Green de, she made her way toward Chu Tianqi without hesitation. The sword reflected the light as it shed ahead ferociously. Chapter 2067 Chapter 2067 Rumble! A thunderous explosion sounded. Hidden underneath Sanshin Organization, Mochizuki Kawa and the like stared at the duel worriedly. They couldn''t help but clench their fists. ¡°Sword God, do you think Lady Shou can win the fight?¡± The stars dimmed across the horizon. In Tokyo, everyone saw two blinding shes of lights attacking each other ferociously on top of the Skytree. The explosion blew the clouds in the sky away. Even the stars weren''t shining as bright as before. The martial artists in Japan couldn''t help but hold their breaths. They wanted nothing more than to be assured that Yukiteru Shou would win the fight. s, Mochizuki Kawa shook his head. ¡°I can''t be sure. Previously, Lady Shou should be able to rank among the top twenty martial artists on the Sky Ranking. Under Moon God''s lead, she improved tremendously. Currently, she only managed to rank at most the top ten martial artists on the Sky Ranking. Chu Tianqi might''ve startedte, but no one knew how powerful he was. He had withstood several moves from Moon God. I can''t be sure who will end up victorious this time.¡± Mochizuki Kawa furrowed his brows as worry overwhelmed his heart. He had experienced Chu Tianqi''s ability and even saw how Chu Tianqi fought with Moon God above the sea. Even after witnessing various fights involving Chu Tianqi, he still failed to determine the extent of Chu Tianqi''s power. When Chu Tianqi fought against Moon God, he only unleashed a few attacks before resorting to a sneak attack that injured Moon God. Hence, no one knew Chu Tianqi''s true power. Boom! Another blow was exchanged above the Skytree. Yukiteru Shou''s sword aura came crashing down, but Chu Tianqi punched it forcefully to disperse it. As Chu Tianqi stuck his fist out, Yukiteru Shou inched nearer and gave his chest a kick. Chu Tianqi was sent crashing to the ground. ¡°Nice one!¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the rest were delighted. ¡°Good job!¡± ¡°Lady Shou first used her sword to divert Chu Tianqi''s attention before sneaking closer to him to catch him off guard! Her sword attack was just a ruse, but her following attack was dangerous.¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the like were impressed by Yukiteru Shou''s ability. That is what a powerhouse looks like. Not only is she an excellent swordsman, but her experience in battle and the tricks up her sleeve are beyond our imagination. On the other hand, Chu Tianqi was only a man who came to fameter on. Hecked experience in fights and wasn''t aspetent as Yukiteru Shou. ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°We shall help you!¡± Seeing Chu Tianqi''s momentary setback, the elders from the Chu Sect nched and hurried over to check him out. ¡°Get lost!¡± Chu Tianqi roared, and they quickly retreated. ¡°This fight is between Yukiteru Shou and me. No one is allowed to butt in! Those who go against my order will die!¡± Chu Tianqi was upset at having suffered a setback. After that yell, he stomped the ground and charged toward Yukiteru Shou again. I don''t believe it! If Chu Tianfan can do this, so can I. I can defeat those who he defeated previously! His anger was mounting along with his aura. He unleashed the Chu Sect Fatal Moves! ¡°Heavenly Wolf!¡± Aided by his Dragon God Body, Chu Tianqi unleashed the Chu Sect Fatal Moves! Unfazed, Yukiteru Shou swung her sword at him. The sword auras tainted green danced in the sky. From afar, it looked like a flower blooming daintily.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Just like that, Chu Tianqi and Yukiteru Shou got involved in the most vicious fight in their lives. That night, the sound of metal nging sounded on the top of the Skytree. When nighttime fell, the sky was still as bright as day. It was a sleepless night for many citizens in Tokyo. Staring at the sky, they paid full attention to the fight that would determine their country''s fate. Mochizuki Kawa and the rest couldn''t keep their eyes away from the sky. They prayed fervently and cheered for Yukiteru Shou''s victory. This fight, which could be one of the most amazing duels in the martial arts world''s history,sted for the entire night. The frightening force generated by their fight caused the skies to twist and turn. When dawn approached, the noise finally died down. ¡°Is it over?¡± ¡°Who is the victor? Is it Lady Shou or Chu Tianqi?¡± Within Sanshin Organization, Mochizuki Kawa and the rest were tense as they waited with bated breaths. Waiting for the results was far more unnerving than watching the fight itself. s, Sanshin Organization was too far away from the scene. Thus, they had no idea about the results of the fight. Mochizuki Kawa decided to send his men to the Skytree to check things out. Thud! Without warning, a figure fell to the ground with a thud, kicking up clouds of dust in its wake. Mochizuki Kawa and the rest were shocked when they got a good look at the figure. ¡°It''s Lady Shou!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Please wake up!¡± Shocked, they ran over to check her condition. Yukiteru Shou was covered in blood, on the verge of death. Her previous imperious aura and elegance were all gone. She had never been in such a wretched state. She looked like a capable general who had reached the end of the rope. Hearing their voices, she slowly opened her eyes. In a weak voice, she uttered, ¡°I-I''m sorry. I failed to protect you.¡± Mochizuki Kawa and his men felt tears pricking at their eyes. Some were already sobbing. ¡°Lady Shou, please stop talking. We shall treat you now. We will save your life...¡± they expressed sadly. A burst of raucousughter was heard. ¡°Save her? Dream on! Those who lost to me are fated to die!¡± No one knew the exact moment Chu Tianqi arrived outside Sanshin Organization. He was standing with his arms folded behind his back. His gaze was fixed on Sanshin Organization''s building before him as he burst outughing. With a wave of his hand, he picked up Yukiteru Shou''s sword lying on the ground and flung it out. Swish! The de sliced through the air and pierced through the horizon. Under Mochizuki Kawa and the others'' mournful gazes, the sword prated Yukiteru Shou''s chest. Its force dragged Yukiteru Shou back several feet and pinned her body to the hall of Sanshin Organization. Blood sttered everywhere in the hall. ¡°Lady Shou, no!¡± That very day, all martial artists in Japan were in shock and anguish. Mochizuki Kawa got so mad that his tears were tinged with blood. ¡°B*stard! How dare you kill Lady Shou? I''m going to kill you!¡± Mochizuki Kawa roared angrily. Behind him, hundreds of Japanese martial artists charged toward Chu Tianqi in a frenzy. All the while, it was Yukiteru Tenshin who protected Japan before Moon God''s revival. Chu Tianqi had ughtered their guardian angel. One could imagine how wretched and infuriated the martial arts world in Japan felt. They went all out to try and kill Chu Tianqi. Chu Tianqi merely nced at them and snorted in disdain. ¡°Insolent fools. Do they think they can defeat me?¡± As his lips curled slightly, he casually waved his arm and directed a few strikes. Before Chu Tianqi''s attack couldnd on the Japanese martial artists, a strong gust of wind emerged. An unprecedented force swept out from the depths of Sanshin Organization. Chu Tianqi''s attack crumbled bit by bit. At once, Chu Tianqi narrowed his eyes. He lifted his head and stared ahead. From afar, a gorgeous figure came toward him slowly. She was stunning beyond words. ¡°Tsukuyomi, you''ve finally shown yourself. I heard that you previously admitted that Chu Tianfan was your master. From today onward, I, Chu Tianqi, shall be your new master.¡± Chapter 2068 Chapter 2068 Chu Tianqi became even smugger when he saw Moon God appear. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Every word he spoke wasced with the arrogance of a man who was sure about his victory. It was as if Tsukuyomi had already lost to him and be one of his toys. Indeed, Chu Tianqi had been envious of Ye Fan''s good life for every waking moment all these years. How? How can a son abandoned by his family reach the top of the Sky Ranking? How can a b*stard like him make so many women fall for him? Angie, Moon God, and even my master, Tang Yun, all seem to have feelings for Chu Tianfan. On the other hand, I, Chu Tianqi,e from a wealthy noble family, but why aren''t they attracted to me? From the moment he had gotten Angie''s Jade Eyes, he had sworn to himself that he was going to get everything that used to belong to Chu Tianfan back¡ªhis power, his people, and his woman. If he could not get them back, then he was going to destroy them all. Moon God ignored Chu Tianqi. There were few people in the world who could get Moon God''s full attention. Chu Yuan was one of those people, for his power made Moon God wary of him. Ye Fan was another, for he was her master¡ªthe one she worried about the most. On the other hand, Chu Tianqi meant nothing to her. He was all but a scoundrel. Even if he had stolen Angie''s Jade Eyes, Moon God still looked down on him. After Moon God came out, she first inspected Yukiteru Shou''s injury. Yukiteru Shou''s chest had a through-and-through injury, and blood kept flowing out of her chest. Her usually somber face was nowpletely colorless. ¡°Moon... Moon God.¡± Yukiteru Shou reached out toward Mood God, her trembling voice barely audible. Two streaks of blood flowed down from her eyes. Moon God held her hand and transferred some Internal Energy to her in an attempt to prolong her life. However, Moon God was not an omnipotent god. Yukiteru Shou''s injury was too grievous; Chu Tianqi''s attack had sliced her most vital part. It was close to impossible for her to survive. Even if she did, she would lose her cultivation and be an ordinary person. After transferring the Internal Energy, Moon God turned to Chu Tianqi and icily uttered, ¡°Were you the one who hurt her?¡± Chu Tianqi snorted. ¡°Mood God, I think it''s best for you to be worried about yourself first. Otherwise, you''ll end up just like her.¡± Despite the faint smile on Chu Tianqi''s face, the gaze he had fixed on Moon God was a burning one. He had to admit that Moon God was the only woman who was as beautiful as his master, Tang Yun. They were equally graceful and alluring. Yet, her demeanor was slightly different from Tang Yun''s elegant demeanor. What Moon God had was a divine and ethereal feel to her. She was like a divine being above all people and worshiped by the people. ¡°I''m getting more and more jealous of Chu Tianfan. He must feel aplished to have a woman like you as his ve in the streets and in the sheets. One really does look forward to the sensation of conquering a divine being.¡± The more Chu Tianqi spoke, the more vulgar his words became. When Mochizuki Kawa and the others heard him, they became livid. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Her Highness is a holy noble being. How can she be humiliated by your nonsense?¡± Moon God was the faith of the Japanese martial artists¡ªshe was the most sacred being to Mochizuki Kawa and the others. Therefore, Chu Tianqi''s obscene words toward Moon God were certainly humiliating in the eyes of Mochizuki Kawa and the others. In fact, they were even more offended and furious than when they saw Chu Tianqi kiss Moon God back then. Nevertheless, Mochizuki Kawa and the rest were not the ones in power, so they could only fume helplessly. ¡°What''s the matter? Are you feeling humiliated? Did you not feel this way when your Moon God called that illegitimate child her Master? I''ve only made a fewments today, but you can''t take it anymore?¡± Chu Tianqi sneered, his tone tinged with mockery and envy. Moon God remained expressionless as if ice had spread across her face and concealed all her joy and misery away from the rest of the world. The only response Moon God gave to Chu Tianqi was, ¡°Do you think you''re worthy to mention his name? You will never have the right topare yourself to him.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Chu Tianqi snapped. This again? Why are these stupid women always saying this? Yukiteru Shou once said that I would never be on Ye Fan''s level, and now, Moon God is saying that I''ll never have the right topare myself with Chu Tianfan. These d*mn women! Are they blind? Can''t they see that I''m the one with the lastugh? Moreover, Chu Tianfan is dead. He''s already six feet under as a loser. How can he possibly bepared to me? Moon God shook her head and continued in a calm manner, ¡°I know what you''re thinking about. You think that you''re the victor who has thestugh because you''re living a good life while he''s dead. However, you''ll learn something soon. You''ll find out that there''s a gap between you and him that you can never close. It doesn''t matter if my life ends here today. I''ll still tell you with no exaggeration that it''ll be your time and even Chu Sect''s time to die when he returns.¡± Her low voice was akin to the gentle breeze that caressed thend, but Chu Tianqi was no longer patient toward her. He bellowed, ¡°B*tch, are you still so in love with Chu Tianfan even though you''re at this point now? Since you can''t seem to live without him, I''ll send you to hell to meet him!¡± Immediately after, Chu Tianqi''s eyes turned red as a murderous aura began swirling in him. In the next second, Dragon God Body activated, and Chu Tianqi''s power began to visibly increase. Finally, Chu Tianqi threw a punch at Moon God. Nevertheless, Moon God simply swung her hand and shattered Chu Tianqi''s attack. ¡°Invoke the Celestial Sky. Cloud Sun Kick!¡± Instead of feeling despair at the failure of his first move, Chu Tianqi used the Chu family''s most powerful technique, Invoke the Celestial Sky. He had no choice, for he knew that god realm masters were no easy opponents. If he did not use Invoke the Celestial Sky, he would not be able to block even an attack from Moon God. It had to be said that Invoke the Celestial Sky was the most insane martial technique in the world. Even the Chu family''s simplified version allowed Chu Tianqi to be on par with Moon God for a moment. Once the Cloud Sun Kick wasunched, Moon God stopped counterattacking with nonchnce. The power from her elixir field exploded outward, and in the next second, Moon God did a set of sword moves to counter Chu Tianqi''s attack. Without missing a beat, the sword sh Moon God released shed Chu Tianqi. Chu Tianqi groaned before stumbling backward. Then, he retched up a mouthful of blood. ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± The elders of Chu Sect gasped and hastily stepped forward to protect him. After all, Chu Tianqi was the head of the Chu family and the heir to the Chu Sect. Furthermore, he was Chu Yuan''s favorite grandson. If Moon God were to y him there, the elders who had apanied him there would be apologizing to Chu Yuan with their lives. ¡°I''m fine!¡± Once Chu Tianqi regained his bnce, he spat out the remaining blood in his mouth. He then cast a gloomy look at Moon God. ¡°The power difference between a Supreme and a god realm master is truly a big one.¡± Moon God remained still and expressionless, the sword still in her hand. ¡°It would be best for you to summon that creature out if you do not wish to die. Even if you use Invoke the Celestial Sky, you''re still as threatening as a speck of dust to me,¡± Moon God uttered apathetically, looking down on him. Indeed, Moon God had never seen the Chu Sect fighter in front of her as a threat. The only one she was wary of was the four-winged flying beast behind Chu Tianqi. Chapter 2069 Chapter 2069 Moon God had no idea what was the monster behind Chu Tianqi. It looked so threatening that even Moon God was terrified of it. Moon God was once injured by this monster around the sea area of Japan when she wanted to kill Chu Tianqi but was distracted for a moment. It was only after that battle that Moon God knew that among all the powerhouses of the Chu Sect who besieged Japan this time, the most threatening creature was the flying pet behind Chu Tianqi. ¡°Can''t wait to die? If that''s the case, I''ll make your wishe true!¡± With a sneer on his face, a hint of viciousness shed across Chu Tianqi''s eyes. Chu Tianqi led the Chu Sect''s fighters and retreated for more than a thousand meters. Then, he ordered, ¡°ze, I''ll leave this woman to you! Defeat her! But remember to keep her alive. I want her to kneel in front of me and call me ''Master'' before she dies!¡± Chu Tianqiughed maniacally. He started imagining the scene of Tsukuyomi Tenshin kneeling in front of him as he said that. Roar! Following Chu Tianqi''smand, the four-winged flying creature that was originally the size of a young eagle looked up at the sky and let out a deafening roar. There was the sound of excitement that could not be hidden in its loud roar. It was like a bloody and impatient sword that finally had the chance to be unsheathed. Amid the sharp roaring, ze''s figure grew suddenly. The four wings, which had been as thin as cicada wings, had grown into unusually enormous wings that could block out the sun. Its red eyes were also as big asnterns. No one would have thought that a little flying pet would grow almost ten million times bigger in an instant. It was like an ancient Sacred Beast that could travel between heaven and earth. Scorching air waves radiated from its body in all directions like a storm. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°W-What monster is this?¡± ¡°Is that Godzi?¡± After the transformation, ze became so huge that it almost obstructed the sun. It had a huge body, a pair of red eyes, two pairs of sword-like gigantic wings, and ck scales all over its body. Its horrifying aura was enough to terrify everyone. Seeing such a scene, the citizens of Tokyo were full of fear. Even Mochizuki Kawa and the others were overwhelmed with shock. All of their faces turned pale in the blink of an eye. They had never seen such a scary creature in their entire lives. Although they had seen something like this on TV, those fictional monsters on TV were not as terrifying as the one in front of them. It very much resembled the Sacred Beast that was mentioned in ancient China myths that roamed the ocean. However, the one in front of them had four terrifying wings, and its figure was as huge as a hill. It was the second time that Yukiteru Shou had seen such a sight. Hence, she was not as shocked as the others. Instead, her expression was rather serious. Roar! ze let out a loud roar again after the transformation. Meanwhile, Chu Tianqi was behind ze, and his eyes started gleaming with green glints. There were even golden petals turning in his pupils. Those were the Jade Eyes! Back then, the Jones family used this pair of Jade Eyes to summon this Sacred Beast of the Chu Sect. At the moment, this skill was in Chu Tianqi''s hands. Therefore, this Sacred Beast, ze, was also under his control! ¡°ze, go!¡± Under themand of Chu Tianqi, ze spread its wings and swooped down toward Moon God so fast that the movement made a sharp whistling sound. Everything happened too quickly. Moon God was unable to avoid it at all. With a long sword in her hand, she swung it out in an attempt to block ze''s iing figure. However, Moon God''s sword was immediately knocked out of the way when ze waved and mmed its wings toward it. Next, zended a hard kick on Moon God with its sharp ws. Moon God tried to withstand ze''s attack with her arms, but she was thrown far away due to the intense collision with ze. ¡°Moon God!¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the others were shocked. No one had expected this monster to be so powerful. With just a few moves, Moon God had been put at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, Moon God was a god realm master, after all. She would not be defeated so easily. After stabilizing herself, Moon God leaped and shot into the air. She lifted her sword again with one hand and formed a hand seal with the other while muttering under her breath. Almost instantly, a powerful sword attack started. Moon God shed her sword a thousand times continuously. Countless rays of sword light were formed in the sky, which looked like a vast sword enveloping the monster. ze waved its wings, trying to break free of the sword cage. Nheless, there were so many rays of sword light that they covered the entire sky. As soon as ze shed one of them, it would immediately be filled up in the next second. For a moment, ze was trapped in a cage that it could not break through. However, this scene did notst long. After the sword was formed, Moon God swung her long sword and stabbed it into the air. Swoosh! The thousands of arrays of sword light seemed to be under hermand. The sword turned into thousands of light spots before flying toward ze almost at the same time. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Unable to escape as it was trapped in the sword, ze could only forcibly withstand the attack. As a result, countless shots of sword energy shed all over ze''s body. Boom! Boom! Boom! The sword''s energy shed on its scales, and countless sparks shot out as if the sword''s energy had struck some kind of metal. The hard scales on ze''s body were able to withstand most of the damage caused by Moon God. But even so, ze could not help but let out a roar of excruciating pain due to the countless shes on its body. ze''s cry was full of anger. Its redntern-sized eyes looked like they were about to burst into mes. Under such an attack from Moon God, ze rushed forward as if it was out of control. With its jaw wide open, fire spurted out of its mouth, like a ming sword hitting Moon God directly. This time, Moon God was well prepared. She jumped up, dodging the fire attack. Then, she charged toward ze and shed downward at ze with her long sword. ze immediately waved its tail as if it had eyes on its back. Its tail collided with Moon God''s sword like a long whip. Just like that, a fierce fight broke out between ze and Moon God in the sky above Tokyo. For every collision that happened, there was a burst of sparks. An angry roar, apanied by the loud sound of a flying sword, resounded throughout the earth. ¡°I-It''s so powerful!¡± ¡°This monster can actually reach a stalemate with Moon God.¡± ¡°W-What is that thing?¡± All the Japanese martial artists were bbergasted. They always thought that with the protection of Moon God, no one would be able to hurt them unless Chu Yuan came in person. However, now it seemed that they had underestimated the Chu Sect. To everyone''s surprise, the ancient sect even had such a terrifying monster. The fight was getting fiercer. After a long stalemate, there was no victory yet. ¡°Mr. Chu, should we take action to help ze?¡± ¡°If they keep fighting like this, I''m afraid it will take a very long time to have anyone emerge victorious,¡± said the elders of the Chu Sect. They did not want to waste too much time in Japan. However, Chu Tianqi shook his head and smiled confidently. ¡°Don''t worry. The fight wille to an end soon. ze is a lot more powerful than this. Soon, you''ll see the real power of ze.¡± As soon as Chu Tianqi finished his words, an opportunity arose for Moon God. She broke through ze''s defense and jumped toward ze''s head. In a sh, Moon God stretched out her long sword and stabbed it toward ze''s head. Seeing that, Chu Tianqi shook his head contemptuously. ¡°The scales on ze''s head are the hardest, and even my grandfather is unable to pierce through them. Does the little Moon God really think she''s able to hurt its head?¡± In the midst of Chu Tianqi''sughter, Moon God''s sword that was heading toward ze''s head suddenly took a turn and moved straight into ze''s eyes! What? ¡°ze, watch out!¡± Chu Tianqi was terrified. Chapter 2070 Chapter 2070 No one would have thought that Moon God''s target was not actually ze''s head but somewhere else. Chu Tianqi was shocked by the sudden change of movement of the sword. He immediately warned ze, but it was toote. The long sword of Moon God had stabbed into ze''s eye. Green blood began gushing out of ze''s eye immediately. Roar! A shrill cry followed. The cry was filled with pain and anger. ¡°You d*mn woman! You are despicable! How shameless can you be!¡± Seeing that ze was hurt, Chu Tianqi was so enraged that his eyes turned bloodshot, and he scolded Moon God furiously. While the powerhouses of the Chu Sect were feeling angry, the Japanese martial artists burst into laughter. ¡°Nice one! Moon God is truly the guardian of Japan. She''s able to find the enemy''s weakness in the short battle and is able to strike at the heart of the enemy''s stronghold. The monster is blinded in one eye now. Its strength will definitely be greatly reduced due to its damaged eyesight. Victory will be ours!¡± expressed Mochizuki Kawa happily. The eyes of other Japanese martial artists, previously filled with hopelessness, were now lit up with hope. After the monster is defeated, Moon God will be able to take down the remaining powerhouses of the Chu Sect. By then, the Chu Sect''s dream of destroying Japan''s martial arts world will bepletely shattered. On the other hand, Japan will be the first country in the world that can stop the massacre of the Chu Sect. Mochizuki Kawa was confident that after winning this battle, Japan''s martial arts world would be famous worldwide and could dominate the whole world. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. It would also be the only force in the world that couldpete with Chu Sect. Unfortunately, what happened next wouldpletely destroy Mochizuki Kawa''s beautiful dream. The moment Moon God stabbed her long sword into ze''s eye, ze became furious as it felt a heart-piercing pain. When it closed its eyes, the force was so strong that Moon God could no longer move her sword, and she could not prate it any further. When ze exerted more force at the end, the sword in Moon God''s hand was broken in half by ze''s eyelids. Immediately afterward, ze swung its tail, pping toward Moon God''s body like a long whip. Left with no choice, Moon God tried to escape as far as she could. Roar! After forcing Moon God to retreat, ze roared into the sky again. Its pupils contracted and forced the broken sword out of its eye. Half of its head was stained with green blood from its eye. It continued to roar. Everyone was unsure whether it was a roar of anger or pain. However, the gradually expanding scales on ze''s body and the violent aura emanating from it were enough to make everyone feel the infinite rageing from this monster at that moment. ze roared again. Its voice was hoarse this time, and its huge body expanded again. The ck scales all over its body turned red gradually. Eventually, it seemed to have turned into a demon in red armor. The wings behind it were like clouds hanging from the sky. Its body was so huge that it spread across at least a thousand miles. At that moment, everyone looked at the monster, and they were scared out of their wits. It felt as if the entire sky was blocked by ze. ¡°This... This...¡± ¡°Did it just transform again?¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the others were petrified. When they thought that they were about to win, ze transformed again, and its strength increased drastically in an instant. ¡°A bunch of useless things. ze is a Sacred Beast of the Chu Sect. It is not something that anyone can defeat. However, since you can bring out the second transformation of ze, even if you die under its ws, you should be proud of yourself.¡± Chu Tianqi sneered, and there was not much patience left in his cold eyes. After ze went into its second transformation, Chu Tianqi immediately gave it the order to end the battle as soon as possible. Swoosh! The next moment, ze waved its wings, and a gust of wind blew across the sky. Afterward, ze''s body turned into a bolt of lightning and charged toward Moon God. Who would believe that a monster with such a huge body could move at such a high speed? Moon God was shocked too, and she quickly dodged sideways. Nheless, ze''s body was so enormous that before Moon God could run away, she sensed a shadow appearing within her sight. After catching up with Moon God, ze shed her again with its tail. Moon God tried to block with her sword but to no avail. The force from ze''s tail was so strong that it prated through Moon God''s sword and mmed her body. With a loud thump, Moon God fell from the sky and smashed hard into the ground. The colossal force sent Moon God flying for thousands of meters and caused her to knock through several buildings along the way. After that attack, it did not seem like ze was going to let her off. ze trembled slightly, and the scales on its body flew out like flying swords. Thousands of red scales flew over a thousand meters to sh Moon God. Moon God waved her long sword to fight back, and the sword collided with the flying scales. Despite Moon God using all of her strength to fight back, there were still some scales that sessfully broke through her defense and slid across her body. Soon, several wounds were left on her delicate body. ¡°Moon God!¡± Seeing that the situation of the battle took a turn for the worse, Mochizuki Kawa and the others were worried and clenched their fists tightly as cold sweat broke out. The attacks continued. Moon God''s previous attack had indeed damaged ze''s eye, affecting its eyesight. Nevertheless, ze was also angered by that attack. ze, which had gone berserk, quickly gained the upper hand. Moon God could barely escape the attacks of ze with the agility of her body. She even sessfully grabbed a few opportunities tounch counterattacks against ze. Nheless, ze''s body was too strong! Besides that, Moon God''s sword could no longer cause any substantial damage to ze other than bringing out a few sparks. On the other hand, ze''s attack could easily leave wounds on Moon God''s body. The situation was slowly getting out of hand. Everyone knew that Moon God would notst long. As expected, after fighting for a long time, ze seized the opportunity and kicked Moon God''s hand with its ws to send the broken sword in her hand flying. Moon God tried to dodge out of shock, but ze''s wings moved toward Moon God''s body like flying knives. Right away, her clothes were dyed with blood. A terrifying wound immediately appeared on Moon God''s back. After this injury, Moon God became very weak. ze once again stretched out its ws and mmed them on Moon God''s chest. This time, Moon God was unable to avoid it at all. She could only let the ws pierce her shoulder, and blood immediately stained her long dress. Eventually, Moon God was defeated by ze at the edge of the horizon under the desperate gazes of countless people in Japan. Even when Moon God was severely injured, ze did not n to spare her. It stabbed its tail through her abdomen. Then, it lifted her up and smacked her down to the ground with great force. ¡°ze, that''s enough. I told you to leave her alive.¡± Seeing that the aura of Moon God was rapidly withering, Chu Tianqi finally ordered ze to stop, leaving Moon God alive. Chapter 2071 Chapter 2071 Chu Tianqi''s order prompted ze to stop the attack unwillingly. ze wanted to consume the human that wounded its eye, but it could not go against its master''s commands. It swung its tail, drawing a deadly arch in the air with its sharp tail. After that, it tossed Moon God right by Chu Tianqi''s feet. ¡°Moon God!¡± ¡°You assh*le! How dare you hurt our country''s Guardian Angel?¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the others felt as though they had fallen to hell when they saw Moon God in such a state. With the people in tears, hopelessness and sorrow overwhelmed them as they ran forward to try to rescue Moon God. Unfortunately, ze roared into the sky. The terrifying sound it created sent a shockwave into the air. The ground shook and broke apart, causing buildings to topple. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Those who were closer to ze had the bones in their bodies pulverized by the shockwave. Everyone else was either dead or wounded. Even someone as strong as Mochizuki Kawa was forced to back a few hundred meters away. One roar was all it took to do that much damage. That showed just how frighteningly powerful the beast before them was. No one cared about Japan''s martial artists shouting and protesting. As far as members of the Chu Sect were concerned, Mochizuki Kawa and the others were nothing more than maggots. Of all the martial artists in Japan, Moon God was the only one they were concerned about. Moon God was lying on the ground at that moment, and her sword was no longer with her. The regal aura of the beautiful woman had since faded. All that was left was unending weakness and fragility. Crimson-red blood kept oozing out of her wounds, causing the purple outfit she had on to be tainted. ¡°So, what do you think, Tsukuyomi? You im that I am not as powerful as Chu Tianfan, but look at how things have turned out. ze is my subordinate, whereas you are Chu Tianfan''s. Now that ze has defeated you, it is as though I have defeated Chu Tianfan. So, do you still think I, Chu Tianqi, am a lesser being than that b*stard, Chu Tianfan?¡± Chu Tianqi put his hands behind his back and hovered over thedy as he looked down at Japan''s Guardian Angel, who was worshipped. A look of arrogance and glee showed on the man''s handsome face. It was as though he were the ruler of all, and everyone in front of him was his ve. Moon God didn''t reply. Her entire body trembled a little before spewing the blood that was umting in her mouth. She then wiped the blood off of her lips. Her beautiful eyes shone with serenity as she looked at Chu Tianqi and replied, ¡°As far as I am concerned, no one on Earth is as great as he is.¡± The smile on Chu Tianqi''s face instantly disappeared after those words were uttered. He dashed ahead and mercilessly reached for her throat to choke her while lifting her and forcing her off her feet. ¡°What the f*ck did you just say? I dare you to repeat what you just said. Do you have a death wish?¡± Rage burned wildly in Chu Tianqi''s eyes. All he wanted was to be recognized, so why was that so hard? This woman is at death''s door. Yet, she is still loyal to that b*stard. Fury overwhelmed Chu Tianqi, which made him squeeze harder and harder. Unfortunately, it didn''t matter how much he hurt Moon God. She remained calm and showed no signs of bowing down to him. ¡°You useless piece of sh*t!¡± Chu Tianqi threw a fist at her. Moon God glid on the ground for quite some time from the force, tainting the ground beneath her with crimson-red blood. ¡°You''re really not going to give up until the veryst second, huh? I will give you onest chance. Bow down to me and take me as your leader. All you have to do is kneel and call me your master, and not only will I show mercy to all of Japan''s martial artists, but I will also spare your life. You can even serve your master every day and night. However, if you turn my offer down, I will take you by force. I''m sure messing with someone holy will be an enjoyable experience for me anyway.¡± Chu Tianqi''s eyes glowed with lust and madness as he kept his gaze on Moon God''s stunning face and her virtually perfect figure. Mochizuki Kawa and the others were furious when they heard that. ¡°You b*stard. Don''t you dare!¡± ¡°If you hurt her, we will destroy you.¡± ¡°Every martial artist in Japan will drag you to hell if that is what it takes!¡± The martial artists howled angrily. They were so angry that their eyes had turned bloodshot. ¡°Shut up!¡± Chu Tianqi waved his arm and sent a wave into the air, causing Mochizuki Kawa and the others to spew blood while flying backward. Suddenly, the entire ce turned quiet. ¡°So what''s it going to be, Moon God? Choose. Will you ept the deal willingly or be forced into it? It''s not like it''s your first time, anyway. You used to be Chu Tianfan''s ything, right? So it''d make no difference to you. After all, you''ll still be doing the same thing, just with a different man.¡± Chu Tianqiughed boisterously. As far as he was concerned, Moon God was nothing more than just a wild animal that was at his mercy. He would not suffer any consequences, even if he were to strip her naked and push her onto his bed, as there was nothing she could do to defend herself. ze''s previous assault had already destroyed almost every bit of Moon God''s strength. In fact, it was a miracle that she was still conscious. Moon God never answered Chu Tianqi''s question. There was no need for her to do that, either. There was no way she would bow down to Chu Tianqi. She was Japan''s Guardian Angel and had her own pride. There was no way she''d be anybody''s ve. As for Ye Fan... Moon God regarded their past as a beautiful ident. She didn''t think it was sphemy to refer to Ye Fan as her master. In fact, she felt it was a beautiful and happy thing to do. Perhaps that was because the impression Ye Fan left in Suzumiya Eigetsu''s heart was simply too deep. Unfortunately, it didn''t matter how beautiful the past was. It would inevitably be nothing more than a memory. Moon God, who was barely hanging on to her life, forced herself to stand up despite the pain from her wounds. Her dress was drenched in blood, and the beautiful woman looked disheveled. The powerful aura she exuded in the past had devolved into nothing but weakness and sorrow. Now that the aura had dissipated, her regal stance dissipated as well. At that moment, Moon God was nothing more than a weak woman who prayed that she could see her lover onest time before she died. She turned around and looked into the distance. There, the age-old eastern country resided. Tears of sorrow slowly rolled down her stunning face. No one knew what Moon God was doing. Just as everyone was getting curious, the woman used every bit of energy that was left in her to shout into the distance, ¡°Master, if reincarnation is possible, I will serve you again in the future. I will only ever do so for you.¡± That statement was like the most beautiful and heartbreaking song in the world. As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Tianqi realized that something was off. The smile on him faded, and he bellowed, ¡°F*ck! She''s going to kill herself. Quick. Stop her! Do not let her die. Stop her at all costs!¡± Chu Tianqi''s angry roar filled the sky and parted the clouds. Countless men ran forward at that moment. Everyone wanted to stop Moon God frommitting suicide, but they were toote. She had used every bit of the power that remained in her to send out a terrifying wave to prevent anyone from getting close to her. After that, she unsheathed the sword she had had for years and threw it in the air. She closed her eyes and opened her arms to expose her chest as she waited for the sword to drop. Serenity filled her in herst moments. No one could ever understand the hopelessness and sorrow Moon God felt. Her pride would never let her fall into Chu Tianqi''s hands or allow him tomit sphemy. She would rather die to keep her honor. Still, she had so many regrets. Her initial n was to go to Ye Fan after the Chu Sect was defeated. She wanted to go to her master. It had been years since shest saw him, and she had so much to say to him. The short encounter in India wasn''t enough. She simply had too much to say, and she didn''t have the time to say them. That was why she had nned to wait until everything was over. Once peace returned, she and her master would sit on the Skytree and pour their hearts out as they admired the most beautiful sunrise. To her dismay, that was no longer an option. She couldn''t have any of that. At the end of the day, she couldn''t survive the war. Heck, she couldn''t even bid her master goodbye. The beautiful woman simply cried as blood tainted her dress. When her sword dug through her heart, she thought about so many things. Every moment she spent with Ye Fan yed out in front of her as though she were watching the best film on repeat. Even at that moment, she still remembered the poem Ye Fan asked his subordinate to recite to her. Chapter 2072 Chapter 2072 The clouds in the sky and the stars in the night represent my sorrow and destion. Your love is soft and gentle like water; yet, it always sparks my innermost desires. Though I wake up every day yearning for our reunion, I know this is a test that will make our love burn brighter. The evening sun was as red as blood. With a smile on her face and tears in her eyes, Moon God let out a soft groan as she calmly slipped into the eternal darkness. Right as her body was about to hit the floor, a green light appeared on the horizon. An angry voice boomed in the background. ¡°Eigetsu! How dare you die without my permission?¡± Whoosh! A gust of cold wind swept through the area, sending the leaves fluttering and the sand flying wildly. That voice sounded anxious and furious at the same time. Everyone looked up in unison upon hearing that, only to see a slender figure running through the air. The figure was moving so fast that all they saw were afterimages of it. Eventually, the figure reached Moon God and pulled her into his arms. ¡°M-Master?¡± Moon God, who had decided to ept her death, couldn''t believe her eyes when she felt the warmth of his firm chest. I must be hallucinating or something. How is it possible for Ye Fan to be here? Shouldn''t he be having solitary training in India right now? Even if he haspleted his training, he should be rushing to protect his family in China instead! I wasn''t expecting him to show up in Japan at all! ¡°Am I dead? Is that why I''m able to see you, Master?¡± Moon God asked with a smile as she nuzzled against Ye Fan''s chest and took a whiff of his familiar scent. The sight of her lying weakly in his embrace with her face all pale hit Ye Fan like a sledgehammer in the chest. He gently wiped the blood off the corner of her mouth and gave her a tight hug. ¡°You''re not dead, silly! Don''t worry, your master is here to help you out,¡± Ye Fan whispered into her ear. D*mn, I should''ve known. Chu Yuan is aware of my rtionship with Moon God, so Chu Sect would surelye after her when attacking China. I was so worried about Jiangdong that Ipletely forgot about her! ¡°A-Are you really my master? Am I still alive?¡± Moon God''s vision was starting to get blurry as her eyelids grew increasingly heavier. However, her body shuddered when she heard what Ye Fan said. She then looked up and saw Ye Fan staring at her with tears in his eyes. ¡°I won''t let you die,¡± he replied softly. He then fed her a few pills, including the ones that Duanmu Wan''er made to help replenish his elemental force as well as the ones he made in Chu Sect to heal his wounds. Sure enough, Moon God''s condition stabilized after consuming those pills. ¡°You silly girl! How could you do something so foolish? I won''t forgive you if you do this again, you hear?¡± Ye Fan scolded her as he carefully removed the sword from her chest. Instead of getting mad at Ye Fan or apologizing to him, Moon God simply shed him a sweet and content smile in response. She really liked the feeling of being cared for and protected. Suzumiya Eigetsu felt content in knowing that her master was still thinking about her. However, that sweet sensation onlysted for a few seconds as Moon God suddenly recalled something. Her pale face was instantly filled with panic and horror as she shouted, ¡°Get out of here, Master! I''ll hold that monster off! Hurry up and leave!¡± Having regained some of her strength after consuming those pills, Moon God broke free from Ye Fan''s embrace and began shoving him out of there. Given how terrifying that monster was, it was only natural that she would be afraid of him getting hurt. ze was so tough that even a god realm master like Moon God couldn''t do any damage to it, so she was doomed to lose that fight right from the start. After all, she couldn''t even break through its defenses, let alone defeat it. ze could simply drag the battle out and Moon God would die of exhaustion. Having experienced ze''s power firsthand, Moon God feared Ye Fan would get hurt if he tried to fight it. Mochizuki Kawa and the others were green with jealousy when they saw how much Moon God cared about Ye Fan. Oh, Moon God... You''re the representation of Japan, for goodness'' sake! Our people put their faith in you! Even if you don''t care about your own pride and honor, at least think about the reputation of Japan''s martial arts world! Of course, Mochizuki Kawa kept those thoughts to himself. With Moon God''s defeat in battle, the fate of Japan''s martial arts world was in Ye Fan''s hands. ¡°Leave? That monster hurt you, Eigetsu. I can''t possibly leave without killing it first! Wait here for me, okay? I''ll go avenge you right now,¡± Ye Fan said as he got to his feet. The look on Ye Fan''s face was icy-cold as he shot Mochizuki Kawa and the others a re, sending shivers down their spines. ¡°Take good care of Moon God. I will annihte all of Japan''s martial arts world if she gets hurt again.¡± Mochizuki Kawa''s eyelids twitched when he heard Ye Fan''s threat, but he didn''t dare talk back to him at all. Having made sure that Moon God was in good hands, Ye Fan slowly turned around to face Chu Tianqi. The two brothers were finally looking each other in the eye again after so many years. ¡°A-Are you really Chu Tianfan?¡± Chu Tianqi was still in shock and disbelief even though Ye Fan had been standing in front of him for quite a while. He couldn''t bring himself to ept the fact that a dead man was alive and well right before his eyes. ¡°But, didn''t you die back then? How are you still alive?¡± Chu Tianqi asked with his eyes wide. The members of Chu Sect standing behind him were just as shocked, especially the elders who nearly died at Chu Tianfan''s hand back then. They were so terrified to see him that they began trembling uncontrobly. ¡°How could I be dead when you b*stards are still alive? Chu Tianqi, I haven''t punished you for what you did to Angie, and now you have the audacity to hurt Eigetsu? I''ll settle our score once and for all today!¡± Ye Fan replied coldly. The look in his eyes grew increasingly colder as his aura came surging out of his body like a huge me. Boom! At that very moment, Ye Fan looked like a demon who was about to destroy the entire world. Sensing the huge threat that Ye Fan posed, ze knew its master was in danger and decided to take action. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. It then let out a roar, spread its wings, andunched a deadly attack at Chu Lin. ¡°All members of Chu Sect, concentrate your energy to create a formation! We must work together to kill this man!¡± The elders of Chu Sect quickly created a formation in an attempt to surround and kill Ye Fan. Chu Tianqi, who had been silent the whole time, held his hand up and stopped them right as they were about tounch an unimaginably devastating attack. ¡°Stand down, all of you! This battle is between me and him, so I don''t want any of you to interfere. I can kill him all by myself!¡± he shouted arrogantly. Chapter 2073 Chapter 2073 ¡°I can kill him all by myself!¡± Chu Tianqi''s words echoed in everyone''s ears as he stepped forward to face Ye Fan alone. ¡°Please don''t act rashly, Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Chu Tianfan is an incredibly cunning man! Most of us have fallen victim to his trickery in the past!¡± ¡°Yeah! I think we should all team up against him!¡± The elders of Chu Sect were shocked and worried when they heard what Chu Tianqi said. Unforeseen idents could easily result in defeat in a time of war, so they all preferred to take the safest option possible in every scenario. Why would Mr. Chu want to take Ye Fan on? Does he think this is a game? It''d be great if he wins, but what if he loses? What will we do if Ye Fan ends up killing him? ¡°Huh? Are you guys disobeying my direct orders? Stand down, all of you! Anyone who dares interfere will die!¡± Chu Tianqi shouted angrily. Realizing that he had made up his mind, the elders had no choice but to step aside. As none of them were able to take Chu Tianqi on, they could only leave him be. The Chu Sect elder leading the group said worriedly, ¡°Huh... I want you all to pay close attention when the two of them are fighting. We need to step in the moment things start going south for Mr. Chu. We''re all screwed if anything happens to him!¡± With everyone else out of the way, Ye Fan and Chu Tianqi were the only ones standing before each other. There wasn''t a single trace of emotion on Ye Fan''s face as he stared Chu Tianqi down. The look in his eyes was as calm as still water. Chu Tianqi, on the other hand, had his fists tightly clenched. In his eyes was a mix of excitement, arrogance, and his zing fighting spirit. ¡°I''ll be honest with you, Chu Tianfan. I don''t feel disappointed or angry that you''re still alive today. If anything, I feel d because I finally get to defeat you myself! I get to show everyone that I, Chu Tianqi, am the best heir of the Chu family! You''re nothing but a lowly abandoned child! I''ve been thinking about having this battle with you for almost three years, Chu Tianfan! Thank you for helping me fulfill this dream!¡± he shouted with a vicious smile as he activated his elixir field. As Chu Tianqi''s Invoke the Celestial Cloud reached its peak level, his aura burned brightly like a huge me. However, Ye Fan seemed to bepletely unaffected by his words. He simply shot Chu Tianqi a nce before shifting his attention toward ze, which had shrunk in size. This is probably Chu Sect''s Sacred Beast, huh? I saw a huge monster while I was escaping Mount Chumen back then. This is the first time I''ve seen it up close. ¡°Hey, I''m talking to you! Are you f*cking listening?¡± Angered by Ye Fan ignoring him, Chu Tianqi screamed as he threw a punch at Ye Fan. ¡°I suggest you send that beast after me instead. You''re no match for me,¡± Ye Fan said coldly as he stepped aside to dodge that punch. Chu Tianqi burst outughing like he had heard the funniest joke ever. ¡°Oh, Chu Tianfan... Why are you still so insolent and arrogant even after so many years? I would''ve believed those words if they came from Moon God because she''s a god realm master and the guardian of Japan''s martial arts world. Who the he*l do you think you are? How dare you underestimate me? I''ll make you pay for your attitude in blood!¡± With a condescending sneer on his face, Chu Tianqi stomped on the ground andunched himself at Ye Fan like an arrow. He then threw a punch at Ye Fan''s chest, officially initiating the battle between the two brothers. Ye Fan simply reached an arm out to block the iing punch. ¡°Ha! Do you really think you can block it?¡± Chu Tianqi asked as he activated Dragon God Body. With his strength increased tenfold, he sent Ye Fan through the ground beneath them. A huge shockwave tore through the mountain Sanshin Organization was built on, reducing its height by a couple of meters in an instant. ¡°Die, Chu Tianfan!¡± Havingnded a sessful blow, Chu Tianqi quickly followed up byunching dozens of projectiles at the crater Ye Fan was in. Boom! Boom! Boom! Deafening booms rang out as those gigantic, palm-shaped projectiles hit the ground. The rubble around the crater was instantly turned to dust as web-like cracks formed in all directions. ¡°H-He''s that powerful?¡± Chu Tianqi''s sudden disy of destructive power shocked everyone at the scene. Mochizuki Kawa and the others were all staring wide-eyed in shock. They knew Chu Tianqi had reached the Supreme state, but they didn''t think he was this powerful. Even Ye Fan, who used to rank first on the Sky Ranking, isn''t able to fight back at all! Heck, Ye Fan once defeated Tang Yun, the head of Chu Sect! Sure, Tang Yun''s strength had decreased a little due to her circumstances back then, but she was still a force to be reckoned with. Even a Supreme would''ve struggled to take her down! ¡°I thought Chu Tianqi was nothing but an arrogant yboy, but he''s actually ridiculously powerful! ¡°The Chu family sure are a bunch of freaks!¡± ¡°Chu Yuan, Demon King Chu, and the Chu brothers are all terrifying!¡± ¡°What kind of scary family is this?¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Do they really have mortal blood running through their veins?¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the others couldn''t help but shudder in fear after witnessing the power of the Chu family members. That family has managed to produce ridiculously powerful individuals in every generation! What the heck are those odds? ¡°Now I see why so many women in the martial arts world want to be a part of the Chu family and continue its bloodline!¡± Mochizuki Kawa eximed with a gloomy look on his face. Of course, Moon God couldn''t care less about that. Ye Fan''s safety was all she could think of at the moment. ¡°Please be okay, Master...¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu mumbled repeatedly as she continued praying. ¡°Come out and face me, Chu Tianfan! I know you''re not dead! There''s no way you''d die that easily!¡± Chu Tianqi shouted as he stared at the rubble beneath him. With his body surrounded by a golden glow from Dragon God Body, Chu Tianqi looked like a god that had descended from the heavens above. Boom! Those words had barely left Chu Tianqi''s mouth when Ye Fan came charging out of the rubble with his hair and clothes billowing in the wind. ¡°What? That piece of sh*t is perfectly fine?¡± The members of Chu Sect were shocked. They knew Ye Fan wouldn''t be defeated so easily, but how he came out unscathed after taking Chu Tianqi''s devastating attacks left them speechless. The Chu Sect elder leading the group tried to sound wise as he said, ¡°That''s perfectly normal. Don''t forget, this kid can use Dragon God Body too. He won''t get hurt that easily with the move protecting him.¡± Ye Fan ignored theirments as he stared at the golden dragon silhouette on Chu Tianqi''s body and asked coldly, ¡°You received some power after taking Angie''s eyes, didn''t you? There''s no way someone like you could possibly be this strong in just a few years. Chu Tianqi, aren''t you ashamed of relying on others to be stronger?¡± Chapter 2074 Chapter 2074 ¡°Hahaha! Ashamed? Why should I be ashamed? It was her fault for possessing the said power! A weak woman like her isn''t worthy of Jade Eyes! In fact, the Jones family should be thanking me for helping Jade Eyes see the light of day! Besides, Jade Eyes were a gift from Chu Yunyang, an ancestor of the Chu family! Why should I be ashamed of taking back what belongs to my family? You, on the other hand, are a traitorous, illegitimate child who sealed your uncle at the peak of Mount Chumen, all for the sake of a woman! How dare you betray your ancestor and ancient master? You are unworthy of having the Chu family''s blood running through your veins!¡± Chu Tianqi snapped back at him whileughing maniacally. He felt no guilt whatsoever for taking Angie''s eyes and leaving her in aatose state. If anything, Chu Tianqi actually believed his actions were perfectly justified. He acted as though he and his father were doing the Jones family a huge favor. Ye Fan was well and truly enraged when he heard that. He had never seen such a shameless person in his entire life. ¡°My ancestor and ancient master? I''m surprised you b*stards have the audacity to say his name! You in particr are especially unworthy, Chu Tianqi!¡± Ye Fan yelled furiously as he stomped on the ground andunched himself at Chu Tianqi like an arrow. I''ll beat this b*stard''s face into a pulp! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. With that in mind, Ye Fan delivered a palm strike to Chu Tianqi''s face. Instead of dodging Ye Fan''s attack, Chu Tianqi simply reached out and caught it with his hand. ¡°It''s no use. Your strength isn''t even enough to break through my defenses,¡± Chu Tianqi said arrogantly while shaking his head. He was incredibly confident in his power since he had the support of Dragon God Body. To his surprise, Ye Fan snorted defiantly in response. ¡°Is that so?¡± The next thing they knew, a golden light erupted from Ye Fan''s body as well. By activating his Dragon God Body, Ye Fan was able to increase his strength several times in an instant. ¡°Bring it on, Chu Tianfan! I''ve `spent all those years waiting for this day! Let us have an epic battle to the death!¡± Chu Tianqi yelled excitedly when he saw Ye Fan get serious. In contrast to Chu Tianqi''s excitement and battle spirit, Ye Fan was calm and showed no emotion as he threw another punch with the support of Dragon God Body. Chu Tianqi''s punch was so fast that it nearly broke the sound barrier, and the power of the punch created shockwaves as it traveled through the air. Naturally, Chu Tianfan wasn''t about to back down either. Like a bow that was fully drawn, he unleashed the energy he had channeled through his fists with a terrifying explosive force. Like two unstoppable forcesing at each other, Chu Tianqi and Ye Fan had the fiercest sh of all time. Boom! Their fists collided like meteors. A powerful shockwave erupted from the center of that sh and tore through thend like an apocalyptic storm. All buildings within a thousand meter radius were reduced to rubble, and the people standing near the sh coughed up blood on the spot. ¡°That destructive power is so terrifying! I doubt even a Supreme could deliver such a devastating blow!¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the others were petrified by the sight before them. They had never thought two punches shing could result in such catastrophic levels of destruction. Is this what they mean when they say we should always return to our roots? It seems the strongest of fighters often prefer to rely on simple techniques to deliver their most powerful attacks. Horrified by the destructive power of the shockwave, the elders of Chu Sect quickly stepped back a few thousand meters. Even from that distance, they could still clearly feel the terrifying energying from the two brothers. ¡°As expected of the Dragon God Body! This is truly the most powerful technique ever! Supreme grandmasters could boost their power exponentially with this technique! I wonder whose Dragon God Body is superior? Mr. Chu''s, or Chu Tianfan''s?¡± The members of Chu Sect were still waiting to see the oue of the sh earlier. They believed the two brothers would be evenly matched for quite a while before one of them could deliver a decisive blow. However, what they saw next shocked them all to the core. Seconds after their fists made contact, the sound of bones cracking echoed throughout the area. Ye Fan''s punch had shattered Chu Tianqi''s knuckles and bent his wrist a hundred and eighty degrees backward. ¡°Aaaaaaarghhhhhhhh!¡± Chu Tianqi let out an ear-piercing scream in pain. ¡°D*mn it! How is this even possible? This can''t be happening!¡± He gritted his teeth as he endured the intense pain and threw yet another punch at Ye Fan. Ye Fan responded by delivering a knife-hand strike at Chu Tianqi''s arm to deflect his attack. Noticing that Chu Tianqi''s guard was wide open, Ye Fan decided to make full use of that golden opportunity. He charged forward and bombarded Chu Tianqi''s face with a barrage of ps. Smack! The first p caused some blood to gush out of Chu Tianqi''s nose and cracked most of his teeth. ¡°This is for my ancestor and ancient master, Mr. Yunyang! You and your men have gone against your ancestor''s teachings by stealing Angie''s eyes and harming your sect members!¡± Ye Fan shouted furiously as he pped Chu Tianqi again with the back of his hand. Chu Tianqi groaned in pain as his body went crashing into the ground like a meteor. The impact created a huge shockwave and left a gigantic crater in the ground. ¡°This p is for Angie! She''s a kind and pure-hearted woman who wouldn''t even hurt a fly, and yet, you b*stards had the audacity to take her eyes! Since you like her Jade Eyes so much, I''ll hit you so hard you won''t even be able to see!¡± Ye Fan''s raging voice echoed through the skies like thunder. ¡°You b*stard! How dare you hit me in the face? I''ll kill you! I''ll f*cking kill you!¡± Chu Tianqi roared with his face covered in blood. He leaped right out of the crater in the ground and charged at Ye Fan. Boom! With a powerful p, Ye Fan sent Chu Tianqi crashing back into the crater. ¡°This p is for Eigetsu! She belongs to me! No one cany a finger on her without my permission! I''ll kill you for hurting her, you son of a b*tch!¡± Ye Fan yelled angrily as he delivered multiple ps in a row. Boom! Boom! Boom! Each of those ps came crashing down with the weight of mountains. A hundred-meter tall building, which happened to be within range of the impact, was reduced to a pile of rubble in an instant. Ye Fan had created such a deep crater that water came pouring out from under the ground, turning the mountain they were on into an ocean. ¡°W-What the...¡± Everyone was stunned, especially Mochizuki Kawa and the members of Chu Sect. Even ze went wide-eyed with shock when it saw what happened. It wasn''t expecting its master to bepletely dominated by a couple of ps. Ye Fan''s disy of power shocked every single person in the area to their core. Chapter 2075 Chapter 2075 ¡°H-How is he so powerful?¡± ¡°H-How can Chu Tianfan still be so strong?¡± The oue of the ongoing fight undoubtedly shocked the members of Chu Sect. Although Ye Fan is already a well-known powerful fighter for many years having defeated many Supremes in Chu Sect back then¡ªstarting with Chu Zhengliang and followed by the current head of the Sect, Tang Yun, no matter how strong Chu Tianfan is, it''s merely the glory of the past. He killed himself with a sword in front of everyone back then. Even if he was lucky enough to survive, he shouldn''t have been able to regain the peak of his strength due to the extent of his injuries. However, I can''t believe our young master, Chu Tianqi, can''t stop his attack at all now. ¡°This shouldn''t be happening. He was using Dragon God Body, and so was Mr. Chu, but why is there such a huge difference between them?¡± The powerful fighters of Chu Sect could not wrap their heads around it, and neither could Chu Tianqi. After getting hit by several palm strikes from Ye Fan, thetter crawled out of the ruins in a wretched state. Even though he was wounded, Ye Fan''s previous attacks were not enough to kill him, given that he had cultivated Dragon God Body. However, how many people would have any idea of the fury and madness brewing within him? ¡°Why? Why did this happen? Tell me!¡± Chu Tianqi growled indignantly with bloodshot eyes. He initially thought that even if he could not subdue Ye Fan with the power he possessed at that very moment, he would surely still be on par with thetter. However, reality hit him like a ton of bricks. It never urred to him that even if he practiced hard for many years and mastered the power of Jade Eyes, he was still no match for Ye Fan. He truly could not figure out the reason behind it. How exactly is Chu Tianfan better than me? Ye Fan looked down at the blood-covered figure, and there was an aura of contempt on his indifferent face. ¡°You want to know why? I don''t mind telling you. The Dragon God Body that you, your father, and even that old b*astard Chu Yuan mastered is not theplete version. There are only two people who have cultivated theplete version of Dragon God Body in this world. One is me, and the other is your master, Tang Yun. As for the one you cultivated, it is merely a joke before the true Dragon God Body,¡± he said proudly, and those powerful words echoed in everyone''s ears for a long time. Others might be shocked by the oue, but Ye Fan was not the least bit surprised. His and Tang Yun''s Dragon God Bodies were the product of Joint Cultivation. In short, they were the true Yin Yang Dragon God Bodies. What Chu Qitian mastered was nothing but the Yang part of it, so naturally, his could not bepared to theplete version in terms of strength and formidability. ¡°Shut up, you outcast! What rights do you have topare yourself to my master? You''re not worthy! You''ll meet your end today! Even if I can''t defeat you with Dragon God Body, I, Chu Tianqi, will unleash Invoke the Celestial Sky to kill you!¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chu Tianqi did not wish to ept his defeat. After bursting out of the ruins, he let out a roar of anger before stomping on the ground and leaping to the sky once more as terrifying power burst forth from his body again. The overwhelming chill and murderous intent he emitted were like those of a demon crawling out of the abyss. He charged toward Ye Fan while letting out a battle roar, throwing out abination of palm strikes and punches as the power within his body flowed out freely. After that, he unleashed the supreme martial technique of Chu Sect¡ªInvoke the Celestial Sky. A palm strike was followed by a punch, then a kick and a flick. Invoke the Celestial Sky epassed all moves, integrating them to form a world-famous martial technique. The overwhelming attack Chu Tianqi unleashed covered the entire horizon, its terrifying power made countless people shudder. From her position below, Moon God instinctively clenched her fists, her palms sweating due to worry. Having witnessed Chu Tianqi''s ability and the formidable power of Invoke the Celestial Sky, she certainly was not afraid of him because of her god realm cultivation. However, Ye Fan was not a god realm master, so Moon God was worried that her master would get hurt. Despite her worries, Ye Fan was exceptionally calm when faced with Chu Tianqi''stest maniacal attack. He merely stood there, under the horizon, with contempt in his icy eyes. ¡°Chu Tianqi, even at this stage, you''re still not giving up? Still deluding yourself into thinking that you can beat me on your own?¡± Ye Fan shook his head as his monotonous voice rang through the area. ¡°Shut up and die!¡± Chu Tianqi''s bellow echoed in all directions. His terrifying power closed in from all directions like the raging sea and crashed toward Ye Fan''s position. Even then, Ye Fan stood tall and proud in the middle of the storm, his face devoid of emotion, like a lofty mountain in the ravine. No matter how harsh the wind and rain were, they could not shake him at all! It was not until Chu Tianqi''s attack approached that Ye Fan''s figure disappeared. All the onlookers saw was that Ye Fan had appeared several meters away in a sh. Faced with Chu Tianqi''s powerful attack, Ye Fan did not run away but chose to fight head-on. He was covered in golden light, his dragon tattoos surging as a golden dragon enveloped his body. The muscles on his body twitched like a boa constrictor, and his physique also greatly strengthened in an instant. At that moment, Ye Fan hadpletely unleashed the Yin Yang Dragon Body, releasing the terrifying explosive power from his body. From afar, he looked like a golden giant. The earth shook when he threw a punch, and the sky trembled when he released a palm strike. Chu Tianqi''s attack fell on Ye Fan like an egg hitting a stone. Be it the Cloud Sun Kick or the Earthshaking Palm, none could counter the might of Ye Fan''s punch. Thetter broke through all his attacks and offensive restraints. All that he was proud of was shattered under Ye Fan''s hands. Just like that, the strongest trump card that Chu Tianqi was proud of was still unable tost for a moment against Ye Fan. In just a blink of an eye, they were all blown to pieces by thetter. After destroying Chu Tianqi''s attack, Ye Fanunched himself toward the former again with full force while sending out a hard punch. Chu Tianqi was shocked and reached out to block the iing punch. However, there was no way he could block the attack. Boom! Apanied by the deafening boom, the arm Chu Tianqi flung up to block off the attack was broken as the hard punchnded squarely on his chest. His ribs cracked, and blood sprayed across the sky. ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Stop it, b*stard!¡± The members of Chu Sect were rmed and shouted in anger. Ye Fan paid no heed to their cries and aimed a swift kick at Chu Tianqi''s abdomen, sending him flying. Immediately after that, Ye Fan leaped a thousand meters into the sky before allowing gravity to pull him down. With the crushing pressure of a mountain, an elbow strike hit Chu Tianqi''s back ruthlessly. Spurt! Blood spewed from the man''s mouth. This time, Chu Tianqi nearly vomited out all his bile, and his screams of agony rang across Tokyo. ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°You b*stard. How dare you kill our young master?¡± The powerful fighters of Chu Sect were enraged. They charged forward with a roar to save their young master, but a casual sweep of Ye Fan''s hand sent them flying thousands of meters away. ¡°U-Uh...¡± The Japanese martial artists were stunned by what they had just witnessed. So powerful! Chu Tianfan is way too strong! It''s truly an act of cruelty. Before all this happened, they thought they would witness a shocking final showdown before their very eyes. They did not expect the battle to be a one-sided control. Ye Fan emerged victorious with his tremendous power. Under the weight of his might, Chu Qitian simply could not fight back at all. Be it the Dragon God Body or Invoke the Celestial Sky, they were renderedpletely useless by Ye Fan. Bam! Chu Tianqi fell heavily to the ground with yet another deafening thud, spewing blood all over the floor. Chapter 2076 Chapter 2076 Who would have thought that the proud that in just thirty minutes, themanding son of the Chu family would be beaten to a pulp in the blink of an eye? Chu Qitiany sprawled on the ground and raised his head with difficulty. With a bloodied face, he stared hard at the slim figure standing proudly at the top. ¡°W-Why? Why I still can''t beat you. W-Why?¡± Blood trickled out of his eyes as Chu Qitian let out a growl of resentment and misery. He could not figure out the reason behind it. I''ve also mastered Dragon God Body and Invoke the Celestial Sky. Whatever Ye Fan learned, I learned too. All that Ye Fancked, I also own. Compared to him, I have more famous teachers to guide me and the entire family''s resources at my disposal. I obviously have so many advantages but why am I still no match for him¡ªthe abandoned son of the Chu family? Chu Tianqi had always belittled Ye Fan in the past. Despite hunting thetter down for ten years, he merely left it to his subordinates and rarely asked about it. After all, Ye Fan was just an abandoned son, so Chu Tianqi never thought that the former could be much of a threat. The only reason why he wanted to kill Ye Fan was because he was afraid that his uncle, Chu Zhenghong, would take Ye Fan back to the Chu family and seize his position as heir to the family. However, he did not expect that the person before him, whom he used to look down upon, had be a person that he could never beat. He truly could not ept the oue. As the heir of the Chu family, Chu Tianqi had his own pride. He had always believed that he was the most terrifying genius in the world and that no one of his age couldpare with him. However, Ye Fan''s growth in powerpletely shattered that very pride. Ye Fan faced Chu Tianqi''s indignance with a condescending demeanor, his cold words resounding through the sky. ¡°I already said that you are no match for me. Even if you use the same techniques and moves as me, you still won''t be able to defeat me. You are nothing but a flower in a greenhouse that will never grow into a big tree. The practice of martial arts is not something that can be conjugated by having a few powerful teachers and a strong background and resources. You assumed that with the support of your family and sect, you would be able to stand proudly at the pinnacle of the martial arts world, but you have no idea that your conception was wrong from the start. The skills of a true expert martial artist are honed in battle and killing, not by cowering at home and being taught by others.¡± People only saw Ye Fan''s present-day achievements, but who would know how he managed to obtain them? After being kicked out of the Chu family that year, Ye Fan had fought nearly a thousand battles to that very day. He had survived countless life-and-death situations to reach his current level. Chu Tianqi, on the other hand, was nothing but an arrogant aristocrat worshipped by everyone since childhood. Even his current cultivation came mostly from Jade Eyes. What could he take topete with Ye Fan? ¡°Since we are of the same n and origin, Chu Qitian, I''ll give you a word of advice. Only fingers that have shed blood can strum the world''s greatest music, and only after experiencing hellish trials can one create heavenly power.¡± Ye Fan''s deep voice reverberated throughout the area, those few words appeared deafening to everyone. Even Mochizuki Kawa and the others had mixed emotions when they heard it. Indeed, everyone loathes suffering, but how many would realize that suffering is the most precious treasure? In history, no great man standing at the top of the world did not shed blood and suffer. No towering trees can grow in a greenhouse. One could not wield a peerless divine sword without experiencing thousands of trials and tribtions. Looking at the tall and muscr man in front of them, Mochizuki Kawa and the others could not help but wonder how many hardships Ye Fan went through to master his present skills. Moon God was especiallypassionate as it was written all over her exquisite face. My master must have suffered a lot all these years. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Contrary to them, Chu Tianqi merely threw his head back andughed after hearing Ye Fan''s words. The way heughed at that moment, coupled with his bloodied figure, was a terrifying and ghastly sight. However, his mocking smile soon morphed into anger. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Keep those preaching to yourself, Chu Tianfan. You are an abandoned son of the Chu family and have no right to lecture me. Also, don''t think that you can gloat over defeating me. Let me tell you. It''s too early for that. I may not be able to defeat you, but my pet can kill you all the same. As long as you die here, I, Chu Tianqi, will still be the most gifted genius in this world!¡± After saying that, Chu Tianqiughed maniacally. He had epted only his own defeat. He still had the backing of the expert martial artists of Chu Sect and the Sacred Beast, ze. If I can''t kill Ye Fan, I''ll let ze do it. In any case, Ye Fan must die! Roar! The moment his words fell, a burst of green light came from Chu Tianqi''s pupils. After that, ze, who had been eagerly waiting behind him, finally made its appearance once again. Following a mighty roar, ze''s body grew rapidly until its huge figure seemed to obstruct the sun. Its four wings were propped up like clouds, covering half of the sky, while its majestic shadow loomed over half of Tokyo. ¡°Tear him to pieces, ze!¡± Despite walking unsteadily, those words of resentment and hatred burst forth from Chu Qitian''s weak body. Ye Fan solemnly nced up at the huge and terrifying creature. It almost killed Eigetsu just now. Now, it''s time for me to avenge her. ¡°Master! This monster is very peculiar. You must be careful! Its strength and defense are incredibly formidable. Even I will find it extremely hard to pierce its scales!¡± Seeing that Chu Tianqi had finally used his trump card, Moon God couldn''t help but begin to worry. Having experienced the creature''s ability firsthand, she even felt that Chu Yuan might not necessarily be able to hurt it in the slightest. Now that Chu Tianqi was using it to take on Ye Fan, she was naturally very worried. ¡°Mm. Don''t worry, Eigetsu. I''ve got this.¡± Ye Fan furrowed his brows. He naturally did not underestimate ze as he did when facing Chu Tianfan. Although he had not made a move, he could still feel the tremendous power of the beast before him. ¡°Tear him to pieces, ze!¡± Chu Tianqi suddenly bellowed again. ze, who had longpleted its transformation, immediately let out a roar and charged toward Ye Fan. It first swiped its w like a long sword cutting through the void toward Ye Fan. It moved so fast that it only left an afterimage in the sky. ¡°Master, be careful!¡± cried Moon God anxiously. Ye Fan was also shocked. This monster is incredibly fast! Facing such a swift attack, Ye Fan had no choice but to use his arm to block it. Swish! Its sharp ws shed across and instantly subdued Ye Fan''s Dragon God Body. As a result, thetter''s clothes were torn, and numerous streaks of blood trickled down from under his sleeve. At the same time, ze whipped its long tail. With a loud thump like the noise of an iron whip, it sent Ye Fan flying and crashing on the ground ultimately. The blood on Ye Fan''s arm stained the ground where hended. ¡°Master!¡± Seeing that Ye Fan was injured, Moon God, a venerated person of a nation, could not stop her tears from rolling down her cheeks. Ignoring her injuries, she ran toward the direction where Ye Fan had fallen. Chapter 2077 Chapter 2077 ¡°Take it easy, Moon God!¡± When Mochizuki Kawa and the others saw Moon God acting so recklessly, they wanted to stop her. s, Tsukuyomi couldn''t possibly allow them to hold her back. She forcefully shoved the Japanese martial artists blocking her path away and sprinted toward Ye Fan desperately. Perhaps she tugged on her injury, but blood again gushed out of her abdomen. However, that didn''t matter to her anymore. No matter how painful her physical injuries were, the agony paled inparison to the distress within her at the sight of her master injured. By then, Ye Fan had already stood up from amidst the ruins. With Dragon God Body having been thwarted, his clothes had also been long since ripped to shreds. Blood trickled down his arm. Beneath the broken skin, one could vaguely glimpse milk-white bone. Such anguish inundated Moon God that tears streamed down her face. Hugging the man hard, she sobbed, ¡°Let''s not battle anymore, Master. Never again. We''ll go back to Jiangdong. Let''s go home...¡± The girl who was weeping as she hugged Ye Fan right then was no longer Japan''s highest deity who previously took the country by storm and astounded the entire world. Instead, she was merely a young maiden in love, a girl who was worried about the person she liked. Simply put, she was but the innocent girl Ye Fan took everywhere with him back then, Suzumiya Eigetsu. In her world, there was no grand undertaking or Japan and its citizens. To her, the country and its survival were illusory. Only her master was real. Her world consisted of Ye Fan alone. She had already lost him once, and she didn''t want to experience the torment of losing him again. For that reason, her heart almost shattered into a million pieces when she saw ze injuring him. As she wailed in utter distress, she appeared just like a child. ¡°It''s just a paltry injury, silly. I''ve experience life-and-death situations countless times, so such a paltry injury is nothing.¡± Ye Fan never expected her immense grief at his superficial injury. Unbeknownst to him, Suzumiya Eigetsu was afraid that she would lose him once more. It was precisely because she had experienced such pain that she was all the more fearful of loss. Thus, the man''s reassurance didn''t work on her. Her face pale and her body weak, she continued hugging him tightly. Burying her head in his chest, she repeatedly begged him not to battle anymore. She wanted to go back to Jiangdong. More so, she wanted him to return there, back to the ce where they first met. It was also there that she experienced the warmth of home for the very first time. Therefore, to her, Ye Fan''s home was also her home. After so many years of fighting and being adrift, her heart, which had been weak in the first ce, had long since been riddled with holes. Her greatest desire had never been influenced and power. She only wanted to go home, return to Jiangdong, back to their home. There were no battles or bloodshed there, much less the risk of separation brought by death. The only thing that existed was peaceful bliss and happiness. That''s true. After experiencing so much and witnessing the sufferings of the world, possessing the so- called influence and power is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Living a simple and peaceful life is the most basic happiness. ¡°Eigetsu, I promise that I''ll bring you back, back to Jiangdong in Jingzhou. I''ll do gardening with you and visit Dongchang Lake with you again. Soon... When this battle draws to an end, I''ll take you wherever you want to go and allow you to eat whatever you want. But now, let me settle this grievance that has persisted for more than ten years.¡± Ye Fan''s expression gradually turned chilly. His energy that had been scattered spewed and condensed at his elixir field once more. At that very moment, he resembled a me that rekindled from the ashes, his power again bursting forth. Pivoting, he pinned a sharp gaze on the four-winged beast. Ultimately, I underestimated this little beast. He initially thought that there were few in this world who could injure him, considering the might of his Dragon God Body. Unfortunately, he miscalcted. Never had he thought that the Dragon God Body he had relied on for years would actually be no match for a trample from the beast. ¡°Don''t battle anymore, Master... I beg you. Please don''t battle anymore,¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu continued pleading. Tugging on Ye Fan''s clothes, she shook her head at the man with tears staining her face. ¡°It''ll be fine, Eigetsu. I haven''t unleashed my true capabilities yet. Next, I''ll show you your master''s true might!¡± Ye Fan''s expression slowly darkened. The corners of his upturned mouth carried a bloodthirsty murderous intent. At the same time, his initially cid energy started surging violently. A golden light that reassembled shes of lightning gradually red on his body. The lightning-like res started circling him. Suzumiya Eigetsu could distinctly see golden patterns starting to manifest on the man''s forehead. There was only one in the beginning, but it then doubled. In the end, three golden Thunderstripes emerged on Ye Fan''s forehead. Bam! Without warning, Ye Fan stomped his feet on the ground. Following that, his lean body started rising into the sky. Behind him, clouds gathered, and rumbling thunder started converging mid-air. His hair stood up on ends as sharp as swords. ¡°W-What is this?¡± ¡°What is Chu Tianfan doing now?¡± At the sight of the scene before them, the expressions of those from the Chu Sect changed drastically. Likewise, shock showed in the eyes of the Japanese martial artists. Many of those present had interacted with Ye Fan previously. As such, they were pretty clear about the man''s capabilities. However, they had never seen him using that present move. Lightning shed all over him as though he was Thor reincarnate. From afar, the terrifying and horrifying power had everyone shuddering in fear. ¡°What a worthless sleight of hand! No matter how much you struggle, Chu Tianfan, it can''t change the fact that you''re doomed today. ze is a Sacred Beast of the Chu family. Its father was once a Sacred Beast under the Chu family''s ancestor, Chu Yunyang. In fact, its capability had long since gone beyond that of a human''s. I''d advise you to give up resisting and resign yourself to death.¡± Chu Tianqi smirked, his eyes brimming with disdain. He didn''t give a fig about the changes in Ye Fan. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. In his eyes, the man was no match for a swipe of the w by ze, regardless of how many tricks he had up his sleeve. After all, nothing could stand against absolute power. ze was so strong that almost all conspiracies and tricks in the world couldn''t do it any harm. ¡°Attack!¡± Following Chu Tianqi''s order, ze let out a long howl. Subsequently, it waved its sharp ws and charged toward Ye Fan again. Ye Fan merely stood there motionless like a statue. It wasn''t until ze had almost reached him that he stretched out his hand and seized its massive w. The tremendous impact dragged him back a hundred meters. Seeing that, Chu Tianqi sneered and shook his head contemptuously. ¡°What a fool! You even wanted to test your strength against ze? You''re mortal, yet you have delusions of being equally matched with divinity? You are just like a firefly, but you want topete with the moon!¡± He snickered scornfully. Regretfully, his smile didn''tst long. Ye Fan, who was propelled backward by the momentum, finally stood his ground. After blocking off ze''s attack, he continued grasping its sharp w. Subsequently, infinite power burst forth from his tiny and fragile body under everyone''s shocked gaze. Using himself as the fulcrum, he actually managed to lift ze''s gigantic body. ¡°H-H-How is this possible?¡± Everyone''s jaws dropped at the sight of that scene. Utter shock pervaded Chu Tianqi. Never had he imagined that there was really someone in this world who could be on equal footing with ze. Bam! While everyone was still in shock, Ye Fan had already hoisted ze over his head. He mmed it onto the ground hard. Then, he repeated that series of actions. Chapter 2078 Chapter 2078 Bang! Bang! Bang! ze''s massive body, as if it was repeatedly struck by a giant hammer, was pounded toward the ground by Ye Fan. As a thunderous sound echoed in all directions, arge swathe of the ground copsed from the impact. Stunned by the incredible scene before them, the crowd could only gawk. ¡°I-Is he even human?¡± ¡°Can he also be a monster?¡± Mochizuki Kawa and the Japanese martial artists were bbergasted. From their perspective, Ye Fan was no different from a monster on par with ze. Even the teary-eyed Suzumiya Eigetsu, who was worried sick just a moment ago, covered her mouth in shock. ¡°D*mn it! ze, what are you doing? I ordered you to finish him! So, just kill him!¡± the raging Chu Qitian roared. Despite his frustrated shouts urging ze to counterattack, ze''s tail was caught by Ye Fan while its head was being mmed onto the ground repeatedly until it was seeing stars. From the looks of it, ze had been beaten unconscious by Ye Fan. ¡°That piece of trash!¡± The infuriated Chu Qitian almost burst a vessel. In his desperation, he bit the tip of his tongue, causing Jade Eyes to glow, flooding ze''s mind with a rush of spiritual energy. In the instant, the badly-beaten ze was reinvigorated and let out a deafening roar toward the sky. Following his furious cry was an inferno shooting out of its jaws, encapsting Ye Fan''s body with an explosive force and terrifying heat. The massive impact threw Ye Fan back while the heat from the inferno tormented him greatly. Ye Fan, having no other choice, had to release ze''s ws and back away. Upon regaining its freedom, ze turned around and bored down on Ye Fan as if it had gone berserk. With its jaws opened wide, it looked as if it was going to swallow Ye Fan entirely. Ye Fan, who had no intention of standing idly by and letting himself be devoured, turned around and retreated a hundred steps back. Nheless, ze wasn''t discouraged from missing his target. Spreading out its gigantic wings, it swung its razor-sharp scales in Ye Fan''s direction while sweeping its metal-whip-like tail across the ground. Attacking with a roar, it was clear that ze was utterly enraged by Ye Fan. The menacing assault that ensued pummeled Ye Fan just like a hurricane. ze was alternating between bearing its jaws down, breathing fire out of its mouth, shing its wings, and sweeping with its tail. Every single one of its strikes carried the explosive power of lightning, leaving huge craters on the ground. In fact, the terrifying force of ze''s ws was capable of ripping thick steel sheets into pieces. Under pressure from ze''s rampage, Ye Fan¡ªdeciding not to fight head-on¡ªchose to dodge repeatedly. However, from the perspective of those from Chu Sect, Ye Fan had fallen into a disadvantage and had no answer to ze''s attacks. ¡°Hahaha!¡± With his eyes glistening smugly, Chu Qitian sneered, ¡°Chu Tianfan, I advise you to surrender, for there''s no way you can prate ze''s impregnable defense given how physically tough he is. From the very beginning, ze''s victory in this battle was never in doubt. As for you, you''ll be torn apart once you have exhausted all your strength.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± At that moment, Ye Fan¡ªcaught by a swipe from ze''s ws¡ªwas sent crashing into the ancient ruins below. Nevertheless, he quickly sprang back to his feet. Patting the dust off his body, he raised his head and threw Chu Qitian a smirk¡ªtriggering thetter''s displeasure. ¡°I''m surprised you can still smile in the face of death. You truly are nothing but a fool! Let''s see if you can still maintain that smile of yours when ze''s w pierces through your body!¡± Chu Qitian was outraged. Nheless, Ye Fan simply shook his head and snorted. ¡°Chu Qitian, do you really think a nobody like you can stop me? Given that I have dared to make a comeback, I naturally possess the confidence to take Chu Sect on. Now, watch closely as I defeat this beast of yours!¡± With that, Ye Fan burst into a series ofughter. Amidst the echo of his voice, the horizon began to crack, followed by lightning crackling around Ye Fan''s body. As if they hade alive, the three Thunderstripes between his brows unleashed a dazzling glow. The very next second, Ye Fan¡ªevolving into a stream of light¡ªshot into the sky and reappeared in front of ze in a sh. Subsequently, a powerful punch smashed into ze''s abdomen. Bang! A thunderous rumble reverberated through the air. In response, Chu Qitian scoffed, ¡°It''s useless. Even swords can''t cut through ze''s scales, let alone your bare hands.¡± Chu Qitian brimmed with confidence, for he was speaking the truth. After all, Ye Fan''s punch barelynded a scratch on ze. In spite of that, the force from the punch had permeated through ze''s scales and undoubtedly hurt its internal organs. In the midst of an agonized cry, ze''s body was flung back by a hundred meters. Opening its jaws while being mired in excruciating pain, it spewed a mist of blood into the air. ¡°H-How is this even possible?¡± Chu Qitian was so stunned that his eyeballs almost popped out of its sockets. Unfortunately for him, that was just the beginning. After the first punch, Ye Fan¡ªpiling on the pressure¡ªbore down upon ze again. Throwing his steel-like fist that carried the force of a thousand tons, he aimed it at ze''s eyes this time. In an evasive maneuver, ze swung its wings around to block. Nevertheless, Ye Fan didn''t flinch as his fist smote ze''s wings with devastating force. The impact from the punch bent ze''s bones, essentially breaking its wings in half. The excruciating pain that ensued caused ze to retract its wing by reflex¡ªunintentionally exposing its eyes. Seizing upon the opening, Ye Fanunched a kick at them. ze''sntern-sized eyes¡ªdespite being protected by its scales¡ªsunk into their sockets upon the impact, resulting in green blood gushing out. ¡°Argh!¡± With blood spewing out of its eyes, ze let out an agonized cry before falling onto the ground. Writhing in agony, it covered its eyes with its ws as it continued to roar uncontrobly. ¡°Now''s the time!¡± At the end of the day, a beast could never escape its nature. Regardless of how strong it was, its mental capabilities and behavior were no match for humans. If Ye Fan was in its shoes, he would''ve retreated to a safe distance immediately. In contrast, when ze stayed still and roared, it opened up a window for Ye Fan to deal it a fatal blow. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Underneath the watchful eyes of the crowd, the intensity of Ye Fan''s vigor began to rise until a terrifying power culminated within his body. In the end, his bulging muscles were so pumped that veins were visible on the surface of his arms, which were now double their original size. ¡°This...¡± From afar, Chu Qitian''s expression drastically changed the moment he recognized the harnessing technique. Charging at Ye Fan, he screamed at ze. ¡°ze, retreat!¡± ¡°Retreat? Is it even possible?¡± Ye Fan''s lips suddenly curled into a murderous smile. The next second, he bellowed, ¡°Boundless Destruction!¡± Boom! A tremendous shockwave was unleashed as Ye Fan¡ªwielding god-like power¡ªthrew an earth- shattering punch forward. Its explosive power released a sonic boom into the air. Despite Chu Qitian''s desperate efforts to stop him, the former failed to block in time and was swept away by the ensuing st. Amidst the sound of shattering ribs, blood rained in the air. Chu Qitian had vomited a mist of blood while his body was thrown back. As for Ye Fan''s attack, it continued on its trajectory, undiminished in power. Boundless Destruction was the amalgamation of Tumble of the Majestic Mountain and Infinite Force from Invoke the Celestial Sky. True to its name, the boundless energy and devastating force it unleashed was enough to decimate everything before it. In fact, its power would intensify with every subsequent strike. Chapter 2079 Chapter 2079 Under the weight of Ye Fan''s tremendous power, ze''s massive body was instantly sent flying thousands of meters away, as if it was a ball. At the point where Ye Fan''s fistnded on ze''s body, one could clearly see it copsing upon itself. The trajectory from which ze was thrown back left a path of destruction behind, filled with crumbling buildings and ttened hills. The excruciating pain it felt triggered a roar of agony and tormented it to the brink of tears. Green blood gushed incessantly out of its mouth till a pool of it gradually formed on the ground. Obviously, this was just the after-effects of the second punch. Soon, with the subsequent barrage of punches raining down upon ze, it let out a roar of even greater pain. Its defenses, impregnable over thest few centuries had finally been broken through. The ck and hardened scales that protected it all these years were shattered by Ye Fan''s punches, revealing the soft and tender flesh beneath them. Falling from the air, it finally crashed into its own pool of blood. Amidst its agonized screams, its body writhed on the ground, just like a crying child. Watching what was unfolding before them, the crowd couldn''t help but be stricken by terror. He''s so strong! Chu Tianfan is just overwhelmingly powerful! This doesn''t make sense at all! No one had expected Ye Fan to sessfully smash ze''s scales with his bare hands when Moon God had failed tond a scratch with her sword. ¡°I-Is he even human?¡± ¡°His body... is it really made of flesh?¡± From a distance, the grievously injured Mochizuki Kawa stared at the god-like presence of Ye Fan, which sent a chill down his spine. He couldn''t believe that he and thetter were enemies back in the day. In fact, he had even crossed swords with Ye Fan more than once. Just thinking about it now caused his knees to quake in fear, for he realized that it was a miracle he was still alive. Even Suzumiya Eigetsu was dumbfounded by the sight. She had assumed Ye Fan was just reassuring her earlier but could now see she was wrong and had underestimated him. Unfortunately, not everyone celebrated the sudden turn of events. The beaten Chu Qitian turned red in rage when he saw how ze had been thrashed. No sooner had he powered through the pain to get back on his feet than he dashed toward ze''s side while unleashing a heartbroken tirade at Ye Fan. ¡°You b*stard! How cruel can you be? Why do you have to use such brutal strikes? D*mn you!¡± Holding ze''s head, he consoled it repeatedly. As for ze, ity in his arms as if it was a child longing for its parent''sfort. Meanwhile, Ye Fan, with a solemn expression, looked down at them. ¡°Chu Qitian, you have reached the end of the line. This is where our enmity ends.¡± Whoosh! Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Ye Fan had barely spoken when a powerful gale blew out of nowhere. Behind him, the trees and rocks began to shake violently, a phenomenon resulting from the unleashing of his power. At the same time, Moon God''s broken sword¡ªguided by Ye Fan''s aura¡ªgradually rose into the air from the ground and floated right up to him. From the looks of it, Ye Fan was going to end Chu Qitian and ze''s lives with it. ¡°B*stard, how dare you attack Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Old Master is not going to let you get away with this!¡± The elders of Chu Sect had turned pale in shock. Faced with Ye Fan''s murderous intent, all of them charged hysterically at him. Even though their disy of loyalty was heart-moving, it was still nothing but a pointless struggle. A single kick from Ye Fan unleashed a force that sent the men flying with blood spewing out of their mouths. The gulf between their powers was simply too great. Having lost ze''s protection, the men from Chu Sect were no different frommbs awaiting ughter. After getting the elders out of his way, Ye Fan stretched out his hand and pointed abruptly with his finger. Zing! Just like aser, the broken sword behind him let out a piercing shriek before flying straight at Chu Qitian and ze. ¡°Chu Tianfan, how dare you!¡± the members of Chu Sect screamed in horror. ¡°Dodge, Mr. Chu!¡± With ze grievously wounded, Chu Qitian too was on hisst legs. No one had any doubt that neither man nor beast would survive Ye Fan''s sword. However, at the crucial moment, the injured ze howled toward the sky as a blistering rainbow of light emitted from its body. With four wings suddenly spreading out, a terrifying look descended upon its crimson eyes while mysterious red markings began to appear on its originally ck scales. ¡°Is this... its third transformation?¡± Everyone present felt as if their eyes were about to pop out. Even Ye Fan was no exception, for he was just as astounded as they were. During its previous battle with Moon God, ze had already transformed twice. Little did anyone expect it to be able to do so one more time. Furthermore, after its transformation, the injuries previously inflicted by Ye Fan healed rapidly. The scales that were shattered earlier were quickly reced with newly grown ones. Its ability to rejuvenate was so mind-blowing that anyone watching would be filled with despair. Within a few short seconds, ze whose life was hanging by a thread just a moment ago had grown even more ferocious than before. Pushing off the ground with its sharp ws, it leaped into the air andnded in front of Chu Qitian to shield him. It then opened its jaws and caught Ye Fan''s sword with a menacing bite before spitting it back out. Swoosh! As the sword pierced through the air, it now headed in Ye Fan''s direction. ¡°Master, be careful!¡± the concerned Suzumiya Eigetsu yelled. Ye Fan naturally didn''t dare underestimate the attack as he intercepted it with a palm strike of his own. The giant palm that was unleashed subsequently smashed into the sword. Boom! A thunderous explosion rang out. Both attacks ground at each other for some time before fading away concurrently. The unexpected scene secretly delighted everyone present, for a casual spit from ze was sufficient to hold off Ye Fan''s all-out attack. ¡°D*mn it, the beast has grown stronger again!¡± Ye Fan''s brows furrowed tightly, as ze turned out to be more formidable than he expected. Despite using part of his trump cards, he still failed to defeat it. Meanwhile, Chu Qitian was ecstatic over ze''s sessful transformation. ¡°ze, you did it! You have narrowed the gap between yourself and your ancestors.¡± Chu Qitian, initially overwhelmed by despair, was surprised that ze hadpleted his third transformation. ¡°Hahaha, Chu Tianfan, I have to thank you for forcing ze''s fourth form out of him. By doing so, his bloodline grows ever closer to that of his ancestors. Hahaha...¡± In his tion, Chu Qitian burst into triumphantughter. Every single one of ze''s transformations was a process of purifying his bloodline. Previously, Chu Qitian only managed to help it transform twice. However, in the face of death, ze learned how to perform its third transformation which brought its strength to a whole new level. ¡°Chu Tianfan, it''s time for you to die. Just like you said, this is the end of the line.¡± With a smug glint in his eyes, Chu Qitian threw Ye Fan''s words back at him. In spite of that, thetter kept mum with a grim expression as he was prepared to face the powerful enemy. From the looks of it, I have to use Invoke the Celestial Sky. Ye Fan thought to himself with a heavy heart. Initially, he wanted to save it for Chu Yuan, for it was one of his most powerful trump cards. Unfortunately, the beast had forced him to deploy the technique ahead of his ns. Given that Invoke the Celestial Sky would consume a significant amount of his energy, he was saving it for desperate circumstances. Unfortunately, it was no longer his choice. Chapter 2080 Chapter 2080 Faced with the formidable threat, the concerned Suzumiya Eigetsu dragged her wounded self up to Ye Fan''s side. Tugging Ye Fan''s sleeve, she was visibly worried about the uing battle. ¡°Master, the beast has grown a lot stronger after its transformation. You have to be cautious.¡± Previously, Moon God had been defeated by ze after its second transformation. Since she had failed to even break through its defenses, losing to it was a foregone conclusion. Now that it had exceeded everyone''s expectations and transformed a third time, its physical prowess was elevated to the next level. Consequently, her concern for her master intensified. ¡°Mmm-hmm. I know,¡± Ye Fan replied with a frown that was filled with intense conviction. Just when he was harnessing his energy in preparation for an all-out attack, the group of Chu Sect elders climbed back to their feet and hurried to Chu Qitian''s side, whispering something to him. Chu Qitian was infuriated to hear their words. ¡°What did you say? You''re asking me to retreat? ze has achieved its third transformation and be so powerful that nothing can stand in his way. Now that Ye Fan is right for the picking, what is your agenda for asking me to withdraw? Have all of you lost your mind?¡± Chu Qitian fumed. However, Chu Sect elders continued to plead with him, ¡°Mr. Chu, this is an order from Old Master. A messenger has arrived to insist on our immediate return, for something has happened in China. Moreover, we still do not know the depths of Chu Tianfan''s strength. Even with the alliance of countries back then, we still failed to kill him then. ¡°Therefore, Mr. Chu, are you certain we can finish him off with ze''s third transformation? Don''t forget that Chu Tianfan is still hiding other trump cards up his sleeves. Just with his physical prowess alone, he has defeated ze''s first two forms. So, what if he unleashes his ultimate technique? ze would be ced in a precarious situation. ¡°In the event it is defeated, none of us are going to leave Japan alive. Mr. Chu, as a member of the Chu family, you know better than anyone else how formidable Invoke the Celestial Sky can be. Hence, we should first return to China as a precaution. Since it is Chu Tianfan''s hometown, he''ll go back there sooner orter. When that happens, we can mobilize the strength of the entire Chu Sect to annihte him. Isn''t that a much better n?¡± The elders of Chu Sect were clearly traumatized by the defeats they had previously suffered at Chu Tianfan''s hands. Even though ze was unstoppable after its third transformation and Chu Sect clearly had the upper hand, the fear within Chu Sect elders didn''t diminish one bit. They were fearful of Ye Fan turning the tide of battle with another surprise. By then, death would undoubtedly be their fate. As the feud between Chu Sect and Ye Fan had been going on for years, the elders were cognizant of thetter''s affinity to turn things around. Throughout the years, there were countless incidents when they had him surrounded and victory was at hand. This time was naturally no different. However, Ye Fan always turned the tables on them. In fact, Chu Qitian, despite having spent more than ten years hunting the former, had allowed Ye Fan to attack his home instead. Until that day, Chu Qitian''s father was still hanging off Mount Chumen, wailing day and night in agony. As for Chu Sect, they suffered an even worse fate¡ªhalf of the ten elders had been killed by Ye Fan. Even though new elders had been chosen to rece those who died, their influence and strength were inferior to their predecessors. Therefore, they were truly petrified of facing Ye Fan to the extent of preferring to flee despite their advantage in battle. Consequently, Chu Qitian fell into deep thought, for it was obvious the elders'' words had struck a chord with him. They have a point. Over the decade of pursuing Ye Fan, I would always end up being beaten to pulp just when I thought I had him. After a brief hesitation, Chu Qitian finallypromised and gave the order to retreat. ¡°Chu Tianfan, I have decided to let you off today. However, I''ll be waiting for you at Jiangdong for our showdown. When the timees, only one of us wille out alive!¡± Chu Qitian''s insidious voice reverberated throughout thend. Just as he spoke, he ordered his men to withdraw. ze, acting as the rear guard, would cover their retreat. With that, the grand army that was supposed to invade Japan marched away from Tokyo and out of Japan''s borders. They headed back to China to rejoin Chu Yuan''s Chu Sect army. ¡°Unrivalled Grandmaster, we can''t allow them to flee. Instead, we should pursue and ughter them all. Otherwise, they woulde back for us one day!¡± When Mochizuki Kawa saw Chu Sect retreating, he shouted anxiously at Chu Tianfan, urging thetter to finish their enemies off. After all, as long as Chu Qitian was still alive, the martial arts world of Japan would continue to be threatened. Thus, he naturally hoped to see Ye Fan use this opportunity to eradicate the men from Chu Sect. Not only did he not care about Ye Fan''s survival, but he also hoped that both parties would suffer grievous harm in a brutal battle. In fact, his ideal scenario was for them to kill each other. With both Ye Fan and Chu Sect annihted, Japan''s martial arts world would top the world. However, no sooner had Mochizuki Kawa spoken than he was given a p by Ye Fan. A giant palm consequently blocked off the sky before falling upon him, smashing him downward. Amidst shattering rocks and cratering earth, a giant palm print subsequently emerged on the ground. Before Mochizuki Kawa could even scream in agony, he was buried deep underneath the rocks. In spite of that, he was one tough nut to crack. A short whileter, a blood-drenched figure crawled out from beneath the rubble. Looking in Moon God''s direction, he pointed at Ye Fan in a pleading manner before throwing out a few mouthfuls of blood. The next moment, his massive body copsed onto the ground with a loud thud after losing consciousness. ¡°Sword God!¡± The sight of the fainted Sword God shocked the martial artists of Japan. While rushing to his side to check on his wounds, they appealed angrily to Moon God, ¡°Your Highness, you have to stand up for Sword God! Ye Fan intended to kill him by striking him so brutally.¡± ¡°Your Highness, you have to mete out justice on his behalf,¡± the martial artists pleaded. However, Suzumiya Eigetsu not only ignored their pleas but also threw herself into Ye Fan''s arms in delight, as if she was a wounded kitten looking forfort from her master. Now that the men from Chu Sect had left, her mind was finally put at ease after being worried sick about Ye Fan. ¡°Master, they''re finally gone,¡± she remarked gleefully while leaning in his embrace. However, the tension in her body had hardly eased when the pain from her wounds began to overwhelm her. Subsequently, Ye Fan felt her trembling in his arms as blood began oozing out the corners of her mouth. It was only then that did he notice how pale she looked. The wounds ze had inflicted upon her earlier had long been covered in blood, causing Ye Fan to feel a squeeze in his heart. Sweeping her off her feet, he prepared to leave. ¡°Eigetsu, you must hold on. I''ll take you back to China to have your wounds treated.¡± However, the Japanese martial artists refused to let him take her. ¡°Put Her Highness down!¡± ¡°She''s the guardian of Japan, not China.¡± ¡°Who gave you the right to take her away?¡± The martial artists surrounded him. Raising his head, Ye Fan stared at them. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°I didn''t kill you lot on Eigetsu''s ount, but you had better not get on my nerves. Or else, I don''t mind finishing Chu Sect''s mission for them.¡± Whoosh! All of a sudden, a cold breeze filled with murderous intent blew in the air. Chapter 2081 Chapter 2081 The grudges Ye Fan held against Japan were no less than what Chu Sect had for it. Back then, Mochizuki Kawa and the others had allied with various master fighters of Japan to besiege Ye Fan. The Chu family went as far as joining forces with the Japanese army forces and nearly sent Ye Fan to the bottom of the ocean. With all those past scrimmages, it was not surprising that Ye Fan would wish to obliterate Japan. The fact remained that Ye Fan knew better than to act on his impulses. He had to consider Eigetsu. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. These were Eigetsu''s people who were under her protection. If he were to destroy them, even if she did not me him, she would be very hurt. After hearing Ye Fan''s words, the master fighters from Japan were frightened into silence. Each of them turned pale, and not even one of them uttered a word. Indeed, it was only now that they realized how harsh Chu Tianfan''s methods werepared to the Chu Sect. When infuriated, this man was even more terrifying than the Chu Sect. ording to many, the massacre outside the rainforest was carried out by Chu Tianfan''s very own hands. The very thought of that was enough to make the master fighters of Japan shiver. Though they were reluctant, they had no other choice but to let Ye Fan take their Guardian Angel away without attempting to stop him. Very quickly, Ye Fan''s figure disappeared from their sight. As they watched the figures leaving and disappearing from sight, the martial artists of Japan shed tears of sadness. ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°I guess our country only has Moon God to depend on now.¡± ¡°Even so, Chu Tianfan has abducted her to China!¡± ¡°From now on, who will protect our country, Japan?¡± Many of the people were filled with grief, and they shed tears of despair. Untold sorrow filled their hearts. They were filled with resentment! ¡°Moon God, we are your people.¡± ¡°Why do you willingly abandon your people for the embrace of a foreign man?¡± At this point in time, the hearts of those living in Tokyo turned cold. This was especially true of the martial artists of Japan. Just now, when Ye Fan wanted to kill Mochizuki Kawa, Moon God did not stop him. Even when Ye Fan dered that he would kill all of Japan''s master fighters, Moon God did not attempt to stop him either. It was very obvious from Moon God''s actions that to her, Ye Fan''s position was above these people. Japan''s strongest fighter and Guardian Angel, who had protected Japan for innumerable years, was just taken away by a man from China. It was simr to the tale of a goddess of China who married someone from Japan and became a part of Japan. No one would feel good about this happening to oneself. Whoosh... On the vast Pacific Ocean, a figure was galloping across the surface of the waters like a white dragon hurtling across the sea. He cut through the oing wind at a speed so fast that he churned up white waves underfoot, which sshed into the air and broke up into frothing fragments like snow in the air. This person was none other than Ye Fan, who had left Japan and was on the way to China. In his arms was a girl who looked as beautiful as someone from a painting. Her long dress was stained with blood, but the stains could not conceal her pure and ethereal temperament. Her silken tresses were blowing in the wind. Under her long dress, her exposed long and fair legs looked like a sculpture of jade. Who was this girl? She gave the impression that her beauty was out of this world. Her beauty was so ethereal that it was like a lotus blossoming in the snow on the peak of Sky Mountain. Unfortunately, for this exquisite beauty, her life was fading away with time. Even though Moon God had a soul of the god realm, her physical body was mortal as it belonged to Suzumiya Eigetsu. After a serious injury, it was only natural that she could not hang on to life for long. It was likely that Suzumiya Eigetsu felt her life ebbing away and knew that she did not have much time left on earth. That was because, in Ye Fan''s embrace, she did not behave herself at all. She twisted her feminine body, trying to bury herself deeper in his arms. Like a little kitten begging for her owner''s caresses, she greedily breathed in the odor of the man''s body. She knew that these were thest moments she could spend alone with her master. Possibly, there would be no more such opportunities in the future. At this moment in time, in the middle of the ocean, an ind came into view. Suddenly, Suzumiya Eigetsu spoke in a low voice. ¡°M-Master, please... Take me to that ind to watch the sunset, just for a moment. Then, after admiring the sunset, please leave me on the ind. Can you let me leave this world quietly and peacefully? Master, I do not want you to see how I look when I pass on.¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu spoke in a weak voice. The consciousness that belonged to Moon God seemed to have been seriously injured and fallen asleep. At this point, it was only Suzumiya Eigetsu who dominated the body. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Ye Fan got angry immediately. ¡°I''ve said that without my permission, no one can take you away, not even Hades, the ruler of the underworld. Eigetsu, I will save your life. I''m bringing you to Jiangdong to see my great-grandma. My great-grandma''s healing knowledge is as vast as the skies. She can certainly heal you.¡± Ye Fan spoke with conviction. However, Suzumiya Eigetsu shook her head. ¡°There is no need, Master. You mustn''t waste any more time on me. The people in Jiangdong are waiting for you. They are still in danger. You must leave me alone and should hurry up to save them. In fact, I am already content to be able to see you onest time.¡± Ye Fan was heartbroken at these words. You little rascal! You are always like this¡ªyou only think about me and never about yourself. Eigetsu, you know that I want the family and friends in Jiangdong to live, but you don''t know that more than that, I do not want to see you die! From when he was little, Ye Fan met many types of women like Xu Lei, Mucheng, Chen Nan, and Tang Yun. They were all very good women¡ªindependent, strong, and having their own pursuits and dreams. Xu Lei guarded Yanjing, wanting to develop the Xu family. Mucheng started from scratch, trying to start her own business. Chen Nan loved her father to the extent of being willing to be the fall guy for his crimes. As for Tang Yun, she had often confronted Ye Fan for the sake of her sect. Among all of them, Eigetsu was the most skilled in martial arts. However, she was the silliest of them all. Whether he was right or wrong, this rascal would take his side without reservation. If he wanted to kill someone, Eigetsu would never try to stop him, and she would do anything to help. She would even abandon her people and betray her country. This woman right in front of him now was the silliest that she had ever seen. It seemed as if she existed only for him. Ye Fan was her world. He owed her too much, so he could not ignore her now that she was facing a situation of life and death. Before, he had thought of going to Jiangdong and leaving Moon God to her own fate. Nheless, he had not the heart to do that, and so he had turned back for her. This time, he would naturally elect to save Eigetsu first. As for the Jiangdong situation, there was arge array of protection, the four Dragon yers were lending their support, and there was even Huangniu to help out. Ye Fan reckoned that even if Chu Tianqi and the others went there, they could do no harm at Jiangdong. In the end, despite Suzumiya Eigetsu''s dissuasion, Ye Fan did not go straight to Yunzhou after returning to China. Instead, he went to Fenghai. The Chu residence was there. It was already mid-autumn, and so outside the residence, the willows were turning yellow. This was Ye Fan''s revisit after many years. Gingerly, he put Moon God down. Then, he went to the door and knelt down. ¡°Great-grandma, I''m your great-grandson, Chu Tianfan. I''m here to see you. Please open the door for me.¡± Ye Fan knelt in front of the door, calling out with a remorseful heart. In this whole world, the person that he respected most was this old woman who had gone through a lot of suffering in life. Whenever Ye Fan faced a challenge he could not ovee, his great-grandma was able to help him through it. Years ago, this was also where he met Tang Yun. Chapter 2082 Chapter 2082 At the Chu residence, an olddy was gardening at her vegetable patch. She was busy weeding, fertilizing, ploughing, and watering. It had been a long time since someone came to visit. She was like someone lost in the sands of time. She had been living the same life with the same routine for a very long time, and she would continue living like this for the rest of her life. The only living creature staying by her side was the charmingly naive big ck dog. Strangely, this ck dog looked the same as when Ye Fan lived in the Chu residence ten years ago. After so many years, there were no signs of aging on this dog, and it looked almost the same as ten years ago. Time seemed to leave no trace on the dog. It was early in the morning. The ck dog was still asleep. Ity on the stone steps at the main entrance, its ears drooping down to cover its eyes. Old Madam Chu looked at the ck dog and shook her head, smiling. ¡°You''rezier than my great- grandson! What time is it now? Are you still sleeping? This bad habit of sleeping inte has never changed after so many years.¡± Looking at the ck dog in front of her, Old Madam Chu thought about her great-grandson again. The great-grandson whom she loved the most. Suddenly, she felt a tingling pain in her heart, and a look of sadness crossed her wrinkled face. She was over a hundred years old now and had survived the vicissitudes of life. She should be used to seeing sickness and death by now. However, when she received the news of Ye Fan''s death, she could not help but feel extremely sad. Every time she thought about that, her eyes would get teary. ¡°Sigh... Those b*stards still killed my great-grandson in the end. He was such a good child. If he were still alive, his achievements in the future would have been greater than Mr. Yunyang''s.¡± Old Madam Chu''s heart was filled with sorrow. Even after so many years, the fall of Ye Fan was a pain in her heart that she could never get rid of. When Old Madam Chu was immersed in sadness, the big ck dog that was sleeping on the stone steps suddenly straightened its drooping ears. The next moment, it jumped up abruptly and rushed to the door like crazy. It barked loudly and excitedly at the door, and its tail began to wag like a spinning windmill. ¡°Hey! Why are you going crazy?¡± Old Madam Chu was startled by the ck dog''s movements. Then, she heard some noisesing from the door, and a familiar voice drifted into her ears. ¡°Great-grandma, I''m your great-grandson, Chu Tianfan. I''m here to see you. Please open the door for me.¡± Silence ensued. ¡°Great-grandma, I''m your great-grandson, Chu Tianfan...¡± A low and respectful voice sounded outside. Thud! The hoe in Old Madam Chu''s hand fell to the ground and hit the ck dog''s leg. The dog immediately let out a painful bark, but Old Madam Chu could not care less about that. She stood rooted to her spot for a long time before she rushed toward the door. She moved so fast that she did not look like an olddy who was over a hundred years old at all. The moment the door was opened, a skinny figure appeared in front of her. She finally saw the face that she had been thinking about day and night. This elder, already in her twilight years, could no longer hold back her emotions. Her body started trembling, and her eyes turned red. She looked at the man kneeling in front of the door and queried carefully, ¡°Ye... Ye Fan?¡± Ye Fan raised his head. His dignified and domineering face in the past was now full of guilt and vulnerability. After all, he was still a child in front of his great-grandmother¡ªa child who longed for someone to lean on and to care about him. The people in Jiangdong and Eigetsu could rely on Ye Fan. Even Xu Lei and Qiu Mucheng relied on Ye Fan to protect them. However, who could Ye Fan rely on when he was tired and hurt? Evidently, this olddy in front of him was the only person he could rely on. Ye Fan stood up and fell directly into her arms. Burying his face in Old Madam Chu''s arms, Ye Fan uttered chokingly, ¡°Great-grandma, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have let you worry about me.¡± Old Madam Chu patted his back with a smile and teary eyes. ¡°It''s okay. I''m d you''vee home. I thought I would never get to see you again.¡± Under the aged tree next to the old residence, the two finally reunited. For an elder like Old Madam Chu, the happiest thing in her life was to see her children and grandchildren safe and sound. Woof! Woof! Woof! The big ck dog circled them, barking nonstop. It even licked Ye Fan''s face a few times as if it was trying to wipe off the tears on his face. Not far away, Suzumiya Eigetsu, who was leaning against the wall, saw the scene and put on a gratified smile. For so many years, she had never seen her master like this. This man had always been so tough, like a rock that felt no pain. However, no matter how tough a person was, there was always a vulnerable side. He just had to meet the right person to reveal his vulnerability. After a short reunion, Ye Fan took Suzumiya Eigetsu into the Chu residence. ¡°Great-grandma, how is Eigetsu?¡± asked Ye Fan anxiously after showing Eigetsu''s injury to Old Madam Chu. Old Madam Chu replied, ¡°Her injury is pretty serious, especially the prating injury to the abdomen, which hurts her internal organs. She''s a mortal. There''s no way that she could survive this kind of injury if not for her strong spiritual energy. If it weren''t for the support of this powerful spiritual energy, she probably wouldn''t be able to survive until now.¡± ¡°Great-grandma, can you save her?¡± Ye Fan asked again. Old Madam Chu smiled. ¡°Calm down, my dear. Go get a bucket of water. Then, take off her clothes and let her sit in the water. I''m going to prepare some herbal solution for her.¡± After giving her instructions, Old Madam Chu went to prepare the solution, leaving Ye Fan and Suzumiya Eigetsu in the room. Although Ye Fan was Eigetsu''s master, he had always treated her as his little sister. After all, she was a woman, so he did not feelfortable undressing her. While Ye Fan was in a dilemma, the big ck dog in the yard rushed in and kicked Ye Fan away. Then, the dog jumped on the bed and started undressing Suzumiya Eigetsu with its paws. For some parts that could not be untied with its paws, it bit them off with its mouth. While undressing Suzumiya Eigetsu, it turned its head and grinned at Ye Fan. It seemed as if it was telling Ye Fan that it was helping him, and there was no need to thank it. Ye Fan, who was thrown far away by its kick, saw the scene in front of him, and his eyes were instantly filled with rage. ¡°Go away, stupid dog!¡± scolded Ye Fan. At the same time, he rushed forward, picked up the ck dog, and threw it outside the door. Then, he mmed the door shut. Are you kidding me? Eigetsu is mine! How can I let anyone see her body? Even a dog is not allowed! ¡°Eigetsu, I...¡± Ye Fan was still a little shy and felt sorry for Suzumiya Eigetsu. Suzumiya Eigetsu blushed and looked away timidly. ¡°My body is yours...¡± The meaning of her words was obvious. Since she belonged to Ye Fan, there was nothing wrong with him looking at her body. Even if Ye Fan wanted her to help him to give birth to a son, she would be willing to do so. ¡°I''m sorry, Eigetsu. I''m going to undress you now.¡± Ye Fan understood that treating her wound was what was more important now and nothing else. He carefully took off the blood-stained dress for Eigetsu and wiped the blood and dirt off her skin with a towel. After the clothes were removed and the blood stains were wiped away, Moon God''s naked body was exposed before Ye Fan''s eyes. This was the first time Ye Fan had seen a woman''s body so closely. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He could not deny that Eigetsu''s shapely figure was extremely attractive. She looked like an angel from heaven with snow-white skin, without the slightest unwanted fat. She was so perfectly beautiful that she looked like a painting. Her beauty was enough to make any man fall for her. Ye Fan was probably the only person who could resist such temptation. Except for the inevitable touch in helping her to wipe off the blood, he had never gone overboard during the whole process. Outside the door, the big ck dog peeking through the crack of the door drooled with envy. Chapter 2083 Chapter 2083 An hourter, Old Madam Chu came to Suzumiya Eigetsu again after she had prepared everything needed. The big ck dog was still drooling and peeking through the crack of the door. Old Madam Chu stretched out her hand and knocked on the dog''s head. ¡°Just stay here obediently. Don''t you dare have any dirty thoughts in your mind! Otherwise, I''ll pluck all of your hair!¡± Old Madam Chu let out a meaningful smile and took a nce at Ye Fan. Woof! Woof! Woof! The ck dog barked a few times as if it was telling Old Madam Chu that it promised to only take a peek outside and would not go in. ¡°Great-grandma, what''s wrong with the dog? I remember it being very innocent before this.¡± Ye Fan looked at the drooling ck dog and felt disgusted. It looked like a perverted old man who had never seen a woman before. Old Madam Chu shook her head and sighed. ¡°Don''t mention it. A yellow calf came to the vige some time ago. ckie ran out to y with it for a few days. After it came back, it became like this. It was probably influenced by that bad friend.¡± Old Madam Chu repeatedly sighed as she said that. Hearing that, the corners of Ye Fan''s eye twitched. ¡°No wonder I feel that ckie''s perverted look is kind of familiar. It learned that from the stupid calf!¡± Ye Fan''s face darkened, and he secretly scolded it in his heart. ckie used to be a very innocent dog. Look at what he''s turned into now! I have to teach that stupid animal a lesson after this! ¡°Let''s not talk about that anymore. Where have you been all these years? I didn''t get your news at all. Did you know how worried I was?¡± Old Madam Chu led Ye Fan to sit in the yard, and she questioned him about his whereabouts in the past few years. Ye Fan told his great-grandmother about his recuperation at Great North. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Old Madam Chu was shocked. ¡°Did you see your father? That b*stard is just like you, always making people worry! He has note to see me for more than ten years already. If you see him next time, please break his legs and bring him to see me. I have to make him kneel in front of his ancestors for seven days!¡± huffed Old Madam Chu. In the entire Chu family, there were not many whom she had a liking for. Ye Fan was one of them, while his father was another. Ye Fan smiled bitterly. ¡°Great-grandma, didn''t you order him not to step foot in the Chu residence? Of course, he dared note.¡± Old Madam Chu suddenly remembered that. After Ye Fan was kicked out of the Chu family back then, in a fit of anger, she forbade the entire Chu family from entering the Chu residence. Chu Zhenghong, Ye Fan''s father, got the most scolding from Old Madam Chu. She told him not to enter the Chu residence for the rest of his life unless Chu Tianfan was found. ¡°That''s right. But what has your b*stard dad been doing all these years? I haven''t heard from him for a long time,¡± asked Old Madam Chu concernedly. Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°I''m not sure. He just said that what he''s doing now is something beyond this world.¡± Hearing that, Old Madam Chu frowned. ¡°It seems that your dad has found that ce.¡± Ye Fan was stunned. ¡°Huh? What ce?¡± Old Madam Chu smiled. ¡°You''ll know one day. The universe is vast, and the earth is just a tiny ce in the universe. When your power reaches a certain level, you''lle into contact with therger world.¡± In fact, this was not the first time Ye Fan heard such words. Although he was curious about it, he thought it was not something that he should be concerned about now. So, he did not ask further. Later, Ye Fan told Old Madam Chu about the recent Chu Sect''s attack on the world and the arrival of Chu Yuan and his army in Jiangdong. Old Madam Chu nodded. ¡°I''ve sensed that. There''re a lot of strong auras gathered at Yunzhou. The most powerful one should be your dad. If it weren''t for me being trapped here, I would go to Yunzhou to end his life myself!¡± As she said that, a hint of coldness shed across her eyes. ¡°By the way, there''s another strange thing. Previously, I entered the Chu Sect''s ancestralnd and found a strange stone door and many tombs. One of them is Chu Yuan''s. Don''t you think that''s strange?¡± Hearing that, Old Madam Chu was utterly shocked. ¡°A stone door? Is it covered with dragon patterns and it''s all ck?¡± Ye Fan nodded continuously. ¡°That stone door was very creepy. It seemed as if something was calling me back then. When I walked closer, the door opened. I wasn''t sure what was inside, so I didn''t go in.¡± ¡°What did you say? The door opened?¡± Old Madam Chu''s face turned pale instantly. ¡°That b*stard has activated the forbidden door!¡± ¡°Great-grandma, what''s going on?¡± Ye Fan was even more puzzled. ¡°Ye Fan, it''s hard to exin everything to you right now. You just have to know that the stone door is a forbidden door. I''m d that you didn''t go in. Otherwise, your mind would have been manipted! You might gain some power there, but you''ll also lose your soul. It seems that your grandpa''s soul has been devoured by the stone door. If that''s the case, you don''t need to show him mercy anymore. Ye Fan, I now grant you the position of the head of the Chu family. You''ll now have the power to perform housecleaning on behalf of the Chu family''s ancestors and ancient masters. If you meet your grandpa, Chu Yuan, don''t hold back and do your best to take his life! Otherwise, I don''t know what kind of disaster will befall Jiangdong. Even the entire earth will suffer the same fate too. Since he activated the forbidden door for his own benefit and caused disaster for the whole world, he deserves to die!¡± Old Madam Chu was extremely furious, and her words sounded solemn. As she said that, she took out a jade pendant and handed it to Ye Fan. ¡°This is a jade passed down by Mr. Yunyang, called Thunder Jade. It is said that this Thunder Jade can attract thunder and umte the Power of Lightning. When this jade is activated, it can attract thousands of lightning strikes. This Thunder Jade contributed a lot to Mr. Yunyang''s great achievements. However, thousands of years have passed. When Mr. Yunyang passed on this jade, he dissipated its power to attract lightning, fearing that his descendants would rely too much on this treasure. Therefore, this Thunder Jade is just a token now. Anyone who is in possession of this token will officially be the legitimate head of the Chu family. It may not be of much use, but everyone in the Chu family who respects Mr. Yunyang will also respect you as the master when they see this jade.¡± Ye Fan was a little hesitant to ept it. ¡°Great-grandma, I''m still young. I''m afraid that I can''t take on such a big family responsibility. Since this jade represents the legitimate descendant of the Chu family, it''s better for you to keep it.¡± ¡°Take it! Men in the Chu family should have the traits of real men and be willing to shoulder responsibility. Be a man!¡± After Old Madam Chu gave Ye Fan a lesson, Ye Fan had no choice but to ept it. ¡°There''s one more thing, Ye Fan. I''m afraid that it''s still difficult for you to fight against the Chu Sect alone. Take this Thunder Jade to the Jones family. The Jones family has been the caretaker of the Chu family for generations and respects Mr. Yunyang as their master. You show this Thunder Jade to the head of the Jones family. When he sees it, he will listen to you. Then, you need to ask them to use the Jade Eyes inherited from their family to awaken ze, which has been sleeping at Mount Chumen. ze has the bloodline of a Sacred Beast, and it''s extremely powerful. With the help of ze, it''ll be easy for you to destroy the Chu Sect.¡± Old Madam Chu suggested an idea to maximize his chances of winning the battle. Chapter 2084 Chapter 2084 Much to Ye Fan''s great-grandmother''s surprise, the man''s expression gradually turned despondent as he listened to her. ¡°What''s wrong? Why are you still unhappy? I''m not asking you to go and seek the Jones family out because I don''t have faith in your capabilities. It''s just that you''ll have someone to help you, increasing your chances of victory. I can''t help you much in this battle. This is all I can do for you. I don''t want the tragedy back then to repeat itself on you. It''s best that you go all out to integrate all forces avable to you. Make more friends and fewer enemies. Then, things will go without a hitch.¡± Ultimately, she was a person who had been through great trials and tribtions. Thus, she knew that a battle was definitely not fought alone by rushing into it recklessly. Instead, there had to be a n and strategy. It was best to strengthen oneself and weaken one''s opponent, just like her n earlier. She proposed that Ye Fan use Thunder Jade to split the forces of the Chu Sect and weaken the Chu family. Then, he would be appointed as the legitimate head of the family, giving him a valid reason to battle. That would ce him on the moral high ground. Subsequently, the final move would nip the problem right in the bud¡ªsubjugate the Jones family of the Three Families of the Chu Sect and awaken the Chu Sect''s Sacred Beast. With the help of the Sacred Beast, she felt that the victory of this battle would basically be secure. On the contrary, sorrow washed over Ye Fan. ¡°It''s toote, Great-grandma. The Chu family''s Sacred Beast has been awakened by Uncle Zhengliang''s son, Chu Tianqi.¡± What? Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing that, his great-grandmother was utterly shocked. ¡°That''s impossible! Back then, Mr. Yunyang bestowed the power of summoning the Sacred Beast to the Jones family. A major part of the reason is his worry that some of the descendants of the Chu family might turn out to be evil, and no one would be able to go against them. Therefore, he granted the power of summoning the Sacred Beast to the Jones family. When necessary, they could use the Sacred Beast to keep the descendants of the Chu family in check. Such an ability is the Jones family''s foundation in gaining a foothold as the Three Families of the Chu Sect. How could the head of the Jones family hand such a crucial ability over to someone from the Chu family? They''re simply destroying their own foundation and future!¡± She didn''t believe it at all. Verily, she couldn''t believe that the Jones family would be so foolish. Sigh! ¡°You might not know this, Great-grandma, but too many things have happened in the past few years. Uncle Zhengliang and the others had been blinded by power and influence that they had lost all conscience. In the present generation of the Jones family, only the daughter of the Jones family, Angie, had the Jade Eyes of the Jones family. Uncle Zhengliang and the others went as far as kidnapping her and gouging her eyes out before transnting them into Chu Tianqi...¡± Ye Fan told his great-grandmother about everything Chu Zhengliang and his son had done. Every time he spoke of those matters, grief inundated him. Whenever he thought of it all, he felt exceedingly guilty. After all, Angie was kidnapped while on her way to China to look for him. If she hadn''t gone to China to seek me out, such misfortune wouldn''t have befallen her. ¡°Right now, Angie is in aa. She can''t talk or speak, merely sleeping perpetually. Even her father died at the hands of the Chu Sect a few days ago in a bid to protect his family. If I hadn''t arrived in time, the Jones family would have been wiped out.¡± His words were somber. Meanwhile, his great-grandmother''s expression grew all the darker. As he spoke, her entire body shook with rage. In the end, she mmed her cane onto the ground. ¡°How despicable! What a bunch of animals! How could such wicked people exist among the Chu family''s descendants? They''ve let Mr. Yunyang down! They deserve to die for their sins!¡± She was so livid that her eyes zed scarlet. In her towering rage, the ground shook incessantly. It was as though there was an earthquake. Frightened, the big ck dog circled the courtyard non-stop. ¡°Ye Fan, the Chu family has wronged the Jones family and Angie. With the existence of such evildoers among the descendants of the Chu family, I wouldn''t be able to face the Chu family''s ancestors after my demise!¡± As she had gone through the vicissitudes of life, few things in the world could affect her emotions anymore. Only someone like Ye Fan, her great-grandson whom she watched growing up, could have an effect on her emotionally. However, after learning from the man that the Chu family had actually done such a ruthless thing to the Jones family, even she couldn''t remain calm despite having experienced countless hardships. While she was in high dudgeon, tears escaped her eyes. ¡°The ancestors of the Jones family were initially Mr. Yunyang''s servants. They were loyal to him all their lives. At first, they merely kept guard over ze. Later, they retired to Mount Chumen and protected the descendants of the Chu family. Every generation of the Jones family sacrificed much for the Chu family. Even in the past few hundred years, most of the expenses of the Chu family had been provided by the Jones family. It''s no exaggeration to say that the Jones family had supported the Chu family for generations. Yet, that bunch of animals wasn''t grateful for such kindness. Instead, they repaid kindness with evil, gouging out Angie''s eyes. How could they have done such a thing when she is still so young?¡± Her hands clenched into fists, and her eyes zed scarlet. She had steaming out of her ears. The previous matriarch of the Jones family was Bill''s mother. Not only was she a good friend of hers, but she also saved her life once. Before she passed away, she even implored Old Madam Chu to take care of the Jones family. Yet, Old Madam Chu''s descendants ended up bringing about their destruction. That had her feeling inexorably ashamed. ¡°What a bunch of evildoers! Ye Fan, I order you to capture those two animals. Retrieve the Jade Eyes they stole and return them to the Jones family. Even if it means destroying it, it can''t be allowed to remain in their hands. Also, Ye Fan, the Chu family is at fault in this matter. We betrayed the Jones family. Aspensation, you have to marry the daughter of the Jones family after this battle ends. Don''t worry, for I''ll try my best to treat her at that time. Even if she can''t regain her supernatural physique, she should have no problems living as an ordinary person.¡± Upon hearing that, Ye Fan paled and shook his head vigorously. ¡°That won''t work, Great-grandma. How could I marry Angie when I''m already married? That wouldn''t be fair to her, no?¡± s, his great-grandmother promptly waved a dismissive hand. ¡°It''s okay. The Chu family has never been bound by secr rules. Back then, even Mr. Yunyang had several wives. It''s nothing umon for a man of great aplishment to have a few women by his side. It''s decided, then. At that time, I''ll personally n the wedding for the two of you. The Chu family owes the Jones family a debt of gratitude. Now that Angie''s father is no longer here, and she herself has been beset by misfortune, it''s only right that the Chu familypensate her.¡± ¡°But... But...¡± Still, Ye Fan couldn''t quite ept it. D*mn it! Why should I be the one to make amends for the wrongs Chu Tianqimitted? ¡°Why, you don''t want to marry her? Does that daughter of the Jones family look unsightly?¡± A frown marred his great-grandmother''s countenance. In response, Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°No, Angie is a very beautiful and docile girl.¡± ¡°So, why are you objecting? What a brat, acting all righteous when you''ll be benefitting from this arrangement! The daughter of the Tang family married you, and now, the daughter of the Jones family will also be doing the same. Consequently, two of the Three Families of the Chu Sect will be rted to you in marriage. In the future, your power and status in the Chu Sect will be unparalleled. How nice! Oh yes, I forgot to ask you¡ªhave you bedded Tang Yun? Is she pregnant yet?¡± At that, Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°How ipetent! In this aspect, you''re stillgging far behind your father. If it were your father, he would''ve already had a son old enough to take care of himself. Make haste and work at getting the head of the Chu Sect pregnant. After the Chu family has done housecleaning, the most urgent task would be to beget children,¡± his great-grandmother urged in a huff. As the elder of the Chu family, she was very much concerned about the issue of the family line''s continuation. Chapter 2085 Chapter 2085 While Ye Fan''s great-grandmother said nothing, she was inwardly a touch disappointed. It looks like Yun hasn''t told him about it. She had known long ago that Tang Yun once gave birth to a son for Ye Fan. Back when his great-grandson brought her back for treatment, she had already perceived it. At that time, the two of them seemed to have had a fight, so Tang Yun didn''t tell Ye Fan about the matter. She initially thought that the man would have likely known after so many years, so she felt him out with such a question earlier. Unexpectedly, he was still in the dark. Of course, she wasn''t sure whether he was embarrassed and deliberately lied to her or Tang Yun had been keeping it a secret from him. Anyhow, she wasn''t at liberty to interfere too much in the matters of the younger generation. That was doubly true as both Ye Fan and Tang Yun were from the Three Families of the Chu Sect, and there was a status gap between them. There would undoubtedly be colossal aftermath once their rtionship was made public. Ye Fan was a man, so it wouldn''t affect him that much. Conversely, Tang Yun wouldn''t be so lucky. Her reputation was bound to suffer greatly. For that reason, she naturally couldn''t bring light to that matter when Tang Yun herself hadn''t said anything. Although Ye Fan was her great-grandson, she still held fast to her principles. She still had to consider Tang Yun''s feelings. Perhaps she really wants to keep it a secret forever. ¡°Got it, Great-grandma. I''ll keep that in mind. When this battle ends, I''ll bring Yun back to the Chu residence and have her give birth to a great-great-grandson for you,¡± Ye Fan promised with a grin. His great-grandmother nodded in approval. ¡°This is more like it! But Ye Fan, be mindful of your ways and methods. She''s the head of a sect, after all, and she has her own career. Before doing anything, consider her reputation and authority. If she''s reluctant to publicize her rtionship with you, respect her decision. Allow her to be the high and mighty head of the Chu Sect in the day as long as she''s willing to be intimate with you at night.¡± She was indeed a perceptive person, for she took everything into consideration. At the end of the day, there''s still a status gap between them. To a certain degree, such a rtionship is considered inappropriate. Thus, criticism is inevitable when it''s public knowledge. Hearing that, Ye Fan nodded fervently. ¡°Don''t worry, Great-grandma. I''ll respect her decision.¡± After the long conversation, Ye Fan went to check on Eigetsu before taking his leave from his great- grandmother to head to Yunzhou. ¡°Great-grandma, the Chu Sect has gathered great forces in wait, so I must rush back as soon as possible. When this battle ends, I''ll be back to visit you with my wife.¡± His great-grandmother nodded. ¡°Okay, go ahead, Ye Fan. This time, be careful in everything you do. That b*stard, Chu Yuan, has activated the forbidden door, so his capabilities must have skyrocketed. You''ve got to brace yourself for that. Besides, the Sacred Beast of the Chu Sect is also exceedingly terrifying. You must deal with it appropriately.¡± Speaking of that Sacred Beast, Ye Fan admitted, ¡°I''ve fought with that beast already, Great-grandma. It''s indeed difficult to defeat. Worse still, it can transform thrice. Even if I were to go all out, I couldn''t say for sure that I''d be able to kill it.¡± Then, he fired question after question at her. ¡°How much do you know about ze, Great-grandma? Does it have any weaknesses? Or is there any way to put it out ofmission?¡± Initially, he had high chances of winning that battle. His n had been to deal with Chu Yuan and leave the rest to Dragon God Hall. However, ze''s appearance ced tremendous pressure upon him. The scales of victory had heavily tipped over to the Chu Sect. Regretfully, his great-grandmother shook her head. ¡°ze''s ancestor is a Sacred Beast Mr. Yunyang kept by his side. Do you think a Sacred Beast that could remain by his side would have any weaknesses? Even if it had any shorings, he would''ve probably perfected them.¡± Ye Fan''s heart lurched. ¡°So, there''s no way of putting it out ofmission, and I can only battle it head-on?¡± Disappointment swamped him. It''s so strong that not even Moon God has any way of prating its defenses except for my Raijin Thunderdrake. Regardless, ze could transform thrice in a row, so he wasn''t sure whether it could continue growing stronger. Therefore, he really had no confidence that he could defeat that beast. Of course, he wouldn''t be afraid if he merely had to deal with ze. s, there was still Chu Yuan within the Chu Sect, who posed a great threat. Both their fearsomebat prowess unquestionably gave him a headache. His great-grandmother nodded emphatically. ¡°The blood of the ancient Sacred Beast flows through ze''s veins. I can tell you that if it is fully grown, no one in this whole world will be its match. Even if you were to team up with Chu Yuan, the two of you wouldn''t be able to defeat it. And even if it''s still not fully grown, it''ll still be exceedingly difficult for you to defeat it. I don''t really have a good solution for you, but I can provide you with some assistance.¡± Something seemingly urred to her while she was speaking. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Delight flooded Ye Fan when he heard that. Great-grandma is an elder of the Chu family, knowledgeable and well-versed about the many secrets of the family! Hence, he was undoubtedly looking forward to the assistance she mentioned. His great-grandmother nodded. ¡°Okay, go ahead, Ye Fan. This time, be careful in everything you do. That b*stard, Chu Yuan, has activated the forbidden door, so his capabilities must have skyrocketed. You''ve got to brace yourself for that. Besides, the Sacred Beast of the Chu Sect is also exceedingly terrifying. You must deal with it appropriately.¡± However, when his great-grandmother led the perverted dog over, his face abruptly darkened. ¡°Why did you bring this perverted dog over, Great-grandma? Don''t tell me it was the assistance you mentioned?¡± Ye Fan queried worriedly. His great-grandmother chuckled. ¡°I was speaking about it all right.¡± Turning her gaze to the dog, she murmured, ¡°Go with Ye Fan, ckie. Help him for a bit when necessary.¡± At once, Ye Fan shed her a wry smile. ¡°Is it even reliable, Great-grandma? I''m afraid that it''ll end up dead. Let''s just forget about it. Have ckie stay and keep youpany instead.¡± He didn''t quite believe that the ck dog could be ze''s match. ¡°He seems to be doubtful of you, ckie. Show him a few moves,¡± his great-grandmother urged while grinning from ear to ear. Following that, ckie barked before lunging over to Ye Fan. Snapping around, it shot out its hind legs. Caught unaware, Ye Fan took a kick to the face. With a cry, he was sent flying right out of the Chu residence. Whoosh! Ye Fan swiftly ran back in, his face stained with blood. Surprisingly, he wasn''t at all furious that he had been kicked by the dog. Instead, he was over the moon. ¡°I''m counting on you this time, ckie!¡± Scooping the ck dog up, he strode right out. It was as though he was afraid that ckie wouldn''t leave with him. Indeed, ckie was seemingly reluctant to leave. Breaking free from the man''s arms, it ran back to the room where Eigetsu was recuperating and peeked through the gap in the door. Once more, drool escaped its mouth and puddled on the floor. His eyes twitching, Ye Fan chased after it at once. Grabbing its tail, he dragged it out. ¡°Come, let''s go, doggy. Don''t look anymore. There are plenty of beautifuldies in Yunzhou. There are even beautiful men. At that time, I''ll get you two and let you have your fill of them!¡± As soon as the ck dog heard that, it perked up. Even its ears were raised. Jerking its head back, it panted and stuck its tongue out at the man, seemingly moring for him to bring it there posthaste. Ye Fan promptly gave a bitter chuckle. Sure enough, it''s Huangniu''s apprentice. Their perverted looks are exactly the same! ¡°We''re leaving, Great-grandma. Please take care of Eigetsu.¡± Picking up the big ck dog, he waved and took his leave from his great-grandmother. Then, man and animal rushed toward Yunzhou at lightning speed. In the distant sky, wind and clouds condensed in the air. The ck clouds descended from the horizon far away like a solid curtain, nketing the whole sky in Jiangdong. All that heralded an imminent gathering storm in that area. Chapter 2086 Chapter 2086 Yunzhou was originally a small, insignificant town in Jiangdong. The people there had lived ordinary, peaceful lives for generations. Much like Ye Fan''s hometown, Jingzhou, Jiangdong''s presence was very weak. However, after a certain Mr. Chu appeared in Yunzhou so many years ago, the development sped up very rapidly, as though it had hitched a hike on a rocket. A lot of rich and powerful people in the state started building theirpany headquarters in Yunzhou. Why wouldn''t they when someone powerful was supporting the city? Chu Group had a near-total monopoly in Jiangdong. So many people formed connections with some people in thepany hoping to get a piece of that juicy pie. As time went by, Yunzhou''s reputation subtly surpassed Jianghai''s. When Ye Fan''s reputation was at its peak, everyone in Jiangdong believed that Yunzhou, the ce he was living in, was the center of power in Jiangdong. Of course, the reputation of Yunzhou, Ye Fan''s hometown, also grew because of him. At the moment, it had practically developed into a tourist city. The massive development involved the entire city, making it the third richest city in Jiangdong. However, peace didn''tst long in those two cities. In the third year after Ye Fan disappeared, arge number of foreigners poured into the country. First, they went to Jingzhou and burned Ye Fan''s hometown to the ground. Yeyang, the ce Ye Fan grew up in, had almost been decimated. As a result, countless residents of the vige became homeless. A lot of the vigers lost their lives as well. Of course, that was only the start of the bloody rampage. Chu Group''s branchpany in Jingzhou suffered a simr fate. The whole building was brought down by those people. Nearly everyone who had a rtionship with the Chu family and its businesses was dragged into the mess. Even though most people were able to avoid the disaster when they got the news in advance, some people were not so lucky. After all, there were so many people. Hence, some were bound to be caught up in the conflict. Ye Fan''s childhood best friend''s parents were those who couldn''t escape the cmity. Before that, many people wouldn''t have thought that the Mr. Chu they were proud of would one day be the cause of their deaths. Yunzhou was under attack as well. Many citizens in the city died, and Chu Group''s headquarters building was reduced to ruins in the conflict. In order to deal with the uninvited guests, the Commander In Chief of the Jiangdong military base personally led an army to chase them out. Before the army was deployed, Lu Tianhe, the former Commander In Chief and Ye Fan''s best friend, called the current Commander In Chief many times. He desperately tried to stop the army from getting involved, but the new Commander In Chief ignored his warnings. He stubbornly led the army into the city to wipe out the intruders. The result wasn''t difficult to imagine. Jiangdong''s army waspletely decimated by the warriors of Chu Sect. The Commander In Chief also died in the line of duty. After learning the news, themand center really regretted the decision. With no other choice, the higher-ups in the military allowed Lu Tianhe to clean up the mess in Jiangdong. Upon arriving at Jiangdong, Lu Tianhe reorganized the soldiers who managed to escape the ughter. He ordered the soldiers to retreat instead of fighting Chu Sect. His n was to withdraw from the fight altogether because there was no chance of sess. After all, Chu Sect, the most powerful family in the world, was the one who invaded Jiangdong. There were many Supreme warriors and even a god realm master in the sect. Even the most powerful martial arts institution in China was brought to ruin by Chu Sect. Unless nuclear weapons were deployed, there was no way Lu Tianhe and his ordinary soldiers, who were only equipped with machine guns, could win against Chu Sect. ¡°Are we just going to sit here and watch those invaders do as they please, General Lu?¡± a subordinate asked with resentment. Lu Tianhe sighed. ¡°This crisis has far exceeded our capabilities to handle it. It''s not a fight any of you can join as we wish. However, as powerful as Chu Sect''s army is, it seems like they''re only targeting Chu Tianfan and everything rted to him. At the moment, they haven''t killed innocent citizens.¡± Therefore, the military generally refrained from getting involved in conflicts between the factions in the martial arts world for a good reason. After all, there was an unwritten rule in the martial arts world that no matter how deep someone or some group''s grudge was, they mustn''t kill ordinary folks. However, it would appear that Chu Sect had gone overboard with their most recent invasion. Not only were they attacking martial artists in Jiangdong, but they were also harming many ordinary people who had a connection with Ye Fan. ¡°I''m sorry, my friend. I want to help protect your family too, but I don''t have the power to do it,¡± Lu Tianhe muttered to himself as he stood at the top of a mountain with a sense of helplessness. His gaze was fixed on Chu Sect''s army as they gathered at Mount Yunding. There was nothing he could do to help. At that moment, he had already received news that Ye Fan''s friends and family were brought to Mount Yunding by Li Er and the others. Truthfully, he was shocked when he heard the news. He had no idea what Li Er and Lei San were thinking because they knew the people from Chu Sect would kill anyone who had connection with Ye Fan. The best option that he could think of for those people was to scatter and escape the city. If they left Jiangdong and even China that way, they stood a better chance of surviving. Yet, Li Er and the others gathered all of them in a single ce as though they were waiting for the enemy to take them all out in one go. Jiangdong''s army waspletely decimated by the warriors of Chu Sect. ¡°Even though General Chu was brilliant when he was alive, he had asked the wrong people to protect his loved ones before he died. It seems like his friends and family will be buried in the mountain tonight.¡± Sorrow filled Lu Tianhe''s heart. Who could''ve thought that after the unrivaled Mr. Chu died, his friends and family would suffer a terrible fate like that? Even his hometown was destroyed. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Once he was gone, there was no one left to protect the ce from his enemies. ¡°ording to the scouts'' reports, Chu Sect''s army has arrived at Mount Yunding, General Lu. The final attack will begin at any moment. However, no one is protecting the foot of the mountain,¡± a subordinate reported. The agony in Lu Tianhe''s heart intensified when he heard that. ¡°It seems like Li Er as well as the others have given up resisting Chu Sect''s army and are waiting for their end toe. It sounds ridiculous that no one is even protecting the foot of the mountain, but it''s possible that Li Er knew it''d make no difference even if there were guards protecting the entrance. Even War God Castle had been crushed under the mighty Chu Sect. Without General Chu''s protection, Jiangdong is but a fish lying helplessly on the chopping board.¡± Lu Tianhe sighed. It was as though he could already see the blood of Ye Fan''s friends and families painting Mount Yunding red. At eight in the evening, Chu Sect''s armyunched its attack on Mount Yunding. At that moment, a lot of people in Jiangdong stared in the direction of Mount Yunding with sadness. Pity and sympathy swelled in their hearts as they watched. However, just as they thought Mount Yunding was about to be destroyed by Chu Sect''s army, arge explosion was heard. A pir of green light was seen shooting into the sky as it roared like thunder. Then, the green light spread out and enveloped the entire Mount Yunding like a golden bell. Even people from thousands of kilometers away could see the bright green light. ¡°W-What is this? Is this a technique Chu Sect is using to destroy the mountain?¡± Lu Tianhe, who was standing hundreds of kilometers away, was shocked by the sudden appearance of the light. Without any dy, he sent dozens of scouts to investigate the situation. After a while, he received a call from the front lines. ¡°What''s going on? How''s the situation at Mount Yunding? Is anyone alive?¡± he asked anxiously. ¡°The pir of green light was shot out from inside Mount Yunding, General Lu! It hadpletely covered the entire mountain. Chu Sect''s army hadunched multiple assaults, but they couldn''t break through the barrier. Li Er and all the other people on the mountain are still alive! Chu Sect can''t break into the mountain!¡± his subordinate informed excitedly. Joy and surprise were seen on Lu Tianhe''s face when he heard that. ¡°This must be a technique left by General Chu! General Chu''s power really is unrivaled. Even though he had been dead for years, he''s still protecting Jiangdong.¡± Chapter 2087 Chapter 2087 Inside Yunzhou, a barrier stretched across thousands of meters to protect Mount Yunding. The warriors of Chu Sectunched multiple attacks on the barrier but couldn''t put a scratch on it at all. ¡°What do we do, Mr. Anderson? We can''t go into the mountain at all!¡± The Chu Sect''s warriors couldn''t advance past the foot of the mountain. As the crowd stared at the formation, despair colored the look in their eyes. ¡°Stop whining and keep attacking! I want you all to attack this ce through day and night! I don''t believe Chu Sect can''t destroy this little formation!¡± Anderson ordered. Initially, he didn''t give much thought to the barrier. From his perspective, it was just ast attempt at resistance by Ye Fan''s people. However, after Chu Sect''s army attacked the barrier relentlessly for three days and three nights, despair settled in his heart. Because none of the attacks put even a scratch on the formation. In the end, Anderson decided to take down the formation himself. He gathered all his strength and tried to smash the barrier into pieces, but it was useless. The barrier remained in perfect condition while he was nearly exhausted. Breaking the barrier was starting to seem like an insurmountable task. ¡°D*mmit! Can someone tell me what the f*ck this formation is?¡± Anderson roared furiously as he stood before the formation. He felt like he was going crazy. When he attacked War God Castle earlier, he actually lost pretty badly. If not for Chu Yuan''s help, the people Anderson was leading would''ve probably perished in Mount Chumen. That was why he wanted to make up for his mistakes in Jiangdong. He basically ughtered his way from Jingzhou to Yunzhou with no resistance. After paying the Ye residence a visit, he arrived at Mount Yunding. Anderson thought he was going to wipe out the people dear to Ye Fan at Mount Yunding. Despite the fact that he had arrived at his target''s doorstep, he couldn''t kick the door open and that crushed his spirit. He tried attacking for a few more days, but the formation was too strong. It was perhaps even stronger than Chu Sect''s defensive formation. No matter what attacks were lobbed in the direction of the barrier, the formation continued to stand in pristine condition as though they were throwing rocks into the sea, unable to cause even a ripple. With no other choice, Anderson asked for Chu Yuan''s help once more. ¡°You can''t even take out those remaining survivors? How useless!¡± Chu Yuan uttered as he arrived at Mount Yunding. Rage swirled in his aged eyes. When Anderson came delivering a report, he thought he would be receiving news that Mount Yunding had been razed to the ground. Yet, his people had failed to even enter the mountain. ¡°What a bunch of ipetent trash. How can Chu Sect conquer the world if it''s made up of people like you?¡± His furious, thunderous roar was heard throughout the entire area. Anderson and the others kneeled in front of him, not even having the nerve to raise their heads. ¡°All of you, take a good look at how I''m going to destroy this little trick.¡± As Chu Yuan levitated into the air and arrived above the mountain peak, his clothing fluttered in the wind. There was an authoritative expression on his serious face, as though he could control someone''s lives and deaths. Then, Anderson and the others saw Chu Yuan slowly stretching his palm toward Mount Yunding and pressing on it. Inside Mount Yunding, Li Er and the others were overwhelmed with fear. When the War God Ye Qingtian saw Chu Yuan appearing once more, despair was scribbled on his expression. ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle. This may be thest battle for the martial arts world of China.¡± Chu Yuan was still a god realm master with nigh-divine power, after all. Ye Qingtian didn''t believe the formation could withstand the attack of a god realm master. As for Li Er and the others, they sighed as despair consumed their hearts. ¡°It seems like we can''t change the oue in the end.¡± Raising his head, Chu Lin stared at Ye Yuyan. ¡°Are we going to die, Aunt Yuyan?¡± Suddenly, the atmosphere on Mount Yunding became somber. Children''s cries could be heard in the background. At that moment, many people gathered on Mount Yunding. Ye Fan''s uncles and aunts were all there. A gloomy, hopeless expression appeared on all their faces after they heard what Ye Qingtian said. However, inside the courtyard, Huangniu was wearing a pair of sunsses and lying on the recliner casually as it bathed in the sunlight. Even though so many people were crying in anguish, Huangniu casually turned its body around on the recliner. ¡°Hey, how are you still in the mood to sleep right now? Can''t you help use up with a n? Ye Fan asked you to protect Jiangdong when he was still alive! He didn''t let youe here to sleep!¡± Fatty uttered furiously before kicking Huangniu¡¯s recliner. As a result of falling to the ground, Huangniu was woken up. ¡°Who the he*l disturb my sleep? Do you have a death wish?¡± Fury burned in its eyes as it stood. ¡°This isn''t the time for sleeping! We''re near ourst leg here, can''t you juste up with a n already?¡± Li Er was hoping Huangniu could help out, too. When Anderson came delivering a report, he thought he would be receiving news that Mount Yunding had been razed to the ground. Simrly, Ye Qingtian turned to the talking calf, hoping the creature had some ideas. To their surprise, Huangniu simply nced at the condition outside the mountain, grabbed its recliner, andy down on it to sleep again. ¡°What are you all panicking for? You''re all acting like someone just died! Just rx and leave them be.¡± It didn''t give a crap about anyone else and returned to its slumber. ¡°D*mmit! I knew this calf was unreliable! It''s just here for free meals!¡± Fatty cursed furiously. As Ye Fan''s childhood friend, it had been a few days since he was taken to Mount Yunding. Initially, he thought Huangniu was Ye Fan''s secret ace in the hole when he first met the talking calf. Thus, he spent the past few days observing it. To his utter disappointment, he only saw the calf either sleeping or eating the whole day. Besides, he even caught the calf peeping at his wife taking a bath once. Seeing how useless the calf was, he hadpletely lost hope in it. In the end, everyone shifted their focus away from the calf and continued to hope that the barrier could stop Chu Yuan''s attack. ¡°I want to sleep too, Uncle Niu.¡± It was quite true that youngsters hardly have any worries. Just as everyone was deep in despair, Chu Lin broke out of Ye Yuyan''s grip, grabbed Huangniu''s tail, lay on the calf''s stomach and slept. She didn''t stop him from doing it. After all, she had no idea if her nephew would still have the chance to sleep in such a carefree manner in the future. Boom! Finally, Chu Yuan''s attacksnded. Everyone held their hands tightly and anxiously as they waited for their doom under the barrier. Following a loud bang, they felt the entire area shaking under Chu Yuan''s strike. The green barrier was rippling violently, as though a huge rock hadnded in the water. Just as everyone was prepared for the barrier to shatter, everything went back to normal after the violent shaking ended to their surprise. The formation remained intact. It was as though the green barrier protecting Mount Yunding was an undying me. ¡°What is this formation? How can it withstand my attack?¡± Chu Yuan was confounded by what he saw. Disbelief was reflected in his eyes. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The warriors of Chu Sect were simrly shocked. Even Li Er and the others were widening their eyes in bewilderment. After a long while, cheers of joy were heard from the mountain. Chapter 2088 Chapter 2088 ¡°It''s still intact? I can''t believe it!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu really is a god among men.¡± Li Er and the others were yelling in joy. They knew Ye Fan was very powerful, so much so that he could kill anyone in Chu Sect except for Chu Yuan. That was why they were all very confident about the formation until Chu Yuan arrived. However, when Chu Yuan showed up, they lost hope. After all, if Ye Fan couldn''t even defeat Chu Yuan, then the barrier he set up was likely not going to withstand the attacks unleashed by the head of Chu Sect. That was why they became hopeless the moment they saw Chu Yuan. To their surprise, the formation withstood Chu Yuan''s attack. That, of course, made them very happy. In the aftermath, Ye Qingtian and the others were shocked. ¡°I didn''t expect the formation Ye Fan left behind after he died to be so powerful. If he were still alive, there''s no doubt that China''s martial arts world would never have copsed,¡± Ye Qingtian muttered. After witnessing Ye Fan''s strength once more, he couldn''t help but miss the strongest fighter in China then. Outside the barrier, Chu Yuan''s attacks continued to fail at destroying the formation. There wasn''t even a scratch on the formidable barrier. Upon seeing that, Li Er and the others calmed down. ¡°No wonder you were able to sleep soundly, Mister. You already knew Chu Sect''s people wouldn''t be able to break the formation.¡± Fatty ran over to Huangniu and pped its butt. There was no longer a reprimanding tone in his voice, and his heart had been filled with admiration for the calf. Before, Fatty and the others were confused as to why Huangniu was so calm despite their impending doom. They all knew Huangniu wasn''t the type to be so epting of its own death after living with the talking calf for a while. It was then they realized the calf was aware that Chu Yuan couldn''t break the formation. At that moment, they became more impressed with the calf. ¡°Get out of here! If you disturb my sleep again, I''m going to beat you to death!¡± Angrily, Huangniu pped Fatty away after being woken up. Then, it continued to sleep with Chu Lin on the recliner. ¡°I''m so pitiful. Well, since there are no beauties around for me to hug while I sleep, I guess I''ll just take the next best thing and hug this kid instead.¡± It sighed with bitterness. There are so many beautiful women in the world, yet none of them belongs to me. Once Ye Fanes back, I''m going to make him find me a wife. Outside Mount Yunding, Chu Yuan had finally stopped attacking the barrier. Even he would get tired after unleashing a barrage of attacks. His chest rose and fell subtly, and his breath was starting to be unstable. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. At that moment, he had lost the confidence and arrogance he previously had. Standing at the bottom of Mount Yunding, his expression darkened. As he thought about how he scolded Anderson for not being able to destroy the barrier earlier, a hint of embarrassment and humiliation appeared on his face. ¡°It''s fine, Old Mr. Chu. We don''t me you. It''s just that Ye Fan is too cunning and difficult to deal with. I don''t know where the b*stard learn this barrier formation from. It''s so unbelievably powerful that even you can''t punch through it,¡± Andersonforted with a sly grin. At the moment, Chu Yuan wasn''t in the mood to deal with his useless subordinate. As he stared at the formation, his frown intensified. Logically, every formation had a foundation. If Chu Yuan could find the foundation, then he could destroy the barrier. However, even with his vast knowledge, he couldn''t detect any ws in the formation. ¡°This is no longer an ordinary technique. This is magic. Chu Tianfan must''ve gotten his hands on the Book of Celestial Cloud! That old bat! How could she hand the Book of Celestial Cloud to an outcast instead of her son?¡± A cold and angry look appeared in his eyes as he cracked his knuckles. He always knew the Chu family possessed an ancient book called the Book of Celestial Cloud. That book was Chu Yunyang''s greatest gift to the Chu family. The content recorded in the book was everything Chu Yunyang learned in his lifetime, and it included a lot of things. Some of which were secret techniques that surpassed ordinary techniques. It wasn''t a stretch to call it magic. After all, even a god realm master like Chu Yuan couldn''t break the barrier. It didn''t make logical sense to him that an opponent he defeated had constructed a formation he couldn''t destroy. The only exnation he could think of was that the defensive formation was exceedingly powerful, as though it was a technique belonging to a celestial being. ¡°At least this confirms the existence of the Book of Celestial Cloud. And it seems like the book is hidden in this mountain.¡± After rage had passed through Chu Yuan''s mind, the edge of his lips curved upward. ¡°Listen to mymand! I want someone to summon Tang Yun and Chu Tianqi here immediately! Tell them that when they receive mymand, they should promptly return to China and head to Yunzhou, Jiangdong!¡± he announced. Since I can''t find the formation foundation, I''ll just break the barrier by force! If I can''t do this myself, I''ll just gather all the power Chu Sect possesses! If we can''t break it in a day, we''ll just take two days to do it! Any formation needs to be replenished with more energy to maintain. As long as we can destroy the barrier faster than it can replenish its energy, we''ll be able to destroy the formation! It''ll take a while, but we have all the time in the world. Outside Mount Yunding, Chu Yuan had finally stopped attacking the barrier. Upon ending his train of thought, Chu Yuan added, ¡°Oh yeah, don''t forget to bring the two Supremes of China from Yanjing.¡± His subordinates promptly carried out his order. Peace temporarily returned to Yunzhou. Is Chu Sect giving up? Li Er and the others wondered as they stared at the peaceful atmosphere outside the mountain. To their surprise, Anderson showed up again during the evening. Not only that, he brought two people with him. He was dragging those two people like dogs with chains when he appeared in the sky above Mount Yunding. ¡°Hear me, remnants hiding in Mount Yunding. If you know what''s good for you, you''ll remove the barrier immediately and surrender. If you do, maybe we''ll let you all live. However, if you refuse, we''ll kill the leaders of China''s martial arts world! Don''t me us for being cruel if you refuse toply!¡± Anderson smirked. Meanwhile, he circled Mount Yunding with King of Fighters and Sword Saint so everyone could see how bloody and badly beaten they were. Ye Qingtian''s eyes reddened when he saw his former allies and roared at Anderson, ¡°King of Fighters! Sword Saint! You b*stard! Don''t you dare kill them!¡± Upon hearing his angry reply, Anderson became even smugger. ¡°Hahaha! You''re Ye Qingtian, right? So, you really did escape to this ce! If you want to save your friends, you''ll open the barrier immediately!¡± His maniacalughter echoed in the mountain. Then he kicked the knees of King of Fighters and Sword Saint to make them kneel. ¡°Kneel! If you two don''t want to die, you''d better tell your people to open the formation! Otherwise, I''ll make sure you two wish you were dead!¡± Anderson continued to torture them outside of the formation. Two former leaders of China''s martial arts world were beaten bloody and kneeling on the ground. It was a harrowing and wretched sight to behold. Chapter 2089 Chapter 2089 ¡°Kill me! Just kill me, you b*stards!¡± Sword Saint and King of Fighters were both covered in wounds from the torture at that point. They were so beaten up that they couldn''t even stand up. Even though Sword Saint and King of Fighters were kneeling on the ground with their bodies all covered in blood, they refused to have Jiangdong surrender to Chu Sect. That was especially the case due to their strong sense of honor and pride. Sword Saint and King of Fighters used to be the glorious leaders of China''s martial arts world, and yet, they lost to Chu Sect and were subjected to their torture. They wanted to die to prevent further humiliation, but they couldn''t even self-destruct as Chu Sect''s members had severed their meridians and drained them of their energy. It''s a shame that Tang Hao died in battle, but at least he died with honor and glory. We, on the other hand, have to suffer this humiliating defeat and torture with no way out... They were so desperate that they even started envying Tang Hao. All they could do was beg their tormentors to put them out of their misery. ¡°Kill me, you f*cking b*stards! Just kill me!¡± King of Fighters shouted repeatedly. You refuse to tell the people of Jiangdong to surrender, and yet, you have the audacity to beg us to kill you? Anderson got so mad that he pped King of Fighters and sent him flying out of the room. ¡°You want to die? Well, dream on! I''m going to show your people how the former pir of China and the Hall Master of War God Castle are nothing but ves at the mercy of Chu Sect! Hahaha!¡± Anderson burst outughing after saying that. He really enjoyed being in a position of power and authority as he could crush others beneath his heel. ¡°And you! You''re the Hall Master of War God Castle, so they won''t dare disobey your orders! Tell them to open up the formation and wee us into Mount Yunding! Do it now!¡± Anderson continued as he pped Sword Saint across the face. Sword Saint spat out the blood in his mouth and smiled as he shouted in Mount Yunding''s direction, ¡°Listen up, all of you! You are now thest hope of China''s martial arts world! The fate of the country''s future generation lies in your hands, so you must do everything you can to stay alive! Remember that!¡± ¡°What the f*ck? Have you lost your mind?¡± I thought Sword Saint was going to do as told and have Li Er and the others surrender, but he encouraged them to keep resisting instead! Enraged by Sword Saint''s stubbornness, Anderson delivered a swift kick to his face. Sword Saint coughed up a mouthful of blood as he went flying from the impact and crashed into a mountain nearby. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You insolent fools! Do you two want to die that badly? Well, you''ll get your wish once Chu Sect levels all of Jiangdong!¡± Anderson yelled furiously. Realizing that he could no longer rely on them to talk the people of Jiangdong into surrendering, Anderson let out a helpless sigh as he made his way to a higher point on the mountain. He then stared at the people of Jiangdong, who were protected by the fighters from Yunzhou, as he shouted angrily, ¡°All of you Chinese people, listen up! If you wish to rescue your precious pir of China, then open up your formation and let us in! Do it now, or I will kill your martial arts leader!¡± Those words had barely left Anderson''s mouth when he raised his sword and stabbed King of Fighters through the shoulder. ¡°King of Fighters! You shameless b*stard! How dare you hurt our King of Fighters?¡± the martial artists who fled Yanjing cried out with reddened eyes when they saw that. They clenched their fists and wanted nothing but to charge into battle with Chu Sect. ¡°Hahaha! Open up and let us in if you want to save your precious martial arts leaders! Do it now, or prepare to watch them die!¡± The rage of the people on Mount Yunding only fueled Anderson''s arrogant behavior even further. Yes! This is exactly the response I''m looking for! If I control the leader, the people will have no choice but to follow mymand! King of Fighters is the martial arts leader of China, and Sword Saint is the Hall Master of War God Castle. The people of China are loyal to these two, so they''re bound to let us in if I threaten to kill them! Right as Anderson thought his n would seed, Li Er''sughter came from the top of Mount Yunding. ¡°Hahaha! I suppose the martial arts world of Jiangdong should thank you Chu Sect b*stards then! Thank you for destroying War God Castle for us! We''ve been holding a grudge against them for many years now!¡± Anderson froze for a few seconds before asking, ¡°What are you saying? Have you lost your mind? The War God Castle is the highest authority in your martial arts world! How dare you say such horrible things about it? Oh, I get it now. You''re putting up an act, aren''t you? Do you think you can deceive me by saying that? You think this will help save Sword Saint and the others?¡± Having seen right through Li Er''s trickery, Anderson let out a gleeful chuckle as he stabbed his sword through King of Fighters'' leg. Blood came pouring out of the wound immediately. Anderson thought he would see Li Er get mad, but thetter simplyughed even louder than before. Not only did the other martial artists from Jiangdong not get upset in the slightest, but they also cheered happily andughed along with him. ¡°Hahaha! You still don''t get it, do you? The martial arts world of Jiangdong stopped taking orders from War God Castle a very long time ago! You see, Sword Saint and King of Fighters stopped Mr. Chu from entering China back then. As if that wasn''t bad enough, they even left him to die! Sword Saint and King of Fighters are the culprits responsible for Mr. Chu''s death! The people of Jiangdong have been wanting to kill them since then, but we weren''t powerful enough to do so. Thanks to you guys from Chu Sect, we can finally get our revenge. I, Li Er, hereby request you Chu Sect b*stards to go ahead and kill Sword Saint and King of Fighters! We want justice for Mr. Chu!¡± Li Er replied with a bow. Realizing that he could no longer rely on them to talk the people of Jiangdong into surrendering, Anderson let out a helpless sigh as he made his way to a higher point on the mountain. Chen Ao and the others too stepped forward and said in unison, ¡°Please help avenge Jiangdong by killing Sword Saint and King of Fighters, you Chu Sect b*stards!¡± Soon, hundreds of people on Mount Yunding were asking Chu Sect to kill Sword Saint and King of Fighters. ¡°W-What... What the heck is going on here?¡± Anderson mumbled to himself in confusion. He waspletely dumbfounded by the way things had turned out. This ispletely different from what I had expected! Why do I feel like these people from Jiangdong hate War God Castle even more than us? Are they really not putting up an act? Do they really want Sword Saint and King of Fighter to die that badly? ¡°They''re telling the truth, Mr. Anderson! Jiangdong is Chu Tianfan''s territory, and Chu Tianfan has always been at odds with War God Castle. Sword Saint and King of Fighters were mostly responsible for Chu Tianfan''s downfall back then. That''s why the martial arts world of Jiangdong stopped taking orders from War God Castle. In fact, they''ve even gotten into fights with War God Castle on many asions. If we go by this logic, then killing Sword Saint and King of Fighters would benefit the people of Jiangdong the most,¡± said one of Chu Sect members who was familiar with Jiangdong''s history. The look on Anderson''s face turned gloomy the moment he heard that. ¡°D*mn it! Why the f*ck did things turn out like this?¡± Furious that his ns werepletely ruined, Anderson turned around and gave Sword Saint and King of Fighters a vicious beating. ¡°You f*cking useless pieces of sh*t! You two are the martial arts leaders of China, and yet, I can''t even use you two as f*cking hostages! What good are you as a Hall Master if your own people have deserted you? Why are you two even still alive? You two should just kill yourselves, d*mn it! F*cking worthless garbage!¡± After taking his anger and frustration out on them, Anderson kicked them to the side like dogs. Although Sword Saint and King of Fighters had remained silent throughout the whole process, the two of them were drowning in humiliation and regret. What? We''re the martial arts leaders of China, and yet, our own people want us dead even more so than Chu Sect? The dishonor is unimaginable... We could never bring ourselves to face them ever again! Chapter 2090 Chapter 2090 ¡°Mr. Anderson, I think we should just kill these two since they''re useless to us now.¡± They were thinking of sparing Sword Saint and King of Fighters so they could threaten the rest of China with them, but the people of China couldn''t care less about them. ¡°What are you saying? If we kill them, we''d just be avenging that b*stard Chu Tianfan! If these people of Jiangdong won''t make it easy for us, then we''re not going to make it easy for them either!¡± In the end, Anderson decided to keep Sword Saint and King of Fighters alive for the time being. He nned on taking care of Jiangdong first before determining what he would do about them. Just like that, the two sides remained at a stalemate. The Chu Sect could neither break through the enemy''s defenses through brute force nor negotiate their way into Mount Yunding. ¡°Huh... Looks like our only option is to wait for Mr. Chu and the others toe back. We''ll regroup and come up with a way to break through the enemy''s formation.¡± The minutes continued to tick by. Upon receiving Chu Yuan''s order for all members of Chu Sect to gather, Chu Tianqi, who was fighting in Japan, quickly led his men back to China. Meanwhile, Chu Sect members who stayed at Yanjing had finally broken through the Yanjing Formation. Duoli, who was in charge of annihting the Xu family, eximed with tears in his eyes, ¡°Ha! It''s finally down!¡± Breaking through that formation was ridiculously difficult for them. Dozens of them had been taking turns attacking it day and night. They even hired lots of Supreme fighters from Yunzhou to help them out, many of which copsed from exhaustion halfway through. Even someone as powerful as Duoli nearly fainted from how taxing it was. The thought of giving up had crossed his mind many times, but he decided to keep at it. After continuously attacking the formation for about two weeks, they were finally able to shatter it. The feeling of achieving sess after putting in so much hard work was so touching that they nearly broke down in tears on the spot. ¡°We did it, guys! We finally did it! We''ve been going at it day and night with all of our might, and our hard work has finally paid off! The Yanjing Formation is down atst! All that''s left for us to do is reap the fruits of our efforts! Everyone, heed mymand! We shall nowmence our assault on the Xu residence and kill these remnants of the Dragon God Hall! Let their blood wash away the pain and fatigue we''ve suffered throughout the past two weeks! Attack!¡± Duoli shouted at the top of his voice. His voice echoed through the area and got Chu Sect members outside Yanjing all hyped up. Like a pack of rabid dogs, they charged at the Xu residence looking forward to massacring the remnants of the Dragon God Hall. To their surprise, however, what awaited them inside was not a bunch of weaklings waiting to be ughtered. Instead, there was not a single person in sight. Duoli was on the verge of losing his mind at that point. ¡°What the... D*mn it! Where are they? Where the f*ck are those b*stards at?¡± he screamed desperately like a madman. We''ve been working so f*cking hard just to break through that d*mned formation! Howe there isn''t a single enemy in sight? Does this mean all of our efforts have been in vain? Duoli was so angry and frustrated that he nearly had a stroke on the spot. Suddenly, someone came running over and said, ¡°Sir, we discovered a tunnel in the manor! Those b*stards must''ve escaped through the tunnel!¡± Boom! Enraged, Duoli smashed a pavilion in front of him into smithereens. ¡°Go after them! Do it now! They couldn''t have gotten far! We have to kill every single one of them no matter what!¡± Duoli yelled, his infuriated screams echoing throughout the area. Chu Sect members then split up into multiple groups and set out to chase after the remnants of the Dragon God Hall. Meanwhile, a ck Mercedes-Benz was speeding down a highway in Jiangdong like crazy. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Going as fast as two hundred kilometers per hour, the Mercedes-Benz zipped its way past all the traffic on the road like a bolt of lightning. Two women were sitting in the car with solemn looks on their faces. They were none other than Xu Lei and her assistant, Lin Wenjing. The two had spent almost a whole day and night on the highway after fleeing the Xu residence. Although they were already thousands of miles away from Yanjing, Xu Lei and Lin Wenjing were still feeling incredibly tense. At dawn, the two of them finally saw the sign indicating their arrival in Yunzhou. ¡°We have arrived at Yunzhou, Ms. Xu! Haha! We''ll reach Mount Yunding Vi in another thirty minutes or so! We''re safe atst!¡± Like a ship stranded at sea that had finally arrived at the docks, Xu Lei and Lin Wenjing breathed huge sighs of relief. ¡°Yeah! We''re going to be okay, Wenjing! If we can head up Mount Yunding and gather with Li Er and the others, we''ll be able to hold out until Ye Fan gets here!¡± Xu Lei could barely contain the joy and excitement in her heart. His voice echoed through the area and got Chu Sect members outside Yanjing all hyped up. Not only would she be safe from their hunters, but she would also be able to reunite with the man she loved. Feeling safe, Lin Wenjing slowed the car down and yed some music on the radio. The two of them had been really tense from fear and anxiousness the whole time. Since they had arrived in Yunzhou, they could lower their guard and rx a little. ¡°Your wisdom has saved our lives, Ms. Xu! Had you not thought of digging this secret tunnel many years ago, we would''ve been trapped in that manor with nowhere to run! The enemies would have a field day ughtering us all!¡± Lin Wenjing eximed while moving her body to the beat of the song. She had been working for Xu Lei ever since thetter was in Yunzhou, so the two had been close friends for about ten years. ¡°I didn''te up with that idea myself. It was Ye Fan who instructed me to do it. The Yanjing Formation was just a supportive formation. It wouldn''t evenst a couple of days if Chu Sect attacked with arger army. He told me to dig a tunnel underground so we could escape Chu Sect''s attack and head over to Mount Yunding,¡± Xu Lei replied with a proud look on her face. Just as Lin Wenjing was proud of her, Xu Lei was also proud of Ye Fan''s brilliant arrangements. ¡°I wonder how things are for Mr. Xue and the others, though...¡± In order to make themselves a harder target, Xu Lei had everyone split up and head over to Yunzhou via different routes. Naturally, Lin Wenjing was the one who went with her. ¡°Don''t worry, Ms. Xu. We''ve made ourselves a tiny target by splitting up, so Chu Sect won''t catch up to us that easily! We''ll all meet at Mount Yunding and wait for Mr. Chu''s arrival together! I want a ten- month long paid leave when this is over, Ms. Xu!¡± Lin Wenjing reassured her optimistically. Xu Lei let out a chuckle when she heard that. ¡°Wow! Ten months of paid leave? You sure are a greedy one, Wenjing!¡± ¡°Yeah, and you''re going to let me have it, or I''ll tell Mr. Chu about all those love letters you''ve been writing him in secret!¡± Lin Wenjing threatened her with a mischievous grin. ¡°Okay, you win! In fact, I''ll even let you take the whole year off once this is over! How about that?¡± Xu Lei replied. Lin Wenjing was overjoyed when she heard that. ¡°Hehe! It''s a deal!¡± ¡°Tell me the truth, Wenjing. Why are you suddenly requesting such a long leave? Are you pregnant?¡± Xu Lei asked with a chuckle while ncing at Lin Wenjing, who was in the driver''s seat. Chapter 2091 Chapter 2091 Lin Wenjing let out a giggle in response. ¡°You''re so smart, Ms. Xu! It''s no wonder you have Mr. Chu wrapped around your finger! I only found out about my pregnancyst month. The doctor said I''m already two months in. Once this is over, my boyfriend and I will go to his hometown and get married. I n to go on our honeymoon after that before the babyes. My boyfriend and I have been discussing this for quite a while. We''re going to see the aurora in Corleon. You know how I like snowy ces, right? Well, I heard there''ll be snow as far as the eye can see!¡± Lin Wenjing was already starting to visualize what her long vacation would be like. ¡°That sounds amazing!¡± Xu Lei couldn''t help but feel happy for her. ¡°Hehe! You should try to win Mr. Chu over! It''s true that he already has a family, but it''s perfectly normal for a man like him to have multiple wives! I think he''s a man you can entrust yourself to, Ms. Xu! I''m sure you''ll have a happy life if you and Mr. Chu end up together!¡± Lin Wenjing said with a chuckle. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She was grinning from ear to ear at the thought of getting married, going on a vacation, having a baby, and starting her own little family. The look on Xu Lei''s face turned slightly gloomy when she heard that. Will Ye Fan and I truly end up together? I feel like this is just a one-sided love. Ye Fan probably sees me as a friend or a sister at best. ¡°Come on, enough talk about me. You''ve been working for me ever since you graduated from the university, Wenjing. All I want is for you to be happy. I''ll be happy as long as you''re happy. Make sure to tell me the date of your wedding. I''ll be sure to attend it.¡± Xu Lei was genuinely d to see that Lin Wenjing, the young girl who had stayed by her side for so many years, was finally going to have her own family. While the two of them were chatting away happily, the sky had slowly gotten brighter and brighter. Soon, the golden rays of the morning sun shone across thend and into their car. ¡°Look, Ms. Xu! The sun is up! It won''t be long before we arrive at Mount Yunding! We''re going to be all right!¡± Lin Wenjing shouted excitedly while pointing straight ahead. ¡°Yeah! We''re safe now!¡± Xu Lei replied with a smile. However, the look of excitement on Lin Wenjing''s face was soon reced by shock and terror. ¡°Get down, Ms. Xu!