《Invincibility Begins with a Super Fairy Manny IBWASFM》 Chapter 1 - 1 Chapter 1 From 1 to 3000 years, still returning as a youth! 1 Chapter 1 From 1 to 3000 years, still returning as a youth! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio February 14th. Valentine¡¯s Day. Beijiang City. Snowflakes had begun to fall from the sky since dusk, but this couldn¡¯t deter the enthusiasm of the couples, and the streets were packed with people. And in Beijiang Park. Everything was still so quiet. In the middle of Beijiang Park, there was a lake, not very large, but due to the severe cold, the water had frozen over. At this moment. There was a rumbling sound coming from beneath the lake¡¯s surface. Crack! After a loud noise, the frozen surface of the lake shattered as if punched by a giant, the dark lake water surged upwards. The fish in the lake all floated to the surface, the air filled with a strong fragrance. They were actually cooked alive. Suddenly, a pair of skeletal hands appeared on the stone steps by the shore, and then arms, and finally, a crystal clear skeleton slowly walked up from the water onto the shore. The sky was covered with dark clouds, and a huge vortex appeared above the skeleton¡¯s head. The skeleton looked up at the sky and let out a strange laugh. As he smiled, blood vessels and muscles began to rapidly appear on his body, and in the blink of an eye. The skeleton had transformed into an incomparably handsome man. The man muttered to himself, ¡°Three thousand years¡­ I never imagined that after three thousand years, I could return!¡± Then the man looked up, and a beam of golden light burst forth from his eyes. The giant vortex in the sky shattered in response. At the same time, an immensely majestic aura emanated from the man. For a moment, the entire Beijiang City, and even the whole of Dongdu, trembled. Many elderly people meditating cross-legged opened their eyes in unison, their faces filled with sheer terror. Because they sensed an extremely powerful presence, so strong that even a brief perception of it almost imprisoned their souls. Who could it be? Who possessed such an imperial might? Xue An had not expected that he could come back. Three thousand years! So much had happened in those three thousand years. The once down-and-out young man had become an Immortal Venerable, a figure counted among the very few at the top of the entire realm. If it weren¡¯t for a flaw in his Heart Realm during the final moment of his ultimate enlightenment, his achievement would have fallen short. Xue An would have been the supreme being of the entire realm. However, as he was on the brink of death and his path was about to be extinguished, Xue An used his Supreme Divine Skills to tear through time and space, finally returning to Earth! He looked around the park with a sense of loss. In the past, he and An Yan used to come to this park often to play. ¡°An Yan, are you¡­ doing well?¡± Xue An murmured to himself in a low voice. In the past, Xue An had a happy family. After graduating from college, in the eye of envy and jealousy, he took An Yan, the belle of the university, to this city and began their sweet life together. Back then, neither of them had much money, and they could only afford to live in a small room. But those days were extremely happy. Every day when Xue An came home from work, An Yan would have prepared dinner early and waited for him at home. Xue An had thought that life would continue in this happy and peaceful way. But later on. The family of An Yan tracked them down to this city. Only then did Xue An realize that An Yan¡¯s true identity was the daughter of the An Family from Zhongdu. The An Family from Zhongdu! This was a colossus, so powerful that many multinational corporations were merely part of their extensive ventures. And An Yan was a legitimate branch member of the An Family. Therefore, the An Family absolutely would not allow An Yan to be with an ordinary man like Xue An. Yet An Yan adamantly refused to return and was even prepared to break away from her family. Without any choice, the man who came to fetch An Yan dropped a foreboding ¡°take care of yourself,¡± and then left Beijiang. But that was just the beginning; soon after, Xue An lost his job, and no company dared to hire him. Out of options, Xue An went to work on a construction site, taking on even the most exhausting tasks without complaint. Not for anything else. But because An Yan was pregnant. However, as An Yan¡¯s belly grew larger and she was about to give birth, Xue An disappeared due to an accident on the construction site. Only Xue An knew that because of that incident, he had entered a bizarre world of the survival of the fittest filled with gods and demons. And that departure lasted three thousand years. Suddenly. He shuddered all over, his face showing a shocked expression. He had returned after three thousand years, only to find that on Earth, only four years had passed. This also meant that An Yan was still alive! Although bound by the rules of the Heavenly Dao, Xue An¡¯s remaining strength was still not to be underestimated. He closed his eyes, and his Divine Sense instantly enveloped the entire Beijiang City. But the result was fruitless. As expected¡­ An Yan had already left Beijiang. A bitter smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s lips; his sudden disappearance must have dealt her a huge blow! ¡°An Yan, I¡¯m back!¡± ¡°Have our children been born yet?¡± ¡°Is it a boy or a girl? You said you liked girls the most, so it must be a pretty little girl, right?¡± Xue An muttered to himself and then began to search for people related by blood to him with his Supreme Divine Consciousness. I¡¯ve found them! Huh? Why are there two! Xue An was stunned, a slow smile spreading across his face, and then he vanished into the snowy night. On the streets of Beijiang City, a couple was enjoying the snow scene. ¡°Big brother, the sister is so pretty, why don¡¯t you buy a flower for her?¡± a timid voice came from behind. The couple turned around and saw a little girl carrying a basket of flowers, looking at them with hopeful eyes. This little girl was only about four or five years old, cute as a button, with big eyes, a small nose, and long eyelashes that made people want to take a bite. ¡°What a cute little girl. It¡¯s so cold, and you are still out selling flowers?¡± the girl crouched down and asked with a smile. The little girl smiled, revealing two dimples, ¡°Yes, sister, I¡¯m not cold. Buy a flower, please!¡± ¡°Buy one!¡± The man also said with a smile as he took out some money. But just at that moment, another girl who looked almost exactly the same came over, ¡°Big brother, buy two, one for each of us!¡± Two little girls, not only identical in appearance but also dressed the same, stood together and were simply adorable. ¡°My goodness, are they twins?¡± Such a beautiful scene. ¡°Which one of you is the older sister, and which one is the younger sister?¡± ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯m the older sister!¡± ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯m the younger sister!¡± The two little girls said in their milky voices. This scene also attracted many passing pedestrians; for such cute little girls, they had to part with their money indeed! So, in a short while, the girls¡¯ flowers were sold out. But this also attracted malicious gazes. Just as the two girls were about to leave with their flower baskets, a plump woman with a sullen face blocked their path. ¡°You two little sluts, who allowed you to sell flowers on my turf?¡± the woman snarled. The two girls were startled and then said timidly, ¡°Fat auntie, we didn¡¯t know this was your turf! We¡¯ll leave right now!¡± ¡°Want to leave?¡± The woman waved her hand, and several mean-looking men surrounded the two girls. This woman was indeed the local tyrant of this neighborhood, known as Sister Feng. She had been eyeing the twin sisters for a while. Seeing that they had sold so many flowers in no time with their cuteness, she harbored vile thoughts. If she could catch them and take them under her control, wouldn¡¯t that be like owning a money tree? The girls were terrified, one of them pushing the other, ¡°Sister, run quickly!¡± ¡°Run? None of you will escape!¡± Sister Feng laughed grimly. The men began to close in as well. Although the little girls thought about running away, how could they, at the age of four or five, possibly stand a chance against these adults? They were quickly caught. ¡°Fat auntie, please let us go, we won¡¯t dare to do it again!¡± ¡°Still calling me fat auntie? I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯ve already investigated the two of you. Orphans, wild children, that¡¯s what you are. If you behave, I might take care of you, otherwise¡­ Hmph!¡± Sister Feng threatened, both tough and soft. ¡°We are not wild children. We have Papa and Mama!¡± the two little girls shouted. ¡°Oh? Then call your Papa and Mama to save you!¡± Sister Feng laughed, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. The two little girls were disheartened by what Sister Feng said and whispered, ¡°We are not wild children. Our Papa and Mama just went to a faraway place. They will come back!¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve heard. Wild children are just that, no matter what you say!¡± Sister Feng laughed. ¡°Do you know that your laughter is truly disgusting?¡± Accompanied by a detached voice, Sister Feng¡¯s laughter stopped abruptly, and a figure appeared at the end of the alley. At that moment, the wind and snow were heavy, but the figure stood tall and straight, slowly approaching. ¡°Who is it? When Sister Feng is handling business, all others can piss off!¡± one of Sister Feng¡¯s men barked. The two little girls shouted, ¡°Uncle, save us!¡± The person who arrived was naturally Xue An. He looked at the two little girls being caught; the tremor from their bloodline told him that these little girls were his daughters! His heart quivered at the thought. Could these be his children? They really did resemble An Yan. No, those eyes were more like his own. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but gaze at them intently. ¡°Are you deaf? I told you to piss off, didn¡¯t you hear?¡± One of the men cursed and reached out to push Xue An. But the next moment, his hand was severed at the wrist. Blood spurted out, staining the snow, a startling red. ¡°Ahhh¡­.¡± The man was first stunned for a moment, then screamed in extreme pain. Xue An surveyed the people present and slowly counted, ¡°One, two, three¡­.¡± ¡°What the hell are you counting?¡± Someone roared, trying to rush over. But as soon as he did, his legs were cleanly broken at the knees. Xue An waved his hand, and the wind and snow obscured the view of the two little girls. He then said indifferently to Sister Feng, ¡°Eight people in total. Remember, don¡¯t get separated on the road to the netherworld!¡± Sister Feng felt as if the man¡¯s gaze was that of a supreme emperor; she didn¡¯t even have the qualification to kneel and submit. ¡°No¡­ spare me¡­¡± Her words stopped abruptly, as a flame surged from beneath the feet of Sister Feng and her people. In the blink of an eye, the eight people were reduced to ashes. Chapter 2 - 2 Chapter 2 My Twin Daughters 2 Chapter 2 My Twin Daughters Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The snowstorm dispersed, and the two little girls looked at Xue An, somewhat afraid. Xue An squatted down and said with a smile, ¡°What are your names?¡± The girls glanced at each other before one timidly said, ¡°I am the elder sister, Xue Xiang.¡± ¡°I am the younger sister, Xue Nian.¡± Xue Xiang, Xue Nian! Xue An felt a stab of pain in his heart, imagining just how much An Yan must have missed him. ¡°Uncle, where is the chubby auntie?¡± Xue Xiang asked. ¡°The chubby auntie¡­ they had to leave earlier because of some matters.¡± ¡°Then uncle, who are you?¡± Xue Nian asked. ¡°Yeah! Who am I, indeed?¡± Xue An muttered to himself, lost in thought. He had been a destitute youth, as well as the supreme Immortal Venerable, but now, who was he? After a moment, a broad smile spread across Xue An¡¯s face, ¡°I am¡­ your daddy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± said Xue Xiang. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re lying, Daddy is actually dead!¡± Xue Nian chimed in. Xue An looked at his twin daughters, a surge of tenderness suddenly welling up in his heart. ¡°Daddy isn¡¯t dead, Daddy just went to a very far place, and now Daddy has come back!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xue Xiang looked at Xue An, hesitation in her eyes. Xue An, moved, pulled out a ring. It was the couple ring he had bought, one for An Yan and one for himself! ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, look at this ring! It has Daddy and Mommy¡¯s names on it!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian of course couldn¡¯t read, but Auntie Tang Xuan¡¯er had told them about a ring their mother left them when she went away. Xue Xiang had always carried it with her, and upon comparing it with the one Xue An showed, it indeed matched as a pair! ¡°Daddy, is it really you?¡± exclaimed Xue Xiang and Xue Nian in unison. Xue An nodded with a smile and then reached out his arms. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian glanced at each other, tears streaming down their faces, and they ran into Xue An¡¯s embrace, crying. ¡°Daddy, we missed you so much!¡± ¡°Daddy, we thought you and Mommy would never come back, thought you didn¡¯t want us anymore!¡± Tears moistened Xue An¡¯s chest, and also his eyes. The Immortal Venerable, who hadn¡¯t shed a tear no matter how much suffering he endured over three thousand years, now had tears streaming down his face. ¡°Alright, alright, no more crying! Daddy has come back, and Daddy will never leave you again!¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± The little sisters buried their heads in Xue An¡¯s chest and refused to get up. Yes! Over the years, the little sisters had endured all the hardships of life; now that they had found a warm embrace, naturally, they didn¡¯t want to leave. Gently stroking their hair, Xue An said softly, ¡°How did you end up selling flowers outside?¡± Xue Xiang looked up and said, ¡°Because we¡¯re supposed to go to kindergarten now! But the tuition is a big problem, so Nian Nian and I came out to sell flowers to try to save up for it!¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s words almost brought Xue An to tears again. A four-year-old child had already taken on the burdens of life, sensibly mature in a way that was heart-wrenching. Xue An touched Xue Xiang¡¯s little head and said with a gentle laugh, ¡°From now on, you have Daddy. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything. I will make you the happiest little princesses in the world, no, in the entire universe!¡± At the entrance of a secluded and dilapidated residential area in Beijiang. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian each held one of Xue An¡¯s hands, excitedly walking inside. Xue An, observing the familiar surroundings, experienced a tumult of emotions. This was the place he and An Yan had lived for two years. As they arrived at a familiar door, before they could knock, the door opened on its own. Standing in front of them was the lively figure of Tang Xuan¡¯er, who laughingly said, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, look what Auntie Tang Xuan¡¯er has brought for you!¡± But upon seeing Xue An, she froze. ¡°Xue¡­ Xue An?¡± Xue An gazed at the familiar face, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly remembered. ¡°Tang Xuan¡¯er?¡± By then, Xue Xiang and Nian Nian were happily tugging at Xue An¡¯s hand, ¡°Aunt Xuan¡¯Er, our dad has come back!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s complexion was somewhat pale, which quickly turned into a trace of anger. ¡°Xue An, where have you been for these four years?¡± Xue An gave a bitter smile, ¡°May I come in first, please?¡± ¡°Aunt Xuan¡¯Er, don¡¯t blame dad, dad went to a very far place, and he said that he will never leave us again!¡± Xue Xiang said. After Tang Xuan¡¯er and Xue An settled on the living room sofa, Xue An had roughly understood what had happened over these four years. Following his disappearance, An Yan had gone into early labor from shock and anger, giving birth almost half a month premature, which resulted in a massive hemorrhage that nearly killed her on the operating table. As a classmate and friend of An Yan and Xue An, Tang Xuan¡¯er took care of everything without rest. But just after An Yan had named the two children, a group of people burst into the hospital and forcefully took her away. It was later that Tang Xuan¡¯er found out that those were people from the An Family of Zhongdu, and An Yan had since vanished without a trace. The left-behind Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian thus became orphans in all but name. Tang Xuan¡¯er could have chosen to send them to an orphanage. But she didn¡¯t do so, instead shouldering the responsibility of raising the two children as an unmarried young lady. Because of this, Tang Xuan¡¯er gave up far too much! After learning everything, Xue An looked at Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face, worn thin from toil, and felt an endless guilt welling up inside him. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er¡­ You have worked so hard!¡± ¡°To be honest¡­ I¡¯ve grown quite fond of these two children!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er said softly, looking at the little sisters watching TV in the other room. ¡°Tell me, where have you been these four years?¡± Xue An sighed, ¡°There are many things that I can¡¯t explain, but I can tell you that I¡¯m back now, and I will never leave again!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er looked at Xue An, and after a while, she nodded, ¡°I hope what you¡¯re saying is true!¡± ¡°Have you eaten yet?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er asked. ¡°Not yet! How about we go out to eat?¡± suggested Xue An. ¡°Now that you¡¯re the dad of two children, you should save money where you can! I¡¯ll cook!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er stood up and went to the kitchen. Before long, the aroma of food filled the room. Xue Xiang and Nian Nian, like two little gluttonous cats, came out, drawn by the smell. ¡°It¡¯s fried rice with eggs!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s tomato fried rice!¡± The two girls argued, though saliva was nearly dripping from their mouths. Xue An watched this scene, feeling a long-lost warmth in his heart. ¡°Dad, Aunt Xuan¡¯Er¡¯s fried rice is so, so delicious!¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°Is that so? Besides fried rice, what else do you two little gluttons like?¡± ¡°We like hamburgers, we like ice cream!¡± the two little girls exclaimed in unison. ¡°Then, tomorrow, dad will take you to eat those!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. We¡¯ll eat hamburgers first, then ice cream! After that, we¡¯ll go to the amusement park!¡± ¡°Long live dad!¡± the two little girls cheered joyously. When the food was served, Xue An took a bite. The long-missed taste made Xue An, accustomed to the delicacies of dragon liver and phoenix marrow, suddenly understand the flavor of home. After they had eaten their fill, Tang Xuan¡¯er cleaned up the dishes and got up to say goodbye. Xue An walked her downstairs, and suddenly said, ¡°Thank you!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er shuddered in the darkness, then lifted her head to glance at Xue An¡¯s profile, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Four years had transformed the once immature boy into a dignified, mature figure. The kind of aura he possessed was something Tang Xuan¡¯er had only seen in very few people. And those were without exception the elites among people. What had he experienced during these four years¡­ Chapter 3 - 3 Chapter 3 Accidental Encounter in the Market 3 Chapter 3 Accidental Encounter in the Market Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The chirping of birds in the early morning woke up Xue An. He seldom slept so soundly. In fact, since embarking on the path of immortal cultivation, he barely slept at all. Xue An tried to get up, only to find his two daughters sprawled on top of him, sound asleep. The two girls, identical and delicately cute, looked absolutely adorable in their slumber. Xue An smiled faintly, feeling a sudden calm in his heart. All that nonsense about the strife of the Immortals can go to hell. From today on, I¡¯m going to be a qualified ¡°Daddy Daddy¡±! ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t leave!¡± Xue Xiang suddenly murmured in her sleep, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. ¡°Daddy won¡¯t leave you, never!¡± Xue An said softly, as if speaking to the children and to himself. It wasn¡¯t until the sun was well up in the sky that Xue Xiang and her sister Xue Nian woke up. Xue An pinched their chubby little cheeks and said with a laugh, ¡°You two little sleepyheads, the sun is already shining on your butts and you¡¯re just waking up?¡± It was only then that Xue Xiang and Xue Nian noticed how high the sun was outside, and they both started to panic. ¡°Oh no, hurry up, Daddy is taking us out for a big meal today!¡± After a bout of hurrying and bustling, the two girls got dressed and washed up. Xue Nian sat on a small stool first, and Xue Xiang adeptly combed her hair from behind. Then it was Xue Xiang¡¯s turn to sit down, and Xue Nian took her turn combing her sister¡¯s hair from behind. Watching the children¡¯s skilled movements, Xue An¡¯s eyes grew a bit moist. ¡°Do you¡­always do this?¡± ¡°Mhm, Auntie Xuan¡¯Er said that, as girls, we have to be neat and tidy when we go out so that no one looks down on us!¡± Xue Xiang said earnestly. Xue An had to smile. By now, he had also figured out the temperaments of his two daughters. Xue Xiang, the elder sister, behaved like a little adult, speaking in such a proper manner that sometimes one couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the same time. Xue Nian, the younger sister, was comparably a lot gentler and shyer. After the two daughters were ready to go, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. The girls, dressed in the same clothes with similar hairstyles, stood side by side as if there were a mirror between them. Even Xue An had a hard time telling them apart. ¡°Daddy, can you tell who is the elder sister and who is the younger sister?¡± After twirling around a few times, the girls asked, giggling. Xue An felt a bit dizzy, ¡°I don¡¯t know! I really can¡¯t tell you apart!¡± ¡°Daddy is so silly! Look, I¡¯m the elder sister because my dimple is deeper on the left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the younger sister, my dimple is deeper on the right!¡± Xue An, looking at his two clever and witty daughters, couldn¡¯t help but sweep them up in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go! My two treasures, we are off to have a feast!¡± The most bustling pedestrian street in Beijiang City. Xue An, with one daughter in each arm, strutted down the street. Xue An was handsome to begin with, and the trials of the past three thousand years had only added an entrancing charm to his appearance. And the two little girls, identical and supremely cute and well-behaved. Such a combination naturally attracted countless gazes. Many people couldn¡¯t help but stop and smile. ¡°Daddy, where are we going?¡± Xue Xiang asked quietly. ¡°We¡¯re going to eat hamburgers, of course!¡± Xue Xiang pulled out some money from her pocket and handed it to Xue An with her little hands. ¡°Daddy, this is the money we made from selling flowers!¡± Xue An was taken aback. Then he understood what Xue Xiang meant. This four-year-old little girl was worried he didn¡¯t have money to buy them food! Xue An chuckled to himself. ¡°My good daughter, there¡¯s no need, Daddy has money!¡± Xue An had previously placed some change in a piggy bank at home, and now that he was back, he found the money still there. Although it wasn¡¯t much, just over a thousand yuan, it was at least enough to cover expenses for the time being. As for the future¡­ Xue An felt, after all, he was the Immortal Venerable, wasn¡¯t he? How could he worry about making money? Truth be told, the hamburger was quite unappetizing, but Xue An still ate it with relish. As long as he could be by his daughter¡¯s side, what he ate truly didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Are you full?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°We¡¯d like to take the leftovers home to eat tonight!¡± Xue Xiang said softly. Xue An was stunned for a moment before he sighed, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, look at daddy!¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ve suffered before, but now that daddy is back, whatever you want to eat or play, just tell daddy, and I will fulfill your wishes! Don¡¯t be so sensible; it breaks daddy¡¯s heart! What you should do is to play to your heart¡¯s content and eat to your heart¡¯s content!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian nodded, not quite understanding. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go have some ice cream now!¡± As evening approached. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian each held a giant stuffed bear, their faces filled with happy smiles. Xue An followed behind, watching his two daughters¡¯ bouncing figures with a smile also emerging on his face. ¡°Daddy, where are we going?¡± Xue Xiang asked. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°We¡¯re going to buy some things! Then daddy will make something delicious for you!¡± ¡°Great!¡± Xue Nian, being a bona fide foodie, cheered at the mention of delicious food. Xue Xiang, disappointed like someone let down by a hopeful prospect, tapped her sister on the head before she admonished with her little hands on her hips, ¡°Eat, eat, eat, all you know is to eat, look at your cheeks, they¡¯re so round now!¡± Actually, her cheeks looked even rounder. Nonetheless, Xue Nian covered her head and giggled foolishly. Xue An took his daughter to the largest medicinal herb market in Beijiang. He planned to buy some herbs there and then to concoct the Primordial Essence Elixir. The Primordial Essence Elixir was the most basic elixir. It could enhance one¡¯s physique after consumption by mortals. Xue An planned to concoct it for his daughter¡¯s consumption. As a one-time Immortal Venerable, it was naturally effortless for him to concoct such an elixir, but even an Immortal Venerable couldn¡¯t conjure materials out of thin air. Especially now, as the Earth¡¯s spiritual energy was so scarce, there weren¡¯t any herbs worthy of notice. After walking around the market, Xue An also felt a faint disappointment. ¡°Wow, isn¡¯t this the talented Mr. Xue?¡± Looking up, Xue An saw a man in a suit and leather shoes standing by the roadside, with a flamboyantly dressed woman with heavy makeup beside him. Xue An frowned slightly and, after thinking for a moment, remembered who this person was. Lin Feng. A former high school classmate. His family was in the medicinal herb business, quite a large scale, essentially a second-generation rich kid. However, Xue An had not gotten along with this person during their school days. ¡°I heard that the talented Mr. Xue disappeared four years ago without a trace. How come all of a sudden you¡¯re back?¡± As Lin Feng spoke, his eyes sized up Xue An. Upon noticing that Xue An was dressed in an outdated fashion, with everything on him seemingly bought from street stalls, the contempt on his face grew even thicker. Xue An didn¡¯t care about these things. Would you pay attention to an ant? Lin Feng added, ¡°Oh, I forgot to introduce her. You must know this person, right?¡± He said this, pointing to the woman by his side. ¡°Look, the two of you are old acquaintances! Isn¡¯t that right, Du Juan?¡± Du Juan. Only then did Xue An remember. No wonder he found the woman familiar; she also turned out to be a high school classmate. Moreover, the naive Xue An from the past had once pursued this Du Juan. But during their school days, Du Juan had been adept at using her beauty to gain advantages. With the handsome Xue An, she neither rejected nor accepted, always stringing him along with an attitude of being close yet distant. It was much later that Xue An understood her ways, eventually focusing on his studies and getting admitted into Zhongdu University. But he had not expected to encounter these two individuals here. A faint smile appeared at the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. Chapter 4 - 4 Chapter 4 Hey! Old man, youre going to die soon. 4 Chapter 4 Hey! Old man, you¡¯re going to die soon. Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Du Juan glanced at Xue An a few times, then turned her head in disgust and cooed, ¡°Mr. Lin, it¡¯s all such old news, let¡¯s not bring it up, his heart only has room for you now!¡± Lin Feng let out a cold chuckle, feeling immensely pleased. Back when they were in school, he had always found Xue An disagreeable. Although Xue An came from a modest background back then, he was handsome and many girls liked him, which made Lin Feng extremely jealous. Now, seeing Xue An in such a sorry state, he naturally felt very comfortable. ¡°Pa-pa, that auntie is so ugly,¡± said Xue Xiang suddenly. Du Juan¡¯s face turned purple with fury. Xue An smiled slightly and bent down to pick up his two daughters, ¡°Some people are just ugly, we don¡¯t have to look at her!¡± ¡°Xue, what do you mean by that? And who are these two wild brats?¡± snapped Du Juan, enraged and embarrassed. Xue An suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Du Juan. Du Juan, previously full of bluster, found herself frozen under Xue An¡¯s gaze, unable to move. ¡°Pa-pa,¡± the call from Xue Xiang brought Xue An back to his senses. He had indeed harbored a murderous intent just now. Someone who dared to insult his daughters was someone he could not let go. But it would be too ostentatious to act on such an impulse in public. Xue An gave the petrified Du Juan one last indifferent look and turned to leave. It was only when Lin Feng approached that he discovered Du Juan had wet herself from fear. Meanwhile, as Xue An was leaving, others not far away had also taken notice of him. It was three people¡ªone was a white-haired old man, another was a pure and graceful girl, and then there was a brawny, black-clothed bodyguard. ¡°What a strong aura! This young man is no ordinary individual!¡± the elder exclaimed. ¡°Grandpa, are you talking about that man holding the kids? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s all that,¡± the girl said with disdain. If anyone else had been there, they would have exclaimed in surprise. For this old man was none other than Qin Yuan, the chairman of the largest company in Beijiang City, Longtai Group. And the girl was his granddaughter, Qin Yu. ¡°Yu, you don¡¯t understand. That young man just now, he had a flash of murderous intent. Though it was fleeting, it was incredibly intense. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Lao Hei!¡± ¡°Lao Hei, is that guy really that amazing?¡± Qin Yu asked. Lao Hei, the burly bodyguard, nodded solemnly, ¡°Very powerful. The intensity of his murderous aura is something I¡¯ve only seen in General Lin of the army!¡± General Lin! Even Qin Yu¡¯s expression changed drastically. That was a name like a myth. He was known as the King of Huaxia¡¯s soldiers! Lao Hei actually claimed that this young man, a seemingly ordinary father, had an aura that could rival General Lin¡¯s? ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Qin Yu watched Xue An¡¯s retreating figure with skepticism. At that moment, Xue An sensed the hostility behind him, turned around, and caught Qin Yu¡¯s unconvinced look. He smiled slightly and walked over. Lao Hei stepped forward to block Xue An¡¯s path in front of Qin Yuan and his granddaughter. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Old man, did you know you¡¯re about to die?¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Yuan¡¯s face changed dramatically. Qin Yu was furious, ¡°Lao Hei, teach this punk a good lesson!¡± Lao Hei grunted and his muscles suddenly swelled as he threw a punch. The punch, carrying the sound of the whipping wind, aimed straight for Xue An¡¯s face. Xue An said calmly, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, close your eyes.¡± The two girls obediently closed their eyes. At that moment, with Xue An holding the children and facing the other¡¯s earth-shattering punch, it seemed he had no way to avoid it. But Lao Hei¡¯s expression was grave because he perceived extreme danger lurking within Xue An¡¯s seemingly frail frame. ¡°` This feeling was even more terrifying than the time he faced General Lin alone. It was as if there was an ancient giant dragon lurking inside the opponent, ready to choose someone to devour at any moment. ¡°Stop!¡± At that moment, Qin Yuan shouted. Lao Hei¡¯s fist halted just an inch away from Xue An¡¯s nose. The wind from the punch even made Xue An¡¯s hair sway erratically. But Xue An didn¡¯t even blink. On the other hand, Lao Hei seemed relieved and quickly stepped aside. Qin Yuan then stepped forward and suddenly gave Xue An a deep bow. ¡°Young master, please save my life!¡± At this moment, Lin Feng and Du Juan also saw this scene, especially when they saw the tall and burly Lao Hei raising his hand against Xue An, they were thrilled. Unfortunately, they were ultimately stopped by the old man. This made Lin Feng somewhat unhappy. When he saw Qin Yuan showing such respect to Xue An, even asking for his life to be saved, Lin Feng almost split his sides with laughter. ¡°Hey, old man, I know this kid. He¡¯s nothing but a vagrant who abandoned his wife and children. You asking him to save your life, it¡¯s just hilarious!¡± Xue An¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold. While humans would not bother with the provocations of ants, if the ants kept courting death time and again, they couldn¡¯t complain about the consequences. ¡°Do you want to live? Then let¡¯s start by destroying the family of the person who just spoke!¡± said Xue An indifferently. ¡°Ruin my family? Xue An, I¡¯m beginning to wonder if you¡¯ve been in a mental hospital these past four years, how can you be so nonsensical? With this old man¡¯s help? Destroy my family?¡± Lin Feng laughed heartily. Qin Yuan stood up, and respectfully said, ¡°Yes!¡± Then he turned to Lin Feng and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°This is our Young Proprietor, the heir of Lin Corporation,¡± Du Juan said preemptively. ¡°Lin Corporation?¡± Qin Yuan frowned slightly, then asked Qin Yu beside him. ¡°Is there a Lin Corporation in Beijiang City?¡± Qin Yu shook her head, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it!¡± At this time, Du Juan coldly laughed and said, ¡°How could you bunch of country bumpkins know about Lin Corporation? Let me tell you, all the medicinal materials in Beijiang are under the control of Lin Corporation!¡± Lin Feng smiled complacently, ¡°Old man, aren¡¯t you about to die? Our family just happens to sell medicine, would you like us to send you some?¡± Before Qin Yuan could respond, Qin Yu was already beside herself with rage and began making a phone call. Lin Feng¡¯s greedy eyes roamed over Qin Yu¡¯s form, then he sneered, ¡°Calling for help? Great! I¡¯d like to see who in Beijiang dares to cross Lin Corporation!¡± Qin Yu made the call and said sternly, ¡°Fully sanction Lin Corporation!¡± Du Juan covered her mouth and mocked with a sneering laugh, ¡°Young Proprietor, isn¡¯t it hilarious how these people think they can sanction your family with just a phone call?¡± Lin Feng chuckled, ¡°These days, there are too many people bragging, that¡¯s why things are so chaotic!¡± But within two minutes, Lin Feng¡¯s phone rang, and when he picked up, he saw it was from home. ¡°Hello, Dad? What¡¯s the matter?¡± A roar came through the phone. ¡°You wretched offspring, who on earth have you offended? Why has Longtai Group suddenly announced they¡¯re fully sanctioning Lin Corporation!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Feng was shocked! ¡°Longtai Group?¡± The name was like a curse, petrifying Lin Feng and Du Juan on the spot. It was the leading enterprise in Beijiang City, a true behemoth. Compared to it, Lin Corporation was no different from a pancake stall on the street. ¡°Dad, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± ¡°How could I be mistaken? Longtai Group¡¯s secretary personally called to say it was the direct order of Longtai Group¡¯s young miss!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all over, everything¡¯s finished!¡± Lin Feng¡¯s face went pale as he slumped to the ground. He never dreamed that the person he had carelessly mocked would turn out to be the daughter of Longtai Group¡¯s owner! Chapter 5 - 5 Chapter 5: Nothing else, just unpleasant to the eye! 5 Chapter 5: Nothing else, just unpleasant to the eye! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Lin Feng, have you made a mistake?¡± Du Juan¡¯s face was pale as she spoke. But Lin Feng suddenly sprang up and slapped Du Juan across the face. Smack. The slap caused Du Juan¡¯s left cheek to swell up. ¡°You wretched woman, it¡¯s all because of you. If it weren¡¯t for you, our family wouldn¡¯t have been blacklisted!¡± Du Juan, terrified, shivered violently, her makeup crumbling and falling off her face. Lin Feng turned around, fell to his knees with a thump, and then pleaded, ¡°Elder Qin, Miss Qin, please spare the Lin Family, I know I was wrong!¡± Qin Yu snorted coldly, turned her face away, and didn¡¯t bother with him at all. Qin Yuan then gave a salutation to Xue An, ¡°Young master, do you think this will do?¡± Seeing Xue An, Lin Feng scrambled over like a drowning man clutching at a straw. ¡°Xue An, Brother Xue, I beg you, please spare the Lin Family. I know I was wrong; it was all that wretched woman Du Juan¡¯s doing ¨C please forgive me!¡± Xue An looked at Lin Feng, who was streaming with tears and snot, and said indifferently, ¡°The family may be broken, but the person isn¡¯t gone yet.¡± As this sentence was uttered, the entire place fell silent. Qin Yu frowned, feeling even more displeased with this man. Lin Feng¡¯s body trembled, and then he looked up at Xue An with an incredulous gaze. In his memory, Xue An wasn¡¯t like this. The Xue An from their school days was well-behaved, and even if bullied, he hardly ever fought back. So Lin Feng thought that if he knelt and begged for mercy, Xue An would let him go. But unexpectedly, Xue An didn¡¯t just want his family ruined; he wanted him dead. At this moment, Du Juan timidly approached, ¡°Xue¡­ Xue An, please let Lin Feng go, he knows his mistake, mercy should be shown where mercy is due¡­¡± Xue An didn¡¯t pay her any attention, but instead bent down and smiled at his two daughters, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, go play over there, Papa will come to find you in a moment!¡± ¡°Okay! Papa, come quickly!¡± Xue Xiang led her sister away. Only then did Xue An stand up, looking at Du Juan who was shivering with fear but still trying her best to retain her charm. ¡°Mercy should be shown where mercy is due? Heh, do you think if our positions were reversed, and it was I begging for mercy, would you spare me?¡± After a slight hesitation from Du Juan, Xue An walked up close to her, staring at her face ravaged by various cosmetics. ¡°Answer me! Would you or wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°We would!¡± Du Juan said softly, and then raising her head, spoke very earnestly, ¡°Xue An, in fact, I¡¯ve always liked you since our school days, and over all these years, I haven¡¯t forgotten you, I¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence because the look in Xue An¡¯s eyes robbed her of the courage to continue. ¡°I¡¯m really puzzled as to why a woman like you could still be liked by anyone.¡± After saying these words, Xue An turned and walked away, leaving Du Juan standing there with a ghastly pale face, trembling uncontrollably. Xue An approached Lin Feng, who recoiled in fear. ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do? I¡¯m telling you, under the broad daylight, in this public place, if you dare to do anything, just wait for prison¡­¡± Xue An kicked Lin Feng over and then, before he could raise his head, stepped on his face. Lin Feng struggled fiercely but couldn¡¯t move Xue An in the slightest. ¡°I know, actually ever since our school days, you¡¯ve been resentful towards me, haven¡¯t you?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Lin Feng felt as though the foot on his face weighed a thousand pounds, as if his head was about to be crushed at any moment. ¡°Brother Xue, Grandfather Xue, I beg you for my life! Please, I won¡¯t dare to oppose you again!¡± Lin Feng cried out, wetting himself out of sheer terror. ¡°Save those words for when you¡¯re down below,¡± Xue An said with an indifferent expression. He indeed had the intention to kill; although it was quite ostentatious to kill someone in front of a crowd. But Xue An, who once was an Immortal Venerable, didn¡¯t care much about that. The laws of the world are designed to restrain ordinary people, yet even though my own strength is negligible, Immortal Venerable remains Immortal Venerable, brooking no disrespect from anyone. But just then, an old and urgent voice came through, ¡°Please, have mercy! Have mercy at your feet!¡± Then, a sweat-drenched elder squeezed through the crowd, and upon seeing him, Lin Feng almost burst into tears. ¡°Dad, save me!¡± The man who arrived was none other than Lin Feng¡¯s father, Lin Danian, a board director of the Lin Corporation. Despising Lin Feng for failing to meet his expectations, he then carefully flashed Qin Yuan a smile. ¡°Mr. Qin, don¡¯t you remember me?¡± Qin Yuan thought for a moment before nodding, ¡°Ah, Director Lin!¡± Lin Danian let out a bitter smile, ¡°Mr. Qin, I was on my way to your company when I heard you were here, so I hurried over. Our Lin Family has always had a pleasant cooperation with your esteemed company, why the sudden blacklist?¡± Qin Yuan pointed at Xue An, ¡°This¡­ you should ask this young master here.¡± Lin Danian was shocked, for he had assumed that his good-for-nothing son had offended the Qin Family. Yet to his surprise, it was because of this plainly dressed man. Looking at Qin Yuan¡¯s demeanor, it seemed he held great respect for this man. Who exactly was he? At this moment, Lin Feng cried out, ¡°Dad, save me, he¡¯s going to kill me!¡± Lin Danian, a seasoned merchant, pondered for a moment before respectfully saying, ¡°Young man, may I inquire where my son has offended you to the point of wanting to kill him?¡± Xue An looked up, giving Lin Danian a glance. That look made Lin Danian¡¯s scalp tighten. He had never seen such a terrifying gaze before. It was an utter indifference to life. As if a supreme emperor was looking down on everything below. Lin Danian couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. Who exactly was this person? Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Nothing much, he just displeased me.¡± Lin Danian nearly spurted out a mouthful of blood¡ªwanting to kill over a mere displeasure? This was simply¡­ Too domineering! However, Xue An suddenly let out a light ¡°huh,¡± ¡°What are you carrying with you?¡± The Lin Family dealt in medicinal herbs, and today, amidst the sudden ban by Longtai Group, in a rush of desperation, Lin Danian took out a Hundred-Year Ginseng that had been treasured in his home for many years, hoping to give it to Qin Yuan in exchange for forgiveness. Unexpectedly, Xue An saw right through it. Lin Danian quickly took out a slender little box, opened it, and said with some pride, ¡°This is the treasured heirloom of our Lin Family, a hundred-year-old wild ginseng!¡± The rich scent of the herb made even the nearby Qin Yuan¡¯s eyes light up. It really was a fine item! Lin Danian tried to detect wonder on Xue An¡¯s face but was disappointed. Xue An simply said with a neutral expression, ¡°A sprig of ginseng that barely qualifies as a medicinal herb.¡± To him, a Hundred-Year Wild Ginseng was merely a sprig barely qualifying as a medicinal herb? Lin Danian felt like throwing up blood. ¡°However, it¡¯s somewhat rare. Give this thing to me, and I will spare your son this time.¡± Lin Danian hesitated, then finally gritted his teeth, ¡°Alright! Young man! As long as you let go of my son, I¡¯ll give you this ginseng!¡± Chapter 6 - 6 Chapter 6: Fried Rice with Eggs 6 Chapter 6: Fried Rice with Eggs Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Lin Danian took Lin Feng and the others away in defeat. Xue An picked up Xue Xiang and Xue Nian and said to Qin Yuan, ¡°I said you have at most three days left to live, do you believe it?¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s face turned pale, and he lowered his head without a word. Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°These days con artists dare to be so bold? My grandfather just had a medical check-up at the hospital, and everything was normal. Stop trying to bluff, you¡ª.¡± Xue An simply glanced at Qin Yu, and she felt as if his deep gaze could completely draw her in, rendering her speechless. At that moment, Qin Yuan said with a bitter smile, ¡°Mr. Xue, you truly are no ordinary person.¡± ¡°Grandpa, why do you believe this madman¡¯s words?¡± Qin Yu was frantic, fearing her grandfather might be taken in by this man again. ¡°Yu¡¯er, show some respect. What Mr. Xue said, the Divine Doctor in Zhongdu also personally told me last year!¡± The Divine Doctor! When Qin Yu heard this name, she was at a loss for words. The Divine Doctor was reputed in Zhongdu as a master healer without equal. If he said when you would die, then that was when you would die. With a wry smile, Qin Yuan said, ¡°Yu¡¯er, do you know why I called you back from abroad? I feared that one day, if I were gone, you wouldn¡¯t be able to take over Longtai Group!¡± Tears welled up in Qin Yu¡¯s eyes as she choked out, ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s go to Zhongdu now and have the Divine Doctor treat you!¡± Qin Yuan shook his head, ¡°Silly child, if it could be cured, the Divine Doctor would not have said so last year!¡± Despair began to take hold of Qin Yu, ¡°Then let¡¯s go abroad. I know many top doctors overseas; they can definitely cure you!¡± Qin Yuan shook his head again, his tone full of sorrow, ¡°It¡¯s no use! Just like today¡¯s physical examination, there¡¯s nothing wrong with me that can be detected!¡± Suddenly, Xue An said, ¡°What if I told you I could cure your illness?¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s expression turned to one of excitement, ¡°Can Mr. Xue truly cure my illness?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Of course, but you¡¯ll have to give me sufficient compensation.¡± Before Qin Yuan could speak, Qin Yu sneered, ¡°So the true colors are revealed? Asking for money right off the bat?¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Do you realize how much you babble?¡± Qin Yu was rendered speechless by the retort. Qin Yuan, however, was thrilled, ¡°Excellent! May I ask, Mr. Xue, when you can treat my illness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late today, tomorrow then!¡± ¡°Alright, if it¡¯s convenient for you, Mr. Xue, you could come to my house; it¡¯s more comfortable there!¡± Xue An thought for a moment and then nodded, ¡°Fine! But I¡¯ll bring the children with me!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Qin Yuan naturally had a personal driver. In a short while, an unassuming Audi A8 drove up. Qin Yuan personally opened the car door for Xue An. Qin Yu could hardly bear to watch anymore. She always felt this man was unreliable, yet her grandfather was so convinced by him, and Qin Yu was helpless to intervene. But after thinking for a bit, an idea seemed to light up in her eyes, and she stealthily took out her phone and sent a message. Hmph, just wait until tomorrow, you¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to you! Qin Yuan lived in a large villa in the suburbs. The place was heavily guarded and the surroundings were beautiful. After stepping out of the car, Xue An felt the spiritual energy here was even denser than in the outside world. Noticing Xue An¡¯s surprise, Qin Yuan couldn¡¯t help smiling, ¡°Mr. Xue, have you noticed something?¡± ¡°Your villa, there¡¯s been someone knowledgeable who advised on it, no wonder you have managed to live until now!¡± Xue An remarked. Qin Yuan was inwardly shaken, the hope in his eyes growing stronger, and his demeanor became even more respectful. ¡°Mr. Xue is truly a remarkable person! This villa was built under the guidance of a highly paid Feng Shui expert!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity, I only understand the very basics!¡± Xue An said indifferently. As for Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, the two little girls, their eyes weren¡¯t enough at the moment; they were curiously looking at everything around them. ¡°Mr. Xue, you haven¡¯t had dinner yet, what would you like to eat? I¡¯ll have someone prepare it for you!¡± Qin Yuan said. It didn¡¯t matter whether Xue An ate or not, but his two daughters couldn¡¯t go hungry. ¡°What do you two want to eat?¡± Xue An asked with a beaming smile. Qin Yu watched from the side and thought to herself in disdain, This man is practically schizophrenic, cold and distant like a lofty mountain to everyone else, yet so tender towards these two little girls. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian looked at each other, then said in unison, ¡°Egg fried rice!¡± ¡°Great! Then egg fried rice it is!¡± Xue An was practically becoming a slave to his daughters, agreeing to whatever the two girls said unconditionally. Qin Yuan was somewhat stupefied, ¡°Just¡­ egg fried rice?¡± Xue An nodded. The egg fried rice was served quickly, and it was clear from its color and fragrance that it was made by a skilled chef. The two little girls took their first bite and their eyes immediately widened. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Doesn¡¯t it taste good?¡± ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s so delicious!¡± Xue Xiang said before burying her head and eating voraciously. Only then did Xue An crack a slight smile. The two little girls ate quickly, polishing off a bowl of egg fried rice in no time, leaving the bowl spotless, without a single grain of leftover rice. ¡°Are you full?¡± Xue An asked affectionately. ¡°I¡¯m stuffed!¡± Xue Xiang patted her little stomach. Xue Nian gave a satisfied burp. They couldn¡¯t have been any cuter. Even Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but smile, thinking to herself that although this man was unpleasantly cold, the two little girls were indeed very charming! Qin Yuan had someone arrange the rooms, and Xue An led the two girls back to their room. Only Qin Yuan and Qin Yu were left in the living room afterwards. Qin Yu said, ¡°Grandpa, why do you believe in this man? I always feel that he¡¯s not a good person!¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because¡­ of his eyes!¡± Qin Yuan laughed, ¡°Yu, you are still young and there¡¯s much you don¡¯t understand. Despite your years of studying abroad and meeting many people, you don¡¯t realize what a true master is like!¡± ¡°A so-called master must have qualities that are out of the ordinary. This young man may dress simply, but his demeanor and actions are far from ordinary, especially that temperament of his¡ªI haven¡¯t seen such an extraordinary person even in Zhongdu!¡± Qin Yu, however, felt some contempt in her heart. Hmph, wait until tomorrow. I¡¯ll make you embarrass yourself in front of Grandpa, and then we¡¯ll see how you have the cheek to stay. Late at night. The two little girls fell into a deep sleep. Xue An stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, the cold winter moonlight streaming in like a veil. Xue An opened the small medicine box. It contained the ginseng he had obtained that day. There were also some medicinal herbs he had bought in the market today. Xue An held them in his hand, his eyes shining brightly; under the moonlight, these herbs gradually began to melt. Soon, they turned into a small spherical shape, spinning around in mid-air. A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. Although the ingredients were not great, with his cultivation level and expertise, making the Primordial Essence Elixir was simply too easy. With his proficient techniques, he could still refine the Primordial Essence Elixir to a very high level. At that moment, even the moonlight seemed to be drawn in, and the peaceful spiritual energy of the entire villa began to stir. Chapter 7 - 7 Chapter 7 Refining 7 Chapter 7 Refining Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The restless Spiritual Energy began to converge in this room. With a soft shout from Xue An, the once restless Spiritual Energy immediately became docile. ¡°Enter!¡± The Spiritual Energy surged like a tide into the sphere floating in mid-air, and the initially dark-brown liquid gradually became clear. A rich fragrance of elixir spread throughout the room. Xue An knew that the Primordial Essence Elixir was ready. Although the quality of the medicinal ingredients was poor, with Xue An¡¯s cultivation level, he still managed to refine a superior-grade elixir. But this was not enough. Xue An formed a sword gesture with his hand and fiercely drew a line between his eyebrows. A drop of golden blood appeared in his hand. And Xue An¡¯s complexion became somewhat haggard. ¡°Merge!¡± The golden blood, containing a nearly terrifying energy, came into contact with the nearly-formed Primordial Essence Elixir, immediately dominating and swiftly dyeing the amber-colored elixir golden. An indescribable fragrance quickly filled the entire villa. ¡°What¡¯s this smell? It¡¯s so fragrant!¡± Qin Yu, lying in her bed, also smelled this unusual fragrance. ¡°Could it be that guy messing around again? But this smell is simply too pleasant!¡± Qin Yu felt as if she herself were floating towards immortality. The one who often suffered from insomnia fell into a deep sleep shortly after. At this moment, the Primordial Essence Elixir was finally complete. Looking at the two golden elixirs, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. Even when he used to refine Great Dao Grade Elixirs, Xue An had never felt this nervous. Especially since he had used his own lifeblood essence. But it was all worth it. The two elixirs, with a faint addition of destiny¡¯s favor, had clearly transcended the Earth level, and were at least elixirs of the Heavenly grade. If there were those knowledgeable in elixir making present, they would likely chastise Xue An for wasting such heavenly materials. Primordial Essence Elixir is after all one of the most basic elixirs for Foundation Establishment, which even mortals could consume. An Earth-level Primordial Essence Elixir would have been sufficiently good. Yet Xue An extravagantly refined one of the Heavenly grade. But for Xue An, everything was worth it for his daughter. Looking at the two sleeping little girls. Xue An smiled slightly, then placed the two elixirs to the lips of the two little girls. The elixirs, as if endowed with sentience, turned into liquid and directly entered their mouths. Xue Xiang murmured something and continued sleeping after turning over. Xue Nian smacked her lips, then murmured, ¡°So fragrant!¡± Xue An smiled, gently patted Xue Nian, ¡°Be good, sleep!¡± Xue Nian then fell back into a deep sleep, snoring away. Although the two little girls might not need even one percent of the Primordial Essence Elixir¡¯s power right now, the benefits of this elixir for their future were boundless. However, after the elixir was fully absorbed, some slightly blackened residue remained. Xue An casually gathered the residue and fused it into one ordinary-grade Primordial Essence Elixir. This thing was tasteless to Xue An, but too good to discard. Keep it. It might come in handy someday. The next day. Qin Yu woke up from her sleep, stretched languidly, feeling that she had never slept so comfortably in her life. Huh! Qin Yu suddenly felt something amiss outside the window. Then she heard the servants also chatting animatedly. Qin Yu walked to the window, and then she saw a surprising scene. The courtyard¡¯s flowers and plants, which had lost their leaves due to the harsh cold, had all blossomed overnight. Even the ginkgo tree had regrown its green leaves. What happened? Qin Yu was somewhat perplexed. When it was time to wash up, she looked into the mirror and was stunned. Although she was beautiful before, she had never looked as radiant as she did today. Qin Yu suddenly thought of the unusual fragrance from last night. Could all this be related to that scent? Harboring this doubt, she went downstairs to the living room. At this time, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian had already gotten up and were watching Peppa Pig in the hall. Qin Yu was suddenly taken aback. Because she noticed that these two little girls had suddenly become¡­ so beautiful? Yesterday, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were already cute enough. But compared to today, they were still far behind. Not to mention anything else, the fresh fragrance emanating from the two little girls made one irresistibly want to get closer. And the two little girls seemed to have become even purer. Like porcelain dolls without a single impurity. ¡°Little girls, which one of you is the older sister, and which one is the younger sister?¡± Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but ask this question as well. Xue Xiang looked up at Qin Yu, then wrinkled her little nose, ¡°Big sister, we can¡¯t talk while watching TV, you know!¡± Qin Yu felt somewhat embarrassed. Was this being reprimanded by a child? Meanwhile, Xue An entered the living room and spoke indifferently, ¡°Xiang Xiang, remember to call older women ¡®auntie¡¯, not ¡®big sister¡¯ in the future!¡± Qin Yu was furious. ¡°Who are you calling old?¡± Xue An looked at Qin Yu, ¡°If you still want to save your grandfather, remember to speak respectfully when you talk to me.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Qin Yu was so angry that her willow brows stood upside down, and she seethed with resentment inside. I¡¯ll see how long you can be arrogant, just wait¡­ hmph! I¡¯ll make sure you get what¡¯s coming to you! At this moment, Qin Yuan also came downstairs, looking excited as he said to Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue, the flowers and plants outside are¡­¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°I did it.¡± ¡°I knew it! Mr. Xue is truly a divine being! You made the flowers bloom overnight; such a feat is unheard of!¡± Qin Yu, somewhat dissatisfied, muttered on the side, ¡°Everything is his doing, is there proof?¡± Xue An frowned, this woman was simply brainless to the extreme. ¡°Yu¡¯er, show some respect. Mr. Xue, please don¡¯t take offense! Yu¡¯er has grown up abroad and is impulsive in her actions¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand dismissively, ¡°If I took offense, she wouldn¡¯t be standing here now. Tell me, what price are you willing to pay for your life?¡± Just as Qin Yuan was about to speak, footsteps were heard outside, and then an old man sneered, ¡°I¡¯d like to see which divine doctor has the audacity to offer life for money.¡± With the sound, a group of people walked in. Leading them was a sullen-faced elderly man with white hair. Several young men and women followed behind him, all with arrogant expressions. Upon seeing the elder, Qin Yu greeted him with a smile, ¡°Master Hua, you¡¯re here!¡± Hua Xingyu, the Master Hua from Beijiang, was a highly famous medical sage, and while he couldn¡¯t compare to the high divine doctor of Zhongdu, he was still very formidable. The beautiful woman behind the elderly man also spoke with a smile at this moment, ¡°Grandfather, this is my best friend, Qin Yu!¡± Hua Tingting. Qin Yu¡¯s best friend, and also the dear granddaughter of Hua Xingyu. This was also where Qin Yu¡¯s confidence stemmed from. Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but glance at Xue An with a sense of triumph, thinking that now he was in trouble! This was Beijiang¡¯s most prestigious medical master; soon, your little tricks will be exposed. But Xue An was just sitting there quietly, his expression calm as if everything had nothing to do with him. At this time, Qin Yuan¡¯s expression was a little troubled, but Hua Xingyu was also a prominent figure in Beijiang. So, Qin Yuan also stood up and greeted him with a bow, ¡°It turns out to be Elder Hua! Please, take a seat!¡± Hua Xingyu returned the gesture, ¡°Old Mr. Qin, it has been a while since we last saw each other, but you still seem very robust!¡± As he sat down, Hua Xingyu gave Xue An a hostile glance, and after a while, he said, ¡°I wonder who this might be?¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°My name is Xue An.¡± Chapter 8 - 8 Chapter 8: Shaking the Whole Scene 8 Chapter 8: Shaking the Whole Scene Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Xue An? Hua Xingyu furrowed his brow, never having heard of such a young doctor among their ranks. Hua Xingyu looked toward his granddaughter, Hua Tingting. As the deputy head of Beijiang¡¯s largest hospital, she would surely know of any famous young doctors. Of course, Hua Tingting did not recognize Xue An; she sized him up for a long while, and then asked somewhat disdainfully, ¡°May I ask Mr. Xue, which medical college are you a graduate from? Beiyi University? Fuyi University? Or perhaps Yale University School of Medicine?¡± The institutions mentioned by Hua Tingting ranked among the top medical colleges globally. The young men and women who had come with Hua Xingyu were all exceptional talents from these medical colleges. But Xue An just gave a light smile, ¡°None of them! I never attended a medical college.¡± ¡°Then who is your master?¡± Hua Xingyu continued to inquire. There were many highly skilled medical practitioners hidden among the common folk of Huaxia, and if Xue An was their descendant, he was not to be underestimated. Xue An shook his head, ¡°None! I¡¯m not a doctor!¡± ¡°Not a doctor?¡± Hua Tingting¡¯s expression grew even more derisive. ¡°Then why do I hear that someone has actually claimed they could save Elder Qin¡¯s life, provided that he pays a suitable price! Could it be, this is a scammer?¡± The accusation was severe; it was a direct allegation that Xue An was a swindler. Yet Xue An remained unfazed, still sitting with no emotion showing on his face. At that moment, Hua Xingyu turned to Qin Yuan and said, ¡°Elder Qin, you appear to be ruddy-cheeked with clear pupils and full of vitality; you don¡¯t seem like someone ailing. May I take a look at your pulse?¡± Qin Yuan hesitated, and Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Grandfather, Master Hua is well-intentioned; please let him check on you.¡± With his hand on Qin Yuan¡¯s pulse point, Hua Xingyu reflected deeply for a long while before smiling and saying, ¡°Elder Qin, judging from your pulse, I think you can live to be a hundred years old!¡± Many people smiled at this. As for Xue An, it seemed as though he had been forgotten. Qin Yuan sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t aspire to reach a hundred years. I just wish to live long enough to see my grandchild get married.¡± Qin Yu¡¯s face turned red, and she lowered her head. But at that moment, an ill-timed voice sounded. ¡°I thought one referred to as a master would possess some skill, but it seems that¡¯s not the case!¡± The laughter came to an abrupt halt. Hua Xingyu¡¯s face darkened, and Hua Tingting frowned, her impatience showing as she said, ¡°Quit those charlatans¡¯ tricks. I¡¯m telling you, if you keep masquerading as a doctor to deceive people, be careful, or I¡¯ll have you put in jail.¡± Hua Xingyu waved his hand to stop Hua Tingting from continuing, then stared at Xue An, ¡°You say I¡¯m nothing special, then please, what profound insight do you have?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Okay, but what will you do if I win against you?¡± ¡°If you can defeat me in the field of medicine, then I¡¯ll kneel and take you as my master!¡± Hua Xingyu said with a cold sneer. Xue An shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Scared?¡± ¡°Not at all, I just don¡¯t want you as an apprentice; you¡¯re too old! Now, if it were your granddaughter, I might actually consider it!¡± These words caused Hua Tingting¡¯s pretty face to chill, and the expressions of Hua Xingyu¡¯s disciples darkened. Turning his head to Qin Yuan, Xue An said, ¡°Although there are no apparent signs of illness on you, there¡¯s one symptom¡ªdo you dream every night?¡± Qin Yuan nodded. Hua Tingting scoffed, ¡°If that¡¯s a disease, then almost everyone is sick.¡± After a glance from Xue An, Hua Tingting felt a chill run through her body, and she found herself unable to continue her scoff. ¡°Do you always dream of a person, and in the dream, does she tell you how many days you have left to live?¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s face drastically changed. Xue An¡¯s words struck directly at the greatest secret he had buried in his heart for over a year. This was also why he had been seeking doctors and medicines all day long. Almost every night, he had dreamt of the same woman, who would tell him how many days he had left to live. This was also why Qin Yuan had been so moved when Xue An mentioned in the herb market that he only had three days left to live. Because the woman in red had made it very clear that he would die after three days. Seeing the dramatic change in Qin Yuan¡¯s face, Hua Xingyu also became somewhat astonished and suspicious. Could it be that this lad had actually guessed correctly? Hua Tingting, on the other hand, was somewhat dismissive. ¡°Mr. Qin, according to current medical theories, everyone dreams. It¡¯s as common as breathing. It¡¯s probably due to too much stress that you keep having the same dream. You shouldn¡¯t worry too much about it. And you shouldn¡¯t let some charlatans with ulterior motives take advantage of you because of it.¡± Xue An said calmly, ¡°Do you know how I know that you dream every night? It¡¯s because that woman in red is lying on your back right now.¡± As soon as these words came out, not only did Qin Yuan turn pale with shock, but Qin Yu also felt goosebumps all over her body. It was only then that Hua Tingting let down her guard, with a cold laugh she said, ¡°After all this fuss, it turns out you¡¯re just a charlatan! If you could see that someone was dreaming, that might be excusable, maybe even that they saw a woman in red, but claiming anything more than that is pure nonsense! Mr. Qin, don¡¯t believe him, he¡¯s just a swindler.¡± As someone who had received higher education in medicine abroad, she looked down even on traditional Chinese medicine, let alone this kind of trickery pretending to be supernatural. But just at that moment, Xue An let out a faint smile. ¡°The eyes of the flesh are indeed the eyes of the flesh, but today, I¡¯ll show you what a true adept really looks like!¡± Saying this, Xue An suddenly waved his hand and uttered a light shout. ¡°Command!¡± Everyone present felt the room suddenly darken, and then they witnessed a truly horrifying scene. They saw a disheveled woman in red lying on Qin Yuan¡¯s back. The scene made the faint-hearted Hua Tingting scream. Hua Xingyu and the others turned pale. Qin Yuan fell to his knees with a thud, ¡°Mr. Xue, save me!¡± The red-dressed female ghost lying on his back suddenly lunged out, charging straight at the petrified Hua Tingting. She was about to reach her. Hua Tingting was so scared that she didn¡¯t dare to move. Just then, Xue An calmly said, ¡°A mere fierce ghost dares to be presumptuous in front of me?¡± As he spoke, Xue An¡¯s right hand swiftly grabbed, and the woman in red let out a piercing wail before dissolving into a black smoke that Xue An firmly grasped in his hand. Amidst the spreading black fog, Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, appearing as a deity himself. ¡°Now do you believe?¡± Xue An said calmly. Hua Xingyu fell to his knees with a thud, ¡°Mr. Xue, please spare our lives, we were blind and foolish! Please forgive us!¡± Xue An said calmly, ¡°Tear.¡± The black smoke responded and split apart, then vanished in a burst of flame! Peace returned to the room; Hua Tingting was pale with fear, and Qin Yu was not much better. Only Xue An, who dusted off his hands, as if he had just completed a trivial task. ¡°Old man Qin, the job is done. Time to settle the bill!¡± Chapter 9 - 9 Chapter 9 Heavenly Being Tactics! 9 Chapter 9 Heavenly Being Tactics! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Qin Yuan immediately took out a card with a black background and golden letters, and presented it respectfully. ¡°Master Xue, this card is a token of my appreciation, though it may not be very impressive!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t decline and casually put it into his pocket before he turned to the two little girls who were engrossed in watching TV in the distance and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, follow daddy home!¡± But at this moment, Qin Yuan suddenly turned pale, his body swayed, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, collapsing onto the sofa. ¡°Grandfather!¡± Qin Yu was shocked and hurried over. Qin Yuan¡¯s eyes were lifeless, and even his breathing began to weaken. ¡°What¡¯s happened to my grandfather?¡± Qin Yu asked anxiously. Hua Xingyu quickly stepped forward to take Qin Yuan¡¯s pulse, then his eyebrows knitted tightly together. ¡°Old Master Qin¡¯s pulse is barely perceptible. His yang energy is extremely weak; it¡¯s a sign of impending death!¡± Qin Yu shouted at Xue An, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say you would save my grandfather?¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°He has been possessed by a malevolent spirit for so long, his yang energy has been nearly depleted! Now that the evil spirit is gone, it¡¯s natural for him to be close to death!¡± ¡°What should we do? Master Hua, can my grandfather be saved?¡± Tears flowed down Qin Yu¡¯s cheeks. Hua Xingyu shook his head, ¡°With his condition now, even a century-old ginseng wouldn¡¯t be enough to sustain his breath! Prepare for his final affairs!¡± Qin Yu knelt before Xue An with a thud, ¡°Mr. ¡­ Mr. Xue, I know I have not been very respectful to you, but please save my grandfather! As long as you save him, I¡¯ll agree to anything!¡± Xue An¡¯s expression was calm; he didn¡¯t have any particular fondness for Qin Yu. He also knew that she was behind today¡¯s events. Just then, Xue Xiang secretly tugged at Xue An¡¯s clothes and whispered, ¡°Daddy, that sister looks so pitiful!¡± Xue An only ever showed tenderness when facing his two daughters. ¡°Then what do you suggest we do, Xiang Xiang?¡± While attentively eating an orange, Xue Nian suddenly spoke up, ¡°Dad, please help this sister, she looks so ugly when she cries!¡± Qin Yu found herself in a predicament between tears and laughter. For Xue An, his daughters¡¯ words were a decree; he casually took out the Primordial Essence Elixir that had been refined from leftover medicine residue, ¡°Eat this, and you¡¯ll be fine!¡± When Hua Xingyu saw the Primordial Essence Elixir, his eyes widened and he began to breathe rapidly. ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± Hua Tingting was a little puzzled, ¡°Grandfather, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°May I have a look at this elixir?¡± Hua Xingyu was like a child seeing a beloved toy. Xue An nodded and tossed the elixir over casually. Hua Xingyu caught it in a fluster, staring greedily at the Primordial Essence Elixir for a while before exclaiming repeatedly. ¡°The work of a Heavenly Being, truly the work of a Heavenly Being!¡± Then Hua Xingyu bowed to Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue, I, Hua Xingyu, have spent my life in medicine and have never admired anyone; not even that fellow Gao Shen do I acknowledge, but today, I am thoroughly convinced in both my heart and words!¡± ¡°Oh, you really know your stuff!¡± Xue An said. After the elixir was administered to Qin Yuan, within a few minutes, his previously pale cheeks began to regain their rosiness. Soon, Qin Yuan recovered completely. Not only that, but even the wrinkles on his face and his white hair had largely diminished. If Qin Yuan looked like a man in his seventies before, he now appeared to be in his fifties. This miraculous sight also filled Hua Xingyu with excitement. As for Hua Tingting, she was utterly astounded. Rejuvenation! If someone had told Hua Tingting before today that someone could achieve this with an unassuming elixir, she would have thought that person was a swindler. But the reality unfolding before her left Hua Tingting speechless. From childhood, the three views established by science came crashing down. Thinking of her recent mockery of Xue An, Hua Tingting¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but burn with fever. She couldn¡¯t resist stealing glances at Xue An. It was then that Hua Tingting realized¡­ This man is so handsome! It was mainly because Xue An had an air of authority about him that made him seem like a lofty emperor, intimidating yet compelling people to keep a respectful distance. Hua Tingting¡¯s heartbeat involuntarily quickened. At this moment, having learned about everything that had just happened and sensing the anomaly on himself, Qin Yuan paid a deep bow to Xue An. ¡°Mr. Xue! From today onwards, if you need anything, just say the word, and Longtai Group will devote itself fully, not daring any negligence!¡± The weight of this promise changed the expressions of Qin Yu, Hua Tingting, and others. Only Hua Xingyu looked at Qin Yuan with envy. He knew, this was far from enough. Just that Primordial Essence Elixir alone, Hua Xingyu believed, if it appeared in Zhongdu, or if those noble families and grand houses came to know of it, would surely set off a bloody storm. After all, an elixir that could make an old man with white hair turn young, was something Hua Xingyu admitted he couldn¡¯t achieve, nor could that Divine Doctor in Zhongdu, and not even all the holy hands of medicine throughout the world could do it. Now, even if Qin Yuan were to give Longtai Group directly to Xue An, it wouldn¡¯t be too much. After all, when compared to life, what¡¯s wealth but nothing! But Xue An just nodded slightly. ¡°Understood.¡± Then Xue An said to Qin Yu, ¡°You just said that if I saved your grandfather, you would do anything, right?¡± Qin Yu¡¯s heart tightened, and with steely courage, she said, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Good, then you drive us home!¡± Qin Yu sighed with relief, but deep down felt a faint disappointment. Hua Xingyu was anxious, ¡°Master, master, did you forget about our bet? You said that if I lost, you would take me or my granddaughter as your disciple!¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Really? Did I say that?¡± Hua Xingyu nodded vigorously, ¡°You did, you did!¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve changed my mind now; you¡¯re too old, and your granddaughter¡­ has too poor a talent in medicine! And too foolish!¡± After saying this, Xue An strode away. Hua Tingting stood there, stunned. In her life, she¡¯d never been called stupid. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t mind him, what¡¯s with all the arrogance?¡± Hua Xingyu shook his head and with a bow to Qin Yuan left the room. Once in the courtyard, looking at the lush greenery that clashed with the cold winter, Hua Xingyu finally let out a long sigh, ¡°Tingting, you don¡¯t understand, this man, his story might be even more formidable than we can imagine!¡± Hua Tingting remained silent. Hua Xingyu casually plucked a leaf, ¡°In this life, to be able to witness such skills, to meet such a person, I, Hua Xingyu, have not lived in vain! Alas, ¡¯tis fate to meet but not destined to connect!¡± Qin Yu personally drove the car, taking Xue An and his two daughters back to the apartment complex. The people in the complex were stunned by the opulent Maybach, all sneaking glances from a distance. As Xue An was about to get out of the car, he suddenly said, ¡°Has your Qin Family offended someone?¡± Qin Yu immediately caught on, ¡°Mr. Xue, you mean¡­¡± ¡°That malevolent ghost is being manipulated!¡± Xue An said as he got out of the car and walked away. Qin Yu sat in the car for a moment, then took out her phone and dialed a number. ¡°Lao Hei, order someone to start investigating. The old man¡¯s illness, someone¡¯s conspiring behind the scenes!¡± Chapter 10 - 10 Chapter 10: Former Desk-Mate Turned Best Actress. 10 Chapter 10: Former Desk-Mate Turned Best Actress. Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In a villa in Beijiang. An old man was sitting cross-legged in meditation. A chubby man stood in front of him, sweating profusely. The old man was so thin, a gust of wind seemed like it could carry him away. But the man was respectful in his demeanor, not even daring to take a deep breath. Suddenly. A tattoo on the old man¡¯s arm flashed with a spark of fire, then disappeared without a trace. The old man opened his eyes, speaking ominously, ¡°There is such a master in Beijiang who actually destroyed my ¡®Red Garment¡¯.¡± The man trembled and quickly said, ¡°Immortal Liu, does this mean that the old immortal, Qin Yuan, has been rescued by someone?¡± If Qin Yu were here, she would certainly recognize this man. He was the manager of Longtai Group, her own uncle, Qin Tian. And this old man was a powerful figure called Liu Nie, whom Qin Tian had paid a hefty sum to convince to come out of seclusion. Qin Tian spent so much money to employ Liu Shou precisely to deal with Qin Yuan. If anyone in the world most hoped for Qin Yuan¡¯s death, it was undoubtedly Qin Tian. Because only with Qin Yuan gone would Longtai Group become his property. As for Qin Yu. Qin Tian had never taken his niece seriously, thinking that a mere woman could never be a match for him. And indeed, Liu Shou proved to be extraordinary, as the Red Garment ghost on Qin Yuan was his doing. Upon hearing Qin Tian¡¯s words, Liu Nie let out a strange, cackling laugh. ¡°No need to worry, even if Qin Yuan really was saved by a master, I am not afraid. I only need to wait for the auction in two days to get that item, and then no one in the world will be my match!¡± Qin Tian immediately started flattering him. Through their time spent together these days, Qin Tian had come to revere Liu Nie as divine. ¡°Immortal Liu, is that item really that powerful?¡± Liu Shou said indifferently, ¡°Do you really think that with your little money you could make me stay in Beijiang this long to do your bidding?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Qin Tian nodded and bowed incessantly in agreement. Excitement showed on Liu Shou¡¯s face, ¡°You commoners actually put such a treasure up for auction? If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I don¡¯t know who has the item, I would never have waited for this so-called auction!¡± ¡°What about Qin Yuan¡­¡± ¡°Once I have that item, it will be a simple task to help you kill him!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Qin Tian¡¯s face showed a troubled expression. Liu Shou sneered, ¡°Rest assured, once my cultivation level significantly increases, I will have him die silently and without a trace, and no one will suspect you.¡± Qin Tian was overjoyed, ¡°Thank you, old Immortal!¡± Xue Xiang and Nian Nian had fallen asleep. These past few days had worn out the two girls. Xue An took the opportunity while they were asleep to start tidying up the house. He pushed open the bedroom door where he and An Yan once lived, finding the room hadn¡¯t changed much from four years ago when he left. Many things remained as they were, just covered with a fine layer of dust. The only exception was a photograph on the bedside table which was still as clean and vivid as ever. Xue An picked up the photograph, and in it, An Yan was clinging to him with a splendid smile. Xue An felt a slight sting in his heart. An Yan, wait for me! I will definitely bring you back to my side in glory! All those who once looked down on us and hindered us, I will trample them underfoot this time! Hey! Xue An suddenly noticed someone must have frequently wiped the photograph, especially his side, which was now slightly faded from rubbing. It was at that moment the doorbell rang. Xue An put down the photograph and opened the door. Tang Xuan¡¯Er stood at the doorway with a bag of vegetables. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Xue An smiled and let Tang Xuan¡¯Er in. ¡°Where are Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve both fallen asleep!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯Er smiled, ¡°It seems Daddy is still the dearest. They wouldn¡¯t sleep without seeing me before!¡± At this moment, Tang Xuan¡¯er noticed the bedroom door was open and said indifferently, ¡°Over the past few years, I often came in to clean, but I haven¡¯t changed the layout at all, just feeling certain that you would come back!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°I have!¡± ¡°Do you want to eat more?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xue An said with a smile, looking at this woman who was like an orchid in a secluded valley. Tang Xuan¡¯er started to prepare the meal skillfully and quickly! Soon! A lavish meal was ready. Xue An sat down to eat. Suddenly Tang Xuan¡¯er said, ¡°Tomorrow¡­ some of our high school classmates are having a gathering!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Are you going?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t even remember who my high school classmates were, why would I go?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still like that. However, this gathering is different, our old classmate, your high school desk-mate, Fan Mengxue is back in Beijiang, and the gathering is to welcome her back and dust off her travels!¡± Fan Mengxue? Xue An frowned, then managed to recall who she was. ¡°So she¡¯s back, what¡¯s the need for such a big fuss to welcome her?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er gave Xue An a peculiar look, ¡°Could it be that you really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°Fan Mengxue is our class¡¯s pride now! She¡¯s also the hottest actress right now, having just won the Best Actress at the Golden Globe Awards last month. A real leading lady!¡± ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Tang Xuan¡¯er let out a sigh, ¡°Have you really forgotten? During school, Fan Mengxue was the one who liked you the most!¡± Xue An was slightly taken aback, and the image of the girl with a ponytail and deep dimples that appeared when she smiled surfaced in his mind. How could it be? Noticing Xue An¡¯s surprise, Tang Xuan¡¯er said with a half laugh a half cry expression, ¡°The whole class knew back then, did you not feel anything at all?¡± Xue An shook his head. Tang Xuan¡¯er paused for a moment, then said softly, ¡°I¡¯ll be going tomorrow, join me, won¡¯t you?¡± After thinking for a bit, Xue An nodded his head, ¡°That¡¯s fine! But I¡¯ll need to bring Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian with me.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come to pick you up tomorrow noon!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er left. Xue An sat in the living room and turned on the TV. By chance, an interview was being broadcasted. And the interviewee was none other than his former desk-mate, now a big star, Fan Mengxue. ¡°Miss Fan, we¡¯ve heard that Qin Tian, one of Zhongdu¡¯s Four Young Masters, is pursuing you. Is that true?¡± Amidst the camera flashes, Fan Mengxue looked unbelievably beautiful. Faced with the reporter¡¯s question, she simply smiled slightly. ¡°Mr. Yue and I are just friends. I¡¯ve always thought of him as a brother,¡± she said. The reporters stirred at her response. ¡°Then, is there a guy you¡¯re interested in? Or could you share what kind of person you¡¯re looking for in a partner?¡± another reporter pressed on. Fan Mengxue hesitated for a moment, and a tear seemed to glisten in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve already got someone I like in my heart!¡± The reporters nearly went mad. This was huge news! ¡°Can you reveal who it is?¡± Fan Mengxue smiled, ¡°He was my classmate, but he has been missing for four years now. However, I believe that we¡¯ll definitely meet again!¡± The interview ended there and though the reporters wanted to ask more, Fan Mengxue had already left. In a luxurious villa in Beijiang, a man with a handsome face but a sinister gaze in his eyes fiercely threw the remote control. The remote smashed into the seventy-inch LCD television, which cracked on impact. The man spat out hatefully, ¡°Fan Mengxue, you still can¡¯t forget that guy until now? Fine, if he dares to show up at the reunion tomorrow, I¡¯ll trample him underfoot right in front of you!¡± Chapter 11 - 11 Chapter 11 Waiting for the Bus 11 Chapter 11 Waiting for the Bus Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Fan Mengxue left the studio and had just gotten into the car when her agent, Han Yao, called her. Fan Mengxue answered the phone. This top-tier gold medal entertainment agent was furious on the phone. ¡°Fan Mengxue, do you realize what you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I know!¡± said Fan Mengxue coolly. ¡°You know? I think you don¡¯t know a thing! Do you understand the impact your statements have had on the company?¡± Fan Mengxue kept silent. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, my phone was almost blown up because of this. If I hadn¡¯t managed things for you, what situation would you be in now? The boss and the board would have devoured you!¡± After venting, Han Yao¡¯s tone softened, ¡°Meng Xue, you¡¯re at the peak of your career right now. So many investors are waving checks at you for your popularity and fanbase! Yet you suddenly made that confession on television. Do you know how many fans you¡¯ll lose because of that?¡± ¡°Sister Han, I understand all that, but he¡¯s back!¡± Fan Mengxue said with a cool tone. Han Yao was momentarily speechless before finally asking, ¡°So, what are you planning to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going back to Beijiang to see him!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Han Yao flatly refused. ¡°Tomorrow you have to fly to Europe. There¡¯s an internationally acclaimed director there, preparing to cast you as the female lead in his next film!¡± ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m already on my way to Beijiang,¡± Fan Mengxue said, and after finishing the sentence, she hung up the phone and turned it off. ¡°Sister Xue, where are we going?¡± the driver asked cautiously. ¡°To Beijiang!¡± Fan Mengxue watched the scenery rushing by outside the car window, her hands gripping the phone tightly. Even her knuckles had turned white from the pressure. The next day. Tang Xuan¡¯er arrived early. Upon entering, she saw Xue An clumsily trying to braid Xue Xiang and Nian Nian¡¯s hair. One must admit, men truly lack talent in this department. Whether you¡¯re the Immortal Venerable or an ordinary man, it¡¯s all the same. Either the braids would end up crooked, or the hair would be a complete mess. But the two little girls seemed to be enjoying it all. They kept giggling gleefully. Seeing this, Tang Xuan¡¯er could only shake her head helplessly, then replaced Xue An, quickly making neat braids for the two young girls. ¡°Are you going to wear that?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er asked. ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡± asked Xue An. Xue An was wearing clothes from four years ago. Although they weren¡¯t very worn out, the style was decidedly out of date. Tang Xuan¡¯er hesitated, then held back what she wanted to say. After they were finally ready, the two adults led Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian out of the neighborhood. While they were waiting for the car, a brand-new BMW 530 pulled up to the curb. The window rolled down, and a slick man smiled at Tang Xuan¡¯er. ¡°Xuan¡¯er, I was just about to pick you up! Hurry, get in the car! Brother Meng has already arranged a gathering at the Dragon Emperor Platform Hotel!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er frowned. The woman in the passenger seat also leaned out, ¡°Tang Xuan¡¯er, it¡¯s so cold, still waiting for a car? Come on, let my husband give you a ride! See that? It¡¯s our brand-new car! Cost over four hundred thousand Euros!¡± The woman, with her triangular eyes, spoke in a smug tone. Tang Xuan¡¯er was slightly hesitant, and at that moment, the woman with triangular eyes also noticed Xue An. ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t that Xue An?¡± The man also saw Xue An, and after scrutinizing him carefully, a look of disdain and arrogance spread across his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the great scholar Xue to be attending the gathering as well!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er whispered, ¡°They¡¯re Meng Wei and Zhang Yan from our class.¡± Xue An pondered for a long while before he finally had some impression. Back when he was in school, this Meng Wei was the class¡¯s lackey, always hanging around whoever had money. As for this Zhang Yan. She was even more of an opportunist. These two together absolutely made the perfect pair. A faint, almost imperceptible smile emerged on the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. It was at this moment that Xue Xiang spotted a street vendor selling small pieces of jewelry. ¡°Daddy, those little pieces of jewelry are so pretty!¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s eyes sparkled. No matter how young a girl might be, she is still a woman. She naturally had no resistance to sparkly things. Xue An smiled, ¡°Do you like them?¡± ¡°Uh-huh! Love them!¡± Xue Xiang and Nian Nian chorused. ¡°Then go pick some out, I¡¯ll buy them for you!¡± The two little girls cheered and jumped around, starting to choose small pieces of jewelry from the stall. All the while, Xue An didn¡¯t even bother to look straight at Meng Wei and Zhang Yan. Zhang Yan curled her lip disdainfully and said, ¡°What¡¯s with the act? You¡¯re reduced to this and still trying to appear high and mighty!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, after all, he can still afford a few pieces of cheap jewelry!¡± Meng Wei sneered. At this time, the two little girls had selected a lot of small jewelry, Xue An paid for them, and when he picked them up, a thought struck him, and he casually infused them with some Spiritual Energy. These items, originally worthless, began to undergo subtle changes. ¡°Picked one out for you too!¡± said Xue An indifferently, handing a pair of earrings to Tang Xuan¡¯er. Tang Xuan¡¯er took the earrings, absolutely delighted. ¡°Yo, those must be worth at least five dollars, right? So sparkly, they couldn¡¯t possibly be made of plastic, could they! Xuan¡¯Er, you better not wear them, careful not to damage your skin!¡± Zhang Yan mocked. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s expression turned somewhat awkward. Xue An frowned slightly, this woman was certainly noisy. ¡°Sorry, Xue An, our car can only fit four people. After picking up Xuan¡¯er, you¡¯ll have to sit in the trunk, or maybe you can take the bus later!¡± Meng Wei laughed heinously. Tang Xuan¡¯er furrowed her brow, ¡°You guys go on ahead, we¡¯ll take a cab there in a bit!¡± Meng Wei wanted to say more. But suddenly Xue Xiang said, ¡°Daddy, this car isn¡¯t as big as the one we rode in yesterday!¡± ¡°Yeah Daddy, the car Auntie Qin Yu drove to take us home yesterday was so big!¡± Xue Nian added. ¡°A big car, huh? Heh, a van, right?¡± Meng Wei scoffed. Zhang Yan, feeling very proud, boasted, ¡°See that? My husband just bought a new car yesterday, a BMW 5 Series, ever ridden in one?¡± Xue An seemed to be watching two clowns performing, his expression remaining indifferent throughout. And just then, an extended Maybach rolled up slowly. It stopped right beside Xue An before the driver got out, and then respectfully approached Xue An. ¡°Mr. Xue, our young miss has instructed us to drive you wherever you need to go. Just let me know what you require at any time!¡± This scene left Meng Wei and Zhang Yan dumbfounded, their mouths agape wide enough to fit a duck egg. The appearance of the Maybach was like a resounding slap to Zhang Yan¡¯s face, who had just been bragging about her new car, leaving her seeing stars. Compared to this car, the BMW that Zhang Yan had boasted about couldn¡¯t even buy one of its wheel caps. Xue An was indeed slightly surprised; this Qin Yu was rather thoughtful. Then he nodded, ¡°Alright! To the Dragon Emperor Platform!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At this moment, Xue Xiang said to a still stunned Meng Wei, ¡°Uncle, the car Auntie Qin Yu drove to take us home yesterday was just like this one!¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile; his two four-year-old daughters seemed¡­ rather cunning! Chapter 12 - 12 Chapter 12 Classmates Gathering 1 (Making up for the missed update yesterday) 12 Chapter 12 Classmates Gathering 1 (Making up for the missed update yesterday) Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In Beijiang, if you ask where the best restaurant is, you might get a mix of responses. But if you mention a place that offers dining, drinking, and entertainment all in one, with complete facilities and a high level, that must be the Dragon Emperor Platform, and even people from the province frequently spend their money here. At this moment, luxury cars gathered in droves in front of the Dragon Emperor Platform, and guests clouded the entrance. A Maybach slowly drove up to the front. This extended custom edition Maybach was full of luxury, attracting many onlookers¡¯ gazes. The doorman hurriedly came forward, respectfully opening the car door. The first to hop out of the car were two delicate and cute little girls. The little girls, around four or five years old, looked identical, as if they had stepped right out of a comic book. They were soft and charming. Many girls looked on with gleaming eyes, almost wishing they could rush up and snatch one away right now. Then, a woman with an elegant and pure aura like that of an orchid in a secluded valley emerged from the car, wearing a simple dress, her facial features picturesque. This scene left many onlookers somewhat dumbfounded. Meanwhile, a few girls not far away covered their mouths in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t that our classmate, Tang Xuan¡¯er?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s her! Doesn¡¯t she say she¡¯s unmarried? How come she has children now?¡± ¡°Hmph, always acting so high and mighty, but in the end, she¡¯s just become a mistress for some rich guy,¡± a girl with a few freckles on her face sneered. ¡°Being able to afford such a car, there aren¡¯t many in Beijiang! Who could this person be?¡± Many people harbored this thought, and at this moment, Xue An also got out of the car. His appearance caused another flurry of excitement among these girls. ¡°It¡¯s Xue An!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he disappear? How come he¡¯s suddenly back?¡± ¡°He dares to show up? Hong has been threatening to deal with him for a long time!¡± ¡°Look at those shabby clothes; he doesn¡¯t look wealthy at all, probably just swelling his face to look fat and renting the car!¡± the girl with freckles laughed. This girl was Song Jing, who was known for being sharp-tongued and extremely snobbish. Along with Zhang Yan and Du Juan, she was known as one of the three despised individuals of the class. ¡°Hehe, Hong went to pick up the big star Fan Mengxue. There will probably be a good show to watch soon!¡± whispered the girls, gleefully anticipating the drama. ¡°Daddy, this place is so big and beautiful!¡± Xue Xiang looked around and exclaimed. ¡°Big? It¡¯s decent! Wait until Daddy takes you to see what real luxury is!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t feel much. Even though the Dragon Emperor Platform was known for spending five hundred million just on decorations, including a three-meter-long golden dragon made of real gold in the main hall. It was also named for this reason. Such extravagance could certainly make most people take notice. But for someone like the Immortal Venerable, who had seen countless grand scenes, this place was truly¡­ shabby. In the past in the True Immortal Realm, a regular banquet would involve slaughtering thousands of giant dragons. When the True Immortal Realm Master hosted Xue An, he even killed ten Ancient Gods dragons and used Phoenix Bone dishes to serve them. Such a spectacle was beyond the imagination of mortals. So, to Xue An, this so-called golden dragon carved out here was no different from a pig. His words, however, attracted sidelong glances from those nearby. A man with his hair dyed in wild colors, with an arm wrapped around a garishly dressed woman, couldn¡¯t help but snicker upon hearing Xue An¡¯s comment. ¡°Where did this bumpkin come from? He¡¯s got quite a mouth on him!¡± Before Xue An could respond, Xue Nian suddenly giggled. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Xue Xiang asked, hands on her hips, striking a sisterly pose. ¡°That uncle¡¯s hair looks like a chicken nest!¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Xiang took a closer look and couldn¡¯t help but start laughing too. ¡°It really does!¡± The two little girls¡¯ remarks made many other people cover their mouths and laugh. Because¡­ it really does look a bit like a chicken coop. This man¡¯s face turned red with rage as he shot Xue An a hateful glance before turning away and leaving. Xue An smiled faintly, he couldn¡¯t care less about such an ant-like fellow. However, if that man had dared to provoke him again just now, Xue An wouldn¡¯t have minded turning his head into an actual chicken coop. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, over here! Over here!¡± Song Jing shouted, her face now brimming with smiles, showing no trace of the sharpness she had just exhibited. Tang Xuan¡¯er hesitated for a moment, then walked over, ¡°Song Jing, long time no see!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, it really has been a long time indeed. I didn¡¯t expect you to have children already! The two little girls are so cute! Are they twins?¡± Song Jing said with a smile. Tang Xuan¡¯er shook her head, ¡°They are not my children! These two are Xue An¡¯s daughters.¡± Xue An has children? Song Jing and the others looked over at Xue An from a distance, their eyes filled with scorn. Dressed so shabbily and even bringing children to the gathering. He must not be doing well! ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s head over to the Heaven Number One room and wait! Hong Shao is picking up the male classmates along with the big star Fan Mengxue, they should be back soon!¡± Song Jing took Tang Xuan¡¯er with her as they walked away. ¡°What about Xue An?¡± ¡°Him? If he wants to come, he can just follow, but right now the private room is full of girls.¡± At that moment, Xue Xiang secretly tugged on Xue An¡¯s clothes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xue An bent down and asked. ¡°Daddy, I want to go to the bathroom!¡± Xue Xiang said with her little face blushing red. ¡°Me too, me too!¡± Xue Nian also spoke up. ¡°Uh¡­ okay then!¡± Xue An then went with them to the private room. Heaven Number One is the most luxurious and expensive private room in Dragon Emperor Platform, naturally equipped with a bathroom. However, as soon as he entered, he found the room filled with chattering women, all of them girls. Most of them he no longer recognized, and those he did remember, he couldn¡¯t recall their names. ¡°Isn¡¯t this our class¡¯s Xue An?¡± ¡°That¡¯s him! Why didn¡¯t he go to pick up Fan Mengxue?¡± ¡°Shh, don¡¯t ask now. Hong Shao will be back soon!¡± Amid these whispers, Xue An¡¯s expression remained unchanged, as he simply told Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°Can you go by yourselves?¡± ¡°Mhm mhm!¡± The two little girls entered the bathroom. Xue An stood by the door waiting. Several times, Tang Xuan¡¯er tried to come over, only to be held back by Song Jing with various excuses. At this point, all the women in the room had their eyes fixed on him. But Xue An didn¡¯t care in the least. A joke. These people didn¡¯t even count as flashy mediocrity in Xue An¡¯s eyes, how could he care about their gaze? Especially since Xue An¡¯s state of mind was as firm as a rock, he just stood there distantly, exuding a proud demeanor. Although his clothes weren¡¯t fitting, they couldn¡¯t conceal the sharpness of Xue An¡¯s presence, sharp as a knife¡¯s edge. Gradually. The whispers among the girls died down. In school, Xue An had been the most handsome guy, and many girls had secretly liked him. Seeing Xue An now, although his attire was plain, his looks and stature transcended his former self, stirring a peculiar feeling in their hearts. Xue An was of course aware of this, but he simply smiled it off. Back when he was in Greenhill Immortal Realm, just by a single encounter, he had managed to whisk away the Nine Tails Holy Maiden, causing the entire clan of fox demons to come out in pursuit, all to seek revenge on him. If the likes of the Nine Tails Holy Maiden, who stood out in the universe, was nothing of concern to him, much less these ordinary mortals. Chapter 13 - 13 Chapter 13 Class Reunion 2 (Making up for the missed update from yesterday) 13 Chapter 13 Class Reunion 2 (Making up for the missed update from yesterday) Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Song Jing disdainfully curled her lips and muttered softly, ¡°Pretending what? Just wait till Hong Ming gets back, see if you dare to be so arrogant!¡± Song Jing now only had one thing on her mind¡ªclinging to Hong Ming, the big tree. If she could gain his recognition and become a mistress, that would be perfect. That¡¯s why she looked down on Xue An so much. Because she knew that Hong Ming harbored hostility towards Xue An. Especially since Fan Mengxue had returned to Beijiang all of a sudden, it was very likely related to the sudden reappearance of Xue An, who had been missing for four years. She couldn¡¯t wait to see the expression on Fan Mengxue¡¯s face when she found out that Xue An already had a child. Song Jing thought with schadenfreude. At this moment, at the Beijiang expressway entrance, a dozen black Mercedes lined up in a row, with Hong Ming dressed in a custom suit, waiting in the wind. This scene naturally attracted curious glances from everyone. However, Hong Ming felt nothing, not even the cold wind could cool his burning heart. Finally, a white Mercedes van slowly drove off the highway. Hong Ming, excited, didn¡¯t wait for the van to come to a complete stop before he hurried forward to greet it. The door opened. Fan Mengxue, dressed in a flowing gown, looking refined and genteel like the girl next door, appeared before Hong Ming. Hong Ming felt his breathing hasten, the intense desire to possess her making him wish he could pin the frail woman to the ground right then. ¡°Where is he?¡± This was the first thing Fan Mengxue said to Hong Ming. Hong Ming felt a tide of jealousy rise within him. Why was she asking for him the moment she saw him? Why? Although he was displeased, Hong Ming still said with a smile, ¡°Everyone is at the hotel waiting for you!¡± Fan Mengxue nodded, ¡°Then lead the way, please!¡± ¡°But your driver has been driving for such a long time, it¡¯s dangerous. Why not take my car?¡± Fan Mengxue hesitated, but ultimately nodded in agreement. At this moment, the other male classmates also gathered around, starting to greet her. ¡°Meng Xue, I¡¯m Li Qiang!¡± ¡°Meng Xue, I¡¯m Han Li.¡± Among these greetings, Fan Mengxue nodded and then got into the car, without saying a word during the whole process. The men looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Becoming a star and she doesn¡¯t know her place anymore, what¡¯s there to be haughty about!¡± ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s true! If it weren¡¯t for Hong Ming, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered coming!¡± These murmurs, though soft, still reached inside the car. But Fan Mengxue appeared indifferent. That¡¯s right. She really disliked these so-called classmates. Even Hong Ming was her most detested person. Because the Fan Mengxue from back then had neither living parents and was fostered in her uncle¡¯s house; apart from being beautiful, she had no background whatsoever. Thus, she became an object of desire for many. But Fan Mengxue was a self-respecting girl, of course she wouldn¡¯t yield. Then, these so-called classmates started to spread rumors saying she hooked up with men outside all the time and had even had several abortions. These rumors completely crushed the then Fan Mengxue. In class too, she was thoroughly ostracized. Song Jing and other girls also ridiculed her in various ways. Just when Fan Mengxue was on the brink of a mental breakdown, Xue An stood up for her. To this day, Fan Mengxue still remembered that scene. Sitting alone in a corner, a group of girls pointed and jeered at her. And just then, a boy in black silently stood by her side. That figure, not tall and even a bit slight, would never be forgotten by Fan Mengxue. For her sake, Xue An was beaten several times by thugs from outside the school, but this boy seemed to have a fierce streak. Though he was beaten, he would always fight to the end like a lone wolf. After a few occurrences, no one dared to provoke him anymore. With a face full of scars, Xue An smiled at Fan Mengxue, ¡°No one will dare to bully you from now on!¡± At that moment, Fan Mengxue threw herself into Xue An¡¯s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. From that point on, Fan Mengxue swore a vicious oath to live only for Xue An for the rest of her life. It wasn¡¯t until later that Fan Mengxue found out all of this was due to Hong Ming¡¯s instigation. By a stroke of luck, Fan Mengxue eventually embarked on the path of a star. The journey was arduous, but she could proudly say that she had come this far with integrity. Not for any other reason but to be worthy of that boy in black, covered in scars from back then. However, Xue An¡¯s disappearance four years ago almost shattered Fan Mengxue. She had written her will, yet in the end, she did not die because she wanted to give herself time. If Xue An still hadn¡¯t appeared after four years, then she would take her own life. By the grace of God, Xue An returned. Upon hearing this news, Fan Mengxue cried tears of excitement and rushed back overnight. The one who told her of Xue An¡¯s return was also Hong Ming. Hong Ming sat in the passenger seat, stealing glances at Fan Mengxue sitting in the back, and eventually couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Meng Xue, today seems to be your birthday, right?¡± Fan Mengxue was taken aback and then remembered that today was indeed her birthday. These four years, Fan Mengxue was constantly busy because she dared not rest. The moment she did, Xue An would flood her thoughts. Thus, the concept of a birthday had faded from her memory. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Most of our classmates have arrived, just in time to celebrate your birthday with you!¡± Fan Mengxue remained silent, turning her head to watch the scenery flying by outside the car window. Hong Ming¡¯s eyelids twitched with rage bubbling in his heart. Why was this woman always so cold towards him? Was it because of that Xue An? Heh! A cold smile appeared on Hong Ming¡¯s lips. This time when Xue An returned, Hong Ming intended to trample him underfoot in front of Fan Mengxue, then tell her that she, as a woman, was only worthy of him. Soon enough. The Mercedes convoy arrived at the Dragon Emperor Platform. The manager of the Dragon Emperor Platform personally came to open the door, with Hong Ming striding out with a lofty posture, and Fan Mengxue, wearing sunglasses and a mask, also alighted from the vehicle. ¡°Young Master Hong, everyone is waiting for you in the Tianzi No.1 room!¡± Hong Ming nodded, ¡°Lead the way!¡± Fan Mengxue entered with an excited heart. She yearned to see Xue An, but at the same time, she feared meeting him. Upon opening the door to the Tianzi No.1 private room. The first thing that caught Fan Mengxue¡¯s eye was the smiling faces of Song Jing and others. ¡°Welcome back to Beijiang, Meng Xue!¡± ¡°Meng Xue, we¡¯ve all been missing you!¡± Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t heed these voices, her gaze only searching the room. ¡°Meng Xue!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er whispered. Back in the class, only Tang Xuan¡¯er wasn¡¯t afraid of being ostracized by others and insisted on befriending her. So upon seeing Tang Xuan¡¯er, Fan Mengxue finally showed a smile. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er nodded, then turned her gaze to the corner. Fan Mengxue looked there too. Finally, she saw Xue An in the corner, laughing and chatting with Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. She trembled, and tears involuntarily began to flow down her cheeks. At that moment, Hong Ming and others entered the private room. Upon seeing Hong Ming, Song Jing¡¯s face bloomed with a cheerful smile. ¡°Young Master Hong, you¡¯ve finally returned!¡± Hong Ming nodded, just about to speak. Fan Mengxue had already walked up to Xue An. Xue An sensed the presence of someone and looked up. Their eyes met. Xue An was first startled, then he smiled faintly, ¡°Meng Xue, long time no see!¡± Chapter 14 - 14 Chapter 14 Class Reunion 3 14 Chapter 14 Class Reunion 3 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The atmosphere began to grow subtle. Fan Mengxue¡¯s tears hadn¡¯t stopped. Xue An sighed, ¡°Still so prone to crying?¡± In fact, only Fan Mengxue knew that she only cried in front of Xue An, and at other times, no matter how sad she was, she always kept a smile. Because she knew, without Xue An, even if she cried, nobody would feel sorry for her. ¡°Daddy, who is this auntie? Why is she crying?¡± Xue Xiang spoke cutely. It was then that Fan Mengxue noticed the two little girls. ¡°This is¡­¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°These are my two daughters!¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s complexion instantly turned a bit pale, but she quickly regained her composure, then squatted down and said to Xue Xiang and Xue Anchong. ¡°Auntie is your daddy¡¯s friend, I haven¡¯t seen him for so long, so I got emotional and cried!¡± Xue Anchong tilted her head and suddenly exclaimed with surprise, ¡°You¡¯re¡­Meng Xue Auntie?¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s influence was nationwide; even a little girl like Xue Anchong recognized her. Fan Mengxue smiled, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Daddy, Meng Xue Auntie is your friend!¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°That¡¯s not right, I remember Meng Xue Auntie died in the TV drama!¡± Xue Xiang said with a puzzled expression. Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t help but be amused by these two little treasures. However, their harmonious atmosphere left Song Jing, who had been eagerly anticipating a scene, stunned. What¡¯s going on? Why doesn¡¯t Fan Mengxue care at all that Xue An already has children? As for Hong Ming, his eyes were nearly lethal. Nevertheless, he still tried to maintain a smile and walked over, looked Xue An up and down, and said condescendingly with a laugh, ¡°Xue An, I heard you went missing for four years. What happened? Did you go digging through trash? How else could you end up looking so destitute?¡± Hong Ming¡¯s words made Fan Mengxue frown, ready to lash out. But Xue An simply smiled calmly, ¡°Hong Ming? Seeing you again is really quite the pleasant surprise!¡± One of the Heart Demons that Xue An had faced when proving himself was Hong Ming. During their school days, Hong Ming, relying on his family¡¯s power, constantly humiliated Xue An. Especially when Fan Mengxue was crazily infatuated with Xue An, Hong Ming became even more relentless, finding various reasons to trouble Xue An. Now, seeing him again, Xue An was naturally happy. Happy to resolve this Heart Demon. But Hong Ming didn¡¯t see it that way; he thought Xue An was conceding and thus wore a smug look. At this time, the other classmates also noticed what was going on. Hong Ming was looking for trouble with Xue An! But on one side was the distinguished young master of the Hong Family, and on the other was the penniless Xue An. So, many immediately made their choice. Song Jing covered her mouth and laughed, ¡°Young Master Hong, when I first saw our dear Xue An, I thought I was mistaken! So dirty and shabby, but it turned out to be Xue An! Sorry! Xue An, I¡¯m just so blunt!¡± ¡°But now our handsome Xue An is already a daddy, and with kids to support, it¡¯s inevitable to face financial difficulties. Young Master Hong, why don¡¯t you give Xue An a job at your place!¡± Hong Ming nodded, speaking indifferently, ¡°If an old classmate is in trouble, I naturally want to help. I just happen to need someone to do odd jobs in my office. Xue An, if you come, I¡¯ll pay you a salary of ten thousand yuan.¡± Xue An didn¡¯t say anything, but looked at Hong Ming and Song Jing with interest. But his silence made Hong Ming think he was showing weakness, admitting defeat. This feeling of overwhelming his rival in front of a woman gave him a thrill. Just then, the food began to be served. In order to entertain Fan Mengxue, Hong Ming had spent a large sum of money, and the banquet was indeed very high-end. ¡°Everyone, please take your seats! Please take your seats!¡± Hong Ming began to invite the others to sit. Fan Mengxue looked at Xue An with concern, and Xue An nodded at her, then sat back down at the table. The two young girls started to enjoy their meal heartily. But Xue An did not pick up his chopsticks. At this point, Song Jing deliberately said, ¡°Xue An, you should eat, you probably don¡¯t get to eat food like this usually, try some!¡± The atmosphere began to turn odd. Tang Xuan¡¯er was burning with rage and stood up, ready to retort Song Jing. However, Xue An just waved his hand and then slightly raised an eyebrow. ¡°If I remember correctly, you¡¯re Song Jing?¡± ¡°Hehe, yes!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°As I thought, same old. Some dogs really can¡¯t change the habit of eating shit.¡± That comment made many people unable to hold back, and they burst into laughter. Song Jing¡¯s face turned even greener. ¡°You¡­¡± But at that moment, Hong Ming came over with a glass of wine. ¡°Here, Xue An, we haven¡¯t seen each other for many years, let¡¯s have a drink first!¡± Xue An leaned back in his chair and said indifferently, ¡°Why should I have a drink with you? What are you worth to toast with me?¡± With that, the whole private room fell silent. Hong Ming¡¯s face went purple. He had thought that Xue An was showing weakness and giving in, so he was ready to humiliate him under the guise of offering a toast. But to his surprise, he had been boldly slapped in the face instead. He snickered coldly a few times, ¡°Good! Quite gutsy! You ask me what I am worth? I¡¯ll tell you! Our Hong Family is about to start a partnership with Longtai Group, and next, we¡¯ll be expanding into the provincial capital. Soon, we¡¯ll become a provincial-level star enterprise, and might even go public!¡± These words made Song Jing, who was listening on the side, flush with excitement. A daughter-in-law of a publicly-listed company¡¯s board member. If she could marry into that, wouldn¡¯t she become the young mistress? Therefore, Song Jing also echoed, ¡°Young Master Hong is indeed promising. Xue An, did you hear that?¡± At this time, other classmates also began to discuss. ¡°The Hong Family is going to collaborate with Longtai Group? My God, Longtai Group is like a colossal enterprise!¡± ¡°Yeah! Young Master Hong is even more impressive in Beijiang now!¡± Hong Ming started to feel a bit smug, and he deliberately glanced at Fan Mengxue, but he noticed that she had been silent all along, her eyes fixed on Xue An and not even glancing at him. Jealousy burned within Hong Ming. In the meantime, there were people eagerly trying to persuade Xue An. ¡°Xue An, you should quickly apologize to Young Master Hong! We¡¯re all old classmates, and Young Master Hong is magnanimous, he won¡¯t take this to heart!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Quick, say sorry. Young Master Hong, you¡¯ll need to look out for us in the future!¡± Xue An coldly observed, watching these sycophantic so-called classmates for what they truly were. Then he slowly stretched, yawning long and loud. ¡°I take back what I said just now!¡± A smug smile appeared on the corner of Hong Ming¡¯s mouth. Many people breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Xue An was backing down. Only Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er looked at Xue An with concern. Xue An spoke indifferently, ¡°How could I describe you with a ¡®thing¡¯? In fact, you¡¯re not a ¡®thing¡¯ at all!¡± Chapter 15 - 15 Chapter 15 Sister is Right! 15 Chapter 15 Sister is Right! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Many people thought they had heard wrong. Had Xue An¡­ gone mad? Hong Ming¡¯s face turned green, and he said sinisterly, ¡°Xue An, remember not to kneel and beg for mercy later.¡± Xue An just smiled faintly, ¡°That advice seems more suitable for you!¡± At this point, Fan Mengxue interrupted the two, ¡°Hong Ming, today is my birthday. You¡¯d better not start anything!¡± Hong Ming huffed and backed away with a grim face. Song Jing¡¯s heart, however, bloomed with joy. Let them argue. The more intense the quarrel, the better! Hehe, it would be best if Hong Ming completely annoyed Fan Mengxue, that wench, so she herself would have a chance to rise to the top. Song Jing was making her calculations. Fan Mengxue looked at Xue An with concern. Xue An smiled and shook his head, signaling her not to worry. It was then that Tang Xuan¡¯er stood up, ¡°Today is Meng Xue¡¯s birthday. It¡¯s not easy for her to come back. Let¡¯s all toast to her!¡± Everyone stood up, Xue An also lifted his glass, and gave Fan Mengxue a toast from afar. Fan Mengxue then smiled radiantly and downed her drink. Pop. The champagne was opened. When the waiter brought in the twelve-layered cake, the atmosphere reached a climax. This time, however, everyone focused their attention on Hong Ming. Flattery flowed over Hong Ming like a tide. Many people eagerly complimented Hong Ming, hoping to secure a position under him. After a few drinks, Hong Ming himself began to feel rather elated, and with a grand gesture, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re all classmates. I¡¯ll naturally help when I should.¡± ¡°Young Hong is mighty!¡± ¡°Young Hong is truly extraordinary!¡± The crowd repeatedly toasted him. Meanwhile, Xue An seemed to be forgotten, with not even a glance from anyone. At that moment, Hong Ming pressed his hand downward to quiet everyone and then pulled a small box from his chest. Upon opening it, inside was a diamond ring of at least five carats. ¡°Meng Xue, happy birthday!¡± Hong Ming¡¯s birthday gift silenced the room. Song Jing¡¯s eyes nearly shot flames of jealousy. But Fan Mengxue lowered her eyes and gently shook her head, ¡°Hong Ming, I can¡¯t accept this gift!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too valuable!¡± Hong Ming laughed, ¡°It¡¯s just over a million, not a big deal at all!¡± But just then, a childlike voice piped up. ¡°Daddy, the ring you bought me from the roadside stand is bigger than this one!¡± All eyes turned to the speaker. Xue Xiang put down the chicken leg in his hand and said very seriously, ¡°Really, the ring my daddy bought from the roadside is very big!¡± Many people couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Xue Xiang¡¯s naive appearance. Song Jing laughed, ¡°Little girl, the ring your daddy bought can¡¯t be more than five yuan, but Young Hong has spent over a million on this!¡± ¡°Is over a million a lot?¡± Xue Xiang blinked curiously. ¡°Of course!¡± Xue Xiang shook her head, ¡°But I think that whatever daddy buys me, must be the best in the world!¡± Xue Nian swallowed the meat in his mouth and nodded vigorously, ¡°Sister is right!¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t help but laugh and touched the heads of Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°That¡¯s right, whatever daddy gives you is definitely the best!¡± ¡°Daddy, I want to give Aunt Meng Xue a present!¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°Go ahead! Whatever you¡¯ve been given is yours, and you can give it to whomever you wish!¡± Xue Xiang nodded, hopped off the chair, and then walked over to Fan Mengxue, seriously taking out the little ring Xue An had bought for her. ¡°Mengxue Auntie, happy birthday!¡± Seeing the exquisitely cute little girl, Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t help but smile, taking the ring and saying, ¡°Thank you! What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My name is Xue Xiang, and my younger sister is Xue Nian!¡± ¡°Xue Xiang, Xue Nian¡­¡± Fan Mengxue murmured a few words, a trace of bitterness crossing her heart. That girl, she surely liked him too, didn¡¯t she? At that moment, Song Jing sneered with sarcasm, ¡°Some people are really good at saving money, huh? Pick up a ring for five bucks on the street and call it a gift?¡± Fan Mengxue frowned, finding Song Jing really annoying. But suddenly. Fan Mengxue let out a light gasp as she carefully examined the ring. And then, Fan Mengxue was shocked. Having become famous, Fan Mengxue had frequently endorsed various jewelry and luxury brands, so she had an eye for these things. Fan Mengxue could affirm that this ring was not your average street stall item. On the contrary, its purity and quality were absolutely singular treasures. This thing could not possibly have been bought at a street stall! Meanwhile, Hong Ming couldn¡¯t save face anymore, one setback after another had pushed him to the brink of eruption. Now that Fan Mengxue was even refusing his gift, it cost Hong Ming his last shred of patience. He violently snatched the ring from Fan Mengxue¡¯s hand and ruthlessly threw it onto the ground. Fan Mengxue was furious, ¡°Hong Ming, what gives you the right to throw the gift Xue An gave me onto the ground?¡± Hong Ming scoffed coldly, ¡°Mengxue, this piece of junk is worthless. Why would you want it? Xue An, if you can¡¯t afford a gift, then don¡¯t buy one. Who do you think you¡¯re fooling with a plastic toy?¡± Xue An sighed and slowly stood up. He picked up the now shattered ring from the ground and extended a finger towards Hong Ming. ¡°Ten million!¡± ¡°What?¡± Hong Ming didn¡¯t understand. ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve smashed the ring I gave away. You have to pay for it. Seeing as we¡¯re old schoolmates, let¡¯s call it ten million,¡± Xue An said indifferently. Hong Ming looked at Xue An as if he were looking at a fool, ¡°Are you crazy with poverty? Here¡¯s a thousand yuan, enough to buy a hundred rings like yours!¡± Song Jing also scoffed, ¡°He¡¯s trying to scam us!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re not planning on compensating?¡± ¡°I¡¯m compensating your ass!¡± Hong Ming couldn¡¯t help but curse. But the next second, he paid the price for his words. Xue An suddenly grabbed an ashtray from the table, caught hold of Hong Ming¡¯s hair, and slammed it down on him four or five times. Everyone was stunned by this scene. Blood instantly poured from Hong Ming¡¯s head. Song Jing started to scream, but her scream was abruptly cut off halfway because Xue An grabbed her neck and spoke indifferently, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, be quiet, understand?¡± Song Jing nodded fearfully because she saw the look in Xue An¡¯s eyes. It was a detached and lofty gaze. Song Jing had a premonition that if she did not behave, Xue An wouldn¡¯t hesitate to snap her neck. At that moment, Hong Ming, who had been stunned by the ashtray, came to his senses, and anger contorted his face into something ferocious. ¡°Xue An, you¡¯re dead meat, I will kill you!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Seems you¡¯re still not convinced!¡± Then, Xue An calmly lifted the ashtray again and slammed it down, bang bang bang, another series of hits. Crack. Until the ashtray finally couldn¡¯t withstand any more and shattered. Only then did Xue An let go, and by now, Hong Ming couldn¡¯t even stand, collapsing onto the ground with blood flowing down his forehead. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I think now we can calmly discuss the matter of compensation.¡± The room was filled with shocked gazes. No one expected that Xue An, who was so gentle and cultured in school, would suddenly become so violent. Only Xue An knew that he could reduce Hong Ming, Song Jing, and the others to ashes effortlessly, but that wouldn¡¯t do anything for the Heart Demon. The only effective way was to make those who had once bullied him pay a thousandfold. At this moment, a hint of fear finally appeared in Hong Ming¡¯s eyes as he looked at Xue An. He could never have dreamed that Xue An would suddenly give him a beating. Chapter 16 - 16 Chapter 16 Well then, just add 10,000,000 more! 16 Chapter 16 Well then, just add 10,000,000 more! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio In his memory, Xue An was a very kind person, even bordering on timid. During school, he himself had provoked Xue An more than once, and Xue An never fought back. Unexpectedly, this time Xue An suddenly exploded. At that moment, Xue An turned his head to Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er and said, ¡°Take Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian and wait for me outside!¡± Fan Mengxue always obeyed Xue An¡¯s words without question, while Tang Xuan¡¯er hesitated for a moment before also getting up and leaving. Actually, by this point, the two little girls, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, didn¡¯t even know what had happened. From the beginning, Xue An had used a spell to shield the two little girls, after all, the scene just now¡­ was a bit too bloody. After his daughters left, Xue An¡¯s gaze turned towards Hong Ming. Hong Ming trembled all over, because Xue An¡¯s eyes were too terrifying. It was the gaze of an emperor looking down on his subjects. Hong Ming suddenly had the impulse to prostrate himself on the ground as he said in a trembling voice, ¡°Fine! Ten million it is, I¡¯ll pay!¡± A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him, so Hong Ming decided to submit first and take his revenge later. But Xue An shook his head and said indifferently, ¡°It was ten million just now, but now it has become twenty million!¡± ¡°After all¡­ you made me exert so much effort, and you even broke an ashtray. Shouldn¡¯t you compensate me for that?¡± Hong Ming¡¯s eyes widened in shock. It was the first time he had heard of someone having to compensate their attacker. As for the others, they were completely dumbfounded. After a moment, a few of the boys plucked up the courage to say, ¡°Xue An, let¡¯s call it even, we¡¯re all classmates here, why go to such lengths¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! Young Master Hong has already been beaten up by you, showing mercy is the noble thing to do, let¡¯s just let it go!¡± Xue An¡¯s gaze swept over these people¡¯s faces. This time, no one dared to meet his eyes, all looking down instead. ¡°Alright then! Since everyone is pleading for you¡­¡± The crowd¡¯s hearts had just begun to relax, thinking that Xue An was going to let it go. Xue An said dispassionately, ¡°Then let¡¯s add another ten million!¡± Everyone was stunned. As for Hong Ming, his face couldn¡¯t look uglier. Thirty million. That was no small sum. Although his family was rich, money didn¡¯t grow on trees, especially since he hadn¡¯t taken over the family business yet and relied on the pocket money his family gave him. It wasn¡¯t a small amount either, but it was far from thirty million. But just then, a noise came from outside, with faint sounds of women¡¯s screams and reprimands. Xue An¡¯s face instantly darkened, and with one kick he sent the private room door flying open before striding out. The people inside also followed out. At this moment in the corridor, a man with hair dyed in all the colors of the rainbow like a bird¡¯s nest, flanked by a few cronies, had surrounded Fan Mengxue, Tang Xuan¡¯er, and the others. The man was grinning, ¡°Chick, I noticed you at the door just now. You¡¯re so pretty, why stick with a loser like him? Why not come with big brother here? I¡¯m well-endowed and skilled, I guarantee you¡¯ll be satisfied!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er was so angry her face turned red, and she found herself speechless for a moment. Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t help but scold back, ¡°Ugh, shameless and vulgar, let us go! Otherwise, you¡¯ll face the consequences!¡± He-he, ¡°This one¡¯s even better looking! Face the consequences? Here in Beijiang, no one dares to talk to me like that!¡± the man chuckled. Seeing this scene, a killing intent flashed in Xue An¡¯s eyes. Upon seeing this man, Hong Ming was as if he had seen his savior and rushed over immediately, crying out with a sobbing tone. ¡°Brother Kun, save me, Brother Kun save me!¡± Only then did this man, called Brother Kun, notice Hong Ming, ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that Young Master Hong? Why is your face covered in blood?¡± At that moment, Song Jing, like a dog that had seen its owner, immediately began distorting the story as she recounted it. Brother Kun turned his face toward Xue An, first stunned, then he laughed with scorn. ¡°I thought some tough guy had crossed over from somewhere else, turns out it¡¯s just a pathetic loser!¡± This Brother Kun was the man who had mocked Xue An as a country bumpkin at the entrance of the Dragon Emperor Platform. Now, Xue An¡¯s classmates recognized who Brother Kun was and couldn¡¯t help but whisper among themselves. ¡°Killer Kun! It¡¯s actually Killer Kun!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard this guy is extremely ruthless, and he¡¯s also under Du Fan, the big boss of the Dragon Emperor Platform!¡± ¡°Looks like Young Master Hong has a good relationship with this Lu Kun! This is going to be interesting!¡± Lu Kun patted Hong Ming¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of this matter. But these two girls¡­ they¡¯re your classmates, right?¡± Hong Ming trembled and then nodded his head. Lu Kun¡¯s smile became even happier, ¡°In that case, there¡¯s even less of an outsider here. I¡¯d like to invite the two young ladies for a meal later, what do you think?¡± Although it sounded like a question, Hong Ming knew very well that Lu Kun was a henchman of South City¡¯s big boss, someone who was always arrogant and commanding. Whatever he said had to be done. Hong Ming hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth. Anyway, there was no chance with Fan Mengxue anymore, and Lu Kun was not someone he could afford to offend. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to grant a favor by going with the flow, so he nodded. Lu Kun turned around, a malevolent smile on his face, ¡°Kid, now I¡¯m giving you two options. One is to kneel down and apologize to Young Master Hong. Make him satisfied and I¡¯ll let you go. The other¡­ I¡¯ll throw you into the river to feed the sharks tonight.¡± But a childish voice came through, ¡°Uncle Chicken Coop, there are no sharks in the river, sharks are in the sea, you know!¡± The speaker was Xue Xiang, Lu Kun¡¯s expression suddenly became very interesting. Xue An gave a slight smile, ¡°Do you like your hair very much?¡± This non-sequitur confused Lu Kun. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you like your hair very much? Otherwise, why would you dye it with so many colors?¡± Lu Kun tossed his bangs with pride, ¡°Of course! My hair is very precious! I¡­¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± After that, Xue An¡¯s left foot suddenly kicked off the ground, and he shot out like a bullet. A few henchmen stood in front of Lu Kun. Xue An charged at them, fists flying left and right, swiftly flattening those henchmen, then grabbed Lu Kun, who was still in a dazed state. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing? I¡­ I¡¯m Du Ge¡¯s man¡­ you¡­¡± Xue An¡¯s hand slowly lifted, Lu Kun¡¯s feet left the ground, his eyes rolling back as he was choked. Not until Lu Kun¡¯s face had almost turned green did Xue An suddenly release him. Lu Kun fell to the ground with a thud, and before he could recover, Xue An spoke softly, ¡°Cover their eyes.¡± Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er understood immediately and covered Xue Xiang and Nian Nian¡¯s eyes, blocking their ears as well. Then Xue An took hold of Lu Kun¡¯s hair and pulled with a little force. Rip. A large tuft of hair was brutally torn off. Lu Kun let out a miserable scream. Xue An, not wanting to disturb his daughter, reached out with his right hand and unceremoniously dislocated Lu Kun¡¯s jaw. After that, like pulling up leeks, Xue An stripped Lu Kun¡¯s hair off tuft by tuft. Chapter 17 - 17 Chapter 17 Kill it! 17 Chapter 17 Kill it! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Hong Ming watched from the side, his soul seemingly trying to escape. Because the scene was simply too bloody. Each strand of hair was yanked hard from the scalp. And with every tug, Lu Kun would tremble all over, emitting a whimpering sound. But Xue An carried on with a calm and indifferent expression, as if what he had pulled out was merely a handful of weeds. When he finally finished, Xue An patted his hands, nodding with satisfaction. ¡°Much more pleasing to the eye now!¡± At that moment, everyone instinctively took a step back. Especially Hong Ming, whose legs were shaking. As soon as Xue An¡¯s gaze turned towards him, he couldn¡¯t help but retreat. ¡°Don¡¯t come over¡­don¡¯t come here, you¡¯re finished, this Lu Kun is Brother Fan¡¯s man, Brother Fan won¡¯t let you off!¡± Hong Ming thought of Du Fan, and his confidence was bolstered. After such a major incident, it was about time for someone to show up, Hong Ming estimated. Just then, a flurry of footsteps resounded from the corridor, followed by an angry man¡¯s voice: ¡°Who is it? Who dares to touch Du Fan¡¯s people?¡± Accompanying the voice, a burly man with a sinister gaze led a group of men charging over. Du Fan was in charge of managing the Dragon Emperor Platform. Normally, there wasn¡¯t much to do. After all, Du Fan¡¯s reputation was well established; even if some drunkards caused trouble, Lu Kun would handle it. So Du Fan¡¯s daily routine involved indulgence in eating, drinking, and merrymaking. But today. While he was drinking with some guests, someone called him out, informing him that something had gone wrong, and that Lu Kun had been beaten! Of course, Du Fan was furious and immediately led the security guards to rush over. Upon seeing Du Fan arrive, Hong Ming¡¯s eyes lit up. This Du Fan was a big brother-level figure in South City, someone even his father had to nod and bow to when meeting him. Therefore, Hong Ming was extremely excited, taunting Xue An, ¡°Xue An, Brother Fan is here. Now I want to see how arrogant you can be!¡± Seeing Du Fan, Lu Kun¡¯s tears flowed out, struggling to crawl over. Du Fan was initially startled, as Lu Kun was in a pitiful state, his hair gone, his entire head soaked red with blood, resembling a plucked duckhead. ¡°Brother Fan¡­Brother Fan, avenge me! This guy, he yanked out all my hair!¡± After someone supported Lu Kun¡¯s chin, he cried out. Enraged, Du Fan felt as though his own face had been disgraced since Lu Kun had been following him for many years and being handled this way. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will flay this person alive to avenge you!¡± Du Fan said with murderous intent. Lu Kun cried and nodded. At this moment, Du Fan raised his head and said coldly, ¡°Who did this! Show yourself!¡± The whole place fell silent. Du Fan sneered, ¡°What is it? Brave enough to do it but not to own up?¡± Then Hong Ming excitedly said, ¡°Brother Fan, it was this guy who did it! We all saw it!¡± Du Fan turned to look, then paused. Xue An, with his hands behind his back, watched Du Fan with a serene expression. ¡°So, you¡¯re Du Fan?¡± Du Fan felt a chill down his spine because the man¡¯s demeanor was astonishing. This kind of presence, he had only seen on one other person. And it was nowhere near as intense as this man¡¯s. The moment Du Fan nodded, ¡°I am Du Fan!¡± Xue An charged at him, throwing a punch straight to the face. But Du Fan reacted quickly, retreating just enough to narrowly evade the blow. The fist scraped past Du Fan¡¯s nose, and then smashed into the wall. With a thunderous boom, the entire wall collapsed. Amid the rising dust, Du Fan was scared out of his wits, shouting, ¡°Misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding!¡± But Xue An wasn¡¯t about to give him a chance to explain. After being hassled by various parties for half the day, Xue An was also getting fed up. No matter who it was! Since he was the boss! Then killing him would be the end of it! Such is the so-called control over life and death. However, just then, a burly man rushed over, and Du Fan, seeing him, felt as if he had seen a savior. ¡°Blackie, save me!¡± The burly man¡¯s face changed drastically upon seeing Xue An, but in his desperation, he still confronted him. At that moment, Xue An threw another punch. The burly man arrived just in time, then planted himself in a horse stance, channeling all his strength into his right fist, and met Xue An¡¯s punch head-on. A smirk appeared on the corners of Xue An¡¯s lips. Thud. A muffled sound made everyone present feel as if their hearts had skipped a beat. Then, the burly man staggered back more than a dozen steps and vomited a mouthful of fresh blood. Du Fan, who had felt assured of victory upon seeing the burly man, now was truly terrified. Even this burly man was no match for this person? Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, the burly man gave a wry smile and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, thank you for showing mercy!¡± Only he knew that Xue An had indeed held back; otherwise, he couldn¡¯t possibly be standing here. Xue An withdrew his punch and spoke indifferently, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± This burly man was none other than Qin Yuan¡¯s personal bodyguard, Old Black! Old Black gave a bitter smile, ¡°The Dragon Emperor Platform is also Longtai Group¡¯s property.¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Qin Yuan isn¡¯t here?¡± Old Black shook his head, ¡°The old master is currently busy with company affairs.¡± Du Fan broke out in cold sweat all over his body. Who exactly is this man? Why does Blackie address him respectfully as Mr. Xue? And he even calls the old master by his name? Although Du Fan was well-known in the market, he was actually just a dog kept by Longtai Group. Let alone Qin Yuan, even one of Qin Yuan¡¯s bodyguards was someone Du Fan had to treat with great respect. Because he was aware that his so-called influence was a joke in front of an existence like the Qin Family. As for Hong Ming, he was already pale-faced and unable to speak a word. Of course, he knew Old Black. And he was aware of what this man¡¯s status meant within Longtai Group. Someone of such stature was exceedingly courteous to Xue An. This confirmed who he really was! ¡°However, the young lady just mentioned she was coming over, she should be arriving soon!¡± Old Black said. No sooner had he finished speaking than the stern-looking Qin Yu walked in. Du Fan shivered all over and quickly bowed his head to greet her, ¡°Young Miss!¡± Qin Yu, however, did not even glance at him and walked straight up to Xue An. ¡°Mr. Xue.¡± This address of Mr. Xue utterly crushed Hong Ming¡¯s hope. Qin Yu he recognized, but only from a distance when he attended a high-class gathering with his father, having only caught a glimpse of her once. But that was it, he hadn¡¯t even exchanged words with her. To him, Qin Yu was like a star in the sky, something he could long for but never obtain. He finally realized that all he prided himself on was utterly worthless in front of Xue An. It¡¯s no wonder that from the beginning he was lackadaisical, apparently¡­ none of this mattered to him at all! Xue An nodded. Qin Yu, frowning, looked around and asked in a grave voice, ¡°What happened?¡± Du Fan was drenched in sweat and stammered an explanation. As for Lu Kun, he had already fainted from fear earlier on. Chapter 18 - 18 Chapter 18: Would You Like to Transfer or Pay with Cash? 18 Chapter 18: Would You Like to Transfer or Pay with Cash? Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Miss¡­ Miss, I didn¡¯t know either, I heard people were fighting and rushed over here, only to have Mr. Xue knock down a wall without a word!¡± Du Fan said. Qin Yu¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that Mr. Xue is a distinguished guest of our group?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes! I deserve to die, I deserve to die! I didn¡¯t know!¡± Du Fan said, nodding and bowing profusely. ¡°Take this guy away, and don¡¯t let him show up at the Dragon Emperor Platform ever again!¡± ¡°Understood, understood!¡± Du Fan quickly ordered his men to drag away Lu Kun like a dead dog. At this moment, Hong Ming and Song Jing, seeing that the situation was not good, tried to sneak away. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Hold on!¡± Hong Ming¡¯s body stiffened, and he stood frozen in place, not daring to move. ¡°Just like that, you¡¯re leaving?¡± Hong Ming¡¯s smile was uglier than a cry, ¡°Xue An, no, no, no, Mr. Xue, I know I was wrong! I¡¯ll go right now and collect the money for you, 30 million, right?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°Do you think that 30 million can solve the problem now?¡± Hong Ming wept, falling to his knees with a thud, ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡¯ve lost, I give in, please spare me this time!¡± Qin Yu was somewhat puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just that he broke a gift of mine. He just has to compensate for it, that¡¯s all!¡± At that moment, Hong Ming gathered his last bit of courage and said to Qin Yu, ¡°Miss Qin, I¡¯m Hong Ming, remember? I met you with my father at a banquet!¡± ¡°Hong Ming? You are from the Hong Family?¡± Qin Yu frowned slightly, seeming to recall something. ¡°Yes! Miss Qin, please, I beg you to plead for me. They said that the ring was just something Mr. Xue bought from a street stall, so I threw it away! I really didn¡¯t know it was so valuable!¡± Hong Ming cried a mess of snot and tears. At this moment. All of Xue An¡¯s classmates were shocked. Who could have anticipated that things would turn out this way? At first, Xue An¡¯s low profile and silence made everyone think he was caving in. But in the blink of an eye, Hong Ming, who originally appeared polished and composed, was kneeling and begging for mercy. This reversal of fortune came much too quickly. At least Song Jing was still bewildered. But she also realized that Xue An was talking and laughing with the Miss of Longtai Group, Qin Yu, and it seemed like she had a lot of respect for Xue An. Remembering her own disdain and sarcasm towards Xue An, Song Jing felt a chill down the back of her neck. She was also filled with infinite regret. If she had built a good relationship with Xue An like Tang Xuan¡¯er had, wouldn¡¯t she have been able to connect with the Longtai Group by now? Not knowing what it was, Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help asking Xue An, ¡°What did you break? Can I see it?¡± Xue An took out the ring and handed it to Qin Yu. Qin Yu took it and was stunned for a moment, then began to examine it carefully and with immense care. Hong Ming stopped crying, hoping that Qin Yu would ¡°do him justice.¡± But the longer Qin Yu looked, the more complex her expression became. After a while, Qin Yu returned the ring to Xue An with a sense of regret. ¡°This is truly a priceless treasure, such a pity it was broken!¡± Hong Ming was petrified. What? Could it be that the Miss of the mighty Longtai Group was also conspiring to cheat him? Qin Yu looked at Hong Ming and laughed coldly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying to you? To tell you the truth, I¡¯ve seen plenty of jewelry since I was little, including many rare and exotic treasures, but I¡¯ve never seen anything as clear and rare as this ring. And you¡¯re saying you got it from a street stall?¡± Then Qin Yu looked at Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue, if this ring were to be auctioned, it would sell for at least 50 million!¡± Hong Ming made a gurgling noise in his throat as if he was about to gasp his last breath. Fifty million! This figure made Hong Ming see stars before his eyes. Xue An sighed at this moment, ¡°After all, we were schoolmates, and it wouldn¡¯t be right to be too ruthless, not to mention I gave him a beating!¡± These words rekindled hope in Hong Ming. Xue An turned to Tang Xuan¡¯er and asked, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, you work at the hospital, how much would it cost to treat his injuries?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er hesitated for a moment, ¡°Just for bandaging, it would be less than a hundred yuan!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s just call it a hundred yuan then! So, you owe me forty-nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred yuan exactly!¡± Xue An¡¯s smile was brilliant, ¡°Hong Ming, will you transfer the amount, or will you pay in cash?¡± Hong Ming rolled his eyes and then fainted. Xue An shook his head, ¡°Perhaps he fainted from excitement over the great discount I gave him! But the account must be correct, Miss Qin, do you know the Hong family?¡± Qin Yu nodded, ¡°Their Hong family has always wanted to cooperate with us.¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll leave the matter of collecting the money to you!¡± Qin Yu certainly had no objections. To Qin Yu, the Hong family was just a minor issue, nothing to be concerned about. All the others had left, and as they did so, the expressions on their faces were complex. Who could have imagined that Xue An, who was so unassuming and ordinary in school, would suddenly become so formidable. Even a big shot like Du Fan was nodding and bowing to him. And even the young mistress of the Qin family was showing him great respect. At that moment, many realized that they were no longer on the same level as Xue An. Among them, Song Jing¡¯s emotions were the most complicated. Surprise and fear were mingled with endless regret. But after leaving the Dragon Emperor Platform, she spat on the ground with some resentment. Pretending to be who?! Even if you are formidable, so what? In the end, you still can¡¯t do anything to me, can you? Hmph! Thinking this, Song Jing turned a corner, ready to take a shortcut home. But just then, she felt an itching under her feet, and looking down, she saw a cluster of white flames rising from underneath her feet. She was terrified and just as she was about to scream, the flames engulfed her in an instant. In the blink of an eye, Song Jing was reduced to ashes. In her last moment, Song Jing finally understood. Why Xue An ignored her. Would you be angry with someone who was about to die? ¡°Mr. Xue, after I go back, I will start the investigation right away and, indeed, I have discovered the real culprit!¡± Qin Yu said to Xue An at this moment. ¡°Oh? And what does that have to do with me?¡± Xue An was not interested in these matters. Qin Yu bit her lip, this guy, despite being highly skilled, sometimes was just impenetrable! ¡°This person is my uncle, and also the current manager of Longtai Group.¡± Mentioning this, Qin Yu wore an expression of anger. Xue An, however, yawned out of boredom¡ªsuch power struggles among the wealthy, he had seen too many of them over the past three thousand years. ¡°But we can¡¯t produce evidence now. However, we have information that in three days, this Qin Tian will attend an auction. At that time, the person behind the scenes might also appear.¡± ¡°So?¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°So I am hoping that Mr. Xue will attend then.¡± Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Are You… Really Xiao An? (Makeup Update) Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Are You¡­ Really Xiao An? (Makeup Update) Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Qin Yu looked at Xue An with some nervousness. Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes, I can!¡± Qin Yu was overjoyed, ¡°Then, I will come to fetch you after three days.¡± The reason Xue An agreed was that he felt the Qin Family was not too bad. Seeing as he currently had nothing else to do, he took it as giving a favor with the tide. ¡°However, you mentioned this auction, is there anything special about it?¡± Xue An asked. Qin Yu shook his head, ¡°Every year, our Beijiang businessman association organizes several auctions at irregular intervals, and the proceeds are all donated. This time is no different, so there is nothing special about it. Do you mean, Mr. Xue¡­¡± ¡°The person who acted against your grandfather may not have a high cultivation level, but he is at least a cultivator. Since he plans to attend this auction, there must be something that attracts him.¡± Qin Yu furrowed his eyebrows, ¡°Then I will go back and investigate thoroughly!¡± ¡°No need for that, we will see what happens when the time comes,¡± Xue An said calmly. Watching Xue An, who didn¡¯t seem to take the matter seriously, Qin Yu felt a bit worried inside. Qin Yu had personally witnessed Xue An¡¯s medical skills and had no doubts about them. But if the other party was someone who possessed secret techniques and Xue An could not overcome him, the consequences would be¡­ What Qin Yu hadn¡¯t told Xue An was that the Longtai Group had now effectively become Qin Tian¡¯s property. Many people now only knew of Qin Tian and were unaware of Qin Yuan. It all started because Qin Yuan neglected the management over the past year and was busy seeking treatment for his illness. By the time he had finally recovered thanks to Xue An, he found that he had lost control of Longtai Group. Therefore, if they couldn¡¯t defeat Qin Tian this time, then Qin Yuan and his grandson would both face a great crisis. Qin Yu had always been deeply concerned about this. After thanking Xue An, he hastily left. Xue An turned to look at his two daughters, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, have you eaten enough?¡± Xiang Nian was the first to shake her head, ¡°No, Daddy, I think the food here tastes awful!¡± Xue Xiang also said, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m not full either.¡± ¡°Alright, how about I take you guys somewhere else to eat?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Xiang Nian nodded eagerly like a little chick pecking at grains. Whenever food was mentioned, this little girl¡¯s eyes would light up. Xue An then turned towards Fan Mengxue. Fan Mengxue had been staring at Xue An since a while back, especially when Qin Yu appeared, her sense of crisis intensified. This girl had an outstanding appearance, but more importantly, her family background was far superior to her own. After all, the Longtai Group was a well-known leading enterprise in the province, with annual taxes amounting to over a hundred billion. This made Fan Mengxue feel deep-seated inferiority. She thought that her four years of efforts would have allowed her to get a bit closer to Xue An, but she found that the distance had become even greater. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it seems like I¡¯ve messed up your birthday banquet!¡± Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for coming back to see you, I wouldn¡¯t have attended this so-called birthday banquet at all!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll take you to have a feast!¡± This was a small restaurant located in a residential area. Although the front was narrow, it was very clean and tidy. It was already past nine in the evening, and there weren¡¯t many customers left. Old Xie was preparing to clean up the utensils; it was almost time to close for the night. At that moment, the door was pushed open, and a line of people came in one after another. Leading the group was a man with a smile on his lips. The man stood tall and straight, his sword-like eyebrows sitting above a pair of eyes that sparkled like stars, compelling those who saw him to feel an urge to submit. Old Xie was startled, faintly feeling that this man looked very familiar. Following behind the man were two little girls, each carved as if from pink jade. The girls were extremely adorable, and strikingly identical to each other. By this time, the people eating in the restaurant had also noticed this tableau. Just as Old Xie was about to speak, two more women walked in. The arrival of these two women quieted the already noisy restaurant. One of them was dressed in a flowing gown, her features delicate and refined, exuding the grace of a secluded orchid in a deep valley. The other, even though she wore a mask, had such picturesque brows and eyes, and a svelte figure, one could imagine she was definitely a stunning beauty. Old Xie was so dazzled he nearly lost his wits. At that moment, Xue An offered a small smile, ¡°Uncle Xie, don¡¯t you recognize Old Xie shuddered, that voice¡­ so familiar! ¡°You¡­ you are¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Xue An!¡± Xue An! Old Xie was at first incredulous, but after studying the man closely for a moment, he shouted with immense joy, ¡°Xiao An, is it really you?¡± Xue An nodded. Old Xie joyously bellowed, ¡°Wife, come out and see who¡¯s back!¡± Auntie Pang, Old Xie¡¯s spouse, was over fifty years old this year, busy in the kitchen. Hearing Old Xie¡¯s call, she came out. ¡°Who is it, making all that noise!¡± ¡°Xiao An, it¡¯s Xiao An who¡¯s back!¡± Old Xie said gleefully. Auntie Pang looked at Xue An, first startled, then in disbelief, ¡°You¡­ really are Xiao An?¡± Xue An felt a warm current flowing in his heart as he looked at the couple. In the days when he and An Yan were struggling the most, they barely had enough food to eat daily. Xue An would go to a nearby construction site to do odd jobs, and when it came time for lunch, he didn¡¯t even have the money to pay for it. It was this couple that ran the small eatery who noticed Xue An¡¯s plight and offered him help without any reservation. Although it was just a few meals, Xue An remembered them deeply. As Xue An came more often, his relationship with the couple grew closer. When they found out that there was a pregnant woman expecting at Xue An¡¯s home, Auntie Pang felt sympathy for him. She would often pack up some eggs from her country home to give to Xue An to take back for An Yan to nourish herself. Xue An remembered all these little things. Xue An nodded at Auntie Pang, then smiled, ¡°Auntie Pang, it¡¯s me, Xiao An!¡± Auntie Pang¡¯s tears fell, and she stepped forward to grab Xue An¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Xiao An, where have you been these four years! Your Uncle Xie and I have been looking for you for so long, many people said you were no longer here, but I always felt, such a good child like you, heaven would definitely bless you!¡± (Heaven: Auntie Pang, you¡¯re making me laugh, I bless him? I¡¯m just lucky if he doesn¡¯t beat me up! The guy¡¯s an Immortal Venerable!) Xue An had cultivated for three thousand years. his Dao heart firm as a rock. but at this moment, he couldn¡¯t help but feel touched. ¡°Auntie Pang, haven¡¯t I come back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re back, good that you¡¯re back! Silly old man, what are you grinning for? Go set the table! And then close the restaurant; Xiao An has come home, we need to celebrate properly!¡± ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Old Xie hastily agreed. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but smile, it seemed nothing had changed, Old Xie had no status in the house, everything was decided by Auntie Pang.. Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20: A Warm Dinner (Second Update) Chapter 20: Chapter 20: A Warm Dinner (Second Update) Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio At that moment, Auntie Pang noticed the two young girls following behind Xue An. These two charming and cute little girls instantly won Auntie Pang¡¯s affection. ¡°What beautiful young ladies! Xiao An, are these your¡­¡± ¡°My two daughters!¡± Xue An laughed. ¡°So beautiful! So adorable!¡± Auntie Pang¡¯s face creased into a smile. Xue Xiang and her sister sweetly called out, ¡°Grandma!¡± That title brought tears to the corners of Auntie Pang¡¯s eyes, and she quickly opened a drawer, grabbing a handful of dried fruit to hand to Xue Xiang and her sister. ¡°You two, who is the older sister and who is the younger one?¡± It seemed like everyone who met them would ask that question. Xue Xiang giggled, ¡°The one standing next to the older sister is the younger one!¡± Her sister added, ¡°The one standing next to the younger sister is the older one!¡± Auntie Pang laughed so hard tears came out, ¡°Such clever little sprites!¡± At this time, the few remaining diners were politely escorted out by Old Xie, who then dashed into the kitchen to start cooking with great fervor. Meanwhile, Auntie Pang¡¯s attention was drawn to Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue. The appearance of these two girls also took Auntie Pang¡¯s breath away. Then Auntie Pang pulled Xue An aside to a quieter spot and asked in a low voice, ¡°Xiao An, which one of them is your wife?¡± Xue An was somewhat bemused, ¡°Neither of them!¡± ¡°What? What happened between you and your wife An Yan?¡± Auntie Pang asked, surprised. Xue An sighed lightly, ¡°Auntie Pang, An Yan is fine, but there are some things going on, so she hasn¡¯t shown up yet. These two are both my friends!¡± Auntie Pang was somewhat skeptical. At that moment, seeing that there were no outsiders in the restaurant, Fan Mengxue took off her mask. Auntie Pang¡¯s eyes widened instantly. ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t this¡­¡± Fan Mengxue smiled graciously, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m Meng Xue!¡± Auntie Pang was flabbergasted. ¡°Are you really that big star Fan Mengxue from the TV?¡± Fan Mengxue nodded with a smile. Auntie Pang was at a loss for words. When she first laid eyes on Xue An, she could tell this young man was not ordinary. Little did she expect that four years later, not only had Xue An returned, but he also brought along two stunning beauties. One of which was the big star she saw on TV every day. At that time, Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er rolled up their sleeves, tied their hair back, and went into the kitchen to help. Then, there was a clang from the kitchen. Old Xie, who was focused on cooking, panicked and dropped the frying spoon upon seeing Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er enter. ¡°Uncle Xie, let me do it!¡± said Fan Mengxue with a smile. Meanwhile, Tang Xuan¡¯er quickly got to work washing and chopping vegetables. Old Xie was promptly shooed out of the kitchen. Once outside, Old Xie still looked dazed. It wasn¡¯t until Auntie Pang knocked on his head with some exasperation that he finally came to his senses. ¡°You get dumbstruck by a pretty girl?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s just that¡­ that girl just now, she looked so familiar.¡± ¡°How could she not look familiar? Isn¡¯t she your favorite star, Fan Mengxue?¡± Old Xie was shocked, ¡°Really? I thought she just looked similar!¡± ¡°What did you think? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know who our Xiao An is!¡± Auntie Pang said with quite a bit of pride. The dishes were quickly ready, filling the table. Just the appearance and aroma alone were enough to make one¡¯s mouth water. Old Xie took a bite and immediately gave a thumbs up. ¡°Great skills!¡± Fan Mengxue smiled slightly. Having lived alone since childhood, she had long perfected her cooking skills. After becoming a celebrity, she often sought advice from various renowned chefs. Now, her cooking skills were so advanced that even head chefs of regular hotels couldn¡¯t compare. Meanwhile, Tang Xuan¡¯er carved a radish into two little rabbits and gave them to Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. Looking at the lifelike little rabbits, Old Xie couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Nice knife work! ¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er blushed and lowered her head. Her knife skills came from her love of all sorts of trinkets, which she had figured out on her own. Especially after An Yan left, she had to take care of the dietary and daily needs of the two little girls, often making little things to sell. Surprisingly, they sold very well. Old Xie also let it all out and took out a bottle of aged liquor that he had cherished for many years. ¡°Come on, Xiao An, today you and I won¡¯t return until we¡¯re plastered!¡± Auntie Pang glared at Old Xie, ¡°All you know is drinking; if you get Xiao An drunk, who¡¯s going to take the girls home?¡± Old Xie was put in a quite awkward position by Auntie Pang¡¯s retort. Xue An, however, laughed, ¡°Auntie Pang, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll just have a little drink with Uncle Xie, it won¡¯t cause any trouble!¡± Xue An¡¯s words were more effective than Old Xie¡¯s, and Auntie Pang nodded, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m trying to control you, Uncle Xie, but your health is getting worse every day, yet you still insist on drinking!¡± Xue An¡¯s heart stirred, ¡°Uncle Xie, let me have a look at your hand.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Old Xie stretched out his hand. Xue An placed his hand on the pulse point, sending a strand of spiritual essence into it. After a moment, he let go of the hand, ¡°Auntie Pang, Uncle Xie is fine, he¡¯s just exhausted from years of hard work. I¡¯ll prepare some medicine for Uncle Xie and for you later, guaranteeing you¡¯ll live to a hundred!¡± Old Xie chuckled, ¡°Xiao An, you know how to treat illnesses?¡± ¡°It¡¯s passable, I can handle simple ones!¡± Xue An decided that he would gather some medicinal herbs later, then concoct some Primordial Essence Elixir for Auntie Pang, Uncle Xie, and Xuan¡¯er. While it couldn¡¯t grant immortality, living to over two hundred years old wasn¡¯t a problem! Everyone took their seats, but Xue An felt something was off and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Auntie Pang, where¡¯s Jingjing? Hasn¡¯t she come back yet?¡± At the mention of that name, worry appeared on Auntie Pang¡¯s face. Old Xie sighed in frustration, ¡°Don¡¯t get me started on your disappointing sister!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Ever since she started high school, Jingjing has changed. All day long she¡¯s dolled up like a doll and hangs out with a bunch of no-good boys. Your Uncle Xie has beaten her a few times out of anger, but it was useless,¡± Auntie Pang said with a troubled face. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about her now, during a happy moment,¡± Old Xie said sternly, cutting off the subject. Xie Jingjing was Old Xie¡¯s daughter. Because she was born when he was older, Old Xie was exceedingly fond of her. Xue An still remembered how, when he first came to the restaurant, a junior high school-aged Xie Jingjing used to cling to him all the time. Back then, Xie Jingjing had a plain student haircut and a smile that revealed lovely crescent moon-shaped eyes. And Xie Jingjing would often say naively to Xue An, ¡°Xiao An brother, when I grow up, I definitely want to find a boy just like you!¡± Even though three thousand years had passed, Xue An had never forgotten these memories. ¡°Uncle Xie, cheers!¡± Xue An took the initiative to pick up a cup and offered Old Xie a toast first. Old Xie drained his cup in one gulp, and his face relaxed slightly. Just then, someone raised the rolled-down shutter door, and a girl wearing tight shorts, with her hair tied in twin ponytails and fiery red lipstick walked in.. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Troublesome Girl (Third Update) Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Troublesome Girl (Third Update) Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Hey, here I am eating!¡± the girl said indifferently, tossing her backpack onto the ground. Old Xie couldn¡¯t contain his anger when he saw her. ¡°You¡¯re home so late again, where have you been?¡± This young girl was none other than Old Xie¡¯s daughter, Xie Jingjing. She said dismissively, ¡°Nowhere much, just went racing with some friends for a bit.¡¯ Old Xie was infuriated by Xie Jingjing¡¯s attitude and was about to explode. But Auntie Pang, feeling sorry for her daughter, hurriedly said, ¡°Jingjing, guess who¡¯s back?¡± ¡°Whoever it is, whatever!¡± Xie Jingjing spoke carelessly, about to head into the inner room. At that moment, Xue An let out a sigh and said softly, ¡°Jingjing!¡± Xie Jingjing, who hadn¡¯t cared at all, was stunned when she heard this voice, and then she saw Xue An sitting there with a gentle smile on his face, her eyes filling with tears. ¡°Xiao¡­ Xiao An, brother?¡± Xie Jingjing¡¯s voice trembled. There was still a hint of disbelief in her tone. Xue An smiled and nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m back!¡± Before Xue An could finish speaking, Xie Jingjing rushed over and buried herself in his embrace, crying out loud. The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward. Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er exchanged glances, then continued eating as if nothing unusual was happening. ¡°Xiao An, brother, where have you been these four years? They all said you were dead, but I knew you weren¡¯t, because I often dreamed about you.¡± Xue An felt the girl¡¯s tears soaking his chest and felt a sense of poignancy, then patted Xie Jingjing¡¯s head gently. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re such a big girl now, are you still crying?¡± Xie Jingjing looked up, her face streaked with ruined makeup from the tears. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her comical appearance. Noticing her embarrassing state, Xie Jingjing quickly covered her face and dashed into the inner room. Xue An looked at Auntie Pang and Old Xie and couldn¡¯t help saying with a laugh, ¡°Jingjing¡¯s grown up so much.¡± ¡°Tell me about it! Now that you¡¯re back, you really should talk to her. She listens to you most,¡± Auntie Pang said. Old Xie was delighted and lifted his cup, having another drink with Xue An. At this time, Xie Jingjing came back with her face washed clean. Without the messy makeup, Xie Jingjing appeared fresh-faced and lovely, then slowly moved towards Xue An. ¡°Haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? Come on, sit down and eat!¡± Auntie Pang, feeling pity for her daughter, said urgently. But Xie Jingjing noticed Xue Xiang and another girl, her eyes turning red, ¡°These are¡­ Xiao An, brother, are they your daughters?¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°Then who are those two?¡± Xie Jingjing pointed at Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue and asked. ¡°Jingjing, how can you be so impolite!¡± Auntie Pang said, a bit angry. Fan Mengxue smiled slightly, ¡°Auntie, it¡¯s okay, I quite like Jingjing.¡± Xue An said, ¡°They are my friends!¡± ¡°Just friends?¡± Xie Jingjing dug deeper. Xue An was at a loss for words and chuckled, ¡°What else would they be if not friends?¡± Xie Jingjing seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and then put on a smile, taking a seat next to Xue An. ¡°To the two sisters, let me toast to you first!¡± Xie Jingjing filled a glass and said to Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er. Old Xie frowned, ¡°Stop being ridiculous!¡± Fan Mengxue waved her hand and also filled a glass, ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll have a drink with you, sister!¡± With that, Fan Mengxue downed it in one gulp. Xie Jingjing clenched her teeth and also drained the glass of liquor. However, after she finished, her face reddened. Fan Mengxue, on the other hand, didn¡¯t show any signs of discomfort. In fact, for Fan Mengxue, drinking another bottle of white liquor was no pressure at all. There was no choice; embarking on the path of show business meant she had to face many a treacherous dinner party. To protect herself, Fan Mengxue had trained her alcohol tolerance to a terrifyingly high level. Xie Jingjing filled another glass and said to Tang Xuan¡¯er, ¡°Sister, let¡¯s drink a glass too!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er hesitated slightly, but at that moment, Xue An picked up his glass, ¡°What¡¯s this? Haven¡¯t seen you in four years and your alcohol tolerance has grown significantly, huh!¡± Xie Jingjing lowered her head. Xue An put on the air of an older brother, ¡°Look at your outfit, do you even resemble a student? And drinking alcohol, too? Do you think that without me around, you can act recklessly?¡± Tears of grievance started falling from Xie Jingjing¡¯s eyes. Xue An softened his tone, ¡°Since you want to drink, I¡¯ll join you for a glass then!¡± Having said that, Xue An downed his drink in one gulp. Xie Jingjing, gritting her teeth, followed suit. This time her eyes started to look bleary. Xue An set down his glass, ¡°Let this glass be the end. Starting tomorrow, I want to see an obedient Xie Jingjing, understand?¡± Xie Jingjing looked at Xue An, nodded her head, and then collapsed on the table, drunk. Auntie Pang hurried forward, but Xue An waved her off, ¡°It¡¯s fine, let her sleep it off! ¡± Then, placing his hand on Xie Jingjing¡¯s shoulder, his qi entered her body, helping to dispel her drunkenness. Hm. Xue An let out a soft exclamation, Xie Jingjing turned out to be a rare pure yin constitution. This constitution was one in ten thousand, most suitable for practicing pure yin Taoist arts. However, it also attracted the coveting of many unorthodox methods. But now Xie Jingjing¡¯s body hadn¡¯t fully developed, so it hadn¡¯t revealed itself yet. Moreover, if she lost her virginity, the pure yin constitution would be destroyed. It seems that although Xie Jingjing was rebellious, she hadn¡¯t done anything extreme. Thinking this, Xue An felt somewhat relieved. This meal took a very long time. Not until Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, these two little ones, became unbearably sleepy did Xue An help the thoroughly drunk Old Xie into the house. And as they were leaving, Auntie Pang, holding Xue An¡¯s hand with a sad expression, said, ¡°Xiao An, Auntie Pang has always considered you my son, so please don¡¯t disappear again, and come see us often!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Auntie Pang, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave this time!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian had already fallen asleep, and Xue An simply carried one in each arm, holding them close to his chest. The two little heads rested on his shoulders, their soft snoring creating a slight breeze that tickled Xue An¡¯s neck, making one¡¯s heart inevitably calm down. Once they were outside the restaurant, Xue An asked Fan Mengxue, ¡°Which hotel are you staying at? I¡¯ll take you.¡± Fan Mengxue, looking down, replied, ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t stay at a hotel. I went straight to Dragon Emperor Platform after arriving in Beijiang!¡± ¡°Er¡­ what about you, Xuan¡¯er?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er replied softly, ¡°I stay at the hospital dormitory, but now¡­ they¡¯ve probably locked up!¡± ¡°Well, why not¡­ stay at my place for tonight?¡± Xue An suggested. ¡°Okay!¡± both Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er, looking down, responded in unison. In her sleep, Xie Jingjing suddenly shed a tear, then murmured, ¡°Brother Xiao An, don¡¯t leave me! When I grow up¡­ I¡¯m going to marry you!¡± Hearing this sentence while tidying up in the room, Auntie Pang paused for a moment before sighing, ¡°Silly girl, your Brother Xiao An is no ordinary person!¡± Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22: You said I touched you? Chapter 22: Chapter 22: You said I touched you? Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The night was deep and quiet. The cold moonlight filtered through the window and into the living room, where it was absorbed by a ring suspended in mid-air. This was the ring that Hong Ming had broken, but at this moment, as the moonlight gradually penetrated it, the cracked ring began to repair itself. Bit by bit. The cracks disappeared, and the entire ring took on a crystalline, translucent appearance. Moved by a sudden inspiration, Xue An casually inscribed a tiny protective array on it. After a flash of white light, the ring fell down. At this point, the mere few-dollars street stall ring had undergone a great transformation, with the clear and transparent gem revealing a faint red glimmer. This was the spiritual energy Xue An had infused into it. The bedroom door creaked open. Fan Mengxue walked out. ¡°Haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. Fan Mengxue shook her head, walked over to Xue An, and sat down naturally beside him, then gently rested her head on his shoulder. The silence in the room was such that one could hear the snoring of the two little girls. Xue An suddenly felt a chill on his shoulder and looked down. Fan Mengxue¡¯s stunning face was covered in tears. Xue An sighed and took out the ring he had just finished refining. ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s heart was full of grievances at that moment. For Xue An, she had endured so much suffering and pressure; when she finally saw him, she discovered that Xue An already had children, twin daughters no less. And that wasn¡¯t all. During today¡¯s class reunion, Xue An barely paid any attention to her. Could it be that he felt estranged upon seeing her arrive with Hong Ming? But I did all this for you! Fan Mengxue tossed and turned before quietly getting up to check on what Xue An was doing. The appearance of this ring, however, dispelled much of Fan Mengxue¡¯s resentment. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Xue An said with a slight smile. Fan Mengxue murmured in affirmation, lovingly played with it for a while, and then, cherishing it deeply, slipped it onto her right hand¡¯s ring finger. Witnessing this scene, Xue An¡¯s expression shifted subtly, then he looked away. ¡°How have you been these four years?¡± Xue An asked. Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°Not good!¡± After a moment of silence, Xue An asked further, ¡°How did you suddenly become a celebrity?¡± Fan Mengxue sighed lightly, ¡°For many reasons, but the main one is to get famous as quickly as possible. That way, even though you disappeared, as long as you turn on the TV, you can still see me!¡± Xue An was silent for a while, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, these four years¡­¡± Fan Mengxue suddenly kissed Xue An on the lips. This unexpected kiss left Xue An somewhat at a loss. Three thousand years of cultivation had exposed him to countless grand scenes. But he had never been so flustered. After the kiss. Fan Mengxue whispered in Xue An¡¯s ear, ¡°Don¡¯t say sorry, you being alive is the best explanation!¡± After speaking, Fan Mengxue resettled back on the sofa, stretched out leisurely, and then irreverently placed her long legs on top of the coffee table. ¡°What are you planning for tomorrow?¡± Fan Mengxue asked softly. ¡°No particular plans!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s take Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian out for a day of fun!¡± Xue An looked at the girl whose eyes seemed to hold stars and nodded. Fan Mengxue¡¯s head rested on Xue An¡¯s shoulder, and she gradually fell asleep. Just before dozing off, she asked softly. ¡°She must be very beautiful, right?¡± Xue An did not answer. The next day. In front of a high school in Beijiang. Xue An looked up at the school gate. He was very familiar with this place. Because this was where he had studied for three years. Fan Mengxue, wearing a hat, was in a great mood. Tang Xuan¡¯er was leading Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. The five of them, three adults and two children, resembled a small tour group. ¡°Daddy, what place is this?¡± Xue Xiang asked, looking at the school gate, puzzled. Xue An smiled, ¡°This place¡­ This is where Dad used to go to school!¡± ¡°Is there anything tasty inside?¡± Xue Nian was always concerned about food. Xue An laughed helplessly, while Xue Xiang unceremoniously pinched her little sister¡¯s cheek. ¡°Eat, eat, eat, that¡¯s all you know! Look how chubby you are!¡± Xue Nian lowered her head a bit aggrieved, then muttered softly, ¡°Your face seems rounder though!¡± ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s go!¡± Fan Mengxue said. Xue An was surprised, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going in?¡± Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°I just wanted to see if this run-down school was demolished yet, I can¡¯t be bothered to waste time going in!¡± ¡°So where are we going now?¡± asked Tang Xuan¡¯er. ¡°Let¡¯s go ice skating! It¡¯s been a long time since we went ice skating!¡± Fan Mengxue exclaimed excitedly. This was a natural ice rink. The frozen surface of the lake, due to the severe cold, was full of people darting back and forth. Fan Mengxue used to come here to play a lot when she was in school. ¡°Daddy, they sell Peppa Pig over there!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I¡¯ll take the two of them to buy it!¡± said Tang Xuan¡¯er. ¡°I¡¯ll come too! Xue An, you wait here in line!¡± Fan Mengxue said. You didn¡¯t have to pay for admission to this natural ice rink, but you did have to rent the skates. Xue An waited here in line. But just then, a woman very naturally cut in front of him. Xue An frowned slightly and gently tapped the woman¡¯s shoulder in front of him. ¡°Hey! ¡± The woman turned around irritably; she was quite attractive, probably around a seven in looks, but her face was slathered with at least an inch of makeup that crumbled when she spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Queue up,¡± Xue An said calmly. ¡°What about it if I cut in line? Can¡¯t a grown man give way to a girl?¡± the woman replied self-righteously. At this moment, many people turned their attention to this scene. Xue An remained composed, ¡°I told you to queue. Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± The woman became annoyed, then her eyes darted about, and she immediately put on an aggrieved expression. ¡°Since a while ago, you¡¯ve been sneaking around behind me, and while queuing, you were touching me. Are you a pervert!¡± The crowd¡¯s gaze suddenly shifted, and many looked at Xue An with disdain. ¡°He looks quite handsome, so why¡¯s he doing something like this?¡± ¡°Yeah! This guy is kind of gross!¡± These murmurs made the woman feel very smug, but the look on her face grew increasingly pitiful. This was her tried-and-true tactic. Sometimes, even if no one on the bus paid her any mind, she would use this trick if she didn¡¯t like the looks of someone. And it often left the accused unable to defend themselves. Amid these murmurs, Xue An raised an eyebrow with amusement, ¡°Oh? You¡¯re saying I touched you?¡± ¡°Yes! You not only touched me, but you¡¯ve been following me!¡± the woman¡¯s arrogance grew. Xue An, with a smirk that was not quite a smile, asked, ¡°Then where did I touch you, according to you?¡± ¡°Your waist!¡± the woman declared with certainty. But by now, she also saw the look in Xue An¡¯s eyes, a kind of disdainful condescension that made her somewhat panic-stricken.. Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Nothing in the World Compares to You! Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Nothing in the World Compares to You! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Just touched your waist?¡± Xue An spoke indifferently. Qi Fen¡¯s heart was somewhat panicky, but she still pretended to truly cry. A woman¡¯s tears are very good at garnering sympathy. Especially since this Qi Fen girl was pretty, many of the male onlookers glared at Xue An with anger. A few were even rubbing their hands together, eager to play the ¡°hero saving the beauty.¡± A sneer of disdain curled the corners of Xue An¡¯s mouth, ¡°Do you think your tears are moving? Or perhaps¡­ you think you¡¯re very beautiful?¡± This accusatory statement made Qi Fen cry even harder, but she felt a sense of calm inside. To say such things in front of so many people, just wait to be scolded! As expected. Several students dressed like boys indignantly said, ¡°What kind of talk is that? You sleazily touched this young lady, and now you¡¯re scolding her?¡± ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re not much of a man!¡± Some of the female onlookers also began to chatter and point. Xue An looked at the group and said coolly, ¡°If I really wanted to touch, do you think¡­ I would fancy such goods?¡± This comment provoked public outrage. ¡°You touched her and still despise her? Is there such a man in the world?¡± many of the female onlookers yelled loudly. Qi Fen squatted on the ground, a smug smile appearing on her face. Now, you¡¯re finished, huh! But just then. A clear and melodious female voice rang out, ¡°Xue An, what¡¯s happening?¡± The sound of this voice alone was enough to captivate many of the boys. Then, Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue walked over together. Their arrival silenced the crowd. Tang Xuan¡¯er was not wearing a dress today, instead, she wore jeans and a white down jacket on top. This attire made her appear exceptionally youthful and charming. Fan Mengxue wore a white, exquisitely crafted long dress that revealed her slender and attractive curves. Although she wore a mask and her facial features were not clear, just by looking at her picturesque eyebrows and eyes, one could tell she was definitely a great beauty. These two beauties, at least a nine each, made many of the boys stare openly. Particularly because Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue both disliked heavy makeup, only applying a light touch, further highlighting their elegant demeanor. Compared to them, the Qi Fen girl squatting on the ground was hardly any more attractive than an average flower. ¡°What happened?¡± Fan Mengxue asked with concern. She had come over after hearing the sounds of argument. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Nothing, just someone saying I harassed her!¡± ¡°who?¡± Xue An pointed to the Qi Fen girl on the ground, who had gone into a state of petrification. ¡°That¡¯s her!¡± At this moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian concurrently said, ¡°This auntie¡­ is so ugly!¡± This opinion echoed the thoughts of most people present. People should not be compared with one another. Just now Qi Fen was considered beautiful by many men who hadn¡¯t seen much of the world. But now, compared with Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue, she was no better than a stone in a pit latrine. Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter, her eyes turning into beautiful crescents. ¡°Husband, she said you harassed her?¡± As she spoke, Fan Mengxue naturally wrapped her arm around one of Xue An¡¯s arms. At that moment, everyone understood. It turns out this breathtakingly beautiful girl was this man¡¯s girlfriend! So, no one believed what Qi Fen had said any longer. What a joke. If you already have a cream cake to eat, would you still eat shit? The most vociferous hecklers not only hung their heads in shame but a few even glared fiercely at the woman. They thought this woman was accusing someone without any reason, which was simply detestable! At this moment, the woman only felt her heart brimming with panic. She had never expected that this man would have such a beautiful girlfriend. Compared to her, her own face, which she had spent a fortune on, was merely a grotesque sight! Meanwhile, many of the guys showed faces of disappointment. However, there were still many who sneaked glances at Tang Xuan¡¯er. In comparison to the masked Fan Mengxue, the bare-faced Tang Xuan¡¯er seemed even more gentle and tranquil. Yet, Fan Mengxue¡¯s next words ruthlessly shattered these people¡¯s fantasies. ¡°Sister, this woman actually slandered our husband!¡± Our¡­ husband? After this odd reference, everyone¡¯s look at Xue An changed. There was shock, and jealousy, but most of all, envy. Tang Xuan¡¯er blushed, lowered her head, and stopped talking. Xue An felt somewhat helpless; Fan Mengxue could really be whimsical at times. Then Xue An turned his head to look at the woman. ¡°Now, did you say I touched you?¡± The woman shuddered, still thinking of arguing, but Xue An¡¯s gaze made her feel like she had fallen into an ice cellar, and she involuntarily said, ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t!¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Do you realize your mistake?¡± ¡°I realize my mistake!¡± ¡°Then slap yourself twenty times!¡± After saying this, Xue An left with Xue Xiang and others. The woman felt relieved after Xue An left, and secretly rejoiced, thinking I should slap myself because he says so? Why would I listen to him? But just as she thought of getting up, she found her hand involuntarily stretching out and delivering a hefty slap to her own face. The force of the slap was so great that it made the woman¡¯s head reel. But before she could even react, the other hand delivered another slap. Smack, smack, smack! After twenty slaps, the woman¡¯s face was swollen like a ball, and her carefully crafted nose was also askew. But by that time, no one pitied her; they all looked at her with disgust. The woman got up, cast a hateful look at Xue An¡¯s retreating figure, and then ran away. After this little interlude, Xue An led Fan Mengxue and the others to start ice skating. Fan Mengxue was quite skilled at ice skating, but Tang Xuan¡¯er had no experience and was about to fall as soon as she put on the skates. Although Xue An had no experience either, with his capability, this little matter was certainly not a challenge for him, so he took Tang Xuan¡¯er by the hand to teach her. As for Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, the two of them were sitting on a sled, playing merrily with a few sled dogs. The daylight in winter is short, and soon, the sky began to darken. Fan Mengxue had a great time that afternoon, and now she was sitting next to Xue An, panting, with a blush on her face. ¡°Tired?¡± Xue An asked. Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°Not tired at all!¡± Xue An looked at Tang Xuan¡¯er, who was staggering nearby, and smiled, ¡°Then, did you have fun?¡± ¡°Of course I did! This is the happiest day I¡¯ve had in four years!¡± At this moment, the lights around the ice rink were turned on. The ice mazes and castles shone gloriously under the lights, looking like a frozen kingdom. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Fan Mengxue said, her gaze dreamy. Xue An nodded in agreement. Even though he had seen landscapes a thousandfold more magnificent, at this moment, Xue An felt that the simple joys of the human world were quite beautiful too! Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Does it sound good? If it sounds good, it’s a good bone! Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Does it sound good? If it sounds good, it¡¯s a good bone! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Daddy, Daddy, do you see how good we are?¡± Xue Xiang and his sibling, each wearing a pair of the smallest size skates, were showing off slipping and sliding in front of Xue An. Xue An smiled, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so good! You¡¯ve learned so fast!¡± ¡°Yeah, but Auntie Xuan¡¯Er is so clumsy, she still can¡¯t skate!¡± Xue Xiang said. Tang Xuan¡¯er, who was struggling with skating nearby, blushed. ¡°Don¡¯t say that about your Auntie Xuan¡¯Er,¡± Xue An said. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s blush finally subsided a bit. However, Xue An then added, ¡°Even if it¡¯s true that she¡¯s clumsy, you shouldn¡¯t say it out loud!¡± Xue Xiang and his sibling were tickled into giggles by the tease. Tang Xuan¡¯er, feeling slightly annoyed, glared at Xue An and then skated wobbly away into the distance. At this moment. In a distant corner, several pairs of eyes were sizing up Xue An and the others. ¡°Is that him?¡± The leader was a middle-aged man with a somewhat balding head. Meng Xue leaned against him, nodding bitterly, ¡°It¡¯s that man!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, these two little ladies are really pretty!¡± the balding man said lecherously. ¡°Big Brother Dajun, you¡¯ve got to stand up for me! My face got slapped swollen, and my nose is crooked!¡± Meng Xue said, sounding very aggrieved. This Brother Dajun was the local ringleader, monopolizing the ice skating business on the rink; he was doing quite well. Meng Xue knew him and, after being taken down a notch by Xue An earlier that day, came to find Dajun hoping to get some retribution. Dajun nodded, ¡°Sure thing. Someone dares to mess with my people? He must be tired of living!¡± With a glance from Dajun, the dozen men following him casually approached Xue An. Regulars at the rink recognized the group and knew they were local thugs; everyone steered clear of them. So, it didn¡¯t take long for the group to form a subtle circle around Xue An and his company. Xue An was laughing and chatting with his daughters, seemingly unaware of the impending threat. Dajun stepped forward and first addressed Tang Xuan¡¯er, ¡°Hey, girl, can¡¯t skate? Let big brother teach you!¡± he said, moving closer. Tang Xuan¡¯er frowned and dodged to the side. ¡°Who are you? I don¡¯t know you, please stay away from me.¡± Hu Dajun flashed a grin, revealing his large yellow teeth. ¡°Such a delicate girl skating alone, don¡¯t you find it boring? Who I am doesn¡¯t matter; what¡¯s important is a night like this, don¡¯t you need a man to keep you company?¡± As Hu Dajun spoke, he gazed greedily at Tang Xuan¡¯er. The girl was beautiful from a distance, but up close she was even more stunningly breathtaking. Repulsed by his sleazy gaze, Tang Xuan¡¯er sharply retorted, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, stay away from me! And I have friends who came with me.¡± Hu Dajun sneered, ¡°Friends? Him?¡± Pointing at Xue An nearby, Hu Dajun said with disdain, ¡°Your friend here is so scared he can¡¯t even dare to look this way, do you think he¡¯ll step in?¡± ¡°Besides, let me tell you, little sister, your friend beat up my people! I was just about to settle the score with him!¡± Hu Dajun declared arrogantly. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face paled, her teeth clenching tightly as worry crept into her heart. These men clearly came prepared, especially when she saw the spiteful Meng Xue, she knew they were here for revenge. Could Xue An take on so many, along with Fan Mengxue and the two little girls? ¡°Heh heh, so if you act nicely, big brother will take good care of you, and won¡¯t make things difficult for you,¡± Hu Dajun said while drooling with his hands outstretched. A flash of white. Hu Dajun felt a chill at his wrist, as if something was suddenly missing. Then he looked down and for the first time realized that both of his fingers were cleanly broken. Blood spurted out, and the intense pain made Hu Dajun let out a wail. ¡°I just heard you were looking to settle accounts with me,¡± Xue An slowly walked over, a playful smile on his face. Fan Mengxue had already taken Xue Xiang and Xue Nian aside. Because she knew what was coming next was definitely not suitable for children. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Hu Dajun was shaking all over in pain, his face showing a look of fear. He didn¡¯t know what had just happened. Why did his hand suddenly break? Could it be this man¡¯s doing? Xue An¡¯s gaze shifted to the woman who was seven parts feminine, ¡°Originally I was in a good mood so I let you off, but you¡¯re asking for trouble. You have only yourself to blame!¡± The woman trembled like chaff. Hu Dajun clenched his teeth, ¡°Everybody, get him! Trash this kid!¡± His gang swarmed up and surrounded Xue An. Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky, a faint smile appearing on his lips. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, so do you know what makes for good bones?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er shook her head, puzzled, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m about to show you!¡± As Xue An spoke, he pushed out a palm, striking the thug who was rushing at the forefront. Accompanied by the grating sound of breaking bones, the thug was sent flying more than ten meters away. It took Xue An less than ten seconds to deal with a dozen or so thugs. And without exception, all had their limbs broken by Xue An. The disturbing sound of fractures didn¡¯t stop. After Xue An had the last thug underfoot, he said indifferently, ¡°Hear that sound of breaking bones? If it sounds good, then they¡¯re good bones!¡± Then Xue An, looking at Hu Dajun trembling, smiled slightly, ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn!¡± Hu Dajun felt like crying. Who could have imagined this not overly tall man could be so formidable? In just a few seconds, all his men were laid flat. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t come any closer. I¡¯m Lu Kun¡¯s man, you know who Lu Kun is? He¡¯s a favorite under Boss Du. If you dare hit me, watch out for Lu Kun!¡± As Hu Dajun spoke, his confidence grew. Right! Isn¡¯t Lu Kun here right now? By waving his big flag, who would dare defy him? But Hu Dajun failed to see even a hint of panic on Xue An¡¯s face, only a faint sneer. ¡°Lu Kun? Lu Kun?¡± ¡°Yes! You know Lu Kun too? Then you¡¯d better kneel and beg for mercy! I tell you, Lu Kun is right here!¡± Hu Dajun couldn¡¯t help but straighten up even more. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you five minutes. Call Lu Kun over and I¡¯ll apologize to him in person!¡± ¡°Hmph! At least you¡¯re sensible!¡± Hu Dajun took out his cell phone and dialed a number. ¡°Lu Kun, it¡¯s Dajun! I¡¯m at the ice rink and there¡¯s a brat acting all high and mighty, he¡¯s beaten up a dozen of our men, come over quick!¡± Lu Kun¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°Who¡¯s bold enough to mess with my people? Let him wait, I¡¯m on my way!¡± Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Meet Mr. Xue! Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Meet Mr. Xue! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Hu Dajun hung up the phone, smugly watching Xue An. At that moment, there were still many onlookers quietly discussing among themselves. ¡°Who is this guy? How dare he hit Dajun¡¯s men?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know him! But he seems pretty awesome!¡± ¡°Oh my, this guy is simply too handsome!¡± ¡°Shh, keep it down, Hu Dajun is not someone to mess with, he has backing from behind, I heard it¡¯s Beijiang¡¯s famous Brother Kun!¡± Many people were worried for Xue An, with a few brave souls shouting, ¡°Hey buddy, run now, a wise man does not eat the loss before him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, man, you even have your girlfriend with you! Hurry up and leave, that Brother Kun is not someone to provoke!¡± Xue An was unmoved, simply giving these people a slight smile and then said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I actually want to see how amazing this Brother Kun Some of the more prudent bystanders couldn¡¯t help but shake their heads, ¡°Young people these days, always so competitive!¡± While they were talking, Lu Kun arrived with his men. Lu Kun came quickly. Just as Hu Dajun had said, he now lived nearby. At that moment, Lu Kun was filled with resentment and rage. Because of the matter at Dragon Emperor Platform, he had been chased out of the city by the boss Du Fan and then came to this desolate place, ostensibly to oversee the ice rinks. To put it bluntly, it was exile! But that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. What pained Lu Kun the most was his hair. Every time he looked in the mirror, Lu Kun¡¯s heart bled. Xue An had been really rough! Not a single hair was left. Now Lu Kun¡¯s head looked like a meat egg, shiny and smooth, reflecting people¡¯s shadows. ¡°Can this even grow back?¡± Every time he thought about it, Lu Kun wanted to flay Xue An alive. But that was just wishful thinking. Because Du Fan had severely warned him. In the future, whenever he saw Xue An, he must steer clear as far as possible. If anything happened, not even Du Fan could save him. So Lu Kun could only vent in his heart. Receiving the call from Hu Dajun this time, Lu Kun just happened to be stifling a bellyful of anger, so he immediately rushed over with his men. Hu Dajun hurriedly nodded and bowed in greeting, ¡°Brother Kun! Why didn¡¯t you wear a hat? It¡¯s so cold today!¡± Lu Kun was now most sensitive about his hair, and even the mention of a hat set him off, so he glared fiercely at Hu Dajun. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want!¡± ¡°Right, right! Brother Kun, look, my finger got chopped off, this guy is too arrogant, also knocked down all our guys.¡± Lu Kun¡¯s face was murderous, ¡°Damn, I¡¯ve been in a really bad mood these past days, troubles finding me wherever I go, seems like I need to kill a few to make a point!¡± As he said this, he looked in the direction pointed out by Hu Dajun. And then.. He froze. Because he saw Xue An standing under the light, a mocking smile on his face. ¡°Brother Kun, that¡¯s the guy, and that little chick is his, let¡¯s take care of this guy first, then give the chick to you, Brother Kun¡­¡± But before Hu Dajun could finish speaking, Lu Kun slapped him across the face. Smack. The slap was brutally hard; Hu Dajun spun three times on the ground, then covered his face with his hand, looking at Lu Kun with a dumbfounded expression. ¡°Brother Kun, you¡­¡± Then, Lu Kun did something that left everyone present slack-jawed in amazement. He took a few steps forward and, with a plop, knelt in front of Xue An, then said with utmost respect, ¡°I¡¯ve met Mr. Xue!¡± The entire place fell silent. Hu Dajun and the Seven-points Woman had their mouths open so wide, one could stuff a duck egg in them. Xue An looked at the kneeling Lu Kun and said indifferently, ¡°You are quite perceptive of the times.¡± Lu Kun shuddered and respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Xue, I truly didn¡¯t know you were coming. If I had known, I would have definitely come to greet you sooner!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, but it seems your underlings aren¡¯t too welcoming of me, are they?¡± Lu Kun instantly sprang up, his eyes red with anger as he kicked Hu Dajun to the ground, ¡°You blind fool, do you know who this is? This is Mr. Xue! Are you tired of living? How dare you act wildly in front of Mr. Xue?¡± At this moment, Hu Dajun was scared stiff; a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. In the past few days, a legend had been spreading wildly through Beijiang. It was said that someone had beaten up Lu Kun at the Dragon Emperor Platform and even made Du Fan bow his head in submission. There were even rumors that this person had caused the young miss of the Qin Family, the backer of the Dragon Emperor Platform, to come out and receive him personally. Could it be¡­ this man? After that thought crossed his mind, Hu Dajun quickly got up and knelt on the ground, kowtowing vigorously. ¡°Mr. Xue, spare my life, Mr. Xue, spare my life! I¡¯m a fool, I¡¯m blind!¡± This astounding turn of events had many onlookers dumbfounded. Seeing Hu Dajun, who was usually so arrogant, now kneeling on the ground and begging like a grandson. Even Lu Kun, a well-known figure in Beijiang, had to humbly beg for mercy. Many people began to look at Xue An with complicated expressions. Xue An turned to the Seven-points Woman who was already petrified. ¡°You see, I told you I was in a good mood back then, so I let you off, but you just wouldn¡¯t let it go and sought your own death! You cannot blame me, right?¡± The Seven-points Woman turned pale, while Hu Dajun was beside himself with rage. All because of this damn woman! If it weren¡¯t for her incitement, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a state, even losing two fingers in the process. So he leaped up and slapped her across the face. The nose of the Seven-points Woman, which had just been realigned, was once again sent askew by the blow. At this moment, Lu Kun stood aside, his head covered in cold sweat, without the courage to even look up at Xue An. This man had left a profound memory in him. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Actually, the bald look suits you pretty well!¡± Lu Kun¡¯s smile was uglier than a cry, ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Only then did Xue An help Tang Xuan¡¯er up and leave. To Xue An, these societal dregs were not worth the effort to kill. After Xue An had walked a good distance away, Hu Dajun finally approached, still in shock, and stammered, ¡°Brother Kun¡­¡± ¡°Brother my ass, do you realize you almost got me killed?¡± Lu Kun exploded in anger. At this moment, Lu Kun dared not harbor even the slightest resentment in his heart. Because the few minutes he spent beside Xue An had deeply engraved in him the meaning of a deathly aura. Lu Kun had no doubt that if he hadn¡¯t reacted swiftly, he might have already been decapitated by now. Compared with that, losing all his hair was nothing! Hu Dajun, now thoroughly cowed, dared not make a sound. Lu Kun took a deep breath and then instructed, ¡°From now on, if you see this man, stay as far away from him as possible. If you really can¡¯t avoid him, kneel down and act like a grandson, understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Hu Dajun responded, bowing his head. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m just trying to scare you.. This is a warning that Du Fan himself gave me! If you think you¡¯re tougher than Du Fan, then go ahead and try!¡± Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Life Acts, Nothing but Following One’s Desires, Three Words! Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Life Acts, Nothing but Following One¡¯s Desires, Three Words! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio By the time they reached the entrance of the residential complex where Xue An lived, it was already very late. The two little girls had once again fallen into a deep sleep in Xue An¡¯s arms. Holding them, Xue An walked home, laughing and chatting with Fan Mengxue. As for Tang Xuan¡¯er, she had returned to the hospital dormitory after dinner. Just as they reached the entrance of the building, Xue An noticed a car parked by the roadside. It was a red Ferrari, its streamlined body drawing the eyes of many passersby. Such a car, in stark contrast to the dirty and disordered environment surrounding it. The sight of the car caused a drastic change in Fan Mengxue¡¯s expression. And at that moment, the scissor-style car door opened, and a woman wearing black fishnets and a tight-fitting dress stepped out of the car. The woman was fairly attractive, but her face was stern, and her thin lips were like knives, hinting she was not to be trifled with. ¡°Meng Xue, you¡¯re indeed here!¡± the woman said coldly. Fan Mengxue¡¯s complexion turned very ugly as she whispered, ¡°Sister Han.¡± This woman was none other than her agent, also known as the ¡®Iron Lady¡¯ of the industry, with the title of Queen of Caesar, Han Yao. Han Yao nodded, ¡°Get in the car!¡± Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t move. Han Yao frowned, ¡°Meng Xue, I hope you can think clearly, whether a man like this is really worth it.¡± Fan Mengxue suddenly lifted her head and said earnestly, ¡°He is worth it!¡± Han Yao¡¯s glance turned even colder, especially when she saw the two children in Xue An¡¯s arms, her face was one of disbelief. The day Fan Mengxue had left without a word and turned off her phone had already infuriated this Queen of Caesar. She personally drove to Beijiang, intending to drag Fan Mengxue back. ¡°Meng Xue, before coming here, I thought the man who¡¯d dazzled you would be someone extraordinary. But I didn¡¯t expect him to live in a place like this, even with two children!¡± Han Yao¡¯s tone softened a bit, ¡°It¡¯s easy for women to act impulsively for love, but the premise is, you need to think clearly whether all this is meaningful! Such a man doesn¡¯t deserve you!¡± Throughout the conversation, Han Yao had not looked at Xue An directly once. In Han Yao¡¯s eyes, although the man was not unattractive, judging from his clothes and where he lived, he was definitely at the bottom rung of society. Fan Mengxue had ¡°degraded herself¡± for such a man, which filled Han Yao with rage. Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°Sister Han, you don¡¯t understand¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t understand? Hah!¡± Han Yao let out a cold laugh, ¡°For him, you publicly announced your relationship in front of reporters and flatly rejected one of Zhongdu¡¯s four young masters, Yue Shao! Do you realize how much trouble your actions have caused the company?¡± ¡°The internet is in an uproar over your affair! And you, you actually gave up the opportunity to work with the international director Stephen for him, I really don¡¯t understand, what¡¯s so good about him?¡± ¡°Everything about him is good! At least when I¡¯m with him, I¡¯m very happy! ¡± Fan Mengxue said with a resolute tone. Han Yao looked at Xue An, who was standing aside with an indifferent expression, her face showing a tinge of mockery. ¡°Having quite the influence, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know what kind of spell you¡¯ve cast on Meng Xue to make her so devoted, but I want to ask you, do you have the ability to provide for her?¡± Han Yao pointed to the clothes worn by Fan Mengxue, ¡°Any piece of clothing on her is tailored from Europe, even the hand cream she uses probably costs more than your monthly salary. Can you really bear to let a girl with such a promising future suffer with you?¡± Han Yao turned her sharp gaze towards Xue An. Fan Mengxue was about to speak in defense of Xue An, but he shook his head, signaling her to remain silent, and then gave Han Yao a slight smile. ¡°What you¡¯re saying seems quite reasonable!¡± ¡°However¡­ have you ever heard the phrase ¡®a dog trying to catch a mouse is nosing into things that don¡¯t concern it¡¯?¡± Han Yao was firstly stunned, then could not help but burst into a towering rage. As the boss with countless resources in the circle, no one had ever dared to speak to her like that. ¡°Kid, you are seeking your own death!¡± Han Yao said coldly, and a standard high kick came flying toward him. Xue An slightly tilted his head and dodged the kick. He had his arms around Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, yet there was no hint of panic, just a faint, clear shout. ¡°Kneel down! ¡± Han Yao felt an overwhelming force that made her kneel on the ground with a thud. The humiliation she had never experienced before made her eyes redden as she struggled fiercely to stand up. But all was in vain, Han Yao felt as if a mountain were pressing down on her shoulders. At that moment, a flicker of panic finally flashed in Han Yao¡¯s eyes. Xue An was now standing in front of Han Yao, looking down at her from a height. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re right. Meng Xue indeed is a girl with a limitless future. However, you got two things wrong,¡± he said. ¡°First, I did not stop Meng Xue from leaving; second, Meng Xue is a living person, and no one has the right to stop her.¡± ¡°In this world, no one can do as they please!¡± Han Yao retorted with a cold laugh. Xue An shook his head, ¡°You are mistaken, at least I can.¡± Han Yao seemed to hear the funniest joke in the world, her face full of mocking laughter, ¡°Don¡¯t think that because you know a bit of mediocre kung fu, you can do whatever you please. This world is ruled by power and money. Someone like you wouldn¡¯t survive three days in Zhongdu!¡± Xue An looked at Han Yao, who still wore an unconvinced face, and nodded slightly, ¡°You are not wrong, this world indeed runs on power and money. But if I want something, no one dares to refuse me!¡± Han Yao scoffed, ¡°You think you are¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, because she saw the look in Xue An¡¯s eyes. It was a look devoid of sorrow or joy, even without the slightest ripple. Lofty and superior, like an emperor overlooking everything. ¡°In my life, Xue An always acts on three words: follow my heart! If anyone dares to go against my will, then death is their punishment! If one person crosses me, I will take out one person; if ten do, then ten shall fall. If the whole world goes against my heart, then I will slay everyone under the heavens!¡± Xue An spoke indifferently. These words chilled Han Yao to the core. If someone else had said them, she would have thought them mad. But when they came from Xue An¡¯s mouth, they seemed so natural. For the first time, Han Yao felt intense fear. Because she felt the strong killing intent emanating from Xue An¡¯s body. Xue An indeed was prepared to end Han Yao¡¯s life. This woman might indeed mean well for Fan Mengxue, but the offense in her words made Xue An feel that she no longer deserved to live in this world. To hold life and death in one¡¯s hands was exactly like that. ¡°Xue An¡­ please don¡¯t!¡± Fan Mengxue suddenly shouted. Xue An halted his killing intent and looked at Fan Mengxue. Fan Mengxue bit her lip, ¡°Sister Han has been good to me, please let her go!¡± Xue An looked at Fan Mengxue and smiled faintly, ¡°Alright!¡± Only then did Han Yao feel as if a great burden had been lifted off her, and she quickly scrambled up from the ground, to then realize her back was soaked with cold sweat.. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Sister, What Does ‘Handsome’ Mean? Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Sister, What Does ¡®Handsome¡¯ Mean? Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Who is this man, and why does he have such a strong presence? Han Yao was filled with fear. ¡°Sister Han, I told you before, the reason I wanted to become a star was to find the missing Xue An. Now that he has returned, I might as well not continue being a star,¡± Fan Mengxue said. Han Yao shuddered, then looked at Fan Mengxue in disbelief. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about? Your acting career has just started to take off; an endless array of flowers and applause await you ahead, yet you choose to retreat?¡± Fan Mengxue lowered her head and said nothing. Seeing Fan Mengxue like this, Han Yao couldn¡¯t help but clench her teeth, then mustered the courage to say to Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue, I am sorry, I take back what I said earlier. But please understand, Mengxue is like a daughter to me, and her sudden withdrawal is truly disappointing.¡± Xue An remained noncommittal. Han Yao continued, ¡°I believe you are no ordinary man, but I think a successful and even world-famous Mengxue will be much better than a woman who only knows to be around you.¡± ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Han Yao replied, ¡°I hope you can persuade her.¡± ¡°I said before, Mengxue is a living person. Whatever she wants to do, I will support it.¡± Han Yao then turned to Fan Mengxue, ¡°Mengxue, I hope you can think it over carefully. Moreover, Stephen will also be coming to Beijiang in the next couple of days. If you make up your mind, I can take you to meet him.¡± Fan Mengxue did not utter a word. Han Yao looked at Xue An, then, hesitating to speak further, she left. After Xue An went upstairs and settled the two young girls, Fan Mengxue asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Xue An, do you think I should go?¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve already said, to live is simply to follow one¡¯s heart. If you like it, do it; if you don¡¯t, don¡¯t. It¡¯s that simple!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Fan Mengxue was also conflicted. She didn¡¯t want to leave Xue An. But she was also aware that Xue An¡¯s current attitude towards her was far from liking her. Especially with An Yan, whom she had never met, standing between them. This made her feel even less confident. If she could become a world-famous star, perhaps¡­ that might increase her chances of being accepted by Xue An. Fan Mengxue spent the night in turmoil. Finally. The day of the auction arrived. Qin Yu arrived early to drive Xue An. When she saw that Xue An was still wearing his usual clothes, she frowned slightly. ¡°Mr. Xue, don¡¯t you have any other clothes?¡± Xue An shook his head and said indifferently, ¡°What, do I need to change clothes just to attend an auction?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, but as this is a gathering of many merchants in Beijiang, it would be better if you and your two daughters dressed more formally!¡± Xue An remained noncommittal. However, the two young girls were thrilled at the prospect of new clothes. A woman, no matter how young, is still a woman. As long as she¡¯s a woman, she is naturally defenseless against new clothes. Xue An didn¡¯t actually care about these things, but for his daughters¡¯ sake, he was indifferent. Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t need to worry, as she had brought enough clothes with her despite her hasty return to Beijiang. At that moment, Fan Mengxue, dressed in a finely crafted cheongsam, exuded a gentle yet dignified grace. Qin Yu drove Xue An and the others to Beijiang City¡¯s most upscale commercial clubhouse, Silver Dragon Plaza. This was also an asset of Longtai Group. Qin Yu first led Xue An to the men¡¯s wear department, picking out clothes while saying, ¡°We¡¯re pressed for time now, so we can only choose some ready-made clothes. We¡¯ll have a tailor make them to measure when there¡¯s more time.¡± Soon, Fan Mengxue and Qin Yu each picked out clothes for Xue An. At this time, many of the salesladies in the men¡¯s clothing department were quietly paying attention to this scene. After all, this spectacle was exceedingly rare. Two extremely beautiful women, both in terms of looks and temperament scoring over nine out of ten, were actually competing to choose clothes for a man dressed in an old-fashioned manner. What relationship did they share? Siblings? Unlikely! Lovers? Is there such a thing as lovers in a trio, one man with two women? Or was one his lover, and the other, the mistress? Many salesladies couldn¡¯t help but gossipy speculate in their hearts about the nature of the relationship among the trio. ¡°Let¡¯s try these on first,¡± Fan Mengxue whispered. Xue An went into the fitting room and quickly changed into a new set of clothes. As he stepped out, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. Xue An was naturally handsome, and the trials of over three thousand years had given him an indescribable aura. With every move, he had the air of an emperor, commanding respect. However, his outdated attire usually concealed that fact. Now that he had changed into fitting clothes, Xue An¡¯s perfect proportions were revealed, causing many salesladies¡¯ hearts to flutter, and they couldn¡¯t help but lower their heads in amazement. This man¡¯s figure was simply otherworldly! Qin Yu too found her heartbeat accelerating and couldn¡¯t help but avert her gaze, not daring to look anymore. Fan Mengxue, on the other hand, openly showed an infatuated expression. ¡°Wow, daddy is so handsome!¡± Xue Xiang exclaimed with a giggly laugh. ¡°Sister, what does handsome mean?¡± Xue Nian asked. Xue Xiang scrunch up her cute little nose and knocked on Xue Nian¡¯s head, ¡°I told you to eat less, but you never listen. Handsome means good-looking!¡± ¡°Oh! Daddy, you are really good-looking!¡± Xue Nian also said with a giggly laugh. But the two little girls¡¯ address shocked many of the salesladies. Did this man already have children? What a pity! ¡°I¡¯m going with Mengxue to choose clothes for the two little girls, do you want to come?¡± Qin Yu asked. Xue An shook his head; he had no desire to go shopping with women. Even as the Immortal Venerable, he couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure of shopping with women. ¡°Then wait here for a while. Qin Yu took Xue Xiang and Xue Nian and left. Xue An sat on the sofa, just wanting to rest for a moment. A sickeningly sweet voice came through, ¡°Honey, that outfit looks great on you, it really suits your figure, why don¡¯t you try it too, darling!¡± Xue An looked up to see a man with a beer belly approaching, with a young and beautiful girl snuggled up beside him. The person speaking was the girl, and hearing her suggest this, the beer-bellied man was very pleased and said, ¡°Sure, that settles it then. Hey, bring that outfit here for me.¡± The saleslady quickly stepped forward, ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, we¡¯ve run out of that design, would you like to check out some of the other options?¡± The beer-bellied man¡¯s face darkened, and the girl pointed at Xue An in dissatisfaction, ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s sold out? Isn¡¯t he wearing it right there?¡± ¡°Sir, he¡¯s already tried it on.¡± ¡°So what if he¡¯s tried it on? If I like it, I have to buy it, tell him to take it off!¡± she demanded belligerently.. Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Do your parents know how arrogant you are? Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Do your parents know how arrogant you are? Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The salesgirl glanced at Xue An somewhat helplessly but found Xue An looking down, seemingly lost in thought. Xue An¡¯s silence only made the woman become more insolent. ¡°Did you hear that? We like it, so that piece of clothing is ours. Make him take it off! ¡± ¡°Miss, there¡¯s no precedent for this¡­¡± The beer-bellied man suddenly sneered, ¡°Go call your manager over; I want to see if there¡¯s a precedent or not!¡± The salesgirl was somewhat helpless, but as an employee of a high-end shopping club, their ultimate duty was to satisfy the customers¡¯ requests. Yet even at this moment, Xue An remained silent. The salesgirl couldn¡¯t help but feel some contempt in her heart. He looks decent enough, yet he¡¯s such a pushover. It wasn¡¯t long before Zhao Feng, who was in charge of the men¡¯s department, arrived. Upon seeing the beer-bellied man, Zhao Feng¡¯s face broke into an overjoyed smile as he hurriedly approached. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Sun! Long time no see, long time no see!¡± The man known as Mr. Sun snorted contemptuously from his nose, ¡°Zhao, the service staff under you are lacking! ¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. Sun?¡± ¡°My woman took a liking to a suit, but there¡¯s only one set left, and it¡¯s on this guy. We asked him to take it off; that¡¯s not too much to ask for, is it!¡± Mr. Sun said haughtily. ¡°Not at all, not at all!¡± ¡°Then your staff actually tells me there¡¯s no precedent for that! ¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Mr. Sun. Perhaps I haven¡¯t disciplined them well enough, and they have offended you! I will correct them right now!¡± Zhao Feng then turned and shouted angrily at the salesgirls: ¡°Are you lot brainless? Do you know who this is? This is the security department manager of Longtai Group! Have you all gone blind? How dare you contradict Mr. Sun!¡± All the salesgirls became silent as cicadas in the cold, heads bowed, not daring to utter a word. ¡°I will make sure to discipline them properly in the future, Mr. Sun. What do you think?¡± Zhao the manager said obsequiously. Sun Bo nodded expressionlessly. He prided himself on his status and felt that talking too much to this Zhao the manager was a loss of face. After all, the Silver Dragon Mall was just one among many industries of Longtai Group. Compared to this petty lobby manager here, his position as the security department manager of Longtai Group was worth much more. ¡°And that suit! We want it too; make him take it off!¡± the young and pretty woman said with an arrogant face. ¡°Yes, yes, you can count on me to get it done for you!¡± Zhao the manager turned to the silent Xue An and said, ¡°Sir, as you see, Mr. Sun really likes the suit you¡¯re wearing. Could you please take it off and let him have it? You haven¡¯t paid for it yet, so there¡¯s no issue!¡± Zhao the manager was patient in persuasion, but in his heart, he didn¡¯t really consider Xue An important. But no sooner had he spoken than Xue An slowly lifted his head, eyebrows slightly raised, ¡°What did you just say?¡± Zhao Feng, initially wanting to explain again, found himself unable to utter another word upon seeing Xue An¡¯s gaze. The woman accompanying Sun Bo was a recent female university graduate named Cao Qian. Having worked hard to latch onto Sun Bo, a significant figure, she was already exceedingly arrogant; seeing Zhao Feng frozen, she stepped forward and said with a sneer, ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you. If you have any sense, take off your clothes quickly.¡± ¡°Take off my clothes?¡± A faint smile formed on the corners of Xue An¡¯s mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb. Didn¡¯t you hear? My husband also likes this suit. Take it off, and there won¡¯t be a problem, otherwise¡­¡± ¡°Otherwise what?¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to leave the store today,¡± Cao Qian said arrogantly. ¡°So you¡¯re the security department manager of Longtai Group?¡± Xue An looked at Sun Bo, his tone contemplative. ¡°That¡¯s right, if you know what¡¯s good for you, scram quickly, or you¡¯ll see just how formidable Longtai Group can be!¡± Cao Qian said triumphantly. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°What a pity.¡± ¡°A pity for what?¡± ¡°A pity that someone has to die today.¡± Xue An didn¡¯t intend to cause trouble, but if someone provoked him, killing someone in the street would just be a minor inconvenience. ¡°Die? Heh, that¡¯s really funny, I don¡¯t believe¡­¡± Cao Qian wanted to say something else, but she didn¡¯t get the chance, because she was sent flying by a slap from Xue An, and then she crashed directly into the clothes rack. Boom. The clothes rack was knocked down in a large pile, and by the time she got up, her originally pretty face was swollen like a watermelon, with her mouth full of blood, and even her teeth had been shattered by Xue An¡¯s slap. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I forgot to say, I really dislike women who talk too much!¡± This earth-shattering strike left everyone stunned. Including the salesgirl who had just scorned Xue An for being a coward, she was now filled with shock. This man¡­ is so formidable! Sun Bo, on the other hand, was so angry that his eyelids twitched uncontrollably, ¡°Good! You dare to cause trouble here, kid, you¡¯re finished. Just you wait!¡± Sun Bo said as he took out his phone, while Xue An just looked on with amusement, not stopping him. Soon, Sun Bo ended the call, and his eyes were cold as they stared at Xue An. Those eyes were as if looking at a dead man. Not five minutes later, a tumultuous sound of footsteps came, followed by dozens of security guards rushing over. ¡°Mr. Sun, what¡¯s the matter?¡± the head security guard asked. Sun Bo pointed at Xue An, ¡°This man hit my woman! Kill him!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The group of security guards then surrounded Xue An. Many people stayed far away, not daring to come closer. But Xue An hadn¡¯t even stood up until now, still sitting on the sofa, looking at Sun Bo with a playful expression. ¡°You¡¯re so arrogant, do your mom and dad know?¡± Xue An suddenly asked. ¡°Bullshit, my parents died a long time ago!¡± ¡°No wonder!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Then remember to tell them when you see them down there that you died because of stupid arrogance!¡± Sun Bo was livid, ¡°Attack, everyone attack, take him out!¡± But at that moment, an angry female voice rang out. ¡°What are you all doing?¡± The voice made the previously grim-faced Sun Bo tremble all over, and when he turned around, he saw Qin Yu standing there with a furious look. Sun Bo was shocked; what was Qin Yu doing here? Yet he quickly put on a smile, ¡°Miss, this man was causing trouble in our mall; I was just about to deal with him! ¡± Qin Yu, however, completely ignored him and walked straight to Xue An, saying very respectfully, ¡°Mr. Xue, I ask you to look past this for my sake, and not take offense with these people!¡± This scene left Sun Bo, who thought he had the upper hand, as well as Zhao Feng, who enjoyed watching the commotion, completely frozen. As for the salesgirls, they were dumbfounded. This woman, she was none other than the mistress of Longtai Group¡ªQin Yu! Then¡­ who was this man? Why was he able to command such respect from Miss Qin? Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Auction 1 Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Auction 1 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Xue An looked at Qin Yu with an indifferent expression and said nothing. And this silence made Qin Yu¡¯s face grow increasingly ugly. Finally. Unable to restrain herself, she turned around and snapped, ¡°You two, pack your things and get out of here now! And never set foot in Longtai Group ever again. ¡± This decision cast a look of despair on the faces of Sun Bo and Zhao Feng. In Beijiang, getting into Longtai Group was something many envied. Sun Bo, in particular, had finally worked his way up to the position of director of the security department at Longtai Group, with a considerable annual income. Now, because of this man, he was being thrown out by the young miss. Like someone who had lost everything, Sun Bo fell to his knees and started begging for mercy. ¡°Young Miss, I beg you, please give me another chance. I won¡¯t dare to do it again! It was all because of that woman¡¯s instigation that I was momentarily confused and offended Mr. Xue, please give me one more chance,¡± he pleaded. As Sun Bo spoke, he kept knocking his head against the floor with a thumping sound. Before long, blood began seeping out from his forehead. As for Cao Qian¡­ At that moment, she was so scared that she shrank into a corner, not even daring to breathe heavily. Qin Yu was expressionless. She was thoroughly disgusted with these two, who were more of a liability than an asset. If she weren¡¯t worried about making a scene, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered pleading for them. Just then, Xue An stood up and said lightly, ¡°Respect is earned by oneself, and each time you use it, there is less left. So, I hope in the future, you won¡¯t let me have another chance to look at your face.¡± After finishing, Xue An picked up Xue Xiang and Xue Nian and left first. Qin Yu glared fiercely at Sun Bo, ¡°Get out of here now!¡± Sun Bo trembled all over, his face showing a look of utter despair. To the salesgirl who had already been scared silly, Qin Yu said, ¡°Pack up all the clothes we liked just now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Only after they had left the Silver Long Department Store did Xue Xiang quietly approach Xue An¡¯s ear and ask, ¡°Daddy, are our new clothes pretty?¡± At that moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were wearing pink princess dresses, looking incredibly cute. Xue An¡¯s face showed indulgence only when facing his two daughters, ¡°Pretty, you both look like little princesses.¡± Just then, Qin Yu ran out, looking very apologetic, wanting to say something. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Drive!¡± The auction this time was not in the city, but at a mountain-top villa in the suburbs of Beijiang. By the time Qin Yu drove there, the villa was already surrounded by luxury cars. However, when Qin Yu¡¯s car arrived, it still drew plenty of attention. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Qin Family¡¯s car?¡± ¡°Yes! It looks like the Qin Family¡¯s young miss¡¯s car!¡± ¡°Hey, why is Qin Yu driving herself?¡± Many people whispered among themselves, and after Qin Yu got out of the car, she didn¡¯t enter the venue but opened the car door with great respect instead. Many people¡¯s eyes widened. The Young Miss of Longtai Group, actually opening the car door for someone herself, Just who was this person? The first person to get out of the car was Fan Mengxue. Many recognized her and couldn¡¯t help but let out a series of low exclamations. ¡°Fan Mengxue!¡± ¡°She¡¯s come to Beijiang too?¡± But after Fan Mengxue got out of the car, she didn¡¯t leave but stood on the other side. It seemed she too was waiting for an important guest. Many people¡¯s gazes were fixated on her. Who exactly was in this car? That there was such a commotion? However, when the next moment came, and the ones who got out of the car were two little girls, These two young girls, with their hair coifed and dressed in princess gowns, looked exactly alike, the very image of little fairies stepped out of a painting. Finally, Xue An slowly made his way down. As soon as he appeared, many people began to whisper to each other. ¡°Who is that man?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know! But he seems to be someone of no little importance!¡± ¡°Mhm, Qin Yu¡¯s demeanor towards this man is filled with respect!¡± Xue An¡¯s gaze swept around the venue, then he proceeded forward with an indifferent expression. Just then, Qin Yuan strode out of the house, and in front of all the astonished onlookers, rushed up to Xue An, bowing his head in deep respect. ¡°Mr. Xue, you¡¯ve arrived!¡± Xue An nodded. However, he was unaware that Qin Yuan¡¯s gesture had set off tumultuous waves in the hearts of many. What was Qin Yuan¡¯s status? The real power behind Longtai Group, a high and mighty individual in Beijiang who could practically do as he pleased. Although over the past year, he had been somewhat sidelined by Qin Tian, his influence was still formidable. And yet, such a figure was showing such respect to this man. What kind of background did he have? However, just as people were reeling in astonishment, a voice laced with mockery sounded. ¡°I thought some important big shot had arrived, but it turns out to be just a greenhorn youngster!¡± Following this voice, an old man, dressed in Tang attire and clutching two large iron balls, slowly stepped into the venue. His arrival made many stand up. ¡°Greetings, Master Tan!¡± ¡°Greetings, Museum Director Tan!¡± With an expressionless face, the old man nodded and then approached Qin Yuan, chuckling. ¡°Old Qin, long time no see, you¡¯re looking well!¡± Seeing that it was him, Qin Yuan immediately greeted him with a respectful fist and palm salute, ¡°Museum Director Tan, you¡¯ve come!¡± ¡°Of course I came; after so many years, knowing you¡¯re in trouble, how could I not come to help?¡± the old man said dispassionately. This old man was Tan Dong, the head of the largest martial arts institute in Beijiang, the Zhenbei Martial Institute. He was also a good friend of Qin Yuan. He had heard about Qin Yuan¡¯s recent troubles, so he had come specially to offer help. But as soon as he stepped out of the car, he saw Qin Yuan showing great respect to a young man. This irked Tan Dong. In his opinion, Qin Tian was utterly insignificant. With his own intervention, he was confident that any problems could be resolved. And yet, Qin Yuan was showing such respect to an unknown man, clearly doubting his own strength. So, with a challenging look, he scrutinized Xue An from head to toe, and upon finding Xue An slender and seemingly not a martial artist, his disdain grew. ¡°Where is this young brother from?¡± Tan Dong asked. But Xue An didn¡¯t pay him any attention at all, simply leading a daughter by hand, sauntering past Tan Dong. Now Tan Dong¡¯s face truly began to harden. What an arrogant youngster! Humph, just wait, and I¡¯ll show you soon enough that the old ginger is spicier. Given Qin Yuan¡¯s status, it naturally came with a private box. Xue An and the others entered this box, sipping tea as they waited for the event to begin. While they were waiting, a commotion arose outside, as Qin Tian walked in, leading a lean old man. Upon laying eyes on this old man, Xue An¡¯s eyebrows raised ever so slightly. There was a scent of Ghost Cultivator on this man. Ghost Cultivators were a significant faction in the world of cultivation, with numerous masters emerging from their ranks, such as the ten lords of the Netherworld Realm. But this man¡¯s cultivation level was too shallow. Nonetheless, Xue An could now confirm that the female ghost on Qin Yuan was definitely sent by him.. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Auction Part 2 Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Auction Part 2 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Is that the so-called expert brought by Qin Tian?¡± Tan Dong asked with undisguised disdain. Qin Yuan nodded, ¡°It should be no mistake!¡± Tan Dong, as if he had heard some joke, let out a chuckle and then said, ¡°Old Qin, leave this matter to me. When the time comes, I¡¯ll be able to shatter this old man with a single punch!¡± After saying this, Tan Dong gave Xue An a provocative look, only to find that Xue An remained indifferent, as if he hadn¡¯t heard a word. Tan Dong¡¯s contempt in his heart couldn¡¯t help but grow even stronger. As a martial artist, the most important thing is to cultivate the spirit within one¡¯s heart. The saying, ¡®Poverty cannot sway, might cannot bend,¡¯ is precisely about this. In other words, one must not retreat in any situation, otherwise, no matter how skilled you are, your sharpness is considered diminished. But now, after my repeated provocations, this man hasn¡¯t responded at all. Clearly, he must be scared! Feeling that Xue An posed no threat, Tan Dong turned his attention outside. By now, the auction had already begun. Qin Tian and Liu Shou sat in a corner. The auction started with some ordinary jewels, and both Qin Tian and Qin Yuan held back from bidding. It wasn¡¯t until about halfway through that someone brought up a box. At that moment, the auctioneer said, ¡°Next, we have a strange item for everyone. It was found by a tourist deep in the mountains by chance. However, we don¡¯t know what this thing is for. Have a look, everyone!¡± With those words, the box was opened. Inside was a withered little shrub. A buzz went through the crowd underneath, and many couldn¡¯t help but laugh in low voices. ¡°Is this also a rare treasure? I have plenty of these at home!¡± ¡°Is this some kind of joke?¡± However, the murmurs gradually died down, because the little shrub started to grow and sprout at a speed visible to the naked eye, and then it bloomed and bore fruit rapidly. This scene, akin to a miracle, left many speechless. From within a room, Xue An watched intently, a thought stirring in his heart. It was actually a Dragon¡¯s Guts plant. This was a type of spiritual herb that only grows in places with dragon energy and was a very common ingredient for many elixirs, indispensable for the production of numerous potions. Yet Xue An had not expected to see it on Earth. And at that moment, Liu Shou¡¯s eyes were filled with a red gleam. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± The treasure that Liu Shou had been desperately waiting for in Beijiang was right before him. With it, Liu Shou could break through his current realm and even extend his lifespan. For Liu Shou, the temptation was immense. Thus, Liu Shou said in a cold voice, ¡°Buy it!¡± Qin Tian, following Liu Shou¡¯s command, started bidding immediately. At this time, Xue An also told Qin Yuan, ¡°Buy it!¡± In the beginning, many people were bidding, as the earlier scene had piqued the interest of many wealthy attendees. But as time passed, the only people left bidding were Qin Yuan and Qin Tian. The price had already reached an astronomical sum of one hundred and ten million. For such a small shrub to sell at this price was unexpected to many. However, at this moment, many began to see the writing on the wall. It was a competition between Qin Tian and Qin Yuan. After Qin Yuan bid an even higher price once more, Liu Shou finally lost his patience, stood up, and sneered at the box. ¡°Qin Yuan, are you tired of living?¡± This sentence quieted the entire auction hall. At this time, Qin Yuan stood by the window of the box, smiled faintly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t afford it and getting anxious from losing?¡± Liu Shou let out a sinister laugh, ¡°I didn¡¯t plan on blowing this up, but since you¡¯re courting death, you can¡¯t blame me!¡± Liu Shou suddenly leaped forward, charging toward Qin Yuan. He had made up his mind to kill Qin Yuan first, and then run away with the Dragon¡¯s Courage Grass. But as soon as he drew close, Tan Dong let out a cold laugh, ¡°Well, come on then!¡± Then he threw a punch. Although Tan Dong was somewhat advanced in age, he had not neglected his martial skills, and the punch he threw was like setting off a firecracker in a room. A smug smile appeared on the corner of Tan Dong¡¯s mouth. A bang is worth a thousand gold. His punch could shatter not just a person, but even a stone. But the smile hadn¡¯t faded before it froze on his face. Because Liu Shou didn¡¯t dodge at all, and took the punch squarely with his back. Thump. A dull sound. Tan Dong felt as if his fist had struck a rotting corpse; there was no solidity to it. Just as he was stunned, Liu Shou sneered, ¡°Is this all you¡¯re capable of? And you dare to block my way?¡± With that, Liu Shou swept out with a palm strike. Tan Dong tried desperately to dodge, but he was still hit by Liu Shou¡¯s palm, and was sent flying back over twenty steps before spitting out a mouthful of blood with a ¡®pffft¡¯ sound. At the same time, Tan Dong shouted with a face filled with terror, ¡°True Being, have you already stepped into the Realm of True Beings?¡± Standing proudly, Liu Shou said, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s your fortune to die by my hand!¡± A look of despair surfaced on Tan Dong¡¯s face. The Realm of True Beings. It was the realm that Tan Dong had longed to reach. Only by stepping into the Realm of True Beings could one be considered a true master. At that moment, Liu Shou reached out a hand and grabbed Qin Yuan, then sneered, ¡°You should have died a long time ago. I didn¡¯t expect someone foolish enough to save you, but now your time is up. Go to¡­¡± Just then, Xue An sighed softly, ¡°What¡¯s the point in all this fighting and killing? Wouldn¡¯t it be nicer to sit down and have a cup of tea together?¡± Tan Dong looked at Xue An as if he were looking at a fool, thinking to himself if this guy was here to make jokes. It was then that Liu Shou also noticed Xue An. After sizing him up for a moment, he sneered, ¡°What did you say?¡± Stretching lazily, Xue An bent down and smiled at Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°How about you two go out and play with Aunt Meng Xue, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Fan Mengxue took the two young girls and walked away. Then Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I mean, with that level of skill, you shouldn¡¯t pretend to be a master!¡± Liu Shou¡¯s face instantly turned ashen, ¡°I was going to kill you, but now I¡¯ve changed my mind. I will torture you to death slowly, and those two young girls, I will also turn them into women¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence because Xue An had already appeared in front of him and struck out with an expressionless punch. To threaten him with Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. Then you can just die. The punch was plain and simple, even somewhat leisurely. But it was such a punch that Liu Shou couldn¡¯t even dodge. He was shocked to find that the qi in his body seemed to be sealed, leaving him completely immobile. Boom. The punch was like a thunderclap, as if a huge rock had been thrown into calm waters. Liu Shou was sent flying as if he had been struck by dozens of elephants, spewing blood wildly from his mouth. That wasn¡¯t all. The power of this punch even affected the buildings behind him. Bang! Crash! After a series of loud noises, half of the great hall¡¯s ceiling was blasted away by Xue An¡¯s punch. Starlight from above shone down, casting its glow on every stunned face below.. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Watch My Fist… Move Heaven and Earth! Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Watch My Fist¡­ Move Heaven and Earth! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The dust gradually settled. Xue An withdrew his fist and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve said long ago that all this fighting and killing is so meaningless, but it¡¯s a pity no one would listen.¡± No one dared to respond. A joke, right? After all, who would dare to speak up to someone who could demolish a house with a single punch? As for that Tan Dong, the museum director, at this moment he was so ashamed he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Did he just look down on someone? And dared to mock him? Who gave him the courage? Liang Yongqi? Xue An slowly walked down from the private booth, heading towards the gentian on the stage. As he passed by Qin Tian, Xue An gave him a glance. Even this indifferent look made Qin Tian feel as if all the blood in his body had frozen. That extreme fear made his whole body tremble. Liu Shou was now pressed under the ruins, his fate uncertain. Originally, he thought that with a capable person like Liu Shou, he could easily eliminate Qin Yuan and his grandson. But he hadn¡¯t expected someone to suddenly pop up and disrupt all plans. At this moment, among the crowd present, there was another person who was both shocked and afraid. He was Hong Ming¡¯s father, the Family Head of the Hong Family, Hong Yuan. He came to the auction this time, hiding in a corner, drawing no attention to himself. He was here to repay the debt his son owed. Qin Yu had made it clear to him, the amount was precisely four hundred ninety-nine million, nine thousand nine hundred yuan. Hong Yuan dared not disobey, and after gathering the money, he had reluctantly come to this auction. But he had a trick up his sleeve and did not hand over the money immediately, instead choosing to watch from the sidelines. After all, Qin Tian was now a big deal, which many people were aware of. And his family had a good relationship with Qin Tian. If Qin Tian could take down Qin Yuan, then he could save himself the more than forty million. But he hadn¡¯t expected that Xue An, who had already driven his son to a state of mental instability, would be so formidable. With just one punch, he sent a man flying. Now Hong Yuan also felt a mix of shock and fear and regretted not having given the money earlier. Xue An stepped onto the stage, looking at the gentian with a sense of lament in his heart. Back in the day, he wouldn¡¯t have given such an herb a second glance, but now it was treated like a precious treasure. Xue An reached out his hand, just about to touch the spirit herb. Suddenly, the ground of the hall began to shake. A terrifying aura emerged from the ruins and then a burly man about two meters tall with bulging muscles pushed aside the rubble on top of him and appeared before everyone. ¡°Hehe, forcing me to adopt this form, boy, you should be proud!¡± the burly man said with a sinister tone. It was actually Liu Shou! He wasn¡¯t dead! Qin Tian couldn¡¯t help but be ecstatic, ¡°Immortal Liu is mighty!¡± Hong Yuan was even more excited, hiding no longer, as he jumped out, ¡°Chairman Qin, with the help of this extraordinary man, your great endeavor will surely succeed!¡± Upon hearing Hong Yuan say this, Qin Tian couldn¡¯t help but burst into loud laughter. Only Xue An slightly frowned, ¡°Logically, you shouldn¡¯t be able to use such a secret technique unless you¡¯re burning your lifespan.¡± Liu Shou sneered, ¡°Kid, you¡¯ve got a good eye, but unfortunately, you still have to die!¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Xue An said with a faint smile, ¡°Then come at me! I want to see how powerful you are!¡± Liu Shou charged at him furiously. This time, his speed was extremely fast, and with a leap, he threw a punch mid-air. The might of this punch was so great that it even stirred up a gust of wind in the hall. But Xue An neither dodged nor avoided, just stood there quietly. A smug smile appeared on the corner of Liu Shou¡¯s mouth. Xue An was right, the Ghost Qi Possession secret technique was beyond his current level of cultivation, and he had to burn his life essence to force it. But now Liu Shou didn¡¯t care about all that, as long as he could get the Dragon¡¯s Gall herb, he would be able to break through to a True Person and step into the Xiaoyao Realm. By then, who would be his opponent? Bang. A muffled sound echoed. Xue An was sent flying by Liu Shou¡¯s punch, crashing into a wall and then falling silent. ¡°Ah!¡± Qin Yu screamed. Qin Yuan¡¯s expression also became solemn. Only Tan Dong, who slightly frowned and then calmed down. However, Qin Tian, Hong Yuan, and others were overjoyed. ¡°Heavenly Divine Liu is mighty!¡± With Xue An dead, there would be no one left to stand in their way. The surrounding crowd was also in an uproar. Was this Liu Shou really that formidable? Xue An was most likely doomed, many people thought to themselves. Liu Shou was feeling quite smug, his gaze burning with desire as he looked at the Dragon¡¯s Gall on the stage, his hope for the future. Liu Shou was about to reach out for it. A faint voice came through. ¡°I wanted to see how powerful you were in this state, but what a disappointment¡­ you¡¯re too weak for my taste,¡± it said. Qin Tian, Hong Yuan, and the others who were jubilant moments ago stood frozen. Qin Yu covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with excited, joyful tears. A figure slowly emerged from the collapsed wall. Once they came through the dust mist, it was Xue An, looking calm and composed. Despite being blown away by Liu Shou¡¯s punch, Xue An was still spotless, even his hair was still perfectly in place. Liu Shou was also slightly shocked, ¡°How is that possible?¡± Liu Shou was confident his punch could crush steel into scrap metal. Could this man¡¯s body be tougher than steel? Sensing Liu Shou¡¯s doubt, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°No need to wonder, you¡¯re just too weak!¡± Then Xue An extended a finger at Liu Shou, ¡°What comes around goes around. You¡¯ve thrown a punch at me, now it¡¯s my turn!¡± After saying that, Xue An¡¯s toes touched the ground, and he suddenly surged into the air, then thrust his right fist forward, softly shouting in midair. ¡°Watch my punch¡­ stir heaven and earth!¡± His punch seemed unremarkable. But as it descended, everyone felt the whole world shaking, and some even lost their balance and fell to the ground. Liu Shou finally showed a look of utter horror, ¡°Please¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his plea before Xue An¡¯s fist had already smashed onto his head. Splat. Liu Shou, enlarged by the secret technique, was pounded into the ground by the punch, his head even smashing into his stomach. His body shrank from over two meters tall to less than one meter. Blood and brain matter splattered everywhere. Xue An landed back on the spot, standing with his hands behind his back, like a Heavenly Divine. Qin Tian and Hong Yuan were scared stiff, especially Qin Tian, who felt a warmth below his waist and realized he had wet himself in fear. But at that moment, a puff of black mist emerged from Liu Shou¡¯s corpse and quickly fled towards the window. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Do you think you can escape?¡± With a gesturing grasp of his hand, the black mist was snatched into Xue An¡¯s hand. The black mist struggled fiercely, but with a fierce squeeze of his hand, Xue An scattered it completely. There was complete silence all around.. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Advanced Primordial Essence Elixir! Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Advanced Primordial Essence Elixir! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Xue An looked around the arena, and where his gaze passed, many people showed fear on their faces and hastily retreated. Qin Tian was even more like a wooden chicken, for he knew that it was all over! Everything was completely over! The godlike figure he regarded had been blown away by this man with a single punch. Then, wouldn¡¯t it be extremely easy for him to deal with himself? As for Hong Yuan¡­ At this moment, he wished he could slap himself twice. If he hadn¡¯t been so excited just now, or if he had paid the money in advance, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this situation. However, Xue An didn¡¯t pay much attention to these two people. He had done what he promised Qin Yu. As for how to deal with Qin Tian next, that wasn¡¯t his concern anymore. Xue An picked up the Gentiana plant and turned away. Only after he left did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief. Hong Yuan was the first to jump out to disassociate himself from Qin Tian, then took out his bank card, and said to Qin Yu with a flattering smile, ¡°Miss Qin, there¡¯s over fifty million inside this, and the rest can be considered a tribute from the Hong Family! I implore you to speak favorably of me in front of Mr. Xue!¡± After speaking, Hong Yuan scurried away. At this time, Qin Tian also walked over to Qin Yuan and suddenly knelt down. ¡°Uncle, I admit defeat! Please spare my life.¡± Qin Yu had no affection for Qin Tian. Yet Qin Yuan still couldn¡¯t help but let out a long sigh, ¡°Qin Tian, I won¡¯t kill you, but from now on you must leave Beijiang and never return!¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle!¡± With that, Qin Tian also skulked away. With this, all was settled. Qin Yuan brought Qin Yu to see Xue An. ¡°We are extremely grateful to Mr. Xue for taking action this time,¡± they said. Xue An shook his head, ¡°No need for thanks, this Gentiana plant can be considered your token of gratitude, but I do have one more thing.¡± ¡°Please speak, Sir!¡± ¡°I want to know who found this Gentiana plant, and where they discovered it!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Qin Yu agreed without hesitation. Meanwhile. Atop a high mountain thousands of miles away, amidst the swirling sea of clouds, a white-haired elder sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. Suddenly! The elder opened his eyes. As if a flash of sword light passed by, the white clouds floating in front of him were cleanly sliced apart. The sea of clouds had been cut open, leaving a passage hundreds of meters long. ¡°Master!¡± a stern-looking man bowed down respectfully and called out. The elder was silent for a while before saying, ¡°Your elder brother has died!¡± The man trembled slightly, ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°Indeed he is dead. Just now, when my Heart Realm was clear and empty, I sensed that your brother had left this world!¡± ¡°Who did it?¡± the man asked coldly. The elder shook his head, ¡°I do not know, it¡¯s beyond my vision! But although your brother has been indulging in heretical practices these years, which delayed his martial cultivation, the person capable of killing him is no ordinary individual! ¡± ¡°Yu Qing!¡± ¡°Disciple is here!¡± ¡°Descend the mountain first, investigate who killed your brother, then bring back their head to see me!¡± A fierce look flashed across the elder¡¯s face. ¡°Yes!¡± Yu Qing bowed and retreated. The clouds had already filled the void that had been opened up, and the elder slowly extended a finger and suddenly let out a light utterance. The dense clouds were dispersed by this strike, allowing the sunlight to pour through the gap and land on the elder¡¯s head. He appeared like an Immortal. And in the martial world, he was indeed an existence akin to a deity. He was the Heavenly Pointer Elder, Yu Ling. ¡°Daddy, what is this thing?¡± Xue Xiang curiously came over, examining the Gentiana plant in Xue An¡¯s hand. ¡°Yes, Daddy, what is this? Can we eat it?¡± Xue Nian asked hopefully. Xue An playfully pinched Xue Xiang¡¯s little cheek, ¡°You little glutton, is eating all you know?¡± ¡°Then what is this?¡± ¡°This is for making elixirs!¡± ¡°Oh! Medicine, huh!¡± Xue Xiang instantly lost interest. This little girl had a nearly fanatical love for food. Meanwhile, Fan Mengxue seemed distracted, as though she was contemplating something. It wasn¡¯t until they got home that Fan Mengxue, biting her lip, said, ¡°Xue An, I think¡­ tomorrow you should accompany me to meet that Stephen!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± Fan Mengxue hung her head, a vague sadness in her heart. Wasn¡¯t he going to stop her at all? Fan Mengxue believed that if Xue An just said one word, not to go, she would definitely drop everything and then spend plain days with Xue An. But Xue An didn¡¯t say it. This made Fan Mengxue feel a little sad. However, Xue An didn¡¯t pay attention to any of this. He had Qin Yu buy a lot of precious medicinal ingredients, planning to make some advanced versions of the Primordial Essence Elixir tonight. Evening. Xue Xiang and Xue Xiang had already gone to sleep. Fan Mengxue had also returned to her own room. Xue An took out the medicinal ingredients and began making the elixirs again. Now, Xue An¡¯s strength had greatly declined, and he could only use a bit of True Yuan power to form True Fire for making elixirs. However, this was still a hundred times better than the mundane flames. Soon, a rich fragrance of medicine filled the air. The precious medicinal ingredients were all refined by Xue An¡¯s True Fire, and then he added the Gentiana herb. A faint dragon aura was quickly stimulated by the True Fire, and then infused into the elixir. Finally. Primordial Essence Elixir was successfully made. This time, Xue An only made three. But compared to the one he gave Qin Yuan before, the grade was several times higher. One for Tang Xuan¡¯er, one for Fan Mengxue, and then one set aside for backup. This had been Xue An¡¯s plan all along. After everything was settled, Xue An got up and went outside, but as soon as he opened the door, he found Fan Mengxue sitting on the sofa in a daze. Xue An walked over and handed her the elixir. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Eat it, it¡¯s good stuff!¡± Xue An said calmly. Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t hesitate to take it and eat it. Even if it were poison, as long as it was given by Xue An, she would eat it without hesitation. However, just a few minutes after eating it, Fan Mengxue felt she was sweating a stinky sweat. The sweat was foul and smelly. Fan Mengxue, who loved cleanliness, was naturally disgusted and immediately rushed into the bathroom to take a shower. Xue An listened to the sound of water and smiled faintly. This was the real Primordial Essence Elixir. It could remove toxins accumulated in the body and replenish vitality, thereby achieving the effect of prolonging life. At this moment, Fan Mengxue in front of the mirror in the bathroom was also stunned. Fan Mengxue was already incredibly beautiful, but because of the pressure of life over the years, her skin had become somewhat haggard. But after Fan Mengxue washed away that foul sweat, she found her skin had become delicately tender. This condition was even beyond what she had in her teens. Fan Mengxue¡¯s first thought was of that elixir. Could it be¡­ Because of that elixir? Then Fan Mengxue was shocked. An elixir that could make women return to their youth meant something significant. Fan Mengxue knew better than anyone. It would be a fortune powerful enough to rival nations! Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Gifts? Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Gifts? Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The snow once again covered the city. The fluttering snowflakes made Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, the two little girls, extremely excited. They even neglected breakfast and rushed downstairs to start building a snowman. Xue An stood to the side, smiling as he watched. ¡°Daddy, look! Is the snowman I made pretty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Xiang¡¯er¡¯s snowman is the prettiest!¡± Xue An nodded as he tried to understand what the oddly shaped snowball was supposed to be. ¡°These are Daddy¡¯s eyes!¡± Xue Nian placed two pebbles on the snowball, saying with a giggle. ¡°This is Daddy¡¯s mouth!¡± Xue Xiang used a discarded lipstick to draw an arc. Xue An watched with a chuckle, then pointed to a blank snowman beside them. ¡°Then what is this?¡± ¡°This is of course Mommy!¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°Then why does Mommy have no eyes or mouth?¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian hung their heads, ¡°We¡­ we¡¯ve never seen what Mommy looks like. Auntie Xuan¡¯Er said that the person in the photo is our mommy, but why hasn¡¯t Mommy come to see us?¡± Xue An felt a slight jolt in his heart, then crouched down and said very seriously, ¡°Xiang¡¯er, Nian Nian, Mommy loves you the most. She is just busy with some things, so she hasn¡¯t been able to come for now, but after some time, Daddy will take you both to see Mommy! Okay?¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± Both little girls nodded in unison. Right at that moment, Han Yao drove up in a white Range Rover. She was still somewhat afraid of Xue An, so she stood at a distance, not daring to come closer. It wasn¡¯t until Fan Mengxue also came downstairs that Han Yao walked over, then looked at Fan Mengxue with astonishment. ¡°You¡­ what happened to your face?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my face?¡± Han Yao was filled with shock. Because the former Fan Mengxue, although extremely beautiful, owed part of her charm to modern makeup techniques. But Fan Mengxue today, bare-faced without a trace of makeup, was stunningly beautiful. Especially her skin, which seemed so delicate it could be broken with a puff. If the former Fan Mengxue was a nine-point beauty, then now she was a bona fide ten-point goddess. Han Yao suppressed the curiosity in her heart and then said, ¡°Stephen is currently outside the city in the flower garden, and I¡¯ve already arranged the time, let¡¯s go meet him now.¡± Fan Mengxue nodded, ¡°Okay, but Xue An will also come with us.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going too?¡± Han Yao frowned slightly but did not dare to show any displeasure. At this time, Xue An said to the two little girls, ¡°Daddy will take you to see flowers outside the city, okay?¡± ¡°Yay!¡± ¡°But¡­ Daddy, I¡¯m so hungry!¡± Xue Nian held her stomach and said with a woeful expression. ¡°Then Nian Nian, what do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Chinese chive pockets!¡± Both girls said in unison. Thus, atop this Range Rover valued at over a million, each of the little girls held a Chinese chive pocket, eating to their heart¡¯s content. Han Yao dared not show the slightest dissatisfaction and could only quietly roll down the window. ¡°Why is Stephen coming to Beijiang? And why go to the flower garden outside the city?¡± Fan Mengxue asked. ¡°Because Stephen is extremely obsessed with flowers and plants, and as it happens, this year¡¯s Beijiang flower garden has attracted a master who has grown many rare flowers and plants, which is why this Stephen has come all the way here,¡± Han Yao explained. The car soon arrived outside the flower garden. Upon getting out of the car, Xue An noticed that all kinds of luxury cars were parked here. At the entrance, there were also many security guards on watch. Han Yao led a group of people into the flower garden. Only upon entering did everyone discover it was a different world altogether. Firstly, the temperature here was much higher than the outside world, warm as spring. Secondly, as far as the eye could see, there were all kinds of flowers and plants. Moreover, these flowers and plants were all in full bloom. This spectacle of competing beauty left Fan Mengxue and the two little girls completely stunned. Han Yao sighed, ¡°When I first saw it, I was shocked too! Such a nursery, even Zhongdu might not have it! No wonder Stephen traveled thousands of miles just to come here!¡± However, Xue An¡¯s face remained calm, these flowers and plants were indeed nice, but for him, they were hardly noteworthy. There had been a time when he stood above the Milky Way, overlooking the billion stars below; that was truly magnificent and unparalleled. After witnessing such a grand sight, Xue An¡¯s heart felt no ripples when viewing these earthly flowers and plants. ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t Fan Mengxue!¡± Just then, a voice tinged with mockery came from behind. Fan Mengxue turned her head and saw a man and a woman approaching. The woman was a stunning beauty with a lot of charm, while the man was a short and stocky fellow. Such a pairing was inherently discordant. And the woman was almost plastered against him. Fan Mengxue recognized the newcomers, ¡°He Ying? What are you doing here?¡± This woman was a starlet with some fame in the industry, named He Ying. Fan Mengxue and He Ying had worked together at one point. But later, Fan Mengxue could not stand He Ying¡¯s behavior, and they went their separate ways, and over the next two years, the gap between them had widened. Fan Mengxue was already a leading actress. He Ying was still confined to the small place of Beijiang. At this moment, He Ying was looking at Fan Mengxue with envious eyes and upon hearing her question, couldn¡¯t help but snicker, ¡°What? Am I not allowed in this place? The news of Stephen¡¯s visit isn¡¯t exclusive to you alone!¡± Then, He Ying turned her attention to Xue An, ¡°Oh, so this is your big star Fan¡¯s little lover, huh? He looks quite handsome, but it¡¯s a pity¡­¡± He Ying noticed that Xue An had no expensive accessories on him and not even a watch, which led her to view him with some disdain. ¡°See this? This is my husband, Chairman Dong Tiancheng of the Tiancheng Group, with a net worth of billions. Just one of his rings is worth more than your little lover¡¯s entire fortune. Sometimes, a woman really shouldn¡¯t shortchange herself,¡± said He Ying with an air of pride. Fan Mengxue¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. For she noticed the way Dong Tiancheng looked at her¡ª it was a gaze filled with greed and possessiveness. Fan Mengxue had seen such looks far too often. Dong Tiancheng, at that moment, indeed felt an overwhelming desire, because he had only seen Fan Mengxue on television, but he had not expected her to be even more beautiful in person! Especially her delicate skin, which seemed so flawless it was almost tempting. Yet Dong Tiancheng was a cautious man, fearing that Xue An might be some aristocratic young master, so he merely chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m pleased to meet you, Miss Fan, but I¡¯m not sure who this gentleman is¡­¡± Before Fan Mengxue could speak, Xue Xiang and Nian Nian chorused, ¡°This is our daddy!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Dong Tiancheng and He Ying had an air of understanding. Carrying a child with her, this Fan Mengxue sure had unique tastes. After pondering for a moment and recalling that there was no wealthy scion with children, Dong Tiancheng relaxed and said with a smile, ¡°Miss Fan, are you also here to see Director Stephen?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then, have you brought any gifts?¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 1 Blossom and Kill All the Other Flowers! Chapter 34: Chapter 34 1 Blossom and Kill All the Other Flowers! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Yeah! Did you all come empty-handed?¡± He Ying exclaimed dramatically. ¡°My husband specially bought an extremely precious plant from abroad as a gift for Stephen! By then, the role of the female lead should be mine!¡± He Ying said, brimming with confidence. She was green with envy towards Fan Mengxue, her teeth itching with jealousy. Now that she finally had the opportunity to outshine Fan Mengxue, she was naturally overjoyed. Dong Tiancheng then said with an effusive smile, ¡°Miss Fan, if you haven¡¯t brought a gift, I could help you out, but¡­ heh heh!¡± That heh heh conveyed all the implications. Fan Mengxue, with a cold face, said, ¡°No need!¡± After speaking, she turned and left. Xue An looked at He Ying and then at Dong Tiancheng before smiling faintly. ¡°Daddy, what are you laughing at?¡± Xue Xiang asked. ¡°Oh, nothing, I just suddenly thought that if a shortie were to become a spirit, he¡¯d probably be just like this!¡± Dong Tiancheng¡¯s face turned green immediately, as his height had always been his Achilles¡¯ heel. How dare this guy mock him? Just as Dong Tiancheng was about to explode, Xue An had already left with his two daughters. Dong Tiancheng watched Xue An¡¯s retreating figure with a sullen face, silently gritting his teeth. You¡¯ll see what I have in store for you! The center of the flower garden housed several glass rooms, and that¡¯s where Xue An, Fan Mengxue, and the others arrived. There were already many people inside the glass rooms. And judging by their suits and dresses, none of them was an ordinary person. However, at the moment, these people were all standing to one side, silent as if they were holding their breath. Among them, a blond, blue-eyed foreigner was particularly eye-catching. This was Stephen. Stephen wore a face full of anticipation, as though he was waiting for something. Finally. The small door of the glass room opened, and a lovely silhouette slowly walked out. At first glance, you could only describe this woman as a flower. Because she was more delicate than any flower. Upon seeing this woman, Stephen¡¯s face lit up even more with excitement. ¡°Master Wei!¡± ¡°Master Wei! You¡¯ve finally arrived!¡± People greeted her one after another. The woman nodded slightly, then elegantly lifted the cloth that shrouded the table. Underneath was a plant with nine-colored flowers. Everyone held their breath for a moment. Stephen¡¯s eyes shone even brighter. This was a plant that bore nine different colors of blossoms. And each flower had its own unique charm and exquisite beauty. ¡°Master Wei, I¡¯ll take this flower!¡± Stephen quickly said. Master Wei gently shook her head, ¡°This plant is not for sale!¡± Stephen became anxious, ¡°Why not?¡± Master Wei calmly said, ¡°Because only the person who can articulate the meaning behind this plant deserves to own it!¡± This statement left everyone present exchanging glances. Then, some began to eagerly try their luck. Ever since the beginning of the year when this girl named Wei arrived at this flower garden, this inconspicuous place had become famous. Many people came seeking its reputation, just to get a pot of rare plants. But after many guesses, Master Wei just shook her head at each one. At that moment, Dong Tiancheng said with a smile, ¡°This young man claims to be an expert on every plant and tree; why don¡¯t you explain it now?¡± This voice directed all eyes toward Xue An. Master Wei also noticed Xue An but frowned slightly. An expert on every plant and tree? Even she would not dare to say that. Probably just another blustering rogue. The corner of Dong Tiancheng¡¯s mouth showed a smug smile. Now, to be embarrassed in public, even if it angers Master Wei, it will definitely offend Stephen as well. So Fan Mengxue¡¯s lead role went down the drain. All of it had been planned by Dong Tiancheng. However, just as he was filled with self-satisfaction, Xue An simply smiled faintly. ¡°Although I never said so¡­ what he said is not wrong, I do know all the flowers in the world.¡± This statement caused an uproar among the audience. Many people looked at Xue An with scorn. Especially Stephen, who showed utter disdain. When he was in Europe, he had deeply studied flowers and could be considered a master gardener. Even he would not dare to claim he knew everything. This man actually said he knew it all? It was simply laughable. Weiyi also frowned slightly. ¡°Sir, may I ask how to address you?¡± ¡°My papa is called Xue An! My papa is so amazing!¡± Xue Xiang blurted out excitably. This child-like voice caused many people to burst into laughter. Among the laughter, Dong Tiancheng and He Ying laughed the hardest. But Xue An just stood there proudly, without any expression, only speaking faintly after the laughter had somewhat subsided, ¡°Your flower is named¡­ Forget Love.¡± Upon these words, Wei¡¯s face drastically changed. At this moment, everyone gradually fell silent. Xue An continued, ¡°This flower has exhausted all human craft, merging nine ultimate beauties into one, yet it is unaccompanied by a single green leaf. Such loneliness accompanies the flower, and its destiny will also be the soil, therefore¡­ it is named Forget Love!¡± Dong Tiancheng was the first to sneer, ¡°That really is laying it on thick¡­¡± But his sneering did not continue, for he saw a surprising scene. Master Wei, who was always cool to others, actually took the initiative to approach Xue An and gave a deep bow. ¡°Today, I realized there is still someone in the world who truly understands flowers!¡± This scene left everyone dumbfounded. Those who had just mocked Xue An felt so ashamed they wished they could crawl into a hole. Only Stephen felt some dissatisfaction. In the few days he had been here, he had been deeply captivated by this woman as delicate as a flower. Therefore, he naturally did not wish to see Master Wei showing such respect to Xue An. ¡°If it¡¯s just talk, how can he be considered an expert on all flowers?¡± Stephen said coldly. Dong Tiancheng also jumped out, ¡°That¡¯s right, Director Stephen makes a perfect point, anyone can spout off, if that counts as being an expert on all flowers, it would be utterly ridiculous!¡± Then Dong Tiancheng, as if presenting a treasure, opened the box he carried with him. ¡°Gentlemen, please look, this is the exotic flower I¡¯ve purchased at a great price!¡± Stephen, a flower lover, became somewhat obsessed upon seeing this ink-black blossom. And many others joined in the chorus condemning Xue An. After all, this man had stolen the limelight from many upon his arrival, naturally arousing the envy and resentment of many. But Xue An just stood there indifferently, waiting until the voices around him started to die down. Then, looking down at Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, he said, ¡°Do you¡­ want to see your papa perform a magic trick?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Well then! Papa will show you a magic trick with a flower!¡± Saying so, Xue An extended his hand. Dong Tiancheng mockingly said, ¡°What are you doing, preparing to hold¡­?¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Because he witnessed a scene that left him dumbfounded. From within the palm of Xue An¡¯s hand, a tiny seed began to take root and sprout, growing at an extremely fast rate. In the blink of an eye, the seed developed into a flower bud ready to bloom. This scene made many believe they were seeing things. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. Xue An softly chanted, ¡°When my flower blooms, a hundred flowers die.¡± Almost instantly, the intensely blooming ink lotus immediately withered away. And at the same time, all the flowers that were in full bloom throughout the garden withered in an instant as well. But this flower of illusion slowly blossomed! So beautiful it seemed surreal! Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35: At one command, all things bow their heads! Chapter 35: Chapter 35: At one command, all things bow their heads! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Everyone was stunned by the scene before their eyes. Master Wei was so excited that his whole body trembled, and he stared at the magical flower, mumbling to himself. ¡°Art of the heavenly beings, it truly is the art of the heavenly beings.¡± As for Stephen, at this moment, his eyes nearly popped out. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian cheered. ¡°Daddy is so amazing!¡± Xue An smiled, then looked at Dong Tiancheng and He Ying, whose faces had turned ashen, and said lightly. ¡°Now, are you convinced?¡± Dong Tiancheng¡¯s mouth moved, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. Only He Ying, with a face full of disbelief, said, ¡°What is this! It must be laser projection, I refuse to believe a flower could just grow out of nowhere!¡± Wei Ruyan frowned and then said to He Ying, ¡°Please leave!¡± He Ying was taken aback and then shouted like a shrew, ¡°Why should I leave?¡± Wei Ruyan responded coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t welcome people who don¡¯t understand flowers here! Please leave!¡± It was at this time that Stephen also said, ¡°What Master Wei said goes for me, too. Please leave immediately, and forget about the film deal!¡± He Ying was stunned, and Dong Tiancheng wanted to say something, but Stephen waved his hand, ¡°Before I lose my temper, please, you two, leave immediately!¡± Having no choice, Dong Tiancheng could only drag the hysterical He Ying out with him. Wei Ruyan approached Xue An with great respect and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, may I touch this flower, please?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°You may.¡± As he said this, Xue An withdrew his hand, and the flower floated in mid-air. Wei Ruyan, trembling, gently touched the flower, and tears poured down her cheeks. ¡°To see such a miraculous flower in my lifetime, I would die without regrets!¡± Xue An actually had quite an admiration for this Wei Ruyan, a girl with a pure heart who devoted everything to flowers. A true flower fanatic. Or simply, flower crazy. Stephen also came over, but his interest was primarily in whether he could buy the flower. ¡°Mr. Xue, please name your price. I want this flower!¡± Xue An looked at Stephen and then smiled lightly, ¡°You want to buy it?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t afford it!¡± Stephen gritted his teeth, ¡°Mr. Xue, for this flower, I would spare no expense!¡± Xue An smiled, then pointed at Fan Mengxue, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I heard you have a movie about to start filming, and you¡¯re just missing a leading lady, right?¡± Initially, Stephen hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Fan Mengxue. The fluent Mandarin-speaking director, once in contact with flowers, cared about nothing else. But when Xue An reminded him, Stephen suddenly took notice of Fan Mengxue, then he was taken aback. Fan Mengxue bowed slightly, ¡°Mr. Stephen¡­¡± ¡°Oh, my God,¡± Stephen was shocked, ¡°This beautiful lady is exactly like the leading lady I imagined, even her facial features are so similar!¡± Those words allowed Fan Mengxue, who had been on edge, to breathe a sigh of relief. Han Yao immediately started to chat up Stephen. This top agent in the entertainment industry had a way with words and quickly got on well with Stephen. The matter was resolved. Xue An crouched down and said to Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, let¡¯s go out and play!¡± ¡°Yeah! Okay!¡± The two little girls followed Xue An out of the flower garden. At this moment, the snow had stopped, and the world was a blanket of white. The garden was located in the suburbs of Beijiang City, right next to Yulong River. ¡°Daddy, Aunt Xuan once took us here, and the Yulong River was so beautiful at that time!¡± Xue Xiang said standing by the riverbank. ¡°Yeah! I remember too, and I even ate a boiled corn by the river, it tasted incredibly good!¡± Xue Nian also said. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but chuckle silently; these two little girls, only four years old this year, spoke and acted like little adults because they had grown up without their parents. The more they did so, the more Xue An¡¯s heart ached. How much suffering had his two daughters endured in the four years he was away! With that thought, Xue An softly said, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, do you want to see the Yulong River as it was back then?¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Yes!¡± But then her expression dimmed. ¡°But it¡¯s winter now, and the river is all frozen!¡± Xue An smiled faintly; if he couldn¡¯t manage such a small matter, could he even be considered an Immortal Venerable? ¡°Close your eyes! Daddy will perform another magic trick for you!¡± The two little girls obediently covered their eyes. Xue An waved his hand and exclaimed softly, ¡°Reverse!¡± The frozen surface of the river cracked in response, and the ice and snow melted away at an incredible pace. In the blink of an eye, the Yulong River began to flow once more. At the same time, all the flowers, grass, and trees by the riverbank began to grow wildly. In a moment, the area within ten miles of the riverbank turned lush and green as if it had instantly returned to summer. At his command, all things bowed their heads. This¡­ was the power of an Immortal Venerable! ¡°Alright, you can open your eyes now,¡± Xue An said softly. The two little girls let go of their hands and, after looking around a bit dazedly, they exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Daddy, did you do this?¡± Xue An nodded with a smile, ¡°What do you think? Impressive, right?¡± ¡°So impressive! Daddy, look, there are fish in the river too!¡± Xue Nian could never forget about food! Xue An laughed, ¡°Let¡¯s cross the river!¡± Having said that, Xue An stretched out his hand towards the river and murmured, ¡°Bind!¡± No sooner had he spoken than the calm surface of the river began to boil, as countless fish jostled to emerge from the water. Then they formed a small bridge over the surface of the river, made entirely of fish. Xue Xiang carefully stepped on the fish bridge with her foot before walking across, saying excitedly, ¡°Daddy, is this also magic?¡± Xue An nodded, smiling, ¡°Yes! This is also a magic trick!¡± ¡°Then I want to learn this magic too!¡± ¡°Me too, me too. Once I learn it, I¡¯ll be able to make lots and lots of tasty things!¡± As a bona fide little foodie, Xue Nian¡¯s thoughts were naturally unique. ¡°Great! Daddy will teach you everything in time,¡± Xue An said with a light smile. Indeed, he had such plans to lead An Yan, his two children, and everyone close to him on the path of cultivation. For as an Immortal Venerable, time had lost all meaning to him. It was absolute immortality. But without the company of loved ones, it would also be an absolute prison. Just the loneliness alone could drive one mad. In his previous life, Xue An cultivated hard for three thousand years, aiming to break through time and return to Earth. So, having the opportunity in this life, Xue An certainly would not give up. The father and his daughters strolled across this bridge which could very well be unique in the entire world. And in the distance, Dong Tiancheng, with an unconvinced He Ying in tow, was about to leave when they witnessed this scene. Both were shocked. What was this? Immortals? Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: 36th Chapter: Like an Immortal Chapter 36: 36th Chapter: Like an Immortal Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio He Ying forced a smile and said, ¡°This guy is probably just playing tricks again! Right, honey?¡± But this time, her words received no response. He Ying turned her head to look and discovered that Dong Tiancheng¡¯s expression was extremely grave. After all, as a billionaire, Dong Tiancheng could naturally have access to more secrets. He was well aware that there were high-level figures in this world! But no matter what, he could not have imagined that this man accompanying two children could be such an extraordinary figure. Thinking of how he had just scorned the man, Dong Tiancheng could not help but break out in a cold sweat. ¡°Honey¡­ Honey?¡± He Ying said with a tremble in her voice. Dong Tiancheng gave her a cold look. Everything was because of this foolish woman! If it weren¡¯t for her, he would not have offended Xue An! Yes! It was all because of her! At that thought, Dong Tiancheng¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but fill with disgust. As a wealthy man, beautiful women were the least of his concerns! It was just that He Ying was a minor starlet, satisfying Dong Tiancheng¡¯s wish to date a star, which was why he had doted on her so much! But now Dong Tiancheng felt that he should stay far away from this foolish woman. He Ying sensed Dong Tiancheng¡¯s unusual behavior, and her heart was filled with panic. ¡°Honey¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I just remembered there¡¯s something at the company, you take a taxi home yourself!¡± With that, Dong Tiancheng turned and left. He Ying stood there stunned, and after quite a while, she looked at Xue An with a face full of resentment. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you! If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I would have gotten that role with Stephen! I curse your two daughters to a bad end! You¡­ . Her voice suddenly stopped. Because beneath He Ying¡¯s feet, a white light had suddenly risen. In the blink of an eye, the white light completely engulfed her. He Ying didn¡¯t even have a chance to scream before she completely disappeared. At this time, Xue Xiang saw something unusual on the distant riverbank and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Daddy, what happened over there?¡± Xue An simply smiled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, maybe someone is burning trash over there!¡± Although Xue An¡¯s current strength was not what it once was, for the sake of his two precious daughters, he had still bestowed upon Xue Xiang and Xue Nian the highest level of the Guardian Spell Technique. This spell technique was created by Xue An when he first became the Immortal Venerable. It could even be so overbearing as to curse kill someone unfavorable to him across billions of light years! Even though his strength was far from recovered now, the Guardian Spell Technique was still incredibly powerful. So just because He Ying had said a few bad things behind their backs, she was directly curse killed on the spot! Of course, the two little girls knew nothing of this, excitedly walking back and forth on the Fish Bridge. Xue An stood in the middle of the river with his hands behind his back, watching his daughters¡¯ happy faces and couldn¡¯t help but smile as well. At this moment. The clouds dispersed, and a ray of sunlight shone down, casting Xue An and the two little girls in an almost immortal light. This scene was also seen by Fan Mengxue, Han Yao, and Wei Ruyan, who had come out behind them. Han Yao was so shocked that her body stiffened, then almost moaned, ¡°Meng Xue, what kind of man have you found?¡± Fan Mengxue was much calmer and simply said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but I am clear that as long as he is called Xue An, that¡¯s enough for me!¡± From then on, Han Yao completely put away her scornful heart and also believed what Xue An had said about things going smoothly; it wasn¡¯t just bragging. He truly had that level of ability. When one¡¯s strength reaches a height that others find difficult to contemplate, worldly power and wealth become quite laughable. And Wei Ruyan was paying attention to the lush greenery of the trees around Yulong River. It was as if, all of a sudden, Yulong River had returned to summer. The lush trees stood in stark contrast with the surrounding world of ice and snow! ¡°Who is this person¡­ exactly?¡± Wei Ruyan was filled with shock. At that moment, a Maybach slowly drove into the garden. Qin Yu got out of the car, and was also shocked by the scene, but now she had some immunity to it, so she quickly recovered and then walked to the riverbank. ¡°Mr. xue!¡± Xue An turned his head and saw it was Qin Yu, so he led Xue Xiang and Xue Nian back to the shore and then snapped his fingers. ¡°Scatter!¡± With a whoosh, the fish bridge collapsed tumultuously. Then Xue An turned to Qin Yu with a slight smile, ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Qin Yu felt her heart race a bit from that smile and couldn¡¯t help lowering her head as she said, ¡°Mr. Xue, regarding the matter you asked me to investigate, I¡¯ve found it out! The Divine Herb auctioned off, it comes from¡­ Mount Qingmang!¡± Mount Qingmang! Upon hearing this name, a strong light shone in Xue An¡¯s eyes. Because his hometown was located at the foot of Mount Qingmang in Qingmang Town. However, ever since the death of both of Xue An¡¯s parents, he had left that place and had rarely returned since. ¡°Alright! I got it! Thank you!¡± Qin Yu was somewhat nervous. Because she had never seen such an expression on Xue An¡¯s face before. ¡°Mr. Xue, are you planning to go to Mount Qingmang? Is there anything our Qin Family can do?¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°No need!¡± Then Xue An said to Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°How about Daddy take you on a trip, okay?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± To Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, these two little girls, as long as they could stay by Daddy¡¯s side, everything else was fine. Xue An looked up at the distance. Mount Qingmang! It seemed that there were some unfinished debts there, waiting to be collected! Having settled the affairs and due to scheduling reasons, Fan Mengxue had to follow Han Yao. When it came time to part, Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t help but start crying again. Han Yao wisely led Xue Xiang and Xue Nian away. Xue An looked at Fan Mengxue with her eyes red and swollen, and smiled slightly, ¡°Okay, if you keep crying, you won¡¯t look pretty!¡± Fan Mengxue hung her head, sobbing softly, almost like a little kitten. Xue An rubbed her head, ¡°When we were in school, I said that whoever dared to bully you, I would definitely beat them up for you! Now you see, ordinary people can¡¯t beat me! So go without worry, as for Stephen, this guy, I reckon he wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to you!¡± It was not just a matter of daring not to do anything; the current Stephen regarded Xue An as a deity, almost ready to kneel down and burn incense for him. Fan Mengxue suddenly hugged Xue An, ¡°Do you know, I¡¯m actually really jealous of An Yan, but I don¡¯t know if I still have a chance!¡± Xue An let out a soft sigh. Even as an Immortal Venerable, there were things that were difficult to resolve. Like matters of the heart, which were complicated. ¡°Alright, alright, I never said you couldn¡¯t come back!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s beautiful little face lifted as she looked at Xue An. ¡°Do you mean, I can still come back in the future?¡± Xue An gave a wry smile, ¡°Yeah, what else, could I possibly drive you away? Joy appeared on Fan Mengxue¡¯s face and in her eyes. After Fan Mengxue left, Xue An stood by the roadside, suddenly feeling a bit desolate. There was only one person he loved, and that was An Yan. This was without a doubt. But towards Fan Mengxue, or even Tang Xuan¡¯er, he harbored complex feelings within him. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but heave a long sigh. Let it be! Let it be! He would just have to take things one step at a time! Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Green Mangoes Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Green Mangoes Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Mount Qingmang harbors Immortals. This is a legend known to all who live near Mount Qingmang. However, no one had ever seen one. But it did lend the mountain a mysterious allure, drawing tourists from all directions and bringing bustle to the once-impoverished Qingmang Town. Xue An arrived with his two daughters on the tourist coach, everything in front of him both familiar and strange. When he left, it was just a remote little town, but it had become much more prosperous now. Rows of restaurants and bars stood side by side, with men and women in vibrant clothes coming and going incessantly. And straight down the street in the distance towered Mount Qingmang, its peak perennially enshrouded in mist, seldom willing to disperse. Xue An squinted at it for a moment. As a child, he had ventured into Mount Qingmang and found nothing unusual. But now, with the eyes of an Immortal Venerable, he could naturally tell that the mountain had excellent feng Shui and was faintly enveloped by dragon aura, clearly no ordinary place. However, this dragon aura¡­ seemed to be mixed and impure! Xue An thought to himself, then turned to Xue Xiang and Xue Nian and said, ¡°Are you hungry? The two little girls chorused, ¡°Hungry!¡± This scene brought a smile to the faces of passers-by. Xue An nodded, ¡°Come on, Daddy will take you to eat first!¡± Since becoming a dad, Xue An¡¯s daily life had become inextricable from pots and pans. In truth, with his cultivation level, he could have foregone food. But money can¡¯t buy happiness, and Xue An enjoyed the feeling of feasting with his two daughters. Walking on the street, looking at the hostels and restaurants rising from the ground, Xue An¡¯s expression grew somewhat wistful. Back then, he would often play on this street. And his old home was just around the corner of this street. After so many years, what had become of his old home? The house must have collapsed by now! Thinking thus, Xue An turned the corner and was taken aback. Where his old house stood, a very luxurious hotel had been erected. Xue An¡¯s expression gradually darkened. ¡°Daddy, why have we stopped?¡± asked Xue Xiang, then glanced at the sumptuously decorated hotel. ¡°Daddy, are we going to eat here? Won¡¯t it be expensive?¡± Xue Xiang, only four years old, already had the makings of a little miser. She counted every penny when it came to buying groceries, which sometimes made Xue An feel both heartache and amusement. Of course, Xue An wasn¡¯t angry just because a plot of land had been taken. For him, this old home held special meaning, after all, it was the symbol of his childhood memories. Just then, a timid voice came over. ¡°Are you¡­ Brother An?¡± Xue An turned and saw a young girl standing at the edge of the street. The girl was dressed in simple clothing, clean and pure, with even a hint of shy blush on her face. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°Brother An, is it really you?¡± The girl suddenly became excited, stepped forward, and said, ¡°I¡¯m Lan¡¯er!¡± ¡°Lan¡¯er? You are¡­ Xue Lan?¡± Xue An said in surprise. Xue Lan was the daughter of a distant uncle, who, as a child, often clung to Xue An, following him around like a little shadow wherever he went. ¡°It¡¯s me, Brother An! You¡¯ve finally come back, many people said you were dead!¡± Xue Lan spoke as tears streamed down her face. ¡°I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I? It¡¯s been several years, and you¡¯ve grown so much!¡± Xue An said with a smile. ¡°And these two are¡­?¡± Xue Lan caught sight of Xue Xiang and Xue Nian and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Hello, Auntie!¡± The two sweet-mouthed girls said in unison. Xue Lan was also amused by these two adorable little creatures, ¡°Oh my, what cute little girls.¡± ¡°These are my daughters!¡± Xue An said. Xue Lan was slightly shaken, then she forced a smile and said, ¡°Big brother An, you¡¯re married already!¡± Xue An nodded, then pointed to the grand hotel behind him. ¡°What¡¯s all this about?¡± Xue Lan¡¯s face changed, and then she dragged Xue An away. ¡°It¡¯s not something I can explain in a word or two. You should come home with me first. Dad will be so happy to see you!¡± Xue Lan¡¯s home was on the edge of Qingmang Town. The place had reverted to the appearance of a small mountain village, with houses low and ramshackle, and roads muddy and hard to navigate. Xue An used to come here often, so he was very familiar with it, and Xue Lan¡¯s home hadn¡¯t changed much over the years. After stepping through the gate, Xue Lan excitedly shouted, ¡°Dad, guess who¡¯s back?¡± A dark-skinned village man came out of the house and was stunned when he saw Xue An. ¡°Xue¡­ An?¡± At that moment, a village woman also came out of the house, grumbling, ¡°Who is it, causing such a fuss!¡± Upon seeing Xue An, the woman¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Xue Lan was still very excited and said, ¡°Mom, brother An isn¡¯t dead! He¡¯s come back!¡± ¡°Get out, quick! We don¡¯t know any Xue An, just get him out of here!¡± Li Hongyan, Xue Lan¡¯s mother, said. Xue Lan was taken aback, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You wretch, don¡¯t you listen to what I say anymore? Get him out of here!¡± said Li Hongyan, her face contorted in anger. Then Xue Guo, Xue An¡¯s distant uncle and Xue Lan¡¯s father, sighed and said, ¡°Xue An, you really shouldn¡¯t have come back! Leave now, before others find out you¡¯re here! Hurry!¡± Xue Lan was about to say something at that point. Xue An stopped her and then said calmly to the couple, ¡°My return won¡¯t cause you any trouble, but I want to know, what happened to my home?¡± This question made Xue Guo and his wife¡¯s faces turn even paler. Li Hongyan said with a face full of resentment, ¡°Damn you, you unlucky star, just seeing you brings misfortune, and still you say you won¡¯t trouble us? Leave, before I lose my patience!¡± Xue An frowned; although they were relatives, he felt that if he was the architect of his own demise, he had no one else to blame. It was then that Xue Lan suddenly grabbed Xue An¡¯s hand, her tears flowing as she said, ¡°Big brother An, let me take you away from here first.¡± Thinking of Xue Lan, Xue An¡¯s heart softened. He smiled at the two, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t regret this later!¡± After saying that, Xue An followed Xue Lan away. It was then that Li Hongyan finally exhaled, expressing disdain, ¡°Just an orphan who lost his home, regret? Pfsh!¡± Xue Guo looked as if he wanted to say something, but in this household, he had no say at all. Once outside, Xue Lan finally said sadly, ¡°Big brother An, I¡­¡± Xue An shook his head and said indifferently, ¡°No need to say anymore, Lan¡¯er. Just tell me, what exactly happened to my home?¡± Xue Lan clenched her teeth, ¡°It¡¯s all because of Jie Hu! Three years after you left, they started developing this area, and because of the advantageous location of your house, Jie Hu maliciously took it over to build a hotel.¡± Jie Hu. This name opened the floodgates of Xue An¡¯s sealed memories.. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: What counts as an old grudge? Just kill it! Chapter 38: Chapter 38: What counts as an old grudge? Just kill it! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Back when Xue An was in junior high in the town, this Jie Hu relied on his family¡¯s influence to become the boss in school. Because Xue An had good grades and no family, Jie Hu often picked on him and bullied him. Later, when Xue An left Qingmang Town, rumors had it that Jie Hu was expelled from school for raping a girl. This person is the typical scum of society. Now, he seems to be prospering against all odds. Xue Lan said with some worry, ¡°Jie Hu has more than once threatened that whoever dares to interfere with this matter will be killed, the people in town are all scared of him, and no one dares to step forward!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Lan, thank you!¡± Xue Lan shook her head, ¡°Big brother An, don¡¯t blame my parents, they are also scared!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, and then looked down at Xue Xiang and Nian Nian, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Daddy will take you to the hotel we just saw for a meal!¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Lan became anxious, ¡°Big brother An, please don¡¯t be impulsive, Jie Hu is now really powerful, I heard he has a lot of thugs under him, you¡­¡± Xue An smiled lightly and asked back, ¡°Lan, have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°Me? Not yet¡­¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go together!¡± Xue Lan wanted to say something, but when she saw Xue An¡¯s indifferent eyes, she couldn¡¯t say anything. Xue Lan felt that the gentle and shy big brother An from her memories had suddenly become very unfamiliar. Especially those eyes, deep and abyssal, they seemed like two unfathomably dark pools that were intimidating to look upon. Xue An arrived at the entrance of the Yue Lai Hotel. The decorations weren¡¯t bad, but the place was filled with the vulgar air of the streets. Xue An walked in expressionlessly, followed by two little girls and a restrained Xue Lan. Because the location was excellent and Qingmang Town had a large flow of people, all the facilities here were no different from those in the city. The lobby also had a manager and waitstaff. As Xue An walked in, a waiter approached. ¡°Sir, would you like to dine?¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°Then please, this way!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t move but asked indifferently, ¡°Is Jie Hu here?¡± The waiter¡¯s smile gradually faded. ¡°You¡¯re asking about our boss?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Then may I ask what you need?¡± ¡°Just some old debts that I intend to settle with him!¡± The waiter signaled to some others, and soon about a dozen burly security guards approached and surrounded Xue An. ¡°Kid, if you leave now, I can overlook this,¡± the lobby manager said, coming over with a cold sneer. Xue An suddenly smiled, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, should Daddy perform another magic trick for you?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The lobby manager sneered, ¡°Stop playing tricks, beat him up!¡± The security guards rushed forward only to find Xue An standing with his hands behind his back, merely lowering his eyes and uttering softly, ¡°Kneel!¡± And they all knelt on the ground in unison. ¡°Daddy, why did they all kneel down?¡± Xue Xiang asked. ¡°Maybe they thought it was too tiring to talk standing up, kneeling might be more comfortable!¡± The explanation was simply perfect. At least Xue Xiang and Nian Nian believed it. The lobby manager, however, was on the verge of tears. Xue An walked over to him and said indifferently, ¡°Now, I¡¯ll ask you one more time, where is Jie Hu?¡± The lobby manager clenched his teeth, ¡°When our boss comes back, he will definitely not let you go! You just wait!¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll wait!¡± With those words, Xue An patted the lobby manager on the shoulder. Crack. The shoulder shattered under Xue An¡¯s pat, and the lobby manager cried out in pain. Xue An said, ¡°Quiet!¡± The lobby manager couldn¡¯t make a sound anymore, sweating profusely from pain yet could only look at Xue An with eyes full of despair! ¡°Prepare the meal, we¡¯ll eat while we wait.¡± Xue An told the trembling female waitstaff in the distance. Soon, the table was set up in the lobby. The dishes were plentiful, and the two little girls ate heartily without a care in the world. Xue Lan, however, found it difficult to swallow. After all, kneeling on the ground were those who usually strutted arrogantly around the town! Xue An ate a few bites, then began to serve himself drinks. The alcohol was indeed good¡ªwild fruit wine specially produced from Mount Qingmang. It had a taste of childhood. And everyone looked at this table with complex eyes. Many people hid in the distance, gossiping, looking at Xue An as if they were looking at a dead man. ¡°When Big Boss Jie comes back, there¡¯s likely to be bloodshed!¡± ¡°No kidding! This guy is so arrogant, doesn¡¯t he know where he is?¡± These whispers only made Xue Lan more afraid. ¡°Big Brother An, shall we leave first?¡± ¡°Leave? Why should we leave?¡± ¡°When Jie Hu comes back¡­¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for him!¡± As soon as the words fell, footsteps came from outside, followed by Jie Hu¡¯s voice, nearly sycophantic, ¡°Miss Chen, this way please!¡± When the group entered the lobby, they were stunned. Because the scene before them was truly inconceivable. More than a dozen burly men, kneeling upright on the ground. And to the side, there was a table with a man, a woman, and two children eating. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Jie Hu¡¯s eyes instantly turned frosty. Today, he had gone to great lengths to finally invite this distinguished guest from Zhongdu to his hotel. And now, this scene made him feel he had lost face. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s all because of this guy. I don¡¯t know what trick he used, making us kneel here, unable to get up!¡± a security team captain yelled. Jie Hu¡¯s face darkened as he looked at Xue An, who was serving himself drinks, and said ominously, ¡°Who¡¯s this brat? You know where you are? Daring to stir up trouble here, are you tired of living?¡± Xue An put down his wine cup and lifted his eyes to look at Jie Hu. ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ the old Xue Family house?¡± At these words, Jie Hu¡¯s expression changed drastically, then he glared at Xue ¡°You¡­ you are¡­¡± And at this moment, the woman standing next to Jie Hu said coldly, ¡°Manager Jie, it seems you have some other issues here?¡± Jie Hu quickly put on a fawning smile. ¡°No issues, no issues, just some minor matters. I¡¯ll take care of it right away!¡± Then he turned to Xue An, sneering, ¡°Xue An, I didn¡¯t expect you to still be alive! What¡¯s up? Looking for me for something?¡± Xue An leaned back in his chair, looking at Jie Hu who was acting like a nouveau riche and suddenly asked, ¡°Initially, I wanted to settle an old score with you!¡± Jie Hu, with a cold countenance, said, ¡°Settle a score?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°But now, I¡¯ve changed my mind! What old score? Killing is simpler!¡± ¡°What did you say? Kill? Just by yourself? Haha!¡± Jie Hu looked utterly contemptuous. His impression of Xue An was still that of the gentle youth from their school days. At that moment, Xue An raised his wine cup towards Jie Hu, ¡°Wish you a smooth journey!¡± ¡°A smooth your mother¡­¡± Before his words ended, Xue An had already rushed in front of him, grabbed his throat, and lifted him into the air. Of course, all of this Xue An had shielded from view to ensure it was not seen by his two precious daughters. All this happened very quickly¡ªJie Hu¡¯s face turned purple as he choked, his hands and feet flailing in agony. Xue An turned to the woman beside him and smiled slightly, ¡°Sorry, are you his friend?¡± The woman was not afraid at all, but rather watched Xue An with interest, ¡°Good, then¡ªI¡¯ll see him off!¡± After speaking, Xue An applied a slight pressure on his hand, and there was a cracking sound. Jie Hu¡¯s neck was broken by his formidable grip. Until his death, Jie Hu had not expected that Xue An would truly dare to kill him. So until the end, Jie Hu¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief and¡­. thick regret! Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: A mere loach dares to be presumptuous? Chapter 39: Chapter 39: A mere loach dares to be presumptuous? Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The people kneeling down at this moment were all scared out of their wits. Especially the lobby manager, whose eyeballs were nearly popping out. He never imagined that Xue An would dare to kill someone in public. Xue Lan was even more frightened, trembling all over. You see, Jie Hu in Qingmang Town was like an untouchable emperor, someone no one dared provoke. Yet, he was simply strangled to death by brother An. This sent a chill down Xue Lan¡¯s spine. However, this noble-looking woman remained calm and cracked a slight smile, ¡°He does kill decisively.¡± Xue An glanced at her and turned to leave. But at that moment, another group of people walked in. The man at the forefront was dressed splendidly, radiating a defiant vigor. As soon as he entered, he smiled at the woman, ¡°Sister Ru Shi, I knew I¡¯d find you here.¡± Upon seeing him, Chen Rushi couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Huo Heming, you really are like a bad penny. Wherever I go, you follow!¡± Huo Heming chuckled, ¡°Ru Shi, you¡¯ve traveled far for the old man¡¯s sake, of course, I had to accompany you. And look, I¡¯ve even specially invited a master.¡± With that, a white-haired old man stepped out from behind Huo Heming. On seeing the old man, even Chen Rushi¡¯s demeanor turned respectful. ¡°So it¡¯s the renowned Feng Shui Master from Zhongdu, Master Song Yi! I offer my respects!¡± Song Yi smiled faintly, ¡°Miss Ru Shi, you needn¡¯t be overly courteous. I¡¯ve heard much of your filial piety, and responding to the young master Huo¡¯s invitation, I naturally wish to help you find the treasure.¡± Xue An didn¡¯t pay much attention to their conversation until the mention of treasure hunting. Then, he smiled thoughtfully. At that moment, Song Yi continued, ¡°Mount Qingmang, with its majestic aura and mingled with dragon energy, must certainly contain a blessed land of caves and heavens!¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Rushi was overjoyed, ¡°What kind of blessed land of caves and heavens is it? Do we really need to search the mountain bit by bit?¡± Song Yi shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s the most foolish method. It would be best to ask the locals if there¡¯s anything odd about the mountain.¡± And just then, Xue Lan suddenly said, ¡°There seems to be an unfathomably deep pool in the mountain.¡± Her words made Song Yi and Huo Heming, among others, turn their gaze toward Xue Lan. Under their scrutiny, Xue Lan nervously lowered her head. ¡°Miss, where is this pool you speak of?¡± Song Yi asked at this time. ¡°It¡¯s in the mountains, but few go there, and generally, people don¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°Then¡­ could we trouble the miss to lead the way?¡± Song Yi said. Xue Lan looked at Xue An, somewhat troubled. Xue An remained indifferent, neither approving nor disapproving. Huo Heming, impatient at this point, pulled out a stack of bills and tossed them onto the table. ¡°This is for your trouble. If we truly find something, I will double this fee for you.¡± Xue Lan was taken aback ¡ª the stack of money was at least twenty thousand. Her parents couldn¡¯t earn that much even after a year of hard toil. And yet, like giving alms to a beggar, he had nonchalantly thrown that money out. This disparity made it difficult for Xue Lan to accept. Xue An smiled lightly at that moment, ¡°Great! I happen to be going to the mountain for a hike. Lan¡¯er, take the offer!¡± When Xue An spoke, Huo Heming looked towards him. After scrutinizing him and seeing his ordinary attire, he felt some disdain. ¡°How can just anyone come along?¡± However, Chen Rushi nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s actually good. Having a guide means we don¡¯t have to worry about getting lost.¡± This remark darkened Huo Heming¡¯s expression. This Chen Rushi was a heiress he had been pursuing for a long time. Her family¡¯s strength was so great that it could be ranked in Zhongdu. Even after pursuing her for so long, Chen Rushi never gave him the time of day. But now she showed intimacy towards a stranger, which irritated Huo Heming greatly. He didn¡¯t show his feelings, but thought to himself, dammit, I¡¯ll deal with you once we¡¯re in the mountains. Once everyone was prepared, the group made their way into Mount Qingmang. In the beginning, there were many tourists. But as Xue Lan led them further into the remote areas, it became hard to spot any tourists. By the end, there wasn¡¯t even a proper path to follow anymore. They had completely entered deep into the mountains at this point. Xue An carried his two daughters, still striding with ease. It was Huo Heming, out of breath after just a few steps. Meanwhile, Song Yi kept pulling out his compass to check it, growing more and more excited as they went. When they finally reached a place that seemed to be a dead end, Xue Lan led everyone around a turn, and suddenly, a pond appeared before them. The pond was immeasurably deep and even from a distance, it chilled them to the core. Next to the water, a few plants of Gentiana grew. But that wasn¡¯t all, as standing right in the middle of the pond was an upright, pure lotus flower. The lotus was spotless white, completely out of place in the winter deep mountains. Upon seeing this lotus, Song Yi¡¯s face lit up with excitement. ¡°This is it! This is the Holy Medicine that can mend flesh and save lives from the brink of death!¡± At these words, Chen Rushi also became excited. She had several bodyguards with her, so she commanded, ¡°Go, pluck that lotus for me!¡± The bodyguards, well-equipped and even equipped with a full set of diving gear, obeyed her order. Once they entered the pond, the operation started off smoothly, with the guards quickly reaching the lotus. But just as they were about to touch the flower, suddenly, huge ripples disturbed the calm surface of the water. Then, a snake head as thick as a water tank emerged. The triangular head had a pair of upright eyes emitting a cold glow. Everyone froze in shock. The bodyguards were terrified to their souls. Just as they turned to retreat, the giant python opened its mouth, and a cloud of black mist engulfed them. The guards didn¡¯t even have time to scream before they dissolved into putrescence. At that moment, Song Yi shouted in fright, ¡°It¡¯s a Jiaolong, it has transformed into a Jiaolong!¡± Indeed. Everyone saw that there were two small, unobtrusive horns growing on the snake¡¯s head. If those horns fully developed, the Jiaolong would become a Divine Dragon of the heavens. As Song Yi yelled out, the serpentine head turned, coldly facing the people on the bank. ¡°Quick! Kill it!¡± Huo Heming, pale with panic, drew his pistol and fired wildly. Those with him also drew their guns, shooting a barrage at the snake¡¯s head. But the bullets did nothing to harm the Jiaolong; instead, they completely enraged it. With a gulp, another black mist shot towards the people on the shore. Huo Heming and Song Yi scrambled to get out of the way. As for Chen Rushi, she was frozen in terror. The Jiaolong shattered her understanding of the world she had known for years. In her daze, Xue An grabbed her arm and pulled her aside. Song Yi cried out in despair, ¡°It¡¯s over!¡± The Jiaolong, annoyed by its miss, fully emerged from the water, showing its massive body, as thick as a car and tens of meters long, coiling near the shore, its head charging towards the people. With a bang, the solid ground exploded in all directions. And before the crowd could evade, the tail lashed out. If the crowd was hit by the tail, they would all be dead. Song Yi cried out in despair, ¡°My God! This Jiaolong has become sentient.¡± Huo Heming and Chen Rushi were so frightened they were out of their wits. Just when everyone thought they were surely doomed, Xue An slowly stepped forward, then grabbed the lashing tail. In the moment of stunned silence, Xue An let out a cold laugh. ¡°A mere mudfish dares to be so presumptuous?¡± Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Emerging by Trampling on a Dragon Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Emerging by Trampling on a Dragon Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio With that, Xue An¡¯s arm flexed with strength, and he whipped the entire Giant Python into the air, then aimed it at several towering trees nearby and swung it fiercely. Boom. After a loud crash, these trees, thick enough to be embraced by one person, were abruptly snapped. This earth-shattering scene left everyone shocked and dumbfounded. The Jiaolong seemed to have been stunned as well, but in a blink of an eye, it furiously opened its huge mouth wide and snapped at Xue An. Xue An chuckled coldly, grabbing the snake¡¯s tail with one hand while reaching out with the other, seizing one of the horns on the Jiaolong¡¯s head. Thump. After a muffled sound. Xue An had forcibly twisted off one of the Jiaolong¡¯s horns. A deafening roar of the dragon ensued, and the Jiaolong went completely berserk. Yet, Xue An remained utterly composed. What a joke. He had slain more than one of the ancient dragons that existed since the beginning of the universe; how could he be perturbed by such a mongrel Jiaolong with impure blood? However, the others paled and retreated several steps. Chen Rushi gazed upon Xue An¡¯s defiant silhouette, her eyes brimming with admiration. Huo Heming noticed this and couldn¡¯t help but seethe with resentment. Who is this kid, and how is he so formidable? No, I must find a way to deal with him! At this moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, somewhat worried, yelled loudly, ¡°Daddy, you can do it!¡± The Jiaolong, as if realizing something, headed straight for the two sisters. Xue An huffed, they actually dared to target his women? Then they could go die! But just as he was about to punch and break the Jiaolong¡¯s spine, Huo Heming suddenly shoved the two young girls. The girls, completely unprepared, were pushed straight into the deep pool. Xue An roared furiously and immediately leapt in after them. The Jiaolong, having narrowly escaped death, didn¡¯t flee but looked at the people on the shore with blood-filled snake eyes and then sank into the pool as well. Everything happened swiftly. Almost no one managed to react in time. Xue An and the Jiaolong had already disappeared from sight. The crowd¡¯s gaze turned towards Huo Heming. Huo Heming scratched his head and chuckled, ¡°I was just afraid the snake would hurt the two young girls again. It turns out I used a bit too much force!¡± But Chen Rushi¡¯s expression was dark as water, paying no heed to his explanation. And Xue Lan, she was already crying rivers of tears. ¡°Big brother An, big brother An! You can¡¯t have anything happen to you! You bastard, it¡¯s all your fault, you harmed the two young girls, and now my big brother An!¡± Xue Lan pointed at Huo Heming and cursed furiously. Huo Heming¡¯s complexion turned dark and gloomy. He couldn¡¯t care less about the life or death of a mountain village girl. ¡°Nonsense, come here, seize her for me. We¡¯ll deal with her later!¡± Noticing that Xue Lan was quite attractive, a thought crossed Huo Heming¡¯s mind, and he gave the order. At this time, Song Yi also frowned. This Young Master Huo truly had a vicious streak. But having accepted the man¡¯s money, he had no reason to offend him. At this point, Song Yi began collecting the precious medicinal herbs nearby the pool. This place, seldom visited by humans and nourished by the dragon aura emanating from the Jiaolong, was home to incredibly valuable herbs. Huo Heming felt extremely satisfied within his heart. Humph, what good is strength? Still no brains? With just a little scheme, he had disposed of the lives of this father and his daughters. But just when he was feeling pleased with himself, the pool, which had been calm, suddenly started to boil. Not only that, but the lotus flower in the water turned to ash in the blink of an eye. Huo Heming was shocked, ¡°Mr. Song, what¡¯s happening?¡± Song Yi¡¯s expression was serious. He was just about to speak. Slowly rising from the water were Xue An and his daughters, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. The trio, stepping out upon the water, was completely dry, as if they were immortals themselves. Everyone was stunned. At that moment, Song Yi said with a trembling voice, ¡°Look¡­ Look under their feet! ¡± All eyes hurriedly followed his direction. They saw, under the feet of Xue An and his daughters, the head of the Jiaolong. Exiting by stepping on the dragon! What an imposing display! Huo Heming and the others were dumbfounded. Song Yi, at this point, dropped to his knees with a thud. Because he knew better than anyone that this man was beyond his provocation now. He had struggled with his spiritual cultivation for decades, only just barely reaching the Zhenren Realm, and was still leagues away from the Xiaoyao Realm. Let alone a Jiaolong, even a malevolent spirit could take his life. Yet this man had subdued a Jiaolong in the water. And looking at the Jiaolong now, it seemed willingly submissive, not daring to show even the slightest defiance, and in its serpentine eyes, there seemed to be a sense of fortune. It was as if being stepped on by Xue An was an honor for it. Song Yi¡¯s kneeling sent a shock through many. In Zhongdu, Song Yi was a figure of some stature. To see him kneel so readily? Huo Heming trembled, quietly stepping back. At that moment, Xue An glanced at him indifferently. Huo Heming felt his muscles no longer obeyed his commands. With a plunk, Huo Heming was kneeling on the ground. The Jiaolong¡¯s body still lay in the pool, but its head had emerged. Xue An stood atop it, looking down on everyone, then smiled faintly. ¡°Actually, you should feel honored, because you get to see yourself turn to ashes!¡± Huo Heming was jolted, he wanted to speak but couldn¡¯t utter a word, only looking at Song Yi with pleading eyes. Song Yi hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°Master, this young master Huo is from the Huo Family of Zhongdu. Although he acted rashly just now, please, Master, spare him this once. I think the Huo Family will surely reward you handsomely¡­¡± Xue An looked at Song Yi and said lightly, ¡°Do you know why you¡¯ve been unable to make progress for so many years?¡± Song Yi was shaken, bowing his head. Xue An stated coolly, ¡°Because you are mired in worldly power and pleasures. Cultivators should defy the heavens. You try to cultivate through worldly power, but it will only backfire on you!¡± Song Yi was struck as if by lightning, mumbling to himself on his knees. ¡°Defy the heavens¡­ Defy the heavens?¡± ¡°Correct, defy the heavens. If even the heavens don¡¯t permit me, then I shall obliterate those heavens! That is the path of a true cultivator!¡± Xue An declared, and with a slight gesture forward. A wisp of white flame began to burn from Huo Heming¡¯s little finger. The flame burned slowly, but its temperature was clearly extremely high, for the burnt flesh turned directly to bone ash that scattered with the wind. Huo Heming was in agony, but even then, he couldn¡¯t control his muscles, so even a wail of pain was out of reach. He could only watch helplessly as his body gradually turned to ash in the flames. This process lasted a whole minute before the flames finally engulfed Huo Heming completely, reducing him to ash. This scene was filled with a cruel beauty. It was then that Xue An waved his hand, bringing his two daughters, who had been in a state of suspension, back to reality. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Divine Slaughter Six Techniques Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Divine Slaughter Six Techniques Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were squatting on the serpent¡¯s head, exploring something at the moment. ¡°Sister, do you think this snake would taste good?¡± Xue Nian seemed like her saliva was about to flow out. The Jiaolong visibly shivered for a moment, a tinge of panic flashing in its eyes. Xue Xiang shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be very delicious, because there¡¯s no pot big enough to stew it!¡± The Jiaolong breathed a slight sigh of relief, but then Xue Xiang continued. ¡°However, we could skewer it and roast it. That might taste pretty good!¡± The Jiaolong was about to cry. It had been staying comfortably at home when suddenly a group of people arrived, first trying to steal treasures and then beating it up. And most importantly, this man was incredibly formidable. He had not only beaten it senseless onshore but also nearly turned it into a meat patty with a single punch in the water. In the world of monsters, the law of the jungle and the respect for the strong is the norm, so after being thoroughly subdued, the Jiaolong immediately submitted completely. This was what had happened underwater. A punch. Burst a Jiaolong in the water. And that wasn¡¯t all. At that very moment, distant mountains shook suddenly, followed by a rumbling sound coming from underground. Everyone was shocked at this juncture. Only the Jiaolong knew. This was merely the ripple effect of Xue An¡¯s punch. Thinking of that earth-shattering punch in the water, the Jiaolong couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit panicked. But only Xue An was not quite satisfied. In the past¡­ his punch could obliterate an entire star system. Now that his strength was a fraction of what it used to be, this would have to do. Thus, the first punch of Divine Slaughter Six Techniques, moving heaven and earth, had begun to take shape. And there were five more punches to follow. Together, they were the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques. They were also the renowned special skill that Xue An established during his time as an Immortal King, as he roamed the universe and built a resounding reputation. Xue An chuckled at the two girls still discussing how to eat the Jiaolong, ¡°Alright, alright, if you keep talking it¡¯s going to cry, come down now!¡± The Jiaolong very docilely laid its huge dragon head on the ground, and Xue An picked up the two little girls and walked down. The Jiaolong turned to leave. Suddenly, Xue An patted its head. ¡°Although your lineage isn¡¯t that great, the fact that you¡¯ve cultivated to this level is commendable. Let me give you a hand, to help you become a dragon sooner. ¡± The Jiaolong trembled all over, then looked at Xue An with immense gratitude. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°No need to thank me. But I must tell you, in the universe, there are countless members of the Dragon Clan. If you only wish to become a dragon, that¡¯s simple. However, I¡¯ve seen an unusual scent in your blood. If you dare to defy the heavens, then it might not be impossible¡­¡± Xue An did not continue because he felt the chances were incredibly slim. The Jiaolong sank into the water. Just now, Xue An had transmitted a Demon Cultivator Cultivation Technique to it, which was an incomparable treasure for the Jiaolong, who had achieved its current strength entirely through self-cultivation. It now intended to go and cultivate. Meanwhile, Xue An turned his head to look at Song Yi, who was still muttering to himself, and shook his head. If this man couldn¡¯t break through this barrier, not only would he be unable to progress, but he might also suffer a backlash and even risk death. Xue An untied the ropes around Xue Lan, who looked at him somewhat fearfully. ¡°Brother An¡­¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I won¡¯t eat people! It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve had some unusual encounters over the years.¡± Xue Lan lowered her head. Xue An sighed softly, turned to leave, but Xue Lan suddenly looked up and said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid! As long as you are Brother An, then I¡¯m not afraid of anything!¡± Xue An smiled faintly. Huo Heming dissipated with the wind, and everything was over. Only Chen Rushi was somewhat disheartened. Because just as Jiaolong emerged from the water, most of the medicinal herbs had been swept into the depths, so it could be said that they were returning empty-handed this time. Thinking of the family elder at home whose condition worsened day by day, Chen Rushi became anxious. And at that moment, Chen Rushi stared dumbfounded as she watched the two little girls pulling lotus seeds out of the pockets of their dresses. ¡°These taste really good!¡± Xue Nian casually popped one into her mouth. Xue Xiang nodded, ¡°But there are too few, just this little bit!¡± The two little girls, completely ignoring Chen Rushi¡¯s distress and shock, ate the seeds as if they were candies, one after another. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t eat anymore!¡± Chen Rushi said in anguish. ¡°Eh, Auntie¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xue Xiang turned her head to look at Chen Rushi. ¡°Little girls, where did you get these lotus seeds from?¡± ¡°Dad just picked them for us when we were in the water!¡± Xue Nian ate another one. ¡°Yeah, Dad also said to eat them as snacks for fun!¡± At this point, Chen Rushi was almost going crazy. Picked up casually¡­ and handed to the two little girls, even telling them to eat as snacks. What was this man¡­ thinking? You must know that the crunchy lotus seeds being eaten by Xue Xiang and Xue Nian are divine medicine, even capable of bringing the dead back to life and mending flesh and bone, the Xuan Yin Lotus Seeds! ¡°Little girl, could you give Auntie one? I will exchange it with lots and lots of snacks for you, okay?¡± Chen Rushi at this moment sounded like a kidnapper luring children. ¡°Then¡­ I want ten bags of spicy strips!¡± Xue Nian was the first to say. Xue Xiang knocked on her sister¡¯s head and then seriously said, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er Auntie said eating too many spicy strips will make you ugly! Let¡¯s exchange for Mushroom Power instead!¡± ¡°Mm! That works too!¡± Xue Nian hastily nodded in agreement. Chen Rushi hadn¡¯t expected it to go so smoothly. Then Xue Xiang took out a lotus seed from her pocket, ¡°Auntie, what do you need this for?¡± ¡°Auntie has a sick person at home who needs to eat this!¡± ¡°Is that so!¡± Xue Xiang thought for a while, then took out all the lotus seeds from her pocket. Xue Nian did the same, but at the last moment hesitated, then stuffed another lotus seed into her mouth. ¡°Auntie, we will give you all of these!¡± Chen Rushi was stunned, looking at the two exquisitely crafted little girls with their pure, gem-like eyes. She spoke tremblingly, ¡°Little sisters, you are¡­¡± Xue Xiang earnestly said, ¡°Auntie, when Dad wasn¡¯t home before, we would always hope for him to come back. You must also be hoping for the sick person in your family to get better, right? So we¡¯re giving them all to you!¡± Chen Rushi suddenly felt like crying. She had just been thinking of taking advantage of them, yet these two little girls had hearts of gold. But, would their dad¡­ that mysterious man agree? Chen Rushi was a bit apprehensive. Xue An had been watching all along, he smiled slightly, then said, ¡°What I give to my daughters is theirs to do with as they please!¡± Chen Rushi bit her lip, then took out an exquisitely crafted platinum card from her person. ¡°Sir, these items are too precious, I do not dare to ask for them all, three seeds will suffice.. This card is a token of gratitude from the Chen Family, please accept it with our thanks!¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Three days later, I will wait for him at the Hong Family! Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Three days later, I will wait for him at the Hong Family! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Beijiang. Inside the villa of the Hong Family. Yu Qing sat in the main seat while Hong Yuan, his son Hong Ming, and Qin Tian all stood respectfully to one side. Yu Qing¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°Are you saying that Xue An is not currently in Beijiang?¡± Hong Ming replied eagerly, ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ve already sent people to check, he left Beijiang two days ago!¡± ¡°Do you know what he went to do?¡± Yu Qing said blandly. ¡°That¡­ I¡¯m not too sure,¡± said Hong Ming. ¡°That little bitch Qin Yu must know!¡± Qin Tian suddenly spat out venomously. Qin Tian¡¯s circumstances were extremely miserable by now, having been expelled from the Longtai Group by Qin Yuan, and all his savings had been frozen. And seeing him fall from grace, his wife ran off with their possessions. He was like a stray dog, unable to find peace day or night. Until that day, as he sat frowning in the shabby house he had rented, Yu Qing came to him. At first, Qin Tian didn¡¯t take Yu Qing seriously. But later, he discovered that this man who appeared to be just in his thirties was terrifyingly formidable. Only then did Qin Tian learn that this person was Liu Shou¡¯s junior brother and had come to Beijiang specifically to investigate the cause of Liu Shou¡¯s death. Qin Tian was overjoyed and promptly led Yu Qing to the Hong Family¡¯s place. At this moment, hearing Qin Tian¡¯s words, Yu Qing slightly nodded his head. ¡°Alright, where can we find Qin Yu?¡± ¡°She goes to the Town North Martial Arts Academy every day!¡± Town North Martial Arts Academy. The largest martial arts academy in Beijiang, and Tan Dong, stationed there, was a martial arts master with a minor nationwide reputation. As the heiress of the Longtai Group, Qin Yu was distinguished and naturally would not train with those ordinary disciples outside. She was in a small courtyard at the very back of the Town North Martial Arts Academy, personally instructed by Tan Dong. Today, Qin Yu was practicing with intense concentration. Tan Dong watched from the side, feeling somewhat emotional. Ever since the auction day, Miss Qin seemed to have been stimulated in some way, practicing like mad at the academy every day. Her progress was astonishingly fast; she had already mastered the Swimming Dragon Palm to some extent. But just then, a commotion suddenly arose outside. Then a disciple rushed in hurriedly. ¡°Master, someone is challenging the academy!¡± Challenging the academy. This kind of incident had not occurred at the Town North Martial Arts Academy for a long time. However, Tan Dong remained calm and nodded, ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll go over right away¡­¡±. Before he could finish his sentence, he saw the courtyard door burst open violently, and several of his proud disciples were sent flying in with a single punch. This scene caused Tan Dong¡¯s complexion to change drastically. Some of his disciples had been studying for ten years, second only to him in skill, yet they were sent flying in with a single punch. Just who was this formidable expert? While he was still in shock, a man with an ordinary face but a deep and towering presence slowly walked in. It was none other than Yu Qing. He was following the orders of his master, Lei Ling of Compass Point, to descend the mountain and investigate the death of his senior brother Liu Shou. Upon arriving in Beijiang, he found that the murderer was an unknown commoner and was not in Beijiang. Wanting to avenge his senior brother as soon as possible, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with formal visits, so he directly stormed into the Town North Martial Arts Academy. The disciples were indignant about his behavior and tried to stop him, but they couldn¡¯t even withstand a single punch from him. At this moment. Yu Qing cast a nonchalant glance over the people in the courtyard before nodding slightly to Qin Yu. ¡°This must be Miss Qin. May I ask where Xue An is?¡± He was here for Xue An. Qin Yu¡¯s heart leapt to her throat. This man obviously was no ordinary person; what did he want with Xue An? Seeming to perceive Qin Yu¡¯s question, Yu Qing gave a faint smile, revealing his chillingly white teeth. ¡°The man who died at the auction was my senior brother. I¡¯m Yu Qing.¡± A chill ran through Qin Yu¡¯s heart because when this man smiled, he resembled a ferocious tiger bearing its teeth at you, which was extremely frightening. At this moment, Tan Dong took a step forward, positioning himself between Yu Qing and Qin Yu. ¡°My friend, you come in without a greeting, hurt my disciple, isn¡¯t that somewhat rude?¡± said Tan Dong, brimming with anger. ¡°And who might you be?¡± asked Yu Qing. ¡°I am the head of the Zhenbei Martial Arts Academy, Tan Dong!¡± Tan Dong said sternly. Yu Qing nodded, ¡°So it seems you¡¯re quite dissatisfied! Fine, if you can take one punch from me, I¡¯ll leave immediately and never return to Beijiang!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Tan Dong agreed without hesitation. If he backed down now, the reputation of Zhenbei Martial Arts Academy would be thoroughly tarnished. A trace of contemptuous smile played at the corner of Yu Qing¡¯s mouth, then with a light shout, he threw a punch directly at Tan Dong. Tan Dong¡¯s expression grew serious, he took a horse stance and exerted all his strength to receive the punch. Boom. The punch hit Tan Dong like a shooting star. Tan Dong¡¯s face turned from red to white and he didn¡¯t last even a second; he was blasted off the ground and smashed into a wall, only then slowly slid down and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, unable to speak. ¡°Master Tan!¡± Qin Yu screamed in alarm. Tan Dong waved his hand weakly, then looked at Yu Qing with a hint of fear and said intermittently, ¡°Is¡­ is this the Xiaoyao Realm?¡± Yu Qing withdrew his fist, standing proudly. ¡°Indeed, this is the Xiaoyao Realm!¡± Tan Dong gave a bitter smile, recognizing that he had been thoroughly defeated. This man, no more than in his thirties, had already made a breakthrough beyond the Zhenren Realm, becoming a person of Xiaoyao who could live up to one hundred and fifty years. The gap in strength was like the difference between heaven and earth; he had no grounds to object to his loss. Yu Qing turned to look at Qin Yu, ¡°I give you three days. In three days, I will be at the Hong Family waiting for Xue An. If he does not show up, then all of you must die!¡± After saying these threatening words, Yu Qing turned and left. Qin Yu helped Tan Dong up and then watched Yu Qing and the others leave with a complex expression. ¡°Master Tan, are you okay?¡± Tan Dong shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s just some internal injuries, nothing serious. This person held back, or else I would have died on the spot! His strength is terrifyingly high!¡± Qin Yu spoke with concern, ¡°Then¡­ is Xue An a match for him?¡± Tan Dong said with a wry smile, ¡°I can see through this person, but Mr. Xue, I can¡¯t see through him at all. You might say he is a martial arts master, but it doesn¡¯t show at all from his appearance!¡± ¡°Miss Qin, you¡¯d better find Mr. Xue quickly, and do not delay, because a master like Yu Qing will definitely do as he says. By then, you all will be in danger!¡± Qin Yu nodded gravely, ¡°I understand, I will go find Mr. Xue right now!¡± Meanwhile, as Qin Yu hurried to Qingmang Town. Xue An was sitting cross-legged by the side of a pond, meditating. The Spiritual Energy here was much denser than the outside world, which was perfect for helping Xue An make a breakthrough in the Zhenren Realm. In fact, with Xue An¡¯s current strength, he could have easily made the breakthrough already. However, Xue An had suffered in his previous life from an unstable foundation, so this time, he was determined to make his foundation unshakably solid before advancing. As Xue An absorbed, Spiritual Energy began to form a visibly swirling vortex above his head. This phenomenon astonished Xue Lan. Whereas Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were somewhat used to it; to the two of them, their Papa was invincible.. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Wan Clan Lights Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Wan Clan Lights Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Thump! A muffled sound emanated from Xue An¡¯s body. It was a sound coming deep from his tendons and bones, signifying that Xue An had finally taken the first step on the path of Daoist cultivation. Although he was still miles away from the former Immortal Venerable, he had, after all, taken that step. The so-called true man is one who cultivates his strength throughout his body, thereby achieving feats beyond the ability of ordinary people. And in the Xiaoyao realm, one¡¯s body is refined into an integrated whole, possessing tremendous power in every movement. More importantly, upon entering the Xiaoyao realm, one¡¯s lifespan can reach one hundred and fifty years. This is a tremendous temptation. That¡¯s why people in the secular world call it Xiaoyao. But Xue An knew this was far from enough. Because the realms of cultivation were divided into: True Person, Xiaoyao Realm, Heavenly Human Realm, Loose Immortal Realm, Longevity Realm, Golden Immortal, True Immortal, Great Luo, Immortal King, Immortal Emperor, Immortal Venerable, and finally, the legendary Saint Realm. He had only taken the first step for now. However, the now sober Song Yi was full of envy and shock. This was the first time he had seen someone break through to the Xiaoyao Realm so quickly. Especially considering this person was only in his early twenties, the news, if it got out, would shock countless people. ¡°To enter Xiaoyao is to become an Immortal!¡± Song Yi murmured to himself. As Xue An stood up, he felt his strength not just ten times greater but also his spirit fully replenished, as if the world was at his fingertips. But Xue An¡¯s heart was as stable as a boulder, and in a blink, he had dispelled these illusions. By the side of this pond, he had also gathered many herbs, which were perfect for refining the Primordial Essence Elixir. Now that Xue An had broken through to the Xiaoyao Realm, his elixir refining speed had greatly increased. In the blink of an eye, the piles of precious herbs were refined into liquids by Xue An, who then began the actual process of refining. Xue Lan watched from the side, her eyes dizzy with amazement, feeling as if her entire worldview had been turned upside down. Song Yi was even more profoundly impacted. If Xue An¡¯s breakthrough to Xiaoyao was the first shock he experienced, then this elixir refinement made Song Yi feel an urge to kneel. The famous and large sects all knew how to refine elixirs, but which one didn¡¯t require fasting, bathing, and lengthy, complicated preparations before finally starting the fire to refine elixirs? Even so, there was still a high probability of failure. This was why nowadays, other than disciples from a few large sects, hardly anyone could afford elixirs¡ªthey were too expensive. Moreover, the techniques of elixir refinement were closely guarded secrets. But observing Mr. Xue, his movements were like clouds flowing in the water, almost instantly successful. Plop. A dozen elixirs, emitting a rich fragrance, fell into Xue An¡¯s hands. It took less than five minutes for the elixirs to be successfully refined. This success rate and efficiency left Song Yi dumbstruck. At this moment, Xue Xiang was drooling and said, ¡°Papa, what is this? It smells so good!¡± Xue An gave a faint smile and then did something that nearly made Song Yi¡¯s eyeballs pop out. He directly gave one elixir to each of his daughters, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. ¡°Try them and see how they taste!¡± ¡°Mhm mhm!¡± The two little girls each took one and swallowed the elixirs as if they were eating peanuts. Song Yi was close to tears. Any one of these elixirs, if released, could cause the disciples of famous large sects to go crazy. Yet Mr. Xue was letting his two daughters eat them as snacks? At this time, Xue An gave another one to Xue Lan. ¡°Have a taste!¡± Xue Lan felt somewhat embarrassed, about to decline. Song Yi spoke up quietly, ¡°Have it, young lady, this is your great fortune!¡± After hesitating a moment, Xue Lan swallowed the elixir. Very quickly! Xue Lan felt a sudden pain in her abdomen, then her face flushed red, and she ran off to a distance. Not long after, she returned somewhat shyly. By this time, all the grime from her body had been expelled. It looked like a flawless piece of beautiful jade, clear inside and out. Not to mention anything else, just this one Elixir alone was enough to extend the girl¡¯s life by fifty years, and maintain her youth forever. Song Yi¡¯s envy was so strong that he almost drooled. Xue An glanced at him indifferently. Song Yi quickly bowed his head respectfully. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you follow her?¡± Song Yi gave a bitter smile, ¡°Now that Huo Shao is dead, returning to Zhongdu would mean certain death for me, so I might as well stay.¡± What Song Yi didn¡¯t mention was that when he had first woken up, Chen Rushi wanted to take him with her. But Song Yi had stealthily divined his fortune. The divination told him that his fate was uncertain, but a great opportunity awaited him. As for how great this opportunity was, Song Yi was also unclear. Xue An remained noncommittal. He neither disliked nor particularly liked this Song Yi. Plainly put, this was just a cultivator who, relying on some skills, wandered among the secular noble houses. ¡°How long have I been meditating?¡± ¡°Papa, you¡¯ve been sitting there for a quite a while,¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you girls feel bored?¡± ¡°Not at all! In the past, my sister and I often stayed at home all day long!¡± Xue Xiang said. Xue An felt a pang in his heart, thinking that in his absence, these two little girls must have suffered a lot. After all, Tang Xuan¡¯er had to take care of them and also go out to earn money, leaving the girls alone at home. With that thought, Xue An bent down to lift his two daughters into his arms, smiling, ¡°Then Papa will take you girls down the mountain!¡± With those words, Xue An lightly tapped the ground with his toes, and his body soared to the skies. At the same time, he left a message for Song Yi, saying, ¡°Take Xue Lan down the mountain!