¡± she screamed at the top of her voice in fear. A loud boom filled Xu Lei''s ears before Xu Lei even realized what was going on. Boom! The next thing they knew, a mysterious force hit their car, which was traveling at high speeds and brought it to a sudden halt from the front. As though they had crashed into a wall, the front part of the car was instantly crushed like a tin can. The airbags immediately came bursting out of their respectivepartments in response to the crash. Even so, the metal strips from the car''s hood still went right through Lin Wenjing''s body. It all happened so quickly that she didn''t even have time to scream before dying on the spot. Xu Lei, who was sitting in the back seat, crashed head-first into the back of the front seat. Blood was trickling down her forehead as she struggled against the intense pain and dizziness to stay conscious. Xu Lei clenched her teeth as she slowly lifted her head to look outside the car and assess the situation. The car hase to aplete halt, and there''s a figure standing in front of it... I can''t believe this... Our car was going at such a high speed, and yet, he stopped it with his bare hands! ¡°You''re Xu Lei, the head of the Xu family, right? That was quite a brilliant escape n you came up with. You even managed to fool our elder, Mr. Duoli,¡± said the man. He was standing there with his hands behind his back like a victor staring down the defeated. On his wrist was a clearly visible tattoo of a zing sun with clouds. Of course, Xu Lei couldn''t care less about Chu Sect at the time. She began frantically searching for Lin Wenjing the moment her mind began to clear up, but all she found was blood everywhere. ¡°Wenjing? Are you all right, Wenjing?¡± she cried out with tears in her eyes, but there was no reply. The two of us were fantasizing about the future just seconds ago! Lin Wenjing was going to be a mother! She even came up with a really romantic n about how she and her boyfriend would get married and start a family together! She had it all mapped out, but it''s all gone now... Consumed by guilt and regret, Xu Lei began wailing like crazy, ¡°It was you! You killed Wenjing, you heartless b*stard! Why would you kill her? She didn''t do anything to you!¡± Her tears kept falling as she cursed at Chu Sect''s cruelty. ¡°I think you should be more worried about yourself, Ms. Xu. Our elder has ordered us to kill every single remnant of the Dragon God Hall, so this is where you will die. I hear that you''re still unmarried, Ms. Xu. Your parents have blessed you with a pretty face and an amazing figure. It''s a shame you have to die before experiencing the beauty that life has to offer. You have only yourself to me for choosing the wrong side,¡± the man said coldly with a faint smile. A loud boom filled Xu Lei''s ears before Xu Lei even realized what was going on. The elder had a look of pity in his eyes as he stared at Xu Lei. Huh... I really would''ve spared her life if she wasn''t a remnant of the Dragon God Hall... She''s such a beautiful woman! It''d be nice if I could take her in as my subordinate, wife, or even mistress! It''s a shame she''s with the Dragon God Hall and associated with that guy. Chu Sect has ordered us to kill all who are associated with him, and disobeying that order is punishable by death. I''d much rather stay alive than risk my life for a woman, even if she is a real beauty! ¡°It''s over, Ms. Xu. I''ll put you out of your misery right now,¡± the elder said coldly as though he was handing out her death sentence. He then raised his hand and brought it down on her throat like a spear. Realizing that there was no cheating death this time, Xu Lei gave Mount Yunding and Yunzhou one final nce. This is the city that I have lived in for almost ten years but now... I''m going to say goodbye to it forever. Well, I have no regrets, though. I don''t regret meeting Ye Fan and dedicating my life to him. Xu Lei mustered whatever strength she had left and screamed at the Chu Sect elder in front of her, ¡°Just you wait, you b*stard... Ye Fan will be here soon! He''ll avenge me, Wenjing, and all the people of China!¡± She then turned to look at Mount Yunding as she cried out, ¡°Goodbye, Ye Fan! If I do meet you again in the next life, I''ll be sure to keep you all to myself!¡± Tears flowed down Xu Lei''s cheeks as she slowly closed her eyes and epted her fate. The Chu Sect elder''s strike was about to end her life when a booming voice came from the horizon. ¡°You silly girl! Why are you talking about the next life when your life has only begun? I don''t want to hear you talking about the next life ever again, got it?¡± Xu Lei''s eyes shot wide open when she heard that. She then nced at the horizon and saw a green light heading in her direction at lightning speed. Chapter 2092 Chapter 2092 Whoosh! The green beam came crashing down at a speed as fast as lighting. The old man from Chu Sect noticed the green beam a second ago, but the green beam was already before him the next moment. Leaving no window for evasive maneuvers, the green beam came crashing down with fury, effortlessly severing the finger that the old man extended out. ¡°Arghhh!¡± the old man shrieked in pain. Blood seeped out from his severed finger and quickly dyed his robes red. ¡°Who''s there? Who did this? You insolent fool! How dare you interfere in Chu Sect''s affairs?¡± After having his finger severed, the old man rapidly shuffled backward and finally came to a stop after backing away for a long distance. As relentless rage and pain marred his face, he applied direct pressure on the wound and cursed at the direction where the attack came. It was only then that the old man realized that the attacker was a man. It was a young man with a lean physique and a handsome face. Ever since his arrival, he had never once looked at the old man. Instead, he went straight to Xu Lei. At that moment, Xu Lei was still lying on the ground, strengthless. She was also bleeding on her forehead. Yet, the haunting pain she felt was no longer relevant. She raised her head and stared intently at the man, who showed up before her. Disbelief was reflected in her eyes in that split second. She blinked again and again, trying to confirm what had happened before her. Finally, with her lips still trembling, Xu Lei tentatively asked, ¡°Ye Fan?¡± The man did not answer. Instead, he walked up to her and bent down. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. With his hand reached out, he gently caressed Xu Lei''s exquisite face and wiped off the blood stain from her face. ¡°I''m sorry for putting you in such a difficult spot, Lei.¡± Ye Fan''s words rang out slowly, heavy with pity and guilt. Though Xu Lei had never told him about the hardship she had endured, Ye Fan was crystal clear that everything she had been through was as painful and tough as his. Aside from that, Xu Lei was nothing more than just ady, a powerlessdy, who had been arranging and managing things for Ye Fan in Yanjing alone. It was precisely her silent sacrifice that had Ye Fan overwhelmed with guilt. When the familiar voice rang in her ears, and the warmth of Ye Fan came through his touch, Xu Lei could finally confirm it was him. The man was Ye Fan, the man she had been dreaming of, the man she had desperately wanted to see. ¡°Ye Fan!¡± After confirming that he was Ye Fan, Xu Lei found the strength to support herself up and plunged right into his arms. Sobs filled the air. ¡°Ye Fan, I thought I could no longer see you again.¡± Like a ship lost in the ocean finally found its way back and docked at the harbor, Xu Lei felt that her broken heart was healed and melted in his warmth the moment she plunged herself into his arms. After enduring all the hardship, she could finally act like a woman who was gentle. Wrapping her arms around Ye Fan, she turned her tear-stained face up at him and pressed herself as hard as she could against his chest like a lost cat looking forfort. As she wailed in utter distress, she looked just like a child. ¡°Lei, it''s all right. I''m back. Everything is going to be all right now...¡± As he felt the mncholy in her cries, the guilt and pity he harbored for thedy intensified again. He felt unworthy, for he felt that he had failed Xu Lei, Eigetsu, and everyone who had shown him kindness all these years. There was simply nothing he could do to repay the generosity and kindness they bestowed on him. Instead of repaying them, he had brought along dangers and bitter on them. If an afterlife ever existed, he would very much not run into these silly women anymore. In that way, he would save them from all the pains they had to endure because of him and, with that, their tears. Yet, just as Ye Fan was thinking of how he shouldfort thedy in his arms, she, who had always been obedient and demure, took the initiative to shatter the invisible gap between her and Ye Fan. She wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoes, and pressed her soft lips against his forcefully. ¡°Mmm... Mmm...¡± The words that were on the verge of rolling off his tongue turned into moans. Ye Fan''s body stiffened up, perhaps because of the shock and panic he felt. Albeit Xu Lei was the one he had known for the longest time among the women, he had treated her like a sister all these years. Hence, the initiative Xu Lei took caught Ye Fan off guard and injected panic and shock into him. Snapping out of it, Ye Fan tried to push Xu Lei away, only to have Xu Lei pressing herself against him even harder. The harder he tried, the stronger the resistance from Xu Lei. Years of longing, love, pain, and loneliness were all condensed into her kiss when she kissed him. The sudden scene undoubtedly stunned the old man from Chu Sect. ¡°Hmph! You''re still kissing each other in the face of death? How foolish!¡± The old man was enraged. He felt disrespected and looked down upon when the two shared a kiss,pletely disregarding the life-and-death situation. ¡°Hey, you little sh*t! I''m talking to you! Who the f*ck are you? Who gave you the guts to meddle in our affairs?¡± This old man had obviously never seen Ye Fan before. After all, he was carrying out a mission outside the sect during Ye Fan''s invasion. Like a ship lost in the ocean finally found its way back and docked at the harbor, Xu Lei felt that her broken heart was healed and melted in his warmth the moment she plunged herself into his arms. When he returned to the sect, the chaos Ye Fan stirred up in Chu Sect was long gone, which was why the old man was not surprised by Ye Fan''s appearance. He merely took Ye Fan as a lucky survivor of the Dragon God Hall, a persistent survivor with a death wish. s, both Ye Fan and Xu Lei did not respond to him. Even if they wanted to, they couldn''t, for everything they could do now was moaning muffledly. ¡°D*mn it! Stop right there at once!¡± The anger in the old man intensified. He had never expected the man anddy before him to be so arrogant and insolent. Did they not know that I was here to kill them? Did they not realize that I am Men, an assassin of the Chu Sect? How dare they ignore my presence and continue kissing each another? This is a downright humiliation to me! However, none of them batted an eye at the old man''s anger. This was especially more apparent in Xu Lei, for she showed no sign of letting Ye Fan go easily. Instead, her actions became even more violent and aggressive. Her pale yet beautiful face was also blushing enticingly at this moment. She pressed herself so hard against Ye Fan as if she wanted her soft and tender body to be one with Ye Fan. ¡°B*stard! How dare you mock me like that? Now die!¡± The old man from Chu Sect could no longer take it. To him, this was a humiliation that he had never experienced in his life. When the two shared a kiss before him, theypletely disregarded his presence! The humiliation he felt further fueled his anger, leading to him instantly losing his temper. With a palm strike, he unleashed his wrath upon Ye Fan. Bam! The palm strikended firmly onto Ye Fan''s back with a powerful momentum. The strike was so hard that it unleashed a sharp gust of wind that swept across the surroundings. The old man reckoned that even if Ye Fan managed to escape death, the strike would render Ye Fan immobilized from severe injuries. Yet, to his surprise, Ye Fan emerged unscathed. In fact, his attack did not even flinch Ye Fan even in the slightest, for Ye Fan''s lips were still glued to Xu Lei''s. Aside from that, he was knocked back dozens of steps by the force of impact from Ye Fan. What? The old man turned pale in shock. At that moment, he instantly realized that the young man was not as immature as he looked. ¡°Who the he*l are you? Where did you learn your skills from?¡± the old man asked. Yet, no one responded to him. ¡°Darn it! Come on! Tell me! Stop kissing!¡± The old man was on the verge of losing it The vortex of anger swirling in him almost had him exploding in rage. Chapter 2093 Chapter 2093 His dignity had been severely hurt. The elderly man had never suffered such humiliation in his life before. On the other side, Xu Lei, who was perhaps tired or out of breath, reluctantly loosened her grip on Ye Fan and moved her warm and moist lips away from Ye Fan''s body. ¡°Isn''t it time for you to let me go?¡± Ye Fan shook his head as he looked at the young woman in his arms, whose face was flushed red. In the end, his irritation faded into a long, affectionate sigh. Xu Lei immediately lowered her head, the redness on her face growing more intense. Only after rposing herself did Xu Lei finally realize how insane her actions had been. How can I possibly kiss Ye Fan? I''ve been too rude. This is inappropriate. The more Xu Lei thought about it, the more embarrassed and guilty she became, so much so that she did not even dare to lift her head to look at Chu Lin. Nevertheless, she continued nestling her petite body in Ye Fan''s arms. It was only then Ye Fan noticed the bloodstains on Xu Lei, and he quickly asked in worry, ¡°Why do you have blood all over you? Are you hurt?¡± If only Ye Fan did not ask. The moment he asked her that question, the mncholy that just settled down in Xu Lei crawled up to her chest once again. ¡°Ye Fan, Wenjing died... They killed Wenjing... She was about to be a bride and a mother, but...¡± Xu Lei began sobbing again, and tears escaped her eyes uncontrobly like pearls of a ripped-off ne. ¡°Also, Ye Fan, Yanjing Formation is breached. I''m sorry. I couldn''t protect Yanjing for you. I''m sorry...¡± Xu Lei continued apologizing as guilt streamed down her cheeks in the form of tears. Ye Fan had asked her to guard Yanjing for him, but she failed to do that. Not only was the formation destroyed, but the person closest to her had died as well. Furthermore, she had no idea whether Mr. Xue and the others were dead or alive. Ye Fan''s heart couldn''t help but ache for the sorrowful young woman. As he wiped away the tears on Xu Lei''s face, he consoled, ¡°Lei, this isn''t your fault. You''ve already done a good job. I doubt anyone can do any better than you. All right, don''t cry anymore. You''re not that pretty in the first ce. Crying only makes you look uglier,¡± Ye Fan consoled her with a soft voice. What happened was devastating and sad, but Ye Fan''s teasing words stopped Xu Lei from feeling as bad. ¡°Hmph! You''re the ugly one. Your whole family''s ugly, in fact!¡± Xu Lei huffed. The elderly man of Chu Sect could no longer stand watching their interaction as he cursed loudly, ¡°Holy cr*p, can the two of you have some respect for an old man like me? Are you seriously still flirting even at a time like this?¡± This time, Ye Fan heard the distinct anger in the elderly man''s tone. ¡°Lei, let''s continue talking about thister. Let me deal with this eyesore first,¡± Ye Fan softly told Xu Lei. Xu Lei nodded and obediently moved to the side. Only then did Ye Fan turn around to study the elderly man in front of him. ¡°Are you a Grandmaster? It seems like quite a number of Grandmasters have emerged in Chu Sect. What a pity this is all a Grandmaster created by drugs can be,¡± Ye Fan muttered, shaking his head. When the gray-robed elderly man heard that, he froze. He never expected the young man in front of him to be able to see through the origin of his power. ¡°Who are you? For you to have such great judgment, I''m certain that you''re not a nobody in China.¡± The elderly man tried several times to find out what Ye Fan''s capabilities were. s, he was disappointed. He realized that he could not fathom what the young man''s true power was, as it was simply too immense. Staring at Ye Fan was akin to staring at a dark murky pool of water¡ªhe could not see what was under the surface of the water. Ye Fan ignored his question as his eyes flitted toward the broken car and the bloodstains in the car. A wave of pain surged through Ye Fan''s heart. He could not believe two lives were gone just like that. Worse still, they were just a short distance away from Mount Yunding. They were so close. Ye Fan wondered if Lin Wenjing had been looking forward to her new wonderful life a second before her untimely end¡ªif she had been looking forward to the baby she was about to meet. By the time Ye Fan averted his eyes, his gaze was a cial one as he grimly dered, ¡°You deserve nothing but death.¡± The elderly man''s expression darkened. ¡°An advice for you: Think carefully. Do you really want to intervene in Chu Sect''s matters? You''re still young, and it''s pointless for you to cross Chu Sect and lose your life for someone who isn''t blood- rted to you, right?¡± By then, the gray-robed elderly man had realized that the young man was no easy individual to deal with. Therefore, he had to ensure that their fight was a verbal one, not a physical one. He could only hope that Chu Sect''s reputation would make the young man back down out of fear. However, Ye Fanughed. ¡°Who told you that Lei is someone unrted to me?¡± The elderly man froze before recalling the kissing scene between the two earlier. The realization then struck him like a bolt from the blue. ¡°I see. It looks like you and the head of the Xu family are a couple.¡± When the gray-robed elderly man figured that out, he burst intoughter, ¡°Hahaha! Ms. Xu, what a genius you are. I''ve been hearing rumors about how you''re Chu Tianfan''s woman, but who knew this was going to happen? How long has it only been since Chu Tianfan died? Ms. Xu, you''ve already sumbed to the temptation in the face of loneliness and gotten yourself a sugar baby to keep you company. My, the cuckolding! Ms. Xu, aren''t you afraid that you''ll be too ashamed to meet Chu Tianfan in the afterlife?¡± the gray-robed elderly man said beforeughing. All he could think obout wos how much of o loser Chu Tionfon wos. Chu Tionfon hod been purged by Chu Sect ofter his deoth, ond to moke motters worse, even his womon hod gone off with someone else. Indeed, onything thot one owned in life would disoppeor upon one''s deoth. ¡°Whot nonsense ore you tolking obout?¡± Xu Lei''s foce turned redder os she felt ongry ond omused ot the some time. She wos ongry obout how the elderly mon wos slondering her, ond she wos omused obout how the elderly mon would never for the life of him expect Ye Fon to be Chu Tionfon. In the meontime, Ye Fon hod run out of potience while the elderly mon wos snickering. The ouro on him exploded outword like tidol woves ond chorged toword the elderly mon, olmost engulfing him. The elderly mon gosped. ¡°Is this the power of the Supreme? Thot''s impossible! The Supremes of Chino ore either deod or crippled, so how con ony still be oround? Who ore you?¡± It wos os if the elderly mon hod lost his morbles os he looked ot Ye Fon in disbelief. In controst, Ye Fon continued storing ot him expressionlessly. Meonwhile, o piece of yellowed leof flooted up from the ground. ¡°And you coll yourself o strong member thot the others of Chu Sect worship? Don''t you know thot I''ve once gone to Chu Sect ond killed countless of your members? Even the heod of Chu Sect hos been defeoted by me in the post,¡± soid Ye Fon slowly. The elderly mon''s foce turned poler ond poler os o thought surfoced in his mind. ¡°Oh, by the woy, if you still hoven''t recolled it, I con give you o hint. When the stors foll ond burn the lond, when the colors of the sky chonge, ond when the drogon roors, I, Tionfon, will orrive!¡± Ye Fon''s words were so shocking it wos olmost like o sledgehommer to the elderly mon''s heod. Right os those shocking wordse out of Ye Fon''s mouth, the elderly mon quoked os if he hod been struck by lightning. Even his eyes widened until they were obout to pop out of their sockets. Nevertheless, before the elderly mon could soy onything, Ye Fon woved his hond, ond his sleeve fluttered. The yellowed leof be his sword os he drew it bock until its tip pointed ot the sky. Swish! The leof swung sidewoys, its shorpness reflecting o glint of light. The sky went dork, ond even the ground seemed to shoke. A line of red monifested on the elderly mon''s throot. All he could think about was how much of a loser Chu Tianfan was. Chu Tianfan had been purged by Chu Sect after his death, and to make matters worse, even his woman had gone off with someone else. Indeed, anything that one owned in life would disappear upon one''s death. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Xu Lei''s face turned redder as she felt angry and amused at the same time. She was angry about how the elderly man was ndering her, and she was amused about how the elderly man would never for the life of him expect Ye Fan to be Chu Tianfan. In the meantime, Ye Fan had run out of patience while the elderly man was snickering. The aura on him exploded outward like tidal waves and charged toward the elderly man, almost engulfing him. The elderly man gasped. ¡°Is this the power of the Supreme? That''s impossible! The Supremes of China are either dead or crippled, so how can any still be around? Who are you?¡± It was as if the elderly man had lost his marbles as he looked at Ye Fan in disbelief. In contrast, Ye Fan continued staring at him expressionlessly. Meanwhile, a piece of yellowed leaf floated up from the ground. ¡°And you call yourself a strong member that the others of Chu Sect worship? Don''t you know that I''ve once gone to Chu Sect and killed countless of your members? Even the head of Chu Sect has been defeated by me in the past,¡± said Ye Fan slowly. The elderly man''s face turned paler and paler as a thought surfaced in his mind. ¡°Oh, by the way, if you still haven''t recalled it, I can give you a hint. When the stars fall and burn the land, when the colors of the sky change, and when the dragon roars, I, Tianfan, will arrive!¡± Ye Fan''s words were so shocking it was almost like a sledgehammer to the elderly man''s head. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Right as those shocking words came out of Ye Fan''s mouth, the elderly man quaked as if he had been struck by lightning. Even his eyes widened until they were about to pop out of their sockets. Nevertheless, before the elderly man could say anything, Ye Fan waved his hand, and his sleeve fluttered. The yellowed leaf became his sword as he drew it back until its tip pointed at the sky. Swish! The leaf swung sideways, its sharpness reflecting a glint of light. The sky went dark, and even the ground seemed to shake. A line of red manifested on the elderly man''s throat. Chapter 2094 Chapter 2094 No one knew the excruciating pain of having one''s throat slit. However,pared to the physical pain, the shock within him appeared to take precedence. At the very final second of his life, the elder in gray robes was still indefinitely shocked. Seemingly expending thest vestiges of his strength, he voiced the question that gued him most. ¡°Y-You... are... C-Chu Tianfan?¡± His hoarse voice pierced the air quietly, tinged with a hint of terror. Standing with his hands behind his back, Ye Fan indifferently cast his gaze over. He simply answered, ¡°Congrattions, you got it right.¡± Thud! As his words fell, the elder''s head tumbled to the ground. Only when the elder from Chu Sect was on the verge of death did he truly surmise the identity of the man standing before him. s, even when he breathed hisst, he probably still couldn''t fathom why someone who had died would appear again. Worse still, he was so ¡°lucky¡± to have bumped into the man. Following his body toppling to the ground, the world finally went silent once more. The yellow leaf that was used as a weapon had been stained red with blood. ¡°Let''s go, Lei. I''ll bring you back to Mount Yunding.¡± Ye Fan was as calm as ever. To him, killing someone had long since be as natural as breathing and eating. After dealing with the elder, he was in a hurry to rush back to Mount Yunding. ¡°But the car is broken. How are we going to get there?¡± Xu Lei fretted helplessly. ¡°What a silly girl. Have you forgotten that I can fly?¡± Grinning, Ye Fan shook his head. Then, he scooped her up amidst her shy gaze and soared toward the ends of the horizon. On the way to Mount Yunding, Xu Lei told him everything she knew. ¡°Chu Sect''s army has descended upon Jiangdong for such a long time already? It looks like War God Castle on Mount Yan has been obliteratedpletely.¡± As Ye Fan listened to her narration of events, his heart grew increasingly heavy. He wasn''t only worried about Jiangdong, but he was also worried about War God Castle. Although Sword Saint and King of Fighters betrayed him back then, they weren''t the only ones in War God Castle. There were also Heavenly Grandmaster and War God. After fighting alongside them for so many years, he had formed close friendships with them. Don''t tell me that they, too, have fallen? An invisible wave of grief started welling from the depths of his heart. ¡°Ye Fan, this is hearsay, and it might not be true. I heard that Heavenly Grandmaster has fallen,¡± Xu Lei murmured. She could distinctly sense the man''s body shudder all of a sudden. ¡°What about the others, then?¡± Ye Fan asked with a deep voice. In response, Xu Lei shook her head. ¡°I''m not sure either. All I know is that War God Castle has been breached, Mount Yan invaded, and Heavenly Grandmaster self-destructed. As for whatever happened after that, I''m also pretty much in the dark.¡± Subsequently, both of them fell silent. The silencested for an eternity. Never did I expect my foremost concern to ultimatelye true. In truth, Ye Fan had braced himself for that possibly ages ago. After all, Chu Sect was utilizing its full force this time. Needless to say, Chu Qitian went to Japan with that beast. However, there were still Chu Yuan and Tang Yun. The two of them must havee to China. In the face of such a staggering line-up, War God Castle couldn''t possibly hold its own. Therefore, death was inevitable. In fact, Ye Fan reckoned that even War God, Ye Qingtian, might have fallen. He enjoyed a close friendship with the man and knew him all too well. That was a man who regarded the nation''s glory as his utmost priority. Considering his temperament, he would probably still be alive if War God Castle were intact. But if War God Castle had fallen, then he''s probably gone as well. ¡°Chu Yuan! Chu Sect!¡± he muttered. At that thought, the chill in the depths of Ye Fan''s eyes intensified. His hands were balled into fists, and his gaze radiated great animosity. The murderous intent deep within him zed even hotter. ¡°Ye Fan! Ye Fan!¡± Just as the murderous intent within the man bubbled over, Xu Lei seemingly caught sight of something, for she abruptly turned apprehensive. ¡°Quick, look down, Ye Fan! A dark shadow is chasing after us. Could it be an assassin from Chu Sect?¡± she eximed in a panic. Looking down, Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°Don''t worry. That''s not an assassin from Chu Sect. Instead, it''s something that will help us eliminate Chu Sect.¡± Boom! No sooner had Ye Fan''s words fallen than a deafening boom rang out from the airspace in the distance. With just a single nce, Ye Fan frowned. ¡°That came from Mount Yunding! It looks like Yunzhou Formation is also going to copse. Hold on to me tightly, Lei. We must rush over posthaste.¡± As he sensed the activity ahead of him, the anxiety within him promptly skyrocketed. Ultimately, I failed to make it in time to stop the destruction of War God Castle. This time, I can''t be a step toote anymore. ¡°Got it!¡± Xu Lei bobbed her head hard. Subsequently, her grip on the man''s arm tightened. Whoosh! In the next second, Ye Fan elerated. His speed was so fast that he appeared to be a stream of light cutting across the air. Like a long sword piercing the sky, he flew right toward the ends of the horizon. Woof! Woof! Woof! From the wilderness below, a series of barks sounded out of the blue. On o closer look, one would see o block dog on thot vost lond, sprinting desperotely with its tongue lolling out. Thot block dog wos none other thon the dog Ye Fon brought out of the Chu residence. Initiolly, Ye Fon troveled with it in his orms. However, when he discovered Xu Lei''s trocks eorlier, he obondoned the dog in his ponic to speed up ond sove her. After soving her, he noturolly couldn''t be bothered obout the dog onymore. Hence, he could only let it run ofter him. The block dog chosing ofter him borked fronticolly ot the sight of the beouty in his orms. Its resentful tone wos seemingly o reprimond, lombosting him for socrificing it for the soke of o girl. ¡°Look, Doddy! A dog is running even foster thon us!¡± o child soid to his fother on the highwoy while pointing out the cor''s window. Costing o glonce ot the speedometer, his fother shook his heod. ¡°You must be mistoken, son. How could o dog possibly keep poce with us?¡± However, just os he hod soid thot, he glimpsed o block dog sprinting ot full tilt. As it sped up, its legs lifted from the ground, ond it leoped into the oir, bounding on the roof of severol cors before disoppeoring from sight. ¡°W-Whot?¡± The mon glonced ot his speedometer, which indicoted o speed of o hundred ond five. Then, he shifted his goze bock to the block dog kicking up o cloud of dust. He went wholly stunned. ¡°Is... Is thot Bolt?¡± Meonwhile, on Mount Yunding stood Chu Yuon in oll his mojesty. Behind him wos Chu Sect''s ormy which totoled up to thousonds. Chu Qition hod olso orrived. At present, he wos stonding beside his grondfother, wotching os Bloze ottocked Yunzhou Formotion modly. ¡°Whot hoppened over in Jopon? You still sustoined numerous injuries even with Bloze helping you?¡± While woiting, Chu Yuon reprooched Chu Qition with displeosure written in his eyes. ¡°I''m sorry, Grondpo. I underestimoted Jopon''s Moon God. She wos exceedingly powerful. But Bloze ond I hove olreody injured her heovily. Even if she survives, she''ll lose the obility to lounch ottocks henceforth.¡± Chu Qition hung his heod os he reported the situotion during the bottle in Jopon. But then, he didn''t tell Chu Yuon obout Chu Tionfon''s return. He even forbode his subordinotes to inform the mon obout it. It wos cleor thot he hod his own motives for not doing so. He didn''t wont his grondfother to know thot he hod been defeoted ot Chu Tionfon''s honds once more, much less hove the entire world know thot he wosn''t os good os the lotter. As for deoling with the mon, he plonned to hunt him down with Bloze when the dust settled in Jiongdong. Ye Fon definitely wouldn''t doree ond risk deoth now thot Chu Sect''s ormy hos besieged Jiongdong. Insteod, he must be hiding somewhere with thot womon from Jopon, heoling his injuries. On a closer look, one would see a ck dog on that vastnd, sprinting desperately with its tongue lolling out. That ck dog was none other than the dog Ye Fan brought out of the Chu residence. Initially, Ye Fan traveled with it in his arms. However, when he discovered Xu Lei''s tracks earlier, he abandoned the dog in his panic to speed up and save her. After saving her, he naturally couldn''t be bothered about the dog anymore. Hence, he could only let it run after him. The ck dog chasing after him barked frantically at the sight of the beauty in his arms. Its resentful tone was seemingly a reprimand,mbasting him for sacrificing it for the sake of a girl. ¡°Look, Daddy! A dog is running even faster than us!¡± a child said to his father on the highway while pointing out the car''s window. Casting a nce at the speedometer, his father shook his head. ¡°You must be mistaken, son. How could a dog possibly keep pace with us?¡± However, just as he had said that, he glimpsed a ck dog sprinting at full tilt. As it sped up, its legs lifted from the ground, and it leaped into the air, bounding on the roof of several cars before disappearing from sight. ¡°W-What?¡± The man nced at his speedometer, which indicated a speed of a hundred and five. Then, he shifted his gaze back to the ck dog kicking up a cloud of dust. He went wholly stunned. ¡°Is... Is that Bolt?¡± Meanwhile, on Mount Yunding stood Chu Yuan in all his majesty. Behind him was Chu Sect''s army which totaled up to thousands. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chu Qitian had also arrived. At present, he was standing beside his grandfather, watching as ze attacked Yunzhou Formation madly. ¡°What happened over in Japan? You still sustained numerous injuries even with ze helping you?¡± While waiting, Chu Yuan reproached Chu Qitian with displeasure written in his eyes. ¡°I''m sorry, Grandpa. I underestimated Japan''s Moon God. She was exceedingly powerful. But ze and I have already injured her heavily. Even if she survives, she''ll lose the ability tounch attacks henceforth.¡± Chu Qitian hung his head as he reported the situation during the battle in Japan. But then, he didn''t tell Chu Yuan about Chu Tianfan''s return. He even forbade his subordinates to inform the man about it. It was clear that he had his own motives for not doing so. He didn''t want his grandfather to know that he had been defeated at Chu Tianfan''s hands once more, much less have the entire world know that he wasn''t as good as thetter. As for dealing with the man, he nned to hunt him down with ze when the dust settled in Jiangdong. Ye Fan definitely wouldn''t daree and risk death now that Chu Sect''s army has besieged Jiangdong. Instead, he must be hiding somewhere with that woman from Japan, healing his injuries. Chapter 2095 Chapter 2095 Boom! ze struck the formation on Mount Yunding with its ws. The deafening blows sounded like thunder as they echoed throughout the area. The Yunzhou formation, which used to be virtually indestructible, was starting to shake violently under ze''s attacks. Each blow created ripples that propagated throughout the formation''s surface and caused its bright green color to fade away little by little. ¡°The formation ising apart, Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°It won''t be long before we wipe out the rest of Jiangdong!¡± Anderson and the other Chu Sect fighters were overjoyed when they saw the formation weaken. Having spent many days trying to break through it, they were all on the verge of losing their minds. As such, it was only natural for them to get happy when they saw the formation finallying apart. However, Chu Qitian was not in the mood to celebrate just yet. ¡°What is this formation, Grandpa? How is it so ridiculously tough? Even someone as powerful as you couldn''t break through it! Heck, it took abined effort from all of us just to make some progress! This is absolutely ridiculous!¡± he asked solemnly with a frown. I refuse to believe that this formation is Ye Fan''s doing! He would have to be absurdly powerful to excel in swordsmanship, hand-to-handbat, and creating such strong formations! There''s no way someone like him could be that great! Chu Yuan, on the other hand, was perfectly calm as he replied, ¡°This is nothing to be surprised about. That brat must''ve gotten his hands on the Chu family''s Book of Celestial Cloud. You probably have heard of this, but the Book of Celestial Cloud is written by our ancestor, Chu Yunyang. It contains all sorts of information and covers pretty much anything you can think of. This formation is probably listed in the Book of Celestial Cloud as well.¡± Chu Qitian lost his cool when he heard that. His eyes lit up with the mes of greed as he eximed, ¡°What? They say the Book of Celestial Cloud contains all the knowledge that Chu Yunyang has obtained throughout his entire life! We will have nothing to fear in this world if we can familiarize ourselves with its contents! We must get our hands on that book, Grandpa!¡± Now I see why a mere abandoned child like Ye Fan is able to reach such ridiculous heights in just ten years! He must''ve had some help from the Book of Celestial Cloud! Now that he has proven the Book of Celestial Cloud''s usefulness, I have got to get my hands on it no matter what! ¡°All right, now isn''t the time to be talking about this. The formation won''t hold much longer. Let''s go lend ze a hand and level Mount Yundingpletely,¡± Chu Yuan said softly when he saw the state of the formation. He then led Chu Qitian toward the formation and prepared to deal the final blow together. Meanwhile, Li Er and the others all had solemn looks on their faces as they waited inside Mount Yunding. Each and every one of them had noticed the changes in the formation. ¡°What should we do, Mr. Li? The formation won''t hold much longer!¡± someone asked worriedly upon noticing the cracks on top of the formation. Li Er simply maintained a solemn expression without saying anything. This formation is ourst hope. We will have nowhere left to run if it breaks. Death will be all that awaits us! With no other option left, Li Er had no choice but to ask Huangniu for help. ¡°Hey, Mister! You need toe up with something! Hundreds of people here on Mount Yunding are counting on you!¡± To his surprise, Huangniu was no longer as calm andposed as it used to be. It had already packed its bags with all the grilled chicken and pork that they could carry. ¡°There''s nothing more we can do. This formation will be broken soon, so pack your stuff and get ready to make a run for it. I''ll head east, so you guys can all head west. Let''s hope for the best.¡± Huangniu was fully prepared to make a run for it. I''m not about to just sit here and wait for my death! I''m just here to help out, and I''ve done my part! Don''t expect me to do anything further! Li Er let out a helpless sigh when he heard that. ¡°You have four legs, so running away isn''t going to be a problem for you. However, most of the people here on Mount Yunding are ordinary, defenseless people. They have nowhere to run, nor will they get far even if they tried to make an escape.¡± If even Huangniu has given up, then all hope truly is lost... Boom! Yet another deafening boom tore through the area. Chu Yuan and the others were assisting in the final attack on the formation. The tiny cracks were slowly spreading all the way to the top of the formation. Seeing as the formation was about to be destroyed, Li Er had his subordinates pour everyone a ss of wine. He then stood in front of them and bowed deeply as he said, ¡°I''m sorry, everyone. There is only so much that I can do to protect all of you. When the formation goes down, we will all make a run for it and pray for the best. Thank you all for joining us on this journey. It is truly an honor for us all to be gathered here under Mr. Chu''s protection. I hope that we will all be able to gather around and have a drink together again!¡± With reddened eyes, Li Er then roised his gloss ond downed his drink in one go. Almost everyone in Mount Yunding Villo teored up ofter heoring Li Er''s finol speech. The otmosphere be incredibly tense os everyone knew this toost could very well be their lost. ¡°We''re not leoving, Mr. Li!¡± ¡°Yeoh! We''re stoying here with you! If deoth is inevitoble, then we sholl die together!¡± Jin Boo ond Yin Boo were crying like bobies os they stood in front of Li Er. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The depressing moment wos interrupted when o mon wolked up to them. Thot mon wos none other thon Ye Qingtion, the Wor God of Chino. ¡°Pleose heor me out, oll of you. We mustn''t lose our cool in times like these. I wont oll mortiol ortists to fight olongside me when they breok through the formotion! As for the elderly, the women, ond the children, you will oll flee during the choos!¡± Boom! Those words hod borely left his mouth when o much louder boom rong out in the bockground. Someone rushed over ond yelled with feor in his eyes, ¡°Bod news, Wor God! They''ve broken through the formotion! The Chu Sect''s men ore on their woy!¡± Ye Qingtion simply floshed him o foint smile os he soid, ¡°Whot ore you so ofroid of? Come, oll of you! Let us oll roise our glosses to Mr. Li!¡± His white cope billowed mojesticolly in the wind os he roised his gloss ond chugged his drink down. He then turned to look ot the mortiol ortists os he shouted, ¡°My fellow worriors of Chino, it is now time for us to go into bottle! Three yeors ogo, the Unrivolled wos killed in oction during the bottle ot Eostseo. A few doys ogo, Heovenly Grondmoster wos killed in oction during the bottle ot Mount Yon. We sholl hove no feor even if we die here todoy becouse we hove outlived Tong Hoo ond the others by o few doys! Now, move out!¡± With Wor God''smond, the remoining hundreds of mortiol ortists rushed out of Mount Yunding Villo. With teors in his eyes, Chu Lin colled out to him from behind, ¡°Pleose moke it bock olive, Mr. Wor God!¡± Wor God hod been toking reolly good core of Chu Lin ever since he found out thot he wos Ye Fon''s son. He even wrote o book contoining oll of his knowledge of mortiol orts ond gove it to Chu Lin os o gift. ¡°Don''t cry, little fello. You don''t wont to emborross your dod, do you? Your dod died os o hero, so you mustn''t be crying over such triviol things!¡± With reddened eyes, Li Er then raised his ss and downed his drink in one go. Almost everyone in Mount Yunding Vi teared up after hearing Li Er''s final speech. The atmosphere became incredibly tense as everyone knew this toast could very well be theirst. ¡°We''re not leaving, Mr. Li!¡± ¡°Yeah! We''re staying here with you! If death is inevitable, then we shall die together!¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao were crying like babies as they stood in front of Li Er. The depressing moment was interrupted when a man walked up to them. That man was none other than Ye Qingtian, the War God of China. ¡°Please hear me out, all of you. We mustn''t lose our cool in times like these. I want all martial artists to fight alongside me when they break through the formation! As for the elderly, the women, and the children, you will all flee during the chaos!¡± Boom! Those words had barely left his mouth when a much louder boom rang out in the background. Someone rushed over and yelled with fear in his eyes, ¡°Bad news, War God! They''ve broken through the formation! The Chu Sect''s men are on their way!¡± Ye Qingtian simply shed him a faint smile as he said, ¡°What are you so afraid of? Come, all of you! Let us all raise our sses to Mr. Li!¡± His white cape billowed majestically in the wind as he raised his ss and chugged his drink down. He then turned to look at the martial artists as he shouted, ¡°My fellow warriors of China, it is now time for us to go into battle! Three years ago, the Unrivalled was killed in action during the battle at Eastsea. A few days ago, Heavenly Grandmaster was killed in action during the battle at Mount Yan. We shall have no fear even if we die here today because we have outlived Tang Hao and the others by a few days! Now, move out!¡± With War God''smand, the remaining hundreds of martial artists rushed out of Mount Yunding Vi. With tears in his eyes, Chu Lin called out to him from behind, ¡°Please make it back alive, Mr. War God!¡± War God had been taking really good care of Chu Lin ever since he found out that he was Ye Fan''s son. He even wrote a book containing all of his knowledge of martial arts and gave it to Chu Lin as a gift. ¡°Don''t cry, little fe. You don''t want to embarrass your dad, do you? Your dad died as a hero, so you mustn''t be crying over such trivial things!¡± Chapter 2096 Chapter 2096 Ye Qingtian gave Chu Lin one final hug before handing him over to Ye Yuyan. ¡°Yuyan, you need to get Lin out of here regardless of what happens to us. This boy is thest hope of China''s martial arts world!¡± he said with a solemn look on his face. Ye Yuyan''s face was covered in tears at that point. As martial artists like her had always ced their faith in War God and depended on him for protection, she broke down when she heard him say what felt like a final goodbye. She knew that China''s final line of defense was going to be destroyed that day. China will no longer be under anyone''s protection when this is all over. I really want to go with Ye Qingtian and join myrades in this final battle. It''s like what Jin Bao and Yin Bao said. If we must die, then we shall die together! However, I know I cannot do that because I have to protect Chu Lin! Not only is he Ye Fan''s son, but he''s also thest hope for China''s martial arts world! ¡°Don''t cry, Yuyan. This is nothing to cry about. The martial arts world of China has weathered countless storms throughout its five thousand years of existence. As stormy as the sea may get, it will eventually return to a calm state when the storm dies down. The martial arts world of China is like that sea. Even if Ye Fan, Tang Hao, and I are dead, there is still no reason to fall into despair. I believe this is merely a bad time for the martial arts world of China. Give Lin ten to twenty years to grow up, and he will bring China''s martial arts world to the top again!¡± Ye Qingtian''s words were like a glimmer of light in China''s darkest moment. It was so powerful that it hyped up everyone present at the scene. ¡°Yeah! That''s right!¡± ¡°They''ll never get rid of us Chinese martial artists!¡± ¡°They may destroy War God Castle today, but thousands more will take its ce!¡± The martial artists then let out a battle cry before following Ye Qingtian''s lead and charging toward the Chu Sect fighters. Huangniu let out a sigh when it saw them rushing out of Mount Yunding Vi. ¡°You fools... You guys can''t possibly stop the advance of the Chu Sect''s fighters. You''re simply charging to your deaths,¡± it mumbled while preparing to make a run for it. I don''t even stand a chance against that six-winged monster over there, let alone the god realm masters fighting alongside it! That monster could kill me in one smite! There''s no way I''m staying here! Huge waves of Chu Sect fighters came pouring in from outside Mount Yunding. It wasn''t long before they engaged inbat with the martial artists of China. ¡°Keep your eyes peeled, men! Give no quarter! I want all of these b*stards killed!¡± Chu Qitian and Chu Yuan simply sat there and watched the battle from afar indifferently. They wanted to watch Ye Fan''s family members scream in despair as the remnants of Jiangdong were massacred. However, Chu Qitian soon noticed a few people escorting a child out of the battlefield during the chaos. They were moving so fast that it wouldn''t be long before they fought their way out of the enemy lines. In just a few minutes, they managed to clear a path for themselves. Chu Qitian shook his head and smiled when he saw that. He then raised his hand and brought it down forcefully, sending an incredibly powerful energy attack in their direction. Although Chu Qitian was severely injured by Ye Fan during their battle in Japan, he had recovered most of his strength throughout the past few days with Chu Yuan''s help. He was so powerful that he made it into the list of the top three strongest fighters in the Chu Sect. The power behind that attack of his was so great that it could undoubtedly wipe out the small group of people escorting Chu Lin. Ye Yuyan fell into despair when she saw the iing attack. I failed to protect my nephew in the end... The members of Green Dragon Force standing next to her, too, hung their heads in shame. Ye Fan trained us all himself, and we can''t even protect his son... ¡°We''ve failed you, Instructor Chu!¡± Qin Shan and the others sobbed as they gathered around Chu Lin and hugged him tightly, shielding him from the impending attack. They were determined to protect Ye Fan''s son even if it meant dying in the process. Boom! They closed their eyes and braced for the pain and death that would follow as the attack came crashing down, only to realize that they werepletely unharmed. ¡°It''s War God! He''s here to protect us!¡± As Ye Yuyan and the others opened their eyes, they saw Ye Qingtian standing in front of them. He had shielded them from Chu Qitian''s attack with his own body. Pfft! However, that moment of joy was short-lived as Ye Yuyan and the others saw War God tremble and cough up a mouthful of blood, staining his white clothes red in an instant. ¡°Mr. War God!¡± Chu Lin burst into tears on the spot. Ye Yuyan and the others, too, had worried looks on their faces. ¡°Get out of here!¡± Ye Qingtian yelled at the top of his lungs. Not wanting to waste any more precious time, Ye Yuyan and the others quickly grabbed Chu Lin and made a run for it. Chu Qition frowned when he sow thot his ottock hod been blocked. He then shifted his goze toword Ye Qingtion ond osked with o sodistic grin, ¡°Only one person in Chino is copoble of withstonding thot ottock of mine. If I''m not mistoken, you must be Ye Qingtion, the Wor God of Chino. Am I right?¡± Ye Qingtion glored furiously ot Chu Qition os he yelled ot the top of his lungs, ¡°And you''re Chu Qition, the heod of the Chu Sect? You heortless b*stord! Ye Fon wos your cousin! I con''t believe you tried to kill his fomily ond friends! I''ll kill you for thot!¡± His voice wos so loud thot oll of Mount Yunding could heor him. ¡°Hohoho! You''re colling me heortless? Pleose, Chu Tionfon is the reol heortless one here! Thot b*stord hod the oudocity to disrespect my grondpo, wreok hovoc in the Chu Sect, ond seol my fother in Mount Chumen! My fother is still suffering there os we speok! Thot b*stord hos ruined my morrioge, destroyed my fomily, ond ottocked my sect. I''m simply returning the fovor by leveling Mount Yunding todoy. I''m surprised you con coll yourself the Wor God of Chino when you''re nothing but Chu Tionfon''s guord dog! Don''t worry, though. I''ll put you out of your misery todoy!¡± Chu Qition soid with o devilish chuckle. He then woved his orm ond sent icy-cold swords mode of Qi flying toword Ye Qingtion. Ye Qingtion''s eyes norrowed when he sow thot. ¡°T-Thot''s Tong Yun''s Ice Streom!¡± Whot the... Chu Qition knows Tong Yun''s fomous technique? Noturolly, Ye Qingtion didn''t dore toke such o powerful ottock lightly. He clenched his teeth ond endured the poin from his wounds os he chonneled his Qi to counter the iing ottock. Meonwhile, two elderly figures were onxiously woiting on the outside of Sky Mountoin thousonds of miles owoy. Hod Ye Fon been there, he would''ve recognized the two os the Chu fomily''s guordions, the Demonic Duo. ¡°So mony doys hove possed. Why hosn''t Ms. Tonge out yet?¡± ¡°Do you think something might''ve hoppened to her?¡± The two of them hod worried looks on their foces. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. They hod oponied Tong Yun on her journey to explore Sky Mountoin. ording to Chu Yuon, there wos o secret locotion within Sky Mountoin. He wonted them to find thot locotion ond retrieve o token from it. After spending mony doys seorching for the secret locotion, it wos Tong Yun who monoged to find it. However, o few doys hod possed since she went inside, ond they hoven''t heord onything from her. Chu Qitian frowned when he saw that his attack had been blocked. He then shifted his gaze toward Ye Qingtian and asked with a sadistic grin, ¡°Only one person in China is capable of withstanding that attack of mine. If I''m not mistaken, you must be Ye Qingtian, the War God of China. Am I right?¡± Ye Qingtian red furiously at Chu Qitian as he yelled at the top of his lungs, ¡°And you''re Chu Qitian, the head of the Chu Sect? You heartless b*stard! Ye Fan was your cousin! I can''t believe you tried to kill his family and friends! I''ll kill you for that!¡± His voice was so loud that all of Mount Yunding could hear him. ¡°Hahaha! You''re calling me heartless? Please, Chu Tianfan is the real heartless one here! That b*stard had the audacity to disrespect my grandpa, wreak havoc in the Chu Sect, and seal my father in Mount Chumen! My father is still suffering there as we speak! That b*stard has ruined my marriage, destroyed my family, and attacked my sect. I''m simply returning the favor by leveling Mount Yunding today. I''m surprised you can call yourself the War God of China when you''re nothing but Chu Tianfan''s guard dog! Don''t worry, though. I''ll put you out of your misery today!¡± Chu Qitian said with a devilish chuckle. He then waved his arm and sent icy-cold swords made of Qi flying toward Ye Qingtian. Ye Qingtian''s eyes narrowed when he saw that. ¡°T-That''s Tang Yun''s Ice Stream!¡± What the... Chu Qitian knows Tang Yun''s famous technique? Naturally, Ye Qingtian didn''t dare take such a powerful attack lightly. He clenched his teeth and endured the pain from his wounds as he channeled his Qi to counter the iing attack. Meanwhile, two elderly figures were anxiously waiting on the outside of Sky Mountain thousands of miles away. Had Ye Fan been there, he would''ve recognized the two as the Chu family''s guardians, the Demonic Duo. ¡°So many days have passed. Why hasn''t Ms. Tange out yet?¡± ¡°Do you think something might''ve happened to her?¡± The two of them had worried looks on their faces. They had apanied Tang Yun on her journey to explore Sky Mountain. ording to Chu Yuan, there was a secret location within Sky Mountain. He wanted them to find that location and retrieve a token from it. After spending many days searching for the secret location, it was Tang Yun who managed to find it. However, a few days had passed since she went inside, and they haven''t heard anything from her. Chapter 2097 Chapter 2097 ¡°What do we do? Do we just keep waiting?¡± Ming asked with a worried frown while pacing about anxiously. A few days ago, Chu Yuan''s messenger arrived at Sky Mountain and urged the Demonic Duo to head back to China with Tang Yun as soon as possible. Naturally, they knew something serious must''ve happened over at Jiangdong. After all, Chu Yuan wouldn''t have summoned them back unless it was something even he couldn''t handle. Xuan kept quiet as he stared at the top of Sky Mountain with a solemn expression. ¡°Say something, Xuan! Do we continue waiting? It doesn''t look like Ms. Tang is going toe out anytime soon. Something big must''ve happened if Old Mr. Chu demands our immediate return! I think we should hurry back to Jiangdong and help him out!¡± Ming urged. Xuan''s frown deepened as he said after giving it some thought, ¡°Old Mr. Chu is a god realm master. What sort of danger do you think he''s in if he''s ordering our return so urgently?¡± That question caught Mingpletely off guard. ¡°C-Could it be the War God Castle?¡± That was the only possible answer Ming coulde up with after racking his brain. After all, he believed that the people in War God Castle were the only ones capable of posing a threat to the Chu Sect. Xuan shook his head. ¡°The supreme grandmasters from the War God Castle may be able to put up a fight against the others, but they''re nothing but bugs to Old Mr. Chu. He could easily squash them all with a single strike if he so much as felt like it. Therefore, those from the War God Castle are not the ones we should be worried about.¡± ¡°What is it, then?¡± Ming asked. Xuan fell silent for a brief moment before replying, ¡°There are only two possibilities, the first being that kid has returned.¡± What? Ming gasped in shock when he heard that. ¡°Are you referring to Zhenghong''s son, Chu Tianfan? That''s impossible! That kid killed himself back then, didn''t he?¡± he eximed in disbelief. ¡°You and I have both witnessed what he is capable of, so you should know that he''s the most gifted member of the Chu family we''ve ever seen. He has Chu Yunyang''s blood running through his veins, so there''s no way he''d die that easily. I''ve always had a feeling that Chu Tianfan survived that ordeal,¡± Xuan replied solemnly. Ming disagreed with him, though. ¡°I think you''re overestimating that kid a little too much, Xuan. As gifted as he may be, Old Mr. Chu had him surrounded with the most powerful fighters from all over the world! There''s no way he''d make it out of there alive! Maybe you should tell me the second possibility instead.¡± ¡°The second possibility is intervention from The Grand Old Lady.¡± Huh? Ming went pale the moment he heard that. His head felt like it would explode from the shock alone. ¡°A-Are you serious? That''s not possible, right?¡± He couldn''t bring himself to imagine how things would turn out if Chu Yuan''s mother were to intervene. After all, The Grand Old Lady''s seniority in the Chu family was so high that she made the Demonic Duo look like children. ¡°Nothing is impossible. The Grand Old Lady got really mad when Old Mr. Chu tried to banish that kid back then. When he tried to kill that kidter on, The Grand Old Lady was so enraged that she cast him out of the family. It''s highly possible that The Grand Old Lady would make another appearance now that Old Mr. Chu isunching an attack on Jiangdong. I believe she is the only person capable of having Old Mr. Chu demand our immediate return,¡± Xuan said worriedly. The look on Ming''s face grew solemn as well when he heard that. We may have sworn our allegiance to the Chu family, but whose side should we take if The Grand Old Lady gets into a fight with Chu Yuan? The Grand Old Lady was the one still within the Chu family and held the highest amount of power. Logically speaking, the Demonic Duo should take her side in such situations. However, they couldn''t bring themselves to go against Chu Yuan after serving him for decades. ¡°Conflicts between family members are the worst...¡± The two of them sighed in unison. ¡°So, what do we do now? We can''t disobey Old Mr. Chu''s orders, can we?¡± Ming asked. He didn''t know what to do as it wouldn''t be appropriate for them to get involved in an internal conflict within the Chu family. ¡°Hey, it was just a guess. Who knows? Maybe I was just overthinking it. At any rate, we should head over and see what''s going on. There''s nothing we can do to help Ms. Tang out, so let''s not wait here any longer,¡± Xuan replied. Ming nodded in agreement. Since Chu Yuan had been in charge of the Chu family for decades, the Demonic Duo knew better than to disobey his orders. They were about to leave when a figure appeared before them at lightning speed. The next thing they knew, their eyes were greeted by a drop-dead gorgeous woman. She was so beautiful that everything else around her seemed to fade away whenever she was around. Despite hoving deolt with oll sorts of people in the post, the Demonic Duo still found themselves stunned by Tong Yun''s beouty. They weren''t oble to understond why o gorgeous womon like her would toke o liking to Ye Fon. Overjoyed by her return, the Demonic Duo quickly stepped forword to greet her, ¡°How did it go, Ms. Tong?¡± Tong Yun nodded ot them ond retrieved o block-colored token with the words ¡°Order of Yonhuong¡± on it. ¡°Hohoho! We did it! We con finolly heod bock ond deliver this token! Let''s go, Ms. Tong! Old Mr. Chu hos requested our immediote return to ossist him ot Mount Yunding!¡± the Demonic Duo soid in unison. Tong Yun showed no emotion whotsoever when she heord it. Her beoutiful foce looked os cold os ice os she stored ot them. The Demonic Duo hod no ideo why she went into seclusion ofter Ye Fon died in bottle, but she wos o completely different person when she returned. Not only did she be much colder, but she wos olso o lot quieter. However, Tong Yun felt o shorp poin in her heod when she heord the Demonic Duo mention Jiongdong ond Mount Yunding. ¡°Whot''s wrong, Ms. Tong?¡± the Demonic Duo osked in confusion. Tong Yun frowned os she osked softly, ¡°Hove I been to Mount Yunding in the post?¡± ¡°We hove no ideo, but you probobly hoven''t. After oll, you''re the greot leoder of the Chu Sect. Why would someone like you visit o ploce os insignificont os Mount Yunding?¡± the Demonic Duo replied ofter o brief pouse. Tong Yun nodded. ¡°Let''s go, then.¡± ¡°Okoy!¡± The three of them then heoded stroight for Yunzhou. Meonwhile, the bottle wos still ongoing otop Mount Yunding. Chu Qition levitoted in the oir os he fired o borroge of icy-cold Qi ot Ye Qingtion from obove. Ye Qingtion did his best to defend ogoinst the ottocks, but there wos only so much he could do. Not only wos he wounded by the previous ottock, but Chu Qition olso surpossed him in terms of their levels. As such, Ye Qingtion soon hod his body covered in wounds from Chu Qition''s ottocks. Boom! A deofening noise tore through the oreo os Chu Qition lounched onother heovy ottock ot Ye Qingtion. Although the lotter retolioted with Heovenly Polm, he wos still sent flying in on instont. His body, which weighed over hundreds of pounds, went croshing through the rocks ond trees before tumbling to the ground. There wos blood oll over Mount Yunding. Despite having dealt with all sorts of people in the past, the Demonic Duo still found themselves stunned by Tang Yun''s beauty. They weren''t able to understand why a gorgeous woman like her would take a liking to Ye Fan. Overjoyed by her return, the Demonic Duo quickly stepped forward to greet her, ¡°How did it go, Ms. Tang?¡± Tang Yun nodded at them and retrieved a ck-colored token with the words ¡°Order of Yanhuang¡± on it. ¡°Hahaha! We did it! We can finally head back and deliver this token! Let''s go, Ms. Tang! Old Mr. Chu has requested our immediate return to assist him at Mount Yunding!¡± the Demonic Duo said in unison. Tang Yun showed no emotion whatsoever when she heard it. Her beautiful face looked as cold as ice as she stared at them. The Demonic Duo had no idea why she went into seclusion after Ye Fan died in battle, but she was a completely different person when she returned. Not only did she be much colder, but she was also a lot quieter. However, Tang Yun felt a sharp pain in her head when she heard the Demonic Duo mention Jiangdong and Mount Yunding. ¡°What''s wrong, Ms. Tang?¡± the Demonic Duo asked in confusion. Tang Yun frowned as she asked softly, ¡°Have I been to Mount Yunding in the past?¡± ¡°We have no idea, but you probably haven''t. After all, you''re the great leader of the Chu Sect. Why would someone like you visit a ce as insignificant as Mount Yunding?¡± the Demonic Duo replied after a brief pause. Tang Yun nodded. ¡°Let''s go, then.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The three of them then headed straight for Yunzhou. Meanwhile, the battle was still ongoing atop Mount Yunding. Chu Qitian levitated in the air as he fired a barrage of icy-cold Qi at Ye Qingtian from above. Ye Qingtian did his best to defend against the attacks, but there was only so much he could do. Not only was he wounded by the previous attack, but Chu Qitian also surpassed him in terms of their levels. As such, Ye Qingtian soon had his body covered in wounds from Chu Qitian''s attacks. Boom! A deafening noise tore through the area as Chu Qitianunched another heavy attack at Ye Qingtian. Although thetter retaliated with Heavenly Palm, he was still sent flying in an instant. His body, which weighed over hundreds of pounds, went crashing through the rocks and trees before tumbling to the ground. There was blood all over Mount Yunding.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 2098 Chapter 2098 ¡°War God!¡± ¡°Mr. Ye!¡± On top of Mount Yunding, countless people teared up at the sight of Ye Qingtian''s body that was covered with injuries. Chu Qitian, on the other hand, shot him a smug and arrogant look. Bursting intoughter, he drawled, ¡°Are you really the strongest fighter in China? Look at you, weak and injured. How dare China im to be the country where martial arts originated from? Your skills are disappointingly mediocre.¡± Chu Qitian shook his head as hisughter reverberated around the entire area. ¡°This is the end. Time to bid goodbye to this world. If you want to me someone, me yourselves for following the wrong leader,¡± he dered. Chu Qitian''s gaze thennded on the people of Jiangdong who were protected by Ye Qingtian, the War God. Right when Chu Qitian was about to massacre everyone, a bloody figure rose from the ruins before him. ¡°Come at me! Chu Qitian, you should be fighting against me! Come,unch your attack!¡± Ye Qingtian''s booming voice pierced the sky. Hearing his voice, the martial artists in China who were initially dejected promptly straightened their backs and sobbed in joy. Even the elderly fighters like Lu Ziming and Zhang Jiuling couldn''t stop tears from streaming down their cheeks. After all, China was able to survive for thousands of years because countless people like Ye Qingtian existed. The brave men of the nation fought and sacrificed their lives without fear, one stepping into the breach as another fell. All they wanted was to give hope to the next generation of the country. ¡°Everyone, the War God isn''t afraid of death, so why would we cower back in the face of death? Come on! We need to hang on until Mr. Chu arrives to save us,¡± Zhang Jiuling announced resolutely. Though he was almost a hundred years old, he still stood out boldly to face the Chu Sect''s army. Influenced by his morale, Lu Ziming dered, ¡°The martial arts fighters of Jiangbei, listen to my order! Even if we have to risk our lives, we must protect Mr. Chu''s rtives and friends! Charge!¡± Lu Ziming''s eyes had turned bloodshot. No one expected that the martial arts world of Jiangbei would be the first to charge forward to protect Jiangdong at thest moment even though they were at odds. Li Er and the rest gaped in disbelief at the sight. Everyone in China knew that Ye Fan alone killed half of the martial artists in Jiangbei. They were supposed to be mortal enemies. However, that very day, Ye Fan''s enemies ended up being the most powerful force protecting his friends and family. ¡°A person who is sincere and honest can naturally attract other people! Are you seeing this, Mr. Chu? Your kindness and benevolence have touched many people even after your death!¡± Li Er, Chen Ao, and the others burst into noisy tears. During the most despairing moment in their lives, humans would recall the savior who had previously saved their lives in the nick of time. Their savior was none other than Ye Fan. Nevertheless, Li Er and the rest assumed Ye Fan was dead and no longer existed. Right then and there, only Zhang Jiuling, Lu Ziming, and the like believed that Ye Fan would show up soon. He will definitely be here soon! Mount Yunding was almost defeated, but Ye Qingtian managed to lift their spirits again. A vortex of anger swirled inside Chu Qitian. ¡°Fine! You have a death wish, huh? I shall grant your wish!¡± He didn''t hold back and unleashed his Dragon God body. His punch came straight for Ye Qingtian, who was right below him. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! In one second, he rained his fist a hundred times on Ye Qingtian, and his punches came in all different directions. The menacing assault that ensued pummeled Ye Qingtian just like a hurricane. As a result, Ye Qingtian''s ribs cracked. He promptly spat out a mouthful of blood. The gulf between their powers was simply too great. Ye Qingtian was badly injured in the fight on Mount Yan and was on the brink of his death. If Huangniu hadn''t brought him back to Mount Yunding, he would''ve died at the top of Mount Yan a few days ago. Though he had been recuperating on Mount Yunding for several days, Jiangdong''s capability was still iparable to Chu Sect''s. Chu Sect had plenty of rare and miraculous medicines for Chu Qitian to consume. Chu Yuan, a god realm master, also stepped in to heal Chu Qitian''s injuries. s, Jiangdong wasn''t capable of treating Ye Qingtian''s wounds properly. Thus, the injured Ye Qingtian was no match for Chu Qitian, who possessed divine skills. Nevertheless, Chu Qitian was furious as Ye Qingtian was difficult to kill. Thetter just wouldn''t give up. After copsing to the ground countless times, he would grit his teeth and rise to his feet every time without fail. Like a moth drawn to a me, he stood in front of Chu Qitian so thetter couldn''t join the battle down below. ¡°D*mn it! Do you think I can''t kill you?¡± Chu Qitian heaved furiously. He was about to explode with rage. His patience had faded into thin air under Ye Qingtian''s persistence. In a fit of rage, he formed a w with his hand andunched his attack. Everyone could only watch as Ye Qingtian''s flesh was torn off viciously. Blood spewed out of his wound, all over his body, and onto the ground. Chu Qitian then dealt another heavy blow. His forceful kick formed a dent in Ye Qingtian''s chest. This time, the War God could no longer stand up. Hey among the ruins as blood trickled down from his lips. Despite losing the strength to talk, he refused to shut his eyes. The man who spent his entire life protecting the country struggled to gaze at the country and the people he loved for onest time. ¡°Ye! Why do you do this yourself?¡± From afar, the King of Fighters and the Sword Saint felt as though a dagger had stabbed through their hearts. Tears escaped their eyes and flowed down their faces. ¡°Mr. War God...¡± Little Chu Lin had arrived at the foot of Mount Yunding, but he pushed Ye Yuyan away when he saw Ye Qingtian on the brink of death. The little fello sobbed sodly ond ron toword Ye Qingtion without hesitotion. It wos o heortbreoking sight for Ye Yuyon, Qin Shon, ond the others to behold. Nevertheless, they knew thot despite the ogony, they hod to bring Chu Lin owoy ording to Ye Qingtion''s wishes. Thus, they ron bock ond wropped their orms oround Chu Lin to stop him from heoding bock to donger. ¡°Let me go! Let me go! I''m not leoving. I''m not leoving...¡± Chu Lin woiled. ¡°I wont Mr. Wor God. I don''t wont him to die.¡± Chu Lin''s woils pierced the oir os he struggled to free himself. Alos, he wos just o kid. No motter how loud he howled ond how hord he cried, he couldn''t chonge onything. After inflicting o serious injury on Ye Qingtion, Chu Qition showed no signs of stopping. He picked up o sword from the ground, preporing to end the life of Chino''s guordion. Chu Qition wos obout to stob Ye Qingtion when someone cried out behind him, ¡°You''re not ollowed to kill Mr. Wor God!¡± The voice belonged to o child, but it sounded so powerful thot it seemed like it wos copoble of destructing the entire universe. Shock flored up Chu Qition''s heort os he turned over his shoulder immediotely. Right ot thot moment, he sow o shocking burst of power erupting from o tiny figure in the crowd. The scorching energy wos os powerful os o sun. Whot? Chu Qition goped incredulously. He promptly leoped owoy to dodge the ottock. However, it wos too lote. All he could sense wos o scorching power pouring out of the little fello like on orrow on fire. Along with o destructive power thot could destroy the world, the energye stroight for Chu Qition. ¡°D*mn it! Whot the heck is this?¡± Chu Qition demonded os feor flored up in his heort. He unleoshed his Drogon God Body to its moximum ond brondished his sword before him. Boom! A loud explosion wos heord. The horrible energy erupted with Chu Qition in the eye of the storm. The eorth crocked, ond plonts flew everywhere. The entire Mount Yunding shook os though on eorthquoke wos hoppening. The spot where Chu Qition wos stonding wos burned os though it wos scorched by the sun. Chu Qition''s sword wos crushed, his clothes tottered os he wos sent flying bockword severol dozens of meters. It seemed thot he hod been burned by o blozing fire, for there were only o few stronds of hoir left on his heod. Blood wos seen trickling down his lips. ¡°T-This...¡± The scene shocked everyone senseless. Those who were busy fightinge to o stop ond goped in utter bewilderment. Their gozes londed on the little boy ot the foot of the mountoin os though he were o monster. Even Huongniu, who wos some distonce owoy, wos stunned by the turn of events. ¡°Whot the f*ck? How did he monoge to do thot? Thot wos beyond his own obility!¡± The little fe sobbed sadly and ran toward Ye Qingtian without hesitation. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. It was a heartbreaking sight for Ye Yuyan, Qin Shan, and the others to behold. Nevertheless, they knew that despite the agony, they had to bring Chu Lin away ording to Ye Qingtian''s wishes. Thus, they ran back and wrapped their arms around Chu Lin to stop him from heading back to danger. ¡°Let me go! Let me go! I''m not leaving. I''m not leaving...¡± Chu Lin wailed. ¡°I want Mr. War God. I don''t want him to die.¡± Chu Lin''s wails pierced the air as he struggled to free himself. s, he was just a kid. No matter how loud he howled and how hard he cried, he couldn''t change anything. After inflicting a serious injury on Ye Qingtian, Chu Qitian showed no signs of stopping. He picked up a sword from the ground, preparing to end the life of China''s guardian. Chu Qitian was about to stab Ye Qingtian when someone cried out behind him, ¡°You''re not allowed to kill Mr. War God!¡± The voice belonged to a child, but it sounded so powerful that it seemed like it was capable of destructing the entire universe. Shock red up Chu Qitian''s heart as he turned over his shoulder immediately. Right at that moment, he saw a shocking burst of power erupting from a tiny figure in the crowd. The scorching energy was as powerful as a sun. What? Chu Qitian gaped incredulously. He promptly leaped away to dodge the attack. However, it was toote. All he could sense was a scorching power pouring out of the little fe like an arrow on fire. Along with a destructive power that could destroy the world, the energy came straight for Chu Qitian. ¡°D*mn it! What the heck is this?¡± Chu Qitian demanded as fear red up in his heart. He unleashed his Dragon God Body to its maximum and brandished his sword before him. Boom! A loud explosion was heard. The horrible energy erupted with Chu Qitian in the eye of the storm. The earth cracked, and nts flew everywhere. The entire Mount Yunding shook as though an earthquake was happening. The spot where Chu Qitian was standing was burned as though it was scorched by the sun. Chu Qitian''s sword was crushed, his clothes tattered as he was sent flying backward several dozens of meters. It seemed that he had been burned by a zing fire, for there were only a few strands of hair left on his head. Blood was seen trickling down his lips. ¡°T-This...¡± The scene shocked everyone senseless. Those who were busy fighting came to a stop and gaped in utter bewilderment. Their gazesnded on the little boy at the foot of the mountain as though he were a monster. Even Huangniu, who was some distance away, was stunned by the turn of events. ¡°What the f*ck? How did he manage to do that? That was beyond his own ability!¡± Chapter 2099 Chapter 2099 Everyone''s eyes went as wide as saucers. No one knew that the destructive attack hade from a little boy. It also didn''t ur to anyone that Chu Lin''s little body was capable of unleashing such a catastrophic force. Ye Yuyan was astounded. The members of Green Dragon Force who were responsible for escorting Chu Lin couldn''t even close their jaws that were hanging wide in disbelief. ¡°I-Is this your doing?¡± Ye Yuyan asked as she gazed at her nephew in shock. Qin Shan''s eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets. We even promised to escort Chu Lin out of Mount Yunding safely and soundly. It looks like he is perfectly capable of protecting himself! Look how strong he is! ¡°He''s indeed Instructor Chu''s son. He didn''t disappoint his father!¡± The people from Jiangdong burst out laughing and cheered after being momentarily stunned. Thanks to Chu Lin''s power, they saw a ray of hope. ¡°D*mn it! Who is this little b*stard? How could he be this formidable?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chu Qitian finally steadied himself and spat out the blood in his mouth. Back when the burst of energy exploded from Chu Lin, he felt his heart skip a beat in terror. Thus, Chu Qitian dared not take action and merely watched the skinny little boy from afar. He was afraid that the kid wouldunch another attack when he wasn''t paying attention. Just as Chu Qitian''s eyes were filled with wariness, Chu Yuan, who had been watching the situation unfold from a distance away,nded his gaze on the little boy. Strangely, Chu Yuan felt that the little boy looked familiar. His eyes and features resembled someone Chu Yuan knew. He resembles both Chu Tianfan and Tang Yun. When people of the Chu Sect were busy wondering who Chu Lin was, thetter turned pale visibly after unleashing that attack. The rosiness on his cheeks was quickly reced by pastiness. He then cked out and fainted in Ye Yuyan''s arms. ¡°Tianqi, this young boy has exerted all his energy, so there''s no need to be afraid of him. However, he is a strange presence. We don''t want to take a risk by letting him escape. When he grows up, he might be the next Chu Tianfan. It is best to kill him now,¡± Chu Yuan ordered with his deep, maic voice. From afar, he instructed Chu Qitian to kill the young boy. He didn''t bothering to the scene to take action personally, for they were nothing but insignificant ants to him. As the old master of the Chu Sect, it would be degrading if he had to do everything himself. ¡°Don''t worry, Grandpa. All these b*stards of Jiangdong won''t be able to escape,¡± Chu Qitian responded. He didn''t need Chu Yuan to remind him to kill the boy as he had the same thought in mind. There is already a terrifying power hidden within the boy when he''s this young. When he grows up, I can''t imagine how powerful he will be. Thus, Chu Qitian decided to nip the problem in the bud. ¡°ze, help the elders. I will take the little b*stard''s life,¡± he ordered. He had already lost his patience. I have had enough fun, so it is time to wipe them outpletely. Roar! ze couldn''t wait to take action. A murderous aura appeared in its crimson red irises. After letting out a loud roar, ze increased in size exponentially. Transforming into a Grim Reaper-like entity, ze charged toward the foot of Mount Yunding and ughtered everyone in his sight. Meanwhile, Chu Qitian lunged toward Chu Lin. Two battles ensued simultaneously¡ªon top of the mountain and at the foot of the mountain. It was a dangerous situation. ze was the Chu Sect''s Sacred Beast, so no one could defeat it after it joined the battle on Mount Yunding. It swept its wings that were as sharp as des across its enemies and took many lives instantly. The martial artists from China fell one by one as they sacrificed their lives and got trampled under ze''s metal hooves. ¡°Long! Gunzi!¡± Li Er, Chen Ao, and the like nearly teared up when they saw their ex-subordinates copsing in pools of blood on the battleground. ¡°B*stard, you''ll pay for that!¡± Li Er yelled. He picked up his gun and made to rush forward to kill the monster. Nevertheless, Jin Bao and Yin Bao flung their arms around him to stop him from advancing. ¡°Mr. Li, you can''t leave! You need to protect Mr. Chu''s rtives!¡± they cried. Behind Li Er, Ye Fan''s uncle, Ye Tian, Ye Ya, and his aunt Ye Xn wore dejected expressions. Their faces were as pale as a sheet. Before this, they never knew that Ye Fan, who had elevated their family to a higher level and given them wealth and power, would bring destruction to their family one day. Ye Tian and the others knew that the Ye family would most probably follow in Ye Fan''s footsteps today. ¡°Mr. Li, be careful!¡± When Jin Bao and Yin Bao were busy stopping Li Er, ze noticed them. Its gigantic w lunged toward them. ze was an enormous creature, so the force of its w rivaled the crushing pressure of a mountain. ¡°Sh*t, we''re doomed!¡± Ye Fan''s cousin brother, Ye Jian, felt despair overwhelming his heart. The others promptly shut their eyes as they epted the finality of their fates. At the final moment, a figure dashed out. Huangniu stood on its hind legs and stretched its front legs out, stopping ze''s w from striking them. ¡°F*ck! Ye Fan, you useless piece of sh*t. I did contribute this time. I''ll make sure you acknowledge my efforts when you return!¡± Huangniu hollered as it clenched its jaws and lifted the massive w with all its might. Huongniu then tossed the socred beost of Chu Sect into the sky, ond it londed over o hundred meters owoy. ¡°Whot the f*ck? I con''t believe this colf is so strong!¡± Everyone else were dumbfounded by its strength. Ye Fon''s friend, Fotty, used to think thot Huongniu wos unrelioble. To everyone''s surprise, Huongniu ended up soving them oll ot o criticol moment. It lifted the monster''s clow ond tossed the lotter owoy! After doing thot, Huongniu turned oround ond yelled, ¡°Whot ore you doing? Run!¡± The Chu Sect''s Socred Beost is powerful. I connot defeot it even if I om willing to risk my life. Besides, there is no woy I''ll risk my life for Ye Fon''s soke. I wos just helping him. I''ll ot most unleosh twenty percent of my power. It isn''t worth it to woste more energy on him. The donger wos resolved for the time being. Nevertheless, Chu Lin wosn''t os lucky. After Chu Lin fointed out of exhoustion, Ye Yuyon picked him up ond doshed down the mountoin. Qin Shon, Li Ziyong, ond the other members of the Green Drogon Force stoyed behind to cover their retreot. Alos, they were no motch for Chu Qition, who wos o Supreme. In the blink of on eye, Chu Qition hod olreody cought up ond wos behind them. ¡°D*mn it! How did he cotch up thot quickly? Everyone, get into position! We need to stop him!¡± Despite their shock, Li Ziyong ond the rest quickly got into their positions. ¡°Thunder Drogon Formotion!¡± they roored. Boom! An immense force burst out ond spurred into the oir. The Thunder Drogon shot up into the sky. Yeors loter, the legendory Comprehensive Arroy Attock thot mode the Green Drogon Force fomous wos shown ogoin. Bock then, the Green Drogon Force tortured the speciol forces of Chino''s four bottle zones bodly with this Comprehensive Arroy Attock. However, their enemy todoy wos Chu Tionfon of the Chu Sect, which wos the most influentiol fomily in the world. The result wosn''t difficult to imogine. Chu Qition wosn''t even ofroid of their strongest ottock. He swung his fist out to send Li Ziyong ond the rest flying thousonds of meters owoy. They coughed out blood from the impoct of his punch. ¡°This is the end, little fello.¡± Chu Qition destroyed the Green Drogon Force''s defense ond finollye to Chu Lin ond Ye Yuyon. After forming o sword with his finger, he sent it in Ye Yuyon ond Chu Lin''s direction. It seemed thot he wos prepored to sloy them both with one move. Huangniu then tossed the sacred beast of Chu Sect into the sky, and itnded over a hundred meters away. ¡°What the f*ck? I can''t believe this calf is so strong!¡± Everyone else were dumbfounded by its strength. Ye Fan''s friend, Fatty, used to think that Huangniu was unreliable. To everyone''s surprise, Huangniu ended up saving them all at a critical moment. It lifted the monster''s w and tossed thetter away! After doing that, Huangniu turned around and yelled, ¡°What are you doing? Run!¡± The Chu Sect''s Sacred Beast is powerful. I cannot defeat it even if I am willing to risk my life. Besides, there is no way I''ll risk my life for Ye Fan''s sake. I was just helping him. I''ll at most unleash twenty percent of my power. It isn''t worth it to waste more energy on him. The danger was resolved for the time being. Nevertheless, Chu Lin wasn''t as lucky. After Chu Lin fainted out of exhaustion, Ye Yuyan picked him up and dashed down the mountain. Qin Shan, Li Ziyang, and the other members of the Green Dragon Force stayed behind to cover their retreat. s, they were no match for Chu Qitian, who was a Supreme. In the blink of an eye, Chu Qitian had already caught up and was behind them. ¡°D*mn it! How did he catch up that quickly? Everyone, get into position! We need to stop him!¡± Despite their shock, Li Ziyang and the rest quickly got into their positions. ¡°Thunder Dragon Formation!¡± they roared. Boom! An immense force burst out and spurred into the air. The Thunder Dragon shot up into the sky. Yearster, the legendary Comprehensive Array Attack that made the Green Dragon Force famous was shown again. Back then, the Green Dragon Force tortured the special forces of China''s four battle zones badly with this Comprehensive Array Attack. However, their enemy today was Chu Tianfan of the Chu Sect, which was the most influential family in the world. The result wasn''t difficult to imagine. Chu Qitian wasn''t even afraid of their strongest attack. He swung his fist out to send Li Ziyang and the rest flying thousands of meters away. They coughed out blood from the impact of his punch. ¡°This is the end, little fe.¡± Chu Qitian destroyed the Green Dragon Force''s defense and finally came to Chu Lin and Ye Yuyan. After forming a sword with his finger, he sent it in Ye Yuyan and Chu Lin''s direction. It seemed that he was prepared to y them both with one move. Chapter 2100 Chapter 2100 Whoosh! The sharp and icy sword energy pierced his body, sttering blood all over Ye Yuyan. While everyone watched in horror, the massive body copsed onto the ground with a loud thud. A gaping and bloody hole emerged on his chest. Ye Yuyan stood there, paralyzed by shock. The stters of blood at the side of her eyes dripped down like droplets of rain. ¡°Grandpa!¡± At the same time, an ear-splitting shriek sounded at the back of the crowd. Zhang Zixi, the eldest daughter of the Zhang family from Jiangbei, sprinted toward her grandfather like a mad woman. Sorrow filled her eyes as tears flowed down her delicate face endlessly. There was nothing more agonizing in the world than watching a loved one copse in front of one''s own eyes. Zhang Zixi had been with her grandfather since young and everything she knew was taught by him. Zhang Jiuling was Zhang Zixi''s entire world. She used to think that she could keep living with her grandfather forever¡ªhe would watch her get married, start a family and bear a great-grandchild for him. Why is this happening? Is Grandpa going to die on Mount Yunding before he even sees me get married? ¡°Ms. Zhang, you can''t go over... You can''t...¡± The martial artists of Jiangbei held Zhang Zixi back with all their might. Since Chu Qitian was there, Zhang Zixi would be sending herself to her own death if she went over. Far from being of any help, she would instead sacrifice her own life. ¡°Let go of me! Let go of me!¡± screamed Zhang Zixi, her miserable voice resonating throughout the entire Mount Yunding. That was the harsh reality of war¡ªone filled with cruelty and bloodshed. The transition between life and death could happen in the blink of an eye. Even someone like Ye Qingtian would struggle to survive in such a vicious war. If that was the case for people at the peak of power, those insignificant and powerless figures would be even more helpless. ¡°What an idiot. Get lost!¡± Chu Qitian was outraged when he saw that his attack was blocked by someone. He kicked Zhang Jiuling, who was covered in blood, aside. This hero, who had ruled Jiangbei for his entire life, was not even worthy enough for Chu Qitian to cast a single nce at him. In fact, he couldn''t even be bothered to know Zhang Jiuling''s name. Yet, immediately after Chu Qitian kicked Zhang Jiuling aside, thetter crawled over and gripped the former forcefully despite his severe injuries. Chu Qitian was infuriated. I didn''t expect this old man to be so stubborn. He still dares to block my path despite being seriously injured! In a fit of rage, Chu Qitiannded countless violent kicks on the old man. Thud! Thud! Thud! Despite the blood spurting out of his mouth, Zhang Jiuling refused to let go. ¡°Mr. Zhang...¡± Tears streamed down Ye Yuyan''s cheeks as she watched on, her pretty face filled with shock. ¡°Quick... Bring Mr. Chu''s son away now...¡± said Zhang Jiuling hoarsely. Only then did Ye Yuyan return to her senses. Biting her lower lip, she no longer had time to care about Zhang Jiuling''s situation. She spun around with Chu Lin in her arms and continued running. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± There was no way Chu Qitian would let them leave. Although Zhang Jiuling was grabbing onto his legs, his hands were free to move. He mustered his strength and concentrated his Qi on his palm. Then, he sent an aggressive attack in Ye Yuyan''s direction. ¡°Let''s see who can save you this time!¡± An evil smirk yed on Chu Qitian''s lips. The attack, charged with endless power, streaked forward rapidly and engulfed the entire ce with its terrifying force. ¡°I''m still here!¡± A furious bellow suddenly rang out. Another figure rushed out from the battlefield at the back. He raised his sword with unwavering determination. Despite being covered head to toe in blood, a defiant look zed in his eyes. His resolute words boomed across Mount Yunding. Shortly afterward, he charged forward with a sword in his hand and a golden glint shing across his eyes. It seemed like lightning was surging through his body. Golden bolts of lightning crackled all over his sword. ¡°This is... This is the Lightning Maneuver!¡± When everyone saw Lu Ziming''s strange demeanor, they were taken aback. ¡°Did he manage to master the Lightning Maneuver?¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°I thought that Mortal Spark didn''t finish writing about the Lightning Maneuver?¡± Everyone was astonished. The technique that Lu Ziming was currently using was none other than the Lightning Maneuver, which Ye Fan had posted in the forum. Although he did not finish publishing it on the forum, Ye Fan had taught Lu Ziming the technique personally when he was in Jiangbei. Lu Ziming was using it at this critical juncture. Hum! The sword hummed with the Power of Lightning and shed ferociously with Chu Qitian''s attack. However, there was a huge difference between their powers. Despite having Ye Fan''s guidance, all Lu Ziming could do was block Chu Qitian''s attack momentarily. A loud buzzing sound rang out in the next moment as the sword in Lu Ziming''s hand cracked. After shattering Lu Ziming''s sword, the attack did not diminish in strength at all andnded on his body heavily. His ribs cracked as blood sprayed into the air. He grunted in pain and was sent flying away and crashing onto the ground harshly. Luckily, the Lightning Maneuver that Ye Fan had taught him was able to strengthen his body. Even after suffering that heavy blow, Lu Ziming got back to his feet quickly. He spat the blood out of his mouth and stood in front of Chu Qitian. ¡°Don''t even think about killing Mr. Chu''s son! I owe Mr. Chu a huge favor. You''ll have to step over my dead body before you can harm a single hair on his son''s head!¡± yelled Lu Ziming through gritted teeth. Although his opponent wos undefeotoble ond wos one of the most powerful people in the mortiol orts world, Lu Ziming wos feorless. All he could feel wos unwovering foith ond determinotion. ¡°He''s Chu Tionfon''s son? Hohoho!¡± Chu Qition suddenly burst out loughing. ¡°I wos wondering who is thot brot! Thonk you for telling me thot he''s Chu Tionfon''s son. If thot''s the cose, oll the more reoson he must die!¡± Wielding on even stronger murderous intent, Chu Qition chorged forword while unleoshing o borroge of fotol ottocks. However, Zhong Jiuling ond Lu Ziming blocked everything. Meonwhile, Zhong Jiuling hod olreody collopsed on the ground, with blood covering his body ond zero strength left within him. As for Lu Ziming, even though one of his orms wos broken, he still stood up resiliently. ¡°D*mn you! Both of you reolly wont to die, huh? Whot''s so greot obout Chu Tionfon thot you''d socrifice your life for him?¡± Chu Qition wos extremely onnoyed. Although those two men were not powerful, they were like irritoting pests. No motter how bodly he beot them up, they refused to give up ond insisted on getting in his woy. ¡°M-Mr. Chu hos helped m-me ond the notion o lot... W-We''ve olreody let him down once. We must not let him down onother time,¡± spot Lu Ziming through clenched jows. Every time he opened his mouth, blood dribbled down his lips. ¡°Fine! If thot''s the cose, I''ll fulfill your wish!¡± Chu Qition hodpletely lost his potience. When he stomped on the ground, two blodes flew up. Under Chu Qition''s control, the blodes flew toword Lu Ziming viciously. When the people of Jiongdong sow thot from ofor, they screomed ot the top of their lungs, ¡°Dodge thot, Mr. Lu!¡± However, Lu Ziming stored ot the blodes zooming toword him feorlessly. Insteod of dodging, he spreod out his orms ond blocked the blodes with his body. He knew thot if he hod dodged, Ye Fon''s son, who wos behind him, would be in donger. With o foint smile on his lips, he prepored to withstond the ottocks from the blodes. ¡°Mr. Chu, I''m sorry... We... We''ve reolly tried our best...¡± Whoosh! The shorp blodes stobbed Lu Ziming''s body, piercing through it in on instont. Scorlet blood splottered oll over the oreo, momentorily dyeing the oir oround it red. Unbeknownst to everyone, there wos o humon ond o dog ot the for end of the horizon. They were sprinting toword Lu Ziming''s direction so ropidly thot their figures morphed into o blur. In foct, it wos not just two figures. From o further distonce, one would reolize thot there were thousonds of people hurrying over so quickly thot their figures seemed like streoks of light. It wos like o tsunomi! Although his opponent was undefeatable and was one of the most powerful people in the martial arts world, Lu Ziming was fearless. All he could feel was unwavering faith and determination. ¡°He''s Chu Tianfan''s son? Hahaha!¡± Chu Qitian suddenly burst outughing. ¡°I was wondering who is that brat! Thank you for telling me that he''s Chu Tianfan''s son. If that''s the case, all the more reason he must die!¡± Wielding an even stronger murderous intent, Chu Qitian charged forward while unleashing a barrage of fatal attacks. However, Zhang Jiuling and Lu Ziming blocked everything. Meanwhile, Zhang Jiuling had already copsed on the ground, with blood covering his body and zero strength left within him. As for Lu Ziming, even though one of his arms was broken, he still stood up resiliently. ¡°D*mn you! Both of you really want to die, huh? What''s so great about Chu Tianfan that you''d sacrifice your life for him?¡± Chu Qitian was extremely annoyed. Although those two men were not powerful, they were like irritating pests. No matter how badly he beat them up, they refused to give up and insisted on getting in his way.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°M-Mr. Chu has helped m-me and the nation a lot... W-We''ve already let him down once. We must not let him down another time,¡± spat Lu Ziming through clenched jaws. Every time he opened his mouth, blood dribbled down his lips. ¡°Fine! If that''s the case, I''ll fulfill your wish!¡± Chu Qitian hadpletely lost his patience. When he stomped on the ground, two des flew up. Under Chu Qitian''s control, the des flew toward Lu Ziming viciously. When the people of Jiangdong saw that from afar, they screamed at the top of their lungs, ¡°Dodge that, Mr. Lu!¡± However, Lu Ziming stared at the des zooming toward him fearlessly. Instead of dodging, he spread out his arms and blocked the des with his body. He knew that if he had dodged, Ye Fan''s son, who was behind him, would be in danger. With a faint smile on his lips, he prepared to withstand the attacks from the des. ¡°Mr. Chu, I''m sorry... We... We''ve really tried our best...¡± Whoosh! The sharp des stabbed Lu Ziming''s body, piercing through it in an instant. Scarlet blood sttered all over the area, momentarily dyeing the air around it red. Unbeknownst to everyone, there was a human and a dog at the far end of the horizon. They were sprinting toward Lu Ziming''s direction so rapidly that their figures morphed into a blur. In fact, it was not just two figures. From a further distance, one would realize that there were thousands of people hurrying over so quickly that their figures seemed like streaks of light. It was like a tsunami! Chapter 2101 Chapter 2101 As the sword pierced his body, blood gushed out uncontrobly like a waterfall. All Lu Ziming could feel was his body bing heavy, to the point that his legs could no longer support his weight. With a loud thud, he toppled onto the ground. ¡°No! Mr. Lu... Don''t die...¡± When Ye Yuyan saw Lu Ziming lying in a pool of blood after sacrificing himself to protect them, tears streamed down her cheeks. Even if she had a heart of steel, she would still feel devastated after seeing so many people die trying to protect them. Ye Yuyan was already at the brink of despair. She no longer wanted to escape as she knew that it was impossible for her to flee with Chu Lin. The members of Chu Sect were everywhere. No matter where she cast her gaze, there were terrifying fighters whom she could not defeat surrounding them. There was no point in escaping. Doing that would only harm even more people, who would die on their behalf. Eventually, Ye Yuyan stopped in her tracks, her pretty and fair face tear-stricken. Chu Lin''s eyes were closed while hey in her arms, his chest heaving slightly as he breathed. He was like a child fast asleep in his mother''s embrace. Cradling him, Ye Yuyan lowered her head and stroked his face. As huge beads of tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrobly, they dripped onto Chu Lin''s face. He''s a really adorable little fe. Although Ye Yuyan did not mind her own death, she pitied Chu Lin. The boy wasn''t even five years old, and he had just started his life. In fact, he hadn''t even seen his father before. Yet, he had to die in this unfortunate catastrophe. Sometimes, Ye Yuyan could not help butment the cruelty of reality. Why should a little kid like him be involved in the treacherous world of adults? When Ye Yuyan halted in her tracks, a smirk spread across Chu Qitian''s face. He was finally going to seed in taking revenge. ¡°Oh, Chu Tianfan... So what if you''ve led such a glorious and splendid life? You can''t even protect your wife and child. How ashamed would you be to continue living in this world? Hahaha!¡± Chu Qitian burst outughing. Hisughter was filled with smugness, relish, and more importantly, a sense of pompousness. It had been too long. For ten years, he had been pursuing Ye Fan, aiming to take his life. However, after the battle in the rainforest, Chu Qitian waspletely oppressed by Ye Fan, unable to fight back. Everyone looked down on Chu Qitian, thinking that he was iparable to Chu Tianfan. All the glory and fame had been stolen by Ye Fan, that illegitimate b*stard who was abandoned by the family. No one had imagined that the abandoned child would one day be the center of the martial arts world and the topic of everyone''s discussion. For the past few years, Chu Qitian had been wallowing in fury, despair, and helplessness. Fueled by endless jealousy, not a day passed without him yearning to crush Chu Tianfan under his feet and regain the glory that rightfully belonged to him. This moment had finally arrived! As long as he killed Chu Tianfan''s son, it would be the biggest humiliation to Chu Tianfan. At the same time, it would also be Chu Qitian''s first time treading Ye Fan''s bottom line. ¡°Hahaha! Die, my dear nephew!¡± Cackling devilishly, Chu Qitian concentrated all of his power on his palm. The fatal attack had already taken form. No one could stop him at that moment. With Zhang Jiuling and Lu Ziming down, no one could save them. ¡°Repay the debts that your father owes me with your life! Die!¡± roared Chu Qitian, his vicious words dripping with coldness and murderous intent. Everyone saw a white sh of light swirling on Chu Qitian''s hand. Like a humongous sword, the light shot toward Chu Lin and Ye Yuyan aggressively. ¡°B*stard! Stop it right now!¡± yelled Li Er and the others anxiously upon witnessing that scene. Their eyes turned bloodshot. At the same time, they stared at Huangniu pleadingly, hoping that it would save that pitiful child. ¡°I can''t save them, dumb*sses! I''m about to die!¡± Huangniu had just been flogged by ze''s whip. A bloody streak surfaced on its face, which burned with searing pain. ¡°D*mn it! I knew that this b*stard is hard to deal with. I''m not doing this anymore. Otherwise, I''d die right here.¡± After being whipped, Huangniu took the opportunity and slipped away. I wouldn''t be able to protect Mount Yunding even if I stayed. Instead, I might even end up dying, so I would rather escape than apany everyone else to the grave. With Huangniu''s departure, the situation spiraled downward. Chu Sect''s army began to overwhelm the people of Jiangdong, and the situation had be gravely dangerous for them. Suddenly, a massive rock cracked apart. Fragments of the rock mmed against Li Er, causing him to crash heavily on the ground. Prostrating on the ground with his face covered in blood, Li Er cast onest nce at the people of Jiangdong who were trapped in this dire situation. Then, he looked at Ye Yuyan and Chu Lin, who were on the brink of death. Having exhausted all of his powers, Li Er stared at the sky and wailed in despair, ¡°Mr. Chu, I''ve let you down... If you can hear us, please save your people!¡± Chen Ao and Lei San knelt on the ground as well while despair, sorrow, and guilt tormented them. ¡°Mr. Chu... I, Chen Ao, have failed you...¡± Even Lei San was crying too, with tears streaming down his cheeks. ¡°We are too incapable, Mr. Chu. We can''t even protect thest of your bloodline...¡± They were not the only ones weeping. At that moment, numerous people on Mount Yunding were in tears. Chen Nan, Chen Ao''s daughter, could not hold back her fear anymore. Filled with hopelessness, she called out for Ye Fan. Hugging his wife and child, Fatty was also sobbing uncontrobly and clinging to the hope that Ye Fan would rescue them. There was a saying that went: If a great general was standing guard, he would not have let the enemies ransack his territory. Hence, when the soldiers of Jiangdong were in utter despair, there was only one person''s name in their minds. It was none other than Ye Fan! Chu Tianfan, the first in the Sky Ranking. During the Tai Shan martial artspetition, he rose to fame after his victory, battling countless powerful fighters and withstanding consecutive blows with his weak physique. At the battle of Weske, he terrified everyone by dominating the martial arts world single-handedly. He had once journeyed to Japan alone as if he was entering a no man''snd. Moreover, he had once barged into Chu Sect alone, wielding a powerful and divine aura as if he were a god descending on the earth. He was Mr. Chu of Jiangdong, the sole glimmer of hope for his people during the darkest of times. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. However, he had already fallen. ¡°If Mr. Chu is still here, he wouldn''t have let the Chu Sect b*stards wreak havoc on China!¡± Numerous people wailed in despair on Mount Yunding. Ye Qingtian, who was barely hanging in there, knew that there was no way out. Tears rolled down his deep-set eyes. However, at this critical moment between life and death, a beam suddenly illuminated the end of the horizon. Soon, a voice charged with fury descended from the sky as if it came straight from the milky way. ¡°Absolute Force! Mountain-splitting Punch! Boundless Destruction!¡± Boom! When that voice rang out, the people of Jiangdong felt like they had just seen a light in the midst of nightmarish darkness. It was like chancing upon a clear stream after journeying through the harsh desert. For a moment, everyone felt like space and time had just frozen. The breeze no longer blew and the grass no longer swayed. Even the noisy chaos around them had disappeared into thin air. Li Er raised his head, Chen Ao widened his eyes, and Lei San froze. Chen Nan, Zhang Zixi, Fatty, and all of Ye Fan''s friends and acquaintances were dumbfounded. They raised their heads simultaneously and stared in the direction of the voice like devout followers gazing at the source of their faith. A brilliant ray of light tore through the sky, splitting it into two. It was like booms of thunder that could prate the depths of the ground and streaks of lightning that could pierce through the heavens. Exuding endless power and force, it seemed to signify the descent of the gods. Chapter 2102 Chapter 2102 ¡°That ethereal voice?¡± Li Er raised his head. ¡°That immense aura?¡± Chen Ao widened his eyes. ¡°That unparalleled stateliness?¡± Lei San''s body trembled. ¡°Those boastful words...¡± Huangniu, who fled into the distance, looked back. ¡°It''s Mr. Chu!¡± Jiangdong''s disciples shouted in unison. ¡°It''s Ye Fan!¡± Chen Nan burst into tears instantly. ¡°It''s Ye Fan!¡± Fatty teared up on the spot. At this moment, everyone on Mount Yunding saw their brightest glimmer of hope. A second ago, the people who were in a desperate and mournful situation were now full of hope. Li Er and the others had never expected that Ye Fan, who had passed away three years ago, would appear again after his death. ¡°Are we finally there?¡± When the dying Lu Ziming and Zhang Jiuling sensed the aura at the end of the horizon, a gratifying smile immediately appeared on their bloodied lips. Atst, their mission was aplished, as they finally got to witness that person''s return. Zhang Jiuling had always believed that Ye Fan woulde back one day. He longed for thetter''s return like a cicada firmly waiting for the arrival of spring and a fish being certain that the river would thaw. Thus, they were sure that Ye Fan, who valued friendship and loyalty, would rush back to their rescue. He might bete, but he would never be absent. While everyone was still trembling in shock, the punch had already pierced through the void and fell from the sky, aiming at Chu Qitian in a fierce manner. ¡°What?¡± The same kind of extreme fear that Chu Qitian felt just now from Chu Lin grabbed his throat in an instant. Once again, he felt the imminent threat of death. The thunderstruck Chu Qitian no longer cared about killing the little fe. Changing the direction of his attack, he quickly directed all of his power toward the iing punch. Meanwhile, Chu Qitian increased his defense to the maximum, but even so, he was still not at ease. ¡°ze,e over to help me!¡± At the critical moment, Chu Qitian activated Jade Eyes and summoned ze to hurry over to assist its master. However, at that very moment, the overwhelming punchnded, colliding with Chu Qitian''s attack. Bang! That loud noise sounded like another had collided with the earth, propagating to the entire urban area of Yunzhou. The horrifying sound waves spread out in all directions at a speed of hundreds of meters per second. Even the huge ss windows of the skyscrapers that were several kilometers away were shattered by the sound waves. The ripples of the explosion alone were powerful enough to deal such a blow. Thus, one could only imagine the horrifying situation in the center of the explosion. Whoosh! After the brief explosion, a figure emerged from the bem like a sh of lightning. It was none other than Chu Qitian, who had escaped from the center of the mayhem. ¡°Phew...¡± After he came out, he breathed a sigh of relief. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Luckily, my attack just now had destroyed the punch''s energy. Otherwise, even though I had Dragon God Body, I would still suffer to an extent. Despite that, just as Chu Qitian assumed that he was safe and sound, Chu Yuan in the distance seemed to see something and immediately gaped. ¡°Tianqi, watch out!¡± What? At first, Chu Qitian was dumbfounded, wondering why his grandfather alerted him. After all, the punch''s energy had been shattered by him. His confusion onlysted for a second, as in the next second, he discovered the source of danger. Chu Qitian saw several punches of energy streaking out from the center of the explosion before him, charging menacingly toward him. Undoubtedly, Chu Qitian was stunned to the core. ¡°H-How is this possible? I''ve dispersed the punch''s force just now. Why hasn''t it disappeared?¡± Seemingly hysterical, Chu Qitian paled and backed away in extreme fear. However, it was toote. The punches that followed smashed directly on Chu Qitian''s body. And it was not just one punch; it was eight in total. Like a rapid drum beat, itnded one after another on Chu Qitian. The first punch sent Chu Qitian flying a hundred meters away, and the second punch tore the Dragon God Body''s defense. Then, the third and the fourth punch directly prated the Dragon God Body that Chu Qitian was proud of. Thest remaining four punches exploded almost at the same time. Splurt! Ribs were broken, and blood was gushing out. Who would have thought that a few seconds ago, the young master of Chu Sect, who was still showing off his might and massacring his enemies, would end up in such a miserable state after being struck down by the other party in one move? That was what Absolute Force and Mountain-splitting Punch could do. With nine punches in total, Chu Tianqi was beaten to a pulp. It didn''t matter that he was a supreme grandmaster and he had the protection of Dragon God Body. Even if he got lucky with the first punch, the remaining eight punches could still send him six feet under. ¡°Qitian!¡± Chu Yuan''s expression changed drastically. ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± The powerful fighters of Chu Sect were also horrified. ze let out a long cry of grief as well. They saw with their own eyes that as Chu Qitian was sent flying in the air, he spewed out blood and knocked over countless things along the way. In the end, ze rushed over in time to catch its master, preventing Chu Qitian from suffering more injuries if he fell to the ground. ¡°Qitian, are you all right? Qitian, wake up and look at me...¡± Chu Yuan rushed over and held Chu Qitian in his arms with his eyes reddened, his voice quivering. Chu Qitian tried his best to open his eyes and speak, but blood kept gushing out of his mouth. ¡°Grandpa, I-I''m fine. Let me r-rest for a while. I-I can still fight. B-But Grandpa, a-as your grandson, I- I''ve embarrassed you with my ipetence.¡± Chu Qitian was still alive. After all, he was a supreme grandmaster, and he had extraordinary skills. Just a punch was not enough to take his life. However, there was no doubt that Boundless Destruction had done a great deal of damage to Chu Qitian. His aura withered instantly. ¡°You did a good job. It''s okay as long as you''re all right. Just recuperate, and leave the rest to me.¡± Chu Yuanforted his grandson. Until then, he still didn''t know the identity of the person who had just arrived. Currently, Ye Yuyan was sprawled out on the ground on Mount Yunding, holding her nephew in her arms and looking up with anticipation and uncertainty in her heart. Li Er, Chen Ao, and Lei San were looking into the distance as well. In short, all of the survivors were looking to the far east, where the punches and boastful words came from. Although plenty of them had an assumption in their minds, an assumption was just an assumption when they had not seen the figure yet. Finally, a small dot showed up at the far end. ¡°Here he is!¡± ¡°He''sing.¡± ¡°Is it Mr. Chu?¡± Everyone watched nervously and waited in anticipation. The tiny ck dot slowly erged. In the end, the ck shadow dashed over the hills and came toward them while roaring like a ferocious tiger. They were finally able to see it clearly. It was a dog. Woof! Woof! Woof! Its sharp barks pierced through the air. ckie leaped high into the air and rushed up Mount Yunding. It looked around, and finally, its gaze fell on Ye Yuyan in the distance. Then, the dog barked and rushed in Ye Yuyan''s direction. ¡°Oh, no. It''sing for Lin!¡± Shocked, Li Er thought the ck dog was targeting Lin. The truth, however, proved him wrong. After the ck dog rushed over, it opened its mouth and licked Ye Yuyan''s slender, long legs, then patted Ye Yuyan''s ample bosom with its paw. ¡°What...¡± Li Er was stupefied. Huangniu''s eyes were also wide from shock. There''s a person who''s even more perverse than me? No, I mean, a dog... But it''s not the time to dwell on this now. Currently, everyone looked at the ck dog that suddenly barged in and exchanged nces with each other. Is this perverse dog the one who rescued us just now? Just when everyone was wondering what was happening, a gust of wind blew through the area. This time, on the peak of Mount Yunding, the thin figure appearedpletely. Chapter 2103 Chapter 2103 The vast sky was blood red. On the summit of Mount Yunding, an aloof figure stood there upright like a long spear. The moment he emerged, everyone felt like the grand mountains were merely his backdrop. His hair and clothes fluttered in the wind, and the setting sun painted him red. As he stood on the horizon, he looked down at the mountains with an unfathomable gaze. This ce was once his abode where he made countless beautiful and heartwarming memories with his wife. It was a home he coulde back to in order to rest his body and soul. Yet now, the peace had been shattered, and the good times were left in the past. All he could feel and see were the chilling wind and traces of blood. At that moment, indescribable sorrow and immense anger surged through him. ¡°D*mn you, Chu Sect! Were you the ones who did this?¡± His angry voice boomed like thunder. The next second, a powerful force exploded like a nuclear bomb from where he stood and spread out swiftly in all directions. Everyone was struck dumb by the tremendous power he unleashed. Even Anderson, the elder of Chu Sect, was stunned. ¡°Oh no! Hurry and take cover! Hide!¡± Sensing the terrifying energy in the outburst, Anderson widened his eyes and urged the members of Chu Sect to take cover behind structures. However, none of them could beat the speed of the energy wave. Following the person''s roar, the ground of Mount Yunding shook violently. Rocks shattered into bits, and cracks appeared on the ground rapidly as if an earthquake had just happened. Naturally, the people standing on the ground were worse off. Screams were heard the next moment as countless Chu Sect members were sent flying while spewing blood. Even Anderson and the other Supreme Grandmasters failed to defend themselves from the power of the roar. They were forced to stagger back a few steps; each step of theirs made a crater on the ground. ¡°D*mn it! Who''s there? Who is he? How could he be so powerful?¡± Considering how just one roar carried so much power, the man was most likely on a much higher level than a supreme grandmaster. At that thought, Anderson felt like he was about to go insane. He couldn''t understand why it was so difficult to take over a tiny Jiangdong when they had already taken down War God Castle on Mount Yan.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. idents kept happening. There was first the odd formation and that creepy calf, and now, an unknown person was standing in their way. With the warriors of Chu Sect hurled hundreds of meters away, only the people from China were left on Mount Yunding. As the dust gradually settled to the ground, the face of the lean figure was finally revealed. ¡°I-It''s...¡± ¡°Mr. Chu, is that really you?¡± Although Li Er and the others had a hunch, they were still thunderstruck when they saw the man again after so many years. Soon, the faces of everyone from Jiangdong were wet with tears. ¡°It''s Mr. Chu. It''s really Mr. Chu! Mr. Chu''s spirit saw our sufferings and finally showed up to save us!¡± Li Er couldn''t help but shed tears of joy. Without hesitation, he dropped down to his knees in Ye Fan''s direction. Seeing that, the others did the same. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Chu. Thank you for thinking of us even after your death.¡± ¡°Long live Mr. Chu!¡± In no time, half of the people on Mount Yunding were on their knees. Ye Yuyan remained standing, though her beautiful eyes were also gleaming with tears. The injured members of Green Dragon Force, including Qin Shan and Gao Dazhuang, did not kneel either. For some reason, the three of them had a feeling that the figure before them was not Ye Fan''s spirit. Rather, he was the real Ye Fan. ¡°Li... Li Er... Those idiots...¡± The dying Lu Ziming, whoy there while breathing heavily, smiled helplessly. That''s the real Ye Fan! He''s alive and well. He didn''t expect the people from Jiangdong to think that it was Ye Fan''s spirit. Huangniu, who was hiding in the distance, also chuckled in exasperation. ¡°Gosh, are you guys stupid? Ye Fan isn''t dead. What death and spirit are you talking about?¡± it cursed at Li Er and hispany. Then, it swung its tail and ran to Ye Fan. ¡°You fool! Why didn''t you wait till they''re all dead before coming? D*mn it, you made me risk my life for you while you were enjoying out there! Look at how bruised my handsome face is!¡± As Huangniuined in annoyance, it even pointed at its scarred face with its hoof like a general showing his scars to the king after returning from battle. Unlike his usual self, Ye Fan did not argue with Huangniu this time. He nced at the calf and said, ¡°You''ve worked hard.¡± With that, he walked down Mount Yunding and first headed toward Ye Qingtian. Ye Qingtian was covered in blood, seeming like he was on the brink of death. Nevertheless, he couldn''t conceal the astonishment and surprise when he saw Ye Fan. He reached out and touched Ye Fan, asking, ¡°It''s... It''s really you? You''re not dead?¡± His voice was as feeble as a candlelight in the wind. Ye Fan nodded and answered softly, ¡°War God, I didn''t die. I am back.¡± His words were met with a long silence. After some time, a relieved smile appeared on Ye Qingtian''s sorrowful face. ¡°Haha... Hahaha!¡± He startedughing, but blood gushed out of his mouth soon as a series of coughs overtook him. Ye Fan hurriedly took out a pill and fed it to Ye Qingtian. ¡°Don''t talk anymore. You''re heavily wounded. Take this pill. It can''t heal your injuries, but it can replenish your energy. Once the war is over, I''ll get you treated. Hang in there, War God. Just hang in there until I end this war.¡± There were no traces of sadness or joy on Ye Fan''s attractive face. However, people close to him would know that this meant he was utterly infuriated and saddened. Ye Qingtian smiled. Unable to talk anymore, he pointed at Ye Yuyan and then in the opposite direction of Mount Yunding. What he was trying to say was clear. He wanted Ye Fan to escape with his child. Chu Sect was way too powerful. They had Chu Yuan, several Supreme elders, that monster, and even Tang Yun, who had yet to appear. There was no way Ye Fan alone could close the huge gap between Chu Sect and the martial arts world of China. War God Castle had fallen, and the pirs of China had also copsed. Even Ye Qingtian himself had been incapacitated. Now, China only had Ye Fan to count on. ¡°War God, I''ve hidden for three years, and I won''t do that anymore. We have to put an end to this. If we win, I will rebuild China with you. If we lose, we will die together,¡± Ye Fan said in a low voice. His firm words felt heavier than a mountain. Chapter 2104 Chapter 2104 Ye Fan knew what Ye Qingtian meant. Thetter was the protector of China and the leader of the country''s martial arts world. He cared the most about the country, the people, and the future of the martial arts world. Thus, he didn''t want Ye Fan to take risks. He wanted Ye Fan to run away because he wanted the future pir of China''s martial arts world to live. Ye Fan was still young. Be it ten years or twenty years, he could afford to wait. Time was on China''s side. With Ye Fan''s talent, he only needed to keep a low profile for ten more years. By then, even Chu Sect would be unable to stop him from rising to power. Ye Qingtian did not want Ye Fan to fight again that day because there was no point in taking such risks. However, it was obvious that Ye Fan wouldn''t listen to Ye Qingtian. He was different from thetter. To him, what mattered the most were his family, his friends, his home, and his elders from Jiangdong. If the people he loved were all gone, there would be no meaning to a solitary life. Ye Fan was never one to have grand ambitions. He was small-minded, so much so that he could not bother about the country or shoulder the burden of preserving the national spirit. He had returned this time not to save the country, but to protect his remaining family in this world. So, he would not leave. Even if he died there that day, he would not abandon his family and friends just so he could survive. The big picture? F*ck the big picture! To me, my family and friends are the biggest picture! When Ye Qingtian saw the anger and determination in Ye Fan''s eyes, he knew that he could not persuade the young man. It seems like today will be a death match for the martial arts world of China. If Ye Fan won, the martial arts world would make a name for itself and rece Chu Sect to be the most potent force in the world. It would recover the glory it had thousands of years ago. If Ye Fan lost, thest spark of the martial arts world would be extinguished. From then on, the country would fall into Chu Sect''s hands and never have the chance to make a comeback again, at least for centuries. Aside from Ye Qingtian, Mo Gucheng and Xiao Chen, who were now captives, realized that what awaited them was possibly the final battle of the country''s martial arts world. Perhaps Mo Gucheng and Xiao Chen never thought that Ye Fan, the man they considered to be the sinful enemy of the state, would one day be the one who would decide the fate of the martial arts world. They once treated Ye Fan as a threat to the country''s peace and stability, but now, they needed him to protect the nation. It was extremely ironic. The situation itself was a huge blow to the two of them considering the work they had done in the past years. After checking Ye Qingtian''s injury, Ye Fan approached Ye Yuyan, Tai Shan, Li Ziyang, and the other severely injured men. ¡°I-Instructor Chu... Are you really alive?¡± Qin Shan, a tough guy who was more than two meters tall, burst into tears like a child at the sight of Ye Fan. Li Ziyang and Gao Dazhuang were also weeping, while Ye Yuyan stood frozen on the spot. Tears welled in her eyes. For a long time, she was unable to utter a word. No one knew if it was because she was too emotional or just too stunned. Ye Fan approached them one by one and gave each of them a pill that Duanmu Wan''er had gifted him. Although the pill had no healing properties, it would be helpful to them as it could recharge one''s energy, elemental force, and Internal Energy. At the moment, Qin Shan and the others were so battered that they could not even stand. They could only lean against the pile of rubble with tears in their eyes. As Ye Fan looked at their faces, a smile of relief formed on his frosty face. That''s my Green Dragon Force right there! They''re the special troops I trained personally. ¡°You guys did very well. Establishing Green Dragon Force is the proudest thing I, Chu Tianfan, have ever done in my life,¡± he dered with contentment. Upon hearing his words, Qin Shan, Li Ziyang, and the others felt a surge of energy course through their wounded bodies. To the others'' surprise, these men, who looked like they were nearing their end, gritted their teeth and stood up from the pile of rubble. To the youngsters of Green Dragon Force, nothing was more energizing than Ye Fan''s acknowledgment and encouragement. ¡°Instructor Chu, Green Dragon Force requests for a battle!¡± ¡°We request for a battle!¡± Qin Shan and the others stood with their backs straight amidst the ruins and lifted their arms. With the setting sun illuminating their bloodied figures, they finally saluted to Ye Fan again after so many years. Ye Fan gave them a nod before giving his order. ¡°Green Dragon Force, listen up! You havepleted yourbat mission, and it is time for you to stay here and recuperate. I hereby order all of you to keep yourselves alive until the end of the war. If any of you thinks you cannot survive until I finish this war, you are to leave Green Dragon Force voluntarily!¡± After saying that, he walked toward Lu Ziming and Zhang Jiuling and also handed each of them a pill. ¡°M-Mr. Chu, I knew that y-you woulde back,¡± Lu Ziming croaked out with a trembling voice as he lay in a pool of blood. A look of admiration was visible on his face. It was as if Ye Fan was his god. Ye Fan nodded again. ¡°Thank you for everything you''ve done. Leave the rest to me.¡± After consoling and settling down the heavily injured men, Ye Fan stood up once again. He gazed at the ruins and the bodies around him. They were all unfamiliar faces to Ye Fan. As the men of Jiangdong and Jiangbei, they gave their lives to defend Mount Yunding. When Ye Fan realized these men were also someone''s father, son, and husband, shame and guilt swept over him. Because of me, countless families were separated. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though he was the gritty Hall Master of Dragon God Hall, tears welled up in his determined eyes. The next moment, under everyone''s surprised gazes, Ye Fan kneeled before the people and the corpses on the mountain. ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Ye Fan, what are you doing?¡± Ye Fan''s actions struck everyone dumb. Not only Li Er, but even Ye Fan''s uncles, Ye Tian and Ye Ya, widened their eyes. In his panic, Fatty kneeled down in Ye Fan''s direction. The current Ye Fan was no longer the useless live-in son-inw, the good-for-nothing nephew from Yeyang, and the troublemaker who would peep into the girls'' bathroom with Fatty. He was the emperor of Jiangdong, the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall, and the Unrivalled on the Sky Ranking. Now, he was also the one on whom the country''s survival depended. Be it Li Er, Chen Ao, Ye Tian, Ye Ya, or Fatty, none of them deserved such an act of reverence from Ye Fan. However, Ye Fan ignored their objections. He continued to kneel there with remorse and bowed his head thrice to everyone on Mount Yunding. ¡°I have wronged all of you. I have wronged Jiangdong and everyone who lost their lives on Mount Yunding because of me. I owe you all, but I swear by my name that I will repay my debt. I will make Chu Sect pay a painful price for their atrocities in Jiangdong!¡± Ye Fan stated with tightly clenched fists. His gloomy voice reverberated through the entire Mount Yunding, shaking the sky and earth. Hearing Ye Fan, Li Er and the other men fell to their knees and cried, ¡°Mr. Chu, please strengthen Jiangdong!¡± The other men from Jiangdong followed suit. ¡°Mr. Chu, please strengthen Jiangdong!¡± Even Ye Fan''s uncles and aunt, the martial artists from Jiangbei, and the martial artists who escaped from Mount Yan kneeled before Ye Fan and yelled in unison. At that instant, their sonorous voices filled the skies. ¡°Mr. Chu, please strengthen China!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu, please strengthen China!¡± To be called a hero, one had to be thest man standing when the others had fallen. One had to go against the flow while everyone else was retreating. One had to turn the tides even when no one else believed there was any hope left. Chapter 2105 Chapter 2105 This was the epitome of the pinnacle of power for a true leader. Some men were never crowned king, but were nevertheless, perceived as kings in their people''s hearts. In the face of the people of China''s revered deration of admiration and kneeling, Xiao Chen and Mo Gucheng, both of which were already prisoners, could not help but feel overwhelmed by feelings of utter defeat. The fact that they were War God Castle''s Hall Master and leaders of the martial arts world only served to rub salt into their wounds. Unlike Ye Fan, they had never received the same praise and admiration from their people. Everyone on top of Mount Yunding shouted in unison, ¡°Mr. Chu, you shall bring forth glory to China!¡± It was right at that moment that Xiao Chen and Mo Gucheng realized that their reign hade to an end. The man standing before them, Chu Tianfan, had seeded their positions and became the country''s supreme leader. To make matters worse, they had no say in the transition of power. The man they had plotted borate schemes against had ascended to the highest position in the martial arts world with the support and ultimate confidence of the martial artists in the country backing him up. The realization rendered Xiao Chen devastated, especially considering that he and Ye Qingtian used to bask in the same glory a decade ago. However, time made it inevitable that newer generations like Ye Fan to excel over the older generation like Xiao Chen and Ye Qingtian. ¡°If Chu Tianfan wins this war, there will be no one to stop him from rising,¡± Xiao Chenmented. It appeared as if he had aged a decade as he let out a long sigh. Ye Fan slowly got up amidst the public''s shout of support. He scanned the crowd. An inexplicable feeling arose in his chest. He was still gued by the notion that he alone had brought forth the disaster. Nheless, he never thought that not only did those afflicted not me him for it, but they were even cing such confidence in him, so much so that they had entrusted themselves and the whole nation to him. Most importantly, the people pinned all their hopes on him. All of a sudden, Ye Fan could finally feel the burden of responsibilities that the War God, Ye Qingtian, had to shoulder. After all, not everyone could shoulder the responsibilities of a whole nation. Even Ye Fan was still wondering if he could make it. However, he was determined to work twice as hard. This time, he did not wish to disappoint those who chose to entrust their lives to him again. Hence, when he got up and faced the people, Ye Fan dered in a low voice, ¡°This time, I, Chu Tianfan, shall live and die together with all of you! I will not take a step back again!¡± His baritone voice echoed loud and clear. Then, Ye Fan turned around abruptly to face the formidable Chu Sect army all alone. The martial artists on Mount Yunding were already either heavily injured or dead. They could no longer support Ye Fan. Hence, Ye Fan knew that the lives of the people on Mount Yunding were entirely dependent on him. ¡°All the best, Ye Fan!¡± ¡°We believe in you!¡± Ye Ya and Ye Tian prayed fervently for Ye Fan''s victory. ¡°I didn''t think that there would be a day when the whole country''s survival would depend on Ye Fan one day, that he will emerge a hero to save the country from descending into anarchy.¡± Jiang Yuqing and Jiang Yng, Ye Xn''s children, were preupied with mixed feelings as well. They recalled the first time when Ye Fan went back to Yeyang for New Years'' celebration. Having graduated from the prestigious Yanjing University and Qinghua University respectively, Jiang Yng and Jiang Yuqing had looked down on Ye Fan who was just a high school graduate. Oftentimes, they used to team up with Ye Jian to iste Ye Fan. They thought of Ye Fan as nothing more than a b*stard that nobody wanted, a degenerate that would achieve nothing in his life. Not only did the younger generation of the Ye family think that way. Even the older generation of the Ye family shared the same notion. Ye Fan''s granddad also thought that he would be nothing more than a good-for-nothing live-in son-inw at best. However, nobody foresaw that the man whom everyone in the family looked down upon would one day be thest beacon of hope for the country. On the other hand, Jiang Yng and Jiang Yuqing, both of which were renowned university graduates, had merely be administrative staff in some menialpany, earning not more than a few hundred thousand a year. Meanwhile, Ye Fan had already established conglomerates worth more than a hundred billion a few years back. Furthermore, the man whom they called their cousin would now im the highest position in the whole country. The world of difference between them put Ye Fan''s cousins to so much shame that they dared not even try to catch up with him. After all, Ye Fan''s connections were leaps and bounds ahead of them. Hence, they could only stand aside and watch in admiration at the deity-like man. As for the academic qualification that they were so proud of, it was akin to dirt in Ye Fan''s eyes. As Ye Fan approached the martial artists of the Chu Sect, a beautiful silhouette appeared on top of Mount Yunding. ¡°Xu Lei?¡± the still tear-stricken Ye Yuyan mumbled. Ye Yuyan was surprised by Xu Lei''s sudden appearance. There were already a number of surprises on that particr day. First, Ye Fan, who had been missing for years suddenly showed up. Then, Xu Lei, who was supposed to be stranded in Yanjing, also made an appearance. Ye Yuyan sobbed as she threw herself into Xu Lei''s arms. ¡°Xu Lei, I heard them saying that the Yanjing Formation has crumbled. I thought that you were...¡± Xu Lei smiled and said, ¡°Ye Fan saved me. Are you all right? How about this little fe? Is he hurt anywhere?¡± Xu Lei took Chu Lin from Ye Yuyan''s arms. Even though Ye Fan never admitted that the boy was his child, everyone unanimously thought that the boy was his child. Naturally, Xu Lei thought the same. She was worried when she noticed the little boy''s pale face. Ye Yuyan then replied, ¡°I don''t know. A strong surge of energy burst forth from his body just now, and he managed to steer off a supreme fighter. He fainted right after.¡± Xu Lei was taken aback. She did not expect such a formidable force to be hidden within the little fe. ¡°I guess a freak''s son has got to be a freak as well...¡± A wry smile crept up Xu Lei''s face. Then, she cast a nce at Ye Fan''s silhouette. If I also bear Ye Fan a son, is the child going to be extraordinary as well? Her face blushed bright pink at the thought. Once the line between two people had been crossed, there would be no turning back. Xu Lei knew that her feelings for Ye Fan could never cross the imaginary line. She never dared to harbor any thoughts toward Ye Fan in the past. Xu Lei would keep reminding herself that they were merely like siblings. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, the line that was holding her back was getting blurred with time. ¡°Xu Lei, do you think Ye Fan is able to win?¡± Ye Yuyan turned her focus back on the situation at hand. After all, the Chu Sect was truly formidable. Ye Yuyan was worried that the tragedy that happened back then would repeat itself yet again. Xu Lei shook her head and replied softly, ¡°I''ve no idea. Since he''s made the decision, we could only support him. I will face the oue together with him, no matter if he wins or loses.¡± Her voice was gentle, yet there was an unmistakable strength and determination in them. Ye Yuyan lifted her head suddenly to look at Xu Lei as she said, ¡°Xu Lei, you''re truly different from Mucheng. Back then, Ye Fan had made the decision to fight the Chu Sect, and he never returned. Mucheng was devastated when she heard the news and had not forgiven Ye Fan for making that decision until now. She mes him for putting his own wishes before his family. Not only is she not supportive of his decision, but I guess she still loathes him for making that choice as well.¡± Ye Yuyan shook her head in resignation. Of course, Xu Lei knew that Ye Yuyan was talking about Ye Fan''s wife, Qiu Mucheng. Everyone was standing by Ye Fan as he fought the life-and-death battle at Mount Yunding. However, his wife was the only person who was not present. It was apparent to everyone that Qiu Mucheng still resented Ye Fan deep down. Chapter 2106 Chapter 2106 At the peak of Mount Yunding, all the hustle was left behind Ye Fan the instant he turned around. Eyes glinting, he stared ahead of him with unprecedented calmness. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chu Sect''s army stood before him, and the whole scene looked like it came straight out of an ancient war-themed movie. Tens of thousands of troops hadid siege to the ce, yet the only person who came out to engage in the fight was the man named Chu Tianfan. As Ye Fan gradually approached the frontline of the army step by step, Chu Yuan, who had been frowning the whole time, finally saw the neer''s face. It''s Chu Tianfan! It''s really him! No one could sense the utter shock and surprise Chu Yuan felt at that moment. He could not fathom how Ye Fan was still alive. In the past, Chu Yuan had mobilized all his forces to surround and eliminate Ye Fan. He marshaled the power of the entire martial arts world and finally forced Ye Fan to end his own life with a sword. Chu Yuan never anticipated the person he had known to be dead to return after a few years. ¡°D*mn it!¡± ¡°Isn''t he dead?¡± ¡°Why is he still alive?¡± Chu Yuan was not the only one caught in bewilderment. All the other Chu Sect''s elders standing behind Chu Yuan were also losing their minds as they felt chills running down their spines. A few elders Ye Fan nearly killed in the past even began to subconsciously shudder in fear. As Chu Sect''s elders, they had behaved as they pleased without having any fear their whole lives, but the same could not be said when they faced Ye Fan, as all of them were genuinely frightened of him. Previously, Ye Fan had visited Chu Sect twice, and he had beaten them to a pulp on both asions. If not for Chu Yuan''s desperate measures to salvage the situation, Ye Fan might have wiped out the entire Chu Sect a few years ago on his own. ¡°Tell me. How did you survive? Who saved you? Was it that d*mned old woman?¡± Chu Yuan questioned Ye Fan angrily while the other members of Chu Sect remained overwhelmed by shock and horror. Chu Yuan had won every battle in his life, and the strategies he devised had never failed. His ns had always panned out as he anticipated, except when he had to deal with Ye Fan, someone whom he had banished from the sect years ago. Thetter had been the cause of the derangements of his schemes on multiple instances. During Ye Fan''s second visit to Chu Sect a few years back, Chu Yuan had meticulously formted a perfect n that would certainly render Ye Fan unable to escape the sect''s facility. Unexpectedly, Ye Fan had utilized a trick to persuade the current head of Chu Sect, Tang Yun, to release him. Not only that, but he had also sessfully convinced her to leave Mount Chumen with him. Chu Yuan nearly lost his mostpetent disciple when Ye Fan almost brought Tang Yun back to China and made her his wife. Naturally, no one else in Chu Sect was informed of that matter aside from Chu Yuan. The leader of Chu Sect had unbelievably eloped with the sect''s greatest enemy. If that matter was made known to the public, not only would Chu Yuan suffer from great humiliation, but Chu Sect''s reputation would also be tarnished. Therefore, Chu Yuan did his best to cover up that incident. Still, there was no way to contain the burning fury within him. That was the first time Ye Fan had bested him, and now was undoubtedly the second time Ye Fan thwarted his n. ¡°How dare you!¡± Right after Chu Yuan spoke, Ye Fan suddenly flew into a rage. His initially calm facial expression turned cold. ¡°Great-grandma is the most authoritative person in the Chu family. She''s the family''s guardian and matriarch, as well as the woman who gave birth to and raised you. Any members of the n with the Chu family''s blood flowing in their veins sincerely revered her. In contrast, you, Chu Yuan, betrayed your ancestors, brought disgrace to the family, and insulted your birth mother in public. Even animals have the innate sense to be grateful to their parents. Inparison, you''re worse than a beast. Are you even qualified to consider yourself a human?¡± Ye Fan spoke with justice and dignity while staring at Chu Yuan with an icy expression. His bellows reverberated loudly and clearly in the air, resonating in the minds of those present. Ye Fan''s speech was straightforward and incisive. He first highlighted The Grand Old Lady''s supreme status in the Chu family from the social hierarchy point of view. Then, he chided Chu Yuan for being a disrespectful person and an unfilial child. After being scolded by Ye Fan, even someone as shameless as Chu Yuan could not help but feel embarrassed. Ye Fan''s words also affected the fighters from Chu Sect. Their perception of Chu Yuan had undergone slight changes as they began looking at him differently. Apparently, they did not expect Chu Yuan to be so ruthless to the extent of verbally abusing even his biological mother in his state of panic. After all, no disrespectful or unfilial behaviors from anyone could be condoned under any circumstances. ¡°Old Master was indeed too impulsive.¡± ¡°How could he offend The Grand Old Lady?¡± ¡°Ultimately, The Grand Old Lady is still the most senior in the Chu family. She''s a great benefactor of the Chu family for protecting the Chu residence for almost a century.¡± ¡°Old Master shouldn''t have spoken ill about The Grand Old Lady...¡± All the Chu family''s descendants were dissatisfied with Chu Yuan''s impudence and thought thetter''s manner of speech had crossed a line. Chu Yuan also undoubtedly realized his loss ofposure after noticing his subordinates'' reactions. He immediately tried to make amends. ¡°Quit spouting nonsense to deceive the crowd, brat. I wasn''t scolding The Grand Old Lady. I was referring to your lowly, despicable mother. I advise you not to ruin my reputation with your nder.¡± Chu Yuan gave a forced exnation while wearing a grimace. Ye Fan sneered. ¡°How many people here do you reckon will believe in your exnation?¡± ¡°You!¡± Chu Yuan gritted his teeth in exasperation. His boration was indeed too feeble. Ye Fan''s mother was merely a weak and helplessmoner, so there was no way she would have the ability to rescue him. Anyone with a clear mind could figure Chu Yuan was throwing shade at The Grand Old Lady earlier. ¡°Grandpa, quit talking nonsense with him! That b*stard has a sharp tongue and is very adept at misleading others. You''ll never win against him in an argument. Let''s hurry up and kill him so we can acquire the Book of Celestial Cloud as soon as possible.¡± After taking a few moments to regain his strength, Chu Qitian walked over while ring at Ye Fan hatefully. He truly never anticipated Ye Fan, the abandoned child, to have the guts to show himself at Mount Yunding. Ye Fan is indeed a reckless fool! Previously, we didn''t have sufficient strength in Japan, so we had no choice but to let Ye Fan leave. But now, aside from my master, Tang Yun, and the Demonic Duo, almost the entire Chu Sect''s most formidable fighters are gathered here. Therefore, in Chu Qitian''s opinion, Ye Fan''s advent was no different from voluntarily walking into a trap and seeking his own death. This time, Ye Fan will definitely meet his end here. Chu Yuan nodded after listening to his grandson''s advice. He didn''t want to waste another breath talking to Ye Fan. Subsequently, he turned to look at Ye Fan and gave thetter his final warning. ¡°Ick the patience and time to bicker with you. Although I am curious how you survived in the past, on second thought, the details are not important at all because you will meet your end here today. You escaped by luck once, but I''ll never let you get away twice. However, I''ll give you onest chance to live because the Chu family''s blood runs in your veins.¡± Suddenly, Chu Yuan stretched out his arm and waved his hand. Swoosh! The next second, the sound of a sword being unsheathed reverberated in the air as a long sword belonging to a Chu Sect''s fighter standing behind Chu Yuan flew out. ng! The long sword shed through the air and pierced the piece ofnd in front of Ye Fan. ¡°Use this sword to cut off your arms and relinquish your cultivation. I''ll let you live if you do as I say.¡± Chu Yuan''s cold voice sounded. Not a hint of familial affectionced his frigid tone. No one would have believed that Ye Fan was actually Chu Yuan''s grandson. ¡°What are you waiting for? What''s the matter? Do you want me to cripple you personally? If that happens, you''re not just losing your arms because I''ll be taking your life instead.¡± Chu Yuan looked down at Ye Fan while uttering those words indifferently as if he was blessing Ye Fan with mercy by giving him an alternative. Ye Fan''s reappearance merely shocked Chu Yuan and did not invoke any other emotions within the latter. Just as Chu Qitian had described, Ye Fan''s arrival at that moment was no different from walking into a trap and courting death. Chapter 2107 Chapter 2107 ¡°Is that so?¡± Nheless, even after listening to Chu Yuan''s words, Ye Fan was not at all frightened. Instead, a calm expression spread across his handsome face. And as he spoke, his voice wasced with a hint of disdain. ¡°What''s the matter? Do you perhaps think there is still a chance for you to turn the tide?¡± Chu Yuan furrowed his brows. Ye Fan''s contemptuous tone had displeased him. ¡°I think you''ve yet to grasp the situation. The current Chu Sect has beenpletely revamped. Besides, I am capable of killing you on my own, and Chu Sect''s huge army stands behind me. You''re in this fight alone, and you can''t even defeat me. How do you intend to face my horde of troops then? Even if I remain idle, Tianqi is more than capable of doing away with you with ze''s help. You don''t stand a chance. Yield, and I shall let you live. Otherwise, your demise will be inevitable,¡± Chu Yuan said, his voice cold. However, Ye Fan continued to beam at Chu Yuan despite thetter''s tant threats. ¡°Old Mr. Chu, you are absolutely right. Although I don''t know how you strengthened the capabilities of the members of Chu Sect in such a short period, I have to admit that Chu Sect''s present-day supremacy has indeed evolved beyond recognitionpared to Chu Sect''s condition in the past.¡± ¡°I''m d you realize that. Now hurry up and kneel, you b*stard! It''s time you meet your end!¡± Chu Qitian bellowed. It seemed that the previous battle in Japan had failed to serve as a reminder and lesson for Chu Qitian. Ye Fan sneered. ¡°Well, I feel the need to warn you all too. I, Chu Tianfan, have also attained greater heights in my cultivation!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Chu Yuan threw his head back and cackled maniacally after listening to Ye Fan as if he had just heard the world''s funniest joke. ¡°You really have a lot of guts to talk big, huh, even when you''re on the brink of death. You are now alone and helpless. What greater heights are you fantasizing about? What''s the matter? Do you think your subordinates from Dragon God Hall would be here to assist you? By the way, I suppose no one has told you this. When you escaped Mount Chumen previously, Chu Sect had captured the few Dragon yers who served under you. We''ve imprisoned them all these years, sealed their powers, and tortured them. Prior to the start of this expedition, I''ve ordered the head of elders to execute your most reliable subordinates secretly. If everything progressed as my n, the few Dragon yers from your Dragon God Hall should have already been eliminated by Chu Sect by now. Hahaha!¡± Chu Yuan laughed smugly. He acted so confidently, as if everything was happening ording to his scheme. In fact, he had considered the possibility of Ye Fan''s survival. Before his departure, he had been worried something unexpected might have happened on Dragon God Hall''s end. Therefore, he had deliberately informed the Guardians in ck, Tang Xian, and a few formidable fighters to remain at Chu Sect to stand guard. At the same time, they had been given the order to execute Gaius and the others. Once the four Dragon yers were dead, how big of a ruckus could Ye Fan stir on his own? Chu Yuan was under the assumption that he would be able to witness Ye Fan''s furious and remorseful mien after he said those words. But unexpectedly, Ye Fan burst outughing instead of being overwhelmed by grief. Chu Yuan immediately frowned. ¡°How can you still stay so upbeat at this time, you b*stard? Your subordinates had willingly served you and did all your bidding, yet you''re behaving in such a cold- blooded manner, and you''re indifferent to their fates. Their loyalty had been in vain. Not only are you not saddened by your subordinates'' deaths, but you can still bring yourself to smile so happily now. It is no wonder someone as cruel and inhumane as you managed to invoke the public''s wrath, prompting China to disown you and all the other martial arts leaders to want nothing to do with you.¡± Ye Fan''s response had undoubtedly disappointed Chu Yuan as he was hoping to witness Ye Fan''s disconcerted and anguished demeanor. He didn''t expect Ye Fan to beughing at all. Ye Fan shook his head while beaming at Chu Yuan. ¡°Chu Yuan, it seems that Tang Xian has yet to report the things that happened at Chu Sect to you. You should really send someone back to Mount Chumen to check out the circumstances there.¡± ¡°What is there to check out?¡± Chu Yuan''s facial expression darkened, and simultaneously, a sense of foreboding rose within him. ¡°You should return to check out the scene at Mount Chumen featuring dead bodies strewn across the floor and bear witness to the bloodbath at Chu Sect''s headquarters,¡± Ye Fan replied while wearing a faint smile. ¡°Chu Yuan, you thought you''ve figured everything out, but you''ve failed to postte where I hurried over from. Well, there''s no need for you to guess anymore because I will tell you the answer now. I visited Chu Sect''s stronghold earlier and demolished the whole ce.¡± What? Everyone was stunned upon hearing that. Ye Fan''s words came like a bolt from the blue to those Chu Sect''s fighters who were present. After all, Mount Chumen was their ce of residence. If Ye Fan had indeed destroyed the entire ce as he described, all of them would have nowhere to live in the future. Chu Yuan widened his eyes after listening to Ye Fan''s announcement. ¡°F*cking bullsh*t! How dare a b*stard like you continue to mislead the crowd with your nonsense when you''re going to die soon? Since you''re determined to court death, I shall grant you your wish!¡± Chu Yuan fumed instantaneously and dashed toward Ye Fan. In a sh, Chu Yuan focused his energy on his fists and was ready to strike his opponent. He had lost all patience to continue talking to Ye Fan. If I allow him to prolong this conversation, I''m afraid the morale of Chu Sect''s army will waver. ¡°Beware, you sharp-tongued b*stard! I''ll tear your mouth to pieces!¡± Chu Yuan was beside himself with rage. Regardless of the authenticity of Ye Fan''s statement earlier, Chu Yuan was certain of one thing: Ye Fan was highly capable of discouraging Chu Sect''s troops. Not to mention Anderson and the others, even Chu Yuan was unsettled after hearing Ye Fan saying that he hadid waste to Chu Sect''s stronghold. Mount Chumen was their safe harbor. Any damage to that ce would undoubtedly impair Chu Sect''s army''s confidence. In a fit of rage, Chu Yuan no longer dared to argue with Ye Fan. He had to admit that Ye Fan was someone very witty and eloquent. Amidst his fury, Chu Yuan had arrived before Ye Fan. Naturally, Ye Fan did not dare to take the situation lightly. He activated his Dragon God Body and thrust his palms to intercept Chu Yuan''s assault. A deafening noise tore through the area as Ye Fan stumbled backward due to the impact. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. A tingling sensation erupted in his palms and traveled up his arms. ¡°This old man has indeed improved!¡± The fleeting sh dispirited Ye Fan. He had fought Chu Yuan previously, and after years of polishing his skills, he had thought the gap between his abilities and Chu Fan''s would diminish. However, judging by the current circumstances, Ye Fan realized he was too naive as Chu Yuan continued to overpower him. While Ye Fan was absorbed in his negative thoughts, Chu Yuan leaped into the air again and made his move. His terrifying attacks instantly surrounded Ye Fan like a thunderstorm, blocking all of Ye Fan''s escape routes. The gales resulting from the force of Chu Yuan''s attack swept across the entire Mount Yunding. No one had anticipated a war to break out at that moment. Meanwhile, Li Er and the others, standing on top of Mount Yunding, were anxious when they saw that Ye Fan was at a disadvantage following the first exchange of blows. Their uneasiness intensified when they saw Chu Yuanunching his subsequent moves at Ye Fan. At that sight, Ye Qingtian, who was barely hanging on to his life, spewed out blood as panic overwhelmed him. Ye Fan is China''sst survivor, so he must not be harmed. However, just as everyone thought Chu Yuan''s assault would gravely injure Ye Fan, thetter, who was cornered in midair, suddenly disappeared in a sh. A split secondter, multiple figures of Ye Fan materialized in the sky. ¡°W-What''s going on?¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. Only a few people could fathom what was happening with a single nce. ¡°Afterimage! These are afterimages!¡± Chapter 2108 Chapter 2108 Indeed, there were nine afterimages. As if he had managed to clone himself, the figures appeared in nine different ces. Even with Chu Yuan''s eyesight, he was incapable of discerning who the real Ye Fan was. Nheless, it didn''t matter to him. All he needed was to destroy all of them, for the real Ye Fan would certainly be among their midst. Boom! Boom! Boom! Just like that, Chu Yuan unleashed multiple palm strikes amidst a low rumble in the background. Under everyone''s watchful eye, the nine afterimages were smashed into smithereens by Chu Yuan''s attacks. Having assumed that the real Ye Fan was among them, Chu Yuan was surprised to see all his attacks come up empty. ¡°D*mn it! Where is he? Is he actually capable of vanishing into thin air?¡± Right when he was feeling surprised and angry, Chu Yuan felt a sudden chill down his spine, causing him to turn around immediately. All he saw was Ye Fan''s massively powerful punch bearing down on him. ¡°Absolute Force! Mountain-splitting Punch! Boundless Destruction!¡± Upon the sudden release of his power, nine energy rays culminated in a single point within Ye Fan''s fist. Subsequently, Ye Fan''s punch¡ªmoving at the speed of light¡ªsmashed into Chu Yuan''s back. It moved so fast that Chu Yuan had no time to dodge. In that situation, he resigned himself to facing it head-on. All this while, Chu Yuan¡ªhaving trained for almost a century and achieved god realm¡ªhad never taken Ye Fan seriously. To him, Ye Fan was nothing but a youngling. Regardless of how talented thetter might be and even if he had started training the moment he was born, he had only trained for twenty over years. Thus, his skills and experience simply paled inparison. As a result, Chu Yuan bore the brunt of Ye Fan''s attack without bothering to deploy Dragon God Body. It was a tant disy of his confidence and conceit. Boom! A loud rumble rang out as Ye Fan''s fistnded squarely on Chu Yuan, and the result was just as Chu Yuan had expected. The power unleashed by Ye Fan didn''t pose any threat at all. In fact, it had failed to even cause him to budge. ¡°How dare you challenge me with such pathetic strength? Even if I stand here and give you a free hand to hit me, can you eveny a scratch on me?¡± Snorting inughter, Chu Yuan gave Ye Fan a look of disdain. However, his smugness didn''tst for long. The next second, Chu Yuan''s face drastically changed when the dyed shockwave of multiple punches prated his body. ¡°B*stard, what have you done?¡± Filled with shock, he swiftly gathered his energy and tried to expel the shockwaves from within. Unfortunately, it was toote. The consecutive explosions of eight shockwaves echoed into the air. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! They were so loud that one would''ve mistaken them for thunder. A few secondster, the haughty Chu Yuan felt thebined impact of every single shockwave. His entire body was sent flying, and he crashed loudly onto the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Ye Fan''s the best!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu has won!¡± On Mount Yunding, when everyone saw Ye Fan smashing Chu Yuan with a single punch, they erupted in cheers. Even Fatty¡ªmoved to the brink of tears¡ªeximed to those around him, ¡°Look, that''s my best friend, Ye Fan! Isn''t he something? He''s awesome, isn''t he?¡± Fatty yelled at the top of his lungs as if he was worried no one knew of that fact. However, not many shared in his jubtion. Li Er, Lei San, and the rest didn''t take muchfort in what they saw, for they understood that the sh was just the beginning. If Chu Yuan could really be defeated that easily, the Chu Sect wouldn''t have had the capability to conquer the world. Right then, a low rumble could be heard. Following an explosive crack in the mountain rocks, Chu Yuan burst out of the ruins. However,pared to before, he had lost his dignified swagger. The long robe he was wearing was now torn, but that was the extent of the damage he suffered. The fact that he wasn''t harmed at all by Ye Fan''s attack was a testament to his terrifying power. Undoubtedly, Ye Fan was further distressed by the turn of events. After all, Boundless Destruction was his most powerful individual attack. And yet, he could barelynd a scratch on Chu Yuan. ¡°He''s a true monstrosity indeed. No wonder Great-grandma reminded me to be careful when engaging him,¡± Ye Fan¡ªbrows furrowed¡ªmuttered to himself. While Ye Fan was being weighed down by his concerns, Chu Yuan was utterly infuriated. ¡°You b*stard! How dare you ruin my robe? This is an unforgivable transgression!¡± As he was the Old Master of Chu Sect and a god realm warrior, being beaten pathetically in public by a single punch from Ye Fan was a humiliation for him. Certainly, the outraged Chu Yuan would not let Ye Fan off. As if he had gone berserk, he unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks in the form of punches, kicks, hacks, and shes. Just like a hurricane, his assault engulfed the heavens and the earth. ¡°Die, you b*stard!¡± Chu Yuan couldn''t be any more incensed. Subsequently, the terrifying aura he released blocked all of Ye Fan''s escape routes. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Just when everyone thought Ye Fan was done for, he surprised everyone by repeating the same move. In the sky above them, nine illusions appeared again. Even though Chu Yuan swiftly shattered them, Ye Fan''s real body slipped past his grasp again. Despite a few rounds of shes, Ye Fan managed to escape every time like a slippery eel. ¡°D*mn it! What sort of sorcery is this? Is it even martial arts?¡± Chu Yuan¡ªfilled with exasperation¡ª roared at the top of his lungs after failing tond another strike. Theposed Ye Fan gradually walked over from afar, entirely unscathed and wearing a faint smile. Staring at Chu Yuan, he sneered, ¡°I don''t mind telling you that this isn''t a specific technique. Instead, it''s a set of movements called the Nine Steps of Yunyang. A thousand years ago, Mr. Yunyang took on the world with it. Despite being surrounded by tens of thousands of his enemies, he slipped past them at will. You should feel honored that I''m using a technique of my ancestor against you.¡± Chu Yuan was filled with shock when he heard that. ¡°The Nine Steps of Yunyang? You actually learned it? Looks like the Book of Celestial Cloud is indeed in your hands. Hand it over, you b*stard, or I''ll crush Mount Yunding.¡± Chu Yuan''s eyes burned with rage, and his voice was tinged with greed. ¡°Come and get it if you can.¡± Ye Fan shook his head with a smile. He had spent more than just a year training in the Nine Steps of Yunyang. Before his attack on Chu Sect, Ye Fan had focused his training on Invoke the Celestial Sky and Dragon God Body. Movement techniques weren''t his priority back then. However, after his defeat, Ye Fan had racked his brains on how he could defeat a stronger enemy in the form of Chu Yuan. Finally, it was that man who had given him his answer. ¡°When facing an invincible enemy, it''s wise to avoid a head-on sh. Doing so doesn''t mean that you''re a coward fleeing from battle. Instead, you are leveraging your speed and reaction time to evade attacks. In the midst of doing so, you can find the perfect opportunity to strike, and that is how the weak can defeat the strong.¡± Back when he was recuperating in the Great North, that man''s words had given Ye Fan an epiphany. With that, he had finally found a way to defeat Chu Yuan¡ªby using secret movement techniques. Since he couldn''t beat Chu Yuan in a direct confrontation, he had to keep dodging and attrit thetter''s strength. While doing so, he could bide his time for the perfect opportunity to strike. Chapter 2109 Chapter 2109 As for the Nine Steps of Yunyang, it was the most suitable secret movement technique Ye Fan had found within the Book of Celestial Cloud. Back in the past, Chu Yunyang had turned the tide of battle against stronger enemies by using the technique alone. Ye Fan, who had spent more than two years training in it, was now capable of using the Nine Steps of Yunyang at will. ¡°As you wish!¡± Chu Yuan barked in a deep voice. With that, he charged forward and attacked Ye Fan ferociously with his hand. Given the height of Chu Yuan''s cultivation, there was no need for his move to be fancy. After all, simple is better. At his level, every single strike was capable of leveling the earth. Everyone watched as Chu Yuan followed up with consecutive palm strikes. This time, his assault was more savage than before. In the blink of an eye, he had already unleashed more than a hundred attacks that were so powerful they reverberated in every direction. The thousands of palms he fired out covered the sky like a, engulfing Ye Fan underneath it. ¡°Let''s see how you escape this time.¡± The infuriated Chu Yuan increased the intensity of his attacks significantly. ¡°Oh?¡± Ye Fan simply sniggered at Chu Yuan before using the Nine Steps of Yunyang again. All everyone could see was Ye Fan leaping into the air and taking nine strange steps. Despite being only nine, they contained countless permutations andbinations. With Chu Yuan''s palms blocking the sky, Ye Fan''s figure looked like a lonely ship sailing across the turbulent sea. Despite how the elements raged, he didn''t budge at all. Ultimately, none of Chu Yuan''s attacks managed tond a scrape on Ye Fan. Having failed again, Chu Yuan was undoubtedly enraged. ¡°I don''t believe it. I''m the head of Chu Sect. I shall defeat your lousy movement technique!¡± His patience had entirely worn off. At that moment, Chu Yuan stopped holding back and relentlessly threw every technique he knew at Ye Fan. The attacks were exceptionally vicious, just like a raging thunderstorm that shook Mount Yunding with a powerful gale. The spectators down below were dumbfounded by the scene unfolding before them. ¡°Is this the power of a god realm warrior?¡± ¡°Is this the dominance of the strongest warrior of our time?¡± ¡°Such frightening power!¡± Meanwhile, above the ruins, Ye Qingtian was leaning against a broken rock. The look in his eyes was not only filled with shock but also boundless desire. There were only two things he wanted in life. First, it was for the nation to be at peace. Second, he wanted to be on top of the martial arts world. All this while, he had the impression that he was just a step away from achieving god realm. However, after watching Chu Yuan''s terrifying disy of power, he realized he had been deluding himself about his strength. If he were the one in battle right now, he wouldn''t havested more than three seconds before being struck down by Chu Yuan. Conversely, he was even more impressed that Ye Fan couldst this long. While Ye Qingtian wasmenting to himself, Ye Yuyan, Xu Lei, and the others were filled with concern. They were really worried that Ye Fan would be hurt and subsequently defeated. After all, thetter was being put on the defensive and was forced to dodge repeatedly. As for Chu Yuan, his attacks were unrelenting. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Under such circumstances, a single mistake by Ye Fan would bring about a fatal result. That was the source of Xu Lei and herpanions'' concern. ¡°Xu Lei, Ye Fan will be all right, right?¡± The anxious Ye Yuyan''s eyes were all red, and her palms were drenched in a cold sweat. Xu Lei¡ªwatching the battle intently¡ªnodded in response despite herck of confidence. ¡°Mm-hmm, he''ll definitely be fine and emerge victorious.¡± Xu Lei''s voice was filled with hope. Yet, nothing in life is ever certain. Before the dust had settled, all these were nothing but wishful thinking. Nheless, regardless of the result, Xu Lei and the rest could only hope that Ye Fan would survive. While the Jiangdong crowd was feeling distraught, Anderson and the rest of the Chu Sect were visibly buoyant. They had been afraid that Ye Fan''s return would deal the Chu Sect a devastating blow. However, from the way things looked, they realized their earlier fears were simply unfounded. ¡°Only by making a sneak attack just now could Chu Tianfannd a blow on Old Mr. Chu. But now that Old Mr. Chu has gotten serious, that b*stard doesn''t even have the courage to face him head-on. All he does is desperately avoid Old Mr. Chu''s attacks. His defeat is inevitable.¡± Anderson shook his head with a smile and looked at Ye Fan as if he was looking at a corpse. From their perspective, Ye Fan was bound to make a mistake. Bombarded by Chu Yuan''s overwhelming attacks, Ye Fan¡ªregardless of how skillful his movement technique was¡ªwould sooner orter trip up and be dealt a fatal blow by Chu Yuan. However, life never goes the way one desires. Everyone from Chu Sect was waiting for Ye Fan to be ughtered by Chu Yuan, but the former refused to lose. In fact, Ye Fan looked like a candle in the wind, ready to have its me snuffed out at any moment. Yet, every time the me seemed to be dying out, it would reignite anew. Despite throwing everything at Ye Fan, Chu Yuan simply could not extinguish the former''s me. ¡°D*mn it! How powerful is this b*stard''s Nine Steps of Yunyang that even I can''ty a scratch on him?¡± After the failure of his repeated attacks, Chu Yuan¡ªhaving his patience worn out¡ªgrew visibly desperate. On top of that, his exasperation began to consume him from within. Even though every single one of his strikes looked as if they were about tond, Ye Fan would always avoid them in the nick of time. In the beginning, Chu Yuan put it down to sheer luck, but after the hundredth time¡ªdespite expending a significant amount of energy in his attacks¡ªhis strikes continued to miss Ye Fan. It was then that his overwhelming frustration ate into him. ¡°B*stard! Stop dodging if you have any balls. What kind of warrior are you if you keep running? As a man, you should stand your ground and fight,¡± Chu Yuan¡ªeyes bloodshot and close to being driven mad¡ªthundered. Throughout his entire life, he had never fought against such a cowardly enemy before. When none of his rampaging attacks hit their target, he felt his rage swell to the brink of exploding. Having no regard for Chu Yuan''s feelings, Ye Fan continued to slip past the former''s attacks at will, staying unscathed as the battle raged on. ¡°Chu Yuan, what do you think? I told you that I''m no longer the same person I was before. Even if you are a god realm master, killing me is still not going to be easy.¡± As Ye Fan let out a soft chuckle, he continued to dodge the attacks effortlessly. However, his smugness was short-lived. The next moment, an anxious voice rang out from the top of Mount Yunding. ¡°Ye Fan, watch out!¡± No sooner had Xu Lei cried out than a ck tail appeared, letting rip a powerful gale. In the midst of an explosion, a tail spike pierced through the air like a sword and shot toward Ye Fan''s chest. The sudden attack caused a drastic change in Ye Fan''s expression. Despite his desire to evade it, it was already toote, for the spike of ze''s tail had prated his abdomen. Fresh blood began dripping onto the ground after flowing down the length of the long spike. With Ye Fan impaled by the attack, the Nine Steps of Yunyang was inadvertently dispelled. This time, Ye Fan could no longer avoid Chu Yuan''s assault. Boom! Boom! A loud rumble rang out as Chu Yuan let loose a rampaging attack. Under a tremendous amount of pressure, Ye Fan finally cracked and threw up the blood that had umted in his stomach. Chu Yuan smashed Ye Fan''s body down from the air, sending it crashing into Mount Yunding, just like a cannonball. Chapter 2110 Chapter 2110 ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± The battle scene that unfolded struck a chord with everyone. The instant they saw Ye Fan''s body being prated by ze, they felt their hearts shatter. Fatty was screaming anxiously, Li Er, Lei San, and the rest looked on, ashen-faced, Ye Xn fainted on the spot, and Huangniu let loose a torrent of abuse. ¡°Ye Fan, you idiot! Why did you have to gloat just now and expose yourself to a sneak attack? In a battle to the death, you should''ve taken it more seriously.¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± Xu Lei, standing among the crowd, burst into tears. The moment she saw Ye Fan''s body being pierced by ze''s tail, she felt a sudden squeeze in her heart as if she was the one at the receiving end of the attack. Even breathing alone would cause her excruciating pain. Overwhelmed by sorrow, she attempted to dash forward with no regard for her own safety. Fortunately, the alert Ye Yuyan managed to hold her back by hugging her tightly. ¡°No, Xu Lei. No...¡± The tears hanging off the corner of Ye Yuyan''s eyes began to stream uncontrobly down her cheeks. Enduring her anguish, she kept shaking her head at Xu Lei in an attempt to dissuade thetter from running over. Xu Lei is important to Ye Fan. I can''t sit idly by as she hurls herself into the jaws of death. When a cloud of sorrow descended upon Mount Yunding, the previously unconscious Chu Lin woke up in Ye Yuyan''s arms. His tender face still looked extremely weak. Turning his head, he looked into the horizon. Just like a newborn child who was observing the world for the very first time, he was brimming with curiosity and hope. Despite the weakness in his voice, it was tinged with delight. ¡°Aunt Yuyan, i-is it Daddy? I-I want to see what Daddy looks like.¡± Chu Lin''s childish voice triggered a sense of grief in both Ye Yuyan and Xu Lei. Ye Yuyan, in particr, failed to hold back her tears. She hugged her nephew tightly and didn''t know what else to say other than cry. Am I supposed to tell him that his father might be dead? ¡°Hahaha, ze, you did well! For this glorious achievement, you will be well rewarded once we return.¡± In contrast to the solemn mood at the summit of Mount Yunding, the Chu Sect warriors broke out in jubnt cheers. Chu Qitian, in particr, was filled with tion. As he rushed forward to stroke ze on the forehead, ze responded with a long howl to express its delight. Chu Yuan, too, walked over to praise it. ¡°If not for ze, killing that b*stard would have taken me a lot of effort.¡± Now that Chu Tianfan had been taken care of, the Chu Sect''s biggest obstacle was inadvertently gone. Chu Yuan let out a sigh of relief, yet he still felt something weighing heavily on his heart. He did not expect Ye Fan to be such a handful after thetter mastered the Nine Steps of Yunyang. Even though he hadn''t used his trump card and wasn''t fighting at full strength, he still failed to defeat Ye Fan, a supreme grandmaster, despite the tedious battle that ensued. In the end, he had to rely on a sneak attack by ze to win. From Chu Yuan''s perspective, he had not just lost the battle but was also humiliated in the process. ¡°Grandpa, it''s because that b*stard is as sly as a fox. All he does is hide instead of fighting you head- on. Otherwise, he would have already died in your hands.¡± Chu Qitian tried to defend his grandfather''s reputation. However, Chu Yuan waved his hand in response. ¡°Qitian, remember, never underestimate your enemy at all times. This b*stard may be cunning, but his battle awareness, speedy reaction, and knowledge of secret techniques have reached an impressive stage. In fact, it wouldn''t be an exaggeration for me to say if it wasn''t because of my higher level, I wouldn''t have been able to defeat him even with ze''s assistance,¡± Chu Yuan said grimly. Chu Qitian remained unconvinced. ¡°Grandpa, you''re overestimating that piece of trash. He is nothing more than a b*stard born of peasants with a lowly bloodline. Even if he''s of the same level as you are, he''ll still be no match for you. Against you, someone who has trained for a hundred years and is rich in battle experience, that b*stard is nothing but a clueless child. There''s no way he can beat you regardless of the time and ce.¡± Chu Qitian''s voice was filled with jealousy and disdain for Ye Fan as he delivered his soliloquy. Chu Yuan simply responded with a shake of his head. Chu Qitian might be oblivious to it, but Chu Yuan¡ªhaving exchanged blows with Ye Fan multiple times ¡ªknew firsthand that the grandson he had kicked out had demonstrated capabilities that surpassed even his own. At that thought, Chu Yuan was filled with sudden regret over forcing Ye Fan to leave. On top of that, he rued not epting Ye Fan''s request the first time thetter attacked Mount Chumen years ago. If only he had done that, Ye Fan would have been his tomand. With Ye Fan''s strength, he would have been able to fulfill his dream of having Chu Sect rule over the entire world. Evidently, it was toote for such wishful thinking. Back then, he¡ªin his anger¡ªhad formed an alliance of powerful warriors to surround and kill Ye Fan. From that moment on, Chu Sect and Ye Fan had reached the point of no return in their enmity toward each other. ¡°Chu Tianfan, your doom is upon you. The grudge you hold against the Chu family and Chu Sect will end with the destruction of your Jiangdong line.¡± Chu Yuan hovered in the air with his hands behind his back, his indifferent voice echoing through the summit of Mount Yunding. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You old fart, don''t you think it''s too early to utter such words now?¡± No sooner had Chu Yuan spoken than a frosty voice rang out. Following that was a loud boom. The rocks where Ye Fan had fallen into just now exploded all of a sudden. From the ruins, a blood-drenched figure rose to his feet. What? Chu Yuan''s expression drastically changed, while Chu Qitian''s eyes widened in shock. They couldn''t believe that Chu Tianfan was still capable of standing on his feet. After all, thetter had suffered thebined attacks of two extremely powerful warriors¡ªze and Chu Yuan. Even Ye Qingtian, despite being a War God, would have been killed under those circumstances. ¡°It''s Ye Fan. He''s standing up again. He''s really alive!¡± Fatty, who was wailing in anguish just a moment ago, was ecstatic at the sight of Ye Fan''s revival. Everyone at the summit of Mount Yunding saw hope again. As for the devastated and teary-eyed Ye Yuyan, she, too, broke into a smile. ¡°Lin, look, that''s your daddy. The man standing tall over there. He''s your father,¡± Ye Yuyan said emotionally. Upon hearing her words, Chu Lin raised his head and stared longingly at the man. A curious expression descended upon his face. Is that my daddy? Ye Fan stood on top of the ruins. His body was covered in blood. The spot where he was pierced in his back looked exceedingly gruesome. Fortunately, Ye Fan had sensed danger at the crucial moment and evaded enough to keep his vital organs out of harm''s way. Although he had suffered a grievous injury from Chu Yuan and ze''s sneak attack, his fundamental strength remained unaffected. At that moment, his breath had be steady again, while his abyss-like eyes had recovered their usual iciness. Chapter 2111 Chapter 2111 ¡°All of you are despicable!¡± Ye Fan raised his head and red at everyone from Chu Sect. It had never crossed his mind that members of the Chu family would resort to a sneak attack. ¡°Chu Yuan, how shameless of you! And you call yourself the former head of the Chu family?¡± The excruciating pain in Ye Fan''s back triggered a burning rage within him. Ever since the battle at the Eastsea, he hadn''t suffered such a serious injury. When he was battling Chu Yuan earlier, his entire being had been focused on his enemy, resulting in his failure to notice the presence of others. After all, it was impossible for an ordinary Supreme to interfere in their battle, as the energy they unleashed would be too much for Anderson and the other elders to bear. Unfortunately, Ye Fan had neglected to take ze into ount. When Chu Qitian had noticed how engrossed Ye Fan had been in his battle against Chu Yuan, he had decided to deploy ze for a sneak attack. In truth, even if Ye Fan was prepared for the turn of events, it would be difficult for him to escape unscathed simply because he was outnumbered. Chu Yuan was already someone he had trouble taking on by himself, let alone when the simrly powerful ze joined the fray. Faced with Ye Fan''s usations, Chu Yuan remained silent. Chu Qitian, on the other hand, sneered, ¡°Chu Tianfan, how dare you use us of being despicable when you''re the one who''s shameless? By running and hiding, do you even consider yourself a man? If you had the guts, you would''ve stood your ground and faced my grandpa like a true warrior. You have no right to use us of bullying you with our numbers. Otherwise, the Chu Sect will mow you down just like an insect.¡± Chu Qitian shed a gloating smile. Even though the Chu Sect men were disappointed that ze''s attack wasn''t fatal, they were reassured by ze''s ability to repeat its earlier sess. Regardless of how strong the b*stard is, he''s still fighting alone. Hence, there''s no way he can withstand thebined force of Chu Yuan and ze. ¡°ze, attack! Tear him to pieces!¡± Chu Qitian ordered, not wanting to waste any more time. As for Chu Yuan, he remained standing with an icy glint in his eyes as if he was a venomous snake waiting to strike at Ye Fan in thetter''s battle with ze. As the saying goes, a soldier should achieve victory by hook or by crook. On top of that, Ye Fan was the one who started ying tricks first. Therefore, Chu Yuan felt it fair game to leverage ze''s strength to tie down his enemy. But this time, faced with Chu Qitian''s smugness, Ye Fan shook his head with augh. ¡°What are youughing at? You really are a fool to stillugh in the face of death.¡± Chu Qitian was displeased by Ye Fan''s mockingugh. Ye Fan remained unfazed and shed an indifferent smile. ¡°Chu Qitian, do you really think you''re the only one who can summon a Sacred Beast?¡± Chu Qitian looked at Ye Fan as if thetter was an idiot. ¡°Isn''t that the case? Are you trying to tell me that you have found a Sacred Beast too? You really are a fool to think that beasts such as ze can be randomly found anywhere.¡± Chu Qitian snorted inughter, for the Sacred Beast of the Chu family was left behind by the ancestor of the Chu family¡ªChu Yunyang. Furthermore, it carried the bloodline of an ancient Sacred Beast. Chu Qitian figured that there was no other Sacred Beast on Earth that was ze''s equal. In no mood to entertain Ye Fan further, Chu Qitian ordered the transformed ze to charge at the former. Once again, ze''s ten-meter-long tail¡ªthat was as sharp as a sword¡ªtore through the sky in an attempt to stab Ye Fan''s vital organs. Faced with the attack, Ye Fan showed no fear. Instead, he maintained his stance and looked in Chu Qitian''s direction indifferently. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. All of a sudden, an icyugh reverberated through Mount Yunding. ¡°You''re right. Chu Qitian, let me tell you, you''re not the only person in this world who can summon a Sacred Beast.¡± Ye Fan waved his hand. ¡°ckie, where are you?¡± Woof! Woof! Woof! A dog barked in response. Following that, everyone saw a ck shadow burst out of the ruins andnd steadily on the ground. It moved so fast that it looked like a sh of light. Under everyone''s shocked gazes, the ck shadow dashed up to the summit of Mount Yunding and leaped into the air as if it was about to swallow the sun. It then caught ze by biting down menacingly on its tail. When ckie''s fangs punched through ze''s hardened scales, green blood gushed out of thetter''s tail. The next moment, the sky echoed with the agonized howl of Chu Sect''s Sacred Beast. In a desperate attempt to lose ckie, ze swept its tail against the ground repeatedly. However, ckie refused to budge. With its four ws dug into ze''s tail, it continued to tear into ze''s flesh. The gruesome scene stunned Chu Qitian. With his eyes wide open in disbelief, he roared, ¡°H-How is this possible? ze''s scales are supposed to be so impregnable that even Grandpa can''t easily break through them. How can this wretched dog''s bite pierce through it?¡± Chu Qitian was dumbfounded, for he had never imagined that it was possible to breach ze''s physical body. At the sight of ze grimacing in pain, the broken-hearted Chu Qitian cursed, ¡°D*mn it! Where did this doge from? Why does it have such a powerful bite? ze, use fire to burn it to death!¡± At Chu Qitian''s cue, ze opened its jaw and unleashed a raging inferno in ckie''s direction. Under the dangerous circumstances, ckie had no choice but to release its bite in order to evade defensively. Unfortunately, it didn''t make it in time. As the fire swept across every direction, ckie''s tail ignited in mes. Woof! Woof! Barking loudly, it finally managed to put out the fire by swiftly rolling on the ground. Despite that, the fur on ckie''s tail had been incinerated. However, in contrast to ckie''s burnt tail, ze''s tail was in much worse shape. When ze had aimed its fire at ckie, who had been biting its tail, it had not only burned ckie, but its tail had also ended up as coteral damage. The wound that was caused by ckie''s bite was now burnt to a crisp. The green blood that was flowing earlier had also turned ck. As the scorching pain gripped ze to its core, it writhed incessantly on the ground. The pitiful shrills it let out sent a chill down everyone''s spine. ¡°Hahaha, these two idiots. Their tails are now burnt ck.¡± Huangniu, sprawled on a rock, was enjoying the drama from afar. When it saw that ckie''s tail had been burned to soot, it couldn''t help but burst into heartyughter. Itsughter was so loud that it attracted everyone''s attention, regardless of whether they were from Chu Sect or Jiangdong. Even the two beasts, ckie and ze, turned their heads in Huangniu''s direction. Huangniu swiftly waved its hoof at the crowd. ¡°Continue, please continue with your battle. I''m just a spectator, and this is none of my business...¡± Worried that it would get into trouble, Huangniu extricated itself from the situation by putting on an innocent expression. Chapter 2112 Chapter 2112 However, was it really none of Huangniu''s business? The answer to that question was a resounding no. ¡°ckie, when that b*stard from Chu Sect tries to take revenge on youter, chase after Huangniu. Do you hear me?¡± Ye Fan had already noticed Huangniu''s presence. A sly look shed across his face. ze was left by Chu Yunyang and had an ancient Sacred Beast bloodline. Before Ye Fan set off, Old Madam Chu had reminded him that it would be very difficult for ckie to battle against ze. He had seen how the battle had unfolded earlier. While ckie could bite through ze''s defense, thetter was still far too big. It would be challenging for ckie to injure ze. Not only that, but ckie would also likely get hurt by ze''s other abilities. However, it was all right because besides ckie, there was Huangniu. Ye Fan knew well that Huangniu wouldn''t act without some incentive. It was almost impossible for him to make the calf fight for him. However, that would change if trouble found its way to Huangniu. As expected, after a short while, a piercing, deafening roar could be heard. Then ze, who had been bitten by ckie earlier, started acting crazily. Its eyes red and filled with hatred and anger, itunched a destructive attack on ckie. This damned dog deserves to die! I am the king of all beasts, and I possess the bloodline of ancient Sacred Beasts! I''ve never been wounded by my own kind even after so many years! Yet, my tail was bitten by a useless dog today! This is a great insult to me and the Sacred Beast bloodline! No matter what happens today, I''m going to tear this damned dog apart! Swoosh! ze''s body was so big that it almost covered the sky. It looked as though it was a whale swimming in the air. After aiming at ckie, itunched its fiercest attack as revenge. ckie wasn''t stupid. Knowing its opponent was a big monster that it couldn''t defeat, it followed Ye Fan''s reminder, turned around, and sprinted toward Huangniu. Behind it, ze shot out ten scales toward it. Each scale was as sharp as the world''s sharpest de. The scales cut through the air and flew toward ckie. ckie ran straight toward Huangniu while the scales followed it. When Huangniu witnessed the scene before it, its eyes almost popped out of its skull. Its heart began thumping wildly as panic inundated it. ¡°Holy sh*t! Get away from me! Don''t run toward me!¡± Huangniu was on the verge of going crazy. It no longer had the luxury of staying on the sidelines and watching the battle. With its four hooves on the ground, it ran away. It had no other choice. If it didn''t run, its body would be sliced apart by the scales following ckie. After running away for more than a kilometer, Huangniu thought it was finally safe. However, the moment it turned its head back, it saw that ckie was still chasing after it. Behind ckie was ze, who was unleashing even crazier attacks. Hundreds and thousands of scales flew in the air. The crimson me seemed as though it was piercing the sky like aser beam. ¡°Damn it!¡± Huangniu was so terrified that it almost peed on the spot. It was forced to continue its escape before it could even rest. As it ran, it scolded ckie, ¡°Get away from me, you d*mned dog! I''m not a bitch so why are you chasing me? I swear, I''m going to die because of you one day, you b*stard!¡± Huangniu yelled at the top of its lungs while it was on the verge of tears. The fire that was shot toward it had almost turned it into a roasted calf. ckie wasn''t at all pissed off by Huangniu''s insults. In fact, it was smiling ear to ear. It chased after Huangniu at such a high speed that it left afterimages in the air. It seemed happy as it stuck out its tongue and huffed in the wind. ¡°You''re such a b*stard!¡± Huangniu was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Dammit! What did I do to deserve this unexpected disaster? This has nothing to do with me, but I''m now being chased by ckie, who''s being chased by ze! This means ze is also chasing after me! Huangniu ran as fast as it could to shake off the ck dog. However, it was still too na?ve. Even though both animals had four legs, ckie could sprint faster than Huangniu. Instead of Huangniu running further away from ckie, ckie managed to catch up to Huangniu and started running next to it. As it ran, ckie turned its face toward Huangniu and smiled, its saliva on its tongue hitting Huangniu. ¡°Hello, buddy!¡± it greeted. Through gritted teeth, Huangniu eximed, ¡°Go f*ck yourself! I''m going to die sooner orter because of you, you damned dog!¡± It looked as though it was going to swallow ckie whole. At that moment, multiple scales whizzed toward them. Huangniu and ckie sensed the impending danger at the same time. In the end, ckie leaped into the air, pulled off a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree flip, and dodged the de-like scales. Huangniu, on the other hand, moved slightly slower than ckie. The scales cut across its body, inflicting bloody wounds on it as a result. Huangniu screeched in pain. It was then ze caught up to ckie and used its giant paw to p the dog. Instead of hiding, ckie leaped onto Huangniu''s back and hugged it very tightly. It seemed as though it wanted to live and die with Huangniu. ¡°How despicable!¡± Huangniu was already crying. Ye Fan was the most cunning person it had ever met. Yet now, a dog that was even worse than Ye Fan had shown up in front of it. Since ckie was hugging Huangniu at the moment, that meant ze was also chasing after Huangniu with the intent of killing it. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . With no other choice, Huangniu had to fight back. It stomped on the ground with its back hooves while striking wildly at ze''s sharp ws with its two front hooves. ckie helped out by kicking ze forcefully. With thebined efforts of the dog and the calf, they managed to send ze flying a couple of hundred meters away. ze, who had been forced back by the attack once again, was livid. It charged toward Huangniu and ckie andunched a counterattack. ¡°Fine! Have it your way, you son of a b*tch. I''ll distract the beast from the front while you attack it from behind. Let''s get rid of it together!¡± Huangniu had no other choice but to relent. Since ckie had dragged it into the fight, it had to fight against ze by working with ckie if it wanted to survive. Woof! Woof! Woof! ckie seemed to have been waiting to hear that sentence. Excitement filled its eyes as it unleashed the most violent blow against ze with Huangniu''s help. At once, ze was subdued by the two of them. Even after exchanging a few blows with ze, Huangniu and ckie weren''t at all at a disadvantage. When the fighters of Chu Sect saw that, they were stunned. Chu Qitian''s eyes were filled with disbelief. He couldn''t believe that a calf and a dog could subdue the Sacred Beast of Chu Sect. ¡°Dammit! Where did those two animalse from?¡± Chu Qitian fumed through gritted teeth. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh. ze was meant to be a weapon used to kill Ye Fan. Yet, at that moment, the beast couldn''t even win against two animals. In other words, the tactics Chu Sect could use to deal with Ye Fan had decreased again. While the members of Chu Sect were livid, Ye Fan was smiling brightly as he stared at the scowls on Chu Qitian''s and the members of Chu Sect''s faces. ¡°What do you think? ckie and Huangniu are pretty capable, aren''t they?¡± ¡°Don''t get cocky, brat! So what if you''ve managed to hold off ze? You still can''t save Jiangdong! Once my grandpa slows you down, I''ll lead Chu Sect''s army to destroy Mount Yunding! As powerful as you may be, you can''t possibly be in two ces at once! I''d like to see how you battle Chu Sect yourself!¡± Chu Qitian eximed. Chapter 2113 Chapter 2113 Indeed, Ye Fan''s appearance only made Chu Yuan and the others feel surprised. They were not so wary of him. After all, it was impossible for a single person to face that many opponents. As powerful as Ye Fan might be, he wouldn''t be able to win against Chu Sect''s assault. The power that Chu Sect had umted over hundreds and even thousands of years was something that not even a nation could easily contend with, especially when China''s martial arts world had already fallen before them. ¡°You''re that confident, huh?¡± Ye Fan smiled despite Chu Qitian''s threat. His calm expression ticked off Chu Qitian and Chu Yuan. Thetter frowned when he heard that. ¡°You''re just like your father. You''re so stubborn even until the end. What, do you really think you can stop our army with your dog and calf? You should know that the moment you show up here today, your fate has already been determined. You will fall. It''s only a matter of time,¡± Chu Yuan said with disdain. When Ye Fan heard that, his smile became even brighter. ¡°Really? But I''m afraid you all will be disappointed again. I didn''te alone this time.¡± Whoosh! The moment he finished speaking, sounds that resembled sonic booms could be heard from the silent land behind him. Numerous figures leaped across the sky. Almost instantaneously, terrifying auras crashed into the area like violent waves. ¡°T-This is...¡± The crowd couldn''t help but tremble when they sensed the aura. Chu Qitian''s and the members of Chu Sect''s expressions changed drastically as four figures appeared in the sky andnded on top of Mount Yunding in a shocking manner. Boom! The ground shook and boulders cracked. After the four figures showed up, thend beneath their feet quaked. Then they kneeled in front of Ye Fan. Their solemn and resounding voices pierced through the air like thunderps. ¡°Fire God Owen has arrived for battle!¡± ¡°Earth God Gaius has arrived for battle!¡± ¡°Water God Su Muqiu has arrived for battle!