¡± Xue Lan looked up, staring blankly as Xue An disappeared into the sky. By that time, Song Yi said respectfully, ¡°Miss Xue Lan, let¡¯s descend the mountain!¡± ¡°Did Brother An¡­ become an immortal?¡± Xue Lan murmured. Song Yi shook his head with a light sigh, ¡°Not exactly an immortal, but close enough. Moreover, Mr. Xue possesses a dignity that commands respect. His future accomplishments are simply unimaginable!¡± Song Yi spoke with genuine feeling. Xue Lan, however, had mixed emotions. At this point, the little girl¡¯s fantasy in her heart gradually extinguished. Because she knew, the gap between herself and Brother An was as vast as the difference between the clouds and the mud. At that moment, Xue An, carrying his two daughters, flew directly into the midair. Of course, someone from the Xiaoyao Realm wouldn¡¯t have such strength. But it was effortless for Xue An. The two little girls excitedly looked at the bright moon and the stars scattered across the sky. ¡°Papa, the moon is so big!¡± ¡°Yes, and it looks like a half-eaten baked bun too!¡± Xue Xiang was always thinking about food. Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Close your eyes, Papa will show you another magic trick.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± The two little girls obediently closed their eyes. A flash of light appeared in Xue An¡¯s eyes, and then a vast screen of light emerged beneath his feet. This screen of light, like a piece of glass, floated in midair. Xue An let go, placing his two daughters atop the screen of light. ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± When the little girls opened their eyes, they saw an extremely beautiful scene. The screen perfectly reflected everything in the sky, the moon, the stars, all adorning it. It was as if there were two skies. Xue Xiang cautiously took a step and found it to be as steady as solid ground. Then she excitedly began to run around with Xue Nian. Xue An watched his two daughters with a smile. Below his feet were the lights of a thousand families, the fireworks of the human world! Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44: To relieve a grudge, draw your sword and strike down your foe! Chapter 44: Chapter 44: To relieve a grudge, draw your sword and strike down your foe! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Late at night, the streets of Qingmang Town were sparsely populated, many shops had already turned off their lights, but the Yue Lai Hotel was still brightly lit. Jie Wendong sat in a chair, with his son Jie Hu¡¯s corpse laid out in front of him. ¡°Who did this!¡± Jie Wendong¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, his face filled with a murderous aura. ¡°Reporting to the old master, it was a person called Xue An!¡± The lobby manager hurriedly said. ¡°Xue An?¡± Jie Wendong frowned, then turned his gaze to Xue Lan¡¯s kneeling parents beside him. ¡°Xue Guo, your Xue Family¡¯s courage is quite something!¡± Jie Wendong said coldly. Before Xue Guo could speak, Xue Lan¡¯s mother, Li Hongyan, burst into tears and relentlessly kowtowed with loud thumps. ¡°Master Jie, please spare us, we truly do not know where Xue An has gone! Our daughter has also been kidnapped by this bastard, arresting us is completely useless!¡± Jie Wendong¡¯s face was full of murderous intent, ¡°I simply refuse to believe that you all truly know nothing! Xue An is your nephew after all!¡± At that moment, unable to bear it any longer and seeing Xue Guo staying silent, Li Hongyan pointed at Xue Guo and cursed loudly, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, none of you with the surname Xue are any good. This Xue An caused such a disaster as soon as he returned and then just up and left, implicating us, and you¡¯re still protecting him!¡± Then Jie Wendong scoffed, ¡°Enough with the act. Since you claim ignorance, fine, you will accompany my son in death first. I refuse to believe that Xue An can escape Qingmang Town!¡± Jie Wendong truly intended to kill. Jie Hu was his only son, and yet he was murdered, and by someone from the Xue Family whom he had always looked down upon. Naturally, Jie Wendong could not accept this. As the big shot of Qingmang Town, and even within a hundred miles radius, Jie Wendong had put the word out: whoever captured Xue An would be rewarded with a hundred thousand yuan! Jie Wendong was certain that Xue An hadn¡¯t gone far. Once he captured him, Jie Wendong planned to rip out his heart in front of his son¡¯s corpse, to avenge his son¡¯s death. Thinking of this, a crazed murderous intent flashed in Jie Wendong¡¯s eyes. Just then, two people walked into the hotel from outside. One was an elderly man, and the other, a young girl. It was Song Yi and Xue Lan. Their appearance changed the atmosphere in the lobby. Xue Guo and Li Hongyan spotted their daughter at once. Xue Guo cried out anxiously, ¡°Lan¡¯er, run!¡± But before his words had even finished, a henchman stepped forward and slapped Xue Guo twice, and someone blocked the hotel door. Song Yi was initially surprised, but then he calmed down. ¡°May I inquire who this esteemed gentleman is? Why are you obstructing our way? And why have you detained Miss Lan¡¯s parents?¡± Jie Wendong glanced at Song Yi and sneered, ¡°Murder necessitates reparation, debts must be repaid. Since your people have killed my son, naturally, I must seek justice, everyone, tie them up!¡± Several underlings stepped forward to make their move, at which point Song Yi couldn¡¯t help but become annoyed. Considering himself a Feng Shui Master of some repute, he had never been treated like this, and he said sternly, ¡°Friend, you had better think this through. Arresting people willy-nilly, you can¡¯t bear the consequences!¡± At this, Jie Wendong sneered, ¡°In Qingmang Town, there isn¡¯t anything I can¡¯t bear!¡± Although Song Yi was a cultivator, he specialized in Feng Shui Secret Techniques and was quite average in fighting skills. It didn¡¯t take long for him to be subdued to the ground. Then, a few people sneered as they prepared to approach Xue Lan. At this moment, Song Yi shouted, ¡°I¡¯m warning you, if you don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d best not touch this young lady.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The person behind her, you cannot even begin to imagine.¡± Song Yi¡¯s words caused some hesitation among the henchmen, but Jie Wendong didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Why put on a show here? I¡¯ve already inquired, this little wench is just like a blank sheet of paper, save for knowing Xue An. Who else does she know?¡± ¡°We¡¯re talking about Mr. Xue here, his terror¡­ it¡¯s beyond your imagination!¡± Song Yi said gravely. Hearing this, Jie Wendong and his minions couldn¡¯t help but burst into hearty laughter. ¡°Xue An? Terrifying? What a joke! I know his parents, and their ancestors have been nothing but losers. To say he¡¯s beyond our imagination is utterly ridiculous.¡± ¡°Is that so? Really that funny?¡± Along with a faint voice, a person slowly walked in. The laughter abruptly stopped. For the man who walked in was tall and straight, his face handsome. Following him were two little girls, identical in appearance and dress. If not Xue An, then who? Jie Wendong¡¯s gaze was fierce as he slowly stood up, sneering, ¡°Indeed, you have some guts to come here seeking death.¡± Xue Lan called out with some concern, ¡°An-gege¡­¡± Xue An gave a slight smile, signaled nothing was wrong, and then looked at Jie Wendong. After a pause, he finally said, ¡°So many years, and you¡¯re still alive?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°What I mean is, it¡¯s simply wonderful that you¡¯re still alive!¡± Xue An still remembered how his parents had been bullied by this burly old man when he was a child. He had thought that after so many years, the man would be dead, but it turned out he was still quite robust. Of course, Xue An was delighted, for nothing could be more satisfying than avenging one¡¯s enemy with one¡¯s own hands. To rid himself of this deep-seated grudge, he would need to draw his sword and personally slay his foe! The Heart Demon he faced during the proof of sainthood required him to sever it with his blade, one cut at a time. Jie Wendong, of course, didn¡¯t understand and thought Xue An was trying to ingratiate himself, so he sneered all the more. ¡°Useless, you¡¯re as good as dead today!¡± At this moment, Li Hongyan couldn¡¯t restrain herself and cursed at Xue An. ¡°You troublemaker, dragging us into your mess. I¡¯ve always said, you¡¯re better off dead outside, never coming back at all! You Xue¡­¡± Li Hongyan couldn¡¯t continue because Xue An had casually glanced at her. Li Hongyan had never seen such a terrifying look in someone¡¯s eyes, as if even the soul was shackled, and naturally, she couldn¡¯t go on. ¡°You Xue, you killed my son. Now I kill you, very fair, right!¡± Jie Wendong said. Xue An nodded, ¡°Very fair!¡± ¡°Well then, remember not to blame me for being too harsh when you¡¯re down in hell!¡± With that, Jie Wendong pulled out a handgun and aimed it at Xue An, his face twisted into a grimace. The appearance of the handgun made many people¡¯s faces turn pale. Only Xue An¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. ¡°Die!¡± Jie Wendong was about to pull the trigger. Suddenly, the outside was as bright as daylight, illuminated by car headlights, and then a richly-dressed young woman strode in. Upon seeing her, the previously domineering Jie Wendong suddenly froze. ¡°Qin¡­. Miss Qin?¡± Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Who said… I was going to let you Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Who said¡­ I was going to let you Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The person who arrived was naturally Qin Yu. Upon hearing Jie Wendong¡¯s shout, Qin Yu glanced at him and couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jie Wendong¡¯s originally arrogant posture slouched, and with an incredibly obsequious smile, he said, ¡°Miss Qin, how come you¡¯ve come to Qingmang Town so late? Why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand so that I could have greeted you?¡± Qin Yu said coldly, ¡°No need! I¡¯m here to take Mr. Xue back!¡± Mr. Xue¡­ Among those present, it seemed that only one person could be referred to as Mr. Xue. Jie Wendong¡¯s eyelids started twitching madly, and then he saw a scene that made his heart pound with fear. As Qin Yu walked up close to Xue An, she respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Xue, there¡¯s been some trouble in Beijiang, and we need you to return!¡± Many people couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply. It was clear to everyone that this young woman¡¯s identity was far from ordinary. Even the arrogant and domineering Jie Wendong had to show her the utmost respect. It was evident how extensive her background was. Yet even such a person had to show such respect to Xue An. What kind of background did this Xue An have? And there on the ground, Li Hongyan, who just a moment ago had a face full of disdain and resentment, was now dumbfounded. But Xue An simply smiled lightly, ¡°No hurry, we¡¯ll deal with the matters here first, then it¡¯s not too late to go back!¡± ¡°What matters here?¡± Qin Yu frowned. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°His son came looking for trouble with me, and then, quite unintentionally, I ended up strangling the old man¡¯s son to death. He wants revenge on me, that¡¯s all there is to it!¡± Qin Yu¡¯s expression grew serious, and she turned and angrily said to Jie Wendong, ¡°Jie, do you still want to keep your job? Do you realize that Mr. Xue is Longtai Group¡¯s most esteemed guest? And you dare seek revenge against Longtai Group. At the mention of this name, everyone¡¯s eyes changed. Many underlings quietly started to back away. What a joke. Who would dare to mess with Longtai Group in Beijiang and its vicinity? Compared to Longtai Group, Jie Wendong was nothing more than a hoodlum, at most, a drifter. As for Li Hongyan, her mouth hung open wider than a duck egg, and suddenly, she remembered something Xue An had once told her. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it later!¡± At the time, she was full of contempt, but now she understood why Xue An had said it. To be so respectfully treated by the daughter of Longtai Group, her distant nephew had obviously reached heights unimaginable to the average person. At this realization, Li Hongyan felt almost sick with regret. Jie Wendong¡¯s face turned ashen. The reason he had thrived over the years was entirely by relying on the power of Longtai Group. It could be said that he was nothing more than a dog kept by Longtai Group. Thus, when Qin Yu scolded him, he didn¡¯t dare to let out a peep. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! It¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have troubled Mr. Xue. Mr. Xue, please be magnanimous and spare me!¡± Jie Wendong felt he had lowered himself enough, and though he still felt humiliated, the situation was beyond his control. With Longtai Group backing Xue An, he might as well admit defeat. So after he had spoken, the atmosphere in the room lightened a bit. Many people thought that the matter would be settled then and there. But unexpectedly, Xue An said with a light smile, ¡°Who said¡­ I was going to let you off?¡± With that statement. Jie Wendong felt a surge of blood rush to his head. ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ My son Jie Hu died by your hand, and now I¡¯m no longer pursuing it. Do you still intend to¡­ how do you intend to proceed?¡± Xue An walked over to Jie Wendong, looking down at him from above and said lightly, ¡°Are you feeling very resentful now?¡± Jie Wendong lowered his head, his eyes filled with rage and hatred. ¡°Fine, then I will give you an opportunity. Take out your gun and shoot me; let¡¯s see if your bullet is faster, or my reactions are!¡± This proposal made many people believe that Xue An had gone mad. Jie Wendong was even more shocked, looking at Xue An with disbelief on his face. Xue An held up three fingers, ¡°I will only count to three. Three, two¡­¡± Bang! A gunshot sounded. Xue Lan let out a scream, but once the dust settled, Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, the bullet clenched between his teeth, wafting thin streams of blue smoke. Jie Wendong was frightened out of his wits. Is this¡­ still a human? Xue An spat out the bullet, sighed softly, and said, ¡°I gave you a chance, and you wasted it! Now¡­ it¡¯s my turn!¡± Just as Jie Wendong was about to beg for mercy, Xue An slapped him. His body spun through the air for twelve hundred degrees before crashing to the ground, his mouthful of teeth shattered into bits, and his head was nearly smashed open by the slap. Xue An walked over and stepped on Jie Wendong¡¯s face, slowly twisting his foot with force. With a series of grating, teeth-gnashing crunches of broken bones, Jie Wendong¡¯s nose was completely crushed under Xue An¡¯s foot. Everyone watched this scene in silenced trepidation. ¡°Mercy¡­ Mercy!¡± Jie Wendong squeezed these two words out from between his teeth. Xue An looked indifferent, ¡°Now you know to beg for mercy? Do you remember, when you bullied my parents back then, they also begged you to spare them. Did you stop then?¡± Jie Wendong was shaking from the pain, his eyes filled with endless fear and regret as he looked at Xue An. Qin Yu turned her face away uncomfortably; she was now afraid of the Xue An before her. Because at that moment, Xue An radiated the imposing air of an emperor judging life and death, devoid of any trace of worldly warmth. ¡°Remember in your next life, not to be so arrogant!¡± After Xue An finished speaking, he pressed down with his foot. Splat. Jie Wendong¡¯s brain burst open, and he died on the spot. The crowd fell silent as Xue An glanced at Li Hongyan. Li Hongyan shuddered all over, terrified that Xue An would come to settle accounts with her next. But Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered with her, throwing an elixir to Song Yi instead. ¡°Consider this your reward. With the deaths of Jie Wendong and his son, you and Lan¡¯er will manage the hotel from now on!¡± Song Yi, treasuring the elixir, said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Xue, rest assured, I will definitely assist Miss Lan well.¡± Xue An gave Xue Lan a glance, a faint smile on his face, ¡°I will come to see you after some time!¡± Xue Lan silently nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± It wasn¡¯t until Xue An had left the hotel that everyone felt a huge burden lifted from their shoulders. Li Hongyan beamed with joy, thinking that from now on, her family would be prosperous. Not only did they possess Yue Lai Hotel, but they also had the massive support of Longtai Group! Just as she was about to speak, Li Hongyan felt something extra in her mouth, and when she spat it out with a ¡®puh¡¯, She realized in horror that it was an entire tongue. She tried to speak but found she could only make unintelligible noises. From then on, Li Hongyan became a mute. On the way back, his two daughters had fallen asleep on Xue An¡¯s legs. Xue An gently stroked the girls¡¯ backs, his expression extremely tender. Qin Yu, sitting in the front, saw this scene through the rearview mirror and couldn¡¯t help thinking. The cruel and ruthless man was him, and so was this gentle man. But which side of him was the real one? Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Once you enter Xiaoyao, you become an immortal! Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Once you enter Xiaoyao, you become an immortal! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio North Town Martial Arts School. In the cold wind of the winter night, Tan Dong had been waiting at the entrance for more than an hour. Tan Xiaoyu approached, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s so cold, and you¡¯re still injured. You should go back inside and rest.¡± Tan Dong shook his head, ¡°They should be back soon, let¡¯s wait a bit longer!¡± Tan Xiaoyu was somewhat skeptical, ¡°Dad, is this Xue An really as formidable as you claim?¡± Tan Dong glanced at her, ¡°You¡¯ve just returned from abroad and don¡¯t understand the domestic situation. But I can assure you that among the current domestic martial arts masters, there are few who can match Mr. Xue!¡± Tan Xiaoyu secretly curled her lips in disdain. ¡°Dad, if you ask me, I¡¯d rather go directly and beat up the guy who injured you. That would both avenge you and reclaim the honor of our North Town Martial Arts School. No need to wait for this Xue An.¡¯ Tan Dong¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Xiaoyu, I spent a fortune to send you abroad, not to become arrogant. Though you¡¯ve learned Taekwondo well from the master in H country, that doesn¡¯t mean you can look down on everyone else!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tan Xiaoyu lowered her head, but still felt indignant in her heart. She was Tan Dong¡¯s only daughter, and she had been studying Taekwondo with a national treasure-level Taekwondo master in H country. Her accomplishments in Taekwondo were now profound. Yesterday, upon learning that her father had been injured, she rushed back overnight, vowing to get revenge for her father. But her father had adamantly refused, insisting on waiting for someone named Xue An. This made Tan Xiaoyu very uncomfortable. I¡¯d like to see if you truly have three heads and six arms! If you¡¯re just an ordinary fellow, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re embarrassed in public! Tan Xiaoyu thought to herself. After another wait, a low-key Volvo slowly stopped in front of the North Town Martial Arts School. The car door opened, and Qin Yu was the first to get out. Her appearance surprised Tan Xiaoyu. Isn¡¯t she the heiress of Longtai Group? What¡¯s she doing here? Qin Yu didn¡¯t leave, instead, she stood beside the car with great respect and opened the door. Then Xue An finally got out of the car carrying two children. Tan Dong was excited and quickly came down the steps, moving forward a few paces, and bowed respectfully. ¡°Mr. Xue! Miss Qin!¡± Xue An nodded slightly. Is this the Mr. Xue my father spoke of? Tan Xiaoyu scrutinized Xue An. He was good-looking indeed, but rather on the slender side, wasn¡¯t he? Aren¡¯t martial artists usually burly and formidable men? And this man is supposed to be an unparalleled master? Moreover, he was even holding two children in his arms. Was this supposed to be a joke? The more Tan Xiaoyu looked, the more dismissive she became, inwardly grumbling that her father was too easily fooled by his old age. This guy obviously looked like a swindler. Someone like him, I could knock out ten with one punch! So Tan Xiaoyu kept standing on the steps, unwilling to come down. Tan Dong noticed this scene and couldn¡¯t help but frown, ¡°Xiaoyu, come down quickly and greet Mr. Xue and Miss Qin!¡± Tan Xiaoyu reluctantly came down the steps and gave a perfunctory bow with her fist. ¡°Miss Qin!¡± She didn¡¯t pay any attention to Xue An! Tan Dong was taken aback, fearing that Xue An would take offense. However, Xue An didn¡¯t seem to notice Tan Xiaoyu at all; his focus was entirely on his two sleeping daughters. As for everything else, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to care. But to Tan Xiaoyu, Xue An¡¯s reaction only confirmed her belief that this guy was definitely all show and no substance. Otherwise, how could he not respond to such an overt provocation? Her teacher once said that a martial artist without courage is like a tiger without teeth¡ªutterly lacking in lethality. Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s expression became even more disdainful, ¡°Dad, Miss Qin, I just got off the plane, so I¡¯m going to tidy up my things first.¡± With that, she turned and left. Tan Dong¡¯s expression was somewhat awkward as he was just about to explain to Xue An. However, Xue An merely glanced at him indifferently, ¡°How is your injury? Tan Dong forced a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not too serious, he pulled back at the last moment, or else I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand here!¡± Xue An nodded and suddenly, with a pointed finger, accurately pressed on Tan Dong¡¯s Danzhong acupoint. Tan Dong felt a surge of electricity racing through him, causing his body to shiver, and his previously stifled breath suddenly cleared. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Xue!¡± Tan Dong promptly expressed his gratitude. ¡°Mr. Xue, shall we go back to the Qin Family now?¡± Qin Yu asked. Xue An shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s stay here.¡± ¡°Stay here?¡± Qin Yu was somewhat troubled. ¡°Hmm, because this place is closer to the Hong Family!¡± Xue An stated indifferently, then stepped into the martial arts hall. Qin Yu didn¡¯t quite understand his intention, but since Xue An had said so, she had no choice but to comply. Naturally, Tan Dong was overjoyed and quickly ordered someone to prepare a clean room. Xue An first settled his two daughters. By this time, it was already the wee hours of the morning. Xue An had no intention of sleeping. Instead, he walked to the courtyard, looked up at the deep blue sky, and slowly closed his eyes. His divine consciousness spread out. In the world formed by divine consciousness, everything else ceased to exist, leaving only various flames radiating with the light of life. These flames were of different sizes; the one closest to Xue An was Tan Dong¡¯s, but at the moment, Tan Dong¡¯s flame seemed somewhat wilted. Besides that, Qin Yu¡¯s flame was not small either, but there was another flame that was particularly conspicuous. It was actually that of the woman from today. The scope of the divine consciousness expanded more and more! ¡°Once you enter Xiaoyao, you become an Immortal,¡± although this phrase was somewhat exaggerated, it did imply that the Xiaoyao Realm was the threshold between mortals and Immortals. But normally, even if someone entered the Xiaoyao Realm, they wouldn¡¯t possess anything like divine consciousness. This was something that at the very least belonged to someone in the Heavenly Human Realm or even a Loose Immortal. But who was Xue An? He was none other than the Immortal Venerable, supremely exalted throughout the entire cosmos; such a minor issue certainly wouldn¡¯t trouble him! Soon, within the range of Xue An¡¯s divine consciousness, a towering flame appeared. The ferocity of this flame¡¯s burning was akin to that of a volcano. A smile slowly formed on the corners of Xue An¡¯s mouth. Then he opened his eyes and gazed into the distance. ¡°Entering the path through martial arts, huh? That¡¯s somewhat interesting. I hope you don¡¯t disappoint me. Show me what you¡¯ve got!¡± At that moment, at the Hong Family, Yu Qing, who had been meditating cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes. He had just felt a powerful and almost terrifying aura. Although it was fleeting, the terrifying potency contained within that aura still made Yu Qing shudder. Who could it be? Could there be a hidden expert in Beijiang? Yu Qing was full of doubts and astonishment. Dawn broke. Tan Xiaoyu walked out from her house, stretching luxuriantly as her muscles cracked and popped, and then she began her daily cultivation. Today was the day she was going to settle accounts with the Hong Family. She naturally had to prepare everything. As for Xue An¡­ She hadn¡¯t relied on him at all. She even felt that it would be good enough if this so-called Mr. Xue didn¡¯t hold them back when the time came.. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: I heard you’ve been looking for Chapter 47: Chapter 47: I heard you¡¯ve been looking for Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio After her blood and qi had freely coursed through her body during the exercise, Tan Xiaoyu finally stopped and then entered the dining room. At this time, Xue An was in the dining room, feeding his two daughters. The tenderness in his doting expression could not have been gentler. Tan Xiaoyu scoffed disdainfully and then found a seat to sit down. At this moment, Tan Dong also got up and upon seeing Xue An in the dining room, he said gratefully, ¡°Mr. Xue, thank you for healing me last night; I am feeling much better now!¡± Xue An gave a slight nod. Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Xue, for the trip to the Hong Family later, how many people do you need to bring? I¡¯ll arrange it right now!¡± Xue An put down his spoon, glanced at Qin Yu, and said with a slight smile, ¡°No need, we don¡¯t need to make a big deal out of someone like Yu Qing!¡± These words almost made Tan Xiaoyu burst into laughter, thinking to herself that there really were too many people trying to show off these days! Tan Dong glared at her fiercely, then said solemnly, ¡°Mr. Xue, this matter is not just about you, it¡¯s also about the years of reputation of our Beijiang Martial Arts Hall. I¡¯ve already invited many fellow martial artists, and we will go to the Hong Family together! I hope that Mr. Xue will emerge victorious!¡± Xue An nodded noncommittally. At this time, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said in unison, ¡°Daddy, are you going to fight?¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Do you know what fighting is?¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian nodded, ¡°Auntie XuanEr said that fighting is for bad children, but she also said that if someone bullies you, you must fight back!¡± Xue An gently touched Xue Xiang and Xue Nian¡¯s heads and said tenderly, ¡°That¡¯s right, if anyone bullies us, we make them pay the price they deserve!¡± Soon after. The fellow martial artists invited by Tan Dong had all arrived one after another. This group of people varied in height and size but were generally the heads of various martial arts schools in Beijiang. Once they gathered together, they began to flatter each other non-stop. Furthermore, each of them was rubbing their hands together with sworn assurances, telling Tan Dong, ¡°Headmaster Tan, don¡¯t worry, when the time comes, we must teach this ignorant fellow a lesson! We will avenge you!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Tan Dong could only thank them repeatedly. Tan Xiaoyu, with a look of contempt, made up an excuse to leave early. She decided that she would go take care of Yu Qing first, and by the time her father and the others arrived, finding Yu Qing already dealt with by her would surely make for quite the spectacle! Having made up her mind, Tan Xiaoyu stepped outside, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the Hong Family. The Hong Family had also gotten everything ready early today, just waiting for Xue An to arrive. After getting out of the car, Tan Xiaoyu looked at the luxurious villa and strode in boldly. ¡°Miss, may I ask whom you are looking for?¡± Tan Xiaoyu said coldly, ¡°Tell Yu Qing to come out and meet his end, and say that someone from the Beijiang Martial Arts Hall is here to settle the score for that challenge!¡± When Yu Qing, who was speaking with Qin Tian, heard this, he was first taken aback and then smiled lightly. ¡°Good! I¡¯d like to see just how formidable the people from the Beijiang Martial Arts Hall can be!¡± With that, Yu Qing walked out. The first moment she saw Yu Qing, Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s expression became serious. She could tell that this man was no ordinary person. Especially those eyes, brimming with brilliance, made it hard for anyone to look directly at him. However, the competitive Tan Xiaoyu did not feel the slightest fear but said coldly, ¡°So you¡¯re Yu Qing, the one who injured my father?¡± Yu Qing had not expected the person seeking revenge to be a woman and was momentarily startled before nodding, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then prepare to die!¡± Tan Xiaoyu said as she kicked out to the side. Her kick was steady and strong, bringing the sound of wind as it aimed for Yu Qing¡¯s head. Tan Xiaoyu was confident that if her foot landed, Yu Qing would be either dead or severely injured. But before she could show a triumphant smile, she felt her ankle being grasped, then with a fierce swing, she was thrown out. Thump. Tan Xiaoyu fell to the ground, struggled a few times, but couldn¡¯t get up. One move. Tan Xiaoyu was defeated at the hands of Yu Qing. Her face was full of horror and disbelief. Even her master couldn¡¯t defeat her this easily. Could it be that this man was even more formidable than her own master? At this point, Yu Qing frowned with annoyance, ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got for seeking revenge? Are you here to make me laugh?¡± Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s heart was filled with humiliation. Yu Qing continued, ¡°Since you dared to trouble me, you have to pay the price! Since you¡¯re a woman, I¡¯ll just cripple one of your arms!¡± Saying this, Yu Qing stepped forward, raising his foot ready to cripple Tan Xiaoyu. Right at that moment, Tan Dong arrived with his people in a hurry. ¡°Hold on!¡± Tan Dong shouted from afar. Yu Qing stopped his foot, looked at Tan Dong, and said indifferently, ¡°What? Xue An didn¡¯t come, and you¡¯re here to die in his stead?¡± This remark infuriated the hall masters following behind Tan Dong. ¡°Who¡¯s this brat being so arrogant, see the power of my Bear Palm Fist!¡± one big guy roared as he charged forward. The next second, he was kicked away by Yu Qing. ¡°Wow, pretty impressive! Everyone, together now!¡± The group of hall masters seemed to understand the principle of mobbing quite well. They swarmed up, intending to overwhelm Yu Qing with their numbers. But in just a few blinks of an eye, Yu Qing kicked them all away. Yu Qing said arrogantly, ¡°If Xue An doesn¡¯t come, don¡¯t blame me for being impolite. Your daughter¡¯s arm, it¡¯s not going to be saved!¡± While speaking, Yu Qing suddenly kicked out. But at that moment, a somewhat lazy voice came from the distance. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been looking for me?¡± This voice made Tan Dong¡¯s expression relax. And Tan Xiaoyu, lying on the ground unable to move, trembled all over. Yu Qing looked up and saw a man, leading two children, walking slowly over. Seeing him, Hong Ming and Qin Tian, standing behind Yu Qing, shouted, ¡°Master Yu, this is Xue An who killed your senior brother.¡± Yu Qing stared at Xue An and enunciated every word, ¡°An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, you killed my senior brother, today you must die!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t pay attention to Yu Qing, instead, he bent down and smiled at the two little girls, ¡°You two go with Aunt Qin Yu to the car to play, daddy will come soon.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± After the two girls left, Xue An sighed softly, ¡°Taking my life is easy, but first, you have to take this punch!¡± Yu Qing¡¯s pupils instantly shrank to the size of pinpoints. He had said the same thing to Tan Dong before, but now it was his turn. ¡°Fine! But¡­ The rest of the words were left unspoken, as Xue An¡¯s fist had already arrived, slamming into Yu Qing¡¯s chest. He sent Yu Qing flying off his feet, hurtling dozens of meters away into the villa¡¯s fish pond, life or death unknown. All of this occurred in the blink of an eye. Many people hadn¡¯t even reacted before Yu Qing was sent flying by Xue An¡¯s punch. Then Xue An lightly blew on his fist and said indifferently, ¡°So many words when you¡¯re about to die; do you think I have all day?¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: You call that… a sword? Chapter 48: Chapter 48: You call that¡­ a sword? Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The faces of Qin Tian, Hong Ming, and others, originally lit with excitement, froze. One punch. Xue An had defeated Yu Qing with just one punch? Tan Dong was even more dumbfounded. Although he believed Xue An could win, he thought it would at least be after a hard fight. But he had never expected it to be this easy. However, the most shocked of all was Tan Xiaoyu. She had been studying taekwondo abroad since her childhood and had once believed herself to be world-class. This time, coming back to China, she was eager to try herself, thinking she could surely make a name for herself. But against Yu Qing, she didn¡¯t even last one move. The blow to Tan Xiaoyu was already huge enough. But what she hadn¡¯t expected was that afterwards, Xue An would defeat Yu Qing with a single punch. From the beginning, Tan Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t thought highly of Xue An. Now, this fact was like a loud slap across Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s face. The look in Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes toward Xue An became complicated. Especially when she thought about her previous behavior, Tan Xiaoyu felt her face burning up. Just when Tan Dong and others thought the outcome was decided. A fierce and unparalleled aura came from the fishpond, enveloping the entire place. What is this¡­? Tan Xiaoyu and others were still in shock. Yu Qing, looking disheveled, slowly walked out of the fishpond, then stared at Xue An with a murderous gaze. ¡°I was going to make it quick for you, but now I¡¯ve changed my mind, I¡¯m going to chop you up bit by bit!¡± Yu Qing said sinisterly. With Yu Qing¡¯s words, the aura emanating from him grew increasingly powerful. ¡°You should feel honored for this, because there are very few people who are worth my using it!¡± Yu Qing said, slowly drawing a long sword from his waist. The sword, flexible in material, was usually wrapped around Yu Qing¡¯s waist like a belt, but when drawn, it instantly turned into a sword as clear as autumn water. The sword Qi emanating was so cold that it made Tan Dong and others involuntarily retreat several steps. Hong Ming and Qin Tian were ecstatic. ¡°Yu the formidable is unmatched in valor!¡± ¡°Master Yu is indeed formidable!¡± Yu Qing, full of pride, gently stroked the back of the sword, ¡°This sword! Named Qiushui, if unsheathed it must see blood, under which more than twenty masters have died, including three experts from the Xiaoyao Realm!¡± ¡°Today, I will use this sword to sever your head!¡± Yu Qing declared, pausing after each word. Xue An raised an eyebrow slightly and said nonchalantly, ¡°Are you done with the nonsense?¡± Yu Qing yelled in anger, and the sword in his hand suddenly transformed into a gleam of sword light, heading straight for Xue An. Fast! In that instant, it seemed as though there was only that sword left between heaven and earth. And where the sword light passed, the grass and trees in the courtyard were all severed, Xue An, however, didn¡¯t even move, as if he was stunned by the momentum of the sword. A cruel smile appeared on the corner of Yu Qing¡¯s mouth. He made his name with his fists, but few knew that his strongest skill was actually his swordsmanship! This sword strike was the strongest he had ever delivered since his debut. And it even vaguely possessed the essence of the Dao. Yu Qing seemed to see the scene a moment later when Xue An would be dead with his head severed from his body. This excited Yu Qing so much that his whole body trembled. But the next moment, all that excitement turned to naught. Because his sword¡­ was caught by Xue An with one hand! That¡¯s right! With one hand, Xue An had grasped the apparently irresistible sword. Yu Qing was struck with disbelief, about to say something. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°And this¡­ you call a sword?¡± As he spoke, he applied a slight force with his hand. Crack! The Autumn Water long sword was mercilessly crushed by Xue An. Yu Qing¡¯s eyes nearly popped out. Is this guy even human? Not only did he block a sword with his bare hands, but he also crushed it? At the same time, Yu Qing felt a strong sense of crisis looming. As an expert who had entered Xiaoyao, Yu Qing reacted extremely fast, realizing the fight was futile, and turned to run. Xue An said with a faint smile, ¡°Do you really think you can get away? As he spoke, the aura emanating from Xue An began to soar rapidly, and in an instant, a terrifying presence had locked onto Yu Qing. Xiaoyao! He was also in the Xiaoyao Realm! Everyone was completely shocked. Yu Qing was so frightened he felt his soul leaving his body. The earth-shattering aura from last night, it was him! In that moment, Yu Qing was filled with regret. If he had known Xue An was so formidable, Yu Qing would never have dared to engage in battle so recklessly. But now it was too late for regrets. Yu Qing ran frantically outward. He saw that once he climbed over the wall in front of him, he would be out of the Hong Family¡¯s territory. A trace of joy flashed through Yu Qing¡¯s eyes. As long as he could escape from here and go back, he would definitely tell his teacher, who would personally come down the mountain, surely capable of dealing with this Xue An. But his wishful thinking was soon dashed to pieces. Because Xue An calmly stated, ¡°Watch my punch¡­ that moves heaven and earth!¡± This punch, which he had previously used at the auction, had killed Liu Shou in one blow. But this time, its power had increased more than tenfold. Xue An¡¯s punch seemed to hit empty space, but the entire space appeared to be overturned by it. Everyone was thrown to the ground, and Yu Qing was sent tumbling across the earth by the punch. Spurt. A mouthful of fresh blood mixed with fragments of organs spewed out. This punch had shattered Yu Qing¡¯s spine. Xue An withdrew his fist and walked slowly over to Yu Qing. ¡°What¡­ what kind of boxing is this?¡± Yu Qing, coughing up blood profusely, nevertheless insisted on asking. ¡°This punch is called ¡®Move Heaven and Earth¡¯!¡± Xue An declared. ¡°Move Heaven and Earth¡­ Good, good technique! I¡­ I¡¯ve lost!¡± After speaking, the light in Yu Qing¡¯s eyes rapidly dimmed. Yu Qing was dead! Dead from two punches dealt by Xue An! Xue An looked up at the dumbfounded Hong Ming and Qin Tian. ¡°It seems we really are fated!¡± said Xue An lightly. Hong Ming was so scared his legs gave out, and he knelt on the ground, crying and shouting, ¡°Xue An, no, no, Mr. Xue, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have opposed you! Please spare me this once!¡± Qin Tian, on the other hand, was pale and looked at Xue An with lifeless eyes before finally saying in resignation, ¡°I¡¯ve lost. Kill or flay me, as you wish!¡± Xue An glanced at the two men and turned to leave. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to kill these few fools; he would leave the rest to Qin Yu to worry about! Probably, Beijiang would no longer have the Hong Family! Watching Xue An¡¯s retreating figure, Tan Xiaoyu experienced a rush of mixed emotions, unsure of what to feel. From initial disdain to subsequent shock, this man had brought too many incredibilities to Tan Xiaoyu. And now, Tan Xiaoyu realized an even more brutal truth. That was Xue An had never cared about her from the start. Whether she had initially looked down on him or despised him, it didn¡¯t matter to him at all. This realization made Tan Xiaoyu understand that she was nothing! This left Tan Xiaoyu immensely dejected.. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Cooking Personally! Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Cooking Personally! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio On the way back, Tan Xiaoyu looked dejected. Tan Dong, a man of great stature, quickly understood the situation and couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Xiaoyu, are you convinced now?¡± Tan Xiaoyu hung her head in silence, and it took a long time before she said, ¡°How¡­ how is he so powerful?¡± Tan Dong shook his head, gazing out of the car window, and said indifferently, ¡°In this world, geniuses do exist! Xiaoyao in his twenties is already frightening enough, but now I suspect that he might not be just Xiaoyao, but perhaps a¡­ Heavenly Being! ¡± ¡°Heavenly Being¡­¡± Tan Xiaoyu murmured to herself. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Heavenly Beings might not even exist?¡± Tan Dong let out a wry smile, ¡°I indeed thought that after Xiaoyao there would be no more beyond, but now I realize that realms above Heavenly Beings do exist, and I simply don¡¯t even have the qualification to know about their existence!¡± Tan Xiaoyu remained silent. Tan Dong was right. To such high-level existences, people like them didn¡¯t even have the qualification to know. ¡°Dad, this is it for my life, but you are still young. Though you¡¯re a girl, I hope you can go even further!¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Tan Xiaoyu nodded her head. ¡°In another month, it will be the once-every-four-years Martial Arts Tournament! I will take you with me to participate, to broaden your horizons and see the heroes of the world!¡± Tan Dong said. Xue An didn¡¯t return to the martial arts school but went straight home. After Qin Yu personally saw him off, she immediately returned to the Qin Family and saw Qin Yuan. Qin Yuan was now energetically dealing with the group¡¯s affairs every day. However, as soon as his granddaughter returned, he immediately cast aside all the work at hand. ¡°How did it go?¡± Qin Yu took a deep breath, ¡°Mr. Xue won!¡± Qin Yuan, as if he had anticipated this, nodded, ¡°How long did the fight last?¡± Qin Yu gave a bitter smile, ¡°Defeated the enemy with one punch, killed with one punch!¡± Qin Yuan was taken aback, ¡°You mean¡­¡± Qin Yu nodded, ¡°It only took two punches! Yu Qing, who swept through the Beijiang Martial Arts World, was killed!¡± Qin Yuan was also shocked; he had predicted that Xue An could win. But he hadn¡¯t expected the win to be so easy! It seems he still had not estimated Xue An¡¯s strength highly enough! Qin Yu continued, ¡°I asked Master Tan, and he had only two words to describe Xue An!¡± ¡°Which two words?¡± ¡°Heavenly Being!¡± Upon hearing this term, Qin Yuan abruptly stood up and paced back and forth in the room. After a long while, he suddenly slammed his hand on the table. ¡°Yu¡¯er, we must win over Mr. Xue at all costs, and we must be more respectful than before!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Mr. Xue is still living in a rundown neighborhood. Now that our villas by Yunmeng Lake have been completed, gift him the Number One Tian Villa!¡± If anyone else were present, they would be astonished by Qin Yuan¡¯s generosity. Yunmeng Lake is the most scenic lake in Beijiang, and not too far from the city center, where Longtai Group has developed a housing project touted as the most high-end villa community in all of Beijiang. The location of the Number One Tian Villa is especially exceptional, and although a businessman once offered a hundred million for it, Qin Yuan didn¡¯t sell. Now, he was giving it to Xue An as a gift. Qin Yu also nodded without hesitation, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Mr. Xue has two daughters, remember to gather plenty of snacks and toys that children like. Make sure to please Mr. Xue!¡± Qin Yuan added at the end. Qin Yu took the command and left. Qin Yuan stood in his office, murmuring to himself. ¡°Heavenly Being¡­ In this world¡­ are there really Heavenly Beings?¡± Today was Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s day off, and because she was worried about the two little girls, she quickly bought some groceries and hurried home. As she opened the door, she found Xue An busy in the kitchen. Tang Xuan¡¯er paused slightly, and the two little girls swarmed her as soon as they saw her. If one talked about affection, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian¡¯s feelings toward Tang Xuan¡¯er were the deepest. ¡°Auntie Xuan¡¯er, do you think our new dresses are pretty?¡± Xue Xiang asked, showing off. Tang Xuan¡¯er smiled and ruffled the heads of the two little girls. ¡°So pretty! You both look just like little fairy princesses!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a little fairy, I¡¯m Nian Nian!¡± An Yan said, not understanding what a little fairy meant. Compared to her sister Xue Xiang, who loved beauty, little sister An Yan, besides her love for eating, hadn¡¯t yet developed a concept of beauty and ugliness! At this moment, Xue An, with an apron tied around him, came out of the kitchen with a smile, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, I bought some big crabs on my way home today. Try my cooking skills later!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s mood brightened, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°I remember when we were in school, you said you hated cooking the most!¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°That¡¯s because there was no one worth cooking for!¡± It was an easy statement to misunderstand, at least it made Tang Xuan¡¯er blush. But Xue An didn¡¯t notice; he was actually referring to the two little girls. After three thousand years of cultivation, Xue An had, by chance, met a master who had entered the way through his culinary skills and had learned much about cooking from him. Now Xue An dared not claim to be a master of culinary ways in the Immortal Realm, but outdoing the mundane was a breeze. So when the crabs were done and brought to the table, the aroma made Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s mouth water uncontrollably. As for An Yan, she was already drooling at this point. ¡°Eat! Let¡¯s see how it tastes!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er served the crabs to the two children first, then took a bite herself. Then she was stunned. This taste¡­ It was simply indescribable! As if countless flavors burst on her taste buds at once, it made Tang Xuan¡¯er feel dizzy in an instant. Tang Xuan¡¯er had never imagined there could be such soul-stirring food in the world. ¡°Is it good?¡± Xue An asked. Tang Xuan¡¯er nodded, ¡°Actually, if you got nothing better to do, you could make a living as a chef!¡± Xue An looked at this girl who had been his classmate since high school and smiled. He felt endless gratitude toward Tang Xuan¡¯er. After An Yan was forced to leave Beijiang, the two girls were basically raised by Tang Xuan¡¯er! Xue An had always kept this kindness in his heart. This was also why he was willing to cook personally for Tang Xuan¡¯er. Otherwise¡­ He remembered that once, a high-ranking Immortal King had gone to great lengths just to have Xue An make a meal for him. Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered. The crabs were quickly finished. Tang Xuan¡¯er, still longing for more, licked her fingers. The taste was truly too delicious, so for a moment she forgot a girl¡¯s modesty. Then Xue An took out an Elixir and handed it to Tang Xuan¡¯er. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er looked puzzled. ¡°This is made by daddy, and it tastes so yummy! Auntie Xuan¡¯Er, you should try it too!¡± Xue Xiang said. Tang Xuan¡¯er took it and, without much thought, she ate it. Instantly, it was as if she had swallowed a bomb; the Elixir dissolved once inside her and began to purge toxins from her cells. Tang Xuan¡¯er let out a cry of surprise and rushed into the bathroom. Xue An smiled slightly. This Elixir contained the root of the Xuan Yin Lotus, and the root of this rare ingredient was the most potent part. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t use it, so they instead turned to the gentler Xuan Yin Lotus seeds. However, Xue An was a master in alchemy, so he easily refined the power of the Xuan Yin Lotus root. This also made the potency of this Primordial Essence Elixir increase by more than tenfold. If eaten directly, Tang Xuan¡¯er probably couldn¡¯t handle it. But the crabs were not ordinary crabs; while cooking them, Xue An had added many refined herbal essences. A random bite could probably cure all ailments for an ordinary person! There was no helping it, Xue An¡¯s indulgence in his children had reached the point of sparing no cost or effort. As long as it made the two little girls happy, he would pluck the moon from the sky for them. With this foundation in place, Xue An then dared to let Tang Xuan¡¯er consume this advanced version of the Primordial Essence Elixir! Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Number One Tian Villa! Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Number One Tian Villa! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio After a good while, Tang Xuan¡¯er came out of the restroom with a hint of shyness. There were still traces of water in her hair, indicating she had just taken a bath. Tang Xuan¡¯er was already stunningly beautiful, but after the baptism of the enhanced Primordial Essence Elixir, her beauty could only be described as breathtaking. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian giggled incessantly, to which Tang Xuan¡¯er asked somewhat embarrassingly, ¡°What are you two little girls laughing about?¡± ¡°Auntie Xuan¡¯Er, you smell as nice as Daddy now!¡± Xue Nian said with a giggle. What she really meant was that Tang Xuan¡¯er now had a baby-like fragrance, which is an indication of a body so clean and pure. Xue An also had this subtle fragrance, which is why the two little girls loved to snuggle up to their dad. But Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face turned red, and she lowered her head, too shy to speak. Xue An just smiled slightly, then said, ¡°Sit down and eat; it won¡¯t taste as good once it gets cold!¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er responded softly, then sat down. Her demure and compliant demeanor¡­ was like that of a bride just married into the family! The atmosphere became subtly charged. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face grew even rosier as she looked down. Just then, the crisp sound of a doorbell shattered the silence. Tang Xuan¡¯er, as if relieved, quickly got up to open the door. Qin Yu walked in, her hands filled with all sorts of toys and snacks, and immediately said with a smile upon seeing Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°Look what I¡¯ve brought for you two little princesses?¡± Children are inevitably children, their excitement leaping out at the sight of so many novel toys. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Qin Yu!¡± After the two little girls took the toys, they ran off to the side to play. At this point, Qin Yu noticed the food still on the living room table and couldn¡¯t help but say with a smile, ¡°How timely of me. What did you make? Why does it smell so good?¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°I made a few crabs, have a taste.¡± Qin Yu intended to decline, but she had been enticed by the aroma since entering the house. Having experienced high society, Qin Yu had never before encountered such an unusual and appetizing scent, compelling anyone who smelled it to eagerly anticipate a taste. ¡°Then I¡¯ll try a bite!¡± Qin Yu picked up a crab leg, took a bite, and her eyes lit up. ¡°How is it?¡± asked Xue An softly. Qin Yu didn¡¯t even have time to respond, she voraciously devoured the crab leg, then finally caught her breath and said somewhat sheepishly, ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ delicious!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Qin Yu¡¯s greedy manner, filled the rest of the crab into a bowl, and said softly, ¡°Miss Qin, there¡¯s more here. You eat it all!¡± Qin Yu¡¯s face turned red, feeling as if she was imposing for a meal, but the taste of that crab was truly irresistible. In Longtai Group¡¯s hotels, all the chefs were nationally or even internationally renowned, but compared to this plate of crab, their creations seemed like trash. At this moment, Xue An¡¯s mystique only grew in Qin Yu¡¯s eyes. This man possessed unfathomable martial skills and astonishing culinary talents. Qin Yu began to wonder if there was anything in this world Xue An couldn¡¯t do. But Qin Yu hadn¡¯t forgotten the purpose of her visit, and while eating, she said, ¡°Mr. Xue, my grandfather saw that your current living quarters are a bit cramped, so he specially prepared a villa for you as a token of gratitude for all the help you¡¯ve given to the Qin Family!¡± ¡°A villa?¡± ¡°Yes, right by Yunmeng Lake! If you have time later, I can take you there to have a look!¡± ¡°Yunmeng Lake¡­ is it Yunmeng Villa?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er asked in surprise. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it! Have you heard of Yunmeng Villa too?¡± Qin Yu chuckled. Tang Xuan¡¯er gave a wry smile, ¡°Now in Beijiang, who hasn¡¯t heard of Yunmeng Villa?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just that Yunmeng Villa is really popular in Beijiang right now, touted as the highest-end residential area in Beijiang!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er had also heard her colleagues at the hospital mention it occasionally. But it wasn¡¯t just about having money to be able to buy a place in Yunmeng Villa. Those who lived there were either rich or noble. But she had never imagined that Yunmeng Villa belonged to Qin Yu¡¯s family, and moreover, the Qin Family would directly give away a suite just to please Xue An. This kind of grand gesture also shocked Tang Xuan¡¯er. Xue An, however, was indifferent, but Qin Yu¡¯s words reminded him. Now that he was back, it wouldn¡¯t be convenient for Tang Xuan¡¯er to stay here, but she didn¡¯t have another place to live, so she had to stay in the hospital dormitory, which after all, was quite inconvenient. And his two daughters were getting bigger and it was becoming somewhat awkward for them to live here as well. Therefore, Xue An nodded his head, ¡°Alright! Then let¡¯s go take a look!¡± If it weren¡¯t for so many people watching, Qin Yu really wished she could lick the plate clean. Because it was so delicious! But after all, she was a daughter of a wealthy family, and the last shred of dignity stopped her from doing so. Once they descended the stairs, Qin Yu drove Xue An, Tang Xuan¡¯er, and the two little girls to Yunmeng Villa in the suburbs. The place wasn¡¯t too far from the Beijiang city center, about a ten-minute drive, and there were strict security measures at the entrance. When Qin Yu¡¯s car arrived, all the security guards at the gate saluted in unison. The car slowly drove into the villa area; even though it was winter, many carefully cultivated flowers were blooming in the area. The environment was elegant, built by the lake, and just this surrounding area was enough to qualify as the highest-end residential area in Beijiang. However, the Number One Tian Villa had been specially developed by Qin Yuan, naturally different from these regular villas. There was a small hill by the side of Yunmeng Lake. Not very tall, but compared to the surrounding flatness, it still appeared rather grand and lofty. A winding mountain road had been built along the hill, and the Number One Tian Villa was located on the mountaintop. The car drove directly to the mountaintop, and once they got out, even Tang Xuan¡¯er was somewhat stunned. Standing here, one could directly see Yunmeng Lake not far away. The vast lake seemed as if it was right before one¡¯s eyes. And the villa itself was the work of a master architect, perfectly integrated with the surrounding environment. ¡°Daddy, this house is so big and beautiful!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said in unison, amazed. Qin Yu looked proudly at Xue An, hoping to see some surprise on Mr. Xue¡¯s face. But to her disappointment, he seemed completely composed, as if this masterfully built and naturally beautiful villa was nothing more than a shack to him. In fact, that was precisely what Xue An thought. To him, the layout here was barely adequate, and the Feng Shui was also good, with the Spiritual Energy from Yunmeng Lake nourishing every plant and tree in the vicinity. But¡­ it was too simple! As the Immortal Venerable who had seen arrays laid out with stars, with a Star System as his abode, the arrangement here couldn¡¯t even be deemed satisfactory. It was merely fit to live in! Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Jingjing, your mom is calling you home for dinner! Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Jingjing, your mom is calling you home for dinner! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio It goes without saying that all the facilities inside the villa are up to the highest standards. As soon as the two little girls entered, they were attracted by the small amusement park in one corner of the villa. Qin Yu felt some pride inside. Originally there was no amusement park, but after preparing it as a gift for Xue An, Qin Yu immediately had someone reorganize it, and the result was just as effective. Tang Xuan¡¯er was somewhat restrained, not daring to touch many things. ¡°Mr. Xue, this is the villa we are giving to you. This is the property title, which has been transferred to your name. Also, here are the keys!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t take them but turned to Tang Xuan¡¯er and asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°If you like it, from now on it¡¯s yours!¡± As soon as he said this, Tang Xuan¡¯er blushed, and Qin Yu¡¯s heart shook. Was he planning on keeping a beauty in a golden house? But Xue An continued, ¡°It¡¯s not ideal for you to always live in the dormitory. From now on, you¡¯ll live here! As for me, Jingjing, and Nian Nian, we¡¯ll come over too, but we can¡¯t abandon the old house.¡± The old house had special meaning for Xue An, as it was the place where he had lived with An Yan. Tang Xuan¡¯er nodded. Just then, Xue An¡¯s phone rang. Upon answering, Old Xie, with tears in his voice, said on the other end, ¡°Is it Xiao An?¡± Xue An was slightly taken aback, then said, ¡°Uncle Xie, it¡¯s me. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Jingjing¡­ Jingjing was taken away after school, and we can¡¯t reach her by phone, can¡¯t find her anywhere. Your Auntie Pang has been crying for half a day. I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end and had to come to you!¡± By the end, Old Xie was crying out loud. Xue An raised his eyebrows, ¡°Uncle Xie, don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll go find Jingjing right now! ¡± ¡°This child Jingjing, after seeing you return, she dyed her hair back to normal and hasn¡¯t gone out to cause trouble anymore. Your Auntie Pang and I were quite happy, but then this happened!¡± Xue An said gravely, ¡°Uncle Xie, tell Auntie Pang that tonight, I will bring Jingjing home unharmed!¡± After hanging up, Qin Yu asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you need my help?¡± Xue An shook his head and then said to Tang Xuan¡¯er, ¡°You stay here with Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian. I need to go out for a bit!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Xue An walked out of the room, closed his eyes, and his divine sense spread out, beginning to search. In a city as populated as Beijiang, searching for a person like Xie Jingjing was not easy. But for Xue An, it was not a difficult task. Because Xie Jingjing was a rare pure Yin physique, which, to divine sense, was like a bright lamp in the dark night. Very soon. Xue An had located his target. A cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and then he vanished into the evening twilight. Blue Fire KTV was a mid-range KTV in Beijiang City, popular because it was situated in a bustling area and was not too expensive. Xue An stood in front of the entrance, looked at the luxuriously decorated KTV, and then stepped inside. ¡°Welcome, sir. How many are in your group? Do you have a reservation?¡± a waiter greeted him. Xue An shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m here to find someone!¡± ¡°May I ask who your friend is? I can take you to them!¡± Xue An glanced coldly at the waiter. The waiter froze in place. It wasn¡¯t until Xue An had left that he came back to his senses, simultaneously breaking out in a cold sweat. That man¡¯s gaze was just too terrifying! The waiter shuddered and quickly ran away. Following the position of Xie Jingjing in his divine sense, Xue An went straight to the third floor. This was the VIP area of Blue Fire KTV. Xue An arrived in front of the private room at the end of the corridor. The soundproofing here was excellent; standing outside, one couldn¡¯t hear any noise from inside. But in Xue An¡¯s mind¡¯s eye, Xie Jingjing was inside. He pushed the door, which had been locked from the inside. At that moment, a security guard approached and said, ¡°What are you doing? This is Mr. Wu¡¯s private booking, if you have no business here, leave quickly!¡± Xue An remained indifferent, paying no attention to the security guard and instead took a half step back. ¡°What are you trying to do? I¡¯m telling you, this private room door is made of steel wood, you¡¯ll only hurt yourself by kicking it, don¡¯t say we didn¡¯t warn you!¡± The guard, evidently used to dealing with drunken patrons kicking doors, reminded him mockingly. He thought Xue An was drunk and preparing to kick the door, thinking to himself that this would only bring trouble. But just as he finished speaking, Xue An suddenly threw a punch. Bang. A deafening boom sounded. The guard¡¯s ears rang from the vibration, and then he witnessed the most shocking scene of his life. The private room door, constructed of pure steel, emitted a cry under the man¡¯s punch, then collapsed with a crash! Amidst the rising dust, a wave of screams came from inside the room. ¡°What happened?¡± Damn it, who the hell is this guy? Amidst these angry voices, Xue An walked slowly into the private room and immediately saw Xie Jingjing seated in the middle, her eyes brimming with tears, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly. ¡°Jingjing, your mom is calling you home for dinner!¡± This sentence made Xie Jingjing¡¯s tears overflow. From school dismissal until now, those three-plus hours had seemed like years to Xie Jingjing. Ever since Xue An¡¯s return, she had decided to behave properly and not be wayward anymore. So she dyed her hair back to its natural color, threw out her eccentric clothes, and put on her school uniform again. But her transformation had angered someone. This person was Xie Jingjing¡¯s classmate and a notable figure in the school, named Wu Zefeng. His family had some money, and he was considered a rich second generation youth. So relying on his family¡¯s power, he spent his days in school chasing girls and getting into fights, neglecting his studies. Then he took notice of Xie Jingjing, this beautiful girl that Wu Zefeng coveted immensely. But although the former Xie Jingjing was quite rebellious, she was very conservative about her purity as a girl. Despite his devious efforts, he did not succeed with her. And this time, when Xie Jingjing suddenly changed her ways, no matter how much he called her, she refused to come out. Annoyed and embarrassed, he half-forced Xie Jingjing to come to this place. Xie Tingiing wanted to run. but the security here was very diligent. Wu Zefeng watched her closely, and she couldn¡¯t leave. And these so-called friends accompanying her in drinking all wanted to get Xie Jingjing drunk. Xie Jingjing understood if she got drunk, then everything would be over. So she made up all sorts of excuses, trying desperately to stall for time. But as time passed, Xie Jingjing gradually lost hope. Could it be¡­ that tonight she was really going to be ruined here? An Gege, where are you? In her most desperate moment, Xie Jingjing thought of Xue An. But her heart was very conflicted, hoping Xue An would come, yet not wanting him to. Because Xie Jingjing knew, Wu Zefeng had considerable influence in this area and was said to even know the owner of Blue Fire. Xue An was just an ordinary person, how could he fight against these people? Until a loud noise, the door fell, and Xue An stepped in, Xie Jingjing then cried out in both shock and joy. Which girl hasn¡¯t fantasized that one day, a peerless hero would come to her rescue on a rainbow cloud? And at this moment, Xue An was her peerless hero! Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 But… I do not agree! Chapter 52: Chapter 52 But¡­ I do not agree! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Fuck, who the hell are you?¡± Wu Zefeng said fiercely from the chief seat. Just when he was about to succeed and win the beauty, this guy showed up, and Wu Zefeng¡¯s heart naturally filled with fury. Before Xue An could speak, Xie Jingjing suddenly stood up, her eyes red, and said, ¡°Brother An¡­ you¡­ please go!¡± Xie Jingjing knew full well how tough Wu Zefeng was, not only did his family have a lot of power, but it was also said that he knew several big gangsters in the city. And Xue An was just a ¡°normal person, ¡± how could he possibly fight Wu Zefeng? Xie Jingjing didn¡¯t want Xue An to be put in danger because of her. In fact, at this moment, her heart was full of sorrow and¡­ gratitude. That he could come to save her. That was already enough. Xie Jingjing didn¡¯t ask for anything more! But her thinking was still too naive. Wu Zefeng sneered a few times. ¡°Want to leave?¡± At this moment, the boys who were drinking with Wu Zefeng all stood up, each holding a wine bottle from the table. Not only that, the security guards of the club, hearing the commotion, also rushed over quickly. ¡°Young Master Wu, what¡¯s going on?¡± the security captain asked. Wu Zefeng said coldly, ¡°This kid, he kicked in the door of our private room and ruined my mood.¡± ¡°Damn it, where did this kid come from, being so blindsided as to disturb Young Master Wu!¡± The security captain commanded. The security guards blocked the entrance, then they circled Xue An. At this moment, Wu Zefeng sat on the sofa, his sinister face revealing a mocking smile. He really enjoyed this sense of superiority. Especially when he saw the terrified expressions on the faces of the weak, he felt even more exhilarated. But this time, he miscalculated. Because he didn¡¯t see even a trace of fear on this man¡¯s face. All there was, was that mocking smile at the corner of his mouth. As if¡­ His own people were the weak ones. Wu Zefeng¡¯s gaze grew colder, ¡°Trash him¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Xie Jingjing had already rushed out, then stood in front of Xue An. ¡°Wu Zefeng, you just want me, right? I¡¯ll give myself to you, but you have to let Brother An leave safely!¡± Xie Jingjing said with a trembling voice. Wu Zefeng¡¯s eyes brightened, then he looked at Xie Jingjing playfully. ¡°Heh, for such a guy, you¡¯re really going all out, huh?¡± Xie Jingjing gritted her teeth and said, ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern, you have to promise he can leave here safely, or even if I die, I won¡¯t let you touch a finger on me!¡± Towards the end, Xie Jingjing¡¯s heart was full of sorrow. Brother An, perhaps¡­ we can only meet in the next life! Xie Jingjing had made up her mind, once she got Xue An out, she would find a chance to commit suicide! At that time, Wu Zefeng nodded, ¡°Okay, I promise you!¡± ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t agree!¡± a faint voice came. The room fell silent. Then everyone looked at the person who had spoken, it was Xue An. Xie Jingjing was so anxious she was on the verge of tears, ¡°Brother An¡­ I¡­¡± Xue An gently patted the silly girl on the shoulder, giving a small smile, ¡°Don¡¯t speak, from now on¡­ watch me!¡± Xie Jingjing wanted to say more, but when she looked into Xue An¡¯s eyes, deep as the ocean, she couldn¡¯t say anything. At this moment, Wu Zefeng¡¯s expression became even more somber, and he sneered, ¡°Kid, you¡¯re quite arrogant, do you know who I am?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Then Xue An paused, looking at everyone in the room, ¡°All of you come at me, I¡¯m in a hurry!¡± As these words were spoken, many people couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Wu Zefeng was looking at Xue An as if he were looking at an idiot. ¡°Holy shit, is there really someone who¡¯s not afraid to die? Take him down for me!¡± The security guards and Wu Zefeng¡¯s lackeys rushed forward, and Xie Jingjing, frightened, closed her eyes, her last thought unexpectedly being. Even if I die, it¡¯s worth it as long as I¡¯m with Brother An. But the pain she imagined did not come; instead, there was a series of crackling sounds like firecrackers. Xie Jingjing hesitated, then opened her eyes, only to see a scene that would be etched in her memory for life. The menacing crowd that had rushed up didn¡¯t even touch the hem of Xue An¡¯s clothes. And Xue An, he simply threw a single punch. But this casually delivered punch created a whirlwind that swept through the private room. The one at the forefront was blown away by Xue An¡¯s punch, knocking down everyone behind him before they finally hit the wall and fell to the ground, spitting blood and unable to get up again. Not only that, but the thick concrete wall, impacted by the force of this punch, shook a few times before it collapsed with a thunderous crash. Dust rose everywhere while Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent as he surveyed the room. No one dared to speak. In the deathly silence, Wu Zefeng stared dumbfounded at the scene, his brain struggling to process what had just happened. One punch¡­ He had displayed such power with just one punch? Who on earth is this man? ¡°Now¡­ it¡¯s your turn,¡± Xue An said indifferently. Wu Zefeng trembled all over, saying in horror, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t come any closer, I¡¯m from the Wu Family, you can¡¯t kill me!¡± Xue An shook his head. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not interested in knowing who you are!¡± Just then, a chaotic sound of footsteps came from outside the door, followed by a group of people walking in. The leader was a burly man with a fierce face. As soon as Wu Zefeng saw this big man, he seemed to see a savior, and scrambled over, ¡°Da Xiong, save me! This guy wants to kill me, and he has hurt many people in our KTV!¡± Brother Da Xiong! The big boss of Lanhuo KTV. The appearance of this man caused Xie Jingjing¡¯s heart to sink. This was a famous big brother in Beijiang City! At this moment, Wu Zefeng¡¯s face was full of relief, and then he looked at Xue An with a smug expression. In his view, with Brother Xiong¡¯s arrival, this guy was definitely done for. But Brother Da Xiong didn¡¯t even glance at Wu Zefeng, as if he were just a puff of air, walking straight past him. Wu Zefeng was stunned, and then he saw Brother Da Xiong coming up close to Xue An, suddenly bending over, and said very respectfully, ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Boom. Everyone in the room was shocked. Wu Zefeng¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Xue An looked at Da Xiong and said indifferently, ¡°You recognize me?¡± Da Xiong gave a bitter smile, ¡°That day at the Dragon Emperor Platform, I was one of Du Fan¡¯s men, and I had the honor of seeing Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°So you¡¯re one of Du Fan¡¯s men!¡± Du Fan. Another name to send shivers down the spine. Yet, when spoken from Xue An¡¯s mouth, it seemed trivial, like a person of no consequence. Meanwhile, Da Xiong was trembling all over and didn¡¯t dare to lift his head. Because that day at the Dragon Emperor Platform, he had witnessed the terrible state of Lu Kun. He knew that this Mr. Xue was a person whose name made both gods and ghosts tremble, and in comparison, his so-called big brother status was less than nothing. Now, Da Xiong was filled with anger. This Wu Zefeng, finding his own death was one thing, but to drag me into this mess¡­. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Don’t Be So Arrogant in Your Next Life Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Don¡¯t Be So Arrogant in Your Next Life Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°So what¡¯s your purpose for coming now? To stop me?¡± Xue An¡¯s voice was indifferent, but it sounded like thunder to Da Xiong, who was so frightened that he hastened to shake his head. ¡°No, no, even if it scared me to death, I wouldn¡¯t dare. I just heard that you had arrived, so I rushed over to await your orders!¡± These almost flattering words caused Xie Jingjing¡¯s eyes to gradually widen, and the look she gave Xue An became increasingly complex. Her brother An, when had he become so formidable? Even a gang leader like Da Xiong had to treat him with utmost respect and caution. As for Wu Zefeng, his face was even paler, trembling all over. Because he finally understood that he had provoked someone he absolutely shouldn¡¯t have. He had actually thought that the other party was a weakling just a moment ago, which now seemed incredibly ironic. And when Xue An¡¯s gaze turned toward him, Wu Zefeng collapsed onto the ground with a thud, kowtowing like pounding garlic. ¡°Mr. Xue, please spare my life, Mr. Xue, please spare my life. I was blind, I was led astray by lust, I shouldn¡¯t have attacked your friend. You are a great man with magnanimity, please spare me this time!¡± With a complex gaze, Xie Jingjing looked at Wu Zefeng, who was kneeling on the ground in fear and trepidation. Once upon a time, this man had been high and mighty in school, controlling the winds and the rains, but now, like a dog that had lost its family, he knelt on the ground begging for mercy. Da Xiong stealthily glanced at Xue An, seeing his indifferent demeanor, and felt a little tense inside. He was afraid that Xue An would suddenly explode and include him in the ordeal. However, Xue An seemed too lazy to bother with him and simply walked slowly toward Wu Zefeng, looking down at him from a superior vantage point. Wu Zefeng was shaking all over, and his crotch suddenly warmed, a stench of urine spreading out. He had actually been scared to the point of urinating on himself. ¡°Actually¡­ I didn¡¯t want to kill you!¡± Wu Zefeng sighed in relief secretly, while his heart was filled with resentment, thinking, once I get out of this, I¡¯ll definitely find a chance to kill both you and Xie Jingjing! Of course, his face still wore an expression of extreme terror. But in the next second, all his plans came to nothing. ¡°But if apologies were useful, there¡¯d be no one deserving death in this world!¡± Xue An said, then suddenly stomped on Wu Zefeng¡¯s head, and said indifferently, ¡°Remember in your next life, don¡¯t be so arrogant!¡± With that, Xue An pressed his foot down hard. Splat. Wu Zefeng¡¯s head was crushed under Xue An¡¯s foot. Brain matter splattered, blood flowed everywhere. A nauseating stench of blood filled the air. Everyone looked on as silent as cicadas in winter. Da Xiong was someone who had witnessed life and death, but even he felt his body hair stand on end at the sight, and his scalp tightened in waves. In Da Xiong¡¯s heart, Xue An¡¯s danger level had just risen several folds. Da Xiong made up his mind that if this ¡°Divine Slaughter¡± were around, he would roll as far away as possible and hope to never cross paths with him again in his life. The matter was resolved. Xue An¡¯s expression was calm as he dragged a dazed Xie Jingjing with him and said to Da Xiong, ¡°I¡¯m leaving! The rest is up to you!¡± Da Xiong nodded urgently, ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Xue, I¡¯ll take care of everything!¡± Xue An left. It was only then that Da Xiong let out a sigh of relief, and then he realized that his body was soaked with cold sweat. ¡°Big Bear, what should we do with this corpse?¡± someone asked quietly. Da Xiong glared at him fiercely, ¡°What to do? Naturally, find a bag to wrap it up and send it back to the Wu Family!¡± ¡°But if the Wu Family asks¡­¡± Da Xiong sneered, ¡°Then you tell the Wu Family that the person who killed Wu Zefeng is a big shot even Brother Fan wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke. If they want revenge, let them seek it! Just don¡¯t involve me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Da Xiong, at this moment, spat on Wu Zefeng¡¯s corpse lying on the ground, ¡°Putting on airs without knowing who you¡¯re dealing with, you deserved to die!¡± After leaving Blue Fire KTV, the piercing cold wind made Xie Jingjing much more sober. She looked at Xue An with a mix of fear and confusion, her feelings a tangled mess, unable to distinguish what she felt. She hated Wu Zefeng! But she had never imagined that Xue An would actually dare to kill someone in public! After all, that was a life! ¡°Are you scared?¡± Xue An suddenly asked. Xie Jingjing remained silent. Xue An smiled, ¡°There were over a dozen hidden cameras in that private room. If I hadn¡¯t come tonight, you can imagine the consequences.¡± Xie Jingjing¡¯s heart tightened, recalling those videos she had seen online that had been secretly recorded. If it were really like that, her life would be ruined. Xue An looked up at the sky and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you home!¡± On the way home, Xie Jingjing was silent. When they reached her doorstep, Xie Jingjing suddenly hugged Xue An from behind. ¡°Brother An¡­ I¡¯m sorry!¡± Xue An¡¯s expression was hidden in the cold night, and after a moment, he cracked a slight smile. ¡°It¡¯s ok, it¡¯s over now! Go back to sleep, and be a good student tomorrow!¡± At that moment, Xie Jingjing¡¯s heart was pounding wildly, the faint scent on Xue An making her heart gradually heat up. ¡°Brother An¡­ I¡¯ve actually grown up,¡± Xie Jingjing said softly. Xue An was silent for a moment, then he tousled Xie Jingjing¡¯s hair and laughed lightly, ¡°No matter how big you get, in my eyes, you are still that kid!¡± Mr. Xie and Auntie Pang had been anxiously waiting in the house all this time. When Xue An brought Xie Jingjing back, Mr. Xie was the first to jump up and hug his daughter, with tears streaming down his face. This man, no matter how much he pretended otherwise, loved Xie Jingjing the most from the bottom of his heart. Xie Jingjing felt a bit desolate inside. She understood what Xue An¡¯s words meant. But she would remember everything that happened today. That earth-shattering bang, and Xue An¡¯s words, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home!¡± These were things Xie Jingjing would never forget for the rest of her life. Anyway, I don¡¯t care, is it a crime to like someone? Xie Jingjing¡¯s stubborn nature kicked in again. At this moment, Auntie Pang took Xue An¡¯s hand, her eyes brimming with tears, ¡°Xiao An, how can your Uncle Xie and I ever thank you?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Auntie Pang, Uncle Xie, Jingjing is just like my sister, it¡¯s what I should do! There¡¯s no need for thanks!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Auntie Pang wiped away her tears, ¡°Oh, you haven¡¯t eaten dinner yet, have you? Mr. Xie, stop crying like a woman and go cook! ¡± Mr. Xie dabbed his tears and said, ¡°Alright!¡± Xue An wanted to decline, but seeing the joy on Mr. Xie and Auntie Pang¡¯s faces, he didn¡¯t find it in his heart to say anything else. The meal was prepared quickly and was very hearty. Mr. Xie even brought out his last bottle of treasured old wine, pouring Xue An a full glass himself. Xue An knew this was the two elder¡¯s simplest way of expressing gratitude, so he smiled and drank it down in one gulp. Xie Jingjing watched from the side. In that moment, Xue An was the epitome of gentleness and refinement. And just before, he was the Divine Slaughter from hell. Which one was the real him? Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Uprooting Mountains! Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Uprooting Mountains! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Old Xie was drunk. Blind drunk. Xue An, on the other hand, became more sober the more he drank; in fact, if he wished, he could drink an entire distillery dry and not get drunk. When Xue An left, Xie Jingjing saw him out. ¡°Go back!¡± Xie Jingjing, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted her head, ¡°Thank you!¡± Xue An paused slightly, then smiled, ¡°Thank for what? Hurry back to bed! You have school tomorrow!¡± Xie Jingjing took a deep breath and said earnestly, ¡°I won¡¯t give up!¡± After saying this puzzling statement, Xie Jingjing turned and ran back. Xue An stood there, his expression looking subtly complex in the night. Indeed, even Immortal Venerable couldn¡¯t control emotions such as these. However, his Heart Realm had long been forged as stable as a boulder, so he merely sighed softly and then disappeared into the night. But this night was anything but peaceful for some. After the body of Wu Zefeng was brought back to the Wu Family, his father, Wu Weidong, seemed to age several years in an instant, then exploded in rage. ¡°Who was it! Who did this? I¡¯ll kill him! I¡¯ll avenge my son!¡± The man who brought the body back, a loyal henchman of Da Xiong, couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold laugh upon hearing Wu Weidong¡¯s words. ¡°Old Master Wu, our Brother Xiong asked me to pass on a message to you!¡± ¡°What message?¡± ¡°Your son didn¡¯t die a wrongful death, for he offended someone he shouldn¡¯t have!¡± ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying my son just died for nothing?¡± Wu Weidong was full of fury. ¡°Whether it was for nothing or not has nothing to do with us, but Brother Xiong said that the person who made a move is someone that even Brother Fan can¡¯t afford to provoke! You better weigh your options!¡± With that, the man left. Wu Weidong¡¯s burning rage was instantly extinguished as if doused by cold water. Someone even Brother Fan couldn¡¯t provoke! Who could it be? Could it be the Qin Family? Wu Weidong knew well what his son had done and believed his death was justified, but after all, it was his own flesh and blood, and naturally, he wanted to seek revenge and settle the score. But if the other party was someone even Du Fan couldn¡¯t afford to provoke, then he had to think it through carefully! At that moment, Wu Zefeng¡¯s mother heard the news and rushed over. Upon laying eyes on her precious son¡¯s corpse, she wailed loudly, then leaped up three feet in height, her face contorted with resentment as she howled. ¡°Who did this? I will cut him to pieces and scatter his ashes!¡± Wu Weidong¡¯s face turned ashen, and he slapped her across the face. ¡°You¡­ You dare to hit me?¡± The woman, her face covered in flesh, looked at Wu Weidong in disbelief. Wu Weidong sneered, ¡°That¡¯s right, I hit you. Zefeng ended up like this mostly because of you! Revenge, you say? Go ahead and try!¡± The woman deflated instantly. Usually, she could bully ordinary people, but Wu Weidong¡¯s demeanor clearly indicated that they were likely dealing with an entity they couldn¡¯t afford to provoke. She could only lower her head and remain silent. Wu Weidong paused for a moment, then said dejectedly, ¡°First arrange the funeral. As for revenge, we¡¯ll talk about it later!¡± After all, a son could be conceived again. But if the family were to be destroyed over this incident, that would be the end of everything. Xue An returned to the villa; it was now the wee hours of the night. The lights in the living room were still on; Tang Xuan¡¯er hadn¡¯t gone to bed and was sitting on the sofa waiting for Xue An. Seeing Xue An return, she stood up, ¡°Have you eaten?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Are they asleep?¡± ¡°Just fell asleep!¡± ¡°Hmm, then you should go to sleep too!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er didn¡¯t move. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°Mm¡­ Our hospital is organizing a trip for tomorrow, and I promised Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian that I would take them there. Will you¡­ will you come along?¡± Xue An had originally not wanted to go, but seeing the expectant look on Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Sure, I have nothing else on, so let¡¯s just say it¡¯s taking the two little girls out for a relaxing time!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er was very happy, nodding enthusiastically. Tang Xuan¡¯er went back to her room to sleep. Xue An sat on the living room sofa, looking out the floor-to-ceiling window at Yunmeng Lake in the distance. Although the night was dark as ink, for Xue An, it was as clear as day. Even though it was already spring, the weather was still very cold, yet Yunmeng Lake showed no signs of freezing over. Xue An knew that this was all due to the unique feng Shui of the area. Yunmeng Lake was like a naturally formed grand formation, and the small hill where the Number One Tian Villa was located served as the eye of the formation. However, even though the feng Shui here was excellent, in Xue An¡¯s eyes, it still had flaws. For instance, the layout of this small hill was too insignificant to contain the aura of Yunmeng Lake. The person who arranged this villa must have noticed this and did their best to compensate, but those were only trivial efforts. After all, it¡¯s impossible to make a mountain grow out of nowhere. But what others couldn¡¯t do, didn¡¯t mean Xue An couldn¡¯t. Xue An stepped out of the villa and stood on the summit of the hill. The wind fluttered his sleeves, and the sky above was dense with clouds, as if spring rain was imminent. Xue An stood silently for a moment before he suddenly leaped. This leap took him into the air, and then Xue An stood upon the clouds. He pressed down with his right hand and shouted in a deep voice, ¡°Heavens and earth, heed my command! Rise!¡± From the depths of the earth came a series of rumbling sounds, and the small hill began to rise slowly, as if being pulled upwards by a giant hand. Xue An¡¯s expression became a bit more solemn. At this moment, he could only just manage this feat. In the past, a simple gesture from him could create mountains from flat land and turn seas into mulberry fields. The rumbling of spring thunder rolled across the sky. Amidst the wind and rain, Xue An forcibly lifted the hill more than a hundred meters. What was once not a very tall hill finally had the semblance of a mountain. Xue An landed back on the summit, feeling a bit exhausted. But this wasn¡¯t enough. With a flick towards Yunmeng Lake in the distance, he softly commanded. ¡°All waters, return to your origin!¡± Following his command, the previously calm lake surface suddenly erupted into a massive wave. Then, as the giant wave bowed towards Xue An, the domineering water vapor suddenly became submissive. This water vapor was the spiritual energy that Yunmeng Lake had accumulated over many years and now rushed towards him. The entire hill was nourished by this water vapor. In the blink of an eye, the wilted flowers and grass on the entire hill became lush and verdant once again. And the core area, where the villa was located, was enveloped in dense water vapor. Xue An even added some simple mountain-protecting formations, truly turning this villa into a blessed land of secluded heaven. At this moment. A thin layer of white fog enveloped the entire mountaintop, all of it being pure water essence. Even ordinary people living there would be able to extend their lives. After all this work, Xue An, somewhat tired, returned to his room. Seeing his two daughters sound asleep, he couldn¡¯t help but give each of them a kiss. It is said that cultivators should go against the heavens and cut off all mortal desires. But whether in his past life or this one, Xue An would never abandon the ones he loved. To become an immortal is one thing, to become the Immortal Venerable is another. After all, he was once human. Since one is human, there is no need to pretend otherwise. This is Xue An¡¯s¡­ path to immortality! Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Outing Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Outing Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Tang Xuan¡¯Er worked at the largest hospital in Beijiang City. Today was March 8th, commonly known as Girls¡¯ Day. The hospital had specially arranged this trip as part of the welfare for the many employees. By the time Tang Xuan¡¯Er arrived at the hospital, most of the other people were already there. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, happy holiday!¡± a male doctor with gold-rimmed glasses and handsome features approached with a smile. Tang Xuan¡¯Er nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, are you on your own again? Ride in my car later. I just bought a new BMW!¡± the male doctor offered very eagerly. But Tang Xuan¡¯Er shook her head, ¡°No need, my friend is coming over today!¡± The male doctor¡¯s expression turned slightly unpleasant. His name was Lin Huan, and he was a medical doctor who had returned from overseas. Ever since he entered this hospital and saw Tang Xuan¡¯Er for the first time, he had been attracted to her stunning appearance and had started pursuing her fervently. However, Tang Xuan¡¯Er was always indifferent towards him, which made Lin Huan feel somewhat frustrated. Bear in mind, his family in Beijiang was quite upper-class, and he was handsome as well, so women had never been absent from his life. But none had attracted him as deeply as Tang Xuan¡¯Er had. No matter how Lin Huan tried to get close, Tang Xuan¡¯Er remained unmoved. A friend¡­ What kind of friend? Male or female? Lin Huan thought to himself, his gaze becoming somewhat dark. Meanwhile, not far away, a group of female nurses gathered, watching Lin Huan shower Tang Xuan¡¯Er with attention, and they couldn¡¯t help feeling envious. ¡°What¡¯s so good about that Tang Xuan¡¯Er? Isn¡¯t she just a bit prettier? She actually has Doctor Lin so bewitched!¡± a girl with a few freckles on her nose said resentfully. This girl¡¯s name was Luo Jing, and she had a secret crush on Lin Huan, but Lin Huan never showed any interest in her, so she directed all her rage at Tang Xuan¡¯Er. She took every opportunity to mock and sneer at Tang Xuan¡¯Er. This time was no exception. Her colleagues, also her close friends, naturally supported her, nodding in agreement. ¡°Look at that act of purity, it pisses me off! Didn¡¯t you hear she refuses to find a boyfriend because of her friend¡¯s child?¡± ¡°Please, they say it¡¯s her friend¡¯s child, but it might as well be her own!¡± These venomous words drifted to Tang Xuan¡¯Er¡¯s ears. Yet Tang Xuan¡¯Er showed no reaction. She had grown accustomed to such rumors over the years. Sometimes being too beautiful was a sin in itself. Despite keeping a sufficient distance from all men, she still couldn¡¯t fend off the slander filled with jealousy. ¡°Is everyone ready? Those with cars drive, those without take the hospital shuttle bus, our destination this time is¡­ Yunmeng Lake!¡± a person in charge said. Yunmeng Lake? Tang Xuan¡¯Er blinked in surprise, then let out a wry smile. She had just hurried over from there, and now she would have to go back? But it didn¡¯t really matter, after all, there was only one day¡¯s time, and it was not possible to travel too far. Many people had come in their own cars, then carried familiar people with them. At this moment, Lin Huan approached again, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, your friend hasn¡¯t shown up yet, they probably can¡¯t make it, right? Why don¡¯t you ride with me, and we¡¯ll go together.¡± Tang Xuan¡¯Er shook her head, ¡°If he said he¡¯s coming, then he will come!¡± Rejected once more, Lin Huan¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but show embarrassment. After repeatedly showing goodwill, why couldn¡¯t this woman appreciate it? Well, I really want to see what¡¯s so special about this friend of yours! Lin Huan thought to himself. Just then, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian came bouncing in. The two little girls were dressed in brand-new clothes today, with matching braids, looking so adorable that anyone would want to hug and bite them. ¡°Aunt Xuan¡¯Er,¡± the two little girls called out sweetly. Tang Xuan¡¯er affectionately patted the two little girls on the head, ¡°Have you eaten breakfast?¡± ¡°We have! Daddy made such fragrant porridge!¡± Xue Nian could never forget about food. At this moment, Lin Huan¡¯s expression turned somewhat unsightly; he had heard some rumors about Tang Xuan¡¯er and had not expected them to be true. Had she really taken care of two little girls? What exactly was her relationship with these two little girls? As he was wondering, Xue An walked in. His arrival made many people cast a strange look in his direction. Luo Jing and the others were especially excited. ¡°See, that guy might just be Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s young lover!¡± ¡°He looks quite young indeed!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of being young if you look at the clothes he wears!¡± Luo Jing was particularly adept at assessing a person¡¯s wealth and status from their attire. When she saw Xue An dressed in a casual outfit worth only a few hundred yuan, her face couldn¡¯t help but show some disdain. So she found this kind of man, huh? Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s taste isn¡¯t that great after all! Luo Jing thought quite gleefully to herself. Lin Huan stared at Xue An with even greater hostility, passing judgment in his mind. In terms of looks¡­ ahem, it was neck and neck! But when it came to his outfit, there was a world of difference! The more Lin Huan compared, the more conceited his expression became. Just then, the person in charge came over to ask Tang Xuan¡¯er, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, what will you do? Take the company bus?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er looked towards Xue An. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°I brought them both over by taxi!¡± At this, Luo Jing and the others showed even more contempt. He doesn¡¯t even have a car? At this moment, Lin Huan felt it was his time to make an entrance and walked over with a smile, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, you should ride in my car instead!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er shook her head, ¡°My friend¡­¡± Lin Huan interrupted Tang Xuan¡¯er, glancing provocatively at Xue An, ¡°No problem, I¡¯ve bought an X5, it won¡¯t be an issue even if we bring along your friend. Tang Xuan¡¯er found it inappropriate, but Xue An commented indifferently, ¡°Sure! I¡¯ve never ridden in an X5 before!¡± Lin Huan sneered inwardly, thinking he must be a country bumpkin who had come from the countryside. Just wait until we get to Yunmeng Lake, then I¡¯ll show you ! Lin Huan drove up and opened the passenger door with great diligence, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, sit here!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er shook her head, ¡°I¡¯d rather sit in the back!¡± Saying so, she led Xue Xiang and Xue Nian to the back seat. While Lin Huan was inwardly grinding his teeth in frustration, Xue An nonchalantly took the passenger seat and said calmly, ¡°Drive!¡± Lin Huan instantly became irritated. Was he treating him as his chauffeur? He had no choice but to suppress his anger and hit the road. On the way, he kept observing Xue An. Seeing that Xue An had remained calm since getting into the car. He felt some disdain in his heart. Acting all high and mighty without even owning a car? Wait until we reach Yunmeng Lake, I¡¯ll show you! As it had rained the night before, Yunmeng Lake was even more picturesque today. After getting out of the car, the girls excitedly went off to take photos in the distance. Most of the boys stood by the lake, admiring the scenery. At that moment, Lin Huan deliberately asked, ¡°My friend, may I inquire where you work?¡± Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Daddy, What is a Penniless Guy? (Vote please!) Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Daddy, What is a Penniless Guy? (Vote please!) Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio ¡°Gao Jiu?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°I don¡¯t have a job!¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Lin Huan dragged out the tone meaningfully, feeling even more disdainful. So, he¡¯s just some layabout at home. ¡°What do you usually do at home, then?¡± ¡°Just spending time with the kids, cooking, enjoying the view and stuff like that! ¡± Xue An said indifferently. Lin Huan and his colleagues exchanged knowing looks. It seemed this guy was just a good-for-nothing after all. Then Lin Huan glanced at his watch deliberately. ¡°Dr. Lin, that watch must have cost a pretty penny!¡± one of Lin Huan¡¯s colleagues asked. ¡°It¡¯s alright, just about two hundred thousand or so. I was in a rush coming out today, so I just brought this ordinary watch!¡± Lin Huan said indifferently. Luo Jing came over with a dreamy look on her face. ¡°Dr. Lin, I heard your family bought you a house at Yunmeng Villa?¡± Lin Huan nodded with an air of arrogance, ¡°Yeah, just bought it a few days ago! Spent tens of millions on it!¡± At this, the people around started to get restless. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you can¡¯t just buy a house at Yunmeng Villa with money alone!¡± Lin Huan smiled slightly, ¡°Of course, my father had to put in a lot of effort and eventually had to pay a lot of money for favors to get a friend of the Qin Family to sell it to us!¡± The Qin Family! When Lin Huan mentioned this name, his expression became even more respectful. As for the others, they were filled with envy and amazement. That¡¯s the Qin Family we¡¯re talking about! A wealthy family many people can only look up to! The fact that Lin Huan¡¯s family could make a connection with the Qin Family clearly showed they were no ordinary household! ¡°Since we are here at Yunmeng Lake, I¡¯ll take you all to take a look at my place later!¡± Lin Huan said loudly. ¡°Great!¡± Luo Jing cheered first. Now looking at Lin Huan, her eyes were so fervent they seemed almost fiery. Lin Huan, however, ignored Luo Jing and turned to Tang Xuan¡¯er, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, come to my villa later. I have a bottle of French wine a friend gave me that you can¡¯t buy on the market. You should try it then!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er didn¡¯t speak and kept looking at Xue An. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m bored anyway. Might as well try Dr. Lin¡¯s wine.¡± Lin Huan felt more resentful in his heart, and his gaze toward Xue An grew darker. This guy, he really doesn¡¯t know when to back off. I need to think of a way to make him retreat. A beauty like Tang Xuan¡¯er should only belong to someone like me, Lin Huan thought secretly. Luo Jing was also very uncomfortable at this time, staring at Tang Xuan¡¯er with full-faced jealousy, wishing she could devour her right then. So, after playing by the lake for a while, when it was almost noon, everyone got into their cars and headed straight for Yunmeng Villa. Security here was indeed strict. Even though Lin Huan showed his key to prove he was the owner, they were still checked one car at a time. But when it came to Xue An¡¯s turn, Luo Jing deliberately hid to one side, ready to see Tang Xuan¡¯er and the others make a fool of themselves. However, once Xue An rolled down the window, the guard saw that it was Xue An and others, first froze, then immediately snapped to attention. ¡°I have seen Xue¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand, and the guard swallowed the rest of his words. Luo Jing was puzzled. What¡¯s going on? Why did the guard give such a salute? Could it be¡­ This Xue An knows this guard? It must be so! Maybe the two of them are even colleagues! Luo Jing felt in her heart that this reasoning was bulletproof. When they entered Yunmeng Villa, many people let out bursts of amazement. ¡°My god, it¡¯s so beautiful! There are even flowers blooming in this season!¡± ¡°These are all cultivated by a master gardener, naturally they wouldn¡¯t fear the cold!¡± And when everyone arrived at the villa Lin Huan had bought, many faces were full of astonishment. Lin Huan said with pride, ¡°This is my home now, everyone come on in!¡± This villa was located on the edge of Yunmeng Villa, the location wasn¡¯t the best, but the surrounding environment and facilities were already quite impressive. Once they entered, many were dazzled. ¡°These materials for the decor, they were all shipped directly from Europe, just the decoration alone cost over ten million!¡± Lin Huan introduced proudly, attempting to see a trace of surprise on Xue An¡¯s face. But from beginning to end, Xue An¡¯s face remained calm, which filled Lin Huan with a sense of defeat. This country bumpkin must be scared silly, Lin Huan thought to himself. When lunchtime arrived, Lin Huan had prepared early, specifically buying lots of high-end ingredients and even hired a few chefs who were busy for half a day, finally presenting a table full of exquisite dishes. ¡°Xuan¡¯er, come, try this, it¡¯s steak shipped from Europe!¡± Lin Huan introduced solicitously. Tang Xuan¡¯er took a light taste, then slightly furrowed her brows. Ever since she had tasted Xue An¡¯s cooking, any other delicacies just felt like chewing on wax. At that moment, Luo Jing finally couldn¡¯t hold back her sneer, ¡°What are you pretending to be a princess for? You probably haven¡¯t even seen such things before, given you¡¯re with a pauper!¡± Her words were starkly naked, causing many to change color. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face was filled with rage, while Xue An remained calm. That¡¯s when Xue Xiang suddenly asked, ¡°Daddy, what is a pauper?¡± This question made many cover their mouths and laugh. Especially Luo Jing and Lin Huan, they felt extremely satisfied, and couldn¡¯t help but let a smile form on their lips. Your own daughter is asking that, let¡¯s see how you answer. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but respond with a smile, first stroking Xue Xiang¡¯s little head, then lightly pointing at the furnishings around, he said indifferently, ¡°This¡­ is called a pauper!¡± The statement was like a thunderbolt from the blue, shocking many into a stunned silence. Luo Jing was the first to recover, laughing scornfully, ¡°Wow, the things people say these days, not afraid of their tongues getting blown off by the wind.¡± Lin Huan¡¯s face turned an ashen color, sneering, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°Sorry! I may not have made myself clear just now.¡± Lin Huan¡¯s expression eased a bit, thinking Xue An was about to apologize. But who would have thought, Xue An continued, ¡°Your place isn¡¯t considered a pauper¡¯s dwelling, after all¡­ a real pauper has self-awareness! And you, you don¡¯t even have that!¡± This comment nearly caused Lin Huan to have a stroke out of anger. Luo Jing sneered, ¡°According to that, Mister here must have a home that¡¯s even more luxurious and valuable!¡± In truth, Xue An had not intended to ridicule Lin Huan, because in his eyes, not only was this place the dwelling of a pauper, the entire Beijiang, or even the whole Earth, there was no place that wasn¡¯t poor. On those planets rich with resources, within those Sects that held the vast majority of resources, the lives people led were beyond the imagination of Earth¡¯s inhabitants. However, in comparison, this villa indeed couldn¡¯t even match up to a toilet in the number one mansion. At this time, Xue Xiang chimed in ahead, ¡°Anyway, my home is much, much bigger than this place!¡± ¡°Bigger means more valuable? This is Yunmeng Villa!¡± Luo Jing said sarcastically. Lin Huan also sneered, ¡°Well then, since that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t we have a look at Mr. Xue¡¯s place to see what isn¡¯t called a pauper¡¯s dwelling?¡± Originally, Lin Huan thought Xue An wouldn¡¯t dare to agree. But unexpectedly, Xue An nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°How are we going? By car? If it¡¯s too far I won¡¯t go, what if it¡¯s in some backwater place, wouldn¡¯t that be dirty and dangerous?¡± Luo Jing said. Xue An shook his head, ¡°No need to take a car, we can walk there!¡± Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Kneeling Down the Mountain Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Kneeling Down the Mountain Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Reachable by foot? Lin Huan and the others looked at each other, puzzled. This place is located in the suburbs, and the nearest village is also four or five miles away. Could it be¡­? A thought emerged in Lin Huan¡¯s mind, but was immediately dismissed by himself. Impossible! He had definitely thought too much. Those who can buy a house in Yunmeng Villa, who isn¡¯t a well-known figure? He had never met him, so there was no way he lived in Yunmeng Villa. Thinking this, Lin Huan¡¯s expression became more relaxed, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go and see what Mr. Xue¡¯s home looks like.¡± Xue An paid no attention to him and left the house by himself. The rest followed behind. After walking for a while, Xue An turned and headed straight for the small hill. The more Lin Huan walked, the weirder his expression became, and the more disdain he showed towards Xue An. If he didn¡¯t know the owner of any other house, this one located at the top of the small hill, Number One Tian Villa, he knew all too well. This was the unique hillside villa of the entire Yunmeng Villa, with a unique geographical location. It was said that a tycoon from Zhongdu had offered a sky-high price for it, but the Qin family refused to sell. It was said that the Qin family patriarch intended to keep it for himself to live in. And this man, no matter what, could not possibly be one of the Qin family, leaving only one possibility, that he was using it to fool those who knew no better. A pity¡­ you¡¯ve met me! A smug smile appeared on the corners of Lin Huan¡¯s mouth. Watch how I expose you later! After reaching the top of the hill, the grandeur and presence of Number One Tian Villa awed everyone. Including Lin Huan, it was everyone¡¯s first time seeing such a villa. Compared to it, his own villa could only be considered barely habitable. ¡°This is where we live with our Papa!¡± Xue Xiang said with pride. Many people started to look at Xue An differently. Could he really be a hidden rich second generation? But just then, Lin Huan stepped forward with a sneer, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I have no say over the other villas, but as for this Number One Tian Villa, everyone in Yunmeng Villa knows that this is a place where Old Master Qin intends to live himself. It¡¯s not possible that Mr. Xue is Old Master Qin, right?¡± Upon hearing this, many people suddenly realized the truth. Then they all showed faces full of contempt and disdain. At this moment, Lin Huan looked at Xue An with a triumphant expression and said, ¡°Now let me guess, what does Mr. Xue do here? A cook? Or maybe a driver?¡± Xue An just smiled lightly, ¡°What do you think?¡± Lin Huan sneered, ¡°No matter what, this villa can¡¯t possibly be yours!¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, this was a gift from Aunt Qin Yu to my Papa!¡± Xue Xiang said with an aggrieved face. ¡°Qin Yu? The young lady of the Qin family? Your Papa knows the young lady of the Qin family? Little girl, lying is not a good thing, you know!¡± Lin Huan said with a laugh. He thought he had won, this Xue seemed to be just posing, but unfortunately, he had met him. Now let¡¯s see how you stand before Tang Xuan¡¯er! But just as Lin Huan was basking in self-satisfaction, a calm and authoritative voice came from behind the group. ¡°Mr. Xue, are you still finding the place to your liking?¡± Everyone turned around and saw a middle-aged man ascending from the foot of the mountain. This man had a dignified face, a composed demeanor, and an imposing aura without showing anger. It was Qin Yuan. Xue An nodded slightly, ¡°It¡¯s alright! Just that this mountain felt a bit too low, I raised it by more than a hundred meters!¡± Qin Yuan had felt something was off while climbing the hill, it wasn¡¯t this tall usually. Hearing Xue An¡¯s comment, he couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment. It was the first time he heard of a mountain being raised! But at this moment, in Qin Yuan¡¯s eyes, Xue An was as good as an immortal, so it was only a fleeting surprise. However, Lin Huan did not recognize Qin Yuan, seeing another man interacting with Xue An, he sneered, ¡°Wow, what a drama, even with a partner!¡± Qin Yuan frowned and gave Lin Huan a look. ¡°Who are you?¡± Lin Huan said with a proud face, ¡°I am the owner of Yunmeng Villa, this guy claims that the Number One Tian Villa is his, but I exposed him!¡± Exposed? Qin Yuan glanced at the indifferent Xue An and then understood what was going on, and couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Then who do you say the Number One Tian Villa belongs to?¡± ¡°Haha, who doesn¡¯t know that the Number One Tian Villa is the residence left by Old Master Qin for his own use! He actually used it to commit fraud, which is truly laughable!¡± Luo Jing and the others all burst into laughter. Amid this laughter, Qin Yuan said coldly, ¡°That¡¯s right, the Number One Tian Villa was originally kept for my own use, but now I have gifted it to Mr. Xue. Is there a problem with that?¡± The entire place fell silent. Then Lin Huan sneered, ¡°You gave it to him? What a joke, what are you?¡± ¡°And what are you?¡± A cold voice laden with anger came through. Qin Yu walked up from the foot of the mountain, her pretty face full of rage. Lin Huan didn¡¯t recognize Qin Yuan, but he did recognize Qin Yu, and upon seeing her, his whole person froze. Qin Yu first approached and said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Xue, an honor to meet you!¡± Xue An nodded indifferently. Then Qin Yu called out to Qin Yuan, ¡°Grandfather!¡± Grandfather! The only person that could be called so by Qin Yu. It was none other than the chairman of Longtai Group, the Family Head of the Qin Family, Qin Yuan. Lin Huan felt as if a bomb had gone off in his head, and his face instantly turned pale. How is this possible? Why would this seemingly ordinary and unremarkable man be addressed so respectfully by the Qin Family as Mr. Xue? And Luo Jing, who had always looked down on Xue An and used this to mock Tang Xuan¡¯Er for her lack of judgment, now felt so jealous her eyes turned green. If even the Qin Family treated this man with such respect, his status must be extremely high. Compared to him, Lin Huan was nothing! But it didn¡¯t end there. Today¡¯s Number One Tian Villa was particularly lively; on the small mountain path, an old man with snowy white hair and a young girl, tall and elegant, were walking up. As they approached, Lin Huan, Luo Jing, and the rest were stunned. It was none other than Hua Xingyu and Hua Tingting, grandfather and granddaughter. In the medical community of Beijiang, they were master-level figures. This pair walked straight past the crowd, as though they were a puff of air. Then Hua Xingyu gave a respectful bow to Xue An, like a student to a teacher, ¡°Mr. Xue, an honor to meet you!¡± The crowd fell into a deathly silence, including those who had just been mocking Xue An. Now, they all felt as though they had been slapped hard across the face. Lin Huan shivered; he finally understood why, from the beginning to the end, Xue An always had that faint smile on his lips. It turned out he was mocking Lin Huan¡¯s ignorance. At that moment, Qin Yu turned her head to Lin Huan and said coldly, ¡°Who did you just say it was?¡± The chill in her voice made Lin Huan shiver, and he stammered, ¡°Qin¡­ Miss Qin, I really didn¡¯t know he was the old master, Qin¡­¡± Qin Yu stepped forward and demanded coldly, ¡°This villa was unconditionally gifted by our Qin Family to Mr. Xue, so what are you? Who are you to question Lin Huan was speechless, only able to mutter, ¡°I¡­ I was wrong!¡± Qin Yu¡¯s eyebrows rose in anger, wanting to say something else. But Xue An waved his hand, ¡°Forget it!¡± Lin Huan and Luo Jing and the others as if hearing heavenly music. It seems this guy is quite reasonable! Lin Huan secretly rejoiced in his heart. ¡°Now that everyone knows they¡¯re wrong, what¡¯s the use of wasting words? Let them kneel and leave down the mountain,¡± Xue An said indifferently.. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Utmost Freedom! Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Utmost Freedom! Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio Kneel and descend the mountain? Lin Huan and Luo Jing¡¯s faces instantly turned pale. Although the mountain wasn¡¯t very high, descending it while kneeling would not be something that could be done in a short while. After Xue An finished speaking, he turned and went into the house with Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. Tang Xuan¡¯er took a deep look at this group of so-called colleagues, then turned to leave. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, I beg you to plead with Mr. Xue on our behalf. If we really have to kneel down the mountain, what will I do?¡± Luo Jing even had the nerve to ask Tang Xuan¡¯er for help. ¡°Yeah! Xuan¡¯Er, after all, we are colleagues, why make things so rigid?¡± Many people echoed in quick succession. A hint of disgust surfaced on Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s ethereal face, ¡°Make things so rigid? Then let me ask you, who was it that started to mock me and Mr. Xue the moment they saw us? Everyone was at a loss for words. Tang Xuan¡¯er stepped forward, stared at Luo Jing and Lin Huan, and said, ¡°The one who kept calling Mr. Xue a penniless bum, who was that?¡± Luo Jing and Lin Huan were both panicked. Especially Luo Jing. She had dared to be so brazen and repeatedly target Tang Xuan¡¯er because she was sure this girl had a gentle disposition. She believed that no matter what she did, Tang Xuan¡¯er would not retaliate. But now she knew, she was wrong! Terribly wrong! Tang Xuan¡¯er also turned and left. Qin Yu said indifferently to Lin Huan, ¡°I remember you¡¯re surnamed Lin, right? Yunmeng Villa no longer welcomes you.¡± After dropping these words, Qin Yu also left. Lin Huan fell to the ground in dejection. He knew, he was finished. Not because of that apartment. But because of Qin Yu¡¯s attitude. Though his family was relatively well off in Beijiang, compared to Longtai Group, they were nothing. Now that he had angered Qin Yu, it meant that all of Lin Family¡¯s businesses in Beijiang would face a catastrophic disaster. It was all his fault! Lin Huan¡¯s heart suddenly surged with a nameless fury, pushing all the blame onto Xue An. If you¡¯re so powerful, why didn¡¯t you show it from the beginning? Look at the mess I¡¯ve become because of you! Yes! It¡¯s all his fault! Lin Huan thought to himself, his face showing an extremely bitter expression. He expected us to kneel and get down the mountain? What a joke! Why should I kneel? As Lin Huan thought this, he turned and walked downhill, but after only a few steps, he felt an immense force pressing on his shoulders. With a thud, he knelt to the ground and, no matter how he struggled, couldn¡¯t stand up again. Not just him, Luo Jing and several others who had been the most scornful also felt a mighty power strike them, and then they, too, knelt down, unable to move. The rest looked at each other in dismay, seeing shock and fear in each other¡¯s eyes. What kind of method was this? In the end. Lin Huan, Luo Jing, and others, really did kneel and crawl down the mountain, step by step. Meanwhile, in the house, Xue An was quietly listening to Hua Xingyu talk about an issue. Hua Xingyu spoke with a solemn expression, ¡°Mr. Xue, a friend of mine overseas sent me a message this morning, concerning you!¡± ¡°Oh? What message?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Being Yu Ling, known as Pointer to Heaven, has left his seclusion, planning to return to the country soon and then to participate in the once-in-four-years Martial Arts Tournament!¡± ¡°Pointer to Heaven?¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s body shook, and then a look of horror appeared on his face. Qin Yu asked somewhat puzzledly, ¡°Grandpa, who is the Finger-pointing Elder?¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s expression was solemn, ¡°He was a peerless master who dominated all seas without meeting an equal thirty years ago. He disappeared afterward, and it was rumored that he had died. Who would have thought he was still alive?¡± Hua Xingyu said with a wry smile, ¡°Not only is he alive, but he¡¯s also living quite well. He¡¯s even trained two apprentices, one named Liu Shou, and the other named¡­ Yu Qing!¡± Upon hearing these two names, the room fell into silent solemnity. Xue An remained unaffected, sitting there with an indifferent look on his face, as if all that was being discussed had nothing to do with him. Hua Xingyu continued, ¡°Yu Ling has come out of seclusion this time to avenge the deaths of his two apprentices. He has announced that he will confront the killer of his disciples during the upcoming martial arts tournament!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Hua Xingyu paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Mr. Xue, although you possess extraordinary skills, Yu Ling is no ordinary man. I saw him once thirty years ago, and he had already entered Xiaoyao at that time. Now, thirty years have passed, and many say¡­ he has already set one foot into the Heavenly Human Realm!¡± The Heavenly Human Realm! That title itself carried a magical allure. Although it¡¯s said that once one enters Xiaoyao, they become an immortal, only by stepping into the Heavenly Human Realm does one truly enter an unknowable realm. Since ancient times, those who could step into Xiaoyao were as numerous as stars in the sky, but those who could possibly enter the Heavenly Human Realm were few and far between. This meant that taking this step¡­ was extremely difficult! Everyone in the room was shaken by Hua Xingyu¡¯s description, and the atmosphere turned somewhat ominous. Just then, a childish voice chimed in. ¡°Daddy, what is a Heavenly Being? Can you eat it?¡± Without looking, it was clear that it was Xue Nian who had asked the question. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but laugh silently, ¡°A Heavenly Being, you say? A Heavenly Being is¡­ something I can blow away with one punch.¡± This statement even astonished Hua Xingyu. Then, Xue An looked around the room and saw the worry on the faces of people like Qin Yuan, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile lightly. ¡°Since he wants to meet me, it¡¯s perfect. I also want to see for myself what a so-called master, who only set foot into the Heavenly Human Realm at such an advanced age, is really capable of!¡± As he spoke this, Xue An¡¯s tone was filled with immense confidence. This made Hua Tingting beside him feel somewhat dazzled and shaken. However, Hua Xingyu was somewhat worried; although Xue An¡¯s martial arts cultivation was unfathomable, to him, there still seemed to be a gap between Xue An and a legendary figure like the Finger-pointing Elder. ¡°By the way! Where is this martial arts tournament being held?¡± Xue An asked. Hua Xingyu and Qin Yuan looked at each other before both saying in unison, ¡°Qingmang!¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow. ¡°Qingmang?¡± ¡°Yes! The tournament is not fixed in location. This year, after it came around to Beijiang, due to various inconveniences in the urban area, it was moved to Qingmang Town. Besides, that place is also a tourist attraction, which can help boost its fame,¡± explained Hua Xingyu. Xue An nodded, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go take a look when the time comes!¡± Meanwhile, at this very moment, in an ancient and aromatic house located in Chinatown of M Country, Yu Ling was sipping tea. ¡°Old Fish Head, I really didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d come out of seclusion!¡± The person sitting opposite was an old man with a white beard. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t come out, my apprentices might have all been killed!¡± Yu Ling said with a cold voice. The old man was taken aback, then sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it. It¡¯s truly a shame about the young fellow Yu Qing¡ªhas the Yu Family been informed?¡± Yu Ling shook his head, ¡°Not yet; I¡¯m not clear on the details. Once I¡¯ve killed the murderer, I will go to see the people from the Yu Family in Lingnan.¡± The old man nodded, ¡°Do you need help from our association?¡± Yu Ling shook his head. ¡°Old Fish Head, times are changing so fast these days, you need to be careful as well!¡± Yu Ling smiled proudly, and suddenly pointed a finger. On a steel-reinforced concrete wall, a good dozen meters away from them, a circular hole suddenly appeared. It emerged silently and seamlessly, as though it had always been there. The old man¡¯s eyes bulged in excitement, ¡°Have you finally taken that step?¡± Yu Ling nodded. The old man sighed, ¡°I envy you. If I had followed you into the mountains back then, maybe I could have achieved great freedom by now!¡± With a lifespan of three hundred years, Heavenly Beings were also referred to by the common folk as¡­ the Greatly Free! Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Martial Arts Forum Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Martial Arts Forum Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio The Martial Arts Forum is the most authoritative and well-known online forum in the Huaxia Martial Arts World. Many martial artists exchange insights there, and occasionally, real masters or even experts from the Xiaoyao Realm drop by to offer guidance. However, more often than not, the most common questions on the forum are like this one. If I jump off a cliff at Mount Hua tomorrow, will I find a martial arts manual? Online now, quite urgent! First floor: Sofa! (meaning, first to comment) Second floor: I think it¡¯s possible, but I¡¯ve heard these recluses are quite eccentric, so it might be best to strip off your clothes before you jump to increase your chances of success. Third floor: What if the person asking is a woman? Fourth floor: Then ask for a video! Fifth floor: Ditto! These ridiculous questions are what bring many people to casually browse the Martial Arts Forum in their free time. Today, like usual, Li Qiang opened the Martial Arts Forum, ready to lurk around for a bit. But today the forum seemed a little out of the ordinary. At the very top was a pinned and highlighted post. ¡°The once-every-four-years Martial Arts Conference is about to convene, and the rankings of the legendary list will be reshuffled!¡± Clicking into it, he found a heated discussion was already underway. Second floor: Not going for the first comment, but masters on the legendary list, could any of you take pity on me and take me under your wing? Third floor: Ugh, the guy above is utterly shameless, but I want to say, count me in! Fourth floor: I eat little and can warm your bed; please take me with you! Li Qiang couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He knew that the most important aspect of the once-every-four-years Martial Arts Conference was to rearrange the rankings of the legendary list. The legendary list was a roster universally recognized in the Martial Arts World, featuring one hundred individuals, each and every one of them an outstanding martial artist. This time, who knew how many new masters would emerge, and how many veterans would be ruthlessly eliminated! As Li Qiang was musing, suddenly¡­ a post rocketed to the top of the headlines at breakneck speed. ¡°The Pointing Sky Elder, missing for thirty years, has re-emerged and plans to exact revenge on his betrayer at the Martial Arts Conference! ¡± The Pointing Sky Elder? Who is that? Li Qiang clicked in curiously, and then he realized that many others were just as puzzled. But soon, a forum moderator replied. Moderator: Pointing Sky Elder was a top-notch expert from thirty years ago, already a master of the Xiaoyao Realm back then, he used to rank third on the legendary list but disappeared without a trace for thirty years, and unexpectedly he has decided to come out of seclusion now! At the same time, someone replied: Just got the news, Pointing Sky Elder¡¯s disciple was named Yu Qing! This news shocked many netizens. Yu Qing! Ranked forty-second on the legendary list. Although not the highest rank, anyone on the legendary list was no ordinary person. Who could have killed Yu Qing and incited such a reclusive master to re-enter the jianghu (martial arts world)? At the same time, many senior martial artists began to educate the community about the fearsomeness of the Pointing Sky Elder. Gradually, many netizens began to side overwhelmingly with the Pointing Sky Elder, and some even started to ridicule the person who killed Yu Qing but dared not show his face. Maybe he won using some despicable methods. Maybe! Or perhaps a gun? I also feel something is off; if someone capable of killing such an expert, why would they remain unknown? These speculations made the situation increasingly unfavorable for Xue An. But there was one person who saw this and, filled with righteous indignation, stood up to speak on Xue An¡¯s behalf. This person was none other than Tan Dong¡¯s daughter, Tan Xiaoyu. After seeing the slanderous comments about Xue An, she felt an anger that had nowhere to vent. As for Xue An, her current admiration for him was immense. Thus, she couldn¡¯t help but start typing a response: ¡°I am a friend of the person who killed Yu Qing, and I can tell you, this expert defeated Yu Qing with just a single punch!¡± This comment was like poking a hornet¡¯s nest, and many people began to mock and jeer. ¡°One punch? The poster above must be dreaming!¡± ¡°Exactly, how could anyone kill a top-tier fighter ranked forty-second with just one punch?¡± ¡°Haha! Another one who¡¯ll die if they don¡¯t brag!¡± Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s face turned red with anger, and she typed furiously: ¡°Don¡¯t believe it? Fine, let¡¯s make a bet. In this Martial Arts Conference, I bet on my friend to win. If I lose¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ run naked!¡± The number of replies from netizens exploded instantly. ¡°Heavens, I just checked, and it¡¯s actually a young lady!¡± ¡°Checked too, the profile picture is a bit blurry, but definitely above an eight out of ten!¡± ¡°Suddenly looking forward to this Martial Arts Conference even more now!¡± ¡°Marking this thread for evidence, to be held accountable!¡± Because of this Martial Arts Conference, the internet had kicked up a massive storm. But Xue An was completely oblivious to all these tumults; his daily task was to take his two daughters to the lake for fishing, then come back and cook the fish in various creative ways. Today, he was sitting by the lake while his two daughters were enthusiastically digging in the sand nearby. However, this rare tranquility was soon disrupted. Tan Xiaoyu approached with a solemn expression. She had found out from Qin Yu that Xue An was by Yunmeng Lake. When she arrived, she discovered Xue An leisurely fishing. ¡°Mr. Xue¡­¡± Tan Xiaoyu said respectfully, her head bowed. Xue An looked up at her and nodded. ¡°Do you need something from me?¡± Tan Xiaoyu bit her lip, then said, ¡°Does Mr. Xue know that the internet has been turned upside down because of you?¡± Xue An was slightly surprised, then shook his head, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Tan Xiaoyu recounted the events. After listening, Xue An simply smiled uncertainly and noncommittally. But Tan Xiaoyu was getting anxious. ¡°Mr. Xue, my father says that your cultivation level can reach the divine. But still, this Old Man Who Points to the Sky is no ordinary person; you must be careful!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Tan Xiaoyu suddenly felt somewhat irritated. She had come over with good intentions to warn him, but Xue An seemed completely unconcerned. ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ I think you should make a public response, or the public opinion will become even more unfavorable towards you!¡± Xue An seemed not to hear her, instead looking at the vast expanse of Yunmeng Lake before him. ¡°Do you see how big this lake is?¡± Xue An suddenly asked. Tan Xiaoyu was startled but nodded anyway, ¡°It¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°Then tell me, could I catch all the fish in it with this rod?¡± Tan Xiaoyu didn¡¯t understand what Xue An was getting at, but still shook her head and said, ¡°How could that be possible¡­¡± Xue An smiled faintly, took hold of the fishing rod, and gently raised it. The previously calm lake surface suddenly began to boil. Then, as Xue An slowly lifted the rod higher, countless fish, as if held up by an invisible giant hand, gradually rose to the surface and then floated mid-air. This scene made Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s breath catch in her throat. And at this moment, Tan Xiaoyu finally noticed that Xue An¡¯s fishing rod had no line on it. Xue An spoke lightly, ¡°You consider him formidable, but to me, he is just like Yunmeng Lake here. Although it looks vast¡­. it¡¯s still too small!¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Martial Arts Tournament 1 Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Martial Arts Tournament 1 Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio There were still three days until the martial arts tournament, but Qingmang Town was already bustling with excitement. Martial artists and martial arts enthusiasts from all over the country and even the world were flocking to witness this quadrennial event. This year¡¯s tournament was particularly exciting, with the promise of hidden masters returning from seclusion to seek vengeance for their disciples, attracting much curiosity. At this moment in Qingmang Town, an inconspicuous old man walking on the street might be a famed martial arts master. All the local inns and hotels were completely booked, and the proprietors were all smiles, wishing every day could be the day of the martial arts tournament. At this time, in front of the Yue Lai Hotel, a Range Rover slowly came to a halt, and a man and woman stepped out. Both young people were dressed in fine clothes and carried themselves with an air of arrogance. The man looked up at the hotel and sneered dismissively. ¡°Forget it, after searching half the day this is the only hotel that¡¯s somewhat decent. Let¡¯s just settle for it!¡± The girl was quite pretty, but she had a cold and proud demeanor. Upon hearing the comment, she frowned slightly and then nodded. ¡°Alright, brother, we can¡¯t expect too much from a dump like this anyway.¡± The pair hailed from the provincial capital, and the man and woman were brother and sister; the brother was named Shi Hao, and the sister, Shi Zhuli. They had come to Qingmang Town for the martial arts tournament, naturally. Shi Hao had been studying Neijia fist with a famous teacher since childhood and his martial arts cultivation was extremely profound. Shi Zhuli wasn¡¯t bad either; her Wing Chun cultivation made her outstanding among women, just one step away from entering the Realm of True Beings. The group entered the lobby and happened to meet Xue Lan, who approached them as she saw new guests arriving. ¡°What¡¯s your best suite? We want two,¡± said Shi Zhuli coldly. Xue Lan shook her head with an apologetic tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we only have standard suites left, and there¡¯s only one available.¡± Shi Hao took one look at Xue Lan and was impressed. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter such a refined and ethereal woman in this remote place. Shi Zhuli was somewhat dissatisfied and haughtily said, ¡°Money is not the issue. We must have the best suites! Go prepare them now!¡± Xue Lan was about to say something when Song Yi stepped forward, ¡°The two of you, the hotel is completely booked and it¡¯s not about the money. You see¡­¡± Shi Zhuli scoffed coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do, go prepare it for me now, or else¡­ I¡¯ll smash your establishment!¡± The Shi Family was well-known in the provincial capital, and Shi Zhuli had been pampered and spoiled since childhood, making her extremely arrogant and oppressive. Song Yi¡¯s smile grew cold, ¡°Folks, I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s¡­ not right.¡± Shi Hao then scoffed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what my sister said? If it¡¯s full, make others leave; we¡¯ve decided to stay.¡± Seeing that there was a situation, the security of the Yue Lai Hotel gathered around. Shi Hao was arrogant, not caring at all. He had come to Qingmang Town full of ambition, ready to break into the ranks of the chosen elites. And he was confident in his ability to do so. In the provincial capital, he had fought in many underground fights, undefeated, and held the title of ¡°Little Boxing King of Jingnan.¡± So, he had nothing but disdain for the security. As the atmosphere grew tense, another convoy arrived outside, a line of black Audis, which stopped at the hotel entrance. A group of people got out of the cars. Once they entered the lobby, Xue Lan¡¯s eyes lit up, and she quickly greeted them, ¡°Xiao An, brother.¡± The arrivals were Xue An, Tan Xiaoyu, and Hua Tingting. Qin Yu had also wanted to come, but something came up at the last minute, so she had to cancel. Upon seeing Xue Lan, Xue An smiled slightly, while the two girls exclaimed in unison, ¡°Aunt Lan!¡± Song Yi also walked over, bending deeply in a very respectful manner, ¡°Mr. Xue, it¡¯s an honor to meet you!¡± This effectively left Shi Hao and his party hanging to the side, Shi Hao staring at Xue An, his expression growing dark. Who is this person? Why such a grand entrance? And the women by his side, each one prettier than the last! Shi Hao¡¯s eyes were nearly dazzled, his dissatisfaction mounting within him. Looking at his slender figure, I could knock him flying with one punch, probably not even a martial artist. Why do all these beauties surround this young man? However, Tan Xiaoyu noticed Shi Zhuli and couldn¡¯t help but express her surprise, ¡°You are¡­ Zhuli?¡± Shi Zhuli was momentarily startled, then recognized Tan Xiaoyu as well. Tan Xiaoyu had once spent some time at a martial arts school in the province and had shared a dormitory with Shi Zhuli, so she naturally knew her. Although their relationship was not particularly good, meeting here was somewhat unexpected. Shi Zhuli nodded her head with pride, ¡°So it¡¯s Xiaoyu, what brings you here¡­¡± ¡°Oh, this is my father, and there¡¯s Tingting, my younger sister. We¡¯re naturally here to enjoy the spectacle!¡± Tan Xiaoyu deliberately did not introduce Xue An. She felt that with many people investigating who killed Yu Qing, it was better to keep Xue An¡¯s identity known to as few people as possible. ¡°So it¡¯s Master Tan from the Northern Town Martial Arts School!¡± Shi Hao was aware of the reputation of the Northern Town Martial Arts School, but he merely gave a perfunctory nod of acknowledgement. ¡°Have the rooms been arranged?¡± Xue An asked Song Yi at that moment. Song Yi nodded, ¡°Mr. Xue, once I knew of your arrival, I arranged everything. I¡¯ve specially reserved a presidential suite for you to accommodate you and the two ladies.¡± Xue An nodded, pleased with Song Yi¡¯s thoroughness. Just as they were about to go upstairs, Shi Zhuli spoke up with annoyance, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there were no presidential suites available? Why does he get to stay in one?¡± This question made Song Yi¡¯s expression turn ugly. Back in the day, he was a person of influence in Zhongdu, where many powerful figures paid him great respect. Now, he was being rebuked by a young girl, which made it hard for him to save face. ¡°Because he¡¯s the owner here, is there a problem?¡± Song Yi said coldly. Shi Zhuli wanted to say more, but Tan Xiaoyu, not wanting to escalate the situation, interjected, ¡°Let¡¯s not make a fuss; we can arrange another suite for you!¡± Shi Hao then gave Xue An, who was heading upstairs, a cold look. From beginning to end, Xue An never spared them a glance. To him, these two didn¡¯t even merit his attention. But to Shi Hao, this seemed more like Xue An was afraid. Probably just some country bumpkin with a bit of money, nothing more. Especially, the women by his side all looked quite fetching, like that Hua Tingting, brimming with intellectual beauty, very much to Shi Hao¡¯s liking. Thinking it over, Shi Hao made up his mind. Once back in his room, Shi Hao asked his sister, ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with this Tan Xiaoyu?¡± Shi Zhuli shook her head, ¡°Just average!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s invite her to have dinner tonight,¡± he said. Shi Zhuli looked puzzled, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re not interested in this Tan Xiaoyu, are you?¡± Shi Hao¡¯s lips curled into a smug smile, ¡°Just for fun. Her father is merely the head of the Northern Town Martial Arts School.. He¡¯s no match for me, not even close! ¡° Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Martial Arts Tournament 2 Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Martial Arts Tournament 2 Translator: 549690339 When Tan Xiaoyu received the invitation, she couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. She didn¡¯t have much of a relationship with Shi Zhuli, but since she had been invited, it would be somewhat rude not to go. Moreover, Shi Zhuli had said it was best if everyone went. After discussing it with Xue An, he was indifferent; after all, there were still three days left, and if they spent all three days holed up in the hotel, it wouldn¡¯t bother him, but the two young girls would probably not stand for it. ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Since Xue An had spoken, Hua Tingting naturally had no objections! By evening, Qingmang Town was exceptionally lively. Martial artists are not ones for trifles, especially after a good meal and drink, disputes are even more likely to occur. So, as Xue An and the others walked down the street, they couldn¡¯t take a few steps without seeing a fight. However, these people were usually just ordinary folks who knew a bit of martial arts, and not many onlookers gathered when they fought. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, however, were quite curious and kept looking around. After all, there were all kinds of outfits to be seen on the streets. There were those in Zhongshan suits twirling nunchucks, those in Japanese kimonos with hats carrying samurai swords, and even a few bare-chested burly men who, after getting drunk, brazenly wrestled in the streets. The two young girls thought they had arrived at a circus. Xue An always followed the two young girls with a smile, accompanying them as they looked left and right. This only increased Shi Zhuli¡¯s disdain, as Xue An¡¯s behavior seemed like that of a country bumpkin who had never seen the world. Shi Hao had already booked a private room in advance at Qingzhu Residence, the largest restaurant in Qingmang Town, and when they arrived, the group made their way to the third floor. The private room was street-facing with open windows, offering a distant view of Mount Qingmang. The mountain breeze swept in, giving everyone a thrill and making them feel their horizons were broadened and spirits uplifted. Naturally, the price of this private room was not cheap. After the food was served, Shi Hao kept showering Tan Xiaoyu and Hua Tingting with attention, pointedly ignoring Xue An. This made Tan Xiaoyu quite uncomfortable, and she occasionally glanced at Xue An. But Xue An didn¡¯t mind these things and continued to focus on serving food to the two young girls. Hua Tingting, however, was more adept in handling the situation; after all, she had spent several years in society and could easily tell that Shi Hao didn¡¯t have good intentions. Yet she had been well-educated from a young age and thus did not let it show, responding calmly. But Shi Hao became more and more attracted to Hua Tingting¡¯s demeanor and conversation. As the conversation got lively, he brought up the purpose of his visit to Qingmang Town. Leveraging a slight drunkenness, Shi Hao said with a boastful face, ¡°I come here for the ¡®Hero Rankings¡¯!¡± The Hero Rankings! Tan Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but react. Shi Hao continued, ¡°The martial arts convention, which happens once every four years, is indeed a great opportunity for the younger generation to make a name for themselves. I am well-prepared and am sure to break into at least the top fifty of the Hero Rankings!¡± His words were bold. However, Hua Tingting still nodded, ¡°Then I wish you triumph in your pursuit!¡± Flushed with pride, Shi Hao gulped down his drink and then deliberately looked at Xue An, ¡°And what does this friend plan to do at the martial arts convention?¡± The conversation at the table quieted down, and many eyes turned to Xue An. Shi Zhuli¡¯s eyes held a hint of disdain; she had carefully observed him earlier and was certain this man had never learned martial arts, for his hands were as delicate and clean as a woman¡¯s. Which martial artist has hands that aren¡¯t rough and broad? For instance, his brother¡¯s hand had deformed due to years of practicing the martial art of powerful strikes. This was the price that had to be paid for practicing martial arts. Xue An then put down his chopsticks and smiled faintly, ¡°Me? I didn¡¯t plan on doing much, just taking the kids out for some fun.¡± Upon hearing this, a trace of disdain flashed across Shi Hao¡¯s face, and he couldn¡¯t be bothered to look at Xue An anymore. ¡°Miss Hua, during tomorrow¡¯s selection competition, I will be taking part in a match. I hope everyone can come to watch, including your friend here. You can also bring the kids to broaden their horizons!¡± Shi Hao said with immense pride. Xue An nodded, smiling with an enigmatic air, ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll definitely come.¡± Shi Hao enjoyed the meal tremendously, especially feeling that his rapport with Hua Tingting was progressing nicely, and eventually left with a hint of drunkenness. Once back at Yue Lai Hotel, Xue An led his two daughters to sleep. Hua Tingting returned to her room, where she lived with Tan Xiaoyu. ¡°Tingting sister, that Shi Hao today seemed interested in you!¡± Tan Xiaoyu said with a smile. Hua Tingting frowned, disdainfully responding, ¡°He¡¯s just a fool! I was merely being polite, and yet he took it too far!¡± ¡°So, about tomorrow¡¯s competition, are we going to watch it?¡± Hua Tingting pondered for a moment, ¡°Is Mr. Xue going?¡± Tan Xiaoyu thought it over, ¡°That depends on what the two little girls think. Haven¡¯t you noticed? Mr. Xue is really a daughter slave!¡± A daughter slave is a term used to describe a father who dotes on his daughter to the heavens, and it was quite apt for Xue An. Hua Tingting also couldn¡¯t help but smile lightly. She was reminded of the scene at the Qin Family when she first met Xue An. The man standing with his hands behind his back, his expression detached, had appeared in Hua Tingting¡¯s dreams more than once. Thus, when the trip to Qingmang came, she did not hesitate to follow. However, she also worried for Xue An, having heard that the person coming for revenge this time was a highly esteemed figure. Mr. Xue said it was just a trip with the kids for some fun, but could it really be that simple? Hua Tingting fell into deep thought. It wasn¡¯t just her, but others including Xue Lan and Song Yi also harbored some concerns. For example, Song Yi was now in Xue An¡¯s room, speaking with a grave expression, ¡°Mr. Xue, this Elder Zhi Tian is no ordinary person. Even though he has been in seclusion for thirty years and his fame isn¡¯t prominent, I estimate that his current strength is at least within the top five of the prodigy list.¡± Xue An nodded noncommittally and then said softly, ¡°I notice that Xue Lan¡¯s conduct seems like she is practicing martial arts?¡± Song Yi was startled, then quickly bowed and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, I am truly sorry, I originally did not intend to teach Miss Lan, but she was very stubborn and insisted on learning. Left with no choice, I could only teach her some basics.¡± As he spoke, cold sweat appeared on Song Yi¡¯s forehead. He now revered Xue An like a deity, fearful of upsetting him further over this matter. Xue An merely nodded, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not blaming you. Since she wants to learn, you teach her some basics then.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Song Yi immediately nodded. ¡°It seems that you are about to break through the Zhenren Realm and step into Xiaoyao, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Song Yi was astonished. These days he had not been neglecting his practice, steadily training hard. Just a couple of days ago, he began to vaguely feel the bottleneck. This meant that one of his feet was already touching the threshold of Xiaoyao, but he had yet to find the way in. He had not expected Xue An to discern this at a glance. ¡°In that case, I shall lend you a hand!¡± said Xue An, suddenly looking up, his eyes blazing with a brilliant light.. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Martial Arts Tournament 3 Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Martial Arts Tournament 3 Translator: 549690339 Song Yi felt his whole body shake, and then his gaze gradually became confused. Crack! It was as if something had shattered. Song Yi¡¯s aura began to surge rapidly, and his originally aged face started to regain its youth. Very quickly. He transformed from an old man in his fifties or sixties to someone in his thirties. When Song Yi¡¯s gaze cleared, he knelt on the ground with a thump and said respectfully and reverently, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Xue, for your help! From now on, Song is willing to go through fire and water for Mr. Xue, without a second word!¡± The reason Song Yi was so agitated was that Xue An¡¯s methods had exceeded his imagination. To casually help someone advance their realm? What level of cultivation must that be? If this news were to spread, it would truly create an uproar. One must know that countless people are stuck at the threshold of the Xiaoyao Realm, many of whom may never be able to enter in their lifetime. Xue An waved his hand, ¡°Alright, it was just a little effort on my part. I saw that you¡¯re a decent person, so I casually lent a hand. Besides, I don¡¯t have time to look after Lan¡¯er, so you¡¯d better teach her more!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Song Yi answered, bowing his head respectfully. The next day. The martial arts tournament selection competition began. The so-called selection competition meant that the young talents who were not on the list of prodigies had to get through the selection before they got the opportunity to challenge those on the list. The arena had already been set up, at the foot of Mount Qingmang. Shi Hao came to the arena with his sister and a few followers, his expression calm and full of confidence. Shi Zhuli was also filled with confidence in her brother. While she was preparing below the stage, Xue An came with the children, Hua Tingting, Tan Xiaoyu, Tan Dong, and others. As soon as Shi Hao saw Hua Tingting arriving, he perked up and laughed loudly, ¡°Miss Hua, Director Tan!¡± Hua Tingting remained impassive, only nodding slightly. Tan Dong then said to his daughter, ¡°This Shi Hao has a steady aura and seems to have already stepped into the Zhenren Realm. To achieve this at such a young age is truly rare.¡± Tan Xiaoyu did not speak, instead focusing on Xue An. She wanted to see Xue An¡¯s attitude. But Xue An was constantly whispering something to his two daughters. If someone overheard the conversation between the father and daughters at this moment, they would surely find it laughable. ¡°Daddy, what are these people doing? It¡¯s so weird!¡± Xue Xiang said, pointing at the martial artists who were warming up. Xue An smiled, ¡°They¡¯re¡­ warming up!¡± ¡°Warming up? Can you eat it?¡± Xue Nian immediately asked. Xue An pinched Xue Nian¡¯s cheek and said indulgently, ¡°You¡­ always thinking about eating.¡± ¡°Then why do they need to warm up?¡± ¡°Because they are going to fight soon. It¡¯s always good to warm up before a fight, otherwise, when they start fighting, they might lose!¡± Xue An only had such patience when dealing with his two daughters. ¡°Oh!¡± The two little girls responded as if they understood but didn¡¯t, and then asked, ¡°Daddy, then why do they fight?¡± ¡°Because¡­ they¡¯re bored, I guess?¡± Xue An said lightly. The selection competition began. Due to the large number of participants, they competed in groups of ten, with the winners moving forward and the losers being eliminated. Among these martial artists, some were highly skilled, but many were just making up numbers. As the competition proceeded, it naturally drew a lot of laughter. But as it progressed, the bouts became more genuine and brutal. Finally. It was Shi Hao¡¯s turn to take the stage. His opponent was a brawny martial artist, powerful but unrefined. Shi Hao, however, appeared nonchalant and even provocatively beckoned to the man. The martial artist was angered and went all out from the start. But to no avail, the gap in strength between him and Shi Hao was too great, and within a few moves, Shi Hao kicked him over. Below the stage, Shi Zhuli cheered loudly. Shi Hao looked at Hua Tingting quite proudly, only to realize she wasn¡¯t paying attention to the stage at all, engaged instead in conversation with Xue An. This darkened Shi Hao¡¯s expression, and he couldn¡¯t help but lash out with another kick. With a crack, the martial artist¡¯s ribs were broken by Shi Hao¡¯s kick. Many people glared at Shi Hao with anger. Yet Shi Hao remained indifferent, becoming even more ruthless in the subsequent matches, quickly fighting his way through the selection competition. He won the privilege to challenge the elites on the Heavenly Pride List tomorrow! After his victory, Shi Hao looked around proudly, thinking surely this would shock everyone? But at a glance, he saw neither Hua Tingting nor the others. All he could see were the distant figures of Xue An and Hua Tingting walking away! They¡­ left? Shi Hao¡¯s face turned incredibly somber. In the provincial city, wherever he went, he was the focus of everyone¡¯s attention, a cherished figure like the son of heaven. But upon arriving here, no matter what he did, it seemed he couldn¡¯t replace that man with a child. Just wait until tomorrow! Tomorrow I¡¯ll break into the Heavenly Pride List! Then I¡¯ll deal with you! I want you to kneel before me in front of all these women! Shi Hao thought bitterly. Meanwhile, on a distant rooftop, a man and a woman stood watching the distant platform. ¡°This year¡¯s new contenders are really strong!¡± the man said with a smile. The woman¡¯s pretty face was etched with indifference, and after a moment she coldly said, ¡°But none of them are a match for me!¡± The man sighed, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand you. A woman like you should be dressing up beautifully every day, so why are you always scowling?¡± She glanced at him, ¡°If you don¡¯t shut up, I swear I¡¯ll reduce the number on the Heavenly Pride List by one right now.¡± The man closed his mouth. Indeed. Both of them were elites on the Heavenly Pride List. One was ranked thirty-seventh, the cold and deadly Blood Scorpion, Leng Yun. The other was the Smiling Sword, ranked thirty-eighth, Kong San. Leng Yun looked towards Shi Hao on the distant stage. This man uses Neigong, an inner strength technique, and has achieved some mastery of it; he will be a formidable opponent. But not to be feared. Nevertheless, Leng Yun couldn¡¯t shake off a peculiar feeling because her intuition sensed a deep unease. As if a pair of eyes were condescendingly overlooking them all. This intuition made Leng Yun uncomfortable all over. For years she had been honing her skills as an assassin in the Middle East and other regions. This intuition, forged in blood and fire, had saved her many times, so it was definitely not wrong. But who could it be? Especially this calm and aloof aura, which instilled a deep fear in Leng Yun¡¯s soul. Even when facing the top three fighters on the Heavenly Pride List, she had never felt such fear. At that moment, Kong San said, ¡°Let me handle this man tomorrow!¡± Leng Yun glanced at him, then stepped forward and leaped from the four-story rooftop. Kong San followed with some embarrassment, also jumping down, ¡°Hey! Do you really not trust me? After all, I am ranked thirty-eighth!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still behind me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just by one rank!¡± ¡°But that¡¯s still behind me!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we talk about something else?¡± ¡°¡­.You¡¯re ranked thirty-eighth!¡± Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Martial Arts Tournament 4 Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Martial Arts Tournament 4 Translator: 549690339 The martial arts tournament was finally about to begin officially. After three days of selection, a total of thirty people had stood out from the rest, and they would now have the qualification to challenge the experts on the list of prodigious fighters. By the time the day arrived, the arena at the base of the mountain was already packed with people early on. Moreover, the arena had been renovated, becoming sturdier and more secure. After all, the ones climbing onto the stage this time would not only be contending for victory but also deciding life and death. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Chen Tong, the Muay Thai King ranked nineteenth on the list of prodigious fighters? He¡¯s here too?¡± ¡°Good heavens, Huangfu Tian who wields the Heaven-overturning Staff and is ranked eighth on the list is here as well? A high-level expert of his caliber usually never shows up at such events in previous years!¡± ¡°And there¡¯s Xiang Bing, the Moonlight Fairy, and others like Blood Scorpion Leng Yun, and One-smile Sword Kong San, who are all ranked very high on the list. What¡¯s going on with this year¡¯s martial arts tournament?¡± With bursts of exclamations from the crowd below, this year¡¯s martial arts tournament slowly raised the curtain. When Xue An arrived at the stands, nearly everyone was already there. Many corpulent men sat in the chairs of the stands, often with a beautiful female secretary accompanying them. These were the rich and powerful from all over. After all, every expert who could make it onto the list of prodigious fighters had a profound background and force behind them, so this martial arts tournament was not just a gathering of martial artists but also tied to tremendous interests. Xue An¡¯s arrival also attracted many people¡¯s attention. However, after most observed that Xue An was dressed plainly and didn¡¯t seem like a martial arts expert, they lost interest in him. Xue An scanned the entire venue and happened to see Shi Hao sitting at the back, but at that moment, he was attentively courting a woman in a green dress with an elegant demeanor beside him. ¡°Fairy Xiang, I had the honor of visiting you once with my master. I didn¡¯t expect to see you again at the martial arts tournament today! ¡± The woman was none other than the one known as the Moonlight Fairy, Xiang Bing, ranked eighteenth on the list of prodigious fighters. Xiang Bing remained indifferent, not paying much attention to Shi Hao. In previous martial arts tournaments, she would not have bothered to come. Only this time, the reemergence of the legendary fighter had piqued her interest, so she came to join in the excitement. Xue An¡¯s arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed by her, but after a quick glance that revealed he was not a martial arts expert, she turned her attention away from him and instead looked towards Xue Lan, who was beside Xue An. ¡°Oh! This girl has a pure aura, she could be a good candidate for martial arts training!¡± Xiang Bing¡¯s eyes brightened. Shi Hao noticed Xiang Bing¡¯s gaze and turned to see it was Xue An, his expression darkening. But when he saw Hua Tingting had also arrived, Shi Hao¡¯s smile returned, and he stood up to say, ¡°Miss Hua, this way!¡± Hua Tingting didn¡¯t intend to pay any attention to Shi Hao, but Xue An walked straight towards him. Hua Tingting and Tan Xiaoyu exchanged glances, and they reluctantly followed behind. ¡°Miss Hua, please have a seat!¡± Shi Hao beckoned warmly, then introduced her. ¡°This is Moonlight Fairy Xiang Bing!¡± Upon hearing the name, Tan Dong and others couldn¡¯t help but change their expressions dramatically. A high-ranked expert of the eighteenth on the list of prodigious fighters turned out to be a woman of such elegant demeanor? Seeing the shocked expressions around him, Shi Hao felt quite smug and then said to Xiang Bing with a flattering smile, ¡°Fairy Xiang, this is Miss Hua Tingting. Her grandfather is the renowned Divine Doctor of Beijiang, and this is the head of the Beijiang Martial Arts School¡­¡± Xiang Bing waved her hand to stop Shi Hao from continuing, and then she looked at Xue Lan and calmly said, ¡°Young girl, would you be interested in learning martial arts with me?¡± That question stunned everyone around. The Moonlight Fairy was offering apprenticeship? Shi Zhuli beside them felt a surge of jealousy, her eyes almost turning blue. Why her? Why was it her? She was just a girl from the mountains. How was she better than me? Tan Dong and Tan Xiaoyu were also shocked. Especially Tan Dong, who was well aware of the formidable prowess of the Moonlight Fairy, couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered. But amid everyone¡¯s gaze, a somewhat shy Xue Lan unexpectedly shook her head firmly. ¡°Not interested!¡± This statement took Xiang Bing by surprise, and he couldn¡¯t help but say lightly, ¡°Young girl, do you know who I am?¡± Xue Lan continued to shake her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t want to know. Even if I were to practice martial arts, I would only follow Xiao An!¡± Xiao An? The crowd was taken aback and then turned their gaze toward Xue An. Could it be he¡¯s the one they are speaking of? But there was nothing remarkable about this man at all, he just seemed like an ordinary person! Xiang Bing¡¯s expression darkened a bit, and he couldn¡¯t help but snort coldly. ¡°Young girl, you better think this through.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through!¡± Xue Lan said firmly. Shi Hao and Shi Zhuli exchanged secretive glances, then felt a surge of joy in their hearts. That¡¯s great, by incurring the ire of the Fairy of the Moonlight, both Xue An and the girl are doomed! Xiang Bing took another deep look at Xue An, and finding that aside from being very steady, there was indeed nothing exceptional about the man, he turned his face as frosty as ice toward the arena. Xue An smiled indifferently, paying no mind to this so-called Fairy of the Moonlight. A mere woman who had just stepped into the Xiaoyao Realm, yet dared to call herself a Fairy, was truly laughable. However, Tan Dong was a bit worried, and after sitting down, he whispered in Xue An¡¯s ear, ¡°This Fairy of the Moonlight is notoriously petty, and it¡¯s clear that she bears a grudge over what just happened. Mr. Xue, you should be very careful.¡¯ Xue An nodded his head. At that moment, the martial arts tournament finally officially began. Shi Hao straightened his clothes, full of confidence, stepped into the ring. His ranking was mediocre, so he was among the first to compete. And the one he challenged was a Southern Fist expert ranked eighty-eighth on the list of talented fighters. After the start of their match, Xue An only watched for a moment before looking away. Because he could tell at a glance that while the Southern Fist expert was skilled, he clearly was no match for Shi Hao. As expected. It wasn¡¯t long before the Southern Fist expert was kicked off the ring by Shi Hao. After a struggle on the ground, he lay dead. A murmur arose from the crowd. Shi Hao stood on the platform looking smug, then the results of the match were announced by the referee. Shi Hao was victorious, and he finally achieved his wish of entering the list of talented fighters. Shi Zhuli was naturally ecstatic, and then she glared fiercely at Xue An¡¯s side, thinking to herself, just wait until the end of the tournament, and I¡¯ll deal with you! Shi Hao even stood on the platform, making a throat-slitting gesture at Xue An from a distance. But the panic and disarray he expected did not ensue. The only thing present was the mockery in Xue An¡¯s eyes. Shi Hao sneered in his heart, I¡¯ll see how long you can keep up this act. The competition continued. With huge interests and honors at stake, no one dared to hold back, often using lethal moves. The brutal matches turned the faces of many spectators pale. Finally, the new selection of martial artists had completed their challenges. Two-thirds of them failed, and the price of failure was death! Blood stained the arena red. But everyone knew that the main event was about to come, as the next to enter the ring were the top fifty experts of the list of talented fighters. The first person to step onto the stage caused a low murmur of surprise from the crowd below.. Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Arriving on Air Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Arriving on Air Translator: 549690339 ¡°Chen Tong, it¡¯s the Muay Thai king, Chen Tong!¡± ¡°I heard that Chen Tong practices the most brutal form of ancient Muay Thai, and he acquired the Secret Technique inheritance. Those who face him either die or are maimed!¡± ¡°Now there¡¯s going to be a good show, who is he going to fight?¡± Chen Tong was a short-statured man, bare-chested wearing a vest that revealed muscles as hard as iron. He stood on the stage, giving Xiang Bing in the stands a slight smile, ¡°Fairy Moonlight, eight years ago I suffered a loss at your hands, now¡­ let¡¯s contend once more!¡± All eyes under the stands turned toward Xiang Bing. With a cold snort, Xiang Bing rose abruptly, then with a tip of her toe on the ground, her body floated down from the stands like a butterfly. This display won many people¡¯s exclamations of admiration. Then Xiang Bing ascended to the ring and looked at Chen Tong, ¡°Chen Tong, are you still not giving up?¡± Chen Tong looked at Xiang Bing¡¯s slender waist, licked his lips, and revealed a sinister smile, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to follow me, then I will let bygones be bygones!¡± ¡°Delusional fool!¡± Xiang Bing shouted angrily, then lashed out with a kick. Chen Tong dodged the kick with a swift body flick and sneered, ¡°Miss, do you really think I was inferior in skill eight years ago? It was just that back then I was showing mercy for your beauty; now let me show you the ferocity of Muay Thai. ¡± Chen Tong then fought like an octopus, using knees and elbows to strike from every direction. In the beginning, Xiang Bing managed to counter-attack, but in a brief moment, she was cornered and reduced to defending herself. Just as defeat seemed imminent, Xiang Bing¡¯s face showed a flash of panic. At that moment, someone suddenly charged into the fray, blocking Chen Tong¡¯s fist with one hand and intercepting Xiang Bing¡¯s strike with the other. ¡°Stop, both of you!¡± the person said in a deep voice. At the same time, a great uproar erupted from the crowd below. ¡°It¡¯s Huangfu Tian! He¡¯s intervened!¡± Upon recognizing Huangfu Tian, Chen Tong showed a trace of surprise and doubt, then asked, ¡°Huangfu Tian, what is the meaning of this?¡± Huangfu Tian cracked a slight smile, ¡°No particular meaning, just felt like meddling a bit!¡± he said, smiling toward Xiang Bing. Chen Tong¡¯s heart sank, knowing Huangfu Tian was favoring Xiang Bing, yet he understood. His own strength was far inferior to that of Huangfu Tian. If a fight were to break out, he stood no chance of winning. Therefore, Chen Tong could only secretly clench his teeth and move aside. At this moment, Xiang Bing bowed deeply, gratefully saying, ¡°Thank you so much, Lord Huangfu!¡± Huangfu Tian¡¯s gaze never left Xiang Bing, and upon hearing her gratitude, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Fairy Moonlight truly lives up to her reputation! In my opinion, Chen, the Fist King, and you are closely matched, so there¡¯s no need to continue this fight, right? Does anyone disagree?¡± Huangfu Tian casually glanced at the crowd below. No one dared to say a word. Ranked number eight on the list of prodigies! This ranking was proof of his strength. But just as Huangfu Tian was turning around triumphantly, about to speak, a rumbling sound faintly echoed from Mount Qingmang in the distance. Everyone turned to look. And then they witnessed an astonishing sight. They saw a man approaching from atop the towering Mount Qingmang, treading the air. As he moved, he chanted, ¡°High above in White Jade Capital, there are twelve palaces, five cities strong. An Immortal touched my head, granting me eternal life with my hair forever young!¡± The voice was so powerful it made people¡¯s scalps tingle. And although the man seemed to be advancing slowly, he reached the foot of the mountain in the blink of an eye. This stunning arrival shocked everyone present. Huangfu Tian¡¯s face was especially filled with astonishment. Only those at his level of cultivation understood just how terrifying this white-haired, youthful-looking old man truly was. Treading on air! This was a Divine Skill only attainable by those who had reached the realm of Heavenly Beings. Could he possibly be¡­ And among the audience, there was an experienced elder who, upon seeing the newcomer, cried out in shock. ¡°He is none other than the Pointing Heaven Elder, Yu Ling!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Yu Ling!¡± Everyone couldn¡¯t help but draw in a sharp breath. The rumors were indeed true, this Pointing Heaven Elder had truly entered the realm of Heavenly Beings, henceforth blessed with a lifespan of five hundred years, and the freedom of great ease! Yu Ling landed on the stage, his expression indifferent as he glanced at Huangfu Tian and the others. ¡°You¡­ are the current champions of the martial world?¡± Before Huangfu Tian and Xiang Bing could say anything, Chen Tong had already sneered, ¡°Who is this doddering old fool¡­¡± He didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence, nor did he have the chance to. Because with just a flick of Yu Ling¡¯s finger, Chen Tong¡¯s head burst open, and his corpse collapsed to the ground. This display of shocking ability dumbfounded everyone present. The Muay Thai expert, ranked nineteenth, hadn¡¯t even managed to block a single move? Huangfu Tian and Xiang Bing were also taken aback, and Yu Ling had already turned his gaze toward them, then shook his head. ¡°Too weak!¡± Then, with a gentle stretch of his finger, the entire stage seemed to be hit by a gust of fierce wind. Huangfu Tian roared angrily, wanting to counterattack, but was directly blasted off the stage, crashing to the ground unable to move for a while. As for Xiang Bing, she wasn¡¯t knocked off the stage but her face became extremely pale, her eyes filled with terror. ¡°Step down. I do not strike women,¡± Yu Ling said lightly. From there, this Pointing Heaven Elder made his entrance with merely two fingers and defeated two opponents, one killed and one defeated. His prowess was unmatched! Xiang Bing bowed her head and stepped down from the stage, not even having the courage to look back at Yu Ling. She was truly frightened. Chen Tong was more skilled than her, but without even moving, his head had been burst open with a flick from this terrifying opponent. Going up herself would have been just another act of suicide. Yu Ling stood in the center of the stage, surveying the crowd with a faint smile. ¡°I am Yu Ling. My disciples, Yu Qing and Liu Shou, have been killed. I am here today to take revenge in front of the whole world!¡± Silence engulfed the entire venue. Yu Ling was pleased with this reaction and spoke indifferently, ¡°So, may I ask who Mr. Xue is?¡± Mr. xue! Many people came to their senses. On the martial arts forum, someone had said that the one who killed Yu Qing and Liu Shou was an individual known as Mr. Xue! Had he come? Everyone looked at each other, unsure. Shi Hao and Shi Zhuli, the siblings, also seemed pale as they watched Yu Ling display his formidable power on the stage. The Moonlight Fairy, whom Shi Hao revered as a deity, had not even had the chance to make a move before being driven from the stage. The aloof Huangfu Tian, with his Heaven-overturning Staff, was blasted off the stage with just one move. Such a figure made even the arrogant Shi Hao shudder. This elder was terrifyingly powerful. And who could the Mr. Xue he mentioned be? While Shi Hao pondered in confusion, he suddenly felt someone beside him stand up. He turned his head and saw it was Xue An, his brow furrowing. This guy really doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for him! Doesn¡¯t he see that no one in the audience dares to speak? Yet he dares to stand up? But then, a childish voice stunned him and everyone around him. ¡°Daddy, is the Mr. Xue that old man mentioned¡­. you?¡± Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: A Punch… Divides Yin and Yang! Chapter 65: Chapter 65: A Punch¡­ Divides Yin and Yang! Translator: 549690339 Everyone turned to look at the speaker and then realized it was a little girl, delicate and carved like a work of art. And next to her, there was another little girl who looked almost exactly the same. It turned out they were twins. In many people¡¯s hearts, they couldn¡¯t help but think how cute that was, but also¡­ how ridiculous. Shi Hao and Shi Zhuli, the siblings, sneered inwardly, thinking to themselves, let¡¯s see how you deal with this. However, Xue An¡¯s next move took everyone by surprise. Xue An smiled and patted Xue Xiang and Xue Nian on the heads, saying lightly, ¡°Yes! That¡¯s why daddy has to go on stage now.¡± ¡°Mmmhm, go daddy, go!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said seriously. Shi Hao almost laughed out loud. He is Mr. xue? Could he really be Mr. Xue? Many people looked at Xue An with eyes full of doubt or disdain. As Xue An started to leave the stands, Xue Lan grabbed him in a panic. ¡°Brother Xiao An¡­¡± Xue An looked at Xue Lan and smiled gently, ¡°Be good, wait for me to come back!¡± Xiang Bing couldn¡¯t help but find this amusing. Wait for me to come back? Do you think you can still return? What a joke! Xiang Bing believed that Xue An¡¯s departure was a certain death. And that was the general consensus. So as Xue An took each step towards the stage, some people looked at him with sympathetic eyes. However, the world outside couldn¡¯t disturb Xue An, who calmly got off the stands and walked onto the arena step by step. Yu Ling, on the other hand, had been eyeing Xue An curiously the whole time. Not until he stepped onto the stage did Yu Ling speak indifferently, ¡°You are Mr. xue?¡± Xue An shook his head and then flashed his pearly whites, grinning menacingly, ¡°To be exact, my name is Xue An!¡± ¡°Whether Xue An or Mr. Xue, did my two disciples die at your hands?¡± Yu Ling demanded. Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes, I killed them.¡± There was an uproar from the crowd below. Many simply couldn¡¯t believe it because Xue An looked so average, not at all like a master, not even like a martial artist. ¡°Has this guy gone mad from fear?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just crazy for attention!¡± The people below were abuzz with comments, while Yu Ling¡¯s expression gradually darkened. ¡°Before coming here, I thought this Mr. Xue must be an incredible master. Turns out, he¡¯s just an average man. So, my disciples were killed by your schemes?¡± Yu Ling said darkly. This was also the thought on many people¡¯s minds. After all, Yu Qing was a top fifty talent on the Heavenly Pride List, yet he died at the hands of this unimposing Xue An. If there wasn¡¯t a scheme involved, no one would believe it. But Xue An simply shook his head, ¡°Yu Qing? He was too weak; he only took two punches from me!¡± ¡°Impudent brat!¡± Yu Ling roared in anger. Xiang Bing at the sidelines scoffed even more, sneering, ¡°Just looking for death!¡± Xue An let out a light sigh, ¡°Oh? Don¡¯t believe me? How about you try it for yourself? I¡¯m also curious¡­ as a master, how many punches can you take from Yu Ling laughed coldly, ¡°Good! Very good! You¡¯ve successfully angered me, I will make you die in agony!¡± A bone-chilling murderous aura suddenly burst forth from Yu Ling, causing everyone below to change color with fright. Tan Dong, Tan Xiaoyu, and Hua Tingting among others, all looked particularly solemn. They knew Yu Ling was formidable, but they hadn¡¯t expected him to be this formidable. Yet, amidst this nearly boiling murderous aura, Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, slightly tilting his head upwards, looking at the increasingly overcast sky and smiled faintly, ¡°Look! The wind is picking up!¡± Yu Ling snorted coldly, his right hand slowly raised, then he uttered softly, ¡°Heaven-pointing¡­ one sword!¡± A beam of white light that seemed to penetrate heaven and earth shot out from Yu Ling¡¯s right hand, hurtling towards Xue An with the force of a mountain bearing down. The intensity was so strong that even the incredibly sturdy arena began to sway and seemed on the verge of collapse. This sword, akin to that wielded by an Immortal, whitened the complexions of all martial artists present. Many wondered if they would have no choice but to wait for death if faced with such a sword, lacking even the ability to strike back. Yet, under this overwhelming sword strike, Xue An didn¡¯t dodge or flinch, and a slow smile even began to form at the corner of his mouth. Then, just as the Sword Qi was about to reach the top of his head, Xue An suddenly raised his hand and extended two fingers, trapping the sword full of imposing momentum between them. On one side was the long sword formed by Yu Ling¡¯s energy, and on the other, two slender, delicate fingers. The contrast between the two was stark. It even gave the illusion that the next second, those two fingers would be crushed into dust. But contrarily, Yu Ling¡¯s sword could no longer descend any further. Those two fingers seemed like two mighty mountains, the oppressive Sword Qi utterly unable to advance an inch. A look of consternation crossed Yu Ling¡¯s face. Xue An spoke indifferently, ¡°Although you¡¯re stronger than your disciple, you are still¡­ too weak!¡± With that, Xue An pinched his fingers. A snap. After a crisp sound, The blade of Qi was forcefully broken and then dissipated into nothingness. The entire audience was astonished! Xiang Bing suddenly stood up, disbelievingly staring at the scene unfolding on the stage. A flicker of doubt flashed in Yu Ling¡¯s eyes, but he still sneered, ¡°Indeed, you have some skill, but you¡¯re still going to die!¡± As he spoke, Yu Ling thrust out all ten fingers, sending ten Qi swords hurling directly at Xue An. They moved so fast they seemed to burst the air along their path. Yet, Xue An still remained motionless. Joy filled Yu Ling¡¯s heart because he saw the Qi swords were about to plunge into Xue An¡¯s body. He could even envision the scene, a moment later, of Xue An lying bloodied on the ground. But at that moment, Xue An lifted his head to look at the overcast sky and said indifferently, ¡°Now¡­ it¡¯s my turn!¡± He then casually raised his right hand and declared coldly, ¡°Witness my ¡®Punch that Moves Heaven and Earth¡¯!¡± It appeared to be an ordinary punch. Calm and unhurried. Yet it was this punch that caused Yu Ling¡¯s complexion to drastically change, and he quickly retreated. At the same time, Everyone below felt as if the world had suddenly inverted, and all were simultaneously thrown to the ground. As for the arena¡­ This seemingly indestructible arena was now completely overturned. Yu Ling, in a sorry state, had retreated far away, gasping for air, while looking at Xue An with an expression filled with panic. It was his intuition as a supreme martial artist that had warned him of the terrifying nature of Xue An¡¯s punch, which was why he retreated so hastily. If he had been even slightly slower, he would have been a dead man by now. Meanwhile, below the stage, Leng Yun, looking at Xue An¡¯s proud silhouette, found her teeth chattering. That¡¯s right! It was him! The lofty presence she had sensed before the tournament began¡ªit came from him! Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Leng Yun turned and fled. Because she knew this man was beyond her or anyone else¡¯s challenge! ¡°What¡­ what kind of boxing is this?¡± Yu Ling asked hoarsely, with an almost imperceptible tremble in his voice. Xue An retracted his fist and smiled slightly, ¡°Not bad, you actually managed to dodge my punch! But¡­ it¡¯s still not enough!¡± And with those words, an astonishing aura soared to the skies, and Mount Qingmang itself seemed to tremble under its force. Yu Ling¡¯s last sliver of hope dissipated, and he finally understood that the gap between him and this man was not slight¡ªit was a despairing chasm. So, he made the right decision, and with a leap, he shot up into the sky, attempting to escape. But Xue An spoke calmly at this moment, ¡°Want to run? Too bad, it¡¯s too late!¡± ¡°Behold the second form of the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques, ¡®Dividing Yin and Yang¡¯!¡± Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Is this… an Immortal? Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Is this¡­ an Immortal? Translator: 549690339 Time seemed to stand still under this fist. Between heaven and earth, there appeared to be only Xue An, and his earth ¨C shattering punch. As if a chaotic world had been bombarded by this fist, it suddenly became clearly defined in black and white. This was the supreme secret technique that Xue An had once wielded as the Immortal Venerable. Divine Slaughter Six Techniques, second punch, Divide Yin and Yang! Yu Ling, suspended in midair, was so scared that his soul nearly fled his body, crying out desperately, ¡°Mr. Xue, spare¡­¡±. Before he could finish the word ¡®life¡¯, the punch had already drawn near. Without even the chance to struggle, Yu Ling was blown into powder by this punch, which was also considered incredibly powerful in the Immortal Realm. Then, with momentum unabated, the punch surged skyward. Boom! The dark clouds that had cloaked the sky were violently scattered by Xue An¡¯s punch. Within a hundred miles, the clouds dissipated, revealing clear skies. The spring sunlight poured down, illuminating each face fixed in stunned silence. ¡°Is this¡­ Is this an Immortal?¡± someone exclaimed in an almost moaning tone. No one responded, for everyone was dumbfounded. At this moment, Xue An withdrew his fist and casually swept his gaze over the audience. No one dared to meet his eyes. This was especially true for people like the Fairy Maiden Xiang Bing and siblings Shi Hao and Shi Zhuli. They were left speechless with trepidation. At this instant, Xiang Bing was filled with self-mockery and fear. Had she just been mocking someone for courting death? It seems now that she was the one courting death! No wonder the young girl didn¡¯t agree to take her as a mentor, compared with such Heavenly Being techniques of his¡­ she was nothing! As for siblings Shi Hao and Shi Zhuli, they were so shocked they couldn¡¯t utter a word. Especially Shi Hao, who had not held Xue An in high regard from the beginning, considering him just an ordinary person. But now the reality before his eyes had slapped his face swollen. He finally understood why Xue An always looked at him with the pitying eyes one reserves for a mentally challenged child. Because he¡­ was indeed a bit simple-minded. Making his way back to the stands, Tan Dong stood up and greeted him with a very respectful bow. ¡°Mr. xue!¡± Xue An nodded, then turned to his two daughters with a smile and said, ¡°Am I awesome or what?¡± ¡°Yes, daddy, you¡¯re so awesome! But where did that flying old man go?¡± asked Xue Xiang. Xue An scratched his head, pondered for a moment, and then laughed, ¡°He probably thought it was too boring here, so he went back to his hometown! Come on, daddy will take you girls out for something delicious!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Xue Nian nodded eagerly. Xue An led Xue Xiang and Xue Nian away. Xue Lan followed without hesitation. Many others watched Xue An¡¯s retreating figure with mixed emotions. Some had intended to approach him for a chat, but given the aura he exuded, none dared to come close. Tan Xiaoyu watched Xue An¡¯s departing figure intently until Tan Dong next to her sighed and said, ¡°Even a Heavenly Being was blown up by Mr. Xue with one punch, could it be he has stepped onto¡­¡± Tan Dong didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but the implication was clear. Tan Xiaoyu remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Back to the hotel,¡± Tan Dong said. Tan Xiaoyu and Hua Tingting among others then left. It was not until they had gone that Xiang Bing and Shi Hao and Shi Zhuli and the rest exhaled as if relieved of a heavy burden. Shi Hao attempted to laugh it off, saying, ¡°Fairy Maiden, that guy turned out to be quite impressive¡­¡± Xiang Bing gave Shi Hao a cold look and turned to leave. She had already decided that if she ever saw Xue An again, she would retreat three feet as a matter of course. He was beyond her means to deal with. As for someone like Shi Hao, she couldn¡¯t even be bothered with him. Shi Hao, feeling snubbed, stood awkwardly in place. At that moment, Shi Zhuli¡¯s pale face conveyed her worry. ¡°Brother, do you think Mr. Xue will hold a grudge against us and cause trouble?¡± Shi Hao couldn¡¯t help but shudder, then said with a hint of panic, ¡°Let¡¯s leave now, get away from here, and hurry home!¡± Xue An, instead of returning to the hotel with his two daughters, arrived on the main street. After turning several corners, they reached a street where a school was located. At that time, school wasn¡¯t in session, and the street was quiet and nearly deserted. However, there were still a few stalls open for business. Xue An stopped in front of one of the stalls, obviously moved as he gazed at this familiar scene. It had been seven or eight years, but nothing here had changed. The stall owner was busy working, and when he looked up and saw Xue An, he was momentarily stunned. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± he asked. ¡°Two bowls of tofu pudding, with extra marinated eggs on the side! Remember, no coriander,¡± Xue An replied. ¡°Alright, just a moment!¡± the stall owner got busy preparing the order. Xue An and his two daughters sat on the long bench. There was a time when he often visited this stall for a bowl of tofu pudding. Especially during the cold winter nights, having a bowl seasoned with chili powder and aged vinegar would comfortingly warm him from the inside out. The tofu pudding was quickly served. Xue Xiang curiously eyed the tofu pudding in front of her, then eagerly spooned up a taste. ¡°Hiss!¡± Xue Xiang burnt her tongue and stuck it out. ¡°So hot!¡± she exclaimed. Xue An let out a chuckle, then gently stirred with his spoon. ¡°You can¡¯t be hasty with this. Eat too fast, and you¡¯ll burn your tongue!¡± he cautioned. There they were, the father and his daughters, contentedly enjoying their tofu pudding at the stall. Back at the hotel, Tan Xiaoyu immediately took out her phone and opened the martial arts forum. At that moment, the martial arts forum was exploding with the day¡¯s events from the martial arts conference. ¡°Immortal Venerable Meets His End, Who Exactly is Mr. Xue?¡± ¡°The Untold Story of Mr. Xue and Me, Narrated by a Girl Who Sat in Front of Him During Junior High!¡± ¡°A Heavenly Being Obliterated with a Single Punch, Could Mr. Xue Possibly Be a Loose Immortal?¡± The martial arts forum was flooded with all sorts of messy threads. Tan Xiaoyu clicked on her own thread and took a deep breath before replying with three words. ¡°I won!¡± Soon, a moderator noticed her post and immediately featured and pinned it. The number of replies began to grow exponentially. ¡°Front-row worship to the big shot! As a friend of Mr. Xue, does he have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Pfft, are you dumb? I was there today, and Mr. Xue came with his twin daughters!¡± ¡°Heavens, a doting dad with daughters is still so dominant and impressive? I¡¯m practically swooning! ¡± ¡°Where are you swooning?¡± ¡°Pure innocence spotted above!¡± ¡°Does Mr. Xue accept disciples? I want to learn from him!¡± ¡°I want to become a disciple too!¡± ¡°Same!¡± In these replies, someone suddenly uploaded a few photos. One of them was a side profile of Xue An standing on the stage. Although it was taken from a distance and was somewhat blurry, the photo still managed to convey Xue An¡¯s powerful presence. ¡°So handsome indeed!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going crazy! He¡¯s not only handsome, but his kung fu is amazing too!¡± The comments became even more frenzied, while Tan Xiaoyu gazed at Xue An¡¯s photo as if she were entranced. Meanwhile, In Zhongdu, thousands of miles away, In an elegantly furnished quiet room, a girl as beautiful as an anime character watched the photo of Xue An on the martial arts forum, and she too was momentarily lost for words.. Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Pear Blossoms Bloom All Over the Hills Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Pear Blossoms Bloom All Over the Hills Translator: 549690339 Is it him? How could that be possible? Didn¡¯t he already die? The young girl¡¯s face was a picture of shock, then she quickly searched the forum for any photos of Xue An. Finally, she was certain. This man was indeed Xue An, who had been missing for four long years. She couldn¡¯t help but burst into a furious rage. ¡°Clearly a scumbag, not only did he disappear without a reason, but he also caused my sister to retreat into a life of seclusion. And now that he¡¯s back, he doesn¡¯t even think to look for her!¡± The girl¡¯s face flushed with anger, and it took her a moment to calm down before she said in a low voice, ¡°Someone come.¡¯ The door opened silently, and a respectful-looking elderly man walked in. ¡°Second Miss.¡± ¡°Prepare the carriage!¡± ¡°Alright, where to?¡± ¡°Mount Qingmang! ¡± The martial arts tournament had ended. The death of the Finger-Heaven Elder had left many people in fear and halted the subsequent matches. Many people quietly left Qingmang Town, but Xue An didn¡¯t go. Because he still had some matters to settle. Since he didn¡¯t leave, Hua Tingting and Tan Xiaoyu also stayed. Only Tan Dong had something come up temporarily and left Qingmang Town to return to Beijiang. That day, Xue An took both his daughters mountain climbing. Tan Xiaoyu and Hua Tingting followed. The air in the mountains was so pure it seemed as if it had been cleansed. At this time, close to Qingming Festival, fine drizzle fell near Mount Qingmang nearly every day. But this couldn¡¯t stop the enthusiasm of the two little girls, who giggled and frolicked all the way. Watching his two clever and quirky daughters, Xue An felt his heart warm. ¡°Daddy daddy, what¡¯s that over there?¡± Xue Xiang pointed to a valley in the distance and asked. Xue An glanced over, ¡°Oh, those are pear trees!¡± ¡°Pear trees? Does that mean there are pears to eat?¡± Xue Nian perked up. Xue An smiled, ¡°They haven¡¯t blossomed or borne fruit yet, how could you eat them?¡± ¡°When will they blossom?¡± Xue Xiang asked. ¡°They should¡­ be blooming soon, I guess!¡± ¡°It must be really beautiful when they blossom!¡± Xue Xiang said longingly. Xue An quietly smiled, then discreetly cast a Spell Decree. Their destination was also in that pear orchard. But this year, due to the cold weather, the trees had not blossomed yet. However, when they reached the middle of the valley, a breathtaking scene unfolded. The mountain¡¯s pear trees, as if greeting their arrival, all bloomed at once in an instant. The pure white pear blossoms made the valley seem like a heavy snow had just fallen. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian paused for a moment, then joyfully rushed into the pear woods. Hua Tingting and Tan Xiaoyu looked at each other, their eyes full of shock and confusion. How could such a coincidence happen in the world? The pear blossoms bloomed as soon as this group of people arrived. Could it be¡­ this was Xue An¡¯s doing? Hua Tingting suddenly remembered the time at the Qin Family, when Xue An made the flowers and plants turn green overnight. Who exactly was he? Why could he command flowers and plants, making the mountain¡¯s pear flowers bloom abundantly? Xue An led everyone to the center of the valley. There was actually a Daoist Temple there. But it was in disrepair, showing signs of dilapidation. Xue An walked into the Daoist Temple, and perhaps the sound of his footsteps disturbed the tranquility of the place. An old, indolent voice came from inside the house. ¡°Devotees may just take a look and leave. If you wish to make an offering, both scanned code and cash are accepted.¡± Xue An¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Old Master Zhai, you¡¯re actually still alive?¡± The room fell quiet for a moment, then the door creaked open, and an old Daoist dressed in grey stepped out, mumbling, ¡°Who is it? That voice sounds so familiar. As he looked up, he caught sight of the smiling Xue An and was taken aback. ¡°You¡­ you are¡­?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Old Master Zhai, don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± The old Daoist suddenly became excited, ¡°Xiao An? You¡¯re actually still alive? But I remember casting several divinations for you, and they all showed you were no longer in this world.¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°Maybe your divinations weren¡¯t very accurate!¡± Old Master Zhai shook his head, very confident, ¡°My divinations are always accurate, this is so strange!¡± Then Old Master Zhai saw the two little girls following Xue An and a loving smile appeared on his face. ¡°Such beautiful and pure young ladies.¡± ¡°My daughters!¡± Xue An declared proudly. Old Master Zhai nodded, ¡°It shows.¡± He then turned and went back into the house, and after a moment, he brought out two small beaded bracelets. ¡°These have been blessed by my constant prayers and can ward off all evils!¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandfather!¡± the two little girls exclaimed in unison. ¡°Mm, good!¡± Old Master Zhai said, his beard curling up with his smile. It was only then that he noticed the strangeness around him. He was taken aback at first, and then with a bewildered face he said, ¡°Strange, when I just came out, the pear blossoms hadn¡¯t bloomed yet! How did they all burst into bloom in the blink of an eye?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Maybe they are welcoming us!¡± As he spoke, Xue An took out a bank card from his chest, ¡°This is the pear money I owed you many years ago.¡± Old Master Zhai accepted it without hesitation, and even said with a laugh, ¡°Back then you swore that one day you would repay me, and I didn¡¯t believe it. Now it seems you really did! How much money is on this card?¡± ¡°A few tens of millions, I¡¯m not quite sure of the exact amount,¡± Xue An said nonchalantly. Old Master Zhai, who was originally excited, froze, ¡°How much did you say? ¡°A few tens of millions!¡± ¡°Did you¡­ rob a bank?¡± Old Master Zhai asked. Xue An said, both annoyed and amused, ¡°Do you think you can still get money from robbing banks these days?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, even I support scanned payments for offerings now!¡± Old Master Zhai mumbled on. It was clear that he was very happy. Not because of the money, but because Xue An had come. Xue An also felt a bit of nostalgia at this moment. In his youth, when his family had faced great misfortune, he often went into the mountains to gather herbs to make money. By chance, he came to Lihua Valley and met Old Master Zhai, who was in his prime at that time. Although Old Master Zhai could sometimes be erratic, he was quite sympathetic to Xue An, often helping him out with the offerings from the Daoist temples. Xue An had said then that he would return to repay the kindness. Now he had done so. Xue An walked into the main hall. The hall was old and in disrepair, giving a dim impression, but the statues of gods were still intact. The deities worshipped here were a chaotic mix, including the Three Pure Ones and Jade Emperor, as well as various other immortals. There was even a Fox Immortal enshrined in one corner. Xue An smiled, casually picked up an incense stick, lit it, and placed it in the incense burner. ¡°Why are you putting them all in the same incense burner? Divide them up!¡± Old Master Zhai said. Xue An smiled, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Let them divide it up themselves!¡± Old Master Zhai was doubtful, but as he turned to leave, All the statues in the hall began to tremble slightly as if¡­they were paying respects to Xue An. Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, looking at these statues with a faint smile on his face. These immortals were truly real. Xue An had even interacted with them before. However, compared to Xue An, who had defied the heavens and ascended step by step to the Immortal Realm, The biggest flaw of these local deities was that they could only survive on the power of faith. Once they lost belief, it was as good as dying. But Xue An¡¯s incense stick was enough to give full face to these immortals. That¡¯s why he said to let them divide it themselves.. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Dare Not! Dare Not! Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Dare Not! Dare Not! Translator: 549690339 After Xue An emerged from the great hall, Old Daoist Zhai was approaching the chicken coop, sharpening his knife with a vigorous air. He had caught a few wild mountain chickens a while ago and had been keeping them in the coop, intending to wait for their eggs. But today, since Xue An had brought his two adorable daughters along, naturally, he wanted to treat them well. However, seeing his skilled chicken-slaughtering technique, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the old Daoist often partook in meat dishes when on the mountain alone. The two little girls were brimming with excitement as they darted in and out of the rooms, embarking on a game of hide-and-seek. As for Tan Xiaoyu and Hua Tingting, they were both captivated by the picturesque surroundings. The two little girls had now ventured into the great hall and, far from being afraid of the statues of deities, they knelt on the cushions quite seriously. ¡°Bodhisattva, please ensure my papa is always safe and sound!¡± Xue Xiang and Nian Shuang said with their hands pressed together in prayer, their expressions earnest. But no sooner had their wishes been voiced than the deities¡¯ statues seemed to smile wryly, and a faint, misty voice was heard. ¡°We dare not!¡± Xue Xiang and Nian Shuang, the two little girls, couldn¡¯t help but startle. ¡°Sister, did you hear someone talking?¡± ¡°Yeah! I heard it indeed!¡± Far from being frightened, the two little girls became even more thrilled. ¡°It seems like these statues are talking!¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°How awesome!¡± Nian Shuang remarked. What the two of them didn¡¯t know was that their wishes had given the deities a shock, inducing a cold sweat. What a joke! Ensuring the safety of Immortal Venerable? First, gauge whether you have the power to do so! At this point, the two little girls shifted their interest to the Fox Immortal statue in the corner. ¡°Is this a fox?¡± ¡°It looks like one!¡± ¡°Shall we pay respects?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Taking the lead, Xue Xiang guided her sister as they were about to kneel. Crack. The Fox Immortal statue actually split open. The noise drew Old Daoist Zhai over. ¡°Eh, what happened? How did this statue crack?¡± Old Daoist Zhai was completely puzzled. Xue An, however, smiled slightly. He knew what had transpired. Clearly, the Fox Immortal preferred to destroy itself rather than let his daughters kneel before it. After all¡­ his daughters were not ones to kneel carelessly. Naturally, dinner was crafted by Xue An¡¯s skillful hands. He transformed the wild mountain chicken into Beggar¡¯s Chicken and concocted some exquisite dishes with fresh seasonal wild vegetables. Xue Xiang and Nian Shuang ate joyfully, while Hua Tingting and Tan Xiaoyu buried their heads and devoured the food voraciously. There was no other reason but the sheer deliciousness of the meal. Old Daoist Zhai then took out a gourd, took a few sips of his homemade pear wine, and whispered to Xue An, ¡°What¡¯s the story with these two beauties? They¡¯re like flowers and jade.¡± Xue An¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°Just friends!¡± Old Daoist Zhai curled his lip, ¡°Who¡¯d believe that? How come I never have such beautiful female patrons as friends?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re both ugly and lazy!¡± Xue An said bluntly. Old Daoist Zhai didn¡¯t mind and chuckled to himself, continuing to drink his wine leisurely, occasionally serving dishes to the two little girls. It was evident he had taken a liking to Xue Xiang and Nian Shuang. After dinner, the two little girls went inside the house with Tan Xiaoyu and the others. Xue An and Old Daoist Zhai sat opposite each other in the courtyard, starting their game of chess. But what they were playing was neither Go nor Xiangqi. It was Five-in-a-Row. Expressions of difficulty frequently appeared on Old Daoist Zhai¡¯s face, sometimes even hissing in pain. ¡°You¡¯ve lost again!¡± Xue An placed down his chess piece and said indifferently. Old Daoist Zhai, with a gloomy face, said, ¡°You little rascal, ever since we started playing this Five-in-a-Row, I have never beaten you!¡± ¡°Not just that, from the beginning with Go, later with Xiangqi, you¡¯ve never won against me, and now you can¡¯t handle Five-in-a-Row either. Are we going to play military chess next?¡± Xue An said. ¡°Pah, who¡¯s going to play military chess with you? Next time I¡¯ll play Fight the Landlord with you!¡± Old Daoist Zhai said resentfully. ¡°Sure! I hope you won¡¯t cheat then!¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°Enough of this, time to sleep!¡± Old Daoist Zhai yawned and went inside. There were only two guest rooms. Tan Xiaoyu and Hua Tingting shared one, while Xue An and his two daughters shared the other. They had played so hard today that the two daughters lay in bed and soon fell into a deep slumber. Xue An sat by the window, sipping tea slowly. The clouds outside had already scattered, the moon was high in the sky, casting a silvery white glow over everything. Time passed without knowing how long. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and then an ethereal voice carried through. ¡°Old man Zhai, today is your day of death!¡± The door of the main room was flung open, and Old Daoist Zhai, usually lazy, was now clear-eyed. As he arrived in front of Xue An¡¯s room, Old Daoist Zhai solemnly said, ¡°No matter what you see, don¡¯t come out! I will keep you safe. Remember!¡± Xue An said nothing, simply nodding his head. Old Daoist Zhai stood in the courtyard, tilted his head up, and said in a deep voice, ¡°No matter what I do, you still won¡¯t leave me alone, will you?¡± A series of eerie laughter echoed, and then a man and a woman suddenly appeared atop the courtyard wall. The man was tall and imposing with a cold expression. The woman was petite and delicate with a sweet appearance. This combination gave off a very odd feeling. However, Old Daoist Zhai¡¯s expression became even more solemn, ¡°So it¡¯s the mighty Niu Yiwan and the delicate Yue Xiaoqian. What brings you two ghosts here in the middle of the night? What are you up to?¡± Yue Xiaoqian covered her mouth with a giggling smile, ¡°Old man Zhai, why say we won¡¯t let you off? Just hand over the Dragon-seeking Disk, and we will turn around and leave without disturbing you further!¡± Old Daoist Zhai shook his head, ¡°I know what kind of schemes you people are plotting, especially now with the dragon energy on Mount Qingmang growing stronger, signalling that Jiaolong is about to transform. You lot are harboring wicked thoughts! But let me tell you, the Dragon-seeking Disk is not with me! The idea that you can subdue Jiaolong with the Dragon-seeking Disk is nothing but a foolish fantasy!¡± Yue Xiaoqian let out a captivating, seductive laugh before saying, ¡°Whether it¡¯s with you or not, we are well aware. And for one mere beast, to oppose our Wangui Sect, do you really think it¡¯s worth it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing in this world truly worth or not worth. My master tasked me to guard this Jiaolong here, and so I shall guard it well. Whether you¡¯re from the Wangui Sect or the Thousand Ghosts Sect, don¡¯t even dream of laying a finger on it.¡± Yue Xiaoqian¡¯s smile gradually vanished as she spoke indifferently, ¡°Old man Zhai, you¡¯d better think this through. With your abilities, you are no match for the two of us, and also¡­ I seem to be smelling the scent of living beings.¡± Old Daoist Zhai¡¯s complexion changed, then he said in a heavy tone, ¡°They are just ordinary people, unrelated to all this!¡± ¡°Whether they are related or not isn¡¯t up to you to decide! Hand over the Dragon-seeking Disk, or else await your death!¡± Yue Xiaoqian sneered. With a roar, Niu Yiwan charged fiercely towards them. Old Daoist Zhai¡¯s expression turned grave as he dodged the assault with a swift movement, then began entangling himself with Niu Yiwan in close combat. Niu Yiwan was robust as an ox, but for the time being, he couldn¡¯t get the better of Old Daoist Zhai. Yue Xiaoqian huffed disdainfully, her form suddenly vanished into the moonlight. When she reappeared, it was behind Old Daoist Zhai, where she struck his back with a palm. Old Daoist Zhai stumbled, lurching forward precariously, nearly collapsing to the ground with blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. With a cold smile, Yue Xiaoqian said, ¡°Old man Zhai, I¡¯ll give you one more chance. Will you hand it over or not?¡± Old Daoist Zhai was resolute, ¡°Never!¡± ¡°Then go to your death!¡± Yue Xiaoqian smirked as she raised her hand. But just at that moment, the door of the guest room creaked open! Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Sorry, I mind! Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Sorry, I mind! Translator: 549690339 ¡°Don¡¯t open the door!¡± Old Daoist Zhai was in a panic. Yue Xiaoqian and Niu Yiwan retreated a few steps, their faces stern as they watched. Xue An slowly walked out from inside the door, his face wearing a hint of helplessness. ¡°Spending the late night not sleeping, but fighting and killing, is that fun?¡± Old Daoist Zhai urgently said, ¡°Xue An, these two guys are not ordinary people, you¡¯re just a common man, it has nothing to do with you!¡± Then Old Daoist Zhai looked at Yue Xiaoqian and said in a deep voice, ¡°You can see it too, he¡¯s just a mortal, let them go!¡± Yue Xiaoqian, however, wore a face of mocking smile, ¡°Do you think anyone will walk away alive tonight?¡± Old Daoist Zhai was shocked and lost his composure, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ .¡± But at this moment, Xue An clapped his hands and said with approval, ¡°Well said, no one is leaving this place alive tonight!¡± Old Daoist Zhai was on the verge of madness. This guy, not coming earlier or later, chose precisely this time to show up, and even now, he was talking nonsense. Yue Xiaoqian looked at Xue An with interest, ¡°You are an interesting man, I don¡¯t mind playing with you first, and then letting you die!¡± ¡°Sorry, I do mind!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Yue Xiaoqian¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Granny here is giving you face, don¡¯t reject it!¡± Xue An shook his head and held up two fingers, ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood two things!¡± ¡°Oh? Which two?¡± ¡°First, you are not my granny. Second, when I said no one is leaving, I meant you two. You won¡¯t be able to leave tonight!¡± His words left the others present somewhat astonished. Yue Xiaoqian and Niu Yiwan exchanged glances, then burst into laughter. ¡°Oh man, what a joke, we¡¯ve got all kinds of people these days. A man without any secret techniques actually says he won¡¯t let us go?¡± Yue Xiaoqian said with a face full of sarcasm. Old Daoist Zhai¡¯s expression was grave as he slowly stood up and said seriously, ¡°Xue An, you take the others and go, I¡¯ll deal with these two! Hurry Xue An neither agreed nor disagreed, but instead looked up at the moon hanging in the sky like a jade plate. At that moment, the moonlight was like water, and the spring breeze stirred the pear trees, making it impossible not to feel that the night was unreasonably beautiful. ¡°Such moonlight, actually, is more suitable for talking about life with the ladies, rather than fighting and killing. So you two, are really quite a disappointment,¡± Xue An stated faintly. ¡°Enough talk, Niu the Boulder, kill him! This guy must be out of his mind!¡± Yue Xiaoqian commanded in a deep voice. The Boulder, Niu Yiwan, smirked at the command, his right arm tensed, muscles twisting like a Dragon-snake, and then he charged over. Xue An didn¡¯t move. He appeared as though he had been frightened into immobility, his demeanor still so calm. A cold smile appeared on the corner of Niu Yiwan¡¯s mouth. This punch, he guessed, might blast this kid into nothing but dust. He had already caught the scent of women inside the house; after dealing with these two, he¡¯d have a good time venting. With this thought, Niu Yiwan¡¯s heart heated up, and he put even more strength into his hand. His fist was about to crush Xue An¡¯s left face. Yue Xiaoqian didn¡¯t even bother to watch the outcome; in her view, this man was as good as dead. But just at this critical moment, Xue An¡¯s hand suddenly shot out, blocking in front of Niu Yiwan¡¯s fist. Thump. A dull sound. Instead of the expected splatter of brain matter, a crisp cracking noise followed. Then came the painful cry from Niu Yiwan. Xue An hadn¡¯t moved an inch, only his hair was swaying due to the draft from Niu Yiwan¡¯s punch, yet when Niu Yiwan¡¯s fist struck Xue An¡¯s backhand, it was as if he had hit an iron wall. Instantly, Niu Yiwan¡¯s arm was crushed. Niu Yiwan was horrified and instinctively turned to run. Xue An sighed lightly, ¡°Such moonlight, killing really dampens the mood. But since you brought it upon yourself, you can¡¯t blame anyone else!¡± Saying this, he threw a punch. This punch had no skill, not even as much as a small child¡¯s. Yet, it was exactly such a punch that Niu Yiwan simply could not evade, hitting him squarely on the back of his spine. Staggering, Niu Yiwan did not move from his spot, but rather, his body began to emit a series of cracking sounds like firecrackers. After a burst of crackling, every joint in Niu Yiwan¡¯s body had shattered, and he stood still only by muscle memory. Xue An slowly walked past him, gently exhaling a breath. Niu Yiwan collapsed with a thunderous fall and breathed his last breath. From beginning to end, it took a total of twenty-seven seconds. Yue Xiaoqian, who had thought she held the winning ticket, almost popped her eyes out. At this time, Xue An turned towards her with a grim smile, ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn!¡± Yue Xiaoqian felt as if she had been targeted by a tyrannosaurus, her muscles stiff with extreme fear. She retreated as quickly as she could, hoping to escape from this place as soon as possible. But no matter how swiftly she moved backwards, Xue An was always following her at an unhurried pace directly in front of her. Yue Xiaoqian, like a beast driven into a corner, let out a mournful cry, then released all the skills she had learned in her life, trying to kill this terrifying man. However, all her actions were like a child brandishing a sword, utterly ineffective against Xue An. By then, Yue Xiaoqian had already retreated to the edge of the courtyard wall. She clenched her teeth and screamed up to the sky. ¡°Ghostly¡­ Apparitions!¡± A gust of gloomy wind swept past, and the bright moon in the sky disappeared. The surrounding area was engulfed in thick black fog. The ghosts wandered through the fog, emitting malevolent auras. This was a secret technique she could only perform by draining her life force. This would shorten her life by five years. But the effect was excellent. At least, this terrifying man was enveloped by the black fog. Yue Xiaoqian breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat fortunate. This man was terrifyingly formidable, but in the end, he had fallen for her trap, perishing under the Ghostly Apparitions. The reason for her certainty was that Yue Xiaoqian had never seen anyone survive the Ghostly Apparitions. It didn¡¯t matter whether the person was a regular human, the Xiaoyao, or even a Heavenly Being; anyone who fell into the trap of the Ghostly Apparitions was destined to die! Zhai the old Daoist roared and thought to come to Xue An¡¯s rescue. Yue Xiaoqian sneered, ¡°Old Zhai, is this the mere mortal you¡¯ve been talking about? If it weren¡¯t for this miss¡¯s prowess, I would have almost been fooled by your tricks too!¡± The old Zhai just wanted to say something. But then, a hand suddenly extended from the black fog that was thick like an enormous cocoon. A delicate and slender hand, very elegant. Yue Xiaoqian was stunned. Then, that hand violently tore through the air. The dense fog that seemed impenetrable was forcibly ripped apart. Xue An appeared in front of Yue Xiaoqian with an indifferent expression, smiling slightly, ¡°Quite interesting, but useless!¡± Yue Xiaoqian was so terrified that she turned and ran for her life. But before she could even scale the wall, Xue An had grabbed her ankle and violently slammed her down to the ground. Thump. Yue Xiaoqian was smashed and half her bones shattered on impact. As she tried to lift her head, Xue An stepped forward and planted his foot on her skull, speaking indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70: My Lord, Spare My Life! Chapter 70: Chapter 70: My Lord, Spare My Life! Translator: 549690339 ¡°Spare me, my lord, please!¡± Yue Xiaoqian¡¯s voice was trembling. It was only now that she realized this man was not someone she could afford to provoke. At this moment, Elder Zhai was also completely bewildered. Having not seen him for several years, how had Xue An become so formidable? ¡°I¡¯ve said that no one will leave here alive tonight!¡± As he spoke, Xue An prepared to exert pressure with his foot, and Yue Xiaoqian screamed in terror. ¡°My lord, please spare me, spare my life. I am from the Wangui Sect. If you kill me, you will never have peace in the future.¡± At this time, Elder Zhai also said, ¡°Xiao An, it¡¯s fine to kill this person, but her backing from the Wangui Sect is very troublesome to provoke.¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°I have a habit, the less advisable it is to provoke, the more I want to try.¡± With that, he pressed down with his foot. Crack. Yue Xiaoqian¡¯s head was crushed to pieces. Elder Zhai had not expected Xue An to be so decisively murderous. As he hesitated, a black mist rose from Yue Xiaoqian¡¯s corpse. Under the moonlight, it twisted and eventually took on the appearance of Yue Xiaoqian. Elder Zhai¡¯s expression grew solemn. As expected of someone from the Wangui Sect, she had turned into a fierce ghost in such a short time after death. The spirit of Yue Xiaoqian looked at Xue An with a face full of resentment. ¡°The young master of our Wangui Sect will soon arrive at Mount Qingmang. Then you and this old man Zhai will both die!¡± As she spoke, Yue Xiaoqian¡¯s form began to fade, ready to flee the place. Her heart was filled with rage at the moment. Xue An¡¯s stomp had ruined the physical body she had finally acquired, the equivalent of damaging decades of her cultivation. But just at this moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I said, no one will leave here alive tonight! Not even ghosts.¡± As he spoke, Xue An suddenly reached out, his hand extending into the void, and grabbed the fading Yue Xiaoqian back. It was at this moment that Yue Xiaoqian understood what extreme fear was, her face full of disbelief. ¡°Spare my life, my lord.¡± This was her last utterance left in this world. The next second, her soul was scattered by a flick from Xue An, reduced to nothingness. Her soul dispersed, never to return. The most tragic end. At that same time, flames rose from the corpses of Niu Yiwan and Yue Xiaoqian, instantly incinerating their bodies to ash. Elder Zhai¡¯s eyelids jumped at the sight. Xue An then took out a small bottle and threw it to Elder Zhai. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°For healing.¡± Elder Zhai opened the bottle, and a refreshing fragrance filled the air. Elder Zhai¡¯s spirits were lifted, knowing just by the scent that this elixir was no ordinary item. He poured out the medicine elixir and swallowed it. Soon, a warmth spread through his belly. Daoist Elder Zhai spat out a mouthful of congested blood and then felt completely refreshed, in the best state he had ever been. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡± Xue An sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, looking at Daoist Elder Zhai. ¡°The Wangui Sect came to me three months ago, wanting to get a treasure from me to deal with a Jiaolong in Mount Qingmang that is about to undergo transformation.¡¯ Xue An nodded, ¡°And then?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t give it to them, of course. That Jiaolong is the life-saving benefactor of my master. Before he died, he specifically asked me to take good care of it. It was expected that it would take at least a hundred years to transform.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know why, it¡¯s suddenly showing signs of transformation recently. You know, a Jiaolong is at its weakest when it¡¯s undergoing transformation. Combined with the Dragon-seeking Disk, there¡¯s a chance to subdue it.¡± ¡°A Jiaolong, huh¡­ That¡¯s a spiritual beast! That¡¯s why many sects have set their hearts on it, Wangui Sect being the most eager.¡± Xue An understood. The Jiaolong they were talking about must be the one in the Blackwater Pond of Mount Qingmang. He didn¡¯t expect that after he gave it a Demon Cultivator Cultivation Technique, its progress would be so fast that it was about to transform and transcend. At this moment, Daoist Elder Zhai hesitated before saying, ¡°Xiao An, take advantage of the fact that it¡¯s not yet dawn, and quickly take your daughter and friend and leave!¡± ¡°Leave? Why should I leave?¡± ¡°These people are not to be trifled with, especially the young master of Wangui Sect, whose divine skills are said to be immeasurable.¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°If I leave, what will you do?¡± Daoist Elder Zhai looked affectionately at the dilapidated Daoist temple, ¡°I have been here since I was young, at first with my master. After he passed away, I¡¯ve been living alone. After so many years, I¡¯ve grown attached, so I won¡¯t leave!¡± ¡°But you¡¯re different, this matter has nothing to do with you. You¡¯ll just be implicated by staying here. Hurry up and go, take this bank card as well, money has no meaning for me now!¡± Daoist Elder Zhai said with a serious face. Xue An did not take it, just looked at Daoist Elder Zhai and suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯ve suddenly become so formal; it makes me quite uncomfortable.¡± Daoist Elder Zhai gave a bitter smile and took out his wine gourd to drink a few more gulps, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve experienced these past few years; I can¡¯t see through you anymore. But listen to me, you should still go!¡± Xue An turned his head to look into the distance, ¡°Talking about it now is already too late¡­ They¡¯ve arrived!¡± As expected, it wasn¡¯t long before a noisy clamor of people could be heard in the distance. Daoist Elder Zhai¡¯s expression changed before he reverted to the image of the dirty, broken-down and slovenly old Daoist. But the arrivals weren¡¯t from Wangui Sect as imagined, but rather a group of about a dozen people, old and young, men and women, all wearing mountaineering clothes and equipped with gear. The one leading was a man with an arrogant face who, upon seeing a slovenly old Daoist sitting in the courtyard, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Hey, old man, we¡¯re staying here for the night, hurry up and clean up the place.¡± After saying this, he tossed a stack of money at Daoist Elder Zhai. Daoist Elder Zhai did not get up, just chuckled, ¡°Sorry, the Daoist temple already has guests staying, you¡¯re too late!¡± The young man frowned and looked over at Xue An, who was sitting aside, then said, ¡°Are you the ones staying here? Move out now, how much do you want?¡± This young man obviously didn¡¯t care about money. Xue An shook his head and held up a finger. ¡°Ten thousand, right? Fine!¡± The young man did not hesitate. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Give me a billion, and I¡¯ll leave right now! Remember¡­ I only want cash!¡± The young man¡¯s face suddenly changed, and he sneered scornfully, ¡°Have all the people in the mountains gone mad with poverty?¡± At this moment, a middle-aged man stepped forward to block the young man, ¡°Feng Shao, the bigger picture is more important.¡± Feng Shao¡¯s face was sullen, and he fell silent. The middle-aged man bowed to Daoist Elder Zhai, ¡°Daoist elder, since there is no place to stay, may we set up tents near the Daoist temple?¡± Daoist Elder Zhai nodded, ¡°That is naturally possible.¡± The equipment carried by this team was all top-of-the-line, and in no time, they erected a professional tent beside the Daoist temple. Daoist Elder Zhai said in a low voice at this time, ¡°It seems the waters are getting muddier.¡± Xue An was non-committal, merely saying coolly, ¡°The muddier the water, the easier it is to catch fish.. Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Are You My Aunt? Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Are You My Aunt? Translator: 549690339 This night was destined not to be calm. A very strange caravan had arrived at Qingmang Town, and what made it strange was that among the vehicles, there was actually a black palanquin. This mode of transportation, which should have been long extinct, had reappeared on the streets of Qingmang Town. At this moment, the caravan came to a stop. A few stout men approached the palanquin, bowing as they greeted whoever was inside. The curtain of the palanquin was lifted, and a man with deathly pale face stepped out, his eyes seeming to flicker with ghostly flames. The man looked up at Mount Qingmang, looming in the darkness, and said in a cold voice, ¡°Yue Xiaoqian and Niu Yiwan are dead!¡± His subordinates exchanged glances, fear evident in their eyes. A cold smile appeared on the man¡¯s lips, ¡°It seems there are traces of other sects as well, but unfortunately, what the Wan Gui Sect covets can only belong to us! Come, let¡¯s head up the mountain!¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master!¡± The man turned and reentered the palanquin, and then a bizarre scene unfolded. The palanquin unexpectedly rose into the air as if being carried by unseen forces, speeding towards the mountain. A ghostly levitation. If anyone else had witnessed this scene, they would have certainly cried out in shock. Shortly after this group went into the mountains, a few more vehicles slowly entered Qingmang Town, and the people who alighted turned out to be the young lady from Zhongdu. Someone had already inquired at Yue Lai Hotel; Xue An had gone up the mountain in the morning. The young lady furrowed her brows and then commanded, ¡°Head to the mountains!¡± Following her were several silent men in black, whose frames weren¡¯t particularly imposing, but their aura of lethality was not to be underestimated. The young lady led her people into the mountain as well. However, by the time they found the Daoist Temples, it was already bright daylight. Feng Shao, who had arrived the previous evening, stepped out from his tent with a somewhat gloomy expression. Having been accustomed to luxury, he was dissatisfied; despite the tent being of top quality, it still couldn¡¯t compare to the comfort of a room. He approached the doors of the Daoist Temples with resentment, just in time to see Hua Tingting and Tan Xiaoyu coming out, chatting and laughing. Feng Shao was dumbstruck. Never had he imagined that in such a deep mountain, he would encounter such beautiful girls. While he was still lost in a daze, a middle-aged man approached him. ¡°Feng Shao, it¡¯s time to set off!¡± Feng Shao nodded and then said to the elder priest, ¡°Old Dao, is there anything unusual about these mountains?¡± The elder priest¡¯s expression was unchanged. Before he could speak, Xue An said, ¡°I know!¡± Feng Shao looked at Xue An, ¡°You?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes! Aren¡¯t you looking for Black Water Pond?¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes brightened, then he gave Feng Shao a meaningful look. Feng Shao caught on, ¡°Right, then take us there, don¡¯t worry, there will be a generous reward for your help!¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Sure, I¡¯d like to have a look as well!¡± The elder priest¡¯s eyes flickered as he watched Xue An. He didn¡¯t know what Xue An was up to, hesitating several times as if wanting to speak, but in the end, he closed his mouth. As they were packing and preparing to leave, the young lady arrived with her entourage. When she saw Xue An, her face erupted with anger, and she charged over, pointing at Xue An¡¯s nose and cursing furiously. ¡°You damn Xue An!¡± Xue An was so stunned by the scolding, he looked at the girl who resembled an anime beauty with a sense of strangeness. He felt she looked somewhat familiar. The young lady scoffed, ¡°What? You don¡¯t recognize me anymore? Fine, after disappearing for four years, it seems you¡¯re living quite well. You even have beautiful girls around you. Let me ask you, do you have no conscience? My sister gave up so much for you; do you not feel any guilt?¡± Xue An felt a jolt through his body and then remembered who this girl was. An Yan¡¯s younger sister, his own sister-in-law. An Qing. But when he had first met her, she was only twelve or thirteen years old, just a child, which was why he had not recognized her. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but give a bitter smile, ¡°An Qing, I truly did not abandon your sister. These four years¡­ I really couldn¡¯t return! And these people, they¡¯re just my friends. Your sister¡­ is she doing well?¡± An Qing scoffed, ¡°Now you remember to ask? Where have you been all this time? I¡¯ll tell you, my sister broke with the family because of you, and later entered the monastic life, then her whereabouts became unknown!¡± Xue An¡¯s body shook once more, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes, ¡°Her whereabouts became unknown?¡± An Qing was about to say more, but the sudden assertiveness from Xue An made her unable to continue, and she could only nod. ¡°Yes, her whereabouts are unknown! I have been searching for her too!¡± Xue An fell silent for a moment, then shook his head solemnly, ¡°No matter what method I use, I will find Yan¡¯er!¡± Now, Xue An¡¯s divine sense could not cover much distance, but he believed that once his strength improved just a bit more, he could directly scan the entire Earth. When that time came, no matter where she was, he was going to find her. And Xue An had a feeling that his wife must be somewhere out there right now. An Qing came all aggressive, ready to accuse and ask questions, but upon seeing Xue An¡¯s declaration, her own heart softened first. During this time, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian bounded joyfully up to Xue An¡¯s side. Upon seeing these two little girls, An Qing¡¯s expression drastically changed. ¡°Are these¡­?¡± ¡°Papa, where are we going to play today?¡± This call of ¡°Papa¡± made An Qing unsteady, almost causing her to fall to the ground. ¡°Are these children my sister left behind?¡± An Qing asked, her voice trembling. Xue An nodded. Tears flowed down An Qing¡¯s face as she knelt and said, ¡°Come here, let auntie give you a hug!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian eyed the unfamiliar girl, feeling an unexplainable kinship but still shook their heads. ¡°Papa, who is she?¡± Xue An was silent for a moment, and then patted the two little girls¡¯ heads, ¡°She is your auntie!¡± As he spoke, Xue An¡¯s own heart was filled with sighs. In the past, he followed An Yan to visit the An Family just once. During that visit, he was utterly rejected by the entire An Family. At that time, no one in the An Family regarded him highly, except for An Qing, who didn¡¯t join in the mockery and disdain aimed at him then. Afterward, it was in a huff that he took his wife to Beijiang. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, a bit shy, still inched closer, ¡°Are you really our auntie?¡± An Qing, her tears rolling down, nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Where is our mother?¡± An Qing choked up a bit, ¡°Your mother has gone to a place far away, but she will be back soon!¡± ¡°Okay, Auntie, please don¡¯t cry,¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ever so well-behaved, began wiping An Qing¡¯s tears. An Qing embraced the two little girls in a tight hug, her heart filled with unspeakable sorrow. In a prominent family like the An Family, despite the luxury, there was often a deep loneliness. She had been close to her sister since childhood, but later events involving her sister were too much for her to accept. Especially An Yan¡¯s disappearance, which had dealt her a heavy blow. Now, having found her two nieces, naturally, her heart overflowed with joy.. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Jiaolong Transforms Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Jiaolong Transforms Translator: 549690339 Feng Chaochou watched from a distance with his arms folded, his eyes still retaining a trace of lingering astonishment. The moment he first saw An Qing, Feng Chaochou was stunned. Her beauty was different from that of Tan Xiaoyu and Hua Tingting¡ªit was the kind that made men involuntarily feel the urge to protect her. Especially matched with her animated character-like exquisite face. Commonly referred to as the ultimate ¡°Iolita.¡± Dammit, why does this guy have so many beauties around him? Feng Chaochou thought resentfully. Once I settle my important business, I¡¯ll find a way to take all these ladies for myself! As for Xue An. Feng Chaochou didn¡¯t pay him any attention. He came from the Feng Family in the provincial city, a legitimate wealthy household there. And in the provincial city, even across Beijiang, there had been no mention of a wealthy family bearing the surname Xue. So, he figured that Xue An was just a common man, that¡¯s all. Feng Chaochou was neither a martial artist nor a magician; his reason for coming to Mount Qingmang was solely because of that middle-aged man. The middle-aged man was named Zuo Yuqi, a renowned Feng Shui master in the provincial city. It was he who said that a magic artifact would appear in Mount Qingmang, suggesting that if it could be obtained and presented to his family, Feng Chaochou would undoubtedly become the Family Head of the Feng Family. That was why he had traveled hundreds of miles to this backwater. ¡°What are you guys up to?¡± An Qing asked at that moment. Before Xue An could speak, Feng Chaochou had already come forward, with a smile on his face he said, ¡°Hello, I am Feng Chaochou, from the Feng Family in the provincial city, maybe we could get to know each other!¡± An Qing gave him a cold glance and didn¡¯t bother with him at all. Feng Chaochou felt a bit embarrassed and wanted to come closer, but at that moment, the man by An Qing¡¯s side, without a change in expression, stepped forward and pushed Feng Chaochou to the side. Feng Chaochou was stunned, and his face darkened involuntarily. ¡°Feng Shao, it¡¯s better to prioritize important matters. I see the dragon energy is becoming more vibrant, we should hurry!¡± Zuo Yuqi, fearing that the grand opportunity would be ruined, promptly advised. Feng Chaochou snorted through his nose and turned to Xue An, asking, ¡°Where is Blackwater Pond?¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°It¡¯s just up ahead, follow me!¡± At this time, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said to An Qing, ¡°Auntie Auntie, Daddy is going to take us to see the big long worm!¡± The two little girls still remembered the Jiaolong in Blackwater Pond, but they called it the big long worm. Feng Chaochou sneered inwardly. Big long worm? That¡¯s really funny, they won¡¯t even know how they died when the time comes. An Qing¡¯s heart stirred, and she nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll also go have a look, is that alright?¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± The sudden inclusion of An Qing didn¡¯t elicit any particular reaction from Xue However, the several silent men by her side piqued Xue An¡¯s interest. Those men clearly had commendable skills, and they maintained silence throughout, conducting themselves in a disciplined manner. Could they be military personnel? A thought flashed through Xue An¡¯s mind. The journey from Lihua Valley to Blackwater Pond was not too far. The path was rugged and uneven, which made the travel slow. Xue An simply carried one daughter in each arm and then casually led the way at the front. This display of strength caught the attention of An Qing¡¯s bodyguards with a flash in their eyes. Just as Feng Chaochou¡¯s face was turning pale, feeling like he could barely hold on any longer. They arrived at Blackwater Pond. The place looked no different from when Xue An had left last time. However, upon arriving, Zuo Yuqi became excited. ¡°Yes, this is it! The Jiaolong is about to transform; it¡¯s a rare opportunity that comes once in a hundred years! Feng Shao, if we handle this well, not only will you control the Feng Family, you could also reach the summit of the provincial city¡¯s elite.¡± Feng Chaochou¡¯s expression turned to one of excitement as well. At that moment, the water in Blackwater Pond began to boil, and the sky, which had been clear, suddenly became overcast with clouds. ¡°It¡¯s happening! It¡¯s about to come out!¡± Zuo Yuqi muttered to himself, then with some regret, pulled out a set of small flags from his bosom and started planting them around Blackwater Pond. After inserting the objects, several red lines faintly appeared above the Black Water Pool. Suddenly, an immensely huge snakehead emerged from the Black Water Pool. Two horns had already formed on the head of the snake, and its pair of eyes were filled with agony. This sight sent a huge shock through An Qing, who had not taken the situation seriously before. Oh my god! Could there really be a Jiaolong? At first, An Qing thought it might just be some Giant Python. But she had not expected it to be such a divine creature. Several silent men immediately stood around An Qing to protect her. Thunder rumbled faintly in the sky. Suddenly. With a crack, a massive bolt of lightning streaked directly toward the Giant Python in the Black Water Pool. With this strike, the Giant Python let out a pained roar before plunging into the Black Water Pool, turning the water crimson with its blood. Many of the onlookers were scared silly. The elderly Daoist Zhai was especially excited, ¡°The Jiaolong is transforming, Master! That Jiaolong is about to ascend to the heavens!¡± But just then, another even more massive bolt of lightning shot toward the Black Water Pool. It completely ignored the resistance of the water and plunged straight in. The ground trembled as if a giant creature was struggling in pain. At the same time, the third bolt of lightning came. The first lightning strike was to transform the dragon¡¯s horns, the second was to shed the python¡¯s skin, and the third and final one was the Dragon¡¯s Ascension to Heaven! If it could withstand this hit, then the Jiaolong would completely transform into a dragon. But at this moment, the small flags arranged by Zuo Yuqi began to flicker. The lightning seemed unable to find the Black Dragon Pool and hovered above, then surprisingly dissipated. Zuo Yuqi was overjoyed! Meanwhile, the Giant Python thrust its head out fiercely, full of wounds but still extremely furious as it charged at Zuo Yuqi. ¡°Feng Shao! Now¡¯s the time!¡± Feng Chaochou wasn¡¯t foolish and knew that success or failure hinged on this moment, so he shouted, ¡°Quick! Take action!¡± Those who had come with him all pulled various firearms from the backpacks they carried on their backs. There was even a rocket launcher. This arsenal also took An Qing by surprise. To be able to procure such official equipment, the Feng Family¡¯s influence was not to be underestimated! ¡°Fire!¡± The firearms targeted the Giant Python and opened fire. The bullets struck the Giant Python, creating sparks everywhere. The hardness of its scales made Feng Chaochou click his tongue in wonder. But it also made his ambition burn even hotter. If he could tame it, who would dare to provoke him? But the Giant Python was clearly enraged. With a wide-open mouth, a blast of black mist surged directly toward Feng Chaochou and his men. Startled, Feng Chaochou hurriedly rolled out of the way to dodge the attack. Those behind him were enveloped by the black mist and crisply dissolved into the black water. Feng Chaochou was terrified out of his wits. Zuo Yuqi, with a grave expression, took out the last magical tool. It was a cinnabar essence stone he had prepared for years, specifically to deal with the Jiaolong on the verge of transformation. Once thrown, the Jiaolong would be at his command. At this thought, Zuo Yuqi¡¯s heart blazed with eagerness. In fact, his arduous journey here was not to assist Feng Chao but entirely for his own purposes. But at that moment, someone sneered, ¡°This Jiaolong belongs to the Wangui Sect.. The rest of you, scram!¡± Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Too Weak! Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Too Weak! Translator: 549690339 With the sound of his voice, a black sedan chair floated over from out of nowhere. This eerie sight made Feng Chaochou and the others glance sideways. Zuo Yuqi¡¯s face turned extremely grim. Wangui Sect was not something he could afford to provoke. Moreover, given the manner of this person¡¯s arrival, he was certainly no ordinary individual. As the sedan chair touched down, the young master of the Wangui Sect stepped out, surveyed everyone present with a look of scornful amusement at the corners of his mouth. ¡°This Jiaolong is mine. Everyone else, get lost!¡± Upon seeing this man, Zuo Yuqi¡¯s scalp tingled, but he still mustered his courage and said, ¡°Even the Wangui Sect should respect the order of arrival, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± No sooner had he spoken than Mu Qi scoffed coldly, ¡°Are you saying that you refuse to accept this?¡± Zuo Yuqi dared not speak any longer. However, Feng Chaochou was somewhat indignant and sneered, ¡°Who is this kid, playing tricks and pretending to be a ghost.¡± Ghost fire blazed in the eyes of Mu Qi, the young master of the Wangui Sect, and with a swing of his hand, he sent Feng Chaochou flying to the ground from a distance. This move sent shivers down the spines of many onlookers. ¡°You¡¯d better listen when I speak; otherwise, be careful, or I¡¯ll turn all of you into fierce ghosts!¡± Mu Qi warned ominously. He then looked greedily at the Jiaolong that had suffered severe injuries. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; if he could subjugate this Jiaolong, no one would dare to provoke the Wangui Sect. His own status would become even more secure. Thinking this, Mu Qi¡¯s heart grew even more fervent. He then took out several beads emitting a dim glow from his chest and threw them towards the Jiaolong. In mid-air, the beads quickly expanded and, following a few deafening explosions, the Jiaolong let out a painful roar as its scales were torn apart. Amidst the blood-soaked mess, the Jiaolong became completely enraged, opening its mouth to spew a cloud of black mist straight at Mu Qi. Mu Qi chuckled coldly, waved his hand, and countless tormented souls screamed as they flew towards the Jiaolong. The black mist was entirely neutralized by these tormented souls. Onlookers like Zuo Yuqi turned pale. This Mu Qi was incredibly domineering, intending to forcefully subjugate the Jiaolong with his own strength. IVIu eyes glowea witn Increasmg zeal. But just then, his tormented souls suddenly wailed and vanished into nothingness. Then someone sighed lightly, ¡°To be possessed by so many resentful souls, how many sins have you committed?¡± Mu Qi¡¯s expression darkened, and he turned to look at the speaker. Xue An was seen slowly walking into the centre of the scene. Upon seeing him, the Jiaolong¡¯s snake-like eyes brimmed with tears, and it let out a low, plaintive growl before bowing its head in submission. Xue An gently patted its head and smiled, ¡°This is also a tribulation you must endure. But rest assured, I am here!¡± The Jiaolong affectionately nudged Xue An. At this moment, Mu Qi, Zuo Yuqi, and the others looked even more somber. Feng Chaochou wore an expression of disbelief. How could the Jiaolong show such affection towards Xue An? And Old Master Zhai¡¯s gaze flickered, as if he had realized something. But the most shocked of all was An Qing. She could never have imagined witnessing so many unbelievable things in one day. At this time, Mu Qi sneered, ¡°Who is this kid, who doesn¡¯t know to steer clear when the Wangui Sect is at work?¡± Xue An revealed his white teeth with a chilling smile, ¡°So you are the young master of the Wangui Sect that Yue Xiaoqian mentioned?¡± Mu Qi was taken aback and then said darkly, ¡°You know Yue Xiaoqian? Then she¡­¡¯ Xue An nodded, ¡°I killed her!¡± Mu Qi smirked malevolently, ¡°Good, it has been a long time since someone dared to speak to me like this! You are the first! I will craft your soul into a Yin Thunder, condemning you to an eternity without reincarnation!¡± Feng Chaochou then asked Zuo Yuqi in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Zuo, what is Yin Thunder?¡± Zuo Yuqi¡¯s face was ashen, ¡°It is one of the most malicious techniques!¡± After hearing this, Feng Chaochou felt an inexplicable thrill inside. Fight! The more tragic, the better! Best if both parties suffer! Xue An then smiled indifferently and patted Jiaolong, who was looking aggrieved. ¡°Alright, after I¡¯ve dealt with this guy, I¡¯ll help you ascend to heaven!¡± he said. Mu Qi sneered, about to speak when suddenly, a flame appeared in Xue An¡¯s hand. The white flame burned fiercely. Mu Qi was taken aback, fear showing on his face. He felt an instinctive terror of the flame. Xue An said lightly, ¡°Looking at the resentment surrounding you, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re ruthless. Today, I shall take you down!¡± Mu Qi smirked disdainfully, ¡°Don¡¯t think with this little thing you can do anything. Watch my Wangui Sect¡¯s Heart-Devouring Ghosts!¡± As his words fell, the sky darkened, and countless wronged souls rushed towards Xue An. Zuo Yuqi and An Qing among others turned pale as they watched. It was indeed because the momentum was terrifying. Xue An didn¡¯t move. A cold smile curled on the corner of Mu Qi¡¯s mouth. He probably scared him stupid! Mu Qi thought. But at that moment, Xue An suddenly raised his head, and the flame in his hand expanded suddenly before he threw a punch. Boom! The wronged souls didn¡¯t even have the chance to wail before they dissipated into nothing. In the moment of Mu Qi¡¯s astonishment, Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn!¡± As he spoke, he was already close to Mu Qi, then slapped him across the face. Mu Qi intended to dodge, but his muscles were stiff. He could only watch helplessly as Xue An¡¯s palm struck him. Slap. A crisp sound. Mu Qi was sent flying dozens of meters away. After landing, he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and looked at Xue An with shock. Xue An stood with his hands behind his back and shook his head, ¡°Too weak!¡± Malice filled Mu Qi¡¯s face as he suddenly raised his hand, ¡°Die, all of you!¡± His followers instantly fell dead, and then, with a solemn expression, Mu Qi gathered their souls in his hand and snorted coldly, ¡°Sacrifice!¡± With a burst of black flames, the souls vanished. Then the earth shook. Something seemed to be crawling out from beneath the ground. Zuo Yuqi turned pale with shock. The ground suddenly shook violently, and a mass of dark aura that blotted out the sky rose up as a towering Ghost General appeared in the midst of the field. ¡°Mortals, why have you summoned me?¡± The giant voice echoed through the valley. At that, Mu Qi knelt, respectfully, ¡°Ghost King, someone is opposing my Wangui Sect. I beg you to display your divine power and execute them!¡± The Ghost King let out an insidious laugh, ¡°Fair enough, but the offerings from your Wangui Sect have been lacking lately.¡± Mu Qian wore a tense expression and quickly said, ¡°After this is done, our Wangui Sect will offer ten virgins to your service.¡± The Ghost King then smiled satisfactorily, turned to look at Xue An, and then froze. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Fear started to surface on the Ghost King¡¯s face. At this moment, Mu Qi said, ¡°Ghost King, this is the man!¡± As he spoke, Mu Qi looked triumphantly at Xue An, thinking you¡¯re done for now! This Ghost King was a formidable figure often worshipped by the Wangui Sect. But unexpectedly, the Ghost King now wore a flattering smile and spoke carefully, ¡°Your Excellency¡­. what brings you here?¡± Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Myriad Thunders Obey, The Dragon Ascends to the Sky! Chapter 74: Chapter 74: The Myriad Thunders Obey, The Dragon Ascends to the Sky! Translator: 549690339 My lord? The spectators were all perplexed. Especially Mu Qi, who was even more bewildered, ¡°Ghost King, this guy¡­¡±. Before he could finish his sentence, the Ghost King had already impatiently stomped down. Mu Qi didn¡¯t even have the chance to cry out before he was crushed into a pulp, and then the Ghost King said with a face full of panic, ¡°My lord, I truly didn¡¯t know it was you who had come here, please forgive me!¡± At this moment, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°You¡­ recognize me?¡± The Ghost King shivered, cursing his bad luck inwardly. ¡°My lord, I once accompanied the Ghost Saint to the Heavenly Realm and happened to see you there!¡± the Ghost King said cautiously. How could a Ghost King of his level have ever seen Xue An. It was only once when he had accompanied a power of the Netherworld Realm to a grand event in the Heavenly Realm that he caught a glimpse of Xue An from a distance. Back then, Xue An, seated at the foremost place, was respected by all the powers of the Heavenly Realm. Such grandeur left a lasting impression on the Ghost King. The Ghost Saint who had taken him there warned, ¡°If you see this person in the future, stay as far away as possible, and do not provoke him!¡± The Ghost King had etched this into his memory, never expecting to encounter Xue An in the mortal world. At this moment, the Ghost King¡¯s heart was trembling. Even though Xue An¡¯s presence wasn¡¯t strong at the moment, he didn¡¯t dare show any disrespect. After all¡­ that was the Immortal Venerable! A figure who could create or destroy an entire realm with just a gesture! Compared to him, what was he even worth? Xue An nodded, ¡°You are quite sensible!¡± If the Ghost King could sweat, he probably would have been drenched in cold sweat by now, hurriedly nodding his head and bowing, ¡°Yes, yes, yes! My lord, do you have any other orders?¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I heard that this Wangui Sect often makes sacrifices to you?¡± The Ghost King shuddered, saying in a rush, ¡°My lord, I have no ties with this Wangui Sect, they just often make sacrifices to the Netherworld, so occasionally they reach out to me!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Do they use living souls for the sacrifices?¡± The Ghost King felt like crying, cursing the Wangui Sect inwardly. Who else could have been provoked but such an ancestor? Was he courting death? At this time, Xue An waved his hand, ¡°Let it be, I will spare you this time. Do you know what to do in the future?¡± The Ghost King nodded vigorously, patting his chest, ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I understand!¡± ¡°Be gone!¡± The Ghost King, feeling like he had received a great pardon, quickly slipped back into the time-space rift from which he had come. Damn it, it looks like I¡¯ll have to eat less of the mortal world¡¯s incense offerings in the future! Otherwise, my little life is in jeopardy! Then, Xue An looked down at the corpse of Mu Qi, smiling faintly, and with a flick of his finger. A speck of light emerged from Mu Qi¡¯s body and settled into Xue An¡¯s hand, then took on the appearance of Mu Qi. This was Mu Qi¡¯s soul. But now, Mu Qi¡¯s face was filled with terror. He had heard the conversation between the Ghost King and Xue An, and even a powerful being like the Ghost King was utterly deferential to Xue An. What exactly was his background? Mu Qi couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply frightened, not daring to leave his body and hoping that Xue An would spare him. Unfortunately, he had underestimated Xue An¡¯s ability to hold a grudge. ¡°I said that today I would collect you!¡± Xue An said impassively. Mu Qi¡¯s soul kept bowing in Xue An¡¯s palm, frantically pleading, ¡°Spare my life, my lord, spare my life! I was blind and offended you, I beg you to forgive me!¡± ¡°Forgive you? But those souls you have harmed, did you ever spare them?¡± Xue An spoke, and a pure white flame rose again in the palm of his hand. With a cry of agony, Mu Qi was burned to nothingness. His soul dispersed, never to be heard from again. The room fell into a deathly silence. Elder Zhai stared dumbfounded, muttering to himself under his breath, ¡°Xiao An, what have you gone through in these four years?¡± And people like Feng Chaochou and Zuo Yuqi were even more terrified, not daring to raise their heads. Especially Feng Chaochou, at this moment his heart was filled with panic. He actually still thought about dealing with this man? It was really overestimating himself! And Zuo Yuqi at this time, was almost ready to kneel down. Because he understood just how terrifying that Ghost King was. It could even be said that if that Ghost King snapped his fingers, everyone present would be shattered to souls and spirits. And yet, such a terrifying being was showing utmost respect towards Xue An. The origins of Xue An were something Zuo Yuqi didn¡¯t even dare to think about. And at this moment, the overcast clouds in the sky gradually started to disperse, and the expression on the Jiaolong became increasingly pained. Xue An looked up and said indifferently, ¡°Now, I will help you ascend to the heavens!¡± As he spoke, he suddenly leaped into the air, pointing one hand towards the sky, and softly shouted, ¡°Listen to my command, thunder!¡± With a series of rumbling sounds, the previously thinning clouds suddenly thickened, and within the swirling vortex in the center, there were faint flashes of lightning. The Jiaolong raised its head, a glint of determination flashing through its serpentine eyes. At that moment, Xue An shouted lightly, ¡°Strike!¡± A gigantic bolt of lightning, half a mile thick, plunged downward. The thunder roared deafeningly, its brightness illuminating the sky! All people trembled under the might of heaven and earth! An Qing and the guards who followed her were all shocked, especially An Qing, who murmured to herself. ¡°Sis, brother-in-law seems to have become an Immortal Venerable!¡± The lightning bolt headed straight for Jiaolong, and the small flags set up by Zuo Yuqi didn¡¯t even struggle before they turned to ash. The Jiaolong let out a huge roar and rose from the pool, charging towards the lightning bolt. With a huge bang. Mount Qingmang itself trembled. Xue An stood in midair with his hands behind his back and said indifferently, ¡°This thunder, that¡¯s what you call a dragon ascending to the heavens!¡± Accompanied by his words, a dragon¡¯s roar that penetrated heaven and earth rang out. Under this strike of lightning, the Jiaolong completely shed its python skin, the python scales receded, and dragon scales emerged! Dragon horns stood tall and magnificent, with a pair of dragon claws growing on its underside! Since then, a Giant Dragon with a camel-like head, deer-like horns, rabbit-like eyes, ox-like ears, snake-like neck, mirage-like belly, carp-like scales, eagle-like claws, and tiger-like palms emerged before everyone. Everyone was stunned. Zuo Yuqi, even more, said blankly, ¡°It¡¯s a Five-clawed dragon! This is ascension in one step!¡± The Giant Dragon rolled in the sky and then flew down to Xue An¡¯s feet, carrying him directly. This was the true definition of riding a dragon to ascend to the heavens! Xue An smiled and then said, ¡°Bring my two daughters over!¡± The Giant Dragon obediently landed on the ground, and Xue An stretched out his hand towards his two daughters, ¡°Come, Daddy will take you to play!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian came over without any fear. Then Xue An also said to Elder Zhai and An Qing, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Elder Zhai was trembling all over at this moment. This Jiaolong was the reason he resided in Mount Qingmang and the sentiment of his late master. Naturally, he felt joy seeing the Jiaolong ascend to the heavens. Once everyone was on the dragon¡¯s back, Xue An said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The Giant Dragon roared and shot straight up into the sky. It quickly disappeared above the heavens. Zuo Yuqi and Feng Chaochou stood stupefied for a while before looking at each other. ¡°Mr. zuo¡­.¡¯ Zuo Yuqi, his spirit crushed, waved his hand, ¡°Feng Shao, let¡¯s go! This man is not someone we can afford to provoke!¡± Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Wangui Sect… Destroyed! Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Wangui Sect¡­ Destroyed! Translator: 549690339 After everyone came down, Xue An pointed towards the distant Yunmeng Lake, ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll stay in this lake, understand?¡± Jin Long nodded, then soared into the sky and flew into the lake. Although Yunmeng Lake was not too vast, it was still ample space for it. Moreover, Xue An had modified this place, so the Spiritual Energy in Yunmeng Lake was even thicker than in the Black Water Pool. Jin Long joyfully circled the lake and then sank to the bottom. Xue An smiled, actually, this golden dragon had just transformed, and had yet to master many Divine Skills, but once it became proficient, it could reduce its form and even transform into other creatures. Of course, if it wanted to take on a human form, that would require decades of arduous cultivation. And when the door was opened, Tang Xuan¡¯er, wearing pajamas and with sleep-filled eyes, walked out. She hadn¡¯t expected Xue An to return so soon. However, as soon as An Oing saw Tang Xuan¡¯er, her expression turned even uglier. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s this about?¡± Xue An¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°A friend.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± Xue An nodded lightly, and said calmly, ¡°To be precise, she is the benefactor who raised Xue Xiang and Nian Nian.¡± An Qing swallowed back her words and her gaze towards Tang Xuan¡¯er softened. ¡°Hello, my name is An Qing, I¡¯m Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian¡¯s aunt.¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er nodded, ¡°I¡¯m Tang Xuan¡¯er!¡± As for the men in black who followed An Qing, they had already left beforehand during their time in Qingmang Town. An Qing made it clear that although she had joined the Phoenix Immortal, she was an external operative and didn¡¯t need to report for duty unless summoned. Xue Xiang and Nian Nian insisted on sleeping with Tang Xuan¡¯er that night. After everything was settled, Xue An sat on the sofa in the living room. At that moment, An Qing came over and sat next to Xue An. ¡°You¡¯re doing quite well for yourself! This villa is quite valuable!¡± ¡°It was a gift,¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°Where have you been these four years? Why no word at all?¡± After a long silence, Xue An sighed lightly and said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told you, but you can rest assured that I¡¯ve done nothing to dishonor your sister.¡± An Qing nodded, ¡°Whether you did or didn¡¯t, that¡¯s up to your conscience, but I¡¯ve decided, I won¡¯t leave Beijiang just yet!¡± ¡°I need to keep an eye on you! Until my sister comes back!¡± An Qing said fiercely. But her appearance resembled that of a middle school student; her chubby, rosy cheeks lacked any semblance of intimidation, no matter how fierce her expression. Xue An laughed, ¡°Fine by me!¡± Meanwhile, in a desolate mountain range somewhere. Below a black altar, dozens of elderly figures were kneeling. The person at the forefront, holding a skull cane, had two ghostly flames flickering in his eyes, looking extremely menacing. ¡°Mu Qi is dead, his soul destroyed; our Wangui Sect has never before suffered such humiliation. Therefore, I have decided that the Wangui Sect will re-enter the mortal world to avenge Qi!¡± the elder roared angrily. He was the Sect Leader of the Wangui Sect and Mu Qi¡¯s father, Mu Qian! ¡°Yes!¡± the people below responded thunderously. ¡°Sacrifice!¡± Mu Qian commanded. Several young girls were pushed onto the altar, just as they were about to have their throats slit for the sacrifice. A mass of black fog drifted up from beneath the altar, and the entire cavern began to shake. Mu Qian was overjoyed, ¡°Could it be that the powers of the Ghost Realm are showing sympathy for our Wangui Sect¡¯s plight, coming to our aid?¡± As he spoke, he led the way in kneeling down, his expression one of fervent devotion as he kowtowed ceaselessly. At that moment, a Ghost King materialized in the cavern through the altar, none other than the one from the Blackwater Pond. Upon seeing the Ghost King, Mu Qian was even more overjoyed. ¡°Lord Ghost King, to have you grace the mortal realm is an honor. A great misfortune has befallen our Wangui Sect. Someone has killed my son, obliterating even his soul. I beg of you, Lord Ghost King, to lend us your aid!¡± The Ghost King looked down at the prostrating Wangui Sect members with a sinister gaze and said coldly, ¡°You are the Sect Leader of the Wangui Sect?¡± Mu Qian crawled forward a few steps. ¡°Lord Ghost King, I am indeed the Sect Leader of the Wangui Sect! I have always presided over the sacrifices offered to you!¡± As he spoke, Mu Qian revealed a sycophantic smile. The Ghost King nodded slightly, then suddenly swung a heavy slap across. A gust of eerie wind blew as Mu Qian was slapped straight into the cavern¡¯s wall, turning into mush, impossible to peel off. This scene left everyone in the cavern dumbstruck. It was then that the Ghost King, with a face full of anger, said, ¡°You blind fools, to have provoked Immortal Venerable and almost caused my end. Now you expect me to seek revenge for you? Heh, it seems like you have no more need to remain in the mortal realm!¡± With that, the Ghost King stretched out his hand and a ghastly wind arose as evil spirits emerged. Shrieks of agony filled the entire cavern, turning it into a slaughterhouse. After a moment, everyone was killed, their blood flowed everywvhere. The Ghost King snorted coldly, and with a stamp of his foot, countless specks of light rose from the corpses. Mu Qian¡¯s soul was the strongest among them. As Mu Qian¡¯s soul drifted toward the Ghost King, it continued to plead. ¡°Lord Ghost King, why have you struck down our Wangui Sect? You must know that we often offer sacrifices to the Ghost Realm!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± bellowed the Ghost King. ¡°These sacrifices were voluntary! Besides, you meddled with someone you shouldn¡¯t have. You can¡¯t blame me for this. Come now, you will all follow me to the Ghost Realm, the mortal realm has no place for you anymore!¡± With that, he grabbed at the specks of light, heedless of their wailing, and returned directly to the Ghost Realm. Upon entering the Ghost Realm, these souls would become slaves with a most pitiful fate. As for the altar, it crumbled into pieces after the Ghost King¡¯s departure, rendered useless. With that, the once powerful Wangui Sect was completely eradicated. In Chinatown of M Country. The elderly man who sat drinking tea opposite Yu Ling that day now sat in silence on a chair. After a long while, he finally spoke to the person beside him, ¡°Have you found anything out?¡± Someone beside him replied, ¡°Elder, we¡¯ve found that this person seems to have some connection to the An Family in Zhongdu, but apart from that, he¡¯s just an ordinary person!¡± ¡°The An Family?¡± the old man muttered to himself, his expression gradually turning solemn. He was Han Jun, the Sect Leader of the Tang Sect in M Country. In M Country, the Tang Sect was a major organization among the Chinese community. His acquaintance with Yu Ling was also due to Yu Ling having once been part of the Tang Sect. However, Yu Ling later left the Tang Sect to focus on his martial arts training. But who would have thought that, thirty years later after returning to action, he would die in Huaxia, killed by a young man whose name had never been heard before. The Martial Arts Congress was strictly off-limits to recording, so he had only seen a few sporadic, secretly taken photos. But based on eyewitness accounts, he knew that this Xue An was no ordinary person. Being in M Country, it was impossible for him to seek revenge for his friend. Should it just be left at that? After a moment of silence, Han Jun said, ¡°Send someone to Lingnan.¡± ¡°Tell the Yu Family in Lingnan that the person who killed their kin is this Xue An, who rose to prominence in the Martial Arts Congress!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Truly Delicious Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Truly Delicious Translator: 549690339 The warm spring breeze hits her face, and the air is filled with a restless spring vibe. On this spring evening, in front of the Number One Tian Villa, a family barbecue is underway. Brand-new grills are lined up in a row, with an array of skewers neatly arranged on top. Xue An stands in front of the grill, occasionally sprinkling various seasonings on top, his movements as smooth and fluid as drifting clouds and flowing water. A rich aroma of barbecue gradually begins to waft through the air. Not far away, Xue Xiang, Xue Nian, and an exceptionally ugly Pekingese are all squatting on the ground, drooling as they quietly wait. An Qing and Tang Xuan¡¯er are helping to cut meat and thread skewers on the side. Initially, An Qing didn¡¯t want to do this, but she couldn¡¯t resist the allure of the barbecue; Xue An had said that if you don¡¯t work, you don¡¯t get to eat. With no other choice, the second young miss of the An Family had to start helping reluctantly. From time to time, she would sneak a peek at the skewers on the grill, turning a golden brown and emitting a tantalizing aroma. It¡¯s not that she had never had barbecue before; when in Zhongdu, if she wanted, world-class barbecue masters would present her with skewers made from the finest ingredients within ten minutes. But, those so-called delicacies paled in comparison to Xue An¡¯s barbecue. The first time she tried it, An Qing was stunned. She never imagined that there could be such delicious barbecue in the world. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t understand how Xue An could create such incredibly delicious barbecue with such ordinary ingredients. She had asked Xue An before, and at that time, Xue An had simply said, ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ their barbecue has no soul!¡± This answer left An Qing totally bewildered. What does it mean to have no soul? Does eating barbecue really require a soul? In fact, the fire Xue An used while barbecuing was generated by True Yuan. It¡¯s one of a kind in this world, with no second one to be found. The charcoal at the base was made from various rare woods, which would probably make any expert grieve and exclaim that it was a sinful waste. The most important point was that these meats were vibrated apart by Xue An¡¯s internal power while being barbecued. This made them absorb the flavors more deeply during the process. Under such conditions, who could compete? The first batch of skewers was ready, and Xue An affectionately gave them to his two daughters first. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian¡¯s little faces were smeared with grease as they ate. The Pekingese looked on eagerly, hoping to catch some fallen scraps of meat. Xue An sighed and said with some frustration, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be a dragon, but look at how little ambition you have!¡± Indeed, this exceptionally ugly Pekingese was the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon transformed. In just a few days inside Yunmeng Lake, the Jiaolong had turned into this Pekingese. Moreover, it shamelessly followed Xue Xiang and Xue Nian around, all for the sake of getting some good food. ¡°Papa, Xiao Sha is so cute, don¡¯t talk about it like that!¡± Xue Xiang said, throwing her used bamboo skewer to it. Xiao Sha immediately caught it and then greedily licked the leftover morsels of meat on the skewer, making utterly satisfied humming sounds. At this moment, the heart of this golden dragon was crying out, roaring! Five hundred years! Five hundred years! I stayed in the mountains for five hundred years, living on fish every day, only to discover today that there is such delicious food in the world. Just to eat these skewers, from now on, I must be the loyal pet of my little masters. Indeed. At that moment, Xue Xiang clapped her hands. ¡°Xiao Sha, perform a handstand for Papa to see!¡± With a skewer in its mouth, Xiao Sha didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately stood up on its hind legs, walking around Xue Xiang and Xue Nian with its front paws. The two little girls laughed cheerfully at the antic. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of amusement and dismay as he watched. What was this? Selling dragon dignity for a skewer of barbecue? Then, Qin Yu arrived. As soon as she got out of the car and smelled the rich aroma, her eyes lit up. ¡°It smells so good!¡± Then looking at Xue An who was barbecuing, she smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, I didn¡¯t know you had such a skill!¡± Xue An smiled slightly and handed over a skewer of sizzling chicken wings, ¡°Wanna try?¡± Qin Yu hesitated for a moment, but still took it. The moment it touched her mouth, her eyes went wide. ¡°How does it taste?¡± Qin Yu wolfed down the rest of the chicken wings, then sighed and said ruefully, ¡°I guess I won¡¯t be able to enjoy any other barbecue after this.¡± At that moment, An Qing felt dissatisfied, ¡°Why does she get to eat a skewer without doing any work?¡± ¡°Keep talking, and you won¡¯t get any of the leftovers either!¡± Xue An said indifferently. An Qing shut her mouth. She harbored silent resentment, just wait until my sister gets back! At this time, Qin Yu smiled and then joined in, starting to wash the vegetables and cut the meat. If anyone else saw this scene, their eyes would probably pop out. The venerable junior director of Longtai Group, the eldest daughter of the Qin Family, was actually doing the work of an assistant here. When the barbecue was almost ready, they laid out the table and everyone sat around, starting to eat skewers and drink beer. ¡°Mr. Xue, tomorrow our Longtai Group is opening a new plaza in town with a fashion show and various activities. You can bring your daughter to take a look!¡± An Qing¡¯s eyes lit up. A fashion show! Doesn¡¯t that mean there will be lots of beautiful clothes? Women always love shopping, no matter when it is. So, before Xue An could speak, she said, ¡°Yes, yes! Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, tomorrow your aunt will take you out to have fun!¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm!¡± The two little girls, with their mouths full of meat, nodded vaguely and continued to eat heartily. ¡°Wow, this Pekingese¡­ looks so unique!¡± Qin Yu exclaimed upon seeing Xiao Sha. Xiao Sha glanced at Qin Yu, too lazy to pay her any attention, and continued to devour the pile of skewers with much gusto. Qin Yu placed the skewer she was holding on the ground, ¡°Come on, have this!¡± Xiao Sha hesitated for a moment, pondering between dignity and deliciousness, then after a second of consideration, made its decision resolutely. Wagging its tail, it approached and started eating a big chunk. Qin Yu stroked Xiao Sha¡¯s head amusedly, ¡°Cute little thing, you certainly look unique!¡± Those who knew Xiao Sha¡¯s origins, like An Qing and the rest, could not help but sweat profusely. Can this thing really be described as unique? Unexpectedly, Xiao Sha seemed quite pleased to let Qin Yu stroke it, with no sign of anger at all. Xue An was finding it hard to restrain himself. He even began to wonder whether he had rescued a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon or just a food-obsessed Pekingese? ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡± ¡°¡­Uh, Auntie Qin, we call it Xiao Sha!¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°Xiao Sha, huh!¡± Qin Yu looked at the peculiar-looking Pekingese and then nodded, ¡°That¡¯s quite fitting.¡± After Xiao Sha finished the skewer, it raised its head and looked at Qin Yu with a pair of watery, shiny black eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Auntie Qin, it¡¯s begging you for food! Haven¡¯t you heard? A Pekingese dog, sitting by the door, eyes shiny black, longing for a bone!¡± Xue Nian giggled and said. Realizing, Qin Yu offered another skewer, ¡°Come on, bow!¡± A flash of anger flickered in Xiao Sha¡¯s eyes. It was, after all, a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, a being of supreme dignity among mystical creatures! This woman¡­ was being far too presumptuous! ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t you want it?¡± Qin Yu tantalized with the skewer in her hand. Then, to everyone¡¯s stunned amazement, Xiao Sha stood up on its front legs and began to bow earnestly. Qin Yu, satisfied, threw the skewer to it. Xiao Sha caught it in its mouth and gave Qin Yu an indifferent glance before turning away. Hmm¡­. The skewers grilled by the grown-up, truly delicious! Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Mu Yangquan Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Mu Yangquan Translator: 549690339 Longtai Plaza. It was a brand new commercial plaza established by Longtai Group at the heart of Beijiang City. Claimed to be a twenty-billion Euro investment, it boasted the most comprehensive business model and the highest-end shopping and entertainment complex in the city. Today was its grand opening. In the morning, the place had already been bustling, with reporters from all over coming to cover the event. Many citizens had come early as well. Because today, Longtai Plaza was hosting a fashion show. Rumors said that there would be famous models from abroad and top designers from Italy in attendance. This was a first for Beijiang, a truly unprecedented event. When Xue An arrived at the entrance of the plaza, a large crowd had already gathered, holding flags as if waiting for someone. Xue An stepped out of the car with the two little girls, accompanied by An Qing and Tang Xuan¡¯er, and they made their way towards the entrance. Then, from behind, someone cheered, ¡°Here they come, here they come!¡± The crowd surged, nearly pushing Xue Xiang and Xue Xiang to the ground. Xue An frowned, stretched out his hand to scoop his daughters into his arms, and then like a rock steadfast in the torrent, he pushed aside the oncoming tide of people. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Master Barber is about to arrive, and you¡¯re blocking the way?¡± a man with pants so long they dragged on the ground and dyed yellow hair scolded angrily. Xue An frowned, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m talking to you! Master Barber is right; you Huaxia people just don¡¯t have any class!¡± sneered the man, looking down at Xue An¡¯s ¡°rustic¡± attire. ¡°You Huaxia people?¡± Xue An repeated, then smiled faintly, ¡°Then pray tell, who might you be?¡± ¡°Me? Of course, I¡¯m not like you. Master Barber said that if my clothing designs win acclaim at the fashion show, he¡¯ll take me to immigrate!¡± exclaimed the man, his face alight with excitement. Xue An¡¯s face darkened. Constant mention of Master Barber and belittling his compatriots. Such a person seemed to have no need to exist in this world. At that moment, an Italian with meticulously trimmed stubble and wearing a carefully designed suit walked over. ¡°Master Barber! You¡¯ve arrived!¡± The man was extremely excited, speaking fluent Italian. Master Barber nodded arrogantly, but his gaze fell on An Qing, standing next to Xue An, and a flash of admiration lit up his eyes. ¡°This beautiful lady, your attire is the most stunning I have seen since I entered Huaxia,¡± he remarked. An Qing wore what she considered a very ordinary outfit today, but because all of her clothes were custom-made and brought over from Zhongdu, even a plain piece was of considerable value. That was why Master Barber was somewhat taken aback. ¡°Master Barber is right; these Huaxia people usually wear only filthy and shabby clothes. It¡¯s revolting!¡± the man said obsequiously. His manner was so off-putting that even An Qing felt repulsed, deliberately asking, ¡°Oh, could you tell me the name of this distinguished designer?¡± ¡°My English name is Kaman; as for my Chinese name¡­ it¡¯s better left unsaid!¡± said Kaman. In the meantime, Master Barber could no longer contain himself, completely ignoring Xue An, he leaned in close, attempting to bestow a hand-kissing gesture on An Qing. In the days since he had arrived in Huaxia, this move had nearly always been met with success. Many Huaxia women were curious about this foreigner, even taking the initiative to start conversations with him. But none of them were as pretty as the girl before him. She even had an aristocratic aura about her that could usually only be felt among the nobility of the European Imperial Family. But he had the wrong idea. Having seen plenty of these so-called foreign friends in Zhongdu who thought they could pick up girls just because they had a foreign face, An Qing simply stepped back without a change in her expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but here in Huaxia, we don¡¯t indulge in that sort of thing!¡± A look of disappointment flashed across Baber¡¯s face before he retorted, ¡°In our Italy, it is nothing more than common courtesy, this beautiful lady, you might have misunderstood!¡± Kaman added, ¡°That¡¯s right, Huaxia people are truly too conservative and feudal¡­ He didn¡¯t finish his sentence because, at that moment, Xue Xiang, who was being held by Xue An, piped up, ¡°Daddy, that man¡¯s trousers are really strange!¡± Xue An nodded, his voice indifferent, ¡°For people who don¡¯t even care about their own face, it doesn¡¯t matter if their pants fall down.¡± These words turned Kaman¡¯s face extremely ugly. Baber frowned as well. He took a look at Xue An and, seeing only a slender Huaxia man, became somewhat disdainful. ¡°So this is the level of Huaxia people¡¯s cultivation¡­¡± ¡°What level? If you don¡¯t like it, you can go back to your Italy,¡± said Xue An expressionlessly. Baber was taken aback; this was the first time since his arrival in Huaxia that anyone had dared to speak to him like this. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, whether Baber or Kaman. If you¡¯re on Huaxia soil, you must follow Huaxia¡¯s rules, or else¡­ get lost! Do you understand the word ¡®get lost¡¯?¡± Xue An spoke in an icy tone. Baber¡¯s face grew increasingly ugly. At that moment, a group of people approached, and at the forefront was a woman in her twenties dressed in a professional suit. She arrived in front of Baber, her face full of admiration and respect. ¡°Master Baber, you¡¯ve finally come! The fashion show is about to start!¡± Baber¡¯s face turned ash-blue, ¡°Sorry, I think I need to reconsider our cooperation! ¡± The woman was stunned, then hurriedly asked, ¡°Master Baber, what happened? Why the sudden change of heart?¡± Baber pointed at Xue An and said coldly, ¡°The people here are too unfriendly and lack manners! I must protest, I must complain!¡± The woman glanced at Xue An, then spoke with anger, ¡°Who are you! Do you realize how important this is to Longtai Square? Quickly apologize to Master Baber! ¡± ¡°Apologize? Why should I apologize?¡± Xue An said, a playful look on his face. The woman angrily said, ¡°Because you have insulted our foreign friend and disrupted our business, apologize now! Otherwise, we¡¯ll have you thrown out immediately!¡± Xue An laughed out of extreme anger and suddenly asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I am Dai Yue, the manager in charge of market operations dispatched here by Longtai Group!¡± Dai Yue declared proudly. She could tell at a glance that Xue An, dressed casually, was not an important figure. But Master Baber was someone she had personally brought in at great expense. What if something went wrong? Xue An nodded, ¡°So you are Dai Yue, I thought¡­ your name was Mu Yangquan.¡± Dai Yue didn¡¯t understand what he meant at first, but after a moment, when she got it, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble with rage. At that moment, Baber and Kaman were standing by, arms folded, enjoying the spectacle. Baber was sure these Huaxia people would inevitably submit, so he was not worried and merely asked Kaman beside him. ¡°What does this ¡®sheepdog¡¯ mean?¡± Kaman¡¯s facial expression stiffened, ¡°Uh¡­ it means insulting this woman¡¯s lack of modesty! ¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Baber thought back to last night when Dai Yue had knocked on his hotel room door, and he nodded his head. Dai Yue bit her lip and said, ¡°Call security, we must give Master Baber a proper explanation for this!¡± ¡°No need for that,¡± Xue An spoke calmly, then pulled out a card from his pocket that he hadn¡¯t used in a long time. ¡°You are now fired!¡± Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: When it comes to fashion, Huaxia people are your ancestors! Chapter 79: Chapter 79: When it comes to fashion, Huaxia people are your ancestors! Translator: 549690339 ¡°I¡¯m fired? What kind of joke is this? Security, throw these people out!¡± Dai Yue said with a face full of scorn. ¡°Take a look at this!¡± Xue An tossed the card over. Dai Yue picked it up nonchalantly, not paying much attention, thinking Xue An was just bluffing. But after taking one look, she was stunned. Because this card¡­ seemed to be the supreme card that everyone at Longtai Group was supposed to remember upon joining the company. The person in possession of this card was the most venerable guest of Longtai Group. Not to mention firing a minor operations manager like herself, even if it meant closing the Longtai Plaza right now to serve him alone, it wouldn¡¯t be out of the question! Dai Yue¡¯s complexion turned extremely pale, and her entire body began to tremble. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Do you see it clearly? Do you want to make a phone call to verify?¡± Dai Yue didn¡¯t dare to utter a sound. Because she knew it was absolutely genuine. How could this man posses the supreme VIP card of Longtai Group? Who on earth was he? Dai Yue felt somewhat desperate. Xue An said calmly, ¡°Since there are no doubts, I now ask you to immediately¡­ get lost! ¡± As he said this, Xue An¡¯s tone was slightly more intense. Although it didn¡¯t sound different to the onlookers, to Dai Yue, it was like a thunderclap exploding in her ears. It made her whole body shiver, almost driving her to wet herself. Those following behind Dai Yue were silent as if chilled by frost, not even daring to raise their heads. At that moment, Dai Yue suddenly shouted, ¡°You fired me, but I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯ll handle today¡¯s fashion show!¡± Saying this, Dai Yue looked at Barber with a face full of admiration, ¡°Master Barber, you¡¯ve seen it, these people are simply too rude and lack quality, why should we collaborate with such people?¡± Barber also had a dark expression, he hadn¡¯t expected this man to have such authority, casually causing a manager to resign with a simple gesture. But what this woman said was not wrong. If I terminate the collaboration now, let¡¯s see how you handle this grand opening fashion show! Kaman also added fuel to the fire, ¡°The quality of Huaxia people is just poor, lacking respect for contracts. Master Barber, I think they will have to apologize to you soon!¡± Barber looked proudly. But at that moment, Xue An just smiled, ¡°Who said that without you, this fashion show cannot go on?¡± Barber was taken aback, could it be this man had invited other designers? No, impossible! Then why would he say that? Dai Yue was also somewhat hesitant, but soon she spoke with a ridiculing face, ¡°You play it cool, but let¡¯s see what you do when the opening ceremony starts!¡± Xue An looked at her deeply, then lowered his head and said to Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°How about we play a game with daddy later?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The two little girls said in unison. Xue An carried his two daughters to the fashion area. Dai Yue, Barber, and the others exchanged glances, then followed suit. They wanted to see what Xue An was up to. At this time, the fashion show was only twenty minutes away from beginning. The person in charge here was frantically busy. Upon seeing Xue An arrive, he was taken aback, ¡°You¡­?¡± Xue An didn¡¯t waste words, and took out the card, ¡°I¡¯m taking over here now!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The rest of his words were choked back, for he too recognized the supreme VIP card. ¡°There are only twenty minutes left, not even God can save him now!¡± Barber sneered. But Xue An remained unfazed, looking over the dazzling array of clothes, and then quickly selected a dozen pieces or so. After placing them on the design table, he casually picked up the scissors beside him, snip snip, and began to tailor. Everyone¡¯s eyes were wide open. Was he going to change the design on the spot? Heaven! There are only ten minutes left before it starts! How could there possibly be enough time? Even An Qing thought Xue An was joking. Baber, Kaman, and Dai Yue all wore sneers of contempt. Xue An cut with extreme speed, finishing these garments in less than a minute, and then he started piecing them together. The tailors waiting on the side were all top-notch. As soon as Xue An finished, he handed them over, and though they thought Xue An was fooling around, they still sewed them up at the fastest speed possible. Xue An picked up two pieces and said to Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, ¡°These are yours!¡± Then he handed the remaining pieces to Tang Xuan¡¯Er and An Qing, ¡°These are yours!¡± An Qing¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°We have to go up there too?¡± ¡°Yes! I designed these specifically for you,¡± Xue An said indifferently. Knowing the urgency of the situation, An Qing and Tang Xuan¡¯Er didn¡¯t waste time talking. They took Xue Xiang and Xue Nian into the changing room. At this moment, there were less than five minutes to the start of the show. Baber scoffed at this moment, ¡°It¡¯s laughable. I studied design in Europe for over a decade, and here someone thinks they can design a whole new set of clothes in just a few minutes!¡± Xue An glanced at him and then smiled slightly, ¡°Excuse me, but when it comes to clothing, the Huaxia people are your ancestors!¡± Those words left Baber with a face ashen with rage, yet unable to retort. Because what Xue An had said was indeed true. When the Huaxia people were already wearing exquisite silk, Europeans were still clad in heavy furs or coarse hemp. Today¡¯s fashion show attracted many media outlets. And fashion enthusiasts from all over the country as well. At this moment, they were all waiting silently beneath the runway. In the distance were the ordinary folk. These people were all whispering amongst themselves at this moment. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s so interesting about this fashion show? It¡¯s nothing but those messy things from Europe.¡± ¡°Exactly, once I even saw a model come out dressed in plastic bags! What nonsense!¡± ¡°Alas, have we Huaxia people, with thousands of years of civilization, really fallen so low as to let foreigners teach us how to dress?¡± someone couldn¡¯t help lamenting. Finally! The sound of an ancient guqin rose in the air. The whole audience became quiet. Usually, various English songs are played during the opening, but what was happening today? Some people were slightly surprised. However, the sound of the classical instrument was indeed beautiful and enchanting, making one feel refreshed and delighted on hearing it. The spotlight shone on the entrance of the runway. Everyone held their breath, eager to see who the first model to walk out would be! Then they saw two little girls, dressed in classical Hanfu, walking out hand in hand. The two girls looked exactly alike, their eyes sparkling like stars, their features like those in a painting. Together with their classical Hanfu, they truly resembled little princesses from a painting come to life. A murmur of surprise arose from below. The media was equally astonished. Wasn¡¯t it said that this time the designer was from Europe? How come there was Hanfu? But the media were quick to react and immediately began to take frantic pictures. This was the best material! The relentless flashing of cameras seemed to scare the little girls a bit. But the two little girls still bowed their heads slightly and persevered until the end of the walk. When they had walked back, the audience began with a weak round of applause that quickly grew into a roar like the crashing of waves. The people in the distance started to shout praises loudly. ¡°Gorgeous! These two little girls are simply too adorable!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, if I could have a pair of daughters like them, I¡¯d be over the moon!¡± Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Han Family Clothing Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Han Family Clothing Translator: 549690339 The show opened with two such spiritually captivating young girls, what would follow next? The audience couldn¡¯t help but look towards the exit with full anticipation. A slender jade hand first lifted the curtain, and the crowd held their breath, focusing intently. Then, a woman dressed in Hanfu, with a stately and dignified air, walked out slowly. Her entrance could be described as stunning the entire room. Many photographers had gone crazy, with flashlights flashing non-stop from the beginning. The first to appear was An Qing, who was rather short in height, and so Xue An had made the broad Hanfu slightly smaller, which made it look delicate and graceful on her. What was more important was that An Qing was used to seeing big scenes, so she was not stage-shy at all and walked the T-stage with a stately and dignified air without casting a glance elsewhere. ¡°What a beautiful young lady!¡± someone exclaimed, prompting many nods of agreement. At this moment, the music of the guqin was reaching its climax when a woman in a black and red Liuxian skirt slowly stepped onto the T-stage. Compared to An Qing, Tang Xuan¡¯er appeared slightly more voluptuous, which is why Xue An chose a black and red color scheme for her, with the Liuxian skirt naturally exuding a fairy-like aura. At this moment, Tang Xuan¡¯er, seeing so many people staring at her from below the stage, couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit scared. It was then that Xue An noticed Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s hesitation on stage, his eyes slightly squinting, as he sent over a wave of Divine Sense. He transferred the images of how those Heavenly Maidens in the Immortal Realm walked. Tang Xuan¡¯er felt as if her surroundings changed, as if she ascended to the heavens, with all the people around her transforming into incomparably beautiful Heavenly Maidens. These Heavenly Maidens moved with a dignity and grace that instantly captivated anyone who saw them. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s heart gradually calmed down, and she began to unconsciously imitate the postures of these Heavenly Maidens. So from the audience¡¯s perspective, this woman appeared slightly flustered when she first came out, but she quickly calmed down and then gracefully moved like a willow in the wind, her demeanor simply too beautiful for words. The cameramen below were all stunned, even forgetting to move their cameras, until they were slapped by the person next to them, which woke them up. They then hurriedly aimed their lenses at this woman who seemed like a Heavenly Maiden descended to earth. At this moment, the background music became more and more spirited, pushing the atmosphere to a climax. Many of the onlookers from afar couldn¡¯t help but clench their fists. Because what the woman on stage was wearing was authentic Han clothing! So it turns out¡­ Han clothing is this beautiful! Especially when worn by Huaxia women, it perfectly displayed a kind of gentle yet imposing demeanor. Barber, Kaman, and Dai Yue, and others, standing not far away, watched with their mouths agape. Barber, particularly as an experienced fashion designer, could certainly spot the magic in these clothes. You see, each person has a different body and posture, which requires the designer to showcase the model¡¯s most beautiful side as best as possible. This is difficult! But Xue An had managed to do it within just a few minutes. How did he manage that? Barber felt like his worldview, formed over many years, had been completely overturned. What he did not realize was that to Xue An, this was merely a walk in the park. After all, having once been the Immortal Venerable, he had seen too many grand scenes and witnessed too much beauty. Therefore, his grasp and control over beauty were unrivaled. A mere fashion design was certainly not a challenge for him. And this was just the beginning. In the following ten-plus minutes, a feast of the beauty of Hanfu clothing captivated everyone. The so-called fashionistas below watched dumbfounded. They had once revered Western culture, thinking that their own country lacked fashion. But this time, they were ruthlessly slapped in the face by reality. It turned out that Hanfu, left by their ancestors, wasn¡¯t unfashionable. It was just that their own level was too low to match it. Barber couldn¡¯t even speak anymore. Xue An was right. When it came to dressing, Huaxia people truly were the ancestors of Westerners. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. The piece of music gradually stilled. The lights on the T-stage also dimmed. Is it over? Many people looked at each other, their hearts still reluctant to part. But in the midst of the darkness, a grand and majestic piece of music suddenly burst forth. Caught off guard, many couldn¡¯t help but shudder. From the stage entrance, Xue An walked out slowly, wearing black and red Han Dynasty Imperial Robe, with a Three-feet Han Sword hanging at his waist. The Han Dynasty Imperial Robe was embroidered with the twelve patterns, majestic and dignified. The Han Sword, eight-sided and about three feet in length, was intimidating to look directly at. Xue An, however, wore a detached expression, his eyes the only feature that resembled the depths of a bottomless pool, profound and eerily intimidating. A hush fell over the crowd both on and off stage. Many reporters even forgot to take photographs until Xue An had reached the front of the stage, when they quickly lifted their cameras. Hanfu is very suitable for women to wear, easily exuding beauty. But for men, it can be at a disadvantage, as a slight lack of attention to detail can easily make it appear sleazy. Yet Xue An, simply standing there, emanated the remarkable presence of an emperor. Some women¡¯s gazes toward Xue An became increasingly fervent. This man¡­ So handsome! At this moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, along with Tang Xuan¡¯er, An Qing, and others, also stepped onto the stage. Xue An, holding the hands of his two daughters, slowly walked across the T-stage. This scene brought the atmosphere to a climax. Many from Huaxia, while watching, couldn¡¯t help but have tears welling up in their eyes. Is this the charm of Hanfu? It turns out, we are no less than any other country! Right then, Xue An stood in the center of the T-stage and looked at the audience, speaking lightly, ¡°You may all be wondering why a fashion show that was supposed to be for Western designers has turned out like this.¡± His voice was not loud, yet it reached every corner of the venue. Everyone involuntarily held their breath and listened intently. The man¡¯s voice had a kind of magic that commanded respect. ¡°That¡¯s because when I arrived, I happened to encounter this designer, and the few¡­ ¡®Mu Yangquan¡¯ following behind him.¡± Xue An¡¯s words drew a wave of low laughter, as it was clear what he meant. Xue An continued, ¡°To be born a person of Huaxia and then to continuously refer to us as ¡®you Huaxia¡¯ while shamelessly fawning over those foreigners, such people, what are they if not ¡®Mu Yangquan¡¯?¡± ¡°These so-called designers, who get by each year by altering a button and then have the audacity to call themselves fashionistas, well, in my view¡­¡± Xue An¡¯s gaze swept across the audience. ¡°In terms of luxury and fashion, it¡¯s not to say anything else, but the whole world¡¯s countries¡­ they¡¯re all rubbish compared to Huaxia!¡± Those words made many people burst into applause involuntarily. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°So, I hope that in the future, should there be any more ¡®Mu Yangquan¡¯, remember not to call yourselves people of Huaxia, because you¡­ don¡¯t deserve it!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Many shouted their approval without holding back. However, a few reporters could not help but ask, ¡°Excuse me, sir, are you the designer of this fashion show?¡± Xue An nodded. A stir went through the crowd below. Although everyone had suspected it, they hadn¡¯t expected that this man was indeed the designer of the show. Barber¡¯s face turned ashen, yet in his eyes flickered a fear. His intuition told him that this was a man he could not afford to provoke! At this moment, Xue An turned to look at Barber and the rest, a hint of a smile forming on his lips. Yet at the sight of this smile, Kaman, Dai Yue, and the others felt as if they were plummeting into an ice cellar. Because they knew. They were finished! Utterly finished! Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: His Majesty and the Full-time Stay-at-home Dad Chapter 81: Chapter 81: His Majesty and the Full-time Stay-at-home Dad Translator: 549690339 The fashion show had ended. Xue An and the others had also stepped off the stage. However, the audience and onlookers were reluctant to leave for a long time. As for the journalists, they were practically going crazy at that moment. What they thought would be just a regular fashion show turned out to be the source of a major scoop. Not to mention, the 360-degree flawless pictures of these ¡°models¡± alone were enough to create a stir on the internet. What¡¯s more important, who was that last man who appeared? And wasn¡¯t this fashion show supposed to feature European designers? How did such a scene suddenly occur? These questions had the journalists scratching their heads, wishing they could rush backstage to conduct interviews right now. However, their hopes were obviously in vain. Because at this moment, Xue An was in the high-level office at Longtai Plaza. Qin Yu was also there; she had rushed over upon hearing the news and had witnessed the last scene of the fashion show. She was not someone who was easily moved, yet she was brought to the verge of tears by a few words from Xue An. Indeed! Some people were just too duplicitous. So, as soon as she arrived, she decisively fired Dai Yue and all her subordinates. As for Kaman, the so-called designer, he had just been ordered to be blacklisted. In other words, he might never get the chance to swindle again in the future. Only Baber, he was a tough nut to crack. However, Qin Yu quickly gave the order to cease all collaboration and demanded he leave Huaxia immediately. Baber slinked away disgraced. All was settled. Qin Yu said with some apology, ¡°Mr. Xue, I didn¡¯t expect to invite you over for a visit only to have such an incident occur.¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Not a problem, it was just a lift of my hand.¡± Qin Yu thought to herself, your simple gesture has indeed caused quite a storm. Qin Yu had already received news that the clothing district had gone mad. Those who had watched the fashion show hadn¡¯t left; they were all planning to buy a few Hanfu pieces. The line had even extended outside the mall¡¯s entrance. And this incident was spreading across the internet at an alarming rate. Though the journalists couldn¡¯t find Xue An to interview, they had their ways and soon obtained a lot of helpful information through the employees at Longtai Plaza. Especially those staff members who had witnessed the event themselves and gave an exaggerated account of what happened. The journalists listened with great excitement, feeling that attending this fashion show had been the right decision. This was big news that was sure to cause a sensation. Therefore, under the pen of these journalists, this incident quickly began to spread online. As for public opinion, it started to ferment at a frightening speed. However, unlike previous conflicts, the netizens were exceptionally united this time, with nearly everyone siding with Xue An. Only a very few made some innocuous comments about damaging foreign relations and so on. The rest were all likes and praises. Especially when the pictures and videos of this event were uploaded online, even those who were just watching for fun couldn¡¯t help but be enchanted. ¡°My goodness, I just love these two young girls, they are simply adorable!¡± these were the loyal fans of Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. ¡°For the princess, we are willing to give everything!¡± ¡ª these were the fans of An Qing. ¡°All praise is meaningless in Your presence!¡± these were the fans of Tang Xuan¡¯er. And then these fans started to quarrel and throw shade at each other as usual! For instance, over who was more beautiful, the fans of An Qing and Tang Xuan¡¯er had already fought for hundreds of pages on the forum. But on one matter, these fans were surprisingly unanimous. That was, under the photo of Xue An wearing the Han Imperial Robe, the comments were almost uniformly the same. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡± Yes, at this moment, Xue An was being hailed as ¡°Your Majesty¡± by countless people online. But the biggest beneficiary was none other than Hanfu, which had been a niche interest. After this round of exposure, many people discovered for the first time that their nation had traditional clothing, and it was so beautiful! So sales suddenly skyrocketed. What¡¯s more, Longtai Square has made a fortune from this incident without lifting a finger. Many people have traveled thousands of miles just to buy Hanfu here! And they specifically requested the same models! The origin of all this was none other than Xue An. But even if Xue An had known about it, he would have just laughed it off. Because he had many other important things to prepare for. Such as¡­ Shopping with his two daughters. Women, no matter their age, always enjoy shopping. While men, even if they are the Immortal Venerable, hate shopping. However, if the person you are accompanying is your daughter, that¡¯s a different story. Xue An was currently contently following behind the two little girls, playing the role of a full-time dad. Llttle girls are always curious, wanting to look here and there. Xue An would follow behind and occasionally ask, ¡°Do you like it?¡± If they nodded, Xue An would step forward to pay and leave. Such indulgence shocked An Qing and Tang Xuan¡¯er, who followed behind. But Xue An felt that it wasn¡¯t enough. He hadn¡¯t been with his two little girls for four years. Now that he finally had the chance, Xue An wished he could pluck the moon from the sky for his daughters. My daughters, who else would I spoil if not them? Throughout the day, the group spent their time eating, drinking, playing, and having fun. By evening, the two energetic little girls were finally getting tired. Xue An simply picked up one in each arm and held them close. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± ¡°Skewers!¡± said Xue Nian. ¡°I want braised fish!¡± Xue Xiang declared. Xue An smiled, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s have braised fish and skewers when we get back!¡± ¡°Yay! Daddy is the best!¡± The two little girls cheered excitedly. Xue An looked at the smiles of his two daughters, his heart full of warmth. My wife ! Just wait, once I can openly bring you back, we will definitely be. NO! The happiest family in the entire universe. This is a private club in the provincial city. Only the rich or influential can enter and exit this place. And at the moment. There was not a soul in sight within this club. Because today. Someone had booked the entire venue. Although many patrons who came to spend here had complaints, once they learned who had booked the venue, they all fell silent. This name signifies supreme power in the provincial city, and no one dared to provoke him or his family here. Xie Tianci was lounging on the sofa, his head resting on the thigh of a stunning beauty, enjoying her massage with closed eyes. Just then, someone called out respectfully, ¡°Young Master Xie, they have arrived!¡± Xie Tianci opened his eyes and gave a slight nod, ¡°Bring them in!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After a short while, footsteps were heard. Xie Tianci did not get up, he just calmly watched. The person who came was a woman. Unequaled in beauty! Compared to this woman, the so-called beauty massaging him now seemed commonplace. Xie Tianci¡¯s lips revealed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. ¡°Miss Fan, please take a seat!¡± Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Cover the Sky with One Hand Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Cover the Sky with One Hand Translator: 549690339 Fan Mengxue hesitated slightly before sitting in the corner furthest from Xie Tianci. Xie Tianci smiled faintly and then closed his eyes to enjoy the beauty cleaning his ears. The atmosphere in the room became stifling and oppressive. Fan Mengxue gritted her teeth. The reason she came to this place, was all because of this Xie Tianci. Originally, she was in the provincial capital, filming a movie with Stephen. But just yesterday, Stephen called her over with a troubled expression on his face. ¡°Fan, there¡¯s something you need to know!¡± Fan Mengxue was unaware of what it was, so she smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why so secretive?¡± Stephen sighed, ¡°Someone wants to meet you!¡± ¡°Oh? Who?¡± Fan Mengxue instinctively became wary. Stephen grimaced, ¡°In the provincial capital, who else could it be?¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s heart sank, ¡°The Xie Family?¡± Stephen¡¯s face also turned grave, ¡°Exactly! It¡¯s the Xie Family, and it¡¯s the second son of the Xie Family, Xie Tianci!¡± Xie Tianci. The most renowned scion of the provincial capital¡¯s prominent family. An untouchable figure. Fan Mengxue was puzzled. She didn¡¯t even know Xie Tianci, so why did he want to meet her? ¡°The Xie Family¡­ in fact, is the biggest investor in this film!¡± Stephen revealed. ¡°Xie Tianci made it clear: he wants to have a casual meal with you, otherwise, the subsequent investment will be terminated! ¡± Fan Mengxue was shocked. As someone who had been struggling in the industry for four to five years, how could she not understand the malicious intent behind Xie Tianci¡¯s actions? But¡­ what could she do? The movie was already halfway through filming. Everyone in the crew had already meshed together seamlessly. Under the guidance of Stephen, a world-renowned director, she was just hitting her stride. Was she supposed to give up just like that? Seeing Fan Mengxue¡¯s dilemma, Stephen couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly, ¡°Fan, I¡¯ve argued this case many times, but Xie Tianci insists on meeting you. There¡¯s nothing I can do. You¡¯ll have to consider it yourself!¡± Fan Mengxue forced a smile, ¡°Thanks! I¡¯ll think about it!¡± Having said that, Fan Mengxue left as if her soul had departed her body. When she returned to her place, Han Yao, who heard the news, also rushed over. As a top-tier gold-medal agent in the industry, she had already made countless calls. But Zhongdu¡¯s connections did not extend to the provincial capital, and the people in the provincial capital withdrew at the mention of the Xie Family, with no one daring to get involved. Han Yao looked at Fan Mengxue and said somewhat helplessly, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± Fan Mengxue suddenly looked up, ¡°I plan to go there once!¡± Han Yao was startled, ¡°But if¡­ Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of myself. I¡¯m only going to see what exactly he¡¯s up to!¡± As she spoke, Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes were full of determination and a hint of defiance. Han Yao nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Fan Mengxue knew this was Han Yao¡¯s way of saying she was worried about her and nodded gratefully. ¡°Sister Han¡­¡¯ Han Yao smiled, ¡°All right, between you and me, what more is there to say! After all, I can only make money if you become famous!¡± This was the reason why Fan Mengxue came here. After an indeterminate amount of time, Xie Tianci sat up and patted the thigh of the woman next to him. The woman obediently stood up and left. Then, only Xie Tianci and Fan Mengxue were left in the room. Fan Mengxue was somewhat nervous. Xie Tianci, however, smiled slightly, stood up, walked to the liquor cabinet, opened a bottle of red wine, poured two glasses, then handed one to Fan Mengxue. ¡°This is one of the few bottles of century-old red wine left in the world. Miss Fan, you should give it a try!¡± Fan Mengxue took the glass and sipped gently. ¡°How is it?¡± Fan Mengxue nodded, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s good!¡± Xie Tianci chuckled with a hehe, but his eyes never left Fan Mengxue. From his angle, Fan Mengxue was a hundred times more beautiful than on TV. She truly was a rare beauty! Xie Tianci licked his lips with a somewhat greedy look. ¡°Miss Fan really is a national beauty, much more beautiful than on TV!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Fan Mengxue nodded politely, then clenched her teeth and said, ¡°Mr. Xie, may I ask why you wanted to see me? Is there something you need?¡± Xie Tianci smiled, drained his glass of red wine in one gulp, and then said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. I want you to be my woman!¡± Such blunt words left Fan Mengxue somewhat stunned. Xie Tianci stepped closer, bent down to look at the exquisite beauty of Fan Mengxue¡¯s face, and spoke softly, ¡°As long as you follow me, everything will be yours. I can even spend money to make you a world-class leading actress!¡± Fan Mengxue remained silent. Xie Tianci¡¯s heart throbbed with anticipation, and he couldn¡¯t help but stretch out his hand to lift Fan Mengxue¡¯s delicate chin. But at that moment, Fan Mengxue splashed the red wine in her glass forward. The red wine splattered all over Xie Tianci¡¯s face. Xie Tianci was stunned. Fan Mengxue slowly stood up and said word by word, ¡°Mr. Xie, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t agree with this proposal!¡± Xie Tianci¡¯s eyes began to twitch wildly, and his gaze turned icy. ¡°Miss Fan, I hope you consider this carefully. This is Zhongdu, and I¡­ am the second son of the Xie Family!¡± Fan Mengxue showed no fear, her expression calm, ¡°I know, but I hope you understand something. Not all women are greedy for fame and fortune!¡± Having said this, Fan Mengxue turned and left. Xie Tianci snorted coldly, ¡°Fan Mengxue, you walk out that door today, and by tomorrow I can blacklist you. Do you believe that?¡± Fan Mengxue stopped, then spoke indifferently, ¡°I believe it, but I also want to tell Mr. Xie, many things are not within your power to control! ¡± Xie Tianci sneered, ¡°You can try!¡± Xie Tianci didn¡¯t believe that Fan Mengxue really dared to risk offending the Xie Family by walking out that door. But unexpectedly, Fan Mengxue left without any hesitation. Xie Tianci watched Fan Mengxue¡¯s departing figure with a cold expression, pulled out his cellphone, and made a call. ¡°Cancel the movie investment, change the lead actress, and¡­ blacklist Fan Mengxue. After speaking, he hung up the phone, a cold smile playing on his lips. In Zhongdu, the Xie Family had the power to overshadow everything! You will come back begging on your knees, Xie Tianci thought to himself. Fan Mengxue left the club, and Han Yao approached her, ¡°How did it go?¡± Fan Mengxue smiled, ¡°Nothing much!¡± Han Yao felt somewhat uneasy but didn¡¯t ask further. When they got back to the hotel, Han Yao received a call from Stephen. On the other end of the phone, Stephen said regretfully, ¡°Sorry, but the investors have withdrawn their funds, demanding to change the lead actress!¡± Han Yao¡¯s heart tightened, knowing that everything was irretrievable now. After that, Han Yao made many calls. But this time, there was no one even willing to take her calls. Because by this point, everyone in the circle knew. Fan Mengxue had been blacklisted by the second young master of the Xie Family! Everyone was watching coldly from the sidelines, Waiting to see how long it would take for Fan Mengxue to succumb to young master Xie! Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Fan Mengxue Gets Banned Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Fan Mengxue Gets Banned Translator: 549690339 This is the press conference for the movie ¡°War of the Gods¡±. Many journalists had arrived early. Because of their keen sense of smell, they had sniffed out a hint of big news. Indeed. When all the cast and crew of War of the Gods entered, there was a buzz of conversation from the crowd. ¡°How come Fan Mengxue isn¡¯t here?¡± ¡°Right! She¡¯s the absolute female lead, how could she possibly miss such an important press conference?¡± ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Hua Ruyue, the hottest rising starlet in the circle? What¡¯s she doing here?¡± Amidst these conversations, Stephen said with a sullen face, ¡°Due to personal reasons, Ms. Fan Mengxue has left the War of the Gods crew and will no longer play the female lead, with the new female lead role being taken on by Hua Ruyue.¡± Having said this, Stephen turned and left, expressing his unspoken anger with this action. The entire place erupted in shock. The journalists were practically going crazy. This was earth-shattering news for the entertainment industry. War of the Gods was the biggest investment and the most anticipated movie of the year. So it naturally had the highest attention. Now, with the sudden replacement of the female lead, one couldn¡¯t help but let their imagination run wild. ¡°Miss Hua, what do you think about suddenly taking on the female lead role in such a large film like War of the Gods?¡± Hua Ruyue¡¯s delicate face bloomed with a formulaic smile as she replied lightly, ¡°I have no particular thoughts; it all comes down to strength.¡± Boom. The crowd below was about to explode. Fan Mengxue was, after all, a best actress awardee and known as the strongest actress of the new generation. Now, according to Hua Ruyue¡¯s implication, she was suggesting that she herself was better. But these journalists loved a big scene and one quickly asked, ¡°Miss Hua, are you implying that Fan Mengxue lacks strength?¡± Hua Ruyue said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that, but you¡¯re welcome to understand it that way.¡± ¡°But after all, Fan Mengxue is your senior, and I heard that when you first entered the industry, she even helped you!¡± At this moment, a journalist who couldn¡¯t stand it any longer spoke out. Hua Ruyue let out a cold laugh, ¡°In the entertainment industry, no one is anyone¡¯s senior, and when she helped me initially, it wasn¡¯t at my request ¡ª it was all voluntary on her part. Now that her popularity is declining and she¡¯s been replaced, it¡¯s only natural! That¡¯s all I have to say!¡± Hua Ruyue stood up, arrogantly lifted her face, and left with her nose in the air. And this news sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry with terrifying speed. Many television media broadcasted this press conference to the public immediately. Han Yao sat in front of the TV, so angry that she threw the remote control. ¡°This ingrate, when you helped her so much before, and now she¡¯s kicking you when you¡¯re down!¡± But Fan Mengxue remained calm, just sighing softly. ¡°Mengxue, why don¡¯t we¡­ tell Mr. Xue about it? His divine skills are vast; he should be able to solve this issue,¡± Han Yao tentatively asked. Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°Even if his divine skills are vast, what can he do? We¡¯re up against the Xie Family!¡± Han Yao also sighed. The Xie Family had been established in the provincial city for decades and was now a colossal existence. Although the Qin Family from Beijiang had risen up rapidly over the past decade, they were still outshone by the Xie Family. This was evident from the fact that the Qin Family had no business arrangements in the provincial city. That¡¯s why Fan Mengxue was so pessimistic. ¡°What should we do then? If this isn¡¯t handled well, your career could be completely ruined!¡± Han Yao was extremely anxious. She had tried many methods over the past day or so, but none had worked. Moreover, she had received contract termination letters from more than a dozen endorsement brands, all of which Fan Mengxue had once endorsed. Han Yao was so furious that she cursed, thinking these people were purely kicking someone while they were down. Fan Mengxue just smiled faintly, ¡°The second young master of the Xie Family wants to use this method to force me to submit, but he¡¯s mistaken. I won¡¯t bow down!¡± Beijiang. Auntie Pang had just seen off a group of guests and was deep in her accounting work. The TV was on, broadcasting a mess of news, which no one was watching seriously. Xie Jingjing was cleaning up the table and dishes. Suddenly. A news flash interrupted, and it was about everything that had happened at today¡¯s ¡°War of the Gods¡± movie press conference. Xie Jingjing wasn¡¯t paying attention initially, but she stopped what she was doing when she saw half of it. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Listen¡­ it seems to be about Miss Fan!¡± ¡°Miss Fan? Which Miss Fan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Fan Mengxue you like the most!¡± Xie Jingjing urged anxiously. Auntie Pang paused, also putting down her pen, and turned her head to watch carefully. After a moment, her face was also filled with astonishment. ¡°This¡­ what¡¯s going on? Why suddenly change the actress?¡± Xie Jingjing said with a stern face, ¡°There must be a reason!¡± Xie Jingjing took out her phone and began to search. The more she read, the more shocking it became. Many of the news headlines blared out. Fan Mengxue brutally banned! Auntie Pang also became anxious, ¡°This Miss Fan once came over for dinner with your brother An. She seemed to have a good relationship with him. What should we do with this situation?¡± Old Xie then came out of the kitchen. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why all the shouting?¡± ¡°Old Xie, look, Miss Fan has been banned!¡± Old Xie was stunned for a moment, then his expression turned serious. ¡°Quick! Call Xiao An!¡± Xue An was in the room building blocks with his two daughters. Seeing that it was Old Xie calling, he answered. ¡°What¡¯s up, Uncle Xie?¡± ¡°Xiao An, have you watched TV?¡± ¡°No, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Miss Fan, she¡¯s been banned!¡± ¡°Banned?¡± Xue An¡¯s smile slowly faded. ¡°Yes! Jingjing just looked it up, it seems she offended some bigwvig from the provincial city; now she¡¯s been collectively banned, and even replaced in the movie.¡± ¡°I understand, Uncle Xie, don¡¯t worry, with me here, no one dares to do anything to Mengxue!¡± Xue An said indifferently. After hanging up the phone, Xue An immediately started dialing Fan Mengxue¡¯s phone, but no one answered. Xue An frowned and suddenly stood up. ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xue An looked down and smiled at his daughters, ¡°Nothing, hey, how about Daddy takes you to the provincial city for a few days?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian nodded repeatedly. An Qing walked into the living room at that moment and was also taken aback upon hearing this. ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of going to the provincial city?¡± Xue An briefly explained the situation. An Qing¡¯s expression grew grave. ¡°Offended a bigwig from the provincial city? Except for the Xie Family, no one else can claim to be a bigwig there!¡± Then An Qing said gravely, ¡°Xue An, the Xie Family is no ordinary family; even in Zhongdu, they have their influence. They¡¯re far superior to the Qin Family, so you need to think this through.¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Bigwig? In my eyes, no one is worthy of being called a ¡®bigwig¡¯!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± An Qing wanted to say more. Xue An waved his hand and said nonchalantly, ¡°Fan Mengxue was my high school classmate. I know her character; she never says anything when something bothers her, but I promised her, if anyone dares to bully her, I would step in. So, I¡¯ve got this!¡± An Qing sighed, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll come too. After all, I¡¯ve met the Xie Family a few times.. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Dirty Tricks Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Dirty Tricks Translator: 549690339 At this moment, Hua Ruyue was nestled in Xie Tianci¡¯s embrace, coquettishly saying, ¡°Mr. Xie, you really are formidable. Just one sentence from you and that bitch Fan Mengxue won¡¯t ever be able to rise up again!¡± Xie Tianci gave a faint smile, ¡°She¡¯s just an actress. I let her live, she lives; I command her death, she dies. Right now, I¡¯m just showing her some colors. If she still doesn¡¯t understand her place, then she shouldn¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡± Hua Ruyue couldn¡¯t help but shiver when she saw the fierce glint that flashed within Xie Tianci¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Scared?¡± Xie Tianci glanced at Hua Ruyue. Hua Ruyue quickly offered a flattering smile, ¡°Mr. Xie, I¡­ .¡± Xie Tianci, having already vented his frustrations on her, said with some disgust, ¡°Alright, get lost!¡± Hua Ruyue didn¡¯t dare to make a sound, got dressed, and left the room. However, her heart was far from upset; instead, it was brimming with excitement. War of the Gods, ah! That was a top-tier blockbuster! She was now the absolute leading lady inside it, and this would spread her fame abroad. As for a little bit of dignity¡­ Could it be sold for money? And Hua Ruyue¡¯s eyes shimmered with a venomous light. By now, the person she had sent should have arrived at the hotel. Fan Mengxue, this time I will let you fall from grace! And don¡¯t blame me for it! Blame it on the fact that you offended Mr. Xie! Hua Ruyue thought to herself with a sneer. When Qin Yuan heard that Xue An was heading to the provincial capital and intended to confront the Xie Family, he was also shocked. ¡°Mr. Xue! It¡¯s not that our Qin Family doesn¡¯t trust you, but the Xie Family is no ordinary wealthy family. I¡¯ve heard that there¡¯s an ancient ancestor who hasn¡¯t appeared in ages in power there, truly terrifying. After all, you are alone¡­ Xue An gave a faint smile, ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I am set on going to the provincial capital.¡± Qin Yuan moved his lips, then finally nodded helplessly, ¡°Well, Mr. Xue, my Qin Family doesn¡¯t have much of an industry in the provincial capital. For decades, the Xie Family has turned it into an impenetrable fortress, so there¡¯s not much we can help with!¡± ¡°Hei King!¡± Hei King, who had always been accompanying Qin Yuan, came over, ¡°Yes, my lord?¡± ¡°You follow Mr. Xue there, and you must give your full support to Mr. Xue!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Xue An initially wanted to refuse. In his view, so-called powerful people were nothing more than chickens and dogs beneath a powerful fist. But seeing Qin Yuan¡¯s sincerity, Xue An nodded in agreement. ¡°Good! Let¡¯s leave now!¡± Beijiang was over four hundred miles away from the provincial capital, a three-hour drive. But as the car was driving on the highway at night, Xue An suddenly frowned, his expression turning solemn. Because he felt a connection from afar suddenly cut off. That connection was the protective Array he had placed on the ring he gave to Fan Mengxue. At the time, Xue An had done it casually, with a bit of his Divine Sense stored within it. If there was any change, he would know immediately. Unexpectedly, it had now suddenly been terminated. Xue An said to An Qing, ¡°You and Hei King follow later. I¡¯ll go ahead first!¡± ¡°Go ahead first?¡± An Qing still didn¡¯t understand what he meant. Xue An nodded and swiftly applied dozens of protective Arrays on Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, who were sleeping soundly. These were top-notch Arrays supported by Xue An¡¯s own primal force. Xue An was confident that even if a nuclear bomb were to explode, his two daughters would be unharmed. Then he opened the car door and, to the astonishment of the driver and An Qing, leapt out. Over a hundred kilometers per hour had no effect on Xue An. Landing directly on the ground, he tilted his head back and his entire being shot straight into the sky¡ªvanishing in the blink of an eye. At that moment. Inside the hotel where Fan Mengxue was staying, several men in black gave each other a look and forcefully burst the door open. At that moment, only Fan Mengxue was in the room, preparing to take a bath and go to sleep. The sudden intrusion of the group left her somewhat dazed. ¡°You¡­ The leader of the men in black sneered, ¡°Miss Fan, it¡¯s time for you to repay the money you owe us!¡± ¡°The money I owe you? When did I ever borrow money from you?¡± Fan Mengxue was stunned and then angrily retorted. One of the men who had entered behind locked the door from the inside. Fan Mengxue knew something was wrong and stood up, her voice cold, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m telling you, if you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call the police!¡± ¡°Call the police? Go ahead, call them,¡± the leader said with a vile laugh before someone behind him pulled out a camera and started recording. This man in black was a grossly sleazy fat man, who sneered and made his way toward Fan Mengxue. ¡°Such a pitiable beauty. If this gets filmed, it¡¯ll surely fetch a good price!¡± A flash of panic streaked Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes; she had witnessed many of the dirty tricks within the entertainment industry. For instance, some unscrupulous companies would intentionally have someone assault their artists and record the act as a means of blackmail. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!¡± Fan Mengxue grabbed a fruit knife from the table and retreated to a corner. The fat man was utterly unconcerned, laughing coldly, ¡°It¡¯s your own fault for being clueless and offending Young Master Xie. So don¡¯t blame us for being cruel. If you serve us well, we might go easy on you!¡± With that, he charged toward her. Fan Mengxue let out a scream, but just then, a halo of light spread from the ring she was wearing, forming a cocoon of light around her and protecting her inside. The fat man was directly shattered by this light. That¡¯s right! He was shattered into pieces no larger than five centimeters in diameter! This scene dumbfounded Fan Mengxue. The remaining men in black looked at each other, then one of them pulled out a gun and fired at Fan Mengxue. The remaining men in black looked at each other, then one of them pulled out a gun and fired at Fan Mengxue. After a few shots, the protective array that Xue An had hastily inscribed shattered with a loud crash. ¡°Damn it, the little bitch actually has such a treasure. You¡¯re not getting out of this alive tonight!¡± another man in black coldly sneered. Then they slowly closed in on her. Fan Mengxue, holding her shoulders, trembled all over. Her hand was also tightly clutching the fruit knife, ready to take her own life. Even in death! She would not fall into the hands of these villains. Xue An, it seems we¡¯re not fated to see each other again in this lifetime. In the next life, I will surely marry you! Fan Mengxue thought to herself, resolute and prepared to plunge the fruit knife into her heart. But just then. A calm voice suddenly arose. ¡°Haven¡¯t had dinner yet, what would you like to eat later?¡± This voice made the men in black pause, and Fan Mengxue shook all over and then looked incredulously toward the door. That voice, she was too familiar with it. A voice she had heard countless times in her dreams¡ªhow could she mistake And just a moment ago, in her despair, she had thought, how good it would be if he were here now? But she had dismissed the thought with a bitter smile, considering it nothing more than a fool¡¯s dream. Yet to her surprise, in the blink of an eye, fantasy had become reality. The man standing there, nonchalant with a faint trace of a smile on his lips, if not Xue An, then who else could it be? Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Ashes to ashes, dust to dust Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Ashes to ashes, dust to dust Translator: 549690339 ¡°Alright, Mr. Xue, I understand. I¡¯ll give you an answer right away!¡± Qin Yu said with a solemn expression as she hung up the phone. ¡°What did Mr. Xue say?¡± Qin Yuan asked from the office window, his voice grave. ¡°He¡¯s planning to produce a movie for Fan Mengxue, and he wants us to be the investors!¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Qin Yuan asked without turning around. Qin Yu hesitated slightly, ¡°Providing the funding isn¡¯t hard, a few billion yuan isn¡¯t much for the Qin Family, but if we do this, we¡¯ll completely be taking a stand against the Xie Family.¡± Qin Yuan chuckled, then seemingly out of the blue said, ¡°Yu, look at this vast city outside the window, how dazzling it is.¡± The office was located on the top floor of the tallest skyscraper in Beijiang City. Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could enjoy a view that diminished all the other buildings, as if the entire Beijiang City was underfoot. Qin Yu was somewhat puzzled. Qin Yuan continued, ¡°For many years, we have kept the peace with the Xie Family, seemingly amicable, but do you think it¡¯s as friendly as it appears?¡± ¡°Business is a battlefield, sometimes even crueler than an actual battlefield. Do you know why Longtai Group has no industry in the provincial city? It wasn¡¯t like that originally. Back then you were too young. I sent many capable subordinates to the provincial city to explore the market, including your father, but in the end, they lost their lives.¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s voice grew heavy at this point. Qin Yu felt a tightness in her chest and listened quietly. Qin Yuan sighed, ¡°Later as I grew older, my vitality and desire for revenge faded. Fortunately, I met Mr. Xue, and thanks to him, I regained my health. Now, it¡¯s time to settle the scores from the past!¡± Qin Yu nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Mr. Xue is a smart man, even the wisest I¡¯ve ever seen. He¡¯s going to the provincial city this time, and the reason I sent Hei King with him was actually to express the Qin Family¡¯s intentions.¡± ¡°That is, no matter what, the Qin Family will always be Mr. Xue¡¯s loyal supporter! This is also why he wants us to invest! He¡­ is certainly aiming for more than just a movie!¡± ¡°So¡­ Grandfather, you mean¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold the fort here. You take enough funds and go to the provincial city yourself! Mr. Xue wants five billion, so you bring ten billion there!¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s eyes gleamed more sharply. Qin Yu¡¯s expression became solemn, and she nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Dust to dust, earth to earth, some things should be settled!¡± Qin Yuan looked down at the bustling city below, his eyes burning with flames. Han Yao¡¯s face was extremely unsightly. Because all morning, she had made countless calls to fairly renowned directors in the industry, but as soon as they heard it was for a new movie starring Fan Mengxue, they all politely declined. The dismal start made both Han Yao and Fan Mengxue¡¯s hearts sink. The Xie Family¡¯s influence in the industry was obviously much larger than imagined. Only Xue An remained unaffected, even spending the morning playing puzzles with his two daughters. When noon arrived and the last phone call also ended in vain, even Han Yao fell into despair. Yet at that moment, the doorbell rang. When Hei King opened the door, a man wearing a mask walked in. Once he removed his mask, it turned out to be Stephen. ¡°Mr. Stephen, what brings you here¡­¡± Han Yao and Fan Mengxue quickly stood up. Stephen gave an apologetic smile and then very formally nodded to Xue An, who was sitting in a chair. ¡°Mr. Xue.¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Sit down!¡± Stephen shook his head, ¡°I won¡¯t sit. There¡¯s a lot to do back at the studio. I came to tell you that if you¡¯re really determined to make a movie, I can recommend someone!¡± ¡°Who?¡± Han Yao¡¯s eyes lit up. Stephen said, ¡°This person was a good friend of mine back in the day. His directing skills are no less than mine, but because he refused to kowtow to the powerful, he offended the Xie Family and was blacklisted. Moreover, I heard his spouse later fell seriously ill, and he has since fallen into obscurity.¡± ¡°Are you referring to¡­¡± Han Yao hesitated for a moment before speaking. Stephen nodded, ¡°Yes, it was Cao Zheng who was once known as the genius director. ¡± ¡°Is he also in the provincial city?¡± Stephen nodded, ¡°Back then, I had invited him to go abroad, but he declined. I haven¡¯t been in touch with him for a long time now, but I can be certain that he must still be in the provincial city!¡± Han Yao became excited. Cao Zheng was a myth in the entertainment industry back in the day. His directional works had even won multiple awards overseas. It was just that he suddenly disappeared from the public eye, and it turned out to be because he had offended the Xie Family. At this moment, Stephen gave a wry smile and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect things to develop this way. Once this movie is finished, I¡¯ll leave Huaxia and never come back again, after all¡­ the waters here are too deep.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Stephen hesitated. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mr. Xue raised an eyebrow. ¡°The Xie Family obviously means business this time, pouring in a lot more investment. Xie Tianci is very ambitious, even wanting to use this movie to compete in the overseas film market.¡± The implication in Stephen¡¯s words was clear; he was warning Mr. Xue that if he really wanted to teach the Xie Family a lesson through the film, it would be difficult! Mr. Xue smiled faintly, ¡°It¡¯s good to have great ambition, but without equal strength, it¡¯s nothing more than a fool¡¯s dream!¡± Stephen gave Han Yao the address and then put his mask back on and left. Han Yao was very excited and prepared to set out to extend the invitation immediately. Mr. Xue also stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you! Hei King will stay here to guard.¡± Hei King nodded, ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Daddy, we want to go too!¡± Mr. Xue smiled, bent down, and picked up his two daughters, ¡°Okay!¡± This was a very dilapidated neighborhood, strewn with trash everywhere on its streets due to the lack of management. Those who lived here were mostly the bottom rung of society without any source of income. Han Yao parked the car in front of a building that must have been around for forty or fifty years, and upon getting out, she couldn¡¯t help but frown. The environment around here was just too poor. Could the once-famous, genius director Cao Zheng be living in such a place? Upon entering the building¡¯s hallway, a pungent smell assaulted their nostrils, and it was pitch black without a single light. The address given by Stephen was on the fifth floor. When they arrived at the door, Han Yao was just about to knock, but the door opened. Then, a man dressed in disheveled clothes stood in front of the door, looking at Han Yao and Mr. Xue with a wary gaze. ¡°Excuse me, is this the home of Teacher Cao Zheng?¡± Han Yao asked politely. ¡°No!¡± The man said and slammed the door shut vigorously. Han Yao, feeling humiliated but biting her teeth in anger, persisted for the sake of the film and continued to knock on the door. This time the knocking went on for even longer, probably about five minutes before the man opened the door impatiently. Han Yao bit her lip, then with a smile said, ¡°May I ask who you are to Teacher Cao Zheng? This address was given to me by Director Stephen, you¡­¡± ¡°Can you not be annoying, I already said it¡¯s not here!¡± The man prepared to slam the door again. But just then, Mr. Xue calmly said, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t get treatment, your wife will be dead in three days at most..¡± Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Genius Director Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Genius Director Translator: 549690339 The man was stunned. ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± the man asked, somewhat angrily, but mostly with sadness. Xue An replied with a calm smile, ¡°It¡¯s not important who I am, but I can cure your wife¡¯s illness!¡± Cao Zheng stood in a daze for a moment, a look of confusion on his face. At this time, Xue Xiang blinked earnestly and said, ¡°Uncle, my daddy is really amazing!¡± Cao Zheng stepped aside and said in a deep voice, ¡°Come in! I am Cao Zheng!¡± The light in the room was very dim, but it was tidy, and the air was filled with the thick scent of Chinese medicine. And a woman as thin as a rake lay on the bed with lifeless eyes, her face pallid, exuding an aura of death. Xue An was right, if not treated soon, this woman wouldn¡¯t last more than three days. ¡°Who¡­ ah!¡± the woman said feebly. Cao Zheng¡¯s face only softened when facing this woman, filled with tenderness and indulgence. ¡°Some friends, and this person has come to treat your illness.¡± The woman shook her head, ¡°Forget it, no one can cure my illness, don¡¯t waste any more money on me! Save the money, after I¡¯m gone, you can find someone else!¡± Cao Zheng¡¯s eyes were full of indulgence, ¡°What silly things are you saying? You will definitely get better.¡± As he said this, Cao Zheng turned his head, his eyes brimming with tears. Han Yao had wanted to explain their presence, but upon witnessing this scene, she couldn¡¯t help but be moved. No wonder the once illustrious director had fallen so far, all for the sake of the woman he loved. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian tugged at Xue An¡¯s clothes at this moment, looking distressed and said, ¡°Daddy, save this auntie, they¡¯re so pitiful!¡± Xue An smiled. Indeed, a child¡¯s heart is always the purest. Although Cultivators should detach from worldly emotions, indulging solely in slaughter would only lead down the demonic path. Only by maintaining the heart of an innocent can one advance without hindrance! Xue An took a few steps forward and approached the woman¡¯s bedside. He could see at a glance that this woman was near the end of her life, clinging to life now was nothing short of a miracle. Indeed, she was sustained by a mere breath. And what was that breath? One only had to see the woman¡¯s loving and reluctant gaze towards Cao Zheng to understand. Xue An¡¯s heart, as steadfast as a boulder, was nonetheless touched. So, he extended his hand and commanded softly, ¡°Converge!¡± The woman¡¯s soul had scattered, and if it wasn¡¯t gathered back first, no Spirit Pill could save her. But who could gather a soul, other than an Immortal? Fortunately, Xue An was that Immortal. And he was a supreme one at that. At his command, countless points of light began to coalesce. This miraculous sight left Cao Zheng dumbfounded. And the woman¡¯s eyes slowly became lucid. Moments later, Xue An took a step back and produced a Primordial Essence Elixir. It was made from leftover dregs. But to ordinary people, it was a divine medicine. Xue An tossed the Elixir to Cao Zheng, ¡°Taking this medicine can extend one¡¯s life by a hundred years.¡± Cao Zheng caught the Elixir and, without hesitation, moved forward to administer it to the woman. This was just as Xue An had intended. He wanted to see how the man would decide in the face of a divine medicine that could extend life by a hundred years. The result did not disappoint him. Although the woman¡¯s breath was still weak, her expression had improved a lot. She too had heard Xue An¡¯s words and knew the value of the medicine. After Cao Zheng fed it to her, she bit it in half in her mouth, then suddenly kissed Cao Zheng on the lips. This scene made even Han Yao freeze. The sunlight from outside shone in, casting a golden sheen on the two ordinary mortals. Cao Zheng initially refused to eat it, but the woman whispered in his ear, ¡°Swallow it, otherwise if I live so long without you, how lonely would I be?¡± Hearing this, Cao Zheng silently swallowed the Elixir. It wasn¡¯t long before the woman furrowed her brow, then sat up, flipping over. Cao Zheng was stunned. He had never imagined that the elixir would be so miraculously effective. ¡°Help me to the restroom!¡± the woman said, somewhat shyly. Cao Zheng hurriedly stepped forward, picked up the woman, and rushed into the bathroom. At that moment, Han Yao spoke with an envious tone, ¡°That truly is a touching love.¡± Xue An remained silent, thinking to himself. An Yan. Where are you now? Are you okay? Wait for me! Once I break through my current realm and stand at the pinnacle of this world, I will bring you back. The path of immortal cultivation is arduous, but if you are with me, then nothing is a problem. After more than ten minutes, the woman walked out of the restroom, staggering. Cao Zheng followed carefully behind her, terrified that she might fall again. When they reached Xue An, both Cao Zheng and the woman knelt down on the ground. Cao Zheng¡¯s kowtowing was loud, his forehead turning blue after a few resounding knocks. But Cao Zheng couldn¡¯t help but weep, tears streaming down his face, unable to utter a word. The woman then gently wiped away the tears on Cao Zheng¡¯s face with a longing touch. Cao Zheng shook his head, then solemnly said, ¡°Sir, I cannot thank you enough for your great kindness. If there¡¯s anything you command, I, Cao Zheng, would do it even if it costs me my life!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°You were saved with one of mv elixirs, and now you¡¯re willing to die again?¡± Cao Zheng was taken aback. Indeed! An elixir capable of instantly restoring someone on the brink of death to full health was clearly invaluable. Xue An then spoke indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die. I just want you to make a movie!¡± ¡°Make a movie?¡± Cao Zheng laughed bitterly. ¡°Who would dare let me make a movie now? Or rather¡­ who would dare to offend the Xie Family?¡± Speaking of the Xie Family, Cao Zheng¡¯s eyes glinted with hatred. His fall into such a dire state was mostly due to the Xie Family. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Ordinary people may fear to offend the Xie Family, but as it happens¡­ I dare!¡± After Han Yao explained things to Cao Zheng, he nodded without hesitation. But then he hesitated, ¡°What about the script now?¡± As a once-genius director. He knew the importance of a script all too well. It could be said that if a film is a dish, then the director is the chef, and the script is the ingredient. Without ingredients, even a top chef can only watch helplessly. Han Yao was also worried about this. Although Xue An said it wasn¡¯t a problem, there still wasn¡¯t a sign of a script yet. Xue An smiled, then pulled out a piece of paper. He had idly written it the previous night. ¡°Take a look at this first!¡± Cao Zheng took it, initially not paying much attention. But as he read on, his expression became more serious. After reading through it, Cao Zheng was silent for a moment before he sighed. ¡°Brilliant idea, brilliant idea! Although this is just an outline, its grandeur and majestic air are already apparent!¡± True to his reputation as a former prodigy director. He immediately saw the extraordinary brilliance of the story. Had he known that Xue An had written it in just an hour, he would have been even more astonished. In fact, over these three thousand years, Xue An¡¯s life hadn¡¯t been in vain. Traversing The Multiverse, he saw too many people and events. His Heart Realm was tempered to perfection, and this also gave birth to Xue An¡¯s numerous spectacular talents. Writing, for instance, was incredibly simple for Xue An. That¡¯s why he said that the script was not a problem at all.. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88: I’ll give you 1 billion! Chapter 88: Chapter 88: I¡¯ll give you 1 billion! Translator: 549690339 ¡°But there¡¯s a problem, this concept is incredibly brilliant, but if we were to shoot it as it is, it would cost a tremendous amount of money!¡± Cao Zheng said seriously. He was right. The story Xue An wrote was about a woman who, in search of her original purpose, ascended to the ninth heaven to commit murder. It featured a vast number of grand scenes. If these were to be filmed, it would all be money! Xue An smiled, ¡°Tell me, how much do we need?¡± Cao Zheng took a deep breath, furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, then held up two fingers, ¡°At the very least two hundred million!¡± Before Xue An could finish, a cold voice came from the entrance. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one billion!