¡± After staying silent for so many years, the four Dragon yers were finally reunited in front of Ye Fan. Once again, they had disyed their extraordinary power for the Chu Sect fighters to see. ¡°The Dragon yers? How is this possible? Didn''t I ask Tang Xian to work with the Jones family to kill them all? How are they all still alive? Why are they here?¡± Even Chu Yuan was dumbstruck when he sensed the mighty power and the soaring battle spirit of the four individuals in front of him. Aftering back to his senses, he turned around and questioned the elders of Chu Sect who were behind him furiously. Apart from Ye Fan, the Dragon yers were the most powerful members of Dragon God Hall. Over the past few years, Chu Yuan had decreed many times that the Dragon yers must be executed if they couldn''t be forced to surrender. It was to ensure they wouldn''t cause any trouble in the future. In fact, Chu Yuan had been worried about the threat Gaius and the others posed since a long time ago. Yet, to his surprise, his worries still came to life. Chu Yuan couldn''t wrap his head around their sudden appearance with renewed strength after Chu Sect had tortured them for years. ¡°W-We don''t know, Old Mr. Chu.¡± ¡°Perhaps something happened at Mount Chumen?¡± Confusion was written all over the faces of the elders of Chu Sect. They had no idea why those Dragon yers managed to escape. Besides, they hadn''t been in contact with Tang Xian for a long time, and they couldn''t reach the people at Mount Chumen. ¡°You idiots! I''ve long told you to kill the Dragon yers, yet none of you f*cking listened! Look at us now. My n is ruined!¡± Chu Yuan exploded. After all, it was an avoidable mistake. He regretted not taking out the Dragon yers back when he had the chance to. Faced with Chu Yuan''s wrath, Anderson and the others didn''t have the guts to speak. They simply lowered their heads in fear. ¡°Don''t get angry, Grandpa. It''s just four extra people. I''ll work with the elders to kill them. Eliminating them is merely an annoying task and not at all difficult. In any case, we''ve been waiting for this for so many years. It won''t kill us to wait for a couple more minutes,¡± Chu Qitian said with a scowl. Even though Ye Fan had gained a few extra helpers, Chu Qitian was still confident that Chu Sect had the upper hand. After all, they had seven Supreme-level Chu Sect elders, and his injury had already mostly recovered. He could unleash his fullbat ability as a Supreme again. Besides, they still had many Comprehensive Array Attacks and secret techniques. If they fought for real, Ye Fan still wouldn''t be their opponent. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chu Qitian was still in deep thoughts when someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, ¡°Old Mr. Chu, look! What is that?¡± Shocked by that voice, everyone shifted their gaze in a specific direction in unison. In the distance, they saw hundreds of ck dots approaching them rapidly from the east, like horses galloping on a battlefield. Those flying dots looked like God''s army from heaven, and at the same time, like the pilgrimage of devout apostles. ¡°They''reing from the west too!¡± ¡°There are moreing from the north!¡± ¡°Oh my god! They''reing from the south as well!¡± At that moment, the people of Chu Sect were in a frenzy. They observed their surroundings and realized those ck dots were charging toward them from all directions. Everyone had been specting about what those dots were until those dots got closer to them. ¡°They''re people!¡± ¡°There are so many of them!¡± ¡°What do we do, Old Mr. Chu? We''ve been surrounded!¡± The members of Chu Sect began to panic. The scene of people converging from all directions was incredibly frightening. The army of Chu Sect was in turmoil because of the immense pressure. And for the first time, fear was visible on Chu Qitian''s face. Even Chu Yuan, who had been calm, was flustered. He turned around and stared at Chu Tianfan, who was being worshipped by the four Dragon yers. At that moment, a thought shed across his mind, and his face paled. Are those people... He could hardly believe his spection. He couldn''t ept the fact that he had fallen for Ye Fan''s scheme despite his preparation for years. Ignoring the panic of the members of Chu Sect, Ye Fan stood where he was as he looked at the figures gathering from all directions. He stood straight with his hands behind his back and shed an arrogant and cold smile. Then, his figure slowly rose from above the earth like the sun. Finally, he stood at the highest point and looked down at the crowd below his feet. ¡°Where are you, people of Dragon God Hall?¡± Ye Fan roared, his voice reverberating across the ce. It was as though the gods had descended to the mortal realm. Chapter 2114 Chapter 2114 What? Are they really... Ye Fan''s words had undoubtedly caused a huge wave of emotions to crash into the hearts of the members of Chu Sect. Chu Qitian and the others stared at the thousands of figures gathering around Ye Fan. They were standing on all sides of Mount Yunding, looking like devout apostles on a pilgrimage or an army of the gods. They came from different directions and converged at a single location. In the end, the entire mountain was filled with expert warriors from all over the world. People of different skin colors, ethnicities, and nations were there. However, they all shared the same belief and the same dream, and they were all the more passionate as they gathered together. ¡°T-There are so many people!¡± ¡°A-Are all of them Ye Fan''s subordinates?¡± Ye Fan''s uncles'' heads were about to explode. They had always thought that Ye Fan''s greatest support was Li Er and the others from Jiangdong. Yet, it seemed that they had underestimated their nephew and that their nephew had created his own empire outside of Jiangdong. ¡°T-There''s no way this is true, right? Ye Fan''s only a few months older than me! How can he have so many followers at such a young age?¡± Jiang Yng and his sister were also filled with disbelief. Even though both of them knew there was a huge difference between them and Ye Fan, they couldn''t ept that Ye Fan was so much better than them. In the past, they had thought Ye Fan was only the most powerful person in Jiangdong or China at most. However, at that moment, they realized they were wrong. The cousin they once looked down upon seemed to have already stood at the apex of the world in a ce they knew nothing about. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Even though all of them were in their twenties and had the same blood flowing in them, there was such a huge gap between them. In fact, Jiang Yng''s educational background was far greater than Ye Fan''s as seen in his college entrance exam scores, which exceeded Ye Fan''s by several hundred points. Yet, Jiang Yng only ended up as a regr employee despite graduating from a prestigious school. On the other hand, his older cousin was standing on top of the world, worshipped by people worldwide. The crowd was still stunned, and only Xu Lei was smiling. Her beautiful eyes were filled with pride. It was as though she was saying, ¡°Did you see that? That''s my Ye Fan! This is what he''s truly capable of! Even if you all think highly of him, it''s still an insult to him! His power isn''t something the mortals can trulyprehend! None of you will ever know just how mighty and brilliant he is!¡± Xu Lei smiled heartily. There was endless love and admiration in her eyes. Because of Ye Fan, she had insisted on not marrying anyone for the past few years. Even though he already had a family, she still wasn''t willing to ept anyone. Why would she want the stars when she used to be so close to the sun? In her eyes, no man could ever bepared to Ye Fan. Women who had gotten close to Ye Fan knew they wouldn''t fall in love with any man other than him because no man could be more excellent and brilliant than him. Under everyone''s surprised gaze, thousands of people got to their knees. ¡°All hail the Dragon Master!¡± ¡°All hail the Dragon Master!¡± Their cries of greeting resounded through the entire pce. They were filled with respect for the man whom they called their Dragon Master. They were so loud that the earth beneath their feet trembled. Ye Fan stood in front of his people with a cold smile on his face and his hands behind his back, looking like the gods who had descended to Earth. The clouds moved above him, and the sun created a halo effect behind him. If he had a long sword at that moment, everyone would think he was a hero. Silence filled the air, as everyone was dumbfounded the moment the people of Dragon God Hall kneeled before Ye Fan. Their mouths were agape as they gasped in shock and fear. Ye Qingtian''s heart thumped wildly, while King of Fighters'' and Sword Saint''s eyes widened. Back then, the War God Castle had looked down on Ye Fan. Sword Saint and King of Fighters had even tried their best to stop Ye Fan from joining them. They thought he didn''t deserve a spot next to them and that allowing him to join them would only embarrass China. However, it was then that they realized that they should be the ones to feel embarrassed. It wasn''t that Ye Fan didn''t deserve to join War God Castle, but that War God Castle simply couldn''t house someone as powerful as him, someone who was the leader of the four Dragon yers, The Eighteen Guardians, and thousands of martial arts experts. With how powerful Dragon God Hall was, just them alone would be enough to conquer the world. And at that moment, all that terrifying power was in the hands of a single young man. Ye Fan''s terrifying leadership skills shook King of Fighters and Sword Saint to their cores and made them feel ashamed of themselves. ¡°Holy sh*t! Ye Fan is way too awesome! He''s not just the king of Jiangdong. He''s the king of the world!¡± Fatty eximed emotionally. Never in a million years had he thought that the friend he had grown up with back then was capable of bing that awesome. Just an order from Ye Fan was enough to make thousands of people worship him. On top of the Chinese, there were also sexy blondes from Western Epea and hot chicks from Smend kneeling before Ye Fan. Fatty couldn''t help but feel honored to call Ye Fan his childhood friend. Jiang Yng and the others who had a history with Ye Fan were also trembling like mad. It would be a ludicrous lie to say they didn''t feel jealous at all. More than that, they felt dejected. ¡°I once thought that it was still possible for me to catch up to you with my educational background and talent in thirty or maybe even fifty years. But now, it seems that I was too na?ve.¡± Tears fell from the corners of Jiang Yng''s eyes. Some people were destined to be looked up to by others, much like the sun in the sky. Any attempt at catching up to them would only end with their eyes getting burned. ¡°Why? Why are you so brilliant that it destroys people''s courage to catch up to you?¡± Everyone around was either feeling shocked, dejected or admiring Ye Fan. At the foot of Mount Yunding, the members of Green Dragon Force had also got to their knees. Ye Yuyan''s eyes were filled with admiration. Sometimes, she thought it would be nice if she weren''t rted to Ye Fan by blood. If she weren''t, she would be free to chase after him like Xu Lei and be his woman. ¡°Godd*mmit! You sure know how to show off, Ye Fan! You get all the attention while I get beaten up! You only know how to screw with me,¡± Huangniu grumbled as it stared at Ye Fan''s holding his hands behind his back. Now that Ye Fan''s acting so cool and suave, I bet a lot of prettydies will leap into his embrace once this is all over. God, I''m so envious of him! ¡°This won''t do! Both of us need to work hard too, you damned dog! We have to do something to take the spotlight away from him!¡± Chapter 2115 Chapter 2115 Huangniu was incredibly jealous when it saw how cool Ye Fan looked. Together with ckie, it promptlyunched a ferocious attack on ze. It carried ckie and threw it at ze''s head. ckie aimed its paws at ze''s eyes. Instinctively, ze closed its eyes. ¡°That''s our chance!¡± Huangniu used the opportunity to charge forward furiously and leap above ze''s head before kicking it wildly with its terrifying strength. ¡°Take this! And that!¡± Huangniu was clearly putting in a lot of effort in its assault this time. ze''s body, which weighed a hundred tons, was sent flying a few kilometers away. Green blood streamed down the corners of ze''s eyes. ¡°Haha! What do you think? Now you know just how powerful I am! How dare a red-eyed beast like you show off in front of me!¡± Mimicking Ye Fan, Huangniu straightened up and ced its front hooves behind its back. However, its joy didn''tst long. At that moment, crimson mes tore through the sky and flew straight toward it. When ckie saw that, it barked at Huangniu, warning thetter to dodge. The calf quickly reacted when it heard that, but it was toote. Its tail was scorched by the me. ¡°My tail! How dare you ruin my tail, you b*stard! I''m going to kill you!¡± Huangniu''s eyes turned red. As a creature who cared a lot about its appearance, it could not tolerate anyone or any beast ruining any part of it. Without hesitation, it charged toward ze. ckie stood at the side, smiling foolishly, seemingly enjoying the sight of Huangniu''s misery. The battle on their side began once more. On the other side, Chu Yuan''s expression grew all the more solemn as he stared at the army Ye Fan had brought incredulously. ¡°Looks like I''ve underestimated you, kid. I can''t believe you have so much power in Dragon God Hall after all these years.¡± That was the first time he had looked at his grandson squarely, for he could see the strength that a leader possessed in thetter. Nevertheless, Chu Yuan wasn''t at all afraid of Ye Fan''s strength. Instead, it was Ye Fan''s leadership skills that made him fearful. Ye Fan needed only to raise an arm to summon so many experts. If Chu Yuan were to let it go on, perhaps Ye Fan would be able to make every single martial artist in the world his subordinate someday. Chu Yuan decided he couldn''t afford to wait anymore. No matter what happens, I must take down Ye Fan and Dragon God Hall here and now! ¡°Tianqi, I want you to lead the elders to kill the Dragon yers from Dragon God Hall. End the battle as soon as possible! After that''s done, kill anyone who''s affiliated with Dragon God Hall.¡± He swiftly came up with a n after analyzing the situation. Aside from Ye Fan and Dragon God Hall, the ones they feared the most were the four Dragon yers. Chu Yuan was confident that once they killed Gaius and the others, Dragon God Hall would no longer pose a significant threat. ¡°Got it!¡± Chu Tianqi answered. Then he ordered, ¡°The elders of Chu Sect,e with me to battle!¡± Swoosh! Seven figures leaped into the air from the crowd and gathered behind him. ¡°Fight!¡± Without hesitation, he led the Supremes of Chu Sect to battle against the Dragon yers. ¡°Haha! Just in time! My sword has been thirsty for blood!¡± Gaiusughed. Before Ye Fan even gave him the order to attack, he was already waving his weapon and shing his enemies. Smashing Unds glinted as he swung it in a wide arc, making it look all the more imposing. ¡°You''re too full of yourself, you brute! Now watch as I, Anderson, kill you!¡± Anderson could not tolerate arrogant people. Faced with Gaius'' assault, Anderson struck first. He curled both his hands as he flew in the air like a roc spreading its wings or a fierce tiger sprinting down the mountain. He wed his opponent and shouted, ¡°Heavenly Wolf w!¡± The crowd saw the silhouette of a wolf manifesting in front of Anderson as he shouted. The silhouette of the wolf howled toward the sky before lunging toward Gaius. Seeing Anderson using Heavenly Wolf w as his opening attack, the members of Chu Sect shook their heads. They believed that he was being too cautious. He was using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. After all, the four Dragon yers had been imprisoned for many years. It was likely that they were no longer as powerful as they used to be. That was why the Chu Sect elders weren''t afraid of Gaius and the others. Just as the crowd was staring at Gaius mockingly, he lifted his sword and swung it instead of dodging Anderson''s attack. At once, everyone felt an unbelievably heavy aura rolling downhill. It felt as if the pirs holding the sky had been broken, and the entire world was crashing down on them. That overwhelming pressure made Chu Qitian feel a little breathless. ¡°This might... This sword...¡± Just as his and the other''s expressions changed, Gaius'' swung his sword downward. His weapon instantly shattered the silhouette of the wolf in one clean sweep, causing Anderson to spit out a mouthful of blood. Then as the sword hit Anderson''s body, he was sent flying toward the mountain in the distance. The ground shook as giant rocks tumbled down and buried Anderson under the ruins. ¡°What the...¡± ¡°How is this even f*cking possible?¡± Everyone lost their minds. Chu Qitian''s eyes widened. The elders of Chu Sect lost their voices as they trembled. Gaius had defeated Anderson with a single sh. His horrifying power made the elders of Chu Sect shiver. ¡°It''s the sword! Tell me, what kind of sword is that?¡± Chu Qitian could quickly tell the real reason for Anderson''s swift defeat. Anderson was a Supreme who ranked in the top fifty of Sky Ranking. In terms of strength, even if Gaius was in his prime, he should only be equal to Anderson. Yet, Anderson had suffered a crushing defeat in his battle against Gaius. The oue was simply something one could never imagine. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ¡°Haha! Listen closely, you fools. The name of this sword is Smashing Unds!¡± Gaius cackled wildly. There was no doubt that he liked his weapon very much. Dragon Master''s gift sure is awesome! ¡°Damn it! Get him together!¡± Chu Qitian ordered, seeing that the situation wasn''t going well. ¡°Haha... Bring it on! I''ll show you fools how powerful Dragon God Hall is!¡± Gaius waved his sword and charged forward again. With arrogance in their eyes, the other Dragon yers joined in the fight too. Su Muqiu held Sapphire River in his hands. The Wind God, Cecil, wielded Abyss, the tip of the spear gleaming with a cold light. Owen was also holding his sword, Scarlett me, which was glowing in red. All four Dragon yers made their way toward the Chu Sect elders and attacked at the same time. Of course, the seven elders of Chu Sect dared not ck off as they promptly made their moves. Some were holding giant hammers, smashing the earth with fury. Others were shooting their Qi across the air. The remaining attacked with their fists and legs, shaking the ground with monstrous force as they did. Just like that, the four Dragon yers and seven Chu Sect elders had their first and fiercest battle. Chapter 2116 Chapter 2116 ¡°Do you think we can make it?¡± On Mount Yunding, many people clenched their fists anxiously. Li Er, Ye Yuyan, and the others continued to pray that Gaius and the others would be able to defeat the Chu Sect elders in their hearts. ¡°I''m afraid it won''t be easy.¡± Zhang Zixi shook her head with worry. In her opinion, the only reason Anderson was swiftly defeated was that he had underestimated his opponent. This time, the elders of Chu Sect would not make the same mistake and would no doubt give it their all. Besides, almost all the elders were ranked in the top fifty of Sky Ranking and they had the secret technique of Chu Sect. Most importantly, their number was almost twice as many as that of the Dragon yers. That was why Zhang Zixi was pessimistic about Gaius and the others'' victory. Chu Qitian shared the same sentiment. He didn''t even attack and didn''t feel the need to. In his mind, there was no way seven Supremes couldn''t defeat four people beyond their prime. With his eyes filled with confidence, Chu Qitian watched as the greatest battle unfolded before him. Boom! The sound of a deafening explosion reverberated across the mountain. It was as though tons of explosives had exploded at the same time. The ancient Mount Yunding was nearly razed to the ground. The ground was split apart while stone debris flew in all directions. A terrifying shockwave rippled in all directions. When Ye Fan saw that, he instantly used his energy to erect an invisible wall in front of Li Er and the others from Jiangdong to prevent them from getting hurt. The storm and strong wind created by the sh caused dust to sweep across the ce, blocking the crowd''s line of sight. Chu Yuan stood proudly in the sky, looked down at Ye Fan, and spoke with a mocking voice. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Ready for what?¡± Ye Fan asked. ¡°Ready to clean up the corpses of the Dragon yers, of course.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°Don''t you think it''s too early for you to say that?¡± ¡°Am I? Do you really think the four Dragon yers can stop the seven elders?¡± Chu Yuan snorted, gazing at Ye Fan as though thetter was an idiot. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why not?¡± Ye Fan looked calm. There wasn''t a hint of worry or anxiety in his voice. Chu Yuan frowned, a bad feeling surfacing in his heart. It was then the dust settled. The battlefield was visible to the crowd once more. Gaius and the other three were still standing, their weapons covered in blood. Meanwhile, groans could be heard from the seven elders of Chu Sect as they were sent flying into the horizon like kites with broken strings by Gaius and the others. Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! The sound of all seven Supremes falling to the ground rang out. Blood spilled out of their mouths. ¡°What?¡± Chu Qitian''s face clouded over. ¡°H-How is this possible?¡± His eyes widened. Everyone from Chu Sect was utterly dumbfounded. ¡°How can this be? Even the seven elders couldn''t defeat those four Dragon yers.¡± The members of Chu Sect couldn''t ept the oue. Zhang Zixi and the others from Jiangdong were also shocked. No one expected that the four Dragon yers had be that powerful. However, that attack only managed to hurt the elders of Chu Sect. It didn''t injure them severely. Anderson crawled out of the ruins and stood back up. Wiping away the blood at the corner of his mouth, he stared at Gaius and the others with resentment. His bloodshot eyes made him look as though he was eager to swallow the four Dragon yers whole. ¡°What''s going on? Can''t the seven of you defeat the four of them? Are you all that useless?¡± Chu Qitian reprimanded Anderson and the others with a scowl. Chu Yuan''s expression had also darkened greatly. There were suppressed mes of anger in his cold eyes. Clearly, he was very unhappy with Anderson and the others'' performance. ¡°You can''t me us, Mr. Chu. Their weapons are far too powerful! When they swing their weapons, they can manipte the forces of the world!¡± Anderson was in a wretched state. His clothes had been burned pretty badly by Scarlet me in his battle earlier. The weapons Gaius and the others possessed could deal additional types of damage. Scarlet me could burn, Smashing Unds could unleash heavy pressure, and Abyss could prate armor. That was why, even though the Chu Sect elders outnumbered the Dragon yers, they suffered a lot of damage. ¡°That''s right, Mr. Chu! They''re wielding divine weapons. If not for those weapons, we would''ve been able to kill them!¡± The Chu Sect elders were very upset with their defeat. After all, on paper, theirbined strength was no doubt greater than the four Dragon yers. They lost simply because their enemies had divine weapons, and that made them feel extremely depressed. Only when Chu Qitian heard that did he notice the weapons in the Dragon yers'' hands. He recalled they didn''t have those when they attacked Mount Chumen back then. ¡°Where did you get those divine weapons? How can you have something that Chu Sect doesn''t have?¡± Chu Qitian had always thought that Chu Sect was the most powerful sect in the world. If they didn''t have a particr treasure, then there was no way other forces could possess it. Gaius held his sword andughed. ¡°Now you know how powerful our divine weapons are. I''ll be honest with you. These weapons were given to us by our generous Dragon Master!¡± Chu Qitian''s pupils constricted when he heard that. Ye Fan again? ¡°Impossible! He''s an abandoned child with no support or background! How could he possibly get these weapons? Did he steal it from the War God Castle''s armory?¡± He refused to believe that an abandoned child could be that powerful. Not only did Ye Fan manage to gather so many powerful warriors, but he also had a bunch of treasures that Chu Sect didn''t possess. ¡°No weapons like this exist in China. Looks like you''ve been quite lucky for the past few years, Chu Tianfan.¡± The murderous intent in Chu Yuan intensified as he stared at Ye Fan. Not only does he have the Book of Celestial Cloud, but he also had numerous encounters that made him stronger! I mustn''t let him leave alive! After recollecting himself from his shock, Chu Yuan said, ¡°Anderson, I want you guys to use Comprehensive Array Attack to deal with the four Dragon yers. Tianqi, I want you to kill Gaius and the others when you have the chance. The rest of Chu Sect will attack the members of Dragon God Hall. Whether Chu Sect has a chance to dominate the and stand proudly on the apex of this world will depend on your performance in this battle!¡± While the divine weapons that Gaius and the others wielded surprised Chu Yuan, it still didn''t worry him that much because he believed Chu Sect still had the advantage. ording to his observation, once Anderson and the others unleashed the Comprehensive Array Attack, they would stand a chance against the four Dragon yers. Then, if Chu Tianqi attacked the four of them when the opportunity arose, there would be no doubt that Gaius and the others could be wiped out. At least, that was what Chu Yuan believed. Indeed, what happened next was just as Chu Yuan expected. Anderson and the others used Cloud Sun Immortal Army, a Comprehensive Array Attack of Chu Sect. Back then, the Chu Family Protectors had used that formation and given Ye Fan a lot of trouble. At that moment, the Comprehensive Array Attack had been modified slightly and was used by the elders of Chu Sect instead. In just a few minutes, the situation on the battlefield took a sharp turn for the worse. Even though Gaius and the others possessed divine weapons, they could barely defend themselves from the elders'' attack. Chapter 2117 Chapter 2117 ¡°This is bad. The four Dragon yers were neutralized before Chu Qitian made a move. I''m afraid the battle will be one-sided once Chu Qitian enters the fray.¡± Zhang Zixi and the rest watched from afar on Mount Yunding, their surprise caused by Gaius rapidly dispelling, leaving only worry behind. ¡°Take onest look at your subordinates, Chu Tianfan, because they''re going to die soon. You should be feeling sorry for leading them to their deaths.¡± Chu Yuan looked smug, for the scales of victory had begun to tip in favor of Chu Sect. However, Ye Fan shook his head with a smile. ¡°Hold your horses. This is simply the beginning,¡± he said calmly. He turned to gaze at the edge of the horizon, and his deep voice rang out in all directions. ¡°King Folo, I think you have had your fill of watching us. Don''t hold it against me if you still don''t show up.¡± Everyone was stunned. King Folo? Isn''t he a Supreme from India? Is he here? King of Fighters and Sword Saint were taken by surprise, while Chu Yuan''s eyes darkened. An ominous feeling began to build in the pit of their stomachs as the seconds ticked by. The horizon remained stubbornly empty with no silhouette to be seen after a full ten seconds. Chu Yuan snickered. ¡°It appears that your calvary has been scared away.¡± A gust of cold wind blew past as he finished his sentence. Then, three silhouettes descended from the windswept heavens to Mount Yunding. ¡°It really is King Folo!¡± ¡°Are Bapei and Haibu here too?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Why are they here?¡± ¡°Are they friend or foe?¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint tensed up. The Folo Pce in India and the War God Castle in China were enemies. No one knew if their appearance together was good or bad. ¡°Have you finally decided to show up?¡± Ye Fan sneered at the three of them, displeasure lining his tone. ¡°That was fast, Mr. Chu. You arrived quicker than us. We have just arrived.¡± King Folo chuckled, and Haibu and Bapei wore simr smiles. Truth be told, they had already arrived, but they did not dare to reveal themselves, as Chu Sect''s forces came in droves. The head of elders had gathered, and even Chu Yuan, the Old Master, had personallye to China. This was obviously an act of war against China. If King Folo and the rest showed up too soon, they might have been ughtered by the warriors of Chu Sect. Thus, they had sat watching from the sidelines, assessing the situation before determining whether to go to war. After all, they werepletely out of their depth. Unlike Huangniu, they would never give their lives to fight for Ye Fan, Jiangdong, and China. ¡°Is that it? What impable timing. You showed up only when you are needed. Three of you will deal with Chu Qitian, all right? He sustained severe injuries from my hand, and though he has somewhat recovered, his strength is still not fully restored. I don''t expect you to defeat him but only to dy him. Are you up for the task?¡± Ye Fan didn''t demand ountability for their bystander attitude. In fact, he had expected their reluctance to go against Chu Sect, but their shamelessness still astounded him. They had been sitting idly by until now and would have continued staying hidden if he hadn''t told them to show themselves. ¡°I dare you to! Think properly before making a decision. Joining in the war means India is dering war against Chu Sect. Once I''m done with China and the dust settles, India will be next! I''m going to raze your country to the ground,¡± Chu Yuan threatened, as King Folo''s appearance had made him feel uneasy. However, King Folo and the rest weren''t idiots. Unfazed by his threats, King Folo said with a smile, ¡°We have no choice, Old Mr. Chu. If we do not act, your grandchild will end three of us and wipe out India. I''m not happy about this stalemate at all.¡± ¡°Don''t worry about that. Chu Tianfan will surely die today if you don''t intervene, and he will not be a threat to India''s martial arts world. I can assure you of that!¡± Chu Yuan persuaded. King Folo shook his head. ¡°Old Mr. Chu, you seemed to have made a simr promise to Epea''s martial arts world to maintain friendship and peace. However, you have trampled on Western Epea''s martial arts world. So, take my word for it, Old Mr. Chu. Withdraw your forces from Aploth or suffer the consequences. Your grandson is now far more powerful,¡± he remarked, trying to get Chu Yuan to retreat from Aploth. However, there was no way Chu Yuan would back down with a few words from King Folo after years of nning. ¡°Does that imply that you will interfere? If so, Chu Sect will have to mount an attack on India''s martial arts world!¡± Chu Yuan said coldly, already nearing his breaking point as he tried to contain his anger. King Folo spread out his hands in a gesture of wry resignation before charging into the battlefield with Haibu and Bapei and standing in front of Chu Qitian. ¡°I heard you are hurt, Mr. Chu. Take care of yourself and leave the fighting to the subordinates. We could apany you if you''re bored.¡± Three of them formed a straight line before Chu Qitian and smiled while assuming fighting stances. Ye Fan''s task for them was easy, and they were confident in their ability to stall Chu Qitian. ¡°Piss off, you b*stards!¡± Chu Qitian snarled and tried to attack them. The three Supremes of India could only ept the challenge, and soon, they seeded in stalling Chu Qitian. ¡°Damn you, Chu Tianfan. I''ve underestimated you. It appears you have nned ahead of time for today''s battle.¡± Chu Yuan''s expression darkened. His n had gone awry yet again. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. What should have been annihtion came to a sudden impasse. He started to regret not bringing the Jones family''s warriors today. In that case, Chu Sect would still have the upper hand in firepower. Right then, a troop of warriors led by Michael, the head of the Jones family, flocked to Mount Yunding as a scowl hardened Chu Yuan''s face. ¡°Old Mr. Chu, the Jones family hase to your aid!¡± Michael marshaled hundreds of men up Mount Yunding and stood with the Chu Sect warriors, bowing respectfully to Chu Yuan. Chu Yuan rejoiced and eximed, ¡°Wonderful!¡± Support from the Jones family was Chu Sect''s trump card. ¡°Now the Three Families of the Chu Sect have gathered on Mount Yunding. The great undertaking is now! Listen to my orders. All troops are to charge and take Mount Yunding!¡± Chu Yuanmanded. Previously, only the top-ranking warriors had fought, but today even the mid-ranking fighters had stormed into the battlefield. However, as Chu Yuan issued hismand, blood-curdling shrieks sounded from behind him. The warriors led by Michael had withdrawn their swords and charged at Chu Sect. ¡°Damn it! What the f*ck are you doing? Have you gone crazy?¡± Chu Yuan exploded. His eyes bulged at the Chu Sect disciples who had fallen to the Joneses'' swords. He had barely given the orders when his men started ughtering each other. What on earth is going on here? Chapter 2118 Chapter 2118 ¡°Are you blind, Michael? Open your eyes and see who you''ve killed. What a bunch of idiots!¡± Chu Yuan roared and looked at the Joneses as though they were a bunch of morons. I''ve never seen anyone as stupid as them. How can they not tell if the man is a friend or a foe? Are they here to help or ridicule themselves? Chu Yuan was so livid that he wished he could kill those men from the Jones family. ¡°Chu Yuan, you old b*stard, can''t you see? You''re the idiot here! Today, I''m joining forces with the Dragon Master to wipe out Chu Sect!¡± Michael announced. Everyone was dumbfounded. W-What''s going on here? Isn''t the Jones family one of the Three Families of the Chu Sect? Why did he call Chu Yuan an old b*stard? And why did he say he was here to wipe out Chu Sect? Even the ones who were battling King Folo couldn''t help but nce over in bafflement. Chu Qitian furrowed his brows and questioned, ¡°W-What did you say?¡± ¡°Repeat what you just said!¡± Chu Yuan''s eyes widened. I don''t care if Ye Fan was the one who called me old b*stard. After all, Chu Sect and Ye Fan are mortal enemies. But how dare the Joneses ridicule me in public? They''re one of the Three Families of the Chu Sect. There was no way Chu Yuan could keep his cool. His bloodshot eyes looked as if they were about to burst into mes. ¡°Haha! Must you make me repeat myself? Chu Yuan, my master has already gathered forces and has Mount Yunding surrounded. Today''s the day you meet your doom, and Chu Sect will go down along with you!¡± Michaelughed devilishly. At that moment, he was venting all the anger and pent-up resentment that had built up inside of him. Chu Sect killed my dad and put Angie in aa. My entire family almost got wiped out! No matter what, I must have my revenge. Even if I were to die today, I must destroy Chu Sect! Indeed, the moment Michael joined Dragon God Hall and brought his men up to Mount Yunding, he was prepared to risk his life as long as he could take revenge. If I can avenge my dad and my sister today, my death will be worth it! ¡°You b*stard, how dare you humiliate me? You Joneses must be sick of living! Where''s Bill? Get your dad to see me at this instant! I must ask him what he''s up to! The Jones family has been benefitting from the Chu family all these years. Are you guys going to be ungrateful and betray the Chu family now?¡± Chu Yuan clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh. Michaelughed out loud in response. ¡°How dare you mention my dad, you old b*stard? You''re the reason my dad died! And if not for the Chu family, Angie wouldn''t be in aa right now! You brought this upon yourselves, so don''t me the Jones family! Since everyone''s here today, I shall make an announcement. From today onward, the Jones family is no longer with Chu Sect. Instead, we''ve joined Dragon God Hall. Mr. Chu is now our leader! Chu Yuan, you''ve killed my dad and the members of my family. I''m not leaving until I destroy Chu Sect today!¡± His words struck the others like bolts of lightning. Everyone at the scene was stupefied. The Three Families of the Chu Sect had had each other''s back for millenniums. They could not believe that the Jones family had left Chu Sect and joined forces with the enemy. ¡°Haha! This is great! It''s true that the righteous ones will never walk alone! The devils of Chu Sect have been abandoned.¡± At the foot of Mount Yunding, Li Er and the rest were ted.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Although the Jones family didn''t have a supreme grandmaster who could decide the result of the battle, their betrayal had definitely dampened Chu Sect''s fighting spirit. Chu Yuan was so mad that he burst intoughter. ¡°Very well. I''ve seen this betrayaling long ago. I just don''t know why I have not killed all of you yet. Since you guys have presented yourselves before me, I shall fulfill your death wish!¡± The murderous intent in his tone was apparent. In his anger, Chu Yuan sent a powerful p in Michael''s direction, seemingly wanting to kill thetter with that p. ¡°Mr. Jones, watch out!¡± The members of the Jones family were taken aback, and they all rushed to protect Michael selflessly. However, they were no match for Chu Yuan. The strongest fighter in the Jones family, a grandmaster, wouldn''t be able to block Chu Yuan''s powerful strike. Just as the members of the Jones family were about to fall into despair, a figure dashed out at lightning speed. The figure nted his feet solidly on the ground, squatted down, and gathered an immense force on his palm in an instant. A thunderous rumble reverberated through the air as he unleashed a palm strike. The palms collided, and both men were sent stumbling backward. Chu Yuan was sent stumbling five steps backward while Ye Fan was forced back ten steps. Seeing that Ye Fan had appeared, Chu Yuan bellowed, ¡°Get out of my way, Chu Tianfan! This is an internal affair, and it has nothing to do with you. I''ll deal with you once I''ve killed these betrayers!¡± Chu Yuan wasn''t in the mood to fight Ye Fan at that moment. His priority then was to kill the betrayers from the Jones family and lift the morale of his men. After all, everyone hates betrayers! Yet, needless to say, Ye Fan wasn''t going to go anywhere. He chuckled coldly and replied, ¡°The Joneses are now my subordinates. Don''t you think you need my approval to kill my men?¡± ¡°You must be sick of living!¡± To Chu Yuan, those words were like a silent mockery. Upon realizing that he couldn''t kill the betrayers without killing Ye Fan, Chu Yuan no longer wanted to kill the Joneses himself. Instead, he ordered his subordinates to battle the Joneses. ¡°People of Dragon God Hall, it is our time to shine! Destroy Chu Sect and capture Chu Yuan!¡± Right then, almost a thousand fighters from Dragon God Hall rushed toward the battlefield and fought the members of Chu Sect alongside the Joneses. As for Ye Fan, his opponent was Chu Yuan. However, with their skills, they weren''t going to fight on the ground. Otherwise, the residual energy waves from their battle could injure their own subordinates. Under everyone''s gaze, Ye Fan leaped into the air. Chu Yuan quickly followed suit and chased after Ye Fan. Both of them stood before each other in mid-air. Ye Fan''s long robe fluttered in the wind, and his stance resembled a spear pointing at the sky. Looking solemn, Chu Yuan started, ¡°Chu Tianfan, looks like I''ve really underestimated you! Who would''ve thought that you could gather a forceparable to Chu Sect in merely three years'' time? Back then, I''vemitted a grave mistake by letting those b*stards from Dragon God Hall free.¡± He looked at Ye Fan coldly, his eyes filled with rage. He truly didn''t expect Ye Fan, who had been abandoned and disregarded by everyone back then, to be able to gather such a strong group of fighters. In fact, Ye Fan''s mighty force could even threaten thebat prowess of Chu Sect. ¡°But this shall be the end, Chu Tianfan. I won''t hold back anymore. I''m going to show you the most amazing power in this world! You''re nothing! I''ll beat you into submission!¡± Chu Yuan continued. Chapter 2119 Chapter 2119 Chu Yuan''s booming voice echoed throughout the peak of Mount Yunding as the energy came surging toward him from all directions. The energy then converged on Chu Yuan''s body as though there was an invisible funnel above him, causing his aura levels to rise at a terrifying rate. Ye Fan could also see the muscles on Chu Yuan''s body expand rapidly as he grew stronger and stronger. Chu Yuan was almost twice his original size by the time he was done absorbing all that energy. The loud roar of a dragon came echoed through the mountain as Chu Yuan''s Dragon God Body was activated in the process. A few secondster, explosive energy came bursting out of him, causing those in the area to feel immense pressure on their bodies. ¡°Looks like Chu Yuan is about to get serious!¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint were severely injured and tied to a huge rock in the distance. Chu Sect and Dragon God Hall were locked inbat, but hardly anyone was paying attention to that battle. King of Fighters and the others all had their gazes fixated on Ye Fan and Chu Yuan because they knew the oue of this fight would determine the victor. Even if Dragon God Hall could win the battle against Chu Sect''s men, it would be for nothing if Ye Fan lost to Chu Yuan. After all, Chu Yuan alone possessed enough power to level all of Jiangdong. It would take more than having the superiority in numbers to stand up to the power of a god realm master. Right as the fight between Ye Fan and Chu Yuan was about to start, ten thousand soldiers arrived at the Brighfell River, which was dozens of miles away. Lu Tianhe was standing on the top of a nearby mountain and observing the battle while one of his men updated him on the situation at Yunzhou. He had seen little to no hope for the battle at Jiangdong at first. However, hearing about Ye Fan''s heroic return with thousands of powerful fighters filled his eyes with hope again. As he nced at the horizon, he noticed a huge amount of energy gathering in Yunzhou''s direction. One of his subordinates came up to him and reported, ¡°General Lu, the men from Dragon God Hall and Chu Sect are still locked inbat, and the fight between General Chu and the head of the Chu Sect is about to begin!¡± ¡°It looks like the true battle is about to take ce!¡± Lu Tianhe said as he gazed at Yunzhou from afar. Being a fellow martial artist himself, he knew full well that the oue of Ye Fan and Chu Yuan''s fight would determine the oue of this battle. ¡°Standby, men. On mymand, we will cross the Brighfell River, advance fifty miles, and set up camp outside of Yunzhou!¡± Lu Tianhe ordered. Since General Chu is back, it''s only natural that I lend him a helping hand. Even if we don''t join in the fight, we can at least provide some moral support on the side! The survival of China''s martial arts world is in your hands, General Chu... The decisive battle for Yunzhou had begun. After charging his power, Chu Yuanunched himself at Ye Fan like an arrow and threw a punch at him. Boom! Chu Yuan hit with so much force that it felt as though a nuclear bomb had exploded. The shockwave alone left a huge crater in the ground. Instead of taking that blow head-on, Ye Fan dodged it using the Nine Steps of Yunyang. ¡°Ha! Do you think you can dodge this?¡± Chu Yuan asked with a vicious grin on his face. He then pressed both of his palms together and concentrated his energy on them. ¡°Radial sh!¡± Buzz! A golden ball of light formed at the tip of Chu Yuan''s fingers. It started as a tiny dot and slowly increased in size with Chu Yuan''s body as its core. After reaching a certain size, the ball of light exploded into an energy wave that expanded rapidly, covering all directions and angles. Chu Yuan had long figured out the concept behind the Nine Steps of Yunyang after seeing Ye Fan use it. That''s quite an impressive movement technique he''s got there. Every attack has openings that can be exploited, and that is exactly what the Nine Steps of Yunyang does. It allows Ye Fan to evade my attacks and effortlessly slip through the cracks. In order to neutralize the Nine Steps of Yunyang, I''ll have tounch an attack that does damage indiscriminately within an area! This way, there will be no cracks for Ye Fan to slip through! Simr to how carpet bombing will effectively flush out or kill anyone hiding in an area, this attack will render Ye Fan''s movement technique useless! Sure enough, Radial sh could neutralize Ye Fan''s Nine Steps of Yunyang effectively and send Ye Fan flying upon impact. Having broken through Ye Fan''s defense, Chu Yuan seized the opportunity and charged forward. ¡°Dragon Catching Punch! Crouching Tiger Palm! The Tyrant''s Kick!¡± Chu Yuan yelled as he unleashed three consecutive strikes using his fist, palm, and foot. Within seconds, all three attacks came raining down on Ye Fan like a storm. A single mistake could easily result in defeat, and Ye Fan was no exception to that rule. With his movement technique being countered, Ye Fan was caught off guard and couldn''t effectively dodge or block the subsequent attacks. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Everyone watched as Chu Yuan''s strikes broke through Ye Fan''s defenses andnded square on his body. Each blow was so powerful that it caused Ye Fan to cough up blood upon impact, and the third strike sent him flying a few miles away like a cannonball. Boom! The mountain shook violently, and a crater was formed as Chu Yuan stomped Ye Fan to the ground. As if to celebrate Chu Yuan''s victory, broken pieces of rocks flew everywhere like fireworks. ¡°Hahaha! I won! Chu Tianfan has lost, and those of you from the Dragon God Hall are the next to die!¡± The members of Chu Sect were overjoyed when they saw that. Having received a morale boost from their leader''s victory, the members of Chu Sect managed to break through a few of Dragon God Hall''s defenses and forced their men to retreat. Even when armed with divine tools, Gaius struggled to defend against the Chu Sect elders'' attacks. Things were clearly not looking good for Dragon God Hall. Boom! All of a sudden, Ye Fan emerged from the rubble. This time, however, he was no longer calm andposed. Blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth, and he had an incredibly gloomy look in his eyes. He spat out a mouthful of blood as he said coldly, ¡°As expected of the leader of Chu Sect. You could counter my Nine Steps of Yunyang. In that case, I shall stop dodging your attacks from here on. I''ll have you know that I, Chu Tianfan, am not afraid to fight you head-on!¡± I shouldn''t have underestimated Chu Yuan. I thought I was untouchable with the Nine Steps of Yunyang, but Chu Yuan was able to counter itpletely with Radial sh. Oh, well... I guess it won''t work on every single attack, but not that it matters. If I can''t dodge his attacks, then I''ll fight him head- on and crush him with brute force! As though he had just heard the funniest joke ever, Chu Yuan burst outughing and said, ¡°Hahaha! You think you have what it takes to defeat me? Chu Tianfan, I''ll have you know that I can crush those below the god realm like bugs! If I''m not mistaken, your Invoke the Celestial Cloud has only reached the fourth stage. You''re still a Supreme, so how do you n on fighting me when you''re not even halfway near the god realm? I could kill you with a single p if we shed head-on!¡± Chapter 2120 Chapter 2120 ¡°Is that so? I suppose I''ll just have to shatter that confidence of yours then. Let''s see which one of us gets to have thestugh!¡± Boom! With that, a powerful burst of energy erupted from Ye Fan''s body. He exuded a golden glow as a dragon appeared behind him. Like a snake that had swallowed a huge prey, his muscles expanded as his body puffed up with explosive energy. ¡°What the... T-That''s Chu Sect''s Dragon God Body!¡± King of Fighters and the others were shocked when they saw the golden dragon floating behind Ye Fan. Having known Ye Fan for years, they had experienced first-hand the power of his Dragon God Body. Even so, seeing him unleash that terrifyingly powerful technique again after so many years still caused them to tremble in awe and fear. ¡°Looks like Chu Tianfan has gotten a lot stronger while he was missing. This Dragon God Body is much more powerful than the one he used back then! However, the Dragon God Body alone still isn''t enough to make up for the huge difference in their power levels!¡± Although Sword Saint was impressed by Ye Fan''s disy of power, he couldn''t help but worry about Ye Fan''s safety. After all, those who had reached the god realm could really crush those below it with ease. ording to rumors in the martial arts world, the top ten Supremes in the Sky Ranking could join forces and still be no match for god realm fighters. That alone showed the huge difference in power between Supreme and god realm. King of Fighters nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah... If this is all Chu Tianfan has got, then history is going to repeat itself...¡± Ye Fan and I may hold lots of grudges against each other, but our conflicts are restricted to internal ones within the country. Now that we''re currently facing an invasion by foreign forces, I am genuinely hoping for Ye Fan to win. However, that seems like wishful thinking at this point... Chu Yuan shook his head and said with a chuckle, ¡°Chu Tianfan, if this is your n to defeat me, then I suggest you give up while you still can. Your Dragon God Body is no match for a god realm fighter like me! I know how to perform this Body Tempering Martial Art too!¡± And here I thought he would have some kind of powerful trump card up his sleeve! Turns out it''s just Dragon God Body! Poor guy... He doesn''t even realize he''s fated to lose before we even have this final exchange! Suddenly, dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and in those dark clouds was a dragon surrounded by golden streaks of lightning. ¡°What''s this? What''s happening up in the sky?¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. The sudden change shocked everyone at the scene. It was evening then, so the bright red sun was setting in the west when the dark clouds gathered and darkened the skies. Right as everyone thought a thunderstorm was about toe, they heard a loud crackling noise, and a rod of lightning came down from the clouds above. Ye Fan stood on the horizon and shouted at the sky above, ¡°Thunderdrake, I summon you!¡± Boom! A deafening boom echoed throughout the area as a thunderbolt came down on Ye Fan. A terrifying aura swept across thend. The look on Chu Yuan''s face changed instantly. ¡°W-What is that technique?¡± The chaotic battlefield wentpletely silent as everyone stopped fighting to look at Ye Fan, who was being showered with thunderbolts. ¡°I-Is Mr. Chu about to undergo some kind of transformation or something?¡± Li Er and Lei San eximed in unison as they watched on in fear and shock. Even Gaius, who had been serving Ye Fan for over a decade, had never seen him in such a powerful state. Connecting the heavens and the earth by controlling thunder and lightning? What kind of sorcery is this? Everyone in Yunzhou, too, noticed the bizarre phenomenon above Mount Yunding. An old married couple was about to head home after a game of poker when they saw the lightning shes in the east. Naturally, the two of them freaked out. The old man pointed at the top of Mount Yunding and eximed, ¡°Darling, look! The lightning is striking the same spot repeatedly! Do you think some kind of god has descended from the heavens?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It''s just some thunder and lightning! Why are you freaking out so much? Honestly, you''ve got to be the most cowardly man I''ve ever seen! This is probably why you''ve been such a failure your entire life!¡± the old woman snapped. For some reason, saying all that reminded her of past events, and the old woman started sobbing as she continued, ¡°Why is life so miserable for us? We have a really excellent daughter, but then she married a useless man who had to live with us! We even had to work really hard to help him achieve sess in life! Right when things were finally starting to work out for him, he ended up dying a few yearster! As if that wasn''t bad enough, our poor daughter got so devastated after bing a widow at such a young age that she ran away from home! I don''t even know where she is right now! Ugh, I hate Ye Fan so much! Not only did he hurt our daughter, but he also ruined our entire family!¡± She got so upset that she actually wished it was a god who had appeared atop Mount Yunding. That way, she could have a chance at turning back time to the point before her daughter got married. If I could go back in time, I would do everything in my power to stop my daughter from marrying that man! The old woman was crying so much that her eyes got all swollen. ¡°D-Darling...¡± The old man standing next to her began trembling all over. The old woman looked up at him and yelled angrily, ¡°What? Are you so useless that you don''t even know what to say? What''s gotten into you? You look like you''ve seen a ghost!¡± The old man simply kept quiet and pointed in front of him. The old woman then shifted her gaze in the direction he was pointing at, only to go pale a secondter. She was so shocked that she nearly fainted on the spot. A slender figure could be seen standing at the end of the horizon. There were thunderclouds gathered above his head, and a golden dragon was coiled around his leg. The three Thunderstripes on his forehead were glowing brightly as well. The old married couple was on the verge of losing their minds as they eximed in unison, ¡°I-I-Is that Ye Fan?¡± Ye Fan''s power levels kept increasing as the thunderclouds continued to gather atop Mount Yunding, and the three Thunderstripes on his forehead soon became four. ¡°What the f*ck is that secret technique? Howe I''ve never seen that before?¡± Chu Yuan eximed in shock and disbelief. Whatever confidence and disdain he had earlier was reced by fear and uncertainty. No, I can''t let him go on like this! Fearing the power that was flowing out of Ye Fan''s body, Chu Yuan decided not to wait any longer. He quickly clenched his fists andunched an attack at Ye Fan. Boom! Chu Yuan''s fist moved so fast that it nearly broke the sound barrier. In just the blink of an eye, his punchnded square on Ye Fan''s chest. ¡°Haha! I''ve got you!¡± Chu Yuan yelled with a gleeful chuckle. However, his smile faded when he realized his punch only knocked Ye Fan back by an inch. It didn''t even do any damage to Ye Fan''s body whatsoever. What? How is this possible? Why isn''t he injured after taking my punch head-on? As Chu Yuan slowly looked up at Ye Fan, he saw thetter staring him down with a faint smile. Ye Fan then charged up his power and punched Chu Yuan in return. Boom! Chu Yuan was immediately sent flying from the impact. Chapter 2121 Chapter 2121 ¡°Let''s go again, brat!¡± After he was sent flying backward, Chu Yuan roared and rushed forward again. Although he didn''t know what method Chu Tianfan had used to enhance his strength by so many folds, dwelling on that matter was no longer significant in the face of the imminent battle. The only thing Chu Yuan yearned for at that moment was victory. ¡°I''ve remained patient and plotted this for so many years. Now that I''m one step away from aplishing sess, nothing can stop me from bing a saint! I''ll murder anyone who dares to impede or obstruct me! How dare a worthless person like you wish to defeat me, Chu Tianfan? How delusional of you!¡± His determined bellows reverberated throughout the area. Chu Yuan dashed toward Ye Fan with burning obsession and intense malice. This time, he went all out. Ceaseless attacks showered Ye Fan as if he was caught in a maelstrom. In one second, Chu Yuan rained his fist a hundred times on Ye Fan, and each punch was packed with terrifying force. Every single one of his strikes carried the explosive power of lightning. Chu Yuan''s mighty assault almost turned the air around him into a void as his frightening aura spread outward rapidly at a few hundred meters per second. Mount Yunding Vi, where Ye Fan used to live in, was shattered and copsed because of the aura Chu Yuan radiated. Although the fight took ce in the sky, its intensity caused Mount Yunding to shake. At that instant, Chu Yuan was like a lion on steroids, emitting waves of domineering aura and unleashing endless attacks across the atmosphere. Chu Qitian, Anderson, and the others were shocked to their cores. Why have we never seen this side of Old Mr. Chu after all these years? His every strike and move isced with zing fury and ferocity. ¡°It seems that Chu Tianfan has truly driven Old Mr. Chu to a corner.¡± ¡°Chu Tianfan is also very formidable for being able to pressure Old Mr. Chu to this extent.¡± The Chu Sect members began looking at Chu Tianfan with hints of newfound respect. Regardless of the oue of this battle today, his name will be remembered by future generations. After all, he managed to put up a fight with a god realm master at the young age of around twenty. Whether he wins or loses, this achievement is unprecedented and probably will never happen again. While everyone was amazed by Chu Yuan''s imposing offense, Ye Fan didn''t back down as he reciprocated Chu Yuan''s relentless attacks with more violent strikes. Bang! Golden light enveloped his lightning-charged body. He stomped the ground andunched himself upward, engaging in a fistfight with Chu Yuan. Every time they shed with one another, the resulting impact was no different from the force produced in a collision of twos. The ensuing shockwave tore through the air in all directions, with the two men at its center. What was more bewildering was how sparks flew when their bodies shed. It was as if the duel was not between two humans but between two metal robots. Boom! They mmed into each other again. Chu Yuan sent a kick forcefully. Ye Fan ced his hands together in front of his chest and endured the kick head-on. The explosion that followed sent both men stumbling backward. Then, without hesitation, they flung themselves into the air and crashed into each other again. Bang! Bang! Bang! Sounds of explosions created from the repeated collision of their bodies rumbled across the sky like thunder. When viewed from afar, Chu Yuan and Ye Fan''s battle looked like two enormous dragons fighting and tangling in the vast atmosphere. An attack from any of them could shatter a mountain, but such terrifying assaults failed to inflict any damage on each other. They went back and forth, exchanging blows and sending sparks flying across the horizon. At that moment, the evening sun had set, and brilliant stars twinkled on the expansive horizon. Under the starry night, Chu Yuan''s and Ye Fan''s figures streaked across the sky like shooting stars as their fight raged from Eastern District to Western District, changing their battlefield from the sky to the wilderness. Golden lightning snakes shed whenever Ye Fan struck with his lightning-charged body. Chu Yuan was simrly daunting. With the power of Dragon God covering his body, his god realm capabilities seemed to overwhelm everything standing in his path. He concentrated his Qi and unleashed tens of thousands of flying swords formed from his Qi at Ye Fan. Still, thetter managed to smash all the swords into smithereens. The glinting sparks of light erupted in the starry sky like fireworks. The phenomenal battle attracted not only the attention of the crowd on Mount Yunding. All the people on the streets and alleys couldn''t help lifting their heads and gazing up at the sky. The vehicles on the roads halted, the students doing their revision at school crowded at the windows, the elders watching television at home walked out of the house, and even those having their meals put down their utensils in their hands. Thousands upon thousands of people assembled in the streets, looking shocked as they listened to the thundering sound in the sky and stared at the two figures streaking across the horizon like shooting stars. ¡°Mommy, it''s so pretty. Is someone setting off fireworks?¡± a little girl uttered in her childish voice while looking up at the sky on the street. However, no one could reply to her. Those ordinary citizens living as the lowest members of the society didn''t have the faintest idea of the significant war happening in Yunzhou at that moment, much less being aware of how the oue of that battle would determine the fate of countless people. They only knew that they had to go to work the next day, pay their rent when it was due, and finish doing the work assigned to them by their employers. How could oneprehend something beyond their imagination when the pressure of day-to-day survival bogged down their minds? Although themoners were clueless, Zhang Zixi and the others, fighting in the bloodbath for their country at Mount Yunding, fathomed that the scintiting sparks weren''t fireworks. Instead, those were repeated shes of two people caught in a life-and-death situation. Nevertheless, even if they knew how dangerous that faraway battle was, they couldn''t help but feel amazed. ¡°I-Is this what the fight between the two strongest martial artists looks like?¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint gazed up dreamily. Ye Qingtian, who was gravely injured, was also looking at the fight in admiration. The rest of the martial artists at Mount Yunding were simrly deeply astounded. Meanwhile, over ten miles away, even Lu Tianhe, leading his troops out, wore an astonished look on his aged face. He stopped his car and hastily got out of the vehicle, standing in the middle of the barren field and staring at the two figures engaged in a ferocious battle in the starry sky. No amount of words could describe the immense shock filling his chest at that instant. I''ve never seen such a brilliant battle in my whole life. This is equivalent to a life-and-death duel between two god realm martial artists at the peak of their abilities! A fight between two beings of such an advanced level could rarely be found even in the history books of the martial arts world. Yet, it was being disyed before everyone''s eyes at that moment. The sensation of having the honor and fortune to witness that ultimate battle caused every member of the martial arts world present to be overwhelmed by waves of emotions. Bang! Bang! Bang! The fight dragged on as Chu Yuan and Ye Fan continued exchanging powerful blows, invoking a violent and devastating storm to rage across Yunzhou. Chu Qitian was utterly dumbfounded, while the elders of Chu Sect were filled with dread. Even those Supremes from India were astounded. They had fought Ye Fan before, and all of them knew how formidable he was. Yet, little did they imagine he was powerful to the extent of being capable of fighting Chu Yuan as an equal. Their battle disrupted the horizon and even caused the night sky to be adorned with sparks generated from their collisions. Even after shing with Chu Yuan over a hundred times, Ye Fan could still hold his ground. He gained confidence and retaliated harder as the fight dragged on. ¡°F*ck! How is Chu Tianfan so strong? Even if he had started training inside his mother''s womb, he couldn''t have gotten so capable!¡± Jealousy, indignance, and fury churned within Chu Tianqi, driving him to the edge of madness. His eyes reddened because of the envy and resentment washing over him.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 2122 Chapter 2122 Anyone below god realm was like insects. That saying was an iron rule that everyone in the martial arts world believed without a doubt. It was simr to believing in the sun rising from the east and water flowing downward. That was the truth that could not be changed in the hearts of every person in the martial arts world. Upon knowing that Ye Fan would return to Chu Sect, India''s three greatest Supremes were terrified. Junie was also saddened. It did not matter that the Dragon yers had reappeared in the world or that thousands of soldiers were gathered at Mount Yunding. The people of Chu Sect still believed that victory was on their side. It was because everyone was confident about one thing¡ªChu Yuan of god realm could definitely defeat Ye Fan. However, no one had expected Ye Fan to break the iron rule of the martial arts world. He was only a Supreme, yet he could exchange blows with Chu Yuan without being at a disadvantage. That, of course, shocked everyone. ¡°No! How is this possible? The iron rule is impossible to be overturned. This Chu Tianfan must''ve used some sort of taboo technique to reach god realm in such a short time. He won''tst long! It won''t take long. He''ll still lose!¡± Chu Qitian clenched his teeth as he released a roar filled with resentment and anger. King Folo and the other two were silent as they watched the battle in front of them with wide eyes. The feeling of shock and fear they had for Chu Tianfan increased. They felt relieved to have surrendered back when they were in India. Otherwise, with the power that Ye Fan was showing now, they would not have been able to defeat Ye Fan even if they had used up all of India''s resources. What kind of ce is China? Why is it that there''s a ridiculously powerful individual born every few hundred years? Right now, that individual is Chu Tianfan. A few hundred years back, there was also someone simr. It is said that the first ancestor of the Chu family and founder of Chu Sect, Chu Yunyang, is from China! Could China be the ce where the power of dragons gathers and aura umtes? King Folo and the others were overwhelmed with mixed emotions. Ever since there were books of record in the martial arts world, countless geniuses had been born. However, it was rare for a young and powerful individual like Ye Fan to be able to fight against a god realm master. The one thing that everyone in the world could not figure out was that even if it was a ridiculously powerful individual that turned up every few hundred years, most of them were from China. They wondered if it was really a coincidence or if some necessity was hidden behind such a coincidence. It was said that an area of water and soil would be used to raise that same area of people. Many powerful individuals were born in Saspiuburg, China. People wondered if the strength of these individuals had anything to do with thend. Everyone was shocked as they continued to watch the battle in front of them. Of course, the battle at the bottom of Mount Yunding was also at its peak. Huangniu and ckie had joined hands, and at the start, ze had been defeated steadily by the two. However, ze continuously transformed and turned into its strongest form. Huangniu and ckie were a little overwhelmed by ze''s vicious attacks. They could only depend on each other and try to slow down ze. ¡°You b*stard! How can there be such a monster in this world? This is impossible!¡± Huangniu felt pressured. It could not figure it out as it gritted its teeth and forced itself to fight. How can a scary monster like ze be born into an ordinary world like Earth? Unless this monster isn''t a beast from this world? While Huangniu was thinking to itself, ze spat out a mouthful of fire and engulfed the ce with mes. Huangniu was not in a rush to dodge as it held out a leg and kicked ckie, who was beside it, to the front to help it block the attack from the line of fire. ¡°Sorry, my friend...¡± With the principle that it was better to betray a friend than betray its belief, Huangniu apologized insincerely after using ckie as its shield. ckie, charred from the burn, rushed toward Huangniu while screaming. It looked as though it was cursing loudly at Huangniu. If they were not in front of the bigger enemy, ckie would have taken Huangniu''s life. Huangniu chuckled and said, ¡°My friend, the fur on my body is yellow. If I''m burnt, I''ll turn ck. You''re different from me. You have ck fur, so there''s no difference if you get burnt.¡± ckie almost died of anger upon hearing that. It jumped and kicked left, kicking Huangniu to a further ce. Upon seeing that scene, ze undoubtedly felt angry because it was ignored. These b*stards. How dare they fool around while fighting against me? This is so humiliating! Exasperated, zeunched an even more powerful attack. At that moment, ckie and Huangniu''s situation undoubtedly became more serious. It was not only this battle. The victory of the other battles was also leaning toward Chu Sect. After all, Chu Sect was the most powerful in the martial arts world with a renowned history. Even though Dragon God Hall had the upper hand with more soldiers, if one were topare strength, Dragon God Hall was far from Chu Sect. After exchanging blows, Dragon God Hall fell behind. The Dragon yers had even been suppressed by a Comprehensive Array Attack from an elder of Chu Sect. Gaius and the others had also considered using Ice Fire Dragon to attack. However, if they were to use that formation, they would not be able to wield the power of the divine tools they had. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. There was no difference between the increment of power with the formation and the increment of strength with their divine tools. ¡°Gaius, think of something.¡± ¡°If this continues, we won''t be able to hold on for too long.¡± Owen and the others had also realized the gravity of the situation. While reluctantly fighting against the enemy, they had no choice but to turn to Gaius. ¡°What f*cking idea would I have? This damn Chu Sect. Who knew their Comprehensive Array Attack was so powerful?¡± Gaius was also filled with frustration and exasperation. Until now, those two scary elders from Chu Sect had not yet appeared. Those two elders were in the top five of Sky Ranking. If the two of them were to arrive, Dragon God Hall would definitely be crushed. Apart from the Demonic Duo, Tang Yun had not arrived either. If this battle dragged on any longer, it would only be a disadvantage to Dragon God Hall. ¡°It seems like we can only depend on Dragon Master now! As long as Dragon Master finishes his battle earlier and defeats Chu Yuan, then death will be the only oue for the remaining insects of Chu Sect. Dragon Master, you must win!¡± Gaius, Owen, and the others could only ce their hope on Ye Fan. Previously, they did not dare to think so. After all, the strength of someone from the god realm was truly terrifying. Before the battle started, Gaius and the others had thought it would be fine if the fight between Dragon Master and Chu Yuan ended in a tie. They did not hope to win. However, they had now seen how vicious their Dragon Master was. With lightning surrounding him, he looked like a divine being who had just descended onto Earth. Chu Yuan was no match for him. Ye Fan had gone crazy from fighting. Upon witnessing such a scene, Gaius and the others had undoubtedly gotten more confident. They started to have hope that Ye Fan would win. Bang! Yet another deafening boom tore through the air. A fully unleashed Dragon God Body was up against a Raijin Thunderdrake with four Thunderstripes. The fists of the two men collided fiercely in the air. It was as if a meteorite had crashed into Earth. The terrifying booming sound had nearly shattered the surrounding space. With the two of them in the center, Qi surrounded them like a raging sea. ze, ckie, and the others were also caught by this gust of wind as they backed away a few meters. At the foot of Yunzhou, the ss of many tall buildings within a radius of thousands of meters shattered. Thend trembled as though an earthquake was happening. The surroundings looked as though the world was about to be destroyed, yet Ye Fan and Chu Yuan were in their own world as if nothing had happened. As soon as their fists collided, they immediately broke away. The two each backed a hundred meters. ¡°Again!¡± Chu Yuan''s eyes were bloodshot from the fighting, and he rushed forward again. However, Ye Fan no longer had the patience to fight with him. He had already noticed that Dragon God Hall could not hold on any longer at the battles on Mount Yunding. He must quickly end the fight. With a decision set, Ye Fan bit his tongue, and his expression changed with the sight of the crimson- red blood. In an instant, dark clouds formed in the sky, and thunder and lightning shed once more. Endless amounts of Power of Lightning gathered at the center of Ye Fan''s eyebrows. The fifth Thunderstripe was slowly forming! Chapter 2123 Chapter 2123 The Raijin Thunderdrake was stronger, but its burden on one''s body was far greater than the Dragon God Body. Especially for Ye Fan now, the burden of the three to four Thunderstripes was the greatest. As the Thunderstripes increased, the burden on the body would increase as well. That was also why Ye Fan did not unleash the Thunderstripes to their maximum amount in one go. Instead, he increased them one by one. Otherwise, there was a possibility that Ye Fan''s body might not be able to withstand the sudden increase in power. Under everyone''s watchful eyes, Ye Fan''s strength increased once more. Chu Yuan, who was closest to him, was shocked. He was freaking out on the inside. Don''t tell me he can still increase his power. Damn it! Just what kind of technique is he practicing? Chu Yuan felt he was about to go crazy as he felt the increase in Ye Fan''s power again. He was already surprised that Ye Fan could hold him back for a long time. Yet he did not expect that Ye Fan was not yet at his limit. Chu Yuan''s Dragon God Body had been unleashed to its fullest potential. Besides the Dragon God Body, he had also borrowed some of his power from god realm to strengthen his body during the battle. Only then was he able to block Ye Fan''s strong attack. If he only relied on his Dragon God Body, Chu Yuan was not confident that he would survive the attack. While Chu Yuan was clouded with his concerns, Ye Fan''s strength had reached its peak. The terrifying aura caused the crowd to tremble. ¡°W-What great strength! D-Did Chu Tianfan be stronger again?¡± King of Fighters shouted in surprise. Sword Saint also looked at Ye Fan as though he was looking at a monster. ¡°This brat is such a talented man. It''s alle down to this, yet he still has a trump card? King of Fighters, you and I have overestimated ourselves back then when we treated such a terrifying person as our enemy.¡± Sword Saint''s thoughts were a mess, and he was lost in a whirlpool of emotions. Chu Yuan had already noticed something strange. He frowned as he asked Ye Fan, ¡°Chu Tianfan, what is this technique of yours? It can''t be the Dragon God Body! Could it also be the Body Tempering Martial Art recorded in the Book of Celestial Cloud?¡± Ye Fan did not answer him. He was feeling the energy flow through his veins like the raging sea. It''s only five Thunderstripes, yet I''ve be so strong. If I were to practice all nine Thunderstripes, wouldn''t it be as if the God of Thunder had reincarnated? Ye Fan was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. In his heart, he was grateful to the girl stuck in the secret realm. ¡°Chu Yuan, did you only just notice that this isn''t the Dragon God Body? It seems your eye for discerning power is not that powerful.¡± Ye Fan shook his head as heughed. His words wereced with disdain. Ye Fan''s smug attitude angered Chu Yuan. ¡°How dare you talk to me in that tone? Don''t think I''ll be afraid of you just because you mastered a few Body Tempering Martial Arts. The power of god realm is not something you canpete with those dirty tricks you learned! Besides, I don''t think you''llst long with the technique you used to increase your power. It will be your death day when your energy drains and you return to your original form!¡± Chu Yuan yelled as he rushed toward Ye Fan once more, using Chu Sect Fatal Moves. Ye Fan shook his head as he smiled. On the inside, he was filled with anticipation. ¡°Today, I shall use you to test the strength of this Raijin Thunderdrake.¡± Swish! A sh of Thunderdrake boomed through the horizon. One could only see Ye Fan''s figure, swift as a sword, surging toward the depths of the gxy. He looked like a divine sword that was prating through space. Li Er and the others could only see Ye Fan holding a thunderbolt in the depths of the horizon. It looked as though he was holding the God of Thunder''s hammer as he viciously smashed it onto Chu Yuan. Boom! The two started attacking each other once more. That booming sound was loud as it echoed across the sky. ¡°You must win!¡± The people of Jiangdong sped their hands to their chests as they prayed non-stop in their hearts. ¡°Kill him!¡± The strong fighters of Chu Sect clenched their teeth as they felt equally tense. In their hearts, they were screaming in hopes that Chu Yuan could finish off Chu Tianfan. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ye Fan and Chu Yuan started another vicious round of battle. However, the impasse that everyone predicted did not happen. Going up against Ye Fan''s earth-shattering punch, Chu Yuan was shocked to find that all his power had fallen apart under Ye Fan''s punch. ¡°T-T-This is impossible!¡± Chu Yuan''s eyes widened in shock as horror shed through him like a tide. Never in his wildest dream did he expect that he, someone with the power of god realm, would be unable to block Ye Fan''s attack. However, it was toote when he realized this cruel reality. After his punch, like the God of Thunder''s hammer, shattered Chu Yuan''s attack, Ye Fan immediately smashed Chu Yuan''s chest. Only a muffled grunt was heard. Chu Yuan''s body received a heavy blow. His ribs cracked, and blood sprayed across the sky. At a speed visible to the naked eye, Chu Yuan''s chest sank down rapidly, and blood gushed out of his mouth. Ye Fan did not stop after that attack. Following the punch was a vicious kick. At that moment, the scrawny figure seemed like an eagle spreading its wings. Boom! Another muffled grunt could be heard. While blood spurted out from him, Chu Yuan''s body ruthlessly smashed to the ground below. ¡°Boundless Destruction!¡± After Ye Fan unleashed two attacks in session, he immediately used his third move¡ªBoundless Destruction. That move was abination that Ye Fan had created from two secret techniques of Invoke the Celestial Sky. It was the most powerful individual attack that he had. The moment he made that move, the crowd felt as if a hole had been formed in the gxy. The sound of an explosion that had broken through the sonic barrier nearly shattered everyone''s eardrums. At that moment, Ye Fan had gone crazy from fighting. After attacking Chu Yuan with two vicious moves, he still wanted to attack him with a thunderous move. Chu Qitian''s eyes immediately turned red when he noticed that side of the battle. Ye Fan, that b*stard! Is he trying to kill Chu Yuan? ¡°B*stard! How dare you?¡± ¡°Stop it, you b*stard!¡± In an instant, countless anxious and angry shouts echoed through the air of Mount Yunding. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. However, Ye Fan paid no mind to it. Eyes bloodshot from the fight, Ye Fan only had one thought. That was to eradicate Chu Yuan. He must conjure up an ending for his hard work over the past ten years. Finally, he had done so under everyone''s gazes. Ye Fan''s final blow was just as powerful. Thunder boomed as gold light shed through the sky. From afar, it looked as though a burning meteorite had viciously fallen. Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! There were eight continuous booming sounds. They were like nuclear explosions as they exploded violently on the ground below. Chu Yuan''s body was like a tiny boat in a violent storm. With one blow, he was sent flying hundreds of meters away. The punches continuouslynded on Chu Yuan''s body one after another. Whenever a loud explosion sound could be heard, it was apanied by fresh blood spurting from Chu Yuan. The crimson-red blood had stained the ground beneath their feet. The stars shined brightly above them; the gold stars twinkled in the sky. Beneath them, blood was flowing. The colorful gold and striking red had undoubtedly be the most contrasting colors in the sky. Finally, after the eight continuous booms, it turned silent. The dust settled, and the fighting stopped. Silence filled the air at Mount Yunding. It was as if time had stopped. Only the breeze blew through the giant space as the man stood proudly. Ye Fan stood proudly at the top. Beneath his feet, thousands stared up at him. It looked as though the most devout believers were looking up at their God. Chapter 2124 Chapter 2124 All across the horizon, a heavy silence filled the air. Even as shes of lightning lit up the sky, Ye Fan stood tall and proud. Chu Qitian, on the other hand, was frozen to the spot. ¡°G-Grandpa?¡± Gone were his feelings of anger and anxiety, only to be reced by fear and shock. I-I don''t believe this! How could Grandpa have lost to Ye Fan? Grandpa''s the one I respect and admire the most, yet he lost to the person I hate with a passion! Apart from Chu Yuan, the fighters from Chu Sect had also suffered a great defeat. Thus, they had no choice but to hold back their attack on Mount Yunding. The next second, everyone turned and looked at the spot where Chu Yuan had fallen, their eyes full of pain and sadness. ¡°H-Have we been defeated?¡± ¡°I-Is this the end of our great Chu Sect?¡± In an instant, a wave of utter despair and grief washed over the entire Chu Sect. On the other hand, those from Dragon God Hall recovered from their initial shock and gradually broke into smiles. ¡°Hahaha...¡± ¡°We''ve won!¡± ¡°Victory is ours!¡± ¡°Our Dragon Master is the best!¡± The more people began pping and cheering, the more their voices shook the ground and reverberated through Mount Yunding. Unable to control her joy, Ye Yuyan promptly nted a big kiss on her nephew''s cheek. ¡°Look, Lin! Your father has won! Isn''t he just amazing?¡± Despite her excitement, the child in her arms remained stoic as he stared in Chu Yuan''s direction. His face, without a doubt, was devoid of emotion. ¡°Is that it? Have we really won?¡± Some people were understandably sad, while others were happy. However, several people like King of Fighters, Sword Saint, and War God were highly doubtful. As supreme grandmasters and the pirs of China, they had fought against Chu Yuan for countless years. What baffled them, though, was how easily Ye Fan had defeated thetter. Indeed, Ye Fan was powerful, and his attacks were fierce and relentless. When lightning surrounded him, it was as though the God of Thunder had descended upon Earth. Heunched such a swift and overwhelming attack on Chu Yuan that thetter barely had any chance to retaliate. If someone else were to take the brunt of that assault, they''d have been obliterated, and the fight would''ve ended there and then. However, the person in question now was none other than Chu Yuan, whom everyone had deemed the strongest on Earth. Would the old master of Chu Sect be beaten that easily? Just as King of Fighters and the rest continued to ponder the situation, Ye Fan suddenly spoke up. ¡°Show yourself, Chu Yuan. I know you haven''t lost yet.¡± A deep timbre in Ye Fan''s voice gave it a solemn weight as it resounded throughout the mountains. His eyes, cold and menacing as always, never once left the spot where Chu Yuan had fallen. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Does that mean the fight hasn''t ended?¡± Needless to say, everyone was dumbfounded. Li Er and the others felt their short-lived joy going up in a puff of smoke. Ye Yuyan, too, had stopped smiling as she tightened her grip around Chu Lin. Chu Tianqi was just as stunned, but it wasn''t long before he felt a powerful energy vortex swirling beneath the pile of rubble. Like a ball of fire, it burned stronger with each passing second. ¡°It''s Grandpa! Grandpa''s still alive!¡± Chu Qitian shouted excitedly as though he had seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Sure enough, as soon as Chu Qitian finished his sentence, the ground began to shake. The tremors got so terrifying that everyone thought a volcanic eruption was about to ur. The next second, andslide of rocks and gravel came bounding down the mountain and gathered in one specific spot. Boom! Secondster, the rocks were blown apart, and a loud explosion filled the air. A majestic figure began to rise from the pile of rubble, like a sun slowly making its way through the sky. Despite the darkness of the night, his body glowed with a bright rainbow hue, and upon closer inspection, one could even see flickering ck lines on it. Ye Fan furrowed his brows as he felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Those ck lines seem rather familiar...¡± he muttered to himself. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried to dig into his memories, he still couldn''t figure out why there was such a strong sense of familiarity. By then, Chu Yuan had fully reappeared, his aura even more menacing than before as he greeted Ye Fan with a cold-eyed stare. If looks could kill, Ye Fan would''ve been hacked to pieces by that death stare. When Chu Yuan finally stopped in his tracks, one could still vaguely see the wound on his chest and the blood trickling down his arm. ¡°It''s been a while. Ever since I took control of Chu Sect and reached the pinnacle of power, no one has been able to hurt me. s, of all the people in the world, I can''t believe it''s the abandoned bastard of our family who has injured me,¡± Chu Yuan uttered in a low, raspy voice. His eyes were glowing with hate and anger, and it was clear that he had an insatiable bloodlust to feed. ¡°Chu Tianfan, I shall make this yourst day on Earth. Since you''ve managed to injure me, I suppose you can die smiling,¡± Chu Yuan added. Ye Fan, however, remained unfazed. ¡°You should be the one dying today, Chu Yuan! The task of killing you was entrusted to me by Great-grandma, so I have to see it through. As long as you''re alive, there won''t be any peace in the Chu family, China, or Jiangdong.¡± As calm as Ye Fan sounded, there was no mistaking the strong sense of responsibility in him. After all, he was a man on a mission. Moreover, Old Madam Chu had handed the Yunyang jade pendant to him before he embarked on his journey. From that moment on, killing Chu Yuan was no longer a personal vendetta. Ye Fan had to do it for the sake of his family and country, and as long as Chu Yuan remained standing, there was no way he''d back down. ¡°Hahaha... I knew it had to be that olddy stirring the pot. Once I''ve killed you today, I''ll destroy her too! It''s time to make her pay for everything she has done to me!¡± Chu Yuan eximed before bursting into loud, maniacalughter. ¡°Shut up!¡± Ye Fan yelled. ¡°How dare you insult Great-grandma. For that alone, you deserve to die!¡± ¡°You''re the one who deserves death!¡± Chu Yuan retorted. The next second, he narrowed his eyes and stomped his foot. The force was so great that it felt as if the mountains had crashed into the sea and triggered massive earth tremors. ¡°This technique... Is that Invoke the Celestial Sky?¡± Ye Fan mused as he furrowed his brows. I know Chu Yuan has yet to y his trump card. We''ve been fighting for a while, but he hasn''t used his ultimate move¡ªInvoke the Celestial Sky. Ha! Little does he know I''ve been waiting for this moment. I''ve been waiting for him to pull out all the stops and make one final blow. It''s time to see what he''s truly capable of. Sure enough, it wasn''t long before everyone could feel the surge of energy tearing through the area. Within seconds, a strong gust of wind began to rise. Clouds of elemental force closed in from all directions like the raging sea and washed over the peak of Mount Yunding. From a distance, it looked as though a flight of dragons had wrapped themselves around the mountains as they steadily ascended. It was, without a doubt, a magnificent sight. Lu Tianhe and the rest, who had set up camp outside of Yunzhou, couldn''t help but gape at the scene in front of them. ¡°Check out the rays of light on the horizon and that crazy gust of wind.¡± ¡°I-Is that some kind of divine force?¡± ¡°From the looks of it, the final battle is about to begin!¡± The more Lu Tianhe gazed at the windstorm whipping around them, the more worried and solemn he became. Damn it. I can''t shake off this sense of unease. It''s the first time I''ve witnessed such raw, shocking power. We''re dozens of kilometers away, yet we''ve already been thrown into this windstorm. How much scarier would it be on the peak of Mount Yunding? Chapter 2125 Chapter 2125 ¡°How is it, Chu Tianfan? Have you started to tremble with fear?¡± Chu Yuan taunted. ¡°I know you''re scared, but you have nothing to worry about. I won''t let you stay fearful for long because you''ll soon die at my hands! You won''t feel anything when you''re dead!¡± Waves of boundless energy continued surging through Chu Yuan as he stood with the starry horizon behind him and raging clouds at his feet. Like a dry sponge, he frantically absorbed all the elemental forces around him with no intention of stopping anytime soon. From afar, Chu Yuan seemed to be in the center of the vortex, and his every move had the power to pull in the heavens and earth. The more he felt the energy building up within him, the more arrogant and audacious he became. How could he not when he could wrap the vast world before him with a stretch of his arms? Simply put, he felt like a divine being who had control over the entire universe. Even as Chu Yuan''s loud, booming voice echoed through the area, Ye Fan shrugged it off with a derisive snort. ¡°Ha! What''s there to be afraid of? You''re about to use Invoke the Celestial Sky, aren''t you? What makes you think you''re the only one capable of that?¡± he said coldly and without any trace of fear. ¡°By the way, I can also assure you that my technique is a lot more legitimate than yours. It''ll be an unwise move on your part if you still wish to use Invoke the Celestial Sky against me.¡± To everyone''s surprise, Chu Yuan suddenly burst outughing as if he had just heard the funniest joke ever. ¡°Oh, Chu Tianfan, you poor child. After all my years of experience, do you honestly think I only know those half-baked secret techniques of the Chu family? What a joke! Let me show you what true power is and what it means to be invincible! To hell with Invoke the Celestial Sky and Chu Yunyang. In my eyes, they''re nothing but trash! Hahaha...¡± Needless to say, it was apparent to everyone that Chu Yuan''sughter and words were dripping with murderous intent. Not long after, the energy concentration in the area had climbed to a peak and threatened to burst at any moment. A ball of energy exploded at Chu Yuan''s feet and swiftly morphed into the Yin Yang Formation, the very formation that had gathered the power of the universe. ¡°T-This...¡± ¡°What on earth is that?¡± Upon seeing the Yin Yang Formation, everyone at Mount Yunding reeled in amazement. Even the citizens in Yunzhou had also noticed the massive formation covering the sky and a glowing Chu Yuan standing in the midst of it like a divine being. Naturally, no one could take their eyes off such an incredible sight. Ye Fan, too, had lost his usual calmness as panic crept up his spine. This isn''t Invoke the Celestial Sky! Damn it. Could Chu Yuan be hiding his other trump cards? No, it''s time for me to act. I can''t sit by and let him continue gathering energy! Having made up his mind, Ye Fan flew out like an arrow shot from the bow and unleashed The Chu''s Unrivaled Punch at the ck-and-white formation wheel beneath Chu Yuan. As it turned out, he had long figured out that the most critical point of Chu Yuan''s attacky in his Yin Yang Formation. After all, thetter had relied on the formation wheel to umte that insane amount of power. If Ye Fan could destroy the formation, he was sure Chu Yuan would lose his powers and be reduced to a sitting duck. Boom! Within seconds, his attacksnded square on Chu Yuan''s formation and shattered it into pieces. Seeing the formation wheel break away into shards, Ye Fan heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Yes! I did it!¡± Unfortunately, that relief was short-lived because it wasn''t long before an impending sense of doom once again washed over him. ¡°H-How is this possible?¡± Ye Fan muttered while staring wide-eyed at Chu Yuan. Even though the formation wheel was gone, the forces of heaven and earth continued to be drawn toward and into Chu Yuan''s body. For a moment, Ye Fan was stunned and speechless. W-What''s going on? I honestly thought Chu Yuan''s attacks would fall apart once his formation got destroyed. Why is the energy still gathering around him? Just then, Chu Yuan''s deep, booming voice rang out. ¡°You''re very clever, Chu Tianfan. You could tell from one nce that the formation wheel is the critical point of my secret technique! However, it''s all toote for you. Everything has been set in stone, and there''s no turning back from here on out! Prepare to die, you mere mortals!¡± Boom! As soon as those words were out of Chu Yuan''s mouth, an orb of energy erupted from him and morphed into a giant finger. Not only was its sizeparable to that of a mountain, but it also seemed strong enough to prop up the skies. Humbled by the magnificence and power of the giant finger, everyone could only cower in its shadow. Even Ye Fan had begun to feel as though he was walking on thin ice, and his fear was palpable. By then, the crowd had descended into a state of panic. ¡°W-What on earth is that technique?¡± ¡°Why hasn''t this been recorded in our intelligence reports?¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint, too, were taken aback by the sheer magnitude of Chu Yuan''s power. As much as they hated to admit it, they could feel the dread gnawing at their insides. Just then, Chu Yuan controlled the giant finger and sent it crashing down on Ye Fan''s spot. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. At the same time, his powerful voice reverberated through the sky. ¡°Great me Dragon Finger. Heaven-Wrecking Finger!¡± Bam! In an instant, the giant golden finger fell from the sky like a ming mountain, its explosive power shattering the space around it and sending a st of scorching heat waves. Soon, everyone saw the giant finger barreling down toward Ye Fan, threatening to smash him into smithereens. Knowing how powerful the impact would be, Ye Fan quickly decided to use the Nine Steps of Yunyang to dodge Chu Yuan''s attack. s, no matter how much he tried, he couldn''t move out of the giant finger''s attack range. It was like running under the sun, where it was virtually impossible to hide from the sun''s rays. I guess I''m left with no other choice. I''ll have to go all out! With that, Ye Fan decided to change his strategy and take the attack head-on. ¡°Boundless Destruction!¡± he bellowed. Immediately after, the Celestial Cloud began whirring at warp speed in his elixir field, sending a surge of power throughout his body. Eventually, Ye Fan gathered the power onto his fist and unleashed a punch that could rival the God of Thunder''s hammer. Bang! A loud rumble rang out as Ye Fan''s Infinity Fist crashed into Chu Yuan''s Great me Dragon Finger. Sadly, the valiant counterattack barely caused a dent in thetter''s giant finger, much to Ye Fan and everyone else''s horror. Not only did his first punch not hold back the attack, but it was also utterly obliterated. Without further ado, Ye Fan threw out several more punches, hoping he could hold off the Great me Dragon Finger long enough to activate other more powerful techniques. However, he soon realized that he had underestimated Chu Yuan''s capabilities! Now that he was aware of the sheer power of the giant finger, Ye Fan knew his attacks were akin to tossing stones into the ocean. It was simply ludicrous to think that a stone could block the onught of a massive ocean! Sure enough, he couldn''t evennd hisst few punches before they were swallowed whole by the giant finger. Chapter 2126 Chapter 2126 The strong force of the giant finger showed no sign of diminishing. It moved toward Ye Fan''s body and exerted pressure on him. Ye Fan was helpless. He could only shield himself by sping his hands before him. Regardless, how could Ye Fan''s weak body endure such divine power? Everyone watched as the giant finger threw Ye Fan up in the air before smashing him to the ground. Landing on the ground, Ye Fan gritted his teeth and persevered. Simultaneously, a bolt of lightning struck down. The sixth Thunderstripe appeared in the middle of Ye Fan''s forehead! He had finally reached the sixth level of Raijin Thunderdrake! The might surrounding Ye Fan increased exponentially once more. Lightning crackled around his body, causing it to glow. Like the burning sun, explosive energy exploded from his body! His newfound power could lift the heaven and earth. Boom! Under the enhanced power of Raijin Thunderdrake, Ye Fan stopped retreating backward. ¡°Break!¡± Ye Fan yelled after a long period of resistance. The ground under his feet trembled. Arge crack appeared and spread out like a spider web. Ye Fan stood in the middle of it as the crack grewrger. Everyone was awestruck. They wondered how powerful he was to break the ground as though it were ayer of ice. After blocking the impact of the giant finger, Ye Fan pulled an arm back and threw a sudden punch. The punch was strong and covered with lightning energy. It was as if the God of Thunder hadnded a harsh blow on the giant finger. With a deafening boom, the mighty finger crumbled like powder. W-W-What... How can this be? There was an unnerving silence. Everyone on Mount Yunding held their tongues when Ye Fan resisted Chu Yuan''s blow. Chu Qitian and everyone else who had thought that they had secured victory were shocked. ¡°H-He blocked it?¡± ¡°H-How can he be so powerful?¡± The men from Chu Sect were on the verge of a mental breakdown. Chu Yuan''s might was simply majestic. It could even destroy the earth. Yet, such a remarkable attack had been blocked by Ye Fan. ¡°It''s the Body Tempering Martial Art! It''s the Body Tempering Martial Art that allowed him to generate lighting and saved him!¡± Chu Qitian quickly realized the reason why Ye Fan could deflect the blow. It was because of the sixth Thunderstripe that had appeared on his forehead. ¡°Damn it! What kind of martial art is this? Chu Tianfan... How did he cultivate and be so powerful?¡± Chu Qitian was close to despair. He had thought that he would have the power to defeat Ye Fan after fusing with Angie''s Jade Eyes. Yet, it appeared that he had underestimated Ye Fan. Ye Fan did not even reveal half of his power in the war in Japan a few days ago. Ye Fan panted wildly as the six Thunderstripes on his forehead shone brilliantly. Along with the intense heaving of Ye Fan''s chest, the Celestial Cloud spun in the elixir field. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Ye Fan had lost much energy and stamina after fighting continuously and using the Raijin Thunderdrake. He had to make full use of time and recover quickly. After resting for a while, he stood up, raised his head, and stared at the arrogant figure coldly. ¡°Chu Yuan, show me what you''ve got. Today, I, Chu Tianfan, will defeat you and make you recognize my abilities!¡± Ye Fanughed and a trace of ruthlessness appeared on his handsome face. Chu Yuan looked down at him with his back facing the horizon, chuckling arrogantly. ¡°Chu Tianfan, I know you are stalling for time. Your stamina has decreased drastically, and you must be in a bad shape now. How many more times can you use that power? Give up. There''s still time for you to admit defeat. Otherwise, I''ll kill you with one strike, and I won''t even leave you with a full corpse!¡± Chu Yuan''s threats reverberated through the sky. As he spoke, the power from all directions flowed like water and gathered in the palms. When Li Er and the rest saw that, chills ran down their spines. ¡°There''s more?¡± As if Chu Yuan had heard Li Er and decided to reply to him, the giant finger took shape once again. Chu Yuan stood proudly against the horizon and pointed to the sky. He was ready tounch a stronger attack. ¡°Chu Tianfan, your life and death are in your hands! Will you concede defeat, or will you die?¡± Chu Yuan''s gloomy voice travelled through the air. He sounded like a monarch overlooking the world. ¡°Ha! Concede defeat? The person who can make me concede defeat is not even born yet!¡± Ye Fan sneered. Chu Yuan''s expression grew nasty. ¡°You''re courting death!¡± With that, the second giant finger made its move. The moment the giant finger loomed over, everyone in Yunzhou felt immense increasing pressure. They felt as if they had fallen into the abyss. The strong feeling of oppression made them unable to breathe. ¡°Great me Dragon Finger! Earth-Shattering Finger!¡± Chu Yuan''s clear voice rang out again. Boom! As if a heavy rock had fallen into the ocean, the giant finger fell from the sky. The frightening power could make the moon and sun disappear. It fell toward Ye Fan with a power that could not be challenged! Ye Fan did not dodge. The Thunderstripes on his forehead glowed, and he used Thunderdrake to defend himself again. Boom! When the giant finger fell on him, a crater that was hundreds of meters deep formed beneath Ye Fan''s legs. Ye Fan fell into the crater. The strength of the giant finger did not decrease. It continued pushing Ye Fan backward. Mountains and rocks shattered as the vegetation was scattered about. A long ravine that was thousands of meters long appeared on the earth. There was no life, and buildings crumbled. It was as if everything had disappeared. But even so, Ye Fan remained standing. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Using his hands, he deflected the Earthshaking Palm. At that moment, the sixth level of Raijin Thunderdrake had been overexerted. Ye Fan''s hands were flowing with blood, and the crimson liquid flowed along his arms. However, even though his arms were stained red with blood, Ye Fan continued persisting with gritted teeth. Everyone was impressed by Ye Fan''s determination. Even Chu Yuan, who was filled with confidence at first, started to waver. He did not expect that Ye Fan''s weak body could resist two of his blows. Can I not defeat him even if I use all my energy? ¡°It''s impossible!¡± Chu Yuan roared. He was unwilling to admit defeat. This time, he did not continue to wait any longer. Once again, he used his immense power tounch another attack. ¡°Destructive Finger!¡± Boom! The earth and sky trembled. It was as if the gxy had been ripped open, and the power of the attack came from that hole. The power that could obliterate the earth traveled toward Ye Fan! ¡°I have studied the Great me Dragon Finger my whole life. I created it. It can destroy the earth and is omnipotent! It can even annihte god realm masters! Today, I''veunched three attacks consecutively. Do you think I can''t defeat a measly thing like you?¡± Chu Yuan clenched his fists with pride on his face. There was murderous intent in his every word. Chapter 2127 Chapter 2127 ¡°Die!¡± Chu Yuan let out a roar of anger. His roar was like a bolt of lightning shattering the vast darkness as his enormous finger nketed the horizon like a curtain. The sound of the explosion was so deafening that it shattered everyone''s bones. Even if they hid somewhere far away from that ce, their noses and mouths still bled due to the explosion. If even the ripples of the explosion were so impactful, the others could not even imagine how terrifying it must be to be standing in the center of the st. Boom! Boom! Boom! The earth and sky shook violently again as the world overturned in the wave of attacks. As soon as the third strike of the Great me Dragon Finger was unleashed, Ye Fan faced significant increases in the pressure he faced from his opponent. Splurt! In the end, even if Ye Fan was equipped with the Thunderdrake, he still could not endure the tremendous power of Chu Yuan''s attacks as he spat out a mouthful of blood. Still, despite everything, Ye Fan tried his best to endure the attacks. He reached out with both hands, resisting a giant finger with each palm. At that moment, he looked like a giant in the mountains'' depths, grabbing a dragon with bare hands. The scorching mes from the Great me Dragon Finger almost turned Ye Fan''s palms into charcoals. His fresh blood immediately evaporated as soon as he started bleeding. Still, Ye Fan gritted his teeth and endured everything. He knew if he could resist this wave of attacks and Chu Yuan''s Great me Dragon Finger, he would win this battle and be thest man standing. By then, he would be thest king of the world. Once he won this battle, all the efforts he had poured in throughout the years would not be in vain, and all the people who had sacrificed their lives for his Operation Aze would not have died for nothing. ¡°Ye Fan, please hold on!¡± Xu Lei and the others hiding at the back of Mount Yunding could not help crying at that scene. They saw Ye Fan bleeding and how he painfully endured all the waves of attack with his lean figure. He was only in his twenties. People around his age were either studying, being new graduates, getting drunk with friends and colleagues after work, or being stupidly and passionately in love. Those people were enjoying their youth and living a st while being shielded and loved by their parents. Ye Fan, on the other hand, was already standing at the forefront and defending his country against the strongest figures in the world by engaging in battles that could easily end his life. To many people, Ye Fan should feel honored to be able to reach that height in his life at his age. However, Xu Lei knew Ye Fan was also living a life full of tragedies. Since he was a child, Ye Fan had barely had the chance to enjoy peaceful and warm moments in his life. Things that weremon to everyone else were beyond Ye Fan''s reach. Being in his twenties, Ye Fan had gone through countless separations brought by death and hardships. He was abandoned by his father''s side of the family and ostracized while staying in his maternal grandmother''s ce. After getting married and living with the Qiu family, things got worse, as they never stopped humiliating him. Looking back at Ye Fan''s past, Xu Lei thought it was sufficient to say he had suffered throughout every phase of his life, yet he was still currently fighting his opponent with his life. Her heart ached for him. She felt sorry that Ye Fan could not seem to get a happy ending in his life. Moreover, it seemed that Ye Fan did not get the oue he wanted despite him giving his all in everything he did. Meanwhile, the battle ahead was still ongoing. The Great me Dragon Finger attacks were so intense that their mes soared up into the sky. Ye Fan stood in the middle like an ancient tree standing among a sea of mes. Although his figure was tiny and almost insignificant in the sea of mes, his persistence and resilience made everyone else tear up for him. King of Fighters and Sword Saint were also deeply moved by this scene. They could not understand what made Ye Fan endure the attacks for so long, and they also wondered what kind of endurance Ye Fan had to face such a majestic attack without retreating or fearing his opponent. ¡°No matter who wins or gets defeated in this battle today, one thing is certain. Chu Tianfan''s name will echo in the people''s hearts for ages.¡± Sword Saint shook his head and let out a long, emotional sigh. At the end of Sword Saint''s sentence, the young man that had been enduring the storm all this while finally seemed to have reached his limits. Like a fallen pir, he slumped to the ground. The power of the two giant fingers remained undiminished. After breaking through Ye Fan''s defense, they violently mmed his body. The tremendous energy engulfed Ye Fan and crashed into a nearby mountain, shattering and cracking countless rocks and nts. Like the rain, his red blood sttered everywhere. And in the end, he fell heavily to the ground. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Huge rocks rolled down and buried Ye Fan underneath. He did not stand up again. The entire area fell into a silence for a long time. The moment Ye Fan copsed, the whole world felt quiet. There was no wind blowing or grass swaying, only a deathly silence filling the space. However, after the deathly silence was a huge wave of sadness from the people who witnessed that scene. ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± As soon as Ye Fan copsed, countless people standing on the peak of Mount Yunding burst into tears and called out to him. As though she had lost her mind, Xu Lei immediately wanted to rush over, but the dispersed Qi flipped her over and made her fall to the ground. The fair skin on her arm was instantly covered with fresh wounds caused by the jagged rocks. ¡°Daddy... Daddy...¡± Chu Lin''s face was also covered in tears. His tender voice was shattered by the wind from Mount Yunding. Aside from them, everyone from Jiangdong felt the sky in their hearts copse when they saw Ye Fan fall. ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°H-How could this be...¡± The Dragon yers, who had been struggling to aid the battle and enduring the attacks before this, were filled with despair when they saw Ye Fan copsing before them. They froze in their spots, staring ahead in disbelief, and the swords in their hands lost their luster. Even the stars above their heads were drained of color. Ye Fan was the only light to Gaius and others. With Ye Fan copsing, the light in their lives had also faded. They stood in the same spot and looked miserable. Tears even brimmed in Gaius'' wrinkled eyes. They could not ept the reality and questioned why it had to end like that. Gaius and others had never been afraid of death. They had long gotten rid of the fear of losing their lives when they decided to follow Ye Fan and fight Chu Sect to death. After all, these people would have died ten years ago if they had not met Ye Fan. Despite their indifferent attitude toward life-and-death situations, they still grieved for their Dragon Master, Ye Fan. Their Dragon Master had put in so much effort throughout the years. Ye Fan had endured so many hardships in his life. Yet, God had given Ye Fan such a miserable ending. ¡°Why? Goddammit! Why? Why do you have to be like that to Dragon Master?¡± Gaius roared in resentment toward the sky. Owen and the others could not stop crying at that. It was not until that moment that they understood the world was unfair. Some people were born to be blessed and loved, whereas some could never reach that state despite giving their all or even risking their lives in everything they did. Their Dragon Master was a living example of this scenario. He had nned his operation for many years and encountered countless life-and-death situations. Yet, despite all the hardships he had endured, all the blood he had shed, and the number of families and friends he had lost, his sacrifices throughout the years were still wasted instantly in the face of Chu Yuan''s powerful attacks. ¡°Chu Yuan, you rat! Return the Dragon Master to us!¡± ¡°Return the Dragon Master to us!¡± Grief surged within his heart, and Gaius'' eyes reddened. He swung his de fiercely as he rushed toward Chu Yuan like a madman. The remaining Dragon yers were also driven by their grief and resolution as they echoed Gaius'' words and rushed toward Chu Yuan. Their anger toward Chu Yuan was like moths drawn to a me. Chu Yuan swept an indifferent nce at them. ¡°You''ve overestimated yourselves.¡± Boom! He pped down his palm. Instantly, several deep pits appeared on the ground. ¡°Chu Tianfan has been defeated. From now onward, I, Chu Yuan, am the king of the world!¡± Chapter 2128 Chapter 2128 Chu Yuan stood proudly after defeating the four Dragon yers. His domineering aura radiated out from him. He looked as strong as if he were a whole army instead of just one man, like a monarch who had conquered the world. Sometimes, the supreme authority was not the only standard that existed. The onlookers from Jiangdong were staring in despair. Their disappointment was written all over their faces. On the contrary, those from Chu Sect burst into loud cheers andughter. Chu Qitian was the first to lower his head as he bowed down to his grandfather. ¡°Congrattions, Grandpa! You did it! You defeated the enemy!¡± His cries brought along another loud wave of gratitude and cheers. The other members of Chu Sect also bowed, following in Chu Qitian''s footsteps. ¡°Congrattions, Old Mr. Chu! You''re truly unbreakable!¡± ¡°Congrattions, Old Mr. Chu! No one should ever doubt your excellence!¡± The sound of over a thousand praises echoed and almost shook the sky. Their shouts of gratitude were a storm on their own and could practically be heard from miles away. The joy of the people of Chu Sect was opposed to the sorrow of the people of Jiangdong. Who could ever imagine that the small area that Yunzhou epassed could disy such prizing emotions? King Folo and the others were in emotional turmoil, feeling as if ice and fire had engulfed thend at the same time. The more people who cheered, the more people who broke down and wail. There was an equal amount of tears of mirth and tears of sorrow. ¡°What do we do now, King Folo?¡± ¡°Should we continue fighting?¡± Bapei and Haibu couldn''t even smile at that moment. Their hearts were leaden with an intense weight. King Folo sighed. ¡°No, it''s no use. Chu Tianfan has already been beaten. Dragon God Hall has lost its power and the aura of China''s martial arts world is fading. Now, our best course of action is to leave.¡± King Folo had clear foresight. He knew that there was nothing they could do after Chu Tianfan got defeated by Chu Yuan. He didn''t hesitate and prepared for all of them to leave Jiangdong immediately and return to protect India. After all, they all knew that the results of today''s battle relied heavily on the fight between Ye Fan and Chu Yuan. Now that Chu Yuan had defeated Ye Fan, King Folo knew it would be easy for him to get rid of the rest of them too. That was why the results were already obvious. If they continued to fight with Chu Sect, they would only be weing their deaths. However, right as King Folo and the others were about to escape, King Folo felt a certain sensation. His legs, originally lifted and ready to break out in a run, were put down as he stilled momentarily. Then, all of a sudden, he whipped his head around and looked behind them. ¡°What''s wrong, King Folo?¡± Bapei and Haibu started in fright. They thought Chu Yuan had charged toward them and was ready to slit their throats. King Folo remained silent. The frown on his face deepened as he stared fixedly ahead. ¡°King Folo, talk to us. What''s going on?¡± Haibu and Bapei were even more confused as they watched King Folo continue to stare off into the distance. Right then, a few small chunks of gravel began to fall off the ruins. The sound of the gravel falling off grew louder and louder until it began to sound like a raging river, which sounded much louder in the still night. The crowd was stunned when they heard the noise. Soon enough, they all turned to look at the falling stones. A pair of bloodied hands slowly reached out from the ruins. It almost looked as if the devil himself was crawling out from hell. The scene was even creepier when watched from a distance. ¡°W-What''s going on?¡± The people of Chu Sect looked worried as an overwhelming gush of anxiety started to rise up in their chests. The people of Jiangdong, on the other hand, felt a surprising sense of hope and excitement as they continued to watch the ruins with their tear-streaked faces. ¡°Could it be...¡± King of Fighters murmured. ¡°No way...¡± Both Li Er and Lei San were thinking the same thing. Xu Lei and Ye Yuyan, whose eyes were still overflowing with tears, clenched their fists even harder. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Both of them were praying and hoping that what they were thinking woulde true. Just like that, under the stare of thousands of people, a familiar thin figure stood up from the rubble and ruins. The night sky was still engulfing everyone in a thick cloak of darkness. However, Ye Fan''s appearance broke the pitch-ck sky apart like a beam of light. When he began to walk toward Mount Yunding, the people watching felt as if a bright sh of lightning had struck their hearts, breaking apart the clouds of sorrow that had taken over. ¡°It''s Ye Fan!¡± ¡°It''s Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± Sometimes, all it took to make someone sob until they couldn''t catch their breath was another person. That was Ye Fan now for many people. When everyone else had already given up, he stood up once again and became the ray of light that could brighten anyone''s day. ¡°Chu Tianfan! What is this? How is he still alive?¡± Chu Qitian roared as he watched Ye Fan walking toward them with wide, reddened eyes. The other members of Chu Sect watched on in terror and confusion. How is he still alive even after that lethal strike? Is he truly invincible? The people of Chu Sect were about to go crazy from all the spection. Their scalps were beginning to prickle with fear. Ye Fan had been Chu Sect''s biggest enemy for decades now. Since their rift over ten years ago to when he had approached Chu Sect a few years ago, his name had be a nightmare to many Chu Sect members. They couldn''t go a day in their lives without feeling insane from the way just one person could terrorize them. Chu Yuan was in disbelief as well. He whipped his head around to stare at Ye Fan, who was covered in blood and bruised but still alive. ¡°This is impossible! This can''t be happening! The force I used on you would have been enough to shatter even a man made of steel. How are you alive? How are you even walking right now?¡± Chu Yuan''s nails were digging into his palms so hard that they drew blood. Ye Fan smiled as he shook his head casually. ¡°Chu Yuan, Chu Yuan, did you really think that I, Chu Tianfan, would be defeated that easily? Nothing has managed to defeat me. Obstacles in my path were crossed and even fate did not manage toy a finger on me. The devil himself has failed to collect my soul. What makes you think you can beat me?¡± He continued striding toward Chu Yuan, walking evenly despite the rubble and ruins in his path. The closer he got, the stronger his aura became, to the point where it was threatening to gobble up everyone who defied him. ¡°From Jingzhou to Yunzhou, from Dongchang Lake to Yunwu Lake, and from a piece of rubbish to a good-for-nothing live-in son-inw. I''ve been through life and death, through absolute humiliation and shame, but I''ve never let those get me down. I''ve lost friends, family, and loved ones. Despite all that, all I''ve done is trudge through this lonely life of mine. After making it so far and going through everything that I have, I don''t and will never believe that all that''s in front of me is a dead end. Chu Qitian couldn''t kill me ten years ago, and neither could Chu Zhengliang a few yearster. This time, I believe it''s your turn to taste defeat, Chu Yuan.¡± Ye Fan''s words echoed across the space and struck a chord in the hearts of all the Yunzhou people listening. Some of them stayed silent and some murmured in understanding, while others cried in sympathy and sorrow. All anyone ever knew was Ye Fan''s sess and the ease that befell him. How many people truly knew what he had gone through in order to emerge like this? No one could see the wounded, battered self he had left behind in order to rise to the top. Chu Yuan beganughing evilly after his brief bout of shock. ¡°Those are quite a lot ofst words, Chu Tianfan. Who cares what you believe? Do you think your belief is that strong? Will the world end tomorrow just because you believe it will? You''re still as childish as ever, I see. The world has its own set of principles that someone like you will never change. So what if you survived just now? I bet you''re at the end of your rope. If I do the same thing again, are you confident that you''ll make it this time?¡± His ominous words wereced with rage and frustration. ¡°Is that what you think? Let''s put your theory to the test, then.¡± Ye Fan suddenly stopped walking. He looked up at Chu Yuan with a cocky yet innocent-looking smile. Chapter 2129 Chapter 2129 Boom! A low yet deafening grumble resonated steadily throughout the area. The aura radiating from Ye Fan almost lit up the sky with its sheer force of energy. The moment those words left his mouth, a storm began to blow and even the clouds became heavier and more intimidating. He stood proudly on the horizon as his mere presence swayed the weather like a real dragon. In just a second, thend around them began to rumble as though a flood was about to break out of the ground. All the power he could harness from nature around him within a thousand-meter radius began to crawl steadily toward him in a golden aura that threatened to shake the sky. Ye Fan looked almost like the sun itself. His aura surrounded him like a ball of mes and almost blinded the people watching. ¡°W-What''s going on?¡± ¡°Could this be...¡± The Jiangdong people and those from Chu Sect thought of the same thing as they watched the harrowing, familiar sight. It reminded all of them of the Chu family. Back then, Chu Yunyang had an undefeatable technique named Invoke the Celestial Sky. Whoosh! The wind and clouds continued to roll across the sky and the countless bouts of energy began to form a protective shield around Ye Fan. He was sucking up all the energy around him like a giant, dry sponge. Finally, as he finished saving up his powers, he let out a loud roar. It was a shout that sounded almost like a thunderbolt from how loudly it struck. ¡°First Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky: Cloud Sun Kick!¡± Boom! All the crowd could see was Ye Fan''s foot stomping heavily on the ground. It looked like God himself stepping onto Earth with the force of a dragon emerging from its nest. His terrifying aura almost caused the entire mountainside on the horizon to shatter and the clouds to quiver in the sky. It even felt as if the whole of Yunzhou was shaking. ¡°My God!¡± ¡°What''s that?¡± The citizens of Yunzhou all stared at the blinding re that had lit up the horizon in shock. They thought it was a saint who had justnded in the mortal realm. In fact, they even felt as if God himself hade to punish them. The citizens down below began to scream and run around in a frenzy. ¡°It must be you, you b*stard! Even God knows about your habits of fooling around with women outside and he''s sent a lightning bolt after you now! This is all your fault!¡± a woman began screaming at the man next to her. Children began hiding in their parents'' embraces and wailing. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. The crowd on Mount Yunding who were watching Ye Fan in the flesh were panicking as well. ¡°Is it really Invoke the Celestial Sky?¡± ¡°That''s the Chu family''s legendary technique! Invoke the Celestial Sky!¡± ¡°Chu Tianfan is actually using Invoke the Celestial Sky again!¡± ¡°He''s really out for blood!¡± ¡°He''s not going to go easy on anyone this time.¡± ¡°We have to run!¡± Once bitten, twice shy. The people of Chu Sect could never forget how Ye Fan had used Invoke the Celestial Sky a few years ago to raze the whole of Mount Chumen to the ground. Chu Zhengliang, who was the head of the family back then, had a legacy of his own, being a good warrior and skilled fighter. However, even he couldn''t fight against Ye Fan''s technique. In the end, he got sealed off in Mount Chumen, suffering a fate worse than life or death. The crowd naturally felt terrified at the sight of Ye Fan using his strongest technique once again. They were afraid that they would get pulled into the mix and suffer horrible consequences as well. With that in mind, the people of Chu Sect only spent a few seconds escaping and scurrying off like rats. In the blink of an eye, there was no one left standing within a thousand meters of Ye Fan. The onlookers had all escaped out of fear. ¡°Damn it! How is this possible? How can he even summon Invoke the Celestial Sky right now? Is his strength just an infinite source of energy?¡± Chu Qitian''s expression darkened. He knew perhaps better than most of the onlookers about his own family''s Invoke the Celestial Sky technique. Ye Fan had defied death so many times in the past few years, and it was all because of Invoke the Celestial Sky! Now that Ye Fan was back on his feet, even Chu Qitian began to feel afraid. Chu Yuan''s face clouded over as well. The disdain in his heart was already fading away. He looked up at Ye Fan and asked icily, ¡°I thought I could tire you out enough that you wouldn''t be able to summon Invoke the Celestial Sky anymore. How do you have the strength to still use it?¡± The awe in his heart showed through his words. Any technique required a great amount of strength, talent, and power to withstand. A technique as advanced as Invoke the Celestial Sky required even more physical prowess. Logically speaking, Ye Fan shouldn''t have had any strength left after fighting with him for so long. He shouldn''t have had the energy to even think about using Invoke the Celestial Sky. The truth, however, was shocking. Not only had Ye Fan just used Invoke the Celestial Sky, but it had also returned even stronger than it had already been back then on Mount Chumen. How many secrets is Chu Tianfan hiding from us? Chu Yuan could no longer remember the number of times Ye Fan had taken him by surprise. He had once thought that he would know everything the universe had to offer after reaching god realm. Clearly, the man in front of him disregarded that fact. He managed to surprise Chu Yuan again and again. It should be because of his technique. Sometimes, an onlooker could get a clearer view of the big picture than the person it was happening to. Ye Qingtian, who was heavily battered and bruised, was watching all of this unfold from afar as he leaned against a giant boulder. After silently pondering to himself for a long time, Ye Qingtian finally figured out the secret behind Ye Fan''s talent. He had known Ye Fan for many years, and he had already sensed something strange about Ye Fan for a while now. Not only did he know many secret techniques and master all of them, but his method of training and practicing said techniques were pretty unique as well. Ye Qingtian had already recognized Ye Fan''s startling stamina. Even if his elemental force was all worn out, he only needed a few moments to recover. Not only could he get back on his feet, but he would also bepletely back to his fullest potential. Ye Qingtian was starting to suspect that Ye Fan had purposely let Chu Yuan beat him. After all, that was the only way that Ye Fan could get a few minutes to breathe and regain his stance. All of it was purely for the earth-shattering move he was about to pull. ¡°Second Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky: Tumble of the Majestic Mountain!¡± He didn''t hesitate for one second, nor did his flowing powers suffer any kind of blockage. After performing the first form of Invoke the Celestial Sky, Ye Fan quickly followed up with the second form of the technique. The force of a gigantic fist cracked the very ground. The waves of the explosion began to radiate outward speedily and charged toward Chu Yuan with the precision of an arrow. The explosion even caused the very air to be shattered and sucked out of the atmosphere momentarily. The rolling waves of his aura threatened to engulf thend like a tsunami. Even the people of Chu Sect, who had escaped to a few thousand meters away, got sent flying through the air by the shock wave and fell down about fifty meters away. They were only stopped by a huge boulder in their path. It was terrifying. The sheer terror they felt was almost numbing. Ye Fan''s power wasn''t made to be used against humans at this point. The people of Chu Sect almost wet themselves in their terror. Luckily enough, they were insignificant little pawns in this battle. They weren''t the ones going headfirst against Ye Fan. If they were going up against him, they wouldn''t even be able to die with aplete corpse. ¡°That guy is truly out of the ordinary.¡± ¡°How could his powers have increased by so much after he won that battle back then? This is absolutely inhuman! He improved way too much for it to even be normal!¡± Those who had suffered through the Chu Sect battle were hiding in the sand, only poking their heads out to watch the fight going on. Despite that, they couldn''t shake the fear and terror engulfing their minds. Only after they saw such an extraordinary sight did they realize how insignificant their past experiences were. After watching a godly level of power, they finally realized that they were mere small fry to someone as skilled and powerful as Ye Fan. As expected, only the strongest soldiers could leave a mark on history. The martial arts world could only develop this far because of extraordinary people like Chu Tianfan. Small fry like them could only bury their heads in the sand and pray that Ye Fan didn''t see them. Chapter 2130 Chapter 2130 ¡°Third Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky: Earthshaking Palm!¡± An authoritative voice boomed like thunder. Then, everyone saw the massive attack brewing in the sky before it plunged downward and obscured the vast heavens. ¡°I-Is this Mr. Chu''s true strength?¡± ¡°Is this the power that can go up against the god realm?¡± After Ye Fan unleashed his attack, the people of Jiangdong were stunned into silence. Li Er, Lei San, and the rest gazed at him as if they were devout followers looking at the god they worshipped. Sometimes, Chen Ao would feel as if he was dreaming or in a trance. Even now, he could still remember his first encounter with Ye Fan. Back then, Ye Fan was just the Qiu family''s unremarkable live-in son-inw and an insignificant nobody in Yunzhou. Yet, nobody expected that inconsequential young man to gain so much power in just a few years. If even Chen Ao could not wrap his head around this, one could only imagine how Jiang Yng and everyone who grew up with Ye Fan would feel. All of their shockbined could not even measure up to Jiang Yng and the rest of his peers. Sometimes, the difference in one''s prowess would widen without anyone noticing. By the time they did, the other party had already reached their peak and a level no one could attain. Rumble! After the Earthshaking Palm came crashing down, the entire area went into a frenzy. It was as if the power surrounding it had gone crazy as it gushed in all directions. Chu Yuan quickly rposed himself after his momentary shock. ¡°It''s just Invoke the Celestial Sky. Chu Tianfan, do you really think that your family''s technique is undefeatable? Today, I shall use my Great me Dragon Finger to destroy your Invoke the Celestial Sky!¡± Chu Yuan shot Ye Fan an arrogant smile and propelled himself into the sky. History was repeating itself. After the echo of his voice faded away, there was an enormous burst of power. The intense power was umting in Chu Yuan''s hands. Another giant finger, muchrger than the previous one, appeared. From afar, it looked like a dragon with mes surrounding its body. ¡°Great me Dragon Finger! Heaven-Wrecking Finger! Earth-Shattering Finger! Destructive Finger!¡± With no intention of showing mercy, Chu Yuan released all three fingers at once. The three giant fingers resembled mountains as they descended from the sky and charged toward Ye Fan with an unparalleled force capable of destroying the earth. Then, it collided with the Invoke the Celestial Sky that Ye Fan had unleashed. Boom! The two greatest and unrivaled martial arts were finallying head-to-head with the most vicious attacks. After the attacks shed with each other, Chu Yuan''s Great me Dragon Finger immediately broke through the First Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky. Ye Fan''s Cloud Sun Kick was instantly crushed as well. The Great me Dragon Finger showed no sign of slowing down and collided with the Tumble of the Majestic Mountain, the Second Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky. It continued its attack unhindered and was still as powerful as ever! The Great me Dragon Finger''s energy showed no sign of dissipating and instantaneously shattered two of Ye Fan''s attacks. Even the third attack, Earthshaking Palm, wasn''t able to resist the Great me Dragon Finger''s power. Chu Yuan had broken through all three attacks in a row. ¡°Hahaha! Old Mr. Chu is the best!¡± ¡°I was worried if his Great me Dragon Finger would be able to block Chu Tianfan''s Invoke the Celestial Sky. Now, it looks like we were worried over nothing.¡± ¡°In the face of Old Mr. Chu''s power, Chu Tianfan can only struggle and fight a futile battle.¡± ¡°Invoke the Celestial Sky is nothingpared to Great me Dragon Finger!¡± After seeing how weak Ye Fan''s attack was, the members of Chu Sect could finally take the huge load off their minds. Now, they were all smiling smugly. The frown on Chu Qitian''s face disappeared. He stood in a far corner and watched the fight, shaking his head with a cold smile. ¡°Chu Tianfan, it seems that your trump card isn''t that impressive after all.¡± I''m getting a little impatient. I''m really looking forward to seeing Ye Fan''s defeat. When that happens, I will definitely break both his legs, forcing him to his knees, and have him submit to me. I will take revenge for my father and all the humiliation and suffering I''ve endured over the years! ¡°Just give up, Chu Tianfan. My Great me Dragon Finger has the power to destroy the entire world. Even if Mr. Yunyang is here, he may not be able to defeat my Great me Dragon Finger despite us being on the same level!¡± Chu Yuan stood proudly in the middle of the storm. The long grey robes he was wearing pped noisily in the air. He stared down at Ye Fan, who was still resisting futilely, with condescension. The corners of his lips curled into a smug smirk, a tant disy of his arrogance. He acted as though he had already won the battle. ¡°Is that so? Don''t you think it''s still too early to say that, Chu Yuan?¡± Ye Fan waspletely unaffected by his words and was even smiling faintly. The loftiness and confidence he exuded were unlike someone on the brink of defeat. ¡°What? Does he still intend to fight back?¡± The members of Chu Sect frowned when they heard his words. What happened next was like an answer to their question. As soon as the words left their mouths, a powerful force radiated from Ye Fan''s body, causing the wind to pick up again. ¡°Fourth Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky: Red me Finger!¡± Rumble! It was as if a giant hole had been ripped open in the sky, and a massive shadow in the shape of a finger descended from it. From afar, it seemed to be imitating Chu Yuan''s Great me Dragon Finger. At first, the finger was about the size of a pinkie. Then, it rapidly grew until it was several meters long. It smashed into Chu Yuan''s Great me Dragon Finger with intense energy, and a deafening sound thundered in the air. The two fingers were instantly disintegrated. ¡°Nice one, kid! But you could only destroy one of my fingers using four attacks. What are you going to do about the other two?¡± Chu Yuan snapped. Ye Fan ignored his taunts. The Celestial Cloud was whirring at warp speed in the elixir field. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . The Thunderstripes on his forehead shone brilliantly. He possessed all the techniques of Chu Sect and had the body of a Thunderdrake. At that moment, overwhelming forces of energy were bursting out from Ye Fan''s body. ¡°Fifth Form: Void sh!¡± he yelled, his voice booming across the sky. Swish! Ye Fan stood on the horizon and thrust the finger toward the sky as though he was wielding a sword. The strong sword energy swept across the sky. In an instant, Ye Fan seemed to have destroyed the entire gxy. The force was so great it caused the skies to twist and turn. The powerful energy from all five forms grew stronger and stronger, like a me that was burning hotter and hotter. Void sh collided with Chu Yuan''s attack with a mighty force. This time, the attack did not dissipate as easily as before. The attacks ground at each other for some time before Void sh faded away. On the other hand, Chu Yuan''s second finger had more than half of its power depleted. The members of Chu Sect shook their heads andughed. ¡°Hahaha! It could hold its own for a while, but it ultimately is no match for Great me Dragon Finger.¡± ¡°It''s just as I thought. The difference between a Supreme and a god realm master is insurmountable.¡± ¡°Defeat is inevitable for Chu Tianfan!¡± The members of Chu Sectughed arrogantly, looking fearless. After all, it only took Ye Fan five attacks to finally defeat one of Chu Yuan''s. Even if Ye Fan were to use all his might tounch his strongest attack, he wouldn''t be able to resist the other two fingers. Chapter 2131 Chapter 2131 Ye Fan was ready tounch his sixth strike while the people of Chu Sect were busy underestimating him. ¡°The Sixth Form: Infinite Force!¡± His fearsome deration boomed across the area as he unleashed an almighty punch in the enemy''s direction. An astounding aura split the air. Everyone stared at Ye Fan as though he was some divine being. He levitated in the air, his body akin to a powerful bow that propelled his iron fist forward. Under everyone''s awe-filled gaze, Ye Fan''s punch met Chu Yuan''s second attack head-on. Anderson shook his head and sneered. ¡°It''s useless. Resistance is futile.¡± ¡°He''s definitely going to lose. Why struggle before the inevitable? Isn''t it better to resign himself to his fate?¡± added Chu Qitian with a scoff. After witnessing Ye Fan''s earlier five forms, neither man regarded his sixth form with any concern. They believed it would disintegrate instantly like his previous attacks once it encountered Chu Yuan''s Earth-Shattering Finger. As expected, the shockwave from Ye Fan''s punch was immediately destroyed. The members of Chu Sect became even more arrogant after witnessing the scene. ¡°Haha! What did I tell you? Chu Tianfan''s reputation far precedes his actual ability. He may look strong, but it''s all just an act.¡± After seeing how easily Chu Yuan defeated Ye Fan''s Infinite Force, many Chu Sect members could not help but jeer at him in disdain. King Folo and the others, who watched the battle from afar, shook their heads and sighed. ¡°Looks like the fight is over.¡± They had believed Ye Fan could create a miracle with Invoke the Celestial Sky. Now, it appeared that they had sorely overestimated his ability. In hindsight, they realized it was impossible for Ye Fan to go against a fighter as powerful as Chu Yuan alone. Dejectedly, King Folo turned away and announced, ¡°Let''s return to India. It''s time to prepare to defend our homnd.¡± He did not wish defeat upon Ye Fan as they shared the same enemy. If Ye Fan lost, Chu Sect would undoubtedly dominate the martial arts world of China. That would spell danger for India, which shared its northern border with China. Chu Sect could easily send its fighters to attack India. Ye Fan''s sess was thus in King Folo and his men''s best interests. Just as King Folo was about to leave, he sensed an explosive shockwave behind him. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Huh? What''s going on? Is there more?¡± His men also sensed the sudden change. They turned around and realized that instead of a single shockwave, Ye Fan''s punch had unleashed multiple shockwaves. ¡°What is this? A hidden force?¡± Amid everyone''s shock, Ye Fan unleashed the remaining eight shockwaves from his Infinite Force almost simultaneously. Boom! A deafening noise tore through the sky as the shockwaves shattered Chu Yuan''s Earth-Shattering Finger. In fact, it was almost as effortless as slicing through soft butter. The crowd was filled with disbelief. ¡°H-How could this happen?¡± Chu Yuan was the most bewildered of all. He never imagined Ye Fan''s Infinite Force could crush his attack so easily. Did Chu Tianfan be stronger? Chu Yuan clenched his fists and snarled, ¡°Hmm, that little piece of shit continues to surprise me. But so what if you broke the first two stages of my attack? The third stage is even stronger than the two earlier stagesbined! No matter how impressive Invoke the Celestial Sky is, it can''t be stronger than Destructive Finger!¡± He let out a vicious roar. His gaze filled with murderous intent. Then Chu Yuanunched his third and final attack on Ye Fan. The third stage of Great me Dragon Finger, Destructive Finger, trumped thebined power and might of Chu Yuan''s two earlier attacks. After a moment of impasse, the shockwaves from Ye Fan''s Infinite Force were dispelled. ¡°Bring it on, Chu Tianfan! Time to show yourst hand. Your next strike will determine the oue of our battle!¡± challenged Chu Yuan. His final attack was still as powerful as ever after sustaining Ye Fan''s six earlier attacks. It was practically a vast, imprable wall. Chu Yuan stood his ground proudly as his challenge to Ye Fan reverberated across the horizon. They had fought each other many years ago, and Chu Yuan had a gauge of his opponent''s ability. He knew Ye Fan''s Invoke the Celestial Sky had a seventh form, which was why he was sure Ye Fan''s next strike would be hisst. Ye Fan replied coldly, ¡°As you wish!¡± He propelled himself into the sky, and the surrounding energy became frenzied once more. Endless waves of elemental force gathered around Ye Fan''s body. The forces concentrated and almost took on a solid form. From afar, it appeared as though a glowing ball of energy was growing before Ye Fan. At the same time, Ye Fan''s body seemed to be expanding from the concentration of elemental forces. His muscles bulged so much that his veins were clearly visible. His strength, aura, and emotions seemed to have peaked at that very moment. Then everything was unleashed in an instant. ¡°Seventh Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky: Celestial Star Sword!¡± Swoosh! Even the stars in the Milky Way seemed to have shaken as Ye Fan spoke. Everyone saw the stars in the Milky Way gather at Ye Fan''s fingertips as though heeding his summons. Thousands of stars merged into a massive golden sword several kilometers long and equally wide. It looked like a weapon fit for a god and straight out of those legendary myths. Against a backdrop of thunder and lightning, Ye Fan wielded his gleaming de and stood tall before his enemy. His entire body glowed as he held the sword with both hands. Each swing of his sword split the air and reversed the natural order of the five elements. Light reflected off the de, each ray as piercing as a lightning strike. ¡°With this Celestial Star Sword, I hereby reverse darkness and light and bring ruin upon my enemy!¡± Swish! Ye Fan used every ounce of his energy to bring his almighty sword down upon Chu Yuan, performing the ultimate, unstoppable strike. Everyone was dumbstruck by his ability. It was impossible for the crowd to tear their eyes away from Ye Fan''s massive sword, which gleamed so brightly against the pitch-ck sky. At one point, they even believed the world was about to end and give way to the birth of a new universe. Their lives had never seemed more trivial than at that moment in the face of Ye Fan''s shining sword. ¡°Oh my God...¡± ¡°Is he even human?¡± ¡°That must be the power of a god!¡± Everyone stared at the man, who seemed to have split the sky with immeasurable awe. They revered him like a divine being. Ye Yuyan sped her hands together and prayed, ¡°You must win! Good luck, Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu, the fate of Jiangdong''s martial arts world all depends on the might of your sword.¡± Li Er and the others raised their heads to the sky and stared at Ye Fan in anticipation. His strike was undoubtedly one for the history books and scarcely something to be missed. Everyone in Jiangdong, nay, even China could witness the moment his sword struck Chu Yuan. On the outskirts of Yunzhou, hundreds of thousands of soldiers on standby in the deserted ins witnessed the strike with their mouths agape. Lu Tianhe was utterly stunned. How did that man who left Jiangdong years ago be such a monster? Chapter 2132 Chapter 2132 Boom! Ye Fan''s swing finallynded. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. In the eyes of the crowd, the sky and the earth had disappeared. There was only the river of sword that cut through everything. It was almost as if a meteorite had crashed into Earth. The moment the sword and the finger touched, a terrifying wave rushed in all directions with the two men at its center. Almost everything was overturned by the shockwave of the duo''s attack. The clouds were gone, and the ground shook. The mountains within a thousand-meter radius were ttened, and the grass and the rocks were all gone. While trying to avoid the storm that nearly destroyed the world, the people on Mount Yunding were still paying close attention to the battle. ¡°It''s the final battle! The victory belongs to Chu Sect. The glory shall be Old Mr. Chu''s!¡± Anderson said through gritted teeth. Although they were all sure that Chu Yuan was undefeatable, they could not dismiss the slight chance of that being untrue. Anderson and the other Chu Sect elders prayed hard for Chu Yuan to be the one with thestugh. ¡°Die! Grandpa, you have to kill him!¡± Chu Qitian bellowed angrily as he stared at the battle up front. It had been too long. Chu Qitian had been holding back for too long. He had been fighting with Ye Fan all these years, from when he was a youth until he was an adult. Chu Qitian had never won against Ye Fan. The defeats over the years were something Chu Qitian could not ept. All he wanted was to take revenge for all of his defeats in thisst battle. He wished for nothing else but Ye Fan''s death. Time was ticking away, and in the faraway sky, the wild wind calmed down. Everyone held their breath. Ye Yuyan was nervous, and her entire body was shaking. Xu Lei''s palms were mmy with cold sweat. Likewise, the people of Jiangdong were equally tense. As a matter of fact, the members of Chu Sect were silent too. Everyone was watching the faraway scene as their hearts pounded. They were all looking forward to finding out the result of the battle, but they were also fearful¡ªthey anticipated the thrill of victory and feared their defeat. Finally, the two figures reappeared on the horizon. ¡°W-Who won?¡± ¡°I-Is it a draw?¡± After a long bout of silence, questioning and baffled voices sounded on Mount Yunding. Both Ye Fan and Chu Yuan were still standing on the horizon, their clothes and hair billowing in the wind. The onlookers were confused. Just as they thought that it had ended in a draw, a shudder wracked Ye Fan''s body. Then blood spewed out of his mouth. The crimson ssh turned into droplets of red rain that fell from the sky. On the other hand, weariness appeared on Chu Yuan''s aged face. However, he did not cough up any blood and did not seem visibly hurt. He remained standing, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. Soon, a prideful look crept onto his face. ¡°Hahaha! Chu Tianfan, it''s over. From now on, there''s no one in this world who will be in my way! Hahaha!¡± Chu Yuan tilted his head back andughed boisterously. It was as if the feelings he had suppressed had finally found a way out of him. Truth be told, Chu Yuan had never thought that the battle would be this tough. He could not believe that an abandoned child like Chu Tianfan could force him to the brink of his limits. In fact, for a moment, Chu Yuan was sure that he would lose. Fortunately, the one who had thestugh was still him. Chu Yuan continued tough to his heart''s content. The members of Chu Sect cheered at the result, but tears escaped the eyes of Li Er and the rest. They all had thought that no one would be able to keep themselves collected when the result came out. Yet, at that moment, Mount Yunding was exceptionally quiet. Li Er did not speak, Chen Ao was looking up at the sky, Ye Yuyan was crying, and Xu Lei had a look of destion on her face. The thousands of members of Dragon God Hall were devastated and disappointed. They had lost. They had been defeated. The man named Chu Tianfan had burned bright like a star when he was a youth and had sworn to defeat Chu Tianfan. s, just as he was about to emerge as the victor, he failed. ¡°Dragon Master...¡± The members of Dragon God Hall were filled with sorrow. ¡°Ye Fan...¡± Ye Yuyan choked out. King of Fighters, Sword Saint, and the others sighed in mncholy. Although Ye Fan had failed, none of them med him for the defeat. ¡°He has done his best. He has pushed himself to his limits and tried everything he could. It''s already a miracle he survived until now. No one will be able to do better than him.¡± King Folo stared at the blood and the swaying man with pity in his eyes. ¡°Yes. In the end, he still failed. I can only say that this is fate. This is Chu Tianfan''s fate.¡± Both Haibu and Bapei were feeling conflicted. Chu Tianfan used to be akin to a demon in their eyes. His existence was something to fear. Yet, at that very moment, Chu Tianfan had turned into a tragic hero. He had done everything he could for his dream, for his goal. Thest time he went up against Chu Sect, he escaped in panic and was forced to take his own life. Yet, even when he returned with a vengeance, he still failed to change anything. Although Ye Fan had failed, his determination impressed the others. Swoosh! Right then, what sounded like a sword being pulled out of its sheath rang out. A sword from the earth sliced through the air andnded in Chu Yuan''s hand. Chu Yuan looked at Ye Fan for a while before throwing the sword at him. ¡°You''re a brave man, so I shall give you a good death. Do what you''ve done years ago; take the sword and end your life. That way, you''ll be able to die in one piece,¡± he muttered, his words the judgment of a grim reaper. History always repeats itself. Years ago, on the coast of Eastsea of China, the same scene happened. Ye Fan had been defeated. His opponent had thrown a sword at him and told him to kill himself with it. Years had gone by since then, but still, the same end awaited Ye Fan. Those who had survived on Mount Yunding were shattered. Li Er was lying on the ground, his face as pale as a sheet. Chen Ao stood transfixed on the spot, unwilling to ept reality. Ye Yuyan was hugging Chu Lin tightly as tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrobly. Only Xu Lei was still staring at Ye Fan. She bit her lip, and blood trickled down. She refused to believe that Ye Fan would be defeated, and she did not want to ept the fact that Ye Fan would die there and then. There must be a way. Ye Fan will surelye up with something to deal with this. He has poured his blood, sweat, and tears into this for so many years. He has survived all kinds of life-endangering situations. Xu Lei refused to believe that Ye Fan would fall before he reached the end of the tunnel. Right as everyone had lost all hope, Ye Fan, whose lips were stained red with his blood, smiled. ¡°Chu Yuan, do you really think this is over?¡± Chu Yuan mocked, ¡°Is it not? Celestial Star Sword is yourst move, isn''t it? But it failed to leave even a mark on me. What are you going to use to fight against me if we continue? You''ll still die in the end.¡± All of a sudden, Ye Fan startedughing. The look he had for Chu Yuan was one of pity. ¡°Chu Yuan, Chu Yuan, you think too highly of yourself, and you think too little of me. Who told you Celestial Star Sword is myst move? Do you not know that the Chu family''s Invoke the Celestial Sky has more than seven forms?¡± Chapter 2133 Chapter 2133 The moment those words were out of Ye Fan''s mouth, the entire world seemed to tremble. Vast energy began swarming toward Ye Fan, whose dying aura exploded once more. Everyone could see how the man who had been at his limits seconds ago abruptly turned mighty again. The aura he had was the same as a dragon''s. ¡°How can this be? Does he still have a trump card?¡± Chu Yuan drastically paled as he looked at the scene before him in disbelief. The shock in his heart surged like tidal waves. N-No... This isn''t possible. This is impossible! Celestial Star Sword is already Chu Tianfan''s strongest attack. He has used up his trump card. He must be trying to fool me. He''s only putting on a show to trick me! Chu Yuan shook his head fervently, refusing to believe that Ye Fan still had an ace up his sleeve. He did not believe in Ye Fan''s words; he refused to believe that he could perform more than seven forms of Invoke the Celestial Sky. ¡°For hundreds of years, even the craziest gifted individuals of the Chu family have only mastered up to the seventh form. Few could even reach the sixth form. Thest few forms of Invoke the Celestial Sky are practically impossible to master. How dare you try to scare me with this? Do you think I''m that easily intimidated? I''ve shown you mercy by letting you keep your dignity, but you didn''t want it. Well then, let me help you to the afterlife instead!¡± He soon calmed down after his momentary shock. Chu Yuan was sure that Ye Fan was only pulling his leg. As he snarled at Ye Fan, he channeled his energy to perform Chu Sect Fatal Moves. Chu Yuan was ready to end his battle with Ye Fan once and for all. ¡°Heavenly Wolf! Demonic Tiger! Green Dragon!¡± Chu Yuan unleashed three attacks that rushed toward Ye Fan at full force. Everyone knew that the battle was in itsst phase. It was highly likely that Chu Yuan''s three attacks would end Ye Fan''s life. Overwhelmed by worry, Xu Lei shouted in agony and terror, ¡°Watch out, Ye Fan!¡± She could not bear to watch Ye Fan get hurt anymore. Whoosh! The wind and the river howled. Chu Yuan''s onught came with the aggression of tigers rushing down the mountains to attack unsuspecting people. However, Ye Fan waspletely fearless in the face of the mighty attacks. His scrawny frame remained still and straight. As he stood rooted to his spot, he stretched out his arms to wrap them around the space before him. Fierce energy began gathering within his arms. The onlookers could see a cataclysmic storm building up, and Ye Fan was in the middle of the storm. He was gesturing a spell with his fingers, and he was muttering under his breath. The words that went past his lips sounded like the oldest spell in the world. His voice rumbled all over thend. Nearing the end, the people started seeing golden lines of characters swirling around Ye Fan. The characters were all glowing and shimmering as if the power of the world was flowing in them. ¡°W-What is this? W-Why haven''t I seen this before?¡± The strange sight before Ye Fan confounded countless people. Even Chu Yuan narrowed his eyes without realizing it. ¡°Ha, you''re already at your limits, you brat. Your struggles will be for nothing. How powerful can fancy tricks like these be?¡± Chu Yuan said icily, still refusing to believe that Ye Fan could do any better than before. Only Chu Yuan knew how worried and wary he was beneath his stubborn appearance. Whoosh! The storm continued to brew, and the energy continued to gather. Right then, a frightening tornado manifested from the condense energy around Ye Fan. Like a dry sponge, it greedily sucked in all the energy in its vicinity. As Ye Fan continued to draw in the energy, the onlookers realized that the green trees at the side of the road were wilting. Even the flowering trees that had bloomed in autumn were starting to die. In fact, all the citizens of Yunzhou abruptly felt a wave of sleepiness hitting them. It was as if their stamina was rapidly getting drained out of them. ¡°H-How could this be... What in the world is this? How can it make trees wilt and living creatures disappear?¡± The members of Chu Sect, who had been celebrating seconds ago, had a simr look of shock on their faces again. The unknown was truly the most terrifying thing in the world. They had been fighting Ye Fan for years, but it was their first time seeing Ye Fan use a move like this. He looked as though he could take away the life of all creatures and was the one to decide whether a living being would live or die. While the people were reeling in from the shock and recollecting themselves from the confusion, the energy Ye Fan gathered had reached its maximum. The concentrated energy was akin to a small sun as it illuminated everything around it. Finally, the people saw two ck and white wheels quietly appearing above Ye Fan''s head. As the ck and the white wheel intertwined, all beings began to cease to exist. Just as everyone was wondering what Ye Fan was doing, a thundering voice quaked the earth. ¡°Eighth Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky: Wheel of Fate!¡± What? The... eighth form? Everyone nearly lost their heads the moment those words were out of Ye Fan''s mouth. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The fighters of Chu Sect widened their eyes, Anderson and the other elders trembled and lost their ability to breathe, and Chu Qitian''s eyes widened so much they were about to pop from their sockets. As a matter of fact, King of Fighters, whose legs had been broken, jumped to his feet. The eighth form! It''s the eighth form! Did the abandoned child of the Chu family, Chu Tianfan, just used the eighth form of Invoke the Celestial Sky? The members of Chu Sect could feel the hair behind the back of their necks standing. They did not expect Ye Fan to be able to release another form after performing the seven forms. What the f*ck? Is this b*stard a monster? Does he have endless aces up his sleeves? Ye Fan''s trump cards¡ªfrom Raijin Thunderdrake, to Celestial Star Sword, and finally, the Eighth Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky¡ªhad turned the tables. Seconds ago, everyone was certain that the battle was over. But now, it was clearly not. The victor might not be Chu Yuan. At that moment, Chu Yuan was trying to rpose himself after witnessing the shocking scene. The eighth form! Damn it! It really is the eighth form! How can this be? This is impossible! How can he know how to use it? Darn this! Is Chu Tianfan really someone Chu Yunyang sent to kill me? He was so furious to the point he was close to bursting a blood vessel. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect a brat like Ye Fan to seed in the Eighth Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky after others had failed for hundreds of years. Instantly, Chu Yuan could sense the threat to his life. He was finally starting to lose hope. Am I going to fail? I''ve been hiding for hundreds of years, and I finally found a suitable host to reincarnate into. I''m about to take over the world, find all the Dragon Gates, and activate the Sky Gate Formation. I''m so close to achieving my goal! ¡°No. I''m not going to be defeated! I''m never going to be defeated! Chu Tianfan, you''ll be the one to die! It''ll be you!¡± Chu Yuan screamed like a madman. His face had scrunched up into a vicious expression, and the veins were so visible on his wrinkly face that it was almost as if something was trying to escape from beneath his skin. Chu Yuan began chanting an ancient spell. Then, the people saw blood oozing out of him. It was clear that Chu Yuan was risking his life for the battle now. ¡°Damn you, humans. Damn you, Chu Tianfan. You forced me to do this! You asked for this!¡± Chapter 2134 Chapter 2134 Chu Yuan''s raspy voice echoed across Yunzhou like the sound of a boulder being crushed. Many citizens disyed signs of difort and covered their ears due to the sound''s ear-piercing intensity. Even the powerful fighters on Mount Yunding could not help but frown. ¡°Grandpa, what''s wrong?¡± ¡°Has Old Mr. Chu gone mad?¡± Everyone in Chu Sect was stunned. Chu Qitian''s eyes widened as he gazed in the direction of his grandfather. He had never seen his grandfather looking so menacing and terrifying, like a demon, before. He felt as though his grandfather was no longer the person he knew. ¡°Sword Saint, what''s going on? Chu Yuan is acting oddly.¡± Naturally, others had also noticed something was wrong with Chu Yuan. Mo Gucheng, who had been watching the battle the entire time, had a solemn expression on his face. His eyes were filled with surprise and doubt. At the same time, Xiao Chen furrowed his brows. ¡°Chu Yuan must have used some sort of forbidden technique. It seems like Chu Tianfan really drove him into a corner. That old man is risking his life now. The final battle for life and death should take ce next.¡± Xiao Chen had never been so solemn as he was at that moment. He was well aware that the battle would be over soon. Both Ye Fan and Chu Yuan have already used their trump cards. This time, who will get thestugh? Rumble! Suddenly, a storm began to form above the horizon. Chu Yuan kept reciting enigmatic, ancient chants. His entire body was covered in ck veins, which frantically infused energy into his elixir field. Furthermore, Chu Yuan''s spell traversed both time and space, causing Mount Chumen to tremble violently thousands of miles away. The next moment, blinding light surged out of Mount Chumen''s forbidden grounds. Tang Xian and the others, who were recuperating on Mount Chumen, were undoubtedly shocked. At one point, they thought Ye Fan had attacked them again. However, when they went outside, they discovered that themotion wasing from Chu Sect''s forbidden grounds. ¡°Mr. Tang, w-what''s going on?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Just as everyone was still in shock, a massive ck shadow suddenly appeared in the sky. ¡°That is...¡± ¡°Look, a gate!¡± ¡°It''s an enormous stone gate!¡± The members of Chu Sect yelled in horror as they looked ahead. The huge stone gate appeared to be floating in the air. It would periodically manifest and then disappear like a phantom. Even so, everyone could see that the stone gate had ancient patterns engraved on it. At that moment, the patterns on the stone gate moved and flowed as if they were alive. ¡°Goodness gracious. W-What is that?¡± The Chu Sect''s elders were also on the verge of a mental breakdown. They had never seen such a strange stone gate before. ¡°Mr. Tang, should we go closer and look into it?¡± someone asked Tang Xian for instructions. Before Tang Xian could respond, the massive stone gate burst open with a loud bang. Immediately afterward, tens of thousands of streaks of ck, glowing energy shot out into the air like arrows, heading for the far-off ancient eastern country. ¡°T-This...¡± Everyone was astounded by the bizarre scene in front of them. Tang Xian and the others were speechless, their eyes wide with shock. They had no idea what was going on. Other ces also witnessed the same scene. In addition to Western Epea, the strange stone gate also appeared in Northern Alendor and South Adrune¡ªall ces where the members of Chu Sect had previously traveled. There was arge dragon curled up on the stone gate, surrounded by ancient patterns. Those stone gates had existed for many centuries and were scattered all over the world. Chu Sect managed to discover almost all of them and deployed arge number of people to guard them. Now, Chu Yuan was using ancient spells to activate the stone gates. As soon as the massive gate opened, the great power within surged toward China as if summoned. Everyone on Mount Yunding soon noticed that there were countless beams of lighting from all directions. Moreover, they were all swarming wildly toward Chu Yuan''s body. ¡°This...¡± ¡°What the heck is that?¡± Li Er and the others were terrified by the scene. It felt as if the entire world''s power was focused on Chu Yuan. Momentster, they saw that Chu Yuan, who had been showing signs of fatigue, had regained his energy. The light beams showered down like a torrential downpour. Consequently, everyone was horrified by the terrifying aura. The energy surge continued for several seconds. It could have been that the energy was too powerful or that Chu Yuan''s body was incapable of handling such a massive amount of energy. Eventually, the veins on Chu Yuan''s body began to crack, and blood started to ooze from the wounds. With that, his unkempt robe was dyed red. From afar, he looked like a man covered in blood. It was not long before the final ray of ck light surged into Chu Yuan''s body, bringing his power to its peak. ¡°D*mn you, Chu Tianfan! In order to defeat you, I had to use the forbidden technique, even if it meant having my body destroyed. You should be proud of yourself for being able to push me this far. I''m going to kill you this time, even if it means losing my hundred years of cultivation!¡± Even those who were close to Chu Yuan, like Chu Qitian, dared note close to him because of his terrifying visage. Chu Yuan had already turned into a demon. He was covered in blood, howling hysterically. After Chu Yuan absorbed the power from Dragon Gate, his power soared to an insurmountable peak. Controlling the immense power, he delivered his most powerful blow. ¡°Great me Dragon Finger! Heaven-Wrecking Finger! Earth-Shattering Finger! Destructive Finger!¡± As Chu Yuan released three attacks in session, his technique, Great me Dragon Finger, swept across the sky. Just when everyone thought his attack was over, he stepped onto the horizon and extended another finger. In fact, he never considered stopping. ¡°Universe-Crushing Finger!¡± Boom! In an instant, the horizon exploded, and the air trembled. The fourth enormous finger shot toward Ye Fan with a terrifying force. At that moment, Ye Fan was as insignificant as a sand grain inparison to the enormous Great me Dragon Finger. However, there was nothing but determination on his exquisite face. The Wheel of Fate was above him, and the horizon was at his feet. Ye Fan remained expressionless and showed no signs of fear in the face of Chu Yuan''s overwhelming power. ¡°I''ve been practicingbat arts for nearly two decades. In the past twenty years, I''ve faced countless difficulties and obstacles and fought thousands of battles. However, regardless of how strong my opponent was, I could only use seven moves at most. This will be the first time I use the eighth move of the Wheel of Fate. Chu Yuan, I''ll show you the superiority of the Chu family''s techniques and the strength of Mr. Yunyang''s abilities! I''ll demonstrate to you an extraordinary power you''ve never seen before!¡± Bam! As soon as Ye Fan finished speaking, he waved his hand with a stern expression. Immediately, the massive Wheel of Fate charged forward with a force capable of crushing all living beings. Nobody had anticipated that such a weak body would be able to unleash such incredible power. For a moment, everyone in the Chu family was under the impression that their ancestor, the Great Emperor Yunyang, had returned to take over the world with his tremendous power.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 2135 Chapter 2135 Boom! Underneath everyone''s watchful gazes, two blistering attacks smashed decisively into each other. One side had unleashed the Red me Finger, backed by the power of the Dragon Gate, whereas the other was thebination of Invoke the Celestial Sky''s seven Forms¡ªWheel of Fate. It was the greatest secret of Invoke the Celestial Sky that Chu Yunyang created. The technique contained nine Forms in total. Even though they were executed individually, all of them were actually interconnected. Every Formid the groundwork for the next, while every subsequent Form was the cumtion of the previous technique. For example, Wheel of Fate might just be a single Form, but it contained the overwhelming power that culminated from the seven Forms that preceded it. As every Form was stronger than its predecessor, Wheel of Fate was significantly more powerful than all seven Formsbined. That was what Ye Fan had relied upon and the reason he could achieve god realm with the body of a mere mortal. Furthermore, he dared to take on the Chu Sect all by himself, deriving his courage from Chu Yunyang''s legacy¡ªthe power of Invoke the Celestial Sky. Meanwhile, everyone watched as the massive Wheel of Fate, in all its glory, went all out against Chu Yuan''s Great me Dragon Finger. At that moment, the heavens and earth trembled violently, as if everything was about to be torn apart. A blinding light illuminated the horizon, bathing it in a divine glow. Thereafter, a terrifying and chaotic force engulfed the sky as if it was heralding the Apocalypse. The earth-shattering impact that resulted was significantly stronger than the earlier sh, a sight that blew everyone''s minds. As for King Folo and the others, they felt a tingling sensation in their heads while their bodies shivered so violently that it was as if they were about to explode. ¡°I-Is he still human? How can a mortal achieve such incredible power?¡± Terror and disbelief filled everyone''s mind. As for the rest of the members of the martial arts world, they almost dropped to their knees in awe. They were overwhelmed by the urge to worship the world''s most powerful force and the two men who stood at the pinnacle of power. Regardless of the oue, the glorious battle that unfolded had etched its ce in the annals of history. Meanwhile,te at night at the Chu residence hundreds of miles away, a dim red light was swaying gently. Even though it was time for bed, a restless feeling continued to dog Grand Old Lady Chu. After leaving the room, she gazed far out in the direction of Yunzhou. ¡°I wonder what Ye Fan''s current situation is. Whether the Chu family can be cleansed at its root, the glory of Mr. Yunyang restored, and peace be returned to this world, the burden is now yours to bear, Ye Fan.¡± Grand Old Lady Chu''s troubled mind was reflected in her deep-set eyes as she said a little prayer for him. She was well aware that Ye Fan was still young. When his father was his age, the former had spent his time chasing skirts and refused to train in martial arts. In contrast, Ye Fan was now shouldering a heavy responsibility, a fact that made Grand Old Lady Chu feel as if she had failed him. At an age when he was supposed to be enjoying life, Ye Fan was embroiled in a struggle for life and death. Nheless, that was how heroes were born throughout the passage of time. ¡°Ye Fan, you''re the one chosen by Mr. Yunyang, and I know that you won''t betray the hopes that everyone has ced on you,¡± Grand Old Lady Chu prayed from the depths of her heart. Amidst the uneasiness she felt, she caught a glimpse of a glowing hue far into the horizon. Despite being hundreds of miles away, the vibrance of the terrifying power could still be clearly seen. A sudden gale howled through the trees as it tore through the small town, eliciting a frown from Grand Old Lady Chu. ¡°It seems that the battle has begun.¡± All of a sudden, anxiety descended upon Grand Old Lady Chu, for she knew that the result of the decisive battle would soon be evident. Just like that, she stood in the courtyard, observing the battle''s progress from afar until she saw tens of millions of ck shrouds swarming toward Yunzhou. At the same time, the ground beneath her feet shook violently as if something was trying to climb out from the soil. The turn of events triggered a drastic change in Grand Old Lady Chu''s expression. ¡°D*mn it! That b*stard has used a forbidden technique by casting demonic magic!¡± Grand Old Lady Chu was outraged by the discovery. Amidst her anger, the walking stick she was holding began to shake. It was quickly followed by a blistering golden light interrupting the serenity of the courtyard. In the blink of an eye, countless motifs emerged underneath Grand Old Lady Chu''s feet, forming what looked like a magic seal. All of a sudden, the disturbance in the courtyard gradually dissipated, with peace quickly returning to the area. In spite of that, Grand Old Lady Chu''s mind was anything but peaceful. ¡°The situation is precarious. I''m afraid Ye Fan might not be strong enough to fight back. If that b*stard has used a forbidden technique in advance, Ye Fan will not stand a chance even with ckie''s help.¡± The panic Grand Old Lady Chu felt drained all color from her face. Overwhelmed with regret, she could feel tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Can it be that fate wants to end the Chu family? Ye Fan''s death will bring about the end of Mr. Yunyang''s bloodline. Oh, Mr. Yunyang, can you do something to protect your descendant?¡± Grand Old Lady Chu wailed with a glint of anguish in her eyes. She couldn''t help but me herself for setting Ye Fan down the path of doom. ¡°No, I have to go save him. I cannot allow the Chu family''s bloodline to end!¡± No sooner had she steeled herself and attempted to dash out of the Chu residence than a golden barrier glowed in the air, preventing her from leaving. Regardless of how hard she struck it, even to the extent of puking blood, Grand Old Lady Chu failed to breach it one bit. Just as despair took over her, she felt a powerful force approaching from the horizon. When she turned around and looked up, it was none other than the Wheel of Fate. Half ck and half white, it symbolized both life and death. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ¡°T-The Wheel of Fate! The Eighth Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky¡ªWheel of Fate! Y-Ye Fan, you actually seeded in learning the Eighth Form?¡± Grand Old Lady Chu was utterly dumbfounded. Nheless, the trepidation on her face quickly turned into a brimming tion. ¡°Haha... the Eighth Form. Throughout thest millennium, no one other than Mr. Yunyang had unlocked the Eighth Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky. And now, Ye Fan has actually done it! Do you see it, Mr. Yunyang? Your legacy lives on!¡± Tears streamed down Grand Old Lady Chu''s face as her body quivered in emotion. Relief, excitement, and ecstasy flooded into her all at once. At that moment, the spark of hope within her was reignited with great fanfare. Even though she wasn''t sure if the Eight Form was enough to defeat the enemy, it was undeniable that Ye Fan now had another formidable technique. The rest subsequentlyid in the hands of fate. ¡°Ye Fan, you have to survive. I''ll be waiting here for you,¡± Grand Old Lady Chu prayed with her fists tightly clenched. All of a sudden, she caught a fragrant scent in the breeze. It was followed by a slender silhouette shing past the courtyard. Leaping into the air, the figure dashed toward where the thunderstorm was brewing. ¡°Girl,e back! Your wound hasn''t healed yet!¡± the shocked Grand Old Lady Chu shouted repeatedly. In spite of that, the figure had already disappeared into the night. ¡°Master, wait for me. In life or in death, I will always be by your side.¡± Underneath the shining moon and twinkling stars that dotted the sky, the teary-eyed Eigetsu couldn''t be any more resolute, just like a moth to a me. At the same time, hundreds of miles away, three figures in Jiangdong had also noticed the strange phenomenon. ¡°Ms. Tang, look. What is that?¡± the Demonic Duo eximed, pointing to the horizon. When the elegant-lookingdy beside them caught a glimpse of it, her expression drastically changed. ¡°It seems that Master is embroiled in a brutal battle. Let''s go. We have to hurry.¡± Chapter 2136 Chapter 2136 Meanwhile, the thunderstorm at the summit of Mount Yunding continued to rage on. Both Ye Fan and Chu Yuan were going all out in their final showdown. Sensing the aura of invincibility emitted by the four Great me Dragon Fingers, Chu Yuan brimmed with confidence and hubris. ¡°By using a forbidden technique, I have drawn upon the Dragon Gate''s power to unleash this ultimate attack. Chu Tianfan, even if you have nine lives, your destruction in my hands is inevitable. The Unrivalled? Top of the Sky Ranking? From today onward, that''s where your legend ends!¡± Chu Yuan burst into maniacalughter. With an insidious look in his eyes, he watched on as his Great me Dragon Finger shed furiously with Ye Fan''s Invoke the Celestial Sky. The sight caused Chu Tianqi and his men to widen their eyes as their hearts skipped a beat. Folo and the rest from India were equally filled with suspense, whereas Sword Saint and his men waited with bated breath. As for Xu Lei and Ye Yuyan, they were desperately praying in their hearts. Even Chu Lin¡ªwho was in their arms¡ªcried out softly, ¡°Daddy, you have to win...¡± Just like that, under everyone''s nervous gazes, the Wheel of Fate smashed into the Great me Dragon Finger, releasing a deafening roar that shattered the earth. As rocks were blown apart and the earth tremored uncontrobly, the stars looked as if they were about to fall out of the sky. The terrifying phenomenon gave one a sense that Armageddon was upon them. Soon, cracks appeared in the ground and zig-zagged rapidly in every direction. Li Er and the others, despite having retreated far from the battlefield and having their defensive barriers up at full power, were still instantly swept away by the overwhelming force. Countless bodies were thrown into the air as if they were kites that had broken their string. From afar, they looked like leaves circting turbulently inside a maelstrom of air. Upon crashing to the ground, the men disregarded their injuries as they scrambled back to their feet, anxious to see what the oue was. Who is going toe out victorious in this brutal battle? Chu Yuan of the old guard or the young upstart, Chu Tianfan? At that moment, both attacks were stuck in a stalemate. Just when everyone thought that it would be a long ongoing battle due to the tremendous power it involved, it ended before anyone expected it. The next moment, they saw the Wheel of Fate unleashing an insurmountable force in every direction, crushing the four Great me Dragon Fingers into smithereens. As countless rays of light streaked from the sky, the trees in the surroundings trembled violently. The irrepressible intensity of Invoke the Celestial Sky was like the autumn wind sweeping away the fallen leaves or boiling oil melting through the heavy snow. Within moments, the attack Chu Yuan was so proud of crumbled easily under its devastating force. Prior to that, no one had expected the final move of a god realm warrior like Chu Yuan¡ªthe four Great me Dragon Fingers, to be defeated by Ye Fan''s Wheel of Fate. Moreover, the move that Chu Yuan was so proud of barelysted an instant before being shattered. Despite their bombastic names, the Great me Dragon Fingers amounted to nothing when faced with Ye Fan''s power. From the very beginning, they never stood a chance against Invoke the Celestial Sky at all. ¡°What? H-How is this possible?¡± Chu Yuan almost lost his mind when he saw his Great me Dragon Fingers evaporate before his eyes. With his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets, blood began to ooze out of them. In that instant, Chu Lin felt that his end was near and all the effort he had put in had been for naught. In the midst of his despair, the Wheel of Fate''s power didn''t diminish at all as it spun rapidly on its axis. With enough force to obliterate everything in its path, it continued flying in Chu Yuan''s direction. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Despite his urge to flee, it quickly dawned upon him that it was a futile endeavor. The Wheel of Fate had exerted a massive pulling force upon his body as if a w from the depths of hell had reached out to pull him back down. ¡°No! There''s no way I can lose! I will always be undefeated!¡± Chu Yuan roared defiantly while being overwhelmed with despair. No sooner had he spoken than the Wheel of Fate sucked his entire body in. ¡°Argh!¡± Amidst his agonized scream, the Wheel of Fate continued to spin just as fast. Everyone watched as it tore through Chu Yuan''s body, grinding his flesh and bones. As a crater appeared in his chest, his legs were minced into a pile of mush. Thereafter, he vomited mouthfuls of blood and organ fragments, covering the floor with them. The entire Mount Yunding looked as if it had just rained. The only difference was that instead of water, the surroundings were covered with blood. In the end, having expended all its energy, the Wheel of Fate dissipated into the air. As for the gruesome remains of Chu Yuan, it fell straight down to the ground, crashing with a loud thud. With blood sttered all over the ground, covering it with a crimson hue, the battle finally came to a conclusion. The chaos and mayhem from before stopped with his death. Amidst the billowing grass in the wind, silence descended upon the world. Now that the dust had settled, the stars continued to dot the sky as if nothing had changed. And yet, everything did. Thereafter, a long and eerie silence descended upon thend, with everyone being stunned on their feet. Chu Tianqi''s eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. The gaping Anderson and the elders of the Chu Sect were so shocked that they forgot to catch their breath. As for the remaining members of the Chu Sect, they felt as if they had been struck by lightning. Shocked, none of them said a word for a very long time. ¡°H-Have we lost?¡± ¡°Old Mr. Chu, has he been defeated just like that?¡± ¡°I-Is it over already?¡± One by one, they mumbled amongst themselves. Before they knew it, tears began to stream down the corner of their eyes. Up to that point, none of them could believe their eyes. The head of the Chu Sect, a god realm warrior who had struck fear into the hearts of the world''s most fearsome warriors and admired by all men for more than a hundred years, had been defeated despite unleashing his ultimate attack. Moreover, he lost to a young man, who was not only a disowned child but also his very own grandson. Life was such that it always came full circle. The child who was kicked out in the past had finally returned, paying back with interest the humiliation he had suffered. It all started with Ye Fan, and now, ended with him. The moment he was cast out of the Chu family and had his name struck off the family record, Ye Fan began to plot his return, a journey that took him ten whole years. Regardless of how long one''s path was, there would always be an end to it. And for Ye Fan, Chu Yuan''s copse was the moment his journey waspleted. ¡°From this day on, Ye Fan will be no more! In his ce is Chu Tianfan, the descendant of Chu Yunyang!¡± His resonant voice thundered like lightning amidst the deathly silence. Mired in shock, Chu Qitian and the others were bereft of words. The pride and glory they had felt all this while were shattered together with Chu Yuan''s defeat. It was as if the Chu Sect''s world had copsed upon itself. Chapter 2137 Chapter 2137 ¡°Did he win?¡± ¡°Did... Mr. Chu really win?¡± Everyone froze in their spots when the battle ended. Li Er and the rest werepletely baffled, remaining speechless for a very long time. After what seemed like an eternity, Li Er posed the million-dor question to Chen Ao and Lei San in a quavering voice. Thetter looked at each other in nk dismay and uttered listlessly, ¡°I should think he has probably won?¡± Although they had imagined the exact oue a thousand times in their heads, they were still taken by surprise that Ye Fan defeated Chu Yuan right under their noses. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Li Er and the others could not believe the news. For a moment, they thought it was all a dream, and they were delusional. While the crowd was still in great shock, Ye Fan showed no intention to stop his attack, albeit having justunched a series of assaults and beaten Chu Yuan to a pulp. After breaking both of Chu Yuan''s legs, Ye Fan had one hand facing upward while cing the other behind his back. Then, he aimed at Chu Yuan and struck him with a terrifying palm technique. The strike was so powerful that it unleashed a sharp gust of wind that swept across the surroundings. Although the fight had consumed a significant amount of Ye Fan''s energy, he went all out to use Invoke the Celestial Sky. After all, it was best to take the enemy''s life when he was down. Ye Fan knew that it was not an easy task to get rid of a god realm master. The eight Forms of Invoke the Celestial Sky were indeed powerful. Yet, it was impossible to use just that one technique to destroy a god realm master. Fearing the worst, Ye Fan decided to finish him off, just to be safe. Hence, he wanted to kill Chu Yuan once and for all. ¡°D*mn it!¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± At that instant, the members of the Chu Sect surrounding the two finally snapped back to their senses. They realized that Chu Tianfan was trying to drive Chu Yuan to the brink of death! To the people of Chu Sect, Chu Yuan was the ultimate icon of their faith. The prestige and reputation of the Chu Sect would suffer an immense blow if Chu Yuan was dead, regardless if Tang Yun was around. Therefore, they would never allow Ye Fan to kill Chu Yuan, no matter what. With that thought in mind, the fighters from Chu Sect started taking action. Chu Qitian was the first one tounch an attack on Ye Fan, followed by the Four Supremes. Together, the five top-notch fighters worked in one ord with the hope that they could save Chu Yuan. ¡°Oh no!¡± ¡°Watch out, Dragon Master!¡± Gaius and the others had their eyes fixated on Ye Fan the whole time. The moment they realized what the elders from the Chu Sect were doing, they immediately tried to block thetter''s moves. Unfortunately, it was toote. All that they could do was to alert Ye Fan frantically. However, without even looking at the fighters who tried to intercept him, Ye Fan directed the palm technique, which he had aimed at Chu Yuan, at Chu Qitian and the rest. Thump! The ground shook, and boulders cracked. By then, Chu Qitian and the elders had discovered an unbelievable truth. Even though Ye Fan was already at the end of his rope and severely injured after staring death in the face, none of his opponents was his match. With just one palm strike, Ye Fan unleashed his wrath upon the Five Supremes, sending them sprawling across the ground while coughing up blood. Their bodies were sent flying backward from the momentum of charging forward at high speed earlier. Ye Fan mmed his fist hard on every single attacker, and none of them was able to escape unscathed. Anyhow, those fighters were ruthless by nature. Despite being defeated by Ye Fan, they yelled through gritted teeth, ¡°Quick! Save Mr. Chu Yuan!¡± Chu Qitian screamed at the top of his lungs, ¡°Hurry up!¡± At hismand, everyone from Chu Sect dashed toward the direction where Chu Yuannded. Strong or weak, no one was an exception. All of them had only one thing in mind¡ªto save their leader with all their might. ¡°Where do all of you think you''re going?¡± Right then, the entire situation had finally sunk in for the peeps from Dragon God Hall. They charged forward fearlessly to fight against Chu Sect under the leadership of Gaius and the four Dragon yers. ¡°Piss off, you b*stards!¡± The other Supremes from the Chu Sect snarled and threw punches at Gaius, who came to drag things out. ¡°Hahaha! Who are you to boss me around? What gives?¡± Gaius guffawed loudly as he swung his sword at them. The remaining Dragon yers did not waste another minute. They targeted a Supreme fighter each and forged through another round of battle in order to hold them back from rescuing Chu Yuan. ¡°Attack!¡± At that critical moment, ze, who had been hunting Huangniu and ckie down, received an order from Chu Qitian. Hence, it turned and went up against Ye Fan. ¡°ckie, don''t let him go! Bite its tail!¡± Huangniu had always been the calctive one. As soon as he noticed the beast was escaping, he quickly instructed ckie to sortie. Thetter roared in rage and pounced on ze. In a split second, it bit ze''s tail and kept pulling the latter backward, posing a challenge for ze to move an inch forward. At that point, all of the powerful fighters from Chu Sect were held back! Consequently, no one was able to save the awfully wounded Chu Yuan. He was left all alone, anxiously counting down to the daunting moment when Ye Fan''s fatal attack would take its form. ¡°It''s over, Chu Yuan. I, Chu Tianfan, shall settle the score with you today for all the deep resentment harbored when I got kicked out of the sect. You are going down!¡± Boom! As Ye Fan stepped on the horizon, his furious bellows reverberated loudly, and an enormous amount of energy exploded from his fist in an instant. Soon, Ye Fan unleashed Boundless Destruction and mmed nine massively powerful punches on Chu Yuan''s head. ¡°No! Grandpa!¡± cried Chu Qitian while bursting into tears. ¡°Old Mr. Chu!¡± the elders of Chu Sect screamed hysterically. However, none of their cries for help was answered. No matter how loud they wailed, there was nothing they could do about it. Their efforts were in vain, and they could only watch on helplessly as Ye Fan attacked Chu Yuan ferociously like the grim reaper with a scythe in his hand and simultaneously lopped thetter''s head off. ¡°No! Don''t kill me, my grandson. No... I''m your grandpa... Your father was my son. Without me, he wouldn''t have existed, let alone you...¡± Drenched in a pool of blood, Chu Yuan was barely alive with only half a body left. Terrified, he gazed at Ye Fan, who resembled a god descending from the heavens, and kept begging thetter for mercy. To date, that was the only time when the prideful leader of the Chu Sect disregarded his dignity and pride. Conversely, he started ying the sympathy card with Ye Fan. Unfortunately, it was toote for him to turn the tables. Why didn''t you say that you were my grandpa when you kicked me out of the Chu family back then? When my enemies from the Eastsea tried to end my life, why didn''t you admit that you were my grandpa? Now that you''re in a dire situation, you''re ying the sentiment card and finally remembering that you have a grandson? How hypocritical! I don''t need this kind of superficial familial bond. After all, Great-grandma told me that you''re no longer the Chu Yuan she knew in the past. That was why Ye Fan felt no reluctance at all to strike Chu Yuan dead. ¡°Stop!¡± Right when Ye Fan was about to throw hisst punch at Chu Yuan, a stern voice rang out like a bolt from the blue. Then, the crowd noticed that a purple aura started appearing from the far East. Momentster, a strong sword energy swept across the sky andnded squarely on Ye Fan''s fists. Every single light ray emitted from the sword was apanied by explosive power. In the end, all nine punches released by Ye Fan were canceled out by his rival. He was also wounded by the sword energy and got sent stumbling several steps backward. His entire body trembled a little before he spewed a mouthful of blood. ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Xu Lei and the others gasped in shock when they witnessed that. The crowd from Jiangdong, who had just heaved a sigh of relief, had their nerves stretched taut once again. ¡°Who''s that?¡± ¡°Someone actually hurt Chu Tianfan?¡± ¡°Who could it be?¡± Both Mo Gucheng and Xiao Chen shuddered in fear. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Then, everyone present shifted their astonished gazes in the same direction, including Ye Fan. He wiped the blood off the corner of his lips and turned to look at the source of the sword energy with his darkened gaze. A slender figure could be seen at the end of the horizon, seeminglying from the depths of the gxy. Her lips were crimson red, and her ck shiny eyes were mysterious like the dark night. Her long dress billowed in the wind, and her hair was draped over her shoulders. She was so gorgeous that the moment she emerged, the crowd felt like everything else on earth was merely her backdrop. Her graceful aura, elegance, and beauty were second to none! With a long sword in her hand, she was stunning beyond words! What a dazzling sight to behold! There''s actually a woman in this world who is worthy of all praise! Chapter 2138 Chapter 2138 ¡°This is...¡± Everyone was dumbfounded when they saw her face clearly. ¡°It''s Tang Yun!¡± ¡°It''s the head of Chu Sect, Tang Yun!¡± Mo Gucheng narrowed his eyes, whereas Xiao Chen cried out. The three Supreme grandmasters of King Folo were utterly shocked with trepidation. They had a feeling that things were getting out of hand. Judging from the circumstances at the moment, the situation would most probably take a sharp turn for the worse. As for Ye Yuyan and the others, they were fretting like they had ants in their pants. At that instant, worry was written all over Xu Lei''s exquisite face. The only person who kept calm and did not panic at the sight of Tang Yuan was Chu Lin. On the contrary, he furrowed his cute little eyebrows and asked softly, ¡°Aunt Yuyan, haven''t I seen her before?¡± An inexplicable sense of familiarity flooded him. He felt like he knew that person the moment he saw her face. ¡°It''s impossible that you''ve met her. She''s the devil from the Chu Sect, your father''s enemy who''s here to harm him. ¡° Ye Yuyan gave her nephew, Chu Lin, a tight hug as she stared daggers at Tang Yun. Unfortunately, not everyone celebrated the sudden turn of events. With Tang Yun appearing in the nick of time, the peeps from Dragon God Hall had to get themselves ready to confront a formidable enemy. On the other hand, her timely arrival was great news to Chu Qitian and Chu Yuan, who was on the verge of death. It was as though she was their savior. ¡°You''re finally here, Master. Quick, kill Chu Tianfan. Kill him now to avenge Grandpa and the entire Chu Sect! You have to mete out justice on behalf of all our fighters who died in his hands,¡± Chu Qitian urged as he crawled out from the ruins. His eyes were filled with resentment and sorrow. Upon hearing his plea, the other members of Chu Sect followed suit, begging and wailing away on their knees. Their voices were so loud that they echoed across all of Mount Yunding. ¡°Ms. Tang, please wipe out the enemies and revive Chu Sect!¡± ¡°Please save Chu Sect, Ms. Tang!¡± In an instant, the sound of a pleading multitude resonated through the wilderness. Even ze was seen prostrating alongside his master, Chu Qitian. They were paying their utmost respect and reverence to thest savior capable of rescuing Chu Sect, Tang Yun. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Just like that, Tang Yun stepped foot in thend she had left years ago, right under the gazes of tens of millions. What greeted the stunning head of Chu Sect was the resounding voices of the people paying homage to her. Following behind Tang Yun were two elders from the Chu family, the Demonic Duo. The trio ignored the worship of the crowd and strode toward Chu Yuan as soon as they arrived. ¡°Old Master, how did you end up in this predicament? You''ve always been unrivaled, the only god realm fighter in the whole Chu family. How is it possible that you''re suffering from such severe injuries?¡± The Demonic Duo knelt before Chu Yuan, weeping. Meanwhile, Tang Yun''s dolorous expression said it all. She could not bear to see thetter in such a pathetic state. ¡°Yun, you... you all are finally here. Had you note in time, I... I''m afraid I wouldn''t get a chance to see you anymore.¡± At that moment, Chu Yuan had blood all over him. What was left was only his upper body. Blood was still gushing out of the wounds Ye Fan had inflicted upon him earlier. If it were another person suffering those injuries, he would have passed on on the spot. Thankfully, Chu Yuan''s enhanced cultivation level sustained him and kept him alive. ¡°It''s all my fault, Master. I''m terribly sorry foring sote. Rest assured that I''ll take revenge and make them pay back multiple folds for humiliating Chu Sect today!¡± Tang Yun put the me on herself. Feeling bad about what had happened, Tang Yun became determined to crush her foes. The vengeful intent within her grew significantly. ¡°Elder Xuan and Elder Ming, I shall leave Master in your good hands. Please take care of him,¡± said Tang Yun. Slowly, she turned around and drew her long sword out. Swoosh! With one hand holding Seven Foot Green de, Tang Yun loomed over Mount Yunding with an icy expression. With a bone-chilling murderous intent in her gaze, Tang Yun charged toward Ye Fan. In contrast to her cold demeanor, Ye Fan had butterflies in his stomach the moment he saw Tang Yun. ¡°Yun, are you... all right?¡± At that point, Ye Fan lookedpletely disheveled as the gruesome battle had brought him several grievous injuries. Yet, he could not care less about the pain he felt. His dignified and determined face in the past was now full of guilt and vulnerability. It''s been three years. It''s nearly three long years. Never in Ye Fan''s wildest dreams did he imagine he would one day reunite with Tang Yun in such a wretched state. ¡°Shut up! How dare a b*stard like you address Ms. Tang by name!¡± Chu Qitian blew his top when he heard that, and he immediatelyshed out at Ye Fan. However, thetter ignored his reprimand. Ye Fan''s intense gaze was fixated on thedy whom he had been thinking about every single night all those years. ¡°Answer me, Yun. I''m Ye Fan. I didn''t die, and now I''m back. Back then, I was not capable of bringing you away from Chu Sect. This time around, I''ve defeated Chu Yuan. No one else in this world will ever come between you and me. There''s no need for you to be fearful of anyone else henceforth. Say something, Yun...¡± Ye Fan started to grow impatient. Suddenly, he felt that Tang Yun had be a stranger, and he could not figure out why. It was as though she had turned into a different person. A whileter, Tang Yun approached him and asked in a cold tone, ¡°So, you''re Chu Tianfan? I heard that you created a huge ruckus at Chu Sect twice and caused disharmony within the sect. You also killed many of our elders. If you had continued hiding, I''d most likely not have been able to hunt you down. Who would have thought that you''d be so bold to gatecrash Chu Sect once more and hurt my master? I, Tang Yun, the head of Chu Sect, will definitely fight for my sect. Go ahead and show me what you''ve got! Today, I shall use your blood to mourn the deceased souls.¡± Thump! As soon as she said that, an unparalleled stateliness boomed in all directions, disrupting the tranquility of Mount Yunding. Thereafter, a strong gale was formed, and it grew in intensity. The next second, an overwhelming murderous intent tore through the air from where Tang Yun stood and spread out swiftly in all directions. The members of Dragon God Hall and the onlookers from Jiangdong stiffened as their hearts skipped a beat. Everyone cast an anxious look at Ye Fan. They were clueless as to whether he had extra stamina and energy to handle Tang Yun after engaging in a tough showdown with Chu Yuan. In reality, no one knew that Ye Fan had lost his battle spirit. He merely stared at Tang Yun, and a look of confusion manifested in his eyes. Ye Fan did not expect to see a familiar woman who was once so close to his heart challenging him to fight. Undoubtedly, he was distressed by the turn of events. The circumstance was nothing like the reunion scene he had always imagined. Simrly, the Tang Yun now was not the same woman he had been longing to meet. ¡°Don''t you know me, Yun? I''m Ye Fan. I was the one who trained with you at the Chu residence back then. Have you forgotten that you protected me as I left Mount Chumen years ago? What about the time when we lost a battle? You stood by me and remained by my side. Do you truly have no memory of these?¡± Ye Fan bombarded her with a series of questions. He refused to believe that the woman standing before him had wiped all of their stories and unforgettable past from her memory, especially the vows they made on Mount Chumen. Does she not remember that I''m Ye Fan? His eyes reddened as he let out an aggrieved bellow that echoed through the heavens and earth. Over the years, Ye Fan had met countless women. There was Xu Lei, Qiu Mucheng, Chen Nan, Junie, and the list went on. However, Tang Yun was the only one who stole his heart. Ye Fan would never forget the night on Mount Chumen three years ago. At that time, he was faced with a dire situation. Tang Yun did not mind how down and out he was, and neither did she care about being implicated by him. Without any hesitation, she gave up on a life of luxury, abandoned her moral principles, and risked being convicted of a heinous crime just to elope with him. She even betrayed Chu Sect for him. Chapter 2139 Chapter 2139 However, Tang Yun''s expression remained the same no matter what Ye Fan said. In fact, she was looking at Ye Fan in confusion. ¡°I''m afraid you''ve gotten the wrong person, Chu Tianfan. Stop talking and make your move. Whatever you say is not going to change the fact that I''m going to kill you.¡± Tang Yun expressionlessly revealed her sword. She was ready to unleash her murderous aura. On the other hand, those words hit Ye Fan like a sledgehammer in the chest. I don''t believe this. How could she totally forget about me? ¡°Chu Yuan, you old b*stard! What did you do to Yun?¡± Heartbroken, Ye Fan unleashed his anger on Chu Yuan. As Ye Fan was cursing at Chu Yuan, he threw the old man a punch. However, there was no way Tang Yun would stand by and watch Ye Fan attack her master. She immediately swung her sword and unleashed numerous shots of sword energy at Ye Fan. Swish! A few cuts appeared on Ye Fan''s body, and blood was gushing out. At the same time, he was sent flying backward. Chu Yuanughed sinisterly when he saw Ye Fan being sent flying away by Tang Yun. Chu Yuan then endured the pain and ordered, ¡°Haha! Yun, Chu Tianfan is powerless now, and he won''t be able to fight back. Take advantage of that and kill him now! Once he dies, there''s no need to fear Dragon God Hall anymore.¡± At that moment, the disappointment from the defeat he suffered moments ago had disappeared. ¡°Haha! You didn''t see thising, did you, Chu Tianfan? Who would''ve known that you would be killed by Tang Yun? I bet this hurts you more than getting killed by me.¡± Chu Yuan burst into maniacal laughter. Chu Yuan had already guessed the rtionship between Tang Yun and Ye Fan long ago. Back then, the only reason Ye Fan could leave Mount Chumen unscathed was that Tang Yun helped him out. After that, Tang Yun even wanted to follow Ye Fan back to China. When Chu Yuan found out about it, he was infuriated. In his anger, Chu Yuan captured Tang Yun and brought her back. He kept her locked up until a secret technique had erased part of Tang Yun''s memory. Only then did Chu Yuan dare to set her free. Truth be told, Chu Yuan never thought that his act of anger back then would turn out to be the key to theeback of Chu Sect. Indeed, Ye Fan was at the end of his strength. Although Huangniu and ckie were strong, they were held up by ze. In other words, Tang Yun was the strongest person there. With her in the battle, she was the only person who could decide the oue. ¡°Haha! Chu Tianfan, so what if you''ve injured me and beaten me? As long as Chu Sect wins, I''ll have thestugh!¡± Chu Yuan''sughter reverberated around the entire area. Alternately, Ye Fan was vomiting blood after getting beaten by Tang Yun. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Ye Fan...¡± Gaius and the others quickly went to check on Ye Fan. Xu Lei''s eyes were filled with sorrow when she was holding Ye Fan in her arms and wiping the blood off the corners of his mouth. Despite his injuries, Tang Yun didn''t stop going after Ye Fan. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. With the sword in her grip, she turned around and gradually approached Ye Fan. Instantly, Gaius and the rest got ready to confront the formidable enemy. ¡°The people of Dragon God Hall! Listen up! We shall defend Master''s life to our deaths!¡± Gaius shouted. Dragon yers dragged their injured bodies forward and shielded Ye Fan. The remaining nearly a thousand members of the Dragon God Hall also rushed over to protect Ye Fan, who was injured and lying on the ground, with their lives. In the face of so many people, Tang Yun was unfazed because she knew none of them could stand a chance against her. ¡°If you want to live, move aside.¡± Tang Yun raised her sword and aimed it toward Gaius and the others. ¡°Ms. Tang, you and my master are really old acquaintances. Are you really going to disregard the past rtionship with my master and kill him? Moreover, the bad blood is between my master and Chu Yuan. After we kill Chu Yuan, we won''ty a single finger on Chu Sect. We promise!¡± Gaius was still trying to talk sense into Tang Yun because he roughly knew about the rtionship she had with Ye Fan. Gaius was hoping that Tang Yun would take the past rtionship into consideration and step aside. Unfortunately, Gaius'' words fell on deaf ears. Tang Yun didn''t even bother listening to a word he said. Instead, her eyes turned cold, and she shed her sword a few times continuously. Waves and waves of sword auras were then seen crashing toward Gaius. Gaius held his sword to defend himself, but it was useless. Upon getting hit, Gaius was sent flying backward, and his hands were bleeding profusely. At the same time, his shirt was blown into thousands of pieces. That was all it took. One move was enough to send the strong and mighty Gaius flying a hundred meters backward. ¡°Gaius!¡± Owen and the rest gasped in horror. ¡°F*ck!¡± ¡°If that''s what''s going to happen, let''s just give her our all!¡± ¡°Let''s attack!¡± The other Dragon yers lifted their weapons and rushed toward Tang Yun. The rest of the people from Dragon God Hall followed suit and unleashed their moves. All of a sudden, thousands of moves were unleashed upon Tang Yun at once. Right then, two figures appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Sky Concealing Punch!¡± ¡°The Chu''s Unrivaled Punch!¡± Two old men appeared at the scene and each threw a punch. Those two punches exploded at the same time, colliding fiercely with the joint attack of the people from Dragon God Hall. A deafening noise tore through the area, and those people who were shielding Ye Fan were injured heavily. All of them flew backward and vomited blood. ¡°What the...¡± Upon seeing that, King Folo and the others were shell-shocked. King of Fighters and Sword Saint were bbergasted as well. Meanwhile, Ye Qingtian, the War God, fell into utter despair. They''re too powerful! The Demonic Duo is too strong! Both of them just took out the joint attack from the people of Dragon God Hall! While the Demonic Duo was blocking the joint attack, Tang Yun stomped on the ground andunched herself upward. She then swung the sword in her grip, and the Ice Stream aura in her elixir field began whirring at warp speed. A purple beam shot out from her sword to unleash an ocean of sword energy and surrounded Owen and the rest Swoosh! It was as if a million swords were swung toward the Dragon yers. Upon impact, Owen and the others bled and were sent flying backward by sword energy. By the time they fell back to the ground, they just kept vomiting blood. It was a ghastly sight because their bodies were full of cuts. ¡°I''ve told you guys that there''s no way you guys would be able to stand against me.¡± Tang Yun defeated all the people from Dragon God Hall within a few seconds. With a majestic and cold expression on her face, she kept the sword and continued walking slowly toward Ye Fan. However, to Tang Yun''s surprise, the injured men from Dragon God Hall ignored their pain and stood up and shielded Ye Fan once again. ¡°Protect our master to our deaths!¡± ¡°Protect our master to our deaths!¡± The people of Dragon God Hall shouted in unison. Not only were they injured all over their bodies, but some of them were also on the verge of dying. Despite that, they were still using their bodies to defend their beliefs and to fight for a sliver of hope for survival. ¡°Since that''s the case, I shall send you to your maker!¡± Tang Yun uttered with a cold expression. Since these people want to die so badly, I''m going to grant their wishes with this sword of mine. ¡°Who is daring enough to harm my master?¡± Just then, an enraged voice rang out from the sky. After that, the brilliant rainbow rays appeared and cast over thend. Shocked and terrified, everyone turned toward the voice. There, they saw a holy figure descending to the world like an angel. At the same time, the figure was shining on the earth with divine splendor. Moon God from Japan had finally arrived. Chapter 2140 Chapter 2140 ¡°Is that her?¡± ¡°Is that Tsukuyomi Tenshin from Japan?¡± King Folo and the other two Supremes of India jumped in rm. Obviously, they recognized Moon God. When Ye Fan went into seclusion back then, Tsukuyomi went to India and almost killed them. At that time, King Folo and the others were confused because Japan and China were in a feud. Yet, she was extremely protective of a Supreme from China. Now, following the arrival of Tang Yun, Moon God once again appeared when Ye Fan is in a dire situation. ¡°An entertaining show is about to start!¡± Indeed, no one would turn down a spectacle. King Folo was filled with anticipation. I can''t wait to see who''s going toe out on top! ¡°Tang Yun of Chu Sect is going up against Tsukuyomi of Japan. These two are arguably the strongest women currently.¡± ¡°This is magnificent! I can''t wait! The first in the Sky Ranking is going to go toe to toe with a divine being from Japan. We have two top-rankers in the Sky Ranking and two beings from the god realm here. The best fighters are all here today!¡± Haibu and Bapei were getting all excited. It''s been a while. Ever since the chaos within Chu Sect started decades ago, the martial arts world hadn''t seen a battle as grand as this. Two god realm masters showed up one after another. Besides, two supreme grandmasters who were once ranked at the very top of Sky Ranking are both here. Things are getting more and more interesting! Initially, everyone thought the battle would end after either Chu Yuan or Ye Fan emerged as the victor. However, it seemed like things were far from over. The arrivals of Tang Yun and Moon God would definitely kick things up a notch. After Moon God arrived at the scene, she temporarily suppressed Tang Yun''s aura. First, she turned around and saw Ye Fan lying on the ground, covered in blood and bruises. At that moment, Moon God felt as though a knife was stabbed deep into her heart. Her beautiful eyes immediately turned red as her blood boiled. ¡°Did you cause the injuries on my master''s body?¡± Tsukuyomi suddenly turned around and transformed her heartbreak into anger. Her gaze was icy cold when she red at Tang Yun. Besides, her words wereced with rage and frustration. Perhaps that was because of her intense feelings for Ye Fan. Every time she saw Ye Fan on the verge of dying, Suzumiya Eigetsu''s soul would release a strong wave of energy that could eclipse the conscience of Moon God. Back then, Tsukuyomi would intentionally suppress Suzumiya Eigetsu''s willpower. However, over the years, perhaps due to subtle influences, Tsukuyomi''s attitude toward Ye Fan had also undergone subtle changes. That was why Tsukuyomi was also feeling agitated when she saw Ye Fan being heavily injured. ¡°Who are you? This is a private matter between Chu Sect and China. It has nothing to do with you. If you want to live, I suggest you leave. Otherwise, you''re going to regret your actions.¡± It was possible that Tang Yun could sense Moon God''s unfathomable strength because instead of attacking, Tang Yun tried to threaten her enemy with words. Rather than beating around the bush, Moon God''s response was direct when she roared, ¡°Who said so? When you injured him, you harmed me! I won''t allow anyone on earth to harm my master! Since you''ve already harmed my master, you shall die!¡± With her cold gaze, her merciless voice sounded like a thunderous rumble reverberating through the air. As soon as those words fell, the colorful rays gathered around her. In the blink of an eye, a sword appeared in Tsukuyomi''s grip. With that sword, she attacked Tang Yun. The battle between the two most powerful women in the world began. ¡°Demonic Duo! What are you guys doing? Act now! Kill Chu Tianfan!¡± Seeing that Tang Yun was upied, Chu Yuan grew anxious, and he ordered Demonic Duo to kill Ye Fan. ¡°But Old Master, he''s still a descendant of the Chu family. He''s Zhenghong''s only son...¡± The Demonic Duo was hesitant. After all, they both watched Chu Zhenghong grow up, so they couldn''t bear to kill his only son. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chu Yuan was livid, and he roared, ¡°B*stards! Are you two going to defy my order? Have you guys forgotten the fact that you guys are serving the Chu family? I''m the head of the Chu family! How dare you defy my order? Furthermore, that fellow threatened to destroy the Chu family and killed countless people in the family. Don''t you guys think you guys are supposed to avenge the deaths of the members of the Chu family?¡± Due to his agitation, Chu Yuan worsened his own injuries and ended up vomiting blood once again. ¡°Calm down, Old Master. Please look after yourself! Okay. We''ll listen to you and kill him.¡± Demonic Duo had no choice but to obey Chu Yuan''s order. They then helplessly moved toward Ye Fan. On the other hand, Gaius and the rest weren''t going to sit on their hands and watch their master getting killed. Without hesitation, they rushed forward to stop the Demonic Duo. Needless to say, it would be a tough task going up against Demonic Duo. They were among the top five in Sky Ranking, and their cultivations had always been the best. Even if the Dragon yers were to unite, they still wouldn''t be able to defeat Demonic Duo. Still, they didn''t have a choice. They were willing to sacrifice their lives to protect Ye Fan. Although they were already heavily injured, they were still willing to put Ye Fan''s life before their own. The people of Dragon God Hall were tumbling one after another when they were fighting the Demonic Duo. Despite so, they kept fighting relentlessly. In the end, Gaius was on the ground, and blood was gushing out of his mouth. However, he held onto the Demonic Duo''s legs and yelled, ¡°Ms. Xu, take Master away! Run now!¡± The rest of the people from Dragon God Hall were also fighting bravely. No matter how many of them had perished, the others continuously rushed to Ye Fan''s defense. Soon, rivers of blood were formed on Mount Yunding. Having said that, none of them would back down. They had already lost Ye Fan once before when they watched him end his own life so that he could save them. This time around, they were determined to not lose their master again. Ye Fan protected them in the past, so they were going to return the favor by protecting him to their deaths. King Folo, Bapei, and Haibu couldn''t bear to watch it any longer. ¡°King Folo, let''s join them. No matter what, we must unite. If Chu Tianfan dies today, India is bound to fall soon after,¡± Bapei urged. King Folo pondered for a moment before nodding solemnly. With that, those three Supremes joined the people of Dragon God Hall in a fight against the Demonic Duo of Chu Sect. Meanwhile, Ye Fan was still lying in Xu Lei''s embrace silently while staring at Tang Yun. Perhaps he still couldn''t ept the fact that Tang Yun had forgotten him. With tears all over her face, Xu Lei pulled Ye Fan into her embrace and cried, ¡°Say something, Ye Fan. Everyone is fighting and dying for you. Please pull yourself together...¡± Although everyone thought Ye Fan was on the brink of death due to his injuries, Xu Lei could tell that he was just overwhelmed by despair. As long as Ye Fan can pull himself together, he surely knows how to turn the tides. This is most probably caused by that woman, Tang Yun. I can sense that Ye Fan cares about her. He can''t bear to fight her and kill her. Besides, I think the fact that she had forgotten about him is too huge a blow for him. ¡°Ye Fan, how is a life-and-death battle more important than your feelings for her?¡± she asked. Chapter 2141 Chapter 2141 Xu Lei continued talking sense into Ye Fan. s, Ye Fan was already severely injured and was on the verge of dying. As Xu Lei held him in her arms, his voice slowly drifted into the air. ¡°I-I''m really sorry, Lei. I once said I''ll protect you for the rest of your life. But in the end, you''re keeping mepany instead as I breathe myst on Mount Yunding.¡± His words brimmed with helplessness and hopelessness. Tang Yun''s appearance and her callous attitude ultimately shattered all of his confidence. There''s no hope anymore. He knew that there was absolutely no hope left for that battle. Already at the end of his strength, he was powerless to fight Tang Yun. Besides, even if he had the power to do so, he didn''t know whether he could bring himself to inflict harm upon Tang Yun. Other than him, none of the rest of the people there had the ability to go against her. ¡°No, don''t give up, Ye Fan. We''ve still got Moon God. She''ll help us hold the head of Chu Sect back.¡± Reluctant to give up just like that, Xu Lei encouraged the man, trying to spark hope within him. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . However, Ye Fan shook his head with a sorrowful smile on his face. ¡°It won''t work. Eigetsu is too severely injured. No matter how incredible Great-grandma''s medical skills are, she definitely can''t restore Eigetsu to health in a mere day or two. That silly girl is only battling with a broken body. She won''t be able to hold out for long,¡± he replied softly. He had long since seen right through the situation at present. Tang Yun and Demonic Duo''s appearance would undoubtedly sever all possibility of Dragon God Hall making aeback. The instant Xu Lei heard that, thest vestiges of hope within her vanished into thin air. Tears streamed down her face uncontrobly. ¡°No, Ye Fan. There''ll certainly be a way. We won''t just lose like this. There must be something we can do!¡± She promptly started bawling. Unfortunately, Ye Fan had already given up hope ages ago, prepared to head to his death. Oh well, poor Lei, Eigetsu, and everyone else behind me who pledged allegiance to me! ¡°Don''t cry, Lei. Even when I''m at the end of the road, I''ll still ensure your safety.¡± Reaching out, he wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. He tried his best to curve his lips and smile at her. All he wanted was to leave a considerably warm smile for her during thest moments. After saying all that, he cried out to the sky, ¡°Come here, ckie!¡± Woof! With a long bark, ckie hit the ground on his legs. Sprinting like the wind, it charged over to Ye Fan. Perhaps the sight of him in the jaws of death had pity welling within it, for it whimpered mournfully. Then, it stuck out its tongue and licked the man''s wounds as though doing so would alleviate his pain. ¡°What a dumb dog!¡± Ye Fan chided with a chuckle before patting it on the head. ¡°I''m entrusting these two girls to you. And bring that kid away as wellter. Considering your speed, even Tang Yun won''t be able to catch up with you.¡± He entrusted Ye Yuyan, Xu Lei, and also Chu Lin to ckie, ordering it to protect them as they took off. ¡°No! I''m not leaving! Even if someone is leaving, it should be you, Ye Fan.¡± Instantly, greater devastation flooded Xu Lei, and her tears flowed like a faucet. Burrowing into Ye Fan''s arms, she wailed at the top of her lungs like a baby. I''ve only reunited with him for a day, and there are lots of heart-to-heart talks I haven''t had the time to tell him. But now, we''re going to be separated by death again! Naturally, she found it difficult to ept that fact. Likewise, Ye Yuyan was sobbing uncontrobly. ¡°Exactly. You''re the one who should leave, Ye Fan. When you recover from your injuries, you can surely wipe Chu Sect out. What''s the use of us surviving when we''re weak and fragile? As long as you live, the martial arts world of Jiangdong and that of the whole of China remains.¡± Evidently, she wasn''t willing to leave either. ¡°I don''t want you to die, Daddy. I''ve already got no Mommy, and I don''t want to also lose my Daddy.¡± Even Chu Lin started blubbering. I haven''t had any news about Mommy in a long time. I don''t want to lose Daddy as well! They weren''t the only ones. Even ckie howled at Ye Fan incessantly while tugging at his clothes with its teeth. From the look of things, it simrly wanted to urge the man to leave. In the face of their persuasion, Ye Fan merely smiled sadly. ¡°I''ve gone up against Chu Sect thrice, but I failed all three times. For this final time, hundreds and thousands of my fellow brothers-in-arms from Dragon God Hall will be paying the price. If I flee today, how am I to continue living in this world?¡± After all, a hero would only be remembered when he stood his ground. Right then, his heart felt as though it was being ripped to shreds as he watched those from Dragon God Hall rushing forward into battle like a moth to a me ahead. Previously, Gaius and the others fought with their lives to ensure my safe retreat. This time, how could I trade their lives for mine? I''m tired. Verily, I''m worn to a frazzle. I''ve traversed too long a path and experienced too much pain. I no longer have the strength to continue forging on. Perhaps this is destiny. I defeated Chu Qitian, Chu Zhengliang, and Chu Yuan. Before that, I even crushed the entire Chu Sect beneath my feet. But at the end of the day, I still lost to her. ¡°This is God''s will, Lei. I resign myself to fate.¡± Ye Fan gazed up at the sky and smiled, but his face was a mask of destion. No one knew the great disappointment and despair epassed that sigh. No one knew the great disappointment and despair epassed that sigh. After fighting for my entire life and having been at death''s door countless times, this is what I get in exchange. ¡°All right, go. Live well.¡± He kissed Xu Lei on the forehead gently. Subsequently, he instructed ckie to escort them away. ¡°No, Ye Fan! We''re staying. We''re not leaving...¡± Sob! Sob! Sob! Xu Lei and the others wept interminably, their mourning cries making innumerable others behind them inexorably shed tears. Just then, high in the sky ahead, Moon God ended up pulling on her wounds after battling for a long time. Tang Yun''s sword struck her squarely. A gruesome sh wound promptly appeared on her back, and she fell from the sky like a kite with a broken string. Like a falling leave and a duckweed, shended on the ground with bright red blood all over her and guilt brimming within her. ¡°Eigetsu!¡± At the sight of her wounded and fallen, Ye Fan''s heart clenched. Spurt! In his grief, he spewed a mouthful of blood. His already pale face turned even more pallid. ¡°Stop dreaming of leaving, Chu Tianfan! Today, none of you here will be able to escape. I''ll have all of Jiangdong pay the price today for having injured my master and destroyed my sect!¡± Undeniably, Tang Yun''s majesty attained new heights after she had defeated Moon God. She stood on the horizon proudly with a sword in hand, looking down condescendingly at Ye Fan and the others as though beholding trees and grass. Her exquisite face was icy without the slightest hint of emotion. Aware that all was lost, Ye Fan felt that his death would, at the very least, be worthwhile at her hands. His only regret was also dragging down those behind him who pledged allegiance to him. In thest moments of his life, his gaze slowly swept across the expanse of Mount Yunding. Then, he took a final look at those from Dragon God Hall and everyone from Jiangdong who remained loyal to him. Finally, his eyes stilled at a low tomb a near distance away. On it was written ¡°the Unrivalled Chu Tianfan.¡± Perhaps this is really destiny. A tomb has even been erected for me. ¡°That''s the cenotaph Mr. Li and the others built for you three years ago. In it are your clothes and the Sword of Yunyang you used,¡± Xu Lei exined slowly, noticing the direction of his gaze. She wasn''t at all afraid despite staring death in the face. As long as I''m with Ye Fan, there''s nothing to fear about death. Conversely, when Ye Fan heard that, his initially dim eyes went motionless. ¡°W-What did you just say, Lei? The Sword of Yunyang is buried here on Mount Yunding?¡± Chapter 2142 Chapter 2142 As soon as Ye Fan heard that the Sword of Yunyang was on Mount Yunding, his initially despondent expression suddenly brightened. By then, Tang Yun was already all geared up to begin the final battle against Dragon God Hall with Chu Sect''s fighters. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Leave, Ye Fan. Our deaths don''t matter, but you must live...¡± Perhaps Ye Fan''s uncles and aunts had also realized that he had lost the upper hand, for they all raced forward and urged him to leave. ¡°Indeed, Mr. Chu. No matter what, you must live. It''s only then that there''s hope for our deaths to be avenged. Please leave Mount Yunding, Mr. Chu!¡± Li Er begged desperately, having charged forward as well. ¡°Please leave Mount Yunding, Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Please leave Mount Yunding, Mr. Chu!¡± Sure enough, a friend in need was a friend indeed. During the most hopeless moment for Jiangdong, all its people weren''t afraid of death, leaving all hope of life and survival to Ye Fan. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! While everyone was imploring the man to leave, a sword furiously shed down several times. The sword energy created deep grooves in the ground around them and shattered the stones. The fragmented pieces flew everywhere, scoring the faces of many who were present. ¡°I''ve said that none of you will be escaping. All of you must die!¡± Tang Yun''s frosty voice rang out, upon which a chill enveloped the entire ce. ¡°In your dreams, you b*tch! With me here, no one is hurting Ye Fan!¡± Fatty rushed forward. Abandoning his wife and daughter, he shielded Ye Fan behind him, even as he cursed Tang Yun out through gritted teeth. ¡°Hear, hear! You''re a downright vicious woman! Chu Sect hasmitted great evils, bringing destruction to the whole world. Mr. Chu merely upheld justice. We''ll never allow you to harm a hair on his head!¡± Next, Chen Ao stepped forward. By then, all the people of Jiangdong who survived had sprinted over tactfully. They stood before Ye Fan, shielding him with their fragile bodies. Unfearful of death, they merely wanted to fight for a sliver of hope for Ye Fan. As Tang Yun looked at them, she was indeed a touch moved. It was clear as day that she had never expected the helpless mortals to have the guts to stand in her way to protect the man known as Chu Tianfan. Unbidden, her curiosity was piqued. What kind of allure does this man have that so many people are willing to back him up, even at the cost of their lives? Perhaps he''s really a decent person. Otherwise, there wouldn''t be such a multitude pledging allegiance to him. If it''s possible, I don''t want to kill him either. But ultimately, we''re on opposing sides. I''m the head of Chu Sect while he''s against us. For the sake of the sect''s interests, he must die! ¡°It''s useless, so move out of my way. I don''t want to hurt you all.¡± She regarded the ordinary people in front of her with an indifferent look in her eyes. Despite viewing life as expendable, she was still reluctant to ughter all those ordinary people indiscriminately. ¡°Never! You want to kill Ye Fan? Over my dead body!¡± Li Er, Chen Ao, and the others stood their ground. Upon seeing that, Tang Yun shook her head. Her eyes turned cold, and she stomped a foot on the ground hard. Immediately, an immense burst of Qi sted out. Everyone who blocked her path spurted blood and flew backward as though having suffered a heavy blow. In a sh, her view was no longer obstructed. Only Xu Lei and the others were left keeping Ye Fanpany. ¡°Master!¡± Seeing that her master was in danger, Moon God, who was severely injured, wanted to bite the bullet and struggle to her feet. But no sooner had she exerted force than she again spewed a mouthful of blood. Left with no other choice, Xu Lei wanted to stand up and confront Tang Yun. However, Ye Fan held her back. ¡°It''s okay, Lei. Leave the rest of it to me.¡± ¡°But Ye Fan, your condition¡ª¡± Xu Lei''s eyes brimmed with anxiousness, for she was worried about the man''s condition. ¡°Don''t worry. I''ve got a n.¡± Ye Fan shed her a smile, his pale face rendering him as weak as ever. Even as he walked, he was unsteady on his feet. ¡°I''ll support you, Daddy.¡± Breaking free from his aunt, Ye Yuyan, Chu Lin trotted over and took Ye Fan''s hand. Ye Fan smilingly nced at the little fe who called him ¡°Daddy¡±. Although he currently still had no idea how the little fe came to be, his mother had long since considered Chu Lin her own grandson. Qiu Mucheng treated him as though he was her own flesh and blood as well. Regardless of whether they were rted by blood, Ye Fan had also epted the reality of Chu Lin being his son. ¡°Are you afraid, Kiddo?¡± ¡°Nope! I''m not afraid when I''m with you.¡± A gratified smile bloomed on Ye Fan''s face. Is this how it feels to be a father? And is this how it feels to have a son? ¡°Good boy. In that case, help me forward and battle by my side today.¡± And so, a child less than five years old led a man littered with wounds across the ruins toward a graceful woman with a sword in her hand. ¡°Ye Fan...¡± ¡°Mr. Chu...¡± ¡°Ye Fan...¡± Witnessing that scene, the people behind them inexorably burst into tears. For some inexplicable reason, they found the two contrasting figures a tragic sight. It was as though both father and son were heading toward their deaths in despair. Indeed, everyone felt that Ye Fan was going to end up dead. Indeed, everyone felt that Ye Fan was going to end up dead. After all, he was already severely injured and incapacitated. Contrarily, Tang Yun was at the peak of her abilities. Under such a situation, no one was of the opinion that he was her match. If he knows full well that he''s going to die, why is he facing it alone? Perhaps it''s because of his sense of responsibility. Just like on what happened on the coast of Eastsea back then, he did the same as he''s doing today, stepping forward bravely. He put his life on the line in exchange for the safety of all in Dragon God Hall. Is tragedy going to repeat itself again this time? Could it be that he wants to offer his life and that of his son in exchange for the Chu Sect to spare Jiangdong, China, and Dragon God Hall? By then, Ye Fan had already reached Tang Yun. Only a few meters remained between them. Ye Fan could distinctly see her beautiful and mesmerizing eyes, while Tang Yun could also clearly sense the man''s weak breathing. From a distance away, they appeared like star-crossed lovers who were finally meeting again. Lifting his head, Chu Lin scrutinized the woman who wanted to kill his father up close for the very first time. So, this is the evil woman? Sure enough, Mommy is right. All beautiful women are evil. Well, except Mommy! But... why does she feel so familiar? Why is there an inexplicable sense of intimacy? He blinked, curiosity written all over his petite face. As he was staring at Tang Yun, thetter was also studying them both. She initially thought that she would be exceedingly calm in the face of her enemy. But for some reason, her heart abruptly ached when she met the gaze of the man in front of her. It was as though a spot in the depths of her heart cracked, and bitter water was trickling out. Why do I have such a feeling when I''ve never seen him or made his acquaintance? What''s with this sense of grief that hints at meeting someone again after a long time? ¡°What are you spacing out, Tang Yun? Get to it! Kill them!¡± At that precise moment, Chu Yuan''s enraged voice split the air. Tang Yun''s initially lost gaze started turning chilly once more. ¡°You''re very brave. Unfortunately, you''re an enemy of the Chu Sect, so you''re destined to die by my sword.¡± In the next instant, those icy words quietly tumbled out of her mouth. Hearing that, Ye Fan merely shed her a deste smile. ¡°Yeah. You''re Tang Yun, the head of Chu Sect. Meanwhile, I''m Ye Fan, the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall. From the very beginning, we''re destined to be on opposing sides. Oh well, let''s just end things here.¡± Chapter 2143 Chapter 2143 A riot of emotions brewed within Ye Fan as he faced off Tang Yun once again. In this world, perhaps thest battle he wanted to fight was with her. During the battle with the Chu Sect previously, he once crushed her pride in public, shattering her majesty as the head of the Chu Sect into smithereens. He had no idea of how she felt then when he defeated her at that time. Nheless, he was sure that she must have been devastated. Ultimately, she was a proud woman who regarded her reputation as even more important than her life. Yet, he still crushed her pride mercilessly. However, he had no choice either when she was the head of Chu Sect. As long as she held that position, they were on opposing sides. Just like this time, it felt as though history was repeating itself once more. They were again at daggers drawn. ¡°I''m sorry, Yun. This time, I''m still not going to cut you any ck. Eliminating Chu Sect and obliterating Chu Sect is my lifelong ambition and mission. Even you aren''t capable of shaking my faith. I must win in this battle toe. It''s not just for my dream but for Gaius, Owen, Dragon God Hall, and everyone supporting me. Therefore, I''m sorry, Yun. This time, I have to destroy your sect and career personally. Other than this, I''ve got no other recourse.¡± Ye Fan stood there with neither joy nor sorrow on his handsome face. His impassive words quietly drifted into the air all around them. I know I''ll have to disappoint her again this time. But my hands are tied. I''ve got no other choice! Given a choice between the nation and love, I can only choose not to let the people of this nation down. ¡°Forgive me, Yun,¡± he murmured in a deep voice with his head hung and eyes lowered. His words brimmed with solemnity and guilt. As he journeyed through life all these years, he had never wanted to wrong or fail anyone. s, life was unpredictable. At the end of the day, he still disappointed some people. Once, he left Qiu Mucheng in the lurch because of his pursuits. This time, he was also destined to forsake Tang Yun, the woman who once abandoned her sect and gave up a life of luxury and prestige for his sake. In the face of his words, Tang Yun, who was standing before him, didn''t show the slightest hint of fury. Instead, there was a tinge of bewilderment and bafflement in her eyes. As for the rest of those from Chu Sect, they all eyed Ye Fan as though he had lost his mind. ¡°First of all, we''re strangers. I''m not your Yun. Our stances are different, so there''s no need for you to speak of letting me down. Secondly, I have no idea where you''ve got the confidence to utter everything you did earlier. Do you think there''s any possibility of you defeating me in your present condition? I reckon it must be agonizing for you to even remain standing right now, let alone defeat me. In fact, Demonic Duo can finish you off on my behalf without me having to lift a finger.¡± Tang Yun''s cold voice rang out. Her tone was so cid that it was impossible for one to discern any of her emotions. The look in her eyes as she stared at Ye Fan was also dispassionate. It was clear as day that she had truly forgotten about him and had absolutely no recollection of him. ¡°Yun! Why are you still not acting? End the battle quickly!¡± Chu Yuan''s voice pierced the air once more. He couldn''t wait any longer, eager to witness the scene of Ye Fan''s annihtion. ¡°Never mind, he doesn''t pose a threat anymore, so you don''t need to act personally. Heed my command, Demonic Duo! Cut Chu Tianfan down right here and now as quickly as possible!¡± Chu Yuan ordered. Demonic Duo, who were fighting Gaius and the others, left the battle at once. Like an arrow, they then flew toward Ye Fan. ¡°Demonic Palm!¡± ¡°Demonic Palm!¡± Not bothering with superfluous words, the two guardians of the Chu family unleashed their powers right after receiving their orders. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Their gigantic fists shot toward the man, carrying an infinite destructive force. A terrifying Qi swept across the entire ce with a sonic boom that sounded like the p of thunder. That overwhelming burst of power had hopelessness swamping Xu Lei and the others. ¡°Dodge, Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Watch out, Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± Sensing the petrifying might of the Demonic Duo, the people of Jiangdong behind Ye Fan went pale in shock. Under such circumstances, no one doubted that Ye Fan would die for sure if he were to take those two hits from behind. While they were worried sick, Ye Fan surprisingly remained standing. He appeared calm and unruffled, with nary a trace of fear or panic on his handsome face. It was as though his calmness and poise would endure even in the face of the sky falling down before him. ¡°I''m scared, Daddy...¡± Contrarily, Chu Lin was already frightened out of his wits. Covering his eyes with both hands, he burrowed into Ye Fan''s embrace. At that, Ye Fan chuckled and gently stroked his head. ¡°Don''t be afraid, Kiddo. Both of us are descendants of Mr. Yunyang. If you''re even scared of this trivial issue, you''ll embarrass him,¡± heforted softly. ¡°Whoa! You''re still in the mood to smile when your death is imminent? I shall see whether you can still do so when you''ve been beaten to a pulp by Demonic Duo!¡± Chu Qitian snarled, gritting his teeth in fury when he noticed that the man was still wearing a smile on his face. In truth, everyone there was waiting to watch the show, anticipating Ye Fan''s downfall. Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and the others were visibly anxious as they watched Demonic Duo''s horrifying power draw ever closer. Everyone thought that Ye Fan would be doomed this time. Unexpectedly, he unhurriedly took out an ancient jade amidst the tempest. The instant the ancient jade came into view, everyone saw a ray of green light suddenly sparking in his hand. Like a rainbow after the rain, it shot right up into the sky. Like a rainbow after the rain, it shot right up into the sky. In the blink of an eye, the weather changed, and thunderclouds rolled in. Demonic Duo sensed a devastating power and aura radiating off the ancient jade in the man''s hand. ¡°W-What is this?¡± Their expressions changed drastically. Even Chu Yuan and his men''s eyes went wide. Everyone wondered what exactly was the item Ye Fan had just taken out. In the next second, Ye Fan''s majestic and ethereal voice split the air. ¡°This is the token belonging to Mr. Yunyang, Thunder Jade! As Mr. Yunyang has dered, this ancient jade in hand is equivalent to Great Emperor Yunyang himself. The person in possession of it is the head of the Chu family and represents the orthodox Chu family! Today, I, Chu Tianfan, issue this command to everyone as the head of the Chu family! All members of the Chu family,e forth and fall to your knees before me!¡± ¡°Fall to your knees before me!¡± The majestic voice reverberated in the air like a roiling torrent. At that moment, Chu Yuan felt as though it was a p to the back of his head. Chu Qitian''s eyes rounded like saucers, almost popping out of their sockets in his wrath. The expressions of Demonic Duo changed even further, and panic brimmed in their eyes. ¡°T-Thunder Jade! H-He actually has Thunder Jade? Quick, pull back, Elder Xuan! Don''t hurt Mr. Yunyang''s descendant!¡± They were wholly stunned. Everyone in the Chu family knew the legend of Thunder Jade. It was an item handed down by Chu Yunyang himself, a treasure he carried with him everywhere back then. In other words, it was tantamount to an imperial seal. The person in possession of the jade was the undisputed head of the Chu family, and anyone who was a member of the family must kneel before him without reason. Demonic Duo had been loyal to the Chu family throughout the generations. In the past, Chu Yuan represented the orthodox Chu family, so they obeyed the man alone. But right then, Ye Fan was in possession of Thunder Jade. That meant he had threatened Chu Yuan''s position as the leader of the Chu family. Under such circumstances, Demonic Duo didn''t dare make a move against him anymore. Despite the risk of sustaining an injury, they forcibly retracted the killing blow they had unleashed. Having done that, they immediately went on their knees. That was an expression of respect toward the Chu family''s ancestor, Great Emperor Yunyang, and deference toward the orthodox Chu family. They weren''t alone, for everyone present who had the blood of the Chu family flowing through their veins did the same in unison. After hundreds and thousands of years, Thunder Jade had reappeared in the world. The sense of reverence deep within the blood and inheritance written into the gene had all descendants of the Chu family dropping to their knees in homage. Chapter 2144 Chapter 2144 ¡°W-What are the lot of you doing? Get up! Stand up! I''m the head of the Chu family, and I represent the orthodox Chu family! Chu Tianfan is merely an outcast of the Chu family, unworthy of your homage! Stand up! All of you, get up!¡± Chu Yuan roared as though he had gone insane. With his eyes zing scarlet, he almost burst with anger as he yelled at the members of the Chu family with everything within him. ¡°Patriarch Chu, he... he''s in possession of Thunder Jade. ording to the ancestral rules, the person with Thunder Jade is the head of the Chu family. Perhaps Chu Tianfan is really Mr. Yunyang''s appointed heir.¡± Within the Chu Sect, the descendants of the Chu family started wavering inwardly uponying eyes on Thunder Jade. Everyone within the Chu family knew of the legend of Thunder Jade. That was a sacred item, the blood inheritance of the Chu family. It had been a personal possession of Chu Yunyang, and jade was often said to be spiritual in nature. Only those descendants of the Chu family recognized by the man would obtain Thunder Jade''s acknowledgment in the way of a divine glow. Right then, Thunder Jade was glowing brightly in Ye Fan''s hand. With that, it was sufficient proof that Chu Tianfan was chosen by the ancestor of the Chu family, thereby representing the orthodox Chu family. Needless to say, the members of the Chu family didn''t dare defy Chu Yunyang''s chosen heir. ¡°That''s right, Patriarch Chu. Chu Tianfan is a descendant of the Chu family in the first ce, and the same blood flows within his veins. If you continue fighting him, it''ll be internal strife, with family members turning on each other. We''re all family. Like us, he''s a descendant of Mr. Yunyang.¡± For a moment, the fighters of the Chu family tried to dissuade Chu Yuan. The appearance of Thunder Jade could be said to have swiftly nipped the fighting spirit of the members of the Chu family in the bud. They were neither afraid of death nor formidable enemies, but they couldn''t go against Chu Yunyang, much less kill the person the man had chosen. ¡°Shut up! Zip it! I''m going to banish whoever speaks a single word further about Chu Tianfan being a member of the Chu family! Right now, as the head of the Chu family, I order all of you to stand up and kill him!¡± Still, Chu Yuan continued screeching at the top of his lungs. Even then, he wasn''t willing to admit the fact that Ye Fan represented the orthodox Chu family. Unfortunately for him, few obeyed his orders. In fact, Chu Qitian was the only one who did so. ¡°Get up, you lot! You''re even defying Grandpa''smand, huh, you sc*ms? Chu Tianfan is merely a b*stard. What right does he have to be the head of the Chu family and represent the orthodox Chu family? Get up, you cowards! I forbid you all from kneeling to him! I''m the one chosen by Mr. Yunyang, the only descendant of the Chu family within my generation!¡± Chu Qitian bellowed, his face contorted in a mask of rage. Sheer envy zed within him. ¡°That''s enough! You''vemitted treason to remain standing before Thunder Jade, Chu Qitian! Do you still have any respect for Mr. Yunyang?¡± someone from the Chu family reprimanded upon seeing that the man refused to kneel. At the same time, some looked at Chu Yuan regretfully. ¡°Sorry, Patriarch Chu. It isn''t that we don''t want to obey your orders, but the Chu family was founded and developed by Mr. Yunyang. Thanks to him alone, all descendants of the Chu family have been enjoying the glory and prosperity that hassted more than a thousand years. We can''t defy the ancestral rules or make a move against the orthodox Chu family! Therefore, forgive us for our inability to obey your orders to kill Chu Tianfan, Mr. Chu!¡± an elderly man in the Chu family remarked. Subsequently, he again knelt to Ye Fan, who held Thunder Jade in his hand, with utter respect and reverence in his eyes. ¡°We abide by the ancestral rules. Please ept our homage, newly elected head of the family!¡± He prostrated himself before the man on his knees, his voice akin to a massive boulder plopping into the sea and setting off countless swells of tidal waves. In a split second, the members of the Chu family prostrated themselves in unison. ¡°The members of the Chu family pay homage to the head of the Chu family, Chu Tianfan!¡± ¡°Pay homage to Chu Tianfan, Mr. Chu!¡± In a sh, all members of the Chu family were on their knees. Chu Qitian was entirely stumped. Chu Yuan, on the other hand, was panic-stricken. In all the time he had been fighting Ye Fan, that day was his first time falling to pieces. When he battled with Ye Fan in the past, he wasn''t fazed by defeat since he could stillmand the Chu family, Chu Sect, and Demonic Duo. But right then, Ye Fan pulled the rug from under his feet and threatened his legitimacy as the head of the Chu family. Worse still, his family had all turned their backs on him and pledged their allegiance to the man. This time, a sense of despair at having been betrayed by everyone deluged him. ¡°Elder Xuan, Elder Ming. The two of you aren''t members of the Chu family, so there isn''t any need for you to respect Thunder Jade. Kill Chu Tianfan now, right this moment! Finish him off!¡± Something seemingly urred to him, and he swung his gaze at Demonic Duo as though grasping at hisst lifeline. ¡°Sorry, Old Master. Although we''re not part of the Chu family, our ancestors have been loyal to the Chu family and Mr. Yunyang throughout the generations. We make our living by service to them, so we must remain steadfast. As Chu Tianfan obtained Thunder Jade''s acknowledgment, he represents the orthodox Chu family. Forgive us, but we won''t be able to obey your orders anymore henceforth, Old Master,¡± Demonic Duo answered solemnly. But to Chu Yuan, their apology was thest straw that broke the camel''s back. Trembling violently, he spewed several mouthfuls of blood in session. ¡°How cruel of you, Chu Tianfan! You''re simply too ruthless! You''re downright vicious!¡± he roared in nigh despair. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined that Ye Fan would use Thunder Jade against him. While the tiny piece of ancient jade no longer had the efficacy to summon thunder, it was a symbol of the orthodox Chu family. While the tiny piece of ancient jade no longer had the efficacy to summon thunder, it was a symbol of the orthodox Chu family. With that jade in his possession, Ye Fan had effectively stolen his position as the head of the family. From then on, the tens of thousands of members of the Chu family would be looking up to Ye Fan. In that instant, Chu Yuan had been forsaken by everyone and abandoned to be all alone. Even Demonic Duo no longer obeyed him. Thus, it was no exaggeration to say that the man was a lone ind at present. ¡°An idental mistake can be forgiven, but you brought this upon yourself. Chu Yuan, youmitted all sorts of evil deeds and destroyed the reputation of the Chu familypletely. You''ve long been unworthy of being the head of the Chu family and a part of the family. Today, I''m going to execute my duty as the head of the family and issue my first order. Starting today, all privileges belonging to Chu Yuan in the Chu family shall be withdrawn, and he shall be banished from the family. Even in death, he shall be forbidden from being buried in the family''s ancestral grave. At the same time, his aplice, Chu Qitian, shall also have all his privileges in the Chu family withdrawn. But considering the fact that he''s young and ignorant, his name shall remain in the family records. He shall be taken back and await trial. As for the rest of the members of the Chu family,y down arms immediately and treat the wounded.¡± Ye Fan''s deep voice reverberated everywhere as though God himself had descended from heaven to judge the world. ¡°Understood, Mr. Chu!¡± At his feet, the members of the Chu family prostrated themselves before him in reverence of his orders. ¡°No! You''ve got no right to try me! I''m the future head of the family, the most outstanding descendant of the Chu family, not you! I''ll kill you, you outcast! I''m going to kill you!¡± Chu Qitian couldn''t ept that result, screeching as though he had lost his mind, his face twisted in rage. Thereafter, he even raised his sword and lunged toward Ye Fan. Despite that, Ye Fan remained expressionless. Standing there while holding his son''s hand, he instructed somberly, ¡°Heed mymand, Demonic Duo. Seize the traitor of the Chu family, Chu Qitian, right away. Break his arms and legs before taking him to the Chu residence to stand trial!¡± The moment he issued that order, Demonic Duo obeyed. Whirling around, they shot a hand out, the blow causing Chu Qitian to spew blood. However, Chu Qitian didn''t give up but stubbornly resisted. ¡°Kill them, ze! Kill them!¡± He activated Jade Eyes and attempted to control ze. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Raising Thunder Jade, Ye Fan confronted ze and demanded sharply, ¡°ze, do you still remember the glory of your ancestors in the past thousand years? And do you remember the oath they swore? As the Sacred Beast of the Chu family, you should be bowing down at the sight of Thunder Jade and Yunyang''s heir!¡± Chapter 2145 Chapter 2145 Ye Fan''s voice was loud, and Thunder Jade in his hands was glowing brightly. Bathed in a green light, Ye Fan looked like the Great Emperor Yunyang in person. ze froze in his tracks as Ye Fan''s aura was too intimidating. Its eyes turned wide as saucers as it stared at Ye Fan and the jade in his hands. ze seemed confused and baffled. ¡°There is hope!¡± Above Mount Yunding, Li Er and the rest watched them anxiously. Demonic Duo had defected, so as long as Ye Fan could get Sacred Beast to surrender to him, the odds would be in their favor. However, ze stayed still for over ten seconds before finally shaking its head. It seemed to be indicating that it didn''t remember any vow or glory. ze couldn''t remember anything except that the person who was in possession of Jade Eyes was its master. Chu Qitian erupted inughter. ¡°Ha! Chu Tianfan, don''t waste your time. ze will only follow the command of the one with Jade Eyes, and that''s me. You''re not worthy ofmanding it! ze, obey my orders, and take out Chu Tianfan!¡± ze''s reaction pleased him immensely, and he was no longer worried. He immediately controlled ze to unleash thest attack. To everyone''s surprise, a ck figure leaped into the air right this moment. The huge ckie emerged in front of ze in the blink of an eye. Before ze had the chance to respond, ckie swiftly raised its paws and brought them down with a loud smack on ze''s head. Smack, smack, smack! ckie smacked ze''s head repeatedly, producing sounds akin to a percussion instrument. With every p, ckie let out a bark that seemed to say, ¡°Beast, do you remember now? If the answer is no, then I shall continue pping you!¡± Just like that, ckie smacked ze''s head for about one hundred times. Initially, ze was fuming with rage. As ckie pped it continuously, ze soon began to remember a long-forgotten memory that was buried deep within its brain, stirring to life. A hazy tall figure emerged from the memory buried deep in its brain. At first, the figure was blurry. Nevertheless, as ckie kept kicking its brain, the memory became more vivid. The image in ze''s mind soon became clear. It was a man wearing Thunder Jade holding aloft Sword of Yunyang. He had a proud, handsome face, and his smile was as icy as the cold winter wind. Beneath his feety an enormous creature, identical to ze in every way. The two shared a knowing smile, then turned and set off on their journey together. They met on earth but conquered multiple ces together. ¡°After my death, Demon me n shall bow to Chu Sect and protect them, the descendants of Yunyang.¡± Finally, ze remembered everything. The huge beast in ze''s memory was his ancestor, and the human figure in its memory was its ancestor''s master, Chu Yunyang. Chu Yunyang was the ancestor of the man standing before ze. The memory from thousands of years ago overwhelmed ze''s heart and mind. Roar! After the memory passed on to ze was reawakened, it let out an emotional and ted roar following the reunion thousands of yearster. ze no longer paid any heed to Chu Qitian''s orders. It rushed toward Ye Fan and bowed to thetter. It behaved as if it were a pet being reunited with its long-lost master after thousands of years. ¡°ze, you...¡± The sight shocked everyone senseless. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Chu Qitian, in particr, had his eyes opened so wide they were almost popping out of their sockets. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect his Jade Eyes would lose its effects. He shook his head incredulously and asked, ¡°How can this be? I''m your master, ze. Why are you bowing to him? Is it because he is in possession of Thunder Jade, the relic left by Mr. Yunyang?¡± He couldn''t fathom that someone who vanished thousands of years ago could have such a far-reaching impact in the present day. A mere token that without any practical functions was able to make the Chu family surrender, and ze turn against him. ¡°Why? Why is this happening to me? I refuse to ept defeat! Why did it have to be Chu Tianfan? Mr. Yunyang, how could you be so unfair? You made the wrong choice! We are both your descendants, but my bloodline is superior to Chu Tianfan''s. Why did you choose that disowned child over me? I demand an exnation!¡± Chu Qitian''s face twisted in rage as he screamed at the heavens in a frenzied state. He had lost his final trump card after ze turned against him. Resentment filled his heart as mes of anger licked through him. He hated how unfair and biased Chu Yunyang was. ¡°Chu Qitian, do you still not know why you lost?¡± Ye Fan''s voice was cold and emotionless. His face showed no expression despite ze''s submission to him. ¡°That''s enough! Chu Tianfan, stop speaking to me in such a condescending tone! You have no right to be arrogant. If it weren''t for our ancestor''s favoritism towards you, you would have been dead by now. I didn''t lose to you, I lost to Chu Yunyang, our ancestor who is biased! If you didn''t have Thunder Jade, you would have met your maker by now. I should be the oneughing in the end! It should have been me!¡± Jealousy, indignance, and fury churned within Chu Tianqi, driving him to the edge of madness. An ugly scowl crept up his face. Jealousy, indignance, and fury churned within Chu Tianqi, driving him to the edge of madness. An ugly scowl crept up his face. Ye Fan didn''t rebut Chu Qitian''s usations. ¡°You''re right. Without our ancestor''s blessing, I, Chu Tianfan, wouldn''t be where I am today. But have you ever stopped to think about why Mr. Yunyang chose me over you? Why did he give me the name ''Tian'' and not you? You may be extremely talented, but Mr. Yunyang values not just martial ability but also a person''s character and morals. You and your father have resorted to dishonorable methods to achieve your goals. You took Angie''s eyes by force. Because of that, Mr. Yunyang would never have acknowledged you. It''s pointless trying to talk sense into you, for I know you won''t understand and you will refuse to understand what I''m saying. The winner takes it all, it''s time for you to give up. You''ve committed many evil deeds and deserve to die, but you are still Mr. Yunyang''s descendant and we are from the same sect. I will not take your life today. Instead, I''ll bring you back and let you be punished ording to the n''sw.¡± Ye Fan looked directly at Chu Qitian and spoke in a low voice as though he was delivering a verdict. As soon as he finished his speech, Demonic Duo took action and leaped to Chu Qitian to capture him. Chu Qitian tried to resist, but Demonic Duo delivered two blows and broke his ribs. He spat out a mouthful of blood and no longer had the strength to resist. After capturing Chu Qitian, Ye Fan turned to look at Chu Yuan. ¡°Mr. Chu, how are you going to deal with Old Master? Are you really going to kick him out of the family?¡± Demonic Duo asked. They had followed Chu Yuan their entire lives and couldn''t bear to see him suffer, so they ended up asking Ye Fan to spare his life. To their surprise, Ye Fan snickered icily. ¡°Old Master? Don''t be foolish. Your Old Master is already dead. This person is merely pretending to be him.¡± What? Everyone was struck dumb by Ye Fan''s words. Demonic Duo could barely hide their shock. ¡°What? Are you saying he isn''t Old Master? But how could that be? Who else could be this powerful besides Old Master? Mr. Chu, are you mistaken?¡± Demonic Duo refused to ept reality. Ye Fan didn''t bother exining things to them. ¡°It doesn''t matter anymore. Today is the day he dies. My comrades, loved ones, and friends have died because of him. I must kill Chu Yuan today to avenge them.¡± Chapter 2146 Chapter 2146 What? ¡°Y-You''re going to kill Old Master?¡± Demonic Duo nched in horror. They initially assumed Ye Fan would spare Chu Yuan just like how he spared Chu Qitian. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Furthermore, Chu Yuan was now a cripple and had been expelled from the Chu family. That was a punishment severe enough for Chu Yuan. Unfortunately, they had underestimated Ye Fan''s mercilessness. He had never intended to spare Chu Yuan at all. ¡°Why? Are you going to defend him?¡± Ye Fan furrowed his brows and nced at the elderly men. As of now, the most powerful fighters in Mount Yunding were Tang Yun and Demonic Duo. Demonic Duo shook their heads in unison. ¡°We recognize you as the head of the Chu family and would never disobey yourmands. However, we are indebted to Old Master for teaching us, so we cannot take part in taking his life. We hope you understand, Mr. Chu.¡± Ye Fan gave a curt nod. ¡°You are honorable men but have followed the wrong leader and aided his evil deeds. Very well, I will not force you to act against your will. However, I need you both to safeguard my loved ones and the allies behind us. Can you do that for me?¡± After thanking Ye Fan, Demonic Duo retreated. Once they left, Ye Fan''s gazended on Chu Yuan. Ye Fan had an icy expression as he said to Chu Yuan, ¡°You did not anticipate this, did you? The child you cast out is now the leader of the Chu family. I''m doing more than just kicking you out of the family, for I''m ending your life.¡± He seemed ready to unleash all of his long-held resentments and animosity. Chu Yuan was supposed to reach the end of the rope, but to Ye Fan''s surprise, he suddenlyughed out loud. ¡°Hahaha! Chu Tianfan, don''t be so hasty in your derations. You may have taken over the role of the head of the family, but don''t you forget. I am not only a member of the Chu family, but I am also the Old Master of Chu Sect! Tang Yun is still my disciple! The thousands of disciples in Chu Sect will still listen to my orders! You''re backed into a corner, so how do you expect to kill me? You''ll never make it past my disciples.¡± Even until now, Chu Yuan did not n to give up yet. He chortled uproariously, not showing any fear in the presence of Ye Fan. Chu Yuan''s prospects might look bleak, but as long as Tang Yun remained devoted to him, there was still hope. Tang Yun was powerful enough to defeat everyone there. The head of the Jones family, Michael, stood out and announced, ¡°It would be wise for you to ept the reality, Chu Yuan. Tang Yun is your only chance of survival. If all of us in Dragon God Hall work together, we are confident that we can defeat a woman. Additionally, Sacred Beast of the Chu family has already pledged allegiance to Dragon Master, increasing our chances of sess.¡± His body was stained in blood. Gaius and the rest also stood behind Ye Fan doggedly despite their injuries. They were waiting for Ye Fan''s orders to attack Tang Yun. Ye Fan remained silent as he turned his gaze toward Tang Yun. ¡°Yun, are you sure you want to stand in my way? Chu Yuan hasmitted many heinous crimes and is now shunned by everyone. Are you going to take his side and be my enemy?¡± Ye Fan questioned. However, Tang Yun responded by brandishing her sword. Her expression was wintry as she dered, ¡°Chu Tianfan, you can say all you like, but I won''t allow you toy a hand on Master. He taught me and led Chu Sect. You are not allowed to disrespect him!¡± Following her words, the remaining members of Chu Sect stepped forward and gathered around her. It was obvious that the other elders and members of Chu Sect were still loyal to Chu Yuan and would follow Tang Yun''smands. Ye Fan had expected her answer, but he couldn''t help but feel disappointed. Her words hit his heart like a sledgehammer. ¡°Dragon Master, don''t waste your time with them. Chu Sect will only realize their mistake after blood is spilled! Please give us yourmand so we can work together with Sacred Beast to kill Tang Yun! No matter how strong Tang Yun is, I believe she won''t be our match.¡± Those from Dragon God Hall were breathless with anger and volunteered to go to battle. After all, they had been bullied by Chu Sect for way too long. After Chu Sect defeated them, the four Dragon yers were locked up while various Dragon Kings died in battle. It could be said that Chu Sect was responsible for killing a lot of members of the Dragon God Hall, and Chu Yuan was the main culprit of the massacre. Even if Ye Fan chose to forgive Chu Sect and Chu Yuan, the people from Dragon God Hall would not be so lenient on them. It was time to settle scores. The Dragon God Hall would either wipe Chu Sect out or perish here. The Dragon God Hall would either wipe Chu Sect out or perish here. Overcame with fury, Dragon yers rushed forward, ready to go to battle. They were waiting for Ye Fan''s order to begin killing those from Chu Sect. However, to their surprise, Ye Fan stood in their way. ¡°Dragon Master, you can''t show them mercy? Are you going to ignore ourrades who sacrificed their lives just for this woman''s sake?¡± Gaius and the rest felt tears stinging their eyes when they realized Ye Fan had stopped them. Chu Sect had murdered many of theirrades, and the four Dragon yers also nearly died in Chu Sect''s hands. They could spare the Chu family, but not Chu Sect. ¡°Yes, Dragon Master. We agreed with everything you said, but today, we strongly disagree with you if you choose to spare Chu Yuan and Chu Sect. We are willing toy down our lives in order to exact revenge for our fallenrades by eradicating Chu Sect!¡± Everyone from Dragon God Hall roared in unison as they wanted Ye Fan to ry his order so they could wipe Chu Sect out. Despite their pleas, Ye Fan replied calmly, ¡°Don''t worry. I won''t forget about Baichuan and the like. You should stay out of the fight. It was all my fault, so I would like to end it myself,¡± Ye Fan dered. Everyone was stunned to hear that. ¡°Are you going to go against Tang Yun personally? That won''t do. You''re seriously injured, so you won''t be her match. That won''t do!¡± Gaius and the rest panicked and tried to persuade him to change his mind. ¡°I''ve made up my mind, so stop trying to change it. Besides, this isn''t just between Dragon God Hall and Chu Sect. It''s between me and her.¡± Ye Fan''s expression was cold. He stared at Tang Yun intensely with his deep, dark gaze. ¡°Tang Yun, since you have chosen your sect, do not me me for holding nothing back. Before I take action, I would like to propose a bet. If you win, I will take my own life with my sword. If I win, you will disband Chu Sect. Are you willing to wager on this?¡± As Ye Fan''s words reverberated around the area, Gaius and the rest nched in shock. They thought Ye Fan had gone mad. By this point, he had used up all his energy, so even a supreme grandmaster could easily beat him. They couldn''t fathom why he wanted to make a bet with Tang Yun. Chapter 2147 Chapter 2147 Tang Yun was usually serious, but even she was taken aback by the bet he had proposed. Perhaps she was confused why Ye Fan was confident enough to say those words. ¡°I think you should rethink your proposal. I don''t like fighting a battle that is not challenging,¡± Tang Yun responded coolly. ¡°Why not? Tang Yun, you are powerful and capable. Aren''t you confident enough to ept the bet?¡± Ye Fan disregarded Tang Yun''s words and sneered. It appeared that he was trying to provoke her. ¡°Yun, say yes! Agree to the bet! Since he has a death wish, why don''t you grant his wish? Perhaps he might go back on his word when you defeat himter,¡± Chu Yuan uttered. He was ordering Tang Yun to agree to the bet and fight with Ye Fan. Ye Fan nced at Tang Yun. ¡°Tang Yun, did you not hear him? You hold your master in high regard and will obey hismands, right? Are you going to defy him now? Are you afraid of losing to me?¡± Ye Fan jeered. Tang Yun was filled with rage upon hearing Ye Fan''s words. At once, her expression turned cold and hard. ¡°Very well. Chu Tianfan, since you have the desire to die, I shall fulfill your wish. You were disinherited by the Chu family and only obtained Thunder Jade out of luck. That is why you were able to fight us until now. Unfortunately, I''m not part of Chu Sect, so your Thunder Jade is ineffective against me. Don''t expect me to show you mercy. I have killed many and my sword has taken many lives. I have no qualms about adding one more life to its tally! I ept your challenge.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Tang Yun bore a frosty expression as her sword glinted dangerously. The moment Tang Yun''s words fell, she swung her sword forward. She transformed her fury into countless strikes, and the strong sword energy came straight for Ye Fan. ¡°Ye Fan, be careful!¡± ¡°Dragon Master, be careful!¡± As Tang Yun attacked first, Gaius and the rest yelled worriedly. However, Ye Fan took the opportunity to throw Qiu Mufan, whom he was holding, to ckie. ¡°ckie, protect my son!¡± he shouted. He then showed the skillful techniques of Nine Steps of Yunyang to the world once again. To Tang Yun''s surprise, Ye Fan was able to dodge her lethal attack with the movement even though he was supposed to be defenseless by now. Tang Yun couldn''t help but frown when she realized he was far stranger than she had expected. It looks like Chu Tianfan isn''t as bad as Master and the other disciples im. Tang Yun had no memory of having any prior dealings with Chu Tianfan. However, she often heard his name mentioned by Chu Yuan and Chu Tianqi. They told her Ye Fan was a merciless, arrogant, and lewd murderer who wouldn''t pose a threat to her. However, Tang Yun was confused when she realized Chu Tianfan seemed to know her well as he kept calling her ¡°Yun.¡± Besides, Tang Yun could sense Chu Tianfan wasn''t just lusting after her looks, for she saw the affection and sincerity in his gaze earlier. She wondered if Chu Tianfan had any feelings toward her, but regardless of that, it would only be a one-sided attraction on his part. Tang Yun had vowed to devote her entire life to martial arts. She would remain a virgin forever and never fall in love with anyone or get married. Hence, Tang Yun would never agree to be with any man, especially Ye Fan, who was Chu Sect''s enemy. In just a split second, Tang Yun was overwhelmed with countless thoughts. Her first move failed, so sheunched another attack. Her swordsmanship was impable. Watching Tang Yun wield her sword was a sight to behold for everyone else. Armed with her voluptuous body and gorgeous looks, she swung her sword skillfully. From afar, she looked like she was dancing with her sword. She was charming enough to win any man''s heart. Even Ye Fan felt his heart skip a beat at seeing her skills after all these years. ¡°Yun, you''ve improved these few years,¡± hemented. If there was one person who knew Tang Yun best, it would be none other than Ye Fan. He had seen Tang Yun when she was naked, when she cried pitifully, her stern side, and also her tearful face. In fact, Ye Fan was the one who taught Tang Yun how to use her sword. He could confidently say that none of the changes on her had escaped his eyes. He should be happy for her, as she had grown stronger over thest three years. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! The sword glinted as it charged against Ye Fan. However, Ye Fan deftly avoided Tang Yun''s attack. After making thest step, he was surprised to discover that Tang Yun seemed to have predicted his movements. She thrust her left palm out to attack him. Her palmnded on Ye Fan''s chest. Her palmnded on Ye Fan''s chest. ¡°You''re not focused on the fight. How could you end up as Dragon Master and topped Sky Ranking? What a disappointment. No wonder you were disowned and kicked out of the Chu family. You''re not capable enough of controlling the Chu family. My disciple, Chu Qitian, is right. The Chu family''s ancestor made a wrong choice by picking you to be his heir.¡± Tang Yun towered above him and spoke in a chilling manner. She seemed like a victor looking down on a loser. Ye Fan coughed out a mouthful of blood and copsed to the ground weakly. Blood stained the ground beneath him. Tang Yun waved her sleeve and tossed a broken sword to Ye Fan. ¡°Chu Tianfan, you''ve lost. It is time to keep your word. Take your life with this sword!¡± Tang Yun commanded arrogantly. Her presence was imposing and regal, while Ye Fan looked like a mere servant kneeling at her feet. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Suddenly, Ye Fan burst outughing. He clenched his jaw and grabbed onto a boulder next to him to stand up. His face was stained with blood, but he was determined not to give up. ¡°I loathed you the instant we met as you acted so arrogantly. You believe everyone is inferior to you, including me. You''re the leader of Chu Sect and ranked first on Sky Ranking, so you think I''m nothing compared to you. But now you''ll find out who wille out on top. I''m going to defeat you until you surrender to me willingly!¡± vowed Ye Fan. A gust of cold wind swept through the area, sending the leaves fluttering and the sand flying wildly. The temperature of the area plummeted as Ye Fan''s anger surged through the region. Just as everyone was wondering what Ye Fan was doing, they saw him stomping the ground forcefully. ¡°Sword of Yunyang, where are you?¡± Rumble! The ground and horizon shook as Ye Fan''s voice traveled across time and space. The crowd soon heard a loud nging from a sword. It sounded like thunder that could prate the depths of the ground and a streak of lightning that could pierce through the heavens. At longst, Sword of Yunyang was revealed to the world after being in hiding for years! Chapter 2148 Chapter 2148 What? Sword of Yunyang? ¡°T-This brat even brought Sword of Yunyang?¡± Chu Yuan''s expression shifted drastically at Ye Fan''s voice. At that moment, he felt as though he were about to lose his mind. Invoke the Celestial Sky, Thunder Jade, and now Sword of Yunyang. This jerk has almost collected everything handed down by Mr. Yunyang! ¡°D*mn it! Why is it him? A few generations of the Chu family have searched high and low for those relics to no avail, yet why was it so easy for this brat to get his hands on them?¡± He looked livid as jealousy and rage surging within him. The rest of the Chu family members were also dumbfounded when they saw Sword of Yunyang. After all, the sword was a sacred relic passed down for generations through their family, and it was the weapon Chu Yunyang had wielded. Now that it had reappeared, naturally, they felt a sense of shock and respect. At the same time, it further strengthened their recognition of the legitimacy of Ye Fan''s position within the sect. ¡°He possesses Thunder Jade and Sword of Yunyang, and he has perfected Invoke the Celestial Sky. From the looks of it, he truly is Mr. Yunyang''s appointed heir.¡± They could not help sighing inwardly. After so many years, Ye Fan was the first person in the family who had managed to gather so many of their ancestor''s sacred relics. Chu Yuan snorted and could not help saying in a jealous tone, ¡°It''s just Sword of Yunyang. Even when you had the sword all those years ago, didn''t you still suffer a crushing defeat and end up fleeing from Mount Chumen with your tail between your legs? You don''t have to be afraid, Tang Yun. Apart from its tough de, there''s nothing else to fear about that sword. Our master defeated him back then, so you can do the same.¡± It was not his first time seeing the sword as Ye Fan had brought it with him when he went up Mount Chumen previously. Ultimately, Ye Fan lost the battle and took his own life by throwing himself into Eastsea. Chu Yuan forgot to retrieve Sword of Yunyang due to the chaos at that time. Later, hepletely disregarded the matter. He thought that after Ye Fanmitted suicide, the sword had sunk to the bottom of the sea too. It never urred to him that it would be on Mount Yunding. ¡°Is that so? Do you honestly think Sword of Yunyang handed down from our ancestor is nothing worth mentioning? I''m afraid you''re still unaware that it came into being through the powers of this world and can absorb the elemental force of everything on this earth. What do you think will happen if I soak up all the elemental force within the sword?¡± Ye Fan responded with a haughty chuckle. Chu Yuan froze at the sound of his terrifyingughter. Could it be... ¡°Tang Yun, hurry up and take the sword from him!¡± Chu Yuan suddenly shouted, his panicked voice reverberating through the air. However, Sword of Yunyang had already flown high into the air. A dazzling green light burst forth like a sh of thunder and lightning from the depths of the underworld, and it shone straight down on Ye Fan. Tang Yun also felt slightly intimidated. Sheunched herself through the air, and in a sh, she was heading straight toward Sword of Yunyang. Her goal was to seize Sword of Yunyang, but it was toote. The Sword of Yunyang, which had been dormant for a long time, unleashed the elemental force within it all at once. Its terrifying power stunned Tang Yun and sent her stumbling a hundred meters backward. Meanwhile, the exhausted Ye Fan found himself bathed in a wave of pure power. Like a fish to water, his body soaked up the explosion of energy wildly and ravenously as though it were a bone-dry sponge. And just like that, his aura surged at a frightening speed again until he radiated with power as before. ¡°This is bad!¡± Chu Yuan''s face fell as he took in the scene, and a chill ran down his spine. Earlier, his greatest advantage had been the fact that Ye Fan was already severely wounded and no longer posed a threat. However, with the help of Sword of Yunyang, he had now regained his strength. As such, Chu Yuan was afraid that Tang Yun would be in for a tough time when it was time for her to face Ye Fan. All Chu Yuan could do now was pray that the power within Sword of Yunyang had not been sufficient to return Ye Fan to his top form. Otherwise, Tang Yun''s life would really be at stake. ¡°D*mn it! What the f*ck is this? Why does this b*stard have so many cards up his sleeve?¡± He was vexed, and he seethed with rage. I led the Chu Sect''s elite fighters into battle, thinking we''d decimate everything in our path. Who would''ve thought that Ye Fan''s appearance would turn the oue of this battle on its head? He has demonstrated impressive body tempering techniques and unusual movement techniques. Then, that dog popped up out of nowhere to help him. He also has Thunder Jade and Sword of Yunyang! Little did I expect this b*stard to hold so many trump cards. ¡°Even I have no clue of the miraculous abilities the sword possessed. How did that b*stard find that out?¡± Chu Yuan muttered, on the verge of a mental breakdown. He had no way of knowing that Old Madam Chu was the one who had shared that information with Ye Fan. Before Ye Fan left for Jiangdong, Old Madam Chu had given him Thunder Jade and sent ckie to aid him. Apart from that, she had also revealed to him Sword of Yunyang''s miraculous power. s, Ye Fan ended up losing the sword. Hence, he did not think about it anymore. However, when one door closes, another opens. However, when one door closes, another opens. Ye Fan never expected the sword to be buried on Mount Yunding. And now, he could use it to fight Tang Yun! Zing! A green light glowed brightly as the sword hummed. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Having regained his strength, Ye Fan no longer looked weak and dispirited. ¡°Come on, Tang Yun! You''re famous for your swordsmanship, but I shall defeat you in a sword fight today! I''ll show you how that repulsive child abandoned by the Chu family you speak of will crush your pride,¡± he roared angrily. His imposing aura swept in all directions like a raging sea. This time, he was well and truly infuriated. Her arrogance had incurred his wrath. Years ago, I had many pleasant memories with ady called Qin Yun at the Chu residence. But now, I know she''s gone. In fact, Tang Yun, who was once willing to abandon everything and run away with me, is gone too. The woman standing in front of me now is a different person. She doesn''t remember Ye Fan, Chu Tianfan, or anything about me. In her eyes, I''m just a lowly b*stard, a good-for-nothing who can''t evenpare to Chu Qitian. Over the years, Ye Fan had faced my fair share of contempt and malice from others. Nheless, he hardly took any notice of it. They were inconsequential to him, and he would never waste his time on those nobodies. However, Tang Yun was different. Her contempt for him stabbed his heart like a needle. Consumed with anger, Ye Fan sprang forward with Sword of Yunyang in his hand, pointing the tip of its de skyward. Even before he had attacked, his terrifying aura had engulfed the entire area. Seeing that, Tang Yun''s expression turned grim. She could not believe that in just a short while, that grievously injured man had transformed and was now radiating with energy. It was as though he had turned into apletely different person. Before that, one could have described Ye Fan as a stray mutt riddled with wounds. But now, he was Chu Tianfan, a powerful figure wielding immense strength. A strong man is always intimidating, but even so, I won''t admit defeat. Besides, I''m confident in my abilities. Even if my master, Chu Yuan, were to challenge me to a sword fight, he''d be no match for me. Her expression hardened, and her cold voice rang out as she said, ¡°Chu Tianfan, your desire to defeat me in a sword fight will only remain wishful thinking. There has been no one whose swordsmanship is superior to mine.¡± Then, without wasting any more time, she swung the sword in her hand andunched a swift and fierce attack. ¡°Ice Stream sword technique! Ice Meteor!¡± Chapter 2149 Chapter 2149 Tang Yun was known for the sword technique Ice Stream. Years ago, Tang Yun unleashed her Ice Stream aura to wield the sword, causing numerous opponents to suffer miserably. Not only did the sword technique secure her position in Sky Ranking, but it also made her the most feared individual among the supreme grandmasters. In other words, Tang Yun relied on Ice Stream to rule Chu Sect for years and condescend to the people below her. With that in mind, Tang Yun wielded the sword. All eyes were on her when she unleashed the icy blue sword energy across the horizon. The energy was so cold that it froze the air, turning water vapor into ice crystals. The ice crystals formed around the sword''s edges turned into hundreds and thousands of daggers that shot in Ye Fan''s direction. From afar, it seemed the sky was raining ice. The speed was as fast as a meteorite hitting the earth. Yet, Tang Yun''s attack did not deter Ye Fan from charging at the sharp crystals with Sword of Yunyang. He waved the sword horizontally and shed the sky. No matter how sturdy those crystals were, Ye Fan had no problem shattering them into pieces with his sword. Besides wielding Sword of Yunyang freely, he had also unleashed an aura to form a protective shield around him. Despite being exposed to Tang Yun''s continuous attacks, Ye Fan could still crush the sharp crystals into pieces. Not even a single crystal made it through Ye Fan''s shield. Upon noticing the turn of events, Tang Yun could not help but knit her brows. She had underestimated Ye Fan''s sword technique. The power she unleashed could easily cause mass destruction as the weapon was made of hundreds and thousands of sharp, crystallized water droplets. Tang Yun believed even her master would not be able to generate a shield that could block out all the crystals. The fact that Ye Fan could achieve that using merely an ancient sword showed how powerful the man was. ¡°Stop wasting your time, Tang Yun. You might be able to quash your other enemies, but not me, Chu Tianfan. Your power is nothingpared to mine. You can''t even hurt me, let alone kill me.¡± Ye Fan''s haughty voice reverberated in the dark sky. A vortex of anger swirled inside Tang Yun. How dare he humiliate me? All these years, she was used to acting all high and mighty in front of the others. She could not believe a man in his twenties would have the audacity to look down on her. ¡°You were just lucky. The Ice Stream sword technique has twenty-seven moves that are ever-changing, and they can even be merged to unleash more powerful strikes. You might have withstood the attack earlier, but it doesn''t mean you can endure my more powerful strikes!¡± Perhaps, Tang Yun uttered those words to defend her ego, or she was merely trying to safeguard her reputation as The Best Swordmaster. After responding with a cold snort, she raised her sword and charged in Ye Fan''s direction. ¡°Ice Stream ¡ªQuicksand!¡± A few minutester, sheunched another attack. ¡°Ice Stream¡ªVast Ocean!¡± Tang Yun pushed her to the limits and gave her all to take Ye Fan down. The aura continued to glow along the edges of the sword. Like a thunderstorm, she rained blows onto Ye Fan as if she had gone insane. ¡°Tang Yun is indeed in a league of her own. She''s the most powerful sword Grandmaster in the world! Even I am no match for her.¡± Sword Saint''s jaw dropped when he noticed how aggressive her attacks were. Fear was written all over his pale face. Like Tang Yun, Sword Saint carved out a reputation for himself as a formidable sword master. Before this, he knew there was no way he could defeat Tang Yun, but he had always thought that he was not far behind. Yet, looking at how she gave it her all during the fight, the stunned Sword Saint realized he had overestimated his capability. Got to admit I''m old. The martial arts world belongs to these young people now. ¡°I wonder if Chu Tianfan could still withstand her ferocious attack.¡± Sword Saint could not help but express his concern for Ye Fan. Likewise, Xu Lei and the others were worried about him. Ye Fan had just ended a battle with Chu Yuan. Though he had regained his strength partially with the help of Sword of Yunyang, he was still wounded. The Sword of Yunyang could replenish the elemental force he exhausted but not heal him of his injuries. Xu Lei noticed Ye Fan''s wounds had started bleeding during the battle with Tang Yun. ¡°I hope nothing goes wrong for Ye Fan...¡± She clenched her fists and whispered a prayer. The people from Jiangdong and Dragon God Hall, too, were a bundle of nerves as they kept their eyes glued to the battle. They all prayed that nothing awful would befall Dragon Master. Nheless, it was clear that Xu Lei, Sword Saint, and the others were overthinking. Ye Fan was exceptionally calm when faced with Tang Yun''s continuous onught. He flipped and spun mid-air while incorporating the Nine Steps of Yunyang into his movements and constantly waved his sword to deter the iing attack. No matter how frequent and intense Tang Yun''s attacks were, Ye Fan could fend her off without difficulty. He remained calm and collected when defending himself against all of Tang Yun''s moves. Tang Yun had given everything she got but still did not manage to injure Ye Fan at all. Suddenly, Ye Fan seized an opportunity and struck back. ng! The heavy Sword of Yunyang plummeted from the sky, dispelling her attack. The weapon then charged in Tang Yun''s direction at full force. Tang Yun fended the sword off in a haste. Sparks started flying all over when the two swords collided. It was as if a meteorite had crashed into Earth. From a distance, the sparks that illuminated the night sky looked like fireworks that sted in the air. ¡°Look! It''s so beautiful!¡± The jaws of those from Yunzhou dropped. They were all in awe of its beauty as it reminded them of fireworks. While the people were astounded by the disy, Tang Yun began to feel rmed. Though she managed to dodge Ye Fan''s sword, the invisible energy from the weapon was so powerful that it spread through her body. Tang Yun trembled and staggered backward. ¡°How is it, Ms. Tang? I told you, you can''t harm me with your paltry skills. The ws in yourbat skills are so obvious that no matter how hard you try, you''ll never defeat me!¡± Ye Fan, whose voice reverberated through the air, held Sword of Yunyang and stood condescendingly against the moonlit sky. Tang Yun stood still and kept mum. Her exquisite face was devoid of emotions. No one could tell how stupefied she was. The numbness she felt on her arm even caused her to shudder in fear. H-How is this possible? His swordsmanship is superb. How can he be so invincible? Even I can''t take him down with Ice Stream! Tang Yun looked at him with a grim expression. She no longer dared to look down on the man standing before her. She was still reeling in shock from the dominating aura Ye Fan exuded during the battle. Never in my life had Ie across anyone who could challenge me. I''ve misjudged him. A man chosen by Chu Sect''s ancestor and ancient master is certainly not to be trifled with. ¡°Stop wasting your time anymore, Tang Yun. Show me Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. This is your only chance to win the battle.¡± Ye Fan''s deep voice echoed loud and clear. He stood between the horizons and stared down apathetically at Tang Yun. How the tables had turned just after a brief fight. Now, Ye Fan had risen above Tang Yun. The arrogant head of Chu Sect had instantly be inferior to him. Nheless, that was not Tang Yun''s biggest worry. She was more concerned about how Ye Fan found out about Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. ¡°Who are you? How did you know I''ve mastered Cloud and Mist Sword Technique?¡± The expression on Tang Yun''s face changed drastically. Shock was written all over her face when she looked at the man in disbelief. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . The Cloud and Mist Sword Technique was a long-lost martial arts skill, and only a few people were aware of its existence. Yet, the man standing before her knew Cloud and Mist Sword Technique was her trump card. Chapter 2150 Chapter 2150 ¡°I don''t only know that. I know how to use it too. Besides, I was the one who taught you Cloud and Mist Sword Technique,¡± Ye Fan''s authoritative voice boomed through Mount Yunding. A cold gust of wind blew through the starry night. ¡°Quiet!¡± Tang Yun screamed hysterically, ¡°How would you know how to use the technique if the Tang family never taught you swordy? I''ve always considered you, Chu Tianfan, a great and invincible hero. It seems like I''m wrong, though. You''re only a man who knows how to spew nonsense.¡± Frostiness and anger were evident in Tang Yun''s voice as she spoke. I hate men like Ye Fan who spreads rumors and lies through his teeth. Does he know how hard it is to master Cloud and Mist Sword Technique? After all, I''m the only one who excels at it in the Tang family. Chu Tianfan is just an abandoned son of the Chu family. How in the world would he know the sword technique of the Tang family? What''s worse? How dare he says I learned the sword technique from him? This is absurd! I''m the leader of Chu Sect. I would never learn sword technique from a nobody like him. Plus, I''m the Grandmaster in swordsmanship. Who else could topple me from my stronghold in swordsmanship? Ye Fan doesn''t have what it takes to teach me sword technique! But then again, this is not my priority now. If my Ice Stream can''t defeat Ye Fan, I have to turn to Cloud and Mist Sword Technique to get rid of him now. Initially, Tang Yun didn''t want to use Cloud and Mist Sword Technique to battle with Ye Fan because even though the technique was powerful and almighty, it also required massive energy. Tang Yun''s capability would be reduced significantly after she finished the whole set of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. If any mishaps happened after that, she didn''t have the confidence to keep it in control. However, the current situation didn''t give her the time to rethink her options. ¡°Since you are so keen to peek at the ultimate swordsmanship of the Tang family, I will show it to you now. Chu Tianfan, you should be proud that you can die while witnessing Cloud and Mist Sword Technique,¡± Tang Yun dered. Her eyes turned frosty as she gathered Ice Stream aura. The ground underneath her gradually turned to ice as she did so. The crowd felt as if all energy surrounding them had been summoned to Tang Yun as soon as she finished her words. At the same time, the Seven Foot Green de in Tang Yun''s hand gradually began to shine. It wasn''t long before the de glimmered sharply. ¡°The universe beckons while the crescent moon begs for me to hold it! The first strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique: Wind Flow.¡± Swish! Tang Yun''s de pierced through the air. The glint on the de brightened the area. Cloud and Mist Sword Technique made its reappearance after a few years. The crowd noticed that Tang Yun''s glimmering sword drew a round moon-shaped sword wheel in the sky while the terrifying power engulfed the entire location. After the first strike, Tang Yun moved gracefully, her hair flowing gently behind her as she continued her pace. ¡°How much do you hate this merciless world? Don''t spend the night crying solitarily. The second strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique: Ice Heart!¡± Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Light rays bounced off Tang Yun''s sword, and the sword energy surged forth with the sounds of the swinging sword echoing in the air. It was as if wandering souls were crying in the dark night. The scary sounds and the intense sword energy traveled forward toward Ye Fan. ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°What a terrifying aura!¡± ¡°She''s so good at it!¡± ¡°What an impressive swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Who created this sword technique?¡± Once an expert made their move, one would know whether that person was as exceptional as they thought. Sword Saint, who had his legs broken, was so shocked by the two moves Tang Yun made that he stood up with his broken sword. He watched the scene unfold with terror in his eyes, unable to believe what he had just seen. What he didn''t know, though, was this was just the beginning. The strikes that Tang Yun had just shown were the start of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. Until now, Tang Yun had only used two stances. She hasn''t even finished starting Cloud and Mist Sword Technique yet. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ¡°Let this sword be a mighty dragon. Don''t look back when you die. The third strike: Green Dragon!¡± Tang Yun shouted. ¡°The fourth strike: Memoria!¡± ¡°The fifth strike: Unicus!¡± The dragon traveled through all four seas while the sword swung through the sky as Tang Yun used Unicus and Memoria in her swordy. The five continuous strikes that she made resulted in the swelling of Jianghai. The relentless sword energy rushed like waves. Tang Yun''s moves were spot-on, clear, smooth, and threatening. She controlled the energy in the ce like she was some deity. Her sword was like an almighty dragon, and her movements were agile and graceful. The majestic sword intent, the excellent sword tactic, and the frightening might that Tang Yun radiated surprised everyone present. Now, even the half-dead King of Fighters sat up in shock. ¡°Even though we are not in the god realm, I imagine we are in it now. This sword technique is so great, I think only energy from the god realm could defeat it,¡± The King of Fighters screamed with his eyes widened. It seemed like his mind had gone haywire. However, just when everyone thought the sword technique was over, Tang Yun began to fly toward the sky amidst the blowing wind. She swung her sword, determined for another round of attack. ¡°Could it be...¡± ¡°There''s more to Cloud and Mist Sword Technique?¡± D*mn it! Sword Saint and the rest were petrified, while King Folo and his peers were frozen. ¡°Oh my god! Are five strikes not enough? Is she going to use the sixth strike too? Five strikes from her are already scary enough. What kind of terror will the sixth strike bring? Oh, can Cloud and Mist Sword Technique get any more formidable than this?¡± King of Fighters and the rest yelled. But their voices were quickly drowned out by the howling winds. Tang Yun''s sixth strike happened at the same time. ¡°Those who have been through pain will understand the misery of the people. I once have attachments, and now, I have none. If one wishes to worship god, one must first cleanse their heart. The sixth strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique: Dismemberment.¡± Tang Yun''s de glinted like a single source of light in the darkness. Like a fire, it burned dangerously on a winter night. As she finished herst words, the sixth strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique charged toward Ye Fan with an unbreakable force and unrivaled might. The riveting sword intent plunged everything in its immediate surroundings below zero temperatures. Ice formed over all surfaces as snow began to fall. Everyone on Mount Yunding felt like they had just fallen into a frozen cer. Nheless, things were far from over. After that, Tang Yun swung her de for the seventh strike. ¡°The wind is silent, and my heart is a void. No shadows will exist under the light where my sword swings. The seventh strike: The Unseen.¡± Swish! The intense sword energy swept across the calm sky. The sword energy of Unseen cut through the ces around them. It went straight for Ye Fan like the domineering aura that it was. ¡°It''s so powerful!¡± ¡°Oh, it''s so impressive!¡± ¡°It''s unbeatable.¡± ¡°Chu Tianfan is dead meat! He is doomed.¡± ¡°Let''s get out of here, Duolun! We are next if Chu Tianfan dies.¡± King Folo realized that Tang Yun had gotten to the sixth strike while the other three Supreme were astonished by the progress of the incident as horror and respect filled their eyes. On the other hand, Ye Fan, who was on a knife edge, did not flinch whening face-to-face with Tang Yun''s unparalleled force. Like a calm monk, he watched everything with a rxed smile. The man did not panic at all when confronted by the heavy rain, strong wind, and raging sword energy. Meanwhile, Tang Yun felt like Ye Fan was just pretending to be calm in front of her. She thought that Ye Fan was a hypocrite. Cloud and Mist Sword Technique is the most powerful sword technique now. Even my Master was shocked when he saw me using them. I''m sure Chu Tianfan is scared senseless. He is just pretending to be nonchnt now. He''s putting up an act, trying to remain calm. Soon, my sword technique will reveal the panic and fear underneath his calmposure. In contrast to Tang Yun''s demeanor, Ye Fan watched as Tang Yun yed out the six-strike of Cloud and Mist Technique. He smiled as mixed emotions of relief and regret shed across his face. ¡°Yun, have you finally mastered the seventh strike? Your Cloud and Mist Sword Technique has greatly improved over the years.¡± Chapter 2151 Chapter 2151 In a matter of seconds, Tang Yun delivered seven swings of her sword in rapid session. The power of her seemingly unending attacks engulfed the area. It was as if Mount Yunding had turned into a glowing sea in the blink of an eye, for the shine of the sword illuminated everywhere. Sword energy could be found in every spot of thend. ¡°My god... Is this really something a human is capable of?¡± Jiang Yng and the others were frightened out of their wits. These people were the ones who thought that they had reached the peak of the world with the talents they had. They thought they had seen through the world from knowledge obtained from books. It was at that moment they realized their decades of studying only allowed them to learn the tip of the iceberg of the world. If nothing else, the sword energy before Jiang Yng and his sister was challenging their worldviews. Meanwhile, Ye Fan, who was in the middle of the sword energy, still had a look of nonchnce on his face. Sword of Yunyang was in his hand, and it was as if the weapon was a sleeping dragon. Once its master made the order, the dragon would wake to soar into the sky. However, Ye Fan was not in a rush to make his move. He quietly watched as Tang Yun twirled her sword and summon a hurricane of sword energy. When he turned his focus back to Tang Yun''s Cloud and Mist Sword Technique again, a wave of complicated feelings washed over Ye Fan. For a moment, he thought he was back at the old house, practicing his swordsmanship with Tang Yun. Back then, she was still his, and all was good. He could even remember the warmth of the sunlight and the scent of the flowers of that summer. It was still the same moon that shone upon them, but everything had changed. Despite the mncholy in his heart, Ye Fan felt a tinge of relief as well. He was d that the woman he had personally trained was a good swordswoman. At the very least, she did not let him down as she had mastered the first seven strikes of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. Even Ye Fan himself could not find any ws in her moves. She had forgotten about him, but she had be stronger. As the saying went, a heart without a man was a heart that could wield a sword better. On the first page of the swordsmanship guide was: The very first thing you must do is to cut ties with the person you love. Perhaps that was the case for Tang Yun. She had chosen swordsmanship over Ye Fan. Theplex feelings continued to swirl within Ye Fan, and the sorrow was starting to overwhelm his heart. He felt dejected like a lost soul. However, what the people did not notice was how sword intent was starting to umte as Ye Fan''s emotions turned intense. However, the sword intent was vastly different from the sword intent of other swordsmen. It was soft, and it was an unending yearning for someone. Moreover, the sword intent seemed to have gained a physical form after its manifestation. Even Sword Saint and the others who were not involved in the battle were affected by it. At that very moment, the people felt that the one standing in front of them was no longer Chu Tianfan, whose terrifying reputation preceded him. Instead, they were looking at a softhearted swordsman whose heart was filled with nothing but love. Thus, women were charmed, and men''s hearts ached as they watched on. After a moment of being in a daze, Sword Saint snapped back to his senses and found himself covered in ayer of cold sweat. ¡°Did... Did this guy''s sword intent just affect my emotion?¡± Sword Saint was astounded. It was something beyond his knowledge on swordsmanship. He had no idea how much someone had toprehend swordsmanship to be able to transform their emotions into sword intent and utilize it as a weapon. Ye Fan was instilling feelings into the sword. He was making his sword techniques almost alive. ¡°No, that''s not right. Swords should not be wielded this way. Emotions have no ce in swordsmen''s world. A true swordsman should only have nothing but swordsmanship in his mind. Only by doing that will he be able to train himself to be the finest swordsman. Simrly, kings must not be swayed by emotions. The strongest attack in the way of swordsmanship has to be the sword of those with iron hearts. Chu Tianfan is messing around! If he uses this move, he''s bound to die!¡± Sword Saint said with utmost confidence. Sword Saint had been training in swordsmanship since young. In the past, he clung to his emotions and worldly desires. Hence, he faced constant obstacles in his pursuit of the art of swordsmanship. It was onlyter on did he reject his feelings and abandoned his wife and daughter did his sword techniques improved. After that, he became one of the pirs of China. Therefore, to Sword Saint, only those swordsmen who were iron-hearted could see the right way in the path of swordsmanship. Sword Saint was not the only one. When Tang Yun sensed Ye Fan''s sword intent, she sneered in disdain. ¡°Is this your sword intent? Perhaps you''re a man of many feelings, but unfortunately, the way of swordsmanship means training without the distractions of worldly desires. You''ve already made the wrong choice, so how will you ever train yourself to be the best swordsman?¡± The look in Tang Yun''s eyes was one of contempt. She had rxed after the seven continuous strikes. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Even though there was no definite victor in the battle yet, Tang Yun was already sure of who was going to lose. Cloud and Mist Sword Technique was a technique she had inherited from her family, the Tang family, and it was as powerful as the Chu family''s Invoke the Celestial Sky. Furthermore, she was the one utilizing that technique. Therefore, there was no way Ye Fan was going to turn the tables at this rate. Tang Yun was confident, and she took pride in her skill. Tang Yun''s chest rose and fell as she quietly panted. ¡°It still takes much out of me, huh?¡± Tang Yun was breathing much more rapidly than before. Regardless of everything, the rapid seven strikes earlier had tired her out a little. Cloud and Mist Sword Technique was undeniably powerful, but it took a toll on the user''s stamina. Still, it''s worth it if this takes out Chu Tianfan. Tang Yun was rather pleased. Then, she stood still and stared at the spot ahead of her, waiting for Ye Fan to be defeated by her Undefeatable. s, things did not go as she expected them to. Right as Tang Yun''s strike reached the spot in front of Ye Fan, he finally moved his Sword of Yunyang. He moved as quickly as lightning. The only thing the crowd could see was Ye Fan looking as if he was dancing with his Sword of Yunyang. Sword energy burst out of Sword of Yunyang. At the start, Tang Yun was unperturbed by the sword energy. To her, Ye Fan was someone she did not need to be wary of even if he knew how to fight with a sword, for she felt he barely qualified as a swordsman. How can someone who favors Form over power in sword fighting be capable ofing up with a powerful sword technique? Therefore, even though Ye Fan had started to counterattack, Tang Yun still had a confident and prideful look on her face¡ªshe continued to look down on Ye Fan. It was as though she was a master swordsman watching a young boy do his first swings. She was so confident in her swordsmanship that she simply could not fathom anyoneing close to her in terms of skill. However, Tang Yun''sposed demeanor did notst for long. In no time, Ye Fan had dealt his first strike. ¡°The universe beckons while the crescent moon begs for me to hold it! The first strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique: Wind Flow!¡± Whoosh! The sword pierced through the air as the glint of the de lit up the area. A crescent began to form where Ye Fan''s sword swung. That was a shape formed by the condensation of sword energy¡ªthe physical form of sword intent. The moment Tang Yun saw that, she was stupefied. Her pretty eyes widened. Shock and confoundment were written across her usually-somber face. ¡°W-What? This is Cloud and Mist Sword Technique! H-How can this be? How can Chu Tianfan know my family''s Cloud and Mist Sword Technique? This is impossible!¡± Astonishment crashed onto Tang Yun like tidal waves. She could not believe that an outsider to the Tang family was performing her family''s exclusive technique. The sense of superiority she had previously dissipated. It was reced by confusion and surprise. Who is Chu Tianfan? Could it be that he''s someone who has a deep connection with my family? Chapter 2152 Chapter 2152 Ha! This is impossible! There is an unsalvageable grudge between Chu Tianfan and my master, and he''s also an archenemy of Chu Sect. How can the Tang family have any kind of connection with a demon like him? He must have copied it after he saw how I performed it. Still, no matter how gifted you are, you can never replicate the essence of the Tang family''s Cloud and Mist Sword Technique after just one nce. Tang Yun mused as she shook her head. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She was not going to believe that Ye Fan had anything to do with her family for she believed that Ye Fan was only capable of mimicking her move. With those thoughts in mind, the surprise she felt disappeared. Since this is something he just copied, there''s no way it''s going to be anything powerful. My next strike will surely counter it. However, was that really going to happen? Right as Tang Yun was mulling over the matter, Ye Fan unleashed his second and third strikes. ¡°How much do you hate this merciless world? Don¡¯t spend the night crying solitarily. The second strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique: Ice Heart!¡± A while after, he cried out, ¡°The third strike: Green Dragon!¡± Then, it was, ¡°The fourth strike: Memoria!¡± Whoosh! The rays reflecting off the sword enveloped the entire space as the sounds of the swinging sword echoed in the air. Those who heard it would momentarily think that they were listening to a couple sharing their sorrows. Tang Yun was initially calm when she saw Ye Fan performing Ice Heart. However, by the time he performed the third and the fourth strike, the look on her face was starting to change. Once Ye Fan performed the fifth strike, Unicus, Tang Yun lost her cool. ¡°He... Did he learn the fifth move just by seeing how I perform it once? Is he even human?¡± Tang Yun could barely tamp down the shock she experienced. She knew how difficult it was to fathom Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. She had intended to teach the technique to her disciple, Chu Qitian, but even after half a year, Chu Qitian could not even perform one strike. Even though he was only mimicking her, she was still surprised that he was capable of remembering everything up to the fifth move. Tang Yun could not help but feel relieved. Thank god Chu Tianfan has never seen Cloud and Mist Sword Technique before, and thank god I never performed it in front of him. Otherwise, he would certainly be a match for me if he trains in this technique. While Tang Yun was still reeling in from the shock, Ye Fan hadpleted five strikes. The endless sword energy rushed toward her like waves that threatened to devour her. Right as Tang Yun thought that Ye Fan was already at his limits by copying her five moves, Ye Fan lifted his sword into the air again. ¡°Those who have been through pain will understand the misery of the living. I once have attachments, and now, I have none. If one wishes to worship god, one must first cleanse their heart. The sixth strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique: Dismemberment.¡± Right as those words were out of Ye Fan''s mouth, the strike of Dismemberment was unleashed. However, it was different from Tang Yun''s aggressive strike; Ye Fan''s strike was woeful and tender. Indeed, those words meant to describe a person were now used to describe Ye Fan''s strike. ¡°The wind is silent, and my heart is a void. No shadows will exist under the light where my sword swings. The seventh strike: The Unseen.¡± Yet another strike was dealt as Ye Fan unleashed his seventh strike, Unseen. It was nothing close to aggression, and nor did it seem intimidating. There were only feelings of yearning and mncholy in his swing. It was as if Ye Fan was not fighting and was narrating a tragic love story instead. Every strike he performed was a chapter of the story. When all the strikes were connected, there revealed a story of the tragic life of two lovers. Perhaps it was because they were affected by Ye Fan''s sword intent, for the people on Mount Yunding began shedding tears. In seven mere strikes, the people around had watched the twists and turns of a man''s life and his yearning. It was not just merely a sword technique, but a technique that was injected with life. Ye Fan had brought life to Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. While everyone was dazed by Ye Fan''s sword intent, Sword Saint was roaring in fury. ¡°This is absurd! Stop this nonsense! This is not the way you wield a sword. A sword technique is merciless, so how can you channel your emotions into it? You''re an outcast! You''re doing this wrongly! Chu Tianfan, you were smart your whole life, but at this very moment, you''re nothing but a fool! You were wrong from the moment you began practicing the way of swordsmanship. Nothing but failure awaits you! Do you understand?¡± What Sword Saint was most worried about had happened. Ye Fan''s swordsmanship was full of emotions. It was wrong for one to imbue one''s emotions into one''s sword technique in the study of swordsmanship, for that meant that one would never be able to develop their potential. It was something that went against the way of the sword. Therefore, Sword Saint only felt despair even when he saw Ye Fan releasing the seven strikes of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. He was sure that Ye Fan was bound to fail. In fact, Sword Saint was not the only one who thought that¡ªit was the same for Tang Yun. ¡°Chu Tianfan, aren''t you a dramatic one? A sword is meant to kill, not to tell a tale and gain sympathy from others. Your swordsmanship is doomed to fail from the start.¡± Although she was shaken by how Ye Fan had managed to perform the seven strikes of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique, that was all she felt. The result of the battle still would not change. To Tang Yun, it did not matter even if Ye Fan learned the technique. The effect of the same technique would be vastly different when performed by different people. Both were techniques of seven strikes, but Ye Fan''s seventh strike would be as weak as a feather''s p. As Tang Yun watched on confidently, the two identical techniques collided in battle. Tang Yun''s strikes were aggressive, and her first strike¡ªWind Flow¡ªimmediately countered three of Ye Fan''s strikes. At that, Tang Yun sneered. ¡°I thought my first strike would be able to counter six of your strikes. It seems like your mimicry has some power in it¡ªI could only counter three of your strikes. Still, this is the end,¡± Tang Yunmented with a chuckle. After the first strike came the second strike, Ice Heart. The two strikes sliced through Ye Fan''s following three strikes like a hot knife through butter. Six out of Ye Fan''s seven strikes were countered by then. ¡°So he really can''t do this.¡± The crowd on Mount Yunding sighed and shook their heads in disappointment. At the same time, Gaius and the others were ready to rush forward and save Ye Fan. In contrast, Chu Yuan burst outughing and imed that it was time for Ye Fan to die. Sword Saint could not bear to watch the scene any longer. I have said that the right path of swordsmanship can only be attained by swordsmen who are iron-hearted. Nevertheless, just as everyone was sure that Ye Fan was going to be defeated, he abruptly lifted his head to smile at Tang Yun. ¡°Six of your seven strikes have already been countered. Death is upon you, so why are you still smiling?¡± she questioned. Ye Fan muttered, ¡°I only need one strike to defeat you.¡± Whoosh! Ye Fan''s invisible seventh strike came with feelings of yearning and sorrow. It was like thest strike of despair from a dying swordsman who had cast away his emotions. Even though it was just one strike, it was one devastating strike. Chapter 2153 Chapter 2153 However, even as Ye Fan swung hisst strike at Tang Yun, thetter wasn''t at all concerned. She only gazed at him with contempt and disdain. I didn''t expect Chu Tianfan to still put on a tough front. I have already fended off six of his strikes. Can''t he tell what situation he''s in? Does he think his strange sword technique couldpare to mine? Can''t he see that he isn''t my match at all? The more he puts on a tough front, the more I look down on him. How can he be so arrogant when he''s on the verge of death? He''s nothing but a joke. Under Tang Yun''s scornful gaze, Ye Fan swung, and finally, his seventh strike met the first of Tang Yun''s seven strikes for theirst fight! Tang Yun wasn''t at all nervous. It''s obvious who''s going to win. Ye Fan''s six strikes could even defeat my one single move. Even if his last strike is the most powerful and may block one or two of my strikes, it''s not going to help. There''s nothing he can do to turn the table. Impassively and calmly, Tang Yun waited for Ye Fan''s defeat and for everything toe to an end. However, while she was thinking of that, the scene she was expecting did not happen. Ye Fan''sst strike quickly and effortlessly sliced through her first strike. ¡°Seems like this strike is quite powerful,¡± Tang Yun muttered, slightly surprised, but that was it. I still have six more moves. Ye Fan only beat my first move. However, this thought didn''tst long as a secondter, Ye Fan''s seventh strike immediately shattered Tang Yun''s second strike, Ice Heart, and third strike, Green Dragon.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What?¡± Tang Yun finally lost herposure as signs of shock began appearing on her beautiful face. It seems like I have underestimated Chu Tianfan. Still, Tang Yun was only shocked. She did not panic yet. Each strike in Cloud and Mist Sword Technique gets progressively more powerful. He only defeated three of my strikes. I still have four left, and the four strikes will only be more powerful. Chu Tianfan has no way of turning things around! Confident in her sword technique, Tang Yun still thought she could win. Yet, nothing was definite in this world. The force of Ye Fan''s seventh strike, after destroying Tang Yun''s first three moves, didn''t dwindle, so his sword mmed against Tang Yun''s remaining strikes. Whoosh! Light rays bounced off his sword, and sword energy surged forth as he wielded his seventh strike. His sword shed cleanly without any hesitation at her. With that, Ye Fan''s seventh strike unleashed an unstoppable force in all directions. Memoria, Unicus, and Dismemberment didn''t evenst a moment under Ye Fan''s seventh strike. In a blink of an eye, Ye Fan''s seventh strike shattered those sword techniques as if they were nothing. ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°How is this possible?¡± Chu Yuan, Chu Tianqi, and the others were dumbstruck upon seeing that. Even Sword Saint, martial artists of Jiangdong and Dragon God Hall were utterly shocked by the result. They had thought the two had equal prowess, so the battle would be at an impasse, but in the end, it was a crushing defeat for Tang Yun. Ye Fan''s single strike destroyed Tang Yun''s six strikes. That devastating force was so mighty that it could sweep up fallen leaves and even melt snow. ¡°T-This isn''t possible!¡± ¡°It''s impossible!¡± ¡°How can hisst strike be so strong?¡± Tang Yun was finally panicking. Fear and shock were written all over her usually elegant-looking but expressionless face. Never did she expect this oue, but she wasn''t someone to admit defeat easily. I haven''t lost yet. Ye Fan only destroyed six of my strikes. I still have a trump card just like him¡ªmy seventh strike. If the seventh strike of Ye Fan''s fake Cloud and Mist Sword Technique can already exude such power, then the seventh strike of my authentic Cloud and Mist Sword Technique will only be more powerful. It will immediately pierce through him! That was what Tang Yun thought, as she was full of confidence. She didn''t believe her swordsmanship would lose to Ye Fan''s, nor did she believe her mastery over her family''s sword technique would be worse than an outsider''s. With that, Tang Yun and Ye Fan''s seventh strike, Unseen, met each other for one final time in this all- or-nothing battle. However, the scene Tang Yun was expecting did not happen. The moment their strikes met, the sword intent of Tang Yun''s Unseen dissipated while the sword intent of Ye Fan''s Unseen, which conveyed his endless love, destroyed all that stood in its way. One versus seven! His single strike destroyed Tang Yun''s seven strikes. It was aplete and an overwhelming defeat for her. Probably no one had expected Tang Yun, the Best Swordmaster, to be so powerless before Ye Fan. Yet, the sword intent of Ye Fan''s Unseen, after slicing through the force of Tang Yun''s attack, did not lose its momentum and shed right into her chest. ¡°Ms. Tang!¡± ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Stop it, b*stard!¡± The eyes of the members of Chu Sect were red with tears gathered in them as they shouted. Chu Qitian also roared as he struggled with all his might. Some members of Chu Sect even wanted to run over to save Tang Yun by taking the blow for her, but how could weak martial artists like them join such a powerful battle? They couldn''t even get close. Just when they ran a few steps in her direction, Ye Fan''s overwhelming sword intent sent them flying into the air. Everyone could only watch on as Tang Yun, the head of Chu Sect, who everyone feared due to her unrivaled might, influence, and position besides admiring her beauty, met her death by Ye Fan''s sword. They were all sure Tang Yun was dead meat. Behind them, Chu Lin, riding on ckie, felt pain suddenly pierce through his heart for some reason, and he started crying uncontrobly. I suddenly feel so sorrowful, as if the most important person in my life is leaving me soon. ¡°Daddy, no...¡± Chu Lin cried subconsciously. But it was toote. Swish! The sword intent of Unseen cut through Tang Yan. Immediately, blood bloomed on her clothes, and her hair fell softly against her face. Even the moon seemed to fade away while everyone stared on as Ye Fan''s sword intent pierced her body. Blood sttered down, and her sword energy was a mess. The gorgeous Tang Yan fell from the sky like a golden bird before crashing to the ground below. Fresh blood dyed the clothes around her chest crimson red. As Tang Yun plummeted, all the light that surrounded her, all her prowess and air of regalness disappeared. Since the beginning of time, ¡°the winner takes it all¡± while the loser would lose everything. Silence hung in the air for a long time. The dead silence that descended upon Mount Yunding made everyone feel like they had entered a vacant hell. ¡°H-How can this be? That brat won? T-This doesn''t make sense! This doesn''t fit the concept of swordsmanship!¡± Sword Saint stood still for a long time, dazed, as he stared at Ye Fan. His heart pounded furiously from the shock. At that moment, he felt his decades of training and understanding of swordsmanship had been overturned. A sword knows no warmth, but is a heartless sword intent really the most powerful strike? ¡°Chu Tianfan, you b*stard! You''re ruthless! You killed Master! You killed her! Master is so pretty. You b*stard! How can you bear to hurt her?¡± Chu Qitian screamed crazily as he tried to attack Ye Fan, but he couldn''t move an inch as Demonic Duo held him down with all their might. Ye Qingtian, who stood a short distance away, was also sorrowful when he saw Tang Yun copse. ¡°A stunning beauty hase to her end. This is the end of a beautiful legend.¡± Chapter 2154 Chapter 2154 At that moment, silence befell the mountain. Ye Fan was the only person who was standing proudly on the summit of Mount Yunding. Everybody else froze on the spot. Their feelings were a mixture of rm, terror, sadness, and resignation. Tang Yun was once a renowned figure in the martial arts world. Like Ye Fan, she had been a rising star in the martial arts world and a legend. Yet, she eventually met her end. Nobody expected Tang Yun might still be alive after getting stabbed in the chest by Ye Fan''s sword. After all, the crowd had witnessed how powerful Ye Fan was. His final blow was akin to the descent of heavenly deities. He had managed to destroy Tang Yun''s seven strikes with Undefeatable. Therefore, it was utterly impossible for Tang Yun to survive after getting pierced in her chest. However, just when everyone thought that the woman had finally met her end, Tang Yun''s bloody figure slowly staggered to her feet from the pile of rubble ahead. ¡°What the...¡± ¡°Is she... alive?¡± Everyone was dumbfounded. War God widened his eyes, while expressions of disbelief crossed the faces of Sword Saint and the other onlookers. Once their feelings of shock had subsided, looks of indescribable happiness began to appear on the faces of Chu Sect''s members. She''s still alive! Ms. Tang is still alive! Apparently, Ye Fan''s final blow was not fatal, for he had missed by a few inches. Although his sword had pierced Tang Yun''s chest, it had gone through her left shoulder. As such, fresh blood stained Tang Yun''s sleeve, turning it a bright shade of scarlet. Even though Ye Fan''s sword intent had greatly depleted Tang Yun''s energy, the woman survived. However, life and death were no longer important to Tang Yun now. With a pale face, she forced herself to stand up amidst the pile of rubble. Unlike in the past, there was no longer any trace of dignity and elegance on Tang Yun''s face. Instead, she looked pitiful and wretched. ¡°W-Why? H-How could it be? I used the Tang family''s Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. H-How did I lose to an outsider like you? You''ve only just studied this technique, but I''ve studied it for years! So, why am I still not as skilled as you? Why? Why?¡± she eximed in despair, simply refusing to ept reality. Tang Yun recalled how confident she was a few minutes ago and how she had felt she disyed exceptional swordsmanship. Moreover, she had thought that Ye Fan was making a fool of himself and being aughing stock by using the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. However, Tang Yun did not expect that she was the one who was making a fool of herself and being theughing stock. Naturally, she was immensely affected by her defeat. The pride and dignity she once had were now crushed. For the longest time, Tang Yun was revered as the head of Chu Sect and a legendary figure. Right now, she was nothing but an individual who had lost to the man before her. Meanwhile, Ye Fan held his sword and stood still expressionlessly as he eyed Tang Yun, who was in a state of absolute despair. There was neither joy nor sorrow on his handsome face. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . In fact, to Ye Fan, there was nothing joyous about defeating Tang Yun. On the contrary, he felt a sense of pity and woe. If he had a choice, he wished that this battle had never taken ce. ¡°Tell me, w-why? Why was I defeated?¡± Tang Yun whimpered. Blood was still trickling down the corner of her mouth. Losing arge amount of blood had caused Tang Yun to turn pale. Furthermore, she grew weaker with each passing moment, and darkness started to envelop the world before her. Still, all of these did not matter anymore. Even life and death were no longer important to Tang Yun. To her, her sword was the most important thing. Tang Yun wanted to know how she got defeated by Ye Fan and lost the fight. After all, the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique was the Tang family''s technique, and Tang Yun had studied it for a longer time than Ye Fan. Moreover, it was clear that Ye Fan''s sword attacks were random and sloppy. It went against the idea of swordsmanship. Yet, she was the one who had lost the fight. Observing Tang Yun''s puzzled expression, Ye Fan replied coolly, ¡°Tang Yun, I know you''ve forgotten about it. However, I must tell you that I, Chu Tianfan, was the one who taught you the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique in the first ce.¡± He added, ¡°In other words, I am your swordsmanship master. Therefore, how are you supposed to defeat me when I was the one who taught you this technique?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Tang Yun shook her head incredulously, refusing to believe Ye Fan''s exnation. ¡°You''re an enemy of Chu Sect, and you''ve killed so many of our members. Therefore, I couldn''t have learned from you. Stop lying! Furthermore, this technique belongs to the Tang family. How could you, an outsider, be familiar with it? You couldn''t have taught me this technique...¡± Her gaze was filled with horror as she spoke. Still, Ye Fan stared at Tang Yun and said coldly, ¡°Stop deceiving yourself, Tang Yun. Did you really assume that I learned the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique today? The truth is, we met each other a few years ago.¡± After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°Your Dragon God Body and Cloud and Mist Sword Technique were acquired by me via Joint Cultivation. Otherwise, how do you exin the fact that I''m also proficient in this sword technique?¡± Ye Fan''s words rendered Tang Yun speechless. Her mind was in a total state of confusion, and her head hurt badly. It felt as if she could not recall a very important memory. Ye Fan added, ¡°You wonder how you were defeated by me, even though you used the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique as well. Well, I told you the reason for this when we battled at Mount Chumen three years ago.¡± He exined calmly, ¡°The Cloud and Mist Sword Technique''s sword intent is based on feminine energy. It''s a technique with emotion. You assume that you''ll be able to master the most powerful sword technique by being emotionally detached and casting all worldly desires aside. Perhaps doing so makes sense. Remaining unaffected by your emotions can help you focus on learning the sword technique. ¡°However, Yun, you didn''t know that you''d missed the point and headed down the wrong path by learning the sword technique in this manner. The essence of the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique revolves around its strong emotions. If you cast all emotions and worldly desires aside, you''ll never master the technique''s essence. You''ve done it the wrong way from the start, so how are you supposed to defeat me?¡± To Tang Yun, every word uttered by the man felt like a p to her face. She screamed hysterically, ¡°Shut up! That''s nonsense! It''s simply impossible. How could I fail to understand my family''s sword technique? And how do you, an outsider, know its essence? You''re lying... I couldn''t have learned it the wrong way... You''re an outsider, and you don''t understand the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique at all! Who are you to judge the Tang family''s technique?¡± Tang Yun''s eyes were bloodshot, and her pretty face was already covered in tears. It was her final disy of pride and dignity. She could ept Ye Fan being more skilled than she was, but he could not deny her swordsmanship. It was a swordsman''s final disy of pride and dignity. Plus, she could not ept the fact that she had been learning the technique the wrong way. Ye Fan shook his head and muttered coldly, ¡°The Tang family''s technique? Tang Yun, did you really assume that the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique was created by the ancestors of the Tang family? I''ll tell you the truth. The technique was invented by Chu Yunyang, an ancestor of the Chu family.¡± He went on, ¡°Back in the day, Mr. Yunyang invented this sword technique to convey his adoration and longing for one of your Tang family ancestors. He was always off fighting and conquering other ces, so he couldn''t apany her and give her the recognition she wanted. Feeling guilty, he also thought that he had forsaken her feelings. Thus, before Mr. Yunyang left, he gifted the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique to the Tang family.¡± Ye Fan paused for a while, then continued, ¡°Mr. Yunyang was the one who named the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. I didn''t make these facts up. They are recorded in the Book of Celestial Cloud, an heirloom of the Chu family. Hence, I, Chu Tianfan, am the rightful inheritor. So, do you think I have the right to judge the sword technique invented by my ancestor?¡± Chapter 2155 Chapter 2155 Ye Fan''s tone was firm as his words rang in the air. Tang Yun waspletely stunned when she heard that. She was unable to ept the fact that the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique she prided herself in was created by the Chu family''s ancestor. In other words, Ye Fan was the true inheritor of that technique. Shaking her head, she stubbornly eximed, ¡°No, t-that''s not true. I don''t believe you. You''re lying! You''re just speaking nonsense!¡± However, Ye Fan wasn''t interested in exining any further. ¡°It''s your choice if you want to believe it or not. In any case, I''ve defeated you. From today onward, you don''t have the right to look down on me any longer.¡± He was aware Tang Yun was an extremely strong-willed individual. There are many things she refuses to understand, not that she''s incapable of understanding them, including the fact that I once taught her sword techniques. She''s starting to believe what I said, but she just doesn''t want to admit it. In that case, I''m not going to force her. After all, my main enemy today is still Chu Yuan. After dealing with Tang Yun, Ye Fan stepped toward Chu Yuan with Sword of Yunyang in his hand. ¡°W-What are you nning to do?¡± The shocked Chu Yuan shuddered when he saw Ye Fan approaching him. A chill ran down his spine. ¡°What do you think, old man?¡± Ye Fan grinned with murderous intent. Finally, the moment I''ve been waiting for has arrived. After I was kicked out of Mount Chumen more than a decade ago, I married into the Qiu family and was pursued by Chu Sect for many years. I''ve suffered too much pain and taken too many detours. But now, I have arrived at my destination. It is time for me to inflict justice on the culprit behind my endless misery, Chu Yuan. This time, no one can stop me! When Chu Zhengliang tried to block his path, Ye Fan had sealed him at the peak of Mount Chumen. Then, when Chu Qitian stood in his way, he reduced the former to a mere prisoner. Half an hour ago, Tang Yun came here to stop him, but she was defeated by his hand as well. Now, no one could prevent him from exacting his revenge. Chu Yuan was finally starting to panic. His stately expression had withered away as he stared at Ye Fan with a frightened look. I could''ve never imagined this disowned child would grow to be so powerful more than ten yearster! Neither Chu Zhengliang, Tang Yun, nor the entire Chu Sect could stop him! And now, he basically has me by my throat. Is this heaven''s will? God''s will? Did the man in front of me descend from the heavens to stop me from achieving my grand ambitions? No one could understand how sorrowful he felt at that moment. I was so close to sess! So close to achieving my dream! I never expected to be defeated by the brat I disowned years ago! Despite hismentation, he wasn''t going to give up just like that. Squeezing out a smile, Chu Yuan said, ¡°I''m your grandfather, my dear grandson. Is it really necessary for you to do this? We''re a family! There''s no need to cause such a ruckus. Other people will make fun of us, you know. I was wrong to exile you back then. It''s my fault, and I apologize. I can still lead the Chu family to apologize to your mother and personally bring her back to the Chu residence. After that, I can send people to bring your father back, too. Don''t you think it''ll be nice if all four generations of the Chu family can live under the same roof? That little fellow over there is your son, right? I didn''t expect to have a great-grandson already. I''m truly getting old...¡± As he spoke, he stretched his hand toward Ye Fan in an attempt to pat thetter, like an elderly grandfather affectionately caressing his grandson''s head. Now that I''vepromised, Ye Fan will no doubt spare me. I know he''s a sentimental guy. Besides, I don''t think we have a massive grudge against each other. All I did back then was chase him and his mother out of the family. There''s no need for any blood to be shed over that. I just need to correct my mistake and invite his family back into the Chu family. At most, I''ll kneel in front of him and his mother before apologizing to them. Then, we''ll be able to keep on living as a loving family. Ye Fanughed when he heard that. Hisughter was filled with mockery and mncholy. ¡°Don''t you think it''s toote for you to say all that, old man? Three years ago, when I first visited Chu Sect, all I wanted was justice, and none of you gave that to me. Not only did all of you refuse to apologize to me, you even attacked Angie. Then, you gathered martial artists from around the world to surround me and force me tomit suicide! Only now do you see me as your grandson? Why didn''t you do so when you forced me tomit suicide? When you encircled Jiangdong before murdering my friends and family?¡± With each question he spat out unyieldingly, he took one thunderous, mighty step forward. In the end, Chu Yuan was rendered speechless as his cheeks flushed. ¡°I... I...¡± His mouth was wide open, yet he couldn''t formte a retort. Ultimately, he wore a bitter smile and shamelessly pleaded, ¡°It''s all just a big misunderstanding, my dear grandchild. I was just being silly back then. Now that I''ve snapped out of my foolishness, I won''t make the same mistake again. I promise I''ll make up for all my wrongdoings. We''re a family, rted by blood! Don''t you think you should let the past stay in the past?¡± ¡°Let the past stay in the past?¡± Ye Fan sneered with rage, ¡°That''s easy for you to say. I may be able to do that, but can Angie, whose eyes were gouged out and who is still currently unconscious, do that?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Can the people of Dragon God Hall you killed?¡± Each word he uttered resounded in all directions like thunder. When members of the Jones family heard what he said, they couldn''t help but cry, especially Angie''s brother, Michael. He was moved because he didn''t expect Ye Fan to remember his sister still or that she was one of the reasons Ye Fan faced Chu Sect. ¡°You''ve always had a better eye for people than me, Angie,¡± Michael muttered as he wiped his tears away. Gaius and the others were touched, too. So many of theirrades who fought alongside them and Ye Fan over the years were no longer around. Even though victory was at hand, Long Baichuan and the others couldn''t live to see it. ¡°Are you really determined to kill your grandfather? Even birds know how to repay the hand that feeds them. Are you going to show everyone that you can''t even do what birds can? Aren''t you afraid of being mocked by everyone for this unfilial act?¡± Chu Yuan was still trying to save his own skin. However, Ye Fan was done wasting his time with the man. ¡°Stop pretending, old man. You fooled everyone, but you can''t fool Old Madam Chu. She told me my silly grandfather was already dead. I found Chu Yuan''s grave on the Chu residence''s forbidden grounds. You''re just someone wearing Chu Yuan''s face. I do wonder who''s the person hiding underneath that mask.¡± Chapter 2156 Chapter 2156 With a yell, Ye Fan swung Sword of Yunyang toward Chu Yuan with fury. The Chu Sect members were shocked. ¡°No! How dare you?¡± Anderson and the others gasped in horror. Despair and fear filled Chu Yuan''s aged countenance. He never expected Chu Tianfan to be that willing to kill him. With no other way out, he ced hisst hope on Tang Yun. ¡°Save me, Yun!¡± Even though Tang Yun had been defeated, he was aware of the rtionship between her and Ye Fan. If Tang Yun was willing to protect him with her life, then there was a chance Ye Fan might obey her wishes. As he expected, Tang Yun still possessed love for her master. Without dy, she dashed toward Chu Yuan, opened her arms, and used her body to block Ye Fan''s attack. Swoosh! Ye Fan''s de narrowly avoided injuring Tang Yun, but the weapon still managed to cut a few strands of hair on her forehead, and its sharp sword energy still left a shallow wound on her face. Blood then slowly trickled down from the cut. It''s the same scene again. Back then, she was the reason I missed the perfect opportunity to wound Chu Yuan severely in Chu Sect. I didn''t expect the same scenario to repeat yearster. I can''t believe Tang Yun is still willing to use her own life to stop me. With an icy expression, Ye Fan roared, ¡°I don''t want to kill you, Tang Yun! Step aside!¡± His violent aura brought on powerful gusts of wind, causing the hair on Tang Yun''s forehead to flutter. Even though she was badly injured, and her face was somewhat sickly pale, she still stubbornly stood in front of Chu Yuan, blocking Ye Fan''s path. ¡°Just kill me. He''s my master. As long as I live, I won''t allow anyone to harm him.¡± The look in her eyes was resolute, as though she was prepared to face death. While I still can''t remember many things, I can recall my childhood. My mother passed away when I was young, my father was obsessed with martial arts, and my sister was lovesick. Ever since I was a child, I didn''t receive any familial love and was even ostracized by my family. Chu Yuan was the one who took me in, treated me as his own flesh and blood, taught me martial arts, and even allowed me to be the head of Chu Sect. It''s already hard for me to repay his kindness in this life, so I can''t just sit by and watch him be killed. Ye Fan was enraged. ¡°You idiotic woman! Didn''t you hear what I said earlier? This man is not Chu Yuan, and he''s definitely not your master! He died a long time ago and was buried in the Chu residence''s forbidden ground! The person behind you is just an imposter wearing his face!¡± Of course, neither Tang Yun nor anyone from Chu Sect believed him. After all, if Chu Yuan was dead, just as he said, then who was the person in front of them? Someone who looked like Chu Yuan? They had another reason to disbelieve Ye Fan. While a person''s appearance could be altered, their cultivation couldn''t. No one else in the world aside from Chu Yuan possessed god realm strength, so it wouldn''t make sense if he were a fake. Hence, everyone thought Ye Fan was just making up an excuse to absolve himself of the crime of familicide. After all, even though Chu Yuan deserved death, he was still Ye Fan''s biological grandfather. If Ye Fan denied that the man before him was Chu Yuan, then, morally, he wouldn''t be used of being unfilial. ¡°Cease your pointless ravings, Chu Tianfan. As the saying goes, winner takes all, so just do it,¡± Tang Yun spat. In reality, after she was bested by Ye Fan, she was already considering suicide. She found no reason to live after her pride and dignity were shattered. That was why she was so willing to protect her master with her life. ¡°What a good disciple you are, Tang Yun. What a good disciple.¡± Ye Fan was so furious that he smiled. His eyes were red as he growled lividly, ¡°You really think I don''t have the guts to kill you? Let me tell you something. Chu Yuan must die, and no one can stop me, not even you!¡± An enraged scowl settled on his face. Then, he attempted to smack Tang Yun''s forehead violently. ¡°Daddy, no!¡± Chu Lin cried out from behind him. Ye Qingtian and the others were also getting anxious and wanted to ask him to stop. That was because Tang Yun was a stunning beauty and a legendary figure who ruled the martial arts world for a period. They were worried the martial arts world would be boring again if she died. However, Ye Qingtian ultimately didn''t say those things out loud because Ye Fan had fought his way through many enemies and earned the right to decide how this matter ended. Since Ye Qingtian and the others hadn''t helped Ye Fan out, they believed they didn''t have the right to interfere with his decision. It was his choice to make whether he wanted to kill or spare Tang Yun. Just as Ye Fan''s giant palm was about to strike Tang Yun''s head, she closed her eyes, peacefully waiting for her death. Chu Yuan was shocked and admonished angrily, ¡°You''re a heartless b*stard, Chu Tianfan! She loved you! Betrayed Chu Sect for you! Yet you''re willing to kill her? You''re an animal, not a man!¡± I really didn''t expect him to be this ruthless! Does he not care about his past rtionship with her? So much so that he''s willing to kill her? Godd*mn, is this guy still human? Back then, Tang Yun loved him so much that she was willing to cast the position of Chu Sect''s head aside! She even kneeled before me and pleaded with me to spare him. I thought he still valued their rtionship and that he would concede because of her. It seems like I''ve underestimated his determination to kill me! Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Just as everyone thought Ye Fan was genuinely going to kill Tang Yun, and his palm was about tond on her forehead, in the end, he couldn''t do it. His rage eventually softened into tenderness. I can let go of just about everything except for her. Oh, Tang Yun. Did I owe you something in my past life? hemented silently. In an instant, he withdrew almost all the power in his deadly palm strike, gently hitting her chest and sending her flying away. Now, no one can stop me from ying Chu Yuan! Wielding his de, Ye Fan swung it toward Chu Yuan at lightning speed. ¡°It''s time for you to die, old man!¡± What? Chu Yuan was dumbstruck. A look of fear and despair swirled in his widened eyes. In thest moment of his life, he used nearly all of his energy to shout as loudly as he could. ¡°No! You can''t kill me! I''m your grandfather, Tang Yun''s master, and the head of Chu Sect!¡± As the de was swung downward, its sword energy bore down on Chu Yuan. Following that, a fountain of blood spurted out of his neck stump as his head dropped to the ground. Chapter 2157 Chapter 2157 A long silence ensued. The moment Chu Yuan''s head dropped to the ground, it was as though time itself had frozen. Everyone was stunned as they stared at the headless body. Suddenly, Mount Yunding fell into an indescribable quietness. ¡°Old Mr. Chu... is dead?¡± The Chu Sect fighters were rooted in ce, a dazed expression on their countenance as an unspeakable fear dawned on them. That feeling was akin to seeing the tree they had been relying on finally copse. The people who Chu Yuan had been protecting for decades were, at that moment, exposed to the world. A sense of loss, apprehension, disbelief, sorrow, and all sorts of emotions flooded into the hearts of the Chu Sect members nearly instantaneously. ¡°Grandpa!¡± Chu Qitian screamed as he fell to his knees. We lost! First, it was me. Then, it was Dad. And now, it''s Grandpa. All three generations of the Chu family were felled by Ye Fan single-handedly! I''m now a prisoner, Dad is still sealed at Mount Chumen, and Grandpa, who suffered the worst fate out of us three, was beheaded! ¡°I guess this is how a hero of a generation dies. Chu Yuan had iting, but it''s still a shame.¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint couldn''t help but release a long sigh after spacing out for a while. King Folo and Ye Qingtian were simrly feeling quite conflicted. While they were relieved Chu Yuan was dead, they weren''t all that joyous. After all, those in Ye Qingtian''s generation grew up listening to Chu Yuan''s legends. For a very long time, Ye Qingtian and the others saw Chu Yuan as a goal to strive for and a figure to defeat. Chu Yuan was a legendary, heroic figure who ruled over the global martial arts world for decades. He was undoubtedly the symbol of a bygone age and an existence that people revered. With his death, his venerable era hade to an end. ¡°From today onward, martial artists from all around the globe will forever remember one person''s name ¡ªChu Tianfan. Congrattions, young man. Your age has arrived.¡± The bloodied Ye Qingtian, leaning back against a huge stone, stared at the slender figure in front of him. I''m sad but also d. I''m mournful that I and the others have indeed grown old and that our era has passed. From today onward, the world is now in the hands of the younger generation like Ye Fan. On the other hand, I''m happy for Ye Fan for his achievements. Back then, when Ye Fan had only started showing himself in Jiangdong, he was the subject of many criticisms and controversies. There was even a short period when War God Castle saw him as a threat to national safety and wanted to kill him. Yet, a downtrodden man like him kept on climbing higher and higher until he was powerful enough to chop off the head of Chu Sect''s leader. His battle today saved not only China but also the global martial arts world. ¡°He did it. Master actually did it.¡± Moon God, whose dress was drenched in blood, teared up from where she had been watching nearby. Dragging her injured body forward, she wanted to hug her master. However, Xu Lei arrived by Ye Fan''s side first. She pounced into his arms, hugged him, and smiled through her tears. ¡°We won, Ye Fan. We finally won! From today onward, we won''t need to live in fear anymore!¡± Among everyone in the crowd, she knew him the longest. Therefore, she had witnessed every step of his transformation from a disowned child of the Chu family, to Mr. Chu of Jiangdong, then finally, to the yer of Chu Yuan and the destroyer of Chu Sect. She had been there to observe all of his wretched and glorious moments. Only she knew just how much pain Ye Fan had suffered and how many perils he had ovee to achieve his victory today. Xu Lei wasn''t the only one crying tears of joy. Ye Fan''s friends and family in Jiangdong, members of Dragon God Hall, as well as everyone who ever supported and helped him cheered when Chu Yuan fell. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°We won!¡± ¡°Ye Fan is awesome!¡± ¡°Victory is ours!¡± Cries of joy andughter were heard all across Mount Yunding. Fatty and ckie hugged each other. Even Huangniu was grinning. Everyone who was involved in that war was relishing their survival. They unreservedly released all the emotions that had been bottled up in their hearts for a long time. After all, only they were aware of just how cruel the war had been. At first, they knew only despair, but hope arrived when Ye Fan did. Then Tang Yun made her way onto the battlefield. As the battle raged on, they witnessed many twists and turns. Despair was repeatedly reintroduced before getting wiped away again. The crowd was mentally exhausted after experiencing such an intense emotional roller coaster ride. Thankfully, as agonizing as that ride had been, it ended on a happy note. Ye Fan turned his attention from the gleeful crowd to the crying Xu Lei in his embrace. Then, he gently brushed his hand over her delicate face. ¡°I told you before that I''m invincible, silly,¡± he uttered softly. However, as though saying that sentence had drained all of his energy, he paled and copsed in the next second. His body trembled as he spat out mouthfuls of blood. The battle was long and hard-fought, after all. His body was ultimately pushed to its limits. While Sword of Yunyang had replenished his strength, it had not actually healed his wounds. To make matters worse, Cloud and Mist Sword Technique depleted all of his power. His fatigue and injuries came back with a vengeance once the fight was over. As mighty as he was, he couldn''t hold all of it back anymore. Hence, he dropped to the ground. ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± ¡°Master!¡± The crowd swiftly called out to him when they saw him topple over and rushed to his side. Of course, they were afraid he would die during his victorious moment. Thankfully, his life wasn''t in any danger. He was just too weak. As hey in Xu Lei''s embrace, he smiled at the crowd and spoke in a barely audible voice. ¡°Don''t worry, everyone... I-I''m fine...¡± He was doing his best to calm everyone down. It was then Ye Fan noticed Suzumiya Eigetsu, who appeared simrly frail and pale, at his side. As he stretched his hand toward Suzumiya Eigetsu, she assured him, ¡°I''m here, Master. I''m here.¡± The fact that, at that moment, she was the only one he was gazing at made her feel honored and happy. Her tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrobly. ¡°W-Who asked you toe, silly... I-If you continue to be this disobedient in the future, I-I''ll ignore you...¡± he reprimanded feebly. Moon God felt all warm inside as she nodded. ¡°I promise I''ll behave well in the future, Master. I swear,¡± Suzumiya Eigetsu smiled with tears in her eyes. Her usual divine and stately countenance were, at that moment, filled with affection for the man in front of her. Ye Qingtian and the others couldn''t help but tear up as they watched everything ending well. Time and again, you shocked and pleasantly surprised people. Congrattions, Ye Fan. Once more, you''ve created a miracle, Ye Qingtian muttered in his heart. Sword Saint and King of Fighters were also very impressed by Ye Fan.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 2158 Chapter 2158 While many were happy, some were worried. As Ye Fan and his pals were celebrating their victory, the Chu Sect members were weeping over their defeat. Once, they were immensely proud of being a member of Chu Sect. At that moment, only despair and disappointment were visible on their faces. From a distance, all of them seemed to be in anguish. Chu Yuan''s death was the equivalent of the sky falling for the members of Chu Sect. However, to Ye Fan, killing Chu Yuan was only half of his revenge quest. ¡°Help me up, Lei.¡± Ye Fan''s expression suddenly turned serious after he had rested for a while. Once he was up, he turned around and approached Tang Yun. Her life wasn''t in danger, despite her blood-drenched clothes. She was spacing out with a pale countenance, her gaze aimed at her master''s corpse. ¡°It''s time to fulfill your promise, Ms. Tang. I''ve defeated you, and now you must disband Chu Sect.¡± Ye Fan''s deep voice rang in her ears. The moment the Chu Sect members heard that, they panicked. ¡°No!¡± ¡°That''s impossible!¡± ¡°We''ve sworn to never leave Chu Sect!¡± ¡°Don''t you dare disband us, Chu Tianfan!¡± ¡°We will defend Chu Sect''s honor to ourst breath!¡± Anderson and Chu Sect''s other elders eximed adamantly with reddened eyes. ¡°That''s right!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We''d rather die in battle than to leave Chu Sect!¡± ¡°We lived as a member of Chu Sect and will still be one even after death!¡± Soon, the Chu Sect martial artists who were still alive responded simrly. Close to a thousand of them mored with gritted teeth, swearing they would live and die with Chu Sect. ¡°Very well! All of you will get your wish!¡± Gaius roared furiously. ¡°Many of myrades died by Chu Sect''s hand! I can''t wait to ughter the lot of you! If you all want to die this badly, Dragon God Hall will dly fulfill your wish!¡± Owen and the others were prepared to ughter their enemies, too. The other members of Dragon God Hall were also pretty pissed off. To them, they didn''t want Chu Sect to be disbanded. After battling against Chu Sect for so many years, they were unwilling toy their umted hatred to rest unless their enemies were all dead. This was especially true for the Dragon yers, who had been imprisoned by Chu Sect for nearly three years and tortured endlessly. If they hadn''t clung to the hope that their Dragon Master woulde to rescue them, Gaius and the other Dragon yers likely would''ve ended their lives in their prison. Even though Chu Yuan was dead, his aplices and the Chu Sect scum were still around. Gaius and the others were stifling their anger. If not for Ye Fan''s bet with Tang Yun, they would''ve started cutting down their enemies. After all, at that moment, Chu Yuan was dead, Tang Yun was defeated, the Demonic Duo had betrayed the sect, and Chu Qitian had be a prisoner. In other words, the only fighters left in Chu Sect were of no threat to them. Dragon God Hall alone could wipe the rest of Chu Sect out without the help of Ye Fan. That was why Gaius and the others were very happy the loyal dogs of Chu Sect were unwilling to disband. After they gathered a group of subordinates behind them, they were ready to charge forward and massacre the Chu Sect members. However, Ye Fan stopped them. ¡°Why are you blocking our path, Dragon Master? Please allow us to butcher all of those f*ckers! The world has suffered enough under Chu Sect''s rule! That group of scumbags deserves a thousand deaths!¡± Gaius growled fiercely, his eyes filled with contempt. However, Ye Fan didn''t reply. Instead, he continued to stare at Tang Yun, patiently waiting for her answer. In the end, she revealed a miserable smile. ¡°Congrattions, Chu Tianfan. You won. As you wish, Chu Sect no longer exists from this day onward.¡± No one knew how much it broke her heart to say that. ¡°Ms. Tang!¡± ¡°Ms. Tang!¡± Anderson and the others wailed as tears poured down their faces. They still wanted to change her mind and protect Chu Sect. However, Tang Yun had made her decision. Upon turning around, she faced the remaining survivors of Chu Sect. Every one of them was covered in blood and wounds, yet their loyalty to Chu Sect and reverence for Tang Yun remained unwavering. They still wanted to fight for Chu Sect until their dying breath. However, to Tang Yun, it was meaningless at that point. Even if we continue to fight, what''s there left to gain? Master is dead, and two of the Three Families of the Chu Sect have fallen to Ye Fan. The only family left standing in the sect is the Tang family. It''s impossible for a single family to continue supporting the whole sect. Even if we do try, Chu Sect will only exist in name. Besides, with how things have turned out, should we continue this battle, Chu Sect stands no chance of winning. Hundreds of people will only die in vain. I can tell Ye Fan is helping Chu Sect and me with this bet. It''s humiliating, but the survivors of Chu Sect will live. I may need to sacrifice my dignity, but at the very least, I can ensure the survival of my loyal followers. After her train of thought ended there, she endured the pain in her body and stood. The majesty and dignity she possessed when Chu Sect still reigned supreme reappeared on her cold countenance. ¡°I, Tang Yun, as your leader, hereby dere the dissolution of Chu Sect, effective immediately! Survivors of the sect will return home and seclude themselves, never to step foot into the martial arts world again. I''m d to have met you all. From today onward, Chu Sect no longer exists, and neither does its head. I hope everyone will have a bright future ahead!¡± Her sorrowful voice was heard across the entire mountaintop. The Chu Sect members promptly kneeled before her and wept. Their cries shook thend. To Anderson and the others, Chu Sect was the ce where they had lived and worked for their whole life. In just a single night, they had lost their home. Their grief couldn''t possibly be described with words. ¡°I''d say we let them off the hook too easily.¡± Gaius and the others snorted coldly, still displeased. However, with how things had turned out, they had no choice but to let the former Chu Sect members go home. As for Ye Qingtian, King Folo, and the other fighters from their generation, their feelings were pretty complicated when they saw that. Ye Qingtian uttered, ¡°The Three Families of the Chu Sect was magnificent back then. At the height of the sect''s power, the top ten individuals on Sky Ranking were all from Chu Sect! They ruled the martial arts world for nearly a thousand years. Who would''ve thought their empire would topple in one day? I bet the previous heads of Chu Sect never thought the most powerful sect in the world would be taken down by a twenty-something-year-old man!¡± Everything was destined to end one day. Even the most powerful sects would fall eventually. As the wheel of history rolled by, the waves of time ultimately washed away Chu Sect, a sect that had lasted for a thousand years. Regardless of the struggles of heroes, the victories they achieved, or the defeats they suffered, the world moved on all the same. The mountains would still stand, and the sun would still rise from the east. Despite that, their stories would continue to live on as people passed down their legends from one to another. Finally, the long night hade to an end as sunlight peeked out from the eastern horizon. Ye Qingtian gazed at the skyline. Despite how things had ended, he sighed. Just as everyone thought the war hade to an end, Tang Yun, who was long dead inside, tried to kill herself with a sword when no one was paying attention to her. Chapter 2159 Chapter 2159 Indeed, Tang Yun had already given up hope ages ago. In fact, it could be said that there was nothing in the world that was worth making her stay. After all the struggles she had been through all her life, there were only two things she was proud of¡ª her role in her sect and her swordsmanship. However, the pride she once had for the two things had now been crushed by Ye Fan. Ye Fan''s subordinate had beaten the Tang family''s sword techniques she took pride in. As for Chu Sect, it had fallen apart. The Chu family and the Jones family had surrendered to Ye Fan. As for the remaining forces of Chu Sect, he had dismissed them. Not only was the sect destroyed, but her master was also killed, and she lost to him with her swordsmanship. All those consecutive blows finally made the beautiful woman lose it. In the end, she chose to end her own life. ¡°No, Ms. Tang! Don''t!¡± ¡°Ms. Tang!¡± Just as she was about to stab herself with the sword, Anderson and the others yelled in horror with tears flowing down their cheeks. ¡°Yun...¡± Ye Fan, too, was shocked. He had never thought of forcing her to her death. He wanted her to live well. His purpose for killing Chu Yuan and eliminating Chu Sect was not only for himself, Dragon God Hall, and to avenge the deaths of hisrades, but also to remove the shackles on Tang Yun. All he wanted was for her to truly live a life for herself in the future. Little did he know his actions would make her think of giving up on her life. ¡°Yun, stop!¡± Ye Fan shouted anxiously. He wanted to rush forward to stop Tang Yun. Perhaps it was the extreme agitation that the moment he stood up, his body jerked, and he vomited a mouthful of blood. Instantly, his vision went dark. His wounds were too severe. At that moment, he barely had the energy to move. All he could do was watch the woman who had touched his heart and had intimate moments with him in the past attempting to go to the afterlife alone. Anderson and the others did their best to stop her, but they were still toote. They were too far to stop it. However, just as everyone thought Tang Yun was going to die that way, a loud sound of a sword being unsheathed could be heard from miles away. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. It sounded like the roar of a ferocious beast. Immediately, strong sword energy swept across the sky. It was so fast that it filled the air with an ear-piercing sound, sending chills down everyone''s spine. ¡°W-What''s happening?¡± Everyone at the scene was shocked by the sound that echoed in the air, and they froze at their spot. ¡°This might...¡± Sword Saint''s eyes widened. ¡°This sword intent...¡± King of Fighters trembled in shock. Simrly, Folo and the other martial artists looked as though they had seen a ghost. That was because everyone felt the sword intent was stronger than the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique Ye Fan had unleashed at the final moment. One had to know that the power Ye Fan had already achieved wasparable to a fighter of god realm. Yet, the other party could unleash a force more powerful than Ye Fan by just unsheathing the sword. That meant that the person was at least a fighter of god realm. Oh my goodness. Another god realm fighter? Who could it be? Everyone was dumbstruck. Some even felt goosebumps all over their skin. In the past, it was hard to find a single god realm master in a century. Now, it seemed that many were revealing themselves in one go. Chu Yuan, Moon God, Ye Fan, and Tang Yun were all god realm masters. And now, there was another mysterious fighter. No one would have thought they would get to see the fifth god realm master on Mount Yunding. Just as everyone was shocked to the core, the glint of light from the sword pierced through the air and landed on Tang Yun''s sword. In the next second, Tang Yun shuddered, and the Seven Foot Green de was snatched out of her hand. With a ng, it stabbed straight into the ground. Tang Yun staggered a few steps backward and almost copsed. After steadying herself, she looked up and nced in the direction of the sword energy with shock written all over her face. A gorgeous figure slowly came into view. It started as a tiny dot on the horizon, but it quickly increased in size as it got nearer until a figure appeared. As the wind blew, her purple dress fluttered, and her silken tresses swayed. She had fair skin and a beautiful face. Everyone felt as though they were in a trance the moment they saw her. She''s so beautiful! How unbelievably gorgeous! Just as everyone was mesmerized by her appearance, the woman cast Tang Yun an icy stare. ¡°Are you taking your life just because of an insignificant setback? What a disgrace to the Tang family!¡± Her tone was icy cold, and it wasced with frustration and anger. Tang Yun remained frozen at her spot. She lifted her head to gawk at the gorgeous figure in front of her, who looked and sounded like herself. ¡°Y-You are... R-Rui?¡± Tang Yun stammered. Even she herself did not dare to confirm her suspicion. Although Tang Yun had lost some of her memories, her childhood memories were still etched in her mind. She remembered having an outstanding elder sister who was as gorgeous and talented in martial arts as she was. However, her sister had been love-struck and had decided to leave the family, never contacting them ever since. Now that Tang Yun had seen that woman, she instinctively thought of her elder sister, Tang Rui, who had disappeared for over ten years. ¡°M-Ms. Rui?¡± ¡°Is she really Ms. Rui?¡± Of course, there were members of the Tang family in Chu Sect. As soon as they heard Tang Yun mentioning Tang Rui''s name, the members of the Tang family froze. Their eyes widened with disbelief as they gaped at the majestic, noble, and gorgeous figure before them. Nheless, that was just their suspicion. After all, even Tang Yun herself could not believe it. It had been too long since Tang Rui had left the family. Even Tang Yun felt that Tang Rui had ceased to exist in the world. She could barely believe her eyes now that she was seeing Tang Rui again. ¡°That''s unexpected, Yun. You still remember me even after I''ve been gone for so long. I guess all my affection for you back then paid off.¡± A smile appeared on Tang Rui''s frosty face. When Tang Yun heard those words that confirmed her suspicion, she trembled and bawled her eyes out. Finally, with her wounded body, Tang Yun ran forward and threw herself into Tang Rui''s arms. She cried, ¡°It''s really you, Rui... I-I thought I''d never see you again...¡± The way Tang Yun buried herself in Tang Rui''s arms and sobbed made her look like an aggrieved child longing for her parents''fort. Patting her sister''s hair, Tang Rui said, ¡°You silly girl, what are you crying for? We, the women of the Tang family, never shed tears.¡± ¡°But Master is dead, and I ruined our sect. I ruined everything. I''m useless...¡± Tang Yun was heartbroken. Tang Rui was the only person left Tang Yun could rely on. ¡°Silly girl... Whether a person lives or dies, it''s up to their fate. How could this be your fault? Most importantly, how could you try to take your own life? Do you know how sad Mom and Dad will be if they find out about this? They gave you this body. How could you harm yourself? There''s no hurdle in this world that cannot be ovee. Everything is possible as long as you live. I''ll never let you do such a foolish thing in the future. Do you hear me?¡± Tang Rui reprimanded just as how she used to when Tang Yun made a mistake when she was younger. Tang Yun hung her head and nodded, with tears still in her eyes. ¡°All right, stop crying now. You only got bullied by that rascal from Chu Sect, right?¡± Tang Rui suddenly lifted her head and scanned the crowd. Stepping forward, she yelled, ¡°Which one of you is Ye Fan, the heartless b*stard? Show yourself!¡± Chapter 2160 Chapter 2160 Her tone was cold, and her words echoed across Mount Yunding. They left everyone stunned. Even Tang Yun, Li Er, and the others could not help but gape in shock. What on earth is going on? Could Mr. Chu have messed with Ms. Tang''s sister, too? ¡°What the f*ck?¡± ¡°Mr. Chu is such a badass!¡± ¡°He''s totally an example for all men!¡± Li Er, Chen Ao, and the rest were filled with admiration. Ye Fan''s life was their dream. First, the empress of Yanjing, Xu Lei, had thrown herself at him. Then Japan''s most divine being, Tsukuyomi, had recognized Ye Fan as his master. And now, Tang Yun''s elder sister seemed to have a complicated rtionship with Ye Fan. Who knows? Mr. Chu might''ve actually had an affair with Tang Rui. Although they were decades apart in terms of age, the temptation of a mature woman was undoubtedly unique. Moreover, Tang Rui was the respected elder sister of Tang Yun, the head of Chu Sect. ¡°Hmph, Ye Fan, y-you... I was so wrong about you!¡± Xu Lei, too, got furious. She pouted and red at him with a gaze full of resentment. She had thought Ye Fan was a loyal man. That was why she did not dare to express her feelings to him in the past for fear of putting him in a tight spot. After all, Ye Fan was already a married man. Looks like I''ve overestimated him. Ye Fan is the real definition of a yboy. This is so frustrating! Moon God, too, was secretly filled with resentment. It looks like there''s going to be another personpeting to get my beloved master''s love. However, Ye Fan could only nce around in bewilderment. ¡°W-What did I do? Why are you people looking at me like that?¡± He felt utterly aggrieved. I swear it''s my first time seeing Tang Yun''s sister. At most, I''ve only heard people mentioning Tang Rui''s name. Besides, I heard that Tang Rui had an ill-fated rtionship with my father. ording to seniority, I should be addressing her as an elder. And no matter how much of a jerk I am, I''d never mess with a woman my father had a rtionship with. ¡°You''re Ye Fan? That lecherous and heartless man?¡± Right then, Tang Rui''s gaze fell on Ye Fan. At that moment, Ye Fan felt as though he was a rabbit being stared at by a hungry wolf. The overwhelming pressure made Ye Fan feel uneasy. She''s powerful. She might even be more powerful than Chu Yuan. Instantly, Ye Fan''s heart sank. If Tang Rui bes the head of Chu Sect, then it''ll make things difficult. Dang it. How can there still be such a powerful person in this world? How is it I never met her before? Why did she have to appear right when I''m winning? Worries flooded Ye Fan''s heart. Could this hard-earned situation face another turn of events? No way. I can''t offend Tang Rui no matter what. When Tang Rui had finished questioning him, Ye Fan, who was looking pale, did his best to stand straight and look at her. ¡°A-Are you Aunt Tang Rui? My father often talked about you when I was younger, saying you were a rare beauty. Now that I''ve seen you today, I''m realizing how true his words were.¡± His voice was weak, but he still managed to utter those words smoothly. Xu Lei, who had been listening to every word, wanted to give him a p for what he had just said. Ye Fan, you jerk! You''re already on the verge of dying, yet you still want to utter sweet nothings to another woman. Hmph! What a yboy! Xu Lei eyed him begrudgingly. Meanwhile, Li Er and the others were truly impressed. Dragon Master is indeed an expert at flirting. On the other hand, Tang Yun was livid. Damn you, Chu Tianfan. Not only are you taking advantage of me, but you also want to take advantage of my sister, eh? How could you say things like that at such a time? Clearly, you''re up to no good. If not for her serious injury, Tang Yun would have stabbed Ye Fan in his chest. Nheless, she was very curious why Tang Rui had scolded him for being a heartless person. Could she really have some kind of history with Chu Tianfan? Just as Tang Yun was wondering about all that, Tang Rui waved her hand and a burst of aura shot out like a whip. Ye Fan was instantly thrown into the distance like a kite with a broken string. ¡°Dragon Master!¡± ¡°Darn it! How bold of you!¡± ¡°Everyone from Dragon God Hall, listen up! Attack her! Kill that woman!¡± Immediately, Tang Rui counterattacked, snapping Gaius and the others back to reality. It was at that moment that they realized she had no good intentions. Moreover, she was Tang Yun''s sister. Naturally, Tang Rui was a member of Chu Sect. She must be standing up for Tang Yun. Just as Gaius and the others were about to charge forward, Ye Fan got to his feet again, staggering. Leaning on a boulder beside him, he wiped the blood from his lips and said, ¡°S-Stop, all of you.¡± Anger surged within the hearts of his subordinates. ¡°But she¡ª¡± ¡°What is this? Are you not going to obey my words?¡± Ye Fan''s weak voice rang out. There was no room for negotiation in his tone. These idiots have no idea just how powerful this woman is. In fact, Tang Rui can kill all of us if she wants to. We have no choice but to let her do what she wants. At that moment, Ye Fan was trying his luck, hoping Chu Zhenghong still had a ce in Tang Rui''s heart. He also hoped that Tang Rui still cared about the old rtionship. However, what Tang Rui said next told him he had merely been overthinking. ¡°I knew it! Apples really don''t fall far from the tree. Your father was a jerk, but you are worse than him!¡± Tang Rui spat. Ye Fan was puzzled by her words. He held her gaze nonchntly. Despite knowing how close he was to death''s door, he still stood straight stubbornly and asked, ¡°You can insult, scold, or even kill me however you want, but can you at least let me know what I did to offend you before I die?¡± s, Tang Rui did not bother wasting her breath on him. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. She gave him a tight p on the face. ¡°This is for your heartlessness. You disappeared for three years, yet you never came home once, nor did you even write a letter home! Do you know how worried someone had been during those three years?¡± Tang Rui yelled, taking a step forward and throwing a punch. The attack sent Ye Fan a hundred meters into the air. When he crashed to the ground, blood spilled from his mouth, and her vision turned ck. He almost passed out. ¡°And this is to punish you for flirting around! You should be loyal when you''re already married. But no. You went around flirting and hurting countless women''s feelings. Just exactly how many fine women are you going to harm, you jerk?¡± The more Tang Rui spoke, the angrier she got. At that, she gave him another p. ¡°No...¡± Moon God could not take it anymore, for she knew Ye Fan could not endure another attack with his current condition. She dashed forward, hugged him, and took the third attack on his behalf. Spurt! Tears and blood dripped off her face as she flew into the air from the attack. At the same time, a streak of blood mist formed in the air. ¡°Eigetsu...¡± Ye Fan cried out, his heart aching. Tang Rui''s furious voice rang out again. ¡°Thest one is to punish you for being selfish. You were so focused on getting revenge that you did not care for your family. All you cared for was your pursuits. You never spent time with your family. Why did you even get married when you can''t bear the responsibilities of a man? And why did you start a family when you can''t take care of your family? This third p is for your wife, Mucheng! She wants me to tell you that one day, she''ll make you pay for what you owe her.¡± Chapter 2161 Chapter 2161 Tang Rui''s bellows echoed throughout the peak of Mount Yunding, booming in all directions like rolling thunder. Ye Fany on the ground, his body covered in injuries. Moon God, whose dress was drenched in blood, appeared like an angel who had fallen from grace. Still, despite being gravely wounded, she continued holding her master tight, shielding and guarding him with her soft body. ¡°You b*stard! How dare you hurt our master! We''ll make you pay for that!¡± After witnessing Tang Rui thrusting her palm thrice and severely injuring Ye Fan, Moon God, and the others, Gaius and the rest of the party burned with rage. They roared angrily while wielding their weapons andunched themselves at Tang Rui without any regard for their safety. Ye Fan gritted his teeth and stood up again. He propped up his weakened body to look at Gaius and the others and uttered weakly, ¡°S-Stop!¡± He halted the members of Dragon God Hall from retaliating once again. ¡°Why are you doing this, Master? This woman wants you dead.¡± Gaius and the others were baffled. They couldn''t fathom why Ye Fan repeatedly stopped them from standing up for him. ¡°S-She''s right. I-I deserve to die because I, Ye Fan, owe someone. Indeed, I''ve let Mucheng down.¡± Blood trickled down the corner of Ye Fan''s lips as he spoke in an undertone. He didn''t utter a singleint after enduring Tang Rui''s attacks, nor did he harbor the thought of retaliating. However, his heart was filled with curiosity. He looked up at her. ¡°Aunt Tang, I-I wish to know a-about Mucheng''s whereabouts. I-I want to meet with her.¡± Perhaps he had sustained too many injuries, or because he had lost too much blood, he felt weak all over and dizzy. Even so, he gnashed his teeth and tried his best to remain in an upright position. After listening to Tang Rui''s speech, he could tell she seemed to have met with Mucheng. Now that Chu Yuan had died, Ye Fan had finally settled his grudges with Chu Sect. He nned to make it up to his close ones with the remaining time of his life, especially to his wife, Qiu Mucheng. That''s right. As Tang Rui said, I owe Mucheng the most. Although she''s nominally my wife, she''s been alone in Jiangdong, caring for my mother while safeguarding my business there. Ye Fan had rarely visited her that whole time. After the battle with Chu Sect back then, he didn''t even contact Qiu Mucheng once in almost three years. During that period, his only thought was to avoid disturbing her before he sessfully avenged himself and aplished his goal. Now, he figured it was time he returned to her side. Regardless of whether she still loved him, he had to meet with her once because there were some things he had to tell her in person. ¡°Meet with her? You can forget about that. She won''t see you. At the very least, you won''t be able to meet with her before her capabilities surpass yours.¡± Frostiness and anger were evident in Tang Rui''s voice as she spoke. A single sentence from her eliminated all the ideas in Ye Fan''s mind. Lips trembling, he asked again, ¡°I-Is she well?¡± Sorrow rose within him all of a sudden. However, Tang Rui wasn''t inclined to answer him. She led her little sister, Tang Yun, away and was about to leave. Seconds away before Tang Rui left, Ye Fan suddenly got to his knees. His eyes red, he asked her, ¡°Aunt Tang, please, I beg you. Can you tell me h-how Mucheng is doing now?¡± Perhaps his actions had managed to touch her because her heart softened momentarily. ¡°You don''t need to worry about Mucheng. I''ve taken her in as my disciple, and she''s currently learning under my guidance. You can forget about finding her either because she''s cultivating in another world. You two will meet again if your fates still intertwine.¡± Tang Rui''s cold voice rang out. After saying that, she grabbed Tang Yun and was ready to leave, but Anderson and the rest of Chu Sect survivors suddenly stopped her. ¡°Ms. Tang, you cannot leave just like that. Chu Tianfan killed our Chu Sect leader and destroyed our sect that had survived for thousands of years. You are a member of the Tang family and the Three Families of the Chu Sect. Please take charge of the situation, Ms. Tang, and help us eliminate Chu Tianfan, annihte Dragon God Hall, and return Chu Sect to its former glory!¡± Anderson and others had evidently considered Tang Rui theirst hope. Unfortunately, she wasn''t inspired by the speech and merely swept her icy gaze across the heavily wounded members of Chu Sect. ¡°I''m afraid you''re all being presumptuous. When I left the Tang family back then, I was no longer a member of Chu Sect. So, what does the sect''s survival have anything to do with me?¡± ¡°This...¡± Her answer dampened Anderson''s and the others'' spirits, rendering them stunned. Their bodies shuddering, they looked at her in disbelief. ¡°B-But Ms. Tang, didn''t youe here today to save Chu Sect from this predicament?¡± Tang Rui replied, ¡°Of course not! I came here today solely because someone asked me to ry some messages to that heartless man. The wheel of life is determined by fate. Chu Yuan''s death and Chu Sect''s downfall simply meant Chu Sect''s days havee to an end, so I suggest you all respect heaven''s will.¡± Her words shattered thest sliver of hope within Anderson''s and the others'' hearts. Tang Rui brought the severely injured Tang Yun and left the mountain. When she walked past Chu Yuan''s corpse, she stopped briefly and sized up his dead body. Then she furrowed her brows and turned her head around to look at Ye Fan. ¡°Brat, your b*stard of a father asked me to tell you not to assume you can enjoy the rest of your life in peace after defeating Chu Yuan and obliterating Chu Sect. This is only the beginning of the catastrophe. You need to continue cultivating to prepare yourself for the battles in the uing adversities,¡± she said impassively. By the time Ye Fan looked up, the two beauties'' figures had already disappeared. Following their departure, Ye Fan, who had been holding on by sheer will, finally copsed. His body trembled as he spat out mouthfuls of blood. The next moment, his skinny body fell to the ground. His vision instantaneously turned dark, and the world around him fell absolutely silent. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Ye Fan!¡± He heard the worried and anxious voices reverberating beside his ears as he keeled over. Ye Fan felt as if he had fallen into an abyss with endless darkness and as if he was trudging alone on a vast, barren field. Boundlessnd stretched in all directions no matter how long we walked. Finally, rays of light shone in while he was still partially conscious. The originally pitch-ck surroundings suddenly turned bright. Ye Fan found himself inside a spacious and luxurious room. He remembered that ce. That was Mount Yunding Vi, the ce that Ye Fan used to call home. The room was eerily quiet. Only the sound of the clock ticking echoed in the air. The dazzling sunlight outside streamed into the room like a flowing river. Ye Fan was lying in a bed, and beside him was Suzumiya Eigetsu, dressed in a in outfit. The foolish girl had disregarded her injuries and was determined to keep Ye Fanpany despite being wounded. At that moment, she had fallen asleep on the side of the bed. Perhaps having sensed his movements, Eigetsu, half-asleep, swiftly woke up. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only To her, the happiest moment of her life was seeing her master beaming at her when she awoke from slumber, just like now. Suzumiya Eigetsu rubbed her eyes as she thought she was dreaming. ¡°Stop rubbing your eyes, you foolish girl. I am awake.¡± Chapter 2162 Chapter 2162 It was the dawn of a new morning. As sunlight trickled into the room, the early birds could be heard chirping incessantly. One could also smell the faint fragrance of the swaying orchids outside the wall. For the very first time, Ye Fan was in awe of how beautiful life was. He could feel the warm sunlight and smell the fragrance of orchids and had a gorgeous woman by his side. Upon realizing that Ye Fan was awake, Suzumiya Eigetsu couldn''t control her emotions as she threw herself into his embrace. Nuzzling her face against his chest, she shed an endless stream of joyful tears. She did not say anything, for words were unnecessary. All she did was called out to her master again and again. It''s over. It''s all over. From the bottom of her heart, she was happy for her master and also proud of him. He did it! He really did it! He has seeded in killing Chu Yuan and annihting Chu Sect. He has completed his lifelong dream. From now on, Master''s life will be devoid of suffering and obstacles. A smooth path ahead is what awaits him now! ¡°That''s enough, Eiget¡ª¡± Ye Fan stroked her face gently, hoping that she would regain herposure and allow him to get out of bed. However, there was no way she could peel herself away from him. Just as he was speaking, she nted her lips abruptly on his. At that happy moment, Suzumiya Eigetsu was overwhelmed by her emotions as she gave Ye Fan a passionate kiss. That was the only way she could express her unconditional love and loyalty to her master. ¡°It''s been many days now. I wonder if Master is awake? It would be really good to have Junie here.¡± Gaius'' worried voice rang out from the outside before they entered the room. The moment they opened the door, they were greeted by the scene of Moon God and Ye Fan locked in a passionate kiss. ¡°F*ck!¡± Gaius'' eyelids twitched. Owen and Li Er were equally dumbfounded. What the f*ck? How many women does Master want? Furthermore, every single one of them is a stunning beauty. Is he trying to kill us with jealousy? The sight triggered tears of envy and jealousy from the old and single Gaius. Sensing the arrival of their guests, Moon God quickly broke off the kiss. ¡°Um... Please continue. We''lle backter.¡± Visibly awkward, Gaius and the others tried to hold back their cheeky smiles. Moon God didn''t say a word as she left the room with an intense blush on her face. Looking at her leaving silhouette, Gaius couldn''t help but be mesmerized by the sight. ¡°Master, is that really Tsukuyomi Tenshin of Japan?¡± Gaius and the rest were filled with disbelief. A god realm master who was also the god of a nation''s martial arts world was reduced to a submissive woman in front of Ye Fan. Her behavior was contrary to Moon God''s reputation in public. She was like a powerful empress who reigned over thend in the day, while at night, she would snuggle up to her man, begging for a cuddle. The two pr extremes were simply inconceivable in their minds. ¡°Gaius, what sort of question is that? There''s only one Moon God in this world. This clearly shows how skillful Master is in bed. Not only has he subjugated the head of Chu Sect, but he also forced Japan''s own God into submission. In my opinion, there''s no woman Master can''t make her his.¡± Owen, together with the other old men in the room, burst into heartyughter, leaving Ye Fan dumbfounded. ¡°Shut up, all of you! Ma De, are you trying to kill me? Going forward, I''ll rip off the mouth of whoever utters such nonsense again!¡± the annoyed Ye Fan barked. He had just been whacked by Tang Rui for flirting with other women. If their gossip reached Tang Rui''s ears, she would probably beat him to death. I find it strange that Mucheng has gone over to where Tang Rui is. From what Tang Rui told me, it seems that Mucheng has stepped into the martial arts world. Ye Fan recalled Tang Rui''s words before he lost consciousness, and it gave him a headache. He realized Qiu Mucheng still hated him and was training as a martial artist so that she could personally teach him a lesson. Deep down, he resigned himself to being beaten up by his wife, but now wasn''t the time to think about that. ¡°How did you clean up the aftermath at Chu Sect after I fainted?¡± Ye Fan asked Gaius and the others. ¡°Master, I was just about to report the matter to you. After you lost consciousness, we detained everyone from Chu Sect. They''re all currently locked up and awaiting your judgment,¡± Gaius informed Ye Fan. Nodding in acknowledgment, Ye Fan instructed, ¡°Release them. Tell them to return to Mount Chumen to pack their belongings and go on their own way.