¡± Cao Zheng was stunned. Following the voice, Qin Yu walked in. She had rushed over overnight, and upon arriving at the hotel, learned that Xue An had gone to seek out a director. So, she hurried here without stopping and just so happened to hear Cao Zheng¡¯s quote at the door, thus she blurted it out. After Qin Yu walked in, she first nodded towards Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An seemed to have anticipated her arrival and simply smiled faintly. Qin Yu then turned to look at the dumbfounded Cao Zheng and spoke firmly, ¡°One billion, what¡¯s your account? I can transfer it now!¡± Cao Zheng was somewhat dumbfounded. Is everyone in the movie business this generous now? He remembered when he used to make films, he would often run out of money during production. Back then, he had to go from pillar to post to pull in investments. Now, things were looking up! The money was about to be deposited into his account even before shooting started? However, Cao Zheng¡¯s heart gradually filled with excitement. Before today, he had actually given up hope completely. He had even made plans that once his loved one died, he would jump from a building. Because there was nothing in this world worth staying for! But in the blink of an eye, his beloved had recovered, and he could return to his cherished profession. And all of this was because of this man with the nonchalant demeanor! At this moment, Cao Zheng made up his mind. A man will die for those who appreciate him. Since the other party had saved him, he would spare no effort, even to the point of extreme sacrifice, to make this movie the best it could be! Wang Wenjian opened Weibo, habitually checking Fan Mengxue¡¯s page. This had become a routine for him over the past year. Wang Wenjian was a devoted fan of Fan Mengxue. He appreciated the understated elegance she possessed. She was nothing like the other gaudy and cheap characters in the entertainment industry. Fan Mengxue had never been involved in any kind of messy headline-making scandals. But recently, Fan Mengxue ran into trouble. It was said she offended some wealthy young master, and as a result, she was blacklisted, even replaced in the film she was shooting. This made Wang Wenjian furious. But he was just an ordinary person; there was nothing much he could do. The only thing within his power was to speak up for Fan Mengxue in the fan club he had created. That¡¯s right. Wang Wenjian was also an admin of a large fan group, where almost everyone was a fan of Fan Mengxue. As soon as this incident surfaced, these usually inconspicuous fans all stood up, wanting to do something for their idol. But their power was too feeble; they could not make any real difference. Today, Wang Wenjian came to Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo to leave a message, though he doubted it would be seen. Nonetheless, he wanted to tell Fan Mengxue. There were still many fans silently supporting her behind the scenes! Huh. On the previously quiet Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo, there suddenly appeared a new message. Looking at the date, it was posted today! Wang Wenjian felt a surge of excitement and immediately clicked on it. The Weibo post was brief, with just a few words. Tomorrow, a press conference awaits you! A press conference? What press conference? Many question marks popped up in Wang Wenjian¡¯s mind. At the same time. Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo post, like a bomb, sent shockwaves throughout the entire entertainment industry. Upon seeing it, many people had the same reaction. Fan Mengxue was at the end of her rope! Could it be that she was going to announce her retirement at the press conference? That might be exactly the case! Upon seeing the news, Hua Ruyue couldn¡¯t help but sneer in satisfaction. She had felt somewhat anxious over the past two days. After all, not a single one of the men in black she had sent out had returned! But looking at the situation now. It seems like Fan Mengxue has chickened out! Hmph, once you¡¯re out of the picture, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to destroy you! Hua Ruyue thought bitterly. Her jealousy for Fan Mengxue had seeped deep into her bones. She wished nothing more than for Fan Mengxue to fall into disgrace immediately! In just half a day, Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo post had already reached the top spot on the trending searches list. Countless people left comments below. There were those who questioned, mocked, and teased, but even more were the encouragements from her fans! Wang Wenjian was the first to message in the group. ¡°Who will come with me to support Mengxue at her press conference tomorrow?¡± The group chat immediately exploded with responses. ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡± ¡°And me!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go, but I can donate money!¡± ¡°Same here!¡± Wang Wenjian, looking at these messages, couldn¡¯t help but tear up. Unlike the boisterous and domineering fans of other stars, Fan Mengxue¡¯s fans were always gentle and understanding. But when something actually happened, these lovely people would be the first to step forward. And those reporters, like sharks smelling blood, flocked over. Despite the early hour, the venue for the press conference was already packed. Countless reporters set up their long and short cameras, all waiting for Fan Mengxue¡¯s arrival. Wang Wenjian and others were holding banners and slogans in the outfield. Written on them were: Through wind and rain! Mengxue, we will stand by you! Finally. A stir went through the crowd. Fan Mengxue appeared, dressed in a neatly tailored outfit, her face adorned with a touch of an elegant smile, gracefully walking up to the stage. The flashlights below created a sea of light. Countless reporters were eager to rush to the front. ¡°Ms. Fan, there are rumors that you¡¯re retiring, is that true?¡± ¡°Ms. Fan, your movie was replaced by Hua Ruyue, and she claims that she pushed you out with her ability, what do you have to say about this?¡± ¡°Ms. Fan¡­¡± A multitude of questions seemed to be about to drown Fan Mengxue. At that moment, Han Yao walked over, shielding Fan Mengxue from the reporters as fierce as tigers and wolves, then she loudly said, ¡°Please, quiet down.¡± The venue gradually fell silent. With a smile, Fan Mengxue said, ¡°Thank you all for coming. Today¡¯s press conference is not to announce my retirement, but to tell everyone that I¡­ am preparing to shoot a new movie! ¡± After a brief silence, the reporters went wild. Fan Mengxue was going to shoot a movie? How could that be? The Xie Family had issued a statement; who would dare invest in her now? Several times Han Yao called out loudly, but she was unable to calm the reporters down. Among them, there were also some with ulterior motives deliberately squeezing forward, causing a complete disorder at the venue. Just then, Xue An, who had been observing from backstage, strode to the front and said coldly, ¡°Silence!¡± His voice wasn¡¯t loud, yet everyone heard it loud and clear. Moreover, Xue An¡¯s voice seemed to carry a magical power that made everyone pause. Xue An then looked around the venue, and wherever his gaze fell, many people instinctively lowered their heads. Xue An then said indifferently, ¡°I know what you all want to ask. I am the investor for this new film. The crowd stirred again. This handsome and imposing man, he¡¯s the investor? What¡¯s his relationship with Fan Mengxue then? Xue An continued, ¡°I decided to fund a movie simply because I heard there is a film currently in production called ¡®War of the Gods¡¯.¡± Xue An paused, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, ¡°But in my opinion, gods are just more powerful beings, so I¡¯m not interested in the war of gods.¡± ¡°The story I want to film is about defying the heavens and conquering fate, so the name of the movie will be¡­ ¡°God Slayer!¡± Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89: God Slayer Press Conference Chapter 89: Chapter 89: God Slayer Press Conference Translator: 549690339 God Slayer? At first, there was silence below the stage, followed by a commotion. Who didn¡¯t know that the film Fan Mengxue was replaced in was called War of the Gods. Now they intended to shoot God Slayer¡ªwasn¡¯t this a clear provocation? But did this man not know that the investor behind War of the Gods was the Xie Family? By doing this, wasn¡¯t he afraid of angering the Xie Family? Many people looked at Xue An differently. It was as if they were looking at a fool who was too ignorant to recognize the extent of his folly. Meanwhile, many reporters sensed the whiff of a big news story. A rather bold female journalist even stood up and asked, ¡°Excuse me, sir, since you plan to help Miss Fan Mengxue make a movie, who will the director be? And how much do you plan to invest?¡± These questions went straight to the heart of the matter. Xue An smiled without answering directly, but instead asked, ¡°Which press are you from?¡± The female journalist was stunned by Xue An¡¯s smile, and then her face slowly turned red. ¡°I¡¯m from Entertainment Weekly, my name is Chen Xiaoyi.¡± ¡°Miss Chen, your questions are excellent. I will answer them one by one. First of all, we already have a director; his name is Cao Zheng.¡± Cao Zheng? The crowd below exchanged looks, many having never heard of the name. However, the faces of some older journalists changed. Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Is it Cao Zheng who was once known as the director of genius?¡± Xue An nodded, and at that moment, Cao Zheng, now in formal attire, came onto the stage. Although he looked weathered, many still recognized him at a glance. Indeed, it was the director of genius! Things were getting interesting! Xue An continued, ¡°As for the investment, Xue An paused, then held up a finger. Many in the crowd began to stir and speculate. ¡°How much is that? One billion?¡± ¡°I doubt it. That guy doesn¡¯t look like some wealthy heir. He probably comes from some local nouveau riche family, looking to pick up girls under the guise of making a movie. I think it¡¯s at most ten million!¡± ¡°Ten million for making a movie? What would that amount to?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe he intends to just slap something together.¡± Chen Xiaoyi was also curious, ¡°May I ask how much that is?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s tentatively set it at¡­ ten billion!¡± Ten billion! This figure froze the smirks on the faces of those who had just scorned the idea, suggesting a figure of only ten million. In recent years, the film industry in Huaxia had developed rapidly, and large-budget movies were not uncommon. Generally speaking, anything over three billion was considered a big production. If it was over five billion, that was virtually a top-tier mega production. For example, the rumor was that the Xie Family had invested four billion in War of the Gods. And if what this man spoke was true, then this movie would not only be a top-tier production in the country, but it would also be at the highest level internationally. Many couldn¡¯t help but look alarmed. Chen Xiaoyi, however, grew more enthusiastic, ¡°May I then ask what is your relationship with Miss Fan Mengxue? Why are you helping her like this?¡± This question piqued the interest of many. Fan Mengxue¡¯s expression became tense. Xue An simply smiled, ¡°I can only say, she is my best friend!¡± This answer deftly avoided the crucial point, making Chen Xiaoyi somewhat frustrated, just as she wanted to press further. At this moment, An Qing, leading Xue Xiang and Xue Nian onto the stage, gathered attention. As the two young girls appeared, they immediately caught the eye of many. As journalists, they had seen plenty of attractive children, especially the children of celebrities, who often appeared in front of the media. But while those children were indeed beautiful, they all seemed a bit too mature. Even with their still youthful faces, they often wore standardized, insincere smiles, and although their gestures and actions were cute, they gave off a rather fake impression. Yet these two little girls provided a breath of fresh air. First off, they were beautiful. If one could score beauty, these two little girls would definitely earn a perfect score. It was the kind of beauty that could soften the heart of even the most hard-boiled tough guy. Secondly, they were pure. Many had never seen such pure, clear eyes before. They were like the finest, unblemished gemstones, captivating anyone who looked into them. And lastly¡­ well, they were adorable. Just imagine, two extremely beautiful and pure little girls with double the lethal cuteness, and then picture them holding hands, hopping and skipping onto the stage. Who could withstand that? Therefore, many couldn¡¯t help but reveal an infatuated grin, while some quick-acting journalists aimed their cameras at the little girls and snapped away tirelessly. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian approached Xue An and called out in their babyish voices, ¡°Daddy!¡± This ¡°Daddy¡± petrified many on the spot. Daddy? This man was actually the father of these two little girls? Xue An then put on an indulgent smile, bent down to embrace the two girls in his arms, and said to the crowd below, ¡°Sorry, I need to take the kids away now, goodbye!¡± After saying that, he turned and left, completely ignoring the questions coming from behind him. To Xue An, nothing was more important than his two children, including himself. In Xue An¡¯s heart, his children and wife ranked first, with himself¡­ begrudgingly in second place. And as he left, the rest of the journalists turned their attention to Han Yao. After all, she was Fan Mengxue¡¯s agent and also a recognized top agent in the industry, with good relations with the journalists. ¡°Han, tell us what¡¯s going on! Who exactly is this gentleman?¡± ¡°Han, as the filming of the movie begins and Miss Fan gets another chance, how do you feel?¡± ¡°Han¡­¡± These inquiries made Han Yao somewhat flustered. Qin Yu stood backstage, watching the busy scene unfold with a hint of a smile on her face. Mr. Xue surely was impressive. When she, Cao Zheng, and the others had returned to the hotel, they then discussed their first move. Xue An had said that since they were going to start filming, they might as well make a big deal of it. Hence Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo post and today¡¯s press conference. At that moment, Chen Xiaoyi stood in the chaotic audience, biting her lip in irritation. What the hell! To leave without finishing his speech? And who was this man? Why had he never been seen before? All these questions intensified Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s curiosity about Xue An. She bit her teeth, turned, and left the press conference venue. When she got back to the hotel, she compiled the material she had prepared into an article. ¡°Fan Mengxue¡¯s Star Path Hindered, New Movie Revived from the Dead?? Who is the Mysterious Man?¡± In the article, Chen Xiaoyi couldn¡¯t help but lean towards Xue An¡¯s side, first reviewing all of Fan Mengxue¡¯s achievements since her debut, and then subtly implying that some people¡¯s blacklisting was unreasonable and tyrannical. After finishing, Chen Xiaoyi was very satisfied with the article and sent it to the editor-in-chief. She was certain that it would definitely be published this time. But unexpectedly, a short while later, the editor-in-chief replied. Rejected.. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Battle of Public Opinion Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Battle of Public Opinion Translator: 549690339 Rejected? Why was it rejected? Chen Xiaoyi felt baffled and immediately dialed the editor-in-chief¡¯s number. The editor-in-chief spoke helplessly on the other end of the line, ¡°Xiaoyi, it¡¯s not that you didn¡¯t write well, but we just received word that such an article can¡¯t be published! ¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Chen Xiaoyi was somewhat unconvinced. ¡°Because¡­ someone has spoken!¡± The editor-in-chief hung up the phone. Chen Xiaoyi sat in her seat, stunned for a long time. There was no need to ask; this was surely the Xie Family¡¯s doing. Even an entertainment magazine like hers could be controlled, showing the extent of the Xie Family¡¯s power. She couldn¡¯t help shivering, as the vision of the man on stage today with his commanding presence and astonishing aura appeared before her eyes. Even though she had only seen him today, Xue An had left a deep impression on her. She didn¡¯t know¡­ if he could win. It was not long after the press conference had started. Hua Ruyue got wind of the news. She, who was shooting on set, immediately returned to her dressing room and started looking at her phone. When she heard Xue An was prepared to invest a billion to help Fan Mengxue make a movie, she became so angry that she threw her phone. Why! Why was it always Fan Mengxue who stumbled upon such good fortune? However, after she calmed down, she felt that things were not so simple. This man was very unfamiliar, probably not from any prominent family in the province. A billion was not a small sum. Could it be just a bluff? Maybe it was so! And this is the provincial capital! The turf of Young Master Xie. Does he dare to show off like this? Is he tired of living? With these thoughts in mind, Hua Ruyue hurriedly made a call to Xie Tianci. Xie Tianci actually knew even earlier. But he didn¡¯t care about these things at all. He just looked at a photo with a slightly cold laugh. The photo clearly showed the scene of Qin Yu arriving in the province. Was the Qin Family also joining in the excitement? Xie Tianci certainly knew about the Qin Family¡¯s failed attempt to expand their business into the provincial capital over a decade ago, resulting in total defeat. He didn¡¯t expect they would dare to come again this time, and even sent their direct granddaughter. Had Qin Yuan gone senile? But when he received Hua Ruyue¡¯s call, Xie Tianci simply said, ¡°No worries, do they want to play around? Then I will play along with them!¡± After hanging up, he looked at the delicate profile of Qin Yu in the photo, his eyes gradually becoming greedy. The Qin Family was also considered a prominent family. He wondered what the taste of a young lady from such a family was like. But since she had come to his door, he wouldn¡¯t be polite. As for Xue An¡¯s statements and the press conference, Xie Tianci didn¡¯t take them seriously at all. In his eyes, this man was just a fool who didn¡¯t understand anything. However, he noticed the way Fan Mengxue looked at Xue An in the video of the press conference. Her eyes were filled with adoration and admiration. This caused Xie Tianci¡¯s expression to become increasingly sinister. ¡°Want to fight with me? Okay! Then I¡¯ll show you what¡¯s what!¡± Xie Tianci made a call and said just one sentence. ¡°Control public opinion!¡± Indeed. By the next day, all media outlets had adopted a remarkably unified tone. It was almost entirely made up of cold mockery and ridicule towards the ¡°God Slayer¡± movie. Many so-called experts spoke at length, but their comments amounted to nothing more than various taunts about the press conference. Some even went so far as to directly call Xue An a fraud. After all, that was a whole billion yuan! The media presented an overwhelmingly one-sided perspective. As for the internet, it was filled with fierce arguments everywhere. Especially under Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo post. Trolls and fans were fighting vigorously. That evening, after dinner, Wang Wenjian opened Weibo, and after a quick scan, he was furious. Those trolls were simply masters of fabricating facts. The defamation of Fan Mengxue made Wang Wenjian¡¯s anger uncontrollable. He had been present throughout the press conference, and when he heard Xue An announce an investment of a billion yuan in the movie, he and the other fans were ecstatic. But to his astonishment, these trolls were labeling Xue An as a definite scammer. Wang Wenjian took a deep breath, then began to furiously tap away at his keyboard. The battle of public opinion had thus begun. Initially, online sentiment towards Fan Mengxue and Xue An was extremely hostile, even overwhelmingly so. But gradually, many fans began to organize spontaneously, resolutely repelling the trolls¡¯ vilification and smear tactics. Surprisingly, the situation began to balance out. Meanwhile, numerous celebrities watched the whole thing with cold indifference, not a single one standing up to speak out. Hua Ruyue was closely monitoring internet opinions every day, and as she saw everything within her control, she couldn¡¯t help feeling somewhat smug. Although Fan Mengxue had many fans, they couldn¡¯t possibly turn the tide. So, she posted a few photos from the set online in a boastful manner, accompanied by an expression of fatigue. Not long after, various celebrities began to like and comment on her post. ¡°Wow! Ruyue looks so beautiful today!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard!¡± ¡°Hard work!¡± ¡°Wishing ¡®War of the Gods¡¯ a blockbuster success!¡± Nearly half of the entertainment industry¡¯s stars had checked in. This created a stark contrast with the silence under Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo post. This only made Hua Ruyue grow even more arrogant, becoming lost in the dream of being the top actress in the circle. It also inflated her ego to the point where, in the crew, apart from Stephen, she either hit or scolded other crew members, leaving everyone too angry to speak out. At this time, Fan Mengxue¡¯s film encountered another problem. A major male role remained uncast. Originally, Han Yao had said the role could be played by an up-and-coming star in the industry, which would also bring more exposure to the movie. But unexpectedly, this male star suddenly reneged, demanding an exorbitant salary and conditions. Han Yao hung up the phone, her expression extremely grim. Cao Zheng asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± Han Yao shook her head, grinding her teeth as she said, ¡°That bastard has gone back on his word, and now he¡¯s using this to blackmail us!¡± Cao Zheng sighed. He knew it wouldn¡¯t be that simple. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± Cao Zheng asked. ¡°I¡¯ve just negotiated with him, and we¡¯ll follow his demands for now. After all, we can¡¯t afford to delay the movie,¡± Han Yao said. ¡°War of the Gods¡± was already halfway through its shooting, and if they delayed any further, they¡¯d be completely out of the running. Cao Zheng nodded, ¡°That seems to be the only option!¡± The next day. Bi Yuntao, wearing sunglasses and a mask, walked out of the airport. Han Yao herself had come to pick him up, and upon his arrival, she hurried to greet him. Bi Yuntao¡¯s assistant, a woman with a face full of horizontal scars, scoffed upon seeing only Han Yao, ¡°Why is there only one person to pick up?¡± Bi Yuntao himself was utterly indifferent, not even giving Han Yao a second glance. Grinding her teeth, Han Yao forced a smile, ¡°Teacher Bi, there¡¯s just too much going on in the crew, so I came to pick you up myself.¡± ¡°Hmph! Just get in the car!¡± the burly assistant commanded coldly. Han Yao drove the car and took Bi Yuntao back to the location of the crew. This was the largest film studio in the provincial capital, which Qin Yu had extravagantly rented out entirely, just for this movie.. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Do you think… you can still walk? Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Do you think¡­ you can still walk? Translator: 549690339 But just when everything was ready and they were preparing to test the equipment, Bi Yuntao¡¯s side encountered yet another problem. Bi Yuntao¡¯s assistant spoke with an indifferent face, ¡°Why do I have to stay in this film and television city? I want to stay in a five-star hotel! How are you hosting us?¡± Han Yao was also not one to temper easily, but this time, due to the extreme rush, she had no choice but to swallow her anger and explain. ¡°Because the filming schedule is very tight, all the cast members are staying in the film and television city. I have already ordered someone to arrange it, and the accommodations here are not bad!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not in the contract, so you have to pay extra!¡± Bi Yuntao suddenly spoke up. Han Yao clenched her teeth, ¡°Fine!¡± Bi Yuntao¡¯s heart was full of smugness. He wasn¡¯t actually a top tier young fresh meat, but he knew about Fan Mengxue¡¯s situation, and how she was counting on this movie to make a comeback. That¡¯s why he dared to make such demands. After all, aside from himself, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find a suitable male actor on short notice. The equipment test finally began. This scene depicted the heroine played by Fan Mengxue being captured by the Heavenly Divine played by Bi Yuntao, who then tortured her. ¡°Stop!¡± Cao Zheng furrowed his brow, stood up, and said, ¡°This male actor, your expression is too stiff, and why can¡¯t you speak your lines clearly?¡± Bi Yuntao¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Lines? When have I ever spoken lines in films? Isn¡¯t it all dubbed in post-production?¡± Cao Zheng¡¯s eyes were wide with disbelief; he had never seen an actor who couldn¡¯t recite lines. ¡°That won¡¯t do, this time we must have live sound recording, let¡¯s do it again!¡± Originally, Fan Mengxue was tied to a pole and submerged in water, and to reshoot would mean to suffer all over again. And Bi Yuntao was clearly not happy about it. He had thought that this shoot would be easy, and then he could just take the money and leave. But Cao Zheng didn¡¯t care about that and was extremely demanding, speaking without a hint of politeness. This made Bi Yuntao very irritated. So, he even started to deliberately mess up his lines. After all, it wasn¡¯t him soaking in the water. Bi Yuntao thought smugly. Even though it was early summer, the water here was still very chilly. Fan Mengxue had to enter the water again and again, and her soaked clothes clung to her body, outlining her lithe figure in a way that made Bi Yuntao¡¯s eyes wander. This time he was supposed to say his lines and then turn away and leave. But instead, he deliberately stepped forward and reached out, touching Fan Mengxue¡¯s shoulder. Fan Mengxue was taken aback. Cao Zheng was even more furious. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Bi Yuntao¡¯s temper flared even more, ¡°Am I not acting? What are you shouting for? Believe it or not, I will walk off right now?¡± Bi Yuntao was sure that Han Yao and the others didn¡¯t dare to offend him, so he spoke with great conviction. Cao Zheng was somewhat speechless. Bi Yuntao looked around at everyone present with smug satisfaction and sneered, ¡°Any more nonsense, and I¡¯m leaving right now! Let¡¯s see what you can do about it.¡± Just then, a calm voice came from not far away, ¡°Leaving? Do you think¡­ you can still walk away now?¡± With the sound of those words, Xue An walked over. He had spent the day at a theme park in the provincial city with his two daughters, which was why he had only now arrived. Upon his arrival at the film and television city, he heard Bi Yuntao bragging outrageously, and also witnessed the recent incident. At that moment, Xue An smiled at Fan Mengxue, then said faintly to Han Yao, ¡°This is the so-called male artist you hired?¡± Han Yao dared not reply and lowered her head. Bi Yuntao looked at Xue An with suspicion, while his assistant stepped forward, her face full of arrogance, ¡°Who are you? And in what tone are you speaking to our Teacher Bi?¡± Xue An narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°Teacher Bi? You mean him?¡± The female assistant spoke proudly, ¡°Of course!¡± Xue An smiled. ¡°Then tell me¡­ with what tone should I speak to him?¡± ¡°You must use a respectful tone, of course! You should know that we¡¯re taking time out of our busy schedules to film, and you guys¡­¡± the female assistant prattled on. Xue An waved his hand dismissively, looking as harmless as a person could be, ¡°You¡¯re speaking too fast, come closer! Otherwise, I can¡¯t hear you!¡± The female assistant looked puzzled, but still moved closer, ¡°What are you Xue An suddenly slapped her across the face. Although Xue An already tried to control his strength, the slap still sent the plump female assistant flying, spinning 720 degrees in the air before plopping into the pool. This earth-shattering slap silenced everyone on set. Xue An withdrew his hand, saying indifferently, ¡°What kind of thing dares to call itself a teacher?¡± At that moment, Bi Yuntao came to his senses, his face full of anger and fear, ¡°You¡­ you dare hit someone? You¡¯re finished, I¡¯m calling the police now, I want to¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, because Xue An had grabbed his neck and dragged him to the edge of the pool, then violently pressed down. Bi Yuntao¡¯s head was submerged in the water. All his angry words turned into bubbles that floated up. Bi Yuntao¡¯s limbs struggled fiercely, but Xue An¡¯s hand was as firm as cast iron, not moving in the slightest. This scene frightened everyone. Because Xue An¡¯s demeanor was too calm, as if he were holding down not a person, but a dog. After dozens of seconds, Bi Yuntao¡¯s struggling gradually weakened. Xue An still showed no intention of letting go. No one dared to step forward to intervene, some of the more faint-hearted were already shaking with fear. Almost a minute later, Xue An abruptly raised his hand. Bi Yuntao¡¯s head emerged from the water, coughing to expel the water from his windpipe, then began gasping for air like a dying dog. But before he could take more than half a breath, Xue An pressed his head down again. Another minute passed. Xue An lifted again, and this time Bi Yuntao¡¯s tears and snot were flowing, while an odorous scent of urine came from below. Clearly, he had been terrified into wetting himself. However, Xue An¡¯s expression remained calm, and before Bi Yuntao could speak, he pressed down once more. This happened three times. Only then did Xue An let go of his hand. By that time, Bi Yuntao was lying on the ground limp like a pile of mud, unable to move! No one dared to say a word. The plump assistant didn¡¯t even dare to climb out of the water and just stood there, trembling. Xue An took out a tissue, slowly wiping the water stains from his hand, and asked indifferently, ¡°Still want to call the police now?¡± Bi Yuntao shivered all over, looking at Xue An as if he were looking at a demon, his teeth chattering. ¡°Boss¡­ Boss, please have mercy, I¡­ I won¡¯t dare anymore!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°I just heard that you were uncomfortable staying here and wanted a five-star hotel?¡± ¡°No, no, no, I¡¯ll stay here; even without a room it¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°The contract¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll revise it right away, I¡¯ll sign whatever you want! And I can give up my salary too!¡± Bi Yuntao was on the verge of tears. He had believed more than once while in the water that he was definitely going to die. It was as if this person could precisely gauge his condition, pulling him out of the water each time he was on the verge of death, only to push him back under just as he had started to take a half breath. That feeling¡­ Bi Yuntao didn¡¯t dare to reminisce. Only then did Xue An smile and nod, ¡°That¡¯s better. I¡¯ll give you your salary, but you better work hard, otherwise¡­ I quite enjoy giving people facials!¡± Facials¡­ He actually called this a facial? Bi Yuntao thought while crying.. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Defying the Heavens… Is That a Crime? (Second Update) Chapter 93: Chapter 93: Defying the Heavens¡­ Is That a Crime? (Second Update) Translator: 549690339 Hua Ruyue sat in her chair with a face full of pride, while an assistant fanned her from behind. Stephen¡¯s face was ashen, and his heart was full of annoyance. The scene just filmed was the last scene of War of the Gods, a simple plot where Hua Ruyue¡¯s character emerges from the water. But such a simple scene had been delayed for a long time. Because Hua Ruyue refused to get into the water, and finally, with no other choice, Stephen reluctantly agreed to use a body double to complete the scene. And this concession wasn¡¯t the first time. Ever since Hua Ruyue joined the cast, Stephen found he could only lower his standards, otherwise, he couldn¡¯t film at all. Fortunately, it was all over now. After today¡¯s filming was completed, War of the Gods would be considered finished. Stephen was even embarrassed to attach his name to this film. Because he knew, a movie where even the leading actress wouldn¡¯t cooperate properly was doomed to have no future. But that was no longer his concern. Stephen had already bought his plane ticket and would fly back to Europe tonight. ¡°Mr. Stephen, Mr. Xie has prepares a celebration dinner for you tonight, what do you think¡­¡± Hua Ruyue¡¯s face was full of feigned affection and pretense. Stephen¡¯s expression was cold, ¡°Sorry, I have other matters, I¡¯m going back to Europe tonight!¡± After speaking, he turned and left. Hua Ruyue stood there, her face alternating between pale and flushed, and then she clenched her teeth and said bitterly, ¡°The filming is finished now, what¡¯s with the big director act?¡± That evening, Hua Ruyue, dolled up flamboyantly, went to meet Xie Tianci and told him about Stephen¡¯s unannounced departure. Xie Tianci listened and let out a slight, cold laugh. ¡°Let him go. Do you think I really care about his directorial skills? I value his fame. As long as there¡¯s fame, I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a dog sitting there directing,¡± he said indifferently. Hua Ruyue quickly laughed in agreement: ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Xie. But I heard that the director Fan Mengxue hired is quite capable, what do you think¡­¡± Xie Tianci chuckled and drained the wine from his glass, then said indifferently, ¡°No matter how capable, what can he really do? The reason I agreed to them making a movie was to have a little game with them. Now their film is half-made, but no company dares to take on the post-production. Isn¡¯t the money they spent before just wasted?¡± Hua Ruyue¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Mr. Xie is truly formidable!¡± ¡°The Qin Family wants to wade into these muddy waters, then I¡¯ll indulge them. But to compete with me? Hmph!¡± Xie Tianci sneered, a cold light flickering in his eyes. Wang Wenjian had been visiting Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo page every day. News about God Slayer had disappeared after that press conference. More than a month had passed, and many people had already forgotten that there was such a film. Only loyal fans still remembered. In stark contrast was the powerful promotional campaign for War of the Gods. Almost every day, there was an endless stream of rumors and gossip, and promo clips were released one after another. Such a disparity made many people lose faith in the prospects of God Slayer. Especially after news of War of the Gods¡¯s completion spread, nearly every star in the entertainment circle started buzzing, and a long queue of messages wishing Hua Ruyue well appeared on her Weibo. On Fan Mengxue¡¯s side, it was quiet and cold. Wang Wenjian heaved a sigh, guessing today would be yet another day without fruition. But when he opened Weibo, there was a new message. Wang Wenjian paused, it was a video. Could it be¡­? His heart began to race, and he hurriedly clicked on the video. The video started in darkness. And a woman¡¯s voice was softly singing something. A light slowly brightened, and only then could it be seen that in the center of the screen stood a mountain. And atop the mountain, a woman in tattered clothes but with a determined look stood. It was Fan Mengxue! Wang Wenjian suddenly felt a lump in his throat and the urge to cry. During this time, many said Fan Mengxue had lost, and some even maliciously speculated that Fan Mengxue had probably been scammed. But Wang Wenjian and others chose to believe. Finally, they received this video. It was also the first promotional video for God Slayer. The video continued, with the woman on the mountaintop slowly raising her head, while above the ninth heaven, countless Heavenly Solders and Generals stood. They stood among the clouds, towering above. An imposing voice rang out. ¡°Mortal, do you acknowledge your sin?¡± The woman answered indifferently, ¡°What sin have I committed?¡± ¡°You defy the heavens, that is your sin!¡± the voice said with a hint of anger. Yet the woman laughed, her laughter as beautiful as a blooming field of flowers, captivatingly beautiful. ¡°So¡­ in the eyes of you high and mighty deities, a mortal¡¯s desire for a bit of freedom is a sin!¡± The imposing voice scoffed coldly, ¡°Mortals are mortals after all, they should labor on the ground, and yet you¡­ you dare to ascend to the heavens, is that not a sin?¡± The woman lowered her head. It seemed as though she had surrendered. The imposing voice felt a sense of pride, ¡°If you confess now, perhaps I will spare your life!¡± Suddenly. The woman lifted her head, her eyes blazing as if on fire. ¡°You are wrong!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± the voice asked with a hint of question. ¡°Gods are not born noble, nor are humans born inferior. You stand on high, arbitrarily judging the merits and sins of others, but¡­ are you worthy?¡± The voice finally got angry, ¡°Obstinate to the end, let her be completely annihilated, both body and soul!¡± With a roar, countless arrows tore through the sky, as if tearing the heavens themselves apart. Yet the woman laughed, slowly drawing the sword in her hand, ¡°So this is what deities are!¡± She faced the countless arrows without any hint of retreat. And after the sound of a dragon¡¯s roar, a Giant Dragon broke through the sky and lifted the woman on its back, charging towards those arrows, those high and mighty deities. The video ended. Wang Wenjian sat in his chair, it took five full minutes before he came back to his senses. Although the promo was short, the grandeur contained within it left him profoundly moved. The woman defying the heavens, the magnificent scenes, and that vividly lifelike Giant Dragon at the end. All of this left Wang Wenjian utterly fascinated. Suddenly, he remembered something and immediately opened his fan group, excitedlv forwarding the video into the chat. In no time at all, the group chat was flooded with messages. Oh my God, I thought it was real at first! The special effects are amazing! Sister Meng Xue looks so cool! I¡¯m getting more and more excited about the release of God Slayer! Meanwhile, the comments on Weibo also started to grow exponentially. Chen Xiaoyi didn¡¯t go to work today, but she still browsed through Weibo out of habit. However, apart from the news about War of the Gods, there was no information about God Slayer. Chen Xiaoyi couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed. Could it be that the man was really a swindler? Suddenly. She saw a Weibo post skyrocketing to popularity right before her eyes. She felt a stir in her heart and clicked on the video. After watching it, she was stunned for a long time. Used to seeing the conflicts between Immortals and specters, it was the first time Chen Xiaoyi witnessed a mortal¡¯s defiance of the heavens, and she felt as if a soft spot deep in her heart had been touched. The woman who stood defiantly alone against the entire host of gods, isn¡¯t it just the same in real life? Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Do You Dare to Provoke Me? (Third Update) Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Do You Dare to Provoke Me? (Third Update) Translator: 549690339 The entire internet was set ablaze by this promotional trailer. Used to the contention of immortals, it was the first time many saw such a defiant protagonist, and moreover, a female lead. Many people were shocked. Particularly in the end, the silhouette of Fan Mengxue standing alone against the multitude of heavenly divine beings caused many to tear up as they watched. It must be said that Cao Zheng¡¯s directorial foundation is indeed profound; even with such a short trailer, one could see the care he put into it. Of course, the most important thing was the special effects in the trailer. Many people were stunned by the special effects presented there. Without any exaggeration, the top-notch effects of Hollywood were mere trash compared to this promotional trailer. The figure of the giant dragon was unforgettable at first sight. Therefore, there was no need for deliberate promotion, as many people voluntarily began to spread the video. So before a day had passed, the promotional trailer had spread throughout the internet, and ¡°God Slayer¡± naturally topped the trending search list, even surpassing ¡°War of the Gods¡± and becoming number one. This plunged Hua Ruyue into extreme panic and jealousy. When she found Xie Tianci, she was about to say something. Then she noticed that Xie Tianci¡¯s face was terribly gloomy. Xie Tianci of course had seen the trailer as well. When he saw those lifelike ¡°special effects,¡± he was so angry that he smashed his phone to pieces. Why! Why, even though he had already blocked their path in post-production, were they still able to create such beautiful special effects? Xie Tianci suddenly felt a flicker of fear. It was as if all of his actions were being watched by a pair of eyes from high above. Even with his eyes closed, Xie Tianci could feel the mockery in those eyes. This left him feeling deeply apprehensive. ¡°Young Master Xie¡­ what do we do now?¡± Hua Ruyue asked anxiously. Xie Tianci gave her a cold glance and then took out his phone to make a call. ¡°I¡¯ve already notified all major cinemas to collectively ban this movie! Even if they can make it, I can ensure they won¡¯t be able to release it!¡± Xie Tianci finally resorted to his last trump card. Hua Ruyue breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how wonderfully her film was made, if it couldn¡¯t be released, wouldn¡¯t it all be for naught? Hua Ruyue¡¯s heart was filled with smugness and schadenfreude. I can¡¯t wait to see how you cry then! Wang Wenjian and others looked forward eagerly, just waiting for ¡°God Slayer¡± to officially hit the screens. Because ¡°War of the Gods¡± had already set its premiere date for June 18th. So, ¡°God Slayer¡± must also be coming soon, right? At this moment, the online public opinion was in a deadlock, with fans of ¡°War of the Gods¡± and ¡°God Slayer¡± hurling insults and tearing at each other, all waiting to settle the score upon release. Meanwhile, in the hotel, Cao Zheng was working overtime, making final touch-ups. He had high expectations for this film, so he wouldn¡¯t allow any imperfections. But apart from that, things were manageable. Fan Mengxue understood that Cao Zheng was acting in her best interest, so no matter how exacting his demands, she accepted them willingly. Bi Yuntao was now acting like a well-behaved baby, daring not to defy any commands. But when it came to shooting scenes with special effects, Cao Zheng was always dissatisfied with Jin Long¡¯s performance, often needing many takes for a single shot. Sometimes, Jin Long was so frustrated that it wished it could just slap this annoying insect to death. But it dared not. Because Xue An had told it to cooperate. So it could only obediently follow orders. Otherwise, if it angered the adult¡­ the consequences were something Jin Long dared not contemplate. As for the others, they were busy with the release. Today, Qin Yu and Han Yao were preparing to meet with the owner of the largest cinema chain company in the provincial city. As long as they reached an agreement with him, the matter of the film¡¯s release would be easy to settle. But when they arrived, they were turned away without even a meeting. Han Yao¡¯s face turned pale with rage. She couldn¡¯t understand why everything she did had to be so difficult. No matter how much of a fuss she made, the receptionist could only respond with a gentle smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but our chairman is not present, and he has said that the release of the film can be discussed at a later date!¡± In the end, Han Yao was on the brink of exploding, but it was Qin Yu who calmly pulled her away. Once they got back to the hotel. Han Yao threw herself onto the bed and didn¡¯t want to get up anymore. She even wanted to have a good cry. Everything had been prepared, but what if the film couldn¡¯t be released? After hearing the news, Xue An also rushed over. Upon being briefed by Qin Yu, he frowned slightly, then laughed. ¡°Where is that company located?¡± ¡°Right here in the city!¡± ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll take a trip there then!¡± Having said that, Xue An turned and left the hotel. The owner of the cinema chain was called Li Xiaokang. He had been there all along, but he simply didn¡¯t want to see Han Yao. After all, it was Xie Tianci who had personally called him, promising many benefits. He didn¡¯t need to offend the Xie Family for the sake of a movie. At that moment, he was in his office, engulfed in clouds of smoke. Suddenly. Someone was knocking on the window outside. He frowned, who was this impolite? All of a sudden, he froze. His office was on the twenty-eighth floor! His flesh trembled, and he looked out the window in terror at the man with a hint of a smile on his face. With a tap of Xue An¡¯s finger, the tempered bulletproof glass shattered into pieces. Then Xue An stepped inside, walking as leisurely as if he were strolling in a garden, and smiled at Li Xiaokang. ¡°Are you Li Xiaokang?¡± Li Xiaokang¡¯s entire body stiffened. That was bulletproof glass! Yet under this man¡¯s fingertip, it was as fragile as a layer of paper. He turned pale and said, trembling, ¡°Immortal, please spare my life, what is your command?¡± Xue An took a seat in the chair, leisurely, and looked at Li Xiaokang. An eerie silence filled the atmosphere. Li Xiaokang felt as if the gaze of the man in front of him was like a sharp knife, slicing into him bit by bit. ¡°I heard¡­ you don¡¯t plan on releasing a certain movie?¡± Li Xiaokang shuddered, then, as if understanding, he hastened to say, ¡°Are you talking about God Slayer? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to release it, it¡¯s just that someone has sent their regards, and I don¡¯t dare mess with them¡­¡± ¡°So you dare to mess with me?¡± Xue An said indifferently, his fingers casually sliding across the desk. With each slide, the solid wood desk was silently and effortlessly sliced open as though it were butter. Li Xiaokang¡¯s face was ashen, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±. ¡°Relax, I won¡¯t kill you. Just release the film properly, and as for the rest¡­ I Il go settle things with them,¡± Xue An revealed his pearly white teeth. ¡°Understood?¡± Li Xiaokang nodded frantically. Xue An patted his chubby cheek with satisfaction, ¡°If you don¡¯t obey, I think, I could help you slim down!¡± After finishing, Xue An walked to the broken window and with a step, soared away into the void. Li Xiaokang stood in place, taking quite a long time to recover. If it weren¡¯t for the shattered glass on the floor, he would have thought all of this was just a dream. Suddenly, he shuddered and quickly picked up the phone. ¡°Hello, get ready to release God Slayer!¡± Sometimes violence isn¡¯t the best method, but it¡¯s always the fastest.. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Official Release, Beating Everyone Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Official Release, Beating Everyone Translator: 549690339 God Slayer was finally set for its official premiere. And it was to be released on the same day as War of the Gods. These two movies were like mortal enemies in destiny, even their release dates coinciding. The online debates about these two movies had reached a fever pitch. All sorts of demons and goblins leaped out, without exception, siding with War of the Gods. Especially the majority of stars from the entertainment industry, who also chose to stand by War of the Gods and cheer it on. This caused the fame of War of the Gods to skyrocket. In comparison, God Slayer fell far behind. Besides that one trailer, there was barely any promotion at all. It all relied on the spontaneous publicity by the fans. Naturally, this left it at a disadvantage in the court of public opinion. However, there were still some stars who stood on Fan Mengxue¡¯s side. Like Bi Yuntao, for instance. He vigorously promoted God Slayer on Weibo and repeatedly promised that he had contributed some decent acting skills in this movie. But his words only drew widespread ridicule and sneers. Many left comments below. ¡°You have acting skills?¡± ¡°Haha, if you had acting skills, I¡¯d eat my keyboard!¡± ¡°Exactly, if he had any acting to speak of, I¡¯d eat my computer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat the computer desk.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat¡­¡± These freeloaders¡¯ Weibo comments left Bi Yuntao laughing and crying at the same time. Feeling helpless, he could only post another message. ¡°See you at the cinema!¡± This was but a small episode amid the tidal wave of public discourse. As the focal point of news, Fan Mengxue had remained silent all along. Regardless of what people said, she never came out to argue. Because Fan Mengxue believed in Xue An¡¯s words. ¡°Let the results speak for themselves.¡± The more vocally defensive, the more it proved their insecurity. Under such intense scrutiny, the day of the premiere finally arrived. Wang Wenjian went to see it with his friend. However, his friend liked Hua Ruyue, so they went to see War of the Gods instead. When Wang Wenjian emerged from the cinema full of exclamation points, his friend also came out. But his friend had the look of someone who¡¯d just swallowed a fly. ¡°What happened?¡± Wang Wenjian asked. ¡°It was so damn terrible, it wasn¡¯t worth the money at all! What bullshit Stephen, what bullshit Hua Ruyue, it was totally crap!¡± Wang Wenjian¡¯s friend cursed up a storm. And he wasn¡¯t the only one; many viewers shared the same sentiment after watching War of the Gods. Even if Stephen had phoned it in, it shouldn¡¯t have been that awful. But because Stephen had already gone back to Europe during the post-production phase, the editing power was handed over to Hua Ruyue. To highlight her own role in the movie, Hua Ruyue ruthlessly extended her original thirty-plus minutes of screen time to fifty minutes. Not enough content? Turn to slow motion. So many people witnessed the following scene. Hua Ruyue took a slow-motion swig of water in the movie. And that wasn¡¯t even the worst of it. The key issue was Hua Ruyue¡¯s mediocre acting skills, always staring with a pair of innocent big eyes, looking like an idiot. How could people not criticize that? After a lengthy rant, Wang Wenjian¡¯s friend asked, ¡°How was your movie?¡± Wang Wenjian sighed softly, ¡°All I can say is¡­ a masterpiece that shocks the world!¡± ¡°Is it really that exaggerated?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Go watch it again now!¡± Wang Wenjian accompanied his friend back into the cinema once more. After watching it this time, Wang Wenjian¡¯s friend didn¡¯t speak. ¡°What did you think?¡± Wang Wenjian asked. ¡°Awesome!¡± Meanwhile, online public opinion gradually began to reverse. Because ¡°War of the Gods¡± was just too awful to watch. So, in one night¡¯s work, its rating plummeted to three points, becoming a total flop. In stark contrast was ¡°God Slayer¡±. This movie, initially doubted by everyone, made a spectacular debut. Once the rating came out, it stunned many people. Eight point eight! That rating was enough to thrash most domestic films. And the comments below were uniformly cries of ¡°Damn, that¡¯s badass!¡± With the reversal of public opinion, ¡°God Slayer¡± saw its viewership numbers quickly climb. Of course, the cinemas wouldn¡¯t miss out on the money, so screenings of ¡°God Slayer¡± rapidly increased. Day one. The box office for ¡°God Slayer¡± reached 130 million Yuan. While ¡°War of the Gods¡± was at 140 million Yuan. ¡°War of the Gods¡± held a slim lead with this slight advantage. But on the second day, ¡°God Slayer¡¯s¡± box office soared to 210 million Yuan. ¡°War of the Gods¡± quickly fell to 80 million Yuan. This ironclad fact was like a loud slap, fiercely hitting the faces of those who had initially looked down on ¡°God Slayer¡±. Especially those star-chasing celebrities, who might as well have had their faces swollen from the smacking. And this was just the beginning. From that day on, the box office for ¡°God Slayer¡± skyrocketed. In just five short days, it broke through the two billion Yuan mark. As for ¡°War of the Gods¡±¡­ It hadn¡¯t even breached eight hundred million Yuan yet, and it probably never would. Once this fact was out, All those internet trolls lost their voices. Below Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo, many apologies appeared in the comments. But the liveliest place was Bi Yuntao¡¯s Weibo. All those who had previously vowed to eat their keyboards and computers came back. This time, however, they came to offer sincere apologies to Bi Yuntao. Because, just as Bi Yuntao had said, his performance in the movie wasn¡¯t stunning but certainly noteworthy. This also greatly improved his public image. Reading those heartwarming comments, Bi Yuntao couldn¡¯t help but tear up. It seems actors really do need to act well. Now Bi Yuntao even felt somewhat grateful for the beating he got from Xue An. How else could he have had such an epiphany? The astonishing turnaround of public opinion became a hot topic among many netizens; it was just like a plot straight out of a novel. However, Hua Ruyue¡¯s Weibo was in trouble. Countless people started mocking her below her posts. ¡°So the so-called influencer¡¯s thing is just bulging your eyes out? I can do that too!¡± ¡°Slowing down the frame just for drinking water, why the hell don¡¯t you just ¡°I¡¯ll never love again! Goodbye!¡± ¡°I just learned about your debut, Miss Fan indeed helped you a lot back then, but you kicked her when she was down, trash!¡± By this time, those once cozy celebrities and internet stars all fell silent. It was clear to everyone that Hua Ruyue was finished. Once your reputation is ruined, that¡¯s pretty much the end. At this time, who wouldn¡¯t want to quickly distance themselves to avoid getting burned, and who would still want to speak up for Hua Ruyue? Some even started sneakily deleting their Weibo posts. And there were those shameless ones who ran over to Fan Mengxue¡¯s Weibo to start fervently courting favor. Because it was clear to everyone. With this movie, Fan Mengxue¡¯s career was going to skyrocket. And as for how far she might go in the future, no one could imagine. But what really buried ¡°War of the Gods¡± and people like Hua Ruyue was a film review by Chen Xiaoyi. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all God Slayers? It¡¯s just that life knocks us back down to being mere mortals!¡± This review set the internet ablaze.. Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96: What I Want Is to Slap Your Face on Your Turf (2nd update) Chapter 96: Chapter 96: What I Want Is to Slap Your Face on Your Turf (2nd update) Translator: 549690339 Chen Xiaoyi wrote in his article, ¡°Each of us once had grand ambitions, but under the grind of life, we eventually veered towards mediocrity.¡± Some people die at twenty but are not buried until eighty. We are all ordinary people, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with that. However, the mistake lies in treating mediocrity as an asset and harboring resentment towards those who are not content with the ordinary. At first glance, ¡°God Slayer¡± seems like an excellent fantasy movie. The special effects and details within are impeccable. Once again, Director Cao Zheng shocked everyone with his almost demonic talent. But what I saw was not just that. When Miss Fan stood atop the mountain, confronting the myriad gods alone and slowly spoke that line of dialogue, For the first time, I was moved to tears. Indeed! Why should you, in your lofty position, have the right to arbitrarily judge the merits and faults of others? And when the giant dragon ascended, the entire movie theater gasped in amazement. It wasn¡¯t just because of the special effects but also due to its romance. Indeed! The giant dragon carries the hero to battle those aloof deities. Isn¡¯t that romantic? Based solely on this concept, I¡¯m not talking about anything else, but the domestic movies present here are all trash. As for ¡°War of the Gods,¡± I¡¯ve seen it too¡ªMiss Hua contributed her exquisite ¡°staring¡± acting performance. As for the rest, I have nothing to say. Because it¡¯s just another movie glorifying emperors and generals. I like ¡°God Slayer.¡± Because it reminds me of my youth. Back then, we roamed the city¡¯s splendor in our white clothes, riding bicycles, rebellious and seen as problem children by adults. But we had the heart of the pure and innocent. In the end, I paid special attention to the screenwriter; in the screenwriter¡¯s column, it was written as Mr. Xue. Interesting. You certainly didn¡¯t disappoint me. Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s article captured the sentiments of most people with its vivid writing. Therefore, a week after its release, the box office of ¡°God Slayer¡± rose instead of fell. And most of the viewers this time were middle-aged men with potbellies. They might be mired in mundane lives, plodding along day by day. But once they finished watching, their eyes were full of tears. Indeed! Who hasn¡¯t been young? And the heat of this movie has become a phenomenal spectacle. Countless people were captivated by Fan Mengxue¡¯s exquisite acting performance. Especially her scene standing alone against the gods on the mountain, which became an unforgettable memory for many. Fan Mengxue was affectionately called Miss God Slayer Sister! Thus, ¡°God Slayer¡± made its comeback with the poise of a king, crushing ¡°War of the Gods¡± underfoot with almost an overwhelming force. It also slapped the faces of those so-called stars who once scorned and belittled it. Xie Tianci¡¯s face turned ashen as he read the comments online. Suddenly, he smashed the screen with a punch. Then he started pacing back and forth in the room. Hua Ruyue sat on the sofa sobbing incessantly. Her heart was filled with resentment at that moment. Resentment towards Fan Mengxue, resentment towards Stephen, but she did not once reflect on her own faults. ¡°The Qin Family¡­ haha, what a clever move!¡± Xie Tianci suddenly sneered. ¡°And to think, An Qing of the An Family has also gotten involved. What, do they think they can do something to the Xie Family with just one movie?¡± Xie Tianci¡¯s face gradually regained its arrogant expression. It¡¯s just a movie, after all. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. But with the Qin Family and An Family shadows behind this movie, He had to be prepared. However, Xie Tianci was not the least bit worried, because this was the provincial city. On his own turf, who would dare to act recklessly? Thinking of this, Xie Tianci couldn¡¯t help but feel some relief. But at that moment, in the hotel where Fan Mengxue was staying, someone else was questioning Xue An with shock. ¡°Mr. Xue, are you serious about this? That¡¯s the Xie Family¡¯s territory!¡± The person who asked was Cao Zheng. The cause of this was that Xue An was preparing to hold a celebration banquet. This was to be expected. After all, ¡®God Slayer¡¯ had achieved such brilliant success, it was natural to hold a celebration banquet. But the place Xue An chose was the Lijing Grand Hotel in the provincial city. Everyone in the provincial city knew that the Lijing Grand Hotel was the property of the second young master of the Xie Family. For Xue An to hold a celebration banquet there was really puzzling. So Cao Zheng asked this question. Xue An replied with a smile upon hearing the question, ¡°The Xie Family¡¯s territory? No, you¡¯re mistaken, it won¡¯t be for long!¡± Cao Zheng wanted to say something more but was pulled aside by Han Yao. Upon hearing this, Qin Yu¡¯s eyes lit up. Mr. Xue¡­ are you going to make a move? Of course, Xue An would not let the Xie Family off just because his film had beaten theirs decisively. Killing someone is quite an easy thing to do. If Xue An wanted to, Xie Tianci and Hua Ruyue would have died many times over by now. But it¡¯s easy to kill a person, hard to kill their spirit. Xue An wanted a completely merciless beating of his opponent. You¡¯re replacing the female lead, right? Well then, I will just make my own movie, and then slap your face hard with ironclad facts. This is the correct way to take revenge. But now the goal has been achieved. Therefore, people like Xie Tianci no longer have any value. Ultimately, immortal cultivation comes down to one thing. Protecting the ones you love, making your opponents go to hell. So Xue An will not have any mercy. To him, the Xie Family is just a trifle. If they are to be killed, so be it. Moreover, choosing the Lijing Hotel for the celebration banquet was because Xue An felt that if he were going to slap someone¡¯s face, was there anything better than doing it on their own turf? With this thought in mind, a slight smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s lips. And Xiao Sha, who was playing with Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, shuddered suddenly upon seeing Xue An¡¯s expression, then crouched down in fright. It was the only one present that could sense the terror in Xue An¡¯s smile. As long as the master smiles like that, it definitely means someone is going to be unlucky, Xiao Sha thought to itself. This time, the celebration banquet Xue An held was very grand. Not only would the people from the crew come, but many others were also invited. However, apart from those stars who would come to any celebration banquet when they heard about one, Fan Mengxue also sent out a few special invitations. Wang Wenjian had been almost living online these days, exchanging viewing experiences with other film fans. ¡®God Slayer¡¯ had already become a masterpiece in the eyes of many. Today was no exception, but as he was discussing, the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find a postman. Strange, does anyone still write letters nowadays? Wang Wenjian opened the envelope with suspicion and found a gilded invitation inside. He opened it and was then petrified. It was an invitation handwritten by Fan Mengxue herself. She invited him to attend the celebration banquet as a representative of the fans the next day. Wang Wenjian was trembling all over. In truth, he had long passed the age of chasing after stars; his liking for Fan Mengxue was only because of her elegant demeanor. But at that moment, Wang Wenjian suddenly became devoted. How many stars could remember their fans from the beginning after achieving such proud accomplishments? Chen Xiaoyi felt the same way. Because of the popularity of her article, she was successfully¡­ fired by ¡®Entertainment Weekly.¡¯ Broadly speaking, these bosses still did not dare to offend the Xie Family. And Chen Xiaoyi didn¡¯t care. After watching the movie that day, she felt stuffy in her heart when she returned home, turned on the computer, and wrote the article almost without pausing. And when Chen Xiaoyi received the invitation, she was also stunned, then gradually smiled. Before her eyes appeared the image of the man at the press conference that day, with a calm expression and profound eyes. Indeed¡­. you didn¡¯t lie! Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Everything According to Mr. Xue (3 Updates) Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Everything According to Mr. Xue (3 Updates) Translator: 549690339 When Xie Tianci heard the news delivered by the hotel manager, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. Is this a fucking joke? Or¡­ is it purposefully mocking me? The manager watched with trepidation as Xie Tianci¡¯s face turned from white to black, and then from black to white again. Eventually, Xie Tianci suppressed the rage in his heart and let out a cold laugh. ¡°Alright, I got it. Go and arrange it!¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master Xie!¡± The manager quickly retreated. Hua Ruyue then leaned in, her face filled with spiteful poison as she said, ¡°Young Master Xie, it must be that bitch Fan Mengxue playing tricks, she wants to ridicule you¡­¡± Slap. Xie Tianci viciously slapped her across the face. Hua Ruyue was stunned. Xie Tianci said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to remind me!¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Young Master Xie!¡± Hua Ruyue trembled, covering her face. Xie Tianci pondered for a moment before making a phone call. ¡°Young Master Xie, what can I do for you?¡± A lazy voice came from the other end. ¡°Come to the hotel tomorrow!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± ¡°Murder!¡± Xie Tianci said with a murderous intent. There was a pause on the other end, then the reply came. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll be there tomorrow!¡± After hanging up, Xie Tianci¡¯s face was filled with killing intent. He had never suffered such humiliation from childhood to adulthood. Someone actually dared to insult him like this. Good! Tomorrow, I will give you a lesson you¡¯ll never forget for the rest of your life. And Fan Mengxue, don¡¯t think you¡¯re anything special just because you made a successful movie. An actor is still just an actor, no matter how talented, you must kneel before the wealthy. A cold smirk appeared on the corner of Xie Tianci¡¯s mouth, as if he could see Fan Mengxue kneeling before him. Meanwhile, in a luxurious villa in the provincial city, a woman asked, ¡°Brother, who is it?¡± With a light smile, the man said, ¡°Young Master Xie is angry, he¡¯s asked me to help him with a killing!¡± The woman sneered with disdain, ¡°What, he thinks our Shi Family are his thugs?¡± As she spoke, the woman approached¡ªit was none other than Shi Zhuli, the same person from the martial arts conference. And the man Xie Tianci had called was Shi Hao. These siblings from the legitimate branch of the Shi Family were well acquainted with Xie Tianci. Hearing his sister¡¯s comment, Shi Hao smiled, ¡°After all, the Xie Family is considered a big boss. Why not do him this favor? Moreover, since the martial arts conference, I feel I¡¯ve made a breakthrough in my abilities. I really want to kill someone to test my power!¡± Shi Zhuli¡¯s face remained expressionless. To families such as theirs, killing someone wasn¡¯t really a big deal. ¡°Then I¡¯ll also go tomorrow to watch the excitement, and see who was bold enough to actually provoke Young Master Xie! ¡± Of course, Cao Zheng no longer lived in his previous place. He spent money on a suite in the best community of the provincial city and brought his wife over. However, because he was busy with filming, he had no time to stay at home. Today he finally returned home. The woman was squatting on the floor wiping it clean. Seeing him come back, she stood up with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re back, have you eaten?¡± Cao Zheng, looking at his beloved woman, couldn¡¯t help but show a happy smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to hire a cleaner? You shouldn¡¯t be doing these chores. What if you overwork yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired. This is our new home, and I don¡¯t want anyone else touching it,¡± she said proudly with a smile. The woman went to the kitchen and made several dishes for Cao Zheng, then opened a bottle of wine. Sipping the wine and watching his busy wife, Cao Zheng felt content. All of this was unimaginable for the Cao Zheng of the past. He knew that all of this was thanks to Mr. Xue. Without Mr. Xue¡¯s timely assistance, my woman likely would have died by now, and I would have been finished as well. ¡°Tomorrow, our film crew is going to have a celebration banquet!¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful!¡± The woman was startled at first, then said with joy. ¡°It¡¯s at the Lijhu Hotel.¡± That name seemed to have a kind of magic, causing the woman to freeze instantly. Cao Zheng looked at the woman and said earnestly, ¡°Ah Xiu, come with me tomorrow! I want everyone to know that you are my woman, Cao Zheng¡¯s woman!¡± Ah Xiu bowed her head and after a long while finally said with a trembling voice, ¡°Is this Mr. Xue¡¯s wish?¡± Cao Zheng nodded. Ah Xiu sighed, ¡°Our lives were given by Mr. Xue. Since he decides to go there, we naturally should follow! Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be alright!¡± Cao Zheng nodded, ¡°Mhm!¡± Ah Xiu turned and entered the kitchen, suddenly her face was covered in tears. She used to be a manager at the Lijhu Hotel. But because she was attractive, she caught the eye of Xie Tianci, who attempted to take liberties with her after becoming inebriated one time. She struggled fiercely, but in a fit of rage, Xie Tianci threw her down from the fourth floor. Ah Xiu nearly died on the spot, and it was only because Cao Zheng rushed to send her to the hospital that she was saved. This was also the reason why Cao Zheng was later blacklisted. These old scars were being opened up once again, causing Ah Xiu¡¯s entire body to shake uncontrollably. She could not forget the cold stares of those so-called colleagues as she lay bloodied at the bottom of the hotel. Suddenly, Cao Zheng hugged Ah Xiu from behind and whispered in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Mr. Xue is a very capable man. If he chose that place, he must have his reasons!¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Inside the hotel, Qin Yu hung up the phone with a somewhat grim expression on her face. Tomorrow¡¯s celebration banquet would definitely not be so simple. So she made a call to her grandfather, recounting the whole situation. After listening, Qin Yuan was silent for a moment before saying in a deep voice, ¡°Follow Mr. Xue¡¯s lead in everything!¡± ¡°Hei King!¡± ¡°Miss!¡± ¡°What do you think will happen tomorrow?¡± Qin Yu stood in front of the window, looking out over this unfamiliar city. Hei King was silent for a moment, then said, ¡°I believe Mr. Xue will handle everything well! ¡± ¡°I believe so too, but the other party is¡­ the Xie Family,¡± Qin Yu murmured. Lijhu Hotel was completely booked by Qin Yu today. A ¡°Fully Booked¡± sign hung at the entrance, and the parking lot was filled with all kinds of luxury cars. Men and women clad in glamorous clothing were coming and going, each carrying a reserved smile on their faces. These were mostly the luminaries of the provincial capital. They had arrived surprisingly punctually. Not because Fan Mengxue was particularly influential, but because they all wanted to see the excitement. Everyone knew about the feud between Fan Mengxue and the Xie Family. The huge success of the movie had already made it very embarrassing for the Xie Family. And yet, the celebration banquet was being held right under the Xie Family¡¯s nose. This was an unprecedented event in recent years. So many came uninvited, just to witness the spectacle. And generally, none of them held much hope for Fan Mengxue. After all, no matter how well her movie sold, she was just a star. The Xie Family was an established powerhouse that had dominated the provincial capital for many years. The gap between them was clear. Besides, many stars also appeared at the event, thinking they might rub some of the success off the ¡°God Slayer¡± movie that was a hit.. Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Celebration Banquet (4 more updates) Chapter 98: Chapter 98 Celebration Banquet (4 more updates) Translator: 549690339 By the time Chen Xiaoyi and Wang Wenjian arrived, the hall was already glittering with stars. These celebrities and stars were clustered in groups, wearing self-satisfied smiles on their faces. Nobody noticed Chen Xiaoyi and Wang Wenjian. The two men also felt somewhat awkward. But just then, Fan Mengxue, dressed in her finery, stepped forward to greet them with a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Welcome both of you to tonight¡¯s banquet!¡± Wang Wenjian was so excited that his whole body trembled. This was Fan Mengxue! The goddess in his mind! And this scene made many onlookers slightly surprised. What was the background of these two men? That Fan Mengxue would actually come forward to welcome them personally? ¡°Mr. Xue hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡± Chen Xiaoyi looked around the venue, searching for traces of Xue An. Fan Mengxue smiled, ¡°He¡¯s bringing the children, so he¡¯ll be a little late!¡± While they were speaking, Mr. and Mrs. Cao Zheng arrived. Many stars¡¯ eyes brightened upon seeing Cao Zheng. After ¡°God Slayer,¡± the reputation of the genius director Cao Zheng had peaked once again. Therefore, many stars were trying to cozy up to him. Like many female stars, who were now sashaying forward, trying to strike up a conversation. But Cao Zheng kept his eyes straight ahead, expressionless, his heart only had room for Ah Xiu beside him. Ah Xiu, however, was somewhat shrinking, because looking around at the unfamiliar yet familiar scene, the past involuntarily came flooding back to her. At that moment, a female manager approached with a smile on her face. ¡°Director Cao, you¡¯ve arrived. Please, this way,¡± she said. Cao Zheng nodded. The manager then said, ¡°This must be Mrs. Cao¡­¡± Suddenly, the female manager¡¯s eyes bulged in shock. Ah Xiu looked at the manager and said softly, ¡°Molly, do you still recognize Molly looked as if she had seen a ghost. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Molly was stunned, her mind a whirlwind of shock. Back then, Ah Xiu was the lobby manager at the Lijiu Hotel, and she worked under her. Jealous of Ah Xiu¡¯s achievements, she deliberately found an opportunity for Ah Xiu to deliver water to the drunken Mr. Xie. In the end, Ah Xiu was thrown down the stairs, and she stood by watching coldly. At the time, she thought that woman was as good as dead, if not crippled. But she never expected that today she would return. And she was now the wife of the recently famous director Cao Zheng. Ah Xiu looked coldly at this woman. Molly clenched her teeth and, with a stern heart, thought, what difference does it make now? She knew that Mr. Xie would definitely come tonight, and when he did, none of these people would fare well. So she forced a smile and said, ¡°So it¡¯s little sister Ah Xiu!¡± Cao Zheng noticed his wife¡¯s unusual behavior and was about to say something. Outside, there was a commotion. Xie Tianci, Shi Hao, Hua Ruyue, and others walked in. Their arrival startled many, while others grew excited. Here they comes! Now the party was heating up! After entering the room, Xie Tianci looked around the entire hall, and under his icy gaze, many shrank away. His eyes then paused on Fan Mengxue, dressed in her finest, and a touch of greed flashed in his eyes. This woman truly was stunning! Then Xie Tianci noticed Cao Zheng and the quivering Ah Xiu beside him. The corners of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but curve into a cold smile. At that moment, Qin Yu and Hei King walked over. ¡°Mr. Xie!¡± Qin Yu nodded in greeting. Xie Tianci looked at Qin Yu and suddenly smiled, ¡°I¡¯m really curious, who gave you the courage? Liang Yongqi?¡± The room gradually quieted down. Shi Hao watched Qin Yu with interest, thinking to himself that this young lady wasn¡¯t bad-looking at all! Qin Yu¡¯s expression turned ugly, ¡°Mr. Xie, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°You come to my turf, shoot a movie, and don¡¯t mention it, but you even hold your celebration right at my doorstep. Do you really think the provincial city is your Qin Family¡¯s Beijiang?¡± Xie Tianci said with a cold voice. Qin Yu gritted her teeth, ¡°Mr. Xie¡­¡± Xie Tianci waved his hand and sneered, ¡°Since you dared to do it, you should be prepared for retaliation. Shi Hao, do it!¡± Shi Hao sneered, stepped forward, and said, ¡°Little lady, with your delicate skin and tender flesh, I reckon my punch would turn you into a meat paste. How about you kneel down, apologize to Mr. Xie, accompany me for the night, and then I¡¯ll let you go? How about that?¡± Qin Yu¡¯s face turned almost green with anger. But at that moment, Hei King impassively shielded Qin Yu behind him and faced Shi Hao, ¡°Your opponent is me!¡± Shi Hao sneered, ¡°Then prepare to die!¡± Shi Hao threw a punch, and within the force of the punch were faint sounds of wind and thunder. This was a move he had recently understood. Hei King¡¯s face changed drastically, not expecting this wealthy young master to be so formidable. He could only muster up a hasty defense against the punch. Boom. Hei King was directly sent flying back over a dozen steps, crashing into a table and spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood before collapsing, unable to stand. The room fell utterly silent. Shi Hao, with a look of triumph, said, ¡°Who else?¡± At that moment, Hua Ruyue mocked Fan Mengxue with a sneer, ¡°Ms. Fan, see that? Don¡¯t think you¡¯re special just because you made a movie. This is the Xie Family¡¯s territory!¡± Fan Mengxue, however, remained calm and showed no sign of fear. Wang Wenjian, on the other hand, impulsively wanted to step forward to protect his goddess. But Chen Xiaoyi held him back. Then with a grave expression, he shook his head at Wang Wenjian. Wang Wenjian had no choice but to stand down. At this point, Shi Hao sneered as he moved forward, saying as he walked, ¡°Mr. Xie, this woman is mine, and that Fan Mengxue is yours!¡± Nobody dared to speak. After all, the Xie Family had amassed significant influence in the provincial city over the years, and nobody wanted to provoke them. Meanwhile, Qin Yu was slowly retreating, her heart filled with anxiety. Why hasn¡¯t Mr. Xue arrived yet? At this moment, Xie Tianci smiled, ¡°No rush, the night is still young. Let¡¯s take our time to enjoy, I¡¯ll take care of this Cao Zheng first!¡± As he said this, Xie Tianci turned his head to look at Cao Zheng and Ah Xiu, letting out a slight cold laugh. ¡°Director Cao, you¡¯re quite persistent, I must say. It¡¯s a pity, no matter who you find to help you, you can¡¯t defeat me. As for your wife, it¡¯s truly regrettable that she didn¡¯t die back then!¡± Ah Xiu shuddered all over. Molly watched with great pleasure, thinking to herself that now they were done for! Extreme rage flared in Cao Zheng¡¯s eyes. He wished he could devour Xie Tianci right there and then. But just then, Bi Yuntao rushed over, standing in front of Cao Zheng. His action surprised many. ¡°You can¡¯t attack Director Cao!¡± Although Bi Yuntao was afraid, he still tried to maintain his composure. Xie Tianci frowned slightly, ¡°Get lost!¡± Bi Yuntao stiffened up, but he didn¡¯t budge. At that moment, Cao Zheng patted his shoulder and then stepped forward, speaking in a deep voice. ¡°Xie Tianci, don¡¯t think you can cover the sky with one hand here in the provincial city!¡± Xie Tianci smirked arrogantly, ¡°Sorry, but I can indeed cover the sky with one hand here. What can you do about it?¡± And at that moment, a detached voice came from the entrance. ¡°Cover the sky with one hand? Then I¡¯ll cut off that hand of yours!¡± Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100: After tonight, the Xie Family will cease to exist! Chapter 100: Chapter 100: After tonight, the Xie Family will cease to exist! Translator: 549690339 Xue An suddenly stretched out his hand, and a ghostly shadow floated out from above Hua Ruyue¡¯s head before her body thunderously fell to the ground. With a casual pinch, Xue An crushed Hua Ruyue¡¯s living soul. From that moment on, this vicious woman no longer existed. From the moment Xue An entered the door to now, it had only been five minutes, but he had incapacitated one person and killed two. Such lightning-fast methods left everyone present gaping in shock. At this moment, Molly was trembling all over, turning around intending to leave. But Ah Xiu suddenly smiled and said to Cao Zheng, ¡°This woman is the one who caused me to jump off a building. I won¡¯t kill her; just throwing her off the fourth floor would suffice!¡± Cao Zheng nodded solemnly, stepped forward, grabbed Molly by the neck, and dragged her to the window. Molly struggled desperately, howling in sorrow, and kept apologizing to Ah Xiu. But Ah Xiu was completely unmoved. The hall was on the fourth floor, and Cao Zheng directly threw her out of the window. Bang. A muffled sound came from outside. That was the sound of a body hitting the ground. The muffled thud made everyone¡¯s heart in the room tremble. At this time, Xue An walked up to Hei King. ¡°How are you feeling? Hei King coughed once and then gave a wry smile, ¡°I won¡¯t die just yet!¡± Xue An threw an Elixir to Hei King, ¡°Eat this!¡± Hei King solemnly caught the Elixir. He had personally witnessed how Xue An rejuvenated Qin Yuan with just one Elixir. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Xue!¡± Then Xue An smiled at the stunned crowd and said, ¡°All right, let the banquet continue.¡± No one dared to leave. What a joke, the man who always carried a trace of a smile was so ruthless in his actions, he even killed the Xie Family¡¯s second young master. Who would dare to offend him? But still, many people felt uneasy in their hearts. With Xie Tianci gone, how could the Xie Family let things rest? It seemed that the provincial capital would no longer be as calm as before! The banquet continued. However, many people kept their distance from Xue An, not daring to get too close. Xue An didn¡¯t mind these things; he sat on the sofa, slowly sipping his red wine. His two daughters were taken by Fan Mengxue to eat something, so he had a moment of leisure. Suddenly. A woman sat down next to Xue An and also poured herself a glass of red wine. Xue An turned his head to look and recognized her as the female reporter from the press conference, and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Chen Xiaoyi raised her glass to Xue An and nodded, ¡°Congratulations on fulfilling your promise at the press conference!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Thank you!¡± and then took a sip of the wine. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡± Xue An suddenly asked after setting down his glass. Chen Xiaoyi shook her head, ¡°Not afraid!¡± ¡°I just killed two people!¡± ¡°Xie Tianci deserved to die.¡± Xue An gave a light smile, ¡°You seem to really hate him?¡± ¡°How many people in the provincial circle don¡¯t hate him?¡± said Chen Xiaoyi. Xue An nodded, then said nothing more. The beautiful female reporter was being so forward, and Xue An of course knew what she meant. Unfortunately, Xue An was not interested in these things. He had been working hard to improve his Cultivation Level, preparing to find An Yan as soon as possible. As time went by, his longing for An Yan just grew deeper and deeper. Chen Xiaoyi gritted her teeth in secret; it had taken all her courage to come and propose a toast. For some reason, ever since she had seen him that one time at the press conference, she found herself often thinking of Xue An. Remembering the man who had commanded the room with authority at the press conference. Xue An had just made a ruthless move that secretly struck fear into Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s heart. But in the end, she decided to give it a try. But the result¡­ left her somewhat disappointed. In the underground parking lot of the Liju Hotel. Shi Zhuli was helping her brother Shi Hao to the car. Seeing her once energetic brother suddenly become so frail and weak, Shi Zhuli¡¯s face was filled with grievance and anger. Once they were in the car, Shi Zhuli could no longer hold back. ¡°Brother, are we just going to let this go?¡± Slumped in the seat, Shi Hao replied weakly, ¡°What else?¡± Shi Zhuli clenched her teeth, ¡°But I can¡¯t swallow this anger, by what right did that Xue An cripple your cultivation level?¡± Shi Hao shook his head with a bitter smile, ¡°Enough, silly girl, you have no idea how relieved your brother is now. Do you know how indifferent his gaze was when he looked at me? If it weren¡¯t for my quick reaction, I would be a corpse now!¡± ¡°Cultivation level is one thing, it¡¯s gone if it¡¯s gone, but if you lose your life, then it¡¯s completely over!¡± Shi Zhuli seemed thoughtful. At that moment, Shi Hao sighed, ¡°It¡¯s my own fault for being too proud and arrogant, no one else to blame!¡± ¡°Then¡­ about the murder of Xie Tianci, shall we inform the Xie Family?¡± Shi Zhuli hesitated for a moment before asking. A mocking expression appeared on Shi Hao¡¯s face, ¡°Xie Family? Who knows if there will be a Xie Family left after tonight!¡± Shi Zhuli was startled, ¡°Brother, you mean¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what he said? After killing Xie Tianci, he¡¯s going to eradicate the Xie Family as well!¡± Shi Zhuli¡¯s face was filled with shock, ¡°But¡­ is that possible? The Xie Family has an old ancestor who is still alive!¡± Shi Hao waved his hand, ¡°You think it¡¯s impossible, but for him, it¡¯s possible! As for the old ancestor of the Xie Family¡­¡± A look of fear flashed in Shi Hao¡¯s eyes. ¡°That man, he may have already taken that step¡­¡± Shi Zhuli felt a chill rising from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. From now on, our Shi Family should no longer be involved in these affairs, especially if the Xie Family is extinguished. Then the Qin Family will definitely enter the provincial city, and by that time, we will have no choice but to follow the Qin Family,¡± Shi Hao said gravely. Just as Shi Hao had said, Xue An was indeed planning to eradicate the Xie Family. Because he had just obtained a lot of information from the living soul of Xie Tianci. The evil deeds committed by the Xie Family over the years were enough to warrant their destruction ten times over. At this moment, the banquet had ended. Chen Xiaoyi left feeling dejected. As for everyone else, they too had dispersed. Xue An took his two daughters back to the hotel and, after coaxing them to sleep, He stepped out of the room. An Qing was waiting for him in the living room. Upon seeing Xue An, An Qing spoke with solemnity, ¡°Xue An, you shouldn¡¯t have killed Xie Tianci! ¡± ¡°Oh? Why not?¡± ¡°The strength of the Xie Family is far greater than it appears, and they even have unimaginable power behind them in the secular world¡­¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°By killing Xie Tianci¡­ Although he wasn¡¯t the direct heir of the Xie Family, he was highly favored, and the Xie Family will not let this go easily! So you¡­ should go to Zhongdu!¡± An Qing shared her thoughts. ¡°The Qin Family in Beijiang can¡¯t protect you, but if you go to Zhongdu, relying on our An Family¡¯s power, the Xie Family will have to be somewhat apprehensive.¡± Xue An, however, smiled and shook his head. An Qing grew agitated, ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re a parent now, you should act more cautiously. I know you don¡¯t want to go to Zhongdu, but it¡¯s the only way out!¡± Xue An walked to the window, where the sound of the wind was rising outside. ¡°Thanks for your kindness, but after tonight, the Xie Family¡­. will cease to exist!¡± Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101: A Dark and Windy Night Perfect for Murder (2nd update) Chapter 101: Chapter 101: A Dark and Windy Night Perfect for Murder (2nd update) Translator: 549690339 An Qing shuddered, her voice escaping in alarm, ¡°You¡­ do you really intend to annihilate the Xie Family?¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°How is that possible? The Xie Family¡¯s power is immense, and they have many experts. It¡¯s even rumored that there is an old ancestor who hasn¡¯t appeared in the world for a long time watching over them. You are just one person, how can you be their match?¡± An Qing said in disbelief. Xue An smiled but didn¡¯t directly answer An Qing¡¯s question. Instead, he said lightly, ¡°Look, the wind is picking up!¡± ¡°What about it?¡± An Qing was somewhat puzzled. ¡°Have you ever heard a saying?¡± Xue An pushed open the window, and the roaring wind rushed in. ¡°What saying?¡± ¡°When the wind is high and the night is dark¡­ it¡¯s the night for murder!¡± Xue An said lightly, stepping into the void. A tremendous aura surged from Xue An¡¯s body, seemingly causing the heaven and earth to change color. ¡°Take good care of Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Xue An said, his figure gradually fading into the darkness. An Qing stood before the window, her spirit in disarray. Xue An¡¯s few words had given her a great shock. In her eyes, the powerful household that was difficult to deal with was seen by Xue An as nothing more than a small dish that could be destroyed at will. Then in Xue An¡¯s eyes, was the An Family the same? An Qing fell into deep thought. At this moment, the Xie Family¡¯s mansion was brightly lit. Xie Tianci¡¯s father, and the current Family Head Xie Xuan, sat on the sofa with a gloomy expression. The news of Xie Tianci¡¯s death had already been brought back. Xie Xuan was, of course, furious. He was quite fond of this youngest son of his. But he had never thought that someone would dare to kill his son right under his nose, in the provincial city. Thinking of this, Xie Xuan¡¯s heart was filled with towering murderous intent. At this time, all the experts who were usually worshiped by the Xie Family had also gathered, and the hall was as silent as a graveyard. After a while, someone hurriedly came in. ¡°Family Head, we have found out. The murderer is someone from the Qin Family of Beijiang, named Xue An.¡± Xue An? Xie Xuan frowned and looked at the experts behind him. At this moment, the oldest and most revered person in the crowd stepped forward, ¡°Family Head, I have roamed the martial world for decades, and I have never heard of any great master surnamed Xue.¡± Xie Xuan respected this elder and nodded in greeting when he spoke. ¡°Master Tian. ¡± This elder was none other than Tian Bin, Master Tian, who ranked fifth on the Heavenly List, known as the Bloody Hand Butcher, a devil who had committed countless murders in the past. Later, he caused public outrage and finally disappeared from the public eye. Unexpectedly, he was now with the Xie Family, and had even become their benefactor. At this point, Tian Bin spoke gravely, ¡°Family Head, I am willing to personally take men to capture this Xue An, to avenge the Second Young Master.¡± Xie Xuan nodded, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll trouble Master Tian.¡± Tian Bin grinned viciously, ¡°Family Head is too polite. Since someone dares to oppose our Xie Family, my name, Bloody Hand Butcher, is certainly not in vain!¡± But at this moment, a calm voice came from outside. ¡°No need to capture me, I¡¯ve come myself.¡± Who?¡± As everyone was startled, the doors and windows burst open, and the raging wind gushed in. Xue An slowly walked in, giving a chilling smile towards the people inside the room. ¡°I am Xue An!¡± Xie Xuan abruptly stood, his gaze dark as he stared at Xue An, ¡°Was it you who killed my son?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°To be precise, it was his head that was crushed under my foot.¡¯ ¡°Kill him!¡± Xie Xuan¡¯s eyes were bloodshot; he didn¡¯t waste words, simply commanding coldly. Tian Bin could hardly restrain himself any longer. In his eyes, this man seemed perfectly ordinary, and now was his chance to show off in front of the Family Head. With a grim smile, he said, ¡°Boy, you¡¯ve walked right into the trap, saving me the effort of capturing you. Die!¡± As he spoke, Tian Bin raised his crimson palms, charging straight at Xue An. The reason he was known as the Bloody Hand Butcher was due to his practice of an extremely vicious technique called the Bloody Hand Technique. Once mastered, his hands turned as crimson as cinnabar. His palms chopped down, bringing with them a wave of stench. Xue An didn¡¯t move but instead watched with interest. A cold smile flickered in Tian Bin¡¯s heart. He had been steeped in the art of the Bloody Hand for decades, extremely formidable, where even the slightest touch could lead to death or serious injury. Yet this man didn¡¯t dodge or flee. You¡¯re seeking your own death, and others are blameless. A fierce look flashed in Tian Bin¡¯s eyes. But just as his hands were about to touch Xue An¡¯s clothes, Xue An let out a shout, ¡°Scram!¡± To the bystanders, this shout was nothing out of the ordinary. However, this nonchalant shout was like a heavy hammer, sending Tian Bin flying backward until he crashed into a wall and fell to the ground. Amid the rising dust, Tian Bin¡¯s chest caved in, and after spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, he died. This scene shocked everyone in the room. One blow. It wasn¡¯t even a blow but a casual shout that took the life of the Bloody Hand Butcher, ranked fifth on the Heaven List. Just how profound was this man¡¯s strength? Xie Xuan¡¯s expression grew darker and darker. At this moment, Xue An let out a sigh, ¡°He seemed quite formidable, but he couldn¡¯t take even a single hit.¡± Then Xue An looked around at everyone present and smiled faintly, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, tonight¡­ none of you will escape.¡± Xie Xuan¡¯s face turned very ugly, but he still snorted coldly, ¡°No wonder you dare to contend with our Xie Family in the provincial city, you indeed have some skills, but you didn¡¯t inquire if our Xie Family is so easily provoked.¡± Xue An heard this and shook his head with a light chuckle, ¡°I know, your Xie Family relies on the presence of a Loose Immortal.¡± Upon hearing this, Xie Xuan¡¯s complexion changed drastically. This was a core secret of the Xie Family. Although there were always rumors that the Xie Family still had an old ancestor alive, no one knew what realm the old ancestor had reached. Yet this man had revealed it with a single comment. Just who was he? Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised, I think, that old ancestor of your family probably knows I¡¯m here by now!¡± With that, the aura around Xue An suddenly surged, its terrifying might causing everyone present to change color, and those with low cultivation levels even knelt on the ground. The world itself seemed to change color, and the fierce wind bowed down, whimpering softly, not daring to approach Xue An. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Since you know I¡¯ve arrived, won¡¯t you come out?¡± His voice carried far. No sooner had he finished speaking than an old and authoritative voice came from behind the villa nestled against the mountain and next to the water. ¡°Indeed, heroes emerge from the youth, but unfortunately¡­ you are too arrogant!¡± Upon hearing this voice, Xie Xuan couldn¡¯t help but be overjoyed. ¡°It¡¯s the old ancestor, the old ancestor has come out!¡± At that moment, an elderly man with white hair and an imposing appearance slowly stepped out of the mountain behind the villa. With each step he took, his aura grew stronger. By the time he arrived in front of the villa, his aura had reached its peak, even completely overshadowing that of Xue An.. Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Fist Explosion of a Loose Immortal! (3 more) Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Fist Explosion of a Loose Immortal! (3 more) Translator: 549690339 Xie Xuan knelt on the ground, his face animated with excitement, ¡°Grandson greets the great ancestor!¡± Indeed, this elder was Xie Xuan¡¯s grandfather, named Xie Xing. Because after becoming a Loose Immortal, one¡¯s lifespan greatly increases, he only appeared to be an old man in his seventies. Xie Xing nodded, ¡°Rise.¡± Xie Xuan stood up and retreated to the side, his face full of joy. In his view, as long as the great ancestor came out of seclusion, there was nothing in the world he could not resolve. At that moment, Xie Xing looked at Xue An and sneered, ¡°Young man, it¡¯s impressive that someone of your age has such a cultivation level.¡± ¡°But do you think, just because you are Xiaoyao, you can do anything to the Xie family?¡± As he spoke, Xie Xing¡¯s voice grew louder, resonating across the wild. The whole villa trembled slightly, and the flowers and trees in the courtyard snapped under the force of this questioning shout. The experts invited by the Xie family changed color all at once. The might of a Loose Immortal was indeed terrifying! Even though it was simply a shout, the momentum was like a tsunami. But Xue An seemed not to care at all, as if the astonishing force was just a breeze on his face, he smiled indifferently. ¡°Whether I can or not, we¡¯ll only know after we try it!¡± Xie Xing proudly smiled, ¡°Then today, I will grant you this opportunity!¡± As he spoke, Xie Xing suddenly raised his hand, and a giant long saber gradually started to materialize. Forming a saber with qi! This was indeed the method of an Immortal! Many experts were dazzled and shaken. The long saber in Xie Xing¡¯s hand was now completely condensed, the blade over a dozen meters long, exuding a terrifying aura. ¡°Witness my¡­ Xie family¡¯s Mad Blade!¡± Xie Xing shouted coldly and swung the saber down. Where the blade passed, it seemed even the wind was cut through. Under this earth-shattering saber momentum. Xue An remained as calm as a mountain, merely shaking his head, ¡°Too slow!¡± As he spoke, Xue An raised his fist and fearlessly met the attack head-on. ¡°One punch¡­ moves heaven and earth!¡± Boom! A deafening roar resounded. Xie Xing staggered slightly, the long saber in his hand cracked, transforming back into nothingness, and his expression gradually became solemn. He, with the power of a Loose Immortal, had actually been unable to contend with this man of the Xiaoyao Realm. He had even shattered his saber momentum with a single punch. This man was indeed formidable! And at that moment, Xue An raised his fist, and on what was once a fist as white as jade, a fine wound had unexpectedly appeared. A drop of fresh blood slowly seeped out and then fell. He was injured! The Xie family members and others, who were initially shocked, couldn¡¯t help but rejoice. Xie Xing sneered, ¡°Young man, in consideration of your hard-earned cultivation level, if you kneel down now, abolish your cultivation level, and then divulge the technique behind that punch, I will spare your life!¡± There was a greedy glint in Xie Xing¡¯s eyes. This man had relied on his Xiaoyao Realm cultivation level to forcefully withstand his own attack, certainly because of that miraculous punching technique. If he could possess it, he was sure his cultivation level would advance further. Yet at that moment, Xue An laughed. ¡°Indeed¡­ the Xiaoyao Realm is still not enough?¡± His voice was low, as if he were talking to himself. Xie Xing sneered, ¡°Since ancient times, many have entered Xiaoyao, but few have become Loose Immortals. You should be proud of being able to receive my attack with the cultivation level of Xiaoyao Realm! Now hand over the punching technique, and I will spare your life!¡± But Xue An shook his head, let out a sigh, ¡°Since Xiaoyao is not enough, then¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s step into the Heavenly Human Realm!¡± As his voice fell, the aura around Xue An suddenly began to rise rapidly. It was as if a seal had been lifted. His cultivation level in the Xiaoyao Realm, in the blink of an eye, entered the Heavenly Human Realm! This miraculous scene left Xie Xing stunned. Is advancing from Xiaoyao to Heavenly Being this simple now? I remember that I was stuck in Xiaoyao Realm for over twenty years before I broke through! But what he didn¡¯t know was that Xue An had been honing his cultivation level these days, and he was just one step away from entering the Heavenly Human Realm. The reason Xue An killed his way to the Xie Family was also to use the hand of this Loose Immortal to sharpen his blade. Finally, under that slash just now, Xue An made his breakthrough. Xie Xing¡¯s momentum had been dominant, but after Xue An stepped into the Heavenly Being Realm, the situation reversed. Xue An¡¯s momentum climbed steadily, quickly forcing Xie Xing to retreat two steps with a trace of panic in his eyes. Then Xie Xing gritted his teeth. So what if you¡¯ve entered the Heavenly Human Realm? I am a Loose Immortal! A realm apart, the difference in strength is more than a hundredfold! And this man is so formidable, if I don¡¯t eliminate him today, he will become a great threat in the future! Therefore, he sneered, ¡°Very well, you¡¯ve successfully provoked my desire to kill. Today is your day of death!¡± As he spoke, Xie Xing clapped his hands together, and a saber twice as big as before condensed into being. ¡°Die!¡± Xie Xing roared furiously. The massive saber fell as if it could split heaven and earth. Such momentum excited Xie Xuan and the others. In their eyes, Xue An was doomed! But the saber, as it chopped halfway, could proceed no further. Because Xue An trapped the massive blade between two fingers. Then, with a chilling smile in Xie Xing¡¯s astonished gaze, Xue An said, ¡°I told you, you¡¯re too slow!¡± With that, Xue An exerted strength in his fingers, and with a snap. The formidable saber abruptly shattered. ¡°You¡¯ve made two slashes just now¡­ now it¡¯s my turn!¡± Xue An said calmly, raising his fist. ¡°One punch, divide yin and yang!¡± Divine Slaughter Six Techniques, the second technique! Once, Xue An had used it in the Xiaoyao Realm, but now that he had ascended to the Heavenly Human Realm, the power of this punch had increased more than a hundredfold. After this punch was thrown, everything around instantly froze. Within a hundred meters, trees shattered, then turned to dust. The villa began to collapse rapidly, and then silently turned to powder. Xie Xing felt an enormous force binding him completely. He couldn¡¯t help but be terrified; this man¡¯s power was beyond his imagination. Having no choice, Xie Xing had to resort to his life-saving move. He bit his tongue fiercely. Pfft! A mouthful of vital blood sprayed out. Xie Xing¡¯s figure gradually became faint. That was the Blood Escape Technique that Xie Xing had once obtained at a great cost. But doing so would deplete decades of his vital energy. At this moment, however, he could no longer care about that! Survival was paramount! But just when he thought he could escape to safety, Xue An once again raised his fist, ¡°Divine Slaughter Six Techniques, the third technique, Beyond Life and Death!¡± This punch was silent and without even a breeze from the fist. Yet such a simple punch made Xie Xing scream miserably as he tried to flee. And then his body aged rapidly, and in an instant, he became decrepit. ¡°Spare¡­ my life!¡± As the final word left his mouth, Xie Xing¡¯s breath stopped, and then he quickly turned into a skeleton and scattered with the wind! Thus. Xie Xing, who had reached the level of a Loose Immortal, was blown apart by a punch from Xue An! Xie Xuan and the others watched the scene, dumbfounded. Our ancestor¡­ is dead? Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 103: The Xie Family…Vanishes into Thin Air Chapter 103: Chapter 103: The Xie Family¡­Vanishes into Thin Air Translator: 549690339 Who would have thought that the invincible old ancestor of the Xie Family would die so silently, without a trace? Xue An turned his head to look at them, and with a slight smile, said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it seems that your Xie family¡¯s old ancestor isn¡¯t very tough!¡± Xie Xuan¡¯s entire body trembled, his eyes filled with terror. As for those so-called experts, they all gasped in unison, some quick-witted ones had already begun to quietly retreat, planning to slip away. But Xue An had no intention of letting them go. ¡°I said, after tonight, the Xie Family will become history, and I hope you¡¯ll repent properly in hell!¡± ¡°No!¡± Xie Xuan screamed in extreme fear, ¡°Mr. Xue, our Xie Family had no quarrels with you before, it was only the unfilial son who offended you, and now the unfilial son is dead, the old ancestor has also perished, please show mercy and spare us!¡± As he spoke, Xie Xuan¡¯s face was filled with sincerity and respect. Xue An just quietly watched. After he had finished speaking, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Say those words to the people your Xie Family has killed after you go down!¡± With that, Xue An¡¯s left hand formed a fist in the air, and a long sword gradually condensed. It was precisely the technique that Xie Xing had just used. Xie Xuan cried out in shock, wanting to say something. Xue An flicked his wrist across, sweeping directly. Thud, thud, thud. Like cutting through dried weeds, Xie Xuan and those so-called experts were all slashed with a single strike. Their corpses tumbled to the ground one after another. Xie Xuan struggled unwillingly, until now. He finally understood that this man was not someone his Xie Family could afford to provoke. Unfortunately, it was too late for regrets. Boom. This luxurious villa let out a groan under the sweep of that single strike and then collapsed to the ground with a loud crash. Amidst the rising dust and smoke. The Xie Family vanished into thin air. But Xue An clearly didn¡¯t intend to spare anyone. Since he had acted, he was going to exterminate them completely. Foolish mercy would only leave trouble behind. So he walked over to Xie Xuan, who was breathing his last, and said calmly, ¡°Are you feeling fortunate, glad that your eldest son isn¡¯t in the provincial city?¡± Xie Xuan¡¯s throat produced a gurgling sound, his face full of horror. Xue An smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill the innocent, but the deeds of the Xie Family are enough for you to die ten times, so¡­¡± Xue An crouched down, dipping his finger in a drop of Xie Xuan¡¯s fresh blood. ¡°The most important thing for a family is to be united, I¡¯ll send you on your way!¡± As he spoke, Xue An formed a hand seal with his fingers, a profound aura traveling along the droplet of fresh blood, pursuing its target through means beyond mortal understanding. Blood Curse Technique! A secret technique reputed to curse kill an entire clan with just a drop of fresh blood. This was something Xue An had obtained from an ancient demon during his travels through the Multiverse. Now that he had ascended to the realm of a Heavenly Being, he could barely execute it. At this moment, Xie Xuan, overcome by fury and desperation, finally breathed his last. He had indeed harbored a trace of hope until now. At least his eldest son was not in the provincial city. As long as he lived, the Xie Family would not be completely destroyed. But now, Xue An had crushed his last bit of hope. At this moment. In a luxurious bar overseas. Xie Xuan¡¯s eldest son, Xie Bao, was indulging in the pleasures of wine and wealth. Suddenly, a streak of blood flashed. Xie Bao¡¯s expression froze, a few gurgling sounds escaped from his throat, and then he fell to the ground with a thud, breathing his last. From that moment on, the Xie Family, which had dominated the provincial city for decades, was completely annihilated. Xue An snapped his fingers, and the bodies were immediately enveloped in raging flames, burned to ashes in a blink of an eye. Then he turned and left. After returning to the hotel, An Qing was waiting for him with a restless mind. Likewise, Fan Mengxue and Qin Yu, among others, were all wearing faces full of worry. During the more than one hour that Xue An had been away, All of them were filled with anxiety. Hei King had prepared to go to the Xie Family several times, but in the end, he gave up. Because Hei King knew that even if he went, he wouldn¡¯t be of any help. It would be better to stay in the hotel and protect everyone properly. Just as they were waiting anxiously, Xue An pushed the door open and walked in. The moment they saw him safe and sound, they all finally let out a sigh of relief. An Qing even patted her chest and then sighed, ¡°All right, all right, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. It¡¯s not a problem if you didn¡¯t annihilate the Xie Family, we can make long-term plans later.¡± In An Qing¡¯s view, how could the Xie Family have possibly been wiped out in just over an hour? Perhaps Xue An had just gone out for a spin and then returned. But Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°The Xie Family no longer exists!¡± The room fell silent. An Qing looked at Xue An in disbelief, ¡°Really?¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°What about that old ancestor of the Xie Family¡­?¡± ¡°I blew him up with one punch,¡± Xue An said indifferently. An Qing closed her mouth. Suddenly, she didn¡¯t know what to say. She had also complained before, thinking that it was a mistake for her sister to marry Xue An. But it was only today that she understood. Those powerful families and wealth that she had relied on were nothing but a joke in front of Xue An. Sister, brother-in-law¡­ you finally have the strength to come back with your head held high! An Qing thought silently to herself. Meanwhile, Qin Yu was looking at Xue An with a face full of excitement. With the Xie Family gone, the entire province had become a vacuum. This was wealth worth billions! But she was very clear that all of this was fought for by Xue An. The Qin Family hadn¡¯t put in much effort in this matter. That¡¯s why she hesitated to speak. Of course, Xue An knew what Qin Yu was thinking; he had no interest in these worldly riches whatsoever. But someone had to manage such a vast province. So he smiled slightly, ¡°With the Xie Family gone, the remaining matters will be handed over to the Qin Family!¡± Qin Yu was stunned. This was an enormous fortune! But Xue An was handing it over to her without a care. Qin Yu was at a loss for a moment, then she solemnly stood up, bowed deeply, and said respectfully, ¡°All this came from Mr. Xue¡¯s efforts; if our Qin Family is to take over, we¡¯re only managing it temporarily for Mr. Xue. If you want it back in the future, you can have it at any time!¡± Xue An laughed upon hearing this, waved his hand, and then yawned, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now, I still have to make breakfast for Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian tomorrow!¡± Saying this, he turned and went back to his room. Qin Yu excitedly dialed her grandfather¡¯s phone. At this moment, Qin Yuan had been waiting in his office, waiting for news from his granddaughter. As soon as the phone rang, he immediately picked up. ¡°How is it?¡± Qin Yu paused and then said tremulously, ¡°Mr. Xue went out for over an hour, and then the Xie Family was completely destroyed!¡± Qin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but take a sharp breath. Although he had raised Xue An¡¯s strength as much as he could, he still thought that Xue An alone couldn¡¯t possibly annihilate the Xie Family. But what he didn¡¯t expect was that Xue An actually did it! At this point, Qin Yu relayed to Qin Yuan what she had said to Xue An, and then asked, ¡°Grandfather, was what I said correct?¡± Qin Yuan stood up and said with some gratification, ¡°Yu¡¯er, you¡¯ve grown up. You handled this matter very well. For someone like Mr. Xue, a dragon among men, we can¡¯t measure him with worldly benefits. Just as you said, we¡¯re only temporarily safeguarding it for Mr. Xue! If he wants it in the future, we will present it with both hands.¡± Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Only after seeing blood will they submit. (2 more) Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Only after seeing blood will they submit. (2 more) Translator: 549690339 When news of the Xie Family¡¯s annihilation arrived, all the powerful families in the provincial city were shocked. Shi Hao was lying in bed recovering when Shi Zhuli, pale-faced, walked in. ¡°Brother¡­.¡± Shi Hao waved his hand, ¡°No need to say it, I already know!¡± Shi Zhuli sat down beside him, looking as if her soul had left her body. Yesterday, Shi Hao had told her that the Xie Family wouldn¡¯t survive the night. She had actually been somewhat disbelieving. After all, the Xie Family had been operating in the provincial city for decades, their power at its zenith. Even if Xue An were formidable, he couldn¡¯t possibly annihilate an entire powerful family by himself, could he? But when the news arrived this morning, Shi Zhuli finally felt a deep sense of dread. That tall, handsome man with an indifferent expression had truly managed to relegate the Xie Family to history with a flip of his hand. How could such means not be terrifying? Shi Hao, however, was not overly surprised. ¡°What did our fathers say?¡± Shi Hao asked. Shi Zhuli shook her head, ¡°Father and my uncles discussed it all morning and decided to wait and see how things unfold.¡± ¡°Foolishness!¡± Shi Hao¡¯s expression abruptly changed. ¡°Now that the Xie Family has fallen and the Qin Family has taken over, what¡¯s there to wait and see?¡± Shi Hao¡¯s heart was full of annoyance at that moment. Sometimes, his father and the others¡¯ vision was just too short-sighted. Did they still think they were dealing with an ordinary mortal? Shi Hao knew all too well that at Xue An¡¯s cultivation level, worldly power and riches were no more than fleeting clouds. So right now, the most important thing was to make their position clear without delay. Shi Hao struggled to get up. ¡°Brother, what are you doing?¡± Shi Zhuli hurried over to support him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± Shi Zhuli asked, puzzled. ¡°Of course, to the hotel. I must personally offer my congratulations to Mr. Xue and the Qin Family!¡± Shi Hao said through gritted teeth. ¡°But¡­¡± Shi Zhuli was still hesitant. Shi Hao shook his head, ¡°No more words, this concerns the life and death of the Shi Family, we cannot delay! Let¡¯s hurry.¡± At the same moment, a similar debate was unfolding. In the Feng Family of the provincial city. Once ranking just below the Xie Family, their strength was still greater than that of the Shi Family. Today¡¯s atmosphere was somewhat tense due to the Xie Family¡¯s demise, causing everyone in the Feng Family to feel a strong sense of crisis. Feng Qi sat in the main seat, looking at the descendants of the Feng Family on both sides, he couldn¡¯t help saying in a deep voice, ¡°What are your thoughts on this matter?¡± The people looked at each other, none speaking up. Just then, a man seated at the end stood up, ¡°Father, I believe that what¡¯s most urgent now is to show our sincerity to Mr. Xue!¡± Seeing the person who spoke, everyone was taken aback. The speaker was none other than Feng Chaosi, the most inconspicuous eldest son of the Feng Family. You should know that Feng Chaosi¡¯s status had never been high within the family. Though he was the legitimate eldest son, he was not favored by his father, Feng Qi. Especially recently, he had led people to Beijiang and had returned with heavy losses. This naturally caused his position within the family to fall even further. Feng Qi frowned upon hearing this, ¡°Show sincerity? What sort of sincerity?¡± ¡°Naturally, the sincerity of our willingness to submit!¡± Feng Chaosi said firmly. In truth, Feng Chaosi was nearly scared out of his wits when he heard the news that morning. At first, he didn¡¯t know it was Xue An¡¯s doing, thinking the Xie Family had provoked some enemy. But after finding out, especially when he saw the photo of Xue An, he fell into deep panic. As someone who had witnessed it first-hand, he had seen the miracle of Xue An subduing Jiaolong that day. Mr. Zuo Yuqi made it clear. This man was not someone they could afford to provoke. Now that he had descended upon the provincial city, his first move had caused the Xie Family to vanish into smoke and clouds. Feng Chaochou couldn¡¯t help but feel afraid. That¡¯s why he mustered the courage to put forward his own views at today¡¯s meeting. But as soon as the words left his mouth, someone scoffed. ¡°It seems my big brother has come back from a trip and already had his courage broken by someone!¡± The speaker had a delicate face, but his eyes were filled with a sinister chill. Upon seeing him, Feng Qi¡¯s expression relaxed considerably. This was the second young master of the Feng Family and also the most favored youngest son, Feng Chaosi. Feng Chaochou¡¯s face turned somewhat ugly, and he couldn¡¯t help but say in a heavy tone, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Feng Chaosi stood up and said with a cold smirk, ¡°Nothing much, just that I think you¡¯re being overly timid.¡± Feng Chaochou was just about to speak. Feng Qi waved his hand and then looked affectionately at his youngest son, ¡°Chaosi, what do you think?¡± Feng Chaosi smiled proudly, ¡°I think that the Qin Family may be powerful, but the strong dragon does not suppress the local snake. I don¡¯t believe that they can truly swallow the whole provincial city in one gulp!¡± As soon as he spoke, Feng Qi¡¯s expression eased a lot more. This was also his opinion. Feng Chaosi continued, ¡°Moreover, I have my doubts about this matter. You have to understand that no matter how powerful a person is, they can¡¯t possibly destroy a prominent family overnight, so there must be forces acting behind the scenes.¡± The crowd nodded in agreement. Only Feng Chaochou began to sneer. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Feng Chaosi said with disdain. As for his older brother, Feng Chaosi had never held him in high regard. ¡°Nothing, just laughing at how some people have such a narrow view, like a frog at the bottom of a well.¡± Feng Chaochou said coldly. Feng Chaosi¡¯s face gradually became colder. At that moment, Feng Qi spoke impatiently, ¡°Stop talking and listen to your younger brother.¡± Feng Chaosi couldn¡¯t help but feel smug as he said, ¡°So I think we should keep silent for now and then look for opportunities to exert pressure on the Qin Family. At the very least, our Feng Family should have half of this vast provincial city.¡± Upon hearing this, Feng Qi nodded repeatedly, and the other elders of the Feng Family also expressed their approval. Only Feng Chaochou quietly moved aside, watching all this with a cold eye. He understood that the arrogance of the wealthy families was not easy to overcome. Only after seeing blood would they submit. When Shi Hao saw Xue An and Qin Yu, he bowed respectfully, ¡°I¡¯ve met Mr. Xue, Miss Qin!¡± Xue An looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°What brings you here?¡± Sweat began to form on Shi Hao¡¯s forehead. Although Xue An was just standing still, the pressure he emitted was terrifying. ¡°I am here to represent the Shi Family, to express our submission to Mr. Xue and the Qin Family!¡± ¡°Oh? Submission?¡± Xue An said with a faint smile. ¡°Yes, unconditional submission!¡± Shi Hao said with a firm gaze. Xue An nodded, ¡°You are quite clever.¡± Shi Hao gave a bitter smile. In the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks were futile. Only by recognizing reality could one hope to live longer. ¡°Today, you are the first to come!¡± Xue An said lightly. Shi Hao did not dare to raise his head, listening with his head bowed. ¡°And the only one!¡± Xue An paused, then continued, ¡°It seems that the other prominent families all have their own thoughts.¡± Cold sweat broke out all over Shi Hao¡¯s body. Half because of the awe of Xue An¡¯s aura, and half because of relief. If he hadn¡¯t come today, it would be hard to imagine what the future of the Shi Family would be like. Xue An turned to Qin Yu and said with a faint smile, ¡°Inform all parties that tonight, at the Lizhu Hotel, the Qin Family will be holding a banquet.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Qin Yu responded with a bow. Xue An looked out at the thriving city through the window, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. But his eyes were filled with a chilling murderous intent. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Gathering of the Wealthy Families (3 more) Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Gathering of the Wealthy Families (3 more) Translator: 549690339 The news of the Qin Family¡¯s banquet once again created a sensation throughout the provincial city. After the Feng Family received the invitation, they convened another urgent meeting. During the meeting, Feng Chaosi smiled proudly and said, ¡°You see, even the Qin Family knows that they can¡¯t swallow such a big piece of cake on their own, which is why they¡¯ve called on us local powerhouses to attend.¡± ¡°Therefore, I propose that this time our Feng Family should show off our strength, to let this Qin Family and that Mr. Xue know our prowess,¡± Feng Chaosi declared. Everyone nodded in agreement, Feng Qi felt an immense sense of pride, thinking his younger son indeed had great prospects. Only Feng Chaochou remained silent throughout, his gaze dark and brooding. He believed that this banquet could not be as simple as it seemed. That man, could you really threaten him with just these local nobodies? Similar arguments were taking place almost in every powerful family. At this moment. The atmosphere in the Shi Family was very tense. Shi Hao¡¯s father, the current Family Head Shi Dong, sat grim-faced on his chair. A few other influential members of the Shi Family also had unhappy expressions. Shi Hao stood below them, expressionless, like a criminal being interrogated. ¡°Shi Hao, who allowed you to communicate with the Qin Family on behalf of the Shi Family?¡± one of Shi Hao¡¯s uncles took the initiative to confront him. Shi Hao replied wearily, ¡°No one did.¡± ¡°Humph, such audacity! Do you understand the gravity of your offense?¡± his uncle said with a sneer. Shi Hao shook his head, ¡°I know, but I had no choice. Because this concerns the life and death of our Shi Family.¡± ¡°Stop with your clever excuses. I refuse to believe that this Qin Family and that Mr. Xue can actually devour people. It¡¯s all fearmongering!¡± Shi Hao¡¯s uncle said with a face full of anger. Indeed! Now, who knows how many people are drooling over the large piece of cake left by the Xie Family. But now, to everyone¡¯s dismay, the Shi Family has taken the lead in backing out. Shi Hao¡¯s expression also darkened at this point, ¡°Second Uncle, whether you believe it or not, all I can say is, you can¡¯t even imagine Mr. Xue¡¯s capabilities!¡± Shi Hao¡¯s second uncle scoffed, ¡°How capable can he be? Does he have three heads and six arms? Don¡¯t give me that¡­¡± At that moment, Shi Dong waved his hand and said, ¡°Enough! No more talk!¡± Shi Hao¡¯s second uncle retreated sullenly. Then Shi Dong looked at Shi Hao and said, ¡°Since you are so confident, fine, we the Shi Family will remain neutral at tonight¡¯s banquet. I want to see for myself what sort of man this Mr. Xue is!¡± Shi Hao bowed his head, ¡°Thank you, Father!¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s not as you say¡­¡± ¡°I am willing to accept punishment!¡± Shi Hao declared with a resolved gaze. From early evening onwards, a stream of luxury cars never ceased at the entrance of Lijing Hotel. Almost all the wealthy families of the provincial city had arrived. And lots of rich young heirs and heiresses also came to join in the excitement. These brightly dressed youths gathered in small groups, chatting merrily. For them, this was a rare grand gathering. As for the disappearance of the Xie Family. They didn¡¯t care about it. It doesn¡¯t matter who dies; as long as the profits come to me, then everything is negotiable. The heads of these wealthy families, however, were discussing tonight¡¯s banquet in their own small clusters. ¡°What do you think the Qin Family is up to, inviting us all here?¡± said an old man with graying hair and elegant attire. ¡°Old Master Wang, I reckon the Qin Family is planning to win us over. After all, as newcomers, they won¡¯t be able to settle down in the provincial city without our support,¡± a middle-aged man said. The crowd nodded. ¡°To say that the Xie Family¡¯s decades of foundations vanished overnight is truly unexpected,¡± the old man said feigningly. But at the mention of the Xie Family¡¯s left-behind estate, many eyes gleamed with greed. It was all about interests, after all. At that moment, there was a commotion outside and someone exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s the Feng Family, why have they brought so many people?¡± This time the Feng Family had arrived with dozens of members. Moreover, the Feng Family Head along with numerous influential figures had all attended the event. At this moment, the difference in status became evident. Many smaller families hurriedly made way. Feng Qi led the way at the forefront. Behind him followed Feng Chaosi with a face full of arrogance. And then there were the many important figures invited by the Feng Family. Only Feng Chaochou was trailing at the very end. By now, he had become the laughingstock of the family. No one was willing to spare him a second glance. After Feng Qi and the others took their seats, the atmosphere in the hall heated up. Many people began whispering to each other. ¡°With such a grand showing from the Feng Family, it seems they¡¯re not here with good intentions!¡± ¡°Even a fool could guess that, couldn¡¯t they? The Feng Family is second only to the Xie Family. With the Xie Family¡¯s downfall, how could they pass up this rare opportunity?¡± ¡°Now this is going to be quite a show, no matter how powerful the Qin Family is, it¡¯s just a dragon crossing the river. It looks like they¡¯re definitely going to bleed a lot this time!¡± Amidst these murmurs, Feng Qi, seemingly unfazed, scanned the people in the hall. Huh! Why haven¡¯t the Shi Family arrived yet? As he wondered, Shi Dong arrived with his entourage. Compared to the Feng Family¡¯s pomp, the Shi Family was much more understated. Given the longstanding animosity between the Feng and Shi Families, their meeting was marked by exchanged glares of anger. Shi Dong, expressionless, led his people to sit down at a distance. With that, nearly all the elite and powerful families of Zhongdu had arrived. Everyone was waiting. Waiting to see how the Qin Family would deal with the situation. Upstairs, Qin Yu watched with some nervousness. This was her first time leading the charge on her own. She had called Qin Yuan, but he said that he had left the matter entirely in her hands. This made Qin Yu feel the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. At that moment, Xue An suddenly smiled. ¡°Mr. Xue, what are you laughing at?¡± Qin Yu asked. ¡°What do you think would happen to Zhongdu if we killed all these people right now?¡± Xue An said indifferently. The suggestion sent a chill down Qin Yu¡¯s spine. If so many people really did die here, it was certain that the entire Zhongdu would descend into chaos. Seeing Qin Yu¡¯s shocked expression, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly. ¡°Just kidding, I¡¯m not a maniac.¡± But Qin Yu still felt somewhat terrified. She knew that in Xue An¡¯s eyes, these so-called elite and powerful, were little better than pigs and dogs. ¡°Go ahead, it¡¯s your turn to take the stage now!¡± Xue An stated calmly. Qin Yu bit her lip, regained her composure, and then turned to go downstairs. As she appeared in the hall, the once noisy room gradually fell silent. Many people fixed scrutinizing gazes on Qin Yu. Gradually, these gazes turned contemptuous. So, the Qin Family who had made such a big fuss sent just this little girl? At this moment, Feng Chaosi sneered disdainfully and then ogled Qin Yu with greedy eyes. She is quite good-looking after all! After the negotiation is over, I¡¯ll have to find an opportunity to get in touch with her. Feng Chaosi thought to himself. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: 106 Chapter: Lotus Blooms With Every Step (4 updates) Chapter 106: 106 Chapter: Lotus Blooms With Every Step (4 updates) Translator: 549690339 At that moment, Qin Yu quickly regained her composure and slowly walked to the seat of honor, offering a smile to the people below. ¡°I imagine none of you know me. My name is Qin Yu, from the Beijiang Qin Family. The reason I¡¯ve asked you all here is twofold, the first is to get acquainted. The second is to inform everyone that from now on, the territory of the Xie Family will belong to our Qin Family!¡± These domineering words made the people in the hall pause for a moment, before they erupted into a commotion. ¡°Miss Qin, isn¡¯t your Beijiang Qin Family reaching too far?¡± someone sneered. ¡°Exactly, Beijiang and our provincial city have always kept to themselves. Suddenly, you strike and even annihilate the Xie Family. What does your Qin Family mean by this?¡± These murmuring voices nearly drowned out Qin Yu. A flicker of panic passed through Qin Yu¡¯s eyes, but she still bit her lip and said, ¡°We are all part of Huaxia, what do you mean our hand has reached too far?¡± ¡°No, this matter isn¡¯t that simple!¡± The crowd below began to clamor. The Feng Family had been silent because they were waiting for the Shi Family¡¯s reaction. To their surprise, Shi Dong was calmly drinking tea, seemingly unmoved. Feng Qi frowned. What was Shi Dong really planning? At this moment, Feng Chaosi couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He stood up with a playful smile, ¡°Miss Qin, I think that a beautiful lady like you should be dining and drinking with me, and then finding a hotel to spend the night. You shouldn¡¯t be getting involved in these matters.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, many in the hall laughed. Qin Yu¡¯s expression gradually darkened. ¡°Please show some respect!¡± Feng Chaosi chuckled then slowly toyed with the prayer beads in his hand, ¡°If you want the Feng Family to respect you, that¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll take half of the Xie Family¡¯s assets!¡± This proposal made many faces in the crowd turn sour. Everyone had their eye on the big piece of the pie that was the Xie Family¡¯s legacy. Now the Feng Family proposed to slice off half first, which meant others would get less. Qin Yu laughed out of sheer anger, ¡°What? Can your Feng Family be so domineering?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s domineering or not isn¡¯t for me to say, nor is it for you to say, but your Qin Family wiped out the Xie Family with a single strike and then forcefully took over the provincial city. Have you not heard the saying, ¡®Even a mighty dragon cannot crush a local snake¡¯?¡± retorted Feng Chaosi coldly. As his words fell, dozens of people stood up, with only Feng Qi and the seated Feng Chaochou in the back still not moving. The atmosphere tensed up. The Shi Family¡¯s side was also showing signs of unrest. Shi Hao¡¯s second uncle leaned in towards Shi Dong and whispered, ¡°Big brother, looking at the situation, this Qin Family girl is still green. Cornered step by step by the Feng Family, if we don¡¯t make a stand now, we won¡¯t have a share of the benefit later!¡± Doubt showed on Shi Dong¡¯s face. But just then, a nonchalant voice came from the staircase. ¡°Indeed, a strong dragon does not oppress local snakes, but it depends on what kind of dragon and what kind of snake!¡± All eyes turned to look. They saw a man dressed plainly, yet with handsome and exceptional features and a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, slowly walking down the stairs. His appearance brought relief to the young lady of the Qin Family, who quickly approached and bowed respectfully, calling out. ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Mr. Xue! He was Mr. Xue? All were shocked. There had always been rumors that this Mr. Xue possessed unfathomable Divine Skills. The downfall of the Xie Family was also his doing. But seeing him now, he didn¡¯t appear to be anything special. Many dismissed the rumors as exaggerated in their hearts. Only Feng Chaochou and Shi Hao both shuddered simultaneously, terror flashing in their eyes. Only they knew the terror of Xue An. At this time, Feng Chaosi let out a slight sneer. ¡°Then do tell, what kind of dragon, what kind of snake?¡± Xue An replied calmly, ¡°If it were a Nine Heavens Divine Dragon facing a local grass snake, who do you think would win?¡± Feng Chaosi¡¯s face turned extremely unsightly, ¡°Are you saying our Feng Family is that grass snake?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Feng Chaosi¡¯s expression then eased slightly. But at this moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°To me, the Feng Family doesn¡¯t even amount to a grass snake, at most¡­ you could only be considered an earthworm!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked. Many people thought that Mr. Xue must be out of his mind. Shi Dong also slightly furrowed his brows at this time. He had assumed Mr. Xue was an elderly man with the appearance of a sage, but he did not expect him to be a young man. Moreover, judging by the way he spoke now, he was a young man who did not know how to assess the situation properly. What was there to fear about such a man? Shi Dong even began to feel a tinge of regret. At this time, Feng Chaosi let out a cold laugh. ¡°Very well, you are seeking your own death, no one else is to blame!¡± Then, the experts brought by the Feng Family all excused themselves from their seats and surrounded Xue An in the center. Xue An then revealed a set of lovely teeth and gave Feng Chaosi a chilling smile. ¡°That statement actually suits you better.¡± Feng Chaosi shouted coldly, ¡°Attack!¡± The group then charged together. These men were the painstaking efforts of the Feng Family over the years, many of whom were experts hired for a heavy sum. Their collective action was immensely terrifying. Many onlookers couldn¡¯t help but turn pale. A smug smile appeared on Feng Chaosi¡¯s face. But soon, that smile froze on his face. Because Xue An walked forward slowly, as if he was taking a leisurely stroll. With each step he took, the experts blocking his path would silently fall down and then crumble to ashes. It was as if with every step a lotus bloomed! But these were lotuses coagulated from blood¡ªthe Blood Lotus! This eerie scene left everyone in the hall utterly terrified. Shi Dong, who was already silently regretting, now turned stark white with horror. What kind of nefarious technique was this? At this moment, Xue An had already approached the Feng Family¡¯s crowd. He had taken a total of seven steps, and beneath those seven steps, all the experts who had attacked him fell dead, not one survived. Now Xue An stood in front of Feng Chaosi, smiling faintly. ¡°Now¡­ are you convinced?¡± Feng Chaosi felt a chill rise from his bones. The scenario he had envisioned had not occurred. Feng Chaosi had thought that these experts, even if they couldn¡¯t beat Xue An, would at least injure him severely. Then, it would be his turn to defeat Xue An, and perhaps the significant share of the Xie Family¡¯s bounty could be claimed solely by the Feng Family! But in no way had he expected this man, without even lifting a finger, to turn all these experts to dust and smoke. Feng Chaosi was at a loss for words, his mouth agape, clueless about what to say. At this time, Feng Qi stood up, his demeanor shifting from arrogance to respect. ¡°Mr. Xue, my son is young and naive, please do not take offense at his words¡­¡± Xue An didn¡¯t even bother to lift his head, but simply raised his hand. Slap! After a slap, Feng Qi¡¯s head was blown apart. Brain tissue mixed with blood scattered on the ground, and his dead body collapsed with a thud. ¡°Did I allow you to speak?¡± Xue An said indifferently. The scene left many people so astonished that their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. The proud head of the Feng Family, just because he spoke out of turn, was slapped to death? This man¡­ was ruthless! Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Willing to Honor Mr. Xue as Supreme! Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Willing to Honor Mr. Xue as Supreme! Translator: 549690339 The room fell into dead silence. Feng Chaosi¡¯s eyelids twitched madly, and his whole body trembled. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± He no longer knew what to say. Extreme fear occupied his heart. At that moment, Shi Dong suddenly stood up, his eyes full of shock and relief. Thank goodness¡­ He had heeded his son Shi Hao¡¯s advice; otherwise, the one lying on the ground right now might very well have been him. ¡°The Shi Family is willing to serve Mr. Xue in any capacity!¡± As he spoke, Shi Dong respectfully bowed. All the members of the Shi Family bowed respectfully with him. This included Shi Hao¡¯s second uncle. But at this moment, as Shi Hao¡¯s second uncle bowed, his whole body shaking, a wet stain appeared at his crotch, emitting a strong odor of urine. He had actually been frightened to the point of wetting himself. Xue An looked at Shi Dong with an indifferent gaze. Shi Dong felt as if the man¡¯s eyes were like sharp blades, slicing him into pieces; his forehead and back were immediately soaked with cold sweat. Meanwhile, Feng Chaosi, as if waking from a dream, gave a forced laugh. ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡­ our Feng Family¡­ will also be willing to serve you from now on.¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°The Shi Family can, but you cannot!¡± As these words were spoken, everyone couldn¡¯t help but change their faces dramatically. What did this mean? ¡°Are you daring to say that, in front of everyone, you will also exterminate our Feng Family?¡± an elderly figure of high authority from the Feng Family said angrily. Xue An glanced at him, and as the elder was about to say something else, the next second, his head exploded like a firework. Blood splattered all over the people nearby, but no one dared to make the slightest move. ¡°From the moment you coveted the Xie Family¡¯s legacy, your fate was already sealed!¡± Xue An said indifferently. All the members of the Feng Family trembled uncontrollably. In that moment, Feng Chaosi suddenly stood up, pointing at Feng Chaochou who was in the back row, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! If it wasn¡¯t for your suggestion to deal with Mr. Xue, how could we have done this?¡± Feng Chaosi¡¯s face was full of resentment. He intended to shift all the blame onto Feng Chaochou in order to save himself. But at this moment, Feng Chaochou let out a sigh, then stood up and walked in front of Xue An before falling to his knees with a thud. ¡°I have seen¡­ Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An looked at the despairing face of Feng Chaochou and smiled faintly, ¡°We meet again?¡± Feng Chaosi was stunned. What did Xue An¡¯s words mean? Could it be that he knew his own good-for-nothing brother? Feng Chaochou offered a bitter smile. ¡°Mr. Xue, the Feng Family is ruined due to its arrogance, I have nothing to say. Please do as you will!¡± Feng Chaosi trembled, then angrily said, ¡°Feng Chaochou, what do you mean by that?¡± Xue An frowned, ¡°Kneel down!¡± Feng Chaosi felt a tremendous force strike him, and with a thud, he fell to his knees, his kneecaps shattered. Feng Chaosi groaned in pain. At that moment, Xue An then said to Feng Chaochou, ¡°You seem to be quite sensible.¡± By that time, Feng Chaochou was no longer so afraid. Because he knew that the Feng Family¡­ was finished! Even then, Feng Chaosi didn¡¯t forget to throw dirt on his older brother, ¡°Mr. Xue, it was all because of his suggestion¡­¡± Xue An ignored him and only looked at Feng Chaochou with a smile, ¡°Would you like to take over the Feng Family?¡± Feng Chaochou was stunned. Feng Chaosi was also stunned. Everyone was stunned. What did Xue An mean? Only Shi Dong sighed softly at that moment. He understood Xue An¡¯s intention in doing this. The capital was so large, the Qin Family couldn¡¯t possibly manage to take over everything, even with their dominance. There would inevitably be other powerful families. If the Feng Family fell, then aside from the Qin Family, it could be said that only their Shi Family would be dominant. Now, it seemed that Xue An intended to keep this eldest son of the Feng Family. It was to balance out his own Shi Family in the future. Thinking of this, Shi Dong¡¯s fear of Xue An grew even deeper. This person had an unfathomable level of cultivation and also possessed such great wisdom. Who exactly was he? Feng Chaosi at this moment was utterly dumbfounded. He still didn¡¯t understand what Xue An meant. Meanwhile, Feng Chaochou¡¯s voice trembled with excitement, ¡°Mr. Xue¡­¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°If you are willing, then show me your sincerity!¡± Feng Chaochou immediately stood up, took a fruit knife from the table, and without any hesitation, walked towards his younger brother. Feng Chaosi was unable to move, only able to watch as his elder brother, whom he had always looked down upon, approached him. He was so terrified that his voice changed, ¡°Big brother¡­ big brother I was wrong, please don¡¯t! I will never again¡­¡± Feng Chaochou didn¡¯t pause for a moment, plunging the knife straight down. Thud! The knife plunged right into Feng Chaosi¡¯s chest. ¡°To¡­ oppose you¡­¡± Feng Chaosi spat out his last few words, fell to the ground unwillingly, and died. This move shocked everyone present. Many people now regarded Xue An with eyes full of fear, as if he were a ghost or god. This man¡¯s ability to manipulate people¡¯s hearts was so terrifying. With just a few words, he had incited fratricide within a wealthy family. And now, Feng Chaochou¡¯s eyes were red with emotion. For years, he had lived unsatisfactorily in the Feng Family. It could be said that no one held him in regard. But now, he had made the right move. That was to understand the principle of not opposing Xue An. Therefore, he had won. He did not spare any of the Feng Family elders. He killed them all with a knife, eradicating them completely. In the end, he was drenched in blood, looking maniacal. Xue An calmly watched. Only after Feng Chaochou had finished killing did he say indifferently, ¡°From now on, the Feng Family is yours!¡± Feng Chaochou¡¯s knife clanged as it hit the ground, and then he began to cry. Everyone silently moved further away from him. Self-destruction of an entire family! How ruthless one must be! At this moment, Xue An even felt some appreciation for Feng Chaochou. Because he knew that this was Feng Chaochou¡¯s pledge of loyalty to him. After destroying his whole family, no one would dare to take him in. He had no choice but to follow Xue An, to follow the Qin Family. As for the people of the Feng Family¡­ Xue An didn¡¯t care. Because not one of them was innocent! And the Shi Family¡­ Xue An turned to look. At this moment, Shi Dong wished he could bury his head in the ground, believing himself to be worldly. But when facing Xue An, He realized what a true influential figure was. One who decided life and death with a single word. This¡­ this is what it means to be an influential figure! Xue An walked over to him, and Shi Dong¡¯s legs were trembling. After a moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°You¡­ have a good son!¡± Saying this, Xue An turned and walked away. Shi Dong felt a huge relief, as if his entire body were soaked in cold sweat. This man¡­ he must never provoke him in the future! Shi Dong silently made a vow to himself. Xue An stepped onto the platform, looking around at everyone present with a calm expression. ¡°Now¡­ does anyone else object?¡± No one dared to speak. Not even a single person dared lift their head to look at Xue An. The people who had been clamoring to divide the spoils at the beginning all silenced their drums and did not dare make a sound anymore. Xue An nodded. ¡°Very well, from now on, the provincial city will be led by the Qin Family!¡± Qin Yu, standing below the platform, was the first to respectfully bow his head and said, ¡°The Qin Family¡­ is willing to honor Mr. Xue as supreme!¡± As if signaling, the Shi Family, Feng Chaochou, and others couldn¡¯t help but bow in unison. ¡°We are willing to honor Mr. Xue as supreme!¡± In the end, almost all the elite families shouted in unison. ¡°We are willing to honor Mr. Xue as supreme!¡± Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Fairy Tale Scene (2 more) Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Fairy Tale Scene (2 more) Translator: 549690339 The early summer sea breeze, gentle as a lover¡¯s caress. A yacht was currently drifting on the surface of the sea, sailing slowly. But on the deck, there was a burst of laughter. ¡°Daddy, look, I¡¯ve caught another little fish!¡± Xue Xiang said excitedly, proud as she showed off her catch to Xue An. Xue An looked at Xue Xiang¡¯s proud face and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Then he patted her little head, ¡°Xiang Xiang is so impressive!¡± Meanwhile, sitting to one side and also fishing, Xue Nian¡¯s little face had already scrunched up like a steamed bun. ¡°Why can my sister always catch fish, but I can¡¯t?¡± Xue Nian mumbled unhappily. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re clumsy!¡± Xue Xiang said without any mercy. Tears began to well up in Xue Nian¡¯s big eyes. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but smile and shake his head. His two daughters were truly different in character. Take Xue Xiang, for example, clever and witty, even though she was only four years old, she acted like a little adult, often ¡°lecturing¡± Xue Nian. Xue Nian, however, was sometimes a bit slow and, apart from getting excited about tasty food, was usually not very talkative. Now being scolded as a little dummy by her own sister, naturally, Xue Nian felt extremely wronged. Xue An, with sympathy, quickly patted Xue Nian¡¯s little head. ¡°Alright, alright, our Nian Nian is not clumsy. Our Nian Nian is the smartest!¡± Feeling wronged, Xue Nian said, ¡°Daddy, if I¡¯m not clumsy, why can¡¯t I catch any fish?¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°Maybe the fish haven¡¯t noticed that Nian Nian is fishing too!¡± Xue Nian nodded hesitantly. And Xue An sent a strand of Divine Sense into the sea without changing his expression¡­ A few seconds later. Xue Nian¡¯s fishing rod dipped suddenly. ¡°Huh!¡± Xue Nian was first startled, then excited. ¡°Daddy, daddy, did I catch a fish?¡± Pretending as though nothing had happened, Xue An, too, excitedly went over to help Xue Nian lift the fishing rod. ¡°Wow, Nian Nian is so amazing, catching such a big fish!¡± Xue An exclaimed exaggeratedly. Xue Nian¡¯s eyes formed into crescent moons as she smiled. Xue Xiang, on the other hand, looked at her father with some suspicion. Being a smart little girl, she felt something suspicious about Xue An¡¯s movements just then. Under the scrutinizing gaze of his daughter, Xue An coughed a bit unnaturally. ¡°Ahem! Xiang Xiang is just as amazing!¡± It was only in front of his two daughters that Xue An dropped all pretense of being the Immortal Venerable. There was no helping it! Who made him have such spirited and incredibly adorable daughters? At that moment, the sun slowly set in the west, and the entire sea was bathed in dazzling gold, a sight too beautiful for words. ¡°Daddy, look, it¡¯s so beautiful!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian called out excitedly. Then Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯Er came up on deck, looking at the father and daughters, they couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°The wind is so strong outside, come back in!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯Er worried about the two little girls. In fact, thanks to Xue An¡¯s daily careful nurturing with various Spiritual Medicines, the two girls¡¯ constitutions had become pure and flawless. It was impossible for them to get sick. Just then, a dolphin suddenly leaped high from the distant sea, drawing a beautiful arc in the air before splashing back into the water. ¡°Wow! A white dolphin! So beautiful!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, the two little girls, exclaimed with their eyes wide open. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Xue An asked, looking down at his daughters. ¡°We love it! And this is the first time we¡¯ve seen a real dolphin!¡± said Xue Xiang. ¡°Mhm, mhm, I just don¡¯t know if it tastes good!¡± Xue Nian began to ponder over the taste again. Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Then close your eyes, Daddy will give you a surprise!¡± The two little girls immediately closed their eyes. Xue An stood at the bow of the boat, his foot gently tapping the deck. It seemed as if the sea within a ten-mile radius trembled ever so slightly. Then Xue An chuckled and said, ¡°Alright, open your eyes now!¡± The two little girls slowly opened their eyes. What presented before them was a scene straight out of a dream. They saw a few dolphins not far away, leaping from the sea surface, performing acrobatics as they somersaulted through the air before splashing back into the sea. The spray wet the cheeks of the two little girls. And this was just the beginning. In the blink of an eye, the number of dolphins leaping out of the water reached dozens. They drew beautiful arcs in the air, then returned to the sea. The two little girls watched in amazement. At this moment, all of the dolphins surfaced and swam up to the yacht, led by an exceptionally beautiful white dolphin, which seemed to nod at Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. ¡°Daddy, what¡­ what is it doing?¡± Xue Xiang asked. Xue An laughed, ¡°It¡¯s asking you to touch it!¡± Xue Xiang was a bit hesitant, but she eventually mustered up the courage and reached out to touch the white dolphin¡¯s nose. Xue Nian also couldn¡¯t help but extend her hand to touch the white dolphin¡¯s mouth. The white dolphin adorably blinked at them, seemingly enjoying the caress of the two little girls, making a series of baby-like cries. This scene appeared to be straight out of a fairy tale world, causing Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue to watch fascinated. After a while, the white dolphin led the other dolphins and leapt from the water once again. But this time, they jumped over the yacht. Under the glow of the setting sun, the dolphins seemed to be erecting gates of dragons on the sea surface, with the yacht passing through them slowly. The two little girls were so excited that they jumped and hopped around, delighted beyond measure. Xue An stood aside with a smile forming at the corner of his mouth. But his heart drifted far away. Wife, our daughters have grown so much, becoming more and more adorable, and more and more beautiful! You must be very lonely on your own. Just wait for me, I will definitely find you! Even if I have to exhaust the realms above or seek through the yellow springs below, I will never give up! As evening approached, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian stood at the bow, waving goodbye to the fins of the white dolphins as they departed. ¡°Goodbye! White dolphins!¡± ¡°Goodbye!¡± Xue An stood by, feeling the gratitude coming from the dolphins through their Divine Sense. He had just used his Divine Sense to command all nearby dolphins to come. The leading dolphin was slowly gaining consciousness. Xue An then instructed it to lead the other dolphins to perform for his two daughters. The white dolphin did not dare to disobey, because although Xue An did not force it, his presence, like the sea, was unfathomable. However, Xue An was not one to trouble these marine elves. As they were leaving, Xue An gave the dolphins some rewards. Although not very precious, they were of great value to the dolphins. Xue An had taken his daughters out to sea because the Xie Family had established a resort on a nearby island. The investment was substantial, and it was now completely finished. So the Qin Family had picked up a great deal by taking over, tidied it up a bit, and was preparing to open for business officially. Xue An was taking his two daughters to see the excitement. Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Hey, do you know Mr. Xue? (3 more) Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Hey, do you know Mr. Xue? (3 more) Translator: 549690339 The island was not close to the shore, and it would take a two-day journey by yacht to reach it. At this moment. The yacht was still sailing on the open sea. Even the most beautiful scenery can become tiresome after a while, especially the boundless ocean, which can easily wear out one¡¯s enthusiasm. For example, right now, two young girls were nestled inside the cabin, watching cartoons. Xue An stood on the bow, gazing at the sea surface. Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er were beside him, keeping him company. Tang Xuan¡¯er had taken a leave of absence from the hospital and then came to the provincial city. Xue An had taken her out to unwind. As for Fan Mengxue¡­ Her fame now was more than double what it had been before, with a plethora of advertising invitations and commercial endorsements, as plentiful as cow hair. Here it should be mentioned that when Fan Mengxue was blacklisted by the Xie Family, those businesses that had been eager to cancel their contracts were now dying of regret. But as for these, Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t care. Upon learning that Xue An was planning a sea voyage, Fan Mengxue immediately pushed aside all her work. As for An Qing, it seemed her unit, the Phoenix Immortal, had missions, and they had called her away. This sea area was still bustling. From time to time, there were ships passing by. The three were idly chatting. A luxurious yacht slowly approached, and a man stood at the bow, shouting loudly. ¡°Meng Xue! Is that Meng Xue?¡± Fan Mengxue, recognizing the voice as familiar, couldn¡¯t help but look up. She saw the man standing on the bow, dressed in a white suit. Although he was somewhat far away and his face was unclear, his posture and movements seemed familiar. Fan Mengxue frowned slightly. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°Seems like it, but I don¡¯t have much of an impression.¡± While they were speaking, the opposite yacht gradually drew closer. ¡°Meng Xue! To be able to see you on the high seas is truly a marvelous fate!¡± The man bared his pearly white teeth, speaking with a cheerful grin. It was only then that Fan Mengxue recognized who the person was. It turned out to be a male celebrity from the entertainment circle named Xiao Chu. Previously, Fan Mengxue had worked with him on a commercial and hence knew him. But it was just a nodding acquaintance. Fan Mengxue nodded slightly, ¡°So it¡¯s Mr. Xiao.¡± Xiao Chu laughed, ¡°What Mr.? I¡¯m only a few years older than you; just call me brother. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll come over!¡± Without waiting for a reply, he very familiarly had someone extend the gangplank and then walked over. When he got close and saw Tang Xuan¡¯er, Xiao Chu¡¯s eyes lit up anew. Initially, his attention had been all on Fan Mengxue, and he hadn¡¯t noticed the beautiful girl beside her at all. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day indeed, to meet such a gorgeous girl on the high seas!¡± Xiao Chu believed his smile to be quite charming. But his antics were of no use to Tang Xuan¡¯er. She remained expressionless and turned back to the cabin without a word. Undaunted, he turned his fervent gaze towards Fan Mengxue. ¡°Meng Xue, I heard your latest movie is a big hit, congratulations!¡± Fan Mengxue felt a pang of disdain. When she was blacklisted, everyone in the circle knew, but he was silent then. He was also silent when the movie¡¯s trailer came out. Even when the public opinion was extremely unfavorable towards her. This gentleman kept his distance. Now, after the storm had passed and her movie was at the height of its success, he came with an exceedingly warm congratulations. One could see what kind of person he was. Thinking to herself, Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t help but show a trace of impatience on her face as she nodded and said, ¡°Thanks!¡± Xiao Chu saw it clearly and couldn¡¯t help but flash a hint of darkness in his eyes. However, he concealed it very well, still wearing a warm and enthusiastic smile on his face. ¡°And this is¡­?¡± Xiao Chu asked, upon noticing Xue An standing to the side. At the same time, his gaze carried a hint of fierceness. Ha ha! The so-called pure and untainted Fan Mengxue of the entertainment circle, would she also secretly go out to sea with a wealthy second-generation? If this news got out, I wonder what it would be like. Xiao Chu was plotting in his mind. Xue An frowned slightly. This man meant no good. But immediately after, he casually smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m the captain of this yacht.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Xiao Chu responded dismissively upon hearing this. Then he didn¡¯t even glance at Xue An again. Since he isn¡¯t some scion of a wealthy family, that¡¯s even better. Isn¡¯t it nice to be at the vast sea with two beauties? With that thought, Xiao Chu¡¯s smile grew even brighter. ¡°Meng Xue, where are you going?¡± Fan Mengxue was annoyed by this man¡¯s familiarity. How close does he think they are? You keep calling me Meng Xue? Just as she was about to react, Xue An winked at her. Fan Mengxue blinked in confusion. What does that mean? Xiao Chu, however, didn¡¯t notice these subtleties and said arrogantly, ¡°I¡¯ve been invited to an opening ceremony at an island resort newly developed by the Qin Family in the provincial city!¡± When mentioning the Qin Family of the provincial city, Xiao Chu spoke loudly and bragged. ¡°Meng Xue, why don¡¯t you come along with me, it¡¯ll be quite the spectacle!¡± Fan Mengxue hadn¡¯t said anything yet, but Xue An indifferently said, ¡°Sure, that sounds like a great idea, we could broaden our horizons!¡± Xiao Chu shot Xue An a glance, thinking to himself that the man knew how to talk. Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t know what Xue An was up to but reluctantly nodded anyway. Xiao Chu couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. Hehe, if he could take advantage of this opportunity and win over this well-known jade girl of the entertainment industry, it would benefit his future development greatly. By that time, they could already see the distant island. ¡°Meng Xue, do you know about the Qin Family of the provincial city?¡± Fan Mengxue shook her head, ¡°No idea!¡± ¡°Hehe, how could you not have heard about it?¡± ¡°Heard about what?¡± ¡°Now who doesn¡¯t know that the Qin Family orchestrated the fall of the Xie Family, the former power of the provincial city, and managed to take over smoothly from Beijiang? Tsk tsk!¡± Xiao Chu exclaimed several times, then lowered his voice. ¡°And have you heard? There¡¯s a big shot called Mr. Xue who is helping the Qin Family! Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly!¡± Fan Mengxue held back a laugh, then shook her head, ¡°I really have no clue!¡± Meanwhile, Xue An also smiled and said, ¡°The Mr. Xue you¡¯re talking about¡­ is he really that impressive?¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Xiao Chu sneered at Xue An. ¡°Let me tell you, I know this Mr. Xue!¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°So what does this Mr. Xue¡­ look like?¡± ¡°Hmph, that man is over two meters tall, can demolish a wall with one punch, and can eat ten people¡¯s worth of food in one meal!¡± Xiao Chu said with self-satisfaction. ¡°That impressive?¡± Xue An blinked. ¡°Of course that impressive. Otherwise, do you think so many noble families in the provincial city would obediently follow orders? I heard that Mr. Xue alone subdued all the noble families of the provincial city!¡± Xiao Chu said. Xue An gave a faint smile, ¡°That sounds quite formidable indeed.¡± Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 110 I am Chapter 110: Chapter 110 I am Translator: 549690339 Xiao Chu continued, ¡°I had a lot of work to do, but this time I was invited by none other than Miss Qin of the Qin Family, so I pushed aside all my work and hurried over specially!¡± He then flashed a smile at Fan Mengxue, ¡°When the time comes, I¡¯ll introduce you, getting to know Miss Qin of the Qin Family will be extremely beneficial to your future development!¡± Fan Mengxue nodded helplessly, ¡°Well¡­ thank you very much!¡± ¡°Hey, why are you still standing here? Hurry up and start the boat!¡± Xiao Chu glared at Xue An. He never showed a pleasant face to these service personnel. However, Xue An wasn¡¯t angry, and instead smiled slightly, ¡°No need to start it, because we¡¯ve arrived!¡± Indeed, at this moment, the island was already in sight, and one could see more than a dozen beautifully designed buildings standing on the picturesque island. Moreover, the pier was festooned with lights and decorations, as if ready to welcome some important personage. Xiao Chu said proudly, ¡°Miss Qin of the Qin Family is really too courteous, preparing such a grand welcome ceremony!¡± Then, he turned to Fan Mengxue with a smile, ¡°See, this is the Qin Family¡¯s resort, with such a large scale, how much money must have been invested! It shows just how powerful the Qin Family is!¡± Fan Mengxue remained expressionless. The yacht slowly approached the pier. At this time, one could see many people standing on the pier. Most of these people were from the various elite families of the provincial city. At the very front was Qin Yu, and standing behind her were Feng Chaochou and Shi Hao. This lineup made Xiao Chu somewhat proud and self-congratulatory. It seemed his reputation was still quite significant! At least it was enough to make so many influential family members wait obediently on the pier to welcome him. As the yacht docked, Xiao Chu, full of pride, walked down the gangway, waving at the crowd. ¡°Everyone has worked hard, I¡¯ve arrived!¡± No one made a sound. Nobody even glanced at Xiao Chu. It was as if he were invisible. This scene left Xiao Chu somewhat bewildered. What¡¯s going on? Could they not have heard? ¡°This must be Miss Qin, right? You¡¯re too kind, waiting on the pier for so long. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s head back!¡± said Xiao Chu cheerfully to Qin Yu. But Qin Yu didn¡¯t even spare him a glance, her gaze directed behind him. Xiao Chu was puzzled¡ªwhat could be behind him? Thinking this, Xiao Chu turned to look. He saw Xue An leading the way, with Fan Mengxue and Tang Xuan¡¯er, accompanied by two little maids, slowly walking down the gangway. At the same time, the people who had been as still as statues surged forward a few steps and then bowed respectfully. They then shouted in unison, ¡°Greetings, Mr. Xue!¡± Their voices echoed far and wide. Xiao Chu was stunned. Greetings to who? Mr. Xue? Which one is Mr. Xue? At this moment, Qin Yu hurried forward a few steps, her face beaming with a smile, ¡°Mr. Xue, we originally planned to send a helicopter to bring you over, but we heard you had already taken a boat out to sea, so these past two days I¡¯ve been waiting at the pier with everyone.¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°I wanted to take Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian out to the sea for fun.¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Xue, please!¡± Qin Yu respectfully stepped aside to make way. Not just her, but everyone else also stepped aside in unison and bowed slightly, with extremely respectful attitudes. This scene left Xiao Chu completely dumbfounded. His brain even went into a state of shutdown. This person¡­ is Mr. Xue? At that moment, Xue An turned his head to look at Xiao Chu and smiled slightly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you knew Mr. Xue? I am he!¡± Xiao Chu¡¯s body shook, and his teeth clattered uncontrollably. On the boat, he had bragged without thinking that the real Mr. Xue was right in front of him! ¡°However, I¡¯m not two meters tall, and I cannot eat as much as ten people in one meal, but you weren¡¯t wrong about one thing!¡± Xue An smiled chillingly, ¡°My punch can indeed smash a wall.¡± Xiao Chu shuddered all over, a sense of urgency came upon him, almost scaring the urine out of him, then he forced a smile and said, ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Xue¡­ I truly didn¡¯t know it was you! If I have offended you in any way¡­ I¡­ .¡± At this point, Qin Yu noticed something was off and stepped forward to ask, ¡°Mr. Xue, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing much, just encountered this guy on the road, then he got on my boat and spouted some nonsense,¡± Xue An said indifferently. Then he left with everyone. For Xue An, he did not even have the desire to deal with such a person! Qin Yu, however, frowned, stepped forward, and stared at Xiao Chu, ¡°Who let you come here?¡± Xiao Chu was quivering, ¡°It was¡­ it was¡­.¡± At this time, Hei King stepped out, looking a bit embarrassed and said, ¡°Young Miss, I¡¯ve met this guy a few times, and after learning the news, he kept begging me, so I let him come!¡± Qin Yu nodded coldly, ¡°Then let him roll!¡± After saying that, she turned around without looking back to follow Xue An and the others. Xiao Chu felt like crying but had no tears. He had intended to use this opportunity to get acquainted with a few powerful and influential people, and if he could get to know the Qin Family, that would have been even better. But he had never imagined that, just because of his loose tongue, he had offended a big shot he simply couldn¡¯t afford to provoke. At this time, Hei King approached with a serious face and said, ¡°Hurry up and leave this place! And let me give you a piece of advice¡­.¡± ¡°You better not stay in the provincial city any longer!¡± Xiao Chu trembled all over, and then, without making a sound, left in a dejected hurry. Meanwhile, Xue An arrived outside the resort accompanied by everyone, the place was picturesque, with a pleasant climate. The resort was beautifully constructed; it was indeed a treasure of a location. But upon seeing the resort, Xue An¡¯s brow furrowed imperceptibly. Once they walked inside, they could see all sorts of innovative decorations and designs. It was evident that the Xie Family had put a lot of thought into this resort. But Xue An remained silent, his face as solemn as water. With him like this, no one following him dared to speak either. When they reached the central area of the resort, an old man with white hair was standing by the road; seeing Xue An and the others approaching, he came forward to greet them. ¡°Mr. Xue, this is the designer of the resort, and also the successor of the Ming Family from the port, Master Ming Yuan!¡± Qin Yu emphasized the introduction. The Ming Family from the port? Upon hearing this name, Xue An¡¯s expression shifted slightly, then returned to normal. There are countless practitioners of Feng Shui Numerology in the world, and the masters among them are too numerous to count, but if one were to name the grandmaster among them, it would definitely be the Ming Family from the port! Since the Song dynasty, this family has been studying Feng Shui Numerology and has continued for over a thousand years without interruption. Thus, in Huaxia, especially in the Minnan area of the port, any significant construction project will definitely have a member of the Ming Family inspect the Feng Shui. This resort was also a creation of the Ming Family, showing how highly the Xie Family valued this resort. At this moment, Master Ming Yuan smiled at Qin Yu, ¡°Miss Qin flatters me too much, I¡¯m just an old man on the verge of senility in the Ming Family. And seeing this gentleman¡¯s demeanor, I presume he is the widely acclaimed Mr. Xue?¡± Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Sea Viewing Platform (2 more) Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Sea Viewing Platform (2 more) Translator: 549690339 Master Ming spoke in a highly cultivated manner, yet his demeanor and responses were impeccable, showcasing the grandeur of a true master. Xue An cast a casual glance at Ming Yuan before nodding slightly, ¡°It is indeed worthy of a scion from the renowned Ming Family, truly brilliant tactics!¡± The ambiguity of his words inevitably stirred some shock and suspicion in Qin Yu¡¯s heart. Shi Hao and Feng Chaochou, who were following behind, exchanged looks, then bowed their heads in silence. However, Ming Yuan¡¯s expression remained unchanged; with a slight smile, he said, ¡°Mr. Xue flatters me too much. Nowadays, who doesn¡¯t know about Mr. Xue overpowering his peers and ascending to the supreme position in the provincial city? Truly a hero from among the youths! I am in awe!¡± Xue An remained noncommittal and nodded, then pointed to the tallest building in the distance. ¡°What is this place?¡± ¡°Mr. Xue, this is the highest point of the resort, called the Sea Viewing Platform! Please, follow me to have a look!¡± Ming Yuan said with a smile. Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Very well! Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± The group followed Ming Yuan up to the Sea Viewing Platform. Located in the central region of the island and as the highest point of the entire island, one could take in the splendid surrounding views from the top, complemented by the seamless horizon of sea and sky¡ªindeed, a feast for the eyes. ¡°Truly worthy of the Ming Family¡¯s touch, such a beautiful view!¡± someone marveled in admiration. Ming Yuan smiled with evident self-satisfaction, ¡°This Sea Viewing Platform is the core of the entire resort, and furthermore, any high-end banquets in the future can be held here.¡± While he spoke, waitstaff brought up wine and assorted foods. Moments later, the Sea Viewing Platform was transformed into an upscale club. The elites invited to this island had originally felt somewhat uncomfortable. No one knew exactly what game the Qin Family was playing. And especially Mr. Xue, known for his ruthless methods, what if he had gathered them here only to capture them all in one fell swoop? But viewing the current situation, it seemed like their worries might have been unnecessary. For instance, Xue An was now holding a glass of red wine, standing by the Sea Viewing Platform, seemingly gazing at the distant sea. The atmosphere gradually livened up. Stunning scenery and the sea breeze, when combined, allowed these wealthy young masters to gradually relax and then group together in twos and threes, chatting and laughing. ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡­ I¡¯d like to toast to you!¡± Just then, a timid voice rang out from behind Xue An. Turning around, Xue An saw it was a girl of about eighteen or nineteen, quite attractive, and judging by her attire, likely the daughter of some wealthy family. However, in Xue An¡¯s presence, the girl was stuttering, struggling to speak smoothly. Xue An gave a slight smile and raised his wine glass a little before taking a sip. The girl excitedly downed her drink and then scampered off jubilantly. After a short while, laughter from the girls could be heard in the distance. Qin Yu laughed softly, ¡°Mr. Xue, it seems you are quite popular now!¡± Just as Qin Yu said, Xue An¡¯s fame within the circles of the provincial city¡¯s wealthy was immense. Yet when the men heard Xue An¡¯s name, they felt both fear and awe. As for the girls, especially those from wealthy families, they were intensely curious about Xue An. A young man who single-handedly subdued an entire city¡¯s elite. That was legend enough in itself. And now, having seen Xue An in person, the daughters of these wealthy families were all stunned. They had not expected Mr. Xue to be so young and handsome. This caused many of the girls¡¯ hearts to flutter with excitement. But while they might think so, none dared to approach him rashly. Therefore, these girls started making bets, with the loser having to offer a toast. In the end, this girl lost and mustered the courage to approach and toast Xue An. To her surprise, Xue An was very approachable, and even returned the toast. This resulted in her receiving envy from her peers upon her return. As for Xue An, he merely offered a faint smile and paid it no further mind. He was improving his Cultivation Level every day, all in the hope of finding his wife as soon as possible. As for everything else¡­ Xue An hadn¡¯t given it much thought. At this moment, the atmosphere at the banquet reached its climax. Ming Yuan stepped onto the high platform in the middle, smiling as he said, ¡°Today, the elite of the provincial city have gathered here, and everyone is well-informed. It just so happens that I have a treasure for all to see!¡± With that, Ming Yuan took out a necklace from the bag he carried with him. It was a string of pearls that, under the moonlight, emitted a cool radiance, so beautiful that people hardly dared to breathe loudly. The room fell silent. The women in particular were completely enchanted. No woman could resist the temptation of jewelry. Qin Yu was slightly startled, then she exclaimed, ¡°Is that a Dong Zhu?¡± Ming Yuan smiled, ¡°Miss Qin really does have extensive knowledge; this is indeed the rare and seldom-seen Dong Zhu!¡± Dong Zhu! Extremely rare jewelry. It could only be found in this sea area, but due to overharvesting later on, it had disappeared for many years. Even a single Dong Zhu pearl was worth a fortune, let alone an entire string of pearl necklaces. Ming Yuan then smiled at the people below the stage, ¡°I will sell this pearl today. Who wants it?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd erupted. ¡°I bid ten million!¡± ¡°Twenty million!¡± ¡°Twenty-five million!¡± These people were determined to have the string of Dong Zhu pearls. Anyone who could enter this place was worth at least several hundred million. Thus, the price rapidly soared. A hint of pride flickered in Ming Yuan¡¯s eyes. Just as the price had reached over ninety million, Xue An suddenly said calmly, ¡°I offer one dollar.¡± Upon this statement, the entire room fell silent. Many frowned slightly, thinking that Xue An was attempting to use his status to snatch the necklace. Yet Ming Yuan remained unruffled, merely chuckling, ¡°Mr. Xue, have you had too much to drink? Any single Dong Zhu pearl is a treasure, one dollar¡­¡± Xue An set down his wine glass and walked toward the stage with an indifferent expression. The crowd parted to make way for him. Ming Yuan¡¯s expression gradually darkened. When Xue An reached the stage, he casually took the necklace in his hand, played with it for a moment, and then smiled. ¡°Indeed, it is a rare treasure of the world!¡± Ming Yuan smiled, but the next second, his smile froze. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity¡­ the origins are not legitimate!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, many faces went pale. Illegitimate origins? What did he mean? Could it be that this necklace was stolen or robbed by Ming Yuan? Ming Yuan snorted coldly, ¡°Mr. Xue, you must have evidence to support such claims. Accusing someone¡¯s property of being illicitly obtained without proof is a serious allegation!¡± Many nodded in agreement silently. Some had been somewhat resentful of Xue An, and now their minds stirred. The Ming Family of the seaport was a powerful household. If Ming Yuan were to publicly confront Xue An, it was likely that Xue An¡¯s influence would be damaged. While those below the stage harbored various thoughts, Xue An smiled faintly, exerted a bit of strength in his finger, and with a snap, a Dong Zhu pearl shattered instantly. The entire room was shaken by this action. Xue An then said coldly, ¡°How you acquired it, you know best in your heart. For example, what¡¯s being suppressed under the Sea Viewing Platform with feng shui? Do I need to say it? Master Ming?¡± Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Siren’s Song (Three Updates) Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Siren¡¯s Song (Three Updates) Translator: 549690339 Ming Yuan¡¯s expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with terror. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°How I knew, is that it?¡± Xue An said with a light smile. Then he pointed towards the ocean in front of them. ¡°The feng shui of this island is not bad, but this place is a feng shui death trap. Not to mention the Ming Family, even an ordinary geomancer wouldn¡¯t build the Sea Viewing Platform here, yet you alone did.¡± ¡°Therefore, there must be some unknown secret beneath this Sea Viewing Platform! Let me guess, something like¡­ the Sea Eye?¡± Xue An said coldly. Xue An¡¯s words caused Ming Yuan¡¯s face to change color repeatedly. The crowd was similarly filled with shock and uncertainty. After a moment, Ming Yuan sighed deeply, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Xue, at such a young age, to be not only at a divine cultivation level but also so proficient in Feng Shui Numerology.¡± Xue An listened expressionlessly. ¡°You are correct, beneath the Sea Viewing Platform indeed lies the Sea Eye!¡± said Ming Yuan lightly, a mocking smile appearing on his face. ¡°Initially, I had no intention of doing anything to you, after all, I need this resort as a cover. But now that you¡¯ve uncovered it, I have no need to hide anymore! But you¡­¡± Ming Yuan¡¯s eyes flashed with ruthless malice, ¡°today, not a single one of you will leave!¡± With his words, a black mist rose from the ground, enveloping everyone within. Ming Yuan laughed sinisterly: ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be so extreme, but now that you know my secret, don¡¯t blame me. You¡¯ll all become my puppets!¡± As he spoke, a low female chant began to echo from underground. The sound was soft at first, but gradually, it grew louder and clearer. The expressions of many people began to grow vacant. Ming Yuan laughed wildly with pride: ¡°Xue An, I admit that your cultivation level is commendable for your age, but this isn¡¯t something you can withstand with martial prowess alone. This is¡­¡± ¡°The Siren¡¯s Song? And I thought it was something formidable,¡± Xue An said indifferently. Ming Yuan was taken aback, ¡°How could you¡­ How could you possibly know of the siren? Who are you, really?¡± Xue An raised his hand and smiled faintly, ¡°Me? I¡­ am Xue An!¡± As he spoke, a ball of pure white flame appeared in the palm of Xue An¡¯s hand. No sooner did the flame appear than the black mist began to dissipate rapidly, just like snow melting under the sun. As the black fog lifted, everyone immediately regained their senses. Qin Yu yelled angrily, ¡°You old thief! The Ming Family conducts itself in such a manner, aren¡¯t you afraid of incurring public wrath?¡± Not just Qin Yu, everyone present was incredibly enraged. The idea that Ming Yuan wanted to turn everyone into puppets was intolerable to these haughty and privileged offspring. Many were secretly relieved and looked towards Xue An with gratitude; if it weren¡¯t for Mr. Xue¡¯s timely actions, none would have been spared. Ming Yuan¡¯s face underwent several changes, eventually settling into a grim look, ¡°I underestimated you. But do you think this is over? Do you know why I chose today to have you ascend the Sea Viewing Platform?¡± Ming Yuan looked up at the sky and sneered, ¡°Because tonight¡­ is the night of the full moon!¡± Everyone looked up in unison, indeed, a clear, bright moon was hanging in the sky, casting a veil-like glow that enshrouded everything. ¡°Feng Shui secret technique, activate!¡± Ming Yuan called out softly. Silver lines suddenly appeared above the Sea Viewing Platform, intertwining into complex patterns, trapping everyone within. At the same time, the beautiful silhouette of a creature gradually appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. This silhouette had a woman¡¯s upper body and a fish¡¯s lower body. Yet even so, it did nothing to diminish the beauty of the maiden. Ming Yuan looked at the mermaid and chuckled coldly, ¡°Kill them all!¡± The mermaid¡¯s face showed a hint of struggle, but ultimately, she helplessly bowed her head. An ethereal chant began to rise, louder and clearer than before, and no matter if you plugged your ears or did anything else, the sound could not be blocked from entering your mind. As everyone was shocked, Xue An sighed softly, ¡°You really deserve to die!¡± His tone was indifferent yet seemed like a divine chant, instantly suppressing the sea monster¡¯s singing. Ming Yuan finally showed a change in expression. Xue An took a step forward, ¡°By using Feng Shui to harm others, you¡¯ve broken the first rule!¡± ¡°Harboring ill intentions and exploiting secular power to satisfy personal desires! You¡¯ve broken the second rule!¡± Xue An took a second step. ¡°By relying on the Feng Shui Secret Technique, you¡¯ve imprisoned a peaceful sea monster to profit from it; this is the third rule you¡¯ve broken!¡± Standing in the center, Xue An spoke indifferently with his hands behind his back, ¡°You¡¯ve broken all three rules, Ming Yuan, do you acknowledge your guilt?¡± Laughing triumphantly, Ming Yuan said, ¡°Xue An, it¡¯s useless to say those things. This Feng Shui Secret Array is an ancient inheritance I stumbled upon. No one in this world can break it. Without the method to break it, even a Daluo Golden Immortal would be trapped and die here, and you and these people are all as good as dead!¡± Everybody¡¯s face turned as pale as paper in an instant. Some disbelieving people tried to walk out but couldn¡¯t touch those silver threads at all. Ming Yuan chuckled, considering Xue An and the others already dead in his eyes. But at that moment, Xue An smiled. ¡°Did I say I was going to break it?¡± Then Xue An raised his gaze to Ming Yuan, ¡°Any skill, in the face of absolute power, is a joke! You didn¡¯t understand that simple fact!¡± Saying that, Xue An stamped his foot fiercely. This Sea Viewing Platform, the island, and even the vast ocean itself, all trembled mightily under that stomp! And those silver-threaded mystical formations instantly started to unravel. Ming Yuan¡¯s face showed horror and despair, ¡°No, this is impossible¡­ this is ancient¡­¡± He didn¡¯t get a chance to finish his sentence, as the backlash from the broken Array consumed him. In an instant, the Ming Family Feng Shui Master aged from a white-haired elder to a rapidly withering old man. Soon, he turned into a skeleton that scattered with the wind. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted. And then, the sound of crying drew all eyes to it. The mermaid was weeping. And the tears she shed were actually large pearls. Now they understood where Ming Yuan¡¯s pearls came from. This revelation shocked many people. The tears of this sea monster were pearls, which was practically like a money-printing machine! No wonder Ming Yuan went to great lengths to suppress it. At this moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian moved closer. During the recent struggle, Xue An had shielded the two of them with a secret technique. He didn¡¯t want his two precious daughters to be harmed in the slightest. ¡°Daddy, is that the mermaid sister?¡± Xue An nodded and smiled gently, ¡°Yes, it is!¡± ¡°Then why is the mermaid sister crying?¡± ¡°Because¡­ she misses home!¡± Xue An said softly. The mermaid shuddered, lifted her beautiful eyes to look at Xue An, and then her lips parted slightly, ¡°Immortal, save me!¡± Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 113: If Mountains and Seas Can’t Measure You, I Will! Chapter 113: Chapter 113: If Mountains and Seas Can¡¯t Measure You, I Will! Translator: 549690339 At this time, the little girl Xue Nian had already approached curiously and picked up a Blood Pearl from the ground. ¡°What¡¯s this? Can you eat it? Is it tasty?¡± Xue Nian asked. This was Xue Nian¡¯s characteristic triple question. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but laugh silently, ¡°Silly Nian¡¯er, those are the tears of a mermaid!¡± Xue Nian paused, and then she picked up all the Blood Pearls on the ground and approached the mermaid. ¡°Mermaid sister, these are your tears; don¡¯t cry anymore, okay!¡± The Sea Demoness shuddered, a complex expression surfacing on her stunning face. Since ancient times, the members of their Demon Race had been hunted by human Cultivators. All for the sake of obtaining their tears. Just like what Ming Yuan had done, everyone¡¯s first reaction upon seeing them was to take possession. Only this little girl had a heart of gold. The Sea Demoness¡¯s hands were like those of a regular person, so she reached out to take the Blood Pearls and said with a trembling voice, ¡°Thank you!¡± Xue Nian blinked her big, shiny black eyes, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s there to thank for? These were yours to begin with!¡± These words made many people shake. To be honest, if it wasn¡¯t for Xue An being there, there would have already been people who couldn¡¯t restrain themselves from stepping forward to subdue the Sea Demoness. After all, she was a moving treasury. Yet, Xue Nian taught everyone a lesson. It made many feel ashamed of themselves. ¡°Dad, the mermaid sister looks so pitiful! Help her, please!¡± Xue Xiang also spoke up at this time. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Okay! Today, I¡¯ll send her home.¡± After speaking, Xue An looked up at the Sea Demoness and said in a deep voice, ¡°I save you today only because you have never harmed anyone; if you cause trouble in the future, do you understand the consequences?¡± The Sea Demoness trembled and then bowed respectfully, ¡°Immortal Master, rest assured, this demon understands!¡± ¡°Everyone, go down!¡± Xue An ordered. The crowd dispersed from the Sea Viewing Platform and watched from a distance. Xue An stood beside the Sea Viewing Platform, gazed at the moonlight, and then threw a fierce punch. The Sea Viewing Platform, built to be extremely sturdy, first made creaking noises before silently crumbling to pieces under that single punch. The sea breeze blew past, and the formerly towering platform vanished without a trace. As if it had never existed in the first place. Many onlookers were dumbfounded. At this moment, there was a seemingly bottomless Sea Eye beneath the Sea Viewing Platform, emanating an extremely cold aura. Several chains were binding a mermaid covered in scars, suspending her above the Sea Eye. Xue An¡¯s gaze turned cold. He knew that this was the true form of the Sea Demoness; what had appeared on the platform was nothing more than an illusion created by her Mental Power. Ming Yuan had a ruthless plan. He was using the power of the Sea Eye to suppress the Sea Demoness. If not for Xue An¡¯s discovery, this Sea Demoness would have been doomed forever. Moreover, Xue An couldn¡¯t directly break the chains now because they were connected to the Sea Eye. The power of the Sea Eye in the vast ocean was no trivial matter. Seemingly realizing the difficulty ahead, the Sea Demoness slowly opened her eyes and gave Xue An a weak nod. ¡°Immortal Master, if you can¡¯t save me, then please end my life!¡± As she spoke, flesh continued to fall from her cheeks. Clearly, her injuries were severe. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, the two little girls, felt so heartbroken they were on the verge of tears. Many others sighed softly. They all thought that Mr. Xue had done his best. But this was not something that could be handled merely by doing one¡¯s best! ¡°Immortal Master, I¡¯m already grateful that you killed that villain. If it¡¯s too difficult, please don¡¯t take the risk! This demon is willing to die for liberation!¡± The voice of the Sea Demoness grew weaker. She was being eroded by the power of the Sea Eye. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian anxiously looked toward their father. All eyes were also focused on Xue An. Xue An¡¯s eyes drooped, and his face bore a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. ¡°Even the Sea Demoness is trapped by the sea!¡± As he spoke, Xue An raised his head and looked at the Sea Demoness on the brink of death. ¡°Today, I shall rescue you. If the mountains and seas do not cross over for you, I will!¡± With those words, Xue An called out lightly, ¡°Let me borrow the light of a billion stars!¡± Countless starlight beamed down from the sky above, starting to converge in Xue An¡¯s palm. Gradually, an orb imbued with the light of innumerable stars appeared in Xue An¡¯s hand. This miraculous scene dumbfounded everyone in the distance. Could Mr. Xue really be an Immortal? This thought suddenly emerged in the hearts of many. At that moment, Xue An forcefully threw the orb of light downward. A dazzling streak of starlight flashed by. The immense power of the starlight utterly shattered the Sea Eye. Towering waves rose up. Xue An sneered, ¡°A mere body of water dares to be reckless before me!¡± With that, Xue An snapped his fingers. The towering waves vanished as if they encountered something terrifyingly fearful and dissipated quickly. The sea surface regained its calm. And the Sea Demoness had been rescued and brought to shore. But, having been suppressed for too long, she was too weak to stand and could only look at Xue An with grateful eyes, whispering, ¡°Thank you, Immortal Master, for saving me!¡± Xue An glanced at the Sea Demoness and tossed her an Elixir, ¡°Eat it.¡± The Sea Demoness respectfully caught it and swallowed it down. After a short while. The injuries on the Sea Demoness began to heal rapidly. In the blink of an eye. The myriad wounds were restored to their original state. At this moment, the Sea Demoness transformed with human legs, draped in light gauze, appearing like a forsaken Immortal, so beautiful it was hard to take one¡¯s eyes off her. The Sea Demoness bowed deeply to Xue An. ¡°Little demon Jiang Mei¡¯er has seen the Immortal Master. I can never forget the great kindness and virtue of the Immortal Master!¡± Xue An nodded slightly and said nothing. He had indeed saved her, so her kneeling to express thanks was only to be expected. And looking at the Sea Demoness¡¯s attire¡­ She doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary Sea Demoness! Most importantly, she has a surname! The surnames of the Demon Race are extremely precious; ordinary demons simply could not have them. At this time, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian approached. ¡°Sister, where is your tail?¡± Xue Xiang asked with curiosity. The Sea Demoness smiled brightly, ¡°I have retracted my tail!¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing! You can retract it?¡± Xue Nian said in surprise. ¡°Yes! Here, let me give you both something,¡± said the Sea Demoness as she solemnly pulled out three pearls emitting a red halo. Unlike the Dong Zhu formed from tears, these pearls were transformed from the Sea Demoness¡¯s own blood essence, extraordinarily precious. But the two young girls didn¡¯t understand this and just thought they were so pretty! ¡°Dad, aren¡¯t they beautiful?¡± the young girls brought the pearls back and asked excitedly. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re beautiful!¡± Seeing the three Blood Pearls, Xue An¡¯s heart also stirred. A Sea Demoness could only condense three to five Blood Pearls in her lifetime. Now, this Sea Demoness had given away three at once. Such a generous gesture! Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Yu Family’s Sword Challenge Token! (2nd Release) Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Yu Family¡¯s Sword Challenge Token! (2nd Release) Translator: 549690339 And at this moment, the previously calmed sea surface once again whipped up into towering waves. Many people retreated in horror. Jiang Mei¡¯er, however, smiled charmingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, everyone, these are my people coming to pick me up!¡± Indeed. Atop the distant waves, several sea demons stood. But these sea demons were all on guard, and they did not approach the shore. Then Jiang Mei¡¯er approached Mr. Xue, bowed deeply and paid her respects. ¡°Immortal Master, I dare not forget the grace of saving my life! In the future, I must repay this debt!¡± Mr. Xue smiled noncommittally. He did not perform these deeds expecting any reward. But Jiang Mei¡¯er¡¯s expression was grave, and she stepped forward a few paces, whispering a string of archaic, abstruse words to Mr. Xue. Mr. Xue was slightly startled, then he laughed. It seemed he really had saved a big figure! She even had a True Name. The so-called True Name, is something only the nobility among demons and monsters possess, stemming from their bloodline inheritance. The more noble the bloodline, the more distinguished the True Name! Moreover, each member of the Demon Race has a unique True Name. Knowing their True Name is akin to mastering their life¡¯s gate. Therefore, every demon regards their True Name as their most crucial secret and would never casually reveal it to anyone. Yet now this sea demon had told Mr. Xue her True Name. It showed she was truly grateful for Mr. Xue¡¯s rescue. After Jiang Mei¡¯er transformed back into her half-human, half-fish form and entered the sea, those sea demons waiting for her all swarmed over to her. Standing at the crest of the waves, Jiang Mei¡¯er gave Mr. Xue one last deep bow, then submerged into the sea, disappearing from sight. The sea was calm, and the waves were still. It was all over. Many people were still ruminating over everything that had just transpired. From the beginning with Ming Yuan¡¯s hidden malice to Mr. Xue stepping in to save everyone, and finally to Mr. Xue rescuing the trapped sea demon. These events, akin to scenes from a movie, made many people feel as if they were still in a dream. However, after this incident, Mr. Xue¡¯s prestige and might had reached its peak. None among the well-to-do families of the provincial city dared to challenge Mr. Xue¡¯s authority anymore. Not even in their thoughts! On the island, Mr. Xue and his companions stayed for two more days. Out of the three Blood Pearls, two were crafted by Mr. Xue into necklaces, which he then gave to his two daughters. The last one, Mr. Xue kept for himself, saving it for An Yan. While Mr. Xue was enjoying the island with his daughters, a boat slowly approached the island. Tan Dong and Tan Xiaoyu hurriedly disembarked and made their way directly to the resort. Upon seeing Mr. Xue, Tan Dong wore a solemn expression, and his first words were, ¡°Mr. Xue, there¡¯s been trouble!¡± ¡°Trouble? What kind of trouble?¡± Tan Dong took out a delicate little sword from within his clothes, which unfolded to reveal a uniquely crafted letter. As Mr. Xue took it, he saw written on it, The discarded Yu Family member, Yu Qing, was killed by you. Although a castaway, he was still of Yu Family blood. Therefore, ten days from now, on the bank of Qingfeng River, I will come bearing a sword to slay Beijiang! At the end, it was signed, Yu Yang of the Yu Family! Mr. Xue frowned slightly. What was this? A challenge letter? Tan Dong chuckled bitterly and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, this is the famous Shi Jian Token of the Yu Family from Lingnan!¡± ¡°The Sword Challenge Token?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s said that in the last forty years, the Yu Family has issued the Sword Challenge Token seven times, invariably to renowned masters of the time, and usually because these people offended the Yu Family!¡± ¡°And among these seven instances, no one has survived under the swords of the Yu Family!¡± Tan Dong said with a solemn expression. This was also why he hurried over as soon as he received the Sword Challenge Token. The Yu Family of Lingnan! That is considered a Holy Land in the eyes of martial artists worldwide! Forty years ago, the Sword Immortal Yu Yuanyi of Lingnan, with a single man and a single sword, annihilated ten overseas masters, and since then, he established his unparalleled achievement. In forty years, no one has dared to provoke the descendants of the Yu Family. And this time, Xue An had killed a forsaken member of the Yu Family, which had provoked the issuance of the Yu Family¡¯s Sword Challenge Token! Tan Dong was naturally full of worries. Tan Xiaoyu also looked at Xue An with a concerned expression. She had now taken over her father¡¯s martial arts school, and after these days of experience, she had matured a lot. However, when she heard that the Yu Family had handed down a Sword Challenge Token to deal with Xue An, she set aside everything to follow Tan Dong here. Yet, there was no trace of fear on Xue An¡¯s face. Instead, he smiled faintly, ¡°To vanquish Beijiang with a sword? That¡¯s quite the boast!¡± As he spoke, Xue An applied a slight force with his finger, and the Sword Challenge Token crumbled into powder and scattered with the wind. ¡°Mr. Xue, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but the Lingnan Yu Family is really not easy to provoke now! Especially that Sword Immortal Yu Yuanyi¡ªever since his earth-shattering strike forty years ago, there has been no news of him. Rumors say he has been in seclusion all this time. As for what realm he has reached by now, no one is clear!¡± Tan Dong said, worried. ¡°Indeed, Mr. Xue, a wise man does not court danger. Why don¡¯t you go hide in country H for a while?¡± Tan Xiaoyu also suggested. Xue An shook his head and smiled faintly, ¡°Thank you, but¡­ I really want to see just how sharp the Yu Family¡¯s sword is!¡± When he spoke, a sliver of a fierce killing intent flashed in Xue An¡¯s eyes. Tan Dong and Tan Xiaoyu exchanged glances and then both sighed. In fact, they knew that these persuasions would definitely not work. A true martial artist would never back down. And at this moment, The news that the Yu Family had issued another Sword Challenge Token also began to thunder throughout the land! Martial Arts Forum. On today¡¯s Martial Arts Forum, gone were the usual bickering and frivolous threads. Nearly every post was discussing the Sword Challenge Token issued by the Yu Family this time. ¡°The Yu Family has built up its intimidation for forty years¡ªno one dares to face their sharpness, and I think this time it will be the same!¡± ¡°Yes! Although this Mr. Xue has recently gained some fame and even killed the Old Man Pointing to the Sky, compared to a martial arts great family like the Yu Family, he is still far short!¡± ¡°The Yu Yang who was dispatched this time is also an extremely formidable figure, who is said to have defeated a Sword Dao master in Singapore with his sword as soon as he left the mountains. It is said that he practices a murderous sword! Utterly fierce!¡± ¡°Heh, I think this Mr. Xue is more likely doomed this time!¡± ¡°If I were Xue An, I would have hit the road early and would never return to Beijiang!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°Heh, you guys in the post above know nothing. If this Xue An leaves, then he can forget about making any progress in martial arts in the future. Fear is the biggest obstacle in the pursuit of martial arts!¡± ¡°No progress is better than being killed anyway!¡± These discussions flooded the forum. And now even in Beijiang, this news had spread everywhere. Some were shocked, some felt pity, some reveled in the disaster, and others were filled with excitement. Longtai Building. Qin Yuan stood in the office, silent for a long time. ¡°Elder, Master Tan just called, and the persuasion was ineffective!¡± It appeared that Qin Yuan had already known the outcome and nodded slightly, ¡°Understood!¡± The Hei King did not leave; he still stood by the side. ¡°Old Hei, do you think Mr. Xue can win this time?¡± Although Qin Yuan had always been full of confidence in Xue An, and Xue An never let him down, But this time¡­ the opponent was the Yu Family! The great martial arts family that has stood in the south of Huaxia for forty years! The Hei King lowered his head and said solemnly, ¡°I believe Mr. Xue will win!¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Oh? Why do you say that?¡± The Hei King was silent for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but that¡¯s just what I believe!¡± Qin Yuan nodded, his eyes gradually filled with determination. ¡°In the past, it was always Mr. Xue who removed obstacles for my Qin Family. This time, my Qin Family will stand unconditionally behind Mr. Xue!¡± Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Reactions from All Sides (3 updates) Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Reactions from All Sides (3 updates) Translator: 549690339 Xie Jingjing finished school and returned home, feeling that the atmosphere today was somewhat unusual. Instead of cooking in the kitchen, Mr. Xie sat in a chair, heaving long sighs and muttering under his breath. Auntie Pang, her mother, was constantly dabbing at her tears. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Xie Jingjing asked in confusion. Auntie Pang lifted her head, glanced at her daughter, and then sighed, ¡°Your dad went to buy groceries today and then he heard some news about your Brother Xiao An!¡± ¡°What happened to Brother Xiao An?¡± Xie Jingjing exclaimed, her face draining of color. ¡°I also heard it through the grapevine,¡± Mr. Xie said with a face full of worry. ¡°Apparently, Xiao An offended some extremely formidable figure, and now they¡¯re seeking revenge, setting it for ten days from now on the banks of Qingfeng River!¡± Xie Jingjing turned pale and slumped into a chair, her mind in turmoil. What to do? What to do! Please, nothing bad must happen to Brother Xiao An! Xie Jingjing hung her head low, tears falling relentlessly. The atmosphere in the room was oppressively gloomy. Suddenly. Mr. Xie slapped the table and abruptly stood up. Auntie Pang, startled, couldn¡¯t help but scold, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t scare people like that!¡± Mr. Xie¡¯s face showed a seriousness it had never held before. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, I will also go to the banks of Qingfeng River in ten days!¡± ¡°Even though I might not be able to do anything!¡± ¡°But Xiao An has been kind to Jingjing, kind to our family! I, Mr. Xie, am not ungrateful. Even if it costs me my life, I will go and lend Xiao An a hand!¡± Xie Jingjing and Auntie Pang looked at Mr. Xie in surprise, but his eyes sparkled with a determination they had never seen before. Auntie Pang also became excited, nodding and saying, ¡°That¡¯s right, truly worthy of being my man! I¡¯ll go too when the time comes!¡± Mr. Xie frowned, ¡°Men¡¯s business, why should women interfere unnecessarily?¡± Upon hearing this, Auntie Pang became enraged, ¡°Mr. Xie, let me tell you, if it really comes to blows, three of you wouldn¡¯t be a match for me!¡± Mr. Xie felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°Ah, come on. The child is right here, what nonsense are you spouting!¡± ¡°What nonsense? This is simply the truth!¡± Watching this scene unfold, Xie Jingjing managed a tearful smile. A thought also emerged in her heart. Brother Xiao An! No matter what, I will go and see for myself. If you lose, then I will avenge you! Even if it costs me my life, I won¡¯t hesitate! The Wu Family. Wu Weidong sat in his chair, unable to contain his excitement. His wife, who had a face full of flesh, was also smiling happily. ¡°That¡¯s great, as long as this Xue An dies, our son¡¯s death will be avenged!¡± Wu Weidong said with a laugh. ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s not going to be that easy. Once Xue An is dead, I want to flay the little wretch who killed our son!¡± the woman declared fiercely. Originally, her son Wu Zefeng had forcefully taken Xie Jingjing to the KTV. If Xue An had not arrived in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable. It was also because Wu Zefeng was malicious at heart, so Xue An ended up killing him. Later, Wu Weidong wanted to take revenge, but when any somewhat connected person in Beijiang heard that it involved taking on Xue An, they shook their heads as if they were wobbling drum rattle. Having no other choice, Wu Weidong gave up. But when the news of the Yu Family issuing the Sword Challenge Token against Xue An came, the Wu Family was overjoyed! ¡°Hehe! When the time comes, let¡¯s go and enjoy the show, to see how the person who killed Zefeng will be wiped out by others!¡± Wu Zefeng said with a sinister face. Hua Family Traditional Medicine Clinic. All day today, Hua Tingting was somewhat distracted. After seeing off the last patient, Hua Xingyu sighed. ¡°Ting¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Hua Tingting was silent for a long moment before she said, ¡°Grandpa, is Yu Family really as formidable as the rumors say?¡± Hua Xingyu¡¯s expression turned serious as he nodded, ¡°Very formidable! And extremely so!¡± Hua Tingting¡¯s face grew more worried, ¡°Then, do you think Mr. Xue this time¡­¡± Hua Xingyu shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, this isn¡¯t something that someone of my level can see through. However, Tingting.¡± Hua Xingyu paused, then continued, ¡°You must remember, people like Mr. Xue are like divine dragons above the ninth heaven, you¡­¡± Hua Xingyu didn¡¯t finish his sentence. But Hua Tingting understood her grandfather¡¯s meaning. She felt somewhat disheartened. But she also understood that her grandfather meant well. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go to Qingfeng River in ten days to witness the most glorious duel in the Martial Arts World in a decade! It will also be like standing by Mr. Xue¡¯s side to cheer him on!¡± Hua Xingyu said. Hua Tingting¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Yes!¡± While the outside world was in turmoil over the Sword Challenge Token issued by the Yu Family. Lingnan Yu Family remained as calm as ever. Yu Yang walked through the Testing Sword Pavilion and arrived at the back courtyard, where he saw his father, who was also the current Family Head of the Yu Family. Yu Lang. ¡°When are you planning to set off?¡± Yu Lang, sitting in a chair, asked without even lifting his head. ¡°We will set off after seven days. Beijiang is only two thousand miles away from Lingnan; it¡¯s a two-day journey!¡± Yu Yang said respectfully, bowing. Yu Lang nodded, ¡°You are assigned as the emissary for this Sword Challenge. Do you know why?¡± Yu Yang¡¯s body trembled with a flash of wild joy in his eyes, but he still bowed his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Yu Lang chuckled lightly, ¡°You, with your calculating heart too heavy, that¡¯s why you haven¡¯t progressed in the Sword Dao as much as your elder brother!¡± ¡°This Xue An is also quite a talent. Being able to kill Yu Ling with a single punch at the Martial Arts Conference shows he has some real skills. You must be careful and not tarnish the Yu Family¡¯s reputation. If you do well¡­ when the elder ancestor comes out of seclusion, you may serve by his side!¡± Yu Yang trembled violently with delight, ¡°The elder ancestor is coming out of seclusion?¡± Yu Lang nodded solemnly, ¡°This news must not be disclosed, but a few days ago, your elder brother sent a message saying the Sword Qi outside the Sword Cottage has been growing stronger by the day. It shouldn¡¯t be too long now!¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Yu Yang suppressed the ecstasy in his heart and slowly retreated. To every member of the Yu Family, their elder ancestor Yu Yuanyi was a revered Immortal they all worshipped. Being able to serve by his side would be enormously beneficial for his own Sword Dao Cultivation. After leaving the back courtyard, Yu Yang arrived behind the Testing Sword Pavilion, where a uniquely beautiful young girl was seated in idle. Seeing Yu Yang approach, the girl couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Why are you so happy today, Third Brother? Is there some good news?¡± Yu Yang smiled, ¡°Little sister, you¡¯ve sneaked out again. Be careful or father will punish you if he finds out.¡± This young girl was Yu Lang¡¯s youngest and only daughter, Yu Ran. ¡°Hehe, father won¡¯t! I heard that Third Brother has been appointed as the emissary for this Sword Challenge?¡± Yu Yang nodded. Yu Ran became excited, ¡°And I heard that this time the opponent is a top expert ranked in the high places of the heavenly list! You must be careful, Third Brother!¡± ¡°The heavenly list?¡± A sneer of disdain appeared on Yu Yang¡¯s lips. ¡°A list where those who have never seen a real Cultivator, even less a Loose Immortal, rank themselves first. What¡¯s the use? To me, they¡¯re nothing but chickens and dogs!¡± Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Longtai Group, Warmly Welcomes Sir Home! Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Longtai Group, Warmly Welcomes Sir Home! Translator: 549690339 Yu Yang¡¯s confidence had its reasons. To the average martial artist, the Heavenly Rankings seemed unattainable. But for a top Martial Arts Family like the Yu Family, a mere Heavenly Ranking really counted for little. If upon his return from demonstrating his swordsmanship, he could truly attend to the elder and advance his Sword Dao cultivation even further, then by the time of the Immortal Gate conference three months later, he would be confident of securing a place on the Jade Rankings. And that was Yu Yang¡¯s pursuit. For atop the Jade Rankings were the elite masters from various Immortal Cultivation sects. The so-called Immortal Cultivation sects were those hidden from the world, leading many to believe they had already vanished, belonging to the major noble sects. On the Jade Rankings, Heavenly Beings were common as mud, Xiaoyao were as numerous as dogs, there were even terrifying figures like the Half-step Loose Immortals. Being listed among them meant one truly possessed real strength. As for the Heavenly Rankings, in the eyes of someone like Yu Yang, they were nothing more than child¡¯s play. This was also why Yu Yang didn¡¯t take this sword demonstration too seriously. It was only his brother, a waste expelled from the family for cultivating heretical methods, who would die at the hands of such people. On a plane bound for Beijiang. At this moment, in the first-class cabin, a man kept glancing at Tang Xuan¡¯er not far away. After a while, he couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer, coughed lightly, and then said with a smile, ¡°Excuse me, beautiful lady, are you a doctor?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er lifted her gaze from the book, looking up at the man who had spoken. He was a well-dressed, handsome man. Probably in his thirties. He seemed like a corporate elite by his demeanor. Out of courtesy, Tang Xuan¡¯er gave a slight smile and nodded. This smile made Zhang Mingke feel his heartbeat quicken by three beats. From the moment he boarded the plane, Zhang Mingke had noticed this stunningly beautiful woman. Having climbed the corporate ladder for years, Zhang Mingke had seen his fair share of beautiful women. But how could those women, wrapped in all kinds of jewelry and meticulous makeup, compare to such a girl with natural grace? Moreover, since boarding the plane, this woman had been engrossed in reading. Zhang Mingke sneaked a peek and noticed she was reading highly specialized medical books. This only intensified Zhang Mingke¡¯s interest. Now, seeing Tang Xuan¡¯er smile at him, Zhang Mingke felt greatly encouraged and replied with a smile, ¡°Hello, my name is Zhang Mingke. May I get to know you?¡± Saying so, Zhang Mingke extended his hand as though he wanted to shake hands. At the same time, he made sure to reveal the limited-edition Vacheron Constantin on his wrist. However, the anticipated conversation didn¡¯t happen. Tang Xuan¡¯er frowned slightly and then lowered her head to continue reading her book. Zhang Mingke was thus left hanging. This couldn¡¯t help but irritate him. After all, he was a corporate elite with an annual salary in the millions. There were no small number of women who pursued him. Yet, he had never met a woman who gave him so little face. And he noticed the man sitting beside Tang Xuan¡¯er, Xue An. In his opinion, the clothes Xue An wore from head to toe didn¡¯t amount to more than a few hundred yuan, not even enough to buy one of his own tie clips. Therefore, he didn¡¯t think this man was anyone significant. With a beauty at his side, Zhang Mingke found it hard to let go, so his gaze flickered as he schemed, his expression gradually turning sinister. Xue An naturally noticed this man as well. But in Xue An¡¯s view, this man was no different from an ant. A creature that could be squashed with a single finger was not worthy of Xue An¡¯s attention. As the plane slowly landed and everyone walked through the jet bridge to the airport hall, Zhang Mingke approached again, trying to be as graceful as possible as he said, ¡°Miss, we¡¯ve traveled together, which must mean fate has brought us together. May I have the honor of knowing you?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er remained expressionless and didn¡¯t even glance at him as she walked past him straight away. Zhang Mingke clenched his teeth in secret, wanting to say something. As Xue An walked past him, he stopped, flashing a set of white teeth and smiling threateningly, ¡°I¡¯ve traveled with you as well, does that mean we¡¯re also fated?¡± Having said that, Xue An smiled and walked away. Zhang Mingke¡¯s face turned extremely ugly, angrily glaring at Xue An¡¯s departing figure, then pulled out his phone to make a call. ¡°Hey, Brother Liu? Are you still at the airport? Yes! Get some guys over here; I¡¯ve got a bit of a situation!¡± Zhang Mingke ended the call, and with a sinister look, he watched Xue An and the others walk away, sneering inwardly. He had just phoned Liu Laoda, a snake that had entrenched himself at the airport for many years. Once Liu Laoda entangled this group, he could step in to resolve the situation and legitimately meet the girl, right? With this in mind, Zhang Mingke felt a blaze of excitement and followed them out. Liu Laoda operated right near the airport, managing all the taxis in the vicinity. So with a single call from Zhang Mingke, he rushed over with some men. ¡°Xiao Zhang, what¡¯s the issue?¡± Liu Laoda asked. Zhang Mingke explained the situation. Liu Laoda looked at the retreating figures of Xue An and his company, then nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is no big deal! Come on, let¡¯s go over there with big brother!¡± Zhang Mingke was thrilled and followed him out of the airport terminal. Then Zhang Mingke froze. Liu Laoda froze too. In fact, all the people coming out of the airport froze. Because when Xue An walked out of Beijiang Airport, Qin Yuan was leading the executives of the Longtai Group, waiting respectfully by the roadside. As soon as Xue An emerged, Qin Yuan hurried forward several steps and bowed deeply. ¡°Longtai Group, welcomes Mr. Xue home!¡± After he spoke, the executives following him also bowed and shouted in unison. ¡°Longtai Group, welcomes Mr. Xue home!¡± Such a display left everyone dumbfounded. Only Xue An remained composed, slightly nodding his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go! My daughter is hungry; she needs to eat!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Qin Yuan nodded and then personally opened the door of the Rolls-Royce, serving Xue An like a doorman as he got into the car. Xue An glanced at him, cracked a small smile, then got into the car, holding his daughter. And Tang Xuan¡¯er was arranged to another vehicle. After the convoy drove off into the distance, Everyone present wore a look of astonishment. ¡°That middle-aged man just now¡­ seems to be a director of Longtai Group¡­ Elder Qin!¡± ¡°How is that possible? What¡¯s Elder Qin¡¯s status? How could he possibly open a car door for a young man?¡± ¡°But I feel it¡¯s impossible, yet that was Elder Qin! And those people with him, they are all high-ranking executives of the Longtai Group!¡± In the midst of these arguing voices, Zhang Mingke felt a chill throughout his body. Because he knew better than anyone that the person just then was indeed Longtai Group¡¯s Chairman, Qin Yuan. The people following him were indeed the senior echelons of Longtai. The reason he was so sure was that he worked at Longtai Group! There was a time when he had seen Qin Yuan from a distance at an annual company meeting. The impression that Qin Yuan left on Zhang Mingke was profound. But he never expected that Longtai¡¯s Chairman would treat that man with such respect today. Who on earth was he? Thinking this, Zhang Mingke couldn¡¯t help but shiver. At this moment, Liu Laoda¡¯s reaction was even worse. He turned deathly pale, his whole body trembling. ¡°Brother Liu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhang Mingke asked with concern. No sooner had he spoken than Liu Laoda slapped him across the face. Smack! Zhang Mingke was stunned, holding his face and looking at Liu Laoda, not understanding what had happened. Seeing Liu Laoda shivering, he said, ¡°Hey Zhang, are you sick of living? Don¡¯t drag me into this, will you?¡± ¡°Brother Liu, what¡¯s going on?¡± Zhang Mingke asked, almost sobbing. Liu Laoda sneered, ¡°Do you know who that guy just now was?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Mr. Xue, someone everyone on the streets of Beijiang knows not to mess with! You made me go after him? Do you want me dead?¡± As Liu Laoda spoke, he delivered two more slaps. Zhang Mingke¡¯s nose bled as he cried, and then he burst into tears! Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 117 A Sword Crosses the River (1 update) Chapter 117: Chapter 117 A Sword Crosses the River (1 update) Translator: 549690339 On the tenth of April, today the joyous deities are located to the north and the wealth deities to the southeast, suitable for rituals, baths, funerals, and interment, but it is advised against praying for blessings or holding weddings. Before leaving home, Mr. Xie took a deliberate glance at the almanac. Today was the day rumored about, and Mr. Xie had closed his restaurant yesterday, then took a bath and got a haircut. After grooming himself, he spent the entire night sharpening knives in the kitchen. He was quite aware that his abilities might not be of any help at all. But after all, he was a man. He could at least be clear about his debts of gratitude and enmity. Since Xue An had shown kindness to him and to Jingjing, what harm was there in risking his life to repay that debt? Auntie Pang, on the other hand, knelt solemnly in front of the Bodhisattva statue before leaving, murmuring to herself. Normally, Xie Jingjing would have scoffed in secret. But today, she too knelt down earnestly beside her, palms pressed together, silently praying in her heart. Praying to all the Heavenly Divines above to bless my Xiao An, to keep him safe and unharmed. After getting ready, the whole family locked up and then headed towards the banks of Qingfeng River. The Qingfeng River is located to the southwest of Beijiang. It¡¯s about seventy to eighty li away. Mr. Xie planned to take a taxi there, but upon going outside, he found the streets eerily quiet, with much fewer pedestrians. When he finally found a taxi after much difficulty, the fare was three times the usual rate. But Mr. Xie didn¡¯t care about that now. The taxi driver was very talkative, and while driving, he asked, ¡°Are you heading to Qingfeng River to watch the excitement? Haha, you¡¯re a bit late.¡± After getting out of the taxi, Mr. Xie and his companions understood what the driver meant. The usually desolate banks of the Qingfeng River were now teeming with people. An endless crowd had packed the place so tightly that no one could get through. Of course, there was a large empty area around the small hill in the core region. But it was several li away, and they couldn¡¯t push through the crowd. Mr. Xie was anxious. What if they couldn¡¯t make it through? Just as they were getting restless, there was a stir at the back of the crowd, and then about a dozen cars slowly drove up. The crowd parted to make way, and after the dozen cars drove in, they began discussing animatedly. ¡°It¡¯s the Qin Family¡¯s cars! The Qin Family has arrived!¡± ¡°Yeah, I also saw the young miss of the Qin Family sitting in one of those cars behind.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s going to be lively!¡± Xie Jingjing craned her neck to look and noticed that, among the people getting off these cars, there was no sign of Xue An, and she couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. She didn¡¯t want Xue An to come. Several more luxury cars drove past, this time carrying other wealthy families from Beijiang. In no time at all, the banks of the Qingfeng River had gathered almost all the noble families and wealthy clans from Beijiang. This naturally included Wu Weidong. He was full of smug satisfaction as he watched the Qin Family from a distance. Especially when he saw the solemn expressions on the faces of Qin Yu and others, he could not help but sneer coldly in his heart. A large part of the Qin Family¡¯s current illustrious status was due to Xue An. If Xue An were to lose today, then the Qin Family¡¯s power would surely wane. And then¡­ whether Beijiang would still carry the name Qin was yet to be seen. As he was pondering, a huge exclamation suddenly erupted from the crowd. Wu Weidong quickly looked up. He saw a young man standing with his hands behind his back, flying rapidly towards them from afar over the river¡¯s surface. That¡¯s right, flying. This sight naturally shocked the common folk who hadn¡¯t seen much of the world. Tan Dong and others, however, had very grave expressions on their faces. In a short time, the young man arrived at the site. Only then did people clearly see that beneath his feet was actually a sword. Sword Control flight? Could it be a Sword Immortal? Many villagers stirred, thinking they had encountered a genuine Sword Immortal today. However, Tan Dong and Tan Xiaoyu exchanged glances, witnessing the shock in each other¡¯s eyes. This was no Sword Immortal, but it was still quite terrifying. It was said that when Bodhidharma crossed eastwards, he crossed a river on a reed. What Yu Yang, the son of the Yu Family, was using now was clearly the same type of Divine Skills. Yu Yang had an expressionless face, with both hands clasped behind his back, crossing the Qingfeng River on his sword. He didn¡¯t seem to take anyone else into consideration. He slowly opened his mouth and said, ¡°I am Yu Yang from the Yu Family here to execute the Sword Demonstration, where is Xue An?¡± His voice was not loud, but it traveled far. Nobody made a sound. After a moment, whispers began below. ¡°Could this Xue An be too scared to come?¡± ¡°I guess so, the other party is from the Yu Family! Even a fool wouldn¡¯t come!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, I didn¡¯t expect the unbeatable Mr. Xue to have run away!¡± In the midst of these discussions, many looked at the Qin Family with disdain. Qin Yu¡¯s face was incredibly solemn. She felt an immense pressure weighing on her. At this point, Yu Yang slightly frowned, then surveyed everyone present. ¡°Xue An¡­ where is he?¡± Still no reply. Yu Yang tapped his foot on the ground and flew up to a small mound before slowly saying, ¡°I have come with my sword today to meet Xue An. Now, I will wait for him for the duration of an incense stick. If he doesn¡¯t show up by then, don¡¯t blame me for being rude!¡± Having said that, Yu Yang sat down cross-legged, placing the long sword across his knees, and then lit a stick of incense, inserting it in front of him. Many people below were buzzing with conversation. At this moment, Wu Weidong couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Heh heh, they say this Mr. Xue¡¯s Cultivation Level is divine, turns out he¡¯s just a bully who fears the truly tough, scared off by the Yu Family, isn¡¯t he?¡± At this time, Xie Jingjing and others had squeezed inside and heard Wu Weidong¡¯s words. She couldn¡¯t help but angrily retort. ¡°Shut your mouth! What right do you have to talk about Brother Xiao An?¡± ¡°Brother Xiao An? What a joke, who are you to scold me?¡± Wu Weidong, seeing that it was just an ordinary girl, couldn¡¯t contain his rage. At this moment, his plump wife¡¯s eyes lit up, and she sneered, ¡°So it¡¯s you! You little hussy, causing my son¡¯s death for you, and now worried that murderer Xue An will be at a disadvantage? I tell you, both you and your Xue An are not going to have a good day today!¡± The woman spoke with a venomous tone. Only then did Wu Weidong realize that this girl was Xie Jingjing, the one who had caused his son¡¯s death, and his face was filled with resentment as well. The couple¡¯s words drew the attention of the surrounding people. Xie Jingjing clenched her teeth and, undaunted, lifted her head to face the woman with a face full of bulging flesh. ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. I caused your son¡¯s death? If Brother Xiao An hadn¡¯t arrived in time that day, your son would have nearly killed me, and now you dare to spew lies?¡± The plump woman never thought Xie Jingjing would dare to talk back. She was initially stunned, then her face turned livid with rage as she charged over. ¡°You little hussy, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson right now!¡± She reached out to grab Xie Jingjing¡¯s hair. Xie Jingjing, only a high school girl, had never encountered such a situation and was momentarily stunned. Her mother, Auntie Pang, arrived just in time and, seeing someone trying to hit her daughter, was instantly furious. Seizing the moment, she delivered a slap right across Wu Zefeng¡¯s mother¡¯s face. Auntie Pang, who usually busied herself around the restaurant hefting gas cylinders, had significant strength in her hands. The slap left Wu Zefeng¡¯s mother seeing stars, and it took her a good while to recover. Wu Weidong, seeing his wife struck, could not just stand by. As he was about to move in, Old Xie¡¯s eyes turned red with fury. He had just heard the exchange, realizing these were the relatives of the brat who¡¯d nearly cost his daughter her innocence that day. He hadn¡¯t even settled accounts with them yet, and here they were, playing the victim first. With a hot head, Old Xie reached out, grabbed the kitchen knife he¡¯d been sharpening all night from behind his back¡ªthe blade gleaming¡ªand shouted. ¡°I¡¯d like to see who dares to come over!¡± Upon seeing the knife, Wu Weidong and his wife¡¯s courage faltered first; they stepped back and muttered, ¡°Just wait, you¡¯re relying on Xue An, right? Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ll do after Xue An is defeated today!¡± Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119: What is the True Sword Dao Chapter 119: Chapter 119: What is the True Sword Dao (3 more) Translator: 549690339 But just under the sword force that seemed to split heaven and earth, Xue An remained calm, with even a hint of a smile on his lips. Yu Yang sneered inwardly, ¡®Close to death, and still so arrogant?¡¯ At this moment, Xue An spoke indifferently, ¡°Counting this strike, you¡¯ve already chopped at me twice. So this time¡­ it¡¯s my turn!¡± With that, Xue An raised his hand and threw a punch. This punch, in the face of the mighty sword force, seemed so insignificant. Moreover, it was utterly silent, not even as forceful as the gentle play-fighting of a girl. Many people watched with disdain. Was this the prowess of the legendary Mr. Xue? Was that all he had? Yu Yang had thought the same, he had even envisioned Xue An being cleaved in two by his sword. But this casually thrown punch was like a needle that could pierce through anything, striking precisely at the weakest point of the formidable sword force. ¡®Pfft.¡¯ It was as though a balloon had been popped, the immense momentum suddenly deflated. Yu Yang felt so sick he wanted to vomit blood. It was as if he had used all his strength, only to hit a mass of cotton; it was that frustrating. At the same time, Yu Yang retreated in alarm. This man, he was indeed formidable! Just from that seemingly insignificant punch, he had managed to disrupt the focus of his sword strike, and from that alone, one could see just how terrifying his strength was. And this was just the beginning. Xue An¡¯s expression remained nonchalant as he said, ¡°Thinking of running now? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit late?¡± As he spoke, Xue An threw another punch. With this punch, the entire hill shook as if an earthquake had hit, the ground trembling. Yu Yang couldn¡¯t even stand steadily and fell to the ground; his bones felt as if they had softened and he found himself unable to get up for a while. Xue An began to slowly walk toward him. A look of utter terror spread across Yu Yang¡¯s face. He had never imagined that a duel he thought he had in the bag would take such an unexpected turn. And judging by the looks of it now, he seemed to be losing! Seeing Xue An approaching, Yu Yang clenched his teeth and then decisively bit his tongue. After he spat out a mouthful of blood, Yu Yang sneered, ¡°Xue An, I admit you¡¯re formidable, but you¡¯re still going to die!¡± As he said this, Yu Yang¡¯s aura vanished. At the same time, he merged with the hill behind him and even with Qingfeng River. Yu Yang¡¯s aura surged dramatically. And most importantly, if Xue An were to attack him now, it would be akin to attacking the hill and Qingfeng River as well! This indirectly weakened Xue An¡¯s fist. At that moment, Yu Yang stood in the air, full of smug satisfaction. ¡°Xue An, you are indeed impressive, but what can you do to me now?¡± This was a technique Yu Yang had painstakingly developed over the years, which he considered invulnerable. But Xue An just stood there, looked up at Yu Yang floating in the air, and then shook his head slightly. ¡°You¡¯re wrong!¡± Yu Yang was taken aback, ¡°Wrong? What do you mean?¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I mean you have gone astray in your cultivation of Sword Dao!¡± To Yu Yang, it was as if he had just heard the greatest joke of all, and he burst into loud laughter. After laughing, Yu Yang stared at Xue An. ¡°You dare say that we, the Yu Family¡¯s Sword Cultivators, are mistaken?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about the rest of your family, but you are certainly mistaken,¡± Xue An said, speaking in a measured tone. ¡°Oh? Where did I go wrong?¡± Yu Yang asked with a sneer on his face. Xue An replied with a slight smile, ¡°Sword Cultivators cultivate nothing more than the Sword Qi in their chest, an unstoppable momentum. Every Sword Cultivator I have ever seen is like this!¡± Back in his days of traveling The Multiverse, Xue An had seen more than one Sword Emperor! Although these Sword Emperors had lower Cultivation Levels than Xue An, their lethality left little to be desired. Moreover, these people often had no magical treasures, relying solely on their Sword Qi, but were able to traverse The Multiverse with ease. Xue An had once personally witnessed a Sword Emperor cleave a star in two with a single sword strike! That was what a true supreme Sword Cultivator looked like! In comparison, Yu Yang was like a child brandishing a tree branch and posturing. Yu Yang¡¯s complexion gradually turned ashen, because he vaguely felt that there might be some truth to what Xue An had said. Xue An continued, ¡°And now, you are resorting to trickery to fight me, which in itself has already placed you in an inferior position.¡± Yu Yang chuckled coldly, ¡°You talk a good talk, as if you truly understand the sword¡­.¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I understand, but in today¡¯s world, probably no one understands better than I do!¡± What Xue An said was the truth. Aside from those few Sword Emperors, his Sword Dao Cultivation could indeed be considered unrivaled in The Multiverse. ¡°What a joke¡­.¡± Yu Yang was just about to mock him. At that moment, Xue An spoke calmly, ¡°Since you don¡¯t believe it, then today, I will let you see for yourself what the true Sword Dao is!¡± Saying that, the Dragon Roar Sword, which had fallen to the ground, suddenly flew up, circled a few times around Xue An, and emitted a submissive low whine. Yu Yang watched, his mouth agape in astonishment. This Dragon Roar Sword was bestowed upon him by his father, rumored to be a famous ancient sword. But to Yu Yang, it was just a sharper than usual sword! He never imagined that the Dragon Roar Sword could actually possess such spirituality. At this moment, Xue An gently caressed the blade of the Dragon Roar Sword and smiled faintly, ¡°You have suffered for all these years.¡± The Dragon Roar Sword let out a long cry as if it were extremely excited. After that, Xue An held the sword in hand, and a vast Sword Qi soared into the sky. Yu Yang trembled all over and then looked at Xue An in disbelief. ¡°How is this possible¡­ how can you have such a powerful Sword Qi?¡± Yu Yang exclaimed in shock. Xue An smiled grimly, ¡°Nothing is impossible¡­ it¡¯s just that you¡­ are too weak!¡± With that said, Xue An slashed with his sword. No words could describe that sword strike. It was as if even time itself had stopped under this sword. Even the flowing Qingfeng River seemed to halt because of it. Yu Yang¡¯s face was filled with extreme terror. And then everything shattered thunderously, including the Qingfeng River behind and the hill beneath, all shattered under this sword! Yu Yang didn¡¯t even have a chance to struggle before he was obliterated by the supreme Sword Qi. But because the speed was too fast, he had not yet breathed his last at that moment. ¡°Such¡­ such great swordsmanship!¡± Having spoken, Yu Yang dissipated with the wind. Everyone at the foot of the mountain fell silent. The Yu Family had issued the Sword Challenge Token, vowing to cut down Beijiang with the sword! And today, Xue An proclaimed to the world with the true Sword Dao, he is the invincible one! Tan Xiaoyu, looking at the figure standing proudly with his sword, couldn¡¯t help but tear up. Hua Tingting and Hua Xingyu stood in the distance, watching. By the end, Hua Tingting bowed her head, tears streaming down her face. Hua Xingyu sighed deeply and patted his granddaughter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s over, from now on, who in the world will not know you, Mr. Xue has already transformed into a dragon!¡± As for Xie Jingjing and the others, they were weeping with joy. Only Wu Weidong and his plump wife looked at each other, saw the terror in each other¡¯s eyes, and turned to slip away. But two almost imperceptible Sword Qis swiftly passed by. The two stood frozen for a moment, then their heads, as if severed by the wind, rolled to the ground, blood spurting into the sky, and their corpses fell to the ground. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Seven Days Later, Swords Cut Down the Yu Family Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Seven Days Later, Swords Cut Down the Yu Family Translator: 549690339 No one dared to speak. Xue An had already used his supreme cultivation to tell everyone that opposing him meant only one thing¡ªa path to death! However, at this moment, Xue An did not move from his spot; instead, he stood still, with a very strange expression on his face. While everyone was in a state of shock and disbelief, they saw the small mountain, seemingly unable to bear the burden any longer, emit a series of creaking noises before it collapsed thunderously. Xue An stood in mid-air, his face full of intense murderous intent. ¡°Seven days from now, I will move against Lingnan and behead the Yu Family with my sword!¡± This statement made everyone first freeze, then all looked at Xue An with faces full of shock. Was he joking? Or did he think that by killing Yu Yang, he could do something to the Yu Family? One must know that the Yu Family had that Sword Immortal ancestor! Everyone was full of doubts and couldn¡¯t fathom why Xue An would do such a thing! But only Xue An knew what had just happened. He had slain Yu Yang with a single stroke of his sword, and Yu Yang¡¯s incomplete soul had drifted out. Xue An hadn¡¯t cared at the time, casually grasping the soul in his hand, intending to extract some memories to take a look. However, to his surprise, when he delved into Yu Yang¡¯s memories, he suddenly saw an indistinct silhouette deep within Yu Yang¡¯s memories. Although it was blurry, Xue An still recognized at a glance who it was! An Yan! That was An Yan¡¯s silhouette from behind! But how could she appear in Yu Yang¡¯s memories? Xue An immediately began a frantic search through Yu Yang¡¯s memories, but to no avail¡ªthe remaining memories held no clues whatsoever. But no matter what, this had given Xue An an extremely important clue. That was An Yan¡¯s disappearance was very likely related to the Yu Family! Thinking of this, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of killing intent. That was why he declared that he would behead the Yu Family in seven days. At this moment, Qin Yu and the others looked at each other, their faces filled with horror; they also did not understand why Xue An was suddenly so furious. Gradually, the crowd dispersed, and Xue An walked down with an icy expression on his face. Qin Yu wanted to say something but hesitated. Because Xue An¡¯s current expression was too terrifying. Even Qin Yu and the others had never seen Xue An so angry. But after Xue An took a deep breath, the murderous aura gradually dissipated, and he regained his composure. ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Xue¡­¡± Qin Yu said timidly. Although she knew Xue An was usually good-tempered, his face full of murderous intent just now was truly frightening, and she still felt somewhat terrified. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°You¡­ Are you alright?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± he said. ¡°Then why do you want to wipe out the Yu Family?¡± Qin Yu asked bravely. This was not just about an ordinary bout; this was a declaration of war against a martial arts family! Qin Yu could even imagine the turmoil that would ensue once the news spread. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Nothing particular, I just find them displeasing to the eye!¡± Qin Yu suddenly felt that this sentence was somewhat familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before. At that moment, Old Xie¡¯s family hurried over. Xue Lan and Song Yi also joined An Yan¡¯s side. Xie Jingjing felt as if she had a thousand words in her heart, but when she saw An Yan, she couldn¡¯t say anything. Especially when An Yan turned to her with a smile and said, ¡°Jingjing is here too!¡± Xie Jingjing felt a sourness in her nose and an urge to cry. At this time, Song Yi asked with a serious expression, ¡°Mr. Xue, although I don¡¯t know why you suddenly declared war on the Yu Family, what you¡¯re doing is¡­ rather rash!¡± This was also the sentiment of many others. But An Yan simply smiled lightly, ¡°This¡­ I have my own sense of measure!¡± Song Yi wanted to say something, but when he saw the calm and resolute expression on An Yan¡¯s face, he shut his mouth. Meanwhile, Old Xie patted his chest and said, ¡°Xiao Anzi, I¡¯ve never respected anyone before, but you¡¯re the first! Not only did you defeat that arrogant youngster, but you also dared to attack their lair head-on. Just for that, Uncle Xie admires you, man! I¡¯ll go with you when the time comes. You should know that Uncle Xie¡¯s cleaver isn¡¯t just for show!¡± As he spoke, Old Xie even flaunted his cleaver with a boastful look on his face. But before Old Xie could finish his antics, Auntie Pang slapped him on the head. ¡°Enough, with those little tricks of yours, you¡¯re also boasting in front of Xiao Anzi? You can¡¯t even beat me!¡± Old Xie¡¯s face turned red from the slap, and he awkwardly said, ¡°I mean, Jingjing¡¯s mom, in front of so many people, couldn¡¯t you save me some face?¡± ¡°Pah, do you even have face left?¡± Auntie Pang scolded. An Yan couldn¡¯t help but burst into silent laughter. Indeed, this Uncle Xie, afraid of his wife, would never change this aspect in his life! At that moment, Qin Yu approached and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, Grandpa and I have already prepared the banquet. Let¡¯s all join it! It¡¯s to celebrate your success!¡± An Yan nodded, ¡°Alright then!¡± As everyone headed back to Beijiang to prepare for the evening¡¯s banquet, the news of An Yan slaying Yu Yang at the Qingfeng River bank and declaring he would challenge Lingnan in seven days exploded through the Martial Arts World like a bomb. The martial arts forum was going completely insane at this moment. Countless posts kept refreshing. ¡°My god, the Yu Family actually lost! They were defeated by someone previously unheard of!¡± ¡°Yeah, this is the first time in forty years the Yu Family has handed down a Sword Challenge Token, and yet they failed!¡± ¡°I told you Mr. Xue wouldn¡¯t lose. You all mocked me back then, now see how formidable he is!¡± ¡°But has he gone mad? To actually declare war on the Yu Family!¡± ¡°Yes! I also think Mr. Xue has gone mad, or he¡¯s too arrogant. This isn¡¯t a simple duel, he¡¯s opposing a top Martial Arts Family like the Yu Family!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk! The Martial Arts World has been stagnant like still water for decades, too calm, but the emergence of An Yan has made everything so much more exciting.¡± ¡°However, I still think the chances of his success are extremely slim, because my second uncle¡¯s neighbor¡¯s aunt¡¯s son-in-law mentioned that the Lingnan Sword Immortal seems to be about to come out of seclusion!¡± ¡°Is what upstairs said true?¡± ¡°Same question!¡± Countless inquiries instantly overwhelmed the poster. It wasn¡¯t until half a day later that the person replied. ¡°I just made a phone call to confirm. This relative of mine, albeit indirectly related, has been a servant in the Yu Family for many years, and he said that the Yu Family has been busily renovating the courtyard recently, as if they are preparing for some joyous occasion!¡± ¡°Hiss! Now it¡¯s really going to be lively! Forty years ago, the Sword Immortal took the world by surprise with a single strike. I never expected that upon his release, he would encounter such a rising talent!¡± ¡°Still, I think that An Yan is courting death! No matter how powerful he is, can he be more powerful than the Lingnan Sword Immortal? Besides, since he killed Yu Yang, the Sword Challenge walker, the Yu Family will not let him off!¡± Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Dad Will Take You to Find Mom! (2 updates) Chapter 121: Chapter 121: Dad Will Take You to Find Mom! (2 updates) Translator: 549690339 The banquet was held in the headquarters building of Longtai Group. The Qin Family hadn¡¯t invited too many people this time, but still, many arrived uninvited. Without exception, they were all there to curry favor with the Qin Family. Even a fool could see now that the Qin Family¡¯s status was as solid as a rock, having become the top tycoon of Beijiang, and indeed the entire provincial city. Additionally, many were there for Xue An. However, Xue An only made an appearance at the beginning of the banquet and did not show up again afterward. This couldn¡¯t help but disappoint many who were hoping to get close to him. At the moment, Xue An stood on the balcony of Qin Yuan¡¯s office, silently drinking. Tang Xuan¡¯Er watched him with some concern from the side. She hadn¡¯t gone to the battle today, instead staying home to take care of Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. With Fan Mengxue busy with the next movie in the provincial city, Tang Xuan¡¯Er was the only one by Xue An¡¯s side. Originally, Tang Xuan¡¯Er wasn¡¯t too worried. In her eyes, Xue An, who had disappeared for four years, had changed a lot. It seemed as if there was nothing in the world that could trouble him. But unexpectedly, after winning the battle, Xue An actually issued a challenge to the Yu Family. It was an act that shocked and puzzled many people. And after coming back, Xue An had remained silent with a somber face. This atmosphere made Tang Xuan¡¯Er¡¯s heart tighten. ¡°Do you want to ask me why I want to deal with the Yu Family?¡± Xue An suddenly said. Tang Xuan¡¯Er kept her head down, silent, because she knew that if Xue An wanted to speak, he would, and if he didn¡¯t want to, asking was futile. Xue An picked up his wine glass, drained the red wine in one gulp, and then said with a melancholic tone, ¡°Today, from Yu Yang¡¯s soul, I saw someone¡¯s shadow!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯Er trembled and looked up at Xue An. Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s An Yan¡¯s silhouette. Although it was very blurry, I could still recognize it at a glance!¡± With that, a hint of sadness infused Xue An¡¯s tone. ¡°Her shadow was so lonely, as if bearing immense pressure, it made me feel an urge to kill!¡± As Xue An spoke, a hundred meters around him went still without a breeze, and the wine glass on the table silently turned to dust. That was Xue An¡¯s wrath. Tang Xuan¡¯Er looked at Xue An with complex eyes. ¡°Will you¡­ go to find her?¡± Xue An nodded firmly, ¡°Of course, I will go to find her no matter who the opponent is!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯Er fell silent, merely gazing quietly at Xue An¡¯s back, her eyes becoming somewhat infatuated. ¡°Daddy daddy, what are you doing here?¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian ran in excitedly. They had a blast today. Because Qin Yu suddenly ordered a full set of amusement park equipment, then cleared out an entire floor of the building, setting up an exclusive amusement park just for the two little girls. They had been playing until now before coming to look for Xue An. Xue An¡¯s expression returned to normal, he squatted down to pick up his two daughters and said with a smile, ¡°Daddy was talking to your Aunt Xuan¡¯Er!¡± ¡°Daddy, were you drinking?¡± Xue Xiang asked cheerfully. Xue An nodded and then said, ¡°In a couple of days, how about daddy takes you to find mommy? Would that be good?¡± The two little girls were first startled, then shouted with surprise, ¡°Yes, yes! We want to go find mommy!¡± As Xue Xiang said this, her eyes welled with a layer of mist and she said somewhat plaintively, ¡°Daddy, does mommy not like us?¡± ¡°How could that be! Mommy loves you two the most.¡± ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t she come to find us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because mommy has been very busy, but now she has time, so daddy will take you to find her!¡± ¡°Yay, yay!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian cheered joyously, then turned their heads to look at Tang Xuan¡¯Er. ¡°Aunt Xuan¡¯Er, let¡¯s go find mom together!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er brushed her hair from her ear and smiled gently, ¡°No, Auntie has to go to work. I¡¯ll just stay at home and wait for you to come back, okay?¡± ¡°Yeah! Aunt Xuan¡¯Er, when mom comes back, you¡¯ll still be our favorite Aunt Xuan¡¯Er!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian suddenly said. The words made Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s eyes gradually redden, and then she turned her head away, not wanting to cry in front of the two little girls. In fact, when it came to feelings, Tang Xuan¡¯er had always taken care of the two little girls until they grew up. The bitterness and fatigue involved were only known to Tang Xuan¡¯er. And the two little girls were very affectionate towards her indeed. They even used to call her mom. Later, it was Tang Xuan¡¯er herself who corrected them several times before they started to call her Aunt Xuan¡¯Er. Xue An watched Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s shoulders tremble slightly, and his gaze became tender. He owed this girl too much, and he was determined to repay her in the future. Lingnan¡¯s Yu Family! The news of Yu Yang being slain by a sword from Xue An had been delivered back. Yu Yang¡¯s father, Yu Lang, abruptly stood up, his expression becoming solemn. ¡°You¡¯re saying he split the Qingfeng River with a single sword?¡± ¡°Yes! And Young Master Yu was reduced to ashes under that very sword. Moreover, he also said that in seven days¡­ he will ascend to Lingnan and strike down the Yu Family!¡± the messenger said. ¡°Alright, you may leave,¡± said Yu Lang, his eyes flashing coldly as he spoke in a deep voice. After the messenger left, there wasn¡¯t much grief on Yu Lang¡¯s face. As a member of a martial arts family, it wasn¡¯t unusual to die in combat¡ªthe important thing was to seek revenge afterward! What really shook Yu Lang was Xue An¡¯s last statement, which sounded like a declaration of war. In seven days, he would arrive in Lingnan and strike down the Yu Family! What arrogance! A sneer crept onto Yu Lang¡¯s face. Did he really think that by killing a legitimate descendant of the Yu family, he could achieve anything? After all, Yu Yang was the least promising among Yu Lang¡¯s several sons! At that moment, Yu Ran, having learned the news, hurried over. As soon as he entered, Yu Ran spoke with grief and anger, ¡°Father! My third brother¡­ he¡­¡± Yu Lang waved his hand, ¡°If he¡¯s inferior in skill and dies, he has no one else to blame.¡± Then, looking at Yu Ran with indulgent eyes, Yu Lang said, ¡°The Rain God Festival is coming up in a few days here in Lingnan, why haven¡¯t you gone out to play?¡± Yu Ran was still somewhat sad. Although Yu Yang was not favored by his father, he was always affectionate towards Yu Ran. He never thought that what seemed to be a safe Shi Jian would end up costing Yu Yang his life. ¡°Father, I just came back from outside,¡± Yu Ran replied. ¡°How is the Rain God Festival this year?¡± ¡°It¡¯s unprecedentedly grand, with more tourists from various places than in previous years!¡± Yu Ran paused and then said, ¡°Father, I heard that this Xue An will come to Lingnan in seven days?¡± Yu Lang sneered, ¡°Him? If he dares to come, then Lingnan will be his grave!¡± Then Yu Lang added, ¡°Don¡¯t go too far these next few days, the old ancestor is likely to emerge from seclusion anytime now!¡± Yu Ran was struck by this and bowed in acknowledgment before slowly exiting the room. Yu Ran, his heart still filled with sorrow, also heard the murmurs of those around him. ¡°This time Yu Yang has been killed; we haven¡¯t even gone after him, and this Xue An dares to come to Lingnan? Is he seeking death?¡± ¡°Indeed, and he thinks he can strike down the Yu Family with his sword? Laughable!¡± Meanwhile, this news had also spread throughout the entire Lingnan region. But without exception, no one believed it. To the native people of Lingnan, the Yu Family was like a living Immortal who safeguarded the locality! How could an Immortal ever lose? Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 122: First Arrival in Lingnan (3 updates) Chapter 122: Chapter 122: First Arrival in Lingnan (3 updates) Translator: 549690339 Lingnan. Located at the southernmost tip of Huaxia. The customs and scenery are vastly different from those of Beijiang. As soon as Xue An got off the plane, he discovered that something like a grand festival seemed to be underway everywhere¡ªthere was an air of festivity. Longtai Group also had an office here. Thus, someone had already been waiting outside the airport for him. After getting into the car, the manager smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, you¡¯ve come at just the right time. These next few days happen to be Lingnan¡¯s grandest festival of the year, the Rain God Festival! It¡¯s quite lively!¡± Xue An nodded noncommittally, but Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were looking out the car window, exclaiming in surprise from time to time. ¡°Daddy, look, the trees outside are so tall!¡± Xue Xiang said. Xue Nian seemed about to drool, ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s that up in the tree?¡± Xue An glanced and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Those are coconuts!¡± ¡°Can we eat them?¡± The manager driving the car then said with a smile, ¡°Little girl, of course you can eat coconuts. Not only can you eat the flesh, but you can also drink the juice! But in three days, you won¡¯t want to eat them even if they¡¯re offered!¡± Xue Nian muttered somewhat defiantly, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. There¡¯s nothing I could eat for three days and then not want anymore!¡± Xue An laughed heartily and ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°You, my dear, are a little foodie!¡± Seeing this scene, Hei King, who had come along, couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile. Who would have thought that Mr. Xue, a man with a cultivation level high enough to commune with the gods and a ferocious fighting style, was actually a mad doting father behind closed doors? Qin Yu was originally supposed to come along, but Xue An had refused her. He intended to face the Yu Family alone. With a bunch of extraneous people tagging along, he would only get distracted. In the end, Qin Yu had no choice but to agree, but she still insisted on Hei King accompanying them. Xue An didn¡¯t say much about it. After all, although Hei King¡¯s cultivation level wasn¡¯t much to speak of, he was alert and extremely loyal. To have him along was like having a nanny for his two daughters. If Hei King knew what Xue An was thinking, I wonder if he would be moved to tears. Hei King, the once King of the Beijiang boxing circles, had actually fallen to the status of a nanny for little girls. At that moment, the car slowly stopped in front of the office located in Lingnan City. Although there were no particularly important business operations in Lingnan, for the affluent Longtai Group, the office was made to be very impressive. The three-story building stood among the bustling district but wasn¡¯t overly noisy, surrounded by various trees and exuding an especially serene atmosphere. When evening came, laughter and playful shouts could be heard wafting from the streets. ¡°Mr. Xue, they¡¯re playing with water outside. Would you like to go see the excitement?¡± asked Ma Cheng, the manager, with great enthusiasm. Qin Yu had made the call directly to him, and she had made it clear on the phone that Mr. Xue was a top guest of Longtai Group and must not be slighted in any way! Ma Cheng was naturally nervous. After all, with his status, he had never had the chance to interact with Qin Yu before. Now that the Miss of the Qin Family had given orders herself, Ma Cheng dared not show any neglect. ¡°Yeah, yeah! Daddy, let¡¯s go out and play!¡± exclaimed Xue Xiang and Xue Nian at the prospect of fun, their eyes lighting up. ¡°All right then!¡± Faced with his daughters¡¯ pleading, Xue An was ever indulgent. After changing clothes, the father and daughters trio walked ahead, with Hei King and Ma Cheng following behind, making their way to the streets outside. They saw that the street was filled with people wielding water guns and buckets, splashing each other with water. Before they had gone far, a girl, laughing merrily, splashed a basin of water their way. Xue An slightly sidestepped to avoid it, but the two little girls were soaked from head to toe. However, in the sweltering heat of Lingnan, it felt refreshing instead. There were water guns being sold on the side of the road, and Ma Cheng bought several, giving two to the little girls. Now that Xue Xiang and Xue Nian had their treasures, they started shooting everyone they saw. The laughter on the two little girls¡¯ faces made many onlookers feel much happier too. Unknowingly, they had reached the busiest street in Lingnan. Ma Cheng introduced, ¡°Mr. Xue, this is Lingnan¡¯s bar and street food avenue! It¡¯s the liveliest spot in all of Lingnan every night!¡± Next to the road were all sorts of seafood stalls, the fragrant aroma made the two girls unable to move on. Xue An smiled and picked out a relatively clean stall to sit down at. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°Um¡­ this one, that one, and this one too!¡± Xue Xiang began ordering food, mouth watering. In the end, Xue An simply snapped the menu shut, ¡°Just bring one of everything on this!¡± The seafood began arriving non-stop. After a few bites, however, the two young ladies felt like they couldn¡¯t eat anymore. After all, being accustomed to Xue An¡¯s cooking, these ordinary dishes just didn¡¯t have any taste. Seeing the disappointed looks in the young ladies¡¯ eyes, Xue An sighed softly, rolled up his sleeves, and stood up to say to the owner, ¡°Make way, let me do the grilling!¡± ¡°You? Are you sure you can do it?¡± the owner¡¯s eyes widened. Xue An smiled, ¡°You¡¯ll know once you try!¡± With that, he took over and began flipping and grilling. Moments later, an extraordinary fragrance wafted through the air. This aroma was different from the usual scent spiced up by barbecue seasonings; it was the inherent aroma of the ingredients themselves, so refreshing it seemed to cleanse the soul. The barbecue stall owner¡¯s eyes gradually bulged, as he realized Xue An¡¯s grilling technique was as smooth as flowing water, dazzling to watch. And the aroma also attracted many tourists to stop in front of the stall. ¡°Oh my god, such a cool grill master!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how it tastes yet, but it smells amazing!¡± At this point, Xue An had finished grilling a portion and passed it to his own table. The two young ladies¡¯ eyes were curved into smiles as they grabbed the skewers, eager to start eating. Ma Cheng and Hei King also took a skewer to taste, and then their eyes went wide. Momma! This barbecue is too delicious! ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go and have a taste!¡± More and more people gathered around. The barbecue stall owner¡¯s tone became very respectful. ¡°Teacher, seeing that so many people are drawn by your fragrance, could you¡­¡± Xue An looked around and saw many diners looking at him with anticipation. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Fine, consider it me lending you a hand!¡± ¡°Hey, alright! Teacher, rest assured, I¡¯ll cover this meal, and if you¡¯re here on vacation, I¡¯ll cover all your expenses!¡± The stall owner was overjoyed. Xue An grilled at a rapid pace, and the variety of ingredients passed through his hands and quickly turned into golden, fragrant skewers. And as soon as these tourists tried them, they were all amazed. ¡°Oh my god! I swear, I¡¯ve never tasted barbecue this delicious before!¡± ¡°Call your friends! We¡¯ve struck gold today!¡± News began to spread gradually. Night fell deeper, but a long line had formed in front of this popular barbecue stall, with many tourists eagerly awaiting their turn. Yu Ran, who happened to be passing by, also noticed the scene and couldn¡¯t help stopping out of curiosity. ¡°Miss, what¡¯s the matter?¡± The Yu Family¡¯s steward came forward promptly. ¡°What¡¯s going on over there?¡± The steward went to inquire and then came back to report, ¡°Miss, I just asked around, and it¡¯s because this stall has a new grill master whose cooking is said to be exceptionally tasty!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Yu Ran¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Let¡¯s try it out!¡± Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Nice to meet you, I’m Yu Ran! Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Yu Ran! Translator: 549690339 Yu Ran was not in a good mood today. Her own third brother had been killed, yet her father had demanded that everyone stand down, prioritizing the old ancestor¡¯s emergence from seclusion above all else. And the person who killed her third brother even had the audacity to announce that they would be coming to Lingnan in the next few days¡ªhow infuriating! They say when a woman is in a bad mood, she wants to eat. Yu Ran was no exception. But she only held the attitude of giving it a try, without much hope. However, as soon as she sat down and tasted the first skewer grilled by Xue An, her eyes gradually widened in amazement. The skewer carried a rich aroma, exploding with flavor in her mouth at the first bite. It caught her taste buds completely off guard. Before she knew it, Yu Ran was hooked. It wasn¡¯t just her, either; the other diners were also spellbound, eating ceaselessly. But just as Yu Ran was thoroughly enjoying herself, a group of fierce-looking thugs approached the barbecue stall. The sight of these men caused the stall owner¡¯s face to change dramatically, and he hurriedly went to greet them. ¡°Brother Bao, what brings you here?¡± The leader was a middle-aged man with triangular eyes, bare-chested with an aggressive dragon tattoo on his front. Upon hearing the stall owner¡¯s words, Brother Bao let out a few cold laughs. ¡°I heard you hired a barbecue chef whose skills are quite remarkable, attracting so many people!¡± The stall owner¡¯s face turned bitter, and he was just about to say something when Brother Bao led his men to Xue An. ¡°Kid, which gang are you from? Don¡¯t you know that setting up a stall on this street requires my permission?¡± Brother Bao spoke in a chilly tone. Xue An lifted his head and narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± ¡°Oh, for Pete¡¯s sake, if I¡¯m not talking to you, am I supposed to be talking to this lobster?¡± Brother Bao sneered menacingly. Xue An¡¯s eyebrows raised, and his gaze turned icy. At that moment, Yu Ran put down her skewer, frowned, and said to the steward beside her, ¡°Go and take a look!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The steward strode forward, and before Brother Bao could react, he raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap across the face. The slap stunned Brother Bao, who was just about to get angry, but on recognizing the person who had slapped him, his body trembled, turning pale as a sheet with cold sweat forming on his forehead. ¡°Chief Steward, what¡­ what are you doing here?¡± Brother Bao¡¯s earlier arrogance dissipated, and he started nodding and bowing like a grandson, speaking in a groveling tone. ¡°The young lady is dining here. If you dare to cause any more trouble, watch your heads!¡± the steward said coldly. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, we deserve to die! We actually dared to disturb the young lady!¡± Brother Bao¡¯s teeth were chattering, clearly terrified. ¡°Get out of here!¡± the steward commanded coldly. Brother Bao and his companions scampered away like they had been granted amnesty, not even daring to look back. The turmoil subsided. Xue An turned to look and saw a beautiful young lady sitting at a table not far away. When she caught his eye, she smiled slightly at him and raised her wine glass. A thought crossed Xue An¡¯s mind. Then the steward approached once more, saying politely, ¡°Master, our young lady invites you to join her.¡± A faint smile appeared on the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth, and he casually walked towards the young lady¡¯s table. Yu Ran was also sizing up Xue An. She had not paid him much attention at first, but a closer look now made her eyes light up. He was a graceful young man who seemed to stand apart from the world, handsome and with a refined disposition. Most importantly, those eyes of his were like deep pools, profound and unfathomable. After a brief examination, Yu Ran pointed to the chair in front of her. ¡°Please, have a seat!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t refuse and directly took a seat opposite Yu Ran. The two were silent for a moment before Yu Ran smiled first. ¡°I thought the person who could grill such delicious food would certainly be a portly chef, but I didn¡¯t expect such a handsome young man.¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°You¡¯re not bad either, those guys just now seemed to be quite afraid of you.¡± Yu Ran chuckled, feeling that his originally gloomy mood had suddenly improved a lot, and then he extended his hand seriously, ¡°Let¡¯s get acquainted, my name is Yu Ran!¡± Xue An looked at Yu Ran¡¯s slender, jade-like hand, as if contemplating something, and after a moment, slowly reached out and gave it a light shake. ¡°My name is Xue An!¡± Xue An? Yu Ran frowned; that name was not a good one. It happened to share the same surname with that annoying guy who killed his third brother and intended to cause trouble at the Yu Family in a few days. However, there were many people in the world with the same last name, so Yu Ran was only slightly startled before he returned to normal. ¡°Are you here for tourism, Mr. Xue?¡± Yu Ran asked with interest. Xue An nodded his head, ¡°Sort of, and also planning to find a friend!¡± Yu Ran said with a smile, ¡°Finding a friend? You could talk about it, as long as they¡¯re in Lingnan, I might be able to help.¡± Xue An looked at Yu Ran and then said faintly, ¡°Her name is An Yan! Do you know her?¡± ¡°An Yan?¡± Yu Ran furrowed his brows and then thought carefully. ¡°I have no impression! Do you have a picture?¡± Xue An took out the photo he carried with him and handed it to Yu Ran. Of course, he could tell that this Yu Ran must also be from the Yu Family, so he wanted to inquire in advance whether An Yan was at the Yu Family. But waiting until Yu Ran had looked at it, he shook his head firmly, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her! She must not be in Lingnan.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Xue An frowned. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure!¡± said Yu Ran confidently, then asked curiously, ¡°What is this friend to you?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ my wife!¡± Xue An took back the photo and stood up to leave. Although this woman claimed to be unaware, Xue An certainly wasn¡¯t going to let it go at that. The memory of Yu Yang couldn¡¯t be faked, the Yu Family surely knew about An Yan¡¯s whereabouts. However, Xue An¡¯s abrupt stand and leaving left Yu Ran somewhat astonished. From a young age, everyone who met her would pamper her, especially the boys who, upon seeing her, would show their best side. Just to leave a good impression in Yu Ran¡¯s eyes. But unexpectedly, this man was so indifferent. He even seemed unwilling to talk more! I did just save you once, after all! As these thoughts crossed her mind, Yu Ran felt somewhat angry. Sensing his young mistress¡¯s displeasure, the chief steward moved forward half a step and blocked Xue An¡¯s path. Xue An stopped in his tracks, a trace of indifferent smile playing on his lips. ¡°What? You want to stop me?¡± ¡°The young lady hasn¡¯t finished speaking, you cannot leave!¡± the steward said coldly. At that moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian came bouncing over. ¡°Daddy, daddy, we¡¯re full, let¡¯s go back!¡± The voices of the two little girls attracted the attention of many people. Yu Ran also noticed this scene and her heart stirred. He was already a father? Xue An smiled, holding one child with each hand, preparing to leave. The steward wanted to stop them, but Xue An gave him a deep look. The chief steward felt the man¡¯s gaze to be exceptionally cold, and even though it was just one look, it rendered him completely frozen in place, unable to move! Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: 124 Chapter Rain God Goes Out (2nd update) Chapter 124: 124 Chapter Rain God Goes Out (2nd update) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Retreat!¡± Yu Ran¡¯s voice rang out. The relieved butler quickly stepped aside. Afterward, Yu Ran approached and looked at Xue An. ¡°Hey, I just saved you; don¡¯t I even get a thank you?¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow, ¡°Saved me?¡± ¡°Yes! If it weren¡¯t for me, would those ruffians have left so easily?¡± A playful smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s face, ¡°Then tell me¡­ how should I thank you?¡± Yu Ran was caught off guard by the question. The reason she stopped Xue An was because she found him mysterious, and his barbecuing skills had astounded her, almost as if he were a Heavenly Being. As for how to thank her¡­ Yu Ran looked down and saw the delicate Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, her eyes lighting up. ¡°Such beautiful little girls. Let¡¯s do this: tomorrow is the day the Rain God goes out. We still need two Flower Fairies, so let these two girls be the Flower Fairies.¡± Xue An frowned. Flower Fairies? The Rain God¡¯s outing? What are those? At this point, Ma Cheng, who had come along, quietly explained, ¡°Mr. Xue, tomorrow marks the official start of the Rain God Festival. A statue will be taken out from the Rain God Temple and paraded around the city. It¡¯s the grandest festival of Lingnan every year.¡± ¡°And Flower Fairies refer to the various little Immortals who accompany the Rain God¡¯s statue. They are all played by children, who in Lingnan, tend to come from either rich or noble families, because there¡¯s a rumor that if children take on this role, they will have increased fortune and longevity.¡± Xue An nodded, having not yet spoken. Yu Ran had already squatted down, saying with a smile, ¡°Such pretty sisters. I¡¯ll take you out to play tomorrow, and you¡¯ll get to wear lots of beautiful clothes. How does that sound?¡± The natural instinct of children is to play, so upon hearing Yu Ran¡¯s words, the two little girls looked at Xue An with hopeful eyes. Xue An slightly started, then reluctantly nodded. It¡¯s settled then. With three days still left until the seven-day deadline, it might be nice to accompany the children for some fun. ¡°Then it¡¯s agreed, see you tomorrow at the Rain God Temple. Don¡¯t be late!¡± Yu Ran said with a happy smile. After Xue An left. The senior butler approached with a grave expression. ¡°Miss, that man is extraordinary! Should we inform the Family Head?¡± Yu Ran frowned and said impatiently, ¡°He¡¯s nothing more than a man with decent barbecue skills, and maybe some martial arts at most. Should I also tell my father about this?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Yu Ran waved a hand dismissively, ¡°Besides, he even has two daughters with him. Are you suggesting there¡¯s an assassin who carries out missions with his daughters? Don¡¯t mention this matter again.¡± Yu Ran paused and then glanced coldly at the butler, ¡°Understood?¡± The butler was startled, then quickly lowered his head, ¡°Understood!¡± In the Yu Family, and indeed throughout Lingnan, no one dared to provoke Miss Yu. As the only daughter of the current Family Head, Yu Lang, she was naturally treasured and doted on fiercely. The senior butler was well aware of this fact and thus remained respectfully silent. At that moment, Yu Ran picked up the last skewer from the mountain of skewers, and bit into it fiercely. Hmph, no one has ever dared to ignore me like this; you¡¯re the first! I must let you know the might of Miss Yu of the Yu Family! After Xue An returned to his residence. Ma Cheng said, ¡°Mr. Xue, that woman today was most likely from the Yu Family!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°It¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°Then you¡­¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°My target is the Sword Immortal of the Yu Family, not her, and besides, there are still three days until the seven-day deadline!¡± ¡°Three days from now, I will visit and see for myself just how remarkable this Yu Family of Lingnan that has dominated for decades really is!¡± Xue An said, a glint of cold killing intent flashing in his eyes. The next day. The official start of the Rain God Festival. When Xue An, accompanied by his daughter, arrived in front of the Rain God Temple, the place was already swarming with people, with believers burning incense and offering their prayers everywhere. Xue An walked into the main hall and saw that it was filled with swirling incense smoke. High above, a statue with the face of a woman was receiving the worship of tens of thousands. Legend had it that during the Song dynasty, Lingnan suffered from a three-year drought that threatened all life, and it was this woman who resolutely offered her blood to the heavens, ultimately bringing down the rain and saving the people from fire and flood. Afterward, people spontaneously created a statue of her and built a temple, and the incense has burned continuously to this day. However, as soon as Xue An looked up, the entire main hall suddenly trembled slightly. Xue An smiled, giving a slight nod to the statue, then turned and left. He knew that the thousands of years of worship from the people had imbued the Rain God with a soul of its own. His mere presence had startled the Rain God considerably. Just coming out, Yu Ran greeted him with a beaming smile. ¡°I was just about to look for you. Here, girls, you¡¯ll be wearing clothes like these, do they look nice?¡± Yu Ran was holding two sets of brand new clothing, exquisitely made. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were very happy. ¡°They¡¯re pretty!¡± ¡°If they¡¯re pretty, then change into them! We¡¯re going to go out for a tour soon!¡± Yu Ran said with a grin. She was very fond of the two young girls and led them to a quiet room to change. When they came out, many people were stunned. They looked like real little Heavenly Beings. Several priestesses were also astonished and then excitedly said, ¡°Such spiritually elegant young girls!¡± At this point, Yu Ran said to Xue An, ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s lively, isn¡¯t it? This is the liveliest day in Lingnan.¡± Xue An smiled faintly, noncommittally replying, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I guess!¡± Yu Ran was inwardly gnashing her teeth with irritation¡ªshe had gone out of her way to strike up a conversation, yet he was responding so indifferently? ¡°Later, we¡¯ll also go onto the flower carriage and follow the statue through the city,¡± Yu Ran said somewhat excitedly. Although she participated in the annual Rain God Festival every year. This year she felt especially joyful. But just at that moment, a surprised voice called out. ¡°Sister Yu Ran? You¡¯re here too!¡± Accompanying the voice, a young man briskly approached. Upon seeing him, Yu Ran frowned, her expression turning cold, ¡°Zhang Xiulun, how many times have I told you not to call me sister!¡± Zhang Xiulun chuckled, ¡°By age and relation, you are indeed my younger sister! You know, our two families have been close friends for generations. Eh! Who might this be¡­¡± Zhang Xiulun took notice of Xue An standing to the side, a flash of surprise in his eyes. Before Xue An could speak, Yu Ran quickly interjected, ¡°This is a friend I recently made!¡± A friend? Zhang Xiulun¡¯s gaze towards Xue An darkened gradually. In Lingnan, the Yu Family was the undisputed leader, and after them, it was their Zhang Family. Zhang Xiulun, as the youngest legitimate son of the Zhang Family, was of the same age as Yu Ran. Since they were children, the Zhang Family had hoped Zhang Xiulun would marry Yu Ran. And Zhang Xiulun had harbored the same desire. Unfortunately, Yu Ran had never looked favorably upon him. Today, knowing that Yu Ran would definitely come to the Rain God Temple, Zhang Xiulun had also arrived early, hoping to spend more time with her. But the appearance of Xue An had greatly irked Zhang Xiulun. Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 125 No Bear Child, Only Bear Parents (3 Updates) Chapter 125: Chapter 125 No Bear Child, Only Bear Parents (3 Updates) Translator: 549690339 After boarding the flower carriage, Zhang Xiulun tried several times to approach Yu Ran for a conversation. However, Yu Ran didn¡¯t pay him any mind; instead, she was cozily chatting with Xue An, looking very cheerful. This nearly made Zhang Xiulun¡¯s eyes shoot flames with rage. Who is this brat? Daring to spoil my plans, and what is he discussing with Yu Ran? Talking so joyfully? What he didn¡¯t know was. At that moment, Xue An gave Yu Ran a faint glance before saying, ¡°Using me as a shield, have you asked about the price?¡± Yu Ran chuckled, ¡°I just hate that guy, so just block him for me for now. In Lingnan, I¡¯ll have your back!¡± Xue An was noncommittal. He didn¡¯t particularly dislike or like this young girl from the Yu Family. She was just a stranger he had met by chance. Just then, the sound of children¡¯s quarreling and a girl¡¯s crying came from the front of the flower carriage. Yu Ran, who was speaking, felt a strong surge of killing intent and then saw Xue An¡¯s face turn grim. His expression looked as if he could eat someone alive. Because Xue An had recognized the source of the crying! Xue Xiang! It must be his little daughter, Xue Xiang. Xue An rushed to the front of the flower carriage, and the scene that unfolded before his eyes fueled his murderous aura even more. He saw Xue Xiang sitting on the ground, her dress torn at one corner, bawling her eyes out. And Xue Xiang was angrily debating something with a little girl opposite her. This little girl, about eight or nine years old and fairly pretty, had a sharp and harsh expression as she argued with Xue Xiang, hands on hips. ¡°Why did you push my sister?¡± Xue Xiang asked angrily. ¡°I didn¡¯t push her; she fell over by herself. And all I wanted was to try on your necklace, why so stingy?¡± the little girl said with a haughty look. At this moment, Yu Ran and Zhang Xiulun, among others, had also rushed over. Seeing her father arrive, Xue Xiang began to cry even more pitifully. Xue An walked over, picked up the crying Xue Xiang from the ground, and then patted Xue Xiang¡¯s little head. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, daddy¡¯s here!¡± The little girl became a bit sheepish upon seeing the adults arrive, but upon spotting Zhang Xiulun, her face brightened. ¡°Uncle! Uncle! These people bullied me!¡± the girl quickly changed her expression, feigning great distress. The girl was none other than Zhang Xiulun¡¯s own niece, Zhang Xiaotong, who was eight years old this year. Zhang Xiulun¡¯s heart was secretly delighted. So this guy¡¯s already a father. And upon realizing it was his niece involved, his arrogance intensified. He also knew that his niece was quite a bully due to being overly doted on. But they were just kids; bullying someone was no big deal. Thinking so, Zhang Xiulun said insincerely, ¡°Ah, children will be children, noise and scuffles are normal. Let it go, let it go!¡± Xue An ignored him and kept whispering comforting words to Xue Xiang in his arms. Soon, Xue Xiang, between sobs, said, ¡°Daddy, she insisted on wearing my necklace, but it¡¯s the one daddy gave me¡ªI didn¡¯t want to give it to her, and then she hit me!¡± Xue An consoled her painstakingly for a long while before Xue Xiang stopped crying, then he looked up at Zhang Xiulun. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Zhang Xiulun felt a chill from Xue An¡¯s gaze, as if it made all his hair stand on end. But he forced a chuckle and said, ¡°They are just kids; some fighting and noise is normal. Let¡¯s not get involved as adults, right?¡± Yu Ran frowned, about to speak. Xue An nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Zhang Xiulun breathed a sigh of relief, thinking smugly to himself that this man was indeed quite sensible. But the next words from Xue An left him stunned. ¡°Children¡¯s matters should be resolved by the children themselves!¡± With that, Xue An looked down at Xue Xiang and said, ¡°Go on, hit her!¡± Xue Xiang hesitated a bit, ¡°Daddy¡­ .¡± Xue An¡¯s expression remained calm, ¡°Didn¡¯t she hit you? Then you should hit back ten times as hard!¡± With gritted teeth, Xue Xiang walked towards Zhang Xiaotong. At this moment, Zhang Xiaotong was full of defiance; she was used to being overbearing outside. Moreover, Xue Xiang and Xue Xiang were only four or five years old; how could they beat me? Zhang Xiaotong thought smugly to herself. But as soon as Xue Xiang approached, she raised her little hand and gave Zhang Xiaotong a slap on the face. Zhang Xiaotong hadn¡¯t even reacted when the slap knocked her straight to the ground. Xue Xiang was indeed a bit angry by now. She mounted Zhang Xiaotong¡¯s back and started throwing punches like they cost nothing, making Zhang Xiaotong cry out loudly. Now it was Zhang Xiulun¡¯s turn to be utterly dumbfounded. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ stop it right now!¡± Zhang Xiulun said, enraged and humiliated. Xue An, however, spoke indifferently, ¡°Why should she stop? Oh, is it that only your people are allowed to hit others?¡± ¡°But¡­ .¡± Xue An gave a chilling smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that it¡¯s best for us adults not to interfere in children¡¯s matters?¡± Zhang Xiulun¡¯s face twisted as if he had swallowed a fly, full of embarrassment and anger. Xue An watched quietly. He wasn¡¯t inciting his daughter to fight, but sometimes, when others have already bullied you to this extent, one must retaliate without hesitation. Otherwise, one would only be bullied even worse step by step. Keep in mind that his two daughters, though only four years old, had been strengthened with the top-tier Primordial Essence Elixir, giving their slaps the weight of several dozen pounds. It was only because the two little girls were naturally peaceful that they didn¡¯t know to use this strength against others. After hitting her for a while, Xue Xiang got up, looking at Zhang Xiaotong lying on the ground, her face bruised and swollen, crying loudly. ¡°Daddy was right, if you dare bully me again, I¡¯ll hit back ten times as hard!¡± After saying this, Xue Xiang returned, strutting back with an air of defiance. Zhang Xiaotong¡¯s face was now a patchwork of blue and purple; she certainly couldn¡¯t continue following the parade on the float any longer. With no other choice, Zhang Xiulun had to carry his niece off the float, shooting a hateful glance at Xue An before getting off. At this time, Yu Ran, who had been holding in his laughter, couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. ¡°Well done! That Zhang Xiaotong is infamous throughout Lingnan as a bratty kid!¡± Yu Ran had heard about this notorious brat from the Zhang Family, a testament to how despised she was usually. At the same time, Yu Ran¡¯s curiosity about Xue An grew even more. Who was this man, exactly? To let his own daughter get into a fight¡­ This method of parenting was indeed unique. ¡°A bratty kid?¡± Xue An chuckled softly, ¡°In my eyes, there are no bratty kids, only bratty parents!¡± Zhang Xiulun returned home holding his niece. His elder brother, and the current Family Head of the Zhang Family, Zhang Yi, was at home. Seeing his daughter come back with injuries on her face, he exploded with fury. ¡°Who? Who did this?¡± Zhang Xiulun exaggerated the story as he recounted the incident. When he heard that this man was actually getting along well with Yu Ran, Zhang Yi¡¯s expression turned even uglier. He had always hoped his brother could marry the young Miss from the Yu Family. No, this man had to be dealt with. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Courting Destruction (4 updates) Chapter 126: Chapter 126: Courting Destruction (4 updates) Translator: 549690339 Zhang Family. In a quiet and elegant room, Zhang Yi and Zhang Xiulun sat in their chairs with devout expressions on their faces. Because opposite them sat a woman with an air of proud indifference. This woman was incredibly beautiful, yet in the eyes of the Zhang brothers, she seemed like an ethereal woman from the Moon Palace, unattainably sublime. ¡°Speak, what is it?¡± the woman asked indifferently, her soft lips slightly parting. ¡°Fairy, today my younger brother encountered someone. He said that person is very powerful, and moreover, he¡¯s hostile towards our Zhang Family, so I¡­¡± ¡°You want him killed, is that it?¡± the woman said coldly. ¡°That¡­ would naturally be preferable.¡± The woman stood up, ¡°I¡¯ve stayed at your Zhang Family for a while now; killing a person is nothing, consider it payment for meals.¡± Her words showed an apparent indifference to taking a life. Zhang Yi became visibly excited, ¡°Good, good! He¡¯s staying in Lingnan City.¡± The woman nodded, ¡°Fine, just wait a moment, I¡¯ll bring the head back.¡± With that, the woman turned around, pushed open the window, and disappeared into the night. Now only the Zhang brothers remained in the room. At this time, Zhang Xiulun expressed his amazement, ¡°Brother, who is this woman? How is she so formidable?¡± Zhang Yi chuckled, ¡°She is the top-notch assassin I hired from abroad some time ago, known as the Moon Goddess Xiang Bing.¡± ¡°The Moon Goddess¡­¡± Zhang Xiulun murmured dreamily. Zhang Yi wore a complacent expression. In his view, once the Moon Goddess took action, who else in Lingnan could be a match for her, aside from the Yu Family? After all, she was ranked eighth on the prestigious list of masters. After a day of entertainment, Yu Ran once again freeloaded a meal at Xue An¡¯s place before leaving reluctantly. Xue An soothed his two daughters to sleep, then sat quietly in the living room. Lingnan was prone to rain. So at that moment, a light rain began to patter outside once again. Hei King and Ma Cheng had also gone back to their rooms to rest, leaving Xue An alone in the spacious living room. After an indefinite period of time, Xue An put down his water glass and said indifferently, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, come on in.¡± Bang. The glass door shattered on cue, the wind and rain surged in, and Xiang Bing stepped in with a cold expression on her face. ¡°Someone wants to be killed today¡­¡± Xiang Bing paused, arrested in her tracks. Because she saw Xue An lifting his head with a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°Long time no see,¡± Xue An said with a slight smile. Xiang Bing began to tremble uncontrollably. It was him! If she had known it was him, she wouldn¡¯t have come here even if the Zhang brothers had knelt down and begged her. Because coming here was tantamount to seeking death! Even now, Xiang Bing distinctly remembered the sight of Xue An slaying the Heaven-Reaching Elder with a single punch at the martial arts tournament. Furthermore, it was said that Xue An later beheaded Shi Jian, the swordsman of the Yu Family, and declared that he would pacify Lingnan within seven days. Now that he had indeed come to Lingnan, could it be that what he said was the truth? Thinking about this, Xiang Bing felt a chill in her heels. ¡°Don¡¯t be so frightened, sit down!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Xiang Bing sat down, trembling. ¡°Did the Zhang Family send you?¡± Xue An asked. Xiang Bing shuddered and then nodded. ¡°Haha, as expected of the scions of noble families who regard human life as mere grass,¡± Xue An remarked mockingly. At this time, Xiang Bing said with a quivering voice, ¡°My lord¡­ I truly didn¡¯t know it was¡­ it was you, I deserve to die a thousand deaths!¡± Xue An waved his hand dismissively, ¡°I won¡¯t kill you!¡± Xiang Bing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°But you should know what to do next,¡± Xue An said, watching Xiang Bing with an amused look. Xiang Bing hesitated for a moment, then a resolute expression flashed across her face. ¡°Alright! I understand!¡± Saying this, Xiang Bing stood up and, gritting her teeth, took off her outer coat. A slim and attractive figure was revealed. Xue An was taken aback, then somewhat bemused, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°My¡­ my lord, aren¡¯t you¡­¡± Xiang Bing stammered. Xue An waved his hand helplessly, ¡°What I mean is, since the Zhang Family has acted so ruthlessly, then there is no need for their existence anymore, understand?¡± Xiang Bing suddenly realized, then blushed and hurriedly put on her coat. She had thought Xue An was admiring her beauty and preparing to do something about it. She had even prepared herself to sacrifice her purity and endure humiliation for the sake of survival. But that was not what Xue An meant. In her heart, Xiang Bing even felt a vague sense of disappointment. ¡°You can rest assured, my lord, I guarantee that the people of the Zhang Family won¡¯t see tomorrow¡¯s sun!¡± With that, Xiang Bing turned and left. At this moment, Hei King heard a noise in the living room and hurried downstairs. ¡°Sir, what¡¯s going on?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, the wind is just too strong, it even blew the door open!¡± By the time Xiang Bing got back to the Zhang Family, Zhang Yi and Zhang Xiulun were waiting for her. Seeing her return, Zhang Yi couldn¡¯t help but excitedly greet her. ¡°Fairy, have you killed the man? Hehe, I knew that once Fairy took action, it would certainly be extraordinary.¡± His voice came to a sudden halt. That was because Zhang Yi¡¯s head thumped down to the ground. Zhang Xiulun didn¡¯t react at first, only after blinking did he realize what had happened. ¡°Brother!¡± Zhang Xiulun cried out in shock. Xiang Bing took a step forward with a cold expression, ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± ¡°You¡­ why did you kill my brother?¡± Zhang Xiulun shouted in horror and rage. ¡°That¡¯s a question for you to answer. How dare you offend the lord, and you almost got me killed, too!¡± Xiang Bing said with a cold laugh as she approached. Zhang Xiulun¡¯s head was in a muddle. The lord? What lord? ¡°What do you mean? Whom has our Zhang Family offended?¡± Xiang Bing shook her head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore, because the lord said, your Zhang Family¡­ has no reason to exist!¡± And with that, Zhang Xiulun¡¯s head also fell to the ground. His face still bore an expression of shock and bewilderment. That night. The Zhang Family was completely annihilated. The next day, the news shocked the entire Lingnan. When Xue An heard about it, he was also stunned. This Xiang Bing, she was really ferocious in her actions. He had only told her to kill the brothers from the Zhang Family, yet she had wiped out the entire household, not even sparing a single dog. With such a big incident, the Yu Family naturally came to know of it as well. When Yu Ran heard the news, she was shocked. Zhang Xiulun is dead? The Zhang Family has been destroyed? Her head felt dizzy. Even though she disliked, even hated this Zhang Xiulun, she never expected him to die overnight. Could it be¡­ Yu Ran¡¯s expression turned ugly, and she went straight to find Xue An. But when she saw Xue An with her furious aura, all the words she had prepared suddenly wouldn¡¯t come out. Xue An looked up at her and then smiled faintly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who killed them!¡± ¡°How did you know I was going to ask about that?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s written all over your face,¡± Xue An said indifferently. This Young Mistress from the Yu Family was obviously spoiled and naive, without any cunning at all. If he wanted to harm her, it would be all too easy. Yu Ran was taken aback, touched her face, and then it gradually turned red. ¡°Cough cough, I didn¡¯t, well, he¡¯s dead, so be it. Our family has already sent people to investigate. Also, do you have time tomorrow? It¡¯s my birthday, come and attend the party!¡± Tomorrow? Xue An was slightly startled. Tomorrow¡­ was the seventh day. Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Adult Ceremony (5 more updates) Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Adult Ceremony (5 more updates) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Any progress on the investigation?¡± Yu Lang asked. ¡°Reporting to the Family Head, we have clarified the matter. The Zhang Family was most likely killed by the heavenly-ranked expert they worshipped,¡± a chief steward reported, bowing his head. ¡°Oh? A heavenly-ranked expert? Who?¡± ¡°Judging from the wounds, it should be the ¡®Cloud Folding Hand.¡¯¡± ¡°Cloud Folding Hand?¡± Yu Lang let out a slight smile, ¡°Is it that famed signature technique of ¡®Moon Fairy¡¯ Xiang Bing?¡± ¡°It should be unmistakable!¡± ¡°Alright, I understand. Issue an assassination order then, as a matter of respect for the Zhang Family,¡± Yu Lang said dismissively. ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Tomorrow is Ran¡¯er¡¯s eighteenth birthday celebration, how are the preparations going?¡± Yu Lang was clearly more concerned about this question. ¡°Everything has been properly prepared!¡± ¡°Hmm! Remember to increase security, recently Lingnan¡­ has been quite unsettled!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After the servants withdrew, Yu Lang looked out the window, a hint of a cold smile emerging on his lips. Tomorrow marks the seventh day. Will you come? You probably will. But do you think, after killing my son, you can still live so easily? Yang¡¯er, your father will surely avenge you. As Yu Lang pondered, his fingers moved slightly, and the insects flying in the room fell silently to the ground. However, after falling, they were still alive, just unable to fly anymore. Their wings were intact, but at that very instant, Yu Lang had used Formless Sword Qi to shatter the veins in their wings. Such exquisite control, reaching the pinnacle, was the most difficult to achieve. The news of the Zhang Family¡¯s annihilation had been a hot topic among the common people of Lingnan for less than a day before it was replaced by another topic. That was the upcoming eighteenth birthday celebration of the Yu Family¡¯s young miss. The Yu Family¡¯s status among the common people of Lingnan was unimaginably high. Some even worshipped the Yu Family as if they were Immortals. Therefore, Yu Ran¡¯s adult ceremony naturally attracted countless gazes. All the great and small noble families of Lingnan, even men who considered themselves rather exceptional, were all making earnest preparations. Who wouldn¡¯t want to win over Yu Ran¡¯s heart at her birthday celebration and become the Yu Family¡¯s son-in-law, ascending to the heavens in a single step? The day finally arrived. The entrance of the Yu Family¡¯s residence was crowded early on with people coming to offer congratulations. The young men, dressed in their finest, all craned their necks, eagerly hoping to see the beauty as soon as possible. At last. Yu Ran came out. Many people were seeing Yu Ran for the first time. Although rumors said she was as beautiful as flowers under the moonlight, many thought this was flattery toward the Yu Family. But once they truly saw Yu Ran. All such notions completely fell apart. No one expected that the young Miss Yu was indeed blessed with heavenly grace. Even though she lacked the charm of a mature woman, due to her young age, This kind of fresh beauty was even more enchanting to these young men. For a moment, those familiar scions of noble families had already gathered around her with smiles. Those less familiar hovered outside, wondering if they might strike up a conversation. Some even displayed considerable indifference, attempting to attract Yu Ran¡¯s attention by standing apart from the crowd. But Yu Ran, who was surrounded by admirers like the moon by stars, though she smiled in response, her words were full of courtesy, and her eyes were drifting around. It seemed¡­ as if she was looking for someone. The many young men in the distance were shaken, then excitedly perked up. Could she be looking for me? Thus, they all puffed out their chests, hoping Yu Ran¡¯s gaze would linger on them longer. But Yu Ran just glanced around and seemed somewhat disappointed as she lowered her gaze. At this, a scion from a family close to the Yu Family said with a laugh, ¡°Miss Yu Ran, are you looking for something?¡± Yu Ran simply couldn¡¯t be bothered with these people. Although they had only spent two days together, Yu Ran felt as if she had¡­ fallen deeply into something. Unlike these boys with their childishness and shallowness, Xue An was always cold, never pandering to her. Yet the more he was like this, the more he attracted Yu Ran like a magnet. Yu Ran also knew that Xue An was much older than herself and that he even had two daughters. But she was hopelessly smitten. After falling for ¡°uncle¡± Xue An, Yu Ran found these outstanding young men to be terribly juvenile. Why hasn¡¯t he arrived yet? Didn¡¯t I tell him to come early today? Yu Ran seethed with frustration inside. Just as she was thinking about this, she saw Xue An slowly walking over with his two daughters and Hei King among others. The moment Yu Ran saw Xue An, she hurriedly greeted him with delight. ¡°Why have you only just arrived?¡± Yu Ran said, somewhat displeased. The many onlooking youths felt their hearts sink. Because Yu Ran¡¯s behavior was just too much like coquettishness. As a result, many looked at Xue An with envious eyes. Xue An simply smiled, ¡°Got held up by some matters, happy birthday!¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s go inside!¡± Yu Ran felt this was the best birthday wish she had heard all day. Xue An was carrying a long, wrapped package and followed Yu Ran inside. After they went in, the group of youths, with dissatisfaction written all over their faces, huddled together. ¡°Who is that guy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know! Definitely not someone from Lingnan!¡± ¡°Damn it, looks like Miss Yu regards him highly!¡± ¡°Yeah, and did you see that man came with two kids, could he even be a single father?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up with Miss Yu¡¯s taste? I don¡¯t accept this!¡± The young men howled in dismay. However, among them, someone remained silent, his eyes fierce, as if plotting something. ¡°Hey, Young Master Yang, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± someone asked at this moment. This Young Master Yang was Yang Xudong, a member of the Lingnan Yang Family. Although the Yang Family wasn¡¯t a top-tier noble family, it was enormously wealthy, ranking among the top three in Lingnan, so he had also come today. Moreover, he had known Yu Ran for a while and had been vigorously pursuing her. Hearing the question, Yang Xudong sneered, ¡°The man isn¡¯t from Lingnan, and by his clothes, he doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s from a noble family. What¡¯s there to fear?¡± Having said that, Yang Xudong turned and walked inside. The rest glanced at each other, sighed, and followed him in. At this moment, the Yu Family¡¯s place was decorated with lights and colors, and the banquet had been set up in the Yu Family¡¯s garden. Yu Ran kept chattering non-stop. Xue An merely nodded occasionally, hardly saying a word. On the other hand, Xue Xiang and her sister kept looking around, clearly interested in the Yu Family¡¯s ancient and aromatic house. ¡°May I ask where you are from, friend?¡± Yang Xudong suddenly approached with an unfriendly tone and asked Xue An. Yu Ran¡¯s face turned cold, ¡°Yang Xudong, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Ran¡¯er, it¡¯s nothing. I just find this friend somewhat unfamiliar, just wanted to ask!¡± Yang Xudong¡¯s face was icy as he spoke to Xue An. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Me? I¡¯m not from Lingnan.¡± Yang Xudong¡¯s expression grew even more unpleasant, ¡°Not from Lingnan? Then these two young ladies¡­¡± ¡°My daughters!¡± Yang Xudong looked towards Yu Ran as if to say look, he even has children! But Yu Ran simply waved her hand impatiently, ¡°Alright, the banquet is about to begin. No need for you to go asking all kinds of questions!¡± Yang Xudong was left speechless, glaring hatefully at Xue An before turning aside. ¡°Brother Dong, what should we do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make him regret it later!¡± Yang Xudong said through gritted teeth. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Do you like this gift? Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Do you like this gift? Translator: 549690339 Twilight Hour had arrived. Yu Ran¡¯s birthday feast finally officially began. First to speak, naturally, was Yu Lang. He stood on stage with a smile, raising his cup and saying, ¡°I thank you all for coming to celebrate my daughter¡¯s birthday. This cup is to everyone!¡± After finishing his words, Yu Lang drained his cup. The crowd erupted with cheers, and someone laughed, ¡°Family Head Yu is truly generous!¡± Then Yu Lang continued with a smile, ¡°As everyone knows, this birthday feast is also my daughter¡¯s coming of age celebration. From now on, my little girl is all grown up!¡± Laughter rippled through the crowd while many young men stared at Yu Ran with fervent gazes. Yu Ran, feeling somewhat shy, lowered her head, yet her eyes stealthily glanced towards Xue An. Xue An was leisurely sipping his wine, as if these external affairs had nothing to do with him. Yu Ran bit her lip with a hint of annoyance. Just then, a young man could no longer contain himself, rushed forward with a box in his hands, and said excitedly, ¡°Miss Yu, happy birthday! This is my gift to you!¡± Yu Ran accepted it and smiled out of politeness, ¡°Thank you!¡± But the young man didn¡¯t leave. ¡°Miss Yu, please open it and see. It¡¯s a token of my affection.¡± Yu Ran had no choice but to open the box. Inside was a resplendently bejeweled garment. ¡°Miss Yu, this is something I brought back from abroad. It¡¯s the work of a master¡­¡± The young man wanted to continue. Yu Ran closed the box impatiently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not interested in these things.¡± The young man was left speechless and reluctantly retreated. Yu Ran¡¯s behavior made many who were eagerly waiting to present their gifts tense up. However, Yang Xudong chuckled. He had already made detailed inquiries about Yu Ran¡¯s preferences and knew that she didn¡¯t like overly luxurious items. Thus, the gift he prepared for today was indeed ingenious. Clearing his throat, Yang Xudong approached Yu Ran with a slight smile. ¡°Sister Yu Ran, guess what this is?¡± With that, Yang Xudong proudly opened a box he had brought with him. Everyone held their breath before finally seeing that it contained a painting. The painting depicted a woman sitting alone by the river, her profile captured in the scene. At first glance, the painting appeared simple, but the more one looked, the more it seemed to resemble Yu Ran. Even Yu Lang couldn¡¯t help but be slightly startled. ¡°Could this be¡­ the work of the master painter, Huang Hun?¡± ¡°Uncle Yu has sharp eyes indeed. Yes, this is a piece personally painted by Huang Hun!¡± Yang Xudong declared smugly. A wave of astonishment spread through the crowd. Huang Hun. He was a grandmaster in the world of traditional Chinese painting, residing in Zhongdu. It was said he had retired from painting, and yet here was his personal work. Yang Xudong then passionately said to Yu Ran, ¡°Sister Yu Ran, this is what you looked like last year when I chanced upon you by the river. That image has lingered in my mind ever since, so I requested Huang Hun to capture it. This time, I¡¯m presenting it to you!¡± The gift was both grand and meaningful, prompting many people to admire it aloud. Yet Yu Ran remained calm, merely nodding gently. ¡°Thank you!¡± Yang Xudong felt a twinge of disappointment in his heart, having thought that such a gift could move Yu Ran. Nevertheless, he smiled and then suavely stepped down from the stage. Instead of returning to his seat, he headed straight for Xue An. All eyes turned to follow. Yang Xudong stood in front of Xue An, a cold smirk appearing on his face. ¡°My friend, you too have come to celebrate Miss Yu¡¯s birthday, where is your gift?¡± Many of the young men couldn¡¯t help but inwardly cheer. Indeed, Yang Shao played this hand very elegantly. Looking at this fellow dressed in plain clothes, he probably hadn¡¯t prepared a gift. With that, he likely wouldn¡¯t have the face to stay any longer. But Yu Ran¡¯s expression changed drastically, and she was about to erupt. Xue An, however, smiled. ¡°You¡¯re talking about my gift?¡± Xue An spoke indifferently. Yang Xudong nodded, ¡°Of course!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I indeed did not prepare a gift for her.¡± A mocking smile appeared on Yang Xudong¡¯s face, ¡°Is it that you didn¡¯t prepare¡­ or is it that you couldn¡¯t afford to?¡± Many people burst into laughter. Some people downright openly said, ¡°By the looks of it, he probably couldn¡¯t afford it!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, really can¡¯t understand why they would invite such a pauper.¡± Among these comments, Xue An remained calm, ¡°Although I didn¡¯t prepare a gift for Yu Ran, I have prepared a generous gift for the Family Head of the Yu family!¡± ¡°Oh? For Uncle Yu?¡± Yang Xudong was startled. Xue An picked up the long package and smiled at Yang Xudong, ¡°Do me a favor and deliver it over!¡± Yang Xudong wanted to refuse, but he was so curious about what it was that he took it. Yu Lang was also somewhat baffled at this time. It was clearly his daughter¡¯s birthday party. Why would someone give him a gift? But when he received the package, his expression changed slightly. At that moment, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Open it and have a look! Inside, I think you¡¯ll be quite surprised.¡± His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it clearly reached every person¡¯s ear. Yu Lang¡¯s face grew solemn as he quickly unwrapped the package. When he saw what was inside, everyone¡¯s face changed color. Because it was actually a sword! A long sword that shimmered like autumn water! Many sharp-eyed people recognized the sword at a glance and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in shock. ¡°It¡¯s the Dragon Roar Sword!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the personal sword of Yu Yang?¡± Yu Lang¡¯s face turned starkly pale as he turned his head to look at Xue An sitting far away by a table. ¡°You¡­ you really came!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Since I said I would come, then of course I must! Right, Family Head Yu?¡± With his words, the Dragon Roar Sword in Yu Lang¡¯s hand let out a faint cry. Yu Lang¡¯s expression was dark and terrifying, ¡°Xue An, you killed my son Yu Yang, and yet you dare to come here. Do you really think the Yu family has no one to stand for it?¡± This statement was like a massive bomb, leaving the entire venue in dead silence. What? This man is the Mr. Xue who cut down Yu Yang with his sword? Many people couldn¡¯t help but recall that rumor. It was said that the Mr. Xue who cut down Yu Yang had declared that he would enter Lingnan in seven days and exterminate the Yu family with his sword! At the time, no one believed it. They thought it was simply impossible! But today, Xue An¡¯s arrival had confirmed that point! Unexpectedly, he had really come. Not only had he come, but he had also brought the Dragon Roar Sword with him. Only Yu Ran stood there, her complexion pale as death, her soul seemingly shattered as she stared at Xue An. He¡­ he was the murderer who killed her third brother? No wonder his surname was Xue! I was so foolish! I should have thought of it earlier! At this point, Xue An was still seated in his original spot, only lifting his head to smile at the pallid Yang Xudong. ¡°What do you think, is this gift acceptable?¡± How could Yang Xudong dare speak a word, his legs were now shaking uncontrollably. Then Xue An looked at Yu Lang and shook his head slightly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to bully the Yu family for lacking someone to stand up for it, I just want to experience for myself if the Sword Dao of your Yu family is, like your son, so¡­ inadequate!¡± Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 129: I Have a Cup of Wine, Enough to Console the Traveler. Chapter 129: Chapter 129: I Have a Cup of Wine, Enough to Console the Traveler. Translator: 549690339 A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples. Xue An¡¯s statement caused a stir among those present. How dared he say that the Yu Family¡¯s sword Dao cultivation was worthless. To everyone present, this seemed as ridiculous as a colossal joke. Yu Lang sneered coldly, ¡°Xue An, don¡¯t think that by killing my son Yu Yang, you can do whatever you want to the Yu Family. The foundation of the Yu Family is something you can¡¯t even begin to comprehend!¡± With his words, a majestic and unparalleled Sword Qi burst forth from Yu Lang¡¯s body, the pressure so immense that even the table, chairs, and utensils in front of him shattered into pieces in an instant. Yet, under such a fearsome display of power, Xue An remained as unshakable as a mountain on his chair, even nodding calmly towards Yu Ran, who was pale, her eyes brimming with tears. ¡°Sorry, your birthday party might be going to hell now!¡± Yu Ran shuddered, and her tears came cascading down. Yu Lang¡¯s gaze became sharp as he thought Xue An was mocking his daughter. Out of intense love for his daughter, Yu Lang couldn¡¯t help but fly into a furious rage. ¡°Insolent fool, die!¡± Yu Lang roared, and countless tiny strands of Sword Qi suddenly appeared before him, which rapidly merged into a long sword with incredible speed. ¡°Go!¡± Yu Lang commanded with a soft cry. The sword vanished from everyone¡¯s sight in an instant, and when it reappeared, it was already in front of Xue An, with its tip merely a centimeter away from Xue An¡¯s nose. But that one centimeter might as well have been an insurmountable chasm. Because Xue An had already grasped the blade with his left hand. This scene caused even Yu Lang to change color and cry out in shock, ¡°How is this possible!¡± Indeed! This sword, formed from concentrated Sword Qi, was extremely sharp, capable of piercing through anything. How could it possibly be grasped by hand? Yet Xue An revealed a pair of handsome fangs and smiled savagely, ¡°In front of me, there is no such thing as impossible!¡± After speaking, Xue An exerted a slight force with his left hand. The sword was crushed to bits then scattered like smoke and clouds. This astounding feat shocked everyone present. Yu Lang¡¯s expression grew solemn. He had thought Xue An was at most of Heavenly Human Realm cultivation, while he himself was at the peak, just a step away from becoming a Half-step Loose Immortal. Dealing with Xue An should have been no problem. But unexpectedly, Xue An¡¯s methods were so mysteriously powerful. Yu Lang took a deep breath and sneered coldly, ¡°Indeed a good technique, but do you think that by this alone, you can oppose the Yu Family? Sword servants, heed my command!¡± At the order of Yu Lang, more than a dozen men holding long swords with cold expressions stepped out slowly from the corner. Each one¡¯s cultivation level was of a Half-step Heavenly Being. Such a cultivation level, casually placed anywhere outside, would make one a personage of great importance. But in the Yu Family, they were mere sword servants. ¡°Form the Sword Array!¡± Yu Lang ordered coldly. More than a dozen sword servants lifted their swords into the air. After a thunderous sound, a sword array brimming with killing intent enveloped Xue An. The swirling sword lights seemed like a curtain, making it impossible to see the situation inside. The crowd let out a sigh of relief in secret. This time, he was probably finished. Only Yu Ran, with her fingers tightly gripping her clothes, had an expression of pain. At that moment, Yang Xudong approached inconsiderately, ¡°Sister Yu Ran, don¡¯t be scared, I will protect you!¡± Yu Ran gave him a cold glance, ¡°Scram!¡± Yang Xudong was scolded and stunned on the spot, then a towering rage welled up inside him. How dared she curse me? It seemed she was heartbroken for that Xue An, who must be perishing inside the Sword Array! With that thought, jealousy turned Yang Xudong¡¯s eyeballs a shade of blue. What¡¯s the use of feeling sad? ¡°By now, that Xue An must have been chopped into mincemeat!¡± But just at that moment, a nonchalant voice emerged from within the Sword Array. ¡°Interesting, but too weak!¡± As the words fell, what had been a waterfall-like torrent of sword momentum suddenly stuttered, and then violently shattered apart. The sword servants were all sent flying backward without a sound. Looking at Xue An again, he was still sitting in his chair, even holding a cup of wine in his hand. ¡°Family Head Yu, your Sword Array¡­ has been defeated!¡± Xue An said calmly. As soon as he spoke, the entire place fell silent. Yang Xudong¡¯s complexion instantly turned extremely ugly. Not even the Sword Array could deal with him? How high was his cultivation level? ¡°It seems I have underestimated you!¡± At that moment, Yu Lang spoke slowly. All eyes turned, only to see Yu Lang slowly drawing the sword from his waist. Many people¡¯s faces changed subtly. This was the first time in ten years that Yu Lang, as the Family Head, had drawn his sword. ¡°This sword is named ¡®Consoler of the Dusty World.¡¯ It may not be a renowned sword under the heavens, but to me, it is my most faithful companion! Once, with this sword in hand, I consecutively defeated twelve sword experts from Country R! Therefore¡­¡± Yu Lang¡¯s eyes were filled with a cold Sword Intent, ¡°For you to die under this sword is a sign of my respect for you, so young, yet possessing such cultivation level!¡± With each word he uttered, the aura about Yu Lang weakened by a fraction, until at last, he seemed almost like an ordinary person, utterly unremarkable. However, many who were adept at swordsmanship had their expressions change drastically. For this meant Yu Lang¡¯s control over his own aura had reached a pinnacle. But Xue An remained unmoved, slowly sipping the wine from his cup with a light chuckle. ¡°I have a cup of wine sufficient to ¡®Consoler of the Dusty World.¡¯ What a good name! Family Head Yu¡­ please make your move!¡± No sooner had his words fallen than Yu Lang thrust his sword forward. It was an unremarkable thrust, without any sound of wind, without any momentum. All there was to it was a speck of red light on the tip of the sword. Yet it was this speck of red light that made many knowledgeable in the Sword Dao look extremely solemn. For they knew, the reason why this thrust appeared so plain and unremarkable was that Yu Lang had condensed all the sword¡¯s momentum onto the tip of the sword, without the slightest waste. This was truly a supreme thrust! In comparison, the earlier Sword Qi and Sword Array seemed like mere juggling tricks, flashy but insubstantial. The sword had reached midway to its target. A hint of a smile appeared on Yu Lang¡¯s lips. For he felt certain of his victory. But just at that moment, a slender and elegant hand appeared out of nowhere, and with a flick of a finger, struck the tip of the sword. Bang. After a muffled sound, a powerful shockwave spread out, flipping all the nearby tables and chairs. Even the distant trees and buildings were not spared, all snapped in unison. Yu Lang was shocked beyond belief, because Xue An¡¯s casual flick of the finger almost caused him to lose grip of his sword. Yu Lang hastily retreated backward, finally showing a trace of panic on his face. The highest Sword Dao Cultivation in the Yu Family presently was held by Yu Lang¡¯s eldest son, Yu Ran¡¯s elder brother Yu Ming, who was awaiting the emergence of the Sword Immortal ancestor in the rear mountain¡¯s Sword Hut. The Yu Family was now solely defended by Yu Lang himself. If he were really to be defeated, decades of the Yu Family¡¯s prestige would be destroyed in a single stroke. But Xue An did not press his advantage; instead, he lifted his head to look into the distance, with a faint smile appearing on his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to encounter such a pure Sword Cultivator in this world.¡± Following Xue An¡¯s words, a terrifying aura surged up from the Yu Family¡¯s rear mountain, piercing the sky. Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 131 I Only Believe in the Hierarchies Under the Fist Chapter 131: Chapter 131 I Only Believe in the Hierarchies Under the Fist Translator: 549690339 With those words, Yu Yuanyi¡¯s aura began to climb steadily. ¡°Young man, it¡¯s no small feat to have reached such a level of cultivation at your age. I¡¯m just curious, why do you insist on opposing my Yu Family!¡± Yu Yuanyi asked indifferently. Yu Ran was jolted in spirit. This was also what she wondered about. However, Xue An just let out a slight smile, ¡°I have a habit, no matter what I do, I prefer to subdue everyone first before proceeding, and that includes you.¡± These words caused Yu Yuanyi¡¯s expression to change slightly, his gaze turning colder. ¡°You are indeed very powerful, and your understanding of the Sword Dao has even reached a terrifying height, but sometimes, the gap in strength can¡¯t be made up by other means!¡± As he spoke, Yu Yuanyi¡¯s aura fully unfurled. Half-step Longevity! The peak strength of the present world. The aura surged like tidal waves, enveloping Xue An within. Yet Xue An remained composed, with a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s quite rare to find such a pure sword cultivator in this world.¡± Yu Yuanyi shook his head, ¡°My heart is like my sword, your attempts at verbal provocation and belittlement are useless.¡± Xue An smiled, then set down the Dragon Roar Sword in his hand. Many people were taken aback. Could it be that he was admitting defeat? It was highly probable! After all, the other party was the Lingnan Sword Immortal! To admit defeat was not shameful. And Yu Ran¡¯s face lit up with joy. But the words that followed from Xue An wiped away Yu Ran¡¯s joy. ¡°You are the first person I¡¯ve encountered who can truly be called a cultivator, and to show my respect, I will meet your challenge with what I¡¯m best at, which is my fists,¡± Xue An said calmly. Many people looked on in astonishment. Had Xue An gone mad? To face the unparalleled Lingnan Sword Immortal and choose to fight with fists? Wasn¡¯t that courting death? A playful look flashed in Yu Yuanyi¡¯s eyes, and he nodded, ¡°I¡¯m puzzled by where your confidence comes from! But bravery is commendable, so I shall indulge you! Make your move!¡± Xue An smiled nonchalantly, ¡°You go first!¡± Hiss. Many people took a sharp intake of breath. Yang Xudong even almost laughed out loud. If someone wants to die, no one can stop them! To be so arrogant as to invite the Sword Immortal to strike first? Yu Yuanyi just smiled, not caring about these things. For him, only the sword remained in his life now. All else had been cast aside by him. ¡°Very well! Since you keep saying my Yu Family¡¯s Sword Dao is incorrect, I will let you see what the true Yu Family Sword Dao is like!¡± As he spoke, Yu Yuanyi pulled out a sword from his waist. A wooden sword. A wooden sword whittled from a branch he had casually snapped off. Yet upon seeing this sword, Yu Ming¡¯s eyes shone with a fervent light. Because only he knew the terror of this wooden sword. Yu Yuanyi raised the wooden sword and stated faintly, ¡°After thirty years of seclusion, today my sword is complete, this¡­ is my Immortal¡¯s Sword! Be cautious!¡± Having said that, Yu Yuanyi thrust his sword forward. With that one stroke, it was as if a giant wave had been lifted. Heaven-shattering Sword Qi charged straight at Xue An. Xue An stood still, his expression neither sorrowful nor joyful. He raised his fist and declared softly, ¡°One punch, to shake heaven and earth!¡± The first of the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques. When Xue An first employed this punch, he was but an average human. Now that he had recovered to the Heavenly Human Realm, using it again made its power increase by more than a hundredfold. Many people felt as if this punch made the heaven and earth themselves tremble. A look of surprise flickered across Yu Yuanyi¡¯s face, but it did not hinder the unstoppable advance of his sword. Boom. The peerless Sword Qi collided with Xue An¡¯s ground-shaking punch. After a thunderous boom that shook the earth, Xue An was sent flying into the distant woods, his life or death unknown. Many sneered in their hearts, convinced that Xue An was undoubtedly dead. Hei King was so startled that he suddenly stood up. The two little girls, however, were not too scared. Because they were now in tune with Xue An¡¯s mind and could feel their father¡¯s breath. At this moment, Yu Yuanyi¡¯s face showed a mix of admiration and pity. ¡°Indeed, a prodigy of astounding talent, but what a pity¡­ too young and brash!¡± In his view, having been hit by his sword, there was only one path to certain death. Yu Ran¡¯s gaze was desolate, her mind a complete blank. But just then, an indifferent and lofty voice came. ¡°Do you know why I chose to counter your sword with fists?¡± With these words, a surge of momentum soared into the sky. Yu Yuanyi¡¯s complexion changed dramatically, and he turned to look. He saw Xue An standing in midair, taking steps towards him, his aura intensifying with each step. By the time he reached the entrance of the Yu Family. His aura had already broken through the peak of the Heavenly Human Realm and stepped into the ranks of a Half-step Loose Immortal. Yu Ming, including Yu Lang and others, had a simultaneous change of expression. A breakthrough in the midst of battle? At this moment, Xue An lightly said, ¡°Because¡­ I believe that only under my fist is there superiority and inferiority.¡± Then, Xue An revealed several white teeth and sneered menacingly, ¡°I let you have one sword strike just now, now it¡¯s my turn!¡± Having said that, Xue An raised his fist and softly exclaimed, ¡°One punch, shakes Yin and Yang!¡± Boom. This punch actually matched Yu Yuanyi¡¯s sword in a tie. But Yu Yuanyi¡¯s face no longer held the ease it had before. However, Xue An seemed to be enjoying himself, ¡°Another one, witness my punch, across life and death!¡± This punch had been used by Xue An on that Loose Immortal elder of the Xie Family and had claimed his life with a single blow. Using it again now, Yu Yuanyi was forced back half a step. Although it was only half a step. To others, it was unbelievably incredible. With the power of a Half-step Loose Immortal, he was forcing Yu Yuanyi, a Half-step Longevity, to retreat half a step. This was a cross-level challenge with a whole major realm of difference! At this time, Yu Yuanyi was no longer relaxed, his expression became solemn as he uttered a light cry. ¡°Good punching technique, but not enough.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Yuanyi swung his sword. The force of this sword strike directly forced others to retreat more than ten meters. But Xue An neither dodged nor avoided; instead, he smiled. ¡°Well done! Take another punch from me!¡± Xue An raised his hand, his eyes cold, ¡°The fourth technique, Severing Emotional Ties!¡± The fourth technique of the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques, Severing Emotional Ties, was finally executed by Xue An. The first three techniques of the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques were skills, but the latter three touched upon the realm of the Dao. Just like Severing Emotional Ties, the so-called emotional entanglements are hard to sever. But Xue An insists on severing them. In Xue An¡¯s dictionary, there were no such words as ¡®cannot¡¯. This punch caused Yu Yuanyi¡¯s color to change drastically, his earlier calm and composure gone. There was no thunderous crash, no clash of force against force. Xue An¡¯s punch pierced through Yu Yuanyi¡¯s sword momentum as if water entering the sea, striking his wooden sword. Crack. A crisp sound. This seemingly unimpressive wooden sword was directly shattered. The momentum did not stop there; it sent Yu Yuanyi flying backward until he barely managed to steady himself against a wall. At this point, the whole audience was shocked. And this Lingnan Sword Immortal grew pale, a trickle of fresh blood slowly seeping from the corner of his mouth. Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 132: The Broken Sword of Lingnan (2 Updates) Chapter 132: Chapter 132: The Broken Sword of Lingnan (2 Updates) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Elder¡­ Elder Ancestor!¡± Yu Lang cried with a trembling voice. Yu Ming¡¯s face changed dramatically as well, and he was about to rush over with his sword. ¡°All of you, back off!¡± Yu Yuanyi commanded coldly. At his word, the members of the Yu Family did not dare to disobey, so they all reluctantly retreated to the side with faces full of grief and indignation. Yu Yuanyi looked up at Xue An with a complex expression in his eyes. ¡°Excellent fist technique!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°You¡¯re not bad yourself! It¡¯s a pity, though, that you still went wrong with your Sword Dao.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been in seclusion for thirty years, painstakingly cultivating the Sword Dao. Now you tell me I¡¯m wrong, so what is right?¡± ¡°There are three levels to the Sword Dao. The lowest uses the body to control the sword, the middle uses Qi to control the sword, and the highest uses Spirit to control the sword,¡± Xue An said calmly. ¡°Your choice to use the Spirit to control the sword is not wrong, but your so-called seclusion has only backed you into a corner.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve renounced grudges and forgotten life and death, all to make your Sword Dao seem more ethereal, but in my view, this is fundamentally mistaken.¡± ¡°The so-called Immortals are nothing but powerful beings who go against the heavens. At their core, they are still human. Since they are human, there¡¯s no need to pretend otherwise, deliberately suppressing emotions and desires to make oneself seem superior. Such a Sword Dao¡­ isn¡¯t that mistaken?¡± Xue An¡¯s words struck Yu Yuanyi like a bolt of lightning, shaking him to the core and causing his complexion to progressively pale. ¡°I¡­ was I really wrong?¡± Yu Yuanyi had already tempered his heart into a sword, but Xue An¡¯s few words shattered his Sword Heart completely. At this moment, Xue An let out a light sigh, ¡°To have cultivated such a Sword Dao in this tumultuous world is no mean feat.¡± Yu Yuanyi, his head bowed, did not speak, but the fire in his eyes gradually died down. At the same time, a light rain began to fall from the sky. No one spoke, all were shocked by the events of the day. The Sword Immortal, who had never been defeated, was defeated. And in that moment, Yu Yuanyi¡¯s originally black hair began to swiftly turn white. In an instant, it had become a head of white hair. His figure hunched, and his skin started to show signs of aging. ¡°Elder Ancestor!¡± Yu Lang cried out in agony, kneeling on the ground. The people of the Yu Family knelt together in the rain, their faces indistinguishable whether covered in rain or tears. Yu Yuanyi slowly lifted his head, his no longer lucid eyes now revealed an indescribable sense of relief and liberation. ¡°Thank you!¡± This gratitude was directed at Xue An. Xue An simply smiled, ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He understood what Yu Yuanyi meant; for someone who had served the Sword Dao all his life, realizing his mistakes just before death was the greatest fortune. ¡°How ridiculous that I have toiled for decades, only to realize at the end that the secular world is the true Sword Dao! Heh!¡± Yu Yuanyi said, mocking himself, his voice growing more aged and deep. ¡°I have two things to ask of you.¡± Yu Yuanyi suddenly lifted his head to look at Xue An. Xue An nodded, ¡°Proceed.¡± ¡°After my death, the Yu Family will become a target for all. I don¡¯t ask you to look after them, but I hope you can spare them.¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°No problem.¡± At that moment, Yu Yuanyi turned to look at Yu Lang and Yu Ming, who were kneeling on the ground. ¡°You two listen, after my death, you must not harbor the slightest resentment or thoughts of revenge against Mr. Xue. Serve him with the same heart you served me with, understand?¡± Yu Lang cried out, ¡°Elder Ancestor!¡± Yu Yuanyi¡¯s hair and beard all bristled, ¡°Did you understand what I said?¡± Yu Lang and Yu Ming, crying, kowtowed, ¡°Understood!¡± Yu Yuanyi turned his head with difficulty, ¡°And another thing¡­¡± Xue An sighed lightly, ¡°I know, I will look after this Rain God of Lingnan.¡± These words made Yu Yuanyi freeze slightly, then he nodded, ¡°So you knew everything all along.¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°I visited the Rain God Temple a couple of days ago and noticed a strange Sword Intent on this little deity. I didn¡¯t know who it belonged to until I met you.¡± In Yu Yuanyi¡¯s eyes, a hint of nostalgia emerged, ¡°Although she¡¯s a deity, she¡¯s very timid and quite naive. I was afraid someone would bully her, so I gave her a sword intent.¡± Xue An remained silent. At this time, Yu Yuanyi¡¯s breath became even more erratic, as if he were rapidly aging. ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ could you come over?¡± Yu Yuanyi said with difficulty. Xue An took a few steps forward, coming before Yu Yuanyi, and then crouched down to look at him. Yu Yuanyi strained to whisper in Xue An¡¯s ear, ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not from this world, are you?¡± Xue An slightly nodded. Yu Yuanyi sighed, ¡°I knew it! No wonder your understanding of the Sword Dao is so profound.¡± Yu Yuanyi paused for a moment, gasping for air, ¡°I just want to know, do those legendary realms really exist?¡± Xue An nodded again. A light sparked in Yu Yuanyi¡¯s eyes, and he asked eagerly, ¡°So there are also many sword cultivators out there?¡± Xue An spoke softly, ¡°Many, and they¡¯re all very formidable. Some of the powerful sword cultivators can even shatter stars with a single sword strike!¡± Yu Yuanyi looked up with boundless longing, ¡°I really want to see it!¡± Having said this, Yu Yuanyi¡¯s face revealed a satisfied smile, and he slowly closed his eyes. Before slipping into everlasting darkness, he seemed to return to his days as a carefree youth, seeing that deity¡ªa girl timid as a mouse. A slight breeze blew. Yu Yuanyi¡¯s body gradually turned into dust and dispersed with the wind. From then on. The sharpest sword in Lingnan had broken! And what was originally a gentle drizzle suddenly turned into a violent storm, with the wind howling as if someone was crying. In the Rain God Temple, the busy priestess and worshippers all failed to notice that tears slowly fell from the corners of the deity¡¯s eyes. Yu Lang and the members of the Yu Family were all kneeling and weeping bitterly. Xue An stood up, his face neither sad nor happy. In his view, this was the best end for Yu Yuanyi. With his Sword Dao, he would never achieve immortality in this lifetime, let alone the realms beyond. It¡¯s better not to even think about them. Instead of being trapped in this tiny corner of the world, it would be better to enter the cycle of reincarnation again. Xue An¡¯s gaze swept over the crowd, and no one dared to meet his eyes. Then Xue An said indifferently, ¡°With Yu Yuanyi¡¯s death, the Yu Family will henceforth be under my protection. If anyone objects, they must first contend with my fist.¡± This statement shocked many who had been harboring ulterior motives, and they quickly discarded their foolish thoughts. Jokingly, who would dare to provoke him when the Sword Immortal of Lingnan had perished at his hands? At that time, Xue An walked up to Yu Lang. Yu Lang lifted his head, his gaze complicated as he looked at Xue An. Before today, he had never imagined he would one day look up to this man in such a manner. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m watching over the Yu Family out of respect for Yu Yuanyi, who was a true cultivator. As for the non-retaliation Yu Yuanyi spoke of, you can do as you please. I¡¯m not afraid of anyone¡¯s revenge.¡± No one dared to speak. Even Yu Ming kept his head low. This man was beyond his reach. ¡°Yes, Mr. Xue!¡± Yu Lang responded softly. Xue An placed his hand on his head, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Yu Lang tensed, thinking Xue An was about to strike, and then resignedly closed his eyes. But he only felt a pain in his head, and then Xue An lifted his hand. He slowly opened his eyes, and Xue An was looking at him with a stern expression. ¡°What is the Immortal Gate assembly all about?¡± Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Tremors in all Directions (3 updates) Chapter 133: Chapter 133: Tremors in all Directions (3 updates) Translator: 549690339 Xue An had just used the Soul Searching Technique, directly searching through Yu Lang¡¯s memories. Unexpectedly, Xue An didn¡¯t find any traces of An Yan in Yu Lang¡¯s recollections. The only link that could be made was that two years ago, Yu Yang had followed Yu Ming to attend an Immortal Sects Conference. Beyond that, this Yu Yang had never left Lingnan. Yu Lang was stunned, then said, ¡°This Immortal Sects Conference, as the name implies, is a gathering of various Hidden Sects, usually held every two years. It¡¯s where the young elites from major Sects and noble families compete, and the rankings on the Jade List are contested.¡± The Jade List, Hidden Sects¡­ These names stirred something in Xue An¡¯s heart. ¡°When is the next Immortal Sects Conference to be held?¡± ¡°In just over two months! And this year¡¯s Immortal Sects Conference will be held in Lingnan!¡± Xue An¡¯s gaze flickered slightly as he nodded, ¡°I see!¡± With matters concluded, everyone dispersed. As these people left, their expressions were complex. Even though they might have various conflicts and dissatisfactions with the Yu Family, after all, Yu Yuanyi had protected Lingnan for many years with a single sword. The fall of the Sword Immortal today still evoked endless emotions. In contrast, it was Xue An who, with an extremely domineering posture, suppressed everyone and dominated Lingnan. Everyone understood that the skies of Lingnan had changed! Many people also stole glances at Xue An before they left, wondering if they could curry favor with him now. However, one person was now trembling all over, not even daring to lift his head. Indeed, it was Yang Xudong. His heart was filled with regret and fear. If he had known how formidable Xue An was, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to provoke him even if it killed him. Now he could only silently pray in his heart, hoping that Xue An had already forgotten about him. Xue An certainly remembered him, but simply couldn¡¯t be bothered with such an insect-like existence. He picked up his two daughters and turned to leave. It wasn¡¯t until he had left that all the members of the Yu Family finally let out a sigh of relief. Yu Lang, with a grief-stricken face, picked up the broken wooden sword, the only thing Yu Yuanyi had left behind. Everyone was silent. A heavy atmosphere weighed on everyone¡¯s hearts. Yu Ran let out a deep sigh, her heart filled with indescribable feelings. This man had first attracted her with his mystery, but in the end, he conquered her family with his powerful strength. At that moment, Yu Ming, with a fierce expression, said, ¡°I must avenge the ancestor in the future¡­¡± Slap! A slap left Yu Ming stunned. ¡°Father, why did you hit me?¡± Yu Lang, with an ashen face, looked at him, ¡°I slapped you to wake you up. The opportunity that the ancestor fought to his death to win for us, cannot be wasted by you.¡± Yu Ming was still somewhat rebellious. But Yu Lang let out a long sigh and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the ancestor trapping that man with his words at the end, do you think he would have spared our Yu Family?¡± Yu Ming was silent. ¡°And even if he did spare us, who knows how many are coveting our Yu Family in the shadows, only refraining from acting because the ancestor was here. Now that the ancestor is gone, they will bare their fangs. Do you think, with just the two of us, we can support this vast Yu Family?¡± Yu Ming¡¯s face turned pale. Yu Lang lowered his eyes, his voice filled with sorrow, ¡°I hate him more than anyone, but I¡¯m also clear that if the Yu Family wants to continue to exist, we can only submit to him!¡± Yu Lang was indeed fit to be the Family Head. Although he was initially emotional, he quickly perceived the situation. Then Yu Lang lifted his head to look at his daughter, Yu Ran. Yu Ran felt nervous under her father¡¯s gaze. ¡°Ran¡¯er, how do you know Mr. Xue?¡± Yu Ran roughly recounted the experience. Having listened, Yu Lang remained silent for a while, then said, ¡°I understand. From now on, you don¡¯t need to worry about the family. Stay close to Mr. Xue more often!¡± Yu Ran was taken aback. Father¡­ what does this mean? Yu Ming clenched his teeth, looking down in silence. ¡°Will he¡­ stay in Lingnan for a long time?¡± Yu Ran asked timidly. ¡°Not for the time being, at least, he will wait until after the Immortal Gate conference concludes before leaving,¡± Yu Lang said softly. The one you¡¯re looking for, will he appear at the Immortal Gate conference? Yu Lang wondered to himself. After a busy day, Tan Xiaoyu took out her phone and opened the martial arts forum. This had become her daily routine. And now, she had also gained a small reputation on the martial arts forum. Many people knew that she was not only a girl but also the heir to the Beijiang Martial Gym. These two identities had earned her quite a few fans. But in the past two days, Tan Xiaoyu had been somewhat restless, because Xue An had left Beijiang four or five days ago. And today was the seventh day. His words about slaying the Yu Family with his sword, would it really happen? Tan Xiaoyu was filled with worry. After all, this time was different from the past solo fights; this time, it was one man against a whole martial arts family. And when she opened the forum, Tan Xiaoyu was stunned. Because the top post was one that stood out. ¡°Sword Immortal Yu Yuanyi dies by a broken sword, Mr. Xue reigns over Lingnan, just how high is his cultivation level?¡± This startling title was also bolded in black, exceptionally eye-catching. Tan Xiaoyu took a deep breath and clicked on it with trembling hands. The post was published by a forum member living in Lingnan, and this person¡¯s literary skills were pretty good, writing about Xue An attending the birthday banquet, then overpowering the Yu Family Head Yu Lang, defeating Yu Ming with a single sword stroke, and killing Yu Yuanyi with his fists in an exciting and spectacular narrative. Tan Xiaoyu read with an overwhelming emotional surge and, after finishing, she saw that the following comments were uniformly filled with shock. ¡°Second floor not grabbing the sofa today, because Mr. Xue is awesome.¡± ¡°Oh my, the original poster should consider writing novels, it¡¯s such a waste of talent not to! Mr. Xue is indeed awesome!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, Mr. Xue isn¡¯t someone ordinary, you guys just wouldn¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°Third floor is just spouting nonsense, your posting history clearly shows you were not optimistic about this action.¡± ¡°Does anyone know Mr. Xue¡¯s contact information? I want him as a mentor, waiting online!¡± ¡°Same here, I¡¯m willing to pay a million in tuition fees!¡± ¡°Wow, a tycoon spotted above!¡± ¡°Tycoon my ass, a million just to have Mr. Xue as a mentor? He¡¯s someone who can annihilate Half-step Longevity beings, a million probably wouldn¡¯t even get you a glance from him.¡± This post soared to the top of the hot search list within just over an hour. At this moment, Tan Xiaoyu was also excitedly leaving a comment. ¡°Thumbs up for Mr. Xue!¡± It wasn¡¯t long before someone responded to her. ¡°Holy crap, look what I¡¯ve caught?¡± ¡°Little sister Xiaoyu, you¡¯ve finally shown up, I¡¯ve missed you!¡± ¡°Shameless guy above!¡± ¡°Xiaoyu, I heard that you¡¯re also from Beijiang, do you know Mr. Xue?¡± ¡°Right! I remember little sister Xiaoyu once said she knew Mr. Xue!¡± ¡°My goodness! Hurry and latch onto those coattails!¡± ¡°Pervert, but I want to latch on too!¡± Tan Xiaoyu, who found the whole thing both amusing and mortifying, thought for a moment and replied. ¡°Of course, I know Mr. Xue!¡± As she wrote this, Tan Xiaoyu suddenly felt, oh so proud! Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Hidden Immortal Sect Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Hidden Immortal Sect Translator: 549690339 This was a monastery hidden deep within the mountains beyond the frontier. The mountain path was extremely steep and difficult to traverse, and there were many man-made obstacles on the way up the mountain, so it had always remained unknown to the outside world. However, only true masters would know that this unassuming monastery was none other than the Bitter Zen Temple, a place with a long history among the Hidden Immortal Sects. At this time, in the Bitter Zen Temple, a monk with his upper body bare, displaying skin the color of ancient bronze and muscles twisting like dragon-snakes, was practicing. His method of practice was extremely simple and brutal¡ªit involved carrying massive stones from the foot of the mountain slope outside the temple up to the temple itself. These massive stones, the shortest of which was taller than a person, were all made of blue granite, each weighing over a ton. An ordinary person would not even think of carrying them, and even four or five people pushing together might not be able to move them the slightest bit. Yet on the monk¡¯s shoulders, these stones seemed to weigh nothing at all as he strode nimbly up the mountain path. Finally, all the stones were carried up. Yet not a single drop of sweat appeared on the monk¡¯s face. Such physical strength could only be described as terrifying. ¡°Brother, Master has called for you,¡± a Xiao Monk said respectfully. The monk nodded, donned his robe, and stepped into the chan room behind him. Inside the chan room, a burly monk with a beard was sitting cross-legged in meditation. ¡°Master!¡± The burly monk slowly opened his eyes, which emitted a sharp glint. ¡°Hui Nian.¡± ¡°Disciple is here!¡± ¡°What place did you take at the last Immortal Gate competition?¡± ¡°Master, twelfth,¡± Hui Nian replied solemnly. ¡°And this time?¡± the burly monk asked. ¡°Disciple will claim nothing less than the championship!¡± Hui Nian claimed confidently. The burly monk burst into laughter, his voice shaking the tiles on the roof. ¡°Good! The disciples of the Bitter Zen Temple should indeed have such spirit. However, I have just received news¡ªLingnan¡¯s Sword Immortal Yu Yuanyi has died!¡± This explosive news did not elicit the slightest hint of perturbation from Hui Nian. ¡°Life and death are common occurrences. He may be called a Sword Immortal, but that doesn¡¯t mean he truly became an immortal!