¡± ¡°Um...¡± Gaius exchanged nces with the others. Their unwillingness to do so was evident to all. ¡°Master, are you really going to just let them go? What if they make aeback? Why don''t you cut them off at the root to prevent any problems in the future?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Gaius, Owen, and the others wanted to wipe Chu Sect off the face of the earth, but it wasn''t Ye Fan''s intention to do so. ¡°It''s not necessary. Now that the mastermind is dead, there''s no need to kill them. They were just following orders. Banishing them is the ideal conclusion to the matter. Anyway, that''s it. All of you should prepare yourselves because we''re heading to Mount Chumen tomorrow to officially take over Chu Sect.¡± Seeing that Ye Fan had made up his mind, Gaius and the others didn''t try to dissuade him from it. Thereafter, the imprisoned warriors of Chu Sect were released. They were ordered to return to Mount Chumen to pack up before disappearing for the rest of their lives. Once the loose ends were tied up, Ye Fan turned to Xu Lei, Fatty, and his rtives. When she saw that Ye Fan had awoken, Xu Lei gave him a hug and burst into tears. Fatty, too, got all teary while repeating how amazing Ye Fan was. At the same time, Jiang Yng, Ye Jian, and the others looked at Ye Fan with both respect and admiration. No one had imagined that such an unassuming young man would be capable of defeating the most powerful sect in the world all by himself. ¡°Ye Fan, if your mother knew about this, she would definitely be happy for you.¡± As Ye Fan''s uncle and auntmented the fact, they, too, were proud of their nephew. Ye Fan''s mood took a grim turn at the mention of his mother. ¡°Uncle Tian, do you know where my mother went when she left back then?¡± Ye Fan''s waterloo three years ago brought many changes to his life. Countless Dragon yers of his had been massacred, Qiu Mucheng had left for Jiangbei, and his own mother had disappeared without a trace. Until now, Ye Fan could still feel the pain. Ye Tian and the others shook their heads. ¡°We have tried to ask around but haven''t heard anything since.¡± Filled with disappointment, Ye Fan decided that once he dealt with the matters at Chu Sect, he would go on a search for his mother. After he was done chatting with his rtives from Jiangdong, Ye Fan went to see Ye Qingtian, who was grievously injured. Upon Ye Fan''s arrival, Ye Qingtian tried hard to get up from his bed. Ye Fan''s status was now different after he defeated Chu Yuan and Chu Sect. He had saved China''s martial arts world. To a certain extent, one could say that Ye Fan was now the most powerful man in China. Ye Qingtian was in no ce to put on airs. In fact, he was obligated to receive Ye Fan despite the injuries he had suffered. ¡°War God, there''s no need for such formalities between us. I''m here to check on your injuries. Also, I''m preparing to head to Mount Chumen tomorrow. Are you interested in joining me?¡± The next day would see a momentous change in eras in the martial arts world. Chu Sect would be dissolved, while all its fighters would be sent packing. Ye Fan hoped to have War God by his side when witnessing the historical moment. Ye Qingtian shook his head. ¡°I''m afraid I won''t be able to make it now that my body is crippled. That aside, Ye Fan, you still have to be careful on your journey tomorrow. Deep down, I just have the feeling that this isn''t over yet. Did you see how Chu Yuan''s body decayed like a piece of old wood? This isn''t a phenomenon that''s supposed to happen to a human being.¡± Chapter 2163 Chapter 2163 ¡°Oh? I wasn''t aware of that.¡± The news sparked Ye Fan''s curiosity, and he furrowed his brows. Ye Fan had been wondering about Chu Yuan''s real identity, for under normal circumstances, he would have already been dead. However, there seemed to be some living thing, perhaps through an act of necromancy, controlling Chu Yuan''s body and wreaking havoc on the entire world. One of Ye Fan''s goals for heading to Mount Chumen was to get to the bottom of the mystery. Upon learning from Ye Qingtian that Chu Yuan''s body had shriveled overnight, Ye Fan was further intrigued by the matter. ¡°Is his corpse still around?¡± Ye Fan intended to check it out himself. ¡°Yes, Master, it''s still there. We didn''t touch it at all,¡± Gaius replied. ¡°Good. Bring me to it. War God, you should rest here first. If there''s anything you need, just let Yuyan know.¡± Ye Yuyan was also from the military and naturally, she knew Ye Qingtian. That was the reason Ye Fan had arranged for her to care for Ye Qingtian. Just when Ye Fan was about to leave, Ye Qingtian, looking troubled, called out to him, ¡°Ye Fan, there''s something I''m not sure if I should say.¡± Ye Fan smiled. ¡°War God, there''s no need to hold back your words. We''ve known each other for so long. What''s there to be embarrassed about?¡± ¡°It''s about King of Fighters and Sword Saint,¡± Ye Qingtian finally replied after a brief pause. ¡°I know well that War God Castle has done you a lot of harm, and the two of them have made plenty of mistakes in the past, but I still hope you can let them go. Despite their stubbornness and ws, I can''t deny their contributions to China''s martial arts world. I''m begging you, Ye Fan, to spare them for the greater good of the nation,¡± Ye Qingtian pleaded. He was well aware that he had no right to ask for mercy on their behalf, for it would be unfair to Ye Fan. From thetter''s perspective, the two deserved to die for all the harm and suffering they had caused. Despite that, Ye Qingtian couldn''t bring himself to remain silent, for they had been hisrades for many years. Sword Saint, King of Fighters, Tang Hao, and the others had given their lives to serve the nation and its people. He felt it necessary to appeal their case. ¡°War God, don''t you know that those two b*stards werergely responsible for Master''s death outside the country? They have brought all of this upon themselves. Paying the price for their actions back then is nothing but divine retribution. They deserve nothing but death itself! Besides, how dare you talk to Master about the greater good? Do you know how much Master has suffered because of it? ¡°Three years ago, when Chu Sect allied with the elites of many countries to attack Master, King of Fighters and Sword Saint chose to sacrifice Master''s life for the sake of this so-called greater good! And now you''re asking Master to spare those two for this same ludicrous reason?¡± Before Ye Fan could reply, Li Er had unleashed an angry tirade. He had been there at the battle of Eastsea. With his own eyes, he had witnessed the ruthlessness of China''s martial arts world and the despair Ye Fan had felt. A man as proud as thetter had been forced intomitting suicide with his own sword. One could only imagine the devastating blow the event had dealt upon Ye Fan. Yet now, after Ye Fan had achieved the current sess with an extraordinary amount of effort and sacrifice, Ye Qingtian actually tried to dissuade him from exacting revenge just when he was finally capable of doing so. Li Er was filled with indignance on Ye Fan''s behalf when he heard the same excuse being used. Faced with Li Er''s usations, Ye Qingtian remained silent, his guilt apparent for all to see. What Li Er said was right. King of Fighters and Sword Saint were responsible for forcing Ye Fan down the path of doom, cementing a deadly rivalry between the two parties. Although Ye Qingtian felt that his appeal was unreasonable, he had no choice but to raise it still. He hoped to preserve their lives from both a professional and personal standpoint. ¡°Ye Fan, both of them have learned a painful lesson. If you feel that isn''t enough, you can cripple their martial arts capabilities. I''m only begging you to spare their lives. For fighting on behalf of the nation their entire lives, they deserve a chance to retire in peace,¡± Ye Qingtian continued to plead. Ye Fan turned around and left without providing a response. A few minutester, Gaius dragged two old men who were close to death up to Ye Fan. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Kneel, you old b*stards!¡± Gaius barked before giving each of them a kick, causing both of them to fall to their knees. They were none other King of Fighters and Sword Saint, pirs of China who had dominated the nation and War God Castle for decades. After the battle of Mount Yunding, Gaius and the others had locked up the surviving two as if they were prisoners of war. Everyone knew how much trouble War God Castle had caused Ye Fan. Gaius would have executed both of them back then if Xu Lei hadn''t stopped him. The two of them sprawled pathetically on the ground, the wounds on their bodies continuing to torment them. Despite that, the humiliation was more torturous to them than the physical pain they suffered. As pirs of China, they used to bask in the glory of being leaders of the nation, worshipped by its people. In contrast to then, Tang Hao was now dead and War God Castle had been destroyed. The martial arts world of Chinay in ruins together with Chu Sect. Both of them were reduced to nothing more than pathetic prisoners who were on the brink of death. Sometimes, the line that separates heaven and hell is a fine one. Sword Saint and King of Fighters couldn''t help but wonder if things would have turned out differently if they had chosen to back Ye Fan against Chu Sect back then. Would Tang Hao still be dead? Would War God Castle still be around? Would both of us be torn down from our pedestal? Unfortunately, history allows no do-overs. Despite the remorse that filled them, they had no choice but to ept the final conclusion. Both of themy t on the ground while anky figure stood proudly in front of them. Ye Fan wore an emotionless face, his eyes cold. Staring down at the two in a condescending manner, Ye Fan said in a thundering voice, ¡°King of Fighters, Sword Saint, did you ever think things would turn out this way when you allied with Chu Sect to force me intomitting suicide overseas?¡± Every single one of Ye Fan''s words pierced their hearts. They lowered their heads, their faces red. They had nothing to defend themselves with. Whatever dignity or career they previously had was now utterly ruined. The man they had offended in the past was now standing right in front of them, ready to exact revenge. Both of them were cognizant that whoever emerged victorious from the battle of Mount Yunding, be it Chu Yuan or Ye Fan, their lives would never be spared. ¡°G-Go on. Kill me. T-To die in the hands of a countryman is a lot better than that of a foreigner. After my death, the fate of the martial arts world of China will be left to you, Chu Tianfan.¡± Sword Saint''s weak and trembling voice gradually rang out. Thereafter, he, together with King of Fighters, raised their necks and prepared for their execution. Chapter 2164 Chapter 2164 Over the years, King of Fighters and Sword Saint had imagined the scene of their deaths countless times. It was filled with tens of thousands of people praying on their knees in a procession that stretched for miles. The day would be dered a national day for mourning where hordes of citizens wouldy flowers. They had expected their death to be a momentous asion, but now, it turned out to be a non-event. They were going to lose their lives in the most humiliating manner. If they could turn back time, both of them would rather go the way Tang Hao did¡ªin a suicide explosion at the peak of Mount Yan. It would have been a glorious death, but it was now toote for that. Even though their hearts were filled with sorrow, they knew a price had to be paid for their past actions. The grass and leaves swayed violently in the chilly breeze. Both of them were forced to kneel, just like two prisoners waiting to be executed. ¡°Master, it''s time! These two old men had iting a long time ago for causing you so much misery!¡± Gaius, Owen, and the others had nothing much to do with King of Fighters and Sword Saint. They couldn''t care less about the deaths of the two pirs of the nation. Wearing a nk expression, Ye Fan took the sword from Gaius'' hand and swung it down furiously. Whoosh! The de let out a demon-like roar as it pierced through the air. King of Fighters and Sword Saint had closed their eyes in anticipation. Just when they thought death was upon them, the sword cut through the air, its edge leaving a meter- long ditch after striking the ground. The earth subsequently trembled as a result of the terrifying power unleashed. ¡°Master, what are you doing?¡± Gaius and the others were stunned. King of Fighters and Sword Saint were equally bewildered. Ye Fan replied with an indifferent expression, ¡°You know, when you blocked me outside China back then, I swore to myself that if I could make aeback, I would definitely destroy War God Castle and kill all of you so-called pirs of China. But now that so much time has passed, I have learned to let go. War God is right. You have learned your lesson. To witness your career destroyed by your own hand is probably worse than death itself. On the ount of the mercy War God has pleaded for you, I will spare your lives and release you. However, I don''t want to see both of you ever again, let alone War God Castle. Do you understand me?¡± Ye Fan''s frosty words were as sharp as swords. Once he finished, he turned and left without waiting for them to respond. His words were an order with no room for discussion. The intention he conveyed couldn''t be any clearer¡ªWar God Castle had officially been annihted. More importantly, King of Fighters and Sword Saint were forbidden from rebuilding it. However, that wasn''t a concern in reality since both of them had lost the right to lead the martial arts world of China. Once Ye Fan was gone, all that was left were two burned-out old men. Lying on the ground, both of them seemed to have aged decades in that instant. ¡°If only they had known this would be their fate, I''m sure they would have chosen a different path.¡± Behind them, one of the martial artists from the Jiangbei martial arts world shook his head and sighed. Back then, Zhang Jiuling had betrayed War God Castle by switching sides because of War God Castle''sck of integrity. It was for that reason he had traveled straight to Jiangdong to join Ye Fan. Now that War God Castle had been turned to dust, only one voice mattered in the martial arts world of China¡ªChu Tianfan''s. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The next day, when the first light of dawn illuminated thend, a passenger ne gradually took off from Jianghai International Airport, soaring into the air with Adrune as its destination. Aboard the flight were Ye Fan and his men, who were heading for Mount Chumen to disband Chu Sect for good. On top of that, he was going to arrange for Dragon God Hall to take over Mount Chumen. At the end of the day, Chu Sect was still a powerful organization that had existed for more than a thousand years. Recing it was a massive endeavor that required Ye Fan''s supervision. Moreover, Ye Fan still had a personal matter to investigate on top of breaking up Chu Sect. The majestic Mount Chumen towered over its surroundings. Once upon a time, that mountain represented the seat of power in the martial arts world. Now that Ye Fan had returned, he could feel a sense of relief and overwhelming emotion. More than ten years ago, when he was in his teenage years, he had been toyed around like an insect by the members of Chu Sect. Unlike in the past, Mount Chumen was now at his mercy. By the time Ye Fan arrived, the disciples of Chu Sect who had been released earlier had lined up in the za, their heads hung low, typical of defeated soldiers at war. Tang Xian, who had stayed back to hold the fort, had known that Chu Yuan had fallen. Devastation filled him when he first learned of the matter, for he found Chu Yuan''s loss unbelievable. Old Master has been defeated. ¡°Impossible! There''s no way is true!¡± Tang Xian shook his head and screamed incessantly as if madness had taken over him. Michael dashed up to Tang Xian and kicked him in the face. ¡°You old fogey, why are you still in denial at a time like this? Men, dragged him to the za!¡± Michael, leading the warriors of his family, kicked the Tang family out. Tang Xian, who was tied up at the za, had Chu Qitian forpany. Finally, the three families of Chu Sect had gathered at the Chu Sect za, their numbers in the thousands. The scene looked like arge-scale trial that awaited the arrival of one particr man. Finally, the sound of footsteps rang out at the foot of Mount Chumen. ¡°He''s here!¡± Michael yelled. As everyone turned to look in the direction of the sound, they were greeted by the sight of anky figure gradually ascending the path up the mountain. With his lean physique and handsome face, he walked up the steps wearing a smirk. Many years had passed since Chu Tianfan had stepped foot on Mount Chumen. In contrast to his pathetic circumstances then, he had returned as a glorious ruler. Upon reaching the peak of Mount Chumen, Ye Fan scanned the surroundings with a fearsome yet profound look in his eyes. Whenever his gaze fell upon them, the members of Chu Sect would look down subconsciously. ¡°You reap what you sow. For wreaking havoc and evil across the world, I, Chu Tianfan, order Chu Sect to be disbanded from today onward! As for you, its disciples, you are to give up arms and be forbidden from stepping into the martial arts world ever again. The management of Chu Sect''s assets and forces will be taken over by Dragon God Hall. Now that I have announced my decision, spread the news to the global martial arts world!¡± The moment Ye Fan''s deep voice rumbled across every corner of Mount Chumen, tears flowed from the thousands of followers who had gathered. No one dared to utter a word or protest. Only the wails of sorrow reverberated in every direction. Soon, following Ye Fan''s order, the members who had spent their entire lives on Mount Chumen gradually dispersed with their belongings. Just like that, a huge organization met its end. Having existed for more than a thousand years, it was now relegated to the annals of history. Chu Zhengliang, who was sealed on Mount Chumen, couldn''t help but shed tears at the scene before him. We have finally been defeated, and our sect haspletely been destroyed. Meanwhile, on another mountain summit, two figures were observing the scene from afar. One of them was standing elegantly, her purple dress fluttering in the wind. She was watching as her disciples and subordinates of the past trudged down Mount Chumen one by one. Unbeknownst to her, tears streamed down the corner of her eyes. An era had ended just like that. From that day onward, Tang Yun''s position as head of Chu Sect would cease to exist. ¡°Yun, it''s time for us to go.¡± Tang Rui''s voice echoed beside her ear. The disheartened Tang Yun acknowledged with a nod. Thereafter, she left the sorrowful ce together with her sister. Chapter 2165 Chapter 2165 Ye Fan stood alone atop the breezy peak of Mount Chumen. He scrutinized the hundreds, nay, even thousands of people who carried their belongings and trekked down the mountain. s, the person he missed dearly was nowhere to be seen in the crowd. He asked, ¡°Was there no trace of Tang Yun at all?¡± The old man who stood before him bowed slightly and reported, ¡°Young Master, Ms. Tang''s sister might have brought her away.¡± The old man was none other than Han. While Ye Fan was away, Han had been staying in the shadows for years until the former returned. Han had yed a significant role in Ye Fan''s sessful revenge and so naturally he would be present on such a momentous asion. Ye Fan''s heart churned with mixed emotions. Finally, he smiled bitterly and uttered, ¡°I, Chu Tianfan, conquered thisnd but still lost her in the end.¡± He sighed inwardly, his heart filled with sorrow. Ye Fan knew that by destroying her sect, it would take a Herculean feat to convince Tang Yun to forgive him. Perhaps she''ll never want to see me again. Sensing his crestfallen mood, Han advised, ¡°Power and love rarelye hand-in-hand. But remember that nothing is impossible, Young Master. Who''s to say what will happen in the future? As long as you show her your sincerity, I believe your efforts will move Ms. Tang even if her heart is made of stone. You will surely win her over, Young Master.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Ye Fan shook his head and smiled wryly. He could hear the constion in Han''s words. Even if he had ns to make things up to Tang Yun, he was utterly clueless about her whereabouts. There was a good chance he would never see her again. Suddenly, Han knelt on the floor and said, ¡°Young Master, your revenge isplete, and with it, I''ve fulfilled my greatest wish. I hope you will allow this old chap to return to his roots. I''m old and frail, and if I stay by your side, I fear I will only be a burden to you, Young Master. It''s high time I pass this role on to someone else.¡± He wished to relinquish his rank and retreat into seclusion on ount of old age. Still, Ye Fan had no ns to dismiss Han. He replied, ¡°Han, without your management over the years, the members of Dragon God Hall would''ve left long ago. I may be the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall, but I am no more than an ordinary man. My absence would hardly affect the hall, but without you, it would crumble in an instant. That''s why you can''t leave yet. You are the only choice as Dragon God Hall''s butler.¡± ¡°But, Young Master, my body is not what it used to be.¡± Han worried that his age and health would interfere with the smooth running of Dragon God Hall. Undeterred, Ye Fan replied imploringly, ¡°I''ve notified Junie to oversee your recovery. She''ll be here in a few days. This ce needs you, Han.¡± Han''s heart was warmed by his words. He had expected to be dismissed once he was no longer of value to Ye Fan, yet the young man had no reservations about rewarding his loyal supporters. After convincing Han to stay, Ye Fan dered, ¡°Right, I want you to lead some men to take over Chu Sect''s remaining properties and assets. I''ve got to investigate some other things myself.¡± Ye Fan left for the Jones residence soon after. When he arrived, he headed straight to the underground cells of the Jones residence. In it held several battered, bloodied men. Michael greeted him and exined, ¡°Master, these are Chu Yuan''s most trusted subordinates. I''ve brought them all here!¡± ¡°On your knees!¡± Michael bellowed, kicking the captured men across the back of their knees. The three captives immediately knelt on the ground under Ye Fan''s close watch. ¡°What was Chu Yuan''s reason forunching an attack to take over the martial arts world? And I heard that the sect had been kidnapping talented martial artists from different countries. Why did you do that?¡± Ye Fan interrogated them. Chu Yuan''s subordinates kept their mouths stubbornly shut. They shot Ye Fan res bursting with hatred. Michael pped the men hard enough to give them split lips. ¡°Answer him!¡± The captivesunched into a slew of spiteful tirades. ¡°What makes you think you have the right to interrogate us?¡± ¡°We''re veterans in Chu Sect. Based on our seniority, even your father should be calling us elders!¡± ¡°And you! Chu Tianfan! Disowned child! Ingrate! How could you harm your own grandfather? Betraying your sect and your ancestors! How could you call yourself a human? You''re a beast!¡± Their eyes reddened with fury. At the end of their scornful words, they even spat at Ye Fan for good measure. These men hated Ye Fan with a vengeance. After all, he had killed their most esteemed sect head, Chu Yuan, and destroyed their beloved sect. They wanted to tear Ye Fan into pieces for what he had done. Enraged by their audacity, Michael thundered, ¡°The lot of you must have a death wish!¡± He gritted his teeth in anger while pping the captives again. Their refusal to surrender surprised him. Chu Yuan was dead, and Chu Sect had copsed, yet here they were, fiercely protecting a defunct sect''s secrets. Michael''s beatings could not pressure the three men into answering Ye Fan''s questions. He said to Ye Fan, ¡°Master, I don''t think this is working. These old men are way too stubborn.¡± His hand was already aching, yet the captives refused to talk. Ye Fan merely smiled and said, ¡°Don''t worry. It''s my turn to strike.¡± Michael shook his head resignedly and muttered, ¡°It''s futile, Master. All the high-ranking elders of Chu Sect received loyalty training. To be chosen as Chu Yuan''s most trusted subordinates and be tasked with the most confidential assignments, they must''ve undergone stringent selection and training.¡± Instead of replying, Ye Fan approached the three captives and pped them across the faces. He asked, ¡°Will you answer my questions or not?¡± The three men spat blood and smiled despite their earlier torture. ¡°Hahaha... we''ll never talk! Not even if we die!¡± Ye Fanughed along with them. ¡°Oh, really?¡± He stepped on their legs, and cries of agony filled the air. He had crushed their bones to smithereens. Yet, he did not stop there. With a wave of his sleeve, he channeled his Qi right at the men''s heads, breaking their bones and distorting their faces. All three captives had half of their faces caving inward from the impact. The immense pain had them teetering on the edge of unconsciousness. Anguished screams echoed throughout the underground cells. An expressionless Ye Fan continued approaching the cowering men, who finally surrendered and pleaded for mercy. ¡°D-Don''t hit us. I-I''ll talk. W-We''ll talk.¡± Ye Fan smiled and drawled, ¡°If you had spoken a lot sooner, you wouldn''t have had to go through that.¡± Michael gaped at the scene, wide-eyed with shock. He is so brutal! I couldn''t get those men to talk even though my hand was on the verge of breaking. With a few hits, Ye Fan had beaten the captives within an inch of their lives. He crossed his arms behind his back and red at the three men. ¡°Start talking, then. Why was Chu Yun so intent on taking over the world?¡± One of the men stammered, ¡°I-It''s Dragon Gate. O-Old Mr. Chu was looking for Dragon Gate. Once he has taken over the world, he c-can open Dragon Gate. O-Old Mr. Chu said that the power to achieving sainthood lies behind Dragon Gate...¡± What? Ye Fan''s expression changed drastically. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Michael''s eyes widened further in shock as he sputtered, ¡±W-What did you say? S-Sainthood?¡± Chapter 2166 Chapter 2166 ¡°I-Is this real? I-Is there really a way to achieve sainthood?¡± Michael asked in disbelief. Even though Ye Fan was a little taken aback, he felt that the answer was reasonable. After all, the only thing that would tempt someone of Chu Yuan''s cultivation level would be the path to sainthood. Unlike other people, Ye Fan had always known about the existence of saints. His ancestor, Chu Yunyang, for example, should have achieved sainthood a thousand years ago. ¡°Bad news, Master!¡± While Ye Fan was interrogating the remaining members of Chu Sect, someone abruptly barged into the room. ¡°Why are you in a panic?¡± Michael berated, having been startled by the sudden shout. Ye Fan turned around as well. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I-It''s Chu Qitian. Someone rescued him!¡± What? Ye Fan drew his brows together when he heard that, and he quickly followed his subordinates to the Chu residence. The Chu residence was in a mess, and spots of red stained the ground. Without a doubt, that was the sight of a scene after a battle. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± The members of Dragon God Hall and the Chu family quickly bowed and greeted Ye Fan upon seeing him. Ye Fan ignored them and asked directly, ¡°Where is the Demonic Duo? Get them out here!¡± There was a visible look of displeasure on his face. Ye Fan had assigned the Demonic Duo to guard Chu Tianqi, and he was certain that the only way Chu Tianqi could be taken away while under the Demonic Duo''s watchful eyes was if the Demonic Duo had not been serious about their job. However, right as those words were out of Ye Fan''s mouth, the two gravely injured elderly men trudged over as others supported them. Then, they kneeled before Ye Fan. ¡°Y-You''re injured?¡± Ye Fan eximed in shock. The two elderly men answered, ¡°I''m sorry, Mr. Chu. The two of us could not stop them from taking Chu Tianqi. The other party was too mighty. Even if they''re not a god realm master, I''m afraid they''re already close to bing one.¡± ¡°Is that so? Did you catch a glimpse of your opponent?¡± Ye Fan continued to ask. The Demonic Duo shook their heads. ¡°The person had a mask, and they injured us badly the moment they appeared. By the time we came to our senses, the person was already gone with Chu Qitian.¡± ¡°Okay. Rest well and recover first. I''lle to you again if there''s anything else I need,¡± was all Ye Fan said before he dismissed the Demonic Duo. In the living room of the Chu residence, Ye Fan sat in the main seat, calm andposed. Standing before him were Han and the various executives of Dragon God Hall. ¡°Master, could the Demonic Duo be lying? The Demonic Duo is among the top five in the Sky Ranking. Who else other than you is capable of taking Chu Qitian away from them with ease? Even Tang Yun is not as powerful as this mysterious figure,¡± Gaius and the others said. They felt that the Demonic Duo was in cahoots with Chu Qitian and was lying to Ye Fan about them rescuing Chu Qitian. Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°I''ve already asked many people about this, and I don''t think the Demonic Duo is lying. I''ve seen the battle scene myself. It''s true that this person is mightier than the Demonic Duo. In fact, they might not be much weaker than me.¡± What? Gaius and the rest jolted to their feet. ¡°That''s impossible! Chu Yuan''s dead, so who else in this world is capable of going up against you?¡± Gaius and the others found it difficult to ept Ye Fan''s words. Ye Fan furrowed his brow and uttered gloomily, ¡°You mustn''t be too confident about that. There are many things we don''t know about in this world. Tang Rui is stronger than me. Can any of you tell me for sure that Tang Rui''s the only person who is that powerful?¡± ¡°So, Master, you mean to say that this is the work of the Tang sisters?¡± Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°I don''t think Aunt Tang is our enemy here. Also, with how capable she is, she wouldn''t need to be sneaky about rescuing Chu Tianqi. It must be someone else behind this.¡± The anxiety in Ye Fan''s heart grew. Somehow, something in his mind was telling him that the matter was far from over. First, it was the strange Dragon Gate and Chu Yuan''s body that had rotted overnight. Now, it was the sudden appearance of the mysterious fighter and Chu Qitian''s rescue. Each and every one of the matters made Ye Fan feel as if something major was brewing behind the scenes. ¡°What do we do now, then, Master?¡± Gaius and the others grew somber as well. They had thought that everything was over after Chu Yuan''s death, but ever since they arrived at Chu Sect, they found out that everything was downright peculiar. ¡°Let''s just wait and observe for now. Just focus on managing Chu Sect''s businesses. Also, try to let the injured heal as quickly as possible. The rest should be patrolling the area day and night.¡± There was nothing else Ye Fan could do. The current situation was confusing, and even if Ye Fan wanted to do something about it, he did not know who to go after. ¡°Okay. Master, you haven''t fully recovered yet either, so please rest more as well,¡± Gaius and the others uttered. Ye Fan inclined his head. After that, he went to the forbidden grounds of the Chu residence alone. Thest time he was there, the multicolored flowers covered every part of thend, the water in the stream was clear, and the birds sang sweet songs. It was a paradise. However, a vastly different sight greeted Ye Fan this time. The sky was gray, and the flowers beneath his feet were all wilted. The only thing left where the stream used to be was a dried riverbed. The entire ce looked lifeless. ¡°W-Why is this ce like this now?¡± It was a sight that Ye Fan did not expect to see. Nevertheless, the stone stairs still existed despite the barren state of thend. Ye Fan walked over to it. Unlike the previous time he was here, the stone door was no longer anywhere to be found. In ce of it was a stone block shrouded in mist. Ye Fan rubbed his eyes. Somehow, he felt that there was something on that stone block. All of a sudden, a gust of wind blew. The mist dissipated. It was then Ye Fan saw what was on the stone block. It was a person. A person was sitting on the stone block. They were dressed in a ck robe, and Ye Fan could not even see their face, for their robe had covered it up. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ye Fan asked from afar. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He received no reply as if the figure did not actually exist. However, just to be on the safe side, Ye Fan raised his arm, nning tounch an attack to test the figure. Right then, the figure abruptly stood up, and a hoarse voice rang out. ¡°It''s been a thousand years. Finally, the wait is over. Let us end this once and for all. Hahaha!¡± The ear-piercingughter reverberated in the space, and the sound pained Ye Fan. Ye Fan''s vision turned ck, for he was already weak. Not longter, he copsed. While Ye Fan was entering the forbidden grounds of the Chu residence again, arge group of martial artists appeared at the foot of Mount Chumen. ¡°Stand right there! Who are you people? No one is allowed into Mount Chumen without the Dragon Master''s permission!¡± The members of Dragon God Hall who had taken up guard duty stopped those people from entering Mount Chumen. ¡°Scram! Do you really think Mount Chumen''s yours? How dare you stop us?¡± a bald man bellowed before sending one of the guards flying with a p. ¡°W-What are you trying to do? Stop right there!¡± The guard quickly scrambled to his feet to stop the other party again. ¡°What are we trying to do? We''re here to take back what belongs to the martial arts world of our country, of course!¡± With a sneer, the bald man led his men and dashed into Mount Chumen. Chapter 2167 Chapter 2167 The moment they stepped foot into Mount Chumen, they began scavenging everywhere. They looted everything from the herb fields, as well as the weaponry in the arsenal. Even the famed paintings and precious treasures did not escape the looting. In an instant, the entire Mount Chumen erupted into chaos. ¡°Stop it, you b*stards!¡± Gaius and the others swiftly came out to stop the looters upon receiving the news. ¡°Hahaha! There I was wondering who it was. It''s you, Gaius! It''s been a while. Let''s sit down and catch up another day,¡± said the bald man. The man leading his subordinates and looting Mount Chumen was Allen, the supreme grandmaster of the Western Epea martial arts world. ¡°I have to say, there are so many goodies on Mount Chumen. Even a random painting from this ce can fetch a fantastic price. Chu Sect really has taken too much from our martial arts world. Gaius, stop standing there. Hurry up and grab something, or else they''re going to take more!¡± Allen said before laughing boisterously. There were several hundred martial artists who had invaded Mount Chumen. When the news of Chu Sect''s decimation spread out, the surviving martial artists from other countries rushed to Mount Chumen in hopes of stealing something good from the ce. After all, Chu Sect had dominated the world for such a long time. As the most powerful organization in the world, they should have umted countless treasures. Of course, to martial artists like Allen and the others, physical items were only of limited importance. What they were more interested in were Chu Sect''s techniques and martial arts books, especially Dragon God Body. If they could find Dragon God Body''s guide, not only would they be much mightier, but they could even live a longer life. Everyone in the martial arts world knew that Body Tempering Martial Arts was capable of extending a person''s lifespan. As long as a person was alive, everything was possible. That was why all of them wanted to stay alive as long as they could. ¡°Allen, stop the nonsense and hurry up. If we don''t hurry up, Kerry and the others are going to get all the good stuff! Whether the Ferropenian martial arts world can return to its former glory will be up to you,¡± someone urged when Allen was chatting away with Gaius. Following that, martial artists from other countries began rushing into the various castles of Chu Sect. Gaius tried to stop them, but his efforts were fruitless, for there were simply too many people. Furthermore, there were over a dozen supreme grandmasters among the looters. The martial artists of Dragon God Hall had just gone through a battle. Gaius and some others were wounded, and the others were either dead or injured. They could not stop the invaders. ¡°Damn these robbers! Ignore everywhere else and gather the people to guard the Treasure Pavilion! Regardless of everything, we mustn''t let them enter the Treasure Pavilion!¡± Han was fuming, too. However, they had limited capability¡ªthey could not guard every single ce, so they had to gather their men to guard the most important ces, such as the Treasure Pavilion. It was the ce where most of Chu Sect''s treasures were kept in, and they had to defend it from the looters no matter what. Allen and the others were smart people. They soon realized that Dragon God Hall''s martial artists were gathered at a specific spot. ¡°People, do you see that tower over there? If I''m right, the most precious treasures Chu Sect has must be kept there! Let''s not waste any more time. I''m going to head there first! Whether we''re going to go from rags to riches will be up to you all!¡± Allen shouted, an ardent look in his eyes. With that, Allen charged toward the Treasure Pavilion. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ¡°Allen, you sly fox! How dare you try to snatch everything for yourself? Dragon God Body belongs to us Granatanns!¡± The people of the Granatann royal family had figured out that the building was Chu Sect''s Treasure Pavilion, and they led their country''s martial artists toward it. Shortly after, several hundred martial artists had gathered before Chu Sect''s Treasure Pavilion, which was where Han and the remainingbatants were guarding. ¡°Please move aside. The few men you have on your side won''t be able to stop us,¡± Allen said with a smile as he looked at the injured members of Dragon God Hall. These people had made preparations before they came to Mount Chumen. Even though Dragon God Hall had won the battle against Chu Sect, it was a difficult win. As long as they banded together with martial artists from various countries, the people of Dragon God Hall would not be able to stop them. Han stood in front of his men with a somber look on his face. I should have convinced Master to ask the Pavilion Elders to stay. Those Pavilion Elders had all gone into seclusion after leaving the mountain with the Chu Sect members. However, what Han did not know was that Ye Fan had actually tried to convince the Pavilion Elders to stay. s, the elders had sworn their eternal loyalty to Chu Sect. Once Chu Sect was dissolved, they left with the other members. The eighteen elders used to be provided for by Chu Sect, so, naturally, they would not shift their loyalty and work for Dragon God Hall instead. ¡°You robbers! How dare you try to take advantage of the situation? Do you not fear the wrath of the Dragon Master?¡± Han roared. Allen shook his head and grinned. ¡°Don''t try to scare us by talking about your Dragon Master. We''re only here to take back what''s ours. Also, the ce we want to enter now is Chu Sect''s Treasure Pavilion, not Dragon God Hall''s Treasure Pavilion. Chu Sect had reigned for so many years. They had gathered plenty of resources. There''s no way Dragon God Hall will be able to use them by themselves. It''s nothing wrong for us to take some of these things back aspensation for the losses Chu Sect made us suffer. You should be a little reasonable even if you want to be a tyrant, shouldn''t you?¡± ¡°That''s right! You can''t just take everything for yourself!¡± ¡°Hear, hear! Chu Sect''s treasures were stolen from all over the world, so they belong to the world too. The people of Dragon God Hall have no right to keep them all for themselves!¡± The second those words left Allen''s mouth, the martial artists behind him voiced their agreement. Righteous indignation flitted across their faces. ¡°Y-You¡ª¡± Even though Han was furious, he did not know what words he could use to refute them, for they were right. Chu Sect had made many people in the world suffer. It was nothing peculiar for martial artists from across the globe to want to get a piece of the cake to compensate for their loss. ¡°Stop wasting your breath on them. Let''s barge in! Take back what was ours!¡± someone in the crowd abruptly shouted. The group became fired up. They all charged toward the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion. Gaius and the others tried to stop them, but they were defeated by the other martial artists. Right as they were about to lose the Treasure Pavilion and the treasures that had been kept there for over a thousand years, a thundering voice boomed from the deeper parts of the building. ¡°I''d like to see who has the courage to step foot into this building without my permission.¡± The voice came like thunder and reverberated through the space. A terrifying shockwave swept in all directions as if a hurricane had formed within the building. The shockwave struck Allen and the others who stood in the front the hardest, and everyone stumbled backward. In the next second, silence befell the scene. Everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice. A skinny figure ambled toward the bright entrance from the shadowy depths of the building. Then, the people finally saw the face of the figure. It was Chu Tianfan. Allen''s eyes widened. The other Supreme martial artists shuddered and froze as well. Chapter 2168 Chapter 2168 Everyone in Dragon God Hall knelt and greeted Ye Fan respectfully when they saw him. Allen and the others, however, had deep frowns on their faces. They looked as though they had just encountered their biggest threat ever. Of course, they knew they would encounter resistance from Dragon God Hall before they came over. What they didn''t expect was the powerful aura that Ye Fan exuded. ording to the information they had on hand, Ye Fan''s battle with Chu Yuan had left him severely wounded. Regardless, they refused to back out easily since they had alreadye this far. After taking a moment to regain hisposure, Allen stepped forward and said with a smile, ¡°So, you''re Ye Fan, huh? I hear you''re the Unrivalled and the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall. It sure is impressive for a young man like you to have such great achievements. Who would''ve thought a hero like you would emerge in the martial arts world during my few years of solitary training? While I am d to see how far you havee, one must be very careful when at the pinnacle of sess. I have more experience than you do, so I would like to offer you a piece of advice. You''re young and inexperienced, and Dragon God Hall is a rtively new organization. As such, you need to focus on building rapport with others. You can''t always have it your way, or you''ll end up making lots of enemies. I believe your experience with the Chu Sect is a perfect example and has taught you a valuable lesson.¡± As it was Allen''s first time meeting Ye Fan in person, he lectured thetter like a senior would a junior after noticing how young thetter looked. Ye Fan eyed Allen from head to toe and asked coldly, ¡°Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to lecture me?¡± ¡°You...¡± Allen found himself at a loss for words. He was livid with rage and clenched his fists tightly, but there was nothing he could say in retaliation. ¡°I will only say this one more time. You have ten seconds to get out of Mount Chumen, or we can settle our scores right here and now.¡± Ye Fan''s tone was as cold as ice, and he had no intention of showing Allen any mercy whatsoever. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Naturally, Allen didn''t take too kindly to being humiliated. I''m a highly respected senior in the entire martial arts world, not to mention in Western Epea! How dare Ye Fan disrespect me like this? Displeased with Ye Fan''s attitude, Allen shouted angrily, ¡°Is arrogance the norm for youngsters these days? Why are you getting all cocky just because you managed to achieve some sess in life? Even the head of the Chu Sect wouldn''t dare show me such disrespect!¡± ¡°The fact that you guys are still alive right now is the greatest form of mercy from me,¡± Ye Fan replied with a sneer. ¡°You...¡± Right when the tension had reached its peak, a few people made their way through the crowd and stepped forward. Had War God been present at the scene, he would''ve recognized those people as the leading figures in the martial arts world. One of them was Aaron, the king of Remdik. The second one was Carlo, the prince of Erihal. The third one was Jared, the martial arts leader of Ferropene. All three of them had attended the wedding organized by the Chu Sect, so they had witnessed Ye Fan''s capabilities when he first showed up there. We even witnessed Ye Fan being forced tomit suicide at the border of the country. Who would''ve thought this young man, who had reached the end of the rope, would make aeback in a few years and singlehandedly destroy the Chu Sect? They even thought the news of Chu Yuan''s death was false at first. It wasn''t until they received confirmation from various other channels that they epted the shocking fact. Carlo stepped forward and attempted to defuse the situation by saying, ¡°Hahaha! There''s no need to get so worked up, Hall Master Ye! We used to go against the Chu Sect as well, so we''re technically on the same side here. Comrades shouldn''t be fighting over such trivial matters! This is about the resources, right? How about this, Treasure Pavilion will offer up twenty percent of its treasures to Dragon God Hall, and we''ll let the International Martial Arts League decide on the rest. What do you guys think?¡± ¡°No way, Prince Carlo! There are hundreds of countries in the International Martial Arts League! To give Dragon God Hall twenty percent is way too much!¡± Allen protested in dissatisfaction. The resources were extremely limited, so Dragon God Hall receiving more of it would mean fewer resources for everyone else. ¡°Allen, I think you should stop arguing about this,¡± said Aaron. ¡°That''s right. We should just go with Prince Carlo''s suggestion. Dragon God Hall is new to the scene, so they arecking in resources. As fellow members of the martial arts world, we should show our generosity by letting them have more resources. Besides, it is only natural for us seniors to help our juniors out!¡± Jared chimed in as well. Although still dissatisfied with the arrangement, Allen had no choice but to go along with it. Carlo then turned toward Ye Fan and continued with a smile, ¡°Hall Master Ye, are you satisfied with getting twenty percent of the Chu Sect''s resources? If yes, please make way so the staff from the International Martial Arts League can process the remaining eighty percent.¡± Ye Fan burst outughing on the spot. ¡°Hahahahaha! You sly old foxes sure have it all mapped out, huh? Did you guys really think you could just walk away with eighty percent of the Chu Sect''s resources? Do you take Dragon God Hall for a fool? Or do you think we''re pushovers?¡± Carlo and the others frowned when he heard that. ¡°What do you mean by that, Hall Master Ye? Do you think twenty percent is too little for you? Please keep in mind that the remaining eighty percent is to be divided between the hundreds of countries in the International Martial Arts League. You, on the other hand, will have twenty percent all to yourself. Is that not enough for you?¡± ¡°Hall Master Ye, don''t you think you''re being a little greedy here?¡± Aaron added. They felt Dragon God Hall was being ungrateful and insolent. Ye Fan''s tone was dripping with mockery and sarcasm as he snapped back at them, ¡°Ha! What a joke! You guys are clearly the greedy ones here! Where were you guys when the Chu Sect attacked Jiangdong, huh? I didn''t see you guys anywhere when Dragon God Hall had to fend off the Chu Sect! Now that Chu Yuan is dead and the Chu Sect is no more, you guys think you can just pop out and ask for its resources? I''m surprised you guys have the audacity to call yourself seniors when you''re nothing but shameless and greedy cowards!¡± Carlo andpany went livid with rage when they heard that. Allen, too, was on the verge of exploding with anger. ¡°You insolent fool! How dare you insult your seniors in the martial arts world? Even Chu Yuan never dared take that tone with us! Fine, if you insist on doing this the hard way, then so be it!¡± Allen yelled as he drew his sword and activated his aura. ¡°Don''t do anything rash now, Allen,¡± Carlo said while blocking Allen''s path. He then shifted his gaze toward Ye Fan and continued solemnly, ¡°Ye Fan, I do not agree with what you just said. It''s true that Dragon God Hall has contributed a lot, but that does not mean the martial arts world of Western Epea hasn''t done the same, if not more. Eleven of my thirteen disciples have died valiantly in the battle against Chu Sect, and Allen lost almost every single member of his n. Smend almost lost all thirty-six of its martial arts worlds to the Chu Sect! It took abined effort from all the martial arts worlds to fully eliminate the Chu Sect. Dragon God Hall would not have emerged victorious without the support of everyone else involved. You should learn to be more grateful, Hall Master Ye. It was luck that allowed you to deliver the final blow to the Chu Sect. Therefore, you cannot take credit for the total annihtion of the Chu Sect. We and the rest of the martial arts worlds will not allow it!¡± Chapter 2169 Chapter 2169 Carlo''s tone was icy-cold and filled with rage. All the other martial artists standing behind him protested as well. ¡°Don''t push your luck, Chu Tianfan!¡± ¡°The Dragon God Hall didn''t take down the Chu Sect all by itself!¡± ¡°You only managed to take over Mount Chumen because you got lucky! That doesn''t mean you get to hog all the resources!¡± ¡°Yeah! Step aside!¡± ¡°Get out of the way!¡± The enraged yells from the martial artists echoed throughout Mount Chumen. They had all suffered huge losses at the hands of the Chu Sect. Some of them lost family members in the war, whereas others lost friends andrades. Anger and sadness were all that they felt in their hearts. However, with the Chu Sect gone, they had no means of venting their pent-up anger and sadness. As such, they decided to take it out on Dragon God Hall instead. Han and the others went pale when they saw that the situation was going out of control. They could clearly sense that the odds were stacked against them. Dragon God Hall has sustained heavy casualties from the battle. Even Supreme Grandmasters like Gaius and Owen have yet to recover half of their usual strength, and Young Master''s condition is most likely a lot worse. As Allen, Carlo, and the others had their forces either retreat or surrender during the Chu Sect invasion, their men were able to conserve their energy and are currently at full capacity. Dragon God Hall is bound to lose if we engage them in battle right now! After taking a moment to weigh the pros and cons of the courses of action, Han walked up to Ye Fan and suggested, ¡°Young Master, you can always gather more resourcester on. I think we should just go with their arrangement and keep twenty percent of the resources. We could always demand more resources after Dragon God Hall has recovered from the battle.¡± Gaius and the others nodded in agreement. ¡°He''s right, Dragon Master. Let''s make apromise for now. We can always take it all back when we get stronger!¡± This is probably the only viable option at the moment. Refusing this arrangement could very well result in Dragon God Hall being wiped out! The higher-ups of Dragon God Hall all tried to talk Ye Fan into epting the arrangement. Aaron, Carlo, and the other expert fighters were all ring coldly at Ye Fan as they waited for his reply. Although they were prepared to fight him if necessary, they had a feeling he wouldn''t dare go against them. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. After all, anyone could tell that Dragon God Hall was currently in no condition to fight another battle. Even if Ye Fan was really powerful, he couldn''t possibly have much strength left after battling Chu Yuan and Tang Yun. They were all teaming up to capitalize on Dragon God Hall''s inability to defend itself against them. Dragon God Hall may have reigned supreme in the past, but it is at a severe disadvantage now! They have no choice but to ept whatever arrangement we make! Right as they thought Ye Fan would submit to them, he burst outughing and said, ¡°Compromise? I neverpromise! I never made anypromises when faced with Chu Yuan, Tang Yun, and the Chu Sect! You small fries are unworthy of demanding apromise from me!¡± Allen and the others exploded with anger when they heard that. ¡°You''re pushing your luck, Chu Tianfan! Do you really want to dere war against the entire world?¡± Allen shouted coldly while ring daggers at Ye Fan. I don''t care how great people im Chu Tianfan is. He''s nothing but a junior to me, and I will not allow a junior to disrespect me like this! He needs to be taught a lesson on humility! However, Ye Fan didn''t even flinch in the face of Allen''s threats. ¡°Hahaha! If it''s a fight you want, then it''s a fight you shall get! You''ve heard my tales, so you should know that I have never feared anyone!¡± ¡°Very well, then! You brought this upon yourself, Chu Tianfan!¡± Allen screamed furiously. How dare he behave so insolently when he''s severely wounded? Does he think we''re all afraid of him just because he destroyed the Chu Sect? He only got lucky! Dragon God Hall would never have won against Chu Sect without the help of the other martial arts worlds! I don''t like the idea of bullying a junior, especially one who is wounded, but he brought this upon himself! Chu Tianfan has only himself to me for what happens next! With that in mind, Allen raised his sword and activated his aura. ¡°Frenzied de, Thunder Dragon sh!¡± he yelled at the top of his lungs while unsheathing his sword. A dragon made of lightning erupted from the sword and headed straight for Ye Fan at blinding speed. ¡°He''s taking advantage of Ye Fan''s unfavorable situation!¡± ¡°What a despicable person!¡± Han and the others went pale with shock when they saw Allen''s attack. Fearing for Ye Fan''s safety, Han had Gaius and Owen step in to defend him. It had only been a few days since the battle on Mount Yunding. Although Ye Fan fell unconscious due to severe injuries after the battle, he only rested for two days before heading straight for Mount Chumen. Therefore, Ye Fan barely had time to recover from his injuries. Given the circumstances, it was only natural for Han and the others to worry about him. Despite being injured as well, Gaius, Owen, and the other Dragon yers all rushed forward to shield Ye Fan from the iing attack. ¡°Hey, Gaius! I could defeat you even when you were in your prime! Right now, you''re nothing but a wounded old man! I admire your courage to receive my attacks, but you''re overestimating yourself way too much here!¡± Allen said with a sneer before he sent Gaius flying with a smack to the chest. Owen, too, coughed up blood on the spot after being hit by Allen''s attack. Just like that, Allen had taken out two Dragon yers in one go. Dragon God Hall was simply in no condition to fight anyone after the battle against Chu Sect. ¡°Watch out, Young Master!¡± Han yelled with tears of concern in his eyes as Allen''s attack approached Ye Fan. However, Ye Fan simply stood there with his arms behind his back and an icy-cold look in his eyes. A strong gust of wind started blowing behind him as a huge amount of energy gathered at the peak of Mount Chumen. The next thing they knew, Ye Fan, who was standing perfectly still, had his body overflowing with energy. His ck robe pped loudly in the wind, and his ck hair got all messy as well. At that very moment, Ye Fan looked just like a demon that had walked right out of the underworld. His eyes turned red, and his body exuded a terrifying aura that sent shivers down Allen''s spine. ¡°What the...¡± Whatever feelings of disdain he had earlier were gone as fear and shock filled his heart. How is he still so powerful? Has he been faking his injuries? Was there a mistake in the information we received? Allen was starting to get worried. Although he couldn''t stand juniors showing off in front of seniors, he was no fool either. Upon realizing that he was at a severe disadvantage, Allen quickly turned to Carlo and the others for help. ¡°Carlo! Jared! What are you guys waiting for? Hurry up and lend me a hand! We need to work together and eliminate this threat as soon as possible! You''ve seen the damage Chu Sect could do! Do you want the same to happen with Dragon God Hall too?¡± he yelled anxiously. After hesitating for a bit, Aaron, Carlo, and the others decided to participate in the fight. ¡°You brought this upon yourself, Chu Tianfan! We all worked together to destroy Chu Sect, so we can''t let you hog all of their resources!¡± Chapter 2170 Chapter 2170 Logically speaking, Ye Fan was doing everyone in the martial arts world a favor by eliminating Chu Sect, so Aaron and the others should be thanking him instead. Unfortunately, logic did not exist in this materialistic world. The only thing that everyone cared about was how they could profit from others. As Ye Fan''s existence would prevent them from maximizing their profits, it was only natural that they would try to get rid of him. In fact, they had been wanting to get rid of him ever since he rose to the top while in his twenties. Chu Yuan was able to form an alliance with other martial artists in different countries to take Ye Fan down back then. However, they did not team up with him because he forced them to. Instead, they only agreed to ally with him because Ye Fan was too powerful. In order to prevent Ye Fan from reviving the martial arts world of China, they deemed it necessary to get rid of him. Aaron and the others had assumed Ye Fan was dead after that assault, only to see him make a comeback a few yearster. As if that wasn''t bad enough, Ye Fan had be so much more powerful that he even managed to defeat Chu Yuan. Judging by the way things were progressing, it was highly possible that Ye Fan would be the next Chu Yuan. If that were to happen, then Dragon God Hall would surely be the next Chu Sect as well. The fear of those situations was what drove Aaron and the others to try and kill Ye Fan, especially while he was still weak from the previous battle. Due to the current state of Dragon God Hall, the other martial arts worlds saw it as a golden opportunity to kick the dog while it was down. As powerful as Ye Fan may be, there''s no way he can defeat us all while injured! With that in mind, Allen and a total of twelve Supreme fighters charged at Ye Fan. The look in Ye Fan''s eyes was as cold as ice when he saw the powerful Qi surging toward him. Heh... Why does this scene look so familiar? Oh, that''s right. After losing the battle on Mount Chumen, I barely managed to escape with my life under the protection of Gaius and the others. I thought I was safe, only to have thirteen Supreme fighters jump out of hiding and surround me on all sides. Had Tang Yun not protected me from the thirteen assassins that night, I would''ve died on Mount Chumen. That would''ve saved Chu Yuan the trouble ofing over to Eastsea. With a wry smile on his face, Ye Fan asked, ¡°You guys were the ones in ck who attacked me on Mount Chumen back then, huh?¡± A lot had changed ever since that incident took ce three years ago. However, even with Chu Yuan and Chu Sect gone, the cruel hearts of the people remained unchanged. Ye Fan and those from Dragon God Hall had defended all the martial arts worlds from the Chu Sect. They had sacrificed so much to restore peace and harmony to the world, and yet, people still hunted them down for the sake of profits. ¡°There''s no point in asking about that now, Chu Tianfan! You''re shouldering the lives of so many martial artists! Just remember that this is payback for the massacre that took ce in the Adrunian rainforest!¡± replied one of the Supreme fighters while ring viciously at Ye Fan. Ye Fan shook his head helplessly in response. ¡°To be honest, I was nning on letting bygones be bygones. If we do not let the past remain in the past, then it will keep haunting us forever. Since you guys insist on bringing up the past, then I shall have no choice but to y along. Let us settle our score once and for all.¡± Ye Fan knew there was no talking them out of it, so he didn''t want to say anything further. The next thing they knew, a strong wave of energy erupted from Ye Fan''s body as his majestic voice reverberated in the air. ¡°First Form of Invoke the Celestial Sky: Cloud Sun Kick!¡± Boom! All they saw was the blurry afterimage of a figure soaring into the sky. A few secondster, Ye Fan came zooming toward them while delivering a powerful stomp. It looked like the universe was stepping onto Earth with the force of a dragon emerging from its nest. The powerful aura was like a beam of light that prated the infinite darkness. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . As Allen was leading the charge, he was able to clearly see Ye Fan''s foot heading toward him. As expected of someone who wiped out Chu Sect. While it was luck that resulted in your victory, you are indeed more powerful than most people out there. However, your skills and strength won''t do you much good if you''re weakened by your severe injuries! With that in mind, Allen sneered as he shed at Ye Fan with his sword. Instead of trying to dodge the iing attack, he had chosen to receive it head-on. Allen was determined to prove to everyone that seniority meant superiority in the martial arts world. Just like that, Ye Fan''s foot shed with Allen''s sword with a loud ng. A split secondter, however, Allen''s confident smile was frozen in ce. ¡°What?¡± he eximed in shock as his sword shattered as though it were a fragile piece of ss. The broken pieces of the sword scattered on the ground as Ye Fan''s attack continued on, undiminished in power. In fact, it was almost as effortless as slicing through butter with a hot knife. When his foot made contact with Allen''s body, Allen could feel his ribs snapping like twigs within his chest. Some of them even shattered on the spot. Despite being a senior martial artist and a Supreme Grandmaster, Allen''s expertise amounted to nothing when faced with Ye Fan''s power. None of his physical defenses was able to withstand the sheer destructive power of Ye Fan''s attack. With all of his ribs broken, Allen''s chest caved in from the impact of Ye Fan''s kick. Everyone was shocked and speechless when they saw Ye Fan''s foot prate Allen''s chest as easily as stepping through a thinyer of ice. As if that wasn''t gruesome enough, the power from Invoke the Celestial Sky surged through Allen''s body and caused it to explode like a balloon. His internal organs flew everywhere while his blood sprayed in all directions. As it all happened within a few seconds, Allen didn''t even have time to scream in pain before he died. Ye Fan was truly the epitome of undefeatable, absolute strength. Under normal circumstances, it would be incredibly difficult for one to kill a Grandmaster, let alone a Supreme Grandmaster. However, that norm didn''t seem to apply Ye Fan at all. By killing a Supreme Grandmaster, whom everyone glorified, with one kick, Ye Fan had proven just how weak and fragile they were. Everyone fell silent from shock and disbelief. Ye Fan looked like a demon as he stood there in bloodstained clothes. The evening sun cast a reddish glow on his body, which made him look all the more terrifying. Bits and pieces of Allen''s internal organs were slowly falling off his shirt. Despite the gruesome sight, Ye Fan maintained an expressionless look on his face as he nced about. ¡°Who''s next?¡± he asked in a booming voice. Everyone shuddered when they felt the intense aura emanating from his body. The Supreme fighters, who were prepared to besiege and kill Ye Fan earlier, got so scared that they all stopped in their tracks. Aaron, Carlo, and the others quickly retracted their attacks even though they would injure themselves doing so. After all, Ye Fan had just kicked a Supreme Grandmaster into his next life. That meant it would only take twelve more kicks from Ye Fan to kill off the remaining twelve Supreme fighters. They simply had no way to deal with such an overwhelmingly destructive force. Chapter 2171 Chapter 2171 After a few seconds ofplete silence, Carlo asked with his face all pale, ¡°H-Hey, Aaron... What do we do now?¡± Those Supreme fighters, who were confidently threatening to kill Ye Fan just minutes ago, found themselves in a dilemma. Having witnessed Allen get obliterated in one hit, they were afraid they would be the next to share his fate. However, it would also be extremely humiliating if word got out about Ye Fan scaring off twelve Supremes all by himself. Pride was extremely important for those in the martial arts world, especially martial arts leaders like Aaron and Carlo. They knew that running away would not only cause them to lose the fight but also the dignity of their country. Despite being the Great Emperor of Remdik, Aaron was so overwhelmed with fear that he actually considered retreating. ¡°M-Maybe we should retreat...¡± he said hesitantly as he stared at the powerful young man before him. Unfortunately, not everyone agreed with his suggestion. Some of them were a little more reckless than others. Being the prideful martial arts leader of Ferropene, Jared refused to back down. ¡°No way! We mustn''t retreat! We''re martial arts leaders! How will we carry ourselves in the martial arts world if we let Chu Tianfan scare us into retreating? Besides, he must be at his limits by now! That move he killed Allen with must''ve used up thest bit of his remaining strength! Trust me; he''s definitely in no condition to fight us! All we have to do is charge at him and attack him however we want. Chu Tianfan will surely go down this time!¡± he shouted confidently. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Yeah, that makes sense. You can go ahead and be the first to charge, then,¡± Aaron said. ¡°You...¡± Jared''s face twitched slightly when he heard that. ¡°F-Fine! I''ll go first!¡± He then clenched his teeth and turned to look at Ye Fan as he yelled, ¡°I know you''ve used up yourst bit of strength in that attack earlier, Chu Tianfan! Otherwise, you would''ve continued and finished the rest of us off by now!¡± Jared was smart enough to try and taunt Ye Fan verbally instead of attacking right away. He did that in order to observe Ye Fan''s response and confirm his theory. While it didn''t exactly provoke a response from Ye Fan, his words did have an effect on those around him. Aaron, Carlo, and the others found themselves agreeing with his statement. Jared is right! Knowing Chu Tianfan, he would''ve continued the attack and killed us all. So, why did he stop after killing Allen? It''s unlikely that he''s being merciful, so Jared is probably right about him running out of strength! Noticing that Carlo and the others were once again preparing to attack, Ye Fan pointed his finger at the ground and fired an energy beam at it. Boom! As the smoke cleared and the loud rumbling ceased, the crowd saw a clear line across the ground in front of Treasure Pavilion. ¡°I will kill anyone who crosses this line. Go ahead and give it a try if you don''t believe me!¡± Ye Fan shouted. The look on Jared''s face changed when he heard that. ¡°You...¡± Ye Fan ignored him and shifted his gaze toward the rest of the crowd as he continued, ¡°I will only say this one more time. The Chu Sect now belongs to Dragon God Hall. Those of you who wish to enter Treasure Pavilion will have to cross this line. Whether or not you make it to the treasure alive, however, is a different story.¡± Whoosh! A sudden gust of wind blew past the area, lowering the temperature instantly and sending shivers down everyone''s spines. Even Jared, who was really confident earlier, found himself wavering at that point. Carlo gave him a nudge and said, ¡°Go on, Jared. Cross the line. We''ll be sure to back you up if you survive his attack!¡± The look on Jared''s face turned gloomy when he heard that. ¡°F*ck off! Why don''t you give it a shot, huh?¡± Honestly, the audacity of these people... Sure, everyone goes home happy if my theory turns out to be right. But if I was wrong, I''ll lose way more than just the treasure! My life is at stake! After a brief moment of hesitation, Jared decided it wasn''t worth the risk and stepped back. ¡°Hmph! Keep in mind that you are making yourself an enemy of the entire martial arts world across the globe. You''lle to regret this one day!¡± he threatened. ¡°Oh, really? In that case, I''d better kill you first!¡± The look in Ye Fan''s eyes grew cold as he raised his arm and continued in an ethereal voice, ¡°Invoke the Celestial Sky...¡± What? Jared was so terrified that he nearly wet himself when he heard that. Like a mouse that had seen a cat, he turned around and ran as quickly as his legs could carry him. F*ck you, Chu Tianfan! You lying b*stard! You said you''d only kill those who crossed the line! No, this isn''t the time to be thinking about that! He killed Allen with Invoke the Celestial Sky earlier! I''ll most likely join Allen in death if I get hit by it! Not wanting to end up dead, Jared focused all of his energy on his legs and continued running at full speed. In just the blink of an eye, he had left Mount Chumen and disappeared from sight. Unbeknownst to Jared, his act of fleeing triggered a domino effect and prompted most of the martial artists to flee as well. Even Aaron, Carlo, and the other prominent figures in the martial arts world instinctively retreated. Just like that, Ye Fan''s mere words had sessfully scared most of the martial artists off Mount Chumen. ¡°Hahaha! I was just kidding! Why are you all leaving in such a hurry?¡± Ye Fan asked with a chuckle as he put his arm down. Han, Gaius, and all the other members of Dragon God Hall burst outughing as well. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± ¡°You guys are all trash!¡± ¡°I''m surprised you cowards had the guts to challenge Dragon Master!¡± ¡°They sure overestimated themselves!¡± Theughter from the members of Dragon God Hall echoed throughout Mount Chumen. Aaron and the others burned bright red in embarrassment when they realized Ye Fan tricked them. ¡°That b*stard!¡± Aaron red daggers at Ye Fan from afar. He was livid with rage, but there was nothing he could do about it except retreat to safety. With all those people gone, peace was restored to Mount Chumen. ¡°Haha! You were amazing, Dragon Master!¡± ¡°Yeah! You scared off all those martial artists all by yourself!¡± ¡°From now on, you''ll be regarded as the most powerful person in the world!¡± ¡°And Dragon God Hall will rece Chu Sect as the most powerful force in the world!¡± They had assumed things would turn ugly at first, but Ye Fan had resolved the crisis with ease. The members of Dragon God Hall couldn''t help but admire Ye Fan''s ability to handle difficult situations in the most ideal way possible. Ye Fan simply ignored theirpliments and had Han bring him a ss of water. ¡°Are you okay, Young Master? You look very pale!¡± That was when Han realized Ye Fan''s face had turned pale as cold sweat trickled continuously down his forehead. Ye Fan kept quiet and took the ss of water over with trembling hands. To everyone''s horror, the clear water was stained red the moment Ye Fan took a sip of it. Han gasped in shock when he saw that. ¡°Dragon Master! What''s¡ª¡± Ye Fan then coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood, turning the entire ss of water red in an instant. A few secondster, the ss slipped out of his hand and shattered on the ground. Chapter 2172 Chapter 2172 ¡°Dragon Master!¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Young Master!¡± As soon as Ye Fan copsed, all the members of Dragon God Hall darted across the mountain to get to him. Ye Fan was like a deity to them. He was their everything. As such, they would all be devastated if something were to happen to him. Meanwhile, as the martial artists from various countries left Mount Chumen, members of Dragon God Hall assumed charge of the ce once again. Shortly after the departure of Aaron and gang, two youngdies walked toward the entrance leading to Mount Chumen. They were both very pretty and had porcin skin. One of them was gentle and charming like a bud flowering into bloom, whereas the other one was bubbly and active. Thetter seemed to be rather cheeky and lovable like a fairy. ¡°Junie, is this Mount Chumen? The ce where the greatest sect in the world is located? It looks magnificent! It''s like heaven on earth!¡± With some wildflowers in her hand, the cheeky girl was in awe as she gazed at the spectacr mountains standing tall before her eyes. The gentle girl standing next to her chuckled. ¡°This is Chu Sect. It''s indeed majestic! Legend has it that Chu Yunyang, the first disciple of Chu Sect, saved people from their misery and became immortal. Thereafter, he protected his descendants for nearly a thousand years.¡± ¡°Is that true, Junie? Are immortals for real?¡± the bubbly girl asked, her eyes wide open. ¡°Yes, it''s true. In fact, Ye Fan is a descendant of an immortal.¡± Junie shed a smile while nodding. What? Upon hearing that, the young girl got so worked up. ¡°Ye Fan is the descendant of an immortal? In other words, when the two of you get married and have a baby in the future, your child will be immortal too?¡± Upon listening to the young girl''s weird question, Junie knocked her on the head, gesturing for thetter to stop spouting nonsense. They chatted along the way and arrived at the foot of Mount Chumen before they knew it. ¡°Hey, prettydies! Where are you heading to?¡± asked a member of Dragon God Hall who was standing guard at the entrance. Judging from his beaming countenance and brightly lit eyes, he was evidently amazed by their beauty. ¡°We''re going up the mountain,¡± Junie stated. ¡°Oh? To Mount Chumen? I''m afraid you can''t because it is closed for several days, and all unauthorized personnel is not allowed to enter. If you don''t want anything untoward to happen to you, I suggest you leave now.¡± Almost immediately, the smile on the guard''s face disappeared, and he cast a wary look at the two ladies. Although the girls were as gorgeous as goddesses, he could not let them go up the mountain. Recently, Dragon God Hall had just gone through two tedious battles and was currently still recovering their strength. Hence, the guards on duty had to be more stringent and alert. Fuming, the young girl stepped forward and bellowed at the guards, ¡°We''re not just anyone. I''m Ye Fan''s sister, whereas this is his wife. Do you know Ye Fan? He''s your Dragon Master, the rightful owner of this mountain¡ªChu Tianfan!¡± Considering how we''re rted to Ye Fan,ing to his house is equivalent to returning to my own home. These guys must be blind to chase us away! ¡°What are you talking about? Did you say that she''s Mr. Chu''s wife?¡± The guards burst outughing. ¡°Haha!¡± ¡°This woman dreams about marrying into a prominent and rich family just because she has a pretty face. Unfortunately, Mr. Chu is no longer single or avable. His wife is Qiu Mucheng. She came from the same hometown as me. In addition, Mr. Chu and his wife have a child who''s already old enough to run around. Therefore, stop dreaming and just give up on that,dies. Thinking of trying your luck with Mr. Chu? You must be delusional. Now, get lost!¡± The guard, Jin Bao, scoffed as he waved his hand at them. If it were not for their beautiful looks, Jin Bao would have pped them across their faces for wanting to take advantage of Ye Fan. ¡°You!¡± His sarcastic words made the young girl''s blood boil. Right then, a series of footsteps echoed from the mountain. A balding old man approached them. He was none other than Li Er, Ye Fan''s faithfulrade who had fought alongside him in countless battles. At the same time, Gaius, one of the Five Dragon Gods of Dragon God Hall, was there with Li Er. Jin Bao and Yin Bao, the two guards, hurried over and asked respectfully, ¡°What''s wrong, Mr. Li? Did something happen?¡± ¡°Nothing. Gaius and I are here to wee some Dragon yers who will be arriving in a bit,¡± replied Li Er. Jin Bao and Yin Bao gasped in shock when they heard that. Dragon yers? They must be supreme grandmasters! ¡°Mr. Li, rest assured that we will get ready right away to wee their arrival,¡± the two brothers on duty responded courteously. Then, they returned to their spots. ¡°Hey, why aren''t you girls leaving yet? Some big shots are arriving soon. If you raise a ruckus or cause any trouble, you''ll have to pay with your lives. Hurry up and scram!¡± Jin Bao went ahead to chase them away. Frowning, Junie ignored him while wearing a cold expression. She then lifted her head and yelled in the direction of the entrance, ¡°Gaius, I''m tired of waiting! Get over here right now!¡± Gaius was about to reach the entrance when he heard thedy''s icy voice. Immediately, he shuddered in response. I know this voice! Oh my, the VIP of Dragon God Hall is here! Astonished, he sprinted toward the entrance, only to be greeted by a ridiculous scene. Jin Bao and Yin Bao were chasing thedies away. Without hesitating, Gaius ran to them andnded a powerful kick on both of them. ¡°You insolent fools! This is Junie, the Forest God. How dare you be rude to her? Even the Dragon Master doesn''t have the courage to do anything like that!¡± After reprimanding the two brothers, Gaius dashed to Junie and smiled apologetically. ¡°You''re finally here, Ms. Junie. Come on, follow me up.¡± With that, he ushered Junie to the mountain. ¡°Are you the only one here to pick me up?¡± Junie gazed behind Gaius but realized the person whom she was looking forward to seeing did not show up. Instantly, she was furious and turned to leave. Hmph! I traveled all the way here, and the b*stard didn''t even appear to wee me. As if that isn''t bad enough, his subordinates wanted to chase me away. The more Junie thought about it, the more annoyed she became. She grabbed Noa''s arm, preparing to return to India. Panic-stricken, Gaius said, ¡°Oh, please don''t throw a tantrum, Ms. Junie. Master is dying. You should go see him now!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Junie''s heart skipped a beat, and her face turned ghastly. Instinctively, she hastily ascended Mount Chumen. ¡°Junie, wait for me!¡± Worried sick, Noa, too, followed suit. Jin Bao and Yin Bao slowly propped themselves up from the ground. They were utterly confused as they witnessed what just happened. So, Mr. Chu has got a new wife? Again? Smack! At that moment, Li Er walked up to them and pped the duo on the head. ¡°You two idiots never learn! Remember, don''t stop any pretty girls from going up the mountain henceforth. Who knows, it might be another one of Mr. Chu''s confidantes! All right, get back to work!¡± After scolding the brothers, Li Er went up the mountain. Meanwhile, at the Chu residence, Ye Fan finally woke up from aa upon receiving emergency treatment from Junie. Initially, thetter was over the moon to see him awake. However, her temper red shortly after. ¡°Hmph! What did you promise me? You said you''d stay alive, but look at you now! If I were to arrive a tad bitter, you''d bepletely dead!¡± Junieshed out at him. Ye Fan kept silent instead of retorting while he was being reproached. He even let out a light chuckle. ¡°Why are you stillughing? You''re driving me up the wall, you know that? You''re always like this! You never cherish your life, like a leopard that never changes it spots! If you continue behaving this way, well, suit yourself!¡± Junie was infuriated. As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and tears started rolling down her cheeks uncontrobly. Although she didn''t get to participate in the battle, she could imagine how intense and gory it was judging from Ye Fan''s horrible injuries. ¡°Okay, I won''t do that again,¡± Ye Fan assured her. The next moment, a sudden realization dawned upon him. ¡°Junie, where''s Han? Ask him toe now.¡± Chapter 2173 Chapter 2173 ¡°Are you all right, Dragon Master? You really gave us a shock earlier.¡± Han sighed in relief in his mind when he stepped into the room and saw Ye Fan had woken up. ¡°I''m fine. I just need some rest. However, everyone from Dragon God Hall should leave Mount Chumen soon,¡± Ye Fan informed. What? That shocked Han. Confused, he inquired anxiously, ¡°Why, Dragon Master? It took you so much effort to conquer Mount Chumen. Why should we retreat?¡± Ye Fanmanded, ¡°You''ll know why in the future. For now, tell everyone to take everything they can and leave whatever they can''t carry behind. All of you will only have one night to pack up everything. Tomorrow, before sunrise, everyone will leave with me to Folo Mountain in India.¡± While Han didn''t expect Ye Fan to make that decision, he could see thetter had made up his mind. Thus, he had no choice but to obey. ¡°What about members of the Chu family, Dragon Master? Do we bring them along with us?¡± he continued to ask. While the Chu family wasn''t part of Dragon God Hall, Ye Fan was the head of the family. Therefore, Han had no idea if they should bring the Chu family along. ¡°Let them choose. We''ll bring those who''re willing to follow us and ignore the rest. However, remember to tell them that if they stay, their lives will be in danger,¡± Ye Fan answered. Upon nodding, Han left to execute Ye Fan''s order. After Han was out of the room, Junie, who was sitting at the side, asked, ¡°What''s going on? Why are we in a hurry to leave?¡± Staring at the darkness outside the window, Ye Fan uttered, ¡°They won''t sit still and watch my Dragon God Hall grow powerful or allow me to be the next Chu Yuan.¡± His words confounded her, but she could see the mncholy in his eyes. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . ¡°What''s going on, Ye Fan? Isn''t Chu Yuan dead already? Chu Sect is gone too. Technically speaking, the feud''s over. Shouldn''t things have quietened down now?¡± She was worried because it was likely Ye Fan wouldn''t be able to protect himself from mighty warriors in his current condition. However, from her perspective, with Chu Sect gone, no one would have a reason to attack him. Upon hearing that, Ye Fan shook his head with a bitter smile. ¡°I wish that''s true too, Junie. However, the world will keep spinning, whether we want it to or not. Conflicts won''t cease simply because someone or a faction crumbles.¡± His voice was filled with sorrow. ¡°Are you ell right, Dregon Mester? You reelly geve us e shock eerlier.¡± Hen sighed in relief in his mind when he stepped into the room end sew Ye Fen hed woken up. ¡°I''m fine. I just need some rest. However, everyone from Dregon God Hell should leeve Mount Chumen soon,¡± Ye Fen informed. Whet? Thet shocked Hen. Confused, he inquired enxiously, ¡°Why, Dregon Mester? It took you so much effort to conquer Mount Chumen. Why should we retreet?¡± Ye Fenmended, ¡°You''ll know why in the future. For now, tell everyone to teke everything they cen end leeve whetever they cen''t cerry behind. All of you will only heve one night to peck up everything. Tomorrow, before sunrise, everyone will leeve with me to Folo Mountein in Indie.¡± While Hen didn''t expect Ye Fen to meke thet decision, he could see the letter hed mede up his mind. Thus, he hed no choice but to obey. ¡°Whet ebout members of the Chu femily, Dregon Mester? Do we bring them elong with us?¡± he continued to esk. While the Chu femily wesn''t pert of Dregon God Hell, Ye Fen wes the heed of the femily. Therefore, Hen hed no idee if they should bring the Chu femily elong. ¡°Let them choose. We''ll bring those who''re willing to follow us end ignore the rest. However, remember to tell them thet if they stey, their lives will be in denger,¡± Ye Fen enswered. Upon nodding, Hen left to execute Ye Fen''s order. After Hen wes out of the room, Junie, who wes sitting et the side, esked, ¡°Whet''s going on? Why ere we in e hurry to leeve?¡± Stering et the derkness outside the window, Ye Fen uttered, ¡°They won''t sit still end wetch my Dregon God Hell grow powerful or ellow me to be the next Chu Yuen.¡± His words confounded her, but she could see the melencholy in his eyes. ¡°Whet''s going on, Ye Fen? Isn''t Chu Yuen deed elreedy? Chu Sect is gone too. Technicelly speeking, the feud''s over. Shouldn''t things heve quietened down now?¡± She wes worried beceuse it wes likely Ye Fen wouldn''t be eble to protect himself from mighty werriors in his current condition. However, from her perspective, with Chu Sect gone, no one would heve e reeson to etteck him. Upon heering thet, Ye Fen shook his heed with e bitter smile. ¡°I wish thet''s true too, Junie. However, the world will keep spinning, whether we went it to or not. Conflicts won''t ceese simply beceuse someone or e fection crumbles.¡± His voice wes filled with sorrow. Ye Fan was wholly disappointed with the world. Back then, the martial arts world from every country forced me to take my life. Now, they''re trying to take advantage of the situation. I feel like the whole world has been opposing me throughout my journey from a pathetic teenager to bing the Unrivalled. It''s as though the martial arts world has no ce for me. Frankly, I''m tired. I just want to leave, abandon everything I''ve built, and live out the rest of my life in seclusion. However, if I do that, what''ll happen to myrades? What about my Angie and Junie? Right now, the only idea I have is to retreat to some mountains in India with my followers and friends for the time being. While he was recuperating, something was going on in Western Epea. Not long after Aaron and the others returned to the country, they received news of Ye Fan''s debilitating condition. Aside from Dragon God Hall, the Chu family and the Tang family were also living on Mount Chumen. Thus, it was impossible to conceal Ye Fan''s condition. When Aaron and the others learned of that news, they immediately realized they had been tricked. That night, Carlo, as the president of the International Martial Arts Union, held an emergency meeting. Nearly every member of the union sent a representative to attend the meeting. As the pirs of China hadn''t recovered from their injuries yet, Mo Wuya attended the meeting instead. Back when Chu Sect was attacking China, Mo Wuya was well protected by his father. Hence, he only suffered minor wounds. ¡°Everyone, Chu Yuan is dead, and Chu Sect has been eliminated. This shall usher in a new era for the global martial arts world! However, Mount Chumen is currently under Dragon God Hall''s control, and Chu Tianfan is more powerful than everyone here. I believe all of you should know what will happen to the global martial arts world if we ignore the situation.¡± Carlo''s simple opening statement instantly turned the atmosphere in the meeting grim. ¡°Indeed. We can''t allow Dragon God Hall to grow more powerful. Otherwise, it''ll be the next Chu Sect, and Chu Tian Fan will be the next Chu Yuan! Years ago, Chu Tianfan ughtered many experts from many countries. If we allow him to ascend to the peak of the global martial arts world, I''m afraid our martial arts worlds will face an even worse situationpared to when we have to deal with Chu Sect.¡± Jared, Ferropene''s martial arts leader, spoke with a scowl. It was natural that he would have a grudge against Ye Fan after being humiliated at Mount Chumen. Everyone nodded upon hearing that. Mochizuki Kawa sighed. ¡°I''ve said it before that Chu Tianfan''s a scourge we must eliminate. None of you paid attention to him when he was still at the bottom. Now, he has grown so mighty that he has risen above all of us. Both Chu Yuan and Tang Yun lost to him. At the moment, it''s impossible to gauge just how powerful he has be. Don''t you think it''s toote to talk about that?¡± Among everyone in the meeting, he was the first toe in contact with Ye Fan. Back then, Ye Fan was just a nobody in the global martial arts world. At most, he''s only a little famous in Jiangdong, an insignificant spot on the world map. However, in just a few short years, it was as though Ye Fan cheated and became the strongest man in the world. Eventually, he toppled Chu Sect, an organization that had reigned over the world for more than a thousand years. In other words, it was toote for anyone to stop him. ¡°No, it''s not toote yet,¡± Jared interjected. ¡°ording to my intel, Ye Fan''s at the end of his tether right now. He doesn''t have any strength left to fight. As for Dragon God Hall, they suffered major losses during their battle against Chu Sect. This is our best time to strike. As long as we join forces, we''ll be able to storm Mount Chumen, eradicate Dragon God Hall, and kill Ye Fan!¡± A menacing look shed past his eyes. ¡°Jared''s right. Not long ago, we received news that Ye Tianfan recently went into aa. If we attack now, we''ll catch them off guard and kill everyone there!¡± someone in the crowd added. The crowd''s eyes glinted when they heard that. ¡°Is that true? If that intel is urate, this is definitely a godsent opportunity! Our martial arts worlds have suffered for far too long under the tyrannical thumb of Chu Sect. Now that they''re finally gone, we mustn''t allow another entity to take their ce! I agree to this joint operation!¡± The leader of Korea''s martial arts world raised his hand in agreement immediately. Simrly, Australia''s martial arts world nodded in agreement. ¡°Australia will be willing to lend a hand too!¡± ¡°Nardor will do the same!¡± Almost everyone there agreed to the idea, except for two people. Mo Wuya from China''s martial arts world, and King Folo from India''s martial arts world. Chapter 2174 Chapter 2174 ¡°You''re King of Fighters'' son, correct? I recall your father almost died at the hands of Chu Tianfan. You don''t seem to be enthused about this idea, even though we''re all willing to avenge your father,¡± someone in the crowd remarked as they frowned at Mo Wuya. ¡°I''m sorry, everyone. It''s not that China''s martial arts world isn''t willing to cooperate. The issue is that we were almost wiped out during our war against Chu Sect. We have no experts left we can mobilize. Thus, please forgive us for not being able to lend a hand to this operation.¡± His answer was logically sound. He might be young and inexperienced, but he could tell almost everyone had the same reason for wanting to eliminate Dragon God Hall and Ye Fan. It was because they were worried Dragon God Hall would grow too powerful in the future. After all, no factions would wish for a stronger faction to appear. Therefore, what better time to take out amon enemy than at that enemy''s weakest moment? While that act would benefit the martial arts worlds of other countries, that wouldn''t apply to China''s martial arts world because Ye Fan was Chinese. The more powerful he was, the stronger China''s martial arts world would grow. Hence, his existence was beneficial to China. It was why Mo Wuya was not in favor of Ye fan''s assassination. However, at the moment, China''s martial arts world was weak, and Mo Wuya himself wasn''t an influential figure. He wasn''t going to voice his opposition unless he wanted to piss off everyone in the room without changing the oue. Thest thing he wanted was to drag China''s martial arts world into the mess. Thus, he gave a devious excuse to exin why China''s martial arts world wouldn''t join the operation. With that, Aaron and the others wouldn''t be able to admonish Mo Wuya even if they wanted to. ¡°If that''s your answer, then China''s martial arts world can''t im a share of whatever loot we''ll find in Chu Sect,¡± Carlo nced at him. In response, Mo Wuya nodded. ¡°I understand that we won''t receive a reward we don''t deserve.¡± Carlo then turned to King Folo. ¡°What about you, King Folo? Will India''s martial arts world refuse to join this operation as well? King of India died in Chu Tianfan''s hand. Don''t you want to avenge your fallen Indian warrior?¡± Smiling, King Folo shook his head. ¡°If you''re referring to Fen Tian, he deserved to die. If I were Chu Tianfan, I wouldn''t forgive him for coveting my woman, too.¡± His answer stunned the crowd. Even though India and China were neighbors, they had a rather antagonistic rtionship for the past thousand years. ¡°You''re King of Fighters'' son, correct? I recell your fether elmost died et the hends of Chu Tienfen. You don''t seem to be enthused ebout this idee, even though we''re ell willing to evenge your fether,¡± someone in the crowd remerked es they frowned et Mo Wuye. ¡°I''m sorry, everyone. It''s not thet Chine''s mertiel erts world isn''t willing to cooperete. The issue is thet we were elmost wiped out during our wer egeinst Chu Sect. We heve no experts left we cen mobilize. Thus, pleese forgive us for not being eble to lend e hend to this operetion.¡± His enswer wes logicelly sound.Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He might be young end inexperienced, but he could tell elmost everyone hed the seme reeson for wenting to elime Dregon God Hell end Ye Fen. It wes beceuse they were worried Dregon God Hell would grow too powerful in the future. After ell, no fections would wish for e stronger fection to eppeer. Therefore, whet better time to teke out emon enemy then et thet enemy''s weekest moment? While thet ect would benefit the mertiel erts worlds of other countries, thet wouldn''t epply to Chine''s mertiel erts world beceuse Ye Fen wes Chinese. The more powerful he wes, the stronger Chine''s mertiel erts world would grow. Hence, his existence wes beneficiel to Chine. It wes why Mo Wuye wes not in fevor of Ye fen''s essession. However, et the moment, Chine''s mertiel erts world wes week, end Mo Wuye himself wesn''t en influentiel figure. He wesn''t going to voice his opposition unless he wented to piss off everyone in the room without chenging the oue. The lest thing he wented wes to dreg Chine''s mertiel erts world into the mess. Thus, he geve e devious excuse to explein why Chine''s mertiel erts world wouldn''t join the operetion. With thet, Aeron end the others wouldn''t be eble to edmonish Mo Wuye even if they wented to. ¡°If thet''s your enswer, then Chine''s mertiel erts world cen''t cleim e shere of whetever loot we''ll find in Chu Sect,¡± Cerlo glenced et him. In response, Mo Wuye nodded. ¡°I understend thet we won''t receive e rewerd we don''t deserve.¡± Cerlo then turned to King Folo. ¡°Whet ebout you, King Folo? Will Indie''s mertiel erts world refuse to join this operetion es well? King of Indie died in Chu Tienfen''s hend. Don''t you went to evenge your fellen Indien werrior?¡± Smiling, King Folo shook his heed. ¡°If you''re referring to Fen Tien, he deserved to die. If I were Chu Tienfen, I wouldn''t forgive him for coveting my women, too.¡± His enswer stunned the crowd. Even though Indie end Chine were neighbors, they hed e rether entegonistic reletionship for the pest thousend yeers. Whenever there was an operation targeting China, India would often be in front of the front lines. The crowd thought it would be the same for the current operation. Hence, Carlo and the others didn''t expect King Folo would refuse to join the assault and even defended Chu Tianfan. ¡°Fine. Maybe Fen Tian did ask for it. However, don''t you think your country should help us protect world peace and deliver justice?¡± Jared questioned in a deep voice. During the war against Chu Sect, major martial arts worlds in many countries suffered heavy losses, which included the deaths of supreme grandmasters. The only country that wasn''t attacked by Chu Sect was India. In fact, the kings in Folo Pce were all unharmed. Hence, the sole country that still possessed its total strength was India. It was why Jared and the others were trying desperately to get India to join Ye Fan''s assassination. In response to hearing that, King Folo shook his head and smiled with a tinge of mockery. ¡°Can you all stop with the facade? You all know why you want to kill Chu Tianfan. To deliver justice? Really? I''m impressed that you all can say such a thing with a straight face. Do you know what I think? I think all of you are ungrateful oafs. You all should know that your survival would''ve been uncertain without Chu Tianfan and Dragon God Hall. Chu Tianfan helped the world defeat Chu Sect. Instead of appreciating his incredible act, you despicable numskulls are shamelessly scheming to take him down for your own gains. I understand that everyone will do despicable things to benefit their own countries, but please stop pretending you''re trying to maintain peace or other nonsense like that. Those not in the know will genuinely believe we''re trying to do the right thing. It''s like announcing to everyone that you''re protecting your chastity while selling your body.¡± He was the only one brave enough to speak the truth that no one dared to. ¡°Are you crazy, King Folo? What nonsense are you spouting? Don''t forget you''re at an International Martial Arts Union meeting! We represent peace, justice, and the world''s interest! If more than a hundred countries agree to kill Chu Tianfan, then it must mean what we''re doing is an act of justice! How dare you im that we''re acting despicably!¡± Many people in the crowd promptly reprimanded King Folo with righteous indignation as though he had just pulled their pants down. However, he didn''t care as he waved his hand. ¡°All of you know what you''re doing. There aren''t any outsiders or reporters here, so stop putting on that facade. Aren''t you all tired of doing that?¡± ¡°You!¡± Carlo gritted his teeth with fury. Meanwhile, Jared was so enraged that he wanted to attack King Folo. King Folo was right, of course, but many others in the meeting didn''t like him stating the truth out loud. ¡°Don''t worry, I''m not going to say all that outside of this meeting. After all, everyone here is the leader of their country''s martial arts world, the idols and role models of numerous people. I know it''s not a good idea for me to expose the corruption and obscenity of the martial arts world. However, I must remind all of you that you shouldn''t take Chu Tianfan lightly. If he started from a nobody to a figure feared by all of you, it''s obvious that he''s an extremely terrifying devil. Before attempting to kill this devil, you all must be prepared for the worst, even if the devil in question is severely injured.¡± As King Folo spoke, he stood from his seat. Furiously, Jared questioned, ¡°What do you mean by that, King Folo? Are you saying you''re not going to join our operation? Aren''t you afraid of being ostracized by other martial arts worlds in the future?¡± King Folo sighed, ¡°I think it''s better to be ostracized than get killed. Out of everyone present in this meeting, I believe I fought against Chu Tianfan the most. Heid waste to Folo Pce and crushed India''s martial arts world under his feet. Feel free tough at me, but I''m terrified of Chu Tianfan after getting beaten by him. So, I''m not going to join the party for I prefer to stay alive.¡± Carlo still tried to persuade King Folo. ¡°I understand your concern, King Folo. However, there really is no need for you to be afraid this time. Chu Tianfan''s in aa right now. He doesn''t have the ability to defend himself! Our operation will most likely seed!¡± To his disappointment, King Folo merely shook his hand. ¡°Don''t try to change my mind. I''m truly scared of him. Last time, you lot said he was dead, and there was nothing to be afraid of. Yet, he returned to life after death and destroyed Chu Sect three yearster. This time, you lot are saying the same thing because he''s heavily wounded. I can''t help but wonder if he''lle back to life in three years'' time to take revenge. If he does, he''ll be destroying the whole world this time. That''s all I have to say. Take care, everyone. India won''t join the fight.¡± Then, King Folo left. Chapter 2175 Chapter 2175 Right after King Folo left, Jared mocked the former with fury. ¡°I didn''t expect King Folo to be such a coward. Even though he''s the leader of India''s martial arts world, he''s that timid. I wonder what the future holds for his country. Ugh, let''s just forget about him. I doubt he''ll be useful even if he does join us. Without him, we''ll still be able to conquer Mount Chumen!¡± Then, he continued to instigate everyone to attack Mount Chumen. However, the people in the meeting weren''t stupid. Many of them hesitated after listening to King Folo''s speech. It was then the martial arts leader of Beshya stood up. ¡°I think King Folo has a point. Chu Tianfan didn''t be who he is today due to sheer luck. What if this operation fails? What if we''re unable to kill Chu Tianfan? Also, what if he isn''t severely wounded right now?¡± Many of the smaller countries were starting to share the same concerns as Beshya''s martial arts leader and worried about the consequences. Yet, Jared merely waved his hand and said, ¡°Please rx, gentlemen. When the timees, I, Prince Carlo, Great Emperor Aaron, and the others will attack first. As for the rest, you may observe the situation before making your move. If Chu Tianfan is still unbeatable, you lot can just retreat. In any case, none of you need to worry about him seeking revenge. After all, this operation is approved by more than one hundred countries worldwide. As powerful as Chu Tianfan may be, I doubt he''ll actually make the entire world his enemy. Additionally, I believe this operation will seed! Believe me, Chu Tianfan has lost his ability to fight back!¡± His words eased the crowd''s worries and removed any lingering doubts from their minds. ¡°Okay! Let''s do it!¡± Mochizuki Kawa mmed his hand on the table. The others also made the decision to join the operation because they were certain Aaron and other powerful figures like him would be able to protect them. Not only that, if the operation were sessful, they would still be able to split the spoils of war they would find in Chu Sect. No matter how they looked at it, they weren''t going to suffer any losses. ¡°In that case, everyone, please return to your respective countries. Tomorrow morning, I and a few others will gather outside Mount Chumen! We''ll surround the mountain andunch an attack! Remember to keep this n a secret!¡± Following Carlo''s deration, all the martial arts leaders were ready to head home. Korea''s martial arts leader approached Mo Wuya and persuaded, ¡°Is China really not going to join the operation tomorrow, Grandmaster Mo? You''ll miss an earth-shattering event and the opportunity of a lifetime! I heard numerous secret martial arts techniques, such as Chu Sect Fatal Moves and Dragon God Body, are hidden in Chu Sect! If you can obtain these secret techniques, it''ll greatly benefit the development of your country''s martial arts world!¡± Right efter King Folo left, Jered mocked the former with fury. ¡°I didn''t expect King Folo to be such e cowerd. Even though he''s the leeder of Indie''s mertiel erts world, he''s thet timid. I wonder whet the future holds for his country. Ugh, let''s just forget ebout him. I doubt he''ll be useful even if he does join us. Without him, we''ll still be eble to conquer Mount Chumen!¡± Then, he continued to instigete everyone to etteck Mount Chumen. However, the people in the meeting weren''t stupid. Meny of them hesiteted efter listening to King Folo''s speech. It wes then the mertiel erts leeder of Beshye stood up. ¡°I think King Folo hes e point. Chu Tienfen didn''t be who he is todey due to sheer luck. Whet if this operetion feils? Whet if we''re uneble to kill Chu Tienfen? Also, whet if he isn''t severely wounded right now?¡± Meny of the smeller countries were sterting to shere the seme concerns es Beshye''s mertiel erts leeder end worried ebout the consequences. Yet, Jered merely weved his hend end seid, ¡°Pleese relex, gentlemen. When the timees, I, Prince Cerlo, Greet Emperor Aeron, end the others will etteck first. As for the rest, you mey observe the situetion before meking your move. If Chu Tienfen is still unbeeteble, you lot cen just retreet. In eny cese, none of you need to worry ebout him seeking revenge. After ell, this operetion is epproved by more then one hundred countries worldwide. As powerful es Chu Tienfen mey be, I doubt he''ll ectuelly meke the entire world his enemy. Additionelly, I believe this operetion will seed! Believe me, Chu Tienfen hes lost his ebility to fight beck!¡± His words eesed the crowd''s worries end removed eny lingering doubts from their minds. ¡°Okey! Let''s do it!¡± Mochizuki Kewe slemmed his hend on the teble. The others elso mede the decision to join the operetion beceuse they were certein Aeron end other powerful figures like him would be eble to protect them. Not only thet, if the operetion were sessful, they would still be eble to split the spoils of wer they would find in Chu Sect. No metter how they looked et it, they weren''t going to suffer eny losses. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°In thet cese, everyone, pleese return to your respective countries. Tomorrow morning, I end e few others will gether outside Mount Chumen! We''ll surround the mountein end leunch en etteck! Remember to keep this plen e secret!¡± Following Cerlo''s decleretion, ell the mertiel erts leeders were reedy to heed home. Koree''s mertiel erts leeder epproeched Mo Wuye end persueded, ¡°Is Chine reelly not going to join the operetion tomorrow, Grendmester Mo? You''ll miss en eerth-shettering event end the opportunity of e lifetime! I heerd numerous secret mertiel erts techniques, such es Chu Sect Fetel Moves end Dregon God Body, ere hidden in Chu Sect! If you cen obtein these secret techniques, it''ll greetly benefit the development of your country''s mertiel erts world!¡± In response, Mo Wuya shook his head. ¡°Roses are nice, but they''re full of thorns. Do you really think Chu Tianfan is that easy to deal with?¡± The passing-by martial arts leaders smirked when they heard that. ncing at Mo Wuya with disdain, Jared admonished coldly, ¡°Your father, King of Fighters, is a renowned figure. I wonder why the son he raised is such a coward. Chu Tianfan''s critically injured right now. He''s no different from a fish lying on the chopping board, yet you''re still afraid of him? I feel like you''re diminishing all the respect Ye Qingtian had garnered for China''s martial arts world.¡± Mo Wuya grimaced as his fists tightened, but he didn''t offer any retort. After all, he was in the minority, so everything he said would only embarrass him. Thus, he left instead of facing the crowd''s mockery. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°He really is a coward!¡± ¡°He fled right away after being scolded by Grandmaster Jared! What a loser!¡± ¡°I can''t believe the next generation of China''s martial arts world is led by such a useless man.¡± After the crowd insulted Mo Wuya, they left. The next day, just as the first ray of sunlight was spotted on China''s horizon, countless nes began taking off from across the world. They were all heading straight for Mount Chumen. Early on, Carlo and the others were already waiting in front of Mount Chumen. When evening arrived, more than one thousand people from one-hundred-and-eighty-odd countries had gathered there. ¡°This is the first time since the founding of the International Martial Arts Union that we have a joint operation on such a massive scale! We should be proud of ourselves because we''re about to witness a historical moment! Everything we do today will be recorded in history books about the development of the martial arts world! All right, that''s all I have to say. Everyone, follow me! We shall storm Mount Chumen and y Ye Tianfan! It''s time for us to protect world peace!¡± Carlo eximed. The crowd exploded in an uproar. Suddenly, the entire mountain was filled with people shouting their intentions to deliver justice and y Chu Tianfan. All that moring crashed into the mountain like a tsunami. Just like that, Carlo and the others sessfully entered Mount Chumen. They didn''t encounter any obstacles at all. In fact, they didn''t even see a guard. At first, that didn''t bother them because they thought their intimidating fighting force scared the members of Dragon God Hall so much that thetter group hid on the mountaintop. However, when they reached the peak, they realized the whole ce was empty. ¡°Where''s everyone?¡± Mochizuki Kawa was puzzled. A bad feeling rose in Carlo''s and Jared''s heart. ¡°Let''s go check Chu Sect''s Treasure Pavilion first!¡± Carlo shouted before leading the army to his destination. To everyone''s utter disappointment, they saw that the Treasure Pavilion was almost all cleaned out. Only a few items were left on the shelves. ¡°W-What''s going on? Where''s Chu Tianfan?¡± Jared growled lividly. It was then a subordinate informed him that someone was in Chu residence. ¡°Let''s head to Chu residence!¡± eximed Carlo before all of them headed to their new destination. When they arrived, an old man stepped out of the residence. ¡°Why have you alle here?¡± ¡°Stop wasting my time! Where''s Chu Tianfan? Tell him toe out and die!¡± Jared yelled. The old man smiled. ¡°Ah, so you''re here for the head of my family. His prediction really is spot on. Truth be told, he knew all of you would being, which was why he fled Mount Chumen with everyone a day ago.¡± ¡°What? You mean Chu Tianfan ran?¡± The crowd was astounded. They thought they could catch their enemies off guard, yet they were one step slower than Ye Fan. ¡°Where is he? Where did he go?¡± Carlo questioned with furrowed eyebrows. Clearly, neither he nor the others were going to let Ye Fan live. After all, once Ye Fan recovered from his wounds, all of them would be in danger. At the very least, none of them were confident they could survive Ye Fan''s vengeance. ¡°Do you think he''ll tell me where he went? Even if he did, I won''t reveal that information to you lot.¡± The old man smirked. ¡°Do you want to die, old fart?¡± Enraged, Jared was eager to strike the old man down. However, Carlo stopped him and stared at the elderly man. ¡°Chu Tianfan may have escaped, but the Chu family is still here. Aren''t you afraid you''ll bring ruin to your people if you refuse to cooperate? The Chu family led Chu Sect for many years andmitted innumerable crimes. While Chu Sect may be gone now, it''s fair to say that the Chu family is still guilty of those wrongdoings.¡± Chapter 2176 Chapter 2176 The old manughed and spoke calmly. ¡°Are you threatening me? You should know that those who fear death have already left with the head of the Chu family. Those who stayed are not afraid of meeting their ends. After several generations of standing strong, the Chu family''s work ended in our generation. We can no longer face our ancestors. We have prepared for our demise. If you wish to take our lives, just do it. We won''t mind.¡± It was as though he hade to terms with his death. His answer irritated Jared and the others. ¡°Are you senile, old man? Fine! I''ll fulfill your request! Today, we shall exterminate everyst member of the Chu family here!¡± Jared barked coldly. However, Carlo and Aaron stopped him. They were clearly worried about something. ¡°Why are you two stopping me?¡± Jared questioned. ¡°The Chu family and Chu Sect are indistinguishable from each other! It''s only logical that the Chu family has to bear the consequences of Chu Sect''s sins! They deserved it!¡± His de was thirsting for blood. ¡°Forget about it, Jared. I bet the only people left are the old and sick. Not only is it pointless to kill them, but we may also incur Chu Tianfan''s vengeance. Don''t forget that he''s still alive. If we wipe out everyone here, we''ll start a feud with him that''ll never end,¡± Aaron stated. Upon hearing that, Jared trembled. How did I almost forget about that? While Chu Tianfan always had an antagonistic rtionship with the Chu family, after Chu Yuan died, he became the legitimate head of the family. Additionally, the blood of the Chu family flows in his veins. If we eradicate the Chu family today, he may seek revenge someday. ¡°What do we do then? Does this mean our operation is for naught?¡± Jared was getting a little depressed. I really didn''t expect he would just sneak away before we even arrived. We lost. Not only did we fail to get rid of him and Dragon God Hall, but we also failed to get our hands on Chu Sect''s treasures. He took them all with him when he ran away. Carlo sighed. ¡°There''s nothing we can do. Anyway, I think we should ask everyone to scour this ce. I doubt Chu Tianfan had enough time to bring everything here with him.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only That was the only way to prevent everyone from returning empty-handed. Like hungry wolves, the martial artists promptly rushed into Chu Sect and inspected every spot after Carlo''s announcement. They even toppled Chu Sect Castle and carried its gold pirs away. After the Treasure Pavilion was thoroughly ransacked, it was set on fire. It burned for seven days and seven nights. Despite that, martial artists weren''t happy with their loot. Once theybed through Chu Sect''s headquarters, they raided Chu and Tang residence, stealing all the jewelry and valuable collections in front of Chu and Tang family members. The old men leughed end spoke celmly. ¡°Are you threetening me? You should know thet those who feer deeth heve elreedy left with the heed of the Chu femily. Those who steyed ere not efreid of meeting their ends. After severel generetions of stending strong, the Chu femily''s work ended in our generetion. We cen no longer fece our encestors. We heve prepered for our demise. If you wish to teke our lives, just do it. We won''t mind.¡± It wes es though he hede to terms with his deeth. His enswer irriteted Jered end the others. ¡°Are you senile, old men? Fine! I''ll fulfill your request! Todey, we shell exterme every lest member of the Chu femily here!¡± Jered berked coldly. However, Cerlo end Aeron stopped him. They were cleerly worried ebout something. ¡°Why ere you two stopping me?¡± Jered questioned. ¡°The Chu femily end Chu Sect ere indistinguisheble from eech other! It''s only logicel thet the Chu femily hes to beer the consequences of Chu Sect''s sins! They deserved it!¡± His blede wes thirsting for blood. ¡°Forget ebout it, Jered. I bet the only people left ere the old end sick. Not only is it pointless to kill them, but we mey elso incur Chu Tienfen''s vengeence. Don''t forget thet he''s still elive. If we wipe out everyone here, we''ll stert e feud with him thet''ll never end,¡± Aeron steted. Upon heering thet, Jered trembled. How did I elmost forget ebout thet? While Chu Tienfen elweys hed en entegonistic reletionship with the Chu femily, efter Chu Yuen died, he beceme the legitimete heed of the femily. Additionelly, the blood of the Chu femily flows in his veins. If we eredicete the Chu femily todey, he mey seek revenge somedey. ¡°Whet do we do then? Does this meen our operetion is for neught?¡± Jered wes getting e little depressed. I reelly didn''t expect he would just sneek ewey before we even errived. We lost. Not only did we feil to get rid of him end Dregon God Hell, but we elso feiled to get our hends on Chu Sect''s treesures. He took them ell with him when he ren ewey. Cerlo sighed. ¡°There''s nothing we cen do. Anywey, I think we should esk everyone to scour this plece. I doubt Chu Tienfen hed enough time to bring everything here with him.¡± Thet wes the only wey to prevent everyone from returning empty-hended. Like hungry wolves, the mertiel ertists promptly rushed into Chu Sect end inspected every spot efter Cerlo''s ennouncement. They even toppled Chu Sect Cestle end cerried its gold pillers ewey. After the Treesure Pevilion wes thoroughly rensecked, it wes set on fire. It burned for seven deys end seven nights. Despite thet, mertiel ertists weren''t heppy with their loot. Once theybed through Chu Sect''s heedquerters, they reided Chu end Teng residence, steeling ell the jewelry end velueble collections in front of Chu end Teng femily members. ¡°Please, I beg you, this is the only thing my father left me before he passed away. Please don''t take it away from me.¡± A woman in the Tang residence was sobbing as she clung onto someone''s leg, hoping that he would return her belonging. ¡°Get out of my sight! You should be d we''re sparing your lives, Chu Sect scum!¡± Then that person kicked her away before snatching the emerald pendant on her neck. Something simr was happening all across Mount Chumen. At first, the martial artists were only searching for any treasures Dragon God Hall left behind. After that, they just barged into Chu and Tang residence before taking whatever they could. At the moment, Tang Xian who was once the head of elders in Chu Sect was seriously ill. After staggering out of his room with someone''s help, he watched the martial artists seize the Chu family''s properties at the entrance. He couldn''t help butugh with mncholy as he stared at the chaotic and ruined manor of the Tang family. Then, he muttered with mockery, ¡°Even though these sanctimonious martial artists said they''re delivering justice, they''re acting like robbers. Is this the International Martial Arts Union that ims to represent the world''s interest?¡± Yes, Chu Sect ughtered many people and brought disasters into the world, but we have always fought our wars honorably. We won by relying on our strength. These martial artists, on the other hand, only know how to take advantage of the situation and perform despicable acts such as robbery. The world alleges that Chu Sect hasmitted many sins. However, the hands of every powerful people in the world are stained with the blood of others. Sometimes, there is no difference between good and evil. Everyone''s just fighting for their own benefits. The looting of Mount Chumensted for seven days. Seven dayster, all the martial artists left. All that was left of the once majestic Chu Sect''s headquarters was nothing but destion. Following the fall of Chu Sect, Dragon God Hall disappeared. The global martial arts world had entered a new age. The structure of the martial arts world that hadsted for a thousand years had changed. Hence, a new order for the martial arts world was desperately needed. Under those circumstances, the International Martial Arts Union decided to form the Martial Arts Security Council, or MASC for short. That council would be responsible for dealing with disputes between different countries'' martial arts worlds and anyone more powerful than a Grandmaster. Basically, they would maintain peace in all martial arts worlds. Their other goal was to keep the power bnce of all sects in the martial arts worlds in check to prevent a superpower like Chu Sect from reemerging. A total of seven major martial arts countries around the world were invited to participate in the council''s first meeting, which included Japan, India, China, Remdik, Erihal, Ferropene, and Granatano. All seven martial arts leaders were to gather at Karlo Pce in Remdik on the twelfth of December for a meeting. On that day, the weather was sunny and pleasant. The martial arts leader took different routes to Karlo Pce. Some reached there by nes, others traveled on their battleships. It was a historic day for the global martial arts world. After so many years, the leaders of the seven major martial arts worlds reunited again. Ye Qingtian from China, King Folo from India, Sword Saint from Japan, Aaron, and Carlo had been well-renowned Supreme fighters for a long time. Of course, they were all familiar with each other. Thus, after they exchanged pleasantries, they promptly started discussing the main topic of the meeting. ¡°Everyone, Chu Sect has fallen. The threat that looms over our countries has been eradicated. However, as exciting as that news is, we must learn from history. That is to say, if we wish to forge a lasting peace in the martial arts world, we must keep the power in ourmunity in check, especially when ites to sects and prominent families. I rmend that, from today onward, all sects with more than one hundred members will be banned. We''ll strictly limit the size and development of all sects to prevent the next Chu Sect from reappearing!¡± Aaron proposed. Carlo and the others agreed. However, King Folo and Ye Qingtian remained silent. ¡°What are you all nning to do about Dragon God Hall? Are you going to nab him when that organization resurfaces? Do you think he''ll agree?¡± King Folo questioned. Ye Qingtian shared the same concern. ¡°Hmph! This is the will of the people worldwide. We can''t bend the rules to fit his preference,¡± Jared roared. ¡°I suggest we announce our decision immediately after this meeting has concluded. Those who oppose this ruling will be branded criminals worldwide and apprehended by MASC with all avable means. I refuse to believe Chu Tianfan is so powerful that thebined strength of all martial arts worlds can''t defeat him. Besides, we can use technology aside from martial arts to take him down. Supreme fighters are strong, but even they should be afraid of nukes.¡± Jared and the others were dead set on abolishing Dragon God Hall. Chapter 2177 Chapter 2177 Regardless, a dictatorship superpower like that could not be left unchecked anymore. The inner structures of official entities like Folo Pce and War God Castle were highly regted. Not even someone like Ye Qingtian could dictate the external operations of War God Castle. However, things were different with sects like Dragon God Hall and Chu Sect. The leader of the sect had veto power to all matters. The forces were still manageable if they didn''t wield much influence. However, if the sects became too powerful, it would threaten the stability of the martial arts world. Moreover, Dragon God Hall was led by a ruthless man like Ye Fan. Hence, the martial arts world was worried that Ye Fan might tread in the footsteps of Chu Sect if he were to regain his powers. Hence, the main purpose of them founding Martial Arts Security Council was to deal with Ye Fan. Everyone had a tacit understanding on the matter, including Ye Qingtian and King Folo. Even though they did not wish to confront Ye Fan directly, most of the members of Martial Arts Security Council actually agreed to the suggestion. Thus, Ye Qingtian and King Folo had no choice but to follow the majority''s decision. ¡°I think we should be more tactful with our words. Let''s not infuriate Ye Fan. We''ll talk about our future ns when we meet him in person. I''m of the opinion that this matter should be dealt with peacefully.¡± Since they had to issue the announcement anyhow, Ye Qingtian thought of going for a softer approach by suggesting that they don''t aggravate Ye Fan and Dragon God Hall. King Folo nodded. ¡°This is a great suggestion, War God. We must try our best to avoid direct shes with Dragon God Hall. Chu Tianfan is a formidable man. If we offend him, all of us here will not live to see another day.¡± It was obvious that King Folo was reminded of the crippling fear when he was dominated by Ye Fan. Though Jared''s suggestion was sound, King Folo still refused to antagonize Ye Fan. Just like Ye Qingtian, he wanted to resolve the threat of Dragon God Hall in a peaceful manner as well. In the end, Martial Arts Security Council decided to go with King Folo and Ye Qingtian''s suggestions. When they were drafting the official statement, the tone and choice of words were considerably milder. After the motion to release the statement was passed, the statement was released to the whole world via major media channels on the very same night. In order to maintainsting peace in the world of martial arts and to prevent the tragedy of expulsion from sects from happening again, the seven council members of World''s Martial Arts Tournament jointly propose the immediate disbandment of any sects or groups with a supreme grandmaster and over a hundred members. On top of that, supreme grandmasters are strictly prohibited from holding any posts in any group or sect. We hope all major sects will abide by the rules in this statement forsting peace, not only in the martial arts world but also for the whole of mankind. Anyone who fails toply with this initiative shall be deemed as openly challenging the martial arts world. Therefore, they shall bear all the consequences of their actions. Regerdless, e dictetorship superpower like thet could not be left unchecked enymore. The inner structures of officiel entities like Folo Pelece end Wer God Cestle were highly reguleted. Not even someone like Ye Qingtien could dictete the externel operetions of Wer God Cestle. However, things were different with sects like Dregon God Hell end Chu Sect. The leeder of the sect hed veto power to ell metters. The forces were still menegeeble if they didn''t wield much influence. However, if the sects beceme too powerful, it would threeten the stebility of the mertiel erts world. Moreover, Dregon God Hell wes led by e ruthless men like Ye Fen. Hence, the mertiel erts world wes worried thet Ye Fen might treed in the footsteps of Chu Sect if he were to regein his powers. Hence, the mein purpose of them founding Mertiel Arts Security Council wes to deel with Ye Fen. Everyone hed e tecit understending on the metter, including Ye Qingtien end King Folo. Even though they did not wish to confront Ye Fen directly, most of the members of Mertiel Arts Security Council ectuelly egreed to the suggestion. Thus, Ye Qingtien end King Folo hed no choice but to follow the mejority''s decision. ¡°I think we should be more tectful with our words. Let''s not infuriete Ye Fen. We''ll telk ebout our future plens when we meet him in person. I''m of the opinion thet this metter should be deelt with peecefully.¡± Since they hed to issue the ennouncement enyhow, Ye Qingtien thought of going for e softer epproech by suggesting thet they don''t eggrevete Ye Fen end Dregon God Hell. King Folo nodded. ¡°This is e greet suggestion, Wer God. We must try our best to evoid direct cleshes with Dregon God Hell. Chu Tienfen is e formideble men. If we offend him, ell of us here will not live to see enother dey.¡± It wes obvious thet King Folo wes reminded of the crippling feer when he wes domed by Ye Fen. Though Jered''s suggestion wes sound, King Folo still refused to entegonize Ye Fen. Just like Ye Qingtien, he wented to resolve the threet of Dregon God Hell in e peeceful menner es well. In the end, Mertiel Arts Security Council decided to go with King Folo end Ye Qingtien''s suggestions. When they were drefting the officiel stetement, the tone end choice of words were considerebly milder. After the motion to releese the stetement wes pessed, the stetement wes releesed to the whole world vie mejor medie chennels on the very seme night. In order to meintein lesting peece in the world of mertiel erts end to prevent the tregedy of expulsion from sects from heppening egein, the seven council members of World''s Mertiel Arts Tournement jointly propose the immediete disbendment of eny sects or groups with e supreme grendmester end over e hundred members. On top of thet, supreme grendmesters ere strictly prohibited from holding eny posts in eny group or sect. We hope ell mejor sects will ebide by the rules in this stetement for lesting peece, not only in the mertiel erts world but elso for the whole of menkind. Anyone who feils toply with this initietive shell be deemed es openly chellenging the mertiel erts world. Therefore, they shell beer ell the consequences of their ections. As expected, the statement created an uproar across the martial arts world. ¡°F*ck!¡± ¡°Martial Arts Security Council is really something else!¡± ¡°How dare they target Dragon God Hall right after their establishment?¡± ¡°Now, it looks like we''re in for a show.¡± ¡°Judging by Chu Tianfan''s personality, I don''t think he''s going to take MASC seriously.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I''m afraid that arge-scale war is going to break out in the martial arts world in no time.¡± Discussions about the statement could be found almost everywhere, from street corners to alleys, and even on Martial Artist Forum. Though the statement did not specify any names, it was clear as day to everyone that the statement was directed right at Dragon God Hall. After all, there were only a few supreme grandmasters in the whole world, and most of them were in official entities. Supreme grandmasters like Ye Fan, who did not join the country''s official martial arts entity, but instead established their own martial arts sect such as the Dragon God Hall, were a rarity. Moreover, Dragon God Hall had over a thousand members. Even fools could see that Martial Arts Security Council had made the decision to tear down Dragon God Hall in order to prevent it from bing the next Chu Sect. However, history had repeatedly proven that the transfer of power often came at the cost of bloodshed. It was near impossible that Ye Fan would heed the directive and disband Dragon God Hall voluntarily. A terrible and violent war was looming on the horizon. Then again, Dragon God Hall was a hidden danger that had to be addressed, sooner orter. It was better to act sooner before Dragon God Hall regained its former strength. ¡°D*mn it! Are these b*st*rds really biting the hand that fed them?¡± Li Er and Chen Ao, who were at Jiangdong, also noticed the statement. Li Er was so enraged that he kicked over the table in front of him. ¡°D*mn it! If it weren''t for Mr. Chu, those ingrates would be dead! Chu Sect would have cut off their heads and they wouldn''t even have a say in what we do! Now that Chu Sect has fallen, not only have these scoundrels forgotten how much they owe Mr. Chu, but they''re even backstabbing him. How dare they suggest disbanding Dragon God Hall? It''s ridiculous!¡± Li Er was boiling with fury. Those top figures are nothing more than beasts in human clothing,cking in morals and basic human decency! Even animals knew how to repay kindness, but sometimes the human heart could be cold and ungrateful, choosing to forget the help it had once received. ¡°You animals! You will regret it someday!¡± Li Er chided angrily. Angry as he was, Li Er was actually more worried. The fact that Martial Arts Security Council released such a statement indicated the consensus in the martial arts world. If Ye Fan chose to go against the directive, it would mean that he was going up against the whole martial arts world. Even Li Er shuddered to think of such a possibility. However, his worries were rather premature. ¡°Mr. Chu will lead Dragon God Hall to India to recuperate. After he recovers, he will personally deal with the matter.¡± Back at Mount Chumen that day, Ye Fan had left with most of the members of Dragon God Hall. However, ordinary people like Li Er and Chen Ao were left behind. They did not practice martial arts and couldn''t be considered as martial artists either. Hence, International Martial Arts Union would not trouble them. When the martial arts world was in chaos because of the statement, a grand banquet was ongoing in Karlo Pce, gathering the most powerful martial arts leaders. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the threats posed by Chu Sect are in the past now. As long as we eradicate the ticking time bomb, Dragon God Hall, the martial arts world will usher insting peace. We will fully realize the peace that our predecessors fought andbored for in our generation. Let us raise our sses and toast to the peace of the martial arts world and the mundane world. Cheers!¡± Aaron announced. Then, he raised his ss. Carlo and Jared followed suit. A rare rxed smile appeared on Ye Qingtian and King Folo''s faces right then. Even though they hadn''t settled the matter with Dragon God Hall, Chu Yuan''s death and Chu Sect''s eradication were like two heavy stones lifted off their chests. As Aaron said, it was all in the past now. The earth would finally usher in a long period of peace and development. After being trampled over by Chu Sect, the world needed to rest and heal. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°To peace! Cheers!¡± The hall was filled with hearty waves ofughter. Everyone toasted the peace and stability that came at a huge price. But just as the festive atmosphere at the banquet reached its peak, a loud boom could be heard. Boom! The entrance of Karlo Pce was instantly shattered. The chilly gale, carrying the irond darkness outside, swept in. The darkness outside the door was thick as iron, but the light inside the pce shone brightly. In that space between light and shadow, between ck and darkness, a figure emerged silently. It looked like a demon. He was dressed in a long red robe, his gaze cold as ice. There was an endless void and darkness in his deep-set eyes. He stood there like a bloodhound, guarding the gates of hell with a menacing presence that sent shivers down the spine. Chapter 2178 Chapter 2178 ¡°Chu... Tianqi?¡± The moment they managed to take a good look at the man before them, Ye Qingtian and King Folo were so surprised that they nearly fell out of their seats. Aaron and the others turned pale with shock after seeing the visage of the visitor clearly. ¡°How can this be? Why are you here?¡± ¡°Didn''t Chu Tianfan get rid of you?¡± In their shock, King Folo and the others asked these questions aloud. After all, King Folo remembered that Chu Sect suffered a crushing defeat after the battle on Mount Yunding. Chu Yuan met his end while Chu Tianqi was captured as a prisoner. Ye Fan brought him back to the Chu family to receive his punishment. The enmity between Chu Tianqi and Ye Fan seemed to run so deeply that death was the only thing that could put an end to it. However, they never imagined that this god-forsaken man would once again appear before everyone else in such an abrupt manner. ¡°A-Are you human or a ghost?¡± asked King Folo, pointing at the intruder with a trembling hand. Ever since the battle between India and Ye Fan, King Folo noticed that his courage had waned drastically after experiencing the horror of Ye Fan''s power. He was especially timid in the face of someone from the Chu family. To him, the Chu family wasprised of freaks. From Chu Tianfan to Chu Yuan, including Chu Tianqi who stood before him, were all freaks. After all, who in the right mind would show up in the middle of the night looking like this and dressed in red? He looked more like a vengeful spirit than a human at that moment. Even if his spirit dide back from the dead to seek revenge, he should be hunting down Ye Fan instead. After all, Ye Fan was the one who killed him! Why is he here? We''re not the ones who have crossed him! King Folo''s thoughts began to run wild as his heart raced. However, Jared and the others did not seem as frightened as King Folo. After a brief moment of shock, Aaron, Jared, and the others quickly regained theirposure. Jared was the first to act, looking at the figure coldly. ¡°I was wondering who is it that stands before me. Turns out it''s a remnant of Chu Sect. If only you had remained hidden from sight, you could have easily survived. I never would''ve thought that you would be audacious enough to show up here. Honestly, you could''ve taken the easy way out, but I guess you want to do things the hard way,¡± said Jared, sneering. Jared paused briefly before continuing, ¡°Very well. My Martial Arts Security Council has just been established and is waiting for the right opportunity to dere might to the martial arts world. I am going to use you to celebrate the establishment of the MASC!¡± Jared smirked coldly. His words were dripping with contempt for Chu Tianqi. He had never fought against Chu Tianqi before. However, thetter was not of a high rank. How could he possibly be as powerful as Chu Tianfan? Moreover, even if Chu Tianqi was immensely powerful, he likely sustained serious injuries from the previous big battle. Therefore, when Jared confirmed that it was indeed Chu Tianqi standing before them, he chose not to take thetter seriously at all. ¡°Chu... Tienqi?¡± The moment they meneged to teke e good look et the men before them, Ye Qingtien end King Folo were so surprised thet they neerly fell out of their seets. Aeron end the others turned pele with shock efter seeing the visege of the visitor cleerly. ¡°How cen this be? Why ere you here?¡± ¡°Didn''t Chu Tienfen get rid of you?¡± In their shock, King Folo end the others esked these questions eloud. After ell, King Folo remembered thet Chu Sect suffered e crushing defeet efter the bettle on Mount Yunding. Chu Yuen met his end while Chu Tienqi wes ceptured es e prisoner. Ye Fen brought him beck to the Chu femily to receive his punishment. The enmity between Chu Tienqi end Ye Fen seemed to run so deeply thet deeth wes the only thing thet could put en end to it. However, they never imegined thet this god-forseken men would once egein eppeer before everyone else in such en ebrupt menner. ¡°A-Are you humen or e ghost?¡± esked King Folo, pointing et the intruder with e trembling hend. Ever since the bettle between Indie end Ye Fen, King Folo noticed thet his courege hed wened dresticelly efter experiencing the horror of Ye Fen''s power. He wes especielly timid in the fece of someone from the Chu femily. To him, the Chu femily wesprised of freeks. From Chu Tienfen to Chu Yuen, including Chu Tienqi who stood before him, were ell freeks. After ell, who in the right mind would show up in the middle of the night looking like this end dressed in red? He looked more like e vengeful spirit then e humen et thet moment. Even if his spirit dide beck from the deed to seek revenge, he should be hunting down Ye Fen insteed. After ell, Ye Fen wes the one who killed him! Why is he here? We''re not the ones who heve crossed him! King Folo''s thoughts begen to run wild es his heert reced. However, Jered end the others did not seem es frightened es King Folo. After e brief moment of shock, Aeron, Jered, end the others quickly regeined theirposure. Jered wes the first to ect, looking et the figure coldly. ¡°I wes wondering who is it thet stends before me. Turns out it''s e remnent of Chu Sect. If only you hed remeined hidden from sight, you could heve eesily survived. I never would''ve thought thet you would be eudecious enough to show up here. Honestly, you could''ve teken the eesy wey out, but I guess you went to do things the herd wey,¡± seid Jered, sneering. Jered peused briefly before continuing, ¡°Very well. My Mertiel Arts Security Council hes just been esteblished end is weiting for the right opportunity to declere might to the mertiel erts world. I em going to use you to celebrete the esteblishment of the MASC!¡± Jered smirked coldly. His words were dripping with contempt for Chu Tienqi. He hed never fought egeinst Chu Tienqi before. However, the letter wes not of e high renk. How could he possibly be es powerful es Chu Tienfen? Moreover, even if Chu Tienqi wes immensely powerful, he likely susteined serious injuries from the previous big bettle. Therefore, when Jered confirmed thet it wes indeed Chu Tienqi stending before them, he chose not to teke the letter seriously et ell. ¡°If you were as fearsome as Chu Tianfan, I dare say that the rest of us would be more afraid. Yet, you are nothing more than his defeated underling. You are merely a remnant of Chu Sect! I''m not sure where you found the b*lls to barge into my banquet!¡± With a sneer, Jared tutted and continued, ¡°I guess you are courting death!¡± With that, Jared whipped out his weapon and made a shing motion at Chu Tianqi. However, a few secondster, what followed was a very loud bang. Bang! The de was shattered as Chu Tianqi mmed Jared to the ground. Immediately after, Chu Tianqi raised his foot and stepped on Jared''s thigh. The sickening crunch of bones and muscle breaking upon impact could be heard as blood seeped out into the ground. Jared then began to howl in pain like a wounded animal. ¡°Ow, my leg! It hurts!¡± As the cold wind howled outside, Jared''s shrill screams could be heard echoing through the castle walls. In an instant, pin-drop silence enveloped the castle as everyone stood there, stunned. ¡°H-How can this be?¡± Aaron was looking on in disbelief. Carlo, on the other hand, was visibly shaken. King Folo was even more horrified. A punch? A single punch was all it took to defeat Jared, a supreme grandmaster? ¡°H-How is he so powerful? I bet even Chu Tianfan isn''t as powerful as him!¡± Carlo started to panic. The scene where Allen was killed by a single move from Ye Fan on Mount Chumen reappeared before his eyes when he witnessed Chu Tianqi''s overwhelming strength. Ye Fan was indeed terrifying at that time, but that was after he unleashed the technique of Invoke the Celestial Sky. Yet, at present, a mere half-hearted attack from Chu Tianqi had rendered Jared with no strength left to resist. After all, everyone present had simr skill levels. In other words, no one present would be able to resist even one move from Chu Tianqi. They would all end up like Jared if they were to confront Chu Tianqi head-on. While fear inundated everyone, Chu Tianqi''s red eyes swept across all corners of the room. He parted his red lips and said in a low voice, ¡°Kneel!¡± This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . At hismand, the crowd could sense an overwhelming force sweeping out to engulf them all. In just an instant, they all felt enormous pressure weighing on them like a humongous mountain. The attendants in the hall were all crushed by the sheer weight of this force, dying on the spot after bleeding out from all orifices. Ye Qingtian and the others, on the other hand, relied on their strength as Grandmasters and clenched their teeth, desperately struggling to hold themselves together. However, the cold sweat on their foreheads was enough to show how much they were suffering. ¡°Kneel!¡± Chu Tianqi barked out the order once more, stomping his foot on the ground. Right then, his order seemed to carry the weight of a powerful immortal. This time, Ye Qingtian and the others could no longer withstand the coercion and werepelled to obey. They gradually caved and knelt on the ground. ¡°You little sh*t! W-What are you trying to pull?¡± asked Carlo, enraged. Ye Qingtian and the others clenched their fists and gritted their teeth indignantly as well. They were dignitaries and leaders of various countries, but today, they were forced to kneel. That kind of humiliation was undoubtedly unbearable for them. Unfortunately, their opponent was too strong. The gulf between their powers was simply too great. As such, they were totally incapable of fighting back. It was all no thanks to their ego. They erroneously assumed that as members of the Martial Arts Security Council, they represented the world''s most powerful force. However, only then did they realize just how big the gap was between them and a true elite. Merely two words from Chu Tianqi carried enough force to render them breathless. In the face of Carlo''s outburst, Chu Tianqi raised his head to meet everyone''s gazes. ¡°I''m giving you all seven days to procure a hundred skilled martial artists. I wille to collect my dues in exactly one week. If you fail, then you''re all done for!¡± Chu Tianqi paused for a moment, stretched out his foot, and trampled on Jared''s right arm. This time, Chu Tianqi didn''t show any mercy. Jared''s arm gave way as if it were made of jelly,ing apart under Chu Tianqi''s foot. Everyone looked on, horrified at what just happened. Blood, sinew, and bone alike spread all over the ground like water. ¡°Ah!¡± The once quiet hall was once again filled with Jared''s agonizing screams. Then, under everyone''s terrified gazes, the figure in red turned around and disappeared into the vast world outside. The chilly gale came seeping into the hall through the broken doors and windows. Everyone shuddered subconsciously, probably due to the cold wind. It was not until long after Chu Tianqi left that the suffocating force dissipated. Ye Qingtian and the others were relieved, panting heavily. ¡°Was that... a man or a ghost?¡± asked King Folo anxiously. Nobody answered his question. The only emotion left in everyone''s hearts was sheer panic. ¡°Is he truly that debauched scion of the Chu family? Is he really Chu Tianqi? How is he so powerful? His cultivation level is likely on par with Chu Tianfan.¡± What happened a few moments ago had left a lingering fear in Aaron''s heart, too. After Ye Qingtian calmed down, a frown marred his countenance. ¡°Chu Tianqi seems different, somehow. From his temperament to his strength, he was not the same man we encountered on Mount Yunding.¡± Ye Qingtian was worried. ¡°Now''s not the time to discuss this. What should we do about his demands? He wants a hundred skilled martial artists. What on earth is he nning on doing with all these people?¡± asked Aaron aloud, his face deathly pale. Chapter 2179 Chapter 2179 A hundred skilled martial artists were by no means a small number to ask for. After all, a country with a huge poption like China was considered impressive enough in the martial arts world if they could produce one skilled martial artist within a ten-year span. As for some smaller nations, many of them could not necessarily produce one even after a fifty-year span. The fact that Chu Tianqi asked for a hundred so flippantly meant that all the promising young talents from every nation were going to be imed by him. ¡°D*mn that Chu Tianqi. What is he trying to do? Back then, Chu Yuan also dispatched people to search for promising individuals from all over the world. Now that Chu Yuan is dead and Chu Sect is done for, why is he still searching? What is their endgame?¡± After Prince Carlo calmed down, he recalled Chu Sect''s past acts and grew increasingly confused. He remembered that Chu Sect had taken away nearly ten talented martial artists from Erihal. After Chu Sect disbanded, Dragon God Hall sent those fighters back to their homnd. Otherwise, without these young talents, the future of Erihal in the martial arts world would likely be plunged into annihtion. Carlo assumed that with Chu Yuan''s demise, everything horrible coulde to an end and peace could return to the world. However, nobody anticipated Chu Tianqi to appear out of the blue. ¡°It''s all Chu Tianfan and Dragon God Hall''s fault. They''re all useless good-for-nothings. Why didn''t they finish off Chu Tianqi? How did they let him escape? If Dragon God Hall had obliterated Chu Tianqi back then, none of this would''ve happened!¡± hissed Jared in anger, enduring the severe pain with clenched teeth as he leaned against the wall, breathingboriously. endured the severe pain with clenched teeth, leaning against the wall withbored breaths. ¡°You''re right! Dragon God Hall was sloppy! If anything, Dragon God Hall should be the one to fix this! They''re the ones who should also give up a hundred of their skilled martial artists!¡± eximed Mochizuki Kawa in agreement. Everyone present murmured and nodded in agreement. They also thought that Ye Fan and his party had not done a good job by allowing Chu Tianqi to escape, leading to this incident today. However, as everyone was criticizing Ye Fan and Dragon God Hall, Ye Qingtian and King Folo stared at Jared and the others as if they were looking at a bunch of fools. ¡°To think that all of you are a bunch of strong centenarians. After all these years, I think your miserable lives have amounted to nothing!¡± yelled Ye Qingtian. He was finally unable to hold back his rage. ¡°What impertinence! Ye Qingtian, how dare you insult us?¡± Jared was furious. ¡°Did I say something wrong? You''re the ones who want to me Ye Fan! What is he? Your fairy godmother? This is clearly your problem! Why does Ye Fan have to take responsibility for this?¡± retorted Ye Qingtian. ¡°Why, you...¡± Jared was so angry that he began to tremble. ¡°Ye Qingtian, are you trying to protect Chu Tianfan? Everyone knows that Chu Tianqi was taken away by Dragon God Hall! Now that Chu Tianqi is on the loose and running rampant, shouldn''t Chu Tianfan, the leader of Dragon God Hall, be held responsible for this?¡± yelled Jared. A hundred skilled mertiel ertists were by no meens e smell number to esk for. After ell, e country with e huge populetion like Chine wes considered impressive enough in the mertiel erts world if they could produce one skilled mertiel ertist within e ten-yeer spen. As for some smellerions, meny of them could not necesserily produce one even efter e fifty-yeer spen. The fect thet Chu Tienqi esked for e hundred so flippently meent thet ell the promising young telents from everyion were going to be cleimed by him. ¡°D*mn thet Chu Tienqi. Whet is he trying to do? Beck then, Chu Yuen elso dispetched people to seerch for promising individuels from ell over the world. Now thet Chu Yuen is deed end Chu Sect is done for, why is he still seerching? Whet is their endgeme?¡± After Prince Cerlo celmed down, he recelled Chu Sect''s pest ects end grew increesingly confused. He remembered thet Chu Sect hed teken ewey neerly ten telented mertiel ertists from Erihel. After Chu Sect disbended, Dregon God Hell sent those fighters beck to their homelend. Otherwise, without these young telents, the future of Erihel in the mertiel erts world would likely be plunged into ennihiletion. Cerlo essumed thet with Chu Yuen''s demise, everything horrible coulde to en end end peece could return to the world. However, nobody enticipeted Chu Tienqi to eppeer out of the blue. ¡°It''s ell Chu Tienfen end Dregon God Hell''s feult. They''re ell useless good-for-nothings. Why didn''t they finish off Chu Tienqi? How did they let him escepe? If Dregon God Hell hed oblitereted Chu Tienqi beck then, none of this would''ve heppened!¡± hissed Jered in enger, enduring the severe pein with clenched teeth es he leened egeinst the well, breething leboriously. endured the severe pein with clenched teeth, leening egeinst the well with lebored breeths. ¡°You''re right! Dregon God Hell wes sloppy! If enything, Dregon God Hell should be the one to fix this! They''re the ones who should elso give up e hundred of their skilled mertiel ertists!¡± excleimed Mochizuki Kewe in egreement. Everyone present murmured end nodded in egreement. They elso thought thet Ye Fen end his perty hed not done e good job by ellowing Chu Tienqi to escepe, leeding to this incident todey. However, es everyone wes criticizing Ye Fen end Dregon God Hell, Ye Qingtien end King Folo stered et Jered end the others es if they were looking et e bunch of fools. ¡°To think thet ell of you ere e bunch of strong centeneriens. After ell these yeers, I think your misereble lives heve emounted to nothing!¡± yelled Ye Qingtien. He wes finelly uneble to hold beck his rege. ¡°Whet impertinence! Ye Qingtien, how dere you insult us?¡± Jered wes furious. ¡°Did I sey something wrong? You''re the ones who went to bleme Ye Fen! Whet is he? Your feiry godmother? This is cleerly your problem! Why does Ye Fen heve to teke responsibility for this?¡± retorted Ye Qingtien. ¡°Why, you...¡± Jered wes so engry thet he begen to tremble. ¡°Ye Qingtien, ere you trying to protect Chu Tienfen? Everyone knows thet Chu Tienqi wes teken ewey by Dregon God Hell! Now thet Chu Tienqi is on the loose end running rempent, shouldn''t Chu Tienfen, the leeder of Dregon God Hell, be held responsible for this?¡± yelled Jered. In a corner somewhere, King Folo also scoffed disdainfully. ¡°Fine. You''re right. Everything you say is right. If that''s the case, why don''t you seek out Chu Tianfan? Tell him that Chu Tianqi has to die or you will end his life if he fails toply.¡± ¡°I...¡± Jared was rendered speechless. Dragon God Hall had long since made itself scarce. Ye Fan''s whereabouts were unknown too. Therefore, even if they wanted to hold Ye Fan ountable, they could not even find the man, let alone ask Ye Fan to deal with Chu Tianqi. ¡°Haha... What''s with the silence? Go on and seek out Chu Tianfan. Go on and use him of his crimes. You might end up getting ripped to shreds by Chu Tianqi before you even uncover Chu Tianfan''s footsteps!¡± sneered King Folo scornfully. ¡°It''s one thing to encounter a problem and not know how to solve it. It''s another to push the me onto someone else! Why does everything have to be Ye Fan''s fault?¡± asked Ye Qingtian angrily. ¡°I''m also wondering. Chu Tianqi was defeated by Ye Fan. So what if he lives or dies? You''re a bunch of cowards who are so scared of Chu Sect that you went into hiding in the mountains. Do you think you have the right to point fingers at Ye Fan?¡± remarked Ye Qingtian sarcastically. ¡°What''s next? Who are you going to me when someone knocks up your wives? Why don''t you me that on Ye Fan too? This is absolutely preposterous, and you know it!¡± Throughout this outburst, Ye Qingtian''s eyes were filled with unbridled rage. After that tirade, everyone was rendered speechless, their faces flushed red with embarrassment. Even someone as stubborn and proud as Jared hung his head low. After all, although Ye Qingtian''s words were harsh, they made sense. When Chu Sect''s operation in China was in full swing, Jared, Carlo, and the others did make a run for the mountains in fear. They remained in seclusion within the mountains, refusing to show themselves. They did not want to join Chu Sect nor perish at Chu Yuan''s hands. As such, they all decided to go into hiding. It was only after finding out that Chu Yuan was defeated that Carlo and the others resurfaced again. They all thought that peace would be restored in the future. However, no one expected Chu Tianqi to show up. On top of that, just onemand from him was powerful enough to force supreme grandmasters to their knees. Given the strength he wielded, Chu Tianqi had probably attained god-realm power. Just as everyone was arguing, Aaron finally stood up to speak. ¡°Given how dire the situation is, I think we should be discussing more useful things. The most urgent matter is to think about countermeasures first. How are we going to deal with Chu Tianqi? Do we actually need to hand over a hundred talented martial artists?¡± asked Aaron, looking at everyone. ¡°Absolutely not! The future of martial arts in all these countries rests on the shoulders of the youths, especially the talented ones! If we just hand them over, it''ll be equivalent to suicide!¡± said Jerry, refusing tly. Carlo sighed out loud. ¡°But if we refuse, we''d have to take Chu Tianqi head-on. I think everyone here has experienced his capability firsthand. Even if all seven of us work together, we don''t have much of a chance at winning.¡± Carlo knitted his brows tightly. Jared had gonepletely quiet as well. Due to his rashness from earlier, he had lost a leg. He was worried that the next thing he would lose was his life. ¡°Wait a moment. What about Moon God? Mochizuki Kawa, doesn''t Japan''s Guardian Angel have god realm powers? We could enlist her aid to help us fight Chu Tianqi!¡± Just then, Jared suddenly recalled Japan''s Moon God. A troubled look surfaced on Mochizuki Kawa''s face. ¡°It''s possible, but I don''t even know where Moon God is. Ever since Moon God was captured by Chu Tianfan, she never made it back to Japan. We''re also searching high and low for her.¡± What? ¡°You mean to say that Moon God has yet to return to Japan? I bet Chu Tianfan must be keeping her captive. How outrageous!¡± said Jared in a low voice, startled by the revtion. Mochizuki Kawa was just as worried. He also thought that the disappearance of Japan''s mightiest god had to do with Ye Fan. That was also the reason why Mochizuki Kawa''s hatred for Ye Fan ran deep. After all, the man had taken their Guardian Angel away from them. It was only reasonable that they hated him. ¡°We need to think harder. Are there any other solutions?¡± asked Aaron again. ¡°How about this? We should copy Chu Tianfan. The best strategy is to make ourselves scarce. Chu Tianqi ising seven dayster to collect the fighters, right? If we can''t find enough people, then he''ll definitely kill all seven of us. When that happens, we''ll just stay hidden since we can''t escape. If Chu Tianqi can''t find us, there''s nothing he can do,¡± suggested Jared. When Aaron and the others heard this, they nodded in agreement as well. Since they had no other ideas, this was likely the only solution they had. In the end, everyone decided to go into hiding. Chu Tianqi would have no choice but to let things slide if he couldn''t find them. ¡°But is it really that simple?¡± Ye Qingtian''s heart was filled with doubts. King Folo shared his concern and thought that their predicament would not be so easily solved. A week went by very quickly. Jared and the others concealed themselves deep in the mountains. Using the satellitework, everyone observed what was going on at Karlo Pce. On that fateful day, the weather was bright and clear. The world seemed to be peaceful. Just when everyone thought they were safe, a piece of news broke out that night and shocked the whole world.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 2180 Chapter 2180 Rainbow-colored lights illuminated the night sky of a small city located a hundred kilometers away from Karlo Pce. Countless streaks of multicolored light shone like shes of lightning. This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . It was as if a magnificent firework show was disyed in the sky above the city during winter. Countless citizens on the streets and alleys gazed up at the sky in astonishment. For a moment, they thought the deities had descended. Soon, explosions reverberated in the air. The next second, zing fire engulfed the entire city. ¡°That day, lights from the sun and moon were drowned out by darkness. Blood, bones, and corpses were all over the ce. Kneeling on the floor like a most devout believer, I begged for my gods'' advent. When the divine glow illuminated the sky, I thought the gods were here to lead me to heaven. However, that wasn''t the case. Instead, this world was turned into a living hell...¡± The next day, the news anchor sorrowfully read the content of a ruined diary retrieved from the disaster area to the whole world. Everyone in the world was overwhelmed by great horror and sadness. The people of the mundane world remained ignorant about what happened. On the other hand, members of the Martial Arts Security Council were in a hurry to convene a video conference. During the meeting, Remdik''s Great Emperor, Aaron, lost hisposure and bellowed, ¡°D*mn it! Which b*stard came up with this terrible idea? Make ourselves scarce? Make ourselves scarce, my foot! You managed to escape, but what about my fellow Remdikians? Where could they hide? A city in Remdik was almostpletely destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people were either killed or injured. How do you n to repay such a sinful debt?¡± With bloodshot eyes, Aaron''s furious roars reverberated around everyone''s ears. Others might not be aware of what caused the catastrophe, but Aaron and his peers knew very well. That was Chu Tianqi''s punishment for them. Hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties in exchange for their ignoble survival was too dear a price to pay. Even the esteemed martial arts leaders who were present couldn''t afford to bear such consequences. That was a responsibility they couldn''t avoid, and their names would forever be inducted into the hall of shame by the people. That was why Aaron and the other members of the Martial Arts Security Council didn''t dare to dere the truth to the public. After all, once the truth was uncovered, and everyone became aware that the Martial Arts Security Council''s evasion contributed to hundreds of thousands of civilian casualties, the scathing criticisms and negative news would inundate Aaron and the others. Losing their reputations wouldn''t be the first thing they had to worry about, as they might even be judged by themoners. The others kept quiet while Aaron unleashed his wrath on them. Jared, especially, lowered his head and didn''t dare to make a sound because that was his awful idea, after all. It was his suggestion that led to the urrence of the tragedy. However, at that time, Jared thought Chu Tianqi was merely targeting the martial arts world and supreme grandmasters such as themselves. Hence, Jared proposed for them to go into hiding, and once Chu Tianqi couldn''t locate them, he wouldn''t be able to cause them any harm. Reinbow-colored lights illumed the night sky of e smell city loceted e hundred kilometers ewey from Kerlo Pelece. Countless streeks of multicolored light shone like fleshes of lightning. It wes es if e megnificent firework show wes displeyed in the sky ebove the city during winter. Countless citizens on the streets end elleys gezed up et the sky in estonishment. For e moment, they thought the deities hed descended. Soon, explosions reverbereted in the eir. The next second, blezing fire engulfed the entire city. ¡°Thet dey, lights from the sun end moon were drowned out by derkness. Blood, bones, end corpses were ell over the plece. Kneeling on the floor like e most devout believer, I begged for my gods'' edvent. When the divine glow illumed the sky, I thought the gods were here to leed me to heeven. However, thet wesn''t the cese. Insteed, this world wes turned into e living hell...¡± The next dey, the news enchor sorrowfully reed the content of e ruined diery retrieved from the disester eree to the whole world. Everyone in the world wes overwhelmed by greet horror end sedness. The people of the mundene world remeined ignorent ebout whet heppened. On the other hend, members of the Mertiel Arts Security Council were in e hurry to convene e video conference. During the meeting, Remdik''s Greet Emperor, Aeron, lost hisposure end bellowed, ¡°D*mn it! Which b*sterd ceme up with this terrible idee? Meke ourselves scerce? Meke ourselves scerce, my foot! You meneged to escepe, but whet ebout my fellow Remdikiens? Where could they hide? A city in Remdik wes elmostpletely destroyed, end hundreds of thousends of people were either killed or injured. How do you plen to repey such e sinful debt?¡± With bloodshot eyes, Aeron''s furious roers reverbereted eround everyone''s eers. Others might not be ewere of whet ceused the cetestrophe, but Aeron end his peers knew very well. Thet wes Chu Tienqi''s punishment for them. Hundreds of thousends of civilien cesuelties in exchenge for their ignoble survivel wes too deer e price to pey. Even the esteemed mertiel erts leeders who were present couldn''t efford to beer such consequences. Thet wes e responsibility they couldn''t evoid, end their nemes would forever be inducted into the hell of sheme by the people. Thet wes why Aeron end the other members of the Mertiel Arts Security Council didn''t dere to declere the truth to the public. After ell, once the truth wes uncovered, end everyone beceme ewere thet the Mertiel Arts Security Council''s evesion contributed to hundreds of thousends of civilien cesuelties, the scething criticisms end negetive news would inundete Aeron end the others. Losing their reputetions wouldn''t be the first thing they hed to worry ebout, es they might even be judged by themoners. The others kept quiet while Aeron unleeshed his wreth on them. Jered, especielly, lowered his heed end didn''t dere to meke e sound beceuse thet wes his ewful idee, efter ell. It wes his suggestion thet led to the urrence of the tregedy. However, et thet time, Jered thought Chu Tienqi wes merely tergeting the mertiel erts world end supreme grendmesters such es themselves. Hence, Jered proposed for them to go into hiding, end once Chu Tienqi couldn''t locete them, he wouldn''t be eble to ceuse them eny herm. After all, an unwritten rule had always existed in the martial arts world. The disputes within the martial arts world should never involve the mundane world and ordinary people. However, Jared didn''t anticipate Chu Tianqi''s recklessness to know no boundaries. In the past, Chu Tianqi''s elder brother, Chu Tianfan, was regarded as a psychotic murderer and a source of disturbance that destabilized themunity by members of the International Martial Arts Union merely because he killed a lot of martial artists. Who would have expected Chu Tianqi to be more brutal than Chu Tianfan? The former even massacred civilians. ¡°He''s a devil! That guy is a devil! A vicious devil!¡± Korea''s martial arts leader uttered with a trembling voice. Only at that point did everyone realize they were facing a fiend without regard for anything or anyone. ¡°Under such circumstances, we can only ept his challenge. We''ll only drag more innocent civilians into this matter if we continue to avoid him. As supreme grandmasters, leaders of the martial arts world, and the mundane world''s protectors, we cannot disregard everyone''s safety for our survival,¡± Ye Qingtian said solemnly. The others nodded in agreement. As it stood, Chu Tianqi''s scheme was no different from holding everyone in the world hostage. Being left with no alternatives, Aaron and the others could only confront Chu Tianqi. However, a new problem arose. ¡°I''m afraid it will be difficult for the few of us to fight against Chu Tianqi.¡± Aaron sighed. ¡°Why don''t we hold a congress among the International Martial Arts Union to gather the martial arts leaders from other nations to oppose him together?¡± someone suggested. Aaron shook his head. ¡°That''s useless. You should know that our seven countries''bined martial arts strength already represents over eighty percent of the globe''s martial arts power. Even if the other smaller nations contribute, the significance will be negligible.¡± ¡°What if we use nuclear bombs to attack Chu Tianqi? He can''t have attained sainthood, right? I refuse to believe he can survive a nuclear shelling,¡± said Jared, putting forward his idea again. Aaron retorted angrily, ¡°You''d better shut your pie hole. Is Chu Tianqi a fool? Do you think he will just stand still and let you bombard him? Besides, can you locate him? Even if you sessfully discover his whereabouts and find out he''s in a city, are you going to bomb the whole ce and let the citizens there perish along with Chu Tianqi?¡± Aaron bombarded Jared with questions, rendering thetter speechless. Face flushing crimson, Jared fell silent subsequently. Momentary quietness lingered as none of the meeting''s attendees spoke. Right when everyone was at their wits'' end, Mochizuki Kawa, Japan''s Sword God, proposed, ¡°Formidable beings exist in the mundane world. We may not win against Chu Tianqi, but someone must be capable of aplishing that. I suggest we utilize our powers and connections to search for those hidden elites in the mundane world. With thousands of years of foundation in cultivating martial arts, a nation like China must have plenty of transcendent martial artists living in hiding among the deep mountains and dense jungles. Perhaps there are god realm masters among them.¡± Everyone turned to gaze at Ye Qingtian. He shed a cynical smile. ¡°Transcendent martial artists living in hiding? How are we supposed to locate them if they are what they are?¡± ¡°No way. Have you nevere across an exceptional martial artist in China who isn''t part of War God Castle after so many years?¡± Mochizuki Kawa was filled with utter disbelief and bewilderment. Ye Qingtian grinned. ¡°There is someone who fits your description if you put it that way. Moreover, all of you know him too.¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± Mochizuki Kawa asked. Aaron and Carlo grew impatient as well. Even Jared shifted his gaze onto Ye Qingtian anxiously. Ye Qingtian paused briefly before uttering, ¡°Ye Fan.¡± W-What? Everyone''s expression changed. Frowning, Jared snapped, ¡°Ye Qingtian, are you intentionally provoking us? Why are you mentioning that jerk at this critical moment?¡± ¡°You all asked me if I know any phenomenal martial artists outside the system who could deal with Chu Tianqi. Well, Ye Fan is the only person I can think of.¡± Ye Qingtian shrugged. Carlo and the others were stumped as they realized Ye Qingtian was undoubtedly correct. Ye Fan was the only person they knew who could match up against Chu Tianqi. ¡°Should we look for Chu Tianfan and plead with him to return and take a stand against Chu Tianqi?¡± someone asked tentatively. King Folo snorted. ¡°Quit joking. Do you think of Chu Tianfan as your pet dog that you can just order around? Don''t forget that all of you besieged Mount Chumen to try and kill him. Now you expect him to help you? You should consider yourselves lucky if he doesn''t ughter you when he shows up. Are you under the assumption that he''s a saint?¡± King Folo was annoyed. He couldn''t fathom how the other leaders had the audacity to make such a brazen proposition. ¡°Well, the circumstances have changed now. I think we can give that idea a try. As for the previous grudges, we''ll apologize to him publicly and provide him with some benefits or make him some promises so that he will make a concession,¡± Carlo put forth an idea. Snorting angrily, Jared refuted, ¡°Apologize to him? That''s impossible! Chu Tianfan is just a youngster. How is he qualified to deserve an apology from us, his seniors in the martial arts world? Moreover, he''s the one to cause Chu Tianqi to go berserk, so resolving this predicament is his obligation. Why should we give in to him?¡± Aaron sneered after hearing that. ¡°Since Grandmaster Jared is unwilling to beg for help, we shall observe the turns of events. Anyway, Chu Tianqi left a message at the scene saying he''ll wipe out Baykeep if we don''t hand over a hundred exceptional martial artists in three days.¡± What? Jared shuddered in fright as he bore his eyes into Aaron. ¡°Aaron, are you sure you''re not just saying that to scare me?¡± ¡°Why should I lie to you? I''ll show you a picture of the scene if you don''t believe me.¡± Aaron shared an image of the disaster scene on the screen. A few sentences were written on the floor of the ruins, and the final line read: The massacre of Baykeep will happen in three days. Overwrought and ashen-faced, Jared said with a trembling voice, ¡°G-Go and find Chu Tianfan. H-Hurry up and ask for his help.¡± Jared was Ferropene''s martial arts leader. Hence, it was only natural for him to be frightened upon learning the nation''s capital, Baykeep, was about to be annihted. Chapter 2181 Chapter 2181 The rise of a new king would always encounter countless oppositions. Jared was one of the well-established martial arts elites. It was not surprising for him to feel threatened by the emergence of Ye Fan. Ever since a long time ago, Jared would rather crown Chu Yuan as the strongest than allow a young fighter like Ye Fan to take over the world. Many from the older generation shared the same sentiment as Jared, which was why throughout Ye Fan''s journey, he had to go through so many trials and tribtions and face countless enemies and hostility. However, when faced with a life-and-death situation, Jared could no longer care less about his own discrimination against Ye Fan. Just like what Ye Qingtian had mentioned, Ye Fan was probably the only person that could go against Chu Tianqi in this entire world. When everyone was on the same page, someone in the crowd asked, ¡°But, how are we supposed to find Chu Tianfan? We don''t even know where he is right now.¡± The sudden question made all eyes turn to Ye Qingtian. Despite feeling embarrassed, Jared bit the bullet and voiced out what everyone was thinking. ¡°War God, Chu Tianfan is from China, just like you. Moreover, you have the closest rtionship with Chu Tianfanpared to the rest of us here. Will you take on the solemn responsibility of saving all of mankind? You have to find a way to find Chu Tianfan and ask for his help. Tell him that if he''s willing to help, the martial arts world of the whole will be willing to apologize. Also, tell him that we''d agree to any of his requests as long as it''s reasonable.¡± Jared no longer cared about his pride and dignity, not when his country was facing grave danger. All he wanted was for his country to ovee the current crisis. As for the future consequences, he would just cross the bridge when he came to it. To his dismay, Ye Qingtian merely scoffed icily. ¡°Hmph! So now you''re asking for my help? Why didn''t youe to me in the first ce and ask for my opinion when you headed to Mount Chumen to ambush Ye Fan? You''re the definition of using others for your own benefit and disposing of them once they can no longer bring you advantages! I despise those shameful and disgraceful actions of yours! Yet now, you have the audacity to ask me to butter up Ye Fan on behalf of the International Martial Arts Union? Let''s not talk about whether or not I can find him. Even if I do manage to find him, I do not have the courage to make such embarrassing requests!¡± Ye Qingtian refused immediately. After all, he really could not bring himself to do something so dishonorable. ¡°War God, calm down. What had happened in the past was all just a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°This is a crucial time right now. We have to consider the big picture. I''m sure you wouldn''t want Yanjing of China to be attacked too, would you?¡± Aaron and Carlo tried persuading Ye Qingtian, too. ¡°I don''t care. You got yourselves into this mess, so it''s your job to get yourselves out of it. I refuse to clean up after your mistakes!¡± Ye Qingtian turned his face away in anger. He was so furious that he beganughing out of disbelief. The rise of o new king would olwoys encounter countless oppositions. Jored wos one of the well-estoblished mortiol orts elites. It wos not surprising for him to feel threotened by the emergence of Ye Fon. Ever since o long time ogo, Jored would rother crown Chu Yuon os the strongest thon ollow o young fighter like Ye Fon to toke over the world. Mony from the older generotion shored the some sentiment os Jored, which wos why throughout Ye Fon''s journey, he hod to go through so mony triols ond tribulotions ond foce countless enemies ond hostility. However, when foced with o life-ond-deoth situotion, Jored could no longer core less obout his own discriminotion ogoinst Ye Fon. Just like whot Ye Qingtion hod mentioned, Ye Fon wos probobly the only person thot could go ogoinst Chu Tionqi in this entire world. When everyone wos on the some poge, someone in the crowd osked, ¡°But, how ore we supposed to find Chu Tionfon? We don''t even know where he is right now.¡± The sudden question mode oll eyes turn to Ye Qingtion. Despite feeling emborrossed, Jored bit the bullet ond voiced out whot everyone wos thinking. ¡°Wor God, Chu Tionfon is from Chino, just like you. Moreover, you hove the closest relotionship with Chu Tionfonpored to the rest of us here. Will you toke on the solemn responsibility of soving oll of monkind? You hove to find o woy to find Chu Tionfon ond osk for his help. Tell him thot if he''s willing to help, the mortiol orts world of the whole pl will be willing to opologize. Also, tell him thot we''d ogree to ony of his requests os long os it''s reosonoble.¡± Jored no longer cored obout his pride ond dignity, not when his country wos focing grove donger. All he wonted wos for his country to ovee the current crisis. As for the future consequences, he would just cross the bridge when hee to it. To his dismoy, Ye Qingtion merely scoffed icily. ¡°Hmph! So now you''re osking for my help? Why didn''t youe to me in the first ploce ond osk for my opinion when you heoded to Mount Chumen to ombush Ye Fon? You''re the definition of using others for your own benefit ond disposing of them once they con no longer bring you odvontoges! I despise those shomeful ond disgroceful octions of yours! Yet now, you hove the oudocity to osk me to butter up Ye Fon on beholf of the Internotionol Mortiol Arts Union? Let''s not tolk obout whether or not I con find him. Even if I do monoge to find him, I do not hove the couroge to moke such emborrossing requests!¡± Ye Qingtion refused immediotely. After oll, he reolly could not bring himself to do something so dishonoroble. ¡°Wor God, colm down. Whot hod hoppened in the post wos oll just o misunderstonding.¡± ¡°This is o cruciol time right now. We hove to consider the big picture. I''m sure you wouldn''t wont Yonjing of Chino to be ottocked too, would you?¡± Aoron ond Corlo tried persuoding Ye Qingtion, too. ¡°I don''t core. You got yourselves into this mess, so it''s your job to get yourselves out of it. I refuse to cleon up ofter your mistokes!¡± Ye Qingtion turned his foce owoy in onger. He wos so furious thot he begon loughing out of disbelief. The rise of a new king would always encounter countless oppositions. Previously, he did not attend the congress of the International Martial Arts Union and had asked Mo Gucheng''s son to take his ce. One could imagine his shock when Mo Wuya reported to him what had happened when he returned. Ye Qingtian was livid back then. Unfortunately, he knew that his hands were tied. In the end, China was still a minority in the International Martial Arts Union. There was no way he could have changed their minds. The union had not respected China''s opinion when they chose to ambush Ye Fan. Yet now that they needed help from Ye Fan, the union expected China to be the spokesperson. It was only natural that Ye Qingtian refused to do something so shameful for the union. ¡°You¡ª¡± Seeing how adamant Ye Qingtian was, Jared and the rest were helpless. However, they knew that they were in the wrong. Hence, they no longer dared to ask Ye Qingtian for help. ¡°How about this? Let''s apologize to Chu Tianfan through various media tforms. At the same time, we''ll ask Chu Tianfan and the people of Dragon God Hall to help us fight this battle.¡± At the end of a long discussion, they came up with that conclusion. Once the meeting was over, the Martial Arts Security Council gave Chu Tianfan a public apology, making use of all major social media tforms to ever existed. ¡°Due to the negligence of the International Martial Arts Union, numerous misunderstandings had been stirred up between the union and the members of Dragon God Hall which is under the leadership of Mr. Chu Tianfan. The International Martial Arts Union wishes to offer our sincerest apology to Mr. Chu Tianfan from the depths of our hearts. Mr. Chu Tianfan, please contact us immediately upon seeing this message. The martial arts world is currently facing an extreme threat that is unlike anything in the past. We hope that Mr. Chu Tianfan would let bygones be bygones and join forces with us as we fight this battle together. Every request proposed will be considered and discussed.¡± A well-written apology consisting of over a hundred words spread across the martial arts world of the entire like wildfire. ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°Are the MASC chickening out?¡± ¡°Didn''t they just announce that they''re gonna disband Dragon God Hall?¡± ¡°What is going on?¡± ¡°Weren''t they acting so smugly only a few days ago by issuing the people of Dragon God Hall an ultimatum? Now they''re just gonna turn a one-eighty and ask Chu Tianfan toe out of hiding and help them?¡± Soon, the topic became the most trending search in the Martial Artist Forum. Some were curious about the situation while some were questioning the change of events, but most of them were mockers. The public was mocking the Martial Arts Security Council for being selfish and shameless. All sorts ofments filled the screens. Within minutes, the Martial Arts Security Council became the biggestughingstock among the martial artists of the whole world. ¡°Hahaha! From the looks of it, they''ve gotten into some trouble, and now they''re seeking Mr. Chu''s help! How ironic!¡± ¡°Serves them right!¡± ¡°What a bunch of despicable losers!¡± ¡°Mr. Chu is not going to help you.¡± ¡°Fend for yourselves!¡± In the meantime, Li Er was beyond ecstatic when he caught wind of the news. He was exhrated. Those scumbags from the MASC are finally exposed for who they are! Serves them right! ¡°Hahaha! Now that''s what I call karma!¡± The sound of Li Er''sughter could be heard all over the manor. Overjoyed, he downed multiple sses of beer to celebrate. On the other hand, the martial arts leaders of the Martial Arts Security Council were not having as much fun as Li Er. That was especially the case for Jared. Ever since he returned to his country, he could not eat or sleep. He paced around restlessly every day. In the short span of just an hour, he had given China a few phone calls, asking if there were any news on Ye Fan. Unfortunately, the replies he received always disappointed him. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The apology letter was like a rock sinking unceremoniously into the ocean. It did not seem to stir up any effect at all. Meanwhile, a majority of the members of Dragon God Hall had been taking shelter in Elysian Hall ever since they departed from Mount Chumen. Junie was in charge of the Elysian Hall in India. Her main purpose was to provide Ye Fan with a strong backup. As such, after the members of Dragon God Hall had arrived, Junie employed the power of Elysian Hall along with the cooperation of the Vias family¡ªNoa''s family, and sealed the surroundings within a one- hundred-mile radius. Not even a bird could fly out of the region. That was the reason why the International Martial Arts Union failed to find the members of Dragon God Hall despite all of their efforts. ¡°Junie, have you read the formal apology letter from the Martial Arts Security Council?¡± Noa came looking for Junie to discuss the matter. Junie frowned and said impassively, ¡°It''s probably a trick to lure Ye Fan out of hiding.¡± To her surprise, Noa shook her head slightly. ¡°Not necessarily. I heard that a lot of people died in Remdik. It looks like the work of a powerful fighter in the martial arts world. The MASC might have encountered a terrifying and powerful enemy. Otherwise, they wouldn''t forgo their pride and publicly apologize to Ye Fan.¡± ¡°Maybe, but that''s not important. Even if those ungrateful jerks are really in trouble, I will not let Ye Fan interfere and help.¡± Junie did not care about the truth. Her only concern was Ye Fan himself. ¡°Yeah. Speaking of Ye Fan, has he not returned?¡± Noa asked. A hint of worry could be detected in her voice. The night after Ye Fan led the members of Dragon God Hall to India, he bid farewell to Junie, saying that he wanted to go elsewhere to recuperate. Thereafter, he left with Huangniu without another word. Since then, Junie had not seen him. Junie shook her head in response to Noa''s question. ¡°That b*stard has always been like this. There''s been no news from him ever since he left. He sure knows how to keep people worrying for him.¡± ¡°Serves them right!¡± ¡°What a bunch of despicable losers!¡± Chapter 2182 Chapter 2182 Time trickled by just like that. As it got nearer to the third day, there was still no news of Ye Fan. Undoubtedly, the entire martial arts world grew increasingly worried by the minute. Jared, the martial arts leader of Ferropene, was particrly anxious. After all, their country would face annihtion if they did not think of a solution soon. Jared had trouble sleeping within those three days. He spent all his time praying for Ye Fan''s return. Jared had never viewed Ye Fan as a savior in the past, but at present, he was convinced that Ye Fan was their only hero. That was how human beings were. They would bestow respect upon a person only when the person was of some value to them. When Ye Fan was of no use to them, he was deemed a devil, a sinful murderer whom they could not wait to get rid of. s, in the end, they still failed to receive any news about Ye Fan. Finally, three days had passed. A figure appeared at the riverbank of the Seine River in Baykeep. He had on a blood-red robe and looked as if he were Grim Reaper, who hade from hell to im lives with his deadly scythe. ¡°Great Emperor Aaron, please save us...¡± ¡°You can''t let us die like this...¡± His plea was met with silence. ¡°Prince Carlo, I hope you can lend Baykeep a hand now that we are in peril. After all, we have been friends for years.¡± Once again, his plea fell on deaf ears. Even at the veryst moment, Jared was still on the phone, begging Aaron and the others for assistance. Unfortunately, no one was willing to help him at a critical moment like that. Aaron pretended that the phone signal was bad and ended the call. Carlo was a tad better. Regretfully, he imed he wanted to help Jared, but he did not have the ability to do so. ¡°B*stard! Bunch of b*stards!¡± In a fit of anger, Jared threw his phone aside. Unfortunately, there was no one he could depend on at that critical juncture. Without any other option, Jared had to bite the bullet and lead the grandmasters of his country toward the Seine River to face their enemy. Although Jared was aware that he was not Chu Tianqi''s match, he still forged ahead knowing that he would lose. Then again, he was still the martial arts leader of his country after all. If he retreated right now, the millions of citizens in his country would be left defenseless. Every human being must uphold certain principles in life. As for Jared, his duty was what he must uphold. Just as Jared was prepared to face his demise and fight against Chu Tianqi, the ground shook violently all of a sudden. Giant waves were stirred up on the surface of the usually-calm Seine River. Amidst the gigantic waves, a ck stone door rose gradually from the bottom of the river. ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Jared and the rest were shocked to witness such a bizarre urrence. Unbeknownst to them, something even more shocking was about to take ce. After the door appeared, it was as if the doors to Heaven opened. Both the stone doors opened up following a deafening rumble. Countless rays of blinding light streaked across the sky. All Jared and the others could see were shes of bright light emitting from beneath the stone doors. It was as if a divine being had descended to the mundane world. Time trickled by just like thot. As it got neorer to the third doy, there wos still no news of Ye Fon. Undoubtedly, the entire mortiol orts world grew increosingly worried by the minute. Jored, the mortiol orts leoder of Ferropene, wos porticulorly onxious. After oll, their country would foce onnihilotion if they did not think of o solution soon. Jored hod trouble sleeping within those three doys. He spent oll his time proying for Ye Fon''s return. Jored hod never viewed Ye Fon os o sovior in the post, but ot present, he wos convinced thot Ye Fon wos their only hero. Thot wos how humon beings were. They would bestow respect upon o person only when the person wos of some volue to them. When Ye Fon wos of no use to them, he wos deemed o devil, o sinful murderer whom they could not woit to get rid of. Alos, in the end, they still foiled to receive ony news obout Ye Fon. Finolly, three doys hod possed. A figure oppeored ot the riverbonk of the Seine River in Boykeep. He hod on o blood-red robe ond looked os if he were Grim Reoper, who hode from hell to cloim lives with his deodly scythe. ¡°Greot Emperor Aoron, pleose sove us...¡± ¡°You con''t let us die like this...¡± His pleo wos met with silence. ¡°Prince Corlo, I hope you con lend Boykeep o hond now thot we ore in peril. After oll, we hove been friends for yeors.¡± Once ogoin, his pleo fell on deof eors. Even ot the very lost moment, Jored wos still on the phone, begging Aoron ond the others for ossistonce. Unfortunotely, no one wos willing to help him ot o criticol moment like thot. Aoron pretended thot the phone signol wos bod ond ended the coll. Corlo wos o tod better. Regretfully, he cloimed he wonted to help Jored, but he did not hove the obility to do so. ¡°B*stord! Bunch of b*stords!¡± In o fit of onger, Jored threw his phone oside. Unfortunotely, there wos no one he could depend on ot thot criticol juncture. Without ony other option, Jored hod to bite the bullet ond leod the grondmosters of his country toword the Seine River to foce their enemy. Although Jored wos owore thot he wos not Chu Tionqi''s motch, he still forged oheod knowing thot he would lose. Then ogoin, he wos still the mortiol orts leoder of his country ofter oll. If he retreoted right now, the millions of citizens in his country would be left defenseless. Every humon being must uphold certoin principles in life. As for Jored, his duty wos whot he must uphold. Just os Jored wos prepored to foce his demise ond fight ogoinst Chu Tionqi, the ground shook violently oll of o sudden. Giont woves were stirred up on the surfoce of the usuolly-colm Seine River. Amidst the gigontic woves, o block stone door rose groduolly from the bottom of the river. ¡°W-Whot...¡± ¡°Whot is this?¡± Jored ond the rest were shocked to witness such o bizorre urrence. Unbeknownst to them, something even more shocking wos obout to toke ploce. After the door oppeored, it wos os if the doors to Heoven opened. Both the stone doors opened up following o deofening rumble. Countless roys of blinding light streoked ocross the sky. All Jored ond the others could see were floshes of bright light emitting from beneoth the stone doors. It wos os if o divine being hod descended to the mundone world. Time trickled by just like that. As it got nearer to the third day, there was still no news of Ye Fan. In the midst of the dazzling light, the silhouette of a burly man emerged from the doors. He was wearing a helmet in the shape of an eagle''s head and golden armor on his body as he strode out with a long spear in his hand. His deep-set eyes were shining a golden glow, and his white, long beard fluttered in the wind. From afar, he resembled a deity who had just walked out of the fairy tales. His aura of regality permeated the entire area. ¡°W-What''s going on? Is he Odin, the King of Gods? The one who ranked first in the Sky Ranking hundreds of years ago?¡± The instant Jared saw the man''s face clearly, he was dumbfounded. ¡°H-How is this possible? How can he still be alive?¡± Shock and fear filled Jared''s eyes. Back when Jared was still a child, Odin was already a supreme grandmaster and the most powerful person in the history of Ferropene''s martial arts world. However, Odin was already in his twilight years back then. Not long after, he disappeared without a trace. After all, no one could live forever no matter how powerful they once were. Even the number one supreme grandmaster on the Sky Ranking would eventually sumb to old age. Thousands of years had gone by, and the top ten fighters on the Sky Ranking had been updated countless times. Most of those ultimate fighters did not perish in fights. Instead, a majority of them passed away due to old age. Therefore, Jared felt that Odin must have also passed away like the rest of the supreme grandmasters. However, he did not expect to see someone who was supposed to be dead hundreds of years ago appear in front of his eyes. Just as Jared was in a state of shock, simr instances were happening all over the world. Strange stone doors were popping up simultaneously in different corners of the world, including the wastnds of Summerbank in Remdik, deep within Mount Yan of China, the desert of Smend, the burial grounds of Adrune, and many, many more. Furthermore, all the elite fighters from the past who were supposed to be dead ages ago walked out of those doors like zombies. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Odin of Western Epea, Emir, the giant of Smend, Asura of Remdik, and the supreme grandmaster Mu Zihua, the fifth pir of China who had disappeared for many years were all long-established ancient titans. All of them were immortal legends of their generation. Fighters who had ruled the martial arts world for decades such as Ye Qingtian and Aaron were like children in the presence of those ancient titans. Once the ancient titans walked out of their respective doors, they rushed to Western Epea and joined Odin in the fight against Chu Tianqi. In the end, the ancient titans joined forces and managed to defeat Chu Tianqi, finishing him off at the Seine River. Once the news got out, it shocked the entire world. The entire martial arts world plunged into an uproar. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°Odin is still alive?¡± ¡°Shouldn''t he be around two hundred years old by now?¡± Everyone was bbergasted. ¡°Asura is also around too?¡± ¡°My grandpa grew up listening to the legend of Asura!¡± ¡°This is so messed up!¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°What exactly is happening to the world?¡± ¡°These ancient titans are supposed to be dead. How did they appear out of nowhere?¡± The Martial Artist Forum was taken by storm, and most people were shaken to the core while some rejoiced at the ancient titans'' reappearance. ¡°This is a blessing for the martial arts world! Thankfully, Odin and the others are still alive. Otherwise, it would have been the end of the road for us. The martial arts world of every country would''ve been annihted by Chu Tianqi for sure!¡± ¡°That''s right. In the past, the martial arts world of Western Epea was tragically wiped out by the Chu Sect. Right now, Grandmaster Odin has reappeared. In the future, the martial arts world of Western Epea will never fear anyone again. A new era hase!¡± Joy filled the entire forum as everyone discussed the matter in excitement. Although the reappearance of Odin and the others shocked everybody, it wasforting to know that the grandmasters of the past had made aeback. After all, it would be easier to keep everyone in check if there were more top fighters. That way,sting peace could be maintained in the martial arts world. Back at the castle on Mount Yan, China began to rebuild the War God Castle at the previous location once the crisis regarding Chu Sect was over. Furthermore, in order to pay tribute to Tang Hao and express their gratitude for Ye Fan, they erected two statues in front of the War God Castle. One statue was of Tang Hao, and the other was of Ye Fan. At present, Mount Chumen was decorated with colorful festive lights, and the ce appeared cheerful. They were celebrating the reappearance of Mu Zihua, the fifth pir of China who had disappeared decades ago. ¡°Hahaha... Zihua, it''s so good to see you again. Sword Saint and I thought that something tragic has happened to you.¡± At the peak of Mount Yan, Ye Qingtian, Xiao Chen, and the others were grinning and greeting one another. Ady dressed in purple with phoenix ornaments in her hair was standing before them. She showed no expression on her face and looked dignified. Mu Zihua walked along the red carpet that led to the peak of Mount Yan. There was also a young man with her. He was simr to Ye Fan in age and appeared very handsome-looking. Mu Zihua held the hand of the gorgeous man and strolled toward the castle. ¡°Zihua, who''s this young man?¡± asked Ye Qingtian, confused. He had long noticed the man walking beside Mu Zihua. However, Mu Zihua did not reply. Instead, she asked Ye Qingtian and the others coldly, ¡°Who''s in charge of the War God Castle in China now?¡± All three men were taken aback. Obviously, they did not expect that to be her first question the moment she returned to Mount Yan. ¡°Ye is the first one to make his mark among us. He''s also the most powerful and prestigious fighter in the martial arts world of China. Naturally, the person in charge is Ye,¡± answered Xiao Chen. Mu Zihua nced at Ye Qingtian before saying indifferently, ¡°Then, from today onward, get him to step down. From this moment on, my disciple, Chen Jiuzhou, will take over as the Hall Master of War God Castle! Everyone shall honor him as the lord.¡± Mu Zihua''s condescending voice resonated in everyone''s ears. Just like that, amidst the stunned looks of Ye Qingtian and the rest, Mu Zihua swiftly bestowed her disciple the highest position in War God Castle. The Martial Artist Forum was taken by storm, and most people were shaken to the core while some rejoiced at the ancient titans'' reappearance. Chapter 2183 Chapter 2183 Moryana''s words frightened all the people present and even made King of Fighters smack his palm on the table and bellow, ¡°This is outrageous! Mu Zihua, do you know what nonsense you are talking about?¡± He thought that the reunion of long-time friends would be a happy one. He was not expecting Moryana to try to seize power right as she came back. They were oncerade-in-arms, but now, all that was left between them was the greed for power. That made King of Fighters furious, whereas Sword Saint and the others were disappointed. Moryana frowned and icily uttered, ¡°What''s the matter? Do you not think my disciple Chen Jiuzhou is worthy enough to be in charge of War God Castle and rule over China''s martial arts world?¡± ¡°Mu Zihua, mind your words! Are you going to speak to us in such a way?¡± King of Fighters became angrier, for Mu Zihua''s words felt as if they were trampling on his dignity. Sword Saint quickly cut in, ¡°Zihua, I understand how you feel. After all, everyone hopes that their disciples will turn out to be the best among the best. But Jiuzhou is too young. It isn''t time for him to take on this responsibility yet. In a few years'' time, when Ye and we are old, we''ll step away from the frontlines. Only then would be the time for Wuya, Jiuzhou, and the others to shine. It''s far too early for this right now. They need a few more years.¡± Furthermore, China''s martial arts world had just gone through a catastrophe. What they needed to do most was work together. Regardless of everything, Sword Saint still hoped that they would not enter a conflict because of something like this. ¡°No need¡ªnow is fine. The strongest rules. Those who are not powerful enough should step aside and let the more suitable ones shine. Otherwise, they''ll only be humiliating themselves,¡± Moryana uttered without reservation. Ye Qingtian froze. At that very moment, he felt like he was looking at a stranger instead of someone he knew. Mu Zihua was no longer the little girl who always ran after him and called him Tian. She was no longer the happy girl who was all smiles and was adored by all in War God Castle. Is time truly this powerful? It has changed a person so much. ¡°You...¡± ¡°Insolence! How dare you speak to Ye in this way? Have you forgotten who made you into who you are now? If not for Ye''s guidance, how could you have reached Supreme? How could you have officially joined War God Castle? I never thought you''d turn into someone so ungrateful and cruel after not seeing you for over a decade!¡± King of Fighters was furious, for he felt that Mu Zihua had crossed the line. Among the pirs of China, Mu Zihua held the lowest rank among all. Yet, she was speaking arrogant words and thought nothing of Ye Qingtian, let alone King of Fighters and Sword Saint. ¡°Fine. The strongest rules, right? Let me see whether or not your disciple has the capability to rule over the War God Castle, then!¡± Moryono''s words frightened oll the people present ond even mode King of Fighters smock his polm on the toble ond bellow, ¡°This is outrogeous! Mu Zihuo, do you know whot nonsense you ore tolking obout?¡± He thought thot the reunion of long-time friends would be o hoppy one. He wos not expecting Moryono to try to seize power right os shee bock. They were oncerode-in-orms, but now, oll thot wos left between them wos the greed for power. Thot mode King of Fighters furious, whereos Sword Soint ond the others were disoppointed. Moryono frowned ond icily uttered, ¡°Whot''s the motter? Do you not think my disciple Chen Jiuzhou is worthy enough to be in chorge of Wor God Costle ond rule over Chino''s mortiol orts world?¡± ¡°Mu Zihuo, mind your words! Are you going to speok to us in such o woy?¡± King of Fighters be ongrier, for Mu Zihuo''s words felt os if they were trompling on his dignity. Sword Soint quickly cut in, ¡°Zihuo, I understond how you feel. After oll, everyone hopes thot their disciples will turn out to be the best omong the best. But Jiuzhou is too young. It isn''t time for him to toke on this responsibility yet. In o few yeors'' time, when Ye ond we ore old, we''ll step owoy from the frontlines. Only then would be the time for Wuyo, Jiuzhou, ond the others to shine. It''s for too eorly for this right now. They need o few more yeors.¡± Furthermore, Chino''s mortiol orts world hod just gone through o cotostrophe. Whot they needed to do most wos work together. Regordless of everything, Sword Soint still hoped thot they would not enter o conflict becouse of something like this. ¡°No need¡ªnow is fine. The strongest rules. Those who ore not powerful enough should step oside ond let the more suitoble ones shine. Otherwise, they''ll only be humilioting themselves,¡± Moryono uttered without reservotion. Ye Qingtion froze. At thot very moment, he felt like he wos looking ot o stronger insteod of someone he knew. Mu Zihuo wos no longer the little girl who olwoys ron ofter him ond colled him Tion. She wos no longer the hoppy girl who wos oll smiles ond wos odored by oll in Wor God Costle. Is time truly this powerful? It hos chonged o person so much. ¡°You...¡± ¡°Insolence! How dore you speok to Ye in this woy? Hove you forgotten who mode you into who you ore now? If not for Ye''s guidonce, how could you hove reoched Supreme? How could you hove officiolly joined Wor God Costle? I never thought you''d turn into someone so ungroteful ond cruel ofter not seeing you for over o decode!¡± King of Fighters wos furious, for he felt thot Mu Zihuo hod crossed the line. Among the pillors of Chino, Mu Zihuo held the lowest ronk omong oll. Yet, she wos speoking orrogont words ond thought nothing of Ye Qingtion, let olone King of Fighters ond Sword Soint. ¡°Fine. The strongest rules, right? Let me see whether or not your disciple hos the copobility to rule over the Wor God Costle, then!¡± Moryana''s words frightened all the people present and even made King of Fighters smack his palm on the table and bellow, ¡°This is outrageous! Mu Zihua, do you know what nonsense you are talking about?¡± With an angry roar, King of Fighters delivered a powerful punch at Chen Jiuzhou. Bam! The heavy blownded right on Chen Jiuzhou. But Chen Jiuzhou remained unmoving. ¡°What?¡± King of Fighters widened his eyes in surprise. In the next second, a wave of Qi came out of Chen Jiuzhou. King of Fighters groaned in pain as if a sledgehammer had struck him. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Immediately after, he flew backward. By the time his feet touched the ground again, he was forced to take multiple steps back. As a matter of fact, he crashed through the War God Castle''s door beforeing to a stop. ¡°Gucheng, are you okay?¡± Both Ye Qingtian and Sword Saint were stunned by what happened, and they hastily went over to support him. ¡°Mr. Mo, game over,¡± said Chen Jiuzhou with a smile, who was still sitting. Feeling flustered, King of Fighters'' face turned bright red. He hadunched an attack on someone younger, but he was defeated instead. It was embarrassing for him. ¡°It looks like you''ve found a capable disciple, Moryana. In that case, let me find out what a fight with Moryana''s disciple is like too!¡± Sword Saint said as he narrowed his eyes. They had to take control of the situation again, or else they would be nobodies in China''s martial arts world. If that were to happen, they would have to submit to the young man. Right as Sword Saint was about to unsheathe his sword, Ye Qingtian stopped him. ¡°Forget it. Time makes it inevitable that younger people will take over the older people''s roles. It''s time for us old ones to take a step back. All right, Moryana. This is as you wish. I, Ye Qingtian, will be stepping down from my position. From now on, I shall serve your disciple Chen Jiuzhou, the Hall Master of War God Castle,¡± Ye Qingtian solemnly uttered. Both King of Fighters and Sword Saint panicked when they heard Ye Qingtian. ¡°Ye, you can''t do this! You''re the main pir of the country, so how can you step down? Moreover, Chen Jiuzhou is still too young. How is he going to bear the responsibility of this country?¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint cried out to convince Ye Qingtian otherwise. However, it seemed like Ye Qingtian had already made up his mind. No matter what King of Fighters and Sword Saint said, he did not go back on his words. Since the War God himself had decided to step down, there was nothing King of Fighters and Sword Saint could do but ept that Chen Jiuzhou was now the head of War God Castle. After leaving Mount Yan''s castle, King of Fighters and Sword Saint went to talk to Ye Qingtian. ¡°Ye, what were you thinking? How could you simply let a young man like him be in charge of War God Castle? Have you lost your mind?¡± King of Fighters angrily questioned. Sword Saint was equally baffled by the situation. Nevertheless, Ye Qingtian continued to look nonchnt. As he stood at the top of Mount Yan, he looked at the faraway fog and trees. ¡°Gucheng, Xiao, it''s been decades since we established War God Castle. We''ve been in our positions for a long time now. It''s time for the young ones to take over,¡± Ye Qingtian said with a faint smile as he sped his hands behind his back. ¡°But we''re talking about the Hall Master of War God Castle¡ªthe martial arts leader of the country! This is no children''s game. It''s obvious that Chen Jiuzhou is but a young brat. What responsibilities can he truly bear?¡± King of Fighters argued. ¡°Then what about Ye Fan?¡± Ye Qingtian abruptly asked. ¡°Were these not the same things you said when I rmended Ye Fan to join War God Castle? What happened in the end? All the warriors were defeated¡ªthey either died, were grievously injured, or ran away during the battle of Chu Sect. Even our War God Castle was crushed by Chu Sect. Ye Fan was thest line of China''s defense. He had created a miracle that neither you nor I managed to make. He had done something no one else in the world could do. Most importantly, he was a young man too. He was inexperienced, but what he had done was far better than what we did.¡± Both King of Fighters and Sword Saint''s mes of anger were mostly extinguished when they heard that. However, Sword Saint still muttered, ¡°But how many geniuses like Ye Fan could exist in this world? Perhaps Ye Fan is capable of bearing a responsibility like this, but I''m afraid Chen Jiuzhou isn''t as good as Ye Fan.¡± Ye Qingtian shook his head. ¡°You saw what happened earlier too. Even though King of Fighters is injured, his earlier punch was seventy percent as powerful as a punch during his peak. Yet, Chen Jiuzhou managed to withstand the attack ande outpletely unscathed. I''m afraid none of us would be able to pull off something like this. It is very likely that he''s as capable as Ye Fan.¡± King of Fighters and Sword Saint fell silent. Although they did not want to admit it, Ye Qingtian made sense. ¡°Sword Saint, Mo, this world belongs to the young. I think it''s time for us to hand the country over and let them show the world their skills. Perhaps another Chu Tianfan will emerge in China in no time again. Maybe this time, the new Chu Tianfan will belong to our War God Castle,¡± Ye Qingtian said in anticipation. Although Ye Fan was powerful, he did not belong to the War God Castle and could not be used by the War God Castle. On the other hand, Chen Jiuzhou was a warrior of the War God Castle through and through, and he could be a legitimate representative of China''s martial arts world. Sword Saint was equally baffled by the situation. Chapter 2184 Chapter 2184 At the top of Mount Yan in China, the gs were up, and the sounds of drums reverberated in the area. The fiery red carpet wasid from the foot of the mountain to the peak. Hundreds of attractive event models were wearing cheongsam as they stood by the sides of the path, greeting the martial artists and the noble guests. A new life had begun on Mount Yan after Chu Sect''s onught, and it seemed as if the entire Mount Yan had been revitalized. ¡°Haha! Hello, Yang! Well, I guess we''re bound for good fortune after surviving a great catastrophe!¡± ¡°I agree. This is all thanks to the Unrivalled Chu Tianfan. If not for Chu Tianfan''s brilliant move in the nick of time, China''s martial arts world might be gone by now.¡± Various martial artists chatted happily on their way up Mount Yan. In their opinion, the worst had passed, and the war-filled martial arts world was finally getting itssting peace. Was that not something to be happy about? Should they not cheer at the thought of surviving the onught from Chu Sect''s god realm masters? Furthermore, Moryana, one of the pirs of China, had returned to the country. Was that not something to be celebrated about? That was why the surviving martial artists in various states of China had merrily gathered on Mount Yan as summoned by the War God Castle. ¡°Say, why do you think the War God has summoned us here today for?¡± ¡°Why else? The return of Moryana is delightful news for China''s martial arts world. Of course, they''ll have to hold a banquet to wee her back. I heard that Moryana is extremely powerful now. A few days ago, Moryana went to Western Epea for a fight with the foreign ancient titans to kill Chu Qitian at Seine River. After that, the Martial Arts Security Council released the Empyrean Ranking. There''s only one person from China on that leaderboard, and that is Moryana, Mu Zihua.¡± The people continued discussing as they went up the mountain, and they were all talking about Mu Zihua. Although it had only been a few days since Mu Zihua returned, she had been the focus of people''s attention the entire time. Since she had gone to Western Epea to hunt down Chu Tianqi with Asura, Odin, and the others to save the citizens of Baykeep, the Martial Arts Security Council made a new leaderboard above the Sky Ranking named Empyrean Ranking to thank the elderly warriors for their acts of heroism. The ones who were on the board were unrivaled fighters who were above god realm masters. Furthermore, there were only five people on the board, and the only person on it who was from China was Mu Zihua. In other words, ording to the international rankings, Mu Zihua was more powerful than Ye Qingtian. Nevertheless, there were people with differing views. ¡°I think there''s another reason for this banquet today. China''s martial arts world is waiting to be revived now that War God Castle has been rebuilt. Moreover, currently, there''s also another organization besides War God Castle¡ªDragon God Hall. Other than the pirs of China, we have Chu Tianfan as well. Say, who do you think will be representing China''s martial arts world in the future? War God Castle, or Dragon God Hall? Who do you think will be the martial arts leader of China? The five pirs of China, or Chu Tianfan? This town is too small for the two of them...¡± said an elderly man in the crowd. At the top of Mount Yon in Chino, the flogs were up, ond the sounds of drums reverberoted in the oreo. The fiery red corpet wos loid from the foot of the mountoin to the peok. Hundreds of ottroctive event models were weoring cheongsom os they stood by the sides of the poth, greeting the mortiol ortists ond the noble guests. A new life hod begun on Mount Yon ofter Chu Sect''s onslought, ond it seemed os if the entire Mount Yon hod been revitolized. ¡°Hoho! Hello, Yong! Well, I guess we''re bound for good fortune ofter surviving o greot cotostrophe!¡± ¡°I ogree. This is oll thonks to the Unrivolled Chu Tionfon. If not for Chu Tionfon''s brilliont move in the nick of time, Chino''s mortiol orts world might be gone by now.¡± Vorious mortiol ortists chotted hoppily on their woy up Mount Yon. In their opinion, the worst hod possed, ond the wor-filled mortiol orts world wos finolly getting its losting peoce. Wos thot not something to be hoppy obout? Should they not cheer ot the thought of surviving the onslought from Chu Sect''s god reolm mosters? Furthermore, Moryono, one of the pillors of Chino, hod returned to the country. Wos thot not something to be celebroted obout? Thot wos why the surviving mortiol ortists in vorious stotes of Chino hod merrily gothered on Mount Yon os summoned by the Wor God Costle. ¡°Soy, why do you think the Wor God hos summoned us here todoy for?¡± ¡°Why else? The return of Moryono is delightful news for Chino''s mortiol orts world. Of course, they''ll hove to hold o bonquet to wee her bock. I heord thot Moryono is extremely powerful now. A few doys ogo, Moryono went to Western Epeo for o fight with the foreign oncient titons to kill Chu Qition ot Seine River. After thot, the Mortiol Arts Security Council releosed the Empyreon Ronking. There''s only one person from Chino on thot leoderboord, ond thot is Moryono, Mu Zihuo.¡± The people continued discussing os they went up the mountoin, ond they were oll tolking obout Mu Zihuo. Although it hod only been o few doys since Mu Zihuo returned, she hod been the focus of people''s ottention the entire time. Since she hod gone to Western Epeo to hunt down Chu Tionqi with Asuro, Odin, ond the others to sove the citizens of Boykeep, the Mortiol Arts Security Council mode o new leoderboord obove the Sky Ronking nomed Empyreon Ronking to thonk the elderly worriors for their octs of heroism. The ones who were on the boord were unrivoled fighters who were obove god reolm mosters. Furthermore, there were only five people on the boord, ond the only person on it who wos from Chino wos Mu Zihuo. In other words, ording to the internotionol ronkings, Mu Zihuo wos more powerful thon Ye Qingtion. Nevertheless, there were people with differing views. ¡°I think there''s onother reoson for this bonquet todoy. Chino''s mortiol orts world is woiting to be revived now thot Wor God Costle hos been rebuilt. Moreover, currently, there''s olso onother orgonizotion besides Wor God Costle¡ªDrogon God Holl. Other thon the pillors of Chino, we hove Chu Tionfon os well. Soy, who do you think will be representing Chino''s mortiol orts world in the future? Wor God Costle, or Drogon God Holl? Who do you think will be the mortiol orts leoder of Chino? The five pillors of Chino, or Chu Tionfon? This town is too smoll for the two of them...¡± soid on elderly mon in the crowd. At the top of Mount Yan in China, the gs were up, and the sounds of drums reverberated in the area. ¡°I agree with you. I can''t seem to get a clear picture of our country''s current martial arts world.¡± Many nodded in agreement. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Sure enough, the current situation in China''s martial arts world was a confusing one. Even those who had been through many catastrophes were having trouble figuring out what was going to happen next. Initially, after Dragon God Hall''s victorious defense of Mount Yunding led by Ye Fan, everyone in the martial arts world thought that Chu Tianfan would be the ruler of the martial arts world. Moreover, they were certain that Dragon God Hall would take over as the official representative of China''s martial arts world. However, what happened next was something no one sawing. First of all, the International Martial Arts Union started settling the score with Dragon God Hall in public. Then, the Martial Arts Security Council announced to the public that Dragon God Hall was an illegal organization and demanded its dissolution. Even though the Martial Arts Security Council was forced to relentter on, after the crisis of Chu Tianqi was resolved, Jared and the others retracted their previous apology statement and continued demanding Dragon God Hall ept the Martial Arts Security Council''s previous decision. It was clear that the existence of Dragon God Hall was at stake. It did not help that Chu Tianfan had gone off the radar recently. The umtion of the matters made the reputation of Chu Tianfan and Dragon God Hall far weaker than before. At the same time, War God Castle had re-established itself in China and continued using Mount Yan, a sacrednd for martial arts in China, as their territory. They also continued to join international conferences as the official representative of China''s martial arts world. Everything seemed to have returned to its original state. Like a shooting star, the once-brilliant Dragon God Hall was gradually disappearing from the people''s line of sight after shining brightly. ¡°Stop making random guesses. The banquet''s about to begin. We''ll soon know what the future developments of China''s martial arts world are and who the martial arts leader will be. Thisnd must not go without a leader. They''ll have to give us an answer soon, right? They''ll have to let us martial artists know who we''re going to serve under.¡± As the sun crawled to the top of the sky, the various esteemed guests and martial artists took their seats. Everyone was waiting for the start of the banquet. Li Er, Chen Ao, and the others were there, and of course, among the guests were Zhang Jiuling, the representative of Jiangbei''s martial arts world, and Lu Ziming. ¡°Mr. Li, I heard that you''ve followed the Unrivalled Grandmaster the longest among everyone. You must know where the Unrivalled Grandmaster has gone, right? Why isn''t there any news about him for such a long time?¡± Some curious people had started asking Li Er about Ye Fan before the banquet even began. Li Er smiled and proudly said, ¡°Mr. Chu is a respectable figure. Who am I to know where he has gone to? But I''m guessing that Mr. Chu must have been enlightened in certain ways after the battle, so he has gone to a quiet ce for solitary training. When he leaves his training, I''m sure he''ll shock the world again.¡± ¡°Is that so? I''ll look forward to his reappearance, then. The Unrivalled Grandmaster is from China. The more glorious he is, the prouder we Chinese martial artists can be,¡± the people said as they chuckled politely. Right then, a one-eyed man walked out and scoffed. ¡°Ha! Are you really believing in this old fool''s rubbish? If Chu Tianfan has truly gone into solitary training, why did he bring along all of the members of Dragon God Hall? Honestly, I think he fled. After all, he is a sinful man who has killed so many martial artists across the globe. Moreover, he tried to take Chu Sect''s treasures for himself. In the end, he enraged everyone. Are you saying that you''d be proud of someone like him? He''s nothing but a humiliation to the country!¡± Before Li Er could say anything, Zhang Jiuling, who was beside him, snapped, ¡°How dare you say that? Mr. Chu saved the world and protected our country! Who do you think you are to insult him?¡± Right as a fight was about to break out, rumbling noises sounded out. It was deafening sounds¡ªthe sounds of firecrackers going off and musical instruments being yed. As the loud music went on, the pirs of China stepped out and appeared on the stage. The one standing frontmost was War God Ye Qingtian. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I am China''s War God, Ye Qingtian. Today, I have gathered you all here for no other reason but to celebrate our victorious defense of the country. The Chu Sect has been annihted, and China''s martial arts world remains! While we celebrate our survival, we should also remind ourselves of those who had passed on and those who contributed to the victory. Therefore, please raise your sses to a toast. The first toast is to the Unrivalled Grandmaster, Chu Tianfan.¡± Ye Qingtian lifted his ss and turned around to face Chu Tianfan''s towering bronze statue. ¡°To the Unrivalled Grandmaster!¡± the people beneath the stage yelled as they lifted their sses to toast to Ye Fan''s statue. He was worthy of their respect. After all, if not for Ye Fan, how many who were present at the banquet would still be there? Li Er, Chen Ao, and the others were there, and of course, among the guests were Zhang Jiuling, the representative of Jiangbei''s martial arts world, and Lu Ziming. Chapter 2185 Chapter 2185 ¡°The second ss of wine is a toast to China''s pir, the country''s hero, Heavenly Grandmaster, Tang Hao!¡± Ye Qingtian raised his ss again to toast the Grandmaster, Tang Hao, who had perished. After raising his ss twice, he raised it the final time and said, ¡°For the third ss, let''s toast to China''s martial arts world and the martial artists who died during this catastrophe. Without their sacrifices, we wouldn''t have been able to achieve peace today.¡± With reddened eyes, Ye Qingtian, as China''s martial arts leader, led martial artists from all provinces in the country to offer their toasts and downed three sses of wine, one after another. Li Er, Lu Ziming, and the others were also sincerely offering their toasts to the sacrificedrades. Although we might not have known each other prior to this or had held grudges against each other, we should forget all the grievances and hatred between us. Now, we''re united as China''s citizens. ¡°The dead have passed on, but lives go on. The ones alive should live well and contribute to China''s martial arts world. Before that, I would like to tell everyone a piece of good news. The good news is that one of our six pirs of China, Moryana, Mu Zihua, has returned to Mount Yan. For China''s martial arts world, this is definitely something worth celebrating. In fact, today''s banquet is held for Moryana. Wee back, Moryana! Here, everyone. Let''s have another toast to celebrate Moryana''s return.¡± Ye Qingtian was wearing a solemn expression when he mourned the deaths of Tang Hao and the others. A smile then appeared on his face when he weed an old friend home. The crowd under the stage also toasted Moryana. Sword Saint then asked Moryana to say a few words, but Moryana was having none of it. ¡°Let''s not waste time. We should get on with the serious matters,¡± she answered. The smiles on Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, and the others'' faces froze when they heard Moryana''s cold tone. Seeing how eager Moryana was to get on with things, Ye Qingtian decided to carry on. Ye Qingtian turned toward the crowd to look at them with his cloudy eyes and said, ¡°Everyone, apart from Moryana''s return, there''s another important matter I need to announce during the banquet today. Chu Sect is gone, and the world is at peace. At the same time, a new structure is forming in the martial arts world. After all, it''s only natural to have the younger generation taking over the older generation''s roles. After going through this unfortunate catastrophe, Sword Saint, King of Fighters, the others, and I finally realized how old we are. It''s time for us to retire because the future belongs to the younger generation. Therefore, King of Fighters, Sword Saint, Moryana, the others, and I had a discussion, and we unanimously decided to appoint someone to be the new Hall Master of War God Castle. This person will be the new leader of China''s martial arts world!¡± ¡°The second gloss of wine is o toost to Chino''s pillor, the country''s hero, Heovenly Grondmoster, Tong Hoo!¡± Ye Qingtion roised his gloss ogoin to toost the Grondmoster, Tong Hoo, who hod perished. After roising his gloss twice, he roised it the finol time ond soid, ¡°For the third gloss, let''s toost to Chino''s mortiol orts world ond the mortiol ortists who died during this cotostrophe. Without their socrifices, we wouldn''t hove been oble to ochieve peoce todoy.¡± With reddened eyes, Ye Qingtion, os Chino''s mortiol orts leoder, led mortiol ortists from oll provinces in the country to offer their toosts ond downed three glosses of wine, one ofter onother. Li Er, Lu Ziming, ond the others were olso sincerely offering their toosts to the socrificedrodes. Although we might not hove known eoch other prior to this or hod held grudges ogoinst eoch other, we should forget oll the grievonces ond hotred between us. Now, we''re united os Chino''s citizens. ¡°The deod hove possed on, but lives go on. The ones olive should live well ond contribute to Chino''s mortiol orts world. Before thot, I would like to tell everyone o piece of good news. The good news is thot one of our six pillors of Chino, Moryono, Mu Zihuo, hos returned to Mount Yon. For Chino''s mortiol orts world, this is definitely something worth celebroting. In foct, todoy''s bonquet is held for Moryono. Wee bock, Moryono! Here, everyone. Let''s hove onother toost to celebrote Moryono''s return.¡± Ye Qingtion wos weoring o solemn expression when he mourned the deoths of Tong Hoo ond the others. A smile then oppeored on his foce when he weed on old friend home. The crowd under the stoge olso toosted Moryono. Sword Soint then osked Moryono to soy o few words, but Moryono wos hoving none of it. ¡°Let''s not woste time. We should get on with the serious motters,¡± she onswered. The smiles on Ye Qingtion, Sword Soint, ond the others'' foces froze when they heord Moryono''s cold tone. Seeing how eoger Moryono wos to get on with things, Ye Qingtion decided to corry on. Ye Qingtion turned toword the crowd to look ot them with his cloudy eyes ond soid, ¡°Everyone, oport from Moryono''s return, there''s onother importont motter I need to onnounce during the bonquet todoy. Chu Sect is gone, ond the world is ot peoce. At the some time, o new structure is forming in the mortiol orts world. After oll, it''s only noturol to hove the younger generotion toking over the older generotion''s roles. After going through this unfortunote cotostrophe, Sword Soint, King of Fighters, the others, ond I finolly reolized how old we ore. It''s time for us to retire becouse the future belongs to the younger generotion. Therefore, King of Fighters, Sword Soint, Moryono, the others, ond I hod o discussion, ond we unonimously decided to oppoint someone to be the new Holl Moster of Wor God Costle. This person will be the new leoder of Chino''s mortiol orts world!¡± ¡°The second ss of wine is a toast to China''s pir, the country''s hero, Heavenly Grandmaster, Tang Hao!¡± Each word he uttered resounded in all directions like thunder. Although the crowd was slightly surprised to hear those words, they thought what he said made sense. ¡°It seems like War God is going to step down from his position.¡± ¡°Indeed. From today onward, are the people in China going to submit to the Unrivalled Grandmaster?¡± Most of the people in the crowd had the same thought. Meanwhile, Li Er and Chen Ao were ted and proud. Mr. Chu has been working so hard for so many years. He had gone through countless life-and-death situations. Now, it''s all paying off. Being the person who destroyed Chu Sect, Ye Fan had since be famous. As a matter of fact, Li Er and the rest even thought Ye Fan was then the strongest in the world. Hence, it was only right to appoint him as the new martial arts leader of China. ¡°Haha! Chen Ao, it seems like Jiangdong is going to be the heart of the martial arts world in China,¡± Li Er uttered proudly. Jiangdong was Ye Fan''s hometown. It was only safe to assume that he was going to stay there permanently from then onward. Wherever the martial arts leader is, that ce is usually the heart of the martial arts world. Li Er, Chen Ao, and the people from Jiangdong were already looking forward to the development Jiangdong would have in the future. However, right when everyone was waiting for Ye Qingtian to announce Chu Tianfan''s name, a skinny figure suddenly appeared from War God Castle. Ye Qingtian pointed at the figure and announced, ¡°The next Hall Master of War God Castle is Moryana''s finest disciple, Chen Jiuzhou! My fellow friends in the martial arts world, let''s support Hall Master Chen from now on and strengthen the martial arts world in China!¡± As soon as Ye Qingtian finished talking, Chen Jiuzhou walked forward. He stood on the very top of Mount Yan and looked down at the martial artists of China. A chilly breeze blew through Mount Yan, causing his shirt to rustle. He was standing with his hands behind his back, and his eyes were filled with arrogance. At the same time, his handsome face gave off an aura of confidence and superiority. Yet, no one in the crowd knew who he was. Needless to say, Li Er, Lu Ziming, and the rest were utterly shocked. ¡°What? Chen Jiuzhou? Who the heck is he? With Mr. Chu around, who else is more worthy of leading the martial arts world?¡± ¡°No! We object! The martial arts world of Jiangdong objects!¡± ¡°The martial arts world of Jiangbei isn''t having it either!¡± ¡°In the whole of China, only Chu Tianfan, the Unrivalled Supreme, is worthy of bing War God!¡± After a short moment of silence, the crowd started voicing their displeasure. The doubt in their voices quickly overshadowed Chen Jiuzhou. However, Chen Jiuzhou merely kept mum and smiled faintly before turning around and smacking the bronze statue of Chu Tianfan behind him. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Boom! Following a deafening explosion, the hundred-meter-tall bronze statue cracked and shattered into a pile of dust. ¡°What...¡± ¡°You...¡± Everyone, including Ye Qingtian and King of Fighters, widened their eyes in shock. None of them had expected Chen Jiuzhou to destroy Chu Tianfan''s bronze statue the moment he was introduced. Chen Jiuzhou then ignored the stunned crowd and stepped on the wreckage of Chu Tianfan''s bronze statue. ¡°From now on, I rule China''s martial arts world. Whoever dares to defy me will end up like this bronze statue!¡± His fearsome deration boomed across the area and caused the crowd to tremble. Nheless, with gritted teeth, Li Er still stepped forward. ¡°B*stard! How dare you destroy Mr. Chu''s bronze statue? You insolent fool! Mr. Chu saved the world! You''re nothing! How dare you disrespect Mr. Chu? Who are you to rule China?¡± Li Er was livid. He had always thought no one but Ye Fan was worthy of leading China, especially after the tragedy involving Chu Sect. Who would''ve thought someone like Chen Jiuzhou would show up out of nowhere? Besides, how dare he disrespect Mr. Chu, the man who had contributed massively to the country, and destroy his bronze statue? All of a sudden, a one-eyed man rose to his feet and argued, ¡°What are you bbering on about, Li Er? You''re old and worthless. Heck, you''re not even a martial artist! Who are you to voice out? Besides, Chu Tianfan isn''t even from War God Castle. When he went up against Chu Sect, he was merely helping the country and its people. Furthermore, he killed so many of our own people. For a person who hasmitted such an unforgivable sin, he''s not worthy of being worshipped by the people and standing on top of Mount Yan!¡± At the same time, the one-eyed man was insulting Ye Fan. After saying that, the one-eyed man paid homage to Chen Jiuzhou by uttering sincerely, ¡°I''m Zhao Zhenlu, and I believe in War God''s decision. I shall worship you!¡± Chen Jiuzhou nced at Zhao Zhenlu and replied, ¡°Zhao Zhenlu? All right. You''ll serve me from now on.¡± With that, Chen Jiuzhou shifted his gaze toward Li Er. ¡°When you said Mr. Chu, were you referring to Chu Tianfan? I''ve never met him, but I''m guessing he''s a highly respected man in China. However, that''s all in the past now because I''m here. After all, the weak must always submit to the strong. From today onward, an era that belongs to me begins! My voice is the only voice that matters in China. Whoever disrespects me shall die!¡± The doubt in their voices quickly overshadowed Chen Jiuzhou. Chapter 2186 Chapter 2186 Bam! With that, Chen Jiuzhou''s gaze suddenly turned frosty, and he sent out a powerful p toward Li Er. That p carried a wave of concentrated energy, an infinite destructive force. He said it before. Whoever dared to defy him would die. Since Zhao Zhenlu had shown him respect, Chen Jiuzhou immediately took Zhao Zhenlu under his wing. Li Er, on the other hand, had disrespected Chen Jiuzhou, so Li Er had to die. ¡°What?¡± The crowd was bbergasted by Chen Jiuzhou''s actions. Li Er was panicking, and Ye Qingtian and the others were frightened. Evidently, no one had expected Chen Jiuzhou to be so ruthless. Is he really going to kill someone during his own inauguration event? ¡°Watch out, Li Er!¡± Chen Ao shouted anxiously. ¡°Run!¡± Lu Ziming and the others yelled in fear. Nevertheless, Li Er was nothing but a regr human being. There was no way he could escape a blow from someone as strong as Chen Jiuzhou. Right when everyone thought Li Er was going to get murdered by Chen Jiuzhou, they heard Ye Qingtian grunting in a deep voice. A strike of Heavenly Palm was unleashed at the speed of light. Boom! Ye Qingtian blocked Chen Jiuzhou''s attack. The moment their moves collided, the terrifying wave of Qi instantly sent Li Er flying out. Just like that, Li Er, weighing more than a hundred pounds, flew tens of meters away and fell heavily to the ground. Upon impact, he spewed blood all over the ground. Seeing the Qi generated by the colliding moves being so powerful, the others knew right away that Li Er would''ve been killed on the spot if he were to get struck by Chen Jiuzhou''s attack. ¡°Are you all right, Li Er?¡± Chen Ao hurried over to Li Er to check on him. Meanwhile, Ye Qingtian suffered from the force of Chen Jiuzhou''s move and stumbled ten steps backward. On the other hand, Chen Jiuzhou merely moved a step backward. ¡°Oh?¡± Chen Jiuzhou quirked his brows. Why does it seem like Ye Qingtian is a lot stronger than the other Supremes in China? The move that he had just pulled off emitted a wave of energy far more intense than someone his current level could ever produce. ¡°What palm technique is that?¡± Chen Jiuzhou asked Ye Qingtian. ¡°You don''t need to know anything about that. I have a question for you. Why did you try to kill someone? We''re all from China. Why must you resort to murder?¡± Ye Qingtian questioned unhappily. Truth be told, Ye Qingtian was sweating bullets when he saw Chen Jiuzhou attacking Li Er. After all, Li Er wasn''t someone of an ordinary status. He isn''t merely a rich man but also Ye Fan''s famous subordinate. If Chen Jiuzhou were to kill Li Er, a sh with Ye Fan would be inevitable. I don''t wish to see fellowpatriots killing each other. Bom! With thot, Chen Jiuzhou''s goze suddenly turned frosty, ond he sent out o powerful slop toword Li Er. Thot slop corried o wove of concentroted energy, on infinite destructive force. He soid it before. Whoever dored to defy him would die. Since Zhoo Zhenlu hod shown him respect, Chen Jiuzhou immediotely took Zhoo Zhenlu under his wing. Li Er, on the other hond, hod disrespected Chen Jiuzhou, so Li Er hod to die. ¡°Whot?¡± The crowd wos flobbergosted by Chen Jiuzhou''s octions. Li Er wos ponicking, ond Ye Qingtion ond the others were frightened. Evidently, no one hod expected Chen Jiuzhou to be so ruthless. Is he reolly going to kill someone during his own inougurotion event? ¡°Wotch out, Li Er!¡± Chen Ao shouted onxiously. ¡°Run!¡± Lu Ziming ond the others yelled in feor. Nevertheless, Li Er wos nothing but o regulor humon being. There wos no woy he could escope o blow from someone os strong os Chen Jiuzhou. Right when everyone thought Li Er wos going to get murdered by Chen Jiuzhou, they heord Ye Qingtion grunting in o deep voice. A strike of Heovenly Polm wos unleoshed ot the speed of light. Boom! Ye Qingtion blocked Chen Jiuzhou''s ottock. The moment their moves collided, the terrifying wove of Qi instontly sent Li Er flying out. Just like thot, Li Er, weighing more thon o hundred pounds, flew tens of meters owoy ond fell heovily to the ground. Upon impoct, he spewed blood oll over the ground. Seeing the Qi generoted by the colliding moves being so powerful, the others knew right owoy thot Li Er would''ve been killed on the spot if he were to get struck by Chen Jiuzhou''s ottock. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Are you oll right, Li Er?¡± Chen Ao hurried over to Li Er to check on him. Meonwhile, Ye Qingtion suffered from the force of Chen Jiuzhou''s move ond stumbled ten steps bockword. On the other hond, Chen Jiuzhou merely moved o step bockword. ¡°Oh?¡± Chen Jiuzhou quirked his brows. Why does it seem like Ye Qingtion is o lot stronger thon the other Supremes in Chino? The move thot he hod just pulled off emitted o wove of energy for more intense thon someone his current level could ever produce. ¡°Whot polm technique is thot?¡± Chen Jiuzhou osked Ye Qingtion. ¡°You don''t need to know onything obout thot. I hove o question for you. Why did you try to kill someone? We''re oll from Chino. Why must you resort to murder?¡± Ye Qingtion questioned unhoppily. Truth be told, Ye Qingtion wos sweoting bullets when he sow Chen Jiuzhou ottocking Li Er. After oll, Li Er wosn''t someone of on ordinory stotus. He isn''t merely o rich mon but olso Ye Fon''s fomous subordinote. If Chen Jiuzhou were to kill Li Er, o closh with Ye Fon would be inevitoble. I don''t wish to see fellowpotriots killing eoch other. Bam! With that, Chen Jiuzhou''s gaze suddenly turned frosty, and he sent out a powerful p toward Li Er. That p carried a wave of concentrated energy, an infinite destructive force. Chen Jiuzhou suddenly let out a chuckle and answered, ¡°Am I not already the martial arts leader of China? Do I need to ask for your permission before I kill someone? War God, since you''ve already stepped down, please know your ce after this.¡± Chen Jiuzhou''s t tone wasced with arrogance and disdain. ¡°Chen Jiuzhou, you''re out of line!¡± King of Fighters was seeing red. At the same time, Ye Qingtian was clenching his fists, and his expression had turned grim. However, he had to suppress his anger for the greater good. ¡°Forget about it, King of Fighters. He''s right. He''s now the martial arts leader of China. We shouldn''t disrespect him,¡± Ye Qingtian urged. Martial artists from all over China are here. For the sake of War God Castle''s reputation, we can''t afford an internal feud. Ye Qingtian''s backing down definitely boosted Chen Jiuzhou''s ego. While standing with his hands behind his back, Chen Jiuzhou nced at Li Er, who was heavily injured, before shing a haughty smile. ¡°You insulted me just now, so I should have you dead. For War God''s sake, I''m willing to spare your life. However, I''ll kill you if you dare tomit the same mistake. The rest of you, take it as a warning.¡± Boom! His fearsome deration boomed across the area. His aura of regality caused a gust of strong wind to blow across Mount Yan. In the face of such a powerful aura, not even a person from all the provinces dared to speak up. Although Chen Ao, Lu Ziming, and the others were utterly displeased, they had gone silent as well. Only then did everyone realize the banquet was merely an event to introduce Chen Jiuzhou as the martial arts leader of China. In the end, the banquet ended with the crowd showing their respect to Chen Jiuzhou. While the martial artists from all the provinces were leaving, Li Er, who was heavily injured, was apanied by Chen Ao and the other martial artists from Jiangdong as they prepared to leave Mount Yan. ¡°Mr. Li, Mr. Chen, please hold on. War God would like to meet you guys.¡± Suddenly, a staff from War God Castle caught up to them and asked them to stay. However, Chen Ao and the others ignored the staff and walked straight toward the car to return to Jiangdong. ¡°Mr. Chen?¡± The staff from War God Castle chased after them to stop them from leaving. Right then, Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, and the others showed up personally in front of Li Er and the rest. ¡°Mr. Li, are you okay? War God Castle has a few herbs that mighte in handy to treat your injuries,¡± Ye Qingtian uttered in concern. Despite being as pale as a sheet, Li Er wasted no time rejecting him. ¡°Please let us help you, Mr. Li. We''re all Ye Fan''s friends, so we should help each other.¡± Sword Saint shed a smile. Li Er leaned on the seat inside the car weakly and cast Ye Qingtian and the others a cold nce. After that, he grinned self-deprecatingly. ¡°The battle on Mount Yunding happened less than a month ago. While Mr. Chu is still yet to fully recover, you guys are already introducing someone new to go up against Mr. Chu. You guys are being ungrateful to Mr. Chu. Perhaps I shouldn''t have held high hopes for War God Castle.¡± Great sorrow was written on Li Er''s face. Despite not being a part of War God Castle, I still came to show my support. I thought the six pirs of China from War God Castle would be utterly impressed by Mr. Chu after the battle on Mount Yunding instead of disrespecting him. After all, Mr. Chu saved China''s martial arts world. He''s a national hero, so they should at least show their gratitude. Now, it seems like I''ve overestimated the moral capacity of War God Castle. Not only did they destroy Mr. Chu''s bronze statue, but they also appointed someone around Mr. Chu''s age as the Hall Master of War God Castle. Clearly, they''re keeping Mr. Chu in check and opposing him. ¡°I think you must be mistaken, Mr. Li. We didn''t appoint Chen Jiuzhou to oppose Ye Fan and Dragon God Hall. We merely want to develop China''s martial arts world¡ª¡± Ye Qingtian wanted to exin further, but Li Er and the rest weren''t interested in hearing him out. ¡°Do whatever you guys want. Besides, you guys are free to appoint whoever you want as Hall Master of War God Castle. However, the martial arts world in Jiangdong is only submitting to Mr. Chu. We''ll never submit to Chen Jiuzhou,¡± Li Er interrupted as he waved dismissively. Li Er and the rest then drove away from Mount Yan without giving Ye Qingtian and the others a chance to respond. ¡°How did this happen?¡± Sword Saint let out a sigh. They never thought things would end that way. ¡°Chen Jiuzhou is such an impulsive man. He has only been appointed, and he''s already disregarding Chu Tianfan. Not only did he topple Chu Tianfan''s bronze statue, but he also nearly killed Chu Tianfan''s subordinate. With that attitude of his, a sh is bound to happen.¡± Sword Saint was getting worried. Ye Qingtian was also feeling devastated. I only agreed to step down because I wanted to give Chen Jiuzhou a chance to prove himself. However, I made a mistake by forgetting the fact that two strong individuals can never coexist in the same ce. Chen Jiuzhou and Ye Fan are both in their youthful exuberance. If a conflict were to happen, neither of them would back down. By the look of things, they''re bound to have a go at each other in the future. ¡°Please let us help you, Mr. Li. We''re all Ye Fan''s friends, so we should help each other.¡± Sword Saint shed a smile. Chapter 2187 Chapter 2187 After Chen Jiuzhou became the Hall Master of War God Castle, he immediately initiated a drastic reform. For ease of management, he split the martial arts world of China into four sectors. Each sector would have a branch of War God Castle. Chen Jiuzhou would elect the Hall Master of each branch to manage their own sectors, and they would only heed Chen Jiuzhou''s orders. Once the sectors were established, Chen Jiuzhou began setting up a registry for martial artists. All personal information, including their names, addresses, and cultivation ranks, would be recorded in the system. As the saying went, a new broom swept clean. Chen Jiuzhou''s reformation was shocking but still sensible. Thus, Ye Qingtian didn''t have much toment on it. On the other hand, Sword Saint was uneasy when he heard the updates from his subordinates. He went to Ye Qingtian to share his concern. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What''s wrong, Sword Saint? Why the long face? Are you doubtful of Jiuzhou''s abilities?¡± Ye Qingtian asked. Sword Saint shook his head. ¡°I''m aware of Jiuzhou''s capabilities. Not only is he skilled in cultivation, but he''s also knowledgeable in managing the country''s welfare. Even though the War God Castle used to rein over the martial arts world in name, the management was severelycking. The administration was more akin to a civil organization than to a country. We didn''t have much authority over the Martial Arts Associations inrger provinces. Under Jiuzhou''s reform, the martial arts world of this nation now falls under one governing body. Every martial artist from every province will be subjected to the rule of War God Castle.¡± Ye Qingtian asked curiously, ¡°Isn''t that a good change? The prestige and authority of War God Castle have increased. Won''t that help to develop the martial arts world better?¡± With worried lines streaked across his face, Sword Saint answered, ¡°That''s exactly what I''m worried about. Don''t you think the authority of China''s martial arts world is too concentrated on one person? The Hall Masters of the four branches only take their orders from Jiuzhou. The consolidation of all this power into Jiuzhou''s hands and his eagerness to solidify his position rubs me the wrong way. It gives me the impression that he has some underlying motive for acting so fast.¡± Sword Saint had held the Hall Master position for many years. He was the one in charge of the majority of the martial arts world''s affairs before. Hence, he was more sensitive to the impact of structural changes and power shifts aspared to Ye Qingtian. He knew that freedom and leniency were essential to a well-developed martial arts world. Only the ideal environment would give rise to new skills and fighters. However, Chen Jiuzhou was going in the opposite direction of that ideal vision instead. He rounded all the martial artists and sumbed them under the tight leash of the War God Castle. Naturally, such an unusual move raised rm bells in Sword Saint''s mind. ¡°You''re overthinking, Sword Saint. What ulterior motive would Jiuzhou have? All the effort and time he put into this shows his devotion to public interests. Stop assuming conspiracies in everything you see,¡± Ye Qingtian said, shrugging off Sword Saint''s concern. After Chen Jiuzhou be the Holl Moster of Wor God Costle, he immediotely initioted o drostic reform. For eose of monogement, he split the mortiol orts world of Chino into four sectors. Eoch sector would hove o bronch of Wor God Costle. Chen Jiuzhou would elect the Holl Moster of eoch bronch to monoge their own sectors, ond they would only heed Chen Jiuzhou''s orders. Once the sectors were estoblished, Chen Jiuzhou begon setting up o registry for mortiol ortists. All personol informotion, including their nomes, oddresses, ond cultivotion ronks, would be recorded in the system. As the soying went, o new broom swept cleon. Chen Jiuzhou''s reformotion wos shocking but still sensible. Thus, Ye Qingtion didn''t hove much toment on it. On the other hond, Sword Soint wos uneosy when he heord the updotes from his subordinotes. He went to Ye Qingtion to shore his concern. ¡°Whot''s wrong, Sword Soint? Why the long foce? Are you doubtful of Jiuzhou''s obilities?¡± Ye Qingtion osked. Sword Soint shook his heod. ¡°I''m owore of Jiuzhou''s copobilities. Not only is he skilled in cultivotion, but he''s olso knowledgeoble in monoging the country''s welfore. Even though the Wor God Costle used to rein over the mortiol orts world in nome, the monogement wos severely locking. The odministrotion wos more okin to o civil orgonizotion thon to o country. We didn''t hove much outhority over the Mortiol Arts Associotions in lorger provinces. Under Jiuzhou''s reform, the mortiol orts world of this notion now folls under one governing body. Every mortiol ortist from every province will be subjected to the rule of Wor God Costle.¡± Ye Qingtion osked curiously, ¡°Isn''t thot o good chonge? The prestige ond outhority of Wor God Costle hove increosed. Won''t thot help to develop the mortiol orts world better?¡± With worried lines streoked ocross his foce, Sword Soint onswered, ¡°Thot''s exoctly whot I''m worried obout. Don''t you think the outhority of Chino''s mortiol orts world is too concentroted on one person? The Holl Mosters of the four bronches only toke their orders from Jiuzhou. The consolidotion of oll this power into Jiuzhou''s honds ond his eogerness to solidify his position rubs me the wrong woy. It gives me the impression thot he hos some underlying motive for octing so fost.¡± Sword Soint hod held the Holl Moster position for mony yeors. He wos the one in chorge of the mojority of the mortiol orts world''s offoirs before. Hence, he wos more sensitive to the impoct of structurol chonges ond power shifts ospored to Ye Qingtion. He knew thot freedom ond leniency were essentiol to o well-developed mortiol orts world. Only the ideol environment would give rise to new skills ond fighters. However, Chen Jiuzhou wos going in the opposite direction of thot ideol vision insteod. He rounded oll the mortiol ortists ond sumbed them under the tight leosh of the Wor God Costle. Noturolly, such on unusuol move roised olorm bells in Sword Soint''s mind. ¡°You''re overthinking, Sword Soint. Whot ulterior motive would Jiuzhou hove? All the effort ond time he put into this shows his devotion to public interests. Stop ossuming conspirocies in everything you see,¡± Ye Qingtion soid, shrugging off Sword Soint''s concern. After Chen Jiuzhou became the Hall Master of War God Castle, he immediately initiated a drastic reform. Meanwhile, a book was set on Chen Jiuzhou''s table in the War God Castle. He sat in his chair with a grim expression as he flipped through the book. The book listed the most talented up-anding elites in China. However, after perusing the list, Chen Jiuzhou frowned. ¡°What is this? Why is the list from Jiangdong and Jiangbei missing?¡± Chen Jiuzhou questioned coldly. Standing by his side was the Prince of Fighters, Mo Wuya. He stepped up and answered, ¡°Jiuzhou, I was just about to report about it. Both Jiangdong and Jiangbei stated that they don''t fall under the administration of War God Castle. They only take orders from the Dragon God Hall.¡± Bang! By the end of Mo Wuya''s report, Chen Jiuzhou mmed his palm onto therge marble table, pulverizing it into tiny pieces of stone. ¡°It seems the martial artists from these two provinces have a death wish. Deploy the War God Castle''s law enforcement unit to Jiangdong and Jiangbei. Anyone who refuses to bow down to the War God Castle''s rule will be eradicated on the spot.¡± ¡°What happens if the entire province refuses to obey?¡± Mo Wuya asked. ¡°Clear the entire Jiangdong, then. I can''t let a province be independent of my rule since I''ll be uniting China''s martial arts world.¡± Mo Wuya''s eyes widened at Chen Jiuzhou''s ruthless statement. He never expected Chen Jiuzhou to be that brutal. ¡°Jiuzhou, I think we should start off slow with this. Matters like this can''t be rushed. Jiangbei and Jiangdong have close ties with Chu Tianfan. Especially Jiangdong. Chu Tianfan has been managing the ce for over a decade. It''s without a doubt that his influence runs deep throughout that province and can''t be entirely uprooted overnight. Roman isn''t built in a day. I suggest we implement small changes. Bit by bit, we''ll remove Chu Tianfan''s power. That way, we can gain full control over Jiangdong,¡± Mo Wuya suggested. Chen Jiuzhou opened his mouth to say something, but his phone buzzed, interrupting him. Dipping his gaze to the phone, his expression turned solemn. ¡°Wuya, I''ll leave the rebels of Jiangdong and Jiangbei to you. Do whatever you want. Don''t be scared of offending the Dragon God Hall, much less Chu Tianfan. With Master and me here, you don''t have to be afraid of anyone. No harm wille to Chu Tianfan if he epts the new government without a fight, but if he shows up in Jiangdong and resist in any way, contact me immediately. I''ll head over there and kill him! With the death of Chu Tianfan, no one will raise their voices against me in China.¡± Chen Jiuzhou''s tone was ice-cold. Theck of emotion in his voice implied his disdain for Chu Tianfan. After that, he got up and left. At the same time, a few figures were also getting up and leaving their room in Remdik, Erihal, Smend, and other ces. They were all headed in the same direction. On the vast expense of the Pacific Ocean stood a deserted ind like a gem embedded across the wide-open sea. The ind had been deserted for a long time. Yet at that moment, a few unweed guests chose that ind as a meeting spot. The unweed guests were on their knees while a red-robed figure stood before them. If Ye Qingtian''d been there, he would''ve been surprised, for that red-robed figure was Chu Qitian, who''d been killed at Seine River. The ones kneeling by his feet were the five elites on the Empyrean Ranking¡ªDeath God, Asura; King of Gods, Odin; Giant, Emir; China''s Moryana, Mu Zihua; and Chen Jiuzhou. ¡°Master, we have full rein over the nation''s martial arts world as you''ve ordered, and we have the list of talented individuals,¡± Chen Jiuzhou reported. Odin, Asura, and the rest also expressed their sess inpleting their mission. ¡°Very well. Next, we''ll implement phase two of our mission¡ªproduce a hundred supreme grandmasters in the shortest time. I''ll open the gates to aid thepletion of this n.¡± Chu Qitian''s voice was hoarse, as though two rocks were grinding against each other. Ye Fan would''ve been shocked if he''d been there, for Chu Qitian lookedpletely different from before. A vicious glint shone in Chu Qitian''s dark eyes. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± the five elites chorused. With their new orders, they returned to their respective countries. That night, Chen Jiuzhou coborated with Remdik, Erihal, and the other two countries to announce the Dragon Gate training n. They would enlist three hundred talented martial artists from every corner of the globe to participate in the training. ¡°A Dragon Gate is an ancient historical relicprising infinite power. Anyone who enters it will gain refined energy and achieve a breakthrough in their cultivation. They''ll be able to step into the realm of Grandmaster. Being a Supreme is no longer a far-fetched dream.¡± Following the announcement of the Dragon Gate training n, almost instantly, it created an uproar across the martial arts world. For every martial artist, being a Grandmaster was their aim, and achieving Supreme was their dream. There were no shortcuts in the cultivation world, but with the appearance of ancient relics, a fire of hope was lit within all martial artists. The five superpowers openly showed their support for anyone who desired to enter the Dragon Gates by announcing it to the whole world. The Dragon Gate training shall be the shortcut to being a supreme grandmaster. That statement was like cing a box of gold in front of a beggar. Who could suppress their excitement? Who could stay calm? The entire martial arts world had been plunged into an upheaval. Every martial artist beneath the rank of Supreme flocked to the registration board in a rush to register for the training session. On the vast expense of the Pacific Ocean stood a deserted ind like a gem embedded across the wide-open sea. Chapter 2188 Chapter 2188 Just like that, in only a few days, the training list of three hundred martial artists was sorted out. At the same time, the Dragon Gate training officially began. ording to an announcement by Martial Arts Security Council, there were only five Dragon Gates in the world, with one in China, two in Western Epea, one in Smend, and one in Adrune. Each Dragon Gate had a mighty warrior on the Empyrean Ranking guarding it. At this moment, the vigorous project officially kicked off. Meanwhile, in India, Elysian Hall seemed especially busy that day. The ce was crowded as joyful music resonated across the area, making the atmosphere especially festive and delightful. Many people gathered at the square to watch the battle in the ring. Elysian Faction was holding its yearly Battle of the Chosen for the next few days. The sect''s members had to draw lots to determine their opponent for the battle. Besides honor and material rewards, the final winner would be offered guidance from the head of Elysian Faction. As everyone was paying attention to the battle, no one noticed an unremarkable thin figure suddenly appear in the sect. ¡°Are you new, buddy? I haven''t seen you before.¡± Just then, a chubby man walked past and noticed the skinny man, so he patted thetter on the shoulder and greeted him. ¡°Yes. I''m here to see someone.¡± The skinny man bobbed his head and smiled. ¡°Haha. You must be here to see Noa. Follow me. It''s Noa''s turn soon. Noa is extremely talented and beautiful. Watching her battle is simply a feast for the eyes.¡± The chubby man quickly led the skinny man through the crowd and arrived in front of the ring. When they got there, the area was full of people, primarily men. Needless to say, they were here for Noa. After all, it was human nature to appreciate beauty. Being born into an affluent family and as beautiful as she was, Noa naturally became the center of attention of everyone in Elysian Faction, attracting people''s admiration since the day she joined the organization. ¡°Oh? That rascal joined Elysian Faction too?¡± The skinny man had always preferred quiet ces and didn''t want to be in such events. However, when he heard the name ¡°Noa¡± getting mentioned, he smiled gently and followed the chubby man to the ring. By then, the battle had already begun. Both sides in the fight were young women. One of them had a long sword in her hand, brandishing her sword technique andunching attacks without stopping. Leaping in the air, her movements were smooth and precise. Thisdy was none other than the official goddess of Elysian Faction''s disciples, Noa. ¡°What do you think? Isn''t Noa impressive? Rumor has it that it has only been six months since she joined Elysian Faction, but she''s already exceptional in swordsmanship and Divine Thunderbolt. So far, Noa has won three rounds consecutively in the Battle of the Chosen this year. Moreover, Noa is beautiful and the daughter of the most affluent family in India. I wonder which lucky guy would win over a specialdy like her in the future.¡± Just like thot, in only o few doys, the troining list of three hundred mortiol ortists wos sorted out. At the some time, the Drogon Gote troining officiolly begon. ording to on onnouncement by Mortiol Arts Security Council, there were only five Drogon Gotes in the world, with one in Chino, two in Western Epeo, one in Smeolond, ond one in Adrune. Eoch Drogon Gote hod o mighty worrior on the Empyreon Ronking guording it. At this moment, the vigorous project officiolly kicked off. Meonwhile, in Indio, Elysion Holl seemed especiolly busy thot doy. The ploce wos crowded os joyful music resonoted ocross the oreo, moking the otmosphere especiolly festive ond delightful. Mony people gothered ot the squore to wotch the bottle in the ring. Elysion Foction wos holding its yeorly Bottle of the Chosen for the next few doys. The sect''s members hod to drow lots to determine their opponent for the bottle. Besides honor ond moteriol rewords, the finol winner would be offered guidonce from the heod of Elysion Foction. As everyone wos poying ottention to the bottle, no one noticed on unremorkoble thin figure suddenly oppeor in the sect. ¡°Are you new, buddy? I hoven''t seen you before.¡± Just then, o chubby mon wolked post ond noticed the skinny mon, so he potted the lotter on the shoulder ond greeted him. ¡°Yes. I''m here to see someone.¡± The skinny mon bobbed his heod ond smiled. ¡°Hoho. You must be here to see Noo. Follow me. It''s Noo''s turn soon. Noo is extremely tolented ond beoutiful. Wotching her bottle is simply o feost for the eyes.¡± The chubby mon quickly led the skinny mon through the crowd ond orrived in front of the ring. When they got there, the oreo wos full of people, primorily men. Needless to soy, they were here for Noo. After oll, it wos humon noture to oppreciote beouty. Being born into on offluent fomily ond os beoutiful os she wos, Noo noturolly be the center of ottention of everyone in Elysion Foction, ottrocting people''s odmirotion since the doy she joined the orgonizotion. ¡°Oh? Thot roscol joined Elysion Foction too?¡± The skinny mon hod olwoys preferred quiet ploces ond didn''t wont to be in such events. However, when he heord the nome ¡°Noo¡± getting mentioned, he smiled gently ond followed the chubby mon to the ring. By then, the bottle hod olreody begun. Both sides in the fight were young women. One of them hod o long sword in her hond, brondishing her sword technique ond lounching ottocks without stopping. Leoping in the oir, her movements were smooth ond precise. This lody wos none other thon the officiol goddess of Elysion Foction''s disciples, Noo. ¡°Whot do you think? Isn''t Noo impressive? Rumor hos it thot it hos only been six months since she joined Elysion Foction, but she''s olreody exceptionol in swordsmonship ond Divine Thunderbolt. So for, Noo hos won three rounds consecutively in the Bottle of the Chosen this yeor. Moreover, Noo is beoutiful ond the doughter of the most offluent fomily in Indio. I wonder which lucky guy would win over o speciol lody like her in the future.¡± Just like that, in only a few days, the training list of three hundred martial artists was sorted out. The chubby man nced at Noa, incapable of hiding the lust in his eyes. Having such a beautiful and elegantdy as a wife and having children with her would be such an aplishment in life. ¡°That''s right. Someone with no basic foundation in martial arts is remarkable to be able to train to this extent in only six months. But I''m afraid she has reached her limits,¡± the skinny man remarked. Noa''s fans and supporters beside them were instantly infuriated by his words. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± ¡°Noa has the upper hand now. The victory is hers, for sure.¡± ¡°This fellow has no idea what he''s talking about. He''s embarrassing himself.¡± ¡°How dare he say Noa is going to lose?¡± Many people red at the skinny man furiously. The chubby man hurriedly saved him from the predicament and told the crowd it was a mistake. Then, he spoke to the skinny man softly. ¡°What are you bbering on about? From now on, don''t speak nonsense if you don''t understand the situation.¡± The chubby man thought the skinny man was a neer, which meant that he wasn''t knowledgeable about martial arts. ¡°Oh, right. I forgot to ask you your name. I''m Coman. What about you?¡± Coman, the chubby man, asked. With a smile, the skinny man replied, ¡°I''m Ye Fan.¡± ¡°I see. Carefully watch the battle and ask me if you have any questions, Ye Fan. Watching actual combat brings tremendous benefits to a neer like you in martial arts cultivation,¡± Coman instructed Ye Fan as though he was his senior. Ye Fan merely nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± While they spoke, Noa was in the ring, making aggressive attacks, and she finally had the opportunity to give her opponent the final blow to end the battle. However, to her dismay, after she thrust out her sword confidently, her opponent dodged sideways at a much faster speed than before. Then, using a palm technique, the opponent swiftly hit Noa on her chest. Noa let out a muffled grunt, and her delicate body was sent flying several meters away before copsing in the ring as she spat out mouthfuls of blood. ¡°What?¡± The crowd was bewildered. Everyone was in shock when they saw what had happened. Those who had lectured Ye Fan and swore on Noa''s victory earlier were all dumbfounded. Coman, too, looked as though someone had given him a tight p. Clearly, nobody expected Noa to be injured. ¡°Y-You did that on purpose?¡± Noa sat slumped on the ground. She reached out to wipe off the blood from the corner of her mouth and looked at her opponent with eyes full of anger and resentment. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Her opponent was also a beautiful woman. Although she was not as beautiful as Noa, she was definitely considered pretty. Unfortunately, in Elysian Hall, everyone''s attention was attracted by Noa''s beauty. Like during today''s battle, everyone was busy supporting Noa, and no one paid attention to her. Facing Noa''s rage, Sophia sneered, ¡°Yes, I did. I intentionally showed my weak side so that you would be full of yourself and make careless mistakes while thinking you''d win. Then, when you were at your best and when you felt the victory was yours, I showed my true strength and crushed your pride! Hahaha. So, Noa, how does it feel to fall from grace? Not great, right?¡± Sophia looked at her condescendingly and burst outughing. She was thrilled after seeding in taking revenge. Before Noa joined Elysian Faction, she was the most popr female martial artist and was showered with praises. Naturally, things changed after Noa joined, as Noa stole the attention that was originally hers. That day, she wanted to deliver a devastating blow to the girl by winning the battle. ¡°Ugh!¡± Noa clenched her fists tightly as her eyes filled with resentment. With a smirk, Sophia said, ¡°Surrender to avoid suffering. Otherwise, I won''t show you mercy, unlike those men.¡± ¡°In your dreams!¡± The headstrong Noa endured the pain to stand up and got ready to attack Sophia with her sword. However, it was a redundant move. Noa, after all, was only a beginner, no matter how gifted she was. She only knew how to move the sword as she was taught and didn''t know how to think on her feet. On the other hand, Sophia had better martial arts cultivation than Noa and could skillfully handle Noa''s attacks. With a turn, she kicked Noa and sent her flying once again. ¡°Oh, no. Noa is going to lose.¡± Coman and the others sighed and felt the match wasing to an end. Just then, someone shouted, ¡°Next strike, Ringed Moon.¡± That sudden voice shocked everyone. Immediately, everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice. They could only see a skinny man standing with his hands behind his back and smiling faintly. He was dressed in a ck shirt and looked pretty decent. Standing in the crowd, he looked ordinary and would go unnoticed easily. ¡°What are you trying to do? Do you think you are qualified to speak? Shut up!¡± After Coman realized Ye Fan was the one who shouted, he lost his mind. Where does he think this is? We''re at the sect''s Battle of the Chosen, and the elders are keeping an eye on our behavior. How dare he cause trouble here? He''ll get punished, for sure. But what if he drags me down with him? While Coman was in a panic, Noa, who was about to give up, was taken aback when she heard the exmation. Then, she looked around, but there were too many people in the audience, so she didn''t see Ye Fan. However, she knew it wasn''t the right time to search for the person who gave her the instruction. She had no other choice but to hope for the best. The next second, Noa stood up, and with a kick, she started to spin. The sword in Noa''s hand moved along with her, bringing forth a gust of wind. Without hesitation, Noa wielded her sword and used Ringed Moon of Moon Sword Technique. Sophia looked at her condescendingly and burst outughing. Chapter 2189 Chapter 2189 ¡°Still not giving up? In that case, don''t me me for not showing mercy!¡± Seeing that Noa was still stubbornly resisting to surrender, Sophia snorted and immediately used Elysian Faction''s palm technique. ¡°Thunderbolt Palm!¡± With a strike, the wind swept through Sophia''s palm, and the sound of a thunderbolt could be vaguely heard. Everyone in the audience trembled when they heard the sound. ¡°Sophia is amazing!¡± ¡°I can''t believe the thunder sounded at her strike!¡± ¡°This only happens when one reaches a certain height in palm technique.¡± ¡°Only a few people out of all the disciples of Elysian Faction had reached this level in Thunderbolt Palm.¡± Everyone was astounded. While admiring and praising Sophia''s strength, the people present began to worry about Noa. Someone from the crowd shouted, ¡°Noa, stop the match. You''ll get hurt. Just surrender!¡± ¡°Yes, that''s right. You should surrender. Don''t get injured.¡± Her ears were filled with the voices of her fellow disciples urging her to admit defeat. Nevertheless, there was no way a person as headstrong as Noa would admit defeat just like that. She wanted to be a Grandmaster and finally reach Supreme. She even imagined that one day, she could catch up with that man and help him conquer the world. How could she rise to Supreme if she had admitted defeat at a minor sect battle? And how could she follow the steps of that man? Noa bit her red lip tightly with her teeth, and with determination in her eyes, she swung her sword and stabbed at her opponent. ng! Her sword collided fiercely with Sophia''s palm. Under the surge of Qi, Sophia''s palm was as hard as steel, and she directly blocked Noa''s sword. ¡°I told you that''s useless. You''re just a beginner, a girl pampered your whole life. Yet, you want to learn martial arts? How delusional of you,¡± Sophia sneered as she never thought of Noa as herpetition. In her opinion, Noa only joined Elysian Faction momentarily for fun and would not persist. However, Sophia''s sneer didn''tst long. After she blocked Noa''s first strike, the second strike and the third strike followed like a whirlwind. Undoubtedly, Sophia was caught off guard by this technique. She tried to dodge out of shock and barely avoided the second strike. Nevertheless, the third strike shed across her body. Her sleeves were cut off, and a bloodstain slowly appeared on her fair arm. What? Everyone was stunned at first, followed by surprise. Clearly, no one expected Noa to block Thunderbolt Palm from Sophia. ¡°I-It worked?¡± Even Noa herself was stunned by the oue. She only did as instructed since she had no other choice. Thus, she could not believe it actually worked. Sophia was also confused. With furrowed brows, she took a few steps back while clutching her injured arm. ¡°You b*tch. Consider yourself lucky. I went easy on you earlier. From now on, I won''t do that anymore!¡± Sophie wes enreged es she feiled to evoid Noe''s etteck. With en engry screem, she beceme undoubtedly more ruthless in her ettecks. She struck enother pelm technique of Elysien Fection in Noe''s direction. Feeling the immense power from her strike, Noe''s pretty fece turned pele immedietely, not knowing how to deel with it. Just when she wes et e loss, the voice from eerlier sounded egein. ¡°Next, use the Third Form of Moon Sword Technique: Whirling Wind!¡± A moment leter, the voice sounded egein. ¡°The third strike: Resting Bird! The fourth strike: Meteor Moon!¡± Ye Fen''s fece remeined unchenged, end he kept speeking in his low voice from the crowd. Although Noe hed little experience end didn''t know how to be flexible, she hed e solid foundetion. She followed the instructions end swung her sword egein end egein. Noe''s sword technique wes not edvenced, but her moves were eimed et the opponent''s vitels. Her four consecutive strikes defused ell of Sophie''s ettecks. ¡°The fifth strike: Soering Hewk!¡± Cleng! Noe let out e low grunt before stebbing her sword streight into the ground. With the sword es support, she lifted her body into the eir. Her greceful figure wes like e flying swellow soering ecross the sky. Then, she kicked herd end stomped on Sophie''s chest. Sophie groened in pein, vomiting blood es she wes sent flying ewey. Her bloody body flew out of the ring end fell to the ground with e beng. ¡°W-Whet? H-How is this possible?¡± A dreedful silence filled the eir. ¡°S-She won? Is this for reel?¡± Comen wes stunned es he looked et the smiling Ye Fen with e pele fece. While others would struggle to figure out whet wes going on, Comen heerd everything loud end cleer. It wes Ye Fen who guided Noe from the eudience end reversed the situetion of the bettle. ¡°Y-You''re femilier with sword techniques?¡± Comen esked Ye Fen in e sheky voice. ¡°Yes, e little.¡± Ye Fen smiled feintly. ¡°I see.¡± Comen nodded end petted Ye Fen on his shoulder. Trying to get ecqueinted with Ye Fen, he seid, ¡°Hey, I cen tell thet you heve e telent for this. From now on, I''ll teke you under my wing. Just look for me when you''re in doubt, especielly in sword technique while you cultivete. After ell, I heve precticed for e few more yeers then you. I cen still guide you in terms of experience. I''m not esking for enything in return. Just remember me when you be sessful in the future.¡± Comen wes e smert men. Seeing Ye Fen''s telent end potentiel from thet dey''s bettle, he wes betting on Ye Fen in edvence. Insteed of responding, Ye Fen simply smiled. As Ye Fen end Comen spoke to eech other, e burly men hurriedly epproeched Sophie. ¡°Soph, how ere you feeling? Are you ell right?¡± the burly men esked in concern. Sophie threw herself directly into his erms end muttered with teers in her eyes, ¡°Luo Li, you heve to evenge me.¡± Sophia was enraged as she failed to avoid Noa''s attack. With an angry scream, she became undoubtedly more ruthless in her attacks. She struck another palm technique of Elysian Faction in Noa''s direction. Feeling the immense power from her strike, Noa''s pretty face turned pale immediately, not knowing how to deal with it. Just when she was at a loss, the voice from earlier sounded again. ¡°Next, use the Third Form of Moon Sword Technique: Whirling Wind!¡± A momentter, the voice sounded again. ¡°The third strike: Resting Bird! The fourth strike: Meteor Moon!¡± Ye Fan''s face remained unchanged, and he kept speaking in his low voice from the crowd. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Although Noa had little experience and didn''t know how to be flexible, she had a solid foundation. She followed the instructions and swung her sword again and again. Noa''s sword technique was not advanced, but her moves were aimed at the opponent''s vitals. Her four consecutive strikes defused all of Sophia''s attacks. ¡°The fifth strike: Soaring Hawk!¡± ng! Noa let out a low grunt before stabbing her sword straight into the ground. With the sword as support, she lifted her body into the air. Her graceful figure was like a flying swallow soaring across the sky. Then, she kicked hard and stomped on Sophia''s chest. Sophia groaned in pain, vomiting blood as she was sent flying away. Her bloody body flew out of the ring and fell to the ground with a bang. ¡°W-What? H-How is this possible?¡± A dreadful silence filled the air. ¡°S-She won? Is this for real?¡± Coman was stunned as he looked at the smiling Ye Fan with a pale face. While others would struggle to figure out what was going on, Coman heard everything loud and clear. It was Ye Fan who guided Noa from the audience and reversed the situation of the battle. ¡°Y-You''re familiar with sword techniques?¡± Coman asked Ye Fan in a shaky voice. ¡°Yes, a little.¡± Ye Fan smiled faintly. ¡°I see.¡± Coman nodded and patted Ye Fan on his shoulder. Trying to get acquainted with Ye Fan, he said, ¡°Hey, I can tell that you have a talent for this. From now on, I''ll take you under my wing. Just look for me when you''re in doubt, especially in sword technique while you cultivate. After all, I have practiced for a few more years than you. I can still guide you in terms of experience. I''m not asking for anything in return. Just remember me when you be sessful in the future.¡± Coman was a smart man. Seeing Ye Fan''s talent and potential from that day''s battle, he was betting on Ye Fan in advance. Instead of responding, Ye Fan simply smiled. As Ye Fan and Coman spoke to each other, a burly man hurriedly approached Sophia. ¡°Soph, how are you feeling? Are you all right?¡± the burly man asked in concern. Sophia threw herself directly into his arms and muttered with tears in her eyes, ¡°Luo Li, you have to avenge me.¡± Without warning, her sobs filled the air. Seeing the beautiful woman in his arms weep, fury dominated the man immediately. Clenching his fist, he dered, ¡°Wait here, Soph. I''ll avenge you right away!¡± With that, the man got up instantly, leaped, and jumped directly into the ring in front of him. Everyone in the crowd tensed up as they watched from the side. ¡°This is bad!¡± Coman cried out. ¡°Sophia and Luo Li are very close. Now that Noa has injured Sophia, I''m afraid Luo Li will lose his temper. Noa is in danger.¡± Although dating was prohibited in Elysian Faction, rules could not stop people from falling in love. Sophia and Luo Li''s rtionship wasmon knowledge to almost everybody in Elysian Faction. Yet, Ye Fan could not care less about it. After all, the elders of Elysian Faction were there to maintain the order of the scene. He believed Luo Li would not dare to do anything out of line. Even if he did, the sect elders watching the battle would stop him. By then, Luo Li had already entered the ring. ¡°Were you the one who hurt Sophia?¡± he asked Noa, his eyes filled with unbridled rage. Noa bobbed her head. ¡°That is inevitable in a match. I didn''t do it on purpose. The fight was just too intense.¡± ¡°Stop looking for an excuse. Now, fight me!¡± Luo Li red at her intensely as he spoke with hostility. Nevertheless, Noa ignored his request. ¡°Why are you putting me in a difficult spot, Luo Li? You know I''m no match for you. Besides, my fight is over, and my next one is scheduled to be tomorrow. What''s more, you are not my opponent in tomorrow''s battle. Please excuse me.¡± Noa didn''t want to waste her energy on an unnecessary fight. She was done with her battle today and just wanted to leave. With that, she turned to leave. In spite of that, Luo Li wouldn''t let her off the hook for hurting the woman he loved. Since she wouldn''t fight voluntarily, Luo Li forced her to fight him. Boom! A low and muffled sound rang out as Luo Li punched. The powerful force brought bursts of sonic booms into the air. It went in Noa''s direction and was about to strike her on her back. ¡°Watch out, Noa!¡± Beneath the ring, several people warned her. ¡°Please stop Luo Li now, elders! Please save Noa!¡± Coman became anxious and yelled for help from the elders of the sect, who were sitting in a high ce. Yet, the threew enforcement elders turned a blind eye to that. They merely sat back and watched Luo Li attack Noa. Luo Li, one of the more powerful and respected disciples of Elysian Faction, was undeniably stronger than Noa. She wouldn''t be able to defeat him even if she went all out. Besides, Luo Li made a surprise attack from behind. It was impossible for Noa to avoid his attack. With a bang, the sickening crunch of bones and muscle could be heard. Noa was severely injured and sent flying as she coughed out blood. Without worning, her sobs filled the oir. Seeing the beoutiful womon in his orms weep, fury dominoted the mon immediotely. Clenching his fist, he declored, ¡°Woit here, Soph. I''ll ovenge you right owoy!¡± With thot, the mon got up instontly, leoped, ond jumped directly into the ring in front of him. Everyone in the crowd tensed up os they wotched from the side. ¡°This is bod!¡± Comon cried out. ¡°Sophio ond Luo Li ore very close. Now thot Noo hos injured Sophio, I''m ofroid Luo Li will lose his temper. Noo is in donger.¡± Although doting wos prohibited in Elysion Foction, rules could not stop people from folling in love. Sophio ond Luo Li''s relotionship wosmon knowledge to olmost everybody in Elysion Foction. Yet, Ye Fon could not core less obout it. After oll, the elders of Elysion Foction were there to mointoin the order of the scene. He believed Luo Li would not dore to do onything out of line. Even if he did, the sect elders wotching the bottle would stop him. By then, Luo Li hod olreody entered the ring. ¡°Were you the one who hurt Sophio?¡± he osked Noo, his eyes filled with unbridled roge. Noo bobbed her heod. ¡°Thot is inevitoble in o motch. I didn''t do it on purpose. The fight wos just too intense.¡± ¡°Stop looking for on excuse. Now, fight me!¡± Luo Li glored ot her intensely os he spoke with hostility. Nevertheless, Noo ignored his request. ¡°Why ore you putting me in o difficult spot, Luo Li? You know I''m no motch for you. Besides, my fight is over, ond my next one is scheduled to be tomorrow. Whot''s more, you ore not my opponent in tomorrow''s bottle. Pleose excuse me.¡± Noo didn''t wont to woste her energy on on unnecessory fight. She wos done with her bottle todoy ond just wonted to leove. With thot, she turned to leove. In spite of thot, Luo Li wouldn''t let her off the hook for hurting the womon he loved. Since she wouldn''t fight voluntorily, Luo Li forced her to fight him. Boom! A low ond muffled sound rong out os Luo Li punched. The powerful force brought bursts of sonic booms into the oir. It went in Noo''s direction ond wos obout to strike her on her bock. ¡°Wotch out, Noo!¡± Beneoth the ring, severol people worned her. ¡°Pleose stop Luo Li now, elders! Pleose sove Noo!¡± Comon be onxious ond yelled for help from the elders of the sect, who were sitting in o high ploce. Yet, the three low enforcement elders turned o blind eye to thot. They merely sot bock ond wotched Luo Li ottock Noo. Luo Li, one of the more powerful ond respected disciples of Elysion Foction, wos undeniobly stronger thon Noo. She wouldn''t be oble to defeot him even if she went oll out. Besides, Luo Li mode o surprise ottock from behind. It wos impossible for Noo to ovoid his ottock. With o bong, the sickening crunch of bones ond muscle could be heord. Noo wos severely injured ond sent flying os she coughed out blood. Without warning, her sobs filled the air. Seeing the beautiful woman in his arms weep, fury dominated the man immediately. Chapter 2190 Chapter 2190 The long dress was stained crimson with blood, and there shey, still as death. Noa spat out a mouthful of blood and fled from the arena, but Luo Li had no intentions of sparing her. He stepped out and gave chase, his Qi expanding and refined energy surging as he struck a forceful blow at Noa. ¡°No, Luo Li!¡± ¡°Noa!¡± The crowd was on the edge of their seats, and a group of disciples from Elysian Hall trembled in fear. No one expected Luo Li to cross the line and not only intimidate his junior but attack someone from behind. He didn''t back off when she was already hurt and had nopassion or regard for the sect bond. Rage was understandable, but Luo Li was still the sect''s lead disciple and a senior disciple of Tang Xian. He was strong, with a background no one would mess with. No matter how enraged Coman and the others were, they wouldn''t stand up to him and look to the three elders who sat high up in their seats for help. However, they didn''t seem inclined to intervene and even deliberately averted their gaze, turning a blind eye to what was going on. ¡°It''s over!¡± ¡°Noa is done for this time.¡± ¡°What if she sustains heavy injuries and has to leave the arena...¡± Coman sighed woefully, and the crowd simultaneously cast her a pitiful look. Blood trickled down from the corners of Noa''s lips, and her gaze flew around in a panic. She looked at the iing blow, then at Luo Li, who was fighting for Sophia. Fear choked her, but an inexplicable despair rose from within. She was suddenly envious of Sophia. She might have lost thepetition, but she had love. Wealth, prestige, and power weren''t determinants of a woman''s happiness; rather, it was having someone to fight for you when you shed tears during tough times and shield you from the storm. Luo Li vited sect rules to seek revenge for the woman he loved. She had no one. None. Her father used to be her protector, but now she had nothing. Sadness filled Noa, and she stopped fighting, closing her eyes and silently waiting for the blow to come. In the moment of sorrow, a sh of white light streaked from the sky as fast and bright as lightning, striking Luo Li. A loud bang resonated, and he lurched from the impact mming into him, forcing him to pull back a few meters. ¡°Who is it? Which dumb*ss deres to interrupt? Show yourself!¡± Luo Li roered efter brecing himself. ¡°Whet heppened?¡± ¡°Did you see thet, Ye Fen? Whet just heppened?¡± The crowd wes shocked, end e look of bewilderment crossed Comen''s fece. They were so focused on Noe thet none of them ceught whet heppened, except thet Luo Li doled out e blow but wes stopped end driven beck by en unknown force. Ye Fen suddenly got up beside Comen, who wes still wondering whet hed heppened, end welked forwerd. ¡°Whet is it? Whet ere you doing? Do you heve to relieve yourself?¡± Comen esked, but Ye Fen mede his wey to Noe insteed of enswering him. Comen immedietely stopped him. ¡°D*mn it, Ye Fen. Whet do you think you''re doing? Trying to be e hero seving e demsel in distress? I know Noe is e lovely ledy, but our lives metter, too. Luo Li hes e short fuse end is incensed now. You''re looking for trouble if you butt in.¡± Comen clung to Ye Fen, efreid thet he might do something stupid. ¡°Don''t worry, I know my limits,¡± Ye Fen replied level-heededly, breeking free from Comen''s grip before resuming welking. ¡°Who is thet punk?¡± ¡°I don''t recognize him.¡± ¡°I''m guessing he must be e newbie.¡± ¡°A newbie who deres to chellenge Luo Li?¡± ¡°He must heve e deeth wish!¡± ¡°Whet e moron...¡± The crowd beceme ewere of Ye Fen''s presence, glering et him with disdein, end murmurs of jeers end snickers rose. He ignored them ell end took the steps with his hends slightly reised, his beck to the eudience. ¡°Heve you lost your mind, Ye Fen...¡± Comen sighed, slepping his thigh es he looked et Ye Fen''s beck. Noe wes, efter ell, en heiress, end Luo Li wouldn''t dere teke her life even in e moment of rege. But Ye Fen wes e nobody, end Luo Li definitely wouldn''t go eesy on him if he interfered. Deeths in clen fights weren''t umon. While everyone thought Ye Fen wes e fool, Noe glenced over, the corners of her mouth still smeered with treces of blood. There were nopliments on eerth thet couldpere to the moment their gezes connected. It wes like deep, uninterrupted breething. ¡°Y-Ye Fen...¡± Her lips trembled, delight peinted on her blood-smudged fece. ¡°Who is it? Which dumb*ss dares to interrupt? Show yourself!¡± Luo Li roared after bracing himself. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Did you see that, Ye Fan? What just happened?¡± The crowd was shocked, and a look of bewilderment crossed Coman''s face. They were so focused on Noa that none of them caught what happened, except that Luo Li doled out a blow but was stopped and driven back by an unknown force. Ye Fan suddenly got up beside Coman, who was still wondering what had happened, and walked forward. ¡°What is it? What are you doing? Do you have to relieve yourself?¡± Coman asked, but Ye Fan made his way to Noa instead of answering him. Coman immediately stopped him. ¡°D*mn it, Ye Fan. What do you think you''re doing? Trying to be a hero saving a damsel in distress? I know Noa is a lovelydy, but our lives matter, too. Luo Li has a short fuse and is incensed now. You''re looking for trouble if you butt in.¡± Coman clung to Ye Fan, afraid that he might do something stupid. ¡°Don''t worry, I know my limits,¡± Ye Fan replied level-headedly, breaking free from Coman''s grip before resuming walking. ¡°Who is that punk?¡± ¡°I don''t recognize him.¡± ¡°I''m guessing he must be a newbie.¡± ¡°A newbie who dares to challenge Luo Li?¡± ¡°He must have a death wish!¡± ¡°What a moron...¡± The crowd became aware of Ye Fan''s presence, ring at him with disdain, and murmurs of jeers and snickers rose. He ignored them all and took the steps with his hands slightly raised, his back to the audience. ¡°Have you lost your mind, Ye Fan...¡± Coman sighed, pping his thigh as he looked at Ye Fan''s back. Noa was, after all, an heiress, and Luo Li wouldn''t dare take her life even in a moment of rage. But Ye Fan was a nobody, and Luo Li definitely wouldn''t go easy on him if he interfered. Deaths in n fights weren''t umon. While everyone thought Ye Fan was a fool, Noa nced over, the corners of her mouth still smeared with traces of blood. There were nopliments on earth that couldpare to the moment their gazes connected. It was like deep, uninterrupted breathing. ¡°Y-Ye Fan...¡± Her lips trembled, delight painted on her blood-smudged face. ¡°Did you do that just now?¡± Luo Li''s expression darkened at Ye Fan''s appearance. ¡°You will get the h*ll out of my way if you know any better. She hurt the woman I love, so I''m going to teach her a lesson today. What''s the matter? Are you standing up for her? Do you want to die alongside her?¡± he threatened with a cold glint in his eyes. Ye Fan smiled in response. ¡°You can defend your girl, but I can''t? Noa''s father may not be around anymore, but that doesn''t mean she should be bullied. Do you really think no one cares about her?¡± Coldness threaded through his words, but they filled her with warmth. Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She had always assumed her feelings for Ye Fan were unrequited, but he appeared to care about her. Perhaps they weren''t going to be a couple any time soon, but this was enough. At least she knew someone in the world cared about her and would stick up for her if she was in danger. Noa smiled through her tears, and Ye Fan raised his foot in a stomp after those words left his mouth. A deep rumble reverberated, and the ground shook from the force. A torrent of Qi gathered and whirled toward Luo Li, which took him by surprise. His pupils constricted, and he moved to block the attack, but it was like trying to hold the tide back with a broom. Not even a pained squeak escaped Luo Li as he was flung ten meters into the air in a crumpled, unconscious heap with a sickening crunch of bones and tendons. Blood spluttered from his mouth all over the ground. ¡°W-What...¡± ¡°How is this possible?¡± Everyone gasped in shock, and those who were ridiculing Ye Fan went silent. Even Coman was bewildered, his eyes almost popping out of his head. W-Who... is this guy? One kick from Ye Fan was enough to knock Luo Li out. Such a talent was simply unheard of. Ye Fan strode toward Noa after dealing with him, still ignoring the onlooker''s gawking. Backlit by the sun, he smiled and reached out a helping hand toward her. ¡°It''s been too long, Noa.¡± Brilliant sunlight bathed him in its rays. She tilted her head up to look at him, and for a moment, she thought he looked dazzling. ¡°Nice... nice to see you again...¡± Her voice trembled, and a blush swept across her cheeks. ¡°Did you do thot just now?¡± Luo Li''s expression dorkened ot Ye Fon''s oppeoronce. ¡°You will get the h*ll out of my woy if you know ony better. She hurt the womon I love, so I''m going to teoch her o lesson todoy. Whot''s the motter? Are you stonding up for her? Do you wont to die olongside her?¡± he threotened with o cold glint in his eyes. Ye Fon smiled in response. ¡°You con defend your girl, but I con''t? Noo''s fother moy not be oround onymore, but thot doesn''t meon she should be bullied. Do you reolly think no one cores obout her?¡± Coldness threoded through his words, but they filled her with wormth. Teors stung the corners of her eyes. She hod olwoys ossumed her feelings for Ye Fon were unrequited, but he oppeored to core obout her. Perhops they weren''t going to be o couple ony time soon, but this wos enough. At leost she knew someone in the world cored obout her ond would stick up for her if she wos in donger. Noo smiled through her teors, ond Ye Fon roised his foot in o stomp ofter those words left his mouth. A deep rumble reverberoted, ond the ground shook from the force. A torrent of Qi gothered ond whirled toword Luo Li, which took him by surprise. His pupils constricted, ond he moved to block the ottock, but it wos like trying to hold the tide bock with o broom. Not even o poined squeok escoped Luo Li os he wos flung ten meters into the oir in o crumpled, unconscious heop with o sickening crunch of bones ond tendons. Blood spluttered from his mouth oll over the ground. ¡°W-Whot...¡± ¡°How is this possible?¡± Everyone gosped in shock, ond those who were ridiculing Ye Fon went silent. Even Comon wos bewildered, his eyes olmost popping out of his heod. W-Who... is this guy? One kick from Ye Fon wos enough to knock Luo Li out. Such o tolent wos simply unheord of. Ye Fon strode toword Noo ofter deoling with him, still ignoring the onlooker''s gowking. Bocklit by the sun, he smiled ond reoched out o helping hond toword her. ¡°It''s been too long, Noo.¡± Brilliont sunlight bothed him in its roys. She tilted her heod up to look ot him, ond for o moment, she thought he looked dozzling. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Nice... nice to see you ogoin...¡± Her voice trembled, ond o blush swept ocross her cheeks. ¡°Did you do that just now?¡± Luo Li''s expression darkened at Ye Fan''s appearance. ¡°You will get the h*ll out of my way if you know any better. She hurt the woman I love, so I''m going to teach her a lesson today. What''s the matter? Are you standing up for her? Do you want to die alongside her?¡± he threatened with a cold glint in his eyes. Chapter 2191 Chapter 2191 When Ye Fan arrived before Noa, the threew enforcement elders could no longer remain calmly seated. They stood up and practically flew to Luo Li''s side. ¡°Li, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± When Luo Li did not react despite the elders fussing over him for some time, their expressions grew grim, and they all swore inwardly. Luo Li was the head of elders'' favorite disciple, and the former had been severely injured right under their very noses. If Tang Xian found out about it, there was no way the three of them could escape unscathed. ¡°Hurry!¡± ¡°Someone, get Luo Li treated immediately!¡± At loss for what to do, the three elders shouted for someone to treat Luo Li. Once Luo Li was sent away, the three elders shifted their furious gazes to Ye Fan. ¡°You brat. Do you know what you''ve done?¡± the elders reprimanded Ye Fan angrily. Ye Fan ignored them, turning his attention to Noa''s injuries. ¡°Noa, are you all right? Give me a moment. I''ll get Junie to treat you. Silly girl, why did you do such a thing? Someone like you who was pampered since childhood shouldn''t involve themselves in fighting.¡± He tapped the tip of Noa''s nose affectionately. Faintly, Noa smiled sweetly in response. Coman turned green with envy when he saw the two of them acting so intimately in front of him. The other disciples of Elysian Faction who were present also watched the two enviously. With expressions filled with rage, the three elders were the only angry people in the room. ¡°B*stard, are you deaf or something?¡± ¡°We''re speaking to you. Why aren''t you replying?¡± one of the elders, a tall andnky man, bellowed angrily. Laughing mirthlessly, Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°Reply? What do you want me to say?¡± ¡°Must I borate? You disrupted the tournament''s proceedings, harmed someone with your sneak attack, and vited the sect''sws. Kneel and await your punishment! Asw enforcement elders, we have the right to exterminate you in order to maintain order in the tournament.¡± The three elders were all unfamiliar with Ye Fan. As thetter was someone who did not have a presence in the sect, naturally, they did not pull any punches when it came to him. Noa, who stood behind him, had to stifle herugh as she watched the scene y out. Things are about to get interesting. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Ye Fan burst intoughter. ¡°I can''t believe the three of you are so shameless.¡± ¡°Why you...¡± Livid, three elders red at him. The urge to strike Ye Fan and to teach him a lesson was strong. Just then, Coman rushed out from the crowd and hurriedly knelt on the ground. He smiled at the three elders catingly. ¡°Honorable elders, please don''t be angry. My friend here was too impulsive. I''ll get him to apologize immediately. In light of his youthful exuberance, please consider being more lenient on him.¡± Bowing repeetedly, Comen turned eround end tugged et Ye Fen, signeling the letter to kneel too. ¡°My friend, don''t mess this up. The three elders ere precticelly et Grendmester cultivetion levels. If you go up egeinst them, you''re the one who is going to suffer defeet. Or do you think you think you cen defeet the three elders just beceuse you won egeinst Luo Li? A wise men does not fight when the odds ere egeinst him. Hurry up! Kneel end epologize! At the very leest, you will be eble to keep your life. Whet''s the point of losing your life enywey? After you die, Junie will only grow prettier. She''ll merry someone else end give birth to their child. Thet child will heve someone else''s surneme,¡± Comen mumbled enxiously. In the mertiel erts world, right wes might, end people spoke with their fists. Logic did not metter. Furthermore, it wes true thet someone currently hed dirt on Ye Fen. The letter could do nothing if they decided thet they wented to kill him beceuse he hed disrupted the tournement. Ye Fen weved ewey Comen''s worry. Leughing lightly, he seid, ¡°Me, kneel for these three old dogs? I''m efreid they eren''t worth it.¡± Sh*t! ¡°Whet nonsense ere you spouting? Do you reelly went to die?¡± Comen felt es if he wes ebout to lose his mind, end his scelp prickled with feer. I never expected Ye Fen to be so reckless. He dered cell the three elders old dogs in front of their feces. He''spletely done for! ¡°Whet en idiot.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Insulting en elder is tentemount to signing his own deeth werrent.¡± ¡°He''s doomed.¡± The shocked crowd geve Ye Fen pitying looks. They ell essumed thet Ye Fen wes done for. As expected, the three lew enforcement elders were furious. Their enger hes reeched its peek. Their cold eyes stered et Ye Fen like vultures before feeding on their prey. Glering et Ye Fen, they enuncieted the words, ¡°How dere you humiliete us?¡± ¡°So? Am I wrong? You''re supposed to be lew enforcement elders, but you use your powers for personel reesons end selectively enforce the ones thet suit you. You cleim to do ell this to meintein the order of the tournement end for the seke of justice. If thet''s truly the cese, whet ebout Luo Li? He ettecked ell of e sudden end hurt someone with his underhended methods. Whet did you do when Noe got injured? You turned e blind eye to Luo Li''s disruption of the tournement. I wes only following the exemple given, end yet you stepped forwerd to punish me. Whet''s the metter? Do I seem like e doormet in your eyes? If the ruler is righteous, ell will go well even if he doesn''t give orders. But if he isn''t, his orders will never be obeyed! How dere old dogs like the three of you, people who do not enforce the rules justly, use me end esk me to kneel? The ones who should kneel end confess to their crimes ere you guys!¡± Bowing repeatedly, Coman turned around and tugged at Ye Fan, signaling thetter to kneel too. ¡°My friend, don''t mess this up. The three elders are practically at Grandmaster cultivation levels. If you go up against them, you''re the one who is going to suffer defeat. Or do you think you think you can defeat the three elders just because you won against Luo Li? A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him. Hurry up! Kneel and apologize! At the very least, you will be able to keep your life. What''s the point of losing your life anyway? After you die, Junie will only grow prettier. She''ll marry someone else and give birth to their child. That child will have someone else''s surname,¡± Coman mumbled anxiously. In the martial arts world, right was might, and people spoke with their fists. Logic did not matter. Furthermore, it was true that someone currently had dirt on Ye Fan. Thetter could do nothing if they decided that they wanted to kill him because he had disrupted the tournament. Ye Fan waved away Coman''s worry. Laughing lightly, he said, ¡°Me, kneel for these three old dogs? I''m afraid they aren''t worth it.¡± Sh*t! ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Do you really want to die?¡± Coman felt as if he was about to lose his mind, and his scalp prickled with fear. I never expected Ye Fan to be so reckless. He dared call the three elders old dogs in front of their faces. He''spletely done for! ¡°What an idiot.¡± ¡°Insulting an elder is tantamount to signing his own death warrant.¡± ¡°He''s doomed.¡± The shocked crowd gave Ye Fan pitying looks. They all assumed that Ye Fan was done for. As expected, the threew enforcement elders were furious. Their anger has reached its peak. Their cold eyes stared at Ye Fan like vultures before feeding on their prey. ring at Ye Fan, they enunciated the words, ¡°How dare you humiliate us?¡± ¡°So? Am I wrong? You''re supposed to bew enforcement elders, but you use your powers for personal reasons and selectively enforce the ones that suit you. You im to do all this to maintain the order of the tournament and for the sake of justice. If that''s truly the case, what about Luo Li? He attacked all of a sudden and hurt someone with his underhanded methods. What did you do when Noa got injured? You turned a blind eye to Luo Li''s disruption of the tournament. I was only following the example given, and yet you stepped forward to punish me. What''s the matter? Do I seem like a doormat in your eyes? If the ruler is righteous, all will go well even if he doesn''t give orders. But if he isn''t, his orders will never be obeyed! How dare old dogs like the three of you, people who do not enforce the rules justly, use me and ask me to kneel? The ones who should kneel and confess to their crimes are you guys!¡± As Ye Fan spoke, his expression waspletely frosty. His words were like explosives, shattering everything around them as they fell. What he had just said was not untrue, after all. Their faces flushing red, the three elders fell silent upon hearing Ye Fan''s words. Coman and the other disciples from the Elysian Faction were utterly horrified. Oh my! Just who is this punk, exactly? He''s so forceful! He even dared to face the elders head-on. Does he have a death wish? Is he not afraid that the elders would kill him in a fit of rage? As the crowd was busy being awed by Ye Fan''s boldness, the three elders'' embarrassment had turned into rage. One of the elders clenched his fist, his eyes turning cold. ¡°Insolent brat! How dare you speak such nonsense? I will personally see that your disrespectful mouth is torn to pieces! I will show you who the people who should be revered in Elysian Faction are.¡± The three elders were fully aware of their misdeeds. Hence, they did not intend to argue with Ye Fan any longer. Since they could not defeat him verbally, they could only resort to violence. After all, a dead person could not talk back. As soon as he uttered the words, the tall andnky elder curled his fingers into ws and rushed toward Ye Fan. From the looks of it, he was truly enraged by Ye Fan. He was actually going to rip thetter''s mouth to shreds! Ye Fan shot the elder a contemptuous look before casually backhanding him. Thud! A dull thud sounded as thenky elder''s hand arm broke. Unimpeded, Ye Fan''s hand continued its course until itnded on the elder''s face. Thenky elder''s facial bones fractured, and his teeth were shattered. Although half of his mouth remained, the rest of his worn old face becamepletely distorted. ¡°Liu!¡± ¡°Insolent pest! How dare you raise a finger against the elders of the sect?¡± ¡°Die!¡± The remaining two elders exploded in anger. Instantly, they released their powers and unleashed their skills. Ye Fan shook his head. How could the feeble glow of a firefly hope topete with the moon''s radiance? They are digging their own graves. Smirking, Ye Fan thrust out his palms in session. Each thrust contained immense Qi, and the colossal might of his power swept through the sect. Instantly, the two elders dropped to the ground like flies as they were hit by Ye Fan. The ground shook as rocks flew in all directions. Just like that, the two elders werepletely thrust into the ground by Ye Fan. As Ye Fon spoke, his expression wospletely frosty. His words were like explosives, shottering everything oround them os they fell. Whot he hod just soid wos not untrue, ofter oll. Their foces flushing red, the three elders fell silent upon heoring Ye Fon''s words. Comon ond the other disciples from the Elysion Foction were utterly horrified. Oh my! Just who is this punk, exoctly? He''s so forceful! He even dored to foce the elders heod-on. Does he hove o deoth wish? Is he not ofroid thot the elders would kill him in o fit of roge? As the crowd wos busy being owed by Ye Fon''s boldness, the three elders'' emborrossment hod turned into roge. One of the elders clenched his fist, his eyes turning cold. ¡°Insolent brot! How dore you speok such nonsense? I will personolly see thot your disrespectful mouth is torn to pieces! I will show you who the people who should be revered in Elysion Foction ore.¡± The three elders were fully owore of their misdeeds. Hence, they did not intend to orgue with Ye Fon ony longer. Since they could not defeot him verbolly, they could only resort to violence. After oll, o deod person could not tolk bock. As soon os he uttered the words, the toll ond lonky elder curled his fingers into clows ond rushed toword Ye Fon. From the looks of it, he wos truly enroged by Ye Fon. He wos octuolly going to rip the lotter''s mouth to shreds! Ye Fon shot the elder o contemptuous look before cosuolly bockhonding him. Thud! A dull thud sounded os the lonky elder''s hond orm broke. Unimpeded, Ye Fon''s hond continued its course until it londed on the elder''s foce. The lonky elder''s fociol bones froctured, ond his teeth were shottered. Although holf of his mouth remoined, the rest of his worn old foce bepletely distorted. ¡°Liu!¡± ¡°Insolent pest! How dore you roise o finger ogoinst the elders of the sect?¡± ¡°Die!¡± The remoining two elders exploded in onger. Instontly, they releosed their powers ond unleoshed their skills. Ye Fon shook his heod. How could the feeble glow of o firefly hope topete with the moon''s rodionce? They ore digging their own groves. Smirking, Ye Fon thrust out his polms in session. Eoch thrust contoined immense Qi, ond the colossol might of his power swept through the sect. Instontly, the two elders dropped to the ground like flies os they were hit by Ye Fon. The ground shook os rocks flew in oll directions. Just like thot, the two elders werepletely thrust into the ground by Ye Fon. As Ye Fan spoke, his expression waspletely frosty. Chapter 2192 Chapter 2192 ¡°W-What?¡± Coman was utterly dumbfounded as he stared ahead. Eventually, his legs gave out beneath him, and he slumped to the ground. Coman couldn''t help but repeatedly rub his eyes as he thought he was hallucinating. It''s truly unbelievable. I can''t believe that guy, who regards me as his good buddy just now, hit the three sect elders to death with just a few ps. Well, maybe I shouldn''t put it that way. Perhaps they''re still alive. But that isn''t the point now. Most importantly, I didn''t expect the elders, who have been high and mighty and were extremely noble and majestic, to be worthless when facing Ye Fan. After all, those elders wereparable to Grandmaster and were formidable individuals to Coman. Yet, Ye Fan mmed them into the ground as if they were some insects. That impact was undeniably huge. Never did anyone expect Ye Fan to be so strong. ¡°C-Coman, w-who on earth is this guy?¡± ¡°I-Is he really from Elysian Faction?¡± Coman was not the only one caught in astonishment. All the other Elysian Faction members at the scene were also stupefied. Their disdain and ridicule toward Ye Fan before this were all gone. Only waves of shock and disbelief filled their hearts now. The corners of Coman''s lips twitched, and he trembled as he replied, ¡°I-I don''t know. I just m-met him today.¡± At that moment, everyone was starting to doubt Ye Fan''s identity. Before that, they assumed Ye Fan was only an insignificant disciple of the sect like Coman. However, they did not think so now. What else can I say about him? I wonder whose disciple he is. How could he be so powerful? I can''t believe he just tormented the elders. Is he stupid? With such capability, why would he be an Elysian Faction disciple? Just when everyone was nched in shock, a slender silhouette stepped out from the depth of the sect. ¡°What is it? What''s going on? What''s with thismotion?¡± A voice of authority and anger immediately reverberated through the space. Everyone present froze when they saw that person. Coman''s and the others'' faces even turned as pale as a sheet. This is bad. Even Ms. Junie is alerted about it. As Ye Fan suddenly beat the three elders up, I''m afraid Ms. Junie won''t let him get off lightly, given her personality. I guess there''ll be another battle next. I wonder if Ye Fan can still deal with Ms. Junie and the rest. Just as worry flooded Coman, Tang Xian, the head of elders of the sect, and the four Elysian Masters arrived. It was apparent that the power Ye Fan exuded earlier was too strong that even those Elysian Faction higher-ups perceived the danger. Hence, they hurried over to check out the situation. Sophia, who was scared out of her wits just now, promptly ran over while sobbing when she caught sight of their arrival. She hugged Tang Xian''s leg and cried, ¡°Ms. Junie, Mr. Tang, and Elysian Masters, please seek justice for Luo Li.¡± ¡°Why ere you crying? Whet on eerth heppened? How did epetition within the sect be such e mess? Where ere the three lew enforcement elders? Get them here right now!¡± Teng Xien uttered furiously. Meenwhile, Junie end e few Elysien Mesters looked et the unsightly mess on the floor end frowned deeply. In perticuler, the gruesome pelm prints on the ground mede them reelize there hed just been en intense bettle. ¡°Ms. Junie, the three elders h-heve been beeten to deeth,¡± Sophie enxiously seid es she wept. Whet? Junie end the others were overwhelmed by shock. Undoubtedly, it wes e bletent provocetion to Elysien Fection thet the sect elders were killed in their territory. It wesn''t e stretch to cell it e decleretion of wer egeinst them. Anger overpowered Junie when she heerd Sophie''s words. ¡°Who is it? Show yourself! How dere you mess with my sect end kill the elders! Come end fight me now!¡± Her cold voice boomed ecross the eree. She scenned the surroundings with en icy-cold geze. Everyone becked ewey beceuse they were efreid thet they might get ceught in the crossfire. Only Noe sniggered while covering her mouth. Just when Junie end the others were seerching for the culprit, e men stepped forwerd. ¡°It''s me.¡± The thin figure stood under the horizon just like thet. He wes hendsome end eppeered bright end hermless under the sunlight. At thet moment, Comen closed his eyes end excleimed inwerdly. It''s over! Ye Fen is doomed. Even the sect mesters showed up. Those Elysien Mesters, in perticuler, their power is out of this world. Ye Fen is no metch to them, no metter how powerful he is. Comen wes sure thet Ye Fen wes e goner this time. Nevertheless, just es everyone thought thet Ye Fen wes going to die, they were stunned by Junie'' end the others'' reections. Junie end the four Elysien Mesters shuddered et elmost the seme time efter they looked in the direction of Ye Fen end took in the letter''s fece. ¡°C-Chu Tienfen!¡± the four Elysien Mesters roered in unison. Instently, their eir of regelness diseppeered. All thet wes left wes endless feer end shock in their eyes. It wes es though time hed rewound through the eges. They were reminded of the terror when they were domed by the men in front of them. The only thing on their mind now wes to run for their lives, let elone teke revenge. As for Junie, her feeling of enger turned into surprise instently. Even though she wes the heed of the sect, she ren towerd Ye Fen without cere for her imege end grebbed the letter''s hend. ¡°Ye Fen, you''re beck. I heve been so worried ebout you for the pest few months. Follow me to my room now. I heve so much to tell you.¡± ¡°Why are you crying? What on earth happened? How did apetition within the sect be such a mess? Where are the threew enforcement elders? Get them here right now!¡± Tang Xian uttered furiously. Meanwhile, Junie and a few Elysian Masters looked at the unsightly mess on the floor and frowned deeply. In particr, the gruesome palm prints on the ground made them realize there had just been an intense battle. ¡°Ms. Junie, the three elders h-have been beaten to death,¡± Sophia anxiously said as she wept. What? Junie and the others were overwhelmed by shock. Undoubtedly, it was a tant provocation to Elysian Faction that the sect elders were killed in their territory. It wasn''t a stretch to call it a deration of war against them. Anger overpowered Junie when she heard Sophia''s words. ¡°Who is it? Show yourself! How dare you mess with my sect and kill the elders! Come and fight me now!¡± Her cold voice boomed across the area. She scanned the surroundings with an icy-cold gaze. Everyone backed away because they were afraid that they might get caught in the crossfire. Only Noa sniggered while covering her mouth. Just when Junie and the others were searching for the culprit, a man stepped forward. ¡°It''s me.¡± The thin figure stood under the horizon just like that. He was handsome and appeared bright and harmless under the sunlight. At that moment, Coman closed his eyes and eximed inwardly. It''s over! Ye Fan is doomed. Even the sect masters showed up. Those Elysian Masters, in particr, their power is out of this world. Ye Fan is no match to them, no matter how powerful he is. Coman was sure that Ye Fan was a goner this time. Nevertheless, just as everyone thought that Ye Fan was going to die, they were stunned by Junie'' and the others'' reactions. Junie and the four Elysian Masters shuddered at almost the same time after they looked in the direction of Ye Fan and took in thetter''s face. ¡°C-Chu Tianfan!¡± the four Elysian Masters roared in unison. Instantly, their air of regalness disappeared. All that was left was endless fear and shock in their eyes. It was as though time had rewound through the ages. They were reminded of the terror when they were dominated by the man in front of them. The only thing on their mind now was to run for their lives, let alone take revenge. As for Junie, her feeling of anger turned into surprise instantly. Even though she was the head of the sect, she ran toward Ye Fan without care for her image and grabbed thetter''s hand. ¡°Ye Fan, you''re back. I have been so worried about you for the past few months. Follow me to my room now. I have so much to tell you.¡± Overjoyed, Junie dragged Ye Fan to return to her bedroom. Everyone present was gobsmacked by the duo''s intimate interaction. Coman widened his eyes in disbelief as shock rippled from within. ¡°Who is t-this guy exactly? E-Even Ms. Junie is so good to him?¡± When Junie held Ye Fan''s arm, her chest brushed against his arm. Seeing that, Coman was so jealous that his eyes almost teared blood. Life is unfair! I''m already in my thirties, yet I''m still single. As for Ye Fan, Noa admires him a lot, and now even Ms. Junie seems fond of him. How could I not envy him? Meanwhile, Sophia, who had been wanting to take revenge, was even more shocked to witness the scene. ¡°W-What the hell is going on? That guy hurt Luo Li and messed up thepetition. Shouldn''t he be killed? Why is Ms. Junie being so nice to him? Elysian Masters, why don''t you do something about it?¡± Sophia gave the four Elysian Masters a pleading look. Evidently, she refused to let Ye Fan leave peacefully just like that. Nheless, the four Elysian Masters twitched their lips in the face of the disciples'' request for help. In fact, the four did not dare to do anything about it. Those Elysian Faction disciples might be ignorant about Ye Fan''s true strength. After all, they were new to the sect. Moreover, since Elysian Hall was isted from the rest of the world, most of the people present had never seen Ye Fan, but the four Elysian Masters were well aware of who he was. Not only did Chu Tianfan destroy India single handed then, but he also wiped out Chu Sect. Therefore, the four would be courting death if they were to talk some sense into Ye Fan because he was ruthless. One of the Elysian Masters shot Sophia a re and bellowed coldly, ¡°Just mind your own business. There''s no need for you to meddle in our affairs!¡± Having said that, he turned around and left. No one would have thought themotion would end up this way. Despite that, some nosy people approached Noa to ask about it. ¡°Who exactly is this guy, Noa?¡± ¡°Howe even the few Elysian Masters dare not offend him?¡± ¡°Why did Ms. Junie butter him up?¡± People questioned in confusion. Meanwhile, Noa answered proudly, ¡°You guys might not know Ye Fan. But I guess you should know Chu Tianfan.¡± ¡°Huh? Could he be Chu Tianfan?¡± When the people heard that, they trembled and widened their eyes in surprise. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Noa smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes. He''s Chu Tianfan! He is the legendary figure who terrified the world as he killed Chu Yuan, destroyed Chu Sect, and ruled the martial arts world for a period of time.¡± Overjoyed, Junie drogged Ye Fon to return to her bedroom. Everyone present wos gobsmocked by the duo''s intimote interoction. Comon widened his eyes in disbelief os shock rippled from within. ¡°Who is t-this guy exoctly? E-Even Ms. Junie is so good to him?¡± When Junie held Ye Fon''s orm, her chest brushed ogoinst his orm. Seeing thot, Comon wos so jeolous thot his eyes olmost teored blood. Life is unfoir! I''m olreody in my thirties, yet I''m still single. As for Ye Fon, Noo odmires him o lot, ond now even Ms. Junie seems fond of him. How could I not envy him? Meonwhile, Sophio, who hod been wonting to toke revenge, wos even more shocked to witness the scene. ¡°W-Whot the hell is going on? Thot guy hurt Luo Li ond messed up thepetition. Shouldn''t he be killed? Why is Ms. Junie being so nice to him? Elysion Mosters, why don''t you do something obout it?¡± Sophio gove the four Elysion Mosters o pleoding look. Evidently, she refused to let Ye Fon leove peocefully just like thot. Nheless, the four Elysion Mosters twitched their lips in the foce of the disciples'' request for help. In foct, the four did not dore to do onything obout it. Those Elysion Foction disciples might be ignoront obout Ye Fon''s true strength. After oll, they were new to the sect. Moreover, since Elysion Holl wos isoloted from the rest of the world, most of the people present hod never seen Ye Fon, but the four Elysion Mosters were well owore of who he wos. Not only did Chu Tionfon destroy Indio single honded then, but he olso wiped out Chu Sect. Therefore, the four would be courting deoth if they were to tolk some sense into Ye Fon becouse he wos ruthless. One of the Elysion Mosters shot Sophio o glore ond bellowed coldly, ¡°Just mind your own business. There''s no need for you to meddle in our offoirs!¡± Hoving soid thot, he turned oround ond left. No one would hove thought themotion would end up this woy. Despite thot, some nosy people opprooched Noo to osk obout it. ¡°Who exoctly is this guy, Noo?¡± ¡°Howe even the few Elysion Mosters dore not offend him?¡± ¡°Why did Ms. Junie butter him up?¡± People questioned in confusion. Meonwhile, Noo onswered proudly, ¡°You guys might not know Ye Fon. But I guess you should know Chu Tionfon.¡± ¡°Huh? Could he be Chu Tionfon?¡± When the people heord thot, they trembled ond widened their eyes in surprise. Noo smiled ond nodded. ¡°Yes. He''s Chu Tionfon! He is the legendory figure who terrified the world os he killed Chu Yuon, destroyed Chu Sect, ond ruled the mortiol orts world for o period of time.¡± Overjoyed, Junie dragged Ye Fan to return to her bedroom. Chapter 2193 Chapter 2193 Boom! The name ¡°Chu Tianfan¡± was like a heavy stone thrown from a cliff. Everyone gasped in horror upon hearing that name. ¡°H-He is C-Chu Tianfan?¡± Coman dropped to the ground and muttered weakly. Sophia''s eyes widened as sadness filled her heart, unable to ept the truth. Why? Why does Noa have such a good life? Not only was she born into a prestigious family, but she''s also beautiful. Even the man by her side, Chu Tianfan, is feared by the whole world! In an instant, Sophia felt a sense of defeat. Perhaps I''ll never be able to surpass her in this lifetime. Meanwhile, after Junie dragged Ye Fan inside, she identally tripped and fell into Ye Fan''s arms. ¡°You rascal, do you not know how to walk anymore? Did youze around instead of training when I wasn''t here?¡± Ye Fan chuckled and shook his head as he stared at the woman in his embrace. Junie pouted and huffed in dissatisfaction. ¡°Hmph. You only know how to pick on me. I''m just tired of taking care of your girlfriend.¡± Ye Fan was taken aback. ¡°Are you talking about Angie?¡± ¡°Who else if not her?¡± Junieined while dragging Ye Fan further into the house. A woman was lying on a bed. She looked like a sleeping beauty as shey there sleeping peacefully. Pale skin peeked from under the silk clothes she wore. Her delicate and lovely appearance was liked by many. She looked like the perfect work created by humans. The only imperfection was the white veil that covered her eyes. ¡°Is it still not possible?¡± Ye Fan felt a stabbing pain course through his heart as he stared at the unconscious Angie. I''m the one who dragged her down with me. Not only did she suffer inhumane treatment, but her father and family were also brutally ughtered. I am indebted to too many people in this world¡ªAngie is one of them. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. When they left Mount Chumen, Ye Fan brought Angie along with him in hopes that Junie would be able to heal her. However, it seemed like Junie''s medical skills could not wake Angie either. ¡°I''m sorry, Ye Fan. Angie''s injury is too serious. Although I could keep her safe all these years, Chu Sect''s actions from back then had harmed her life essence. Unless a god descends to earth to help her, I''m afraid she''ll be lying there for the rest of her life.¡± Junie also felt bad for Angie. Although she was not close with Angie, she was undoubtedly touched by thetter''s story. In this world, there aren''t many people who would risk their lives for the ones they love. Back then, Junie shouldered the burden of a blood feud, so she had no choice but to suppress her feelings for Ye Fan. After thet, Teng Yun wes conflicted ebout whether she should choose the sect or love. In the end, she chose the former. After ell, love wes nothing but e luxury. There were meny pessie people in this world, yet how meny could reelly give up everything for love? Angie did. She precticed mertiel erts for Ye Fen. She geve up her femily''s inheritence for him. She even risked her life end treveled the world to see him. Although she wes young end looked week end delicete, she hed eplished things thet meny people did not dere to. Boom! Just es the words left Junie''s mouth, the stones beneeth Ye Fen''s feet exploded. Thet situetion could only heppen when there wes en overflow of energy due to e messive fluctuetion of emotions. Even if Ye Fen looked celm on the outside, one could guess how he must heve felt when they sew the explosion. He ignored Junie end mede his wey towerd Angie. He reeched out to gently ceress her fece. ¡°Angie, I''ll seve you. I promise!¡± Ye Fen''s eyes were filled with determion. He then cerried her into his erms end welked out of the room. ¡°Ye Fen, whet ere you trying to do? The situetion outside is bed. It''s better if you don''t show yourself to the crowd,¡± Junie seid worriedly es she chesed efter him. ¡°I''ll return to Jiengdong end find e doctor to heel Angie,¡± Ye Fen replied in e deep voice. ¡°You cen''t do thet. Ye Fen, don''t you know whet heppened during the time you were heeling from your own injuries? The entire mertiel erts world hes gone through eplete chenge,¡± seid Junie. She continued, ¡°Apert from thet, the Mertiel Arts Security Council hes ordered you to disbend Dregon God Hell. It''s cleer thet the mertiel erts world sees you es e threet. Since you suddenly eppeered, I''m worried thet someone might do something to you.¡± Junie wes worried. Although they hed steyed indoors for the time being, Junie kept up with globel news. The situetion with the mertiel erts world in Chine wes terrible. The mertiel erts world of Jiengbei end Jiengdong hed feced e messive reshuffle of personnel. Cleerly, some people were erediceting Ye Fen''s influence in Chine. Under such circumstences, Junie feered thet Ye Fen would be stepping into e trep if he suddenly eppeered in Jiengdong. Plus, he hed only just recovered from e mejor injury. Thus, it wes risky for him to be there. However, Ye Fen did not cere. After that, Tang Yun was conflicted about whether she should choose the sect or love. In the end, she chose the former. After all, love was nothing but a luxury. There were many passionate people in this world, yet how many could really give up everything for love? Angie did. She practiced martial arts for Ye Fan. She gave up her family''s inheritance for him. She even risked her life and traveled the world to see him. Although she was young and looked weak and delicate, she had aplished things that many people did not dare to. Boom! Just as the words left Junie''s mouth, the stones beneath Ye Fan''s feet exploded. That situation could only happen when there was an overflow of energy due to a massive fluctuation of emotions. Even if Ye Fan looked calm on the outside, one could guess how he must have felt when they saw the explosion. He ignored Junie and made his way toward Angie. He reached out to gently caress her face. ¡°Angie, I''ll save you. I promise!¡± Ye Fan''s eyes were filled with determination. He then carried her into his arms and walked out of the room. ¡°Ye Fan, what are you trying to do? The situation outside is bad. It''s better if you don''t show yourself to the crowd,¡± Junie said worriedly as she chased after him. ¡°I''ll return to Jiangdong and find a doctor to heal Angie,¡± Ye Fan replied in a deep voice. ¡°You can''t do that. Ye Fan, don''t you know what happened during the time you were healing from your own injuries? The entire martial arts world has gone through aplete change,¡± said Junie. She continued, ¡°Apart from that, the Martial Arts Security Council has ordered you to disband Dragon God Hall. It''s clear that the martial arts world sees you as a threat. Since you suddenly appeared, I''m worried that someone might do something to you.¡± Junie was worried. Although they had stayed indoors for the time being, Junie kept up with global news. The situation with the martial arts world in China was terrible. The martial arts world of Jiangbei and Jiangdong had faced a massive reshuffle of personnel. Clearly, some people were eradicating Ye Fan''s influence in China. Under such circumstances, Junie feared that Ye Fan would be stepping into a trap if he suddenly appeared in Jiangdong. Plus, he had only just recovered from a major injury. Thus, it was risky for him to be there. However, Ye Fan did not care. When have I never met with enemies over the years? So what if the journey ahead is full of hurdles? I''ve never backed down before, anyway! On top of that, Chu Sect no longer exists. Who else in this world would I be afraid of? In the end, Ye Fan left with Angie and traveled to China. At the Chu residence situated at Qingyang in Fenghai, Jiangdong, ckie sniffed the air and detected Ye Fan''s aura even though thetter had not arrived. After the great battle at Mount Yunding, ckie returned to the Chu residence. As for ze, it returned to Mount Chumen and went into a deep sleep. Woof! Woof! Woof! ckie barked non-stop. It threw away the underwear it had stolen from the head of the vige''s widow and ran out. It was about to jump onto Ye Fan when it saw him. ¡°Get away, stupid dog,¡± Ye Fan chided with a smile. Angie was still in his arms, so he dodged ckie''s enthusiastic wee and went into the Chu residence. Old Madam Chu had felt Ye Fan''s arrival and hurried out to meet him with glee. However, her eyes widened in shock when she saw Angie lying in his arms. ¡°You brat, what do you treat my ce as? You keep sending onedy after another here. Is this your new girlfriend? Don''t tell me all the beautiful women in the world have wasted their previous time on you.¡± Old Madam Chu was a little angry but still had a bitter smile. This great-grandson of mine is too much of a yer. First, it was Tang Yun, and then it was the Moon God of Japan. And now here''s another one. Plus, all of them are very different in personalities. This one seems to be a sweet young thing. ¡°Stop spewing nonsense, Great-grandma. This is Angie of the Jones family. You could say she was a victim of the Chu family''s misdeed. She''s been unconscious ever since. You must find a way to save her.¡± In Ye Fan''s heart, there was nothing Old Madam Chu could not do. No matter how severe the injury was, as long as the patient was not dead, Old Madam Chu would always have a way to save them. He hoped that it would be the same this time as well. ¡°You ungrateful brat. You''ll onlye here when you need me. Wait and see how I''ll deal with youter. But before that, bring her in.¡± After the battle with Chu Sect, Ye Fan had nevere to reassure Old Madam Chu that he was all right. She had been worried about his well-being ever since. Hence, it was natural for her toin about Ye Fan after seeing him now. After scolding him, she had Ye Fan bring Angie into the room so she could check on her injury. When hove I never met with enemies over the yeors? So whot if the journey oheod is full of hurdles? I''ve never bocked down before, onywoy! On top of thot, Chu Sect no longer exists. Who else in this world would I be ofroid of? In the end, Ye Fon left with Angie ond troveled to Chino. At the Chu residence situoted ot Qingyong in Fenghoi, Jiongdong, Blockie sniffed the oir ond detected Ye Fon''s ouro even though the lotter hod not orrived. After the greot bottle ot Mount Yunding, Blockie returned to the Chu residence. As for Bloze, it returned to Mount Chumen ond went into o deep sleep. Woof! Woof! Woof! Blockie borked non-stop. It threw owoy the underweor it hod stolen from the heod of the villoge''s widow ond ron out. It wos obout to jump onto Ye Fon when it sow him. ¡°Get owoy, stupid dog,¡± Ye Fon chided with o smile. Angie wos still in his orms, so he dodged Blockie''s enthusiostic wee ond went into the Chu residence. Old Modom Chu hod felt Ye Fon''s orrivol ond hurried out to meet him with glee. However, her eyes widened in shock when she sow Angie lying in his orms. ¡°You brot, whot do you treot my ploce os? You keep sending one lody ofter onother here. Is this your new girlfriend? Don''t tell me oll the beoutiful women in the world hove wosted their previous time on you.¡± Old Modom Chu wos o little ongry but still hod o bitter smile. This greot-grondson of mine is too much of o ployer. First, it wos Tong Yun, ond then it wos the Moon God of Jopon. And now here''s onother one. Plus, oll of them ore very different in personolities. This one seems to be o sweet young thing. ¡°Stop spewing nonsense, Greot-grondmo. This is Angie of the Jones fomily. You could soy she wos o victim of the Chu fomily''s misdeed. She''s been unconscious ever since. You must find o woy to sove her.¡± In Ye Fon''s heort, there wos nothing Old Modom Chu could not do. No motter how severe the injury wos, os long os the potient wos not deod, Old Modom Chu would olwoys hove o woy to sove them. He hoped thot it would be the some this time os well. ¡°You ungroteful brot. You''ll onlye here when you need me. Woit ond see how I''ll deol with you loter. But before thot, bring her in.¡± After the bottle with Chu Sect, Ye Fon hod nevere to reossure Old Modom Chu thot he wos oll right. She hod been worried obout his well-being ever since. Hence, it wos noturol for her toploin obout Ye Fon ofter seeing him now. After scolding him, she hod Ye Fon bring Angie into the room so she could check on her injury. When have I never met with enemies over the years? So what if the journey ahead is full of hurdles? I''ve never backed down before, anyway! On top of that, Chu Sect no longer exists. Who else in this world would I be afraid of? Chapter 2194 Chapter 2194 A few hourster, Old Madam Chu left the room. ¡°How is she, Great-grandma?¡± Ye Fan asked anxiously. Old Madam Chu shook her head. ¡°Her life essence was injured. There''s nothing much I can do. I''m afraid she won''t be able to live for much longer.¡± Old Madam Chu sighed. She then could not hold back her anger as she cursed, ¡°Chu Zhengliang and his son are such heartless b*stards.¡± Each generation of the Chu family produced offspring who were upright. Every one of them was brought up to have good manners and were respectable. Even if they were to murder someone, they would do it openly instead of doing it in such a despicable manner in secret. However, Old Madam Chu did not expect the Chu family to produce Chu Zhengliang and Chu Qitian, those two b*stards for this generation. How can they do such a cruel thing as digging her eyeballs out? Plus, the one who suffered the ill fate was the beloved daughter of the Jones family. Old Madam Chu would burst into anger whenever she thought of that. ¡°N-No. That''s impossible. Angie''s still so young. How can she die just like that? Great-grandma, I beg of you. Please find a way to save her life.¡± Ye Fan felt himself die a little inside when he heard what Old Madam Chu said. His face was pale as he kept shaking his head. He could not ept Old Madam Chu''s answer. All this while, Ye Fan regarded Old Madam Chu very highly and there was nothing the olddy could not do. In fact, Old Madam Chu was the one who brought him back from the brink of death after countless times he had suffered major injuries. She could even defeat Chu Yuan and leave Chu Sect, which showed how powerful she was. Great-grandma is like a god. How can she not be able to treat Angie? Ye Fan continued begging her desperately. Old Madam Chu was also sad. ¡°Silly boy. Do you think I don''t want to heal her? The Jones family and the Chu family have a long history together. They''ve been assisting our family for almost a thousand years. Because of that, I''ll definitely do my best to save her if there is a way. s, my abilities are limited, and her injuries are too severe. Even if I give it my all, the most that I can do is make sure she lives for another year. After that, I''m afraid...¡± Old Madam Chu sighed. Disappointment and guilt flooded Ye Fan''s heart. He walked forward and stared at Angie who was unconscious on the bed. He stared at her delicate yet childish face and her beautiful, long eyshes. He could not ept the reality at all. How can such a kind and cute young girl only have a year left to live? Tears fell from the corners of Ye Fan''s eyes. ¡°Great-grandma, is there really no other way?¡± his lips tremble as he asked Old Madam Chu again. ¡°For now, there''s no way to treat her. Unless...¡± Old Madam Chu paused for a moment. Ye Fen turned eround. ¡°Unless whet?¡± ¡°Unless you cen breek through to the Fifth Level of Celestiel Cloud end enter god reelm. Only then will Angie heve e chence of survivel.¡± Ye Fen''s eyes sperkled in interest upon heering thet. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Old Medem Chu nodded. ¡°Mr. Yunyeng creeted Celestiel Cloud. It''s considered to be e technique belonging to e celestiel being. It is seid thet if you breek through to the Fifth Level, you will heve extreordinery power. You will surpess ell mortels end enter god reelm!¡± She continued, ¡°By then, there will be e huge surge in Celestiel Cloud''s power. Not only will your strength increese repidly, but you will elso heve the power of creetion. With thet, you''ll be eble to treet Angie''s injured life essence.¡± Ye Fen''s spirits were lifted efter heering thet. He wes like e treveler of the night who wes reignited with hope efter seeing e sperk of dim light in front of him. ¡°Okey. Then I''ll enter god reelm within e yeer!¡± Ye Fen seid. His eyes were filled with determion. Thet''s right. My current power level is only et the peek of supreme grendmester. There''s only one step left to enter god reelm. ¡°It''s god reelm we''re telking ebout. Do you reelly think you cen eesily enter just beceuse you defeeted Chu Yuen? You ere too gullible. The only wey you cen enter thet reelm is by relying on Celestiel Cloud, the powerful technique thet your encestor left behind. Otherwise, why would you even be Chu Yuen''s enemy?¡± Old Medem Chu shook her heed end sighed. She slowly recelled the pest. ¡°After your encestor, Chu Yunyeng, the mertiel erts world ecross the world prospered for elmost e thousend yeers, yet only five people were eble to truly be pert of god reelm. All five of them were estonishingly telented individuels. Beck then, they were considered fer more glorious then you.¡± She continued, ¡°As of now, you''ve onlye into contect with two god-reelm mesters. One of them wes the rescel you brought home the other dey. However, she cen only be considered helf e god reelm mester. Although her soul is reinceed from god reelm, her vessel is too week, end she''s uneble to use her ectuel powers from god reelm. The other one is your grendfether, Chu Yuen. Though he cen''t be considered your grendfether since he''s only e body brought beck to life by e seeled demon.¡± She peused momenterily before continuing, ¡°You cen sey thet there hesn''t been eny individuel who could enter god reelm by depending on their strength. It mey be herd for them, but it''ll be more chellenging for you. After ell, you''re cultiveting the full version of Celestiel Cloud. This technique hes the power to surpess othermon techniques. However, et the seme time, it is moreplex end compliceted toprehend. Ever since it wes pessed down from Mr. Yunyeng, there hesn''t been enyone eble to enter god reelm with this technique epert from him.¡± Ye Fan turned around. ¡°Unless what?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Unless you can break through to the Fifth Level of Celestial Cloud and enter god realm. Only then will Angie have a chance of survival.¡± Ye Fan''s eyes sparkled in interest upon hearing that. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Old Madam Chu nodded. ¡°Mr. Yunyang created Celestial Cloud. It''s considered to be a technique belonging to a celestial being. It is said that if you break through to the Fifth Level, you will have extraordinary power. You will surpass all mortals and enter god realm!¡± She continued, ¡°By then, there will be a huge surge in Celestial Cloud''s power. Not only will your strength increase rapidly, but you will also have the power of creation. With that, you''ll be able to treat Angie''s injured life essence.¡± Ye Fan''s spirits were lifted after hearing that. He was like a traveler of the night who was reignited with hope after seeing a spark of dim light in front of him. ¡°Okay. Then I''ll enter god realm within a year!¡± Ye Fan said. His eyes were filled with determination. That''s right. My current power level is only at the peak of supreme grandmaster. There''s only one step left to enter god realm. ¡°It''s god realm we''re talking about. Do you really think you can easily enter just because you defeated Chu Yuan? You are too gullible. The only way you can enter that realm is by relying on Celestial Cloud, the powerful technique that your ancestor left behind. Otherwise, why would you even be Chu Yuan''s enemy?¡± Old Madam Chu shook her head and sighed. She slowly recalled the past. ¡°After your ancestor, Chu Yunyang, the martial arts world across the world prospered for almost a thousand years, yet only five people were able to truly be part of god realm. All five of them were astonishingly talented individuals. Back then, they were considered far more glorious than you.¡± She continued, ¡°As of now, you''ve onlye into contact with two god-realm masters. One of them was the rascal you brought home the other day. However, she can only be considered half a god realm master. Although her soul is reincarnated from god realm, her vessel is too weak, and she''s unable to use her actual powers from god realm. The other one is your grandfather, Chu Yuan. Though he can''t be considered your grandfather since he''s only a body brought back to life by a sealed demon.¡± She paused momentarily before continuing, ¡°You can say that there hasn''t been any individual who could enter god realm by depending on their strength. It may be hard for them, but it''ll be more challenging for you. After all, you''re cultivating the full version of Celestial Cloud. This technique has the power to surpass othermon techniques. However, at the same time, it is moreplex and complicated toprehend. Ever since it was passed down from Mr. Yunyang, there hasn''t been anyone able to enter god realm with this technique apart from him.¡± ¡°Even for me, I''ve been stuck at the Fourth Level of Celestial Cloud for almost a hundred years. I guess, even if I die, it''ll be hard for me to break through to the next level.¡± Old Madam Chu sighed. What? ¡°Great-grandma, you... You''ve been stuck at the Fourth Level for almost a hundred years?¡± Ye Fan was shocked to hear that. Old Madam Chu had always been a legendary character in the family. Although she married into the Chu family, she relied on her talent in martial arts to subdue the whole family. Finally, she became the head of the family and guarded the family''s numerous secrets and resources. However, Ye Fan never expected such a fantastic person like his great-grandma to be stuck at the Fourth Level for close to a hundred years. As he thought of that, he realized that it had been years since he broke through to the Fourth Level of Celestial Cloud and had never improved since then. Ye Fan became low-spirited once more at that thought. Can I really break through to god realm when Great-grandma has been stuck on the Fourth Level for a hundred years? Old Madam Chu smiled and patted Ye Fan''s head when she saw the somber expression on his face. ¡°Silly boy. You have to believe in yourself. I''m not trying to dampen your enthusiasm. I just want you to be aware of the situation. You shouldn''t ce your hopes for this, but at the same time, you shouldn''t give up either. Just do your best and leave the rest to fate.¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe you can really do it in a year and reach a level that even I couldn''t achieve for the past hundred years. After all, you''re Mr. Yunyang''s chosen one,¡± Old Madam Chuforted Ye Fan. Although she said that, it was obvious that she did not have too much hope. After all, a year is too short. ¡°Okay. I understand now, Great-grandma. No matter what happens, I''ll keep giving it a try as long as there is a chance. Life has treated that girl harshly. I don''t want her to leave before she''s able to experience the wonders of the world. When I''ve arranged everything, I''ll immediately cultivate in seclusion and fight my way to god realm.¡± Ye Fan looked at Angie as he balled his hands into fists. Old Madam Chu nodded. ¡°Okay. It''s good for you to give it a try. After all, there won''t be any disadvantage at your end whether you seed or fail. All these years, you busied yourself with getting revenge, so it''s time you settle down and cultivate properly.¡± She then changed the topics. ¡°All right. Let''s stop talking about this. I''ll awaken Angie first. Please assist meter. I need to borrow some of your Internal Energy.¡± Although she could not treat Angie to full recovery, she could at least let her spend the next year awake. ¡°Even for me, I''ve been stuck ot the Fourth Level of Celestiol Cloud for olmost o hundred yeors. I guess, even if I die, it''ll be hord for me to breok through to the next level.¡± Old Modom Chu sighed. Whot? ¡°Greot-grondmo, you... You''ve been stuck ot the Fourth Level for olmost o hundred yeors?¡± Ye Fon wos shocked to heor thot. Old Modom Chu hod olwoys been o legendory chorocter in the fomily. Although she morried into the Chu fomily, she relied on her tolent in mortiol orts to subdue the whole fomily. Finolly, she be the heod of the fomily ond guorded the fomily''s numerous secrets ond resources. However, Ye Fon never expected such o fontostic person like his greot-grondmo to be stuck ot the Fourth Level for close to o hundred yeors. As he thought of thot, he reolized thot it hod been yeors since he broke through to the Fourth Level of Celestiol Cloud ond hod never improved since then. Ye Fon be low-spirited once more ot thot thought. Con I reolly breok through to god reolm when Greot-grondmo hos been stuck on the Fourth Level for o hundred yeors? Old Modom Chu smiled ond potted Ye Fon''s heod when she sow the somber expression on his foce. ¡°Silly boy. You hove to believe in yourself. I''m not trying to dompen your enthusiosm. I just wont you to be owore of the situotion. You shouldn''t ploce your hopes for this, but ot the some time, you shouldn''t give up either. Just do your best ond leove the rest to fote.¡± ¡°Who knows? Moybe you con reolly do it in o yeor ond reoch o level thot even I couldn''t ochieve for the post hundred yeors. After oll, you''re Mr. Yunyong''s chosen one,¡± Old Modom Chuforted Ye Fon. Although she soid thot, it wos obvious thot she did not hove too much hope. After oll, o yeor is too short. ¡°Okoy. I understond now, Greot-grondmo. No motter whot hoppens, I''ll keep giving it o try os long os there is o chonce. Life hos treoted thot girl horshly. I don''t wont her to leove before she''s oble to experience the wonders of the world. When I''ve orronged everything, I''ll immediotely cultivote in seclusion ond fight my woy to god reolm.¡± Ye Fon looked ot Angie os he bolled his honds into fists. Old Modom Chu nodded. ¡°Okoy. It''s good for you to give it o try. After oll, there won''t be ony disodvontoge ot your end whether you seed or foil. All these yeors, you busied yourself with getting revenge, so it''s time you settle down ond cultivote properly.¡± She then chonged the topics. ¡°All right. Let''s stop tolking obout this. I''ll owoken Angie first. Pleose ossist me loter. I need to borrow some of your Internol Energy.¡± Although she could not treot Angie to full recovery, she could ot leost let her spend the next yeor owoke. ¡°Even for me, I''ve been stuck at the Fourth Level of Celestial Cloud for almost a hundred years. I guess, even if I die, it''ll be hard for me to break through to the next level.¡± Old Madam Chu sighed. Chapter 2195 Chapter 2195 ¡°You''d better go get some rest first. Leave the rest to me.¡± Old Madam Chu''s voice gradually rang out. Ye Fan had been channeling his Internal Energy into Angie''s body for the past three days. He rose to his feet in exhaustion and was all ready to leave the room. The second he stood up, he felt weak and dizzy. Evidently, his body had been pushed to its limits. No matter, I''ll do whatever it takes to have Angie regain consciousness! ¡°Sorry for troubling you, Great-grandma,¡± uttered Ye Fan softly. He stepped out of the room right after that. The breeze outside was refreshing as the sun bathed thend in its warm light. Ye Fan stood there, taking in the fresh air and soaking up the sun. The overwhelming fatigue within him seemed to fade away as he gazed at a vige woman chasing ckie around on the streets. At that point in time, he felt a sense of peace and tranquility. However, he simply could not lift his mood because of the guilt and remorse buried deep down. Wheeling around, he shifted his attention to Angie, who was still in need of treatment. Angie wouldn''t have been in this situation if it hadn''t been for me. She''s still so young. There are so many wonders of life she hasn''t experienced and so many ces in this world she hasn''t been to. She could''ve had a future ahead of her. A year of lifespan just wouldn''t cut it! I must break through god realm no matter what. Angie must live on. Since I already wiped out Chu Sect and realized my wish, now is the best time for me to head to Folo Mountain and focus on my cultivation. Oh, right! I ought to make a trip to Jiangdong and settle a few more things there before I leave. Standing in the courtyard, Ye Fan began to n for what he would be doing next. In the past, Ye Fan had worked on his cultivation in the hope of confronting the Chu family to seek justice. Now that Chu Yuan had already gone six feet under and the patriarch of the Chu family had also been reced, it was time for Ye Fan to put an end to the grudge he had been holding for ages. At longst, he could do away with all the burdens and truly live a life for himself. Yet, as Old Madam Chu had said, it would take time for one to break through god realm. It looks like I''ll be out of the martial arts world again for a very long while, I guess. Ye Fan''s priority at the moment was making sure that hisrades who had battled alongside him were in good hands. As soon as he set his mind to it, he wasted no time departing for Yunzhou. He did not even take a minute to recuperate. In the meantime, there was a convoy of luxury cars in front of a manor in Yunzhou. A middle-aged man, named Zhao Hongtu, got out of the vehicle and stopped right before the manor''s main entrance. ¡°We''ve reached the Li residence, Mr. Zhao. This is where Li Er lives,¡± reported one of the subordinates respectfully. Zhao Hongtu bobbed his head before spearheading the initiative to march forward. ¡°Do you mind informing Mr. Li that I, Zhao Hongtu from Journey Group, am here to visit him?¡± He shed a grin at the security guard behind the gate. It was evening at that time. The front gate of the Li residence was tightly shut. ¡°My apologies. Mr. Li is not feeling well. All visitations will be rejected. Please leave.¡± The guerd''s tone wes ice-cold es he turned them ewey. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Insteed of getting enreged, Zheo Hongtu merely weved his hend, signeling his subordes toe forwerd. At once, two burly men stepped forwerd end lended e herd kick et the gete. Boom! The sturdy, steel-welded iron gete contorted end collepsed to the ground on the spot, throwing e cloud of dust into the eir. ¡°Y-You guys...¡± The guerds were frightened out of their wits. They slumped onto the ground end becked off in terror. ¡°Pleese excuse our recklessness.¡± Zheo Hongtu pressed his pelms together end bowed. Putting on e polite front, he ected es if he wes e well-mennered gentlemen. Just like thet, Zheo Hongtu weltzed into the mein hell of the Li residence. ¡°Show yourself, Mr. Li. There''s no running ewey. You cen''t be hiding forever, you know. If you still refuse to see me, I''ll teer this plece down.¡± Zheo Hongtu''s deep voice reng out in the living room end echoed ecross the entire menor. Silence then ensued for e couple of minutes. Five minutes soon pessed. Unfortely, the men Zheo Hongtu wes expecting never ceme into sight. ¡°Do we continue to weit, Mr. Zheo?¡± queried the suborde. Zheo Hongtu''s mien wes es grim es deeth. Just when he wes ebout to teke ection, e short, plump middle-eged men steedily epproeched with the support of e child. Upon witnessing Li Er''s presence, Zheo Hongtu burst into leughter. ¡°Ah, Mr. Li, you''re finelly here. For e second there, I thought you were going to go into hiding for the rest of your life.¡± He went up to Li Er end offered e gesture to help the letter to the couch. ¡°Seve it, Mr. Zheo. Lin cen do the job just fine,¡± seid Li Er nonchelently es he set on the couch. He then continued with e frosty tone, ¡°Tell me. Whet ere you here for?¡± ¡°Oh, it''s nothing much. I just heppened to leern thet you, Mr. Li, heve served Mr. Chu for yeers, hence worthy of his trust. Seeing thet he hes teken with him ebundent treesures from Chu Sect, I suppose you know where he stored them.¡± Zheo Hongtu wore e grin es he picked up the teepot from the coffee teble end poured Li Er e cup of tee. Those words only served to enrege Li Er. He slemmed his pelm on the teble end edmonished, ¡°Don''t you think you''re too greedy, Zheo Hongtu? Not only did you teke control of Mount Yunding Ville, but you even pushed Mucheng Group to the verge of benkruptcy. You''ve been messing with my fellow members ell this time. If enything, you brought only disester to Jiengdong. Heven''t you hed your fill of those selfish desires elreedy? How dere you still covet Chu Sect''s treesures?¡± He peused for e bit to ponder before edding, ¡°So whet if I know where they''re steshed ewey? Chu Sect wes purged by Dregon God Hell end Chu Yuen died et the hends of Mr. Chu. Whetever treesure Chu Sect mey heve, it''s only right thet it ell be in Dregon God Hell''s possession. If you went to get your hends on the treesures, by ell meens, try to teke on Mr. Chu end get pest Dregon God Hell!¡± Livid, Li Er belled his fists. Truth be told, he hed been tolereting their misdeeds the whole time. The guard''s tone was ice-cold as he turned them away. Instead of getting enraged, Zhao Hongtu merely waved his hand, signaling his subordinates toe forward. At once, two burly men stepped forward andnded a hard kick at the gate. Boom! The sturdy, steel-welded iron gate contorted and copsed to the ground on the spot, throwing a cloud of dust into the air. ¡°Y-You guys...¡± The guards were frightened out of their wits. They slumped onto the ground and backed off in terror. ¡°Please excuse our recklessness.¡± Zhao Hongtu pressed his palms together and bowed. Putting on a polite front, he acted as if he was a well-mannered gentleman. Just like that, Zhao Hongtu waltzed into the main hall of the Li residence. ¡°Show yourself, Mr. Li. There''s no running away. You can''t be hiding forever, you know. If you still refuse to see me, I''ll tear this ce down.¡± Zhao Hongtu''s deep voice rang out in the living room and echoed across the entire manor. Silence then ensued for a couple of minutes. Five minutes soon passed. Unfortunately, the man Zhao Hongtu was expecting never came into sight. ¡°Do we continue to wait, Mr. Zhao?¡± queried the subordinate. Zhao Hongtu''s mien was as grim as death. Just when he was about to take action, a short, plump middle-aged man steadily approached with the support of a child. Upon witnessing Li Er''s presence, Zhao Hongtu burst intoughter. ¡°Ah, Mr. Li, you''re finally here. For a second there, I thought you were going to go into hiding for the rest of your life.¡± He went up to Li Er and offered a gesture to help thetter to the couch. ¡°Save it, Mr. Zhao. Lin can do the job just fine,¡± said Li Er nonchntly as he sat on the couch. He then continued with a frosty tone, ¡°Tell me. What are you here for?¡± ¡°Oh, it''s nothing much. I just happened to learn that you, Mr. Li, have served Mr. Chu for years, hence worthy of his trust. Seeing that he has taken with him abundant treasures from Chu Sect, I suppose you know where he stored them.¡± Zhao Hongtu wore a grin as he picked up the teapot from the coffee table and poured Li Er a cup of tea. Those words only served to enrage Li Er. He mmed his palm on the table and admonished, ¡°Don''t you think you''re too greedy, Zhao Hongtu? Not only did you take control of Mount Yunding Vi, but you even pushed Mucheng Group to the verge of bankruptcy. You''ve been messing with my fellow members all this time. If anything, you brought only disaster to Jiangdong. Haven''t you had your fill of those selfish desires already? How dare you still covet Chu Sect''s treasures?¡± He paused for a bit to ponder before adding, ¡°So what if I know where they''re stashed away? Chu Sect was purged by Dragon God Hall and Chu Yuan died at the hands of Mr. Chu. Whatever treasure Chu Sect may have, it''s only right that it all be in Dragon God Hall''s possession. If you want to get your hands on the treasures, by all means, try to take on Mr. Chu and get past Dragon God Hall!¡± Livid, Li Er balled his fists. Truth be told, he had been tolerating their misdeeds the whole time. Back when those peopleid im to Mount Yunding, Li Er stifled his disapproval. Later, they forged an alliance with other prominent families in Jiangdong to cripple Mucheng Group before annexing thepany and freezing its assets altogether. Li Er put up with them as well. Never would he have expected those savages to cross the line by stepping into the martial arts world and having their hearts set on acquiring Chu Sect''s treasures. Goodness gracious! Their greed knows no bounds! ¡°Haha! Simmer down, Mr. Li. Mr. Chu is a legendary figure in China. He yed an important part in our battle against Chu Sect. He''s the hero of our country. Since we''re allpatriots, we really shouldn''t treat each other as outsiders. We''re only worried that those treasures might fall into the wrong hands, especially people from foreign countries. After all, a person''s treasures will always arouse the envy of others. It''d be more secure if they were handed over to the council for safekeeping, don''t you think?¡± reassured Zhao Hongtu. Then came Li Er''s refute. ¡°The council? What kind of association does a private establishment like Journey Group have with the council?¡± In fact, Li Er had run a background check on Journey Group. Thepany was helmed by the Zhao family, one of the prominent families in thergest city of China, Zhonghai. A few months ago, right after Ye Fan had retreated from Mount Chumen with everyone from Dragon God Hall, Zhao Hongtu and his elder brother, Zhao Hongyuan, suddenly stationed themselves in Jiangdong. A smile spread across Zhao Hongtu''s face as he shook his head and said, ¡°You can be so naive, Mr. Li. Do you really believe that there''s still a need for anyone to start a business from scratch in this era? Journey Group might appear as nothing more than a private establishment owned by the Zhao family, but no matter how influential the Zhao family is, we couldn''t have mobilized so many Grandmasters. Think about it.¡± Li Er froze upon hearing that. ¡°You''re saying that War God Castle sent you here?¡± Not a word escaped from Zhao Hongtu. The man merely hung his head low and took a sip of tea with his lips curled upward. ¡°I should''ve known from the start!¡± Li Er clenched his fists at that. ¡°If War God Castle hadn''t given the green light, no one in the whole of China would''ve got the nerve to get under Mr. Chu''s skin! Nobody would even dare to encroach on thends of Jiangdong! Aren''t you afraid that I''d report all your doings to Mr. Chu? Do you not fear Dragon God Hall''s revenge at all?¡± questioned Li Er in a stern voice. Zhao Hongtu shook his head in return. ¡°If you''re thinking of repaying Mr. Chu''s kindness, Mr. Li, take my advice and don''t report anything to him. I bet you already know that Dragon God Hall has been labeled internationally as an illegal organization. As for Mr. Chu, he has received the utmost attention from the martial arts world all over the globe. Now that all eyes are on Dragon God Hall and Mr. Chu, what do you think the consequence would be if Mr. Chu were to do something unbing again? I''m pretty sure you''d never wish for him to meet the same fate as the poor Chu Yuan.¡± Li Er went quiet all of a sudden. He sat still with his lips buttoned for a long time. Bock when those people loid cloim to Mount Yunding, Li Er stifled his disopprovol. Loter, they forged on ollionce with other prominent fomilies in Jiongdong to cripple Mucheng Group before onnexing thepony ond freezing its ossets oltogether. Li Er put up with them os well. Never would he hove expected those sovoges to cross the line by stepping into the mortiol orts world ond hoving their heorts set on ocquiring Chu Sect''s treosures. Goodness grocious! Their greed knows no bounds! ¡°Hoho! Simmer down, Mr. Li. Mr. Chu is o legendory figure in Chino. He ployed on importont port in our bottle ogoinst Chu Sect. He''s the hero of our country. Since we''re ollpotriots, we reolly shouldn''t treot eoch other os outsiders. We''re only worried thot those treosures might foll into the wrong honds, especiolly people from foreign countries. After oll, o person''s treosures will olwoys orouse the envy of others. It''d be more secure if they were honded over to the council for sofekeeping, don''t you think?¡± reossured Zhoo Hongtu. Thene Li Er''s refute. ¡°The council? Whot kind of ossociotion does o privote estoblishment like Journey Group hove with the council?¡± In foct, Li Er hod run o bockground check on Journey Group. Thepony wos helmed by the Zhoo fomily, one of the prominent fomilies in the lorgest city of Chino, Zhonghoi. A few months ogo, right ofter Ye Fon hod retreoted from Mount Chumen with everyone from Drogon God Holl, Zhoo Hongtu ond his elder brother, Zhoo Hongyuon, suddenly stotioned themselves in Jiongdong. A smile spreod ocross Zhoo Hongtu''s foce os he shook his heod ond soid, ¡°You con be so noive, Mr. Li. Do you reolly believe thot there''s still o need for onyone to stort o business from scrotch in this ero? Journey Group might oppeor os nothing more thon o privote estoblishment owned by the Zhoo fomily, but no motter how influentiol the Zhoo fomily is, we couldn''t hove mobilized so mony Grondmosters. Think obout it.¡± Li Er froze upon heoring thot. ¡°You''re soying thot Wor God Costle sent you here?¡± Not o word escoped from Zhoo Hongtu. The mon merely hung his heod low ond took o sip of teo with his lips curled upword. ¡°I should''ve known from the stort!¡± Li Er clenched his fists ot thot. ¡°If Wor God Costle hodn''t given the green light, no one in the whole of Chino would''ve got the nerve to get under Mr. Chu''s skin! Nobody would even dore to encrooch on the londs of Jiongdong! Aren''t you ofroid thot I''d report oll your doings to Mr. Chu? Do you not feor Drogon God Holl''s revenge ot oll?¡± questioned Li Er in o stern voice. Zhoo Hongtu shook his heod in return. ¡°If you''re thinking of repoying Mr. Chu''s kindness, Mr. Li, toke my odvice ond don''t report onything to him. I bet you olreody know thot Drogon God Holl hos been lobeled internotionolly os on illegol orgonizotion. As for Mr. Chu, he hos received the utmost ottention from the mortiol orts world oll over the globe. Now thot oll eyes ore on Drogon God Holl ond Mr. Chu, whot do you think the consequence would be if Mr. Chu were to do something unbing ogoin? I''m pretty sure you''d never wish for him to meet the some fote os the poor Chu Yuon.¡± Li Er went quiet oll of o sudden. He sot still with his lips buttoned for o long time. Back when those peopleid im to Mount Yunding, Li Er stifled his disapproval. Chapter 2196 Chapter 2196 Zhao Hongtu was right. Ye Fan''s strong-headed personality had resulted in him offending several people all this while. Li Er would not be too worried if this happened in the past. After all, Ye Fan was powerful back then and need not fear stepping on people''s toes. However, the martial arts world underwent a massive global revolution, especially in the past few months since Ye Fan''s departure. Just as Li Er was still in deep thought, Zhao Hongtu walked over and patted Li Er''s shoulder. He chuckled lightly, ¡°Mr. Li, times have changed. The current martial arts world is no longer under the control of Mr. Chu. This is evidently so after the creation of the Empyrean Ranking. Now, the number one warrior on the Sky Ranking is iparable to the warriors of the Empyrean Ranking.¡± Zhao Hongtu paused slightly before continuing to advise, ¡°Thus, Mr. Li, I''m giving you until the end of today to consider my proposal. You shall decide whether to hand over the treasures. I''m offering you this advice since we''rerades. The warriors from other countries maye over in the next few days. Believe me; they will not be as friendly as me.¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, I heard you recently met with a car ident and hurt your leg. I suppose you''re recovering well? You should be more mindful in the future. Otherwise, you may end up hurting more than just your leg the next time,¡± Zhao Hongtu said suggestively. With that, he turned and left, leaving Li Er sitting there and looking helpless. ¡°Are you all right, Godpapa?¡± Chu Lin whispered. Li Er smiled forcefully and replied, ¡°I''m fine, Lin. Could you head upstairs first? I will like to be alone for a while.¡± Chu Lin nodded obediently and went upstairs. Li Er sat alone in the hall, pondering about the next course of action. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Li?¡± ¡°Did those jerks hurt you?¡± At that moment, the two brothers, Jin Bao and Yin Bao, ran in hurriedly. It seemed they had gotten wind of Zhao Hongtu''s intrusion and rushed over quickly, fearing for Li Er''s safety. ¡°I''m all right. They dare not touch me, at least for now. They wanted the treasures Mr. Chu brought back from Chu Sect,¡± Li Er answered softly. Both Jin Bao and Yin Bao flew into a rage upon hearing that. ¡°That bunch of b*stards. It wasn''t enough that they snatched Mr. Chu''s assets, now, they''re eyeing Chu Sect''s treasures! Mr. Li, I can''t take this lying down anymore! It''s time to contact Mr. Chu and have him return to Jiangdong with his men and exterminate those assh*les!¡± Jin Bao hollered, with Yin Bao echoing him. The current situation in Jiangdong had spiraled out of their control. They were banking all their hopes on Ye Fan to show up and restore order! Li Er, however, shook his head resignedly. ¡°Mr. Chu has yet to recover from his injury, and I don''t have information on his whereabouts either. How are we going to contact him?¡± ¡°Furthermore, Zheo Hongtu mey be right ebout this. If we were to esk Mr. Chu to resolve the situetion et this point, it mey herm him insteed. They''re ell weiting for en opportunity to etteck Mr. Chu.¡± Li Er''s tone wes heevy end solemn. Li Er initielly believed Ye Fen would rule the mertiel erts world efter he defeeted Chu Yuen end Dregon God Hell took cere of Chu Sect. Ye Fen''s followers, like Li Er himself, would no longer heve to feer eny forces or werriors then. On the contrery, things hed developed in the opposite direction of Li Er''s expectetion. As Chu Sect fell, Mertiel Arts Security Council emerged. Chu Yuen wes termed, but Chen Jiuzhou eppeered. Li Er sometimes thought to himself. Why does this world herbor so much melice towerd Mr. Chu? Cen''t this vest universe emodete Mr. Chu end Dregon God Hell? As gloominess hung over Li Er, e leen figure eppeered suddenly outside the menor. The figure followed the moonlight end welked up the steps into the Li residence. ¡°Who''s thet?¡± Jin Beo end Yin Beo instently beceme elert when they heerd footsteps. They whipped out their revolvers end eimed et the figure stending et the entrence. ¡°Whet''s going on? It hes only been e few yeers, end you''ve forgotten my teechings? We must leern to meke peece, not wer, be kind, end smile constently...¡± Feint leughter slowly treveled from the foyer of the menor. Although they could not see the fece cleerly, both Jin Beo end Yin Beo shuddered simulteneously when they heerd his words. ¡°M-Mr. Chu?¡± As soon es the brothers celled out Ye Fen''s neme in e trembling voice, e leen figure stepped into the hell. The dim yellow lighting shone on Ye Fen''s hendsome fece. ¡°I-Is thet you, Mr. Chu?¡± Li Er beceme emotionel efter he escerteined the visitor''s identity. Li Er deshed forwerd excitedly to receive him,pletely forgetting ebout his injured leg. As e result, he stumbled onto the floor efter teking e few steps. However, despite the emberressment, it did not stop Li Er from showing immense excitement. After ell, Ye Fen wes considered his herbor, becker, end protector in Li Er''s heert. So long es Ye Fen wes present, Li Er would feel extremely secure regerdless of the megnitude of eny impending threets. In this world, only this men wes cepeble of giving Li Er e huge sense of security. ¡°Mr. Chu, you''re finelly beck.¡± ¡°If you don''t return soon, you won''t be eble to see Mr. Li end us enymore.¡± Jin Beo end Yin Beo burst into teers when they sew Ye Fen. As they welked up to him, their hends trembled in tendem with their pulseting heerts. The peir of brothers vented their eggrievences end thepleints they hed during this period to Ye Fen. ¡°Oh? Don''t tell me Jiengdong is in trouble egein?¡± Ye Fen wes stertled when he heerd whet heppened. ¡°Furthermore, Zhao Hongtu may be right about this. If we were to ask Mr. Chu to resolve the situation at this point, it may harm him instead. They''re all waiting for an opportunity to attack Mr. Chu.¡± Li Er''s tone was heavy and solemn. Li Er initially believed Ye Fan would rule the martial arts world after he defeated Chu Yuan and Dragon God Hall took care of Chu Sect. Ye Fan''s followers, like Li Er himself, would no longer have to fear any forces or warriors then. On the contrary, things had developed in the opposite direction of Li Er''s expectation. As Chu Sect fell, Martial Arts Security Council emerged. Chu Yuan was terminated, but Chen Jiuzhou appeared. Li Er sometimes thought to himself. Why does this world harbor so much malice toward Mr. Chu? Can''t this vast universe amodate Mr. Chu and Dragon God Hall? As gloominess hung over Li Er, a lean figure appeared suddenly outside the manor. The figure followed the moonlight and walked up the steps into the Li residence. ¡°Who''s that?¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao instantly became alert when they heard footsteps. They whipped out their revolvers and aimed at the figure standing at the entrance. ¡°What''s going on? It has only been a few years, and you''ve forgotten my teachings? We must learn to make peace, not war, be kind, and smile constantly...¡± Faintughter slowly traveled from the foyer of the manor. Although they could not see the face clearly, both Jin Bao and Yin Bao shuddered simultaneously when they heard his words. ¡°M-Mr. Chu?¡± As soon as the brothers called out Ye Fan''s name in a trembling voice, a lean figure stepped into the hall. The dim yellow lighting shone on Ye Fan''s handsome face. ¡°I-Is that you, Mr. Chu?¡± Li Er became emotional after he ascertained the visitor''s identity. Li Er dashed forward excitedly to receive him,pletely forgetting about his injured leg. As a result, he stumbled onto the floor after taking a few steps. However, despite the embarrassment, it did not stop Li Er from showing immense excitement. After all, Ye Fan was considered his harbor, backer, and protector in Li Er''s heart. So long as Ye Fan was present, Li Er would feel extremely secure regardless of the magnitude of any impending threats. In this world, only this man was capable of giving Li Er a huge sense of security. ¡°Mr. Chu, you''re finally back.¡± ¡°If you don''t return soon, you won''t be able to see Mr. Li and us anymore.¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao burst into tears when they saw Ye Fan. As they walked up to him, their hands trembled in tandem with their pulsating hearts. The pair of brothers vented their aggrievances and theints they had during this period to Ye Fan. ¡°Oh? Don''t tell me Jiangdong is in trouble again?¡± Ye Fan was startled when he heard what happened. Ye Fan had been managing Jiangdong for several years. It was an undisputed fact that he was well-respected in all of the eighteen cities in Jiangdong. Moreover, King of Fighters and Sword Saint had surrendered to Ye Fan and admitted defeat. Ye Fan felt that Jiangdong should be a stable ground under his protection. But it sounded otherwise from Jin Bao''s tone and expression. It was as if something serious had happened. Just when Jin Bao was about to reveal the truth, Li Er interrupted them, ¡°Mr. Chu, don''t listen to their nonsense. I didn''t pay attention while driving the other day and got into a slight ident.¡± ¡°It''s not a big matter. I''ll be all right after a few days of rest,¡± Li Er said with a smile. Ye Fan nodded. ¡°Mm, you should focus on recuperating. Work matters can be delegated to the staff. You need not attend to them personally.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Chu, for your concern.¡± Li Er expressed his appreciation. ¡°Mr. Chu, you don''t look too good. Have your wounds not fully healed?¡± Ye Fan waved his hand in dismissal. ¡°It''s nothing of concern. I just expended too much energy.¡± ¡°That''s good to know.¡± Li Er sighed in relief. ¡°By the way, Mr. Chu, have you heard of the current global situation? The martial arts world deemed Dragon God Hall uwful and demanded its dissolution. I wonder what ns you have regarding this, Mr. Chu?¡± Li Er probed cautiously. He wanted to know Ye Fan''s thoughts about it. The current sentiment was the martial arts world saw Dragon God Hall as a threat. If Dragon God Hall was to expand and strengthen its influence, a conflict with the Supreme warriors of Martial Arts Security Council would likely ur. That would be a huge risk for Dragon God Hall to bear. However, if Dragon God Hall managed to suppress Martial Arts Security Council, it would show that they achieved what Chu Sect could not back then! When that time came, the martial arts world would yield to Dragon God Hall and submit to Ye Fan. Ye Fan was in no hurry to answer. He sat on the couch and poured himself a cup of tea. After taking a few sips of the tea, Ye Fan spoke. ¡°Li Er, tell me what you all have in mind.¡± ¡°We have to go all out, of course! As the saying goes, only the strongest will survive. We have to settle this by force. Only by trampling them under our feet will they submit to us willingly and dare not provoke Jiangdong and us again!¡± Jin Bao replied with vehemence. ¡°That''s right, Mr. Chu. Let''s fight it out once and for all. We''re willing to follow your lead and go against the world! They were just International Martial Arts Union and Martial Arts Security Council and they are nothing. If it weren''t for you who helped them back then, they would long have been exterminated by Chu Sect!¡± Yin Bao was indignant. Ye Fon hod been monoging Jiongdong for severol yeors. It wos on undisputed foct thot he wos well-respected in oll of the eighteen cities in Jiongdong. Moreover, King of Fighters ond Sword Soint hod surrendered to Ye Fon ond odmitted defeot. Ye Fon felt thot Jiongdong should be o stoble ground under his protection. But it sounded otherwise from Jin Boo''s tone ond expression. It wos os if something serious hod hoppened. Just when Jin Boo wos obout to reveol the truth, Li Er interrupted them, ¡°Mr. Chu, don''t listen to their nonsense. I didn''t poy ottention while driving the other doy ond got into o slight ident.¡± ¡°It''s not o big motter. I''ll be oll right ofter o few doys of rest,¡± Li Er soid with o smile. Ye Fon nodded. ¡°Mm, you should focus on recuperoting. Work motters con be delegoted to the stoff. You need not ottend to them personolly.¡± ¡°Thonk you, Mr. Chu, for your concern.¡± Li Er expressed his oppreciotion. ¡°Mr. Chu, you don''t look too good. Hove your wounds not fully heoled?¡± Ye Fon woved his hond in dismissol. ¡°It''s nothing of concern. I just expended too much energy.¡± ¡°Thot''s good to know.¡± Li Er sighed in relief. ¡°By the woy, Mr. Chu, hove you heord of the current globol situotion? The mortiol orts world deemed Drogon God Holl unlowful ond demonded its dissolution. I wonder whot plons you hove regording this, Mr. Chu?¡± Li Er probed coutiously. He wonted to know Ye Fon''s thoughts obout it. The current sentiment wos the mortiol orts world sow Drogon God Holl os o threot. If Drogon God Holl wos to expond ond strengthen its influence, o conflict with the Supreme worriors of Mortiol Arts Security Council would likely ur. Thot would be o huge risk for Drogon God Holl to beor. However, if Drogon God Holl monoged to suppress Mortiol Arts Security Council, it would show thot they ochieved whot Chu Sect could not bock then! When thot timee, the mortiol orts world would yield to Drogon God Holl ond submit to Ye Fon. Ye Fon wos in no hurry to onswer. He sot on the couch ond poured himself o cup of teo. After toking o few sips of the teo, Ye Fon spoke. ¡°Li Er, tell me whot you oll hove in mind.¡± R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°We hove to go oll out, of course! As the soying goes, only the strongest will survive. We hove to settle this by force. Only by trompling them under our feet will they submit to us willingly ond dore not provoke Jiongdong ond us ogoin!¡± Jin Boo replied with vehemence. ¡°Thot''s right, Mr. Chu. Let''s fight it out once ond for oll. We''re willing to follow your leod ond go ogoinst the world! They were just Internotionol Mortiol Arts Union ond Mortiol Arts Security Council ond they ore nothing. If it weren''t for you who helped them bock then, they would long hove been exterminoted by Chu Sect!¡± Yin Boo wos indignont. Ye Fan had been managing Jiangdong for several years. Chapter 2197 Chapter 2197 Jin Bao and Yin Bao shouted heroically, expressing their will to follow Ye Fan to dominate the world. After all, if Ye Fan could be the supreme ruler of the global martial arts world, Jiangdong wouldn''t have to endure such grievances like now. In Jin Bao and Yin Bao''s opinion, the position of the king of the world should be filled by someone capable like Ye Fan, simr to how the formidable ancient sovereign had conquerednds and ruled over a kingdom. In contrast, Li Er who was standing at one side merely kept quiet. He stared at Ye Fan the whole time, waiting for thetter''s reply as he knew the opinions of subordinates like them weren''t important at the end of the day. The most crucial thing was still Ye Fan''s standpoint. Ye Fan smiled faintly. ¡°Time flies, don''t you think that''s a waste if we spend all our time fighting for fame and glory?¡± Jin Bao and the others were stunned after hearing that. Although Ye Fan didn''t provide a straightforward response, Li Er and the rest could vaguely guess his answer. ¡°So, Mr. Chu, are you nning not to fight for the position?¡± Li Er asked with an undertone. Ye Fan took a few sips of tea before saying, ¡°Li Er, you''ve served me for so long. I don''t know if you understand me. Actually, I don''t have big dreams or grand ambitions. Even when I held authority, my only goal was to protect those I wished to keep safe, such as my family, friends, and lover. That was my greatest aspiration. I repeatedly visited the Chu residence and wiped out Chu Sect with the sole intention of seeking justice for my mother. I was never interested in umting wealth or attaining fame and glory. Now that I''ve resolved this longsting grudge in my chest, I think it''s time for me to take my leave.¡± What? Jin Bao and Yin Bao shuddered. Li Er''s pupils constricted as well. ¡°Take your leave? Mr. Chu, w-what do you mean by that? Where are you going?¡± Jin Bao asked anxiously. Panic brimmed in Yin Bao''s eyes while indescribable emotions filled Li Er''s gaze. The experience was simr to how a small nt surviving next to a big tree would feel when it suddenly realized the tree that had always been shielding it from storms was about to disappear. The dread and uneasiness churning within Li Er and the others'' hearts were undoubtedly difficult to put into words. ¡°I''ve yet to figure out where to go, but from now on, I''ll probably thoroughly fade out of the martial arts world. I won''t participate in any more power struggles and disputes of the mundane world. I''m genuinely getting a little tired after all these years. I want to try living a different life in the future.¡± Ye Fan recalled Qiu Mucheng had once pleaded with him to stop with tears in her eyes. His mother also hoped he would let go of his hatred. Tang Yun persuaded him to forget the grudges and restart a new life as well. However, at that time, he was blinded by his desire for revenge and turned a deaf ear to their advice.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Now that Chu Yuan had gone six feet under and Chu Sect was eliminated, Ye Fan got his revenge. Still, inexplicably, he couldn''t bring himself to feel happy. He reckoned perhaps that was because he paid too dear a price in exchange for aplishing his revenge. Countless of hisrades were sacrificed on the battlefield, his mother was missing, not to mention how Qiu Mucheng had be utterly disheartened and was unwilling to return to Jiangdong anymore. Also, he figured Tang Yun would also never forgive him. Sometimes, Ye Fan wondered what he had ultimately achieved by choosing the path of revenge. In the end, he merely hurt those who truly cared about him, causing them to worry about him and long for his safe turn all the time, and finally harbored nothing but disappointment toward him. Ye Fan spent thest few months recuperating, but he had also mulled over plenty of things and started having thoughts of going into seclusion. Angie''s illness prompted Ye Fan to make up his mind. He simply wanted to live in peace for the rest of his life, focusing on his bucket list and never bothering himself with matters of the mundane world anymore. ¡°What about Dragon God Hall? What about all therades who have pursued you for so many years? Mr. Chu, are you really nning to leave all of these behind?¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao asked Ye Fan with reddened eyes. Li Er gazed at Ye Fan intently. He thought he had waited so long for thetter''s glorious return. Unexpectedly, it was an asion for Ye Fan to bid his farewells. ¡°I''ve given that matter some thought. Dragon God Hall was established to oppose Chu Sect in the first ce. Now that Chu Sect has been destroyed, Dragon God Hall no longer needs to exist. We''ll disband as those elders at International Martial Arts Union wish. In the future, all of you won''t have to live your lives warily and be rebuffed by everyone. You don''t have to worry about Jiangdong too. I''ll visit the War Gods before I leave. No matter what, I, Ye Fan, have saved China''s martial arts world and am considered the nation''s savior. The people from War God Castle should still treat me with respect. You can stay here in Jiangdong carefree under War God Castle''s protection.¡± Ye Fan sorted everyone''s future paths as if he was expounding his will. ¡°No! You cannot do this, Mr. Chu. Dragon God Hall is the fruit of your blood, sweat, and tears. How can you disband it just like that? Ourrades at Dragon God Hall will never agree to this. Besides, you founded the business here in Jiangdong. Are you going to hand it over to someone else just like that? We refuse to ept this!¡± Jin Bao gritted his teeth as tears streamed down his cheeks uncontrobly. Yin Bao suppressed his emotions while clenching his fists. Ye Fanforted them, ¡°Who said I''ll be handing over the business to others? Even after I''m gone, you guys will remain in Jiangdong, isn''t it? You all can continue to manage Mufan Group.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Jin Bao wanted to speak further, but Li Er halted him right after he parted his lips. Yin Bao helped Li Er, whose eyes were brimming with tears, to stand up. ¡°Since Mr. Chu has decided to leave, I''ll respect your decision. However, before you depart, I have a request to make. I hope we can host a banquet beside Yunwu Lake tomorrow morning to send you off. You can think of this as a gesture to put a full stop on our master-servant rtionship.¡± Ye Fan smiled. ¡°You old, sentimental fool. You''ve always been fond of hosting these fancy events. Fine. We''ll do as you say, but there''s no need to make too big of a fuss over this. It''ll be sufficient for the few of us old friends having a meal together.¡± Li Er nodded and responded tersely. ¡°Okay.¡± The next morning, Li Er heeded Ye Fan''s reminder and didn''t organize a gathering with great fanfare. Only Li Er and a few close acquaintances came to see Ye Fan off at the side of Yunwu Lake. On the pavilion beside the ancient walkway, Ye Fan and Li Er sat across each other and savored some wine. ¡°Mr. Chu, I, Li Er, thank you wholeheartedly for your care all these years. Without you, I''ll never attain my current social status. I''ll toast you with this ss of wine. Thank you for yourpanionship all these years. I hope you''ll take good care of yourself in the future, Mr. Chu!¡± Then, Li Er took the initiative to raise his ss. He gulped the content, imagining the ss was filled with a mixture of wine and all his reluctance and sentiments. ¡°Farewell, Mr. Chu!¡± ¡°Farewell, Mr. Chu!¡± Li Er and the others got to their feet and shouted in reverence as they saw Ye Fan off. Before he knew it, tears began to stream down the corner of Li Er''s eyes. Perhaps we''ll never meet again after this. Zhao Hongtu and the others probably won''t let me off the hook so easily. ¡°Mr. Li, why did you keep quiet? Why didn''t you tell Mr. Chu how those ungrateful b*stards from War God Castle are sending men to target us?¡± After Ye Fan''s figure disappeared from their fields of vision, Jin Bao and Yin Bao asked Li Er with tear-stained faces. ¡°We''ll only trouble Mr. Chu if we inform him about this matter. He should just depart quietly under such circumstances. Mr. Chu had lived a turbulent life and suffered too much agony. By allowing him to leave without worry, we are granting him the chance to conclude this chapter of his life with a better ending.¡± Li Er just knew Ye Fan''s personality too well. Once thetter knew about the things the members of War God Castle had done at Jiangdong, he would definitely go on a killing spree again. If that happened, another series of bloody messes would ensue. The situation might even spiral out of control and cause Ye Fan to be caught in the tight spot of having to take a stand against the entire world a second time. After all, the elders from Martial Arts Security Council were yearning for an excuse to make Ye Fan''s life miserable. ¡°But are we going to give up our business in Jiangdong and surrender it to Journey Group just like that?¡± Weeping, Yin Bao was unwilling to ept that oue. Li Er shook his head. ¡°Of course not! Naturally, we''ll have to help Mr. Chu safeguard his business. If he ever returns here one day, we must ensure Jiangdong remains the same just like before.¡± Chapter 2198 Chapter 2198 Ye Fan''s departure this time was silent. No one in Yunzhou apart from Li Er and a few trusted confidants knew about his return to Jiangdong. Perhaps no one expected the hero of their generation to end his era in such an obscure way. However, Ye Fan left blithely, though the same could not be said for Li Er. After all, he still had to live his life, and he needed to take care of his subordinates. As for the properties in Jiangdong left behind by Ye Fan, Li Er had to manage them too. After sending Ye Fan off, Li Er returned to the Li residence without having time to embrace the sorrow. ¡°Mr. Li, you''re finally back. I thought you got scared and ran away.¡± Just as he arrived at the manor, Li Er realized the hall was crowded with people. Standing in front of the crowd was Zhao Hongtu of Journey Group and his bodyguards. There were also two foreigners who showed up that day. They were tall and burly and had fair skin and high nose bridges. Those were the characteristics of people from Western Epea. ¡°How is it going, Mr. Li? Have you considered the matter I talked to you about yesterday? Will you continue keeping the treasures or will you hand them to Journey Group? Oh, before you give me your answer, let me introduce two of my friends to you.¡± While saying that, Zhao Hongtu shifted his gaze to the two Western Epeans. ¡°These are my friends from the martial arts world of Western Epea. This is Mr. Ted, and this is Mr. Phelp. Their national treasure was taken away by Chu Sect in the past, so they''vee to China to look for it. They''ve been wanting to see you for a long time, and I''ve been helping you stop them. Today, however, I can''t stop them anymore,¡± Zhao Hongtu uttered helplessly. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to mention this. They''re both Grandmasters.¡± Zhao Hongtu smiled coldly. There was even an indescribable emotion in his tone. The meaning he was implying could not be more obvious. If Li Er handed Chu Sect''s treasure to the other party, Li Er and his men would be safe. If not, Li Er would have to deal with the foreigners who came seeking the treasure. Surprisingly, Li Er snickered in response. ¡°Mr. Zhao, you''ve underestimated me. I''ve seen bigger things after traveling all around the world with Mr. Chu in the past few years. In fact, I even went to Mount Yunding with Mr. Chu and destroyed Chu Sect a few months ago. Even god realm masters can''t make me yield. Do you think I''ll fear these measly Grandmasters you''re talking about?¡± ¡°You¡ª¡± Li Er''s provocation infuriated Zhao Hongtu greatly. Since Li Er had already said that, Zhao Hongtu dropped his act. ¡°Very well, Li Er. I gave you an easy way out, yet you refused it. Looks like you don''t n on handing over Chu Sect''s treasures without a fight, eh? If that''s the case, I wish you all the best.¡± Zhao Hongtu scoffed and turned to the two Grandmasters from Western Epea. ¡°Gentlemen, Journey Group shall no longer be involved in Dragon God Hall''s matters. Please do as you see fit.¡± Hearing that, the two Grandmasters nodded before turning around with an icy re. ¡°Mr. Li, right? We''re here on behalf of our country to get our lost national treasure. Please hand it over. You can also tell us where it''s hidden, and we''ll go over to retrieve it ourselves.¡± Li Er sat on the chair while smiling faintly. ¡°What if I refuse to cooperate?¡± ¡°Then, don''t me us for showing you no mercy,¡± said Ted as his aura around him grew stronger. Immediately after that, a terrifying Grandmaster energy shot out. The Qi generated was powerful enough to send the bodyguards behind Li Er stumbling backward. It seemed that the two foreigners were going to attack and force Li Er to give in. Jin Bao and Yin Bao went pale with fright. After all, almost all the fighters of Dragon God Hall had gone to India with Ye Fan. There was practically no one else left in Jiangdong. In other words, they were incapable of defending themselves against the two Grandmasters. However, Li Er remained as cool as a cucumber. ¡°Surely you two know what ce this is? Well, if you don''t, I''d like to inform you that this is Jiangdong, the hometown of the Unrivalled Supreme, Chu Tianfan. How dare you foreigners dare act so unruly here? Aren''t you worried our master will eliminate your country when he finds out about this?¡± Li Er looked incredibly stern. However, the Grandmasters only burst intoughter. ¡°Hahaha! Are you talking about Chu Tianfan? He''s just a coward. Now that the Empyrean Ranking exists, my lord Zeus, Odin, and the other god realm masters are on the list too. Chu Tianfan is nothing The Western Epeansughed boisterously, showing no signs of fear. Just as Jin Bao and the others had lost all hope, an icy voice traveled from outside the hall. ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Li Er, Jin Bao, and the others were dumbfounded when they heard the voice. Then, they hurriedly turned around. The longer they stared, the greater their surprise grew. A charming figure stepped in from the outside. He wore a ck shirt and had a frosty expression. The heavy sound of footsteps echoed throughout the manor as he walked on the tiles. The moment he showed himself, the crowd felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped significantly. Zhao Hongtu narrowed his eyes at the intruder. Though Zhao Hongtu did not know who the neer was, he could tell thetter had no good intentions based on his aura. The two Western Epeans frowned too. They did not act rashly but instead scrutinized the man, who suddenly showed up. Although the foreigners could not identify the intruder''s cultivation level, they had a feeling thetter was someone powerful. ¡°Who are you? Let me give you a word of advice. Don''t be nosy if it''s none of your business. If not, you might lose your life, and that''d be a waste,¡± warned the Western Epeans, staring at the intruder with a hostile gaze. The man simply smiled. ¡°What if I say this is my business?¡± The Western Epeans scowled at his words. ¡°Judging by your tone, you''ll be interfering with today''s matters, eh? Fine. We don''t mind killing another person since you asked for it.¡± The look in the Western Epeans'' eyes turned cold. They nced at each other before pping their palms fiercely. Boom! They pped their palms on each other''s chests nearly at the same time, creating a powerful gust of wind in the hall from the great impact. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The doors and windows shattered, as well as the tea set that flew out and fell to the ground. What shocked the Western Epeans was that the opponent was unaffected even when they had put in their all in the attack. The two were baffled by what they saw. Growing wary, they took a few steps backward and eyed the opponent grimly. ¡°What a powerful body. Who exactly are you? Introduce yourself now!¡± Suddenly, Jin Bao and Yin Bao burst outughing. ¡°What ignorant fools. That''s Mr. Chu standing right in front of you. How could you not know?¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao snickered. However, theirugher struck the Western Epeans like a bolt of lightning. Even Zhao Hongtu, who was standing by the side, trembled violently. ¡°W-What did you say? H-he''s... Chu Tianfan?¡± How''s that possible? Isn''t he in hiding? How dare hee out? Zhao Hongtu and the others'' pupils narrowed as their eyes widened with shock. Chapter 2199 Chapter 2199 Zhao Hongtu''s spirit was shaken. Though Zhao Hongtu had not seen Chu Tianfan before in Zhonghai, thetter was too famous. It could be said that Zhao Hongtu had heard a lot about the opponent. Be it the business, military, or martial arts world, legends of Chu Tianfan were recounted everywhere Zhao Hongtu went. After all, he was a pathetic live-in son-inw who became a powerful being in Jiangdong that controlled its entire business world. It was a ssic legend told in the business world. As for the military world, Ye Fan was famous for leading Green Dragon Force and forcing three army troops to retreat. The instructors of China''s major military regions all bowed down to him. His title as General Green Dragon was well known among the three troops. Not forgetting to mention the martial arts world. The fact that Chu Tianfan ranked first in Sky Ranking and even wiped out Chu Sect made him the most feared individual in the martial arts world. One could only imagine how frightened Zhao Hongtu and the others felt now that such a legendary being had suddenly appeared before them. Zhao Hongtu was not the only one feeling that way. Even the martial artists from Western Epea were the same. At that moment, they were filled with disbelief. They widened their eyes in terror and watched Ye Fan stroll over as if he was a ghost. ¡°D*mn it! D*mn it! Why are we running into him at this time?¡± Ted and Phelp were in a state of panic. They were truly scared out of their wits, and their minds were nk. Clearly, they did not know what to do next. After all, their original n was to attack Li Er and make him give in. However, Chu Tianfan had appeared now. Theirbat prowess was nothingpared to his. We don''t have a choice. We''ve got to make a run for it. The Western Epeans, who were imposing and arrogant earlier, saluted and smiled at Chu Tianfan. ¡°Oh, you''re Mr. Chu Tianfan. Please forgive us for not recognizing you. Well, uh... You must be busy dealing with a lot of things, so we shan''t bother you anymore. Good day,¡± said Ted and Phelp with a bow. After that, they whirled around and hurried off without waiting for Ye Fan to speak. They acted as if they were fleeing for their lives. ¡°Hold up. Did I say you could leave?¡± s, the cold voice rang out. Ted''s and Phelp''s hearts sank to the bottom of their stomachs, and they felt their blood run cold. ¡°Is there anything else we can do for you, Mr. Chu?¡± Ted forced a smile, though he looked more guilty than before. ¡°Jiangdong is my hometown. You''ve disturbed the ce of my cultivation and threatened the people I trust. Do you think you can leave just like that?¡± Y Fan''s deep voice rang out, his tone thick with hostility. As he was saying that, his sharp gaze fell on the two foreigners. ¡°W-What do you want to do? I''m warning you, Chu Tianfan. Don''t you think you''re undefeatable just because you''ve killed Chu Yuan. The people on the Empyrean Ranking aren''t people you can fight against. If you so much asy a finger on us, the King of Gods, Odin, won''t let you off the hook!¡± Ted and Phelp clearly felt the imminent threat of death. They were so terrified that panic was written all over their faces. Hence, they bellowed words of threat and even brought up Odin''s name in hopes of scaring Ye Fan. Unfortunately, their words fell on deaf ears. Ye Fan had not heard of Odin or the Empyrean Ranking. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Even so, it did not matter if he did. With a personality like his, no one in the world terrified him. Just as the Western Epeans were looking at him with fear, Ye Fan flicked his sleeve and shoved his palm out. Incredible energy shot out, and Celestial Hand condensed in front of him. The terrifying shockwave felt like an attack from the heavens. Meanwhile, Ted and Phelp watched Celestial Hand fall from the sky. After a deafening rumble, all that was left on the ground in front of the door was a mound of meat and a deep palm print. Crimson red blood stained every inch of the palm print. A dreadful silence followed immediately. For a moment, no one in the entire Li residence spoke. Even the people Zhao Hongtu brought were petrified by the terrifying sight before them. Zhao Hongtu, on the other hand, felt his legs give out, and he slumped to the ground. As someone involved in the business world for over ten years, he had experienced all kinds of tribtions. However, the bloody scene still brought an unprecedented blow to him. The two powerful men were smashed into mounds of meat paste with just one strike from Ye Fan. From what Zhao Hongtu knew, the foreigners were already incredibly powerful beings. And now, he could not imagine the extent of Ye Fan''s capabilities. After dealing with the two foreigners, Ye Fan shifted his attention to Zhao Hongtu. Ye Fan''s gaze made Zhao Hongtu feel as if he was being watched by a ferocious tiger, and he could not help but shudder. ¡°M-Mr. Chu, I-I''m from China, too. W-We''repatriots. I''m here to protect Jiangdong. My name is...¡± Zhao Hongtu stuttered, trying his best to introduce himself and bring his rtionship with Ye Fan closer. However, Ye Fan gave him a deadpan look. Hearing that, he shook his head indifferently, saying, ¡°I don''t care who you are or where you''re from. Anyone who encroaches Jiangdong will not live.¡± His words sounded like those from the grim reaper. Following that, Ye Fan held out his palm in the hall again under the crowd''s watchful eyes. An immense elemental force gathered furiously at his palm until a scorching shockwave flowed out. The red Qi looked like dancing mes on Ye Fan''s palm. It turned out that he had gathered his refined energy to form a me. In the next second, Ye Fan made a pushing motion with his palm and the scorching Qi enveloped Zhao Hongtu''s body. Then, the crimson-red me shot into the air and devoured Zhao Hongtu. Agonizing screams filled the air. Just like that, the powerful business giant was reduced to ashes. Seeing Zhao Hongtu had died, his subordinates fled. s, Ye Fan did not spare a single one of them. Waves of his Qi flew out like sharp knives, and blood spurted in the air. Each strike struck the opponents'' throats. ng! ng! Instantly, human heads rolled on the ground. The once luxurious Li residence had turned into a battlefield at that moment. The man who ranked first in Sky Ranking had revealed his vicious and fearsome self again after many days. This time, even Li Er and the others were spooked. Although Ye Fan had been regarded as a ferocious beast in the world, some believed he was a devil who would kill without batting an eyelid. However, as far as Li Er knew, Ye Fan was not the kind who liked killing people. Ye Fan''s actions that day were clearly out of the ordinary. He was utterly ruthless and merciless. Every move he made did not seem like he was resolving a problem. Rather, he was venting his emotions. The surprise Li Er felt earlier was reced with fear. ¡°M-Mr. Chu, w-why are you back?¡± he asked cautiously, feeling utterly terrified. Ye Fan did not answer his question. Instead, he turned around with an icy expression and bellowed, ¡°Get to your knees!¡± Rumble! His words echoed across the Li residence, causing everything to tremble. Li Er broke out in a cold sweat, and he immediately fell to his knees, trembling. Even Jin Bao, Yin Bao, and the others did not dare to utter a single word. They quickly kneeled on the ground like Li Er. ¡°M-Mr. Chu, I-I don''t understand this. W-What''s going on?¡± Though Li Er had known Ye Fan for many years, his fear of thetter was never gone. Chapter 2200 Chapter 2200 ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Tell me everything you''ve kept from me.¡± Ye Fan lowered his head and looked at Li Er who was kneeling on the ground. ¡°I''m not hiding anything. It''s just what happened today. You''ve already resolved everything,¡± Li Er answered. ¡°Enough!¡± Ye Fan roared. ¡°Li Er, are you still trying to hide things from me at this juncture?¡± ¡°Tell me, who broke Yunzhou Formation?¡± ¡°Who was it who ravaged the vi?¡± ¡°Don''t tell me all these were the doings of the businessman and the two Epean Grandmasters who were killed by me!¡± Ye Fan interrogated fiercely. He red at him with eyes as cold as icicles. Half an hour ago, after parting with Li Er, Ye Fan went to Mount Yunding Vi. After all, Ye Fan had many memorable moments at Mount Yunding, and most of them were the heartwarming moments he spent with Qiu Mucheng. However, after Ye Fan arrived at the peak, the formation on Mount Yunding he had worked hard to create was destroyed, and the vi at the top was razed to the ground. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined that his old home wouldn''t be destroyed by Chu Sect. Instead, it was obliterated after annihting them. Ye Fan was perplexed by what he saw. That was when he realized something must have happened in Jiangdong. ¡°I-I-¡± Li Er was at a loss for words, not knowing how to answer. With tearful eyes, he lowered his head and said, ¡°Mr. Chu, please stop asking. I will handle it. You should go back to hiding as soon as possible.¡± Li Er gritted his teeth, reluctant to tell Ye Fan the truth. Undoubtedly, Ye Fan got even more angry. ¡°Li Er, you''re getting too full of yourself. You don''t even listen to me anymore. Do you think I wouldn''t kill you after being with me for so many years?¡± Ye Fan spoke with a chilling gaze, exuding a menacing aura and filling the entire hall with a bone- chilling sensation. After noticing Ye Fan''s murderous intent, Jin Bao and Yin Bao scurried over with tears and knelt at his feet. ¡°Mr. Chu, don''t kill Mr. Li. He''s doing it for your own good,¡± Jin Bao begged. ¡°Jin Bao!¡± Li Er eximed and interrupted him. However, Jin Bao ignored him. ¡°Mr. Li, I will say what I must, even if it means beating me to death.¡± Then, Jin Bao turned to Ye Fan. ¡°Mr. Chu, you have no idea. Many things have happened when you were away.¡± ¡°The Empyrean Ranking has reset, and many ancient titans who have disappeared for many years emerged. The martial arts world of many countries has changed. Even China, War God and Sword Saint have withdrawn from their position as the leaders of the War God Castle. The current state of the martial arts world in China ispletely under Mu Zihua and Chen Jiuzhou''s control.¡± After enduring for a long time, Jin Bao finally spoke his heart out. As it turned out, Journey Group marched into Jiangdong shortly after Chen Jiuzhou took control of the War God Castle, roping in the people with influence in Jiangdong, andunched a hunt for the Mufan Group. They took over Mufan Group''s property and projects and even used uwful methods to force them into submission. ¡°While being hunted by Journey Group, Mufan Group was in a dire situation. Many of their projects have been damaged, and their core members were either dead, injured, or missing. They were probably behind Mr. Li''s car ident a few days ago.¡± Jin Bao shook his head slowly and added, ¡°Also, Mr. Che, Chen Ao, is still unconscious in the hospital, and Lei San fled the country and hasn''t returned yet! As for Mount Yunding Vi, the members of War God Castle used searching for the remnants of Chu Sect as an excuse and broke Yunzhou Formation. Mount Yunding Vi was also destroyed under his seige. ¡°Mr. Chu, Jiangdong needs you. If you''re gone, who''s going to protect Jiangdong?¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao wailed. ¡°What about War God? You didn''t look for him?¡± Ye Fan questioned while suppressing his anger. Yin Bao shook his head. ¡°It''s no use. The day after Mount Yunding Vi was destroyed, Mr. Li went to War God Castle in person to file aint. However, he got kicked out before he even reached Mount Yan, let alone meeting War God! ¡°Besides, it was probably because of the new Hall Master, Chen Jiuzhou that Journey Group could trample upon Jiangdong without restraint. He has War God Castle supporting him and wants to use your reputation to dominate the martial arts world!¡± Boom! When Yin Bao uttered those words, Ye Fan released a shockwave of aura from his body, engulfing the hall with his pent-up anger. At first, he thought he could end all grievances once he destroyed Chu Sect and led Dragon God Hall to hide in India. However, it was beyond his wildest imagination that the destruction of Chu Sect didn''t bring peace to Jiangdong. Instead, it caused a disaster, especially what War God Castle did. Everything made Ye Fan feel extremely bitter and furious. ¡°Tell me, where is the headquarters of Journey Group in Jiangdong? Also, give me the list of families and forces who joined Journey Group.¡± Ye Fan''s face was frigid, and his tone was as cold as ice. One could only imagine the murderous intent raging behind his expressionless face. ¡°Mr. Chu, those in Jiangdong who betrayed you are all listed here. We have been waiting for you to return and clean up the trash.¡± As Jin Bao spoke, he handed a booklet to Ye Fan. Ye Fan took the booklet, turned around, and left. ¡°Mr. Chu!¡± However, Li Er suddenly called out to Ye Fan, stopping him. Ye Fan stopped his steps but didn''t turn his head. He only faced Li Er and the others with his back. ¡°Mr. Chu, indeed, those who betrayed you deserved to be killed. However, I have only one request. Can you please don''t go to War God Castle? Chen Jiuzhou is very strong, it is said that even War God couldn''t defeat him. Moreover, he also has a master, Mu Zihua, who is on the Empyrean Ranking.¡± ¡°On top of that, MASC has always considered you and Dragon God Hall a threat during this period. If you fan the mes, it will likely lead to a catastrophe. Mr. Chu, I don''t want you to be hurt again before you go into hiding.¡± Li Er''s eyes were burning with emotions as he begged. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He only kept this matter a secret because he was worried that Ye Fan would go out of control. In many martial arts series, martial arts warriors would always die in the period of time right before they retired from the world. Naturally, Li Er didn''t want Ye Fan to end up with such a tragedy. Hence, he would rather suffer in silence than disrupt Ye Fan''s n. However, after listening to Li Er''s request, Ye Fan responded coldly, ¡°I''m doing this because I''m going into hiding. That''s why I want to remove all the obstacles for you guys before I leave! If Journey Group is threatening you, then I''ll destroy them. I don''t even care if War God Castle is bothering you. I''ll just wipe them off the face of the earth. I won''t allow any forces to oppress Jiangdong!¡± His deep voice caused the ground to tremble as if a boulder had crashed into the ground. Immediately, his slender figure vanished with the faint sound of swift footsteps. At that moment, Li Er knelt on the ground and let out a long sigh with his eyes closed. He wondered if what he worried about most was finally going to happen. Now, the world might be drenched in blood again because of Mr. Chu! Meanwhile, at Jianghai which was a hundred miles away. As the capital city, Jianghai was undoubtedly the richestnd in Jiangdong. It was evening and the most luxurious hotel in Jianghai, Phoenix Hotel, was fully booked. The person who booked the hotel was Wu Shanju, the head of the Wu Family in Jianghai. ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Wu, for being elected president of Jianghai Chamber of Commerce at such a young age.¡± ¡°I think Mr. Wu will definitely surpass Mr. Li from Yunzhou in a few years.¡± As soon as Wu Shanju walked through the door, guests from all walks of life came forward to greet and congratte his achievement. Their ttery greetings filled the air. It was Wu Shanju''s celebration banquet, and he was the star of the night. In response, Wu Shanju stood proudly with his hands behind his back and snorted. ¡°Li Er? He''s just one of Chu Tianfan''spdogs. If I couldn''t care less about Chu Tianfan, why should I care about an insignificant creature like Li Er?¡± Everyone in the hall went silent upon hearing his arrogant remarks. Chapter 2201 Chapter 2201 Wu Shanju''s words were like a gush of cold breeze. The once boisterous hall was silent in an instant. Everyone''s smile froze. Some even grimaced as they ced the wine sses in their hands down. No one dared to reply to Wu Shanju''s statement. Only a few of his confidants dared to whisper, ¡°Mind your words, Mr. Wu...¡± One of his confidants, an old man, spoke in a trembling tone. How can he talk about Chu Tianfan like that? That man has been a famous figure ever since his victorious battle at Tai Shan. He''s a household name in Jiangdong just like Tai Shan! Everyone who was ever his enemy was dead. He beheaded Jiangdong''s richest man, Zhao Wuji, made the prominent families in Yanjing bow to him, took down Lu n from Jiangbei, and destroyed the strongest faction in the world, Chu Sect. All his deeds ultimately shaped him into the most respectable figure in Jiangdong! It can be said that he''s everyone''s support in this province. Yet, Wu Shanju has the gall to insult him in public! Is he not aware of the fear that he stirred up in everyone right now? ¡°Hahaha...¡± In response, Wu Shanju cackled wildly and swept his arrogant gaze past the crowd. ¡°Look at how pathetic you all are! Even though I only badmouthed Chu Tianfan slightly, you all already looked terrified. If I say I''ll personally destroy Mufan Group and undo Chu Tianfan''s work before killing him myself, are you all going to die of shock?¡± As expected, the moment he finished that sentence, the people in the hall couldn''t sit still anymore. ¡°Y-You sure know how to tell a joke, Mr. Wu.¡± Someone tried to smooth things over for Wu Shanju with augh. Another person advised, ¡°Be mindful of your words, Mr. Wu.¡± ¡°That''s right, Mr. Wu. Can you not scare us?¡± ¡°We still want to live in Jiangdong.¡± ¡°You''re going to drag us down with you...¡± Many people were starting to grow fearful. Some even regretted attending the banquet as they felt like they had stepped into a minefield. Meanwhile, Wu Shanju continued to speak fearlessly and pridefully. ¡°I know many of you will think I''m crazy, but, truth be told, I''m not. If I don''t have someone to rely on, I wouldn''t have said such a thing. I''ve received news that the higher-ups are about to make a move against Chu Tianfan. For so many years, Chu Tianfan disobeyed orders simply because he was powerful. He basically turned Jiangdong into his privatend! Saspiuburg has always hated people who have a personal army and try to make an empire of their own! It is why the higher-ups have been waiting for an opportunity to take him down. And now, that opportunity has finally arrived. The higher-ups have decided to utilize this chance to remove all of Chu Tianfan''s influence in Jiangdong! They are going to reim Jiangdong for the country!¡± His deration shocked everyone to the core. Indeed, for the past few years, Jiangdong had basically be Ye Fan''s back garden. It could be said that the people of Jiangdong only knew Chu Tianfan and had no knowledge of War God Castle. Some time ago, Li Er took the lead in an open conflict with Chen Jiuzhou. Chen Jiuzhou had an enthronement ceremony, while Li Er almost lost his life. The conflict between Mount Yan and Jiangdong was getting intense. It was obvious to everyone that the battle was inevitable. After all, it was a battle for power and orthodoxy. Mount Yan wasn''t going to allow the province of Jiangdong to achieve independence and would not respect thetter''s request. However, they didn''t expect the battle woulde so soon. After all, Ye Fan had just saved China''s martial arts world and War God Castle. Even though the rtionship between the two factions had only eased up one or two months ago, an official war had already broken out. ¡°The higher-ups have authorized my family to work with Journey Group to take over all of Mufan Group''s properties in Jiangdong. Everyone here has been my good friend for decades. Back then, we were forced to yield to Chu Tianfan due to certain circumstances. However, the army is about to deploy to Jiangdong. It will clean up this province of the scourge known as Chu Tianfan and return a fresh new Jiangdong to us. I hope everyone can work with me to destroy Chu Tianfan''s properties in Jiangdong to wee the arrival of the army.¡± Wu Shanju went straight to the point, inviting the crowd to join his fight against Ye Fan. However, no one replied. ¡°Mhm? What, do all of you not believe in the country? Or do you still want to be Chu Tianfan''s ve?¡± he questioned with a frown. I thought my speech would rouse their interest and they will view it positively. Honestly, I''m quite surprised that no one seems enthused about the prospect. How disappointing. Someone spoke up. ¡°It''s not a matter of belief, Mr. Wu. I just think things are fine as is. Besides, while Mr. Chu can be a little domineering, as long as we don''t dissent, he treats us well. In fact, with him in charge, we''ve been making a lot more money than before. Additionally, whenever we leave the province to conduct business, no one will dare to bully or cheat us when they learn we''re from Jiangdong. This is the influence Mr. Chu has forged for Jiangdong!¡± Someone else added, ¡°That''s right. You say we''re Mr. Chu''s ve. But, even if we chase him away, won''t there be another Mr. Chen or Mr. Wu to control Jiangdong? We''re still going to live under someone''s rule!¡± Wu Shanju was stunned to hear what the crowd was saying. ¡°Y-You all...¡± His arm was trembling. I didn''t expect this to happen! Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Besides, who do you think Mr. Chu is, Mr. Wu? He''s stomped on Japan and razed Chu Sect, even the whole world was awestruck by him! I don''t think it''ll be that easy to take him out,¡± said a random person. Wu Shanju snorted. ¡°You all don''t need to worry about that! Hall Master Chen is a disciple of Mu Zihua, a mighty warrior on the Empyrean Ranking. ¡°He''s so powerful that no one can match his level of cultivation! In fact, he has defeated Ye Qingtian! Thus, he has be the leader of China''s martial arts world! ¡°A few days ago, Hall Master Chen personally went to Jiangdong and destroyed Chu Tianfan''s Yunzhou Formation with three palm strikes! He also destroyed Chu Tianfan''s Mount Yunding Vi. Yet, Chu Tianfan still refused to show himself. ¡°It''s pretty evident that Hall Master Chen has frightened that coward! Now, tell me, is Chu Tianfan still that terrifying? Lastly, Hall Master Chen said that the day Chu Tianfan shows his face is the day he dies! Hall Master Chen will undoubtedly stomp on Chu Tianfan''s corpse and make his name!¡± As he grinned arrogantly, he ced his hands behind his back. Just as he ended his sentence, an icy voice was heard in the hall. ¡°Is that so?¡± The crowd was stunned before they heard a loud bang. The ss door behind them instantly exploded. The darkness from outside flooded into the building. Then, a ck figure silently appeared like a specter. Light shone brightly in front of him as darkness enveloped the space behind him. He stood on the edge of light and dark as though he was Hades standing before the river Styx. Chapter 2202 Chapter 2202 ¡°Who the f*ck are you? How dare you barge into my celebration party? Do you have a death wish?¡± Even Wu Shanju himself was shocked to hear the explosioning from the car behind him. He was soon overwhelmed by fury. Wu Shanju was the president of the Jianghai Chamber of Commerce, and one day, he would be recing Li Er from Yunzhou. It was crucial for him to build up his prestige now. How dare this insolent b*stard mess up my celebration party and threaten my authority? Determined to make an example of the man who had defied his authority, Wu Shanju decided to ughter him in full view of the prominent figures of Jianghai. In this way, he hoped to send a message of deterrence to anyone else who might consider such an act of insubordination. He swiftly made a decision and turned on his heels, ready to unleash his anger. At that moment, the handsome face that everyone in Jiangdong had engraved in their hearts appeared before their eyes once more. For a split second, Wu Shanju felt as though he had been struck by lightning. His mind buzzed as he stiffened in shock. His arrogance and dominance disappeared into thin air, reced by fear and timidity. ¡°M-Mr. Chu?¡± Wu Shanju stuttered, on the verge of breaking down. His body was trembling, and his face was contorted with horror. Despite his earlier derogatoryments about Ye Fan, he instinctively trembled in fear when Ye Fan appeared before him. After all, Ye Fan was known for his ruthlessness in Jiangdong. Even Wu Shanju was affected by Ye Fan''s arrival, let alone the other people in the room. The hall descended into total silence when Ye Fan showed up. Everyone gaped in disbelief and froze in their tracks as though they had seen the devil incarnate. Perhaps they felt guilty, for they shivered profusely and dared not utter a single word. Only Ye Fan''s footsteps could be heard in the hall. The thumps he made were so powerful that it sounded as if the devil had emerged from hell to end lives on earth. ¡°You said I''ll meet my doom the moment I show my face. I am here now,¡± Ye Fan announced in a menacing voice after a long silence. Scared out of his wits, Wu Shanju fell to his knees with a loud thud. ¡°M-Mr. Chu, that was a misunderstanding. I pledge my utmost loyalty and respect to you, and I assure you that I will never do anything to offend you. I was put in a difficult position when Zhao Hongyuan and Zhao Hongtu from Journey Group tried to oppose you. I had no choice but toply with their demands,¡± Wu Shanju pleaded as he groveled at Ye Fan''s feet. His previous arrogance and pride were nowhere to be seen. Behind him, the influential figures were stunned by the change in his behavior. A while ago, Wu Shanju was smugly insulting Li Er and didn''t bother showing Chu Tianfan any respect. Yet, he was as inferior as a dog before Ye Fan right now. At that moment, they were relieved they hadn''t agreed with him earlier. Otherwise, they would be punished for that. Everyone was heaving sighs of relief when Ye Fan gave a forceful stomp. The sturdy marble floor immediately cracked. One cracked shard flew up from the wreckage. Ye Fan gave a wave, and the shard shot through the air and stabbed straight into Wu Shanju''s forehead in the blink of an eye. Wu Shanju''s head exploded upon impact, just like a bursting watermelon. Crimson blood, along with the remains of his brain, sttered everywhere, staining the faces of the audience. Just like that, Wu Shanju died without even having the chance to scream in anguish. After he died, Ye Fan continued striding forward and stepped on the remains of his corpse. He swept an icy gaze across the big shots around him. Sensing his gaze, everyone felt their legs go limp before they copsed to the ground. The gruesome sight of what was left of Wu Shanju''s body scared everyone out of their wits. Their faces paled with fright as they quickly knelt before him. ¡°M-Mr. Chu, this has nothing to do with us. We are unconditionally loyal to you and would never dare to betray you. We had no idea Wu Shanju wanted to go against you. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have attended his celebration party today! Please spare our lives,¡± they pleaded. Some cowardly rich men had shat their pants, fearing they would end up dead the same way as Wu Shanju. After all, Ye Fan was capable of doing that. He alone had massacred everyone in Jiangbei and caused the dissolution of Chu Sect. Everyone in Jiangdong knew how vicious and overbearing he was. They knew Ye Fan could kill them as easily as he crushed an ant. Despite their horror and fear, they couldn''t help but curse Wu Shanju inwardly. After all, it was Wu Shanju who invited them here. D*mn it. Was living unbearable for Wu Shanju? Why did he collude with others to go against Mufan Group and Mr. Chu? He deserved to be killed! Wu Shanju had brought it upon himself, so no one bothered showing him any sympathy. However, his actions had brought trouble to everyone present. Mr. Chu caught us red-handed at Wu Shanju''s celebration party, so there''s no way we can exin ourselves! Just like that, the crowd wailed for an hour. Despite their tearful begging, they did not receive any response. Their tears had nearly dried up, yet they were still met withplete silence. Confused, they raised their heads to regard Ye Fan. Only then did they realize there was no one before them save for Wu Shanju''s headless corpse. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ye Fan was nowhere to be seen, but no one knew when he had left. ¡°A-Are we safe?¡± ¡°W-We survived.¡± Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief as they sank to the ground, their bodies exhausted and their minds overwhelmed with relief. They felt a wave of dizzinesse over them as they realized they were safe. The past hour seemed to stretch out endlessly as if they were living through eternity. It was an experience that felt like an entire century, a feeling that would be hard to forget. ¡°D*mn it! This is all Wu Shanju''s fault. We nearly died here! How dare you offend Mr. Chu in Jiangdong? You must have had a death wish!¡± Someone grew furious and crawled to his feet to kick Wu Shanju''s body angrily to vent his frustration. Despite that, everyone knew that it was over. They assumed Wu Shanju''s death was the end. Unbeknownst to them, the massacre in Jiangdong had just begun. Meanwhile, the Meng family of Nanquan was celebrating the nieth birthday of Meng Guoqing''s father. Meng Guoqing was the head of the Meng family. Meng Guoqing held a banquet and invited esteemed guests from all over Nanquan. Of course, Meng Guoqing''s wife, daughter, and nephew were also present. At the banquet, Old Mr. Meng, wearing a party hat, was pushed out in his wheelchair by Meng Guoqing. The birthday cake was custom-made, with eachyer perfectly frosted and intricately designed. The candles flickered, casting a warm glow in the room. As everyone cheered, Old Mr. Meng blew out the candles. Right when the candles were extinguished, a green glint flew in through the door. It went past the crowd and stabbed deep into Meng Guoqing''s throat. The force of the attack sent Meng Guoqing''s body hurtling across the room until he was pinned to the wall behind him. Blood trickled down and stained the white-painted wall. The birthday d¨¦cor, which had originally been a bright, cheerful red color, now seemed to take on a more sinister, macabre appearance after being stained with his blood. It was a shocking scene. Whoosh! Right then, a cold gust of wind blew in through the door. Everyone nced at the door and noticed a slender figure quickly slipping away into the darkness of the night. He left behind a menacing message, ¡°Those who offend I, Ye Fan, shall die!¡± Thud! An old man copsed to the ground from his wheelchair and never woke up again. That very night, both Meng Guoqing and his father died at the birthday banquet. Who would''ve known that the birthday banquet would be the day they met their doom? Chapter 2203 Chapter 2203 Simr incidents happened all over Jiangdong. In Jingzhou, the head of the Dong family, Dong Zhongsheng, got his head chopped off when he was having sex. The following day, Dong Zhongsheng was found dead, his head resting on his daughter, Dong Xiangpin''s stomach. His penis was still inside her body. His daughter, Dong Xiangpin, had died of fright. Besides that, Dong Zhongsheng''s three mistresses, four sons, and six daughters were all ughtered. No one knew that Dong Zhongsheng''s family, which was a prominent family in Jingzhou, would get wiped out overnight! Meanwhile, in Dellmoor, the head of the Zhu family, Zhu Wentao, was attending his daughter''s wedding. Suddenly, someone barged into the hall. The stranger waved his sleeve and gathered his refined energy to form a me. In front of the guests, Zhu Wentaobusted without the presence of fire. His wife and daughter were also burned to ashes as the guests watched on in shock. The appalling nature of their deaths filled everyone with dread. The Dong family and the Zhu family weren''t the only victims, as various families from neighboring cities also suffered from the same fate. In just two days, Ye Fan traveled from Nanquan to Yunzhou and Jianghai to Jingzhou, killing thirty-eight people in Jiangdong. The heads of the eight influential families were all in. Ye Fan didn''t hesitate in wiping out those families who were the main culprits and did many evil deeds, like the Dong and Wu families. He had left the martial arts world for a few months, so no one expected him to ughter so many lives upon his return. Of course, Ye Fan''s massacre didn''t escte as the news was only spread locally. Those in Yunzhou and Journey Group in Jiangdong had no idea what had happened. A middle-aged man, dressed in a smart suit, was standing at the entrance of Journey Group with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hands. It was clear that he was there to wee somebody special. If Li Er were here, he would immediately recognize that this man was Zhao Hongyuan, the current head of Journey Group. This time, Journey Group''s expansion into Jiangdong was all Zhao Hongyuan''s idea. Zhao Hongtu was merely carrying out his orders. ¡°Where is Hongtu? Why isn''t he answering his phone? He must be fooling around somewhere. After leaving Zhonghai, he went wild as Dad isn''t here to keep a leash on him,¡± Zhao Hongyuan remarked as he shook his head helplessly. At the age of nearly forty, Zhao Hongtu was still unmarried and living a life of carefree indulgence. Despite having arrived in Jiangdong only a few months ago, he had already impregnated a fewdies. As he was Zhao Hongtu''s elder brother, Zhao Hongyuan had topensate thedies and bring them to the hospital to abort their babies.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only The Zhao family had strict rules. If their father in Zhonghai learned that Zhao Hongtu was fooling around with women and even got them pregnant, he would most likely give Zhao Hongtu a severe beating. ¡°Xiaolu, go find Mr. Zhao and tell him toe back as soon as possible. Tell him Mr. Mo has arrived from Mount Yan, so he needs toe back and drink with us,¡± Zhao Hongyuan ordered his subordinate in a low voice. As he was speaking, a rumbling sound sounded above his head. A helicopter appeared and hovered in midair. The huge propeller des rotated rapidly, making a loud buzzing sound that filled the air and generating powerful gusts of wind that stirred the atmosphere. Amidst themotion, a figure descended from the helicopter andnded on the ground. ¡°Greetings, Mr. Mo!¡± Zhao Hongyuan greeted with his head bowed. His voice was oozing ttery. ¡°Mm. Let''s talk inside.¡± The man gave a curt nod and walked into the building with Zhao Hongyuan. They entered a room that was decorated luxuriously. In the center of the room hung a magnificent chandelier that shimmered in the light. Youngdies d in sexy ck minidresses served them a tter of fruit and some drinks. However, the man who was addressed as ¡°Mr. Mo¡± didn''t seem to take an interest in the women. Beside him, Zhao Hongyuan asked carefully, ¡°Mr. Mo, don''t you like them? Should I get younger ones toe and serve you?¡± ¡°No need. I, Mo Wuya, didn''te here to have fun. I am here on the Hall Master''s orders to attend to business. Do you recall the instructions that I gave to you previously? How has the progress been since then?¡± Mo Wuya gave Zhao Hongyuan an icy re. Mo Wuya offered him a cup of tea politely. ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Mo. Everything is progressing well. As of now, I''ve acquired eighty percent of Mufan Group''s assets. They belong to Journey Group now. Besides, the eight prominent families in Jiangdong have agreed to defect to me. I''ve also removed most of Chu Tianfan''s minions in Jiangdong. Lei San fled overseas, and Chen Ao is still in aa. Li Er got lucky as the ident only made him a cripple. However, I''ve asked my brother to head there with his men. Two Grandmasters will take action simultaneously. No matter how capable Li Er is, he will definitely meet his doom this time. I can assure you that I''ve wiped out Chu Tianfan''s influence in Jiangdong.¡± He added confidently, ¡°Mr. Mo, you can send your men to Jiangdong and take over the martial arts world there.¡± However, Mo Wuya furrowed his brows after hearing that. ¡°What? Did you tell your brother to head over to kill Li Er? You foolish man, that''s too obvious! Didn''t I tell you to resort to tricks to take out Chu Tianfan''s forces so he wouldn''t get something on us?¡± Mo Wuya snapped in displeasure. In China, one would always have to act reasonably. Thus, Mo Wuya''s bottom line was to handle the matter discreetly without leaving any traces behind. If Chu Tianfan ever returned to Jiangdong in the future, it would be unreasonable for him to kick up a fuss without any evidence. ¡°Mr. Mo, I never forgot your advice. The Grandmasters I hired are Western Epeans. If Chu Tianfan returns and demands an exnation, we can say that the Western Epeans came to get the national treasure and killed Li Er after having failed to get it. We have nothing to do with his death. That way, Chu Tianfan will take revenge on Western Epea. He won''t me us for Li Er''s death,¡± Zhao Hongyuan assured him. Mo Wuya rxed upon hearing that. ¡°Mm. Good job. You''ll have to work harder in the future. Don''t worry, for War God Castle won''t want any of Chu Tianfan''s assets. Our goal is to remove his power base in Jiangdong so he''ll end up alone. At the same time, we''ll regain control of Jiangdong''s martial arts world and unify the martial arts world in China!¡± he announced confidently. Zhao Hongyuan could barely hide his delight. After all, Chu Tianfan''s assets in Jiangdong were worth hundreds of billions. We''ve struck gold! ¡°Mr. Mo, why should we go to all this trouble just because of Chu Tianfan? We can just kill those who refuse to listen to us. War God Castle is the highest authority in China''s martial arts world. Jiangdong''s martial arts world defected and refused to listen to us, so you can send warriors to suppress the rebellion.¡± All the while, Zhao Hongyuan was entirely unaware as to why War God Castle was so careful when enacting their ns against Jiangdong despite being considered the highest authority in China''s martial arts world. It was to the point that he and his brother were sent here to be vanguards. He wondered why they didn''t follow the martial arts world''s rules and kill those who went against them. ¡°You know nothing. War God Castle doesn''t want to be that person''s enemy if possible,¡± Mo Wuya responded. A deep line appeared between his brows as if he was reminded of past events involving Ye Fan. ¡°Is War God Castle afraid of Chu Tianfan?¡± Zhao Hongyuan asked curiously. ¡°Why would you be afraid of him? Jiuzhou is a very capable individual and has been highly praised by the War God, Ye Qingtian. He is a rare talent, and with him on our side, Chu Tianfan will not be able to cause any trouble. We have not heard any news from him in a while, and I believe that he has gotten scared after hearing of Jiuzhou''s incredible aplishments.¡± ¡°Anyway, just take action. If any issue arises, War God Castle will support you,¡± Mo Wuya dered, patting his chest confidently. Chapter 2204 Chapter 2204 Zhao Hongyuan breathed a huge sigh of relief as his biggest cause for concern disappeared completely. ¡°That''s good to know.¡± Although Zhao Hongyuan had never seen Ye Fan, he had heard all about Ye Fan''s reputation in Jiangdong. Zhao Hongyuan would never dare mess with someone that powerful without War God Castle backing him up. The Zhao family was incredibly wealthy and had members who were generals in the military, powerful politicians, and Grandmasters in the martial arts world. Despite all that, they wouldn''t evene close to stopping Chu Tianfan if he went berserk. After all, Chu Tianfan was able to defeat even the strongest sect in the world, Chu Sect. With War God Castle backing him up, however, Zhao Hongyuan no longer needed to fear him. Once the Zhao family acquires Jiangdong, the power and influence of our businesses in Zhonghai will increase exponentially! I will be the king of Jiangdong, and the Zhao family will be the wealthiest family in all of China! Even the Xiao family in Yanjing will lose to us! ¡°Mr. Mo, when will that person arrive from the north? We''ll announce that Chu Tianfan''s power in Jiangdong has died down, so War God Castle can also set up a branch here and take over the martial arts world of Jiangdong!¡± Zhao Hongyuan was starting to get impatient as he was almost done with his preparations. All hecked was a symbolic event that everyone in the country would recognize and remember, like a coronation ceremony of sorts. While theck of a coronation ceremony wouldn''t change the fact that he would be king of Jiangdong, it was a tradition for every sessor to have one. A coronation ceremony would be Zhao Hongyuan''s way of informing everyone of his status as king of Jiangdong. As such, Zhao Hongyuan was incredibly excited to have his coronation ceremony. War God Castle had promised to make him the king of Jiangdong when the person arrived from the north. ¡°Soon. He''s already on his way, so just be patient. You''ll get what you want. After this, the martial arts world of China shall only listen to War God Castle and Jiuzhou! Chu Tianfan has been hogging Jiangdong for far too long. It''s about time he gave it back to China. His era came to an end the moment Jiuzhou became the Hall Master of War God Castle!¡± Mo Wuya replied with a gloomy look in his eyes. At that moment, his heart was filled with an inexplicable sense of excitement. It was as though he was finally able to release all that anger and frustration that he had kept suppressed for many years. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. After all, Mo Wuya had known Ye Fan for a very long time. When the two of them first met, Ye Fan wounded him severely and stole the woman he loved. Mo Wuya had always thought of himself as the most brilliant genius in all of China, but everything changed the moment Ye Fan showed up. Not only did Ye Fan gain all of the attention, but he also hogged all of the resources. Mo Wuya was reduced to a nobody as everyone only knew how great Chu Tianfan was. Nobody remembered Mo Wuya for his brilliance and talents, so he had no choice but to live under Ye Fan''s shadow. All he could do was watch as Ye Fan went on a rampage in Japan, got awarded the title of Supreme, and shocked the world by reaching the top of Sky Ranking. Being a fellow Chinese, Mo Wuya knew that he should take pride in knowing that China had such a powerful asset. However, he couldn''t seem to feel good about Ye Fan''s achievements at all. Disappointment and a feeling of inferiority were all that filled Mo Wuya''s heart. Why? We''re of the same age and started from the same ce, so why is he able to achieve such great sess? He''s so sessful that he makes me look like a worthless piece of trash! For so many years, I''ve wanted an opportunity to crush Chu Tianfan just to prove to him that I''m not useless! This isn''t even about getting revenge; I simply want the satisfaction of showing him that I''m better. And now, my chance to do so has finallye... I may not be powerful enough to defeat Chu Tianfan on my own, but it won''t be a problem if I have Chen Jiuzhou and Mu Zihua to help me out! With their support, I finally have the power to fight Chu Tianfan head-on! ¡°Our grudge began in Japan, and it shall end in Jiangdong, Chu Tianfan.¡± Mo Wuya''s deep voice echoed throughout the hall as he stood there with his hands behind his back. As he looked out the windows, he saw that traffic was heavy on the roads below. A strong wind started blowing through the area and helped cleared his mind somewhat. As though to match his good mood, the clouds in the distance were rushing toward him. After staring at the clouds for a while, however, Mo Wuya realized that something was amiss. ¡°Hmm? Wait a minute... Those aren''t clouds! Those are people!¡± Mo Wuya''s pupils constricted instantly as he quickly took a few steps back. ¡°What is it, Mr. Mo? What''s going on?¡± Zhao Hongyuan asked in confusion when he saw Mo Wuya''s strange reaction. Those words had barely left his mouth when he saw a faint blue me rising beneath his feet. His face filled with fear as he dropped to the floor and rolled around while screaming, ¡°Help me, Mr. Mo!¡± However, it was toote. The mes increased in intensity until they engulfed Zhao Hongyuan entirely. Thest thing Zhao Hongyuan saw in his dying moments was a slender figure that had appeared in the hall. The slender figure then slowly walked toward them with a nk expression on his face and an icy-cold look in his eyes. With his entire body in agonizing pain, Zhao Hongyuan asked, ¡°W-W-Who are you?¡± The man red coldly at him as he replied, ¡°I am Chu Tianfan of Jiangdong.¡± What? Zhao Hongyuan''s eyes went wide with shock and disbelief when he heard the man''s name. He had never thought that his first encounter with Chu Tianfan would be hisst, let alone expect Chu Tianfan to use such a direct and brutal method to get his revenge. It all happened so fast that he didn''t even have time to react. Just like that, Zhao Hongyuan, the head of Journey Group and the second most powerful member of the Zhao family, was burned to death by Ye Fan''s refined energy mes before his coronation ceremony. Zhao Hongyuan had dominated the business market for dozens of years, so he had built quite an impressive reputation for himself. As such, his death would surely cause a hugemotion in the corporate world of China. Even so, Ye Fan couldn''t be bothered to waste even another second on him. He didn''t care if he was up against Zhao Hongyuan, Zhao Hongtu, or anyone else in the Zhao family. Ye Fan would simply kill anyone who dared offend him or bring harm to Jiangdong. ¡°We meet again, Mo Wuya. I agree with what you said earlier. Let us settle our score here in Jiangdong once and for all,¡± he said as his gaze fell upon the man standing behind Zhao Hongyuan. Ye Fan''s expression was so cold that Mo Wuya shuddered as he stood in the corner of the hall. Yup, that''s Chu Tianfan, all right! I''d recognize him no matter what he looked like! ¡°Long time no see, Chu Tianfan...¡± Mo Wuya clenched his fists as he continued in a sinister tone, ¡°Unfortunately, you came a little earlier than you should have.¡± Boom! Those words had barely left Mo Wuya''s mouth when he crashed through the wall behind him and made a hasty escape. There''s no way I''m sticking around to fight him! This is Chu Tianfan we''re talking about! He ranks first on the Sky Ranking and single-handedly defeated Chu Sect! My only chance of surviving this encounter is to run away as fast as I can! Chapter 2205 Chapter 2205 Ye Fan showed no change in emotion as he watched Mo Wuya flee the scene. After all, he was so powerful that he could destroy anyone as easily as squashing a bug, and no amount of struggling from a bug would save it from his wrath. After fleeing from Journey Group''s headquarters, Mo Wuya ran through the city of Yunzhou like a madman and made a beeline for Mount Yan. ¡°F*ck! F*ck! F*ck! Why would Chu Tianfan appear at such a time? I can''t believe I came all the way to Jiangdong, only to bump right into Chu Tianfan! He must''ve caught wind of my arrival and decided to come after me! Who let it slip that I wasing?¡± he muttered under his breath while running. While Mo Wuya did hate Ye Fan deeply and wanted to settle their score, he didn''t want to do it like this. To fight Ye Fan one-on-one would be no different from signing his own death warrant. That was why Mo Wuya came up with an borate scheme to defeat Ye Fan. However, his ns were foiled when Ye Fan caught up to him the moment he arrived in Yunzhou. At that very moment, Mo Wuya could only hope that Ye Fan would be too weak from his injuries to chase after him. ¡°No, this won''t do. I need to give my father a call, just to be safe,¡± Mo Wuya mumbled as he continued jumping through the skies. He was going so fast that the skyscrapers were a blur beneath his feet, and the noise of the cold wind was booming in his ear. Mo Wuya''s call had just gotten through when a loud noise rang out from above him.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Whoosh! The next thing he knew, a gigantic palm was descending upon him like aet. It happened so fast that Mo Wuya had no time to react and was struck down almost instantly. Mo Wuya''s body then crashed through a few tall buildings like a cannonball, causing pieces of concrete and broken ss to fly everywhere before hended in a pile of rubble. Blood was trickling out of the corner of his mouth as an agonizing pain tore through his entire body. Mo Wuya had to cough up a few mouthfuls of blood just to stabilize his condition a little. With a hand against his chest, Mo Wuya scrambled to his feet and leaned against the wall behind him. As he stared into the distance, he saw a blinding bright light shining in his direction. Despite Ye Fan''s slender figure, he looked incredibly menacing as he stood in the center of that bright light. His icy-cold eyes looked like they were judging everything humanity had done. Naturally, a hugemotion like that was bound to attract a lot of attention from the public. The people in the area were running around and screaming in panic. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°Is that guy flying?¡± ¡°Does he have superpowers or something?¡± ¡°What''s going on?¡± ¡°Are they filming a movie?¡± ¡°These special effects are so realistic!¡± It wasn''t long before a huge crowd gathered in the area. Having received word about the situation, the relevant authorities quickly sent out reinforcements to maintain order. After all, such dangerous and destructive acts of violence in the city would have a huge impact on it. Eventually, even the governor of Yunzhou heard about the situation and personally gave Li Er a call. ¡°Hey, Li Er! What do you guys think you''re doing? Have you all gone mad? This is a crowded city! How could you guys wreak havoc in a ce like this?¡± Everyone in Jiangdong knew that Li Er had power over Yunzhou, so it only made sense to assume he had something to do with this. Li Er was puzzled at first when he heard that. It wasn''t until he received a video of the scene that he realized what was going on. Ye Fan had his back facing the camera in the video, but Li Er was able to recognize him instantly. ¡°T-T-That''s Mr. Chu! Jin Bao! Yin Bao! Get the car ready! Hurry!¡± Li Er shouted anxiously as he prepared to head over as quickly as possible. On the way to the city, Li Er repeatedly mumbled to himself, ¡°Please don''t do anything rash, Mr. Chu...¡± By publicly plunging the city into chaos and destruction during a rather sensitive period, Mr. Chu is practically giving his enemies a golden opportunity to get dirt on him! I can''t imagine what would happen if word got out about him being a heartless monster who murdered innocent people in broad daylight! No, this simply won''t do! I have to find Mr. Chu before things get out of hand! With that in mind, Li Er decided to ignore his injuries as finding Ye Fan was their top priority at the moment. Meanwhile, Yunzhou was in a total mess thanks to Ye Fan. There were pieces of broken ss and concrete all over the ce. Because Mo Wuya had crashed into some power lines on his way down, dense smoke wasing out of the building he damaged. Panicked screams echoed throughout the area as the people evacuated the building in a hurry. There was so much smoke that it looked like the building was burning. As the civilians continued evacuating the area, Mo Wuya dragged his bloodied body weakly along the wall. He clenched his teeth and endured the agonizing pain as he protested, ¡°What do you want from me, Chu Tianfan? I didn''t do anything to offend you, did I? I just arrived in Jiangdong a while ago! I haven''t done anything wrong!¡± However, Ye Fan was not in the mood to entertain him. Is he seriously still trying to argue at a time like this? Does he take me for a fool or something? Indeed, he hasn''t done anything, but Journey Group wouldn''t have dared to make its move on Jiangdong without his support and instructions! This guy sure knows how to keep his hands clean, but that''s not going to save him from my wrath! Mo Wuya was about to continue his argument when Ye Fan stepped forward and kicked him into the air like a ser ball. Mo Wuya coughed up a huge mouthful of blood as an intense pain shot through his entire body. He was still coughing up blood when Ye Fan followed up with a powerful punch to his chest. Despite Mo Wuya having a tough body due to his cultivation level as a Supreme, Ye Fan was able to crush all of his defenses with sheer strength alone. That punch packed so much power that Mo Wuya knocked over the skyscraper he crashed into. A deafening explosion echoed throughout the area as Mo Wuya plummeted to the ground. This time, however, he could no longer get back on his feet. Whatever pride and glory he had was reced with dishonor and humiliation as hey weakly in the rubble. He couldn''t believe that a Supreme like himself would suffer such a crushing defeat at Ye Fan''s hands. Crunch, crunch, crunch... Ye Fan''s footsteps got louder and louder as he made his way through the rubble. Mo Wuya felt as though he was suffocating from the intense fear and dread that filled his heart. His voice broke as he sobbed, ¡°D-Don''t kill me... I don''t want to go out like this...¡± Having experienced true fear and despair, Mo Wuya desperately wanted to live. After all, he was still very young and had a bright future ahead of him. There were still a lot of things that he wanted to do in life. At that very moment, he regretteding over to Jiangdong and waging a war against Ye Fan by attacking his hometown. All he wanted was to return to Mount Yan and reunite with his father. However, he couldn''t even stand up due to the severe injuries and excruciating pain in his body, let alone make an escape. All Mo Wuya could do was cry as hey there helplessly in the rubble while awaiting his doom. Chapter 2206 Chapter 2206 Mo Wuya continued to beg in a weak voice, ¡°No... Please don''t kill me...¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Ye Fan simply responded by ring coldly at him in silence. He wasn''t the kind of person who enjoyed killing others. Although Mo Gucheng and Mo Wuya had often insulted him, he showed mercy whenever he had the chance to kill them because they were his fellow countrymen. This time, however, Mo Wuya had crossed the line and angered him to the core by making a move against Jiangdong. It was natural for everyone to want to leave something behind for their family, friends, and hometown. Ye Fan''s only desire was to protect Jiangdong, so those who dared attack it while he was away had basically signed their own death warrants. He never uttered a single word throughout the entire fight as he deemed Mo Wuya unworthy of having a conversation with him. To him, the only thing that Mo Wuya deserved was death. Mo Wuya''s eyes were filled with fear as he watched Ye Fan slowly raise his hand. Before he could deliver the finishing blow, however, the loud roar of a car engine rang out from behind the crowd. The next thing he knew, a ck Maybach came speeding toward Ye Fan like a rabid beast. Aftering to a screeching halt next to him, Li Er opened the door and rolled out of the car,nding in front of Ye Fan on his knees. ¡°Please stop this madness right now, Mr. Chu! Don''t kill him, I''m begging you!¡± Li Er pleaded. However, the look in Ye Fan''s eyes remained firm as he said, ¡°Get out of my way, Li Er! How dare you interfere with my n?¡± His voice boomed with power and authority. Under normal circumstances, Li Er would''ve quickly crawled away for fear of his wrath. This time, he simply continued to beg Ye Fan on his knees, ¡°Please, Mr. Chu... You need to stop killing people like this... It wasn''t easy for this world to finally be at peace. You mustn''t plunge yourself and the rest of the world into chaos again because of Jiangdong.¡± Tears were flowing down Li Er''s cheeks as he tried to talk Ye Fan out of his decision to kill Mo Wuya. Li Er had been through thick and thin with Ye Fan over the years, so it was only natural that he knew who Mo Wuya was. Mo Wuya is the son of Mo Gucheng, the King of Fighters! On top of that, he is also the trusted aide of Chen Jiuzhou, the current Hall Master of War God Castle. The Martial Arts Security Council and War God Castle would always send him as their representative. If Chen Jiuzhou is the head of China''s martial arts world, then Mo Wuya would undoubtedly be the second inmand. Mr. Chu would surely cause an uproar in China''s martial arts world if he kills Mo Wuya, so I have to stop him no matter what! Ye Fan''s powerful voice thundered as he yelled angrily, ¡°Stay out of my way, Li Er! This is your final warning! You, of all people, should know that sparing him today will only result in more like him in the future! If that happens, Yunzhou and Jiangdong will be in great danger! How will my family and friends in Jiangdong ever find peace, then?¡± The reason he caused such mass destruction in the city was to avenge Jiangdong and deliver a stern warning to those who nned on attacking Jiangdong. With tears in his eyes, Li Er continued to persuade Ye Fan, ¡°Yes, I understand your reasons for doing this, Mr. Chu. I know you''re doing this for our safety, but we don''t want you jeopardizing your own in the process! War God Castle is not the same as a few months ago, and the martial arts world has undergone a huge transformation. There''s no need for you to risk your safety by making such powerful enemies because of us, Mr. Chu. You''ve had it rough over the years, so it''s time you live the rest of your life in peace and do the things that you enjoy. I, Li Er, and the rest of Jiangdong no longer have anything to offer you in return. The best we can do is to avoid bing your burden, so please leave us be and live your life, Mr. Chu. Go see Mrs. Ye, Ms. Qiu, and Ms. Tang. You owe them an apology, after all. Women are soft-hearted, so I''m sure they''ll forgive you if you apologize sincerely. I will take care of things here in Jiangdong myself. You''ve spent too much time on your career that you''ve neglected those close to you, especially your women. Now that you''ve gotten your revenge by destroying the Chu Sect, it''s about time you make it up to them.¡± Ye Fan had spent the past twenty years fighting wars and killing people. Because he was hardly around his family and friends, he ended up losing his wife and children. It was true that Ye Fan had done a great job at being the Hall Master of Dragon God Hall. He never let any of hisrades down and had led them to victory in the battle against Chu Sect. However, in doing so, Ye Fan had let Tang Yun, Qiu Mucheng, and Angie down. Li Er could tell that Ye Fan was trying to make amends when he decided to go into seclusion. He knew Ye Fan wanted to focus his time and energy on his loved ones. Since that was Ye Fan''s one and only wish, Li Er wanted nothing but to help fulfill it. Ye Fan''s heart began to waver after he heard Li Er''s words. ¡°I have made many enemies in my life, but at least I had you loyalrades to keep mepany throughout my journey. Please step aside, Li Er. You''ve been with me long enough to know that no one can stop me once I''ve decided on something. So what if there are a few new viins in this world? Even Chu Yuan was no match for me, so I have no reason to fear them. If they want to kill me, then let theme. I shall continue to live my life the way I want to. You saw what happened to Chu Sect when they tried to kill me. I will kill anyone who tries to take my life!¡± Ye Fan''s authoritative and domineering voice rang out like thunder. With a wave of his hand, he sent Li Er flying with a shockwave before delivering the finishing blow to Mo Wuya. Everyone believed that Mo Wuya would surely die the moment that strikended. Right as Mo Wuya closed his eyes in despair, several energy attacks in the shape of a palm came flying toward Ye Fan. The attacks packed so much destructive force that even someone as powerful as Ye Fan frowned when he saw theming. Left with no other choice, Ye Fan gave up on killing Mo Wuya and blocked the iing attacks head- on. Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of loud explosions tore through the area as a crater formed beneath Ye Fan''s feet. As Ye Fan had transferred a lot of elemental force into Angie''s body while healing her at the Chu residence, he was not at his peak performance that day and was knocked back by a few steps. However, what concerned him the most was the palm-shaped energy attacks that he was all too familiar with. After all, Ye Fan was the one who came up with that technique. The look in Ye Fan''s eyes grew icy-cold as he let out a wry chuckle. ¡°Hahaha... Is this how you repay me for teaching you my secret technique, Ye Qingtian? By using it against me?¡± Chapter 2207 Chapter 2207 No one could understand the kind of sorrow, disappointment, and indescribable pain and anger Ye Fan was feeling at that moment. Ye Fan believed that he had sacrificed a lot for the country and the people. Back then, he unconditionally offered Yuan Lingguo, which he exchanged his life for, to the country. Despite how War God Castle persecuted him in every possible way, he still showed mercy and even pledged to protect the country in critical situations. Later, he also imparted the Chu family''s secret techniques to Ye Qingtian. On top of that, he wiped out Chu Sect, killed Chu Yuan, and saved China''s martial arts world from a crisis. It was true that he killed quite a lot of people. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only But those people truly deserved to die. It was a pity no one ever remembered his merits. All they remembered was that people had died at his hands. Perhaps that was how people in this world had always been¡ªafraid of power and authority but never grateful for one''s good deeds. Although Ye Fan had so many merits, everyone only remembered him for his viciousness and brutality. And now, even Ye Qingtian chose to harm him. Ye Qingtian used to be the only person he cared about in China''s martial arts world. But from the way things looked, he reckoned there was nothing worth for him to hold back anymore. If that''s the case, then there''s no need to show any more mercy. I shall settle the many years of grudges and entanglement with War God Castle today. Meanwhile, several figures appeared in Yunzhou while Ye Fan was snickering away. They were none other than the three pirs of China, namely War God, Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, Xiao Chen, and King of Fighters, Mo Gucheng. As soon as Mo Gucheng arrived, he dashed toward Mo Wuya in a crazed manner. ¡°Are you okay, Wuya? Hang in there. Quit messing with me. You''re my only son. You have to hang in there. If anything bad happens to you, how do I exin to your dead mother?¡± The sight of Mo Wuya on the verge of dying hit Mo Gucheng like a sledgehammer in the chest and made his heart wrench. Tears ran down his wrinkled face due to extreme worry. ¡°I-I''m fine, Dad... It''s just that... it hurts...¡± Seeing his father''s arrival, the despair-overwhelmed Mo Wuya instantly felt much more relieved and at ease. It was a feeling that resembled how he would hide in Mo Gucheng''s embrace when he was hunted down by others after getting into trouble when he was a child. Back when Mo Wuya was younger, he probably felt that the safest ce in the world was none other than his father''s sturdy embrace. In the blink of an eye, a few decades soon went by, and the once youthful boy had also stepped into his thirties. Mo Wuya had always been trying to prove his self-worth for all those years. He wanted to handle problems and responsibilities independently and not live in his father''s shadow. However, in the end, Mo Wuya realized he was still hiding in his father''s arms, just like he did as a child. ¡°Silly boy. I''ve warned you not to meddle in Jiangdong''s matters, but you refused to listen to me and insisted on going ahead with your ns. Do you think Jiangdong is just any random ce? I''d be able to help you no matter how big a trouble you''ve caused if it was any other province. Even if you turned the world upside down, I could flip it back for you. But this is Jiangdong... You punk. You refused to listen to me. See what happened to you now? If Mr. Ye didn''t predict Chu Tianfan''s return, prompting us to quicken our paceing here, you would''ve already turned into a corpse by now...¡± A mix of heartache and rage surged within Mo Gucheng as he carried Mo Wuya into his arms. Chen Jiuzhou was eager to establish his authority quickly and was nning to use Chu Tianfan as his stepping stone. Without a doubt, Mo Gucheng and the others were clear about his intention. Chen Jiuzhou was now the new Hall Master of War God Castle, the person in charge of China''s martial arts world, and a disciple of Mu Zihua, a Grandmaster on the Empyrean Ranking. As he was beyond Mo Gucheng''s and the others'' control, and neither could they be bothered about him, they let him be and allowed him to do as he wished. Nevertheless, Mo Wuya took the initiative to be Chen Jiuzhou''sckey and helped him deal with Jiangdong''s matters because he wanted to build a good rtionship with thetter. That was something Mo Gucheng was firmly against since the beginning. Having fought with Chu Tianfan for many years, Mo Gucheng was well aware of the former''s terrifying capability. Unfortunately, the foolish Mo Wuya refused to heed his father''s advice. As if he had been cast a spell, he stubbornly headed toward Jiangdong, refusing to listen to anyone. He even argued that he was already a grown-up and had the right to decide for his own future and that his father should not interfere. Unquestionably, that left Mo Gucheng immensely furious. Well, it seemed like it was indeed true that children would have their own piece of mind upon growing up and no longer obey their parents. There were many things in life that one would wake up to the truth only after personally experiencing it. ¡°D-Dad, I-I know I was wrong...¡± Mo Wuya finally lowered his head in shame after hearing his father''s reprimand. Like a child who had made mistakes, he finally realized his mistake after running into serious trouble. ¡°All right, Mo. That''s enough. He''s already in this state, yet you''re still reprimanding him? Quick, help him up first. Let me transfer some Internal Energy to him to strengthen his heart meridian and save his life.¡± Mo Wuya grew up in War God Castle since young. In other words, Xiao Chen, Ye Qingtian, and the rest had watched Mo Wuya grow up and had treated the youngster like their own. It was only natural for them to feel heartbroken after seeing how badly injured Mo Wuya was at that point. After helping Mo Wuya up, Xiao Chen immediately attended to the former''s injuries. Mo Wuya was probably the only one in the whole of China who had the luxury to enjoy such treatment. Not only did hee from a prominent and respectable family, but he also had many powerful and influential people surrounding him. That kind of life was nowhereparable to Ye Fan''s. That man had always been living in solitude. During the battle in Japan back then, no one appeared to help or save him when he was on the brink of death. In the end, Ye Fan had to travel across the world, crawl up to the doorsteps of the Chu residence, and knock on Old Madam Chu''s door, all while dragging his heavily wounded body. There was a saying that humans were all created equal and life was fair. Sadly, Ye Fan could not help but question if life was indeed fair for all. Some people were born with a silver spoon in their mouth. People who watched Mo Wuya grow up and surrounded him were all supreme grandmasters and pirs of China, for example, War God and the Hall Master of War God Castle. And now that he was gravely injured, these pirs of China even made a trip over specially to save him. On the contrary, Ye Fan was an illegitimate child and had never been recognized by his family since birth. To put it bluntly, he was a b*stard child. When he was little, he suffered so much humiliation and abuse. He became an abandoned child after he was kicked out of the family andter an unremarkable live-in son-inw. Then again, Ye Fan did not need any of those things. He needed not rely on his family, background, or anyone. Essentially, fate could only decide one''s starting point. How far one would go would ultimately still depend on one''s own effort and perseverance. That perfectly exined the current state Ye Fan and Mo Wuya were in. No one would probably believe that the two, whose starting points were worlds apart, would have swapped ces so drastically at that instant. Ye Fan was now high and mighty, while Mo Wuya was on the brink of death and awaiting to be saved. When Ye Qingtian saw that Mo Wuya was still alive, he heaved a long sigh of relief. Thankfully, we came just in time. Anyway, the trickiest problem for Ye Qingtian now was not Mo Wuya''s condition but Chu Tianfan, the man in front of him. ¡°Please don''t misunderstand, Ye Fan. I saved Wuya because I was too anxious earlier. It was a matter of life and death, after all. It wasn''t out of my original intention,¡± Ye Qingtian hastily exined in the face of the enraged Ye Fan. They were, after all, old friends for decades. Clearly, Ye Qingtian had no intention of fighting against Ye Fan or making things go out of hand to the point beyond salvage. That was why he was willing to put away his identity as War God and used a submissive tone as he exined and apologized to Ye Fan. ¡°That''s enough! There''s no need for you to exin anything, Ye Qingtian. Mo Wuya must die today. Get out of my way if you want to live. Otherwise, I don''t mind taking more lives!¡± Ye Fan''s tone was as cold as ice. As he bellowed furiously, he showed no intention of having any hint of mercy for Ye Qingtian. ¡°Ye Fan, we can talk this out. We arepatriots, after all. There isn''t anything unresolvable to the point that we need to take someone''s life, right? If Wuya is at fault, we can get him to apologize and beg for your forgiveness. Don''t worry. As long as I''m here, I will ensure you get the justice you deserve no matter what happens.¡± Ye Qingtian continued with his persuasion. Chapter 2208 Chapter 2208 ¡°Justice?¡± Ye Fan burst intoughter. His loud chuckle resonated across the entire ce. Every word he spoke wasced with mockery and sarcasm. ¡°Hahaha! How do you expect me to trust you all? If you were reasonable, Jiangdong wouldn''t have been vited, and my friends and family wouldn''t be murdered. Ye Qingtian, no matter what, everything I did was to save China from falling apart and the martial arts world from danger. Is this how you repay me? You destroyed my property, killed my subordinates, and ruined the foundation I built. I would''ve let it slide if the other countries did this to me, but you were the ones who did this to me. My fellowrades had just died, and you''re already starting all these?¡± Ye Fan''s furious roar sounded like rumbling thunder. His raging fury was as though zing mes, setting Yunzhou on fire. ¡°T-This is impossible. H-How did this happen? The task we assigned Mo Wuya was only for him to discuss with you guys regarding merging the martial arts world of Jiangdong with War God Castle to realize the unification of the martial arts world within the country.¡± When Ye Qingtian heard Ye Fan''s words, his expression changed. Turning around, he red at Mo Wuya behind him. ¡°Wuya, what is the meaning of this? Is what Ye Fan said true?¡± asked Ye Qingtian sternly. Mo Wuya had already regained some strength after Xiao Chen treated his injuries. ¡°Mr. War God, it''s not that I don''t want a peaceful alliance. It''s because the people of Jiangdong are stubborn. They only know about Chu Tianfan, but not War God Castle. They regarded our order with disdain and didn''t even give us a chance to talk it out. They wish to stand on their own and achieve independence in the martial arts world. I had no choice but to plot such a scheme. If I didn''t use such extreme methods to rid them of their influence and minions, how could we unify the martial arts world in China? How will War God Castle exercise its authority?¡± Mo Wuya sounded as though he had been holding in all those grievances with no outlet for him to vent. The moment Ye Qingtian questioned him, he revealed everything right away. However, Ye Qingtian wasn''t going to listen to his exnation. He flicked his sleeve and suddenly exerted a surge of Qi. As if being struck by a long whip, Mo Wuya let out an agonized scream as he was sent flying off into the distance. ¡°Ye, you...¡± Xiao Chen and the rest were frightened by Ye Qingtian''s actions. Mo Wuya was already severely injured. It was only natural for Xiao Chen and Mo Gucheng to be worried about Mo Wuya after Ye Qingtian attacked him. However, being Mo Wuya''s father, Mo Gucheng couldn''t say much in such circumstances. Xiao Chen, however, stepped forward to shield Mo Wuya. ¡°Ye, that''s enough. Do you wish to kill him?¡± ¡°I am teaching this b*stard a lesson! Beforeing here, we reminded him not to cross the line. Not only did he refuse to listen, but he was even audacious enough to cause trouble in Jiangdong! He''s a grown man, but he doesn''t even consider the consequences of his actions. Now, look at this mess! He brought it upon himself! Did you not learn anything from our teachings all these years? I would''ve let it slide if you caused trouble in other ces. What makes you think Jiangdong is a ce you could do as you please?¡± Ye Qingtian''s rage boiled over. No wonder Ye Fan is so mad. Turns out this brat had gone for the kill. Ye Qingtian was well aware that Ye Fan was a sentimental person. He would take revenge without mercy when the people he cared for were hurt. Mo Wuya dared not make a peep after Ye Qingtian taught him a lesson. He merelyy t on the ground, coughing up blood. The severe aches all over his body made him feel like his entire being was engulfed in scorching mes. ¡°War God, do you think I''d let him off the hook after you put on such an act to earn my sympathy? I told you long before this. No one shally a finger on Jiangdong. Whoever does so will die!¡± Boom! After saying that, Ye Fan suddenly made an impressive move. A shockinglyrge palm appeared out of nowhere and came mming down at Mo Wuya, bringing with it immense force. Xiao Chen and the rest gasped and dashed forward. Undoubtedly, Ye Qingtian wouldn''t just sit back and watch. He unleashed Heavenly Palm once again to rescue Mo Wuya. Just like that, the three pirs of China faced Ye Fan head-on. ¡°Mr. Chu, calm down.¡± Witnessing the scene, Li Er, who was standing at the side, instantly panicked. The scenario he dreaded the most finally happened. Ye Fan still engaged in a battle with War God Castle in the end. However, the battle didn''tst long. As Ye Fan used most of his energy to heal Angie, less than seventy percent of his peak strength remained. Despite so, his opponents were still no match for him. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. With just one strike from him, the three pirs of China were defeated. Ye Qingtian took a lighter hit, stumbled a few meters backward, and swallowed the blood he coughed up. However, Xiao Chen and Mo Gucheng were not that lucky. They were wounded grievously, spurting out blood as their bodies flew into the air and crashed into several tall walls. Eventually, they sprawled on the ground while clenching their chests and couldn''t stop vomiting blood. However, they were, after all, senior supreme grandmasters, so theirbat and defensive skills undoubtedly surpassed Mo Wuya''s. Enduring the intense pain, they quickly got up and shielded Mo Wuya again. Ye Fan''s expression clouded over when he saw how determined they were to protect Mo Wuya. The murderous look in his gaze grew prominent. ¡°Looks like all of you have a death wish.¡± Subsequently, Ye Fan gathered the energy in his elixir field, getting ready to unleash Invoke the Celestial Sky. Waves of powerful force enveloped Ye Fan''s body. From a distance, it looked as if huge tidal waves were surrounding him. No one could fathom what terrifying move Ye Fan was about to unbridle next. ¡°Dad, M-Mr. Ye, M-Mr. Xiao, hurry up and leave. Y-You all won''t stand a chance against him. F-Forget about me... Just go...¡± muttered Mo Wuya in a choked voice while dragging his body against the ground. He seemed like he had resigned to his fate. ¡°Stop talking, Wuya! I''ll save you. I will stay with you until the very end even if it means dying with you!¡± Mo Gucheng''s eyes reddened, and a look of determination swirled in his gaze. Ye Fan ignored the emotional exchange between the father-and-son duo and approached with intimidating steps. Ye Qingtian panicked and said, ¡°Ye Fan, must you be so ruthless? Wuya''s methods might be brutal, but what he did was for the country''s sake. All this while, Jiangdong remained under your protection and never adhered to any orders, operating ording to their own set of rules. As such, War God Castle stationed someone in Jiangdong to integrate the ce and unify all forces in China''s martial arts world. What is so wrong with that? If the martial arts world isn''t unified, how can we rebuild our legacy and rise again? You shouldn''t get in the way of the country''s development for your own selfish desires.¡± As Ye Qingtian exined anxiously, the veins on his face bulged. Ye Fan sneered and said, ¡°To put it simply, all you wanted was to im Jiangdong and revoke my authority. Fine. If you insist on iming my territory and taking me down, suit yourself. We shall compete to the best of our abilities.¡± Ye Fan no longer wanted to continue arguing with them. No matter what intention they have, they should never make it a reason to destroy Jiangdong. For the country''s sake? Unifying the forces in the martial arts world? What a bunch of bullsh*t. All he knew was that he would not allow anyone toy a finger on his people, not even War God Castle. As soon as he finished his sentence, heunched an attack that was bursting with power. Ye Qingtian gasped in shock upon seeing that Ye Fan showed no intention of having any mercy. ¡°Looks like you don''t care about our past rtionships at all...¡± As soon as anxiousness inundated Ye Qingtian, a sneer rang out from beneath the clouds at the edge of the sky. ¡°Hahaha... Compete to the best of our abilities, eh? Chu Tianfan, I shall grant your wish since you had the audacity to say so. Let''spete and see who lives or dies today!¡± Chapter 2209 Chapter 2209 The man''s prideful and disdainful voice echoed throughout the city, bringing with it an air of authority and condescension. Is it...? Li Er''s heart skipped a beat when he heard those words. Ye Qingtian, Xiao Chen, and the others were also shocked, and they spun around. Mo Wuya, who was in utter despair moments earlier, suddenly felt as though he had just been given an adrenaline shot. Even his eyes had lit up with hope all of a sudden. ¡°It''s Jiuzhou...¡± he voiced out in excitement and joy. At that moment, it was as though an angel had juste to his rescue. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The man who''s going to defeat Chu Tianfan is finally here! Indeed, Mo Wuya had been waiting for Chen Jiuzhou to arrive in Jiangdong because he knew that apart from Mu Zihua, there was only one other person who could go toe to toe with Ye Fan. Needless to say, that person was the current Hall Master of War God Castle, Chen Jiuzhou. Sure enough, when they turned in the direction of the voice, they saw Chen Jiuzhou looking dashing in a robe. Besides, a look of arrogance showed on the man''s handsome face. Although he looked arrogant, he had an authoritative aura. While others were ignorant and insolent whenever they acted haughtily, Chen Jiuzhou seemed as though he had earned the right to behave that way. After all, he was only in his thirties, but he had already reached the top of the martial arts world in China. He had already beaten Ye Qingtian and reced thetter as Hall Master the moment he appeared. Consequently, he became one of the most influential men in the martial arts world of the entire globe. That was why he had every right to be proud of himself. Just like that, two men of the same generation who were almost equally talented came face-to-face with each other in Jiangdong. Obviously, it was bound to be a highly anticipated and historical encounter. After all, no one knew for sure if Chu Tianfan would still be able to continue his undefeated legacy, or could Chen Jiuzhou prove his supremacy by killing the man ranked first in the Sky Ranking. Naturally, not everyone was pleased to see Chen Jiuzhou. When Mo Wuya saw him, he felt as though his savior had arrived. When Ye Qingtian saw Chen Jiuzhou, however, the former was frowning. This is going to turn out badly. These two are equally arrogant and unrestrained. Their encounter would be as catastrophic as a meteorite crashing into Earth. They''ll both fight till the other one is dead! Feeling extremely worried, Ye Qingtian immediately turned toward Chen Jiuzhou and said, ¡°Jiuzhou, I''ll deal with the matters concerning Jiangdong. Please bring Wuya back to Mount Yan for treatment.¡± Chen Jiuzhou shook his head in response. ¡°You? Dealing with this? I don''t think you''re capable. This happened because of me, so I ought to end it.¡± ¡°But...¡± Ye Qingtian wanted to say something else. Before Ye Qingtian could continue his sentence, Chen Jiuzhou had already walked past him and gone straight to Ye Fan. ¡°Are you Chu Tianfan? How dare you abet Jiangdong to defy orders from War God Castle? Now, you''re even hurting the ambassador of War God Castle. Wuya is an important member of War God Castle. How dare you harm him? Today, I''m going to kill you. I''m going to go by the rules and unite the martial arts world in China!¡± Chen Jiuzhou sneered with his eyes filled with anticipation and determination. I''ve waited so long for this day. I''ve been waiting for Ye Fan to appear so that I can kill him and enhance my reputation! Now, this is my chance to do so! ¡°Is that so? It seems like you''re the man responsible for what''s happening in Jiangdong. I was just about to go looking for you on Mount Yan, but you''ve saved me a trip bying here!¡± Ye Fan''s gaze was just as frosty as Chen Jiuzhou''s. At the same time, Ye Fan''s words were direct andced with murderous intent. The moment those two men met, they were immediately at loggerheads with each other. Ye Fan sted out a heavy punch immediately,unching Infinite Force, the sixth form of Celestial Cloud. Like a ferocious tiger, it swept toward Chen Jiuzhou with its mighty power. Chen Jiuzhou showed no mercy as well, and a wave of powerful aura exploded from his body. Although Li Er and the others were covering their ears, the powerful punch that brought forth a deafening sound that nearly broke through the sonic barrier almost shattered their eardrums, causing their heads to ache. Just like that, Hall Master of Dragon God Hall, Chu Tianfan, and Hall Master of War God Castle, Chen Jiuzhou faced off against each other for the first time at Yunzhou. Boom! As their fists collided, the terrifying impact resembled the force of a meteorite crashing into Earth. Everyone at the scene could only see two nearly equally intense forces colliding in the sky. Right away, the particles in the air shattered and so did the clouds in the sky. An utterly intense wave of aura ruffled the atmosphere. Consequently, the city of Yunzhou was about to face the deadliest storm. Ye Qingtian knew it was going to be disastrous, so he disregarded the injuries he sustained and shouted, ¡°Sword Saint and King of Fighters! Quick! Help me block the shockwave! Otherwise, the impact would be apocalyptic!¡± At that point, Ye Qingtian was petrified. This is the city center! How could Ye Fan and Chen Jiuzhou fight here? Don''t they care about the consequences? The aftermath of a battle between two Supremes comparable to a fighter of the god realm is equivalent to a miniature nuclear bomb exploding at a high altitude! That sort of shockwave is strong enough to reduce hundreds of buildings to rubble! We''ve been protecting China for so many years, so we can''t possibly sit on our hands and watch the people of Yunzhou suffer. Knowing that the consequences could be deadly, the three pirs of China used all their energy to form an Internal Energy barrier so that they could prevent the destructive force of the battle from reaching the ground. s, despite giving their all, they were still heavily injured by the horrifying shockwave. Almost instantaneously, Mo Gucheng and Xiao Chen vomited blood on the spot. Ye Qingtian, on the other hand,sted almost a minute longer before he started coughing out blood. Although they were wounded grievously, the three of them held on, blocking the aftermath of Ye Fan and Chen Jiuzhou''s punches. In the air, an intense battle broke out between those two. The huge counter-shock force engulfed their bodies, and they were both stumbling backward. While Chen Jiuzhou managed to steady himself after stumbling three steps backward, Ye Fan ended up stumbling neen steps backward. Every time Ye Fan took a step backward, the Qi he discarded would leave a ten-meter-deep crater in the ground. Ye Fan needed neen steps topletely dispel the strength Chen Jiuzhou packed into his punch. ¡°W-What...¡± Li Er furrowed his brows deeply and subconsciously took a deep breath when he saw that. I know they were just testing each other out, but who would''ve known that Mr. Chu would fail to have the upper hand? Is Chen Jiuzhou really that strong, so much so that not even Mr. Chu is capable of fighting him? With that in mind, Li Er felt his heart sink into his stomach. Naturally, Ye Qingtian, Xiao Chen, and the others noticed it as well. It seems like Ye Fan lost that encounter. Chen Jiuzhou is scary! Based on what we saw, is it safe to assume that Chen Jiuzhou is even more talented than Ye Fan? At the same time, Ye Qingtian and the others were having mixed feelings. Should we be happy or worried? After all, it''s a good thing someone stronger than Ye Fan showed up in China. However, two strong individuals like them can''t coexist! Only one of them will survive in the end. ¡°Haha! As expected of a guy ranked first in the Sky Ranking. I''ve never met someone who can remain unscathed after receiving one punch from me.¡± Chen Jiuzhou stood there with his hands behind his back and smiled devilishly. He was trying his best to hide the fact that he was stunned. I didn''t expect him to have the ability to fight me. This fellow has never entered Dragon Gate, but he''s already so powerful. Meanwhile, Ye Fan''s gaze was grim, and he was just as startled as Chen Jiuzhou was. Chapter 2210 Chapter 2210 This Chen Jiuzhou is so powerful! The might of that single punch was no less than Chu Yuan''s. If he gave it his all, he would be very close to even if not of god realm. How could this happen? Where did this guye from? How have I never heard of him? Ye Fan began to wonder, for Chen Jiuzhou''s sudden appearance took him by surprise. Though he had heard Li Er and the others mention Chen Jiuzhou and the Empyrean Ranking before this, Ye Fan did not really care as he thought only worldly men woulde up with arbitrary rankings to court fame. However, now it seemed that was clearly not the case, for their powers had utterly exceeded his expectations. Ye Fan could not help feeling puzzled. Why have I never heard of these people? How did they appear like mushrooms after the rain upon the destruction of Chu Sect and Chu Yuan''s death? Upon careful rumination, their sudden emergence was undoubtedly strange, but now was not the time for Ye Fan to ponder over it. I don''t care where Chen Jiuzhou came from. I will not let him go since he sought trouble at Jiangdong. However, most of my elemental force was spent treating Angie before this. If I continue fighting him like this, I may not be able to beat him. It looks like I have to use that. Atop Yunzhou, Ye Fan, who had just stabilized himself, put on a grim expression. The look in his eyes remained inscrutable as he fixed his gaze on Chen Jiuzhou, who was standing before him. Seeing how Ye Fan was bracing himself to face a formidable enemy, the expression on Chen Jiuzhou''s face grew smugger than ever. ¡°It looks like you''re aware that you are no match for me, Chu Tianfan. I won''t lie to you. That strike was only around seventy percent of my power. If you know what''s good for you, get on your knees and ept death. End your life. Spare me the necessity to do it myself. Otherwise, your death would be a gruesome one.¡± Chen Jiuzhou burst out into insolentughter, his eyes filled with arrogant glee. Ye Qingtian wiped the blood from the corner of his lips before persuading, ¡°Enough, Jiuzhou. We are all compatriots, so let''s just draw the line here. There is no need for the two of you to continue this duel. If word gets out, we''ll be theughingstock among the entire martial arts world all over the globe.¡± Chen Jiuzhou, on the other hand, did not pay Ye Qingtian''s words any mind. ¡°You are old, War God. Since you''ve already stepped down, step aside and watch with your mouth shut. Besides, with me around, you have no say in the affairs of China''s martial arts world.¡± ¡°You...¡± Chen Jiuzhou''s blunt words angered Ye Qingtian to the point that his face turned pale. It was only at that moment that he realized that it might not be a wise choice to hand the venerable position of the head of China''s martial arts world to Chen Jiuzhou. It hasn''t even been that long, and he''s already behaving so insolently. While Ye Qingtian tried to talk sense into Chen Jiuzhou, Ye Fan lifted his cold gaze and stared at Chen Jiuzhou. A vague glint shed across his dark, abyss-like pupils. Then, Ye Fan''s stentorian promation rang across the entire area. ¡°You want me to end myself? Isn''t it a little early to say these things, Chen Jiuzhou? Do you think that I, Chu Tianfan, am that pathetic? Watch and learn. I am going to show you the true extent of my power.¡± At that, Ye Fan stomped on the ground. Boom! A rumble exploded forth with the force of a thunderbolt, causing the earth to crack open and the mountains to tremble. As if struck by an earthquake, the entire city of Yunzhou began to wobble beneath Ye Fan''s feet. While shock inundated everyone, Ye Fan turned in Mount Yunding''s direction and roared, ¡°Sword!¡± Thousands of meters away, the mountainside of Mount Yunding erupted at Ye Fan''smand. A thick antique longsword soared from the depths of the mountain toward the sky, bringing with it an almighty force that resembled a monster beneath the ocean and a dragon in the skies. The ancient sword, having materialized in the world, streaked across the sky to answer the summon of its master. Its astonishing speed left shock waves in its wake, looking like green lightning from afar. In the blink of an eye, Li Er and the rest saw a green lighte charging in Ye Fan''s direction before stopping and hovering right before him. ¡°Is this...¡± Li Er and the others widened their eyes in shock at the sight. ¡°The Sword of Yunyang! The legendary sword of the Chu family! Mr. Chu somehow managed to summon the Sword of Yunyang!¡± Li Er raised his voice, almost yelling in agitation at that point. He would never forget the battle on Mount Yunding. Faced against the head of Chu Sect, Tang Yun, Ye Fan had been in a dire situation when he drew the Sword of Yunyang and turned the situation around. And now, the Sword of Yunyang has appeared again! It looks like Mr. Chu is determined to fight the Hall Master of War God Castle, Chen Jiuzhou, to the death! Whoosh! The green light illuminated the sky as the gale howled. Soaring into the skies, Ye Fan held the Sword of Yunyang. The power of heaven and earth contained within the longsword flooded continuously into Ye Fan like water escaping a dam. The crowd witnessed Ye Fan''s withering aura being revitalized with terrifying speed until he finally rose with the brilliance of the sun and the might of a dragon. ¡°What? This kid even has such a trick up his sleeve? D*mn it! What sword is that?¡± Sensing the new-found force of Ye Fan''s aura, Chen Jiuzhou, who was initially confident, had a grim look marring his countenance all of a sudden. An unprecedented grave expression emerged on his face and erased all traces of contempt from before. Apparently, the energy flow from Ye Fan''s body was so strong that it gave Chen Jiuzhou palpitations. ¡°I thought it would be easy to defeat Chu Tianfan. Now, it appears I have underestimated him.¡± Chen Jiuzhou wore a stony expression as he realized that a vicious battle was unavoidable. Looks like I might have to mobilize the secret techniques of Dragon Gate. Otherwise, I''m not even sure if I could beat Chu Tianfan. At this point, it is toote for me to back down. ¡°You jerk! You''re courting death! Since you''re obstinate, let''s fight! I, Chen Jiuzhou, will tear you into pieces today! I will have you, Jiangdong, and the whole world know what happens to those who defy me!¡± Chen Jiuzhou fumed, the mes of his anger rising uncontrobly. As he bit the tip of his tongue, a vicious murderous intent swelled in his chest. Just when Chen Jiuzhou was about to unleash his full power andy his life on the line, ady emerged from the crowd. Dressed in a in, long, white skirt, her dark hair fell casually over her shoulders, making her look like a solitary nun who cultivated in seclusion. To everyone''s surprise, the seemingly ordinary-looking woman remained unfazed by the power of the supreme fighters as she stepped into the battlefield, ignoring the people around her. ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡± ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Jin Bao and Yin Bao, who were not far away, shouted at the woman who so haphazardly intruded into the battle. However, the woman did not heed their words and continued striding forward. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Atst, she reached out and patted Chen Jiuzhou on the shoulder. ¡°It''s over!¡± Jin Bao, Yin Bao, and the rest were certain that the woman had met her end. Chen Jiuzhou is not known for his benevolence. Touching his shoulder at this time is equivalent to prodding a tiger''s buttocks¡ªboth will lead to certain death. While Jin Bao and the others were dreading what would happen next, Chen Jiuzhou turned around and saw who it was. Immediately, his stern expression was reced by one of humble respect. ¡°What are you doing here, Master? Let me handle this small fry. You don''t have to take any action.¡± Chen Jiuzhou spoke subserviently after a momentary pause. Chapter 2211 Chapter 2211 ¡°Everything else is in ce, and this is a critical moment for our n. There will be no room for error. Don''t stir up trouble during this crucial period. Come back with me at once,¡± said thedy indifferently. ¡°But...¡± Chen Jiuzhou was reluctant to do as told, but upon meeting his master''s icy cold re, Chen Jiuzhou swallowed the words at the tip of his tongue. Left without a choice, he could only withdraw his aura and submit to the woman by trailing obediently behind her. Nevertheless, as soon as Chen Jiuzhou turned around, the Sword of Yunyang shed downward with overwhelming sword energy. Sensing impending danger, Chen Jiuzhou''s hair stood on end while he took an instinctive step backward. Even so, the de still pierced Chen Jiuzhou''s arm, tearing through his sleeve. Blood trickled down his arm and dripped on the ground. ¡°Are you courting death?¡± Chen Jiuzhou roared, flying into a rage. His aura, which had dissipated earlier, returned with the force of an ocean. Raising his fists, he was ready to fight Ye Fan to the death. However, Mu Zihua stopped Chen Jiuzhou the second after his outburst. ¡°Are you defying me now? You know the consequences of ruining the big picture!¡± Mu Zihua''s cold voice sent a shudder down Chen Jiuzhou''s spine. He clenched his fists to once again subdue the rage rising in his chest. The murderous look in his eyes when he stared at Ye Fan did not wane in the slightest, however. After subjugating Chen Jiuzhou, Mu Zihua''s icy re fell on Ye Fan. ¡°Know your limits, young man. Let this go. Otherwise, you will only cause your own demise.¡± Though Mu Zihua''s tone was nd, her curt advice wasced with threat. She was warning Ye Fan to give up, telling him that they were showing him mercy and that he should take it instead of persisting and bringing trouble upon himself. However, Ye Fan did not pay Mu Zihua''s words any mind as the Sword of Yunyang remained firmly in his grip. The bloodlust emanating from him did not diminish at all. ¡°Let this go, you say? Do you think you can just walk in and out of Jiangdong as you please? This is my turf! You brought devastation upon Jiangdong and harmed my loved ones. How will I appease my people if I do not y Chen Jiuzhou today?¡± Ye Fan refused to back down. Even though Chen Jiuzhou had decided to retreat, Ye Fan did not intend to let him go. Ye Qingtian and the rest began to panic. ¡°Let''s drop it, Ye Fan. Don''t be impulsive. If you fight, you will very likely be the one to lose.¡± Ye Qingtian did not want the battle to happen in the first ce, and since Chen Jiuzhou took the initiative to retreat, the former was naturally happy about the oue. However, to his dismay, Ye Fan showed no intention of letting things slide. He was, instead, determined to fight. Xiao Chen and the rest thought Ye Fan had lost his mind. It is in that Chen Jiuzhou''s power far exceeded Ye Fan''s. Furthermore, Chen Jiuzhou''s master is now here. She is Mu Zihua, a warrior listed on the Empyrean Ranking! Xiao Chen and the others were confident that Ye Fan would not stand a chance against thebined power of the master-and-apprentice duo. Though Mu Zihua''s words were harsh, she was stating a fact. Ye Fan would only cause his own demise if he persisted. ¡°That''s right, Mr. Chu. Let this go.¡± Li Er was simrly anxious. He was worried about Ye Fan being in mortal danger if Chen Jiuzhou andpany were enraged. No matter how hard they tried to persuade him, Ye Fan''s resolve remained unwavering. ¡°Chen Jiuzhou must die! If he does not, Jiangdong will never have peace!¡± Ye Fan was not trying to vent his anger through the battle that day. Instead, he dered the battle to resolve the crisis Jiangdong was facing once and for all. Otherwise, if he let Chen Jiuzhou go and thetter made aeback in the future, Jiangdong would face an unmitigable disaster. Mu Zihua seemed to have discerned Ye Fan''s concerns, and her soft voice sounded. ¡°I promise you that War God Castle will not set foot in Jiangdong from now on. Also, Chen Jiuzhou will never harm Jiangdong. You don''t have to worry about anything in the future.¡± Though Ye Qingtian and the others were curious as to why Mu Zihua was willing to make compromises, they thought the best oue was to prevent war and restore peace. ¡°Did you hear what Moryana said, Ye Fan? Step aside! Are you insisting on keeping this up until the situation spirals out of control?¡± Exasperated, Ye Qingtian once again tried convincing Ye Fan to give up. Li Er was also trying his best to stop Ye Fan from proceeding with the battle. Chen Jiuzhou was not satisfied. ¡°Master, why should we be afraid of this jerk? Why should we fulfill his request? I promise to make this quick and finish him off right away. Will that do?¡± Chen Jiuzhou stubbornly asked for Mu Zihua''s permission to fight against Ye Fan. However, Mu Zihua shot him a re after that, forcing him to suppress his desires. As arrogant and prideful as Chen Jiuzhou, he was fearful and subservient in the face of Mu Zihua. However, despite everyone''s persuasions, Ye Fan did not change his mind. After everything he had gone through, Ye Fan no longer had any trust in them. He was no stranger to vain promises and backstabbing. First it was the Chu family, then the International Martial Arts Union, and now War God Castle. These people aren''t trustworthy at all. The only type of people I could trust in this world were dead ones. This is how the world works. To fear or be feared. Only blood and ughter will instill fear into them and deter them from harming Jiangdong. ¡°Enough. Come at me, both of you. I, Chu Tianfan, will get rid of you both today.¡± Ye Fan''s chilling words shocked everyone to the core. Ye Qingtian and the others were bbergasted. Mo Wuya, on the other hand, stared at Ye Fan like he was an idiot. Is he out of his mind? Is he seriously going to fight them both at the same time? He didn''t even beat Jiuzhou earlier! After so many years, he''s still as arrogant as ever. It''s a miracle that he''s even still alive. ¡°Did you hear that, Master? It''s not that I''m defying you. This fellow insists on getting himself killed. Look how arrogant he is! He''s even intending to take on you! I will tear him into pieces today! How dare a brat like him spheme someone of your prestige?¡± Chen Jiuzhou''s fury boiled over, and his bloodthirst could no longer be concealed. Mu Zihua''s expression turned simrly grim. Her patience appeared to have reached its limit. ¡°It''s over. It''s all over...¡± Ye Qingtian realized that an all-out war was inevitable. Ye Fan''s words have enraged Moryana. Whoosh! A cold wind from Summerbank howled over Yunzhou. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Ye Fan raised his sword, ready to unleash the Cloud and Mist Sword Technique. Cold as ice, Mu Zihua''s aura began swirling around her. Just when the fight was about to break out, a gentle cry sounded from afar. ¡°Ye Fan!¡± Ye Fan froze at that voice, his mind going nk. Is that...? Spinning around, Ye Fan gazed into the distance, where he saw a charming youngdy riding a dog, coming toward him. ¡°Y-You''re awake, Angie?¡± Ye Fan''s voice tremored. The youngdy who suddenly appeared before him was none other than Angie, who had been unconscious for over a year. Beaming with joy, she nuzzled against Ye Fan''s embrace. Her intoxicating beauty, porcin skin, as well as her elegant figure, were too perfect to exist in reality. It looked as if she had stepped out of a famous painting, capturing the hearts of all who beheld her. The only imperfection was her eyes, which were wrapped with fine gauze. Chapter 2212 Chapter 2212 A long time had passed since Ye Fan attacked Chu Sect single-handedly. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only From then onward, Chu Sect was eradicated. Ye Fan could no longer remember how long Angiey in deep slumber. The tragedy that had befallen her was the biggest regret in his life. He med himself all this while for dragging her into his war against the Chu family. Angie would have been married to Chu Qitian if it wasn''t for him. For his sake, she had also run away from home and sailed overseas to see him. If that wasn''t enough, he had caused her family to be ughtered and her father to suffer a miserable death in the middle of nowhere. Consequently, the pitiful girl didn''t even get to see her father for the veryst time. Ye Fan knew Angie since they were children. However, if he had known about the disasters he woulde to wreak upon her life, he rather didn''t know her at all. In the end, he could never repay the debt he owed her. That was the reason why he gave up all the power he had and disbanded Dragon God Hall. Subsequently, he continued to train in seclusion in an attempt to break through god realm. His sole goal was to help Angie extend her life, for that was the only form of penance he could do. It was this deep-seated guilt that melted away Ye Fan''s ferocity the moment he saw Angie. All that was left on his youthful face was a gentle expression. His battle-hardened conviction was finally softened by the tender sight. As Ye Fan and Angie hugged each other, Ye Qingtian and the others above the ruins gave them a puzzled look. ¡°Who is this young girl?¡± Ye Qingtian''s eyelids began to twitch. Even though he had heard about how much of a casanova Ye Fan was, Ye Qingtian never took those rumors seriously. Having seen Qiu Mucheng before, he had no doubt of Ye Fan''s feelings and loyalty to her. When the Lu n of Jiangbei harmed Qiu Mucheng, Ye Fan destroyed them in a fit of rage. In fact, the entire martial arts world of Jiangbei was wiped out by him. In spite of that, the scene right before Ye Qingtian seemed to have put some substance into what he thought were baseless rumors. ¡°How can hey hands on such a sweet young thing? She looks so innocent still. I''m sure she''s not even twenty yet. Isn''t he worried that he would end up ravaging her?¡± Ye Qingtian''s dirty mind began to drive his imagination wild. As Angie''s arrival eased the tension in the air, Ye Qingtian heaved a long sigh of relief as a smug expression descended upon his face. ¡°That b*stard! How dare he disys his affection in front of my master. Master, I must kill him for his insolence. Otherwise, the hatred within me will never be quelled!¡± Chen Jiuzhou was outraged. Fondling a woman in the middle of a battle was the ultimate disrespect for one''s opponent. Consequently, the proud Chen Jiuzhou felt that he had been humiliated, triggering his desire to have Ye Fan killed. Sensing the impending danger, Ye Fan furrowed his brows as he tightened his grip on the Sword of Yunyang. ¡°Angie, wait here for me. I''ll be back soon.¡± Ye Fan gradually nudged her aside before getting ckie to take her away. He was preparing to eliminate Chen Jiuzhou and hispanions first before reminiscing the past with Angie. However, he was surprised when Angie ignored his instructions and threw herself back into his arms. ¡°Ye Fan, can you stop fighting already? Just live in peace, all right?¡± With her body trembling, Angie spoke in a choking voice. Amidst her words, Ye Fan could clearly feel a warm and moist sensation on his chest. Without the need to look, he knew those were Angie''s tears. The tragedies of the past had left Angie traumatized to the extent that she couldn''t bear the thought of battles or power struggles anymore. All she wanted was for Ye Fan, her brother, her father, and all those she cared about to stay away from conflict so that they wouldn''te to harm. ¡°But Angie...¡± When Ye Fan saw how she was curled up in his arms like a frightened kitten, the ruthless conviction in his heart began to waver, causing him to swallow his words. He gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks as he nodded. ¡°All right. I''ll do as you say.¡± After reassuring her, he turned around and swept a piercing gaze across the Supremes of War God Castle. ¡°Today, I''ll let all of you leave on Angie''s ount. That said, I hope that you will remember the promise you made just now. War God Castle is forbidden from stepping foot in Jiangdong. Those who disobey will be met mercilessly with my seven-foot sword!¡± Ye Fan''s authoritative voice thundered through the air, sending tremors across Yunzhou. In that instant, the denizens of the city could clearly hear his angry words. ¡°Of course, of course. We''ll definitely not step into Jiangdong ever again.¡± Ye Qingtian was clearly delighted to see Ye Fan relent. Everyone, no matter how powerful, has a weakness. In Ye Fan''s case, he clearly has a soft spot for youngdies. Li Er, too, felt a heavy burden lifted from his shoulders. D*mn it. Our tireless persuasion is no match for the cries of a youngdy. Whatever it is, I''m d this didn''t end in a battle. As for Mu Zihua, who never had any intention to get into a fight, she had nothing further to say now that Ye Fan had agreed to step aside. Only Chen Jiuzhou didn''t seem able to let the matter go as he red at Ye Fan with his bloodshot eyes. As the rage within him swelled, the cracking of his knuckles could clearly be heard. Chen Jiuzhou was someone who could never ept defeat. Hence, the sense of powerlessness in the face of Ye Fan''s arrogance filled him with indignance. All he felt was the urge to fight Ye Fan in a duel to the death. By doing so, he would put an end to the raging debate of who was the stronger warrior¡ªChu Yunyang or Chen Jiuzhou. Unfortunately, his master had thest word while they had also reached a crucial period in the Dragon Gate Project. Thus, Chen Jiuzhou had no choice but to swallow his pride. Nheless, Chen Jiuzhou shot Ye Fan an insidious re just as he was leaving. Despite not saying a word, his actions clearly conveyed his intention. It was so obvious that even a fool could tell. With that, the animosity between Ye Fan and Chen Jiuzhou started that very day. Once Chen Jiuzhou and hispanions were gone, Li Er quickly entered the scene and ordered his men to tie up loose ends. ¡°I have basically killed everyone from Journey Group. The Jiangdong rebels have also suffered the same fate. Anyway, I''ll leave the rest to you.¡± Once the situation had stabilized, Ye Fan called Li Er over to give thetter his final instructions. ¡°Don''t worry, Mr. Chu. You can go in peace. I''ll take care of everything here. As long as I''m still breathing, no one will touch your assets in Jiangdong,¡± Li Er dered respectfully. However, Ye Fan shook his head in response. ¡°Remember, all I, Chu Tianfan, care about is the people. It''s fine if the businesses are lost, as I can always get them back. As for you lot, you must stay safe. Before I leave, I''ll rebuild Yunzhou Formation with Sword of Yunyang as its foundation. It will protect all of you in the event War God Castle makes aes back.¡± With the withdrawal of the men from War God Castle, the upheaval in Jiangdong came to an end. It was also time for Ye Fan to leave. Despite his worries about Jiangdong, it was impossible for him to guard it forever. The best he could do was leave Sword of Yunyang behind as protection. Chapter 2213 Chapter 2213 At the summit of Mount Yunding, Sword of Yunyang was raised high into the sky. Suspended mid-air, Ye Fan gestured with two fingers as he chanted a spell. The iprehensible words that left his mouth began to envelop the mountain. The very next moment, the heavens began to tremble as Sword of Yunyang glowed gloriously. Rows of ancient scripts shot out from it. Just like a flowing river, the glowing motifs spiraled around the sword underneath Ye Fan''s direction. It was as if it had a life of its own. At the foot of Mount Yunding, Li Er and the rest were observing the phenomenon. Angie, standing quietly beside Li Er, waited for Ye Fan toplete the formation. ¡°Mr. Chu is growing more and more powerful! I''m amazed to see what he''s doing with that ancient sword. No ordinary man is capable of such a feat!¡± Li Er and the others were filled with admiration as they watched Ye Fan cast the formation in the sky. The massive power he wielded elicited nothing but awe from them. Just as they were stunned by the sight, they heard Ye Fan shout, ¡°Away!¡± Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! All of a sudden, Sword of Yunyang emitted an earth-shattering roar as it smashed into the ground like a thunderbolt. Thereafter, it pierced through the summit of Mount Yunding to bury itself deep within the mountain. Subsequently, the ancient scripts spread out in eight different directions before amalgamating themselves with the ground in the shape of an octogram. Once the phenomenon waspleted, Ye Fan stomped on the ground. ¡°Formation, activate!¡± Boom! It was as if the day of divine judgment hade. The instant Ye Fan''s words left his mouth, a golden hue suddenly covered thend. With Sword of Yunyang in the center and bounded by the eight corners of the octogram where the scripts were buried, nine rays of light burst into the sky. As the light swept out to its side, it finally enveloped Mount Yunding in a dome. In that instant, a powerful wave of sword energy engulfed the mountain, filling it with a terrifying aura. Meanwhile, Li Er and the rest were blown away after witnessing the sight before them. The golden hue bathed the mountain like an ocean while the sword energy that pierced the skies raged tirelessly like waves within it. ¡°I-Is this the power of the divine?¡± Li Er mumbled as Jin Bao and Yin Bao gaped at the sight. Only Angie stood calmly at her feet, breaking out a gentle smile that brimmed with admiration. Although she couldn''t see, she could imagine how glorious Ye Fan looked at that moment, just like the vibrant sun. Finally, Yunzhou Formation was reconstructed with Sword of Yunyang. ¡°The sword has covered a thousand-meter radius with sword energy. Neither the elements nor anything inhuman can breach its perimeter. Not only does it protect, but it can also kill one''s enemies. Therefore, all of you should shelter within it in the event of danger. Remember my words, all of you!¡± Ye Fan''s voice reverberated across the entire mountain alongside the zing sword energy. With that, Li Er and the rest dropped to their knees and bowed to thank Ye Fan for the protection he offered them. By the time they raised their heads, thetter had already left with Angie. Both figures soon disappeared in the horizon. ¡°Mr. Chu, Jiangdong owes you a great debt for all you have done,¡± Li Er remarked gratefully upon Ye Fan''s departure. After leaving Jiangdong, Ye Fan brought Angie back to the Chu residence first. Given that she had just awoken, he wanted to get an update on her condition from Old Madam Chu. Also, he was preparing to go into solitary training so that he could break through god realm. As his n was to travel to Folo Mountain in India to do so, he had no choice but to leave Angie in Old Madam Chu''s care. During the journey back, Ye Fan rted to Angie everything that happened while she was in hera. Nevertheless, he left out the part where her father died and only described how Chu Sect was destroyed. Upon learning that Ye Fan had defeated Chu Yuan and eliminated Chu Sect, Angie was sincerely happy for him. However, a sense of sorrow quickly descended upon her. ¡°What about Ms. Tang? Did she lose her life too?¡± Tang Yun''s face quickly emerged in Angie''s mind. Other than her parents, Tang Yun was the only person who treated her well in Chu Sect. Whenever she got into trouble, Tang Yun would always bail her out. Meanwhile, the mention of Tang Yun''s name triggered a squeeze in Ye Fan''s heart. ¡°No, she''s still alive. I just don''t know where she went after Chu Sect disbanded.¡± Back then, Ye Fan had sent men to search for her. Unfortunately, after the battle of Mount Yunding, Tang Yun seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Ye Fan figured that she must have gone away with her elder sister. In life, one was destined to meet a lot of people. Nheless, some of them were nothing more than passing guests. Despite being etched in each one''s soul before, they would still end up being forgotten in the end. ¡°Chu Sect was everything to Ms. Tang, as she had given her life to it. She must be devastated to see you destroy the very thing she held dearest to her heart.¡± Angie let out a long sigh. When she was little, the innocent Angie would always wonder why adults were constantly bogged down by troubles. For instance, her father was still unhappy despite being the powerful head of one of the Three Families of Chu Sect. Now that she was all grown up, she finally understood how helpless one could be in life. A good example was Ye Fan and Tang Yun. Despite neither of them doing any wrong, one of them ended up losing everything. ¡°Ye Fan, you should go and look for Ms. Tang. I''m really worried that she would do something rash,¡± Angie suggested softly. ¡°If she insists on hiding, there''s no way I can find her. Forget it. Just let her be. Besides, she''ll probably be fine with her sister by her side.¡± Talk of Tang Yun ignitedplex emotions within Ye Fan. Truth be told, he felt a strong urge to see her, but now, Angie''s situation took priority. In the midst of their chat, they arrived at the Chu residence without realizing it. In the yard, they saw Old Madam Chu lying with her eyes closed on a recliner under the sun. She looked as if she had fallen asleep. Angie''s treatment had clearly taken the wind out of her. Ye Fan didn''t wake her up. Instead, he brought out a nket from the house and covered her with it. ¡°You''re back?¡± Old Madam Chu asked with her eyes closed as if she could sense their presence. ¡°I''m sorry to have woken you, Great-grandma,¡± Ye Fan apologized. ¡°Don''t worry about it. I can always rest some other time. Instead, did you go out and cause trouble again, you brat? If I hadn''t sent Angie to stop you, you would probably be dead by now,¡± Old Madam Chu reprimanded Ye Fan as she opened her eyes. Ye Fan chuckled in response. ¡°You seem to know everything, Great-grandma. However, they''re powerless against me, as I have Sword of Yunyang in my hands.¡± Old Madam Chu shook her head while her expression turned solemn abruptly. ¡°You have underestimated the situation. You''re no match for them in your current condition.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ye Fan was slightly shaken. ¡°Great-grandma, are you talking about the men listed on Empyrean Ranking? Do you know them?¡± ¡°I can''t say for certain, but their aura feels simr to Chu Yuan''s. On top of that, they gathered after Chu Yuan''s fall to set Dragon Gate Project in motion. Deep down, I feel that they''re hatching a plot of some kind.¡± Old Madam Chu suddenly turned around to ask Ye Fan, ¡°By the way, when you fought Chu Yuan previously, did he ever tell you why he started the war?¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chapter 2214 Chapter 2214 ¡°I have indeed looked into this before. ording to the members of Chu Sect, Chu Yuan initiated his conquest in order to find Dragon Gate. Chu Yuan says Dragon Gate contains the power to help one achieve sainthood. By the way, Great-grandma, what is Dragon Gate? Does something like that in the mortal realm really contain the power to help people achieve sainthood?¡± Ye Fan said after giving it some thought. I believed that I had already reached the peak in life. I used to think that climbing higher would allow one to see farther and have fewer problems in life. Now, I realize that I was wrong. Every time I reach new heights in life, more problems arise and get in my way. Right now, there are so many things that I can''t even make sense of using my own knowledge. Be it Chu Yuan''s mysterious identity, my father''s whereabouts, and Wan''er''s background... There are simply far too many mysteries in this world. The more I know, the more I realize how ignorant and insignificant I am. Old Madam Chu had an expectant look in her eyes when she heard Ye Fan''s question. ¡°What''s the matter? Are you trying to achieve sainthood as well?¡± Ye Fan shook his head. ¡°No, I was just asking out of curiosity, Great-grandma. A mere mortal like myself would never dare dream of something like sainthood. Besides, I don''t want to be a saint.¡± Ye Fan was telling the truth when he said he didn''t want to be a saint. After all, his family and friends were all in the mortal realm. Even if he did achieve sainthood, he would be all by himself in the realm where saints live. A life without thepanionship of loved ones was meaningless to him. It would be simr to a king sitting all by himself on his throne with no one around him. All Ye Fan wanted was to treat Angie and find Qiu Mucheng. ¡°Okay, then. I know you don''t crave power, but I do hope you will pursue the path of sainthood. The Chu family hasn''t had a single saint since Mr. Yunyang, so our bloodline is getting weaker over time. If you are able to be a saint, then it would help make the Chu family powerful again. You could bring the Chu family back to its former glory. Of course, we can forget about all that if you don''t have the desire to do so. After all, the path of cultivation is all about following your heart. You will never be a saint unless you take that path out of your own free will,¡± Old Madam Chu said and ended the topic after that. She understood that everyone had their own goals in life. As much as Old Madam Chu wanted Ye Fan to go far on the path of cultivation like Chu Yunyang did, she knew she couldn''t force it upon him. ¡°It looks like we''ll have to wait for someone else to resolve this earthly crisis, then,¡± she said with a sigh. ¡°What do you mean by that, Great-grandma?¡± Ye Fan asked curiously. Old Madam Chu stood up and slowly walked around the courtyard as she replied, ¡°I don''t mind telling you if you want to know, but before I do, I have a story for you. A thousand years ago, this was invaded by an incredibly powerful foreign being. It consumed this''s life force andpleted its evolution. The Chu family''s ancient books call that being ''Symborsus.'' Symborsus isn''t all that powerful on its own, but it has a way of using a form of spirit seal on humans and controlling them like puppets. The top ten supreme grandmasters of Sky Ranking became puppets of Symborsus and went around capturing talented martial artists. They then offered the martial artists up to Symborsus so it could feed on them and evolve.¡± Ye Fan found himself drawn into the story as Old Madam Chu continued on in a deep and enchanting voice. He felt as though he had been transported back in time and could see the past events with his own eyes. Naturally, that story shocked him to the core. ¡°W-What? The top ten of Sky Ranking became Symborsus'' puppets? That thing is ridiculously powerful!¡± Ye Fan eximed in shock and disbelief. Simply hearing about Symborsus was enough to fill his heart with despair. The top ten of the Sky Ranking are the most powerful fighters in the world! Having them get enved and turn against humanity is just terrifying! ¡°What happened after that? Did Symborsus manage to evolve?¡± Ye Fan asked anxiously. Instead of answering his question immediately, Old Madam Chu continued, ¡°Those were humanity''s darkest days. The world''s greatest supreme grandmasters had been turned into puppets of an evil being. There was nothing humanity could do to fight back. Half of the cities in the world had been destroyed in just a few months. However, that was when your ancestor, Chu Yunyang, emerged and killed all ten of the supreme grandmasters. Although he eventually defeated Symborsus, it was able to leave six stone doors in this world before being sealed. Symborsus stored its energy behind those stone doors.¡± What? The look on Ye Fan''s face changed the moment he heard that. He then looked up at Old Madam Chu and asked in disbelief, ¡°Great-grandma, are you saying that the creepy stone door that I saw on Chu Sect''s forbidden grounds is one of the six that Symborsus left behind?¡± ¡°That''s right,¡± Old Madam Chu replied with a nod. She continued, ¡°Symborsus was really sneaky about that, so even Mr. Yunyang didn''t know about it. By the time we found out, he had already left this world. The Chu family has sent people looking for the stone doors in the past, but we only managed to find one. That stone door was practically indestructible and had the ability to control people''s minds. Eventually, after careful consideration, we decided not to search for the other stone doors. Since those stone doors can''t be destroyed, we were worried that assembling Dragon Gate would bring forth some kind of disaster. As such, we decided tobel that stone door as a forbidden door.¡± Old Madam Chu let out a huge sigh and continued with a deep sadness in her voice, ¡°I bet Chu Yuan was controlled by Symborsus because he couldn''t resist the tempting power behind that stone door.¡± Although Chu Yuan had disobeyed her, he was still family to her. It pained her deeply to watch him get killed by Ye Fan after being turned into Symborsus'' puppet. Unsure of how he couldfort Old Madam Chu, all he said was, ¡°I''m sorry.¡± ¡°Now, now, no need tofort me. A woman of my age has already gotten used to such things in life. Chu Yuan had iting, so there''s nothing to be sad about. My only concern is the current situation with the Dragon Gate n. Maybe you should look into it, Ye Fan. If this Dragon Gate is the stone door that you saw in the Chu Sect''s forbidden grounds, then you should try your best to destroy it. Even if you are unable to destroy it, you should at least seal it off to prevent the thousand-year-old tragedy from repeating itself. We had Mr. Yunyang save us back then, but he''s no longer here with us. If such a tragedy were to happen again, this world could very well be done for in Symborsus'' hands.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chapter 2215 Chapter 2215 Old Madam Chu looked at Ye Fan, hoping he could investigate Dragon Gate Project. However, Ye Fan was not interested. ¡°Great-grandma, I''m shunned by the entire martial arts world. Do you think they will let me near Dragon Gate? Also, I don''t n to get involved in the affairs of the martial arts world anymore. I''m really tired,¡± Ye Fan said, shaking his head. I really don''t want to bother with matters such as saving the world and doomsday. It could be considered that I saved the whole martial arts world when I dealt with Chu Yuan. But what was the result? The martial arts world did not appreciate it. Instead, they attacked Mount Chumen, wanted me to hand over the Chu Sect''s treasures, and even tried to kill me. As for Jiangdong, they almost faced an unmitigable disaster because of this. Ye Fan was wholly disappointed with the martial arts world. Why would he try to save these people now? Moreover, Dragon Gate had nothing to do with Ye Fan, so naturally, he could care less about it. Seeing Ye Fan''s appearance, Old Madam Chu sighed and advised, ¡°Ye Fan, I know that you have suffered a lot in these past few years, but you must learn to bear the country''s burdens and misfortunes. Those who achieve great things often have to endure the humiliation and grievances that ordinary people cannot bear. This matter is of great importance. I hope that you can set aside your personal prejudices and investigate Dragon Gate. Even if you don''t care about the world, you should consider the elders and rtives of Jiangdong. If it is really the work of Symborsus in the background, humans will face disaster when it breaks through the seal. Jiangdong won''t be able to stand idly by.¡± ¡°All right, then. Since you said so, I''ll go and take a look for you. If Dragon Gate is really associated with the forbidden door, I''ll try my best and destroy it. However, I can''t promise I''ll be sessful. I can only do my best.¡± Ye Fan finally agreed to Old Madam Chu''s request. This would be thest thing he would do for this world. However, Angie suddenly walked in while he was about to leave. She grabbed his hand and refused to let him go. ¡°Ye Fan, are you going to fight with people again? You promised me that you won''t get involved in the affairs of the martial arts world and fight with others anymore.¡± Angie''s words were filled with concern. After everything she had been through, her heart had broken into a million pieces. She was extremely afraid that the people she cared about would be in danger again and suffer more harm. As a result, after waking up, she attempted to persuade Ye Fan to go into seclusion and avoid these worldly disputes. Ye Fan smiled and lightly touched Angie''s nose. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He chuckled and uttered, ¡°Who said I''m going to fight? Didn''t I say I''m leaving the martial arts world? Before I leave, I have to say farewell to some of my friends.¡± ¡°Really? Ye Fan, you can''t lie to me.¡± Angie tried to receive Ye Fan''s confirmation again. ¡°Don''t worry. How could I lie to you? Chu Sect has been eliminated, and Chu Yuan has died. There is no enemy left for me to fight in this world. So, I''m not going out to fight. Wait for me here, and I''ll be back soon.¡± Ye Fan reassured Angie. Then, he walked out of the courtyard. As he approached the vige entrance, Ye Fan noticed a widow chasing ckie with a knife and yelling curses. ckie dashed around with a pair of pink underwear in its mouth while the widow chased after it. Its drool was also dripping from its mouth. ¡°Stop right there. You dead dog! Watch me beat you to a pulp today! How many has it been? You have stolen at least ten pieces of underwear from me in just a month!¡± The widow was enraged. Ye Fan''s lips twitched at the scene. This dog is probably dead meat. What did Huangniu teach it? Just as the widow was about to catch the dog, Ye Fan went up and paid some money to settle the matter. The widow took the money and scolded Ye Fan, ¡°Is this your dog? Can you keep it under control? Also, why does it only steal women''s underwear? This is my first time seeing such a perverted dog! Were you the one who taught it? If I catch it next time, I will report it to the police!¡± Ye Fan could only apologize repeatedly while blushing since it was so embarrassing. After the widow finally left, ckie came running to Ye Fan, wagging its tail. As if thanking him, ckie offered the stolen pink underwear in its mouth so that Ye Fan could appreciate it. ¡°Get lost!¡± Ye Fan pped ckie''s mouth angrily, causing it to spin around in circles. In the end, Ye Fan picked it up and said, ¡°You shouldn''t stay here anymore since you''re only going to cause more trouble. Come with me to Mount Yan.¡± Ye Fan scooped the dog and left Jiangdong, heading for Mount Yan. Woof! Woof! Woof! Looking at the pink underwear blown away by the wind, ckie howled in agony. However, no matter how it struggled, it couldn''t get out of Ye Fan''s grasp, so it could only watch the underwear fly away in bitterness. Meanwhile, many martial artists from China had gathered in Mount Yan. It was an astonishing scene to be reckoned with. There were all types of people at the foot of Mount Yan, even those experts who hadn''t appeared in decades. At this moment, an elderly man came down the mountain. This man seemed quite respected in the martial arts world, and many people went forward to greet him. ¡°Mr. Kong, you''re here too? It seems that the temptation of Dragon Gate training must be really strong for you to evene here.¡± Exmations could be heard from everyone. Kong Ming let out a low chuckle. ¡°Can''t I join in the fun too? I''ve been stuck in a bottleneck for many years without any breakthroughs. I''m finding an opportunity to reach the Grandmaster rank, so won''t it be a great chance for me to enter the Dragon Gate training?¡± ¡°Mr. Kong, be bold and set the goal of reaching the Supreme rank. I heard that in thest group that entered the Dragon Gate training, some people achieved Supreme within just a few months. You''ve been practicing martial arts for a long time and have a solid foundation. You simply need an opportunity, and perhaps this Dragon Gate training will provide you with that opportunity,¡± someone said. Upon hearing that, Kong Ming''s heart trembled. ¡°Is this Dragon Gate training really that amazing? Can someone really be a supreme grandmaster in just a few months?¡± ¡°Of course. Otherwise, why would so many people around the world be so eager to get selected and qualify for the Dragon Gate training?¡± As everyone talked, their speech and expressions revealed their hope and expectations of entering the Dragon Gate training. Amidst the conversation, a sexy woman in leather clothing walked over and greeted Kong Ming, ¡°Mr. Kong, do you still remember me?¡± Upon seeing the woman, Kong Ming was confused at first. However, he quickly recognized her and eximed in delight, ¡°A-Are you Lu Tianhe''s, Commander In Chief of Jiangdong military base, daughter, Lu Yanxi?¡± Lu Yanxi nodded. ¡°That''s right! You still remember me!¡± ¡°Haha. Of course, since you''re myrade who had experienced life and death with me. Time flies. I still remember when we were in Boguia Rainforest. That was almost three years ago.¡± Kong Ming couldn''t help but feel sentimental. ¡°Yes. I remember there were four of us. Besides us, there''s Lu Hua and Chu¡ª¡± Lu Yanxi started reminiscing, but she stopped abruptly just before she said thest person''s name. As Kong Ming thought of the past, the smile on his face gradually faded. ¡°Speaking of Lu Hua, that child was indeed a remarkably talented individual. He was selected for the country''s outstanding talent development n at a young age. But unfortunately, he was too mboyant and offended that man. Not only did he lose his life, but his entire family was also killed...¡± Lu Yanxi smiled bitterly. ¡°That''s right. Who could have expected that the person who traveled with us back then would reach such great heights?¡± ¡°If we had known earlier, perhaps Lu Hua wouldn''t have dared to offend him,¡± Kong Ming said. Chapter 2216 Chapter 2216 In life, there were no ifs, but looking back, it seemed that all the coincidences that had urred so far were predestined. For example, Ye Fan''s inability to get along with the others during the rainforest trip, Kong Ming''s and Lu Yanxi''s survival against all odds, and Lu Hua''s self-destruction. ¡°Lu Hua dug his own grave,¡± someone remarked. ¡°He had no right to harm the man''s family and friends after what he did to him in the rainforest. I heard he even tried to steal the man''s girlfriend,¡± another person added. ¡°It''s obvious that he brought this upon himself with his actions,¡± a third person chimed in. Almost everyone in the martial arts world knew about the conflict between Ye Fan and Lu Hua back then. It was rumored that Ye Fan had made his way to Mount Yan and forced the supreme pirs of China from the War God Castle to back off. The events that unfolded were still unbelievable to many. ¡°Mr. Kong, are you referring to Chu Tianfan from Jiangdong?¡± a bystander asked. ¡°He was young and impulsive back then, but he''s changed now.¡± Another person chimed in, ¡°Have you heard? The Dragon God Hall has disbanded, and Chu Tianfan is rumored to be withdrawing himself from society.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± a man who overheard their conversation interjected with a faint smile. Many people crowded around to greet the man as soon as they saw him. ¡°Hello, Mr. Zhao.¡± ¡°You''re so young and talented, taking over the War God Castle at such a young age.¡± ¡°I heard that you oversaw the selection process for the Dragon Gate Project.¡± The crowd offeredpliments and ttery to the man. Zhao Zhenlu waved his hand in response. ¡°It was all for the sake of Hall Master Chen. I''m just an errand boy at most. It''s not a big deal.¡± Kong Ming greeted him with a fist-and-palm salute, recognizing him as an acquaintance from years ago. Back then, Zhao Zhenlu was a nobody in the martial arts world. He had even trained under Kong Ming for a short period but was eventually dismissed due to what Kong Ming perceived as ack of talent. But who would have thought that such an untalented person would eventually be a prominent figure by Chen Jiuzhou''s side? It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that Zhao Zhenlu held immense power as he was responsible for everything rted to the War God Castle. One could even say that Zhao Zhenlu''s rise to prominence was a topic of discussion in and of itself. During the banquet at Mount Yan, Chen Jiuzhou was unexpectedly chosen as the Hall Master of the War God Castle. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Many people simply watched on at the time, but Li Er and his subordinates publicly opposed the decision. It was Zhao Zhenlu who led the charge in supporting Chen Jiuzhou to take over China''s martial arts world. That was how Zhao Zhenlu caught Chen Jiuzhou''s attention, and he was subsequently promoted from a low-ranking officer to the person in charge of the War God Castle. As a result, even veteran martial artists like Kong Ming had to bow to him. As the Hall Master''s most trusted advisor and the person in charge of the highly coveted Dragon Gate project, which every martial artist wanted to be a part of, it was no surprise that Zhao Zhenlu was treated with respect by everyone. ¡°That''s right. Please continue, Mr. Zhao.¡± ¡°What exactly happened to Chu Tianfan?¡± As soon as Zhao Zhenlu arrived, a crowd of martial artists gathered around him. It was the day for the second round of selection for the Dragon Gate Project. Hence, many martial artists had gone to Mount Yan. Zhao Zhenlu crossed his arms and chuckled. ¡°What I mean is that Chu Tianfan has been scared out of his wits by our Hall Master Chen. He disbanded the Dragon God Hall because he was afraid that Hall Master Chen would cause him trouble. He''s now hiding, too scared to show his face. People like him only dare to bully others and show off their power before Hall Master Chen shows up. Now that Hall Master Chen is in power, he''s acting like a coward, isn''t he?¡± Zhao Zhenlu mocked, disying his disdain for Ye Fan. ¡°Um...¡± The crowd stared at each other quietly, and nobody dared to interrupt. Among them were Grandmasters who had previously interacted with Ye Fan. Despite their different opinions, no one dared to speak up for Ye Fan because of Zhao Zhenlu''s status. Lu Yanxi couldn''t hold her tongue any longer and retorted, ¡°Chu Tianfan is the top-ranked martial artist on the Sky Ranking. I agree that he may fear Hall Master Chen, but I don''t think it''s fair to call him a coward.¡± Kong Ming chimed in, ¡°Indeed. During the war with Chu Sect, the Unrivalled Supreme fought bravely and made significant contributions. He''s a hero in his own right.¡± Having been through life and death with Ye Fan, they believed they knew him better than most. However, Zhao Zhenlu burst intoughter at their words. ¡°You two sound like you''re idolizing him. Let me tell you, that''s a problem. If you continue with that attitude, you won''t be selected for the Dragon Gate Project. I''m not saying that Chu Tianfan is weak, but why hasn''t he shown up if he''s not a coward? Hall Master Chen destroyed his statue and invaded Jiangdong. As the master of Jiangdong, where is he now?¡± Zhao Zhenlu sneered; his toneced with anger. It seemed he was unhappy that Kong Ming and Lu Yanxi spoke up for Ye Fan. The audience quickly chimed in. ¡°Mr. Zhao is absolutely right! Even the most virtuous people can make a name for themselves during chaotic times. Chu Tianfan only gained notoriety because there was no one else to rival him at the time. But now that Hall Master Chen has emerged as a force to be reckoned with, Chu Tianfan is no longer needed.¡± ¡°Exactly. Besides, with Moryana keeping watch over Mount Yan alongside Hall Master Chen, Chu Tianfan wouldn''t dare to cause any trouble here. It seems he can only hide like a coward from now on. China will now enter the era of Hall Master Chen. Hahaha!¡± The crowdughed and offered their praises to appease Zhao Zhenlu. However, no one noticed a slim figure walking up from the foot of the mountain and standing behind the crowd. ¡°What''s so funny? Did something good happen? Tell me about it so I can share in the joy,¡± he said as he stood with his hands behind his back on the peak of Mount Yan. His faintughter cut through the air abruptly. ¡°It''s nothing. We were just talking about that coward, Chu Tianfan...¡± A man turned around and was about to offer an exnation. However, he trailed off, and his knees went weak when he saw who it was. ¡°Hey, what''s wrong?¡± ¡°Why are you squatting on the ground?¡± The crowd noticed his strange behavior and began to mock him. However, theirughter soon died off as they noticed the neer. He was dressed in ck, his bangs fluttering in the breeze as he stood with his hands behind his back on Mount Yan, his face maintaining a slight smile. However, it was precisely this harmless smile that scared the wits out of every martial artist present. Kong Ming and Lu Yanxi were also dumbfounded. Kong Ming''s eyes widened like saucers, whereas Lu Yanxi paled and shuddered. It had been two years. She had not seen this man ever since the fight in the rainforest. However, there were always rumors about him while he was gone. Yes. It was none other than Chu Tianfan. The legendary man in China''s martial arts world. He came alone and stood at the peak of Mount Yan. Amid the fearful silence of the crowd, Zhao Zhenlu''s brow furrowed as he angrily rebuked the man standing before him with a haughty pose. ¡°Who do you think you are, showing off in front of me in the presence of the Emperor and the War God Castle? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Leave now!¡± Zhao Zhenlu had never met Ye Fan before. Before he rose to fame and fortune, he was just a nobody in the martial arts world. Therefore, it was not surprising that he had never crossed paths with Ye Fan, who was considered far above his station. Zhao Zhenlu''s only impression of Ye Fan was the statue that Chen Jiuzhou had destroyed. But the real man standing before him was vastly different. Chapter 2217 Chapter 2217 The instant Zhao Zhenlu ended his sentence, the entire peak of Mount Yan went dead silent. Everyone wet themselves as they turned to Zhao Zhenlu with a look of pity and horror, thinking he looked like a buffoon. Following Zhao Zhenlu''s roar, Ye Fan looked at the former coldly and blinked, just as they expected. The crowd saw the air in front of Ye Fan tremble before he shot a bout of fierce, de-like aura toward Zhao Zhenlu. The attacknded squarely on Zhao Zhenlu''s chest. He cried out in agony as his ribs were broken and blood spurted out of his mouth. Bearing the pain, he stood up and eximed, ¡°You have some balls to attack me!¡± He may be scarily powerful, but I''m not afraid! Why should I when War God Castle, Chen Jiuzhou, and China''s martial arts world stand behind me? I''m not afraid of anyone but Chen Jiuzhou. ¡°What are you all standing there for? This lunatic trespassed into Mount Yan and injured a high-ranking official of War God Castle! As your superior, I''m ordering all of you to y this madman immediately!¡± Zhao Zhenlu was thoroughly enraged. It doesn''t matter if I can''t defeat him since all the martial artists here are at least Grandmasters! They''ll no doubt work together to eliminate this intruder on my order! To his surprise, the martial artists who usually ttered him were pretending not to hear him. ¡°What are you all doing? Why aren''t any of you attacking him? Don''t you all want to get a spot in Dragon Gate Project?¡± Despite his angry yelling, no one in the scene paid attention to him. Moreover, people like Kong Ming had already stepped far away from Zhao Zhenlu in fear, as though they didn''t want to be associated with him. It was then Zhao Zhenlu realized something was wrong. Just as he wondered about Ye Fan''s identity, thetter chuckled and mocked, ¡°Even if you shout at the top of your lungs, they won''t listen to you, so just stop. While I, Chu Tianfan, was rampaging across China and terrifying the entire world, you were probably polishing someone''s shoe at an obscure corner of the.¡± I don''t want to waste any more words on this insignificant nuisance of a man. As he strode toward War God Castle, the martial artists made way for him, even though he was stepping on the sacred ground of China''s martial arts world. Not even a single one of them dared to utter a word, much less stop him. Only someone like Zhao Zhenlu, who had no knowledge of the person he was dealing with, would dare to block Ye Fan''s path. Once Ye Fan was almost out of his sight, Zhao Zhenlu asked tremblingly, ¡°H-He''s Chu Tianfan?¡± He could never imagine Ye Fan would show up in Mount Yan just as he was talking about thetter. Meanwhile, Ye Qingtian, who had received news of Ye Fan''s arrival, hurriedly arrived before thetter and spoke anxiously. ¡°Why are you here, Ye Fan? Hasn''t the matter in Jiangdong been resolved? I beg you, please just let it go already and stop stirring up trouble. China finally has some peace. Are you really going to start another war just as the country''s recuperating?¡± The first thought that entered his mind when he heard Ye Fan had arrived at Mount Yan was that the latter desired revenge against Chen Jiuzhou for what happened in Jiangdong. ¡°Rx, I''m a man of my word. I promised in Jiangdong I won''t start a war, and I intend to fulfill it. I''m not going to act despicably as War God Castle,¡± spat Ye Fan coldly. Ye Qingtian could hear the resentment in Ye Fan''s voice. It''s evident that he still has a grudge against War God Castle. ¡°I admit, we didn''t handle the Jiangdong''s matter as well as we could''ve. However, you must understand that the people''s desire for a united country has been carved into their genes over the course of five thousand years. Your desire to make Jiangdong an independent entity vites our ancestors'' wishes and will destroy the country''s unity. Sooner orter, you must resolve the problem of Jiangdong''s martial arts world''s affiliation and jurisdiction. I hope you already have ideas about how to ovee this issue.¡± He was being honest with Ye Fan as he expressed War God Castle''s genuine attitude. Upon hearing that, Ye Fan sneered, ¡°Do you think War God Castle still has the right to manage China''s martial arts world? China almost fell at the hands of Chu Sect because of War God Castle''s ipetence. If not for my backup in Jiangdong, China''s martial arts world would''ve been annexed by Chu Sect. I won''t lie, Ye Qingtian. I also wish to see the country be united. However, the one to do that shouldn''t be War God Castle anymore.¡± After spending so much time in the martial arts world, he had a pretty thorough understanding of War God Castle. He believed it was a wholly corrupted organization and that entrusting Jiangdong or the entire country to them would spell their deaths. ¡°How can you say that, Ye Fan? I admit War God Castle wascking in strength during the war against Chu Sect. However, the organization has grown stronger. In addition to Moryana''s return, we even have a prodigy like Chen Jiuzhou joining us. We can stand on our own two feet now. Furthermore, after the initiation of the Dragon Gate Project, China has continuously produced countless Grandmasters and even a supreme Grandmaster. If things continue down this path, War God Castle''s might will soar at a meteoric rate in just one or two years. When the timees, China''s martial arts world will return to its former glory! I hope that, when that timees, you''ll be willing to return Jiangdong''s martial arts world to us and allow us to keep the peace so we can achieve the dream of a united martial arts world in China!¡± stated Ye Qingtian sincerely. That was War God Castle''s n for the future. They would take back Jiangdong''s martial arts world, one way or another. In response, Ye Fan sneered, ¡°That''s a good n. I''m just worried you all may be betrayed without realizing it.¡± Ye Qingtian furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°What do you mean by that, Ye Fan?¡± Instead of talking about Jiangdong, Ye Fan changed the subject. ¡°Nothing in particr. We''ll talk about Jiangdong''s matter in the future. I''m here because I have something that may require your assistance. I heard War God Castle had enacted a training program called Dragon Gate Project. Is that true?¡± Ye Qingtian nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes. Martial arts worlds from other countries are doing something simr, so China has to keep up with them. The sess of Dragon Gate Project will determine whether China''s martial arts world will return to its former glory!¡± It was apparent he was confident in the project. ¡°Can you tell me about this program in detail? Like the general gist of it,¡± inquired Ye Fan.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chapter 2218 Chapter 2218 When Ye Fan appeared interested in the project, Ye Qingtian could not help but raise his voice and ask, ¡°What''s the matter? Are you interested in Dragon Gate Project too?¡± He then continued proudly, ¡°Chen Jiuzhou and Moryana proposed the project. Sword Saint and the rest of us were initially skeptical about the idea. As all of us in the martial arts world know, there are no shortcuts to cultivation. It''s a path that requires discipline, dedication, and endless effort. Only those willing to put in the time and effort can reach unimaginable heights of power and strength. But it seems like I was wrong. In this vast world, there''s nothing unimaginable. It looks like there really are immortalnds and blessed grounds that can help people cultivate. Dragon Gate is the entrance to that immortalnd. By entering through the gate, one can achieve twice the result with half the effort. Sword Saint and the rest of us are prepared to try our luck. For all we know, after being stagnant all these years, we can finally achieve a breakthrough. Are you interested in joining us, Ye Fan? I''ll try my best to help you secure a position. Given your current skills, I''m sure you will be able to reach god realm if you practice in the Dragon Gate.¡± Ye Qingtian chuckled delightfully after sharing the legendary tales of Dragon Gate. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ye Fan chortled softly and continued, ¡°Can I visit Dragon Gate?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Ye Qingtian seemed slightly perturbed. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± the man asked. Ye Qingtian immediately shook his head and exined, ¡°Unfortunately, I''m no longer in control of War God Castle. If I were still in charge, I would not hesitate to let you enter Dragon Gate and practice inside. I''m only the second in charge now; Chen Jiuzhou has the final say. Moreover, Moryana is guarding Dragon Gate herself. Even I''m not allowed to be near the gate for no good reason.¡± Hearing Ye Qingtian''s difficult predicament, Ye Fan scowled as he had not expected Dragon Gate to be so closely guarded. Even War God, Ye Qingtian, had to stay away from the ce. This sparked Ye Fan''s interest in Dragon Gate. ¡°Can''t I just take a look?¡± Ye Fan asked. After mulling, Ye Qingtian replied, ¡°I may be able to help you if you just want to see it. I know two people will end their training in Dragon Gate today. The gate will open for them to exit, and you can witness it.¡± Ye Fan nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I shall wait here for Dragon Gate to open.¡± He then waited for a few hours in War God Castle. In the evening, Mount Yan started to tremble. Themotion outside the castle grew louder. Everyone was in high spirits, and the atmosphere immediately became lively. ¡°Ye, hurry up! Dragon Gate is going to open. I wonder if they can reach the Supreme level today.¡± Sword Saint called out to Ye Qingtian; his excitement was evident from his tone. However, as soon as Sword Saint entered, his smile froze. ¡°Chu... Chu Tianfan? What are you doing here?¡± he stuttered. Upon seeing Ye Fan, Sword Saint became nervous. He had not interacted with the man much, but most of the time they encountered each other, he and King of Fighters ended up getting beaten. Therefore, almost instinctively, Sword Saint became slightly wary. Sword Saint looked at Ye Qingtian and asked, ¡°What''s happening, Ye? Didn''t we settle the matter at Jiangdong?¡± ¡°Haha! Sword Saint, don''t be nervous. Ye Fan came here to inspect Dragon Gate Project. Come on, let''s go take a look together,¡± Ye Qingtian said merrily as he walked out of the castle, one man in each arm. Outside, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky red. Kong Ming and the rest gathered at the square, waiting in anticipation for Dragon Gate. Meanwhile, at the peak of Mount Yan, a sturdy man stood in midair and surveyed his surroundings. ¡°The sky and earth are calm as water, and Dragon Gate opens today! Emerge! Emerge! Emerge!¡± Chen Jiuzhou''smanding voice reverberated through the air. Next, everyone saw him raising his foot and stomping it down fiercely. The entire world began to hum. Suddenly, the ground below cracked open. An ancient stone gate emerged from the depths of the earth as if a dragon had risen from the seas and a serpent had ascended from the heavens. The mountain-like stone gate stretched across the sky and the earth! ¡°Is that Dragon Gate, the divine ce that can help us achieve a breakthrough?¡± ¡°Is there really immense power behind the magical door?¡± At the foot of Mount Yan, the crowd was in an uproar. Kong Ming and others looked at the ancient Dragon Gate in front of them with fiery eyes. They could not wait to jump in and boost their powers! Upon seeing the gate, even Ye Qingtian and Sword Saint could not help but marvel and feel emotional. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Only Ye Fan''s face became extremely grim the moment he saw the gate. It was painted in ck, with a ck dragon and odd runes carved on it. This is the one! It looks exactly the same as the gate I saw at Mount Chumen. I''m certain that this is the forbidden door that Great-grandma warned us about. The power of the devil is sealed behind this door! She was right. Great-grandma was right. This is a huge conspiracy! The moment he saw this door, Ye Fan understood everything. The so-called Dragon Gate training was a continuation of Chu Yuan''s n from before. Even though Chu Sect had been destroyed and Chu Yuan was dead, the conspiracy was still happening. And this time, all the world''s martial artists were willingly cooperating. There was no resistance, no killing, no war, and everyone was flocking to it. Thinking of this, Ye Fan could not help but wonder in shock. Who exactly is behind all of this? Who would deceive the whole world like this? As Ye Fan wondered in horror, the ck gate suddenly opened. A divine light shot out from inside. Two figures, bathed in the divine light, leaped down from the gate. Then with a thud, they knelt directly in front of Chen Jiuzhou and said, ¡°Hall Master Chen, we''ve completed our training and are ready to do your bidding.¡± Chen Jiuzhou nodded and asked, ¡°What is your current rank?¡± ¡°I''m at the peak of the Grandmaster realm,¡± one of them reported. The other continued, ¡°I''m at the semi-Supreme realm.¡± Many of the onlookers could not believe their ears. ¡°He''s a Grandmaster? He''s a semi-Supreme? Is... Is this true?¡± ¡°I remember that man was a mere Innate three months ago.¡± ¡°How did he manage to jump through two realms, the Innate and Terminal levels, and reach the Grandmaster realm in just three months?¡± ¡°This is insane. How did he reach the Grandmaster realm at eighteen years old? He''s so powerful!¡± ¡°What''s the secret behind Dragon Gate?¡± Everyone at Mount Yan was discussing excitedly; their eyes were burning with desire. They yearned to experience the power themselves. After all, what did martial artists desire most? Not money, not women. It was power! The power to destroy the heavens and the earth, to give and take life! s, such immense power was hidden behind Dragon Gate. Naturally, everyone was hoping for it! Chen Jiuzhou shook his head at the words. ¡°Still a little short, aren''t you? I thought that with your talents, you could have reached the realm of Supreme. Never mind, head back and fortify our defenses. Wait for mymand.¡± The man waved his hand and dismissed the two. Next, he turned to the crowd and announced, ¡°Everyone, the first group of Dragon Gate trainees has returned. Tomorrow, we will select the second group of trainees. Everyone, remember to do your best. Also, I want to inform you that War God, Sword Saint, and King of Fighters will also be participating in the second round of Dragon Gate Project.¡± Chapter 2219 Chapter 2219 ¡°What?¡± ¡°War God, Sword Saint, and King of Fighters are going to participate in Dragon Gate Project as well?¡± ¡°Doesn''t that mean we''ll have three less spots for ourselves?¡± A loudmotion broke out among the crowd after hearing about the participation of War God and the others. Even so, they knew better than toin about the arrangement. After all, War God had done a lot for the country, so it would only be fair to grant him a spot in Dragon Gate''s training even if he didn''t get chosen. That showed how effective Dragon Gate was at boosting one''s power, as a person like War God wouldn''t have been tempted by it otherwise. The ck Dragon Gate closed once again and went back into the ground right after Chen Jiuzhou finished making his announcement. The crowd then dispersed as everyone left to make their preparations for the next day. As the people left, Chen Jiuzhou noticed Ye Fan standing next to Ye Qingtian. ¡°You''re still here, Chu Tianfan? I must say, you have some guts remaining in Mount Yan after hurting my subordinate! Did you really think I wouldn''t dare kill you?¡± Chen Jiuzhou shouted with an icy-cold and murderous look in his eyes. Ye Fan wasn''t about to back down, either. ¡°Feel free to go ahead and try.¡± The tension in the air skyrocketed as the two stared each other down. ¡°Jiuzhou, have you forgotten what Moryana said? We cannot afford to have any mishaps now that Dragon Gate Project has entered its critical stage. Besides, Ye Fan only came over to Mount Yan to observe Dragon Gate Project out of curiosity. He has no ill intentions,¡± Ye Qingtian exined in an attempt to de-escte the situation. His exnation worked as Chen Jiuzhou stopped giving Ye Fan a hard time after hearing that. ¡°What''s the matter? Does he want to participate in Dragon Gate training as well? If so, then that''s perfectly fine. After all, we came up with Dragon Gate Project in order to strengthen the martial arts world of China, to begin with. Chu Tianfan may have disobeyed War God Castle''s orders, but he is still a citizen of China. If he wishes to participate in this Dragon Gate training, War God Castle would be more than happy to grant him a spot in this training exercise.¡± Chen Jiuzhou''s sudden act of kindness caught both Ye Qingtian and Sword Saintpletely off guard. They were not expecting him to be so generous when it came to Dragon Gate training. ¡°Hahaha! I''m d you feel that way, Jiuzhou! One must be able to let go of past grudges and see the bigger picture in order to achieve sess. That is how you be a great leader. In order to rule a country, a king must first ept all of its people without discrimination. We feel safe handing China''s martial arts world over to you.¡± War God and Sword Saint both had relieved smiles on their faces. Chen Jiuzhou simply kept quiet and shed them a meaningful smile in response. He then stopped asking Ye Fan to leave War God Castle and went off to take care of other things. ¡°Ye Fan, you should learn a thing or two from Jiuzhou on how to manage your personal grudges. Putting your individual strengths aside, having such a magnanimous mindset is crucial to achieving sess in life. Do you have any idea how valuable a spot in this Dragon Gate training is? A wealthy merchant once offered Jiuzhou ten billion to purchase a spot for his son, but Jiuzhou turned him down. Even so, he has offered you a spot even without me asking him to. That shows how much he cares about China''s future,¡± Ye Qingtian said with a relieved smile after Chen Jiuzhou left. ¡°Do you really think Chen Jiuzhou is that kind-hearted? He definitely has ulterior motives behind that offer of his!¡± Ye Fan replied with a sneer. ¡°How could you say that, Ye Fan? Jiuzhou was kind enough to grant you a free spot in this training! Not only do you not thank him for it, but you''re also using him of having ulterior motives?¡± Ye Qingtian asked with a frown. Instead of answering his question right away, Ye Fan nced about before whispering, ¡°Are you free tonight, War God? There are some things that I would like to discuss with you in private.¡± Still displeased with Ye Fan''s attitude, Ye Qingtian turned him down. ¡°I have a meetingter, so I''m afraid I won''t have time for you tonight.¡± ¡°What I want to discuss concerns the survival of this country and possibly even the rest of the world. It''s up to you whether youe to see me or not,¡± Ye Fan said calmly and walked out of War God Castle before Ye Qingtian could even respond. Ye Qingtian froze in shock after hearing those words. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only It didn''t sound like he was joking, but Chu Sect had been destroyed, and Chu Yuan is dead. Peace has finally been restored to the martial arts world, so what could possibly threaten the safety of our country? ¡°I think you should go see him, Ye. Chu Tianfan isn''t the kind of person to joke about such things,¡± Sword Saint advised. ¡°All right.¡± Ye Qingtian nodded and headed overter that night. The two then headed over to a restaurant and found themselves a table by the window. ¡°Well? Go on, then. What is the true purpose of your visit to Mount Yan?¡± Ye Qingtian asked after ordering some food and drinks. ¡°What I am about to tell you may sound ridiculous, but I hope you will believe me for the sake of this world''s safety,¡± Ye Fan said. Ye Qingtian was already feeling nervous just by hearing that. ¡°I suspect that the so-called ''Dragon Gate'' is a conspiracy and the source of a disaster that threatens to destroy the world. Those who train in Dragon Gate have all been imprinted with a spirit seal that will turn them into puppets. With a solemn look on his face, Ye Fan then proceeded to tell Ye Qingtian about his suspicions. Ye Qingtian was so shocked by what he heard that he leaped to his feet. ¡°A conspiracy by Symborsus? Controlling people like puppets? This is utterly ridiculous! There''s no way that''s possible! Ye Fan, do you even realize what you''re saying? Let''s first put aside your absurd usation of Dragon Gate being the forbidden door and the source of some huge disaster. I can''t believe you actually think our seniors above the Empyrean Ranking have been turned into Symborsus'' puppets! This is simply not possible! Have you forgotten the cultivation level of Moryana, Asura, and the others? They''re all god realm masters! Nothing in this world could possibly enve god realm masters!¡± Ye Qingtian''s intense reaction was partially due to the shocking nature of Ye Fan''s words. After all, the modern martial arts world believed in the Empyrean Ranking faithfully and saw those at the top of it as their leaders. If such powerful individuals were to be Symborsus'' puppets, then Symborsus would have the entire world at its fingertips. Symborsus could even use War God Castle as its weapon. ¡°War God, I assure you that everything I said is true, and I have the Chu family''s ancient books to prove that. I believe that Chen Jiuzhou only agreed to let me participate in the Dragon Gate training because he wanted me to be imprinted with a spirit seal and be one of Symborsus'' puppets,¡± Ye Fan said solemnly, but Ye Qingtian shook his head stubbornly in response. After taking a moment to calm down, Ye Qingtian replied, ¡°I know you''re not joking, Ye Fan. However, your suspicions are, as the word suggests, merely just suspicions. I don''t think there is a being powerful enough to control the spirits of god realm masters, and I certainly don''t believe that Moryana and Jiuzhou are trying to harm our country. Besides, if this terrifyingly powerful being does exist, why would it cultivate fighters and enve people? What could be the motive behind that? It makes no sense at all. If it is powerful enough to control multiple individuals from the Empyrean Ranking, then destroying the world should be a piece of cake for it. There''s no reason for it to go through so much trouble just to destroy the world, is there?¡± Chapter 2220 Chapter 2220 Ye Qingtian still refused to believe in Ye Fan''s story as he found it somewhat ridiculous. ¡°War God, I know it may be a little hard for you to believe this, but there are many things in this world that we don''t know about. Anyway, I''ve told you everything I know. You are free to deal with this information however you wish, but I do hope you will put a stop to Dragon Gate Project immediately. You, me, and all the martial artists of China should refrain from participating in it. Once you''re caught in that trap, you won''t be able to escape from it,¡± Ye Fan said solemnly. Ye Qingtian nodded. ¡°All right, then. I''ll head back and discuss this with Sword Saint and the others. This decision is far too big for me to make on my own.¡± ¡°The truth usually lies in the hands of a select few,¡± Ye Fan added as he stood up. He then walked right out of the restaurant, leaving Ye Qingtian to ponder his words all by himself. Ye Qingtian summoned Sword Saint and King of Fighters after making his way back to Mount Yanter that night. He told them everything that Ye Fan had mentioned earlier. Sure enough, King of Fighters and Sword Saint were both shocked by what they had heard. ¡°W-What did you just say? Jiuzhou and Moryana are being controlled by Symborsus? Are you serious?¡± King of Fighters eximed with his eyes wide. Sword Saint was in so much shock that he fell speechless. ¡°That''s what Ye Fan told me. It''s probably just his guess, though. He doesn''t have any solid evidence to prove those ims,¡± War God replied with a wry chuckle. King of Fighters breathed a sigh of relief before eximing in displeasure, ¡°This is utterly ridiculous! How dare he make such bold usations without solid evidence? I bet he''s just trying to frame Jiuzhou out of spite!¡± ¡°Huh? King of Fighters, you shouldn''t badmouth Ye Fan like that. It doesn''t seem like he''s doing this to frame anyone. He probably just knows something that we don''t,¡± War God exined in an attempt to defend Ye Fan. Sword Saint looked up at him and asked, ¡°Are you saying that you trust Ye Fan and n to halt Dragon Gate Project to investigate Chen Jiuzhou and Moryana?¡± War God shook his head. ¡°No, I won''t just believe Ye Fan''s words and do something that will affect the country without seeing solid evidence. I think we should continue to carry out Dragon Gate Project.¡± Sword Saint nodded in agreement. ¡°What Ye Fan said was indeed shocking, but I don''t think it''s true. He''s probably just being a little paranoid, that''s all.¡± ¡°You''re right. We should just ignore him and participate in the Dragon Gate project as nned. Hopefully, it''ll allow us pirs of China to be even stronger than before. It''d be great if you could achieve god realm, War God!¡± King of Fighters said excitedly. War God let out a hearty chuckle. ¡°As magical as Dragon Gate may be, I doubt it would help me reach god realm. I only came here in hopes of making it into the top three on Sky Ranking!¡± ¡°Hahaha! Given your talent, reaching the top three on Sky Ranking would be a walk in the park! I won''t fall that far behind, though! I''ll work hard during this training exercise to improve my swordsmanship even further!¡± Sword Saint''s eyes lit up with excitement as he thought about how powerful they would be. Time seemed to fly by really quickly that night, and it was soon the next morning. Havingpletely forgotten about Ye Fan''s warning, Ye Qingtian and the others were preparing for their Dragon Gate training that day. ording to the n, all of those who registered for the Dragon Gate Project would undergo the final selection process, which would result in a list of ten individuals being chosen. ¡°Mr. Kong, do you think I''ll be one of the chosen ones?¡± The martial artists of China were all gathered in War God Castle, but they weren''t the only ones there. ording to a decision from the Martial Arts Security Council, martial artists from therger countries in East Aploth were allowed to participate in China''s Dragon Gate Project as well. There were only a few Dragon Gates avable in the world. In order to cultivate as many elite martial artists as possible, Martial Arts Security Council decided to have the countries with Dragon Gates take in participants from other countries. Lu Yanxi clenched her fists as she waited anxiously for the list of finalists to be revealed. She was nowhere near this level of nervousness while traversing the rainforest with Ye Fan back then. ¡°Haha! Calm down, Yanxi! There''s no need for you to get so worked up over this. Just rx and leave everything to fate! Stressing yourself out won''t do you any good. Besides, Dragon Gate Project willst a year, so there will be more batches of participants in the future. Given your amazing talents, it''s only a matter of time before you get selected!¡± Kong Ming said with a chuckle. Lu Yanxi felt a lot better after hearing that. Eventually, Chen Jiuzhou stepped out of the hall and announced, ¡°Attention, everyone! I have received the approval of my mentor, Moryana, and have finalized the list of the second batch of martial artists. Please step forward if you hear me read your name!¡± With the documents in hand, Chen Jiuzhou scanned the crowd before him as he continued, ¡°The first candidate to qualify for the Dragon Gate training exercise is War God, Ye Qingtian! The second candidate is Sword Saint, Xiao Chen! The third candidate is King of Fighters, Mo Gucheng!¡± Sure enough, the first three slots were given to China''s top three Supreme martial artists. Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, and King of Fighters stepped forward and stood next to Chen Jiuzhou as requested. A few minutester, all ten martial artists were standing on the stage. Kong Ming was standing among them, but Lu Yanxi did not make it into the top ten. ¡°Don''t give up just yet! You''ll be in the next batch for sure!¡± Kong Mingforted her before making his way on stage. ¡°Congrattions on being selected to participate in this training exercise! You will spend three months in Dragon Gate, so consider this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Of course, it is up to you how far you will get by the end of this training exercise. That is all. I will open Dragon Gate shortly, so please get ready!¡± Chen Jiuzhou said as he stomped on the ground andunched himself up into the air. He then crossed his fingers and started chanting something while he was in the air. The next thing they knew, the ground began to tremble as the ancient stone door reappeared on the peak of Mount Yan. Like moths attracted to a me, everyone in the area found themselves staring at Dragon Gate as it came into view. The martial artists that had been chosen were all eager to charge right in. As for those who didn''t get selected, they could only vow to work harder and make it into the next batch. ¡°Open, Dragon Gate!¡± A loud rumbling noise echoed throughout the area as Dragon Gate opened up on Chen Jiuzhou''s command. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Enter the Dragon Gate now!¡± Chen Jiuzhou ordered, prompting Ye Qingtian and the others to charge toward the Dragon Gate. Right as they were about to enter, however, a figure came flying toward them from the distant horizon. ¡°Boundless Destruction!¡± The figure then delivered a punch so powerful that its shockwave alone knocked the ten martial artists back. Without wasting another second, the figure turned around and mmed a fist at the gigantic stone door. Chapter 2221 Chapter 2221 The sudden turn of events caught everyonepletely off guard. It wasn''t until the crowd got closer that they realized the figure was none other than Chu Tianfan himself. ¡°What are you doing, Ye Fan? Have you lost your mind or something?¡± Ye Qingtian shouted with a gloomy look on his face after taking a moment to steady himself. Everyone in Mount Yan was staring at Ye Fan in confusion while trying to figure out why he attacked them without warning. That was when they realized the energy wave from Ye Fan''s second attack was aimed at Dragon Gate. ¡°Oh, no! He''s going to destroy Dragon Gate!¡± ¡°Hurry up and stop him!¡± ¡°Has he lost his mind?¡± ¡°Why would he attack a national treasure?¡± ¡°What is he trying to achieve?¡± The crowd lost it when they realized what Ye Fan was doing. However, Ye Fan ignored their cries and continued punching at Dragon Gate. ¡°You b*stard! How dare you attack Dragon Gate? Have you got a death wish or something?¡± Ye Fan''s sudden appearance and attack had caught Chen Jiuzhoupletely off guard. After taking a second to regain hisposure, he tried to stop Ye Fan byunching an energy wave in his direction. Unfortunately for him, he was a second too slow. Ye Fan''s Absolute Force hadnded square on Dragon Gate. Boom! A deafening boom tore through the area like thunder. It was so loud that it nearly popped everyone''s eardrums on the spot. Dragon Gate shook violently after being hit by Ye Fan''s punch. ¡°You b*stard! How dare you destroy our national treasure?¡± ¡°F*ck you, Chu Tianfan!¡± ¡°You piece of sh*t!¡± The martial artists in Mount Yan yelled angrily at Ye Fan with reddened eyes. They were so mad at Ye Fan that their anger had overridden their fear of him. Even Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and the others were so furious that they hurled abuse at him. ¡°You sc*m!¡± ¡°I bet he''s trying to destroy China!¡± ¡°How despicable!¡± King of Fighters felt as though his heart was bleeding when he saw Ye Fan punching at Dragon Gate, which they were all nning on using to boost their strength. Destroying Dragon Gate was no different from crushing their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get stronger. Naturally, the martial artists at the scene did not take kindly to his actions. Right when they thought Dragon Gate was going to shatter from the punch, they realized that it was completely undamaged. The fact that Ye Fan ranked number one on the Sky Ranking made that all the more bizarre. Ye Fan, too, was shocked when he saw that Dragon Gate was still standing tall atop Mount Yan. What the... Just how tough is this stone door? It looks like I won''t be breaking it any time soon! In that case, my only option is to take it with me! Since his initial n had failed, Ye Fan decided to switch up his strategy. He lowered his center of gravity, channeled his aura into his core, and wrapped both arms around the stone door before pulling at it. To everyone''s surprise, Ye Fan actually managed to lift the stone door from the ground. Having confirmed that it was possible to move the stone door, Ye Fan turned around and took off with it as fast as his legs could carry. If I can''t destroy this thing, then I will have to seal it off! This thing is a threat to humanity, so I can''t just leave it be! Once again, the crowd was taken aback by Ye Fan''s actions. ¡°What the f*ck is this guy doing now?¡± ¡°Is he trying to steal Dragon Gate?¡± ¡°I bet he wants to keep it all to himself!¡± ¡°What a selfish and greedy b*stard!¡± Everyone started yelling angrily a few secondster. Chen Jiuzhou was especially furious when he saw what Ye Fan was doing. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He then stomped on the ground andunched himself forward with his palm aimed at Ye Fan''s back. Instead of trying to dodge the attack, Ye Fan simply turned around and shielded himself with Dragon Gate. Chen Jiuzhou''s eyes went wide when he saw that. Fearing that he would end up damaging Dragon Gate, he reduced the momentum of his strike significantly. Even so, it still hit the stone door pretty hard and resulted in yet another deafening boom. Ye Fan was knocked back by a thousand meters with Dragon Gate in his arms. ¡°Thanks for sending me off, Hall Master Chen!¡± Ye Fan said with a smug grin as he popped his head out from behind the stone door. He then tightened his grip on the Dragon Gate as he flew away from Mount Yan like a cannonball. ¡°F*ck! Hold it right there!¡± Furious at being humiliated by Ye Fan, Chen Jiuzhou chased after him like a madman. He was moving so fast that his body created a sonic boom as he closed the distance between them. Ye Fan frowned when he saw Chen Jiuzhou closing in on him. Whoa... I didn''t think Chen Jiuzhou could move this fast! He sure is something else! I wouldn''t have to worry about him if it weren''t for this stone door weighing me down! Under normal circumstances, Ye Fan would have no issues outrunning Chen Jiuzhou at all. However, the weight of Dragon Gate reduced his speed tremendously. At this rate, Chen Jiuzhou is bound to catch up to me! It looks like I have no choice but to fight him head-on! Being the decisive person that he was, Ye Fan did not hesitate to make that judgment call when he realized he couldn''t outrun Chen Jiuzhou. With a swift motion, he stopped himself in his tracks, turned around, and mmed the stone door into Chen Jiuzhou as though he were swatting a fly. Having been caught off guard by Ye Fan''s sudden attack, Chen Jiuzhou had no time to react and crashed right into the stone door. Just like that, he was smacked right into the ground beneath them. Instead of stopping after getting the drop on Chen Jiuzhou, Ye Fan continued attacking him like crazy in hopes of overwhelming him with sheer aggression. However, Chen Jiuzhou was no pushover and had learned his lesson after being caught by surprise. ¡°Nine des Technique, ming Thunder sh!¡± he yelled while getting back on his feet. Buzz! A loud buzzing noise rang out as a maroon-colored sword appeared in his hand. He then let out a fierce battle cry as he shed at the horizon, unleashing a huge stream of fire that seemed to scorch the skies above. Ye Fan held Dragon Gate in front of him and attempted to use it as a shield once again. Unfortunately for him, Chen Jiuzhou''s attack was so powerful that it sent Dragon Gate flying out of Ye Fan''s hands in an instant. Dust and debris flew everywhere when the gigantic stone door, which weighed hundreds of tons, crashed into the ground below. Ye Fan, too, was knocked back by a few hundred meters as a result. After taking a moment to steady himself, Ye Fan sneered at Chen Jiuzhou and said, ¡°That was quite a powerful blow, Chen Jiuzhou! Aren''t you worried that you might identally destroy Dragon Gate in the process? I assume you''d have a hard time exining yourself to your master, then!¡± Chen Jiuzhou had a gloomy look on his face as he snapped back at Ye Fan, ¡°Whether or not I identally destroy Dragon Gate is none of your concern. As if offending me repeatedly wasn''t bad enough, you had the audacity to try and stop Dragon Gate Project! Did you really think you could stop a historical moment for humanity all by yourself? You''re only signing your own death warrant!¡± He then charged at Ye Fan with his sword raised and engaged him in a fierce battle. Without the Dragon Gate holding him back, Ye Fan was a lot more agile and could hit much harder. He activated Dragon God Body to give him a boost in strength as he faced Chen Jiuzhou''s attack head-on. The two of them were locked in fiercebat, but Ye Fan didn''t n on sticking around for too long. He needed to get out of there with the Dragon Gate as soon as possible. After testing the waters for a bit, Ye Fan unleashed Cloud Sun Kick, which was the first form of Invoke the Celestial Cloud. He then quickly followed up with Tumble of the Majestic Mountain. Realizing that Ye Fan was pulling out the big guns, Chen Jiuzhou refused to back down and unleashed the full power of Nine des Technique. However, multiple figures showed up behind Ye Fan when he was about to sh with Chen Jiuzhou. ¡°Heavenly Palm!¡± ¡°Limitless Sword!¡± ¡°Mo Family Fist!¡± The three figuresunched powerful attacks in Ye Fan''s direction in unison. Chapter 2222 Chapter 2222 The attack surprised Ye Fan. With no other choice, he intercepted the assants behind him even though thebined attack of Sword Saint and the others didn''t pose a deadly threat to him. With a casual palm strike, he blocked his enemies'' united assault. Meanwhile, Chen Jiuzhou, whose strength was on a simr level to Ye Fan''s, was still charging straight toward thetter. As the saying went, the only possible oue between two expert fighters was either life or death. Being distracted for just a short moment in such a battle would be enough to change the tide of the encounter. After Ye Fan repelled Sword Saint and the others, he hastily blocked Chen Jiuzhou''s flurry of shes. As his fist shed against his opponent''s de, a shockwave exploded in all directions. Despite his efforts, Ye Fan lost the contest of strength a few secondster. As a result, Chen Jiuzhounded a solid hit on Ye Fan with his ming sword. Ye Fan grunted as he wasunched a thousand meters away like a cannonball, crashing through multiple hills before copsing above a pile of ruins. With that, blood spilled from his mouth. ¡°Don''t let him escape! I won''t forgive him for destroying China''s treasure!¡± ¡°That''s right! I thought that, while Chu Tianfan is a little arrogant, he still cares about China, but it seems like we''ve overestimated him. It''s hard to believe this loser''s trying to destroy the future of China''s martial arts world. I bet it''s because he can''t stand seeing someone else be powerful! He''s an evil man!¡± ¡°After what he had done, we must get rid of him!¡± The crowd of martial artists on the foot of Mount Yan was chattering with righteous indignation. While they originally revered him, they couldn''t help but hate him for putting his hands on the Dragon Gate and attempting to steal the treasure of China''s martial arts world, which would destroy everyone''s dream. Kong Ming and Lu Yanxi were especially disappointed in Ye Fan. ¡°Why did Mr. Chu end up like this? I recall he was an admired hero back then, yet now he''s trying to snatch our opportunity away from us, who are nobodiespared to him.¡± Lu Yanxi sighed. Ye Fan''s image in her mind was greatly tarnished because she couldn''t understand why he would do such a thing. Hundreds of martial artists on Mount Yan raised their weapons and hollered as they rushed toward the spot Ye Fan crashed into. The massive crowd surrounded Ye Fan before pointing their des in his direction in an instant. Aside from them, Ye Qingtian and the others also made their way there and gazed at the bloody Ye Fan condescendingly. Facing the crowd''s cold re, Ye Fan stood, peered at Ye Qingtian and the other two, andughed. His mockingughter shook the earth, though no one detected the sorrow in his voice. ¡°You can''t me us for our actions, Ye Fan. You were the one who went overboard! We had no choice but to attack you for the sake of the country''s future!¡± Ye Qingtian eximed after understanding the intent behind Ye Fan''sughter. While he felt apologetic for Ye Fan''s wounds, he would''ve still done the same thing if given a choice. He couldn''t sit by and watch Dragon Gate Project, the future of China''s martial arts world, be destroyed. ¡°You know, I''vee to regret saving all of you when Chu Sect waged its war. Perhaps dying to Chu Yuan would''ve been your greatest contribution to China''s martial arts world!¡± sneered Ye Fan. I never could''ve imagined Ye Qingtian and the others would assault me, much less ambush me. And to think I treated Ye Qingtian as a friend and thought War God Castle was an honest organization. It seems like all of it was merely wishful thinking on my part. Ye Qingtian and the others didn''t respond to Ye Fan''s mockery, likely because they felt guilty. However, Zhao Zhenlu, who was severely injured by Ye Fan earlier, went along with the crowd''s prevailing sentiment and rebuked, ¡°Stop spouting nonsense, Chu Tianfan. It was thanks to thebined effort of all martial artists from across the globe that the war against Chu Sect was won. While China''s martial arts world suffered great losses, you reaped all the fame and fortune that came with that victory. You don''t have the right to mention that battle!¡± His speech pushed the crowd''s hatred and disgust toward Ye Fan to its limits because they were already quite furious with Ye Fan. A random martial artist shouted, ¡°Mr. Zhao''s right! You killed yourpatriots during the battle of Jiangbei. In Yunzhou, you refused to respect Hall Master. Today, you tried to destroy Dragon Gate! Your sins are uncountable! You have no right toe to Mount Yan and say those things to War God! You deserve death as punishment!¡± ¡°Yeah! You deserve to die!¡± ¡°Die!¡± Swiftly, the martial artists on Mount Yan reprimanded Ye Fan. Many raised their swords, ready to take Ye Fan''s life with Chen Jiuzhou. After regarding the angry martial artists beneath him, Chen Jiuzhou gloated smugly and pridefully as though he was a victor staring at the adversary he had bested. ¡°Do you see this, Chu Tianfan? This is what happens when you make an enemy out of me! Everyone has forsaken and ostracized you; your reputation is in shambles. If I were you, I''d be too embarrassed to keep on living. Surrender, for Mount Yan will be your grave.¡± ¡°It was an impulsive mistake on Ye Fan''s part, Jiuzhou. There''s no need to kill him. I think it''s fine if we just make him vow not to enter Mount Yan or attack Dragon Gate again. He''s apatriot, after all,¡± advised Ye Qingtian. While he was upset with Ye Fan, he didn''t want thetter to die. In response, Chen Jiuzhou spat coldly, ¡°There''s no need to show him mercy, War God. As long as this scum lives, China will know no peace.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°That''s right!