¡± Hui Nian said indifferently. The burly monk chuckled, ¡°I tell you this news only to say that this time¡¯s Immortal Gate competition will probably be very interesting. The one who killed Yu Yuanyi is an unknown master.¡± ¡°Disciple understands. Whether they are masters or mediocrities, to me, they¡¯re all the same,¡± Hui Nian bowed his head respectfully, his expression calm. But a powerful aura was emanating from him. The burly monk¡¯s face showed a look of satisfaction, ¡°Have you already become a Loose Immortal?¡± ¡°Master, I made the breakthrough last month!¡± ¡°Good!¡± the burly monk stood up abruptly. ¡°We of the Bitter Zen Temple have indeed stayed hidden in these borderlands for too long; many have forgotten about us. This time, let them see what a true Immortal Gate is!¡± Hui Nian bowed his head silently, but a hint of cryptic significance flickered in his eyes. Meanwhile, in the country of H thousands of miles away, a similar conversation was taking place. ¡°Jin Sang, we have just received news that the Lingnan Sword Immortal has died!¡± a man with a grave expression said solemnly, seated in the place of honor. Kneeling before him with lowered hands was a tall, handsome man. If any civilians from country H were present, they would surely recognize this man. For he was the brilliant star of country H¡¯s martial world, hailed as a once-in-a-century genius, Jin Chengsuo. Hearing the uncertain tone of his father, Jin Chengsuo said indifferently, ¡°Father, the Lingnan Sword Immortal¡¯s death is of no consequence; after all, he belonged to a previous generation. What is there to fear?¡± His father, Jin Chengyi, sighed, ¡°Jin Sang, your cultivation level is quite impressive now, and you even obtained the fourteenth place in the last Immortal Gate conference. However, this Yu Yuanyi is really no ordinary person! Those who can kill him are definitely not to be underestimated!¡± Jin Chengsuo gave a faint smile, ¡°Father, no matter who the opponent is, I will use our great H Ming Nation¡¯s peerless divine technique to defeat them! Rest assured!¡± Jin Chengyi looked at his son, full of confidence, and could only nod his head. Meanwhile, in Jin Chengsuo¡¯s mind, the image of a beautiful figure emerged. That woman who left an extremely deep impression on him at the last Immortal Gate conference¡ªwould she appear again this time? At the same time, in a very secluded valley. The leader of the only female cultivator sect among the hidden Immortal Gates, Yue Wushuang of Moonwatching Pavilion, also received the news. Her expression was somewhat serious. The Immortal Gate conference was imminent. The sudden emergence of such an event. Naturally, it added many variables to the situation. After pondering for a moment, Yue Wushuang ordered, ¡°Go call Shu Ying¡¯er over.¡± Soon after, the top disciple of Moonwatching Pavilion, Shu Ying¡¯er, arrived. ¡°Master!¡± Yue Wushuang looked at the delicate-faced yet slightly fierce-eyed woman below her and said gravely, ¡°The Immortal Gate conference is upon us. How are your preparations?¡± ¡°Master, I have been diligently cultivating recently, and I feel I have made further progress,¡± Shu Ying¡¯er said with quite a bit of pride. Yue Wushuang nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Good, this time you will still be the one to go. Remember to be careful, because this year¡¯s Immortal Gate conference will probably not be that simple!¡± Shu Ying¡¯er¡¯s face showed delight, ¡°Yes!¡± With that, Shu Ying¡¯er slowly withdrew. Once she was out of the hall, several junior sisters hurried over, speaking very eagerly. ¡°Elder sister, are you going to participate in the Immortal Gate conference again?¡± Shu Ying¡¯er nodded arrogantly. ¡°Then take us with you! It¡¯s really boring to stay in the pavilion!¡± these junior sisters began to beg. Shu Ying¡¯er scoffed and said, ¡°Do you think this is a trip for fun? The minimum requirement is the cultivation level of a Heavenly Being. Which of you possesses that?¡± With that one sentence, all the women shut their mouths. But after a moment, someone whispered, ¡°Then why did you bring that person to the last Immortal Gate conference?¡± Slap. Shu Ying¡¯er sent the speaker flying with a slap. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? If anyone mentions that trash in front of me again, I¡¯ll skin you!¡± Shu Ying¡¯er said with a sinister tone. ¡°Yes!¡± All of these women turned silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to speak anymore. Once Shu Ying¡¯er had walked away. They started to whisper among themselves with dissatisfaction. ¡°Hmph, such a snobbish person. When that person first joined our pavilion, she saw the master favored her and was always hanging around her. Now she calls her trash at every turn!¡± ¡°Exactly, didn¡¯t you see the bracelet she is wearing? It¡¯s from that person!¡± ¡°Hehe! Only bad luck to blame for that person, born with exceptional talent yet unable to cultivate.¡± As these women whispered among themselves, a woman holding a broom walked slowly across the courtyard in front of the great hall with her head down. They looked at each other and then laughed disdainfully, each going their separate ways. The woman slowly swept the floor, her slightly disheveled hair hanging down, covering her face. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 135 Call Me Your Majesty Chapter 135: Chapter 135 Call Me Your Majesty Translator: 549690339 The Immortal Gate Conference that was about to begin activated many hidden Immortal Sects and millennium noble families. It was as if behemoths lurking in the dark were awakening one by one. And Lingnan, being the venue for this Immortal Gate Conference, naturally drew countless gazes. Mist and drizzle floated in the sky once more. Outside Lingnan Airport, Li Hao was waiting for passengers. His business had suddenly improved a lot recently, which, of course, made Li Hao very happy. He wondered if there would be more generous customers today. As Li Hao was contemplating, he saw a woman walk out of the airport terminal. A woman oozing charm and grace from every pore. Li Hao was somewhat dumbstruck. He had never seen such a beautiful woman before. Especially the way she moved, exuding boundless allure. It was enough to make one¡¯s bones turn soft. As he stood there stupefied, the woman approached, opened the door, and got in the car. A refreshing fragrance wafted straight into his nostrils, and Li Hao felt his heartbeat quicken to more than double its usual rate. ¡°Miss¡­ Where may I take you?¡± With a captivating gaze, the woman asked, ¡°Where is the most bustling area in Lingnan?¡± Her voice was enchanting and moving. Li Hao stammered, ¡°The bar street downtown is quite bustling.¡± The woman nodded, ¡°Take me there!¡± For the first time in his life, Li Hao felt the longer the trip, the better. When they finally arrived, the woman got out of the car and flashed a gentle smile. That smile made Li Hao¡¯s heart stop beating, and he foolishly watched her walk away until he suddenly remembered. She didn¡¯t seem to pay, did she? Shi Xueqing entered the largest bar in Lingnan. The booming music, mixed with the smell of alcohol, made one unconsciously relax. Yet Shi Xueqing¡¯s appearance made many people¡¯s eyes light up. Such a beautiful woman. Some barflies approached, hoping to strike up a conversation. Shi Xueqing looked at them indifferently, and they all froze on the spot. Only after Shi Xueqing had walked away did they recover with sweat on their brows and horror in their eyes. This woman¡¯s gaze was too terrifying. ¡°Miss, what would you like?¡± asked the server, a flash of admiration in his eyes. Shi Xueqing sat at the bar, her slender fingers tapping on the tabletop as she spoke softly, ¡°I want to see the person in charge here!¡± The server hesitated, ¡°Miss, you¡­¡± Shi Xueqing glanced at the server, his gaze gradually becoming hazy, then he nodded and said, ¡°Yes!¡± Wang Bao had been in a bad mood these past few days, feeling as though something was about to happen. Damn, it seemed he needed to find a new girl to take the edge off. As Wang Bao was pondering this, the server came in through the door. ¡°Damn, who let you in? Get lost!¡± Wang Bao cursed loudly. The server had a blank expression, as if he hadn¡¯t heard. ¡°Hey, did you not hear me? Get out!¡± Wang Bao exclaimed angrily. At that moment, Shi Xueqing walked in from behind, ¡°Are you the person in charge here?¡± Wang Bao was taken aback. He had never seen such a beautiful woman in his life. Compared to her, the hostesses in his bar were nothing but beggars on the street. ¡°I¡¯m Brother Bao, you¡­?¡± Shi Xueqing nodded her head, ¡°This bar, I want to use it for a while!¡± Wang Bao came back to his senses and sneered, ¡°Little girl, do you know who you¡¯re talking to? Use it? Okay, but you¡¯ll have to take good care¡­ of me¡­¡± Shi Xueqing looked up, a sharp light flashing through her enchanting eyes. Wang Bao felt as if he¡¯d been struck by lightning, then his gaze gradually became empty. ¡°Now, did you hear me clearly?¡± Shi Xueqing said. ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Wang Bao¡¯s voice was hollow. Shi Xueqing nodded, ¡°Go look up the person who eliminated the Yu Family Sword Immortal recently, find out if they¡¯re still in Lingnan, I want all their information!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± ¡°You can leave now, and¡­.¡± Shi Xueqing paused, ¡°From now on, you shall address me as Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Understood, Your Majesty!¡± Wang Bao and the waiter both left the room. Shi Xueqing sat down on the sofa, poured herself a glass of red wine, took a light sip, and then furrowed her brows. It really tasted awful. After becoming accustomed to the aged brews of Mount Fanjing, drinking these worldly wines was like drinking water. That¡¯s right, she was the contemporary walker of the Lingying Palace from Mount Fanjing. Lingying Palace is the most unique among the Hidden Immortal Sects. Because they worshipped the Fox Immortal. Thus, almost every disciple of Lingying Palace was gifted with irresistible charm, winning through unparalleled seductive powers. Shi Xueqing was no exception. This was her second time descending the mountain. The first time was at the Immortal Gate Conference, where she narrowly lost to Yu Mingjian. This time, she wouldn¡¯t easily let things rest. However, when she learned that the Sword Immortal of the Yu Family had been killed, she couldn¡¯t help but feel greatly shocked. That¡¯s why she came to Lingnan early, ready to investigate the background of the one who killed the Sword Immortal. After drinking half a glass of wine, Shi Xueqing opened the door and stepped onto the stage. The noisy hall gradually quieted down. The men all looked at her with eyes filled with astonishment and intoxication. Shi Xueqing took a deep breath; she enjoyed this kind of flavor. A flavor called desire. The more she was immersed in such an atmosphere, the stronger her powers became. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Shi Xueqing skillfully and gracefully mixed a drink and then drank half of it herself. ¡°Now, who wants to drink this?¡± Shi Xueqing said indifferently. ¡°Me!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drink it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s mine!¡± The men below went crazy, starting to shout frantically and gradually it turned into a brawl. Even friends who came together began to fight each other with red eyes. In this chaos, a faint smile appeared on the corner of Shi Xueqing¡¯s lips. That night. The contemporary walker of Fanjing Mountain Lingying Palace, Shi Xueqing, made an appearance at the Purple Night Bar in Lingnan and caused a sensation. When Yu Ran walked into the room, she saw Xue An sitting on the sofa, watching a cartoon with his two daughters. This loving and warm scene made Yu Ran somewhat astonished. Was this still the same decisive man? Seeing her come in, Xue An only looked up, smiled, nodded, and said, ¡°Sit!¡± Yu Ran sat down with mixed emotions. She had been feeling lost recently. The unity that Yu Family once had, united in times of trouble, was gradually disappearing. Yu Ran was subjected to a lot of gossip as well. Especially many of the outer branches were secretly blaming her for bringing Xue An to the Yu Family, which ultimately led to an uncontrollable situation. This made Yu Ran feel very aggrieved. But she had no way to defend herself. This conflicted mindset made her stay in the Yu Family very uncomfortable. She had no choice but to stroll around all day, or to come to see Xue An. Just then, Ma Cheng walked in excitedly from outside. ¡°Mr. Xue, there¡¯s a piece of news that¡¯s causing quite a stir outside!¡± ¡°What news?¡± ¡°They say that last night at the Purple Night Bar a peerless beauty appeared, causing a brawl among the patrons!¡± Ma Cheng said with a look of awe. Xue An raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Heh, they say this woman is seduction personified,¡± said Ma Cheng, his face full of excitement. Men, when talking about beautiful women, almost always have that kind of expression. But Xue An remained calm, simply nodding. ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°Mr. Xue, how about we go check it out tonight?¡± Yu Ran¡¯s heart tightened as she looked at Xue An. He probably wouldn¡¯t go, right? After all, he was with the kids¡­ But Xue An only laughed and then nodded, ¡°Sure!¡± Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Purple Night Bar (3 more) Chapter 136: Chapter 136: Purple Night Bar (3 more) Translator: 549690339 Purple Night Bar was situated in the bustling heart of Lingnan City. When Xue An arrived, he found that the entrance was already filled with various luxurious cars. Ma Cheng obsequiously introduced, ¡°Mr. Xue, this is Purple Night Bar. Tsk, tsk, there are always a lot of fancy cars here, but there are even more today. It seems the power of a beautiful woman is truly astonishing!¡± Xue An nodded noncommittally, preparing to enter, when he heard a voice coming from behind him. ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Manager Ma?¡± The voice was full of mockery, making it quite disagreeable to the ear. Ma Cheng turned his head and saw a well-dressed man with an arrogant demeanor standing not far away. An awkward and apprehensive expression flashed across Ma Cheng¡¯s face, and then, lowering his head, he said with a forced smile, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Manager Cui Qi, I just didn¡¯t notice you there.¡± Cui Qi nodded haughtily, and then said with a mocking tone, ¡°What, is Manager Ma also here to join in on the fun?¡± ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m just accompanying someone for a look-see,¡± Manager Ma said, nodding and bowing. Cui Qi let out a slight scoff, glanced at Xue An and Yu Ran standing in the shadows behind him. Seeing that Xue An was dressed unremarkably and was not some wealthy young master, he couldn¡¯t help but lift his chin proudly and walked into the bar. Ma Cheng finally let out a sigh of relief and then quietly explained to Xue An, ¡°That Cui Qi is one of the main business rivals of the Qin Family here in Lingnan, and the man has quite some backing.¡± Xue An nodded indifferently, ¡°Are you very afraid of him?¡± An embarrassed look appeared on Ma Cheng¡¯s face, ¡°Well¡­ when I first arrived in Lingnan, I offended him. It took quite some effort to smooth things over eventually.¡± Xue An smiled and stepped inside. The Purple Night Bar, truly worthy of being ranked first in Lingnan, had top-notch equipment and decoration. The place was usually bustling, but today¡¯s patronage had doubled. And almost everyone there sporadically cast their gazes towards the woman behind the bar. The woman wore an off-shoulder dress, her delicate collarbone alluring under the flickering lights. But what truly rendered men incapable of diverting their gazes was the hint of a smile on the woman¡¯s face. No matter from which angle you looked, it seemed as if she was smiling at you, causing one¡¯s heart to skip a beat involuntarily. The woman was smoking at the moment, her posture so graceful it made the act of blowing smoke rings seem stunningly beautiful. Ma Cheng was mesmerized, and it took him a good ten seconds to exclaim, ¡°So beautiful! No wonder she¡¯s caused such a stir. If it were me, I reckon I wouldn¡¯t be able to resist either.¡± At this time, Xue An¡¯s eyes held a playful light, and he uttered a small smile, ¡°Very beautiful? I think she¡¯s just average.¡± No sooner had he spoken than Cui Qi beside them snickered derisively, ¡°Really a bumpkin who¡¯s never seen the world.¡± Then Cui Qi said to Ma Cheng, ¡°What? A toad lusting after a swan¡¯s flesh? You think someone like you is worthy of approaching her?¡± Ma Cheng stood there, not knowing how to respond. At that moment, Xue An raised an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Oh? So, you¡¯re implying that you¡¯re not a toad?¡± Cui Qi snorted coldly, ¡°Whether I am or not isn¡¯t something for people like you to decide. Though this woman only arrived last night, she has already earned the nickname ¡®Cold Rose¡¯¡ªindifferent to the approaches of mere men. But I believe they just haven¡¯t used the right methods!¡± With that, Cui Qi, his eyes burning with intensity, stepped forward, his greedy gaze intensifying as he approached the woman. From close up, she was so breathtaking it seemed one¡¯s breath might stop. Especially that flirtatious air about her, it was truly maddening. Thinking this, Cui Qi sat down with the air of a gentleman and snapped his fingers at the waiter. ¡°Bring out the most expensive wine. A beautiful woman deserves to be accompanied by the finest of liquors!¡± When the waiter heard this, he swiftly opened a bottle of Royal Salute and poured two glasses, then Cui Qi, holding up his glass, said with a smile, ¡°To the beautiful miss, may I have the honor of inviting you for a drink?¡± This woman was, of course, Shi Xueqing. She lifted her head to glance at Cui Qi, and then the corners of her mouth lifted, revealing a trace of a smile. Cui Qi was overjoyed. Many people had come forward to flirt, but not one had even seen a smile. It seemed he had successfully moved this woman. Just as he was feeling proud, Shi Xueqing took the glass, swirled it, and then suddenly splashed it out. Cui Qi, caught off guard, was splashed in the face with the alcohol. Then Shi Xueqing said a single word indifferently. ¡°Scram!¡± Cui Qi¡¯s expression became dark and terrible, his gaze flickering uncertainly as he stared at Shi Xueqing. At that moment, Shi Xueqing took a drag of her cigarette, exhaled, and then said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? Scram!¡± Cui Qi stood up, his face ashen, and turned to leave. Many people had already anticipated this scene. After all, since the beginning, no fewer than forty had tried to chat up Shi Xueqing. Twenty-one of them had been splashed with alcohol, ten hit with bottles, and the rest had fled in panic under Shi Xueqing¡¯s cold gaze. In summary, this woman was simply terrifying. In her fiery moments, she was like last night, driving everyone mad. And in her icy moments, she was like a perennial, unmelted iceberg, deterring anyone from even daring to draw near. Just then, another figure slowly approached the bar. Many people sneered slightly, thinking here was another seeking death. Ma Cheng and Yu Ran¡¯s eyes, however, widened in disbelief. Because the one approaching was Xue An. Yu Ran was the most shocked of all. So¡­ he liked this type of woman? Cui Qi also saw this scene and couldn¡¯t help but sneer slightly. It was as if he could already see the disheveled retreat of Xue An in a little while. Xue An walked up to the bar, casually sat down, and didn¡¯t speak, just silently observed Shi Xueqing. Xue An, now at the cultivation level of a Half-step Loose Immortal, could perfectly control his own aura, making him appear just like an ordinary person, with nothing out of the ordinary showing when he concealed his vital energy. Shi Xueqing, feeling observed, slightly furrowed her brow and raised her eyes, meeting Xue An¡¯s gaze head-on. Shi Xueqing¡¯s heart shook involuntarily. What kind of eyes were these? Pure and clear, yet they carried a trace of haughtiness, like that of an emperor¡¯s demeanor. She couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. At that moment, Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Won¡¯t you offer me a drink, scion of the Hidden Immortal Sect?¡± That sentence struck like a thunderbolt, exploding next to Shi Xueqing¡¯s ears. Her gaze became sharper than a blade¡¯s edge, ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Meanwhile, Shi Xueqing was readying herself for all possibilities. Xue An smiled faintly, revealing a pair of pearly white canine teeth, ¡°No need to be tense, because it¡¯s useless even if you are. If I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead!¡± Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Blazing Fire of the Saha World Chapter 137: Chapter 137: The Blazing Fire of the Saha World Translator: 549690339 Shi Xueqing was startled, and then a look of horror appeared on her face. Because at that moment, Xue An¡¯s aura suddenly surged dramatically. It was an overwhelming aura like the vastness of the ocean, stirring admiration in those who felt it. But it only lasted for an instant before Xue An returned to calm, as if it had been an illusion all along. Struggling to regain her composure, Shi Xueqing¡¯s eyes shifted, and with a seductive look, she said, ¡°Well then! But the drinks here are too ordinary, let me mix one for you!¡± With those words, Shi Xueqing stood up and began to personally mix a cocktail for Xue An. This scene left everyone dumbstruck. What¡¯s happening? Why wasn¡¯t this man sent away when he approached, but instead she¡¯s personally mixing drinks for him? Cui Qi¡¯s eyelids were twitching madly, his face turning a shade of green with anger. As for Ma Cheng, he let out a gasp of admiration and his admiration for Xue An grew even more. ¡°It seems Mr. Xue not only has a high cultivation level, but also great skills in dealing with women.¡± Only Yu Ran watched with a desolate gaze, particularly after noticing Shi Xueqing¡¯s every move, she felt that compared to her, she was hardly a woman at all. No wonder Xue An never gave her an extra glance all these days. At this moment, Shi Xueqing finished mixing the drink and poured a cup for Xue An. Xue An took it and looked at the amber-colored liquid in the cup before tasting it. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this drink?¡± Shi Xueqing looked at Xue An and slowly said, ¡°I call it, ¡®Night Rose.¡¯¡± ¡°Night Rose¡­¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I think, it¡¯s more fitting to be called ¡®Samsara¡¯s Flaming Seduction.¡¯¡± ¡°Samsara¡¯s Flaming Seduction¡­¡± Shi Xueqing murmured to herself, her expression as if she was bewitched. Xue An continued, ¡°The so-called Samsara, the blazing seduction, isn¡¯t it very suited to your natural charm and seduction techniques?¡± Shi Xueqing¡¯s expression changed drastically, just as she was about to say something. But Xue An waved his hand and said indifferently, ¡°I smelled a very familiar scent even before entering the bar, which is strange, considering you¡¯re human. Why do you have the aroma of a fox spirit?¡± At last, Shi Xueqing was shocked. Who on earth is this man? Why aren¡¯t any of her secrets hidden from his eyes? ¡°Let me guess, could it be that your sect worships a Fox Immortal? What a strange sect indeed!¡± Xue An remarked and took another sip of the drink. Shi Xueqing then finally became serious and said very respectfully, ¡°Shi Xueqing of the Lingying Palace on Mount Fanjing greets the young master, may I ask for your esteemed name?¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°My name is Xue An!¡± Xue An¡­ Shi Xueqing suddenly widened her eyes in shock. Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes, the very same Xue An who killed Yu Yuanyi!¡± At this moment, Shi Xueqing couldn¡¯t help but inwardly cry out in regret. If she¡¯d known how formidable this person was, she would never have dared to reveal herself. Xue An smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯ve said I won¡¯t kill you! I¡¯m just a bit curious about you, that¡¯s all.¡± Shi Xueqing bowed her head, ¡°Young master has divine cultivation. I am finally convinced!¡± As she spoke, Shi Xueqing bowed gracefully. Her elegant posture made many men nearly drool. But Xue An didn¡¯t even lift an eyelid and simply said indifferently, ¡°I told you, those charms of yours have no effect on me!¡± Shi Xueqing appeared pitiful, ¡°Mr. Xue, I didn¡¯t deliberately use them, it¡¯s just that these charms have become a part of me.¡± Xue An just smiled ambiguously. He had guessed as much when hearing about her from Ma Cheng, for if she were just a common beauty, such large-scale disturbances would be unlikely. The only possibility was that someone adept in the art of charm was causing mischief. And indeed. Outside the bar, Xue An had smelled the scent of a fox spirit. The reason he was so sensitive to this fragrance was that during his travels across The Multiverse, he had once been relentlessly pursued by a Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox from the Qingqiu Fox Realm for several hundred years. Xue An was a bit excited at first, thinking it might be a fox spirit. But it turned out to be a human. At that moment, Xue An put down his cup and said indifferently, ¡°You exude charm, but unfortunately, your seduction skills are poorly cultivated, merely skin-deep.¡± Shi Xueqing¡¯s eyes gradually widened as she stared at Xue An. ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ You¡­¡± ¡°I just happen to have a friend who is a Fox Immortal!¡± Xue An said with a slight smile. Shi Xueqing was in shock. Just then, the door was kicked open, and a group of bare-chested brutes filed in, followed by a man missing an ear who slowly walked in. At the sight of this man, many in the bar changed color. ¡°Cui Que, it¡¯s actually Cui Que!¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, we¡¯re done for. This Cui Que is known as the offspring-cutter, extremely sinister and vicious. Why has he come?¡± In the midst of these whispers, Cui Qi was overjoyed and hurriedly rushed forward. ¡°Cousin!¡± It turned out this Cui Que was Cui Qi¡¯s cousin. Cui Que glanced at him, then focused his attention entirely on Shi Xueqing. After a few looks, Cui Que¡¯s eyes filled with greed and possessiveness. ¡°Wang Bao, this son of a bitch, really has some skills. Where did he find such a beauty, tsk tsk! Those hips, that backside!¡± exclaimed Cui Que crudely. But no one dared utter a word. In Lingnan, who didn¡¯t know the notorious name of Cui Que? He was a man feared enough to silence crying children. Shi Xueqing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and then Wang Bao, with a dazed look, stepped up to meet him. ¡°Please leave this place!¡± Wang Bao said mechanically. ¡°Wang, not bad, you¡¯ve got some skills. Today, I came for nothing else but to borrow this chick for a couple of days. I¡¯ll return her to you afterward, how does that sound?¡± Wang Bao was entirely under control, appearing foolish and mindless. Cui Que frowned, ¡°Damn it, silence means consent! Brothers, get her!¡± The crowd surged forward, herding the others into a corner. Meanwhile, Cui Que approached with a sinister smile. A look of disgust appeared on Shi Xueqing¡¯s face. Xue An, however, remained seated, still slowly sipping his wine. ¡°Sweetheart, come with me. Over there, you¡¯ll eat and drink well, guaranteed to have a great time!¡± Cui Que snickered. Shi Xueqing said coldly, ¡°Get lost before I get angry!¡± Cui Que was taken aback, his expression darkening, ¡°Damn it, ungrateful bitch!¡± With that, he pounced. Xue An still didn¡¯t move, simply watching quietly. Shi Xueqing, of course, didn¡¯t take this Cui Que seriously. She was, after all, a contemporary envoy of Lingying Palace, and dealing with a thug was as easy as flipping her hand. But in a moment of inattention, Cui Que suddenly threw a handful of powder. The powder carried a strange fragrance. Shi Xueqing hadn¡¯t figured out what was happening before she felt her body go limp, then couldn¡¯t even lift her hands. Cui Que laughed, ¡°Damn, I knew you had some skills, but this is an anesthetic used in zoos, strong enough to knock out an elephant, let alone a delicate little lady like you!¡± As he spoke, Cui Que approached with a smile, preparing to drag Shi Xueqing away. Shi Xueqing looked at Xue An with a pleading and desperate gaze. Cui Qi sneered at this moment. In his view, Xue An¡¯s silence was a mercy. Otherwise, his cousin would surely show him what¡¯s what. But just as Cui Que¡¯s hand was about to touch Shi Xueqing¡¯s shoulder, Xue An said calmly, ¡°I drank a cup of your wine; let¡¯s call this payment for the drink.¡± As he spoke, Cui Que¡¯s hand suddenly severed at the wrist. Blood spurted, staining the floor red, as well as the eyes of Cui Qi and his companions. Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 138 Yes, I am who you think I am (2 updates) Chapter 138: Chapter 138 Yes, I am who you think I am (2 updates) Translator: 549690339 Cui Que first lowered his head to look, then let out a blood-curdling scream, ¡°Ahhh ahhh ahhh¡­¡± The piercing scream sent shivers down everyone¡¯s spine. However, Cui Que was indeed a ruthless character. With his remaining hand, he pulled out a homemade gun from his chest. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you! I¡¯m going to chop you into mincemeat!¡± Cui Que roared with a ferocious face. As he spoke, Cui Que pulled the trigger. Bang bang bang. The deafening sound of gunshots shook the entire bar. Gun smoke filled the air, and many people closed their eyes, thinking it was all over. This man was surely dead. Cui Qi let out a snide chuckle of triumph. Dare to offend my cousin in Lingnan? Clearly doesn¡¯t know how to write the word ¡®death¡¯. But just as the gun smoke had yet to dissipate, a faint voice came through. ¡°So this is all the power a gun has? Too slow!¡± With the sound of his voice, Xue An slowly emerged from the shadows, lifting his hand and gradually opening it. The yellow bullets fell from his palm with a few crisp sounds. This scene left Cui Que and the others completely stunned. Catching bullets with his hand? Is this even human? ¡°Quick! Call for backup!¡± Seeing that the situation was bad, Cui Que immediately ordered. Xue An was not in a hurry; he simply sat back down, looked at Shi Xueqing, who was slumped over the bar, her face full of despair, and smiled lightly. ¡°Seems like your Lingying Palace needs to research how to deal with anesthetics.¡± These words made Shi Xueqing even more mortified. To be a reputed member of the Hidden Immortal Sect and yet almost be harmed by a hooligan. Such news, if spread, would be laughable. At that moment, Ma Cheng approached anxiously and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, we should hurry up and leave! They are calling for reinforcements!¡± Xue An shook his head. ¡°Leave? Why should I leave? Isn¡¯t it better to watch the excitement?¡± The atmosphere in the bar fell into a strange silence. On one side was Cui Que, pale-faced and staring intensely at Xue An, and on the other was Xue An leisurely sipping his drink without any expression. Many of those who were faint-hearted had already started to sneak away quietly. But there were still some bold ones, watching the commotion from a distance. ¡°Who is this guy?¡± ¡°Not sure, but he seems pretty formidable.¡± ¡°Probably not a local, still too young. Cui Que is not so easy to provoke, he¡¯s got martial cultivators backing him up!¡± ¡°Shh, keep it down, someone¡¯s coming!¡± Amidst the murmurs, the sound of messy footsteps came from the entrance, followed by a voice as resonant as a large bell. ¡°Who dares to bully my people?¡± As the voice spoke, a man over two meters tall, with a physique as imposing as a mountain, walked in. ¡°It¡¯s Master Hao Batian from the Golden Dragon Martial Arts School of Lingnan!¡± ¡°It¡¯s over now; this guy probably won¡¯t survive the night!¡± Many people whispered among themselves. Meanwhile, Cui Que and Cui Qi¡¯s faces lit up with joy as they hurried over. ¡°Master Hao, it¡¯s this guy who chopped off my wrist! And he¡¯s not even a local. I beg Master Hao to uphold justice for me!¡± Cui Que pleaded tearfully. ¡°Right! And this woman is no good either, probably some enchantress from elsewhere. Please, Master Hao, take care of her as well!¡± Cui Qi added fuel to the fire. Hao Batian¡¯s face showed indifference. In Lingnan, although the Yu Family was undoubtedly ranked first with an undisputed advantage. But because the conditions for entering the Yu Family were so stringent, there were still many martial arts schools in the public, as numerous as stars. And he, Hao Batian, was among the most outstanding. At the age of forty, he had already reached the level of Xiaoyao, and such strength was enough for him to be proud of himself. It was with his strength that Cui Que and the others dared to be so arrogant in Lingnan. After listening to the two men, Hao Batian scoffed and nodded, ¡°Good, rest assured, I will definitely ensure justice for you.¡± As he spoke, he turned his head to look. The first thing he saw was Shi Xueqing, who was slumped beside the bar. Then he was stunned. This woman was simply too beautiful! Hao Batian¡¯s breathing became heavy. At this moment, Cui Que also noticed something amiss and hurriedly leaned in to whisper, ¡°Master Hao, I¡¯ve inquired about her. This woman came to Lingnan yesterday and has no foundation here. You can do as you please with her once you take her back.¡± A smug smile flashed across Hao Batian¡¯s eyes, and then he said sternly, ¡°She is truly a bewitching woman. I want to interrogate her personally later, take her back to the school first!¡± But as soon as the words left his mouth, a light chuckle was heard. ¡°Who? Who¡¯s laughing?¡± Hao Batian¡¯s face was filled with anger. It was then that Xue An spoke lightly, ¡°Such impressive authority to interrogate personally, quite the grandeur, Master Hao!¡± Hao Batian turned his gaze and only then noticed Xue An sitting to the side. He frowned slightly, his face full of disdain. Because Xue An¡¯s aura was no different from that of an ordinary person. ¡°Who are you? How dare you speak to me like that?¡± Hao Batian asked coldly. ¡°Master Hao, it was this man who cut off my wrist!¡± Cui Que said hatefully. Hao Batian narrowed his eyes slightly, a murderous intent forming in his heart. But just then, Yu Ran, who had been silent all this time, stepped forward into the center of the room and said with a cold face, ¡°Hao Batian, have you consulted our Yu Family before acting like this in Lingnan?¡± The question struck like thunder, exploding in everyone¡¯s ears. The Yu Family¡­ That was like an Immortal existence in Lingnan. Hao Batian initially didn¡¯t take it seriously, but upon closer inspection, he was stunned. At that moment, Cui Qi sneered, ¡°The Yu Family? Who are you to claim to be the Yu Family?¡± No sooner had he spoken than Hao Batian slapped Cui Qi across the face, sending him tumbling to the ground. Cui Qi was dumbfounded, staring at Hao Batian. Just as he was about to speak, the next scene shocked him into silence. Hao Batian¡¯s face showed an extremely humble smile, bending over and fawningly said, ¡°Miss Yu¡­ Miss Yu, what brings you here?¡± Miss Yu? How many Miss Yus were there in Lingnan? Cui Qi and Cui Que shivered, their faces showing extreme terror. While Yu Ran looked at Hao Batian with a cold demeanor. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Hao Batian felt like crying. He really hadn¡¯t noticed Yu Ran¡¯s presence. If he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to be so overbearing even if it scared him to death. But now it was too late for any explanations, and he could only say with a trembling voice, ¡°Miss Yu, I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Then what did you mean?¡± Xue An stood up and walked next to Yu Ran, looking at this Hao Batian. Hao Batian gritted his teeth secretly. Who was this kid to interfere with my business? Just wait, I will tear you apart! But before he could speak, Yu Ran had already taken a half step back and respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Xue, it¡¯s our Yu Family¡¯s fault for allowing such scum to appear in Lingnan!¡± Mr. Xue¡­ And even the Miss Yu of the Yu Family was so respectful to him. Hao Batian suddenly thought of someone, his face showing extreme horror. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Xue An nodded, smiling faintly, ¡°Yes, I am the person you are thinking of!¡± Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Who Can Withstand This! (3 more) Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Who Can Withstand This! (3 more) Translator: 549690339 Boom. The words struck Master Hao like a thunderbolt, blackening his vision and whitening his face like paper, as beads of sweat fell from him like rain. Because he knew all too well that within Lingnan, the Yu Family was not to be provoked, yet this man before him was ten times more formidable than the Yu Family. However, Cui Que seemed to have his senses clouded by pain, and scornfully said, ¡°Boy, is it your turn to interrupt when Master Hao speaks? You better¡­¡± Before Cui Que could finish his words, he sensed a powerful force coming from behind and was thrown to the ground; turning his head, he discovered it was the furiously kicking Master Hao himself. ¡°Master Hao, you¡­¡± Master Hao said nothing, his punches and kicks falling like rain. Cui Que screamed like a ghost tormented by wolves. The onlookers were all stunned by this scene. What¡¯s going on? Why did this man¡¯s mere words strike such terror in Master Hao? After a while, Master Hao stopped. By then, Cui Que looked utterly wretched, with one arm broken and all his teeth shattered by Master Hao¡¯s blows. Then Master Hao cautiously looked at Xue An, bowed reverently, and said, ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ I was blind not to recognize Mount Tai. I deserve to die, I¡­¡± Xue An gestured with his hand, and Master Hao immediately closed his mouth. Then Xue An turned back to Ma Cheng and motioned for him to come over. Confused, Ma Cheng approached, and Xue An pointed to Cui Qi on the ground. ¡°How did he bully you back then?¡± Ma Cheng shuddered, his voice timid, ¡°He¡­ he¡­¡± Cui Qi was trembling all over at this time. Because he too recalled a rumor. Only that person in the rumors, who was treated with such respect by Miss Yu and caused Master Hao to tremble in fear upon hearing his name. Before Ma Cheng could even speak, Cui Qi had already flipped over and knelt on the ground, banging his head in kowtow. ¡°Manager Ma, no¡­ Sir Ma, I was wrong ¨C I deserve to die. I didn¡¯t know you knew Mr. Xue. Please spare my life; the money I owed you will be repaid double, no! Tenfold!¡± Ma Cheng was dumbfounded. He hadn¡¯t even uttered a word, yet Cui Qi was already so fearful. And even if Cui Que was slow to catch on, he too sensed something was terribly amiss. However, after the beating he received, he was injured all over and couldn¡¯t move, only able to look at Xue An with utter fear as a foul smell wafted from below him. He had been scared into wetting himself. The scene silenced everyone. Many had already started to discreetly retreat. Because they too had guessed Xue An¡¯s identity. Besides Mr. Xue, who single-handedly annihilated the Sword Immortal and held sway over all the powerful noble families of Lingnan¡­ Who else could command such authority? Xue An looked on, his face neither sad nor happy, and then addressed Ma Cheng, ¡°Do you accept his proposal?¡± Ma Cheng hesitated just a moment. Cui Qi hurriedly said, ¡°Sir Ma, rest assured, after tonight, all the markets in Lingnan will be yours. I will roll out of Lingnan immediately and never come back!¡± It was a wise choice. Because Cui Qi had offended both the Yu Family and Xue An. He had no ground left to stand on in Lingnan. Ma Cheng nodded, ¡°Fine¡­ alright.¡± Cui Qi looked at Xue An with hopeful eyes, Xue An waved his hand, and like receiving an imperial pardon, Cui Qi kowtowed several more times to Xue An, then got up and turned to leave. He didn¡¯t even bother with his cousin Cui Que lying on the ground. And then Xue An looked towards Master Hao, who had remained bowed low, a faint smile playing on his lips as he slowly approached. Each footstep caused Master Hao¡¯s muscles to quiver. When he came close, Xue An raised his hand and gently patted Master Hao¡¯s shiny, bald head. Master Hao shivered with fear, his teeth chattering like castanets as he trembled. ¡°What do you think¡­ how should I punish you?¡± Xue An said with an indifferent tone. ¡°You count as a Martial Cultivator, so I won¡¯t bully you. Take one punch from me. If you don¡¯t die, I¡¯ll let you off. Do you agree to this proposal?¡± Hao Batian felt like crying. Take his punch? The small hill that had collapsed behind the Yu Family was still standing there, silently telling people what the consequences of taking a punch from Xue An were. Hao Batian didn¡¯t believe he could take a beating better than a mountain. So, with a determined heart, closed eyes, and clenched teeth¡­ His knees softened, and he knelt on the ground, then began to cry with his mouth twisted. ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡­I know I was wrong. Please spare me a way to live!¡± A giant man over two meters tall burst into loud sobs, a scene that was as shocking as it was absurd. Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, watching Hao Batian with interest. ¡°You want a way out? Alright, you relied on your strength to bully the weak. Do you admit your guilt?¡± ¡°I admit my guilt!¡± ¡°You harbored lustful thoughts, cunningly framed others; do you admit your guilt?¡± ¡°I admit my guilt!¡± Hao Batian trembled all over. ¡°Since you admit your guilt, then I shall cripple your cultivation level, break your limbs¡­¡± Xue An stepped forward. ¡°Are you convinced?¡± Hao Batian lay on the ground like a puddle of mud, saying in despair, ¡°I am convinced!¡± Xue An nodded, then kicked out. Like kicking a soccer ball, this kick sent the massive Hao Batian flying, crashing through a wall before finally hitting the ground with a thud. Amidst the rising dust, Hao Batian spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his body rapidly deflating, yet he still struggled to say, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Xue, for showing mercy!¡± Some people dragged away both Hao Batian and Cui Que. Peace was restored to the bar. Many people looked at Xue An with awe. But Xue An remained indifferent, turning back to the bar to address Shi Xueqing, who was still lying on the bar top, ¡°I¡¯m very curious, how much longer do you plan to keep up the act?¡± At those words, Shi Xueqing slowly sat up straight, her face sporting a sly smile of a successful scheme, then stretched leisurely. In that stretch, her tantalizing curves were unmistakably displayed, a figure that could make one¡¯s blood boil. Yet Xue An remained utterly unmoved, simply looking at her with an indifferent gaze. ¡°It seems I can¡¯t hide anything from you!¡± Shi Xueqing¡¯s tone was playfully silly, and then with a flirtatious look, she said in a seductive voice. ¡°Besides, the fighting among you men, how could I, a mere girl, intervene? Moreover, Mr. Xue, with your bravery and invincibility, I¡¯m filled solely with admiration, and I even forgot to get up for a moment.¡± Such a soft, seductive voice, with a coquettish tone, made many eavesdroppers feel their bones could turn soft. To put it in one sentence. Who could withstand this! Yet Xue An seemed as if he hadn¡¯t heard, still silently looking at Shi Xueqing. Shi Xueqing felt goosebumps all over under Xue An¡¯s cold gaze. Just as she was about to say something else, Xue An turned away, and said to Yu Ran and Ma Cheng, ¡°This is boring, let¡¯s go!¡± And just like that, he left. Shi Xueqing was dumbfounded, watching Xue An¡¯s retreating back, filled with a sense of defeat. In truth, she had regained her composure while Xue An dealt with Cui Qi. Yet, she decided to keep up her disguise, thinking it best to ensnare Xue An tonight. But unexpectedly, Shi Xueqing¡¯s flirtatious gazes had been for naught. Xue An did not even bother to glance at her, and left without hesitation. Damn it, am I getting old? The repeated failure of her Bone-Eroding Charm Technique on Xue An made Shi Xueqing begin to doubt herself. Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Saved an Annoying Burden? (4 more updates) Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Saved an Annoying Burden? (4 more updates) Translator: 549690339 No! I can¡¯t give up just because of these things. I must win over this Xue An. Otherwise, I¡¯m definitely going to suffer at this Immortal Gate conference! Especially when the face of that detestable person surfaced in Shi Xueqing¡¯s mind, it strengthened her conviction. There¡¯s no cat that doesn¡¯t steal fish, and no man who doesn¡¯t feel tempted by a beautiful woman. Shi Xueqing always believed this. That Xue An is not the least bit interested in me, there must be a reason. Could it be¡­ he doesn¡¯t like my type? Right! The Yu Family¡¯s young miss is always by Xue An¡¯s side. Could it be that he likes those young girls who are like unripe fruits, still inexperienced and naive? Thinking this, Shi Xueqing looked down at her well-endowed figure and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Dammit, for the sake of the Immortal Gate conference, to slap that bitch¡¯s face, I¡¯m going all out this time! That night, what happened at Purple Night Bar spread with terrifying speed. Golden Dragon Martial Arts School removed their signboard overnight, and as for Cui Que¡­ he was hacked to death by his enemies on the way back. Only Cui Qi, who saw the opportunity and ran away that night, managed to save his life. When Yu Ran got home, he was quickly summoned by Yu Lang. ¡°Recount everything in detail. Don¡¯t leave out any details,¡± Yu Lang said in a deep voice. Yu Ran then recounted the whole incident in detail. After listening, Yu Lang frowned slightly, ¡°Fanjing Mountain Lingying Palace? Hasn¡¯t that sect fallen into decline a long time ago?¡± At this moment, Yu Ming, who was sitting on the side, said, ¡°Father, I know this Shi Xueqing. In the last Immortal Gate conference, she lost to me.¡± ¡°Oh? What is she like?¡± Yu Ming pondered for a moment, then slowly said, ¡°Her cultivation level is average, and she doesn¡¯t have any particularly impressive moves, but her charm is unmatched. In the last Immortal Gate conference, many disciples from other sects were defeated by her seduction. If my sword heart hadn¡¯t just taken shape, I too might have fallen for it.¡± Yu Lang nodded and then said to Yu Ran, ¡°Daughter, you should stick close to Mr. Xue during this time. After all, the Immortal Gate conference is about to start, and this time it¡¯s being held here in Lingnan. And since your brother and I are both injured, if¡­¡± Yu Lang didn¡¯t finish his sentence. But Yu Ran understood the meaning. The Yu Family had also provoked many enemies over the years, and it was possible that these people would take advantage of the Immortal Gate conference to make trouble. Their strongest fighter was dead, and both Yu Lang and Yu Ming were injured; the Yu Family was at its weakest. So they could only place their hopes on Xue An. Ironically, that was the reality. Yu Ran nodded, ¡°Yes, Father!¡± But when she thought of Shi Xueqing¡¯s enchantingly charming figure, Yu Ran felt somewhat lacking in confidence. Early in the morning. Ma Cheng had just gotten up when he heard someone knocking on the door. He was puzzled. Who would come so early? But when he opened the door, the scene before him left him stunned. He saw Shi Xueqing dressed in a semi-new shirt paired with vintage jeans and white sneakers, styled like the girl next door, looking very fresh and pure. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Ma Cheng was at a loss for words. ¡°Is Mr. Xue not up yet?¡± Shi Xueqing asked with a charming smile. This smile made Ma Cheng freeze in place. She¡¯s¡­ she¡¯s so beautiful! Shi Xueqing then gracefully stepped into the room. Just then, Xue An came downstairs. Their gazes met, and Xue An frowned slightly. But Shi Xueqing smiled naturally, ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An came down the stairs, ¡°What are you here for?¡± Shi Xueqing smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve come to repay you for saving my life last night!¡± ¡°Oh? How will you repay me?¡± Xue An sat down, his legs resting on the coffee table. ¡°That depends on what you would like, sir. Whether I offer myself to you or work like an ox or horse, I am willing!¡± Shi Xueqing said earnestly. Xue An suddenly looked up at Shi Xueqing, then leaned back on the sofa and said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t need any of that.¡± Shi Xueqing, however, was acting very familiar as she came over and started kneading Xue An¡¯s calves ever so gently. Just like¡­a maidservant from old feudal times serving her young master. Xue An found it somewhat amusing and exasperating at the same time. Had he saved himself a clingy piece of plaster? But his heart, hardened by three thousand years of cultivation, was steady as a rock, so he remained undisturbed, his mind as tranquil as still water. This did, however, evoke envy in Ma Cheng, who stood by watching. Inside, Shi Xueqing was secretly rejoicing. It seemed she had made the right move after all; Mr. Xue was quite fond of this approach! But her sense of triumph evaporated in the next second. ¡°So, you really want to repay me?¡± asked Xue An, playing along. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°In that case, this house does need cleaning. Start with the floors, why don¡¯t you?¡± Huh? Shi Xueqing thought she had heard wrong. ¡°Remember, all the rooms!¡± Xue An added indifferently. Shi Xueqing snapped out of her shock, then stood up and asked Ma Cheng, ¡°Excuse me, where is the mop?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s right¡­¡± At that moment, Xue An interrupted, ¡°Use your hands to clean!¡± Ten minutes later¡­ Shi Xueqing squatted on the ground, on the brink of tears, scrubbing the floor bit by bit. She was, after all, a successor of the Lingying Palace, and now she was scrubbing floors for someone? She simply could not understand what Xue An¡¯s heart was made of. After all, here she was, a stunning beauty throwing herself at him, and yet he remained completely unmoved! As she wallowed in self-pity, a lazy child¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°Daddy, who is this auntie?¡± Stealing a glance behind her, Shi Xueqing saw two little girls radiating spiritual energy, rubbing their sleepy eyes and speaking to Xue An. Were these Mr. Xue¡¯s daughters? Heavens! They were so adorable and pretty! Shi Xueqing was astonished, when she heard Xue An say, ¡°Oh, she¡¯s the new cleaner, here to tidy up!¡± That remark nearly made Shi Xueqing spit out a mouthful of blood. Endure it! For the greater plan, she must endure! Shi Xueqing clenched her teeth and turned back to scrub the floor with renewed vigor. Meanwhile. A man and a woman walked out from Lingnan Airport. The man was tall and handsome, and the woman petite and graceful. The woman playfully smiled at the man, ¡°Young Master Yuan, with the Yu Family of Lingnan weakened this time, you might surpass your previous position and even ascend to the pinnacle of the Jade List!¡± Yuan Zongfeng smiled arrogantly, then pulled the woman closer, ¡°I have to thank you for your help with your ¡®Yuan Yin¡¯ energy!¡± The woman stiffened, then laughed unnaturally, ¡°It is Yuan Dai¡¯s honor.¡± Filled with confidence, Yuan Zongfeng looked into the distance at Lingnan, ¡°This Immortal Gate convention will belong to the Yuan Family!¡± Kong Yuandai watched on, her feelings a complex mix. She was an inheritor of the Night Demon Valley, practicing the art of demonic charm. But to secure support from the mighty Yuan Family of Jibei, she had paid a heavy price¡ªYuan Zongfeng had forcibly taken away the ¡®Yuan Yin¡¯ energy she had cultivated over twenty odd years. It greatly weakened her strength. At that moment, Yuan Zongfeng said, ¡°Yuandai, aren¡¯t you at odds with the people of the Lingying Palace? At the Immortal Gate convention, I will capture all of the Lingying Palace¡¯s members in one swoop!¡± Kong Yuandai¡¯s face lit up, ¡°Thank you, Young Master Yuan!¡± Yuan Zongfeng let out a triumphant laugh, exuding an aura of terrifying might, revealing himself to be¡­ a Loose Immortal! Kong Yuandai, on the other hand, had a cold look in her eyes as she silently thought. Shi Xueqing, I¡¯ve sacrificed so much to destroy your pride. Let¡¯s see how you turn the tables this time! Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Gathering of the World’s Heroes Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Gathering of the World¡¯s Heroes Translator: 549690339 The summer sun in Lingnan was particularly fierce, and at this moment, it was high noon, as if the land was being scorched. In such scorching weather, unless necessary, no one was willing to go out. Yet, at this hour, on a small road in the countryside of Lingnan, a shirtless monk was slowly walking with his head lowered. Although the sunlight was severe, there wasn¡¯t a single bead of sweat on the monk¡¯s body, only the muscles rippling like a giant dragon as he moved. And on his back, was a huge stone inscribed with scriptures. This giant stone was a meter square and extremely heavy, and it was firmly bound to the monk¡¯s back with iron chains. A stone like this, an ordinary person couldn¡¯t even push it, let alone carry it, but the monk bore it as if it weighed nothing. After turning a corner, there was a small inn by the roadside providing food and lodging for passing vehicles. Now, at midday, there were few vehicles on the road, and the innkeeper¡¯s wife was dozing off against the wall. The monk looked up and slowly walked in. The innkeeper¡¯s wife woke up with a start, quickly standing up to greet him, ¡°Welcome, would you like to eat something¡­?¡± Only then did she get a clear look at the visitor and couldn¡¯t help but stare in amazement. ¡°Master¡­ what would you like to have?¡± The people of Lingnan were simple and courteous, especially towards those who had taken holy orders. Hui Nian smiled faintly, ¡°Anything will do, but make sure there is plenty.¡± The innkeeper¡¯s wife looked at the giant stone on Hui Nian¡¯s back with a mix of awe and respect, then nodded, ¡°Please wait a moment, Master, I will check in the kitchen!¡± Having said that, she turned and went to the back, but after a little while, she returned looking somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Master, I am truly sorry, there¡¯s not much in the way of steamed buns and vegetables, only a freshly delivered slaughtered sheep¡­¡± The innkeeper¡¯s wife dared not finish her sentence, for what monk would eat meat? But Hui Nian nodded, ¡°Good, I¡¯ll have the mutton then, bring it all out!¡± The innkeeper¡¯s wife was stunned, ¡°Would you like it boiled? Or roasted?¡± Hui Nian shook his head, revealing teeth tightly aligned as if a single entity, ¡°No need, raw will do!¡± The innkeeper¡¯s wife, horrified, went down, and after a while, she brought up a whole slaughtered sheep. Hui Nian didn¡¯t sit down; he just stood there and began eating the raw meat piece by piece. He ate slowly, chewing each bite until it was very fine before he was willing to swallow it. The innkeeper had also heard the news and came over, he and his wife watched in utter astonishment. After half an hour, Hui Nian had eaten the entire sheep. He then brought his hands together, smiled slightly, and said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡± After saying that, he took out money and left it on the table and continued on his journey. The innkeeper seemed to remember something, grabbed the money from the table, and followed him out. ¡°Master, please wait! We do not want this money, consider it an offering to you!¡± Hui Nian did not turn back, simply saying indifferently, ¡°I am not a Zen monk, I only create karma through killing; no need for offerings, please return!¡± The innkeeper still wanted to pursue him, but in the blink of an eye, Hui Nian had already walked far away. As dusk approached. Hui Nian finally arrived in Lingnan City. From Bitter Zen Temple to Lingnan, a distance spanning the entirety of Huaxia, Hui Nian had covered it all on foot, step by step. He raised his head to look at the bustling city, a flicker of strangeness flashing across his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s the aura of a fox demon, have people from Lingying Palace already arrived?¡± ¡°There are also ghosts and goblins from Night Demon Valley, and it¡¯s mixed with the Qi Cultivation Art of the Yuan Family; it seems that people from Night Demon Valley and the Yuan Family of Jibei have also come!¡± Hui Nian slowly closed his eyes and began to search Lingnan with his Divine Sense. Bitter Zen Temple has a long history and was once exceedingly glorious, thanks to its extremely strong body-refinement techniques and formidable mental cultivation. Even though it fell into decline later on, Hui Nian still achieved the cultivation level of a Loose Immortal, possessing an extremely strong Divine Sense. In Hui Nian¡¯s Divine Sense, all the ordinary people of Lingnan turned into tiny flames, barely bigger than a candlelight. And in this sea of lights that resembled a starry sky, there were also vigorously burning fires, like torches; these were the ordinary martial cultivators. Others were like bonfires, burning fiercely, but there were far fewer of those, likely true masters or powerful practitioners from Xiaoyao. Beyond that, there were some giant fires that could burn dozens of meters high, and among them, Hui Nian felt many familiar auras. However, among these, two piles of fire emanating a chilling Sword Intent seemed somewhat withered. A thought flashed through Hui Nian¡¯s mind; it seemed the rumors were true, the Yu Family of Lingnan had indeed suffered a great blow. Was the person who annihilated Yu Yuanyi still in Lingnan? Hui Nian continued searching. At this moment, Xue An, standing in front of Rain God Temple, suddenly frowned. He felt that a Divine Sense had just swept past. This Divine Sense also carried a tinge of mad Zen intent. Xue An¡¯s gaze turned slightly cold, and then he looked towards the east. At the place his gaze fell, it seemed something in the air shattered with a bang. At the same time, Hui Nian, who was searching Lingnan with his Divine Sense while having his eyes closed, suddenly felt as if a pair of eyes had fiercely opened, and the look in those eyes was filled with a chilling murderous intent. And all of his Mental Power was simultaneously crushed at that moment. With a gasp, Hui Nian spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then opened his eyes to reveal a hint of panic that flickered across his usually impassive face. Who was it? Who could shatter his Divine Sense with just a glance? ¡°Mr. Xue, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shi Xueqing approached. She too had vaguely sensed that something was amiss, but her cultivation level was not enough to see through it. Xue An shook his head slightly, ¡°Nothing, I just destroyed a peeping Divine Sense.¡± Shi Xueqing¡¯s heart tightened. This kind of struggle on the level of Divine Sense was extremely dangerous, but Xue An spoke of it so casually. At this point, Xue An said faintly, ¡°Many powerful auras have already entered Lingnan; it seems the world¡¯s top experts have all arrived!¡± Sure enough, as Xue An spoke, another motorcade slowly made its way into Lingnan. Shu Ying¡¯er toyed with the beads in her hands, glanced at the bustling scenery outside the car window, and a faint look of disdain flashed across her exquisite face. The Immortal Gate conference, huh! Last time I suffered an unfortunate defeat, but this time, I must take back everything that belongs to me! As these formidable auras entered, the divine statue in the Rain God Temple seemed to tremble slightly. At this moment, Xue An was leading Yu Ran into the great hall just in time. This Immortal Gate conference was being held at Fulong Mountain in front of Rain God Temple. Yu Ran, worried, decided to come and check it out, and Xue An had come along. He looked up at the divine statue. Under his gaze, the statue seemed to tremble with fear. Xue An shook his head and chuckled, ¡°No need to be afraid. Since he entrusted you to me before dying, I will make sure you are well protected. With the gathering of the world¡¯s hidden dragons and crouching tigers, it is natural for you, a newly enshrined god, to be scared!¡± With that said, Xue An formed his fingers into a sword and, with a light shout, cleaved with his sword. Boom. Something seemed to have been added to the divine statue. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°He¡¯s dead, and the Sword Intent that protected you has dissipated. This time, I will bestow upon you a new Sword Intent!¡± Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Immortal Gate Congress (2 more) Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Immortal Gate Congress (2 more) Translator: 549690339 Fulong Mountain was originally a scenic spot in Lingnan, with tourists like clouds on a normal day. But today, there were many more security guards in front of Fulong Mountain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, Fulong Mountain is temporarily closed today and not open to visitors!¡± said the security guard politely. The rich tycoon being stopped glared, ¡°Do you know who I am? You dare to stop me? Get lost!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, no matter who you are, Fulong Mountain is not open to the public today!¡± The tycoon, with a thick gold chain around his neck, couldn¡¯t help but get furious, ¡°Are you deaf? Don¡¯t you understand human speech? Believe it or not, if you stop me again, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t get by in Lingnan?¡± The smile on the security guard¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, ¡°I believe you, but today¡¯s Fulong Mountain is off-limits to everyone because this is an order issued by the Yu Family!¡± The previously arrogant tycoon¡¯s expression froze. The Yu Family? Although he considered himself to have some influence in Lingnan, he knew he was nothing compared to the Yu Family, not even worth a strand of hair. The atmosphere turned very awkward, and at that moment, a monk carrying a large stone on his back slowly walked up to the mountain. All the security guards respectfully cleared the way, and the monk stepped into the mountain. At the same time, people in various strange outfits began to appear, and they all entered the mountain as well. The tycoon shuddered and turned to leave. He knew in his heart that something big¡­ was going to happen on Fulong Mountain today! At this moment. At the platform on the peak of Fulong Mountain, many people had already gathered. Aside from Hidden Immortal Sects, many people from smaller sects had also come. These smaller sects gathered together, whispering among themselves. ¡°This year¡¯s Immortal Gate Assembly is unprecedented!¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s said that many noble families and sects that have never shown themselves are here this time.¡± Just then, Hui Nian carrying his sutra stone slowly walked up to the platform and found a corner to sit down cross-legged. ¡°What a formidable aura this Great Monk has!¡± someone exclaimed. ¡°Shh! This Great Monk is no ordinary person, he¡¯s Master Hui Nian from the Bitter Zen Temple outside the borders! It¡¯s said his cultivation level has reached that of a Loose Immortal.¡± Hiss! Many took a sharp intake of breath. A Loose Immortal! Hui Nian looked to be only around thirty years old, and he had already reached the level of a Loose Immortal? More and more people continued to arrive. ¡°That¡¯s White Dragon Elder from the White Dragon Sect! It¡¯s said that this sect has been in seclusion for many years, and yet they¡¯ve also come?¡± ¡°Good heavens, isn¡¯t that the Taiji Immortal Master from Taiji Tower!¡± ¡°And the Murderous Prince from Shura Island!¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone from Golden Lion Tower!¡± Amidst the exclamations of the crowd, the long-unseen hidden Immortal Sects made their appearances one after another. A myriad of overwhelming auras caused the entire Fulong Mountain to tremble slightly. And at this time, Shu Ying¡¯er also stepped onto the platform. Moonwatching Pavilion held a special status among the Hidden Immortal Sects, so when she arrived, many stood up to nod and greet her. Especially the White Dragon Elder from White Dragon Sect, who couldn¡¯t help but brighten up at the sight of her and approached with a smile, ¡°Ying¡¯er, long time no see!¡± Shu Ying¡¯er smiled slightly, ¡°White Dragon senior brother, I didn¡¯t expect you to come too!¡± White Dragon replied proudly with a smile, ¡°I was in seclusion during the last Immortal Gate Assembly and missed it, so of course I wouldn¡¯t miss this one!¡± The two chatted and laughed as they walked aside. Following them onto the high platform was Jin Chengsuo from H country, whose appearance caused many to change their expressions slightly. ¡°It¡¯s that demon blade young master from H country!¡± ¡°Damn, that guy killed many of our Huaxia¡¯s experts last time, and he dares to come again!¡± Jin Chengsuo squinted his eyes and surveyed everyone in the arena, but to his disappointment, he couldn¡¯t spot the figure he had been longing to see. Meanwhile, Kong Yuandai and Yuan Zongfeng also made their way onto the high platform. Many people were thoroughly shocked this time. ¡°Did the Yuan Family from Jibei come too?¡± ¡°Why have they joined forces with Night Demon Valley?¡± ¡°The situation has gotten even more complicated!¡± Many couldn¡¯t help but look grave, for in terms of strength, the Yuan Family from Jibei ranked among the top within the Hidden Immortal Sects. The successor of Night Demon Valley was notorious for being ruthless, and if they formed an alliance, it would add many uncertainties to this Immortal Gate Convention. ¡°Almost everyone has arrived, right?¡± Yuan Zongfeng, with his hands behind his back, said arrogantly. Kong Yuandai glanced over the crowd and then let out a cold little laugh, ¡°We are still missing one person!¡± ¡°Oh? Who are we missing?¡± ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s that good friend of mine from Lingying Palace!¡± Kong Yuandai said with a face full of hatred. Yuan Zongfeng laughed, ¡°If she¡¯s not here by now, she probably doesn¡¯t dare to come!¡± No sooner had he spoken than a group of people were seen walking up the path from the base of the mountain. One of the women in the group caught Kong Yuandai¡¯s eye, prompting her to grind her teeth and say, ¡°Who said she doesn¡¯t dare to come? Isn¡¯t she¡­ coming now?¡± Yuan Zongfeng followed Kong Yuandai¡¯s gaze and was also taken aback. In terms of looks and temperament, Shi Xueqing was far superior to Kong Yuandai. Furthermore, Yuan Zongfeng could tell that Shi Xueqing had a pure aura, evidently still a virgin! He had heard that taking the Yuan Yin of the successor of Lingying Palace, who was like the successor of Night Demon Valley, would be enormously beneficial to one¡¯s own cultivation level. Thinking this, Yuan Zongfeng¡¯s eyes flickered. At this time, everyone else also noticed the newcomers. ¡°It¡¯s the dame from Lingying Palace! Eh! Why is she mingling with the Yu Family folks?¡± ¡°Hehe, haven¡¯t you heard? Kong Yuandai from Night Demon Valley has a deep feud with Shi Xueqing, and now that Kong Yuandai has latched onto the Yuan Family, of course, she had to find herself a backup too!¡± Someone shook their head and said, ¡°That Shi Xueqing is not very wise. I heard that Yu Lang and Yu Ming, the father and son duo, are both wounded, and Yu Yuanyi has already fallen. The Yu Family itself is in jeopardy, yet she still seeks attachment? That¡¯s asking for death!¡± ¡°Hehe, there¡¯s gonna be a good show now. The Yu Family sure is bold, at a time like this they ought to lay low, yet they still dare to attend the Immortal Gate Convention?¡± someone said with a sneer. ¡°Hey, look at that person, why did he bring children too?¡± The crowd turned their heads and, surely enough, they saw a man holding two cherubic little girls, also ascending the high platform. ¡°Could this man be treating the Immortal Gate Convention as a vacation?¡± someone ridiculed. Many others shook their heads discreetly, as the man holding the children seemed unremarkable, clearly an ordinary person. At this moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian whispered in Xue An¡¯s ear, ¡°Daddy, all these people are so strange!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°If they¡¯re strange, don¡¯t look at them. After Daddy takes care of them, I¡¯ll take you girls to eat something good!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± the two daughters nodded repeatedly. However, his words also drew many sidelong glances. Take care of all of them? This man¡­ what a boastful claim! Kong Yuandai could no longer contain herself at this point, and with a swaying waist, she walked over and said with a scornful smile, ¡°Why, Sister Shi, long time no see. What happened to your attire? Could it be that Lingying Palace has fallen to such lows that you can¡¯t even afford proper clothes anymore? Tsk tsk!¡± Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 143: One Dead, One Injured (3 more chapters) Chapter 143: Chapter 143: One Dead, One Injured (3 more chapters) Translator: 549690339 Shi Xueqing¡¯s eyes seemed to spit fire as she clenched her teeth and said, ¡°Kong Yuandai, stop making your sarcastic comments. In this Immortal Gate Conference, it¡¯s either you die or I perish!¡± Kong Yuandai¡¯s expression gradually turned cold, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to say, but Shi Xueqing, it seems you still haven¡¯t figured it out. I am now Mr. Yuan¡¯s person, but you can only cling to the Yu Family who can hardly even protect themselves. With what do you plan to fight me?¡± Shi Xueqing was startled by her words and then glanced at Yuan Zongfeng in the distance, her expression on her face gradually becoming solemn. The Yuan Family of Jibei! They were a renowned existence among the Hidden Immortal Sects. Even more historically profound and influential than the Yu Family. Especially this Yuan Zongfeng, who was ranked third on the Jade List! Mr. Xue¡­ Could he defeat the Yuan Family? A flicker of uncertainty crossed Shi Xueqing¡¯s heart as she stole a glance at Xue An. Kong Yuandai also noticed this scene and her heart stirred. Could it be¡­ that Shi Xueqing¡¯s reliance was not on the Yu Family, but on this man? But this man seemed utterly unremarkable! Just then, the heir of the Golden Lion Tower stepped forward, shouting at Hui Nian, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation in the corner, ¡°Hui Nian, you bald donkey, come out and meet your death!¡± Hui Nian slowly opened his eyes. The heir of the Golden Lion Tower, named Jin Yulou, was a Half-step Loose Immortal. At this moment, Jin Yulou¡¯s face was full of rage, because at the last Immortal Gate Conference, his own younger brother had been turned to dust by a punch from Hui Nian, leaving not even a bone behind. Hui Nian nodded, ¡°So it¡¯s the young master of the Golden Lion Tower. Do you wish to fight with me?¡± ¡°Nonsense, come here and die, bald donkey!¡± said Jin Yulou, his face filled with the intent to kill. Without further words, Hui Nian stood up and walked to the center of the stage. The crowd thought to themselves, it has begun! Jin Yulou looked at Hui Nian, who carried a giant rock on his back, and scoffed, ¡°Hui Nian, put down that rock now, so others won¡¯t say I¡¯m bullying you!¡± Hui Nian shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no need, to deal with you¡­ I don¡¯t need to take such measures!¡± Jin Yulou¡¯s face turned purple with rage at these words, ¡°You damn monk, die!¡± With that, Jin Yulou kicked out. The Golden Lion Tower¡¯s leg techniques were unparalleled in the world. This kick was even faster than the sound of the wind. But Hui Nian did not dodge or evade, directly taking Jin Yulou¡¯s kick head-on. Jin Yulou¡¯s face showed a trace of triumph, thinking that with this kick, Hui Nian would either die or be crippled. However, to his surprise, upon impact, Jin Yulou felt as if his kick had struck a steel plate, and his ankle broke instantly. As Jin Yulou stood in pain and astonishment, Hui Nian lowered his gaze, ¡°I have offended you.¡± He then threw a punch. Boom! Jin Yulou couldn¡¯t dodge in time, and the punch sent him flying. By the time he hit the ground, he was already breathless and dead. Many onlookers gasped in shock. Especially the disciples of the various Immortal Gates, all with their pupils slightly contracted. ¡°This monk is incredible, he has already cultivated the Arhat Golden Body!¡± The White Dragon Elder remarked to himself, warily. After killing Jin Yulou with one punch, Hui Nian then returned to the corner and sat down cross-legged once more. At this moment, the Taiji Immortal Master from the Taiji Tower approached the stage, giving the Yu Family a sinister smile. ¡°Yu Ming, let me experience your Sword Intent!¡± All eyes turned to Yu Ming. Many wanted to see what Yu Ming would choose. After all, it was clear to everyone that with his current injuries, entering the battle would likely bring more harm than good! But Yu Ming did not even hesitate and walked straight to the stage. Facing the Taiji Immortal Master, whose face was full of cunning triumph, Yu Ming slowly said, ¡°Last time you were defeated by my sword, and this time it will be the same!¡± Taiji Immortal Master felt disdain in his heart. Injured, but still so defiant. ¡°No point in talking further, let the fists reveal the truth!¡± With that, the Taiji Immortal Master waved his hands. A Taiji pattern faintly appeared in the air. And Yu Ming slowly drew his sword, his face taut as he watched his opponent. ¡°Taiji Chaos!¡± the Taiji Immortal Master shouted lightly, pushing his hands forward. The black and white energies swirled towards Yu Ming. Yu Ming didn¡¯t dodge or avoid it, instead, he swung his sword. Sword Qi surged, shredding the Taiji pattern formed by the black and white energies. But this was just the beginning. Taiji was about using softness to overcome strength, so the faster Yu Ming¡¯s sword moved, the faster the Taiji pattern appeared. A moment later, Yu Ming¡¯s face turned pale. The Taiji Immortal Master sneered in his heart, knowing that Yu Ming¡¯s sword momentum was waning and that with a bit more effort, he could definitely cut him down. Therefore, he suddenly bellowed, summoning all his energy, and the Taiji pattern drastically expanded more than twice in size. It seemed about to swallow Yu Ming whole. Just then, a faint voice echoed in Yu Ming¡¯s ear, ¡°Lower the sword tip by two inches and three parts, tilt it to the right by twenty-one degrees.¡± Yu Ming was startled, recognizing the voice as Xue An¡¯s. Then, he subconsciously adjusted his sword stance according to Xue An¡¯s instructions. Pfff! It was as if he handed himself over, while the Taiji Immortal Master¡¯s Taiji Chaos could have killed Yu Ming, he himself would have been pierced through the heart. Thus, the Taiji Immortal Master reluctantly withdrew his attack at the last moment, preparing to strike again. At that time, Xue An¡¯s voice rang out once more, ¡°Step forward half a step, blade leftward, slash down!¡± Without hesitating, Yu Ming stepped forward half a step, blade leftward, and swung down. Pfff! The Taiji Immortal Master screamed in agony and hastily retreated. Looking again, one of his arms had been chopped off by Yu Ming¡¯s sword. Xue An sighed inwardly; Yu Ming¡¯s action was still a fraction of a second too slow. If he had followed his instructions completely, the Taiji Immortal Master¡¯s head would have already ¡®moved house.¡¯ But this one strike was enough to shock everyone present. No one expected Yu Ming, who was previously at a disadvantage, to actually turn defeat into victory! Only a few, like Hui Nian, slightly furrowed their brows, then glanced at Xue An, intentionally or not. Taiji Immortal Master¡¯s face was now ashen, but defeat was defeat. He could only bow begrudgingly, ¡°Worthy of being from the Yu family¡¯s sword! I take my leave!¡± With that, the people from Taiji Tower left. This maneuver also quelled the thoughts of many who were eager to take action against the Yu family. Yu Ming looked at Xue An gratefully; this proud young man had truly submitted. The Immortal Sect congress began with one death and one injury, its severity surpassing any of the previous ones. Many people¡¯s faces turned pale. And just then, the Murderous Prince from Shura Island slowly made his way to the stage, locking eyes with Shi Xueqing, a flash of interest in his gaze. He then unfolded his fan with a light laugh, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that the captivating artistry of Fanjing Mountain Lingying Palace is unmatched in this era. I wonder if today, I might be fortunate enough to witness it.¡± Shi Xueqing¡¯s expression soured. Shura Island was no easy opponent, a Sect standing alone overseas, with most of its members being cruel and bloodthirsty. But since she had been challenged, if she did not step up, Lingying Palace¡¯s reputation would be utterly ruined. Biting her lip, Shi Xueqing was about to take the stage. Just then, Xue An gently patted her shoulder, ¡°Stand down!¡± Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Killing You… No Need for Tricks! (4 more) Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Killing You¡­ No Need for Tricks! (4 more) Translator: 549690339 Shi Xueqing was stunned. So was everyone else. What was this man going to do? Did he also plan to take the stage? Xue An glanced at his two daughters whose Divine Senses he had shielded with a secret technique, and smiled faintly. ¡°Daddy is going to fight the bad guys, wait here for a moment, and I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± ¡°Mmm! Daddy, come back soon! It¡¯s so boring waiting here!¡± his two daughters said obediently. Xue An nodded, then slowly walked onto the stage. The expression on the face of the son who killed turned gloomy. He had planned to fight Shi Xueqing, then subdue her with force and finally take her back to Shura Island for his own enjoyment. But he hadn¡¯t expected someone to interrupt halfway. And it was just an ordinary-looking man. ¡°Boy, I want to fight someone from Lingying Palace, who the hell are you? Get off the stage now, and I will pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, I will take your life!¡± said the son with disdain. Xue An cracked his knuckles, creating a popping sound, and then twisted his neck with force, saying indifferently, ¡°Are you done talking?¡± The son who killed was taken aback, then roared in anger, ¡°Good, you¡¯ve successfully angered me. I am going to torture you bit by bit until you die!¡± Xue An smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for having angered you, unfortunately¡­ you no longer have the chance.¡± Having said that, Xue An lifted the seal on his own strength. A surge of power so immense it sent shivers down one¡¯s spine rose to the heavens. Everyone¡¯s complexion changed all at once. The White Dragon Elder and Yuan Zongfeng among others couldn¡¯t help but look solemn. The son who killed was also shocked, and was just about to speak when Xue An raised his hand and threw a punch. There was no name, no flashiness to it, just an ordinary punch. Then the son who killed froze as if someone had struck a pressure point, immobile. After three blinks, the son who killed finally made a croaking sound from his throat, looking at Xue An with eyes filled with despair and fear. Many people were perplexed about what was happening. The chest of the son who killed suddenly caved in, and he began to vomit blood in great gasps. ¡°What¡­ what kind of move is this?¡± the son who killed said intermittently. Xue An shook his head. ¡°No move, killing you¡­ doesn¡¯t require any moves.¡± Anguish and despair appeared on the face of the son who killed, and then he fell to the ground with a thud, dead. The entire place went quiet. Many people looked at Xue An with eyes full of disbelief and confusion. Shi Xueqing¡¯s eyes sparkled continuously and she glanced over at Kong Yuandai with a demonstration of power. Kong Yuandai looked upset at the moment. She had thought Xue An was just an ordinary person, but she had not expected him to be so formidable! But while everyone was still uncertain, Xue An looked around calmly and then shook his head. ¡°One by one is too slow, and I still have to watch cartoons with my daughters, so¡­ all of you, come at me together!¡± His words were like a bolt from the blue, making everyone think they had heard wrong. Then the White Dragon Elder was the first to scoff. ¡°Having killed a young master of Shura Island, do you really think you¡¯re invincible? You have no idea how high the sky is or how deep the earth is! I¡­.¡± The White Dragon Elder couldn¡¯t finish his sentence, because Xue An smiled grimly. ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re not convinced, take this punch from me first!¡± As he spoke, Xue An raised his hand¡ªanother punch thundered out. The White Dragon Elder, attempting to show off in front of Shu Ying¡¯er, announced with supreme confidence, ¡°Good! Let me show you the might of the White Dragon Sect!¡± Shu Ying¡¯er watched the White Dragon Elder standing proudly, her heart racing. But in the next second, the scene turned into a nightmare. Because before the White Dragon Elder could react, Xue An¡¯s punch, like a massive hammer, had already struck his head. Bang! The White Dragon Elder¡¯s handsome face still bore a trace of arrogance as it was pulverized into a mist of blood by Xue An¡¯s punch. The corpse fell to the ground. The hall was stricken with horror. The White Dragon Elder was not some insignificant figure like those who slew young masters, but an entity one step away from the pinnacle. Yet, Xue An¡¯s fist had just shattered his skull! As the people were stirring. Hui Nian¡¯s eyes blazed with divine light, and he rose, taking three steps forward! With each step, the golden light radiating from his body grew stronger. After three steps, Hui Nian was bathed in resplendent golden light, looking just like a god or Buddha! Someone cried out in amazement, ¡°The Undying Golden Body, that¡¯s the Bitter Zen Temple¡¯s Undying Golden Body!¡± The Undying Golden Body, touted as the strongest physique in Buddhism, second only to the Bodhisattva Golden Body and the Tathagata¡¯s Dharma Body! It was an extremely domineering protective cultivation technique! Moreover, Hui Nian¡¯s eyebrows were raised in anger, his face filled with wrath. ¡°Vajra¡¯s Furious Gaze!¡± Another great divine skill of the Buddhist Sect! But faced with the awe-inspiring Hui Nian, Xue An just smiled faintly, ¡°Bring it on!¡± Having said that, Xue An raised his hand, ¡°Now take my punch, let¡¯s see which is tougher, my fist or your Undying Golden Body!¡± Boom! The entire Fulong Mountain seemed to be quaking. Hui Nian staggered back seven or eight steps, his golden light flickering, and a pained expression crept onto his face. Xue An laughed heartily, ¡°Good! You actually took one of my punches, now witness this move!¡± ¡°Move Heaven and Earth!¡± This was Xue An unleashing his killing move for real! As this punch that could move heaven and earth was unleashed, Hui Nian¡¯s face grew solemn, and he lowered his eyes, bringing his hands together in prayer. ¡°Bodhisattva¡¯s Humble Brow!¡± It seemed Hui Nian had already practiced all the great divine skills of the Buddhist Sect. With the release of Bodhisattva¡¯s Humble Brow, his entire being seemed to vanish from the world. Though he still stood there! His presence had disappeared! This feeling was unbearably uncomfortable for onlookers! But Xue An¡¯s mouth curled into a slight smirk, ¡°Quite impressive, but still not enough!¡± Indeed! This punch once again landed firmly on Hui Nian. Hui Nian, like a ball, was sent flying by the punch, and it wasn¡¯t until he hit the ground that a cracking sound was heard. It turned out the iron chains binding him had broken! The sutra stone hit the ground. At this moment, Hui Nian spat out another mouthful of blood and then nodded at Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue truly has divine cultivation! This monk admires you!¡± Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Hui Nian, ¡°Being able to heal your Divine Sense¡¯s injury within a day suggests that your Buddhist Sect¡¯s divine skills do have their merits!¡± Hui Nian¡¯s gaze was clear; he had certainly realized that the person who had erased his Divine Sense last night was Xue An! Meanwhile, many people had started to whisper amongst themselves. ¡°Heaven above, is this man the same Mr. Xue that killed Yu Yuanyi?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be anyone else! How else could he be so powerful?¡± ¡°But he¡¯s too arrogant! Is he really challenging everyone?¡± ¡°Shh, just watch!¡± And Xue An bowed his head to look at the sutra stone and smiled faintly, ¡°Using a sutra stone to suppress the Heart Demon inside you, eh?¡± This statement caused Hui Nian¡¯s expression to change drastically. Xue An then said, ¡°Unfortunately, the more you suppress the Heart Demon, the stronger it becomes. I guess¡­ you must have fallen into demonic ways by now!¡± As expected! Hui Nian¡¯s eyes instantly turned blood red. His aura increased not by a double, but tenfold! ¡°Heeheeheehee,¡± after a spine-chilling and bizarre laughter, a voice cold as the grave followed, ¡°You have good insight, but you still have to die!¡± Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 145: You Actually Call Her Trash? Chapter 145: Chapter 145: You Actually Call Her Trash? Translator: 549690339 Hui Nian¡¯s voice had changed! All present had their colors drained from their faces. But Xue An laughed lightly, ¡°A mere demon from beyond our realm dares to spout such madness?¡± These words made the demon-possessed Hui Nian falter in expression, then with some astonishment he said, ¡°You¡­ who are you? How do you know about the demons from beyond our realm?¡± Xue An revealed his handsome canines with a menacing grin, ¡°Is it that surprising? Because¡­ I¡¯ve always known!¡± After speaking, Xue An raised his fist and said faintly, ¡°The second punch, Divide Yin and Yang!¡± This punch was like a vast ocean, completely enveloping Hui Nian. At this moment, Hui Nian seemed stunned, murmuring to himself, ¡°Divide Yin and Yang¡­¡± Suddenly, his body trembled, and then he looked at Xue An with extreme terror, ¡°This is the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques, you are¡­¡± The rest of his words never had a chance to come out. Because with that punch, Xue An had turned Hui Nian to dust. The demon from beyond our realm that had possessed Hui Nian, was also blown to nothingness, and in its dying moments, the arrogantly confident demon didn¡¯t even dare to resist. It was filled with nothing but fear and regret! Because it knew that this man, was someone that not even the demon gods from beyond should provoke. Hui Nian lay dead. Xue An withdrew his fist, his gaze sweeping over all those present. ¡°Now, is there anyone else who objects? Come all at once! I¡¯m short on time!¡± The area fell into complete silence. Many were subdued by Xue An¡¯s aura. After all, the moment Xue An stepped up, he had killed three people in succession! Such momentum was indeed astonishing! And just then, someone applauded and laughed, ¡°Good! What a powerful move!¡± Following the voice, Yuan Zongfeng slowly stepped onto the stage. Was the Yuan Family of Jibei finally making a move? And it wasn¡¯t just him; many Sect disciples silently followed him onto the stage and all stood behind Yuan Zongfeng. Shi Xueqing paled, her heart fluttering with anxiety. She thought Xue An was being too arrogant. Even if he was powerful, he couldn¡¯t possibly be a match for so many people! Yu Ming, meanwhile, held his sword at the ready, preparing for the worst. If Xue An were defeated, then he himself would have to rush forward! At this time, Yuan Zongfeng looked at Xue An and spoke slowly, ¡°I never thought that the one who killed the Sword Immortal of Lingnan would be such a young person! And with a Cultivation Level that has reached the divine, truly impressive!¡± Xue An stood with his hands behind his back, his expression neither sad nor happy, ¡°Are you done speaking?¡± Yuan Zongfeng¡¯s expression froze; he had not wanted to step forward. He valued his life greatly. From down below, he had seen that Xue An was ruthlessly decisive, sparing no one in his strikes. Why would he court misfortune by challenging him? It would be better to bring everyone up on stage, exchange some pleasantries, and if they could win this person over¡­ That would be the most perfect outcome. But Xue An did not give him any face. Yuan Zongfeng secretly gritted his teeth, ¡°Mr. Xue, you¡¯ve killed three individuals in succession, you must be exhausted by now. Perhaps we could continue this another day?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°My hands are not yet dry from blood, now is a good time. No more words, I¡­¡± Before Xue An could finish, Shu Ying¡¯er had already walked in front of Yuan Zongfeng, her face showing a hint of admiration for the strong. ¡°Mr. Xue, we have no grievances or hatred between us, why start such a huge battle?¡± Xue An¡¯s expression was cold; he did not want to speak, but suddenly, he noticed the bracelet on Shu Ying¡¯er¡¯s wrist. He then stood there, stunned. A long period of silence ensued. So long that Shu Ying¡¯er and Yuan Zongfeng along with others exchanged glances, unsure of what was happening. It was then, Xue An spoke with a hint of a tremble, ¡°You¡­ Where did you get that bracelet?¡± Shu Ying¡¯er was taken aback, raising her arm to say, ¡°Mr. Xue, are you perhaps referring to this? This is just a piece of junk from our Moonwatching Pavilion that¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence. Because Xue An exuded a world-shocking murderous aura. This aura was so intense that it caused all the grass and trees within ten miles to snap from their roots, and even the Fulong Mountain beneath their feet to creak ominously. Such a murderous aura also made Yuan Zongfeng and the others turn pale in unison. At that moment, Xue An slowly rose, standing in midair, and with a voice like a devil from hell, eerily said, ¡°Trash¡­ ha ha, you actually call her trash?¡± As he spoke, Xue An began to cry. His tears fell, stirring the very heavens and earth. Many people felt terrified, unsure of what Xue An was about to do. Yuan Zongfeng and Kong Yuandai exchanged glances, each seeing the fear in the other¡¯s eyes. With gritted teeth, Yuan Zongfeng decided, ¡°He¡¯s gone mad, now¡¯s the chance, let¡¯s all strike together!¡± Having said that, he was the first to rush forward. The numerous sect disciples behind him followed closely. And so, a bizarre spectacle unfolded before everyone. Xue An stood in midair, while below him, hundreds of sect disciples surged forward. Under the bloody setting sun, the scene was all the more tragic and ruthless. Shi Xueqing felt her heartbeat stop, her lips bitten to the point of bleeding. With a fierce stomp, she too prepared to rush forward. She understood clearly, even if it meant death, she could not stand idly by and watch Xue An being surrounded! But just then, Yu Ming suddenly grabbed her arm, shook his head with a fearful expression, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Shi Xueqing didn¡¯t understand what was happening. She was about to ask when she felt rain falling from the sky. When she touched it with her hand, she realized it was blood. She looked up. She saw those who had charged into the sky, attempting to kill Xue An, were like birds mown down by a machine gun, fluttering down. The blood exploded like fireworks, body after body bursting open. This bizarre and cruelly beautiful scene left Shi Xueqing dumbfounded. At that moment, Yuan Zongfeng finally made his move. He had been hiding behind the crowd the whole time, preparing to use their lives to deplete Xue An¡¯s strength. Now, thinking the time was right, he moved behind Xue An and mustered all his power, raising his palm. He struck out fiercely with his palm. This supremely powerful strike, engulfed with a Sha aura, went straight towards Xue An¡¯s back. A smug look flashed in Yuan Zongfeng¡¯s eyes. As long as he killed Xue An, he would be the undisputed champion of the Immortal Gate assembly! But the next second, his smile and pride froze. Because Xue An had already turned his head to look at him quietly. In that moment of eye contact, Yuan Zongfeng felt an overwhelming panic. A strong sense of crisis made him turn to run. But Xue An, as if swatting a fly, casually waved his hand. With a burst, Yuan Zongfeng¡¯s head soared into the sky. His soul fled from the stump of his neck, not daring to look back, running towards the north. Xue An didn¡¯t even blink an eyelid, but with a flick of his finger. Snap! Yuan Zongfeng¡¯s soul shattered, dissipating into nothingness! In ten flicks of a finger. All the sect disciples who had charged into the sky were gone, their lives extinguished. Blood and corpses covered the entire platform. In midair, only the godlike and demon-like Xue An remained, with the completely petrified Shu Ying¡¯er in his hand. At this point, Xue An lowered his head, looked at Shu Ying¡¯er, and indifferently asked, ¡°Now, tell me! Where is your sect?¡± Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 146: I Refine the Red Lotus with My Blood (Two More Chapters) Chapter 146: Chapter 146: I Refine the Red Lotus with My Blood (Two More Chapters) Translator: 549690339 Shu Ying¡¯er¡¯s entire body was trembling, unable to comprehend how this man could be so formidable. No matter how the descendants of the Hidden Immortal Sect attacked together, they couldn¡¯t subdue him! Especially the death of Yuan Zongfeng, which truly terrified her to the core. ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Xue¡­,¡± Shu Ying¡¯er stammered tremblingly, wanting to say more. Impatient, Xue An stretched out his hand and pressed it directly on top of her head. His overpowering Divine Sense, like a force obliterating dried weeds, began to forcefully search through Shu Ying¡¯er¡¯s memories. After a moment, the murderous intention rising from Xue An surged even more violently, almost becoming tangible. ¡°Good, very good! You actually had her sweep the floor? And bullied her for two whole years? Heh!¡± His tone was as cold as ancient ice. Shu Ying¡¯er felt an extreme headache and her fear of Xue An¡¯s expression intensified. The one he was looking for¡­ was it actually that useless person? At this moment, Xue An landed on the ground, and with a wave of his hand, all the bodies and bloodstains on the high platform burst into white flames. In an instant, all the bodies were reduced to ashes. Following that, Xue An lifted the secret technique that concealed his daughter. ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Both daughters noticed something abnormal about Xue An at the same time. Xue An smiled, but his smile was filled with sorrow and longing. In a soft voice, he said, ¡°Daddy is fine. Let¡¯s go, daddy will take you to find mommy!¡± ¡°Are we going now?¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Lian asked excitedly. Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes, right now!¡± With that said, Xue An held both his daughters in his arms. He didn¡¯t kill Shu Ying¡¯er because he intended to take this woman to meet An Yan. In front of An Yan, he would kill everyone who had bullied her! Xue An held his two daughters with one hand and grasped Shu Ying¡¯er with the other, then, with a forceful stomp, the ground beneath Fulong Mountain let out a mournful cry. Xue An, like a beam of light, shot into the sky and vanished! Shi Xueqing and Yu Ming watched, dumbfounded. They did not understand what had gotten into Xue An! Just then, tremendous cracking sounds came from beneath Fulong Mountain, and huge fissures spread, causing the mountain to shatter thunderously. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Yu Ming pulled Shi Xueqing, and both quickly left Fulong Mountain. At that moment. A white figure appeared in Lingnan City looking quite bedraggled. It was none other than Jin Chengsuo, the foreign youth with the demon blade from H country. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, relieved that he had run fast enough. Lucky for him, he had sensed something amiss early and made his escape. Otherwise, he too would have perished there! That man was simply too terrifying! Jin Chengsuo let out a sigh of relief, calmed his mind, and then looked up towards the distant Rain God Temple, his lips curling into a smug smile. ¡°Quite an unexpected find, to discover such a little god, heh. If slain, the benefits to my future cultivation would be tremendous!¡± As he mused, Jin Chengsuo slowly disappeared from the spot. Moonwatching Pavilion. Yue Wushuang felt an inexplicable unease today, as if something was about to happen. After offering incense to the ancestral tablets, she was about to bow when the stick of incense unexpectedly broke. She was startled. What¡¯s going on? Then she noticed blood slowly seeping from the ancestral tablets as if someone was weeping. These omens weighed heavily on Yue Wushuang. After exiting the temple, ¡°Master!¡± The many disciples greeted her with deep respect. Yue Wushuang nodded, ¡°How many days has it been since your senior sister left?¡± ¡°Master, the senior sister has been gone for three days, and today should be the day of the Immortal Gate assembly!¡± they replied. Yue Wushuang¡¯s expression grew somber, and with a wave of her hand, she said, ¡°I understand, you may go about your business.¡± The disciples dispersed, and Yue Wushuang turned to return to the great hall, then noticed on the plaza a figure holding a broom, head bowed, sweeping the ground. Yue Wushuang¡¯s gaze lingered and then she shook her head. This woman was whom she had picked up on her travels three years ago. Because of her exceptional talent, Yue Wushuang valued her very highly at that time. However, later she discovered that the woman seemed to have been sealed by something, unable to cultivate any cultivation technique. Not only that, but the woman was like mute, never speaking a word. Later on, Yue Wushuang gradually lost interest and simply stopped inquiring. She also occasionally heard that some disciples bullied the woman, but didn¡¯t take it seriously. Yue Wushuang turned around to enter the grand hall. There was a faint sound of wind and thunder coming from the sky. Yue Wushuang was startled and couldn¡¯t help but look up. She saw a beam of light speeding towards them. When it reached above the Moonwatching Pavilion, the light abruptly stopped. Only then did Yue Wushuang realize that this light was actually a person! She couldn¡¯t help but be slightly astonished. Who is this person? Why has he come to the Moonwatching Pavilion? Of course, it was Xue An. Following the direction from Shu Ying¡¯er¡¯s memories, he flew over a thousand miles directly to the Moonwatching Pavilion. Standing midair, his expression was cold, his eyes seeming to burn with two flames. Xue An was about to descend. Hum. A blue light screen flashed by, blocking Xue An. The Mountain Protection Array. At this moment, Yue Wushuang secretly breathed a sigh of relief; with the Mountain Protection Array, non-members of the Moonwatching Pavilion could not enter at all. But her relief lasted only for a second. ¡°Break for me!¡± No sooner had he spoken than Xue An stomped down. The Mountain Protection Array was as fragile as an eggshell under Xue An¡¯s foot and immediately shattered. Xue An then landed directly on the ground and threw Shu Ying¡¯er down. Only then did Yue Wushuang realize that her senior disciple had been captured by this man. ¡°Who are you? Why do you trespass on our Immortal Gate?¡± Yue Wushuang¡¯s face was solemn, for she sensed the unfathomably deep aura emanating from Xue An. Xue An didn¡¯t pay attention to her because his gaze had fallen on a woman not far away, who was lowering her head to sweep the floor. Xue An¡¯s eyes gradually softened, his expression a mix of sadness and joy. Meanwhile, red snowflakes began to drift in the sky. This was the heavens and the earth being moved by Xue An¡¯s Heart Realm. Xue An slowly approached her and, with a slight choke in his voice, called out, ¡°Yan¡¯er, I¡­ I¡¯m back!¡± His voice was not loud, but the woman trembled all over, then slowly lifted her head, her beautiful cheeks full of confusion. Xue An looked at her, tears uncontrollably falling down, then he reached out his hand and gently caressed her face. ¡°An Yan, it¡¯s me! I¡¯m back!¡± Light flickered in An Yan¡¯s vacant eyes, and her expression gradually became agitated. ¡°Xue¡­ Xue An.¡± Her voice was hoarse and rough, as though she hadn¡¯t spoken in a long time. But it was this faint call that made Xue An cry even harder; meanwhile, everything within a ten-foot radius froze. Then it gradually crumbled, shattered, and eventually turned to dust, disappearing without a trace. Xue An stepped forward and embraced An Yan tightly, his voice choked with sobs, ¡°I¡¯m here, don¡¯t be afraid! I¡¯m here! Nobody will dare to bully you again!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were also in tears, mother and children connected by the heart; although they had never seen An Yan since they were born, at this moment, they felt that this woman was indeed their mother. An Yan¡¯s rigid body softened in Xue An¡¯s arms, tears wetting his chest, and then she fell into a deep sleep. Xue An knew she had been too tired over these four years! Sleep then! When you wake up, I¡¯ll take you home! Xue An kissed An Yan¡¯s forehead. Then he turned his head to look at the dumbfounded Yue Wushuang. ¡°You¡­ all deserve to die!¡± Saying this, Xue An¡¯s eyes were filled with blood red. ¡°Gods and demons of The Multiverse, heed my command, with my blood, I refine the Red Lotus!¡± Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Returning Home (4 updates) Chapter 148: Chapter 148: Returning Home (4 updates) Translator: 549690339 Beijiang. It was already deep into the night, and many people were sound asleep. Suddenly, the sky seemed to rumble with the sound of rolling thunder. Is it going to rain? Awakened by the noise, this thought crossed many people¡¯s minds before they turned over and fell back into sleep. However, many martial artists almost simultaneously opened their eyes. And all of them wore a look of shock on their faces. Because they had all sensed an overwhelmingly powerful presence arriving in Beijiang. Who? Who could possess such a domineering and formidable presence? Many people were troubled by this question. Meanwhile, at the North Town Martial Arts School, Tan Xiaoyu abruptly pushed open her father¡¯s room door, walking in with a look of shock on her face. ¡°Father¡­¡± Tan Dong had also been awakened, and was sitting solemnly on the edge of his bed. Seeing his daughter enter, he gestured with his hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need to talk, I¡¯ve already sensed it!¡± A flash of horror crossed Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes, ¡°Is it¡­ him?¡± Tan Dong nodded firmly, ¡°Absolutely no mistake!¡± Tan Xiaoyu fell silent. Tan Dong stood up, his eyes shimmering with admiration and respect. ¡°He¡¯s back!¡± That¡¯s right. Xue An had returned. When he said he was taking An Yan back home, he did not mean returning to Lingnan. He was returning to Beijiang, to their original home. To do this, Xue An traveled thousands of miles in a little over an hour, rushing back to Beijiang overnight. After landing, Xue An looked up at the shabby apartment complex, his eyes brimming with tenderness. There was a time when he and An Yan lived here, going out early and coming back late, bustling for their livelihood. But those days had been happy. Later on, Xue An lived in many luxurious homes, but none gave him the feeling of a home. Xue An opened the door, laid the still sleeping An Yan on the bed, and placed their two daughters by her side. Just as he was about to stand up, Xue An felt a hand gripping his own tightly. Looking down, it was An Yan¡¯s hand. Even in sleep, An Yan¡¯s grip was firm. At the same time, it seemed as if An Yan was murmuring in her dream. ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t leave me, please¡­ don¡¯t leave me!¡± Xue An¡¯s nose tingled, he sucked in a breath sharply, bent down to kiss An Yan, and then whispered in her ear, ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, I won¡¯t leave, and from now on, I will always be with you!¡± An Yan gradually calmed down, and the gloom on her forehead lessened considerably as she continued to sleep soundly. And Xue An maintained his position, silently gazing at An Yan. She had lost weight. A lot of weight! And her complexion was also somewhat pale. Clearly, these two years had not been kind to her! She had probably been missing him all the time, missing their two little girls too. And she had also been bullied. Every time he thought of this, Xue An¡¯s heart twisted in pain. Xue An¡¯s hand gently rested on An Yan¡¯s arm, wanting to use his cultivation to cleanse her marrow. But suddenly. His expression darkened, his eyelids twitched wildly, and a fierce killing intent surged forth. Because he discovered that An Yan¡¯s meridians had been sealed. This meant that An Yan would be unable to cultivate. And this seal emits an odd aura, like that of a deity but not quite, mixed with a mysterious and powerful force. With Xue An¡¯s current level of cultivation, he was not confident that he could break the seal without harming An Yan. Xue An took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. No matter what it took, even if he had to search the heavens and earth, he would find the person who sealed his wife¡¯s root and turn them to ash. Apart from the seal, An Yan¡¯s body was very normal; besides appearing slightly haggard from days and nights of longing, there were no other injuries. Xue An examined her very carefully. He even utilized Origin Power with Supreme Divine Consciousness, to conduct a comprehensive physical check-up on An Yan, bit by bit. A night passed. The morning sunlight streamed in. An Yan¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly before she slowly opened them. The first thing she saw was Xue An¡¯s smiling face. An Yan was stunned, then closed her eyes again, with a weeping tone she said, ¡°It¡¯s a dream again, isn¡¯t it? Why can¡¯t I forget you? I keep dreaming about you, then waking up from those dreams time and time again!¡± These words completely crushed Xue An¡¯s emotional defenses. He had thought that three thousand years of cultivation had made his heart as solid as a rock. But An Yan easily shattered that so-called spiritual resilience. Xue An tried his best not to cry, he smiled faintly and said, ¡°Yan¡¯er, this time it¡¯s not a dream. It¡¯s really me¡ªI¡¯ve come back!¡± An Yan, somewhat in disbelief, peeked through a slit of her eyes as if afraid that Xue An would disappear. Xue An stretched out his hand and gently pinched An Yan¡¯s nose, smiling helplessly, ¡°Still don¡¯t believe it? It¡¯s really me!¡± An Yan sprang up from the bed and threw herself into Xue An¡¯s arms. Xue An caressed her trembling back, his face full of guilt. Meanwhile, An Yan suddenly bit hard on Xue An¡¯s chest with all her strength. Severe pain swept over him, but Xue An laughed instead. ¡°Wife, it¡¯s truly me, this time it¡¯s really not an illusion!¡± As the words fell. An Yan burst into loud sobs. While crying, she pounded forcefully on Xue An¡¯s chest. ¡°Why did you only come back now¡­ Four years¡­ Where have you been for four years? They said you were dead, but I didn¡¯t believe it, because you promised¡­ to make me the happiest bride. You big liar! Big liar!¡± An Yan said almost hysterically. Xue An allowed her fists to hit his body, his face showing nothing but distress. ¡°What happened in these four years is a very long story, I will tell you all about it!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t finish, Because An Yan kissed him on the lips. Three thousand years seemed to rewind at this moment. Xue An¡¯s gaze softened gradually, as if returning to the first time he met An Yan. Crying, sadness, all gradually disappeared. What remained was endless romance. This kiss felt as lengthy as a century, yet as brief as a blink of an eye. ¡°Daddy, what are you doing?¡± A childlike voice sounded. An Yan stiffened, then slowly turned around to look at the two little girls, bleary-eyed, just awakened from sleep. An Yan had not seen them even once since giving birth. Four years. To a mother, this was incredibly cruel. An Yan, with trembling hands, gently touched Xue Xiang and Nian Nian¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Which one of you is the older sister, and which is the younger sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the older sister!¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°I¡¯m the younger sister!¡± Nian Nian said. An Yan smiled, her smile filled with bitterness. ¡°Are you¡­ our mommy?¡± Xue Xiang asked timidly. An Yan nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes! I am your mommy!¡± Tears welled up in the big eyes of Xue Xiang and Nian Nian as they threw themselves into An Yan¡¯s arms, saying with much grievance, ¡°Mommy, why didn¡¯t you come to find us? We thought you didn¡¯t want us!¡± An Yan shook her head, her face a mixture of guilt and bitterness, ¡°How could mommy not want you? The thing mommy misses the most every day is you!¡± As she spoke, An Yan took out two porcelain dolls from her pocket that were worn and polished from handling. ¡°When I missed you, I would take these out. Look, the one with a single braid is Xiang Xiang, and the one with two braids is Nian Nian!¡± Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 149: One Man Subdues an Entire Realm (Additional Update) Chapter 149: Chapter 149: One Man Subdues an Entire Realm (Additional Update) Translator: 549690339 Two little porcelain dolls embodied all of An Yan¡¯s longings. Xue An¡¯s eyes felt sore, and then he chuckled, ¡°Alright, Mom is back now! Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, are you happy?¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian nodded together, ¡°Happy!¡± ¡°At noon, Dad is going to make you some delicious food! Isn¡¯t that even more exciting?¡± Xue Nian¡¯s eyes widened, and she nodded vigorously, ¡°Mmm-hmm, Dad, I¡¯m so happy right now!¡± Xue Xiang scowled with a little face, and tapped his sister¡¯s head, ¡°All you think about is eating!¡± This scene couldn¡¯t help but make An Yan laugh as well. ¡°I¡¯ll cook! My dear wife, what would you like to eat?¡± Xue An asked cheerfully. An Yan stood up, ¡°Let me do it, you don¡¯t know how to cook.¡± Back when they were together, it was mostly An Yan who did the cooking. Xue An shook his head firmly, ¡°How dare you underestimate this great chef, I¡¯ll show you what the number one chef in The Multiverse Realms is like in a moment!¡± In the kitchen. Xue An juggled the kitchen knife as if performing a trick, almost making it bloom with his skill. All kinds of dishes were also effortlessly prepared. An Yan leaned against the door frame, watching quietly. In the living room, the two little girls were watching TV. The aroma of the food mixed with the sound of the television, creating a warmth called home. An Yan closed her eyes, thinking silently to herself, even if this is a dream, I¡¯ll accept it. And just then, Xue An came up to her ear and whispered, ¡°Open your eyes and see what this is?¡± An Yan slowly opened her eyes, only to see a dazzling Blood Pearl in Xue An¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Xue An said with a smile. An Yan nodded. Xue An had long since crafted the Blood Pearl into a necklace, ¡°Come! Let me put it on for you!¡± Saying this, Xue An put the necklace around An Yan¡¯s neck. The Blood Pearl dangled from An Yan¡¯s delicate collarbone, shining brilliantly, so beautiful it was dizzying. Xue An looked at it, somewhat entranced, ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± A blush spread across An Yan¡¯s pale face as she lowered her head and fidgeted with the hem of her clothes shyly. ¡°Ah, the food is burning!¡± Xue An suddenly smelled something burning and quickly turned around to rescue the meal. An Yan watched Xue An¡¯s busy figure, feeling an unprecedented sense of security in her heart. He had changed! Yet he hadn¡¯t. He had become mature and assertive. What hadn¡¯t changed was his feelings for her. Because eyes can¡¯t lie. ¡°Alright, dinner is ready!¡± Xue An brought all the dishes to the table, and the family sat down together. Xue An suddenly said, ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Then he walked out to the balcony, hanging a string of firecrackers out of the window. The firecrackers were lit, the crackling sounds filling the air and making the atmosphere lively. After setting off the firecrackers, Xue An returned to the table and smiled slightly, ¡°My wife! Welcome home!¡± Just as Xue An and An Yan were basking in the warmth and joy of their long-awaited reunion, a bomb seemed to have been dropped in the Martial Arts World and the Hidden Immortal Sect, causing an uproar. The first shocking news was that Xue An had killed almost all the disciples of the Immortal Gates at the spiritual conference. Many small sects were even wiped out. Larger sects also suffered heavy losses. Naturally, this sent shockwaves in all directions. Many large sects were quick to react, each declaring they would not rest until they had killed Xue An. In the north, Yuan Chengyu sat in his chair, his face full of murderous intent. In his drooping hand, numerous Yuan Family elders were still seated. The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. Smack! Someone slammed their hand down on the table angrily, ¡°Has our Yuan Family ever suffered such a humiliation? Zong Feng was the successor we carefully groomed, and he was just killed like that? No, we must have our revenge for this!¡± The speaker was a Yuan Family elder. His words also garnered much agreement from the others. ¡°Right! Exactly!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe those rumors out there, saying that Xue An alone killed all the disciples of the Immortal Gate. That¡¯s just a joke!¡± The crowd was buzzing with discussions. Yuan Chengyu¡¯s face was as still as water, and after a while, he slowly said, ¡°How have the other Sects responded?¡± ¡°The Bitter Zen Temple is maintaining silence, and Night Demon Valley isn¡¯t making a sound either, only Shura Island is clamoring for revenge!¡± Yuan Chengyu said indifferently, ¡°It seems many are just waiting to watch the tigers fight from the safety of their mountain!¡± Someone sneered, ¡°Just a Xue An after all, although indeed quite formidable, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s any kind of tiger!¡± The people nodded. It was at this moment that a steward, his face pale and his steps hurried, rushed in. ¡°Family Head!¡± Yuan Chengyu slightly furrowed his brow, ¡°What¡¯s with all the panic? What happened?¡± The chief steward swallowed hard, hesitating. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Speak!¡± Yuan Chengyu picked up a cup of tea and sipped it slowly. Only then did the chief steward grit his teeth, ¡°Reporting back to the Family Head, the news we just received, Moonwatching Pavilion¡­ is gone!¡± ¡°Moonwatching Pavilion is gone? What do you mean?¡± Yuan Chengyu had not yet grasped the meaning. The chief steward¡¯s face was ashen, ¡°It means just what it sounds like, Moonwatching Pavilion¡­ no longer exists!¡± Yuan Chengyu¡¯s expression gradually solidified, ¡°No longer exists?¡± The chief steward nodded, his eyes flickering with terror, ¡°Not only does Moonwatching Pavilion no longer exist, but even the mountain it was situated on¡­¡± ¡°What happened to the mountain?¡± Yuan Chengyu asked in a deep voice. ¡°The mountain has also turned into a flatland!¡± The people present gasped in shock. One person, full of disbelief, said, ¡°Chief steward, are you getting senile? How could a mountain turn into flat ground? Are you suggesting that overnight, the mountain grew legs and ran away?¡± The chief steward managed a bitter smile, ¡°I did not believe it at first either, but now, the news has spread far and wide, beyond doubt! And there is concrete information that the last person to be seen on that mountain¡­ was Xue An!¡± The room fell into dead silence. Many of those who were previously filled with scorn and arrogance now finally showed a look of panic. Though Moonwatching Pavilion was not the most powerful among the Hidden Immortal Sects, it was indeed considered a major faction. Yet, in one night, not even the mountain peak remained! What kind of terrifying power was this? After a long while, Yuan Chengyu said with a dry voice, ¡°Let¡¯s disperse for now, it seems this matter¡­ requires long-term consideration.¡± It was not just the Yuan Family. As the news spread, the Sects and noble families that were just clamoring for revenge all collectively fell silent. Because their hearts were filled with fear. What kind of methods did Xue An use to make such a vast mountain completely disappear? This collective silence brought about a strange situation in the Martial Arts World. It seemed that no one dared to talk much about Xue An any longer. This also left many feeling a profound sense of awe. Was Xue An alone subjugating the entire Martial Arts World? Meanwhile, at the Yu Family in Lingnan, the atmosphere was also somewhat peculiar. Yu Lang let out a soft sigh, ¡°Mr. Xue has not come back since he left?¡± Yu Ran nodded, ¡°I have just asked Ma Cheng; he hasn¡¯t returned!¡± Yu Lang then looked towards Shi Xueqing, who had a blank expression on her face. ¡°Miss Shi, do you know where Mr. Xue has gone?¡± Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Little Beauty, I’m Here! (2nd update) Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Little Beauty, I¡¯m Here! (2nd update) Translator: 549690339 Tang Xuan¡¯er led Xiao Sha out of the hospital¡¯s main entrance and stood by the roadside waiting for a car. There was a street vendor selling grilled sausages nearby. The rich aroma of meat made Xiao Sha stare longingly, with drool nearly dripping out. Tang Xuan¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but shake her head and chuckled lightly; she knew all about Xiao Sha¡¯s little secrets. So whenever she saw it rolling around and acting cute for the sake of delicious food, Tang Xuan¡¯er thought the scene was simply too bizarre. Tang Xuan¡¯er crouched down and whispered, ¡°At least try to keep up some appearances; you¡¯re a dragon, after all.¡± Xiao Sha hung its head a little aggrievedly, grumbling inwardly. It truly was a dragon, but for the hundreds of years in the Black Water Pond, what had it eaten every day! Nothing but raw fish and wild rabbits! Without even a pinch of salt. You can imagine what that tasted like. Now it had finally come to this colorful world and tasted various delicacies, wasn¡¯t it allowed to eat a little more? Seeing Xiao Sha like this, Tang Xuan¡¯er felt both heartache and amusement. ¡°Alright, alright! Just this once, okay?¡± With that, Tang Xuan¡¯er approached the stand, ¡°Let¡¯s have¡­ twenty grilled sausages, please!¡± The vendor broke into a smile upon seeing Tang Xuan¡¯er, ¡°Miss Tang, are you buying these for the dog again? I¡¯m telling you, you shouldn¡¯t spoil that Pekingese too much; eating like this, it will get fat sooner or later!¡± Xiao Sha thought if Tang Xuan¡¯er weren¡¯t around, it would certainly tear this guy¡¯s mouth to shreds. But with hot grilled sausages in its mouth, all the grievances dissipated like smoke. As Xiao Sha was enjoying its food to the fullest, a man and a woman crossed the street from the opposite side. The couple were about fifty years old, with faces full of stinging sarcasm. Upon seeing Tang Xuan¡¯er standing by the roadside, their eyes lit up and they hurriedly waved. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er! Xuan¡¯Er! It¡¯s us!¡± When Tang Xuan¡¯er heard the shouting and looked up, her complexion turned pale at the sight of the couple. By then, the two had crossed the road and come up to Tang Xuan¡¯er. The plump woman bared her teeth in laughter first, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, I haven¡¯t seen you in years, and look how beautiful you¡¯ve grown?¡± A flash of annoyance crossed Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s eyes, but she took a deep breath and replied softly, ¡°Auntie!¡± ¡°Ah! Hehe, Xuan¡¯Er, your uncle and I came specially to find you today!¡± ¡°To find me?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er frowned. The couple was indeed Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s uncle Jiao Ying and aunt Zhu Feng. However, Tang Xuan¡¯er did not have a good relationship with them. Especially a few years ago, after the accidental deaths of Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s parents, this couple used all sorts of despicable means to seize the inheritance that rightfully belonged to Tang Xuan¡¯er. At the time, Tang Xuan¡¯er was too young and clueless about these matters. By the time she came to understand things, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with such people. Jiao Ying laughed at this moment, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, you are my niece after all, and your uncle has always cared about you. You see, you¡¯re not getting any younger; it¡¯s time you found a good family¡­¡± Zhu Feng continued, ¡°Your uncle¡¯s right. Look, the young master of the company your uncle works for saw your picture and is very interested in you!¡± Jiao Ying added, ¡°Hehe, this guy is no ordinary person; he¡¯s from the Beijiang Deng Family. Do you know the Deng Family? A good half of all car 4S stores in Beijiang are theirs! Their assets are counted in the billions!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er finally understood; it turned out her relatives were here to arrange a match for her! Tang Xuan¡¯er was so angry that her lips turned a bit white. After years of neglect, they now treated her as though she was merchandise, wanting to sell her off? ¡°Sorry, I have absolutely no interest in whatever this Deng Family is,¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er said coldly. Jiao Ying was stunned by the rebuff, but Zhu Feng, thick-skinned as ever, seemed unfazed by the chilly words and, instead, wore a face full of sorrow as she spoke. ¡°Xuan¡¯er, I know, it was wrong of your aunt and me to have hurt you in the past. We¡¯ve been filled with remorse these past two years. Look, we¡¯ve taken good care of your parents¡¯ inheritance, just waiting to return it all to you when you get married!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er was taken aback, ¡°Aunt¡­¡± Zhu Feng¡¯s tears started to fall, ¡°Xuan¡¯er, please don¡¯t be mad at us anymore. This matchmaking is only because your uncle thinks you¡¯ve had a hard time drifting outside, and he wanted to find you a good family!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er shook her head, ¡°Thanks for your kindness, but I won¡¯t be going!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er clenched her silver teeth, ¡°There¡¯s no why; I just don¡¯t feel like going on a blind date right now.¡± Zhu Feng and Jiao Ying exchanged glances, their faces full of disappointment and resentment. ¡°How about this then, if you don¡¯t want to go out, that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just meet at home, what do you say?¡± Zhu Feng, seeing an opportunity, quickly suggested. ¡°At home?¡± ¡°Yes! How about at the place you¡¯re living now? Your uncle and I will accompany you. It¡¯s just a simple meeting. Deng Shao said whether it works out or not, just consider it making a new friend!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er wanted to refuse, but Zhu Feng was already pushing her to go home without waiting for a reply. Seeing this, Xiao Sha swallowed the sausage it was chewing and pounced fiercely. In its eyes, since Tang Xuan¡¯er fed it every day and was so familiar with its master, anyone who dared to bully her would have to face the wrath of Dragon King! ¡°Xiao Sha! Don¡¯t!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er hurriedly exclaimed. If it collided now, Zhu Feng wouldn¡¯t die but would surely be severely injured. Xiao Sha landed reluctantly and glared at the two menacingly. Zhu Feng cursed inwardly, not considering the Pekingese a big deal at all. ¡°Xuan¡¯er, please, pity us. Deng Shao is your uncle¡¯s direct superior at work. It¡¯s just a meeting, and if you¡¯re unwilling, you can leave right after. Okay?¡± Zhu Feng pleaded with a pitiful look. Tang Xuan¡¯er, her heart softening, could only nod with resignation, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll meet at home!¡± ¡°Great!¡± Zhu Feng and Jiao Ying couldn¡¯t help but laugh with joy. Tang Xuan¡¯er called Xiao Sha over, feeling more assured in her heart. With Xiao Sha by her side, she knew her safety was guaranteed. Of course, they couldn¡¯t go to Number One Tian Villa; after thinking it over, Tang Xuan¡¯er decided to head back to the residential compound first. After all, Xue An wasn¡¯t in Beijiang right now, and the place was still unoccupied. Making up her mind, Tang Xuan¡¯er got into her uncle¡¯s car and set off for the residential compound. When Deng Mao received the WeChat message from Jiao Ying, he couldn¡¯t help but get excited. Zhu Feng hadn¡¯t told the truth. Deng Mao hadn¡¯t seen Tang Xuan¡¯er from a photo; instead, he had stumbled upon her at the hospital a few days earlier while visiting a patient. The moment Deng Mao saw her, he was struck by her heavenly beauty and began frantically digging into Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s background, only to unexpectedly discover that her maternal uncle worked at his family¡¯s company. This news delighted Deng Mao, who quickly approached Jiao Ying for more details. Jiao Ying was so thrilled he thought he might burst; the Deng Family¡¯s young master had taken an interest in his niece? This was incredible news! He and his wife immediately made up their minds to come find Tang Xuan¡¯er. Now that things had worked out, Deng Mao was naturally overjoyed. Looking at his own slicked and stylish reflection in the mirror, Deng Mao couldn¡¯t help smiling smugly to himself. Little beauty, wait for me ¨C I¡¯m on my way! Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Assembling the Heroes (3rd Update) Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Assembling the Heroes (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 Qin Family. It wasn¡¯t until today that Qin Yu learned An Yan had already returned to Beijiang. This revelation shocked her to the core, and she immediately prepared to go see An Yan. But she was stopped by Qin Yuan. ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Since Mr. Xue didn¡¯t make a big announcement and hasn¡¯t even gone to Number One Tian Villa but instead returned to his old neighborhood, it¡¯s clear he must have his own matters to attend to.¡± ¡°His own matters?¡± Qin Yu was still somewhat confused. Qin Yuan chuckled softly, then his expression gradually turned solemn, ¡°Do you know about the incident that occurred in Lingnan a few days ago?¡± Qin Yu nodded, ¡°I heard about it. Mr. Xue exterminated everyone at the Immortal Gate¡¯s grand meeting!¡± Speaking of this event, fear was evident on Qin Yu¡¯s face. Qin Yuan shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. I¡¯ve heard some even more secretive news!¡± ¡°What news?¡± A look of terror flashed across Qin Yuan¡¯s face as well. ¡°A major sect from the Hidden Immortal Sect has completely disappeared!¡± ¡°Completely disappeared?¡± Qin Yuan nodded, ¡°Everyone from that sect vanished, and even¡­ even the mountain where the sect was located has been leveled to the ground!¡± Qin Yu¡¯s eyes gradually widened, ¡°Grandfather, you mean¡­¡± Qin Yuan nodded with a wry smile, ¡°Although I was somewhat incredulous at the beginning, this news is absolutely certain, and the last person to appear at that sect was Mr. Xue!¡± Qin Yu gasped in shock. ¡°And¡­ Mr. Xue¡¯s such furious rage was likely because of a woman!¡± said Qin Yuan. Because of a woman? Qin Yu pondered, just what kind of woman could provoke Mr. Xue to such fury? Just then, Qin Yu felt her phone vibrate. When she took it out, she saw it was a message from An Yan. Qin Yu tensed up and hurriedly opened it. ¡°Come!¡± The message was just one word. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qin Yuan noticed his granddaughter¡¯s agitation and couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°It¡¯s a message from Mr. Xue. There¡¯s only one word: ¡®Come!¡¯¡± Qin Yu said blankly. Qin Yuan was slightly taken aback, then stood up, ¡°Go prepare the car!¡± ¡°Grandfather¡­¡± Qin Yu was still somewhat at a loss. Qin Yuan smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand Mr. Xue¡¯s intention? He¡¯s asking us to come over.¡± While saying this, Qin Yuan seemed to recall something, ¡°Remember to bring more things that women like! Jewelry, necklaces, the more precious the better!¡± ¡°Grandfather, are you saying¡­¡± Qin Yuan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Xue intends to announce to everyone that the mother of those two girls, his rightful wife, has returned!¡± Not only Qin Yu received a message from An Yan. Others, like Tan Dong and his daughter Tan Xiaoyu from the Town North Martial Arts School, Hua Xingyu and his granddaughter Hua Tingting, all received one as well. At the same time, in an inconspicuous little tavern in the provincial city. Shi Hao and Feng Chaochou sat opposite each other, drinking. Feng Chaochou put down his glass, smiled self-deprecatingly, ¡°Who would have thought that in the provincial city now, the only person willing to drink with me would be you!¡± Shi Hao smiled faintly, ¡°Feng Shao, I actually admire you quite a bit!¡± ¡°Admire me for what? For destroying my own clan?¡± Feng Chaochou said softly. Shi Hao sighed lightly, shaking his head, ¡°How could those vulgar mortals out there understand Feng Shao¡¯s thoughts?¡± ¡°Oh? What thoughts do I have?¡± asked Feng Chaochou with a slight smile. ¡°That day, Feng Shao was actually making a bet!¡± ¡°A bet on what?¡± Feng Chaochou¡¯s smile began to fade. ¡°A bet that Mr. Xue didn¡¯t care!¡± After this was said, the smile disappeared from Feng Chaochou¡¯s face. It took a long while before he slowly said, ¡°You¡¯re not too bad either!¡± Shi Hao raised his glass, his expression very solemn, ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve seen the truth. Only someone like Mr. Xue is worthy of being called a Divine Dragon above the nine heavens!¡± Feng Chaochou nodded, and the two drank the wine in their glasses in one gulp. Then fear appeared on Shi Hao¡¯s face, ¡°Feng Shao, have you heard the rumors?¡± Feng Chaochou nodded his head, ¡°Now, who in the Martial Arts World doesn¡¯t know?¡± Shi Hao forced a smile, ¡°But there¡¯s an even more explosive piece of news, which I think none of you are aware of!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Licking his cracked lips, Shi Hao¡¯s eyes were filled with terror, ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ he annihilated a Hidden Immortal Sect! The kind of total annihilation that doesn¡¯t even leave behind the sect¡¯s gate!¡± Hiss! Feng Chaochou gasped in cold air. At this moment, Shi Hao sighed deeply, ¡°It¡¯s laughable that I once thought of competing with Mr. Xue for prestige. Looking back, it was truly seeking death!¡± Feng Chaochou silently nodded his head, knowing he had harbored the same thoughts once! ¡°However, luckily both of us knew the times we¡¯re living in. Currently, in the provincial city, besides the Qin Family, it¡¯s just you and I!¡± Shi Hao spoke with considerable pride. What he said was indeed the truth. In today¡¯s provincial city, who didn¡¯t know the names of the Second Young Master Shi and Feng Shao, the Elder? Even within their own families, many decisions had to be made by the two of them. ¡°Come, a toast to Mr. Xue!¡± Feng Chaochou raised his glass. ¡°Right! A toast to Mr. Xue!¡± Shi Hao smiled and also raised his glass. Just as they were about to drink, both of their phones rang simultaneously. Glancing down, both were stunned, and then, forgetting their drinks, they hurriedly checked their phones. Both had received a message from An Yan. It was just one word: Come! Shi Hao and Feng Chaochou looked up at each other and, after a moment, their expressions turned solemn. ¡°Is Mr. Xue summoning us over?¡± Feng Chaochou asked after taking a deep breath. Shi Hao nodded, ¡°Mhm!¡± ¡°How far is it from the provincial city to Beijiang?¡± ¡°Roughly¡­ more than three hundred kilometers,¡± Shi Hao frowned. Feng Chaochou glanced at his watch, ¡°It¡¯s four o¡¯clock and three minutes in the afternoon now. Mr. Xue¡¯s intent must be for us to arrive before nightfall! But for more than three hundred kilometers, there¡¯s no way we¡¯ll make it by car¡­¡± Shi Hao waved his hand, his eyes gleaming with determination, ¡°If we can¡¯t make it by car, then we¡¯ll take a plane! When Mr. Xue calls, even if we have to fly, we¡¯ll get there!¡± Lao Xie¡¯s Restaurant. Auntie Pang was busy selecting vegetables, while Lao Xie found time amidst the bustle to enjoy some wine. Xie Jingjing was doing her homework in the back room. ¡°Drink just enough, if you overdo it, I¡¯ll see how you¡¯ll cook later!¡± Auntie Pang prattled on. Lao Xie didn¡¯t mind and cheerfully sipped on his drink. Just as he was relishing the moment, the phone rang. Lao Xie frowned; at this hour, it was likely another order coming through. He answered the call, but instead of an order, An Yan¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Uncle Xie!¡± Lao Xie was surprised, then became excited, ¡°Xiao An, what made you call?¡± The name Xiao An made the two women inside and outside the house prick up their ears! On the other end of the phone, Xiao An spoke with a smile, ¡°Nothing much, I¡¯m back in Beijiang now. Tonight, you and Auntie Pang should come over, An Yan is back!¡± An Yan¡­ Lao Xie froze for a moment, then exclaimed with great joy, ¡°Great! Great! You and your wife are finally reunited, this is a celebration! Auntie Pang and I will definitely be there!¡± After a brief exchange, Lao Xie hung up the phone. Auntie Pang, glowing with excitement, asked, ¡°Has Xiao An¡¯s wife returned?¡± Lao Xie nodded, then with a grand gesture, declared, ¡°Close the shop! Change clothes! Tonight we celebrate Xiao An and his wife¡¯s reunion.¡± Auntie Pang nodded her head and, feeling a stir in her heart, walked into the back room. Inside, she saw Xie Jingjing focused on her homework. Auntie Pang, feeling a bit relieved, softly said, ¡°Finish your homework and go change clothes. We¡¯re visiting Xiao An¡¯s home later.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Xie Jingjing answered in a low voice. After Auntie Pang turned to leave, large tears began to fall from Xie Jingjing¡¯s eyes, wetting the words on her notebook. Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 153: He is My Friend (4 Updates) Chapter 153: Chapter 153: He is My Friend (4 Updates) Translator: 549690339 Xue An hung up the phone and flashed a smile at An Yan, ¡°Uncle Xie and the others will come over later too!¡± An Yan said helplessly, ¡°Why make it such a big deal?¡± Xue An walked over and pulled An Yan into his arms, his chin gently resting on her small head. ¡°Because I want everyone to know¡­ you¡¯re my woman!¡± An Yan shuddered, then wrapped her arms around Xue An¡¯s waist and hummed softly in agreement. ¡°Didn¡¯t you call Xuan¡¯Er?¡± An Yan suddenly asked. Xue An smiled, ¡°She¡¯s now living in the Number One Tian Villa. We¡¯ll head over to find her later and give her a surprise!¡± An Yan nodded, her face full of guilt, ¡°At that time, I owe a lot to Xuan¡¯Er. Otherwise, I probably wouldn¡¯t have even made it off the operating table!¡± Xue An hugged An Yan tenderly, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, everything¡¯s behind us now. I¡¯ll make sure you and the children become the happiest women in the world!¡± Then An Yan leaned in close to Xue An¡¯s ear and whispered softly, ¡°And¡­ what about that movie star Fan Mengxue?¡± Xue An was taken aback. An Yan giggled like a little flower cat, ¡°The kids told me everything!¡± Xue An gave a wry smile, ¡°Yan¡¯er, between Meng Xue and me, there is really¡­¡± An Yan reached out to cover Xue An¡¯s mouth, gently shaking her head, her eyes filled with love, ¡°No need to explain, I understand.¡± She then said softly, ¡°I¡¯m not a narrow-minded woman. I know I¡¯m the only one in your heart, and that¡¯s enough! She¡¯s not a bad person either. There¡¯s nothing wrong with liking someone. Why not invite her over? It¡¯d be more fun to have her join the excitement, right?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Alright! Then I¡¯ll give her a call!¡± At that moment, Fan Mengxue was at a scenic location not too far from Beijiang, filming a new movie. After a long take was completed, the director nodded with satisfaction, poking his head out from behind the camera to smile and say, ¡°Meng Xue, you were brilliant in that scene, take a break!¡± Fan Mengxue nodded, wiping away the tears from the scene, then sat down on a nearby chair. The rest of the crew looked at her with admiring eyes. Many actors with far less reputation than Fan Mengxue had far greater temperaments and pretensions. But Fan Mengxue always remained approachable and her acting was unquestionably superb. Such an actress was naturally cherished by everyone in the crew. The male lead was played by a seasoned actor who had been famous for over a decade. He came over now, smiling, ¡°Meng Xue, your crying scene just now was so convincing I almost thought it was real!¡± Fan Mengxue nodded politely, ¡°Thank you!¡± The male actor leaned in a bit closer, ¡°With the weather being so hot, how about going for kebabs after we wrap up the shoot?¡± Fan Mengxue smiled slightly then shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯d rather not go!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± The smile on the male actor¡¯s face became a bit forced. ¡°Then¡­ how about we add each other on WeChat? We¡¯ve been filming together for quite some time and I still don¡¯t have your personal WeChat,¡± the male actor suggested as a second option. Fan Mengxue was about to refuse when her phone rang. She glanced at it and was taken aback. ¡°Meng Xue?¡± The male actor wanted to continue talking. Fan Mengxue stood up abruptly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have WeChat!¡± After saying this, Fan Mengxue turned and walked away, leaving the male actor standing there awkwardly. Fan Mengxue went off to the side, took a deep breath before answering the call. ¡°Meng Xue!¡± When Xue An¡¯s voice came through the phone, Fan Mengxue¡¯s nose tingled, and she almost burst into tears. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Come back to Beijiang tonight. I¡¯ve returned!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Fan Mengxue said without hesitation. ¡°An Yan¡¯s back too!¡± Xue An added. Fan Mengxue froze. An Yan¡­ That was a name she had always been afraid to think about. She¡¯s finally back? After a long while, Fan Mengxue wiped away the tears that had spilled over, smiled and said, ¡°Congratulations!¡± Xue An fell silent. ¡°I¡­,¡± Fan Mengxue really wanted to say she had something to attend to and wouldn¡¯t return, but she simply couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. Just then, An Yan whispered beside Xue An, ¡°Meng Xue, it¡¯s me, An Yan, come back, let¡¯s have dinner together!¡± Upon hearing this voice, Fan Mengxue¡¯s whole body shuddered, and then she said tremulously, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll come back now!¡± After Xue An hung up the phone, An Yan¡¯s hand gently stroked Xue An¡¯s waist, suddenly grabbing a piece of flesh and twisting it hard. A wave of sharp pain struck. Xue An grimaced in pain, feigning a look of agony. In reality, the force of An Yan¡¯s hand felt no more than a tickle to Xue An. Moreover, Xue An had to be careful to control himself; otherwise, a reflex could easily hurt An Yan. An Yan pouted and released her hand, ¡°Boring, it didn¡¯t hurt you at all, did it!¡± Xue An chuckled bitterly, ¡°You asked me to make the call, and now you¡¯re pinching me! Is there no justice left!¡± Initially, An Yan wore an angry expression as a pretense, but eventually, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not jealous at all. My husband is liked by so many outstanding girls; this just proves my good taste!¡± Xue An coughed once, wisely staying silent. ¡°Besides, I know you have me in your heart, and that¡¯s enough,¡± said An Yan in a low voice. Xue An sighed and gently stroked An Yan¡¯s hair, ¡°You, after so many years, you haven¡¯t changed, still so kind it breaks my heart.¡± As they were talking, Xue An suddenly furrowed his brow and turned to look out the window. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Xuan¡¯Er is coming!¡± It was Xiao Sha¡¯s presence that Xue An had sensed, and that¡¯s why he spoke. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better that Xuan¡¯Er is coming?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s someone else with her.¡± At that moment. Jiao Ying¡¯s car entered the residential area. The dilapidated scenery of the neighborhood filled Jiao Ying and Zhu Feng¡¯s eyes with disdain. Seeing that Tang Xuan¡¯er lived here, it was clear her life was far from affluent. And Xiao Sha, who had been lazily lying on the seat since getting into the car, suddenly sat up. It too had sensed Xue An¡¯s presence. The boss is back? Now there would be roasted meat to eat again! Xiao Sha was delighted. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs and sit for a while. I¡¯ve already told Deng Shao, and he¡¯ll be here soon,¡± said Zhu Feng with a smile. Tang Xuan¡¯er, with a cold face, walked up the stairs. Just as she was about to open the door, she found that Xue An had already opened it and was smiling, ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, what brings you here?¡± The appearance of Xue An changed Zhu Feng and Jiao Ying¡¯s expressions. Who is this man? Could he be a man Tang Xuan¡¯er hooked up with outside? But Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s taste seems quite poor, to live in such a place; it¡¯s evident this man isn¡¯t wealthy. Several thoughts crossed Zhu Feng and Jiao Ying¡¯s minds, and their expressions turned arrogant. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, who is he?¡± At this moment, Tang Xuan¡¯er was staring at Xue An in surprise. Hearing the question, she finally came back to her senses. ¡°This is my friend, Xue An!¡± Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Heroes Gather to Honor Xue An (1st Update) Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Heroes Gather to Honor Xue An (1st Update) Translator: 549690339 This shocking scene left all three of them dumbfounded. At that moment, Jiao Ying swallowed hard and forced a smile, ¡°Maybe there¡¯s some unknown wealthy person in this neighborhood!¡± But as soon as he said it, even he didn¡¯t believe it was possible. Deng Mao didn¡¯t make a sound; he was standing there with a completely bewildered face. Who was this man? Why were there so many luxury cars gathering here? As he pondered, a series of high-heeled footsteps came from outside. Then, a beautifully dressed woman entered. The woman was beautiful and carried herself with grace and dignity. Deng Mao found her somewhat familiar, but he couldn¡¯t recall where he had seen her before. The newcomer was naturally Qin Yu; as soon as she entered, she saw Xue An and An Yan seated on the sofa, particularly An Yan, who caught her eye and made it light up. What a stunning beauty. Then she bowed with great respect, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°You¡¯ve arrived quite early.¡± Qin Yu smiled back, ¡°There¡¯s some business in the group, my grandfather will arrive shortly!¡± Just then, Deng Mao¡¯s body trembled violently as he suddenly remembered who this woman was. But this realization left his mind completely blank. Her? But how could this be possible! With such status, why would she have such respect for this man? Zhu Feng noticed Deng Mao¡¯s odd behavior and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Deng Shao, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Deng Shao was shivering all over, unable to utter a word. Meanwhile, Tan Dong and his daughter Tan Xiaoyu, along with Hua Xingyu and his granddaughter Hua Tingting, also entered. These were all prominent figures in Beijiang, and Deng Mao had seen them before. Then he watched helplessly as these important people bowed deeply to Xue An with the utmost respect. Such a scene caused Deng Mao¡¯s vision to darken, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. As for Jiao Ying and Zhu Feng, they were even more frightened and shaking like chaff. By now, even a fool could see that Xue An was no ordinary person. And when Qin Yuan stepped inside, Deng Mao¡¯s legs went weak, and he collapsed to the floor like a pile of mud. He had accompanied his father to meet Qin Yuan before and recognized him instantly. After Feng Chaochou and Shi Hao also entered the room, nearly the entire Beijiang and provincial city¡¯s elite had gathered here. Then these people all stood respectfully and bowed to Xue An. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Mr. Xue!¡± Their presence was imposing, leaving one in awe. In Deng Mao¡¯s eyes, there was nothing but despair and fear. This man¡­ who on earth was this man? At that moment, Xue An turned his head, revealing two pearly white fangs, and said with a malevolent smile, ¡°I said before, if the Deng Family is influential enough in Beijiang, then you should recognize me!¡± Deng Mao shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering, unable to speak. Qin Yu frowned and asked, ¡°Mr. Xue, who is this person?¡± Qin Yuan then spoke indifferently, ¡°I know him; he¡¯s the eldest son of the Deng Family.¡± The Deng Family? After pondering for a moment, Qin Yu suddenly realized and said, ¡°Are you referring to that Deng Family that sells cars?¡± Qin Yuan nodded. At this moment, Deng Mao scrambled and crawled to Qin Yuan, pleading, ¡°Elder Qin, I beg for your mercy, please save me!¡± Qin Yuan¡¯s face remained expressionless as he shook his head, ¡°Deng Shao, you¡¯ve begged the wrong person. Here, only Mr. Xue¡¯s words count!¡± Deng Mao quickly turned around and ingratiated himself with Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue¡­¡± Xue An shook his head, then looked at Jiao Ying and Zhu Feng, who were cowering in the corner. ¡°Have the three of you already discussed this?¡± At those words, the three of them changed color. Deng Mao forced a smile, ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Xue An let out a slight sigh, ¡°In fact, as soon as you came in, I noticed. If I wasn¡¯t here today, if Xuan¡¯Er didn¡¯t escape from you, were you all prepared to use force?¡± As he spoke, Xue An¡¯s tone grew ominous, filled with murderous intent. Jiao Ying collapsed to his knees with a thud, repeatedly kowtowing like pounding garlic, ¡°Mr. Xue, spare my life, Mr. Xue, spare my life, it was all Deng Shao¡¯s orders!¡± The room fell silent. Tang Xuan¡¯Er¡¯s eyes were red with anger. She never imagined that her so-called relative would have such a malicious heart. Xue An raised his head and glanced at Qin Yuan, ¡°This Deng Family¡­¡±. Qin Yu interrupted, ¡°Mr. Xue, rest assured, by tonight, the Deng Family will cease to exist!¡± These words turned Deng Mao¡¯s face deathly pale, and sweat poured out like starch. Then Xue An looked down at An Yan with a smile, ¡°Wife, close your eyes!¡± An Yan obediently closed her eyes. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Actually, this is no big deal!¡± Jiao Ying and the others looked relieved, thinking Xue An was about to let them off the hook. Then Xue An suddenly smiled coldly, ¡°Just be more careful in your next life!¡± With that, he flicked his fingers. Flames erupted from beneath Deng Mao, Jiao Ying, and Zhu Feng¡¯s feet, and in an instant, they were reduced to ashes. This ruthless method caused everyone present to shrink their pupils in awe. Decisive killing! This is¡­ Mr. Xue! With so many people, this small room was naturally not sufficient to host them all. Qin Yu suggested they might as well go to a restaurant owned by the Qin Family or to the Number One Tian Villa. But Xue An shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s do it here, set up the tables on the open ground below!¡± Since Xue An said so, no one dared to object. With a phone call from Qin Yu, the chefs from the Qin Family¡¯s five-star hotel were mobilized. The tables and chairs were even brought directly from the furniture market. Qin Yu handled things with meticulous care, even preparing all sorts of high-end ingredients. The top chefs started cooking in the street. They all knew that this banquet was for someone whom even the old chairman had to treat with the utmost respect. So, they brought out their ultimate skills. The aroma of the food wafted far and wide. Once the banquet was ready. Everyone looked towards Xue An, waiting for him to say it was time to eat. But Xue An wasn¡¯t in a hurry, he just gazed up at the moon in the sky. ¡°Wait a bit longer!¡± he said. Without his word, no one dared to touch their chopsticks. So they sat in silence. After about fifteen minutes. A white nanny car arrived. When Fan Mengxue got out of the car, there was a stir at the banquet. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Fan Mengxue?¡± ¡°It¡¯s her, no mistake! I love the movies she¡¯s in!¡± ¡°How come she¡¯s here too?¡± ¡°Shush, can¡¯t you see? Fan Mengxue knows Mr. Xue too!¡± At this moment, An Yan stood up with a graceful smile, ¡°Come, Meng Xue, sit here!¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s face was somewhat pale, then she nodded and obediently sat down next to An Yan. At this time, Xue An waved his hand. The whole place fell silent. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Today, I invited you all to tell you that she is my woman, the mother of my two daughters!¡± Saying so, Xue An drew An Yan closer to him. There was a stir among the crowd below, Shi Hao and Feng Chaochou exchanged glances, then everyone collectively left their seats, bending their waists and calling out respectfully, ¡°Greetings to Mrs. Xue!¡± Their voices thundered. Tears welled up in An Yan¡¯s eyes, and she seemed somewhat overwhelmed. Then Xue An laughed heartily and raised a cup in hand, ¡°Today, I shall toast you all!¡± Feng Chaochou stepped forward, ¡°Mr. Xue, it is we who should be toasting you!¡± As he spoke, Feng Chaochou raised his cup, and the others followed suit, each raising their own. ¡°To Mr. Xue!¡± This indeed was the gathering of the mighty, toasting Xue An! Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 156: What Punishment for Playing with Your Husband? (2nd update) Chapter 156: Chapter 156: What Punishment for Playing with Your Husband? (2nd update) Translator: 549690339 Almost everyone wanted to come forward to toast Xue An and An Yan. An Yan just symbolically sipped some juice, with the rest naturally blocked by Xue An. But Xue An refused no one, emptying each glass that came his way, until many had fallen, yet he showed no hint of drunkenness. At that moment. A timid voice came from behind. ¡°Xiao An, may I toast you?¡± Xue An turned his head and saw Xie Jingjing holding a glass of wine, gazing at him intently. Xue An smiled, ¡°Sure! But you¡¯d better not drink alcohol!¡± Xie Jingjing obstinately shook her head, ¡°Just one glass, okay?¡± Xue An paused for a moment, then nodded. They gently clinked glasses, and Xie Jingjing watched Xue An with a complex expression before whispering, ¡°Xiao An, I wish you happiness!¡± After speaking, Xie Jingjing emptied her glass in one gulp. Xue An sighed lightly and then drank from his glass as well. Xie Jingjing, with tears glistening in her eyes, took one more look at Xue An and then turned and ran away! It was then that An Yan stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian upstairs first!¡± Xue An nodded. Afterward, An Yan smiled at Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue, ¡°This is a man¡¯s drinking party. We women should go back too!¡± With that, An Yan led Tang Xuan¡¯er and Fan Mengxue upstairs. After they left, the atmosphere around the drinking table grew even more relaxed. At this time, Old Xie came forward to offer his toast. Today, Old Xie had also seen the world. Many of Beijiang¡¯s, and even the provincial city¡¯s, important figures held their breath in awe before Xue An. It seemed that Xiao An¡¯s achievements were now beyond his own imagination. Even so, Xue An hadn¡¯t changed at all and was still happily drinking with him. This made Old Xie feel very comfortable. Therefore, after downing three glasses, he left contentedly. At this moment, Qin Yuan came over with a glass of wine, ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡¯d like to offer you a toast!¡± Xue An smiled and downed it in one go. Qin Yuan smiled, ¡°Mr. Xue, you truly can hold your liquor!¡± he said, and also finished his glass. After setting down the glass, Qin Yuan¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Mr. Xue, I have something to ask, though I¡¯m not sure if I should.¡± ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Qin Yuan hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, ¡°May I ask what relation your wife has ¡­ with the An Family of Zhongdu?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°That¡¯s right, she is from the An Family!¡± Understanding flashed in Qin Yuan¡¯s eyes as he nodded, ¡°I see, what does Mr. Xue plan to do in the future?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, whoever owes me, I naturally intend to collect!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Qin Yuan¡¯s expression grew solemn, then he spoke very earnestly, ¡°Mr. Xue, even though the An Family of Zhongdu is known as one of the top ten elite families, if you need us, the Qin Family will surely support you with all our might!¡± ¡°Moreover, I just don¡¯t believe those elite families of Zhongdu are as formidable as the rumors suggest!¡± As he spoke these words, a resolute and grim determination flashed across Qin Yuan¡¯s face. Xue An smiled, ¡°A mere An Family is not worth my attention,¡± he said, looking up at the star-filled sky, continuing softly, ¡°This world is much more vast than what you all see.¡± That night, many people got drunk. It was only in the early hours of the morning that people gradually dispersed. When Xue An went upstairs, he found that An Yan was sitting on the sofa waiting for him. A cup of hot tea was also placed on the coffee table. Although the alcohol meant nothing to Xue An, he still drank the hot tea with a merry chuckle. At this moment, An Yan softly said, ¡°Fan Mengxue has left!¡± Xue An was slightly taken aback, then asked with some curiosity, ¡°Why did she leave so late?¡± An Yan smiled teasingly, ¡°What? Should she have stayed the night instead of leaving?¡± Xue An was somewhat at a loss for words. Then An Yan sighed and said, ¡°We talked about some woman-to-woman stuff, and then she left, oh!¡± Xue An wisely kept his mouth shut. An Yan waited for a while, but Xue An did not speak. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious at all?¡± Xue An gave a bitter smile, ¡°Then what did you guys talk about?¡± An Yan snickered, cryptically saying, ¡°I¡¯m not telling you! This is a little secret amongst us women!¡± Xue An was both annoyed and amused by An Yan¡¯s childish behavior. Suddenly, he picked her up and walked into the bedroom, tossing her onto the bed. ¡°For playing tricks on your husband, what¡¯s the charge?¡± Xue An said with a stern face. An Yan looked at Xue An with a pitiable expression, ¡°You bully me, you actually dare to bully me¡­ Wuu wuu wuu, I bore you two daughters, and you still dare to bully¡­ Hahaha!¡± Towards the end, An Yan couldn¡¯t help but break into laughter first. Xue An was also amused. As they laughed, the room fell silent. At this moment, the two little girls were already asleep in the next room. All was quiet. You could even hear each other¡¯s heartbeat. An Yan¡¯s face gradually turned red, and then she carefully laid down on the bed, patting the pillow beside her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± Xue An snickered and lay down as well. The two of them just lay there silently, looking at the ceiling. After a while, An Yan turned over and gently embraced Xue An¡¯s waist. Xue An smiled and gently stroked An Yan¡¯s hair. Then, Xue An felt a warm sensation on his chest. He felt a tightness in his heart and looked down at An Yan. ¡°Wife, what¡¯s wrong?¡± An Yan lifted her head, her face wet with tears. ¡°Husband, I don¡¯t even dare to sleep now. I¡¯m afraid that all this is just a dream.¡± Xue An tenderly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is not a dream, and in the future, I will always be by your side!¡± After a silence. An Yan whispered, ¡°Husband, I love you!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°I love you too!¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± An Yan nodded, then broke into a smile and whispered in Xue An¡¯s ear. ¡°Husband, do you want it?¡± The orchid-like breath tickled Xue An¡¯s ear. Xue An¡¯s heartbeat sped up a half-beat and he nodded, ¡°Of course, I do!¡± An Yan¡¯s face turned serious, ¡°Even if you want it, not giving! Hold it in!¡± But immediately after, she laughed again, then buried her head in Xue An¡¯s chest, mumbling like a big ostrich, ¡°If you want it¡­ I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± Yet, Xue An shook his head, ¡°Wife!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± An Yan lifted her head. ¡°Your body is still weak due to the seal¡­ Even if I want to, I have to hold back. It¡¯s been three thousand years, anyway; I¡¯m not afraid to wait a few more days!¡± Xue An said seriously. An Yan¡¯s eyes reddened again. Ever since she got together with Xue An, she had become more prone to crying! ¡°So, wife, rest assured, for my lifetime of happiness, I will also lift your seal as soon as possible!¡± Xue An said with a smile. An Yan made a sound of agreement and contentedly lay in Xue An¡¯s arms. After a long silence. An Yan quietly said, ¡°Husband, did you fall asleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asleep!¡± ¡°You¡¯re terrible!¡± An Yan punched Xue An and then said seriously, ¡°Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian said An Qing came over, right?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°She did come, but then her unit was assigned a mission, and she left!¡± An Yan said with some concern, ¡°I wonder how she is doing, if there is any danger!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! She¡¯s a computer expert and doesn¡¯t need to go to the battlefield!¡± And while they were whispering in bed. On the highway outside Beijiang, a man covered in blood struggled to walk. In his heart, he had only one goal. That was to go to Beijiang, to see the man named Xue An! This is what An Qing told him before she was captured¡ªthe last words she said! An Qing was clear; if anyone could save her and the Phoenix Immortal troops, it would only be Xue An! Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 157 An Qing in Danger (3rd Update) Chapter 157: Chapter 157 An Qing in Danger (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 Du Fan sat by the river, drinking his sorrows away. Today, his mood was very low. Because Xue An had returned, and with just a simple message, he had summoned all the elite families of the province to come together. Such influence was enough to alarm him. Du Fan also thought of the rumors he had heard about Xue An, each one chilling enough to make Du Fan shudder. At that moment, Lu Kun arrived cheerfully with a skewer of grilled mutton, ¡°Fan brother, the skewer is ready, try my cooking skills!¡± As soon as Du Fan saw Lu Kun, he was filled with anger and kicked Lu Kun to the ground with a direct blow. The mutton skewer fell to the ground as well. Lu Kun was dazed by the kick, ¡°Fan brother, what¡¯s wrong? Why did you hit me?¡± ¡°Why did I hit you?¡± Du Fan said with a steely complexion, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you that day, would I have offended Mr. Xue? Now look, his power is growing stronger, and we are in for it!¡± As soon as Xue An was mentioned. The color drained from Lu Kun¡¯s face as well. ¡°Then¡­ what should we do? Should we go and apologize now?¡± ¡°Apologize?¡± Du Fan scoffed, ¡°Do you think with our current strength, we even qualify to talk to him?¡± Lu Kun was left speechless. Du Fan sighed heavily and slumped back into his chair, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking just now, if we really can¡¯t manage it, let¡¯s just leave Beijiang! After all, no matter how much money we make, it¡¯s not as important as our lives!¡± As Du Fan was reflecting, Lu Kun was staring dumbfounded at the man walking on the road not far away. ¡°Fan¡­ Fan brother, is that thing over there a human or a ghost?¡± Lu Kun said tremblingly. ¡°Bullshit ghost, you¡¯re even more cowardly than a mouse!¡± Du Fan cursed aloud, then turned to look. And then he froze too. Because the man was in such a sorry state, covered in blood not to mention, one leg twisted at an unnatural angle, clearly broken. Even so, the man was still limping along. In the middle of the night in the outskirts, to suddenly encounter someone like this would send chills up anyone¡¯s spine. Du Fan turned a bit pale too, but after all, he had been a big shot in Beijiang for years, and steadied his nerves before pulling a defensive dagger from his chest. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s take a look!¡± Lu Kun said hesitantly, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we¡­ shouldn¡¯t we call the police?¡± ¡°Nonsense, if I call the police, won¡¯t it be a laughing stock once it gets out?¡± Saying so, Du Fan led the way onto the road. At that moment, the man also came closer, and at this distance, one could even see the blank expression on the man¡¯s face. Du Fan, knife in hand, mustered his courage and asked, ¡°Hey! Kid, where are you from? How did you get all these injuries?¡± The man slowly turned his head, his eyes empty, mumbling to himself. ¡°Beijiang¡­ Xue¡­ An¡­ save people!¡± This hoarse and intermittent voice made Du Fan¡¯s scalp tingle. But when he heard the name Xue An, his heart stirred. ¡°Brother, are you trying to find someone in Beijiang?¡± The man ignored him, still muttering to himself, ¡°Xue An¡­ save people¡­ .¡± This time Du Fan heard clearly and joy surged in his heart, then he quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m from Beijiang, are you looking for Mr. Xue to have him save someone?¡± Finally, the man nodded. Du Fan was overwhelmed with joy. This was like a pie falling from the sky! He had just been worrying about not having an opportunity to get close to Xue An, and then this man showed up. Du Fan was no fool; judging by the man¡¯s miserable state, he could tell this was an extremely urgent matter. So he immediately turned back and yelled at Lu Kun, ¡°What are you dazing for? Hurry up and prepare the car! I need to take this brother to the city!¡± Startled, Lu Kun quickly scrambled to get the car ready. Once the vehicle was prepared, Du Fan personally helped the man into the seat. As soon as the man leaned against the chair, he fell into a deep sleep. Du Fan also felt somewhat emotional, wondering how far this guy had traveled; he was completely exhausted. Then Du Fan personally drove, reaching speeds of at least two hundred kilometers per hour toward the city. They ran countless red lights along the way, and finally arrived under the residential complex where Xue An lived. After getting out of the car, Du Fan was anxious, for he didn¡¯t know which floor Xue An lived on. But the matter obviously couldn¡¯t be delayed, so in the end, Du Fan bit the bullet and shouted loudly, ¡°Is Mr. Xue around?¡± The voice traveled far in the quiet night. ¡°Mr. Xue¡­.¡± Before the second call was finished, Du Fan saw a blur before his eyes as Xue An had already appeared in front of him. This ghostly speed made Du Fan¡¯s heart pound fiercely. Xue An looked at Du Fan and slightly furrowed his brow, ¡°Aren¡¯t you that¡­ Brother Fan? What¡¯s the matter so late at night?¡± Du Fan nodded and bent over with a flattering smile, ¡°Not dare, not dare, Mr. Xue should just call me Xiao Fan. I didn¡¯t want to disturb your rest at this hour, but there really is something urgent, you see¡­.¡± Before Du Fan could continue, Xue An had already caught the scent of blood and, with an icy expression, walked straight to the car and opened the door. The man was still in a coma. ¡°It¡¯s this man; he kept insisting on seeing you and said he needed to rescue someone. I was afraid of delaying something important, so I hurried to find you!¡± whispered Du Fan from the side. Xue An looked solemn, reached into his body, pulled out an Elixir, and directly stuffed it into the man¡¯s mouth. This was the Primordial Essence Elixir that Xue An had refined before. Although the effects were very minimal, it was sufficient for saving someone. Indeed. Less than a minute after ingesting the Elixir, the man¡¯s wounds began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye, his broken leg gradually mended, and his complexion turned rosy. Afterward, he slowly opened his eyes. This miraculous scene left Du Fan utterly dumbfounded. Let alone anything else, just by this act alone, Xue An was considered an Immortal in Du Fan¡¯s eyes. At first, the man was still a bit confused, but as soon as he saw Xue An, he immediately said, ¡°Mr. Xue, please save An Qing!¡± ¡°What happened to An Qing?¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow, his face full of killing intent. The man spoke quickly, ¡°I am a soldier of the Phoenix Immortal squad, my name is Xu Mu. We were on a mission when we were ambushed by a group of mysterious people, and Miss An was captured by them.¡± ¡°I was right beside Miss An when it happened; she told me that only you could save her, save the Phoenix Immortal! So, I risked my life to escape, and then tried to make it to Beijiang, but I got into a car accident more than a hundred kilometers away from Beijiang. I had no choice but to walk the rest of the way¡­.¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Understood. Where is the place you got captured while on the mission?¡± Xu Mu hesitated for a moment, then his face flashed with a look of terror, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the port of Xiangjiang!¡± ¡°The port of Xiangjiang?¡± Xue An¡¯s heart stirred. ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Mu nodded. Xue An¡¯s expression remained calm as he said softly, ¡°Xiangjiang¡­ heh, the Ming Family?¡± Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Immortal’s Treasure (1st Update) Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Immortal¡¯s Treasure (1st Update) Translator: 549690339 Xue An would, of course, not forget the Ming Family. At that time, Ming Yuan, a junior of the Ming family, oversaw the construction of the Island Resort and, for his own selfish interests, sealed the Sea Eye and imprisoned the sea demon. How sinister his intentions were. If it hadn¡¯t been for Xue An exposing him and killing him, it¡¯s estimated even more people would have suffered. Now that An Qing has gone missing at the harbor Xiangjiang, if anyone were to say it has nothing to do with the Ming Family, no one would believe it. Xue An said in a deep voice to Xu Mu, ¡°How are the wounds on your body now?¡± Xu Mu got out of the car and walked a couple of laps, his face full of disbelief. ¡°Mr. Xue, the wounds on my body have actually all healed, and even my spirit has improved a lot!¡± At this moment, Du Fan said enviously, ¡°How could it not be better? Mr. Xue just personally fed you an Immortal Pill!¡± Xu Mu was stunned and quickly said with great respect, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An waved his hand, ¡°You traveled thousands of miles to find me, just to rescue An Qing. You can be considered a loyal person. This is just a small reward for you!¡± Xue An turned his head and nodded at Du Fan, ¡°You¡¯ve also done well.¡± Du Fan was so happy that he was beaming, bowing repeatedly and saying, ¡°Mr. Xue, you¡¯re too kind. It¡¯s all part of my duty!¡± And at this time, An Yan also came downstairs, somewhat worried. ¡°Husband, what¡¯s happened?¡± Xue An didn¡¯t hide anything but simply replied with a faint smile, ¡°Nothing serious, just a little trouble on An Qing¡¯s side.¡± Upon hearing that her sister had encountered trouble, An Yan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Qing¡¯er¡­ What happened to Qing¡¯er?¡± An Yan was utterly panicked. Xue An took a step forward and said with a gentle smile, ¡°Yan¡¯er, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a small situation with Qing¡¯er. Since you just got back and haven¡¯t gone out to relax, I¡¯ll take you and our daughter to harbor Xiangjiang for a few days.¡± An Yan nodded obediently. She had an almost blind trust in Xue An. In her eyes, as long as her husband took action, there was nothing in the world that couldn¡¯t be solved. Of course, in fact, that was exactly the case. At this moment, dawn was breaking in the east, and daylight was about to come. A cold smile appeared on the corners of Xue An¡¯s mouth. It seems¡­ some people don¡¯t know fear until they are made to feel pain. In the Yuan Family of Jibei. Inside a secret chamber. Yuan Chengyu sat in the chief seat, while a chief steward stood by with his hands down. ¡°Family Head, the young mistress just sent news that the Ming Family had already discovered the approximate location two days ago, only to find that military personnel appeared, leading to a fierce conflict between the two sides!¡± ¡°Oh? The military? Could it be General Lin¡¯s men?¡± Yuan Chengyu¡¯s expression became solemn. ¡°That¡¯s still unclear, but after a battle, this squad has been completely captured.¡± Yuan Chengyu nodded, ¡°Tell Yun Xin to be cautious above all else. Although the Ming Family has invited us to cooperate, Ming Canghai is a cunning man; we must remain on guard.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Also, any news about the bounty?¡± ¡°Reporting to the Family Head, the second-ranked assassination organization, The Finger Killers, has just responded, but they¡¯re inquiring about how much you intend to pay for Xue An¡¯s life!¡± ¡°How much¡­,¡± a look of hatred crossed Yuan Chengyu¡¯s face, ¡°Xue An is indeed formidable, but I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s invincible. Put a bounty of one hundred million on him¡ªI want to see his corpse within a month!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The chief steward bowed and retreated. Yuan Chengyu stood up and began to pace back and forth in the room. ¡°Immortal¡¯s legacy, haha, such a big piece of cake. How could your Ming Family be so kind as to invite us to partake? And with the military stepping in, it seems this cake isn¡¯t so easy to digest!¡± ¡°And Xue An, I admit you¡¯re formidable, but even lions nap, and Finger-slay is an organization of assassins that specializes in dealing with top experts. Now that they have accepted the contract, your days are numbered!¡± At this thought, Yuan Chengyu couldn¡¯t help but coldly chuckle. The port of Xiangjiang. The Ming Family¡¯s estate is located in the most expensive district of Xiangjiang, consisting of a vast expanse of ancient buildings. Not to mention the value of the land itself, just the antique charm of these ancient buildings is worth a fortune. At this moment, within the Ming Family¡¯s inner house. Ming Ruifeng frowned, ¡°No confession yet?¡± ¡°No, young master!¡± ¡°Forget it, if they won¡¯t confess, they won¡¯t confess. It¡¯s easy to guess they¡¯re General Lin¡¯s people. Lock them up for now, we¡¯ll deal with them after the formation is broken!¡± Ming Ruifeng said indifferently. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Right, put them in the number one cell of the Heavenly Dungeon, so no one can probe with their divine sense!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± the servant left after responding. Ming Ruifeng then turned his head to look at the woman sitting beside him. This woman had an unremarkable appearance and wore very ordinary clothes. In a century-old noble family like the Ming Family, her attire was even inferior to that of a junior maid. Yet, admiration shone in Ming Ruifeng¡¯s eyes. ¡°Sister Yunxin, how goes it?¡± Yuan Yunxin let out a soft sigh, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a formation left by an Immortal. I¡¯ve been looking at it for two days and have only grasped some clues so far, still early days from breaking it!¡± The two were conversing when Ming Canghai walked in. Ming Canghai seemed to be only in his forties or fifties, but his hair was already completely white. Ming Ruifeng and Yuan Yunxin both stood up. Ming Canghai smiled at Yuan Yunxin, ¡°Niece, have you figured anything out?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only grasped a few clues,¡± Yuan Yunxin spoke softly. ¡°Truly worthy of being the once-in-a-century genius girl of the Yuan Family, to discern the key points in such a short time. It¡¯s a pity that our Ming Family has studied Feng Shui Numerology for a thousand years, yet we are helpless before this major formation!¡± Ming Canghai lamented half seriously and half mockingly, then said with a smile, ¡°But there¡¯s no need to rush. I¡¯ve already announced that in the next few days we will hold a Feng Shui convention, gathering all the Feng Shui numerology experts around the world. Surely we¡¯ll be able to break this formation!¡± Yuan Yunxin remained calm and nodded, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I should return to my room.¡± After saying so, Yuan Yunxin took her leave. Then, Ming Ruifeng stepped forward, ¡°Father, why do you invite all the Feng Shui experts in the world to observe this formation? If the news leaks out¡­¡± Ming Canghai waved his hand, his expression indifferent, ¡°The news of the Immortal¡¯s legacy cannot be concealed, as proven by that military squad. So it¡¯s better to crack this formation quickly, to avoid prolonged issues!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Moreover¡­¡± Ming Canghai raised his head to look in the direction Yuan Yunxin had left, ¡°This girl may not talk much usually, but it¡¯s clear she¡¯s full of ideas, far stronger than that blockhead Yuan Chengyu. I¡¯m afraid if we delay too long, she might have other intentions!¡± ¡°So, Father means to say¡­¡± ¡°After breaking the formation, all those in the know¡­¡± Ming Canghai gestured a throat-slitting motion. ¡°Understood!¡± Ming Ruifeng bowed his head and responded, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. Meanwhile, An Qing, who was locked in the dungeon, was staring blankly at the light coming through the small window. Brother-in-law, have you received the message yet? Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Haven’t Your Parents Taught You How to Behave? (2 more) Chapter 159: Chapter 159 Haven¡¯t Your Parents Taught You How to Behave? (2 more) Translator: 549690339 The plane slowly descended upon Xiangjiang International Airport. As an international metropolis, although it had been caught up to by cities from the mainland in recent years, its heritage and momentum remained. Once the plane landed, An Yan grew somewhat anxious and said, ¡°Such a vast Xiangjiang, where do we even start looking?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°First, give me your hand!¡± An Yan obediently handed over her hand, and Xue An, grasping An Yan¡¯s hand, closed his eyes. He intended to use the bloodline connection between An Yan and An Qing to search. This was also the most convenient method of searching. Yet, a moment later, Xue An opened his eyes and slightly furrowed his brows. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t find her!¡± An Yan couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment. Xue An smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although we didn¡¯t find her, through the power of your bloodline, I could still sense An Qing¡¯s presence. This means she is still alive, and living well at that!¡± ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t we locate her?¡± An Yan was still uneasy. Xue An glanced at the high-rises in the distant city center and said indifferently, ¡°She must have been shielded by a secret technique, preventing us from detecting her consciousness. It seems that after operating here for over a century, your Ming Family has indeed established some influence!¡± Xue An could tell at a glance that many of those skyscrapers were fortified with Feng Shui secret techniques. Plainly put, the entire Xiangjiang had become a vast Feng Shui formation diagram due to the existence of these Feng Shui buildings. For a noble family, this counted as quite an accomplishment! But to Xue An, it was still far from sufficient! In the Immortal Realm, those Feng Shui sects regularly used stars as the focal points of their formations, transforming the celestial star system into a grand formation diagram, its power so immense that no one dared to provoke them, save for the Immortal Venerable. Just then, a rather arrogant and impolite voice sounded from behind. ¡°Hey, are you selling that necklace?¡± Turning around, Xue An and company saw a well-dressed young woman looking impatiently at An Yan. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m talking to you. I really like the necklace you¡¯re wearing around your neck. Are you selling it?¡± The necklace An Yan was wearing was the Sea Demon Blood Bead necklace given to her by Xue An. Xue An raised an eyebrow and was about to speak when An Yan, with a gradually cooling expression, shook her head and said, ¡°Not for sale!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll offer one million!¡± The young woman arrogantly held up a finger. In her view, Xue An and An Yan were dressed ordinarily and seemed not to be from wealthy families. One million should be a significant sum for them. Xue An shook his head with a calm tone, ¡°If you desire it, you should know the value of this item. One million? Heh, I doubt¡­¡± Xue An paused, his gaze growing colder, ¡°Were you never taught by your parents how to behave?¡± The young woman turned from pale to red and then from red to purple with indignation due to Xue An¡¯s words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll offer ten million, how about that? Will you sell it for ten million?¡± Xue An grew somewhat impatient. This woman was wearing down his scant patience. Just then, an elegant woman in her forties walked out from the airport terminal. ¡°Xiaoxiao, step aside!¡± The woman shot Xue An a hateful glance and moved aside. Approaching, the woman smiled slightly, ¡°Sir, the child doesn¡¯t know how to speak properly. Please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Xue An remained impassive, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Thereafter, the woman said, ¡°However, this item of yours is very important to us. If you are willing to part with it, the Chang Family of Qizhou will surely express our deep gratitude.¡± When she mentioned the Chang Family of Qizhou, a touch of pride flashed across her face. To her surprise, Xue An showed no astonishment, as if he had never heard the name before. The woman furrowed her brows slightly, just about to say something. Song Yi ran out of the airport terminal, drenched in sweat. ¡°Mr. Xue, I am so sorry. When I was exiting the station, security insisted that my item was contraband, which caused a delay!¡± Xue An nodded his head. Just at that moment, the woman exclaimed in utter surprise, ¡°You¡­ Are you not Song Yi, Master Song?¡± Song Yi turned his head to look at the woman, first taken aback, then nodded, ¡°So it¡¯s Chang Zhu, my junior sister. Have you also received an invitation from the Ming Family to attend the Feng Shui symposium?¡± Chang Zhu was quite shocked at this moment. The Chang Family of Qizhou was well-versed in Feng Shui, and could be considered a powerful entity. Song Yi had once been a very famous Feng Shui Master in Zhongdu. Chang Zhu had seen him several times in the past and greatly admired his profound attainments in Feng Shui Numerology. She didn¡¯t expect that he would also come to the harbor city of Xiangjiang today. And to see him showing such respect to this man. Who exactly was this man? Could he be the scion of a prominent family from Zhongdu? Chang Zhu pondered in her heart. Song Yi had already asked Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue, shall we head to the Ming Family¡¯s place now?¡± Xue An nodded his head, then cast a casual glance at Chang Zhu and the young girl, and turned away. After they had gone some distance, Chang Xiaoxiao approached with an unsatisfied tone, saying, ¡°Master, why did you let him go? Didn¡¯t you say that the pearl is a rare Sea Demon Blood Bead, which can greatly aid our Feng Shui cultivation?¡± Chang Zhu shook her head with a serious expression, ¡°That Song Yi is no ordinary person. I have seen him a few times before; back then, he was just an old man with white hair. I never imagined that in just a few years, he would have broken through to the Xiaoyao Realm and rejuvenated himself!¡± ¡°Although that man appeared ordinary in dress and demeanor, just like a common person, his status must be high, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t command such respect from Song Yi. We¡¯ll have to think of another way!¡± Hearing this, Chang Xiaoxiao looked somewhat unconvinced, glancing at the distant figure of Xue An. ¡°They are also going to the Ming Family¡¯s, which gives us the perfect opportunity to come up with a different plan!¡± Chang Zhu said, with a flash of greed in her eyes. Meanwhile, in the car, Song Yi asked, ¡°Mr. Xue, how do you know Chang Zhu and the others?¡± ¡°Know them?¡± Xue An shook his head and then proceeded to briefly recount what had happened. After listening, Song Yi frowned slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Chang Family of Qizhou is domineering in their actions. It¡¯s true, it seems¡ªthey actually dare to bully and coerce? And they even found their way to Mr. Xue, truly bringing doom upon themselves!¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°I generally don¡¯t kill women, but my patience has its limits. If they keep bothering me, they can¡¯t blame me for being impolite!¡± Seeing Xue An¡¯s smile, Song Yi shivered inwardly. As someone who had known Xue An from the beginning, he was well aware of Xue An¡¯s temperament. This man took decisive action and was never burdened by material possessions. No matter if you were from a famous family or a noble clan, he would kill without hesitation if it came to that, never showing mercy. This time, after Song Yi received an invitation from the Ming Family, he felt that something was odd, so he rushed to Beijiang to meet Xue An. Fortunately, Xue An hadn¡¯t left yet. After explaining the situation, Xue An was also intrigued. The invitation for Feng Shui experts from around the world to gather in Xiangjiang. What exactly did the Ming Family want to do? Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Using the Momentum of Heaven and Earth (3rd update) Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Using the Momentum of Heaven and Earth (3rd update) Translator: 549690339 Ming Family Mansion. The Ming family was particularly bustling today. Feng shui masters from all over Huaxia and even from overseas had been arriving in succession. Ming Ruifeng personally stood at the entrance to receive guests from all directions. However, when Xue An and Song Yi arrived, Ming Ruifeng couldn¡¯t help but be slightly startled. Why did they bring family members too? But Ming Ruifeng had significant poise and quickly returned to normal, giving Song Yi a cupped fist salute. ¡°It turns out to be Master Song! And this is¡­¡± Before Song Yi could speak, Xue An stated indifferently, ¡°I am his disciple!¡± Ming Ruifeng realized the situation. Considering their ages, they did seem like master and disciple. With a slight smile, he said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, please come in, both of you!¡± Once inside the Ming family¡¯s estate, Song Yi looked up and observed the architectural layout of the estate. ¡°Strange, given that the Ming family is regarded as the foremost feng shui sect in the entire world, this architectural layout seems rather ordinary.¡± Song Yi couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. Xue An smiled, ¡°That¡¯s because your perspective isn¡¯t broad enough. The art of feng shui, at its simplest, uses houses to create momentum, at a medium level uses the mountains and rivers, and at its most brilliant uses heaven and earth. This Ming family¡¯s architecture utilizes heaven and earth. At first glance, it seems unremarkable, but if you look at the overall layout of Huaxia, you¡¯ll notice the uniqueness of this place!¡± Song Yi came to an epiphany and nodded in admiration, ¡°Mr. Xue indeed has extraordinary insight!¡± However, Xue An just smiled, holding back an unsaid thought. The truly formidable feng shui techniques are about changing the heavens and shifting the earth, encompassing the feng shui of thousands of miles within the palm of one¡¯s hand. Such is the power of individuals who carry the might of turning heaven and earth as they walk. ¡°Yo, isn¡¯t this Master Song Yi? Tsk tsk, I haven¡¯t seen you for years, and you¡¯ve managed to break through and enter the Xiaoyao realm! I thought you might have already died somewhere!¡± A nasally voice, unpleasant to the ear, resounded. Song Yi was taken aback and looked up to see a sinister-looking middle-aged man leisurely approaching. Upon seeing this man, Song Yi¡¯s face turned extremely ugly, and he said through clenched teeth, ¡°Pan Yin, how dare you show your face to me?¡± ¡°Hehe, why wouldn¡¯t I dare? My dear¡­ master!¡± Pan Yin said with a cold laugh. Song Yi¡¯s face turned ashen, trembling with anger. At this moment, Pan Yin noticed Xue An standing aside, ¡°Tsk tsk, have you accepted another disciple, Master? My congratulations!¡± After that, Pan Yin laughed with smug satisfaction. But just then, Xue Xiang said in a soft and cute voice to Xue An, ¡°Daddy, this uncle¡¯s voice sounds like Donald Duck!¡± Xue Xiang shook her little head and said seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Donald Duck¡¯s voice is much nicer than his!¡± This comment inevitably made everyone grin. Only Pan Yin¡¯s face grew darker, and after giving Xue An a cold look, he left with a sneer. Once Pan Yin had left, Song Yi turned pale and shook his head with a bitter smile, ¡°I¡¯ve embarrassed myself in front of Mr. Xue. That guy was once my disciple!¡± Song Yi sighed, continuing, ¡°He was extremely talented back then, and with my dedicated teaching, he quickly learned all of my skills. But to my surprise, he had the heart of a beast!¡± ¡°I was fortunate enough to obtain an Elixir that could help me break through to the Zhenren Realm; he attacked me when I was not expecting it, then ran off with the Elixir!¡± ¡°Because of that, my cultivation level hasn¡¯t improved at all over the past years!¡± Xue An¡¯s expression remained indifferent. These sorts of conflicts and betrayals between teachers and disciples, he had seen them all too often in the past three thousand years. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that he would come to this gathering of feng shui masters!¡± Song Yi said resentfully. At this time, Chang Zhu and Chang Xiaoxiao, the master and disciple pair, had also arrived. With their arrival, just about all of the world¡¯s renowned feng shui masters were present. Ming Ruifeng arranged a sumptuous banquet. During the feast. These feng shui masters from various parts of Huaxia gathered together, enthusiastically discussing their insights and enjoying themselves immensely. At this moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were eating ice cream. Little chubby faces smeared with cream, looking exceptionally adorable. This scene also drew many astonished gazes. After all, with so many people, only Xue An had brought his family, naturally standing out. Meanwhile, Pan Yin and his disciple Chang Zhu were huddled together, occasionally glancing over at Xue An in the distance. ¡°So it seems, this man must be the new disciple your mentor has recently taken in?¡± Chang Zhu asked. Pan Yin nodded, then sneaked greedy looks at Chang Xiaoxiao sitting beside him. ¡°No mistake about it, I guess that Sea Demon Blood Bead must also have been a gift from my master! That old geezer, having so many good things yet unwilling to give any to me!¡± Pan Yin said shamelessly. Chang Zhu nodded, mulling over in his mind. Just then, Ming Canghai made his appearance at the banquet. Many people hastened to stand up, raising their glasses and fawning, ¡°Family Head Ming!¡± ¡°Old Mr. Ming¡¯s health and vigor!¡± Ming Canghai walked onto the stage, smiled, and waved his hand, quieting everyone down. Then Ming Canghai said, ¡°Today, we have gathered here for two reasons; firstly, to strengthen the fellowship among us fellow cultivators, and secondly, because the Ming Family has a matter to ask of you!¡± Boom! A commotion erupted among the attendees. What could the Ming Family possibly need to ask for? Ming Canghai continued to speak, ¡°However, this matter is of great importance and requires someone with a profound understanding of formations and fengshui to be capable of undertaking it, so we have prepared a little game!¡± Ming Ruifeng stepped forward, holding a stack of papers. ¡°These are formation diagrams. Whoever can decipher them, please stay behind after the event!¡± Once distributed, everyone carefully examined the papers and then began furrowing their brows. This formation diagram was clearly out of the ordinary, exceptionally complex. Some people couldn¡¯t even recognize what it was! At the same time, Ming Ruifeng stood beside Yuan Yunxin, whispering with a smile, ¡°Sister Yunxin, who do you think can crack it?¡± Yuan Yunxin said indifferently, ¡°This puzzle is based on a formation from an Immortal¡¯s legacy that I slightly altered. It is vastly different from the common formations of this world, and I truly do not know who can solve it!¡± Xue An and Song Yi each got a piece of paper as well. Song Yi stared at it for a long time, his brow furrowed in frustration, not understanding what it was. Only Xue An, with a single glance, gave a faint smile. It was actually a Golden Immortal formation! No, not yet at the Golden Immortal level! At most, it could be considered the skill of a Half-step Golden Immortal. For Xue An, this formation was as simple as one plus one. But since such a formation had appeared, it implied that an Immortal¡¯s cave dwelling or legacy was about to appear in the world. Xue An¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, could it be that An Qing¡¯s capture was also because of this Immortal legacy? Xue An wasn¡¯t in a hurry but instead scanned the crowd to see who else might manage it. Pan Yin was deep in contemplation, and Chang Zhu was also frowning intensely. Only Chang Xiaoxiao, knowing her own limited abilities, did not bother racking her brains. However, she noticed that Xue An was looking around casually. Chang Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t help but sneer inwardly, it seemed this fellow was nothing more than a pillow with fancy embroidery. Just at that moment, Pan Yin laughed loudly, ¡°Excellent formation, but it can¡¯t stump me!¡± Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 161: How about… this solution to the formation? (4 more) Chapter 161: Chapter 161: How about¡­ this solution to the formation? (4 more) Translator: 549690339 Chang Zhu¡¯s brows also relaxed, clearly having found a solution as well. Apart from the two of them, probably only three or five others had managed to solve the formation. The rest were all at their wits¡¯ end. Yuan Yunxin reviewed the solutions submitted by everyone. They were basically all acceptable. Among them, Pan Yin¡¯s solution was the most convenient one! Therefore, Yuan Yunxin couldn¡¯t help but give Pan Yin a few extra glances. Knowing that this young girl was the widely known formation genius, Pan Yin couldn¡¯t help but smile smugly. Then he saw Song Yi in the distance, frowning deeply, and couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold chuckle before strolling over. ¡°Master,¡± he said, ¡°are you stumped by this formation problem?¡± Song Yi¡¯s face grew increasingly unsightly. Chang Xiaoxiao also came over and deliberately said, ¡°Uncle Master Pan, you are so amazing, solving the formation problem so quickly!¡± Laughing heartily, Pan Yin said, ¡°How could such a thing ever stump me? It¡¯s just that some people are getting on in years and can¡¯t keep up with the times, so they can¡¯t solve it. I advise these people to go home and hug their grandchildren as soon as possible!¡± Song Yi¡¯s face turned ashen. But there was nothing he could do about an unsolvable formation problem, and hence he had no way to retaliate. Watching from a distance, Yuan Yunxin couldn¡¯t help but shake her head slightly. She knew of Song Yi¡¯s fame. But being famous didn¡¯t mean being capable. The formation problem required a strong understanding of formations and Feng Shui arts. At that moment, Xue An gave a faint smile. ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you always assign me such problems as regular homework? What¡¯s so difficult about it?¡± At his words, Pan Yin and Chang Xiaoxiao couldn¡¯t help but snicker. ¡°Regular homework? What a joke. You probably can¡¯t even understand such a problem, let alone solve it, especially when your own teacher is clueless!¡± Chang Xiaoxiao mocked. Xue An gave Chang Xiaoxiao a faint glance, causing her smile to freeze. Because Xue An¡¯s gaze was ice-cold. It was as if it could freeze the soul. Then Xue An picked up a pen and, with a few swift strokes, finished writing. Pan Yin dismissed it with a sneer, ¡°That¡¯s it? You¡¯re not just going to write a solution, are you? Haha!¡± Xue An ignored him and handed the paper to Song Yi. Upon seeing it, Song Yi¡¯s whole body jolted, and then his eyes lit up. The most difficult part of this formation problem was actually the transformation of thought; once you had an approach, the rest would be simple! Thus, Song Yi also wrote with a flying pen and quickly completed the answer. Yuan Yunxin had heard the dispute and couldn¡¯t help walking over at a measured pace. Initially, she didn¡¯t pay much attention to it because she, like Pan Yin, thought the same. Such a formation problem, no matter how one went about solving it, would require a lengthy process. How could Xue An have finished writing with just a few swift strokes? But when her gaze fell upon Xue An¡¯s paper, she was stunned. Seeing Yuan Yunxin¡¯s stunned reaction, Pan Yin, Chang Xiaoxiao, and the others were baffled. What had happened? Why did the genius young girl of the Yuan family seem as if she had gone into a daze? Only Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°This solution to the formation¡­ what do you think?¡± Yuan Yunxin¡¯s entire body shook as she came to her senses from immense astonishment, and her heart seemed to be hit by tremendous waves. Because on the formation problem, Xue An had simply marked a few spots and written down the method to break it. Yet it was such a simple solution that seemed to open a door for her, enlightening her suddenly. Could the formation problem be solved this way? How had she been so foolish not to see it before? Then she quickly looked over Song Yi¡¯s answer. Compared to Xue An¡¯s concise and clear solution, Song Yi¡¯s solution seemed much more cumbersome and complex! Ming Ruifeng too had now approached. ¡°Sister Yunxin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Yuan Yunxin took a deep breath and shook her head, ¡°Nothing, I just find this gentleman¡¯s solution quite creative, I was a bit shocked for a moment!¡± This statement made the smiles disappear from Pan Yin and Chang Xiaoxiao¡¯s faces. How could it be possible? Did he really solve it? Then Yuan Yunxin bowed very respectfully towards Xue An and Song Yi. ¡°Mr. Song truly lives up to his reputation, the disciple he has taught is also stunningly talented, Yunxin admires you!¡± With that, the whole place was shaken. Yuan Yunxin is one of the most dazzling stars in the world of Feng Shui and Ritual Arts, as well as the Martial Arts World in recent years. Not only did she become famous for her cultivation level, but she also gained worldwide recognition with her vast and complex knowledge, along with her exquisite and meticulous reasoning in formations, even making many well-established seniors feel inferior. This was also why the Ming Family did not hesitate to collaborate with the Yuan Family to invite Yuan Yunxin. Song Yi felt a bit ashamed inside, because he was very aware that if it weren¡¯t for Mr. Xue¡¯s intervention, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to solve the puzzle at all. But Xue An just smiled lightly and nodded, ¡°No need to be polite, that you have conducted such research on formations is indeed commendable, consider this a gift to you!¡± Xue An¡¯s such casual and superior tone made Ming Ruifeng frown slightly. Many people couldn¡¯t help feeling that Xue An was too arrogant. But Yuan Yunxin sincerely said, ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Only Yuan Yunxin knew how significant the gift Xue An had given her was! It could even be said to have given her boundless developmental potential! Pan Yin¡¯s face turned ashen; in his view, the only reason for Xue An¡¯s prowess had to be that Song Yi taught him his most secret and powerful skills. Thinking of this, Pan Yin couldn¡¯t help but seethe with rage. Hmph, sooner or later I will let you know just how formidable I am! Pan Yin thought to himself. The banquet ended. Those who had failed to solve the puzzle all sighed and dissipated. Xue An and a few others did not leave, but were instead led by Ming Ruifeng to an inner chamber. After a while, Ming Canghai walked in. He seemed very pleased, starting with some polite remarks before his tone shifted. ¡°All of you are the top experts in Feng Shui Numerology, what do you think about the puzzle just now?¡± Everyone looked at each other, and Pan Yin was the first to say, ¡°Very difficult!¡± Ming Canghai nodded, ¡°What else?¡± Everyone hesitated for a moment, only Xue An casually played with his fingers while indifferently saying, ¡°This puzzle¡­ should be derived from an Immortal Array, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± The voice was not loud, but it was like a thunderous revelation. Everyone was startled. Only Ming Canghai clapped and laughed heartily, ¡°Indeed worthy of being Mr. Song¡¯s outstanding disciple, that¡¯s right, this is a formation left by an Immortal!¡± Immortal¡¯s legacy? That name left everyone present full of puzzled looks. Only Chang Zhu was visibly shocked, exclaimed in a lost voice, ¡°Could it be that the legends are true?¡± Yuan Yunxin at that moment casually said, ¡°Yes, the legends are indeed true, the Immortal¡¯s legacy does exist, and it is now in Xiangjiang Harbour!¡± The room fell into dead silence. The Immortal¡¯s legacy! This is something left by an Immortal! Immortal, ah! How long has it been since traces of Immortals appeared in this world? Even immortality has become rare! The eyes of many slowly reddened. If one could seize an Immortal¡¯s treasure, wouldn¡¯t it be like ascending to heaven in a single step? Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Ten Thousand Formations Guiyi (2nd Update) Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Ten Thousand Formations Guiyi (2nd Update) Translator: 549690339 Xue An¡¯s voice had just faded when the reef in the east suddenly expanded by more than a hundredfold. It was as if a colossal pillar had abruptly risen from the surface of the sea, reaching straight into the clouds. As for those attacks, in front of this massive rock, they were like a clay ox entering the sea, not even stirring up a ripple. Yuan Yunxin¡¯s complexion drastically changed as she let out an incredulous cry, ¡°How is this possible!¡± She had calculated this formation eye countless times, so how could it have suddenly changed? Everyone was rendered speechless. And just at that moment, a row of golden characters gradually emerged on that sky-reaching monolith. ¡°Trespassers at the Immortal King¡¯s Mansion shall die!¡± As these words appeared, someone said with a trembling voice, ¡°Look¡­ the ship.¡± Everyone lowered their heads to see the vast sea vessel slowly drifting away from the sea¡¯s surface. At the same time, everyone felt a tremendous force assail them, pressing everyone to the ground, barely able to lift their heads. And under this terrifying pressure, the whole ship creaked ominously¡ªit was the sound of metal being destroyed by immense pressure. This display of power struck awe into everyone¡¯s hearts. Yuan Yunxin¡¯s face was filled with a look of despair. She finally understood. All human effort was futile in the face of such overwhelming power. All schemes and calculations were as laughable as a joke. Pan Yin was so terrified that she began to cry. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! It¡¯s all the Ming Family¡¯s fault, all your fault! Ahhh!¡± All faces were filled with a grim expression. At that moment, a calm voice came from the bow of the ship. ¡°A mere Half-step Golden Immortal daring to falsely claim the title of Immortal King?¡± Everyone struggled to lift their heads to look. They saw Xue An standing at the bow, his robes fluttering in the sea breeze, his eyes deep as the vast ocean. Yuan Yunxin and the others were taken aback. What was he going to do? In the midst of everyone¡¯s puzzled gazes, Xue An uttered a light cry. ¡°Appear for me!¡± On that towering rock, dense clusters of golden talisman spells suddenly emerged. In the air, countless sword lights and wind blades also appeared, switching their direction and aiming at Xue An. This shocking scene dumbfounded Yuan Yunxin and the others. But Xue An simply smiled slightly, ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s a Reverse Five Elements Innate Formation. It¡¯s not easy for you to set this up with your Half-step Golden Immortal cultivation level. But to me, it¡¯s still not enough.¡± The sword lights and wind blades seemed to understand Xue An¡¯s words, retracting slightly before plunging down like an eclipse. Yuan Yunxin despairingly closed her eyes, believing Xue An was doomed. Yet, Pan Yin and Chang Zhu exchanged looks, both taking some pleasure in the other¡¯s misfortune. At that moment, a calm and commanding voice rang out. ¡°Today, let all of you witness what a true Immortal¡¯s array is!¡± With that said, Xue An formed a complex and profound hand sign and called out. ¡°All formations¡­ Guiyi!¡± Boom. The sword lights and wind blades that had neared Xue An all stalled, gradually becoming transparent, and finally faded into nothingness. The golden talisman spells on the towering rock shone brightly for a moment and then completely dimmed, with creaking noises emanating from within the rock, before it shattered explosively. Crack! The blue light dome enveloping the sea surface, like a soap bubble, disappeared! Everyone felt lightened as the immense pressure vanished. The ship also settled back onto the sea surface. All stood up, staring dumbfounded at what lay ahead. Before their eyes, a delicate and translucent island had appeared where the sea had been empty before. The island was no more than a mile in circumference, with a tall palace standing proudly at its center. ¡°Is this¡­ the legacy of an Immortal?¡± Yuan Yunxin murmured to herself. Ming Ruifeng looked at Xue An¡¯s figure, his eyes flickering, pondering something. And Xue An took a step forward, treading through the air towards the island. Pan Yin snapped out of it as if waking from a dream, ¡°Quick! Get to the shore!¡± Everyone else also came to their senses. Although it was Xue An who had broken the array, they were already at the doorstep, how could they not go in to take a look? Thus, they shamelessly followed close behind and made for the shore. At this moment, Xue An walked towards the center of the island and looked up at the splendid yet desolate palace. Three characters were written atop the palace in ancient seal script. Xiaopenglai. Xue An smiled slightly and then strode into the palace. No sooner had he entered than Ming Ruifeng, Pan Yin, and the others arrived. On this small island, the only building was this palace. It was easy to imagine that the treasures of the Immortals must all be inside. At this thought, Ming Ruifeng and the others¡¯ eyes turned red. A Feng Shui Master, impatient to wait, stepped forward, intending to rush in. But after this step, the surroundings changed. It was as if they had suddenly found themselves in a vast, wild jungle, and everyone around them had disappeared. The man¡¯s face changed drastically. What¡¯s going on? Could this be an illusion? As the Feng Shui Master was mired in shock and doubt, a huge roar came from behind him. He turned his head to see a beast towering over a hundred meters tall staring at him with a pair of eyes. The man was so frightened he almost wet himself. He turned to run, but before he could take a single step, the beast opened its gaping maw and in one bite, devoured the poor Feng Shui Master. To Yuan Yunxin and the others, it appeared as though the man had stood in place, suddenly showing a look of terror on his face, before turning into a bloody lump of flesh, dying on the spot. This scene made everyone¡¯s color change. Yuan Yunxin was especially shocked, crying out, ¡°It¡¯s an illusion! Everyone be careful!¡± But no sooner had she uttered the words than everything around her also vanished. While the others outside were trapped in illusions, Xue An stood inside the palace. The place was empty, no other furnishings to be seen, except for a skeleton seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion directly in the center. Xue An approached and saw words written in blood in front of the skeleton. Having cultivated the path of immortality for over a thousand years, people envy my Xiaoyao, yet they do not know this world is like a cage, preventing me from progressing! Today, I enter the death meditation. If I cannot break through this realm, may this place be left to someone with destiny! The last characters were sighs: Sigh! Sigh! Sigh! in three iterations. Xue An looked at the skeleton, long dead, and felt somewhat sentimental. The path to immortal cultivation is irrevocable once embarked upon. One must press on bravely and vigorously to break through, for if trapped by the boundary of one¡¯s cultivation level, the taste is simply worse than death. This Half-step Golden Immortal who could die with such clear conviction, could also be considered a true cultivator. Xue An waved his hand lightly. The skeleton turned into dust and scattered with the wind. From dust to dust and earth to earth, may you have entered the cycle of reincarnation to cultivate the immortal path anew! Xue An sighed, then bent down to pick up a book and a sword from the ground. The book had a line of characters on it. True Understanding of Formations. No wonder this person could set up the Reverse Five Elements Innate Formation with the cultivation level of a Half-step Golden Immortal; it turns out he was a cultivator who specialized in formations. This sword appeared to be corroded by thousands of years, looking dull and lusterless. Xue Anxin casually wiped it. The sword then revealed its brilliance. Two ancient seal characters were written on the hilt. Liuguang. Xue An smiled. This treasure from the Immortal¡¯s legacy was not sought in vain. It¡¯s a pity that this fellow¡¯s body had dissolved too long ago; otherwise, getting some fragments of his immortal essence would have been worthwhile. After Xue An picked up these items, the splendid palace rapidly decayed, quickly becoming decrepit. Xue An turned and looked back at the way he came, a slight smile playing on his lips. Have they all been trapped in the illusion? Good, it¡¯s time to settle some old scores! Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Illusionary Realm of Living Beings (3rd Update) Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Illusionary Realm of Living Beings (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 Chang Zhu and Chang Xiaoxiao, the master and disciple duo, trembled all over as they watched the countless multicolored poisonous snakes before them. This illusory realm was designed to manifest each person¡¯s deepest fears. ¡°Master¡­ Master, didn¡¯t you say this was an illusion? How come these snakes all seem so real!¡± Chang Xiaoxiao was on the verge of tears. At that moment, Chang Zhu¡¯s expression darkened as she suddenly pushed Chang Xiaoxiao. With a scream, Chang Xiaoxiao was surrounded by the poisonous snakes. Crying, she yelled, ¡°Master, save me quickly!¡± Chang Zhu remained unmoved. She wanted to test whether the snakes would let her go after they had something to eat. But the results obviously disappointed her. The snakes devoured Chang Xiaoxiao until only her bones remained in an instant, yet the illusion did not dissipate. Just then, a light sigh was heard. ¡°To call you Master for over a decade, and now to meet your end by a swarm of snakes, you truly are ruthless!¡± Chang Zhu was shocked to her core and turned to look, only to see Xue An strolling out from among the snakes. Wherever he passed, the snakes scattered, and all prostrated on the ground, seemingly worshiping him. Chang Zhu felt a wave of regret in her heart but put on an exceedingly obsequious smile. ¡°Xue¡­ Mr. Xue, you truly possess divine cultivation skills. I admire you. My disciple was offensive that day at the airport; now she has met her just deserts, please save me!¡± Xue An listened quietly, and only after Chang Zhu had finished speaking did he raise an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Are you done?¡± A chill ran through Chang Zhu¡¯s heart, and with trembling voice, she said, ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡­ I belong to the Chang Family of Qizhou, you¡­ ¡± She could not finish her sentence, for with a casual wave of his hand, Chang Zhu¡¯s head exploded. Until her death, Chang Zhu never expected that Xue An would strike so suddenly, so her mangled face still bore a trace of astonishment. The corpse fell to the ground. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Always mentioning the Chang Family of Qizhou, do you know how annoying that is?¡± Having said this, Xue An¡¯s figure gradually disappeared. Pan Yin and Song Yi were also within the same illusion. What they faced was a mountain of knives with countless sharp blades standing erect. The two stood on a small rock atop the mountain of knives which was also shrinking gradually. Pan Yin¡¯s complexion was grim as he angrily said, ¡°Song Yi, you old man, did you pass all your skills to that Xue An?¡± At this moment, Song Yi sneered. ¡°Pan Yin, do you know why you¡¯re still nothing but a Xiaoyao even now? Because you¡¯re a damn fool! Mr. Xue merely borrowed the title. What kind of person is he? How could he be my disciple?¡± Pan Yin was shaken and remembered the scene where Xue An single-handedly broke the Immortal Array. Song Yi said coldly, ¡°You¡¯ve all made one mistake, and that is opposing Mr. Xue. Old man has never seen anyone clash with Mr. Xue and live to tell the tale!¡± Pan Yin¡¯s face gradually paled, eventually looking at Song Yi with a face full of resentment. ¡°Stop bragging; I¡¯m not easily frightened. Even if I have to die, you¡¯re going ahead of me!¡± With that, Pan Yin threw a fierce punch. Song Yi dodged, but the rock under his feet was treacherously slippery, and he nearly fell off. Pan Yin kept attacking with a vicious smile while Song Yi was in constant peril. But just then, Xue An gradually appeared. Song Yi was overjoyed, ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Pan Yin¡¯s face turned white. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Song Yi, you sure have picked a fine disciple! So adept at treachery and patricide, are we?¡± Song Yi forced a smile. Then Xue An said, ¡°Now, I will give you a chance to clean up your own house!¡± As Xue An pointed lightly, Song Yi felt a surge of boundless strength course through him. His aura skyrocketed. In contrast, Pan Yin¡¯s aura began to wane. Pan Yin¡¯s face twisted with anger, ¡°What¡­ what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°What am I trying to do?¡± Song Yi said with a cold chuckle. ¡°I took you in out of pity, recognizing a bit of talent in you. Never did I expect such ingrate ambition from you, to betray and usurp your own master. Now with Mr. Xue¡¯s help, I, Song Yi, shall personally clean house!¡± With that said, Song Yi swung out a palm. Pan Yin was knocked to the ground, nearly tumbling down the mountain of knives. Pan Yin completely broke down, crying and crawling on the ground, ¡°Master, mercy, Master! I was blinded, please spare me this one time!¡± Song Yi was unmoved, ¡°Heaven may forgive you, but I will not!¡± With a kick, he sent the screaming Pan Yin tumbling down the mountain of blades. Thud, thud, thud! Pan Yin screamed miserably as he rolled all the way down from the mountain of blades. By the time he reached the bottom, he had become a lump of flesh. At the same time, the illusory realm dissipated, and they returned to the small island. Song Yi let out a breath and respectfully knelt before Xue An. ¡°Mr. Xue, I am eternally grateful for your assistance today,¡± Song Yi vowed, ¡°From now on, I shall serve as Mr. Xue¡¯s humble servant!¡± Xue An smiled and casually tossed the book in his hand over. ¡°This thing is of no use to me, but it¡¯s perfect for you, so cultivate it yourself!¡± As Song Yi took a look, his whole body shook. ¡°This¡­ what is this!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°This is what the Immortal left behind!¡± Tears welled up in Song Yi¡¯s eyes. All of a sudden, he extended his hand, bit his middle finger, wrote a talisman spell on his forehead, and then declared aloud. ¡°Disciple Song Yi vows to serve Mr. Xue for life, and should there be any disloyalty, may my soul be destroyed!¡± This was the fealty oath Song Yi swore! Xue An only smiled at this and then turned to enter the illusory realm where Ming Ruifeng and Yuan Yunxin were. The two were facing a battlefield filled with the roar of war. At this moment, Ming Ruifeng was already riddled with wounds, and Yuan Yunxin was also covered in blood. ¡°Yuan Yunxin, didn¡¯t you say this was an illusory realm? Then why does it feel so real?¡± Ming Ruifeng struggled to kill a soldier and roared furiously. Desperation painted Yuan Yunxin¡¯s face as she said in a daze, ¡°It¡¯s no use, this is an Immortal¡¯s illusion. Once trapped, you either die or find a way out, there is no other way to break free!¡± ¡°No! I refuse to die! This is all your fault, you fool! Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a prodigy? Break us out of here!¡± Ming Ruifeng yelled hysterically. Suddenly. Everything on the battlefield stopped. Ming Ruifeng was stunned, looked up, and saw Xue An slowly approaching. Disbelief appeared on Yuan Yunxin¡¯s face. ¡°You¡­ how can you be¡­?¡± Xue An smiled, and with a gentle wave of his hand, all the soldiers dispersed like smoke. ¡°Such an illusion can hardly trouble me!¡± Then he looked toward Ming Ruifeng. ¡°The great young master of the Ming Family is scared of death?¡± Ming Ruifeng¡¯s expression fluctuated, ¡°You¡­ who exactly are you?¡± By now he had realized that Xue An was definitely not Song Yi¡¯s disciple. Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°As I said, my surname is Xue, and my name is Xue An!¡± Xue An? Ming Ruifeng furrowed his brow. That name sounded so familiar! That¡¯s when Yuan Yunxin said tremulously, ¡°You¡­ you are Xue An? The Xue An who killed my elder brother?¡± Xue An nodded. Ming Ruifeng felt his head go blank with a bang. So it was him! The one who extinguished a Sword Immortal with one sword, the Xue An who slaughtered everyone in Moonwatching Pavilion! Ming Ruifeng¡¯s whole body trembled. Yuan Yunxin¡¯s face was filled with grief and despair. At that moment, Xue An looked toward Ming Ruifeng with a smile, ¡°Young Master Ming, I also have another identity¡ªI am An Qing¡¯s brother-in-law!¡± An Qing? Ming Ruifeng suddenly remembered among the military personnel he had captured, there was a woman named An Qing. His face filled with shock. Xue An shook his head and sighed, ¡°Moreover, that Ming Yuan from your family was also killed by me!¡± Xue An paused and then smiled ominously, ¡°But none of these matters. What¡¯s important is that your Ming Family will cease to exist as well!¡± Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Mom, You’re So Silly! (4th Update) Chapter 166: Chapter 166: Mom, You¡¯re So Silly! (4th Update) Translator: 549690339 Ming Ruifeng shuddered, then made a move that utterly astounded Yuan Yunxin. Ming Ruifeng suddenly fell to his knees with a thud. ¡°Mr. Xue, I am the one responsible for all these acts! Kill me, but please spare the Ming Family!¡± After saying this, Ming Ruifeng looked at Xue An with a face full of hope. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°After breaking the Formation, did your Ming Family ever consider sparing anyone when you planned to kill all those who knew?¡± At this remark, Ming Ruifeng¡¯s face turned completely ashen. ¡°How¡­ how could you?¡± ¡°You want to know how I found out, right?¡± Xue An paused and then said, ¡°I also know that you seem to have intentions to harm my family, thinking of using that as leverage against me. Am I right, Young Master Ming?¡± Ming Ruifeng screamed in agony as a flame quietly ignited at the soles of his feet. And unlike other swift fires, this flame consumed Ming Ruifeng at a slow pace. It felt to Ming Ruifeng as if someone was poking his bone marrow with a Golden Needle, the pain piercing his heart. ¡°Kill me! Just kill me!¡± In unbearable pain, Ming Ruifeng roared. Xue An watched with a smile, then turned to a petrified Yuan Yunxin, and said, ¡°Quite beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Fear filled Yuan Yunxin¡¯s heart. ¡°Xue An, even as a ghost, I won¡¯t let you off!¡± Ming Ruifeng bellowed. Xue An chuckled, ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll have the chance to become a ghost?¡± The flames suddenly grew more intense, and Ming Ruifeng was burnt to nothingness under them. His soul and spirit were obliterated! Xue An turned his head to look at Yuan Yunxin. At that moment, Yuan Yunxin surprisingly calmed down and said softly, ¡°Before I die, may I ask you a few questions?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°Why did you kill my elder brother?¡± ¡°Because I found him disagreeable!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Disagreeable? What kind of explanation is that? Yuan Yunxin was simultaneously amused and dismayed. In actuality, Xue An simply didn¡¯t deem it worthwhile to explain anything. ¡°Then¡­ where did you learn your Formation skills? How did you know the method to break the Immortal Array?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°If I said it was self-taught, would you believe me?¡± Yuan Yunxin bit her lip, then nodded, ¡°I believe!¡± ¡°People have been calling me a Formation prodigy since I was young, but I hate that title! Because they all ignore the effort I put in behind the scenes! But you¡­ you truly are a genius!¡± Having said that, Yuan Yunxin closed her eyes, ¡°Do it!¡± Xue An looked at this ordinary-looking woman and suddenly laughed, then waved his hand. The illusion dissipated. Yuan Yunxin slowly opened her eyes, full of astonishment. ¡°Suddenly changing my mind, people as pure as you are becoming increasingly rare, to kill another would render this world even more dull!¡± Having said that, Xue An grabbed Song Yi from the ground, leapt, and vanished above the sea. Yuan Yunxin stared blankly at Xue An¡¯s departing figure. She didn¡¯t know whether to feel sorrow or joy! At this moment. In Xiangjiang. Within a hotel of the Ming Family. An Yan and her two daughters were guessing riddles. ¡°Mom, have you heard the riddle about the big pig says ¡®yes¡¯ and the small pig says ¡®no¡¯?¡± Xue Xiang asked with a giggle. An Yan frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then asked Xue Nian. ¡°Nian Nian, have you heard it?¡± Xue Nian shook her head earnestly, ¡°No!¡± ¡°Ha ha ha ha!¡± Xue Xiang laughed, her eyes curving into crescents. An Yan also had a smiling face. ¡°What are you guys laughing about?¡± Xue Nian was a bit puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re really such a big fool. I said the big pig says ¡®yes¡¯, and the small pig says ¡®no¡¯, and you just said ¡®no¡¯. Doesn¡¯t that make you the small pig?¡± Xue Xiang explained. It was only then that Xue Nian understood and said somewhat aggrievedly, ¡°Mom, sister is bullying me again!¡± ¡°Ah, is this bullying you? It¡¯s your own silliness, all right?¡± Xue Xiang made a face at Xue Nian. Xue Nian¡¯s little steamed bun face scrunched up in irritation, ¡°Sister, let me give you a riddle!¡± ¡°Sure! Bring it on!¡± Xue Xiang was full of confidence. ¡°Umm¡­ umm¡­¡± Xue Nian¡¯s little face turned red with effort, finally speaking out. ¡°The tortoise and the hare were racing, and the pig was the judge. Can you tell me who won?¡± Xue Xiang was just about to speak when she suddenly blinked her large eyes and exclaimed to An Yan, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t know the answer to this one!¡± An Yan also pondered deeply for a while before saying, ¡°It should¡­ be the tortoise that won, seeing as it¡¯s the tortoise and the hare race, after all!¡± ¡°Then Mom is the pig!¡± ¡°Why?¡± An Yan asked in astonishment. ¡°Because only the judge knows who won!¡± Nian Nian laughed heartily with delight. Xue Xiang, with her hands on her hips and a sigh of frustration, said, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re so silly!¡± An Yan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, ¡°Alright, Mom is silly!¡± Then An Yan stood up, looking out with some concern at the weather. Wondering how her husband was doing now! Although Xue An spoke light-heartedly, An Yan still couldn¡¯t help but worry. And it was just at this moment. Hua Baizhe and Cai Xukun were standing atop a tall building far from the hotel. ¡°Xue An and the Ming Family people have gone out to sea, not sure what for! Why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to kidnap Xue An¡¯s wife and children? When he returns, we can use his family to force him to comply,¡± Cai Xukun said with a venomous lick of his lips. Hua Baizhe shook his head, ¡°If you want to go, go by yourself. I won¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Cai Xukun snorted coldly, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go!¡± After saying so, Cai Xukun vanished into the shadows. This was his innate ability, to move stealthily through the shadows. Quickly! Cai Xukun appeared in a corner of the Ming Family¡¯s hotel, then climbed up the exterior wall to the outside of the room where An Yan was staying. At that moment, An Yan was standing in front of the window. Cai Xukun, looking at An Yan, licked his lips with a greedy look. This woman was really beautiful! And An Yan also noticed Cai Xukun, just as startled. With a show of force, the tempered glass shattered to pieces. Then Cai Xukun, believing himself to be very elegant, stepped in, looked at the astonished An Yan and the two little girls, and smiled slightly, ¡°Beautiful ladies, I am sorry, but from now on, you¡¯ll have to listen to me!¡± An Yan snapped out of her astonishment, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Blame your husband for being too arrogant. Now, someone has put up a billion for his head, so¡­¡± Cai Xukun grinned as he reached out intending to touch An Yan. But his hand had only reached halfway when a burst of resplendent golden light flashed from An Yan¡¯s body. The momentum was so shocking it even made the entire hotel tremble. Cai Xukun was blasted away by this golden light. Bang Bang Bang. He smashed through wall after wall, breaking through an entire floor of the hotel, and the remaining force still not spent, he was blasted onto a distant hill. Boom! Cai Xukun was directly buried into the mountain. That finally brought him to a stop. Only then did Cai Xukun spit out a large mouthful of fresh blood. The blood was even mixed with bits of his internal organs. This single hit had shattered all Cai Xukun¡¯s bones. If not for Cai Xukun¡¯s innate ability allowing him to transfer most of the power to the shadows, he would have been reduced to dust. A look of extreme horror spread across Cai Xukun¡¯s face. Hua Baizhe, watching from afar, couldn¡¯t help but turn pale. What just happened? All she saw was a flash of golden light, then a powerful and irresistible force suddenly filled the whole atmosphere. Although it was fleeting, it made Hua Baizhe tremble all over. That force was simply too terrifying! No! It seems the plan needs to change! Thinking this, Hua Baizhe vanished from the spot. No sooner had she left. Xue An arrived above the hotel with Song Yi. Looking down at the ruined hotel, Xue An¡¯s eyebrows raised, his face filled with murderous intent. Someone actually dared to attack his family? Xue An was enraged! Under his fury, which seemed capable of burning the heavens, the whole Xiangjiang seemed to quiver slightly! Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Falling Leaves and Flying Flowers Both Kill (2nd Release) Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Falling Leaves and Flying Flowers Both Kill (2nd Release) Translator: 549690339 Boom! The flowers and plants throughout the city heard the imperial edict and immediately started to grow wildly. Xue An, who was fleeing, felt something strange underfoot. Turning her head, she saw an ordinary tree suddenly grow much taller. Its branches and leaves stretched out and violently attacked Xue An. Xue An was terrified to the core and barely managed to dodge the attack. But before she could catch her breath, several wild grasses behind her suddenly extended their stems and twined around Xue An¡¯s neck from behind. Xue An wanted to struggle, but the wild grass rose and, with a snap, twisted her neck and broke it. Xue An, dead! At this time, Hua Baizhe had already run to the northernmost end of Xiangjiang. Here she had prepared a cruise ship in advance. As long as she could get to sea, the safety factor would increase significantly. She could already see the ship in the distance. Hua Baizhe had just breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the grass under her feet turned soft, and then, like a swamp, one of her legs sunk in. Hua Baizhe trembled with fright, then used all her strength to jump high into the air. But at that moment, she was in the outskirts of Xiangjiang. The hillside was covered in wild grass, with dandelions being the most abundant. As she leaped into mid-air, the dandelions all bent down to the ground, and the white dandelion seeds detached from the stems, aiming straight for the mid-air Hua Baizhe. Hua Baizhe was petrified with fear. What the hell kind of moves are these? Hiss. A light sound. A dandelion seed brushed past Hua Baizhe¡¯s shoulder. Blood immediately gushed out. The normally frail dandelions were now sharper than blades. Hua Baizhe used all her skills to dodge this wave of attacks, and after landing, she tried to run. But the next moment, she froze. Because the wound on her shoulder was now sprouting little dandelions that grew at an extremely fast pace. All her strength was drained from her body, and then, staring blankly at the distant ship, she fell to the ground unwillingly. The wild grass instantly buried her. Hua Baizhe, dead! Meanwhile, in various corners of Xiangjiang, almost everyone targeted by the assassination was being killed. The killers were the ubiquitous plants of Xiangjiang. Amidst the plucking of leaves and drifting flowers, all members of the assassination faction perished. This was truly, ¡°The Falling Leaves and Drifting Flowers, Both Lethal!¡± An Qing and the others watched, dumbfounded. Even some of them started to look at Song Yi differently. With a single command, amidst the swaying of the plants, all were killed. Is this even a realm achievable by humans? But Song Yi just laughed indifferently and then said to An Qing, ¡°Is your mission to obtain this sword?¡± An Qing nodded. ¡°Then take it!¡± Song Yi threw the sword to An Qing. An Qing and the people of Phoenix Immortal were all shocked. Such a treasured Immortal sword, given away just like that? Song Yi thought nothing of it. This deceased Half-step Golden Immortal clearly specialized only in formations and was very unfamiliar with sword forging. This Flowing Light Sword, both in terms of material and forging technique, was trash. Song Yi didn¡¯t have any regard for such a thing. Of course, although Song Yi looked down upon it, this Flowing Light Sword, having once been the sidearm of a Half-step Golden Immortal, was considered an unparalleled treasure in the mundane world. An Qing accepted it with solemnity and nodded towards Song Yi, ¡°Thank you, brother-in-law!¡± At that moment, An Qing finally completely respected Song Yi. She once thought her sister was bewitched, but now it seemed that it was her sister who had discerning eyes and wisdom. ¡°Now that things here are settled, brother-in-law, you and my sister should come back with us to Zhongdu!¡± But Song Yi shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no rush, I still have one thing to do!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xue An looked towards the north, his voice cold as he said, ¡°Since the Yuan Family of Jibei has repeatedly sought trouble, then there¡¯s no need for their existence!¡± After speaking, Xue An leapt up and said to An Yan, ¡°Wife, wait for me for a moment, I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Having said that, Xue An turned into a streak of flowing light and disappeared into the sky. At this moment, Song Yi couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°This¡­ this is the grandeur of an Immortal!¡± The Yuan Family of Jibei. Yuan Chengyu was enjoying his wine with self-satisfaction. All had been calm and tranquil in Jibei for some time. Although the Yuan Family had lost Yuan Zongfeng, they were still considered a top-ranking noble family in Jibei. Especially since his daughter had gone to Xiangjiang, if she really could cooperate with the Ming Family to uncover the Immortal¡¯s legacy, it would greatly benefit the development of the Yuan Family! Thinking this, Yuan Chengyu couldn¡¯t help but reveal a hint of a smile. Outside the mansion of the Yuan Family. A few guards dressed as members of the Yuan Family were chatting leisurely. ¡°Heard that the young mistress went to Xiangjiang?¡± ¡°Yeah! It was the Ming Family who specially invited her over!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, I really admire our young mistress, she is a genius among mortals, truly a real talent!¡± The group was chatting away. When they saw a strikingly handsome man slowly walking over from the street. At first, they didn¡¯t pay much attention and continued to chat. Until the man walked up to the mansion¡¯s gate. One of them then frowned, ¡°What business do you have? Do you have an appointment to enter the Yuan Family?¡± The man turned his head and gave him a look. That member of the Yuan Family was instantly petrified. For he had never seen such deep and cold eyes. High above all, like an emperor. Thud. A lifeless body collapsed to the ground. A mere glance was enough to shatter the Divine Sense of that member of the Yuan Family, killing him. The other members of the Yuan Family were all stunned, not knowing what had just happened. But the man simply shook his head lightly, ¡°It¡¯s meaningless to kill you lot!¡± After speaking, he stepped forward and proceeded. The gate made of rosewood could not stop the man, and with a bang, the gate fell to the ground. Then the man stood atop the steps and said indifferently, ¡°Members of the Yuan Family, come out and meet your death!¡± This man was naturally Xue An. He had traveled thousands of miles in just over half an hour, arriving directly at the Yuan Family of Jibei. As his voice rang out, the entire Yuan Family was shaken. ¡°Who dares to cause trouble in the Yuan Family?¡± someone roared as they rushed out. He was the captain of the Yuan Family¡¯s security, a master of the Zhenren Realm. Xue An casually waved his hand, and the head of this Zhenren captain soared into the air. Blood sprayed everywhere. This scene shocked the members of the Yuan Family who followed. ¡°Who are you? Why have you come to my Yuan Family to cause trouble?¡± The speaker was one of the elders of the Yuan Family. Xue An glanced at him, ¡°Are you Yuan Chengyu?¡± ¡°He¡¯s our Family Head, I am just an elder of the Yuan Family,¡± the man said proudly. Xue An nodded, ¡°If not, then die!¡± At his command, the man collapsed to the ground with a thud. As the word was spoken, the law followed. This eerie scene sent a chill through the hearts of everyone present from the Yuan Family. Who in the world is this man? At that moment, Yuan Chengyu hurried over and shouted angrily, ¡°Who is this madman who dares to make trouble in my Yuan Family?¡± Xue An stood with his hands behind his back on the steps, the corners of his mouth revealing a faint smile. ¡°My name is Xue An! I¡¯ve come today to exterminate the Yuan Family!¡± Xue An. This name, like a curse, struck fear into all of the Yuan Family¡¯s people. Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Return to Zhongdu (3 more, please subscribe) Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Return to Zhongdu (3 more, please subscribe) Translator: 549690339 Yuan Chengyu¡¯s complexion changed drastically, and he exclaimed in shock, ¡°Are you Xue An?¡± Xue An nodded, then looked up at the sky and smiled faintly, ¡°The weather is nice today, it¡¯s a good day for killing!¡± Yuan Chengyu¡¯s gaze flickered uncertainly, and finally, gritting his teeth, he sneered, ¡°Xue An, you killed my eldest son, and I haven¡¯t settled the score with you yet, but now you¡¯ve come to my doorstep? Come, kill him!¡± As Yuan Chengyu gave the order, over a dozen Heavenly Human Realm experts suddenly rushed out from all directions. Clearly well-practised in coordination, these men immediately sealed off all of Xue An¡¯s escapes as soon as they made their move. A cold smile appeared on the corners of Yuan Chengyu¡¯s lips. Ever since Yuan Zong Feng had fallen, fearing that others might seize the opportunity to seek revenge, he gathered heroes from all over the world and assembled these dozen or so Heavenly Human experts as his trump card. Now, it seemed his strategy had paid off. Even if Xue An were a Loose Immortal, he would have to retreat before the combined attack of over a dozen Heavenly Beings. But the smile that had just formed on Yuan Chengyu¡¯s face abruptly froze. Xue An faced the ferocious onslaught without dodging or evading, he even stepped forward, directly confronting it. At the same time, he uttered a light shout. ¡°Divine Slaughter!¡± Boom. The fourth technique of the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques was once again unleashed. This time, its power had increased by more than a hundredfold compared to before. The Heavenly Human experts had been full of confidence, believing they could at least force Xue An back if not kill him. But after Xue An¡¯s light shout. All of these men were blown away by a terrifying force. Those who directly confronted Xue An died instantly on the spot. Those who survived were all rendered incapacitated. One strike. Had repelled the joint attack of over a dozen Heavenly Human experts. The faces of all the Yuan Family members changed simultaneously. Most notably Yuan Chengyu, who stood there in stunned silence, murmuring to himself, ¡°How¡­ how is this possible?¡± Xue An walked over leisurely, looming over him as he looked down. ¡°I intended to exterminate your entire Yuan Family, but now, it seems you are the instigator of it all!¡± Having said that, Xue An flicked his finger, Yuan Chengyu let out a miserable cry, and his arms and legs were chopped off cleanly. But at that moment, Yuan Chengyu was not yet dead, instead lying in a pool of blood, writhing in agony. Everyone trembled at the sight of this gruesome scene. Yuan Chengyu, showing some guts, bit his teeth and did not wail too loudly. Xue An squatted down, looking at him indifferently, ¡°You should thank your good daughter! Otherwise, I would have used the Soul Flame Fire to roast you for a long while before killing you!¡± Yuan Chengyu looked at Xue An with hatred, roaring in anger, ¡°Why do you keep going after my Yuan Family again and again?¡± Xue An chuckled lightly, ¡°Going after your Yuan Family? On the day of the Immortal Gate conference, your son launched a sneak attack on me and got killed by me. This time, you sent assassins who nearly harmed my family! And now you have the audacity to ask why I¡¯m going after your Yuan Family?¡± These words turned Yuan Chengyu¡¯s face deathly pale, his expression also became deflated. It turned out, he knew everything. Xue An didn¡¯t bother to waste more words on this man, with a wave of his hand, the fire directly engulfed Yuan Chengyu. In an instant, he was burned to nothing. Afterwards, Xue An stood up and glanced around at all the people present. No one dared meet Xue An¡¯s gaze. Some were so frightened their calves trembled. Xue An extended his hand with an indifferent expression, and suddenly, flames rose beneath the feet of twenty or thirty people. Before these people could scream, they were directly turned to ash. With this move, over half of the Yuan Family¡¯s legitimate branch were gone, and as for the Yuan Family elders, they were completely wiped out. Xue An stated indifferently, ¡°I originally intended to exterminate your entire Yuan Family, but now, it seems some of you were kept in the dark, so consider this sparing you once!¡± After speaking, Xue An stomped his foot, and his figure shot straight up into the sky, disappearing from view. After his departure, the remaining members of the Yuan Family felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted off their shoulders. But just as they took a deep breath of relief, the ground where Xue An had stomped collapsed with a bang, forming a crater at least a dozen meters in diameter. Many people had a vacant look in their eyes, unsure of what they were thinking. By now, Xue An had single-handedly wiped out all the high-level members of the Yuan Family, leaving the Yuan Family of Jibei severely weakened, ultimately relegating them to a second-rate noble family. Xue An flew straight back to Xiangjiang. When An Yan saw him return, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. ¡°An Qing has already left ahead of time, she said she was in a hurry to get back,¡± An Yan said. Xue An nodded, then turned to look at Song Yi. ¡°Song Yi, now that the Ming Family is gone, Xiangjiang is like a dragon without a head. I¡¯m entrusting this place to you, do you dare to take over?¡± Song Yi shuddered, then looked at Xue An with disbelief. ¡°Mr. Xue, are you¡­ are you saying you want me to take charge of Xiangjiang?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Do you dare or not?¡± Song Yi pondered for a moment, then said with a resolute face, ¡°Since Mr. Xue has commanded, even if I have to go through fire and water, I will not refuse!¡± Xue An nodded in satisfaction. He believed in Song Yi¡¯s methods. How could someone who thrived in a place like Zhongdu be an ordinary man? ¡°Mr. Xue, will you take your wife back to Zhongdu?¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯d like to remind you, sir. Although your cultivation level is divine, Zhongdu is unlike any other place. It¡¯s teeming with both good and bad, and noble families are as common as the hairs on an ox. Just like that time on Mount Qingmang, the Huo Heming that you killed, although he was just a concubine son in the Huo Family, if you go there¡­¡± Song Yi was genuinely worried. He knew Xue An¡¯s temperament and feared that Xue An might suffer a setback in Zhongdu. Xue An waved his hand and said with a light chuckle, ¡°I understand, and I¡¯m not going to Zhongdu to wreak havoc. But I will not offend unless I¡¯m offended! I hope those noble families will have some sense!¡± At the end of his statement, a cold light flashed in Xue An¡¯s eyes. Song Yi closed his mouth, not daring to say any more. Xue An stayed in the hotel that evening. Meanwhile. All of Xiangjiang was shaken. The Ming Family had been entrenched in Xiangjiang for generations, virtually the overlord of the land. But unexpectedly, in one day, they were eradicated. Even the Ming Family¡¯s mansion was leveled to the ground. With such methods, how could the other powers in Xiangjiang not be alarmed? And there was credible news that the person who destroyed the Ming Family had not yet left and was staying in the hotel belonging to the Ming Family. This news drew the attention of the entire harbor. But Xue An didn¡¯t care about this. After all, Xiangjiang was still too small for him. He didn¡¯t like it here. Song Yi took this opportunity to send an ultimatum to all parties. It clearly stated that from now on, Xiangjiang would be Xue Family territory. He, Song Yi, would be the sole representative of the Xue Family. Anyone who disagreed could speak up now. After receiving the ultimatum, many noble families chose wisely after a brief silence. One after another, they sent gifts to Song Yi, signaling their willingness to submit. Without shedding a drop of blood, Song Yi brought the entirety of Xiangjiang under his influence. However, this was just the beginning. The many forces were only startled by Xue An¡¯s decisive and lethal approach and had acquiesced out of fear, at least for the moment. The road ahead still required Song Yi to walk on his own. Xue An didn¡¯t care about these things, because the next day, he, along with An Yan and their daughter, boarded the plane heading for Zhongdu. This time, he would reign supreme over Zhongdu! Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Chapter 171 What is a true horse battle! (Thanks to the sunshine!) Chapter 171: Chapter 171 What is a true horse battle! (Thanks to the sunshine!) Translator: 549690339 In Zhongdu, where every inch of land is worth its weight in gold, the An Family actually owns their own horse ranch. At this moment, over a dozen purebred horses were leisurely grazing. An Xue proudly said, ¡°The horses here are even purer in bloodline than those of the British Royal Family, each one worth tens of millions!¡± Having said this, An Xue looked disdainfully at Xue An, expecting to see his face full of astonishment. After all, anyone who had visited the An Family and seen their horse ranch, regardless of their status, was always utterly shocked. But surprisingly, Xue An appeared indifferent, showing not the slightest bit of surprise. An Xue¡¯s eyes grew cold as he thought to himself with a sneer, he¡¯s probably just a bumpkin who has never seen the world and doesn¡¯t know the value of these creatures. At that moment, someone led over a tall, white horse. An Xue affectionately patted the horse¡¯s neck, then lightly touched it and leapt onto its back. This skillful move drew a round of applause from the numerous servants. An Xue smiled smugly, then said in a deep voice, ¡°Bring me my Fangtian Halberd!¡± Soon, a brawny man grinning from ear to ear brought over an enormous Fangtian Halberd. An Xue took the halberd, swung it in a flourish, and then said with a proud laugh, ¡°Today, I shall show you the art of cavalry warfare from ancient times!¡± As An Xue finished speaking, he spurred the horse with both legs and the horse started running wildly around the arena. Many straw dummies were standing in the arena. As An Xue rode past a straw dummy, he suddenly let out a roar. ¡°Die, thief!¡± His voice was like a thunderclap. Then a flash of the blade followed, and the straw dummy was cleanly sliced in half at the waist. Many maids couldn¡¯t help but turn pale with fright. Yet Xue An, with arms crossed, watched with great interest. Taken by the thrill of the display, An Xue went chop after chop. After cutting down all the straw dummies, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily to the sky. ¡°Exhilarating!¡± Only then did he turn back, saying coldly, ¡°Xue An, now it¡¯s your turn!¡± All eyes were now on Xue An. He simply shook his head gently. An Meng snorted with derision, thinking he must have admitted defeat. But unexpectedly, Xue An said calmly, ¡°If you want my opinion, this so-called art of war on horseback is completely worthless.¡± Upon hearing this, An Xue¡¯s face turned extremely ugly. ¡°Worthless? Ha, you sure have a big mouth, kid!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Then I¡¯ll have to show you myself!¡± With that, Xue An walked toward the stables. There were all kinds of precious horses here, but Xue An was particularly interested in a black horse that was keeping its distance from the others, head lowered to drink water. The stables were managed by a head steward of the An Family. Seeing Xue An approach the black horse, the steward couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Sir, this black horse was only brought here the day before yesterday and is extremely temperamental. If it injures you, don¡¯t blame me for not warning you!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t respond and continued moving towards the black horse. The black horse was drinking and, feeling someone approaching, snorted loudly, then haughtily raised its head. The stable manager watched gloatingly, expecting Xue An to be kicked flying by the black horse any second. But then, a surprising scene unfolded. The black horse, as if beholding something of great reverence, started trembling slightly, knelt on its front legs, and gently touched Xue An¡¯s foot with its head. This scene stupefied all the onlookers. What was happening? Could it be that this Xue An knew how to train horses too? But this black horse was known to be wild and untamed, having defied many top horse trainers; how did it become so docile upon his approach? As the crowd was filled with astonishment and doubt, Xue An smiled faintly, extending his hand to gently caress the black horse¡¯s mane. ¡°It really is an injustice to have you confined here! Well then, I will ride you today!¡± The black horse snorted excitedly. Xue An immediately mounted the horse, and it stood up, carrying Xue An to the center of the horse ranch. At this point, An Xue¡¯s face was filled with uncertainty and a dark expression. He hadn¡¯t expected Xue An to be able to tame the black horse. However, simply knowing how to ride a horse is not enough, Sabers are easy to use on foot. But when slashing from atop a speeding horse, it requires extremely high skill. An Xue had practiced diligently for several years to achieve his current level of proficiency. At that moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t like to use sabers!¡± He then pointed to a Fangtian Halberd resting on the weapon rack in the corner. ¡°This looks good, I¡¯ll take this one!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the entire room burst into laughter. An Meng even laughed so hard that she clutched her stomach. ¡°I thought this guy really knew something, turns out he¡¯s just full of hot air! That Fangtian Halberd is made of pure steel and weighs more than a hundred pounds, it¡¯s meant to be a decoration and to press down the weapon rack, and he actually wants to use it?¡± Many others also wore looks of disdain. Xue An slowly scanned the people present. The laughter gradually subsided. Xue An¡¯s gaze was too calm, almost mockingly so. He then flicked the reins, leading the horse over to the weapon rack. Xue An reached out, took hold of the handle of the Fangtian Halberd, and then slowly pulled it out under the astonished gazes of the onlookers. This scene also greatly shocked An Xue. Impossible! If he used brute force, An Xue could also move the Fangtian Halberd. But Xue An drew it slowly, making it look as easy as picking up a stick. With the halberd in hand, Xue An looked detached. ¡°Now¡­ I will show you what real cavalry warfare is!¡± Having said that, Xue An galloped off. The black horse, like a streak of black lightning, began to sprint around the entire riding ground. In the riding ground, many flagpoles were erected, all used for tying various ropes and cables. While galloping, Xue An suddenly let out a light shout, and thrust out with the halberd. Bang! A loud clashing sound of metal. The pure steel flagpole was loudly snapped in two. And this was just the beginning. Xue An casually twirled the Fangtian Halberd and struck out continuously. Bang bang bang! All of these flagpoles were snapped in succession. The towering sound astonished everyone present, leaving them with faces full of shock. An Xue was especially wide-eyed and speechless. At this moment, Xue An cracked a faint smile, flicked the reins, and the black horse charged straight towards An Xue. An Xue was startled and raised his saber in an attempt to defend. But Xue An¡¯s Fangtian Halberd, like Mount Tai, bore down irresistibly. Fear finally gripped An Xue as he cried out in alarm. The saber snapped into two with a crack. At the same time, the halberd chopped down. An Xue shut his eyes, his mind went blank. But a moment later, An Xue only felt a breeze on his forehead and nothing else. An Xue slowly opened his eyes, only to see the Fangtian Halberd just inches from his forehead, a centimeter more and it would have shattered his skull. With the halberd in hand, Xue An stood as immovable as a deep pool or a towering peak. An Xue was taken aback. The crowd was as silent as if their throats had been gripped, mouths agape, staring dumbfounded. At this time, Xue An withdrew the halberd and casually tossed it backward. The halberd flew back to its original place as if guided, perfectly aligned. Clang! The impact made the weapon rack resonate with a buzzing sound. Xue An said calmly, ¡°Now, are you convinced?¡± Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: Chapter 174 Strange Request! (Continue! Ask for subscription!) Chapter 174: Chapter 174 Strange Request! (Continue! Ask for subscription!) Translator: 549690339 An Zhong felt his skin crawl, terror-stricken he said, ¡°Xue An, I¡¯m telling you, this is Zhongdu, the home of the An Family. If you keep acting so arrogantly, be careful¡­¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°So you¡¯ve chosen the second option!¡± With that, Xue An threw him onto the ground. Bang! Dust rose everywhere. An Zhong was thrown so hard he almost spat blood. Before he could get up, Xue An stepped on his head, then picked up the fragments of a water gun from the ground. ¡°Hope you enjoy the taste!¡± As he spoke, Xue An firmly gripped An Zhong¡¯s jaw. Crack. An Zhong¡¯s jaw was dislocated from the pressure. Then Xue An stuffed the plastic fragments of the water gun into An Zhong¡¯s mouth. After that, he landed a fierce punch on An Zhong¡¯s mouth. The taste of blood and severe pain forced An Zhong to involuntarily swallow the plastic pieces whole. Only then did Xue An stand up and, while looking at An Zhong who was continuously retching, took out a handkerchief and slowly wiped his hands. An Meng watched the entire scene, feeling as if she¡¯d fallen into an ice cellar, trembling uncontrollably. An Zhong finally stopped the discomfort in his stomach and raised his head, looking at Xue An with eyes full of resentment and venom. ¡°Xue An, if you have the guts, kill me now! Otherwise, I¡¯ll never let you go, never let those two little girls go¡­¡± Just as he said this, Xue An, who was wiping his hands, raised his eyebrows slightly, a sharp glint passing in his eyes. Thwack! One of An Zhong¡¯s hands was chopped off. Blood flowed out. An Zhong screamed in agony. ¡°Aaaah! Xue An, this isn¡¯t over! If you have the guts, kill me! Otherwise, I¡¯ll haunt you for the rest of my life!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°What a peculiar request. But since you insist, I shall oblige!¡± With that, Xue An flicked his finger. Thwack! An Zhong¡¯s head soared into the air. Blood spilled everywhere. Thud! An Zhong¡¯s head landed on the ground, his face still showing traces of shock and disbelief. He never imagined that Xue An would truly dare to kill him. Equally shocked and frightened was An Meng. ¡°You¡­ you really killed him?¡± An Meng said in horror. ¡°Is it so strange? If you¡¯re envious, I can send you on your way as well!¡± Xue An remarked indifferently. An Meng shuddered all over, not daring to speak again, her downward gaze filled with terror as calamity loomed. But to Xue An, it was as if he had killed nothing more than a chicken, casually saying, ¡°If you don¡¯t want the body, I can clean it up for you, free of charge!¡± An Meng was almost scared to tears, ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ll find someone to take it away!¡± With that, she fled in panic. Xue An turned to An Yan and smiled slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! If worse comes to worst¡­ let the entire An Family accompany him in death!¡± Only after An Meng found people to take away the body did Xue An dispel the secret technique that was hiding his daughter. At this time, the two little girls were having an argument. ¡°Sister, it was clearly time for two ice creams! Why do you insist it was only one ice cream?¡± ¡°Hmph, not at all, you think everyone eats ice cream as fast as you do? It was the time for one ice cream!¡± Xue Xiang said with her hands on her hips, very earnestly. Xue Nian was so aggrieved she was almost crying. Once Xue An understood the situation, he couldn¡¯t help but be caught between laughter and tears. ¡°Alright, eat as many as you like!¡± An Yan said with some concern, ¡°How can that be okay? Eating too many sweets will rot the children¡¯s teeth!¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°Yes, so eat somewhat less!¡± In reality, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian could use sugar to brush their teeth all day long and still have no issues at all. After all, Xue An had used Origin Power to cleanse their marrow. But contrary to expectations, the night passed and no one came for revenge. Xue An chuckled. Whether they came or not, it mattered not to him. If they did come, it was just a matter of destroying that arrogant noble family a bit earlier. At this moment, within the courtyard where An Xue resided, An Xue was glaring at his son¡¯s corpse with an ashen face. An Chang stood by emotionlessly. ¡°Xue An, I will tear you to pieces!¡± An Xue bellowed, ready to charge out! An Chang stopped him. ¡°Younger brother, what are you trying to do?¡± An Xue asked coldly. ¡°Have you forgotten mother¡¯s words? We will take action at the time of the birthday banquet. Don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait any longer. Xue An killed my son; how can I possibly not seek revenge?¡± ¡°But you must listen to mother¡¯s words, and if you kill him now, what will you use to answer to the Chi Family if anything goes wrong with An Yan at the birthday banquet?¡± An Xue¡¯s expression gradually calmed down. An Chang said indifferently, ¡°And besides¡­ An Zhong was always fooling around; he wasn¡¯t the right person to take over the family business anyway. He¡¯s dead, so what? Just have another one! Why be so furious?¡± An Xue nodded helplessly. Even though he was the second brother, when it came to family matters, he still had to listen to An Chang. Yet, this news spread at rocket speed. Surprisingly, quite a few people were clapping their hands in secret glee. It showed just how unpopular An Zhong had been. At this moment, Within a luxurious bar in Zhongdu, An Ying was drinking with a few friends. His phone vibrated, An Ying picked it up to look, was stunned for a moment, and then his smile grew even brighter. ¡°Master An, what is it?¡± ¡°Hehe, that idiot An Zhong is dead!¡± ¡°Dead? How did he die?¡± ¡°He was killed by my brother-in-law, haha!¡± An Ying said, beaming with joy. The others were somewhat taken aback. ¡°Your brother-in-law?¡± ¡°Yeah, my older cousin, An Yan!¡± An Ying replied with a light chuckle. ¡°Is that the An Yan who eloped with someone?¡± someone blurted out. The smile on An Ying¡¯s face grew cold, ¡°What did you say?¡± The person, realizing their blunder, quickly apologized, ¡°Master An, I¡¯m sorry! I was wrong! I¡¯ll slap myself!¡± As they said this, they started slapping their own face. An Ying remained noncommittal, simply leaning back in his chair, looking at the ceiling, with a flicker of thought in his eyes. Four years ago, he had met Xue An a few times. Back then, Xue An was just a poor student, quite down on his luck. But the pride in his brow, An Ying had to admit, he admired that. Compared to that, An Ying probably had the best impression of Xue An, aside from An Qing. Now, he had suddenly returned with An Yan, and it was laughable that his own father, An Chang, and his uncle An Xue actually thought Xue An was here to curry favor with them. Only An Ying knew, That man! He would never bow to anyone! Chi Weiyang and a few friends were leisurely enjoying their afternoon tea. As they chatted, they began to talk about the upcoming birthday of the An Family matriarch a few days later. Chi Weiyang smiled, ¡°I heard that the An Family¡¯s birthday celebration this time is going to be extremely grand, everyone with a bit of status in Zhongdu has been invited!¡± ¡°Yes, Master Wei, did you receive an invitation?¡± someone curiously asked. A woman with an elegant demeanor smiled faintly, ¡°I did, but I won¡¯t be going!¡± ¡°I figured as much, how would Master Wei go to such a place?¡± Wei Ruyan smiled lightly, taking a sip of her tea. At that moment, Chi Weiyang let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the woman my brother secretly loves has also returned to Zhongdu!¡± ¡°Who? An Yan?¡± the women were all intrigued. Chi Weiyang nodded, ¡°Who else but her, and this time An Yan even brought her man with her, I heard his name is¡­ Xue An!¡± Wei Ruyan, who was sipping her tea, paused, ¡°You said who?¡± Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Chapter 176 An Family Birthday Banquet Chapter 176: Chapter 176 An Family Birthday Banquet Translator: 549690339 The birthday feast arrived. The An Family¡¯s servants had gotten up early and began to tidy up. The roads had been washed with clean water three times, not even a speck of dust remained. The great doors, which had always been closed, were opened today. It wasn¡¯t even nine in the morning yet. Guests arriving to offer birthday felicitations had already started to trickle in. However, the ones arriving now were generally from the smaller families in Zhongdu. These people gathered in groups of three or five, discussing today¡¯s birthday feast. ¡°Hey, have you heard? An Yan, the abandoned daughter of the An Family, has returned to Zhongdu!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it long ago. They say she even brought back a man and child!¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, isn¡¯t this an outright slap in the face of the young master of the Chi Family? Who in Zhongdu doesn¡¯t know how deeply Chi Changge loved An Yan?¡± ¡°More than that, I heard that An Yan was forcibly taken back, but Chi Changge remained deeply in love. Yet she¡¯d rather die than submit and actually ran away!¡± ¡°Heh heh, I reckon today¡¯s birthday feast is going to be quite lively!¡± As people were discussing, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class drove up, and brother and sister Chi Changge and Chi Weiyang got out of the car. Upon seeing them arrive. The people discussing hurriedly shut their mouths. What a joke. The Chi Family in Zhongdu is a top-ranking wealthy family, on par with the An Family. Who would dare to disrespect them? ¡°Young master Chi!¡± ¡°Miss Chi!¡± The greetings continued without end, but Chi Changge, with a face as still as water, took no notice. In contrast, Chi Weiyang smiled and nodded her head. Then the two of them entered the house. With their arrival, the guests offering birthday felicitations suddenly increased, and all of them were from prominent and powerful families. Luxurious cars filled the area in front of the gate, with elegantly dressed people wearing reserved smiles gathered by their social groups, whispering among themselves. Meanwhile, in the reception room inside. Chi Changge sat in a chair with An Chang accompanying him on the other side. ¡°Where is she?¡± That was Chi Changge¡¯s first question. An Chang smiled slightly, ¡°Young master Chi need not be anxious, she will appear when the birthday feast begins!¡± At this moment, Chi Weiyang asked, ¡°Uncle, I heard she came back with a man and child?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chi Weiyang sighed. This was like an inescapable dead end. At midday. The birthday feast commenced. Delicacies from the land and sea were served like flowing water. But the guests were not there for the food, they merely tasted it and waited for something else. Finally. The old matriarch of the An Family, Jin Xiurong, slowly walked out. Upon seeing her, everyone promptly stood up. ¡°May the old lady be healthy and hale!¡± ¡°Wishing the old lady fortunes as vast as the East Sea, and a lifespan as enduring as the mountains!¡± Jin Xiurong smiled and nodded, waved her hand to signal everyone to sit down, and then took her place at the head of the room. At this point, the younger generation of the An Family began to come forward to offer birthday wishes. Naturally, the first to take the stage were An Xue and An Chang. ¡°Wishing mother peace and good fortune!¡± After speaking, the two stepped aside to the left and right. Next up were the younger ones like An Ying and An Meng. After these individuals finished paying their respects. Everyone¡¯s heart stirred in anticipation. What came next¡­ would surely be the highlight of the show! Indeed. Outside the banquet hall, footsteps could be heard. When the bead curtain was lifted, the first to enter was An Yan, who had been away from Zhongdu for four years. Her appearance stirred a faint commotion among those seated below. Chi Changge gazed foolishly at An Yan¡¯s silhouette. Following closely behind her were two well-behaved and lovely little girls. Upon seeing the two little girls, Chi Changge¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t help but change drastically. Jin Xiurong, seated at the head of the table, gave an almost imperceptible cold snort. The last to enter was a man with a tall stature and a faint smile on his face. Though his attire was plain, his every move exuded an extraordinary aura. Chi Changge suddenly stood up, staring daggers at this man, his eyes filled with murderous intent. Xue An noticed Chi Changge¡¯s gaze, but all he did was smile faintly before making his way to An Yan¡¯s side. An Yan seemed somewhat tremulous under the scrutiny of many eyes. Xue An gently patted her shoulder. An Yan gradually calmed down. However, such an affectionate gesture between the two only caused a quiet uproar among the crowd. It was then that An Yan approached Jin Xiurong and, with her hands by her sides, said, ¡°Yan¡¯er wishes Grandma a life as enduring as the sun and the moon, and as evergreen as the pine and crane!¡± But as soon as she finished speaking, Jin Xiurong slammed her hand on the table, her voice icy as she commanded, ¡°Kneel down before me now!¡± This command was like a thunderclap. The whole room fell into silence. An Meng curved her lips into a triumphant smile. No matter how formidable you are, in the face of Grandma, don¡¯t you still have to kneel and accept punishment? An Yan¡¯s expression turned anxious, then she bent her waist, about to kneel! But just then, an arm barred her way. Looking up, An Yan saw Xue An smiling gently at her, ¡°Wife, I¡¯ve said before, from now on, you need not kneel before anyone!¡± As soon as this statement landed, it was as if a grenade had been thrown into the midst of the onlookers. Everyone looked on in shock. Some sneered in their hearts, thinking Xue An was simply courting death. Jin Xiurong¡¯s face darkened like water. ¡°You¡­ are you Xue An, the one who lured away my granddaughter, leading her into disloyalty and impiety?¡± But Xue An just laughed. His smile was filled with coldness. ¡°Lured away your granddaughter? Ha, when An Yan and I were at An Xue, we fell in love, and I even visited your An Family. Why didn¡¯t you mention that?¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± The old steward standing beside Jin Xiurong took a step forward and rebuked him. Jin Xiurong wore a scornful look, ¡°Four years ago you had nothing, and you thought to reach the skies in one step by marrying my An Family¡¯s daughter. Of course I wouldn¡¯t agree! Four years later, you come knocking again, with two children in tow, do you think¡­ this will make me yield?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, I¡¯ve never thought of making you yield! Because you¡­ are not worthy!¡± At these words. Complete silence fell over the room. Many regarded Xue An with the eyes one gives a dead man. In Zhongdu. Offending the An Family was like seeking death, no different. Jin Xiurong¡¯s expression shifted slightly, she spoke coldly, ¡°Good! What a proud and unyielding man you are, it¡¯s a pity, even the hardest bones will shatter!¡± As her words settled, several elders rose from the corner of the hall. The leader approached Jin Xiurong, bowing respectfully, ¡°Elder Madame!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± Jin Xiurong sipped her tea, instructing with a light voice, and the calm tone was as if she was discussing a trivial matter. ¡°Yes!¡± The elder turned and gave Xue An a faint smile, ¡°Young man, don¡¯t blame me for being heartless. It¡¯s your own fault for seeking death.¡± No sooner had he spoken, when his eyebrows bristled, and a terrifying aura suddenly emanated from him. Everyone in the room was startled. Several martial artists even changed color drastically. ¡°This is¡­ Golden Leopard, the warrior who once dominated the Martial Arts World, ranked tenth on the Jade List! Is he actually serving the An Family?¡± At that moment, Golden Leopard let out a sinister laugh, ¡°To die at my hands is indeed a point of pride for you!¡± However, Xue An shook his head, speaking softly, ¡°Too weak!¡± ¡°What?¡± Golden Leopard didn¡¯t hear clearly. ¡°I said¡­ too weak!¡± As soon as Xue An finished speaking, he rushed to the man, raising his hand to deliver a punch. Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Chapter 177: The Break (Subscribe please!) Chapter 177: Chapter 177: The Break (Subscribe please!) Translator: 549690339 Golden Leopard originally didn¡¯t care. Because in his eyes, Xue An¡¯s aura was flat, just an ordinary person who knew some boxing! But unexpectedly, when Xue An threw a punch, his momentum suddenly surged. Golden Leopard¡¯s face changed dramatically, but still, he roared, ¡°Watch my ¡®Mountain-Crushing Fist¡¯!¡± Having said that, he too struck out with a punch. The two fists collided. Bang! A muffled sound. Those close by felt their ears buzzing. Golden Leopard remained rigid on the spot, and only after a moment did he exhale deeply. ¡°Good fist technique!¡± As he spoke, he began to turn into ash from the fist, and finally, like broken pieces of porcelain, he disappeared without a trace. Everyone was dumbstruck. Who could have imagined that under Xue An¡¯s single punch, Golden Leopard would be directly blasted into nothingness. The priests who were originally composed all stood up suddenly, looking at Xue An with shock on their faces. Jin Xiurong also frowned slightly. Only Chi Changge, with an iron-blue complexion, looked at Xue An, his fists creaking with rage. Xue An pulled back his fist, looked around at everyone, and said indifferently, ¡°An Yan is my woman. From today onwards, she will leave the An Family and will no longer be governed by this so-called noble family. I¡¯ve said my piece, who agrees? Who opposes?¡± No one dared to speak. Leave the An Family? This has never happened before. At this moment An Xue couldn¡¯t restrain himself any longer, and was the first to jump out and say, ¡°Leave the An Family? Heh, her blood is of the An Family, and you say to leave just like that?¡± Xue An smiled coldly, ¡°That means you oppose it then!¡± ¡°Of course I disagree!¡± ¡°Fine then, you can go die!¡± Before An Xue could react, a nearby elder¡¯s face changed dramatically, and he instantly moved in front of An Xue, simultaneously roaring. ¡°Shield!¡± A faint halo appeared in front of him, covering An Xue behind him. At this moment, Xue An flicked his finger. Crack! The halo barely resisted for less than half a second before it exploded violently. It then flew the elder out directly, until he slammed into a wall, barely halting. With an open mouth, the elder spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Xue An looked at the elder with a pale complexion and smiled faintly, ¡°Not bad, you actually took one from me!¡± The elder gave a bitter laugh. He had just used a Divine Talisman, a true transmission from Mount Wudang! He thought he could withstand a hit from Xue An, but unexpectedly, it shattered in just one second. ¡°The aura of True Martial, huh?¡± Xue An said softly, then smiled slightly, ¡°For the sake of your elder, I won¡¯t kill you!¡± At this point, An Xue finally realized what had just happened. If it weren¡¯t for Master Zhang from Mount Wudang coming to his rescue, he probably would have been dismembered by now. An Xue trembled all over, ¡°You¡­ you actually dare to kill¡­ me?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? Your lives are no more than weeds to me!¡± This statement provoked anger. Many people looked at Xue An with hostility in their eyes. After all, they all considered themselves part of the same stratum. And with Xue An killing a man as soon as he made a move, it naturally filled everyone with a sense of crisis. At this time, Old Lady Jin Xiurong¡¯s face also changed slightly, but she didn¡¯t speak to Xue An; instead, she turned to look at An Yan. ¡°An Yan, you¡¯ve grown up by my side since you were a child. Do you really want to break with the An Family for the sake of such a man?¡± An Yan had been silent all this time, but now her expression gradually calmed, and her eyes hardened, free from panic. She slowly walked to Xue An¡¯s side and firmly shook her head at Jin Xiurong, ¡°Grandma, this might be the last time I call you grandma. Indeed, I grew up here since I was young, and you have the grace of bringing me up!¡± ¡°But from childhood to adulthood, I never received even a smile from you. After my father¡¯s death, aside from An Qing, who ever cared for me? In your eyes, I am nothing but a tool, a means to ally with other noble families through marriage! Am I right?¡± These series of questions threw Jin Xiurong¡¯s face into change. She never expected An Yan to dare contradict her to her face. The old woman¡¯s face grew dark as she gazed coldly at An Yan. ¡°Very good! You are very good!¡± An Yan ignored Jin Xiurong¡¯s angry glare and turned to smile softly at Xue An, who looked at her with tender indulgence. ¡°You all looked down on him before, calling him a poor scholar without a future! But I am not afraid; as long as I can be with him, I am willing even to beg!¡± ¡°But you only thought about tearing us apart, and even had me, who had just given birth to a child, captured and brought back! These actions, you have done, do they really shine with glory?¡± This speech caused an uproar among the audience. Many women were stealing glances at An Yan, because she had expressed what many of them felt in their hearts. Chi Weiyang stared blankly at the determined An Yan and suddenly felt some envy. Because this woman had found her lifelong haven. ¡°What should be repaid has been repaid; I owe nothing to you all! From now on, I and the An Family are cut off from grace and justice!¡± said An Yan, her face pale, but her voice ringing with unwavering determination. ¡°You whore, betraying your own family for an outsider!¡± Jin Xiurong finally erupted, her face contorting in rage. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian down below, now feeling a bit indignant, spoke up, ¡°Old hag, what right do you have to bully my mom?¡± The children¡¯s voices made Jin Xiurong boil with even more anger. ¡°None of you will leave today! An Yan, I¡¯ll give you one last chance! You¡­¡± At that moment, An Yan laughed as if a great burden had been lifted, ¡°No need! I do not need it!¡± At this time, Xue An tenderly caressed An Yan¡¯s cheek and said quietly, ¡°Wife, there¡¯s actually one more thing you forgot to say.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°In four years, when I return to Zhongdu, I shall make everyone kneel in submission!¡± His tone was serene yet filled with powerful confidence. An Yan nodded happily, her face full of bliss, ¡°I believe, as long as it¡¯s you who says it, I¡¯ll believe!¡± Jin Xiurong was nearly hysterical, ¡°Kill him! Kill him for me!¡± No one dared to move. The prowess Xue An had demonstrated just moments before had shocked everyone into stillness. ¡°Kill him?¡± Xue An asked lightly. An Yan shook her head, ¡°After all, she raised me. Let¡¯s just leave it!¡± And just then, a cool female voice came from outside the door. ¡°Sister, since you are leaving, then I am too!¡± With that, An Qing walked into the hall with her head held high. Her arrival caused yet another stir in the crowd. Jin Xiurong could scarcely believe her own ears. ¡°An Qing, what did you say?¡± An Qing smiled disdainfully then, ¡°Old witch, I don¡¯t have the patience of my sister. Do you think I¡¯d want to stay with the An Family if not for her? I¡¯ve been wanting to leave for a long time!¡± This declaration, full of dominance, made many onlookers¡¯ eyes nearly pop out. Many secretly felt fortunate to have attended this birthday feast! It was extraordinarily lively indeed! Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 179 Sooner or later, you will kneel down and beg me (5th Update) Chapter 179: Chapter 179 Sooner or later, you will kneel down and beg me (5th Update) Translator: 549690339 Xue An smiled, knowing that General Lin was referring to the Flowing Light Sword he had given him. ¡°As for swords, I¡¯m not accustomed to using them, because I only believe that true hierarchy exists under the strength of one¡¯s fists.¡± This statement, brimming with murderous intent, caused many to slightly change color. Especially An Chang, who inconspicuously took two steps back. ¡°No wonder Mr. Xue could achieve such a cultivation level at this age; this heart realm of his is something even I cannot match!¡± General Lin exclaimed. At that moment, Chen Xiuhe chuckled, ¡°What of it? Despite such achievements, there are still those who are unsatisfied, insisting on casting him out. Isn¡¯t that laughable?¡± Chen Xiuhe¡¯s blade-sharp words pointed directly at the An Family. Matriarch An¡¯s face turned iron-blue, and An Xue and the others also wore expressions of embarrassment, not knowing what to say. Only An Ying¡¯s gaze flickered, followed by a soft sigh. He had anticipated that today¡¯s birthday celebration would not be peaceful. Yet he still hadn¡¯t expected Xue An¡¯s influence to be so astonishing. One was the Chen Family, among the top ranks of Zhongdu¡¯s wealthy households; the other was the undisputed leading figure in the military. The two major forces had come together. This was practically akin to directly slapping Matriarch An¡¯s face. General Lin was momentarily taken aback, ¡°Oh? There are people who are so short-sighted? In that case, Mr. Xue, how about joining our military forces? You may choose any position you like!¡± Hiss! The condition proposed by General Lin made many suck in a breath of cold air. Choose any position? Wouldn¡¯t that mean skyrocketing to the rank of a colonel or something similar? Xue An smiled but did not respond to General Lin¡¯s words; instead, he walked over to the An Family members. An Xue¡¯s complexion stiffened, and he said in alarm, ¡°Xue An, what are you trying to do? I¡¯ll have you know, General Lin is here.¡± Xue An indifferently said, ¡°I initially did not plan to spare any of you, as each one of you deserves death. But now, I have suddenly changed my mind.¡± ¡°Instead of killing you, it¡¯s better to let you live first. I¡¯ve said that one day you will kneel and beg me!¡± After speaking, Xue An turned to smile at An Yan, ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go.¡± General Lin followed, and Xue An and his companions all left the hall. Only Chen Xiuhe walked at the very end. He flashed a smile at the ashen-faced Jin Xiurong, ¡°Matriarch An, to be honest, you have played an undeniable role in reducing the once top-tier noble An Family to this state. And allow me to remind you, it¡¯s no longer over a hundred years ago.¡± ¡°Do not think that just because your ancestors were part of the Imperial Family, you are still some noble lady of Qianqing. You are not the Empress Dowager!¡± With that, Chen Xiuhe left with a cold laugh. Jin Xiurong¡¯s cheeks alternated between pale and flushed with the sting of ridicule. After all, Chen Xiuhe was right¡ªher maternal family descended from a side branch of the Imperial Family during Qianqing and later changed their surname to Jin. She had always taken pride in this fact, and in her daily life, she imitated the Empress Dowager who had once held sway over the government. Xue An and the others were gone. The hall seemed empty and hollow. Chi Changge watched An Yan¡¯s retreating figure with a devastated soul, feeling as if something inside him had shattered. He had been wanting to rush out and confront her. But as soon as Chen Xiuhe and General Lin appeared, his courage faltered. Sure, the Chi Family was not bad, but they could not afford to provoke the Chen Family, nor could they provoke General Lin! So, he could only watch from a distance. Watch this man, whom he initially looked down upon, sitting on an equal footing with these upper-class big shots. This made Chi Changge realize. He had lost. He was utterly defeated. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go,¡± Chi Weiyang said softly. Chi Changge nodded absentmindedly. What else could he do but leave? The An Family now seems to be in a situation where everyone has turned their back on them. It¡¯s no longer the An Family of the past. The Chi Family has left. The remaining guests looked at each other and also took their leave one after another. And so. The birthday celebration of the An Family, which started with grandeur, ended in bleakness. Moreover, within a day, the events of the birthday celebration had spread throughout the entire Zhongdu. Xue An¡¯s name began to appear on the desks of the high-level members of many noble families. Huo Family. ¡°Heh, interesting! Chen Xiuhe actually made the old witch of the An Family unable to step down in public,¡± the Family Head of the Huo Family, Huo Tianlu, said with a cold smile. ¡°Family Head, this Xue An killed Huo Heming, the young master of the Huo Family, on Mount Qingmang the other day. Should we¡­?¡± the chief steward asked in a low voice. Huo Tianlu waved his hand, ¡°If this Xue An were just an ordinary expert with no power or influence, then it would be fine to have him killed, but now he has good personal relationships with the Chen Family and General Lin, so we need to be cautious!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°However, we can¡¯t let him be at ease! Why bother doing it ourselves when we can find a few assassins, spend some money, and have the matter settled?¡± Huo Tianlu sneered. Huo Tianlu personally made a call, preparing to contact some assassins. For these noble and rich families, strife and assassination were practically daily occurrences, so they all had familiar assassin brokers. ¡°Does Family Head Huo have any instructions?¡± ¡°Heh, why else would I call you? I¡¯m commissioning you to kill someone!¡± ¡°Alright then, name them!¡± the voice on the other end of the phone said cheerily. Business coming to their door naturally made them happy. ¡°The person is Xue An, he is¡­¡± before he could finish speaking. The person on the other end had already hung up. Huo Tianlu frowned, what was the problem with these assassin brokers? Forget it, switch to another one! He dialed another contact¡¯s number. ¡°Who¡¯s the target?¡± ¡°Xue An!¡± Beep beep beep. Another busy tone. After making seven or eight calls, as soon as the other party heard it was Xue An, without exception, they all hung up. In the end, Huo Tianlu sensed that something was wrong and preemptively asked while another assassin broker was about to hang up. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why do you all hang up the moment I mention Xue An?¡± The person on the phone said with a bitter laugh, ¡°Family Head Huo, because we can¡¯t afford to provoke this Xue An.¡± ¡°There are people even you assassins can¡¯t afford to provoke?¡± ¡°Heh, do you know who has died at the hands of this Xue An? Two SS-ranked assassins from the world¡¯s second-ranked Xiaoyao and even more regular assassins were wiped out by him, significantly weakening Xiaoyao. Now they can¡¯t even make it into the top ten anymore. Xue An did all this!¡± ¡°Family Head Huo, I advise you, Xue An is not someone to be trifled with. There are many more things about him that could scare you to death! You¡¯d better watch out for yourself!¡± After hanging up the phone, Huo Tianlu felt a chill all over. ¡°Family Head, what¡¯s going on? Do you want me to contact some people to take care of this Xue An?¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Huo Tianlu cursed through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t ever mention Huo Heming¡¯s affair again. He¡¯s dead, so just let him be dead! He was just an illegitimate son anyway; I have plenty of sons!¡± Huo Tianlu comforted himself. Chen Family. Chen Rushi watched the man who was sitting in the distance, chatting and laughing with her grandfather, Xue An, with mixed feelings in her heart. At this moment, Wei Ruyan said to her indifferently: ¡°Ru Shi, give it up, the relationship between Xue An and An Yan is unbreakable, and no one else can shake it!¡± After a moment of silence, Chen Rushi replied with a wry smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who believes in love the least?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t before, but now I do, because today¡­ I witnessed it with my own eyes!¡± Wei Ruyan said softly. Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Formation of Fire Phoenix (Sixth Release) Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Formation of Fire Phoenix (Sixth Release) Translator: 549690339 At this moment, General Lin and Chen Xiuhe were both quite shocked. Although Xue An was not a man of many words, every sentence he spoke hit the nail on the head, providing insight that was both unique and enlightening. Leaving his cultivation level aside, his insights alone were enough to fill him with pride. Xue An set down his teacup, looked at General Lin with a slight smile, ¡°Using spiritual medicine to suppress your injury¡ª it seems General Lin is quite reluctant to let others know your condition?¡± As these words were spoken. Chen Xiuhe¡¯s complexion drastically changed. General Lin, however, gave a bitter smile, ¡°Indeed worthy of Mr. Xue, truly insightful. That¡¯s correct, ten years ago, during my fight with Ghost God¡¯s Slash Nagatsuki Ito from Country R, although I killed him, I was also injured by his Ghost God¡¯s Slash.¡± ¡°The injury was severe and has lingered to this day, becoming more serious in recent years. If not for the spiritual medicine Mr. Xue sent to Ru Shi, I doubt I could have held on until now!¡± What General Lin revealed was one of the deepest secrets of Huaxia¡¯s military. Since General Lin could be regarded as the number one figure in Huaxia¡¯s military, if news of his serious injury got out, it would attract countless sinister gazes. General Lin finished speaking with a bitter smile. But the next thing Xue An said stunned him. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°No wonder your realm is that of Longevity, yet your presence is only like that of a Half-step Longevity!¡± General Lin¡¯s face was full of astonishment. ¡°How do I know, you ask?¡± Xue An smiled, slowly picked up the teacup, and took a gentle sip, lowering his head. As the teacup touched his lips, a noble presence suddenly emanated from Xue An¡¯s body, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no trace. Although the moment was extremely brief. It was still sufficient to make Chen Xiuhe and General Lin¡¯s complexions change dramatically. ¡°A Loose Immortal?¡± ¡°To be exact, still only a Half-step Loose Immortal!¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°How is that possible? The presence just now, even a Loose Immortal could not possess it!¡± Chen Xiuhe exclaimed as if he had seen a ghost. General Lin, however, looked solemn and his gaze towards Xue An carried thrice the respect. ¡°Nothing is impossible! To me, Loose Immortals are nothing more than chickens and dogs!¡± Xue An declared, then turned to General Lin. ¡°Why are you searching for the Immortal¡¯s treasured sword?¡± General Lin spoke in a low voice, ¡°Back when I fought Nagatsuki Ito, he made it clear that if he lost, another Ghost God¡¯s Slash from Country R would cross the sea to come here after ten years.¡± ¡°And this year marks the tenth year.¡± General Lin sighed, ¡°I am no longer the same person I was back then. My strength has decreased, and I am likely not the match of Country R¡¯s new Ghost God¡¯s Slash. If I lose, Huaxia¡¯s prestige would be humiliated!¡± ¡°I cannot afford to lose, which is why I¡¯m searching for a divine weapon,¡± General Lin said with a determined expression. ¡°Mr. Xue, is there a way to heal the injury General Lin carries?¡± Chen Xiuhe asked, full of hope. Xue An shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s too late. If he had begun recuperating in seclusion right after the injury, there might have been a slim chance, but he actually forcefully sustained his cultivation level, draining it for ten years. Although he later suppressed it with spiritual medicine, that was just a temporary measure.¡± ¡°His soul is nearly dried up! The oil is exhausted, and the lamp is burnt out, how can it be saved now?¡± Chen Xiuhe¡¯s face showed the color of disappointment. Xue An sighed lightly. In fact, it wasn¡¯t completely impossible to save him, but the spiritual medicine required simply did not exist in this world. General Lin, however, seemed to have anticipated this and chuckled, shaking his head, ¡°Life and death are fated, and I have no particular feelings about this. There is just one thing I would ask of Mr. Xue!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± With a serious expression, General Lin said, ¡°In a little over a month, it will be the day we agreed upon. Even if Country R doesn¡¯t send someone, I won¡¯t last much longer. If I fall, won¡¯t Huaxia be preyed upon by a pack of wolves? Thus, after much consideration, I¡¯ve resolved to establish a new military force!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow. ¡°This military force will be specialized in dealing with martial cultivators and immortal cultivators, all to protect Huaxia from being bullied by outsiders!¡± Speaking, General Lin stood up and bowed deeply to Xue An. ¡°For this matter, I humbly request Mr. Xue¡¯s assistance!¡± Xue An sipped his tea, watching the still bowing General Lin with a calm expression. At this time, Chen Xiuhe also sighed and said with clasped hands, ¡°Mr. Xue, please understand General Lin¡¯s heartfelt desire to serve the country and the people, and lend your assistance!¡± Xue An suddenly asked in return, ¡°Why me?¡± General Lin raised his head, his gaze resolute, ¡°Because I have a premonition that Mr. Xue¡¯s future achievements will be immeasurable! You will also be the best instructor for this new troop!¡± Xue An looked at General Lin and after a moment, nodded, ¡°I can agree to your request! However, I won¡¯t act as an instructor, nor will I take a position in the military. I¡¯ll simply help you train them!¡± ¡°Good!¡± General Lin nodded his head. After sitting down again, General Lin was clearly very pleased, ¡°Mr. Xue, this troop is preparing to recruit elites from various divisions based on the foundation of the existing Phoenix Special Forces, so we would like to ask you to give this new troop a name!¡± ¡°Call them Fire Phoenix,¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°What a great name!¡± General Lin¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°The phoenix that is reborn from the ashes becomes the Fire Phoenix!¡± At this moment. In a highly secretive barrack on the outskirts of Zhongdu. A group of burly and formidable-looking soldiers were casually grouped together, chatting. ¡°Hey, Cheng, who do you think will be our new instructor this time?¡± A somewhat skinny and lean man asked. Cheng Hao, shirtless, was doing pull-ups on the horizontal bar. With each pull-up, the muscles on his back quivered like flowing water. Upon hearing the question, Cheng Hao replied indifferently, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who it is, to become my instructor, they¡¯ll have to pass my test first!¡± With that, he let go abruptly, landing heavily on the ground. Thump. The ground seemed to tremble slightly. ¡°Heh, naturally! You were already an instructor in the army, yet you were transferred here by a single order from the general, talking about rebuilding the special forces and enhancing training¡ªit¡¯s laughable!¡± Cheng Hao looked coldly at the man, ¡°Zou Sui, don¡¯t you always talk too much?¡± Zou Sui wisely shut his mouth. In a corner of the barrack, a man lying on a training mat with a toothpick in his mouth, watched Cheng Hao¡¯s silhouette and could not help but narrow his eyes slightly. With Cheng Hao, known as the Dark Night Tiger, being transferred here, what kind of troop is the general trying to train? And the instructor, who could he possibly be? After all, those transferred here are not easy to handle¡ªif the instructor¡¯s qualifications and abilities are lacking, he won¡¯t be able to command respect! As the man pondered, a bewildered hunk approached. ¡°Get up!¡± ¡°Why?¡± the reclined man asked. ¡°Because I¡¯ve taken a liking to this mat, why should you always be lying on it?¡± ¡°Because my skills are better than yours!¡± the man said with a laugh, and suddenly spat out the toothpick, sweeping the hunk to the ground with a swift leg sweep. At the same time, the man produced a small knife from nowhere, pressing it against the hunk¡¯s throat. ¡°If this were the battlefield, you would have died three times over by now!¡± After saying this, the man stood up and walked away! ¡°Cheng, that man is the one known as Arctic Fox, Sun Ling!¡± Zou Sui said quietly. Cheng Hao watched Sun Ling¡¯s retreating figure, his eyes flickering slightly. Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Chapter 181 The Glutton is Nian Nian (Seventh Update) Chapter 181: Chapter 181 The Glutton is Nian Nian (Seventh Update) Translator: 549690339 The person who came to pick up Xue An for the military camp the next day turned out to be An Qing. When Xue An stepped out and saw her, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Because An Qing was now dressed in military uniform, driving a military green Hummer, looking impressively formidable. ¡°Not bad, got promoted?¡± Xue An said with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t it all thanks to your good fortune, brother-in-law?¡± An Qing said with a giggle. At this time, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian also ran out. ¡°Auntie, auntie! Guess which one of us is the older sister and which is the younger sister?¡± Today, both little girls were dressed alike, and even their hairstyles were made the same by An Yan. An Qing squatted down and scrutinized them for a long time before finally pointing to Xue Nian and saying, ¡°You¡¯re the younger sister!¡± ¡°Why did you guess it again?¡± Xue Nian pouted. ¡°Because you still have ice cream on the corner of your mouth! Such a foodie, that must be little Nian Nian!¡± An Qing said with a smile. Xue Xiang sighed pretentiously, ¡°Oh no, little sister! How come everyone knows you¡¯re a glutton?¡± Xue Nian looked down, feeling wronged. ¡°What¡¯s so bad about liking food? I love eating ice cream too!¡± Saying so, An Qing magically produced a large bag of snacks from behind her. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°We love it! Thank you, Auntie!¡± The two little girls were overjoyed. An Yan said with some resignation, ¡°You all spoil them too much, always feeding them snacks!¡± ¡°But I am their aunt, after all. If I don¡¯t spoil them, who will?¡± An Qing said, justifying herself. ¡°Daddy, what are you going to do?¡± Xue Xiang asked at this time. ¡°Your daddy is going to train the soldiers!¡± An Qing said with a laugh. ¡°Can we go too?¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes! I want to go too! It¡¯s so boring at home!¡± Xue Nian also said. Xue An felt a bit guilty; since coming to Zhongdu, he hadn¡¯t yet taken his daughters out to have fun. ¡°Alright then! Daddy will take you both with him!¡± ¡°Yay, yay!¡± ¡°Brother-in-law, is it okay to bring the kids along?¡± An Qing said, a little worried. ¡°Why not, it¡¯s like taking the kids out for fun!¡± An Qing drove the car and soon arrived at the barracks. When An Qing walked into the barracks, she attracted everyone¡¯s attention. Female presence was unseen in a front-line unit. As the saying goes, even the flies are male! And An Qing was not just any woman, but an extremely beautiful young woman at that. This naturally drew lots of stares. Moreover, closely following her were two adorable little girls who looked as if they were carved out of jade. This combination had many of the soldiers exchanging looks of surprise. Once inside the barracks, An Qing stood still, looked at the room full of soldiers training on their own, and raised her voice, ¡°Quiet down, everyone! I¡¯m here to introduce your new instructor!¡± All eyes shifted to Xue An. Their gazes started as scrutinizing, then gradually turned to disdain. After all, Xue An looked casually dressed and unassuming, hardly like an expert with a military background. ¡°Can we suggest having your sister as our instructor instead? This guy looks too weak!¡± someone in the crowd said sarcastically. ¡°Agreed!¡± numerous voices chimed in, laughing. An Qing frowned. She knew this wouldn¡¯t be easy. These people were not ordinary at all! They were all troublemakers! ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, my daddy is really strong!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said very seriously. ¡°Oh, little girl, how is your daddy so strong?¡± someone asked with a chuckle. ¡°Hmm¡­ my daddy can take down lots of bad guys all by himself!¡± Xue Xiang declared, waving her tiny fists. ¡°Ha! Those must be the bad guys in computer games! With that frame, I could knock him down with one punch!¡± someone in the crowd scoffed. Cheng Hao, among the crowd, wore a cold expression, glancing at Xue An briefly before dismissing him and focusing all his attention on An Qing. This woman made Cheng Hao¡¯s heart race. Meanwhile, Sun Ling watched Xue An with a playful gaze. Bringing a child to the military camp, are the instructors all this capricious now? Just when the room was in complete disarray, Xue An slowly walked up the steps, coldly observing the people below. The noise gradually died down. Xue An stood silently, then shook his head and said, ¡°I am very disappointed!¡± ¡°Yesterday, General Lin invited me to train you, saying that you were the elite of the elite from your respective units. But in my opinion, you aren¡¯t even comparable to trash!¡± These words caused many faces to change color. Some even snorted in anger. Xue An continued, ¡°I know you don¡¯t accept this! Fine, I am standing here now. If any of you can make me move from this spot, then I will apologize for what I just said, and I will turn around and leave!¡± ¡°Good!¡± someone roared in response and stepped out of the crowd. It was the same burly man who competed with Sun Ling for the seat cushion yesterday. Those who recognized the man couldn¡¯t help but whisper, ¡°This guy¡¯s name is Zhou Daniu, nicknamed Ren Xiong. Although he¡¯s a bit slow, he¡¯s incredibly strong! This instructor, I reckon, is doomed!¡± Zhou Daniu approached Xue An, took a deep breath, then squatted down to hug Xue An¡¯s legs, attempting to lift him up. Zhou Daniu had once lifted something over a ton, astounding everyone present. So, in his view, lifting a living person was as simple as could be! But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t make Xue An budge an inch. Xue An shook his head, lightly flicked Zhou Daniu¡¯s shoulder, and Zhou Daniu felt as if he¡¯d been hit by a train, flying straight backward. This show of strength made both Cheng Hao and Sun Ling¡¯s pupils constrict sharply. After that, Xue An sighed, ¡°I overestimated you all. Trash is trash, you¡­¡± Xue An extended his hand, ¡°All of you, come at once!¡± To these elite soldiers, such words were unbearably grating to the ear. Cheng Hao turned to look at Sun Ling, only to find that he had disappeared. Simultaneously, Sun Ling had quietly appeared behind Xue An, a small dagger slowly emerging from the darkness, aiming straight for Xue An¡¯s throat. This was the Shadow Killing Technique that had made Sun Ling famous! The dagger drew closer and closer. A hint of a smile appeared on Sun Ling¡¯s lips. But in the next second, his smile froze. Because Xue An hadn¡¯t even turned his head, he simply reached back and grabbed Sun Ling¡¯s shoulder. Sun Ling was shocked and tried to run. But Xue An didn¡¯t give him the chance, lifting him off the ground with one move of his hand. Cheng Hao clenched his teeth¡ªit was now or never. If you say come at you all at once, then don¡¯t blame us for being impolite! Many rushed forward as well. Cheng Hao led the charge, then threw a punch with all his might. He practiced the Grand Ancestor¡¯s Fist, known for its dominant force. Yet, even this punch failed to make Xue An so much as lift an eyelid. It was just a casual wave of his hand. And with that, those charging at him were sent flying. After landing on the ground, Cheng Hao leapt to his feet with a carp flip, staring at Xue An in astonishment. How is this possible? He didn¡¯t even move his hand, and yet he sent us all flying? At the same time, Xue An tossed Sun Ling aside and slowly walked toward the Strength Tester in the barracks. The Strength Tester was designed to measure a soldier¡¯s arm strength, with a cement-cast base that was extremely sturdy. Xue An slowly raised his hand and threw a powerful punch. Bang! The Strength Tester was uprooted by the punch, smashed through a wall, flew hundreds of meters away, and finally crashed to the ground with a clang! Xue An retracted his fist and turned to look at everyone, who were all dumbstruck. ¡°Anyone else disagree?¡± Chapter 183 - Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Heart Demon Tempering Body Technique (9th Update) Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Heart Demon Tempering Body Technique (9th Update) Translator: 549690339 Cheng Hao stood atop the ruins of a city, his face filled with horror. Suddenly, footsteps came from the distance. Cheng Hao instinctively hid in a corner. The approaching figures were a group of soldiers with no visible insignia, each exuding a fearsome aura, clearly they were elite troops. Cheng Hao held his breath and remained hidden in the corner, trying not to make a sound. But as these people just passed by Cheng Hao, suddenly a few soldiers turned their heads and pounced toward him. Cheng Hao was shocked. The agility of these men was simply too fast. Cheng Hao rolled on the ground to narrowly avoid a strike, then stood up with a serious expression and executed the Grand Ancestor¡¯s Fist. Although Cheng Hao could barely handle one man, dealing with two was a challenge. And the opponents numbered twenty or thirty. After a few moves, Cheng Hao was kicked to the ground, and then someone approached and stabbed down. Cheng Hao cried out in alarm and woke up. He saw Xue An sitting in a chair, looking at him coldly. ¡°Lost?¡± Cheng Hao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, only to realize that all his comrades were lying on their beds, asleep with expressions of pain and surprise on their faces. Just as Cheng Hao was about to ask something, Xue An shook his head, ¡°Continue!¡± As soon as the words were spoken, Cheng Hao felt darkness before his eyes, and then he plunged into the dreamscape once more. It was the same city ruins, the same group of soldiers. Cheng Hao wanted to cry but had no tears, yet he still learned from his last lesson and hid himself in a more concealed place in advance. This time he wasn¡¯t discovered, but just as he let out a sigh of relief. Several figures in black emerged from the shadows and charged toward Cheng Hao. ¡°What the fuck is this?¡± Cheng Hao cursed as he went to meet them. After a few exchanges, his throat was slit by a blade once again. This time he did not wake up but started all over again. Sun Ling was currently in the swamps of the Amazon rainforest. There were poisonous snakes and bugs everywhere, and the mud pits on the ground emitted a strong stench. But Sun Ling dared not move because he was now lying in an extremely concealed patch of grass. This was the eighteenth time he had died. In the first seventeen attempts, he was killed in this exact spot by a master whose hiding place was unknowable. And disgustingly, the method of death was different each time. Sometimes he was stabbed in the heart and died; other times his head was blown apart by a punch. But the pain and fear of facing death were always the same. Sun Ling slowly adjusted his breathing, trying to keep his body temperature consistent with the surroundings. After a while, even a poisonous snake mistook Sun Ling for a piece of dead wood and slowly crawled over him. Sun Ling was carefully searching for the enemy¡¯s traces. Suddenly. Sun Ling noticed that the bubbles floating in a stinking pool not far in front of him on the left seemed a bit unusual. He held his breath and watched carefully. No mistake! There was definitely someone hiding in there. Joy rose in Sun Ling¡¯s heart; the humiliation of being killed seventeen times made his eyes redden. He slowly crawled toward the pit at the slowest speed. Finally, he neared the spot. Suddenly. Sun Ling leaped up, his knife piercing into the stinking pit with unprecedented speed. But unexpectedly, he stabbed the air! Sun Ling¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he wanted to turn back when he felt a cold sensation at his back, followed by darkness before his eyes. Failed again! While Cheng Hao and Sun Ling were struggling in their dream. Zhou Daniu and Zou Yi formed an alliance in theirs. After being resurrected once more. Zou Yi grimaced as he touched the spot on his back where he had been stabbed to death last time, ¡°Damn it, what the hell is this thing, and why does it feel so real?¡± Zhou Daniu shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say you knew!¡± Zou Yi shot Zhou Daniu an annoyed look, then squatted on the ground, lost in thought. ¡°Damn it, we¡¯re supposed to infiltrate and assassinate that damn leader, but the experts by his side are more numerous than rabbits. Here, it¡¯s just the two of us, and you¡¯re not the sharpest tool in the shed. How are we supposed to do this?¡± Zhou Daniu just stood there, listening blankly. ¡°All right, all right, I know it¡¯s no use telling you!¡± Zou Yi stood up and started pacing back and forth across the grassland. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll infiltrate first, and you, just get caught on purpose on the outside, and then¡­¡± Zou Yi adjusted the plan once again. All night, these people were struggling in their dreams. When dawn arrived. Xue An clapped his hands. Everyone woke up one after another. Then they all looked around, somewhat bewildered. Xue An then said coldly, ¡°How was it? Did the mission go well?¡± Many were startled. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you all night, and none of you completed the mission! If this were the battlefield, you would have been wiped out eight hundred times over!¡± These words caused many to bow their heads. Some were still unconvinced, ¡°The battlefield isn¡¯t like this!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°True, the battlefield as you imagine it wouldn¡¯t be like this. But you are a special forces unit, and in the future, you will be the blade specifically used against certain individuals!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t even pass this simple test, then you¡¯ll all be eliminated!¡± Xue An stated coldly. During the following day, these people continued to train frantically. Xue An watched them. He was contemplating in his mind. What they experienced last night was naturally not a dream but it wasn¡¯t an illusion either. It was a Secret Technique that Xue An had once acquired. Called the Heart Demon Tempering Body Technique. This secret technique was specially used by the Demon Sect to train their deathsworn followers. It could turn a completely ignorant mortal into a battle-hardened, cold-blooded warrior with the smallest of sacrifices. This was also why Xue An felt confident to participate in the martial arts tournament ten days from now. Night fell. Cheng Hao once again found himself in the midst of the city ruins. However, this time, he didn¡¯t hide in a corner; instead, he swiftly stripped a corpse of its clothes, put them on, and blended in with the soldiers. Of course, the deaths didn¡¯t stop. But Cheng Hao gritted his teeth and refused to give up. Finally, after yet another restart, he concocted a clever trap that sent the group of soldiers sky-high in an explosion. Sun Ling was the same; after dying over a hundred times, he managed to lay in the mud and rainwater of the jungle for three whole days. When the enemy lost patience and exposed their flaws, he seized the moment and struck a lethal blow. Zou Yi and Zhou Daniu, the duo, used a counter-intelligence strategy to successfully turn one of the target¡¯s bodyguards. Then, by infiltrating, they managed to eliminate their target successfully! That night, nearly ninety percent of the people completed their mission. Upon waking up the next day, they faced another round of brutal training. But when night came, and they entered the dream once more, they discovered that this time, the entire team was in one single dream! Another night of constant elimination ensued. But it was through such almost cruel training that the Fire Phoenix unit was truly rising from the ashes! And the day of the military tournament had finally arrived! Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Chapter 184 I Bet One Hour! (10th Update) Chapter 184: Chapter 184 I Bet One Hour! (10th Update) Translator: 549690339 The venue for this military competition was chosen to be in a mountainous area in the outskirts of Zhongdu. The headquarters were set up in a hotel at the foot of the mountains. By the time General Lin and Xue An arrived, Commander Hu had already been there for quite a while, and he was accompanied by a tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreign woman. ¡°General Lin, if you hadn¡¯t arrived, I would¡¯ve thought you had decided to skip the competition this year!¡± Commander Hu laughed heartily. General Lin coldly replied, ¡°Of course I had to come, not only here, but after winning this competition, I¡¯m also planning to have my troops participate in the international special forces contest abroad!¡± Commander Hu, hearing this, smiled broadly, ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s a great ambition. But unfortunately, what kind of training can you accomplish in ten days?¡± General Lin was left somewhat speechless. He still did not know how the Fire Phoenix training was progressing, and he had wanted to ask Xue An on the way here. However, Xue An merely smiled and then said the words ¡°rest assured.¡± At this moment, the foreign woman smiled slightly and said with perfect pronunciation in Chinese, ¡°Commander Hu, don¡¯t talk about ten days. A real special forces squad cannot be honed in less than a year!¡± As she spoke, the foreign woman extended her hand to General Lin, ¡°Hello, General Lin, I¡¯m Su Shanna, a special military advisor from Country E! I¡¯m also the chief instructor of Commander Hu¡¯s Fire Phoenix special forces!¡± General Lin¡¯s expression darkened, and he reached out to shake hands with this Su Shanna. He knew who Su Shanna was. She was touted as the foremost expert on special forces in the Far East and had authored many training manuals for special forces. He had not expected this woman to be invited by Commander Hu, let alone become the chief instructor of the Fire Phoenix! ¡°General Lin, when I was in Country E, I heard a lot about your exploits and admired you greatly, but for this competition, you have been a bit too hasty. No one will be able to stand against Fire Phoenix, especially not your squad that has only trained for ten days!¡± Su Shanna said with a light smile. This woman was unlike most women from Country E; her age had not made her overweight, but rather added to her grace. Her smile carried the sharpness of vodka. General Lin¡¯s expression turned gloomy. At that moment, Xue An sighed softly, ¡°Sometimes, weakness and ignorance aren¡¯t the causes of failure; arrogance is the real reason!¡± Having said that, Su Shanna¡¯s expression changed subtly, then she looked at Xue An with more interest. ¡°Who might this be¡­?¡± With a faint smile, Xue An responded, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m just a civilian, the training instructor for Fire Phoenix.¡± This introduction made many people cover their mouths to conceal their laughter. Su Shanna smiled and then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, although my Chinese isn¡¯t very good, was your last remark mocking me for being too arrogant?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°No mockery, just stating a fact.¡± Commander Hu¡¯s face began to look unsightly, and he spoke with some dissatisfaction, ¡°General Lin, I know you don¡¯t plan to win, but there¡¯s no need for self-deprecation, is there? Choosing a civilian as your training instructor?¡± The atmosphere in the room became somewhat tense. Before General Lin could speak, Xue An shook his head with a light chuckle, and then extended a single finger. ¡°I bet one hour!¡± ¡°An hour for what?¡± Su Shanna asked in surprise. ¡°Within an hour, my troops will end the battle and win first place!¡± Xue An said calmly, yet with immense confidence. These words made everyone in the room look at each other, and some couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Commander Hu laughed even more joyously. ¡°Great! General Lin, I admire you for finding such a man as an instructor! What a bold move!¡± Su Shanna, however, frowned. She thought Xue An was deliberately spouting grandiose nonsense just to catch her attention. She had seen plenty of such tactics before. Therefore, a mix of scorn and disdain flickered in her eyes. Xue An paid no mind to the looks he received, instead, he looked up at the clock. ¡°When does the competition start?¡± ¡°It¡¯s already begun! All the troops have just been deployed into these mountains,¡± someone laughed. Xue An nodded, ¡°Well then, in one hour! The answer will reveal itself.¡± Meanwhile, the Fire Phoenix team parachuted into the vast mountains. After landing, Sun Ling immediately sought out the tallest tree nearby and scaled it like a monkey. Soon, he noticed that the shapes of a few trees on a nearby hillside were somewhat different. These were the prearranged secret signals of Fire Phoenix. Sun Ling climbed down the tree and began to stealthily approach the hill. At this time, nearly all members of Fire Phoenix had seen the signal and were converging towards it without any prior arrangement. Cheng Hao was the one who had set up the signal. After enduring the hellish Inner Demon Trial for ten days, Cheng Hao, with his strong leadership, had become the captain without any dispute. In those ten days, each one of them had possibly ¡°died¡± for each other several times! The camaraderie forged in blood and fire is the most solid. Just then, a slight noise came from a distance. Almost subconsciously, Cheng Hao took cover in a concealed spot. It was a three-man squad approaching. They moved in a triangular formation, staying alert and searching for any suspicious activity around them. But Cheng Hao¡¯s ability to hide had been honed to perfection through hundreds of ¡°deaths.¡± They didn¡¯t detect him at all. Then, the three sighed in relief. ¡°Heh, I heard that a team that was formed just ten days ago has also joined us, are they here to boost our scores?¡± one of them said with a chuckle. ¡°Probably so, and I heard they¡¯re called what, Fire Phoenix? I think ¡®Roast Chicken¡¯ would be more fitting!¡± The three started to mock and laugh freely. Hidden in the corner, Cheng Hao remained expressionless. In his eyes, their current behavior wasn¡¯t just a lack of tactical discipline; it was akin to courting death! Cheng Hao approached them silently. Suddenly. Cheng Hao leaped up, and in the stunned eyes of the three special forces members, he knocked one to the ground with a kick, then took another down with an elbow strike. The last one had just begun to react when Cheng Hao smashed a punch towards him. If he hadn¡¯t remembered that this was a competition, not the battlefield, and had pulled back some strength, Cheng Hao¡¯s punch could have ended the man! The fight was over in three and a half seconds! Cheng Hao estimated the time to himself. He was fairly satisfied! Then he bent down, took the communicators off the three men, and crushed them into powder. Three dots disappeared from the computer screen in the command center. ¡°Reporting to General Lin, we have casualties!¡± Commander Hu, who was sitting in the hotel lobby drinking tea with a confident smile, laughed, ¡°Hehe, how about that, General Lin? You¡¯ve put too much faith in some street magician! How could a team that¡¯s only been together for ten days¡­¡± ¡°Confirm the report, the three casualties are members of the Fangs special forces. The killer, a member of Fire Phoenix!¡± Commander Hu¡¯s smile froze on his face. Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: Chapter 185 No Casualties (1st Update) Chapter 185: Chapter 185 No Casualties (1st Update) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Could it be a mistake?¡± someone asked in a low voice. ¡°Confirmation is accurate! Update, the number of casualties for Fangs has risen to eight! The killer, a member of Fire Phoenix!¡± Another casualty report subtly changed the atmosphere. Commander Hu¡¯s face turned from pale to red, and after a moment, he forced a few dry laughs, ¡°The competition has just begun, some casualties are inevitable, let¡¯s continue watching. After all, only the one who laughs last is the winner!¡± As if to prove his point, the lights on the big screen suddenly began to diminish rapidly. The sound of the reports echoed one after another throughout the entire command hall. ¡°Confirmed report, Fangs Special Forces with eighteen dead, the killer: Fire Phoenix member!¡± ¡°Confirmed report, Rattlesnake Special Forces with twenty-seven dead, annihilated, disqualified from the competition. The killer: Fire Phoenix member!¡± Amid these reports, about twenty light points moved across the battlefield like a sharp blade. None could match them. Where they passed, no one could stand against them. Su Shanna¡¯s complexion drastically changed as she rushed to the command platform, staring at the rapidly diminishing light points on the big screen. In Russian, she muttered, ¡°How is this possible? Even Country E¡¯s most elite special forces couldn¡¯t eliminate all their opponents in such a short time.¡± Then Su Shanna suddenly turned around to look at Xue An, who appeared indifferent. ¡°Did your Fire Phoenix Squad bring some kind of forbidden weapon?¡± she asked, her face as grim as still water. Commander Hu also stood up, his face flushed with anger, ¡°That¡¯s right, General Lin, did your men bring any forbidden weapons onto the field?¡± General Lin raised an eyebrow and said coldly, ¡°Mr. Hu, if you can¡¯t accept losing, just admit it. Don¡¯t smear others¡¯ reputations here!¡± ¡°Then how¡­¡± At this moment, Xue An waved his hand and then stared at Su Shanna, ¡°Since you don¡¯t believe us, why not ask the soldiers who died when they come down? Wouldn¡¯t that clear things up?¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Su Shanna said through clenched teeth. Soon, the dead soldiers began to exit the competition area. When Su Shanna saw them, she was struck dumb. All these men looked as though they had come straight from a real battlefield, their faces blank with shock and terror. Commander Hu asked sternly, ¡°What happened? Why were you annihilated so quickly?¡± After a moment of silence, one soldier shivered and said, ¡°They¡¯re not human¡­ they¡¯re real devils! No, more terrifying than devils!¡± Su Shanna frowned, then turned to look at one of the elite soldiers from the Fangs squad, a man she had once greatly valued and often trained intensively. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± The elite soldier from the Fangs squad trembled, then said with a pale face, ¡°The¡­ the people from Fire Phoenix seemed like they were veterans straight from real battlefields. Our men couldn¡¯t resist at all in front of them! They were annihilated instantly.¡± Hiss. Many people drew in a sharp breath. Veterans straight from real battlefields? Only those who have served would know how terrifying such people are. But was it possible? In ten days, even if they were sent to Middle D, they couldn¡¯t possibly fight a hundred battles. Su Shanna¡¯s face also turned pale. And just at that moment, the remaining light points on the big screen extinguished one by one, and then the announcement rang out. ¡°Competition over, Fangs Special Forces, annihilated. Rattlesnake, annihilated. Night Shadow, annihilated¡­.¡± Dozens of special forces teams, none spared, all perished. Everyone was utterly shocked. And at the same time, the announcement sounded again. ¡°Victors, Fire Phoenix Special Forces. Casualties¡­ no injuries!¡± The room fell into absolute silence. ¡°My God! This¡­ how is this possible?¡± Su Shanna murmured in a daze, her face blank. Xue An merely smiled faintly, having achieved this result was within his expectations all along. You see, in these ten days, the Fire Phoenix had fought at least tens of thousands of wars in the Heart Demon. Their every tactic was honed through blood and fire. Brutal, yet efficient. In comparison, those so-called special forces trained from textbooks posed no threat, like lambs to the slaughter when faced with them. General Lin¡¯s face was beaming with joy as he said to Commander Hu, whose face was pale, ¡°How about it, old Hu? Should I send someone to fetch that jar of century-old liquor, or are you going to bring it to me?¡± Xue An then looked at his watch and said lightly, ¡°A total time of forty-five minutes! Less than an hour!¡± His words echoed in the silent command hall. Those who mocked him now all hung their heads in shame. Su Shanna stood motionless, her face blank, and only recovered after hearing Xue An¡¯s words. Then she walked up to Xue An, her expression solemn, and suddenly bowed deeply to him. ¡°Mr. Xue, I apologize for my attitude just now, you are the true strongman! I concede!¡± In the military, the strong are always respected. Xue An remained noncommittal. At this moment, Su Shanna stood up and looked at Xue An with a pleading gaze. ¡°Mr. Xue, I have another impertinent request, might I have the opportunity to witness the Fire Phoenix that annihilated a dozen teams without suffering any casualties?¡± The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward. Commander Hu was rubbing his hands somewhat embarrassedly at this point, saying, ¡°General Lin, I¡¯ll bring that jar of century-old liquor to you in a moment, and I¡¯ll even throw in ten bottles of twenty-year-old Maotai, but could you perhaps let us meet your squad?¡± General Lin did not reply but looked at Xue An instead. Amidst all the stares, Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Sure!¡± As Fire Phoenix was descending the mountain, Cheng Hao was calmly analyzing the recent battle. ¡°Sun Ling did well just now, but he acted a bit early. If he had waited a few more seconds until the encirclement was complete, we could have finished the match three minutes sooner!¡± Sun Ling nodded, ¡°Yes, Captain!¡± ¡°Zou Yi was too impatient and almost got discovered by the enemy. If it weren¡¯t for Da Niu¡¯s intervention, you¡¯d have been done for!¡± Zou Yi sheepishly scratched the back of his head and then gently thumped the expressionless Zhou Daniu on the shoulder. ¡°Are you dumb? With so many people and you still push forward, what would we do if you died?¡± Zou Yi said with a mix of distress and irritation on his face. Zhou Daniu chuckled a few times but didn¡¯t say anything. Along the way, Cheng Hao summarized everyone¡¯s issues briefly. It was a habit they had developed during the Inner Demon Trial. After each battle, they aimed to identify problems and shortcomings, then work on them. This¡­ is the way to build an immortal, all-conquering army. When they came down the mountain to the command centre, Everyone, including the members of the vanquished special forces teams, was already waiting for them at the door. Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Revisiting the Old Place to Talk About the Past (3rd update) Chapter 187: Chapter 187 Revisiting the Old Place to Talk About the Past (3rd update) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Daddy, this thing looks like chocolate!¡± Xue Nian said, holding Xue An¡¯s Vermilion Bird medallion and examining it for a long time before speaking. Xue An laughed heartily, ¡°Really? Then why don¡¯t you eat it?¡± Xue Xiang, who was engrossed in watching TV, turned her head and said, ¡°Daddy, who says she didn¡¯t eat it? She already took several bites just now, if I hadn¡¯t stopped her, she probably would have bitten a piece off!¡± An Yan looked at the far from normal trio of father and daughters with a mixture of laughter and tears. ¡°Such an important object, how could you let Nian Nian hold it? What if it got damaged?¡± An Yan said with concern, taking the saliva-covered medallion from Xue Nian¡¯s hands, sounding a bit reproachful. Xue An chuckled, ¡°Nian Nian likes it, so I let her play with it, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s anything that impressive!¡± An Yan carefully wiped the Vermilion Bird medallion clean, ¡°Of course it¡¯s impressive, this is my husband¡¯s medal! I don¡¯t know how many people outside would beg for it but can¡¯t get it, yet you take it so lightly!¡± As she spoke, An Yan proudly placed the medallion on Xue An¡¯s chest and gestured with it. ¡°So handsome, my husband will be a general, and I¡¯ll be a general¡¯s wife!¡± An Yan said with a silly smile. Xue An laughed, then bent down and whispered in her ear, ¡°Does that mean from now on you¡¯ll have to call me ¡®General¡¯, my dear?¡± An Yan¡¯s face turned red, and she spoke somewhat coyly. ¡°Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian are both watching!¡± Xue An waved his hand and then laughed, ¡°Now they can¡¯t see us!¡± Under Xue An¡¯s gaze, An Yan¡¯s face gradually reddened to the tips of her ears. ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore!¡± Xue An let go and then said earnestly, ¡°Let¡¯s take Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian out for fun tomorrow, the whole family!¡± ¡°Mhmm!¡± An Yan nodded seriously. The next day. Xue An declined the Chen Family¡¯s offer to send a car, leading An Yan and the two little girls to start exploring the sights of Zhongdu. This family with exceptionally good looks would draw many curious stares wherever they went. Especially the destructive power of the two little girls was astounding. Since leaving the house, there had been no less than ten groups of people who had come over wanting to take photos with Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian. Especially at the G palace, many foreign tourists stared at Xue Xiang and Xue Nian with faces full of amazement, murmuring, ¡°Oh my God!¡± While continuously snapping photos! Also, while visiting other places, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian always received various kinds of preferential treatment, like the doting looks from the gatekeeping aunties. All of these made their trip much more relaxed and enjoyable. That day, Xue An took the three of them to quickly visit numerous famous historical sites. By the afternoon, the two little girls were tired, so Xue An simply picked one up in each hand and brought them to the entrance of a university. Yanjing University. Xue An and An Yan¡¯s alma mater, and the place where they had met and fallen in love. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± An Yan asked, puzzled. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°To reminisce about our youthful memories! Isn¡¯t that meaningful?¡± The family entered the university. To An Yan, who had been away from here for merely five or six years, there wasn¡¯t much sentiment. But for Xue An, it was a return to this place after more than three thousand years. Looking at those familiar buildings, Xue An felt somewhat nostalgic. ¡°Do you remember this sports field?¡± Xue An stood by the roadside, looking at the field enclosed by wire fences, and said with a light laugh. ¡°Of course I remember! This is where we first met!¡± An Yan said softly. That year. An Yan had become the school beauty as soon as she enrolled. Many boys hung around her like flies every day, which really annoyed her. Therefore, she often came to this secluded sports field to relax. Then she noticed Xue An, who also frequented the sports field to read. Unlike other boys who deliberately approached her. Xue An was always sitting there quietly reading, never giving her an extra glance. After a while, An Yan couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity anymore and spoke to him for the first time. And this¡­ marked the beginning of their first encounter. Thinking back, An Yan suddenly gave Xue An¡¯s waist a playful twist with a mock angry pout. ¡°You big bad guy, at first I thought you were just a good kid who loved to study, but it turns out you were actually reading¡­ reading ¡®Jin PingMei¡¯?¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°Not just ¡®Jin PingMei¡¯, I had read all the messy books from ancient times by then, including stuff like ¡®Strange Tales¡¯ and ¡®Mist of Capital¡¯! And also¡­¡± Xue An leaned down mysteriously and whispered in An Yan¡¯s ear, ¡°Actually, I had noticed you a long time ago, just too shy to approach you, and I read in the books that beautiful girls like you always have a lot of admirers, hence the annoyance.¡± ¡°As long as I kept my cool demeanor, you would become curious and eventually take the initiative to talk to me!¡± An Yan, finding it both funny and annoying, gritted her teeth and said, ¡°You bad guy! Big bad guy! You¡¯ve deceived me for so long!¡± Fortunately, Xue Xiang and Nian Nian had already fallen asleep on Xue An¡¯s shoulder, otherwise, they would have to witness this overdose of sweetness. Just as the two were flirting and teasing each other, a voice full of surprise came along. ¡°Are you¡­ Xue An?¡± Xue An looked up and saw a man wearing glasses with a scholarly look who was staring at him in amazement. ¡°Are you¡­ Qiao Le?¡± Xue An hesitated for a moment but finally recognized the visitor. Qiao Le rushed over and laughed loudly, ¡°From your silhouette, you looked like you, but I wasn¡¯t sure until I saw your wife, then I knew it was definitely you, you rascal!¡± Then Qiao Le gave An Yan a smiling nod, ¡°Nice to see you, sister-in-law!¡± At that moment, Xue An felt a warm current in his heart. This man was his former roommate, Qiao Le! He was also one of his best buddies during university. Who would have thought that after so many years, they¡¯d run into each other at school. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°I¡¯ve come back to school as a guidance counselor! Look at you, already with kids!¡± Qiao Le said happily, then took out his phone. ¡°You¡¯ve been out of touch for four years, the boss and number four have been so worried about you. Now that you¡¯re back, we brothers must get together!¡± As he spoke, Qiao Le started making a phone call. ¡°Old Zhao and the kid are in Zhongdu too?¡± Xue An was startled for a moment, then asked. ¡°Yeah, they just arrived a few days ago!¡± Qiao Le said. Xue An nodded, feeling a bit happy himself. There were four people in their dormitory, and they were the best of friends. The boss was Zhao Xuehui, number two was Xue An, number three was Qiao Le, and number four was Yang Binyi. They were once known as the ¡®Four Scoundrels of Yanjing University¡¯! As soon as the other two found out that Xue An was back, they began howling on the phone. ¡°Let that lad wait, tonight we must properly grill him to find out where he¡¯s been roaming these last four years!¡± Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Of course… Going Home! (4th Update) Chapter 188: Chapter 188: Of course¡­ Going Home! (4th Update) Translator: 549690339 At dusk. The summer breeze could not blow away the heat of the sultry weather. In such weather, the most appropriate activity was sitting at a roadside stall and skewering a few lamb kebabs. And around Yanjing University, there was a street full of barbecue stalls. Today. There was a person at one barbecue stall who was particularly eye-catching. Because at this table, there was not only an exceptionally beautiful woman, but also a pair of delicate and cute little girls. At that moment. Zhao Xuehui lifted a pint of draft beer and said to Xue An, ¡°Old Second, don¡¯t say anything else, you drink this glass first!¡± Xue An smiled, took the glass, tipped his head back, and down went the drink. ¡°Wow, it looks like Old Second¡¯s tolerance has improved!¡± the boss said with a laugh. At that moment, Xue An had let down his guard as well. Because these three people had given him so much warmth during the four years of university. He remembered once when Xue An had no money for living expenses and lay in bed all day without eating. Out of pride, he merely said he didn¡¯t feel like eating. The three of them didn¡¯t say much. But when evening came, the boss came in with a takeout order, fretting, ¡°Old Second, I ordered a takeout for Old Three, but the guy had already eaten. Help me out and eat this, will you?¡± Saying this, Zhao Xuehui put down the takeout and left. At that time, Xue An didn¡¯t think much of it, picked up the takeout, and was about to eat. Then Old Three, Qiao Le, also came in with takeout, ¡°Second brother, I bought this for the boss, but he went to drink. You eat it for him!¡± With that, he left as well. Xue An was stunned. Then came Old Four, Yang Binyi, sweating profusely, holding a serving of KFC, ¡°Second Brother, Third Brother said he wanted KFC. I bought it, but he doesn¡¯t want to eat now. You eat it!¡± After placing it down, he too hurriedly left. That night, Xue An ate three meals with tears streaming down his face. ¡°These four years¡­¡± Xue An filled another glass of draft beer, about to speak. Zhao Xuehui waved his hand, ¡°No need to say anything, brothers don¡¯t need anything else, just having you back safely is enough!¡± Xue An paused, then smiled, ¡°Alright! Then today, we won¡¯t return unless we¡¯re drunk!¡± An Yan had been quietly watching all along. When the beer was finished, she refilled it. When there were no dishes left, she went to order more. Her gentle and obedient demeanor made many onlookers envious. At this time, apart from Xue An, the other three were slightly tipsy. ¡°Second Brother, I always said, you and Sister-in-Law were sure to make it. And look, the kids are already so big! But that¡¯s not cool of you, not inviting us to the wedding!¡± Qiao Le said. Xue An smiled, ¡°We haven¡¯t had the wedding yet!¡± Zhao Xuehui frowned and nudged Qiao Le, who realized he had misspoken and was about to apologize. Xue An waved his hand and said with a light laugh, ¡°The reason we haven¡¯t had the wedding is that I want to give her the most unique and romantic wedding in the world. Then, I want to make her the happiest bride.¡± Xue An¡¯s words made tears glint in An Yan¡¯s eyes. However, the three brothers didn¡¯t take it too seriously, thinking Xue An was just drunk. ¡°To celebrate Old Second¡¯s return, let¡¯s all drink together!¡± The boss stood up, raising his glass. ¡°Sure!¡± Everyone responded thunderously and drank together. And just when the alcohol was at its peak, a taxi stopped by the curb, and a dolled-up woman got out. The woman looked around, and when she spotted Yang Binyi, she stepped towards him. Upon seeing the woman, Yang Binyi quickly stood up, a happy smile on his face. ¡°Luo Jia, you¡¯ve come!¡± Luo Jia slightly furrowed her brows and nodded coldly, then sat down. Yang Binyi flashed a smile at Xue An, ¡°Second Brother, this is my girlfriend, Luo Jia!¡± ¡°Luo Jia, this is my Second Brother!¡± Luo Jia glanced at Xue An and said dismissively, ¡°I thought it would be someone important. I wasted half a day putting on makeup for this.¡± The atmosphere turned awkward. Yang Binyi¡¯s face turned from green to white. Xue An just smiled slightly, undisturbed by the comment. Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le exchanged glances, then started to stir up the atmosphere. ¡°Come on! Second Brother, let¡¯s have a drink!¡± Qiao Le said cheerfully. Just as the atmosphere at the dining table began to normalize, Luo Jia¡¯s cell phone rang. Her smile brightened when she checked the caller ID. ¡°Hello, Young Master Wang? Why do you have time to call me? Oh, it¡¯s your birthday party today! Alright! I¡¯ll be right there!¡± After hanging up, Luo Jia arrogantly said to Yang Binyi, ¡°Now take me to Imperial Capital KTV. Young Master Wang has invited me to his birthday, and I must attend!¡± The embarrassment showed plainly on Yang Binyi¡¯s face, ¡°But right now ¡­¡± ¡°Oh come on, what¡¯s the use of drinking this useless alcohol all day? That¡¯s Young Master Wang, you know. You could make some useful friends if you went too!¡± Luo Jia said impatiently. Yang Binyi¡¯s face turned an iron blue. Zhao Xuehui hastily said, ¡°Alright, Little Fourth, just go drop off your sister-in-law. If you can come back later, we¡¯ll wait for you! It¡¯s not safe for her to go alone late at night!¡± Yang Binyi looked at Xue An apologetically. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Big Brother is right, go ahead!¡± Yang Binyi nodded with difficulty, ¡°Okay, then you all have to wait for me, tonight us brothers won¡¯t go home until we¡¯re drunk!¡± Luo Jia snorted through her nose, stood up, and walked away with pride. After Yang Binyi and Luo Jia had left, Qiao Le, still annoyed, slapped the table, ¡°I really can¡¯t stand it anymore, what¡¯s so good about that woman? Look how she¡¯s bewitched Little Fourth¡ªhe¡¯s almost possessed!¡± Zhao Xuehui sighed, ¡°Come on, Little Third, to each their own. Little Fourth has had a tough family background, and Lu Jia has been his classmate since high school. He spent years chasing after her; naturally, he dotes on her.¡± ¡°Is that what you call doting? Look at that woman¡¯s face; she acts like someone owes her a fortune!¡± Qiao Le was still angry. Xue An, however, just smiled, ¡°Big Brother is right, if Little Fourth is willing, who are we to say anything.¡± The remaining three continued to drink and chat. In the midst of their animated conversation, Zhao Xuehui¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hello, Little Fourth? What¡¯s wrong?¡± A moment later, Zhao Xuehui stood up abruptly, his face all seriousness. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Qiao Le was also startled, ¡°Big Brother, what happened?¡± ¡°Little Fourth got into a fight at the party with those guys!¡± Zhao Xuehui said grimly. ¡°Damn it, dare to bully my brother!¡± Qiao Le grabbed a beer bottle from the table and made to leave. Zhao Xuehui stopped him, ¡°Little Third, calm down first. We¡¯re dealing with Wang Ke here!¡± At the mention of Wang Ke, Qiao Le also seemed defeated, ¡°Then what do we do? Just sit back and watch Little Fourth get bullied?¡± Zhao Xuehui was visibly agitated, racking his brains for a way to rescue Little Fourth. Just then, Xue An put down his glass and asked indifferently, ¡°Who is Wang Ke?¡± ¡°Second Brother, that Wang Ke was the former president of the student council at our school. Now, he¡¯s throwing his weight around because of his family¡¯s power, doing well and making a name for himself in Zhongdu!¡± Qiao Le explained. Xue An nodded and smiled slightly, ¡°No wonder the name sounded familiar. Let¡¯s go!¡± Xue An stood up. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Of course¡­ going home!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Send You on Your Way (5th update, please subscribe!) Chapter 189: Chapter 189: Send You on Your Way (5th update, please subscribe!) Translator: 549690339 Imperial Capital KTV. Wang Ke sat on the sofa, his face dark as water. Yang Binyi, bruised and swollen, was forced to squat in a corner. At this moment, Luo Jia insisted, ¡°Young Master Wang, please calm down. He¡¯s just impulsive. For the sake of being classmates, please let him off this time!¡± Wang Ke glanced at Luo Jia, his tone indifferent, ¡°Let him off? Haha! Weren¡¯t there four of them? Weren¡¯t they known as the four scum of the university? Today, I want to see what these so-called prominent figures during school have turned into.¡± All of Wang Ke¡¯s fair-weather friends burst into laughter. Luo Jia, frustrated with Yang Binyi¡¯s incompetence, was also filled with anger. Initially, she had brought Yang Binyi here, trying to help him mingle with these ¡°upper-class people.¡± But she hadn¡¯t expected that Yang Binyi would clash with these people after just a few words, and a fight broke out. At that moment, Wang Ke stood up and walked over to Yang Binyi, looking down at him with a smug smile playing on his lips. ¡°You guys were quite arrogant back in school, weren¡¯t you? What¡¯s the matter now? Chickened out? Tsk tsk, let me guess, is your big brother now worrying about where to find reinforcements to save you?¡± Yang Binyi looked up at Wang Ke, his eyes full of defiance. ¡°And your second brother, Xue An!¡± A cold gleam flashed in Wang Ke¡¯s eyes. ¡°He charmed the school belle back then, and what happened? Disappeared, didn¡¯t he? I bet his body has already rotted away!¡± Wang Ke said with a sneer. ¡°So in this society, nothing else matters. Only power and wealth are the most important!¡± Seeing Yang Binyi¡¯s expression of growing despair, Wang Ke felt extremely satisfied. At that time, even Luo Jia began to look down on Yang Binyi. In her view, Yang Binyi had no talent or money, and he was also stubborn, nowhere near as good as this Wang Ke, the young master of the Wang Family. If she could latch onto someone like Wang Ke, she would be decked in gold and silver in the future! Luo Jia thought, her eyes shining. The banquet continued, but this time, Yang Binyi was forced to squat in a corner. Meanwhile, his so-called girlfriend laughed merrily as she drank with the rich second-generations. Yang Binyi felt his heart sinking, growing colder and colder. During the festivities, someone opened the door to the private room. Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le then walked in. Upon seeing the two of them, Yang Binyi couldn¡¯t help becoming excited, wanting to stand up, but he was pressed down and couldn¡¯t move. The music stopped, and Wang Ke, with his legs crossed in a relaxed pose, watched Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le with an amused look. ¡°What¡¯s this? Planning to rescue someone?¡± Wang Ke said with a smile. Zhao Xuehui, trying to be brave, said, ¡°Young Master Wang, our Fourth Brother has a short temper. Please spare him this time for my sake.¡± ¡°For your sake¡­¡± Wang Ke repeated. His companions snickered. ¡°Do you think you have any standing with me?¡± At that moment, Qiao Le couldn¡¯t restrain himself any longer and angrily said, ¡°Wang, what do you really want?¡± ¡°What do I want?¡± Wang Ke said with a mocking smile. ¡°Just kneel down and beg me! If you do that, I¡¯ll let your brother go. How about it? It¡¯s a good deal, right?¡± Wang Ke¡¯s words finally infuriated Yang Binyi, ¡°Big brother, Third brother, don¡¯t listen to him. If he has the guts, let him kill me!¡± Zhao Xuehui took a deep breath, ¡°If I kneel, will you let him go?