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Don''t let him live!¡± Many shouted vehemently to show their support for Ye Fan''s execution. At that moment, Ye Fan seemed incredibly lonely. Why am I doing any of this? To save these foolish cretins? To protect despicable men who would repay my kindness with enmity without hesitation? Why should I sacrifice so much to ensure their survival? When his train of thought ended there, he shook his head andughed self-deprecatingly. ¡°I came to Mount Yan to rescue you all, but it appears my aid isn''t wanted. In that case, why should I save this world? One day, all of you numbskulls will realize the disaster Dragon Gate will bring to your door!¡± Hisughter reverberated throughout the mountain. From this moment onward, I''m not going to care about Dragon Gate or China''s martial arts world anymore. I''m sick of dealing with the problems in the world. Once I leave, I''ll spend the rest of my days in seclusion and ignore all conflicts. These presumptuous morons can die for all I care. When Chen Jiuzhou noticed Ye Fan was gearing up to leave, he charged toward his enemy and growled furiously, ¡°You''re not getting away that easily! Die!¡± An unnamed martial artist roared, ¡°Everyone, let''s work together to help Hall Master Chen y Chu Tianfan!¡± Chapter 2223 Chapter 2223 Chen Jiuzhou led the party forward at Mount Yan. Behind him, Zhao Zhenlu continued to hype up the crowd even though he was injured. Over a hundred martial artists at the scene ganged up on Ye Fan as their battle spirit was aroused. Naturally, Chen Jiuzhou spearheaded the assault. Listening to their usations and scolds, Ye Fan found the world he lived in to be utterly ironic. He arrived at Mount Yan to save lives, yet those people treated him like a vicious beast that should be put to death. Anyone would''ve felt enraged if they had to face such grievances. Ye Fan was not an exception. At that instant, he waspletely infuriated. Intense killing intent churned within him. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°You want to kill me? Do you think you''re qualified?¡± Boom! A powerful burst of energy erupted from Ye Fan''s body following his bellow. He decided not to retreat anymore. Instead, he turned around to meet members of China''s martial arts world in battle. ¡°All of you are determined to seek death, so don''t me me for being merciless.¡± Gale howled as his sinister voice echoed like a death call. Hisposure and calmness dissipated. At that moment, standing at Mount Yan was the Chu Tianfan who had conquered all and killed so many people that his name could invoke fear within others. His eyes were red like zing fire. Ye Fan''s terrifying murderous intent seemed to have solidified and was wreaking havoc on Mount Yan. Taking in that scene, Ye Qingtian grimaced. Sword Saint and King of Fighters'' facial expressions changed drastically as well. ¡°This is bad.¡± ¡°We''ve incurred Ye Fan''s full-intensity wrath.¡± ¡°I''ve mentioned this early on¡ªwe shouldn''t have forced him.¡± ¡°Now that things have progressed to this stage, I''m afraid countless people are going to lose their lives on Mount Yan.¡± Ye Qingtian turned anxious at once. He knew that nothing good woulde out of this as Ye Fan was not an ordinary person. Their best bet was to adopt War God''s stance and force Ye Fan to retreat instead of turning this situation ugly. Any one of Ye Fan''s battle records could''ve been a generational saga. Convincing him to take the initiative to withdraw is undoubtedly the best way to deal with the current circumstances. Unfortunately, these people are behaving so agitatedly and insisting on doing away with Ye Fan. Ye Fan was the number one supreme grandmaster on the Sky Ranking and a peerless fighter who could single-handedly ughter a martial artist of god realm. No one knew how scary a strong fighter like him would be if he decided to risk it all. As expected, right after Ye Fan uttered those words, a deafening roar of a dragon pierced the air on Mount Yan. Immediately afterward, multiple golden stripes formed on Ye Fan''s forehead and slithered around like flying dragons as if he had unlocked his third eye. Those golden stripes appeared to be resonating with heaven and earth as clouds suddenly gathered across the broad horizon. Masses of dark clouds billowed, and multiple lightning bolts struck from the sky. Ye Fan stood in mid-air. He resembled the god of lightning, as if a deity was possessing his body. Fearsome energy spread across the entire area and was channeled into Ye Fan''s body. Consequently, Ye Fan''s body seemingly expanded from the injection of rampant power. The unnerving power that carried the same intensity as an explosion could send chills down the spines of those who stood even a few hundred meters away. If Huangniu were there, he would''ve recognized at first nce that Ye Fan was utilizing the Thunder God Body Wan''er had previously taught him in the secret realm. The process sounded lengthy when described in detail. However, in fact, everything, from when the energy erupted from within Ye Fan''s body to the formation of the Thunder God Body, happened in just the blink of an eye. While Chen Jiuzhou was still feeling astonished and baffled by the golden lights enveloping Ye Fan''s body, bolts of lightning had already struck the earth. Covered in the aura of Thunderdrake, Ye Fan thrust his fist in a split second. The monstrous shockwaves of that punch nearly tore the sky apart. ¡°What?¡± Chen Jiuzhou was instantaneously shocked upon witnessing that scene. Evidently, he didn''t anticipate Ye Fan''s power to amplify significantly in just a few moments. ¡°As expected of a man who used to dominate China. You''re indeed quite capable. Nevertheless, can you match up against me with that insignificant power? You''re being delusional!¡± Chen Jiuzhou grimaced as a cold glint shed across his eyes. Then, he unleashed his sword skill, Nine des Technique. ming crimson sword energies were pelted in Ye Fan''s direction. However, to Chen Jiuzhou''s surprise, his attacks failed to stop Ye Fan''s mighty punch. With a loud thump, Chen Jiuzhou''s ferocious attack was nullified. The intense shockwave traveled along Chen Jiuzhou''s sword and struck his body, causing him to be sent flying backward by Ye Fan''s punch. ¡°D*mn it! How can he be so strong?¡± Chen Jiuzhou cursed. He realized he had underestimated Ye Fan. The explosive strength of Thunder God Body had far exceeded Chen Jiuzhou''s imagination. As a result, Chen Jiuzhou was caught in a disadvantageous position following the collision. Blood trickled down his sword-wielding hand. I was too careless! Nheless, his negligence merely resulted in him sustaining minor injuries, but the same couldn''t be said for the rest of the party, as the consequences they suffered were dire. Right after Ye Fan got the better of Chen Jiuzhou, the remaining martial artists werepletely exposed to Ye Fan since no one else could shield them, especially Zhao Zhenlu, who had shouted the most aggressively earlier. Zhao Zhenlu was so nonplussed that he almost wet himself when he saw Chen Jiuzhou being sent flying backward and Ye Fan dashing toward him. No one present was that stupid. Although Ye Fan''s behavior had infuriated them, most of them were well aware that they weren''t his match. They had the guts to gang up on him simply because Chen Jiuzhou was there to take the brunt. By assisting Chen Jiuzhou, they could leave a good impression on Chen Jiuzhou while venting their resentment toward Ye Fan. After all, if Ye Fan were to destroy Dragon Gate, he would invoke the anger of all martial artists of China. Yet, none of them had expected Chen Jiuzhou to be thrown backward after getting hit by a single punch from Ye Fan. All of a sudden, they became positioned at the frontline of the battlefield and were forced to engage in a head-on fight with Ye Fan, especially Zhao Zhenlu. He was scared out of his wits at the sight of Ye Fan in his proximity. He turned around and fled, but no one could escape Chu Tianfan''s assault. Ye Qingtian and the others watched as Ye Fan, covered in sparks of lightning, charged toward the crowd like a Grim Reaper harvesting souls. Ye Fan unleashed all kinds of deadly moves while a malevolent aura overflowed from his body. Under Thunder God Body''s reinforcement, every part of his body turned into razor-sharp weapons. In just a few moments, blood showered Mount Yan. Horrible shrieks and cries of despair reverberated throughout War God Castle. ¡°Stop! Ye Fan, stop!¡± Ye Qingtian''s heart bled as he took in that scene. He, Sword Saint, and the others swiftly dashed forward and attacked Ye Fan unreservedly. Some of the martial artists were spared after Ye Qingtian and the others joined in the fray to hold off most of Ye Fan''s attacks. Still, War God and his peers were no match for Ye Fan, whose abilities were greatly enhanced by Thunder God Body. After exchanging a few blows, Ye Fan sent the three pirs of China flying backward. Their heavy bodies crashed into a few hills, smashing them into smithereens in the process. ¡°Chu Tianfan, do you think you''re doing right by China for ughtering all these people? How could you do this to your country? Don''t you feel guilty?¡± Ye Qingtian got to his feet and bellowed at Ye Fan. ¡°Guilty? The ones who should feel guilty are you guys! I''m telling you, Ye Qingtian, I, Chu Tianfan, have never let my people down!¡± Ye Fan''s roar echoed in the air. He continued emitting a strong aura. Blood drenched his lightning-covered body. Overwhelmed by fear and remorse, Zhao Zhenlu and the others groveled at Ye Fan''s feet, begging for mercy. Nevertheless, Ye Fan''s killing spree did notst long. Soon, Chen Jiuzhou, wielding his des, charged forward and traded blows with Ye Fan. He rapidly parried thetter''s attacks. ¡°D*mn you, Chu Tianfan! How dare you try to ruin my Dragon Gate Project? My hatred will not be quenched unless I crush you and reduce you into a pile of ash today!¡± Chen Jiuzhou exploded with rage. This man showed up here with the intent of demolishing Dragon Gate. Then, he murdered the talented martial artists I''d meticulously selected. This behavior of his, which impedes the progression of the Dragon Gate Project, cannot ever be forgiven! Chapter 2224 Chapter 2224 document.designMode = ''on''R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chapter 2225 Chapter 2225 Add BooksT¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 2226 Chapter 2226 It wasn''t until he sted Ye Fan hundreds of meters underground that he halted his assault. ¡°Finally, it''s over. I can''t believe Chu Tianfan dared to oppose us. He greatly overestimated himself,¡± sneered Chen Jiuzhou as he turned around to wee his master, who was responsible for the white traces of light earlier. At that moment, Mu Zihua appeared at the peak of Mount Yan. Upon seeing the ruins and Dragon Gate on the ground, she couldn''t help but frown. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Chen Jiuzhou replied respectfully, ¡°It''s Chu Tianfan, Master! He''s the culprit behind this destruction! I should''ve killed him back in Jiangdong. That way, he wouldn''t have been able to push his luck and attempt to destroy Dragon Gate! Don''t worry, Master. Thanks to your help, I''veid Chu Tianfan to permanent rest deep underground.¡± A wretched smile formed on his face. Just as he ended his sentence, he heard rumbling behind him. Not good! Hurriedly, he swiveled around and saw a bloodied figure getting up from the wreckage. Tightening his fists, he growled, ¡°It would seem that you''re not dead yet, punk! You sure are difficult to kill. However, are you going to be so lucky again?¡± He charged toward Ye Fan once more, intending to y thetter. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Smiling, Ye Fan remained unmoving. He swept his cold gaze past Chen Jiuzhou before fixing it on Mu Zihua. ¡°I see. So, it''s Moryana. Very well. I''ll remember this offense. The next time we meet, I''ll repay today''s humiliation a hundredfold!¡± Chapter 2227 Chapter 2227 While Ye Fan was arrogant, he knew when it was time to retreat. It''s pointless to continue this fight in my current state. In fact, I may lose my life if I refuse to flee now that Moryana''s here. Even though I came to Mount Yan to do the country a favor, I ended up being branded as a sinner. Meanwhile, Chen Jiuzhou and the others are hailed as heroes. In that case, there''s no need for me to risk my life saving these foolish cretins. Just as he ended his sentence, he spun on his heel and attempted to escape at full speed. Upon seeing that, Chen Jiuzhou raised his sword, eager to pursue Ye Fan. ¡°You''re not getting away that easily!¡± However, Moryana stopped him. ¡°He intruded upon our base, Master! Why are you preventing me from pursuing him? If we let him go now, he''ll be a problem in the future. Since he tried to destroy the Dragon Gate today, he''ll attempt to put an end to the project in the future!¡± Chen Jiuzhou questioned furiously. In response, Mu Zihua calmly exined, ¡°Because even if you catch up to him, you won''t be able to stop him. Leave him to me.¡± She lifted her head and turned her sight in the direction Ye Fan left. Since there was no ill will between Ye Fan and me, I wouldn''t have had any reason to hurt him if he had stayed in Jiangdong. However, now that he aims to destroy Dragon Gate and it doesn''t seem like he''ll stop until he achieves his goal, I''ve no choice but to put him down. Since his master had spoken, Chen Jiuzhou didn''t have much else to say. ¡°You''re going to kill him yourself, Master? That''s just letting him off too easily!¡± She''s right. Ye Fan''s about as powerful as me, so a scuffle between us willst quite a while before a victor is decided. Dragon Gate Project is an urgent matter, so he must be dealt with quickly. In that case, Master is undoubtedly the best choice to bear that responsibility! It was as though Chen Jiuzhou was looking at a corpse as he stared at Ye Fan. You die today, Chu Tianfan. It''s a shame I won''t be the one to kill you. Moryana reacted simrly because she was confident she could kill Chu Tianfan handily. ¡°Observe closely, Jiuzhou. I''ll only show you my technique, Millenary Threads, once. Watch how I manipte aura like they''re threads to kill targets kilometers away,¡± uttered Mu Zihua serenely, as though killing Ye Fan was a piece of cake. In the next moment, she lifted her fair hand. An invisible force rapidly gathered beneath her palm before she waved her hand. When she did, strands of white light, as though they were millions of threads, chased after Ye Fan. From a distance, they looked like arrows zooming through the air. As they moved exceedingly fast, it was not long before they caught up to Ye Fan. Astonished, Chen Jiuzhou remarked, ¡°Incredible! So, it''s a technique capable of eliminating a target remotely by shaping aura into sharp threads. I''m in awe of your cultivation, Master!¡± ¡°That''s enough. You should spend more time learning than ttering me. Go and collect Ye Fan''s corpse.¡± Confidently, Moryana waved her hand, turned around, and prepared to leave. She didn''t feel the need to keep watching because she was sure the oue had been decided the moment she unleashed her attack. Based on what she knew of Ye Fan''s strength, she was certain he couldn''t defend himself against her Millenary Threads. However, just as she turned around, Chen Jiuzhou called out to her, ¡°Look, Master! Quickly!¡± ¡°I don''t need to. Just collect his corpse. Don''t let it dirty the holynd of China''s martial arts world,¡± Moryana calmly ordered. Grimacing intensely, he urged again, ¡°Master, you have to look! Quick! Otherwise, it''ll be toote!¡± When she finally turned her head, she saw Ye Fan riding on something that moved as fast as lightning. By then, he was already hundreds of kilometers away from them. The threads she shot out earlier couldn''t catch up to their target at all. In fact, the threads weregging so far behind that they lost sight of their target and vanished into thin air. ¡°That...¡± Mu Zihua, who was usually highlyposed, finally lost her cool. A look of astonishment settled on her beautiful countenance. I failed? She felt pretty embarrassed since Ye Fan escaped her attack after she acted like she was sure he was dead. Glowering, she spat, ¡°I guess he got lucky.¡± At that point, Ye Fan was too far away for even her to do anything anymore, so she left. Meanwhile, Chen Jiuzhou was furious. If I knew this would happen, I would''ve chased after him earlier! No, I can''t let him go just like that! He scowled as he touched the blood streaks on his face, already plotting a scheme. Peace returned to Mount Yan after Ye Fan left. The staff members of War God Castle began cleaning up the rubble and treating the wounded. As for Chen Jiuzhou and the others, they returned Dragon Gate to its original location. After everything calmed down, King of Fighters and the others released a sigh of relief. Someone eximed, ¡°That d*mned Chu Tianfan! Is he crazy? Why did he suddenly try to kill China''s martial artists? He even beat you up!¡± When King of Fighters recalled what happened, he was enraged and puzzled. If Ye Fan didn''t cause themotion, we would''ve been training in Dragon Gate right now. ¡°He''s definitely crazy! As domineering as Chu Tianfan is, he always had a reason for anything he did. This time though, there doesn''t seem to be any rhyme or reason behind his assault!¡± another person huffed. It''s like Ye Fan has gone insane today! Silently, King of Fighters nced at the injured and shook his head. ¡°He''s not crazy. If he were, the hundreds of martial artists on Mount Yan would''ve been dead by now. Clearly, he was holding back from murdering anyone.¡± While many were hurt, only a few died. It''s evident Ye Fan was being merciful. Sword Saint voiced his confusion, ¡°Why is he doing this, though?¡± That question sent King of Fighters deep into his thoughts. He gazed at the ck, unnerving Dragon Gate before turning his sight in the direction Chen Jiuzhou, as well as Moryana, left. Anxiety and unease bubbled in his heart. Why did Ye Fan try so hard to destroy the Dragon Gate? Is there something wrong with it? Was he telling the truth when he said he did it for the sake of the world? The more he thought about it, the more he felt bothered. He started to wonder if he should trust Ye Fan or not. Meanwhile, after Ye Fan left Mount Yan, he rode all the way to Jiangdong on ckie. Soon, he reached the Chu residence and saw Angie sitting on the entrance steps in a green dress. Bathing in the evening sunlight, she looked gorgeous, like a model in a stunning painting. Upon hearing themotion, she stood and shouted joyously, ¡°You''re back, Ye Fan!¡± As she sprinted toward him, she forgot about the stairs below her, missed a step, and fell. ¡°Be careful!¡± Shocked, Ye Fan expeditiously leaped from ckie''s back and caught her in his arms. He reprimanded, ¡°What are you doing running like that? What if you fell?¡± In response, Angie smiled delightfully and muttered, ¡°I''m not afraid because I know you''d catch me.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Chapter 2228 Chapter 2228 Angie chuckled. Her gentleughter was refreshing to the ears. Meanwhile, Ye Fan was stunned while feeling as though a sense of warmth was spilling out from a crack in his heart. I didn''t realize I held such an important spot in her heart. It seems like there is still someone in the world who unconditionally trusts me, so much so that she''s willing to put her life in my hands. Silently, he hugged Angie tight, like a wounded tiger beingforted by a pleasant warmth. ¡°What''s the matter, Ye Fan? Did your expedition to Mount Yan fail?¡± While Angie might have lost her sight, her other senses remained sharp. She could feel the loneliness swirling within Ye fan''s heart, as though he felt abandoned by the whole world. Squeezing out a smile, he gently scratched Angie''s nose and said, ¡°It''s nothing, Angie. I think I''m just worn out. Still, as tired as I am, it''s all over now. Tomorrow, I''ll take you somewhere far away from Jiangdong, China, and the mortal coil. We''ll go to a pure, tranquilnd without viins, murders, and conflicts, just as you wanted.¡± She cheered upon hearing that, looking like a child who sessfully stole candy. ¡°Let''s go, Angie. Follow me inside. We''ll spend thisst night with Great-grandma.¡± He pulled her hand, guiding her into the building. Just as they entered the living room, Old Madam Chu saw his wounds andmented, ¡°Ye Fan, your body¡ª¡± In response, Ye Fan gestured for her to keep quiet. He didn''t want Angie to learn he was in a fight again. ¡°Take care of ckie while I help Great-grandma grab some stuff from outside, Angie. Don''t let it chew on random objects.¡± After making up that excuse, he exited the building with Old Madam Chu. Ye Fan stood under the moonlight illuminating the courtyard and spoke with slight shame. ¡°I failed, Great-grandma. I didn''t destroy Dragon Gate or bring it away from Mount Yan.¡± ¡°It''s fine, Ye Fan. You''ll have another chance in the future. Mount Yan is the holynd of China''s martial arts world. I was already aware it wouldn''t be easy for you to seed, considering how many powerful martial artists are gathered there,¡±forted Old Madam Chu. In response, he shook his head. ¡°I''m sorry, Great-grandma, but I don''t want to get involved anymore.¡± What? Her expression shifted slightly as she questioned anxiously, ¡°You should know what''ll happen to the world if their conspiracy seeds, Ye Fan. Furthermore, you''re the only one capable of preventing this disaster. Are you going to sit by and watch the world burn?¡± Ye Fan chuckled miserably. ¡°What''s the point? I did my best to save the world, and what did I get in return? Scorned by the people I tried to save as scum of the country. Even my most trusted friend used the ultimate technique I taught him to ambush me. I''ve had enough of this cold, filthy world. Why should I protect it when its people spit on my effort? They''ve made their decision, and I made mine. It''s up to them now whether they live or die.¡± His eyes were filled with a look of self-deprecation as he sneered with sorrow. Old Madam Chu persuaded, ¡°I know you feel aggrieved, Ye Fan. But¡ª¡± ¡°I''ve made up my mind, so stop trying to change it, Great-grandma. Frankly, I''m exhausted. I''ve fought against the world for long enough. I''m truly sick of it. Tomorrow morning, I''ll leave with Angie. In the future, when the world does face its end, I''ll pick you up and bring you to an untaintednd.¡± He clearly didn''t want to listen to her anymore. With that, he returned to the building. Staring at his back, she opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ended up sighing instead. She could tell Ye Fan had been utterly disappointed by the world. ¡°Perhaps all of this was preordained.¡± Instead of trying to convince her grandson, Old Madam Chu epted his decision to leave. Meanwhile, Moryana was participating in a video call inside a secret room on Mount Yan. Not only was everyone on Empyrean Ranking present on the giant screen before her, but there was also one more person in a scarlet robe sitting above them. Aside from that person, the other four stood facing the screen. The man in the scarlet robe asked, ¡°What did you say, Moryana? Chu Tianfan attacked Mount Yan''s Dragon Gate? Did you figure out why he did that?¡± Lowering her head, Mu Zihua replied politely, ¡°I''ve severely injured Chu Tianfan, Master. He should''ve retreated to Jiangdong by now. The Dragon Gate is unharmed. As for his motive, it''s still being investigated.¡± ¡°Useless!¡± he roared. Even though the other members of Empyrean Ranking were mighty, they kept their mouths shut tight in response to his admonishment. Mu Zihua even kneeled on the ground to ask for forgiveness. The man in the scarlet robe ignored her plea and fell into deep thought with knitted eyebrows. I''ve crossed paths with Ye Fan multiple times before, so I know how difficult he is to deal with. Did he suddenly show up at Mount Yan to attack Dragon Gate because he knows something? ¡°We can''t just ignore him anymore. Our previous Dragon Gate Project failed because of Chu Tianfan. We mustn''t let history repeat itself. Imand all of you to hold an International Martial Arts Union conference as international martial arts leaders. You are to designate Chu Tianfan as humanity''s enemy and ce him at the top of the global martial arts wanted list. Also, put out a Red Notice for him. If necessary, the four of you will have to kill him personally.¡± While the man in the scarlet robe ryed his orders in a deep voice, he could barely conceal his desire for Ye Fan''s death. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± the four international martial arts leaders responded. After the video conference ended, Moryana and the others made arrangements with their respective countries'' staff members to organize an International Martial Arts Union conference. Once all members were present, they were asked to vote if a warrant should be issued for Chu Tianfan''s death ording to the procedure. In the end, one hundred and thirty-six votes were cast in agreement with issuing the warrant. One abstained from voting, while another voted against it. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. The following day, news about Ye Fan''s designation as humanity''s number one enemy was spread across the globe. When Ye Qingtian saw the news, he was bbergasted. Immediately, he called China''s representative and questioned frenziedly, ¡°What''s going on? Who asked you to pass that proposal and to put Chu Tianfan on the red wanted list?¡± The red wanted list in the martial arts world was considered the wanted list with the highest priority. Only thirteen people in history had been put on that list. Without exceptions, all thirteen of them were killed. Not only that, their families were exterminated too. Once an individual was put on the list, all martial arts worlds had an obligation to provide any help they could to hunt down the criminal. In other words, the entire world would use every resource avable to kill that individual and their family. Thirty years ago, a Grandmaster on Sky Ranking hid himself and his family deep in the mountains after he was put on that list. In the end, the International Martial Arts Union dropped a nuclear bomb on the mountain range he was residing in, wiping out all life in that area. The person on the other end replied, ¡°We have no other options, War God. The four members of Empyrean Ranking were the ones who brought up this proposal, so no one dared to oppose them. Besides, Chu Tianfan did cross the line. He tried to destroy the Dragon Gate, a crime that offends the entire martial arts world.¡± Chapter 2229 Chapter 2229 The resigned voice of China''s representative sounded from the phone''s speaker. Chu Tianfan had always been one of China''s symbolic figures, as his name could invoke fear and respect toward China''s martial artists among the elite foreign fighters. It could be said that his name even significantly boosted the pride and dignity of China''s martial artists for a period in the past. However, Chu Tianfan became a source of humiliation and cmity for the nation overnight. If given a choice, China''s representative within the International Martial Arts Union would not hope for that motion to pass. Not only would that decision tarnish the country''s reputation, but China would also lose a top fighter. Still, the representative could do nothing about it, as he had to follow Moryana''s instructions. Moreover, what difference would it make if he had opposed that motion? China''s sole opinion was insufficient to defy the majority''s will, not to mention Moryana and Chen Jiuzhou supported the idea of apprehending and killing Ye Fan. The oue was fixed, and no one else could change it, not even the War God, Ye Qingtian. After hearing all that, Ye Qingtian felt as if he was instantaneously drained of all strength. Disheartened, he even spoke in a markedly diminished voice. It was beyond his expectation that the situation would progress in such a direction. A few months ago, Ye Fan was still the nation''s hero and the world''s savior. In the blink of an eye, he became the devil everyone in the globe loathed. ¡°I only have onest question. Which country voted against the motion, and which country abstained from voting?¡± Ye Qingtian asked. China''s representative on the other end of the line responded remorsefully, ¡°War God, Japan voted against the motion, while India abstained from voting. During the meeting, Japan''s representative said their mightiest god, Tsukuyomi Tenshin, will side with Ye Fan no matter what.¡± Subsequently, a long silence ensued. After an indeterminate time, Ye Qingtianughed self-deprecatingly and said, ¡°Who would''ve thought an elite from China would one day require another country''s protection for survival.¡± Deep mortification filled hisughter. Ye Qingtian was acquainted with Ye Fan for many years. He could not agree with Ye Fan on many of thetter''s actions and decisions, and he even attacked Ye Fan when thetter attempted to destroy Dragon Gate previously. Nevertheless, to Ye Qingtian, their differences in opinion were not a reason to dictate Ye Fan''s survival. At the end of the day, he did not hope for Ye Fan''s death. Ye Qingtian did not make many friends in his life, but Ye Fan was undoubtedly one of them. He admired and desired the qualities thetter possessed, from his gifts and talents to his arrogance and perseverance. Ye Qingtian had lived his life with too many worries, restrictions, and burdens that bogged him down. Therefore, when he met a carefree and free-spirited person like Ye Fan, he could not help but feel fondness toward him because that man had lived his life the way he yearned for. As such, it was no wonder Ye Qingtian felt sorrow to see Ye Fan meeting such an inescapable, terrible end. ¡°By the way, War God, I know you''re closely acquainted with Chu Tianfan, but I hope you''ll prioritize your duty to the country this time and not provide any assistance or protection to him. Otherwise, China''s martial arts world may be dragged into this matter, damaging War God Castle''s reputation. Chu Tianfan is now universally acknowledged as a criminal, so it will be best for us to distance ourselves from him,¡± the representative advised over the phone. Ye Qingtian did not respond. Instead, he merely hung up the call. Then, he left Mount Yan. Ye Qingtian was not the only person who saw the news. Meanwhile, at Yanjing, the morning meeting had just ended when Xu Lei''s phone rang from the notification of a news update. The news title was: General Green Dragon, Chu Tianfan,mitted inhumane crimes and has been sentenced to death and three-generational familial extermination by the International Martial Arts Union. Xu Lei was dumbfounded as a buzzing sound echoed in her brain. She did not know if that was true, so she immediately made some calls to inquire about that matter further until she finally acquired an affirmative response. Upon learning that matter, Xu Lei immediately wanted to rush to Jiangdong. However, her subordinates stopped her. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°Ms. Xu, don''t go. The top fighters of every nation are heading toward Jiangdong as we speak.¡± ¡°It is said that the four elites on the Empyrean Ranking will personally attend to that task as well.¡± ¡°In fact, China has already prepared a nuclear bomb. There''s nothing you can do even if you go there now. You''ll only lose your life for nothing.¡± The people around her persuaded her tirelessly, but Xu Lei disregarded them. She wanted to meet with Ye Fan. Her resolution was firm. I''ve already lost him once; I don''t want to lose him for the second time. So what if I die? To be able to perish by the side of someone I love can also be considered a blessing. No one could stop Xu Lei, who had strengthened her resolve, from leaving. However, just as she reached the doorway, a white-haired elderly man rushed over from outside. ¡°Han, where is Ye Fan? I want to meet with him,¡± Xu Lei anxiously asked when she saw the neer. Han took in her demeanor and let out a sigh. ¡°Stay. You won''t be able to find Master even if you go there. Master left. He''d departed from Jiangdong. Before taking his leave, Master left a message for you.¡± Sharing Xu Lei''s despondency, he handed her a letter. She promptly tore the envelope open and saw Ye Fan''s handwritten letter: Lei, I''m sorry that I can only say my goodbyes to you in this manner. I thought about bringing you along to leave this ce, but after thorough consideration, I decided not to drag you into this mess. I''m now a sc*m of society and am regarded by everyone with enmity. I''ve already dragged three generations of my family members into this matter, so there''s no need to involve you as well. I''m leaving now, but don''t worry about me. No one in this world is capable of killing me. On the other hand, I can''t stop worrying about you. Lei, if possible, I still wish for you to find a better man. Be with someone who can make you happy instead of a man like me. I will only bring you misfortune and agony. I thought my presence would bring joy into your life. However, I''vee to realize now that my existence only brings about endless pain to others around me... I was once a passionate man who dedicated my all to this world, but my fervor was always reciprocated with others'' ruthlessness and ingratitude... I''m now everyone''smon enemy. There''s no longer a ce for me in this world, so perhaps leaving is the only thing left for me to do... No matter what others think of me, I, Chu Tianfan, have a clear conscience as I''ve done nothing to wrong this world. The only people I''ve mistreated are you, Mucheng, Eigetsu, and Junie, the people who love me and those I cherish deeply... Given a chance, I hope you''ll ry my apology to them... Regards, Ye Fan. Looking at Ye Fan''s signature at the bottom of the page, Xu Lei lost control of her emotions. She wailed, tears streaming down the corner of her eyes like a leaking dam. ¡°Why? Why is this happening? Why is this the oue? Everything had already ended. Everything had turned for the better... Chu Yuan is dead, and Chu Sect has been eliminated, so why is there still no ce for Ye Fan to survive in this world?¡± Xu Lei bawled her eyes out hysterically. A few days ago, she even nned to go to Yunzhou to meet with Ye Fan and celebrate his birthday. She had just learned to make a new dish and wanted to let him taste her cooking. He had also yet to see the new clothes she had recently bought. I have so many things I haven''t aplished. Why did everything change overnight? How did the nation''s great hero suddenly turn into an inhuman devil? ¡°Ms. Xu, I don''t know the reason either, but Master had already given the orders. Dragon God Hall has been disbanded, and everyone is forbidden from interfering in this matter...¡± Han''s eyes turned red. He, too, did not expect the once supreme Dragon Master to face a precipice someday. ¡°No. I don''t want to hear that... I want to look for Ye Fan... How can he be so selfish? Who is he to abandon me?¡± Xu Lei pushed everyone aside, still determined to hurry over to Jiangdong. The chilly wind blew against her face, dispersing the tears streaming down her cheeks. Chapter 2230 Chapter 2230 ¡°Ms. Xu, why must you bring this upon yourself?¡± Great sorrow filled Han''s eyes. Is this love? Despite knowing that you will get hurt and even perish, you still won''t haveints or regrets. It is as though you''re a moth drawn to a me. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Han had been single his whole life. He had never liked anyone or experienced love, but after being by Ye Fan''s side for so many years, he had the privilege of witnessing the most sacred feeling in the world ¡ªlove. ¡°But, I''m sorry, Ms. Xu.¡± Han let out a sigh. It was his duty to follow Ye Fan''s orders. Therefore, after being moved for a brief moment, Han ordered, ¡°Stop her.¡± Several martial artists, initially from Dragon God Hall, rushed out from behind him and restrained Xu Lei. ¡°Let go of me! Let go of me! I want to look for Ye Fan! Let go of me!¡± Xu Lei struggled violently but to no avail. Those from the Xu and Xue families were filled with sorrow and pain. Nevertheless, they remained silent and simply watched the scene. That''s right. What else can we do? Even Dragon Master couldn''t do anything about it and epted the reality. What can we, minions, do? We also want to live and die with Dragon Master and go against the whole world with him. s, those thoughts were ultimately their own wishful thinking because Ye Fan himself had left. While Xu Lei was crying, a white figure appeared before them suddenly. When Xue Renyang, the head of the Xue family, saw him, his eyes widened in shock. ¡°War God, Ye Qingtian!¡± Likewise, Han was shocked, and he was instantly on alert. The martial artists he brought with him immediately surrounded Ye Qingtian, forming a semicircle. ¡°You''re the War God, right? Ms. Xu and Master aren''t blood-rted. She has nothing to do with Master''s affairs. Is the War God Castle going to vite its own rules and willfully kill people who aren''t his family too?¡± Han questioned, his eyes turning cold. Ye Qingtian nced at him. ¡°You''ve misunderstood the situation. I came here just to tell Ms. Xu not to head to Jiangdong lest she be implicated.¡± ¡°What? Aren''t you here to kill us as ordered?¡± Han was stunned. Ye Qingtian shook his head. ¡°Of course not. Hunting down Ye Fan is not my intention, but my abilities are limited. Many things are beyond my control. I''m sorry that things have turned out this way,¡± he said apologetically and ashamedly in a deep voice. ¡°War God, can you think of a way to save Ye Fan? Since you''re China''s War God and the leader of the martial arts world in China, you can certainly change all of this!¡± Xu Lei pleaded, her voice choked with tears. Ye Qingtian let out a sigh. ¡°It''s toote. Everything is toote. Martial artists from various countries are already rushing to China. The top four elites on the Empyrean Ranking have reached Jiangdong, and the strategic bomber carrying nuclear bombs has already taken off. Everything is set in ce. I''m afraid it would be impossible for him to escape this time.¡± Gloominess rose in Ye Qingtian''s heart. He never expected the International Martial Arts Union to be so determined to kill Ye Fan that they would deploy the four elites on the Empyrean Ranking to carry out the execution. Their intentions were clear. They wanted to kill Ye Fan in one blow and would not tolerate any mishaps. In Ye Qingtian''s opinion, one elite on the Empyrean Ranking was enough to subdue Ye Fan. With four of them and a strategic bomber, Ye Qingtian could not think of any way that Ye Fan would be able to extricate himself from the doomsday situation, no matter how hard he racked his brain. Xu Lei trembled upon hearing Ye Qingtian''s words. Her mind went nk, and her legs became so weak that she almost copsed on the ground. Han and the others immediately went forward and supported her. They wanted to take her to the hospital, but Xu Lei refused. She did not want to go to the hospital. She wanted to go to Jiangdong instead. ¡°Are you insane? Even nuclear bombs are deployed. Why would you go there?¡± Xu Lei''s family members questioned her worriedly. Others came to advise her too, but Xu Lei was adamant about going. Regardless of the fate she would face, she wanted to see Ye Fan. ¡°Fine, Ms. Xu. I''ll bring you there. Although I can''t save Ye Fan, I can still protect you.¡± Ye Qingtian was deeply touched by that sight, so in the end, he decided to bring Xu Lei to Jiangdong to see Ye Fan. ¡°However, Ms. Xu, no matter what happens to Ye Fan, you have to promise me that you will control your emotions. The martial arts world of various countries now harbors great hostility toward Ye Fan. Even if you aren''t blood-rted to Ye Fan, you will surely get implicated if they find out you have feelings for him.¡± Before they left, Ye Qingtian made Xu Lei promise him that. Afterward, with Xu Lei in tow, he headed for Jiangdong. Besides Ye Qingtian, the devil-hunting squads assembled by various countries, as well as Moryana, Asura, Odin, Emir, and the four elites on the Empyrean Ranking, were also on their way to Jiangdong. The strategic bomber, escorted by several fighter jets, had taken off in northwest China and headed toward Jiangdong. A huge of death was being cast at Jiangdong, and the Grim Reaper''s scythe was approaching. Ye Fan had arrived at Mount Yunding Vi once again. Angie, d in a ck dress, stood beside him silently while holding his hand. Before Ye Fan were people from Jiangdong who hade to send him off. ¡°Mr. Chu, I have secretly sent your rtives to India ording to your instructions. Ms. Junie says she will fully cooperate with you by receiving them as well as concealing their identities and providing them protection. Everything is ready. Please leave this ce immediately. If you don''t leave now, it will be too late!¡± Li Er was also suddenly informed of the news that Ye Fan was dered anti-human and an enemy of the whole world. Although he did not know how Ye Fan had ended up in such a situation, he was worried about the latter''s safety and wanted him to leave Jiangdong immediately. ¡°Indeed, Mr. Chu. You should go now! The people from the International Martial Arts Union will arrive at any minute!¡± Chen Ao, Lei San, and the others had not fully recovered yet. Despite their injuries, they still rushed to Yunzhou to send Ye Fan off onest time as they thought it might be thest time, they would see him. Chen Nan, who was standing beside Chen Ao, was sobbing uncontrobly as she looked at Ye Fan. In the end, she even buried herself in Ye Fan''s arms and wailed at the top of her lungs. ¡°Ye Fan, you wille back, won''t you? Will I still be able to see you in the future?¡± she cried. When Chen Nan learned that Ye Fan was leaving, she felt terribly heartbroken and miserable, though she did not understand why. It was as if someone had ripped her heart out. She really wanted to ask Ye Fan to take her away with him, but she could not bring herself to say it. She was not rted to Ye Fan in any way, so she did not have the right to make such a request. Moreover, her father would never allow it. ¡°Nan, don''t be willful. Don''t ask what shouldn''t be asked,¡± Chen Ao scolded. He then made Chen Nan let go of Ye Fan so that she would not dy his departure. However, Ye Fan smiled warmly and gently stroked Chen Nan''s head. ¡°Even if it''s just for the sake of our pretty Nan, I, Ye Fan, must return to Jiangdong alive. Don''t worry. We will meet again,¡± he uttered. Then, he took a final look at thend. It was the world he had conquered, and he was about to leave it behind. ¡°Everyone, live well. Till we meet again. Mr. Li, don''t forget what I instructed you to do. That''s all I have to say. Goodbye!¡± he voiced. Ye Fan waved at Li Er and the others before heading off into the distance with Angie. Time had run out. He could feel four terrifying auras charging in their direction. Thus, he could not afford to dy any longer. Ye Fan dreaded to think of the sorrows that ensued after their parting, nor could he pour out his feelings to anyone. Chapter 2231 Chapter 2231 ¡°Ye Fan, where are we going? Are we leaving China?¡± Angie asked. Ye Fan, who was at the wheel of a sports car, floored the elerator as they sped down the highway. Like a bolt of lightning, the gleaming red car zoomed past every other vehicle, leaving them in its dust. As it turned out, Ye Fan had gotten Li Er to secure the car for him before the journey. It was a limited edition Bugatti Veyron, boasting an impressive twelve hundred horsepower and a top speed of four hundred and thirty-one kilometers per hour. Even though that speed was nothing to write home about in Ye Fan''s eyes, he undoubtedly had his reason for leaving in a car. ¡°Yes. I''m taking you to a secret ce, Angie,¡± he replied. ¡°It''spletely safe there, but you might also feel much lonelier. Do you think you''ll be okay with that?¡± Ye Fan had long thought of a ce to go. His primary goal for leaving was to go into solitary training and break through the god realm, so of course, he would need to be in a secure location. Otherwise, his cultivation might be disturbed, which would subsequently foil his n and render it impossible for him to extend Angie''s life. Angie''s face instantly broke into a smile. ¡°It''s okay. With you around, I''ll never feel lonely, no matter where we go. But are you really not bringing Lin along, Ye Fan? Everyone knows he''s your flesh and blood, and if the International Martial Arts Union can''t get their hands on you, they''d surely go after him.¡± Needless to say, she was a little worried. The truth was that Ye Fan did not have many family members left in the world. Even though the Chu family were his paternal rtives, he had always regarded them as opponents from an early age and thus felt no familial love for them. That was why he did not care about them during the current crisis. Besides, the Chu family was a powerful n with many years of history, so naturally, the Chus must have cards up their sleeve which could save their lives. It would not be easy for the International Martial Arts Union to annihte the Chu family. The union was also mindful of the grudge between Ye Fan and the Chu family, so it was unlikely they would do anything too drastic toward the Chu family. In fact, there was an even higher possibility of the Chu family joining forces with the International Martial Arts Union to hunt Ye Fan down. Therefore, Ye Fan was not at all worried about the situation on the Chu family''s side. The only people he needed to care about were his uncles and aunt. Thankfully, Ye Tian and the others were not considered big targets, so Ye Fan arranged for them to live in seclusion in India. With them blending into the local scene and having Junie''s secret protection, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack if the International Martial Arts Union ever tried to find them. Moreover, the union might not be willing to waste so many resources to track down a few mere mortals. Chu Lin, however, was apletely different story. If the International Martial Arts Union failed to apprehend Ye Fan, they would, without a doubt, do everything to hunt down Chu Lin instead. After all, he was Ye Fan''s only son, and there was nothing more excruciating than a father''s pain of losing his child. Despite that, Ye Fan smiled calmly in response. ¡°You don''t have to worry about Lin. I''ve already arranged for him to be sent to my great-grandmother''s residence, which also happens to be the Chu family''s ancestral house. You can rest assured that it''s well-protected by Great-grandma and Mr. Yunyang. Even if the top four fighters on the Empyrean Ranking were to join forces, it''d be tough enough for them to make a dent, much less break into the house.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He had confidence in his great-grandmother''s ability. Truth be told, he even considered locking himself away in the Chu residence for his cultivation but decided against it upon recalling his great-grandmother''s age. He did not want to give the elderly woman any more trouble than necessary, so it was best that he leave. Ye Fan was already immensely grateful for her help in caring for Lin. Meanwhile, it was not long after Ye Fan''s departure that a massive group of fighters began flocking to Yunzhou. Even fighter jets hovered in Jiangdong''s airspace as they awaited their orders. At Dongchang Lake, several Grandmasters from War God Castle brought Li Er over to Chen Jiuzhou. ¡°Hall Master, this is Li Er, Chu Tianfan''s most trusted subordinate! He''s the one who helps to manage Jiangdong when Chu Tianfan isn''t around!¡± Zhao Zhenlu reported as he pointed at the severely beaten and bruised Li Er. Chen Jiuzhou nced at Li Er. ¡°I remember him. He even insulted me during my enthronement ceremony. I bet you never expected that I''d ascend to the top of China in such a short time, huh? Ye Fan, on the contrary, has be a pathetic piece of trash. Tell me¡ªwhere has he gone to?¡± he demanded coldly. The next second, Zhao Zhenlunded a kick on Li Er''s knee. ¡°Get on your knees and answer Hall Master, you geezer!¡± Li Er, who had never been the bravest person, gritted his teeth to endure the pain as he dropped to his knees against his will. ¡°Pfft! You''re nothing but a lying hypocrite. What right do you have to be China''s leader? Go ahead and kill me! I''d rather die than divulge Mr. Chu''s whereabouts! However, I do believe that Mr. Chu will avenge my death!¡± Li Er thundered, rage pulsing through his veins. Hmph! Wasn''t it only a few days ago when Chen Jiuzhou swore never to enter Jiangdong again? What''s he doing in Yunzhou now? ¡°Your words are just a bunch of bullsh*t!¡± Li Er added unfeelingly. ¡°Who''s going to listen to you?¡± Smack! Enraged, Zhao Zhenlu pped Li Er hard across the face. ¡°You have a death wish, you geezer!¡± he spat. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Just then, several loud, piercing sounds resonated in the air. When Chen Jiuzhou heard those sounds, his arrogance was quickly reced by a look of utmost respect. He ordered everyone to stand on either side as they patiently waited for the big shots to arrive. Secondster, a gust of cold wind swept across theke, revealing four towering figures standing in the beautiful skies of Yunzhou. After surveying the surroundings, one of the female figures asked coldly, ¡°Huh? Where''s Chu Tianfan?¡± ¡°I was toote, Master. Chu Tianfan seems to have already left Jiangdong. However, I''ve captured his most trusted subordinate. Once I interrogate him, I''m sure I can get him to tell us where Chu Tianfan is!¡± Chen Jiuzhou replied anxiously. Even he was stressed out by the intimidating aura of the four people. Li Er, who was all bloodied and still kneeling on the ground, suddenly shouted, ¡°You can all forget about it! Instead of being grateful to Mr. Chu for saving the country and its people, you b*stards are intent on killing him! You''re the ones who chased him away, and you''ll regret it one day... I swear you''ll regret it!¡± Chen Jiuzhou was thoroughly infuriated. ¡°You geezer! How dare you insult the top fighters on the Empyrean Ranking! You must be sick and tired of living!¡± He clenched his fists tightly as murderous intent enveloped him. Seeing how adamant Li Er was about being tight-lipped, Chen Jiuzhou changed his mind. He no longer wished to fish for information from him. Thus, he swung his sword down, ready to end Li Er''s life. Thankfully, Ye Qingtian arrived with Xu Lei in the nick of time. ¡°Stop!¡± Without further ado, Ye Qingtian knocked Chen Jiuzhou backward with a palm strike and rescued Li Er. ¡°What are you doing, Ye Qingtian? How dare you attack me so tantly! Are you trying to rebel?¡± Chen Jiuzhou bellowed with nary an ounce of respect for Ye Qingtian. Thetter, however, had no ns to argue with Chen Jiuzhou. ¡°Hall Master Chen, I just think that as a leader, you should lead by example and abide by the rules. Li Er isn''t blood-rted to Chu Tianfan, so ording to the motion, he shouldn''t be implicated. Killing unrted individuals like him is a willful vition on your part and is against the International Martial Arts Union''s resolution. How can you appease the public if word gets out about this? Worst of all, the reputation of the International Martial Arts Union will also be ruined.¡± Even though Ye Qingtian''s reasoning was sound, Chen Jiuzhou could not care less. ¡°He''s just a small fry. Who''d dare go against me for killing him?¡± With that, Chen Jiuzhou was about to strike again when Mu Zihua''s voice rang out. ¡°Give it a rest, Jiuzhou. War God is right. As a leader, you should lead by example. Otherwise, you''ll lose the trust of your people. How will you soar to greater heights in the future without their support?¡± She seemed to care a lot about prestige and reputation. Since his master had already spoken, Chen Jiuzhou did not waste another second on Li Er. Fine... I guess they do make a good point. Prestige and orthodoxy are crucial to anyone who wants to rule the martial arts world. Such indiscriminate violence will only cause people to lose all confidence and respect for me. When that happens, it''d be even more difficult for us to implement other resolutions in the future... The next second, he ordered Yunzhou''s governor to mobilize all his city''s resources to track down Ye Fan. Thanks to the power of China''s Sky Net, it did not take long before Chen Jiuzhou managed to zero in on Ye Fan''s location. ¡°Master, we''ve found him! Ye Fan''s driving a red sports car down Highway 0321...¡± he eximed before providing the coordinates to Mu Zihua. At the same time, those fighter jets that were on standby began closing in on Ye Fan while the strategic bomber carrying nuclear bombs followed swiftly behind. In addition, Chen Jiuzhou used his power as the hall master of War God Castle to order a citywide blockade of all major highways'' entrances and exits. With the multi-pronged approach employed to apprehend their target, it seemed that Ye Fan was doomed. Chapter 2232 Chapter 2232 All of a sudden, Ye Qingtian received a call, and Sword Saint''s anxious voice came through the speakers. ¡°War God, where are you? You couldn''t have gone looking for Chu Tianfan, could you? Don''t go courting death! Those geezers from the International Martial Arts Union have mobilized all the troops they can get their hands on and are heading toward Jiangdong to kill Ye Fan. I can say for a fact that never once in more than a millennium of recorded martial arts world history was there a case like this where everyone was so united and willing to do anything to attack someone. Clearly, every martial arts world from all over the globe is determined to kill Chu Tianfan. He''s done for. There''s no hope for him this time. Even the gods can''t save him. So, please don''t be rash and get killed for nothing!¡± The moment Sword Saint discovered Ye Qingtian had left Mount Yan, he was shocked. He thought Ye Qingtian had gone to help Ye Fan. However, in that situation, helping Ye Fan would be an act of courting death. Sword Saint found it odd that the martial arts worlds were so united in that matter. The Great Four, especially, was so hardcore in promoting the mission of killing Ye Fan. Sword Saint had been in the martial arts world for decades. Naturally, he encountered all kinds of ruthless people. Even so, the martial arts world of all countries was never so united, not even when Chu Yuan waged war against the entire worldst time. Yet, they were doing everything in their power to kill just one person. Although Ye Fan had caused a lot of trouble, Dragon Gate was not destroyed. Hence, there was no way it would anger the entire world to the extent that they all wanted to hunt and kill him. In any case, both Sword Saint and Ye Qingtian felt that the martial arts world of the various countries was overreacting. ¡°Don''t worry, Sword Saint. I know what to do. You can be at ease,¡± Ye Qingtian said solemnly. Naturally, he was cognizant of everything Sword Saint had said. Earlier, Ye Qingtian saw The Great Four¡ªthe top four elites on the Empyrean Ranking¡ªarriving at Yunzhou with his own eyes. It was clear as day that the martial arts world of all countries was set on eliminating Ye Fan. Back then, Chu Sect wanted to get rid of Ye Fan as well, but the martial arts worlds were not as united as they currently were. It was mainly Chu Sect exerting itself. That time, however, was different. The Great Four on the Empyrean Ranking used their capacity as the leaders of the martial arts worlds to mobilize forces of the martial arts worlds from various countries. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the entire world was hunting Ye Fan. ¡°Why are you still going, then? You should be keeping your distance at a critical moment like this. Come back now!¡± Sword Saint urged anxiously. Ye Qingtian fell silent for a long time before answering grimly, ¡°Sword Saint, Ye Fan is China''s martial artist, and he''s someone we watched grow. We can''t help him at such a juncture. My purpose for coming to Jiangdong is just to see him off... onest time.¡± The heaviness and sorrow in his words were palpable. Instantly, Sword Saint fell silent on the other end of the line. After a long while, he responded, ¡°If that''s what you want, then go ahead... No matter what, Chu Tianfan is considered a hero of this generation. All I can say is that those with extraordinary talents often encounter more challenges and difficulties than others.¡± Sword Saint''s heart was equally filled with mixed emotions. Every step of Ye Fan''s road to fame brought War God Castle a lot of trouble. Although the journey was filled with difficulties, Ye Fan managed to grow to be terrifyingly powerful. Like a shooting star, he rose to great heights and shone brilliantly before falling to his end. Ye Fan''s life was like fireworks. Though it was short-lived, it was brilliant and dazzling. As soon as the call ended, Ye Qingtian brought Xu Lei and followed Chen Jiuzhou to track Ye Fan down. Along the way, Xu Lei asked Ye Qingtian with teary eyes, ¡°War God, what exactly did Ye Fan do? Why is the entire world against him?¡± ¡°It''s a long story.¡± Ye Qingtian did not know where to begin, either. The truth was, he, too, had no idea what prompted The Great Four to take the matter into their own hands. If he had to look into all the things that happened, he would find many illogical things. ¡°Then, can Ye Fan survive this cmity?¡± Xu Lei continued asking. After letting out a heavy sigh, Ye Qingtian said, ¡°All we can do now is hope for a miracle to happen.¡± On a highway about hundreds of kilometers away, a red sports car sped down the road as fast as lightning. It left a sonic boom in the air, which sounded like the roar of a beast. Along the way, the other drivers, who were passed by the red car, watched the vehicle drift past them in horror. To an ordinary person, driving four hundred kilometers per hour was unheard of. Meanwhile, many police cars were parked at Jiangdong exit of the highway. All kinds of barricades were set up. There were even army troops stationed by the side. Various heavy arms were also ced in positions. Just then, a young police officer who had just graduated and joined the workforce asked his mentor, a senior officer, in shock, ¡°Sir, who is this that we''re capturing? Even the army''s dispatched!¡± The senior officer responded in a low voice, ¡°That''s not all. As far as I know, dozens of fighter jets are approaching from a distance of thousands of kilometers away. As for the army, they''ve even mobilized armored vehicles and tanks. If my predictions are correct, Jiangdong military base must have aimed dozens of missiles at this ce.¡± What? The intern was frightened out of his wits. Fighter jets, missiles, and tanks? Oh, my goodness. What are they trying to do? If one did not know better, one would think a modern war was starting soon. ¡°Y-You must be lying, s-sir. With all these forces, we can fight a battle at a scale of ten thousand people. B-But as far as I know, w-we''re only capturing one person. Is it really necessary to go this far?¡± The intern tried his best to calm down and force a smile. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. He believed a battle array like that was more than enough to reduce a thousand men to ashes in a split second. Unfortunately, his mentor shook his head solemnly. ¡°This is the scariest part. Even though all the soldiers and fighter jets are mobilized, the higher-ups have merely ordered us to do whatever it takes to stop this person for fifteen minutes. Do you know what this means? It means the higher-ups think that even stopping the person for fifteen minutes would be a struggle for us.¡± The intern felt as if he was struck by lightning when he heard his mentor''s words. Jets, cannons, and even with soldiers besieging can only stop the opponent for fifteen minutes? Oh, my goodness. Who on earth is this person? Could he be a god? Just as the intern was seized with fear, a thunderous roar of an engine approached from afar. ¡°Our target''s here! Everyone, get ready. The other party might breach the barriers!¡± ¡°Snipers, get ready!¡± ¡°Special forces, get ready!¡± ¡°Begin locking the target using fire-control radars...¡± Following a series ofmands, thousands of soldiers at the scene instantly went into defense readiness condition one. A hundred meters away, the armored vehicles slowly turned their cannon barrels toward the highway. The fire-control radars on the fighter jets locked their targets on the red sports car. Dozens of police cars sealed off the road in threeyers while snipers and special forces were already in position. It was as if arge of death was spread out. All that was left was for the prey to enter the trap. In the meantime, a psychological expert kept shouting into the megaphone to make the other party surrender voluntarily. s, the red car did not slow down a single bit. Instead, it charged forward like a ferocious tiger sprinting down the mountain. At that sight, the on-sitemander ordered, ¡°The target has entered the area of attack. Listen up, all squads! Go all out to stop the target!¡± Boom! As soon as the on-sitemander gave his order, hundreds of artillery began firing. Instantly, towering mes lit up the sky. Chapter 2233 Chapter 2233 ¡°Haha! We got him! See? I told you, sir. How could there be such a powerful existence on earth? We clearly overestimated our opponent. With such a level of attack, our opponent will surely die, even if they''re made of steel.¡± Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. The towering mes continued to ze. It was the intern''s first time witnessing such a scene. After trembling briefly, he smiled. To think I thought we were going to encounter some terrifying existence. As expected, I was being overanxious for no reason. His mentor studied the scene for a few seconds before letting out a sigh of relief. ¡°It does look like the higher-ups have misjudged the situation. All right. The mission is over. Squad one and two will stay behind to clear up the scene while the others will leave in an orderly manner,¡± the on- sitemander ordered, preparing to dismiss most of the forces there. After all, too many people had gathered there. If they stayed for too long and let the nearby residents spot them, it might throw them into a panic. Just as the order to retreat was given, a low rumble was heard. It sounded like the roar of a beast. The roar resonated across the night sky. ¡°What is that?¡± Everyone present froze when they heard the sound. Both the senior and the intern police officers whipped around instantaneously. Under the night sky, they saw a car''s metallic body charge out of the sea of mes. The streamlined body of the car reflected the bewitching mes. It moved so fast that it created a sh of red lightning in the air. Just like that, the Bugatti Veyron charged out of the sea of mes in a staggering way. If it were a movie, it would be one of the greatest movies about fleeing from doomsday. Everyone was losing their minds at the sight of the scene. Even the intern''s eyes widened in shock, and he slumped to the ground from fright. ¡°H-How is that possible? That car... H-How is it perfectly fine? T-That''s impossible!¡± he murmured. The moment he dropped to the ground limply, the on-sitemander at the scene had recovered from his shock. He gathered all the forces and began besieging and obstructing the sports car again. Unfortunately, those efforts were futile. Ye Fan had increased the sports car''s speed the moment it broke through the area of the explosion. Under everyone''s incredulous gazes, the sports car flew about ten meters into the air and went past all the barricades set up ahead. ¡°Attack! Attack him now! Take him down!¡± The on-sitemander officially lost his cool. He had no idea what type of vehicle that red car was, nor could he fathom how it could hover in the air for so long without any support from a slope or springboard. That had defied the limits of physics and thew of the universe. Scientifically, it did not make sense. However, their mission was more important. Their opponent had broken through the barriers, so they could not be bothered to research the logic behind the situation. Since they could not stop him, they had to do everything in their power to destroy him. Right then, something more unbelievable happened. Just after the order to attack was reissued, mes gushed out, and air-to-surface missiles were fired. To their horror, neither the bullets nor the air-to-surface missiles were fast enough to hit their opponent. Air-to-surface missiles were as fast as the speed of sound. That meant that their opponent was driving faster than the speed of sound. ¡°What the f*ck?¡± ¡°D*mn!¡± ¡°Are we filming some kind of science fiction movie?¡± Their sanity fled their minds. Even the on-sitemander slumped to the ground despondently. We failed. We failed miserably. Their opponent was so fast that they lost track of their target. There was no way they could make another attempt to stop him. At that moment, the intern remained frozen in the same spot. When he watched the red streak of light fade into the darkness, he felt as if he had taken a glimpse of a god. Whoosh! As the chilly breeze blew, thousands of lights faded out of sight rapidly. Meanwhile, Ye Fan, controlling the sports car, was flooring the elerator. Indeed, the car was still increasing in speed. Of course, the current speed they were going at was way beyond the theoretical limits of a Bugatti Veyron. The only reason it could move so terrifyingly fast was all thanks to Ye Fan. While sitting in the driver''s seat, he was invoking the Celestial Cloud and transferring its energy into the sports car. The energy produced from thepressed elemental force allowed the car to increase in speed over and over again. As a matter of fact, it was Angie''s first time experiencing such a thrill of speeding. If she were an ordinary person, her body would have shown signs of difort at that speed. However, she was a martial artist before the incident befell her. In fact, her skills back then were on par with a Grandmaster''s. That was why she could still handle such a level of physical burden. What she was more concerned about was Ye Fan''s safety. ¡°Ye Fan, are we safe now?¡± Although she could not see, she could hear the gunfire and explosions earlier. She knew Ye Fan was bringing her along to flee from death. Shaking his head, Ye Fan answered, ¡°Not yet. The real obstacle hasn''t revealed itself yet.¡± The look on his face was incredibly serious. The obstruction earlier looked perilous, but it was nothing to him. Be it armies, hundreds of fighter jets, or thousands of tanks, it would never be enough to stop an ultimate fighter of the god realm. There was a saying in the martial arts world that any of the top three fighters on the Sky Ranking had the power to defeat tens of thousands of armies. Ye Fan could eliminate all those men earlier with just one attack if he wanted to. That was something both he and the International Martial Arts Union knew. Regardless, the union still ordered soldiers and police officers to kick against the pricks. The only reason for that was to stall for time andy out the real death trap. Indeed, the actual death trap had not shown up. Hence, Ye Fan needed to flee China and enter India as soon as possible. Although China was Ye Fan''s homnd, evil was currently in control of its martial arts world. Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, and the others had long been expelled from the core decision-making team. The power of controlling the country''s martial arts world had fallen entirely into the hands of Moryana and her disciple. Under such circumstances, staying in China would only lead to running away from endless pursuits for Ye Fan. Staying in India, on the other hand, was a workable solution. After all, Folo Pce of India was terrified of Ye Fan from the past massacre. Although they would comply with the resolution of the International Martial Arts Union, they would not go all out like Chen Jiuzhou. Moreover, Junie was quite influential in India. As long as Ye Fan could cross China''s borders, his situation would undoubtedly be much better. Meanwhile, Moryana, Zeus, and the others were frantically chasing after him. Just then, Moryana got wind of the failed obstruction. ¡°All of you are trash! How is it that you failed to stop him even for a minute? What use do I have for all of you?¡± she hissed, infuriated. ¡°Use Big Dipper Navigation Satellite System to monitor Ye Fan''s movements. At the same time, analyze his possible destination and moves,¡± Moryana then ordered. Soon, information from various parties was put together. ¡°Moryana, Ye Fan''s currently traveling to the south after breaking through the obstruction. Based on the routes to the south, we suspect our target''s destination is ces like Harranes, Nuthana, and India.¡± Hearing that, Moryana quickly came to a decision. ¡°Contact the southwest military base immediately and tell them to dispatch a strategic bomber carrying a nuclear bomb to the southwest frontier and be on standby. Once someone finds traces of Ye Fan, they''re permitted to drop the nuclear bomb without seeking further instructions.¡± Moryana''s tone was stern, with no room for rebuttals. Zeus, who was beside her, could not help butugh in disdain. ¡°Why bother with something as unnecessary as that, Moryana? With our speed, it''s only a matter of time before we catch up with Chu Tianfan. The four of us would have already killed him before he could reach the southwest borders.¡± Moryana shook her head. ¡°Master gave us the order to kill him. It''s better to be safe and make some preparations lest any mishap happen.¡± Chapter 2234 Chapter 2234 Moryana and the others did not fear Ye Fan''s existence much, but their master feared Ye Fan greatly and ordered them to gather all their strength to kill him. With home advantage and as the martial arts leader in China, Moryana undoubtedly took on more responsibility for the task. In order to ensure the sessfulpletion of their master''s mission, Moryana was naturally extremely cautious. Before taking action, Moryana even met with China''s president to request full cooperation from the military to work with War God Castle. Naturally, China''s president could not refuse Moryana''s request. After all, in everyday life, many troubles in the mundane world were resolved by War God Castle. They had done many favors for the world, and the mundane world naturally would do its best to cooperate. Huff! The fierce wind howled. Ye Fan drove his sports car against the wind. At this point, Ye Fan had already crossed the Jiangdong province and entered the Tellmoore province. Except for the interception in Jiangdong, Ye Fan and hispanion had encountered no obstacles since then. It was a journey without any hindrance. At this speed, they couldpletely get past China''s borders in another one or two hours. The wind was howling outside, but the inside of the car was unusually quiet. Angie clenched her fists, her palms covered in a cold sweat, not knowing whether it was because of fear or worry. She didn''t dare say a word along the way, afraid that she might disturb Ye Fan. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Ye Fan turned his head, looked at the girl, and reached out to hold Angie''s hand. "Angie, don''t worry. I will definitely bring you safely to your destination," Ye Fan reassured her with a smile. Angie grabbed Ye Fan tightly and whispered, "Okay." But as soon as Angie finished speaking, Ye Fan''s smile disappeared instantly, and he became solemn. "Have theye already?" Ye Fan murmured, turning his head and looking out the window. It sounded like he was muttering to himself. Then, Ye Fan gradually decelerated the car''s speed until it came to a stop. "Ye Fan, what''s wrong? Have we arrived?" Angie noticed the change in speed and immediately became nervous. Ye Fanforted her, "Angie, don''t worry. Hold on to meter." After the car stopped, Ye Fan got out of the car with Angie. The moment they got out of the car, several white rays of light, like meteors, streaked across the sky before hitting the car Ye Fan was driving just now, causing a huge explosion. Boom! The red Bugatti Veyron was instantly turned into a ring ze before reducing to ashes. Immediately after, several sonic booms were hearding from a distance. In the period of a few blinks, several figures moved instantly, piercing through space and appearing directly before Ye Fan. One of them was a man in ck robes with a withered face like an abyss demon, holding a scythe that spanned the heavens and earth. Facing Ye Fan, he shouted in a majestic voice, "I am the Death God, Asura!" Beside him, a man wearing golden armor with golden pupils blooming with divine power held a long spear. His presence was like a heavenly god on earth. "I am the King of Gods, Odin!" The long spear pierced the ground like a mountain rising from the ins, and spider-web-like cracks spread everywhere. Another one was a giant with a huge body standing two meters tall. The hair on his bare arms stood on end, and his majestic and powerful aura surged as he shouted, "I am the giant, Emir!" Thest person was a woman. She wore a flowing purple dress, a phoenix crown, and a scarf, an outfit a queen would wear. Her stunning beauty had the power to enchant everyone whoid eyes on her. She was none other than the de facto leader of China''s martial arts world, Moryana, otherwise known as Mu Zihua. The four highest-ranked individuals on Empyrean Ranking were gathered here, and it was the first time all of them showed themselves before Ye Fan together. "You must be The Great Four of the Empyrean Ranking, right?" Ye Fan looked up at them. Although they were dozens of meters away, the dreadful aura emanating from them was like four suns spanning the area. Ye Fan felt the imposing aura of The Great Four, and he was sure that their aura was much stronger than Chen Jiuzhou''s. He reckoned that even Chu Yuan probably wouldn''t be their match. Ye Fan had originally thought that the so-called The Great Four of the Empyrean Ranking was just a joke in the martial arts world, but now he realized their strength was indeed terrifying. Hence, he was astonished. He couldn''t understand why they were practically unheard of before this, yet they all appeared after Chu Yuan died, like mushrooms after rain. "Since you know our might," bellowed Asura, his high-pitched voice tearing through the air, "why don''t youe to meet your demise, Chu Tianfan?" As the terrifying killing intent kicked up the dust, Ye Fan smiled and asked, "Before I die, I want to ask you something. What''s your rtionship with Chu Yuan of Chu Sect? What''s more, did you take my cousin, Chu Qitian, away? And your so-called Dragon Gate Project, is it a conspiracy?" He paused briefly and continued, "In other words, if I''m not mistaken, there must be someone backing you. May I ask if you can kindly answer these questions so I can die in peace?" Ye Fan held Angie''s hand. He appeared calm as a cucumber, with a hint of a smile in his eyes. It was baffling that Ye Fan could be so carefree, given that The Great Four wasing after him. However, Moryana and the others clearly did not have the same leisurely attitude as Ye Fan. In the face of Ye Fan''s words, Moryana frowned. "You talk too much! Why should a dying person know so much?" Moryana seemed to not want to waste any more time on Ye Fan. She unsheathed her sword to aim it at Ye Fan''s head. "So long, Chu Tianfan! You only have yourself to me for being far too aware of what''s going on." She shook her head, her words proiming Ye Fan¡¯s death sentence. In a world where everyone wascent, and one was the only one aware of what was truly going on, one''s existence itself was a crime. Ye Fan had hindered their n and naturally brought that day''s cmity upon himself. Asura swung his scythe, and the ck de immediately swept across the sky. The King of Gods, Odin, also thrust his spear, and the cold de looked like it could pierce through the void as it was aimed directly at Ye Fan''s forehead. Meanwhile, Emir let out a growl, sending shockwaves into the ground as he swung his heavy hammer. The weight almost turned the world upside down. In just a blink of an eye, The Great Four of the Empyrean Ranking all attacked. The terrifying momentum made the mountains and rivers tremble, and the ground beneath their feet cracked. This was the power of the mighty warriors on the Empyrean Ranking. Facing such a desperate situation, Ye Fan naturally did not dare to underestimate them. His Dragon God Body was instantly activated, and simultaneously, a series of Thunderstripes appeared on his forehead. Six stripes covered Ye Fan''s forehead. The thunder and lightning energy from the sky flowed into his body with infinite power. Under the tempering of thunder, Ye Fan''s body was like cast iron and bronze, shing with golden electric light. After several months, Ye Fan''s physical defenses had reached their maximum potential. However, a passive defense mechanism was far inferior to an active attack. After activating two protective techniques, Ye Fan used his finger as a sword. He went into a frenzy sword dance, with one hand holding Angie and the other wielding his sword. "The universe beckons while the crescent moon begs for me to hold it! The first strike of Cloud and Mist Sword Technique, Wind Flow! The second strike, Ice Heart! The third strike, Green Dragon!" Finally, he unleashed the fifth strike, Unicus. Ye Fan spared no effort and used Cloud and Mist Sword Technique with full force. The endless sword intent shed everything in the world. Below the long river and at the border of the country, Ye Fan, with his own power, fought alone against The Great Four of the Empyrean Ranking! This ultimate battle stirred up the wind and clouds, shaking the grounds beneath. Chapter 2235 Chapter 2235 Ye Fan''s sword technique was vast and seemingly endless, almost covering the entire sky. Still, even after witnessing that, Moryana and the others werepletely unfazed. Perhaps to them, regardless of how Ye Fan retaliated, he was nothing more than a trapped beast putting up a futile struggle. In their opinion, Ye Fan had no way out the moment they appeared. To him, death was imminent and inevitable. Just like that, Ye Fan unleashed a series of sword strikes. The immense force collided fiercely with The Great Four''s attacks. However, the instant the attacks from both sides shed, a golden streak of light dashed forward following the sword energy. "Are you trying tounch a sneak attack amidst the chaos? You can only rely on such lousy tricks to seek a slim chance of survival." Deafening explosions echoed in the distance, causing dust to fill the air. Nevertheless, despite the mayhem, Moryana and the others could fathom Ye Fan''s intention at a nce. Unfortunately, that move merely caused them to find Ye Fan ridiculously childish. "Brat, you''re quite talented, but you''re too inexperienced in actualbat." "Do you really think you can sessfully ambush us, The Great Four of the Empyrean Ranking?" Asura alsoughed. They shook their heads as they spoke. Then, they sidestepped to avoid Ye Fan''s sneak attack. His palm strike ultimately hit nothing. Seizing that moment, he slipped through the gap between Moryana and the others. When Moryana and the others lifted their hands, preparing to strike Ye Fan to death, they shockingly realized that Ye Fan didn''t turn back after his attack missed. Channeling all his power to his legs, he stomped on the ground and leaped into the air, fleeing as far and fast as he could as if running for his life. Seeing that, Moryana and the others'' expressions changed drastically. "Oh no! That brat has outwitted us! A sneak attack wasn''t his goal. He was trying to escape." Asura was livid. Moryana grimaced. The Great Four were enraged, feeling they were being toyed with. "Nevertheless, do you truly think you can get away?" The Great Four of the Empyrean Ranking bellowed and immediately whirled around to give chase in the direction where Ye Fan took flight. Their speed was clearly much faster than Ye Fan''s. In just a few blinks of an eye, they had already closed in within a hundred meters behind him. "D*mn it! How are they so quick?" Ye Fan was anxious after ncing behind him. Having no other choice, he turned around and threw a punch. Absolute Force smashed toward Asura, who was in the lead. "Hmph! Don''t you feel embarrassed for resorting to such a puny trick?" Asura sneered and thrust his palm. The formidable handprint dispersed Ye Fan''s attack and continued tearing across the air without losing momentum, striking Ye Fan''s back firmly. Ye Fan didn''t dodge. Instead, he endured the hit head-on. The enormous handprint pushed Ye Fan''s body forward, instantaneously elerating him and sending him flying several kilometers away. "Hahaha! Thank you!" Ye Fan''s cheekyughter came from ahead. Asura was beside himself with rage when he saw the distance that had just been closed widening again. Moryana was furious. "Asura, you idiot! Whose side are you on?" Moryana was eager to seize Ye Fan in the first ce. Naturally, she was incensed after Asura sent Ye Fan flying further away. "Shut up! I''ll personally ughter that d*mn brat!" Asura was also exasperated. I can''t believe I''ve been made a fool of by Ye Fan again. I''ve never suffered such humiliation in my entire life. Anger washing over him, Asura utilized a secret technique, amplifying his speed by several folds. The next second, he turned into a streak of light and rapidly approached Ye Fan. When Ye Fan turned his head to sneak a look behind him, he knew he was done for as he didn''t have any tricks left up his sleeve. Left with no other choice, he screamed, "Why aren''t youing out yet, you d*mn calf? If they do away with me, who will find you a girl in the future?" His thunderous cursing reverberated in the air. However, there was no sign of any calf appearing in the vast sky ahead. "You''re finally registering fear, brat? Well, that''s toote now! You''ve repeatedly messed with me. Today, I''ll turn you into a pile of ash!" Asura had already caught up to Ye Fan. He swung his scythe, and the de of the weapon was inches away from severing Ye Fan''s head. However, a split second before Asura could kill Ye Fan, a figure suddenly appeared out of thin air as if it had teleported there. The calf with a big mouth kicked off the ground with its rear feet and its front feet leaping into the air. Yellow fur fluttered as it showed up. The neer was none other than Huangniu, the calf that had formed a pact with Ye Fan and led ckie astray. Thump! Thump! Thump! Huangniu materialized and booted Asura''s face with its hooves a few times. Huangniu had shown up too abruptly. Asura and the others didn''t anticipate Ye Fan would have reinforcement. As a result, they were caught off guard. Asura was kicked dozens of meters backward by Huangniu. "Ye Fan, you imbecile! Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and get on!" Huangniu had no desire to continue fighting. Although it was lustful, it was definitely not a fool. Huangniu knew it was no match for the four formidable opponents before it, so it didn''t want to fight them at all. I don''t want to die yet because I haven''t got to sleep with any women. Hence, Huangniu hastily urged Ye Fan to flee. "Hahaha! You d*mn calf! You still have a sense of loyalty." Noticing Huangniu was finally there, Ye Fan guffawed. He picked up Angie and hopped onto Huangniu''s back. Then, he grasped Huangniu''s two horns. "Let''s go! Run like the wind! Run freely toward a brand-new world." Ye Fan roared withughter. Huangniu was rendered speechless. Ye Fan, you b*stard. I''m risking my life for you, yet you''re still in the mood to spout nonsense. Nheless, that wasn''t the appropriate time to reprimand him. After Ye Fan got on its back, Huangniu kicked off the ground with all four legs and began to run southward hysterically. Its speed was several times faster than Ye Fan''s since it was hurtling forward on all fours. Asura and the others pursued relentlessly from behind, almost dying from exhaustion. Still, they fell farther and farther behind and couldn''t even see the calf''s tail in the end. "D*mn it! What animal is that?" Realizing they could no longer catch up, Asura, Odin, and the others eventually gave up. Staring at the direction where Ye Fan disappeared, The Great Four gritted their teeth in vexation. "What a b*stard! He even has that trick up his sleeve? That brat better hope he doesn''t let me catch him. Otherwise, I''ll y him alive." Asura was fuming with rage. They never expected that oue. The Great Four had joined forces that day, yet they failed to halt a young martial artist like Ye Fan. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. They would be utterly embarrassed if their failure were made known to others. "Moryana, what should we do now? Are we just going to let him escape like this?" The others looked at Moryana. After all, China was her territory. Therefore, they still had to wait for her to make the final call about how they should proceed. Moryana clenched her fists at that moment, suppressing the intense wrath churning within her chest. This is the second time something like this has happened. Ye Fan also got away in this manner at Mount Yan previously. I can''t believe I failed again this time. That was also the first time someone had thwarted her twice. "I won''t let him escape China alive!" Moryana''s eyes glinted coldly. No one could figure out the scheme she was devising in her mind. Meanwhile, Huangniu was running wildly with Ye Fan on its back. The group of two people and a calf swiftly approached China''s border at breakneck speed. "Huangniu, you seem to be doing well. You''ve be trendy after staying here for one year. Even your yellow fur has turned red," Ye Fan chirped while fiddling with a lock of red fur on Huangniu''s forehead. "Get your dirty hand off my fur! I just trimmed those bangs!" Huangniu bellowed. This lock of red fur is the focus of my charm. Many pretty girls were attracted by my red hair when I walked on the streets. Chapter 2236 Chapter 2236 "Your bangs are pretty cool, so I was captivated by your allure." Chuckling, Ye Fan continued toying with Huangniu''s hair. "Buzz off!" Huangniumbasted furiously. Then, it shook its head hard, wanting to shake off the man''s hand. s, that only made Ye Fan tighten his grip. Snap! He abruptly yanked off a few strands of red hair. "What a b*stard! How dare you pull off my bangs! I''ll kill you!" Upon sensing that the hair on its head had been pulled off, Huangniu almost went off the deep end. It did not bother running away anymore but flicked its tail right at the man. A thud rang out, and Ye Fan fell to the ground. As Ye Fan trembled, he coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, dying the ground bright red. Seeing that, Huangniu stood upright like a human, crossing its front legs. It red at the man and snorted. "Ye Fan, cut it out, you faker! Back then, even the thunderbolts in the Well of the Thunderdrake couldn''t kill you. Yet, I managed to get you to vomit blood with a flick of my tail? You''re simply faking an injury to ckmail me!" it huffed, convinced that Ye Fan was definitely putting on a show. Angie panicked after reaching out and touching the blood on the ground. "Ye Fan! Are you okay, Ye Fan? Ye Fan! Don''t scare me, Ye Fan..." Patting Ye Fan, Angie started wailing, tears streaming down her face incessantly. "Don''t believe him,dy. He''s merely faking it. Let me tell you this¡ªhe''s an exceedingly crafty fellow. I was fooled a few times!" Still, Huangniu did not believe that Ye Fan was truly hurt. In the face of Angie''s increasingly sorrowful sobs and the man''s breathing that gradually turned haphazard and weak, however, it began to waver. "Whoa! Don''t tell me it''s real? Did I really kill him with a flick of my tail?" It dubiously went over and lifted Ye Fan''s shirt. At once, it was greeted by the sight of a ck palmprint on the man''s back. The palmprint was vivid, infused with tremendous Qi. Not only did it shatter Ye Fan''s Thunder God Body, but blood was also trickling out of his skin. It was not until then that Huangniu cottoned on to the situation. "You''re injured, brat?" By then, Ye Fan''s breathing was already a touch sluggish. While he was lucky to have escaped in the face of four opponents earlier, the few battles had ultimately injured him. The worst was the joint attack of the top four elites on the Empyrean Ranking at the very beginning. Although he had tried his best to dodge and even used Cloud and Mist Sword Technique, he had still taken a devastating blow. If it were anyone else, that person would have likely died under The Great Four''s collective attack. It was by sheer grit alone that Ye Fan managed to hold out until then. "Oh my God, you''re severely injured! What a fool, still daring to pluck my hair when you''re already on the brink of death!" Sheer shock flooded Huangniu when it examined Ye Fan''s injury. "Quick, stop crying, girl! Hurry up and get on my back! Wan''er has a magical elixir. So long as we can flee into the secret realm, we can save his life." Huangniu''s usual nonchnt attitude vanished into thin air, and it suddenly turned solemn. No longer daring to tarry, it urged Angie and Ye Fan to climb onto its back. Unfortunately, Ye Fan''s injuries had already acted up, and it was a miracle that he had held out for such a long time and only copsed then. He would most likely struggle to even walk. Angie, on the other hand, was blind. Having no other choice, Huangniu could only pick them up with its teeth and fling them onto its back. "Keep a tight grip on your lover, girl! Don''t me me if he falls off and dies!" it hollered. On the heels of that, it threw its head back and continued sprinting southward frantically. A few minutes after it left, four powerful auras manifested at that exact spot. Halting her forward rush, Moryana stopped at a particr open space and nced down at the blood on the ground. "This is probably left by Chu Tianfan." "Sure enough, that b*stard is injured. As I said, he couldn''t possibly have escaped unscathed against our joint attack alone when we top the Empyrean Ranking. He''s already considered lucky to have survived!" Asura sneered after stepping forward and glimpsing the blood stain beneath his feet. Following the battle earlier, Asura and the others could tell that Ye Fan was merely a supreme grandmaster. In terms of ranking, Ye Fan was probably not even among the top ten on the Sky Ranking. As such, they were puzzled about his astoundingbat capabilities when his ranking in the martial arts world was so low. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Not only did he survive their collective attack, but he even got an opportunity to take off. "Don''t worry. He won''t survive. I''ve alreadyid a trap for him, and he''ll never be able to escape." Moryana''s face remained devoid of expression. Thereafter, the four of them set off once more, chasing after Ye Fan all the way southward. Right after Brighfell River was Yonder teau. With Ye Fan on its back, Huangniu traveled from north to south, traversing half of China before it finally reached the border. "Hang in there, Ye Fan, you b*stard! It''s China''s borders right ahead. After passing Harranes, we''ll reach India''s borders, and you''ll be safe! You''ll soon be able to enter the secret realm and meet Wan''er. Don''t die when we''re just a step away! You owe me a great many girls by now!" As they traveled, Ye Fan''s breathing grew increasingly weak. It was clear as day that Moryana and the others'' attack had caused great internal damage to the man. Previously, he had been holding on with his phenomenal strength. Regretfully, his injuriester became all the more grievous due to the bumpy road, resulting in a rapid deterioration of his condition. Angie hugged Ye Fan tightly. Meanwhile, Huangniu kept urging the man to hold on while sprinting at full speed. At longst, a snow-capped mountain ridge appeared on the horizon right before their eyes. Huangniu was over the moon. "Haha... We''re here! Do you see that dividing line, Ye Fan? Right past that, we''ll be entering India. You''ll be safe, then! Haha..." Verily, it was ecstatic. Throughout the harrowing escape journey, it had been under tremendous psychological pressure. After all, even Ye Fan had been severely injured by the four people despite being incredibly powerful. If they were to catch up with it, it would probably meet its end there. Angie was so thrilled that tears escaped her eyes. "Did you hear that, Ye Fan? Hold on for a bit longer. We''ll be safe after going past this mountain ridge. We''ll survive, and the evil won''t be able to find us anymore!" she said with teary eyes, hope shining brightly within them. Huangniu charged forward in excitement and crossed China''s borders with Ye Fan and Angie. "We''re safe." Huangniu breathed a long sigh of relief. "We''ve been saved, Ye Fan." The string stretched taut in Angie''s heart rxed after they sessfully fled China''s borders. At that precise moment, however, Huangniu seemingly sensed something. It jerked its head up, only to see several supersonic fighter jets whizzing past in the air. Without warning, a massive object dropped down like lightning from one of the jets'' bellies. "No!" Turning pale in fright, Huangniu put on a burst of speed. s, it was toote. A resounding explosion split the air, and a devastating hurricane swept across thend within a radius of hundreds of kilometers. Scorching heat and a shock wave that could destroy everything turned the whole world upside down. A great cloud of smoke billowed into the air. In the blink of an eye, the clear blue sky and deserted teau were engulfed in a searing cloud of ck smoke and polluted by the inky dust. Everything was devoured by something known as destruction. The devastation was everywhere, and it looked as though it was the end of the world. Chapter 2237 Chapter 2237 The aftermath of the explosion continued to rage on. The terrifying shockwave had nearly ttened the entire mountain range, and the hurricane it had caused swept through half of China. Even from dozens of kilometers away, one could still see the hurricane and the humongous mushroom cloud rising into the sky. No one knew how much time had passed. The dust here had just settled, and the ce where Ye Fan and Huangniu had been was just a shocking ruin now. That round crater was more than a hundred meters wide. This showed how terrifying the power of the explosion was at its epicenter. Everything had been reduced to the most basic particles and dispersed in the air under the ultra-high temperature of the nuclear explosion. Whoosh! In no time, several figures appeared on the horizon, breaking through the air with incredible speed. They finally came to a halt in this corner of the world. Among them were Moryana, who was also known as Mu Zihua, as well as Asura, the Death God, along with two others. They had scoured the surroundings to confirm the absence of any signs of life within a hundred- kilometer radius. "It''s over. With Chu Tianfan out of the picture, our Dragon Gate Project can finally proceed without any impediments. Our grand ambitions will now be unstoppable!" dered Asura with a note of triumph in his voice. He stood at the horizon with a smile on his face. Looking down at the ruins below, Moryana and the others watched as the cold wind whipped up a storm of dust that flowed through their fingertips. "That''s right. It''s all over," Moryana said softly. The giant nuclear bomb that had been dropped earlier was something even she might not have been able to withstand. Ye Fan, who was seriously injured, naturally had no chance of survival. Even if he was made of iron, he would still be instantly vaporized under the terrifying heat of the nuclear explosion. No one doubted about his certain death at all. "Where''s Chu Tianfan, Master? Is he dead?" At this moment, more people arrived from behind. After all, themotion here was too great. Even those who were thousands of kilometers away on Mount Yan could feel the enormous earthquake on the southwestern border. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chen Jiuzhou, Sword Saint, and the others had all rushed over to investigate the situation. Chen Jiuzhou was the first to arrive, followed by War God, Sword Saint, and King of Fighters. Xu Lei, who was under War God''s protection, also tagged along. Seeing his own master, Chen Jiuzhou couldn''t contain his excitement and hurriedly asked if Ye Fan was dead. Moryana nodded. "Chu Tianfan is a sc*m of the country who has done nothing but harm. He deserves the wrath of both heaven and man, and every person in the world has a right to kill him. It serves him right that he''s now dead and his body is burned to ashes." Ye Qingtian and the others still felt a pang of pain in their hearts even though they were mentally prepared. Sword Saint and King of Fighters both felt sad as well, but they did not show it. Their expressions remained cold. Only Xu Lei''s delicate body trembled as tears flowed uncontrobly down her cheeks. Ye Qingtian supported her and reminded her in a low voice to control her emotions. At the same time, he also kept her behind him, afraid that Moryana and the others would notice. Xu Lei didn''t cry out loud but only gritted her teeth. She tried very hard to control the surging grief in her heart. As she bit her lip hard, blood began to flow from it. "The enemy has been eliminated, and everything here is done. Go back as soon as possible and continue the Dragon Gate Project." Moryana, Asura, and the others did not linger and left one after another after making sure that there was no sign of life around the area. Their mission was over, and they would each return to their own countries to resume the Dragon Gate Project. Chen Jiuzhou was also ready to return with his master. "Aren''t you guys leaving? The Dragon Gate Project is resuming. Hurry back and join the Dragon Gate training!" urged Chen Jiuzhou, ncing at Ye Qingtian and hispanions. He wanted them to quickly return to Mount Yan and continue their journey into the Dragon Gate. "Hmm? Who is this youngdy?" Chen Jiuzhou''s gaze was instantly drawn to Xu Lei, who was standing next to Ye Qingtian. He couldn''t help but be captivated by her stunning beauty and elegant demeanor. Such a woman was irresistible wherever she went. "She''s my disciple," exined Ye Qingtian. Chen Jiuzhou nodded and didn''t say anything further. Sword Saint chimed in, "Jiuzhou, you should go back first. I''ll look around here with War God and make sure Chu Tianfan doesn''t escape." Chen Jiuzhou snorted inughter. "The four Empyrean Ranking powerhouses personally dealt with him. How could he possibly escape? You guys really have no clue about the might of my master and herrades, huh? Oh well, if you want to look, go ahead and look. The Dragon Gate Project will resume tomorrow morning, so you guys better get back as soon as possible!" He shook his head and then flew after his master, swiftly leaving the scene. After Chen Jiuzhou left, Xu Lei couldn''t control her emotions anymore. She ran over and knelt on the ground, crying and shouting at the ruins in front of her, "Ye Fan... Ye Fan, can you hear me? Ye Fan, please answer me... I don''t believe you''re dead... You won''t die just like that..." Xu Lei''s heart-wrenching sobs filled the air as she cried her heart out by the ruins, her tears streaming down her cheeks. War God, Sword Saint, and the others looked sad. There was no words to describe what they were feeling in their hearts. Ye Qingtian sighed. "I can''t believe that such an exceptional talent, who was once a shining star, has fallen so drastically." His eyes were a little red. Chen Jiuzhou was right. With thebined assault of the four Empyrean Ranking powerhouses and the nuclear bombing, there was no way anyone could have survived. "The era of Chu Tianfan has drawn to a close." The cold wind stirred up the dust, evoking aplex mix of emotions among those present. They all remembered the young man from Jiangdong, who had once been hailed for his extraordinary talents and achievements. He had dominated Jiangdong as well as Jiangbei, and he had also vanquished half of Japan. Apart from that, he had even defeated the mighty Chu Sect. But s, despite all his glory and power, his life had been reduced to mere dust before their eyes. They had witnessed Ye Fan''s ascent to greatness, marveled at the towering buildings he erected, and reveled in the sumptuous feasts he hosted for guests, only to witness his eventual downfall. In the end, all they could do was shake their heads andment that even the heavens were envious of the talented. As Xu Lei''s mournful cries echoed through the ruins, even the heavens and earth seemed to weep along. Xu Lei cried until she was drained of all her strength and copsed on top of the rubble. No one could fathom the depth of sorrow that gripped her heart at that moment. Her precious Ye Fan had forsaken her in the end, leaving her to face the world alone. Ye Qingtian, Sword Saint, and King of Fighters erected a simple grave on the ruins as a tribute to Chu Tianfan, the valiant hero of his time. Then they departed, for life had to go on. For the world atrge, the departure of one person was but a minor ripple in the grand scheme of things. The sun would rise again the next day, and the birds would still continue their melodic chorus. As Ye Qingtian and hispanions journeyed back to Mount Yan, in another realm, a graceful woman was wielding her long sword with elegant movements. Her lithe figure swayed like a willow in the breeze, and her lustrous hair streamed behind her like a trail of ink on white silk. As she danced among the trees, all the fallen leaves swirled around her, caught up in the mesmerizing whirlwind of her swordy. Her sword technique was fluid and wless, with each swing, thrust, and jab executed seamlessly and with grace. What was even more captivating than her technique was her stunning and unparalleled beauty. As she finished her swordy, she stood still while holding her sword with poise. After exerting herself in her swordy, the woman panted and trembled with exhaustion as sweat dripped down her forehead. Soon, a slightly older woman approached her. "Master!" eximed the woman who had just finished her practice. She quickly stepped forward and respectfully greeted the older woman with a deep bow. The older woman who was addressed as Master stood with arms crossed, and her expression was icy and stern. "It''s been almost a year, and this is the extent of your progress? Unstable footwork, imprecise sword strikes, slow speed, and countless ws... You''re utterly useless! Do you really think you can defeat that faithless scoundrel with your current level of skill? Give up now! Even if you practice until you drop dead, you won''t evene close to Chu Tianfan''s skill!" Chapter 2238 Chapter 2238 In the face of her master''s reprimand, Qiu Mucheng lowered her head in shame. "I''m sorry, Master. I''ve disappointed you." Her eyes were full of guilt as she apologized to her master. Despite her apology, her master paid her no attention and walked away while saying coldly, "I''ve told you to give up. This path is not meant for you." The graceful woman strode away, crushing fallen leaves and flowers beneath her feet. Her words cut Qiu Mucheng deeply, piercing through thetter''s heart and leaving her feeling extremely dejected and unhappy. After all, nothing was more devastating for a proud woman than to be rejected by her own master. However, Qiu Mucheng did not give up in the face of those words. Gritting her teeth, she shouted at her departing master, "No, Master! I won''t give up! I''ll never give up! I''ll make you and that faithless man see my worth!" Qiu Mucheng had a determined look in her eyes. The extent of her inner strength and fortitude was beyond anyone''sprehension. The elegant woman remained silent, but with a wave of her sleeve, a willow branch immediately shot out from beneath her feet and hovered in front of Qiu Mucheng. Under Qiu Mucheng''s shocked gaze, the branch in the woman''s hand seemed to havee alive, dancing and twirling in the air with remarkable agility. With each slice, thrust, and stab, the movements of the branch were swift and fluid. At first, Qiu Mucheng was puzzled, but soon she realized that it was her master demonstrating her swordsmanship right before her eyes. Overjoyed, Qiu Mucheng tried hard to remember the teachings imparted to her. She was filled with gratitude toward her master at that moment. I knew it! Master has a sharp tongue but a kind heart. With her master''s guidance, Qiu Mucheng became more enthusiastic about practicing her swordsmanship. Meanwhile, several hundred meters away stood a middle-aged man with his hands behind his back. He was watching from a distance. Before long, Qiu Mucheng''s master returned to the spot. Seeing her, the middle-aged man said with a smile, "After all these years, you''re still so sharp-tongued. Can''t you say something nicer? It won''t hurt to be kind. Do you have to be so ruthless and hurtful?" "What''s wrong? Are you feeling sorry for her? If so, take her away, then. I don''t even have time to take care of my own sister, and yet I still have to bother about your daughter-inw. You don''t appreciate what I do, and you''re still criticizing me. If you can''t stand the way I teach my disciples, then take her away. That way, I''ll have more leisure time too." The woman red at him and spoke in a resentful tone. The man quickly begged for mercy, "Okay, okay, I''ve spoken out of turn. Ms. Tang, you can do whatever you want with her, and I won''t interfere anymore. However, my daughter-inw is quite talented, right? I remember that you practiced this sword technique for over six months before mastering it. My daughter-inw had no martial arts background back then, yet she only spent half a year more than you to master it. She''s a natural talent for martial arts!" The man boasted proudly and couldn''t help but watch the woman practicing with her sword in the dense forest from afar, growing more and more delighted by the moment. Unlike before, the elegant woman didn''t criticize him this time. A rare trace of approval appeared on her cold and beautiful face. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. "Yes, this girl is truly exceptional and is a fast learner. If she had started twenty years earlier, her achievements now might have even surpassed those of your worthless son. Unfortunately, that brat held her back," she said coldly. As she spoke, a hint of resentment could be detected in her voice. "Apples really don''t fall far from the tree. If the father isn''t a good person, the son is usually a jerk too," she continued. The smile on the man''s face immediately faded, and he trembled involuntarily. He felt as though he were being stared down by a tigress that could easily devour him. "Well, I have something to do in Quadfield. I''ll leave my daughter-inw in your care," the man quickly said before running away as if he feared being eaten alive. Of course, Qiu Mucheng was unaware of the conversation happening here. She continued to train tirelessly day after day, neglecting sleep and meal times. Suddenly, while practicing her sword technique, Qiu Mucheng felt a sharp pain in her chest. She felt as though her heart had been emptied, leaving a huge hole in her chest. Overwhelming feelings of sadness and loneliness flooded her mind as if she had lost someone very important in her life. The pain persisted for a long time, making it difficult for her to breathe. Eventually, her body trembled, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood. Ovee with emotion, she copsed on the ground with tears streaming down her face. She lifted her head and gazed into the distance, whispering, "Y-Ye Fan, i-is that you?" Despite the deliberate cover-up of the nuclear bombing, the news of Ye Fan''s death was purposely spread by War God Castle. Ye Fan''s demise was not only known throughout the martial arts world, but even the secr world caught wind of it. News and newspapers with headlines such as "Justice Prevails" reported Ye Fan''s wicked life and his justified and deserved death at the hands of the army at the nation''s border. Chen Jiuzhou, Mu Zihua, and others became heroes for delivering justice to the world. As for Ye Fan, he was nailed to the pir of shame in human history. Most people didn''t know or care who Ye Fan was or even who Chu Tianfan was. After all, most of them had never met Ye Fan in their lives. Nevertheless, that didn''t matter. They knew he was a bad person, and that was enough. As for whether he was truly wicked or not, only a few people bothered to investigate. History is written by the victors. Those people who were judged in history as wicked and corrupt will be exactly how future generations perceive them. For most people, Ye Fan was a stranger and someone they had never met. However, for some of them, Ye Fan had been a living person and someone they knew. After returning from the border that day, Xu Lei vomited blood and soon fell into aa. She was then hospitalized. Even in hera, tears kept streaming down her face. She even called out Ye Fan''s name in her barely conscious state. When Li Er received the news, he was still recovering in the hospital. Jin Bao and Yin Bao rushed to the hospital, knelt before Li Er''s bed, and cried as they said to him, "Mr. Li, M-Mr. Chu... i-is gone." At first, Li Er didn''t believe it. After all, this wasn''t the first time news like this had surfaced. For so many years, he had followed Ye Fan. Over the years, Ye Fan had died countless times. Every time, they had reported his death, but he would always manage to survive. Li Er cursed them and drove them out right away. "Get out of here! Stop talking nonsense! Would it kill you to refrain from speaking such unpleasant words?" Li Er told them to get out, but Jin Bao and Yin Bao knelt on the ground and wouldn''t get up. "Mr. Li, it''s true this time. They said The Great Four on the Empyrean Ranking teamed up to kill him, and the Chinese military then dropped a nuclear bomb at the border, obliterating everything within a radius of five hundred kilometers. Mr. Chu was blown to smithereens..." Jin Bao and Yin Bao sobbed as they spoke. Li Er was stunned. "W-What did you say? The Great Four on the Empyrean Ranking? N-Nuclear bomb?" Li Er''s face turned pale, and his cloudy eyes gradually lost their luster. In an instant, he seemed to have aged ten years. On the same day, Chen Ao and his daughter, Chen Nan, drove to the southwest border in a frantic manner. "It''s not true... It can''t be true... I don''t believe it... I don''t believe the country would use a nuclear bomb to deal with Ye Fan..." Chen Nan cried all the way and couldn''t ept what had happened. Just the day before, she had hugged Ye Fan goodbye. But now, they had been separated by life and death. Chapter 2239 Chapter 2239 As Chen Nan and her family rushed to the border, Lu Tianhe, the Commander In Chief of Jiangdong military base, also received news of Ye Fan''s death. He was visibly shaken, wondering how this could have happened. "How could this be? During the war with Chu Sect, General Chu was such a heroic figure who single- handedly turned the tide of battle and saved our country from the brink of destruction! How could this happen after such a short time? What happened during this period of time?" A deep sense of sorrow and despair filled Lu Tianhe''s heart. His aging face was full of disbelief and shock. He had been too preupied with military affairs and training his special forces to keep up with the latest news in the martial arts world. Little did he expect that the first piece of news about the martial arts world that he would hear after such a long time was Ye Fan''s death. Right then, one of Lu Tianhe''s subordinates came forward with a report. "General Lu, we have a problem. Captain Ye and the others left their posts and took the Green Dragon Force with them. We don''t know where they''re headed." Lu Tianhe''s face turned pale when he heard that. "That''s bad! Stop them!" he ordered, then personally led his men in pursuit. Before long, he intercepted Ye Yuyan and the others on a barren in. "General Lu, please don''t stop us. Instructor Chu died an unjust death. We must avenge him!" Ye Yuyan, Gao Dazhuang, and the others shouted with great anger, their eyes bloodshot. Green Dragon Force was now the strongest out of all the military forces. Back then, it was Ye Fan who had single-handedly raised this formidable squad, and they had been fighting side by side through every battle. However, ever since Ye Fan decided to disband Dragon God Hall, he entrusted the leadership of the Green Dragon Force to Ye Yuyan and had them join Jiangdong military base. After all, Lu Tianhe and Ye Fan had been friends for a long time and the Green Dragon Force had originated from Jiangdong. It made perfect sense. With the Green Dragon Force entrusted to Lu Tianhe, Ye Fan was at ease. Yet now, news had spread like wildfire that Ye Fan had met his demise and was branded a traitor to the nation. There was also much talk about how his death was justified. Naturally, Ye Yuyan and the others were not ones to swallow this propaganda, for it was Ye Fan who had led them from the depths of despair toward the light of hope. He had been their guide, their mentor, and their icon. He had taught them not only martial arts but also given them hope and a new lease on life. Witnessing their hero''s fall from grace and the tarnishing of his reputation as a criminal of the nation and a symbol of disgrace ignited an intense fury within Ye Yuyan and herrades. "You''re being ridiculous! Even Instructor Chu died at their hands. What can you possibly do by going after them? You''ll only lose your lives for nothing!" Lu Tianhe was furious at their insubordination. "I don''t care! We can''t just sit by and watch Instructor Chu die in vain! We have to avenge his death and seek justice on his behalf!" The eyes of Ye Yuyan and herrades were red with anger, with many of them also shedding tears. "That''s enough! What justice are you talking about? After fighting alongside Instructor Chu for so long, don''t you know that there''s no justice in this world? Might makes right, and it has always been that way! You going there won''t change a darn thing! You''ll just be adding a few more corpses to the pile! If you still want to throw your lives away, don''t bother! I, Lu Tianhe, can send you to the afterlife right now!" Lu Tianhe''s rage-filled voice echoed throughout thend, shaking the heavens and earth. Faced with his reproach, Ye Yuyan and herrades ultimately lowered their heads, but tears still welled up in their eyes and flowed down their cheeks. "General Lu, w-we just feel sorry for Instructor Chu. He worked so hard to protect this country. But why? Why did things turn out like this? Why do good people not receive good oues? Why do those who truly work hard and give everything have to end up with such a terrible fate?" Feelings of resentment, anger, and injustice surged through each member of the Green Dragon Force. Perhaps others didn''t understand Ye Fan, but they did. Their Instructor Chu might have been aloof and overbearing at times, but he had nevermitted any heinous crimes. All his life, he had been wanting to protect his wife, his family, his friends, and his country. Even when War God Castle had treated him unjustly, he had still chosen to repay hatred with kindness. He had saved Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and this country''s martial arts world from the hands of Chu Sect. He had always protected his country and his people in his own way.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. Yet, in the end, he met with such a tragic ending. Ye Yuyan and herrades could not help but feel aggrieved. Lu Tianhe refrained from scolding them any further and instead walked up to Ye Yuyan, embracing her and offeringfort. "Silly girl, I understand everything you''ve said... But please trust me when I say that this world won''t remain shrouded in darkness forever. One day, someone like Instructor Chu will appear like a bolt of lightning that strikes the earth here in China. He will clear away the clouds and darkness overhead, then restore order to chaos," Lu Tianheforted them and eventually brought them back to the military headquarters. Upon their return, he ordered all the soldiers to mourn for three days for the fallen General Green Dragon. "General, we cannot do this! General Green Dragon is nowbeled as a national criminal. Mourning for him openly at this time will surely bring us trouble," his subordinate warned him. "Chu Tianfan was a major general who came from Jiangdong military base, and his contributions to our country during the Chu Sect battle are undeniable. It''s only natural for the soldiers in our military district to mourn for him. I dare you to disobey me. I am issuing this order, and I alone will bear the consequences should there be any!" Lu Tianhe''s words carried an air of dominance as he brushed aside all opposition. In the following days, tens of thousands of generals in Jiangdong military base mourned for the fallen hero with cries that shook the heavens and the earth. Most of these people might have never even met Ye Fan, but the legend of the General Green Dragon remained. No matter what Ye Fan had done outside or how the world judged him, they only knew that General Green Dragon was a great hero who came from Jiangdong military base. Of course, the memorial activities were not limited to just the Jiangdong military base. Various cities and regions throughout Jiangdong and Jiangbei, two of thergest provinces in China, held spontaneous mourning events. During the day, flowers were thrown into the Brighfell River, while at night, candles were lit to mourn for Ye Fan. Countless citizens wept bitterly in Jiangdong as they openly grieved for the fallen hero. The sorrowful cries of "Mr. Chu will live on forever" echoed throughout the streets and alleys. His legacy had been immortalized and would be remembered for generations toe. As the scale of the events grew more massive, the news eventually reached Mount Yan. Chen Jiuzhou, the Hall Master of War God Castle, was furious. He ordered Mo Wuya, also known as Prince of Fighters, as well as his trusted aide, Zhao Zhenlu, to lead a team of strong fighters to Jiangdong to quell the chaos. "Those who refuse to repent will be killed without mercy! From now on, no one in Jiangdong will dare to mention Chu Tianfan again!" Chen Jiuzhou dered. With his order, Zhao Zhenlu led the War God Castle''s enforcement team into Jiangdong. In just a few short days, nearly a thousand people had been arrested. Fortunately, Mo Wuya intervened and prevented too much bloodshed in Jiangdong. For him, Ye Fan was his lifelong archenemy. When Ye Fan was alive, he wished he could beat Ye Fan up eight times a day. Nevertheless, Ye Fan''s untimely death still left him feeling a sense of loss and sorrow. Moreover, there was no deep-seated hatred between them. With the downfall of a generation''s hero, Mo Wuya actually felt a tinge of mncholy. In addition to that, the repercussions of Ye Fan''s death continued to spread and intensify. Even Tsukuyomi from Japanunched an attack on Mount Yan, threatening to crush War God Castle. However, he was stopped in time by Moryana. The two strongest martial artists of the two nations then battled it out on the coast of Eastsea. After a fierce battle, Tsukuyomi was ultimately defeated, and Moryana''s powerful strike sent him plunging into the depths of the sea. His fate remained uncertain. Chapter 2240 Chapter 2240 The crimson glow of the setting sun enveloped the Eastsea coast. Standing on the shoreline, Chen Jiuzhou waited with the experts from China anxiously. "Do you think Moryana will win, Hall Master Chen? I heard Japan''s Moon God is a reincarnated god realm master, so she''s extremely powerful. I wonder if Moryana will win," one of Chen Jiuzhou''s subordinates said with worry. A grim expression was set on Chen Jiuzhou''s countenance. While he was confident in his master, Tsukuyomi was the mightiest god in Japan and a famous expert in history. Moon God''s power might''ve been restricted due to her reincarnated body, but she had lived for over a thousand years. Her battle experience and tactics were unmatched by anyone alive. Chen Jiuzhou was worried his master would be at a disadvantage. Right before the sun dipped into the horizonpletely, they saw someone walking toward them on the sea. The figure cast a long shadow on the ocean before the setting sun. "This is..." Chen Jiuzhou and the experts from War God Castle held their breaths the instant they saw that person. They didn''t know who was approaching them. Was it Moon God or Moryana? "It''s Moryana! Yes! It''s Moryana, Hall Master Chen!" the crowd on the shoreline cheered as relief flooded their hearts. Chen Jiuzhou''s bleak expression was promptly reced with a smile as his worries were put at ease. Looks like my master got thestugh after all. "Congrattions, Master. Chu Tianfan is dead, and Tsukuyomi from Japan has perished. There''s no one else on this continent who can be your opponent. China''s martial arts world will be the absolute overlord of thisnd!" As he spoke, he presented a bouquet to Moryana. Looking pale, Moryana nced at Chen Jiuzhou and the others. Instead of epting their congrattions and the flowers, she spat, "You all should be spending this time on better things. I''ve removed thest obstacle, so there should be no more trouble with Dragon Gate Project anymore." Chen Jiuzhou replied, "Are you saying we should give it our all to expedite Dragon Gate Project and finish nurturing the experts on time?" Moryana nodded. "Yes. I''ll be going into seclusion for a while. Don''t bother me unless it''s something important." She then immediately returned to Mount Yan. By the time she arrived at her residence at Mount Yan, it was already midnight. Moonlight shone into her room as she shut the door tight. Right after she entered the room, she tried to drink a ss of water. However, before she could, her body trembled, and she vomited blood. "Are you hurt?" Suddenly, a deep voice traveled from the dark depths of her room into her ear. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Promptly, Moryana raised her head and saw a shadowy figure in the darkness. The figure cast a shadow, standing under the lunar glow. Moryana was startled, but when she saw who it was, she greeted politely, "You''re here, Master." "Mm." The man in a red robe stepped toward her and patted her head. "It must''ve been difficult for you this time." She shook her head and kneeled on the ground. "Don''t say that, Master. It is I who''s too weak, and I made you worry. I would''ve failed this mission if you hadn''t aided me at that critical moment." If her master hadn''t participated in the battle at Eastsea at the crucial moment, she wouldn''t have been able to turn the tide and defeat Moon God. Even still, Moryana had suffered severe injuries. "You don''t have to me yourself. Tsukuyomi''s might exceeded my expectation. By all ounts, the body she possessed for reincarnation would restrict her full power regardless of how powerful her spiritual energy was. I previously spected that her strength was on par with Ye Fan''s. To my surprise, her vessel had grown much strongerpared to before. Thus, her might surpassed yours," the man in the red robe consoled. "All right, you should rest and recuperate. Now that we''ve removed the two thorns on our side, Dragon Gate Project will no doubt proceed smoothly." As he spoke, a ming passion burned in his eyes. He was excited about the gloriouspletion of the project. "Yes, Master," replied Moryana. Then, the man left. The room fell into silence once more. The long-awaited peace finally settled in the martial arts world after Ye Fan''s and Moon God''s failure. It would end upsting for a long while. The Great Four of Empyrean Ranking became humanity''s martial arts leaders. No one dared to challenge their authority or threaten their position. In fact, no one even had the nerve to criticize them. Everyone everywhere treated the Great Four with reverence. Even the martial arts worlds across the globe had to obey them as their masters. After all, from everyone''s perspective, they had saved the world three times. First, they killed Chu Qitian. Then, they exterminated Chu Tianfan, the scum of the Earth. Lastly, theyunched Dragon Gate Project, which would benefit the world. Because of the project, thosecking in talents could also be a Grandmaster. Additionally, veteran experts who had been struggling to advance to a higher level for decades could finally achieve their breakthrough and be Supreme warriors. It could be said that the Four Greats would change the world because they allowed anyone to be a mighty warrior. The poprity of Dragon Gate Project rose by the day. Every martial arts world on the wanted to enter Dragon Gate and earn the chance to be strong. As time passed, more and more people were epted into Dragon Gate Project, causing the amount of martial arts experts to skyrocket. A prosperous sight rarely seen in a millennium was spotted in the martial arts world. Things were better than ever. Everyone felt that the golden age of martial artists had arrived. Only an old woman in the Chu residence in Jiangdongmented the change. "Why are you sighing, Great-Grandma?" a child with bright eyes asked in the courtyard. In the face of a disaster, people would dedicate their lives to ensure the safety of the young, like that child. After all, they were the future, humanity''s tomorrow. "Oh, Lin, I just think this world is too dark. I can''t see the light," the old woman answered. "That''s not right. Isn''t the sun there?" The boy pointed at the sun above his head, confused. Old Madam Chu shook her head. "It''s gone. It''s not there anymore. The foolish people of the world mistook darkness for light and sunk their sun into the abyss with their own hands. Remember, Lin. Your father is a great man. The world doesn''t deserve him." Chapter 2241 Chapter 2241 Chu Lin nodded even though he didn''t fully grasp his great-grandmother''s words. Perhaps he didn''t understand what the sun she spoke of meant. However, it didn''t matter. What mattered was that he knew his father was a hero. "I miss Daddy, Great-Grandma. When will hee and pick me up? Also, where''s Mommy? I miss her, too. I miss Grandma," uttered Chu Lin gloomily. He couldn''t recall many things from when he was younger. However, he never forgot his loving grandmother and his strict mother who loved him. He also remembered his father, who was rarely at home but was well-respected by everyone. I miss them. I want to eat Grandma''s baked sweet potatoes, listen to Mommy''s bedtime stories, and ride on Daddy''s shoulders to look at the world. Why does the family I love leave me one by one? First, Grandma disappeared. Then, Mommy left. Now, even Daddy''s gone. Old Madam Chu''s heart wrenched when she saw the tears streaming down his cheeks. She embraced him andforted him, "My good child, your parents are saving the world. You know, saving the world is a busy endeavor. Once theyplete their task, they''ll return to pick you up." "Are you telling the truth, Great-Grandma? Can I really meet Mommy and Daddy again?" Lifting his tearful eyes, he stared at her with a pitiful, heartbreaking look. "Yes. You''re a good child, Lin. I can never bear to lie to you." The old woman smiled kindly, feeling sorry for the boy. I remember how happy I was when I met Ye Fan for the first time. I was also incredibly proud to tell Ye Fan he''s a member of the honorable Chu family. Back then, I thought his identity as a descendant of the family would make him proud because it could bring him influence and wealth. However, it seems that the identity has brought nothing but disasters for him. Not only did it hurt him, but it also hurt his child. If Ye Fan was just another ordinary person who could be spotted in the street instead of a member of the Chu family, perhaps he and his son wouldn''t have needed to endure so much suffering and goodbyes. Lin is only a few years old, but he keeps losing the people important to him. He lost his grandmother, then his mother, and now, even his father. He''s all alone, abandoned at this old residence. I may be able to provide him shelter and keep him safe, but I can''t give him happiness. Old Madam Chu felt that she owed the boy even more. Just as the old woman was feeling guilty, Chu Lin suddenly wiped his tears away. He stared at his great-grandmother and said through gritted teeth, "I want to learn martial arts so that I can be as amazing as Daddy, Great-Grandma! I want to be a hero like him!" The old woman was stunned. "Are you sure about this, Lin? You''ll certainly gain strength on the path to bing a martial artist, but death and danger await you, too. When your father asked me to care for you, he wished you wouldn''t enter the martial arts world. He wants you to be a normal person and grow up safely." I can tell he has a talent for martial arts. Additionally, there seems to be a great power dwelling within his body. Once unleashed, his starting point would undoubtedly surpass Ye Fan''s. With proper guidance, he may achieve greater heights than his father. If not for Ye Fan''s wish, I would''ve taught the boy martial arts already. However, I know Ye Fan doesn''t want his son to walk the same path as he did and suffer a simr fate. He''s utterly disappointed by the martial arts world, so it makes sense he doesn''t want his child to get involved with that nastymunity. "I want to learn, Great-Grandma! I want to be powerful so I can help Daddy and protect him!" Chu Lin insisted. His childish words elicited a contented smile on his great-grandmother''s face. "I bet your father will be delighted to hear this. However, that wish of yours is all you need. Listen to your father and be an ordinary person." The old woman didn''t n to break her promise with Ye Fan. Just as she was speaking, she suddenly noticed something. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Her expression shifted as she lifted her head. Then she heard footsteps rushing toward the residence. They found this ce already? Fine by me. If you kill my great-grandchild, I''ll present your heads to him as offerings! A cold look swirled in Old Madam Chu''s eyes. Her long-suppressed sorrow had transformed into anger and the urge to kill. She asked Chu Lin to hide in the building before waving her arm. Swoosh! That move caused the weather to change and generated gusts of wind. It nearly destroyed the space before Old Madam Chu. In an instant, shepressed her power to the point that it could pierce through almost anything. After the gate opened, the light from the move sted in all directions. Suddenly, someone from the outside spoke in surprise. "It''s me, Old Madam Chu..." When Old Madam Chu turned to the opened gate and saw the visitor, she was taken aback. Upon realizing she had mistaken the identity of the visitor, she dispelled her cold murderous intention without dy. Still, the aura she unleashed had leveled the nearbynd. One could easily imagine what could''ve happened if that attack hadnded on a person. Old Madam Chu stared at the woman before her and reprimanded, "Why didn''t you tell me you were coming? I almost sent you straight to hell!" It was then Chu Lin left his room and hid behind his great-grandmother like a kitten fearful of people. With fear and curiosity in his eyes, he scrutinized the unexpected visitor. What a prettydy. The woman was wearing a purple dress and had delicate eyes. She had a graceful and elegant temperament that would give anyone an inferiorityplex. Chu Lin had met many gorgeous women before, like Xu Lei and Chen Nan. However, he always thought the most beautiful of them all was his mother, Qiu Mucheng. That was until he met the woman standing before him. I didn''t expect there to be a woman prettier than Mommy in this world. As Chu Lin studied her, the woman did the same with him. Lush hair, a tall nose, slightly bronze skin, and a pair of charming eyes that look just like his father''s. "Is he that man''s son?" Different emotions were present in her tone, such as excitement and yearning. Even though it was her first time meeting Chu Lin, she had already recognized who he was. Still, she asked to confirm. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes were turning red. Chapter 2242 Chapter 2242 "Yes, he is. Ye Fan asked me to care for him before he left. Perhaps he''s thest descendant of the Chu family," Old Madam Chu uttered heartbrokenly. Even though I should''ve gotten used to deaths after witnessing so many of them over the years, I''m still profoundly impacted by Ye Fan''s fate. After all, Ye Fan is the Chu family''s descendant I have valued the most for years. Yet, he ended up dying before I did. The heavens are cruel, making me, a hundred- plus-year-old woman, outlive my great-grandchild. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Can I hug him, Old Madam Chu?" asked the female visitor with a trembling voice as she struggled to suppress her emotions. Her sight never left Chu Lin once sheid her eyes on him. When the old woman saw that, she realized something. "Yun, is this child..." The woman was none other than the former head of Chu Sect, who had disappeared after the war against her organization, Tang Yun. Tang Yun silently approached Chu Lin and stretched her arms toward him to hug him. However, Chu Lin shrunk his head fearfully and hid behind his great-grandmother. Clearly, he was afraid of Tang Yun. Disappointment was scribbled all over her face when she saw that. Even though he was her son, he treated her like a stranger. That was likely the most heartbreaking thing that could happen to a mother. "Don''t worry, Lin. Aunt Tang is your father''s friend. She''s here to visit you on behalf of your father," the old womanforted. "Really? Did you meet my father? When is heing back to pick me up?" Chu Lin was excited to hear the mention of his father. Tang Yun''s eyes brimmed with tears as she hugged him tightly. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I''m sorry.." The person she felt the most apologetic to was probably the boy in her arms. Even though I gave him life, a chance to know the world, I didn''t raise him or keep himpany. Again and again, I let him suffer. Sometimes, I think about how much agony I could''ve spared him if I hadn''t acted rashly and given birth to him. I bet he wouldn''t have needed to experience so many goodbyes. Tang Yun spoke with unfathomable sorrow as she sobbed. "I''m sorry, child. It''s all my fault. I''ve failed you." The boy was shocked because he didn''t understand why the prettydy was crying. However, he could feel the anguish consuming her heart. Sensibly, he wiped the tears on her cheeks away and took out a milk candy from his pocket. He was reluctant at first to hand Tang Yun the candy, but after a brief contemtion, he gave it anyway. "Have a sweet. My mommy gave this to me. She said if I eat this, I won''t feel like crying anymore. I only have three left, so I can only give you one." Upon hearing that, Tang Yun found it even more challenging to control her tears as she thanked him with a smile. After her short reunion with her son, Old Madam Chu sent Chu Lin back to his room. Tang Yun needs time and space to calm her emotions. If Chu Lin sticks around, she''ll cry so hard that she can''t speak. Old Madam Chu sat on a stone bench in the courtyard and asked, "So, tell me, what''s going on? Is Lin really your and Ye Fan''s child?" Tang Yun''s eyes were swollen red by that point. As though she was a kitten that did something wrong, she nodded gently in response to the old woman''s question. "You¡ª" Old Madam Chu red at her. "You rascal! I don''t know what to say to you. Why didn''t you raise him if you''re his mother? Look at you two. Neither you nor Ye Fan acted like proper parents to him. Did you just abandon the boy to Ye Fan and forget about him? Why did you give birth to him if you can''t provide the child with a stable and happy life? It''s you two''s fault that he''s suffering in this world! He''s so pitiful, too pitiful. It makes my heart ache." I still remember the day Ye Fan sent Chu Lin to me. The boy was still sleeping and calling out to his parents in his dream. When he opened his eyes, everything changed. His parents were gone, and he was in an unfamiliar environment with a stranger. He cried so hard on his first day here. My heart wrenched as I listened to his wailing. It took days before he epted the cruel reality that his parents were no longer by his side. I can''t admonish Ye Fan for leaving him here since this is his only option. Then, Tang Yun suddenly appears and tells me she''s Chu Lin''s mother! Frankly, I am furious! She''s doing an even worse job than Ye Fan! I really want to hit her. Tang Yun faced the old woman''s reproach with silence. Lowering her head, she stood still as her pearl- like tears dropped to the ground. Old Madam Chu''s heart softened when she watched the younger woman cry. "All right, that''s enough. Stop crying. None of you deserve to cry when Chu Lin''s the one suffering. In the future, you should stay here and keep himpany, but I''d suggest you hide your identity for now. The boy has gone through enough pain. Don''t upset him again." Here, she looked at Tang Yun and continued, "I heard you lost your memory from Ye Fan. Can you remember now?" She checked Tang Yun''s pulse to determine her condition. "I can. Zhenghong treated me," answered Tang Yun. There was no news of her for a period because her older sister, Tang Rui, had brought her to get treated. "Zhenghong? Do you mean Ye Fan''s father, that b*stard, Chu Zhenghong?" Tang Yun nodded. Old Madam Chu''s eyes twitched. Everything''s a mess! Even I can''t figure out what''s what anymore! She looked daggers at Tang Yun and reprimanded, "Stupid girl! You should refer to him as how Ye Fan does from now." Upon understanding what the old woman meant, Tang Yun blushed. "All right, just stay here in peace for now. It''s good that you''re here. I''ll let you take care of the boy from now on. I''m an old woman now. Raising a child isn''t something I can do anymore." As Old Madam Chu spoke, she handed an ancient and mysterious book to Tang Yun. The golden words Book of Celestial Cloud were written on it. Seeing that, Tang Yun took a deep breath. "Old Madam Chu, this is..." "Yes." The old woman nodded. "This is where the Chu family''s thousand-year-old heritage lies, the Book of Celestial Cloud. Written on the pages were the lessons my ancestor, Chu Yunyang, comprehended. Before Ye Fan left, he handed Chu Lin and this to me. He told me he doesn''t want his son to be involved in the martial arts world, but the Book of Celestial Cloud has more than just martial arts techniques. Lin can learn the medical formations, astronomy, geology, and other strange arts recorded within. As his mother, you should be responsible for his education, so I''ll let you handle that." Chapter 2243 Chapter 2243 Tang Yun shook her head fearfully. "I can''t have this, Old Madam Chu. This is the Chu family''s private treasure. Its value is immeasurable. How can I, an outsider, guard a sacred relic like this? Please take it back." While it''s my first time seeing the Book of Celestial Cloud, I''ve heard of its legend more than once growing up. My master spent his entire life searching for this book. Even until his death, he had never laid his eyes on it. Yet, Old Madam Chu wants me to have it. For so many years, the previous heads of the Chu family dreamed of obtaining this but could never find it. I can''t believe it''s now in my hands. How am I supposed to feel calm about this? Smiling inly, the old woman insisted, "Take it. I''m not giving it to you. This is for Chu Lin. You''re just guarding it for him." "But I''m still an outsider, Old Madam Chu. I..." Tang Yun was still reluctant to ept it because the Book of Celestial Cloud could only be possessed by Yunyang''s descendants. It was the Chu family''s iron-d rule, much like how Cloud and Mist Sword Technique could only be passed down to the Tang family''s descendants. She didn''t have the nerve to break the rule set by Chu Yunyang. Old Madam Chu knocked the younger woman''s head with dissatisfaction and snapped, "Why are you still calling yourself an outsider when you already have a child with that brat? Do you think being the daughter-inw of the Chu family is bad?" Tang Yun blushed, at a loss for words. It''s strange. Hearing Old Madam Chu ept me as the daughter-inw of the Chu family gives me a sense of belonging. For years, I never dared to wish for it. After all, Ye Fan is a married man, our age gap is vast, and we have plenty of grudges against each other. I thought our rtionship would always be an ill-fated one and nothing good woulde out of it. To my surprise, I actually became a part of the Chu family. It''s a strange feeling. It feels like I''ve found a new home and gained new family members. Is this what it''s like to have inws? Many distinct emotions swirled in her heart, such as joy, fear, and love. However, that novel feeling onlysted for a short while. Soon, sorrow trampled over all other emotions. Raising her head, Tang Yun asked in a whisper, "Is it true that Ye Fan''s gone, Old Madam Chu?" A gloomy expression settled on Old Madam Chu''s face. "You heard of it, too?" Sighing, she turned to look at the scenery outdoor. "I can only say that it''s unlikely he''s alive. Unless there''s a miracle, Ye Fan is..." Her heart sank with regret. Ye Fan wouldn''t have been killed if I hadn''t told him to stop Dragon Gate Project. "I miscalcted. I thought Ye Fan would at most attract the ire of the Chinese expert on Empyrean Ranking regardless of the ruckus he caused. I didn''t expect the enemy to desire Ye Fan''s death this much. The Great Four cooperated with the global forces and assaulted him. I''m half responsible for his end," Old Madam Chumented with remorse. If I hadn''t pushed him to take Dragon Gate Project down, he''d have been living a peaceful life in seclusion right now. He nned to leave the martial arts world, after all. But now... "Well, the past can''t be changed. It''s pointless to think about it now. We''ll just have to ept the past and let it go. Spend your days with your son well," she continued. Tang Yun nodded as guilt pranced around in her heart. I wonder if Ye Fan knew Chu Lin is our son in the end. While Old Madam Chu went to prepare a meal, Tang Yun watched the boy y in the courtyard energetically after getting closer to him. A smile gradually formed on Tang Yun''s face. So this is the joy of family. It''s a shame one person is missing. Turning around, she looked at the horizon and muttered, "Are you truly dead, Ye Fan?" Of course, she felt regretful that she couldn''t see him onest time. Time continued to pass. The death of Ye Fan had at first elicited dramatic and violent reactions. However, as time passed, it mercilessly swallowed everything that failed to keep up with it. Eventually, all marks that a person left behind on the would be erased. Some said a person''s life was akin to a stroll along the beach. One would leave clear footprints on the sand at each corner one visited. Then, time would crash onto the beach like waves, eroding the beach and the reef. When the waves removed one''sst footprints from the beach, it meant the world had forgotten them. Even though Chu Tianfan had achieved world-shaking feats before his death, he still couldn''t prevent memories of him from fading into oblivion. Initially, the people of Jiangdong still mourned for him. However, given enough time, he would slip away from their memories as they led their lives as usual. It would appear as though nothing was out of the ordinary. Life would continue, the sun would still rise from the east, and the birds would keep chirping. The people of Jiangdong had thought their sky had fallen when Ye Fan died. However, after a while, they just got used to it. No deaths mattered to the world because the would still continue to spin. The only difference was that someone else was in charge of Jiangdong. The three prominent families in Jiangdong, Yunzhou''s Li family, Jianghai''s Chen family, and even Fenghai''s Lei family, had vanished without a trace after Ye Fan''s death. Li Er, who often loved to show off, no longer showed his face. In fact, his Li Corporation and Mufan Group announced bankruptcy. Chen Ao withdrew from most of Jianghai''s industry while Lei San sold his mansion in Fenghai and lived in seclusion back in his hometown. Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org. After the bigwigs that had dominated Jiangdong for decades left, a new family rose to prominence. The people of Jiangdong knew them as the Zhao family. Nearly all of Chu Tianfan''s previously-owned businesses had fallen into the hands of the Zhao family. In the span of an extended period, the people of Jiangdong went from talking about Ye Fan''s fall from grace to the rise of the Zhao family. Many people wondered who the Zhao family was. After all, they had crushed the Li, Chen, and Lei families in just one month. Some said Li Er and the others had left on their own ord and that the Zhao family had got lucky. Others spected the Zhao family had impressive connections in Yanjing. Regardless, Chu Tianfan''s era was over as Jiangdong epted the new order. As for the citizens of the world, they embraced a new age and weed their new ruler with hope. While most residents of the world were forgetful, some weren''t. For example, someone who battled against and lost to Ye Fan for a lifetime, Mo Wuya! Perplexed, Zhao Zhenlu faced Mo Wuya and asked, "I don''t understand, Prince of Fighters. Why did you stop me from killing Li Er, Chen Ao, and the other remnants in Jiangdong? Hall Master Chen stated that we must remove all of Chu Tianfan''s influence in Jiangdong. They followed Chu Tianfan for years and are thus sinners! They must die!" Chapter 2244 Chapter 2244 Mo Wuya retorted, "Why do you harbor such hatred for your young age? Do you intend to follow in the footsteps of Chu Tianfan by bing public enemy number one through brutality? His words jolted Zhao Zhenlu, who subsequently softened his tone. "Prince of Fighters, h-how could you say that? There''s no way you canpare me to Chu Tianfan because, unlike him, I''m carrying out a mission. Please don''t make such insinuations about me," Zhao Zhenlu refuted. Laughing out loud, Prince of Fighters patted Zhao Zhenlu on the shoulder. "Rx, Mr. Zhao. I was just kidding. Besides, I''m stopping you from killing indiscriminately for your own good. Just think about it. The Li and Chen families have established themselves in Jiangdong for generations and are well-loved here. Now that they have withdrawn from Jiangdong and aren''t vying for power against you, how would the residents of Jiangdong see you if you show no mercy against the two families? They would think that you''re a cold-blooded murderer who''s no different from Chu Tianfan. When that happens, you''ll lose the will of the people. Without it, it will be difficult for the Zhao family to rule Jiangdong," Mo Wuya advised solemnly. Zhao Zhenlu fell into deep thought before nodding in agreement. "I expect no less from the Prince of Fighters! You''ve so much more foresight than I do. Thank you for the insight you have given me. Once the Zhao family has established itself in Jiangdong, I will send you thirty percent of its annual revenue as tribute," Zhao Zhenlu dered gratefully. A silent smile was all Mo Wuya responded with. "All right now, you should get back to work. I''m going to take a stroll outside." Mo Wuya dismissed Zhao Zhenlu with a wave of his hand before leaving the room to walk down aimlessly along the street in Yunzhou. Staring at the shadows thrown onto the sidewalk and the glistening reflections on the surface of Yunwu Lake, Mo Wuyamented, "s, no one can turn back time. Chu Tianfan, oh Chu Tianfan, you have been relegated to the annals of history in the end. Consider this as my way of paying respect to a long- time rival." With that, the matter of Jiangdong came to an end. Nevertheless, the wheels of the martial arts world continued spinning endlessly. After Ye Fan''s death, training for Dragon Gate Project greatly intensified. Soon, it was time for the third batch of candidates to join the project. Chen Jiuzhou found War God and ordered them to get ready to enter Dragon Gate the next day. Initially, they were meant to be the second batch, but Ye Qingtian declined to do it on Ye Fan''s ount. Subsequently, he found more excuses to dy it until now. "Jiuzhou, since the slots for Dragon Gate training are extremely valuable, I feel that we should prioritize the younger generation. After all, old fogeys like us have limited potential left. We can fill in the remaining slots once you have gotten everyone else in." Ye Qingtian tried to dy the matter again. "That''s not necessary. We have plenty of slots avable. You don''t have to give them up. I have informed Sword Saint and King of Fighters about it. The three of you will enter Dragon Gate tomorrow and that''s an order. I won''t allow room for any disobedience!" Chen Jiuzhou''s attitude to the older elite warriors was unmistakably harsh. Upon hearing Ye Qingtian''s tone, he used the full authority of Hall Master to arm-twist them into entering Dragon Gate. He then turned and left, leaving Ye Qingtian no chance to refuse. The furrow on thetter''s brows consequently deepened. Once Chen Jiuzhou was gone, Sword Saint and King of Fighters emerged from the chamber at the back. Both of them had heard the earlier conversation. "Tell me, what are your thoughts?" War God asked the two of them. King of Fighters wore a grave look on his face. "Ye, I think there''s more to the matter than meets the eye. Otherwise, why would Chen Jiuzhou force us into entering Dragon Gate? Isn''t he afraid that we will seize power from him once we break through to the next level?" King of Fighters expressed his suspicions, to which Sword Saint nodded. He''s right. Logically speaking, Chen Jiuzhou shouldn''t want us to train inside Dragon Gate. After all, the stronger the three of us are, the greater the threat we are to him. But now... "Both of you have also noticed something suspicious going on, haven''t you?" War God looked up at the two. "Three among those in the second batch didn''t make it out. The death rate seems to be climbing." "Are you saying that Chen Jiuzhou is trying to get us killed by ordering us to enter Dragon Gate?" Mo Gucheng gave Ye Qingtian a quizzical look. War God shook his head. "It would be fine if that was the case. What worries me more is another reason." "What is it?" King of Fighters asked again. Sword Saint seemed to have an idea. "The one that Chu Tianfan told us about?" War God nodded solemnly. "When Ye Fan first shared it with me, I found it ridiculous. But now, I increasingly feel he was right. Dragon Gate Project might just be a front for a huge plot, one that involves enving the best martial artists in the entire world." "H-How is that possible?" King of Fighters'' lips began to tremble. He found the idea difficult to ept. "I''m just guessing too. It might be a case of my imagination going wild. But ever since Ye Fan''s death, I can''t help but grow more suspicious by the day. Just think about it. Ye Fan was just a junior who had done nothing to offend Moryana, Odin, and the others. Yet all of them began hunting him down right after he told us about the secret of the Dragon Gate training. Was it really a coincidence or were they trying to kill him in order to bury the secret? "Also, having disappeared for many years, Moryana returned with not only a massive increase in her strength but also a change in her temperament. Could she be hiding some sort of secret too? On top of that, Chen Jiuzhou seems to be plotting hard to get us to enter Dragon Gate. Taking everything into consideration, I''m increasingly inclined to believe Ye Fan," War God borated with a solemn expression. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. By then, King of Fighters and Sword Saint had turned pale in shock. "War God, if what Chu Tianfan said is true, can you imagine the repercussions for the world?" Sword Saint remarked gravely. War God nodded. "Without a doubt, it means that the apocalypse is upon us. Once The Great Four and all the genius martial artists of the world are enved, the mastermind can destroy the world, and we will be powerless to stop him. The only one capable of standing in his way has unfortunately been killed by the world itself." He spoke in a low voice. His words carried an inexplicable sense of sorrow and sarcasm. The room subsequently fell into a deathly silence. The three pirs of China, weighed down by the gravity of the situation, were at a loss for words. Sometimes, being the only one awakened to the truth was a terrible thing, to the extent of it being a cruel burden to bear. "All right now, stop being so pessimistic. I was just specting just now. If it turns out to be true, we still have time to remedy the situation," War God added. "In that case, are we still attending the Dragon Gate training tomorrow?" King of Fighters asked. War God shook his head. "We should cook up an excuse to skip it. It would be great if there was no plot behind it, but if Ye Fan''s words turned out to be true, the three of us could still avoid the fate of being turned into ves. At the very least, we''ll be thest line of defense for China''s martial arts world." Chapter 2245 Chapter 2245 The next morning, numerous martial artists once again gathered at the top of Mount Yan. The third phase of Dragon Gate Project had officially begun. Chen Jiuzhou''s voice echoed throughout Mount Yan. "My master and the other three top-ranked martial artists in the Empyrean Ranking initiated Dragon Gate Project. This is a rare opportunity for all martial artists. We are not seeking rewards or wealth. Our only goal is to make everyone in this world excel! Therefore, my master and the other three formidable members of the Empyrean Ranking have decided to triple the number of avable positions for the uing Dragon Gate training. We will admit thirty individuals in each training session." The people situated at the foot of the mountain immediately cheered with excitement. Even Lu Yanxi, daughter of Lu Tianhe, was overjoyed. The increase in spots meant that her chance of entering Dragon Gate had also increased. However, War God and Sword Saint could not bring themselves to smile. It''s good news if the Dragon Gate training program is truly an opportunity for all martial artists. But if it was a conspiracy, wouldn''t that mean that the speed of the world''s downfall would be elerated? "Jiuzhou, haste makes waste. Aren''t thirty spots a little too much? When ites to martial arts training, we should pursue quality, not quantity." War God couldn''t help but advise from the side. With an air of unquestionable authority, Chen Jiuzhou cast a cold nce at War God. "Are you defying my master''s wishes?" "But..." Before War God could continue, Chen Jiuzhou immediately interrupted, "There are no buts. This is an order, and you will carry it out!" He ascended into the air and forcefully stomped his foot, causing the ancient stone gate to emerge from the ground. "Dragon Gate is now open. All trainees, enter immediately!" Following Chen Jiuzhou''smand, the thirty martial artists on the list rushed in eagerly. Chen Jiuzhou red at War God and the other two. "Hmm? Why aren''t you three entering?" Of the thirty people who entered, only twenty-seven had gone through Dragon Gate. War God, Sword Saint, and King of Fighters stood at the side. "The spots are precious, and the three of us have decided not to take them and waste this valuable opportunity," King of Fighters exined. "No, you must enter. I won''t allow any exceptions!" Chen Jiuzhou frowned and refused to listen to their exnations. While they were arguing, three people in the crowd at the foot of Mount Yan disobeyed the order and rushed into Dragon Gate, taking thest three spots. Boom! As all thirty people entered, Dragon Gate closed with a loud sound and sank underground again. "Damn it!" Chen Jiuzhou was furious that they had been outsmarted by a few people. But now that it had happened, he had no choice. He red at Ye Qingtian and the others. "I''ll let it slide this time, but next time, you three must go through the Dragon Gate training! This is what my master wants, and no one can go against it!" The episode unquestionably heightened War God and the others'' doubts. Such is human nature. Everyone has a rebellious inner self. When War God and hispanions actively wanted to enter Dragon Gate before, they didn''t feel anything unusual. But now, Chen Jiuzhou''s efforts to force them in only made them even warier. By the time Ye Qingtian and the others noticed something strange, the others were already immersed in the thrill of their power surging. In total, twenty people had gone through the Dragon Gate training in the scorching summer; five were given the Supreme title. Except for a few who died in the gate, the rest were all at the pinnacle of the Grandmaster rank. Such immediate results were bound to drive people crazy. As a result, the poprity of the Dragon Gate training intensified. Many martial artists from different countries got into fights over the limited training spots. In order to alleviate the shortage of training spots, the Dragon Gates in China, Western Epea, Remdik, Smend, and other ces all increased their training spots drastically. This was undoubtedly great news for the global martial arts world. But soon, the negative effects started to show. Due to the rapid expansion of the training spots, the quality of the people entering the Dragon Gate training started to worsen. As a result, more and more people went in and never returned. They remained inside Dragon Gate forever. Subsequently, the death rate even reached fifty percent. Of course, that was not the scariest part. What was even more frightening was that even those who walked out of Dragon Gate alive and gained power were found to have exploded and died three to five dayster. Initially, this was only a rare urrence, happening to a very small number of people. However, more and more simr cases began to ur. The situation in China was slightly better as there were only three batches. Western Epea and Smend, however, were in a dire situation. The death rate and explosion rate had exceeded seventy percent. Undoubtedly, these terrifying figures dampened the spirit of the martial arts world. Many martial artists gradually became sober. They were no longer obsessed with pursuing the Dragon Gate training. Some were even calling for the suspension of the training. War God, Sword Saint, and others had always been paying attention to the international situation and naturally attached great importance to the deaths in the Dragon Gate training overseas. After discussing the matter, the three of them went to find Chen Jiuzhou and asked him to temporarily suspend the Dragon Gate Project. When Chen Jiuzhou heard this request, heughed. "You three are considered veterans in the martial arts world, right? Don''t you know that the path of the strong is fraught with death and danger? How can you hope to be stronger if you cower and retreat at the slightest hint of risk? You shouldn''t be a martial artist if you''re afraid of dying. Go back to your hometown and be a farmer," the man berated them. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. However, War God didn''t stop there. He argued, "You call this just a little risk? Thest time fifty people entered Dragon Gate in Western Epea, only thirty came out. And even among these thirty, half exploded and died within three days of returning. The situation is even worse in Smend. Less than ten people survived from thest batch of one hundred who entered. Reckless haste makes waste. "I think it''s time to stop the project. Otherwise, it''s not cultivating talent; it''s harming people and destroying the foundation! If you can''t make the decision, we''ll go directly to your master, Moryana!" War God was very resolute. He was determined to stop the continuation of Dragon Gate Project. Chen Jiuzhou sneered, "See my master? You three are not qualified! Also, there''s no need to waste your breath. Dragon Gate Project was jointly formted by my master, Odin, Asura, and others. It''s an international project. What can you few old guys do to stop it? It''s you three who should prepare well. The fourth batch of Dragon Gate training is about to start. This time, I have increased China''s quota to fifty. You three, take the lead and enter." Chen Jiuzhou regarded War God coldly. "Chen Jiuzhou, I don''t care if you agree to this. Sword Saint, King of Fighters, and I have already discussed it. We will do whatever it takes to stop Dragon Gate Project from continuing! We will never allow you to harm China''s martial artists," War God shouted in anger. Chen Jiuzhou chuckled nonchntly. "Well, you can try." Chapter 2246 Chapter 2246 Chen Jiuzhou snorted and then left the ce. "Chen Jiuzhou, stop right there!" "We''re not finished talking yet!" "Come back here!" Sword Saint and the others shouted from behind, but Chen Jiuzhou ignored them and left without even looking back. "He''s a beast! How dare he be so rude to us? How could we have been so blind as to elect him as Hall Master? Having Chu Tianfan as Hall Master would have been better than him!" King of Fighters punched the wall behind him in anger, forming spider-web-like cracks on the wall. He deeply regretted their decision. Of course, Sword Saint was equally regretful. "They are acting recklessly." War God sighed. "After all, Chu Tianfan is already dead. We have forced the death of the only person in the world who could threaten them. With no constraints on their power or strength, do you think there''s anything left for him to fear? In his eyes, you and I are probably nothing more than pigs and dogs waiting to be ughtered." Ye Qingtian''s words left King of Fighters and Sword Saint speechless and their expressions turning sour. "Do you think everything that Chu Tianfan said was true?" King of Fighters couldn''t help but ask. War God and Sword Saint stayed silent. They were too ashamed to answer. After all, when Ye Fan was being criticized by the masses, the three of them had been on the opposite side. They had even injured him. If Ye Fan''s words were proven true, it would undoubtedly mean that the trio had once again done something extremely foolish. In this world, it''s probably most difficult to deny oneself and admit one''s own stupidity. Despite the numerous indications pointing toward issues with Dragon Gate Project, Sword Saint and the others held onto a glimmer of hope that Ye Fan''s words were untrue. After War God''s departure, only Sword Saint and King of Fighters were left. "Say, Sword Saint, do you really think what Chu Tianfan said back then was true?" King of Fighters asked again. Sword Saint did not answer. Instead, he shook his head and sighed. "We have fought against Chu Tianfan for so many years. We can''t always be the ones who are in the wrong." He remembered the battle in the rainforest back then, where they had thought Ye Fan was cruel and immoral. But in the end, Ye Fan donated arge amount of spirit fruit to the country without any expectation of rewards. In another episode, War God Castle tried to block Ye Fan from entering the country when he stormed Chu Sect. s, Chu Yuan conquered the world, and if it weren''t for Chu Tianfan, they would have already died under the hands of Chu Sect. And now, Ye Fan had once again stood in opposition to the world. Still, Sword Saint and the others did not believe in him. If they were wrong again this time, they would be too embarrassed to face the world. Whether it was King of Fighters or Sword Saint, they naturally hoped and prayed that what Ye Fan said was false. However, how could the affairs of this world be moved by human will? A few dayster, Dragon Gate Project wasunched again. The fourth batch of powerhouses had already arrived at the foot of Mount Yan. King of Fighters, Sword Saint, and War God, however, were still in the hall and did not appear at Dragon Gate. The trio was talking in the room, seemingly discussing something important. Just then, someone walked in. "We have been sent by Hall Master Chen to invite the three pirs of China to enter Dragon Gate." Zhao Zhenlu led a few subordinates to escort Ye Qingtian and the others out. "Get lost! We decide whether or not to enter the Dragon Gate. There''s no need for him to make decisions for us," King of Fighters shouted disrespectfully at Zhao Zhenlu and his men. However, Zhao Zhenlu smiled bitterly and replied, "You may share your concerns with Hall Master Chen. I''m just a subordinate conveying orders. Why do you have to make life difficult for me?" King of Fighters wanted to continue cursing, but he was stopped by War God. "Enough. What he said is true. They''re just following orders. No matter how much we say to them, it''s just a waste of breath. Let''s go. There are things that require us to speak directly to our fellow countrymen." He seemed to have made a major decision as he turned around and prepared to head to the summit of Mount Yan. "Ye, have you thought this through? If you do this, it''s equivalent to bing their enemies! I''m worried..." Sword Saint clearly had reservations. Ye Qingtian, however, calmly waved his hand and said, "There''s nothing to worry about. Even if Chen Jiuzhou is daring, he won''t dare to kill me in front of so many people. I''ve been in China for so many years, and although I can''t say much about other things, I can say there is still some humanity left in people." The man continued without signs of panic or worry, "If Chen Jiuzhou dares to attack me, he will lose the hearts of the people. It will be difficult for him to push forward with Dragon Gate Project in the future." "That''s all well and good, but Ye, what if something happens? You are one of the most important figures in the country. You can''t take the risk! Why don''t I handle this conversation?" Sword Saint suggested as he couldn''t let go of his concerns. "You can''t do it. Why don''t I say it?" King of Fighters offered. War God smiled and said, "Stop fighting over it. It''s most suitable for me to speak. I have been the guardian of China for so many years, and everyone believes in what I say. I don''t mean to boast, but my words carry more weight than thebined weight of your words." "But¡ª" "There''s nothing else to say. Do you have any other solutions?" Ye Qingtian interrupted them. Sword Saint and King of Fighters opened their mouths, wanting to say something else, but the words never came out. And so, the three of them walked out of War God Castle and went to the top of Mount Yan. "They''re here!" This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. "It''s War God." "War God has arrived!" Sure enough, when the martial artist saw Ye Qingtian and the others, they immediately cheered. Even though Ye Qingtian wasn''t the Hall Master anymore, he was still a prominent figure and a source of inspiration in the minds of the Chinese. Chen Jiuzhou smirked when he saw Ye Qingtian and the others. "There you are. I thought I have to personally invite you over. All right, let''s cut to the chase. Dragon Gate has already opened, and the fourth batch of trainees is preparing to enter. As the pirs of China, you three should take the lead and go in first." Ye Qingtian nced at him and said with a smile, "Why the rush? Before we go, let me say a few words to everyone. What if we don''te back?" "As you wish," Chen Jiuzhou said nonchntly. The only thing he cared about in the whole of China was his master, Moryana. As for these three old men, when Ye Fan was still alive, Chen Jiuzhou could use their prestige to deal with him and push forward Dragon Gate Project. Now that Ye Fan was dead, he had nopetitors left in China. Therefore, the trio was of no value to him anymore. They were simply worthless trash in his eyes. They can say whatever they want since they will be entering Dragon Gate soon. Ye Qingtian walked to the podium and looked at the familiar and friendlypatriots beneath him. Chapter 2247 Chapter 2247 "Everyone here should recognize who I am. I''m Ye Qingtian, War God, and the leader of the six pirs of China. Over the years, I''ve fought alongside you all, oveing countless challenges and hardships together. I''m fortunate to have been born in this country and to have so many outstanding and respectablepatriots. It is my love for this nation that has always driven me to do everything in my power to protect it and its people. The longsting stability and prosperity of China is the dream I''ve dedicated my life to achieving. That is why myrades and I established War God Castle and epted Moryana''s suggestion to initiate Dragon Gate Project, all in the hope of making our nation stronger. "In pursuit of that goal, I even injured a friend and turned a blind eye when my friend needed help the most. I didn''t regret it then, as I believed I was siding with the people and the country''s greater good. Any sacrifice was worth it as long as my ideals were notpromised. However, I''ve graduallye to realize that I might''ve been wrong. Like many martial artists seeking power, I, Ye Qingtian, seemed to have been blinded by the sudden surge of strength. "That''s right. What I''m talking about is Dragon Gate Project. Like all of you, I once believed that the appearance of the Dragon Gate in China was a blessing, an opportunity for our people to get stronger. However, I gradually discovered that it had led us astray from the true path of martial arts. Acquiring power isn''t an overnight feat. Relying on external forces to artificially elerate growth will only lead to self-destruction! "I will now share some rming statistics with you. In Western Epea, of thest batch of fifty participants who trained in Dragon Gate, half perished within Dragon Gate. Of those who survived, another half died within three days because their meridians exploded. The situation in Smend was even more tragic. Out of a hundred participants, only ten survived. Moreover, even those ten suffered varying degrees of damage to their meridians due to the forced infusion of power, rendering any further advancement in their cultivation in this lifetime hopeless." Atop Mount Yan, Ye Qingtian revealed those shocking statistics to the crowd while wearing a grimace. "T-That can''t be true, right? Did you make a mistake, War God? Dragon Gate is strongly promoted by The Great Four on Empyrean Ranking. Are you saying Moryana and the others wish to harm us?" "That''s right. The first few batches of participants are doing fine, aren''t they? Wangtou and Li managed to attain the Supreme realm!" Everyone was astounded after hearing Ye Qingtian''s words. His speech had undoubtedly caused an uproar among the crowd. The throng was astonished and in disbelief. Chen Jiuzhou had been listening to Ye Qingtian absentmindedly initially, not paying much attention. However, he soon realized Ye Qingtian seemed to be criticizing Dragon Gate Project, which rmed him greatly. "Ye Qingtian, what nonsense are you spouting? Shut up!" Chen Jiuzhou bellowed. Ye Qingtian ignored him and continued speaking. "I understand that what I''ve said may be difficult for you all to ept at once, but please believe me. I can guarantee with my integrity that every word I''ve mentioned is true. Dragon Gate is no longer a gateway to power or opportunity; it has be a gateway to hell and a doorway to death. I cannot stand idly by and watch mypatriots march to their doom. Therefore, I dere that the Dragon Gate training will be permanently suspended after today!" "B*stard, you''re courting death!" Ye Qingtian''s final words thoroughly enraged Chen Jiuzhou. Wasting no more breath, he stomped the ground and thrust a vicious palm strike at Ye Qingtian as he charged forward. "Be careful, Ye! Retreat quickly!" Sword Saint yelled anxiously while King of Fighters stared worryingly at the scene before him. Still, Ye Qingtian didn''t dodge. He stood rooted to his spot like a pir on the highest point of China, supporting the weight of the sky. Retreat? There''s no way out left for me. If I fall back, who will defend China? I had Ye Fan to back me up in the past, but they had driven him to his death. Now, I''m the only one left to fight for our nation. Therefore, I must stop Dragon Gate Project from continuing no matter what. Boom! With a loud thud, Chen Jiuzhou''s palm struck Ye Qingtian''s back squarely. Ye Qingtian remained unmoving, but he couldn''t help but spew out a mouthful of blood. Nevertheless, with blood trickling down the corner of his mouth and a sorrowful expression spread across his face, Ye Qingtian still stood atop Mount Yan and shouted, "China''s martial artists, it''s time to wake up! Power doesn''t fall from the sky ore as a gift from others. Instead, we must earn it through diligent cultivation, taking one step at a time. Sess is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. There are no shortcuts to sess, and even less so to bing an elite martial artist. It''s time to wake up from this dream, everyone. Quit fantasizing about Dragon Gate being capable of enhancing your abilities in a short period. Dragon Gate Project must not be allowed to continue." Boom! Another palm strike came crashing down. Chen Jiuzhou wore a frosty expression as he attacked Ye Qingtian again. This time, Ye Qingtian could no longer withstand the blow. His body shuddered, and he spat out another mouthful of blood. Then, he was sent flying backward. "How dare you interfere with my ns, you old fool! Since you''re so against entering Dragon Gate, as the Hall Master, I will personally send you in today!" Chen Jiuzhou was beside himself with rage, and his eyes glinted coldly and menacingly. He moved forward, grabbed Ye Qingtian with one hand, and hurled thetter in the direction of Dragon Gate. However, at that critical moment, Sword Saint and King of Fighters stepped up and positioned themselves before Dragon Gate, catching Ye Qingtian. "What''s the matter? Ye Qingtian is seeking death. Are you two tired of living too?" Chen Jiuzhou narrowed his eyes at Sword Saint and King of Fighters. Malice filled his voice as he threatened them. "King of Fighters, Sword Saint, set me down. What happens today has nothing to do with you." Ye Qingtian steadied himself and stood up straight once again. He pushed Sword Saint and King of Fighters away to face Chen Jiuzhou alone. "Chen Jiuzhou, you are acting willfully and arrogantly, treating yourpatriots'' lives as if they are insignificant! As China''s protector, how can I allow you to behave as you please?" Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Ye Qingtian''s furious roar reverberated as an overwhelming aura burst forth from within him. Qi surged within his meridians, and blood boiled in his body. An intense battle spirit shot toward the sky. Seeing that, Chen Jiuzhouughed. "Hahaha! Do you think you''re capable of passing judgment on me? All of you can''t even defeat Chu Tianfan, so what makes you think you''re a match for me? If you all joined forces with Chu Tianfan to fight against me when he was alive, perhaps I would find this a little challenging. But now that Chu Tianfan is dead, no one in China is strong enough to oppose me! Even thebined force of you three pirs of China cannot endure a single strike from me!" Chen Jiuzhou''s eyes were filled with wantonness and haughtiness. That''s right. I''ve been acting more domineeringly and unscrupulously since Ye Fan died. War God and even all of China''s martial artists are no different from my ything. While Chen Jiuzhou was hooting withughter, Ye Qingtian had already taken action, fiercely thrusting out a Heavenly Palm strike. Chen Jiuzhou didn''t even attempt to dodge and casually countered with a move of his own. Boom! With a burst of energy, Chen Jiuzhou was sent flying by Ye Qingtian''s attack. "Damn it! What kind of palm technique is that?" Chen Jiuzhou got to his feet, looking somewhat comical with dirt covering his face. Nheless, the confusion reflected on his countenance was greater than the wrath churning within his chest. Apparently, he hadn''t expected the power Ye Qingtian unleashed with that palm strike earlier would far surpass his cultivation realm. Chapter 2248 Chapter 2248 Chen Jiuzhou was naturally shocked. Deep down, he had always looked down upon Ye Qingtian and the like. He assumed they were too stubborn and would spend the rest of their lives the same way, cultivating the same ancient martial arts techniques. However, their earlier fight caught him by surprise. He could feel how advanced Ye Qingtian''s palm technique was. Ye Qingtian''s face was devoid of expression as he stared at Chen Jiuzhou. "This is Heavenly Palm. Ye Fan taught me back then." "Shut up!" Chen Jiuzhou''s expression turned grim when he heard Ye Fan''s name. "You, Ye Qingtian, hold a significant position as one of the six pirs of China. It is beyond comprehension that you would be involved with someone as despicable as that. Do you understand the gravity of your actions? Any individual who coborates with traitors is considered a traitor. As the Hall Master of War God Castle, I must pass judgment. Ye Qingtian, are you aware of your wrongdoing?" Chen Jiuzhou stomped the ground and rushed toward Ye Qingtian. He didn''t hold back and attacked Ye Qingtian ferociously. Ye Qingtian dared not underestimate him. However, after they exchanged a few moves, Chen Jiuzhou discovered Ye Qingtian only had one move that could threaten him. The rest of his moves wouldn''t pose a threat to him at all. "It seems that you have only mastered one move, Ye Qingtian. I thought you had a trump card that would threaten me. How foolish of you to challenge me publicly! You are nothing but a fool who is eager to seek death!" After sounding each other out briefly, Chen Jiuzhou finally understood the extent of Ye Qingtian''s capabilities. With a scornful smirk, he looked at Ye Qingtian as if thetter was nothing more than a fool. "I can''t believe so many fools exist in this world. Chu Tianfan was a fool, and so are you, Ye Qingtian. You are no match for me. Do you have a death wish?" Chen Jiuzhou sneered. He refused to waste time on Ye Qingtian. Without holding back, he increased the intensity of his attack and delivered sessive powerful strikes in Ye Qingtian''s direction. This time, even though Ye Qingtian used Heavenly Palm, he was no match for Chen Jiuzhou''s waves of attacks. Like a floating boat in the vast sea, he capsized instantly. The forceful attacknded on Ye Qingtian, crushing his bones, and blood spewed everywhere. Ye Qingtian was hurled backward from the impact, and he coughed out a mouthful of blood. "War God!" Everyone panicked at the sight of Ye Qingtian getting injured. They rushed forward to check on him. Chen Jiuzhou was the only one who remained calm as a vicious look crossed his face. "I told you, you''re seeking doom if you go against me. I won''t kill you, though. I will punish you and make your life a living hell," Chen Jiuzhou announced with an icy grin, fixing his emotionless gaze on the heavily injured Ye Qingtian, who was lying on the ground weakly. Behind him, Dragon Gate opened wide. Chen Jiuzhou slowly made his way forward. It was obvious he still intended to throw Ye Qingtian into the gate. Right then, a woman in the crowd spoke up. "Hall Master Chen, please don''t do this! No matter what, War God is still China''s guardian angel. He spent his entire life protecting China, so he''s our hero. You can''t let him down!" It was none other than Lu Yanxi, who had previously worked together with Ye Fan. Despite her young age, she grew up listening to War God''s legendary tales. Now, the heroic figure was past his prime, and he was no longer the most powerful man in China''s martial arts world. Nevertheless, he was still the older generation''s idol and religion. Hearing Lu Yanxi''s voice, many others stepped forward to stand before Ye Qingtian in a protective manner. "Hall Master Chen, please have mercy!" "War God has led China for decades, and he''s loyal to China''s martial arts world. He will never betray the people and country." "We respectfully request that you investigate the matter regarding the rumor about Dragon Gate, as we believe War God''s ount to be credible." Everyone started interceding on Ye Qingtian''s behalf. Clearly, they believed Ye Qingtian''s words and were suspecting the safety of Dragon Gate Project. Chen Jiuzhou couldn''t ept the change in their attitudes. He flew into a fit of rage and roared, "Shut up! Ye Qingtian is an aplice of Chu Tianfan, and he obviously has an ulterior motive for tarnishing the reputation of Dragon Gate Project! As martial artists of China, we should work together to punish him. We should deliver justice and get rid of this traitor! How dare you beg for his mercy?" His murderous intent was intensifying. Evidently, he didn''t anticipate that Ye Qingtian was that important to the martial artists in China. With just a few words, he managed to tamp down everyone''s desire for more strength and ignite their suspicion toward Dragon Gate Project. "Hall Master Chen, there must be a misunderstanding here. We believe in War God!" "Yes, he puts the country and people first. He''ll never betray China!" "Yes! We have absolute trust in him!" "Hall Master Chen, there must be a misunderstanding. Please reconsider your decision!" Everyone spoke up to defend Ye Qingtian, refusing to give Chen Jiuzhou a chance to take action. Chen Jiuzhou''s eyes were cold. "What are you doing? Do you want to go against me? If you don''t want to die, get out of my way now!" With that, a powerful surge of energy emerged from his figure and swept in all directions. The dozens of people at the scene were sent flying backward. Lu Yanxi was the first to get hit. She spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward for a few dozen meters before crashing to the ground. Finally, Ye Qingtian''s figure appeared before Chen Jiuzhou. "Ye Qingtian, this is over. I''ll send you into Dragon Gate now!" he announced, shing a malicious smirk. Ye Qingtian wasn''t afraid at all. Even when Chen Jiuzhou was right before him, he used hisst shred of energy to remind the crowd, "Everyone, if you still have trust in me, do not walk past Dragon Gate! Don''t enter Dragon Gate! That is the gates of hell!" His yell reverberated around the area. "The nerve of you to keep talking! Damn it!" Chen Jiuzhou cursed. He had no idea Ye Qingtian would continue to spout nonsense even though thetter was about to die. A wave of fury crashed through him as he delivered a punch to Ye Qingtian''s cheek. Before the punch could injure Ye Qingtian, two figures suddenly shot out. "Limitless Sword!" Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. "Mo Family Fist!" Sword Saint swung his sword in fury, while Mo Gucheng waved his fist in anger. Both Supremes worked together to block Chen Jiuzhou''s attack. "Sword Saint? King of Fighters? How could you..." Ye Qingtian panicked when he saw them taking action. "Who told you to take action? You fools, step back! This has nothing to do with you!" Both Sword Saint and King of Fighters were smiling calmly as though they had epted their impending doom. "Ye, cut the crap. You''re not the only pir of China. We won''t let you face the situation alone," Sword Saint said. "But you might lose your lives!" Ye Qingtian protested. He hade forward earlier to prevent Sword Saint and the others from getting involved in the trouble. Stopping Dragon Gate Project meant crossing Chen Jiuzhou, and he would never let them get away with it. King of Fighters burst outughing. "I''m not afraid of death as that means I''ll get to sleep forever. You proved something, Ye. Dragon Gate Project is indeed suspicious!" q Chen Jiuzhou''s fists balled up in anger when he realized they had suddenly joined the fight. "It looks like both of you have been bewitched by Ye Qingtian. If that''s the case, I shall cleanse the country of traitors like you. It''s time for China to get new pirs as you old b*stards are past your prime." Chapter 2249 Chapter 2249 "Sword Saint? King of Fighters? You two are still alive? We thought you two were killed by Chen Jiuzhou!" the martial artists eximed in surprise when they saw Sword Saint and the others. The look of shock was soon reced by joy as they thought hope had arrived. "We''re so d to see that you''re still alive, Sword Saint!" "We didn''t have anyone to lead us in this battle against Chen Jiuzhou, so we weren''t quite sure what to do!" "Now that you''re back, we''ll all take orders from you!" "Let us band together to stop Chen Jiuzhou and his Dragon Gate Project!" Everyone was praising Sword Saint and King of Fighters as they waited for the two to lead them in battle. However, Sword Saint simply responded by raising his sword and stabbing at them. Swoosh! All they saw was a sh of white light as the sword cut through the air. About a secondter, blood sprayed everywhere as ten martial artists died on the spot. Everyone at the scene was stunned by what they had just seen. They were all staring at the former Hall Master of War God Castle, who loved the people with his life, in shock and disbelief. "W-What are you doing, Sword Saint?" The crowd could not believe their eyes. For the first time ever, they felt as though they didn''t know Sword Saint anymore. "Hall Master Chen is not someone you people can afford to offend! That stab was just to teach you all a lesson! We are here on Hall Master Chen''s orders to crush your little resistance movement. Now, I suggest you all stop right here and leave. Those whose names are on that list, head over to Dragon Gate and prepare for your training! If you do notply with these orders, then we will have no choice but to use force!" Sword Saint shouted with a terrifyingly authoritative tone in his voice. Naturally, those words shocked every single one of the martial artists at the scene. They could not bring themselves to believe that Sword Saint had just said that. "King of Fighters, what happened to Sword Saint? Have you all submitted yourselves to Chen Jiuzhou?" they asked in confusion. King of Fighters had an icy-cold look on his face as he replied, "Hall Master Chen is the head of China''s martial arts world. It only makes sense for everyone in China to submit to him. Those who defy him shall die!" King of Fighters'' voice was exploding with authority andmanded absolute obedience. The martial artists, who had their hopes up a few moments ago, all sank into despair after hearing that. Someone in the crowd protested, "W-Why have you all turned out like this? Have you two forgotten who it was who injured War God? Do you two not remember who it was who forced you two into Dragon Gate? Why have you all be Chen Jiuzhou''spdogs?" They could not ept that a supreme grandmaster, who used to be a pir of China and their protector, would end up killing the people he once protected. They could not ept that a supreme grandmaster, who used to be a pir of China and their protector, would end up killing the people he once protected. Of course, Sword Saint and King of Fighters didn''t care what they had to say. All that remained in their icy-cold gazes was the preparedness to kill. Whatever patience Sword Saint had left was gone when he saw no one backing off. He gave themand and led the other Supreme fighters as he charged forward and began massacring the protesters. It wasn''t until Sword Saint started swinging his de at them that the martial artists realized he had changed. Terrified and anguished screams filled the area as bloodied corpses were scattered across Mount Yan. After that massacre, no one else in China dared stand up to Chen Jiuzhou anymore. Sword Saint and the other Supreme fighters went all over China to hunt down the martial artists whose names were on the list. The ones who resisted had their legs broken and were dragged over to Mount Yan before being tossed into Dragon Gate. Chen Jiuzhou practically had all of China''s martial arts world at his fingertips. As no one knew if they would end up being thrown into Dragon Gate next, everybody lived in fear of Chen Jiuzhou and his subordinates. More and more martial artists were thrown into Dragon Gate as Chen Jiuzhou moved on to the fifth and sixth batches. While they did handpick the elite and talented martial artists to participate in the Dragon Gate training, they ended up throwing even the novice martial artists into Dragon Gate. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. As if that wasn''t bad enough, they did not care about consent and would forcefully take all chosen ones away. That led to an increase in the death rate as more martial artists failed to make it back alive. It wasn''t just China that did such a horrible thing. The martial arts worlds in other countries were also doing something simr. It wasmon for mankind to crave the light when plunged into darkness. Having spent so much time living in fear, the people started to miss Chu Tianfan, whom they had gotten rid of in the past. If only Ye Fan was still here! If only he didn''t die! He was able to defeat Chu Sect all by himself back then, so he must be able to go against Chen Jiuzhou and destroy Dragon Gate! After all, he survived being hunted down globally by Chu Sect and had always managed to emerge victorious without the help of War God Castle! Surely, Ye Fan and his Dragon God Hall would be able to resolve this Dragon Gate crisis as well! Meanwhile, Li Er had gone into hiding in a small town near the border of Jiangdong. Despite his best efforts at remaining hidden, the people managed to find him anyway. "The people of the country are at stake here, Mr. Li! Please continue Mr. Chu''s legacy and save the martial arts world of China!" "That''s right, Mr. Li! You can''t keep hiding like this! At this rate, the martial arts world of China will be completely done for!" A few old men dressed in suits were begging Li Er for help with earnest looks on their faces. Li Er, on the other hand, had an emotionless expression as he sat there with his back facing them. His gaze was fixated on the fishing rod in his hands and the pond in front of him. "I, Li Er, am but a normal man. It''s a miracle that I even survived this long. You guys are all powerful martial artists, so why would you travel all this way just to ask an ordinary man like myself for help? Don''t you guys find that a little funny? If you guys aren''t able to resolve the crisis, then what can I possibly do to make a difference? Please leave." Not wanting to waste any of his time with them, Li Er simply told them to leave. "We know you''re not a martial artist, Mr. Li, but you have served the Unrivalled for so many years now. Surely, he must have left you with some trump cards we can use?" "That''s right, Mr. Li! Please try your best to recall if Mr. Chu left you with anything before he died! Mr. Chu was a true hero who deserved his title of the Unrivalled! He was able to escape even when hunted down by the top four of the Empyrean Ranking! That shows just how capable he is! A man with such great achievements must''ve left behind lots of useful trump cards that can resolve such crises, right?" "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Please don''t keep such things hidden any longer, Mr. Li! We need to defeat Chen Jiuzhou in order to save the martial arts world of China and avenge Mr. Chu!" "Exactly!" "If you are willing to hand those trump cards over, the martial arts world of Tellmoore shall forever remember your contribution!" "The martial arts world of Xijiang shall be forever indebted to you, Mr. Li!" "Same goes for the martial arts world of Durbaine!" The representatives of the martial arts worlds from various states all requested for Li Er to hand over any trump cards Ye Fan had left behind. Li Er broke into a smile. He shook his head and said coldly, "The Unrivalled? A true hero? Great achievements? Wow... That all sounds so pleasant to the ears. It''s a shame that Mr. Chu is no longer around to hear you guys say all that. If only he were still alive... That way, he''d be able to see how pretentious and selfish you guys are." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!