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zhao Xuehui stepped forward, about to kneel. Just then, a voice came from outside the door. ¡°What a big show of power from just the Wang Family!¡± This voice was languid and indifferent, causing everyone to pause in surprise. Then a tall, handsome man with an elegant stance walked in. Upon seeing him, Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le couldn¡¯t help but freeze. ¡°Old¡­ Second Brother?¡± ¡°Second brother?¡± The man, of course, was Xue An. He smiled at the astonished faces of Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le, ¡°What? You really thought I went home?¡± Just now at the barbecue stall, after Xue An said he was going home, he really did take a taxi and left. At that moment, Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le even sighed, but there was not a hint of resentment in their sigh. In their eyes, Xue An now had a wife and children, so naturally, he needed to be cautious. There was nothing to quibble about that. It was just a little uncomfortable deep down. But they hadn¡¯t expected Xue An to reappear so suddenly.Y0u can read sh0rt, t0uching, and r0mantic st0ries ab0ut c0uples, as well as children¡¯s st0ries f0r free 0n sitest0rys(.)c0m ¡°The two girls were really tired, so I sent them home first, then hurried over,¡± Xue An said, then looked towards Yang Binyi in the corner. ¡°Who did this?¡± Xue An asked with an indifferent tone. The room fell silent. Xue An raised his hand and pointed at the wounds on Yang Binyi¡¯s face, ¡°I¡¯m asking, who did this?¡± At this moment, Wang Ke let out a breath, leaned back on the sofa, and watched Xue An with interest, laughing disdainfully, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you¡¯re Xue An, right? Heh, I didn¡¯t expect you to still be alive after disappearing for four years!¡± Xue An turned to look at Wang Ke, his indifferent gaze making Wang Ke¡¯s heart tighten slightly. But soon, Wang Ke recovered his composure and watched Xue An with some defiance. However, Xue An just smiled. ¡°The one who hit my brother is you, correct?¡± Wang Ke nodded, saying arrogantly, ¡°He was asking for it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask his girlfriend!¡± Luo Jia looked at Zhao Xuehui and the others with contempt, and said impatiently, ¡°Young Master Wang is right! I advise you to leave quickly. If Young Master Wang gets angry, you won¡¯t be able to leave!¡± Seeing Luo Jia¡¯s face full of scorn, Yang Binyi finally lost all hope, closing his eyes in despair. As for Xue An, he completely ignored all this and continued to look calmly at Wang Ke, ¡°The one who forced my brother to kneel, it¡¯s also you, correct?¡± Wang Ke frowned, ¡°Xue An, don¡¯t act like some big shot with me. I¡¯ll tell you, this isn¡¯t the time when we were at school. Here, I¡¯m the one whose words count, understand?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Good that you admit it!¡± As soon as his words fell, Xue An closed in fast, grabbing Wang Ke by the collar and lifting him straight off the sofa. Wang Ke, lifted off his feet, finally showed a hint of panic, ¡°You¡­ what do you want to do?¡± Xue An¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°Since it was all done by you, naturally, it¡¯s time to send you on your way!¡± Wang Ke originally wanted to say something to smooth things over, but when he saw the look in Xue An¡¯s eyes, he was struck dumb. Because Xue An¡¯s gaze was terrifyingly calm, showing not the slightest ripple. And it was just such a gaze that made Wang Ke shiver all over. ¡°No! You can¡¯t kill me! I am from the Wang Family¡­¡± ¡°The Wang Family?¡± A smile emerged on the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. Wang Ke was near wetting himself with fear when suddenly he remembered something and blurted out stutteringly, ¡°Also, I¡¯m one of the Fire Phoenix, if you dare to kill me, then be prepared to be hunted down by the Fire Phoenix Special Forces!¡± These words stopped Xue An in his tracks. ¡°What did you say?¡± Wang Ke breathed a sigh of relief, it seems he wasn¡¯t fearless after all, and then sneered, ¡°Didn¡¯t hear me clearly? I am a member of the Fire Phoenix Special Forces, if you dare to lay a finger on me, watch out for your own life!¡± Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Kill Him (1st Update) Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Kill Him (1st Update) Translator: 549690339 The private room fell silent. Everyone looked towards Xue An. Xue An slightly raised his eyebrows and said indifferently, ¡°Fire Phoenix?¡± ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s the Fire Phoenix Special Forces that defeated all opponents in the military contest without sustaining a single casualty, and are now ranked first in the nation!¡± Wang Ke said, his face full of pride. Hearing Wang Ke¡¯s words, Zhao Xuehui¡¯s complexion changed dramatically, and he stepped forward, ¡°Second Brother, put Wang Ke down quickly!¡± Bang. Xue An let go of his hand. Wang Ke fell onto the coffee table, dousing himself with drinks. Zhao Xuehui approached and said, ¡°Young Master Wang, my brother has just come to Zhongdu and doesn¡¯t understand many rules. Please don¡¯t take it personally!¡± But Wang Ke didn¡¯t say a word, just stared at Xue An with a look full of resentment. Zhao Xuehui was anxious within his heart and turned to Xue An, ¡°Second Brother, quickly apologize to Young Master Wang!¡± At the same time, he kept making meaningful glances at Xue An. Yet Xue An stood there with an indifferent expression, seemingly lost in thought. Wang Ke¡¯s fair-weather friends also started to make a racket. ¡°Damn it, where did this blockhead come from? He actually dared to offend Young Master Wang?¡± ¡°Kneel down and apologize! Or we¡¯ll cripple you today!¡± Amidst these clamors, Wang Ke said something spine-chilling. ¡°Apologize? Even if he kneels down today, it won¡¯t make a difference. I¡¯ve just been in touch with Brother Sun of the Fire Phoenix. They happen to be eating nearby and will be here any minute¡­hehe!¡± Wang Ke sneered with a face full of malice. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five minutes!¡± Xue An suddenly interrupted Wang Ke. The room gradually fell silent again. Wang Ke raised his eyebrows, looking at Xue An as if he were looking at a dead man, ¡°Give me what?¡± ¡°I said, I¡¯ll give you five minutes. If within five minutes, the people you mentioned don¡¯t show up, I¡¯ll send you off!¡± Xue An revealed his canines in a menacing smile. ¡°In other words¡­kill you!¡± Boom! Xue An¡¯s words were like a bomb dropped, leaving many faces filled with astonishment. Was this guy a fool? Wang Ke¡¯s face showed conflicting emotions before he finally said something grim, ¡°Fine! Since you¡¯re seeking your own death, I¡¯ll let you understand what kind of people you can¡¯t afford to offend in Zhongdu!¡± At that moment, someone released Yang Binyi, and his three anxious brothers gathered around. Yang Binyi¡¯s eyes were red as he said, ¡°Second Brother¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand and smiled lightly, ¡°It¡¯s alright; I¡¯m here!¡± Qiao Le stood silently by Xue An¡¯s side, his hand tucked in his sleeve, holding onto a hidden axe. Zhao Xuehui gritted his teeth and spoke in a low voice, ¡°If a fight breaks out later, I¡¯ll cover our retreat. Second Brother, you have a wife and child, so take the chance to leave at the first opportunity and leave Zhongdu overnight! Do you understand?¡± A wave of warmth surged in Xue An¡¯s heart, and he patted Zhao Xuehui¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t be so tense; things are not that bad!¡± Zhao Xuehui sighed and said with a bitter smile, ¡°How can it not be bad? Someone in my family is in the army, and lately, the name Fire Phoenix has been grinding calluses in my ears. They are truly an elite force! If Wang Ke really knows them, then this situation¡­sigh!¡± Zhao Xuehui¡¯s complexion grew worse the more he spoke. At this time, Yang Binyi was silent, but his face was seething with killing intent as he glared at Luo Jia not far away. Luo Jia noticed Yang Binyi¡¯s gaze and walked over, curling her lip and said, ¡°What? Not convinced?¡± ¡°You bitch¡­¡± Yang Binyi squeezed these words through clenched teeth. Luo Jia¡¯s expression changed several times, then she sneered, ¡°I may be a bitch, but you¡¯re not even as good as one! Hmph!¡± After saying that, she turned and left without any sentiment. Xue An sat calmly on the sofa, waiting. Five minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Finally, hurried footsteps came from outside the private room. Wang Ke¡¯s face lit up with joy, just as he stood up. But he saw a group of people entering through the door, led by Sun Ling. As soon as Wang Ke saw him, he hurried over, nodding and bowing obsequiously, ¡°Brother Sun, you¡¯re here!¡± Sun Ling nodded, his voice grave, ¡°You said someone¡¯s causing trouble here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s that guy!¡± Wang Ke stretched out his hand to point. Sun Ling looked up and saw only a figure sitting on the sofa, his back to him. Sun Ling¡¯s expression darkened, just about to go over and see who it was. Then he heard an indifferent voice, ¡°I teach you martial arts, yet you use it to serve as dogs for the scions of noble families?¡± At these words, both Sun Ling and the others present had their expressions wildly change! At that moment, Wang Ke blustered, ¡°You brat, even on the brink of death, you still talk tough¡­¡± Slap! An extremely crisp slap silenced Wang Ke. The force of the blow swelled half of Wang Ke¡¯s face. Stunned, Wang Ke clutched his cheek and dumbly stared at Sun Ling whose face was ashen. ¡°Brother Sun! How could you¡­?¡± Sun Ling did not even bother with him but instead led his men to quickly walk a few steps forward, stopping five paces away from the sofa. They bent over in unison, extremely respectfully shouting, ¡°Fire Phoenix Sun Ling and others¡­ pay respect to the Instructor!¡± As this was said. The room fell silent. Everyone gawked in stunned silence. Only the figure on the sofa remained unmoved. A silence that felt like an eternity ensued. The atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze. Sun Ling, bent over, felt nothing but cold sweat over his face. ¡°Am I right, Sun Ling?¡± Xue An turned around, leaning against the sofa, looking at Sun Ling and the others. Sun Ling trembled, his face pale as he lifted his head, meeting Xue An¡¯s ice-cold, indifferent gaze, then gritted his teeth. ¡°Instructor, this Wang Ke said someone was disturbing the peace and even slandered Fire Phoenix, so I came over¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand impatiently, and Sun Ling immediately shut up. Xue An¡¯s slender fingers gently tapped the armrest of the sofa, the tapping sound making everyone¡¯s heart tremble. Then Xue An looked at Sun Ling with an amused expression. ¡°I¡¯ve said that true powerhouses never stoop to explain. When it¡¯s wrong, it¡¯s wrong!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Ling lowered his head. This scene made Wang Ke, Luo Jia, and the others feel as if their souls had fled in fear. Even a fool could see that Xue An¡¯s identity was far from ordinary. Otherwise, how could he reprimand Sun Ling like scolding a child? At this time, Xue An stood up and walked over to Sun Ling. ¡°By rights, I should cripple your cultivation level. Do you accept this punishment?¡± ¡°I accept!¡± Sun Ling trembled all over. Xue An placed his hand on the back of Sun Ling¡¯s head, suddenly smiled, ¡°Forget it, since all this started because of Wang Ke, I¡¯ll give you a chance!¡± Sun Ling immediately straightened up, saying resolutely, ¡°Please instruct me!¡± Xue An raised his hand to point at Wang Ke, who was pale and trembling in the corner, and with a faint smile, ¡°Kill him!¡± Sun Ling wasted no time and pounced. Wang Ke let out a deafening scream, ¡°Brother Sun, spare my life! Xue An spare me, I¡­¡± Sun Ling had never hated someone so much. It was because of this person¡¯s troublemaking that he had almost lost his cultivation level, so Sun Ling¡¯s eyes reddened. The moment he made his move, he chopped off both of Wang Ke¡¯s hands. Wang Ke lay in a pool of blood, in extreme terror, even crawling desperately towards Xue An, wailing, ¡°Brother Xue, no¡­ Mr. Xue, spare my life! I won¡¯t dare¡­ ever again.¡± He would never finish his plea, for Sun Ling grabbed Wang Ke¡¯s hair and cut his throat from behind. Wang Ke¡¯s eyes gradually lost their lustre, and the last image he saw before his death was Xue An, standing with his hands behind his back, his expression detached. I should never have provoked him! Wang Ke thought with immense regret, and then he plunged into endless darkness. Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Offering You Splendid Wealth and Honor (2nd Update) Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Offering You Splendid Wealth and Honor (2nd Update) Translator: 549690339 The hall was filled with fear. No one dared to speak. Nobody even dared to glance at Xue An. After Sun Ling killed Wang Ke, he stood respectfully in his place again. Xue An nodded slightly, ¡°Not bad! But if I ever learn that you or any member of Fire Phoenix collude with the offspring of the noble families again, you know what the consequences will be!¡± Towards the end, Xue An¡¯s tone was icy cold. Sun Ling shivered, ¡°Yes!¡± Then Xue An turned towards Wang Ke¡¯s fair-weather friends and Luo Jia, the girlfriend of Yang Binyi. At this moment, Luo Jia¡¯s legs could barely support her, and upon seeing Xue An¡¯s gaze, she fell to her knees. ¡°Spare¡­ Spare my life!¡± Luo Jia stammered. Xue An smiled slightly, then looked at Yang Binyi, ¡°Little Brother, what do you plan to do with this woman?¡± Upon hearing this, hope rose on Luo Jia¡¯s face, and she turned to look at Yang Binyi, ¡°Binyi¡­!¡± In the past, Yang Binyi would always look at her with affection. But now, all Luo Jia saw in Yang Binyi¡¯s face was disgust. Luo Jia crawled over, her voice quivering, ¡°Binyi, please give me another chance. I swear I¡¯ll never dare again. I will honestly stay at home and be your girlfriend, okay?¡± By the end, Luo Jia had grabbed the corner of Yang Binyi¡¯s clothes, pleading with her eyes. But Yang Binyi coldly shook off her hand and stepped back, looking at Luo Jia with indifference. ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s spare her life!¡± Xue An nodded. Then Yang Binyi said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you again. Get lost!¡± Luo Jia¡¯s face gradually turned pale, ¡°Bin¡­¡± ¡°Get lost! If you keep rambling, I¡¯ll kill you right now!¡± Yang Binyi roared in anger. Luo Jia shakily stood up, her heart filled with regret as she looked at Yang Binyi. She truly did regret it now because she knew very well. With a friend like Xue An, Yang Binyi was bound to soar to great heights in the future. If only I hadn¡¯t been so short-sighted before, if only¡­ Then the person standing beside Yang Binyi right now, would still be me! At that thought, Luo Jia felt a desire to die. After Luo Jia left, tears spilled from Yang Binyi¡¯s eyes. Zhao Xuehui sighed and patted Yang Binyi on the shoulder. ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m happy because I¡¯ve finally seen through a bitch, haha!¡± Yang Binyi said with a bitter smile. But just then, the security of the KTV rushed in, and upon seeing the corpse on the floor, their faces all turned pale. ¡°Who killed Young Master Wang?¡± The head of security asked in a stern voice. Sun Ling stepped forward, his voice cold, ¡°I did!¡± The security captain¡¯s face was full of arrogance, ¡°Well, well, daring to kill someone here, and to kill Young Master Wang, none of you are leaving today!¡± Sun Ling let out a cold laugh, about to speak. Suddenly, a voice came, ¡°Is Mr. Xue here?¡± Xue An looked up and saw an elder stepping in from outside the door. Xue An frowned, ¡°And you are¡­?¡± The elder bowed respectfully, ¡°I am a butler from the Chen Family, in charge of this area¡¯s affairs. I rushed over when I heard Wang Ke was dead, not expecting Mr. Xue to be here as well!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°So it¡¯s Butler Chen!¡± ¡°How dare I ask, Mr. Xue, this Wang Ke¡­¡± ¡°My man killed him. Any problem with that?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Butler Chen¡¯s face was covered in cold sweat, and he gave a meek smile, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s no issue!¡± No issue? Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le, who had been extremely tense, now all had faces of blank confusion. A person died, and just like that, there¡¯s no more trouble? Xue An nodded, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you!¡± ¡°Mr. Xue, you¡¯re too polite! Please take care!¡± the Chen family¡¯s butler said respectfully. After Xue An and his people left. The security captain whispered, ¡°Old sir, who was that man just now? Someone that even a person of your status is so afraid of?¡± Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the Chen family butler took a deep breath and said, ¡°Who? Heh, he¡¯s truly the dragon among men, a figure from above the nine heavens! Compared to him, that Wang Ke is nothing more than a loach! Return the corpse to the Wang Family, and warn them not to harbor thoughts of revenge, or the Chen Family will not let them off either!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The security captain shuddered and hastily responded in a low voice. Exiting the KTV, the fresh air outside revitalized everyone. Thinking back, everything that had just happened felt like a dream. Sun Ling and the others respectfully bid farewell to Xue An and turned to head back to the camp. The four walked down the midnight streets, all in silence. After who knows how long. They raised their heads only to realize they had arrived in front of their alma mater. It was already morning by then, so the group simply went to the university cafeteria and ate a meal they had back in the day. As they ate, Zhao Xuehui and the others complained about how the food hadn¡¯t changed much over the years. Xue An, on the other hand, just kept smiling silently. After finishing the meal, Xue An looked at Zhao Xuehui and suddenly spoke softly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Zhao Xuehui shook his head, ¡°To tell the truth, we were very curious at the beginning, but now, not anymore!¡± Qiao Le drank his last mouthful of rice porridge and sighed, ¡°No matter what big shot you¡¯ve become, I only know that you¡¯re still my second brother, and that¡¯s enough for me!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Yang Bin also nodded in agreement. Xue An burst into laughter. His laughter drew many sideways glances. Then Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Since we¡¯re all brothers, then I¡¯ll give you a chance at extraordinary wealth and honor!¡± Extraordinary wealth and honor? Qiao Le and the others looked at each other, not understanding what Xue An was talking about. But Zhao Xuehui gave a wry smile, ¡°Right now, we¡¯ve got neither capital nor connections, where would this extraordinary wealth and honor come from?¡± Xue An laughed and wrote two characters on the table with his wet finger. ¡°Longevity!¡± Zhao Xuehui exclaimed in surprise. Xue An nodded, ¡°Not true longevity, but it can stimulate a person¡¯s potential, extending their lifespan by at least twenty years!¡± Hisss. Zhao Xuehui and the others exchanged looks, their eyes full of shock. In today¡¯s world, medicine is advanced, but no one dares to claim that they can extend life by twenty years. If this was true, it would be like a money-printing machine! For others, this might be difficult, but for Xue An, it was all too simple. Just producing a simplified version of the Primordial Essence Elixir would achieve this effect. But Zhao Xuehui frowned, ¡°Second brother, I don¡¯t doubt what you say, but such huge benefits, just relying on us few, could it be¡­¡±. Zhao Xuehui¡¯s meaning was clear. Such colossal benefits could drive any organization to madness. Just them few would be like sending themselves to die! Xue An laughed, ¡°Of course it won¡¯t just be you guys, you couldn¡¯t handle it. I can get the Chen Family and the military to help you!¡± ¡°The Chen Family?¡± Zhao Xuehui shivered, ¡°That Chen Family?¡± Xue An nodded. The three looked at each other and saw the flames of hope in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s do it! Now that second brother is so powerful, we can¡¯t lag too far behind!¡± Qiao Le said with vehemence. Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 192: The Emergence of the Chapter 192: Chapter 192: The Emergence of the Eight-Forked Serpent (Third Update) Translator: 549690339 Country R. Orochi Shrine. Takeuchi Kiyoko sat cross-legged in front of the Orochi statue, her beautiful face engulfed in surging demonic energy. Several elders stood at a distance, their demeanor solemn and respectful. Finally. A black mist rose up from the Orochi statue, reaching into the sky. The elders, overwhelmed with excitement, knelt to the ground in worship. A voice, both ethereal and majestic, sounded out. ¡°You mortals, for what reason do you summon me?¡± An elder clad in a black robe with golden edges crawled forward a few steps and spoke with utmost reverence, ¡°Great Orochi, this is the mortal substitute we have found for you!¡± A snake head faintly appeared within the black mist, looking down at Takeuchi Kiyoko, and let out a ghastly chuckle. ¡°Excellent, born with the Immortal Demon Body, well done!¡± ¡°Thank you, Great One!¡± The elders cried, tears streaming down their faces in their agitation. The black mist suddenly lunged forward, enveloping Takeuchi Kiyoko within it. Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face contorted in extreme pain, and blood slowly trickled out of her mouth and nose. Suddenly. The black mist disappeared without a trace. And Takeuchi Kiyoko slowly opened her eyes, which were now diamond-shaped and full of indifference and cold cruelty. All the elders respectfully knelt to the ground, ¡°We greet you, Great One!¡± ¡°This time, I am very satisfied with the body. Therefore, in my descent this time, I shall gather the other heads and then coalesce the Immortal Demon Body,¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko said coldly. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°As for now¡­¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko turned and walked toward the shrine, pulling a blade out from beside the statue. With the unsheathing of this blade, the entire room darkened. Violent and biting Sha energy rose from the sword. Takeuchi Kiyoko spread her mouth in a fearsome and terrifying smile. ¡°The aura of the Huaxia Sword Immortal has vanished, now only General Lin remains. Once I slay him, the whole of Huaxia will be powerless before the strength of my Ghost God¡¯s Slash!¡± Her speech started awkwardly but became more fluent as she continued. Fear filled the hearts of the elders at that moment. Orochi¡¯s incarnations would usually take at least several months to perfectly merge. Yet, this time, the fusion was complete in such a short time. Even faster than the previous host, Nagatsuki Ito! Takeuchi Kiyoko turned to look at the people kneeling on the ground, ¡°You have done well. Once I reunite my Immortal Demon Body and reign over this realm, I shall transform all of you into Immortal Demon Bodies, granting you everlasting life!¡± The elders knocked their heads on the floor in gratitude, tears of excitement flowing across their faces. ¡°Send the order, in half a month, I shall cross the sea to the east to avenge the blow that General Lin struck against me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xue An had been staying at home for the past few days, as he wanted to simplify the production of the Primordial Essence Elixir as much as possible. After all, many of the medicinal ingredients were very precious, and if made strictly according to the original formula, the price would be too high for many to afford. Moreover, the production process had to meet the requirements of assembly line manufacturing, otherwise, if it were all done by hand, the output could not be assured! That day, he received a call from his boss, Zhao Xuehui. ¡°Hey, Little Brother, I¡¯ve just been in touch with a pharma factory that¡¯s looking to sell, and the price is very cheap. Shall we go take a look?¡± After all, building a pharmaceutical factory from scratch would require at least a year. So Xue An¡¯s suggestion was to try to buy an existing facility. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll come over in a bit!¡± Waiting at the designated meeting spot, Xue An noticed that all three of them were dressed in suits and leather shoes, looking every bit the part of successful businessmen, which made him laugh. ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯re going to wear that?¡± Qiao Le asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this?¡± Xue An looked down at his own slippers. ¡°Uh¡­ nothing at all! I¡¯m wearing the clothes I bought for a blind date before, and man, it¡¯s really freaking hot!¡± Qiao Le wiped the sweat beads off his face. Zhao Xuehui waved his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± To make a good impression this time, Zhao Xuehui gritted his teeth and rented a BMW. Xue An sat in the back seat, watching the three excitedly discuss entrepreneurship, and his mood also improved a lot. His three good friends were all full of drive and didn¡¯t rely on him for everything. Xue An would just offer a suggestion, and then the three of them would take it from there. Moreover, they made it clear that half of the company¡¯s shares belonged to Xue An. Xue An just smiled it off. If he wanted shares, wouldn¡¯t it be simpler to do it himself? Once they arrived at their destination, Xue An looked up at the expansive and very modern pharmaceutical factory. ¡°Hello, may I ask if you are Mr. Zhao?¡± A secretary who had been waiting at the door approached them. Zhao Xuehui nodded, ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Please follow me; our chairman is waiting for you in the office!¡± They walked across the spacious plaza and arrived in front of a brand-new office building. ¡°Please wait here for a moment; our chairman is meeting with other clients!¡± Zhao Xuehui and his companions sat on the sofa, quietly discussing the upcoming meeting. Xue An stood by the window, listening quietly. Even though there were several walls between them, Xue An could still hear the conversation inside if he wanted to. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I, Shu Liu, would rather sell this factory at a loss than submit to you!¡± a woman¡¯s angry voice said. ¡°Hehe, Chairman Shu, do you think, after offending the Chi Family, anyone else would dare want your factory?¡± A proud male voice spoke. ¡°Even if I have to tear down the factory myself, I won¡¯t hand it over to you!¡± ¡°Well, you can do as you please, but I¡¯d like to remind you that in Zhongdu, what the Chi Family says is law!¡± the male voice sneered. After a bout of footsteps, it seemed these people had left. Following a long silence, the faint sound of the woman¡¯s sobbing could be heard. Xue An¡¯s heart stirred, realizing that there really was something going on with this factory. After a while, the secretary approached and said, ¡°Sorry about the wait, please come with me!¡± Xue An took the lead, walking ahead and drawing the secretary¡¯s repeated glances. After all, Xue An was dressed far too casually, in leisurewear and flip-flops, like he was out for a stroll. When they entered the office, a beautifully dressed woman stood up and smiled slightly, ¡°I¡¯m Shu Liu, the chairman of this pharmaceutical factory. My apologies for the delay; there were some matters that needed my attention.¡± Xue An glanced at the woman¡¯s face and noticed her slightly red eyes, a clear sign she had just been crying. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Zhao Xuehui. How extensive is your factory, and what about the equipment and paperwork?¡± Zhao Xuehui had obviously done his homework, asking very professional questions. The two began to discuss various details. Xue An stood by, his expression unchanging, listening. The pharmaceutical factory¡¯s facilities, equipment, and all documentation were complete and flawless; the selling price was quite reasonable. Therefore, Zhao Xuehui was very satisfied in the end. ¡°Mr. Zhao, if you¡¯re really interested, it would be best to decide now, otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee that the factory will still be at this price tomorrow!¡± Shu Liu said softly. Zhao Xuehui looked at Xue An with an inquiring gaze. Xue An then looked up, smiled faintly at Shu Liu, ¡°May I ask Chairman Shu, why are you in such a hurry to sell such a good factory?¡± Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Chapter 193 I know, but I don’t care! (4th update) Chapter 193: Chapter 193 I know, but I don¡¯t care! (4th update) Translator: 549690339 Shu Liu¡¯s face turned bitter, then she whispered in a low voice, ¡°Because¡­.¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Is it because there are some disputes?¡± As soon as these words came out, Shu Liu shuddered, then she looked at Xue An with astonished eyes. Initially, Shu Liu thought Xue An was just a driver, so she didn¡¯t take him seriously. But now it seemed that he was the real decision-maker. Shu Liu sighed, then nodded, a pained expression crossing her face, ¡°Yes, there are disputes! And they¡¯re with the Chi Family of Zhongdu!¡± The Chi Family! This name caused a slight change in the expressions of Zhao Xuehui and the others. Qiao Le even uttered in dissatisfaction, ¡°Chairwoman Shu, that¡¯s not very honorable of you. After talking for so long, it turns out you¡¯re trying to drag us into a trap!¡± Shu Liu¡¯s face turned red, and she lowered her head in shame, ¡°I¡­ I really have no other options now. Many people have come to see the factory these past days, but as soon as they hear about the Chi Family, they all run away. I really had no choice but to think about hiding it.¡± After finishing, Shu Liu closed her eyes in pain and sighed lightly, ¡°If you all think it¡¯s not acceptable, then let¡¯s forget it!¡± Zhao Xuehui exchanged a glance with Qiao Le, then stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think we need not discuss this any further. After all, the Chi Family¡­¡± Their intention was clear. The Chi Family of Zhongdu was a noble household; looking at this situation, the person from the Chi Family that Shu Liu had offended was not an ordinary member. Although the factory was cheap, taking it over would mean facing the hatred of a noble family, which would not be worth it. Shu Liu¡¯s face was ashen as she nodded without uttering a word. And just when Zhao Xuehui and the others were all standing up, preparing to leave, Xue An put down the pen he had been fiddling with and raised his head to glance at Shu Liu, saying indifferently. ¡°If I take over and still let you manage this factory, would you dare?¡± Hearing these words, Shu Liu, who had already given up all hope, showed an incredulous look on her face. ¡°Sir, I just made it very clear, this factory has a direct conflict with the Chi Family, you¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand, ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t care!¡± Although his words were bland, the assertiveness they contained left Shu Liu stunned. This young man seemed ordinary, so why did he possess such strong confidence? ¡°I¡¯m just asking you, do you dare or not?¡± Xue An insisted, staring at Shu Liu. Shu Liu bit her lip, thinking that since things were already at this point and if this person dared to take over, then he must have a way to deal with the Chi Family. And if she really could still manage this factory, then, of course, it couldn¡¯t be better. After hesitating for a moment, Shu Liu nodded, ¡°Of course, I dare!¡± Xue An leaned back and said blandly, ¡°Good, let¡¯s draw up the agreement now!¡± ¡°What?¡± Shu Liu thought she had heard wrong. ¡°So soon?¡± Zhao Xuehui was also startled. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, if we agree, then let¡¯s sign!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Zhao Xuehui furrowed his eyebrows, wanting to advise Xue An. Even though he knew that Xue An probably wasn¡¯t afraid of the Chi Family, it¡¯s always better to avoid unnecessary troubles. Why insist on this factory, and why insist on having this woman as a director? Could it be that the second brother has taken a fancy to this woman? It couldn¡¯t be, although this woman was quite attractive, she was still far from his sister-in-law. At the same time, Shu Liu also harbored some doubts in her heart. Why would he do this? Could it be¡­ he was coveting my beauty? Xue An spoke in a casual tone, ¡°On the way here, I took a look, and I¡¯m very satisfied with the factory. I can see you are earnest and responsible, so I don¡¯t care what feud there is with the Chi Family; this factory is a deal for me!¡± Shu Liu felt her face flush, ashamed of her previous thoughts, then she stood up and said very respectfully, ¡°Thank you! May I ask for your esteemed surname?¡± ¡°My surname is Xue!¡± The agreement was quickly signed, and Shu Liu still felt like she was living in an alternate reality. ¡°Mr. Xue, what do we plan to produce next? Currently, there is not much of the raw material left. If we want to produce something, we need to replenish the raw materials promptly.¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°Of course, we aren¡¯t going to produce these common medicines. What we are going to produce is a divine medicine that can extend life by twenty years!¡± His statement immediately changed Shu Liu¡¯s expression, and she looked at Xue An with a piercing gaze. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m not selling the factory!¡± ¡°Why? Hey, I have to say, it¡¯s somewhat ridiculous how you¡¯ve just signed the agreement, and now you want to back out?¡± Qiao Le couldn¡¯t help but speak up. Shu Liu said coldly, ¡°Even if I have to destroy the factory myself, I wouldn¡¯t let you people produce some fake medicine that deceives others!¡± This statement at first stunned Zhao Xuehui and the others, and then they all shook their heads and started to laugh bitterly. Actually, they had encountered this kind of situation more than once. Many people, upon hearing that they intended to produce a divine medicine that could extend life by twenty years, their first reaction was that they were fraudsters. At that moment, Xue An cracked a slight smile, ¡°You think that we are swindlers?¡± Shu Liu looked at Xue An coldly, ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of what I think, it¡¯s a fact!¡± As a medical student, Shu Liu absolutely didn¡¯t believe that any medicine could extend life by twenty years. Xue An nodded and then pulled out a small glass bottle from his pocket. It was filled with a pale golden liquid. ¡°This¡­ is the medicine that can extend life!¡± Seeing this thing, a look of scorn appeared on Shu Liu¡¯s face, ¡°Do you think I would believe that?¡± Xue An stood up, placed the glass bottle on the table, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one night to try it for yourself!¡± After saying that, Xue An turned and left. Zhao Xuehui and the others glanced at Shu Liu and then all left. In the vast office, only Shu Liu remained. She stared at the small bottle on the table, her expression uncertain. How could there possibly be a divine medicine that extends life by twenty years? Even if there were, it couldn¡¯t be made with the current medical conditions, right? With this thought in mind, Shu Liu went forward to pick up the small bottle, intending to throw it into the trash bin. At that moment, the phone rang, and an anxious female voice came from the other end. ¡°Shu Liu, come quickly, your grandfather is in bad shape!¡± Shu Liu¡¯s face changed dramatically, and she immediately dashed downstairs, coincidentally stuffing the small bottle into her pocket. By the time she burst into the hospital¡¯s intensive care ward. Gao Shengnan was waiting outside. As soon as Shu Liu saw her, she asked anxiously, ¡°How is my grandfather doing?¡± Gao Shengnan shook her head gravely, ¡°The situation is very bad. My father is currently treating him inside!¡± Upon hearing this, Shu Liu breathed a sigh of relief. Because she knew who Gao Shengnan¡¯s father was. Renowned as the number one Divine Doctor in Zhongdu, even in all of Huaxia, Gao Wenyen! As long as he was present, even wanting to die wouldn¡¯t be an option! After half an hour, Gao Wenyen walked out of the ward with a somber face. He gave Shu Liu a slight shake of his head, ¡°The old master¡¯s condition is deteriorating. I¡¯ve temporarily helped him with ¡®Golden Needle Overcoming Adversity¡¯ acupuncture to get through this crisis, but it¡¯s probably going to be very difficult from here on out!¡± Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Greetings, Senior! (5th update) Chapter 194: Chapter 194: Greetings, Senior! (5th update) Translator: 549690339 Hearing Gao Wenyen say this, Shu Liu¡¯s tears spilled out. ¡°Then¡­ what should we do?¡± Gao Wenyen sighed softly, ¡°A doctor can cure diseases, but not fate. Prepare yourself mentally!¡± After saying that, he left first. As Shu Liu¡¯s good friend, Gao Shengnan naturally stayed to keep her company. ¡°Alright, life and death are predestined, and the old master isn¡¯t young anymore. Don¡¯t be too sad!¡± Shu Liu looked up at Gao Shengnan with a face full of grief and indignation. ¡°Grandfather isn¡¯t dead yet, and the people from the Chi Family are already being very aggressive. What will I do if he¡¯s gone?¡± Hearing this remark, Gao Shengnan couldn¡¯t help but sigh as well, ¡°The Chi Family is¡­ indeed going too far!¡± Filled with sorrow, Shu Liu walked into the hospital room and saw the only family she had in this world lying unconscious on the bed, her tears falling in a rush. After approaching the bed, she bent down and whispered into her grandfather¡¯s ear: ¡°Grandfather, what will I do if you leave?¡± Seemingly hearing her, the old man¡¯s body trembled slightly, and a tear seeped from the corner of his eye. Shu Liu prepared to take a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe her grandfather¡¯s tears. Suddenly, she touched the glass bottle in her pocket. A flash of inspiration struck her mind. She couldn¡¯t help but remember the group of people she had seen that day and the man with the indifferent expression who said there was a potion that could prolong life by twenty years. Could there really be such a potion? If it were any other time, Shu Liu would have scoffed at it. But now, as her closest kin was about to pass away, her mind was in turmoil. Should she give it a try? Shu Liu, trembling, took out the glass bottle and gently opened the lid. A strange, pleasant fragrance assailed her, making one feel refreshed and uplifted. Shu Liu gritted her teeth and poured the potion down her grandfather¡¯s throat. Five minutes, no reaction! Ten minutes, still none! An hour later, Shu Liu, looking at her grandfather, just as always, was utterly hopeless. How could she have been so foolish to believe in such things? Shu Liu laughed at herself mockingly, then sat by the bed, ready to accompany the old man on his final journey. The fatigue from the past few days and the immense pressure from the Chi Family had already exhausted this girl. So, without knowing when, Shu Liu fell asleep by the bed. She didn¡¯t know how long she slept. Shu Liu felt someone gently stroking her hair. The palm was warm and broad, just like¡­ how her grandfather used to stroke her when she was little. Suddenly! Shu Liu woke up. Grandfather! How is he? Shu Liu looked up and then saw her grandfather, looking rosy-cheeked, leaning against the head of the bed and smiling at her. Shu Liu was stunned. Is this a dream? It must be a dream, she probably was too tired recently! While she was still in a daze, Shu He chuckled and shook his head, ¡°Silly girl, what are you dazing for?¡± Shu Liu¡¯s tears kept falling, ¡°Grandfather, this is a dream, right? Are you going to leave me?¡± Shu He wiped the tears from Shu Liu¡¯s face and chuckled, ¡°I am your grandfather, and this isn¡¯t a dream; I really woke up!¡± Shu Liu was initially in disbelief until she pinched her own cheek, then she was stunned. It¡¯s real! This is real! A surge of ecstasy overwhelmed him. Shu Liu hugged her grandfather tightly, bursting into tears. Just then, Gao Wenyen and his daughter Gao Shengnan arrived outside the hospital room. Hearing the crying inside, Gao Shengnan¡¯s face changed, ¡°Father, has Old Master Shu passed away?¡± Gao Wenyen sighed, ¡°When I checked his pulse yesterday, I could tell he wouldn¡¯t make it through today. Poor Shu Liu¡­¡± Gao Wenyen didn¡¯t finish his sentence, because he and his daughter were both staring with eyes wide open, slack-jawed at the scene inside the room. Shu He, whom Gao Wenyen had diagnosed as certain to die just yesterday, was now sitting up in bed with a rosy complexion, nodding and smiling at the Gao father and daughter as they entered. Gao Shengnan got a shiver up her spine, thinking she might be seeing a ghost. Whereas Gao Wenyen frowned, wondering if this could be the phenomenon of rallying before death. But this was too strong of a rally. At this moment, Shu Liu stopped her crying, stood up, and bowed to Gao Wenyen, ¡°Uncle Gao, my grandfather says he¡¯s fine now, but I¡¯m still worried. Please, check him!¡± Gao Wenyen stepped forward to take the pulse, and his face inevitably changed dramatically. ¡°Uncle Gao, how is my grandfather¡¯s illness?¡± Shu Liu asked anxiously. Gao Wenyen shook his head, ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s illness¡­ is completely cured! His current physical condition is even better than mine!¡± That statement shocked everyone in the room. Even Shu He was somewhat astonished and baffled. Gao Wenyen, with eyes sharp as knives, fixed his gaze on Shu Liu and demanded, ¡°Shu Liu, tell me, what did you feed the old master?¡± Shu Liu¡¯s heart trembled violently, and she suddenly remembered the small glass bottle, and the words Xue An had said. She nodded and gave a rough account of what had happened. A boundless light burst forth in Gao Wenyen¡¯s eyes, an excitement his daughter Gao Shengnan had never seen in him before. ¡°Where¡¯s that bottle? Quick! Let me see it!¡± ¡°I threw it away after feeding it to Grandpa last night!¡± ¡°Where did you throw it?¡± Gao Wenyen asked urgently. ¡°Outside in the trash can¡­¡± Shu Liu began. Before she could finish, Gao Wenyen had already rushed out. Luckily, he left early; otherwise, the morning janitors would have taken all the trash away. Gao Wenyen, with the utmost solemnity, picked up the small glass bottle and brought it to his nose to sniff. Then he closed his eyes and fell silent. ¡°Uncle Gao, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Shu Liu inquired. A tear trickled from the corner of Gao Wenyen¡¯s eye, then he suppressed his excitement and said, ¡°Shu Liu, tell your uncle, will those people come today?¡± The question reminded Shu Liu, and she exclaimed, ¡°The person yesterday said they only gave me one night to consider!¡± ¡°Quick! Make a phone call!¡± Gao Wenyen shouted hoarsely. When Shu Liu got through to Xue An on the phone, Gao Wenyen couldn¡¯t wait to snatch it from her, took a deep breath, and said with utmost respect, ¡°Predecessor!¡± Predecessor? This address changed the expressions of everyone present. Gao Wenyen¡¯s status in Zhongdu was extraordinary, and even the most powerful and influential Family Heads had to show him respect. After all, no one can avoid falling ill. And Gao Wenyen had always been indifferent to worldly affairs, always maintaining a calm demeanor. But today, he acted like a schoolboy meeting his idol! On the other end, Xue An simply chuckled, ¡°What, did the trial prove successful?¡± Gao Wenyen hummed in acknowledgment, then respectfully said, ¡°Predecessor, do you have time today? Myself, Shu Liu, and Old Master Shu all wish to meet you in person!¡± When Xue An and others once again arrived at this pharmaceutical factory, just as they entered. Gao Wenyen was already running towards them, heading straight for Xue An. Upon reaching close, Gao Wenyen bowed respectfully, ¡°The apprentice greets the predecessor!¡± Xue An looked at the man near his sixties and smiled faintly, ¡°Divine Doctor Gao?¡± Gao Wenyen gave a wry smile, ¡°In your presence, who in the world dares to claim the title of Divine Doctor?¡± Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 199 The Taste of Coffee and Isatis Root (2nd Update) Chapter 199: Chapter 199 The Taste of Coffee and Isatis Root (2nd Update) Translator: 549690339 Chen Rushi gazed adoringly at the man who exuded a powerful aura from head to toe, her heart filled with mixed emotions. But before she could dwell on it, Xue Nian, drooling, pointed at the small bottles on the assembly line and asked, ¡°Daddy, do these taste good?¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Xiang sighed like a little adult, hands on hips, ¡°Xue Nian, you¡¯re such a glutton, but Daddy, they do look quite delicious!¡± Xue Xiang said, also drooling a little. Xue An laughed heartily and casually picked up two bottles, ¡°Try them!¡± The two little girls took them and gulped down two bottles of Tian Yuan like they were drinking soft drinks. This scene left many people completely dumbfounded. Nowadays, the cost to produce a single bottle of Tian Yuan was around a million, yet Xue An carelessly used them as a drink for his daughters. After finishing, both little girls squinted their eyes. ¡°Does it taste good?¡± An Yan asked at that moment. ¡°Mm-hmm! Sweet and sour, it¡¯s like fruit juice!¡± Xue Nian said. ¡°No, it tastes like coffee to me!¡± Xue Xiang claimed. ¡°Have you ever tasted coffee?¡± Xue Nian looked dubious. ¡°Of course, I have! Remember when Aunt Xuan¡¯Er made us drink Banlangen? She said it tastes just like coffee!¡± Xue Xiang argued with conviction. The two little girls began to argue about the actual taste of Banlangen and coffee. Xue An then took another bottle and handed it to An Yan, ¡°You try it too!¡± An Yan shook her head, ¡°Haven¡¯t you said that my body is such that no kind of Spirit Pill would be of use to me right now? Let¡¯s not waste it.¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Your husband can afford to waste it!¡± Flushing, An Yan took a bottle of Tian Yuan, sipped a little, then handed it back to Xue An. ¡°You drink too!¡± Witnessing this scene, all those around were filled with envy. Chen Rushi lowered her head and fell silent. All she could feel now was envy and happiness! Because in the way Xue An looked at An Yan, she read a tenderness deep enough to drown in. For a woman to find a man who dotes on her like a daughter, how fortunate that would be! Chen Xiuhe moved quickly. The next day, news of the upcoming press conference hosted by the Chen Family spread throughout the entire Zhongdu. Zhongdu, already on edge with the anticipation of the looming battle, was once again stirred up. A press conference hosted by the Chen Family? And at such a critical moment, what was Chen Xiuhe planning? Many people were full of doubts. When the day of the press conference arrived, Luxury cars had filled the hotel owned by the Chen Family from early on. Many gathered in small groups, whispering about the upcoming press conference. Just then, Jin Xiurong, dressed in a cheongsam exuding grace and splendor, walked in flanked by her two sons. The crowd parted ways for her, with some people respectfully exclaiming, ¡°Madam An wishes you well!¡± With an air of arrogance, Jin Xiurong nodded slightly and then proceeded into the venue. After she had passed, the murmuring resumed. ¡°This Madam An sure has an imposing presence!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk, you should have seen the An Family at the height of their power a few years ago; their outings were like the emperor leaving the palace in ancient times!¡± ¡°So mighty, yet weren¡¯t they embarrassed at the birthday banquet a few days ago?¡± someone sneered. ¡°Heh, the An Family may be much weaker now, but even a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Let¡¯s just enjoy the spectacle!¡± By the time Xue An arrived, the hotel lobby was already bustling with a cacophony of voices and extraordinary excitement. Xue An didn¡¯t make a fuss and was about to enter when a surprised voice came through. ¡°Is it Mr. Xue?¡± Xue An turned his head and saw a somewhat familiar face. ¡°You¡¯re ¡­ Chen Xiaoyi?¡± Chen Xiaoyi was the female journalist who had interviewed Xue An back in the provincial city. Unexpectedly, she had come to Zhongdu today and even attended this press conference! Chen Xiaoyi was very happy to see Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue, I never expected to see you here!¡± Xue An smiled, his impression of Chen Xiaoyi was quite positive. ¡°Journalist Chen isn¡¯t in the provincial city anymore?¡± ¡°No, this time I¡¯m accompanying a friend to handle some matters in Zhongdu. We happened to come across this conference, so we decided to join in on the fun!¡± said Chen Xiaoyi, pointing to the girl beside her. ¡°This is my friend Huang Xiangyan!¡± Xue An glanced at Huang Xiangyan, who was average looking, but dressed fashionably, giving her some attractiveness, though her expression was exceedingly arrogant. After Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s introduction, she sized up Xue An for a few moments, then with a hint of disdain in her eyes, she turned her head and said coldly, ¡°Xiaoyi, you chat first, I will wait over there for you!¡± Upon saying that, she turned and left. Chen Xiaoyi said with some embarrassment, ¡°Sorry about that, my friend is like this with everyone!¡± Xue An held back a smile and gestured behind him. When Chen Xiaoyi turned back to look, she realized Huang Xiangyan, after sitting down, was now full of smiles engaging in conversation with a wealthy young man beside her; her fawning demeanor was in stark contrast to her previous cold aloofness! Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s face became quite embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Xue, did you know that Miss Fan went to Hollywood in M Country?¡± Chen Xiaoyi suddenly said. Xue An was taken aback, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. When did this happen?¡± ¡°I just heard about it too. They say she broke her contract with her original company, then turned down many major film offers, and went to Hollywood alone. Many are saying she¡¯s gone mad!¡± Chen Xiaoyi sighed. Upon hearing this, Xue An felt a soft spot in the depths of his heart touched, and he let out a slight sigh. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know about this!¡± Chen Xiaoyi nodded, ¡°It seems Miss Fan must have her own plans.¡± As everyone took their seats, Chen Xiaoyi, thinking Xue An did not have a seat, cordially invited, ¡°Mr. Xue, why don¡¯t you sit next to me? The view is good here, and you can see more clearly!¡± Xue An pondered for a moment, then nodded. He planned to inquire in detail about Fan Mengxue¡¯s situation. Chen Xiaoyi was clearly delighted, but as the two sat down, Huang Xiangyan, who had been chatting eagerly with the young man of wealth beside her, frowned. Then, deliberately, she said, ¡°Mr. Xue, were you invited to come this time?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°No invitation!¡± The sneer on Huang Xiangyan¡¯s face deepened, ¡°If you don¡¯t even have an invitation, why sit here?¡± Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Xiangyan!¡± Huang Xiangyan let out a scornful laugh, ¡°Xiaoyi, you¡¯d better be careful. Some people, they rely on their good looks to swindle around all day, deceiving women of their money. You should really watch out!¡± At this, Xue An laughed. When Huang Xiangyan spoke, didn¡¯t she think about herself first? However, Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s face turned ashen; she was clearly angered. Seeing this, Huang Xiangyan sneered inwardly. Back at the office, Chen Xiaoyi always acted so high and mighty. It appears she¡¯s just a foolish woman. She wouldn¡¯t make such a mistake. She had gone to great lengths to secure an invitation to the press conference, her aim was to land a wealthy catch. To her, money was most important! Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Fate of the Heavens (3rd Update) Chapter 200: Chapter 200: Fate of the Heavens (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡¯m really sorry that she¡­¡± Chen Xiaoyi began apologetically, wanting to say something. Xue An waved his hand and said indifferently, ¡°No need to say more, it¡¯s fine!¡± However, Huang Xiangyan couldn¡¯t hide her disdain at Xue An¡¯s attitude. In her view, Xue An was simply chickening out. The rich second-generation man who was basking in Huang Xiangyan¡¯s flattery also chuckled smugly, ¡°Miss Huang, there¡¯s no need to bother with some messy people. Once the press conference is over, I¡¯ll take you to meet some real big shots!¡± Huang Xiangyan¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really? You¡¯re so impressive, Young Master!¡± The blissful rich man grinned, ¡°Of course! My family has a deep relationship with the Chen family. My father even worked under the old Mr. Chen back in the day. Now, when the old Mr. Chen sees me, he would still nod and greet me!¡± The old Mr. Chen he referred to was naturally Chen Xiuhe. Huang Xiangyan listened with eyes shining, becoming increasingly flattering and obsequious. At that moment. A group of people came onto the stage in front, each holding a tray. However, the trays were all covered with red cloth, so it was impossible to see what was underneath. Then Chen Rushi walked out. Her arrival caused a slight stir in the room. Many heirs of noble families brightened up at the sight of her. ¡°Miss Chen, hello!¡± ¡°Ru Shi, hello, little sister!¡± There was a continuous chorus of greetings. Even the rich second-generation man excitedly waved his hand to signal, ¡°Miss Chen, hello!¡± For them, Chen Rushi was like a goddess in their hearts. Huang Xiangyan enviously watched Chen Rushi on stage, pondering how amazing it would be if she could reach that status one day. However, Chen Rushi just nodded slightly to the crowd below, then stood to one side with her hands down. At that moment, Chen Xiuhe slowly walked up. His entry truly sparked a huge commotion. Whether willing or not, many people stood up and shouted, ¡°Greetings, Patriarch Chen!¡± Chen Xiuhe smiled faintly, ¡°Please take your seats, everyone.¡± After everyone had sat down, Chen Xiuhe said calmly, ¡°Today, I have invited everyone here because there is a matter I wish to announce. However¡­¡± Chen Xiuhe paused, then continued, ¡°However, I am not qualified to speak about this matter, so I would like to invite a gentleman to come on stage to speak!¡± After speaking, Chen Xiuhe too stood aside with his hands down. The audience was first taken aback, then they all looked on with faces full of surprise and doubt. Who could it possibly be? Who could command such respect from Chen Xiuhe? At that moment, Xue An stood up. His action caused those around him to turn their heads in his direction. Chen Xiaoyi blinked in surprise and whispered, ¡°Mr. Xue, what are you doing?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just need to go to the front for a moment!¡± Huang Xiangyan sneered at that moment, ¡°How interesting. Do you know where you are? To actually move around randomly? I wonder how somebody like you got in here!¡± Unable to contain his anger, Chen Xiaoyi bellowed, ¡°Huang Xiangyan, don¡¯t go too far!¡± Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s angry scolding perplexed Huang Xiangyan, and then she sneered, ¡°Chen Xiaoyi, don¡¯t think too highly of yourself. Let me tell you, this Mr. Xue is simply¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence. Because Huang Xiangyan witnessed something that left her speechless. She saw Xue An walking to the front row, then slowly ascend the stage. This move naturally drew the attention of everyone present. Chen Xiaoyi also couldn¡¯t help but freeze. At that moment, Xue An reached the front of the stage, with Chen Xiuhe and Chen Rushi respectfully flanking him from behind. Huang Xiangyan stood in stunned silence, murmuring softly, ¡°My goodness! Am I seeing things?¡± But at that moment, Chen Xiaoyi recovered from his shock, recalling the many miracles Xue An had created in the provincial city, and a hint of a smile emerged at the corner of his mouth. With this man, any miracle was possible! Xue An leaned on the table and surveyed the audience. The room gradually fell silent. Only then did Xue An speak indifferently, ¡°Many people are wondering who I am!¡± ¡°Let me introduce myself, my name is Xue An!¡± Xue An? This name sparked a stir among the crowd. And the rich second-generation who had been fawning over Huang Xiangyan trembled, looking at the stage with a look of horror. ¡°He¡­ He is actually Xue An?¡± Huang Xiangyan¡¯s face turned pale as she asked in a low voice, ¡°Is¡­ Is this Xue An very formidable?¡± ¡°Just formidable? He has stepped on the An Family, one of Zhongdu¡¯s top elite families, so tell me, is that not formidable?¡± the wealthy scion said with a quivering voice. At this moment, his heart was filled with regret, for having gotten entangled with this foolish woman. Now he had done it. Had he actually just mocked Xue An with his words? Thinking this, the rich scion trembled all over. And Huang Xiangyan, even paler, deeply regretted her words and deeds, then forced a smile at Chen Xiaoyi. ¡°Xiaoyi¡­ would you¡­ could you help me apologize to Mr. Xue later?¡± Chen Xiaoyi snorted coldly and didn¡¯t pay any attention to her. At this time, Xue An waved his hand, and after the crowd fell quiet, a slight smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Many are curious about why this press conference was called!¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple; I¡¯m just doing one thing!¡± With that, Xue An pulled off the red cloth covering the trays. Dozens of exquisitely shaped little bottles appeared before the crowd, emitting a captivating glow under the light, dazzling everyone. What was that? Perfume? Many people were puzzled in their hearts. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°This¡­ is the medicine I¡¯m here to tell you about today, it can extend life by twenty years, ¡®Tianyuan¡¯!¡± Boom! There was an irrepressible commotion throughout the hall. Extend life by twenty years? What kind of concept was that? You should know that even with today¡¯s medical conditions, no one dares claim they can extend an old person¡¯s life by one year. Yet Xue An was claiming that the pale-golden liquid in these little bottles could extend life by twenty years? Many people shook their heads, their faces full of disdain and skepticism. Xue An quietly watched. Only when the crowd had quieted down again did he speak, ¡°I know many people won¡¯t believe this, but no problem, I have someone here who can verify it!¡± With that, Gao Wenyen also stepped onto the stage. At his appearance, a series of low gasps rippled through the audience. ¡°It¡¯s Divine Doctor Gao!¡± ¡°Why has he come too?¡± Gao Wenyen smiled at the audience, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, today what I mean to say is, if you don¡¯t believe it, look at me!¡± It was then that many people noticed that today¡¯s Gao Wenyen looked different than before. Although the previous Gao Wenyen maintained himself extremely well, the wrinkles on his face and his world-weary appearance were still limited by age. But now, he looked lively and spirited, like a man in his thirties. Many people couldn¡¯t help but be somewhat moved. After all, Gao Wenyen had an excellent reputation in Zhongdu. He wouldn¡¯t deceive people, would he? Xue An spoke again, ¡°Furthermore, this ¡®Tianyuan¡¯ is not only capable of extending life; it can also keep you forever young!¡± At these words, the eyes of the women in the audience lit up. Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 201: The Immortal Potion that Shocked Zhongdu (4th Update) Chapter 201: Chapter 201: The Immortal Potion that Shocked Zhongdu (4th Update) Translator: 549690339 No woman could resist the lure of everlasting youth. If there were any, she surely would not be a woman. Xue An¡¯s words caused a huge sensation. Still, there were those who remained skeptical. After all, it all seemed too fantastical! At this moment, Xue An pointed down at Chen Xiaoyi, ¡°Miss Chen, please come up here!¡± Chen Xiaoyi was startled, pointed at herself, ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Xue An nodded. Then Chen Xiaoyi stood up, her head in a fog, and made her way to the stage. Huang Xiangyan¡¯s eyes burned with jealousy. But there was nothing she could do about it. All she could do was watch eagerly. Once Chen Xiaoyi was on stage, Xue An gave her a smile, ¡°Miss Chen, today I invite you to try this ¡®Immortal¡¯ Potion!¡± Chen Xiaoyi, around thirty years of age, normally didn¡¯t wear makeup and often stayed up late writing, which made her skin look extremely poor, her overall appearance somewhat aged. Chen Xiaoyi looked on in a daze. Not until Xue An passed her a bottle of the ¡®Immortal¡¯ Potion did she understand what was happening. ¡°This thing¡­ It¡¯s quite expensive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Xue An nodded, whispering, ¡°About over ten million!¡± Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s hand trembled, almost dropping the bottle, then she gritted her teeth and drank the entire ¡®Immortal¡¯ Potion. Xue An watched quietly. This was also a gift for Chen Xiaoyi. Moreover, this ¡®Immortal¡¯ Potion was an enhanced version, its effects would unfold much faster. Five minutes. Chen Xiaoyi blinked her eyes, feeling no different. The crowd below gradually became restless. Many people watched with a slight sneer, thinking Xue An had botched the trick. There were even a few with medical backgrounds who stood up, ready to condemn Xue An as a fraudster. At that moment, something miraculous happened. The wrinkles on Chen Xiaoyi¡¯s face began to disappear at a pace visible to the naked eye, and her skin tone started to brighten as well. Even her body, which had begun to gather excess flesh, regained youthful vigor in a blink of an eye. A moment later, The Chen Xiaoyi who had looked to be in her thirties, now appeared to be back to her youthful eighteen or nineteen years old. The audience fell into complete silence. Everyone gaped in disbelief. Especially the women, all wearing faces of utter astonishment. ¡°My God!¡± finally, a woman murmured softly. Then, like lighting a fuse, the atmosphere in the room ignited instantly. ¡°Mr. Xue¡­ How much for this? I want ten bottles!¡± a wealthy older woman shouted. ¡°Mr. Xue, I am very interested in this product of yours, and I would like to discuss a partnership, here¡¯s my business card!¡± a representative of a pharmaceutical company, wearing glasses, said respectfully. ¡°Mr. Xue, may I ask if this world-class technology of yours has any side effects?¡± someone raised the question on everyone¡¯s mind. Xue An shook his head, ¡°Although many find it astonishing, this ¡®Immortal¡¯ Potion¡­ has no side effects!¡± At that moment, numerous women crowded around, almost as if they could eat Xue An alive. Xue An then smiled, ¡°Today I can let everyone have a try, but it will only maintain its effectiveness for one month!¡± As he spoke, Xue An took out the prepared trial versions, all diluted ¡®Immortal¡¯ Potion, its effects lasting at most a month! The women grabbed them eagerly and then drank without hesitation. After a while, these women who had once looked old and overweight, all became significantly younger. This tangible effect finally broke any remaining restraint. Some women even came to blows over the trial versions. Meanwhile, more eyes full of ill intent focused on Xue An, as well as the backing Chen Family. After all, it was clear to everyone that the ¡®Immortal¡¯ Potion represented an immense amount of wealth! Who wouldn¡¯t be envious? Xue An watched the scene unfold, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. This¡­ was exactly the effect he had wanted. At the same time, Xue An noticed a resentful gaze fixed on him. He turned his head and locked eyes with Jin Xiurong, who was sitting at a distance. Jin Xiurong was trembling all over at this moment. Her teeth were chattering loudly. She was no fool and naturally guessed that this miracle must have been Xue An¡¯s doing. What did that mean? It meant that Xue An held a technology in his hands that was enough to make him the richest man in the world. Yet he had never shown it before. Thinking of this, Jin Xiurong¡¯s heart, full of anger and resentment, gave rise to a hint of regret. If only she had not been so assertive back then, if only she had been nicer. Then An Yan would not have broken away from the An Family, and this godlike technology would have belonged to the An Family! But it was all too late. Jin Xiurong could only watch Xue An with annoyance and bitterness. Only when Xue An turned his head to look at her did Jin Xiurong¡¯s heart jump in shock. His eyes were full of indifference and aloofness. It was as if a high and mighty emperor was scrutinizing a guilty subject! This caused Jin Xiurong¡¯s face to turn pale. Many who knew the inside story were covering their mouths and sneaking giggles. The An Family¡­ had now become the laughingstock in the mouths of many! ¡°Mr. Xue, when do you plan to start selling this?¡± was the most frequently asked question by people. Xue An smiled, ¡°Production has already started, as for when it will go on sale¡­ let¡¯s wait until General Lin¡¯s duel is over!¡± Xue An¡¯s words made many people¡¯s hearts stir. It seemed like Xue An was making a bet! Betting that General Lin would win! However, amid the eager or jealous gazes of the crowd, a woman of gentle and refined beauty sat in a wheelchair, looking at the distant Xue An with a puzzled and incomprehensible gaze. What on earth are you up to? The Immortal-like man spoken of by my cousin¡­ Xue An! And so, the press conference ended in shock. The follow-up impact completely turned Zhongdu upside down. Everybody understood what this miracle meant. So when Xue An returned to the Chen Family, he was practically buried under a mountain of phone calls and invitations. To all this, Xue An had but four words. Ignore them completely! And then he took his wife and children out for fun. Just as Xue An had guessed. The miracle had stirred up everyone¡¯s mentality, and countless greedy eyes were now focused on the Chen Family and on him. At this moment. Inside the An Family. All the servants were silent as cicadas in the cold. For a minor matter, Jin Xiurong had already punished four maids. Now, still seething with residual anger, she sat in her chair. An Chang said with a wry smile, ¡°Mother, please calm your anger!¡± ¡°How can I calm down? That miracle was originally ours, but now it belongs to the Chen Family, how can I not be angry?¡± Jin Xiurong¡¯s face was full of resentment. An Chang shook his head, ¡°Mother, the key now is to hope that General Lin loses! As long as he loses, Xue An will have no backing, and the Chen Family alone cannot hold onto such a hot potato!¡± Jin Xiurong nodded thoughtfully, ¡°So you mean¡­¡± ¡°We wait and see for now, but definitely, some people won¡¯t be able to hold back!¡± Just as An Chang had said. Within the Chi Family. Chi Chongshan slammed his hand on the table. ¡°A man must be ruthless to succeed. Since Xue An has killed my son and yet holds a precious treasure, then he should not blame us for our lack of courtesy!¡± Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Battle of the Special Agents (Fifth Update) Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Battle of the Special Agents (Fifth Update) Translator: 549690339 M Country. A serious-faced Caucasian man holding a top-secret document solemnly said to the agents below, ¡°We have now received a special task, someone in Huaxia has developed a drug that can extend life by twenty years, the information is absolutely reliable, and now our nation urgently needs all the information about this drug!¡± As he spoke, the man distributed the document. It contained detailed personnel charts. The first person was Xue An, whose danger level was rated as SS. ¡°Sir, is this a misprint?¡± someone exclaimed in surprise. The man shook his head with solemnity, ¡°This is the conclusion generated automatically by the system!¡± Then the man said in a deep voice, ¡°According to our intelligence system, Country R, Country H, and Country E have already started to move. This is a war between agents, and we M Country cannot afford to lose!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the crowd responded thunderously. ¡°Hathaway, stay behind.¡± After everyone had left, a pretty woman with black eyes and yellow skin stayed behind. ¡°Hathaway, this is a task specifically for you, this is your new identity!¡± Hathaway looked at the new identity she was handed; it bore a name. Yuan Xiaoxia. And the task was just a sheet of paper with a man¡¯s information. Yang Binyi, male, twenty-three years old. Unmarried, with one failed romantic experience, sensitive in personality but prone to impulsiveness, rated C by the system, easy to break through! Hathaway nodded, ¡°Understood!¡± In the land of Zhongdu, it was always an arena for various forces to battle and kill each other. Xue An revealing something like Tianyuan was like throwing a piece of fat meat into a coliseum, causing all parties to start a frenzied fight. Today, Xue An sat leisurely in his office chair, drinking tea. Meanwhile, there were two deep bullet marks on the desk in front of him. As for the person who had fired the bullets, he had already been killed by a Dao Sword Qi strike from Xue An across the space. This feeling was quite wonderful. It was like mocking little children. Xue An had even started to treat it like a game, increasingly enjoying it. The pharmaceutical factory had now officially been renamed Tianyuan Pharmaceutical Factory. Countless prying eyes lurked around. Xue An remained composed, simply overseeing everything. Zhao Xuehui walked in, ¡°Number Two, hiss, another attack?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes, and a very unskillful assassination at that. Looks like we¡¯ll be troubled with getting a new desk again!¡± Zhao Xuehui frowned, ¡°It can¡¯t go on like this forever!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°It won¡¯t continue forever. It¡¯s like they¡¯re probing each other. They don¡¯t know my bottom line, so they use this way to investigate, but unfortunately, the more they do so, the more confused they become!¡± Indeed, as Xue An had said. At this moment, the intelligence chiefs of Country H, Country R, and Country E all had iron blue expressions on their faces. They had lost a lot of personnel during this time, and none had even entered the front door! To date, they still knew nothing about the inside, which was an outright humiliation for all parties! Latter, people referred to this operation as the broken spear battle among the various intelligence forces! Today, Yang Binyi had not gone to the factory because he had some trivial matters to handle. After dealing with them, he was ready to drive off. He felt a jolt from behind, and upon getting out of the car, he found that a pink car had rear-ended his. Yang Binyi frowned and then saw a girl with an apologetic face coming out of the car. The girl was not too pretty but quite pleasant-looking, constantly apologizing to Yang Binyi. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I really didn¡¯t mean it!¡± Seeing that it was a girl driving, Yang Binyi¡¯s frown eased a lot. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s just go through the insurance!¡± Yang Binyi said. ¡°Er¡­ let¡¯s forget about it, I¡¯ve had too many accidents this year!¡± said the girl, playfully sticking out her tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll just pay you directly!¡± Yang Binyi didn¡¯t suspect anything untoward and simply quoted a price. The girl said, ¡°Can I add you on WeChat and transfer the money to you? And if there¡¯s any problem, you can also find me!¡± Yang Binyi nodded. They added each other on WeChat, and then the girl transferred the money, smiling, ¡°My name is Yuan Xiaoxia! May I ask your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Yang Binyi!¡± Yang Binyi felt embarrassed to always keep a stern face, so he said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the trouble!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Yang Binyi finished speaking and drove away. Yuan Xiaoxia watched as Yang Binyi¡¯s car disappeared into the distance, then her smile faded, and she said softly, ¡°The first step went unexpectedly smoothly! It seems this mission isn¡¯t much of a challenge after all!¡± The next evening. Yang Binyi was getting ready to go to the cafeteria for dinner. His phone rang, and he took it out to see a message from Yuan Xiaoxia on WeChat. It was an apologetic smiley face, followed by a voice message. Yang Binyi felt his heartbeat accelerate slightly and clicked to listen. Yuan Xiaoxia said, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry about yesterday. If you have time tonight, I¡¯d like to invite you out to a casual dinner!¡± Yang Binyi took a deep breath, then sent a message back, ¡°Okay!¡± Evening. In a restaurant in Zhongdu that was neither too fancy nor too shabby. Yang Binyi gazed at Yuan Xiaoxia, who had changed into formal attire and looked stunningly beautiful, and he couldn¡¯t help but be a little dumbstruck. ¡°Why do you keep staring at me?¡± Yuan Xiaoxia¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red as she spoke. ¡°Uh¡­ sorry! I was just dazzled, that¡¯s all!¡± Yuan Xiaoxia¡¯s eyes twinkled, and she chuckled, ¡°Do you always talk to your girlfriend like this?¡± Yang Binyi shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t have a girlfriend!¡± ¡°How come? Such an excellent guy like you, how could you not have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°To be exact, I had one before!¡± Yang Binyi said with a wry smile. Yuan Xiaoxia nodded, and then said with a laugh, ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked!¡± The two of them chatted as they ate, and as they talked, the conversation got more and more engaging. After finishing the meal, Yuan Xiaoxia left the restaurant slightly tipsy. ¡°Could you¡­ take me home?¡± Yuan Xiaoxia asked softly. No boy would refuse such a request, of course. Yang Binyi hailed a cab and took Yuan Xiaoxia home. On the way back, Yuan Xiaoxia kept resting her head on Yang Binyi¡¯s shoulder and fell into a deep sleep. When they reached her place. Yuan Xiaoxia was still sound asleep. Yang Binyi had no choice but to help her to her front door. Then Yuan Xiaoxia sleepily unlocked the door. After entering, Yang Binyi put her on the sofa and was about to turn and leave. But Yuan Xiaoxia grabbed one of his arms. ¡°I¡¯m here all by myself, and I¡¯m really scared. Will you stay with me?¡± Yang Binyi sat down silently. Yuan Xiaoxia began to babble, suddenly lying on top of Yang Binyi. ¡°Don¡¯t you like me?¡± Yuan Xiaoxia¡¯s eyes were seductive as silk. On such a night, with a beautiful woman in his arms, even a man of steel would be moved. All the more so as Yuan Xiaoxia was warmly passionate at the moment. But the next second, her body stiffened. Because Yang Binyi was looking at her coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your effort; you¡¯re after the drug too, aren¡¯t you!¡± Panic flashed across Yuan Xiaoxia¡¯s eyes, but it disappeared in an instant as she laughed lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Yang Binyi slowly pulled his arm away, stood up, fastened each button that had come undone, and said coldly, ¡°From the start, you made too many obvious mistakes!¡± Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 203: The Battle of Mingfeng Mountain (Extra Update) Chapter 203: Chapter 203: The Battle of Mingfeng Mountain (Extra Update) Translator: 549690339 Yuan Xiaoxia still had a look of intoxication on her face and chuckled lightly, ¡°Are you drunk? You must be drunk!¡± Yang Binyi paid no attention to these words and simply said indifferently, ¡°No female driver would drive a manual transmission car! That is your biggest flaw!¡± His words cast a shadow over Yuan Xiaoxia¡¯s face, and any sign of drunkenness vanished from her eyes. ¡°I underestimated you, but did you ever consider what the consequences are of angering a strictly trained special agent?¡± Yang Binyi chuckled without a sound, ¡°Have you thought about the consequences of offending someone who runs a pharmaceutical factory?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Suddenly, Yuan Xiaoxia felt a wave of dizziness and blurriness in her vision. ¡°How is this possible? I¡¯ve been careful the whole time. How could you have drugged me?¡± Yuan Xiaoxia said in panic. Looking at her, a sneer of mockery appeared on Yang Binyi¡¯s face, ¡°There was no drug in the liquor, but there was one in the taxi, placed by me!¡± Yuan Xiaoxia wanted to say something more but then she fell into a deep sleep, knowing nothing anymore. By the time Yang Binyi dragged Yuan Xiaoxia back to Tianyuan Pharmaceutical Factory to see Xue An, the others had also arrived. Seeing that it was a beautiful female special agent, Qiao Le couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit annoyed, ¡°Why do you get the seduction of female special agents on your side, while I¡¯m stuck with the brutes?¡± Yang Binyi chuckled with a heh-heh. ¡°Second Brother, what do you plan to do with these people?¡± Zhao Xuehui felt it was somewhat troublesome. ¡°Let them go after they¡¯ve talked!¡± Xue An said casually. ¡°Let them go?¡± ¡°Yeah! What else can we do?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. These people will only cause more trouble for the other side once they get back, which is more profitable than killing them!¡± Xue An said with a light smile. Indeed, as he said, once these people were released, all of them suffered from memory confusion. This shocked everyone who interrogated them. In just a few days, all these elite special agents had been transformed. It seemed that this pharmaceutical factory was not so simple! Because of this deterrence, for a while, no one dared to carelessly probe for intelligence. And Tianyuan Pharmaceutical Factory was also referred to as the Black Hole of intelligence by all parties! As for the other forces in Zhongdu, they had also quieted down now. Because the much-anticipated battle had finally arrived. Mingfeng Mountain was originally not a very tall or particularly beautiful peak. It usually saw few tourists. But today, from early dawn, a continuous stream of vehicles had begun to pour in. By the time the sun was high in the sky, Mingfeng Mountain¡¯s base was full of various vehicles. Almost all the elites of Zhongdu had gathered just to witness this battle of the century in person! However, those of lower status waited at the bottom of the mountain, and only those of a certain level of identity and status were allowed to ascend. At this moment, a woman slowly pushed a wheelchair up the mountain. Sitting in the wheelchair was a woman with an elegant demeanor. As they walked away. Some people began to whisper to each other. ¡°Who is this woman? Why is she pushing a wheelchair here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize her? That one pushing the wheelchair is Wei Ruyan, the flower-loving master!¡± ¡°The flower-loving master Wei Ruyan?¡± ¡°Exactly! And the one being pushed, she¡¯s the renowned prodigy of the Wei Family, known as the living dictionary of the Martial Arts World, that very Wei Rulan!¡± Sss! Some people drew in a sharp breath. Because Wei Rulan had a big reputation in Zhongdu, many people were aware of this living dictionary. But nobody expected her to be a young lady with a disability. At this moment. Wei Ruyan was pushing her cousin up the mountain. As they walked, the two sisters chatted idly. ¡°Sister, I still can¡¯t figure it out! Why would Xue An choose this time to make Tianyuan known!¡± Wei Rulan¡¯s face was full of confusion. Wei Ruyan smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± ¡°There couldn¡¯t be a worse time than now, everyone knows he¡¯s in the same camp as General Lin. With General Lin facing a life and death battle, shouldn¡¯t he be lying low instead?¡± ¡°Instead, he did the opposite, showing off Tianyuan, and now, well, the whole world¡¯s attention is on him. If General Lin loses, then things are really going to heat up!¡± ¡°But what if General Lin wins?¡± Wei Ruyan said with a smile. Wei Rulan pursed her lips, ¡°Impossible! According to my prediction, General Lin is bound to lose?¡± ¡°Oh? Why?¡± ¡°Because he beheaded the envoy, that shows his authority has declined to a point where he needs such methods to maintain it, clearly not a good sign!¡± Hearing her cousin¡¯s words, Wei Ruyan¡¯s eyes revealed a trace of worry as well. She had great faith in Wei Rulan¡¯s words, because facts had proven that many of her predictions turned out to be correct. Having climbed the mountain, by now, many people were already waiting there. Wei Ruyan saw many familiar faces among them. After finding a place to sit down. Xue An arrived as well. His appearance stirred something in the hearts of many people. Especially since many regarded Xue An with an unfriendly gaze. Xue An, however, was indifferent. Instead, it was Wei Ruyan who laughed lightly, ¡°Mr. Xue, over here!¡± Mr. Xue smiled and walked over. But Wei Rulan watched Xue An with a contemplative gaze for a while, then said softly, ¡°Mr. Xue, don¡¯t you think what you did a few days ago was a bit reckless?¡± Wei Ruyan frowned, ¡°Rulan!¡± Wei Rulan smiled, ¡°Cousin, I¡¯m just asking out of curiosity, I think Mr. Xue won¡¯t mind, right?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Of course I won¡¯t mind, but I don¡¯t think I was reckless at all!¡± Wei Rulan frowned and her opinion of Xue An dropped another notch, In her view, Xue An¡¯s actions could only be described as foolish. Someone who only knew how to wave their fists, but lacked brains, wasn¡¯t worth regard. So Wei Rulan¡¯s gaze showed a bit more contempt and then she turned her head away and fell silent. At this time, many more people continued to arrive up the mountain. These people were mostly masters from the Martial Arts World. Most of them were from Huaxia. After all, this was Huaxia¡¯s War God General Lin facing another challenge from Country R! As citizens of Huaxia, they naturally had a deep concern for the outcome. It was nearing noon. Having waited on the mountain for two or three hours already, people were beginning to feel tired. Some murmured softly, ¡°I heard that General Lin went into seclusion for a few days just recently, looks like he¡¯s planning to gather his energy!¡± ¡°Shush, here they come!¡± They saw a group of people in kimonos ascending the mountain. Leading the group was a girl holding a great sword half her height. The girl walked slowly in wooden sandals, her expression solemn and indifference. There was a stir among the crowd. Some were astonished, ¡°That¡¯s Country R¡¯s Ghost God¡¯s Slash? It¡¯s actually a young woman?¡± ¡°Heh, looks like our General Lin is sure to win!¡± But many seasoned martial artists looked grave. Because they could see something extraordinary about this woman. Xue An frowned slightly. This woman¡­ There¡¯s something strange about her aura! Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Three Laws Sword! (First Update) Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Three Laws Sword! (First Update) Translator: 549690339 Seemingly human yet not, a demon but not quite. Indeed, it¡¯s somewhat interesting. Xue An quietly watched. Takeuchi Kiyoko, along with the people from Orochi Shrine who had followed her, stopped on the other side of the mountaintop, after which Takeuchi Kiyoko began to close her eyes and nurture her spirit. The people from Huaxia were quietly discussing among themselves. A hint of a smug smile appeared on the corner of Chi Chongshan¡¯s mouth. Last night, he had secretly made contact with these people from Country R. As long as General Lin died today, the future Zhongdu would belong to the Chi Family. The An Family held similar ambitions. However, they decided to quietly wait and see, knowing that it wouldn¡¯t be too late to turn their coats at the last moment. The sun gradually ascended above everyone¡¯s heads. The sunlight was fierce, making people dizzy and blurred their vision. Suddenly. Takeuchi Kiyoko opened her eyes and spoke in the ancient tongue of Huaxia, ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Then they saw someone rushing up the mountain like they were flying. In the blink of an eye, they had reached the mountaintop, causing a stir among the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s General Lin!¡± ¡°General Lin has arrived!¡± General Lin stood on the mountaintop, nodded politely to the crowd, and then turned to look at Takeuchi Kiyoko opposite him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the new Ghost God¡¯s Slash to be a woman!¡± Upon Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s originally graceful face, a sinister smile suddenly appeared, ¡°General Lin! Ten years ago, you cut me down with your sword, today, I shall avenge that sword blow!¡± General Lin¡¯s eyes turned cold. He knew that Ghost God¡¯s Slash of Country R was a sort of legacy-like existence. But he had not expected that even memories could be inherited. ¡°I could kill you ten years ago, and it is all the same ten years later!¡± With these words, General Lin suddenly drew his sword from its sheath. Sword Qi filled the sky, forcing the onlooking crowd to retreat more than a hundred meters further back, barely standing on the mid-slope of the mountain. At this moment, Wei Rulan shook her head and sighed softly, ¡°The general¡¯s battle seems even more worrisome now, drawing his sword first to seize the initiative, yet not realizing that he has already revealed his sharpness!¡± Xue An, who was standing by, smiled slightly after hearing this, ¡°It seems you don¡¯t hold much hope for General Lin in this battle?¡± Wei Rulan snorted coldly, ¡°That¡¯s right, in my view, General Lin is bound to lose, so announcing the Heavenly Pact in advance is an utterly foolish act.¡± ¡°Rulan, hold your tongue!¡± frowned Wei Ruyan as she rebuked in a low voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the truth? If you don¡¯t believe it, just wait and see the outcome!¡± Wei Rulan said, coldly laughing as she looked towards the center of the field. At this moment, General Lin, sword in hand, began to climb in momentum, and in an instant, he broke through the Loose Immortal Realm, reaching a profound realm. All the onlooking martial artists changed color in unison. ¡°It¡¯s immortality!¡± ¡°The general is indeed mighty!¡± General Lin said indifferently, ¡°This sword is named Flowing Light, left by an Immortal of Huaxia; today, with this sword in hand, I shall cut you down on Mingfeng Mountain!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko let out a strange cackle, then her kimono began to billow without any wind, and her pupils gradually turned black. A blackness that chilled the onlooker¡¯s spines. ¡°Good! Once I kill you, the vast Huaxia will no longer have its Immortal, and then I can gallop unopposed!¡± With Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s emotionless voice, her aura suddenly exploded. Everyone¡¯s faces changed color in unison! ¡°It¡¯s immortality! No! It looks even a step beyond immortality!¡± General Lin¡¯s expression turned grave, and the sword in his hand suddenly transformed into a stunning arc, speeding straight toward Takeuchi Kiyoko! ¡°Flying Sword beheads thee!¡± General Lin shouted coldly. The sword soared even faster, instantly disappearing from view. Yet, as fast as the sword was, Takeuchi Kiyoko stretched out her hand and caught it between two fingers. The massive Sword Intent directly destroyed a vast expanse of forest behind Takeuchi Kiyoko, but it did not harm a single hair on Kiyoko! ¡°Such a swift sword, but still not swift enough!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko said with a grin. When she smiled, the corner of her mouth stretched all the way to the back of her ear, her expression filled with evil and chilliness. General Lin, however, didn¡¯t even pause, and with another wave of his hand, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Human follows Earth!¡± Boom! The Flowing Light Sword suddenly became as heavy as a thousand jun, and Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s delicate fingers were instantly severed by it. At the same time, the sword¡¯s momentum was like a mountain, sending Takeuchi Kiyoko flying back over a dozen steps! A low murmur of surprise came from the crowd. Many faces showed smiles. But Takeuchi Kiyoko slowly got up from the ground, her body clearly marked with scorch marks from the sword¡¯s energy, yet her face still bore a cold smile. ¡°Come again!¡± The voice echoed far and wide. Many people¡¯s expressions started to turn grave. But General Lin¡¯s demeanor remained indifferent, as if everything that had just happened never occurred, and he lightly said, ¡°Earth follows Heaven!¡± The light burst forth, transforming into countless sword beams that immediately enveloped the area within a dozen meters around Takeuchi Kiyoko. ¡°It¡¯s the Three Laws Sword!¡± Wei Rulan said with a glint in her eye, speaking softly. And Takeuchi Kiyoko, facing this irresistible sword, still maintained her smile unchanged. ¡°Is this the extent of your ability? General Lin, your cultivation level seems to have regressed over the past ten years!¡± Having said that, Takeuchi Kiyoko stepped forward, using her hand as a blade, and struck down with a thunderous chop. Boom! This slash was like a mountain of blades, scattering all the sword beams. The Flowing Light Sword let out a mournful cry as it too was sent flying. All the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but be greatly shocked. Especially the people from Huaxia, whose eyes flashed with an astonished gleam. Could the current Ghost God¡¯s Slash from Country R be this formidable? But at this moment, General Lin lowered his gaze and said softly, ¡°Heaven follows the Way!¡± This was one of the strongest moves of the Three Laws Sword. The light vanished. General Lin now had no sword in his hands! But within the space of a hundred meters, suddenly everywhere there were swords! Sword Qi crisscrossed, Sword Intent was abundant. Within these hundred meters, General Lin had turned it into his own realm. A look of seriousness finally flashed across Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face, yet she still stood nonchalantly. ¡°Heh, now that looks a bit more like it!¡± Suddenly, a sword pierced out from right in front of Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s chest. The crowd let out a collective gasp of surprise, and the people from Huaxia breathed a sigh of relief. Thinking that the general was still formidable, he had finally defeated this half-human, half-demon creature. Only a few people like Wei Rulan¡¯s expressions grew even more solemn. Just then, Takeuchi Kiyoko looked down at the sword in her chest, shook her head with a light chuckle, ¡°To think you could cause me a trace of pain, you should be proud of yourself!¡± With that, Takeuchi Kiyoko grasped the sword blade and slowly pulled the sword out from her chest! What was eerie was that not a single drop of blood flowed out. And Takeuchi Kiyoko sneered, ¡°General Lin, when I first came to this world ten years ago, I was injured by you because the flesh I inhabited was too frail, forcing me to leave. Now, this body perfectly fits my Demon God¡¯s form. Do you really think you can still win against me with these worldly techniques?¡± This statement made all the people of Huaxia pale. Only General Lin slowly lowered his head. While many were filled with doubt, suddenly someone exclaimed, ¡°The general¡­ he¡­¡± Suddenly, General Lin¡¯s hair turned white in an instant, his figure gradually became stooped, and his skin aged rapidly. In the blink of an eye, he had become an old man with gray hair. And at the same time, General Lin said softly, ¡°The Way¡­ follows nature.¡± Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 205: The Impossible Sword Strike (2nd Update) Chapter 205: Chapter 205: The Impossible Sword Strike (2nd Update) Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing this, Wei Rulan on the wheelchair suddenly changed color. ¡°How is it possible that there really is a fourth sword that shouldn¡¯t be possible?¡± Wei Rulan muttered to herself, her eyes filled with shock. The Heaven, Earth, and Man Three Laws Sword, acclaimed as the ultimate technique of the era, was General Lin¡¯s signature move. Yet, there were rumors of a final, impossible sword! Unexpectedly, General Lin had truly unleashed it today. If this were true, then the general might indeed have a chance to win! Wei Rulan¡¯s heart clenched tightly as she watched with a grave expression. At that moment, within a hundred meters of General Lin, everything came to a standstill. The wind stopped. The floating Sword Qi in the air also stopped. Even the look of astonishment on Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face froze. It was as if someone had pressed the pause button. The might of this single sword was getting close to the Dao, starting to interfere with the laws of heaven and earth. Boom! Suddenly, everything within the sword¡¯s range accelerated by more than a hundredfold, like a bomb being ignited, and everything exploded violently. The formidable momentum pushed everyone back dozens of meters, then they stood dumbfounded, staring at the smoke-engulfed Takeuchi Kiyoko. Everything gradually returned to silence. Only the smoke had not dissipated yet. Many people had a hint of a smile on their lips, believing the victory was secured. Because no one could survive under such potent sword force! However, Wei Rulan¡¯s complexion suddenly turned ashen, ¡°He¡­ from the beginning to the end, he never drew his sword!¡± This was the point Wei Rulan feared the most. Even faced with General Lin¡¯s sacrifice of his own lifespan to use this sword, Takeuchi Kiyoko had not drawn her Demon God Blade. As expected. Just as the people of Huaxia thought victory was certain. The smoke dispersed, and there stood Takeuchi Kiyoko, covered in wounds from head to toe, in front of everyone. ¡°Hehehe!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko let out a series of unpleasant, strange laughs. ¡°General Lin, I admire you for burning all your vital essence to wield this sword in an attempt to kill me. Sadly, although this sword is formidable, it cannot kill me! Because¡­¡± ¡°I am the invincible¡­ Orochi Demon God!¡± All faces changed color in unison. And at this moment, General Lin could no longer stand steadily, his figure swayed as if he was about to collapse. At this moment, many people¡¯s tears streamed down their faces. ¡°General!¡± ¡°General! Retreat!¡± Among the cries of the crowd, General Lin shook his head, ¡°In Huaxia, there is only General Lin who dies in battle, no general who admits defeat!¡± Then General Lin looked at Takeuchi Kiyoko, who was emanating Demon Flame from all over her body, ¡°Begin!¡± At this time, An Xue finally couldn¡¯t contain himself anymore and rushed forward to flatter, ¡°Lady Takeuchi truly has unmatched divine skills, the An Family admires you!¡± No sooner had these words come out than many people¡¯s faces changed. ¡°An Family, you dare to betray us?¡± An Xue sneered, ¡°How can this be considered betrayal? I am merely admiring Lady Takeuchi¡¯s cultivation level and offering my congratulations!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko laughed heartily, ¡°Good! There¡¯s a saying in Huaxia: ¡®He who recognizes the trend is a wise man.¡¯ Rest assured, I will not let you down!¡± Afterward, Takeuchi Kiyoko said to General Lin, ¡°You are a worthy opponent, I shall use the Demon God Blade to send you on your way!¡± Having spoken, Takeuchi Kiyoko slowly drew her sword, and even before it was fully unsheathed, a tremendous demonic aura bolted straight into the sky. Blocking out even the noon sun. As if the sky had darkened. Everyone was terrified. General Lin sighed softly and closed his eyes. Defeated was indeed defeated, he was now drained, with no strength left to fight. At this moment, Wei Rulan also shook her head with a wry smile and said, ¡°I said that victory in this battle would be difficult, and indeed, no miracle has occurred!¡± Then she glanced at Xue An and thought to herself, now you have nothing to say, right? With General Lin¡¯s downfall, the Chen Family will certainly weaken as well. By that time, Xue An, holding the Heavenly Fate, will be like a piece of fat without any resistance, to be torn apart by the great clans of Zhongdu! However, when she saw that Xue An still had an indifferent look on his face, she couldn¡¯t help but feel even more disdain. Even at this critical moment, he still couldn¡¯t see the reality of the situation? Truly a brainless fool! But just then, Xue An suddenly raised his eyebrows, his eyes flashed brilliantly, and he coldly snorted, ¡°Seeking death!¡± Wei Rulan was taken aback, not understanding who Xue An was referring to. Then she saw Xue An start to walk up the mountain. His action immediately caught everyone¡¯s attention. Some recognized Xue An but didn¡¯t know what he was preparing to do. Wei Rulan was even more stunned, and then shook her head, saying to her cousin Wei Ruyan, ¡°Cousin, is this the man you described as an immortal-like man?¡± Her tone was full of derision. In her eyes, Xue An was purely seeking death! Wei Ruyan also looked stunned, having no idea what Xue An intended to do! And at this moment, Takeuchi Kiyoko, who was about to make her move, noticed someone approaching and couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to look. ¡°Hehehe, boy, what are you doing? Are you coming to offer yourself up to death?¡± General Lin also noticed Xue An, and he couldn¡¯t help but anxiously say, ¡°Mr. Xue, please step back, this is a personal dispute between her and me! It has nothing to do with you!¡± But Xue An continued to walk forward, head down, ignoring what anyone said. Chi Chongshan and Jin Xiurong looked at each other, their eyes filled with delight. If Xue An could die at the hands of Takeuchi Kiyoko, that would be even better! Takeuchi Kiyoko frowned slightly, about to say something. Then she saw Xue An lift his head, his eyes full of rage and murderous intent! ¡°Good, it¡¯s actually you! Haha, a mere lower-class Demon God, you dare to do such a thing, you all deserve to die!¡± His words left everyone confused, having no idea what he meant. At the same time, Xue An suddenly looked up, and an extremely chilling murderous aura soared into the sky. It dispersed the Demon Flame that had just obscured the sky. This shocked everyone present. Wei Rulan¡¯s complexion changed drastically. ¡°How is this possible! This¡­ this aura¡­!¡± Meanwhile, Takeuchi Kiyoko was taken aback, then sneered, ¡°Where did this lunatic come from, babbling such nonsense¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she was abruptly approached by Xue An, who punched her so hard that her head plunged into the mountain soil. The speed was so fast that no one even saw how Xue An made his move! Then Xue An, radiating terror so intense it could freeze souls, threw another punch. Boom! The entire Mingfeng Mountain trembled. The ground had been blasted into a large crater. As for Takeuchi Kiyoko, her upper body had already been blown into a pulp. But Xue An did not stop, continuing to raise his fist and strike down! He raised his fist, then struck again! Everyone watched this scene with shock on their faces. Some with weaker constitutions were even trembling in their legs. Finally, a black shadow, battered and disheveled, drifted out from Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s corpse and stood mid-air, shouting angrily, ¡°Who are you, boy? Why would you attack without a word?¡± Xue An turned his head, looking at the black shadow with a snakehead in the air, his eyes full of chilling murderous intent. ¡°Why did I attack? Haha, you sealed my wife¡¯s foundation, and now you¡¯re asking me¡­ why I attacked?¡± Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 206: I Only Ask That You Protect Huaxia, Master! (Third Update) Chapter 206: Chapter 206: I Only Ask That You Protect Huaxia, Master! (Third Update) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Seal the spiritual roots of your wife?¡± The apparition that should be called the Orochi Demon God frowned and then shook its head. ¡°What a mess! But since you dare to offend me, the Orochi Demon God, prepare to die!¡± As it spoke, Takeuchi Kiyoko, whose lower half had already turned into a mush of flesh on the ground, began to rapidly regenerate. In the blink of an eye, she had returned to normal. Then the Demon Flame returned to her body, and with a lift of her eyes, demon light filled her gaze. ¡°Boy, today is the day you die!¡± With those words, Takeuchi Kiyoko finally drew the Demon God Blade. The Demon Flame soared, and within a radius of a hundred meters, everything couldn¡¯t bear such overwhelming pressure and began to crumble and break apart! General Lin¡¯s face turned somewhat pale. This Takeuchi Kiyoko was far more formidable than Nagatsuki Ito had been ten years ago! Yet facing this earth-shattering force, Xue An remained calm and composed. ¡°Merely a low-level Demon God, and even that in a crippled body, yet you have such big words!¡± These words made Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face turn extremely ugly. ¡°Boy, die!¡± The Demon God Blade, as if setting the sky aflame, slashed down fiercely. The endless Demon Flame was so scorching that the air itself twisted. This earth-shattering strike made everyone¡¯s color change in unison. General Lin¡¯s face changed dramatically, and then he let out a wry smile and closed his eyes. In his view, Xue An was a dead man. Because this blade had even surpassed the realm of immortality and touched the edge of what it meant to be a Half-step Golden Immortal. Wei Rulan couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly and lowered her eyes, ¡°Cousin sister, he was quite formidable, but too reckless! He shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her words because a shocking scene unfolded before them. They saw Xue An casually raise his hand and effortlessly caught the slash. And the Demon Flame that had been scorching everything ceased abruptly upon touching Xue An. Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s eyeballs almost popped out. ¡°How¡­ how is this possible?¡± This was the strongest cut she could make with the borrowed power of the Demon God. And yet this man had easily caught it? At that moment, Xue An looked up at Takeuchi Kiyoko and said coldly, ¡°I told you, you¡¯re just a low-level Demon God, haven¡¯t you understood yet?¡± Just as Takeuchi Kiyoko was about to say something, A hint of profound and supremely dignified presence flashed in Xue An¡¯s eyes. Takeuchi Kiyoko shivered all over, her complexion turning deathly pale. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ you are¡­!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes. I am!¡± Everyone around was completely baffled. Who is he? But at this moment, Takeuchi Kiyoko didn¡¯t dare to resist anymore and knelt on the ground, then said with utmost terror, ¡°So it is you, my Lord. I truly did not recognize your presence, please forgive me!¡± With that, the entire place fell silent. General Lin, who had resigned himself to his fate, slowly opened his eyes, also stunned. And Wei Rulan was left utterly dumbfounded. Who was he? Why was he able to invoke such fear in this Demon God of Country R? But one thing was certain. Xue An was even more formidable than General Lin. General Lin had been defeated, but Xue An easily beat him, even forcing Takeuchi Kiyoko to kneel and beg for mercy. No wonder he had remained unruffled from start to finish; he had been confident all along. Laughable that she had thought him to be a brainless, reckless person and even mocked him. Thinking this, Wei Rulan couldn¡¯t help but flush with shame. As for the shock of the others, it goes without saying. The only ones whose expressions drastically changed were Chi Chongshan and An Xue, among others, who all began to silently retreat. Xue An looked down at Takeuchi Kiyoko, who trembled on the ground, ¡°Where are your other crippled bodies?¡± ¡°My Lord, they have all been sealed in various locations across Country R!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko responded respectfully. Xue An¡¯s face still carried a trace of killing intent. The reason he was so furious just now was that he noticed Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s aura was somewhat similar to the seal of An Yan! This made him erupt in rage. And just a moment ago, through his Divine Sense, he found that this remnant body of Orochi had no knowledge of this affair. There was only one possibility then. It was the doing of another remnant body of Orochi! With this thought in mind, Xue An walked up close to Takeuchi Kiyoko. She was trembling all over but dared not resist at all. For the aura she had just felt was so astonishing, it was even tens of thousands of times stronger than the Demon Lord Orochi had once encountered. Suddenly, Xue An reached out and placed his hand on Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s head, and then he gave a fierce tug. A black shadow was pulled out. ¡°Mercy, lord, mercy! I can help you find the other remnant bodies,¡± a snake¡¯s head in the shadow wailed pleadingly. ¡°No need!¡± Xue An said indifferently, crushing it with his hand. With this, the remnant body worshipped at the Orochi Shrine vanished into smoke and clouds! Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s body went limp, and she fainted to the ground. The great battle ended! Xue An turned his head to look at the crowd, then walked over to General Lin. General Lin¡¯s skin was flaking off his body at this moment. Xue An looked at him, a trace of respect in his eyes. No matter where or when, those who dare to challenge death are always worthy of respect. ¡°General, is there anything else you wish to say?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. General Lin let out a light chuckle, ¡°I only ask that you protect our Huaxia from foreign oppression!¡± Sobs were heard from amongst the crowd. To his death, General Lin was concerned for Huaxia. Xue An nodded, ¡°Rest assured, with me here, Huaxia will be impregnable!¡± ¡°With that assurance, I can depart in peace!¡± General Lin said, and his entire being crumbled into fragments, dispersing in the wind. Only the Flowing Light Sword on the ground proved that he had been here and had fought! Xue An bent down, picked up the Flowing Light Sword, then turned around to look at the Chi Family and An Family members who had shrunk back to the rear of the crowd. ¡°Now! It¡¯s time to settle the accounts with you!¡± Chi Chongshan turned and ran. He was filled with immense fear at this moment. This Xue An was simply more terrifying than the Demon God. But Xue An didn¡¯t even glance at him, simply sweeping across with his sword. The Sword Qi pursued and sliced Chi Chongshan into sections, even utterly shredding his soul. Xue An then looked at the An Family members whose faces were white as sheets, and he slightly smiled. ¡°Do you still remember what I said before?¡± The An Family members shuddered. Xue An continued indifferently, ¡°I said that one day, you will kneel before me and beg for mercy!¡± No sooner had his words fallen, An Xue and An Chang knelt on the ground, banging their heads fervently. ¡°Xue¡­ lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!¡± Especially An Chang, who crawled a few steps forward on his knees, fawningly said, ¡°Lord, this matter has nothing to do with me, it was all the doings of this old witch and An Xue, I beg you to spare me!¡± Xue An cast his gaze down upon him. ¡°It has nothing to do with you?¡± An Chang nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, lord, it really has nothing to do with me!¡± Meanwhile, Madam An Jin Xiurong was trembling all over, and upon hearing An Chang¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into furious rage. ¡°You unfilial son, you¡­¡± Xue An frowned, ¡°Kneel down!¡± Thump! Jin Xiurong knelt on the ground too, her face still bearing traces of defiance. ¡°Xue An, I don¡¯t believe you dare kill me, if you really do, Yan¡¯er will hate you for the rest of your life!¡± Jin Xiurong spoke with a face full of resentment. But just then, a cold voice came down from the mountain path. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I will never hate my husband!¡± Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 207 I Never Cared (4th Update) Chapter 207: Chapter 207 I Never Cared (4th Update) Translator: 549690339 With those words, An Yan walked up the mountain. As soon as she appeared, An Chang, as if seeing a lifesaving straw, quickly called out, ¡°Yan¡¯er, quickly save me, those matters at home were all their doing, I have nothing¡­¡±. Before he could finish speaking, Xue An swung his sword horizontally. An Chang¡¯s head soared into the air, only completing his last word in mid-flight. ¡°¡­to do with!¡± After that, his head hit the ground, his face still frozen with the last trace of horror. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Truly noisy!¡± Then he looked up at An Yan with a smile, ¡°How come you are here?¡± An Yan brushed the hair by her ear aside, revealing a radiant smile, ¡°I was worried about you, so I came to see!¡± Xue An nodded, pointing with his sword at Jin Xiurong and An Xue, among others. ¡°Them¡­¡± An Yan lowered her head, a determined color flashing in her eyes, ¡°Zhongdu has no An Family that would take refuge with foreign enemies!¡± Once these words came out, Jin Xiurong finally collapsed in fear, slumping to the ground as the smell of urine wafted over. She had literally been scared into wetting herself. ¡°Yan¡¯er, I know I was wrong, please spare me!¡± Jin Xiurong pleaded in despair. An Yan glanced at her, eyes downcast, softly saying, ¡°Rest in peace on your journey!¡± As soon as An Yan finished speaking, Xue An struck with his sword. Pu Pu! Both Jin Xiurong and An Xue¡¯s heads were severed. Blood sprayed everywhere, and corpses toppled to the ground. In this way, the An Family¡¯s high ranks vanished into smoke! A complex expression flickered across An Yan¡¯s face. Xue An then gently wrapped his arm around An Yan¡¯s shoulder, softly saying, ¡°It¡¯s alright, they more than deserved death, don¡¯t think about it anymore! In a couple of days, we will go to Country R!¡± ¡°Hmm! Why go to Country R?¡± ¡°Because there, we can find a way to lift the seal on you!¡± Just then, Takeuchi Kiyoko, who had been unconscious, slowly came to, her face full of sheer terror upon seeing her surroundings. Xue An approached her with a slight smile, ¡°Greetings, Princess Heidao of Country R!¡± The confusion on Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face gradually faded, and she looked at Xue An with immense reverence. Though her consciousness could only curl up in a corner, losing control of her body after being possessed by a Demon God, She could still feel everything that was happening outside. Therefore, she had seen everything that had just occurred. ¡°My lord,¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko said in very standard Huaxia language. ¡°Do not be afraid, I will send you home!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Xue An¡¯s warm smile gradually calmed Takeuchi Kiyoko down. At this moment, Wei Ruyan came over, pushing her cousin. ¡°Mr. Xue, I apologize, I was short-sighted and naive, I hope you can forgive me!¡± Wei Rulan apologized earnestly. She was a very straightforward woman; when she had done wrong, she naturally apologized! Xue An gave a slight smile, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with a nod. ¡°Mr. Xue, what do you plan to do next?¡± Wei Rulan was now deeply interested in Xue An. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°To collect the debts that should have been collected long ago!¡± Having said this, Xue An turned to look at the various expressions of the crowd. ¡°The general is gone; from now on, Huaxia has me! Whoever refuses to accept this, let them be like this mountain!¡± Upon saying this, Xue An raised his sword. A vast Sword Intent surged towards the sky, then fiercely slashed down. Boom! This sword, unstoppable in its might, directly split the Mingfeng Mountain beneath them in two. Even the remaining force of the sword cut off a small river in front of Mingfeng Mountain. This earth-shattering sword strike terrified all who witnessed it. Only Wei Rulan watched with a gleam of fascination in her eyes. This was the true figure of a resolute and decisive man! Afterward, Xue An left with An Yan down the mountain. Wei Rulan looked at Xue An¡¯s departing figure and whispered softly, ¡°Cousin, you were right, he really is like an Immortal!¡± Wei Ruyan let out a slight sigh, her eyes complex, and she did not speak! Xue An now wished he could immediately fly to Country R, eager to lift the Seal from his wife as soon as possible. But before leaving, he had to take care of the unfinished business. From the crushed remains of Orochi¡¯s consciousness, Xue An had gained much information, but it was far from enough. Country R had many secretive shrines; who knew where all of those remains were hidden. It seemed that many things would need the cooperation of local forces to deal with. But this Takeuchi Kiyoko¡­ Xue An glanced at the girl with a clueless expression following behind him. Although this woman was a member of a Daoist Family from Country R, she was timid and was not valued by her family. The first place Xue An visited was the Chi Family. Initially, Chi Changge had worshipped a Demon Master in an attempt to harm Xue An but was instead killed by Xue An¡¯s counterattack. However, Xue An did not wish to kill indiscriminately, so he did not deal with the others. But unexpectedly, Chi Chongshan had secretly colluded with people from Country R, and that was akin to seeking death! Xue An arrived at the Chi Family¡¯s front gate and entered with his head held high. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A security guard hurried over to stop him. Xue An glanced at these people. They all became stiff on the spot. Because Xue An¡¯s gaze was simply too terrifying! Xue An stepped into the Chi Family and stated indifferently, ¡°Members of the Chi Family, come out and meet your death!¡± His voice spread throughout the entire Chi Family. After a moment, an enraged voice came from the back courtyard. ¡°What wild lunatic dares to create trouble at the Chi Family?¡± As he spoke, an elder directly leapt towards Xue An, launching an attack. Xue An didn¡¯t even blink an eyelid and uttered a faint rebuke, ¡°Scram!¡± The once imposing Heavenly Human Realm expert was blown away as if hit by a great cannon, turning directly into a cloud of dust! This scene left the approaching retainers of the Chi Family terrified beyond measure! ¡°Who¡­ who are you? Why have you come to our Chi Family?¡± one of the elders from the legitimate branch of the Chi Family asked, trembling. Xue An spoke softly, ¡°My name is Xue An!¡± Xue An? The faces of the crowd changed dramatically. ¡°I have come to send you Chi Family on your way, since your Family Head has been waiting for you on the other side!¡± Xue An stated plainly. Several elders from the Chi Family turned pale and attempted to flee. Xue An shook his head and lightly swung his Flowing Light Sword. Under the crisscrossing Sword Qi, all these members of the Chi Family died. Then Xue An looked towards the inner house and said indifferently, ¡°Come out now!¡± Chi Weiyang came out with a pale face. Xue An looked at her, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you run?¡± Chi Weiyang¡¯s eyes were filled with anger, ¡°Why should I run? Xue An, I ask you, why did you exterminate my Chi Family?¡± ¡°Because your Chi Family colluded with foreign enemies, you deserve more than death! And¡­,¡± Xue An spoke calmly, ¡°I had no intention of wiping out your entire Chi Family, for instance, I don¡¯t want to kill you!¡± Chi Weiyang was taken aback, ¡°You¡­ you won¡¯t kill me? Aren¡¯t you afraid I will seek revenge in the future?¡± Xue An laughed heartily, ¡°Life and death are in my hands; since you¡¯ve done nothing wrong, why should I bother to kill you? As for revenge¡­¡± ¡°I have never cared about that!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xue An disappeared from the spot. Chi Weiyang stared blankly. Chi Weiyang vaguely knew about the Chi Family¡¯s actions over the years. Therefore, regarding Xue An¡¯s statement that they deserved more than death, she could only remain silent. Especially since this time, her father, Chi Chongshan, had actually colluded with a foreign enemy and had committed a capital offense! At this thought, Chi Weiyang let out a deep sigh, her heart filled with an indescribable feeling. Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Heading to Country R! (5th Update) Chapter 208: Chapter 208: Heading to Country R! (5th Update) Translator: 549690339 An Family. An Ying and An Meng turned pale upon hearing the news. An Meng¡¯s face was ashen as she trembled, ¡°Brother, what do we do? Should we run away?¡± ¡°Run?¡± An Ying gave a bitter smile, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s anywhere in the world you can hide from him? This whole situation started because of the foolishness of the older generation, I¡¯ve advised against it many times, but no one would listen!¡± An Meng shivered, ¡°Then¡­ what should we do?¡± ¡°Just wait, I think, he will come soon!¡± An Ying said with a flicker in his eyes. As expected. By evening, Xue An, An Yan, and An Qing arrived at the An Family residence. Looking at the towering gates of the An Family, An Yan¡¯s expression was complex. An Qing looked downcast. After all, the death of General Lin was a tremendous blow to those in the military. Xue An smiled faintly and waved his hand casually. Boom! The grand and luxurious gate collapsed with a loud bang. Dust rose, shaking the entire area. ¡°Wife, I knew you didn¡¯t like this gate, so I took it down for you!¡± While he spoke, An Ying and others hurried over. Upon seeing Xue An, An Ying respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An looked at An Ying. This youngster had given him a good impression initially. Therefore, he smiled, ¡°Call me brother-in-law!¡± After hearing this, An Ying¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°You¡­ ¡± ¡°This matter doesn¡¯t concern you, I am not a bloodthirsty person,¡± Xue An said, then turned to look at the pale-faced An Meng. When An Meng saw Xue An looking at her, she was so scared that her legs trembled, ¡°Bro¡­ Brother-in-law!¡± Xue An frowned. This woman had mocked An Yan and acted foolishly; Xue An was very displeased with her. Seemingly aware of Xue An¡¯s disgust, An Meng said with tears, ¡°Bro, Brother-in-law, I know I was wrong, I was ignorant back then, please give me a chance, I promise¡­ ¡± Xue An waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Enough!¡± Then he led An Yan and the others inside. An Meng stood there stunned, unsure of what Xue An meant. It was at this moment that An Ying sighed lightly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, brother-in-law won¡¯t pursue it, but you¡¯d better be careful. If you make another mistake, I doubt anyone can save you!¡± An Meng shivered and nodded her head. Now the power structure of the An Family had been swept clean, and naturally, with An Yan and An Qing¡¯s return, they were in charge. No one had any objection to this. What a joke. The heads of those who had objections had already fallen; who dared to speak up? In fact, many were secretly relieved. After all, Jin Xiurong was known to be mean and ungracious, which won her little favor. Whereas An Yan was known to be honest and reliable when she was the An Family¡¯s eldest daughter. Of course, no one now dared to be sly in front of An Yan. After all¡­ The Divine Slaughter was here! Many of the former servants quietly cast glances towards Xue An, who was sitting calmly in the hall. At the moment, Xue An was questioning Takeuchi Kiyoko. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that within the Takeuchi family, you are like a piece to be discarded?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face showed a trace of sadness, and then she replied quietly, ¡°Yes, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been sent to the Orochi Shrine to be a sacrifice to the Demon God!¡± Xue An nodded, then cracked a slight smile, ¡°However, your Mandarin is not bad!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko whispered, ¡°My mother is Chinese!¡± ¡°Good, tomorrow then, I¡¯ll take you back to Country R with me!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko was shaken, ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Xue An looked at her. Takeuchi Kiyoko clenched her teeth, ¡°I know what you are looking for, sir. As long as you are willing to help me ascend to the head of the family, I will do my utmost to assist you!¡± Xue An saw the hatred on Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face and smiled faintly, ¡°You hate those people?¡± Hate blazed in Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s eyes, ¡°Originally, my sister Takeuchi Genji was the one to be sent to the Orochi Shrine, but she was the favored one, so she made me take her place! Had I not met you, sir, I would have been trapped in this body for life, becoming a puppet!¡± Remembering the feeling of being trapped inside herself, able to see everything outside yet completely unable to control her body, Takeuchi Kiyoko trembled all over. Xue An smiled, ¡°Good!¡± Meanwhile, the events that transpired atop Mingfeng Mountain spread at a terrifying speed throughout Zhongdu and all over Huaxia. The death of General Lin caused countless Huaxia nationals to weep in sorrow. And what Xue An had done on Mingfeng Mountain had become a legend in the mouths of many. He overpowered Ghost God¡¯s Slash of Country R, making him kneel and beg for mercy! He obliterated the noble families conspiring with foreign enemies! He brandished his sword on Mingfeng Mountain to assert his might! Each of these deeds was so exhilarating to hear. Therefore, after General Lin¡¯s death, Huaxia¡¯s morale did not decrease but instead grew stronger. As for the noble families of Zhongdu, after a moment of silence, they flocked to the An Household in droves, attempting to show their goodwill. But Xue An paid no attention to this, merely informing Zhao Xuehui and his two brothers about it! The sale of Tianyuan begins! Those eyes lurking in the darkness were now silent as cicadas in winter, quietly drawing back. M Country. ¡°Damn it! Is this man still human?¡± an elderly white-haired Caucasian man stared dumbfounded at the satellite-captured footage. The man in the video moved with utter freedom and was unstoppable, seemingly invincible to anyone who faced him. Especially that earth-shattering final slash, which made the old man¡¯s eyes almost pop out of their sockets. His staff officer said with a grave voice, ¡°Chief of Staff, sir, the system has just made a combat assessment of him!¡± With that, he handed over a piece of paper. Colonel Edward, Chief of Staff of M Country¡¯s Special Intelligence Branch, took the paper and then his face froze. For on the paper was written three bold red S¡¯s. ¡°Good God, an SSS-tier monster?¡± Edward muttered to himself. He then looked up, ¡°Damn it, get moving and gather all his information. Remember, I want everything, even down to the number of days he was constipated as a child, I want to know it all!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Country E. Maxim sipped his vodka while watching the computer when he saw Xue An¡¯s sword strike. Suddenly, he sprayed his drink out and furiously picked up the phone. ¡°Quick! Summon everyone!¡± Once everyone had arrived and watched the top-secret video, Maxim said with a serious expression, ¡°Gentlemen, I ask, if such a person were to appear in our capital, do we have any controlled means to deal with him?¡± The people looked at each other, then one of them said softly, ¡°Our Super Soldiers¡­¡± ¡°Even the strongest of our Super Soldiers wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against this man. He¡¯s too powerful, and almost without weakness!¡± someone exclaimed. Maxim slammed his hand on the table, ¡°So you¡¯re telling me, if he appears in the capital, our only option besides using those damned nuclear weapons is¡­ nothing?¡± ¡°It appears¡­ so!¡± The room fell eerily silent. This scene was playing out in countries across the globe. Xue An¡¯s astonishing sword strike left many nations deeply worried, and they quickly set up various research groups specifically to study the origin of Xue An¡¯s powers. While the world outside was in uproar, Xue An was on a plane to Country R with An Yan, his two daughters, and Takeuchi Kiyoko. Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 209: The Takeuchi Family (Sixth Update) Chapter 209: Chapter 209: The Takeuchi Family (Sixth Update) Translator: 549690339 Country R, Tokyo. Orochi Shrine. Three Divine Officers opened their eyes simultaneously in confusion. ¡°Why can we suddenly not feel the presence of His Honor, the Orochi Divine God anymore?¡± Tsuruoka Masaki, one of the elderly Divine Officers, spoke with a sombre tone. ¡°We have served the Divine God for a long time. His divine power is immeasurable. His trip to Huaxia to fight General Lin should have been without issue!¡± another Divine Officer, Furuya Kazuma, said. ¡°That¡¯s right, His Honor¡¯s power is overwhelming. There must be some temporary issue. All we can do now is wait here for His Honor¡¯s return so he can transform us into the Immortal Demon Body!¡± Nakata Yuuichi spoke with excitement and greed. All three nodded in agreement, filled with longing for eternal life. ¡°Oh, and the Takeuchi family just called, hoping that we would attend the engagement banquet for their other daughter tomorrow!¡± Furuya Kazuma added. ¡°Then let¡¯s go, if only out of respect for the perfect tribute that the Takeuchi family offered to Demon God His Highness!¡± Tsuruoka Masaki declared gravely. Meanwhile, Xue An was already standing outside a residence in Tokyo. ¡°My lord, this is the residence where my mother and I live alone! Please come with me.¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko said respectfully. As they walked into the residence, although not lavishly adorned, everything inside was quite elegant. The whole courtyard exuded a natural beauty. Takeuchi Kiyoko showed a hint of pride on her face. ¡°This courtyard was arranged by my mother and me!¡± Xue An smiled; he was unimpressed by such refined but minor beauty. Hearing movement in the courtyard, a refined-looking woman with graying hair pushed open the door. Upon seeing the lady, Takeuchi Kiyoko bowed her head and choked up, ¡°Mother!¡± The woman was taken aback, then incredulously asked, ¡°Is it really Kiyoko?¡± ¡°Mother, it¡¯s me, I¡¯ve returned!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko took a few steps forward. The woman hugged Takeuchi Kiyoko tightly, bursting into tears. After crying for a while, the woman dried her tears and gave Xue An and the others an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, I was a bit overwhelmed. And this gentleman is¡­?¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko respectfully explained, ¡°Mother, this is Mr. Xue An, a powerful figure from Huaxia!¡± Hearing the word ¡®Huaxia,¡¯ a glimmer of light passed through the woman¡¯s eyes, and then she respectfully bowed her head, ¡°Mr. Xue, hello, my name is Song Anzhen. Thank you for taking care of Kiyoko!¡± Xue An nodded slightly at the woman of refined appearance. Afterward, Song Anzhen invited Xue An and the others into the house. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian looked around the house curiously; it was their first time abroad, and everything felt novel to them. Song Anzhen looked at the two young girls with maternal affection and said enviously, ¡°Mr. Xue is so fortunate to have two such beautiful daughters!¡± Then, turning to Kiyoko with a serious expression, Song Anzhen asked, ¡°Kiyoko, what exactly happened?¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko summarized the events that had transpired, and upon hearing them, Song Anzhen¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°Kiyoko, it¡¯s all my fault for holding you back!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko shook her head resolutely, ¡°Mother, you have always been too kind, and as a result, they¡¯ve taken advantage of you. Now that I¡¯m back, it¡¯s only natural that I repay those debts!¡± Regret flashed across Song Anzhen¡¯s face. ¡°Kiyoko, tomorrow is your sister Takeuchi Genji¡¯s engagement banquet with the young master of the Inoue Family. It¡¯s too late now that you¡¯re back!¡± Upon hearing this, a vicious look flickered in Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s eyes. ¡°So soon after I left, Takeuchi Genji couldn¡¯t wait to marry Inoue Yuu?¡± Song Anzhen sighed and shook her head, ¡°Partly for that reason, and partly because Inoue Yuu actively pursued Genji.¡± After hearing this, Takeuchi Kiyoko turned pale. ¡°How could this happen¡­¡± Then, with determination, she turned to Xue An and bowed, ¡°My lord, tomorrow¡¯s banquet is an important event for my family, with many key figures attending. It would be the perfect opportunity for you to go!¡± At this moment. Inside the Takeuchi family mansion, the servants were busily preparing for tomorrow¡¯s engagement banquet. Takeuchi Genji was trying on her dress for the next day. Looking at the ravishing beauty in the mirror, Takeuchi Genji smiled proudly. By now, that fool Kiyoko must be scared out of her wits! After all, no one who has been offered as a sacrifice to the Demon God has ever survived. If it weren¡¯t for my little trick at the last minute, I probably would have been the one offered up. At that moment, a tall and handsome man leaned against the door frame and said indifferently, ¡°Genji, Father is calling for you!¡± The man who spoke was the young master of the Takeuchi family, Takeuchi Masao. Genji nodded, picked up her skirt, and walked to the back. ¡°Father, did you call me for something?¡± The Family Head of the Takeuchi clan, Takeuchi Masao looked at his daughter and smiled faintly, ¡°Tomorrow, three Divine Officers from the Orochi Shrine will be at the event, so you need to be prepared!¡± Takeuchi Genji was startled, ¡°Then Kiyoko¡­ ¡°She has gone to Huaxia now and won¡¯t be back for a while, and she is no longer Kiyoko! She is now the esteemed Demon God of the Orochi Shrine!¡± Takeuchi Masao said flatly. Takeuchi Genji was relieved and nodded, ¡°Yes, Father!¡± The next day. The Takeuchi family was a leading underworld family in the Tokyo area, and now the eldest daughter of the Takeuchi family was holding an engagement party, to which the prospective groom was the young master from the influential Inoue Family of the business world. The event was naturally very impressive. Since the morning, a multitude of vehicles had begun to fill the streets outside the villas in the wealthy district where the Takeuchi family lived. Many men dressed in black suits with exquisite badges pinned to them stood around in groups, responsible for vigilance. By noon. Conglomerates from all sides gathered together. The hall was buzzing with lively voices at its peak. Takeuchi Genji and Inoue Yuu exchanged engagement rings, and the crowd below began to applaud to offer their congratulations. The three Divine Officers from the Orochi Shrine stepped forward to bless the couple. Ironically, although Orochi is a Demon God, they were now bestowing blessings upon the couple. Just at that moment, Xue An and Kiyoko Takeuchi arrived outside the venue. Their appearance did not attract the attention of the security personnel on the perimeter. It was only after Kiyoko Takeuchi entered the inner residence. That the servants noticed her and shouted in horror, ¡°Miss¡­Miss Kiyoko?¡± Kiyoko Takeuchi remained silent and cold. Xue An leisurely followed behind her, holding two daughters in his arms, discussing what to eat later. Boom. Kiyoko Takeuchi kicked open the door to the hall and walked in with her head held high. Her entrance quieted the room immediately. Takeuchi Genji turned her head, and her complexion paled. Many others recognized Kiyoko Takeuchi and started to whisper among themselves. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Kiyoko? Wasn¡¯t she sent to the shrine?¡± Kiyoko Takeuchi¡¯s expression was indifferent as she coldly eyed Takeuchi Genji and Inoue Yuu. ¡°Are you surprised to see me return so soon?¡± Takeuchi Genji clenched her teeth and scoffed, ¡°Kiyoko, you actually regained consciousness? That is indeed surprising. But do you think you can act presumptuously here with three Divine Officers present?¡± The three Divine Officers from the Orochi Shrine were also taken aback, then all their expressions changed dramatically. They could not detect any trace of the Demon God¡¯s aura from Kiyoko Takeuchi. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Tsuruoka Masaki, a Divine Officer from the Orochi Shrine, stepped forward and asked in a deep voice. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that your esteemed Demon God has been killed by me!¡± Along with a calm utterance, Xue An walked into the venue. Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Casual Sweep Through the Entire Field (Seventh Update) Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Casual Sweep Through the Entire Field (Seventh Update) Translator: 549690339 When the first word of this sentence was uttered, Japanese sounded very awkward, but as the sentence progressed, it became increasingly fluent; by the last word, there was virtually no difference between him and the people of Country R. Takeuchi Kiyoko was shocked by this discovery. Could it be that if one¡¯s Cultivation Level reached the level of communing with the divine, learning Japanese could be this fast? At this moment, the whole place was quiet. Many people furrowed their brows slightly. Who is this guy? He seems to be a Huaxia person! Takeuchi Youichi frowned and stepped forward to scold Takeuchi Kiyoko first. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Today is a grand gathering of the family, why are you bringing a stranger here?¡± As he spoke, Takeuchi Youichi raised his hand to strike. It had already become a habit. Over the years, Takeuchi Kiyoko and her mother had been like punching bags in the family. As a man from the Legitimate Branch, Takeuchi Youichi had a lofty status and had beaten her not just once or twice. But today, as he lifted his hand, preparing to strike, he felt a tremendous force assault him, sending him flying dozens of meters away, crashing through several tables before he finally fell to the ground, unconscious. This move was as shocking as a thunderbolt from the blue, leaving the entire crowd in astonishment. Xue An, who had made his move, shook his head, ¡°Too weak to withstand a single blow, I merely flicked a finger and he flew away!¡± Many people shouted angrily and wanted to rush forward. Takeuchi Masao stopped them and then coldly looked at Xue An. ¡°A Huaxia martial artist?¡± Takeuchi Masao said coldly. Xue An smiled, ¡°Oh, you know of Huaxia martial artists?¡± Takeuchi Masao sneered, ¡°Not only do I know of them, but I¡¯ve also personally killed them! Now tell me, what are you here for?¡± Xue An spoke methodically, ¡°I don¡¯t want to do much¡ªjust feel that you all have been too unfair to Takeuchi Kiyoko, so I thought I¡¯d let her have a shot at being the Family Head!¡± Takeuchi Masao was furious and turned to Takeuchi Kiyoko, ¡°Kiyoko, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Kiyoko was a bit nervous at first, but now relaxed and chuckled lightly, ¡°What am I doing? As the sir said, becoming the head of the Takeuchi family, of course!¡± ¡°You¡¯re courting death!¡± bellowed Takeuchi Masao, then he turned to the three Divine Officers, ¡°This man is an insolent fool, please take action to punish him!¡± The three Divine Officers had also been wanting to inquire in detail about the situation. Why had the aura of the Orochi Demon God suddenly vanished from Takeuchi Kiyoko? Xue An said he had killed it, but the three Divine Officers didn¡¯t believe him at all. The three approached in a triangular formation. Tsuruoka Masaki raised his eyebrows and said coldly, ¡°Your martial prowess is remarkable, but haven¡¯t you heard that no matter how strong a martial artist is, they still fear Sorcery Cultivators?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of that, but you can give it a try! See if I¡¯m scared?¡± Xue An¡¯s nonchalant attitude infuriated the three of them. The three shouted in anger, then a mass of demon energy radiated outward. Everyone in the hall respectfully moved aside. Takeuchi Genji sneered, ¡°It seems my sister really is too naive, bringing back a Huaxia martial artist. Humph, the result is still the same, isn¡¯t it?¡± Inoue Yuu, with his arm around Takeuchi Genji¡¯s shoulder, smiled slightly, ¡°I always knew she was foolish, which is why I proposed to you!¡± These words turned Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s face pale. This Inoue Yuu had once pursued her fervently, but as soon as she ran into trouble, he couldn¡¯t wait to hook up with Takeuchi Genji, an indignity Kiyoko found unbearable. But she was also worried. After all, Xue An¡¯s martial prowess was formidable, but those three were Divine Officers who practiced sorcery. ¡°Spiritual beings, appear!¡± As the three called out in unison. Three shadow-like entities appeared in the hall. Many people exclaimed in amazement. ¡°They can actually summon spiritual beings! The three Divine Officers of the Orochi Shrine are truly formidable!¡± Inoue Yuu¡¯s eyes filled with excitement. ¡°Go!¡± The three directed their summoned beings at Xue An, and they all charged at him simultaneously. Summoning spiritual beings is a type of sorcery unique to Country R. Simply put, it is the practice of cultivating the spirits and souls of samurai or other entities after death. Its power is indeed formidable. Especially since Tsuruoka Masaki and the other two served the Orochi Demon God, their summoned beings were also imbued with a demonic prowess. But as soon as the three Shikigami charged towards Xue An, a flash of light sparkled in Xue An¡¯s eyes, and he bellowed, ¡°Scram!¡± The three Shikigami emitted a piercing wail and instantly vanished into smoke and clouds! This not only stunned the three Divine Officers. Everyone else was also dumbfounded. What kind of move was that? To dispel Shikigami with a single word? At this moment, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?!¡± Turning to the two daughters in his arms, he said, ¡°Close your eyes and curl up in Daddy¡¯s embrace!¡± Xue Xiang and her sister obediently curled up in Xue An¡¯s arms. Then, revealing a row of pearly white teeth, Xue An grinned menacingly, ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± With that said, Xue An suddenly appeared in the middle of the three of them and waved his hand casually. Pff! Tsuruoka Masaki didn¡¯t even have the chance to scream before he turned into a cloud of blood mist. Furuya Kazuma, scared out of his wits, turned and tried to flee. Xue An breathed out a blade of Qi, slicing horizontally and beheading Furuya Kazuma. Only Nakata Yuuichi was left. At this moment, Nakata Yuuichi was quivering like chaff. He finally believed what Xue An had said earlier; it was very likely that it was this man who had killed the Demon God! So when Xue An¡¯s gaze fell upon him, Nakata Yuuichi¡¯s legs gave in, and he knelt on the ground with a thud. ¡°Please, spare me, my lord!¡± Xue An no longer paid attention to him and instead looked towards the pale-faced Takeuchi Youichi and the others. ¡°Do you¡­ have anything else to say?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. Grinding his teeth, Takeuchi Youichi declared, ¡°Shoot him! I refuse to believe he can dodge bullets too!¡± Public safety in Country R was fairly good; even a nefarious Daoist family like theirs only had a few guns at home. But as the gunmen emerged with their firearms, the atmosphere changed. Takeuchi Youichi sneered, ¡°I admit you¡¯re a Martial Artist, but so what? This isn¡¯t the age when Samurai roamed supreme. No matter how formidable, can you be faster than a bullet?¡± Xue An responded coolly, ¡°Then you can try! See if I¡¯m scared or not!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± Takeuchi Youichi gave the order. As a big shot who had been dominating the underworld for decades, he had the decisiveness. Even though using guns would alert many people, at this point, he didn¡¯t care about that! Bang, bang, bang. Submachine guns and pistols belched out flames. And under such fire, Xue An just laughed. ¡°Turns out that¡¯s all there is!¡± As his voice faded, a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie occurred. The bullets that were shot towards him began to slow down as if entering a pool of glue, gradually becoming slower until they halted mid-air. Then, with another command from Xue An, ¡°Go!¡± The bullets whizzed back at ten times their initial speed, retracing their trajectory! Put, put, put! A dozen gunmen fell to the ground; such was the force of the bullets that they only stopped after piercing through the wall behind. This move finally instilled fear in Takeuchi Youichi. Meanwhile, Xue An slowly walked over. With every step he took, the others receded one step back! Eventually, they had no room left to retreat. Only then did Xue An stop and said indifferently, ¡°Now, do you agree to let her be the Family Head?¡± Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 211: The World is Like a Dream, Only I Am Eternal (1st Update) Chapter 211: Chapter 211: The World is Like a Dream, Only I Am Eternal (1st Update) Translator: 549690339 Takeuchi Genji screamed, ¡°No! Even in death, I will not agree!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Very well, then you may die!¡± With that, Takeuchi Genji¡¯s head suddenly exploded, splashing blood all over the bystanders. Such ghostly and godlike methods struck fear into everyone¡¯s hearts. Inoue Yuu, trembling all over, forced a smile and said, ¡°I¡­ I agree!¡± Xue An turned to look at him. With an ingratiating tone, Inoue Yuu said, ¡°Your cultivation level is divine, your words are as the Emperor¡¯s decrees, of course I agree!¡± Then Inoue Yuu fawned over Takeuchi Kiyoko non-stop, ¡°Kiyoko¡­¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko had a stony expression and didn¡¯t even glance at him. Xue An nodded, ¡°Good, since you agree! Then¡­¡± With a casual wave of his hand, a fine line of blood suddenly appeared on Inoue Yuu¡¯s throat, from which blood gushed out. Inoue Yuu clutched at his neck desperately, looking bewilderingly at Xue An. ¡°Why¡­ kill me even though I agreed?¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°I asked who would agree, but I never said that agreeing would spare you from death.¡± Several gurgles came from Inoue Yuu¡¯s throat, he looked at Xue An with anger, then collapsed unwillingly to the ground, dead. Utter silence followed. Many present had dominated Tokyo¡¯s underworld for years, but seeing Xue An kill two people effortlessly, reaping lives with no warning¡­ Such methods terrified even these seasoned bosses. Xue An looked around the room again, ¡°Now, does anyone else have objections?¡± At that moment, two figures, a man and a woman, approached the entrance of the Takeuchi residence. The man, dressed in sword-laden robes with flowing sleeves, seemed to descend from the heavens like an Immortal, exuding an extraordinary demeanor. The woman, only in her teens, followed behind him with a face full of admiration. After entering the Takeuchi residence, the man suddenly frowned, his expression growing increasingly serious. The woman respectfully inquired, ¡°Master, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The man said in a deep voice, ¡°What a strong killing intent!¡± Then, in a single stride, the man crossed the entire courtyard and entered through the front door. His arrival filled the despairing bigwigs from Country R with overwhelming joy. Takeuchi Masao cried with excitement, his voice hoarse, ¡°Sword Saint Sir, save us! This man is simply a devil!¡± However, Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s complexion drastically changed, her heart sinking gradually. Because the man was none other than Qianshan Yipye, the Sword Saint from Country R¡¯s Mirror Heart Wise Flow. Sword Dao in Country R is divided into several schools: Beichen One-Strike Flow, Second Heaven Flow, Mirror Heart Wise Flow, Iai Sword Drawing Technique, Shinto Munen Flow, and others. The strongest among them are known as Sword Saints. The dojo of Mirror Heart Wise Flow was located in Tokyo, hence Sword Saint Qianshan Yipye received an invitation and had come to the Takeuchi residence. Qianshan Yipye looked at Xue An, his expression becoming serious, ¡°A martial artist from Hua Country?¡± Xue An nodded and replied lightly, ¡°And who might you be?¡± ¡°I am Qianshan Yipye. As a cultivator of martial arts, why would you cruelly kill these ordinary people?¡± Qianshan Yipye asked coldly. ¡°Ordinary people?¡± A cold smile flickered across Xue An¡¯s face. ¡°You call these people ordinary?¡± Qianshan Yipye¡¯s face was grave, for he could not see through Xue An¡¯s true level of cultivation. This man¡¯s aura was ordinary, yet his eyes were as deep as the ocean. What was his cultivation level? A trace of doubt crossed Qianshan Yipye¡¯s mind before he steadied himself and said solemnly, ¡°Even if they are from the underworld, was there really a need to go that far? Is this the barbarity of martial artists from Hua Country?¡± Xue An shook his head and chuckled lightly, ¡°To me, the act of killing is but a thought away, and words are useless. Since you claim to be a Sword Saint, then you may stay today as well!¡± After speaking, Xue An smiled grimly. Suddenly, he was right in front of Qianshan Yipye, no words wasted, and threw a punch. Qianshan Yipye was shocked by the speed. Barely dodging that punch, Qianshan Yipye¡¯s footwork shifted, placing him in an exceptionally elusive position. Once he stood firm, his aura transformed, and a deadly Sword Qi began to fill the room. This was a hallmark of the Mirror Heart Intelligent School, with its profound study of footwork, reputed to be capable of delivering threats with each step. Xue An¡¯s punch missed, yet his face remained neither sad nor happy as he calmly said, ¡°Not bad, come again!¡± With that, Xue An launched another punch. At this moment, Xue An hadn¡¯t even used his Cultivation Level but was simply relying on his physical strength to fight with Qianshan Yipye, and they appeared evenly matched. After narrowly dodging another punch from Xue An, Qianshan Yipye¡¯s expression turned grave as he called out, ¡°Qianshan¡¯s One Sword Slash!¡± A brilliant Sword Qi suddenly burst forth. The swordplay was incredibly extravagant, intoxicating all who saw it. Takeuchi Masao and others watched, dazzled and mesmerized. The woman who followed Qianshan Yipye revealed a smug smile. In her view, no one could withstand this dreamlike sword strike. But Xue An merely looked up, and then casually flicked his finger. Snap! This seemingly extravagant strike was instantly shattered. Qianshan Yipye stumbled back several steps, his face finally betraying shock, before gritting his teeth and slowly drawing the true form of his sword from his waist. Many were moved by this action. Even the woman couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. Her master hadn¡¯t drawn his sword in ten years. Yet now, he had been compelled to unsheath the real sword. With a solemn expression, Qianshan Yipye declared, ¡°This sword is named ¡®Great Dream.¡¯ You should be proud to have forced me to draw it!¡± Xue An smiled grimly, slowly raising his fist, ¡°Come again!¡± As he spoke, he launched another punch. At that moment, Qianshan Yipye, with his eyebrows standing on end, shouted, ¡°Great Dream!¡± The sword then vanished, only to reappear behind Xue An the next instant, thrusting down fiercely. Kiyoko shrieked in fright, while Takeuchi Masao and the others wore vicious grins. Indeed¡­ the Sword Saint was victorious! But just then, the Great Dream sword, already close to Xue An¡¯s back, stopped abruptly. With his hands behind his back, Xue An caught it between two fingers, and with a slight effort, Snap! The sword broke to pieces. Qianshan Yipye¡¯s face showed great shock as he hastily retreated several steps. Shaking his head, Xue An said, ¡°It was enjoyable to play, but alas, you¡¯re still not strong enough!¡± As he spoke, a majestic aura suddenly radiated from Xue An. In the presence of this aura, Qianshan Yipye was like a small boat in a storm, in danger of capsizing at any moment. ¡°How¡­ How is this possible?¡± Takeuchi Masao and the others¡¯ eyes bulged. Why was this man so powerful? With a grave look, Qianshan Yipye suddenly pulled a dagger from his bosom, pierced his palm, and then a blood sword, formed from his own blood, starkly appeared in his hand. ¡°Turning blood into sword!¡± The young woman murmured to herself, turning pale. This was the last resort of the Mirror Heart Intelligent School. However, at this moment, Xue An lifted his gaze, smiling slightly. ¡°Great Dream? Heh, it¡¯s interesting, but¡­¡± ¡°Life is but a dream, only I am eternal.¡± Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Supreme Prestige Shakes Tokyo (2nd Update) Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Supreme Prestige Shakes Tokyo (2nd Update) Translator: 549690339 With that cry, the blood sword in Qianshan Yipye¡¯s hand shattered violently. The supreme pressure made it so that Qianshan Yipye couldn¡¯t even muster resistance before being crushed into a pulp. The Sword Saint, dead! There was dead silence all around. The female disciple who had come with Qianshan Yipye, Qian Yezhen, was trembling all over. In her eyes, her master was like a deity, invincible. But who could have expected that he wouldn¡¯t last a minute against this man and would die miserably on the spot. At this moment, Takeuchi Masao¡¯s face dripped with cold sweat, and as soon as he saw Xue An look up at him, he quickly stepped forward and said with utmost humility. ¡°Sir, I am willing to let Kiyoko become the Family Head of the Takeuchi family.¡± Xue An smiled and glanced at Takeuchi Kiyoko, ¡°He¡¯s yours to deal with!¡± Takeuchi Masao trembled all over, saying with horror, ¡°Sir¡­.¡± And with a murderous look on her face, Takeuchi Kiyoko walked over. ¡°Kiyoko¡­ I am after all your father, you¡­¡± Takeuchi Masao tried to play the sympathy card. No sooner had he spoken than Takeuchi Kiyoko drew a dagger and plunged it into Takeuchi Masao¡¯s chest, then gritted her teeth and said, ¡°In your eyes, am I not even as good as pigs or dogs?¡± With that, she pulled out the dagger and stabbed violently again. Thud, thud. After several stabs, Takeuchi Masao was already riddled with holes. But Takeuchi Kiyoko still felt unsatisfied, her eyes red with rage as she kept frantically pulling out the knife and stabbing! Xue An frowned slightly, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Only then did Takeuchi Kiyoko let go, but tears had already dampened her cheeks; then she turned and knelt before Xue An. ¡°Sir, Kiyoko wishes to serve as your servant for life!¡± To give oneself as a slave. This was the highest respect a woman from Country R could give to a man. But Xue An just smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying. ¡°These people¡­¡± Xue An swept a glance over the remaining people. All of them fell silent, hastily bowing their heads. ¡°Miss Kiyoko disposing of the enemy, congratulations are in order; we wish the new Family Head of the Takeuchi family well!¡± A smirk appeared on the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. Clearly, there were many wise people around. Even if not wise, faced with fresh blood and death, they would learn to be wise. There was still one Takeuchi Hideo left to deal with. However, when Takeuchi Kiyoko thought to look for him, she found that Takeuchi Hideo had already run away at some unknown time. Only a large pool of blood was left on the ground. Takeuchi Kiyoko was somewhat worried, but Xue An just smiled. If he ran, he ran. Would you care for the life and death of an ant? Then he turned his head to look at Nakata Yuuichi, who still knelt on the ground, not daring to move. ¡°Sir¡­ spare my life! I¡­¡± Xue An walked forward and gently stroked the top of his head, directly searching through his soul and memories. Many scenes inside made Xue An frown slightly. These three Divine Officers were relying on the influence of the Orochi Shrine to do many heinous deeds. Like kidnapping young girls for live offerings, for instance. So he simply waved his hand, reducing the three dead bodies to nothingness. With this, the Orochi Shrine that had existed in Tokyo for hundreds of years had its legacy severed. That night. News of the Takeuchi family¡¯s downfall and the death of Qianshan Yipye, the Mirror Heart Bright Wisdom Sword Saint, spread throughout Tokyo. With supreme authority, Xue An instilled fear into all the Daoist families. Even the territories that had been occupied by other families were now quietly returned, daring not to harbor thoughts of encroachment again. And many were quietly speculating about Xue An¡¯s origins, all becoming infinitely curious about this mysterious and powerful man from Huaxia. While the external uproar was in full swing. Xue An was soaking in the hot spring. It had to be said, the Takeuchi family really knew how to enjoy life. They had actually carved out a hot spring right in the Tokyo area. Originally, Xue An had wanted to take a mandarin duck bath with An Yan. But An Yan was too shy and insisted on not doing so. Xue An had no choice but to enjoy the wonders of the hot spring alone. Just then, the voice of Takeuchi Kiyoko came from outside the door. ¡°Master, I have news about the matter you asked me to investigate!¡± Since the battle at the convention, Takeuchi Kiyoko always addressed him as master, despite Xue An¡¯s several attempts to correct her, but she refused to change her manner of address, so Xue An let it be. ¡°Good!¡± Xue An responded. But Takeuchi Kiyoko actually lifted the curtain and walked in. At this moment, Takeuchi Kiyoko was dressed in a maid¡¯s outfit, with a very short hemline, revealing her long, fair legs. ¡°Master, let me give you a shoulder massage!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko offered softly. Xue An looked indifferent and nodded slightly. Takeuchi Kiyoko walked to the edge of the hot spring, knelt down with her knees together on the wooden plank, and gently massaged Xue An¡¯s shoulders. Xue An narrowed his eyes slightly and said indifferently, ¡°What did you find out?¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko¡¯s heartbeat quickened at this moment. Because she had seen Xue An¡¯s body in the hot spring, wearing only a pair of shorts. Unlike those exaggerated physiques from working out, Xue An¡¯s figure was extremely well-proportioned. One could say that losing an ounce would make him seem thin, and gaining an ounce would make him appear fat. Moreover, his skin was fair. But beneath that skin lay power that was almost explosive. The muscle lines were as if carved out by a chisel and axe, filled with a shocking aesthetic. This impact caused Takeuchi Kiyoko, who was still a virgin, to blush and her heart raced. As a result, she forgot to tell Xue An the news she had come to deliver. It was not until Xue An asked that she snapped back to reality, ¡°Master, I just found out some information about the Tenichi-Jinja Shrine located in Saitama Prefecture, where it seems a demon god is enshrined. There have been reports of strange occurrences, and although this has always been a secret, there have been a lot of disappearances in the vicinity of Mount Ontake in recent years! I found it suspicious, so I came to inform you, Master!¡± After listening, Xue An nodded, ¡°Step outside, I¡¯m going to get dressed.¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko stopped the massage and said respectfully, ¡°Master, let me serve you as you dress!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that!¡± ¡°But as a servant, it¡¯s my duty to do so!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko persisted. Xue An shook his head, ¡°When I say it¡¯s not necessary, it¡¯s not necessary!¡± Disappointed, Takeuchi Kiyoko nodded and replied, ¡°Yes, Master!¡± By the time Xue An was dressed and came out, Takeuchi Kiyoko was still waiting outside. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko said softly with her head lowered, ¡°Master, the mistress has already taken the two misses to bed. Would you like me to serve you in your sleep?¡± Xue An was a bit bemused upon hearing this and waved his hand, ¡°No, you may go!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko looked up, a trace of panic on her face. ¡°Master, my body is pure, not defiled or desolate!¡± In such a night, a beautiful young woman telling you that she¡¯s of pure body and offering to serve you in bed. Such temptation would be unbearable for most men. But Xue An was not most men. He smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯ve already said there¡¯s no need, go now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko could only answer and then turned to leave. Upon returning to her own room, Takeuchi Kiyoko felt somewhat dejected, and her mother, Song Anzhen, sighed upon seeing this. ¡°Kiyoko.¡± ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you, Mr. Xue is no ordinary person, and your method will not be effective!¡± ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m afraid Master will abandon me eventually!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko said worriedly. ¡°I can see that Mr. Xue is indeed a man of significance, and since he has helped you, he will surely see it through!¡± Song Anzhen said earnestly. Takeuchi Kiyoko lowered her head, still feeling a subtle sense of loss inside. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Heavenly Divine Palace (Third Update) Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Heavenly Divine Palace (Third Update) Translator: 549690339 Yuntai Mountain is located at the border of Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture and is a famous scenic spot. Although Takeuchi Kiyoko repeatedly expressed her desire to come along, Xue An still refused her. He wanted to take this opportunity to have a trip with his wife and children. Once they got off the car and looked up at the towering mountain, everyone¡¯s mood improved significantly. ¡°Daddy, this mountain is so tall!¡± Xue Xiang exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Daddy, look, the mountain looks like an ice cream!¡± Nian Nian¡¯s first thought was about food, as usual. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but laugh at this. The summit of Yuntai Mountain is over two thousand meters high, and snow accumulates year-round at the peak. Indeed, it resembled a gigantic ice cream cone from this angle. An Yan asked nervously, ¡°Honey, is that thing you talked about here?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°It should be! However, this enigmatic creature, the ¡®Baqi Long Worm¡¯, is obviously very cunning and impossible to detect with Divine Sense.¡± An Yan nodded and took Xue An¡¯s arm. The family headed up the mountain, attracting the gazes of many tourists along the way. Because it was offseason, there weren¡¯t many tourists around. At a small shop at the foot of the mountain, Xue An was buying ice cream for his two daughters. A gentle female voice in Japanese said, ¡°Wow! What kawaii little girls!¡± Xue An turned to look. He saw a man and a woman standing nearby. The woman, beautiful and smiling, squatted down to greet Xue Xiang and Nian Nian. The two little girls were becoming more and more beautiful as they grew. With their charm appealing to both young and old, few could resist their cuteness. This was especially true in Country R, where cute culture was prevalent. ¡°Which one of you is the older sister and which one is the younger sister?¡± the woman asked with a warm smile. This was already the standard conversation starter. But Xue Xiang and Nian Nian seemed a bit impatient, with their eyes fixed on Xue An who was buying the ice cream. At that moment, the man frowned and said to the woman with a flattering smile, ¡°Benqiao Miss, we should hurry on our way, or we won¡¯t make it to the Divine Bell Shrine in time.¡± At this point, Xue An and An Yan came back with the ice cream. Grabbing their ice cream with joyful surprise, the two little girls started enjoying it heartily. The woman stood up, looking envious, and said, ¡°Sir, you are so lucky to have such beautiful daughters!¡± Xue An did not comment, merely smiling faintly. ¡°Let¡¯s get acquainted, my name is Benqiao Meijia!¡± the woman said with a smile, extending her hand. However, Xue An did not take her hand, just nodded slightly, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, let¡¯s go!¡± A hint of surprise flitted across the woman¡¯s face, as if she were astonished that Xue An didn¡¯t recognize her. Meanwhile, the man by her side sneered, ¡°They¡¯re just people from Huaxia!¡± Xue An frowned and turned to look at the man. ¡°What did you say?¡± The man was taken aback, then looked down and said to Benqiao Meijia, ¡°Huaxia people are the most uncultured, Miss Benqiao, let¡¯s just leave.¡± Benqiao Meijia¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, ¡°Yin Sang, aren¡¯t you also from Huaxia? Why do you malign your own country like this?¡± Yin Huahui¡¯s face stiffened, then he awkwardly touched his head, ¡°I don¡¯t count as a Huaxia person; after all, I have already submitted my naturalization application and have been approved. From now on, I¡¯ll be a citizen of Country R!¡± Xue An shook his head and chuckled, then said to An Yan, ¡°See, this is what¡¯s commonly known as a ¡®renegade¡¯. Let¡¯s go!¡± This insult made Yin Huahui¡¯s face turn extremely ugly, as he stared fixedly at Xue An with eyes full of fierce and malevolent colors. But Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and, leading his wife and child, turned around and continued up the mountain. Benqiao Meijia watched Xue An¡¯s retreating figure with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. At that moment, An Yan whispered to Xue An, ¡°Husband, that woman just now seems to be a female celebrity from Country R!¡± A female celebrity? Xue An¡¯s thoughts immediately went astray. ¡°You mean the kind of movie star that only needs two or three people to wrap up the film?¡± Xue An said with a mischievous smile. An Yan was initially stunned, then she realized what he meant and blushed with embarrassment, pinching Xue An¡¯s waist. ¡°You big baddie, hooligan!¡± ¡°What am I being a hooligan about?¡± Xue An protested. ¡°Um¡­ whatever you¡¯re thinking is very hooligan-like!¡± An Yan said with her face still red. Xue An leaned in close to An Yan¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Then how do you know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± An Yan spat, ¡°Pah, I¡¯m being serious here. These past few days, I had nothing to do in the house, so I just watched TV all day. It seems like that woman often appears on TV!¡± ¡°If she¡¯s a star, then she¡¯s a star. What does that have to do with me?¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°Hehe, did¡­ did Kiyoko come to look for you yesterday?¡± This time it was An Yan who whispered into Xue An¡¯s ear. Xue An stiffened, then laughed wryly, ¡°My dear wife above me, I assure you I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°Hmph, I wouldn¡¯t let you dare!¡± An Yan pretended to be fierce and formidable, but then she couldn¡¯t help but snicker. ¡°It¡¯s maddening, why can¡¯t I ever get angry with you?¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°Can¡¯t help it, who made me so handsome? Don¡¯t believe me, ask Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian!¡± The two little girls, who were engrossed in their ice cream, lifted their heads when they heard him and, in unison, chimed, ¡°Yes! Daddy is the handsomest!¡± Xue An laughed heartily, his laughter full of pride. Yin Huahui, who was walking not far behind them, couldn¡¯t help but flash an ugly look in his eyes upon hearing the laughter. The Divine Sense Temple was located halfway up Yunqu Mountain. The surroundings were tranquil and the scenery beautiful. Plus, there were sometimes multitudes of clouds and mists floating in front of the temple, adding a truly celestial atmosphere. When Xue An arrived at the temple, the doors were firmly closed. There were no tourists in front of the doors either. Xue An didn¡¯t rush to enter but instead looked up to survey the geographical layout of the place. The person who chose to build the temple here was clearly an expert in Huaxia geomancy, creating an environment where winds were hidden and qi gathered¡ªit was indeed a fine location. However, Xue An still managed to detect something unusual about the place from subtle clues. For instance, the faint layer of resentment floating above the temple. This was clearly the result of someone dying unjustly, unable to dissipate their lingering resentment. As Xue An was observing, Yin Huahui and Benqiao Meijia also approached. Yin Huahui greeted her with eager hospitality, ¡°Miss Benqiao, it is said that the Divine Bell of the Divine Sense Temple is particularly efficacious. Why not go and ring it?¡± In the shrines of Country R, long strands of wind chimes are often hung from the eaves, and there are rumors that shaking them can bring good luck. Benqiao Meijia nodded but then smiled at Xue An before stepping forward to ring the bell. Yin Huahui coldly glanced at Xue An, feeling contempt in his heart. Probably this guy has no clue about any of these things. Meanwhile, Xue An retracted his probing gaze and smiled at his wife. ¡°You stay here with Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, I¡¯ll go knock on the door!¡± Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Tearing the Demon God Alive (4th Update) Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Tearing the Demon God Alive (4th Update) Translator: 549690339 Knocking at the door? Yin Huahui could hardly suppress the urge to burst into laughter. Everyone knew about the strict rules of the Heavenly One Divine Palace. Unless it was an important guest, the gates were rarely opened for anyone else. Hadn¡¯t Benqiao Meijia herself had to wait obediently outside? It must be some bumpkin who knows nothing, Yin Huahui thought, sneering to himself as he watched. He wanted to see what sort of spectacle Xue An would make shortly. Meanwhile, Benqiao Meijia also noticed Xue An approaching the door and couldn¡¯t help but say with a smile, ¡°Sir, the Heavenly One Divine Palace rarely opens its doors; you might as well not knock!¡± Xue An smiled at her, ¡°Others might not get a response when they knock, but if I do it, they will definitely open up!¡± ¡°Oh? And why is that?¡± Benqiao Meijia asked, somewhat curious. ¡°Because¡­¡± Xue An placed his hand on the thick wooden door. ¡°This is how I knock!¡± As his words ended, the massive wooden door shattered with a boom. The gates flung open. Xue An turned to look at Benqiao Meijia and Yin Huahui, who were staring with eyes wide open. ¡°See, wasn¡¯t that simple?¡± Benqiao Meijia was so startled that she was lost for words. She had never imagined that this seemingly gentle and refined man would act so violently. At this moment, Yin Huahui sneered, ¡°Good, now you¡¯re done for, daring to smash the gates of the Heavenly One Divine Palace! Hehe!¡± Yin Huahui watched on with schadenfreude. At this point, the Divine Officers within the Heavenly One Divine Palace, hearing the commotion, rushed over. ¡°Who did this?¡± A Divine Officer at the front asked with a dark expression. Yin Huahui pointed at Xue An, ¡°Divine Officer, sir, it was this man! You must not let him go!¡± The Divine Officer looked at Xue An and frowned, ¡°Sir, you¡¯ve destroyed our gate without cause; what do you intend?¡± Xue An had been observing the Divine Officer. Hearing the question, he replied with a slight smile, ¡°Excellent, it seems I¡¯ve come to the right place.¡± Xue An noticed a very faint trace of demonic aura emanating from this Divine Officer. ¡°What exactly do you want to do, sir?¡± This Divine Officer felt Xue An¡¯s gaze to be utterly frightening and asked in a deep voice. Xue An waved his daughters aside, shielding the three women, then stepped forward, reaching the Divine Officer in an instant. Such ghostly speed startled everyone present. The Divine Officer was taken aback and knew something was amiss, attempting to take action. But Xue An stretched out his hand, grabbed the tall Divine Officer, and slowly lifted him into the air. ¡°What¡­ what do you want to do?¡± The Divine Officer was terrified. He realized that none of his skills were working against this man; they were completely ineffective. Xue An spoke indifferently, ¡°Serving the Demon God, what do you think I intend to do?¡± Upon hearing these words, the originally pale face of the Divine Officer flashed with a look of terror. ¡°You¡­¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Wondering how I knew, are you? Go to Hell and ask!¡± This Divine Officer harbored deep grudges, clearly having committed evil deeds in the past. Xue An exerted force, snapping the officer¡¯s neck right then and there. The body fell, and a wraith-like figure floated out, heading straight for the shrine. Xue An said lightly, ¡°Still trying to escape?¡± With a casual wave of his hand, he crushed the soul to pieces! Then he turned to look at Benqiao Meijia and Yin Huahui, who stood there like statues. ¡°Now, do you understand why I knocked?¡± Yin Huahui felt a warmth running down his legs, followed by a rich stench of urine. Benqiao Meijia, having regained her senses, frowned in disgust, silently moved away from Yin Huahui, and then watched the defiant figure of Xue An entering the shrine, her eyes filled with shock. This man! So terrifyingly powerful! The other Divine Officers of the Heavenly One Divine Palace were also alarmed. ¡°Who is it!¡± Along with the shouts, Countless men in black surrounded Xue An. Then three red-robed Divine Officers slowly stepped out, their presence solid as a mountain, clearly signaling they were individuals of formidable cultivation levels. Xue An also saw deeper demon energy and grudges emanating from them. ¡°Who are you, and why have you come to create trouble in our Tianyi Divine Palace?¡± asked the leading Divine Officer in a cold voice. Xue An slowly said, ¡°Are you aware of the sin of serving demons?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s expression changed simultaneously. The complexion of the Divine Officer fluctuated wildly before he said sternly, ¡°Kill him!¡± He clearly didn¡¯t intend to let Xue An leave alive. All the black-clothed men charged at him. Xue An¡¯s expression was calm as he suddenly stomped his foot. Boom! Centered around him, within a radius of a hundred meters, the innards of all the black-clothed men were shattered by the stomp, killing them on the spot. This move shocked the three Divine Officers. ¡°Loose¡­ Loose Immortal?¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered with wasting words on these people and charged forward with two punches. Puff, puff! Two of the Divine Officers didn¡¯t even have the chance to flee before they were directly obliterated into nothingness. Then Xue An turned his gaze towards the oldest Divine Officer. ¡°Now, take me to where you worship the Demon God!¡± Xue An demanded. The Divine Officer trembled all over and then hastily nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± The Tianyi Divine Palace was vast, ordinarily full of Divine Officers, but after Xue An¡¯s carnage, barely a few were left. When they arrived in front of an extremely concealed room, The Divine Officer respectfully said, ¡°My lord, this is the place!¡± Xue An looked up to see the room adorned with all manner of strange decorations. They were actually Talisman Spells. No wonder Divine Sense was undetectable here. Thinking this, Xue An stepped forward and arrived at the door. At this moment, a hint of viciousness and relief flashed across the face of the Divine Officer. As soon as the door opened, the Demon God of Orochi would appear, and this man would undoubtedly die! Xue An¡¯s hand pressed against the door, and with a bang! The sturdy door and windows shattered in response. Black Qi surged straight up into the sky. Within the Black Qi, two intertwining snake heads appeared, one of which coldly said, ¡°Who is it? Who dares to disturb my thousand-year slumber?¡± The Divine Officer, overjoyed, knelt on the ground and shouted, ¡°Lord Orochi, save me! This man has killed my disciples, please swiftly execute him!¡± The snake head opened its eyes and looked towards Xue An standing on the ground. ¡°You mortals dare to disturb the slumber of a Demon God, I will cast your soul into the Hellfire to be tortured for ten thousand years!¡± In the midst of the roar, Xue An calmly dug at his ear and then shook his head, ¡°What a nuisance!¡± Then he soared into the sky, speeding toward the two snake heads. These were the two heads of Orochi, worshipped by the Tianyi Divine Palace at some unknown point in time. However, it was evident that they had accrued a significant amount of killing karma over the years. Seeing Xue An charging at them, one of the snake heads opened its mouth, and a jet of pitch-black Demon Flame gushed forth. But Xue An didn¡¯t even evade; he simply stretched out his hand and pinched the seemingly fierce Demon Flame into nothingness. As the snake heads were astonished, Xue An had already reached them, grabbing their heads in his hands and uttering a low shout, ¡°Open!¡± With a miserable howl, the snake heads were torn apart by Xue An¡¯s sheer force. The two heads, which had grown together since ancient times, were torn asunder by Xue An! Demons¡¯ blood spilled onto the ground, igniting clusters of black Hellfire. This scene left the Divine Officer, who had been sure of Xue An¡¯s impending death, staring in awe and disbelief. Ripping apart a Demon God! Was this¡­ still a human? Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 215: All Sins Turn to Ashes (Fifth Update) Chapter 215: Chapter 215: All Sins Turn to Ashes (Fifth Update) Translator: 549690339 It wasn¡¯t just this Divine Officer. At this moment, two Orochi Serpent Heads were also shaking with terror. They were, after all, millennium Demon Gods, yet they had been torn apart by this man¡¯s bare hands. What level of cultivation did that require? When did such a domineering person appear in this world? ¡°You¡­ who are you?¡± one of the Serpent Heads asked. Xue An didn¡¯t speak, but simply squeezed his hand. Boom. This Serpent Head was crushed to pieces, dissipating like smoke! Only then did Xue An turn to the other Serpent Head, ¡°Now, can you tell me where the rest of your demon bodies are hiding?¡± If this Serpent Head had a body, it probably would have pissed itself in fear. ¡°The demon bodies are scattered throughout Country R; we cannot contact them either. I beg you, spare my life!¡± The Serpent Head pleaded with a trembling voice. Xue An discovered that the seal was not their doing. He was also somewhat puzzled. The Orochi Demon God was a lower-tier Demon God. Although to this world, it was already a top existence, even stronger than a Golden Immortal. Yet, in ancient times, Orochi was already torn apart; the cultivation level of its remnants was at most that of a Loose Immortal. With such a cultivation level, how did they cast such an overbearing seal? Despite the confusion in his mind, Xue An still felt that as long as all the demon bodies of Orochi were found, the questions would naturally unravel. ¡°You¡¯ve said as much as if you¡¯ve said nothing at all!¡± Xue An said and then crushed the other Serpent Head with his hand as well. With that, three of the Orochi Serpent Heads were gone. Xue An then looked at the Divine Officer kneeling on the ground, stunned as if turned to wood. ¡°Seeking longevity but committing heinous crimes, today, I shall destroy your shrine!¡± Xue An had just witnessed through the Divine Sense of Orochi many unbearable scenes. It turned out that the reason Kyo-wa Shrine worshipped these two Orochi Serpent Heads was only to rely on the power of these Demon Gods to seek longevity. To this end, they had harmed many innocents, hoping to offer them as food to the Demon God. Xue An was not one to grieve for the plight of others, but such actions were enough to earn his disdain. The Divine Officer was extremely frightened and, seeing the Orochi Serpent Heads being annihilated, fainted on the spot. Xue An took four steps in the air. Under each step, a Blood Lotus blossomed. Soon, the Blood Lotus transformed into flames that completely engulfed Kyo-wa Shrine. By the time Xue An reached the entrance, a towering inferno had already begun. Xue An casually lifted the seal, and An Yan, seeing her husband unharmed, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Upon seeing the raging flames engulfing Kyo-wa Shrine, she couldn¡¯t help but express surprise, ¡°Husband, this¡­¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°All their numerous sins have turned to ash! Let¡¯s go.¡± Xue An led his wife and child away from the place. Benqiao Meijia and Yin Huahui also came to their senses and hurriedly followed down the mountain. All the while, Benqiao Meijia wanted to catch up with Xue An and strike up a conversation. But Xue An and his family moved too quickly and soon disappeared from sight. At that moment, Yin Huahui approached, ¡°Miss Benqiao, this person set a fire and killed people; shouldn¡¯t we hurry up and call the police?¡± Benqiao Meijia gave him a cold glance, ¡°You go call the police! Also, please don¡¯t bother me anymore!¡± Saying so, Benqiao Meijia left first. An Yan stood in place, his face a mask of stupefaction. He had gone to great lengths to invite Benqiao Meijia to visit this place for leisure. But he had not anticipated that such an incident would occur. Yet, as soon as he thought of Xue An¡¯s almost ghostly methods, a shiver ran down Yin Huahui¡¯s spine, and he didn¡¯t dare bad-mouth him; instead, he scurried away dejectedly. The annihilation of the Heavenly Palace shocked the entire Martial Arts World of Country R. After all, it was a millenary sect that had been flattened overnight, which naturally caused a great sensation. Great Sun Shrine. Several top experts from Country R¡¯s Martial Arts World and the shrine community were gathered here. ¡°Who could it be, to annihilate the entire Heavenly Palace within just one hour?¡± an elder said slowly, his voice carrying an implicit authority. Sakata Kinji, the top expert who had been in charge of the Great Sun Shrine for decades, was rumored to have nearly attained Half-step Longevity. ¡°There is news that recently a Huaxia martial artist arrived in the Tokyo area, possessing formidable strength, and then this incident occurred. Could there be a connection?¡± said a ravishing, scantily clad woman with a sultry voice and voluptuously towering curves. Songmu Feihua, the sect leader of the Flowing Flowers Sect, was also a powerful figure and was known as the Scorpion of Country R¡¯s Martial Arts World. She was incredibly beautiful, but her methods were exceptionally ruthless; the number of men who had died at her hands was not less than eight hundred if not a thousand! ¡°Heh, a Huaxia martial artist? Do you think that just by the hand of a mere Huaxia martial artist, a shrine can be destroyed in the blink of an eye?¡± a man with a dark expression sneered. Daigen Takamasa from the Kyo-wa Shrine. The people speaking were all top-tier individuals. Upon hearing this, Songmu Feihua said, ¡°Daigen Takamasa, do not underestimate Huaxia martial artists. It is said that this person killed Qianshan Yipye of the Kyoshin Meichi School with a single move!¡± ¡°Qianshan Yipye? Heh, just a defeated general, not worth mentioning!¡± Daigen Takamasa said with disdain, casting a covetous glance at Songmu Feihua. This woman was truly a rare beauty! At that moment, Sakata Kinji raised his hand and said in a deep voice, ¡°What is this person¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Xue An!¡± Songmu Feihua said solemnly. Xue An? This name seemed somewhat familiar! The crowd was filled with doubt and uncertainty. Someone said tremulously, ¡°Could it be that¡­ Xue An who extinguished a Sword Immortal with a single sword strike, and annihilated an Immortal Gate single-handedly?¡± Everyone was shocked. Two sharp lights burst forth from Sakata Kinji¡¯s eyes, ¡°Is it really him? Why has he come to Country R? And what¡¯s more, why has he destroyed the Heavenly Palace? What is he trying to do?¡± His voice carried a hint of panic that was not easily detectable. Indeed, this top existence of Country R was also panicking now. At this time, Songmu Feihua turned her gaze to Daigen Takamasa, who was looking embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Daigen Takamasa, now¡­ do you think this person is still unworthy of your attention?¡± Her voice was full of mockery. ¡°Songmu Feihua, you¡­¡± Daigen Takamasa was somewhat irritated. Indeed, he had not known it was Xue An. By now, Xue An¡¯s reputation had spread throughout the world. Especially those near-miraculous deeds he had achieved, which had caused a stir in the Martial Arts Worlds everywhere. Although Daigen Takamasa was arrogant, facing Xue An made him feel somewhat uneasy. Sakata Kinji looked at Songmu Feihua, ¡°Miss Songmu, since you are closest to Tokyo, could you perhaps inquire about some news first?¡± With a few coquettish laughs, Songmu Feihua crossed her long, straight legs without any regard, ¡°Sure, I am also very curious about this young Huaxia man! I want to see what kind of person he is, capable of such grace!¡± Meanwhile, in a remote village in Country R, within a simple room, a teenager with a sinister expression slowly opened his eyes. In front of him was a long saber, emitting a strong sense of foreboding. As the teenager gently caressed the saber, he murmured, ¡°Are you thirsting for blood?¡± Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Overestimating Oneself (2nd Update) Chapter 217: Chapter 217: Overestimating Oneself (2nd Update) Translator: 549690339 Ginza Clubhouse. At this moment, the major crime families of Tokyo had all gathered here. Additionally, corporate conglomerates such as the Inoue Family and the Matsushita Family were also in attendance. One could say that any individual in this room, if placed outside, would be a high-ranking figure. Yet many people did not even have a seat. Because only the most elite of Country R could sit here. ¡°If you ask me, this Chinese martial artist Xue An is simply too arrogant, ever since he arrived, Takeuchi Kiyoko of the Takeuchi family has become more and more domineering!¡± a grim-faced crime boss said. ¡°Indeed! Our family has also suffered many losses! This Xue An must be eliminated!¡± someone echoed. The room began to buzz with discussion, but the primary topic was how to get rid of Xue An. Just then, a cool voice came through, ¡°Sister Songmu, you look so pale, what¡¯s wrong?¡± No one dared to speak. They saw an almost bewitchingly handsome man looking at Songmu Feihua with great interest. Songmu Feihua¡¯s face turned red, and she shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just not feeling very well!¡± The man leaned back on the sofa and smiled faintly, ¡°I heard that Sister Songmu has been in contact with this Xue An, but I wonder what you think of him?¡± All eyes in the room converged on Songmu Feihua, as some people covertly swallowed. This woman¡­ was simply too alluring. Songmu Feihua shook her head with a wry smile, ¡°I can¡¯t describe this man, but he personally said that he came to Country R to find something, and that he would leave as soon as he found it!¡± ¡°Oh? Looking for something? What is it?¡± the man asked, frowning slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Songmu Feihua shook her head, her complexion somewhat pale. Because she was reminded of the scene she had witnessed that night, especially Xue An¡¯s gaze. The man let out a cold laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t know? Doesn¡¯t that mean he might never find it and will never leave?¡± Songmu Feihua dared not speak. This man who looked almost like a woman was Ming Shifeng, who had once ruled the underworld of Tokyo for seven or eight years. Songmu Feihua knew well that this man was capricious and deep-rooted, and had connections with many of Country R¡¯s top Sword Dao practitioners. So even she dared not offend him. Ming Shifeng looked at a few secretly taken photographs on the table, his lips curving into a chilling smile. ¡°There is a saying in China, ¡®even a mighty dragon cannot crush a local serpent.¡¯ Since you¡¯ve come, I must treat you well!¡± Songmu Feihua couldn¡¯t help but speak, ¡°Lord Ming Shifeng, this Xue An is a top Chinese martial artist, ordinary people simply cannot get close to him.¡± Ming Shifeng nodded, ¡°Of course I¡¯m aware of that, but I¡¯ve been prepared for some time.¡± With that, Ming Shifeng stood up and walked over to the window. ¡°Look, the Obon Festival is coming soon, and every family is busy making spirit banners to pay homage to their ancestors.¡± This seemingly random statement left everyone in the room puzzled. Ming Shifeng continued, ¡°Every year during the Obon Festival, practitioners from the Hokushin Itt¨­-ry¨±, the Shint¨­ Munen-ry¨±, and the Iaido Batto Association all come to Sensoji Temple in Jingdu to pay homage, and this year is no exception!¡± Songmu Feihua shuddered, a look of shock crossing her face. ¡°And there¡¯s Sakata Kinji from the Great Sun Shrine, High Officer Ohara from Kyo-wa Shrine, I have extended invitations to all these people this year.¡± Excitement, almost sickly in nature, flickered across Ming Shifeng¡¯s face. ¡°Moreover, every year during the Obon Festival, the major Heidao families also come to Sensoji Temple to pay their respects.¡± ¡°When the masters from Country R gather, I refuse to believe that this Xue An really has three heads and six arms. Even if he does, I¡¯ll cut them off one by one!¡± The people in the room couldn¡¯t help but show their pleasure, all nodding in agreement, ¡°Mr. Ming Shifeng is indeed unparalleled in strategy!¡± Only Songmu Feihua had a flicker in her eyes, feeling some surprise and suspicion. Could things really be that simple? Meanwhile, as everyone was discussing, a young man carrying a pitch-black long sword also stepped into Tokyo under the moonlight. ¡°It¡¯s been so many years since I¡¯ve been here, Tokyo has changed so much!¡± said Watanabe Kiyomi as he looked at the neon-lit skyscrapers. But behind the glitz of this city lies a corner oozing with a dark atmosphere. It seemed as if sensing this presence, the long sword was trembling slightly, as if it couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Watanabe Kiyomi smiled, ¡°Fear not, Demon God, on the mid-year festival, I shall let you gorge on blood.¡± ¡°Master!¡± Kiyoko Takeuchi stepped into the room, calling out respectfully. Xue An nodded, ¡°Any news?¡± ¡°Not yet, but tomorrow is the mid-year festival. As per tradition, every family will go to Sensoji Temple to pay respects. It¡¯s always been my father in the past, but this year¡­¡± A difficult expression crossed Kiyoko Takeuchi¡¯s face. After all, she had only recently taken over the Takeuchi family and her authority wasn¡¯t yet solidified. It was only by leveraging Xue An¡¯s influence that she had been able to command respect from everyone. This time it was a gathering of Daoist families, and she worried that something unforeseen might happen if she went alone. Xue An nodded, ¡°Tomorrow, I will go as well!¡± ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Kiyoko Takeuchi exclaimed with delight. ¡°Daddy, what is the mid-year festival? Is it fun?¡± Xue Xiang asked. Before Xue An could reply, Kiyoko Takeuchi had already answered. ¡°Miss, the mid-year festival is a very important holiday in Jingdu. On this day, each household makes prayer flags to commemorate the deceased, and the major temples hold ceremonies to redeem the spirits. There¡¯s also going to be a grand fireworks display! It¡¯s very lively!¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Daddy, can we go too?¡± ¡°Of course, we can!¡± Xue An said with a smile. An Yan hesitated slightly, ¡°Husband, those people are all fierce and malevolent, won¡¯t we be in the way if we go?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°In my hands, there are no wild beasts that can¡¯t be tamed, don¡¯t worry!¡± Benqiao Meijia had been somewhat absent-minded these past few days. Her colleague and close friend Kawada Momoe noticed something was off and couldn¡¯t help asking with concern, ¡°Meijia, what¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve been restless these last few days?¡± Benqiao Meijia shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just feeling a bit troubled inside!¡± ¡°Tomorrow is the mid-year festival. I hear this year¡¯s fireworks at Sensoji Temple will be even grander. Let¡¯s go see the bustle together! It might help you feel better.¡± The moment Benqiao Meijia hesitated, Kawada Momoe stepped forward and shook her shoulder, ¡°Okay? Pretend you¡¯re going for me!¡± Benqiao Meijia gave a wry smile, ¡°Alright! But I¡¯ll have to wear sunglasses and a mask!¡± She didn¡¯t want to be recognized by fans, that would be too terrifying. ¡°Yes! Meijia, you¡¯re the best!¡± Benqiao Meijia smiled, but the image of a man¡¯s silhouette floated in her eyes. She later learned about what had transpired at the Heavenly One Shrine, all the Divine Officers had perished. Could such thunderous methods be the work of that mysterious man? Would she ever see him again? Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 218 Ghost Festival Fireworks (3rd Update) Chapter 218: Chapter 218 Ghost Festival Fireworks (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 The Zhongyuan Festival had finally arrived. From early in the morning, people had been coming to the Sensoji Temple to offer incense and worship. Meanwhile, in a tall wooden building behind Sensoji Temple, three exceptionally handsome men stood chatting leisurely by a window. ¡°Yoshioka Taro, do you believe that the incense these people are burning will really be received by the spirits?¡± a young man asked with a smile. The present-day Sword Saint of the Shinto Munen-ryu, Yoshioka Taro, shook his head. ¡°This is nothing more than a way to express one¡¯s grief!¡± Another man with a powdered face chuckled behind his hand, ¡°It seems that Ono is a bit afraid!¡± Ono glared, ¡°Akiyama, stop talking nonsense. Who said I was afraid?¡± ¡°Oh? If you¡¯re not afraid, why ask such strange questions? After all, you are the heir to the Iaijutsu!¡± Ono Yuji¡¯s face darkened as he glared at the effeminate man. Akiyama Hayato, the head of the Hokuto Ittoryu school. These three represented the pinnacle of Country R¡¯s Sword Dao. ¡°Enough, Akiyama, cut it out. Xue An is indeed formidable, and to defeat him, it will take the combined effort of the three of us!¡± Yoshioka Taro said quietly. Akiyama Hayato snorted through his nose, ¡°I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s all that impressive.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s not impressive, then how did Qianshan Yipye of the Kyo Shinmyo Mitsu-ryu die?¡± Ono Yuji said coldly. ¡°Hehe, as martial artists of Great Country R, the most important thing is to have the conviction of victory. Qianshan Yipye was too pedantic¡ªhis death was well-deserved!¡± Akiyama Hayato said coldly. As the three were talking, Ming Shifeng ascended the stairs followed by Sakata Kinji and others. The atmosphere in the room lightened notably with the appearance of Songmu Feihua. Seeing this, Akiyama Hayato couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°So what? With the people here, even if Xue An were immortal, he would still be defeated here. What¡¯s there to fear?¡± Ono Yuji involuntarily shut his mouth. The evening came. Xue An brought An Yan and the others to the outside of Sensoji Temple. At that moment. The open space outside Sensoji Temple was buzzing with people and exceptionally lively. Suddenly. A firework burst into the sky. The brilliant fireworks elicited quiet exclamations from everyone. ¡°Daddy, daddy, look! The fireworks are so beautiful!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were exhilarated. Xue An smiled and looked up. Fireworks after fireworks soared, lighting up half the sky. At that moment, Benqiao Meijia and Kawada Keiko were also looking up at the sky full of fireworks. ¡°So beautiful!¡± exclaimed Kawada Keiko, and then she closed her eyes solemnly, making a wish. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Benqiao Meijia asked with a smile. ¡°Making a wish! Haven¡¯t you heard? Wishes made to shooting stars come true!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s fireworks in the sky now!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, they¡¯re both bright, it should be the same!¡± Benqiao Meijia shook her head, helpless, then hesitatingly closed her eyes as well. Perhaps, I will see him again! But after she made her wish, she laughed at herself for being so foolish. How could it be possible? Yet when she slowly opened her eyes, she saw a familiar figure. Benqiao Meijia could not help but freeze. At that moment, Kawada Keiko said, ¡°Meijia, let¡¯s go inside!¡± No response. Kawada Keiko paused, then followed Benqiao Meijia¡¯s gaze, but she saw nothing unusual. ¡°Meijia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Benqiao Meijia took a deep breath, ¡°Nothing, just wait for me a moment!¡± With that, she mustered up her courage and walked forward. At that moment, Xue An was listening to his two daughters bickering. ¡°This firework is pretty!¡± ¡°Nonsense, this one is the good-looking one!¡± ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m not talking to you anymore!¡± ¡°Go ahead, ignore me, you big glutton and little foodie!¡± Xue Xiang taunted Xue Nian with a grimace. Xue Nian¡¯s face turned red with anger, but she couldn¡¯t think of a comeback. Eventually, with hurt in her eyes and tears ready to fall, she threw herself into An Yan¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom, sister is bullying me again!¡± An Yan tried hard not to laugh or cry and pretended to scold Xue Xiang, ¡°Xiang Xiang, how could you do that!¡± Upon hearing her mother take her side, Xue Nian couldn¡¯t help but gloat and squeezed her eyes at Xue Xiang. But then An Yan added, ¡°Even if she is, you shouldn¡¯t say it out loud!¡± Xue Nian¡¯s tears became unstoppable upon hearing this. Xue An was watching all this with a face full of amusement when a timid voice came from behind. ¡°Excuse me, are you¡­¡± Xue An turned around and was slightly taken aback to see the actress he had met on Yunqu Mountain, then he smiled, ¡°What a coincidence!¡± Benqiao Meijia¡¯s heart began to pound, and she stammered, ¡°Um¡­ I came here to watch the fireworks too and just happened to see you!¡± Xue An nodded slightly. Benqiao Meijia wanted to say something more, but suddenly, she seemed to run out of words. A few seconds later, An Yan said in a soft voice, ¡°Dear, let¡¯s go inside! Kiyoko has already gone in!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Xue An walked away. Benqiao Meijia stood there dumbfounded, at a loss for words. At this moment, Kawada Keiko walked up to her and exclaimed, ¡°Meijia, no wonder you were so distracted. You¡¯ve got your eye on a handsome guy, huh!¡± Benqiao Meijia smiled wryly, ¡°Keiko, don¡¯t talk nonsense, he¡¯s a married man!¡± Kawada Keiko stuck out her tongue, ¡°I saw her too, his wife has such an elegant demeanor! Hey, what was that man¡¯s name? Is he a scion of some major financial clan?¡± Benqiao Meijia¡¯s face turned pale, and she shook her head, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know his name!¡± ¡°What?¡± Kawada Keiko thought she had heard incorrectly. ¡°You don¡¯t even know his name?¡± ¡°I just encountered him that day!¡± Benqiao Meijia said quietly. At that moment, Xue An was leading his family into the Sensoji Temple. The ancient temple that had stood for a thousand years was much less crowded inside. Outside the side hall, men in black stood in large numbers, causing every passerby to quicken their pace, eager to leave the area as soon as possible. Xue An ascended the steps. ¡°Stop, the temple is closed today. Visitors, please go elsewhere!¡± a man blocked Xue An¡¯s path and said coldly. ¡°Move aside!¡± Xue An said indifferently. The man furrowed his brow slightly, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, this place is not open to the public today!¡± Xue An looked at him. An invisible pressure caused the people around to turn pale. A look of shock flashed in the man¡¯s eyes. Just then, a chubby man standing at the entrance said, ¡°Back off!¡± Everyone made way, and then the man sneered at Xue An. ¡°I presume you must be Mr. Xue from China?¡± Xue An nodded slightly. ¡°I¡¯m the Family Head of the Inoue Family, Inoue Shin¡¯i! Please!¡± The man spoke with a cold voice, rage simmering in his eyes. But Xue An only smiled and then proceeded into the hall with An Yan. Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Seal of the Immortal King (Part 5) Chapter 220: Chapter 220: Seal of the Immortal King (Part 5) Translator: 549690339 With those words, a monster with five serpent heads slowly rose from the long sword behind Watanabe Kiyoshiro. An endless majestic pressure intimidated everyone present. Kneeling respectfully to one side, Watanabe Kiyoshiro exclaimed excitedly, ¡°Welcome, great one, to your descent into this world!¡± Orochi looked towards Xue An, and hunger filled all ten icy, sinister serpent eyes. ¡°What a splendid body, if possessed by me, then I would have no rival in this world!¡± This sight also filled Songmu Feihua with utter dread. Orochi. A demon god from the legends of Country R. Could it actually exist? And it seemed to have ill intentions towards Xue An! Takeuchi Kiyoko and the others also wore grave expressions at this moment. Only Xue An, with a calm demeanor, said, ¡°You finally deign to appear after I¡¯ve searched for so long!¡± Orochi was taken aback for a moment, ¡°Mortal, what do you want with me?¡± Showing his pearly white teeth, Xue An smiled ominously, ¡°Of course, I want¡­ your life!¡± No sooner had he spoken than Xue An transformed into a streak of light, appearing directly in front of Orochi, and then his hand grasped one of the serpent heads and tugged fiercely. Bang! A muffled sound. Xue An actually ripped off one of the serpent heads by force. Demon blood splattered everywhere. Orochi let out a painful scream. ¡°Mortal, I shall grind you to dust bit by bit!¡± Orochi roared while its serpentine body suddenly split open, revealing an exceedingly sharp treasured sword. ¡°The Celestial Sword!¡± Songmu Feihua cried out in shock. It was what legends said was lodged within Orochi, the very Celestial Sword. At this moment, Orochi gradually morphed into a humanoid form, wielding the Celestial Sword, and cackled manically, ¡°Today, I shall let you know, let you know that the demon god is invincible in battle!¡± With that, it swung its sword. The sharpness of the Celestial Sword even left a sword mark in the air, as if it had slashed through the space itself. This mighty strike also blasted Xue An away. Then he fell into the night sky, his fate unknown. Benqiao Meijia¡¯s heart was shocked, and she couldn¡¯t help but cry out in surprise. And An Yan, who stepped outside the side hall, also turned pale with shock. ¡°Husband!¡± Her shout reached the ears of the triumphant Orochi Demon God who looked down and then was taken aback. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ you are¡­¡± Orochi¡¯s entire body trembled as if it had seen something horrendous. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were waving their little fists in anger, shouting, ¡°You big octopus, how dare you hit my dad!¡± In the eyes of the two young girls, Orochi looked just like a big octopus. But before An Yan could speak, Orochi turned tail and ran. This turn of events shocked Songmu Feihua and the others. What¡¯s going on? Why did the Orochi Demon God flee at the mere sight of An Yan? Even Watanabe Kiyoshiro couldn¡¯t help but stare in astonishment. ¡°Demon god, why are you running?¡± Orochi bellowed, ¡°Not running means not even saving my own life, quick, let¡¯s go!¡± But just then, an earth-shattering aura arrived, followed by an indifferent voice. ¡°Thinking of running? It¡¯s too late!¡± As he spoke, Xue An¡¯s figure suddenly appeared in front of Orochi, grabbing several serpent heads in one swoop. Bang. He forcefully pulled off another two heads. Orochi, furious, swung its sword. But now, Xue An didn¡¯t even bother to dodge, simply grasping the supposedly indestructible Celestial Sword directly. ¡°He¡­ he¡­ has he broken through?¡± Songmu Feihua exclaimed in surprise. That¡¯s right. Xue An had finally broken through that crucial threshold and advanced to the status of a Loose Immortal. But his status as a Loose Immortal was a hundred times more powerful than anyone else¡¯s. ¡°Sounds impressive, but it¡¯s far inferior to The Celestial Sword and other divine artifacts!¡± Xue An said lightly before applying force. Crack. The Sword of Clouds broke. This sword was also a manifestation of Orochi¡¯s soul essence, and its breaking instantly caused Orochi¡¯s strength to greatly diminish. Xue An then kicked it to the ground. At that moment, Watanabe Kiyomi was in a daze, and Xue An threw him to the ground as well. As soon as he hit the ground, Orochi saw An Yan and immediately began to retreat in terror. Xue An stood with his hands behind his back and asked calmly, ¡°Now, can you tell me why you sealed my wife?¡± The human form manifested by Orochi knelt on the ground and said with a trembling voice, ¡°My lord, I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare to seal your lady!¡± Puff! Another snake head was severed. Orochi cried out in pain. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°No seal? Then what¡¯s with the demonic aura on her?¡± Orochi stuttered, ¡°My lord, I truly didn¡¯t seal her. That day I possessed the Demonic Sword and followed Watanabe Kiyomi to Huaxia, where we encountered her by chance. She seemed disoriented, so I had Watanabe Kiyomi capture her and bring her to Country R! But¡­¡± A look of extreme terror flashed in Orochi¡¯s eyes. ¡°But then a frightening flame suddenly erupted from her body. Although I was only touched by it slightly, it severely damaged my vital energy. With no other options, I had to use all my cultivation level to temporarily seal her. My lord, I have not uttered a single lie!¡± Orochi said in fear. It knew all too well that in the presence of someone like Xue An, if it misspoke even a single word, it would face the demise of both soul and body. Moreover, Orochi was now guessing, just who was this man? Why was he so powerful, even to the point of being tyrannical? An Yan¡¯s complexion gradually paled, and she shook her head at Xue An. ¡°Husband¡­ I don¡¯t remember anything about that day!¡± Xue An smiled with a tinge of heartache, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll remember it one day!¡± Meanwhile, Orochi saw an opportunity to escape. Because it knew that if Xue An wanted to break the seal, he would surely have to kill it, but now that it had lost several heads and its strength was greatly diminished, how could it possibly stand against Xue An? Xue An took a step forward and instantly appeared behind it, throwing a punch. ¡°Ah ah ah ah I don¡¯t want to die¡­.¡± The scream came to an abrupt end. Orochi¡¯s demonic body disintegrated under that punch. And at the same time. An obscure aura vanished from An Yan¡¯s body. An Yan felt her body¡¯s energy pathways become much smoother. But immediately after, an apocalyptic flame capable of ending the world rose from her body. Its power was so tremendous that Watanabe Kiyomi, who was closest, didn¡¯t even have the chance to scream before he was reduced to nothingness. Even Xue An¡¯s normally unflappable face showed a hint of shock. ¡°Apocalypse Flame, how is that possible!¡± An Yan, however, was completely unaware of this, and as the flames lasted for only a few seconds, a talisman spell that made heaven and earth tremble flashed on her forehead. Then the flames gradually disappeared. Xue An¡¯s face turned grim, and he gritted his teeth. ¡°Seal of the Immortal King!¡± An Yan, still oblivious, slowly approached and said somewhat fearfully, ¡°Husband, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xue An took a deep breath and smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± As he spoke, Xue An took An Yan¡¯s arm and used his Divine Sense to probe the energies within her body. Suddenly. A vast and mighty mental power burst forth. In Xue An¡¯s mental world, a pair of immense eyes slowly opened. Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 223 An Yan’s Frying Pan (3rd Update) Chapter 223: Chapter 223 An Yan¡¯s Frying Pan (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Oh? And what if I don¡¯t cooperate?¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°Then don¡¯t blame me for being impolite!¡± Aoyama Hoshino sneered coldly. At that moment, An Yan abruptly stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Aoyama Hoshino gave An Yan a glance but didn¡¯t take her seriously, turning back to continue, ¡°Even though you are powerful, don¡¯t forget this is Country R, and I! I am a Jonin of the Lifeless Ninja Stream. Now I command you to come with me for the investigation, otherwise¡­¡± Aoyama Hoshino¡¯s malicious smile began to spread. But before the smile on his face could fade, An Yan¡ªwith every hair on her body standing on end¡ªrushed out of the kitchen, wielding a frying pan, and swung it at the back of Aoyama Hoshino¡¯s head. Whoosh! The frying pan, carried by the wind, hurtled towards Aoyama Hoshino. Aoyama Hoshino¡¯s face showed a trace of mocking smile, and with a slight sidestep, he dodged the frying pan, then smiled complacently. ¡°How violent, but do you really think you can hit me with that? I am a Jonin, and¡­¡± Before he could finish, An Yan clenched her teeth and, with all her strength, hurled the frying pan in her hand. This time, it was incredibly fast and took Aoyama Hoshino by surprise, hitting him squarely on the head before he could react. Clang. The frying pan made intimate contact with Aoyama Hoshino¡¯s head. It must be said that the Jonin¡¯s head was tough enough to deform the frying pan on impact. And a large lump swelled up at a visible speed on Aoyama Hoshino¡¯s head. ¡°Good¡­ good! You dare to hit me with such methods? You¡¯re all dead! I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± Aoyama Hoshino trembled with rage. But just as he was about to explode, a hand landed on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Xue An said softly. Aoyama Hoshino stiffened. Even though Xue An¡¯s touch on his shoulder was light, Aoyama Hoshino felt as if all his muscles were no longer obeying him. A surge of intense crisis flooded over him, causing his face to show sheer horror as he looked at Xue An. Why had this man, who was just now so mild-mannered, suddenly become so domineering? An Yan was still somewhat angry at this point. ¡°Breaking into my home suddenly and wanting to take away my husband? Humph, I¡¯ll show you the power of a frying pan!¡± An Yan was like a mother dragon whose reverse scales had been touched, on the verge of going berserk. Xue An chuckled, ¡°Alright, wife, no need to be angry. I think the Jonin here knows what he did wrong, right?¡± Looking at Xue An¡¯s smile, Aoyama Hoshino felt a chill to his blood, and his complexion turned pale. ¡°Go back and tell your people, the incident at Sensoji Temple wasn¡¯t my doing, the real perpetrator has been killed by me. No need to thank me, but also don¡¯t come to provoke me again, my patience is very limited!¡± Xue An stated blandly. Aoyama Hoshino trembled all over, nodded with difficulty, and then tried to escape using the Earth Technique. But no matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t perform the earth escape technique this time. It seemed as if the space around him was locked by a breath of air. Walking away with fear, Aoyama Hoshino left. After he had gone, An Yan spoke with some concern, ¡°Husband, will these guys come back again?¡± ¡°Of course, they will!¡± Xue An smiled lightly. ¡°What should we do?¡± An Yan asked anxiously. ¡°Of course, use the frying pan to smack them all away!¡± Xue An teased. An Yan¡¯s face flushed red, and she lowered her head slightly embarrassed, ¡°I just heard these guys wanted to take you away, and I got worried¡­¡± Xue An stepped forward and rubbed her little head, saying indulgently, ¡°It¡¯s okay, these guys won¡¯t learn unless they see blood, and you did very well!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true!¡± An Yan smiled shyly, a stark contrast to the violent image of her wielding a frying pan from moments before. When Fujita Miki saw her senior brother Aoyama Hoshino, she couldn¡¯t help but be startled. ¡°Senior brother, what happened to you? Why has your head suddenly gotten so big?¡± With a grimace, Aoyama Hoshino touched the large lump on his head, then said with a wry smile, ¡°Someone hit me with a frying pan, and, this incident at Sensoji Temple is definitely related to that Xue An! But this person is very strong! I think we need to inform the sect now!¡± ¡°How strong?¡± Fujita Miki frowned. ¡°Indescribably strong, I¡¯ve only sensed this kind of terrifying presence from our master.¡± Fujita Miki¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°I need to report this, we alone are no longer capable of handling it!¡± Soon, Fujita Miki¡¯s report caught the attention of the government¡¯s higher-ups. The Prime Minister of Country R was like an ant on a hot pot, anxiously pacing around. With such a big incident, one could only imagine the pressure he was under. If he couldn¡¯t provide a satisfactory answer to the public, his resignation was undoubtedly imminent. So, when Fujita Miki¡¯s report was presented, the Prime Minister was overjoyed, at last, they had found a likely culprit. Therefore, he immediately accepted the recommendation and requested Fujita Miki and the others to take full charge of the matter. In Country R, ninja held a peculiar existence. They had always remained hidden in the dark corners of history, only emerging into the spotlight when the world was in chaos or when warlords battled for dominance. It wasn¡¯t until modern society that these ninja gradually came out of the shadows and became an indispensable force in Country R, even capable of influencing the shift of power. At this moment. In a high-rise building in Kyushu. Harukyo Ryosuke was reclining on a sofa, enjoying the best time of day. Suddenly, a pure white light began to appear gradually. Harukyo Ryosuke slightly frowned and pinched the white light with his fingers, only then seeing clearly that it was a letter. This was a secret technique used by ninja to transmit important information. After reading it, Harukyo Ryosuke closed his eyes, seemingly pondering something, and after a while, he opened his eyes with a grave expression. ¡°Someone come!¡± Several figures began to emerge slowly. ¡°My lord!¡± ¡°Send out the order, command the Sacred Ninja Mushu to head to Tokyo!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Harukyo Ryosuke, with furrowed brows and a serious demeanor, stood up and paced back and forth in the room. Xue An! This name stirred up tumultuous waves in his heart. In recent days, the Martial Arts World of Country R had experienced turmoil akin to a magnitude-nine earthquake. Because the Sword Saints of several major Sword Dao schools, including Hokushin Ittoryu and the technique of drawing the sword, had all died, as well as several abbots from the Kyo-wa Shrine. What exactly happened at Sensoji Temple had become something all in the Martial Arts World of Country R wanted to know. But what was certain was that this Xue An was definitely involved. Thinking this, a flash of murderous intent crossed Harukyo Ryosuke¡¯s face. ¡°Also inform the other ninja schools, this time, we must make the one who dares to provoke the samurai of our great Country R Empire pay the price!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Very soon. The heads of several major ninja schools received the secret messages and a sincere invitation from the Prime Minister. These assassins, accustomed to hiding in the darkness, began to surface and bare their sharp fangs! Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 224: The Battle of Akihabara (1st Update) Chapter 224: Chapter 224: The Battle of Akihabara (1st Update) Translator: 549690339 Tokyo. Akihabara. As the Myriad Realms¡¯ quintessential Holy Land for the second dimension, the people who roamed here every day were anime enthusiasts from all around the world. On the street, it was common to see various people dressed in unique and exotic cosplay outfits. ¡°Daddy, Daddy, look¡­ Ultraman!¡± Xue Xiang pointed excitedly at someone on the street. As a little girl, her favorite thing to watch was actually Ultraman. Meanwhile, Nian Nian¡¯s eyes shone as she watched a girl dressed up as Cardcaptor Sakura. Xue An smiled as he looked at his two excited daughters. ¡°So what do you two want to dress up as?¡± ¡°I want to be Peppa Pig!¡± Nian Nian said first. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xue An raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to be George, but that¡¯s OK!¡± Xue Xiang also nodded in agreement. ¡°Is that OK, Daddy Pig?¡± Nian Nian shook Xue An¡¯s arm, her voice filled with pleading. As an Immortal Venerable who had weathered countless storms and reached the pinnacle of Myriad Realms, Xue An considered his resolve as firm as bedrock, indestructible by anything. And the coaxing of a little girl was nothing to speak of, let alone worthy of mention. So Xue An hesitated for only a second before nodding. ¡°Yay, Daddy¡¯s the best!¡± both little girls cheered and jumped with joy. An Yan was standing by, enjoying the scene. ¡°Mommy, and you, you¡¯re Daddy Pig now!¡± Xue Xiang remarked seriously. The smile on An Yan¡¯s face froze. As Akihabara, the holy land for anime, even the roadside stalls sold all kinds of cosplay accessories. So just a few minutes later. The streets of Akihabara saw the family from Peppa Pig. However, since this family had high attractiveness, they drew a significant amount of attention. The more this happened, the happier Xue Xiang and Nian Nian, walking in front, became. Xue An and An Yan wore pig ears hats on their heads, following behind with a touch of embarrassment. ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, are you tired? How about we find a place to eat some ice cream?¡± Xue An played the ice cream trump card. But Xue Xiang and Nian Nian both shook their heads firmly, their faces showing dissatisfaction, ¡°Daddy Pig, please call us Peppa and George!¡± Xue An: Three hours later. The two little girls had finally tired of walking around. Xue An and An Yan couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. In those three hours, there had been several people who came up asking for photos. There were even a few talent scouts who approached excitedly, believing that Xue Xiang and Nian Nian had great potential in show business. Of course, all of them were flatly turned down by Xue An. ¡°Daddy Pig, I¡¯m hungry!¡± Nian Nian exclaimed. Xue An nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat!¡± Nian Nian didn¡¯t move. Xue An sighed, ¡°Dear Peppa, shall we go to eat?¡± Only then did Nian Nian beam, ¡°OK, Daddy Pig!¡± Night fell, and the lights of Akihabara came on. Xue An took his family to a restaurant for dinner. Though their tastes had been spoiled by Xue An, the two little girls were indeed famished from the day¡¯s activities, so they ate ravenously. Xue An slowly sipped his wine, smiling as he looked on. At this moment, the wind and rain outside had started to pick up, which made the coziness inside the room all the more striking. Suddenly, the door to the place was pushed open, and a cold breeze mixed with rain surged in. Xue An slightly lifted his gaze and then saw a familiar face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Edward, but I¡¯m not interested in your glorious background, and now I¡¯m about to have dinner with friends. Could you please stop following me?¡± Benqiao Meijia said with a hint of anger. Kawada Keiko also spoke up coldly from the side, ¡°Mr. Edward, Meijia has made herself clear. Please stop following us!¡± Meanwhile, a blond, blue-eyed foreign man was chuckling as he said, ¡°Miss Benqiao, I¡¯ve already asked your company, and you have no commitments for the next few days. Plus, isn¡¯t it better for us to have dinner together?¡± Benqiao Meijia was left fuming. This Edward was a relative of the chairman of the company where Benqiao Meijia worked, and he had flown in from M Country to Tokyo for business. However, he unexpectedly encountered Benqiao Meijia, and from that point on, like someone possessed, Edward followed her everywhere she went. It was incredibly annoying to Benqiao Meijia. Finally managing to get out to eat with Keiko, this persistent nuisance had yet again followed her like a shadow. Kawada Keiko¡¯s face was filled with displeasure too, but as she turned her head, she caught sight of Xue An not far away, her eyes lit up, and she nudged Benqiao Meijia. ¡°Look over there!¡± Benqiao Meijia turned her head to look and was also momentarily stunned. With a sly smile, Kawada Keiko ignored Benqiao Meijia¡¯s attempt to stop her and walked straight over. ¡°Mr. Xue, hello!¡± Kawada Keiko greeted him boldly. Xue An leaned back in his chair and gave a faint smile, ¡°Hello!¡± He had seen what just happened, so he just watched Kawada Keiko with a nonchalant look, curious about what she would do next. Though Kawada Keiko usually feared nothing, under Xue An¡¯s indifferent gaze, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit uneasy. The words she wanted to say didn¡¯t seem to come out right. In the end, it was Benqiao Meijia who bit her lip and stepped forward, ¡°Mr. Xue, what a coincidence to see you again.¡± Xue An nodded and then glanced at Edward, whose expression was gradually turning dark, ¡°It seems someone is not too happy!¡± Benqiao Meijia gritted her teeth and whispered, ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡¯m begging you for help, this guy is too annoying!¡± Xue An smiled. Because there was no need for him to act, Edward already stepped forward. ¡°And this is¡­?¡± Edward asked arrogantly. ¡°This is Mr. Xue from China, and also our friend. Mr. Edward, it¡¯s raining outside, so please leave!¡± Although she was furious inside. Since Edward was, after all, a senior executive of the company, Benqiao Meijia tried to suppress the anger in her heart and spoke indifferently. Upon hearing this, a sinister look flashed in Edward¡¯s eyes, ¡°A Chinese? Heh, I didn¡¯t expect Miss Benqiao to have friends from China, quite surprising indeed!¡± Then Edward looked at Xue An, ¡°May I ask which company¡¯s senior executive is Mr. Xue?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not a senior executive of any company, just visiting Country R for pleasure!¡± Edward smirked with a profound meaning, ¡°Oh, I see!¡± After that, he didn¡¯t even give Xue An another proper glance, and directly turned to Benqiao Meijia, ¡°Miss Benqiao, this place has a poor environment, how about I take you for a French meal instead?¡± Benqiao Meijia¡¯s expression turned extremely ugly. Just as she was about to say something, Kawada Keiko pointed outside the window as if she had seen a ghost, her voice trembling, ¡°Oh my, people are doing cosplay out in the rain?¡± It wasn¡¯t just her, at that moment most of the people dining in the restaurant witnessed a surprising scene. In the rainy night at Akihabara street, a group of men dressed in ancient samurai attire, with wooden clogs on their feet and straw hats on their heads, was seen slowly approaching. This group of men seemed to make no sound as they walked, not even disturbing the rainwater on the ground. As everyone stared in amazement, Xue An picked up his glass of wine and took a slow sip, saying indifferently, ¡°Truly, a bunch of bothersome fellows.¡± Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 226 The True Power of Holding Life and Death (Third Update) Chapter 226: Chapter 226 The True Power of Holding Life and Death (Third Update) Translator: 549690339 Fujita Miki stood there, her expression frozen. Harukyo Ryosuke could no longer restrain himself and advanced, ready to take action himself. It was at this moment that Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I said they could trade a life for a life, but not you!¡± No sooner had he spoken than a streak of sword light shot straight towards Harukyo Ryosuke. Harukyo Ryosuke turned pale with fright, and grabbed Fujita Miki, intending to use her to block the incoming sword light. But just then, a line of blood appeared on his throat, gradually widening into a gash from which a fountain of blood finally burst forth. He made grasping, unwilling sounds from his throat before collapsing to the ground, full of resentment. All the ninjas sent from Country R to deal with Xue An were annihilated! Fujita Miki suddenly felt very cold, the kind that seeped into her bones. Xue An looked at her and said, ¡°I won¡¯t kill you because your life was exchanged by someone else, but I hope you understand that my patience is very limited! Got it?¡± Fujita Miki nodded, trembling. Xue An looked at stormy Tokyo and murmured, ¡°Since I¡¯ve shown restraint once and you still refuse to give up, then¡­ this time I¡¯ll teach you a lesson you¡¯ll never forget!¡± The sword light transformed into a giant dragon that slithered at Xue An¡¯s feet. Xue An stepped onto it and headed straight for Tokyo¡¯s tallest structure, the so-called World Tree, Tokyo Tower. The passing sword light alarmed countless masters hidden throughout Tokyo. Many who were meditating suddenly opened their eyes, looking towards the sky in utter shock. ¡°Such tremendous sword momentum!¡± ¡°Who is this person?¡± Following the trail of Xue An¡¯s sword light, countless figures shot into the sky, trailing behind. A faint smile played on the corners of Xue An¡¯s mouth. What he intended to do was to show these people what true power was. The sword light came to a stop. Ahead stood the majestic Tokyo Tower. Xue An stood in the air, silent. Someone called out loudly, ¡°Senior, why release such earth-shattering Sword Qi?¡± In that moment, a flash of lightning revealed Xue An¡¯s face. Some cried out in surprise. ¡°Xue An! It¡¯s Xue An!¡± Others, unaware of who Xue An was, had someone gravely inform them. ¡°This person is a formidable being from Huaxia. It is said that he is responsible for the recent Sensoji Temple incident!¡± Hiss. Upon hearing this, many took in a sharp breath of cold air. Countless masters from Country R had died or were injured in the incident at Sensoji Temple. Could it really be the work of this man? It was at this time that Xue An said calmly, ¡°I came to Country R in search of something. Now that I have found it, some people still dared to trouble me. Therefore, I am about to show you the consequences of angering me!¡± As he spoke, the sword light dragon suddenly burst forth, coiling around the towering Tokyo Tower, and then contracting fiercely. Boom. This steel-crafted high-rise, the landmark of Tokyo, was, under this single strike, broken into three parts, then slowly toppled over and crashed to the ground. Bang! A thunderous noise that was deafening to the ears. The entire city of Tokyo was awoken by this loud sound. And the masters who had rushed over were even more pale with shock, their faces turning white, some with shallow cultivation levels were directly shaken to the ground. Xue An stood in the air, his voice indifferent, ¡°Now, is there anyone who objects?¡± No one dared to speak. The only sounds that filled this space were the relentless rain. Xue An nodded, ¡°Good, this is the lesson I¡¯ve given you. Dare to provoke me again, and this will be the outcome!¡± Having said that, Xue An rode on his sword and left. It was only after he had flown far away that these individuals finally let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°What level of cultivation does this person have?¡± someone wondered aloud in astonishment. ¡°No matter the cultivation level, with his Sword Dao alone, he¡¯s already like an immortal. In our Country R, no one can be an opponent to him!¡± someone said with a bitter smile. Most of them, however, remained silent. In the face of such an absolute power disparity, all these proud R country samurai lowered their heads. When Xue An returned to the restaurant, everyone in the restaurant looked at him with pale faces. Especially those who were timid, they looked at Xue An as if he were a ghost or a god. ¡°Honey, what happened just now? Why was there such a loud noise?¡± An Yan asked. Xue An smiled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just feeling uncomfortable, so I dismantled the Tokyo Tower!¡± ¡°What?¡± Benqiao Meijia and Kawada Keiko¡¯s eyes widened in unison. Tokyo Tower! That was a tower forged of steel, and he dismantled it alone? Even Edward¡¯s face was filled with shock. Xue An just smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to go home! I reckon we¡¯ll be able to return to our country tomorrow!¡± ¡°Really?¡± An Yan was very happy! Xue An nodded. He then turned to Benqiao Meijia and the others with a slight smile, ¡°Goodbye!¡± Saying this, he led his wife and children, and the whole family left. Benqiao Meijia stared blankly at Xue An¡¯s back, and suddenly understood. All her dreams and wishes had been nothing but foolish fantasies. From Sensoji Temple until today, this strong and mysterious man had given Benqiao Meijia an incredible shock. But it also made her realize just how desperate the gap between herself and Xue An was. ¡°Miss Benqiao, let me take you home!¡± Edward said with a forced smile. Benqiao Meijia glanced at him, didn¡¯t say a word, and left on her own with her best friend Kawada Keiko. This night was destined to be sleepless for many. When the first rays of the morning sun came into the room, Tokyo¡¯s prominent figures had already gathered below the villa where Xue An was staying. When Xue An came downstairs, everyone stood up. ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there something you need?¡± Although Xue An was smiling, to those people, his smile was incredibly terrifying. Because of what had happened the previous night, it had uncontrollably spread. Everyone knew that the Tokyo Tower had fallen. What the ordinary people didn¡¯t know was that the cause of it all was this seemingly gentle man. The envoy sent by the government of Country R was pale, wiping his cold sweat, smiling obsequiously, ¡°Mr. Xue, we have come to express our apologies. There might have been some misunderstandings between us recently, and we deeply regret that, hoping¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so afraid. I did what I did last night because some of you repeatedly crossed my bottom line. Now that my business is concluded, I will soon leave Country R!¡± Xue An¡¯s words made everyone present secretly breathe a sigh of relief. This Divine Slaughter was leaving, which was just too good! The envoy was even more overjoyed, ¡°Mr. Xue, if that¡¯s the case, then we shall arrange a special plane to send you back!¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯ll leave when I wish to do so. Why, are you that eager to see me go?¡± Xue An¡¯s words made the envoy break out in a cold sweat again. Xue An leaned back on the sofa, speaking lightly, ¡°Also, Takeuchi Kiyoko is under my protection. You all know what to do, right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone bowed deeply. These individuals might be influential, even regarded as noble and high-born in other circumstances. But at this moment, they could only bow their heads to Xue An. Because in front of this man, they had all realized something. All worldly possessions were useless against him. What he controlled was the most daunting power of all. And that was the power over life and death! Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 228: World Special Forces Competition (Fifth Update) Chapter 228: Chapter 228: World Special Forces Competition (Fifth Update) Translator: 549690339 The next day, as dawn was barely breaking, An Qing couldn¡¯t wait any longer and started knocking on the door. ¡°Brother-in-law, sister, get up quick!¡± Xue An no longer needed to sleep, but out of habit, he still lay in bed feigning sleep. Upon hearing An Qing¡¯s shouting, he frowned slightly. What¡¯s happening? When he got up and opened the door, An Qing greeted him with a mischievous grin, ¡°Brother-in-law, I¡¯m really sorry, but it looks like you won¡¯t be able to stay at home!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I should have told you yesterday, but you had just got off the plane and I didn¡¯t say anything! Fire Phoenix is going to participate in the World Special Forces Competition, and it normally would be the general¡¯s duty to lead the team, but the general is no longer with us.¡± As she said this, An Qing¡¯s expression turned somewhat somber. ¡°Therefore, the military just issued an order for you to lead the team over there!¡± ¡°Me lead the team?¡± Xue An was somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes! This was my suggestion after all, since Fire Phoenix was built by your own hands. In terms of experience and prestige, you are the most suitable candidate!¡± said An Qing earnestly. Xue An was rather amused, ¡°It seems¡­ I¡¯m not part of the military, right? This order doesn¡¯t apply to me, does it?¡± An Qing smiled slyly, ¡°Didn¡¯t the general confer upon you the rank of Major General Vermilion Bird? From that moment on, you¡¯ve been a member of the military!¡± Xue An: ¡°Brother-in-law, please don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s just that this matter is very important¡­ .¡± Xue An waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Alright, if it were anyone else doing this, I would certainly refuse, but you¡¯re an exception. Besides, I had promised General Lin to look after everyone.¡± ¡°So you agree! Haha! Brother-in-law, you¡¯re the best!¡± An Qing danced with joy. When the news that Xue An would be leading the team spread back to the Fire Phoenix camp, all the members of Fire Phoenix got excited. ¡°The instructor is coming back!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, with the instructor leading, we¡¯re sure to take first place this time!¡± A few of the newer team members who had joined later were especially excited. They had heard plenty about Xue An¡¯s exploits, especially his method of using the Heart Demon realm to test the Fire Phoenix team members, which was something those who hadn¡¯t had the chance to experience it envied greatly. At this moment, Xue An was chatting with An Yan and his daughter. ¡°This time, Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian won¡¯t go with me, after all, it¡¯s not convenient for us to appear in the military,¡± An Yan said. Xue An nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine. I just asked, and the location of the competition this time is in Siberia, not too far from us. Traveling there by flying sword won¡¯t take more than a day!¡± ¡°Alright! Honey, be careful out there!¡± An Yan advised. Xue An smiled and suddenly pulled out a delicately made flat-bottomed pan from his bag. ¡°Look, this is a divine artifact I just forged for you, take it with you for self-defense!¡± An Yan was somewhat torn between laughter and tears but found it very handy upon taking it. What An Yan didn¡¯t know was that Xue An had gone to great lengths to create this flat-bottomed pan. Although lacking various precious materials, its power might not even reach that of a magical treasure. But Xue An had used the highest level of forging technique, the Heart Refining Technique, which gave this ordinary pan a hint of spiritual charm. ¡°This item suits you best, and no one will suspect its purpose. You can even use it to fry dishes on a regular day; it¡¯s simply perfect!¡± Xue An said with a chuckle. An Yan excitedly tested it out a few times and then nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s very easy to handle, but I don¡¯t know how effective it will be for hitting people!¡± Xue An suddenly felt a chill down his spine and then said sternly to An Qing, ¡°I think we should head out now; if we delay, we might cause a mishap!¡± Suppressing a laugh, An Qing nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± When Xue An appeared on the military aircraft bound for Siberia, all the Fire Phoenix members stood up and saluted him. ¡°Greetings, Instructor!¡± Their voices shook the barracks, causing other soldiers to look over. Xue An sized up these former subordinates of his, nodding in satisfaction. He had once given each of them a cultivation technique, and it seemed they had all progressed well. ¡°Alright, take a seat!¡± Only then did everyone sit down, after which Cheng Hao and Sun Ling came over. ¡°Instructor, we heard we¡¯re going to Siberia this time? And that the competition is said to be the toughest in recent years?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Yes, Siberia. But as for the difficulty, I¡¯m not sure. Why? Are you scared?¡± Cheng Hao laughed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be challenging enough, and winning first place won¡¯t feel as rewarding.¡± Sun Ling apologized to Xue An with some embarrassment: ¡°Instructor, about the other day¡­¡± Xue An waved it off, ¡°It¡¯s in the past, no need to mention it.¡± On the flight to Siberia, Xue An talked with his team members. If they had any questions about their cultivation, Xue An would explain them one by one. So by the time they arrived in Siberia, the more outstanding members of the group, like Cheng Hao and others, had subtly increased their cultivation level. As soon as they got off the plane, a graceful figure quickly approached and saluted Xue An. ¡°Mr. Xue! I didn¡¯t expect to see you so soon!¡± Xue An recognized the speaker as Su Shanna, the instructor from Country E hired by Commander Hu. In this barracks full of men, Su Shanna¡¯s arrival was like a shot of adrenaline, exciting everyone. At the very least, the men passing by couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her. Only Xue An responded with an indifferent smile, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°This time I¡¯m representing the military of Country E! When I saw your name on the list of team leaders, I made a point of coming here to wait for you!¡± Su Shanna said with a smile. At this moment, Cheng Hao and the others gave Xue An some winks and chuckles before laughing and walking away. Su Shanna said enviously, ¡°Your team members are simply too strong; it¡¯s admirable!¡± Just then, a chilling voice came from behind, ¡°Hmph, I think they¡¯re just average at best! All talk but no show!¡± With those words, a bald man slowly walked over. This man had a fierce appearance, dark skin, and cold light emanating from his triangular eyes, giving off a very uncomfortable feeling. Seeing this man, Su Shanna couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°Black Snake, what are you doing here?¡± Black Snake flashed a toothy smile, his gaze at Su Shanna filled with naked desire, ¡°I came to see for myself just how impressive the famous Fire Phoenix is, as well as this instructor who¡¯s been hyped up like an immortal.¡± ¡°And the result¡­¡± A cold smirk appeared on Black Snake¡¯s lips. ¡°Is nothing special!¡± Su Shanna frowned slightly and gave Xue An an apologetic smile, as if to suggest he shouldn¡¯t get angry. Xue An, however, looked at Black Snake with interest before smiling noncommittally. ¡°Interesting, to think someone would actually dare to crossbreed with livestock.¡± This comment caused Black Snake¡¯s face to contort with rage, just as he was about to retort. Su Shanna¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Instructor Black Snake, I believe you are aware of the principles of the Siberian training camp: all private fights and verbal provocations are strictly forbidden, otherwise, you will be disqualified from the competition! Understand?¡± Black Snake licked his dry lips, ¡°Fine, I will let my boys tear your subordinates to shreds on the competition field!¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond to such threats. Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Do You Believe in the Devil? (First Update) Chapter 229: Chapter 229 Do You Believe in the Devil? (First Update) Translator: 549690339 After Black Snake left, Su Shanna said somewhat apologetically, ¡°Mr. Xue, this person¡­.¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°He¡¯s just a bio-engineered soldier.¡± Su Shanna was shocked and then looked at Xue An incredulously, ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°You can tell by looking at him, probably one of old M¡¯s special forces, nobody else would dare to be so crazy,¡± Xue An said calmly. The genes of pythons and other fierce beasts had been transplanted into Black Snake¡¯s body, which greatly increased his strength, turning him into a terrifying weapon that reaped lives on the battlefield. But in Xue An¡¯s view, this was simply trash. The greatest potential lies in humans, but if it¡¯s tainted by the genes of wild beasts, it can never be retained. Su Shanna nodded, ¡°Mr. Xue indeed has a discerning eye!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°You¡¯re not bad at using idioms either!¡± ¡°I wonder if Mr. Xue would be interested in having a couple of drinks?¡± Su Shanna said with a smile. When this woman smiled, all those who had been stealthily watching her around were stunned. The training camp was located in the most harsh environment of Siberia. It was covered by ice and snow for most of the year. Although it was only in the months of August and September, it was already beginning to snow here. However, because an army was permanently stationed here, the nearby small town was quite prosperous. Of course, in places where M Country¡¯s army was numerous, the streets were filled mostly with pubs. At this moment, in a rather inconspicuous pub, Su Shanna and Xue An were sitting opposite each other, drinking the local specialty high-proof vodka. Plainly speaking, it was just alcohol with a concentration in the nineties percentile. Watching Xue An drink the vodka cup by cup without changing his expression, Su Shanna couldn¡¯t help but express her surprise, ¡°Mr. Xue, you can hold your liquor this well?¡± Xue An smiled. If he wanted to, he wouldn¡¯t get drunk even if he bathed in a vat of alcohol. ¡°You seem to have a lot on your mind,¡± Xue An put down his glass and said calmly. When Su Shanna heard this, she was slightly taken aback and then sighed. ¡°Mr. Xue is really sharp, indeed, there have been some things that have been troubling me lately!¡± Xue An continued to drink. A look of panic flashed across Su Shanna¡¯s face, ¡°Mr. Xue, do you believe in the existence of devils?¡± Xue An looked up at her and then smiled, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Recently¡­¡± Su Shanna paused, then said, ¡°Lately, there have been devils appearing near this training camp!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it at first, but one time, when I followed a team on patrol, I actually encountered them¡­¡± Su Shanna¡¯s face started to turn pale, ¡°They were a group of wolves that walked upright, and they even looked at me; that gaze, it was definitely that of an intelligent being.¡± Xue An remained indifferent and kept drinking slowly, ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°I asked the locals here, and they said there indeed used to be werewolves around! If it were before, I would have scoffed at it, but now I¡¯m also confused!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve reported it to my superiors, but they don¡¯t want to believe it, and now with the competition approaching, if anything goes wrong¡­¡± Su Shanna¡¯s face was full of worry. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°There¡¯s an old saying in Huaxia, ¡®Meet the soldier with the general, meet the water with the earth barrier.¡¯ If there are werewolves, they might make this competition even more exciting!¡± ¡°I hope so!¡± Su Shanna¡¯s face still carried a gloom that she couldn¡¯t dispel. Just then, two drunken M Country men with open chests and jovial grins approached. Once out of the military camp, it¡¯s necessary to change out of uniform, so Su Shanna was wearing casual clothes, her graceful figure having already aroused the desire of many men in the pub. ¡°A Huaxia person? Get lost!¡± one of the men shouted drunkenly. Many people in the bar prepared to watch the entertainment with grins on their faces. After all, in many situations, people from Huaxia were the ones most bullied. Su Shanna¡¯s expression darkened, ready to speak. She was afraid that Xue An, in a fit of rage, would kill this man, which would really blow things out of proportion. However, Xue An just shook his head at her gently. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? Get lost! We want to have a drink with this little chick!¡± the man yelled. Xue An suddenly grabbed a fork from the table and nailed it into the man¡¯s hand. The fork pierced right through his palm and sank deep into the wood. The man was initially too shocked to react, but after a moment, he began to scream in agony. Another charged forward intending to fight, but Xue An pinned him to the table with one hand, grabbed another fork, and stabbed it through his neck, nailing him to the table. However, Xue An was very precise, avoiding the blood vessels with the fork, not taking their lives. Then Xue An said in Russian, ¡°Next time you see a person from Huaxia, remember not to be so arrogant, otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to save your own life! Understood?¡± The two M countrymen grimaced in pain, nodding repeatedly as they cried out for their fathers and mothers. Xue An¡¯s thunderous methods also stunned everyone in the bar. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Xue An stood up and said indifferently. Su Shanna looked at Xue An with amazement in her eyes, and it wasn¡¯t until they were outside that she said, ¡°When you made your move just now, I thought you were going to take their lives!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Kill them? That would only dirty my hands!¡± After Xue An left, the people in the bar tried to pull the two men off the table, but to their surprise, the forks were so deeply embedded in the wood that they couldn¡¯t be removed. In the end, they had to saw the wood bit by bit to open it, then found that the wood and forks had fused together. This scene sent chills down the spines of several people from M country. Just how formidable was the seemingly genteel man from Huaxia, who could meld the forks with a casual stab? Meanwhile, at the Black Mamba special forces base in M Country, Black Snake¡¯s face was dark with anger. He had just received the news that Su Shanna and Xue An had changed into civilian clothes and gone out. This drove Black Snake, who lusted after Su Shanna, nearly insane with rage. That Huaxia man! He must die! Despite rumors of his strength, Black Snake was supremely confident that he could tear Xue An to pieces! After all¡­ He still had many trump cards unplayed. Touching a pale blue syringe with a smug look, Black Snake held the special stimulant that had just been airfreighted from M Country. Once injected with it, his abilities would instantly multiply twentyfold. What did that mean? Currently, Black Snake¡¯s punch packed a ton of force! Multiply that by twenty, and it meant a single punch could deliver twenty tons of force. That was enough to send a train flying. That¡¯s why Black Snake had such overwhelming confidence. As for his subordinates, they were all standing silently against the wall with their eyes closed, like corpses. Every one of them was hooked up to a nutrient tube. This was the best method to conserve energy before battle! In Black Snake¡¯s view, only such troops were true human weapons; everything else was trash. Fire Phoenix? Heh, I¡¯ll send you all to hell! Black Snake chuckled coldly to himself. Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 230: The Competition Begins (2nd Update) Chapter 230: Chapter 230: The Competition Begins (2nd Update) Translator: 549690339 ¡°Gentlemen, since you are all elite special forces from around the world, I won¡¯t say much. There are only two requirements for the competition: first, kill your opponents! Second, secure victory! I wish you good luck!¡± A bearded officer from M Country stood on a high platform and delivered an extremely brief opening speech. That¡¯s right. The World Special Forces competition allowed casualties. That was also why it was so authoritative. After he stepped down from the platform, the competition officially began, and more than a dozen special forces teams boarded helicopters. They would be randomly dropped within a twenty-kilometer radius of deep mountains and dense forests. In this vast wilderness, strength alone did the talking. The instructors all gathered in the hall. On the screen, there were dots representing their respective teams. This was the only information they could see. Everyone stared at the large screen with a solemn expression. The only exception was Xue An, who casually sat on the sofa, sipping vodka mouthful by mouthful. He had started to enjoy the taste and even began drinking it like water. Then there was Black Snake, who also sat calmly in the distance, having not even lifted his head to glance at the large screen, as if he had complete confidence in his team. In another room, Chekhov was watching the surveillance screens in the hall, took a sip from his flask, and chuckled, ¡°Su Shanna, who do you think will win among these people¡¯s teams?¡± Su Shanna respectfully replied, ¡°General, in my opinion, it should be China¡¯s Fire Phoenix.¡± ¡°Oh? Why?¡± Chekhov was curious. ¡°Because the instructor of Fire Phoenix¡­ is very strong!¡± explained Su Shanna. Chekhov smiled, his gaze fixed on the screen that showed Xue An drinking, ¡°I heard that when you went to China, you were defeated by him?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°But I think that the outcome of this competition is unpredictable; after all, M Country¡¯s Hei Manba is not to be trifled with, and this Black Snake is the Divine Slaughter who once galloped across the D battlefields,¡± said Chekhov indifferently. Su Shanna bowed her head and said nothing. Chekhov, with his back to her, eyes flickering slightly, then said softly, ¡°Su Shanna, remember, you are always a loyal soldier of E Country, do not be blinded by personal relationships!¡± A flicker of confusion passed through Su Shanna¡¯s eyes, not understanding why the general would suddenly make such a statement, but she still responded respectfully, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°To these brave warriors!¡± Chekhov raised his flask toward the distant forest, the corners of his mouth revealing a hint of a cold smile. Ten minutes after the competition started. The number of dots on the big screen began to decrease rapidly. Exclamations filled the hall, many instructors turning pale. Although the competition had just started, it was vaguely evident that two teams were reaping the battlefield. Soon, the first team was eliminated. This also set the record for the fastest elimination in the history of the competition. While everyone else was in a state of shock and confusion, Xue An remained composed, for he had absolute confidence in his subordinates. Last night, to adapt to the harsh illusions of the Siberian jungle, Xue An specially made them undergo the Inner Demon Trial several times. Just as Xue An thought. At this moment, in the snow-covered jungle, Zou Yi was crouching and stealthily advancing. He was wearing a snow-white combat suit that made him virtually undetectable in the vast sea of trees. But more importantly, Zou Yi had cultivated a technique specifically designed for stealth and assassination. This was also a gift from Xue An. After receiving it, Zou Yi began to practice it fervently. He now had achieved some proficiency, and while he might not compare with Cheng Hao or Sun Ling, he was certainly a master in his own right. With his breath held and his spirit focused, he blended in with the surrounding environment; Zou Yi slowly approached a sniper who was hiding behind a mound of snow. Ten meters! Five meters! Zou Yi could even see the faint warmth of breath coming from the sniper¡¯s nostrils. Suddenly, Zou Yi burst forth, stabbing directly into the space between the third and fourth vertebrae of the sniper¡¯s spine from behind. The blade severed blood vessels and nerves, and the sniper didn¡¯t even let out a whimper before his body was paralyzed. Before departing, as the team leader Cheng Hao had made it clear: this was war, and no mercy was to be shown. After killing an enemy sniper, Zou Yi took a breath and was just about to go back into hiding. Suddenly, a strong murderous aura came from the side. Without even thinking, Zou Yi instinctively leaned back. A bayonet emanating a sinister glow stabbed past where he had just been. Zou Yi broke into a cold sweat; had his reaction been even a fraction slower, he would have been the one dead on the spot. Only then did Zou Yi see clearly who the enemy was. A foreign devil wearing a light combat uniform, his face etched with indifference. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s Black Mamba!¡± Zou Yi recognized the opponent¡¯s uniform and felt a sinking feeling in his heart. The Black Mamba special forces were an extremely formidable team in this competition, and team leader Cheng Hao had mentioned that they were the true rivals. Especially since these M Country bastards used biotechnology to turn each soldier into a killing machine. So when Zou Yi saw this opponent, his heart couldn¡¯t help but sink. He was just about to dodge when the Black Mamba member¡¯s bayonet thrust turned into a sweeping cut. The speed of the change nearly scared Zou Yi to death. It¡¯s over, I¡¯m dead for sure this time! This thought had just risen in Zou Yi¡¯s mind. When a robust figure flashed before his eyes, taking the hit with his back. With a clang, it actually made the sound of metal striking metal as if the man¡¯s body weren¡¯t made of flesh but cast from steel. Zhou Daniu! The once naive and sturdy man had now become one of the top experts on the team through practicing the Indestructible Vajra Method bestowed upon him by Xue An. He was also Zou Yi¡¯s golden partner. Seeing him, Zou Yi let out a sigh of relief, but at that moment, the Black Mamba member leapt up, and the spiky end of his weapon plunged downwards. Zou Yi couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Watch out!¡± A look of disdain appeared on Zhou Daniu¡¯s face as he snorted angrily, his muscles shining as if coated in a faint layer of gold. Crack. The military spike actually broke. Even the Black Mamba member was shocked by this. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Daniu turned around and sent his fist flying, blowing the enemy away. After hitting the ground, the enemy¡¯s chest and belly had burst open; he was dead on the spot. ¡°Nice one, Daniu, your Indestructible Vajra Method has improved again!¡± Zou Yi said with a smile. Zhou Daniu chuckled naively, ¡°Some parts I didn¡¯t understand, the instructor explained to me this time, so naturally, I¡¯ve become more formidable!¡± ¡°Good, now let¡¯s meet up with the captain as we agreed. You take position at thirty degrees to my left, and we¡¯ll move forward together!¡± Zou Yi said in a deep voice. Zhou Daniu nodded. Being simple-minded, he was the perfect partner for the clever-minded Zou Yi. ¡°Hehe, if we win the competition this time, maybe our instructor won¡¯t leave!¡± Zou Yi said with a laugh. Hearing this, Zhou Daniu¡¯s eyes lit up, and he murmured resolutely, ¡°For the instructor, I¡¯ll tear these bastards to pieces!¡± Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 231: The Werewolf Appears (3rd Update) Chapter 231: Chapter 231: The Werewolf Appears (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 The competition was only an hour in. Three teams had already been eliminated, and the results were either death or crippling injuries. This cruel outcome of the competition frightened many people. Some country¡¯s instructors turned pale with rage, angrily demanding that Chekhov stop the competition. But Chekhov just smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, this competition is war; once it begins, unless it¡¯s victory or death, it cannot be stopped,¡± he said. Chekhov¡¯s words caused a stir, and many began to condemn. But Chekhov didn¡¯t even bother to listen and just turned around and walked out. The instructors were nearly beside themselves with anger, but helpless given Chekhov¡¯s indifference, they turned their ire towards Black Snake and Xue An. From the start until now, the squads with the most gains and least losses were theirs. ¡°Aren¡¯t the special forces of China always known for their humanitarianism? Why have you been so ruthless this time?¡± a dark-skinned, potbellied man roared. Without asking nationality, the distinct curry scent on him was enough to guess which country he came from. Yet his questioning couldn¡¯t even make Xue An lift his eyelids; he just continued to leisurely sip his vodka. ¡°Chinese, shouldn¡¯t you give an explanation for this?¡± another man with a sullen expression and blond hair said in a deep voice. Xue An put down his glass, looked up at these aggressive questioners, and a hint of a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°General Chekhov is right, this is a battlefield, and if it were our forces that were weaker, do you¡­ think you would spare us?¡± he asked. Xue An¡¯s words made everyone¡¯s faces turn ugly. ¡°But you didn¡¯t have to be so brutal!¡± the instructor from Y country persisted relentlessly. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Falling behind gets you beaten; this is a proverb passed down by our ancestors, now I give it to you!¡± Those who had gathered around Xue An wanted to say more, but then they heard several screams behind them. Turning to look, they saw several instructors who had been questioning Black Snake lying on the floor decapitated. Blood soaked the entire floor, giving off a strong stench of blood. Everyone was stunned. ¡°You¡­ you actually dared to kill?¡± a pale-faced instructor trembled. Black Snake smirked, ¡°Without strength, you don¡¯t even have the right to babble in front of me! Keep talking, and this will be your fate too!¡± The cruel methods of Black Snake silenced everyone. Then Black Snake turned his gaze to Xue An and said indifferently, ¡°I admit I underestimated Fire Phoenix, but do you really think that with this strength, you can compete with Black Mamba?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°As for winning or losing, let¡¯s not talk about that for now, but at least¡­ none of my men have suffered any casualties!¡± Everyone shook in unison and turned their heads towards the big screen. Indeed! Only the Fire Phoenix Special Forces were still at full strength. Black Snake¡¯s expression gradually darkened, and after a cold snort, he closed his eyes again. As he closed his eyes, the chips implanted in the bodies of the Black Mamba team members received a signal simultaneously. The members of Black Mamba, who looked indifferent like machines, all changed their expressions; their eyes turned rapidly red, and their aura increased many times over. Then these people, like Divine Slaughter incarnate, tore apart their enemies before them and headed straight towards Fire Phoenix. Everyone watched quietly as the two powerful squads were about to engage on the screen; even Su Shanna couldn¡¯t help but look solemn. Only Xue An, as if everything in the outside world had nothing to do with him, continued to drink his alcohol without a ripple. Now in the jungle. All of Fire Phoenix¡¯s members had assembled, but Cheng Hao and the others had no time to rejoice because an extremely strong aura was approaching. Now, only their two squads remained on the battlefield. The others were either dead or had withdrawn on their own. Sun Ling took a step forward and said, ¡°Captain, it looks like the enemy is quite tough!¡± Cheng Hao replied indifferently, ¡°A special forces unit artificially bred with drugs and technology is destined to fall to us!¡± With those words. The people of Black Mamba still charged forth. They ran at a constant speed from the beginning to the end, with even hills and trees unable to stop their pace. Cheng Hao said gravely, ¡°Gentlemen, eliminate the opponent and give the instructor a perfect score!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The response echoed through the valley, and the people of Fire Phoenix charged forward without hesitation. If one were to look down from above at this moment, they would see two teams, one black and one white, clashing like two sharp blades, tangled in a brutal slaughter. Meanwhile, the hall was in complete silence. One by one, the points representing Black Mamba began to decrease. Yet the points belonging to Fire Phoenix stubbornly refused to be extinguished. This scene turned Black Snake¡¯s face ashen. But Xue An just smiled faintly. Because he knew, this was only the beginning. Bang. Zhou Daniu smashed a member of Black Mamba with a punch and then asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who else?¡± This fierce momentum shocked the indifferent members of Black Mamba, causing them to involuntarily take two steps back. ¡°Heh heh, so you do know fear! I thought you were all robots!¡± A voice came from behind them, then a dagger, like a specter, reaped life. Fire Phoenix gradually gained an overwhelming advantage. But at that moment, the sound of earth-shaking footsteps emanated from the forest. Cheng Hao and the others were startled, thinking it was Black Mamba¡¯s reinforcements, but when they turned to look, they beheld an unbelievable scene. They saw a group of more than twenty werewolves slowly walking out. These werewolves stood around three meters tall, with a ferocious look, and a hint of disdain on their faces. Cheng Hao and the others were stunned. What¡­ What is going on? Just then, an impatient werewolf swung a paw, and with that single strike, a brawny Black Mamba member in front was blown into pieces. Hiss. Cheng Hao and the others gasped in shock, retreating backward. ¡°Humans, you have been fighting on our territory, so we shall make you pay a blood price!¡± the leading werewolf said coldly. As the voice fell, the members of Black Mamba were flattened like small mounds of soil before a bulldozer. ¡°Retreat!¡± Cheng Hao, feeling a chill in his heart, ordered gravely. But just as they planned to retreat in different directions, another pack of werewolves appeared, blocking their escape. ¡°These people¡¯s physiques are far superior to that trash. Take them back, they can become trophies for our kind!¡± a werewolf instructed. While Fire Phoenix was trapped in a difficult situation. Chaos had broken out in the hall. The points representing Black Mamba suddenly disappeared collectively from the screen, causing Black Snake to stand up abruptly, his face grim as he stared at Xue An. ¡°What happened? What kind of trick are you Chinese people pulling?¡± Xue An did not speak but only looked up in confusion toward the distance. At that moment, the faint sound of wolf howling came through. Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Do You Have the Qualification to Fight with Me? (4th Update) Chapter 232: Chapter 232: Do You Have the Qualification to Fight with Me? (4th Update) Translator: 549690339 Xue An¡¯s expression suddenly turned grim as he stood up and charged out of the window, vanishing into the forest with a leap. Black Snake sneered and followed suit. Once the two of them left, the atmosphere in the room grew strange. The remaining instructors looked at each other, clueless as to what had happened. Only Chekhov, in another room, watching the departing figures, had a smug smile play upon his lips. Su Shanna had also heard the howling of wolves, so she said in a trembling voice, ¡°General, those werewolves we encountered before¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, they are real, and our Empire is cooperating with these powerful beings,¡± Chekhov said indifferently. Su Shanna shuddered and turned pale, ¡°So was it intentional to choose this location for the competition?¡± Chekhov turned and looked at Su Shanna with a serious expression. ¡°These powerful beings come from a mysterious world, but what they enjoy the most are the souls of strong warriors. To trade with them for what the Empire needs, we must do this!¡± Su Shanna trembled all over, her complexion shifting between pale and flushed. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to say anymore, Su Shanna. Remember, you are a loyal guardian of the Empire. For the Empire¡¯s benefit, everything can be sacrificed, especially since those who die are warriors from other countries. This outcome is most advantageous for us, understand?¡± After speaking, Chekhov strode past Su Shanna, gently patting her shoulder, ¡°A helicopter is coming soon. We¡¯ll evacuate then! Return to Moscow or wherever!¡± Su Shanna hung her head in silence. Meanwhile, Xue An was sprinting through the jungle. He had just sensed a powerful presence, and among them was a scent very familiar to Xue An. Demon qi! At that moment, Black Snake caught up from behind. ¡°Xue An, you can¡¯t run away. I will avenge my soldiers!¡± Black Snake said with a sinister tone. Just as he said this, Xue An suddenly halted in his tracks. Black Snake, caught off guard, nearly crashed into him. ¡°You¡­¡± Black Snake didn¡¯t finish his sentence because he too was stunned by the scene before him. The ground was covered in blood and scraps of flesh. The stench of blood was so thick that it made one want to vomit. ¡°This¡­ these are my men!¡± Black Snake¡¯s complexion turned white, he muttered to himself for a few moments before suddenly turning and hissing through clenched teeth. ¡°Was it your people who did this? What kind of despicable means did you use?¡± Hearing Black Snake¡¯s rant, Xue An frowned slightly, and flicked his finger. Boom. With that flick, Black Snake was sent flying, breaking through more than a dozen towering trees before coming to a rough stop. ¡°Noisy!¡± Xue An said with a stern face. Black Snake spat out a mouthful of blood, casting a frightened glance at Xue An, then gritted his teeth and pulled out that light blue stimulant from his pocket and injected it without hesitation. With an extremely formidable aura rising, Black Snake let out a manic laugh, ¡°Xue An, you are indeed powerful, but it¡¯s no use. With this¡­¡± Before he could finish, Xue An¡¯s figure had already charged forward, unleashing a punch directly. Crack. Half of Black Snake¡¯s body was shattered on impact. Black Snake was in utter shock; he had thought that after taking the stimulant, he would be able to defeat Xue An. But he hadn¡¯t expected to not even withstand a single punch. At this point, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re qualified to fight me?¡± With that, another punch was thrown. Boom. Black Snake didn¡¯t even get a word out before being instantly turned into a mist of blood. After killing Black Snake, Xue An looked around solemnly. He didn¡¯t find the bodies of Cheng Hao and the others, and within the range of his Divine Sense, there was no trace of them. It was as if these people had suddenly vanished from the world. Then, Xue An closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said softly, ¡°Just a secret realm, do you really think I wouldn¡¯t find it?¡± Having said that, Xue An lifted his left hand and formed a sword with his fingers, saying indifferently, ¡°One sword¡­ to split the heavens!¡± A sword energy that was extremely sharp thundered down. With a crack, a dark rift appeared in mid-air. Xue An stepped and walked into it. The rift trembled a few times and then disappeared. This was a land of scorched red earth. The air was thick with choking stench of blood. A pack of wolf creatures was surrounding and attacking a few men. All these men had suffered heavy injuries, and it seemed they would soon perish under the wolves. One of the men let out a roar, lunged forward, and grabbed onto the leg of a wolf creature, then his body emitted a white light. Boom. After a sudden explosion. The man and the wolf creature perished together. ¡°Third brother!¡± someone cried out in anguish. The remaining wolf creatures intensified their onslaught. It was then that Xue An suddenly appeared. The wolf creatures, as well as the men being attacked, all stared blankly at Xue An. Xue An looked around and slightly frowned. This secret dimension was much bigger than he had imagined. There were even native inhabitants. The so-called secret dimensions are spaces that were either naturally formed or crafted by powerful beings. These spaces exist attached to the main world and are therefore called secret dimensions. Secret dimensions can be big or small; some are as small as a single room, while others can be larger than planet Earth. Xue An had even seen a vast secret dimension that could contain an entire galaxy, a universe of its own. A few wolf creatures looked at each other, then said in Language E, ¡°Are you from the main world?¡± Xue An paid no attention to these wolf creatures, instead focusing on the men who were trapped. These natives were clothed in ancient attire, their features were not like those of Caucasians, but resembled those of Huaxia people instead. ¡°Are you¡­ the natives of this place?¡± Xue An asked. One of the men, who was the eldest, stepped forward with a look of fear and said, ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± Standard Huaxia language. A thought crossed Xue An¡¯s mind, and he smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯ve come to this place looking for someone.¡± At that moment, the few wolf creatures began to sneer, ¡°So he¡¯s another lowlife, kill him!¡± One of the wolf creatures closest to Xue An charged straight at him. ¡°Be careful!¡± the men shouted in alarm. As the wolf creature approached, snarling with its hand outstretched to crush Xue An¡¯s skull, this was their favorite method of slaughtering ¡°lowlifes.¡± But this time, it failed. Just when the wolf creature was startled, Xue An¡¯s voice came from behind it, ¡°It seems, you have the blood of Huaxia people on your hands!¡± Saying this, Xue An casually waved his hand. The wolf creature exploded into pieces. Bloody remnants were splattered all over the ground. This move left the men, who thought Xue An was certainly going to die, completely dumbfounded. ¡°Kill him!¡± the rest of the wolf creatures all charged forward. Xue An didn¡¯t even turn his head, he simply stepped forward with casual ease. Boom. The several wolf creatures that were halfway through their charge were smashed as if struck by a giant hammer, directly crushed into pulp. Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 233: War Wolf Secret Realm (Fifth Update) Chapter 233: Chapter 233: War Wolf Secret Realm (Fifth Update) Translator: 549690339 The few men were all dumbfounded. The werewolves that had besieged them hadn¡¯t used their full strength, otherwise, they would have been dead a long time ago. Yet, these werewolves, which had driven them to despair, didn¡¯t last a single move in front of Xue An. Xue An walked up to them with a slight smile. ¡°Where is this?¡± The eldest of the men stepped forward and respectfully said, ¡°Sir, this is War Wolf Valley!¡± War Wolf Valley? Xue An pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°How big is this world¡­ approximately? What is the nearest city to this place?¡± Xue An had just probed with his Divine Sense and discovered that there were no borders within a hundred miles, hence the question. The man trembled slightly, a look of terror appearing in his eyes, ¡°This world is very large, but there are only a few cities, and¡­ they are all ruled by these werewolves.¡± Xue An¡¯s mind stirred, then he smiled slightly, ¡°Did you notice anything unusual nearby today?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Xue An sighed, it seemed that the people of the Fire Phoenix had probably landed elsewhere. Not far beyond War Wolf Valley there was a small mountain village. Upon the return of the men, the small mountain village was abuzz. Several men wielding bows and arrows jumped down from the simple ramparts. ¡°Elder Wu, you¡¯ve returned!¡± Wu Qing nodded, then introduced solemnly, ¡°This is Mr. Xue, the man who saved us. Without him, we would never have been able to return!¡± The crowd stirred, many looking at Xue An with astonishment. Xue An simply smiled at this. On the way back, Xue An had already roughly understood the situation of this world. The area of this world was about half the size of Huaxia, scattered with many indigenous villages throughout. But the true rulers were those werewolves. These werewolves lived in the cities, sustained by the offerings of these indigenous people. Moreover, the indigenous people were divided into ranks, with the people of the Huaxia nation suffering the most oppression. ¡°Elder Wu, why hasn¡¯t my husband returned?¡± a woman said with a trembling voice. Wu Qing¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Third Brother¡­ he died in an explosion trying to hold back those damned wolves.¡± Upon hearing this, the woman swayed and fainted. Many villagers stepped forward to help her, but even more bore numb expressions on their faces. Death, for these people, had become all too common. Even a mere whim of discontent from those werewolf overlords could lead to the annihilation of an entire village. They had grown accustomed to it. Xue An had planned to leave after returning these people, but as he was the life-saving benefactor of the village¡¯s highly regarded Elder Wu, these enthusiastic villagers blocked his path, refusing to let him go no matter what. Moreover, many here probably hadn¡¯t ever left the mountain village in their lifetimes, with the only one who had entered the city being none other than Elder Wu Qing. Xue An planned to ask for directions and then head to the nearest city. This world also had the cycle of day and night, and even the constellations in the sky were the same as those on Earth. Put simply, it was like a small world attached to Earth. When night fell, the villagers lit a bonfire and prepared the most lavish dinner they could afford. Xue An looked over it, consisting of various beasts from the mountains and grains from the fields. There was also wine, albeit it was crude fruit wine. After tasting a sip, Xue An smiled and took a small flask that he was carrying out of his bosom. ¡°Taste this!¡± After the lid was opened, the scent of vodka wafted out. Wu Qing was taken aback, his face filled with shock as he said, ¡°This is the fairy drink that only those big shots in the city can afford!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Oh? So, you¡¯ve seen this kind of drink before?¡± Wu Qing nodded. Xue An¡¯s smile grew a touch colder. Huaxia! Very good! You¡¯re actually colluding with these people, and even deliberately holding the special forces competition in Siberia, I¡¯m guessing this was all part of your design! ¡°This flask is my gift to you.¡± Xue An, noticing Wu Qing¡¯s fondness for the exquisitely shaped small flask, said with a smile. Wu Qing was stunned and waved his hands repeatedly, ¡°I can¡¯t accept this, this item is too precious!¡± Xue An laughed. He had bought the flask on the street for fifty rupees. It was made in Yiwu and had nothing to do with the word ¡®precious¡¯. In the end, Wu Qing accepted the flask and carefully poured out some vodka for everyone present to taste. For the villagers who were used to drinking rough fruit wine, a sip of vodka made them all dizzy. The atmosphere of the dinner reached its climax as a result. The children, who had initially been somewhat fearful of Xue An, now gathered around. Because of his daughter, Xue An was very fond of these children. Before he knew it, the conversation had lasted late into the night. In the end, Xue An simply didn¡¯t leave the mountain village and decided to stay. Wu Qing¡¯s daughter, with a flushed face, cleared out a clean room for Xue An and brought in a brand-new quilt. Xue An nodded his thanks and then closed his eyes, beginning to attempt to contact the people of the Fire Phoenix using Divine Sense. But despite his efforts all night, he had no success. When morning came and Xue An had just gotten up, he heard urgent drumming outside. Xue An¡¯s heart stirred, and he turned to exit the house. He saw all the villagers with very grim expressions gathered at the entrance of the village. Xue An walked over and saw an arrow shot into the village wall at the entrance, with the symbol of a wolf¡¯s head nailed onto the arrowhead. Xue An did not know what had happened and was about to ask. Wu Qing, with a solemn face, said to Xue An, ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡¯m sorry, something has happened to our village and we can¡¯t host you any longer. I¡¯ll send some men to escort you away now!¡± Xue An, seeing Wu Qing¡¯s panicked expression, couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Wu Qing shook his head, ¡°Mr. Xue, it is none of your concern, please just leave quickly!¡± At this time, some of the villagers had already begun to sob quietly. Xue An¡¯s gaze grew colder, ¡°What exactly is the matter?¡± Wu Qing sighed, ¡°You better not ask!¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Xue An nodded, ¡°Alright, then escort me out!¡± After several young men escorted Xue An out of the mountain village, a man who had returned with Wu Qing came up and asked. ¡°Elder Wu, Mr. Xue is clearly a man of great ability, why did you let him leave?¡± Wu Qing shook his head with a bitter smile, ¡°Anyway, our village won¡¯t last much longer, why should we involve others? Even if he is very capable, the other party is the Snow Wolf King!¡± The name Snow Wolf King turned all the villagers¡¯ faces ashen. Some women even broke into loud weeping. At that moment, Wu Qing gritted his teeth, ¡°Stop crying, everyone. We can¡¯t run now. Let¡¯s fight with all our might. Even if we kill just one, we¡¯ll have evened the score!¡± Inspired by him, the villagers¡¯ fighting spirit gradually began to rise. But Wu Qing¡¯s heart was more desperate than anyone else¡¯s, for he knew that once the Snow Wolf King appeared, the entire mountain village would face a catastrophe. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Sword Qi Like the Sea (6th Update) Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Sword Qi Like the Sea (6th Update) Translator: 549690339 An entire day had passed. The walls of the mountain village had been thickened significantly, and women and children joined the ranks, taking out everything that could be used as a weapon. Then Wu Qing brought out all the stored grain and made a delicious-smelling dinner. But no one could bring themselves to eat. Everyone stared blankly at the small road in the distance. Twilight was approaching. Sunlight shone on the road, appearing so bright. Suddenly. A huge shadow appeared in the sky. Wu Qing, who was patrolling on the village wall, tensed up as he looked closer; his heart completely sank. He saw a dark mass of over a hundred werewolves rushing towards them. In the middle, there was a huge wooden cart pulled by two albino werewolves, and on the cart sat a chubby white wolf. It was the Snow Wolf King! Such a formation was enough to flatten the whole mountain village. At this moment, all the villagers saw this scene. Many of them were terrified, their complexions ashen. Wu Qing mustered all his strength and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, everyone! If we must, we¡¯ll die in battle, but we can¡¯t kneel and let these beasts kill us!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Many men¡¯s eyes gradually turned red. The wolf pack stopped at a distance from the mountain village. The Snow Wolf King looked at the simple mountain village and the determined villagers on the village walls and laughed disdainfully. ¡°What ignorant lowlifes, still thinking of resisting?¡± The Snow Wolf King had been in a bad mood lately because ever since the High Priest had sent him to this remote and desolate place, he hadn¡¯t been to the main world for a long time. Remembering the bright and bustling life of the outside world, the Snow Wolf King couldn¡¯t stop drooling. When it was in a bad mood, it felt like killing. This time, passing by here, it spontaneously decided to annihilate a village to dispel its bad luck. The resistance of Wu Qing and the others was seen by the Snow Wolf King as a futile struggle before death. But the more it was like this, the happier it became. This was somewhat interesting! ¡°Charge and kill everyone, just bring back the leader!¡± the Snow Wolf King ordered. ¡°Yes!¡± Several four-meter-tall giant wolves smirked as they walked towards the village. ¡°Shoot the arrows! Fire arrows!¡± Wu Qing saw the distance was right and roared out his command. A few flaming arrows flew out, but hitting those giant wolves felt more like scratching an itch. Wu Qing gritted his teeth, picked up the best-crafted bow in the village, aimed at the eye of a giant wolf, held his breath, focused, and shot it fiercely. Crack! The arrow hit its mark precisely, shattering one of the giant wolf¡¯s eyes. The giant wolf howled in pain, its cries echoing far and wide, then it roared, ¡°I will grind you all into mincemeat!¡± Saying this, the giant wolves charged over. After the villagers had emptied their quivers, thrown all their spears, and exhausted every attack, desperation painted every face, and some had even resignedly closed their eyes, ready to meet their final death. Wu Qing also sighed deeply, threw down his bow and arrows, drew his Treasured Sword, and prepared to take his own life. But just at that moment, a faint voice came. ¡°The moonlight is nice tonight, perfect for slaying beasts!¡± Following the voice, Xue An came stepping under the moonlight. His arrival took all the villagers by surprise, especially Wu Qing who stared, dumbfounded, as Xue An approached from under the moonlight. ¡°Xue¡­ Mr. Xue, why have you come back?¡± Wu Qing asked anxiously. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°If I didn¡¯t come back, wouldn¡¯t you all be killed by these beasts?¡± ¡°But your return is of no help, the opponent is the Snow Wolf King, and he has so many subordinates!¡± Wu Qing was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. Xue An smiled, ¡°To me, beasts are just beasts, no matter how many there are!¡± These giant wolves, upon hearing Xue An referring to them as beasts over and over, couldn¡¯t help but become enraged. ¡°Lowly human, I will grind you into pieces and then devour you!¡± roared a giant wolf as it prepared to pounce. Facing the charging giant wolf, Xue An stood with his hands behind his back in midair and said indifferently, ¡°Sword Qi, rise!¡± Boom! The originally gentle moonlight suddenly transformed into countless Sword Qi, then converged into the shape of a dragon, and charged straight at the giant wolves. The leading giant wolf, upon seeing this, was so frightened that it was as if it had lost its soul and was about to shout something. But the sea-like Sword Qi had already engulfed it. When it reappeared, it had already turned into a heap of stark white bones, and then it collapsed with a thunderous fall. This earth-shattering sword strike shocked even the composed Snow Wolf King. But this was just the beginning; the ocean-like Sword Qi, without losing momentum, directly engulfed the giant wolves behind it. After several deafening howls of agony, these giant wolves all turned into skeletons. Everyone was stunned. This was especially true for the villagers, who simply couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Giant wolves, which could typically annihilate a village on their own, turned into white bones in the presence of this man without even withstanding a single move? Just how powerful was this man? And at this moment, the Snow Wolf King also stood up. As it stood up, it was a head taller than the other giant wolves. At a full five meters tall, it resembled a small mountain. Xue An, floating in the air before it, seemed exceedingly small. ¡°Are you a martial artist from the main world?¡± the Snow Wolf King asked in a deep voice. Xue An looked indifferently at the giant wolf, ¡°So what if I am?¡± A trace of surprise and respect flashed across the Snow Wolf King¡¯s face. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you are a distinguished guest indeed. I was indeed rather abrupt just now; please forgive me! I will spare these villagers!¡± The Snow Wolf King had actually apologized to this man! This discovery left the villagers completely dumbfounded. Does this Mr. Xue have such an impressive background? But the Snow Wolf King¡¯s perceived humility only made Xue An shake his head gently. ¡°You have made a mistake!¡± ¡°What mistake?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about whether you spare the villagers or not, it¡¯s about¡­ whether I am willing to spare you!¡± This statement made the Snow Wolf King think he had misheard, then, laughing in extreme anger, it said, ¡°I respect you as a martial artist from the main world, but that does not mean I fear you. You¡¯re unwilling to spare me? Do you know who I am? I am the youngest son of the Wolf God, the Snow Wolf King!¡± The proud words of the Snow Wolf King had not yet dissipated. Xue An revealed his good-looking teeth and smiled coldly, ¡°Even if you are the son of the Wolf Buddha, you¡¯re still a beast!¡± No sooner had he spoken than the Sword Qi crouching at Xue An¡¯s feet suddenly burst forth like a peacock spreading its feathers, then surged forward like quicksilver. The first to bear the brunt was the Snow Wolf King¡¯s own guards. Before they could react, they were swallowed by the Sword Qi, and after twitching slightly, all the giant wolves turned into skeletons. The Snow Wolf King, watching this, felt as if his soul was being overwhelmed, then let out an angry roar, ¡°Wolf¡¯s Secret Technique!¡± A radiant light enveloped the Snow Wolf King, multiplying his momentum several times over. ¡°Since you insist on opposing our Wolf God, then go to death!¡± The Snow Wolf King roared as it charged over. The Sword Qi for a moment struggled to pierce through this layer of light, allowing the Snow Wolf King to successfully close the distance. Seeing Xue An right in front, the Snow Wolf King couldn¡¯t help but feel a rush of elation. Just one charge, and even if you were an Immortal, you would be smashed to pieces! The villagers shouted in alarm. But in this situation, Xue An¡¯s expression was neither sorrowful nor joyful as he faced the charging Snow Wolf King, raising his fist. ¡°One punch¡­ moves heaven and earth!¡± Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Slaying the City with a Single Sword (Second Update) Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Slaying the City with a Single Sword (Second Update) Translator: 549690339 Snow Wolf City. A city located at the foot of the snowy mountains. Because it is the habitation of giant wolves, there are towering houses everywhere. Of course, the tallest buildings had to be the Temple of Wolf God in the center of the city. At this moment. At the gate of Snow Wolf City, a few giant wolves were grumbling. ¡°Damn, we got even less vodka this time, it¡¯s really boring!¡± a giant wolf with a streak of golden fur on its head said. ¡°Heh, you think it¡¯s really less? The supplies distributed to each city are fixed. If there¡¯s a sudden decrease, it must be those above skimming off the top!¡± another giant wolf sneered. ¡°Shush, keep your voice down, will you? Be careful the Snow Wolf King hears you, that¡¯s the Bloodline of the Wolf God!¡± an older and more mature giant wolf hastily advised. ¡°Hmph, if this great Snow Wolf was esteemed, he wouldn¡¯t have been relegated to a backwater like this. Besides, he¡¯s out of the city now, isn¡¯t he? Can¡¯t I even talk about it?¡± This giant wolf¡¯s complaints resonated with many people. After the Snow Wolf King arrived here, he started to extort and amass wealth, embezzling many supplies to satisfy his own greed, which truly failed to win the hearts of the wolves. At that time, a group of humans passed by the city gate. ¡°Stop!¡± a giant wolf blocked their path. ¡°Gr¡­great one, we are here to clean for the lords inside!¡± the leader, an elderly man, trembled as he spoke. The giant wolf looked at the shabby, ramshackle elder and the people behind him, then waved them away with some disappointment, ¡°Get lost quickly!¡± After the group entered the city, the giant wolf sighed and said, ¡°Damn, can¡¯t touch a drop of grease the whole day, it¡¯s really boring!¡± While they were grumbling, a huge noise came from a distance. A few wolves guarding the city looked up and saw a dense crowd in the sky, with the dust they kicked up during their run obscuring the sun and creating an intimidating spectacle. The wolves were first stunned, then became terrified. ¡°By the Wolf God above, have these lowlifes gone crazy?¡± ¡°Quick, ring the bell to sound the alarm!¡± The wolves began to frantically ring the bell to alert others. Because Snow Wolf City was small and surrounded only by commoners, the guards usually consisted of just a few of them. No sooner had they rung the bell than the dark mass of people had already reached the foot of the city walls. At that point, the giant wolves also calmed down from their initial panic. Especially when they saw that the arriving group consisted entirely of lowlifes with sticks, they heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I thought it was something serious, tsk tsk, just a bunch of lowlifes!¡± one of the wolves said with disdain. To them, these lowlifes were as weak and easily bullied as lambs to the slaughter, not worthy of fear. ¡°I¡¯m going down to kill them all!¡± A giant wolf leaped down from the high city wall, carrying a huge wolf fang club in its hand, and rushed towards the crowd with a sinister laugh. This giant wolf was more than three meters tall, and its menacing charge caused the crowd to become restless. So many years of oppression had made many people fear the giant wolves to their bones, and upon seeing one charging at them, their instinct was to flee. ¡°Fire the arrows, fire quickly!¡± Wu Qing shouted. The people raised their crossbows and started shooting arrows at the wolf. But because of the wolf¡¯s extremely fast speed, the arrows had not yet struck before it had already barreled past. ¡°Heh heh, lowlifes, all of you go to hell!¡± The giant wolf¡¯s eyes glinted cruelly as it raised its club, ready to swing. Just then, a beam of golden light flew in from afar at great speed, circling the wolf once. The wolf froze on the spot, and then its massive body slowly split into several pieces. This scene prompted a huge cheer from the crowd. And on the city wall, several giant wolves were shocked and horrified. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What was that golden light just now?¡± At the same time, the entire Snow Wolf City boiled over as a few hundred wolves rushed to the wall. They all rushed over after hearing the alarm bell. Seeing so many giant wolves, many human citizens turned pale. ¡°You lowly commoners, why have you disturbed our Snow Wolf City for no reason?¡± A noticeably larger giant wolf stepped forward and bellowed its question. In the absence of the Snow Wolf King, it was the ruler of Snow Wolf City. After a moment of silence, someone in the crowd took the lead and shouted, ¡°We are not lowly commoners, you beasts are!¡± ¡°Yes! We are not lowly commoners! You beasts are!¡± These shouts caused the giant wolves to bristle with anger. The acting City Lord sneered, ¡°Since you are seeking death, then don¡¯t blame us. Slaughter these lowly commoners!¡± At this command, several hundred giant wolves began to slowly advance. As they moved, it seemed as if the earth itself trembled. But at this moment, the human citizens¡¯ eyes were red with rage, and they pointed whatever they could use as a weapon at the giant wolves. They had already disregarded their own lives. This fierce and fearless spirit bewildered the giant wolves. Why had these once weak and easily bullied humans suddenly united? ¡°Slaughter them all!¡± Fear flashed in the acting City Lord¡¯s wolfish eyes as it ordered fiercely. But just as its words ended, a streak of golden light suddenly appeared around its neck and swiftly circled it. The massive wolf¡¯s head soared into the sky. The wolf¡¯s body tumbled off the city wall, kicking up a cloud of dust. This sight stunned all the giant wolves. What exactly was that golden light? Yet, the human citizens let out a thunderous cheer, with someone shouting, ¡°Sir, your might is unparalleled!¡± At the same time, Xue An¡¯s figure appeared in the air in front of the crowd, facing the few hundred wolves and said indifferently, ¡°Today, I will let you taste what it¡¯s like to have your city slaughtered!¡± With his words, countless sword lights rained down like a downpour, striking at the wolves. The giant wolves initially did not take these hair-thin sword lights seriously, but in an instant, the sword rain engulfed them. Screams mixed with blood turned the walls of Snow Wolf City crimson. Seeing these giant wolves, who always lorded above them and were stained with human blood, falling one by one¡­ Many human tears streamed uncontrollably. City Lord Ni shook with excitement. The scene they had imagined countless times since childhood had finally become a reality. A few moments later, the entire wolf pack turned into puddles of blood, and even the city walls collapsed under the barrage of sword rain. The loud noise shocked the enslaved humans within the city, and then they witnessed a scene they would never forget in their lives. The countless sword rains fell, and the human citizens were completely unscathed, whereas those domineering giant wolves were enveloped by the sword rain and, after several screams, turned into pus and white bones. Suddenly, the stench of wolf blood filled the entire Snow Wolf City, rising up to the sky. In that moment, Xue An slaughtered the city with a single sword! And just then, a great howl emanated from the center of the city, from the Temple of Wolf God. ¡°Who is it? Who dares to slaughter my people?¡± As these words echoed, a giant wolf radiating a cool radiant light slowly emerged from the temple. Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 237: I Hope You’re Still Alive (3rd Update) Chapter 237: Chapter 237: I Hope You¡¯re Still Alive (3rd Update) Translator: 549690339 Its appearance made many exclaim in wonder. ¡°It is a Wolf God Sacrifice!¡± ¡°This is the Wolf God Secret Art!¡± Xue An stood in midair, his face neither sad nor happy. ¡°Slaughter your people?¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°When your wolf clan exterminated my Huaxia citizens, why didn¡¯t you speak up then?¡± The giant wolf, standing six or seven meters tall, looked at Xue An in midair. ¡°A sword cultivator from the main world?¡± As it spoke, a hint of surprise and doubt flashed across its massive wolf face. ¡°Our werewolf clan has always cooperated with your main world. Aren¡¯t you afraid of provoking our wrath by doing this?¡± the giant wolf roared. Xue An replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the clan you cooperated with, I¡¯ll also settle accounts with them when I return. However, for now¡­¡± Xue An looked up at the giant wolf, ¡°I have to kill you flea-bitten beasts first!¡± ¡°You¡¯re courting death!¡± the giant wolf roared as it charged towards him. Its speed was incredibly incongruous with its size, nearly as fast as a ghostly shadow. In the blink of an eye, the giant wolf had already charged in front of Xue An. Under its immense size, Xue An looked like a tiny ant, very inconspicuous. ¡°Die for me¡­!¡± The giant wolf roared with rage, a giant hammer materializing in its hands, striking down at Xue An. This scene terrified the many Huaxia citizens watching. Many of them couldn¡¯t bear to watch and closed their eyes. But the expected screams and impact sounds did not occur. The crowd slowly opened their eyes and looked up, only to see Xue An standing in midair, with one hand casually holding the giant wolf¡¯s hammer. This image was like a person lifting a mountain, giving a striking sense of impact. Filled with horror, the wolf deity gritted its teeth, marshaling all its strength onto the hammer in an attempt to crush Xue An to death. Yet, Xue An remained calm, his voice cold, ¡°Is that all the strength you have?¡± With that, Xue An¡¯s hand began to slowly lift upwards. The hammer slowly rose, despite the wolf deity putting forth all its might, unable to stop it. ¡°You strike me with a hammer, I¡¯ll return the favor with the hammer!¡± Having said that, Xue An suddenly pulled the hammer from the giant wolf¡¯s grasp and, gripping the handle, lifted his hand and swung the hammer with force. Whoosh! The hammer, with a piercing whistling sound, hurled straight at the giant wolf. Scared out of its wits, the wolf deity¡¯s spirit seemed to leave its body, ¡°No¡­¡±. Thud. A dull sound echoed. The divine glow of the Wolf God enveloping it was shattered by the hammer, and then, with an unstoppable momentum, the hammer completely smashed its body into a pile of mush. With this, all the giant wolves of Snow Wolf City were annihilated. After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into a thunderous cheer. ¡°Sir is mighty!¡± ¡°Sir is undefeated in a hundred battles!¡± Ni Village Chief and Wu Qing glanced at each other and suddenly knelt to the ground first. As they knelt, everyone else followed suit. ¡°We will never forget the great kindness of sir!¡± Xue An stood in the air with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his face. He felt the gratitude of these people. This bow, he accepted it without any reservations. And just then, a speck of light emerged from the corpse of the wolf deity, and with incredible speed, it tried to flee from the area. Xue An reached out and grabbed the light orb in his hand. It was the soul of the wolf deity. Seeing itself caught by Xue An, the wolf spirit panicked and knelt vigorously in his palm. ¡°Mercy, lord, mercy, I am but a lowly sacrificial priest, and I have never once killed a Huaxia citizen!¡± But its words elicited many roars of anger. ¡°Never killed? Then how was my daughter used as a sacrifice for the Wolf God?¡± The Wolf Spirit trembled in fear. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Why do the giant wolves that were killed have no souls, but you alone do?¡± The Wolf Spirit shuddered, seemingly hesitating. Xue An smiled, ¡°If you won¡¯t talk, then I can search your divine soul for answers!¡± The Wolf Spirit hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯s because all wolf people are descendants of the Wolf God. Once they die, their souls will return to the Wolf God Hall in the main city. Our sacrifices are different, which is why we retain living souls.¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Where is this main city?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Xue An¡¯s patience ran out completely, and he grasped firmly with his hand. Crack. The Wolf Spirit let out a pitiful cry and was crushed, while the memories contained within its divine soul were acquired by Xue An. The cruel and bloody scenes from the Wolf God¡¯s sacrificial memories made Xue An snort in anger. It seemed that his methods of killing these wolf people were not cruel enough. And from the useful information, Xue An found quite a bit. For example, the location of the main city, the secrets of the Wolf God, and so on. Originally, this secret realm was not owned by the Wolf God but was built by a powerful being from ancient Huaxia. However, that powerful being and other strong individuals suddenly disappeared, leaving only some of the Huaxian people to live and thrive in this world. Later, the Ancestral Wolf God, pursued to the ends of earth by the Church of Light, discovered this secret realm by chance and quickly made it his exclusive domain. After generations of growth, the descendants of the Wolf God spread throughout this world and then became the rulers, wreaking havoc on the original inhabitants. Now, the Wolf God is still sleeping in the Wolf God Hall, while its descendants have established contact with E Country in the main world and often cooperate with them. E Country provides various powerful souls, while the wolf clan supplies E Country with the Blood of the Wolf God. As for the whereabouts of members like the Fire Phoenix, this Wolf God worshipper did not know. But Xue An had a premonition that they were all still alive. And while Xue An was waging battle in all directions within the War Wolf Secret Realm, a major upheaval had already begun in the main world, that is, on Earth. This was the seventh day since Xue An and the Fire Phoenix Squad had gone missing. The training camp in Siberia was eerily silent. The other squads had already dispersed. Su Shanna stood on the rooftop, her gaze somewhat desolate. Suddenly, a helicopter landed on the rooftop. ¡°Colonel Su Shanna, board the helicopter and leave! This place has been decided to be abandoned,¡± an officer said. Su Shanna was silent for a long while before nodding and boarding the helicopter. In these seven days, she had mobilized all the manpower she could to search. But apart from bodies and blood, she found nothing. Sitting on the helicopter, looking at the vast forests outside the window, Su Shanna prayed silently in her heart. I hope you¡¯re still alive! Zhongdu. An Family. Zhao Xuehui, Qiao Le, Yang Binyi, and a few others had solemn expressions, sadness in their eyes. Suddenly, the door opened, and An Yan walked out leading her two daughters. ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± The three hurriedly stood up. An Yan wore a slight smile, ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Yes! Sister-in-law, it¡¯s nothing serious, just came to check on you! My second brother¡­¡± Qiao Le hastily said. Zhao Xuehui kicked him angrily, then apologized, ¡°Sister-in-law, we just came to see how you are.¡± Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Turbulence Rising (4th Update) Chapter 238: Chapter 238 Turbulence Rising (4th Update) Translator: 549690339 An Yan swept the hair beside her ear away and smiled faintly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to say more, I understand what you mean, and I¡¯m not worried about a thing, because I believe that he is definitely still alive and will return in a few days!¡± ¡°Absolutely! My second brother is blessed with a charmed life, nothing will happen to him!¡± Qiao Le quickly nodded in agreement. The three brothers sat for a moment before getting up and leaving. Once they were outside the An Family¡¯s home, Zhao Xuehui¡¯s expression turned solemn. ¡°We must be prepared, with the second brother not here, it¡¯s inevitable that some people will have ulterior motives!¡± ¡°Understood, whoever dares to mess with the An Family, we¡¯ll lay down our lives if necessary to ensure the safety of these three women!¡± Both Yang Binyi and Qiao Le¡¯s eyes glittered with a cold light. Zhao Xuehui nodded, ¡°Right now, our most important task is to manage Tianyuan Company well! The Chen Family just called me, they will go all out to help us maintain the situation!¡± ¡°Old Chen is quite righteous!¡± Qiao Le remarked. Zhao Xuehui said, ¡°He¡¯s a smart man. Everyone in Zhongdu knows the relationship between the An Family and the Chen Family, so he knows what to do!¡± After they left, An Yan sat down despondently in the house, her gaze filled with sorrow. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian asked with concern. An Yan shook her head, ¡°Nothing!¡± ¡°Is it about Dad?¡± Xue Xiang asked, tilting his head. An Yan¡¯s complexion turned somewhat pale. ¡°Mom, let me tell you, both of us can feel Dad¡¯s presence, so don¡¯t worry about him, he will definitely come back!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian reassured An Yan like little adults. An Yan nodded, sniffed hard to fight back her emotion, and then smiled, ¡°What do you want to eat? Mom will go make it now!¡± ¡°Egg fried rice!¡± ¡°Alright, Mom will go make it now!¡± Before getting busy in the kitchen, An Yan stared blankly at the frying pan for a while. Husband, are you safe right now? Don¡¯t worry, I will always be here waiting for you to return. If anyone dares to bully Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, I will do as you said¡ªI¡¯ll grab this frying pan and whack them! The military camp. These past few days, An Qing had obviously lost a lot of weight, her cheeks had become dehydrated, transforming from a slightly baby-faced roundness to a pointy oval shape. Whenever she walked down the corridor holding documents, there would be lots of gossip behind her back. ¡°See that? That¡¯s the person who caused the death of a whole team!¡± ¡°Shh, stop talking. Haven¡¯t you heard? This time she even caused the death of her own brother-in-law. Haven¡¯t you seen how she dares not return home?¡± Occasionally these whispered comments reached An Qing¡¯s ears, but she simply turned pale, pretending not to hear. When she returned to her office, she found that there was someone else already there. A tall and handsome man in civilian clothes leaned on her desk, watching her with a playful gaze. ¡°Miss An, long time no see!¡± As soon as she saw him, An Qing¡¯s expression turned very ugly, ¡°Liu Minghui!¡± Liu Minghui let out a chuckling laugh, his gaze filled with greed as he looked at An Qing. ¡°An Qing, you¡¯re still the same, haven¡¯t changed much, eh!¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± An Qing asked, barely containing her anger. ¡°What am I doing here? Haha, I think I should inform you that soon, we¡¯ll be colleagues. No! I should say¡­ soon I¡¯ll be your superior!¡± Liu Minghui said with an air of arrogance. An Qing was taken aback. Liu Minghui¡¯s face bore a sneer, ¡°After all, some people caused the death of so many elite soldiers. Although it¡¯s been suppressed, they still have to take some responsibility, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± An Qing¡¯s eyes were filled with rage. ¡°Nonsense? Haha, why don¡¯t you take a look at what this is?¡± Liu Minghui placed a piece of paper on the table, then strode away. But as he passed by An Qing, he smiled meaningfully, ¡°Sorry, but now that the general is dead, there¡¯s no one left to have your back.¡± ¡°So in the end, it¡¯s our Liu Family that wins. All your painstaking efforts will come to naught and belong to me! And I¡¯m really looking forward to the day you beg me for mercy!¡± After speaking, Liu Minghui left with a smug expression on his face. Once he had gone, An Qing walked to the office desk in a daze and looked at the orders on the paper. Originally, the Liu Family and the An Family had competed fiercely for military positions. In the end, the An Family narrowly won, and An Qing managed to gain a position by the general¡¯s side. But the struggle between the two families never ceased, with Liu Minghui eyeing An Qing with covetous desire. And now, with the general dead and the Fire Phoenix missing, An Qing had effectively become an isolated force, with no one left to rely on. That¡¯s why the Liu Family took such a bold move at this time, the malice and venom in their intentions extreme. An Qing¡¯s face was pale, tears falling like broken pearls, silently staining the words on the paper. Brother-in-law, where are you now? Though the news of Xue An¡¯s disappearance was suppressed by Chen Xiu¡¯s best efforts, preventing major upheaval, the seemingly calm Zhongdu still felt like a storm was about to break. And at this moment, a man and a woman appeared on the streets of Zhongdu. The man was tall and powerful, with a golden complexion. The woman was dressed in white, surpassing the snow in purity, with an ethereal beauty. The two stood on the street, looking at a nearby advertisement. On it was a bold advertisement for Heaven¡¯s Fate Elixir. A disdainful smile appeared on the man¡¯s face, ¡°Sister Wen, this mere mortal potion dares to make such grand claims, it¡¯s laughable.¡± Wen Banmei¡¯s expression was cold as she lightly said, ¡°This trip down from Kunlun, our master wants us to see if there are any new developments in the mortal world, and this thing has caught my interest!¡± Jiang Nubing laughed, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go and have a look.¡± Wen Banmei nodded slightly. After the two got a bottle of Tianyuan, they didn¡¯t pay much attention at first, and Jiang Nubing said with a laugh, ¡°It looks pretty, but I wonder what¡¯s inside.¡± As he spoke, Jiang Nubing opened the bottle and took a sniff at the nose, his face suddenly changing. ¡°How is it?¡± asked Wen Banmei. Jiang Nubing didn¡¯t answer, but poured out a small cup and drank it down. After a moment, he opened his eyes wide in shock. ¡°This thing, it¡¯s useful to us!¡± ¡°What?¡± A hint of surprise also emerged on Wen Banmei¡¯s frosty face. Jiang Nubing said in a grave voice, ¡°This substance actually has an effect similar to that of an elixir. After drinking it, I feel my cultivation level has faintly increased!¡± Now even Wen Banmei could no longer remain composed. She took the Tianyuan and tasted it herself, then was also stunned. It was well known that in their secret realm of Kunlun, elixirs that could enhance cultivation levels were possessions only True Disciples were qualified to have, and even they would receive only a few each year. Even they, proclaimed as the immortals of Kunlun, only got slightly more. It was said that the favored descendants of those True Sects might have more, but it was impossible to acquire something like this Tianyuan as easily as purchasing it with a flick of the hand. Wen Banmei and Jiang Nubing exchanged glances, both seeing the greed and excitement in each other¡¯s eyes. This trip to the mortal world was worth it! Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 239: For the Instructor, For Fire Phoenix! (Fifth Update) Chapter 239: Chapter 239: For the Instructor, For Fire Phoenix! (Fifth Update) Translator: 549690339 War Wolf Secret Realm. Inside the Wolf God Hall of the main city. An elite wolf king walked in, ¡°Exalted Wolf Saint, we just received word that the group of Chinese warriors who suddenly appeared has not been captured yet!¡± ¡°Useless!¡± A colossal wolf with fur radiating a silvery glow slowly turned around, its wolf eyes filled with anger. ¡°Tomorrow is the day my father will awaken from his century-long slumber, and these powerful warriors would have been the perfect sacrifice, yet you lot have failed to capture them after several days!¡± All the wolves in the room lowered their heads, not daring to speak. The Wolf Saint paced back and forth within the vast hall, taking a moment before he spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Send out the orders, dispatch the Divine Blood Battle Wolves, and make sure to capture these intruders today!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The colossal wolf did not retreat. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Exalted Wolf Saint, we have suddenly lost contact with Snow Wolf City¡­¡± ¡°Snow Wolf City?¡± The Wolf Saint frowned, ¡°That disappointing Snow Wolf King probably ran off to play again. Leave it be, once my father, the Wolf God, awakens tomorrow, the king will feel the summons and naturally return!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Following the Wolf Saint¡¯s command, the most elite fighters among the werewolves, the Divine Blood Battle Wolves, were mobilized. Meanwhile, on a mountain about a hundred kilometers away from the main city. Cheng Hao and his men had just survived another attack, and were now seizing the time to rest. In the last few days, they had lost count of how many attacks they had endured from the werewolves. These werewolves were incredibly strong and quite intelligent. If it were not for the favorable terrain and Cheng Hao and his men fighting desperately in retaliation, they probably could not have held their ground. But Cheng Hao knew they were close to their limit. Over these past days, the combat rations they had brought with them had been completely depleted, and now they were surviving on wild fruits and hares they could catch. But this was nowhere near enough to sustain the demands of such intense fighting. Everyone was starting to weaken at a visibly rapid pace. Yet even so, everyone¡¯s will to fight remained high. In Sun Ling¡¯s words, ¡°We are the elite trained by our instructors, how could we possibly lose to these beasts.¡± ¡°Captain, you eat!¡± Zou Yi carefully handed over the last bag of combat rations to Cheng Hao. Cheng Hao shook his head, ¡°I just ate a roasted rabbit, I¡¯m not hungry yet!¡± In fact, Cheng Hao couldn¡¯t remember when he last ate. Zou Yi became somewhat anxious, ¡°Captain, how can you not eat? If you collapse from hunger, who will command us?¡± Just as Cheng Hao was about to say something, the werewolves below launched another attack. This attack was more frenzied than any before. Cheng Hao calmly ordered his men to counterattack using the terrain to their advantage. Several werewolf corpses had already begun to appear on the ground. Just then, a giant wolf charged ferociously, its claws nearly reaching Cheng Hao¡¯s shoulder. Cheng Hao wanted to dodge, but his vision was dimming, so his reaction was delayed by half a second. The giant wolf was excited, these lowly people¡¯s troops were simply too tenacious; seven or eight days of assaults had not brought these humans down but had instead caused non-negligible casualties among the werewolves. This infuriated these arrogant werewolves. This time, they finally had the commander within their grasp! But as it was rejoicing, it felt a shock in its paw and realized it couldn¡¯t grab hold. Looking down, it saw Zhou Da Niu radiating dazzling golden light, who bellowed, ¡°Get lost!¡± As he spoke, Zhou Da Niu mustered all his remaining strength and punched the giant wolf in the abdomen. Bang! The giant wolf was sent flying dozens of meters away, an expression of pain flashing across its face. Zhou Daniu was also gasping for breath at this moment, nearly collapsing to the ground. Cheng Hao hurriedly went to support him, ¡°Da Niu!¡± ¡°Captain, I reckon I can¡¯t hold on much longer!¡± Zhou Daniu said weakly. During the continuous battles these days, Zhou Daniu often played the role of the vanguard and the main force because he practiced the Indestructible Vajra Method, which caused his strength to deplete rapidly. Although everyone reduced their rations to ensure his supply as much as possible, they were still on the verge of collapse. Cheng Hao felt a heavy weight in his heart and said solemnly, ¡°Da Niu, don¡¯t panic, rest for a while, I¡¯ll take over!¡± Zou Yi returned at this moment, his face covered in dust. He had just sneaked over, trying to kill a giant wolf, but failed to do so. ¡°Da Niu, are you alright?¡± Zou Yi was more concerned about his partner than anyone else. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t die just yet!¡± Zhou Daniu cracked a smile. After a wave of attacks, the giant wolves retreated once again. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and began to take the opportunity to rest. But they had barely sat down for a minute when a huge commotion came from the bottom of the mountain. While everyone was still puzzled, they suddenly felt the mountain tremble slightly, and then a group of golden wolves, much larger than the ordinary giant wolves, were charging towards them. Cheng Hao¡¯s heart sank, but he still roared, ¡°All members, get ready!¡± Everyone understood that this was the last time. Yet, no one felt fear. Everyone stood up, formed their formation, and faced the golden wolves charging up from the mountain. Zou Yi rested his hand on Zhou Daniu¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Hey, old ox, if I die, remember to kowtow to my parents for me!¡± Zhou Daniu grinned, ¡°I won¡¯t go, because I¡¯ll probably die before you do!¡± Zou Yi laughed and hugged Zhou Daniu tightly, ¡°Good brother, in the next life, let¡¯s fight side by side again!¡± Zhou Daniu nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± Sun Ling then approached Cheng Hao and said with a flickering gaze, ¡°Captain, later we¡¯ll hold off this group of giant wolves, and you can break out through the small path at the foot of the mountain.¡± Cheng Hao looked at Sun Ling and smiled faintly, ¡°The captain of Fire Phoenix has never fled from battle, remember, if I die, you take my place!¡± After saying that, Cheng Hao shouted loudly, ¡°All members, for the instructor, for Fire Phoenix, carry out the final sprint and counterattack! Even in death, let¡¯s have these beasts buried with us!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone responded thunderously. At this moment, the Divine Blood Battle Wolves had already charged close. The members of Fire Phoenix were entangled in battle with these creatures. The situation had reached a stalemate. In the distance, a golden wolf with an arrogant demeanor coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Wolf God is thinking, demanding them alive; otherwise, my subordinates would have torn these wretches to shreds long ago!¡± ¡°The Snow Wolf King is right, but I don¡¯t think these lowly humans will last much longer!¡± a Silver Wolf nodded and bowed in agreement. The golden wolf was getting impatient at this moment, took a step forward, and roared, ¡°Wolf God Secret Art!¡± Boom. A thin silver glow enveloped all of its subordinates. Their defense and attack power were both greatly multiplied. The members of Fire Phoenix were already at their wit¡¯s end, and soon they were all knocked to the ground, the scales tipping against them. The wolves didn¡¯t deliver the killing blow, but Cheng Hao and the others understood that they had no intention of sparing them. So they exchanged glances and secretly drew out their daggers. ¡°Until the next life!¡± they whispered, preparing to end their own lives. Just at that moment, an angry shout came from the distance. ¡°Who dares to touch my people?¡± Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Since It Is So, Then Go Die! (6th Update) Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Since It Is So, Then Go Die! (6th Update) Translator: 549690339 After the sound came, members of the Fire Phoenix were all stunned. Because the voice was all too familiar. And the many giant wolves looked up in confusion. A figure rushed towards the mountain at great speed, and after stopping, it turned out to be Xue An, his face full of murderous intent. ¡°Instructor?¡± Cheng Hao said in disbelief. Xue An looked at his men, wounded all over but with determination in their eyes, and nodded slightly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me, I have come!¡± The members of the Fire Phoenix wept with joy. They had not expected, at this crucial moment of life and death, to see Xue An. ¡°Instructor, forty-eight members of Fire Phoenix have held the hilltop for seven days and nights, with not one casualty!¡± Cheng Hao said with exhaustion in his voice, yet with a hint of pride. Xue An nodded, ¡°Rest now, leave the rest to me!¡± The golden giant wolf stepped forward impatiently and said, ¡°Who is this lowlife, daring to obstruct the Divine Blood Battle Wolves¡¯ mission, kill him!¡± Several Divine Blood Battle Wolves roared and charged over. Xue An¡¯s eyes were filled with killing intent. He had flown all the way from Snow Wolf City. He had intended to go directly to the main city, but halfway there, he suddenly sensed the aura of the Fire Phoenix members and immediately turned back. Fortunately, he was timely. If he had been a step later, it was likely that all of his men would have ended up taking their own lives. This filled Xue An with rage. And when Xue An became angry, someone was going to die! So Xue An didn¡¯t bother to say anything else and took a step forward in midair. ¡°Move heaven and earth!¡± Boom! The charging Divine Blood Battle Wolves turned into dust. The rest of the wolves were still in disbelief. Xue An took a second step. ¡°Separate Yin and Yang!¡± Boom! All the ordinary giant wolves on the hilltop howled in pain and shattered into pieces. The display of power in two consecutive steps caused the golden wolf king¡¯s expression to change drastically. ¡°Quick! Fall back!¡± it shouted, trying to command the Divine Blood Battle Wolves to retreat. But it was too late. Xue An, with a stern look on his face, took a third step. ¡°Cross life and death!¡± Boom! Everything seemed to come to a halt. Cheng Hao and the others could even see the boundless fear in the eyes of the Divine Blood Battle Wolves. It was as if someone had pressed the pause button on these giant wolves, making them utterly out of place with their surroundings. Crack! After a crisp sound, time began to flow again, and the golden giant wolves turned into dust. Only the wolf king spat out a few mouthfuls of blood, barely clinging to life, but was so terrified that it didn¡¯t dare to glance at Xue An again and turned to flee. These werewolves always prided themselves as a noble race, but when it came to running for their lives, they still ran on all fours. But Xue An clearly had no intention of letting any werewolf go. He waved his hand casually, and a beam of sword light instantly cut through the space, stabbing directly into the back of the golden wolf king. The golden wolf king let out a painful howl but continued to run wildly. A faint, cold smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s lips as he snapped his fingers lightly. Bang! The golden wolf king exploded as if there had been a bomb planted within its body! In three steps and with a single sword, all the giant wolves were eradicated. Xue An turned his head towards Cheng Hao and the others, ¡°Can you still hold on?¡± Cheng Hao and the others all stood up, ¡°Report to the instructor, no problem!¡± Zhou Daniu grinned sheepishly, ¡°Strange, now that the instructor is here, I feel like I could take on another giant wolf with no problem!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Good, follow me!¡± ¡°Instructor, where are we going?¡± Cheng Hao couldn¡¯t help but ask. A trace of killing intent flickered in Xue An¡¯s eyes. ¡°To annihilate the Werewolves¡¯ Main City!¡± Before leaving Snow Wolf City, Xue An had not only granted Wu Qing and the others a simple cultivation method, but he had also promised them that he would exterminate all the werewolves. Xue An was well aware that the secret realm originally belonged to the great powers of Huaxia, and the Wolf God had not only taken advantage of the void to enter, but also brutally slaughtered the indigenous Huaxia people, an act that was an outrage to both humans and gods. Of course, Xue An wasn¡¯t going to let these beasts go. Main City. The Wolf Saint stood on a high platform, looking up at the lofty statue in the Divine Temple, his expression extremely respectful and excited. Very soon. Its ancestor, who had been asleep for a hundred years, was about to awaken. Once awakened, it would be able to lead its people to conquer the main world. Thinking of this, the Wolf Saint was filled with anticipation. It heard that the main world was a vast land, and everywhere were weak and lowly people; if it could establish a Werewolf Dynasty in the main world, how wonderful that would be! The Wolf Saint calculated in its heart. And the werewolf high-ranks below were also discussing this matter. ¡°The Wolf God is about to awaken, and by then, our werewolf race will be invincible in the world!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve heard that the main world has all kinds of delicacies and vodka, and soon all will belong to us werewolves!¡± Unlike these elated werewolves. The Huaxia people, oppressed as slaves, all humbly bowed their heads in humiliation. If the Wolf God were to awaken, then the burden on their heads would become even heavier. ¡°Why haven¡¯t those sent to capture the lowly human warriors returned yet?¡± the Wolf Saint suddenly frowned. The Wolf Saint clearly understood that compared to a werewolf¡¯s soul, the souls of human warriors were the best tonic, which was why it had sent the Divine Blood Battle Wolves to capture these human warriors. But why hadn¡¯t they returned yet? The Wolf Saint did not even contemplate the possibility of failure. In its view, that was simply impossible. After all, the Divine Blood Battle Wolves were elite warriors inheriting the Blood of the Wolf God, each one possessing the might of a Heavenly Being, so how could they fail? But just then, sounds like thunder came from the sky. The Wolf Saint looked up and saw a golden light speeding straight toward the Divine Temple in the Main City. And the formidable aura contained within the golden light alarmed even itself. Who was this? How could someone possess such overwhelming might? As the Wolf Saint¡¯s expression shifted. Xue An had already stopped in mid-air, looking down at the towering Wolf God Hall and the group of werewolf high-ranks. ¡°Are you all here?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Is this a lowly human? Before the Wolf Saint could speak, a giant wolf charged forward, roaring, ¡°This is the sacred ground of the Divine Temple, how dare a lowly human like you step foot here, begone!¡± But Xue An simply waved his hand casually, and a golden light pierced the giant wolf¡¯s head. Bang! Blood mixed with brains spattered from the back of the giant wolf¡¯s head. The giant wolf still had a hint of bewilderment on its face, then its corpse collapsed to the ground. One strike. The whole scene was shocked. And at that moment, members of Fire Phoenix also arrived one after another, all neatly lined up behind Xue An. Despite the wounds on each of them, their faces were filled with excitement. Seeing this group of Huaxia warriors, the Wolf Saint¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but darken. At this moment, Xue An said lightly, ¡°Which of you is the king?¡± The Wolf Saint¡¯s face grew grim as it stepped forward and said in a deep voice. ¡°Who are you? Why do you intrude upon the sacred grounds of the Wolf God?¡± A cold smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s lips as he said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re the king among these werewolves?¡± The Wolf Saint was taken aback, then nodded arrogantly, ¡°Indeed, I am the Wolf Saint¡­¡± It wanted to boast further. Xue An said flatly, ¡°Since you are, then go to die!¡± Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Today, I Shall Slay a God! (First Update) Chapter 241: Chapter 241: Today, I Shall Slay a God! (First Update) Before the words had settled, Xue An had vanished from midair. When he reappeared, he was already in front of the Wolf Saint, and then he unleashed a punch. The Wolf Saint had also regained his composure by now, sneering, ¡°You lowly mortal dare to act recklessly? Today, I¡¯ll let you know the might of the Bloodline of the Wolf God!¡± With that, the Wolf Saint¡¯s entire body burst with silver radiance, and he struck out with a giant claw, perfectly meeting Xue An¡¯s punch. Bang. After a muffled sound, an invisible shockwave spread out from the point of their clashing fists, destroying all the buildings in the vicinity. A few Silver Wolf guards who were close by were also caught in the blast, turning to ash before they could even let out a scream. At this moment, the Wolf Saint too was filled with shock. He had thought that his claw strike would turn this human into minced meat. After all, in terms of physical strength, the Wolf Clan was far stronger than humans. But unexpectedly, not only had he not shaken his opponent, his own blow had rebounded, causing his vitality to surge and nearly made him spit blood. Xue An, on the other hand, wore an indifferent expression, slowly raising his fist, ¡°Again!¡± Boom! Another punch. The Wolf Saint was shaken so much that his entire body¡¯s silver glow flickered, and he was forced to take half a step back. This caused all the Wolf Clan nobles watching below to be shocked. ¡°How is this possible? He actually repelled Lord Wolf Saint with physical strength alone!¡± The Wolf Saint¡¯s body trembled slightly, fear evident in his eyes. What was this human¡¯s body made of to be so formidable? Xue An paid no attention to the shock of those around him, but instead revealed several pearly white teeth, smiling grimly, ¡°Again!¡± As he spoke, Xue An slowly raised his fist, and everything around him came to a standstill, even the vitality of heaven and earth was drawn by this punch. The expression of the Wolf Saint greatly changed, and he roared, ¡°Wolf God Secret Art!¡± Boom! His body¡¯s silver radiance exploded, and he even grew larger as he struck out with both claws, clashing against Xue An¡¯s punch. There was no sound, as if the two had merely touched hands casually. However, in the blink of an eye, the imposing Wolf Saint was sent flying backwards, spitting out mouthfuls of blood in midair. Xue An retracted his fist, facing the eyes of the wolves filled with shock, and shook his head lightly, ¡°Still too weak!¡± Xue An had sent the Wolf Saint flying with sheer physical strength, without utilizing his cultivation level. ¡°Lowly human, I will kill you! Then, I will place your soul into eternal flames to be scorched forever!¡± An extremely angry voice came from afar. Xue An turned to look, only to see the Wolf Saint, who had been knocked to the ground, slowly getting up. His aura was climbing steadily, and his wolf eyes had turned crimson. ¡°Berserk!¡± ¡°Lord Wolf Saint has gone berserk!¡± The wolves below stirred, many showing delighted expressions. Berserk was a skill unique to the High-Grade Wolf Tribe. Once in this state, they could unleash their full potential, fear no pain, and fight to the death. ¡°The Wrath of the Wild Wolf!¡± The Wolf Saint roared, and then his entire being turned into a silver flash, charging straight for Xue An. His speed was now several times faster than before. Faced with the strike filled with fierce killing intent, Xue An let out a slight sigh, ¡°If I say you¡¯re no good, then you¡¯re no good. Berserk is useless!¡± Saying this, Xue An slowly stretched out his hand. Bang! The Wolf Saint, now in a berserk state, had enough force to destroy a small mountain. But Xue An merely extended his slender, delicate palm, pressing it on the Wolf Saint¡¯s forehead, stopping the charge abruptly. The scene froze! A look of bewilderment flashed across the Wolf Saint¡¯s face. Not just him, all the wolves were dumbfounded. Because the scene was too eerie. Xue An stretched out one hand and pressed it on the head of the Wolf Saint, as if he were blocking a coquettish little wolf dog. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn!¡± With that, Xue An grabbed the Wolf Saint¡¯s head and swung it fiercely. Bang bang bang! The Wolf Saint¡¯s towering body was swung by Xue Lan and brutally smashed against the ground. The wolf people watching shivered all over. How strong is this man, exactly? Even the Wolf Saint in his berserk state is not his opponent? Only the members of the Fire Phoenix looked calm, as if everything Xue An did was to be expected. At this moment, Xue An stopped, and the Wolf Saint had been battered to the point of being covered in wounds, looking at Xue An with eyes full of terror. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Come, I¡¯ll send you on your way!¡± Saying this, Xue An took a step forward, stepped on the Wolf Saint¡¯s body, grabbed the Wolf Saint¡¯s head with his other hand, and uttered a light shout. ¡°Rise!¡± Bang. After a muffled sound passed. Xue An pulled off the Wolf Saint¡¯s head with sheer force. Blood sprayed out, and the Wolf Saint was dead! Hiss! Every one of the wolf people took a sharp intake of breath, and some of the faint-hearted fainted on the spot. The invincible Wolf Saint had his head pulled off outright? And with the death of the Wolf Saint, the Divine Temple began to tremble slightly, and then a terrifying momentum rose. ¡°Who is it! Who dares to exterminate the Bloodline of the Wolf God!¡± a majestic voice sounded. Hearing this voice, the wolves all prostrated on the ground, their faces filled with ecstasy. For their god had awakened! Yet, Xue An remained unflustered, casually tossing the head aside, and glancing at the towering Divine Temple, he said indifferently, ¡°A mere beast, and you dare to falsely claim to be a deity?¡± Having said this, Xue An rose into mid-air, fashioned his hand into a sword, and slashed down fiercely. Boom! This towering Divine Temple, under the slash of his sword light, was like tofu, directly split in half. And from within the ruins, there came an extremely enraged roar. As the sound faded, the ground of the Divine Temple suddenly cracked open with a huge fissure, and an immense hand grabbed onto the ground, then a gigantic wolf¡¯s head slowly rose. The wolves all bowed their heads incessantly. Xue An just quietly watched. This giant wolf crawled out from the crack, and when it stood up, it was over twenty meters tall, its whole body covered in pure silver fur, its pair of wolf eyes filled with dominance and a killing intent. The Wolf God Ancestor had awakened! ¡°Huaxia Sword Cultivator, why did you intrude upon the Wolf God Mystic Realm and make it difficult for my Wolf God lineage?¡± The voice shook the wilderness, just the majestic presence alone was enough to make ordinary people shiver. A sneer played on Xue An¡¯s lips, ¡°Your Wolf God Mystic Realm?¡± ¡°This realm was originally created by a Huaxia powerhouse, later stolen by you, and you have the audacity to call it your Wolf God Mystic Realm?¡± ¡°You slaughtered my Huaxia people; I¡¯m merely letting you taste the same. Yet you say I¡¯m making it hard for your Wolf God lineage?¡± ¡°Truly, a beast will always be a beast. Even as a magical beast, you¡¯re still a beast!¡± After Xue An spoke, the Wolf God Ancestor bellowed in shock and anger, ¡°I am a deity! What¡¯s wrong with killing a few worthless mortals?¡± After listening, Xue An¡¯s expression gradually turned ice-cold. ¡°Deity? To me, throughout The Multiverse Realms, there are no inherently ordained deities, only immortals who defy the heavens and remain unyielding!¡± After he spoke, Xue An clenched his palm, and within it, a ball of brilliance swirled, the immense power contained within causing even the Wolf God to shudder. ¡°Today, I shall slay a god!¡± Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 242: This Sword… Called Invincible! (2nd Update) Chapter 242: Chapter 242: This Sword¡­ Called Invincible! (2nd Update) Boom! The ball of light in Xue An¡¯s hand emitted an incredibly brilliant radiance and suddenly exploded. Countless Sword Qi streaked out in all directions. The Wolf God, however, did not dodge or evade, letting these Sword Qi strike his body, sneeringly said, ¡°Useless, I am a god, and your Sword Qi is completely ineffective against me!¡± ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Xue An said with a faint smile, ¡°This wasn¡¯t originally prepared for you anyway! Don¡¯t believe me? Just look!¡± The Wolf God was startled and turned to look. He saw that under this rain of swords, all the werewolves on the Divine Plaza had been slain, their souls obliterated along with their bodies. ¡°No!¡± the Wolf God roared. Xue An said lightly, ¡°These descendants are the source that sustains your divine power, aren¡¯t they?¡± Indeed. As these werewolves died, the aura of the Wolf God weakened slightly. ¡°How do you know about these?¡± The Wolf God was finally shocked. This was his most core secret. The reason he had propagated so many descendants was to maintain his divine status through their faith and bloodline. Xue An shook his head, ¡°Initially, countless Taiyi True Gods perished by my hand, let alone you, a mere pretender to godhood.¡± The Wolf God¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim, ¡°Who exactly are you? An ordinary Sword Cultivator couldn¡¯t possibly know so much!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Who am I? You will know when you are dead!¡± At this moment, the Wolf God calmed down and said with a sinister smile, ¡°I admit I underestimated you, but do you really think this is enough? The very essence of a god is that it is¡­ unbeatable!¡± As he spoke, the body of the Wolf God swelled once more. Thirty meters. Forty meters! In the end, he grew to a full hundred meters, like a giant towering between heaven and earth, then he bent down to look at Xue An, who appeared no bigger than an ant, with an amused gaze. ¡°Insect, I could crush you with a single finger now! What can you do to me?¡± Seeing this scene, the members of Fire Phoenix all clenched their hearts. Although they firmly believed that Xue An would definitely win. The Wolf God¡¯s manifestation of the Law of Heaven and Earth was simply too fearsome. However, Xue An merely looked at the Wolf God nonchalantly and softly said, ¡°Sword, come!¡± Upon his command, the sword rain that had just filled the sky hastened to gather as if obeying the call of a king, consolidating into a Giant Sword tens of meters in length. At this moment, the Wolf God had already brought down a claw, intending to blast Xue An to smithereens. Xue An, sword in hand, held the sword aloft to light up the sky! Boom! The Giant Sword collided with the wolf¡¯s claw, and the immense force caused the Divine Temple beneath Xue An¡¯s feet to fail to withstand it, cracking into dust with a snap. The Wolf God roared, trying to snap the Giant Sword, but Xue An shook his head, ¡°Useless, I told you, today I will surely kill you!¡± No sooner had he spoken than Xue An vanished, and when he reappeared, he was already in front of the Wolf God, his Giant Sword transformed into a Golden Needle, thrusting straight at the Wolf God¡¯s forehead. The Wolf God, frightened, retreated, trying to dodge this sword. And at that moment, a light shout from Xue An echoed between heaven and earth. ¡°This sword is named¡­ Unstoppable!¡± All of a sudden, the Giant Sword became a dazzling stream of light, piercing the forehead of the Wolf God with unparalleled speed. The Wolf God¡¯s expression stiffened, horror filling his eyes. Then a Sword Qi burst forth from the back of his head, bringing a spray of blood and brain matter everywhere. The colossal body of the Wolf God, like a deflated balloon, began to shrink rapidly, reverting to its original size in the blink of an eye. However, after this sword strike, the Wolf God was not yet dead and instead turned to flee. As it ran, it was consumed with horror. Who in the world was this man? How could he strike at his weakness with a single move? No, I must leave this place quickly! This man is a thousand times more terrifying than the Holy See that chased after me all those years ago! The Wolf God¡¯s heart was filled with extreme fear as he sprinted away in panic. But he hadn¡¯t run far before he felt someone lift him by the neck from behind, then he heard Xue An say indifferently, ¡°Thinking of running now, isn¡¯t it too late?¡± The Wolf God immediately adopted an extremely fawning expression, ¡°Please spare my life, my lord, I will roll out of this secret realm immediately and I assure you that I will never come back!¡± Xue An did not speak but instead took the Wolf God straight back to the front of the Wolf God Hall. By this time, the Wolf God Hall was already in complete disarray, but in one corner, something was glowing with light. Xue An walked over there. It was a blood pool, filled with blood that emanated a powerful aura. Blood Pool. An artifact used by the werewolf clan to temper Divine Blood Battle Wolves. The Wolf God looked uncertain and anxious, not knowing what Xue An was planning by bringing him here. Before the Wolf God could react, Xue An extended two fingers directly into the Wolf God¡¯s forehead and slowly pulled out a dazzling crystal radiating with a powerful aura. There was a crack on the crystal, which was the Divine Status that Xue An had just pierced with a sword. After taking out the Divine Status, the Wolf God¡¯s body once again began to shrink, quickly turning into an ordinary grey wolf. Xue An crushed the Divine Status and threw it directly into the blood pool. The grey wolf let out a mournful cry, unable to even speak anymore. It knew that all of its years of cultivation were ruined. They should let me go now! The grey wolf thought to itself. But Xue An clearly had no intention of letting it go, casually swinging his sword. The grey wolf¡¯s head was severed, and its blood dripped into the blood pool. The aura of the blood pool became even more formidable and pure. Xue An turned his head to look at Cheng Hao and the others. ¡°Although this thing is rather rudimentary, the werewolf clan has decent self-healing capabilities and robust physical strength. I¡¯ve added the Wolf God¡¯s Divine Status, so after you go in, you can strengthen your bodies to varying degrees. The benefits are endless!¡± The members of Fire Phoenix all lit up with excitement, then they jumped into the blood pool one after another. Not a single person hesitated. In their eyes, whatever Xue An said was an undeniable truth. After entering the blood pool, everyone closed their eyes and started to transform their bodies with the power of the Wolf God. Xue An watched from the side. With the death of the Wolf God, all the werewolves in the secret realm would lose their bloodline power and become just an ordinary pack of wolves. So Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered to go after them anymore. One day later. The first person to emerge was Zhou Daniu. This man, who was already as burly as an ox, had now become even more powerful, and his stature had grown even larger. ¡°Instructor!¡± Zhou Daniu said respectfully. Xue An nodded, ¡°Try out your cultivation level!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Zhou Daniu executed the Indestructible Vajra Method, and a faint blood-colored golden light enveloped his body. Xue An casually swung out a strand of Sword Qi. Clang! It did not penetrate, only leaving a white mark on the skin. Xue An nodded, ¡°Not bad!¡± Zhou Daniu smiled naively, ¡°Instructor, I feel like I could now punch a Giant Wolf to death with one fist!¡± As they spoke, the others also emerged from the blood pool, each having gained something. Most importantly, all of their physical qualities had been greatly enhanced. ¡°Instructor!¡± everyone shouted in unison. Xue An nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go, back home!¡± Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 243 Settling the Score with Country E (3rd Update) Chapter 243: Chapter 243 Settling the Score with Country E (3rd Update) Siberia. Atop a mountain blanketed in white snow. Suddenly, a rift appeared in the sky, and then Xue An along with the members of Fire Phoenix emerged from it. ¡°Instructor, where do we head to now? Back to our country?¡± Cheng Hao asked. Xue An shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s no rush to return. The military high command of E Country has colluded with the werewolves, and I have a score to settle with them first!¡± ¡°Instructor, let¡¯s go too! If it weren¡¯t for you, we would have been completely wiped out. These E Country bastards are utterly despicable!¡± Cheng Hao said through gritted teeth. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re coming too!¡± Sun Ling and the others chimed in, their faces filled with hatred. Xue An shook his head again, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you all to get involved. I alone am enough. Wait here, I¡¯ll be right back!¡± With that, Xue An shot up into the sky, transforming into a streak of light, disappearing into the horizon. Cheng Hao and the others looked up in amazement. ¡°Captain, has our instructor become immortal?¡± Zou Yi exclaimed. Cheng Hao murmured softly, ¡°Whether he¡¯s become immortal or not, I don¡¯t know, but the instructor has grown stronger!¡± When he first met him, Xue An had not seemed as powerful as he was now. Little did he expect that in just a few short months, Xue An¡¯s aura had become as vast and immeasurable as the ocean. The capital of E Country, Moscow. A bustling yet desolate city. Once, a large and mighty empire had its roots here, but now all had changed with time, except for the doves on Red Square that still remembered past glories. Xue An landed directly on top of a high-rise building in the suburbs of the city. With a sweep of his Divine Sense, Xue An detected many powerful presences, among them one that seemed very familiar. A cold smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s lips, then he vanished from where he stood. ¡°Colonel Su Shanna, are you heading home?¡± someone greeted Su Shanna in a friendly manner. Su Shanna smiled and nodded, then got into her car. As she was about to start the engine, a voice came from the back seat. ¡°Long time no see, Su Shanna!¡± Hearing this voice, Su Shanna froze, then turned around abruptly. There sat Xue An in the back seat, looking at her with an indifferent expression. ¡°Xue¡­ Xue An?¡± Su Shanna was as shocked as if she had seen a ghost. ¡°Surprised, my dear friend?¡± Xue An said indifferently, but the word ¡°friend¡± spoken by him now was filled with mockery. Su Shanna¡¯s complexion instantly turned pale, and then she forced a smile, ¡°Indeed, I am surprised. You should know how many people I¡¯ve sent to search for you all, but¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand, interrupting Su Shanna, ¡°So, you knew nothing about the werewolf affair?¡± Su Shanna sighed deeply, ¡°If I say I only found out at the very end, would you believe me?¡± As she spoke, Su Shanna locked eyes with Xue An. After a moment, Xue An nodded slightly, ¡°Very well, now take me to your E Country¡¯s military high command!¡± ¡°What are you planning to do?¡± Su Shanna¡¯s expression tightened. Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°What am I going to do? Naturally, I¡¯m going to settle this account!¡± ¡°Xue An, I acknowledge that E Country is in the wrong, but you must remain calm. After all, you are facing the military high command that controls vast power. Please don¡¯t be impetuous!¡± Su Shanna said anxiously. Xue An shook his head, ¡°Because you have not lied, I still consider you half a friend, but my patience is limited. Do not waste precious time on this, understood?¡± Su Shanna went pale, bit her lip and said, ¡°Fine, but I advise you, you¡¯d better not be rash. The strength of the Empire is not something you can challenge alone!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, noncommittal. Su Shanna drove to the outside of the military headquarters building. Because her rank was that of a colonel, the guards did not check her too thoroughly and directly let her through. On the elevator, Su Shanna said nervously, ¡°General Chekhov and other high-ranking officials are having a meeting on the top floor, and with my position, I can¡¯t get in.¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°No problem, knowing where it is enough!¡± The seventh floor arrived quickly. As the elevator doors opened, a blond, blue-eyed man in military uniform was about to enter; upon seeing Su Shanna, his eyes lit up. ¡°Su Shanna, you¡¯re here?¡± The man greeted her with great enthusiasm. Su Shanna looked very nervous and made a covert sign to the man with her eyes, but the man seemed somewhat taken aback and did not understand the meaning. However, he noticed Xue An standing beside her and his expression immediately darkened. ¡°How come a person from the Hua country is here? Su Shanna, who is this man?¡± As he spoke, a hint of jealousy flashed in his eyes. He had been fervently pursuing this beauty of the Far East military, and now unexpectedly, there was another man from the Hua country by her side. Su Shanna was infuriated; she had made the covert sign to have this man leave quickly and then to send a message to General Chekhov and the others. She had a good impression of Xue An but could not stand by and watch him trouble her superiors. Because Su Shanna had a vague premonition that this man with an indifferent expression might do something earth-shattering. Xue An listened to the man¡¯s words, full of disdain for people from the Hua country. His eyes gradually turned colder, and he took a step forward and said, ¡°Out of the way!¡± The man paused, and then angrily huffed, ¡°I am a colonel in the military of nation E, and I demand that you leave immediately, or else I will¡­¡± Xue An, having already sensed through his Divine Sense that there were many formidable people on this floor, could not be bothered with this man¡¯s nonsense and casually waved his hand. Crack. The man¡¯s head was instantly chopped off. Blood spurted out, and the corpse fell down. Su Shanna was stunned by this scene. Killing someone as soon as he acted? At this moment, the guards on the floor also saw what had happened and rushed over. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± Xue An said coldly, ¡°Someone who has come to collect a debt!¡± A flash of sword light swept across, cutting the guards in two; then Xue An stepped forward and walked inside. Wherever he passed, corpses lay everywhere, and blood flowed like rivers. At that time, Chekhov and several other top military officials of nation E were in a meeting. They were discussing cooperation with werewolves. ¡°Last month we sent in a hundred tons of vodka, then got back five vials of Blood of the Wolf God, enough to create more than a dozen Super Soldiers!¡± an officer who looked like an expert was saying. ¡°But finding the souls for these warriors is not easy; we can¡¯t always just have these special forces competitions,¡± someone questioned with a frown. Chekhov smiled proudly, ¡°Of course we won¡¯t always need the souls of warriors, plus exchanging the lives of a few foreign special operations teams for generous rewards ¡ª isn¡¯t that worth it?¡± He truly had a reason to be proud, for he had manipulated this affair with his own hands. Just then, a commotion suddenly arose outside. As Chekhov and the others were in a state of alarm, the door was blasted open, and then Xue An walked in slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry gentlemen, but I think the meeting below can be called off!¡± Xue An revealed a few teeth in a grim smile. Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 244 I’m Very Angry Now, The Consequences Are Serious (4th Update) Chapter 244: Chapter 244 I¡¯m Very Angry Now, The Consequences Are Serious (4th Update) ¡°You are¡­ the instructor of the Huaxia Fire Phoenix, Xue An?¡± Chekhov lost all color in his face. Xue An nodded lightly, a faint smile on his lips, ¡°I¡¯m pleased you still remember me, Mr. Chekhov!¡± Chekhov was profoundly shaken. How could he have suddenly appeared here? And wasn¡¯t he captured by the werewolves along with the members of the Fire Phoenix? At this moment, the other people in the room also showed drastic changes in their expressions. ¡°Dare to intrude upon the military¡¯s forbidden ground, come, someone drag this fellow out!¡± a general bellowed furiously. But in response to him, there was only dead silence. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Sorry, I forgot to tell you, the guards outside have already been taken care of by me!¡± What? The faces of everyone present turned extremely ugly. Chekhov snorted coldly, ¡°Xue An, what do you want to do?¡± No sooner had his words fallen than, with a casual wave of Xue An¡¯s hand, a sword light severed one of Chekhov¡¯s arms. Blood, along with Chekhov¡¯s screams of pain, rendered the entire room dead silent. Xue An settled into a spacious armchair, a trace of a nonchalant smile playing at his lips. ¡°General Chekhov, I hope you understand, I am very angry right now, very very angry¡­ after all, it was you who nearly had all my subordinates killed.¡± Chekhov¡¯s face turned ashen. Meanwhile, the officer who looked like a specialist covertly pressed a button under the table. After a moment, a series of muffled footsteps could be heard from outside. A smug smile appeared on the officer¡¯s face. ¡°Instructor Xue, I sympathize with your ordeal, but your behavior is a provocation to the dignity of our E Empire, so¡­¡± the officer paused. ¡°Oh? So what?¡± Xue An raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°So we have prepared to send you to hell!¡± the officer said with a grim laugh. Boom. The thick concrete wall behind Xue An was burst open with a punch, and then a hand as wide as a fan was thrust in, aiming to slap Xue An on the head. All the officers present relaxed a bit. This palm must have been going to smash this guy¡¯s head into pieces, right? But the triumphant look on everyone¡¯s face lasted less than half a second before it froze. Because Xue An had already caught the gigantic arm, he spoke indifferently, ¡°Is this the Super Soldier you¡¯ve developed in collusion with the werewolves?¡± With that, Xue An squeezed his hand. Crack. The immensely thick arm was crushed to pieces. A muffled howl of pain followed, and then the arm tried to retract. ¡°Thinking of leaving now? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit naive?¡± Having said this, Xue An exerted force violently. Boom. The wall was smashed open with a human-shaped large hole, and then a muscular warrior over two meters tall staggered into the room. Even with his arm crushed by Xue An, the warrior was still rashly prepared to come at him again. But Xue An did not even give it the opportunity; a streak of sword light flashed by. The brute¡¯s head fell cleanly off his shoulders. Only then did Xue An coldly say, ¡°Is such trash really worth all the trouble you¡¯ve taken to harm others?¡± Chekhov and the others were dumbstruck. From the moment Xue An entered, it took only one or two minutes, and Xue An had given these people too many surprises. The burly man¡¯s corpse fell to the ground, and Xue An bent down, resting his hands on the table, looking around at the pale-faced generals. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I¡¯d like to tell you, the pack of werewolves you all cozy up to, has been completely slaughtered by me!¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Chekhov shouted. A streak of sword light flashed, and Chekhov¡¯s head catapulted into the air; his face was full of astonishment before he died. He had thought that Xue An was just here to vent his anger, and after venting, he would leave. Even if he severed one of his own arms, he wouldn¡¯t dare to kill himself. After all, he was a high-ranking official in the military of Country E. ¡°I¡¯ve said, I¡¯m very angry now, so when I¡¯m speaking, it would be best if you didn¡¯t interrupt, understand?¡± Xue An said lightly. All the remaining officers nodded their heads, silent as cicadas in winter. ¡°Good, I think now we can start discussing compensation!¡± Xue An smiled faintly. While Xue An was settling accounts with these military high-ups in Country E. In Zhongdu, Huaxia. Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei got out of the car, raising their heads to look at the wide and imposing factory gate. ¡°Immortal Masters, we have arrived at Tianyuan Company!¡± Liu Ruyan said respectfully. Jiang Nubing nodded slightly, his eyes filled with excitement and greed, ¡°Good, your Liu Family has done well!¡± Liu Ruyan¡¯s face flashed with excitement after being praised by Jiang Nubing. Wen Banmei frowned slightly, ¡°A strange place, there¡¯s actually the fluctuation of a spirit vein inside!¡± Jiang Nubing laughed upon hearing this, ¡°Naturally, without the spirit vein, the potion would not be effective, would it?¡± Wen Banmei nodded. Liu Ruyan, standing behind, couldn¡¯t help but let her thoughts roam. She hadn¡¯t expected that the Liu Family would run into such luck this time, encountering the two Immortal Masters by such a chance. With just one move, they had impressed everyone in the Liu Family. And then, Liu Ruyan had the good fortune to be favored by Wen Banmei, who had made her a temporary companion. For the past few days, the Liu Family showed utmost respect to the two of them, especially Liu Ruyan! In her dreams, she thought about becoming a disciple of Wen Banmei! So, when she heard that the two wished to find Tianyuan Company, she volunteered to be their guide. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s see what¡¯s so divine about this place to produce such a potion amid the mundane world!¡± Wen Banmei said indifferently. The two led the way, with Liu Ruyan guiding several guards from the Liu Family behind them. They quickly arrived at the office building of Tianyuan Company. ¡°May I ask who you are looking for?¡± the receptionist at the front desk asked. Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei rarely spoke, feeling that conversing with common folk was beneath their status as disciples of Kunlun. Liu Ruyan stepped forward arrogantly and said, ¡°We are here to see your person in charge, quickly!¡± ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry, but our directors are currently in a meeting and don¡¯t have time to meet with you right now¡­¡± The receptionist hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei started walking inside. ¡°Hey! You can¡¯t just barge in like this!¡± the receptionist called out anxiously. Wen Banmei gave her a cold look. The receptionist felt as though her whole body had been frozen, unable to speak a word. Liu Ruyan scoffed, ¡°Idiot!¡± Then she hurriedly led the way to follow them. At this moment, Zhao Xuehui, Qiao Le, Yang Bin, and several others like Gao Wenyen and Shu Liu were in a meeting. ¡°Mr. Xue hasn¡¯t come back yet?¡± Shu Liu asked with some concern. Zhao Xuehui nodded, ¡°The younger brother hasn¡¯t returned yet, but I believe he will be alright. What we need to do now is ensure the company runs smoothly and without fault!¡± Just as he said this, the door to the meeting room was kicked open and Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei strode in with heads held high. Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 245: The Overwhelming An Yan and Her Frying Pan (Fifth Update) Chapter 245: Chapter 245: The Overwhelming An Yan and Her Frying Pan (Fifth Update) ¡°Who are you?¡± Qiao Le abruptly stood up, asking angrily. Jiang Nubing sneered, scanning everyone present before speaking indifferently, ¡°You¡­ are the senior executives of Tianyuan Company?¡± ¡°Who on earth are you? If you don¡¯t tell us, I¡¯m calling security!¡± Zhao Xuehui demanded in a stern voice. Jiang Nubing walked to the table, grabbed a chair and sat down, then said calmly, ¡°Who I am doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is that you¡¯ll have to hand over all of Tianyuan¡¯s manufacturing processes and formulas!¡± Zhao Xuehui and the others exchanged glances, their hearts tightened. Here it comes! Someone indeed couldn¡¯t resist targeting Tianyuan. ¡°Hehe, who do you think you are, talking so big? I¡¯m telling you, leave now and I can still forgive you; otherwise¡­ ¡± Qiao Le hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Wen Banmei frowned and then snapped her fingers. Boom. Qiao Le was blasted against the wall, spewing out a mouthful of fresh blood and then coughing in pain repeatedly. ¡°Bastard! I¡¯ll fight you!¡± Yang Binyi saw his third brother get hit, his eyes turned red, and he picked up a stool ready to charge. At that moment, Liu Ruyan sneered, ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to act rashly. These two are powerful Immortal Masters! Hand over the formula and the process obediently, and they might spare your lives!¡± Shu Liu shuddered, ¡°You are¡­ Miss Liu Ruyan of the Liu Family?¡± Liu Ruyan smiled proudly, ¡°Correct, I am Liu Ruyan. Manager Shu, I didn¡¯t expect to encounter you here. Seeing that we are old acquaintances, just obey and I might persuade the Immortal Master to spare you!¡± Shu Liu¡¯s face became extremely unsightly as he said angrily, ¡°What is this? Robbery?¡± Gao Wenyen couldn¡¯t help but sigh deeply, and saluted with folded hands, ¡°You both don¡¯t seem like ordinary people, but don¡¯t you fear retribution for acting so tyrannically?¡± Jiang Nubing scoffed, ¡°Retribution? Our words as Kunlun¡¯s Immortal Disciples are retribution! You now have ten minutes to turn everything over and I will spare your lives, otherwise¡­ ¡± ¡°Otherwise what?¡± A cool voice came from outside the door. The people inside the room were first stunned and then saw An Yan walk into the conference room with Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. Zhao Xuehui and his two brothers, along with Gao Wenyen and others, all had their expressions change. Especially Zhao Xuehui, who was filled with anxiety. Why did his younger sister come at such a moment? In actuality, An Yan¡¯s visit today was purely coincidental. She had been feeling quite bored at home, and An Qing had yet to return. An Yan knew her sister An Qing must be feeling guilty and didn¡¯t dare to face her. Although An Yan had called several times, An Qing never answered. Today An Yan decided to drop by Tianyuan Company to relieve some of her boredom and worry. But just as she reached the conference room, she heard the argument inside and listened carefully to understand. It turned out someone wanted to steal Tianyuan¡¯s formula and process. This made An Yan furious. Tianyuan was established by her husband, and now that he had only been missing for a few days, someone couldn¡¯t wait to snatch it away? Upon seeing An Yan, Jiang Nubing¡¯s eyes initially brightened at the sight of a beautiful woman, then he indifferently asked. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°I am Xue An¡¯s wife, a shareholder of Tianyuan Company, An Yan! Aren¡¯t you afraid my husband will come back and settle the score with you for being so overbearing?¡± An Yan said coldly. Xue An¡¯s wife? Settle the score? Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei looked at each other and then laughed together. Xue An¡¯s name was naturally known to both of them. The actual founder of Tianyuan Company? Moreover, his deeds had been introduced in broad strokes by the Liu Family, hailed as the first master among the younger generation in the Martial Arts World. Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei merely smiled indifferently at this, not taking it seriously. To them, disciples who had emerged from the secret realm of Kunlun, so-called masters of the secular world weren¡¯t worth mentioning at all. Therefore, Jiang Nubing smiled faintly, ¡°Oh? So you mean to say you know Tianyuan¡¯s formula too? Well then, tell us, and we will leave immediately! How about it?¡± ¡°Dream on!¡± An Yan shouted coldly. At this moment, Liu Ruyan stepped forward, her face full of mockery, ¡°Miss An of the An Family has quite the imposing air, tsk tsk! It¡¯s a pity that your husband isn¡¯t here, and I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s already met his end in Siberia. What kind of air are you putting on now? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to reveal the formula and make everyone happy?¡± An Yan looked at Liu Ruyan, her gaze growing colder, ¡°Does the Liu Family also want to wade into these muddy waters? Aren¡¯t you afraid of the military stepping in?¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan let out a cold laugh, ¡°An Yan, I know what you¡¯re thinking, but sadly, your sister An Qing is now a Bodhisattva struggling to cross the river, she can hardly protect herself. To tell you the truth, my brother has now been transferred to her military unit, and he¡¯s her superior. Do you think the An Family still has a chance to turn the tables?¡± These words greatly changed An Yan¡¯s expression; no wonder she couldn¡¯t get through to An Qing¡¯s phone lately. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, at this moment, were lost in confusion, but as exceptionally clever little girls, they could see that Liu Ruyan was no good, so they clenched their little fists and shouted. ¡°Bad auntie! Watch out, my daddy will come back and beat you to death!¡± The words of the little girls made Liu Ruyan¡¯s expression turn colder, and she let out a cold snort, ¡°An Yan, with two Immortal Masters here, I advise you¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, An Yan reached into her backpack behind her and yanked out a frying pan, smacking it directly onto Liu Ruyan¡¯s face. Smack. A remarkably crisp sound. Liu Ruyan was sent flying by the frying pan, only coming to a stop when she hit the wall. Then, Liu Ruyan¡¯s pretty face began to swell at a visible rate. Liu Ruyan cried out in pain and angrily ordered her security guards, ¡°Get them, take this wretched woman down!¡± Several of the Liu Family¡¯s bodyguards rushed up. An Yan, contrary to her usual gentleness, was full of murderous intent, wielding the frying pan. Each swing laid one flat, two brought down a pair, fighting with great enjoyment! Zhao Xuehui and Qiao Le, along with a few others, were initially stunned. Who could have imagined that An Yan, always so gentle, could become so fierce and fierce once she exploded? After a moment, they all came to their senses. They couldn¡¯t just let An Yan fight alone! So, they all grabbed chairs and stools and charged into the fray. The conference room descended into chaos. Liu Ruyan, touching the side of her face that had swollen up high, came up to Wen Banmei feeling very wronged. ¡°Immortal Master, this woman is simply intolerable! You must avenge me!¡± However, Wen Banmei and Jiang Nubing were watching An Yan with great interest at this moment. This woman actually had the cultivation level of the Xiaoyao Realm. Soon, all of the Liu Family¡¯s bodyguards were laid out by An Yan. Then, An Yan, holding the frying pan and brimming with killing intent, pointed at Jiang Nubing and the others. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Wife, Wait for Me a Moment (1st Update) Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Wife, Wait for Me a Moment (1st Update) While An Yan was slaughtering his way through with a flat-bottomed pan. Xue An obtained a considerable compensation from the E-country military officers who were like mourning parents. This compensation included not only a substantial amount of money but also various blueprints of weapons and equipment. These were exactly what Huaxia was urgently lacking. After Xue An packed up these items, he turned to the officers with a slight smile, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you, despite all the despicable tactics you¡¯ve used, my Fire Phoenix has not suffered a single casualty, and in terms of results, we¡¯re still number one!¡± Xue An¡¯s words turned the officers¡¯ faces ashen. This was truly a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on one¡¯s own feet. As Su Shanna escorted Xue An out of the military headquarters building, her expression was extremely complicated. This man was frighteningly powerful. The Super Soldiers that the Empire had always taken pride in hadn¡¯t lasted a single move against him, even the werewolf clan, considered top combat forces by the higher-ups, were annihilated. Now thinking about it, the Empire should never have provoked this man from the start! Once they exited the military headquarters building, Xue An stopped, turned to Su Shanna and gave her a faint smile. ¡°Su Shanna, thank you!¡± Su Shanna¡¯s face turned pale, somewhat unsure of how to respond. ¡°I am a very principled person, if someone is kind to me, I will definitely repay them, but if anyone dares to plot against me in secret, then don¡¯t blame me for not being polite!¡± Su Shanna silently nodded her head. ¡°This time it¡¯s barely satisfactory, but it¡¯s not enough!¡± Xue An said coolly. ¡°Not enough?¡± Su Shanna asked incredulously. The compensation had already reached this extent, the Empire¡¯s face was already on the ground, still not enough? What exactly did he want? ¡°Sometimes, being low-key is a wise choice! But being excessively low-key, pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger, will only invite the gaze of either greed or hatred!¡± With that, Xue An smiled faintly. ¡°And if you want to completely eliminate these gazes, the best method is to make them fear you, fear your power!¡± As Xue An spoke, he slowly ascended into midair. Many people witnessed this scene and were incredibly astonished. ¡°God, am I seeing things?¡± Many bystanders were full of disbelief. Xue An stood in midair, using his hand as a sword, slowly lifting it above his head. ¡°Begin!¡± Boom! A sword light that seemed to cleave the heavens and earth itself struck down, landing directly on the military headquarters building. Crack! The seven-story building, constructed of countless steel reinforcements and concrete and boasting resistance to missile attacks, was split in two like a fragile eggshell under the strike of this sword. A wide chasm appeared in the middle, the sparks of electrical cables mingled with the screams of people inside, creating a chilling scene for Su Shanna. This man! He was more terrifying than a deity! Xue An looked down at Su Shanna with a smile, ¡°Goodbye, my friend!¡± With those words, Xue An turned into a stream of light and disappeared into the sky. This moment was recorded by many, and a storm of public opinion was brewing. In Siberia, at the training camp, When Cheng Hao and the others arrived, the place had already been abandoned, even taken over by a logging gang. As soon as Cheng Hao and his crew showed up, those involved in illegal logging thought about resisting, but they were beaten senseless before they could even draw their guns, and then were thrown into the icy wilderness. At this moment, Cheng Hao and his teammates were waiting in the building for Xue An¡¯s return. ¡°Captain, how long do you think our instructor will take to come back?¡± Zou Yi asked with a grin. Cheng Hao pondered for a moment, ¡°I think it should take at least a day!¡± ¡°One day? From here to Moscow, it¡¯s at least three thousand kilometers. Although the instructor can fly, can he really make it in one day?¡± Zou Yi still found it hard to believe. But as they were talking, Xue An burst directly through the window. ¡°Instructor!¡± Everyone quickly stood up, their hearts filled with solemn respect. Just moments ago they said it would take at least a day, yet who could have imagined that in just half a day, the instructor would return! Xue An nodded, ¡°This place is not too far from Huaxia. In a moment, I will imbue each of you with a Sword Qi, then follow me as we fly back to Huaxia, understood?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Everyone became excited. ¡°Instructor, will it be Sword Control flying?¡± Zou Yi¡¯s eyes lit up as he couldn¡¯t help but ask. Xue An smiled and nodded, ¡°You could say that!¡± As they were speaking, Xue An¡¯s expression suddenly changed drastically, then he turned and looked in the direction of Huaxia. A bone-chillingly fierce killing intent soared into the sky. The color drained from Cheng Hao and the others¡¯ faces; those who were closer were directly pushed back by this murderous aura. ¡°Instructor, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cheng Hao and others¡¯ expressions also turned grave. Xue An¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, for he had just sensed the emotions of An Yan and his daughter. It seemed they were in a dangerous predicament. ¡°Someone is threatening my wife and daughter!¡± Xue An said with a heavy voice. Upon hearing this, Cheng Hao and the others all raised their eyebrows and eyes, their faces full of murderous intent. Xue An then gestured, and each person was imbued with a Sword Qi. ¡°Follow me!¡± With that, Xue An soared into the sky. Cheng Hao and the others followed closely behind, and as they looked at each other, they understood each other¡¯s feelings from the eyes filled with murder and fury. To think someone dared to harm the family of the instructor. No matter who you are, no matter where you hide, at the ends of the earth, the Fire Phoenix will exterminate you together! Xue An led the way, with the members of the Fire Phoenix following behind. Dozens of streaks of light flashed across the sky at great speed. Xue An thought to himself. My wife, wait for a moment, once I return, I¡¯ll slay all the bastards who put you at a disadvantage! Meanwhile, in the Tianyuan Company¡¯s conference room. Wen Banmei slowly stood up, a mocking smile appearing on her face. ¡°Not a bad pot!¡± An Yan kept a stern face and did not speak. ¡°But if you think that with your mere wok and your laughable Xiaoyao Realm cultivation level, you can stop us, then that¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Wen Banmei said indifferently. An Yan replied coldly, ¡°You can try!¡± Wen Banmei let out a cold laugh, her aura beginning to rise step by step, quickly reaching the Loose Immortal level. The might of this level made all the ordinary people in the room, like Zhao Xuehui, Shu Liu, and others turn pale, and they were forced back to the wall before they could barely manage to stand. An Yan¡¯s face also turned somewhat pale, but she still clenched her teeth and persisted. Wen Banmei¡¯s eyes showed a hint of surprise. Her Loose Immortal might couldn¡¯t make An Yan, a Xiaoyao, submit? Just then, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, like two little penguins, spread out their arms and stood in front of An Yan. ¡°Bad woman, you¡¯re not allowed to bully my mom!¡± Xue Nian said. ¡°Right! If you keep bullying my mom, when my dad comes back, he will make all of you disappear!¡± Xue Xiang said. Huh! Wen Banmei and Jiang Nubing were both somewhat taken aback. These two little girls were completely unaffected by this Loose Immortal might? Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 247 Remember, this is just the beginning! (2nd update) Chapter 247: Chapter 247 Remember, this is just the beginning! (2nd update) ¡°But they had no idea.¡± Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian had been fed Primordial Essence Elixirs refined with Immortal Venerable¡¯s Essence Blood by Xue An from their infancy.¡± Moreover, Xue An doted on these two daughters to an unimaginable extent, personally instilling countless Protective talisman spells into their bodies with his very own life essence blood.¡± It could be said that even a Half-step Longevity expert would struggle to lay a finger on these two girls.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Wen Banmei snorted coldly, she wasn¡¯t petty enough to squabble with children, but she looked up at An Yan and said, ¡°Miss An, you¡¯re completely ignorant of the powers of this world. If I wanted, you would already be lying dead here and now, but I don¡¯t wish for that. Just hand over the formula and techniques, and I will spare you and your children. What say you?¡± Wen Banmei¡¯s voice was frigid.¡± Liu Ruyan was also becoming impatient, rushing forward to say, ¡°An Yan, I¡¯m telling you, the Immortal Masters are right. If you continue to be deluded, not only will you suffer, but your sister will be implicated as well!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not still hoping that Xue An will come to rescue you, are you? Let me tell you, stop your wishful thinking. By now, your husband¡¯s body has probably been eaten by wolves!¡± Liu Ruyan¡¯s face was full of mockery.¡± An Yan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, her hand gripping a frying pan, which she then hurled directly at Liu Ruyan.¡± Whether it was innate talent or some kind of frying pan-throwing attribute bonus, An Yan¡¯s toss was unbelievably accurate. Clang! The frying pan smashed into Liu Ruyan¡¯s mouth.¡± Blood immediately flowed from the corners of her mouth, and all of her teeth were shattered.¡± Liu Ruyan let out a painful scream, mumbling unclearly, ¡°Immortal Master¡­ save me!¡± Wen Banmei¡¯s face darkened.¡± An Yan dared to make a move right in front of her, which she found to be a great affront to her dignity.¡± So Wen Banmei took a step forward and said coldly, ¡°Since you¡¯re on a path to self-destruction, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡± At her words, a murderous intent surged towards An Yan. A look of despair flashed across An Yan¡¯s eyes. Husband, where are you now? I¡­ can¡¯t hold on much longer! Zhao Xuehui, Qiao Le, and others felt so pressured they couldn¡¯t even move their limbs, and their faces couldn¡¯t help but reveal a look of despair. But at this moment, a cold voice came from outside the window. ¡°Good, you have successfully angered me!¡± An Yan was stunned. This voice¡­ Then, the glass curtain wall of the conference room shattered with a bang, and Xue An slowly walked in.¡± His arrival made An Yan¡¯s tears immediately spill over. ¡°Husband!¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± the two little girls also called out in unison. This ¡°husband¡± was filled with grievance and bitterness.¡± Xue An felt a pang of heartache and quickly stepped forward to embrace An Yan.¡± ¡°There, there, don¡¯t cry, I¡¯m back now, aren¡¯t I?¡± An Yan nodded her head, a bit embarrassed. At this time, an indifferent voice came, ¡°You¡­ are Xue An?¡± Xue An¡¯s smile faded gradually as he turned to look. He saw Wen Banmei coldly saying, ¡°You are the founder of this establishment, Xue An? Very well, since you¡¯ve returned¡­ hand over the items, and I might just spare your life!¡± Wen Banmei spoke with utter arrogance.¡± Xue An laughed, gently ruffled An Yan¡¯s hair, then looked down at Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian and said, ¡°You two go over there with Mom and wait for me, and remember to close your eyes!¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± The two obedient little girls followed An Yan to the side.¡± Xue An stood upright, leisurely clearing his ears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what was that you just said? I didn¡¯t quite catch it.¡± For some reason, Wen Banmei felt a bone-chilling cold within her heart.¡± But almost immediately, she proudly lifted her head, ¡°Hand over the formula and techniques, and I will spare your life!¡± As soon as her words finished. Xue An¡¯s figure suddenly appeared in front of her, and he swung out a slap.¡± The slap was devastatingly fierce. It sent Wen Banmei flying off the ground and spinning several times in mid-air. With a thud. Wen Banmei fell to the ground. One side of her face was so shattered by the slap that her originally pretty features became extremely hideous and terrifying. And this slap also made Jiang Nubing, who was watching the scene with schadenfreude, stand up abruptly, his face grim as he said, ¡°You actually dare to strike?¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered with more nonsense and suddenly vanished, then appeared in front of Jiang Nubing, raising his hand to deliver another slap. Smack! Jiang Nubing¡¯s situation was somewhat better than Wen Banmei¡¯s; although he was sent flying by the slap, at least his cheekbones weren¡¯t shattered, but he couldn¡¯t save any of his teeth. Only then did Xue An say indifferently, ¡°Remember, this is just the beginning!¡± The room fell deadly silent, many people looking at the scene with their mouths agape, especially Liu Ruyan. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t have imagined that the two Immortal Masters she revered like gods would have their faces directly smashed by Xue An. ¡°Very good, you¡¯ve angered two Kunlun disciples, you are dead for sure!¡± Wen Banmei looked at Xue An with great resentment, then stood up and flung something at him. The unique skill of Qianxue Mountain, the Thousand Mechanism Fan! It was known as a one-strike kill technique unmatched by any Loose Immortal! At this moment, Jiang Nubing was also unable to contain his rage and let out a great shout. A radiant light appeared between his hands. It was a long spear. The Overlord¡¯s Fury Spear! The Overlord Sect¡¯s sect-defining technique, said to be inherited from the ancient Golden Immortal Overlord Xiang Yu! The combined strike of these two was incredibly formidable. All the furniture in the room were reduced to sawdust by this one strike. Shu Liu and the others were all shocked, extremely worried. But amidst this storm of shock, Xue An¡¯s calm voice came through. ¡°I said, this is just the beginning!¡± With that said! Xue An tore the Thousand Mechanism Fan to shreds and kicked the Overlord Spear in two, then closed in on them. Smack smack! Two slaps louder than before. Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei were sent flying once again. By the time they landed again, their faces were already deformed from the slaps. Blood was streaming from their noses and mouths. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not over yet, keep it coming!¡± Both of them had a look of extreme horror in their eyes. How could this man be so formidable? Both of them gritted their teeth and used their most powerful secret techniques. ¡°Thousand Snow Beauty!¡± ¡°Overlord¡¯s Furious Slash at the River!¡± Two earth-shattering auras merged into one. The roof of the conference room was blown off by this aura. But Xue An still stood with his arms folded, quietly watching. Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei felt a rush of secret delight. These were their respective sects¡¯ secret techniques, extremely powerful, and even a regular Half-step Longevity practitioner wouldn¡¯t dare to face them head-on. But their joy lasted less than a second. Xue An lifted his eyes, revealed a few pearly white teeth, and smiled grimly, ¡°Still not enough!¡± With that said, Xue An reached out with both hands and pressed them on top of their heads, and uttered a single word. ¡°Kneel!¡± Both of them felt as if a mountain was pressing down on their heads, their knees shattered instantly, and they thudded onto the ground. Chapter 248 - Chapter 248: Chapter 248: In the Snap of a Finger, Vanishing into Smoke (Third Update) Chapter 248: Chapter 248: In the Snap of a Finger, Vanishing into Smoke (Third Update) Jiang Nubing and Wen Banmei knelt on the ground, struggled a few times, and realizing their kneecaps were shattered, they simply couldn¡¯t move; a flash of humiliation crossed their faces. Then, the two of them stealthily exchanged glances and lowered their heads. ¡°Xue An, we admit we underestimated you,¡± Jiang Nubing took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, ¡°your cultivation level is indeed respectable enough for us to honor. Let¡¯s just let bygones be bygones, how about that?¡± ¡°Oh? Just let bygones be bygones?¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°That¡¯s right, we won¡¯t insist on the Heaven¡¯s Fate Elixir anymore! As long as you spare us, we¡¯ll act as though this never happened!¡± Jiang Nubing said. ¡°That does sound nice but¡­¡± a cold smile appeared at the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. ¡°You seem to have misunderstood something. From the beginning, I never intended to let you go!¡± Shock and anger appeared on the faces of Wen Banmei and Jiang Nubing. Wen Banmei sneered coldly, ¡°Xue An, don¡¯t think your cultivation is so incredible. I¡¯m telling you, in Kunlun, your level simply isn¡¯t worth mentioning.¡± Xue An looked at Wen Banmei impassively, until at last, he cracked a faint smile. ¡°Are you done? If you¡¯re done¡­ then go to hell!¡± With a wave of Xue An¡¯s hand, Wen Banmei felt a scorching heat at her feet, she looked down to see white flames burning rapidly. ¡°Aaaah¡­ Xue An, release me quickly, or my sect will surely tear you to pieces!¡± Wen Banmei screamed. But nothing could stop the fast spreading flames. Moments later, Wen Banmei was completely engulfed by the flames. Her originally lovely face withered and cracked swiftly in the fire. Wen Banmei struggled in agony, then turned to ash, vanishing without a trace. Jiang Nubing looked on, his guts freezing with horror, he had never imagined Xue An could be so ruthlessly decisive. Xue An turned his gaze to Jiang Nubing, ¡°Before you die¡­ is there something you want to say?¡± A chill rose from the depths of Jiang Nubing¡¯s heart, but he still clenched his teeth and said, ¡°We are disciples of Kunlun. Killing us will bring you an immense amount of trouble!¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°Trouble? The thing I fear the least is trouble!¡± As he said this, endless flames once again engulfed Jiang Nubing, and moments later, he too was burned to ash, his soul obliterated. As the two perished before her eyes, Liu Ruyan couldn¡¯t help but stand frozen. Only when Xue An looked towards her did she jolt, her voice trembling, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, I am from the Liu Family!¡± ¡°The Liu Family?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°No, it¡¯ll soon cease to exist!¡± With those words, a sword light flashed, directly piercing Liu Ruyan¡¯s forehead, and her corpse fell to the ground. Zhao Xuehui and others like Shu Liu were all dumbfounded as they watched Xue An. Especially Shu Liu and Gao Shengnan, they were utterly petrified at this point. Since Xue An had returned, he had been like a Divine Slaughter, dealing ruthless, unmatched blows, slaughtering several people! And all the while, his demeanor was nonchalant, as if he was butchering chickens and slaughtering dogs. This kind of momentum made several women go pale. Xue An then came over to An Yan and smiled slightly. ¡°Wife, sorry for coming back a bit late!¡± An Yan brushed her hair by her ear and smiled radiantly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re back!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said gleefully, ¡°Daddy, daddy, mom was really fierce just now, she made all those bad guys so scared!¡± Xue An chuckled, squatting down and tousling the girls¡¯ hair, ¡°You two are also amazing! You even knew to protect mom!¡± Xue An had arrived just in time to see the scene of the two little girls shielding An Yan. It was that scene that triggered Xue An¡¯s rampage. ¡°We¡¯re not afraid, daddy said if someone bullies us, we have to fight back fiercely!¡± Xue Xiang said, her small fists clenched and her expression resolute. Xue An laughed, a very contented laugh. He didn¡¯t want his children to be flowers in a greenhouse because the road to immortal cultivation ahead was filled with countless hardships and dangers. He had to make his daughters understand that if someone bullied them, they must retaliate tenfold! An Yan was somewhat worried at the moment and said, ¡°About An Qing¡­¡± Xue An stood up and nodded, ¡°I know, I am heading there now!¡± As they were speaking, dozens of streaks of light flew in from the horizon and then directly rushed into the meeting room. Only when they stopped did people realize that they were all fierce-looking soldiers. ¡°Instructor!¡± Cheng Hao and the others called out in unison. When Xue An rushed back, he was so anxious that he had left these members of the Fire Phoenix behind. So it was only now that they had caught up. Xue An nodded his head and then said coldly, ¡°Follow me back to the military camp!¡± After speaking, Xue An said to An Yan, ¡°Wait here for my return!¡± With that, Xue An shot straight up into the sky. After knowing that An Yan was the instructor¡¯s wife, Cheng Hao and the others all nodded to her respectfully and then followed closely behind Xue An. After they left, Zhao Xuehui, Qiao Le and the others looked at each other and sighed softly. ¡°Second Brother is getting more and more formidable!¡± Qiao Le exclaimed. Shu Liu and others had complex expressions as they watched Xue An¡¯s departing figure. This man always brought surprises at critical moments. At this moment, Inside the military camp, An Qing was silently wiping the floor with her head down. A few women passed by the corridor, only whispering to each other after they had gone past. ¡°Hey, has An Qing fallen to the point of wiping floors now?¡± ¡°Hehe, she indirectly caused the death of the Fire Phoenix, so not being punished is already good. What¡¯s cleaning a floor considered?¡± ¡°I heard there¡¯s a feud between the new instructor Liu and her!¡± These discussions reached An Qing¡¯s ears, but she did not look up and only her face turned a bit pale. ¡°Hey, this floor cleaning is not good enough, there are footprints everywhere, clean it again!¡± a fat woman with triangular eyes admonished as she walked over with an arrogant air. An Qing looked up at her blankly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? Clean all the floors on this level again, and you have to do it by hand!¡± the fat woman said with evident pleasure. As for military rank, she was much lower than An Qing, who she used to salute in the past. But now that An Qing had fallen on hard times and become a laughingstock in the military, it would be a shame not to step on her at this opportunity! ¡°What are you looking at? This was ordered by Instructor Liu!¡± the fat woman scolded, hands on her hips. An Qing¡¯s expression changed, but after a moment, she still bowed her head and responded with a ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The fat woman was about to leave when a voice came from the end of the corridor. ¡°I think that even using your hands won¡¯t make it clean!¡± The fat woman was taken aback and didn¡¯t turn around, only sneered, ¡°Then how should it be cleaned?¡± ¡°If you lick it bit by bit with your tongue, I think that would be considered clean!¡± The voice was as placid as water, without a ripple. The fat woman chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, An Qing, did you hear? Someone suggested you use your tongue to lick the floor, how do you feel about that?¡± An Qing kept her head down, not speaking. At this moment, Xue An slowly walked over from the end of the corridor, with the sunlight shining through the windows casting a light on his face that made his expression fluctuate unpredictably. ¡°What I said was not about her, but you!¡± Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Zhongdu Massive Quake (1st Update) Chapter 250: Chapter 250 Zhongdu Massive Quake (1st Update) The hall was dead silent. Looking at the blood and bones that covered the ground, everyone was shivering. No one had thought Xue An would really dare to annihilate the Liu Family. And Xue An merely glanced coldly at those who remained before turning away to leave. As he walked out, Cheng Hao and others followed him. Only when Xue An¡¯s figure was no longer visible did those present breathe a sigh of relief, as many had wet themselves, and a strong odor of urine filled the banquet hall. But at that moment, nobody had the time to mock those who had been scared into wetting themselves, for they were all busy informing their respective families. So, in less than an hour, the news of Xue An lifting a hand to wipe out the Liu Family spread throughout Zhongdu. At the time when he heard this news, Chen Xiuhe was admiring his few whiskers in the mirror. Having been rejuvenated by the Heaven¡¯s Fate Elixir, Chen Xiuhe¡¯s illness had not only been cured, but he had also grown much younger. It was during this moment that the Chen Family¡¯s steward hastened in. ¡°Old Master, something terrible has happened!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, running in here all flustered?¡± ¡°Mr. Xue is back!¡± ¡°What?¡± Chen Xiuhe was overjoyed, ¡°I knew Mr. Xue would be fine, hahaha, where is he? I¡¯ll go see him!¡± ¡°But Mr. Xue just returned to Zhongdu and eradicated the Liu Family!¡± ¡°If he has eradicated them, he has eradicated¡­ What did you say?¡± Chen Xiuhe was shocked, ¡°Which Liu Family?¡± ¡°Of course, the Liu Family in Zhongdu!¡± Chen Xiuhe¡¯s complexion changed drastically, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true, it¡¯s already gone viral outside. I heard that many noble families are preparing to join forces to take down Mr. Xue!¡± After hearing the steward¡¯s words, Chen Xiuhe¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Damn it, those guys have been eyeing the sales of the Heaven¡¯s Fate Elixir with envy. They also want to make a fuss about the Liu Family¡¯s annihilation to gain some benefits!¡± Chen Xiuhe, with his sharp insight, immediately saw through the crux of the matter. The Liu Family had substantial influence in Zhongdu and reportedly also had high-level connections within the military. But now that the entire family had been killed, even their formidable power had dissipated like smoke. Thus, these noble families simply wished to use the pretext of seeking justice for the Liu Family to pressure Xue An with public opinion and the momentum of the majority. Thinking this, Chen Xiuhe¡¯s face showed a trace of cold laughter. Those noble families, so accustomed to scheming and living like parasites, did not understand that Xue An was not someone who could be coerced by anyone. ¡°Old Master, what should we do?¡± the steward asked. Chen Xiuhe paced back and forth in the room for a few steps, then spoke in a deep voice, ¡°We will observe and see how things unfold. If necessary, the Chen Family will stand as Mr. Xue¡¯s stalwart supporter!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± When Chen Rushi learned of the news, she was at the Wei Family¡¯s place, having a heart-to-heart with Wei Ruyan and Wei Rulan, the sisters. Upon hearing the message. ¡°What!¡± The three women were all shocked. Chen Rushi was especially horrified, as restless as an ant on a hot pan! Both Wei Ruyan and Wei Rulan had faces full of shock. ¡°Ru Shi, first calm down. This matter is no small affair. You better go back and ask for Old Master Chen¡¯s opinion!¡± Wei Rulan said in a grave voice. ¡°Right! I¡¯ll take my leave now!¡± Chen Rushi said and then hurried off. Watching her flustered retreat, Wei Ruyan said, ¡°Ru Lan, what do you think about this?¡± Wei Rulan gently shook her head, ¡°I wanted Ru Shi to return so that through her, I could inquire about Chen Xiuhe¡¯s opinion. After all, with this incident, the situation in Zhongdu has drastically changed. Many who were already dissatisfied with Xue An now have the perfect excuse to cause trouble!¡± ¡°Cause trouble? What kind of trouble?¡± Wei Rulan said indifferently, ¡°Heaven¡¯s Fate!¡± Wei Ruyan¡¯s expression changed, ¡°Heaven¡¯s Fate?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A common man is not guilty; the one who possesses the ¡®Heaven¡¯s Fate¡¯ is blamed. The magical powers of this ¡®Heaven¡¯s Fate¡¯ are too astonishing, and it has already attracted countless covetous eyes. Thus, his current predicament¡­ is more difficult than ever before!¡± As Wei Rulan spoke, she lifted her head looking into the distance, murmuring to herself, ¡°You have always acted domineering and can even be said to be unwise, but I wonder how you plan to resolve this crisis this time?¡± Chi Family. ¡°Miss Chi, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Xue An has wolfish ambitions; he killed many of your Chi Family¡¯s people last time, and now he has wiped out the Liu Family. Who knows what more outrageous acts he might commit in the future! Therefore, we have decided to join forces to crusade against this man!¡± a man chattered incessantly. But Chi Weiyang remained silent, head bowed all the while. ¡°Miss Chi, many noble families have already joined the cause. If you would just nod in agreement, then after our success, a share of the ¡®Heaven¡¯s Fate¡¯ will also belong to you!¡± the man began to tempt her. Unexpectedly, however, Chi Weiyang lifted her head and shook it resolutely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but now I am the only orphan of the Chi Family left, so I¡¯d rather not get involved in this affair!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The man wanted to continue persuading, but Chi Weiyang had already risen and departed. ¡°Hmph! Truly unappreciative!¡± The man, enraged, left with a fling of his sleeve. Meanwhile, behind the beaded curtain, Chi Weiyang watched the backs of those departing figures and whispered softly, ¡°You people, how could you possibly know the extent of his terror?¡± The news continued to ferment. The noble families in Zhongdu began to get restless. And at a high-level military conference, the Liu Family¡¯s backer was also in a furious rage at this moment. ¡°Look at this, just look! This Xue An is so daring; he actually carried out a massacre in front of so many people!¡± the general slammed the table and bellowed. The other generals also had somber expressions; after all, what Xue An did was a bit too extreme. Among them was even a colonel! ¡°I propose that we cannot let this matter rest; Xue An must provide an explanation!¡± ¡°Explanation? What kind of explanation?¡± ¡°Xue An is so arrogant, relying solely on the Fire Phoenix Squad. Hence, I propose stripping him of his position as the instructor of the Fire Phoenix and passing the command to someone else!¡± As he spoke, the general¡¯s eyes glinted with greed. The room fell quiet, with many murmuring about the suggestion. And the Major General sneered in his heart. Xue An, you brought this on yourself. Now that you have offended everyone, see who will be able to help you? The Fire Phoenix Squad is a real treasure; if I could snatch it for myself, that would be simply¡­ He was still reveling in the thought when a communications soldier hurriedly entered. ¡°Report!¡± ¡°Damn it, don¡¯t you see we¡¯re in a meeting?¡± he rebuked loudly. ¡°Report, General, it¡¯s an emergency communication!¡± With that, the soldier handed over a document. The general took it nonchalantly, but as soon as he opened it, he froze, and the excitement on his face gradually turned pale. Even the hand holding the envelope began to tremble slightly. The others looked on with anxiety. ¡°What is it? What happened?¡± One of the generals stepped forward to look. They saw a line of bold letters on the document. Xue An slew the military headquarters of Country E, the high-ranking officials of the Empire¡¯s military collectively bowed their heads in apology! Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Drunk on a Beauty’s Knees (2nd Update) Chapter 251: Chapter 251: Drunk on a Beauty¡¯s Knees (2nd Update) An Family. Today, in front of the An Family residence, it was bustling with activity. All kinds of luxury cars were packed tight, making it impassable. Nearly half of the noble families of Zhongdu had come. After getting out of their cars, these people exchanged knowing looks and walked towards the house together, understanding each other¡¯s intentions without words. As they walked, they whispered among themselves. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s quite a crowd today! The Huo Family, the Wang Family, everyone is here!¡± someone exclaimed with excitement. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that this Xue An is domineering and ruthless, often resorting to killing and annihilating families. There won¡¯t be trouble today, will there?¡± someone else said worriedly. ¡°Heh, with half of Zhongdu¡¯s nobility here, what could he possibly do? Even if he is that domineering, it¡¯s not like he could kill us all,¡± another person said with disdain. ¡°Tsk tsk, looking at the situation, Xue An has to bow his head today no matter what! It¡¯s his own fault for holding onto that Tianyuan that¡¯s just too tempting!¡± remarked someone else. ¡°That¡¯s right, an innocent man is guilty of the possession he holds, and Tianyuan is not something that his family alone can claim!¡± someone said with a glint of greed in their eyes. As everyone chatted, they walked into the An Family¡¯s house. An Ying and An Meng were at the front, receiving the guests. The young faces of these two were somewhat somber. After all, among the arriving guests, even though there were no top-tier noble families, the sheer number made up for it! The collective influence of so many guests gathered together was terrifying enough. All the guests entered the An Family¡¯s banquet hall and then gathered in small groups, starting to converse quietly. And naturally, the simultaneous movement of so many noble families also attracted the attention of all of Zhongdu. Chen Family. After listening to the report from his butler, Chen Xiuhe¡¯s expression was as dark as water; he said solemnly, ¡°Prepare the car!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As the butler left to get the car ready, Chen Rushi asked anxiously, ¡°Grandfather, is it just the two of us going?¡± ¡°Who else do you propose we bring?¡± he responded. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take some of our Chen Family bodyguards? After all, with so many of them, relying solely on the An Family¡­¡± Chen Xiuhe laughed, ¡°Silly child, what good would it do to take all the Chen Family¡¯s bodyguards? Besides, standing behind Mr. Xue will be far more useful than how many bodyguards I bring!¡± Chen Xiuhe was not speaking lightly. Half of Zhongdu¡¯s noble families were on the move, while the other half of the noble families were watching. If the An Family, or rather Xue An, showed even a hint of compromise, then those noble families would swarm like sharks smelling blood, eager to tear a chunk of flesh from the An Family. And if Chen Xiuhe made his stance clear, he could deter a large part of them. Chen Rushi understood, but she still felt somewhat uneasy. At this time, the Wei Family also received the news. When Wei Rulan heard about it, she was playing chess under a tree with her cousin Wei Ruyan. After hearing the report, Wei Rulan¡¯s fine eyebrows knitted slightly, and then she sighed softly, ¡°This game is very difficult to break!¡± Wei Ruyan was silent. ¡°This time, let¡¯s see how you manage to escape this difficult situation. You can¡¯t always resort to slaughter, after all¡­ that¡¯s half of Zhongdu¡¯s noble families!¡± murmured Wei Rulan softly. When Xue An, accompanied by his wife and An Qing among others, appeared in the banquet hall, all eyes were fixed on him. In those gazes were fear, disdain, and more than anything else, anger. But facing the stares of so many people, Xue An¡¯s face remained calm. He walked straight to the head seat, and after sitting down, a maid from the An Family quickly brought over some tea. Xue An shook his head, ¡°Bring a bottle of wine!¡± The maid quickly replaced it with a bottle of wine. Xue An popped the cork, poured a glass, and then took a small sip. The room was very quiet, with everyone¡¯s eyes still on Xue An. Finally. Someone couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and was the first to stand up, ¡°Xue An, don¡¯t you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Say what?¡± Xue An put down his wine glass and spoke indifferently. ¡°You exterminated the Liu Family, your methods so cruel and venomous, don¡¯t you feel any guilt?¡± ¡°Right! You¡¯re just a murderous demon!¡± For a moment, the crowd was incensed, many of them had been somewhat afraid of Xue An¡¯s decisive killing. But seeing as Xue An didn¡¯t seem to intend to kill anyone right now, they all grew bolder and began accusing Xue An. In the face of this situation, Xue An was neither sad nor happy, just watching quietly. However, An Qing really couldn¡¯t restrain herself any longer and stepped forward, ¡°Have you all had enough? The Liu Family has always been treacherous and has committed countless atrocities, why don¡¯t you mention that?¡± ¡°And who are you?¡± someone asked loudly. An Qing said, ¡°I am An Qing!¡± ¡°Oh! So you¡¯re Miss An. Hehe, we¡¯re not clear about what the Liu Family did, but as soon as Xue An entered Zhongdu, he first killed many of the An family, nearly wiped out the Chi Family, and now the Liu Family has also become his victims. There must be an explanation for this!¡± The man spoke confidently. ¡°Right! What Family Head Wang said is true!¡± someone chimed in. It turned out that the speaker was Wang Qing, the family head of the Wang Family, who was also the father of Wang Ke, who had been killed by Xue An. Hearing the agreement from the crowd, Wang Qing couldn¡¯t help feeling more smug. ¡°Xue An, don¡¯t you want to say something?¡± Wang Qing asked coldly. A meaningful smile appeared at the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. ¡°You want an explanation? Fine, then what kind of explanation do you all want?¡± Upon hearing this, all these noble families¡¯ faces lit up with joy. Indeed! Faced with the pressure of so many of us, Xue An has backed down after all. ¡°We don¡¯t want anything else, just allow us to buy shares in your Tianyuan Company!¡± Wang Qing said. ¡°Shameless!¡± An Qing was so angry that her face turned red. To speak of buying shares, in reality, these people all had other ideas in mind. And just at that moment, a commotion arose at the entrance, and then Chen Xiuhe walked into the banquet hall with Chen Rushi. ¡°It¡¯s the Chen Family!¡± ¡°People from the Chen Family have come!¡± The crowd was abuzz. Without a glance elsewhere, Chen Xiuhe walked straight up to Xue An and bowed, ¡°Mr. Xue! The Chen Family has arrived!¡± Xue An¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, and then he nodded. Chen Xiuhe then moved to stand silently behind Xue An. The complexions of the many noble families turned sour. Chen Xiuhe was clearly showing his stance with his actions. Xue An didn¡¯t care about the others and poured himself another cup of wine, drinking it slowly. An Yan, feeling pity for her husband, walked up and gently rubbed his shoulders. Xue An looked up, smiled at An Yan, and said nothing. This tender scene made Chen Rushi feel disheartened, and she lowered her head, thinking to herself. Is this what they call resting one¡¯s head on a beautiful woman¡¯s lap while drunk? ¡°Xue An, even if the Chen Family is backing you, we¡¯re not afraid. You must give us an explanation for today¡¯s matter!¡± ¡°Right!¡± The crowd below started making noise again. Xue An¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly, and a chilling aura of murder gathered between them. These people were eroding the last bit of his patience. And just then, outside the door, there was another commotion, and dozens of guards poured in. Then, they saw several military officers with stars on their shoulders quickly walking in. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Awakening with the Sword of Murder (Third Update) Chapter 252: Chapter 252: Awakening with the Sword of Murder (Third Update) ¡°It¡¯s General Wang!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that General Chen? And General Yang! Good heavens, why have all these generals come?¡± A violent commotion stirred amongst the crowd, excitement visible on many faces. With so many military high-ups turning up, Xue An was in for some real trouble this time! As all these generals arrived together, the room suddenly seemed a constellation of stars. Wang Qing approached with a wide smile, ¡°General Wang, why have you come in person?¡± The man he addressed as General Wang had a solemn expression and did not engage with him but walked straight past. The room gradually fell silent. The crowd watched as the generals approached Xue An, many of them excited. But Xue An paid no mind to this. At this moment! He held a cup of wine, pouring and drinking on his own. His eyes seemed a third drunken, the remaining seven parts were wild arrogance. Suddenly. All the generals stood in line and then bowed their heads in unison, saying respectfully, ¡°Are you¡­ Mr. Xue?¡± Their voices shook the roof tiles. And shattered the smiles of many. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Many people simply couldn¡¯t believe their own eyes. So many generals, any of whom would be a person of great authority elsewhere, were now showing such respect to Xue An? Could there have been some mistake? Especially since some recognized General Yang Chong of the Liu Family among these generals! Although his complexion was ashen, he still stood there with his head respectfully bowed. Not only were the noble families shocked. Even An Qing, along with Chen Xiuhe and Chen Rushi, were taken aback. Especially Chen Rushi, who thought today¡¯s matter would be difficult to resolve. Unless Xue An slaughtered widely once again. But no one expected such a drastic turn of events. At that moment, Xue An put down his wine cup, glanced at these generals, and a faint smile emerged on his lips. ¡°You are well-informed,¡± he said. That¡¯s when General Wang stepped forward, said with a bitter smile, ¡°Mr. Xue, there have been many misunderstandings in this matter, I think we should sit down and have a good talk!¡± ¡°Certainly, we should talk, but first, I want to ask why the disappearance of the Fire Phoenix Squad was blamed on An Qing?¡± Xue An said coolly. This question made the faces of the generals stiffen. Then Xue An said with an amused tone, ¡°Do you think that with General Lin dead, An Qing left as a lone force, you could manipulate her at will? Hm?¡± That last hm? sent a shock through the hearts of these battle-hardened generals. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! We indeed did not handle this matter properly, we will certainly make amends!¡± General Wang¡¯s face was beaded with sweat. This scene made many people murmur in near groans, ¡°Good heavens, am I insane?¡± Many had already sensed that something was amiss. Some people covertly took out their phones to contact the outside, wanting to probe what exactly had happened to make all these generals come together, all so submissive and respectful. Very quickly! The news arrived. When these people checked their phones, they were dumbfounded. Because all over the Internet, there was one piece of news. A mysterious man cuts down the military building of Country E with a sword! And there was a photo included! Wasn¡¯t the man in the photo none other than Xue An? How¡­ how could this be? Chills ran down everyone¡¯s spines. One man subduing an entire nation? Is that even possible? Some people, through other channels, had learned more detailed information, such as Xue An having killed several high-ranking military officials from Country E, and forcing them to pay a dear price in compensation. When this news was presented to the public. Everyone was dumbfounded. The timid ones were trembling all over. No wonder Xue An had been so unassumingly calm, no wonder he dared to exterminate the Liu Family as soon as he made a move. Compared to the grand act of beheading the military leaders of another country, and pressuring an empire into bowing their heads in apology. Wiping out the mere Liu Family was like a trivial matter, hardly worth mentioning. By this time, these generals had also noticed the signs; clearly, Xue An was extremely dissatisfied with An Qing¡¯s treatment, so they all gathered around to console her and decided on the spot to restore her to her official position. An Qing, somewhat bewildered, looked at these influential figures she couldn¡¯t normally interact with, and gradually understood. They were doing all this because of Xue An! With this realization, An Qing¡¯s admiration for her brother-in-law intensified. Xue An didn¡¯t plan to seriously punish these generals either; a slight reprimand would suffice. But as for the rest¡­ Xue An poured another glass of wine, slowly sipped it down, then stood up and looked around the room. ¡°Just now, who was it that wanted me to give an explanation?¡± No one dared to respond. Everyone tried to lower their heads as much as possible, fearing being noticed by Xue An. Wang Qing¡¯s face was even paler as he covertly shuffled his feet towards the exit. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Coveting what you should not possess is greed! So¡­¡± As Wang Qing listened, shivers ran down his spine; he steeled himself and with a shaky voice said, ¡°Xue An, what are you trying to do? I tell you, in front of all these people, I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, if you dare¡­¡± While speaking, Wang Qing turned and ran. Before he finished, a streak of sword light swept across his neck. The speed was so fast that even after Wang Qing¡¯s head soared into the air, his body continued to charge forward several steps before collapsing with a thud. The whole room was stunned. Even these generals hadn¡¯t expected Xue An to actually dare to kill someone in front of so many witnesses! General Yang Chong¡¯s face turned pale and his eyelids twitched uncontrollably. As Xue An¡¯s gaze swept over him, he involuntarily stepped back, then bowed his head deeply. As for the others, they too retreated several steps under the weight of Xue An¡¯s gaze. Making generals bow their heads, causing the world to step back! This¡­ this is true invincibility! Chen Rushi stared blankly at Xue An¡¯s silhouette, especially when she saw him casually unleash a dazzling sword light and effortlessly take a life. An involuntary thought surfaced in her heart. Wielding the sword of murder! As for Chen Xiuhe, he stroked his beard and sighed softly. He considered himself to have experienced many significant events in life and to have seen countless extraordinary individuals. But never had anyone shocked him as deeply as Xue An. This man is truly like the Nine Heavens Divine Dragon, beyond measure! Meanwhile, Wei Rulan, who had been playing chess while waiting for news, was stunned upon finally learning what had transpired. Holding a chess piece, she paused for a long time. Then with a long sigh, she said gloomily, ¡°I was wrong!¡± ¡°Wrong about what?¡± Wei Ruyan asked. ¡°I thought I had seen through him, but I didn¡¯t expect that my perspective was still too limited.¡± ¡°I assumed he would struggle to get through this predicament, yet he didn¡¯t even need to make a move, his sheer strength alone sent everyone retreating!¡± As Wei Rulan spoke, the image of the young swordbearer on Mingfeng Mountain appeared before her. She had always considered herself to be without equal in strategy, yet in front of this man, Wei Rulan came to understand. All is illusory, only power is eternal! Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 253: The Heart of a Child, Clearly Visible (4th Update) Chapter 253: Chapter 253: The Heart of a Child, Clearly Visible (4th Update) As people dispersed, the night had deepened. A waning moon hung on the treetops, casting an eerie, hazy glow. Chen Xiuhe stepped out of the An Family¡¯s residence, looking back at the banquet hall still lit with lanterns. He knew the military personnel were inside discussing matters with Xue An. As for those domineering noble families that came with the intention to strip the An Family bare, they had already slinked away in defeat. Moreover, Chen Xiuhe knew that tonight in Zhongdu, many would be sleepless. ¡°Grandfather, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chen Rushi asked when she saw her grandfather standing still. Chen Xiuhe cracked a faint smile, ¡°Nothing, I was just suddenly struck by some thoughts! Let¡¯s go!¡± As the Chen Family departed. Xue An was seated on a sofa in the banquet hall, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, watching the group opposite him with an amused gaze. ¡°Mr. Xue, the item you acquired from Country E, could you hand it over to us?¡± General Wang said. ¡°Why should I give it to you?¡± Xue An replied indifferently. ¡°Mr. Xue, I know you are still a bit upset, but this matter is very important, after all, it concerns the welfare of our Huaxia nation,¡± General Wang said gravely. ¡°Of course, I will hand it over, but not to you!¡± As he spoke, Xue An glanced at An Qing and tossed her a USB drive. ¡°All the information is in here, deal with it as you see fit!¡± An Qing caught the USB drive, slightly dumbfounded. The other generals also froze in shock. ¡°Mr. Xue, this¡­¡± ¡°What? Do I need your approval to decide whom I give my findings to? And isn¡¯t An Qing one of the military as well? Does it have to be handed over to you all to count?¡± Xue An stated flatly. The crowd fell silent. Many bowed their heads in disappointment. They had hurried here so eagerly to obtain the documents Xue An had brought back from Country E. After all, Country E was once a world superpower, making this weapon information extremely valuable. But they hadn¡¯t expected Xue An to give the data to An Qing. His actions were, of course, unimpeachable. An Qing had a military background and was also his younger maternal aunt. It was reasonable both emotionally and logically. But after all their hustle, they had ended up with nothing! As they were feeling awkward, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°However, An Qing is currently alone and unsupported in the military; she will definitely need a partner to cooperate with!¡± No sooner had Xue An finished speaking than General Wang was the first to leap up, thumping his chest resoundingly. ¡°Mr. Xue, rest assured, I, Wang Tao, am a man of my word. If An Qing agrees to cooperate with me, she can name any terms!¡± With Wang Tao taking the lead, the other generals were not to be outdone. ¡°Mr. Xue, I feel the same. And no matter what Wang Tao is willing to offer, I am ready to add an additional ten percent!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll add twenty percent!¡± ¡°Hey, are you all deliberately trying to make things difficult for me?¡± Wang Tao said, getting anxious. ¡°What, you¡¯re allowed to fight for it, but we¡¯re not allowed to speak?¡± ¡°In terms of seniority or rank, who among you can compare to me?¡± Wang Tao said coldly. ¡°This isn¡¯t about military rank; your words are useless! Miss An, the scenery where I am is beautiful, and there are lots of fun things to do. You will definitely like it once you¡¯re there!¡± ¡°Get lost! Your place is damp and sweltering; what¡¯s good about that!¡± In front of Xue An, these influential powerbrokers started airing each other¡¯s dirty laundry. They even spilled embarrassing tales from when they had first enlisted. An Qing watched this scene in shock, suddenly realizing that these once lofty figures were actually flesh-and-blood people in private! As they argued incessantly. Xue An waved his hands. ¡°Alright, stop arguing!¡± Everyone halted and then turned their attention to Xue An in unison. Xue An spoke calmly. ¡°After all, we¡¯re all from Huaxia, and I don¡¯t wish to favor one over another. How about this: you can all cooperate with An Qing, but the precondition is, whoever offers the most generous terms gets more information. What do you think of that?¡± These seasoned big shots were of course aware that Xue An had just set a big trap for them. But they were in no position to complain; they needed help and would have to jump into the pit, even if it meant gritting their teeth! ¡°Good! Let¡¯s do as Mr. Xue says!¡± Xue An nodded, then turned to An Qing, who was still bewildered, ¡°An Qing, you¡¯ll be cooperating with these big shots from now on. If anything comes up, you can ask me! But I believe these distinguished gentlemen will be eager to help you out!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, leave it to us, we¡¯ve got An Qing¡¯s back!¡± Xue An looked at these soldiers whose eyes were ablaze with fervor and felt a sudden surge of emotion. No matter the competition, the loyal heart of these soldiers was clear and unmistakable. He had pushed An Qing to the front this time, also considering the An Family to have a reliable support in the future. It was foreseeable that before long, An Qing would become a rising power in the military. For this reason, Xue An decided to add a bit more weight to the scales. ¡°Also, do any of you wish to know how Fire Phoenix grew so quickly?¡± Xue An¡¯s casual words struck these generals¡¯ ears like a thunderous bell. ¡°Of course we want to know!¡± Wang Tao said impatiently. By now, Fire Phoenix had become a legend, both domestically and worldwide. In just over a month, they had transformed from a newly formed unit into an elite force, capturing first place in the domestic special forces competition. Then they charged through the ranks and made it into the international special forces competition. Despite a few minor setbacks, their whole team¡¯s return still testified to their formidable strength! Such a force had long been coveted by Wang Tao and others. And how to train such a powerful unit in such a short time was a question that only Xue An, the Fire Phoenix¡¯s instructor, could answer. ¡°They are all elites I have meticulously trained. I customized a Cultivation Method for each of them based on their individual conditions and qualities!¡± His words caused the usually composed generals to turn pale. A Cultivation Technique was an incredibly valuable thing! And Xue An was using it to train soldiers? As these people were left distraught, Xue An coolly stated, ¡°I can provide each of you with a simplified version of the Cultivation Method. Although it can¡¯t compare to a tailored one, it can still greatly enhance your troops¡¯ strength!¡± All eyes lit up. Especially Wang Tao¡¯s, which almost seemed as if he wanted to gulp down Xue An whole. ¡°But the preconditions still depend on An Qing!¡± The generals looked at each other and saw an unprecedented fighting spirit in each other¡¯s eyes. Only Yang Chong hung back, filled with regret. Because he knew that, with the Liu Family¡¯s actions and the words he had said before, Xue An would certainly not share any Cultivation Techniques with him. This meant that his subordinates would be far behind the likes of Wang Tao in the future! If there were such a thing as a regret medicine, he would want ten pounds of it now! Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter 254 Who Can Stand This! (5th Update) Chapter 254: Chapter 254 Who Can Stand This! (5th Update) When news of what happened to the An Family spread! When people were shocked to discover that it was Xue An who had executed people from E Country! The whole of Zhongdu seemed to be trembling slightly. The noble families that had attended the meeting were all shivering under their covers. Those who hadn¡¯t attended were secretly relieved. And online. Everything that Xue An had done in E Country was spreading across the world at rocket speed. Many people even dug up his past exploits. It was at this time that people were amazed to find out. This Xue An had actually accomplished so many astonishingly impressive feats. And Xue An¡¯s danger level in various countries was soaring rapidly. But not until this moment did people realize, there wasn¡¯t a single clear photo of Xue An on the internet. There were only distant paparazzi shots, as well as photos of his back or profile! Even if someone had taken a photo up close, now looking at it, the face in the photo seemed to be shrouded in a layer of fog, hazy and unclear, obscuring his true appearance. Many intelligence agencies were greatly annoyed by this. M Country. The head of the intelligence agency slammed Xue An¡¯s information onto the person responsible for collecting intelligence. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your damned excuses, send someone to photograph him now. I don¡¯t care how you do it, even if you have to swim from the Pacific to Huaxia, I must see a clear photo of him! Understand?¡± The intelligence personnel had a look of grievance on their faces. They had clearly taken photos, hadn¡¯t they? Why had they turned out like this? Not just in M Country. In Country R. The Prime Minister was fuming with rage, slapping the intelligence chief over a dozen times. With each slap, the intelligence chief bowed and responded with a ¡®Hai¡¯. ¡°Baka, damn it! This Xue An has caused so much trouble in our country, and now we don¡¯t even have a photo of him, what are you all good for?¡± ¡°Hai!¡± ¡°Get me his information now, or prepare for seppuku!¡± ¡°Hai!¡± Similar scenes were unfolding in countries like H Country and Y Country. As for Xue An, he was unaware of this, and even if he knew, he would have just laughed it off. The reason for this situation. Was because Xue An¡¯s strength was gradually becoming more formidable. Especially after becoming a Loose Immortal. He had already partially transcended the rules of this world. This also led to the fact that if he didn¡¯t wish it, then no one could capture his true visage. In the past few days, he had been helping An Qing handle business dealings with these military bigwigs. These bigwigs were now behaving as obediently as kindergarten children. And various aid conditions were being hurled at An Qing like they cost nothing. Their aim was nothing more than to quickly obtain the Cultivation Method promised by Xue An. Xue An didn¡¯t break his word. For him, creating hundreds of sets of simplified Cultivation Techniques suitable for military personnel was a snap of his fingers. However, out of respect for the most lovable people of this land, Xue An seriously organized his thoughts, then summarized the Cultivation Methods he had collected while roaming The Multiverse. Finally, he came up with three fairly decent Cultivation Techniques and first provided the initial three layers of these techniques to these people. These individuals had all more or less been exposed to cultivation, so they could tell at a glance how precious this material was. Particularly when they returned and experimented, finding that many soldiers of average enlightenment could cultivate, all these bigwigs went crazy. This indicated that Huaxia¡¯s military might was possibly about to ascend to a new level! Therefore, Xue An also became a godlike figure in their eyes, and An Qing¡¯s status rose with the tide as well. An Qing had now become an important force within the military. In this way, the power of the An Family had become even more formidable. At the very least, it had caused many of Zhongdu¡¯s wealthy families to no longer dare to speak ill of them behind their backs. And after all that was done, Xue An vanished from the public eye. The An Family. Xue An spent half the day playing games with the two little girls before he returned to the house with a smile. An Yan was sitting nervously in front of the computer, engrossed in a game. She had become increasingly fascinated with playing all sorts of horror games. However, her courage had still not grown. For example, right now. When Xue An appeared silently behind her, An Yan just happened to be guiding a character into an empty room in the game. The screen went pitch black, and suddenly, a red-clothed woman hanging upside down appeared before her eyes. An Yan screamed in fright, just as Xue An reached out to touch her shoulder. An Yan reacted as if she¡¯d been electrocuted, grabbing the frying pan next to her computer, which she used for courage, and swung it violently. Crack. The computer screen shattered. And without losing momentum, it swung right toward Xue An as it turned. Xue An reached out to catch the frying pan. Only then did An Yan realize it was her husband, and she let out a sigh of relief, then patted her chest and said, ¡°You scared me to death!¡± Xue An replied with a mixture of amusement and helplessness, ¡°How many computer screens have you smashed these past few days?¡± An Yan stuck out her tongue somewhat sheepishly, ¡°I just got scared, you know!¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°Smashing it is smashing it, I¡¯m not mourning the screen, but I have something even more fun here!¡± Saying this, Xue An took out a specially made VR headset. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± An Yan asked, somewhat confused. ¡°Try it and you¡¯ll see. Come on, let me put it on for you,¡± Xue An coaxed like a creepy uncle tricking a little girl. An Yan always followed Xue An¡¯s words, and so she obediently put on the headset. Xue An turned on the switch, then watched with a smile. At first, An Yan was somewhat excited. ¡°Wow, hubby, this thing is so fun! It¡¯s just like the real thing!¡± she exclaimed. But after a while, An Yan started to tremble. ¡°Hubby! Hubby? Is this¡­ isn¡¯t this the horror game I was playing? Where are you?¡± she asked. As she spoke, An Yan reached out trying to touch Xue An. Xue An secretly took a step back. An Yan grew even more panicked. In her field of view, everything was darkness, just like the game she played. In the midst of her panic, suddenly! A monster rushed out. Because of the VR headset¡¯s enhancement, the monster appeared incredibly realistic. Startled into action, An Yan let out a sharp cry and began swinging the frying pan. And just at that moment, Xue An was right in front of her. The frying pan hit squarely on Xue An¡¯s head. Clang! The frying pan was dented from the impact. And then An Yan quickly took off the headset, only to see Xue An wincing, rubbing his head, and looking at her with a resigned expression. ¡°Hubby¡­ did I cause trouble again?¡± An Yan timidly asked. Xue An grimaced, then suddenly stepped forward and scooped up An Yan, pretending to be vicious, ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯ve caused trouble again, now, how should I punish you?¡± An Yan, held in Xue An¡¯s arms, blushed and then slowly closed her eyes. ¡°Hubby, punish me however you want!¡± she said. An Yan¡¯s voice was timidly cute, and combined with her stunningly beautiful cheeks, the lethality was simply staggering. Xue An was stunned. This¡­ who could stand this! Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Yan’er, Close Your Eyes! (Second Update) Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Yan¡¯er, Close Your Eyes! (Second Update) Today was the weekend, and the small path leading into the mountains was bustling with tourists. When Xue An and An Yan appeared on the mountain trail with their two daughters, they immediately attracted a lot of attention. ¡°What adorable little girls!¡± many people exclaimed, marveling at Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. Of course, Xue An and An Yan also drew quite a bit of notice. After all, he was strikingly handsome, and she was stunningly beautiful. The high attractiveness of this family was a scenic view in its own right. ¡°Hey, look, that guy over there is so handsome!¡± Niu Yifei nudged Shen Nan with her elbow. Shen Nan turned her head and happened to see Xue An passing by, which made her pause in surprise. ¡°How about that? Handsome, right?¡± Niu Yifei said proudly. Shen Nan¡¯s face turned red, and she hummed softly in agreement. Their conversation, however, made Zhu Hao, who was standing nearby, look upset. He was a student at a nearby university. This time, he had gone to great lengths to invite Shen Nan to tour Xiangshan Mountain, all in the hopes of finding a way to win over this school beauty. But unexpectedly, not only had Shen Nan come, but her dorm mate Niu Yifei had come along as well. Zhu Hao was already quite irritated, and Niu Yifei¡¯s comment only added fuel to his ire. ¡°Hmph, what does it matter if he¡¯s handsome? Look at his clothes; he doesn¡¯t seem rich. Plus, he¡¯s here hiking with kids, how boring!¡± Zhu Hao snarked. Niu Yifei chuckled, ¡°Oh, so that means you¡¯re the rich one, huh?¡± Zhu Hao smirked arrogantly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m exceptionally rich, but I¡¯m decent enough, with a net worth of a hundred million or two!¡± As he said this, Zhu Hao kept stealing glances at Shen Nan. But to his chagrin, Shen Nan seemed as if she hadn¡¯t heard him at all, looking utterly distracted. Zhu Hao gritted his teeth secretly, feeling extremely annoyed. He came from a city along the eastern coast, and his family was indeed very well-off. So, during his years in school, he managed to woo quite a few girls by flaunting his wealth. But Shen Nan remained impervious to his attempts. He had inquired about her from many people and had been told that Shen Nan had a bit of the literary young woman about her, yearning for romance! After learning this, Zhu Hao had been inspired to meticulously plan this trip to Xiangshan Mountain. Thinking of this, a smug smile curled on Zhu Hao¡¯s lips. Soon enough, the crowd reached the summit of Xiangshan Mountain. Shen Nan and Niu Yifei sat on the chairs in the pavilion, their faces showing exhaustion. Especially Niu Yifei, who was grumbling, ¡°This is so lame, dragging us up a mountain climb, I¡¯m dead tired!¡± Shen Nan didn¡¯t speak, only looked around as if searching for something. ¡°Hey, over there!¡± Niu Yifei nudged Shen Nan. Shen Nan was a bit embarrassed, ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking for him!¡± ¡°Hehe, even though he has a wife and kids, a handsome guy is still a handsome guy, it¡¯s not a crime for us to look!¡± Niu Yifei giggled. At that moment, Zhu Hao excitedly said to Shen Nan, ¡°NanNan, close your eyes!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Shen Nan frowned slightly. ¡°Just close your eyes, and you¡¯ll see!¡± Shen Nan closed her eyes reluctantly. Zhu Hao signaled to a few people in the crowd with a wink. Then, about a dozen men stepped forward, pulling out large bunches of roses from their backpacks and arranging them on the ground into a huge heart shape. By this time, Shen Nan was already growing impatient, ¡°Is it ready yet? Zhu Hao, what are you up to?¡± Niu Yifei just watched with a giggly smile and didn¡¯t say a word. These men had brought quite the assortment of items, not just roses, but also various decorative sparklers. The pavilion was quickly decorated to be stunningly beautiful. Then Zhu Hao took out a small box, knelt on one knee, and said excitedly, ¡°NanNan, open your eyes!¡± Shen Nan slowly opened her eyes, and upon seeing this scene, she couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback. Zhu Hao opened the box, revealing a large diamond ring inside. ¡°NanNan, I¡¯ve liked you for a long time and hope you can agree to go out with me. I will definitely treat you well!¡± The dozen or so men, well-trained, stood to the side and shouted in unison, ¡°Marry him, marry him!¡± This scene also attracted the attention of all the tourists on the mountaintop. At this time, Shen Nan¡¯s face gradually turned ugly, ¡°Zhu Hao, I told you before coming here that we can only be ordinary friends! I don¡¯t have feelings for you!¡± A flash of anger crossed Zhu Hao¡¯s face, and then he said in a low voice, ¡°NanNan, don¡¯t believe the rumors in the school. I did have girlfriends before, but that¡¯s all in the past. Now, I only like you!¡± Shen Nan sneered, ¡°I¡¯ve seen this diamond ring on the hands of no fewer than three girls. What? Do you take the ring back after breaking up to reuse it?¡± Upon this remark, a chorus of jeers spread through the onlooking crowd. Niu Yifei couldn¡¯t help herself either, saying, ¡°Zhu Hao, isn¡¯t NanNan¡¯s meaning clear enough? Get up! So many people are watching!¡± Zhu Hao finally couldn¡¯t hold back, his smile disappeared, and he said coldly, ¡°NanNan, if you don¡¯t agree today, I won¡¯t get up! As for them watching!¡± Zhu Hao¡¯s face was icy as he looked around, ¡°I dare anyone to say another word!¡± No sooner had the words been spoken than a childish voice came through. ¡°Daddy, what is this uncle doing? Why isn¡¯t he standing up?¡± The speaker was Xue Xiang. And this voice also drew everyone¡¯s attention. Xue An faintly smiled, ¡°Him? He¡¯s making a fool of himself!¡± ¡°Daddy, what does ¡®making a fool of oneself¡¯ mean?¡± Xue Nian also asked. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°It means when someone clearly doesn¡¯t want to, but he tries to force them to agree by kneeling down. If that¡¯s not making a fool of oneself, what is it?¡± Xue An¡¯s words resonated with the sentiments of the many onlooking tourists. Only Zhu Hao turned gloomy immediately, his eyes taking on a sinister look. ¡°Who are you to stick your nose into this matter?¡± Zhu Hao said coldly. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t my place, but now it is! Because I am sorry, but I need to borrow this place!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you better stop causing trouble here, or I will make you regret it!¡± Zhu Hao threatened fiercely. Having said that, Zhu Hao turned back to look at Shen Nan. ¡°Shen Nan, let me tell you, there hasn¡¯t been a woman that Zhu Hao has set his sights on and not gotten. If you don¡¯t agree today, don¡¯t even think about leaving!¡± This statement caused an uproar. Shen Nan¡¯s face turned pale, and looking at Zhu Hao¡¯s ferocious expression, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit scared. At this moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°I am very curious how you¡¯re planning to make me ¡®regret it.¡¯ Shen Nan then exchanged a glance with Niu Yifei and rose to stand beside Xue An. ¡°Help me!¡± Shen Nan pleaded. Xue An nodded, ¡°Stand behind me.¡± Shen Nan obediently moved to stand behind Xue An. Zhu Hao looked extremely displeased and scoffed, ¡°What do you count for? You actually dare spoil my plans, let me tell you¡­¡± Xue An held up his hand, ¡°My patience is limited, so I advise you not to test me further!¡± Zhu Hao¡¯s face was full of disdain, and he wanted to say more. Xue An sharply commanded, ¡°Scram!¡± Zhu Hao, as if struck by a heavy hammer, stumbled out of the pavilion. His face finally showed a trace of shock. Only then did Xue An turn to An Yan and smile, ¡°Yan¡¯er, you close your eyes, too!¡± Chapter 257 - Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Back Then, I was in My Youth and You Were Young (3rd Update) Chapter 257: Chapter 257: Back Then, I was in My Youth and You Were Young (3rd Update) Hearing this, Zhu Hao couldn¡¯t help but sneer loudly. ¡°Haha, what¡¯s this? Trying to play romantic with the roses I spent money on?¡± With that, Zhu Hao kicked the roses scattered on the ground, his face full of satisfaction. But Xue An didn¡¯t even bother with him, just quietly looking at An Yan. An Yan¡¯s heartbeat sped up by several beats, and the gloominess that had always lingered in her heart began to stir with excitement. Could it be that he still remembers? An Yan obediently closed her eyes. At first, nothing happened, and everything around was silent. Many people¡¯s faces showed looks of surprise and doubt. Zhu Hao snorted coldly, about to spit out a taunt. From the distant horizon came a deafening roar. Everyone was stunned. Then they saw five helicopters speeding in from the far horizon. In the blink of an eye, they flew over Xiangshan. The gales brought by the rotary wings made the trees sway and undulate. Many people were blown backwards a few steps, their faces shocked as they watched. Then the doors of the helicopters opened, and a multitude of petals and balloons cascaded down, while several banners with gilded lettering slowly unfurled. The banners strung together formed one complete sentence. ¡°Eight years ago today, we met for the first time!¡± ¡°Back then, we were both young and carefree, bickering all day without a worry!¡± ¡°But what you didn¡¯t know is, since the first time I saw you, I wanted to kiss your cheek!¡± ¡°Later, when you agreed to be my girlfriend, I was so excited I didn¡¯t sleep all night, running on the track until dawn!¡± ¡°Those days of love were simple and beautiful!¡± ¡°In the blink of an eye, eight years have passed! Eight years may be short for many, but for me, they were long!¡± ¡°In those long nights, the only hope that kept me going was you!¡± ¡°An Yan, the path ahead is ours to share! Never to part again!¡± When An Yan opened her eyes and saw these banners, she was stunned for a moment, and then tears poured out, crying so hard she could hardly make a sound! All the onlooking tourists were moved as well. Shen Nan and Niu Yifei were both dumbstruck. Shen Nan murmured to himself, ¡°Does such pure and beautiful love really exist in the world?¡± Zhu Hao, however, watched with a livid face, yet dared not say anything. Casually summoning five helicopters, this power was definitely not ordinary. At the same time, Zhao Xuehui, Qiao Le, and Cheng Hao, among others, stuck their heads out, shouting down to Xue An. ¡°Second Brother!¡± ¡°Instructor!¡± ¡°Tianyuan Company!¡± ¡°Fire Phoenix Special Forces!¡± ¡°Wishing the two of you eternal happiness!¡± The shouts carried far in the valley. Many onlooking tourists couldn¡¯t help but applaud! An Yan¡¯s cheeks gradually reddened again. Xue An, however, laughed heartily to the sky, pulling An Yan into his embrace, and waved his hand. ¡°Wan Shan Hong Ye!¡± With Xue An¡¯s command! A miracle appeared before everyone. They saw all the maple leaves on Xiangshan turn red in an instant. The lush Xiangshan turned crimson in the blink of an eye. This surprise left all the tourists dumbfounded. Xue An, holding An Yan, and leading two little girls by the hand, rose into the air, disappearing into the horizon. Everyone was staring blankly at Xue An¡¯s retreating figure. As for Zhu Hao, at this moment he was already scared to the point of being pale, unable to even speak. He had heard the shouting just now. Tianyuan Company! Fire Phoenix Special Forces! Either one was not something he could afford to provoke. As a result, he didn¡¯t even dare to linger and left in a sorry state. Only Shen Nan and Niu Yifei were still gazing into the distance, their eyes filled with envy and yearning. ¡°Good heavens, he¡¯s handsome, wealthy, and so capable, and the key is that he¡¯s so affectionate and devoted. Why can¡¯t I meet such a perfect man?¡± Niu Yifei sighed with emotion. Shen Nan was silent, her eyes shimmering with tears. Those banners from just now had truly moved her! And before evening came, everything that had happened on Xiangshan had spread throughout Zhongdu. It was then that many people found out that the one who, with a wave of his hand, commanded the maple leaves to turn red in an instant, was the famed Xue An! When the news reached the Chen Family. Upon hearing the news, Chen Rushi locked herself in her room and did not leave the house for an entire day. Wei Rulan was slightly taken aback, then shook her head and chuckled, ¡°Truly an enviable couple!¡± While the outside world buzzed with discussions about the event, Xue An was enjoying peaceful days with An Yan. ¡°Honey, had you been preparing for this all along?¡± An Yan asked, lying in Xue An¡¯s arms. ¡°Haha, of course! Did you really think I¡¯d forgotten?¡± Xue An laughed. An Yan¡¯s face turned red, ¡°I thought you really didn¡¯t care about it!¡± Then An Yan slowly snuggled deeper into Xue An¡¯s arms and softly said, ¡°Husband, I¡¯m very content right now, truly content, and thinking of you dealing with so many tough opponents alone, yet still thinking about me, makes me want to cry!¡± As she spoke, An Yan¡¯s tears began to fall once again. Xue An gently wiped away An Yan¡¯s tears and said lightly, ¡°No more crying! With me, I¡¯ll never let you cry again!¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± An Yan nodded her head. Xue An had given her everything a woman could need. At this moment! An Yan felt that even if she died, she would be satisfied! Xue An and An Yan stayed in the mountains for another night before returning to the An Family on the following day. As soon as they entered the front door. An Qing came out with a beaming smile and then, looking at her older sister, clicked her tongue in admiration. ¡°Sister, you really make me envious!¡± An Yan¡¯s face turned red again, and then she put on a stern face, ¡°Silly girl! What nonsense are you talking about?¡± An Qing giggled and stepped aside, ¡°Okay! I¡¯m talking nonsense, but now the whole Zhongdu knows about it, no telling how many daughters of wealthy families are green with envy!¡± What An Qing said was indeed true. Those who had once ridiculed An Yan for eloping were now filled with admiration. Who would have thought that the ordinary young man from back then had grown into a true powerhouse? That day, the family had a joyous dinner together. When it was late at night, and An Yan was getting ready to sleep, her phone rang. It was a number from overseas. An Yan was startled. Who would call this late, and from an overseas number, at that? She answered the call. A cold voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°An Yan, it¡¯s me!¡± Hearing this voice, An Yan was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled. ¡°Meng Xue, why is it you?¡± ¡°An Yan, I wanted to let you and Xue An know, I¡¯ve won the A-scar Best Actress Award. The award ceremony is in a few days; I hope you can come!¡± An Yan¡¯s eyes gleamed, ¡°Congratulations, Meng Xue! We¡¯ll definitely be there!¡± After hanging up the phone, An Yan still felt a bit of happiness, yet she failed to notice the slight anomaly in Fan Mengxue¡¯s voice. And on the other side of the ocean. Fan Mengxue put down the phone, her eyes flashing with an inhuman gleam. Chapter 258 - Chapter 258: Chapter 258 Empress Madam (1st Update) Chapter 258: Chapter 258 Empress Madam (1st Update) ¡°Your Excellency, Empress, you¡¯ve gone to such great lengths to deal with this Xue An, what exactly is the reason?¡± Along with the voice, a man dressed in a proper suit, his hair meticulously combed, slowly emerged from the darkness. The man¡¯s face seemed to always carry a fitting smile, and his voice was so gentle and refined, just like a gentleman¡¯s. But if anyone else had been present, they would have certainly cried out in alarm. For this man was none other than Griffin, known as the Bone Picker! One of the dark triumvirate of the City of Sin. The reason he was called the Bone Picker was that he had a profound love for human bones and regarded them as the most splendid trophies in the world. His most brilliant feat was to completely strip a person of their bones while ensuring that the person remained alive until the very end. This was a name that could cause countless people to have nightmares. A demonic red glint flashed in Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes as she spoke indifferently, ¡°Do I need to explain my actions to you?¡± ¡°Of course not, but Your Excellency, Empress, I hope that after I help you kill Xue An, you will keep your promise to help me return to the City of Sin and take the Fountain of Youth!¡± ¡°The Fountain of Youth¡­¡± A strange glimmer appeared on Fan Mengxue¡¯s face. ¡°Does this thing of legend truly exist?¡± Griffin smiled, ¡°Of course it exists, and it will appear in the City of Sin sooner rather than later!¡± As he said this, a look of resentment flashed in his eyes. ¡°Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been driven out of the City of Sin by old Beir and that bitch of a poisonous scorpion!¡± Fan Mengxue nodded, ¡°Understood! I will keep my promise. I hope you will too, as you said. Now leave!¡± Griffin did not move from his spot. Fan Mengxue frowned slightly, then extended her leg from beneath her cheongsam with some disgust. Seeing this long and straight leg, Griffin was excitedly prostrated on the ground, yet as if he dared not defile it, he only dared kiss the high heels of Fan Mengxue and the floor she had walked upon. He said, enthralled, ¡°Your Excellency, Empress, you possess a pair of legs that are unmatched in this world; I am willing to be your devoted minion!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Fan Mengxue said coldly. After Griffin left. Han Yao walked in, the once high-spirited top agent, now completely submissive, with a light in her eyes that lacked human emotion. ¡°My lord, why do you accommodate that Griffin?¡± Fan Mengxue looked out the window. This was Hollywood in M Country, the most prosperous film capital. Even though it was late at night, the lights outside were still shining brightly. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind; this body is simply too perfect, even more so than the bodies I¡¯ve possessed before. I¡¯ve decided to use it for cultivation! But this person¡¯s soul is very strong; I¡¯ve been unable to destroy it!¡± ¡°Due to the limitations of the rules, my true body can¡¯t leave Kunlun, so I have to resort to using secular forces to deal with Xue An!¡± ¡°And as for the Fountain of Youth mentioned by Griffin, if obtained, it will greatly benefit the cultivation of my true body!¡± As she spoke, Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes shimmered with greed. Han Yao respectfully lowered her head. Xue An, you killed my disciples in Night Demon Valley, you destroyed Moonwatching Pavilion, but did you expect¡­ that was nothing more than a peripheral branch of the secular world! The true strong are all within Kunlun. If it weren¡¯t for the constraints of the laws, my true body could have come down and crushed you to dust in an instant. But this is also good¡­ it allowed me to possess such a perfect body. Heh heh! When the time comes, I will kill you myself! To be killed by someone who likes you, just thinking about it excites me! Fan Mengxue looked out at the bustling scene outside the window, a smug curve appearing on her lips. At this moment. Xue An and An Yan were just settling into the plane heading to M Country. An Yan was very excited. This was her first time going to M Country. As for Xue An, he was non-committal about the trip. When An Yan first mentioned Fan Mengxue¡¯s invitation to him, Xue An felt that something was off. Why hadn¡¯t he heard anything about it before? But as long as his wife was happy, it didn¡¯t matter where they went. Moreover, Xue An did indeed want to congratulate his former deskmate. Xue An was seated in first class, which was very elegant. Their two young daughters were wearing headphones, each engrossed in a tablet. People continued to board the plane. Suddenly, a surprised voice came through. ¡°Sir?¡± Xue An turned his head to see the girl he had encountered yesterday in Xiangshan looking at him with a face full of surprise. ¡°Is it really you! Are you traveling with your family?¡± Shen Nan said excitedly. Xue An smiled and nodded. ¡°You left in such a hurry yesterday, I didn¡¯t get a chance to introduce myself, my name is Shen Nan!¡± Shen Nan said as she extended her hand generously, her heart pounding. Xue An¡¯s flight into the sky the day before had shocked the girl immensely. She had thought they would never meet again, but unexpectedly, they encountered each other on the plane, which naturally excited her greatly. Xue An paused briefly, then glanced at An Yan beside him. An Yan, of course, would not be jealous over this, as she saw the young girl as just a child. ¡°My name is An Yan, and this is my husband¡­ Xue An!¡± An Yan introduced with a smile. Shen Nan nodded, and her seat happened to be right beside An Yan. After sitting down, the two women began to chat. It was only from their conversation that Xue An understood. Shen Nan turned out to be a low-profile rich second-generation. Her father was a Chinese producer in Hollywood, M Country, and this time she was rushing back home because of some family matters. At that point, Xue An felt some sympathy for the guy who had proposed the day before. He thought he could show off and deceive with a diamond ring, unaware of the superior family background of the girl. At least taking a casual trip home, she had to travel first class, and being able to stand her ground in Hollywood as a Chinese was not something an ordinary family could manage. When Shen Nan heard that Xue An and his family were also going to Hollywood, she became even more delighted and insisted they visit her home. An Yan had a good impression of the young girl, so in the end, she even nodded in agreement. ¡°Sister An, what are you going to Hollywood for?¡± Shen Nan asked curiously. An Yan smiled and glanced at Xue An beside her, ¡°We have a friend who is going to the Oscars in a few days, and we¡¯re just going along for the fun!¡± Shen Nan suddenly understood. In recent years, the Oscars had been gaining more and more influence. Many people from the country would go and watch when the time came. As for the friend that An Yan mentioned who could attend the Oscars, it might be some female internet celebrity who had paid to walk the red carpet! Shen Nan thought to herself and didn¡¯t take it seriously. When the plane slowly landed at the M Country airport, and the group walked out of the terminal, an overly enthusiastic man speaking English with an exaggerated accent came forward, ¡°NanNan! You¡¯re here?¡± Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 259 Shen Family Predicament (2nd Update) Chapter 259: Chapter 259 Shen Family Predicament (2nd Update) Upon seeing the man, Shen Nan frowned slightly, ¡°Shen Jun, you¡¯ve only been in M Country for two years, and since there¡¯s no one else here, just speak Chinese!¡± Shen Jun smiled arrogantly, ¡°To me, English is the most wonderful language in the world! I¡¯ve decided that from now on, I won¡¯t speak Chinese anymore!¡± Such words were simply nauseating! At that moment, Shen Jun also noticed Xue An standing to the side, first he was startled, then his expression darkened. ¡°NanNan, who is this?¡± ¡°This is a friend I met yesterday, and we just happened to run into each other on the plane today! They also came to Hollywood for a visit, so I invited them to our house as guests,¡± Shen Nan said. Upon hearing this, Shen Jun looked at Xue An and snickered coldly, ¡°Friend? Just happened to meet? NanNan, there are plenty of people with ulterior motives in this world. You are still young, be careful not to be deceived!¡± He spoke these words in Chinese, with an extremely unfriendly tone. Shen Nan¡¯s face immediately turned ugly, and she retorted angrily, ¡°Shen Jun, you are just a distant cousin of mine, what right do you have to meddle in my affairs?¡± Shen Nan¡¯s words caused Shen Jun¡¯s face to fluctuate, and eventually, he could only offer an embarrassed smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid you¡¯ll be deceived!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need, and it¡¯s not your place to pass judgment on my friends!¡± Shen Nan huffed and then turned her head to nod apologetically at Xue An and An Yan. ¡°Sorry about this, he¡¯s a distant cousin of mine and doesn¡¯t know how to speak properly. I truly apologize!¡± Xue An merely smiled in response. To him, someone of Shen Jun¡¯s caliber wasn¡¯t even worth a glance. It¡¯s like when you are walking down the street and a dog barks at you a couple of times! The normal reaction is to walk away, not to bark back incessantly! When it was time to leave, Shen Nan glared fiercely at Shen Jun, then personally drove off first with Xue An¡¯s family. Shen Jun was left standing there with a face ashen with rage, his eyes flickering with malevolent light. The Shen Family lived in the wealthy district of Hollywood, in a very grand villa. When Shen Nan led Xue An and the others into the house, they happened to cross paths with a few people from M Country. And then these people from M Country hurriedly left. Upon entering the living room, Shen Nan¡¯s father, Shen Kang, was sitting on the sofa with a worried face. When he saw his precious daughter walk in, a relieved smile finally appeared on his face. ¡°NanNan is here!¡± ¡°Dad, look, these are my new friends! Brother Xue An and Sister An Yan!¡± Shen Nan introduced them happily. Shen Kang, upon hearing this, nodded slightly at Xue An, ¡°Nice to meet you both!¡± Then he turned to Shen Nan and asked, ¡°NanNan, how have you been lately?¡± Shen Nan replied with a smile, ¡°Pretty good! Dad, what were those people from M Country here for?¡± Xue An noticed the middle-aged man who was starting to go bald, his eyes constantly filled with a hint of depression, as if he was troubled by something. Hearing Shen Nan¡¯s question, Shen Kang shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing! Where is your cousin?¡± Shen Nan snorted, ¡°That Shen Jun is so infuriating, suspecting my friends are bad people. I left him at the airport!¡± Shen Kang laughed, ¡°Still acting like a child!¡± While they were talking, Shen Jun walked in from outside. He looked normal, showing no sign of anything amiss. ¡°NanNan, you take your friends to the adjoining parlor to sit! I have something to discuss with your cousin,¡± Shen Kang said. ¡°Okay!¡± Shen Nan really disliked her cousin and couldn¡¯t wait to leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the next room for some desserts! Our pastry chef is from France!¡± Shen Nan said cheerily. By the time they had moved to the adjacent drawing room, An Yan and Shen Nan started talking about topics girls usually like, hitting it off quite well. Xue An slowly sipped his tea, casually overhearing the conversation between Shen Kang and another in the living room. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Shen Kang asked with a grave tone. ¡°I¡¯ve asked several companies, but no one¡¯s willing to take over. Those guys seem to be aware of the situation and are all saying that if the dispute isn¡¯t settled, then they wouldn¡¯t dare to take on the project!¡± Shen Jun said. Shen Kang heaved a long sigh and it was quite a while before he spoke again, ¡°A company from M Country just approached me, but the price they quoted is practically robbery; I can¡¯t let the company I worked so hard to build get destroyed like this!¡± At this point, Shen Jun lowered his voice and said, ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s a company from Country R that is very interested, what do you think¡­?¡± ¡°Country R?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Shen Kang was silent again for a long time before he finally said dejectedly, ¡°Let¡¯s try it! Although I really hate the idea of selling to the devils from Country R, we can¡¯t let this situation trap us to death!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Hearing this, Xue An roughly understood the situation. It seemed that the Shen Family was facing a severe problem, to the extent of having to sell the company. The potential buyers knew the deal was troublesome, which was why they were intentionally suppressing the price. However, Xue An could tell from the tone of Shen Jun¡¯s voice that he was hardly concerned, probably up to no good. As Xue An had expected. Shen Jun, upon hearing his uncle agree to meet with the people from Country R, couldn¡¯t help but feel overjoyed, yet managed to remain composed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll contact them right now to see if we can meet as soon as possible!¡± Shen Jun had come from their home country to seek refuge with Shen Kang a couple of years ago, when he was destitute and his relationship with Shen Kang¡¯s relatives was actually quite distant. But Shen Kang, being a person who cherished old ties, kindly took him in! Who would have thought that Shen Jun had ulterior motives? Especially since Shen Kang had no sons, only a daughter, Shen Nan. So Shen Jun was always scheming to get Shen Nan, and through her, take over everything belonging to the Shen Family. Unfortunately for him, Shen Nan had no interest in her good-for-nothing cousin, not in the slightest. As time went on, Shen Jun couldn¡¯t help but become annoyed, completely forgetting who had taken him in when he had run out of options. Recently, Shen Kang had offended a big shot in M Country, and now the company was in a dire predicament. Seeing an opportunity, Shen Jun deliberately contacted a company from Country R and had even negotiated with them beforehand, planning to conspire both from within and without to cheat Shen Kang. Now that his goal was within reach, he naturally felt elated. Shen Nan! Heh, I¡¯ll see how you act so arrogantly in front of me when your family goes bankrupt! Shen Jun thought triumphantly. Of course, Shen Nan had no idea about any of this; she was happily discussing computer games with An Yan. It turns out Shen Nan also liked horror games quite a bit. In this respect, the two women had found something in common. Watching them chat so amiably, Xue An smiled slightly, then looked down at Xue Xiang and Nian Nian, who had managed to get their faces covered in cake like little tigers. ¡°Is it tasty?¡± Xue An asked with a smile. Xue Xiang nodded vigorously, ¡°It¡¯s really good!¡± Nian Nian was too busy to answer, her mouth stuffed full of sweets, looking like a little hamster. Watching this, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Well then, consider these desserts as payment for hosting Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian! This time, I¡¯ll lend you a hand! Chapter 260 - Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Peerless Fiend (3rd Update) Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Peerless Fiend (3rd Update) People from Country R arrived quickly, as the sound of the door opening echoed. Xue An closed his eyes and observed everything in the living room through Divine Sense. He saw that it was a man from Country R who had come, followed by a female secretary. This man¡¯s demeanor was incredibly arrogant, and after shaking hands briefly with Shen Kang, he sat on the sofa and started speaking at length in the language of Country R. After rattling off a long string of words, Shen Kang and Shen Jun looked at each other, both failing to understand what was meant. It was then that the female secretary spoke up in English. ¡°This is the son of the president of the Chuanye consortium. Our young master says that he has had professional accounting firms evaluate the company, and it is not of great value. Moreover, now that it has offended a major figure, it would cost a significant sum of money to settle the matter!¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Kang¡¯s face turned ugly. But in business, praises and criticisms are normal, so he still suppressed the fire in his heart and said, ¡°Young Master Chuanye, the film and television company founded by my Shen Family may not be the largest in Hollywood, but it is second to none. Not to mention the hardware facilities, just the movie and television rights alone could sell for hundreds of millions of US dollars!¡± Young Master Chuanye¡¯s lips curled into a sneer of disdain as he spoke another lengthy stream of words in Country R¡¯s language. The secretary said, ¡°Our young master says that he is not very interested in those rights. But since he is here, he can make you a sincere offer!¡± As she spoke, the secretary pulled out a stack of contracts from her bag and placed them on the table. Shen Kang took them and his face immediately changed color. The price offered was slightly higher than those of a few companies from M Country, but still far below the true selling price in normal times. ¡°This¡­ this¡­¡± Shen Kang found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. If he didn¡¯t sell, it would soon be the final deadline set by that powerful figure, and not only would he lose all his money, but even the safety of his family could not be guaranteed. But to sell! The loss would be too great! He couldn¡¯t help turning pale, with cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Meanwhile, Shen Jun was secretly exchanging glances with Chuanye, who was sitting on the sofa. ¡°This price is still too low. Can it be raised a bit more?¡± Shen Kang¡¯s tone had become utterly dejected. Chuanye smiled and gestured to his secretary to speak. ¡°Mr. Shen, you should know, the only one who can offer this price right now is our young master Chuanye! Just sign now, and the money will be immediately wired to your bank account. Then you can take your family back to Huaxia for retirement!¡± ¡°Mr. Shen, surely you don¡¯t want your precious daughter to get caught in this vortex as well, do you!¡± This last sentence completely broke Shen Kang. His face turned ashen as he fell silent for a moment, then picked up a pen in despair. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll sign now!¡± Shen Jun could hardly conceal the joy in his eyes. But just as Shen Kang was preparing to sign, Xue An stood up and slowly walked out from the reception room. His sudden appearance startled everyone in the room. Shen Jun frowned and said sternly, ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of discussing important matters. Leave immediately!¡± He naturally did not have a good impression of Xue An. But Xue An just smiled faintly, ¡°Mr. Shen, isn¡¯t it a pity to sign away like this?¡± Those words struck like a bolt from the blue. Shen Jun¡¯s face changed dramatically as he shouted angrily, ¡°I¡¯m warning you again, leave at once! If you disrupt the Shen Family¡¯s important affair, nobody will be able to save you!¡± Shen Kang also frowned slightly, feeling sudden displeasure. In his view, his daughter¡¯s friend must have overheard something and then rashly come out to interfere. So, he too, spoke with a cold expression, ¡°Mr. Xue, you¡¯re a friend invited by NanNan, so I hope you can show some self-respect!¡± Xue An, however, remained completely composed as he walked straight up to the young master of the Chuanye Group. Sitting arrogantly on the sofa, Chuanye looked up at him, opened his mouth, and spoke a barrage of Country R¡¯s language. ¡°Our young master says¡­,¡± the female secretary attempted to interpret. Xue An waved his hand dismissively, ¡°No need, I understand!¡± Then Xue An lowered his head, looking at the Chuanye heir, and questioned him in fluent Country R¡¯s language. ¡°Chuanye Group?¡± The expression of Chuanye¡¯s heir faltered, then he looked at Xue An somewhat perplexed. ¡°You know me?¡± Xue An offered a faint smile, shaking his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know you! But I do know several people from Tokyo!¡± Chuanye¡¯s heir smirked arrogantly, ¡°Oh? You know people from Tokyo? Let me guess, are they women from the brothels or companions from the bars?¡± Xue An eyed him and spoke slowly, ¡°Takeuchi Kiyoko, do you know her?¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko! This name was like a thunderclap, stunning the previously disdainful Chuanye heir into a momentary daze! ¡°You¡­ you know Miss Takeuchi?¡± Chuanye¡¯s heir stuttered. One should know that Takeuchi Kiyoko was now the absolute ruler of Tokyo¡¯s underworld, not only beyond the reach of Chuanye¡¯s heir but also more influential than several of Tokyo¡¯s top conglomerates combined with just a single word from her! Xue An shook his head. Chuanye¡¯s heir inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, it was good that he didn¡¯t know her! But then, Xue An stated indifferently, ¡°Strictly speaking, I¡¯m her master!¡± Master? Hearing this title, Chuanye¡¯s heir nearly slid off the sofa. He didn¡¯t doubt the veracity of this claim at all, because no one would dare to pretend! Chuanye¡¯s heir quickly stood up, bowing respectfully and said, ¡°You¡­ you are Mr. Xue, Xue An?¡± ¡°Oh? You know me?¡± Xue An said lightly. At this moment, Chuanye¡¯s heir felt like crying, it was indeed him! Who in Tokyo didn¡¯t know this name? The master of the underground empress, the instigator of the Sensoji Temple incident, the man who brought down the Tokyo Tower with a single sword strike! Recently, Mr. Xue had caused an uproar in Tokyo. And the result? The Prime Minister and others had to send him off politely without so much as a peep of protest! Thus, in the circles of Tokyo¡¯s elite and conglomerates, Xue An was also known as a supremely formidable person! In the presence of such a fiercely intimidating figure, Chuanye¡¯s heir bent deeply at the waist and said most respectfully, ¡°Yes, I have heard of the gentleman¡¯s extraordinary deeds, I never expected to find you here!¡± Xue An stated indifferently, ¡°I came here on some business and happened to overhear your conversation. This Shen Family happens to be a friend of mine!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chuanye¡¯s heir bent even deeper, his forehead nearly touching the floor as cold sweat dripped down relentlessly. ¡°I had no idea that Shen Sang was a friend of yours, I deserve to die! Please forgive me, sir!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°Forget it, you didn¡¯t know, I won¡¯t hold it against you!¡± Chuanye¡¯s heir¡¯s heart lightened, and he bowed repeatedly, ¡°Thank you, sir, thank you!¡± Only then did he raise his head, looking at Xue An warily. ¡°Sir, may I now¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand, ¡°Get lost!¡± Chapter 261 - Chapter 261: Chapter 261 Tang Sect (Fourth Update) Chapter 261: Chapter 261 Tang Sect (Fourth Update) As if he¡¯d been granted a great pardon, Chuanye¡¯s young master scrambled and rolled as he fled outside. At that moment, Shen Jun still had no idea what had happened. All he saw was Xue An saying a few words in R Country¡¯s language to Chuanye. Then, as if seeing their Emperor, Chuanye¡¯s young master kept bowing and scraping, nodding and bowing nonstop, before making his departure. Shen Jun stepped forward, ready to ask what exactly was going on. But to his surprise, as soon as Chuanye¡¯s young master saw him, he became livid. In Chuanye¡¯s eyes, had it not been for Shen Jun, he would have never visited the Shen Family, nor would he have encountered this terrifyingly powerful person! Luckily, this terrifying figure was in a good mood today, otherwise he would have died long ago. Haven¡¯t all those wealthy families and Sword Saints in Tokyo perished at his hand? In comparison, his Chuanye conglomerate couldn¡¯t even amount to a fart! Therefore, Chuanye¡¯s young master raised his hand and viciously slapped Shen Jun across the face, cursing loudly. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shen Jun was stunned by the slap. Afterward, Chuanye¡¯s young master turned to Xue An and nodded obsequiously before quickly scurrying away. The atmosphere in the room became awkward. Shen Jun, touching his swollen reddened half-face, gazed flickeringly. Shen Kang was also flabbergasted. He did not understand what had just happened. This friend of his daughter had merely said a few words, and Chuanye¡¯s young master, who had initially been full of bluster, acted as if he had seen a deity, turning pale with fear. Who on earth is this man¡­? Shen Kang looked at Xue An with some puzzlement. Meanwhile, hearing the commotion in the living room, Shen Nan and An Yan also came out. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on?¡± Shen Nan asked in astonishment. Before Shen Kang could speak, Shen Jun had already snorted coldly, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Hah! Miss High and Mighty, you have no idea, do you!¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Shen Nan looked completely baffled. Shen Kang frowned, ¡°Shen Jun!¡± But Shen Jun couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Uncle, this matter can¡¯t be hidden. Just tell her!¡± Shen Kang¡¯s expression shifted, then his shoulders slumped as he let out a long sigh and sat down on the couch, saying nothing. ¡°Dad, what exactly happened?¡± The tremor in Shen Nan¡¯s voice grew. Shen Jun sneered, ¡°Cousin, our Shen Family has offended a powerful figure. The company has entered a dire situation and is on the verge of bankruptcy!¡± Shen Jun¡¯s words dropped like a bomb, leaving Shen Nan¡¯s face ashen. ¡°Dad, is what Shen Jun said true?¡± Shen Kang let out another heavy sigh and nodded. Shen Nan stood in shocked silence, her face a mask of astonishment. Shen Jun continued, ¡°With the company in such a state, no one is willing to buy it, and if they are, the offers are very low! After a lot of hardship, I finally found a company from R Country willing to discuss acquisition! But then¡­¡± Shen Jun pointed at Xue An, his face filled with resentment, ¡°This guy just had to show up and completely ruin the deal!¡± The room fell silent. After a long pause, Shen Nan finally managed a bitter smile, ¡°I think, Brother Xue must have meant well!¡± ¡°Good intentions?¡± Shen Jun sneered. ¡°Are good intentions of any use? The company is about to go bankrupt, and once the bankruptcy proceedings start, it¡¯ll be worthless! Although I don¡¯t know what he said, he somehow made that company from Country R run off, but I guess he never had good intentions!¡± Shen Jun said with a face full of resentment. Xue An¡¯s expression was calm, showing no emotion, just quietly observing Shen Nan. He wanted to see how this young girl would react. Shen Nan¡¯s expression changed, but eventually, she firmed up and said to Shen Jun, ¡°Regardless, he is still my friend, and you have no evidence. How can you slander people like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m slandering people?¡± Shen Jun felt a bit guilty inside, but still retorted with feigned toughness and was about to say more. A detached voice came through, ¡°You should be very clear why I stopped the signing. Do I need to say what agreement you¡¯ve reached with the people from Country R?¡± At these words, Shen Kang, who had been bowing his head, looked up at Xue An with a shocked expression. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Shen Kang asked. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°This, you should ask your dear nephew here!¡± Shen Jun¡¯s complexion turned pale, but he still refused to concede, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense. How could I possibly betray the Shen Family?¡± ¡°And the key point now is, if no one is willing to buy our company, how are we going to get through what comes next?¡± Upon hearing this, Shen Kang¡¯s expression faded again and he nodded wearily, ¡°If it comes to it, I¡¯ll just sell to that group of people from M Country.¡± After speaking, Shen Kang¡¯s face was filled with despair. Shen Nan, seeing this, felt a pang of sorrow, and her tears involuntarily fell. She had never seen her father so powerless and desperate. Suddenly, she turned around, looked at Xue An with a trembling voice, ¡°Xue Brother, can you¡­ help our Shen Family?¡± This was Shen Nan¡¯s last glimmer of hope. Because she had once seen Xue An perform the miraculous feat of levitating, in Shen Nan¡¯s mind, Xue An was like an Immortal, omnipotent. If Xue Brother stopped Father from signing and said Shen Jun had a guilty conscience, then he must surely have a way to help the Shen Family! Upon hearing this, disdain nearly overflowed from Shen Jun¡¯s face. ¡°Him? Haha, cousin, don¡¯t be naive! Do you know who our Shen Family has offended this time?¡± Shen Nan turned to look at her father, ¡°Dad, who exactly is trying to destroy the Shen Family? Speak up, Xue Brother might have a solution!¡± Shen Kang gave a bitter smile and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s no use, that person, there aren¡¯t many in M Country who can afford to offend him!¡± Hearing this, Shen Nan¡¯s heart grew cold, but still, she clung to that last shred of hope and asked, ¡°Who is it, exactly?¡± Shen Kang hesitated for a moment, then sighed deeply, ¡°It¡¯s Tang Sect!¡± Tang Sect! These two words, even to Shen Nan, who didn¡¯t quite understand the social relationships in M Country, turned her complexion pale. ¡°And it¡¯s Han Jun from Tang Sect¡¯s Great Elder,¡± Shen Jun added, then looked at Xue An with a provocative glare. ¡°I really want to ask, how could your Xue Brother, with his vast connections, settle the score with Tang Sect?¡± The tone was full of mockery. Shen Nan lowered her head and remained silent. She knew what Shen Jun was saying was true; after all, in M Country, Tang Sect¡¯s power was immense, not something the Shen Family, let alone old-established families, could afford to provoke. ¡°Mr. Xue, although I don¡¯t know why you stopped me from signing the contract, you are, after all, a friend of my daughter. Now that the Shen Family is in trouble, if it¡¯s convenient for you, please leave us. I¡¯m very sorry!¡± Shen Kang said in a defeated tone. The atmosphere in the room was oppressively tense, but just at that moment, Xue An raised his head and smiled slightly. ¡°Tang Sect? Good, I have a score to settle with them!¡± Chapter 262 - Chapter 262: Chapter 262: I give him 2 hours to come and apologize! (5th Update) Chapter 262: Chapter 262: I give him 2 hours to come and apologize! (5th Update) Hearing this, Shen Jun was momentarily startled before he couldn¡¯t help but let out a scoff. ¡°That¡¯s really funny, you want to settle a score with the Tang Sect? Do you know what kind of people they are? Even the local gangs in M Country don¡¯t dare to mess with them, who do you think you are?¡± Contempt filled his words. Xue An slightly raised his eyebrows and indifferently swept a glance at Shen Jun. Although he was too lazy to bother with it, if the provocation was repeated over and over again, then Xue An would not mind wiping out an ant. Shen Jun, who intended to continue speaking, became rigid after being glanced at by those eyes. Those eyes were simply too frightening! Xue An of course knew what kind of people were in the Tang Sect, even the Tang Sect elder, Han Jun, who had been offended by the Shen Family, was clear to him. The Elder who pointed to heaven, Yu Ling, was from the Tang Sect of M Country. After being killed by Xue An with a single punch, this Han Jun did not dare to seek revenge himself but instead, leaked the information to the Yu Family of Lingnan. Xue An was well aware of all this. That¡¯s why he said that there was indeed a score to settle with the Tang Sect. Shen Kang at this moment also wore a face full of disbelief. After all, Xue An was just someone who had just come to M Country from Huaxia, how could he possibly be a match for the Tang Sect? He was probably just bluffing! As the members of the Shen Family were filled with doubts and uncertainties. Outside the villa, several black business vehicles drove up, then a few burly Chinese men got out first. Someone opened the car door, and a well-built man with a sullen face, slowly got out of the car. He first looked up at the Shen Family villa, a hint of cold laughter appeared on the corners of his mouth, and then he headed straight inside. The villa¡¯s gate was kicked open, and this group of men walked in with arrogant faces. Seeing these people, Shen Kang couldn¡¯t help but turn pale with shock, then he quickly stood up. ¡°Young Master Zhou, you¡¯re here!¡± Facing this man, Shen Kang¡¯s demeanor was very respectful. This man nodded arrogantly, ¡°Mr. Shen, my master has sent me to ask if you have considered it properly? If you do not give a response soon, then don¡¯t blame me for being impolite.¡± Shen Kang inwardly complained, this Young Master Zhou named Zhou Lin, was known as the Red Twin Sticks of the Tang Sect, and was also a closed-door disciple of Han Jun, usually acting very arrogantly. With his personal visit today, it seemed that this matter was not going to be easy to resolve. Zhou Lin surveyed the room, and when he saw Shen Nan, his eyes lit up, then he spoke indifferently, ¡°Mr. Shen, your daughter is quite beautiful!¡± Hearing this, Shen Kang¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help but change drastically. ¡°Young Master Zhou, my daughter is still in university!¡± Zhou Lin smiled sinisterly, ¡°I can see that, but Mr. Shen, if you don¡¯t satisfy me this time, then¡­ your daughter might end up in some unspeakable places to accompany men in drinking! Do you understand what I mean?¡± Zhou Lin¡¯s arrogant tone made Shen Kang¡¯s face turn pale, and Shen Nan¡¯s expression was one of panic, not knowing how to respond. Just then, Xue An, who was sitting on the sofa, chuckled lightly, ¡°This¡­ is this the way your Tang Sect conducts itself?¡± Hearing this, Zhou Lin abruptly turned around, glaring at Xue An with a murderous face, he said, ¡°Who are you? Don¡¯t you know to stay out of the Tang Sect¡¯s affairs, bystanders should retreat?¡± Xue An tapped the armrest with his fingers, speaking faintly, ¡°Who I am, you are not yet qualified to know!¡± Zhou Lin laughed furiously from extreme anger, ¡°Good, you¡¯ve provoked me. Today, I will tear you to pieces!¡± With that, Zhou Lin pounced like a tiger descending the mountain. Zhou Lin practiced the Ancient Martial Arts of Huaxia, Fierce Tiger Thirteen Forms! Moreover, his skill level was quite good, each move was like that of a real fierce tiger, extremely formidable in might. Shen Jun watched from the side, full of schadenfreude. Now, let¡¯s see how you continue to pretend? But this thought had barely crossed his mind. When he saw Xue An lift his head, his eyebrows arching slightly, he let out a light shout. ¡°Scram!¡± This word ¡°scram,¡± was like a heavy hammer, directly striking Zhou Lin in the chest while he was mid-air. And directly sent him flying out until he crashed into and broke through a wall, only barely coming to a stop. Afterward, Zhou Lin opened his mouth, and a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out. At this, Shen Jun, Shen Kang, and the others were all dumbfounded, simply unable to believe their eyes. The renowned Tang Sect¡¯s Red Blossom Twin Sticks, utterly unable to withstand even a single command to ¡°Scram¡±? At this moment, Zhou Lin¡¯s face was ashen, while a flash of terror flickered through his eyes as he looked at Xue An. He was more aware than anyone of the terror he had just experienced. The man, who appeared harmless and was gentle and refined, had transformed in a split second into an invincible Tyrannosaur, with a terrifying aura! ¡°You¡­ who are you, exactly?¡± Zhou Lin¡¯s haughty demeanor had subsided quite a bit, but he still stared fixedly at Xue An and asked. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Go back and tell your master the account with the Pointing Sky Elder hasn¡¯t been settled with him yet! And I¡¯m giving him two hours to come and apologize, or else¡­ I¡¯ll eradicate your Tang Sect!¡± Zhou Lin¡¯s face paled, but he still nodded and said, ¡°Okay! You just wait!¡± Having said that, he got up, gave Shen Kang a deep look, and then fled in a panic. Only the members of the Shen Family were left in the room, looking at each other. A glimmer of hope suddenly rose in Shen Kang¡¯s heart. Could it be¡­ he could really save our Shen Family? Shen Nan took a deep breath, believing that the matter must be resolved! For she had an inexplicable trust in Xue An. She even felt that there was nothing in the world that could stump this man. At this moment, Shen Jun sneakily approached Shen Kang and whispered, ¡°Uncle, this guy has even offended the Tang Sect¡¯s Red Blossom Twin Sticks. We should make plans early, otherwise, we might get implicated as well!¡± Shen Kang, swayed by these words, began to hesitate again. Shen Nan rebuked angrily, ¡°Shen Jun, you persistently cause trouble here, what are your true intentions? Even if our Shen Family falls, would that benefit you?¡± Shen Jun¡¯s face turned red and then white as he was scolded and slinked into a corner, sneering to himself. This guy has actually forced a Tang Sect elder to personally come and apologize; he really doesn¡¯t know how the word ¡®death¡¯ is written. Half an hour. One hour¡­ One and a half hours¡­ Outside, it remained dead silent with no sign of activity. Shen Kang¡¯s complexion became increasingly pale. Meanwhile, Shen Jun grew more smug, thinking to himself, I wonder how you¡¯ll smooth this over later? Only Xue An, with a serene expression, sat there, seemingly not the least bit anxious! Another twenty-odd minutes passed, and it was just a few minutes shy of two hours, when Shen Kang could no longer hold back and was about to speak. Suddenly, a commotion arose from outside. Shen Jun sprang to the window at once. He saw dozens of black business cars arriving, with many Tang Sect disciples alighting. From one of the central old-fashioned cars, a white-haired old man got out. Shen Kang also came to the window and, upon seeing the old man, his face involuntarily turned pale. ¡°It¡¯s Han Jun from the Tang Sect!¡± This show of force took everyone inside the room aback! Then they saw the Tang Sect elder making his way straight to the forefront, entering the Shen Residence. Shen Kang stood by the wall, filled with fear, not knowing whether he should go forward and apologize. However, Han Jun looked neither left nor right, walking directly up to Xue An and coming to a stop. Shen Jun was secretly pleased, thinking that Xue An was in for it now. But just then, Han Jun bent deeply at the waist and said with the utmost respect, ¡°I¡¯ve seen¡­ Mr. Xue!¡± Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 263: What Goes Around, Comes Around (First Update) Chapter 263: Chapter 263: What Goes Around, Comes Around (First Update) Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Jun¡¯s mouth hung agape, wide enough to fit two duck eggs. Shen Kang¡¯s whole body shuddered, his face full of disbelief. He knew better than anyone how formidable Han Jun was. Once, because of some trifling matter, he had offended the Tang Sect, and as a result, just a single word from Han Jun had nearly brought his company to the brink of collapse. This illustrated the enormous power Han Jun wielded. But now, this figure who controlled the life and death of countless people, was bowing and apologizing to Xue An like a child who had done wrong, with utmost respect and submission. Inside and outside the room, there was a deathly silence. Xue An¡¯s expression was indifferent, as he quietly watched. Without a word from Xue An, Han Jun didn¡¯t even dare to raise his head, remaining bent at the waist. In this moment, Han Jun¡¯s heart was full of fear and regret. Time rolled back two hours earlier. Han Jun was sitting leisurely at the Tang Sect headquarters. Zhou Lin was the one he had sent to the Shen Family. Han Jun had long coveted the lucrative slice of the Hollywood movie industry, but unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t get in on it¡ªinternational big companies had it all to themselves, with major figures pulling the strings behind M Country¡¯s domestic film companies. He had never found a way in. Then Shen Kang, because of a minor issue, had offended him. The thought struck him¡ªthe Shen Family¡¯s movie company might not be very large, but it operated quite well, generating substantial profits every year. So Han Jun sought a pretext to force Shen Kang into selling the company to the Tang Sect. Tomorrow was the final deadline. He had sent Zhou Lin to apply the last bit of pressure. In Han Jun¡¯s eyes, this was quite a mundane affair. But after waiting for more than an hour, Zhou Lin returned, pale-faced. At the sight of Zhou Lin¡¯s expression, Han Jun frowned. ¡°What happened?¡± Through clenched teeth, Zhou Lin said, ¡°I was beaten!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Han Jun¡¯s eyebrows rose, his face filled with killing intent. Someone dared to attack a member of the Tang Sect? ¡°A master hired by the Shen Family?¡± Han Jun asked calmly. Zhou Lin shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but this guy is quite formidable and extremely arrogant!¡± ¡°He injured me, and when I asked for his name, he said I wasn¡¯t worthy to know, and furthermore¡­¡± ¡°Furthermore what?¡± Zhou Lin gritted his teeth, ¡°He said to give you two hours, to go and apologize!¡± Upon hearing this, Han Jun couldn¡¯t help but show anger on his face. ¡°What audacity!¡± Zhou Lin was secretly pleased inside¡ªif his master took action, then no matter how powerful that person was, he¡¯d be finished! ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± Han Jun picked up his teacup and started sipping slowly. ¡°He also mentioned that the account from the business with the old Sky Pointer hadn¡¯t been settled with you yet!¡± Zhou Lin said. The moment he heard this sentence, Han Jun, who had just taken a sip of tea, was so shocked that he sprayed the tea out of his mouth. ¡°What did you say?¡± Han Jun¡¯s face became exceedingly grave. Zhou Lin was also startled, ¡°He¡­ he simply said that the account with old Sky Pointer hadn¡¯t been settled with you, and that you had two hours to go and apologize! Master, should we send somebody to take care of this guy?¡± Slap! With a raise of his hand, Han Jun sent Zhou Lin spinning several times in the air. ¡°Idiot! Is that a man you can provoke? And you dared to lay a hand on him?¡± Han Jun was clearly livid, stepping forward to deliver a flurry of punches and kicks to Zhou Lin. Zhou Lin was completely dumbfounded. He had never seen his master so enraged and frightened! After hitting him a few times, Han Jun suddenly remembered something and quickly looked at his watch. ¡°How much time has passed since you left the Shen house?¡± ¡°More than half an hour!¡± Zhou Lin said, his voice trembling. Han Jun was so scared that he shivered all over, shouting loudly, ¡°Quick, prepare the car!¡± And at that moment, Zhou Lin, trembling with fear, asked, ¡°Master¡­ who exactly is that man?¡± Han Jun stomped his foot, his face filled with horror as he said, ¡°He¡­ is Xue An!¡± Xue An! These two words seemed to possess infinite magic. At the very least, upon hearing them, Zhou Lin felt a darkness before his eyes and nearly died of fright. With one hand, he annihilated Immortal Gate; with one sword, he crushed Tokyo; he dominated the military of M Country! Any of these feats would be earth-shattering news by themselves. And all of these were done by Xue An. How ridiculous that he had even thought about confronting him? Thinking this, Zhou Lin felt a wave of relief wash over him. At this moment, Han Jun¡¯s heart was also filled with terror. Even on the way to the Shen Family, he was restless. When the Old Man of the Heavens was killed, he had secretly informed the Yu Family! He had thought that with the Yu Family¡¯s intervention, Xue An would surely be killed. But to his dismay, only a few days later, news came that Xue An had broken the Sword Immortal with a single strike. After hearing this news, Han Jun was so scared that he didn¡¯t dare to leave his house for several days; even when he did, he had to be surrounded by countless bodyguards. He was very aware that a peerless expert like Xue An would definitely have a clear sense of gratitude and grudges, decisive in his kills! He could only hope that Xue An would forget about him. Especially as Xue An¡¯s deeds continued to come in one after the other, Han Jun lived every day in fear and terror. It was only after Xue An did not show up for a long time that he gradually relaxed. Until today, when he finally understood that what goes around comes around! So, he had come to the Shen Family with a toughened scalp, waiting for Xue An¡¯s disposal. At that time, Xue An spoke indifferently, ¡°The Tang Sect¡­ has quite the overbearing way of doing things!¡± Upon hearing this sentence, Han Jun¡¯s body shook and cold sweat broke out all over him. ¡°Yes! Yes! We truly didn¡¯t know that the Shen Family was a friend of yours. Had we known, we would have never dared to do this! We plead for your understanding, sir!¡± A faint smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s lips, ¡°If the Shen Family didn¡¯t know me, would you have been prepared to drive this family to a dead end? Hm?¡± The last rhetorical question made Han Jun¡¯s knees weaken, and with a thump, he fell to his knees, then kowtowed like he was pounding garlic. ¡°Sir, spare our lives, we beg you to spare our lives, we will never dare to do it again!¡± Looking at this usually high and mighty figure, now begging for mercy like a lamb to be slaughtered. Shen Kang and the others all shut their mouths. Especially Shen Jun, who was ashen-faced. Xue An stood up, slowly walked over to Han Jun, and looked down at him from above. ¡°As fellow Huaxia on foreign soil, we should be helping each other out. Yet, you plotted against your own kind, abusing power and authority! What do you think your crime should be?¡± Han Jun collapsed on the ground, despairing, ¡°Everything is up to you, sir!¡± ¡°Very well! You wished to use others to kill me, and now you¡¯ve used your power to oppress others; it would not be unjust to kill you. Are you convinced?¡± Han Jun turned pale, nodding, ¡°Convinced¡­ I¡¯m convinced!¡± Seeing this scene, everyone, especially the disciples of the Tang Sect, felt a chill in their hearts. Was this the same elder who used to throw his weight around? In front of this man, he was like a lamb waiting for the slaughter! Xue An placed a hand on Han Jun¡¯s head, his eyes narrowing slightly. A powerful Divine Sense swept through Han Jun¡¯s mind, and after a moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Considering that you aren¡¯t too bad in normal times, I¡¯ll spare your life!¡± As he spoke, Xue An waved his hand, and Han Jun¡¯s complexion turned pale, his whole being aged, with a single move, he destroyed Han Jun¡¯s cultivation level and crippled his legs. Yet Han Jun kept kowtowing, ¡°Thank you for sparing my life, sir! Thanks for your mercy!¡± Each bow was heartfelt, because Han Jun had been thoroughly frightened. To this, Xue An merely smiled. He had just discovered through his Divine Sense that Han Jun did indeed take care of his fellow countrymen in foreign lands; it wasn¡¯t worth truly killing him. ¡°Moreover, Shen Family¡­¡± ¡°Rest assured, sir,¡± Han Jun said, trembling, ¡°From now on, the Shen Family will surely prosper and the Tang Sect will never dare to disturb them again!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Get lost!¡± Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 264 What has been keeping you going? (2nd update) Chapter 264: Chapter 264 What has been keeping you going? (2nd update) The members of the Tang Sect were like prisoners granted amnesty. Someone came forward to support Han Jun, and they left the Shen Family villa with the utmost respect before breaking into a run without choosing their path carefully. The room fell silent. Xue An smiled at Shen Nan, ¡°Alright, the matter is settled!¡± Shen Nan¡¯s cheeks flushed with excitement as she looked at Xue An as if she were looking at a superhero. ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you!¡± Shen Nan said. At this time, Shen Kang stepped forward with a solemn expression and bowed deeply to Xue An, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Xue, for your help. The Shen Family will never forget this kindness!¡± Xue An was noncommittal. He had intervened only because he felt that Shen Nan was a nice girl, not to make the Shen Family feel indebted to him. However, at this moment, there was another person quietly slipping toward the door. As Shen Jun moved out, he was also praying in his heart. Please don¡¯t notice me! Please don¡¯t see me, God bless! It seemed that even his God didn¡¯t dare to offend Xue An. Just as Shen Jun reached the door, within one step of going out, Xue An turned his head to look at him and said indifferently, ¡°Thinking of leaving now?¡± Shen Jun shivered all over, then turned around and forced a few laughs. ¡°Heh, I suddenly remembered some things I haven¡¯t dealt with!¡± As he spoke, his voice became weaker and weaker. Because Xue An was looking down at him from above. That cold, indifferent gaze easily shattered Shen Jun¡¯s psychological defenses. He kneeled to the ground with a thud, ¡°Please spare my life, I won¡¯t dare to do it again, collaborating with people from Country R was just a moment of foolishness!¡± Hearing him admit it himself, Shen Kang¡¯s face turned deadly pale with anger. ¡°You ungrateful, treacherous thing, I took you in with good intentions, and this is how you repay me?¡± Shen Jun was also stunned at this point, as if he had been controlled and let out all his inner thoughts just now. ¡°Kill him? I can do it for you,¡± Xue An said to Shen Kang with a faint smile, as if he was talking about a trivial matter. Shen Jun trembled all over, crying out with a sobbing voice, ¡°Uncle, I won¡¯t dare to do it again, please beg for mercy for me, as long as you spare me, I will leave right now!¡± Shen Kang¡¯s expression changed a few times, then he let out a long sigh. ¡°Sir, this person is, after all, my relative, could you¡­ please let him off this one time!¡± Xue An was noncommittal. To kill or not to kill Shen Jun was of little significance to him. Shen Jun, seeing that his life was spared, turned and ran. Only then did Shen Kang have the chance to step forward and thank him again earnestly. After expressing his gratitude, Shen Kang asked, ¡°Mr. Xue, what brings you to Hollywood this time?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°I have a friend who is going to attend the Oscars in a few days!¡± ¡°Oh? Who might that be? Do I know them?¡± Shen Kang was surprised. ¡°Fan Mengxue!¡± Xue An said with a faint smile. Shen Kang was stunned, and Shen Nan let out an exclamation. ¡°The ¡®Pride of the Chinese¡¯ Miss Fan Mengxue?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Is she very famous now?¡± Shen Kang¡¯s face was full of admiration, ¡°Famous? She¡¯s more than just famous! As an overseas Chinese, I rarely admire anyone, but Miss Fan Mengxue is the one Chinese star I admire the most in my life.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xue An was somewhat curious. ¡°Miss Fan¡¯s rise to fame in Hollywood in just a few months is something other stars couldn¡¯t achieve in their lifetimes,¡± he said. ¡°She has starred in a string of box-office hits, and now she¡¯s been nominated for an Oscar for a major production!¡± ¡°If it were just that, it would be one thing, but what¡¯s key is Miss Fan¡¯s stellar reputation. Many actors who have worked with her can¡¯t stop singing her praises, and moreover¡­¡± Shen Kang paused, noticed Mr. Xue¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and continued. ¡°Moreover, several well-known male actors really like Fan Mengxue. They¡¯ve said more than once in public that they want to pursue her!¡± ¡°But Miss Fan never responds to them. Ever since she entered Hollywood, she can be described as scandal-free!¡± At this moment, Shen Nan asked excitedly, ¡°Big Brother Xue, are you very familiar with Miss Fan?¡± Xue An smiled. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then, could you get me an autographed photo? I asked my dad to get one for me, but he never had the chance. I like her the most! She¡¯s the pride and role model for us girls!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Of course, I can!¡± While they were discussing Fan Mengxue, In a luxurious hotel suite in Hollywood, Fan Mengxue, or as she should now be called, the Night Devil Empress, closed her eyes, preparing to try once again to completely extinguish the soul of this body. The Night Devil Empress arrived in the world she created with her Divine Sense. Night Demon Valley¡¯s greatest skills were Divine Sense and the secret technique of possession! Especially the Night Devil Empress, who had possessed countless bodies, had never encountered a soul as troublesome as the one in this body. On a swath of crimson land, there stood a huge crucifix. Chained to the crucifix with Divine Sense chains was a listless Fan Mengxue. The Night Devil Empress approached her, looking at the incredibly tenacious soul with a hint of severity in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m very curious, what exactly has been supporting you up until now?¡± the Night Devil Empress said indifferently. Fan Mengxue slowly lifted her head, her hollow eyes now only showing numbness. Yet, facing this numb gaze, a barely perceptible panic flashed in the heart of the Night Devil Empress. Then the Night Devil Empress became angry. Did she just become afraid of an ant¡¯s soul? ¡°So, you¡¯re still stubbornly holding on? I refuse to believe that any soul in this world can withstand the agony of being eroded by the Ye Mo Flame!¡± The Night Devil Empress roared as a black flame rose from Fan Mengxue¡¯s feet and quickly enveloped her entire body. The Demon Flame scorched, causing heart-rending pain! Even the toughest man, faced with such torture, wouldn¡¯t last three seconds. But Fan Mengxue merely struggled in agony for a few moments, her eyes remaining numb and her head held high, never once lowered. The Night Devil Empress, both shocked and furious, said, ¡°Why! Why do you keep holding on? What in this world is worth your longing to stay?¡± With that, the Demon Flame intensified once more. The raging flames completely swallowed Fan Mengxue. But even so, Fan Mengxue remained silent, just quietly watching the Night Devil Empress. The Night Devil Empress finally stepped back in panic and then angrily said, ¡°Why would you rather endure such pain and keep holding on?¡± Fan Mengxue opened her mouth and spoke in a hoarse, weak voice, ¡°Because I believe that he will definitely come to save me!¡± He? The Night Devil Empress¡¯s expression gradually became more sinister. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Xue An, aren¡¯t you? Hehe, that¡¯s right, he¡¯s already arrived in M Country, but I¡¯ve set a deadly trap. When the time comes, I will use your hand to personally kill him! Hahaha!¡± The Night Devil Empress laughed triumphantly. Fan Mengxue merely shook her head gently, ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t kill him, because he is the invincible Xue An!¡± As she spoke, a light seemed to return to Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes. Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Appetizer (Third Update) Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Appetizer (Third Update) The Night Devil Empress¡¯s face turned iron blue, but after a moment, she suddenly let out a series of cold, mocking laughs. ¡°Very well, since you admire him so much, then when the time comes, I will let you experience what it feels like to kill him with your own hands!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten to tell you, the very thing Night Demon Valley excels at is disguise and possession, so flawless not even a Golden Immortal can detect it, so don¡¯t dream that he¡¯ll be able to notice!¡± Upon hearing the Night Devil Empress¡¯s words, Fan Mengxue¡¯s expression finally changed. ¡°If you dare to do this, even if I have to endure the torture of Demon Flame burning my soul for ten thousand years, I will not let you go!¡± Fan Mengxue cried out in anger. The Night Devil Empress cackled strangely as she exited the spiritual world and slowly opened her eyes. Similarly possessed by her underlings, Han Yao walked in. ¡°Empress, we have just received news, Xue An has already arrived in M Country!¡± The Night Devil Empress¡¯s eyes lit up, and then she nodded, ¡°Good! Notify Griffin first!¡± ¡°I think Griffin would be very pleased to whet his appetite with some appetizers while entertaining our Mr. Xue An!¡± Griffin was sitting in a chair eating a steak when he received the message. The thick steak was gradually sectioned off under the blade of Griffin¡¯s knife. With each bite, the aroma overflowed, and combined with a bit of wine, it was simply perfection! Not until the entire steak had been devoured did Griffin leisurely lean back in his chair, pulling off the napkin from around his neck and wiping his mouth. ¡°It seems our Empress is a bit impatient, but this Xue An has quite the tempestuous temper too. Just the second day he arrived in M Country, and he has already made Tang Sect retreat in dismay,¡± said Griffin indifferently. His subordinates remained utterly silent. They all knew full well Griffin¡¯s temperament; he could be as cultured and gentlemanly when pleased, but once enraged, he would transform into the most cruel and bloodthirsty demon. Thus, no one dared to speak. ¡°Hehe, China¡¯s master¡­ moreover, the deeds he has performed are truly dazzling. But unfortunately, this is the era of technology, there isn¡¯t a master that a single anti-materiel armor-piercing bullet can¡¯t deal with, if there is, then two!¡± As Griffin spoke, he became excited, dancing and gesticulating. The people in the room watched on as if they were accustomed to it. ¡°Ghoul!¡± Griffin called. ¡°Disciple is here!¡± A bald hulk slowly stood up from a corner. His face and body were covered with various scars, most of them gun wounds, as if he had come out of a hail of bullets. ¡°You go kill this fellow, it doesn¡¯t matter what weapon you use, even if you can get a nuclear bomb, it¡¯s fine!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Also, send a message to those Bounty Hunters in the City of Sin, whoever can kill him, the reward is one hundred million!¡± The Ghoul nodded and then turned to leave. Griffin¡¯s face still bore a trace of excitement; he licked his lips, ¡°I do hope I can see your corpse soon. When the time comes, I will use the most exquisite knife work to dissect you bit by bit, and your bones will become my finest collection!¡± In the back lawn of the Shen Family compound, Xue Xiang and Xue Lian were swinging on a swing set. Xue An was behind them, responsible for pushing the swing. With each push, the swing flew a little higher. Soon, the swing was almost perpendicular to the ground. Shen Nan watched with her heart in her throat. However, Xue Xiang and Xue Lian giggled non-stop. Now, Xue An¡¯s family was temporarily staying in the Shen Family¡¯s home. Xue An had intended to leave, but Shen Kang wouldn¡¯t hear of it and insisted on holding them back. In the end, Xue An gave up, reasoning that there were only two or three days left until the Oscars, and that the Shen Family would be attending too, which would save him the trouble. An Yan had moved her computer outside and was playing a newly released horror game with intense concentration. An Yan¡¯s explanation for this was that the air inside was not good, so she wanted to play with the computer outside! Xue An could only indulge her with a smile at this. He just liked to watch An Yan try to be tough, with that silly look on her face. Just when everything was peaceful and tranquil, Suddenly. Xue An frowned and turned his head to look into the distance. And at that moment. On top of a building 1,500 meters away from the Shen Family residence, a focused sniper had just taken a deep breath. ¡°May God be with you!¡± He silently recited in his mind and pulled the trigger. It was a sure shot. On the battlefield, he had sniped countless targets with his rifle. This time would be no exception. Although the intel had mentioned that this man was terrifyingly formidable. But there wasn¡¯t anyone that the bounty hunters of the City of Sin couldn¡¯t handle. Especially since he was one of the best among the bounty hunters. Thinking about the one hundred million US dollars that were about to be his, he became somewhat excited. A bullet traveling 1,500 meters would take 1.79 seconds. He leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the scope. He liked to watch his prey¡¯s head explode under his gun. But the smile on the corner of his mouth hadn¡¯t even fully formed before it froze. Because through the scope, he saw Xue An¡¯s indifferent gaze. At the same time, the bullet arrived. The massive shockwave even shattered the branches it passed along the way. Yet such a powerful armor-piercing bullet stopped dead, one meter away from Xue An. Then the bullet began to drill forward slowly, but with each centimeter it moved, its shape twisted a bit more. Until, after a laborious journey of ten centimeters, it exploded with a bang into dust and dispersed in the wind. The bounty hunter watched this happen, dumbstruck, then his body shuddered violently, and he rolled over, attempting to flee. This man¡­ was too terrifying! No wonder there was a bounty of a hundred million on him! But just as he was about to get up. A voice came from behind him, ¡°Your shooting is not bad, but sadly, you won¡¯t have a chance to use it again!¡± With that, the bounty hunter felt a severe pain throughout his body, and just as he was about to scream out loud, he was burned to ashes by white flames. Xue An looked at the special sniper rifle left on the rooftop and smiled faintly. ¡°Planning to wear me down with this method? Too bad, you¡¯ve miscalculated!¡± But just as Xue An appeared on the rooftop 1,500 meters away. In the back garden of the Shen Family residence, a ghoul dropped from the sky like a Hell Demon God, and without any waste of words, went straight for An Yan. He was a smart man, because an unsmart warrior would have died on the battlefield long ago. He had been waiting. Waiting for others to make a move. Sure enough! Someone couldn¡¯t hold back and fired the first shot. Xue An was lured away by the shot, as expected. Leaving behind a perfect opportunity. Of course, the ghoul was not willing to let it pass and lunged at An Yan with a vicious smirk. Just subdue this woman. Then wouldn¡¯t Xue An be easy to capture? But just when he thought everything was a sure thing. An Yan, whom he had considered a frail woman, frowned and picked up the frying pan that was beside the computer for self-encouragement. Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter 266: A Ferocious and Aggressive Family (4th update) Chapter 266: Chapter 266: A Ferocious and Aggressive Family (4th update) The ghoul¡¯s mouth curled into a mocking smile. ¡°You actually think you can take me down with a frying pan?¡± ¡°This is nothing short of a grave insult to a warrior! I¡­¡±. The rest of the thought was abruptly cut off. Because An Yan, holding the frying pan in her hand, made a few gestures in the air towards the ghoul flying toward her, and then, as if playing baseball, swung the pan fiercely as it charged at her. Bang! A muffled sound. The frying pan, refined by Xue An, was incredibly hard, and An Yan¡¯s handling was skilled, hitting the ghoul directly on its head. The ghoul felt a darkness before its eyes and thudded to the ground. But its combat training was indeed commendable; the moment it touched the ground, it attempted to leap up and escape. However, at that moment, An Yan stepped forward, placed her foot on the ghoul¡¯s head, pressed with the pan, and commanded sharply, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The ghoul truly didn¡¯t dare to move, freezing in place. Shen Nan watched the scene, dumbfounded. She originally thought Xue An was formidable enough. But she never expected her Sister An Yan to be even more ferocious and valiant. It¡¯s just that the weapon was somewhat peculiar. At this time, Xue Xiang and Nian Nian also ran over. ¡°Bad guy, how dare you attack Mom, we¡¯ll beat you up!¡± Xue Xiang and Nian Nian raised their tiny fists and began pummeling down. The ghoul was initially unconcerned, thinking what strength could two little girls have? But to its surprise, Xue Xiang and Nian Nian, their bodies strengthened by the elixir, were incredibly powerful. Each punch carried the force of several dozen pounds. Soon, they reduced the ghoul¡¯s face to a battered mess. Especially Nian Nian, who had somehow found a mini frying pan and began to hammer away at the ghoul¡¯s head. Clang, clang, clang! It even had a rhythmic beat! Shen Nan gasped in shock. This whole family¡­ seemed very fierce! When Xue An returned and saw this, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixture of laughter and tears. An Yan, with a triumphant look, said, ¡°Husband, look, the three of us are impressive, aren¡¯t we?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Not bad, but this guy has already run away, haven¡¯t you noticed?¡± ¡°What?¡± An Yan exclaimed and quickly looked down. Sure enough. The ghoul had used a life-saving secret technique to escape just now. ¡°Ah! It¡¯s so irritating, I thought I had caught a big villain!¡± An Yan said somewhat dejectedly. Xue An smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just run off. A bunch of petty evildoers, nothing to fuss over!¡± While Xue An comforted his wife, he casually waved his hand. A stream of sword qi shot across the sky and disappeared. At that moment. The figure of the ghoul appeared on a street more than ten miles away from the Shen Family. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still filled with fear. He had felt Xue An¡¯s returning aura and hurriedly fled. Otherwise, he felt that he would have definitely died there! Luckily¡­ he managed to escape! While the ghoul was reveling in its escape, a beam of sword light flew by, skimming over the ghoul¡¯s neck. Bemused, he blinked his eyes, and then his head soared into the sky as his corpse thudded to the ground. This horrifying and bloody spectacle also caused the people on the street to scream incessantly. After the ghoul¡¯s corpse was brought back, Griffin, dressed in a black suit, stood silently beside the body. The atmosphere in the room was oppressively terrifying. After a long while, Griffin finally said, ¡°Take his body to the basement!¡± Hearing this order, many people turned pale, their eyes filled with extreme terror, but they still bowed their heads and said, ¡°Yes!¡± The house Griffin now resided in was located at the very edge of Hollywood, and it was a detached villa surrounded by towering trees, which made it look particularly sinister. The basement was specially reinforced, such that even missiles would have a hard time penetrating it straight away. On the floor of this basement, a pattern similar to a six-pointed star was drawn with a strangely colored paint. The ghoul¡¯s body was placed in the center of the six-pointed star. Besides that, in other corners of the star, there were also bodies or fresh blood laid out. Griffin knelt on the ground with a respectful demeanor, muttering to himself. As he chanted in a low voice, his complexion gradually turned pale, and the basement grew increasingly colder. Suddenly. After a violent fluctuation, a cloud of black mist appeared above the six-pointed star. Within the black mist emerged a towering and fierce Cerberus. One of its heads lowered to eat the ghoul¡¯s corpse, while another spoke arrogantly. ¡°Ye demons, for what purpose have you summoned me?¡± Griffin, overwhelmed with joy, knelt and crawled on the ground, shivering as he said, ¡°Respected Cerberus, the demon race welcomes your arrival!¡± Cerberus snorted coldly, ¡°Such meager offerings to summon me to the mortal realm? It is insufficient for my consumption! If you cannot provide me with a perfect explanation, I shall devour you right now!¡± Griffin quickly replied, ¡°Lord Cerberus, the reason for summoning you is out of utmost necessity!¡± He then recounted the events that had taken place before. He particularly emphasized the Night Devil Empress and Xue An. After listening to Griffin¡¯s introduction, the sinister laughter of Cerberus echoed in the basement. ¡°The Night Devil Empress? Haha, probably an eastern Immortal¡¯s legacy, but if I could consume her, it would be of great benefit to me, as for that Xue An, he¡¯s just an ordinary Huaxia Cultivator, I fear him not!¡± Griffin¡¯s face lit up with excitement, ¡°Lord Cerberus, I hope you will subjugate the Night Devil Empress and leave her body to me!¡± ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s easily said, but I am very hungry now and need a lot of blood to eat!¡± said Cerberus. ¡°Your anger, my lord, I have prepared everything!¡± Griffin¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy. The ghoul, having the bloodline of the Dark Races, could still be used as a sacrifice to summon the gods of the demon realm even after death. But usually, it would be used to summon some ordinary lesser Demon Gods. Who could have expected that this time, they would summon the watcher of hell, Cerberus himself! This naturally filled Griffin with overwhelming happiness. He was confident that with Cerberus by his side, the Night Devil Empress, including Xue An, as well as the two dark overlords of the City of Sin, would all bow at his feet! In the following two days, the number of Bounty Hunters trying to ambush Xue An increased significantly. Yet Xue An had become laid back. Because An Yan had found something even more entertaining than playing video games. That was using a flat pan to hit the bounty hunters that popped up from nowhere. Like now. Xue An was sitting on the sofa in the backyard, yawning out of boredom. Meanwhile, An Yan was having a blast ¡°whack-a-moling¡± in the lawn of the backyard. To be exact, this ¡°mole¡± was a ninja assassin from Country R. He was also among the top listed persons on the bounty rankings of the City of Sin. But at this moment, the assassin was nearing a breakdown. This backyard seemed to have become his eternal nightmare, as no matter how he tried to escape, he couldn¡¯t leave the yard. He didn¡¯t know that Xue An had sealed the space around this area, rendering all his escape techniques ineffective here. And every time the assassin¡¯s head popped out of the ground, a flat pan would accurately fly towards him. In the end, the assassin came out of the earth, gasping for breath as he lay on the grass, ¡°No¡­ no more, just kill me if you will! I¡­ I can¡¯t escape anymore!¡± Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 267 Are you moved or not? (1st Update) Chapter 267: Chapter 267 Are you moved or not? (1st Update) Speaking, he closed his eyes, preparing to await death. But after waiting for a long while, nothing happened. Puzzled, he opened his eyes. He saw An Yan holding a frying pan with a somewhat amused expression, ¡°Who said I was going to kill you?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The assassin thought he must have heard wrong. At this moment, Xue An stood up from the couch and said indifferently, ¡°Alright Yan¡¯er, stop playing around!¡± An Yan let out a bored sigh, ¡°So boring, just when I was getting into it, you gave up!¡± With that, An Yan left on her own accord. Xue An walked up to the assassin, showing a set of white teeth, smiling very prettily. ¡°You see, you clearly came to kill us, but my wife is very magnanimous and isn¡¯t planning to hold a grudge with you! How does it feel, touched or not?¡± ¡°I¡­ I dare not move¡­¡± the assassin said with a chill in his voice. He could feel the piercing murderous aura emanating from Xue An. ¡°Hmm?¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m touched, very touched!¡± The assassin nodded repeatedly. ¡°Now that¡¯s being good!¡± Xue An said with a slight smile. ¡°I heard¡­ Bounty Hunters like you are pretty wealthy?¡± ¡°What?¡± The man hadn¡¯t quite caught on yet. ¡°My patience is limited, so don¡¯t play dumb with me, understand?¡± Xue An said coolly. ¡°Understand, understand!¡± The man nodded vigorously, then said with a wry smile. ¡°Sir, all of my savings are in a Swiss bank, I really don¡¯t carry cash on me¡­¡± Xue An smiled joyfully, ¡°That¡¯s easy to handle; I¡¯m a person who is quite willing to trust others, you know!¡± Saying this, Xue An took out a piece of paper and tossed it to the assassin. ¡°That¡¯s my bank account on there. After you go back, transfer all the money into it, got it?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± ¡°Alright, you can go now!¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°What?¡± The man was stunned again. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t want to leave?¡± ¡°Want to, want to, I¡¯ll leave right now!¡± Saying this, he scrambled up from the ground, secretly rejoicing in his heart. As soon as he left this place, only a fool would transfer the money! Just when he was about to leave happily, Xue An¡¯s voice came from behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t think about playing any tricks, you know. I¡¯ve placed a Curse Mark in your soul. If you don¡¯t transfer the money obediently, what might happen, well, I really wouldn¡¯t know!¡± The assassin, whose face had been full of glee, stiffened, then said with a bitter expression, ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Of course not, the first thing I¡¯ll do when I get back is to hurry up and transfer the money!¡± Xue An waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Scram!¡± The assassin left as if his soul had been crushed. At this time, An Yan came over, a bit amused, ¡°Husband, is it really alright for us to do this?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± Xue An said lightly. ¡°They came here intending to kill us. It¡¯s already merciful of me not to make them completely soulless! Now I¡¯m just having them pay to save their own lives, isn¡¯t that more than fair?¡± ¡°Husband, did you really place a Curse Mark in their souls?¡± An Yan asked curiously. Xue An grinned slyly, ¡°Do I have that kind of free time? Such mundane riches aren¡¯t worth the trouble of placing Curse Marks on everyone one by one!¡± ¡°Then what if they don¡¯t transfer the money?¡± An Yan asked, a bit confused. Xue An affectionately tousled her hair, ¡°You can be so adorably silly sometimes. I might not have placed a Curse Mark, but I did leave a little Nightmare Spell on each person.¡± ¡°If they really dare not to transfer the money, the Nightmare Spell will haunt them, and they won¡¯t die but will definitely be flayed!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Indeed, things turned out just as Xue An had predicted. After these assassins returned, they hoped against hope to slip through undetected. But soon, they became unable to sleep at night, and eventually, even closing their eyes would trigger horrendous nightmares. Some of the mentally fragile ones quickly broke down. The rest hastened to transfer the money obediently. In just a day or two, Xue An¡¯s account swelled by more than a hundred million, and it was all in US dollars! It even made Xue An start looking forward to the arrival of assassins. But there are no fools in this world. After a few days of harsh lessons, these bounty hunters comprehended a truth deeply. Even if you provoke the devils of hell, never mess with the Xue An family. First off, there¡¯s that woman wielding a skillet. She will show you what it means to have no escape, neither to heaven nor to earth. Many bounty hunters who prided themselves on their agility initially did not take An Yan seriously. After all, An Yan was only in the Xiaoyao Realm now, not too strong. But once the fight started, these assassins went crazy. That skillet, in this woman¡¯s hands, came to life! It was unpredictable and unstoppable. And what made people despair the most was that, no matter how good your moves were, as soon as you stopped, the woman would just have to toss the skillet, and like it had a tracker, it would fly right at you. However, compared to An Yan¡¯s skillet, what truly terrified these bounty hunters¡­ was Xue An¡¯s smile. He might not kill you, might even chat leisurely with a smile, and if you were injured, he would even offer bandages. But beneath that gentle and refined smile, lied a heart calculating enough to take your last penny. This was the collective sigh of those now penniless bounty hunters. As a result, when the news spread, many once-fierce bounty hunters fled outright. The once-bustling Shen Family villa finally quieted down. Xue An could only look up to the sky and sigh, when would there be another opportunity to make money just by lying down? The Oscars were approaching. Hollywood was gradually bustling too. Aboard a luxurious RV, a handsome blond man said with a grin, ¡°Dear Edward, I heard about your last trip to Country R to pursue that actress, but you got a snub, didn¡¯t you?¡± The mention of Country R turned Edward¡¯s face pale. ¡°Don¡¯t bring that up again! William, why did you invite me to Hollywood?¡± Williams¡¯ face was full of disbelief, ¡°My God, what on earth happened to you in Country R? Why have you changed so much? Have you forgotten that the Oscars are almost upon us?¡± ¡°So what about the Oscars?¡± Williams shook his head helplessly, ¡°Dear friend, I¡¯d rather believe you¡¯re doing this on purpose! It¡¯s the Oscars! There will be actresses from all over the world coming! Aren¡¯t you looking forward to that?¡± Edward gave a bitter smile but didn¡¯t speak. Seeing his reaction, Williams patted his shoulder, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve heard a bit about what happened in Country R, but that¡¯s all in the past, isn¡¯t it? ¡°And this isn¡¯t Country R. We stand on the land of the most powerful country in the world! We have invincible warships and cannons, are we really going to be afraid of a martial artist?¡± Williams said contemptuously. Edward remained silent. He understood that, in the eyes of people like Williams, Cannons represent justice, and aircraft carriers are invincible! But could that man be so simple? Edward¡¯s mind replayed that rainy night in Tokyo, the silhouette of Xue An breaking all laws with a single sword strike! That was the nightmare of his lifetime! Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Disciple of Darkness (Third Update) Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Disciple of Darkness (Third Update) Xue An also heard Mr. Dragon¡¯s speech from afar and couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional! Just then, a lavish, limited-edition Rolls-Royce slowly drove into the venue. The eyes of many were drawn to this pricey vehicle. Many people were gossiping, curious to know which star had arrived in it. At that moment, the car door opened, and Williams got out first. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, he quickly walked to the other side, opened the car door, and extended his hand, ready to assist. A slender and delicate hand reached out and gently rested on Williams¡¯s hand. Then, a stunningly beautiful woman slowly stepped out of the car. Her beauty made many hold their breath. The media reporters squatting outside the venue were at first startled, then went into a frenzy. Fan Mengxue! She had arrived! And she came in a man¡¯s luxury car. Who was this man? What was their relationship? These questions swirled in the minds of the reporters, exciting them all. Williams was enjoying the moment. A beauty at his side, the center of attention. Many reporters crowded around, shouting their questions. ¡°Miss Fan, what do you think of this year¡¯s Oscars?¡± ¡°Miss Fan, if you don¡¯t win an award this time, what will you do?¡± But more questions were directed at Williams. ¡°Miss Fan, is this gentleman your boyfriend?¡± The crowd fell silent. Many were looking at Fan Mengxue, wanting to know her answer. Fan Mengxue smiled slightly and shook her head, ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then why did you come in his car? Are you two dating?¡± the reporter persisted. Williams frowned, feeling annoyed. In his eyes, the reporter was simply being too tactless. Just as he was about to rebuke them, he suddenly felt the beauty beside him stepping away quickly. He was momentarily stunned before quickly following after her. The reporters were also caught off guard. What was Miss Fan planning to do? But their journalistic instincts prompted them to follow as well. By then, Fan Mengxue had already walked briskly to the crowd near the red carpet. The crowd stirred. Many looked excited, thinking Fan Mengxue was approaching them. However, Fan Mengxue stopped, brushed her hair from her ear, and smiled slightly. ¡°An, you¡¯ve come!¡± The reporters hurriedly aimed their cameras at the crowd, eager to see who was this person that made Fan Mengxue so flustered. When they took a closer look, they realized that the man Fan Mengxue had affectionately called out to was actually accompanied by his wife and children. The entire scene grew somewhat astounded for a moment. Williams¡¯s face was even more overcast, his eyes filled with fury! Yet faced with so many onlookers, Xue An just nodded slightly and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve come, and it¡¯s specially to congratulate you!¡± Fan Mengxue laughed, her smile brimming with happiness. Then she turned to An Yan and said, ¡°Sister An, I¡¯ve been so busy these last few days that I forgot to pick you up, I¡¯m really sorry!¡± An Yan smiled, ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± Fan Mengxue then looked at the two little girls. ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, have you thought about Auntie Fan?¡± A look of confusion flickered across the faces of Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, and then they nodded somewhat awkwardly, but remained silent. Afterward, Fan Mengxue glanced around and said, ¡°An, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t get into the main venue,¡± replied An Yan indifferently. Fan Mengxue frowned, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them. I¡¯ll notify them in a bit. You take Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian inside! I¡¯ll go ahead, and we¡¯ll attend the banquet together tonight!¡± After speaking, Fan Mengxue nodded at An Yan and turned to leave. Seeing her departure, Williams took a deep look at An Yan before quickly following her. After she had gone, Shen Kang and Shen Nan said with faces full of envy, ¡°Mr. Xue, Miss Fan really is an exceptional beauty, and she handles social interactions without a hint of arrogance. She¡¯s truly admirable!¡± An Yan smiled and remained noncommittal. The reporters had intended to approach An Yan for an interview, but as they made a move, An Yan, along with his family, had already entered the main venue. With no other choice, they stamped their feet in frustration, preparing to stop An Yan after the event. Inside the main venue, it was indeed a dazzling gathering of stars! Many faces that one would only see on the big screen were now assembled all in one place. An Yan, with An Yan and the others, found a corner to sit down in. Among the many Western faces, the appearance of An Yan and his party naturally drew a lot of attention. In these gazes, there was curiosity and scrutiny, but most of all, there was arrogance. No matter what achievements the Chinese made, these M Country folks always seemed to be filled with unfounded arrogance and prejudice. However, An Yan paid no mind to these attitudes, his gaze fixed on the distant figure of Fan Mengxue, twinkling with contemplation, wondering what he was thinking. At that moment, a warm male voice in Mandarin Chinese asked, ¡°May I sit next to you?¡± An Yan turned his head to see, recognizing the iconic large nose. After a brief moment of surprise, he nodded and smiled. ¡°Please, feel free.¡± After Mr. Dragon sat down, he looked at An Yan curiously and asked, ¡°If I may be so bold, you don¡¯t seem to be an actor, are you?¡± An Yan smiled slightly, ¡°Of course not!¡± At this moment, An Yan was very excited, ¡°Mr. Dragon, could I have your autograph?¡± Mr. Dragon laughed heartily, ¡°Of course, you can!¡± As he said that, he wrote fluidly, giving An Yan an autograph, and then he noticed Xue Xiang and Xue Nian by the side and couldn¡¯t help but ask enviously, ¡°Sir, are these your daughters?¡± An Yan nodded. Mr. Dragon seemed a little reflective, ¡°Sometimes I wonder, why live so tiredly? It would be better to spend quality time with the family. Pleased to meet you, you have an enviable family!¡± With that, Mr. Dragon extended his hand towards An Yan. An Yan smiled, shook his hand, and then blandly asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mr. Dragon sitting at the front?¡± Mr. Dragon shook his head with a wry smile, ¡°You might not believe it, but actually, I really dislike being under the camera; it¡¯s too tiring! And¡­¡± Mr. Dragon looked at the radiant Fan Mengxue in the distance and softly laughed, ¡°Tonight, this event belongs to her! I wouldn¡¯t want to go up there and foolishly barge in on the festivities!¡± An Yan gave a casual smile, noncommittal. Just as the Oscars awards ceremony was about to officially start, Griffin walked out of the house clutching a large, sturdy dog. The yard was filled with men in black tuxedos, their expressions cold. Upon seeing Griffin, all the men nodded slightly. These were Griffin¡¯s most elite underlings, and the result of many years of his hard work. Disciples of Darkness. It was just that when they had fled from City of Sin in a panic, they had lost more than half of their force. Otherwise, the scene today would have been even more grand. Griffin carefully held the dog as he got into the car, then waved his hand. ¡°Depart!¡± A line of black vintage cars slowly started to move out of the villa, heading straight for the Oscars venue. At that moment, Griffin leaned forward and spoke in a respectful tone, ¡°My lord, we will arrive soon!¡± Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Body Snatching? Haha! (4th Update) Chapter 270: Chapter 270: Body Snatching? Haha! (4th Update) ¡°And now, we come to the most exciting moment of the evening! Of course, I know everyone is getting impatient, because after this award is given out, we can all go eat!¡± the black host said with an exaggerated expression. Laughter erupted from the audience. Mr. Long, however, curled his lips indifferently, ¡°After all these years, I¡¯ve gotten used to M Country¡¯s food, their lifestyle, but I still can¡¯t appreciate M Country style humor.¡± Xue An said nothing. He kept a thoughtful gaze on the stage. ¡°And the Oscar for Best Actress goes to¡­¡± the host drew out his words, deliberately suspenseful. ¡°Oh, my God! Mr. Long¡¯s compatriot has once again made a splash in Hollywood; this is a Chinese actress from Huaxia, Fan Mengxue!¡± Boom! Even though the result had been anticipated, the venue still erupted with a great commotion. Many people were hearing this name for the first time and couldn¡¯t help but look around to see who had won this year¡¯s Oscars for Best Actress. At this moment, Williams excitedly approached Fan Mengxue, bending over and offering his hand in a guiding gesture. Fan Mengxue smiled slightly, stood up, and gracefully walked onto the stage. Her presence as she walked was inviolable, like that of a Night Devil Empress. The whole venue fell quiet, many people taken aback by Fan Mengxue¡¯s imposing aura. Especially many stars who had worked with Fan Mengxue were now flickering their gazes, secretly amazed at how someone could develop such an astonishing presence in such a short time? Fan Mengxue approached the award podium, casually picked up the trophy, and then spoke into the microphone. ¡°To achieve this honor, I only want to thank one person!¡± The whole venue became silent, everyone listening quietly. ¡°And today, this person is also here. I really hope he can come up on stage now and share this honor with me!¡± As Fan Mengxue spoke, she looked toward Xue An in the distance. But Xue An merely leaned back in his chair, saying nothing. After a long silence, the people in the hall began to whisper amongst themselves. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Who is Fan Mengxue talking about?¡± ¡°And they¡¯re here at the event, but who is it?¡± Amidst the murmuring of the crowd, Mr. Long was also surprised, ¡°Who is Miss Fan referring to?¡± Xue An shook his head and said nonchalantly, ¡°I don¡¯t know either!¡± At this moment, the Night Devil Empress on stage looked somewhat displeased. Why wasn¡¯t he coming onto the stage? Could it be that he had perceived something? Impossible! After all, her Divine Sense had been sleeping; her behavior was controlled by the subconscious of her true self. How could he possibly have noticed? While she was in her state of uncertainty, Williams walked onto the high platform, smiling proudly. ¡°Miss Mengxue, I¡¯m so pleased you would say that. It¡¯s an honor to have helped you win the award!¡± The audience reacted with surprise. But Williams¡¯ good looks and proper attire led many people to believe it was true, actually thinking it was him. A faint trace of ruthlessness flashed in Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes, yet she nodded her head. ¡°Thank you!¡± An invisible turmoil passed just like that, and only a very few people knew what had happened. For instance, An Yan now quietly asked, ¡°Honey, why didn¡¯t you go up on stage just now?¡± Xue An sighed softly, ¡°I was thinking!¡± ¡°Thinking about what?¡± ¡°Thinking about how to rescue her without harming Mengxue¡¯s body later!¡± Xue An said indifferently. An Yan was startled. ¡°Husband, are you saying¡­?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can feel her presence, she¡¯s just been blocked!¡± At the same time, Xue An¡¯s eyes grew colder. Xue An rarely got angry. This millennia-old Dao heart wasn¡¯t cultivated in vain. Sometimes he was decisive in killing, but his Dao heart remained clear and pure. But at this moment, he suddenly had the urge to kill! Because he felt an intense sense of despair and pain. It filled him with raging fury. ¡°Possession? Haha!¡± Xue An murmured to himself. The award ceremony was over. Next was the grand banquet. Countless actresses competed in splendor, appearing at the banquet in various expensive gowns. The men, on the other hand, huddled together in groups, starting to discuss animatedly. The topics were nothing other than this year¡¯s movie quality and the actresses! Xue An didn¡¯t join in on these discussions, as he was busy taking two little girls to eat desserts in the sweets area. Seeing this, MR Dragon, who was surrounded by people, squeezed out of the crowd and came over, handing Xue An a glass of red wine. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like talking much?¡± MR Dragon said with a smile. Xue An took a sip of red wine and said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like to talk. It¡¯s just that tonight, there are some things I have to do!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± MR Dragon was about to ask what he was going to do. The doors of the hall suddenly collapsed. Then, a large group of men in black suits streamed in, all wielding various ferocious firearms, and even a few of them carried rocket launchers with them. This scene made everyone at the banquet stunned, and the women began to scream. But the screams stopped abruptly. Because Griffin walked in elegantly and fired a dozen shots at the ceiling. The gunshots were deafening, silencing everyone. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I¡¯m sorry to disturb your dinner!¡± Griffin bowed slightly, his posture as perfect as a gentleman. ¡°You¡­ what do you want to do?¡± a burly man asked angrily. Smack! The moment his words fell, his head was blown off with a gunshot. The corpse fell to the ground. Many people screamed, followed by the sound of a woman¡¯s sobbing. Griffin shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t like people talking to me in a questioning tone!¡± At that moment, Williams whispered to Fan Mengxue beside him, ¡°Miss Mengxue, follow me later, I can safely get you out of here!¡± Fan Mengxue frowned and gave him a cold glance. The Night Devil Empress was so angry she could almost spit blood at this point. Her original plan was to get close to Xue An and coax the formula of Heaven¡¯s Fate Elixir out of him before killing him! But she hadn¡¯t expected that Griffin would be so impulsive to take everyone at the venue hostage. Williams, thinking Fan Mengxue was scared, whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, these guys probably want money. I have plenty of money; we can just pay the ransom!¡± ¡°You seem to be very familiar with this?¡± The Night Devil Empress inquired. Williams smiled, ¡°Heh, I did get kidnapped a few times back in the day!¡± While they were talking, Griffin slowly walked over and smiled at Fan Mengxue. ¡°Night¡­¡± Fan Mengxue frowned and signaled him with a stern look not to speak out of turn. Griffin was slightly taken aback and then nodded, turning to look at Williams! ¡°Kid, what were you just muttering about?¡± Williams stood up proudly, ¡°Sir, please relax, I won¡¯t resist. I know you¡¯re probably after money, and my family will be willing to pay a sum that will satisfy you! And Miss Mengxue, I am also willing to pay her ransom!¡± Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 271: A Shocking Turnaround (Fifth Update) Chapter 271: Chapter 271: A Shocking Turnaround (Fifth Update) Before he had finished speaking, Griffin raised his gun and shot Williams in the leg. Williams fell to the ground with a thud, his face first showing disbelief, then he started to cry out in pain. ¡°Bastard¡­ Ahhh, why did you shoot me?¡± Griffin blew on the muzzle of his gun and said coolly, ¡°Sir, it seems you¡¯ve misunderstood something, we¡¯re not after your money! However, I can give you a choice, if you¡¯re willing to give your life, then this beautiful lady can survive!¡± ¡°Of course, you can also let me kill her, and I¡¯ll spare you! What do you say?¡± Griffin aimed his gun at Fan Mengxue. Far away, crouched on the ground, Mr. Dragon God said with a grave expression, ¡°No matter what he chooses, he will die!¡± Indeed! After hearing this, Williams didn¡¯t hesitate at all and pointed at Fan Mengxue, ¡°Kill her! And I can give you a lot of money, just please spare my life!¡± Williams¡¯s words drew a low murmur of disapproval. Many people felt chilled by his actions. But Williams didn¡¯t care at all. In his view, a beauty was surely delightful, but only if one was alive to enjoy it. If he was about to die, what was the use of talking about a beauty? Griffin smiled grimly, ¡°Good!¡± Then he raised his hand, and a shot hit Williams¡¯s head. Joy was still painted on Williams¡¯s face; he had thought he was going to survive. Since coming in, Griffin had killed two people, and his strange actions made many people feel a chill in their hearts. Then Griffin smiled faintly, ¡°Let me introduce myself, I¡¯m Griffin!¡± Bang! Many faces showed shock and despair. Even Mr. Dragon, a tough man, now had a look of dejection. ¡°God, it¡¯s him! We¡¯re probably all going to die now!¡± Xue An said calmly, ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, this Griffin is a dark tycoon from the City of Sin, known as the Bone Picker, extremely ruthless and merciless, I didn¡¯t expect him to show up here!¡± Mr. Dragon said, distraught. Then he gritted his teeth and whispered to Xue An, ¡°If he goes on a killing spree later, I¡¯ll take the lead. You take your wife and kids and run out first, after all, the two kids are innocent!¡± Xue An glanced at Mr. Dragon with a serious face and suddenly smiled, ¡°Why does this feel like we¡¯re in a movie?¡± Mr. Dragon managed a bitter smile, ¡°Even movies aren¡¯t shot like this, sigh! What could such a dark tycoon, coming here, possibly want to do?¡± At that moment, Griffin approached Fan Mengxue, gently sliding his gun across her face, his eyes full of mischief. Anger flashed in the Night Devil Empress¡¯s eyes. This guy, he was deliberately taking advantage of the situation! But her face showed only terror, and she said with a trembling voice, ¡°You¡­ what are you going to do?¡± Griffin chuckled darkly, ¡°What am I going to do? Can¡¯t you guess?¡± Many people¡¯s faces showed grim resignation. The Night Devil Empress stole glances at Xue An in the distance; seeing him squatting on the ground, motionless, she couldn¡¯t help but grind her teeth in frustration. This guy, how could he keep so calm? That wasn¡¯t like him at all! Suddenly, Griffin broke into a savage laugh, pressing the gun against Fan Mengxue¡¯s head. ¡°Such a pretty face, it would be a pity to blow it away with a shot!¡± No one dared to speak. Mr. Dragon¡¯s face showed a look of humiliation. Fan Mengxue was a Chinese actress, now being humiliated by someone, and as a Chinese actor himself, he naturally felt rage and unwillingness. ¡°Please don¡¯t! I beg you, let me go!¡± the Night Devil Empress pleaded, desperately suppressing her anger. ¡°Let you go? Okay! But the condition is, someone must be willing to die for you!¡± Griffin said indifferently. A dead silence filled the room. With the body still lying there, who would dare to go up and seek death? Mr. Dragon took a deep breath, deciding he could no longer tolerate this. Although he was very clear that charging forward at this moment meant a certain death. But men from Hua never just stood by and watched their fellow women get humiliated. Even in the face of death, he was determined to try! But just as he was about to rise, someone patted his shoulder gently, ¡°Let me do it!¡± Mr. Long was startled, then watched, agape, as Xue An stood up and walked forward. ¡°You¡­,¡± Mr. Long exclaimed in horror. He wanted to say, ¡°You have a wife and kids!¡± At this moment, An Yan said softly, ¡°Mr. Long, don¡¯t worry, my husband can handle this!¡± Mr. Long gave a bitter smile, yet he didn¡¯t believe her at all. After all, the opponent was a notorious dark lord with so many minions! How could he possibly come out unscathed all alone? If it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll have to step up too! Mr. Long gritted his teeth in secret. And at this moment, everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on Xue An. Griffin looked amused. In his view, Xue An¡¯s presence was mediocre, not appearing like much of a powerhouse. Could all those incredible feats in the rumors really be achieved by such a man? The Night Devil Empress¡¯s face lit up with joy. You finally took the bait! Now Xue An had approached Griffin, smiling faintly. ¡°Nice shooting!¡± Griffin was slightly taken aback, then smiled elegantly, ¡°Thank you for the compliment!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°But the person is very foolish!¡± Boom! Everyone was shocked. Mr. Long included, many thought Xue An must have gone mad. To dare to provoke at a time like this? Griffin¡¯s face grew darker, ¡°Oh? You say that, do you think I won¡¯t dare to kill her?¡± With that, he aimed the gun at Fan Mengxue¡¯s forehead. Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at Xue An. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Go ahead and pull the trigger now.¡± Mr. Long was completely baffled. What the hell is this guy trying to do? Griffin, burning with anger, aimed the gun at Xue An. ¡°You want me to shoot? Do you believe I¡¯ll kill you first right now?¡± As he spoke, the dark disciples raised their weapons, all aiming at Xue An. Faced with such a lineup, Xue An turned to look at the Night Devil Empress and said with an indifferent tone. ¡°You disguise yourself well! But the moment I saw you, I knew you weren¡¯t her!¡± This statement caused the Night Devil Empress to panic internally, but her face remained unchanged, ¡°An¡­ what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand!¡± Xue An laughed, his smile filled with murderous intent. ¡°For one¡­ she never calls me An!¡± The Night Devil Empress was internally shocked, barely managing a smile: ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, I really am Meng Xue¡­¡± Xue An took a step forward, saying coldly: ¡°The Body-Snatching Technique, did you really think I wouldn¡¯t see through it?¡± This shocking twist dumbfounded everyone. The Night Devil Empress¡¯s eyes flickered with panic, then she gradually calmed down, her lips curling into a cold smile. ¡°Indeed, I can¡¯t hide it from you, but do you think, facing such a hopeless situation, even if you know¡­ what can you do about it?¡± Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Today… You Must All Die! (First Update) Chapter 272: Chapter 272: Today¡­ You Must All Die! (First Update) With those words, Fan Mengxue¡¯s aura soared abruptly, and her eyes turned into a demonic dark red. A voluptuous Mandala Flower gradually appeared on her slender neck and cheeks. Xue An watched quietly, a hint of anger concealed in his eyes. Griffin bowed slightly, his manner dignified and graceful, as he said, ¡°Respected Empress, welcome back!¡± The Night Devil Empress¡¯s face bore an extremely cold smile, speaking to Xue An from above. ¡°Xue An, you killed my Night Demon Valley disciples! Today, I will settle this account with you!¡± Xue An looked up at Fan Mengxue, who floated in mid-air like a Demon God, and said indifferently, ¡°Night Demon Valley? So, you are also a member of the Hidden Immortal Sect?¡± The Night Devil Empress let out a cold laugh, ¡°That¡¯s right, surely you didn¡¯t think that the power of the Hidden Immortal Sect was limited to so little? Let me tell you the truth, the real Immortal Gates are within Kunlun, any of our elders could descend and crush you with a single finger!¡± Then the Night Devil Empress¡¯s eyes flashed with greed, ¡°But this matter is not beyond discussion. As long as you are willing to disclose the secret of Tianyuan, I might consider sparing you!¡± The Night Devil Empress stumbled upon a bottle of Tianyuan and, to her amazement, discovered that this potion actually resonated with Spiritual Energy, capable of enhancing one¡¯s Cultivation Level. This discovery left her ecstatic! In Kunlun, any elixir that could enhance Cultivation Level was worth a fortune! She had never expected that such a thing could exist in the mundane world. That¡¯s why she painstakingly devised a plan to possess Fan Mengxue¡¯s body in order to get close to Xue An and pry out the secret of Tianyuan. Having heard her words, Griffin understood why the Night Devil Empress had gone to such great lengths to approach Xue An. He also knew the effects of Tianyuan, thus his face too was filled with greed. ¡°Xue An, the Empress has already compromised, and I promise that today, as long as you hand over the formula for Tianyuan, I shall let all the people go!¡± Griffin¡¯s words incited fierce commotion. Many people began to agitate. ¡°Tell them!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Otherwise, we¡¯re all going to die today!¡± This was a pleading tone. Some even turned their fury towards Xue An, blaming him for their current predicament. ¡°So you¡¯re the bastard behind all this!¡± ¡°Spit it out, or we won¡¯t let you off!¡± The venue turned chaotic. Cries of despair and curses mingled together, but their target was all directed at Xue An. Mr. Long looked at one of the most eagerly agitating individuals by his side and couldn¡¯t help but shout angrily, ¡°Have you all lost your mind? It¡¯s Griffin who is holding us hostage, yet you hurl such abuse at Mr. Xue, how does that make sense?¡± Mr. Long¡¯s words caused some people to shamefacedly shut their mouths, but more still glared at Xue An in anger. At that moment, the Night Devil Empress laughed coldly, ¡°Xue An, do you see? If you don¡¯t speak up today, not only will I not let you go, but neither will the others present here!¡± Under such pressure, Xue An, standing at the eye of the storm, slowly raised his head, his expression neither sad nor joyful. But the Night Devil Empress suddenly felt tense inside. Because she noticed that Xue An¡¯s gaze was too calm, disturbingly so. ¡°When I was in school, I had made a promise to her that if anyone dared to bully her, I would stand up for her.¡± Xue An spoke slowly, his tone untouched by emotion. ¡°She had lost both parents at a young age, leading a difficult childhood, and because she was pretty, she attracted countless troubles after starting school.¡± ¡°Yet even so, she never gave up on herself. When those people bullied her, she would just hide away and cry secretly! Because she said no one in this world cared for her anymore!¡± From a distance, An Yan, who originally wore a worried look, suddenly felt her eyes turning red. ¡°In my eyes, she is like a sister to me!¡± ¡°And you dared to imprison her soul and torment it day after day?¡± Towards the end, Xue An¡¯s tone was filled with a surge of killing intent! Simultaneously, an extremely cold aura erupted from his body, shooting up into the sky. ¡°No matter who you are, today¡­ you¡¯re all going to die!¡± The Night Devil Empress exclaimed in shock as if she had seen a ghost, ¡°A Loose Immortal? No! How could a Loose Immortal possess such a formidable aura? Griffin, fire!¡± Fear filled the heart of the Night Devil Empress as she bellowed loudly. Griffin, at this moment, was also somewhat dazed, his previously graceful demeanor gone, and he yelled at the dark disciples behind him, ¡°Fire! Blast him to death!¡± The sound of gunfire rained down, countless bullets heading towards Xue An. But when they were still a dozen meters away from Xue An, the bullets all came to a halt. And then gradually disintegrated, shattered! This scene astonished everyone present. Xue An shook his head, ¡°I said, you¡¯re all going to die today!¡± With that, Xue An took a step forward. Boom! The entire venue shook violently. Countless sword lights emerged from the sky, like the Grim Reaper in the dark night, engulfing all the dark disciples. The Night Devil Empress and Griffin awkwardly dodged this strike. Afterward, Griffin watched in horror as his dark disciples were chewed up like by a giant beast, all turning into a puddle of blood, dying on the spot. ¡°Lord Cerberus, save me!¡± Griffin shouted! A large dog sauntered into the venue and said with an arrogant face, ¡°I know, you lowly demons are just a bunch of waste!¡± After speaking, its body started to swell, quickly transforming into an immense Cerberus! ¡°It¡¯s the hellhound!¡± someone exclaimed. ¡°Oh God, could it be that Satan has descended tonight?¡± some people called out to God, trembling. ¡°Mortals, your cultivation level is impressive, but I am a Demon God under the Netherworld King; today, I will let you know what true divinity is,¡± the Cerberus said with a sinister smile. Xue An¡¯s expression was cold as he took another step forward, vanishing from his spot. When he reappeared, he was already in front of the Cerberus. The speed was so fast that even the Cerberus was taken aback. Then, Xue An grabbed one of the Cerberus¡¯ heads and said coldly, ¡°Even if your Netherworld King were here, he would still have to kneel before me today!¡± Having said that, Xue An put his arms to use and swung the entire Cerberus around. The Cerberus tried to struggle in the air, but when it saw the look in Xue An¡¯s eyes, it faltered, and then let out a cry of immense fear. ¡°Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! I didn¡¯t know it was you!¡± But it was already too late, Xue An¡¯s blow had shattered the entire Cerberus¡¯ bones. Yet the Cerberus didn¡¯t even dare to resist, collapsing on the ground, looking up at Xue An with utmost reverence. ¡°My lord¡­¡± ¡°You recognize me?¡± Xue An stood in mid-air, looking at the Cerberus. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve heard our Netherworld King mention you before!¡± The Cerberus was filled with regret at that moment. How could it be him! Wasn¡¯t this man missing? If it had known it was him, it would have been scared to death, and wouldn¡¯t have dared to come! Because this man was someone before whom even their Netherworld King had to kneel in greeting! Xue An nodded, ¡°In that case, you may die!¡± Having said that, Xue An pointed with his finger. A mighty Sword Qi pierced through the Cerberus¡¯ three heads. Cerberus couldn¡¯t even react before it turned into a cloud of demonic energy and disappeared. Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 274: People Can Lie, But Souls Can’t! (3rd Update) Chapter 274: Chapter 274: People Can Lie, But Souls Can¡¯t! (3rd Update) ¡°Are you wondering how I knew?¡± Griffin¡¯s body trembled, and he quickly said with a flattering smile, ¡°Not at all, your excellency must indeed know everything.¡± Xue An didn¡¯t pay attention to his flattery and said indifferently, ¡°People can lie, but souls cannot!¡± Griffin swallowed hard, not daring to speak anymore. He understood what Xue An meant¡ªif he dared to lie, then Xue An would make his soul disperse just like the Night Devil Empress. ¡°Are you a daemon of the Dark Races?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°Yes!¡± Griffin replied with utmost respect. Xue An nodded, casually waved his hand, and a black Talisman Spell was imprinted on Griffin¡¯s forehead. Griffin felt a searing pain in his head and looked at Xue An with a face full of horror. ¡°I¡¯ve planted a Curse Mark in your soul, if you harbor any other thoughts, your daemon soul will be burned by the Karmic Fire!¡± Hearing Xue An¡¯s words, Griffin¡¯s legs went weak, and he knelt down on the ground, his eyes filled with despair as he looked at Xue An. Xue An scanned the venue. By now, people had recovered from their initial shock, but no one dared to come forward. After all, Xue An¡¯s performance had been too frightening. It was nothing short of divine and demonic. An Yan came over with Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. ¡°Meng Xue Auntie, you¡¯re back!¡± The two little girls had lost their initial resistance and asked with smiles on their faces. Fan Mengxue nodded, then looked at An Yan with some embarrassment. An Yan smiled, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve returned! These days, you must have suffered a lot!¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister An!¡± Fan Mengxue said softly. At that moment, Mr. Long hesitated at a distance, not daring to come over. Xue An smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Long, it seems we cannot continue the banquet tonight. How about we change the location? Let¡¯s also take the opportunity to celebrate for Meng Xue!¡± Mr. Long was slightly startled, then also nodded with a smile, ¡°That sounds good, I¡¯ve been feeling suffocated here anyway! Especially the words and actions of some people earlier, utterly nauseating!¡± His words made many people bow their heads in shame. Xue An smiled, ¡°All right! Let¡¯s go!¡± He wasn¡¯t about to hold a grudge against these people. It wasn¡¯t until they left the venue that Xue An realized Shen Kang and his daughter were anxiously waiting at a distance. They had heard about the incident inside, but didn¡¯t dare to enter and could only wait outside. Seeing Xue An come out safely, they both breathed a sigh of relief and quickly came up to greet him. ¡°Mr. Xue, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re alright. You scared us to death!¡± Shen Kang exclaimed, then noticed Fan Mengxue and Mr. Long standing next to him. ¡°Miss Fan, Mr. Long!¡± Shen Kang exclaimed in surprise. Xue An smiled, ¡°Since we didn¡¯t get to enjoy the banquet here, why not go back to your place and eat?¡± Shen Kang was overjoyed, ¡°It would be an honor!¡± After they had left, The people at the venue began to come out, still shaken, and started recounting what happened to the M Country law enforcement officers who had arrived late. Once this information was compiled and reported to the FBI, the head of the intelligence department read the report and broke out in a cold sweat. Many of M Country¡¯s notables had been hijacked by a dark overlord of the City of Sin, and Huaxia¡¯s number one danger had also appeared at the venue. If anything had gone wrong, resigning wouldn¡¯t be enough to take responsibility! So he picked up the phone and started lambasting the department responsible for security. After venting his anger, the security chief asked cautiously, ¡°Chief, what should we do next? Should we try to keep this Xue An in M Country?¡± ¡°Nonsense! Do you have crap in your head?¡± The intelligence chief was furious again! ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the news? Xue An has subdued that Bone Picker Griffin. What does that tell you?¡± The security manager on the other end of the phone was embarrassed. ¡°For God¡¯s sake, if you were in front of me right now, I¡¯d strangle you! It means Xue An is definitely going to the City of Sin!¡± ¡°I heard something very precious has emerged in the City of Sin, and those big shots of the Dark Races are getting restless. Isn¡¯t it perfect if Xue An goes there? Let them fight like dogs!¡± At this point, the head of intelligence started to feel somewhat cheerful, ¡°Also, remember to lock this down tightly, and impose a gag order on all witnesses! I don¡¯t want to wake up tomorrow, check my phone, and find it flooded with news of gods, demons, and monsters! This is the Land of the Chosen, M Country! It¡¯s not the land of charlatans!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the security manager responded loudly. After hanging up, the intelligence chief silently prayed. Dear God, please let this Divine Slaughter leave M Country soon. Every day he stays on this land, I lose a year of my life! Meanwhile, this unfortunate intelligence boss was silently praying, Xue An and Fan Mengxue, among others, were enjoying a warm dinner. Actually, it should be called a late-night snack. During the meal, everyone was drinking and chatting merrily. Mr. Long is truly an old-timer who has been mingling in Hollywood for many years. He was well-informed about many strange and unusual stories, and he made them sound so funny when told by him! The atmosphere was lively, and even Fan Mengxue, who had not completely emerged from oppression, couldn¡¯t help but smile. Only Griffin was in a corner, miserably gnawing on dry bread. It wasn¡¯t intentional mistreatment, but now, as soon as he saw Xue An, the suppression from the depths of his soul would make him kneel uncontrollably. Satan, please show some mercy and let me escape from this guy soon! Griffin was fervently praying in his heart. But clearly, when his Satan heard that the other party was Xue An, he too wanted to get away as far as possible! After a full meal and drinks, Mr. Long prepared to leave. Xue An came out to see him off. Regardless, Mr. Long¡¯s character had earned Xue An¡¯s respect! ¡°Mr. Xue! You¡­ are you a Cultivator?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Mr. Long knows about this too?¡± Mr. Long nodded, ¡°When you live long enough, you encounter some entities that ordinary people can¡¯t understand, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone as formidable as Mr. Xue!¡± Mr. Long paused, then said, ¡°Actually, I really want to advise you not to go to the City of Sin. But then I thought, it¡¯s better not to say it!¡± ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡± ¡°Because I know it would be useless to say it!¡± Mr. Long said helplessly, spreading his hands. Xue An burst into laughter. This Mr. Long truly is a remarkable person! Once back in the house, Griffin was kneeling in the corner, facing the wall in penance. ¡°It seems you are quite afraid of me?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Griffin didn¡¯t dare to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as you cooperate well, I won¡¯t kill you. Instead, I will help you claim the throne of the City of Sin!¡± Griffin suddenly looked up, a light shining in his eyes. ¡°My lord¡­¡± Xue An waved his hand, ¡°But first, you need to explain the situation in the City of Sin clearly!¡± Griffin nodded vigorously, affirming the request, then he went on to describe the City of Sin in detail. The City of Sin was a common name for the place because it was located on the edge of the desert in M Country, where the environment was harsh, and no one wanted to go there. Later, it gradually became a gathering place for fugitives, and in recent years it grew and expanded. Now it was truly a vast city. There, darkness was a constant companion, and sin was an everyday occurrence. There were no laws, no moral constraints! Everything was out in the open! And among it all, there were three individuals whose power was the most formidable. At this point, Griffin chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m one of them! Known as the Bone Picker!¡± Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 275: City of Sin (First Update) Chapter 275: Chapter 275: City of Sin (First Update) Kunlun Immortal Realm. Night Devil Palace. The Night Devil Empress suddenly opened her eyes, and a terrifying demonic aura instantly swept across the entire palace. ¡°Xue An¡­ you dared to destroy my divided spirit! I will tear you to pieces and ensure your soul never finds peace!¡± the Night Devil Empress roared. Under her rage, the entire Night Devil Palace trembled. The disciples of the Night Devil Palace all knelt on the ground in silence, as if frozen by cold cicadas. ¡°Night Devil sister, why are you so angry?¡± A woman dressed in light gauze, elegant as a Fairy from the Moon Palace, gracefully walked in. Seeing this woman, the Night Devil Empress couldn¡¯t help but stand up. ¡°It turns out to be Fairy Thousand Snow gracing us with her presence!¡± Fairy Thousand Snow smiled slightly, ¡°Night Devil sister, why the anger just now?¡± The Night Devil Empress recounted the incident with a dark expression. When she mentioned Xue An destroying her divided spirit, the always composed Fairy Thousand Snow¡¯s expression suddenly changed drastically. ¡°Xue An?¡± ¡°Yes! Does the Fairy also know of this person?¡± Fairy Thousand Snow said with a cold, biting laugh, ¡°Of course I know him. A few days ago, I sent Ban Mei to the mortal world to look for a person with immortal fate, but I never expected she would perish so soon after her departure! And the one who killed her was Xue An!¡± Having said that, Fairy Thousand Snow looked towards the Night Devil Empress, ¡°Sister, if we do not eliminate this man, my rage will not be quelled!¡± The Night Devil Empress nodded, ¡°But we are both bound by rules, and our true bodies simply cannot enter the mortal world. What shall we do?¡± Fairy Thousand Snow revealed a smug smile, ¡°Sister, you need not worry. I have my plans, and will surely lead Xue An into our trap! As long as he enters Kunlun, killing him will be as easy as flipping our hand!¡± The Night Devil Empress nodded and asked, ¡°Is there anything else you wish to discuss, Fairy?¡± ¡°The trial competition will take place in a short while, and with the death of my disciple Wen Banmei, I fear the Thousand Snow Sect may lose!¡± Fairy Thousand Snow mentioned this with a worried look. The trial competition was a critical event linked to each Sect¡¯s resource allocation for the coming year, and it was a crucial trial of competition. If they were to lose, the allocation of Spiritual Energy resources would be reduced, and that would be very troublesome! ¡°So what does the Fairy suggest¡­?¡± ¡°I would like one of my disciples to cultivate for a while on your Divine Demon Trial Ground to quickly enhance their strength!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­¡± The Night Devil Empress showed a look of difficulty. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister, I will not let you down!¡± As she spoke, Fairy Thousand Snow produced an Elixir. ¡°This is something that can greatly improve one¡¯s Divine Sense cultivation!¡± The Night Devil Empress finally showed a smile, ¡°Fairy, you¡¯re too kind!¡± Though she said so, she eagerly took the Elixir. In Kunlun, where Cultivators are numerous and resources are fixed, scarcity of resources occurs. Therefore, even a single spirit herb is extremely precious to a Sect! Let alone a Spirit Pill! Meanwhile. In the City of Sin. Deep in a chaotic and unkempt street, there sat an inconspicuous little bar. The bar¡¯s owner was a Chinese, who was currently sitting in the hall, leisurely drinking Erguotou. The outside sun blazed fiercely; at this time, there wouldn¡¯t be a soul on the streets. Only at night would the street be filled with all manner of ghouls and ghosts! Just as he was drinking himself into a stupor. A line of people walked in from outside the door! He was startled awake, then frowned, ¡°The bar opens only in the evening!¡± The man leading the group removed his cloak¡¯s hood with a smile, ¡°Old Stone, I¡¯m really happy to see you haven¡¯t drunk yourself to death!¡± The moment Old Stone saw this man, his eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡±. After repeating ¡®you¡¯ serveral times, Old Stone quickly got up to close the door of the shop, then with a face full of terror, he said. ¡°Griffin, have you lost your mind? Daring to come back here?¡± Griffin smiled, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare to come back? This City of Sin always had a place for me!¡± Old Stone sighed, ¡°After you were driven out, your old territory was long since carved up! Nobody in the City of Sin remembers you now!¡± Hearing this, Griffin¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°Is it the same with Carter?¡± Old Stone gave a wry smile, ¡°Your loyal dog, Carter, is now the one with the most territory!¡± ¡°That damned bastard!¡± Murders flashed in Griffin¡¯s eyes. ¡°I would advise you not to try taking back your territory. The City of Sin is not what it used to be! Newcomers with high cultivation levels have arrived, and they are extremely ruthless! Some of the people under that Carter are quite formidable!¡± ¡°You can have a meal here, then I¡¯ll find a way to get you out of here!¡± Old Stone rambled on. Griffin chuckled, ¡°My friend, in the end, the one who didn¡¯t betray me was indeed you! However, I am not leaving this time! Because I am here to clear the path and ascend to the throne of the Dark King of this place!¡± Old Stone thought Griffin was boasting and couldn¡¯t help but frown. At that moment, Xue An removed his bamboo hat, looked around, and said indifferently, ¡°Is this the safe place you were talking about?¡± Griffin quickly bowed respectfully and said, ¡°Yes, my lord, Old Stone is an old confidant of mine, and no one knows about our relationship. You can rest assured!¡± Xue An nodded noncommittally. He had originally planned to come directly to this City of Sin and subjugate all the strong with his peerless cultivation! But he was dissuaded by Griffin. The latter made it clear, those who walk in the dark would not bow their heads easily! If one wished to obtain the Fountain of Youth, it had to be by other means! Xue An was quite interested in this Fountain of Youth because, according to rumors, it was water that could grant immortality! Yet Xue An always felt it sounded like a Spiritual Spring! If that were true, it could also aid Xue An¡¯s cultivation! ¡°A person from Huaxia?¡± Old Stone was shocked at this moment. In this place, people from Huaxia were very rare! Xue An glanced at him, then spoke softly, ¡°All right, remove your bamboo hats.¡± At Xue An¡¯s command, the people following him also removed their bamboo hats. Old Stone was dumbstruck at once. Because one of them turned out to be a woman. And she was an incredibly stunning beauty. Behind her followed two exquisitely adorable little girls! Each girl was holding a bucket of ice cream, enjoying it contentedly! What kind of grouping was this? Could they be here on vacation? Old Stone looked questioningly at Griffin! Griffin smiled, ¡°This is my lord! She has come to the City of Sin to help me ascend to the Dark King¡¯s throne!¡± Old Stone was torn between laughter and tears, then somewhat helplessly said to Xue An. ¡°Young man, I don¡¯t know who you are, but you dare to bring such beautiful women to the City of Sin! That¡¯s pure foolishness, it¡¯s seeking death!¡± Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Chaos in the Bar! (2nd Update) Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Chaos in the Bar! (2nd Update) Xue An offered a faint smile, ¡°Oh? Is it really that impressive?¡± Old Stone sighed, ¡°We¡¯re both from Huaxia, and I truly do not wish to harm you. This city is different from other places, here, there are no laws or rules to bind you! Griffin should know this better than I do! So, take good care of yourself!¡± Xue Xiang, who was eating ice cream, looked up and said, ¡°Grandpa, my dad is really amazing!¡± Xue Nian also hurriedly chimed in, ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± Griffin, somewhat impatiently, said, ¡°Old Stone, these matters are not for you to worry about. Adults will make their own decisions! We¡¯re planning to stay here for now!¡± Old Stone shook his head secretly and turned to leave. He had seen too many spirited young men enter the City of Sin with dreams of achieving something great. But often, by the second day, they would be found dead in a gutter, their deaths humiliating. Once Old Stone had left, Griffin curled his lip, ¡°Sir, that guy is always like this, even more timid than a mouse, pay him no mind!¡± With that, Griffin led the way for Xue An and the others to the third floor of the bar as if it was his own backyard. There were a few rooms there. Griffin had stayed here for a few days in the past, so he arranged for Xue An and his family to stay here. After Griffin went out, An Yan said with some nervousness, ¡°Husband, what the old man said was quite frightening, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°He meant well, but with me here, no one would dare to do anything to you! Just stay here comfortably, and in a few days, I¡¯ll take you all home!¡± After settling An Yan and her daughters, Xue An turned and went downstairs. Griffin lived on the second floor; he had now changed into a different outfit, wearing a dirty jacket and a face full of weathered stubble, completely unrecognizable from the refined gentleman he was before. ¡°Sir, I think the most important thing now is to take back my territory!¡± Griffin babbled, his eyes filled with a fierce look. It was clear that the guy was still brooding over the betrayal of his subordinates. Xue An chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush that! I¡¯d like to see what the City of Sin is really like first.¡± As night fell. The small bar began to liven up. Gang members with tattoos on their faces leisurely sipped their drinks by the bar. Exotically dressed dancers began to sway sensuously on stage, accompanied by intoxicating music that made people involuntarily start to get lost in the revelry. Old Stone was behind the bar, mixing his signature cocktails. At that moment, a few of the gang members said impatiently, ¡°Old Stone, is it just these same old tramps again today?¡± Old Stone chuckled, saying nothing. ¡°Hey, what happened to that hot chick from a while ago?¡± one of the gang members asked with a lecherous grin. ¡°Who knows? Maybe you scared her off!¡± Old Stone said with a laugh. He was the only one on the street who dared to joke with these lawless ruffians. Just then, Xue An and Griffin descended the stairs! The appearance of these two unfamiliar faces attracted a lot of attention. Especially Xue An. With his neat dress and calm demeanor, he seemed utterly out of place in the dim and chaotic atmosphere of the bar. A few of the gang members frowned slightly, about to say something. Old Stone quickly said with a smile, ¡°This is a distant nephew of mine, who has just come from Huaxia to seek my help!¡± ¡°You old fart, you still have nephews?¡± the gang members relaxed their guard and jeered. Xue An found a spot and sat down. Old Stone hesitated for a moment, poured him a glass of wine, then lowered his voice and said, ¡°You better leave quickly! This place is too chaotic!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Chaotic? That¡¯s exactly what I want to experience!¡± Old Stone, irritated, glared at him, thinking highly displeased that Xue An was nothing but an ignorant punk, so he turned and left. Griffin whispered to the side, ¡°Sir, those loudmouthed gangsters laughing over there should be members of a nearby motorcycle gang!¡± At this point, a hint of disdain crossed his face. ¡°Back in the day, even the boss of their motorbike gang had to kneel before me!¡± Xue An smiled faintly and took a sip of his drink. The spicy liquor with a hint of sweetness exploded in his mouth. The taste surprised Xue An a little. Griffin chuckled, ¡°Surprised, aren¡¯t you? Although Old Stone is a pushover, his bartending skills are top-notch! Many big shots come here specifically to taste the drinks he prepares.¡± While they were speaking, the door to the bar was pushed open. Everyone turned to look, and then all were stunned. A woman wearing an ultra-short skirt, showing off a pair of long, straight legs, walked in. Her attire was revealing, and her figure extremely sensual. Under her dyed light purple hair was a pretty, Eastern-looking face. In such a small bar, her arrival naturally caused quite a stir. Especially those in the motorcycle gang, who all hooted at her. Despite being ogled by so many men, the woman remained unruffled. Instead, she sashayed up to the bar with grace, expertly took out a slim lady¡¯s cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, then said indifferently, ¡°Give me a ¡®Twilight Love¡¯.¡± Old Stone was a bit nervous, but still swiftly made the drink and handed it over, while murmuring softly, ¡°Why have you come again?¡± The woman smiled slightly, ¡°You run a bar, don¡¯t I have the right to come?¡± Caught off guard by her reply, Old Stone nodded helplessly, ¡°Of course, you can come! Enjoy your drink!¡± After saying this, he turned and walked away. The motorcycle gang members, however, started to laugh, their gazes growing increasingly malicious. A muscular man with a tattoo of a venomous snake on his face sneered, ¡°Old Stone, is this hot chick someone you¡¯ve brought in to spice things up and boost sales? Otherwise, why would she come here so often?¡± This woman was the very hot chick they had just mentioned. She would occasionally appear in this small bar, making those in the motorcycle gang salivate with desire. Old Stone chuckled bitterly, ¡°How could I possibly afford to hire such a woman!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that this chick is just showing off by coming here?¡± said the brawny man with a vicious smile. Old Stone¡¯s heart sank, and he was just about to say something. The brawny man had already stood up, holding a cheap beer and approached her. ¡°Sweetheart, feeling a little lonely, eh? Big brother here is pretty tough, how about we get to know each other?¡± The muscular man sat down next to the woman, leaning against the bar with an evil grin on his face. The woman put down her glass, turned her head to glance at the muscular man, and a cold, disdainful sneer appeared on her face. ¡°Get lost!¡± The face of the muscular man suddenly darkened, and he slowly drank his beer, saying coldly, ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to?¡± The woman took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled a cloud of smoke toward the muscular man, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in knowing, but I¡¯m really pissed off right now, so get lost!¡± The muscular man¡¯s face changed drastically, and he sneered, ¡°Fine, tonight you¡¯ll find out just how formidable I am!¡± Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Glamorous Woman (Third Update) Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Glamorous Woman (Third Update) As he spoke, the burly man raised his hand and slapped her. This burly man was huge, with a palm the size of a fan¡ªif he connected, the woman¡¯s head would likely shatter! Old Stone cried out in alarm. Yet faced with such a slap, the woman remained utterly unflustered. Instead, she looked at the burly man with cold indifference, the corner of her mouth even curling with a hint of scorn. Right at that moment, a silver lighter, like a streak of light, flew in from behind and struck the burly man¡¯s face. Boom! The man was sent flying as if hit by an elephant, hurtling backward. When he finally stopped, blocked by a table, his face had become a horrific sight. Not only were his bones shattered, but his teeth had also fallen out. With that, the entire bar was alerted. The remaining members of the motorcycle gang all stood up suddenly, ¡°You wench, how dare you strike a member of our motorcycle gang?¡± The woman paid no attention to them and instead turned with interest to Xue An, smiling beautifully as she approached him. ¡°Thank you,¡± said the woman. Xue An glanced at the woman, then cast his eyes downward and said indifferently, ¡°No need to thank me, it was just a small effort.¡± As Xue An¡¯s gaze swept over her, the woman felt a sudden tremor. This man¡¯s eyes were so deep, like bottomless pools, impossible to resist falling into! By now, the members of the motorcycle gang had realized who had thrown the strike and pulled out the handguns they carried, advancing towards him. ¡°Kid, you¡¯ve got guts, hitting a member of our motorcycle gang like that?¡± As they spoke, their guns were all aimed at Xue An. In the face of this scene, Old Stone was so frightened that his whole body trembled as he said loudly, ¡°Please don¡¯t, he might have just acted impulsively¡­.¡± ¡°Shut your trap, old fool, get out of the way!¡± one of the gang members scolded, then turned to look at Xue An and the woman. ¡°Heh, want to play the hero, saving the damsel? Good, take both of them. Tonight, we¡¯ll have our fun with this woman in front of this guy!¡± the scar-faced man said maliciously. Upon hearing this, the woman¡¯s eyes turned cold, but she said nothing, simply looking at Xue An. Xue An¡¯s eyebrows rose slightly, and he commanded sternly, ¡°Scram!¡± To others, this word might have seemed unremarkable, but to the gang members, it was like thunder exploding, rupturing their eardrums. One of them was so petrified that he collapsed and died on the spot. At this, the rest of the motorcycle gang members lost their nerve, scrambling to the door and sneering as they looked back, ¡°You¡¯ve got spirit, boy! If you¡¯re really tough, then just wait here!¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Good! I¡¯ll give you ten minutes!¡± The gang members fled in panic. The other patrons in the bar exchanged looks, then quietly made their exits. As residents of the City of Sin, they had seen their fair share of such scenes. They also knew that the departing men would surely return with reinforcements. This bar would soon become a bloodbath! Old Stone, terrified, turned pale and stomped his foot, sighing. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ ah, it¡¯s too late for words. Hurry and go! Leave from the back, or once the motorcycle gang members return, you won¡¯t be able to leave even if you want to!¡± Xue An chuckled and shook his head, ¡°Leave? Why should I go?¡± Old Stone widened his eyes, and in the end, with a sense of resignation, he let out a sigh, ¡°Alright then, you¡¯re asking for trouble. If you won¡¯t leave, I¡¯d better find a place to hide!¡± With that, he ran to the back room and locked the iron door tight. Now, the only ones left in the large bar were the woman and Xue An, along with Griffin. Griffin, having seen all sorts of big scenes, was nonchalant about the situation. The woman, on the other hand, seemed remarkably calm too, even taking a seat to the side, observing Xue An with a hint of surprise in her gaze. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡± the woman asked softly. This time, she spoke in standard Mandarin. Xue An gave a faint smile, ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you scared?¡± The woman spread her hands, ¡°Because I¡¯m used to this kind of scene! And at most, they¡¯ll just take me back. But you, you might actually die!¡± Xue An chuckled and didn¡¯t say anything, but just continued to drink his liquor. The woman watched with interest and suddenly leaned in and asked, ¡°Tell me the truth, are you trying to pick me up?¡± Upon hearing that, Xue An almost spit out his drink; he coughed lightly and shook his head. ¡°Then why did you help me? You do realize that what just happened has nothing to do with you!¡± the woman asked, curious. ¡°Does helping someone need a reason?¡± Xue An retorted. ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡± said the woman. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t! But if you really need a reason, maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re also from Huaguo,¡± Xue An said indifferently. The woman stared at Xue An as if looking at some rare animal, then shook her head and said, ¡°You¡¯re definitely not from the City of Sin!¡± ¡°Oh? Why not?¡± ¡°Because people from the City of Sin would never do that! What they would most likely do is watch me get taken away by those guys, and then scavenge for whatever¡¯s left behind!¡± After saying this, the woman sighed and then raised her glass, ¡°To your damn kindness, I¡¯ll toast you!¡± Xue An smiled and lifted his glass as well. As the alcohol went down, the woman¡¯s eyes seemed to become somewhat blurred, and then she leaned close to Xue An and said, ¡°If¡­ you don¡¯t die later, I can stay with you for the night! Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s on the house!¡± Xue An looked somewhat startled and then shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Think I¡¯m dirty?¡± the woman¡¯s expression grew cold. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Not at all, and¡­ I have a wife!¡± At this moment, Griffin chimed in with a laugh, ¡°Exactly! Our boss¡¯s wife is a knock-out, unlike any ordinary woman you can just pick up!¡± Then Griffin turned to Xue An, somewhat proudly stating, ¡°How¡¯s that, boss? My Mandarin¡¯s not bad, right?¡± The woman was taken aback. He¡¯s married? The woman¡¯s gaze flickered, seemingly lost in thought. Just then, the deafening roar of motorcycles came from outside. Then someone bellowed, ¡°This is the place! Our brothers died right here!¡± Next, people wielding clubs shattered the bar¡¯s glass, and the door was kicked open with a single blow. A group of bikers filed in, one after another. These burly men, all with shaved heads and wearing leather jackets, had grim faces and were armed with various firearms. Such a show of force even took Griffin aback for a moment, and then he muttered under his breath, ¡°Damn, haven¡¯t seen them for a few days, and this little bike gang¡¯s gotten so powerful?¡± At that moment, the crowd parted, paving a way for a huge man with a bare chest and scars all over his body to walk in slowly. Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Poisonous Scorpion Queen (4th Update) Chapter 278: Chapter 278: Poisonous Scorpion Queen (4th Update) plaintext ¡°Boss, it was this guy who killed our brothers!¡± the biker gang member who had just escaped said, pointing at Xue An. The musclebound man scoffed disdainfully and then turned his gaze toward the woman standing beside. Surprise flashed in his eyes from her stunning appearance. Especially after he saw the woman¡¯s long, straight legs, his face was filled with unabashed greed. ¡°Heh heh, this chick ain¡¯t bad!¡± the musclebound man drooled as he spoke. ¡°Boss, why not take her back with us!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± the musclebound man said. Then, pointing at Xue An, he sneered, ¡°But first, we gotta kill him!¡± The bikers aimed their guns at Xue An. A major battle was about to erupt. Just then, The woman suddenly said, ¡°Enough!¡± Everyone was slightly taken aback, only to see the woman give Xue An a smile. ¡°You¡¯re a good person, but in this city, kindness is the true sin!¡± Then, she lifted her head and said to the musclebound man, ¡°Don¡¯t you want me? I¡¯ll go with you!¡± The musclebound man was momentarily taken aback, then sneered, ¡°Quite sensible, but he has killed several of my brothers, how do we settle this score?¡± The woman calmly said, ¡°I can settle it for him!¡± ¡°Good! It¡¯s a deal! Let¡¯s go!¡± the musclebound man said with a cold laugh. He wasn¡¯t a fool; the fact that Xue An could kill his men in one blow meant he was capable of something. Now that the woman was willing to go with him voluntarily, why should he fuss over a few dead people? After all, in the City of Sin, there might be a shortage of everything else, but never a shortage of dead people! At that moment, the woman leaned down, whispered in Xue An¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯m Wen Sinan, nice to meet you!¡± After saying this, the corners of her mouth rose into a pleased smile as she stood up and left with the bikers. Xue An watched their retreating figures, his gaze flickering, his thoughts inscrutable. Griffin smiled slightly, ¡°Sir, women from the City of Sin don¡¯t care about these things! And she¡¯s right. Here, kindness is the greatest original sin!¡± Xue An also smiled faintly without saying a word. It was quite a while before Old Stone cautiously peeked out from the back door. ¡°Have they all left?¡± Griffin grumbled with a laugh, ¡°You old man, you sure hid yourself well! They¡¯re all gone!¡± Relieved, Old Stone finally dared to come out. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been so cowardly, I would have been dead long ago!¡± Old Stone said. Xue An stood up and said indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Time to sleep!¡± With that, he went upstairs. Old Stone sidled up to Griffin, ¡°Buddy, what¡¯s up with him? He just barely escaped death, but why do I get the feeling he¡¯s actually somewhat unhappy?¡± Griffin drained his glass and smiled slightly, ¡°The ones who should feel lucky to escape with their lives are those guys! Alright, I¡¯m off to sleep too.¡± Saying so, Griffin also got up and left. Xue An returned to the third-floor room to find his two daughters were already asleep, only An Yan was still lying on the bed playing with her phone. Seeing Xue An come in, she sat up. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep. It was so chaotic downstairs just now, what happened?¡± An Yan inquired. With a smile, Xue An replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing! Just a few guys who had too much to drink!¡± An Yan nodded her head. After Xue An lay down, she instinctively hugged his waist and buried her head in his chest. ¡°Husband¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I was video chatting with Meng Xue just now!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°She and Han Yao went to Europe, they¡¯re going to shoot a movie there!¡± Xue An gave a faint smile and said nothing. The divine soul that had killed the Night Devil Empress and possessed Han Yao also dissipated into smoke and clouds. Yet, before he and An Yan could leave Hollywood, Fan Mengxue had already taken Han Yao and left. She didn¡¯t say anything when she left either. Now, listening to An Yan¡¯s words, she had gone to Europe to shoot a film. Thinking of this, Xue An sighed softly. He understood that Fan Mengxue was avoiding him as much as she could. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to sleep!¡± Xue An stopped dwelling on these thoughts, turned over to embrace An Yan, and gently stroked her hair. The faint fragrance on An Yan¡¯s body gradually calmed Xue An¡¯s heart. Outside, the wind began to rise! Wen Sinan obediently sat on the motorcycle¡¯s pillion seat behind the brawny man, following these bikers back to their stronghold. It was an abandoned factory, but these bikers had transformed it into their stronghold! Once off the bike, the bikers stationed there came out to greet them. However, many eyes were focused on Wen Sinan. The brawny man smiled proudly at Wen Sinan, ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re sensible, so I won¡¯t kill you, but I¡¯ll make sure you have an unforgettable night!¡± Hearing these words, his followers burst into laughter. Upon hearing the brawny man¡¯s statement, an ambiguous smile appeared on Wen Sinan¡¯s face as she coldly said, ¡°Unfortunately, although you don¡¯t plan to kill me, I won¡¯t let you go!¡± Wen Sinan¡¯s words stunned the bikers. After a moment, they began to make a commotion. ¡°Damn, has this woman lost her mind?¡± ¡°Boss, should we teach her a lesson first?¡± The brawny man¡¯s face darkened, and he sneered, ¡°Great, but I¡¯m curious, how do you plan not to let me go?¡± Wen Sinan gave a faint smile and whispered something into the brawny man¡¯s ear. The brawny man¡¯s expression changed drastically, his previous smugness and arrogance gone. His face turned pale as if he were looking at Wen Sinan with a gaze filled with sheer horror. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± He was so frightened he couldn¡¯t even finish his sentence. This sight also dumbfounded the other bikers. The boss had been fine just a moment ago; what had happened to him so suddenly? At that moment, the strong man knelt at the woman¡¯s feet with a thud, trembling all over. Wen Sinan, with an indifferent face, said softly, ¡°Scared now, are you? Too bad it¡¯s too late!¡± No sooner had her voice faded away than hundreds of women in black emerged from the surrounding darkness. In their hands were large firearms that could chill one¡¯s spine! And looking at Wen Sinan, when had her face gained a mask? A terrifying snake mask, with the mouth of the snake holding a scarlet scorpion! Upon seeing this scene, All the bikers were petrified, then someone screamed. ¡°It¡¯s the Scorpion Queen!¡± This title made everyone present shiver with fear. For she was the most mysterious and terrifying dark figure in the City of Sin, the Scorpion Queen! Almost no one had ever seen her real face; it was like she had countless faces. Yet every time she appeared in front of people, she would always be wearing a terrifying mask. ¡°Kill them all!¡± Wen Sinan commanded in a cold voice. The women in black moved forward in silence, crushing anyone who stood in their way! They were like a black tidal wave that engulfed these people. The screams lasted for less than three seconds. This once-powerful biker gang was dispersed like smoke and clouds. Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Hope You Like This Gift… (First Update) Chapter 279: Chapter 279: Hope You Like This Gift¡­ (First Update) The air was filled with a nauseating stench of blood. Among the pools of blood and corpses, Wen Sinan stood proudly, his purple hair fluttering in the night breeze. ¡°Your Majesty, how should we deal with these bodies?¡± an underling asked. Wen Sinan said indifferently, ¡°Cut off the leader¡¯s head and place it at the entrance of that bar!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Wen Sinan looked toward the direction of the bar, the corners of his mouth slightly curling up beneath the mask. ¡°I hope you will like this gift¡­!¡± The next day. Old Stone, following his routine, opened the doors of the bar early, only to let out a deafening scream immediately after. Griffin, woken up by the noise, came downstairs, speaking irritably, ¡°What the hell are you screaming about?¡± Old Stone¡¯s face was ashen white as he sat collapsed on the ground, his voice trembling, ¡°A dead person, there¡¯s a dead person!¡± Griffin¡¯s mouth curled, ¡°A dead person? Since when has the City of Sin been short on dead people?¡± As he said this, he turned his head to look, and then he too was stunned. A head was placed at the entrance of the bar. Bald, with a ferocious expression, the face still bore the fear from the moment of death! It was the biker gang leader who had come here yesterday! Griffin inhaled sharply. Who did this? At that moment, Xue An also came downstairs. ¡°My lord, look at this¡­¡± Griffin said with a heavy expression. Xue An said flatly, ¡°Dead is dead, after all, he deserved it! What¡¯s so strange about it?¡± ¡°But¡­ I just have this feeling that there¡¯s something odd about it all. Could it be that woman who did it?¡± Griffin muttered to himself. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Whether it was her or not, we should find out soon!¡± By evening, more news had come in. The entire biker gang had been wiped out, reportedly leaving a most ghastly scene! This news shocked everyone in the bar. Many who had been present the day before began discussing heatedly. ¡°My goodness, the biker gang¡¯s influence had been on the rise lately, and yet they were wiped out overnight!¡± ¡°Heh, what¡¯s so surprising about that? The taller a tree stands, the more wind it will catch. The biker gang has been too arrogant lately! Drawing enemies isn¡¯t unusual!¡± ¡°So who do you think did it?¡± ¡°I guess it might be Old Bell!¡± Old Bell! At the mention of this name, the entire bar fell silent. In the City of Sin¡¯s dark triumvirate, there was the Bone Picker Griffin, the Scorpion Queen Wen Sinan, and Old Bell. But now Griffin had been driven away, the Scorpion Queen was mysterious, and only Old Bell remained active! Especially his son, Xiao Bell, who was a notorious wastrel known throughout the City of Sin! Many turned pale at the mention of Old Bell¡¯s name. Yet, there were some who disagreed, scoffing, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s his doing! Old Bell has become more cautious over the years, seldom wiping out entire gangs!¡± ¡°Then who do you think it is?¡± someone said discontentedly. ¡°You¡­ have you forgotten about that woman last night?¡± The bar fell silent at the mention of that woman. ¡°Heh, how could that be? She¡¯s just an ordinary woman after all, maybe even a prostitute!¡± someone said with a snicker. ¡°Right!¡± many echoed in agreement. While these people were arguing endlessly, Xue An and Griffin were drinking by the bar. Old Stone¡¯s bartending skills were indeed good; at least Xue An was very satisfied with his drink. Hearing the crowd¡¯s debate, Griffin said angrily in a low voice, ¡°That old bastard Old Bell, if it weren¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have been driven out!¡± Xue An said nothing, continuing to drink his liquor slowly. As the bar was bustling with the demise of the biker gang, the door opened. A pair of straight long legs stepped in first, followed by that familiar micro skirt and the same light purple hair. The bar fell silent. Everyone stared blankly at the woman. Some even swallowed hard with difficulty, then prepared to slip away quietly. It was Wen Sinan. She strode over to Xue An, sat down beside him, and said indifferently to the stunned Old Stone, ¡°Bring me a Hellfire, I was too tired last night!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Oh right!¡± Old Stone hurriedly fumbled around to mix the drink, occasionally casting frightened glances at Wen Sinan. Even Griffin turned a shade paler, for he simply couldn¡¯t see through this woman. Only Xue An kept sipping his drink at a leisurely pace. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Wen Sinan couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Curious about what?¡± Xue An put down his glass and turned to look at her. ¡°Curious about what I went through last night?¡± Wen Sinan asked, batting her large eyes. Xue An smiled, ¡°The path is yours to choose, what does it have to do with me?¡± Wen Sinan was left speechless, grinding her teeth in frustration. She had come today specifically to gauge everyone¡¯s reaction, especially Xue An¡¯s. She had developed a strong curiosity about this man. Particularly his decisive nature, which Wen Sinan greatly admired. But to her surprise, Xue An seemed entirely indifferent to her. That annoyed Wen Sinan. ¡°Hey, actually I should thank you for last night!¡± Wen Sinan suddenly said in a low voice. Xue An smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve said, no thanks necessary!¡± ¡°Hmph, what an uncharming guy!¡± Wen Sinan, who was always quick-tempered, finally lost her patience and stormed off after tossing out those words. Not until she reached the bar¡¯s entrance did she turn back and say, ¡°Tomorrow is my birthday, are you interested in coming?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°Not interested!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Wen Sinan¡¯s eyebrows shot up, but then she regained her composure, snorted coldly, and left. After her departure, many people looked at Xue An with astonishment. Some were practically green with envy. Wen Sinan¡¯s behavior had clearly been a hint towards Xue An! But unexpectedly, Xue An was completely unmoved by it. It was as if he was turning away a woman who had made the first move! Griffin, however, wasn¡¯t surprised. Compared to An Yan, Wen Sinan was no different from an ugly duckling. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but express his curiosity, ¡°My Lord, that woman is quite mysterious! Are you sure you don¡¯t want to go?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to go, and also, find out the exact whereabouts of the Fountain of Youth as soon as possible. I don¡¯t have the time to keep wasting here!¡± With that, he got up and went upstairs. Outside, Wen Sinan got into her car, seething with rage. Those inside the car shivered with fear. They were all too aware of their queen¡¯s temper; she was someone who could kill at the slightest provocation! ¡°Your Majesty, do you want us to wipe out this bar?¡± one of Wen Sinan¡¯s attendants asked. But unexpectedly, Wen Sinan slapped the attendant across the face. The slap left the attendant with a bloodied mouth, yet they didn¡¯t dare to raise their head. ¡°Speak such words again, and I¡¯ll throw you into the Snake Pit to be devoured by thousands of snakes!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the attendant replied in a trembling voice. Wen Sinan took a deep breath, suddenly calming down, a proud smile on her lips. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a man I¡¯ve set my sights on who could escape the palm of my hand! Even if you have a wife, it¡¯s the same!¡± Chapter 280 - Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Beginning of the Night (2nd Update) Chapter 280: Chapter 280: Beginning of the Night (2nd Update) ¡°My lord, when the Fountain of Youth was first discovered, it was within an abandoned mine in the City of Sin, and that mine belonged to me! But who would have thought that old Bell and the Poison Scorpion Queen would join forces to drive me away!¡± As Griffin spoke about this, his eyes were filled with resentment. ¡°As for how those two people divided the Fountain of Youth afterward, I am not very clear! But I know that the Fountain of Youth isn¡¯t always there, it follows a certain schedule!¡± ¡°And the next time it will appear is in three days!¡± Griffin repeated all he knew, and Xue An nodded after listening. ¡°So I think the most important thing right now is to take back the territory I lost before, to weaken old Bell¡¯s and the Poison Scorpion Queen¡¯s forces as much as possible first!¡± said Griffin. Xue An glanced at him. Griffin felt a chill in his heart and quickly lowered his head, ¡°I¡¯m just making a suggestion, everything is up to you, my lord!¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush this. If the Fountain of Youth appears in three days, I will be able to sense it! Once we have the water, we¡¯ll eliminate these people.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Griffin said obediently. In the heart of the City of Sin, there stood a black building. At the top floor was an exceedingly spacious office. Old Bell was leaning back in his chair, enjoying the city¡¯s nightscape through the floor-to-ceiling windows. He cherished this feeling. It was like standing on the clouds, trampling everyone under his feet. And indeed, this was the case. His prestige and influence has become the dark King of the City of Sin. Griffin had fled, and now there was only the Poison Scorpion Queen left. Thinking of this woman, old Bell slightly furrowed his brows. At that moment, the office door opened. Old Bell didn¡¯t need to look back to know it was surely his only son, Xiao Bell. Because aside from him, no one dared to enter without asking first. ¡°Father, there¡¯s something I think I need to report to you,¡± said Xiao Bell, bearing a strong resemblance to his father. They shared the same deep-set eyes and brows, the same cultured and refined demeanor. However, Xiao Bell seemed even more rebellious than old Bell. Old Bell looked at his son with a gaze akin to admiring a work of art. ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Last night, a motorcycle gang near the bar district was wiped out!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so peculiar about that? My child, you must know that the number of gangs destroyed each day in the City of Sin is more than my gray hairs!¡± ¡°But father, this one is different!¡± Xiao Bell said as he laid several photographs on the table. Old Bell picked them up and suddenly furrowed his brows. In the pictures, a factory was filled with blood and corpses. ¡°This is¡­¡± Old Bell was taken aback. ¡°Yes, Father, this must be the work of the Sin Scorpion Crew!¡± The Sin Scorpion Crew! The subordinates of the Poison Scorpion Queen! Old Bell¡¯s eyes flickered. At this moment, Xiao Bell said with a smile, ¡°And I have discovered many interesting things! For instance, this¡­¡± Xiao Bell took out a photograph that was evidently taken inside a bar. It showed the side profiles of a man and a woman. The woman had light purple hair. ¡°Father, the Poison Scorpion Queen always moves mysteriously, and has never shown any trace. For so many years, we don¡¯t even know what she looks like!¡± ¡°But this time¡­ she finally showed her face!¡± Old Bell furrowed his brow, ¡°You mean, this woman could be the Poison Scorpion Queen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that she could be, she definitely is!¡± Old Bell¡¯s heart swelled with pride as he looked approvingly at his son. ¡°So what do you plan to do?¡± Xiao Bell smiled like a venomous serpent ready to strike, ¡°Father, the Fountain of Youth is about to appear, and it should rightfully belong to our Bell Family. Why should we share it with a madwoman?¡± Old Bell nodded, ¡°Alright, go and do it!¡± He understood what his son meant, being the dark overlord of the City of Sin. Murder, alliances, and betrayal were all commonplace! ¡°Of course, father, by this time tomorrow, I will present you with this woman¡¯s head!¡± Throughout the conversation, the father and son had not looked straight at the man with the indifferent expression in the photograph. In their eyes. Apart from the Scorpion Queen, everyone else was insignificant! The next day. When the evening lights were just beginning to shine. Old Stone¡¯s bar once again became lively. Many people liked coming here to have a drink personally mixed by Old Stone. Especially since the biker gang had been wiped out, the place had become much more peaceful. Xue An also sat unshakably at the bar, drinking. At that moment. The door of the bar was pushed open, and Wen Sinan walked in with a large cake. Her action caused many people to pause slightly. Wen Sinan walked straight to the bar, placed the cake on it, and then began to insert candles. Xue An frowned slightly, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a birthday celebration! Don¡¯t you see me putting in the candles?¡± Wen Sinan said indifferently. ¡°Celebrating here?¡± Xue An asked in return. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Saying this, Wen Sinan flashed Old Stone a smile, ¡°Tonight, all the expenses are on my tab!¡± Her words provoked cheers from many people, their fear of Wen Sinan gradually fading, and even some raised their glasses and shouted, ¡°Happy birthday, my girl!¡± Wen Sinan was obviously in a good mood, and she smiled lightly, ¡°Thank you!¡± She lit the candles. The music in the bar very tactfully stopped. The dancing girls also watched giggling from not far away. In the small bar, the atmosphere became somewhat warm. ¡°Won¡¯t you even wish me a happy birthday?¡± Wen Sinan asked. Xue An regained his composure and smiled faintly, ¡°Happy birthday!¡± Wen Sinan laughed heartily, then closed her eyes to make a wish, and blew the candles out in one breath. Many people started to cheer. Drinks kept flowing like water. The night was not yet deep, but already intoxicating. Wen Sinan drank a lot and even cavorted by smearing cake on many people. Of course, she also had her face smeared with cake by many people. And some even went so far as to cop a feel. But even so, she did not get angry. Outside the bar, several vans that resembled black beasts were parked, and women in black sat on them. They were Wen Sinan¡¯s personal guards, the Scorpion Swarm. Hearing Wen Sinan¡¯s exaggerated laughter coming from the bar. The women in black couldn¡¯t help but look at each other, and someone inevitably said, ¡°It seems, Her Majesty the Queen is very happy tonight!¡± ¡°But I remember, Her Majesty the Queen already had a birthday this year!¡± someone whispered. ¡°Shh! Remember, never speak such words to Her Majesty, unless you want to be devoured by a thousand snakes!¡± someone warned. While they were chatting and relaxing together. Countless shadows flew across the sky! The night seemed to boil over. Chapter 281 - Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Shadow Arbiter (Third Release) Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Shadow Arbiter (Third Release) Xiao Bell stood atop a towering building, leaning over to view the black beasts in the distance. ¡°Are those¡­ the legendary Scorpions of Sin?¡± Xiao Bell said indifferently. ¡°You only brought so few people with you? You¡¯ve got some nerve!¡± A trace of excitement appeared on Xiao Bell¡¯s face, and his mood became restless. After all, the person he faced was a dark lord as renowned as his own father. If he could behead him tonight, Xiao Bell¡¯s prestige would skyrocket once again, and the Bell Family would become the city¡¯s true King. ¡°Shadow Arbiters, move out!¡± Xiao Bell ordered. ¡°Yes!¡± A response came from the shadows, and then countless black figures swept across the sky. As the Bell Family¡¯s sole heir, Xiao Bell was naturally doted upon. Even for this mission, the family had assigned him their most elite Shadow Arbiters! In the City of Sin, the underlings of the three dark giants each had their own elite forces. Griffin¡¯s dark disciples. The Poison Scorpion Queen¡¯s Scorpions of Sin! But more famous than them, and recognized as the most powerful, were the Bell Family¡¯s Shadow Arbiters. It was said that the Bell Family had spent decades nurturing these individuals, each one incredibly formidable. Xiao Bell stood on the rooftop watching the Shadow Arbiters blot out the sun, feeling a surge of pride rising in his heart. From now on, the City of Sin will have only the Bell Family! At that moment. Members of the Scorpions of Sin outside the bar continued to chat idly. Suddenly. A shadow swept by. The woman sitting in the driver¡¯s seat collapsed, blood trickling from her throat. This slight noise also alarmed the women in black. ¡°What was that noise?¡± someone exclaimed. Those close to the car doors immediately opened them. Outside was deadly silent. The women in black looked at each other, all frowning. This silence carried an ominous air. But as warriors who constantly skirted the edge of life and death, death and blood were their daily bread. So, although they knew something had gone wrong, everyone remained calm. They silently took up their weapons and then stepped out of the car, relying on each other. The night was unnaturally black. Even the moonlight had vanished. Suddenly. Just as these women in black reached the middle of the street, ready to enter the bar. Countless shadows flew in from afar. The women in black didn¡¯t hesitate to raise their firearms, preparing to shoot. The shadows rushed forward. Two black torrents collided on the street. The sounds of breaking limbs, spurting blood, and the metallic clanging of blade against blade all mingled together. Forming a cruel symphony. But among these, there were no screams. Both sides of the battle were terrifyingly silent. Even death could not make them groan. As warriors who walked out of dark purgatory, no matter who, they had all become fearless of life and death. Even Xiao Bell, who was watching from afar, couldn¡¯t help but show admiration. ¡°Truly commendable dark warriors indeed!¡± But in comparison with the overwhelming numbers of the Shadow Arbiters, the Scorpions of Sin were few, and under such a hasty defense, suffered heavy losses. Very soon. Most of these black-clad women had fallen. The remaining ones, each injured, stood back to back, warily watching the dark figure in the sky. ¡°It¡¯s a Shadow Arbiter!¡± someone whispered. ¡°The Bell Family has made their move, we must notify Her Majesty the Queen at once!¡± another said in a deep voice. ¡°I just tried, but this street has been blockaded by the shadows, no messages can get out!¡± At this moment, Xiao Bell slowly approached from the direction of the street, smiling as he said, ¡°Although you are women, you are respectable. If you lay down your weapons now, I might consider sparing you!¡± ¡°Xiao Bell!¡± the remaining members of the City of Sin scorpion group called out sternly. Then, after exchanging glances, they slowly raised their guns. ¡°What a pity!¡± Xiao Bell wasn¡¯t surprised by this outcome, so he merely bowed his head slightly, and then the Shadow Arbiters flew past him from behind. ¡°All for our Lady Queen!¡± the members of the City of Sin scorpion group shouted at last, as they pulled their triggers. The gunfire flickered for a few moments before being devoured by the dark shadows of the Arbiters. A grinding, teeth-gritting sound followed, as if a monster were chewing on flesh and blood, which was spine-chilling. Afterward, as the darkness dispersed, only a puddle of blood remained on the ground, not even bones were left. ¡°What a pleasant night!¡± exclaimed Xiao Bell. ¡°What do you think, if the scorpion queen finds out her subordinates died tragically outside while she¡¯s inside celebrating her birthday, wouldn¡¯t she be upset?¡± Xiao Bell said with relish. No one responded. These Shadow Arbiters were always silent warriors. ¡°Alright, surround this bar, I¡¯m going to have a heart-to-heart with our Queen!¡± Xiao Bell was in a very good mood. As he spoke, Xiao Bell pushed open the door and walked into the bar. At that time, everyone inside the bar was drunk. Only Wen Sinan and Xue An and a few others were still slowly drinking their liquor. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian were enjoying the juice specially mixed for them by Old Stonemason! When Xiao Bell walked in. Many people didn¡¯t pay too much attention to him. Xiao Bell then looked at Wen Sinan and said with a slight smile, ¡°Lady Queen? Happy Birthday!¡± This sentence caused no reaction in Wen Sinan, she even continued to drink with a smile. Only Xue An¡¯s mouth curved up, revealing a meaningful smile. ¡°I think I should apologize because I just accidentally killed all of Your Majesty¡¯s subordinates!¡± Xiao Bell¡¯s words finally caught Wen Sinan¡¯s attention. She turned her head and looked at him, her gaze growing colder. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You could try calling them, see if they are still around!¡± Wen Sinan felt a pang, her expression changed, then she put down her wine glass and slowly stood up, an authoritative aura gradually emerging. ¡°Xiao Bell?¡± ¡°Indeed, it is I!¡± said Xiao Bell beamingly. ¡°Very well! Your Bell Family has successfully enraged me! Prepare to suffer my wrath!¡± Wen Sinan stated coldly. At this moment, everyone in the bar who had been drunk was now sobering up. Because many had finally heard the conversation between the two. This man was none other than the famous Xiao Bell! And this woman¡­. ¡°Scorpion Queen, I too regret this. However, you probably won¡¯t have to be mad anymore, because tonight, this bar will be your final resting place!¡± Scorpion Queen! This title made everyone in the bar gasp. Especially Griffin, whose expression changed drastically. This woman, she was the Scorpion Queen? Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 282: So… Game Over! (4th Update) Chapter 282: Chapter 282: So¡­ Game Over! (4th Update) ¡°Xiao Bell, it seems you still don¡¯t understand, even though your power is indeed great now, compared to me, you¡¯re still far behind!¡± Wen Sinan said coldly, and as her expression changed, her appearance underwent a dramatic transformation. The delicate face from moments ago had vanished, replaced by one that resembled the face of a god or demon. ¡°Divine Bloodline?¡± Xue An muttered softly, then chuckled, ¡°Looks quite similar, but the aura is far too weak, must be a false deity, right?¡± His murmurs did not catch anyone¡¯s attention. At this moment, everyone in the bar wished nothing more than to flee as quickly as possible. A few quick-witted individuals even started to quietly climb out of the windows. But no sooner had they climbed out than they let out several cries of agony, and then they were swallowed by darkness. Wen Sinan frowned, speaking with an authoritative voice, ¡°Shadow Arbiter? No wonder I was deceived just now! The Bell Family really isn¡¯t holding back in dealing with me, are they?¡± Xiao Bell let out a chuckle, ¡°To take down Her Majesty, a few Arbiters are hardly worth mentioning, right?¡± Right at that moment, Wen Sinan suddenly turned into a streak of black light, rushing straight towards Xiao Bell. The speed was so great that it even produced a piercing whistling sound. Facing this raging assault. Xiao Bell¡¯s expression remained calm, merely stepping back half a step. Streams of darkness surged forth on either side of him, aiming straight for Wen Sinan in mid-air. Wen Sinan snorted in anger, ¡°Mere ants, scatter!¡± With that, she waved her hand, and countless serpent shadows rushed towards the dark streams. At this point, Griffin was pale as death and wished he could burrow under the table. ¡°Shadow Arbiters, God! So many have been deployed! Has the Bell Family gone mad?¡± And in mid-air, the serpent shadows finally met the black torrent. Boom! A muffled explosion. All the glassware in the bar shattered instantly. The black torrent was more than halved on the spot. Watching from behind, Xiao Bell¡¯s eyelids twitched, pain etched in his heart as if it was bleeding. This was the essence of the Bell Family! But Wen Sinan didn¡¯t have an easy time either; her figure paused in mid-air, and a pained expression crossed her face. ¡°She¡¯s injured!¡± Xiao Bell shouted with surprise and joy. Sure enough, Wen Sinan¡¯s aura began to falter, and her body started to sway as if about to fall. ¡°Kill her!¡± Xiao Bell roared. Once she¡¯s dead, the Fountain of Youth, and the entire City of Sin! They would all be mine! But just then, a timid voice came through. ¡°Honey? What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± The voice was crisp and extremely pleasant to the ear. Everyone turned their heads to look. They saw a stunningly beautiful woman standing at the top of the stairs. Even in such a perilous situation, many people couldn¡¯t help but become infatuated. In the City of Sin, where flashy and scantily clad women were commonplace. Who had seen such a pure and captivating beauty? Xiao Bell was also caught staring. He was always one for beautiful women. But what did she just yell? Husband? Who was her husband? At this moment, An Yan was equally nervous. She heard the clattering downstairs from the upper floor and had no idea what was happening. Although she had a lot of confidence in Xue An, the two little girls were also down there. Eventually, unable to stay put, she decided to come down. But she hadn¡¯t expected so many people to be below. And they were all staring straight at her. Then Xue An stood up, smiling, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just some people playing house!¡± Xue An¡¯s words caused a stir among the crowd. Cowering behind the bar, Old Stone was shaking so badly that tears were nearly spilling from his eyes. In his heart, he thought to himself, this guy really came looking for death! Meanwhile, Wen Sinan, suspended in mid-air, was staring intently at An Yan. After a moment, she also had to admit. This woman, whether in terms of appearance or temperament, was far superior to herself. Is this his wife? No wonder he never gave me a second glance! At this moment of life and death, Wen Sinan¡¯s heart was unexpectedly swept by a touch of desolation. At that time, Xiao Bell began to laugh ominously. ¡°Hehe! Very good! I didn¡¯t expect to find such a beauty in such a small bar, it seems my journey here was not in vain!¡± Saying this, Xiao Bell coldly ordered, ¡°Kill the Queen of Scorpions first!¡± With his command, the Shadow Arbiters charged once more. Wen Sinan shouted in anger, trying to eradicate these shadows. But alas, the strike she had just made, even though it wiped out half of the Shadow Arbiters, left her completely drained. Now, facing the furious charge, she could only dodge left and right in defense, yet her increasingly sluggish movements left marks of injury appearing on her body! Despair filled Wen Sinan¡¯s eyes, knowing that her chances were slim. And Xiao Bell watched with delight. But just as he thought he had victory in his hands, Xue An smiled at An Yan, ¡°Wait for me a moment!¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± An Yan nodded obediently. Then Xue An stood up and began to walk forward. Seeing this, Wen Sinan in mid-air roared, ¡°Don¡¯t come over, this is not for you to interfere with!¡± Xiao Bell, on the other hand, was watching with self-satisfied glee, then casually pointed, ¡°Kill him!¡± In Xiao Bell¡¯s view, killing this man was a simple task, and once he was dead, the breathtaking beauty would be his! At this thought, Xiao Bell¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but burn with desire. Several shadows charged directly at Xue An. Even Griffin¡¯s expression was fluctuating uncertainly. As for the others, all of them were pale, convinced that Xue An was doomed. But just as these shadows approached, Xue An waved his hand and uttered indifferently, ¡°Scram!¡± The warriors once hailed as the most terrifying in the City of Sin, the Shadow Arbiters, who made people lose courage just hearing about them, were like a pile of trash under Xue An¡¯s casual wave, blown away and then vanishing with a wail! In a single strike! The attacking Shadow Arbiters met their deaths. Wen Sinan¡¯s mouth hung open slightly, her face a picture of disbelief. And Xiao Bell was even more shaken, watching the scene in disbelief! ¡°How¡­ how is this possible?¡± To annihilate the Shadow Arbiters with such a casual ease? Who exactly was this man? At that moment, Xue An looked at Xiao Bell and smiled slightly, ¡°Interesting toys, but that¡¯s all they are! So¡­ game over!¡± With that, Xue An raised his fist and uttered softly, ¡°Stir the heavens and earth!¡± With this soft cry, the heavens and earth seemed to pause, as if everything had come to a standstill. Then, Xue An threw a casual punch. Boom! These Shadow Arbiters didn¡¯t even have the chance to struggle before they turned to ash under this punch. Xiao Bell screamed in extreme terror. But then he realized that he was unharmed! Just as he began to feel relieved, he heard a thunderous noise behind him. Turning his head, he was petrified. Under the force of Xue An¡¯s punch! The walls of the entire bar were obliterated. The whole street outside had been blown open with a massive pathway by that punch! And the shadows that had just sealed off the street were all turned to ash! Such was the terrifying power of this man¡¯s punch! Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 284: The Killer Remains Unfettered at Heart (Sixth Update) Chapter 284: Chapter 284: The Killer Remains Unfettered at Heart (Sixth Update) Griffin felt a chill run down his spine. Was it truly such a casual gesture, not even stepping out of the carriage, to slay all the guards? Xue An showed neither agreement nor dissent. The killer is not bound by conscience, the survivor is not trapped by confusion! Moreover, those who died were all utterly unforgivable. The vehicle entered the mining area, and the fluctuations of Spiritual Energy grew more and more intense. On the ground, and even on the dilapidated houses, all sorts of flowers and grass sprouted incessantly only to wither and decay at an exceptionally fast pace. The cycle repeated, endless and unceasing! After Xue An got out of the vehicle, he held his two daughters and headed straight for a mine shaft. Xue Xiang and Nian Nian looked around curiously. ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s so beautiful here!¡± Everywhere flowers and grass sparkled, making even this desolate mine shaft seem dazzling. Xue An smiled, ¡°It will be even more beautiful in a moment!¡± After entering the cave and walking a considerable distance inside. Suddenly, a broad space appeared ahead. And in the center of the space, there was a spring flowing. After the spring water spread on the ground, it transformed into creatures resembling little elves, dancing throughout the space. Xue An¡¯s eyes brightened, it was indeed a Spiritual Spring! An Yan and the two young girls, facing this dreamlike scene, couldn¡¯t help but be mesmerized. ¡°Husband, it¡¯s so beautiful!¡± An Yan murmured. Xue An smiled, ¡°This Spiritual Spring has not yet matured. When it truly matures, it will be the most beautiful sight in the world!¡± Years ago, when Xue An traveled through The Multiverse, he had visited the Spiritual River of the Heavenly Realm. That place was off-limits to those with insufficient cultivation levels. Because if one¡¯s cultivation level was not adequate and their sense of purpose not steadfast, they would be captivated by the unparalleled beauty and never return! Compared to that Spiritual River, which occupied an entire realm, this Spring was not even worth a hair! However, Xue An was still very satisfied. This world was too barren and the Spiritual Energy too sparse; to have this was already commendable! ¡°Yan¡¯er, you and Xiang Xiang Nian Nian stay here, it will be very beneficial for your cultivation!¡± ¡°Then where will you go, husband?¡± An Yan asked. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be guarding outside! After all, it will take a day or two for this Spiritual Spring to mature. During this time, it will surely attract countless prying eyes!¡± Xue An said. An Yan was a bit worried. Xue An smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with your husband here, all gods shall scatter!¡± Saying this, Xue An left the mine shaft. Although he said so, Xue An was also somewhat uneasy, so before leaving, he applied various Talisman Spells throughout the mine. In this way, unless a Golden Immortal arrived, not even an Immortal could enter! Xue An went outside the mine shaft and found a clean spot to sit down cross-legged. Griffin paced back and forth somewhat panic-stricken. He was now thoroughly convinced of Xue An¡¯s might. Even without the Curse Mark in his soul, he dared not leave Xue An¡¯s side. But now, he was the sole guardian of a precious treasure, and who knew how many people were eyeing it in the shadows! At this thought, Griffin couldn¡¯t help feeling a lack of confidence. Xue An, however, was unmoved and began meditating with closed eyes. Bell Family. The news of Xiao Bell¡¯s death had already been relayed back. The body of Xiao Bell also returned with the group. All members of the Bell Family were present, but they all stood outside the office, waiting, none daring to enter or make a sound. Many were aware that a tremendous storm was about to come! After a while, the door to the office opened. Old Bell, his face pale, stepped out. He had changed into a black suit, a white flower pinned to his chest. ¡°Who is the murderer, and where is he now?¡± Old Bell asked softly. Beneath his calm tone was unimaginable fury and murderous intent. ¡°Respected godfather, the murderer is a man from Huaguo living on the street with bars. As for his current whereabouts, it¡¯s still unclear!¡± one of the Bell Family¡¯s executives stepped forward and said. Old Bell nodded. ¡°Alright, then seize everyone on the street with bars. Kill them one by one until we find out exactly where this person is!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Just as his subordinates were about to set out, someone ran back in panic. ¡°Godfather, something terrible has happened at the mine!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The mine has been restless all night; it seems the Fountain of Youth is about to emerge. We were about to report it when suddenly someone burst in, killing all the guards with a wave of their hand! I was lucky to escape because I happened to be stationed elsewhere.¡± Thinking back to that scene, the person was still trembling. But Old Bell¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Good, he kills my son and now he wants to steal my family¡¯s property. It seems I should show him how serious I can be!¡± ¡°Send out the word, call back all the commanders of the Night!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Commanders of the Night! Hearing this name, all the members of the Bell Family relaxed their expressions. If they were deploying the strongest force of the family, then no matter who the opponent was, they would certainly not survive! But someone was moving faster than the Bell Family. As Xue An stood guard outside for the twentieth minute, a convoy made up of various heavy trucks forcefully made its way in. Many people got off the trucks. These people all had cold faces, burly figures, and were carrying various types of firearms. Then a man with a fierce face approached. Upon seeing this man, Griffin first was taken aback, then clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Carter!¡± Indeed, the newcomer was Carter, Griffin¡¯s once loyal subordinate. Yet when Griffin was forcibly driven out of the City of Sin, Carter was the first to turn his back and betray him. At the thought, Griffin¡¯s teeth would clench with rage. Carter at first didn¡¯t recognize Griffin; it took a moment before he said in surprise, ¡°Are you¡­ Griffin?¡± Griffin chuckled darkly, ¡°Heh, my good loyal dog, have you finally recognized your master?¡± Carter¡¯s expression changed, and he let out a few cold laughs, ¡°Griffin, you¡¯ve got guts. You fled in such a panic back then, nearly losing your life, and now you dare to come back?¡± Griffin declared proudly, ¡°Of course I¡¯ve come back, and I¡¯m going to take back what¡¯s mine!¡± ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡± Carter sneered, then looked greedily at the mine shimmering with faint light. ¡°Such a thing is beyond your worth! Now, it belongs to my master!¡± Speaking, Carter stepped respectfully to the side, and a haughty, blond man approached. ¡°Carter, what¡¯s the holdup? Why the delay?¡± ¡°Master, this strange man from Huaguo and my former boss are blocking the way!¡± Carter replied. The blond man glanced at Xue An, who was sitting with eyes closed and regulating his breath, and sneered contemptuously, ¡°Who is this person who dares to block the path of the Dark Council?¡± Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 285 Blood Clan Curse Killing (First Update) Chapter 285: Chapter 285 Blood Clan Curse Killing (First Update) The man¡¯s accent was rich with British flavor, and his expression immensely arrogant. Thump! At that moment, Griffin, drenched in sweat, knelt on the ground. The man turned his head to glance at Griffin and frowned with disgust, ¡°It¡¯s just a lowly and despicable demon!¡± Griffin¡¯s face turned pale, humiliation evident in his eyes, yet he could do nothing but helplessly lower his head. Because this was suppression at the level of bloodline. He was utterly powerless to resist. The blond man then said indifferently, ¡°Chinese, I give you ten seconds. If you don¡¯t disappear, I¡¯d be quite willing to taste what blood from the East tastes like.¡± As he spoke, the blond man gave a slight smile, revealing two terrifying fangs. Blood Clan! A high-ranking existence among the Dark Races. Possessing an almost immortal lifespan and formidable strength, they had once ruled Europe for thousands of years. Yet faced with such a powerful being, Xue An simply opened his eyes slowly, then frowned slightly. ¡°Scram!¡± Boom! As the word left Xue An¡¯s mouth, an invisible shockwave suddenly spread out. The blond man was blown away as if hit by a cannonball, only stopping when he had overturned a heavy truck. The blond man¡¯s face twisted with rage as he snorted, ¡°Chinese, you dare to attack a noble from the Blood Clan! Today, I will make you my blood slave!¡± No sooner had he spoken, than two huge black wings burst forth from his back, and he floated up into the air, exuding an incredibly powerful aura. ¡°Chinese, this¡­ is the consequence of angering the noble Earl Aldington Lestat!¡± With that, the Blood Clan Earl transformed into a streak of red light, charging at breakneck speed. So fast that he left afterimages in his wake. The most fearsome thing about the Blood Clan was their incredibly swift speed. As he approached, a sinister smile appeared on Lester¡¯s lips. This Chinese was very powerful, but the innate talent of his race left him fearless! But just as his hand was about to touch Xue An, Xue An raised his hand, and snapped his fingers! Bang! Lester was blasted away at an even higher speed, his half body exploding into mist midair. In the blink of an eye, he was nearly killed, despite strength on par with that of a Loose Immortal. Lester stood in the distance midair, his expression one of shock and uncertainty. The half of his body that had been obliterated began to regenerate at an incredibly fast pace, and in the blink of an eye, it was as good as new. The deathless body that the Blood Clan was most proud of! ¡°Very well, you are indeed powerful, worthy of me using my true strength!¡± Lester declared in a deep voice. His aura surged once more! And then he charged again, Boom! A deafening explosion occurred as Lester pierced the air itself. Alldington actually broke through the sound barrier with his sheer physical strength! Then, two more thunderous booms followed! Triple the speed of sound! Such a shocking speed turned Lester into an unstoppable weapon. In an instant. Lester had reached Xue An¡¯s side. ¡°Die!¡± Lester shouted, activating his family¡¯s secret technique, a gigantic blood claw swooping down. Even facing such a terrifying onslaught, Xue An still did not stand up, but simply stretched out a hand and directly grabbed the blood claw. Lester rejoiced. This blood claw was imbued with a curse from the Blood Clan, and upon contact, it would have tainted the victim with various negative curses. However, his joy lasted less than half a second before it froze. Because a pure white flame suddenly surged in Xue An¡¯s hand. Under this flame, the blood claw melted away like ice and snow under the scorching sun, vanishing in the blink of an eye! Lester screamed in extreme terror, ¡°Divine Flame! No¡­¡± Then he turned and ran. And he fled at five times the speed of sound. This Divine Flame held an innate suppression over the Dark Races, filling him with sheer terror. But Xue An simply waved his hand, and a streak of Sword Qi flew past, cutting Lester¡¯s body in half directly. And this time, no matter how Lester struggled in mid-air, he could not heal his body! The Sword Qi began to slowly erode Lester¡¯s body. His aura quickly weakened. This Earl of the Blood Clan, who had lived for several hundred years, felt the breath of death for the first time! ¡°No¡­ I beg you, don¡¯t kill me! I can give you endless wealth, please spare my life!¡± Lester screamed in horror. Yet Xue An was utterly unmoved. By this time, Lester had already fallen, and his entire body began to age rapidly. Knowing he was doomed, he shouted before his death, ¡°By killing a noble Earl of the Blood Clan, my family, and the entire Vampiric Council, will seek revenge on you! You will become the lowest blood slave, enslaved by my Blood Clan for generations!¡± As Lester spoke, a mark emitting a gray light appeared on Xue An¡¯s hand. Seeing this, Lester burst out laughing, ¡°This is my curse! You will never be able to erase it.¡± But Xue An simply looked down at the mark on his arm and then brushed it with his hand; a cluster of gray light then floated above Xue An¡¯s palm. Lester¡¯s eyes nearly popped out. ¡°How¡­ How is this possible? How could you possibly remove a curse from the Blood Clan?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°This is your curse? Too simple!¡± In The Multiverse Realms, there exist Sects that specialize in the art of curse mastery. The most profound of these curses could even Curse Kill a Great Luo Immortal! Even for an Immortal Venerable, facing such curses would cause a headache! Compared to those curses, the Blood Clan¡¯s curse was as rudimentary as a blank sheet of paper. ¡°Today, let you witness what a real curse is!¡± As he spoke, Xue An flicked his fingers and the gray light suddenly turned black, then flew directly in front of Lester and imprinted on his forehead. Lester did not even have time to scream before he turned into ash and disappeared without a trace. Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Europe. Inside an ancient castle in Country Y, members of the Alldington Family who were tasting fresh blood suddenly began to decay. Several weaker Barons disintegrated without even making a sound, their souls destroyed. This scene caused many members of the Blood Clan to cry out in alarm. ¡°It¡¯s a curse! Quick, call the Family Head!¡± And at that moment, an incredibly potent aura arrived at the castle. A Blood Clan with golden wings appeared mid-air. The many Blood Clan members knelt down, ¡°Family Head! Please save us!¡± At this moment, the Alldington Family Head, Dai Weide, had a grim face. He was originally in deep slumber but was suddenly wrapped by a powerful curse and had to expend a hundred years of his lifespan to barely dispel it! Who dares! Who dares to target the Alldington Family with the art of a curse! As he pondered, the Blood Clan members present cried out in agony before they all turned to ash, dead on the spot! Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Kill Him, at All Costs (2nd Update) Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Kill Him, at All Costs (2nd Update) And before the abandoned mine of the City of Sin, Griffin humbly bowed his head at the gruesome death of Lester from the Blood Clan, even wishing to kiss Xue An¡¯s toes at this moment. As a Demon God himself, he knew better than anyone the difficulty in killing a noble of the Blood Clan. You can imprison them, or destroy them physically, but as long as a drop of blood remains, they can be resurrected! However, just now, Lester was thoroughly turned to ash, signifying his permanent disappearance! And this was but a casual feat for Xue An. At that moment, Griffin was utterly submissive. As for Carter and the others, they were all completely dumbfounded. Particularly Carter, who was originally full of confidence, believing that with the power of the Blood Clan, he could even unite the City of Sin and become the dark king of this city. Yet he didn¡¯t expect that the Blood Clan he regarded as invincible would be annihilated by this Chinese man with a single strike. This man was too terrifying! With this thought, Carter was shaking all over, and then quietly began to retreat. But Griffin clearly had no intention of letting him go. ¡°Hehe, my dear Carter, what now? Still thinking about leaving?¡± said Griffin with a cold laugh. Carter stiffened, then forced a smile and said, ¡°Griffin, in the City of Sin, betrayal is a very normal thing, isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve said?¡± ¡°Well said, but that¡¯s only when I betray others, not when others betray me!¡± Then Griffin said to Xue An, ¡°My lord, all these scoundrels are irredeemable. Please annihilate them as well!¡± Hearing Griffin¡¯s words, Carter was scared witless and turned to run. Not just him! The others who came with him also scattered and fled. But just as they had run a few dozen meters away, they saw countless vehicles drive up to the mine entrance. The glaring headlights made it impossible for Carter and the others to open their eyes. As they were panicking, countless men in black got out of the cars. All these men exuded a fierce and bloody aura, clearly elite criminals of the City of Sin. Carter was dumbstruck. ¡°This¡­ These are the Bell Family¡¯s people!¡± And from a vintage car with gold trim in the middle, Old Bell slowly got out. As he appeared, all the men in black stood at attention, silent and heads bowed! This show of force sent shivers down the spines of Carter and the others. After a moment, Carter managed to squeeze out a sycophantic smile, ¡°Godfather! The person you¡¯re looking for is over there!¡± Old Bell¡¯s somewhat pale face showed a hint of a smile, and he nodded at Carter, ¡°Carter, thank you!¡± After speaking, Old Bell walked on. Carter quickly bowed his head. Inside, he was somewhat excited. Old Bell himself has made a move, how can you not die? As Old Bell walked away, Carter was just about to lift his head. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his back. Carter was shocked, wanting to counterattack, but the next second, a sharp dagger pierced his throat. Not only Carter but also his subordinates were killed. In a few breaths, these people had all turned into corpses, unable to even scream before dying. By then, all these men had entered the abandoned mine. Old Bell was leading the way, his subordinates closely following behind him. All of them wore a white flower on their chest. This kind of momentum made Griffin¡¯s complexion turn pale. Yet Xue An remained indifferent, too lazy to even lift an eyelid. Old Bell came to a stop, quietly observing Xue An for a long while before he spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°Chinese, I¡¯m quite surprised that you didn¡¯t leave the City of Sin.¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Leave? Why should I leave just because I killed your son?¡± His words agitated all the men, many of whom glared at Xue An with rage. Old Bell waved his hand, and the group calmed down, while his face grew even paler. ¡°Xiao Bell was a good kid. He had many excellent qualities, and given time, he could have even surpassed me as a dark overlord!¡± ¡°But you killed him with your own hands!¡± A ferocious expression appeared on Old Bell¡¯s face, ¡°So, despite your high cultivation level, I still must kill you, at all costs!¡± With that said, Old Bell took a step back. The men behind him all raised their guns. An endless barrage of bullets came pouring down, dense as a curtain of fire! In the face of gunfire that could destroy a mountain, Xue An simply smiled, then with his palm facing upward, he whispered, ¡°Myriad Swords Return to Origin!¡± As Xue An¡¯s voice fell, countless Sword Qi burst forth from his palm, turning into a white torrent, directly shattering the incoming bullets into dust. The Sword Qi then transformed into a dragon, charging straight towards Old Bell and his men. But just then, several dark shadows suddenly appeared in mid-air and roared in unison, blocking this mighty sword strike. The Sword Qi dissipated. Xue An raised his eyebrows slightly, looking up into the sky. There, shrouded in cloaks were three figures, their facial features unclear. The only visible trait was the pair of eyes beneath the cloaks, exuding a sinister glow. Griffin cried out in shock, ¡°The¡­ the Night Commanders!¡± The Night Commanders! The most mysterious existence of the City of Sin. And the strongest trump card of the Bell Family! Xue An¡¯s gaze turned cold as he turned to Old Bell, ¡°Demon Soul Refinement? Now I¡¯m quite curious, with which Demon God has your Bell Family made a pact?¡± Hearing Xue An¡¯s words, Old Bell¡¯s expression changed, looking at Xue An with some astonishment. ¡°Chinese, your knowledge is indeed vast. Yes, our Bell Family are the loyal followers of the great Demon God Samael!¡± Having said that, Old Bell pointed at Xue An, ¡°Kill him!¡± The three Night Commanders vanished on the spot, then reappeared beside Xue An. Together, the three unleashed a strike. An endless surge of dark energy enveloped Xue An, so powerful that even the remnants turned everything to dust. A smug smile emerged on Old Bell¡¯s face. In his view, Xue An was bound to die! After all, that was a combined attack from the three Night Commanders! As for Griffin, he managed to roll and scramble away from the strike, trembling as he lay prostrate on the ground. The suppressive aura of the Night Commanders¡¯ dark energy made it difficult for him to even twitch a finger. Is the master¡­ dead? Griffin thought in despair. But just then, a slender and elegant hand reached out from within the dark aura and tore the barrier of dark energy apart. ¡°Do you know why I asked which Demon God you¡¯re working with?¡± Xue An walked out of the dark energy and asked calmly. Old Bell was stunned, he could not believe that Xue An had so easily shattered the attack. ¡°Because¡­ even the former rulers of the Demon Realm once bowed at my feet!¡± Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 287: Even the Demon God Must Bow Before Me (3rd Update) Chapter 287: Chapter 287: Even the Demon God Must Bow Before Me (3rd Update) As Xue An¡¯s words fell, pure white flames rose from beneath the feet of the three Night Commanders, swiftly enveloping them entirely. All three let out a simultaneous scream of agony. Then, like candles, they were melted by the flames, disappearing without a trace. This scene left everyone watching utterly dumbfounded. Old Bell exclaimed in shock, ¡°How¡­ how is this possible?¡± Those were three Night Commanders! Yet they were annihilated by Xue An in a single move! The outcome sent a chill straight through him. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°In my presence, nothing is impossible!¡± With that, Xue An took a step forward. Boom! The might of that single step shook heaven and Earth. Old Bell¡¯s underlings were directly shattered to dust by it. Although Old Bell did not die, he was also injured by the tremor. At this moment, his face revealed a look of utter horror, finally understanding just how formidable this man was. Immediately after, his face twisted with ferocity and madness. He then pulled out a pitch-black dagger from his chest and stabbed it into his chest. Not a drop of blood flowed out, as if all the blood had been absorbed by the dagger. Old Bell began to age rapidly. Even so, he let out a furious roar. ¡°I beseech the Demon God to grace us!¡± As his roar echoed, the earth violently cracked open. Then an immensely powerful aura emanated from within. A towering Demon God, over a dozen meters tall, slowly rose from the fissure in the ground. By this time, Old Bell was at death¡¯s door, but he still managed to cry out with a face full of elation, ¡°Lord Samael, I beseech you to slay this man!¡± The Demon God, with a face full of haughty arrogance, let out a strange cackle, ¡°Bell Family, you offer your life as a sacrifice to summon me just to kill a mortal?¡± Old Bell nodded,¡± Lord Samael, this man is exceedingly formidable, I beg you to help me annihilate him!¡± Demon God Samael nodded, ¡°Your family has worshipped me for generations, today I shall assist you this once!¡± He turned to look at Xue An, first in surprise, then licked his lips greedily. ¡°What vigorous vitality! A perfect tonic indeed!¡± Having said this, he arrogantly spoke, ¡°Mortal, kneel now, and I might consider sparing your soul, I want only your body!¡± Even the ground began to tremble slightly under his formidable presence. Yet Xue An simply looked at him dispassionately, and after a while, shook his head, ¡°No wonder your name didn¡¯t ring a bell, turns out¡­ you¡¯re just a mid-level Demon God!¡± Samael¡¯s face instantly contorted with rage, ¡°What did you say?¡± Xue An raised his fist, ¡°I mean¡­ since you¡¯ve come today, don¡¯t even think about leaving!¡± As he spoke, a punch thundered out! Samael had been full of arrogance, not taking it seriously at all. With the toughness of his demonic body, there were few things in this world that could harm him. But as Xue An¡¯s punch landed, Samael¡¯s expression changed dramatically. ¡°Impossible!¡± He had barely uttered the word when Xue An¡¯s fist had already reached him. Boom! Samael was sent flying far away by the punch. By the time he steadied himself, his demonic energy was surging, and his face was extremely pale. ¡°What is your cultivation level? How could you possibly harm me?¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered to answer his question, and with great interest, raised his fist again. ¡°You can take one of my punches? Very well, have another!¡± Boom! Samael was once again sent flying. This time, one of his arms was completely shattered, and his demonic aura began to waiver slightly. And Xue An didn¡¯t give him a chance to breathe, charging up like lightning. Thus, in mid-air, a surprising scene unfolded. A giant Demon God, ten meters in height, was pummeled all over the place by Xue An. Old Bell, who had believed deeply in the invincibility of the Demon God, stared agape, unable to believe his own eyes. Was this the omnipotent Demon God he knew? Why, under the fists of this man, did it seem as if I were a ball, being punched and sent flying all over the place? Finally, Xue An¡¯s form stabilized. Looking at Samael, his body was utterly shattered, his appearance was extremely miserable, and his eyes, full of fear, were fixed on Xue An. ¡°You¡­ who on earth are you? You cannot be a mere mortal; otherwise, you couldn¡¯t have harmed me!¡± Xue An replied with a faint smile, ¡°Who am I? My fists will tell you!¡± As he spoke, Xue An slowly raised his fist. This time, he no longer had the attitude of toying with his opponent. ¡°One punch¡­ Stamp on Sun and Moon!¡± The fifth technique of the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques was finally executed by Xue An once again. Boom. Under Xue An¡¯s fist, it was as though the sun had emerged, an incredibly dazzling light enveloped everything. Samael let out a painful howl and then, as if he remembered something, his body trembled, and he screamed in utter horror, ¡°You¡­ you are¡­ .¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Right! I am!¡± With that, the light exploded with a roar. Samael had thought that even if he were defeated, he would only be sent back to the Demon Realm. But he hadn¡¯t expected it to be this man! If he had known it was him, he would never have dared to come! ¡°Aaaaagh!¡± he roared in unwillingness. Then, the voice abruptly ceased! This unfortunate Demon God was annihilated with a single punch by Xue An. At that moment, Old Bell had somehow not yet died. Instead, he was shivering all over, slumped on the ground. Xue An looked down at him, ¡°Is there anything else you wish to say?¡± ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Old Bell asked with a trembling voice. ¡°Me?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°I am Xue An!¡± After speaking, he flicked his finger, and a burst of Sword Qi blasted Old Bell¡¯s head to pieces! At that time, a severely injured Griffin crawled up from the ground, knelt down, and shouted with utmost fear, ¡°My lord!¡± Xue An¡¯s punch had even injured him, despite being a demon! Xue An nodded, ¡°Stand guard here!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xue An was growing impatient with these people¡¯s repeated provocations, so he transformed into a ray of light and flew back to the City of Sin. Inside the black tower where the Bell Family was located. The family members left to guard the place were leisurely chatting and laughing. In their view, with three commanders of the Night and Old Bell himself taking action! No one could stand against such a lineup. Just then, several top experts left behind sensed a terrifying aura rapidly approaching. Before they could react, Xue An had already landed on the rooftop. ¡°Who are you?¡± These experts flew to the rooftop one after another, asking with a solemn expression. Xue An did not answer them; instead, he surveyed the surroundings and nodded. ¡°This will do!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The experts charged at him in unison. Xue An ignored their assault, his palm held open in mid-air as he said lightly, ¡°I¡¯ll borrow the moonlight of the entire city!¡± Following his words. The moonlight covering heaven and earth suddenly changed and then transformed into boundless and infinite Sword Qi. The experts didn¡¯t even have the chance to let out a wail before they were directly turned into dust by the Sword Qi. And the building beneath their feet was also devoured by the Sword Qi, turning into dust. As for the members of the Bell Family inside, they were utterly annihilated. Then, this Sword Qi shot up into the sky, forming a massive sword curtain that shrouded the entire city! Wen Sinan was healing in her headquarters when suddenly, her face changed drastically, and she rushed out, looking up at the sky filled with Sword Qi, her face full of disbelief. ¡°Is this¡­ is this your true strength?¡± Wen Sinan murmured softly to herself. And at this moment, countless elite fighters within the City of Sin were also staring at the sky in shock and awe. ¡°What is that?¡± Xue An stood in mid-air, his voice placid, ¡°Go!¡± Following his command, the Sword Qi fell like rain. That night! Within the City of Sin, every unforgivable sinner was turned to dust. The name of Xue An, feared in all directions! Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 288: The Might of a Single Sword, Unparalleled in the World! Chapter 288: Chapter 288: The Might of a Single Sword, Unparalleled in the World! M Country Intelligence Agency. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s an urgent, encrypted file from the City of Sin. Would you like to take a look?¡± an agent asked. The head of intelligence, Quixy, was leisurely drinking coffee and chuckled in response, ¡°The City of Sin? What kind of file could come from there? A murder case?¡± Quixy¡¯s words triggered an outburst of laughter among many people. The City of Sin had become a lawless land within M Country; no one cared if someone died there. Quixy took the file, sipped his coffee, and began to read. Pfft! He had only read the beginning when he sprayed out all the coffee in his mouth. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong?¡± someone asked in surprise. Quixy, not bothering to wipe the coffee off himself, muttered, ¡°It¡¯s him! He¡¯s even more formidable than I imagined! No, this must be reported to the agency director immediately!¡± Saying this, he didn¡¯t care about anything else and ran upstairs. Upon reaching the door, he didn¡¯t bother with politeness and barged in. ¡°Esteemed Director, you¡­¡± Quixy was stunned. Because at this moment, in this vast office, stars were shining brightly. And his superior, that elegant old lady, was now looking at the screen with a horrified face. The screen showed the whole City of Sin enveloped in Sword Qi. When the Sword Qi fell like rain, chopping countless villains into tiny pieces, everyone in the office gasped in shock. Once the scene on the screen ended, the woman known as Madam M asked frantically, ¡°General, against this man, do we have any good methods to counter him?¡± The general of the M Country¡¯s army had an extremely grave look, hesitated for a moment, and then shook his head. ¡°His abilities are almost unsolvable! We have no means to deal with him immediately, unless¡­ we resort to tactical nuclear weapons!¡± The general¡¯s words left the room in silence. ¡°Keep a close watch on him. And remember, do not provoke him! At least there¡¯s some good news, our Eastern Immortal does have some boundaries, and those he killed are all unforgivable scoundrels,¡± Madam M said with a bitter smile. Similar scenes were unfolding in various countries. Countless people were calculating what could be done to subdue Xue An. But the results of these calculations invariably showed that without using top-tier weapons, Xue An¡¯s abilities were nearly unsolvable. Many countries¡¯ intelligence personnel upgraded Xue An¡¯s threat level to the highest and then began frantically blocking the news to prevent panic from spreading after the news leaked. As the outside world was thrown into chaos over this incident, Xue An quietly stayed in front of the mine for three days. During these three days, no one dared to step within two kilometers of the abandoned mining area. Because Xue An¡¯s earth-shattering sword had instilled too much fear. It directly reduced the population of the City of Sin by half! The Bell Family, along with their iconic black tower, disappeared as well. In the face of such a world-shocking method, who wouldn¡¯t be terrified? At this moment. Xue An finally opened his eyes, a hint of joy flashing across his face. ¡°It¡¯s matured!¡± The Spiritual Energy of the entire mining area surged again, and the ground and walls were covered in blooming flowers, delicate and dripping. Xue An stood up and entered the mine shaft. Because of the Spiritual Energy, An Yan and her daughters didn¡¯t even need to eat! But in order not to let the two girls and An Yan get bored, Xue An had someone bring all sorts of snacks and toys, including a brand-new laptop. So, during these three days, An Yan led the two girls to leisurely play games and eat snacks within the mine. When Xue An returned inside, he first quietly stood behind An Yan. I must say, the environment in this mine shaft is just perfect for horror games. For instance, right now, An Yan is playing a survival horror game with her eyes closed, muttering to herself. Xue An gently placed his hand on her shoulder. An Yan screamed out loud and jumped up from her seat. When she turned around and saw it was Xue An, she patted her chest, ¡°You scared me to death! Scared me to death!¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°How does it feel?¡± ¡°The game is pretty fun!¡± Xue An was somewhat speechless, ¡°I was asking about your cultivation progress over the past three days.¡± An Yan thought for a moment, furrowing her brows, ¡°How to describe it! Seems like there has been some progress!¡± Suddenly, her brow smoothed out, and she grabbed a frying pan from nearby, ¡°I feel like I could kill a dinosaur with a pan right now!¡± Xue An was amused and dumbfounded by An Yan, so he just nodded, ¡°All right, we should be going now!¡± ¡°Hm? What about this Spiritual Spring?¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll take it with us!¡± ¡°Take it with us? But it¡¯s water, how do we take it?¡± An Yan was somewhat confused. Xue An smiled, ¡°Your husband, of course, has his ways!¡± With that said, Xue An formed hand seals and pointed at the Spiritual Spring. The spring suddenly lifted from the ground and gradually shrank, and by the time it flew into Xue An¡¯s hand, it had transformed into a sparkling, translucent gemstone. However, this gemstone was still radiating Spiritual Energy, making people feel refreshed and delighted when near it. An Yan already wore a necklace with a Sea Demon Blood Bead, and Xue An set the gem into it. Then he clapped his hands in satisfaction, ¡°Done, now you¡¯ll have the Spiritual Spring with you wherever you go!¡± An Yan didn¡¯t quite understand but nodded anyway. What she didn¡¯t know was that even disciples from the Immortal Gate in The Multiverse didn¡¯t have such treatment. The Spiritual Spring became a bead, carried with her wherever she went! Only a sect with lavish resources could afford to do such a thing! And only someone like Xue An, who doted on his wife, would be willing! ¡°Husband, are we going straight home?¡± An Yan asked. ¡°No rush, we¡¯ve got nothing pressing, let¡¯s first check out the tavern. I¡¯ve missed old Stone¡¯s mixology!¡± Xue An said with a light chuckle. City of Sin. Old Stone was busily enjoying himself in the tavern. Although the population of the City of Sin had halved, business had gotten even better. Because those who died were the most wicked and vile dregs of society. Now the public order in the City of Sin had improved dramatically. There were no longer any brawls breaking out in the tavern. All of this gratitude was due to that man! Thinking of this, Old Stone couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit touched. Who would have thought that the man who seemed so ordinary at first glance would be so formidable? Old Stone had listened to martial artists speak with admiration, saying that the power of his swordsmanship was unrivaled! And with that, Old Stone¡¯s tavern became even more prosperous. Because many people knew that when Xue An came to the City of Sin, he had actually stayed in this tavern, so they all rushed over. When Xue An walked into the tavern. Old Stone was engrossed in polishing glasses, heard the door, and without lifting his head, said, ¡°We¡¯re not open yet, come back later.¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Just a drink will do, I¡¯ll leave once I¡¯m done!¡± When Old Stone heard this voice, he stiffened, then slowly raised his head to look at Xue An, and after a long while, said with reverence. ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 289: The Kunlun Scoundrel Enters Beijiang (Fifth Update) Chapter 289: Chapter 289: The Kunlun Scoundrel Enters Beijiang (Fifth Update) The beverages were quickly prepared. Old Stone also thoughtfully mixed three glasses of fruit juice for An Yan and her mother and daughter. Xue An held his glass and sipped slowly. Old Stone hid away at a distance, watching with a reverent gaze, and didn¡¯t dare come closer. ¡°How is Griffin doing now?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. After that day, Griffin had returned to the City of Sin. Old Stone hurriedly said, ¡°Pretty good, I heard he¡¯s planning to set up a few legitimate businesses and stop doing bad things!¡± Xue An smiled. Could a demon also change their nature? At that moment, the door to the bar was pushed open; Wen Sinan walked in. ¡°Old Stone¡­,¡± Then, his eyes widened as he saw Xue An. Xue An lifted his cup with a smile, ¡°What a coincidence!¡± Wen Sinan took a deep breath, first nodded with a smile to An Yan, and then walked over. ¡°Give me a ¡®Twilight Romance¡¯!¡± The drink was quickly served. But she didn¡¯t drink it, just looked at it quietly. After a long time, she finally said softly, ¡°Are you preparing to leave?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Of course, I have to go!¡± Wen Sinan raised her glass, ¡°I wish you a bon voyage!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Then what should I wish for you? A booming business?¡± Wen Sinan felt a bit embarrassed and after a while said, ¡°Actually, many of the girls who were forced to come here have already quit. Those who remain have no other way out.¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°No need to explain. I am not a saint. Where there is light, there will be darkness; it¡¯s very normal! I killed those guys not because of the heinous crimes they committed, but just because¡­ they annoyed me!¡± This explanation made Wen Sinan smile wryly. Destroying half a city with one sword, just because he was annoyed? And while Xue An was drinking in the City of Sin. In Huaxia, Beijiang, Tang Xuan¡¯er was leading Xiao Sha, preparing to go home. Now Tang Xuan¡¯er had gotten used to this lifestyle. Taking Xiao Sha to work, then buying some vegetables on the way home after work ¨C this was a simple day. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, heading back?¡± someone greeted with a smile. Tang Xuan¡¯er nodded with a smile. Now, Tang Xuan¡¯er was well-known in the hospital. Not only because of her beauty but more importantly, because of her background. Colleagues at the hospital had seen more than once Miss Qin Yu of the Qin family, personally driving over to pick up Tang Xuan¡¯er for an outing. Miss Qin Yu of the Qin family! What a status! To put it bluntly, even the hospital director didn¡¯t have the qualification to meet her. So many people even started to cozy up to Tang Xuan¡¯er. As for these, Tang Xuan¡¯er just laughed them off. As soon as they were out of the hospital doors, Xiao Sha unerringly headed east. ¡°Hey, going there again! Can¡¯t we take a break for one day? I feel embarrassed, you know!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er said helplessly, following behind Xiao Sha. But Xiao Sha was unmoved, plowing straight ahead. Soon, they arrived in front of a deli. The young apprentice was distracted with his work, but as soon as he saw Tang Xuan¡¯er, he lit up as if electrified and immediately perked up. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re here!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er nodded. ¡°The usual?¡± ¡°Add¡­ add another ten pounds,¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er uttered, feeling her face turn slightly red as she spoke. ¡°Sure, please wait a moment!¡± The young apprentice efficiently started to chop up the cooked food. Soon, a large bag of cooked food weighing around forty to fifty pounds was ready. The apprentice asked, ¡°Sister, can you carry it? How about I deliver it for you?¡± ¡°No need! Thank you!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er took the cooked food, turned around, and left. The apprentice watched Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s retreating figure, inevitably becoming somewhat fascinated. At that moment, someone knocked on his head. The apprentice shuddered, ¡°Boss!¡± The owner of the deli said somewhat helplessly, ¡°Still looking? If you keep it up, even your eyeballs will fly out!¡± The apprentice hung his head, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m just looking!¡± The owner sighed, ¡°Let me tell you, this girl obviously isn¡¯t from an ordinary background. Don¡¯t harbor any other thoughts, understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the apprentice replied, head bowed. But immediately after, he saw from the corner of his eye several men suddenly stepping forward across the street. This was normally nothing out of the ordinary. But it seemed these men had just followed that sister here. Could they be stalking her? The apprentice¡¯s hair stood on end. No good! The sister is in danger, I must save her! With that thought, the apprentice dashed out without even taking off his work clothes, leaving his boss¡¯s scolding behind. Meanwhile, the few men were quietly discussing. ¡°This girl is really pretty, rarely seen in Kunlun like this!¡± said one with a fierce face. ¡°Yeah, and the key is her pure aura, she¡¯s definitely untainted!¡± added another with a greedy expression. ¡°But how could a mere mortal offend Fairy Thousand Snow of the Thousand Snow Sect of Kunlun?¡± ¡°Who knows, just take her back and there¡¯s a bounty!¡± Indeed, these men were from the Immortal Realm of Kunlun. They were specially dispatched by Fairy Thousand Snow. Their cultivation level was just enough to enter the mortal world without restriction, making them perfect for such tasks. However, Tang Xuan¡¯er was completely oblivious to this. Soon, she entered a desolate demolition area. Previously, Tang Xuan¡¯er wouldn¡¯t dare to walk here. But now, with Xiao Sha by her side, it didn¡¯t matter where she went. The few men following her exchanged glances, their faces showing glee. ¡°Let¡¯s do it here! There¡¯s no one around, we¡¯ll grab her and head straight back to Kunlun!¡± ¡°Alright! Make your move!¡± Just as the few men were about to rush forward¡­ The apprentice, panting heavily, charged in and saw the ferocious look on the men¡¯s faces, which scared him into shouting loudly. ¡°Miss, run!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er was startled, turned around, and saw the men looking at her with malicious intent. ¡°Who¡¯s this brat? Scram!¡± With that, one of the men waved his hand casually. The apprentice was sent flying, crashing into a muddy field, struggling to get up. Seeing this scene, Tang Xuan¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked. They were martial cultivators! ¡°Hehe, girl, just cooperate with us, and we won¡¯t hurt you,¡± a man sneered. A formidable presence enveloped Tang Xuan¡¯er. Tang Xuan¡¯er turned pale, her body trembling slightly. At this moment, Xiao Sha snorted coldly and stood in front of Tang Xuan¡¯er. Now, Tang Xuan¡¯er was its provider of food and clothing; without her, it might still be catching fish in the lake every day, unable to enjoy such delicious roasted chicken. So, for those who dared to harm Tang Xuan¡¯er, it didn¡¯t mind teaching them what it meant to be fearful! The men also paused in surprise. How did a dog suddenly appear? And looking at their eyes, it seemed¡­ full of disdain! Were they being scorned by a dog? Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Pure Yin Spirit Body (First Update) Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Pure Yin Spirit Body (First Update) ¡°Damn it, just a lousy little dog, make it quick, go!¡± someone shouted. The group snapped to their senses and charged together. Xiao Sha coldly watched the gang, a sneer of disdain appearing at the corner of his mouth. Only when they got close did he slowly raise his paw. Boom! The one in the lead was sent flying by a single swipe of Xiao Sha¡¯s paw. ¡°It¡¯s a demon beast! Quick, use the talisman spells!¡± These people all took out a talisman stone and threw it at Xiao Sha. Xiao Sha still didn¡¯t dodge. A hint of smugness appeared on the faces of these men. This was the Demon Subduing Talisman from the celestial masters of Kunlun Immortal Realm, known for its effectiveness against demon beasts. If it wasn¡¯t even dodging, it showed the demon beast¡¯s intelligence wasn¡¯t very high! But just as these talisman stones were about to reach Xiao Sha, he suddenly opened his mouth and caught the stones between his teeth. They were all stunned. Xiao Sha crunched noisily, actually biting the talisman stones to pieces. Then he tilted his head back and roared. The sound of a dragon¡¯s chant shook the immediate surroundings. Xiao Sha¡¯s entire body began to swell rapidly, revealing his true form. A Jiaolong appeared before everyone, its immense dragon head coldly gazing at the men. ¡°Shit, it¡¯s actually a Jiaolong!¡± The men yelled in surprise. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that there are no dragons left in this world?¡± someone shouted in despair. Xiao Sha paid no attention to their cries, simply opening his mouth and a black fog enshrouded the men. They didn¡¯t even have time to struggle before they were turned into blood water by the black fog and disappeared without a trace. After easily disposing of the men, Xiao Sha surveyed his surroundings, his huge dragon eyes filled with coldness. The little apprentice lying in the mud was shaking all over from fear after witnessing this scene. His boss¡¯s words suddenly echoed in his mind. This girl¡¯s background is definitely not ordinary. And now, it seemed to be true. This was beyond extraordinary! She had practically become a celestial being! Upon seeing no more enemies around, Xiao Sha, satisfied, shrank down and transformed back into his Shar Pei form, then affectionately rubbed against Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s leg. Tang Xuan¡¯er regained her composure, squatted down, and with a somewhat amused expression, stroked his head. ¡°Alright, you really are amazing, I¡¯ll buy you more cooked food tomorrow as a reward!¡± Xiao Sha joyfully nodded his head repeatedly. Tang Xuan¡¯er picked up the cooked food from the ground, glanced at the little apprentice in the mud, hesitated slightly, and said softly, ¡°Thank you! But please don¡¯t talk about what you¡¯ve just seen!¡± The little apprentice nodded with difficulty, thinking bitterly to himself, even if I wanted to talk about it, who would believe me? Hey, I just saw a dog turn into a dragon, then spew out a cloud of black smoke, turning several people into blood water! If I dared to say such a thing, I¡¯d probably be considered insane! Tang Xuan¡¯er left a hundred yuan, ¡°You should go wash your clothes.¡± After saying that, she turned and left. The little apprentice watched Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s retreating figure, shuddering suddenly. No good, it seems I can¡¯t stay in this city, it¡¯s too dangerous! Even a dog walking down the road could be a transformed dragon! Who the hell could handle that! With that thought, the apprentice scrambled out of the mud pit, and ran off in a panic. A moment later, a figure slowly emerged. A man in white appeared above the clearing, his expression playful as he said, ¡°Interesting, to be protected by a Jiaolong. But this is good; a Jiaolong can fetch a nice price in Kunlun!¡± Having said that, his figure disappeared from the spot once again. Meanwhile, in the Number One Tian Villa. Xiao Sha was wolfing down his cooked food. Tang Xuan¡¯er sat on the sofa, still somewhat shaken. Who were those people just now? They seemed to be cultivators, but why would they come looking for me? Could it be because of Xue An? Tang Xuan¡¯er was lost in her thoughts. Xie Jingjing walked in with her backpack, ¡°Xuan¡¯er sister!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er smiled, ¡°Finished with school?¡± ¡°Yep!¡± Xie Jingjing said as she set down her bag and took out a test paper to show Tang Xuan¡¯er. ¡°Xuan¡¯er sister, look! I¡¯ve improved again!¡± Xie Jingjing said proudly. In this period, she had been diligently preparing for the college entrance exams, but due to the backlog of lessons, she didn¡¯t know where to start. Once Tang Xuan¡¯er found out, she took the initiative to help her catch up with the lessons. It was well known that Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s grades were always at the top of her class, so tutoring Xie Jingjing was well within her capabilities! ¡°Hmm, not bad, but there are still some issues with these questions!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er began to explain in detail to Xie Jingjing. She quickly forgot about the frightening encounter from before. But at the foot of the mountain below Number One Tian Villa, the white-robed man appeared once again. He looked up at the not-too-tall hill with its exceptionally favorable Feng Shui and seemed surprised. ¡°The spiritual energy here is even comparable to that of Kunlun; clearly, someone with great skill arranged this place!¡± While contemplating, the man in white began to climb the hill. Soon, he reached the summit where the spiritual energy was so dense it had turned into mist. Greedy, the white-robed man took a deep breath, ¡°Such a rare haven of fortune!¡± At that moment, Xiao Sha, who had been gnawing on the cooked food inside, suddenly raised his head and dashed out at an incredible speed, even smashing through a door. ¡°Xiao Sha, where are you going?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er cried out in alarm, hastily following after him. Xie Jingjing didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but she still grabbed a kitchen knife as she hurried out after them. Once outside, they saw Xiao Sha eyeing the white-robed man across from him with a wary gaze. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face changed slightly, ¡°Who exactly are you? Why are you following me?¡± The man in white licked his lips, ¡°Who I am, you¡¯ll find out soon enough! Oh!¡± On seeing Xie Jingjing, the white-robed man exclaimed in surprise, ¡°A Pure Yin Spirit Body, I¡¯ve really hit the jackpot today!¡± A mere mortal was on Fairy Thousand Snow¡¯s reward list, then there was the Jiaolong, and now a girl with a Pure Yin Spirit Body. This made the white-robed man¡¯s heart blossom with joy. The rewards from this venture would earn him a handsome amount of Spirit Stones! ¡°What nonsense. Kid, I know you¡¯re up to no good, but this is Yunmeng Villa, the Qin Family¡¯s property. If you¡¯re smart, get lost!¡± Xie Jingjing said sternly. This girl was now even calmer than Tang Xuan¡¯er. The man in white grinned ferociously, ¡°You little brat, quite sharp-tongued indeed. But today, I¡¯ll let you see what a true master can do!¡± Just then, Xiao Sha suddenly charged forward. It could tell that this man was more formidable than those from before and emitted an aura that even scared it, as if he had some treasure that was specifically designed to subdue members of the Demon Race. So it was ready to take the initiative. ¡°Bring it on!¡± The man in white laughed as he raised his hand. Boom! A net of ropes suddenly ensnared Xiao Sha securely. Xiao Sha struggled with all his might, and the white-robed man sneered, ¡°It¡¯s futile. This is the Dragon Trapping Rope, specially crafted to bind demon beasts!¡± As expected, the more Xiao Sha struggled, the tighter the net became! Soon, it couldn¡¯t move at all! Only then did the man in white lift his head to look at the two girls with shocked faces, smiling faintly, ¡°Should I take action, or will you two come along quietly?¡± Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Murderous Intent Rising! (2nd Update) Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Murderous Intent Rising! (2nd Update) Tang Xuan¡¯er and Xie Jingjing¡¯s complexions both turned pale. This man in white was actually so terrifying. Even Xiao Sha had been trapped by him! But just at that moment, an indifferent voice came from the mountain path. ¡°So, do you plan on forcing me to kill you? Or will you end your own life?¡± Hearing this voice, Tang Xuan¡¯er and Xie Jingjing shook visibly, disbelievingly turning their gazes towards the direction of the mountain path. They saw Xue An slowly walking from the path, first offering the two a slight smile, ¡°Long time no see!¡± He then lowered his head to look at Xiao Sha, wrapped tight in the Dragon Trapping Rope, his eyes growing colder. ¡°People of Kunlun, what impressive bravado!¡± At that moment, the man in white¡¯s complexion also darkened. He couldn¡¯t see through Xue An¡¯s strength, but he could guess that this person must be the very same Xue An that both the Thousand Snow Sect and the Overlord Sect wanted dead more than anything else. ¡°You¡¯re Xue An?¡± the man in white said with a deep voice. Xue An nodded, then sighed slightly, ¡°While my wife and children haven¡¯t yet come up the mountain, you should end your own life! I can spare a wisp of your soul!¡± The man in white sneered viciously upon hearing this, ¡°Xue An, your cultivation level may be formidable, but you have no idea¡­ how powerful Kunlun is!¡± With those words, the man in white threw two black stones directly at Xue An. Xue An didn¡¯t move, not even bothering to lift his eyelids. The man in white rejoiced inwardly, for these stones were treasures he had purchased at great cost from Thunder God Island, known as Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Stones. They were deadly weapons that even a Loose Immortal couldn¡¯t withstand a single blow from! This Xue An wasn¡¯t even dodging, so his death was certain! Just then, as the stones neared Xue An, they suddenly expanded and exploded. Boom! Two bolts of divine thunder, each dozens of yards long and as thick as water buckets, descended from the sky, heading straight for Xue An. The thunder light was blinding, making it impossible to keep one¡¯s eyes open. The power of this natural force made Tang Xuan¡¯er and Xie Jingjing scream out loud. The man in white, however, let out a series of cold snickers. As long as he killed him, he would be able to receive a massive reward from both the Thousand Snow Sect and the Overlord Sect once he returned. But his joy didn¡¯t last long. Once the thunder light had faded, the scene before the man in white almost made his eyeballs pop out of their sockets. Xue An was seen holding his left hand in a loose grip, with two strands of divine thunder, as thin as chopsticks, coiling and intertwining in his palm like silver snakes. The man in white could distinctly sense that these two strands of thunder were the very same divine thunder he had summoned. ¡°How¡­ how is this possible?¡± the man in white was utterly horrified. He had never heard of anyone who could subdue divine thunder! Xue An looked up and smiled, ¡°This is what you gave me, now I¡¯m returning it to you!¡± As soon as he said this, Xue An suddenly clenched his palm. Boom! The two strands of divine thunder were crushed to bits by Xue An¡¯s sheer force, and a terrifying power exploded from the palm of his hand. It was as if a sun had appeared in Xue An¡¯s hand, a blindingly bright light flashing through. Tang Xuan¡¯er and Xie Jingjing were dazzled and closed their eyes. After a moment, everything returned to calm. At this time, the man in white stood petrified in place, his face frozen in an expression of terror. Xue An paid him no heed and stepped forward to tear off the Dragon Trapping Rope, setting Xiao Sha free. Xiao Sha was extremely angry at that moment. After all, it was no less than a dragon! And yet, it had almost been successfully ambushed by this man. Therefore, the first thing it did once released was to charge at the man in white, determined to settle the score. But as it got close, it lunged at empty air. This sudden move by Xiao Sha startled the man in white into ash, dispersing with the wind. That divine thunder had actually annihilated the man in white completely. It was at this time that An Yan and Xue Xiang Xue Nian finally reached the mountaintop. ¡°Daddy, daddy, why was there thunder on the mountain just now?¡± both daughters asked in unison. Xue An smiled, ¡°Who knows, maybe it¡¯s going to rain!¡± At this moment, Tang Xuan¡¯er and Xie Jingjing both approached. ¡°Yan¡¯er, when did you guys return to Beijiang?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er asked. An Yan smiled, ¡°We just arrived too!¡± After returning from the City of Sin, Xue An didn¡¯t go back to Zhongdu, but directly came to Beijiang. It was precisely because of this that Xue An happened to encounter this incident. Otherwise, the two girls and Xiao Sha would likely have been abducted by the people of Kunlun! With this thought, Xue An¡¯s intent to kill began to rise. Last time, those two Kunlun disciples coveted the Heavenly Connection, and I haven¡¯t yet settled the account with them. Now they even dare to target the people close to me. It seems that a trip to Kunlun is in order! Xue An thought to himself. Old friends reunited, naturally full of joy. Especially the two little girls, who were extremely affectionate upon seeing Tang Xuan¡¯er. And Tang Xuan¡¯er missed these two girls very much as well. The girls chattered away as they entered the villa. After a moment of silence, Xie Jingjing lowered her head and said, ¡°Mr. Xue, I¡¯ll be going now!¡± Hearing this address, Xue An was slightly taken aback, then somewhat helplessly rubbed her little head. ¡°From now on, call me brother, got it?¡± Xie Jingjing froze, and after a long while, she softly responded, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Go inside. In a bit, I¡¯ll call Uncle Xie and the others over as well, and we¡¯ll have a good time together!¡± Xue An said indifferently. At this moment. Qin Yu was in the company, dealing with business. Nowadays, the Qin Group was completely under her management. Her grandfather, Qin Yuan, had retired behind the scenes and didn¡¯t interfere much anymore. And at this time, the Qin Group had grown into a behemoth that commanded respect. Whether in Beijiang or in the provincial city! In many industries, the presence of the Qin Group could be found. This also granted Qin Yu the title of a business queen. ¡°Chairwoman, there¡¯s a very important meeting later, and everyone is already waiting for you in the conference room!¡± the secretary said respectfully. Qin Yu nodded, ¡°Alright, you arrange it!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The secretary was about to leave. The phone rang, and Qin Yu took it out, suddenly stood up, and respectfully answered. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re back! Great! We¡¯ll all come over tonight!¡± The secretary was somewhat stunned; she had never seen the usually stoic CEO so moved before. After hanging up, Qin Yu said calmly, ¡°Notify them, the meeting is canceled!¡± ¡°But¡­,¡± ¡°There are no ¡®buts.¡¯ If anyone doesn¡¯t listen, tell them it¡¯s my decision!¡± Qin Yu said flatly. At the Northern Town Martial Arts School. Tan Xiaoyu walked back and forth with her hands behind her back, her face solemn. The ones practicing martial arts were youths carefully selected. These young people would become the new strength of the Northern Town Martial Arts School. The youths secretly watched Tan Xiaoyu, their eyes filled with awe and admiration. To these students, their teacher was both loved and feared. Loved, because Tan Xiaoyu was a true beauty. Feared, due to her rigorous and unmerciful training methods. Just then, Tan Xiaoyu¡¯s phone rang. She glanced at it and froze. After a long time, she said sternly, ¡°Study on your own for tonight¡¯s training!¡± After finishing, she hurriedly left. She left behind a group of youths, full of confusion. How did their beautiful teacher suddenly become so excited? Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Entering Kunlun (Third Update) Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Entering Kunlun (Third Update) ¡°Ah! What¡¯s going on today? Why are there so many luxury cars coming and going?¡± A security guard at Yunmeng Villa asked in astonishment. ¡°There must be some important figures arriving! Brace yourself! Don¡¯t make any mistakes!¡± the security captain said in a stern voice. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Just then, a low-key black Audi slowly approached. Compared to the top-of-the-line luxury cars that had just entered and exited, this Audi clearly wasn¡¯t in the same league. So even the security guards became somewhat negligent, opening the estate gate leisurely. Just at that moment, the car window lowered a crack. Inside was a middle-aged man exuding an aura of unprovoked authority. Upon seeing this man, the security captain was struck with awe. He hurried over with a brisk trot and began to nod and bow, saying something. The car window slowly rose again. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, the security captain turned and bellowed, ¡°Hurry! Open the gate quickly!¡± The gates swung wide open. The vehicle entered. At this moment, a security guard came up and asked in amazement, ¡°Captain, who was that person? You seemed very tense.¡± Still recovering, the security captain took a deep breath and slowly said, ¡°Who? Heh, that¡¯s a true big shot!¡± ¡°Could it be the general manager of our security company?¡± ¡°Him? Heh, he¡¯s not even worthy to carry that man¡¯s shoes!¡± said the security captain with disdain. The security guard also shuddered and said in horror, ¡°You mean¡­.¡± The captain nodded solemnly, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s old Master Qin himself!¡± Hiss! The group of security guards inhaled sharply! ¡°How is that possible! Hasn¡¯t he already retired behind the scenes? Why would he show up this time?¡± ¡°Heh, isn¡¯t it obvious? He¡¯s here for the banquet! It seems, the influence of today¡¯s honoree can truly reach the heavens!¡± The security captain was marveling. A fiery red Porsche roared up to the gate. Seeing its license plate, the security captain¡¯s complexion turned ghostly pale, ¡°Quick! Open the gate!¡± After the Porsche drove in, he was silent for a while, then said, ¡°Remember, no matter who comes later, treat them with the utmost respect, otherwise if something goes wrong today, not even immortals can save you!¡± ¡°Captain¡­ was the person from earlier possibly Miss Qin?¡± The captain nodded. The security guards quickly pulled themselves together. They had no usual contact with these important figures who were all showing up today, which made them extremely excited. However, after their excited anticipation had lasted a while, a beat-up van drove over. This van was so decrepit it could have been taken straight to the scrapyard. A few of the security guards frowned and stepped forward, scolding, ¡°Hurry up and move aside, you can¡¯t come in to collect scrap today!¡± They mistook the van for a scrapper¡¯s vehicle! Lao Xie rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Open the gate quickly, I¡¯m here to attend the banquet today!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The security guards were dumbfounded. He¡¯s here for a banquet? That¡¯s a huge gap, isn¡¯t it! Yet they didn¡¯t dare to stop him, so they let him pass. Lao Xie was quite pleased with himself as he led Auntie Pang directly to Number One Tian Villa. As the evening lights came on, Number One Tian Villa was also brightly lit. If any outsider were here, they would probably exclaim in surprise. Because all the big shots from various circles were present. Yet these powerful figures, who could call the wind and summon the rain outside, now all wore faces of reverence. They were in awe of the man seated at the head of the table. Xue An hadn¡¯t expected so many people to come today. He had simply invited a few individuals. But he hadn¡¯t expected that the news of his return would spread like wildfire. Many people came uninvited to join in the fun. Xue An only smiled at this. ¡°Sir, how long do you plan to stay in Beijiang this time?¡± Qin Yuan asked respectfully. Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°Not many days, I have some matters I plan to attend to!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Many people showed a hint of disappointment. Those who came here were all hoping to get closer to Xue An. Because they all knew very well. The reason why the Qin Family was flourishing was entirely due to this man. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I wish Mr. success in everything!¡± Qin Yuan said, raising his glass. Xue An gave a faint smile, also raised his glass, and then toasted to everyone below. ¡°Since everyone is here to support us today, let me toast to all of you!¡± Boom! All the people in the room stood up from their seats, ¡°Thank you, Mr.!¡± Witnessing this scene. Qin Yuan couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit sentimental in his heart. Who could have imagined that the man from back then had step by step become a being that everyone looked up to? Old Xie and Auntie Pang had the same thoughts. They looked at each other and saw both relief and shock in each other¡¯s eyes. The little An from their memories had become a great person revered by countless people! That night. The Number One Tian Villa bustled with clinking glasses, and people made merry with wine, only dispersing late into the night. After that, Xue An stayed in Beijiang for three more days. Then he set off alone for Kunlun. An Yan was always somewhat worried about this. After all, that was a place claimed to be the Immortal Realm! Who knew what could be found inside. It was really too dangerous for Xue An to go alone! Xue An only laughed at this and then whispered in An Yan¡¯s ear, ¡°When I return, I will hold an unparalleled wedding for you!¡± An Yan¡¯s face flushed red instantly, and she hummed lowly, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you!¡± Those three words contained endless affection! Xue An rubbed An Yan¡¯s little head and then said to Xue Xiang, ¡°Daddy won¡¯t be here for a few days, so you two need to be good, okay?¡± ¡°Mhm, mhm! Daddy, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take good care of Mommy!¡± Xue Xiang said. The plane slowly descended into the large city nearest Kunlun, and then Xue An found a secluded corner and shot up into the sky. Kunlun, known as the Dragon Vein of Huaxia, had a continuous range of mountains concealing countless secrets. Xue An flew through the air, his Divine Sense scanning for anything unusual around him. Even with his speed, it would take half a day to get out of Kunlun. However, he soon detected an unusual fluctuation. A smile appeared at the corner of Xue An¡¯s mouth. This was the place! After landing on the ground, Xue An found himself in a valley surrounded by mountains, very hidden. Xue An narrowed his eyes slightly and suddenly threw a punch. Boom! The space violently fluctuated, and then a black rift appeared. Xue An leaped into it and disappeared among the mountains. This time was different from the last time he went to the War Wolf Secret Realm. The transit actually took over a minute and more. And fierce gales kept blowing incessantly. If it weren¡¯t for Xue An¡¯s deep cultivation level, even these fierce winds would be hard to endure. Finally. A light appeared ahead, and Xue An sped up, rushing toward it and bursting through. His whole being then disappeared behind the light screen. This was a small mountain in the Kunlun Immortal Realm. Suddenly. An unusual disturbance appeared in the sky, and then a person was violently expelled. After Xue An appeared in mid-air, he kept falling uncontrollably. This transit of over a minute had drained much of his strength. However, Xue An took a deep breath and found that the spiritual energy here was a hundred times more concentrated than on Earth. So after Xue An landed, he recovered his strength within a few breaths. Then he searched the surroundings with his Divine Sense, but didn¡¯t detect anything unusual. But soon he discovered that there were people fighting in the distance! Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Immortal Master (Fourth Update) Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Immortal Master (Fourth Update) Bian Hua was covered in wounds at this moment, but still struggled desperately to hold on. Behind him stood a young girl with an immature face. ¡°Bian Hua, hand over the Spiritual Medicine, and we will let you go! Otherwise¡­ today both you and your sister must die!¡± a man in green clothes said coldly. Grinding his teeth, Bian Hua snorted angrily, ¡°Can the people of Xuanyuan Sect act so oppressively? I spent a year painstakingly gathering this Spiritual Medicine. You say you want it, and it¡¯s just yours?¡± ¡°Hehe, whether our acts are oppressive or not is not for you to decide. Everything depends on strength! It¡¯s only because Qingmu Town is too weak!¡± With that, the men in green surrounding them accelerated their pace. At this moment, Bian Hua, who was hardly holding on, found himself in even greater danger. Seeing her brother about to die under the sword, the young girl started crying. Xue An had already arrived nearby, having witnessed the scene, he slightly frowned and then stepped out. His appearance startled the people from Xuanyuan Sect! But once they saw it was only Xue An alone, they all breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Kid, if you know what¡¯s good for you, get lost quickly!¡± the man in green shouted sternly. Bian Hua, seeing someone had come to help, felt a surge of joy in his heart. But when he noticed that Xue An¡¯s presence was quite ordinary, his heart sank again. Yet, just as he was sinking back into despair, Xue An slightly raised his eyebrows, too lazy to talk nonsense with this man, he simply flicked his finger. A strand of Sword Qi shot across the neck of the man in green. Pfft! The head of the man in green soared into the air as his body collapsed to the ground. This move shocked everyone present. Especially the people from Xuanyuan Sect, who were as stunned as if they had seen a ghost. ¡°Who are you? To kill a disciple of Xuanyuan Sect, are you not afraid we¡­¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Noisy!¡± With that, he took a step forward. Sword Qi erupted, instantly turning the remaining assailants into mincemeat. Then Xue An turned to look at Bian Hua, who was still in a daze, and turned to leave. He had intervened only because Bian Hua¡¯s determination to protect his sister in the face of death had made Xue An somewhat moved. Now, with the people saved, he turned to leave, preparing to first go and settle accounts with Thousand Snow Sect. As he walked away, Bian Hua finally came to his senses and hastily called out, ¡°Immortal Master, please wait!¡± Xue An stopped in his tracks, ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°Immortal Master! With your skills just now, not even several Great Elders of Xuanyuan Sect could compare. You surely deserve the title of Immortal Master!¡± Bian Hua said with utmost respect. Xue An gave a faint smile, not minding the title, but asked, ¡°Why did you call out to me?¡± Bian Hua hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Immortal Master saved our lives, my sister and I naturally wish to repay you. May I ask if the Immortal Master would be willing to come to our town?¡± Having said that, Bian Hua looked at Xue An somewhat nervously. As he had said, Xue An¡¯s abilities were certainly worthy of being called Immortal Master! In Qingmu Town, apart from the Town Master¡¯s sister, no one else could match him! That was why he was sincerely inviting Xue An to visit. Xue An pondered for a moment. He was unsure of the vastness of the Immortal Realm of Kunlun, so he thought it might be worthwhile to follow and have a look, and meanwhile gather information about Thousand Snow Sect and Overlord Sect. Therefore, Xue An nodded. ¡°Alright!¡± Bian Hua could hardly believe his ears, then excitedly said, ¡°In that case, Immortal Master, please follow me!¡± As he spoke, Bian Hua led the way. The little girl kept looking at Xue An with curiosity, and after a while, she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Immortal Master, where do you come from? Jizhou City?¡± Xue An looked at the little girl, who was only eleven or twelve years old, and his mood improved a lot. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Oh! Then where are you from? And, what is your name?¡± At this moment, Bian Hua sneakily nudged his sister, then said apologetically, ¡°Immortal Master, this is my sister Bian Tian. She always likes to ask questions, we all call her ¡®Question Baby¡¯. Please don¡¯t take it personally!¡± Xue An had not spoken yet when Bian Tian already showed her displeasure. ¡°Brother, Sister Qingmu said you can¡¯t call someone by that nickname anymore! Otherwise, when we get back, I¡¯ll tattle on you to her!¡± Bian Tian was very unhappy. Bian Hua smiled awkwardly, but the movement pulled at the wound on his face, causing him to wince and gasp in pain. Seeing this, tears of concern began to well up in Bian Tian¡¯s eyes, ¡°Brother, does it hurt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯ll be better in a moment!¡± Xue An, observing this scene, took out a simplified version of the Primordial Essence Elixir from his bosom. ¡°Eat this! It will help your wound,¡± he said. After receiving the pill, Bian Hua hesitated for a moment, but still tilted his head and swallowed it. Some time passed. The wounds on Bian Hua¡¯s body began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye. The miraculous sight left Bian Hua somewhat stupefied! ¡°Spirit¡­ Spirit Pill?¡± Then, looking at Xue An with immense care, Bian Hua said, ¡°Immortal Master, you actually used a Spirit Pill to heal me?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°What? Is it that strange?¡± Bian Hua stopped talking, but his gaze towards Xue An was filled with much more reverence. With profound cultivation, he dispensed a Spirit Pill casually and without concern. Such a person must definitely be from a large city or a major sect. Soon after. Xue An followed Bian Hua and his sister to Qingmu Town. It was only then that Xue An understood why this place was called Qingmu Town. In the town center stood an ancient tree reaching the sky, so massive that it enveloped the entire town. Upon seeing Bian Hua¡¯s return, the townspeople greeted him. ¡°Bian Hua is back!¡± Bian Hua nodded, ¡°Where is the Town Master?¡± ¡°The Town Master is in the Council Hall, discussing matters with a few leaders!¡± Upon hearing this, Bian Hua led Xue An towards the town¡¯s Council Hall. As they arrived at the entrance, they could hear voices arguing inside. ¡°Town Master, I think we should consider it. After all, our Qingmu Town is too weak! If we could merge with Yuanzhou City, that would be quite good,¡± someone suggested. ¡°There¡¯s no need to discuss it further; it¡¯s absolutely impossible!¡± a cold female voice replied. At that moment, Bian Hua entered with Xue An. They saw a woman with a resolute expression sitting at the head seat, while three or four men with unfriendly faces were seated below her. Upon seeing Bian Hua, the woman asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± Brimming with excitement, Bian Hua replied, ¡°Sister Qingmu, I¡¯ve brought him back!¡± At that moment, Bian Qingmu also noticed Xue An standing aside and inquired, ¡°Who is this¡­?¡± Before Bian Hua could answer, Bian Tian interjected, ¡°Sister Qingmu, this is the Immortal Master who saved me and my brother!¡± Immortal Master? This title stirred up a commotion in the small Council Hall. A dark-faced burly man scoffed, ¡°What a joke. Even in Yuanzhou City, we wouldn¡¯t dare claim to have many Immortal Masters, and yet you dare to call yourself one?¡± Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 294: To Me, No One is Unkillable! (Fifth Release) Chapter 294: Chapter 294: To Me, No One is Unkillable! (Fifth Release) The words of the man with the black face turned the atmosphere in the room awkward. But before anyone else could speak, Bian Hua had already angrily said, ¡°Yuanzhou City? Huh, Sister Qingmu, during my trip to collect Spiritual Medicine, I ended up being surrounded by Xuanyuan Sect from Yuanzhou City. I was nearly killed and robbed of my medicine! And now these people from Yuanzhou City dare to come and persuade us to merge?¡± Bian Hua¡¯s words caused an uproar. The man with the black face stood proudly and scoffed, ¡°Bian Hua, you say that people from my Xuanyuan Sect ambushed and tried to kill you. How did you manage to escape then? Are you suggesting that Xuanyuan Sect deliberately surrounded you and then let you go?¡± Bian Hua said, ¡°I¡¯ve just said that if it weren¡¯t for this Immortal Master¡¯s intervention to save me, I would have long been dead!¡± The man with the black face heard this and his face showed a mocking expression. He clenched his fist towards Bian Qingmu, ¡°Town Master, I think these words are complete nonsense, especially this one. I don¡¯t know where he came from; he could very well be a swindler!¡± Bian Qingmu had been watching Xue An all this time and couldn¡¯t help but frown upon hearing this. This man¡¯s aura doesn¡¯t seem all that remarkable! The people in the room all looked at Xue An with strange expressions. Bian Hua¡¯s face turned red with anger, ready to retort against the man with the black face. Xue An gestured with his hand, signaling him not to speak, then slightly raised his eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ that I am a swindler?¡± The black-faced man sneered, ¡°Whether you are or not, you know best! But if you were in our Yuanzhou City, someone like you, I would have long ordered someone to chop you into minced meat!¡± Xue An nodded, then flicked a finger. Boom! A streak of sword light pierced towards the chest of the black-faced man. But this black-faced man was somewhat capable. As the sword light stabbed at him, a golden light suddenly appeared, protecting him. The black-faced man was a little startled, but then he sneered, ¡°Heh, useless. This is a protective Jade Pendant given by the Sect Master himself. Ordinary people simply cannot break it!¡± But his smugness didn¡¯t last long as the golden light on his body flickered a few times, then exploded with a loud bang. The black-faced man let out a horrified shout as the sword light swept across, cutting him in half. At this moment, the black-faced man was still not dead, but he looked at Xue An with shock and anger. ¡°You¡­ you dare to kill someone from Yuanzhou City?¡± Xue An spoke indifferently, ¡°To me, no one is unkillable!¡± With that, another streak of sword light swept by, and the black-faced man met his end. At this moment. The entire Council Hall was silent. Including Bian Hua who had led Xue An back, everyone¡¯s faces were filled with horror at this moment. ¡°You¡­ you actually killed the envoy sent by Yuanzhou City?¡± a commander from Qingmu Town jumped up and roared. ¡°Yes! Do you realize how much trouble this will bring to Qingmu Town?¡± another elder said with a face full of despair. These people began to blame Xue An one after another. Xue An frowned. Bian Qingmu said softly, ¡°Stop talking!¡± The room quieted down, then Bian Qingmu looked at Xue An and after a while said, ¡°Sword Cultivator?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Sort of.¡± ¡°But the Sword Cultivator Sects are all in the northern Kunlun, why have you come to the east?¡± Bian Qingmu asked again. ¡°Do I need to report to you?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Bian Qingmu¡¯s face showed a trace of anger, then she calmed down. ¡°The trial competition is about to commence. No matter what you Sword Cultivators are planning, this is Qingmu Town. You must follow the rules of Qingmu Town!¡± Having said this, she stood up to leave. A few commanders said hastily, ¡°Town Master, about Yuanzhou¡­¡± Bian Qingmu said coldly, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t kill this person, Yuanzhou won¡¯t let us off easily! Surviving by bowing and scraping is not what I, Bian Qingmu, need!¡± After speaking, she took her leave with measured steps. At that moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Thinking of using Spiritual Medicine to repress your injury? That¡¯s too na?ve.¡± His statement, shocking as a thunderclap, left Bian Qingmu completely frozen. The fact that her injuries had not yet healed was a top secret in Qingmu Town, not even known to Bian Hua! ¡°How about we make a deal?¡± Xue An proposed calmly. ¡°What kind of deal?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you to the trial competition. I¡¯ll cure your injury.¡± Xue An¡¯s words were light and casual, as if discussing a trivial matter. But everyone in the room was shocked, their eyes wide open. Bian Qingmu turned sharply, her face showing scorn. ¡°Take you to the trial competition? Now I see, you must be a hidden Loose Cultivator,¡± she said. Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°And what if I am?¡± ¡°Hah, the last trial competition saw all those hidden Loose Cultivators who had been isolated for many years completely obliterated. What do you think will happen?¡± Bian Qingmu continued, ¡°This trial competition is a matter of survival for various Sects. Those who are sent are the most outstanding individuals from all Sects. You shouldn¡¯t think that having some Cultivation Level means you can look down on everyone in the world!¡± However, Xue An nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. Indeed, in my eyes, the world is nothing more than weeds!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Bian Qingmu was so angered that she turned pale, but she quickly regained her composure. ¡°Fine! I agree to your terms. But I would like to know how you plan to heal me?¡± Xue An casually took out a Primordial Essence Elixir. ¡°Eat this. Dare I not say it will cure your injury immediately, but it can at least control it.¡± Turning around, Xue An stated lightly, ¡°Remember what you said. I¡¯ll wait for you to join me in the trial competition.¡± With that, he left. The people inside the room exchanged glances, at a loss. When Bian Qingmu took the Primordial Essence Elixir, she initially didn¡¯t care much, but as she examined it closely, she was stunned. ¡°This¡­ this is¡­?¡± Bian Hua hastily added, ¡°Sister Qingmu, I forgot to tell you, when the Immortal Master came back, he also gave me a Spirit Pill for healing!¡± Bian Qingmu looked skeptically at Xue An¡¯s retreating figure. What was his background? To casually present a Spirit Pill and to possess noteworthy Cultivation Level! But he was too arrogant! Indeed, within the Kunlun Immortal Realm, there were many hidden Loose Cultivators, but lacking Sect support, they found it difficult to surpass Sect disciples in Cultivation Level. This man had commendable skills, but still fell far short of those talents carefully nurtured from childhood by the Sects, let alone the true chosen heirs! In time, he would surely come to realize that there are always greater people in the world, and a higher sky above the sky! Thinking this, Bian Qingmu said somberly, ¡°Send a message to Yuanzhou City. Tell them Qingmu Town will not yield!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± When Sha¡¯er, the City Lord of Yuanzhou City and Sect Master of Xuanyuan Sect, received the letter from Qingmu Town, he flew into a rage. ¡°Bian Qingmu, this woman dares to challenge me with the mere power of a town? She must be killed!¡± Sha¡¯er declared sternly. At that moment, someone beside him chuckled, ¡°Sect Master, please calm your anger. This matter is actually quite easy to resolve.¡± ¡°Oh? Elder Diao, do you have a clever plan?¡± Sha¡¯er turned to the speaker. The one who spoke was Diao Zeng, the strategist of Xuanyuan Sect. With a slight smile, Diao Zeng said, ¡°Sect Master, this Qingmu Town has little to offer, and few of high Cultivation Level, reliant solely on Bian Qingmu herself. Now, with the trial competition approaching, we can find a way to eliminate her during the competition. Wouldn¡¯t that save us a lot of effort and be justified at the same time?¡± Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart (First Update) Chapter 295: Chapter 295: Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart (First Update) Bian Qingmu slowly opened her eyes, a formidable aura emanating from her. Indeed, she was at the Loose Immortal Peak cultivation level! Bian Hua took a step forward, asking with concern, ¡°Sister Qingmu, how do you feel?¡± Bian Qingmu nodded, ¡°This Spirit Pill is truly extraordinary; not only are my injuries healed, but my cultivation level has also returned to its previous state!¡± Bian Hua let out a sigh of relief, then excitedly said, ¡°I told you the Immortal Master¡¯s Spirit Pill would be miraculous!¡± A complex expression flashed through Bian Qingmu¡¯s eyes. What was the background of that mysterious man? Why did he possess such a wondrous Spirit Pill? It is known that in the Immortal Realm of Kunlun, aside from those great Sects, few can concoct Spirit Pills! This made Spirit Pills extremely precious. Even the Spiritual Medicine that Bian Hua had brought back this time, if Xue An hadn¡¯t appeared, Bian Qingmu had intended to swallow it directly! In that case, naturally, much of the medicinal efficacy would have been lost. ¡°Where¡­ is he staying right now?¡± Bian Qingmu asked. ¡°I¡¯ve had the Immortal Master stay at my place for now!¡± Bian Qingmu nodded, then suddenly said, ¡°Go fetch a piece of Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart!¡± Bian Hua was taken aback, ¡°Sister Qingmu, you¡­¡± Bian Qingmu said, ¡°This Spirit Pill is too precious. I do not like to owe favors. Giving him a piece of Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart should settle our debt!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Bian Hua was just about to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± After a moment of contemplation, Bian Qingmu said, ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it myself.¡± When Bian Qingmu arrived in front of Bian Hua¡¯s residence, she saw Xue An busily working in the courtyard. Bian Tian was squatting on the side, drooling as he watched. On the ground, a bonfire burned with several pine chickens skewered on branches being roasted above it. Xue An was flipping the chickens, sprinkling them evenly with seasoning. An appetizing fragrance wafted through the air, making one¡¯s mouth water at the scent. ¡°This is¡­¡± Bian Qingmu was somewhat taken aback. Xue An looked up and gave Bian Qingmu a faint smile, ¡°You¡¯ve arrived just in time; they¡¯re almost ready!¡± It was then that Bian Qingmu suddenly noticed that the branches burning on the ground were actually light green in color. Bian Qingmu fell silent for a moment before she angrily exclaimed, ¡°Are you actually using branches from the Divine Tree to make a fire?¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have a problem? Besides, I must say, the branches here are truly exceptional; they release a unique fragrance when burned!¡± Bian Qingmu was on the verge of exploding! The very reason why Qingmu Town was named thus was due to the ancient Divine Tree at its center, which had grown for an indeterminate length of time! Yuanzhou City coveted Qingmu Town precisely because the tree produced a remarkably precious item each year! That was the Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart that Bian Qingmu brought and planned to give to Xue An! Yet, to her disbelief, Xue An had the audacity to chop branches and leaves from the Divine Tree for a barbecue! For the people of Qingmu Town, this was tantamount to a sacrilege against the divine! Xue An didn¡¯t care about that. Seeing that the pine chickens were almost done, he picked one up and handed it to Bian Tian. ¡°Try it!¡± Bian Tian could hardly wait. She tore off a strip of chicken meat, not minding the heat, and swallowed it directly. Hisss! The heat made her grimace in pain, but she was too reluctant to spit it out! Xue An smiled, perhaps because he had a daughter himself, so he was very patient with these young girls and liked them a lot! ¡°Do you want some?¡± Xue An asked Bian Qingmu, who had a gloomy face. Bian Qingmu let out an annoyed hum and placed a piece of wood that emitted a green glow on the table before turning to leave. When she reached the entrance of the courtyard, she spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Tomorrow, head to Yuanzhou City first! The first round of selection will be held there!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Xue An said, munching on a pine chicken. Bian Qingmu paused, then added, ¡°This trip to Yuanzhou City definitely won¡¯t be that smooth, so I hope you won¡¯t be too arrogant when the time comes. After all, Xuanyuan Sect is one of the leading sects within a thousand miles!¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°As long as they don¡¯t come looking for me, I couldn¡¯t care less about them!¡± After Bian Qingmu left, Xue An handed a chicken to Bian Hua, ¡°Try this, it¡¯s tasty!¡± Bian Hua greedily swallowed his saliva but was in a dilemma as he feared Bian Qingmu would be angry if she found out. Xue An winked, ¡°The food cooked with the Divine Tree can enhance one¡¯s cultivation level a bit!¡± Upon hearing this, Bian Hua immediately grabbed a pine chicken and devoured it hungrily. After a bite of chicken, he exclaimed in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Xue An smiled. The reason for this sensation was entirely because he had used his cultivation level to control the cooking time! No helping it, a Loose Immortal is just that capricious! Thinking of this, Xue An picked up the piece of green wood heart. Essentially, this was nothing more than the essence of wood accumulated by a Divine Tree over ten thousand years. It was of no use to Xue An but he thought it could be taken back for his two little girls to play with! If Bian Qingmu knew that her treasured Qingmu Heart, which drew covetous gazes from many, was seen by Xue An as nothing more than a child¡¯s toy, who knows what she would think. ¡­¡­ Yuanzhou City! A town under the main city of Jizhou in the eastern part of Kunlun, and where Xuanyuan Sect was located. The approaching martial arts trial had made Yuanzhou City bustling with activity. By the time Xue An and Bian Qingmu arrived, the small city was already overcrowded. There were not only participants of the trial but also many citizens there to watch the excitement. In the Immortal Realm of Kunlun, the Spiritual Energy was rich and even ordinary citizens were very robust, and reaching the Zhenren Realm had become quite common. This was evident from the time they went to collect their trial badges, as the guards of the venue were all in the Zhenren Realm. Bian Tian and Bian Hua, the siblings, had come along as well. This was their first time participating in the martial arts trial, so they were both full of excitement. Just then, an annoying voice came from behind. ¡°Heh, people from Qingmu Town even dare to come?¡± Upon hearing this voice, Bian Qingmu and the others turned their heads and saw a haughty man walking over. As soon as she saw this man, Bian Qingmu¡¯s face turned extremely sour. ¡°Chu Xingze!¡± The newcomer was Xuanyuan Sect¡¯s inner disciple and one whom Sha¡¯er valued greatly, Chu Xingze! Chu Xingze smiled sinisterly, greedily staring at Bian Qingmu before speaking, ¡°I heard that you people from Qingmu Town even dared to kill a messenger from our Xuanyuan Sect. What, do you think your cultivation is decent and want to compete with our Xuanyuan Sect?¡± Bian Qingmu clenched her teeth and remained silent. Because Chu Xingze was slightly more powerful than her! She was at the peak of Loose Immortal while Chu Xingze was at Half-step Longevity! ¡°Chu Xingze, the martial arts trial hasn¡¯t begun yet. Are you planning to start a fight in the streets right now?¡± Bian Qingmu said coldly. ¡°Heh, I don¡¯t have any intention to start a fight, but during the martial arts trial, I will let you know the consequence of offending Xuanyuan Sect,¡± Chu Xingze said coldly. At that moment, an indifferent voice chimed in, ¡°Need my help? I also find him quite annoying, I could help you kill him for free!¡± Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Secrets of Kunlun (Second Update) Chapter 296: Chapter 296: Secrets of Kunlun (Second Update) Boom! A murmur of astonishment swept through the crowd, many exchanging puzzled looks, unsure who had the audacity to utter such words in Yuanzhou City. Chu Xingze¡¯s face darkened to the point it seemed he could drip water, his gaze fixed on Xue An, ¡°Very well, you¡¯re seeking your own death!¡± With that, he was about to make a move. Bian Qingmu stepped forward, positioning herself in front of Xue An, her voice cold as she said, ¡°Chu Xingze, the trial is imminent, let¡¯s settle our grievances during the trial! Besides, this is a street in Yuanzhou City, if you make a move here, you are openly defying the Xuanyuan Sect¡¯s edict!¡± Because once cultivators start to fight, the destructive power is immense! Therefore, in all the major cities, there are explicit orders forbidding cultivators above the Heavenly Human Realm from engaging in private battles! Upon hearing this, Chu Xingze¡¯s expression fluctuated between dark and light and then he nodded. Brimming with killing intent, he said to Xue An, ¡°During the trial, I will tear you to pieces!¡± Xue An smiled indifferently, ¡°I am very much looking forward to it!¡± Chu Xingze huffed angrily and left with a flick of his sleeve. Bian Qingmu looked somber, holding back the rage in her heart until they returned to their residence, where she finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re thinking, but that Chu Xingze is a True Disciple wholly cultivated by the Xuanyuan Sect, with formidable strength, and a man who is petty and exceedingly cruel and vicious! During the trial, you¡¯d better watch out for yourself!¡± Xue An smiled nonchalantly, neither confirming nor denying, ¡°Alright, when the time comes, I¡¯ll surely teach him a lesson in humanity!¡± Bian Qingmu couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation upon hearing this. After returning to her room, she was still somewhat irritated. In her view, Xue An¡¯s attitude was simply infuriating. He acted as though he was invincible, not caring about anything! I hope you can withstand tomorrow¡¯s trial, then you¡¯ll understand how vast Kunlun is, filled with numerous masters! Bian Qingmu thought to herself. Meanwhile, at the Xuanyuan Sect. Sha¡¯er looked at Chu Xingze standing below, his face showing admiration. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ Bian Qingmu has already arrived?¡± ¡°Master, your disciple saw her with his own eyes on the main street!¡± ¡°Good, since she has the courage to come, then don¡¯t let her leave! Do you have the confidence to handle this?¡± Sha¡¯er asked indifferently. ¡°Disciple is completely confident that he can make her die on the stage of the trial!¡± Chu Xingze stated firmly. ¡°Good. You¡¯re now at Half-step Longevity. If you perform well in this trial and make it to Jizhou, or even to the main city of Kunlun, then I will cultivate you with all my might! In the future¡­ Longevity is within reach for you!¡± Chu Xingze was overjoyed, ¡°Thank you, Master! Your disciple will not let you down!¡± The next day. All those participating in the trial had gathered at the venue for the competition. Bian Qingmu looked up at the trial field emitting a faint halo, seemingly losing herself in the wistfulness of the moment. ¡°The methods of the Immortal Palace are truly unfathomable, such a small venue can accommodate so many people, and even hold trials simultaneously!¡± Upon hearing this, Xue An laughed, a flash of light twinkling in his eyes. During these past few days, he had learned much about the Immortal Realm of Kunlun. Kunlun¡¯s Immortal Realm, plainly speaking, is also a secret realm, only much larger than the previous War Wolf Secret Realm, big enough to be half the size of Earth. In this land, many cities are scattered like stars across the sky. The central location is where the main city of Kunlun¡¯s Immortal Realm lies! And this triennial trial, it is hosted by the Immortal Palace of Kunlun¡¯s main city. It starts with the initial round of selection and if one stands out, they can enter their respective main city for the second round of trials! Only after passing both rounds, one earns the right to enter the main city of Kunlun and go through the ultimate trial! The reason for this arrangement is to decide the distribution of various resources for immortal cultivation through this method. And the so-called Immortal Palace! It is the Holy Land in the hearts of all cultivators in Kunlun¡¯s Immortal Realm! There, the lowest cultivation level is Heavenly Human! The Sect Master has even reached the Golden Immortal Realm! There are even rumors that within the Immortal Palace, there exists a Golden Immortal Peak who has yet to fall! Such strength is enough to look down upon all rivals in this secret realm! For instance, the current Trial Divine Stone has left even someone like Bian Qingmu in awe, heralding it as a divine miracle. But to Xue An, it seems like a very simple Immortal Law! However, ¡°Immortal¡± Law as it is, once it bears the word ¡°immortal,¡± there is an essential difference from mortals! It seems that this trip to Kunlun is indeed full of pleasant surprises, Xue An thought to himself. People began to enter the arena one after another. Chu Xingze gave Bian Qingmu and Xue An a grim smile before striding in with his head held high. Bian Qingmu spoke in a deep voice, ¡°If you feel outmatched after going in, you can choose to surrender. At least in that way you can keep your life!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°That advice, you should save for yourself!¡± Having said that, Xue An stepped into the trial arena. Bian Qingmu was shocked and angry, but ultimately, he clenched his teeth and followed inside. Outside the trial arena, people from various sects waited anxiously! Sha¡¯er, with his esteemed status, naturally wouldn¡¯t stand below. He was currently waiting in the closest building to the trial arena, a wine pavilion. He was fully confident in his disciple¡¯s trial this time! After all¡­ that was a Half-step Longevity! Whereas Bian Hua and Bian Tian, the brother and sister, were silently praying in the crowd below. Praying that sister Qingmu and the Immortal Master could both return safely! As soon as Bian Qingmu stepped into the light curtain, she felt a darkness before her eyes, and then she appeared in a room. Her opponent was a bare-chested muscular man! Bian Qingmu secretly breathed a sigh of relief; as long as it wasn¡¯t Chu Xingze that she faced first, it was a good thing! The muscular man then started to sneer, ¡°How did such a tender and delicate little ma¡¯am come here? You won¡¯t even last a single punch from me!¡± Despite saying so, the muscular man still threw a punch. Accompanying the fist was a series of tiger roars. It¡¯s someone from the Tiger Slaying Sect! Bian Qingmu thought with a start. The Tiger Slaying Sect was a rising sect nearby with quite formidable strength! Bian Qingmu dared not receive the punch head-on; she dodged to the side, and with a delicate shout, ¡°Green Wood Kill!¡± Several vines as thick as arms instantly wrapped around the muscular man. The muscular man struggled vehemently, breaking the vines with the sound of snapping, but no matter how many shattered, more vines would replenish them. Soon, the man from the Tiger Slaying Sect was engulfed by the endless vines. In the end, he had no choice but to shout loudly, ¡°I concede!¡± Bian Qingmu withdrew her Spell Decree, took half a step back, and said with a cupped fist salute, ¡°Thank you for the concession!¡± The first round! Bian Qingmu won! Afterwards, she won several more rounds in succession, moving up in the ranks, but the opponents she faced began to grow increasingly powerful. Finally! After a flash of light and a transition, a cold and mocking laughter came through, ¡°Good, I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time!¡± Hearing this voice, Bian Qingmu¡¯s expression changed drastically, and she turned to look. There Chu Xingze stood, his face filled with a murderous look as he stared at her. Bian Qingmu¡¯s heart sank, but she still gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Chu Xingze, today, we will settle our victory and defeat!¡± Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Today, It Begins with the Xuanyuan Sect! (Third Update) Chapter 297: Chapter 297: Today, It Begins with the Xuanyuan Sect! (Third Update) Chu Xingze stared at Bian Qingmu¡¯s graceful figure, his eyes gradually filled with a sinister gleam. Although his master had ordered him to kill her, playing with her a bit before her death wouldn¡¯t be too bad! Thus, he let out a grim laugh, ¡°Bian Qingmu, do you really think¡­ you can fight me to the death?¡± As he spoke, Chu Xingze exuded a terrifying aura. Bian Qingmu¡¯s complexion changed dramatically as she cried out in horror, ¡°How is this possible¡­ you¡­ you¡¯ve actually broken through to Half-step Longevity?¡± Chu Xingze let out a cold snicker, ¡°That¡¯s right, I just broke through recently!¡± Bian Qingmu felt a wave of despair. Previously, she had assumed that Chu Xingze¡¯s cultivation level was at most at the Loose Immortal Peak, roughly on par with hers, and that if she gave it her all, she could still fight him. But now he had reached Half-step Longevity, and even though it was just half a step, it was like a chasm, completely capable of crushing her at will! ¡°Bian Qingmu, actually, I don¡¯t necessarily have to kill you. If you submit to me now, I can spare your life! Even more, I can plead with my master to take you in as an inner disciple!¡± Bian Qingmu didn¡¯t understand at first, but when she did, an expression of extreme humiliation appeared on her face. ¡°My Bian family has always maintained that death is preferable to dishonor. Even if you¡¯re at Half-step Longevity, so what? Today, I will defeat you!¡± As she spoke, Bian Qingmu pushed her Qingmu Law to its limit, and countless tendrils burst forth behind her, resembling a thousand-armed Guanyin, appearing both sacred and powerful! ¡°Qingmu, Annihilation!¡± Knowing the might of Half-step Longevity, Bian Qingmu used her strongest move right from the start. The tendrils wildly grew, completely sealing off the arena, and their ends turned into cold blades, hurtling towards Chu Xingze, This strike caused even Chu Xingze¡¯s face to change slightly, and he couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold huff, ¡°Well done!¡± With that, he swung out a palm. Profound Palm! Under this supreme palm strike, the tendrils were blasted into ash. Bian Qingmu too was affected by the residual force and was blasted into a corner, unable to get up for a moment. The gap between Half-step Longevity and a Loose Immortal was this vast! Chu Xingze, with a lustful expression on his face, slowly approached, ¡°Heh heh, since you¡¯re going to die soon, let me enjoy you before that!¡± Upon hearing this, Bian Qingmu was filled with shame and was about to sever her own meridians! But Chu Xingze clearly anticipated this move and casually pointed his finger a few times. Bian Qingmu felt her cultivation level being locked down, and her body became limp and powerless. Chu Xingze walked over with a malevolent laugh. Bian Qingmu felt an immense despair. But just then, the trial chamber suddenly shook violently, and then a pair of hands reached in, tearing it apart fiercely. The light screen of the trial chamber was forcibly ripped open, and after that Xue An slowly walked in. ¡°So you were here; you sure made me search for quite a while!¡± Seeing Xue An¡¯s calm, smiling face, Bian Qingmu was stunned. How¡­ How could he be here? Inside the trial chamber, unless one party admits defeat or dies, nobody could leave! This scene also left Chu Xingze wide-eyed and dumbfounded. This guy had actually burst in powerfully, which was simply inconceivable! Both of them could not understand how it happened, But to Xue An, it was extremely simple! To Xue An, this Immortal Law of the trial was as simple as one plus one! So, after Xue An entered the trial ground, he quickly defeated all opponents, then began searching for Chu Xingze room by room. And he encountered him right at this moment. At this time, Chu Xingze¡¯s expression gradually darkened, ¡°Who are you, exactly? How can you cross through the trial chamber?¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°Who I am isn¡¯t important. What¡¯s important is that you¡¯re about to die!¡± Xue An had also witnessed Chu Xingze taking advantage of a vulnerable moment, and his desire to kill flared strongly. Chu Xingze sneered coldly at the words, ¡°Big talk for someone so shameless. Today, I¡¯ll be the one to send you straight to hell!¡± Having said that, Chu Xingze struck out with another palm! This palm was several times stronger than the previous one; it was evident that he intended to annihilate Xue An with a single blow. But faced with this earth-shattering palm, Xue An merely lifted his hand lightly. Boom! Chu Xingze felt as if he had struck a mountain, his entire arm going numb from the vibration. Shock filled his heart. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got, and yet you dare to arrogantly claim Longevity?¡± As he spoke, Xue An¡¯s aura surged dramatically. ¡°A Loose Immortal? No, that¡¯s not right! How can a Loose Immortal possess such a formidable presence?¡± Chu Xingze exclaimed in shock. Without giving him a chance to retaliate, Xue An grabbed him by the neck and slowly lifted him up. Chu Xingze was a mix of rage and terror, but to his utter horror, he discovered he couldn¡¯t muster any of his cultivation! This man, with a casual grip, had broken through all his cultivation defenses! Looking at Chu Xingze¡¯s ashen face, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Resorting to despicable means to forcefully improve your cultivation might make you a Half-step Longevity, but you¡¯re still the weakest kind!¡± After speaking, Xue An exerted force in his hand. ¡°No¡­¡± Crack! The voice came to an abrupt halt. Chu Xingze¡¯s neck was forcibly snapped by Xue An. A soul orb burst forth from the body, attempting to escape. Xue An waved his hand casually. The soul orb shattered! From the moment Xue An entered to the dispersal of Chu Xingze¡¯s soul, it had all happened in just a few breaths¡¯ time! Bian Qingmu stood there, dumbstruck by the scene, her mind a complete blank. Xue An approached, casually breaking the restriction on Bian Qingmu and said with a light smile, ¡°It seems, I have accidentally secured first place.¡± Bian Qingmu trembled all over, stammering in fear, ¡°You¡­ you really killed Chu Xingze?¡± ¡°Of course. Why would I leave such trash to see the New Year?¡± Bian Qingmu shivered uncontrollably, her voice shaking, ¡°You¡­ you better run! The farther, the better!¡± ¡°Run? Why should I run?¡± Bian Qingmu stamped her foot in frustration, ¡°You¡¯ve killed a True Disciple of the Xuanyuan Sect; they will not let you go! Your cultivation is indeed high, but there are seven or eight Loose Immortals in the Xuanyuan Sect, and several elders who have reached Half-step Longevity. Moreover, the Sect Master Sha¡¯er is of Longevity Cultivation! How can you fight against them?¡± Having heard this, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Longevity, huh? Good, I¡¯ve yet to kill a true Longevity Cultivator. Today, I¡¯ll start with their Xuanyuan Sect!¡± Bian Qingmu was dumbfounded upon hearing this. This guy¡­ Not only did he kill Chu Xingze, but he was also preparing to confront the Xuanyuan Sect head-on? Meanwhile, outside, the anxious crowd was abuzz with conversation. Most of the participants had already exited the trial grounds. Only Chu Xingze of the Xuanyuan Sect, Bian Qingmu of Qingmu Town, and an unnamed Loose Immortal had yet to appear. ¡°I reckon that girl from Qingmu Town is more likely dead than alive!¡± someone sneered. ¡°Heh, I heard about that too, picking a fight with the Xuanyuan Sect, Bian Qingmu is really unwise!¡± ¡°That Loose Cultivator seems to have come with Bian Qingmu, probably a hired hand!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use? That¡¯s a True Disciple of the Xuanyuan Sect!¡± Amid these discussions, Bian Hua and Bian Tian gripped each other¡¯s hands tightly, waiting in nerve-wracking fear. And on the upper floor of the tavern, Sha¡¯er smiled faintly, confident that his disciple had taken control of the entire situation. Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Breakthrough… Half-step Longevity! (Fifth Update) Chapter 299: Chapter 299: Breakthrough¡­ Half-step Longevity! (Fifth Update) It¡¯s hard to describe this palm strike in words. It was as if the sky had suddenly turned black, and a giant hand that blotted out the sun shot straight towards Xue An. Xue An stood in mid-air, facing this earth-shattering palm with his fist raised. A cold smirk appeared at the corner of Sha¡¯er¡¯s lips. It was as if he could already see Xue An being crushed into dust by this strike. Boom! After a deafening explosion. Looking into the sky again, there was no one there; only a large crater on the ground, without a human shadow in sight! ¡°Hahahaha, this is what happens when you oppose my Xuanyuan Sect. I¡¯ll make sure you have no place to be buried!¡± Sha¡¯er laughed wildly in triumph. As for the others, they all had their own thoughts. Only Bian Qingmu and the siblings Bian Hua and Bian Tian rushed to the edge of the crater, staring blankly at the scene before them. Then, Bian Qingmu looked up and shouted angrily, ¡°Sha¡¯er, you attack one man with the power of nine, don¡¯t you feel ashamed?¡± ¡°Hehe, Bian Qingmu, less nonsense. Today, even you are going to die!¡± Sha¡¯er said with a cold laugh, as the giant palm appeared again in the sky. Bian Qingmu¡¯s face was pale, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of fear, only a solemn voice to Bian Hua, ¡°Take Tian¡¯er and leave here fast. Remember, don¡¯t go back to Qingmu Town; it¡¯s no longer safe!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Bian Hua said decisively. ¡°Go now, staying here is just courting death!¡± As Bian Qingmu spoke, he unleashed all the power of the Qingmu he¡¯d cultivated over the years. Huge vines covered half of the sky, directly confronting the giant palm. A smug smile appeared on Sha¡¯er¡¯s lips, ready to strike. Just at that moment, a heaven-shaking aura rose from the pit. This aura was so strong that it shattered the giant palm in the sky. It even forced Sha¡¯er and his companions to take several steps back! ¡°What is that?¡± someone exclaimed. A figure could be seen slowly walking out of the large pit. With each step, he seemed to be stepping on the void, ascending the sky as if on stairs. One step! Two steps! With each step, his aura grew even mightier! Everyone watched this scene in shock. When he reached mid-air, a supremely strong aura enveloped the entire area. Bian Qingmu suddenly shivered, his gaze blurred as he watched this scene, and he muttered to himself, ¡°Half-step Longevity! He actually¡­ broke through during the fight!¡± Sha¡¯er was even more filled with disbelief, ¡°Impossible! How could you possibly break through to Half-step Longevity so quickly?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Surprised? Actually, I could have broken through earlier; I just needed a bit of pressure. Luckily, that palm strike of yours helped me!¡± Hearing this, Sha¡¯er almost wanted to weep without tears. After all that talk, he had actually helped his opponent break through? Then, his mind racing, he said sternly, ¡°So what if you¡¯ve reached Half-step Longevity? Today, I¡¯ll still kill you!¡± Having said that, he once again frantically mobilized the power of nine, ready to fight Xue An to the death! Xue An shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not playing anymore! It¡¯s boring!¡± As he spoke, Xue An disappeared from his original spot, and when he reappeared, he had turned into nine shadows, facing the nine people in front of Sha¡¯er! ¡°Move heaven and earth!¡± the nine figures cried in unison, and a punch was thrown. There was no earth-shattering sound, nor any breathtaking aura. It was an utterly ordinary punch. But such a punch made the nine people scream in unprecedented terror. Because only those who know their stuff understand. The more astonishing the external might, the more it signifies the greater waste of power! Only such an unremarkable fist can show that the power had been condensed to the extreme! But alas, they were unable to even put up a fight. After a punch. Sha¡¯er and the other eight all stood midair with a dazed expression. The nine figures merged into one, and then Xue An exhaled a breath. Whoosh! Sha¡¯er and the eight turned to ash and disappeared in the air. All the experts of the Xuanyuan Sect died on the spot! Many shivered involuntarily because they knew that from then on, the Xuanyuan Sect would become history, existing in name only! Xue An landed, smiled at Bian Qingmu and the two Bian Hua and Bian Tian. ¡°When shall we go to the main city?¡± On that day, the events that occurred in Yuanzhou City spread like wildfire throughout the eastern territory of Kunlun. Jizhou City! Ruyan Tower. Shang Tianhe was leisurely enjoying his wine. A girl as beautiful as a flower gently massaged his legs. In the room, the sound of a qin being played resonated, the music so melodious and soothing it delighted the heart and pleased the ear. At the end of the piece! Shang Tianhe gently applauded, ¡°Miss Ruyan truly has exquisite musical talent!¡± A cool female voice came from behind the bead curtain, ¡°Young Master Shang flatters me too much!¡± Shang Tianhe was just about to say something more when a steward hurried in, ¡°Young Master, the patriarch summons you back home, he says there¡¯s urgent business!¡± Shang Tianhe frowned slightly, but upon his father¡¯s summons, he stood up and said, ¡°Miss Ruyan, I apologize, but I must take my leave first!¡± ¡°Please go ahead, Young Master!¡± Shang Tianhe hurried back to his family home. Shang Yuchen paced back and forth in the study. Seeing Shang Tianhe, he couldn¡¯t help but say in a deep voice, ¡°I have just received a piece of news that I think you should have a look at!¡± Shang Tianhe took it and saw that it was from Yuanzhou City, feeling somewhat indifferent. ¡°It¡¯s just a small rural city, what big deal could it possibly be?¡± Shang Tianhe thought as he opened the brocade book. But after reading a few lines, his eyebrows slightly raised. After finishing, he asked with some astonishment, ¡°Father, is this news true?¡± ¡°I have already sent people to verify it, it¡¯s beyond doubt!¡± said Shang Yuchen. Then he continued, ¡°This person comes from an ominous background, and nobody had seen him before today, but his strength is formidable, especially since he broke through to Half-step Longevity in the heat of battle, which shows his extraordinary talent! This trial adds another opponent for you!¡± Shang Tianhe nodded but still said with full confidence, ¡°Father, rest assured, the Xuanyuan Sect is but a minor sect, and I¡¯ve heard they possess a Secret Technique to forcefully elevate one¡¯s Cultivation Level, so this so-called Longevity they boast of is greatly exaggerated!¡± ¡°And my Tianhe Sword has been successfully forged. This trial will be the moment for our Shang Family to enter Kunlun!¡± It wasn¡¯t just the Shang Family. As one of the few large cities within the Immortal Realm of Kunlun, Jizhou City was home to countless noble families and Sect Cultivators. Especially now with the trial approaching, many were starting to stir. Therefore, when the news of Xue An¡¯s annihilation of the Xuanyuan Sect arrived, it aroused more or less the attention of various parties. Ruyan Tower. A stunningly beautiful girl looked at a piece of paper in her hand, her gaze flickering. ¡°Someone!¡± ¡°Miss!¡± ¡°Find out more about this person!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After the maid left, Zhu Ruyan slowly stood up and paced around the room. ¡°With the power to annihilate the Xuanyuan Sect, your Cultivation Level must be impressive! But I wonder if you would be willing to help me? After all¡­ the other party is someone from the Immortal Palace!¡± When mentioning the Immortal Palace, Zhu Ruyan¡¯s face showed a hint of humiliation and despair. Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 300: Spare Lives Under the Sword (1 update) Chapter 300: Chapter 300: Spare Lives Under the Sword (1 update) Jizhou City. The main city in the eastern region of Kunlun. When Bian Hua and Bian Tian, the siblings, saw the towering city walls, they were so excited they almost jumped for joy. For them, being able to come to Jizhou City once in their lifetime was considered broadening their horizons. Bian Qingmu, however, remained calm. She had been to Jizhou more than once, always for the sake of trials. Of course, without exception, she was always eliminated. This time should be different, right? Bian Qingmu stealthily glanced at Xue An beside her. Although it had been a few days since the incident in Yuanzhou City, every time she thought about it, she still felt her heart race. Breaking through to become a Half-step Longevity on the battlefield, then obliterating nine people with his fists, and the lowest among these nine had the cultivation level of a Loose Immortal. This man had completely overturned all of Bian Qingmu¡¯s understanding. She finally realized why, when she had repeatedly advised Xue An to keep a low profile, there had been a hint of amusement in his eyes. Was he mocking her for being ignorant and narrow-minded? With this thought, she couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath and then whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s enter the city quickly, or the gates will close soon!¡± A group of people walked into Jizhou City, where the streets were several times wider than those in Yuanzhou City, and the pedestrians were all well-dressed, with many powerful figures among them. Bian Hua and Bian Tian found everything fresh and new, with Bian Tian especially attracted to a street vendor selling trinkets, squatting down to take a closer look. At this moment, there was a sound of a horse galloping rapidly from the direction of the street. The horse was exceptionally spirited, and the person on it, dressed in red, wielded a riding crop and yelled as she sped along, ¡°Make way!¡± As she spoke, she lashed out with her crop now and then, causing unbudging citizens to cry out in pain. This commotion also caught the attention of Bian Qingmu and her companions, who were about to step aside when the horse charged close. Bian Tian was squatting by the roadside, unaware of the unusual activity behind her. The woman, seeing this, lashed out with her riding crop, ¡°Out of my way!¡± The crack of the whip was ear-shattering, obviously very vicious. Bian Qingmu was startled and about to step forward to stop it. Xue An snorted coldly and reached out to grab the whip. The woman in red was also taken aback; she couldn¡¯t believe someone dared to seize her riding crop. A look of anger couldn¡¯t help but spread across her beautiful face. ¡°Let go!¡± she commanded. With that, she attempted to wrest her riding crop back. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t move Xue An in the slightest! At this moment, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Riding wildly in the streets, injuring people with a whip, didn¡¯t your family teach you how to behave?¡± This remark enflamed the woman in red with rage, ¡°Who do you think you are, daring to lecture me?¡± Xue An¡¯s brow furrowed slightly; such arrogance was truly annoying! Thus, he suddenly loosened his grip. The girl, who was forcefully trying to snatch the riding crop, nearly tumbled off the horse. Burning with rage, she drew the sword from her waist in one swift motion. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± she exclaimed. As she spoke, she thrust her sword directly toward Xue An¡¯s face. The force of the sword was like thunder, its momentum quite startling. Bian Qingmu was slightly startled; this girl looked young, yet she had the cultivation level of a Heavenly Human Realm. Yet facing this thrusting sword, Xue An didn¡¯t even bother to give it a direct glance. Only when the Sword Qi was almost upon him did he raise his hand and flick it lightly with his finger. Bang! The sword, which the girl believed would surely strike true, was flicked into fragments by Xue An¡¯s finger. The resulting waves of force knocked the woman in red off her horse, eliciting a pained cry from her. Seeing this, the citizens, who should have been happy, all looked at each other before scattering in panic. Even the street vendors didn¡¯t bother to pack up their wares as they ran away. The woman in red, limping, stood up with a murderous look on her face, ¡°You dare hit me?¡± ¡°Is that so surprising? Do you want another go?¡± Xue An said, feigning an advance. The woman in red retreated several steps in fear, glaring at Xue An, ¡°Alright, just you wait!¡± As she spoke, the sound of hooves thundered in the distance, and soon a group of dozens of riders charged toward them. The leader, a middle-aged man, dismounted and bowed in front of the woman in red, ¡°Miss!¡± With a dark expression, the woman pointed at Xue An and ordered, ¡°Cripple him for me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The man stood up and surveyed Xue An with a glance, a hint of a cold smile emerging at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Kid, you actually dared to hit our City Lord¡¯s daughter, it seems like you are sick of living!¡± City Lord! Hearing this title, Bian Qingmu¡¯s face suddenly turned white as he cried out in shock, ¡°You¡¯re from the Ai Family?¡± The woman in red said proudly, ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Bian Qingmu felt a sinking feeling in his heart. The Ai Family of Jizhou. They are a millennium-old noble family and the current City Lords of Jizhou City. No wonder this woman dared to be so arrogant. This was going to be troublesome. Xue An, however, remained indifferent, saying calmly, ¡°Are you done talking? If you are, make your move quickly; I¡¯m in a hurry!¡± The man¡¯s eyes grew colder as he shouted angrily, ¡°You¡¯re seeking your own death!¡± With that, the man drew his sword and thrust it forward. The power he displayed was astonishing, revealing the cultivation level of a Half-step Loose Immortal. The several dozen knights behind him also drew their bows and notched their arrows, aiming them straight at Xue An. Ai Hongyu¡¯s face revealed an excited expression. Let¡¯s see you hit me now; you won¡¯t die but you¡¯ll be skinned! At this moment, faced with such a formidable combined attack, Xue An merely stepped forward nonchalantly. Boom! The entire street shook. The knights, along with their horses, were all knocked off their feet by the shock. The man himself was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground, unable to get up for the moment. Ai Hongyu was left all alone at the scene. A look of horror gradually spread over her bewildered face. ¡°How¡­ How is this possible?¡± Her family¡¯s Guard Captain couldn¡¯t even make a single strike before being kicked away by this man. What level of cultivation did he possess? At this time, Xue An looked at Ai Hongyu and shook his head, ¡°I intended to spare your life, but unfortunately, at such a young age, your heart is already so venomous. Keeping you alive would be a curse, so it¡¯s better for you to die.¡± As he spoke, Xue An casually waved his hand, sending a strand of Sword Qi straight at Ai Hongyu. Ai Hongyu was scared stiff! She never imagined that someone would actually dare to kill her. Boom! As the Sword Qi approached, a golden light suddenly appeared on Ai Hongyu, blocking the strand of Sword Qi. Ai Hongyu heaved a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she was wearing the protective Jade Pendant her father had given her! But just as she felt a moment of relief, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Again!¡± Another strand of Sword Qi flew out, causing the golden light to flicker wildly. Ai Hongyu was terrified, ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± But as soon as the cry left her mouth, the golden light shattered. At the same time, from a distance within the city, someone transmitted a voice from afar. ¡°Spare the person beneath your sword!¡± Unfortunately, Xue An¡¯s resolve to kill was as firm as a rock. Although the woman was young, her actions were ruthless, and just now, she had given the order to disable him. So Xue An just raised his eyebrow slightly, and the Sword Qi directly pierced through Ai Hongyu¡¯s chest. Pfft! Blood spilled out. Ai Hongyu¡¯s face froze with an expression of terror, and then her dead body collapsed to the ground. A sword strike, through the heart! At that moment, an incredibly angry voice sounded. ¡°How dare you, you madman!¡± Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Just a Mere Eternity! (2nd Update) Chapter 301: Chapter 301 Just a Mere Eternity! (2nd Update) Along with his words, a middle-aged man with a majestic appearance flew across the sky and landed on the street. ¡°Subordinate pays respect to City Lord!¡± The Cavalry Commander struggled to rise from the ground and said respectfully. The man who had arrived was indeed the City Lord of Jizhou City, Ai Hongyu¡¯s father, Ai Boming. At that moment, Ai Boming looked down at the body of his beloved daughter on the ground, remaining silent, with his expression changing unpredictably. After a long while, he finally raised his head and stared fixedly at Xue An. ¡°No matter who you are, since you dared to kill my daughter, I will tear you apart bit by bit and let your soul endure endless pain until death!¡± As he spoke, an extremely powerful aura emanated from Ai Boming. Longevity! A true Longevity Realm! This imposing aura, like a tempestuous wave, made Bian Qingmu, a Loose Immortal, grunt and involuntarily take two steps back. Such was the terror of the Longevity might. However, faced with such a formidable force, Xue An remained neither sad nor happy, showing only a hint of excitement in his eyes. ¡°Good, today I will see just how formidable the Longevity Realm of Kunlun really is!¡± Ai Boming was evidently furious, and his first move was a killing technique. ¡°Madman, die! Apocalypse God Fist!¡± Boom! A huge fist shadow charged straight at Xue An. Xue An smiled slightly, with a fighting spirit igniting in his heart. ¡°Bring it on!¡± Saying so, Xue An raised his fist, fearlessly clashing with Ai Boming¡¯s punch. Bang! Following a muffled sound, an invisible shockwave spread out from the point of their fists¡¯ impact. Everything that lay in its path, within a thousand-meter radius, was affected; the blue stone slabs on the ground cracked inch by inch, and all the houses collapsed! Bian Qingmu, protecting Bian Hua and Bian Tian, watched from afar in horror. Who had won? A moment later. Suddenly! Ai Boming grunted and staggered back seven or eight steps, his face showing an abnormal flush of color. Xue An, however, only slightly shook his shoulder before quickly returning to normal. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Xue An had gained the upper hand. This shocked not only Bian Qingmu. Even the knights from the Ai Family were all terrified. How could that be? The Family Head, who had attained the Cultivation Level of Divine Spirit, actually lost to this ordinary-looking man? By this time, Ai Boming¡¯s complexion had turned extremely ugly as he said gravely, ¡°Who exactly are you? How do you possess such formidable cultivation?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Me? Just a Loose Cultivator! Come again!¡± No sooner had he spoken than Xue An raised his fist and struck! Ai Boming inwardly cursed his bad luck. Although he was of the Longevity Realm, he was not known for his martial techniques. He had thought that his fist just now could have blasted this man to dust. But, unexpectedly, not only did he fail to gain the upper hand, but he also suffered a loss! This couldn¡¯t help but fill him with astonishment. By his air, this man appeared to be at most at the Half-step Longevity cultivation level, so why did he have such formidable strength? Seeing that Xue An was coming at him with another punch, Ai Boming clenched his teeth and took another punch. That punch directly blasted him over a dozen steps back. Xue An seemed to be intrigued, ¡°Again!¡± Boom! Boom! Two punches in quick succession. Xue An actually sent Ai Boming flying from one end of the street to the other. This scene also shocked many noble families who had come upon hearing the news. ¡°Who is that man?¡± someone exclaimed. At this point, Ai Boming looked terrible, his figure swaying as if about to fall. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Take another punch from me! If you survive, I¡¯ll let you go!¡± Having said that, he suddenly leapt into the air and shouted, ¡°Move¡­ heaven and earth!¡± ¡°` Boom! The power of this punch, although not yet arrived, had already caused the ground within a hundred meters to collapse! And Ai Boming, with a look of terror, lifted his head to see the punch coming down and shouted in despair, ¡°It¡¯s actually Immortal Law!¡± Boom! This sentence caused a stir among many people. Immortal Law! That meant the supreme ultimate technique! How did this man come to know it; what on earth was his background? These people were full of doubts and uncertainties. Ai Boming then shouted, ¡°I concede!¡± But it was already too late. Xue An¡¯s punch came crashing down, directly sending him flying a great distance, followed by a spray of fresh blood. Severely injured! Ai Boming, being of the Longevity Realm, had actually been severely wounded by Xue An¡¯s single punch. At this, there was a deathly silence over the entire field. Xue An landed on the ground and stood with his hands behind his back. ¡°Your daughter galloped through the streets injuring people for no reason, and her intentions were malicious. I killed her; do you have anything to say?¡± With a haggard look, Ai Boming turned pale, a glint of humiliation flashing in his eyes, but as he saw Xue An slowly raising his fist again, he hastened to speak out of fear. ¡°Nothing to say!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Since that is the case, I shall spare your life!¡± Having said that, Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°I know you¡¯re not convinced, I am here to participate in the trial competition. When the time comes, you are free to come at me as you please!¡± With those words, Xue An turned and left. After they had gone. Ai Boming was then supported and sent back to the Ai Family. The news spread. Jizhou was shaken by it. Shang Family. Shang Tianhe, who was practicing calligraphy in the study, showed little reaction when he heard the news, merely nodding his head. ¡°Understood!¡± After the person who brought the news had left, Shang Tianhe finished the last stroke, then looked over the character for ¡®sword¡¯ that he had written. Though it was only written on paper, an oppressive Sword Qi came forth nonetheless. The only flaw was the hesitation in the final stroke, which introduced a blemish to what would have otherwise been a flawless embodiment of sword spirit. ¡°To defeat someone from the Longevity Realm while only being at Half-step Longevity; although Ai Boming is not known for his martial prowess, he still is of the Longevity rank after all. It seems you truly are a formidable opponent of mine!¡± Shang Tianhe murmured to himself, then with a casual wave of his hand, a surge of Sword Qi cut the piece of paper with the character into fine dust. Ruyan Tower. Zhu Ruyan, upon hearing the news, fell silent for a long while, her eyes flickering with thought. ¡°Understood!¡± When the maid was about to leave, Zhu Ruyan said, ¡°Wait, I will write a letter. You deliver it afterward!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zhu Ruyan picked up her pen, pondered for a moment, and then briskly wrote a few lines. ¡°Go ahead!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xue An and Bian Qingmu along with others were staying in an inn. The events of today had instilled a sense of awe in them towards Xue An. Even Bian Tian no longer dared to frolic around Xue An as she had in the past. To this, Xue An gave a wry smile, ¡°What are you looking at me like that for? Do I look like I would eat people?¡± Bian Qingmu was silent for a moment before bowing and saying, ¡°Immortal Master, I was short-sighted before and offended you. I ask for your forgiveness!¡± Bian Qingmu was apologizing for the disdain she had previously held in her heart. Today, Xue An had proven his strength through irrefutable facts, and naturally, she was thoroughly convinced. Xue An laughed, ¡°Alright, no need to be so formal; a mere Longevity is nothing to fuss over!¡± That was Xue An¡¯s genuine sentiment. In The Multiverse Realms, the Longevity rank was as ants, at most a mightier ant. Defeating a Longevity was really nothing to boast about. However, Bian Qingmu and the others took Xue An¡¯s words as modesty, feeling even more reverence in their hearts. ¡°` Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 302 Ruyan Tower Master (Third Update) Chapter 302: Chapter 302 Ruyan Tower Master (Third Update) ¡°Young Master, someone is looking for you!¡± the Innkeeper walked in and said respectfully. Hm? Someone looking for me? Xue An was somewhat puzzled but still nodded slightly. ¡°Let him in!¡± Soon, a young maid entered the room. ¡°Young Master, I am here on my Miss¡¯s orders to deliver a missive to you!¡± ¡°Your Miss?¡± Xue An was even more bewildered. ¡°My Miss is the Master of the Ruyan Tower, Zhu Ruyan!¡± the maid said. Xue An was unclear about what was happening but still took the invitation. He opened it and a line of delicate script caught his eye. Hearing of today¡¯s events, my heart longs for, hoping to meet with you in person. Signed, Zhu Ruyan! Xue An was somewhat astonished. Is this an invitation for me? But I don¡¯t even know this Master of Ruyan Tower. At this point, the Innkeeper, who could hardly contain himself, stepped forward a few paces, and whispered with a chuckle, ¡°This Master of Ruyan Tower is a woman of outstanding beauty. In Jizhou City, there are countless young gentlemen of noble families infatuated with her, yet it is very difficult to get an audience with her! Yet now she has taken the initiative to invite you! What fortune you have, Young Master!¡± As he spoke, the Innkeeper¡¯s face showed a knowing smile that all men would understand. Xue An felt a mix of amusement and embarrassment, handed back the invitation to the maid, and after a moment¡¯s thought said, ¡°Please relay to your Miss that since we are not acquainted, there is nothing to discuss! So there¡¯s no need for a meeting, right?¡± Xue An¡¯s words left both the Innkeeper and the maid stunned. Could there actually be a man who would reject Zhu Ruyan¡¯s invitation? Could it be that he is feigning indifference to raise his own status? But looking at Xue An¡¯s indifferent expression, he didn¡¯t seem to be pretending, and he turned to leave. At this moment, out of desperation, the young maid knelt down on the ground. ¡°Young Master, please wait. My Miss is not the kind of frivolous woman you think she is. She invites you because there are important matters to discuss! I beseech you to grant her a meeting!¡± Having said this, the maid also gave a bow with her head on the ground. Xue An, seeing this, was taken aback for a moment and then nodded, ¡°It must be hard for you to be so loyal, alright, rise!¡± ¡°So you will go?¡± the maid was overjoyed. ¡°Since there are important matters, let¡¯s go see what this is about!¡± Xue An said indifferently. In the evening, Ruyan Tower was brilliantly lit. Three months ago, Zhu Ruyan entered Jizhou City and established the Ruyan Tower. Very quickly, she became famous for her exceptional skills on the zither and her beauty. The daily visitors were primarily attracted by Zhu Ruyan. However, few could ascend to the second floor. It was said that one did not need a fine appearance or a noble family background, only a high cultivation level was necessary! This requirement puzzled many, unclear why the cultivation level mattered. When Xue An followed the maid to the place, the first-floor hall was already buzzing with noise. All seated here were the young scions of the noble families of Jizhou City. Even though they were sitting drinking and chatting, their eyes were unsettled, glancing toward the staircase from time to time, clearly with thoughts beyond the wine. As Xue An started upstairs, many issued low exclamations of surprise. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where did this guy come from?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know him, he looks like a complete outsider!¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to be dressed like someone affluent, yet he can go upstairs, truly vexing!¡± Amidst the murmurs, Xue An climbed to the second floor. The second floor was spacious and bright, where a beaded curtain divided the entire hall in two. Under the light,the silhouettes behind the curtain were vaguely discernible but not very clear. ¡°Young Master, please have a seat!¡± a voice, cool and elegant, reached him. From the sound alone, it¡¯s clear that this lady must be a beauty. Xue An smiled lightly, feeling no discomfort, and took a seat directly in the chair. This display held no sway over him. Yet, he was still curious, certain that he did not know this woman. So, what did she want with him? ¡°Would you like to hear a piece of music, young master?¡± the woman¡¯s voice asked. ¡°As you please,¡± Xue An replied indifferently. The brief silence behind the beaded curtain broke, and soon the sound of a zither being played filled the air. The music was melodious and graceful, eliciting a sense of serene joy from those who listened. Setting other things aside, based solely on this skill with the zither, this woman was no ordinary individual. Xue An listened quietly. Suddenly, the music shifted; what started as poised and elegant swiftly plunged into sobbing wails reminiscent of a heartfelt lament. It seemed as though endless sorrow was imbued in the sound of the zither. Xue An raised his eyebrows slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. Quite intriguing! After the duration it takes to drink a cup of tea, the music abruptly ceased, leaving echoes that seemed to linger in the air. Xue An picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then sighed softly, ¡°Full of lament and unparalleled sorrow, miss, are you mourning something?¡± Behind the beaded curtain, there was an evident sound of a woman¡¯s surprise, followed by her voice saying, ¡°Young master is truly remarkable, discerning my thoughts just from a piece of the zither music, you¡¯re right, Ruyan¡­ indeed has something on her mind!¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°Since my arrival, I have yet to see your face. Is this the attitude you have towards guests?¡± His voice carried a hint of mockery. ¡°Ruyan has been rude!¡± As she spoke, the beaded curtain was lifted, and a stunning beauty walked out. Skin fair as cream, eyebrows like distant mountains. In terms of appearance, this Zhu Ruyan could surely be considered breathtaking. Xue An, however, remained calm, and not even a flicker disturbed his gaze. He simply continued to smile faintly and sip his tea. Zhu Ruyan stood there slightly embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t expected that upon seeing her, Xue An would show no sign of astonishment. This disrupted many of her plans that were to follow. A moment later, Zhu Ruyan gritted her teeth, stepped forward, and sat opposite Xue An. A faint fragrance of a woman wafted over, one that would have ensnared the soul of any man not steadfast in resolve. But Xue An felt nothing. This woman was indeed attractive, but compared to An Yan, she was nothing. Even Tang Xuan¡¯er and the others were somewhat lacking. She could only boast the grace and demeanor of an ancient noble lady through her period attire and conduct. ¡°Young master, aren¡¯t you curious as to why I have asked you to come here?¡± finally, Zhu Ruyan couldn¡¯t restrain herself and asked. ¡°Not curious,¡± Xue An replied simply. Zhu Ruyan¡¯s face paled a bit from the retort. She had always been of a noble status since young, and though later fallen from grace, her stunning looks meant that everyone around her had always been respectful and deferential. She had not expected that Xue An would be so impervious. After a moment, Zhu Ruyan bit her lip, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°I have heard about today¡¯s affair, where you, young master, single-handedly defeated the City Lord, exhibiting a charm that is truly captivating.¡± Xue An was noncommittal, replying coolly, ¡°If you¡¯ve invited me just to compliment me, then you may proceed!¡± Zhu Ruyan finally couldn¡¯t help but look up, her tear-glittered eyes meeting his. ¡°Young master, there is a matter for which I would implore your assistance. I wonder if you would dare to take it on!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it!¡± ¡°I want to kill someone!¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°From the Kunlun Immortal Palace, Zuo Yuhu!¡± Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 203: Always Act with a Conscience (4th Update) Chapter 303: Chapter 203: Always Act with a Conscience (4th Update) After finishing her words, Zhu Ruyan anxiously looked at Xue An. Because she knew what the name Kunlun Immortal Palace meant. She had once sought help from several individuals, all of whom were distinguished figures of the era, who admired her greatly, and had all proclaimed they could accomplish anything she asked. But as soon as Zhu Ruyan mentioned the four words ¡°Kunlun Immortal Palace¡±, all of them backed down, finding various excuses to avoid the matter. These repeated blows had already eroded away Zhu Ruyan¡¯s last trace of hope. This rash invitation was also Zhu Ruyan¡¯s final effort. If that failed, she would completely give up. At that moment, Xue An slightly raised his eyebrow and asked with interest, ¡°Kunlun Immortal Palace¡¯s Zuo Yuhu? Do you have a grudge against him?¡± Zhu Ruyan steeled her heart and nodded, ¡°Yes, a deep-seated enmity of blood and hatred!¡± As she spoke these words, her eyes were filled with a hateful gleam. ¡°On one side is the exalted Immortal Palace, and on the other, you, a weak woman. What enmity could there be between you?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Zhu Ruyan was silent for a long while before looking up again with tears streaming down her face. ¡°Young master, my father was Zhu Tianhua, who was also a major figure in Kunlun City. It was just that later on, after he found a treasure, Zuo Yuhu heard of it and unable to obtain it, he chose to murder out of rage!¡± ¡°After my father was murdered, he was not satisfied; he ordered his men to kill off my entire family, young and old. If I hadn¡¯t been out at the time, I would have also fallen victim to their wrath! All these years, I¡¯ve been drifting outside, the hardships indescribable. The only reason I¡¯ve endured is to seek revenge!¡± With these words, Zhu Ruyan rose from her seat and gracefully knelt down. ¡°Young master, you are a person of great ability. I only ask that you help me seek justice and revenge!¡± Xue An listened quietly, his expression undecipherable, just raising his cup to sip tea. ¡°It does sound sympathetic, but¡­¡± Xue An hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Zhu Ruyan quickly interjected, ¡°Naturally, I wouldn¡¯t expect the young master to take on the task for nothing. Over the years, I have also accumulated a good deal of wealth, all of which I can give to you, young master!¡± Xue An shook his head and smiled slightly, ¡°Wealth is of no use to me!¡± At the utterance of this statement. Zhu Ruyan fell silent, then with a trembling voice said, ¡°Young master, I once made a vow that whoever could help me exact my revenge, I would serve them as my master without any regrets!¡± Having said that, Zhu Ruyan looked at Xue An with eyes full of hope. Xue An laughed and then shook his head, ¡°It sounds tempting, but the opponent is the Kunlun Immortal Palace, you know.¡± So it¡¯s still the same! Zhu Ruyan felt a bitter taste in her heart and gently lowered her head. She didn¡¯t blame Xue An since the power of the opposing party was overwhelming to the point of despair. In fact, towards the end, Zhu Ruyan had stopped harboring any hope for revenge. But she couldn¡¯t reconcile with just living a muddled existence. Revenge had permeated every aspect of her life. If she couldn¡¯t achieve it, then her life had no meaning. ¡°Thank you for coming, young master. I have intruded!¡± Zhu Ruyan said softly, slowly standing up. ¡°Please return, young master!¡± She forced these words out with great effort, barely holding back tears. ¡°However¡­¡± Xue An reclined in his chair, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Others may fear the Kunlun Immortal Palace, but I do not!¡± This statement made Zhu Ruyan tremble, and she looked up at Xue An with disbelief. ¡°Young master¡­¡± she called out, quivering. ¡°But I want to know, what price are you willing to pay for this matter?¡± Xue An asked lightly. Facing Xue An¡¯s amused gaze, Zhu Ruyan¡¯s heart sank slowly, and then she clenched her teeth fiercely. Her hands trembled as she undid the ribbons of her outer garment. ¡°Master, though I have wandered through the mortal world all these years, I have always kept myself chaste! Moreover, I have practiced the Female Chastity Technique since childhood, and my pure yin can greatly enhance a person¡¯s cultivation level!¡± Having said that, Zhu Ruyan let her outer garment fall off, her teeth chattering nervously. ¡°As long as Master is willing to avenge me, I can give myself to you now!¡± What Zhu Ruyan said was true. She had been cultivating the Female Chastity Technique since she was a child. The uniqueness of this cultivation technique lay in the fact that it could use pure yin to aid a man¡¯s cultivation, even directly elevating him to a higher realm. But the conditions for practicing this technique were extremely stringent; it required a pure and unblemished woman, and moreover, her five meridians must all be unblocked! This was also the deepest secret hidden in Zhu Ruyan¡¯s heart. She knew better than anyone that if this trait of hers were to become known, it would be a devastating blow to her. But at the moment, for the sake of revenge, she cast all concerns aside. Xue An watched indifferently. Zhu Ruyan lowered her head, feeling a tide of mixed emotions under Xue An¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, unsure of the taste in her heart. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll help you kill this man!¡± Zhu Ruyan heard Xue An¡¯s words as if they were heavenly music to her ears. ¡°Master¡­.¡± At this moment, Xue An waved his hand and chuckled, ¡°Alright, put on your outer garment, be careful not to catch cold!¡± Zhu Ruyan was stunned; she didn¡¯t understand what Xue An meant. Xue An spoke lightly, ¡°I will help you because you are willing to pay a high enough price for what you believe in; that¡¯s something I admire.¡± ¡°As for the rest you mentioned¡­ I am not one to take advantage of others in their moment of weakness. Furthermore¡­ I already have a family, and even two children!¡± Zhu Ruyan stared at Xue An, baffled, her mind struggling to comprehend. Xue An stood up and spoke indifferently, ¡°After I win this trial, you will come with me to the main city of Kunlun; I want to see for myself who dares to make the presumptuous claim to be the Immortal Palace!¡± Having finished, Xue An went downstairs. Zhu Ruyan stood there, dazed for a long time. ¡°Miss,¡± the young maidservant called out softly. Zhu Ruyan turned around, her face covered with tears. The young maidservant had grown up with her from a young age and felt a bitter ache in her heart at the sight. ¡°Congratulations Miss, your hope for revenge seems likely now!¡± Zhu Ruyan nodded mournfully, a soft place deep within her heart stirred as if touched by something. Years of rootless drifting had conditioned her to always assume the worst in people¡¯s hearts. But she had not expected that Xue An would give her such an outcome in the end. The last words left by this man excited Zhu Ruyan immensely. ¡°Pack up, prepare¡­ to set off with Master!¡± Zhu Ruyan said in a firm voice. When Xue An returned to the inn, the shopkeeper stared at him with envious eyes. Even Bian Qingmu and the others had odd expressions on their faces. To this, Xue An merely smiled and dismissed it. He had always acted with a clear conscience, never caring about others¡¯ opinions! Xue An¡¯s journey to Kunlun was initially with the resolve to flatten heaven and earth. To be able to lend a hand to someone along the way was, of course, very good! Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter 204: Win You with the Sword (First Update) Chapter 304: Chapter 204: Win You with the Sword (First Update) Ai Family. Ai Boming lay in bed, his complexion pale as paper, nursing his injuries. Xue An¡¯s punch hadn¡¯t killed him, but it had seriously damaged his foundational energy, something that wouldn¡¯t recover in less than a year or two. ¡°Is the matter taken care of?¡± Ai Boming asked in a deep voice. ¡°My lord, as per your instructions, we have tampered with the Trial Divine Stone. The moment this person enters, we can summon our troops to surround and kill him within!¡± a steward reported in a deep voice. Ai Boming nodded, a vindictive glint in his eyes. ¡°Excellent! To think he dared to kill my daughter, this time, I will have him pay with his blood for the blood debt!¡± ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ The day of the trial finally arrived. The open ground in front of the trial field was packed with not just the participants but also the citizens gathered to watch the spectacle. A stir ran through the crowd now and then as masters from various parts of the eastern Kunlun regions continued to arrive. A splendid carriage drove into the arena, and Shang Tianhe stepped down. His arrival caused quite a stir. ¡°It¡¯s the Shang Family!¡± ¡°The eldest son of the Shang Family has arrived!¡± ¡°I hear the Shang Family¡¯s eldest son has godlike swordsmanship and even had training under the Sword Control Villa in the northern region of Kunlun. For this trial competition, I reckon first place will belong to none other than him!¡± Among these murmurs, Shang Tianhe remained calm, whereas his father, Shang Yuchen, wore a proud smile, nodding occasionally in response to those greeting him. At that moment, Xue An and Bian Qingmu also appeared at the venue. Due to the incidents from the past few days, many recognized Xue An. ¡°It¡¯s him! He really came!¡± ¡°This guy beat Ai Boming into bedridden agony, and he still dares to participate in the trial? He¡¯s got guts, that¡¯s for sure!¡± The crowd buzzed with conversation. Shang Tianhe fixed his gaze on Xue An, then strode over. Seeing him approach, many quickly cleared the way, looking at Xue An with gleeful anticipation of misfortune. As the pride of Jizhou City, Shang Tianhe naturally had the crowd¡¯s favor. As for Xue An, a man of mysterious origins and domineering actions, many were wary of him. ¡°You are indeed strong and worthy to be my opponent. But in this trial, I will make you understand what a true powerhouse is,¡± Shang Tianhe said in a strong voice. Xue An simply smiled, not responding to Shang Tianhe¡¯s words, instead glancing at the sword at his waist, ¡°Sword Cultivator?¡± Shang Tianhe nodded, ¡°True Disciple of the Sword Control Villa, Shang Tianhe!¡± As he spoke, pride filled his face. After all, to become a True Disciple in a Hidden Immortal Sect like Sword Control Villa was a testament to his exceptional talent! ¡°Fine, for this trial, I won¡¯t use fists but swords to defeat you!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Boom! Xue An¡¯s statement sparked commotion among the surrounding people. Many were aware of how Xue An had defeated Ai Boming with his fists a few days prior. They had assumed Xue An to be a Martial Cultivator who excelled in fist techniques. Yet now he was claiming he would defeat Shang Tianhe with a sword, which seemed almost absurdly laughable. At least many could not help but snicker, believing this man was arrogantly courting death. Upon hearing this, Shang Tianhe¡¯s gaze grew colder. ¡°Defeat me with a sword? Heh, I¡¯ve been sleeping with a sword by my pillow since I was three, practicing swordsmanship countless times daily. At seven, I entered the Heavenly Human Realm; at twelve, I reached Xiaoyao; by eighteen, I ascended to Heavenly Being; and at twenty-two, I finally became a Sword Immortal! Recently, I received the favor of Moonlight Sword Sovereign from Sword Control Villa and was taken as a disciple to inherit the peerless Sword Dao! Becoming a True Disciple!¡± Shang Tianhe¡¯s words garnered an admiring look from the surrounding people. Shang Yuchen¡¯s face was full of pride; after all, with his son being so promising, it reflected glory on him as well. A cold sneer surfaced on the corner of Shang Tianhe¡¯s mouth as he retorted, ¡°And now you dare claim¡­ you intend to defeat me with your sword?¡± Shang Tianhe¡¯s question made everyone turn their gaze toward Xue An. Many faces were filled with disdain. Yet faced with these stares, Xue An laughed, ¡°Sounds quite impressive!¡± ¡°But to me, it still looks like¡­ trash!¡± As soon as the word ¡°trash¡± left his mouth, it elicited numerous angry glances. Especially Shang Yuchen, whose complexion became so dark it looked like he could drip water. But Shang Tianhe merely showed a slight change in expression, then nodded his head, ¡°My heart of the sword is clear and unperturbed. You can¡¯t provoke me. When the time comes, I¡¯ll prove with my sword who is truly the trash!¡± Having said that, Shang Tianhe turned to leave. Just then, there was a sudden disturbance at the entrance of the trial venue, followed by the crowd parting to create a path. A peerlessly elegant beauty with incomparable charm walked in with measured steps. The spectating crowd gradually fell silent, many watching her with faces full of amazement. After the beautiful woman walked past, someone murmured softly, ¡°Is there really such a beautiful woman in the world?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t¡­ isn¡¯t that Miss Zhu Ruyan of the Ruyan Tower?¡± Someone recognized her and couldn¡¯t help but let out a low exclamation. At first, Shang Tianhe was taken aback, and then a surge of ecstasy overwhelmed him. He had been doggedly courting Zhu Ruyan for some time, but she always kept her distance, never responding directly, which greatly troubled Shang Tianhe. Her sudden appearance at the front of the trial venue today must be to bolster my spirits! She must have understood my feelings and is ready to accept them! With that thought, Shang Tianhe excitedly stepped forward, ¡°Miss Ruyan, why have you come in person? Your presence truly flusters me¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence because he realized that Zhu Ruyan was not glancing sideways, not even looking at him, and walked straight past him into the venue. What is she doing? Intrigued, Shang Tianhe turned his head to look. He saw Zhu Ruyan approach Xue An and gracefully saluted him. ¡°My lord!¡± Boom! All the onlookers were taken aback. What was this about? Why was Zhu Ruyan, known throughout Jizhou for her beauty, showing such respect to this man? Shang Tianhe was flabbergasted. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°I was worried about my lord¡¯s participation in the trial, so I specifically came to boost your morale!¡± Hearing this, Shang Tianhe could no longer remain calm. The murderous intent in his eyes was fervent, and his complexion turned ashen. Very good! You dare to provoke me so, this time¡­ I will surely kill you! At that moment, an elder from the Ai Family announced loudly, ¡°The trial has officially begun! Participants, enter the arena!¡± A layer of light shimmered above the trial ground. This light barrier was much thicker than the one in Yuanzhou City, obviously considering that the cultivation levels of those participating in this trial would be much higher! Shang Tianhe, with a darkened face, entered the arena first. Xue Anchong gave Zhu Ruyan a slight nod and then turned to enter as well. Zhu Ruyan stared at the departing figure of Xue An, her face full of tension and anticipation. Xue An was her only hope for revenge! Naturally, she was full of concern. At this moment, as Xue An entered, some individuals at the front of the trial ground exchanged glances, and with composed expressions, they quickly followed him inside. Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 205: Domain of the Sword (2nd Update) Chapter 305: Chapter 205: Domain of the Sword (2nd Update) After a series of light and shadow changes, what appeared before Xue An was actually a small-scale platform. And his first opponent was none other than a pair of delicate and charming sisters. ¡°Big brother, this is our first time participating in the trial, please show us some mercy!¡± One of the women pleaded in a delicate voice. Xue An slightly smiled and said in an amused tone, ¡°Someone over a hundred years old still acting like a child, don¡¯t you find it disgusting?¡± These words caused both women¡¯s faces to change abruptly. ¡°Boy, you look quite good, it¡¯s a pity, we can¡¯t pamper you today because someone wants you dead!¡± With that said, both women disappeared from the spot. Faced with this scene, Xue An was not the least bit flustered; instead, he closed his eyes. Suddenly. At Xue An¡¯s lower back, a dagger emanating a dense omen of ill fortune appeared out of nowhere, then thrust forward violently. It almost pierced through Xue An¡¯s hairs. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Your Void Evasion technique is quite good, but unfortunately, it¡¯s useless in front of me!¡± As he spoke, a strand of Sword Qi directly cut through the void. A woman screamed in agony, followed by blood dripping to the ground and speeding away. ¡°Still trying to run?¡± Xue An only took one step to appear in the distance, then stretched out his hand, and plunged it directly into the void. ¡°Come out for me¡­!¡± As Xue An¡¯s voice fell, the two women were forcibly yanked out of the void by him. The two women were terrified, ¡°Save us¡­¡± Their cries for help ceased abruptly as they were pierced through by a strand of Sword Qi and died on the spot. Meanwhile, the platform began to flicker violently, and as many as thirty or forty people appeared on the platform. Xue An released his hand, and the bodies of the two women fell to the ground with a dull thud. This caused the group of thirty or forty to be simultaneously startled. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time, have you finally shown up?¡± Xue An said coolly. The leader of the group had an uncertain look on his face and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re on the brink of death and still so arrogant?!¡± ¡°I said I would let the Ai Family off the hook, but now since he¡¯s seeking his own death, don¡¯t blame me!¡± Xue An spoke calmly, taking a step forward. ¡°Come at me together, I¡¯m in a hurry!¡± These people glanced at each other, their faces hesitant. The two women just killed by Xue An were known as the Witch Twin Shas, notorious and tough figures in the eastern region of Kunlun, yet they were directly annihilated by a single sword strike from Xue An. This suddenly made those who were initially full of confidence lose their nerve. ¡°Kill him! The Family Head of the Ai Family will reward us handsomely! Otherwise, none of us will leave!¡± the leader shouted coldly. Hearing this, they gritted their teeth and charged forward. These people were mostly at the Half-step Loose Immortal cultivation level, and the leaders were Loose Immortals! The combined attack of so many was extremely formidable. Even the trial platform itself seemed unable to bear it, beginning to gradually crack. Meanwhile, those outside could only see the light screen of the entire trial space flickering intensely. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Yes, such a thing has never happened before!¡± The onlookers outside were full of confusion and uncertainty. Only a few from the Ai Family looked at each other, their faces filled with glee. It was certain that a fight had broken out inside, and now, that man will have no place to be buried. But their hopes were destined to be dashed. Because inside, facing this terrifying strike. Xue An¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, ¡°Sword¡­ Domain!¡± Numerous Sword Qi blades suddenly appeared, densely filling the entire space. Everyone felt a heaviness in their bodies, as if they were unable to use their cultivation levels at all, and naturally, the terrifying strike dissipated into nothing. In this space, Sword Qi was the absolute ruler! These people were in utter shock. Xue An softly commanded, ¡°Kill!¡± As the word ¡°kill¡± came out. All the Sword Qi, like bone-corroding maggots, immediately engulfed these people. After a few brief screams of agony, all fell silent. When the sword light dispersed, nothing but stark white bones remained on the ground. ¡°Is this all you¡¯re capable of? It¡¯s becoming more and more boring. Let¡¯s finish this quickly!¡± Xue An said impatiently, casually waving his hand to slice through the light curtain, then stepped forward and walked in. At this moment, Shang Tianhe was fighting with a burly man. The burly man¡¯s offensive was extremely fierce, but regrettably, with just a slight dodge, Shang Tianhe easily kept all the fists and kicks from so much as touching a single hair on him. A few moments later. The burly man¡¯s attacks gradually slowed down, and beads of sweat started to appear on his face. Just then, Shang Tianhe suddenly struck the burly man¡¯s neck with the scabbard of his sword. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The burly man¡¯s body stiffened. After taking a deep breath, he said in resignation, ¡°I admit defeat!¡± Shang Tianhe, with an indifferent expression, stepped back half a step and nodded slightly, ¡°You¡¯re gracious.¡± From beginning to end, Shang Tianhe never drew his sword. All his fights were won using the scabbard to defeat his opponents. Many opponents were greatly irritated by this, thinking that Shang Tianhe was too arrogant, actually hoping to win the trial without even drawing his sword. But only Shang Tianhe himself understood. He wanted to nurture the Sword Qi in his chest to the utmost limit; only in this way could he unleash the greatest lethality and annihilate that man in one strike! As the burly man admitted defeat, the scene before Shang Tianhe shifted, and an old man with white hair appeared opposite him. Seeing the old man, Shang Tianhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°So it is the Diviner. Tianhe pays his respects!¡± The Diviner laughed, ¡°This trial, I¡¯m merely here to join in the fun. Go ahead, Young Master Shang!¡± Just as the two were about to fight, the platform fluctuated, and then Xue An emerged from it. ¡°Good, I¡¯ve finally found you!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Shang Tianhe looked at Xue An with a dark expression, ¡°What¡¯s going on? The fight isn¡¯t over yet, how could you appear here?¡± ¡°I got tired of waiting! All the others have already been defeated by me, now you¡¯re the only one left!¡± Xue An¡¯s words left Shang Tianhe stunned. The Diviner snorted coldly, ¡°Such arrogance at a young age, it¡¯s indeed laughable.¡± Xue An turned his head to glance at the old man, frowning slightly, ¡°And who might you be?¡± The Diviner proudly said, ¡°I am the Sect Leader of the Diviner Sect from the eastern region of Kunlun, the Diviner himself, young man, you¡­.¡± Xue An had no patience for this old man¡¯s haughtiness, ¡°Scram!¡± The Diviner, infuriated, was about to scold Xue An for not knowing how to respect his elders. Xue An waved his hand casually. A fearsome Sword Qi then pierced directly toward the Diviner¡¯s forehead. The Diviner, shocked, twisted his body with all his might and narrowly dodged the strike! Then, his whole body was soaked in cold sweat, his gaze filled with fear as he looked at Xue An. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Still dare to talk nonsense?¡± The Diviner, pale-faced, shook his head repeatedly and hastily left the trial grounds. Only Xue An and Shang Tianhe remained on the platform. Shang Tianhe¡¯s expression grew solemn. The Sword Dao Cultivation that Xue An revealed with that casual strike had also taken him aback. Could this fellow also be a Sword Cultivator? ¡°Draw your sword, let me see just how extraordinary your so-called unparalleled Sword Dao is,¡± Xue An said, standing with his hands behind his back and speaking nonchalantly. Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 206: To be honest, I am very disappointed (3rd update) Chapter 306: Chapter 206: To be honest, I am very disappointed (3rd update) Shang Tianhe snorted coldly, ¡°Your Sword Dao is indeed not bad, but how can it compare to the unparalleled Sword Dao that I have painstakingly honed over so many years!¡± As he spoke, Shang Tianhe slowly drew his sword. Moon-white Sword Qi surged wildly, illuminating the entire trial space as if it were the Moon Palace itself! Xue An¡¯s expression was neither sad nor happy, as he simply watched quietly. ¡°Tianhe¡­ Sword Heart!¡± Shang Tianhe saw this and couldn¡¯t help but roar, as a dazzling sword light slashed down from the heavens with absolute resolve. The entire stage, even the whole trial space, was directly cleaved in half by this sword. The crowd watching from outside only saw a sword Qi shooting up into the sky. Shang Yuchen, who was originally somewhat nervous, relaxed and laughed proudly, ¡°It¡¯s my son Tianhe¡¯s Sword Intent! Now, my son is sure to win!¡± He was completely confident in this. And many people, after hearing his words, couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Regardless of anything else, as long as they could defeat that man, that would be good! Only Bian Qingmu and Zhu Ruyan, among others, showed dramatic changes in their expressions. In the trial field, with the stage engulfed by the sword light, it was impossible to see the situation inside for a moment. But Shang Tianhe was certain, he had won! There was no way anyone could withstand his sword without dodging or evading! Moreover, Shang Tianhe felt that his sword had made significant progress just now. This filled his heart with joy and pride. But his joy was quickly shattered by a voice. ¡°Honestly, I am very disappointed!¡± With that, the sword light rapidly dissipated, and Xue An appeared in the center of the field, still standing with his hands behind his back, his expression still indifferent. ¡°How is this possible!¡± Shang Tianhe said in shock, his face filled with horror. Xue An shook his head, ¡°With your Sword Dao, you dare to call yourself unparalleled? In the secular world, I once met a Sword Cultivator whose Cultivation Level was inferior to yours, but his Sword Dao was stronger than yours!¡± The Sword Cultivator Xue An was referring to was Lingnan¡¯s Sword Immortal Yu Yuanyi. Although Xue An said that he had also made mistakes in Sword Dao, he had nonetheless touched the edge of the Dao in the secular world, which was quite an achievement. And this Shang Tianhe, who had grown up in the Immortal Realm of Kunlun since childhood, with conditions for cultivation a hundred times better than the secular world, ended up only chasing external forces, which to Xue An, was naturally rubbish. Shang Tianhe¡¯s face turned ashen, ¡°Stop your nonsense, I don¡¯t believe your Sword Dao is better than my master¡¯s! Take this!¡± Having said that, Shang Tianhe lifted his sword again, ready to strike. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Your master? Hehe, I once made all the immortals of The Multiverse Realm bow their heads to me. What is he in comparison?¡± Shang Tianhe¡¯s face paled; he felt an extremely terrifying Sword Intent. But he still gritted his teeth and concentrated all his Cultivation Level into the Tianhe Sword, thrusting fiercely! ¡°Die!¡± Shang Tianhe roared. Boom! The Tianhe Sword Intent surged like a raging river, heading straight for Xue An. Xue An stood proudly, making no move. Then Shang Tianhe witnessed a scene that almost shattered his innards. He saw his own Tianhe Sword Intent come to a halt before reaching Xue An, then, like subjects before an emperor, bow in submission before dissipating. Shang Tianhe¡¯s face turned white as he muttered, ¡°No¡­ impossible, how could this¡­¡± Xue An said calmly, ¡°I told you, no matter how hard you train, your Sword Dao is still rubbish, because¡­ you have no talent for it!¡± These words dealt a nearly fatal blow to Shang Tianhe! Always called a Sword Dao genius by the people around since childhood, he now suddenly had someone tell him he had no talent! This huge disparity nearly made Shang Tianhe vomit blood. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense! If I have no talent for Sword Dao, then who in the world does?¡± Shang Tianhe was almost hysterical. Xue An took a step forward, ¡°Since you don¡¯t believe it, today I will show you what a true Immortal Sword is!¡± With Xue An¡¯s words, streaks of sword light gradually emerged before him, then combined into a white Giant Sword! ¡°Watch my sword¡­cut through the heavens!¡± As the words fell, Xue An lightly grasped the hilt and swung fiercely. A heaven-shaking Sword Intent surged to the skies in an instant, and the trial light screen above only held for a few breaths before it shattered with a loud bang. Onlookers outside cried out in utter shock, ¡°What¡¯s happened!¡± No sooner had they spoken than a sword light came crashing down, cleaving Jizhou City in two. This was also the mightiest sword Xue An had wielded since reaching the Half-step Longevity stage. Dust rose in all directions, and the entire Jizhou City trembled under this sword. As for the others, they all stared in stunned silence. This sword had surpassed their understanding. Shang Yuchen suddenly turned pale, ¡°Tianhe¡­ How is he?¡± This was also of concern to many, so they turned to look as well. They saw that the trial ground was completely destroyed, and as the dust gradually cleared, only two people were standing in the center. One of them was Shang Tianhe. Seeing his son unharmed, Shang Yuchen couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh of relief. But immediately after, his heart seized up again. Shang Tianhe slowly said, ¡°It turns out, I was really wrong!¡± Having said that, Shang Tianhe turned and walked out. Shang Yuchen quickly went to meet him, but before he had taken but a few steps. Shang Tianhe suddenly knelt to the ground with a thud, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. ¡°Tianhe!¡± exclaimed Shang Yuchen. Shang Tianhe gently shook his head at his father, ¡°Father, your son has failed you. My heart of the sword is destroyed, and I cannot serve you into your old age. I only ask that after my death, you hold no grudge against me!¡± Shang Yuchen shook uncontrollably. Shang Tianhe nodded at Xue An, ¡°Thank you!¡± After speaking, Shang Tianhe collapsed to the ground, lifeless. Xue An watched silently. This Shang Tianhe, who had until just now been dissatisfied, had tried to withstand the sword with his heart of the sword, only to die with it shattered to pieces! No one else was to blame! Thinking this, Xue An shook his head and stepped forward to leave. That very moment, Shang Yuchen¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, ¡°Give back my son¡¯s life!¡± With that, he charged forward. Without turning his head, Xue An flicked his wrist and Shang Yuchen was sent flying back even faster. ¡°In consideration of your son, I will not kill you this time, but I hope you won¡¯t test my limited patience again!¡± said Xue An indifferently, striding away. Shang Yuchen stared blankly at the receding figure of Xue An, quivering all over. And the entire crowd watched this scene with unspeakable fear. From entering the trial grounds to now, merely an hour had passed, yet countless were dead or injured. Even the highly esteemed eldest son of the Shang Family had met with defeat and death. Just how terrifying was this man? Only Zhu Ruyan¡¯s eyes brimmed with excited tears! The stronger Xue An became, the greater her hope for revenge. ¡°My lord¡­.¡± Xue An nodded, then said, ¡°There are still some matters to attend to, then I¡¯ll head to Kunlun City!¡± With that, Xue An leapt into the air and disappeared into the horizon. Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter 307 Someone slashed Jizhou City with a single sword! (4th update) Chapter 307: Chapter 307 Someone slashed Jizhou City with a single sword! (4th update) Ai Family. Ai Boming always felt jittery, as if something was about to happen. Could it be that something had gone wrong at the trial conference? Ai Boming was fraught with suspicion and doubt. Suddenly, an earth-shattering boom came from outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ai Boming exclaimed in alarm. ¡°Rep¡­ Reporting to the master, someone has slashed Jizhou City with a single sword!¡± the butler said, trembling. ¡°What?¡± Ai Boming bolted upright, his face a mask of disbelief. ¡°Slashed Jizhou City with a single sword?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the butler said, consumed with fear. Indeed. Ai Boming could now feel an exceptionally strong Sword Intent. And this Sword Intent felt eerily familiar. The color drained from Ai Boming¡¯s face. Just then, a voice came through. ¡°Aren¡¯t you disappointed that you couldn¡¯t kill me?¡± Ai Boming¡¯s face turned aghast, and he looked around. There sat Xue An, who had appeared inside the room at some unknown time, lounging in a chair, leisurely watching him. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Ai Boming stumbled over his words, unable to speak. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°I told you before, I spared you once, but you continued to be blind to the truth, so don¡¯t blame me now!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Although Ai Boming was lying in bed recovering from his injuries, he couldn¡¯t care less at this point and flipped out of bed, collapsing to his knees with a thud. ¡°My lord, spare my life! I truly realize my wrongs. If you spare me, I can give you endless gold and silver treasures as well as Spirit Stones and Immortal Pills!¡± Xue An looked at the panic-stricken Ai Boming, shook his head with a light sigh, ¡°Why do people always come to regret only when they¡¯re facing death?¡± As he spoke, a Sword Qi pierced Ai Boming¡¯s forehead. Ai Boming looked at Xue An in shock, seemingly unable to believe that Xue An actually dared to kill him so decisively and swiftly. Then, he slowly fell to the ground, dead. The butler was already so frightened that he was about to faint. Seeing his master dead, he turned and tried to run. Xue An frowned slightly and with a swing of his sword, the butler screamed and fell dead as well. Xue An then got up and walked outside. By now, the entire Jizhou City was in chaos. The Ai Family was particularly panic-stricken. Xue An stepped into the void. Looking down at the Ai Family below him. At this moment, the people of the Ai Family also noticed Xue An, crying out in alarm. ¡°Look! That man is back!¡± ¡°Heavens, is the Ai Family really doomed?¡± Amidst these cries of despair, Xue An shook his head, ¡°I won¡¯t kill you!¡± The crowd below breathed a collective sigh of relief. ¡°But I must leave you with a lesson!¡± With that, Xue An took a step. The entire Ai Family estate, as if struck by a giant hammer, was leveled to the ground. ¡°Not too shabby!¡± Xue An nodded with satisfaction, then vanished into the sky. The surviving members of the Ai Family looked at each other and then scattered in all directions. Thus, the once-powerful Ai Family fell into decline. Xue An returned to the trial site, where Zhu Ruyan and Bian Qingmu and others were still waiting for him. As for everyone else, most had already dispersed. After all, Xue An¡¯s performance was too astonishing, already stripping everyone of their will to resist. Xue An merely smiled at this before asking Bian Qingmu, ¡°How about it, would you like to accompany me to Kunlun?¡± Bian Qingmu shook his head, ¡°I¡¯d rather not, my cultivation level is such that I would only be a burden to you!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Fair enough, then let¡¯s part ways here!¡± With that, he turned to Zhu Ruyan and said, ¡°Let¡¯s set off now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As Xue An prepared to leave, Bian Tian approached with reluctance, ¡°Immortal Master, I still don¡¯t know your name. Could you tell me?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone around perked up their ears to listen. For all this time, they had no knowledge of Xue An¡¯s origins or name. Xue An patted Bian Tian¡¯s little head, ¡°Remember, my name is Xue An!¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Bian Tian nodded vigorously and then spoke with reluctance, ¡°Immortal Master Xue, will we have the chance to meet again in the future?¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°Of course!¡± Xue An¡¯s patience at the trial meeting was because he wanted to thoroughly understand the composition of the sects within the Kunlun Immortal Realm! He intended to turn this place into a blessed land of the Immortal Realm for the secular world in the future. After all, the spiritual energy here was much denser than outside. Just as Xue An and Zhu Ruyan embarked on their journey to the main city of Kunlun. The events that unfolded in Jizhou City spread at a terrifying speed throughout the secret realms of Kunlun. For a moment, the whole of Kunlun was shaken. Countless gazes turned toward this place. Just who was it that possessed such a shocking cultivation, cutting Jizhou into two halves with a single sword? In the northern region of Kunlun, Sword Control Villa. The northern region of Kunlun was covered in snow and ice all year round, yet sword lights flickered frequently in the sky above. This was the main base for the Sword Cultivators within the Kunlun Immortal Realm. And Sword Control Villa was the most powerful setting within this northern region of Kunlun. Within the Ting Jian Pavilion, Wu Bucheng, the current Sect Leader of Sword Control Villa, was examining his treasured sword. Just then, Moon Blade Sword Sovereign hurriedly entered. ¡°Sect Leader!¡± Wu Bucheng nodded and then looked up at Moon Blade Sword Sovereign. ¡°Have you heard about the incident in Jizhou?¡± ¡°I have!¡± There was a flash of fierceness in the eyes of Moon Blade Sword Sovereign. ¡°And one of my true disciples died in it!¡± ¡°What are your thoughts on it?¡± Wu Bucheng asked indifferently, beginning to gently wipe the sword in his hand. However, his wiping involved controlling a wisp of Sword Qi on his fingertips, slowly cutting into the blade. This world-shocking method of sword control filled Moon Blade Sword Sovereign with awe. ¡°I have already sent someone to investigate this person, but no one has ever seen him before, could he be a hidden Sword Cultivator?¡± said Moon Blade Sword Sovereign. ¡°Wrong!¡± Wu Bucheng spoke indifferently. ¡°Sect Leader, please enlighten me!¡± ¡°The hidden Sword Cultivators could never be as formidable! How could those decaying people, who only face the wall in caves for reflection, possess such an earth-shattering Sword Intent?¡± ¡°Then by Sect Leader¡¯s reasoning, that means¡­¡± ¡°This person must have come from the secular world!¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Disbelief colored Moon Blade Sword Sovereign¡¯s face. ¡°Although I cannot go to the secular world myself, my disciples have been there. They told me firsthand that the place is devoid of spiritual energy, becoming barren ground for cultivation! How could such a powerful Sword Cultivator emerge from there?¡± Wu Bucheng smiled faintly, ¡°You all underestimate that secular world. Just a while ago, true disciples from Thousand Snow Sect and Overlord Sect went to the secular world, and weren¡¯t they killed by someone there?¡± ¡°I still think it¡¯s impossible!¡± Moon Blade Sword Sovereign insisted. ¡°Whether it is or isn¡¯t will be clear when the time comes! How is Fei Bai¡¯s Sword Dao progressing now?¡± Mention of Fei Bai brought a look of admiration to Moon Blade Sword Sovereign¡¯s face, ¡°Replying to Sect Leader, since Fei Bai returned from his last experience, his Sword Dao has further improved and he even shows signs of surpassing me!¡± Chapter 309 - Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Sword Slave? It’s Getting More Interesting! (Second Update) Chapter 309: Chapter 309: Sword Slave? It¡¯s Getting More Interesting! (Second Update) Lu Xunxue¡¯s face changed upon hearing the words, ¡°Revenge?¡± He then scrutinized Xue An for a moment, a flash of cold disdain passing through his eyes. ¡°Junior Sister Ruyan, I know you bear a deep-seated hatred, but you must not let vengeance blind you and trust others rashly, after all¡­ some people¡¯s intentions are still unknown!¡± Lu Xunxue¡¯s words were harsh. Zhu Ruyan¡¯s face turned pale, as if she wanted to say something. Xue An waved his hand, signaling Zhu Ruyan not to speak, and then gave Lu Xunxue a faint smile. ¡°Are you suggesting that I¡¯m harboring ulterior motives?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that; I¡¯m just reminding my junior sister to be more careful,¡± Lu Xunxue said coldly before turning and heading back into the room. ¡°My lord, my senior sister is not aware of your cultivation level and deeds. She is just worried about me being deceived. Please don¡¯t take her words to heart,¡± Zhu Ruyan quickly said, fearing that Xue An would get angry over this. Xue An smiled. Of course, he had no reason to get upset with a woman unfamiliar with the ways of the world. ¡°Your senior sister certainly seems very concerned about you,¡± Xue An said lightly. Zhu Ruyan gave a wry smile. She and Lu Xunxue had once studied medicine under a highly skilled medical expert. Later, an incident occurred in Zhu Ruyan¡¯s family, and she left Kunlun City. Meanwhile, Lu Xunxue opened a small medical hall here. They had a good relationship at the beginning, and Lu Xunxue had always been as enthusiastic as ever upon her return; however, she seemed not as friendly towards Xue An. In the following days, Xue An stayed at the Jishi Hall. Lu Xunxue was always cold to him, her gaze upon him like that of one looking at a swindler. Zhu Ruyan apologized several times, but Xue An merely chuckled it off. As the time for the trial neared, the main city of Kunlun gradually buzzed with excitement. Streaks of light would occasionally fly across the sky, clearly the experts coming to participate in the trial. At such times, many would look up at the sky with yearning, their eyes filled with longing. For the common people of Kunlun, these Immortals flying to and fro were beings to be admired but beyond reach. To be accepted into an Immortal Cultivation Sect would be like ascending to heaven in a single step. Thus, the days when the trial assembly began were the liveliest in Kunlun City. This time was no exception. When the day arrived, Lu Xunxue also got up early, and after grooming and dressing, she said to Zhu Ruyan, ¡°Junior Sister, today is the day of the trial assembly, let¡¯s go watch the excitement together!¡± Zhu Ruyan replied with a smile, ¡°Of course, we must go! After all, our lord will also participate in this trial assembly.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Xunxue was slightly stunned, then looked disdainfully at Xue An standing in the distance. ¡°Junior Sister, this man talks big. Be wary! The trial assembly involves the current masters of the entire Kunlun Realm, including the true disciples of many renowned Sects. What is he in comparison?¡± Zhu Ruyan became anxious, ¡°Senior Sister, Lord Xue is extremely formidable. How can you speak so lightly of him¡­¡± Lu Xunxue shook her head and did not continue. In her eyes, even if this Xue An had some skills, he certainly was not qualified to participate in the trial assembly. She figured he was just boasting. Wait until then, I¡¯ll see how you continue to pretend! Lu Xunxue thought to herself. The trials in Kunlun City were naturally extraordinary, held in the square of the Immortal Palace in the middle of the city. By the time Lu Xunxue and others arrived, it was already crowded with people. Now and again, cultivators with impressive auras would descend from the sky, causing the onlookers to exclaim in awe. ¡°Look, that Monk actually flew here riding on an eagle!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Master Miyoi from the Western Regions¡¯ Ahang Palace! Truly a holy monk!¡± ¡°And there are people from the Thousand Snow Sect, the Overlord Sect, and the Night Devil Palace as well!¡± ¡°This year¡¯s trial is truly unprecedented!¡± Amid these discussions, Lu Xunxue turned his head to glance at Xue An, who stood in silence beside him, a sneer of disdain appearing at the corner of his mouth. So you¡¯ve become silent now? It seems you were indeed all talk! At this moment, these exceptional True Disciples, having taken their places in the arena, were also chatting idly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Imperial Son himself will make a move this time. It seems we have no hope of claiming first place in this trial!¡± said Miao Haoyan from the Overlord Sect, also a True Disciple. ¡°Heh, that¡¯s not necessarily true, because Fei Bai of the Sword Control Villa will also be taking the field!¡± Cheng Lusheng of the Thousand Snow Sect said indifferently. Fei Bai! At the mention of this name, many people¡¯s expressions tightened. Because this person once was the nightmare of all the True Disciples and prodigies! With a single Fei Bai sword, he had defeated countless opponents. ¡°Why bring up that monster? As long as we can achieve a good ranking this time, that¡¯ll be enough!¡± Miao Haoyan said with a forced smile. As they spoke, the crowded throng suddenly parted, creating a pathway. They saw a man limping slowly towards them, his face gaunt and pale, except for his eyes, which were fierce like those of a wild beast. Upon seeing this person, the True Disciples collectively fell silent. Because the one who had arrived was the same ¡®monster¡¯ they had just been talking about, Fei Bai! At a distant high platform, the Moonlight Sword Master was smiling as he watched the scene below. ¡°This time, almost every young expert from the Kunlun Immortal Realm is here!¡± Unlike his calm demeanor, the people from several other Sects were all somewhat anxious and restless. For instance, Fairy Thousand Snow now had a gloomy face. Not to mention the Imperial Son from the Immortal Palace making his move. The Sword Control Villa had even dispatched an unearthly prodigy like Fei Bai. Moreover, many warriors from the Hidden Immortal Sects had also emerged. This time, the Thousand Snow Sect would likely find it difficult to achieve a good ranking. As for Fei Bai below, he had now reached the center of the arena, and no one dared to approach him, all keeping their distance. Fei Bai didn¡¯t pay any attention to these people; his eyes swept across the crowd, and then he slightly furrowed his brow. ¡°He didn¡¯t come?¡± Cheng Lusheng, with a coquettish smile, said, ¡°Who might you be referring to, Lord Fei Bai?¡± ¡°Where is that Sword Cultivator who wielded his sword against Jizhou City?¡± This comment made the True Disciples look at each other, perplexed. ¡°Heh, it¡¯s probably just an exaggerated rumor. Although Jizhou City is a principal city, it¡¯s remote; where could there be any extraordinary Sword Cultivator?¡± Miao Haoyan said with disdain. These words made everyone nod in agreement. After all, in the past trials, there rarely had been anyone from Jizhou participating, and if there were, their results were usually at the bottom. At this moment, amidst the crowd, Xue An, looking towards the distant Fei Bai, revealed a faint, indifferent smile. ¡°It seems there are also sword slaves dedicated to the sword; things are getting more and more interesting!¡± Lu Xunxue didn¡¯t catch what Xue An had muttered but still frowned and said coldly, ¡°You can brag elsewhere, but here, I advise you to stay humble. After all, those are Immortals, and if you offend them with your words, you won¡¯t like the consequences!¡± The words were harsh, but Xue An, upon hearing them, raised his eyebrow slightly and said mildly, ¡°You should be thankful, thankful that you are Zhu Ruyan¡¯s senior sister.¡± Having said this, Xue An stood up and walked towards the inner field. Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 310: It’s Been a Long Time Since I Drew My Sword! (3 More) Chapter 310: Chapter 310: It¡¯s Been a Long Time Since I Drew My Sword! (3 More) Lu Xunxue was somewhat taken aback, ¡°What is this guy going to do?¡± ¡°Could it be that he really intends to participate in the trial?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that seeking death?¡± Hence, Lu Xunxue said to Zhu Ruyan in a rush, ¡°Quickly stop this guy! Otherwise, he¡¯ll really go!¡± At this moment, Zhu Ruyan¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t looking good either. Lu Xunxue¡¯s repeated rudeness towards Xue An had angered Zhu Ruyan, which is why she said coldly, ¡°My lord was planning to take part in the trial all along!¡± The statement turned Lu Xunxue¡¯s face pale, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat annoyed. Really, a guy who doesn¡¯t know the immensity of heaven and earth¡ªdo whatever you like! Just as she was inwardly greatly dissatisfied, she suddenly heard a commotion up ahead. She looked up, only to be stunned. She saw that Xue An had already arrived in the inner field. His arrival also attracted many gazes. Many people didn¡¯t recognize him, and seeing his common demeanor as well as his approach by foot, rather than flying over with the grandeur of those ¡°Immortals,¡± they couldn¡¯t help but be somewhat disdainful. That included those peerless geniuses with true inheritances, who all frowned. ¡°Who is this guy, do you know him?¡± Cheng Lusheng asked Nangong Wushuang from Night Demon Valley. ¡°I don¡¯t know him!¡± Nangong Wushuang shook his head, ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s just some minor loose cultivator from somewhere!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t bother with the others and just smiled slightly at Fei Bai, ¡°With body as a servant to the sword.¡± Upon those words, a bright light flared up in Fei Bai¡¯s eyes, fixating on Xue An before he nodded slightly. ¡°Are you that newly emerged sword cultivator?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Indeed! I didn¡¯t expect to see such a pure sword cultivator like you here¡ªhow interesting!¡± With his words, a terrifying sword intent soared to the skies, startling everyone in the plaza. Lu Xunxue, who had been in the crowd ready to watch Xue An make a fool of himself, was utterly dumbfounded at this scene. What¡­ What¡¯s going on! How could he possess such a formidable presence! Could it be that all he said was true? Not just Lu Xunxue, but the many geniuses who had originally been dismissive were equally astonished. ¡°Such a powerful sword intent!¡± Miyoi squinted slightly and stared at Xue An. This man¡ªindeed terrifying! Cheng Lusheng and others looked even worse. Only Fei Bai, his face showing delight, ¡°Good! Indeed, a sword cultivator who could cleave a city with a single sword, meeting you is not in vain!¡± At that time, atop the towering Immortal Palace, the Imperial Son, Haoyu Huang, stood with his hands behind his back, looking down coldly at everything below. ¡°Imperial Son, how is the strength of the people participating in this year¡¯s trial?¡± A middle-aged man with a sinister expression appeared beside him. The great steward of the Immortal Palace, Zuo Yuhu! Haoyu Huang shook his head slightly, ¡°Fei Bai of Sword Control Villa is not bad; as for the rest, they are nothing more than mediocre, not worth a blow!¡± ¡°And what about this newly emerged sword cultivator?¡± inquired Zuo Yuhu. Haoyu Huang¡¯s face showed a touch of pride, ¡°I have already reached the peak of longevity, one step away from becoming a half-step Golden Immortal. These people are no match for me!¡± Zuo Yuhu bowed his head respectfully, a hint of fear in his eyes. Someone of Haoyu Huang¡¯s age reaching the peak of longevity was unparalleled across the world. And it was certain that he could take that step and enter the ranks of Golden Immortals! This also meant that he would become the strongest person in the Immortal Palace, aside from a few unfathomable beings. Zuo Yuhu¡¯s respect for him grew even more. At this moment, the trial competition officially began. Contestants started entering the arena one after another. Xue An also walked in. After the interchanging light and shadow, the first opponent who appeared before him was none other than Fei Bai! ¡°I haven¡¯t drawn my sword in a long time,¡± Fei Bai said slowly, ¡°but to show respect, this time, I will draw it against you.¡± As he spoke, Fei Bai slowly drew the Fei Bai Sword from his waist. There was no earth-shattering momentum, nor was it any divine weapon. The Fei Bai Sword was plain and unremarkable, as if it was bought for five liangs of silver from a blacksmith¡¯s shop. But looking at the sword, Fei Bai¡¯s expression was as if he was gazing at his dearest lover; his fingers gently caressed the blade. ¡°This sword has been with me since my juvenile years, accompanying me through many years of battle. Three hundred and twenty-one Heavenly Beings, one hundred and eighteen Loose Immortals, and eighteen Half-step Longevity practicers have died under it!¡± ¡°And you will be the nineteenth!¡± Upon saying this, several huge tornadoes suddenly formed around Fei Bai. These were all condensed by Fei Bai¡¯s peerless Sword Qi. Unlike other trials. The trial at the main city of Kunlun was live broadcast in its entirety. Sages used the Mist Mirror Technique to present the battle scenes from each trial field to everyone. Therefore, when the onlookers saw this scene from Fei Bai, they all let out a collective gasp of amazement. ¡°Even through the mirror technique, one can still feel that powerful Sword Intent. This Fei Bai truly deserves his reputation as a once-in-a-millennium genius of the Sword Dao!¡± said several Sword Cultivators with solemn expressions. As for Fairy Thousand Snow and others, their faces were even more morose. After all, the stronger the people from the Sword Control Villa, the smaller their chances of winning. In the middle of the crowd, Zhu Ruyan¡¯s hands involuntarily clenched tight. Sir, you must fight hard! Standing beside her, Lu Xunxue¡¯s expression was uncertain. So you really are an extraordinary master, but why didn¡¯t you say so? It¡¯s ridiculous how I¡¯ve been thinking you were a swindler all this time, only to realize in the end that I¡¯m the actual joke! Thinking this, Lu Xunxue sighed softly, then gave a bitter smile. Well then, let¡¯s see if you can win this time! Meanwhile, in the trial field, facing Fei Bai¡¯s powerful sword momentum. The look of admiration on Xue An¡¯s face grew ever more intense. ¡°You are the first such pure Sword Cultivator I have met in this world. Although your cultivation level is shallow, it is still worthy of respect,¡± Xue An said lightly. Many people who heard this through the Mist Mirror couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. To actually say Fei Bai of the Sword Control Villa has shallow cultivation, just how bold is this person? But Fei Bai was neither sad nor happy as he slowly raised his sword, ¡°This sword is named ¡®Extinction¡¯.¡± With that said, the tornadoes formed by the Sword Qi lunged straight at Xue An. At the same moment, a spectacularly brilliant sword light streaked across the sky. The entire Mist Mirror couldn¡¯t withstand such a powerful force, and it shattered directly. Boom! The crowd was abuzz. Soon, someone condensed the Mist Mirror once again. Only then did people witness an unbelievable scene. Xue An was still standing in the distance, but around him, countless sword glows appeared, blocking the advance of the Fei Bai Sword. Yet the Fei Bai Sword still continued to press forward, slowly advancing deeper; with each movement forward, countless sword glows were born and extinguished. Hiss! Many people drew in a breath of cold air. Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 311: The Secular World, Xue An! (4th Update) Chapter 311: Chapter 311: The Secular World, Xue An! (4th Update) He was actually able to withstand a sword strike from Fei Bai! This man is terrifyingly strong! However, many Sword Cultivators still sighed softly, ¡°This man is going to be defeated!¡± Because Fei Bai¡¯s sword was on the offensive, whereas Xue An took a defensive stance! In the path of the Sword Dao, it has always been about advancing, never retreating, attacking without defending! Once on the defensive, failure is not far off! At this moment, Fei Bai¡¯s expression remained indifferent, but the excitement in his eyes gradually faded. It was as if a child was gradually growing tired of a new toy. But just as Fei Bai¡¯s sword tip had barely reached Xue An¡¯s chest. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Out of respect for your Sword Dao cultivation, if you submit to me now, I can spare your life!¡± Boom! Even more people were astonished, and many even laughed out loud. Even Lu Xunxue was somewhat at a loss. He was on the brink of death, yet still boasting shamelessly? Fei Bai had an indifferent expression. In his eyes, there was only the sword; nothing else! He simply said coldly, ¡°To make me submit, you are not qualified enough!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I will let you see what qualifies one to demand submission!¡± As he spoke, the sword light surrounding Xue An suddenly vanished. Fei Bai¡¯s sword suddenly accelerated, turning into a streak of light aimed at Xue An. But in this critical moment, Xue An caught the sword tip between two fingers, and then said. ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn!¡± A giant sword made up of white sword light suddenly appeared, and then Xue An, holding the sword in one hand, swung it fiercely. Boom! A violent tremor ensued, the trial arena couldn¡¯t withstand such tremendous force, and it collapsed, forming countless cracks. Fei Bai was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, crashing to the ground and spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. Dead silence filled the arena. Everyone gaped in astonishment at the scene! The Moonlight Sword Master¡¯s face underwent a drastic change, ¡°How is this possible!¡± He had already harbored murderous intentions towards Xue An since one of his True Disciples had died by his hand. But since Fei Bai made his move, he had been too lazy to take action himself. After all, he believed that Fei Bai¡¯s intervention had sentenced this man to death. But unexpectedly, even Fei Bai was defeated by his sword. At this moment, Fei Bai was slowly getting up, a hint of bewilderment appearing on his face. ¡°What swordsmanship is this?¡± The sword in Xue An¡¯s hand turned into countless rays of light and gradually dispersed, then he said indifferently, ¡°This is the supreme Sword Dao!¡± Fei Bai took a deep breath, his expression suddenly filled with immense joy, ¡°I see, I have lost!¡± With that, he turned and left, limping away. Xue An did not kill him either. Pure Sword Cultivators were becoming increasingly rare in this world; each one killed was one less! In this duel, Xue An was the victor. The crowd of onlookers fell silent. Many Sword Cultivators were even pale, shocked by Xue An¡¯s recent earth-shattering strike. The Moonlight Sword Master, on the other hand, had a look of fluctuating emotions, and gradually, a vicious look appeared in his eyes. By this time, the trials for the other participants had also concluded. Nearly half were eliminated. Among them, there were not a few who had failed and died. For example, those who battled against Cheng Lusheng of the Thousand Snow Sect were all directly slain by this enchanting and graceful woman, who struck with merciless severity. And the second opponent to appear before Xue An turned out to be Miyoi from the Ahan Palace. Miyoi had just easily defeated her previous opponent, but upon facing Xue An, the relaxed look on her face was gone. However, this monk possessed an excellent demeanor, pressing his palms together, he said, ¡°Western Regions¡¯ Ahang Palace, Miyoi!¡± Introducing oneself before the battle was a display of respect towards the opponent. Upon hearing this, Xue An smiled and responded lightly, ¡°The secular world, Xue An!¡± The waves of shock this introduction provoked were even greater than the ones caused by Xue An¡¯s recent defeat of Fei Bai. Countless people wore expressions of astonishment. The secular world¡­ Such a designation was so unfamiliar that only a few people¡¯s complexions drastically changed. Fei Bai, having already left the trial arena, flickered in his gaze, ¡°A person from the secular world? It seems to truly hone the supreme Sword Dao, one must venture into the secular world!¡± With that thought, Fei Bai made up his mind. Meanwhile, atop the high platform, both Fairy Thousand Snow and the Night Devil Empress were startled. Because the Night Devil Empress¡¯s avatar had been directly annihilated by Xue An, aside from his name, she was unaware of Xue An¡¯s appearance. Especially, she could never have imagined that Xue An would dare to come to Kunlun! Now, hearing his name, both of them exchanged glances that held murder within. This man must be removed, or else he would become a major threat! Miyoi too was slightly shaken upon hearing Xue An¡¯s introduction. ¡°So he is a powerful being from the secular world, my apologies for the oversight!¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°Enough talk! Come and fight!¡± Xue An¡¯s fighting spirit had been completely ignited by his recent battle with Fei Bai. Miyoi ceased speaking as well, murmering softly, ¡°In that case, benefactor, please receive my attack!¡± With those words, Miyoi suddenly opened his eyes, his previously compassionate aura gone, replaced by boundless murderous intent and anger. His body also radiated unbreakable golden light. ¡°It¡¯s Vajra¡¯s Furious Gaze!¡± someone exclaimed from below. ¡°Master Miyoi has actually reached the bodily realm of Arhat, one step away from becoming a Bodhisattva!¡± someone else sighed. Miyoi appeared indifferent to everything around him and sent out a punch with a detached expression. This punch seemed to shatter the very space, heading straight for Xue An. Miyoi also maximized his Protective Golden Light. He was very wary of Xue An¡¯s supreme Sword Dao, thus he prepared to use his Buddhist Sect¡¯s Golden Body, refined over many years, to withstand a sword strike. If he could bear it, then his opponent would also fall to his fist. This plan could not be more perfect. Many observing experts also noticed this intention and smiles appeared on their faces. Only Fei Bai watched with a serious expression and then muttered softly, ¡°Fool!¡± As expected. Just as Miyoi¡¯s fist was about to come in contact with Xue An. Xue An smiled, ¡°Good timing!¡± Having said that, Xue An also raised his fist and, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, clashed with him. Boom! Like a clap of thunder. The Mist Mirror shattered once again, but was immediately reformed by someone. Looking back to the trial arena, Miyoi and Xue An faced each other with their fists, both becoming silent. Only then did Miyoi let out a wry smile, ¡°It turns out the benefactor excels in both sword and fist. I admit defeat!¡± Having said that, the golden light around Miyoi suddenly shattered, and he staggered back over a dozen steps, blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth, then he pressed his palms together. ¡°Thank you, benefactor, for showing mercy!¡± With that, he turned and left. With a single punch, Miyoi, the pride of the Western Regions¡¯ Ahang Palace, was defeated! By now, Xue An had won two rounds in a row, with sword and fist. The entire arena was shocked. Especially Lu Xunxue, who looked as pale as death, her face filled with disbelief. She finally understood how formidable this man was. At this moment, Xue An looked up and said indifferently, ¡°Fighting one by one is too boring. Now, I challenge everyone!¡± Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 312 Only I Am Immortal (First Update) Chapter 312: Chapter 312 Only I Am Immortal (First Update) Many people thought they had misheard. Then, gradually, all their expressions turned bizarre. To challenge everyone alone! This was the height of arrogance! At least all the experts and Sect Leaders from various sects snorted in anger. ¡°This is outrageous!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± The Night Devil Empress and Fairy Thousand Snow, however, had faces full of joy. In their eyes, the more arrogant Xue An was, the better! That would stir up public anger, making it easier to kill him later on. In the Immortal Palace, witnessing this scene, Emperor Haoyu revealed a hint of a cold smile. This man is somewhat interesting. He had managed to defeat Fei Bai and Miyoi one after another, which showed some capability. But still far from matching himself! Emperor Haoyu was confident of this. ¡°Do as he says,¡± Emperor Haoyu stated indifferently. Zuo Yuhu nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± Watching this man, he always had a foreboding feeling in his heart and thus was eager for Xue An to die sooner! Soon! The trial field suddenly transformed. The chosen ones of various sects all gathered together, and opposite them was Xue An walking slowly toward them. These people did not know what had just happened, so upon seeing Xue An, their expressions all darkened. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why have all of us been brought together?¡± Overlord Sect¡¯s Miao Haoyan asked, filled with shocked uncertainty. Xue An flashed a few good-looking teeth, smiling grimly, ¡°I am Xue An, and this time, I will defeat all of you by myself!¡± Boom, all the chosen ones were shaken, and some even roared in anger, ¡°Arrogant!¡± Miao Haoyan¡¯s face also darkened, about to retort. Then he fell silent. Because just now, a voice from the Sect Leader of the Overlord Sect had resounded in his mind. ¡°This is the one who slew your senior brother Jiang Nubing, join forces and kill him!¡± Receiving transmissions from their own sects like Miao Haoyan were Thousand Snow Sect¡¯s Cheng Lusheng and Night Devil Palace¡¯s Nangong Wushuang. All their expressions changed. ¡°This man has just defeated Fei Bai of Sword Control Villa and Miyoi of Ahan Palace, he possesses formidable strength; let¡¯s join hands and kill him!¡± Cheng Lusheng called out loudly. Hearing of Xue An¡¯s proud record of victories, the rest were also startled. ¡°Yes! He is still a person from the common world, let¡¯s kill him!¡± Miao Haoyan roared furiously, his face full of killing intent. In his hands, a long spear gradually took shape. Overlord Spear! The signature technique of the Overlord Sect. The other people glanced at each other and then nodded, each starting to prepare their strongest techniques. These chosen ones, the least of them were Loose Immortals, and among them, several were even Half-step Longevity! Such a force looked extremely terrifying. However, Xue An showed no emotion, his tone indifferent, ¡°This time, I will let you all understand what it means to have a heart full of reverence!¡± No sooner had he spoken than Xue An¡¯s aura surged wildly, reaching a terrifying height in the blink of an eye. ¡°Half-step Longevity! No¡­how is it possible, how can there be such a powerful Half-step Longevity?¡± someone exclaimed. As for the many from the sects watching outside, they were all dumbstruck. ¡°What¡­what kind of monster is this guy?¡± Fairy Thousand Snow murmured in fear. Even Emperor Haoyu¡¯s expression tightened slightly, ¡°What a powerful momentum!¡± ¡°Attack, don¡¯t let him reach his peak momentum!¡± Miao Haoyan bellowed. These people, as if waking from a dream, all used their most powerful techniques. ¡°Overlord¡¯s Furious Slash Across the River!¡± ¡°Mountains of snow glow red in the night!¡± ¡°Night Devil without bounds!¡± ¡­. Boom! Countless formidable ultimate moves fused into a long river, charging directly towards Xue An with a roar. Faced with this move, Xue An threw back his head and laughed, ¡°Don¡¯t think that looking down on all beings from above truly puts you high and mighty! After I defeat them, you¡¯re next!¡± His words left many people utterly baffled. Only a select few felt a sinking feeling in their hearts, vaguely guessing at something as they looked up towards the Immortal Palace above. Haoyu Huang¡¯s face darkened, his eyes flashing with a chilling murderous intent. ¡°Good, daring to defy me, I will let you know soon enough what it means to be called an Imperial Son!¡± Meanwhile, those combined strikes had already surged near to Xue An. Xue An¡¯s hair lifted as if there was a breeze, and with a hand raised and a fist prepared, he coldly shouted, ¡°Divine Slaughter to the extreme!¡± The final move of the Divine Slaughter Six Techniques! At last, it made its appearance in the hands of Xue An! Though with his Half-step Longevity cultivation level using this move, he could only exert one-thousandth of its power. But that was enough. It seemed even time itself had frozen. The expressions on the faces of all the chosen true inheritors were vividly visible, one could even see the terror in their eyes. Then everything began to shatter, bit by bit, in an instant. This mighty strike dissipated into smoke and clouds. The ones left severely wounded along with it were these scions from various Sects! Boom! Only at this moment did the shockwaves of that strike spread out. The entire trial arena, including the whole trial field, was utterly destroyed. Such was the residual might that even people from the outside world were affected. With one punch, heaven and earth bow down! This was Xue An¡¯s grandeur from the time when he was once the peerless Immortal Venerable! Right now, Xue An was battle-crazed, laughing heartily as he leapt up, turning into a streak of light, appearing mid-air. Everyone watched him in astonishment. Including those chosen inheritors who were left seriously injured by that one strike, looking at Xue An with incredibly complex gazes. In their eyes was resentment, fear! But above all, there was awe. ¡°Aren¡¯t you showing yourself yet? Believe it or not, if you don¡¯t come out, I¡¯ll tear down this so-called Immortal Palace,¡± said Xue An, standing mid-air, his tone casual. This statement exploded like a nuclear bomb, shocking everyone to their core. What! He actually dared to challenge the Immortal Palace? While Xue An¡¯s punch just now was earth-shattering, in many people¡¯s eyes, the Immortal Palace was deemed invincible! But some were secretly delighted, thinking that Xue An was truly courting death this time. At the same time, a voice as majestic as an emperor¡¯s came through. ¡°You are quite impressive; however, unfortunately, I am the supreme Imperial Son, and you are still far from my level!¡± With that voice, Haoyu Huang¡¯s figure appeared in mid-air. He was dressed in black, with sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, his demeanor extremely imposing. Upon seeing him, many of the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but kneel down, as if they were facing a True Immortal! ¡°Mortal, now I give you a chance. As long as you hand over that ultimate technique you just used, I can spare your life,¡± Haoyu Huang¡¯s eyes flashed with greed. Xue An¡¯s punch just now truly impressed him. In his view, the reason Xue An was able to defeat so many chosen inheritors with one punch was definitely because of this ultimate technique. If he could acquire it, it would greatly benefit his future cultivation! Upon hearing this, Xue An just smirked lightly, ¡°Mortal? Heh, in The Multiverse Realms, only I am truly immortal! And you¡­¡± ¡°What are you even worth?¡± Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Descent of Ten Thousand Thunders (Second Update) Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Descent of Ten Thousand Thunders (Second Update) Many were left speechless. Even some were already looking at Xue An as if they were looking at a dead man. And the Immortal King Haoyu burst into laughter. His laughter was filled with anger and disdain. ¡°Good, you¡¯ve successfully angered me. Now, I¡¯ll let you see what true power is!¡± As he spoke, Immortal King Haoyu¡¯s stature actually grew by a few more inches, and his aura became even more majestic and ancient! The sky gradually darkened, with bolts of lightning falling down, coiling behind Immortal King Haoyu, making him look like a Heavenly Divine. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s the Thunder Emperor Decision! He has already mastered it!¡± someone screamed in alarm! But most were simply shocked beyond measure. And at that moment, Fei Bai¡¯s face turned increasingly pale; he admitted to himself that he stood no chance if he were to face Immortal King Haoyu. As for Miyoi, he could only shake his head and wryly smile now. He had thought his cultivation level was quite impressive and entered this trial hoping to achieve a high ranking. But when he truly faced a peerless Imperial Son like Immortal King Haoyu, the vast gap between them became crystal clear. ¡°Thunder Emperor, adjudicate!¡± Immortal King Haoyu exclaimed in a cold voice. A massive bolt of lightning descended from the sky, heading straight for Xue An. But Xue An was fearless, instead bursting into loud laughter, ¡°Well done!¡± With those words, he charged forward. Boom! The lightning struck, instantly lighting up the whole world as if it were daylight. This display of might made the onlookers retreat to a considerable distance. Many of lower cultivation levels were now kneeling on the ground, faces filled with horror. Zhu Ruyan¡¯s nervous face was pale, her fingers pierced her palms due to too much force. As for Lu Xunxue, she had already lost her ability to be shocked at this point. This man¡­ whether he wins or loses? The lightning faded. No one was left in mid-air. Many looked around uncertainly but could not find a trace of Xue An. Could it be that he was directly obliterated by the Heavenly Thunder? Fairy Thousand Snow and the others gradually showed a look of joy. It must be so! This man has finally died! Some couldn¡¯t help but exclaim loudly, ¡°Imperial Son is indeed divinely majestic!¡± Immortal King Haoyu then smiled disdainfully. Is this all you¡¯ve got? I thought you would be more formidable! Thinking this, Immortal King Haoyu turned to leave. But at that moment, the sound of rolling thunder came from above the firmament. Then an incredibly majestic voice said, ¡°Thunder Emperor Decision? Heh, such a petty Thunder Divine Seal dares to make such a claim? Now let me show you what the true Nine Heavens Divine Thunder is!¡± Upon hearing this, the crowd looked up in utter astonishment. There stood Xue An with his hands behind his back, reigning above the nine heavens like a king of the Myriad Realms, with a casual wave of his hand. A bolt of lightning a mile wide plummeted downwards. Heading straight for Immortal King Haoyu. Immortal King Haoyu was surprised too, but he retorted with a cold laugh, ¡°Break!¡± With that, the massive bolt of lightning was extinguished by Immortal King Haoyu. He looked up somewhat smugly, ¡°You¡­¡± But he could not finish his sentence. Because Xue An flipped his hand and said indifferently, ¡°Ten thousand thunders¡­ descend upon the world!¡± Boom boom boom! Countless massive bolts of lightning fell all at once, even merging in mid-air into one, forming a world-shaking divine thunder that spanned dozens of miles! Finally, Immortal King Haoyu felt fear. ¡°How is this possible!¡± As he spoke, the divine thunder struck him directly! A heaven-shattering boom resounded. The thunderlight gradually dissipated. Everyone¡¯s heart leaped to their throat. Unsure of what the situation would be this time. Suddenly! A series of ragged coughs came through, and the figure of Haoyu Emperor slowly became visible. But at this moment, he no longer displayed the calm and composed demeanor he had before. His hair charred, clothes torn all over, he looked as wretched as a beggar. With a hint of panic, he looked up at the sky at Xue An, ¡°How could you have such a formidable thunder technique?¡± ¡°Formidable? I don¡¯t think so!¡± Xue An responded indifferently. In his view, this thunder technique did not even qualify as beginner level. Have you seen a thunder more massive than a star? That is the unparalleled Divine Thunder that can annihilate Immortal Kings in a single strike! ¡°However, I am truly surprised that you didn¡¯t die!¡± Xue An said with a faint smile, ¡°I suppose the thunder seal you were carrying must have shattered, right?¡± Haoyu Emperor turned deathly pale. Just as Xue An had said, the only reason he survived that divine thunder strike was because he carried a thunder seal! But now, the thunder seal was thoroughly smashed! He felt so pained it was as if his heart was bleeding. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can withstand this strike!¡± Saying this, Xue An was about to make a move again. Haoyu Emperor gritted his teeth, his eyes ablaze with anger and bitter resentment. ¡°You¡¯re forcing my hand!¡± As he said so, Haoyu Emperor¡¯s aura became even more ancient and profound! ¡°Imperial Son is burning his cultivation level, is he trying to summon something?¡± someone screamed in horror. Yet Xue An stopped his hand, watching with interest, even a hint of playful smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. At that moment, the sky darkened completely. Countless thunderbolts appeared, forming a boundless sea of thunder! And then, from within the sea of thunder, the figure of a giant wielding dual hammers gradually emerged! ¡°Who dares disturb me!¡± The voice was like thunder, causing all around to tremble. Haoyu Emperor kneeled humbly amidst the air, ¡°Nine Heavens Thunder Venerate, this person controls the Nine Heavens Divine Thunder with evil methods, please exterminate him!¡± ¡°Heavens above! He actually summoned the Nine Heavens Thunder Venerate!¡± Many were mumbling with pale faces. And seeing this scene, nearly all the citizens knelt on the ground and kowtowed ceaselessly. This was a true Deity! Hearing Haoyu Emperor¡¯s words, an immensely terrifying aura emerged from Thunder Venerate¡¯s body. Even the flickering lightning caused small fissures to appear in space. ¡°Mortal, you dare control HeavenlyThunder with evil methods, committing an unforgivable sin. This time, I shall obliterate your soul!¡± Speaking, Thunder Venerate roared, and countless Divine Thunders bearing a dreadfully terrifying aura descended. The terrifying aura caused the ground to collapse into a vast pit. Everyone was horrified. Lu Xunxue and Zhu Ruyan¡¯s minds went blank from fear at this moment. Zhu Ruyan especially, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at the lone figure facing the multitude of Divine Thunders. Just when everyone thought Xue An was certain to die. Xue An looked up, giving Thunder Venerate a slight smile. ¡°A lesser god dares to judge me?¡± Thunder Venerate paused in confusion. Then, they saw Xue An take a step forward, his palm hollow as he said lightly, ¡°All thunders, heed my command!¡± Boom! With his command, The Divine Thunders approaching him all halted abruptly and, as if they had seen their true king, shrank back and dared not advance. ¡°How¡­ How is this possible?¡± Haoyu Emperor thought he must be seeing things, staring dumbfounded. Thunder Venerate was first taken aback, then cried out in utter shock, ¡°Who¡­ Who exactly are you?¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°I¡¯ve said it before, I am¡­ from the common world, Xue An!¡± Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Decrees Made, Under Heaven’s Law (Fourth Update) Chapter 315: Chapter 315: Decrees Made, Under Heaven¡¯s Law (Fourth Update) Above the Immortal Palace. Zuo Yuhu¡¯s face was filled with shock as he watched everything happening below. Even now, he could not accept the fact that the Imperial Son, Hao Yu, was already dead. It wasn¡¯t until Xue An mentioned his name that he shuddered all over and gradually came to his senses. What¡¯s going on? How does he know my name? Zuo Yuhu¡¯s heart was filled with doubt and uncertainty, but he couldn¡¯t help but stick his head out and said in a chilling tone, ¡°Xue An, you actually dared to kill our Immortal Palace¡¯s Imperial Son, you¡¯re dead meat! Once my master returns, he will certainly tear you to pieces!¡± Xue An ignored him and instead pointed at Zhu Ruyan in the crowd. A stream of Sword Qi shot straight towards her. The crowd let out a burst of astonished cries, not understanding what Xue An was up to. Zhu Ruyan only felt her body lighten, and then she was lifted into the air. Xue An bestowed a thread of Sword Qi to Zhu Ruyan, allowing her to fly closer as well. Zuo Yuhu, from atop the Immortal Palace, did not recognize Zhu Ruyan at first glance. Zhu Ruyan raised her head, staring intently at Zuo Yuhu, with angry flames flickering in her eyes. ¡°Zuo Yuhu, do you remember me?¡± she said. ¡°You are¡­¡± ¡°Seven years ago, the Zhu Family that you extinguished, do you still remember that?¡± Zhu Ruyan¡¯s voice was cold as ice as she spoke. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re a member of the Zhu Family?¡± Zuo Yuhu exclaimed in shock. ¡°Correct, this time, I came here to seek revenge on you! The forty-eight lives of the Zhu Family, from top to bottom, it¡¯s time for you to pay!¡± Zhu Ruyan seethed. Zuo Yuhu¡¯s face changed unpredictably. However, after a moment, his expression gradually calmed down, and he sneered, ¡°So it turns out you are the remnant of the Zhu Family, what a pity I didn¡¯t eliminate you too! I admit, your family members were indeed killed by me!¡± ¡°But what can you do to me?¡± As Zuo Yuhu spoke, he began to sound triumphant, ¡°You¡¯ve found a powerful helper this time around, capable of killing our Immortal Palace¡¯s Imperial Son, but since he has offended our Immortal Palace, how much longer can he live?¡± Zhu Ruyan¡¯s face turned pale as she heard this, and her eyes were filled with humiliation and anger. Xue An frowned slightly, and a magnificent Sword Qi surged straight into the sky, slashing towards Zuo Yuhu within the Immortal Palace. Ding! Suddenly, a faint silver light appeared in midair, blocking the Sword Qi. Zuo Yuhu laughed triumphantly, ¡°Xue An, I admit your cultivation level is not bad, but unless we from the Immortal Palace go down voluntarily, no one can break this Mountain Protection Array!¡± This was the source of Zuo Yuhu¡¯s confidence. The Mountain Protection Array of the Immortal Palace was constructed collectively by the Palace Master of Golden Immortal Cultivation and several elders, practically impregnable. That¡¯s why he dared to be so arrogant. Xue An¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, and countless streams of Sword Qi surged towards the heavens once again. But this time, the silver light of the Mountain Protection Array only appeared more radiant than before. These streams of Sword Qi still could not shake it in the slightest! ¡°Xue An, don¡¯t waste your energy, this Mountain Protection Array is not something you can break! It¡¯s only because our Palace Master and the elders are currently out that you can live a little longer! Otherwise, you would have been killed on the spot!¡± ¡°I advise you to quickly go back and find a place to wait for death obediently!¡± Zuo Yuhu said with a cold laugh. Zhu Ruyan¡¯s heart gradually sank. She finally understood how difficult it was to kill a Zuo Yuhu. As long as he refused to come out, no one in the entire Kunlun Immortal Realm could do anything to him. And what he had just said filled Zhu Ruyan¡¯s heart with alarm and dread. ¡°Sir, you are originally a person of the mortal world; perhaps it¡¯s best to leave quickly! Otherwise, just like Zuo Yuhu said, it would be troublesome!¡± Zhu Ruyan paused before continuing. ¡°You have already done enough for me, and I am truly grateful. Your great kindness, I cannot repay in this lifetime; in the next, I must surely serve you as a horse or an ox in return!¡± ¡°` Zhu Ruyan spoke, and as she did, tears started cascading down her cheeks. This girl no longer held any extravagant hopes for revenge! The crowd gradually fell silent, many faces shaded with sorrow. For years, the Immortal Palace had acted with tyranny, and Xue An¡¯s emergence had delivered a heavy blow to their dominance. Yet, when the time came, many realized that the Immortal Palace still stood tall and unassailable! Lu Xunxue¡¯s eyes also brimmed with tears, and she cried uncontrollably, ¡°My lord, please flee! If not, it will be too late!¡± ¡°Yes, go!¡± Many others began to shout as well. Witnessing this scene from above, Zuo Yuhu of the Immortal Palace wore a gloomy expression and angrily said, ¡°A bunch of lowlifes, actually siding with an outsider to oppose the Immortal Palace! In the future, I shall surely execute them!¡± But amidst these cries, Xue An, who had kept his eyes downcast, slowly raised his head, his eyes shining like the starry cosmos. ¡°I said,¡± Xue An stated calmly, his voice not loud, but clear to everyone present. ¡°In my eyes, none of you are Immortals! Thus, your self-perceived high and mighty bearings are laughable!¡± Xue An¡¯s words put a strain on many hearts. ¡°Laughable, who do you think you are? Do you think you are the one to judge who is or isn¡¯t an Immortal?¡± Zuo Yuhu¡¯s face turned uncertain, followed by a vicious sneer. Xue An nodded slightly, ¡°You¡¯re right! Immortal or not, it is my decision alone! It is called¡­ word becomes the law!¡± With those words, Xue An transformed into a beam of light, soaring towards the heavens. Humm! It seemed as if a grave threat was felt. The Mountain Protection Array of the Immortal Palace suddenly shone with dazzling brilliance, a surge of silver light blocking Xue An¡¯s way. Xue An hovered in mid-air, gazing through the silver radiance at the astonished looks of Zuo Yuhu and the others, and said indifferently, ¡°Today, I shall break your Immortal Palace!¡± As he spoke, Xue An took a step in the void, raised his fist, and lightly shouted. ¡°One punch, obliterate heaven and earth!¡± A more advanced version of the first technique of Divine Slaughter Six Techniques. It was also the strongest punch Xue An had ever launched since he came into the world. The fist, as if drawn lightly, struck upon the silver light. Then, the silver light began to flicker violently, causing the enshrouded Immortal Palace to tremble slightly. Zuo Yuhu was utterly terrified. ¡°How¡­ how is this possible!¡± However, after all, the Mountain Protection Array built by a Golden Immortal could not be so easily broken; although Xue An¡¯s punch dimmed the silver light significantly, it still firmly protected the Immortal Palace. Only then did Zuo Yuhu breathe a sigh of relief, a smug smile curling at the corner of his mouth. ¡°All that talk, I thought you were something special, but in the end, you couldn¡¯t break through, could you?¡± But just as his voice trailed off, he saw Xue An raise his left hand high above his head, turning his hand into a sword, and lightly cried out, ¡°Behold the true, this is the true Sword of Annihilation!¡± An incredibly concentrated Sword Intent shot straight into the sky, causing winds and clouds to change within a hundred miles! All the Sword Cultivators below were dazzled! Fei Bai looked on stupified, with utmost astonishment, his heart trembling immensely. So, this was his true strength! How ludicrous that he had just been thinking about diligently pursuing the Sword Dao, to one day catch up with him! It was nothing but a foolish pipe dream! And at this moment, in the horrified eyes of Zuo Yuhu and others, a sword light dozens of miles in length fiercely descended. The silver light of the Mountain Protection Array lasted barely a breath before it shattered explosively! Zuo Yuhu screamed in despair, ¡°No¡­¡± But in the next second, he was seized by the throat by Xue An, who had burst in, and was flung out, then tossed near Zhu Ruyan. ¡°Here¡¯s your man, kill him with your own hands!¡± ¡°` Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Tremors in Kunlun (First Update) Chapter 316: Chapter 316: Tremors in Kunlun (First Update) Zuo Yuhu cowered as he knelt mid-air, not because he didn¡¯t want to run away, but because just a casual pinch from Xue An had sealed his cultivation level. After all, he was merely a peak Heavenly Being! In front of Xue An, his level of cultivation couldn¡¯t even count as an ant. Had it not been for the power of the Immortal Palace over these years, he would have been killed countless times. He had always thought that he would forever stand high above, just like the vast Immortal Palace. Yet, he never imagined that today he would encounter such a peerless Divine Slaughter. Zhu Ruyan stared at Zuo Yuhu with eyes reddened, teeth clenched, and said, ¡°You scoundrel, when you killed my whole family back then, did you ever think this day would come?¡± Then she drew out the short sword she carried and walked forward. Zuo Yuhu¡¯s face was ashen, his body trembling; he knew begging for mercy was futile, but the fear of death still made him cry out involuntarily. ¡°Spare me!¡± Thud! Zhu Ruyan thrust her sword through Zuo Yuhu¡¯s chest and said with a face full of murderous intent, ¡°When my father desperately begged for mercy that day, did you spare them?¡± Zuo Yuhu was in excruciating pain, unable to move, and could only look at Zhu Ruyan with eyes of despair. ¡°When you killed all forty-some members of my family, did you ever consider sparing us?¡± Zhu Ruyan thrust her sword again. With each piercing question, another sword fell. Blood splattered to the ground, and it didn¡¯t take long for Zuo Yuhu to be turned into a sieve, agonizingly dying in the end. Seeing that Zuo Yuhu was indeed dead, Zhu Ruyan threw aside the short sword and burst into loud cries. ¡°Father, brother! I did it! I¡¯ve avenged you!¡± Her crying was like the mournful wailing of a cuckoo, striking at the heartstrings. After weeping for a moment, Zhu Ruyan bowed deeply to Xue An, ¡°My lord above, I, Zhu Ruyan, vow to serve you for all my lives to come! Should I break this vow, may heaven and earth show me no mercy!¡± Xue An merely responded with an indifferent smile, ¡°Alright! The great revenge is done, there¡¯s nothing interesting left here. Let¡¯s go!¡± With that, Xue An took Zhu Ruyan with him, turned into streaks of light, and disappeared into the sky. After he left, the place was briefly dead silent, then suddenly erupted into commotion. Someone sighed deeply, ¡°From now on, troubles will multiply in Kunlun!¡± Their concerns were not unfounded. Ever since the establishment of the Immortal Palace, it had always looked down from above, and no one dared show the slightest disrespect. But today, Xue An killed the Imperial Son, annihilated the Immortal Palace¡¯s Mountain Protection Array, and killed Zuo Yuhu! All these combined were no longer a simple matter of losing face! It was more like being kicked to the ground and then ruthlessly stomped on! It was foreseeable that once the master of the Immortal Palace and the Great Elders returned and saw this scene, how furious they would be! At that time, it was uncertain whether this overwhelmingly powerful man would be able to withstand it. As people dispersed. The events that had taken place in Kunlun City today spread as quickly as a hurricane. In an instant, all of Kunlun was shaken! ¡°What? Someone actually defeated all the Sects¡¯ chosen true disciples?¡± someone exclaimed incredulously. ¡°Not only that, but he also killed the Immortal Palace¡¯s Imperial Son and broke the Immortal Palace¡¯s Mountain Protection Array!¡± Hiss! Everyone who heard this news gasped in shock. The high-ranking members of the Great Clans and Sects were especially shaken and promptly sent out their capable subordinates to investigate the truth. When the detailed reports were laid out on the tables of each Noble family and Sect. These usually high-and-mighty figures collectively fell silent. Because each incident that had occurred was simply too astounding! He defeated the pride of Sword Control Villa, Fei Bai, with his sword, repelled Ahang Palace¡¯s top true disciple Miyoi with his fist, and even when he faced all the true disciples of the Sects alone, he still defeated them all. ¡°` And then he annihilated the Immortal Palace¡¯s Imperial Son, wiping out the Sect Leaders or Elders of several great Sects! Finally, he shattered the Immortal Palace¡¯s Mountain Protection Array and eradicated the enemies of the Immortal Palace. When these events were combined, they were simply spine-chilling! Many powerful figures were all astonished and doubtful! Just how mighty was this man? Sword Control Villa! When the news reached here, Wu Bucheng, the Sect Leader of Sword Control Villa, immediately summoned the Great Elders to discuss the matter. In the Ting Jian Pavilion, someone recounted the events one by one. After listening, Wu Bucheng¡¯s gaze flickered uncertainly before he let out a long sigh, ¡°For such a figure to emerge in this mundane world is also a calamity that my Kunlun must face!¡± Thereafter, he sternly said, ¡°This matter, Immortal Master Fu Wuliang of the Immortal Palace will definitely not let it go easily. We, Sword Control Villa, should quietly observe the changes!¡± ¡°Good!¡± The Elders also expressed their agreement one after another. Although Sword Control Villa lost a Moonlight Sword Sovereign this time, compared to the losses of the Immortal Palace, it was practically negligible! After all, the Imperial Son was a young master of the current generation forged with countless resources by the Immortal Palace! His death dealt an extremely heavy blow to the Immortal Palace. Qingmu Town. Ever since Xuanyuan Sect was annihilated, Bian Qingmu¡¯s days had gotten much better. This small town gradually became prosperous. And whenever the night was deep and quiet, Bian Qingmu couldn¡¯t help but think of Xue An. I wonder how you are doing in Kunlun City! Your cultivation level is mighty, but that place is Kunlun City, the location of the Immortal Palace! Bian Qingmu sighed in her heart, knowing very well that the current prosperity of Qingmu Town was all because of Xue An. Because many people who had witnessed Xue An¡¯s methods knew that Bian Qingmu was acquainted with him and deliberately flattered her. On this day, Bian Qingmu was busy at work. The events that had occurred in Kunlun City, through the mouths of traveling merchants, finally reached her. Bian Qingmu immediately put aside all her work and sought out many of those in the know for questioning. And after hearing the whole story, the council hall of Qingmu Town fell completely silent. Not to mention the leaders, even Bian Qingmu herself was pale. She could never have imagined that, in such a short amount of time, Xue An would have done so many earth-shattering things! Meanwhile, Bian Tian commented with some joy, ¡°The Immortal Master, indeed, is so impressive!¡± In the past, whenever she mentioned the Immortal Master, she was often met with jesting gazes, as though she was exaggerating. But today, no one dared to have the slightest notion of mockery anymore. Bian Qingmu¡¯s gaze flickered, a wave of worry rising in her heart. The Immortal Palace¡­ Would they really just let things be? And while the outside world was in an uproar, Xue An disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight and returned to the Hall of Healing! In his room, Xue An toyed with a strand of spirit that shone like flowing light. This was a remnant celestial essence from the slain Imperial Son, Hao Yu Emperor! The Hao Yu Emperor was just a hair¡¯s breadth away from becoming a Half-step Golden Immortal, for one¡¯s celestial essence naturally forms upon ascending to Golden Immortality. Thus, a speck of celestial essence had already condensed within him! After his spirit was scattered, this strand of celestial essence ended up in Xue An¡¯s hands. Feeling the immense power contained within this seemingly inconsequential celestial essence, a faint smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s face. The seal on An Yan¡¯s body required a celestial essence to break! Of course, since Hao Yu Emperor had not yet achieved Golden Immortality, this bit of celestial essence was certainly not enough. But in the Immortal Palace, there was at least one person who was a genuine Golden Immortal! ¡°` Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Return of the Master of the Immortal Palace (2nd Update) Chapter 317: Chapter 317: Return of the Master of the Immortal Palace (2nd Update) With that thought, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but look forward to what was to come. Then, he released the sealed Lei Zun with his other hand. Lei Zun had now transformed into something the size of a fingertip, kneeling in Xue An¡¯s palm, kowtowing in terror while pleading for mercy. ¡°Immortal, please spare my life! I truly had no idea that it was you who came here!¡± ¡°You recognize me?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. Lei Zun trembled all over, then said in a trembling voice, ¡°I do not, although your cultivation level isn¡¯t high, the aura you carry is even more noble than the Lei God I have seen!¡± ¡°There is only one possibility, that you must be the reincarnation of an Immortal!¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°You¡¯re quite clever!¡± Lei Zun forced a few laughs, ¡°Great Immortal, could you perhaps spare this minor deity¡­¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re quite interesting, so I¡¯ll keep you! When I get back, you can be a toy for my daughter!¡± Lei Zun was stunned. What? To have the mighty Lei Zun become a toy? This was an insult to divine status! Yet Xue An narrowed his eyes slightly, ¡°What? You don¡¯t agree? Then I can just refine you now!¡± As he spoke, two pure white flames began rising in Xue An¡¯s eyes. ¡°Divine Realm Flame!¡± Lei Zun exclaimed, then his expression became extremely obsequious. ¡°How could I not agree! To become the toy of the great Immortal¡¯s precious daughter is my honor!¡± Xue An laughed heartily, ¡°You are sensible after all! Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you!¡± Having said this, Xue An then re-sealed him. In fact, Xue An had plans for this Lei Zun long ago. Deities naturally born from the cosmos like this one are extremely rare treasures, most suitable to become Artifact Spirits. Xue An planned to refine this Lei Zun into the Artifact Spirit for An Yan¡¯s flat pan once he returned to Earth. Who knows what Lei Zun would think if he were to find out that he would become the spirit of a pan in the future! At that moment, Zhu Ruyan said respectfully from outside the door, ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Come in,¡± Xue An said calmly. Zhu Ruyan walked into the room, holding a cup of hot tea. ¡°Master, your tea!¡± Now, Zhu Ruyan saw herself as Xue An¡¯s little maid, attending to all his needs with utmost care. Xue An smiled, rose to his feet, and sat at the table sipping tea. Zhu Ruyan stood by, hesitating to speak. ¡°Is there something on your mind?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. ¡°Master, don¡¯t you plan to leave Kunlun?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m leaving, but not just yet!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± After another silence, Zhu Ruyan asked softly, ¡°Master, there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you, if you disagree, please pretend I haven¡¯t mentioned it!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhu Ruyan nervously twisted her skirt, ¡°When I left Kunlun City, I was greatly helped by my senior sister and several senior brothers. Now they know you¡¯re my master, they all wish to meet you through me!¡± Xue An was silent. Zhu Ruyan grew even more nervous and stuttered, ¡°They just want to prepare a simple dinner to treat you, with no other intention! Master, if you don¡¯t want to attend, I¡¯ll go refuse them right now!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhu Ruyan hadn¡¯t recovered from her surprise. ¡°It¡¯s just a meal, it¡¯ll be nice to see the excitement,¡± Xue An said lightly. Zhu Ruyan¡¯s face lit up with joy, and she nodded, ¡°Thank you, Master!¡± Zhu Ruyan went off excitedly to inform the others. Without the bonds of hatred, this girl had finally become like any other normal girl! Xue An smiled faintly, feeling a mix of admiration and sympathy for Zhu Ruyan, admiring her for not giving up in the face of an enemy so powerful it could drive one to despair. Pity for her, if it were not for me, her whole life would have been destroyed by hatred. At dusk. Inside a high-end tavern in the main city of Kunlun. The banquet had long been prepared. Zhu Lei and several fellow disciples were chatting casually. ¡°I wonder if our junior sister Ruyan could bring that gentleman here!¡± Zhu Lei said. ¡°She should be able to, after all, being able to accompany him at his side shows that he holds Ruyan in high regard!¡± another brother commented. ¡°Heh heh, it looks like our junior sister Ruyan is going to rise to the heavens in one step!¡± someone teased with a laugh. As for Lu Xunxue, she just sat on the side, saying nothing. They had all once studied under a master of the medical arts, so in terms of relationships, they were all brothers and sisters. But over the years, their relationships were not particularly close. Yet now, they had gathered together for the sake of Xue An, and Lu Xunxue even noticed several people who had once served the Immortal Palace among them, which seemed rather ironic. Besides, many representatives from smaller Sects were also waiting. In fact, this was the real intention of Zhu Lei and the others. Inviting Xue An over was merely an excuse over dinner. But it could garner the goodwill of so many Sects! This would greatly benefit the future development of Zhu Lei and the others in Kunlun. Lu Xunxue certainly saw this; thus, she remained silent the whole time. ¡°Sister Xunxue, this gentleman lives in your World Healing Hall; does he have any particular habits?¡± Lu Xunxue frowned and after pondering for a moment, she shook her head in resignation, ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Ever since Xue An returned to the World Healing Hall, he kept a low profile, and Lu Xunxue rarely saw him. Even if she did see him, it was only a slight nod in greeting. Lu Xunxue suddenly remembered the words Xue An had once said, ¡°You should be grateful you¡¯re Ruyan¡¯s senior sister.¡± Thinking about it now, that phrase seemed like a prophecy. If I weren¡¯t Ruyan¡¯s senior sister, you probably would have killed me by now! thought Lu Xunxue silently. At that moment, footsteps were heard from outside. Zhu Ruyan entered first, dressed in her finest, her face beaming with a rare dazzling brilliance. This made many people stare in amazement. However, when Xue An slowly walked in, all eyes focused on him. Nearly everyone stood up and bowed, ¡°Greeting to the Noble Sir!¡± ¡°Greetings to the Immortal Master!¡± Such salutations were ceaseless. Xue An¡¯s expression was indifferent, and he nodded slightly. Zhu Lei stepped forward to welcome him, bowing deeply. ¡°Your presence here truly honors us all! Please, take the seat of honor!¡± Xue An did not decline and directly took the seat at the head of the table. The atmosphere in the room started to shift subtly. Zhu Lei turned out to be quite the smooth operator, occasionally cracking a few jokes to lighten the mood, and then repeatedly offering toasts. Xue An, apart from occasionally nodding, completed each toast that came his way. After three rounds of drinks, the banquet atmosphere gradually grew livelier. Representatives from various Sects looked at Xue An with fervent gazes, and those with greater courage came forward to offer a toast. To this, Xue An only offered a faint smile and accepted all comers. This brought all the Sects¡¯ representatives closer. Moreover, the representatives sent by the Sects this time were predominantly beautiful women. After all, Xue An¡¯s act of avenging Zhu Ruyan had led many to mistakenly believe he was a man fond of female company. But just as the atmosphere reached its climax, someone rushed in, with a grave expression, announcing, ¡°The Lord of the Immortal Palace has returned!¡± Chapter 318 - Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Tomorrow, I Shall Slay the Immortals! (3rd update) Chapter 318: Chapter 318: Tomorrow, I Shall Slay the Immortals! (3rd update) ¡°` This sentence left the entire venue in dead silence. The originally lively atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Zhu Lei was the first to ask, ¡°Did they say anything?¡± The messenger nodded, hesitated as he glanced at Xue An, and then spoke. ¡°After the master of the Immortal Palace, Fu Wuliang, returned, he flew into a great rage and decreed that at the hour of zi tomorrow, he demands¡­ demands that this lord present himself to face death.¡± Boom! The entire banquet was thrown into turmoil. Everyone exchanged glances, seeing the shock in each other¡¯s eyes. No one had expected the master of the Immortal Palace to return so soon. And even more so, to specify and demand the killing of Xue An by name. This time¡­, it seemed this man had no way to get through it. After all, that was a Golden Immortal! What did it mean to be a Golden Immortal? In the vast Kunlun Immortal Realm, while Loose Immortals may not be as common as hairs on an ox, there were still quite a few! And those at Half-step Longevity were not rare either. Only those in the Longevity Realm were considered valuable, and could be leaders of their own domain. Those at the peak of Longevity were dubbed unparalleled heavenly prodigies! The true Half-step Golden Immortals were exceedingly rare! And Fu Wuliang, the master of the Immortal Palace, was a real Golden Immortal! He could be considered the supreme overlord of Kunlun, an exceptional master! Thinking this, some people started to slip away quietly. For them, if the Immortal Palace didn¡¯t pursue the matter, Xue An, whose reputation was like the midday sun, was worth associating with. But now, Xue An himself might not even survive until dawn, naturally losing his value as an ally. Moreover, if they stayed too long and consequently incurred the Immortal Palace¡¯s resentment, that would spell disaster. With this thought, very quickly, the majority of the guests had sneaked away from the banquet. Only Zhu Lei and others remained, sitting at the main table with awkward expressions. However, they were also contemplating ways to extricate themselves. Soon, Zhu Lei coughed twice. ¡°Hehe, I never expected that this venerated lord would return so soon! It truly is beyond words!¡± As he spoke, Zhu Lei kept glancing at Xue An. He had expected Xue An to show a look of panic, but unexpectedly, Xue An just gave a faint smile. ¡°His return is timely; if he hadn¡¯t come, I was just about to seek him out.¡± Boom! Zhu Lei and the others looked astonished, exchanging glances, and then showed disbelief. In their eyes, Xue An was no longer just being arrogant. He was simply overestimating his own ability. So after a brief moment of thought, Zhu Lei and the others excused themselves from the table. ¡°It just so happens that there¡¯s an urgent matter at home, so I must beg your pardon!¡± Having said that, they hurriedly left. Before they left, they didn¡¯t even greet Zhu Ruyan. Watching the group flee in disarray, Zhu Ruyan¡¯s expression was extremely grim, and her eyes reddened. In her view, Xue An had come because of her face. But she hadn¡¯t expected such a turn of events to cause all these so-called senior brothers to flee in panic. It was a direct slap on Zhu Ruyan¡¯s face. ¡°Lord!¡± Zhu Ruyan said with infinite grievance. Xue An smiled lightly, replying coolly, ¡°Let them go! Human nature is just like this.¡± At this moment, the once lively banquet hall had completely quieted down. Only Xue An, Zhu Ruyan, and Lu Xunxue were left. She hadn¡¯t left either but sat there with a blank look on her face. ¡°Xunxue senior sister, what are you thinking about?¡± Zhu Ruyan, seeing that Lu Xunxue hadn¡¯t left, felt a trace of warmth in her heart. Coming back to her senses, Lu Xunxue gave a wry smile, ¡°Thinking nothing!¡± Then she turned to look at Xue An, ¡°Lord, I know your cultivation level is unparalleled, but facing a multitude of powerful enemies, perhaps you should consider evading them for the time being!¡± Zhu Ruyan quickly nodded in agreement. ¡°` Though she had infinite trust in Xue An, facing the Lord of the Immortal Palace, she still lacked confidence in her heart. Xue An neither agreed nor disagreed, but instead, he picked up a cup of wine and slowly drank it down before speaking indifferently, ¡°Ru Yan!¡± ¡°Present!¡± ¡°Spread the word, tomorrow, I will execute an immortal!¡± Zhu Ruyan trembled all over, then exchanged a glance with Lu Xunxue, both seeing the concern in each other¡¯s eyes. It didn¡¯t take half a day. The news of Lord Fu Wuliang¡¯s return to the Immortal Palace had spread throughout the entirety of Kunlun City. And then, the news that Fu Wuliang was furiously demanding to execute Xue An the next day spread even more rapidly. All were trembling at the news. Everyone remembered the fear they once felt under the dominion of the Immortal Palace. The Noble families and sects also came to know of the news immediately. The reactions of these people varied, but almost no one was optimistic about Xue An¡¯s chances. The Night Devil Palace, Thousand Snow Sect, and others who had suffered heavy losses, were all excited, believing that Xue An was as good as dead. There were also many who thought that Xue An would definitely not meet the challenge and would probably find an excuse to flee. However, to their surprise, news of Xue An accepting the challenge followed shortly. Especially that sentence, ¡°Tomorrow, I will execute an immortal!¡± It caused an uproar across the world. Nearly everyone thought Xue An was outlandishly arrogant. Immortal Palace. Fu Wuliang sat atop his throne in the great hall, his face cold and impassive as he listened to his subordinate¡¯s report. He was in his forties, with a light golden complexion, and his eyes were as deep as the ocean. Sitting there, he exuded the majesty akin to a True Dragon, an Imperial Son, Supreme in the nine heavens. Upon hearing that sentence about executing an immortal, Fu Wuliang suddenly had countless sparks appear around him, igniting and extinguishing spontaneously, yet the entire great hall became scorchingly hot. ¡°Execute an immortal? Hah! How long has it been since I last heard that phrase?¡± The messenger trembled as he bowed his head low. Suddenly, a flame sprouted above his head. He had barely begun to let out a half scream when the fire reduced him entirely to ashes. This cruel spectacle caused everyone in the great hall to remain silent as if stricken by cold. Fu Wuliang tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest of his throne, his expression unflustered. ¡°Even though you are just relaying the message, having uttered that sentence, you deserve death!¡± ¡°As for Xue An¡­¡± In Fu Wuliang¡¯s eyes, two golden flames appeared, ¡°I will roast you bit by bit to death! Only then will the hatred in my heart be extinguished!¡± Fu Wuliang truly hated Xue An with a passion. Upon his return, he found that the Immortal Palace¡¯s Mountain Protection Array had been breached, and the Imperial Son he had carefully cultivated had fallen. All these events had enraged him! And they gave him a deep sense of dread. In his view, if Xue An were not eliminated, he would become a great threat! The next day. The atmosphere in Kunlun City had become somewhat somber. Many no longer dared to watch the excitement and hid at home. But the streaks of light in the sky never stopped. The whole of Kunlun was shaken by the news. Everyone who could come had almost all arrived! Although the Immortal Palace had always acted domineeringly, it was, after all, a native power. Xue An, however, had come from the ordinary world. Thus, many wanted to see how Xue An would meet his defeat. When they arrived outside the Immortal Palace, they saw dozens of Loose Immortals coming in and out; such a show of force left many people shaken. Centuries of operation had made the strength of the Immortal Palace unfathomable, only it wasn¡¯t usually on display. Yet now, for the sake of Xue An, its brilliance was revealed. ¡°Do you think this Xue An dares to come?¡± someone said. ¡°I expect he¡¯s already fled! After all, that¡¯s a Golden Immortal who suppresses the current age! Why wouldn¡¯t it be seeking death to come?¡± While these people were discussing animatedly, they saw from the deserted street in the distance, a man was slowly approaching. Chapter 319 - Chapter 319: Chapter 319: First Battle with a Golden Immortal (4th Update) Chapter 319: Chapter 319: First Battle with a Golden Immortal (4th Update) This person stood tall and jade-like, his complexion indifferent, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, carrying a hint of an inexplicable smile, his eyes even more so bright and deep like the stars. ¡°It¡¯s Xue An!¡± ¡°He really came!¡± The crowd of onlookers stirred, all somewhat in disbelief. Xue An slowly walked onto the square and did not attend to these people with their varied expressions. Instead, he looked up at the towering Immortal Palace and said faintly, ¡°I have arrived!¡± His voice was not loud, yet it vibrated across the wilderness! Moments later, the Immortal Palace glimmered, and dozens of Loose Immortals streamed out in succession, spreading across the sky, then stood divided on either side, standing at attention with hands hanging by their sides! It was only after that when Fu Wuliang finally stepped out of the Immortal Palace. He stood with his hands behind his back, his face indifferent, slowly descending from the void. Utter silence. Many people looked at Fu Wuliang with eyes filled with fear. Even Sect Leader Wu Bucheng of Sword Control Villa, who had come upon hearing the news, had no choice but to take a few steps back, nodding and saluting as a sign of respect! This was the majesty of a Golden Immortal! Only Xue An calmly watched, his face neither sad nor happy. ¡°You are Xue An?¡± Fu Wuliang¡¯s voice was not loud, but it contained an inherent authority. Ordinary people, not to speak of taking action, would already be intimidated just by these words. Xue An just showed his attractive teeth and smiled slightly, ¡°Indeed, I am!¡± ¡°Very well, since you dare to come, then I will not torture you and will grant you a swift end!¡± Fu Wuliang said indifferently. At that moment, Zhu Ruyan behind Xue An was even more nervous than Xue An, especially under the Golden Immortal¡¯s aura of Fu Wuliang, which was simply unbearable for a fragile girl like her. She was trembling slightly and struggling to hold on. Xue An gently patted her shoulder. A stream of Sword Qi passed through, and Zhu Ruyan suddenly felt much more relaxed, then gratefully glanced at Xue An. Only then did Xue An turn his head to face Fu Wuliang, ¡°I give you a chance as well, kneel now, and I might spare your soul from dying!¡± These words caused an uproar. To this point, Xue An still dared to be so arrogant. Many people simply could not imagine what Xue An was thinking. Fu Wuliang¡¯s eyes turned colder, a fierce killing intent surfacing on his face. ¡°You¡¯re seeking your own death, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a chance!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Let¡¯s fight if we must! All this idle chatter, do you really think being a Golden Immortal makes you invincible? In my eyes, you¡¯re nothing but minor insects!¡± Xue An¡¯s words finally completely enraged Fu Wuliang, ¡°Twelve Fire Guards, kill him!¡± With his command, twelve guards with incredibly strong auras charged like phantoms, forming a profound formation and rushing straight at Xue An. The Twelve Fire Guards! Fu Wuliang¡¯s loyal subordinates who had followed him for many years! All were Loose Immortal level cultivators, moreover, experts in combined formation techniques, responsible for the deaths of several Longevity cultivators. In Fu Wuliang¡¯s view, Xue An¡¯s cultivation was merely at Half-step Longevity; he didn¡¯t need to act himself, as the Twelve Fire Guards were enough to take care of him. But the smugness at the corner of his mouth had only just appeared when it froze. As soon as the Twelve Fire Guards approached, Xue An raised his hand and threw a punch, striking directly. Boom! An invisible shockwave dispersed, and the Twelve Fire Guards simultaneously grunted, were blasted backwards, and all collapsed to the ground vomiting blood. With a single punch, the Twelve Fire Guards were defeated. This move stunned many onlookers. ¡°He seems¡­ to have become even stronger than on the day of the trial!¡± Fei Bai muttered to himself. And upon hearing Fei Bai¡¯s words, Wu Bucheng¡¯s expression grew even more solemn. If his strength was growing at such a rate, it was truly terrifying. ¡°Reckless fool, die!¡± Seeing his personal guards couldn¡¯t even withstand a single punch from Xue An, Fu Wuliang finally erupted in anger! He extended his hand, and a billowing, burning, golden flame rushed forward. Although there was some distance, the scorching heat could still be felt. ¡°Red-gold flame! Good heavens, no wonder the venerable one has been absent from the Immortal Palace all this while; he¡¯s been seeking this Divine Flame!¡± someone exclaimed in shock. Many hearts sank deeper. This red-gold flame is an extremely fierce flame that can directly roast one¡¯s soul, immensely venomous and ruthless. Faced with the surging red-gold flame, Xue An¡¯s lips curved into a somewhat intriguing smile, and he didn¡¯t even attempt to dodge. Many were baffled¡ªwhat was Xue An planning to do? Not dodging or evading¡ªwas he intent on courting death? Yet, at the very moment the red-gold flame touched Xue An, the initially ferocious flames suddenly became docile. Then, with a lift of his hand, the flames transformed into a small flame dancing on his palm. ¡°How¡­ how is this possible!¡± Upon witnessing this scene, countless faces were filled with astonishment. Fu Wuliang¡¯s expression darkened as well. He could feel that these flames had lost their connection with him. Could it be that he had some sort of strange treasure on him that made him impervious to these flames? Fu Wuliang was somewhat skeptical in his heart. Xue An, meanwhile, toyed with the small flame and said indifferently, ¡°Playing with fire in front of me, are you joking?¡± ¡°Today, I¡¯ll show you who is the ancestor when it comes to playing with fire!¡± After saying that, Xue An took a step forward. Boom! Wisps of pure white flame appeared in mid-air. Fu Wuliang, usually unflappable, finally shook and cried out in shock, ¡°Divine¡­ Divine Realm Flame?¡± ¡°You do know your stuff!¡± As he spoke, the Divine Realm Flames lunged straight at Fu Wuliang. Fu Wuliang¡¯s expression changed unpredictably, yet greed flickered in his eyes. His primary practice was the Great Fire Spirit Decision, and the best way to enhance his cultivation level with this technique was to seek various rare flames. Like this red-gold flame, which he had obtained only through excruciating effort, a Strange Fire. But compared to the Divine Realm Flame, it was practically worthless. If he could kill Xue An and seize this Fire Seed, it would be of limitless benefit to his own cultivation level. With this thought, Fu Wuliang sneered. ¡°Since you¡¯ve come knocking on my door, I¡¯ll gladly accept your generous gift!¡± After speaking, Fu Wuliang brought his hands together, ¡°Subdue!¡± The Divine Realm Flames then froze in mid-air. Fu Wuliang burst into laughter, ¡°Thanks for your generous gift! However, I still need to kill you!¡± He was about to devour these Divine Realm Flames when, right as his fingertips touched them, the flames that had ostensibly been subdued by his technique suddenly sprang to life again, creeping up his fingers. Everything they touched turned to flying ash! ¡°How can this be!¡± Fu Wuliang was greatly shocked and swiftly snapped off the affected finger, then glared at Xue An with a somber expression. ¡°What trick have you played?¡± With a faint smile, Xue An replied, ¡°Trick? Do I need to stoop to tricks to deal with you?¡± The first exchange between the two ended with Fu Wuliang at a considerable loss. Many onlookers were dumbfounded. They could hardly believe their eyes. And Fu Wuliang¡¯s expression gradually became more solemn. This Xue An was more troublesome to deal with than he¡¯d imagined! Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Fist Breaks Pagoda (First Update) Chapter 320: Chapter 320: Fist Breaks Pagoda (First Update) ¡°I admit, I underestimated you!¡± Fu Wuliang said indifferently, his figure gradually floating into the air. ¡°But you don¡¯t understand, although there¡¯s only a realm¡¯s difference between a Golden Immortal and long life, the gap between them¡­ is more than a hundredfold!¡± With those words, countless flames appeared around Fu Wuliang, and an even more formidable aura enveloped the entire place. Those who were closer only felt their cultivation levels fluctuate. ¡°It¡¯s a Golden Immortal Domain!¡± someone exclaimed. Once one becomes a Golden Immortal, one can partly utilize the laws of heaven and earth. Within their domain, the power of an opposing cultivator¡¯s cultivation level is suppressed to the lowest, essentially a great treasure for subduing enemies! ¡°Hand over the Fire Seed now, and I can leave you a thread of soul!¡± Fu Wuliang commanded from mid-air, his voice as majestic as that of a deity. Xue An just laughed, ¡°I¡¯ve had my suspicions, but now I finally understand!¡± ¡°So it turns out that your state as a Golden Immortal is actually incomplete!¡± This statement left the crowd looking at one another in dismay. Incomplete? What does that mean? Fu Wuliang¡¯s complexion changed drastically! He was stuck at a Half-step Golden Immortal because he could not progress. Just when he was in despair, it so happened that a venerable elder in the Immortal Palace was about to fall. That elder transferred his Deity status to Fu Wuliang. It was with this inherited Deity status that he managed to break through to the Golden Immortal Realm. Yet since it was an inherited Deity status, it was far from being as handy as one he might have condensed himself. Hence, his status as a Golden Immortal was flawed. But this was a secret buried deepest in his heart, never revealed to outsiders! How could this man possibly see through it? Who on earth was he? ¡°You need not wonder why I know, I know far more than you could ever imagine!¡± Xue An said lightly. Fu Wuliang was burning with the desire to kill; this boy must not be spared! Therefore, he bellowed, ¡°No matter who you are, today you are undoubtedly going to die! Myriad Fires Golden Lotus!¡± Boom! The flames surrounding him quickly began to converge, transforming into myriad dazzling golden lotus flowers. Each one exuded a chilling murderous intent. ¡°This is getting more interesting!¡± Xue An commented coolly. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re deliberately giving me opportunities; otherwise, why always choose the moves I like?¡± Many didn¡¯t understand Xue An¡¯s words. Including Fu Wuliang, who, upon hearing Xue An¡¯s words, couldn¡¯t help but snort coldly, ¡°Mystifying nonsense! Go!¡± Boom! The golden lotuses charged directly at Xue An. Xue An, however, raised a hand and said lightly, ¡°Karmic Fire¡­ Red Lotus!¡± Boom! A bright red Red Lotus appeared in the palm of Xue An¡¯s hand and rapidly expanded, blooming in a twinkling of an eye. Seeing this Red Lotus, the imposing golden lotuses rushing towards him all stopped, then, as if encountering a singularly noble king, all bent their heads in submission. Myriad Fires Bow to the Red Lotus! This scene struck all onlookers dumb. ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn!¡± Xue An took a step forward and suddenly disappeared from his original spot, appearing in front of Fu Wuliang the next moment, waving the Red Lotus in his hand, enveloping Fu Wuliang entirely within it. The raging Karmic Fire instantaneously devoured him. From within the flames, Fu Wuliang shouted in terror, ¡°How could you possibly possess such Divine Flame?¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°How impossible? It¡¯s just your bad luck to play with fire in front of me!¡± From the beginning, Fu Wuliang had been completely suppressed by Xue An. All because he had the audacity to be a fire cultivator. But for Xue An, who carried two types of Divine Flame, this was practically like delivering himself to his doorstep. The sound from within the Karmic Fire soon ceased. The crowd watched in amazement¡ªcould Fu Wuliang be dead already? An extremely angry voice thundered from the sky, ¡°Xue An, I will tear you to pieces!¡± As he spoke, Fu Wuliang raised his hand, and with a scream, the twelve Fire Guards on the ground turned into flying ash. Their cultivation levels all transformed into streams of light, flying into the body of Fu Wuliang in mid-air. Xue An¡¯s brows lifted slightly, ¡°Casting the Blood Curse Technique on your own guards, you¡¯re not very capable, but your mind is indeed vicious!¡± Fu Wuliang burst into a sinister laugh, and his aura began to climb frantically. ¡°They were nothing more than dogs I raised. Now that they¡¯ve served their purpose, what does it matter if they¡¯re killed? But you, you actually caused me to lose a treasure! This time, I will make you understand what happens when you enrage a Golden Immortal!¡± Fu Wuliang had just been consumed by the Karmic Fire, even his Golden Immortal body could not resist this Divine Flame. Out of fear, he had no choice but to use a life-saving treasure to finally escape. But this also left him in immense pain, naturally, he put all the blame on Xue An. Fu Wuliang sneered as he slowly raised his fist. ¡°Let me show you what real Divine Skills are! Buddhas of the past!¡± With the Immortal status attained, Divine Skills emerge spontaneously! Fu Wuliang finally utilized the most powerful killing move of a Golden Immortal¡ªthe Divine Skills! Boom! Everything around Xue An was locked down, even the fluttering strands of his hair solidified. To outsiders, Xue An seemed to suddenly become a statue, even the light in his eyes disappeared. ¡°My lord!¡± Zhu Ruyan cried out in alarm. And the observing members of the Sects and noble families all let out a sigh of relief. In their perception, Xue An¡¯s aura had disappeared. That meant that under the might of the Golden Immortal, he had ultimately failed and died. The Master of the Immortal Palace, Fu Wuliang, once again proved his invincibility with facts! Only Fei Bai¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, as if pondering something. At this moment, Fu Wuliang was still seething with anger, having just been beaten so miserably, even forced to use his life-saving treasure. Xue An had just died like this, but it was not enough to quench his hatred. In a moment, I will extract your soul and then search for the Fire Seed of that Divine Flame! Fu Wuliang was grinding his teeth with these thoughts. A subtle crackling sound came. Everyone was shocked. Even Zhu Ruyan, who couldn¡¯t stop crying, heard it and couldn¡¯t help but look up. They saw Xue An, who seemed like a statue in mid-air, began to slowly move his fingers, followed by a blink of his eyelids. Boom! He, who had been suppressed by the Buddhas of the past, returned to normal. Fu Wuliang was so startled that his eyes almost popped out. ¡°How is this possible! How could you possibly break the Buddhas of the past?¡± At this moment, an extremely powerful aura rose from Xue An. Now he was also angry, so he said coldly, ¡°Buddhas of the past? Ha, watch my fist break it!¡± With that said, Xue An raised his fist and struck out! Crack! After a thunderous crack, Xue An completely shattered the Buddhas of the past that held him and went straight for Fu Wuliang. Fu Wuliang hadn¡¯t recovered from his shock when Xue An had already charged up close. ¡°No!¡± Fu Wuliang managed only to shout out this one word before Xue An sent him flying miles away with a punch. Without waiting for him to stabilize, Xue An appeared behind him and threw another punch. Boom, boom! Xue An was like playing with a ball, battering Fu Wuliang without giving him any chance to fight back. Watching this scene, everyone was speechless. Who could have thought that even the Master of the Immortal Palace was no match for Xue An? At that moment, Karmic Fire surged up in Xue An¡¯s palm, and he said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve said before, today I shall slay an immortal!¡± No sooner had he spoken than he threw a punch. ¡°Master save me!¡± Fu Wuliang finally became afraid and cried out loudly. Just as Xue An¡¯s fist was about to hit Fu Wuliang, a sigh came from inside the Immortal Palace. ¡°Fellow Daoist, why must you do this?¡± Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Sir, I Will Help You Slay the Immortal (2nd Update) Chapter 321: Chapter 321: Sir, I Will Help You Slay the Immortal (2nd Update) With a sigh, a black-robed elder appeared before the Immortal Palace. Upon seeing him, everyone from Wu Bucheng¡¯s group trembled, then exclaimed in disbelief, ¡°Elixir Heart Elder!¡± The Elixir Heart Elder nodded and smiled to the crowd, ¡°I never expected that after so many years, there would be those who still remember this old man who¡¯s knocking on death¡¯s door!¡± Wu Bucheng and the others promptly adopted serious expressions and bowed respectfully, ¡°We have seen the elder before us!¡± The Elixir Heart Elder was the master of the Immortal Palace hundreds of years ago, and in terms of seniority, he was much higher than them. It was unthinkable that he was still alive. Now, this Xue An was truly doomed. That¡¯s what everyone was thinking in their hearts. The Elixir Heart Elder smiled at Xue An, ¡°Young Daoist, your talent is truly the first I have seen in my life, to defeat my unworthy disciple with the cultivation level of Half-step Longevity!¡± At this moment, Fu Wuliang, upon seeing his master appear, couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath, casting a somewhat smug look at Xue An, thinking that now his death was certain! However, facing such an ancient figure from hundreds of years ago, Xue An remained indifferent and coldly said, ¡°You finally decided to show up, huh?¡± A flicker of unusual color crossed the Elixir Heart Elder¡¯s face, ¡°Young Daoist, you knew of my existence?¡± Xue An calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ve known from the start! What about it? Your disciple has been defeated, you¡¯re coming out to save him?¡± The Elixir Heart Elder chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, young Daoist. How about you let my unworthy disciple go? I have prepared some light wine in the Immortal Palace so we can become friends, perhaps?¡± Boom! After hearing this, everyone was shockingly bewildered. Such a being as the Elixir Heart Elder was actually being so polite to Xue An? Even Fu Wuliang was a bit astonished, not understanding why his hot-tempered master was acting so out of character today. But what everyone failed to anticipate was that Xue An shook his head, ¡°Make friends with me¡­ are you worthy?¡± Upon those words, the entire place fell into a deadly silence. The Elixir Heart Elder¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Young Daoist, what do you mean by that?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°To tell you the truth, I came here to annihilate the two of you!¡± With that, the Karmic Fire in Xue An¡¯s hands surged, instantly engulfing Fu Wuliang. ¡°No¡­ Master save¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his words. Xue An¡¯s supremely powerful Karmic Fire had already incinerated Fu Wuliang¡¯s flesh. A dazzling streak of light suddenly appeared, then attempted to escape. It was Fu Wuliang¡¯s Lifeforce! Xue An grasped it with one hand, a smile emerging on his lips, and then he sealed it away. The more Lifeforces he had, the more assured he could be in breaking the seal on Yan¡¯er¡¯s body. All of this happened in an extremely fast manner, the Elixir Heart Elder hadn¡¯t even had a chance to react before Xue An had killed Fu Wuliang and even sealed his Lifeforce. Seeing this scene, the Elixir Heart Elder finally lost the calm demeanor of a respectable sage, shouting angrily, ¡°Xue An, destroying my disciple¡¯s body is one thing, but why did you seal his Lifeforce?¡± Lifeforce was the most precious thing for a Golden Immortal, for as long as it remained unextinguished, there was a chance for rebirth! ¡°Because I need it, and not just his! Even you won¡¯t be able to flee today!¡± said Xue An as he rose into the sky, with Karmic Fire boiling around him, charging straight toward the Elixir Heart Elder. At this moment, fear also crept into the Elixir Heart Elder¡¯s heart. He truly could not fathom the background of Xue An, and Xue An¡¯s revealed methods were all far too horrifying. But as Xue An charged at him, he couldn¡¯t help but angrily say, ¡°Do you really think I am afraid of you?¡± With that, the Elixir Heart Elder took a step forward, ¡°Heart Demon!¡± The Elixir Heart Elder¡¯s cultivation level was far stronger than Fu Wuliang¡¯s, plus his Lifeforce was condensed by himself, a flawless Golden Immortal. Thus, his Divine Skills were a hundred times more formidable than Fu Wuliang¡¯s. With the emergence of the Heart Demon. It shrouded Xue An within it. The Elixir Heart Elder laughed wildly in triumph, ¡°Xue An, you are still too young, you have fallen into my trap!¡± From the beginning, the Elixir Heart Elder had feigned weakness, simply waiting for such an opportunity. His Divine Skill, though seemingly weak when invoked, was actually incredibly powerful. It was a Divine Skill that targeted the deepest depths of the human spirit. Especially in the eyes of the Elixir Heart Elder, Xue An was so young yet possessed such formidable cultivation, his Dao heart must be unstable. With the activation of this Heart Demon, his cultivation would shatter to pieces! But his pride had lasted for only a few breaths when he saw Xue An form a sword with his hand, pierce through the enveloping black fog, and emerge from within. ¡°How¡­ How is this possible? Why do you not even fear the Heart Demon?¡± the Elixir heart sovereign exclaimed in shock. Xue An responded indifferently, ¡°Because my Dao heart is as firm as a rock!¡± The Elixir heart sovereign had no idea what Xue An had experienced. Three thousand years of arduous cultivation had honed Xue An¡¯s Dao heart to near perfection. Although he ultimately perished when ascending to the Saint Realm because of a lingering obsession with An Yan, his rebirth allowed him to find An Yan and their two daughters, mending all past regrets. Thus, the current Xue An had a Dao heart that was crystal clear and flawless. The Elixir heart sovereign¡¯s Heart Demon held no sway over him! The Elixir heart sovereign¡¯s gaze flickered a few times before he gritted his teeth, ¡°Good, indeed you¡¯re no ordinary person, but you¡¯ll still have to die!¡± With that, the Elixir heart sovereign¡¯s aura was finally unleashed to its fullest. ¡°Golden Immortal Peak!¡± Wu Bucheng exclaimed, his complexion paling at the sheer intensity of the aura. The strongest cultivator in the Kunlun Immortal Realm had finally appeared. In this moment, the Elixir heart sovereign wore an expressionless face, his bearing proud like an emperor reigning over the ninth heaven, with the winds and clouds of heaven and earth seemingly beneath his feet. ¡°Xue An, you should take pride in yourself for forcing me to exert such power!¡± the Elixir heart sovereign said with authority. Xue An showed no fear, a faint smile instead emerging on his lips. ¡°After the seal is released, I presume you won¡¯t live much longer before you fall.¡± Xue An said. Xue An¡¯s words enraged the Elixir heart sovereign. ¡°You indeed know everything. Rest assured, I won¡¯t fall this time. Your cultivation level and talent are so formidable, I will make your body my own!¡± the Elixir heart sovereign declared with a sinister laugh, as he launched a punch from above. It seemed that even space itself was shattered by this punch, which immediately appeared above Xue An¡¯s head. A look of solemnity couldn¡¯t help but surface on Xue An¡¯s face. This was to be the strongest enemy he had faced since his return. ¡°Fist, Shock the Boundless!¡± Xue An roared, throwing a punch in response. There was no sound, and the two punches colliding resembled nothing more than a mere greeting between two mortals. However, a few breaths later, Xue An stumbled back several steps. And the Elixir heart sovereign¡¯s figure also swayed slightly. Could it be that someone was actually matching a Golden Immortal Peak in battle? Just how powerful was this Xue An? All the noble families and sects were dumbfounded. This battle had exceeded their understanding. ¡°Xue An, you are indeed very powerful, but the stronger you are, the more I must kill you! Only by taking over your body can I hope to break through this accursed Golden Immortal stage! So die!¡± the Elixir heart sovereign said with a twisted expression of greed, launching another punch. This punch was several times more powerful than the last, its might causing the space it passed through to crackle and creak as if it couldn¡¯t withstand such a force and was about to break apart! Boom! Finally. Xue An was forced back over a dozen steps by the punch, his complexion turning slightly pale. ¡°Xue An, I want to see how many punches you can take!¡± the Elixir heart sovereign laughed loudly, his presence becoming even more overwhelming. Everyone thought the defeat of Xue An was inevitable. Zhu Ruyan¡¯s complexion was deathly pale in the distance. Could it be¡­ Could it be that he was going to lose? Zhu Ruyan suddenly took a deep breath and calmed herself. She recalled a Secret Technique mentioned by her mother when she was learning the Female Chastity Technique of her family! By offering oneself as a sacrifice, one could maximize the support given to boost another person¡¯s cultivation level. But the condition was that one must completely trust the other person! And the consequence of the sacrifice was the utter dispersal of one¡¯s own soul! At this thought, Zhu Ruyan suddenly smiled brightly. My lord¡­ this time, I shall assist you in slaying a celestial! Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter 322 I Was Once the Supreme of The Multiverse (3rd Update) Chapter 322: Chapter 322 I Was Once the Supreme of The Multiverse (3rd Update) At that moment, the punch from the Elixir Heart Venerable came again. This time, the force of the punch was at least twice as strong, altering the winds and changing the skies wherever it passed. Xue An snorted coldly, a countless number of Sword Qi materialized, forming an enormous sword light that thrust directly at the punch. However, the sword light only lasted for less than a breath before it shattered with a loud bang. ¡°Xue An, it¡¯s pointless. You simply cannot comprehend what the concept of the Golden Immortal Peak truly means!¡± Elixir Heart Venerable said with a cold laugh. Just then, a crisp female voice rang out, ¡°My lord!¡± Xue An turned his head and saw Zhu Ruyan tucking a stray hair behind her ear, smiling brightly, ¡°For all these days, thank you!¡± After speaking, fierce flames burst forth from Zhu Ruyan¡¯s body. ¡°Karmic Fiery Flames! How is that possible! What is this woman trying to do?¡± Elixir Heart Venerable exclaimed in shock. He had not paid any attention to Zhu Ruyan at first, considering her no more than an ant. But now, the Karmic Fiery Flames appearing on Zhu Ruyan¡¯s body was an extremely domineering fire of the Heavenly Realm. What was she trying to do? Xue An was slightly startled, then seemed to realize something, frowning slightly, ¡°Ruyan!¡± Within the flames, Zhu Ruyan said softly, ¡°I am willing to sacrifice my divine soul to give you strength, my lord!¡± Having said this! A surge of karmic power forcefully concentrated on Xue An¡¯s body. However, Zhu Ruyan¡¯s body fell to the ground with a thump, her life and death unknown! This scene shocked everyone. This woman¡­ had actually sacrificed her divine soul to aid Xue An! It was simply madness! The Elixir Heart Venerable¡¯s eyelids also twitched incessantly. Meanwhile, Xue An lowered his gaze, shaking his head gently, ¡°Why would you do such a foolish thing?¡± ¡°Just for a mere Golden Immortal, did it have to come to this?¡± ¡°But since you¡¯ve done this, then I shall eliminate them first!¡± Having said that, Xue An lifted his head, his eyes sparkling like the stars. ¡°Kill!¡± As he spoke, Xue An suddenly transformed into a streak of light, heading straight for the Elixir Heart Venerable. ¡°Heh, useless! How much karmic power can the sacrifice of a mere mortal woman have? It cannot change the fate of your death!¡± said the Elixir Heart Venerable, extending his hand. Just in time to block the incoming Xue An. ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got? Too slow!¡± the Elixir Heart Venerable sneered, just about to take action. Suddenly, Xue An laughed. At the same time, Xue An crushed a fragment of an imperfect Immortal grid in his hand. A terrifying might erupted violently. A look of surprise appeared in the eyes of the Elixir Heart Venerable. ¡°What¡¯s happening? This¡­ this is the aura of Emperor Haoyu!¡± Yes, the Immortal grid that Xue An crushed was indeed that of the Imperial Son, Emperor Haoyu! In the midst of the divine light, Xue An stated calmly, ¡°Borrowing it for a moment!¡± The Elixir Heart Venerable finally understood what Xue An was attempting, and he shouted in utter terror, ¡°How is this possible, how can you possibly use someone else¡¯s Immortal grid to condense your own divine skills? Just who are you?¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and simply said, ¡°Karma!¡± Boom. With Emperor Haoyu¡¯s fragment of an Immortal grid as a sacrifice, Xue An finally managed to use the divine skill that once made him feared in the Multiverse Realms. Karma! Under the rule of Karma, even Bodhisattvas are mere mortals, Immortal Kings are but fish meat! This was an unsolvable and supremely strong divine skill. Even though it was now a broken version that couldn¡¯t be more incomplete. It still firmly restrained Elixir Heart Venerable, rendering him completely immobile. And Xue An raised his fist, revealing a few white teeth, and smiled savagely, ¡°Now¡­ it¡¯s my turn!¡± After speaking, he threw a punch. Under the power of his divine skill, the karma reversed. The strength of Elixir Heart Venerable was weakened to the lowest, while Xue An possessed supreme divine might. Therefore, under this punch. Elixir Heart Venerable could only scream in horror, without the strength to resist, and was directly blasted away. In the midst of the sky, he spat blood profusely, stricken with fear to the extreme, he gritted his teeth and desperately urged his life-saving treasure, thinking only of escape. Xue An certainly wouldn¡¯t give him that chance, whispering softly, ¡°Reverse!¡± Causal reversal! The Elixir heart Sovereign felt his cultivation level ebbing away like running water, his body visibly aging rapidly. ¡°What¡¯s happening, no¡­ don¡¯t want!¡± The Elixir heart Sovereign caught a whiff of death and shouted in utter horror. Xue An appeared behind him, whispering in the Elixir heart Sovereign¡¯s ear. ¡°You wanted to know who I am? I¡¯ll tell you now! I was once the foremost among all immortals, the Supreme Being of The Multiverse!¡± The expression on the Elixir heart Sovereign¡¯s face froze, then from the crown of his head, he gradually turned to flying ash, scattering with the wind. In the blink of an eye, the Elixir heart Sovereign had dissipated into smoke. Yet, a dazzling and moving celestial lattice remained in place. Xue An casually picked it up and sealed it away. With that, he had already acquired two celestial lattices. As for Haoyu Emperor¡¯s wisp, it had already been used as a sacrifice and eliminated. Everyone stood there, dumbfounded; some people couldn¡¯t help but begin to tremble uncontrollably. Xue An paid them no heed but instead looked up at the elders and disciples of the Immortal Palace and then suddenly charged toward them. These people, seeing both the Sect Leader and the Ancestral Master killed by Xue An, were in extreme terror. The sight of Xue An rushing over scared them into turning and running. ¡°Sword arise!¡± Boundless sword qi appeared once more, so vast that it even blocked out the moonlight. ¡°Kill!¡± Boom! The falling sword qi enveloped everyone from the Immortal Palace. Most of these people were Loose Immortals, with a few being at the Half-step Longevity or Longevity Cultivation level. But before this sword qi, they had no strength to fight back. Soon, blood splattered everywhere, and the immortals fell like rain! After a moment, all members of the Immortal Palace lay dead. Xue An stood mid-air, like a Deity, overlooking the earth below. Thump! Those with shallow cultivation levels, swept by Xue An¡¯s gaze, uncontrollably fell to their knees. Even those who barely stood were shivering through their bodies. Xue An ignored these people, his Divine Sense briefly sweeping through the Immortal Palace, then shook his head. ¡°To dare claim the title of Immortal Palace, yet to have such meager possessions! Oh, this one isn¡¯t bad!¡± Saying this, with a wave of his hand, a dusty ring flew out from inside the Immortal Palace into Xue An¡¯s palm. ¡°Alright! This place is boring to look at, let¡¯s destroy it!¡± With that, Xue An took a step forward. Boom! The entire Immortal Palace quaked as if in an earthquake, began shaking violently, then cracks emerged and it collapsed with a thunderous crash. With that, the once lofty Immortal Palace was no more. Xue An returned to the ground, holding a blood-hued orb of light in his hand, then approached Zhu Ruyan. ¡°This time, I will bestow upon you a great opportunity!¡± Having said this, Xue An pressed the orb of light against Zhu Ruyan¡¯s forehead, his eyes narrowing slightly. Zhu Ruyan¡¯s scattered soul, owing to the sacrifice, was once more gathered together. Boom. Zhu Ruyan felt her whole body tremble, and then she slowly opened her eyes. ¡°My lord? Am I dead?¡± Xue An said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re not dead, the people of the Immortal Palace are.¡± ¡°Then I¡­¡± Zhu Ruyan was a bit puzzled. How had she not perished one¡¯s soul flies and scatters? Xue An spoke indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t need to use your soul as a sacrifice to kill that Golden Immortal. Since I didn¡¯t use that power of causality, naturally, you¡¯re fine!¡± With that, Xue An turned around and looked toward the group of Sects and Noble families. ¡°The Immortal Palace has been annihilated; does anyone dissent?¡± These people all shuddered in unison, then quickly shook their heads. ¡°Great awe of the lord, we submit!¡± Xue An nodded slightly, ¡°Good!¡± Thus, Xue An, with unrivaled divine might, pressured Kunlun! He became the foremost person in this age! Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter 324 Tranquil Years (Fifth Update) Chapter 324: Chapter 324 Tranquil Years (Fifth Update) Xue An flew directly back to the Number One Tian Villa, and upon touching down, two little girls cheered and flung themselves into his embrace. Xue An indulgently picked up his two daughters. ¡°Daddy, what have you been doing all this time? Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian missed you so much!¡± Xue Xiang wrapped her arms around Xue An¡¯s neck, affectionately saying. ¡°Daddy went to fight monsters!¡± Xue An teased his two daughters on purpose. Upon hearing about fighting monsters, both little girls¡¯ eyes lit up. ¡°Daddy, who is more powerful, you or Ultraman?¡± Xue Nian asked with wide eyes. Xue An nodded seriously, ¡°Of course, Daddy is more powerful!¡± ¡°What about compared to Sailor Moon?¡± Xue Xiang quickly asked. ¡°Daddy is more powerful than her too!¡± Xue An said with a smiling smile. ¡°Yay!¡± the two little girls cheered. ¡°So Daddy, can you transform?¡± Xue Xiang asked. ¡°Transform?¡± ¡°Yeah! Like how Sailor Moon transforms, a super cool kind of transformation!¡± Xiang Xiang¡¯s eyes sparkled. Uh¡­ Xue An suddenly felt that these two little girls probably watched way too much anime. ¡°Alright, Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, of course Daddy can transform, but he¡¯ll only show you if you two behave,¡± An Yan said with a smile. ¡°Mhm, we¡¯ll be good!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said in unison. ¡°Here, these are little gifts for you two!¡± Xue An said, taking out two small pendants made from the Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart. ¡°Huh, Daddy, isn¡¯t this a frying pan?¡± Xiang Xiang said, surprised as she fiddled with it. Xue An had refined the Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart into two protective amulets and, fearing his daughters might not like them, simply fashioned them into the shape of little frying pans. Xue An smiled and nodded, ¡°Do you like them?¡± ¡°Mhm, we love them, thank you, Daddy!¡± Each little girl kissed one of Xue An¡¯s cheeks and happily went inside to play. Only then did Xue An stand up, looked at An Yan, who was standing prettily, and smiled gently, ¡°Yan¡¯er.¡± An Yan¡¯s eyes were slightly red, she brushed the hair beside her ear and softly said, ¡°Husband!¡± The simple two words meant more than a thousand speeches. Xue An stepped forward, gently drawing An Yan into his embrace. An Yan struggled slightly, a bit shy, ¡°Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian are here!¡± Xue An rubbed the top of her head and chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve already blocked out those two.¡± An Yan made a sound of agreement, burying her head in Xue An¡¯s embrace. The two stood there quietly holding each other, enjoying the warm moment. At this time, Xiao Sha was quietly edging backwards. The so-called shielding by Xue An was just a simple diversion, effective against the two little girls, but useless against it. So, it saw everything that had just happened. Although Xiao Sha couldn¡¯t talk, its mind was like that of a twelve or thirteen-years-old child. Seeing that the adults and their mistress were happily throwing around their affection, it quickly slipped out. If the grown-ups discovered it, there would be no good consequences for itself! But just as it was about to exit the backyard, feeling a sense of relief, Xue An¡¯s faint voice came over, ¡°Running off to where?¡± Xiao Sha froze, then turned around, and in an effort to please, stuck out its tongue at Xue An. Xue An was a bit amused and helpless, ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be a Jiaolong, but why are you becoming more and more like a little dog now?¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Xue An walked over and looked somewhat helplessly at Xiao Sha¡¯s increasingly round waist. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go on a diet!¡± A moment later. Bang! Xue An, like he was throwing a bomb, chucked Xiao Sha from the mountaintop straight into the distant Yunmeng Lake. In mid-air, Xiao Sha shed tears of grievance. My beloved roast chicken, grilled ducks, braised pig¡¯s trotters, sauce elbows, pickled pig¡¯s ears¡­ Farewell! Then, with a splash, he plunged into the lake, his body transforming into a Jiaolong. Frustrated, he flipped over and sank to the bottom of the lake. An Yan looked on with some worry, ¡°Husband, isn¡¯t this a bit too harsh? Although it¡¯s a Jiaolong, it¡¯s still like a child!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m also helping it. Otherwise, a Jiaolong that just eats its fill and sleeps, waking up only to eat again, is truly a disgrace to dragons!¡± ¡°¡­, alright then!¡± The breeze was gentle as the two sat on a bench under the tree, surrounded by the shade of greenery, while from the villa behind them, the playful laughter of two little maids could occasionally be heard. Such a quiet and warm atmosphere suddenly brought a phrase to Xue An¡¯s mind. Time passed peacefully. ¡°Yan¡¯er!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get married!¡± A long silence ensued. ¡°Oh!¡± An Yan replied softly, her head lowered. ¡°What does ¡®oh¡¯ mean?¡± Xue An asked with a smile in his eyes. An Yan lifted her head, her face now unknowingly covered with tears, yet she smiled happily, ¡°¡®Oh¡¯ means I¡¯m very, very willing!¡± Xue An looked at this silly girl with doting eyes, feeling sorry for her as he hugged her, and An Yan leaned on his shoulder. ¡°Yan¡¯er, this time, I¡¯ll give you an unrivaled wedding! To make up for all the previous shortcomings!¡± Xue An said seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t ask for anything else, actually, I¡¯m quite content with now!¡± An Yan said softly. ¡°I promised to make you the happiest woman in The Multiverse Realms, and I will keep that promise!¡± Xue An said cheerfully, revealing two Immortal-grade tokens with a flip of his hand, ¡°See what this is?¡± Although An Yan didn¡¯t know what the two shimmering Immortal-grade tokens were, she could feel the immense energy within them. ¡°These are the tokens of a Golden Immortal that can remove part of your Seal!¡± Xue An explained. An Yan¡¯s whole body trembled, not even considering her own Seal, but asked in a quivering voice. ¡°Golden Immortal?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± An Yan¡¯s eyes reddened again. Now a practitioner herself, she clearly understood what Golden Immortal signified. That was a major figure capable of dominating an entire realm! Yet, for her Seal, Xue An had slain Golden Immortals to obtain their tokens, and not just one, but two. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xue An was somewhat puzzled. Though he once held the esteemed title of Immortal Venerable, it was impossible for him to fully grasp the delicate thoughts of a girl. Taking a deep breath, An Yan said with a serious tone, ¡°Husband, the Seal on me isn¡¯t a problem. We can break it slowly over time. Please don¡¯t take such risks again, okay?¡± As she spoke, An Yan lowered her head, ¡°Because¡­ I would worry!¡± Xue An was stunned, then suddenly felt moved. For such a girl, no amount of sacrifice was too great. ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯ll listen to you! But we can¡¯t waste these two Immortal-grade tokens!¡± As he spoke, Xue An¡¯s expression became solemn, and white flames rose from his hand, melting the two tokens into one small orb of light. Then Xue An drew a Profound Mystery Dharma Seal on An Yan¡¯s forehead and pressed down hard, And the orb of light passed into her body. Boom. An Yan¡¯s aura soared suddenly, while the energy of the Immortal-grade token quickly coursed through her body. In a certain deep part of An Yan¡¯s soul, a grey Seal exuding a strong aura brightened under the impact of the Immortal-grade token¡¯s energy. The energy of the token swiftly began to converge and continued to batter against it. Crack! A minute crack appeared on the grey Seal, too small to be noticed. But at the same time, the energy of the Immortal-grade token was exhausted. Xue An had anticipated this. Two Immortal-grade tokens couldn¡¯t possibly break the Seal. After all, it was a Seal placed by an Immortal King. At this thought, Xue An¡¯s heart was filled with boundless killing intent. No matter who you are, if you dare to place a Seal on my wife, you are marked for death! Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter 325: True Spiritual Artifact Level Frying Pan (First Update) Chapter 325: Chapter 325: True Spiritual Artifact Level Frying Pan (First Update) However, the murderous intent was fleeting, and then Xue An laughed and said to An Yan, ¡°Alright! Do you feel anything?¡± An Yan closed her eyes to feel for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything!¡± But immediately after, her aura began to climb steadily. Very quickly, she broke through from Xiaoyao to Heavenly Being! And it didn¡¯t stop there, she directly broke through the peak of Heavenly Being and reached the Cultivation Level of a Half-step Loose Immortal before stopping. This even surprised Xue An a bit. Others struggle so much to barely make a breakthrough in cultivation, but his wife, on the other hand, breaks through realms as if it were as simple as eating and drinking. ¡°Husband, I think I¡¯ve made another breakthrough!¡± An Yan said. Xue An teased her nose and chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not that you think, you have indeed broken through! It seems my wife is a genius in cultivation!¡± An Yan¡¯s face turned red from the praise, but she still lifted her head proudly, ¡°That¡¯s right, and maybe I can surpass you in the future! When that time comes, I¡¯ll protect you! Heeheehee!¡± ¡°As you command, Lady Yan¡¯er!¡± Xue An said, smiling. While the two of them were having their affectionate chat, Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian were sneakily watching from a distance. ¡°Sister, what are daddy and mommy doing?¡± Nian Nian asked. ¡°Shh!¡± Xiang Xiang signaled Nian Nian to keep her voice down with a serious face and then said, ¡°You¡¯re too young to understand, of course!¡± ¡°Huh? Do you understand, sister?¡± Nian Nian asked with wide eyes. ¡°Of course!¡± Xiang Xiang said proudly, ¡°I was born a whole five minutes before you, you know!¡± She then cleared her throat, lowered her voice, and said, ¡°Daddy and mommy are dating!¡± ¡°Dating?¡± ¡°Mhm, mhm!¡± ¡°So what¡¯s dating? Can you eat it? Is it delicious?¡± The standard three-part question from Nian Nian. Xue Xiang frowned, tapped Xue Nian¡¯s head gently, and said, ¡°All you know is eating! Love is for talking about, not eating!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± On hearing it wasn¡¯t edible, Xue Nian lost interest. She lowered her head and started fiddling with the toy frying pan made from the Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart that Xue An had given her. It looked lustrous and seemed very delicious. Xue Nian swallowed saliva, sneakily glanced at her sister Xue Xiang, saw that she wasn¡¯t paying attention, and then sneakily put it to her lips and crunched down on it. Unexpectedly, after biting this small piece of wood no more than three to five centimeters, it suddenly expanded many times over. It became the size of a regular frying pan. Xue Nian was shocked by this sudden change and said shakily, ¡°Sister¡­ Sister!¡± Xue Xiang turned her head and saw Xue Nian with a huge pan hanging around her neck, and she couldn¡¯t help but be stunned as well. ¡°What have you done now?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, I just bit into the wood, and then it turned into this!¡± Xue Nian was almost in tears. That¡¯s when Xue An walked over, chuckling to himself. He had long noticed the two mischief-makers sneaking peeks from a distance and couldn¡¯t help but find the situation amusing, although he still pretended to keep a straight face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Daddy, Nian Nian was being greedy again, and the wood has now become so big and big!¡± Xue Xiang gestured with her hands to show a large size and looked utterly alarmed. Xue An looked at it and then frowned, ¡°Oh no, once this thing has grown, it won¡¯t shrink back. It looks like Nian Nian will have to live with this pan hanging from now on!¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to live with a pan hanging on me, it¡¯s so ugly, wuu wuu wuu!¡± Xue Nian cried out in fear. An Yan gave Xue An a helpless glance, ¡°Stop teasing, Nian Nian¡¯s crying!¡± Then Xue An smiled, squatted down, and snapped his fingers. The frying pan abruptly shrank back to its original size. Both girls were gobsmacked. ¡°Daddy, how did you do that?¡± Xue Nian asked with her tears turning into laughter. Xue An had only been preoccupied with his tender moment with An Yan and had forgotten to tell the two girls that the Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart was a Spiritual Artifact capable of expanding and contracting. ¡°Want to learn it?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± The two little girls nodded in unison. ¡°Listen, when you want it to grow bigger, you just shout ¡®Magical Girl Transformation!¡¯ If you shout ¡®Ultraman¡¯, it will help you fight monsters! And when you say ¡®I don¡¯t want to play with you anymore¡¯, it will shrink back!¡± The eyes of the two little girls widened, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah! You can try it!¡± Xue An said. The real Spell Decree, of course, couldn¡¯t possibly be that simple; this was a chant Xue An had specially tailored for his two daughters. Xue Xiang took off the pendant, ¡°Magical Girl Transformation!¡± The Thousand-Year Qingmu Heart suddenly grew into a flat-bottomed pan. Xue Xiang, excited, shouted again, ¡°Ultraman!¡± The flat-bottomed pan turned into a streak of light and flew out, smashing a large rock to pieces before returning to Xue Xiang¡¯s hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to play with you anymore!¡± The flat-bottomed pan shrank back to its original size. ¡°It¡¯s truly magical!¡± The two little girls exclaimed in unison. An Yan couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, ¡°Who does that, giving girls a flat-bottomed pan as a toy instead of something nicer?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a flat-bottomed pan? It¡¯s essential for home and travel, and it has a high lethality too!¡± ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s just not ladylike!¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°But don¡¯t you use it pretty well?¡± ¡°I¡­ mine is different!¡± An Yan¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s the case, the gift I prepared with care must be useless then!¡± ¡°What gift?¡± Xue An fished out a flat-bottomed pan from nowhere. ¡°It¡¯s this one!¡± An Yan took it and weighed it in her hands, not noticing anything peculiar. ¡°Try swinging it with force!¡± Xue An said casually. An Yan did as Xue An had said and swung it fiercely. A bolt of lightning struck down mightily, turning a large tree to ash with a loud crack. The power of it astonished An Yan. At that moment, An Yan could hear a very respectful voice coming from the pan. ¡°Mistress!¡± ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± An Yan asked fearfully. Xue An smiled, ¡°This is a Spiritual Artifact-level flat-bottomed pan that I¡¯ve specially refined for you! As for the speaking one¡­ won¡¯t you show yourself?¡± Following Xue An¡¯s words, a gigantic figure formed from lightning, towering about three meters high, appeared in mid-air and then respectfully bowed its head toward Xue An. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°This is an Artifact Spirit that I¡¯ve refined out of Lei Zun!¡± Xue An said indifferently. This pan was something he had already refined back when he was in Kunlun, specifically to give to An Yan as a weapon. An Yan gradually regained her composure, then looked at the large fellow with keen interest. ¡°Is this thing crackling because it¡¯s made of lightning?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean, if we have a power outage, we could use it as a generator?¡± An Yan said, somewhat excitedly. Xue An paused for a moment, then with a mix of laughter and resignation, nodded, ¡°It should¡­ be possible!¡± ¡°Husband, I love this gift!¡± An Yan was overjoyed. What An Yan didn¡¯t know was just how precious an Artifact Spirit made from Lei Zun really was! Placing such an item in any Immortal Cultivation realm, it would be considered a treasure! Only Xue An would be so lavish as to refine an exquisite Artifact Spirit like this into a flat-bottomed pan. But to Xue An, this didn¡¯t seem to matter much; as long as his wife liked it. Not to mention an artifact from Lei Zun, not even a Primordial Treasure would be too extravagant. There¡¯s no help for it; the Immortal Venerable spoiling his wife is just this capricious. Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 326: The Domineering Side of Old Xie’s Restaurant (Second Update) Chapter 326: Chapter 326: The Domineering Side of Old Xie¡¯s Restaurant (Second Update) ¡°` At dusk. Beijiang city was drenched in a drizzling autumn rain. ¡°Xuan¡¯Er, let me drive you home!¡± a colleague offered warmly. Tang Xuan¡¯er smiled and shook her head, ¡°No need! I have to stop by a friend¡¯s place first!¡± After saying that, she donned her raincoat and stepped into the curtain of rain. By the time she arrived at Old Xie¡¯s restaurant, night had completely fallen. ¡°Oh dear, Xuan¡¯Er, why didn¡¯t you call ahead so Uncle Xie could have picked you up in this rain!¡± Auntie Pang rushed forward to greet Tang Xuan¡¯er, who had walked in wearing a raincoat, with a look of surprise. ¡°It¡¯s fine, the rain isn¡¯t that heavy!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er removed her raincoat and said with a smile. ¡°Look at you, your hair is all wet. Wipe it off quickly! Don¡¯t catch a cold!¡± Auntie Pang affectionately handed over a dry towel. ¡°Where¡¯s Jingjing?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er asked while drying her hair. ¡°She¡¯s inside. When it started raining, she thought you wouldn¡¯t come and started doing her homework in the back room,¡± Auntie Pang said with a beaming smile. In recent times, Tang Xuan¡¯er had been coming to Old Xie¡¯s restaurant every evening to tutor Xie Jingjing. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go in!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er walked toward the back room. Only after her figure was completely out of sight did the several tables of customers in the hall let out a collective sigh. ¡°My God, this girl is indeed as beautiful as the rumors say! Especially when she smiles, it¡¯s intoxicating!¡± a man said, utterly smitten. ¡°Cough cough, of course she¡¯s beautiful, what do you think is the reason I come here every day at this time?¡± another man at the same table said with a hearty laugh. ¡°Eh, have you inquired? What¡¯s her name? At least find out her phone number or WeChat or something!¡± yet another man lusted after her. ¡°Shh! Don¡¯t talk nonsense! This girl is definitely not ordinary!¡± someone quickly gestured for them to lower their voices. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it; she¡¯s just wearing a raincoat, walking here by herself, what kind of big background could she have?¡± someone skeptically remarked. ¡°Don¡¯t believe it, huh? Well, not to mention the girl, the background of this restaurant is not something you could imagine!¡± another person sneered. ¡°This little rundown restaurant has a background? Stop joking!¡± No sooner had these words left his mouth, several burly men dressed in black appeared outside the restaurant; each one had a robust build, and the leader was holding a black umbrella, his face full of menace. Upon seeing this group, all the customers inside shuddered unison, and someone couldn¡¯t help but whisper in alarm. ¡°It¡¯s Xu Jiu! One of Du Fan¡¯s top men!¡± Everyone was shocked. This was a figure with some notoriety in Beijiang city, so what was he doing here on a rainy night? As they wondered, Xu Jiu tapped on the glass window. Old Xie came out and upon seeing the man, walked forward to open the door. Once opened, Old Xie said, ¡°Come in.¡± Xu Jiu¡¯s face broke into a sycophantic smile, and he bowed his head, saying, ¡°No need to come in, I¡¯m soaked with rainwater, I wouldn¡¯t want to dirty your floor! I¡¯m just here following my boss¡¯s orders, to see if anyone who doesn¡¯t know their place has come by recently?¡± Old Xie shook his head, ¡°Ever since you sorted out those guys who came asking for money last time, there hasn¡¯t been any riff-raff!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, those guys have been kicked out of Beijiang city by me, and they wouldn¡¯t dare come back in this lifetime!¡± Xu Jiu kept nodding and bowing repeatedly. Just recently, a few rookie hooligans came to Old Xie¡¯s restaurant for a meal and intentionally dropped a dead cockroach into their dish afterward, demanding compensation and threatening to trash the place if they weren¡¯t paid. Old Xie recognized instantly that these men were here to extort. You say pay them? That feels unacceptable. If we get mad at this bunch, then we might as well give up the idea of doing business properly in the future. With this thought, Old Xie felt somewhat troubled. It was Auntie Pang who tentatively made a call to a person named Du Fan who she had met at Xue An¡¯s house during a dinner party. At the time, Du Fan was not in Zhongdu, but as soon as he received Auntie Pang¡¯s call, he immediately broke into a cold sweat. Although Old Xie and Auntie Pang were just ordinary people, the fact that they were able to attend Mr. Xue¡¯s banquet indicated that they certainly had more than an ordinary relationship with him. If something went wrong, when Mr. Xue came back, his own head¡­ With this thought, he shuddered and immediately said, ¡°Tell Uncle Xie to rest assured, I¡¯ll send someone over right away!¡± After hanging up the phone, he immediately informed his underling Xu Jiu in Zhongdu and gritted his teeth over the phone, ¡°If this matter isn¡¯t resolved well, then we should prepare to be finished together!¡± Hearing such severe consequences, Xu Jiu, who was drinking at a bar, was so frightened he almost wet himself, and immediately rallied his subordinates and rushed over. He had thought it was some formidable outsider crossing over from Beijiang, but when he arrived at the restaurant, it turned out to be just a bunch of clueless, inexperienced young hoodlums! And these young hoodlums were scared witless as soon as they saw Xu Jiu! In the underworld, who didn¡¯t know Lord Xu Jiu! Especially in the eyes of these small-time hoodlums, Xu Jiu was practically a godlike figure! Xu Jiu wanted to kill these people at that moment, but still suppressed his fury and respectfully apologized to Uncle Xie. After all, his boss had repeatedly instructed him that he must be respectful! This made Old Xie feel a bit embarrassed at the time! After this incident, Xu Jiu became cautious. He didn¡¯t want to one day get dragged down because of some blind small-time hoodlum. So he made a point of stopping by now and then, just to check in. Today was no exception. Seeing this group of strong men shivering in the rain, Old Xie also felt somewhat guilty, so he pulled out a hundred yuan bill. ¡°Since you insist on not coming in, here¡¯s a hundred yuan. Go buy a bottle of water to drink!¡± Xu Jiu trembled all over in fear, knowing that if he dared to accept this hundred yuan, Du Fan would have his hide. So he quickly waved his hands and declined, ¡°Uncle Xie, please don¡¯t be so courteous, just think of me as one of your juniors. Whatever you need, just give me the word!¡± And Xu Jiu¡¯s bowing and scraping in front of everyone in the restaurant left them all stunned. The one who had just spoken sneered, ¡°See? Now everyone knows I was right! Could someone who makes Xu Jiu bow and scrape be an ordinary person?¡± The others fell silent, but they all understood one thing in their hearts. This little restaurant was definitely not as simple as it seemed! Correspondingly, that stunningly beautiful girl was no ordinary person either! Seeing Xu Jiu resolutely refusing the money, Old Xie had no choice but to take it back and nodded, ¡°Thank you all for your hard work!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, it¡¯s what we should do! Please, go on with your business!¡± Xu Jiu said with a smile. After Old Xie left, Xu Jiu finally let out a sigh of relief. At that moment, one of his subordinates asked, ¡°Boss, what kind of background does this restaurant have that has you so wary?¡± ¡°What background?¡± Xu Jiu sneered, ¡°It¡¯s enough to scare you all to death if I told you! But you don¡¯t need to know too much, just remember not to provoke this restaurant at all costs!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± All the subordinates responded in unison. Chapter 327 - Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Sitting Around the Stove on an Autumn Night (3rd Update) Chapter 327: Chapter 327: Sitting Around the Stove on an Autumn Night (3rd Update) Xu Jiu felt much relieved, turned around, and was about to leave. A car pulled up to the curb, and a line of people got out. A man and a woman, followed by two exquisitely cute little girls. They seemed to be a family. The man was handsome and elegant, and the woman was even more stunningly beautiful. Such a combination naturally attracted a lot of attention. Seeing this family, Xu Jiu, who was about to leave, froze in place. As the man and woman walked towards the restaurant, laughing and talking, they passed by Xu Jiu. The man glanced at him indifferently and then walked away. It wasn¡¯t until the group entered Old Xie¡¯s Restaurant that he shuddered, coming back to his senses. That man¡­ Xu Jiu¡¯s mind buzzed with uncertainty. His subordinate beside him smacked his lips, saying in amazement, ¡°What a beauty! She¡¯s a hundred times prettier than any TV star, really¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence because Xu Jiu kicked him viciously, sending him sprawling into the rainwater, then started kicking him brutally. While kicking, Xu Jiu roared in a low voice, ¡°If you¡¯re sick of living, go jump off a building yourself, don¡¯t drag me down with you, okay?¡± Xu Jiu¡¯s savage and angry face intimidated everyone. It took a long time for them to recover, only after his subordinate had been beaten unconscious by Xu Jiu. Only then did Xu Jiu stop, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and looked at Old Xie¡¯s Restaurant with residual fear. It couldn¡¯t be wrong, it was definitely him! Just the way he looked at me is enough to be sure! At that thought, Xu Jiu had a bright idea, quickly pulled out his phone, and dialed Du Fan¡¯s number. At that moment, Du Fan happened to be in Beijiang City, drinking with some business friends. When he saw the call was from Xu Jiu, he was startled at first, then his expression turned solemn. This time of the day¡­ could it be that something happened at that restaurant? Du Fan immediately answered the call. ¡°Hello! Boss, I¡¯m at Old Xie¡¯s Restaurant. I just¡­ saw Master!¡± ¡°What?¡± Du Fan was taken aback, abruptly stood up, giving his business partners quite a fright. ¡°Say that again?¡± Xu Jiu took a deep breath, ¡°I saw Master entering the restaurant!¡± ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t see wrong?¡± ¡°Absolutely not! He even glanced at me. That indifferent look in his eyes, I could never mistake it!¡± Xu Jiu said with certainty. Du Fan hesitated for a moment, then made a decision. ¡°Stay outside, don¡¯t let those messy people disturb Master. I¡¯ll be right over!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Du Fan hung up the phone. The business friends, somewhat displeased, said, ¡°Mr. Du, with all this commotion, how are we supposed to continue our business discussion?¡± As Du Fan grabbed his coat from the sofa and ran outside, he cursed, ¡°Discuss your ass! I don¡¯t have time to deal with you now!¡± Meanwhile, inside Old Xie¡¯s Restaurant. The sudden arrival of the group quieted the entire hall. Some people were even dumbfounded. They had just seen an incomparably beautiful girl enter, and now how comes such a high-value family arrived? This small restaurant, how many surprises could it offer? Auntie Pang, who was busy with the accounts, sensed an unusual atmosphere and couldn¡¯t help but look up. When she saw the man with a smile on his face. Auntie Pang was stunned for a moment, then shouted with extreme joy, ¡°Xiao An?¡± That¡¯s right, of course, it was none other than Xue An and An Yan¡¯s family arriving! Xue An nodded with a smile, ¡°Auntie Pang!¡± Auntie Pang called out, ¡°Old Xie, stop what you¡¯re doing, Xiao Anzi is here!¡± Old Xie ran out without even wiping the flour from his hands, excited once he saw it really was Xue An. Hearing the commotion, Xie Jingjing and Tang Xuan¡¯er, who were studying in the back room, also came out. An Yan smiled at Tang Xuan¡¯er, ¡°I was planning to wait for you to come home tonight, but once I saw it was raining and knew you were at Uncle Xie¡¯s helping with homework, I decided to come over with Xue An! I hope Uncle Xie doesn¡¯t mind!¡± ¡°How could I! I couldn¡¯t have asked for better!¡± Though Old Xie initially wanted to come forward to chat, his expression was somewhat hesitant. The more he interacted with him, the more Old Xie realized that Xue An¡¯s power was unfathomably deep. Even those haughty big shots were now extremely respectful towards him, and Old Xie knew very well what the reason might be. Therefore, he had a few more concerns, afraid that being too casual might upset Xue An. An Yan naturally noticed this and deliberately teased with a smile. It was clear that An Yan was thoughtful, with a gracious and generous demeanor in dealing with people. Of course, Xue An understood An Yan¡¯s intention, and the smile on his face became three degrees warmer. This girl, she really was a treasure! Thus, he also said with a smile, ¡°I just happen to be craving some of Uncle Xie¡¯s vintage wine. Today, I¡¯ll have a good drink!¡± Old Xie burst into laughter, ¡°Alright! If there¡¯s nothing else I have, it¡¯s old wine!¡± With those words, any trace of initial awkwardness was immediately dispelled. During such a bleak autumn wind, the most suitable activity was, of course, for friends to sit together and enjoy a steaming hot pot. Old Xie courteously asked the other few tables of customers to leave. Of course, they didn¡¯t dare not to leave. The scene with Xu Jiu just now, they all had seen it, who would dare cause trouble? Then Old Xie put several tables together and ignited a copper-pot hot pot. The ingredients were all ready, and the girls, quick and efficient, soon had the various vegetables washed. Old Xie then took out a large piece of fresh mutton and began to cut the meat. However, due to the haste, there wasn¡¯t a sharp knife available, making the cutting slow. Seeing this, Xue An smiled, ¡°Let me do it!¡± As he spoke, he took the kitchen knife, and with a slight flick of his wrist, the whole knife seemed to blur into a shadow as he started chopping. There was no sound of the knife striking the chopping board, only the subtle sound of slicing meat. In a moment, the mutton was sliced, with each piece uniformly thin enough to see through. Old Xie was gobsmacked. He had never seen meat cut like this, where the knife didn¡¯t even touch the chopping board throughout the process, relying solely on incredibly precise control to lift the blade just after cutting the mutton. This sounded easy, but in practice, it was nearly impossible. It seemed that Xiao An¡¯s reputation and status were not gained so easily after all! The group gathered together. Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian were already eager, especially Nian Nian, who was practically drooling. When the mutton went into the pot, after waiting just five or six seconds, it could be taken out for tasting. Combined with Old Xie¡¯s personally mixed dipping sauce, it tasted smooth, fresh, and delicious enough to make one forget all worldly worries. This time An Yan also poured a little wine, raising her glass toward Old Xie and Auntie Pang, ¡°I owe so much to you two, for all your help back then. Otherwise, he and I might not have made it till today. This drink, I toast to you two!¡± Old Xie and Auntie Pang quickly raised their glasses, ¡°No need to be polite, we¡¯re all family! Forget about that!¡± After one drink, An Yan¡¯s cheeks blushed, adding to her unmatched beauty. At this moment, Xue An said with a smile, ¡°Also, the reason I came here is to announce something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m planning to have another wedding ceremony with An Yan!¡± Chapter 328 - Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Strong Will to Survive (4th Update) Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Strong Will to Survive (4th Update) Hearing this sentence, the room suddenly quieted down. Jingjing, who had been somewhat silent, trembled slightly, and the mutton she was picking up with her chopsticks fell onto the table. Next to her, Xuan¡¯Er sighed softly and silently picked up the mutton for her. Mr. Xue and Auntie Pang then exclaimed with joy, ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful! The two of you never had a wedding ceremony, so this time it indeed should be made up for!¡± Mr. Xue even patted his chest, promising, ¡°When the time comes, I¡¯ll be your chef. It¡¯ll save money and taste good!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°We won¡¯t need a chef, you two are the witnesses of those hard times An Yan and I went through, so I want to invite you to be the officiants at the wedding!¡± Just as Mr. Xue was about to readily agree, Auntie Pang hesitated a bit. ¡°Xiao An, I know you¡¯re a good kid, and you¡¯ve always been kind to me and Mr. Xue, but we¡¯re just small business owners running a restaurant, being your officiants¡­ I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re not qualified!¡± Auntie Pang had her own worries. Xue An¡¯s status now was not what it once was, the guests coming were either powerful magnates or major figures from all sides. For her and Mr. Xue to be officiants, they simply wouldn¡¯t be able to hold their own in such a setting. Xue An smiled, ¡°Auntie Pang, in my eyes, you are the best choice, if you¡¯re not qualified, who is?¡± ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not just the two of you who will be officiants this time, I plan to invite a few more!¡± Only then did Auntie Pang relax and nodded gratefully, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, then naturally we agree one hundred percent!¡± At this moment, Mr. Xue lifted his cup, ¡°Let¡¯s all toast to Xiao An. The journey they¡¯ve been on hasn¡¯t been easy!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Auntie Pang responded resoundingly. Everyone raised their glasses together, and even Jingjing showed a sincere smile at this moment, lifting a glass of juice and saying, ¡°Xiao An, my best wishes to you!¡± Xue An and An Yan exchanged a smile, raised their cups, and said, ¡°Thank you, everyone! Cheers¡± Everyone drained their glasses, and the atmosphere became even warmer. Meanwhile, outside. Although the rain had stopped, the chill autumn wind was freezing. Even so, Du Fan, who had rushed over, insisted on not waiting in the car but stood by the entrance of Mr. Xue¡¯s restaurant, his arms at his sides, in a very respectful manner. ¡°Big brother, how about I wait here? You go back to the car and rest a moment! Who knows when Mr. Xue will finish drinking?¡± Xu Jiu suggested. Du Fan shook his head, ¡°No need, this little wind is nothing. I¡¯ll wait.¡± In fact, Du Fan was well aware that although Xue An was inside, he would definitely know everything happening outside. So it was better to be as respectful as possible. To leave a better impression in Mr. Xue¡¯s mind. These days, Du Fan¡¯s strength had grown more formidable, and he had even started to enter some legitimate industries. In response, everyone remained silent. Before, had Du Fan dared to encroach on someone else¡¯s territory, it would have certainly led to conflict. But now, all was quiet! Du Fan understood that this was all because of Xue An. The more this was the case, the more he felt a chilling awe. An awe of Xue An¡¯s power. So compared to the benefits received, what was a bit of cold wind at the doorway? He stood outside, respectfully braving the breeze. The restaurant¡¯s door opened, and Xue Xiang poked her head out, her large eyes rolling around curiously. ¡°Who is Uncle Du Fan?¡± Du Fan briskly took a couple of steps forward, smiling almost obsequiously, ¡°Miss, I am. But please don¡¯t call me uncle, just Du Fan is fine!¡± Even facing a child of four or five, Du Fan showed unsurpassed respect. Because he knew that these two little girls were Mr. Xue¡¯s precious daughters and were extremely doted on. Let alone causing trouble, if he even broke a single strand of their hair, he estimated that Mr. Xue would flay him alive. Xue Xiang giggled, covering her mouth, ¡°I¡¯m not any miss, I¡¯m Xiang Xiang! And my daddy is calling you in!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Miss Xiang Xiang!¡± Du Fan said with a look of joy, nodding and bowing. At the same time, he felt a twinge of regret. If only he had known he should have bought some snacks and toys that children like on his way here. If he could win over these two little girls, it would be greatly beneficial to his future development! With these thoughts in mind, Du Fan walked respectfully into the dining room. ¡°Mr. Xue! Madam Xue! Miss Tang, and everyone!¡± Du Fan greeted repeatedly, his demeanor rather comical. At least, Tang Xuan¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but let out a snort of laughter. The breathtaking beauty of her smile made Du Fan freeze for a moment, and then he quickly lowered his head deeply, no longer daring to look. ¡°Sit!¡± An Yan said indifferently. Only then did Du Fan dare to take a seat. ¡°You seem to have quite the timely news. You knew the moment I returned to Beijiang?¡± Du Fan shuddered with fear, worried that he had upset An Yan. He quickly explained, ¡°It¡¯s not that I had timely news, but one of my men just happened to be guarding the entrance of Uncle Xie¡¯s restaurant and happened to see you!¡± An Yan nodded, as old Xie had just reported everything that had happened before. As for Du Fan, An Yan wasn¡¯t particularly disgusted by him, but he didn¡¯t particularly admire him either. However, the man knew how to seize opportunities and was quite competent at handling matters. The old Xie¡¯s restaurant was one example. ¡°Well done!¡± Those words from An Yan made Du Fan feel elated, as he repeatedly said, ¡°It¡¯s my duty, Uncle Xie is also my elder. When lowlifes cause trouble, it¡¯s my responsibility to address it!¡± ¡°You are the first one, aside from my family, to know of my return to Beijiang,¡± An Yan said blandly. Du Fan felt a surge of joy. Did this mean he knew about Mr. Xue¡¯s return before anyone else? ¡°As it happens, I¡¯ve lost my cell phone, so I¡¯ll have you notify everyone else,¡± An Yan said. Overjoyed by this chance, Du Fan nodded vigorously, thumping his chest so loudly that it echoed, ¡°No problem, rest assured, Mr. Xue!¡± ¡°But¡­ what shall I say?¡± Du Fan asked cautiously. An Yan smiled faintly, ¡°Just say¡­ I¡¯m preparing to get married!¡± Get married? With whom? Du Fan stole a glance at the unrivaled beauty, An Yan, and suddenly understood something, a resolute light shining in his eyes. ¡°Rest assured, sir, I will inform everyone.¡± With that, he stood up to leave. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to have a bite to eat?¡± An Yan asked indifferently. Indeed, Du Fan was a little hungry, but upon seeing who was seated at the table¡ªall close to An Yan. He knew his place, realizing he was only comparable to a dog under the master¡¯s roof, so how could he qualify for the table? Therefore, he shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten, it¡¯s more important to take care of Mr. Xue¡¯s business first!¡± Having said that, he respectfully left Uncle Xie¡¯s restaurant. After he left, Auntie Pang asked curiously, ¡°Xiao An, that guy seemed quite decent, why does he seem so frightened of you?¡± An Yan smiled, ¡°Seems quite decent? Auntie Pang, do you know his background?¡± ¡°What background?¡± ¡°He used to call the shots in Beijiang¡¯s underworld!¡± Hiss. This revelation about Du Fan¡¯s identity made Auntie Pang gasp in surprise, as she had been unaware. ¡°As for why he¡¯s so afraid of me?¡± An Yan smiled, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because of his strong desire to survive!¡± When An Yan had first returned, reborn, he had a minor conflict with Du Fan during a class reunion. That was why Du Fan was now so conspicuously silent and reserved. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he had performed well, An Yan could have easily wiped him out with a snap of his fingers! Chapter 329 - Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Notice to All Parties (First Update) Chapter 329: Chapter 329: Notice to All Parties (First Update) Du Fan walked out of the restaurant, his face brimming with excitement. ¡°Big Bro, what did Mr. Xue say?¡± Xu Jiu quickly approached and asked. Du Fan smiled faintly, ¡°Mr. Xue is getting married!¡± ¡°Married? To whom?¡± ¡°Who else but Miss An!¡± ¡°Miss An? Aren¡¯t their kids already so big?¡± Xu Jiu obviously hadn¡¯t caught on yet. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m the boss and you¡¯re just a lackey?¡± Du Fan said indifferently. ¡°Hehe, no idea!¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t use your brain! Have you not heard about Mr. Xue¡¯s dealings in Zhongdu? Initially, the An Family didn¡¯t agree to the marriage, so Mr. Xue and Miss An must have eloped!¡± As he said this, a look of terror flashed across Du Fan¡¯s face, ¡°Later, the An Family that obstructed them, committing many grievous mistakes, was eradicated by Mr. Xue!¡± Xu Jiu also looked frightened and swallowed hard. ¡°So, this must be Mr. Xue feeling sorry for Miss An, hence the special wedding ceremony!¡± ¡°I see! So, Big Bro, what do we do? Should we raid some bridal shop or studio?¡± Xu Jiu said, bloodthirsty. Du Fan covered his eyes in despair, ¡°Don¡¯t ever say you¡¯re my lackey, it¡¯s embarrassing!¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Xu Jiu still felt a bit wronged. ¡°Mr. Xue asked me to notify his friends and subordinates! Got it?¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°The Qin Family, the Northern Town Martial Hall, the Hua Family Medical Hall, Qingmang Town, and some folks from the provincial city!¡± Having researched the people around Xue An, Du Fan naturally knew who they all were! Soon, Du Fan¡¯s men began taking action. Du Fan himself changed into a set of proper new clothes and headed to the city center. Qin Family Mansion. After entering the lobby, Du Fan went straight to the reception desk, requesting to see Qin Yu or Qin Yuan. The receptionist scrutinized Du Fan before coldly handing him a sign-in sheet. ¡°Please fill out your personal information first!¡± In this place, Du Fan didn¡¯t dare to argue, and after dutifully filling it out, handed it back and then asked, ¡°When can I see Miss Qin or the old master, Qin?¡± The receptionist glanced at the calendar, ¡°Probably in about a month!¡± ¡°What?¡± Du Fan almost jumped up on the spot. ¡°What, isn¡¯t this already expedited for you? Have you not seen the queue on the side?¡± The receptionist pointed to a stack of sign-in sheets piled up half a person tall. Du Fan was somewhat at a loss for words. One month¡­ By then, even if he met with them, Mr. Xue¡¯s wedding would probably be over! ¡°Please inform Miss Qin now that I truly have an urgent matter!¡± ¡°Everyone who comes says it¡¯s urgent. Can I notify them all? Besides, Director Qin is so busy every day; her time is extremely precious! She doesn¡¯t have time to waste with you riff-raff.¡± The receptionist was still cold and spoke quite rudely. Finally losing his temper, Du Fan, who had fought his way up from the bottom, respected Xue An out of awe. But that didn¡¯t mean he was always patient with others. He slammed his hand on the desk and grabbed the receptionist by the collar, growling, ¡°I order you to notify her now, or else, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± The receptionist, surprisingly, did not panic but instead pressed a button on the phone, ¡°We have a troublemaker, hurry over!¡± Moments later, a group of security guards rushed into the lobby. A smug smile appeared on the receptionist¡¯s face. ¡°You think you can mess around with hooligan tactics at Qin Group? You must be blind. Captain Yang, get this man out of here!¡± The security team¡¯s captain, a man in his thirties with a robust physique, was sizing up Du Fan. After a while, he rubbed his chin and said somewhat playfully, ¡°Du Big Bro?¡± Du Fan recognized him instantly, and his expression turned somewhat ugly. ¡°Yang the Cripple!¡± Yang the Cripple had once hung around with him, but later he clung to the Qin Family, gradually starting to look down upon Du Fan. At this moment, Yang the Cripple chuckled, ¡°What brings Du Fan to the Qin Group? Are you here to collect protection fees?¡± His words brought a burst of laughter from those around him. With a deep breath, Du Fan replied coldly, ¡°Cut the crap, I have an urgent matter that requires me to see Miss Qin!¡± ¡°You want to see our chairman? Heh, do you think you¡¯re worthy? Not just you, even a few of us aren¡¯t qualified to meet her! Big talker! I suggest you better go back to running your bar and dance hall!¡± Yang the Cripple said rudely. Du Fan let out a cold laugh, ¡°Heh, fine! Since you won¡¯t let me see her, if something happens to the Qin Family later on, let¡¯s see who can take the responsibility!¡± ¡°Something happen to the Qin Family? How could that possibly happen?¡± Yang the Cripple said with a face full of mockery. The crowd also showed faces of disbelief. ¡°Of course, and it¡¯s a major issue concerning life and death!¡± Du Fan declared proudly. In his eyes, the reason the Qin Family had been able to expand so rapidly in the last two years was all thanks to Xue An. If Xue An were gone. Then the Qin Family would be a rootless tree, not to be feared any longer. Yang the Cripple naturally thought Du Fan was exaggerating dangers, and was about to mock him when a muffled male voice came through. ¡°What¡¯s the matter that you must see our Miss Qin?¡± As his words finished, the imposing Hei King walked over. Seeing him, all the security guards and the receptionists respectfully bowed. Hei King had once known Du Fan as well. After Hei King was saved by an elixir from Xue An, signs of progress appeared in his stagnant martial cultivation level. Overjoyed, Hei King immersed himself in martial arts, disregarding mundane affairs, and now had apparently broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Du Fan didn¡¯t dare to neglect, he nodded slightly and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s a very confidential matter! It¡¯s about¡­ Xue!¡± Du Fan only said one word. Hei King¡¯s body trembled, his eyes blazing with intent. ¡°Follow me!¡± Following that, he led Du Fan to the VIP elevator and headed straight for the top-floor presidential office. The security guards and receptionists in the lobby exchanged glances, their faces showing fear. Especially Yang the Cripple. Could it be¡­ that this guy really had some important major issue? This was Du Fan¡¯s first time ascending to the top floor of the Qin Family Mansion. Outside the presidential office was a secretary¡¯s desk, where Hei King approached with a grave expression, ¡°I need to speak with Miss Qin.¡± ¡°The president is currently negotiating with several foreign clients inside, and she has no time!¡± the secretary responded. ¡°I can¡¯t wait! Call her private number!¡± Hei King demanded. ¡°But how? The president hates it when people dial her private number!¡± ¡°Enough chatter, call now!¡± Hei King said sternly. Reluctantly, the secretary dialed Qin Yu¡¯s private number with trembling hands. ¡°What is it!¡± Qin Yu pulled out her phone and seeing it was a call from the secretary outside, she frowned and answered the phone with a trace of annoyance. ¡°Manager Hei King wishes to speak with you!¡± The secretary had barely finished speaking when Hei King stepped forward, took the phone, and said solemnly. ¡°Du Fan wants to see you!¡± ¡°Du Fan?¡± Qin Yu frowned slightly, ¡°Is that all? A ruffian leader, I don¡¯t have time to meet him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Mr. Xue!¡± Hei King inhaled deeply before speaking. Qin Yu was suddenly shaken and quickly said, ¡°Let him in to see me!¡± Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Qin Family’s Panic (2nd Update) Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Qin Family¡¯s Panic (2nd Update) ¡°` This was the first time Du Fan had seen such a large office. The decor was simple, with no extravagant embellishments. But that huge floor-to-ceiling window was proof enough of everything. Sitting in this office felt like the entire Beijiang was underfoot. ¡°What¡¯s happened to Mr. Xue?¡± Qin Yu blurted out immediately. ¡°Last night, I met Mr. Xue¡ªhe¡¯s back in Beijiang!¡± ¡°What?¡± Qin Yu exclaimed, her complexion gradually turning serious. Mr. Xue had returned to Beijiang and hadn¡¯t even notified her¡ªcould it be that he was dissatisfied with the Qin Family? The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. ¡°Then why are you here?¡± Watching the fleeting panic on Qin Yu¡¯s face, Du Fan felt somewhat pleased. Hehe, no matter how powerful your Qin Family is, don¡¯t you still have to listen to me obediently? ¡°I, unworthy as I am, had drinks with Mr. Xue last night, and during the feast he mentioned he was planning to get married and told me to notify all of you!¡± Du Fan said, his face brimming with pride, boasting just a little. Qin Yu wasn¡¯t paying attention to the rest; she only heard that Mr. Xue was preparing to get married. That statement blew her mind, and it took a while for her to recover. ¡°Where is Mr. Xue now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Du Fan was actually not lying about this. Qin Yu immediately made a phone call. ¡°Hello, has anyone returned to Number One Tian Villa?¡± ¡°Chairwoman, hasn¡¯t there always been someone living there?¡± the property manager from Yunmeng Villa replied, confused. ¡°Nonsense, I¡¯m talking about Mr. Xue!¡± Qin Yu roared. ¡°I¡¯ll check right now!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t find out, then pack your things and get out!¡± Qin Yu said in fury. She had repeatedly insisted, if there was any movement in and out of Number One Tian Villa, they must notify her. Especially if Mr. Xue showed up, they were to inform her immediately. Qin Yu¡¯s intention had been to know as soon as Xue An returned. But she hadn¡¯t expected to be completely uninformed on this occasion when Mr. Xue had returned! To miss such an important notification. That was a great disrespect to Mr. Xue! Thinking of the consequences of angering Xue An, Qin Yu¡¯s whole body trembled. The property manager on the other end of the phone was even more panicked by Qin Yu¡¯s final roar, and after hanging up the phone, he scurried off to check the visitor logs, to no avail. ¡°Manager, what are you looking for?¡± A security guard saw his immediate superior sweating profusely and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Number One Tian Villa¡­¡± the property manager muttered despondently. Hearing this, the guard laughed and said, ¡°I forgot to tell you, last night I saw the gentleman from Number One Tian Villa!¡± The property manager shuddered, his eyes slowly lighting up, ¡°You¡­ what did you say?¡± ¡°Last night, I was on duty at the gate and just saw Mr. Xue taking his family out! They didn¡¯t return until late at night! I was just about to tell you!¡± the guard said. The property manager jumped three feet high, hugged the security guard, and kissed him, then laughed and said, ¡°Well done, tomorrow I¡¯ll promote you to deputy head of the security team!¡± After that, he rushed back to his office and dialed Qin Yu¡¯s number. Qin Yu was waiting by the phone, picking up immediately as it rang. ¡°Chairwoman, Mr. Xue returned last night and is currently staying at Number One Tian Villa!¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Yu breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Good, remember not to disturb him! But also keep a close watch! Understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°` Qin Yu hung up the phone, only then realizing her whole body was covered in cold sweat. What she feared most was Xue An holding a negative view of the Qin Family, but it seemed there was no problem now, or else he wouldn¡¯t continue staying in the Number One Tian Villa. Then she nodded at Du Fan and said, ¡°Thank you!¡± With a grin, Du Fan replied, ¡°No problem! Just notifying Miss Qin is enough!¡± ¡°Did Mr. Xue say anything else? Like how he plans to handle the wedding?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t mention that!¡± Qin Yu nodded and personally escorted Du Fan to the elevator. This scene left several secretaries agape. Before leaving, Du Fan said calmly, ¡°I think your company is great in all aspects, except the receptionist and the head of security in the lobby are too arrogant. You should know¡­ Mr. Xue really dislikes it when people are too presumptuous!¡± Qin Yu shivered and nodded, ¡°Understood! Thank you very much!¡± It was only after Du Fan had left that Qin Yu turned around and went back to her office. ¡°Go and fire the receptionist and the head of security on duty in the lobby today! And warn everyone to behave themselves and not to get carried away!¡± Qin Yu said with a face full of severity. ¡°Yes!¡± Hei King carried out the orders. After pondering for a moment, Qin Yu shared the news with her grandfather, Qin Yuan. At the moment, Qin Yuan was fishing by the picturesque lakeside in Beijiang. He had started to retire and enjoy his later years. The group¡¯s various affairs had been handed over to Qin Yu to manage. So when he saw the call from his granddaughter Qin Yu, Qin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but be slightly startled. What happened? Once connected, Qin Yu rattled off the situation. When he heard that Xue An was planning to get married, Qin Yuan¡¯s expression shook with surprise. ¡°You did well!¡± said Qin Yuan with a nod of approval. ¡°Mr. Xue has returned this time without informing us, and to not notify us directly about such important news does feel disconcerting!¡± ¡°However, I think there shouldn¡¯t be any problem! Mr. Xue, being a True Immortal of this era, would not stoop to pettiness. But we must show our sincerity! I am now hurrying back, and we will go to the Number One Tian Villa together later on!¡± ¡°Moreover, this marriage is a perfect opportunity for our Qin Family to show our sincerity!¡± While the Qin Family was thrown into chaos over this matter, Xue An was in the Number One Tian Villa, teaching his wife martial arts. An Yan¡¯s cultivation level was now that of a Half-step Loose Immortal, but aside from that, her skills were all over the place. Xue An began teaching from the most fundamental aspects. Such as how to circulate Spiritual Energy, and how to cast Spell Decrees! But An Yan had no interest in these and grew bored after a short while. Seeing this, Xue An could only smile wryly. He knew that when he was the Immortal Venerable, countless geniuses holding unparalleled treasures would kneel before him seeking his guidance, though he never gave them a second glance. Yet now, An Yan¡¯s face was filled with boredom, even complaining that Xue An¡¯s teaching was too dull. ¡°How about¡­ I teach you how to use a flat-bottomed pan?¡± Xue An tentatively asked. An Yan¡¯s eyes immediately lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically, ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Even Nian Nian and Xiang Xiang ran over. ¡°Dad, we want to learn, too!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry and also took out a flat-bottomed pan, lamenting to himself. The mighty Immortal Venerable, teaching martial arts with a pan in hand! He then began to teach his wife and children how to repel enemies and maximize their damage potential! So when Qin Yu and Qin Yuan arrived at the Number One Tian Villa, Xue An was leading his family, each with a flat-bottomed pan, standing atop a small hill, practicing martial arts with gestures and movements. The sight was so stunning it was almost unbearable to watch. Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 331 Gathering of the Crowd (Third Update) Chapter 331: Chapter 331 Gathering of the Crowd (Third Update) ¡°` ¡°What kind of novel move is this?¡± Qin Yu asked her grandfather Qin Yuan beside her. Qin Yuan¡¯s face was also full of curiosity as he shook his head and said, ¡°I have no idea either, probably some kind of new and exotic weapon!¡± ¡°But why does it look more and more like a pot to me?¡± Qin Yu said. ¡°We, mere mortals with our mortal eyes, how could we possibly fathom its secrets!¡± No sooner had Qin Yuan¡¯s voice faded when the two little girls, caught up in their play, flung out the flat-bottomed pan made of Qingmu Xin. ¡°Ultraman!¡± Boom! The flat-bottom pan directly shattered a large rock before returning to the hands of the two little girls. An Yan watched with delight, paying no heed to the moves Xue An had just taught her, as she suddenly swung her arm. Boom! A bolt of Nine Heavens Thunder struck down, blasting a huge hole in the top of the small mountain. Qin Yuan and his granddaughter Qin Yu were completely dumbfounded. It took a good while before Qin Yu, with a face full of admiration, nodded and said, ¡°Grandpa, you were right, how could this thing possibly be a flat-bottom pan? It¡¯s clearly a magical artifact that only appears in novels!¡± Qin Yuan, with a solemn expression, said, ¡°I think this is very likely the legendary Heaven-Flipping Seal!¡± The two of them were letting their imaginations run wild below. By the time An Yan and the two little girls had played to their hearts¡¯ content, Xue An had also given up on the idea of teaching them profound martial arts. Especially with An Yan, the moves she used according to Xue An¡¯s teachings somehow looked awkward no matter how you looked at them. But when she performed them on her own, they were as natural and effortless as an antelope hanging its horns! Could this be¡­ innate talent? Xue An couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration. This talent of his wife was indeed quite peculiar. Upon seeing Xue An approach, Qin Yuan and Qin Yu quickly stood up straight and respectfully greeted, ¡°Master!¡± Xue An had of course noticed their arrival long ago, so he nodded with a smile. Qin Yu, a bit impatient, stepped forward and said, ¡°Master, you¡¯ve returned to Beijiang, and we didn¡¯t even know! It was all because of my negligence. I hope you can forgive me!¡± Qin Yuan too stepped forward and, with clasped hands, said, ¡°Master, the Qin Family¡¯s initial resolution has never changed. We have always been a stout support for you, Master. It might be that our development has been too rapid and inevitably, there¡¯s a mix of good and bad. Some things have been less than perfect and might have displeased you! You can tell us at any time, I, Qin Yuan, am willing to take full responsibility!¡± The two of them looked as if they were ready to accept their punishment, which left Xue An quite bewildered. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What is all this nonsense?¡± Xue An said. Uh? Qin Yuan and Qin Yu looked at each other, then with baffled expressions said, ¡°Master, aren¡¯t you angry at the Qin Family anymore?¡± ¡°Why would I be angry with you?¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you inform us of your return this time, and you even had Du Fan convey the news that you were getting married?¡± Qin Yu bravely asked. After hearing this, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°I lost my phone, didn¡¯t have your numbers, and I was too lazy to notify everyone one by one. Du Fan happened to be there, so I asked him to pass the message along! It¡¯s that simple!¡± Qin Yuan and Qin Yu were astounded. So, the thing that had them so worried and frightened was just because Xue An had lost his phone? Regardless, this was indeed good news. Finally, Qin Yuan and Qin Yu let out sighs of relief. Qin Yuan said with a smile, ¡°So that¡¯s what it was. You nearly scared this old man to death!¡± Xue An laughed heartily, ¡°You make me sound like a capricious king, what is there to be so afraid of?¡± Qin Yu thought to herself, You might not be a king, but to us, you are far more formidable than any king! After they entered the house and had chatted idly for a while, Qin Yuan finally spoke with earnest sincerity, ¡°Master¡¯s wedding is a truly joyous occasion, but I wonder, what are your plans for it?¡± Qin Yu also perked up her ears to listen. This was the question she cared about the most. ¡°` As long as Xue An mentioned his plans, the Qin Group would be able to undertake all of it. Even if Xue An said he planned to get married on the moon, Qin Yu wouldn¡¯t hesitate to call M Country¡¯s space center and immediately buy a rocket and a spaceship. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s wait until they come in to discuss it!¡± As they were speaking, Tan Dong and his daughter Tan Xiaoyu, along with Hua Xingyu and Hua Tingting, his grandchild, all walked in. They had only found out about the news through Du Fan¡¯s notification. When they heard that Xue An was getting married, they were all shocked. Hua Tingting had been sitting in the clinic at that time and her expression darkened for a long while after hearing the news. In the end, Hua Xingyu asked with a wry smile, ¡°How about you stay home and keep watch? I can go instead!¡± But Hua Tingting shook her head, ¡°I want to go!¡± Hua Xingyu sighed, ¡°Alright! Then let¡¯s close the clinic and set off right now!¡± A similar scene unfolded at the Beijiang Martial Arts Hall. However, Tan Xiaoyu was, after all, trained in martial arts, and with a broad-minded nature, despite feeling a deep melancholy, still brought along her heartfelt blessings as she and her father Tan Dong hurried over. The room became lively. An Yan felt a bit embarrassed. After all, what was being discussed was her marriage to Xue An! Although she was already a mother, An Yan still had an innocent girl¡¯s heart. So, she turned and went to another room, followed by Hua Tingting, Tan Xiaoyu, and Tang Xuan¡¯er. Only a few men and Qin Yu were left in the room. Xue An was sipping tea and chatting with them casually. Not mentioning what the next steps were, none of these men dared to utter a word. Another hour passed. Footsteps were heard outside, and Xue Lan rushed in. Xue An¡¯s cousin, after two years of experience, had lost her youthfulness and had become mature and steady. The aura she carried now clearly showed she had become a Xiaoyao! ¡°Brother! Where are my sister-in-law and the two nieces?¡± was the first thing Xue Lan asked. Xue An smiled and pointed to the adjacent room. Xue Lan nodded to everyone and then turned to go to the next room. She had come as soon as she got the news. Xue Lan¡¯s parents also planned to come, especially her mother, who shamelessly claimed that after all, she was somewhat a senior to Xue An. Xue Lan did not speak but just coldly watched her unreasonable mother. Not until her mother looked down, embarrassed, did Xue Lan say coldly, ¡°You both clearly know what you did to Xiao An in the past.¡± ¡°My achievements today are because Xiao An took pity on me, but that doesn¡¯t mean I have any good feelings towards you!¡± Now Xue Lan¡¯s word was law at home. With such a retort, her short-sighted parents didn¡¯t dare to say anything more. ¡°Sir, who else are we waiting for?¡± Qin Yuan couldn¡¯t help but ask. Xue An smiled, ¡°They should be arriving soon!¡± Indeed. After some tens of minutes passed, there was a chaos outside. Then, many people filed in one after another. Qin Yuan and the others couldn¡¯t help but stand up. Because those who came were from the great noble families of the provincial city! Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Preparing for the Wedding (4th Update) Chapter 332: Chapter 332 Preparing for the Wedding (4th Update) Shi Dong, accompanied by his siblings Shi Hao and Shi Zhuli, came on behalf of the Shi Family. Feng Chaochou led a large group of subordinates, representing the Feng Family. Besides them, many slightly lesser noble families from the provincial capital also made their presence felt¡ªall had come. ¡°Mr.!¡± they chorused in greeting. They had all just arrived in Beijiang. Du Fan¡¯s capability in getting things done was indeed remarkable; this time, to notify the major families in the provincial capital as soon as possible, he simply rented a helicopter and personally rushed over. Once here, the first people he sought out were the Shi Family. Shi Dong, upon hearing that a big bully from Beijiang was looking for him, was somewhat baffled. But after the meeting, he learned that it was Xue An¡¯s wedding. Shi Dong was greatly shaken and immediately sprang into action. Shi Hao, who was discussing business out of town, immediately took a flight to Beijiang. A thought briefly crossed Shi Dong¡¯s mind at the time. If he kept the news to himself and went on his own, could he possibly outsmart the other noble families? But he dismissed the idea almost instantly. It¡¯s best not to play tricks in front of that man. Otherwise, not even an Immortal could save you! Therefore, he immediately informed the Feng Family and other major families, and that¡¯s how they came all together, in a grand procession. The room was already packed to the brim by this time. Everyone was quietly looking at Xue An. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Thank you all for coming. This time, I am getting married to my wife. She followed me without asking for anything in return, so naturally, I have to make it up to her!¡± ¡°Good!¡± the crowd roared in approval. With so many people arriving, it was natural that not all could stay at the Number One Tian Villa; Qin Yu was in charge of receiving these guests. After settling these people, Xue An made several phone calls. Inside the barracks. An Qing had just finished her work and was preparing to go home. ¡°Colonel An, this is a gift for you from Major General Wang of the Zhonghuai military region¡­¡± a female communication officer came in, holding a huge gift box. An Qing shook her head before the woman could finish, ¡°Return it!¡± With that, An Qing turned and left. The communication officer watched An Qing¡¯s receding figure helplessly, wondering to herself how many times this had happened this month? Nowadays, An Qing was known as the number one beauty of the military! Countless people vied for her affection, one after another, but An Qing was like a piece of cold ice, never moved by them. Driving home, An Ying and An Meng had also just returned. Now, both of them were also working in management at Tianyuan Company, busy and fulfilled every day. Just as they were about to have dinner, An Qing¡¯s phone rang. She glanced down, and the brows that had been tightly knitted for some time now relaxed at once. ¡°Brother-in-law!¡± An Qing said. Hearing this address, An Ying and An Meng, who were eating, perked up their ears. Xue An laughed on the other end of the phone, ¡°How did you know it was me? This is a new number!¡± ¡°Hehe, besides you and my sister, no one else has this phone number!¡± An Qing said with a giggle. ¡°Brother-in-law, when did you come back? Is everything¡­ taken care of over there?¡± An Qing knew that Xue An had gone to Kunlun recently, hence she asked. ¡°I returned yesterday and have already settled everything!¡± Xue An said in a subdued tone. Even though she knew of Xue An¡¯s terrifying power, An Qing still couldn¡¯t help but draw a sharp breath. Even Kunlun, known as the ¡°Immortal Realm¡±, had been conquered by Xue An. Just how formidable was his brother-in-law! ¡°The reason I¡¯m calling is to tell you something!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m preparing a grand wedding for your sister!¡± An Qing was taken aback, then the corners of her mouth lifted into an extremely joyful smile, ¡°That¡¯s long overdue! Where is it? In Beijiang? I¡¯ll head over right now!¡± An Qing was eager as fire. But Xue An chuckled, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush. Since I want to make amends, it naturally has to be unparalleled in the world. That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking!¡± Xue An shared his thoughts with An Qing, who listened with eyes sparkling with amazement. After hearing everything, she nodded and said, ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s do everything as you say!¡± After hanging up the phone, An Ying and An Meng exchanged looks. An Qing smiled, ¡°Brother-in-law and big sister are going to redo their wedding! We have to go to Beijiang first to bring big sister back. You guys should come along too!¡± An Ying and An Meng¡¯s eyes lit up, nodding again and again, ¡°Okay!¡± Chen Xiuhe had been enjoying his days peacefully at home during this period. Zhongdu was tranquil and untroubled. Tianyuan was growing stronger and stronger, everything was on the right track. He didn¡¯t have much to tend to anymore, so he spent his days benevolently reading books at home. However, as soon as he received Xue An¡¯s call, he immediately snapped to attention like a sword unsheathed, regaining his edge. ¡°Mr. Xue, is there something you need?¡± Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°I wanted to let you know something. An Yan and I are planning to have our wedding!¡± ¡°Good! Good news! I will definitely be there!¡± Chen Xiuhe laughed heartily, offering his congratulations. ¡°However, I want everything to follow the most traditional customs. An Yan has no elders in Zhongdu, so you¡¯ll act as the elder of her family. I¡¯ll come for her when the time comes.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Chen Xiuhe immediately agreed. This was a matter of giving him face. There was no way he would disagree. ¡°As for the other guests, you can take care of notifying them!¡± Xue An said before hanging up the phone. Chen Rushi walked into the room at that moment and, seeing her grandfather so cheerful, couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s going on? What¡¯s got you so happy?¡± Chen Xiuhe sighed softly upon seeing his granddaughter, ¡°Mr. Xue and An Yan are going to have a grand wedding!¡± Chen Rushi was stunned. Her complexion gradually turned pale, but after a moment, she took a deep breath and smiled, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news! True lovers finally getting married!¡± Chen Xiuhe stood up, ¡°Mr. Xue has asked me to act as part of the bride¡¯s family. But I always feel that just me alone isn¡¯t quite significant enough. Last time we received so many benefits from Mr. Xue, it¡¯s time for the military to step out and boost our spirits!¡± Chen Xiuhe was someone who loved a big spectacle. His favorite thing was to make everything grand and lively. For Xue An¡¯s wedding, Chen Xiuhe naturally paid even more attention. Xue An then called each of his three buddies separately. Zhao Xuehui, Yang Binyi, and Qiao Le had changed significantly from their past selves as Tianyuan Company grew more powerful, increasing their influence as well. But upon receiving Xue An¡¯s call, the three of them hadn¡¯t changed a bit, still chatting and joking as they always did. It was only after Xue An announced that he was going to marry An Yan that the three fell silent for a moment, then sincerely expressed their thought. ¡°We¡¯ve finally reached this day!¡± The three of them had witnessed Xue An and An Yan¡¯s most innocent times, so they were sincerely happy. In any case, following Xue An¡¯s several phone calls, the entire Zhongdu gradually began to boil with excitement. But what really pushed everything to a climax was an article by the female reporter from the provincial capital, Chen Xiaoyi. Of course, she was no longer with the entertainment weekly; she was working at a rather influential media outlet now. When she learned that Xue An was getting married, she was so moved that she wrote an article. In the report, she listed all the deeds of Xue An that she knew of and then sincerely extended her congratulations for the new marriage! This article was like pouring a scoop of water into hot oil, completely igniting everything. Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter 333: News Spreads, Sensation Among All Parties (First Update) Chapter 333: Chapter 333: News Spreads, Sensation Among All Parties (First Update) Domestic and international media were all abuzz. Many well-known media outlets delivered detailed reports immediately. Among them, the media from M Country¡¯s Hollywood were particularly notable. In their reporting, they lavished nothing but the highest praise on Xue An. Those unaware might even think it was a Huaxia media outlet. In fact, only those in the know understood that during the Oscars ceremony, Xue An had stepped in to save everyone. The goodwill he had earned from this was immense. Although, due to the embargo by M Country¡¯s intelligence agencies, they couldn¡¯t speak plainly about it, saying a few kind words was still okay. When the Shen Family heard the news, they were also greatly shaken. After Xue An had returned directly to Beijiang from the City of Sin, Shen Nan had been despondent for a long time. For this grand wedding, she insisted on returning to the country to attend. Shen Kang naturally nodded in agreement. And in the City of Sin. Wen Sinan held the newspaper with an expression that changed unpredictably. Sitting opposite her was none other than Griffin. He and Wen Sinan sat face to face, and they appeared quite harmonious. But such a scene would have been utterly impossible before. However, the City of Sin had gradually shed those dark undertones. Griffin¡¯s gambling business was booming, earning a fortune each day, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t be bothered with the petty dark deeds that made little money. Wen Sinan had also led her many subordinates to open several hotels, and their business was thriving. ¡°My dear Wen Sinan, I¡¯m planning to go to Huaxia right now, do you want to come with me?¡± Griffin asked with a smiling face. The current Griffin dressed every day in traditional Chinese attire, trying his best to mimic the look of a Huaxian person. In his own words, he wanted to wear the same clothes as a deity. Because in Griffin¡¯s eyes, Xue An was already on par with a creator god. Wen Sinan remained silent for a while before shaking her head, ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± With that, she got up and left. Watching her lonely retreating figure, Griffin shook his head and said, ¡°To fall in love with a deity! Ah, emotions really are troublesome!¡± However, the biggest reaction came from the intelligence agencies of various countries. M Country. When intelligence chief Quixy learned of the news that Xue An would soon marry, his body shivered with dread. Could a single Xue An, who had already sent the world into chaos, now be joined by a woman in this affair? So, he immediately made a phone call and yelled into the receiver, ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, but for this wedding, you must find out all the details for me. I need a high-resolution photograph of Xue An, and not another damned blur where you can¡¯t even make out his face!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Also, I want you to investigate thoroughly who Xue An¡¯s wife is! I want all her details!¡± ¡°We can find that right now!¡± Soon, An Yan¡¯s information was delivered. As Xue An was the number one person of interest in multiple countries, detailed information existed on everyone associated with him. When Quixy saw An Yan¡¯s identification photo, which revealed no clue about her age. His eyes lit up, ¡°This girl looks very kind, doesn¡¯t she? This is a good start!¡± After reviewing all the information, Quixy was pleased. Oh God, have you finally decided to extend your divine favor to your subjects? This girl wasn¡¯t some demoness! And she appeared very kind, with no violent tendencies. This was simply fantastic! And in Tokyo, Country R. Within a courtyard. Many who were powerful magnates outside, were now all standing, their bodies bowed in silence. For before them stood the Underground Empress of Tokyo, Takeuchi Kiyoko herself. Takeuchi Kiyoko, with the Flowing Light sword in hand that the Tokyo underground powerhouses feared as the ¡°Sword of the Divine,¡± swept her icy gaze over everyone present. ¡°I will be going to Huaxia to attend my master¡¯s wedding. All of you, stay here and behave. Should there be any mishap, it¡¯s possible my master might come to Tokyo again!¡± Takeuchi Kiyoko said indifferently. Upon hearing this, all the so-called big shots broke out in cold sweats. One Takeuchi Kiyoko was frightening enough. If that god-like man also came, Tokyo would not be far from destruction. ¡°Yes, Lady Kiyoko, please rest assured, we will certainly stay in line!¡± Lingnan. The Yu Family! The atmosphere in the Sword Display Pavilion was somewhat strange. Family Head Yu Lang sighed deeply, ¡°Well, we all know it¡¯s impossible! With Mr. Xue¡¯s awe-inspiring cultivation level, he must be a person with a will as firm as rock. Our wish for Yu Ran to get close to him is just a fool¡¯s dream.¡± Yu Ming nodded, ¡°Father, about Mr. Xue¡¯s grand wedding, our Yu family¡­¡± Yu Lang said in a deep voice, ¡°Prepare a generous gift and go as a group!¡± Yu Ming was taken aback, then bowed his head and said, ¡°Yes!¡± Only Yu Ran sat silently aside, tears glistening in her eyes. By evening, Yu Lang arrived at the Rain God Temple. The priestess opened the temple door, and Yu Lang strolled in, then raised his head to look at the statue of the deity and softly asked, ¡°Rain God, what do you plan to do for Xue An¡¯s grand wedding?¡± The voice sounded somewhat eerie in the empty hall. But after a moment, a glint of golden light flickered above the shrine. Yu Lang stepped forward to pick up a bamboo slip that appeared out of nowhere. This was a Rain God slip, not very useful; at most, it could temporarily control the weather in the vicinity. But the Rain God was not a deity with strong divine power, so this was already the best she could offer. Yu Lang nodded, ¡°I shall present it on behalf of the Rain God!¡± After a moment of silence, he placed a few items on the shrine, ¡°These are a few relics left by our ancestor. I didn¡¯t bury them with his tomb; Rain God, keep them for yourself!¡± Having said that, he turned and left. The hall returned to its former tranquility. After a long while, the relics left by the Lingnan Sword Immortal Yu Yuanyi shifted slightly, followed by the sound of a woman¡¯s sobbing. Media all around the world were basically stirred up. Powerful factions from all over rushed to Beijiang. The extent of Xue An¡¯s strength had become a mystery. But on the martial arts forums, someone declared that Xue An was already the number one person in terms of martial arts cultivation! This statement actually received the majority¡¯s agreement. While the outside world was abuzz with the news of Xue An¡¯s wedding. Song Yi, who was stationed in Xiangjiang, also hurried over. After meeting Xue An, he first expressed his congratulations, and then presented a Feng Shui Seal! ¡°Hehe, my lord, I don¡¯t have much to offer. This Feng Shui Seal has been with me for many years and does have some effects. On the day of the wedding, place it by the bride¡¯s side, and it shall ward off all evil.¡± Hearing Song Yi¡¯s words, Xue Lan, who was beside him, said with some disdain, ¡°With my brother present, what demons or spirits would dare to come near?¡± Xue Lan¡¯s words left Song Yi speechless, forcing a sheepish smile. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Why did it take you so long to get here?¡± Song Yi¡¯s expression grew more serious, and he pulled Xue An aside to whisper, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with an auction event in Xiangjiang these last few days!¡± ¡°An auction?¡± ¡°Yes! The auction is in a month. You could go and enjoy the spectacle then!¡± ¡°Is there anything interesting?¡± Xue An, of course, knew that Song Yi wouldn¡¯t make a fuss over nothing. If it were just an ordinary auction, it wouldn¡¯t be worth such secrecy. ¡°It¡¯s not clear yet, but the auction has already alarmed a few reclusive sorcerers from Southeast Asia, and it¡¯s said that even the rarely-seen insect-gu practitioners have appeared!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°That¡¯s fine. After marrying An Yan, it will be time for our honeymoon trip. We¡¯ll swing by and have a look then!¡± Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Tailor the Suit to the Body (Second Update) Chapter 334: Chapter 334: Tailor the Suit to the Body (Second Update) Raphael frowned as he stepped off the plane. He disliked this place. At this time, he should have been in a shop on Bell Street in England, tailoring for the elegant British gentlemen and ladies. Instead of coming to a faraway foreign land, to design wedding attire for a pair of wealthy strangers whose names he¡¯d never heard! But he had no choice but to come. Because the other party offered a price he simply couldn¡¯t refuse. This kind of awkward mentality, wanting to make money yet feeling like he was losing his dignity, always left the well-known fashion master from Country Y with a constipated look. ¡°Mr. Raphael, please follow me!¡± At this moment, a dignified middle-aged man approached with a smile. This man improved Raphael¡¯s mood somewhat. It seemed, at least this country had gentlemen too! But upon exiting the airport terminal, what awaited outside were several dazzling luxury cars. ¡°Mr. Raphael, please get in the car, our chairman has been waiting for you for a long time!¡± ¡°What a land of nouveau riche indeed!¡± Raphael silently exclaimed to himself as he got into the car. Soon, he arrived inside a tall building, and then he met a woman who, in his eyes, was simply incomparably beautiful. Especially, the cold and fierce aura she emanated, like that of a queen dominating the corporate world, was mesmerizing. ¡°Mr. Raphael, I am delighted you¡¯ve come to Beijiang. I am Qin Yu who invited you here!¡± Qin Yu nodded with a smile. ¡°I apologize, if I had known that the lady I was talking to on the phone was as beautiful as you, I should¡¯ve come sooner!¡± ¡°Also, if I were twenty years younger, I would be filled with envy for the man who gets to marry you! Envious that he has acquired this world¡¯s treasure!¡± Raphael started to flaunt the unique gentlemanly cold humor of Country Y. Qin Yu smiled faintly, ¡°Mr. Raphael, I think you are mistaken, it¡¯s not me who¡¯s getting married!¡± ¡°Huh? Then who is it?¡± ¡°The gentleman I respect the most! Or should I say¡­ the true owner of our group!¡± Qin Yu¡¯s words left Raphael somewhat dumbstruck, and then he felt a surge of intense curiosity. This woman had an exceedingly high spirit, clearly a wealthy tycoon, what kind of person would she acknowledge as her master? This curiosity persisted until Qin Yu took him to the Number One Tian Villa. The moment Raphael entered, he was stunned. Because inside, he saw many of his peers. ¡°Country R¡¯s genius designer Ichiro Tanaka!¡± ¡°M Country¡¯s up-and-coming designer Garcia!¡± ¡°Heavens, isn¡¯t that the genius who designed the imperial wedding gown for the Royal Family of Country Y?¡± These individuals began to dissolve Raphael¡¯s arrogance. Any one of them held a status in the design world not inferior to his own. But what most piqued Raphael¡¯s curiosity was the white-haired elder sitting in the middle. This elder was Chinese, with a calm temperament, slender fingers, and dressed in clean, simple attire. Raphael could tell by intuition that this elder was definitely a tailor, and a top-notch one at that. With so many masters gathered together, who exactly was this person? In the midst of his bewilderment, Xue An led An Yan into the hall. Qin Yu quickly stood up, ¡°Sir, these are the masters I have invited from various countries, to design a wedding gown and suit tailored exclusively for you and your lady!¡± Xue An nodded his head. With Xue An¡¯s abilities, he could easily create a suit of clothes out of thin air. Not only would it fit perfectly, but he could also have any style he wished for. But what Xue An wanted was to give An Yan a flawless, unparalleled wedding. What is the epitome of unmatched, unparalleled perfection? It implies having what others possess. Having even what others do not have. It means striving for what seems impossible to have! That is precisely the meaning behind Xue An¡¯s philosophy! Qin Yu executed it flawlessly. At this moment, Raphael and the others also snapped out of their shock. ¡°This man, if he were to become a model, then all the top male models around the globe might as well quit!¡± This was the only thought in Raphael¡¯s mind. Years of tailoring had honed his eyes to be incredibly discerning. Therefore, he could tell at a glance that Xue An¡¯s height and proportions were absolutely perfect! Even more perfect than Sculptures! How can someone possibly possess such a perfect physique? As for An Yan, he dared not look too closely. Because this girl was so exquisitely peerless and her poise was unmatched, looking any longer might distract him from tailoring altogether. When it came time to take measurements, Raphael couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in admiration, his face alight with fascination. Creating a garment for someone with such a physique would make a tailor¡¯s career complete. The female assistants tasked with measuring An Yan were also full of envy. ¡°Miss, I swear, the wedding dress I am going to create will be the most beautiful in the world! Heavens, my inspiration is about to burst my brain! Is there a simple workbench here? I need to record my ideas immediately!¡± declared Valen, the wedding dress designer, with exaggerated enthusiasm. Qin Yu smiled, ¡°Of course, there is! I¡¯ve equipped each of you with a world-class studio, and any well-known fabric from around the world is at your disposal; remember! This time don¡¯t concern yourself with cost-effectiveness, only beauty matters!¡± Valen rushed to the studio as if possessed, likely not requiring sleep for the next several days. Meanwhile, Raphael was pondering what techniques to use to complement Xue An¡¯s perfect physique. It was then that he heard Qin Yu speaking to the elderly man. ¡°Mr. Feng, have you decided on a direction?¡± Mr. Feng¡­ Raphael suddenly shivered, recalling a legendary figure in the world of design and tailoring. Feng Caiyi! A Huaxia native. His tailoring skills were considered absolutely peerless, akin to magic workmanship unparalleled in the world. He hadn¡¯t expected they would be able to invite such a personage. At this moment, Feng Caiyi was also gazing at Xue An from afar with a look of reverence. Being partially attuned to spiritual practice himself, he was well aware of Xue An¡¯s formidable renown! So after a moment of contemplation, he nodded and said, ¡°I have an idea! I intend to make a set of Chinese attire for the gentleman, and then a Chinese-style wedding dress for this beautiful lady!¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± Qin Yu was very pleased. ¡°I appreciate everyone¡¯s hard work. It would be ideal to have samples ready within three days; rest assured, if the results are good, the payment can even be doubled!¡± Doubled! The already generous remuneration was now going to be even more substantial. Garcia from M Country clenched his teeth and resolved, ¡°I¡¯m all in!¡± The designers began preparing the clothes in their individual studios. Qin Yu then moved on to arranging other necessary items. During this time, she had completely set aside company affairs to focus solely on Xue An¡¯s wedding preparations. An Yan couldn¡¯t help but sigh as she watched Qin Yu¡¯s hectic departure, ¡°She has really been working hard these days!¡± Xue An smiled, saying nothing. If he hadn¡¯t let her indulge in the busyness, Qin Yu might actually be suffering! Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter 335 What Is True Luxury (Third Update) Chapter 335: Chapter 335 What Is True Luxury (Third Update) Kou Xiaoyan is the Executive CEO of Zhou Xiaofu Jewelry in Xiangjiang, a highly respected and powerful woman renowned in the jewelry industry not only in Xiangjiang but across the world. Her trip to Beijiang was in response to Song Yi¡¯s invitation. Kou Xiaoyan had a great deal of respect for Song Yi. This middle-aged man, who had only taken over Xiangjiang a year ago, possessed such masterful governance skills that it leaves people in awe. In the beginning, many still saw Song Yi as an outsider and didn¡¯t take him seriously. However, just one short year later, all the major names in Xiangjiang obediently bowed their heads to him. Moreover, Kou Xiaoyan had heard rumors. Behind Song Yi was a terrifying man who had eradicated the Ming Family in a single night. This added a mysterious aura to Song Yi. So when Song Yi personally called to order jewelry, Kou Xiaoyan immediately brought her most capable team of experts and headed north. ¡°Miss Kou!¡± Song Yi greeted her with a beaming smile. Kou Xiaoyan¡¯s heart jolted, and she nodded, saying, ¡°Mr. Song!¡± ¡°Miss Kou, your timing is perfect; the boss has time today. Please follow me!¡± Song Yi said. The boss¡­ Kou Xiaoyan was taken aback, then a chill suddenly rose in her heart. The one that Song Yi referred to with such reverence as the boss¡­ Could it be that man? As she was riddled with doubts, Xue An walked in with An Yan. Song Yi hurriedly approached him, ¡°Boss, this is Miss Kou, the Executive CEO of Zhou Xiaofu, and they are perhaps the most knowledgeable experts on jewelry in the entire world!¡± Xue An nodded slightly, glancing at Kou Xiaoyan by his side. As his gaze swept over, Kou Xiaoyan felt all the hairs on her body stand on end. The eyes of this man were so high and mighty, as though he was an emperor from the heavens, sending shivers down her spine. ¡°May I know what kind of jewelry the boss is looking to have made?¡± Kou Xiaoyan asked tentatively. Xue An smiled and pointed at An Yan, ¡°The two of us are getting married, so we¡¯re looking to have some wedding jewelry made!¡± Kou Xiaoyan nodded, then turned to An Yan, ¡°Madam, please come this way; we need to take some measurements for you!¡± As they sat down on a nearby sofa, Kou Xiaoyan¡¯s team was preparing to measure An Yan¡¯s wrist and finger sizes. It was then they noticed a dazzling ring on An Yan¡¯s hand. ¡°This¡­¡± Kou Xiaoyan was initially stunned, then shocked. From her professional perspective, the ring was flawless, whether it was the gemstone, the style, or the entire design, it was all perfect. Not to mention anything else, the ring alone was worth tens of millions. While Kou Xiaoyan was still reeling, her assistant let out soft gasps of amazement beside her. ¡°Madam, the necklace you¡¯re wearing¡­¡± An Yan smiled and gently took off the necklace, ¡°It¡¯s a gift from my husband!¡± Kou Xiaoyan and her colleagues were all agape, and a white-haired elder in his sixties trembled as he gently touched the necklace. This elder was Zhou Xiaofu¡¯s most senior jewelry master, and even Kou Xiaoyan always addressed him respectfully as Master Zhou. ¡°Master Zhou, this¡­¡± Kou Xiaoyan could obviously see the astonishing value of the necklace, yet she had no idea what gemstone it was made from! Master Zhou shook his head and looked at An Yan with deep respect. He then whispered to Kou Xiaoyan, ¡°This jewelry contains a powerful spiritual essence! It is priceless!¡± Kou Xiaoyan was completely stunned. Jewelry containing spiritual essence¡­ Such items were one in a billion; she had rarely seen any in her many years in the industry. Moreover, according to Master Zhou, the spiritual essence was extremely powerful. In fact, this necklace had been refined by Xue An from the Fountain of Youth found in the City of Sin, naturally full of spiritual essence. Master Zhou took a deep breath and said with a bitter smile, ¡°Madam, with just these two pieces of jewelry you¡¯re carrying, you could buy all the jewelry companies in Xiangjiang, what more do you need to customize?¡± Song Yi frowned as he listened from the side, pushing business away? In fact, only Master Zhou knew that someone who could wear such rare treasures was no ordinary person! If his small Zhou Xiaofu did not serve well, wouldn¡¯t it bring endless trouble? Just then, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about whether we need it or not, just proceed with everything to the highest standard.¡± At Xue An¡¯s words, Master Zhou deeply bowed his head, ¡°Yes!¡± And the few female assistants next to him, including Kou Xiaoyan, felt an infinite envy arising in their hearts. For a woman to encounter such a strong, mysterious, and doting man in her lifetime was just too blissful. True to their professionalism, after taking the measurements, they quickly came up with more than a dozen proposals for An Yan to choose from. An Yan was dazzled by the choices. As a woman, she had a liking for jewelry. At first glance at so many beautiful designs, she could not help but feel a bit troubled. At that moment, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°They are all quite nice!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll take them all!¡± What? Kou Xiaoyan and the others were all stunned. They had seen wealthy families before! But they had never seen such a lavish spender! You have to know that designing a set of jewelry costs at least tens of millions, and these dozen or so sets amount to billions! Could this man really buy them all without even blinking an eye? An Yan was also a bit stunned, ¡°Husband, we don¡¯t need so many¡­¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°If you like them, then take them all. You can wear them slowly over time.¡± Then he turned his head toward Kou Xiaoyan, ¡°When can these be ready?¡± Kou Xiaoyan trembled, then quickly said, ¡°The soonest would be¡­ three days!¡± Xue An frowned slightly, ¡°Two days, and the price goes up by thirty percent!¡± Before Kou Xiaoyan could react, Xue An had already said, ¡°We¡¯ll pay in cash! Remember, do not delay the time!¡± Having said that, Xue An led An Yan away. Kou Xiaoyan and the others watched Xue An and An Yan¡¯s retreating figures, shock written all over their faces. They had finally seen what true extravagance was! What they didn¡¯t know was that Xue An didn¡¯t really care about this in his heart. If he had enough time, he even wanted to collect some Five Elements gold crystals and refine them with the light of the sun, moon, and stars. Only jewelry made from such Five Elements and sun and moon gold crystals would be the most beautiful and luxurious in The Multiverse Realms! He would make up for it later, Xue An thought silently to himself. At this time, Qin Yu arrived in a hurry. ¡°Sir, some parts of the clothes and wedding dress have already been made, would you like to try them on first?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Also, Director Cao Zheng from the provincial capital has arrived with the world¡¯s top photography team!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Cao Zheng got the news too? Have him come over later!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± This Cao Zheng was the director filming a movie in the provincial capital back then, whose wife was saved by Xue An¡¯s hand, so he has been grateful ever since. When he heard that Xue An was getting married, He immediately rushed back from overseas. Then, he used his connections in the industry to invite the world¡¯s top cinematographers! All to take wedding photos for Xue An and An Yan! Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Too Handsome to Close Legs (4th Update) Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Too Handsome to Close Legs (4th Update) When Xue An walked out in a suit that was exquisitely tailored and crafted, the room fell silent. Just as Raphael had said, Xue An was indeed a model with a perfect figure. Once he put on the clothes, his incomparably noble temperament was even more highlighted. ¡°Perfect¡­ simply too perfect! This is the best suit I¡¯ve ever made in my life!¡± Raphael exclaimed. Afterward, An Yan also walked out gracefully in a floor-length gown. The carefully designed wedding dress, paired with An Yan¡¯s unparalleled figure, was dazzlingly beautiful, like a myriad of flowers in full bloom, stunning onlookers. Then there were the two little girls, dressed in meticulously designed children¡¯s formal wear, looking like two little princesses, incredibly exquisite and adorable. This family, just standing there, was a sight to behold, even without uttering a word. After a moment of stunned silence, Feng Caiyi¡¯s eyes too sparkled with admiration. ¡°Very good! However, Mr. and Mrs., you could try on the Chinese-style formal attire that I¡¯ve made!¡± Once Xue An and An Yan had changed into the Chinese-style formal attire expertly tailored by Feng Caiyi, their temperament changed again from just moments before. Xue An in a white scholar¡¯s robe, stood tall and upright, like a graceful gentleman in a troubled world, proud and independent. An Yan, on the other hand, wore a bright red wedding dress and donned a phoenix crown, her regal elegance akin to a lady of the royal family. This scene was precisely what Cao Zheng and those photographers witnessed upon their arrival. These photographers were somewhat displeased when they came; each one was a leader in their field, usually in charge of photography for major films or gala events. To be here to take wedding photos? This was somewhat hard for the group to accept, but out of respect for Cao Zheng¡¯s face, they reluctantly agreed. Currently, Cao Zheng¡¯s influence in the movie industry was growing ever larger. The photographers did not dare offend him. But once they arrived here and saw Xue An and An Yan, They were all struck dumb. They had photographed countless handsome men and beautiful women. Whether it was movie stars or top models. The beauty of these people was always flawed. The photographers¡¯ job was to avoid those flaws as much as possible, capturing only the beautiful aspects. But Xue An and An Yan, just by standing there, were flawlessly beautiful. ¡°My God, am I seeing angels?¡± murmured a bearded foreigner quietly. Cao Zheng merely smiled faintly upon hearing this. Angles? The imagination of these foreigners¡­ was indeed lacking! If they knew that even the little dog beside Mr. Xue was a Jiaolong, one could only wonder how amazed they would be. Then stepping forward, he said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An nodded slightly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring your wife with you?¡± A happy smile appeared on Cao Zheng¡¯s face, ¡°Ah Xiu just gave birth to a son for me, she¡¯s still in the hospital!¡± ¡°Oh? Congratulations!¡± Xue An said with a slight smile. ¡°Mr. Xue, hearing that you¡¯re about to be wed, I¡¯ve gathered these few friends to take wedding photos for you and record the whole process! But do we have any suitable places for wedding photography here in Beijiang?¡± asked Cao Zheng. Qin Yu chuckled beside him, ¡°Of course, we do, and even if we didn¡¯t, we could make it suitable!¡± The powerful confidence in her words caused the photographers to pause momentarily. Qingfeng River. A scenic spot famous throughout the province and the entire country. It also serves as a popular backdrop for numerous couples¡¯ wedding photo shoots. Every day, couples from all over the country flock here. Today was no exception. As several local couples from Beijiang were in the middle of their shoots, a luxury bus from Zhongdu pulled up to the side of the road. A man and a woman, both dressed to the nines, descended from it. The man, in his forties or fifties with a pot belly and thinning hair, wore an expression of arrogance on his face. The woman, barely into her twenties, sported an overly sculpted internet-famous face brimming with insincerity. ¡°Honey, didn¡¯t you say you would take me on a trip to Europe? Why have we come to such a desolate place?¡± the woman pretended to pout. The man chuckled, ¡°We¡¯re about to get married, so of course we must take some wedding photos. And this place is the most famous spot to do so, way better than Europe!¡± The woman nodded her head. She was marrying this old man for his money; where they took their photos was of no real concern to her. At that moment, a professional photography team descended from the luxurious bus. Their caliber and equipment were far superior to those of the local Beijiang studios nearby. Looking rather smug, the woman glanced at the other couples and scoffed, ¡°Honey, isn¡¯t it funny? Some people are still wearing such outdated and shabby clothes to take their wedding photos. They must all be rented!¡± She intentionally spoke loud enough for the surrounding couples to hear, causing their expressions to sour. Hearing this, the man burst into laughter, ¡°It¡¯s just a small city after all. How could it compare with our Zhongdu?¡± As they prepared to start their shoot, they found that the good spots were already occupied by the couples who had arrived earlier. The man frowned, ¡°Move aside quickly!¡± ¡°We were here first; why should we move for you?¡± someone challenged. The man sneered, ¡°Because I¡¯m from Zhongdu. You think I can¡¯t bury you with my money?¡± His words were arrogant but also effective. The other couples looked displeased, but reluctantly they made way. ¡°Heh, see? No matter the situation, it¡¯s all about having money!¡± the man said proudly. At that moment, a convoy of over a dozen cars appeared on the distant mountain road. All of them were shiny new luxury buses. Such a lineup caused many to do a double take and whisper among themselves. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Not sure, are they also here for a photoshoot?¡± Once the buses came to a halt, a group of well-trained security guards were the first to descend, followed by the unloading of various professional photography equipment. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re set to shoot a movie?¡± several studio workers muttered among themselves. To them, such professional equipment, each piece worth tens of thousands, had to be for filming a movie. While they were talking, a team of photographers stepped down from the buses. ¡°Holy shit!¡± an employee from one of the studios couldn¡¯t help but curse. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± someone next to him asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the world¡¯s top photographer, Mark? What¡¯s he doing here?¡± exclaimed the studio employee, utterly shocked. The young man, a graduate from a professional institute, had struggled to find a job after graduation, and so he ended up working at a wedding studio. Still, he kept up with industry news and knew exactly how eminent figures like Mark were. The couple from Zhongdu was also looking uncertain and intrigued. This kind of display was not common for ordinary people. Right then, Xue An and An Yan slowly made their way out of their vehicle. Both were dressed in elaborate outfits, and upon appearing before the crowd, they elicited a series of quiet gasps of admiration. ¡°They¡¯re just too good-looking! Especially that guy, he¡¯s so handsome it¡¯s almost unbearable!¡± a woman began to swoon. Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 337: The Moon Dyes the Qingfeng River (First Update) Chapter 337: Chapter 337: The Moon Dyes the Qingfeng River (First Update) ¡°I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s a newly debuted movie star!¡± someone said. Amidst the crowd¡¯s amazement and chatter, Xue An looked down at An Yan with a smile, ¡°Wife, how do you like this place?¡± Wife? Could it be that these two are also a couple, here to take wedding photos? The crowd was somewhat dumbfounded. However, An Yan nodded, ¡°The river scenery is really beautiful! Eh, what¡¯s up with that weird little hill?¡± An Yan pointed to a distant hill that seemed to be sliced in half by something. Xue An smiled, ¡°That hill¡­ there was a foolish fellow who caused trouble in Beijiang, and I cut it in half with one strike of my sword!¡± What Xue An mentioned was an incident when a member of the Yu Family came to Beijiang wielding a sword and ended up being annihilated by him with a single strike. But his words took on a different tone in many people¡¯s ears. For instance, the man from Zhongdu sneered upon hearing this, ¡°Really blowing your own trumpet without even drafting a story, you cut it with a sword? Why not say you smashed it with a fist?¡± Xue An¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, but before he could speak. The accompanying Hei King rushed over. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m a businessman from Zhongdu, if you dare touch a single finger of mine, watch out or I¡­¡± The man looked at the approaching Hei King with some fear and shouted. Hei King couldn¡¯t be bothered to exchange words with such riffraff and simply lifted the man by the collar, hoisting him up. With a flick of his hand, he threw the man into the Qingfeng River as if discarding trash. The river water was turbulent, and since it was already autumn, the chill was bone-piercing. After falling in, the man gulped down two big mouthfuls of water, then, out of sheer panic, grabbed onto a tree root on the bank, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t climb up and had no choice but to scream for help. No one dared to move, including the woman; she too was shivering all over. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Hei King!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°A lesson is enough, let it be. A person like him dying would only pollute the Qingfeng River!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Hei King stood by the river bank, reached out, and pulled the man back up. This time, the man stood on the spot, drenched and shivering, not daring to move an inch, only looking at Hei King and Xue An with eyes full of extreme fear. ¡°Next time, be clear who you¡¯re speaking to before opening your mouth, or it could easily lead to a short life!¡± Xue An calmly stated. The man nodded furiously, ¡°Yes, yes! But may I ask who you are, sir?¡± In his heart, the man still harbored a thought of revenge, thinking that as long as he knew who the other was, he would figure out a way to get even once he returned. Xue An¡¯s smile was faint, ¡°You¡¯re from Zhongdu, correct?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Well, if the circles you move in are high enough, you should know my name. I am Xue An!¡± Xue An¡­ The man repeated the name twice in his head, suddenly shaking all over, then looked at Xue An with incredulity. ¡°You¡­you are¡­?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Indeed, I am!¡± Fear turned the man¡¯s face pale, ¡°I truly had no idea it was you¡­ ¡± Xue An waved his hand dismissively; he had no time to listen to such a character¡¯s apologies, ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The man was overjoyed to be spared and ran off immediately, not even caring for his girlfriend. It wasn¡¯t until they got into the car that the man shouted, ¡°Hurry, drive away from here!¡± Only after the car had left the bank of Qingfeng River did the man finally exhale a breath of relief, collapsing bonelessly into his seat. His girlfriend, too shaken, asked timidly, ¡°Husband, who was that man? Is he powerful?¡± The man started to laugh bitterly, ¡°In Zhongdu, he is an existence akin to Divine Slaughter! All the noble families are prostrate at his feet! Understand?¡± The woman trembled all over, her face turning pale, and dared not ask further. The man, on the other hand, secretly rejoiced that he had managed to survive in the presence of this Divine Slaughter, truly a blessing from Buddha! It looks like I¡¯m going to have to donate more to the Big Buddha Temple when I get back! After this little interlude passed. Xue An and An Yan began to take their wedding photos. The local couples and the staff from the Beijiang photo studios didn¡¯t leave, instead they all stood at a distance, quietly watching. To be precise, the staff from the photo studios were stunned by these photographers¡¯ professionalism. As for the couples, they looked at Xue An and An Yan as if they were celebrities. After all, everyone likes to look a little longer at beautiful things. Like now, for instance. Xue An, wearing a set of Hanfu with a sword hanging at his waist, stood by the riverbank. An Yan, in a red outfit with a paper umbrella in hand, stood beside him. The sunlight happened to splay across them, casting a dreamlike radiance over the scene. The photographers were more excited than anyone at that moment. They had never seen such a beautiful and moving scene before, and many of them were inspired to create many aesthetically pleasing poses and movements for Xue An and An Yan. The shooting continued until nightfall. Qin Yu had five-star hotel meals delivered directly from the city, and after everyone had eaten, a group of photographers gathered to ponder how to make the most of the beautiful moonlight. ¡°I think it would be best if the two stood in the middle of the river, so that with the moon above and the river¡¯s clear glow below, the photos will definitely turn out exceptionally well!¡± one photographer said excitedly, thumping his chest. ¡°That¡¯s true, but the prerequisite is, how do we stand in the middle of the river?¡± ¡°Yeah! The river is so turbulent, and it¡¯s late at night; there¡¯s no time to find a boat now!¡± The photographers were worried, their brows furrowed deeply. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but chuckle when he heard this. ¡°This¡­ is quite simple!¡± ¡°Huh? Sir, do you have a good solution?¡± The photographers¡¯ eyes lit up, and they quickly asked. ¡°Of course!¡± With that, Xue An wrapped his arm around An Yan¡¯s slender waist and slowly walked toward the river¡¯s edge. ¡°Sir, be careful, the paths are slippery at night, and the river¡¯s edge is dangerous!¡± the photographers called out urgently upon seeing this. ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s think of another way; we can¡¯t risk our lives¡­¡± They wanted to say not to joke with their lives, but they didn¡¯t manage to finish the sentence. Xue An and An Yan had already stepped onto the surface of the river and were slowly walking into the middle. Walking on water without wetting their shoes! This scene left everyone who had never witnessed Xue An¡¯s abilities completely astonished. The bearded foreigner kept making the sign of the cross on his body, murmuring, ¡°Oh God, they really are angels!¡± Only Cao Zheng, Hei King, and others like them were not surprised by this. In their view, nothing that happened to Xue An was strange. At this moment, Xue An, with An Yan in his arms, walked into the middle of Qingfeng River. A full moon hung perfectly in the center of the sky at that time. The cold moonlight made the entire Qingfeng River look like a jade belt, and Xue An and An Yan standing upon it appeared like a couple of immortals. The photographers snapped out of their trance, no longer concerned with how Xue An did it, and began to snap away with their cameras, adjusting angles. ¡°My God, if I could publish these photos, I¡¯m sure I¡¯d win Photo of the Year!¡± a photographer exclaimed, looking at the final effect. And when the photographers finally finished shooting, the river¡¯s moonlit reflection grew more intense, as though the entire river was ablaze with blue flames. The photographers were dumbfounded by this extraordinary sight. Then came Xue An¡¯s voice, ¡°We¡¯re done taking photos! Yan¡¯er and I will head back now!¡± And then their figures vanished into the cold lunar glow. The bearded foreigner, with a dazed expression, murmured to himself, ¡°God, have You revealed Yourself?¡± Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter 338: An Qing Arrives (2nd Update) Chapter 338: Chapter 338: An Qing Arrives (2nd Update) In these days, the property manager Wu Qiang at Yunmeng Villa had been very busy. News of Mr. Xue¡¯s upcoming grand wedding at Number One Tian Villa had spread like wildfire. Every day, people from all over the world came to visit. Among these people were friends of Xue An, while others were simply there to watch the excitement. Then there were the media from around the world, permanently camping out in front of Yunmeng Villa, trying to snap a few photos of Xue An and An Yan. Wu Qiang was very sensitive to this. Because Qin Yu had issued an order that no one who was not invited should be allowed in. In the Qin Group, what Qin Yu said was the command. Wu Qiang dared not slack off and simply moved into the guardhouse at the entrance to live and keep watch around the clock. After a few days, he had lost a lot of weight. But surprisingly, his spirits were very good. In the past few days here, he had met many great figures he could never have come into contact with before. The more this was the case, the more Wu Qiang was amazed. Mr. Xue¡¯s influence was simply too great. There was the Shen Group from Hollywood in M Country, whose films Wu Qiang really enjoyed, and now the Shen Family¡¯s boss and his daughter had both hurried over. Even more impressive was the underground queen from Tokyo in Country R, in front of whom well-known underworld families like the Black Dragon were a joke. And such VIPs, out of respect, actually got out of their cars at the entrance and walked in on foot. These are the people from the City of Sin¡­ Heavens, the Yu Family from Lingnan came too? Wu Qiang had to exclaim every day. Today was a bit quieter, so he sat in the rest area drinking tea, but no sooner had he taken a sip than a security guard came running in, flustered. ¡°Manager, something¡¯s wrong! Someone¡¯s causing trouble!¡± At that sentence, Wu Qiang spit out all the tea in his mouth and immediately stood up, his face fierce enough to scare anyone. ¡°Who? Who dares to cause trouble here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but a whole convoy has arrived, and there are a lot of military vehicles among them, all filled with very formidable-looking men.¡± Wu Qiang was shocked and rushed outside, thinking as he ran. Who would dare cause trouble? By now, the entire Beijiang knew that Mr. Xue from Number One Tian Villa was getting married. The underworld boss Du Fan even issued a strict order, during this time, anyone who dared to cause trouble here would be killed without mercy! And in reality, no one dared to come. Thinking this, he had already rushed to the main gate of Yunmeng Villa. He saw that dozens of security guards firmly blocked the entrance, showing fear on their faces, yet no one shrank back. Wu Qiang felt slightly reassured and, when he got to the front and looked up, Indeed. There were at least twenty vehicles, and the men now getting out of the cars all had an imposing aura and fierce expressions. This kind of presence made Wu Qiang face go slightly pale. If this had been in the past, he would have already been scared enough to shrink back. But now, thinking of the one standing behind him ¨C Mr. Xue ¨C he couldn¡¯t bring shame upon him, so he mustered his courage and said in a deep voice, ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡± The brawny men looked at each other but stayed silent. At this time, a woman got out of the leading military green Humvee. ¡°Tsk, to remain calm even in front of our group of people, you little security guards are quite something,¡± she said. When Wu Qiang took a good look at the woman, he was stunned. This girl¡­ how come she looks somewhat similar to Miss An Yan? Wu Qiang had seen An Yan a few times and was deeply impressed, so he couldn¡¯t help but be somewhat astonished at first glance. However, the girl gave a slight smile, ¡°Alright, enough teasing you guys! I¡¯m An Yan¡¯s younger sister, An Qing!¡± Even so, Wu Qiang was still not at ease, ¡°Miss An, please hold on a moment!¡± With that, Wu Qiang turned his back and dialed Qin Yu¡¯s number. ¡°Chairman, a big group of people has arrived led by a girl who says her name is An Qing. Should we let them in?¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, ¡°Let them in quickly, that¡¯s An Yan¡¯s real younger sister!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Turning around with a smile plastered on his face, Wu Qiang said, ¡°Miss An, I¡¯m really sorry. Our Chairman said, with so many people around these days, we have to be extra careful with strangers. Please come in!¡± An Qing wasn¡¯t angry; she had deliberately stayed in the car just to see how these security guards would react. To her surprise, they performed beyond her expectations, earning her nod of approval. ¡°You did very well! Thank you!¡± She was expressing her thanks on behalf of her sister, An Yan. After speaking, An Qing got into the car, and the convoy roared as it drove in. Wu Qiang was still a bit dazed. Thank you¡­ Hehe, such important people are thanking me! Number One Tian Villa was now bustling with activity. New guests arrived every day, but sometimes Xue An and An Yan weren¡¯t there, and Qin Yu was also busy. Therefore, the task of hosting fell on Tang Xuan¡¯er. At first, Qin Yu was a little worried. He thought that Tang Xuan¡¯er, who was shy by nature, would hardly be able to take on such a task. But after a few days, Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s performance made everyone take notice. Though Tang Xuan¡¯er did not speak much, she was gracious and sincere in her dealings with people. Many grew very fond of and respected her, making her gain a large following of admirers. Such as Shen Nan from the Hollywood Shen Family, and Yu Ran from the Yu Family. These two are now Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s loyal fans. That day, as the three of them were tidying up, they heard a massive rumble of vehicles from the foot of the mountain. While they were still in surprise, the convoy had already driven up to the villa¡¯s gate. The arrival of more than twenty military vehicles together was quite a shock. Especially when those fierce-looking men got out, the atmosphere at the villa became somewhat tense. Tang Xuan¡¯er¡¯s face turned pale, but she still stepped forward to inquire. ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± Seeing this scene, Yu Ran and Shen Nan came over as well. Takeuchi Kiyoko followed behind expressionlessly, holding the Flowing Light Sword. Yu Lang coughed lightly, Yu Ming, Yu Ran¡¯s brother and the strongest force of the Lingnan Yu Family, stood silently to the side with his hand on his sword. Griffin snickered as dozens of disciples from the hidden Dark Sect began to slowly reveal their forms around them. Shi Hao and Feng Chaochou looked at each other and also quietly moved a few steps forward. The atmosphere in front of the villa suddenly became tense. But just then, An Qing opened the car door, leaped down from the tall Hummer, and playfully smiled at Tang Xuan¡¯er. ¡°Little Xuan¡¯Er, haven¡¯t seen me for a while, and you don¡¯t recognize me anymore?¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er was first startled, and then cried out joyfully, ¡°An Qing?¡± Hearing this name, the people ready to spring into action all paused, then relaxed. Although many hadn¡¯t met An Qing, they all knew she was An Yan¡¯s younger sister. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡± An Qing asked. At that moment, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian ran out from somewhere. ¡°Auntie!¡± Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter 340: The Day I Choose is an Auspicious Day (4th Update) Chapter 340: Chapter 340: The Day I Choose is an Auspicious Day (4th Update) An Yan nodded, but she was still curiously staring at Xiao Sha. ¡°I never expected that this little dog, once transformed into human form, would actually be quite good-looking!¡± An Yan said with a smile. ¡°Hehe, members of the Dragon Clan, as long as they can transform, are basically all handsome men and beautiful women. It¡¯s their racial talent!¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°Husband, how do you know?¡± ¡°Back when I traveled The Multiverse, I had visited the Dragon Realm. The dragons there are all like that. Moreover, the more noble their bloodline, the better they look, like the princesses of the Dragon Clan¡¯s Imperial Family¡­¡± Xue An quickly shut his mouth, but it was already too late. Then he saw An Yan looking at Xue An with a smile, ¡°What about the Dragon Clan princess?¡± Xue An laughed and tried to change the subject, ¡°Today¡¯s weather is really nice, isn¡¯t it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking about the Dragon Clan princess,¡± An Yan said with a cold, stern face. ¡°Of course the Dragon Clan princess isn¡¯t as good-looking as my wife!¡± Xue An declared, his survival instinct very strong. An Yan then nodded, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± She immediately couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and started to laugh heartily. ¡°Was my expression just now very scary?¡± Xue An acted relieved, ¡°Yes! It was terrifying! You scared me to death!¡± But inside, he was smiling slightly. This silly girl, does she really think she can fool me? ¡°Husband, is the outside world very exciting?¡± An Yan asked with sparkling eyes. Xue An nodded, holding a cup in hand, and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s very exciting. Among The Multiverse Realms, there are countless uniquely talented individuals, like stars in the sky, and every day, numerous fascinating stories take place!¡± As he spoke, Xue An began to tell her about some of the interesting things that had happened during his travels across The Multiverse. ¡°Like the Dragon Clan, for example. They are a very powerful race among The Multiverse Realms. The Ancestral Dragon among them even possesses strength not inferior to the Immortal King. They have created their own realm, known as the Dragon Realm!¡± ¡°I traveled within the Dragon Realm for a long time and made quite a few friends as well,¡± Xue An said lightly. However, as he spoke the word ¡®friends,¡¯ in the unimaginably distant Dragon Realm, An Ancestral Dragon with the Cultivation Level of an Immortal King suddenly shuddered and then showed a horrified face. ¡°Do you feel it?¡± The other Ancestral Dragons also couldn¡¯t help but nod with grave expressions. ¡°It¡¯s that guy¡¯s aura! I knew it, how could a mere promotion failure lead to the downfall of a peerless Immortal Venerable?¡± an Ancestral Dragon said with a wry smile. ¡°Quickly, gather up the treasures. Don¡¯t let that guy rob us again!¡± another said through gritted teeth. ¡°Should we inform the little princess?¡± ¡°Absolutely not! That guy has seen the true face of the little princess, and the rules of the Imperial Family state that whoever sees the Dragon Lady¡¯s true face must either be killed or become her husband. If things get noisy, the Dragon Realm will be done for!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Of course, all of this talk was still far off. An Yan was completely unaware, simply listening with longing and amazement. Xue An smiled and ruffled her little head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sooner or later, I will take you along with Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian to see it all!¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Then An Yan suddenly leaned in close to Xue An¡¯s ear, a sly smile on her face as she whispered. ¡°Husband, tell me the truth. In these three thousand years, has any woman ever fallen for you? Just tell me, I definitely won¡¯t get angry!¡± Xue An blinked his eyes, ¡°Of course, there have been some, but all were rejected by me! Wife, I haven¡¯t done anything to wrong you!¡± An Yan looked at Xue An, and the tenderness in her eyes began to spread wider. For three thousand years, this man had walked his path alone. Just thinking about it made An Yan¡¯s heart ache beyond words. ¡°` ¡°Alright, stop overthinking and go to sleep!¡± Xue An noticed An Yan¡¯s thoughts and couldn¡¯t help but comfort her with a smile. ¡°Mm-hmm! But what about Xiao Sha?¡± An Yan pointed at Xiao Sha, who was fast asleep on the ground. Xue An, feeling helpless, thought to himself: just a cup of wine, and he¡¯s still drunk? ¡°Take him back to Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian¡¯s room!¡± As he spoke, Xue An picked up Xiao Sha off the ground as if he was picking up a bag. The next day. As soon as Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian opened their eyes, they saw Xiao Sha, who had turned back into a puppy, squatting in front of a mirror, staring at his reflection endlessly. ¡°Xiao Sha, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xue Xiang asked. Xiao Sha could communicate with the two young girls through Divine Sense and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I think I had a dream last night!¡± ¡°What did you dream about? Roast chicken?¡± ¡°No, I dreamed that I turned into a girl, and not just any girl, but a very pretty one at that!¡± Xiao Sha said, then turned to look at the little curly-haired dog in the mirror with some distress. But how had he turned back into this after just one sleep? An Yan was going to return to Zhongdu with An Qing first. The two young girls were reluctant to let go, tears almost brimming in their eyes.An Yan was also reluctant to leave her two daughters. Ever since their return, the three of them had never been apart. Xue An smiled, crouched down, and said to Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, Mom will go back to our home in Zhongdu first. Then after Dad has made the arrangements, he will take you two to join her. Okay?¡± The two young girls nodded their heads. ¡°Goodbye, Mom, I will go with Dad to pick you up!¡± Xue Nian waved goodbye with tears in her eyes. Then she turned to look at Xue An, ¡°Dad, is this what getting married is like?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Yes, this is what getting married is like!¡± ¡°Then next time someone gets married, can I be with Mom?¡± Xue Nian asked. This question brought much laughter. Xue Xiang, exasperated but affectionate, said, ¡°Silly girl, Dad and Mom only need to get married once. Do you think it¡¯s like ice cream, where there¡¯s more after you¡¯ve finished?¡± It seemed to remind Xue Nian, and she suddenly remembered something, ¡°Sister, you ate one of my ice creams last night!¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s face turned slightly awkward, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t eat one today, I¡¯ll give it back to you!¡± The joys and sorrows of children come quickly and go just as fast. They were soon distracted by ice cream and forgot about the temporary sadness of separating from their mother. An Qing nodded at Xue An, ¡°Brother-in-law, we¡¯re off! Remember to bring more red envelopes when you come to pick us up! I guess it will be even more lively in Zhongdu!¡± Xue An, still smiling, replied, ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll give as much as needed!¡± ¡°Take good care of them on the way back!¡± Xue An said to the members of Fire Phoenix. Although they were extremely drunk last night, by now everyone had completely recovered, and upon hearing Xue An¡¯s instructions, they all shouted energetically, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, instructor!¡± Cheng Hao even added, ¡°Instructor, with Fire Phoenix here, we guarantee the lady¡¯s safety!¡± ¡°Right! If anyone dares to make trouble, I, Da Niu, will pop their heads one by one!¡± Zhou Daniu said in his simple-minded way. Xue An smiled; he had just said it casually. Given An Yan¡¯s strength at the moment, she was already extraordinary, not to mention Xue An had placed countless protective arrays on her. After An Qing and the others had left. Song Yi approached, looking hesitant, ¡°Sir, I have tried predicting using various methods over a hundred times, and there doesn¡¯t seem to be a good auspicious day coming up soon!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Auspicious day? The day I choose will be the auspicious day!¡± ¡°` Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 341: 5 Planes Are Coming, Yes! 5 Planes! (First Update) Chapter 341: Chapter 341: 5 Planes Are Coming, Yes! 5 Planes! (First Update) ¡°My lord, when do you plan to go?¡± ¡°In five days,¡± Xue An said indifferently. In five days? Song Yi pondered for a long time and found nothing special about that day, but since his lord had said so, he would follow the lord¡¯s orders. And what the lord said was right; wherever he was, surely all evils would disperse and all blessings would gather. There was no need to pick a special day. What Song Yi didn¡¯t know was this. The reason Xue An chose five days later was that it happened to be An Yan¡¯s birthday. Xue An still remembered the first birthday he had spent with An Yan. At that time, Xue An¡¯s life was very difficult, but even so, he did not hesitate to buy a cake and take it home. The two were happily eating the cake when suddenly the power went out. Outside, there was a sea of lights, but inside, it was pitch black. An Yan, however, lit a candle cheerfully and said it was the best candlelight dinner. Thinking back now, Xue An could still recall that bittersweet moment. Back then, Xue An swore that he would make it up to An Yan a thousand times over. This was also why Xue An now spared no effort in ensuring everything about the wedding was perfect. He didn¡¯t care about anything else; he only wanted to give An Yan the best. As the news of the wedding in five days spread, Qin Yu became even busier. She had to prepare various things within five days. But there were some difficulties that she still had to consult Xue An about. ¡°Sir, I just estimated that if we go to Zhongdu to fetch the bride on the day, it will take several hours at the very least, which means a whole day back and forth, and that¡¯s if there are no accidents on the road. If there¡¯s a traffic jam, it would cause even more delay!¡± Qin Yu¡¯s concern was very real, and it wasn¡¯t a matter of if there would be traffic congestion but rather, there definitely would be. Xue An nodded upon hearing this, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this problem.¡± ¡°Then what do you plan to do, sir?¡± Qin Yu was somewhat anxious. Xue An smiled, ¡°The news will come soon; this is not a problem. What¡¯s the next issue?¡± Qin Yu nodded. Since the sir said it was not a problem, then there definitely wouldn¡¯t be an issue. ¡°Also, this is the menu for the wedding day that I and a few chefs have drafted. What do you think, sir?¡± Xue An took the album and flipped through it briefly, then slightly frowned. ¡°The dishes are all fine, and the grade is high enough, but why are there question marks at the end?¡± Qin Yu said with a wry smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the sir¡¯s wedding to stir up such a sensation. As of now, there are already over a thousand guests in Beijiang, but the ingredients required for these dishes are mostly deep-sea seafood, which is very rare.¡± ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve just inquired in all the major markets in Beijiang and the province; none can supply such a large quantity, and no amount of money will suffice.¡± Mentioning this matter left Qin Yu extremely vexed. Indeed, as she said, these past few days she had contacted almost every market; even raising the price tenfold, there was still no one who could supply such a large quantity. The major seafood suppliers made it clear: who wouldn¡¯t want to earn money if they could? But the key point was that some seafoods were inherently very rare and hard to catch. It was fine for a rarity, but as the main dish, it was simply not feasible. After listening, Xue An was slightly taken aback; this was indeed a problem. ¡°Just leave it here for now, I¡¯ll figure something out!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After Qin Yu left, Xue An looked at the seafood needed on the menu, his gaze flickering with an indecipherable thought. At this moment, in the rear garden of the Number One Tian Villa. Griffin dialed an overseas call. ¡°Mr. Griffin, is there anything I can help you with?¡± a mature and composed voice came from the other end of the line. Griffin chuckled, ¡°Charles, how¡¯s business been lately?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been absolutely terrible! The economy is bad, and the rich would rather fly first class than order private jets now,¡± Charles began to complain. The Charles on the phone with Griffin was a leading aircraft manufacturer in M Country. However, he didn¡¯t make commercial planes, only private jets. And he had made a fortune in the preceding years when the economic conditions were favorable. So, Griffin just chuckled upon hearing this, ¡°Well, even if you¡¯re not making money now, what you¡¯ve saved up in the past is enough to last you ten lifetimes.¡± Charles was an extremely shrewd businessman. Thinking Griffin was about to ask for a loan, he hurriedly started to plead poverty. In his mind, this Bone Picker from the City of Sin, though now starting to take a legitimate path, would be just like a bank robbery if he really opened his mouth to borrow money; there was no hope of getting it back. Griffin could obviously tell, and he frowned slightly, ¡°Enough, I¡¯m not calling to borrow money! On the contrary, I have a big deal for you. Are you interested or not?¡± ¡°A big deal?¡± Charles showed a hint of interest. ¡°Yes, a big deal from Huaxia.¡± ¡°Huaxia? Don¡¯t joke with me. The rich there are more keen on buying yachts; few go for private planes, and even if they do, they just buy some outdated models to show off,¡± Charles said dismissively. Griffin spoke calmly, ¡°This time is different. My boss wants to buy five private jets, and they all have to be of the newest model with the highest specifications!¡± ¡°What? Five jets?¡± Charles, who had been leisurely sipping coffee, jerked in surprise, spilling it all over himself. But he didn¡¯t care about the custom-made suit worth tens of thousands of US dollars; his eyes gleamed with greed as he said in a heavy tone, ¡°Griffin, are you serious?¡± ¡°Absolutely! But there¡¯s a condition!¡± ¡°Please, go on!¡± Charles immediately spread open his notebook, listening attentively. This was an order for five jets, after all! You see, back in the days of his thriving business, he sold only seven or eight jets a year. This single order was enough to feed him for three years. ¡°My boss demands that they be delivered to Huaxia within five days,¡± Griffin said calmly. Charles, who had been full of joy, stiffened, and after a good while, he said somewhat angrily, ¡°Griffin, these are five private jets, not five potatoes. Delivering them to Huaxia in five days¡ªis this a joke to you?¡± Griffin seemed to have anticipated such a reaction, so he moved the phone away from his ear a bit and waited for Charles to finish his rant before replying calmly. ¡°Charles, after being given this task by my boss, I didn¡¯t contact anyone else. You were the first person I called.¡± ¡°Well, I should thank you for that! My friend,¡± Charles said with some sarcasm, ready to hang up the phone. But what Griffin said next made him pause. ¡°The boss said, if delivered within five days, the price will be raised by thirty percent! And if you can deliver a day early, the price could double, with no ceiling!¡± Griffin¡¯s words seemed to hold a sort of magic, as Charles felt his vision filling with stacks of US currency. ¡°Unfortunately, it now seems my dear Charles doesn¡¯t like this deal, so I¡¯ll have to find someone else. I think there will definitely be people interested,¡± Griffin said indifferently. Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 342: If Money Can Solve It, Then It’s Not a Problem (2nd Update) Chapter 342: Chapter 342: If Money Can Solve It, Then It¡¯s Not a Problem (2nd Update) Charles spoke gravely, ¡°Griffin, are you sure everything you¡¯re saying is true? And the money for five planes is not a small amount¡­¡± Griffin smiled faintly, ¡°Ever heard of ¡®Divine Fate¡¯?¡± Charles was taken aback, ¡°The miraculous potion from Huaxia that can reverse aging?¡± ¡°Exactly, the formula for ¡®Divine Fate¡¯ is in my master¡¯s hands!¡± Hiss. Charles sucked in a breath of cold air. The ¡®Divine Fate¡¯, which recently drove the global tycoons insane, was actually developed by Griffin¡¯s master? With that being the case, let alone five private jets, even buying an aircraft carrier fleet would be more than affordable! ¡°Now, please give me a definite answer. Within five days, will the delivery be possible or not?¡± Charles fell silent for a moment, then declared resolutely, ¡°Fine! Five days it is!¡± For the sake of money, Charles was prepared to go all out. Griffin couldn¡¯t help but laugh heartily upon hearing this. He had finally realized that hitting someone with money had a much more satisfying sense of achievement than using violence and bloodshed to make them submit. For instance, at this moment, even if he asked Charles to kneel and sing ¡®Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star¡¯, he would do it without hesitation. ¡°Excellent, but dear Charles, you must understand that my master has a very bad temper. If he doesn¡¯t see five planes in Huaxia in five days, you know the consequences! My disciples will also be very keen to ¡®greet¡¯ you!¡± Charles¡¯s face turned slightly pale, but he clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there will be no issues, but I will need a deposit¡­¡± ¡°Send me the account, and I¡¯ll transfer thirty percent now!¡± Griffin interrupted Charles impatiently before he could finish. After finalizing the deal, Charles hung up the phone and wiped the cold sweat from his face. His secretary meanwhile was staring at him dumbfounded. She had heard the entire conversation. ¡°Mr. Charles, have you gone mad? It¡¯s impossible to deliver to Huaxia in five days; one can¡¯t even draw up the blueprints for the planes in such a short time!¡± Charles leaned back in his chair and smiled faintly, ¡°Who said I have to make them now!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Spread the word, I want to buy five brand new private jets at a price ten percent higher than usual!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The secretary quivered, finally grasping Charles¡¯s intentions. When Griffin reported the negotiation results to Xue An, Qin Yu, who had been listening, couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes. So this was the solution the master had mentioned! Indeed, if they actually managed to buy five private jets, that would solve the issues of passage and traffic jams once and for all. But this solution was indeed¡­ brute and straightforward! Moreover, buying five private jets within five days sounded like a fantasy. Perhaps noticing Qin Yu¡¯s concern, Griffin chuckled, ¡°Miss Qin, please rest assured, I understand these capitalists too well. As long as there is profit, they would even sell you the rope to hang them with, let alone deliver five planes within five days.¡± Qin Yu nodded her head. Xue An, however, felt indifferent. Even if the planes didn¡¯t arrive on time, he could always emit a blast of Sword Qi and fly everyone to Zhongdu. It¡¯s just that such an action would appear too shocking and unconventional. As for being too simple and brutal¡­ In Xue An¡¯s view, any problem that could be solved with money simply wasn¡¯t a problem. Furthermore, for him, worldly wealth was utterly useless. Thus, spending it felt like nothing. However, the issue below couldn¡¯t be resolved by merely throwing money at it. How could he obtain a large number of rare ingredients? Xue An glanced at Xiao Sha next to him who was gnawing on a chicken leg and cracked a smile. After eating so many roast chickens, it was time for some exercise. He stepped forward, picked up Xiao Sha, and said to Qin Yu, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± With that, he transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into the sky. ¡°What is the gentleman going to do?¡± Qin Yu was somewhat baffled. Griffin chuckled, ¡°I never bother to speculate about the actions of the gods, because what a god does, mortals can never comprehend.¡± Above the vast and boundless sea, a stream of light suddenly appeared. As Xue An flew, he used his Divine Sense to search the sea below. But the result made Xue An frown in secret. The areas near the shore were nearly devoid of fish and shrimp due to pollution and overfishing. Xue An had no choice but to fly deeper into the sea. In a desolate part of the sea, Old Bai, the boatsman, cautiously cast his fishing net, silently praying for a good catch today! Otherwise, this adventure would have been in vain. The sea area he was in was a place that coastal fishermen dreaded. Countless accidents happened here every year, with ships often destroyed and lives lost. Over time, this shipping lane was abandoned. But there were still many bold fishermen who came here to fish, many of whom never returned. Even those who managed to escape were traumatized. In their descriptions, the sky would be clear one second, and suddenly fierce winds would rise, and towering waves would surge, within which huge tentacles could be vaguely seen. Such accounts increasingly chilled the hearts of those who heard them, and from then on, no one dared fish there anymore. Had Old Bai not gone several days at sea without a catch, to the point where he was about to lose even his trousers, he would not have risked fishing here. May the Bodhisattva and Dragon King protect me, please let nothing happen! It seemed as if his prayers were heard, when suddenly, the sky darkened, and a tempest arose. What had been a calm sea began to boil over. Old Bai was terrified out of his wits and tried to steer the fishing boat away. But before this titanic force of nature, the tiny fishing boat was less than an ant. And from under the sea, a long tentacle suddenly stretched out, heading straight for Old Bai¡¯s fishing boat. Old Bai screamed in horror, closed his eyes, and lamented that this was the end ¨C he was sure to be buried at sea. But at that moment, he heard a voice tinged with a hint of surprise. ¡°Eh, there¡¯s actually a wild octopus monster?¡± Old Bai slowly opened his eyes and saw a scene he would never forget in his lifetime. He saw a man standing in mid-air, holding onto that massive tentacle with one hand, his face showing a hint of joy. ¡°Immortal?¡± The word suddenly surfaced in Old Bai¡¯s blank mind. Meanwhile, Xue An was interestedly assessing the giant octopus monster below the surface with his Divine Sense. ¡°It really is a wild one, and it¡¯s been cultivating for two or three hundred years too, quite rare indeed!¡± Feeling the immense danger, the octopus monster struggled frantically, trying to escape. ¡°I just happened to need some rare delicacies, now I don¡¯t have to worry!¡± As Xue An spoke, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and then he suddenly flexed his arm. Whoosh. The octopus monster was forcibly lifted from the sea by Xue An. Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Wild Octopus Monster (3rd Update) Chapter 343: Chapter 343: Wild Octopus Monster (3rd Update) Only when it reached midair could the true enormity of the octopus monster be seen. Its body was as big as a football field, and its tentacles were several dozen meters long. This sight left Old Bai utterly dumbfounded. At that moment, the octopus monster suddenly exerted its strength and, with a snap, severed the tentacle that Xue An had grasped, before hastily fleeing into the water. Its consciousness had not yet awakened, but its biological instincts made it sense an unparalleled sense of crisis. That¡¯s why it was fleeing in such panic. But Xue An just smiled faintly, ¡°Think you can run?¡± Then he said to Xiao Sha, ¡°Catch it, and the Demon Core is yours!¡± Xiao Sha nodded at the words and let out a roar towards the sky. The sound of the dragon¡¯s roar shook the wilderness. Old Bai was so frightened that he almost fell off the boat, then he saw Xiao Sha suddenly reveal his true form. A mighty golden dragon appeared in midair. Old Bai¡¯s whole body shook violently and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably, then he kneeled thumpingly on the deck. As a fisherman, he was born with a deep reverence for dragons, let alone now that he was seeing a living golden dragon, so Old Bai bowed his head repeatedly, like pounding garlic. At the same time, he was thinking that his prayers must have been heard by the Bodhisattva and the Dragon King, and that¡¯s why they came to save him. Xiao Sha didn¡¯t have time to care about others¡¯ worship; as soon as he entered the sea, he went straight for the frantically fleeing octopus. Everywhere he passed, the myriad tribes of the sea gave way, all trembling with fear and hiding aside. This was the might of the Dragon Clan. The octopus monster was locked in by Xiao Sha¡¯s aura, and the suppression from the level of their lineages made it tremble all over, unable to run any longer. After catching up, Xiao Sha didn¡¯t hold back; he opened his dragon mouth and bit off the head of the octopus monster. The Demon Core, mixed with flesh and blood, was directly swallowed by Xiao Sha. Then Xiao Sha¡¯s body shone brightly, and his dragon scales seemed to become harder. Seeing this, Xue An smiled faintly, the octopus monster had wreaked havoc for many years, so meeting this end today was deserved. Xue An then took a step forward and said indifferently, ¡°Rise!¡± The body of the octopus monster floated to the surface of the water. Although Xiao Sha had bitten off its head, the octopus was still terrifyingly large. And not all of such a large octopus could be eaten. Growing for hundreds of years had made its flesh extremely tough, and ordinary people could not swallow it. But Xue An was quite familiar with these things. Having nothing else to do at one point, he had once thoroughly researched the eating habits of the Demon Race. For these aquatic demons, he had a unique way of handling them. Dao sword lights enveloped the octopus monster, effortlessly slicing away the extremely tough outer skin, leaving only the tender meat inside. Very quickly. The massive octopus monster was completely sliced up, leaving only about two to three hundred pounds of edible flesh. But that was enough. And because this octopus monster had cultivated for many years, its flesh and blood had special effects. Ordinary people who ate it could not only improve their health and strengthen their bodies, but also extend their lives. And cultivators who ate it could even enhance their cultivation levels. However, having only this kind wouldn¡¯t work. Xiao Sha circled beneath the sea surface, and wherever Dragon¡¯s Might passed, Countless aquatic creatures automatically floated to the surface and grouped themselves by species, as if transforming into an aquarium, allowing Xue An to choose. Flicking a finger, the selected sea creatures began to levitate. This wondrous scene filled Old Bai, who was so dizzy from kowtowing, with envy. After many years of fishing at sea, this was the first time he had seen such a self-service supermarket-like fishing method. Xue An chose dozens of varieties, roughly two to three thousand pounds of seafood, felt it was enough, and then waved his hand. The other sea creatures then sank back to the depths. With so much seafood floating in the air, Xue An cast a spell with a flick of his hand, ¡°Invisible!¡± The seafood and the flesh of the octopus monster rapidly contracted then turned into a greyish light orb, appearing in Xue An¡¯s hand. After all this, Xue An looked down at Old Bai with a face full of piety and smiled faintly. ¡°` ¡°Since fate has brought us together, I shall lend you a hand!¡± As he spoke, he was about to gather a school of fish for Old Bai, Old Bai trembled all over, his heart stirred, and then he did the most correct thing he had ever done in his life. He knelt on the ground, and with utmost piety said, ¡°Bodhisattva, I don¡¯t want the fish anymore. I only ask that you could bestow upon me something from Grandpa Dragon King, so I can keep it as a family heirloom!¡± Xue An paused slightly upon hearing this, then smiled and nodded, ¡°What do you plan to ask for?¡± Old Bai said softly, ¡°I think a dragon tooth would be nice!¡± At this moment, Xiao Sha had already come out of the sea, and upon hearing this, he couldn¡¯t help but bulge his eyes. He dares to ask for my dragon tooth? A surge of powerful aura instantly enveloped the fishing boat. Old Bai, frightened, quickly changed his tune, ¡°Just kidding, whatever you wish to bestow will be fine!¡± Xue An smiled and casually tore off a dragon scale from Xiao Sha. ¡°Keep this as a souvenir!¡± With that, Xue An leapt away. Xiao Sha glared fiercely at Old Bai, feeling somewhat disgruntled, but since it was Xue An who had torn off the dragon scale, he had no choice but to follow closely. Old Bai stood at the bow holding a dragon scale as big as a water jar, his expression gradually becoming excited. This¡­ is a genuine dragon scale! ¡°Chairman, I think if we really can¡¯t find that much food, we can lower the standards a bit. And having such high-end seafood for so many tables of banquets is a bit too extravagant!¡± A five-star head chef suggested. ¡°Yeah! If it¡¯s not possible, just reserve the best for the main table, it¡¯s fine if the other banquet tables are slightly lower in quality!¡± someone echoed. These suggestions were all quite reasonable. But Qin Yu didn¡¯t dare to make a decision. She understood Xue An¡¯s intentions very well. He was determined to make this wedding perfect in every way. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer, Mr. An should be back soon!¡± ¡°But I think even if Mr. Xue goes looking, he won¡¯t be able to find so many precious food ingredients! After all, many are not available even with money!¡± The head chef expressed his concerns. Just then, a streak of light flew across the sky. When it came to a halt, it was Xue An. ¡°Mr. An!¡± Qin Yu exclaimed. The other chefs were also stunned. So the rumors are true! This Mr. Xue has really cultivated into an immortal, otherwise how could he fly? At this moment, standing above Yunmeng Lake, Xue An said with a light chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ve got the seafood. Let¡¯s just store it in this lake for now!¡± With that, he waved his hand, ¡°Appear!¡± Whoosh! It was like rain. Countless seafood fell from the sky, landing in Yunmeng Lake. The sight of seafood raining down from the heavens left everyone dumbfounded. It took a good while before they came to their senses. ¡°Holy crap, is that a huge star grouper?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this type of lobster extinct?¡± ¡°My God, they are all still alive!¡± And amid the exclamations, the head chef also came out of his stupor, shouting anxiously, ¡°Mr. Xue, Yunmeng Lake is a freshwater lake! These seafood will die if you put them in there!¡± This remark reminded many people. Yes! It¡¯s ludicrous to try to farm seafood in freshwater, isn¡¯t it? Xue An laughed in the air, ¡°No worries! I won¡¯t let them die, so they dare not die!¡± Indeed. Once these members of the Aquatic Tribe entered Yunmeng Lake, they started to thrash about vivaciously, showing not a hint of dying. The group of chefs felt like their entire life¡¯s knowledge had been completely overturned. What they didn¡¯t know was that since Xiao Sha had taken over Yunmeng Lake, it faintly possessed Dragon¡¯s Might. All aquatic creatures entering it would benefit from this trace of Dragon¡¯s Might and naturally be unharmed. ¡°` Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Yan’er’s Dowry (4th Update) Chapter 344: Chapter 344: Yan¡¯er¡¯s Dowry (4th Update) The most headache-inducing problem of food supplies had been resolved. What remained were merely trifles that could be solved with money. And while Beijiang was bustling with preparations, An Yan had also returned to Zhongdu. The motorcade slowly pulled up in front of the An Family¡¯s residence, and An Qing got out of the car. But the first one to come welcome her was not a member of the An Family, but rather a man in his thirties, wearing the stars of a general on his shoulders, his clothing crisp, exuding an air of spirited confidence. Upon seeing this man, An Qing¡¯s face took on an unpleasant expression. ¡°Wang Geng, what are you doing at my house?¡± Since An Qing and Wang Geng didn¡¯t belong to the same military district, she, as a colonel, dared to refer to Wang Geng by his given name despite his rank of major general. Wang Geng smiled, ¡°Colonel An, I arrived in Zhongdu yesterday, but you weren¡¯t at home, so I¡¯ve been waiting until now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you, what are you doing here?¡± An Qing was in no mood to be pleasant. A dark glint flashed in Wang Geng¡¯s eyes, yet he maintained a smile, ¡°Perhaps you didn¡¯t fancy the gift I sent last time, Colonel An, and had it returned. I came specially to apologize this time!¡± ¡°No need!¡± An Qing said coldly. At this moment, An Yan got out of the car, ¡°Qing¡¯er, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, sis, just an annoying guy!¡± Seeing An Yan, Wang Geng¡¯s expression showed a flash of amazement. Both sisters were such beauties! ¡°Is there anything else? If not, please leave!¡± An Qing spoke in a cold voice. Finally losing patience, Wang Geng¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Colonel An, why must you be so rejecting? You should know, at only thirty-five, I¡¯m already a major general, with a boundless future ahead. And I truly like you!¡± His face was full of pride when he spoke of his military rank. And indeed, his words were not without merit. A major general in his thirties, that was truly remarkable. Yet An Qing sneered slightly, ¡°Wang Geng, do I need to spell it out for you? The reason the Liu Family dared to come and snatch the Fire Phoenix last time, do you really not understand what role your Wang Family played in that?¡± This remark caused Wang Geng¡¯s face to abruptly cloud over. The Wang Family had indeed been involved in the Liu Family¡¯s affair. Wang Geng had been filled with a desire to possess An Qing. But he knew too well that he couldn¡¯t pluck this flower unless she were left vulnerable and without support. So he had helped the Liu Family in their plot to take control of the Fire Phoenix. These were facts An Qing learned afterwards. Naturally, she had not a shred of friendliness for this man Wang Geng. ¡°Let¡¯s go, sis,¡± An Qing and An Yan were about to enter the house. Wang Geng, with a malevolent tone, said, ¡°Colonel An, I hope you consider carefully. You know the strength of my Wang Family in Zhonghuai! If you are willing, it would bring endless benefits to your An Family!¡± In response, An Qing simply rebuked coldly, ¡°Get out! Hurry up and leave while I¡¯m still in a good mood!¡± Wang Geng was furious. He, who had always been the darling of heaven, had never suffered such insult before, and was about to explode. Just then, Cheng Hao and the others got out of the vehicles, surrounding Wang Geng and his personal soldiers in a tight circle. Each member of the Fire Phoenix looked at Wang Geng with hostility ¨C with just one command from An Qing, they would tear this man to shreds on the spot. The fierce aura emanating from the Fire Phoenix members made Wang Geng, who had never seen actual combat, turn progressively paler. ¡°Colonel An, what are you trying to do? Are you going to let your subordinates publicly defy a major general right here on the streets of Zhongdu?¡± Wang Geng spoke with a facade of courage but inner timidity. An Qing¡¯s lips curved into a disdainful smirk, ¡°So what if I am?¡± ¡°You¡­ You are defying your superiors! I¡­.¡± Before Wang Geng could finish his sentence, an incredibly authoritative voice rang out. ¡°In Zhongdu, since when is it the turn of people from the Zhonghuai military district to run wild? And talking about defying superiors? Haha, are you not clear about what your military ranks from Zhonghuai military district amount to?¡± With the sound of his words, more than a dozen imposing military vehicles stopped by the road, and a group of people got out. These individuals were all around forty or fifty years old, dressed in crisp military uniforms, and most of them were actually major generals. The man who spoke was at the forefront, with the rank of lieutenant general clearly visible on his shoulders. Wang Geng was stunned. These generals were all influential figures in Zhongdu. Plainly speaking, none were the kind that a civil servant general like him could afford to provoke. Especially the lieutenant general who had spoken. Not to mention Wang Geng, even his father wouldn¡¯t dare to cross him. And in front of Wang Geng¡¯s astonished gaze, the group of generals walked up to An Qing¡¯s side and spoke affably, ¡°Little Qing, have you brought your sister back home yet?¡± An Qing nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve seen all the generals!¡± ¡°Haha, if we¡¯re not in the military base, you should just call us uncle or something of the sort; it¡¯s much better! The title of general is too distant!¡± the leading Lieutenant General Yang said with a smile. ¡°Yes, Uncle Yang!¡± An Qing said obediently. ¡°So when is your brother-in-law coming to Zhongdu?¡± When they mentioned An Qing¡¯s brother-in-law, a strange expression appeared on the faces of the generals. An Qing smiled, ¡°He should be arriving on my sister¡¯s birthday, which is in four days!¡± ¡°Good! Good!¡± Lieutenant General Yang nodded his head in approval, smiling beamingly. But when he turned his head to look at Wang Geng, who was gaping in disbelief, the smile disappeared from his face. ¡°Go back and tell your old man that Zhongdu isn¡¯t your Zhonghuai; the Wang Family has no right to act recklessly here. And I advise you to stop harassing the An Family; otherwise¡­ hmph!¡± Lieutenant General Yang left his warning unspoken, but the message was crystal clear. Who didn¡¯t treat the An Family with the utmost respect and fear? After all, the so-called Divine Slaughter didn¡¯t hold back when he struck! If he truly became irritated, no matter how prestigious your family might be, you couldn¡¯t escape a fate of annihilation. How could Wang Geng dare to say anything in front of these people? He had thought that with only the colonel An Qing left, the An Family¡¯s influence had significantly diminished and they were an easy target. That¡¯s why he dared to harass An Qing repeatedly. But looking at the current situation¡­ The way these generals showed such warm and seemingly ingratiating behavior towards An Qing¡­ It demonstrated how overpoweringly influential the An Family was now. So when Lieutenant General Yang gave him the signal to leave, Wang Geng, as if granted amnesty, did not even dare to glance at An Qing, and he fled with his tail between his legs. ¡°Hehe, the Wang Family is used to throwing their weight around in Zhonghuai; do they really think they can do the same in Zhongdu?¡± Lieutenant General Yang said with a cold laugh. But before they could even enter the An Family¡¯s residence¡­ Chen Xiuhe also arrived with his entourage. Upon seeing him, Lieutenant General Yang teased, ¡°Old Chen, you¡¯ve notified all of us, saying that Mr. Xue is about to get married and we¡¯ve all hurried over, but where did you run off to?¡± Chen Xiuhe smiled, ¡°Yan¡¯er is somewhat of a junior to me; now that she¡¯s getting married, I certainly can¡¯t come empty-handed!¡± As he spoke, more than a dozen heavy trucks drove up. ¡°This is¡­?¡± An Qing said, somewhat surprised. ¡°This is the dowry I am giving to Yan¡¯er!¡± Chen Xiuhe said with a beaming smile. Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter 345 Zhongdu Sensation Chapter 345: Chapter 345 Zhongdu Sensation These past couple of days, Zhongdu has been completely overtaken by one topic. On every street and in every alley, people are talking about it. ¡°Hey, have you heard? Patriarch Chen¡¯s dowry for An Yan filled over a dozen large trucks!¡± someone said. ¡°Heh, you¡¯ve only heard, but I saw it with my own eyes!¡± another person scoffed. ¡°Oh? Really? Then tell us, what did they send?¡± The crowd around them swelled. ¡°Yeah! Do tell!¡± ¡°I heard there¡¯s an endless number of fancy goodies inside! Just the gold jewelry alone weighs over a hundred jin!¡± ¡°Gold? Heh! That¡¯s the least valuable thing they sent!¡± Seeing himself surrounded by so many people, the guy was very pleased with himself and purposely spoke up loudly. This comment stirred up a buzz among those nearby. ¡°Gold isn¡¯t valuable? Then what counts as valuable?¡± Some people were a bit incredulous. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re all just commoners, with no way to imagine what life is like for the truly wealthy! Today, I¡¯ll enlighten you!¡± The man garnered everyone¡¯s attention, then whispered, ¡°Have you ever seen blood coral over three meters tall?¡± The crowd shook their heads. ¡°I saw it that day; that thing is a real rare treasure!¡± ¡°Ever seen pearls the size of a child¡¯s fist? I saw dozens of them that day.¡± ¡°Ever seen a limited-edition global sports car?¡± ¡°That we have!¡± the crowd nodded. ¡°Heh, the family sent seven of those.¡± ¡°Why seven?¡± someone asked. ¡°Obviously, because the seven cars all come in different colors. They sent them for her to drive a different color for each day of the week!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The crowd finally caught on. ¡°Those still aren¡¯t the most valuable things!¡± ¡°Those aren¡¯t valuable enough?¡± ¡°Heh! It¡¯s like I said, poverty limits your imagination.¡± The man gestured with his hands as he spoke. ¡°What are you miming there?¡± someone curiously asked. ¡°Ever seen a wooden box this big? Made of Zitan wood?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so special about that? A wealthy friend of mine has one at his place!¡± someone found a chance to boast and quickly piped up. ¡°The key isn¡¯t the box!¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± the crowd pressed. At this point, the man wore a look of serene longing and said dreamily, ¡°That was the most valuable gift I¡¯ve ever seen. Packed inside, stacked dense and thick, were all property deeds!¡± Boom! The crowd, which hadn¡¯t been shocked by the three-meter tall blood coral or pearls as big as fists, was now absolutely in an uproar. ¡°Did you see it clearly?¡± ¡°Of course, I saw it clearly. Patriarch Chen himself opened it up for everyone to take a look, and guess what those properties were?¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The third ring road!¡± The crowd exchanged glances, some faces full of disbelief. ¡°Keep dreaming, as if there are that many houses by the third ring! The way you gestured, that would be at least a thousand units!¡± ¡°Right, my family lives in the third ring, and properties there are practically priceless!¡± The man sneered all the while, waiting for everyone to finish speaking before he coolly continued, ¡°I knew there¡¯d be doubters. Some people asked Patriarch Chen the same thing at the time. Guess what he said.¡± ¡°Hmm? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Patriarch Chen said it¡¯s a new residential complex that¡¯s just been built, and the property deeds for all the houses are in there!¡± This statement dumbfounded everyone. They had heard of giving a house as a gift, but never an entire complex. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m also idle, why am I even telling you this, I¡¯ve got to hurry along now!¡± said the gentleman. ¡°Brother, where are you hurrying off to?¡± ¡°Obviously, to the An Family to see the hustle and bustle.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it announced that the official wedding is a few days away? What¡¯s there to see now?¡± someone asked, puzzled. ¡°Heh, such a bunch of small-timers! Do you know who¡¯s currently helping out at the An Family?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Pretty much everyone of any status and renown in Zhongdu is there. Not to mention anyone else, do you all know Wei Ruyan, the master horticulturist, right?¡± ¡°Of course, I love her garden creations the most!¡± ¡°She¡¯s at the An Family right now, and she¡¯s turned it into an ocean of flowers! That alone is worth squatting there for a day to take in the excitement!¡± After saying this, the man turned and left. The others looked at each other, then all had a spark of inspiration. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s have a look!¡± As the rumors outside suggested, The An Family had become an ocean of flowers. Wei Ruyan had brought out all her skills, the various exotic flowers vying for attention, making the entire An Family exceptionally beautiful. Not just her, practically everyone with a bit of capability in Zhongdu was there. Even someone sweeping the floor might be the general manager of some company. Zhao Xuehui, Yang Bin, and Qiao Le were not leaving the An Family¡¯s side, keeping incredibly busy every day. Like right now, the trio was bringing over a step stool, hanging lanterns in front of a room door. All three of them now had fortunes exceeding hundreds of millions, but they were bustling about just like before, without any airs of a tycoon. The entire An Family had basically become a huge construction site, filled with bustling crowds. And the festive atmosphere was becoming more intense in all this busyness. As for An Yan, the absolute leading lady, she remained in a state of utter confusion throughout. In her mind, she had simply planned to follow An Qing back to Zhongdu, then do some simple decorating and quietly wait for Xue An to come for her. But she hadn¡¯t expected the preparations to be on such a grand scale. It was so grand that it left her somewhat dazed. Noticing the bewilderment in An Yan¡¯s heart, An Qing said with a beaming smile. ¡°Sis, this must all be your fianc¨¦¡¯s doing!¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve told him so many times already, I really don¡¯t care about these things! As long as we can be together, why bother with all these superfluous things,¡± An Yan said. Shaking her head, An Qing chuckled softly, ¡°Actually, I understand and agree with your fianc¨¦¡¯s approach. You two, from the moment you met and fell in love, to having Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, it has been quite a journey! Now, your fianc¨¦ may not rule the world, but he¡¯s made something of himself, and of course, he wants to make up for the past!¡± At this point, a faint envy flashed in An Qing¡¯s eyes. ¡°The magnitude of what he¡¯s doing, it¡¯s probably to declare to the whole world that you¡¯re his woman.¡± Listening to her sister¡¯s comforting words, An Yan nodded, feeling her happiness almost overflow. At that moment, the room door opened. A group of elegantly dressed women entered. ¡°Miss An, we¡¯ve been sent by Patriarch Chen, responsible for your entire wedding look, including makeup and attire.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± An Yan was a bit lost. ¡°They say Miss An brought a full set of bridal attire and gowns from Beijiang; can you change into them now so we can take a look?¡± the oldest and most elegant among the women, whose hair was touched with gray, said indifferently. Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 346 I’m Ready, Waiting for You to Marry Me Chapter 346: Chapter 346 I¡¯m Ready, Waiting for You to Marry Me When An Yan stepped out wearing the traditional Chinese bridal gown personally sewn by Feng Caiyi, the group of women first scrutinized her with critical eyes, and then they all nodded in satisfaction. Only the leading woman quivered slightly. ¡°May I be so bold as to ask, is this bridal gown the work of Feng Caiyi?¡± An Yan nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t know if it is, but people call him Master Feng!¡± The woman smiled, ¡°One can tell at a glance, in the whole world, only he could have such craftsmanship!¡± Then the woman spoke seriously, ¡°Miss An, both your temperament and appearance are the finest I¡¯ve ever seen! But since this is as important as marriage, I think you can still become even more beautiful and elegant!¡± ¡°For instance, when you wear such a traditional Chinese bridal gown, the way you walk should be different from wearing a Western wedding dress!¡± As she spoke, the woman demonstrated it for An Yan. An Yan followed the example and immediately there was a different aura about her. The woman¡¯s eyes lit up because An Yan¡¯s ability to adapt was simply astonishing. Just a casual glance, and she was able to learn seventy to eighty percent of the charm. ¡°Miss An, do you realize how much of a precious talent you¡¯re wasting? If you had met me earlier, I would have trained you to be the noblest and most elegant dancer in the world!¡± the woman exclaimed. An Yan smiled shyly in response. ¡°Over the next two days, I will design everything for you, Miss An. If you wish to practice dancing, I¡¯m willing to teach you!¡± the woman still felt a bit reluctant. An Yan shook her head, ¡°No need, my husband probably wouldn¡¯t agree.¡± As soon as An Yan mentioned her husband, the woman immediately closed her mouth. Indeed! Why would the wife of that man go on stage to dance? It wasn¡¯t until the woman had left that An Yan still didn¡¯t know who she was, but judging by her actions and demeanor, she was certainly no ordinary person. Meanwhile, An Qing was snickering, ¡°That woman, she is the fabled confidante of old man Chen that the rumors always talk about, and she is also Tai Yujin, who once received the highest honor for a dancer!¡± When An Yan heard this, she was initially startled, then couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. In Zhongdu, there had always been many rumors about Chen Xiuhe and this Tai Yujin. Now it seemed¡­ the rumors might well be true! Two days later. An Yan stood in front of the mirror, gazing at the incomparably beautiful girl reflected there, and was somewhat dazzled. Tai Yujin watched from the side, her face full of astonished admiration. Through two days of contact, Tai Yujin had been deeply impressed by An Yan¡¯s capacity to comprehend. Almost any move, An Yan could learn it after just one look. So, in just two days, the already stunningly gorgeous An Yan had taken her charm and aura to the next level. Tai Yujin was also extremely satisfied with this. To be a mentor for such a girl for two days in one¡¯s lifetime, and to witness her blossoming, offered a sense of achievement beyond comparison. ¡°Miss An, ¡®Women dress for the ones who admire them.¡¯ I believe, when Mr. Xue comes to pick you up, he will certainly be surprised!¡± Tai Yujin remarked. Upon hearing this, An Yan broke into a radiant smile. The peerless elegance of that smile momentarily stunned everyone in the room. Then An Yan turned back to continue looking at her reflection in the mirror, thinking to herself silently, Husband, I am ready, when will you come to take me home? Meanwhile in Beijiang. Tomorrow was the day to go to Zhongdu. Yet today, there wasn¡¯t the slightest shadow of a private plane. Griffin, who had been somewhat composed, finally couldn¡¯t sit still anymore, and from the morning began frantically calling Charles. But without exception, all calls went unanswered. By midday, after failing to get through once again, Griffin, furious, smashed his phone to pieces. Grinding his teeth, he spat out, ¡°Charles, how dare you play me? I¡¯ll have you torn to pieces!¡± But getting angry now was useless, he could only steel himself to meet Xue An. ¡°Sir¡­ Sir, Charles still hasn¡¯t brought the planes! Tomorrow¡­¡± Griffin said with trepidation, fearing another outburst from Xue An. To his surprise, Xue An just smiled indifferently, ¡°No worries!¡± Although Xue An didn¡¯t blame him and even offered some comforting words, Griffin¡¯s heart was still full of guilt and anger. The Bone Picker, who once lurked in darkness, finally showed his ferocious claws. He decided, after the master¡¯s wedding was over, he would capture Charles and slowly pick every bone from his body. As night fell, there was still no sign of the planes. Griffin had completely despaired, not even showing up for dinner. Because he felt he had let the master down, he really had no face to see anyone. ¡°Sir, should we just drive to Zhongdu now?¡± Qin Yuan, dressed in a bespoke outfit, asked. He was naturally going to follow tomorrow, so he was waiting at Number One Tian Villa tonight. He also knew about the planes not coming, so he asked. Xue An shook his head, ¡°No need! Driving there would take too much time on the road! I have my own way!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Seeing Xue An say so, Qin Yuan could only nod. And while everyone else was worrying, suddenly, a rumbling sound came from afar. People chatting outside looked up and were all stunned. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ planes!¡± someone shouted. Griffin, who had been sulking inside the house, heard the noise outside. At first, he didn¡¯t care, but then he listened carefully. It was the roaring sound of planes! His body shook, he jumped straight out of the window. Sure enough. Five brand-new private planes were flying in the sky. Knowing that there would be planes coming, they had already prepared a temporary airstrip in advance. Once the planes had landed, Charles had just stepped off the stairs when Griffin, roaring with anger, charged at him and punched him in the head. The punch made Charles stagger, almost falling, and blood instantly flowed from his nose. ¡°Charles, you almost ruined my master¡¯s big event! Do you understand?¡± Griffin said with a sinister tone. Charles trembled with fear, and although his face was covered with blood, he still hurried to smile apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mr. Griffin, you have to hear me out. Actually, I had the planes ready yesterday, but on the way to your country, they were intercepted by the military, and it was only this afternoon that they were released.¡± Charles looked aggrieved. ¡°The military? Didn¡¯t you mention my master¡¯s name?¡± Griffin asked angrily. ¡°I did! But it would have been better not to. Just when they were about to let me go, they detained me for another day when I mentioned it!¡± As Charles spoke, his heart bled. Ever since receiving Griffin¡¯s call these past few days, he hadn¡¯t slept a wink, frantically searching for available private planes. As luck would have it, he had indeed managed to gather them. Overjoyed, he rushed to Huaxia immediately. Because Griffin had made it clear that if he arrived a day early, he would get an extra thirty percent! That was a fortune worth tens of millions! But unexpectedly, upon entering Huaxia, he was intercepted, and one whole day was wasted in vain. ¡°Oh? And do you know which military force intercepted you?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. Charles, very adept at reading the room, hastily answered respectfully, ¡°Respected Sir, even if I turned to ashes, I would remember. The people who detained me were from the Wang Family in Zhonghuai!¡± The Wang Family of Zhonghuai? Qin Yuan and others changed their expressions slightly. This family was a historic military noble family. But Xue An just smiled slightly, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, the mistake was not yours, the amount will still be increased by thirty percent!¡± Charles was overjoyed, ¡°Thank you, Sir!¡± Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 347 The Wedding Day (Part 1) Chapter 347: Chapter 347 The Wedding Day (Part 1) Five brand-new private jets lined up in a row, with Charles leading Xue An for a tour of each aircraft. ¡°Sir, these aircraft were originally meant for the Z Eastern Imperial Family, so each one is the ultimate in luxury. Take this one, for example, it even has a private swimming pool,¡± Charles excitedly explained. Xue An remained indifferent, but Qin Yuan and the others following them were all full of amazement. Though in recent years, Huaxia had seen a surge in the number of wealthy elite, when it comes to luxury, they still couldn¡¯t compare to the deeply rooted, venerable noble families abroad. ¡°Unlike those private jets that can only carry around ten persons, each of these can accommodate over thirty passengers and provide an extremely comfortable environment for every guest!¡± Charles chattered on, but seeing Xue An¡¯s expressionless face, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit flustered inside. Therefore, with a quick glance and a chuckle, he said, ¡°Of course, none of these might seem like much in Sir¡¯s eyes, but let me introduce the most important part of these private jets!¡± With that, Charles clapped his hands. Over twenty gorgeous women dressed as flight attendants came out. Charles proudly said, ¡°All of these ladies have undergone strict training and were meant to follow these planes to the Z Eastern, but now they all belong to Sir!¡± Saying so, Charles gave the attendants a knowing look. As he said, all the attendants, having undergone strict and special training, bowed deeply to Xue An with the utmost respect. ¡°We have seen Sir!¡± It was a perfect Huaxia pronunciation. ¡°Heh heh, each flight attendant here is a graduate from top universities, proficient in at least four or five foreign languages, truly rare gems!¡± Charles said with a look that said all men would understand. Still, Xue An remained noncommittal. However, the attendants felt a small sense of happiness within. Globally, the only ones who could afford such luxurious private jets were basically old men on the brink of the grave. These girls had all braced themselves for the worst. But they had not expected their new boss to be such a young and handsome man. With such a boss, far from unwilling, they would have paid money for the privilege. Xue An shook his head and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t need them!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Charles did not quite understand. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t need so many attendants.¡± His words cast a silence over the atmosphere, and the complexions of these beauties gradually turned pale. With some hesitation, Charles said, ¡°Sir, these beauties come with the private jets as part of the package; even if you don¡¯t want them, there won¡¯t be any discount on the price!¡± At this point, Griffin could no longer hold back, stepping forward and saying angrily, ¡°Charles, does my master care about the money? You big oaf, arranging something like this without knowing anything! Do you know what my master is buying all these planes for?¡± ¡°For what?¡± Charles blinked his shrewd little eyes, thinking to himself that there was nothing else to it besides enjoying the life of a top-tier tycoon on a private jet. ¡°My master is buying these jets to fetch his bride! You fool!¡± Griffin scolded. ¡°Fetching a bride?¡± Charles still didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s to pick up his wife with these planes!¡± Finally, Charles understood, then he was shocked. Not only he was astonished, but the attendants were too. Splurging hundreds of millions, just to use it for fetching a bride? This was beyond extravagant; it was utterly unreasonable. ¡°Let these attendants stay here so we can bring more friends and family!¡± Qin Yuan interjected at that moment. Xue An nodded, then looked at the pale-faced group of beauties and said indifferently, ¡°After we pick up the bride, you can stay with the planes.¡± Hearing what Xue An said, the group of beautifully dressed attendants finally breathed a sigh of relief, then each started to scheme in her own heart. So their boss already had a wife, huh! But, this was hardly anything to fuss over. Which wealthy person doesn¡¯t have several girlfriends? As long as he takes the plane, they would have a chance to get close to him! The thought of climbing up the social ladder by getting cozy with such a handsome and rich man set these flight attendants¡¯ hearts ablaze. But what they didn¡¯t know was that Xue An had bought these planes purely for his wedding convoy, and after picking up An Yan, he probably wouldn¡¯t need them anymore. After all, no matter how fast a plane could fly, could it be faster than him travelling through the air at will? As the morning sun rose. The entourage heading to Zhongdu for the wedding had already assembled. Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian would definitely be going. Old Xie and Auntie Pang were dressed in brand-new, fitting clothes, looking like two successful businesspeople. Since they were the witnesses for the wedding, their presence was a must. Besides them, Tang Xuan¡¯er and Xue Lan, as the groom¡¯s female relatives, also had to go. Adding them all up, there were about forty or so people going. Xue An put on a traditional Chinese suit, and a hint of a smile appeared on his handsome and cultured face. ¡°Let¡¯s set off!¡± Five airplanes soared high into the sky, heading straight for Zhongdu. As the planes passed over the entrance of Yunmeng Villa, Wu Qiang led a host of security guards in a collective salute. Meanwhile, media from all over the world had started to broadcast the event since early in the morning. When the reporters saw the five brand-new planes soaring into the sky, they couldn¡¯t help but let out muted exclamations of awe. ¡°What a grand gesture!¡± In a quiet town in Europe, Fan Mengxue was sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the live broadcast on TV. ¡°Meng Xue, we¡¯re supposed to attend a film festival today. Shall we leave now?¡± Han Yao said softly. Knowing Fan Mengxue¡¯s current state of mind, she wanted to distract her with work for the time being. But suddenly, Fan Mengxue stood up, ¡°Back to the country!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Han Yao thought she must have heard wrong. ¡°I thought I would be jealous, but his relationship with An Yan makes it impossible for me to feel that way. This is his moment of happiness, and I should be there!¡± Fan Mengxue spoke softly, then turned and ran out the door. Han Yao stood frozen in place, and it took her quite a while to let out a long sigh. ¡°Are all women so foolish when it comes to love?¡± Zhongdu. Since morning, the An Family¡¯s house had been filled with guests coming to offer their congratulations from all directions. The small number of servants in the An Family simply couldn¡¯t keep up. Chen Xiuhe immediately called for the Chen Family¡¯s help. And members from the Fire Phoenix and many from the military also spontaneously came to maintain order. Almost all the noble families of Zhongdu had gathered. Such a magnificent scene made many people sigh in admiration. They marveled at the mighty reputation of the An Family now. And unlike other powerful families, the An Family¡¯s current strength and status were almost solely due to one man¡¯s sky-reaching abilities. The citizens of Zhongdu had also come early to enjoy the spectacle. The An Family¡¯s gate and several nearby streets were now clogged with all kinds of luxury cars. Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter 348: The Wedding Day (Part 2) Chapter 348: Chapter 348: The Wedding Day (Part 2) Some couldn¡¯t help but joke that if any luxury brand¡¯s car hadn¡¯t appeared at this time, it simply meant the brand wasn¡¯t luxurious enough. By the time the sun was well up in the sky, the entire An Family home was bustling with excitement. Countless media had also aimed their cameras here. This was almost a wedding being broadcast live around the world. And in such an atmosphere, feelings of jealousy unavoidably surfaced as acidic comments. ¡°Haha, it takes at least seven or eight hours to drive from Beijiang to Zhongdu, if they¡¯re just leaving now, they¡¯d be lucky to make it by evening!¡± someone said coldly. ¡°That¡¯s right, and I doubt they¡¯ll even make it today, have you seen the traffic jams outside?¡± ¡°Exactly, and even if they did make it to Zhongdu, it would take hours to get to the An Family¡¯s place from there. As for today¡¯s wedding, haha, I¡¯d say it¡¯s highly unlikely!¡± The envious words of these people made many feel uncomfortable, yet there was no way to refute them. Zhao Xuehui, Yang Binyi, and Qiao Le, three brothers, were also filled with anxiety at this moment. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Second Brother arrived yet? I just inquired, and indeed, there are traffic jams everywhere!¡± Qiao Le said anxiously. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Second Brother always has a plan for doing things. He must have anticipated this!¡± Zhao Xuehui said. Meanwhile, An Yan, having finished her makeup, sat quietly in the room waiting. Hearing the noise outside, she couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± An Qing frowned, ¡°Nothing, just some people who can¡¯t stand to see others doing well spouting nonsense.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± An Yan nodded. ¡°Sister, did my brother-in-law tell you how he¡¯s getting to Zhongdu?¡± ¡°I asked him, but he just smiled and told me not to worry.¡± Upon hearing this, An Qing breathed a sigh of relief. After such a long time, in An Qing¡¯s view, there was nothing Xue An couldn¡¯t do. Just then, the sky outside suddenly darkened, and the wind howled, heralding an imminent downpour. The An Family members were thrown into a frenzy, fearing the painstakingly arranged wedding venue would be ruined by a sudden storm. Yet, some who held grudges against Xue An or simply envied him were secretly delighted! Let the torrential rain come! Hail would be even more satisfying! Chen Xiuhe¡¯s face also couldn¡¯t help but turn sour. The weather forecast had promised with certainty there would be no rain today, so how could a downpour be looming so suddenly? Could it be that even human predictions fail against the will of the heavens? It was at this moment, a tremendous roar of airplanes came from afar. Those with sharp eyes spotted the five approaching airplanes and exclaimed in surprise. ¡°Look over there!¡± Everyone looked up to see the airplanes had already reached the airspace above the An Family¡¯s home and started to circle. Many were stunned, a thought dawning in their minds. Could it be¡­ this was the groom¡¯s arrival procession? This was simply too astonishing and out of the ordinary! But at the same time, raindrops began to fall. Some people deliberately shouted, ¡°It¡¯s going to be a torrential downpour, hurry home to get your laundry in!¡± In the midst of the restless crowd, suddenly, a figure shot up from one of the airplanes, and at the same time, a voice shouted sharply. ¡°Open!¡± The voice wasn¡¯t loud but seemed to explode in everyone¡¯s heart. Boom! The dense clouds that filled the sky fragmented in the blink of an eye, then rapidly dispersed. The sunlight drifted down once again, illuminating many shocked faces. Chen Xiuhe cracked a slight smile as the weight in his heart eased. No matter the issue, everything would be easy to handle once he arrived! At this moment, after Xue An punched through the dark clouds, he stood aloof in the sky, and his Divine Sense shot toward a specific location. In a certain place, a middle-aged man who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed suddenly opened his eyes and shouted in horror, ¡°No¡­¡±. But before his words could finish, his entire head exploded. This scene shocked everyone present. Those nearby, whose epaulettes were even stained with blood, were particularly stunned. Xue An witnessed this scene and a trace of cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. You actually thought of ruining my wedding! If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I am on my way to greet the bride and it¡¯s not suitable to commit a massacre, I would have eliminated you all now! But I¡¯ll let you live a few more days! With that thought, Xue An slowly descended to the ground. As his feet touched down, the Fire Phoenix members formed a square formation and shouted in unison, ¡°Instructor!¡± Xue An nodded slightly, then looked around the crowd. Many who originally harbored ill intentions were now trembling with fear, not daring to meet Xue An¡¯s gaze. But there were even more faces filled with curiosity and shock. After all, Xue An¡¯s entrance was just too special and too astounding. Meanwhile, those five private planes landed directly behind the An Family¡¯s residence. There was a vast open space behind the An Family estate, a perfect spot for the planes, but it also put the pilots¡¯ skills to a great test. Only those who had undergone rigorous training dared to land directly. As soon as the planes came to a stop, Qin Yuan, Tang Xuan¡¯er and the others walked down and joined Xue An. Chen Xiuhe approached with a hearty laugh, ¡°Mr. Xue, congratulations, congratulations!¡± Xue An replied with a light smile, ¡°Uncle Chen, you are too kind!¡± This address as ¡®Uncle¡¯ made Chen Xiuhe pause, then he burst into an incredibly joyful laughter. ¡°Good! Good! Today is truly a joyous day, let¡¯s go inside to talk!¡± After Xue An and the others went off to the banquet hall, the people outside began to buzz with conversation. ¡°Damn, is he even human? Falling from such a height and coming out without a scratch?¡± someone said, visibly shocked. ¡°You¡¯ve just realized how formidable Mr. Xue is? Didn¡¯t you see him dispersing the stormy weather just now?¡± ¡°What shocked me the most are those five planes. I checked carefully just now; each plane has the Xue character printed on it and all are brand new! Did he just buy them?¡± This remark made many fall silent. For these noble families, mighty martial strength might bend their will. But it was the overwhelming display of wealth and power that truly drove them to despair. Many with malicious intentions also took this opportunity to slink away. Back in the banquet hall, after briefly sitting with Xue An, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian grew a bit anxious and called out, ¡°Daddy, where¡¯s Mommy?¡± ¡°Yeah! We miss Mommy!¡± The words of the two daughters brought smiles to many faces. Chen Xiuhe, beaming, said, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, look, just walk through this banquet hall and there are a few rooms behind. Your mother is there, but remember you need to prepare more red envelopes!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian nodded somewhat understandingly and then looked up at Xue An, ¡°Daddy, did you bring the red envelopes?¡± Xue An smiled, stood up, and said lightly, ¡°Of course I brought them! Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go get Mom!¡± Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Chapter 349: The Wedding Day (Part 3) First Update Chapter 349: Chapter 349: The Wedding Day (Part 3) First Update ¡°` Walking past the banquet hall, the corridor ahead was covered with flowers, turning it into a veritable flower gallery. Xue An, Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, as well as Tang Xuan¡¯er, Xue Lan, and many others made their way inside together. Halfway there, they saw someone blocking the path with a wheelchair. ¡°Mr. Xue, on this joyful day, the two of us sisters have also come to join the fun. Bring out the red envelopes!¡± Wei Rulan, sitting in the wheelchair, stretched out her hand with a beaming smile. Wei Ruyan also said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Xue, I even brought out the best flowers from my collection for your wedding!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Thank you, Miss Wei Ruyan, of course, there are red envelopes!¡± As he spoke, he handed over two plump red envelopes. Wei Ruyan and Wei Rulan were just there for the excitement, and didn¡¯t really care about the so-called red envelopes. But as soon as they received them, the expressions of the Wei sisters changed. ¡°This is¡­¡± Wei Ruyan exclaimed. Xue An said with a faint smile, ¡°Some people call these things spirit stones, but I think it¡¯s better to call them jade marrow!¡± Wei Ruyan and Wei Rulan glanced at each other and both saw the shock in each other¡¯s eyes. The moment they took the red envelopes, they felt the spiritual energy inside, and now hearing Xue An call it jade marrow, they were naturally astonished. ¡°Mr. Xue, these items are too valuable. We were just joking; how could we dare to accept them?¡± Wei Ruyan said as she tried to return the red envelopes. Xue An smiled, ¡°I have plenty of these things, and you¡¯ve worked hard arranging the An Family¡¯s decorations!¡± With that, Xue An stepped forward and walked on. Wei Ruyan and Wei Rulan watched his retreating figure, both feeling a bit dazed. ¡°Rulan, should we really accept this?¡± Wei Ruyan asked. And at that moment, Xue An¡¯s voice came, ¡°Wearing this item often might even give her the chance to stand up!¡± Upon hearing this, Wei Rulan trembled, then respectfully said, ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Xue An said with a faint smile, already walking away. This jade marrow, or spirit stones, are indeed good items for the average cultivator, but Xue An was well aware that although they can initially boost one¡¯s cultivation level, overuse would only be detrimental without any benefits. That¡¯s why he never let An Yan or anyone else use them. As for why he said he had plenty, it was because of the ring Xue An looted from the Immortal Palace. That ring was a Mustard Seed Ring. As its name suggests, it is a space ring capable of containing countless items, large as Mount Meru or small as a mustard seed. After obtaining it and breaking the seal, Xue An found it to be filled with tons of spirit stones. These things were tasteless to consume and a pity to discard, so they were perfect to hand out as wedding gifts. After all, what was insignificant to Xue An was considered a treasure of heaven and earth to ordinary people. Upon reaching the door past the flower gallery, they found it tightly shut with bursts of women¡¯s laughter coming from inside. Xue An smiled faintly and approached to knock gently on the door. ¡°Who goes there?¡± a female voice asked from inside. ¡°I¡¯ve come to fetch the bride!¡± ¡°Fetch whom?¡± ¡°An Yan!¡± ¡°Who is An Yan?¡± ¡°My wife!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t hear you, speak up!¡± the voices inside teased and laughed. Xue An smiled and, even though he was the Immortal Venerable, today he had to obey and so he shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve come to take my wife, An Yan, home!¡± His voice caused many petals to fall from the flower gallery above. Whispers could be heard inside, soft, yet Xue An could hear them all. ¡°Should we open it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer!¡± ¡°` ¡°But the elders at home said, just tease him a bit and that would be enough, after all, Mr. Xue is a man of high status!¡± ¡°At the very least, we should make him sing a song, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Xue An heard this and, without waiting for a response from inside, laughed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll sing a song for you. If I sing well, you¡¯ll open the door! How about that?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± And those who had come with Xue An also had to restrain their laughter. What song did Mr. Xue plan to sing? Little Rabbit, Be Good? ¡°This song is actually the only one I know because it¡¯s also her favorite. We used to listen to this song all day on the balcony, gazing at the stars. This time, I¡¯ll sing it for you!¡± Xue An said softly, and then he began to sing. ¡°The sparrow outside the window, chattering on the electric wire, you said this line, feels so much like summer¡­¡± The surroundings gradually quieted down. Xue An¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t professional, and he didn¡¯t want to sing professionally either. He was simply singing this song with the emotions of that naive young boy from three thousand years ago. His voice slightly trembled while also carrying the warm sunshine of the afternoon, full of memories. Everyone listened quietly. As he sang, Xue An seemed to return to those nights, seeing the couple quietly embracing each other. That bliss was the very reason that had sustained Xue An for three thousand years. On the large bed in the room, covered by a red veil, An Yan was already in tears. As the song ended, there was a moment of silence around, followed by an explosion of applause like thunder. ¡°Bravo! Truly beautiful!¡± Someone shouted excitedly, repeatedly exclaiming their admiration. And some, with tears in their eyes, silently clapped, as if Xue An¡¯s singing had stirred deep-seated memories within them. The only ones in the whole place who felt nothing were Xue Xiang and Nian Nian, who knocked on the door saying, ¡°Mommy, Daddy is here to pick you up! Open the door, please!¡± Their childish voices dissipated the lingering sorrow. The door opened. Tang Xuan¡¯er, Qin Yu, and Xue Lan stepped forward to distribute red envelopes. Griffin followed behind, his face a mask of heartache. He had never seen such lavish spending, to actually use Spirit Stones for red envelopes. Sometimes, you really know how to squander, Griffin thought to himself secretly. Entering the room, the spacious and comfortably decorated room was seen, and on the large bed in the center sat An Yan, quietly beneath her veil. Xue An stepped forward, coming to the side of the bed and quietly looking on. The room gradually became quiet. Even through the red veil, Xue An could still see the tear-stained face of An Yan. His heart suddenly ached. Then, he slowly knelt on one knee. As he knelt, the crowd watching the scene let out a low murmur of surprise. Many thought that given Xue An¡¯s personality, he would definitely not kneel. Xue An paid no attention to these reactions; his eyes were focused only on An Yan, who was trembling slightly, and then he smiled. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s go home!¡± There were no phrases like ¡®marry me¡¯, just a simple, ¡®let¡¯s go home!¡¯ Many nodded in understanding¡ªindeed, that was more in line with Xue An¡¯s character. As he spoke, Xue An gently lifted An Yan¡¯s hand and slowly put the Mustard Seed Ring on her finger. Many in the room were surprised. After all, the Mustard Seed Ring was dim and unremarkable. Why would he give such a ring? Griffin, a little irritate at the curious gazes from many, deliberately spoke loudly, ¡°This ring cannot be found anywhere else in the world! It¡¯s a Space Ring that can fit an entire mountain inside!¡± Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Congratulations from a Hundred Generals (2nd Update) Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Congratulations from a Hundred Generals (2nd Update) This sentence shocked many who had previously looked down upon the situation. Wei Rulan, who was in the distance, was even more startled and muttered to herself, ¡°To contain the great Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed, I always thought such a thing was but a legend, never did I imagine it truly existed!¡± When many people learned from others about the miraculous and precious nature of this ring, they all looked at An Yan with extremely envious eyes. Especially the girls, who were nearly driven mad with envy. The considerateness and gentleness, the domineering and wealth, the handsomeness and strength of Xue An¡ªall these made the young ladies envious. An Yan stood up with the support of Xue An and naturally hooked her arm into his, walking out together. Xue Xiang and Xue Nian followed closely behind; the two little girls were also dressed in finely made children¡¯s formal wear today. This family walking together drew countless envious and amazed gazes. Upon arriving at the banquet hall, the atmosphere reached its climax. Chen Xiuhe and many others all stood up to greet the newlyweds. Xue Anchong nodded slightly to the crowd. Just at that moment, a hearty laughter was heard from outside. ¡°Congratulations to General Xue!¡± General Xue? What kind of title was this? Many were puzzled. Suddenly, a great crowd of people filed in from the door. The arrival of this group stunned everyone present. That¡¯s because most of the newcomers were generals, and the number was so great it seemed as though all the generals of Zhongdu had come. Someone said in a trembling voice, ¡°A hundred generals come to congratulate!¡± Many people were shaken inside. In Huaguo, there was a legend that if a wedding was congratulated by a hundred generals, the couple would be blessed with eternal happiness. Of course, most often this was taken merely as a legend. After all, who could invite a hundred generals to their wedding? But today, Xue An had done just that. Leading them was none other than General Yang. He approached with a smile, took Xue An¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°General Xue, I was slightly delayed on the road and ended up late!¡± A faint smile appeared on Xue An¡¯s lips, and then he glanced at Chen Xiuhe standing proudly to the side, knowing for certain that this was his doing. Although Xue An was not particularly impressed by the idea of a hundred generals giving their congratulations, since they had come, and also provided such a splendid surprise, he had to consider giving some face. Therefore, he nodded with a smile, ¡°Thank you to all the generals for coming!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, General Xue, after all, we are colleagues. You are getting married, and naturally, we ought to come here and share a toast!¡± Yang laughed heartily. Many couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Colleagues? And addressing him repeatedly as General Xue! What in the world was going on? At this time, General Yang noticed the puzzled looks around him and smiled slightly, ¡°Perhaps everyone is not aware! General Xue was in fact personally promoted to the rank of Vermilion Bird Major General by Great General Lin, and after some deliberation, we felt General Xue¡¯s merits were numerous, so we decided to promote General Xue to the rank of Lieutenant General!¡± Boom! The entire hall was stunned. Lieutenant General? This was a truly high military rank in Huaguo! Only a rank below Great General and First Class General! At this point, countless envious gazes focused on Xue An. Xue An merely smiled slightly and nodded, ¡°Thank you to all the generals for your kindness!¡± General Yang chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re being too polite, General Xue! With your achievements, this is truly well-deserved!¡± Saying so, he personally took out the medal of a Lieutenant General and pinned it onto Xue An¡¯s chest. Then came the time for revelry. More guests had arrived today than anticipated. But Chen Xiuhe had come prepared. He had already booked the entire kitchen staff from Zhongdu¡¯s most renowned restaurants in advance, and now several chef teams were busily working behind the scenes. Dish after dish was served like flowing water. Xue An and the guests naturally had to partake in this meal before they could take An Yan home. According to the customs of Huaguo, the groom today must finish the drink, no matter who comes to toast. Many people came just to see the joke that was Xue An. Chen Xiuhe had also found several heavy drinkers ready to replace Xue An at any moment. But unexpectedly, Xue An downed his drinks as they came, without any reluctance. He quickly laid out a swath of people. And when others came along, unconvinced, Xue An simply stopped pouring wine and started drinking from the bottles directly. And that was 53-degree Maotai! But Xue An drank it as if it were water, polishing off ten bottles. That shocked everyone present. No one dared to challenge him after that, and Xue An showed no signs of drunkenness. He even managed to get these generals drunk in the process. Towards the end, General Yang¡¯s tongue even started to thicken, as he clung to Xue An and began to spout nonsense. ¡°General Xue, those materials you provided to our country last time¡­they¡¯ve been a huge help¡­hmm¡­¡± Xue An smiled and had Qin Yu distribute a red envelope to each general. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± someone asked in amazement. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°The cultivation technique I gave you last time will encounter a bottleneck in the later stages; use this Spirit Stone to help break through when the time comes!¡± This revelation sobered the generals up, and greed flashed in their eyes. ¡°General Xue, do you have any more?¡± General Yang asked eagerly. Xue An smiled, ¡°I have plenty of these, but there¡¯s no time to get them out now!¡± With that, Xue An stood up, picked up a glass of wine, and nodded to everyone in the room, ¡°You¡¯ve all come here to congratulate me; I toast to all of you!¡± With that, Xue An drank it all. The crowd applauded and cheered. Xue An smiled and then leaned down to say to An Yan, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to head home!¡± An Yan obediently stood up. Everyone automatically cleared a path. An Yan and Xue An left hand in hand. An Qing followed behind with tears in her eyes, happy that her sister had finally found her lifelong happiness and destiny. Her heart was naturally full of joy. The group heading to Beijiang was not small. Besides An Qing, who was certain to go, Chen Xiuhe, Chen Rushi, Wei Ruyan, Wei Rulan, and General Yang, among others, were all going to see them off. Once everyone had boarded the plane, they left Zhongdu amidst the envious gazes of onlookers, flying toward Beijiang. It wasn¡¯t until the plane was out of sight that someone exclaimed, ¡°This wedding was truly unparalleled in the world!¡± Afterward, the group dispersed. The girls who had been accompanying An Yan also returned to their homes. One of them, once home, started excitedly talking about the day¡¯s events. ¡°Did you get a red envelope this time?¡± It was only after her family asked her that she suddenly remembered the red envelope from Xue An and quickly took it out. ¡°I wonder what kind of red envelope Mr. Xue would give?¡± ¡°I bet it¡¯s gold! Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be so bulging!¡± But upon opening it, they found a glittering and translucent piece of jade. ¡°What is this?¡± the family wondered. As the phone rang, the Family Head answered, and his expression gradually turned serious. ¡°Yes! Yes! I will definitely hand it over to the nation!¡± After hanging up the phone, someone asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The Family Head gave a wry smile and then reluctantly glanced at the piece of jade. ¡°That was the military on the line; this piece of jade is a national treasure, and they want us to hand it over to the state!¡± ¡°How can that be? We got it¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not for nothing; they will give our family ample compensation!¡± No one spoke further. All of them just silently looked at the piece of jade. The girl suddenly felt a regret; if she had asked for one more red envelope at the time, how wonderful that would have been! Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter 351 – The World Isn’t Worth It, But You Are (Third Update) Chapter 351: Chapter 351 ¨C The World Isn¡¯t Worth It, But You Are (Third Update) Beijiang. The plane slowly came to a stop. As Xue An and An Yan walked down the spiral staircase, countless fireworks soared into the sky, bursting one after another, lighting up the night sky of Beijiang like a kaleidoscope with their dazzling brilliance. A red carpet led from the temporary airfield all the way to the Number One Tian Villa. Hand in hand, Xue An and An Yan made their way over it. Behind them was a vast expanse of fireworks going off, while in front of them were countless watching eyes. All of this made An Yan somewhat nervous. Noticing this, Xue An squeezed An Yan¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid!¡± An Yan hummed in response, her voice low. But immediately after, her stomach let out several rumbles. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and asked quietly, ¡°Hungry?¡± Even though she was beneath the bridal veil, Xue An could still see An Yan¡¯s face turning red at a visible rate. In fact, An Yan hadn¡¯t had a proper meal since yesterday, and the scent of food wafting over was naturally making her stomach growl. ¡°Just wait a bit longer, I¡¯ll cook for you!¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± An Yan nodded happily. ¡°Daddy, Nian Nian is hungry too!¡± Xue Nian, who was following behind, heard about cooking and couldn¡¯t help but say with her mouth watering. Xiang Xiang, who was on the side pulling at her mother¡¯s wedding dress, heard this and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just eat a piece of cake on the plane?¡± ¡°But cake is not as good, Daddy¡¯s cooking is the best!¡± Xue Nian said with a pitiful look. ¡°You still ate so much even if it wasn¡¯t good!¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about me, but you ate a lot too!¡± Xue Nian retorted. ¡°Still, I didn¡¯t eat as much as you did!¡± ¡°Big sister ate more!¡± The two little girls started chattering and bickering again. Xue An and An Yan exchanged a smile, then Xue An took An Yan¡¯s hand and slowly headed towards the wedding venue. He had promised to fulfill every commitment he made to this girl. This wedding was just the beginning. ¡°Bow to heaven and earth!¡± Following the customs of Beijiang, the most important ceremony for the couple is the final bow to heaven and earth. But when Song Yi shouted these words, many people couldn¡¯t help but hesitate. Like Tang Xuan¡¯er. She looked at the stage worriedly. Would Xue An, so formidable, be willing to kneel down? In the midst of everyone¡¯s concerned gazes, Xue An smiled slightly and knelt on the ground alongside An Yan. An Yan said with some excitement, ¡°Husband¡­¡± Xue An said softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, heaven and earth aren¡¯t worth it, but you are!¡± This remark immediately choked An Yan up. And this scene was witnessed by Fan Mengxue, who had rushed to the site. She stood at a distance, staring at the couple on the stage, her eyes becoming lost in a daze. ¡°Meng Xue!¡± Han Yao called out worriedly. She was afraid Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t withstand the impact. But unexpectedly, Fan Mengxue smiled. ¡°Did you notice? He looks so handsome in a suit!¡± Now Han Yao was even more worried, ¡°Meng Xue, if you¡¯re upset, just cry it out!¡± ¡°Cry? Why should I cry? He¡¯s gotten married, and he¡¯s so happy, I¡¯m too delighted to even consider crying! Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s drink to his happiness!¡± Fan Mengxue walked into the venue cheerfully. Her arrival also caused a stir among the crowd. ¡°My God, it¡¯s Fan Mengxue!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she go abroad? Why has she come back now?¡± Many people exclaimed. And Tang Xuan¡¯er was also startled, quickly walking over. ¡°Meng Xue!¡± Fan Mengxue smiled, ¡°I¡¯m a bit late, but luckily, I¡¯ve still made it in time!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯er nodded, but turned her head away with a bit of a heavy heart, seemingly unable to bear the sight of Fan Mengxue¡¯s smile. The ceremony concluded. The wedding banquet officially began. Top chefs from Beijiang and the provincial city had been ready for action, and as soon as the command to start the meal was given, they immediately began cooking the dishes. The exquisite cuisine flowed like water, the mere scent of which was enough to make one¡¯s mouth water. At that moment, An Yan called out with a hint of surprise, ¡°Meng Xue!¡± Fan Mengxue nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Happy wedding!¡± This scene between the two raised eyebrows among the crowd. Could it really be this harmonious? Then Fan Mengxue turned with a smile to Xue An and extended her hand generously, ¡°Congratulations, congratulations!¡± Xue An smiled and shook her hand lightly, ¡°I was about ready to fly to Europe to drag you back!¡± Fan Mengxue just smiled, without a word. Seeing everyone present, she said, ¡°Let me make something fresh for you!¡± With that, Xue An turned and headed to the kitchen. The busy staff in the kitchen all jumped when they saw him coming. ¡°Mr. Xue, what are you doing? It¡¯s all greasy in here; you should go back out front!¡± ¡°Never mind me, clear a stove for me!¡± The crowd didn¡¯t know what Xue An was planning, but they cleared a stove for him as instructed. Xue An took out the octopus monster meat he had obtained the other day and deftly began to skewer it. Then he placed it over the fire to grill. Soon, a strange fragrance wafted through the air. Many were taken aback by the scent. ¡°What is Mr. Xue cooking? It smells incredible?¡± someone asked. Xue An, however, paid no mind to the surprised looks and quickly finished grilling the skewers before taking them outside. An Yan was already starving by this point, and Xue An handed her one, ¡°Try this!¡± An Yan didn¡¯t hesitate to take a bite, and her eyes immediately lit up. ¡°This is so delicious!¡± Xue An then distributed the remaining skewers among the people. The two young girls couldn¡¯t wait to grab one and start eating. Everyone had nothing but praise. Tan Xiaoyu, after eating a skewer, paused slightly. The meat, once consumed, turned into a surge of pure energy, and it seemed to enhance her Cultivation Level a smidge. What in the world was this? Many others noticed something unusual and expressed their amazement. ¡°Mr. Xue, what kind of meat is this? It¡¯s so delicious!¡± someone inquired. Xue An smiled, ¡°This is the meat of an octopus monster I captured a few days ago, with two to three hundred years of Cultivation Level. Naturally, it¡¯s extraordinary!¡± Many people¡¯s eyes brightened at this revelation. So these were actually the meat of a demon beast that had lived for two to three hundred years? Therefore, the skewers that Xue An had grilled were quickly gone in a flash. Only Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t partake; she just kept happily sipping her drink. Many admirers came to toast her, and she didn¡¯t decline. The banquet continued until late into the night before finally concluding. As people at last began to leave. Fan Mengxue was still drinking her drinks with a drunken gaze. Tang Xuan¡¯Er approached with a sigh, ¡°Enough, no more drinking!¡± Fan Mengxue looked up at her with teary eyes but said with a laugh, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I just wanted to drink a bit more of her wedding wine!¡± Tang Xuan¡¯Er remained silent and then sat beside Fan Mengxue. ¡°In fact, I know that right now, you feel just like me, don¡¯t you?¡± Fan Mengxue said softly. This statement sent a shiver through Tang Xuan¡¯Er, who quickly turned her face away, not daring to let Fan Mengxue see the tears in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not wrong to like someone. The mistake is that we didn¡¯t meet him at the right time, did we, Xuan¡¯Er?¡± Fan Mengxue whispered. ¡°You¡¯re really drunk! Come on, let me help you go back to sleep,¡± Tang Xuan¡¯Er said after a moment of silence. Fan Mengxue shook her head, took up another cup, and said dreamily, ¡°With this last cup of drink, whom shall I appear to be in my drunkenness?¡± She then began to laugh, and suddenly, she was crying. Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Chapter 353: Insect Gu Immortal (Fifth Update) Chapter 352: Chapter 353: Insect Gu Immortal (Fifth Update) Mr. Xue¡¯s wedding caused a tremendous sensation. Even though many did not attend the scene, countless people still watched the entire process of the wedding through various channels. The grand scale of the wedding goes without saying, but what was even more coveted was the romance that seemed to overflow, which left many girls envious. For a while, the slogan ¡°When marrying, marry a man like Mr. Xue¡± became very popular online. However, while there was a buzz of excitement outside, Mr. Xue, An Yan, and their two little girls had hidden away in their old home. Of course, this place lacked the luxury and spaciousness of Number One Tian Villa, but the value it represented was irreplaceable by any other. Especially when the media was surrounding and blocking off areas, just to get more information about Mr. Xue, the peace here became even more precious. The day after the wedding, Zhao Xuehui and others returned to Zhongdu first. They were now the senior executives of Tianyuan, and a single day away would cause significant losses. Leaving with them were Chen Xiuhe, Wei Ruyan, and others. After they left, Mr. Xue¡¯s cozy home still seemed very lively. For example, Tang Xuan¡¯Er, Fan Mengxue, and Song Yi would come over every day to freeload meals. Laughter and cheerful voices always filled the small room. Until three days later, in an early morning when no one was around, Fan Mengxue quietly left Zhongdu and returned to Europe. Tang Xuan¡¯Er also went back to continue her work. Everything gradually returned to normal. Only Song Yi did not leave, and that day he found Mr. Xue. ¡°Sir, the Xiangjiang auction is in a few days. Shall we go now?¡± Mr. Xue nodded, ¡°Alright!¡± As matters in Beijiang had already been handled, it was time to take his wife and children for a cozy honeymoon trip. Since Song Yi mentioned the auction in Xiangjiang might be interesting, they would make Xiangjiang their first stop. And just as Mr. Xue and Song Yi were preparing to set off for Xiangjiang, In a luxurious hotel, ¡°Master Long, we¡¯ve just received news that the Immortal Lu Xia has also arrived in Xiangjiang yesterday!¡± ¡°Understood, you may leave,¡± said Long Guanyu indifferently. ¡°Yes!¡± After the messenger had left, a serious expression appeared on the face of Long Guanyu, which otherwise seemed as still as an ancient well or a Buddha statue. ¡°Lu Xia, what are you doing in Xiangjiang instead of playing with insects in Miao Immortal Valley? Could it be¡­ you¡¯re also interested in this auction?¡± Long Guanyu murmured to himself. At that moment, someone else knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± said Long Guanyu with his eyes closed. When the door opened, a man and a woman entered. The man was in his fifties, portly with a big face. If the media were present, they would likely recognize him as a famous tycoon from Xiangjiang, Li Hou. The woman was young and beautiful, a popular actress from Xiangjiang, Si Jin. Upon seeing Master Long sitting on the Taishi Chair with closed eyes, they both quickly bowed in respect. ¡°Master Long!¡± ¡°Tell me, what brings you here?¡± said Long Guanyu indifferently. Li Hou and Si Jin looked at each other before Si Jin spoke timidly, ¡°Master, I would like to ask for your help in dealing with someone!¡± ¡°Oh? Who?¡± ¡°A little wretch who always suppresses me!¡± As she said this, a look of resentment flashed across Si Jin¡¯s face. ¡°Ten million!¡± Long Guanyu said directly, too unconcerned to care about their grudges. A hesitant look crossed Si Jin¡¯s face; ten million was no small sum. Then she spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Master, if you kill the target, it won¡¯t arouse suspicions from others, will it?¡± ¡°Are you questioning my ability?¡± Long Guanyu frowned. A bloody and fierce aura enveloped her. Si Jin trembled and quickly said, ¡°Of course not! I was just asking! Master, could it be a bit cheaper?¡± ¡°Cheaper? Haha, you could pay five thousand yuan to hire a junkie to deal with your opponent if you want cheap!¡± Long Guanyu said and then closed her eyes. Si Jin clenched her teeth, ¡°Ten million it is! As long as you kill the target, everything else is negotiable!¡± ¡°Give me the birthdate!¡± After receiving the money, Long Guanyu said indifferently. Si Jin, who had come prepared, handed over a piece of paper with the enemy¡¯s birthdate written on it. After taking it, Long Guanyu glanced at it and a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Gong Xiaoqing, the actress who just won the Best Newcomer of the Year award?¡± Si Jin bowed her head deeply. ¡°Alright, you may leave now. In no more than three days, you will read about her sudden death in the newspapers!¡± Si Jin hesitated, wanting to say something, but Li Hou had already grabbed her and flashed a smile at Long Guanyu. ¡°In that case, Master Long, we¡¯ll take our leave!¡± Long Guanyu, with her eyes closed, murmured an acknowledgment. Only after Si Jin and Li Hou left the hotel did Si Jin say, unable to help herself, ¡°Boss, can this Master Long really do it? That¡¯s ten million after all. What if he can¡¯t deliver?¡± Li Hou chuckled, ¡°What do you know? Since Master Long arrived in Xiangjiang three months ago, he¡¯s acted more than a dozen times and has never broken his word! Moreover, his methods are unfathomable, employing the JIangtou arts from Nanyang¡ªextremely sinister! If you had kept asking questions just now and annoyed him, even you wouldn¡¯t have been spared!¡± Si Jin drew a sharp breath and dared not speak anymore. Meanwhile, in the hotel room, Long Guanyu, who was resting with her eyes closed, saw the paper in her hand suddenly ignite with a ghostly fire and then vanish. This was a filthy alley in Xiangjiang. The ground was littered with various nauseating garbage and sewage. Lu Xia walked slowly through the alley and came to a tightly closed house at the end, knocking gently on the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The door opened, and a man with a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks asked impatiently from behind the iron grille. Lu Xia handed over a piece of paper, speaking heavily accented local dialect, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Ah Fei!¡± The man sized up Lu Xia. Lu Xia¡¯s clothes were cut from rough homespun that had been washed to a faded grey, making her appear very rustic. The man couldn¡¯t help but look disdainful and said haughtily, ¡°Who are you to ask for our Brother Fei!¡± ¡°Just tell him someone from the valley has come!¡± Lu Xia, rubbing her rough hands from frequent labor, said with an honest smile. ¡°Alright, you wait!¡± The man walked off impatiently. Lu Xia looked around at the surroundings and said with some helplessness, ¡°Ah Fei has actually settled in such a place. Staying here too long will inevitably wear away his gu heart!¡± Ah Fei was only in his twenties, his face full of unruly defiance. At this moment, he was staring intently at a horse race on the television. The man with a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks came inside. ¡°Brother Fei, someone outside is looking for you!¡± Ah Fei frowned and said impatiently, ¡°Who is it? Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know them!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know them, tell them to get lost!¡± Ah Fei said irritably, tearing up a losing betting slip. ¡°Alright!¡± The man turned to leave. Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Chapter 352: Nanyang Curse (4th update) Chapter 353: Chapter 352: Nanyang Curse (4th update) Ah Fei suddenly called out to him again, ¡°Wait, what did that person look like?¡± ¡°He looked rustic and was even wearing clothes that seemed to be made of homespun. Oh, right, he also said he was from the valley!¡± The man had not finished speaking. When Ah Fei had already run out of sight. ¡°Brother Fei!¡± The man didn¡¯t know what was happening and shouted hurriedly. ¡°Come back, I¡¯ll take care of you!¡± Ah Fei yelled without looking back. By the time he reached the gate and saw Lu Xia, all the defiance on Ah Fei¡¯s face had vanished, replaced by utmost compliance and reverence. ¡°Gu Master!¡± Ah Fei opened the iron gate, speaking with immense respect. With a smile, Lu Xia said, ¡°I was thinking of calling you, but then I forgot your number. Luckily, I had this note and asked for directions on my way here!¡± Ah Fei eagerly took the parcel from Lu Xia¡¯s hand and diligently led the way. Everyone who saw this scene was stunned. No one had ever seen the notorious Brother Fei so submissive before. The thin-faced, monkey-cheeked man was trembling with fear. Could this unsophisticated man be someone of great importance? When they arrived at a clean, unoccupied room, Ah Fei knelt down reverently, ¡°Gu Master, do you have any business in Xiangjiang?¡± Lu Xia waved his hand, ¡°We¡¯re not in the valley, so no need for such formalities. I came to Xiangjiang this time for an item!¡± ¡°Is it the one from the auction?¡± asked Ah Fei. ¡°Eh, how do you know about it?¡± ¡°I have a friend who knows several esteemed individuals from Xiangjiang, and they have all mentioned the auction. Moreover, they said that Long Guanyu, with his rising fame, is also here for that item.¡± Lu Xia smiled, ¡°That item is of greater importance to the Nanyang sorcery lineage, so naturally, he would come!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ah Fei bowed and responded. After studying him for a moment, Lu Xia frowned slightly, ¡°How is your Gu path doing? Show me!¡± Ah Fei shivered and, with some trepidation, performed his innate Gu technique. A small jade-green snake appeared in the room, greatly lowering the room¡¯s temperature. Lu Xia frowned, ¡°Is that all?¡± Ah Fei nodded with a wry smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t make progress with your Gu path, your life¡¯s work will be utterly wasted!¡± Lu Xia said with a hint of frustration. Ah Fei kept his head bowed, saying nothing. ¡°Alright, there are still a few days until the auction, I will teach you Gu magic,¡± Lu Xia declared. Ah Fei¡¯s face showed distress, yet he dared not refuse and nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± When Xue An¡¯s family and Song Yi arrived in Xiangjiang. The welcome was extremely grand. However, many were there for Song Yi. As for Xue An, to avoid unnecessary trouble, he had used a technique to disguise the appearances of himself, An Yan, and their two daughters. So they appeared to be just an ordinary family of four. After all, one couldn¡¯t always be on guard against causing a sensation whenever going out. Nevertheless, this still attracted many curious glances. Many were puzzled why this family would be seen with Song Yi. Could they be relatives of Master Song? Many speculated. When they had just returned to the hotel. Invitations from over a dozen prestigious families were delivered, hosting a banquet to treat Song Yi to a welcoming feast. Xue An laughed, ¡°It seems you have quite the reputation in Xiangjiang!¡± Song Yi gave a bitter smile, ¡°These noble families are only so deferential because of your formidable prowess, sir. At most, I¡¯m just a spokesperson.¡± On the side, Xue Xiang asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s a spokesperson?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know what a spokesperson is, you¡¯re so dumb! A spokesperson is just a person with ¡®salt¡¯!¡± Xue Xiang said. ¡°Oh! So that¡¯s what it is!¡± Xue Nian nodded. Xue An and An Yan couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixture of amusement and exasperation upon hearing this. And Song Yi was trying his best not to burst out laughing. Evening. In front of the Blairton Hotel. ¡°Sister Xiaoqing, we¡¯re here!¡± the agent said. Gong Xiaoqing was lost in thought and only managed an ¡°Ah¡± after a while. ¡°Sister Xiaoqing, are you okay?¡± the agent asked with great concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Gong Xiaoqing said with a pale face, shaking her head. Then she got out of the car. She always felt extremely irritable today, as if something was always following her. Especially when she closed her eyes, many gruesome and terrifying ghosts would appear in her mind. This feeling was simply awful. ¡°Miss Gong, hello!¡± Just then, a handsome man approached her with a smile. Gong Xiaoqing mustered her spirits for a look at the man, then nodded, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Mr. Zhang!¡± Zhang Dong was a newly famous actor in Xiangjiang, known alongside Gong Xiaoqing as two rising stars. This time, the banquet hosted by over a dozen wealthy families also included an invitation to them. Zhang Dong¡¯s gaze swept over Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s slender waist before he smiled and said, ¡°Miss Gong, why do you look so pale?¡± ¡°Maybe I haven¡¯t rested well these past few days!¡± Gong Xiaoqing replied then walked inside. She was not very fond of Zhang Dong. As a fellow industry insider, she had heard plenty of Zhang Dong¡¯s scandalous news and knew him to be a playboy. Naturally, she wanted to keep her distance. However, Zhang Dong clearly had no intention of letting Gong Xiaoqing go so easily and followed her inside. ¡°I watched a play Miss Gong starred in when she first debuted a while ago, and it was really good! Especially that scene in the middle¡ªit was truly breathtaking,¡± Zhang Dong said with a smile. Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s expression turned awkward. Indeed, when she first debuted, she did act in some not-so-mainstream films. She had been trying hard to shake off this stain on her career, only to have it brought up by Zhang Dong today. ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr. Zhang?¡± Gong Xiaoqing asked, barely containing her anger. Zhang Dong shrugged, ¡°Nothing much, I was just praising Miss Gong¡¯s acting skills!¡± ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think Mr. Zhang and I are that familiar with each other! Please show some respect!¡± With that, Gong Xiaoqing walked ahead, fuming. Zhang Dong watched her retreating figure, a sinister smile creeping onto his face. ¡°Heh, just a bitch playing high and mighty.¡± Today¡¯s banquet was very grand. It was attended by people from noble families and also by celebrities like Zhang Dong and Gong Xiaoqing. People were gathered in groups, chatting away, with Zhang Dong moving effortlessly between the small circles, like a fish in water. But when Song Yi made his entrance, everyone greeted him with smiles. ¡°Mr. Song!¡± ¡°Master Song!¡± Song Yi nodded and smiled. And following by his side, Xue An was ignored by everyone. After all, the current Xue An was very inconspicuous and couldn¡¯t draw anyone¡¯s attention. Even the usually prideful Zhang Dong changed his expression to one of flattery at the sight of Song Yi and hurried over. ¡°Master Song, I am Zhang Dong, I have always admired your expertise in Feng Shui.¡± Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Chapter 354 Gong Xiaoqing (6th Update) Chapter 354: Chapter 354 Gong Xiaoqing (6th Update) Song Yi looked at the smiling Zhang Dong, did not reach out his hand, just nodded slightly, and then continued walking forward. Zhang Dong stood awkwardly in the distance, his facial expressions fluctuating uncertainly. These kinds of banquets were actually very boring. That¡¯s why An Yan and her two maids did not come. Xue An watched Song Yi, who was mingling lightheartedly with people from several Great Clans, shook his head to himself, then found a corner to sit down and began leisurely sipping red wine. However, his gaze was quickly drawn to Gong Xiaoqing, who sat not far away, her complexion pale. The burdens this woman carries are quite interesting! Xue An thought to himself as he sipped his wine. Gong Xiaoqing, seemingly feeling Xue An¡¯s gaze, looked up and saw a nondescript young man sitting not far away. When she looked at him, the young man raised his glass to her in a gesture. Gong Xiaoqing thought she would be annoyed, but when her eyes met the young man¡¯s, the nausea and fear that had been entwined around her heart suddenly vanished, and she felt a very comfortable sense of quiet. Huh. Gong Xiaoqing let out a soft exclamation inside and couldn¡¯t help but become interested in Xue An, so she too raised her glass in gesture. Xue An smiled faintly, took a sip of red wine, and then looked down, no longer regarding her. Gong Xiaoqing, meanwhile, scrutinized Xue An more closely. Xue An was still using a disguise to conceal his real appearance. So he looked just like an ordinary person. Even his clothes did not reveal much, except that the young man seemed to have a very noble aura. Gong Xiaoqing thought to herself and, as if compelled by some inexplicable force, stood up and walked towards Xue An. ¡°Hello!¡± Gong Xiaoqing stood in front of Xue An and said with a smile. Xue An looked up, nodded slightly, and said indifferently, ¡°Hello!¡± Gong Xiaoqing was somewhat surprised; she had expected to see a look of delight on Xue An¡¯s face, but there was none, not even a ripple in the calmness of his eyes. ¡°May I sit here?¡± Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s curiosity grew and she asked, pointing to a spot next to Xue An. Xue An smiled, ¡°Please do!¡± After Gong Xiaoqing sat down, she once again looked closely at Xue An. She was curious as to why such plain features could have such radiant and profound eyes. At the same time, there was a very pleasant fragrance coming from Xue An. Gong Xiaoqing felt her head, which had been somewhat groggy, suddenly clear up a lot after smelling this scent. ¡°This gentleman seems unfamiliar,¡± Gong Xiaoqing said. ¡°Oh, I just came over from the mainland!¡± Xue An replied casually. Ah, no wonder. ¡°So Master Song and you¡­?¡± ¡°He is a distant relative of my teacher!¡± Xue An made up a lie on the spot. ¡°Oh! My name is Gong Xiaoqing, nice to meet you!¡± Hearing that Xue An was neither from a Noble family nor the son of a rich man, Gong Xiaoqing felt a hint of disappointment but still stretched out her hand with a smile. Xue An did not move, just glanced at her delicate hand, and said with a faint smile, ¡°Miss Gong seems to be a celebrity?¡± Gong Xiaoqing retracted her hand somewhat awkwardly and nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Oh! No wonder!¡± Xue An murmured to himself. ¡°Hmm? Is there a problem?¡± Not understanding, Gong Xiaoqing asked. ¡°Nothing!¡± Xue An shook his head. While Gong Xiaoqing was diligently trying to make conversation with Xue An, Zhang Dong was watching from a distance with an unhappy expression. Who is this man, chatting so merrily with Gong Xiaoqing? A face I¡¯ve never seen before! Could he have come here with Master Song? Zhang Dong pondered, then walked over. ¡°Miss Gong, why are you sitting here idly?¡± Zhang Dong said with a beaming smile. Upon seeing him, Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s expression soured. ¡°Mr. Zhang, I don¡¯t need to report to you about where I sit!¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Zhang Dong replied, but his gaze was fixed on Xue An. Who is this man with such an ordinary appearance? ¡°This friend, I¡¯m very pleased to meet you, I am Zhang Dong!¡± Zhang Dong condescendingly stretched out his hand, looking down on Xue An. In his opinion, just announcing his name would surely make this man tremble. But he was disappointed. Xue An didn¡¯t even lift his head to look at him, continuing to sit comfortably on the sofa sipping his red wine. Zhang Dong¡¯s face grew ugly, and after retracting his hand with great annoyance, he said sternly, ¡°Does this gentleman have a problem with his hearing? Otherwise, why can¡¯t he even hear people talking?¡± As he spoke, a scornful smile appeared on Zhang Dong¡¯s face. He wanted to continue speaking, but Xue An looked up at him. That indifferent glance made Zhang Dong feel as if his whole body was frozen, unable even to blink. Then Xue An looked down and spoke one word in a calm tone. ¡°Scram!¡± Zhang Dong felt as if his chest had been struck by a heavy hammer; he staggered back several steps, his face turned pale, and he looked at Xue An with a hint of fear in his eyes. Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered with such trash and turned to address the stunned Gong Xiaoqing, ¡°Miss Gong, have you been feeling restless these last couple of days?¡± Gong Xiaoqing, recovering from her shock, nodded vigorously, ¡°Yes! It started around last night. I haven¡¯t been able to sleep, and even when I do, I keep having terrible nightmares. Sir, can you solve this for me?¡± Hope filled Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s face. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°The solution is simple, I can do it now, but the thing inside you is quite peculiar. I¡¯m curious, have you offended anyone?¡± Just as Gong Xiaoqing was about to speak, Zhang Dong couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°So we have a charlatan here! Xiaoqing, be careful not to be deceived. Losing money is one thing, but if you¡¯re fooled in other ways, heh¡­¡± Zhang Dong¡¯s words were incredibly malicious. Unable to contain her anger, Gong Xiaoqing shouted, ¡°He is Master Song¡¯s nephew, and what concern is my business to you? If you keep spouting nonsense, I¡¯ll call security!¡± Zhang Dong sneered, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯d like to see who gets thrown out!¡± Zhang Dong, still brooding over being verbally dismissed by Xue An, kept his gaze fixed on him. He believed Xue An to be nothing but a street con artist. Which master wasn¡¯t in their forties or fifties, with the air of an immortal? This man looked utterly ordinary; what abilities could he possibly possess? Meanwhile, their dispute had attracted the attention of many onlookers. Song Yi and several elders from the noble families were conversing. Upon hearing the commotion here, they all glanced over. When Song Yi saw it was Xue An, he appeared slightly taken aback, and a smile emerged on his face. It seemed someone was about to be unlucky. The elders from the noble families with him couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Master Song, this young man came with you, didn¡¯t he? Do you want to step in and say a few words?¡± Song Yi shook his head, ¡°No need! He can handle it on his own.¡± Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter 355: The Descent of the Evil Spirit (Seventh Update) Chapter 355: Chapter 355: The Descent of the Evil Spirit (Seventh Update) Gong Xiaoqing was about to say something else. Xue An waved his hand and then watched Zhang Dong with interest. ¡°You mean to say that I¡¯m a fraudster?¡± ¡°Heh heh! Exactly!¡± Zhang Dong¡¯s expression became more and more arrogant. He noticed that Song Yi and others actually stood watching from a distance and didn¡¯t come over. So it seemed this man was not such an important person after all. Xue An nodded, ¡°So, do you dare to make a bet with me?¡± ¡°A bet? What kind of bet?¡± Zhang Dong said coldly. ¡°This Miss Gong has something strange on her. If I can pull it out, then you¡¯ll kneel and kowtow to me a hundred times. How about it?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Zhang Dong hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth fiercely, ¡°Fine, but what if you can¡¯t pull it out?¡± ¡°There are no such ¡®ifs¡¯!¡± Xue An spoke calmly as his hand suddenly reached out and grasped in front of Gong Xiaoqing. A mass that exuded a strong fishy smell appeared in Xue An¡¯s hand, and the mass surged violently in every direction, exceedingly disgusting. The crowd of onlookers let out a gasp of surprise. However, Gong Xiaoqing felt completely refreshed. Zhang Dong stepped back several paces, his complexion drastically changing, ¡°This¡­ what is this? I get it, this is just a magic trick, right? Heh, you¡¯re trying to deceive people with some sleight of hand?¡± Xue An slightly raised an eyebrow, ¡°What? Planning on reneging on the bet?¡± Zhang Dong indeed intended to welsh on the deal. If he really knelt and kowtowed, once the major news outlets reported it tomorrow, his star career would be utterly ruined. Xue An just smiled, ¡°Very well, since you chose to do this, I¡¯ll give this thing to you!¡± As he spoke, Xue An casually made a tossing gesture. The mass of substance transformed into a stream of light and shot directly towards Zhang Dong. Zhang Dong yelled out in fear, trying to dodge, but to no avail. The thing, as if it had eyes, chased after him and burrowed into his body. ¡°What¡­ what did you do to me?¡± Zhang Dong was utterly terrified. Xue An leaned back on the sofa, slowly sipped a glass of red wine, and smiled, ¡°You¡¯ll soon find out what it is! Good luck!¡± Elsewhere, in another hotel, Long Guanyu suddenly opened his eyes, and the room, which was lit by only a small night light, flashed as if struck by lightning. ¡°What happened? It seems someone tampered with the evil spirit curse I set up. But strangely, I can still sense it!¡± Long Guanyu¡¯s face showed confusion. At the same time, someone pushed the door and entered. ¡°Master Long, people from Zhonghuai are here!¡± ¡°Let them in,¡± Long Guanyu said indifferently as he lay back on the couch. Soon. Wang Geng, dressed in casual clothes, walked in, accompanied by two men with panic-stricken expressions. ¡°Master Long!¡± Wang Geng greeted him with a smile. Long Guanyu turned to glance at him and then focused his attention on the two men. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Master, that day we and the eldest disciple were performing the ritual in Zhonghuai, but unexpectedly, all of a sudden¡­ the eldest disciple¡¯s head just exploded!¡± Mentioning this event, the two men trembled uncontrollably. Even Long Guanyu¡¯s face showed a flicker of shock, then he looked toward Wang Geng. ¡°General Wang, I hope your Wang Family can provide an explanation for this incident.¡± Wang Geng felt a surge of excitement deep inside, but he still tried to keep calm, ¡°Master Long, I can assure you, the person who killed your beloved disciple must be Xue An!¡± ¡°Really? Xue An?¡± Long Guanyu was slightly stunned, and his expression turned solemn. ¡°Yes, I was so upset with Xue An¡¯s arrogance that day. It just so happened to be Xue An¡¯s wedding day, so I asked your esteemed disciple to cast a spell and teach Xue An a small lesson.¡± ¡°But who could have thought, Xue An acts so domineeringly. It was just a storm we brought him, yet he went as far as killing in response!¡± Wang Geng said with an air of righteous indignation. Long Guanyu reclined on the sofa once again, saying indifferently, ¡°Understood, you all can leave.¡± ¡°Master Long, you don¡¯t plan to¡­¡± ¡°General Wang, I don¡¯t need you to teach me how to handle my affairs. Xue An killed my disciple, and I naturally seek revenge, but not now!¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Wang Geng revealed a hint of a smile, ¡°You came for that item at the auction as well!¡± Long Guanyu wasn¡¯t surprised that Wang Geng knew about it. ¡°What if we discuss a partnership?¡± Wang Geng said. ¡°What kind of partnership?¡± ¡°Our Wang Family can help you get that item, but on the condition that you kill Xue An! And become a guest elder of our Wang Family.¡± After finishing his proposal, Wang Geng looked at Long Guanyu, feeling somewhat nervous. This Long Guanyu was known as the leading master of Nanyang dark arts for the past thirty years. He was usually as elusive as the Divine Dragon, its head seen but its tail hidden; now that Wang Geng had the rare chance to meet him, he did not want to miss it. Especially since these dark arts could be used for assassinations so secretive that not even gods or ghosts would notice, targeting those at odds with the Wang Family. If he would join them, that would be perfect. Long Guanyu understood the scheme Wang Geng was playing. But after a moment¡¯s thought, he gave a slight nod, ¡°Fine, but wait until after the auction!¡± ¡°No problem, I won¡¯t leave Xiangjiang during this period. I await Master Long¡¯s good news!¡± With those words, Wang Geng left. A look of disdain appeared at the corner of Long Guanyu¡¯s mouth. Thinking of using me? Your Wang Family¡­isn¡¯t qualified enough! Zhang Dong sat in the car, cursing continuously to himself. Everything was an illusion, all conjured up by that guy¡¯s magic tricks. This world is one of science ¨C where would all this nonsense come from? Comforting himself this way for a while, Zhang Dong felt his whole body relax. ¡°Boss, where to?¡± his driver and assistant asked. Zhang Dong smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s head to the Golden Rose.¡± ¡°Heh heh, Boss, with your night-after-night revelries, can your body handle it?¡± the driver laughed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle; if there is, it just means the babes aren¡¯t spicy enough!¡± Zhang Dong said proudly. Upon arriving at the Golden Rose, securing a few vain girls with his celebrity status was an easy feat. Soon enough, he had set his sights on a target. After a bit of conversation and several drinks, they grew more familiar with each other. Just then, Zhang Dong felt a sudden urge to urinate and stood up, saying, ¡°Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom!¡± Once in the restroom and finished with his business, he contentedly gazed at his handsome reflection in the mirror and couldn¡¯t help but smile. But at that moment, he suddenly realized that the surroundings were as silent as the grave. What¡¯s going on? Was there a power outage outside? Zhang Dong pondered internally. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse in the corner of the mirror of a girl in red crouching on the ground. Even though he couldn¡¯t see her face, from behind, her slim figure was visible. Zhang Dong¡¯s interest was piqued. Could it be she drank too much and wandered into the wrong restroom? Yeah, that must be it! Thinking this, Zhang Dong couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of lust, and he approached her under the guise of concern, asking, ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡± Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Tragic Death in the Bar (8th Update) Chapter 356: Chapter 356: Tragic Death in the Bar (8th Update) There was no response. The girl in the red dress seemed to have fallen asleep. Zhang Dong reached out his hand and placed it on the girl¡¯s shoulder. Inhaling the faint scent of her hair, he smiled and said, ¡°Miss, have you drunk too much? Let me take you home!¡± As he said this, he forcefully pulled on the girl¡¯s shoulder, wanting to see what she really looked like. And then he saw an incredibly smooth face. Zhang Dong let out a deafening scream. Because although the skin was delicate enough to break at the slightest touch, it had no features. And just as Zhang Dong screamed, the face suddenly split open, just like the Slit-Mouthed Woman in the movies, and it devoured Zhang Dong¡¯s head whole. Crunch. Zhang Dong¡¯s head was crushed to pieces, and his body collapsed to the ground. The next day. The news that the famous up-and-coming actor Zhang Dong had died tragically in a bar restroom sent shockwaves through Xiangjiang. Upon hearing the news, Gong Xiaoqing shivered uncontrollably. If it hadn¡¯t been for that man, she would probably have been the one to die. After thinking for a long time, she suddenly got up. ¡°Miss Gong, where are you going?¡± ¡°To see Master Song Yi!¡± Gong Xiaoqing said in a grave voice. But when she arrived at the hotel where Song Yi was staying, Gong Xiaoqing suddenly hesitated. She didn¡¯t even know his name; would it be impolite to visit him so abruptly? While she hesitated at the doorstep, Xue An emerged from the hotel with An Yan and his two daughters. Xue An planned to take them shopping. Not shopping while in Xiangjiang would be like not having come at all. Just as they walked out, they saw Gong Xiaoqing. At that moment, Gong Xiaoqing also saw Xue An and an expression of extreme surprise appeared on her face. She quickly approached him, saying, ¡°Mr. Xue!¡± Xue An gave a faint smile, ¡°What a coincidence, huh?¡± Gong Xiaoqing noticed An Yan by his side. However, because Xue An used a spell to obscure her appearance, Gong Xiaoqing couldn¡¯t tell she was very beautiful; she just felt that the woman¡¯s features were quite ordinary, but her eyes were truly stunning! She then nodded. ¡°Yes, are these¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought my family to Xiangjiang, we ought to have a look around!¡± ¡°These are your family members?!¡± ¡°Yes! These two are my daughters!¡± Xue An said with a smile. Gong Xiaoqing nodded in surprise; she had not expected Xue An to have a family. Her reaction was quick, though, and she promptly smiled, saying, ¡°Mr. Xue, you have an enviable family. By the way, I still don¡¯t know your name.¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°My last name is Xue.¡± ¡°Mr. Xue, I truly thank you for yesterday. I just read the newspaper, that Zhang Dong¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead, right?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Gong Xiaoqing nodded solemnly, ¡°So Mr. Xue already knew!¡± ¡°No need to watch the news for that; he was definitely not going to live past three days. I just didn¡¯t expect him not to last even one,¡± Xue An remarked. He had immediately noticed that something filthy had attached itself to Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s fate. This thing was different from the demons and curses that usually cling to people. It acted directly upon one¡¯s fate. Fortunately, Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s fate was still relatively strong, so she could hold on for a few more days. Once transferred to Zhang Dong, however, due to his years of indulging in pleasures, his fate had weakened significantly. So he was killed by the curse that very night. It could be said that he brought it upon himself. Gong Xiaoqing nodded with a pale face, ¡°I really must thank Mr. Xue for stepping in to save me!¡± ¡°Heh, it was nothing, but as for you, the one who cursed you must be quite skilled. Someone is definitely out to get you!¡± After saying that, Xue An, with An Yan and the others in tow, prepared to leave. Gong Xiaoqing stood rooted to the spot, her expression changing. Then, clenching her teeth, she followed them. Now terrified, she felt safe only when by Xue An¡¯s side. ¡°Mr. Xue, why don¡¯t I be your guide? I am a native of Xiangjiang and know where to find the best stuff!¡± Gong Xiaoqing offered. Upon hearing this, Xue An glanced at An Yan. An Yan smiled and nodded, ¡°In that case, we¡¯d be troubled by Miss Gong¡¯s assistance!¡± Gong Xiaoqing was overjoyed, ¡°Not at all, not at all! It¡¯s my pleasure!¡± Jinyuan Building. The most high-end shopping destination in Xiangjiang. Gong Xiaoqing, wearing sunglasses, led the way, with Xue An¡¯s family strolling behind her. Clearly very familiar with the place, Gong Xiaoqing knew every store like the back of her hand. ¡°Mr. Xue, this is the most upscale and luxurious gold store in Xiangjiang. Its founder is a man by the name of Zhou Xiaofu. Many performers, including myself, buy their jewelry here!¡± Xue An nodded, then led An Yan inside to have a look. At that moment, the jewelry store wasn¡¯t very crowded. By a jade display, a man and woman stood, the girl clinging to the man¡¯s arm, acting coquettishly. ¡°I really want this Jade Pendant!¡± The man looked hesitant, ¡°That¡¯s over ten million! Is a jade pendant really worth so much money? How about I buy you a gold necklace instead?¡± ¡°No, I want that piece of jade!¡± the girl said with a voice so sickly sweet it could kill. Just as Gong Xiaoqing entered the jewelry store, the coquettish girl suddenly froze. Gong Xiaoqing also recognized the girl, her expression darkening, ¡°Si Jin!¡± Gong Xiaoqing and Si Jin were both signed to the same entertainment company. The two were from the same generation, and at first, their relationship wasn¡¯t bad, but as Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s fame grew, Si Jin began to look for trouble without reason. Their relationship became increasingly distant and hostile. Gong Xiaoqing never imagined that this girl, who appeared so pure and ice-like on screen, would act so flirty with a man old enough to be her father for the sake of a jade piece. At this moment, Si Jin felt a panicky sense of guilt flashing through her heart. She had only bribed Long Guanyu to curse Gong Xiaoqing the day before, not expecting to run into her on the street the very next day. But looking at her radiant appearance, she didn¡¯t seem like someone on the brink of death. Yet, upon seeing Xue An beside her, Si Jin¡¯s heart stirred and she sneered. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this the big star Gong? What¡¯s the matter? Free time on your hands, so you¡¯re out shopping with a man?¡± Her words were laden with the strong intent of framing. Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s face darkened, and she said coldly, ¡°Enough with the nonsense. This is Mr. Xue, my savior. I¡¯m here to guide his family. As for this gentleman, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you must be Mr. Li Hou, right?¡± Li Hou chuckled with self-satisfaction, wrapping his arm around Si Jin, ¡°That¡¯s right! Miss Gong, when I was chasing you, you kept rejecting me, so I had no choice but to settle for your junior sister!¡± Upon hearing this, Si Jin¡¯s face turned pale, and her eyes filled with hatred when she looked at Gong Xiaoqing. Why does this woman always get the best of everything? Even the man who couldn¡¯t get her turns to me instead? Gong Xiaoqing watched coldly, her mind filling with doubts. Could it be Si Jin who has cursed me? At that moment, as if on purpose, Li Hou called out to the sales associate in an overbearing tone, ¡°That Jade Pendant just now, I¡¯ll take it! Wrap it up!¡± Chapter 357 - Chapter 357: Chapter 357: A Farce (Ninth Update) Chapter 357: Chapter 357: A Farce (Ninth Update) Si Jin was overjoyed, casting a defiant look at Gong Xiaoqing and Xue An before sneering, ¡°Miss Gong, I¡¯m really sorry, but Mr. Li treats me way better than he does you. You might as well just keep this guy company and take your time shopping! Heh heh!¡± Si Jin lost herself in her smugness. When the server brought out the jade pendant, she couldn¡¯t let go of it, fondling it in her hands and then ostentatiously flashing it in front of Gong Xiaoqing and Xue An. ¡°See this? This is a top-notch piece of jade worth over ten million! I bet you can¡¯t afford something this expensive in your lifetimes!¡± Her words were extremely unpleasant to hear. Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s face turned particularly ugly; she was about to speak up. But Xue An just laughed and then shook his head gently, ¡°It¡¯s really pathetic. To be taken for a ride like a pig and still show it off with such pride!¡± His words brought a sudden silence to the jewelry store. Only then did Si Jin, like a shrew, sneer, ¡°What do you mean by that? Who are you calling a pig?¡± Xue An smiled faintly. ¡°Sorry, I mean no personal offense. I¡¯m just stating the facts. A jade pendant that¡¯s worth at most one million being sold for ten times that price, that¡¯s not what you¡¯d call a pig.¡± Xue An paused, ¡°Because pigs are smarter than you!¡± His statement was like a bolt from the blue. Si Jin was first taken aback, then cried out in shock, ¡°Are you saying this jade pendant is a fake?¡± Li Hou¡¯s expression also darkened. However, the biggest reaction came from the jewelry store itself. The tall, arrogant-looking female server behind the counter glanced at Xue An disdainfully and then said with haughtiness, ¡°This is Xiangjiang, not some place where you can spout nonsense whenever you want. If you keep this up, we can sue you for defamation!¡± ¡°Exactly! Nonsense! We should sue him for defamation,¡± Si Jin was more agitated than anyone else. Xue An, looking at Si Jin who was acting like a shrew, let a meaningful smile cross his lips and then addressed the female server, ¡°Whether it¡¯s real or fake, you should know better than I do. Would you like me to elaborate?¡± The female server¡¯s face turned extremely ugly and she picked up a phone on the desk and dialed a number. ¡°Manager, there¡¯s trouble!¡± After hanging up, she looked at Xue An with contempt. ¡°Our manager will be here shortly, and I hope you can clarify everything you just said by then. Otherwise, see you in court!¡± Xue An remained nonchalant, ¡°Great! I¡¯ve been wanting to meet your manager!¡± Saying so, Xue An took a seat on the store¡¯s couch, waiting leisurely. Li Hou wore a grim expression, while Si Jin¡¯s features were marred by uncertainty, as if she were pondering something. Soon, a jumble of footsteps could be heard from outside, and then in walked a middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairdo, followed by a few shirtless toughs. Upon entering the jewelry store, the middle-aged man shouted angrily. ¡°Who dares make trouble in my jewelry store?¡± The server quickly approached and pointed at Xue An, who was sitting on the couch. ¡°Manager, it¡¯s him! He keeps insisting our store¡¯s jade pendant is fake!¡± Upon hearing this, Manager Zhou¡¯s face turned vicious as he glared at Xue An. ¡°Kid, you say our jade pendant is fake. Got any proof?¡± Xue An looked up at him. The once arrogant Manager Zhou felt a chill in his heart. That man¡¯s gaze¡­ it was terrifying! ¡°Proof?¡± Xue An said calmly, countering with a question, ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you, is this store owned by Zhou Xiaofu?¡± ¡°Of course! I am none other than Zhou Hao, a scion of the Zhou family,¡± Zhou Hao said proudly. Xue An nodded, ¡°Good, then let me ask you, who is Kou Xiaoyan?¡± Zhou Hao and the jewelry store¡¯s staff were all stunned. ¡°You¡­ know Director Kou?¡± Zhou Hao¡¯s tone suddenly softened. Xue An leaned back on the sofa, fingers intertwined, his tone playful, ¡°Can¡¯t really say I know her.¡± Zhou Hao let out a sigh of relief. Despite also being a descendent of the Zhou Family, he was but a distant relative of little significance. On the other hand, Kou Xiaoyan was the hottest female designer and director in the Zhou Xiaofu Group. He had to respectfully address her as ¡®Director¡¯ whenever he saw her. ¡°However¡­ Just a few days ago, she did bring her team to my house to make a complete set of jewelry for my wife, so you could say we¡¯ve made acquaintance,¡± said Xue An indifferently. This statement made Zhou Hao and the others first freeze, then exchange glances, before all revealing scornful smiles. ¡°Kid, just now I thought you were some important figure! Now it¡¯s clear, you¡¯re just a braggart who doesn¡¯t need proof to shoot his mouth off!¡± Zhou Hao said with a sneer. ¡°Exactly! Unless it¡¯s a very distinguished guest, our Director Kou seldom makes house calls. As for you¡­ heh!¡± The arrogantly postured female service staff laughed disdainfully. Their words plainly suggested that Xue An was not qualified enough. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Fine, go ahead and call her over now!¡± ¡°Who do you think you are? Expecting Director Kou to come over just because you say so? Plus, you were the one who claimed our jade pendant is fake; don¡¯t think about changing the subject!¡± Zhou Hao said with a hostile expression. Si Jin and Li Hou were enjoying the scene from the sidelines. Hearing this conversation, Si Jin¡¯s face was full of mocking laughter. ¡°Manager Zhou is right, don¡¯t try to change the subject.¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow slightly and nodded, ¡°Alright then, since you won¡¯t make the call, I¡¯ll just have to do it myself!¡± With that, Xue An took out his phone. Zhou Hao scoffed, ¡°Great, I want to see whom you¡¯re going to call over today!¡± Xue An ignored his taunting and dialed Song Yi¡¯s number directly. ¡°Tell Kou Xiaoyan to come over¡­,¡± Xue An looked up and surveyed the store. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this store?¡± Before Zhou Hao could respond, Si Jin already spoke coldly, ¡°Jinyuan Building¡¯s Zhou Xiaofu seventh store!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Did you hear that? Have her come here, oh, and tell her, I¡¯m giving her fifteen minutes!¡± After finishing the call, Xue An hung up. ¡°Now, we just wait for fifteen minutes, and we¡¯ll see whether things are true or not!¡± Zhou Hao began to doubt because of Xue An¡¯s indifferent attitude; could he really contact Director Kou? Remembering the messed-up things he¡¯d done behind the headquarters¡¯ back, he felt apprehensive. However, wishful thinking still prevailed. This man seemed so ordinary; how could he possibly have Director Kou visit him at home, as he¡¯d claimed? Thinking this, Zhou Hao felt a bit relieved and dragged a chair over to sit boldly opposite Xue An, staring him down as if afraid he would run away. Gong Xiaoqing was somewhat at a loss. Being just a minor celebrity, she was out of her depths with anything related to the prestigious Zhou Family of Xiangjiang¡¯s number one jewelry dynasty. Only Si Jin continued to watch Gong Xiaoqing intently, her gaze as if she was about to devour her the next second. Five minutes passed. No one came. Ten minutes, still no one. Just as it was about to reach fifteen minutes. Zhou Hao stood up impatiently, ¡°Alright, the farce is over. Are you going to voluntarily compensate for the reputation damage and the loss of work at my store, or do you want me to beat you up first and then pay up?¡± Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Setting a Trap to Slaughter a Pig (10th Update) Chapter 358: Chapter 358: Setting a Trap to Slaughter a Pig (10th Update) Xue An gave a faint smile, ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve made up your mind about me.¡± Zhou Hao let out a cold laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, this is the fate you¡¯ve chosen for yourself! Without paying, none of your family will be allowed to leave!¡± Xue An¡¯s gaze grew colder, and he had also grown weary of this. He had given Kou Xiaoyan fifteen minutes, only because their professionalism and dedication at that time had made him feel somewhat fond of them, and he didn¡¯t have the heart to directly smash up the store. But now that she couldn¡¯t make it in time, they shouldn¡¯t blame him for being impolite. ¡°Very well, it looks like this isn¡¯t your first time doing something like this. Today, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± Saying this, Xue An¡¯s aura began to climb steadily. Just then, someone came running wildly, panting and shouting as they ran, ¡°Mr., please show mercy! Mr., please show mercy!¡± Accompanying the calls, a group of people rushed over. Zhou Hao had initially taken it lightly, but when he saw who was coming, he was stunned. Because the person who arrived was indeed Kou Xiaoyan. And not just her, there was also an elderly man following behind her. ¡°Zhou¡­ Master Zhou?¡± Zhou Hao said, dumbfounded, as a cold sweat broke out over his whole body. This Master Zhou was the very same master who had accompanied Kou Xiaoyan to Beijiang before, and at this moment, he too was sweating profusely, clearly having run all the way here. Upon hearing Zhou Hao¡¯s shout, Master Zhou flew into a rage, and without further ado, stepped forward and slapped him twice across the face. Zhou Hao was struck but dared not make a single move, only standing there with utmost respect and deference. After hitting him, Master Zhou turned to look at Xue An, and then, just like Kou Xiaoyan, froze in place. At this moment, Kou Xiaoyan was also filled with fear. She had been preparing to set up a new shop near the harbor when she suddenly received a call from Song Yi. After picking up, Song Yi told her in a grave tone that Xue An wanted her to get to the Jinyuan Building¡¯s store number seven within fifteen minutes. Kou Xiaoyan had been astounded, her mind going blank. Especially after Song Yi¡¯s last words, if you can¡¯t make it in fifteen minutes, then don¡¯t blame Mr. for being impolite. Once Kou Xiaoyan came back to her senses, she was so frightened that she trembled all over and immediately rushed towards the Jinyuan Building. At the same time, she called the headquarters, informing them and requesting that Master Zhou accompany her. Kou Xiaoyan was smart, she may hold a high position of authority within the Zhou Family, but no matter what, she was still an outsider. Only someone like Master Zhou, a man of high esteem within his own clan, could command respect. When Master Zhou heard Kou Xiaoyan¡¯s account of the situation, he immediately sensed the gravity of the matter and rushed to the Jinyuan Building by car. Upon reaching the entrance, the two met and then ran all the way to this point. But to their surprise, they found a stranger, not at all the Mr. Xue they remembered. Yet this man¡¯s demeanor, particularly his eyes and presence, were so reminiscent of Mr. Xue. Who was this? The two were in the midst of their confusion. Xue An¡¯s voice sounded directly in their minds. ¡°I am Xue An, but do not raise any alarm!¡± Kou Xiaoyan and Master Zhou looked at each other, seeing in each other¡¯s eyes a shared look of utter shock and disbelief. What was this? Was it like the secret transmission of voice in martial arts novels? But since they had confirmed it was Mr. Xue and he had advised them not to make a commotion, the two of them understood. ¡°Mr.! You summoned me here, may I ask what instructions you have?¡± Kou Xiaoyan asked with utmost respect and politeness. Her demeanour had already petrified everyone in the jewelry store. The arrogant-looking female attendant was now shaking all over with fear. Xue An smiled and pointed at the ashen-faced Zhou Hao, ¡°Your store colluded with outsiders to set a trap, selling a jade pendant worth no more than a million for the high price of ten million. Are you aware of this?¡± As soon as these words were uttered, Si Jin, who was already pale with shock, suddenly turned ashen. Li Hou was no fool either; he immediately understood what was happening and his eyes involuntarily widened. Kou Xiaoyan shuddered and shook her head, saying, ¡°Sir, I truly didn¡¯t know about this, but since you say so, it must be true!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I won¡¯t bully others with my power, see for yourselves!¡± With that, Xue An pointed at the jade pendant in Si Jin¡¯s hand. Master Zhou¡¯s face turned livid as he stepped forward, snatched the jade pendant, examined it for a moment and then, trembling with anger, threw it away. The hard jade pendant hit Zhou Hao on the forehead. Crack. The jade pendant shattered. Blood immediately started to trickle down Zhou Hao¡¯s forehead. Even so, Zhou Hao didn¡¯t dare to move an inch. ¡°A misfortune for the family, a misfortune for the family!¡± Master Zhou trembled all over with anger. ¡°To think that our Zhou Family, ever since the establishment of Zhou Xiaofu, has always strived diligently to earn customer respect with quality. But look at you, resorting to these sly and illegitimate martial arts world tactics! I ought to strangle you today!¡± Master Zhou was like an enraged lion, lunging forward to kill Zhou Hao. Zhou Hao, terrified, immediately knelt on the ground and began kowtowing incessantly, ¡°Uncle, spare my life, Uncle, spare my life; it was just a moment of madness, I won¡¯t dare to do it again!¡± ¡°Next time? Do you think you¡¯ll have a next time? If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the gentleman respected me a little for Kou Xiaoyan¡¯s sake, do you think you¡¯d still be alive to talk to me?¡± Master Zhou said, quivering like a sieve with rage. Hearing this, Zhou Hao finally realized that everything Xue An had said was true. Then what could the status of this man possibly be? To cause Master Zhou, who faced the powerful without flinching, to be so terrified? Zhou Hao was filled with regret, suddenly pointing at Si Jin. ¡°Sir, Director Kou, Uncle, this woman instigated all this! She insisted on doing it this way, and said that once it was done, she would take more than half of the share!¡± Zhou Hao¡¯s accusation turned Si Jin pale, and she stammered, ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I didn¡¯t!¡± Li Hou now understood that he was the pig being slaughtered. Overcome by anger, he slapped Si Jin to the ground and then yelled, ¡°You bitch, I paid for what you did to Gong Xiaoqing yesterday, and you still plot against me like this! You¡¯re truly a wolf that can¡¯t be fed enough!¡± Having said that, Li Hou suddenly realized what he had divulged and quickly covered his mouth. But it was too late; people had already heard. Gong Xiaoqing, with a face full of rage, stood up and pointed at Si Jin, ¡°You¡¯re so cruel! To actually have someone curse me! What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?¡± Si Jin collapsed on the ground, shaking all over and unable to speak. Just then, Xue An slowly stood up, yawned indifferently, and said to An Yan and his two daughters, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± With that, he started walking out. Gong Xiaoqing called out anxiously, ¡°Sir, this person¡­¡± ¡°She wronged you, so how you want to get revenge is up to you,¡± Xue An said indifferently. Master Zhou and Kou Xiaoyan exchanged glances, hurriedly walked forward, and began to apologize profusely. ¡°Sir, this matter was an oversight by our Zhou Family and we owe it to your call that we even found out about this. Who knows how much longer this young man could have deceived us!¡± Xue An smiled at this; dealing with this matter had been effortless for him, and Zhou Hao was not worth his while to deal with personally. Chapter 359 - Chapter 359: Chapter 359 Blood Clan Quintina (11th Update) Chapter 359: Chapter 359 Blood Clan Quintina (11th Update) After Xue An left with his family. Gong Xiaoqing made a phone call, and soon people came to take the limp Si Jin away. Li Hou glared at Zhou Hao with hatred, chuckled darkly a few times, then turned and left. When only the Zhou family members were left in the store, Master Zhou¡¯s voice was as cold as water as he commanded, ¡°Close the door!¡± The waitstaff hurriedly closed the door, trembling in fear. Then Master Zhou sat in his chair, staring at Zhou Hao who was kneeling on the ground. ¡°Colluding with outsiders to taint our family¡¯s reputation, do you know the punishment you deserve?¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Hao trembled, his face showing a look of despair, ¡°Second¡­ Second Elder!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me Grandfather; I have no descendant who almost brought the Zhou family to irreversible ruin,¡± Master Zhou said with a face full of rage. Irreversible ruin! This phrase terrified Zhou Hao; he said with an ashen face, ¡°Then¡­ who is that man?¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± Fear flickered across Master Zhou¡¯s face. ¡°He is the backer behind Song Yi, that peerless Divine Slaughter-like existence.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Hao collapsed on the ground, losing all strength in his eyes, and a scent of urine spread; he had been scared to the point of wetting himself. Seeing this, Master Zhou snorted coldly, ¡°Only now you¡¯re scared? Too late! Expel him from the Zhou family!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± And when Xue An returned to the hotel, even before nightfall, he heard the news that had spread. The little star in the entertainment circle, Si Jin, had suddenly announced her permanent retirement. The official explanation was due to health reasons. But only a few people, including Xue An, knew the reason why. This Gong Xiaoqing doesn¡¯t go for the kill; she leaves some leeway, Xue An thought to himself. Meanwhile, in that luxurious hotel room. Long Guanyu, looking at the news published in the newspaper, couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly. ¡°Master Long, it seems someone has broken the charm you placed,¡± Wang Geng said with a smile. Long Guanyu¡¯s face was as cold as water, ¡°That¡¯s not surprising; after all, I only placed the simplest of evil spirit charms. The fact that it was broken is no big deal. After the auction ends, I¡¯ll settle the score with this Gong Xiaoqing.¡± Wang Geng said with a smile, ¡°From Master Long¡¯s tone, it seems the item at the auction is very important, isn¡¯t it?¡± Long Guanyu kept silent and laid back down on the couch to rest with his eyes closed. Wang Geng, having hit a wall, looked somewhat displeased. Damn it, a street magician, acting all high and mighty ¨C if it weren¡¯t for dealing with that Xue An, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered to waste my time with you, he thought resentfully. And as the auction day was drawing nearer. Quintina, wearing large sunglasses, slowly walked out of the airport terminal. Although most of her face was hidden by the sunglasses, one could still tell from her slender and shapely legs and delicate collarbone that she was an extremely beautiful Western woman. ¡°Miss Beautiful, may I ask where you would like to go?¡± A taxi driver asked eagerly in English. ¡°Please take me to the nearest, liveliest bar! Thank you!¡± The driver was taken aback, then looked at Quintina¡¯s profile with a hint of regret. ¡°Miss, I advise you not to go to those bars alone. They¡¯re frequented by Fei Bai¡¯s gang and hooligans; if you go there¡­¡± Quintina simply handed him a twenty-pound note. The driver obediently shut his mouth, sighing inwardly. Such a beautiful girl going to such a place¡­ Then he stepped on the gas, and the car sped off. In some hidden corners of Xiangjiang, there are some extremely chaotic bars. These dive bars almost always have fights and brawls every day. ¡°` The people who mingled here were basically the local thugs from nearby blocks and the least self-respecting girls. When Quintina walked into one of the bars, many were stunned. Quintina approached the bar and said coldly, ¡°Anything will do! Remember to add ice, thanks!¡± Soon, a disgustingly bad-tasting drink was handed over. Quintina frowned but still slowly started drinking. At this moment, several small-time thugs exchanged glances and then, grinning viciously, walked over. ¡°Girl, isn¡¯t it lonely drinking alone? Want us brothers to keep you company?¡± Corner of Quintina¡¯s mouth lifted into a beautiful arch, then she nodded, ¡°Sure! I am feeling a bit lonely!¡± Upon hearing this, the group of thugs were thrilled and closed in even more brazenly. ¡°Girl, where are you from?¡± asked the boldest thug, advancing with a sleazy grin on his face, his hands starting to get restless. Quintina¡¯s frown went unnoticed as she responded with a coquettish smile, ¡°Where do you think I¡¯m from?¡± ¡°I think you must be from my heart!¡± The thug felt his line was absolutely brilliant, his face full of smugness. Quintina smiled faintly, lightly tapped the thug¡¯s forehead with her finger, then stood up. ¡°I¡¯m off to the restroom, coming with me?¡± The thug was overjoyed. Foreign girls sure are open-minded! He nodded eagerly, ¡°Sure! Sure! I was just thinking of using the bathroom myself!¡± Saying so, he followed Quintina towards the restroom. The remaining thugs all looked on with envy. Once at the restroom, Quintina frowned, as it was incredibly filthy. The floor was littered with cigarette butts and syringes. But as soon as the little thug snickered and shut the restroom door, Quintina¡¯s face relaxed. ¡°Babe, today I¡¯ll show you a good time!¡± said the thug as he lunged forward. But just then, Quintina¡¯s eyes gradually turned a demonic red, and two huge fangs protruded from her mouth. The thug was frightened out of his wits and was about to scream. Quintina rushed forward and bit his neck. The thug¡¯s face shifted from terror to a twisted enjoyment, but the light in his eyes dimmed as the blood was drained from him. A moment later, the thug¡¯s body slumped to the ground. Quintina frowned again. This blood tasted bitter and was tinged with a revolting fishy scent, truly nauseating. Forget it, she¡¯d endure it for now. Once she found the Duke¡¯s Blood Pearl, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her diet every day. Calculating in her mind, Quintina¡¯s red eyes faded back to normal, and her long fangs retracted as they were before. If not for the corpse drained of all blood on the ground, the whole event could have seemed like just a dream. Meanwhile, at Ah Fei¡¯s home, Lu Xia stared seriously at Ah Fei practicing Gu techniques, then shook his head helplessly. ¡°Your Gu heart has been completely destroyed. Unless you come back with me to the valley for some quiet recuperation, you won¡¯t recover to your previous level!¡± Ah Fei, however, let out a sigh of relief and sheepishly smiled, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just too stupid, but I think I¡¯m pretty happy with how things are now.¡± Training in Gu techniques and cultivating a Gu heart were too hard. Ah Fei, who was now accustomed to the hedonistic lifestyle of Xiangjiang, naturally didn¡¯t want to go back. ¡°` Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Dark Treasure (12th Update) Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Dark Treasure (12th Update) Lu Xia shook his head vigorously, ¡°As a descendant of the Miao sorcerers, how can you be without a Gu heart? You¡¯ll come back with me when the time comes!¡± Ah Fei¡¯s face fell instantly, then he quickly began to change the subject. ¡°Gu Master, have you prepared enough money for attending the auction in Xiangjiang?¡± ¡°Money? What money?¡± Lu Xia asked. Ah Fei¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Of course, the money to bid for items! Are you planning to snatch them by force instead?¡± Lu Xia smiled, ¡°Of course not. The item I¡¯m interested in cannot be measured in money. It¡¯s an exchange of items. As long as the other party is interested in what you have, they can trade with you.¡± ¡°Then, Gu Master, what are you prepared to offer?¡± Ah Fei asked curiously. Lu Xia chuckled, and suddenly, two insect eggs appeared in his hand. Although they seemed to be only the size of chicken eggs. The aura they contained, however, shook Ah Fei to the core. ¡°These¡­ These are the eggs of a Gu King?¡± Ah Fei exclaimed. Lu Xia nodded proudly, ¡°That¡¯s right, and they are Gu Kings that I have personally cultivated!¡± Ah Fei was filled with shock. He was very clear on the value of a Gu King. Every Gu King could be said to be an extremely precious treasure, let alone Gu Kings personally raised by Gu Master Lu Xia. Using such treasures for exchange, what kind of astonishing and shocking item must that be? Ah Fei wondered curiously. The day of the auction finally arrived. Unlike typical auctions. This time, the auction was not open to the public. All the participants were there by invitation. The security was extremely tight. Almost everyone arrived wearing masks and sunglasses, fully armed as if they were afraid of others seeing their true faces. This made Xue An, who came to spectate, stand out a bit. Many looked at Xue An with surprised eyes, for he was a face they had never seen before, naturally drawing the curiosity of many. Meanwhile, Wang Geng sat in a corner far away, occasionally glancing at An Yan, who was sitting next to Xue An. Even though An Yan now looked completely ordinary due to an Illusory Art. Wang Geng still felt there was something familiar about this woman. Strange, where have I seen her before? However, as soon as the auction officially began. All attention focused on the stage. A man with white hair but a powerful aura stepped onto the platform. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today¡¯s auction. The first item up for auction is this Thousand-Year Wild Ginseng.¡± As he spoke, he opened a delicate box revealing a ginseng over a meter long, with what appeared to be facial features faintly visible on the root. ¡°I don¡¯t need to elaborate on the preciousness of this item¡ª not to mention bringing the dead back to life, having it with you is like having an extra life. Therefore, the starting bid is ten million with a minimum increment of one hundred thousand. Let¡¯s begin!¡± With the command of the auctioneer. The bidding began below. ¡°Eleven million!¡± ¡°Twelve million!¡± ¡°Fifteen million!¡± In the end, the ginseng sold for an astronomical price of eighteen million. Xue An, however, remained unimpressed, as the item didn¡¯t look thousand-year-old at first glance; at most, it was four to five hundred years old. Although it was still rare, the thousand-year mark is a benchmark that real Spiritual Medicine kings must cross. Otherwise, it¡¯s just a slightly better medicinal herb. The items that followed were even more diverse. Such as Spirit Talismans personally written by a True Master of the Heaven Master Dao. What beads blessed by the Ninth Incarnation Living Buddha from the great Buddhists temples of the Western Regions. These items are almost like magic artifacts. To the secular people, these items already possess incomparable mystical effects. But for Xue An, they could only be considered trash. So he even began to yawn out of boredom. If the auction were just this, it would be too dull. As he was thinking, the voice of the auctioneer suddenly rose. ¡°The next item up for auction can be said to be second only to the finale treasure, please look!¡± With that, the auctioneer pulled away the red cloth that was covering the item. What appeared on the stage was actually several small pink bottles emitting the glow of gems. Xue An looked slightly surprised and then chuckled to himself. Isn¡¯t this Tianyuan? Who would have thought it would also be part of the auction? The auctioneer then excitedly said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, there¡¯s no need for me to introduce Tianyuan, and these particular bottles are even more special ¨C they are the newly released limited edition from China. What does ¡®limited edition¡¯ mean? According to Tianyuan Company, the potency is much stronger and purer than the regular ones, hence they are called limited edition!¡± ¡°So when these limited editions were released, they were immediately snapped up.¡± Xue An in the audience couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. It seemed like this must have been the idea of his three brothers. Limited edition indeed. It¡¯s all just to hoodwink the foreign tycoons. Of course, he wasn¡¯t going to expose it. Meanwhile, the auctioneer went on to elaborately introduce the effects of Tianyuan. ¡°The regular Tianyuan can rejuvenate a person, but these limited editions bring the effect to its pinnacle. Therefore, its importance is self-evident. The auction starts now, with a starting bid of 50 million! Each increment must be no less than 5 million!¡± Listening, Xue An was also quite astonished. Tianyuan had actually reached such a price? But no sooner had the auctioneer finished speaking than the room erupted like a boiling pot. ¡°60 million!¡± ¡°70 million!¡± ¡­ No one was bidding incrementally; jumps of ten million were the norm. Eventually, those few bottles of Tianyuan were sold for 130 million. Xue An thought to himself that he might have to tell Qiao Le and the others to set a higher price in the future; otherwise, the money was all being made by these scalpers. By this time, the auctioneer surveyed the room, waiting for the crowd to quiet down before saying with a smile, ¡°Now, we will auction our last item, the most precious of the day!¡± A murmur ran through the crowd. What could be more precious than Tianyuan? As he said this, the auctioneer opened a beautifully crafted small box. As the lid was lifted, a blood-red light bathed the entire hall. Inside was a Blood Pearl emitting strong fluctuations. The people in the room let out a chorus of gasps. Lu Xia and Ah Fei sat in the most inconspicuous corner, maintaining their silence. But when this moment arrived, Lu Xia stared intently at the Blood Pearl, his expression growing solemn. He wasn¡¯t the only one with that look; Long Guanyu¡¯s eyes were filled with greed. And Quintina took a deep breath, then murmured intoxicatingly to herself, ¡°Such a powerful aura of the Blood Emperor¡­ This must be at least from a Grand Duke.¡± Yes, what was being auctioned was a Blood Pearl that formed after the fall of a member of the European Blood Clan. Looking at this Dark Treasure, Xue An suddenly sat up straight, his eyes beginning to shine. Interesting! Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Jade Marrow Spirit Stone (Thirteenth Update) Chapter 361: Chapter 361: Jade Marrow Spirit Stone (Thirteenth Update) ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I don¡¯t need to elaborate on the importance of this item! In any case, if your practice is of the Dark Series, then this item will be of infinite benefit to you,¡± said the auctioneer. ¡°Moreover, the auction of this item is different from the others. The consigner does not want gold coins; he only desires world-rare treasures that catch his eye. Once he fancies something, it will be exchanged for that item.¡± This statement caused a stir among the audience. Excitement appeared on Lu Xia¡¯s face as he signaled to Ah Fei with a look. Ah Fei hastily stood up. ¡°My friend, what do you plan to exchange for it?¡± asked the auctioneer. Ah Fei walked up to the stage with pride and extended his hand. ¡°This is a Gu King egg from Miao Immortal Valley. Just drip your fresh blood onto it, and once the Gu King hatches, it will obey you for life, never leaving your side! It is an extremely powerful force!¡± At these words, there was a disturbance in the crowd. Many people began whispering amongst themselves. ¡°Insect Valley! It¡¯s the descendant of Insect Valley!¡± ¡°To put forth a Gu King egg, could it be that the famous Insect Immortal has come?¡± Amidst these discussions, Long Guanyu¡¯s expression darkened as he cast his gaze towards Lu Xia in the corner. Finding himself under Long Guanyu¡¯s scrutiny, Lu Xia turned to look. Their gazes met. Lu Xia smiled naively and nodded slightly. Long Guanyu snorted coldly and turned his head back to the stage. Although Lu Xia appeared to be smiling on the surface, he was also somewhat frightened inside. Indeed, it was him, Long Guanyu, reputed to be the strongest sorcerer in Nanyang in a hundred years! It seems that today¡¯s auction, has deep waters! Meanwhile, on the stage, the auctioneer took the Gu King egg backstage and returned after a while with a regretful face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, although the Gu King egg is powerful and mysterious, the gentleman who consigned it is not too fond of it!¡± ¡°What?¡± Ah Fei¡¯s eyes widened. To not fancy even a Gu King egg was to look down upon Miao Immortal Valley! Just as he was about to burst out, Lu Xia said in a deep voice, ¡°Ah Fei!¡± Ah Fei then glared at the auctioneer, turned, and stepped off the stage, fuming, ¡°Gu Master, these people simply don¡¯t recognize a treasure. It¡¯s infuriating!¡± Lu Xia chuckled and then watched the stage with flickering eyes. He also wanted to know, what on earth does the person who could consign such an item want? At this moment, Long Guanyu gracefully stood up and walked towards the stage. ¡°Who is this person?¡± ¡°Shh, keep it down. You can¡¯t afford to provoke this person; this is Long Guanyu, the leading figure in Nanyang¡¯s Sorcery!¡± Hisss! At the mention of a sorcerer, many felt a chill down their spines. After all, that stuff is too sinister. It¡¯s completely intangible murder. Long Guanyu proudly walked onto the stage and took out a white bone, placing it on the table. Seeing this item, many were indifferent. Only Lu Xia and a few others had their expressions change in unison. Then Long Guanyu spoke aloud, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is a true bone of the ancient exotic beast, Kylin. It greatly enhances many Spell Decrees, as well as prayers and curses!¡± At his introduction, many showed looks of amazement. A bone from the ancient exotic Kylin! Let alone everything else, the title alone already made it a world-rare treasure. The auctioneer nodded, ¡°Please wait a moment!¡± With that, he picked up the bone and headed backstage. Shortly after, he returned and shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the gentleman who consigned the item also does not favor this one!¡± Long Guanyu, who had been brimming with confidence, suddenly stiffened. Fury raged in his heart. Even such an item was not wanted; what on earth did the consigner desire? This was also the question on many people¡¯s minds. Quintina hesitated for a moment before she also stood up, holding a pitch-black dagger in her hand. ¡°This is a Blade of Darkness; anyone wounded by it, even with the slightest touch, will be afflicted with various curses and negative states. It is the supreme weapon for assassination.¡± That item made many of the weapon aficionados in attendance brighten up. It could actually inflict curses and negative states. This was considered a divine weapon. But this time, the auctioneer came out even quicker, shaking his head as he said, ¡°Beautiful lady, I am sorry, but he does not like it.¡± At this, the auction came to an impasse. Many people were unclear about what the mysterious consigner really wanted. Could it be that he was just showing off and had no real intention of selling the item? Many people were pondering this in their hearts. Xue An smiled and stood, walking towards the stage. His movement attracted everyone¡¯s attention. After sizing him up, many people showed an air of disdain. Compared to the overwhelming presence of Lu Xia and Long Guanyu among others. Xue An appeared quite ordinary. Could such a person have anything valuable to offer? Hence, many people were not very hopeful. When Xue An reached the stage, the auctioneer asked, ¡°Sir, may I know if you have any rare treasures to exchange?¡± Xue An nodded and casually threw a stone-like object on the table. The auctioneer frowned, looking at Xue An¡¯s attitude, wondering if the item could even be valuable. ¡°Please introduce what this is!¡± the auctioneer asked. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°This¡­ you¡¯d better take it backstage and ask them. If he really knows his stuff, he should know what it is!¡± The auctioneer, somewhat skeptical, took the object, which resembled a piece of jade, backstage. This time, he was gone for quite a long time. So long that the crowd below began to grow restless. Only then did the auctioneer return with a shocked expression, nodding at Xue An. ¡°The consignor said, ¡®Deal!¡¯¡± Boom! The entire place was astounded. Many were baffled. Some of the more meddlesome ones even started to make noise. ¡°No way, this has to be rigged. Can a mere stone be more precious than the eggs of the Gu King or the true bones of a Kylin? You all must be in cahoots!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Many people began to echo this sentiment. Faced with this scene, Xue An just stood with his hands behind his back, smiling faintly. ¡°A mere stone? Ha, if this is ¡®just a stone,¡¯ then there are no treasures in this world at all! Because¡­ that is a Jade Marrow Spirit Stone!¡± With that statement. Long Guanyu and others who had been ready to laugh at Xue An, suddenly changed color. Jade Marrow Spirit Stone! The name was unfamiliar to many. Only well-established sects and those with long legacies knew of it. It was an existence comparable to a natural and earthly treasure. It could once be mined in the secular world, used to greatly increase one¡¯s cultivation level. But as the spiritual energy gradually thinned, it became exceedingly rare! Unexpectedly, it had surfaced here today. Many people looked at Xue An with astonished eyes. Wondering how this unprepossessing man could possess such a wonder of heaven and earth. At this moment, the auctioneer spoke in a low voice, ¡°Sir, the consignor has asked me to inquire if you have more of these stones?¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Plenty, but I don¡¯t want anything else, just this kind of item!¡± Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Chapter 362: Ambush Halfway (14th Update) Chapter 362: Chapter 362: Ambush Halfway (14th Update) Having said that, Xue An took the Blood Pearl down from the stage and returned to his seat. An Yan leaned in out of curiosity and asked, ¡°Husband, what do you need this thing for?¡± Xue An smiled faintly and whispered in An Yan¡¯s ear, ¡°I just felt a trace of the Rule Power emanating from this thing.¡± An Yan still looked bewildered and asked dumbly, ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that this thing could also help you break your seal!¡± When Xue An said this, his gaze flickered slightly. Truth be told, he almost jumped for joy when he first laid eyes on this Blood Pearl. After all, Golden Immortals were not so easy to find in this world. And without a Golden Immortal, there¡¯s no Immortal Constitution. If that were the case, helping An Yan break her seal would have to be postponed. Or even have to wait until Xue An became a Golden Immortal or a True Immortal to completely break it. That would probably take some time. But this Blood Pearl actually contained a trace of Rule Power. Though faint, a rule is still a rule! It could help An Yan break her seal. More importantly, since this thing could be brought here for auction, it indicates that it¡¯s not that rare. Thinking of this, Xue An couldn¡¯t help but recall the member of the Blood Clan he had slain in the City of Sin. This race is truly quite interesting! Thinking this, Xue An led An Yan and the two little girls, who were already dozing off, out of the auction hall. Song Yi was waiting outside and hurriedly came up to meet them upon seeing Xue An emerge. ¡°My lord, how did it go?¡± Song Yi¡¯s status in Xiangjiang might be high, but he would not be allowed inside such an auction if he had no intention of bidding. So he simply waited outside. Xue An nodded, ¡°The gains are not bad!¡± Song Yi said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s great, my lord, let¡¯s go then!¡± On the way, when Song Yi learned what Xue An had bid for, his smile disappeared and his expression became serious. ¡°My lord, does this mean that many people are desperate to get this thing?¡± Xue An nodded. ¡°Then we should leave here quickly!¡± Song Yi said gravely, a hint of worry in his heart. Although he had great confidence in Xue An, facing so many people, it was still wisest to leave as soon as possible. Xue An just smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s go, do you think we can still leave now?¡± As he spoke, a sinister voice came through. ¡°You seem to have some self-awareness, how about this; hand over the Blood Pearl and the Jade Marrow Spirit Stone, and I will spare your life. What do you say?¡± With these words, Long Guanyu slowly stepped forward. Behind him followed the officer Wang Geng. Xue An looked at them, his mouth curving into a faint smile, ¡°I think you¡¯re the one most lacking in self-awareness here.¡± Long Guanyu¡¯s expression gradually darkened. Then Xue An turned his head towards another direction, ¡°Still planning to hide? Come out!¡± Following Xue An¡¯s call, Lu Xia appeared with a simple smile, ¡°You really have good eyesight! You actually found me!¡± Long Guanyu¡¯s expression turned sour. The appearance of Lu Xia undoubtedly complicated things. However, no matter who came, Long Guanyu was determined to get the Blood Pearl. So he said gravely, ¡°Lu Xia, I confronted this man first; the item should rightfully belong to me!¡± Lu Xia rubbed his hands and laughed earnestly, ¡°But I¡¯ve been following him since he stepped out the door, Master Long, this item is also very important to me. Please let me have it!¡± Long Guanyu snorted angrily upon hearing this, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you want to fight me for it?¡± ¡°With such a treasure in front of me, I can¡¯t bear to give up,¡± Lu Xia said nonchalantly. The two began the struggle for the possession of the Blood Pearl right in front of Xue An, as if Xue An were just air. Xue An was not angry, and just crossed his arms to quietly watch. After listening for a while, he let out a bored sigh. ¡°And there¡¯s one more, when do you plan to stop hiding?¡± As Xue An¡¯s words ended, the figure of Quintina gradually emerged from a dark corner nearby, giggling, ¡°Such sharp insight!¡± Her appearance caused the complexions of Lu Xia and Long Guanyu, who were just arguing, to turn rather unsightly. But Xue An just smiled at Quintina and said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you¡¯re a Blood Clan member, aren¡¯t you?¡± This woman was also from the Blood Clan? Lu Xia and Long Guanyu were both startled. Indeed. Quintina spoke flirtatiously, ¡°Such good eyes! Tsk tsk, I¡¯m almost reluctant to kill you now.¡± As she spoke, Quintina¡¯s eyes gradually turned blood red, and two large fangs peeked from her lips. Xue An looked on with interest until Quintina had finished transforming, then shook his head. ¡°Although you¡¯re from the Blood Clan, you¡¯re too weak!¡± From what Xue An could see, this woman was not as strong as the Blood Clan member he had killed in the City of Sin. Quintina¡¯s face darkened as she sneered, ¡°Weak or not is not for you to decide. Hand over the Blood Pearl, and I might spare your blood!¡± Xue An looked at the three of them and helplessly spread his hands, ¡°I only have one Blood Pearl, but there are three of you, so tell me, who should I give it to?¡± The three were taken aback, just about to speak. Xue An sighed and said, ¡°I dislike using my brains, and I don¡¯t want you to fight over this. So, to solve this problem, I¡¯ve decided¡­ to kill all of you!¡± The room fell silent for a moment. ¡°Kill us all? Haha, that¡¯s funny!¡± Long Guanyu laughed as if he had heard a great joke, his face full of mockery. Quintina also smiled dismissively. Even Lu Xia, who appeared simple and honest, couldn¡¯t help but rub his hands together and said with a laugh, ¡°My friend, if you hand over the Blood Pearl to me, then I can ensure your life is worry-free!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion, but it¡¯s more suitable for you!¡± With that said, the aura emanating from Xue An suddenly surged wildly. In a blink of an eye, it was like an unsheathed sword, too intimidating to look upon directly. Long Guanyu, Quintina, and Lu Xia were all startled. This aura¡­ Xue An gave them no chance to think or be astonished. Slowly raising his fist, he murmured softly, ¡°Move Heaven and Earth!¡± Boom! Long Guanyu, who was standing in the front, was sent flying with a direct punch. Following him was Lu Xia, who had just summoned his insects. He held on for a breath¡¯s time, but with a muffled groan, he too was sent flying. As for Quintina. She had already been smashed to pieces on one side of her body by the impact of the punch. With a single punch, Xue An defeated all three simultaneously. Meanwhile, Wang Geng suddenly exclaimed in surprise, ¡°You¡­ You are Xue An!¡± He had felt that Xue An¡¯s punch seemed very familiar from the start. Especially that phrase Move Heaven and Earth. It seemed as though he had heard it somewhere before. Later he suddenly remembered. His family had held more than one family meeting to discuss Xue An, and he had heard about Xue An¡¯s martial cultivation there. And this Move Heaven and Earth was Xue An¡¯s signature move. The name Xue An seemed magical, making Long Guanyu and the others¡¯ faces change. Long Guanyu¡¯s face flashed an abnormal flush of red, and then he roared, ¡°Xue An, it¡¯s you! You killed my disciples, today I will take vengeance for them, die!¡± ¡°World Annihilating Descent.¡± After being injured by the punch, Long Guanyu was full of rage and thus he roared as he used his most powerful sorcery. Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Curse Killing the Wang Family (15th Update) Chapter 363: Chapter 363 Curse Killing the Wang Family (15th Update) The World-Ending Curse descended. Long Guanyu had devoted many years to intensive cultivation, perfecting the supremely powerful Cursing Technique by slaughtering those weak deities. Once unleashed, it was mighty enough to make ghosts and gods wail, and the world change its hue. Yet, in the eye of the storm, Xue An remained utterly expressionless. Long Guanyu rushed forward with a cruel smile. Such was the tyranny of the World-Ending Curse Technique that a mere touch of it would scatter one¡¯s soul and spirit to death. But just as the World-Ending Curse was about to make contact with Xue An at that instant. Xue An shook his head and chuckled lightly, ¡°I thought it would be some extraordinary move, but it turns out to be just another spell targeting one¡¯s fate! I can do this as well. Today, I¡¯ll show you what a true Cursing Technique is!¡± Speaking, Xue An drew an extremely Profound Mystery Dharma Seal in the air with his finger and suddenly exclaimed. ¡°Curse Breaking Causality!¡± Boom! Following this exclamation, the Dharma Seal abruptly emitted a blinding white light that could not be stared at directly, and then it stamped right onto the forehead of a horrified Long Guanyu. The previously tempestuous World-Ending Curse stilled for a moment, and then burst apart with a roar. Long Guanyu stood petrified on the spot. After a long while, he exhaled a breath softly, ¡°Excellent curse technique!¡± With that said. Long Guanyu¡¯s entire body turned into a pool of flesh and blood, becoming mush. This scene left Lu Xia in shock. He was aware of Long Guanyu¡¯s capabilities but had never expected him to not even withstand a single move, dying at the hands of Xue An¡¯s curse technique. Indeed, he was worthy of being the peerless expert who had become all the rage recently. Lu Xia thought to himself, his aura becoming more ancient and inscrutable as Ah Fei, frightened, hastily hid far away. For he knew that the Gu Master was about to use his ultimate move. ¡°Xue An, I acknowledge your great strength, but today, I, the Gu Master of Miao Immortal Valley, shall measure myself against you!¡± As he spoke, countless tiny insects suddenly appeared beneath Lu Xia¡¯s feet. And on Lu Xia¡¯s forehead appeared the mark of a scarlet poisonous insect. The swarm of insects suddenly took flight, then, with an overwhelmingly powerful aura, hurtled towards Xue An. ¡°Gu manipulation?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Then, amidst Lu Xia¡¯s cries of alarm, he raised his hand and flicked his finger lightly. Snap! The Gu insects, as if crushed by some force, turned directly into dust. Lu Xia spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. The insects were all connected to his own bloodline. Xue An said flatly, ¡°You just mentioned sparing me earlier, well then, today I will spare you! Be gone!¡± Suppressing the tumultuous qi and blood in his chest, Lu Xia looked at Xue An with utter dread, then cupped his hands and quickly left with Ah Fei. ¡°Still thinking of leaving?¡± Xue An¡¯s voice was light. Wang Geng, who had been trying to slip away quietly, froze in place, then turned around and smiled ingratiatingly, ¡°Mr. Xue, there seems to be no enmity between our Wang Family and you. Perhaps¡­.¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not your turn yet, don¡¯t worry, one by one!¡± Saying that, Xue An waved his hand, and a ray of sword light streaked across the night sky. Thump! A woman¡¯s cry echoed midair as Quintina fell to the ground, then countless tendrils of sword light like vines bound her tightly, rendering her unable to move. ¡°Behave, or these sword lights will shred you to pieces,¡± Xue An stated lightly, then turned to approach Wang Geng. Wang Geng backed away with a look of terror on his face, ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do? I am a man of the Zhonghuai Wang Family, a junior general! I¡¯m telling you¡­.¡± Xue An drew forth a Dharma Seal and said mildly, ¡°Zhonghuai Wang Family? Heh, it was you who instigated the Liu Family to seize the Fire Phoenix, wasn¡¯t it? Detaining my airplane, summoning the storm to interfere with my wedding, that was also you, right?¡± Wang Geng¡¯s sweat poured like syrup, and he forced a smile, ¡°Misunderstanding, all a misunderstanding!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°To say it¡¯s a misunderstanding now is truly laughable!¡± With that, Xue An stretched out his hand, and the Dharma Seal was directly imprinted onto Wang Geng¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡­ what on earth are you going to do?¡± Wang Geng cried out in extreme terror. Xue An¡¯s eyes flickered with a cold light, and a touch of cold smile appeared on his lips, ¡°What do I want to do? Hehe, of course, it¡¯s¡­ to annihilate your Wang Family!¡± ¡°Bloodline¡­ Curse Killing!¡± Once in the provincial city, Xue An used this technique to annihilate a descendant of the Xie Family. At that time, Xue An¡¯s cultivation level was merely that of a Heavenly Being. But now, using it again, the power was naturally incomparable to before. A force of Curse Intent, utterly solemn, passed through Wang Geng¡¯s bloodline and directly curse-killed from the profound and indescribable connection of the bloodline. Zhonghuai. Wang Family. As the premier grand family of Zhonghuai. The days of the Wang Family could be described as carefree and exalted. Like right now. The actual leader of the Wang Family, the nearly ninety-year-old senior Master Wang had just drunk a cup of fragrant tea and was preparing to go to sleep. Suddenly, an inexplicable sense of palpitation struck him. Before Master Wang could react, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood with a ¡®puh¡¯ sound. The attending servants screamed in fright upon witnessing this scene. ¡°Quick, someone come!¡± Master Wang¡¯s son, Wang Han, who was also Wang Geng¡¯s father, and several legitimate descendants of the Wang Family, all rushed in. ¡°Father, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Wang Han, seeing Master Wang spitting blood, couldn¡¯t help but ask anxiously. Master Wang tried to speak, then saw something that made his eyes fill with rage. He saw Wang Han and several descendants all simultaneously open their mouths and spit out a large mouthful of fresh blood, their vigor also beginning to weaken rapidly. ¡°Quick, call the guest elders of our house!¡± Master Wang mustered the last bit of his strength to shout. He was clear that someone must have cast an extremely malicious curse on the Wang Family. Soon, a few magicians from the jianghu arrived in haste. But by this time, Master Wang could no longer hold on. He could only watch these people with his eyes. These individuals were also terrified by the scene, but as truly knowledgeable and capable people, all of them furrowed their brows. ¡°Could it be a curse?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it, I think it resembles a descent of a spell!¡± ¡°Regardless, let¡¯s first use the Daoist Purifying Heart Spell to eliminate the Curse Killing power!¡± The group quickly came to an agreement and together used the Purifying Heart Spell. This was a fundamental Daoist spell, and through their joint efforts, its power was astonishing. Master Wang felt the oppressive feeling in his chest much lighter, and his breathing became much smoother. Wang Han and the others also relaxed. But just when they thought they had gotten through the hard times, a Curse Killing force more than ten times more ferocious than before came surging towards them. Upon contact, it completely shattered the silver light of the Purifying Heart Spell, followed by a detached voice coming through. ¡°Mind your own business!¡± Then, under this Curse Killing force, Master Wang was the first to let out a hideous cry, and his body aged rapidly, turning into a skeleton. Following him were Wang Han and the many descendants of the Wang Family, who practically fell to the ground simultaneously, dead. This scene left the three magicians trembling all over. They then realized that the cultivator behind the Curse Killing possessed an unfathomably profound cultivation level. ¡°Thank you, senior, for your mercy; we will leave immediately!¡± The three shouted into the air, then turned around and ran away with their tails between their legs. Meanwhile, Xue An looked on at Wang Geng, who was tearing apart inside from sensing the complete annihilation of his family, and spoke lightly, ¡°Your biggest mistake was to repeatedly provoke me!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Geng let out a cry of extreme fear, and his entire being was turned into dust by the recoil of the bloodline Curse Killing. Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter 364: The Cardinal in Red (16th Update) Chapter 364: Chapter 364: The Cardinal in Red (16th Update) Seeing this scene, Quintina couldn¡¯t help but tremble all over. This man was simply too ruthless and terrifying. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he had killed one person, defeated another, and casually annihilated an entire family. Compared to this, the words and actions of the three people just now had all become a joke. Xue An slowly walked over, looking down at Quintina with a hint of an amused smile on his lips. ¡°Know why I didn¡¯t kill you?¡± Quintina¡¯s eyes flashed with defiant light as she said coldly, ¡°Noble Blood Clan members will absolutely not submit. Don¡¯t delude yourself into thinking that I would submit to you¡­¡± Quintina instinctively thought that Xue An was attracted to her beauty and wanted to take her as a female slave. But Xue An shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I have no interest in you at all, just some interest in your Blood Clan.¡± Interest in the Blood Clan? Quintina was startled, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart. ¡°I ask you, what level of Blood Clan is needed to condense such a Blood Pearl?¡± Xue An asked. Quintina bit her lip and didn¡¯t speak. Xue An smiled slightly. ¡°I hope you can always be this strong.¡± With that said, Xue An waved his hand. A black shadow flew directly into Quintina¡¯s forehead. ¡°What¡­what have you done to me?¡± Quintina screamed in fear. ¡°Just a little soul spell. If you don¡¯t behave, this spell will burn your soul to ashes!¡± Xue An said indifferently. Quintina was about to speak when a sudden excruciating pain from deep within her soul stripped her of all her dignity. ¡°Kill¡­ kill me!¡± Quintina begged. Unmoved, Xue An watched her. ¡°Had I been defeated by you just now, my fate would probably have been worse, right? Like being drained of blood by you and becoming a blood slave?¡± Quintina¡¯s face turned pale. Xue An was right. Had Xue An been defeated just now, Quintina would not have hesitated to drain his blood. After all, the blood of a Cultivator was of great benefit to the increase in cultivation level of the Blood Clan. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll ask you again, what level of Blood Clan is capable of condensing this thing?¡± ¡°A member of Blood Clan above the rank of Marquis can condense a Blood Pearl when they fall. But only Blood Pearls from someone above the rank of Grand Duke are of the most value!¡± Quintina said with difficulty. Xue An nodded. ¡°Good, this is a good start!¡± As he spoke, the agonizing pain in Quintina¡¯s soul vanished, and the overwhelming sense of relief made her wish she could just die in her sleep then and there. But Xue An pressed his hand directly onto her forehead. Quintina¡¯s throat emitted a low, gurgling sound from fear. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m looking for something!¡± Xue An said with a smile. As he spoke, his Divine Sense directly invaded Quintina¡¯s sea of consciousness, copying everything about the Blood Clan. Withdrawling his hand, Xue An raised his brow slightly. He had just obtained a wealth of information from Quintina¡¯s mind. The Blood Clan was a creature that appeared on Earth at some unknown time, but their history was probably longer than that of humans. They were a race that walked in darkness, with strict hierarchy and long lifespans. Rank symbolized their strength. They were generally divided into five ranks: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. Reaching the rank of Grand Duke, their strength was already comparable to that at the Peak of Loose Immortals. Above the rank of Duke, there were Princes, and the terrifying Second Generation and First Generation. But to Quintina, those were beings of legend. She had never seen anything like it. Xue An¡¯s lips curled into a smile. If the blood pearl of a Grand Duke could break the seal, then wouldn¡¯t the existence of beings of even higher levels be even more formidable? At this thought, Xue An felt a surge of excitement. He casually released the sword energy that bound Quintina. Quintina climbed up from the ground, her face filled with fear, her gaze flickering, uncertain of what Xue An intended to do. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Wife, there¡¯s nothing fun in Xiangjiang. I¡¯ll take you on a honeymoon trip to Europe!¡± An Yan had no objections and nodded in agreement. Quintina, however, was shaken to the core, a thought so unbelievable rising in her mind. What was he going to do in Europe? Could it be¡­? Ha! This man might be powerful, but Europe is the stronghold of the Blood Clan. If he goes there, he¡¯s likely to be torn to shreds by those Blood Clan powerhouses! At this notion, a sneaky pleasure arose in Quintina¡¯s heart. But no sooner had she entertained this thought than the soul-wrenching pain assaulted her once more. Quintina collapsed to the ground with a thud, unable to move from the agony. Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°I forgot to tell you, once cursed by my spell, you must do as I say, without any hint of resentment or thoughts of revenge, or else you¡¯ll suffer endless pain! Of course, if you behave well during our trip to Europe, I might lift the curse, understand?¡± Quintina looked at Xue An as if gazing at a devil, nodding her head in terror, ¡°Yes¡­ Master!¡± In a church in Xiangjiang. A purple-robed priest stood to the side with utmost respect, while seated on a chair was a cardinal dressed in red. The Red Cardinal, within the Church of Light, was the strongest after the Pope and the four great leaders. Such beings could easily change the monarchy of a small nation. And now, one such figure was making a low-key appearance in Xiangjiang. At this moment, the Red Cardinal was playing with a Jade Marrow Spirit Stone in his hand, his face slowly revealing a look of excitement. ¡°This object¡­ is the very gem that His Holiness the Pope has been desperately searching for, one that can connect with the Heavenly Realm! To think that today, it has resurfaced in Xiangjiang!¡± The Red Cardinal looked up at the purple-robed priest, ¡°You¡¯ve done very well!¡± The purple-robed priest was overwhelmed with emotion. He was the deacon of the Xiangjiang diocese, a middle-ranking official in the Church of Light, still a long way from a towering figure like the Red Cardinal. Therefore, having received praise from the Red Cardinal, he was so excited he was on the verge of tears. ¡°All glory to God!¡± the purple-robed deacon took a deep breath and said solemnly. The Red Cardinal¡¯s demeanor grew solemn as he nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed, all comes from the glory of God. I will report this matter to the Chief Judge once we return!¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Eminence!¡± ¡°What did that man look like?¡± the Red Cardinal inquired. ¡°Nothing out of the ordinary! And I¡¯ve already checked, whether it¡¯s the Huaxia cultivation world or foreign ability users, there¡¯s no trace of him,¡± said the purple-robed deacon. The Red Cardinal¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°This object is extremely important to the church, we must thoroughly investigate this man¡¯s background! If necessary, we can offer him some benefits!¡± ¡°Yes! But the man mentioned he wants only the Blood Pearl!¡± The Red Cardinal frowned, ¡°The Dark Council in Europe has been quite restless recently, and the Holy Knights Legion is suppressing an Evil God in Northern Europe! The church doesn¡¯t have the spare forces to subdue the Blood Clan, and besides, it would take at least a Blood Clan member of Marquis rank or higher to produce a Blood Pearl!¡± After contemplating for a moment, he said, ¡°Best to ascertain the origins of this Spirit Stone first! I believe this person must have discovered a hidden treasure!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± On the Red Cardinal¡¯s face emerged a holy smile, ¡°All is given by God, and if it indeed is a hidden treasure, that too is the glory of God, is it not?¡± Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Heading to Europe (17th Update) Please Subscribe Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Heading to Europe (17th Update) Please Subscribe Nanyang. A roar emerged from the desolate and rustic temple. ¡°Who dares murder my Divine Child!¡± As the voice faded, the two Divine Officers closest to the source let out screams of agony and dissipated into pools of blood. ¡°Please calm your anger, exalted deity, please calm your anger!¡± The multitude of Divine Officers prostrated themselves, trembling as they spoke. After a long while, the deity, who presided over the witchcraft of Nanyang, let out a cold snort. ¡°I have sensed the aura of heaven and earth slowly changing. It won¡¯t be long before I can return to this world. When that time comes, I shall turn the one who killed my Divine Child, Long Guanyu, into a malevolent spirit, to be damned for eternity without salvation!¡± Meanwhile, in a very secluded corner of Xiangjiang. Lu Xia lay pale-faced on the bed, with Ah Fei anxiously standing guard beside him. A long time passed before Lu Xia slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Gu master!¡± Ah Fei hurried over. ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡± Lu Xia asked softly. ¡°Not long, about three hours!¡± Lu Xia nodded. He had been gravely injured by a strike from Xue An which annihilated his life-bound Gu insect and had collapsed into unconsciousness on the way back. ¡°You have my thanks, Ah Fei!¡± ¡°What are you saying, Gu master? Serving you is the sacred duty of our Miao Immortal Clan!¡± Ah Fei declared. Suddenly. Lu Xia pressed a Gu egg onto Ah Fei¡¯s forehead. Crack. The egg split open. Ah Fei shivered as he felt a powerful presence enter his mind. ¡°Gu master!¡± Ah Fei cried out in alarm. Lu Xia smiled faintly, paler than ever, ¡°I never imagined that coming to Xiangjiang would be fruitless, and instead, I would end up seriously injured. This egg of the Gu king is useless to me now, so take one!¡± Ah Fei¡¯s eyes filled with tears, ¡°Gu master¡­.¡± He understood the value of the Gu king¡¯s egg. Lu Xia waved it off, ¡°Your Gu heart might be almost worn away by the mundane world, but you still have the heart of an innocent. This egg of the Gu king is your reward. You should come back to Miao Immortal Valley with me this time!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ah Fei bowed his head, no longer harboring any longing for the mortal world. After all, if the Gu master himself bestowed such a precious Gu king¡¯s egg upon him, he must not disappoint. Full of excitement, Gong Xiaoqing arrived at the hotel where Xue An was staying. The matter with Si Jin was resolved. Gong Xiaoqing¡¯s company, in collaboration with several other entertainment companies, had issued a joint ostracism directive. At the same time, Gong Xiaoqing had taken Si Jin to court. Si Jin was utterly ruined. After taking care of all this, Gong Xiaoqing hurried over, wanting to thank Xue An in person. If not for Mr. Xue, she probably would have died a long time ago. As she walked through the door, she saw Xue An, with his family in tow, carrying bags and heading out, followed by a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and beautiful Western woman. ¡°Mr. Xue, are you¡­?¡± Gong Xiaoqing was puzzled. Xue An smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve finished dealing with matters in Xiangjiang and am planning to take my family on a trip around Europe!¡± Gong Xiaoqing stood stunned, her previously vibrant mood suddenly dimmed. ¡°You¡¯re leaving already, Mr. Xue? Then I wish you a safe journey,¡± Gong Xiaoqing said with a forced smile. Xue An nodded and led his family out to the car, heading straight to the airport. Gong Xiaoqing lingered for a while, then left, disheartened. She had hoped to get to know Xue An better through this opportunity, well aware that Xue An was no ordinary individual. But now that he was leaving, she had to abandon the idea. The family boarded the plane for Y country. Since they left in a hurry, they hadn¡¯t been able to get first-class tickets. They had no choice but to sit in the business class. Compared to the personalized service and solitary seating of first class, the business class seating environment was a significant downgrade. However, the two little girls didn¡¯t feel anything was amiss; they sat by the window and began a battle of imaginations against the clouds outside. ¡°That one looks like an upside-down ice cream,¡± said Xue Nian. ¡°Look, this one looks like bread that¡¯s been stepped on!¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s thoughts were clearly quite original. ¡°Hey, this one¡¯s a kebab.¡± ¡°I think it looks like candied haw!¡± ¡°Is there such a big candied haw?¡± ¡°Is there such a big kebab?¡± The two little girls began their usual bickering and squabbling. This had become part of their daily routine. Xue An and An Yan had gotten used to it. However, the rest of the cabin revealed smiles at the scene. Having two quirky and playful children can make a journey much less lonely. But some people¡¯s thoughts were not on the children. Ding Guang couldn¡¯t help but swallow as he looked at Quintina sitting beside him. The blond-haired, blue-eyed girl fit Ding Guang¡¯s ideal type in both figure and appearance. He finally couldn¡¯t resist starting a conversation, ¡°Hello! Are you from Y country?¡± Quintina looked up at Ding Guang and nodded. ¡°How did you guess?¡± Ding Guang was overjoyed inside, knowing that asking this question meant the conversation was half success. He immediately said, ¡°Hehe, I could tell from your clothes and demeanor. My name is Ding Guang, may I get to know you?¡± Ding Guang extended his hand as he spoke. Quintina didn¡¯t respond but looked at Xue An in the front row and then shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, making friends requires the permission of my master.¡± Master? This title made Ding Guang freeze. The men and women sitting with Ding Guang also let out a burst of exclamations. ¡°People are still playing master-servant games these days?¡± Ding Guang glared at Xue An for a while, noticing Xue An¡¯s handsome looks and noble aura, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit uncomfortable. However, Ding Ran, Ding Guang¡¯s sister, frowned. As a staunch feminist, she detested the objectification of women above all. She found games that turned girls into maids utterly abhorrent. So she spoke to Xue An with a sense of justice, ¡°Mister, I¡¯d like to have a word with you!¡± Xue An turned his head to look at Ding Guang and Ding Ran, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ding Ran was slightly unnerved by Xue An¡¯s indifferent gaze, but she spoke seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t know what methods you have used to persuade this lady, but I hope you won¡¯t play these boring games anymore.¡± With that, a hint of scorn crossed Ding Ran¡¯s lips. ¡°Only a man without any abilities would demean a girl to satisfy his twisted desires.¡± In just a few sentences, Xue An was already labeled a pervert. Xue An was taken aback for a moment, then understood the situation. Looking at the group of young people, barely twenty years old and with their faces full of innocence, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Speculating without investigating the truth, do you think you have the quality to preach to others?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Ding Ran¡¯s eyes widened in indignation. In school, she was the president of the student council and a debating champion. To think someone dared question her quality! ¡°Moreover, you¡¯ve misunderstood something; I didn¡¯t ask her to call me that, it¡¯s purely voluntary on her part, understand?¡± said Xue An calmly. Ding Ran turned her gaze towards Quintina. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be afraid, we are true human rights activists, and if he¡¯s oppressing you, we can protect you!¡± Ding Ran said. ¡°That¡¯s right! Miss, just tell the truth, and I will definitely protect you!¡± Ding Guang was bursting with a sense of justice. Quintina looked at this group of young men and women as if they were fools. Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter 366: She Has Submitted to Me (18th Update) Chapter 366: Chapter 366: She Has Submitted to Me (18th Update) I¡¯m just calling him master, why do these people act as if their tails have been stepped on? In the Blood Clan, being defeated by a stronger being and acknowledging them as master is nothing out of the ordinary. Although Xue An is not from the Blood Clan, his strength is undeniably formidable. Therefore, Quintina naturally came to view him as her master. Thinking of this, Quintina shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Isn¡¯t it normal to seek the master¡¯s consent before making friends?¡± Quintina¡¯s words left Ding Ran and the others dumbfounded. After a moment, Ding Ran looked at Quintina with a gaze filled with deep sorrow and indignation. In her view, this Quintina had clearly been brainwashed. As a result, her gaze towards Xue An became increasingly hostile. This man, he¡¯s definitely a scumbag! Ding Ran concluded about Xue An in her heart. By the time the plane landed at the airport in Y country, Quintina naturally picked up all the luggage herself. She followed behind Xue An with large and small bags, heading out. This scene further convinced Ding Ran and the others that Quintina must have been brainwashed by Xue An. ¡°Who would have thought, in this advanced Western world, such situations still exist, and the one brainwashed is such a beautiful Caucasian woman!¡± Ding Guang exclaimed, his tone carrying a faint hint of envy. ¡°Gender discrimination is universal, my dream is to eradicate all inequality between men and women in my lifetime, creating a world of absolute equality!¡± Ding Ran said confidently. ¡°As for this woman, she is beyond saving, a complete disgrace to womankind!¡± Ding Ran¡¯s words garnered strong agreement from several girls in the group. ¡°Ran sister is right!¡± ¡°I agree with Ran sister¡¯s view!¡± But when it was time to get on the bus, Ding Ran led the girls onto the coach very naturally, leaving the task of moving luggage to the boys. This is a historic hotel in London. Many celebrities have stayed here before. But what people don¡¯t know is that the owner of the hotel, Benedict, had actually become a blood slave thirty years ago. When Quintina and Xue An appeared at the hotel, Benedict quickly came over. ¡°Miss Quintina, I am delighted to be at your service!¡± Benedict said fervently, his gaze fixed on Quintina. To these blood slaves, the Blood Clan is their only deity. Quintina nodded haughtily, ¡°Have people from my clan arrived?¡± ¡°Miss Quintina, the esteemed Marquis Cecil has not yet arrived, but your several siblings are already here!¡± Hearing this, Quintina frowned, then nodded, ¡°I see, you may go!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Benedict bowed and kissed Quintina¡¯s shoe, then withdrew with a bow. After he left, Quintina¡¯s expression turned sour. ¡°You seem to really dislike your siblings?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Quintina nodded, a look of disgust on her face, ¡°It¡¯s not just the siblings I despise, but the entire clan.¡± ¡°Is it because of the sacrifices that must be made every year?¡± Xue An said, still in an indifferent tone. Quintina bowed her head and remained silent. Xue An had seen this information in Quintina¡¯s memories. In the Blood Clan, the rule of many families is extremely bloody and cruel. They require every member to provide enough refined blood every six months to enhance the strength of the Family Head and the many upper echelons of the clan. Quintina¡¯s family was no exception. This invisibly amounted to preventing Quintina and others from being promoted. That was why Quintina was willing to take such a big risk to obtain the Duke¡¯s Blood Bead. Because only by increasing her strength to a certain level could she break free of these shackles. It was again the day of sacrifice, and the venue was inside this hotel. ¡°I remember you said that Marquis and above could condense Blood Pearls, right?¡± Xue An said indifferently. Quintina trembled, bowed her head, and said, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Good, I just so happen to want to witness this so-called sacrifice!¡± Xue An said lightly, turning to go back to his room. Quintina, watching Xue An¡¯s retreating figure, suddenly felt a sense of absurdity rising in her heart. Could he really be planning to take on Marquis Cecil all by himself? That¡¯s a Marquis we¡¯re talking about! And there would be many powerful members of the Blood Clan present. Is that even possible? Evening. A private banquet hall prepared specifically for the Blood Clan in the hotel. When Xue An appeared here following Quintina, there were already many people in the banquet hall. Arnold was sitting at the bar drinking with a few brothers when he saw Quintina, his eyes lit up, and then he walked over with a lecherous smile on his face. ¡°My dear cousin Quintina, I haven¡¯t seen you for half a year, and it seems your figure has improved quite a bit!¡± Arnold said, his gaze wandering over Quintina¡¯s body. Upon seeing him, Quintina¡¯s expression turned extremely unsightly, and she said coldly, ¡°Arnold, if you want to be beaten into serious injury by me like half a year ago, then you can continue!¡± Arnold¡¯s lips curled into a disdainful smile, ¡°Oh? I almost forgot about that. You really went harsh half a year ago! It cost me a whole month of my lifespan! But now if you want to do that again, you can¡¯t! Because¡­¡± Suddenly, behind Arnold, two wings emitting a dense black aura appeared. ¡°Earl! How did you break through to become an Earl?¡± Quintina exclaimed. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be possible?¡± Arnold licked his lips greedily and said, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to submit to me willingly, then I can forget the grudge of half a year ago!¡± Quintina¡¯s face turned pale. She was just a Viscount. Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron! These were the five hierarchical ranks of the Blood Clan. Being promoted one level was equivalent to a several-fold or even more than ten-fold increase in strength. Arnold, now an Earl, instantly gained an overwhelming advantage over her. And at that moment, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it seems you¡¯re too late, she has already submitted to me!¡± Xue An¡¯s words made Arnold pause, then he stared fixedly at Xue An for a moment, arrogance gradually appearing on his face from his high position. ¡°Human?¡± Arnold turned to look at Quintina, ¡°You actually submitted to a human?¡± His loud shout attracted the attention of those around them. All these people, who were considered Quintina¡¯s brothers and sisters in terms of family blood, burst into laughter. ¡°Tsk, tsk, who would have thought Quintina could become so lowly? Actually submitting to a lowly and fragile human, what a disgrace to the honor of our Blood Clan!¡± ¡°Hehe, once the Family Head learns of this, he might just tear this human to pieces!¡± Amidst these disdainful glances, Xue An remained calm and gave Quintina a slight smile. ¡°All your brothers and sisters, are they all like this?¡± Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Chapter 368 Odin Castle (20th update) Please subscribe Chapter 368: Chapter 368 Odin Castle (20th update) Please subscribe Benedict crawled on the ground, his body trembling as he kissed Quintina¡¯s shoe. ¡°Respected Lady Quintina, Benedict wishes to be your eternal servant!¡± He was already terrified. The powerful Marquis Cecil had been completely annihilated. And Quintina was about to become a strong member of the Blood Clan who would soon step into the rank of marquis. These upheavals scared Benedict out of his wits, fearing that Quintina might kill him. Quintina spoke indifferently, ¡°Rise, my servant. As long as you serve well, I will grant you eternal life!¡± Benedict¡¯s face lit up with ecstatic gratitude as he said, ¡°Yes! Honorable Lady Quintina!¡± Benedict withdrew. Quintina took a deep breath and then walked respectfully towards the room where Xue An was staying. ¡°Master!¡± Quintina¡¯s call roused Xue An from the game he was playing with An Yan. ¡°What is it?¡± Quintina bit her lip, ¡°It¡¯s about the Blood Clan!¡± ¡°Oh! Wait a moment; let me finish this round!¡± With that, Xue An neatly lost to An Yan and then got up and left the room. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Master, the Cecil Family has been destroyed. The Alldington Family¡¯s Duke will definitely investigate this matter. I think we¡¯d better lay low for a while?¡± ¡°The Alldington Duke?¡± Xue An felt the name seemed familiar. ¡°Yes! The oldest family among the Blood Clans of country Y, lofty and oppressive towards other families,¡± Quintina said through clenched teeth. Xue An became interested, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that we can condense another Duke¡¯s Blood Bead?¡± Quintina was startled, then understood Xue An¡¯s intention and couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of laughter and tears. She had come to share her worries with her master; after all, Alldington had been renowned for a thousand years, extremely powerful, and not someone the likes of Marquis Cecil could compare with. Yet Xue An¡¯s focus was entirely on the Blood Pearl. ¡°But, Master¡­¡± Quintina still wanted to persuade. Xue An waved his hand, excitedly saying, ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®but¡¯. If he is a Grand Duke, then let¡¯s hurry up and extinguish him!¡± Quintina was somewhat dumbfounded. At that moment, Benedict, anxious and uneasy, walked in and handed a piece of parchment to Quintina. ¡°Lady Quintina, we just received this letter!¡± Quintina looked down at it for a moment and then smiled bitterly. ¡°Master, we don¡¯t have to look for them anymore. The Alldington Family has already sent a letter, asking me to attend a meeting at the Odin Family Castle tomorrow!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± Xue An said with a smile. Then he squatted down and said to Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, would you like Daddy to take you to see a castle tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! Are there princesses in the castle?¡± Xue Xiang asked excitedly. ¡°There are no princesses, but there are lots of naughty bats. How about I chase them all away for you?¡± Xue An said with a smile. ¡°Yes!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian said in unison. Then Xue Xiang added, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ll help you fight the baddies with a frying pan!¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Xue Nian quickly chimed in. Xue An nodded, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll fight together, okay?¡± Quintina listened on the side, completely baffled. What did they mean by helping to fight with a frying pan? Could it be that these small children could really defeat the Blood Clan powerhouses? Stop kidding! How could that be possible? And just at that moment. Ding Guang and Ding Ran, brother and sister, along with their teammates, arrived at a small town. Outside the small town lay the scenic hills. Odin Castle, like a shining pearl, was nestled halfway up the mountain. ¡°What a magnificent building!¡± Ding Ran couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. ¡°Hey, do you think there might really be vampires inside the castle?¡± a girl in the team asked with a trembling voice. Upon hearing this, Ding Ran scoffed, ¡°We are all well-educated people; how can we still believe such groundless talk? There are no vampires in this world; it¡¯s just nonsensical blather from a bunch of people who¡¯ve never seen the world.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve heard this castle is really spooky!¡± the girl said somewhat fearfully. ¡°Yeah! Maybe we should pick another place. The professor said our thesis is just to survey the maintenance of European castles; we don¡¯t need to inspect it in person!¡± someone else also advised. The reason they came to Europe was to collaboratively complete a thesis on the conservation of European castles. However, Ding Ran shook his head and sneered, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in those messy rumors. Let¡¯s go climbing in a while; I want to see what a vampire looks like!¡± With that, Ding Ran headed toward the mountain. She took the lead, and the others had no choice but to follow behind. Soon, they arrived in front of the castle midway up the mountain. Only when they got closer did they fully appreciate the grandeur of the castle. At the same time, there was a faint smell of blood in the air, making them feel somewhat sick. ¡°Ran Ran, let¡¯s just go!¡± Ding Guang felt somewhat scared inside. ¡°Yeah!¡± Amidst everyone¡¯s persuasions, Ding Ran stubbornly said in a cold voice, ¡°A bunch of cowards; what is there to be afraid of? I want to see what this castle is really like.¡± Saying this, Ding Ran stepped forward to knock on the door. But the door creaked open. Then, a white-haired butler with an elegant demeanor walked out and smiled at Ding Ran and the others. ¡°My master has instructed me to welcome your arrival!¡± The master? Ding Ran and the others were all stunned. The butler chuckled softly, ¡°Come in and you will see,¡± he said, stepping aside. Ding Ran¡¯s heart settled, and she smiled back at the people behind her, ¡°I told you, how could there be such an absurd existence as the Blood Clan? Clearly, a gentleman lives here! Look, he¡¯s even inviting us in for a visit!¡± With that, Ding Ran confidently walked in. Though Ding Guang and the others felt something was off, seeing Ding Ran enter, they had no choice but to follow. Once inside, Ding Ran and the others were completely amazed. The interior of the castle was lavishly decorated. And there were all kinds of rare antiques to be seen everywhere. As they were enthusiastically examining their surroundings, Alldington gracefully descended the staircase with a smile, ¡°Welcome to the tour; I am the master of this castle!¡± Ding Ran and the others were overwhelmed by Alldington¡¯s elegance and imposing presence and promptly bowed in return. That dispelled any remaining doubts they had. After all, how could such a gentleman be a bad person? After they had finished their tour, Alldington considerately invited them for afternoon tea in the dining room. This relaxing noble atmosphere enchanted Ding Ran and the others. Alldington, however, smiled more and more contentedly. Every year, there would be tourists who came to visit, ignorant of their fate. Their fates typically ended with Alldington turning them into human specimens and permanently storing them in the basement. These people were no exception. Especially this girl, with such smooth skin, she would be very beautiful as a doll. Alldington thought to himself. Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter 370: Dark Council (22nd Update) Spitting Blood for Subscriptions! Chapter 370: Chapter 370: Dark Council (22nd Update) Spitting Blood for Subscriptions! Alldington¡¯s heart welled up with boundless fear. The events of that day were still vivid in his mind. More than a dozen high-ranking Marquises were killed by an extremely powerful curse. If it hadn¡¯t been for his decisive action, burning hundreds of years of his lifespan, it¡¯s likely he would have not escaped his doom. Who on earth was this man? Why was he so powerful? Alldington pondered, his facial expression changing unpredictably. Xue An then turned his head to look at Ding Ran and the others, who were full of panic, and said in a cold voice. ¡°Do you really think you can reason with the Blood Clan, what shit have you got for brains?¡± Ding Ran and the others were left red-faced by Xue An¡¯s words. Especially Ding Ran, who, with his arm skewered by a fork and overcome by acute pain, felt even more aggrieved. ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re also from Huaxia, I¡¯ll save you this time!¡± With that, Xue An gave Alldington a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill you last time, but you won¡¯t escape this time!¡± As he spoke, Xue An suddenly flew into the air, heading straight for Alldington. Alldington let out a roar, ¡°Human, I recognize your strength, but underestimate a Grand Duke of the Blood Clan, and you will pay the price!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xue An had already smashed him from the sky down to the ground with one punch. Then he said coldly, ¡°Noisy!¡± With that, another punch. This punch drove Alldington¡¯s head into the ground and smashed a large crater in the solid earth. Alldington, in a mix of shock and rage, shimmered with blood light, ready to fight Xue An tooth and nail. But Xue An seemed to be tamping, pounding down slowly punch after punch. Yet, Alldington was worthy of being a Duke of the Blood Clan, for even after being smashed into mush by Xue An¡¯s fist, he restored himself to his original state in a flash. In this way, Xue An bombed him methodically. Alldington¡¯s heart was full of fear; Xue An¡¯s methods were simply inconceivable, his several attempts to escape had all failed to break free. Seeing that this continued bombardment would pulverize him, even with his vigorous blood energy, in desperation, Alldington shouted, ¡°Blood Escaping Technique!¡± This was his last life-saving Secret Technique. But just as his body started to shine with blood light and was about to disappear, Xue An¡¯s hand reached into the void and grabbed hold of Alldington, who was trying to flee, and said faintly, ¡°Come back here!¡± Having said that, he directly pulled Alldington out of the void. Alldington was terrified. ¡°You¡­ who on earth are you?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve answered this question many times already, I¡¯m too lazy to tell you again this time!¡± With those words, Alldington was engulfed by a wisp of pure white flame. Alldington shouted in horror, ¡°Flames of Light, are you from the Church of Light?¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m just here to kill you members of the Blood Clan!¡± With the fall of his words, the flames soared into the sky, burning Alldington into nothingness. A Duke¡¯s Blood Bead appeared in Xue An¡¯s hand. Xue An examined it carefully and then nodded in satisfaction. Alldington, after all, was an old demon who had lived for over a thousand years. The innate Rule Power in his Blood Bead was stronger than others¡¯. At this moment, everyone present was staring at Xue An, dumbfounded. Especially Ding Ran, whose mouth was agape wide enough to fit three duck eggs. She suddenly remembered that she had even ridiculed this man on the plane. At this thought, she shivered. She was simply courting death! Quintina, too, had never imagined that the illustrious Grand Duke Alldington would die at the hands of Xue An. At this time, other members of the Blood Clan from the Alldington Family also rushed out. Seeing the Family Head killed, some loyal individuals, like the butler, roared and charged at him. Xue An was about to make his move. Xue Xiang took off the Qingmu Heart frying pan hanging around her neck and shouted, ¡°Magical girl transformation!¡± The frying pan suddenly enlarged. ¡°Ultraman, attack!¡± The frying pan, accompanied by the sound of the wind, charged out. Boom! A frying pan knocked down a member of the Blood Clan who was charging at the front, flattening him to the ground. Nian Nian was not to be outdone and directed her frying pan to fight joyously on one side. These members of the Blood Clan were generally at the strength of an Earl or a Viscount. Against the Qingmu Heart frying pan personally refined by Xue An, they had no power to fight back. Very soon, the two girls had knocked them all down. It was at this point that Quintina realized why Xue Xiang and Nian Nian were clamoring to help before they came! It turns out, these two girls really could defeat the strong members of the Blood Clan! ¡°Daddy, daddy, do you see how awesome we are?¡± Xue Xiang and Nian Nian said excitedly. Xue An nodded and smiled, ¡°Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian did great!¡± And at that moment, An Yan also took out the frying pan containing the essence of Lei Zun, and with a wave of her hand, Boom! Several bolts of thunder directly struck down, reducing the Blood Clan members who were struggling to stand up to ashes. The Power of Thunder naturally carries an extra harm bonus against these Dark Races. Moreover, in An Yan¡¯s frying pan resided a Nine Heavens Thunder Venerate. With such a combination, killing a few members of the Blood Clan was simply too easy. Soon, the members of the Alldington Family had been almost entirely exterminated. Xue An did not feel sorry for this, as he had just sensed through his Divine Sense many disgusting scenes. The Alldington Family, they deserved to die! This time the spoils were good, another Duke¡¯s Blood Bead was obtained. And as those like Ding Ran who were preparing to leave looked at each other, they turned to Xue An and bowed deeply. ¡°Thank you, Sir, for saving our lives!¡± Xue An waved his hand and turned to leave. He had no particular affection for these people. He had saved them simply because it was convenient to do so. Therefore, he was too lazy to accept their apologies or gratitude. Ding Ran and the others also knew they had no face to stay any longer, and left shamefully. Very soon. The news that Marquis Cecil had been killed and Grand Duke Alldington had fallen spread like a shockwave throughout the Dark world of Europe. Country S. Blood Mountain. The seat of the Blood Clan Council. And the Holy Land in the hearts of all Blood Clan members. In the dimly lit grand hall, an authoritative voice resonated. ¡°Someone has slaughtered our Duke, go and find out their origins immediately!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Several golden bats responded and flew into the night sky. And within the Dark Council, when the big shots heard the news, they were slightly taken aback. The Dark Witch, her face obscured by a cloud of black mist, chuckled. ¡°Those bats actually suffered this loss! It truly brightens one¡¯s mood!¡± And a tall man over two meters high said in a deep voice, ¡°It has been a long time since we¡¯ve had a Duke fall. This person is not to be underestimated, send someone to investigate.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How are things on the Church of Light¡¯s side?¡± the muscular man then asked the Dark Witch. ¡°It¡¯s the same old story. Today I destroy one of their churches, tomorrow they kill a few of my witches!¡± the Dark Witch quipped with a pout. ¡°I¡¯ve had a feeling that there¡¯s something different about the Church of Light recently, remember to keep an eye on their moves!¡± ¡°Alright, I got it! Are you Titan Giants always so cowardly?¡± the Dark Witch teased with a laugh. Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Pretending to be a Noble in Front of Me? (First Update) Chapter 371: Chapter 371: Pretending to be a Noble in Front of Me? (First Update) When Xue An led his family out of a tourist spot, the streets of London were already lit with early evening lights. Xue An let out a slight sigh, ¡°Another day has passed like this, Quintina. It¡¯s been three days since Alldington¡¯s death, and we still haven¡¯t seen any sign of the Blood Clan seeking revenge that you mentioned.¡± ¡°Master, Alldington was a Grand Duke within the Vampire Council and he was regarded as a prince among his peers. His death is certain to shake the council, but as to why no one has come yet, I¡¯m not too sure,¡± Quintina said respectfully. Now she regarded Xue An as a godlike figure, and she even casually spoke of the Vampire Council, which she had never dared to mention before. ¡°What is this Vampire Council? Is it very powerful?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. ¡°The Vampire Council is where all the powerful Blood Clan members discuss matters. Several of the chairpersons are princes, and it¡¯s even said that there are second-generation Blood Clan members among them.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue An¡¯s interest was piqued, ¡°Blood Clan princes¡­ second-generation! Hehe, if I can condense a Blood Pearl from them, it¡¯s sure to be more formidable than a Duke! Do you know where the Vampire Council is located?¡± Quintina shook her head with a wry smile, ¡°With my power and status, how could I possibly know? Even the deceased Marquis Cecil wouldn¡¯t have known! It¡¯s the holy land of the Blood Clan, only those with the strength of a Duke or above are privileged to know!¡± Xue An was somewhat disappointed. An Yan then said with a smile, ¡°Husband, we¡¯re not in a hurry anyway. Let¡¯s just treat this as a sightseeing trip and take our time to find it!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Alright!¡± At this moment, the two little girls chimed in simultaneously, ¡°Daddy, we¡¯re hungry!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go have dinner now!¡± Xue An said with a beaming smile. The mention of dinner brightened the little girls¡¯ eyes, but their enthusiasm quickly faded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat hamburgers or fried potatoes anymore!¡± Xue Nian pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat fried fish anymore either; it¡¯s too disgusting!¡± Xue Xiang also expressed her dissatisfaction. Quintina¡¯s face turned a bit awkward upon hearing these words. In the past days, under Quintina¡¯s guidance, the Xue family had already visited all the well-known spots in London. Everything else was fine, except that dining had become a problem. At first, when Quintina had enthusiastically led the family into a restaurant, promising that the meals there were absolutely delicious, An Yan and the two girls were somewhat expectant, but once they tasted the food, they were all shocked. Not because it was tasty. But rather because it was too horrible. The lack of variety and blandness of the food was simply maddening. There were always only two dishes on the table, one fried everything, one mashed potatoes. Such dreadful cooking naturally could not win the favor of An Yan and the girls, whose tastes had been spoiled by Xue An¡¯s cooking skills. ¡°Master, the restaurants I recommended before were all very common eateries. Their flavors and textures are very ordinary, but the restaurant I¡¯m recommending this time will definitely satisfy the young mistresses!¡± Quintina promised once again. The two girls were somewhat skeptical. ¡°We don¡¯t believe it, Quintina is just a big liar!¡± Quintina swore an oath, guaranteeing that the taste this time would definitely be up to par. Finally, the two girls reluctantly nodded. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s give it another try!¡± An Yan also nodded in agreement. The restaurant Quintina mentioned was located in London¡¯s most bustling district, with decent looking exteriors that made it appear high-end. Once inside, the carefully arranged lighting made the environment seem very comfortable and relaxing, and the suited and booted waiters guided them with a thick British accent. At least in terms of atmosphere, the dining environment scored full marks. Many of the diners also gave curious looks to Xue An and his entourage. The majority here were Caucasian, so Xue An and his family, with their black hair and eyes, stood out. But more than that, they were struck by the high attractiveness of Xue An and his family. Especially, Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, these two exquisitely cute little girls, garnered many affectionate glances from the crowd. The food was served quickly. Finally, it was no longer all deep-fried, but instead switched to meticulously cooked steaks. The two little ones were already ravenous, so as soon as the food arrived, they impatiently grabbed the steak with their hands and ate. This scene also drew light laughter from many people. However, amongst these friendly laughs, there were always some that were discordant. A Chinese woman with a contrived expression sneered, ¡°Eating with their hands? How crude and ill-mannered!¡± The man sitting with her also scoffed with disdain, ¡°Probably they¡¯ve never been to such a high-class restaurant before, do they even know how to eat Western food?¡± Saying this, he deliberately showed off by picking up the knife and fork and began cutting the steak with meticulous attention to etiquette. Every movement was perfectly standard¡ªto the point that not even the most fastidious London gentleman could find fault. After cutting a piece, the man took a bite and a look of rapture appeared on his face. ¡°What an unrivaled delicacy! And this elegant dining etiquette, only true nobility could master it!¡± The performance of the two attracted the attention of many in the restaurant. The genuine London gentlemen, on the other hand, looked completely baffled. After all, even the most traditionalist moral guardian wouldn¡¯t dine like those two anymore, as it would be simply asking for punishment. But this in no way hindered the couple¡¯s burgeoning sense of superiority. They even purposefully cast a provocative glance toward An Yan¡¯s direction. The two little girls naturally didn¡¯t care about that, still holding their steaks in their hands and eating. An Yan raised his eyebrows slightly. Putting on airs of nobility in front of me? Then he gestured with his hand. The waiter immediately hurried over. ¡°Sir, may I assist you with anything?¡± ¡°Bring us five pairs of chopsticks. We Chinese aren¡¯t used to these utensils,¡± An Yan said indifferently. At these words, the couple looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but burst into snickers. ¡°Asking for chopsticks in a Western restaurant of this caliber?¡± ¡°Yeah, hilarious indeed!¡± The waiter also looked troubled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, we don¡¯t have chopsticks prepared here¡­.¡± Quintina said coldly from the side, ¡°If you haven¡¯t prepared them, then go and buy them now. Don¡¯t delay my master¡¯s meal, understand?¡± The waiter was taken aback, ¡°Miss, I¡­.¡± Quintina shook her head, took out an exquisite brooch, and pinned it to her chest. Upon seeing the brooch, the waiter shuddered, then immediately said with respect, ¡°It turns out to be the esteemed Earl, I¡¯ll prepare it right away!¡± With that, he turned and hurried off. This scene left many people astonished, and several elderly London gentlemen, upon seeing the brooch Quintina revealed, couldn¡¯t help but rise from their seats and bow slightly. ¡°Earl!¡± Their expressions were filled with respect. Quintina nodded slightly, then turned to the dumbfounded couple, ¡°Is it any of your concern what my master wishes to eat with?¡± As she spoke, a hint of blood gleamed in Quintina¡¯s eyes. Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Humiliating Oneself (Second Update) Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Humiliating Oneself (Second Update) The man and woman trembled all over and their faces betrayed a look of panic. As die-hard admirers of Country Y¡¯s culture, they naturally realized what an Earl meant. Although it was no longer the Middle Ages, having the title of an Earl could still attest to one¡¯s social status. ¡°I¡­ we¡­¡± The man stood up, stuttering as he tried to explain something. The waiter, sweating profusely, walked over, followed by the lobby manager. ¡°Sir, here are the chopsticks you requested!¡± The waiter placed five pairs of brand-new chopsticks on the table. The lobby manager approached with a respectful smile, ¡°Lord Earl, welcome, you and your distinguished friends, to our restaurant. Is there anything that doesn¡¯t meet your satisfaction?¡± The lobby manager himself felt some trepidation. He could tell that the brooch Quintina wore was at least a few hundred years old, an antique, indicating she wasn¡¯t a newly created Earl but came from an ancient family. And the Chinese family¡¯s presence radiated an utmost nobility, revealing an even more extraordinary status. Such figures deserved the highest courtesy and respect when they dined in his establishment. Quintina nodded, ¡°The taste is not bad, and the environment is passable, but the atmosphere has been ruined by some people.¡± With that, Quintina pointed to the pale-faced couple, ¡°Casual mocking of others, such ungentlemanly behavior, makes me feel insulted to dine with them!¡± This stern rebuke made many in the restaurant nod in agreement. The lobby manager nodded more respectfully, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for the inconvenience caused, Lord Earl. I will take care of this matter!¡± With that, he walked over to the couple¡¯s table, ¡°Both of you are no longer welcome here, please leave now!¡± ¡°Why? This is discrimination!¡± the woman screamed loudly, no longer maintaining her previously affected ¡°noble¡± demeanor. Her shout drew many sideward glances from around the restaurant. Xue An also glanced over slightly. ¡°Discrimination? No!¡± The manager shook his head, respectfully bowing to the distant Xue An and his companions before turning back to the couple. ¡°It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re also from China! That esteemed gentleman is also Chinese, why don¡¯t we ask him to leave? The reason is that your groundless mockery makes you seem very narrow-minded and prejudiced. We don¡¯t welcome people who mock their own countrymen without cause. Please leave!¡± The woman was at a loss for words, wanting to say more. The man was already nodding and bowing, ¡°Alright, Mr. Manager, we¡¯re leaving now!¡± Their sycophant and fearful behavior made many shake their heads in secret. If a person cannot respect their own self first, then they shouldn¡¯t expect to be respected by others. The couple walked away, dejected. After they left, the manager came over, his face full of apologies, ¡°I am very sorry for the trouble you¡¯ve experienced. We will pay more attention to the quality of our dining guests in the future! If there are any other issues, feel free to come to me anytime! I wish you a pleasant meal!¡± After speaking, the manager discreetly withdrew. Once he had left, Quintina finally breathed a sigh of relief, the noble air she had upheld failing at once, and then she complained in a low voice. ¡°That was exhausting!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°You seem not to enjoy playing the noble?¡± Quintina scoffed, ¡°Only a fool would want to be a noble, and do you really think those nobles with a thousand years of heritage are above worldly concerns? In terms of ancient lineage, who can surpass the Blood Clan? Yet still, aren¡¯t they just as seemingly refined on the surface but greedy and violent in the shadows? They¡¯re all just putting on a show to deceive others.¡± Xue An agreed completely, taking a sip of wine, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right!¡± Meanwhile, An Yan was intently dealing with the steak on her plate using her chopsticks. After finishing, she looked somewhat dissatisfied. ¡°I hate eating Western food too. Such a large plate for such a tiny piece of steak, I¡¯ve never been full from a Western meal my whole life¡ªI always have to go home and cook some noodles!¡± Quintina nodded passionately in agreement, ¡°Madam is absolutely right; I share the same sentiment. That¡¯s why I suggested we go to those commoner restaurants a few days ago, where is a beef burger not tastier and more economical than steak?¡± Xue An couldn¡¯t help but laugh silently, then he raised his hand. The waiter rushed over in an instant. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°These steaks¡­¡± Xue An pointed at the plates on the table. ¡°Another round¡­ um, ten servings!¡± The waiter was somewhat taken aback, ¡°Sir, are you sure you want ten servings?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The waiter, with a confused face, went to the kitchen to place the order. Xue An gave An Yan an indulgent smile, ¡°Following me, could I ever not let you have your fill? Eat to your heart¡¯s content today, if need be¡­ I¡¯ll just take over the whole restaurant!¡± An Yan nodded happily, her face beaming with joy. Quintina looked down enviously, feeling that her master¡¯s affection for his wife was boundless. Soon. The steaks began to arrive like flowing water. The two young girls started to eat heartily with joy. Xue An, holding his wine glass, watched with a smile. Just then, two people walked in from outside. The appearance of these two people quieted the restaurant for a moment. It was two girls, one tall and one short. The taller one looked to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, and the smaller one only about five or six years old. Both girls were dressed in very ordinary clothes, and both had long hair with features that could only be described as exceptionally beautiful. Yet, their expressions seemed a bit fearful. Many men looked at the two girls with amazed gazes. Xue An slightly arched an eyebrow, taking an interested glance at the two girls, then muttered softly. ¡°There are such beings in London? How interesting.¡± At this point, the waiter also snapped out of his surprise and quickly stepped forward, ¡°Ladies, would you like to dine?¡± The older girl nodded, while the little girl said in a childlike tone, ¡°I want steak!¡± The waiter nodded with a smile. Although this restaurant is generally not open to strangers and requires an invitation from a regular customer to dine. But in London, beauty represents the highest privilege and can receive preferential treatment in all aspects. Moreover, the waiter believed that if he dared to refuse the request of two such girls, the London gentlemen would probably break his head with their canes. ¡°Please follow me!¡± The waiter quickly arranged a prime window seat for the two. The young girl shook her head, ¡°Please find us a corner, the less noticeable the better!¡± The waiter paused for a moment, then caught on, ¡°Very well!¡± Then the two girls took a seat in a corner not far from Xue An¡¯s table. Seeing the two girls, Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian stopped eating as well, both watching with great interest. Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter 373: A Step Away, As If Separated By A Chasm (3rd Update) Chapter 373: Chapter 373: A Step Away, As If Separated By A Chasm (3rd Update) Especially the younger girl, whose age was very close to that of Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian. Moreover, her appearance was extremely delicate and lovely. Children always like to play with peers. Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian were no exception. Therefore, the two little girls kept looking at the opposite side with their bright, twinkling eyes. When the little girl saw the fervent gazes of the two young misses, her eyes also lit up, and then she revealed a delighted smile. However, the young lady looked over at Xue An¡¯s side with a wary glance and then whispered something. The brightness in the little girl¡¯s eyes gradually faded, and she lowered her head. At that moment, the dishes the young lady had ordered were successively brought to the table. The two girls began to focus on eating their food. It must be said, although they ate quickly, their movements were still filled with grace. This was a kind of temperament that seeped out from their bones, something that couldn¡¯t be feigned. Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, feeling somewhat disappointed, said to Xue An, ¡°Daddy, why doesn¡¯t that miss want to play with us?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ some people venture out at great risk, naturally, they are filled with caution towards everyone!¡± Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian didn¡¯t understand the meaning of Xue An¡¯s words. They just felt a little sad. Because they really wanted to play with the little girl opposite them. Even Quintina couldn¡¯t help being curious about the origins of these two girls. ¡°Master, they¡­,¡± she began. Xue An shook his head. Quintina closed her mouth. If the master didn¡¯t speak, there must be a reason for it. It was better not to ask any further. The two girls ate very fast, and soon, they had cleared all the dishes on the table. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m full!¡± the little girl said softly. The young lady nodded and then called for the waiter. ¡°Please make another portion for us, we would like to take it away!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The waiter went to instruct the kitchen to prepare the food and meanwhile brought over a few desserts. Only then did the young lady¡¯s face relax a little, and she rarely showed a smile. The two girls just ate their desserts and waited quietly. Finally. A boy around seventeen or eighteen years old couldn¡¯t resist approaching them, and with some shyness said, ¡°Excuse me, Miss, my name is John, may I get to know¡­¡± Before the boy could finish his hesitant speech, the young lady¡¯s expression instantly became tense, and then she shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t!¡± The boy was so bluntly rejected that he became a bit stunned and after a while managed a forced smile, ¡°Alright, please believe me, I really mean no harm!¡± But the young lady, like a startled rabbit, placed a few banknotes on the table, then grabbed her sister¡¯s hand, stood up, and rapidly made her way outside. ¡°Miss, here is the food you wanted to take away¡­¡± At that moment, the waiter just happened to come out with the package, saw the girl¡¯s panicky retreat, and hurriedly called out. But the young lady ran even faster, practically fleeing the scene. The boy was somewhat dumbfounded; he had never expected that a simple attempt at conversation could provoke such a huge reaction from the young lady. Many other people also looked at each other, perplexed. Wasn¡¯t the young lady¡¯s reaction a bit too extreme for just an attempt at conversation? At this moment, Xue An spoke with a smile, ¡°Have you all eaten your fill?¡± An Yan nodded, ¡°I¡¯m so full!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re full, then I shall take you to see the excitement,¡± Xue An said calmly. ¡°What¡¯s all the commotion?¡± Xiang Xiang asked. Xue An smiled, ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s the commotion about those two young girls!¡± Outside the restaurant. The London sky began to drizzle again. On the streets, most of the pedestrians carried black umbrellas, walking at a comfortable pace. For them, it was an everyday occurrence for it to rain in London; it would be news if it didn¡¯t. Thus, they were used to it. But on this rainy night, a young girl was running through the streets, her hand tightly holding her little sister¡¯s, as if she were a startled bird, their pace astonishingly fast, leaving behind traces of afterimages. As they whisked past, the disturbed droplets of rain made many pedestrians wonder if their eyes were playing tricks on them. Finally, they arrived at a quiet street far from the bustle of the city center. They leaned against a wall, warily observing the surrounding night. After a long while, the older girl let out a long sigh of relief. ¡°Sister, have the bad people caught up to us?¡± the little girl asked, her voice tremulous and uneasy. The older girl shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think so, I haven¡¯t sensed their presence.¡± ¡°Sister, it¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have craved steak. If we had stayed at home, this would have never happened,¡± the little girl said with a downcast expression. The older girl tenderly stroked her sister¡¯s head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t talk about it. Let¡¯s hurry home. The elders will be so worried if they find out we¡¯ve gone missing!¡± The two girls were about to leave the alley. The falling raindrops suddenly ceased. The world around them also fell silent. It was as if a membrane had enveloped the entire alley, cutting off all contact with the outside world. The older girl¡¯s expression changed dramatically, she exclaimed in a panic, ¡°Hold on tight to me!¡± The little girl turned as pale as death, clutching her sister¡¯s hand firmly. The older girl dashed toward the entrance of the alley like an arrow released from a bowstring. She moved so fast, the night itself seemed to quiver slightly. But just then, a voice full of greed and delight sounded. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen such fine goods!¡± At that moment, the older girl had almost reached the mouth of the alley, merely a step away from bursting onto the street beyond. But that step proved as vast as a chasm, utterly impossible to cross. In desperation, she raised her hand, and streams of dark radiance began to converge in her palm, then she chopped at the barrier. No matter how she hacked at it, the thin screen of light only trembled slightly, showing no sign of breaking. Another voice came, ¡°It¡¯s no use. Even your elders can¡¯t break through this Barrier of Light, let alone the two of you!¡± The older girl¡¯s face gradually filled with despair. As the voice spoke, two clergymen dressed in purple robes slowly approached from deep within the alley. Behind them followed a man in a scarlet robe. Despair washed over the girl completely. Two purple-robed church officials, one scarlet-robed Executor! Such forces were beyond her power to contend with. At that moment, all three of them were looking at her with blatant greed. ¡°Such a rare and perfect piece! Bishop John will be most pleased!¡± ¡°This little one isn¡¯t bad either. Many gentlemen have a taste for such! To raise her slowly until she matures, that would be quite a delicacy.¡± They discussed openly and without restraint, while the girl became increasingly pale. Then she clenched her teeth, a determined look flashing in her eyes. ¡°Little sister, it might hurt a bit soon, but you need to be strong!¡± Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Dark Night Elf (4th Update) Chapter 374: Chapter 374: Dark Night Elf (4th Update) The little girl was trembling with fear, but after hearing her sister¡¯s words, she nodded, then sobbed, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s all my fault¡­.¡± The young girl shook her head. ¡°We aren¡¯t to blame, the fault lies with these people!¡± As she spoke, her expression gradually became holy, and her eyes blazed with a brilliant light. At the same time, beneath her long hair, two pointed ears slowly became visible. ¡°Stop her, that little wench is preparing to self-destruct in sacrifice!¡± the scarlet-robed Executor commanded coldly. Two purple-robed Deacons sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Executor. Now that they¡¯ve fallen into our hands, even if they wanted to die, they can¡¯t!¡± As they spoke, a holy radiance emerged on their faces. ¡°The Deity said, ¡®Let there be light!¡¯¡± After a low chant, a dazzling light, like shackles, firmly trapped the young girl. Wherever the light touched, black smoke rose from the girl¡¯s body, and she let out a piercing scream. The little girl started to cry out in pain, ¡°Sister!¡± The young girl lay on the ground in agony, her body uncontrollably trembling, then with her last bit of strength, she said, ¡°Sister, quick, self-destruct! Don¡¯t go on living!¡± Her voice was full of endless despair. Because she knew, once in the hands of this group, what awaited them was an endless stream of humiliation. She had been bound, and she was robbed of even the chance to die. But she couldn¡¯t let her sister fall into that never-ending darkness as well. Upon hearing this, the little girl¡¯s face showed a look of determination, and her eyes shone with a dark light; her little ears, surrounded by a faint golden halo, poked out from her hair. ¡°Royal Family? Ha-ha! We¡¯re really lucky this time, to have caught such fine goods!¡± The two purple-robed Deacons said, overjoyed. But before they could make a move, the scarlet-robed Executor waved a hand, and a beam of light in the shape of a cross flew out. The little girl was firmly trapped in a cross of light beams, shaped like the letter ¡°X¡±. ¡°No!¡± the young girl screamed in agony. ¡°Under the glory of the Deity, heretics like you can only atone with your bodies!¡± the Executor said indifferently. But just then, a calm voice was heard. ¡°Using the name of the Deity to persecute the innocent, is this¡­ the glory of the so-called followers of the Light?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± All three cried out in shock. ¡°Just a passerby!¡± With these words, Xue An walked through the Barrier of Light at the mouth of the alleyway, slowly approaching. ¡°We are people of the Church of Light, purging the heretics. Please leave now!¡± The two purple-robed Deacons exchanged glances, then said firmly. The way Xue An had disregarded the Barrier of Light alarmed them, so they did not want to start a conflict with Xue An. Meanwhile, the young girl on the ground watched Xue An with a shocked look. Wasn¡¯t he the man from Huaxia they met at the restaurant? How did he appear here? Xue An looked down at her with a smile, ¡°An Elf? Seems like a rare Dark Night Elf at that! I never expected to find your kind still existing in this world.¡± With just one sentence, he revealed the young girl¡¯s origin. The young girl was taken aback, astonishingly shocked and at a loss for words. But the little girl had already started crying and begging, ¡°Uncle, please save us, they are bad people. They captured us just to bully us, and we are not heretics!¡± Xue An smiled gently, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, stop crying.¡± With that, he raised his hand. The light that had firmly bound the two girls scattered like frightened subjects before their emperor. This act shocked all three members of the Church of Light. How is that possible? How could he so effortlessly break the sacred magic of the Church of Light? Then Xue An raised his head and looked at the three dumbstruck individuals, and said indifferently, ¡°What I hate the most is people like you who use grandiose excuses to engage in treacherous and vicious deeds.¡± ¡°So¡­ how do you plan to die?¡± At this moment, the three of them had also recovered from their shock, and then the scarlet-robed Executor gave a sinister smile. ¡°A Huaxia cultivator? I admit, you are indeed very powerful, but you need to understand, we are from the Church of Light, and I, am even an Executor of the heretics¡¯ tribunal!¡± he said with a face full of arrogance. ¡°The existence of these two Dark Night Elves is an insult to the light, so it is only natural for us to eliminate them. If you leave now, I can pretend nothing has happened, otherwise¡­¡± ¡°Otherwise what?¡± Xue An raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Otherwise, our Church of Light will not let go of anyone who dares to oppose us.¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°That sounds quite threatening! Too bad¡­¡± As Xue An spoke, he took a step forward, and countless sword lights suddenly arose. ¡°In my eyes, even the deities you worship are but ants, let alone you!¡± As his words resonated, the sword lights fell like the darkening of skies. The intense killing intent caused the three individuals to turn pale in alarm. ¡°Divine Light!¡± roared the scarlet-robed Executor. A screen of light enveloped him. But the two purple-robed ministers didn¡¯t have time to resist and were slaughtered into pools of blood by the sword lights. ¡°Who on earth are you? Why do you oppose us!¡± the scarlet-robed Executor yelled fearfully. ¡°Me? I am just someone who can¡¯t stand by and not help when he sees injustice!¡± With that, Xue An waved his hand, and the sword lights completely overwhelmed the screen of light. Within the span of a breath, the screen of light shattered completely, and the Executor let out a piercing scream before falling silent. After the sword lights dissipated, there were only three puddles of blood on the ground as proof of their existence. Then Xue An turned around, looked at the two dumbstruck Dark Night Elves, and smiled slightly. ¡°There, you are safe now!¡± The young girl and the little girl shuddered, then bowed their heads with immense respect. ¡°Dark Night Elf, Youna!¡± the young girl said. ¡°Dark Night Elf Royal Family, Isabella!¡± the little girl said. ¡°We thank you for your rescue, Sir!¡± the two said in unison. Xue An gave a faint smile, ¡°It was nothing, no trouble at all. I am quite curious, though, how can there still be members of your race in this world?¡± What Xue An meant was, in this world where spiritual energy was so scarce, as beings born from nature¡¯s spiritual energy, elves should not have existed any longer by all accounts. Youna¡¯s face showed hesitation. Xue An waved his hand, ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no need to force yourself to speak.¡± Then he turned to the Dark Night Elf Royal, Isabella, with a smile, ¡°My two daughters have been pestering me to play with you!¡± Isabella¡¯s eyes gradually brightened, and then she nodded vigorously. The friendship of children always progresses rapidly. Like right now, Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian and the Royal Isabella had already become as intimate as sisters. Youna, on the other hand, seemed restless. Xue An chuckled, ¡°Are you afraid that the people from the Church will come for revenge?¡± Youna nodded, her face showing a look of panic. The years of persecution and assassination had turned the Church of Light into their worst nightmare. Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Chapter 375: Pests of Light (Fifth Update) Chapter 375: Chapter 375: Pests of Light (Fifth Update) Quintina, who was nearby, couldn¡¯t help but snort in anger when she heard the four words ¡°Church of Light.¡± ¡°These pests of light are utterly annoying!¡± Youna looked at Quintina with puzzled eyes. Quintina smiled, her eyes gradually filled with a bloody glint. ¡°Blood Clan!¡± Youna exclaimed in shock. ¡°To be precise, a Blood Clan Earl!¡± Quintina said proudly. Youna looked at Xue An, surprised. How could she have expected the notoriously arrogant Blood Clan to submit to a human? Who exactly was he? Youna was pondering this when Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian came running over, ¡°Daddy, Bella wants to go back, but we still want to play with her!¡± ¡°My lord, we really do need to leave, or else our family will panic if they find us missing,¡± Isabella said as she approached. Xue An smiled, ¡°Then let us escort you home!¡± Isabella¡¯s eyes lit up; she also wanted to play with Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, but she feared her sister would disagree, so she stole a glance at Youna. Youna hesitated for a moment, then nodded, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then thank you very much, my lord!¡± Youna understood that Xue An¡¯s offer to take them home was also a way of protecting them. At this moment, An Yan couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity any longer, walked forward with a smiling face, and said to Isabella, ¡°Little Bella, are your ears real?¡± Isabella blushed and stammered, ¡°Of course¡­ of course they are real!¡± An Yan¡¯s eyes grew brighter, ¡°Then may I¡­ touch them?¡± Isabella, hearing this, blushed even more and looked at Youna for help. Youna didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry but didn¡¯t say anything. And An Yan was already pleading, ¡°Just once, I promise I¡¯ll only touch once!¡± ¡°Alright¡­ alright then!¡± Isabella said bashfully, her face and even her ears turning red. An Yan reached out and gently touched Isabella¡¯s pointed ears, her expression gradually becoming intoxicated. ¡°So soft, so cute!¡± The feeling was like petting a little pet cat. But just at that moment, Isabella, as if she were drunk, turned crimson and trembled all over, then thumped to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± An Yan was startled, thinking she had broken something. Youna stepped forward to check and shook her head with a wry smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Bella has just never been touched on her ears before, and the sudden contact made her faint.¡± An Yan patted her chest and let out a breath, then said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to do it! But your ears really are adorable!¡± Youna¡¯s face also instantly reddened to the roots of her ears, and she managed to say, ¡°We¡­ we should hurry back now!¡± While on the way to the Dark Elf homeland, An Yan said softly to Xue An, ¡°I really like those soft ears, they¡¯re just like a little kitten¡¯s!¡± Xue An chuckled, ¡°If you like them, why not raise one?¡± ¡°Really?¡± An Yan¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Of course! What can¡¯t my wife achieve if she wants to?¡± Xue An said with a slight smile. But An Yan hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°Better not!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because they are friends of Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, how could I turn my daughters¡¯ friends into pets!¡± An Yan explained. They journeyed a great distance. They continued until they reached a desolate farm on the outskirts of London. Youna halted her steps and gently tapped on a large tree at the entrance, then uttered a phrase in a melodious voice. Although they didn¡¯t understand what she was saying, it still sounded incredibly enchanting. ¡°Honey, what did she say?¡± ¡°She spoke in the Elf language!¡± ¡°I got it, she must be reciting a spell, right? Just like those wizards in novels!¡± An Yan said excitedly. Xue An chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated, what she said translates to Chinese as¡­ ¡®Open Sesame!¡¯¡± Sure enough. As soon as Youna¡¯s voice fell, a rustling sound came from the tree, and then countless branches extended, forming a path made of twigs and leaves. ¡°My lord, welcome to the dwelling place of the Dark Elves!¡± Youna said respectfully. After they walked down the path and passed through a curtain made of vines, they were greeted by a sudden expanse of open space. It was a land roughly several thousand acres in size. Numerous towering ancient trees grew there, like giants. But compared to the tree in the center of the forest, they all seemed like children. That tree practically touched the sky, occupying more than half the area. From afar, one could see many tree holes in the branches of this large tree, with many people entering and exiting. But upon closer inspection, one would discover that these people all had pointy ears, and regardless of gender, they were all exceptionally beautiful. This wondrous scene left An Yan and the others in awe. Xue An, however, looked at the massive tree with great interest and murmured to himself, ¡°Interesting!¡± At that moment, a squad of Elves rushed over, led by an extraordinarily handsome male Elf. Upon seeing Youna and Isabella, the male Elf let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Mother Goddess bless, you¡¯re safe!¡± Then he anxiously said, ¡°Elder Luna has been near madness with worry, please hurry back! Eh, who are these people¡­?¡± A guarded expression appeared on the male Elf¡¯s face, and the Elves behind him all raised their bows and arrows, aiming at Xue An. ¡°Yifuro, hold your fire, this is the lord who saved us!¡± Isabella shouted. Yifuro paused, skepticism on his face, but he still stepped back and, placing a hand on his chest, bowed respectfully, ¡°Yes, Princess Isabella!¡± Isabella turned and said, ¡°My lord, that tree is our Dark Elves¡¯ Mother Goddess!¡± As she spoke, her face was full of reverence. This massive tree, like a mother, nurtured and protected this group of Dark Elves. In their eyes, this was their Mother Goddess! Xue An smiled faintly, saying nothing. It was An Yan who kept murmuring to herself, ¡°So many fluffy little ears! Heaven, I really want to touch one!¡± Indeed, An Yan was charmed by the Elves¡¯ ears. This situation continued all the way into the Dark Elf Race¡¯s Council Hall. The arrival of Xue An and his company caused an uproar among the Elf Race; all the Elves crowded around to see what the commotion was about. Now An Yan¡¯s eyes shone even brighter, as if she longed to pick up a little Elf and pet it like a kitty. Just then, the wooden door opened, and an elder Elf woman with white hair walked out slowly. A jewel, symbolic of authority, rested on her forehead, sparkling brilliantly, and her countenance was dignified and compassionate. Seeing her, all the Dark Elves bent down to pay their respects. Isabella even whispered softly, ¡°Elder Luna!¡± Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter 377: Heart of Nature (Second Update) Chapter 377: Chapter 377: Heart of Nature (Second Update) Yifuro roared, ¡°How dare you insult our Mother Goddess, I demand a duel!¡± Stukely ignored Yifuro, only looking at Luna. A complex expression played on Luna¡¯s face. She knew that this matter couldn¡¯t be hidden for much longer. The Mother Goddess hadn¡¯t responded to her prayers in a long time. The last time She responded, She only told Luna one thing, a powerful human would come, and all the hopes of the Dark Night Elves rested on that person. Since learning of this prophecy, Luna had been waiting in agony. Yet, to her surprise, when Xue An finally appeared, Stukely followed soon after. ¡°So what if it is?¡± Luna said indifferently. Yifuro was shocked, saying in disbelief, ¡°Elder Luna!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe that the deity on whom his people and the entire Elf Race depended for survival was actually dead! Stukely merely smiled faintly, looking up at the heart of the tree in the Council Hall with a glint of greed in his eyes. ¡°I can feel it, even though she has died, there is still an immense surge of energy within the heart of the tree. Just give me this heart of the tree, and my Druid line will offer the Dark Night Elves a place to live and protect you!¡± His words turned the entire room dead silent. Luna sat expressionless, while Yifuro stood dumbfounded, taking a while before he roared, ¡°Keep dreaming, my Mother Goddess could never die. You speak slander, prepare to die!¡± With that, Yifuro raised his bow and shot his arrows. Stukely merely shook his head with a mocking smile. The arrows stopped just short of reaching him, and Yifuro began to float up, his arms and legs bound tightly by vines that appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Do you have no idea how much power you¡¯ve lost?¡± Stukely said lightly. Despair filled Yifuro as he hung in the air. Over the years, he indeed felt weaker constantly and had grim forebodings but never once thought it would come to this. Luna suddenly waved her hand, ¡°Enough!¡± Boom. The vines binding Yifuro were repelled by her command. Yifuro fell from mid-air. Only then did Luna glare coldly at Stukely, ¡°High Priest, are you suggesting that our entire Dark Night Elf race becomes a vassal to your Druids?¡± ¡°That could be one way to put it,¡± Stukely replied. Luna looked toward Oloray with scorn, ¡°Oloray, is this what you call adaptation? It¡¯s nothing but a shift from being oppressed by the Church of Light to being oppressed by your Druids. What¡¯s the difference?¡± Stukely said coldly, ¡°Luna, considering our past acquaintance, and the fact that both Druids and Elves are of the natural lineage, I promise to ensure that your Dark Night Elves live in peace!¡± But Luna shook her head resolutely, ¡°No more words! The Dark Night Elves will never leave our Mother Goddess! Even if She truly has died, we will protect Her to the end, even if it means our race¡¯s extinction!¡± ¡°Yes! Even at the cost of our race¡¯s extinction!¡± Yifuro intoned solemnly. Stukely laughed coldly, ¡°The situation has gone beyond your control now!¡± With that, a powerful Force of Nature enveloped the entire Council Hall. Stukely said arrogantly, ¡°Luna, you used to be evenly matched with me. But now, you are no match for me at all. Give up this pointless resistance; I won¡¯t hurt you!¡± Luna shook her head with finality, ¡°You know that¡¯s absolutely impossible!¡± Then, she turned to Xue An with a near-pleading look, hoping that Xue An would take Isabella and Youna away quickly. Stukely had also noticed Xue An¡¯s presence just now, but to him, a human was of no concern. Xue An, however, smiled slightly and gave Luna a subtle nod, ¡°I am sorry, but I cannot take Isabella away!¡± Luna was stunned, her face showing despair. Stukely, on the other hand, let out a cold laugh, thinking that Xue An had succumbed to his pressure. Xue An¡¯s next words stunned him. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve just made contact with your Mother Goddess, and although she is indeed weak now, she has not died.¡± This sentence also shocked Luna, ¡°What?¡± She hadn¡¯t made contact with the Mother Goddess for a long time. How could this man communicate with the Goddess? Stukely¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Human, I advise you to mind your own business! Otherwise¡­¡± Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Otherwise what? The dark druids outside this sanctuary are all your followers, right? Are you planning to kill all the Dark Night Elves if we can¡¯t reach an agreement?¡± This sentence caused Stukely¡¯s face to change dramatically, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Then he said hatefully through gritted teeth, ¡°You say she hasn¡¯t died? Then why hasn¡¯t she appeared at all? You should know, I am now inside her heart battling against her spokesperson!¡± Stukely¡¯s words were full of mockery. But Xue An didn¡¯t respond to him. Instead, he drew a mysterious Spell Decree in the air with a flick of his finger and casually cast it onto the roof of the Council Hall. Boom. After a slight tremor. A tired female voice appeared in the minds of everyone present. ¡°Luna, you have had a hard time these days!¡± Upon hearing this sentence. Luna was shaken, and then burst into tears excitedly. Yifuro also kneeled down, his expression filled with excitement. ¡°Great Mother Goddess!¡± Stukely, however, had a fluctuating expression. Indeed, as Xue An said, he came fully prepared. If they could reach an agreement, that would be for the best. If they couldn¡¯t agree, then he would take action and seize it by force. But he hadn¡¯t expected Xue An to suddenly appear in the middle of it all. The reappearance of the Mother Goddess had disrupted all his plans. After hesitating for a moment, a fierce cruelty slowly appeared on Stukely¡¯s face, and he sneered, ¡°Even if she isn¡¯t dead, what difference does it make? Her vitality has already decayed to this extent. Alive or dead, what¡¯s the difference? She still cannot protect your Dark Night Elf lineage!¡± ¡°So, this time, the Heart of the Tree is mine!¡± With those words, Stukely bellowed. His body floated into the air, with countless branches and vines appearing behind him, slithering like a nest of snakes. ¡°Kill them all!¡± Stukely ordered coldly. Oloray was startled and exclaimed, ¡°Priest, you promised not to harm the Elf Race!¡± Boom! A vine, swift as a serpent, immediately coiled around his neck, lifting him into the air, and then twisted with force. Crack. A head fell to the ground. Stukely said coldly, ¡°Did I promise you? Besides, today, anyone who dares to disobey dies!¡± This bloody scene frightened Luna and the Elves who had hurried over upon hearing the news. Luna roared even louder, ¡°Stukely, you¡¯re absolutely unworthy of the Heart of Nature!¡± ¡°Heh, what is the Heart of Nature? True nature is where the strong prey on the weak!¡± As Stukely spoke, countless vines charged towards Luna. Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Chapter 378: In Front of Me, All Things Must Submit (3rd Update) Chapter 378: Chapter 378: In Front of Me, All Things Must Submit (3rd Update) Among them, a part was targeting Xue An. Stukely also harbored immense hatred for Xue An. If not for him, there wouldn¡¯t have been so many complications. After killing them all and seizing the heart of the tree to gain its divine status, he would become the true Druid God! No! He should say the God of Nature. With that thought, a smug smile appeared on the corner of Stukely¡¯s mouth. But the next second, his smile froze. For the surging vines had suddenly all stopped in mid-air. And then, as if encountering the absolute monarch, they all prostrated on the ground, turning into withered branches. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Stukely could hardly believe his eyes and exclaimed in alarm. Xue An, however, stepped on the withered branches and approached slowly, stating indifferently, ¡°You control nature, believing yourself invincible, but you don¡¯t know that in front of me, all things must submit!¡± After speaking, Xue An flicked a finger. Boom. Stukely felt a vast and mighty force coming at him, and in terror, he immediately wrapped himself with layers of vines. But it was futile. The force from that single flick shattered all the vines wrapped around him. ¡°No!¡± Stukely shouted, his body turning into a streak of light, trying to flee. Countless vines had, however, turned against their master and firmly trapped him in mid-air. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°Now it¡¯s up to you, whether to devour or to spare, the judgment is yours to make!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± a faint sigh resonated within the hearts of everyone present. Stukely shouted in utmost fear, ¡°Great Mother Goddess, I realize my mistake, please spare me!¡± ¡°Druid, your heart of nature has become clouded. You should know, nature is not just about survival of the fittest, but is full of beauty and vitality! You and I both originate from nature, so return to me now!¡± As the words were spoken, countless vines engulfed Stukely. After a scream, the vines dispersed, and Stukely was no longer present in mid-air; the only thing left was his gold-stitched robe. Luna, along with all the elves present, watched in a daze. The Mother Goddess had always been an extremely benevolent being. Yet, unexpectedly, she had taken a life this time. But Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Very well, at least you¡¯ve learned to resist! Then let me help you one more time!¡± Then he turned to Luna, ¡°Please call my wife back!¡± Luna nodded blankly, and Yifuro immediately said, ¡°I will fetch her!¡± Soon, An Yan returned. Youna and the others heard the news and rushed over as well. Xue An took a few Jade Marrow Spirit Stones from the Mustard Seed Ring An Yan was wearing. Upon seeing these items, the Mother Goddess¡¯s voice rose in surprise. ¡°You¡­ you actually have this?¡± Xue An smiled and remained silent, then arranged several Spirit Stones and gently drew an Array. Then with a wave of his hand, a dazzling white light shot into the sky. Abundant Spiritual Energy directly entered the tree. The entire tree, like a giant stretching out after waking from slumber, shook slightly, and issued a creaking sound. After that, all the elves felt their strength gradually returning. The whole Elf Sanctuary also slowly returned to its original state, with abundant Spiritual Energy slowly returning. This phenomenon naturally led to countless joyful shouts. And then, a vine stretched out from the wall of the Council Hall, ending in a flower bud. The bud swayed a few times, then suddenly bloomed. Within the center of the flower, a stunningly beautiful woman draped in a green robe floated. Her features were somewhat blurry, but she radiated a powerful Force of Nature. All the elves, thrilled, knelt down, ¡°Great Mother Goddess!¡± The woman who appeared was the tree spirit of this giant tree. She landed gracefully upon the ground, then offered Xue An a light bow. ¡°Thank you, my lord, for lending your aid,¡± All the elves also bowed in unison to Xue An, ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡± This scene surprised Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, as well as Isabella, who had arrived late. ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s going on?¡± the two little girls asked curiously. Xue An smiled, but before he could speak, The woman softly chanted an Elvish Incantation, and a very soft Divine Power enveloped Xue Xiang and Xue Nian. Xue An was slightly startled, then chuckled lightly, ¡°That was very kind of you!¡± ¡°It is my duty!¡± said the tree spirit respectfully. Luna then said in a trembling voice, ¡°The protection of the Goddess of Nature?¡± Indeed, the Divine Power that had just enveloped Xue Xiang and Xue Nian was an ultimate protection bestowed by the Mother Goddess. As long as the Mother Goddess existed, she would unconditionally shield Xue Xiang and Xue Nian from attacks. Frankly, it was also to repay Xue An for his kindness. At this time, Xue An said indifferently, ¡°This Spirit Stone Array can only solve your immediate problems, but the root cause lies with your Spiritual Root.¡± The tree spirit gave a bitter smile, ¡°My lord is correct, my Spiritual Root had always been planted within a secret realm, but for some reason, it was suddenly severed by someone, nearly leading to my death.¡± ¡°A secret realm? What secret realm?¡± asked Xue An. ¡°I am not very clear about it, but that secret realm is very vast and rich in Spiritual Energy, and most creatures living there belong to the Demon Race!¡± Xue An¡¯s interest was piqued, ¡°A Demon Race¡¯s secret realm?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± ¡°This is indeed interesting. Can this secret realm still be found?¡± The tree spirit shook her head, ¡°After my Spiritual Root was destroyed, I tried to find it again, but to no avail. Only a faint connection remains, which means the secret realm is still on Earth, but alas, it cannot be found anymore.¡± Xue An nodded noncommittally. That night, the Xue An family stayed within the Elf Sanctuary. The return of the Mother Goddess made all the elves ecstatic. As a result, they held a very grand bonfire party. Xue An, as the most honored guest, was seated at the head of the table. When it came time to eat, Xue An suddenly realized why Isabella and Youna were willing to risk so much to go out into the world to eat. Because the food in the Elf Sanctuary was simply unpalatable. Although there were various small animals everywhere within the sanctuary, naturally inclined elves, of course, refused to kill them. So they could only eat the fruit that the trees bore. At first bite, the fruit seemed alright, but after a few mouthfuls, it tasted bland and flavorless. For Xue An and others accustomed to the food from outside, it was somewhat hard to swallow. However, the wine here was quite good. It was made from purely natural wild fruits, mixed with tree sap, refreshing and sweet to the taste, and even children could sip a few mouthfuls. An Yan absolutely loved this flavor and drank cup after cup without end. Seeing her drink like this, many elves covered their mouths and giggled. An Yan was also puzzled, what were these elves whispering and gesturing about? While in doubt, the fruit wine in her stomach suddenly turned into a surging intoxication. An Yan just blinked, and then thudded to the ground, drunkardly passing out. Xue An looked at the soundly sleeping An Yan and couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, then picked her up and placed her on the lounge chair beside him. This silly girl really thought it was a soft drink? She actually drank an entire pot. The tree spirit¡¯s voice sounded, ¡°My lord, this fruit wine contains the Force of Nature. After falling drunk, one only needs to sleep it off to recover fully, and it has great benefits for a young lady¡¯s skin and health! So please do not worry about the lady¡¯s intoxication.¡± Hearing these words, Xue An was noncommittal. But Quintina, who was sitting on the side and did not touch a drop of alcohol, immediately slapped the table, ¡°Bring me a pot too!¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t drink?¡± Youna asked curiously. ¡°I am making an exception today!¡± Quintina said through gritted teeth. Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Chapter 379: Divine Shard (Fourth Update) Chapter 379: Chapter 379: Divine Shard (Fourth Update) Quintina began to gulp down the wine. Xue An sat in a chair, watching the elves below frolicking and cavorting. His two daughters were already playing madly with Isabella. The warm and joyful scene made Xue An break into a smile. He had encountered the elf race during his travels across The Multiverse Realms years ago. At that time, he had taken a liking to this kind-hearted race that loved peace and harmony, which was also why he was willing to lend a hand. Xue An slowly drank a cup of wine, a smile appearing on his lips. But even the kindest of races have their moments of anger. Like now. Outside the Elf Sanctuary. Around an abandoned farm. A group of dark druids was lying in wait in silence. It had been seven to eight hours since their leader, the Druid High Priest Stukely, had entered. The group of dark druids couldn¡¯t help but grow a little restless. ¡°Mage lord, why has the High Priest been inside for so long?¡± someone asked softly in the language of nature. The one called Mage lord was Toran, a being whose status was second only to the High Priest Stukely among these druids. Toran also frowned slightly. After all, dealing with a deceased elf deity shouldn¡¯t take this long! Yet Toran had great confidence in Stukely and did not believe anything could happen to him, so he said in a deep voice, ¡°Since the High Priest ordered us to wait here, let¡¯s not act rashly. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer; he might come out soon.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the druids responded. Then, one of the druids chuckled and said, ¡°Hehe, all these elves are quite beautiful. Once we capture this race, we¡¯ll have our fun!¡± His words drew laughter from many druids. The topic gradually became more indecent. Toran didn¡¯t speak. As a druid mage, he had to maintain a sense of aloofness and mystery. However, he deeply agreed with his subordinates¡¯ conversation. Thinking of those ethereal elf women, his heartbeat couldn¡¯t help but quicken. While this group of druids was chatting merrily, the night suddenly fell silent. A faint vibration came from the ground beneath them. Toran was slightly startled. Then he felt a powerful force of nature suddenly strike. His expression changed, and he bellowed, ¡°We¡¯re under attack!¡± But it was a little too late. At least a dozen dark druids were immediately entangled by vines. In the dark of night, the rustling sound of vines crawling could be heard everywhere, as if countless snakes were slithering and wriggling. This horrifying scene sent chills down Toran¡¯s spine, and then he yelled, ¡°Calm!¡± With his command, the vines within several dozen meters around him all came to a standstill. Toran took a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Transform, all of you!¡± The remaining twenty or thirty dark druids howled at the command, transforming into various animals. There were dark wolves. There were black giant eagles. There was even a giant black bear over three meters tall. This is the druid¡¯s most powerful killing move, Shapeshifting! If Stukely hadn¡¯t been controlled by vines from Xue An, once he used shapeshifting, he wouldn¡¯t have been so easily devoured by the elf goddess. Now that this group of dark druids had all transformed, To Ran finally felt a bit more confident and was about to counterattack. The once static vines suddenly started to twist wildly, then surged forth with an even more formidable momentum than before. A few of the transformed druids only resisted for a moment before being directly bound by the vines. The Black Giant Eagles wanted to spread their wings and fly away upon seeing this. But a slender tendril had already silently entwined around it and then suddenly contracted. The giant eagle let out a miserable cry. The tendrils were covered with iron-hard barbs that had already deeply penetrated the body of the giant eagle. Thorns Spell! To Ran watched this scene, his soul greatly alarmed, and was about to shout in retaliation. Several roots coiled up from under his feet, ensnaring his ankles and then suddenly flinging him upward. To Ran then found himself suspended upside down in the air. At this point, all of these dark druids were bound. Then a vine rose up, and after a flower bud bloomed, a woman in green floated in mid-air, her expression cold as she watched this group of druids. That pure and formidable Force of Nature turned To Ran pale, ¡°Goddess¡­ Goddess!¡± The woman in green nodded slightly, carrying a whiff of annoyed air as she said, ¡°Have the druids really fallen to such depths? Of the same natural kinship, yet you plot to harm my children?¡± To Ran was full of terror. The appearance of the elf goddess naturally meant that something had happened to the High Priest Stukely. How could he not fear? ¡°Goddess, spare my life!¡± begged To Ran. The elf goddess pondered for a moment. She was not a deity who relished killing. This time, if she hadn¡¯t been pushed to her limit, she wouldn¡¯t have devoured Stukely. And though these druids were punishable by heart, their crimes did not warrant death. So after hesitating briefly, she waved her hand, and countless vines gradually retracted, then she coldly said, ¡°I will spare you this once. Remember, if you dare to target my Elf Race again, I will definitely strip you of your Heart of Nature!¡± ¡°Yes! Thank you, Divine Lady!¡± To Ran replied with a trembling voice, and then proceeded to lead the group of druids who had narrowly escaped to flee in disarray. As he fled, To Ran couldn¡¯t help thinking, who said the Elf Race were easy to bully? Even a cornered rabbit will bite! Moreover, this goddess didn¡¯t seem at all like someone who was dying! As for the death of Stukely¡­ To Ran felt a secret thrill in his heart. It was better that he was dead, for now he had a chance to rise to power. Meanwhile, within the Elf Sanctuary, Xue An set down his wine glass with a slight smile, ¡°Actually, you shouldn¡¯t have let them go.¡± The elf goddess returned to Xue An¡¯s side, sighing softly. ¡°As beings of the same natural kinship, I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡± ¡°But when they wanted to deal with the Elf Race, they didn¡¯t consider the same natural kinship!¡± Xue An said lightly. The elf goddess shook her head, ¡°Let it be, having killed one Stukely, that should already make them know fear.¡± Xue An laughed, this was the typical way of the Elf Race. That was also why this once powerful race later fared so poorly in The Multiverse Realms. You should spare others where you can, but others may not think the same. ¡°Sir, from now on, you may call me Chloris! It is my true name!¡± the elf goddess suddenly said. Xue An nodded, ¡°Forest Goddess?¡± Chloris nodded, ¡°After the divine twilight, the divine status of the Forest Goddess shattered. A piece of it fell upon this great tree, and then I gradually grew from it!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°No wonder that druid priest was so eager to obtain your tree heart. With a shard of your Divine Status, he would have the chance to ascend as a nature god!¡± Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Chapter 380: My Lord, Please Wash Your Feet (5th Update) Chapter 380: Chapter 380: My Lord, Please Wash Your Feet (5th Update) The night deepened. The grand bonfire party finally dispersed. Almost all of the Elves were drunk. They lay scattered about, reclining or lying down, and began to snore heavily on the ground. Elder Luna came over and respectfully said, ¡°My lord, your lodgings have been arranged, please follow me!¡± Xue An nodded, picked up An Yan, and followed her. As for Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, these two little girls. They had already gone to rest with Isabella. The three little girls had had a great time today, but they were quite exhausted, having barely touched their dinner before going early to bed. Xue An thought somewhat amusedly, if Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian knew that this seemingly five- or six-year-old Isabella was actually over a hundred years old, he wondered what their expressions would be. When they returned to the accommodations, Xue An carefully placed An Yan on the wooden bed. But Luna did not leave; instead, she smiled and said, ¡°My lord, I¡¯m really sorry there were no more suitable rooms, only this suite. How about you stay in this room next door?¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Alright!¡± After seeing Xue An settled, Luna then turned and left. Xue An sat within this naturally formed tree hollow, listening to An Yan¡¯s even snoring from the next room, and couldn¡¯t help but smile. This silly girl, sometimes she¡¯s just too cute for her own good. As he was reflecting, the wooden door creaked open. Xue An was slightly startled. Then he saw Youna enter with a blush on her cheeks and her head lowered. In her hands, she carried a basin of water. ¡°My lord, please wash your feet!¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Okay, just put it there!¡± Youna hesitated for a moment but didn¡¯t leave, ¡°Let me wash for you, my lord!¡± Xue An shook his head, ¡°No need, I can do it myself! Thank you!¡± In fact, Xue An didn¡¯t need to wash his feet at all; he had just politely played along. Youna still didn¡¯t leave. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Xue An asked, lifting his eyes indifferently. Youna turned a deeper shade of red, like a burning red candle. Then, stuttering and with a voice as soft as a mosquito¡¯s, she said, ¡°My¡­ my lord, I¡¯m here¡­ to keep you¡­ company.¡± Xue An waved his hand, ¡°Alright, no need to say more! Go back and tell Elder Luna I thank her for her kindness, but I already have a family, and the help I offered you was not in the hopes of any reward!¡± Youna was stunned. This was something that Elder Luna had personally told her in the evening. At the time, Youna was simply too embarrassed. After all, in terms of age, she would only be equivalent to a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl in human terms. But Elder Luna was very serious and told Youna. Xue An was a great benefactor to the entire Dark Elf Race. Without him, the entire race would have faced annihilation. To repay the favor, Youna, as the most beautiful girl in the tribe, should make a sacrifice. After hearing this, Youna became solemn and nodded in agreement. Youna¡¯s feelings for Xue An were also somewhat complex. If it weren¡¯t for Xue An¡¯s intervention today, she and Isabel would have already fallen into the hands of the Church of Light. For this reason, Youna was extremely grateful to Xue An. Moreover, this human man, who was even more handsome than the most attractive Elf, was incredibly powerful, so much so that even the Mother Goddess herself treated him with respect. All of these factors combined gave Xue An a strong attraction to this Elf Race girl. That¡¯s why she took the initiative to come to Xue An¡¯s room. But unexpectedly, Xue An actually refused. Filled with a sense of defeat, Youna lowered her head, her slender fingers fiddling with the hem of her dress, and said softly, ¡°My lord, I know you have a family, but I am only here to serve you in your bedchamber for the night and will leave at dawn.¡± The meaning of her words was very clear. Only to serve in bed, with no other ulterior motives. Now the lord must agree, Youna thought silently to herself. She was very aware of the attraction she held as an Elf girl for human males. Just imagine, in the dead of night, a stunningly beautiful Elf girl comes to your door, repeatedly saying she wants to serve you in your bed without asking for anything in return. This kind of fatal temptation that comes without any responsibilities! No man could resist it. But Xue An was an exception. He smiled faintly, shook his head and sighed, ¡°I told you, I saved you because I have an affection for you Elves as a race, not because I¡¯m greedy for so-called rewards! You should go back!¡± Youna finally understood that Xue An was serious and not pretending to be self-righteous and dismissive. ¡°My¡­ My lord.¡± Youna could hardly believe it was true. Xue An waved his hand, ¡°Go now, remember to close the door behind you! Thank you!¡± Youna left Xue An¡¯s room with a look of astonishment on her face, closed the door from the outside, then looked up at the towering tree that reached into the clouds and murmured, ¡°Mother Goddess, am I too ugly?¡± Meanwhile, Yifuro, hiding in the shadow of the trees with a pained expression, was also stunned to see Youna leaving Xue An¡¯s room. He had liked Youna for a long time. And tonight¡¯s incident of Youna going to Xue An¡¯s room was known by many in the Elf Race. And they all approved of this decision. Yifuro knew it too, and although he was filled with reluctance, he also knew it was the right decision. After all, to win over such a peerless powerhouse with just one girl was the best deal for the Dark Elf Race. But one¡¯s true feelings cannot be faked. As he hid in the distance and watched Youna enter Xue An¡¯s room, his heartache nearly drove him insane. But what he hadn¡¯t expected was that Youna would actually come out again. The pain on Yifuro¡¯s face gradually faded, and as he looked toward Xue An¡¯s room, his eyes showed genuine respect. And in Elder Luna¡¯s room. Goddess Chloris floated in mid-air, shaking her head and sighing softly, ¡°Luna, you shouldn¡¯t have done that!¡± Luna gave a wry smile, ¡°I thought all human males were the same, but I never expected that the lord would be so steadfast.¡± ¡°How many peerless powerhouses have hearts that are not steadfast? Clearly, this lord dotes on his wife extremely. It¡¯s truly an enviable love,¡± Chloris said softly. ¡°Mother Goddess, who exactly is this lord?¡± Luna couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously. Chloris shook her head. ¡°I cannot see through him, but my Great Prophecy tells me that he carries an incomparable fate.¡± At that point, a look of terror appeared on Chloris¡¯s face. She had never seen such vast and boundless fate on a single person, and she knew. What her Great Prophecy saw was merely a fragmented vision. But even so, it was enough for her to deeply revere it. Back in the house, after Youna had left, An Yan, who had been fast asleep, curled the corners of her lips into a faint smile, then turned over and once again fell deeply asleep. The next day, when Xue An stepped out of his room. Every Elf he encountered would stand respectfully aside and bow their heads on the path. Especially the Elf girls, all of them looked at Xue An with awe-struck eyes. Last night¡¯s events had already spread. Xue An had earned the heartfelt respect of these Dark Elves with his actions. Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Chapter 381 Little Witch Selina (First Update) Chapter 381: Chapter 381 Little Witch Selina (First Update) And while Xue An was still in the Elf Sanctuary. London. A woman, sporting twin pigtails, heavy eyeshadow, a form-fitting T-shirt, and bikini shorts, carried a baseball bat nonchalantly as she walked towards the hotel entrance. She looked up at the hotel¡¯s grand doorway. ¡°To think I¡¯d catch the stench of those despicable blood thralls, it must be this hotel!¡± she said dismissively, popping a bubblegum bubble. From the shadows behind her, two men dressed as meticulous gentlemen emerged. One of them, resigned, said, ¡°Selina, for heaven¡¯s sake, you¡¯re a Marquis of the Blood Clan, could you not dress like a petty thug from Chelsea?¡± Selina rolled her eyes dramatically and flipped him the bird. ¡°Marcus, do you believe if you keep talking down to me, I wouldn¡¯t relish tearing your wings off and grilling them for a snack?¡± Having said that, she sashayed into the hotel with a contemptuous look on her face. The two men behind her exchanged glances. One of them said with a wry smile, ¡°Marcus, I¡¯ve told you before not to treat her with the same expectations you have for other members of the Blood Clan. That Selina¡­¡± He tapped his head, ¡°Might have a screw loose up here!¡± Before the words had finished, the sharp whoosh of the baseball bat filled the air as it flew toward and struck the man¡¯s head. Thrown backward, a wound clearly visible on his head, he screeched, ¡°Selina, you¡¯re bloody insane!¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment!¡± Selina called back without turning around. She sauntered into the lobby, smirking at all the shocked faces. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, sorry to say, this establishment is closed! Scram at once!¡± Her words caused a commotion; many stared at Selina in disbelief, and two security guards quickly approached her. ¡°Miss, please keep the noise down, or we will¡­¡± Their words were cut short as both guards¡¯ heads exploded violently. Blood spurted out amid screams of terror. Everyone trembled in fear. But Selina just chewed her gum, laughing maniacally. ¡°What delightful screams! Now, I¡¯ll count to three, and if anyone¡¯s still here after that, their fate will mirror these guards!¡± ¡°One,¡± Selina called out dispassionately. The well-dressed crowd ran frantically toward the exit, women dropping their dignity along with their high heels, sprinting out the door. But by the entrance, they were all jammed together, amidst crying and shrieking. ¡°Three!¡± Selina skipped right to three and then slightly smiled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it seems you all failed to leave. Now, let me harvest your blood!¡± As she spoke, Selina¡¯s eyes turned blood-red, and three pairs of wings unfurled behind her. A formidable aura enveloped the room. The two men had now entered the hotel, and seeing Selina¡¯s wings, they were beside themselves with fury. ¡°Damn it, she¡¯s gone mad again. Does she plan to slaughter them all? This will draw the Church of Light¡¯s attention!¡± Selina paid no heed to their concerns. She was about to attack the humans. Benedict, hearing the commotion, had already rushed over. But upon seeing Selina, he shuddered and turned to flee. Selina smirked slightly, ¡°Pathetic blood thrall, thinking of running after seeing me?¡± As she spoke, she transformed into a streak of light and charged forward, knocking Benedict to the ground. Benedict trembled all over in fear, ¡°Noble Marquis, spare my life!¡± Selina bit her lower lip and slowly leaned in close to Benedict¡¯s ear, whispering, ¡°Tell me where the person who killed the Duke is, and I can make your death a quick one!¡± Benedict hesitated for a moment. Selina applied force. Crack. Benedict¡¯s arm was brutally snapped, and then she said cheerfully, ¡°I¡¯m delighted that you didn¡¯t tell me!¡± Benedict finally remembered something and screamed in extreme horror, ¡°You¡¯re the little witch Selina!¡± Selina straightened up slightly, speaking elegantly, ¡°I¡¯m pleased that you recognize me! I¡¯ll treat you as the best toy, enjoy the game that follows!¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian, it¡¯s time for us to go. We¡¯ll come back to play with Bella later, okay?¡± An Yan said. Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian pouted, ¡°No, we want to keep playing with Miss Bella!¡± Isabella was also reluctant to let go of their hands. Being the only child in the Elf Sanctuary, she had endured too many lonely days. The arrival of the two playmates, Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian, brought her the long-lost joy, so naturally, she was loath to let them leave. An Yan looked somewhat distressed as she glanced at Xue An. Xue An smiled and squatted down to look at the two little girls, ¡°Well, daddy and mommy are about to leave, are you two going to stay here and play?¡± The two little girls hesitated. At that moment, the Elf Mother Goddess Chloris appeared and respectfully said, ¡°My Lord, it would be nice to let the two little ladies stay and play. I, Chloris, promise that they will not be harmed in the slightest.¡± As she spoke, two light spots floated in the air. ¡°My Lord, this is the token of this secret realm. You and your lady can carry it, and come back anytime!¡± Xue An looked at An Yan, then nodded. The two little girls jumped up happily, ¡°Daddy, Mommy, go ahead, don¡¯t worry about us!¡± Xue An smiled and gently patted both little girls on the head, ¡°Alright then, you two play here! Daddy will come and take you out in a couple of days!¡± ¡°Mhm, mhm!¡± the two little girls nodded. Isabella was even more grateful as she bowed deeply to Xue An, saying, ¡°My Lord, Xiang Xiang, Nian Nian and I are the best of friends, I will definitely take good care of them!¡± Xue An then left the Elf Sanctuary with An Yan and Quintina, accompanied by the farewell of Chloris. Until they reached the streets of London, An Yan still felt a bit uneasy, ¡°Husband, is this alright?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, these elves are all intrinsically kind, and besides, the two little girls are not our vassals. They are gradually growing up; they will always have their own friends and companions. We should respect their choices.¡± Even though he said this, An Yan still felt a sense of loss, a bit unused to it. After all, since her return, the two little girls had never left her side. Xue An smiled and whispered in An Yan¡¯s ear, ¡°Besides, we haven¡¯t had our own world since we got back. Now we finally have a chance, shouldn¡¯t we enjoy a second honeymoon trip?¡± An Yan¡¯s face flushed, and she whispered, ¡°You had planned this all along, hadn¡¯t you?¡± Xue An chuckled and nodded. ¡°You big baddie!¡± An Yan spat lightly and then also smiled blissfully. The two of them happily displayed their affection in front of everyone. Quintina followed behind, full of envy. Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Secret Script of the Blood Clan (Second Update) Chapter 382: Chapter 382: Secret Script of the Blood Clan (Second Update) Suddenly. Quintina¡¯s expression changed, and she turned to look into the distance. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± An Yan noticed something was amiss and couldn¡¯t help asking. Blood surged within Quintina¡¯s body, her complexion turning ashen, ¡°Master, someone is attacking my blood slave!¡± ¡°Benedict?¡± Xue An said indifferently. ¡°Yes! And it must be a very powerful member of the Blood Clan!¡± Quintina said solemnly. Xue An¡¯s eyes brightened, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint smile, ¡°After waiting for so long, he¡¯s finally here!¡± Meanwhile, in the hotel. Piercing screams echoed from within a room. The blood drained from the faces of Marcus and another person as they listened from outside. ¡°Should we check it out? Otherwise, Selina, that lunatic, might just torture this blood slave to death!¡± ¡°You go if you want; I certainly don¡¯t dare provoke that maniac!¡± ¡°But if this blood slave dies, the lead will be lost. How are we going to find the murderer of Duke Alldington?¡± The two people were discussing outside. The door to the room opened. Selina, covered in blood, walked out, greedily licking the Blood Pearl at the corner of her mouth. ¡°This feeling, truly exhilarating!¡± Selina sighed, her face savoring the moment. ¡°Did you find out?¡± Marcus frowned and asked. ¡°Find out what?¡± Selina was utterly perplexed. ¡°Nonsense, of course where the bastard who killed Grand Duke Alldington is now!¡± Selina paused, then chuckled, ¡°Sorry, I just got carried away with the enjoyment, I forgot about that!¡± ¡°What?¡± Marcus shrieked, ¡°Then what the hell have you been interrogating for so long inside?¡± ¡°I was just playing a game with him!¡± Selina, lighting up a cigarette, said nonchalantly. ¡°You damned lunatic!¡± Marcus roared and pushed the door open to enter the room. The scene inside was enough to make even Marcus, accustomed to gore, feel sick. ¡°God, what has Selina done? Is cannibalism her thing?¡± Marcus said with disgust, glancing at the bed where Benedict lay. At this moment, Benedict had turned into a pile of unrecognizable bloody flesh; he would have been dead already, were it not for his status as a blood slave. But the superhuman vitality of a blood slave had become the perfect tool for Selina to torment him. ¡°What exactly do you want to ask? I¡¯ll tell you everything now, then please kill me!¡± Benedict was on the verge of a breakdown. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, sir, for the unfair treatment you¡¯ve endured. We just want to know who killed Grand Duke Alldington and Marquis Cecil. Also, where is the murderer now?¡± Hearing this, Benedict trembled violently, then looked at Marcus with a face filled with terror. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I really don¡¯t know where they are!¡± Marcus frowned slightly, ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate, Mr. Blood Slave. Since you still think of resisting, I¡¯ll just have to let Selina continue your pleasant times together!¡± Suddenly, a choking sound came from Benedict¡¯s throat, and then blood gushed from his mouth. Selina rushed in, yelling at Marcus, ¡°Damn it, you almost ruined my toy!¡± She hurried over, prying open Benedict¡¯s mouth, skillfully fishing out the tongue that he had bitten off himself. With the blood clot removed from his airway, Benedict could breathe again, but he stared at Selina with terror, making unintelligible noises. Selina laughed neurotically and then dropped a drop of her own blood into Benedict¡¯s mouth. The fresh blood of a Marquis of the Blood Clan rapidly healed the wounds in Benedict¡¯s mouth, even regenerating his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m very curious, you¡¯re nothing but a wretched blood slave, what exactly are you resisting? But the more you do, the more excited I get! Such a splendid toy!¡± Selina said with a hideous smile. Another scream rang out. Marcus, looking somewhat pale, stepped out of the room and shrugged at his companions outside. ¡°I swear, I¡¯m never going on a mission with this lunatic again!¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than a deafening boom sounded. The walls of the hotel collapsed with a crash. Amid the tremors, dust billowed. As Marcus and the others stood dumbfounded, Xue An slowly emerged from the dust, looking slightly startled upon seeing Marcus and his companions, then shook his head in disappointment, ¡°It¡¯s just two Blood Clan Marquis? Boring!¡± Only then did Marcus regain his composure, his gaze flickering as he stared at Quintina, who followed after Xue An, ¡°You have the scent of Marquis Cecil on you! Did you kill him?¡± Quintina nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°So that means Alldington as well¡­¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°He¡¯s my kill!¡± Marcus¡¯s expression turned solemn. At this moment, Selina had already rushed out of the room. Upon seeing her, Quintina couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. ¡°Little witch, Selina!¡± Selina, with hands covered in blood, hoisted her twin ponytails and said with a giggling smile, ¡°I must admit, your blood slave is quite remarkable, to last this long in my hands!¡± Quintina¡¯s expression darkened. This little witch was quite infamous among the Blood Clan. Though she had only Marquis strength, her sheer insanity terrified many. More importantly, she was a trusted subordinate of a major figure in the Blood Clan Council, a force not to be underestimated. At this time, Selina¡¯s attention was focused on Xue An, her eyes growing greedy and excited. ¡°Such a perfect physique, if I made you into a specimen, my master would certainly love it! This woman too, if presented as a toy to my master, he would surely reward me handsomely, hehehehehe.¡± Unlike her madness, Marcus and the others wore grave expressions. After all, with the strength to kill a Grand Duke, Xue An was not to be taken lightly. Xue An sighed softly, ¡°Such a filthy race!¡± Having said that, Xue An couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste words with them. Taking a step forward, countless sword glows appeared in mid-air. This sight alarmed Marcus, who then shouted in fear, ¡°Quick, use the secret script!¡± Selina chuckled and threw out a piece of parchment. The reason they dared to pursue this matter with the strength of Marquis was entirely because they had been given this secret script by the Blood Clan Council. Contained within it was a true word from a Blood Clan prince, capable of easily defeating a Grand Duke, a symbol of the supreme power of the Blood Clan Council. The parchment transformed into a blood-colored scythe in the air, and Selina screamed in excitement. ¡°In the name of my lord, Annihilation to you all!¡± With that, she gripped the scythe, aiming it straight at Xue An and the others. The scythe emitted a thick aura of death, chilling to the core. Quintina had already stepped back several paces, still unable to confront this mighty blow infused with the aura of a Blood Clan prince. ¡°Die!¡± Selina sneered. Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Chapter 383 I Never Fear (Third Update) Chapter 383: Chapter 383 I Never Fear (Third Update) The scythe swept through the air, and the sword light gradually fell. But at that moment, a slender hand pierced through the layers of blood light, directly grasping the crimson scythe. Marcus and the others were all shocked, ¡°How is this possible!¡± This crimson scythe was formed from the essence blood of the Blood Clan prince, nigh indestructible. How could someone possibly hold it with one hand? Selina was also taken aback. Xue An just let out a light sigh, ¡°Is this it? How boring!¡± After speaking, he clenched his hand. Crack. The crimson scythe was crushed to pieces by Xue An¡¯s sheer force. Then, under the horrified gaze of Marcus and the others, Xue An flicked his finger and struck. Selina was sent flying like she had been hit by a high-speed train, breaking through three walls before she finally came to a stop. Marcus and his companion trembled, their wings suddenly extending, ready to flee. Xue An waved his hand. Two pure white flames landed on them. With a scream, the flames blazed furiously, reducing the two from the Blood Clan to nothingness. Then Xue An slowly approached Selina amidst the rubble. At this moment, all of Selina¡¯s bones had been shattered by Xue An¡¯s flick, the pain causing her whole body to tremble slightly, yet her face was filled with excitement. ¡°You really are powerful!¡± Selina said with a smile. Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°You don¡¯t seem the least bit afraid.¡± ¡°Heh, fear is nothing but a source of weakness, so I never fear!¡± Selina¡¯s eyes shimmered with excitement and madness. Xue An then noticed the severely injured Benedict on the bed, his brow furrowing slightly. ¡°Did you do this?¡± Selina nodded nonchalantly, ¡°Yes, just a lowly blood slave, but he was quite tenacious, not revealing your whereabouts until the very end.¡± Xue An laughed, ¡°A lowly blood slave? Very well, I was thinking of killing you, but now¡­ I¡¯ve changed my mind!¡± He then pointed to Benedict on the bed, ¡°I think you will quite like your new master.¡± ¡°What?¡± Selina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I mean¡­¡± Xue An paused, a slight smile on his face, ¡°Since you look down on blood slaves so much, why don¡¯t you serve one as your master!¡± Xue An¡¯s statement made the recovering Benedict tremble, ¡°My lord¡­¡± Selina, on the other hand, started to laugh arrogantly as if she had heard some great joke. ¡°Serve him as my master? I am¡­ a noble Blood Clan Marquis, and I should serve a blood slave as my master? You¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Xue An placed a finger on Selina¡¯s forehead, and then a faint light appeared in his hand. Xue An tossed it casually, and the light flew into Benedict¡¯s body. As the light entered him, Benedict¡¯s injuries began to heal rapidly, and his whole aura climbed steadily. Meanwhile, Selina awoke from the excruciating pain of having part of her soul pulled out and roared, ¡°What have you done to me?¡± Xue An replied indifferently, ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ve made you serve him as your master! Now your soul is in his hands. If he wills you to live, you shall live. If he wills you to die, you shall die! Understand?¡± Selina trembled all over, her heart, which had never known fear, finally occupied by it. ¡°How is it possible, how could you manipulate the soul of a Blood Clan Marquis, I do not believe!¡± Xue An didn¡¯t bother with her and instead smiled at the perplexed Benedict, ¡°Now, she belongs to you! You can take your revenge for everything she¡¯s done to you!¡± Benedict looked at Selina, who was trembling all over, and a mysterious feeling welled up in his heart as if with a single thought, he could scatter her soul to the winds. Selina felt this sensation too. In her eyes, Benedict was like the Heavenly Divine, noble and inviolable. Quintina smiled faintly, ¡°Benedict, shouldn¡¯t you thank the master? He¡¯s avenging you!¡± Benedict shivered and immediately knelt down respectfully, ¡°Thank you, master!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, turned around, and walked away, quietly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t play her to death, leave her alive, I still have use for her!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Benedict obediently replied, then turned his head towards Selina, a cruel look gradually appearing on his face. ¡°The master is right, you must repay double for what you have inflicted on me today!¡± Screams once again erupted from the room. Meanwhile, Xue An had already started to enjoy tea in another room with An Yan. Quintina stood to one side, several times opening her mouth to speak, then stopping herself. ¡°What is it?¡± Xue An asked indifferently as he put down his teacup. ¡°Master, Selina¡¯s cultivation level isn¡¯t very high, but she represents the dignity of the Blood Clan council. Now that you¡¯ve forcibly made her submit to Benedict, it¡¯s like you¡¯re slapping the face of the Blood Clan council, this¡­¡± A worried look appeared on Quintina¡¯s face. The Blood Clan council was at the very core of the Blood Clan¡¯s holy land, where countless powerful members of the Blood Clan resided. Xue An¡¯s actions were outright provocation. Quintina was naturally worried. But Xue An just smiled slightly, ¡°Slapping their faces? No, things certainly won¡¯t be that simple. Selina is an important clue, and through her, I intend to find the exact location of the Blood Clan council.¡± ¡°What?¡± Quintina was astounded; she had thought Xue An wanted to lure out members of the Blood Clan council and take them down one by one, but he was actually planning to strike at the heart, to assault the holy land of the Blood Clan itself. Excitement flashed in Xue An¡¯s eyes, ¡°From what you said, the Blood Clan council is teeming with Dukes and even the royalty are from the first and second generation; it¡¯s like a massive treasure of Blood Pearls! Naturally, I would want to harvest it.¡± Quintina bowed her head, not daring to say anything more. All she felt was madness! But at the same time, a sense of anticipation and excitement started to rise in her heart. When, a few hours later, Benedict, in a great mood, walked out of the room with a spirited look, Selina followed, shakily walking out. But now, Selina no longer exhibited her initial arrogance and mania, only fear and humiliation. ¡°How about it? Are you obedient now?¡± Xue An asked indifferently. Benedict nodded excitedly and then turned around, ¡°Kneel!¡± Selina trembled and knelt down in extreme humiliation. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to resist; she had even tried to commit suicide several times just moments before. But Xue An¡¯s soul subjugation was extremely domineering, making it so she couldn¡¯t even kill herself, and she could only be at Benedict¡¯s mercy. ¡°Call me master!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Selina called out woodenly. Xue An nodded, then looked at Selina with interest, ¡°Now, what I want to know is, where exactly is your Blood Clan council?¡± Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Chapter 384: Catching Them All in One Sweep (4th Update) Chapter 384: Chapter 384: Catching Them All in One Sweep (4th Update) Selina shuddered, her vacant eyes gradually regaining clarity, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Bastard, how dare you speak to the Elder like that?¡± Benedict scolded angrily. The intense pain from her soul made Selina tremble all over, yet she still fixed her gaze on Xue An, wanting an answer. ¡°After killing Alldington, I¡¯ve been waiting, waiting for the masters from the Blood Clan Council to appear, but the outcome has been disappointing. It was only you few kittens that came.¡± ¡°My patience has been whittled down to nothing, so I¡¯m preparing to kill my way up to the Blood Clan Council and harvest all of the Blood Clan!¡± Xue An¡¯s indifferent words left Selina stunned for a moment, then a mocking smile gradually appeared on her face. ¡°I admit, you are indeed powerful, but to be so arrogant as to think you alone can annihilate the entire Blood Clan Council? That¡¯s simply delusional!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Benedict roared. The agony made Selina unable to speak, but the mockery in her eyes remained, even intensified. Xue An slowly stood up and walked close to Selina. ¡°You don¡¯t believe it? Well then, this time I will let you watch with your own eyes how I slaughter your Blood Clan Council!¡± As he spoke, Xue An¡¯s Divine Sense directly invaded Selina¡¯s sea of consciousness, sifting through numerous chaotic images to find the information he needed. ¡°S-country, huh?¡± Xue An said softly. ¡°What¡­ what have you done to me? You¡¯re nothing but a devil!¡± Selina, realizing what Xue An had just done to her, couldn¡¯t help but shout in fear. This man, making her soul submit to him and also being able to forcibly search her memories, these methods were even more devilish than a devil¡¯s. Xue An leaned forward slightly, smiling as he said, ¡°I¡¯m honored to be called a devil by the Blood Clan.¡± This is a grand and luxurious church in Y-country, also known as the church that was never finished. The construction of this church began in the medieval era and has yet to be completed. Standing under the dome of the church, countless pieces of stained glass refined by Secret Technique emitted a glow like that of a sacred hall. Such a sight drove countless believers to frenzy, calling it a miracle of the God of Light. But only Garry, the bishop here, knew what was really going on. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t use the Holy Light Technique so frequently next time. After all, only the most devout believers are worthy of seeing the Holy Light,¡± he said. ¡°Yes! But how can we tell who are the most devout believers, Archbishop?¡± asked an underling. Garry said indifferently, ¡°The more money they donate, the more devout their faith in the God of Light. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± His subordinate nodded, thoroughly convinced and withdrew. Garry stood up, ready to return to his resting chamber. A letter sealed with a Secret Technique was then delivered to him. Upon opening it, his face couldn¡¯t help but turn ashen. After a long while, he finally said sternly, ¡°Call Alonso over!¡± It took a long time for Alonso, reeking of alcohol, to arrive. ¡°Garry, what is it that you need me for?¡± he asked. This Alonso had once been the Vice-Commander of the Radiant Knight Corps but was demoted due to excessive greed, which provoked public anger, and was eventually sent to Y-country for redemption by the Holy Knights. Garry frowned slightly. By rank, he was the Cardinal Archbishop of the Y-country diocese, naturally outranking this exiled Alonso. However, since Alonso once belonged to the Radiant Knight Corps and was a subordinate of one of the four heads of the Church of Light, the Holy Knight, he always spoke freely and never showed Garry the respect he was due. But now was not the time to dwell on these details. He handed one of the letters to Alonso. Alonso took one look and was also slightly taken aback. ¡°Two purple-robed Stewards and one red-robed Executor all dead?¡± Garry nodded solemnly. ¡°Strange, who in London has that kind of formidable strength? A Dark Witch from the Dark Council? Or Titan? Or perhaps someone from the Blood Clan?¡± Alonso wondered. Garry said gravely, ¡°The latest news is that these three were sent to capture two Dark Night Elves!¡± ¡°Dark Night Elves?¡± A sinister smile appeared on Alonso¡¯s face. ¡°How could those alluring female elves possibly have killed these three?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why the Judgment Chief was furious and has strictly ordered us to investigate this matter thoroughly!¡± Upon hearing the three words, Judgment Chief, Alonso shuddered, and his face finally showed reverence. ¡°A red-robed Executor alone, how could it have alarmed the Judgment Chief?¡± ¡°Haha, that red-robed Executor was a relative of the Judgment Chief. That¡¯s why the Judgment Chief is so enraged!¡± ¡°Understood! Shall I head to London now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush, I will go with you! This incident is an opportunity, those Dark Night Elves are becoming increasingly cunning and harder to capture! We haven¡¯t had any fresh merchandise for a long time, and many higher-ups have already expressed their discontent!¡± ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve decided that we should take this chance to capture all the Dark Night Elves in one fell swoop!¡± As he spoke, Garry¡¯s eyes glittered with greed. Every Dark Night Elf could fetch an exorbitant price on the black market! Countless tycoons were deeply interested in these mysterious, long-lived creatures that were also docile and beautiful. In particular, within the high ranks of the Church of Light, many influential figures were also very interested in these Dark Night Elves. Garry had earned his position as a red-robed bishop because he had captured many good specimens and presented them as offerings. In fact, by his abilities alone, he wasn¡¯t qualified to be a bishop. Which is why many people joked about him being the Elf Bishop. This was also why Alonso had little respect for him. As a result, Garry was harboring a strong determination. This time, I will capture all the elves in one go, and with these achievements, I will climb one step higher. Then we¡¯ll see who dares to laugh at me! Meanwhile, in a small town in Europe. After the movie directed and performed by Fan Mengxue finished playing, thundering applause erupted in the venue. Many renowned film critics stood up and cheered, extending their utmost respect to this woman from the distant orient. ¡°Brilliant, absolutely brilliant, this movie is the most brilliant one I¡¯ve seen this year!¡± ¡°I disagree with your statement; in my opinion, this should be deemed the most brilliant one in nearly a decade. Honestly, I¡¯m tired of the same old film clich¨¦s. Miss Fan¡¯s work is like a breath of fresh air, completely enchanting me!¡± These lavish praises nearly drowned Fan Mengxue. Countless journalists were pushing forward frantically, hoping to interview Fan Mengxue. But Fan Mengxue merely nodded and smiled politely at everyone before floating away, leaving Han Yao to deal with the frenzied media. After returning to the dressing room and changing into casual clothes, donning large sunglasses, Fan Mengxue then left the venue. She had never liked the limelight, even detested being under the spotlights. So she avoided it whenever she could. Now, she was ready to enjoy some rare leisure time from work, strolling around this genuinely European town! Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Chapter 385 Miss, Please Stay (1st Update) Chapter 385: Chapter 385 Miss, Please Stay (1st Update) Today happens to be the gathering in this small town, with street stalls displaying all sorts of strange and unusual items. Some have found genuine antiques among these inconspicuous old goods and sold them for astronomical prices. Since then, whenever there is such a gathering for old items, many people would come here after hearing about it. Today was no exception. The streets were crowded with people, many squatting on the ground, searching for something of value. The stall owners didn¡¯t care, huddling together drinking coffee instead. They only responded in heavily accented English when someone asked about the price. Fan Mengxue found this quite interesting; it was different from the upscale department stores¡ªwalking here, one could feel the authentic taste of the small town. Take, for example, this dusty little box that, when opened, played a beautiful melody, and it was all mechanical to boot. Perhaps because of Fan Mengxue¡¯s unique aura, the stall owner took the initiative to say, ¡°Beautiful lady, you have a good eye, this music box was passed down from my grandfather!¡± ¡°Back when my grandfather was about to head to the battlefield of World War II, before leaving, his lover at the time gave him this item, but when my grandfather returned from the battlefield unscathed, his lover had vanished due to the continuous war!¡± ¡°For many years, he searched for his lover and even due to this, he never married, but sadly, he never saw that girl again before he died!¡± ¡°This box is a testament to my grandfather¡¯s pure love, so I decided to put it out. If someone asks, I tell them this story,¡± the stall owner said with a sigh. Fan Mengxue¡¯s gaze flickered slightly, seemingly moved by this love story that ended without fruition, and she whispered softly, ¡°How much?¡± The stall owner¡¯s eyes lit up, and he held up one finger, ¡°One hundred Euros!¡± Then he was ready to wait for Fan Mengxue to bargain. But Fan Mengxue directly took out a large denomination bill and handed it to the stall owner, then asked somewhat bewilderedly, ¡°Is love always like this?¡± The stall owner, preoccupied with joy, was taken aback by the question and then sighed, ¡°Girl, love is often just like that, very few people are really lucky enough to wait for ¡®the one.¡¯ But although my grandfather waited his whole life, he said before he died that he had no regrets!¡± Tears glistened in Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes, and she took out another bill and gave it to the stall owner, ¡°Thank you! Although I know the story is fake, I still want to say thank you!¡± Having said that, Fan Mengxue no longer paid attention to the embarrassed stall owner and turned to leave. The stall owner stood there, deep in thought for a while, ¡°Was there any flaw in my story? Ah, well, doesn¡¯t matter, I made the money!¡± Saying this, the stall owner then took out another music box identical to the first and placed it on the stall, waiting to sell the same tale of love to the next customer. Fan Mengxue held the music box in her hand, feeling somewhat conflicted. She wasn¡¯t a fool, naturally picking out the flaws in his story. His grandfather, tormented by love, never married in his life. So where did this stall owner come from? Sprung from a stone? But these weren¡¯t what mattered; what was important was that Fan Mengxue was touched by his story. At that moment, she thought to herself quietly. If possible, I would bury my feelings for you in my heart and then¡­ become a Tomb Guardian for a lifetime! Just then, an elderly woman¡¯s voice came from behind her. ¡°Young lady, please wait, wouldn¡¯t you like a divination?¡± Fan Mengxue turned and saw an old woman in a black cloak sitting in front of a dilapidated tent, watching her quietly. Fan Mengxue hesitated, ¡°Are you calling me?¡± The old woman nodded, a glint of light flickering in her deep eyes, ¡°Girl, I am a Witch, and I can see that you are weighed down with heavy thoughts! If possible, I think I can show you a path!¡± Fan Mengxue had just been wandering aimlessly and, upon hearing the old woman¡¯s words, thought she would be like any of those so-called witches found on every street corner, swindlers trying to make a quick buck. But the old woman¡¯s deep eyes moved her. Fan Mengxue nodded as if possessed, ¡°Fine, please follow me!¡± said the old woman as she stood up and walked towards the tent behind her. Fan Mengxue hesitated slightly, then looked at the bustling scenery around her and the brilliant sunlight before she followed inside. The tent was pitch-dark, filled with a strong scent of herbs. The old woman stood in front of a Crystal Ball and whispered, ¡°Young lady, please place your hand on the Crystal Ball, then close your eyes and silently recite your question in your mind, it will give you an answer!¡± Fan Mengxue nodded, extended her hand to gently place on the Crystal Ball, and closed her eyes to silently ponder her doubts. At that time, the old woman watched Fan Mengxue with an interested gaze. The girl had a pure aura, but more importantly, she carried a strong and pure dark aura with her. That was the reason she had called out to Fan Mengxue on the street. Especially now, as the Crystal Ball grasped by Fan Mengxue began to reveal strands of dark mist. This was the necessary ritual when the Dark Witch selected her successor. The more the dark mist, the better the person¡¯s qualifications. Soon, the demonic mist filled the entire Crystal Ball and was still crazily increasing. At that moment, the Crystal Ball seemed unable to withstand the load and a crack appeared with a snap. The old woman¡¯s eyes were filled with ecstasy. This girl¡¯s qualifications were far stronger than she had imagined. Fan Mengxue opened her eyes in confusion. She had just been silently reciting her biggest doubt in her mind. But she felt nothing, instead, she felt a tremor in her hand, and only after opening her eyes did she realize that the Crystal Ball had actually shattered. Fan Mengxue¡¯s heart sank, fearing she had encountered a scam, but it was too late to say anything, so she could only smile apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I broke this Crystal Ball, how much is it? I¡¯ll compensate!¡± But the old woman did not even look at the Crystal Ball, her piercing gaze fixed on Fan Mengxue. Fan Mengxue felt a chill in her heart; could this mysterious old woman be mentally ill? At that moment, the darkness in the tent suddenly intensified, the noise from the outside world disappeared, leaving only silence. And when she looked for the old woman, she was already gone. Fan Mengxue was shocked. Oh no, had she fallen into some kind of trap? Just then, a woman, surrounded by dark mist, slowly approached from the darkness. The woman had an excellent figure, dressed in a revealing Witch¡¯s costume, showing her extraordinarily long legs, and wore high heels. Her every step was full of sway and allure, the epitome of mature charm. Fan Mengxue was somewhat stunned. ¡°You¡­ you are¡­?¡± The woman giggled coyly, then continued with that old voice, ¡°Young lady, are you troubled by love?¡± Fan Mengxue finally realized that she had encountered a real Witch today, and her heart actually settled. ¡°You¡­ how do you know?¡± The Dark Witch said indifferently, ¡°I can sense the pain and confusion permeating your heart. What else could make such a woman like you unable to escape, if not for love?¡± Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Turning Dark (Second Update) Chapter 386: Chapter 386: Turning Dark (Second Update) Fan Mengxue lowered her head, ¡°You¡¯re right, I am indeed very confused right now, do you have any way to help me clear it up?¡± The Dark Witch shook her head with a light sigh, ¡°There are two things in this world that are unsolvable, one is life and death, the other is love! I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t help you!¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s expression turned gloomy, for she had known this would be the outcome all along. But the Dark Witch continued, ¡°However, I want to tell you something! For a woman, the most important thing is to make herself strong first. Only by doing so will you be eligible to stand on equal footing with the man in your heart!¡± Fan Mengxue trembled all over and murmured softly, ¡°How is that possible?¡± The Dark Witch smiled, ¡°What¡¯s impossible about it? Just imagine, one day, when you become so powerful that you can control the entire world, standing in front of him then, no matter who he is, he will have to look at you with admiring eyes. You will realize at that time that love is not something you beg for, but something you earn!¡± Fan Mengxue wore a look of complete bewilderment. She had never thought about these things before, but the words of the Dark Witch reminded her, if she truly became powerful, would she be able to stay by Xue An¡¯s side and help him? Fan Mengxue knew about Xue An¡¯s origins. Sooner or later, he would leave Earth. At that time, if she had enough power, she might even be able to go with him. Otherwise, she would only grow old alone on this Earth. As she pondered, Fan Mengxue gradually became excited, ¡°Can¡­ can you help me?¡± The Dark Witch couldn¡¯t help taking a few steps forward, her voice soft, ¡°My girl, your talent is the strongest I¡¯ve seen among all the people in the past few hundred years!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing, I will make you the most powerful Dark Witch this world has ever seen!¡± Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t hesitate, giving a slight nod of the head, but she asked with some confusion, ¡°Then¡­ who are you exactly?¡± The Dark Witch burst into laughter upon hearing this, and as she laughed, the dark aura on her face gradually dissipated. Revealed was a face that was surprisingly lolita-like. This was in stark contrast to her mature, hot figure, and it was even somewhat comical. A smile couldn¡¯t help but appear on the corners of Fan Mengxue¡¯s mouth. The Dark Witch noticed this and, somewhat flustered, said, ¡°Don¡¯t laugh! I am the reigning queen of the Dark Witches, who has ruled the lineage for a hundred years! I am also the current Grand Chancellor of the Dark Council. My true name is¡­ Anastasia!¡± Fan Mengxue was startled, ¡°The Dark Council?¡± Anastasia was pleased with Fan Mengxue¡¯s expression and nodded with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s right, this world is far more complex than it seems on the surface. Now, let me tell you about the hidden worlds beneath the facade!¡± Fan Mengxue did not tell Anastasia that the man she loved might have already become the king of the world. At this moment, she suddenly had a strong desire to become powerful. At the very least¡­ to be strong enough to stand behind Xue An, rather than having him resolve everything! When Fan Mengxue left the tent, the sky had already turned completely dark. Fan Mengxue walked slowly on the way back, a gleam of black light gradually emerging in her eyes. And the path behind her was gradually covered by the deep darkness. Xue An stepped onto the land of S country with his entourage. Sine there was no rush, Xue An and his party had traveled here by train. During the journey, Xue An returned to the Elf Sanctuary for a visit and found that Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian were safe and sound, and they had become as close as real sisters with Isabella. Seeing this, Xue An left the packaged food behind and came back. S country is a very small nation. In terms of area, it¡¯s not even comparable to Beijiang. But because the scenery here is beautiful and the climate pleasant, countless tourists come here to play every year. An Yan held Xue An¡¯s hand while looking around the streets, her face full of excitement and curiosity. ¡°Hubby, it¡¯s so lively here!¡± ¡°Hubby, look over there, that man is so dark!¡± Because Nian Nian and Xiang Xiang weren¡¯t around, An Yan temporarily shed her role as a mother, so these past few days she had completely let herself go, just like when they were passionately in love, super clingy. Xue An, however, was enjoying it, and said with a grin, ¡°Yeah! So dark, when he smiles, it¡¯s like a row of teeth has come to life!¡± Xue An¡¯s words caught everyone off guard, and then they struggled to hold it in, not daring to laugh out loud. An Yan held back her laughter even more and whispered, ¡°Hubby, you can be really mean sometimes!¡± Xue An spread his hands, ¡°So what? Anyway, he doesn¡¯t understand Chinese!¡± But just then, that tall and burly black man turned around and said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re the one with teeth that have come to life!¡± He spoke perfect Chinese. Xue An couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback, ¡°You actually speak Chinese?¡± ¡°Nonsense, I grew up in Huaxia from a young age, and are my teeth really that white?¡± the black man said a bit aggrieved. Xue An was a bit at a loss and chuckled, ¡°Uh¡­ not bad, quite beautiful actually!¡± Upon hearing this, the black man finally left, satisfied. After he left. An Yan, Quintina, and the others couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and burst out laughing. Xue An also couldn¡¯t help but smile. The flavor of life is just like this, you can¡¯t always be putting on the airs of the Immortal Venerable, right? Only Selina, who had washed off the bizarre makeup and dressed like a student, had the glimmer of excitement and frenzy in her eyes. Heh, to think you actually dare to come and court death, then I¡¯ll just have to oblige you! Selina thought to herself. Although Xue An had learned from Selina¡¯s mind that the Blood Clan Council was located in S country, one had to wait for a full moon night for the entrance to Blood Mountain to appear. Xue An and his group then settled down in the largest city of S country, waiting for the full moon night to arrive. When evening came. The outside became even more lively. S country is a very free nation, with few restrictions in many respects. Therefore, when night fell, places of glitz and glamour were filled with the excited and curious eyes of tourists from all over the world. To stay in a hotel on such a night would truly be a waste. Xue An led An Yan and the rest out onto the streets once again. The cuisine in S country is also famous, at least much better than in London. Xue An took everyone to a nice restaurant for dinner. Then Selina, with an air of secrecy, said, ¡°Master, I know of a very fun and thrilling place, do you want to go?¡± Xue An smiled, ¡°If it¡¯s *that* kind of place, forget it, I¡¯m not interested!¡± ¡°Of course not, what I¡¯m talking about is the most thrilling and blood-pumping location in the whole of Europe at night!¡± Xue An, looking at the mysterious Selina, slowly smiled, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go have a look then!¡± Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Drag Racing with the Blood Clan (3rd Update) Chapter 387: Chapter 387: Drag Racing with the Blood Clan (3rd Update) This is a ring road located in the suburbs of the city. The population of Country S is not large, so once night falls, the more remote areas become nearly deserted. But at this late hour, this freeway is bustling with activity. Bright searchlights illuminated the area as if it were daytime. At least a hundred uniquely styled heavy motorcycles were gathered here. The roar of their engines was incessant, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of tire rubber and heavy exhaust fumes. Mounted on the bikes were young men with sullen expressions and indifferent faces, often accompanied by a hot-bodied woman in shorts sitting behind them. When Selina led Xue An and the others here, they couldn¡¯t help but attract many fierce glances. Selina paid no attention to these people and excitedly shouted, ¡°Andre, I know you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you show yourself?¡± Following her words, the crowd parted to make way, and a three-meter-long giant motorcycle roared towards them at such great speed that it left trails of afterimages behind it. Selina didn¡¯t panic at all, her face even showed a hint of madness and excitement. Click. The motorcycle screeched to a halt just a few meters away from Selina, its front wheel almost brushing against her clothes, before it finally came to a stop. Then came a soft voice from the rider, ¡°It¡¯s really you! Selina, why have you changed into this outfit?¡± The speaker was a blond man with chiseled features, dressed in an impeccably tailored upscale suit, sitting on the motorcycle with an air of arrogance. Selina laughed neurotically, ¡°What? Don¡¯t I look beautiful?¡± Andre shook his head, ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s disgusting!¡± He then turned his fierce gaze toward Xue An and the others standing behind Selina. When he saw the curious look on An Yan¡¯s face and the solemn expression on Quintina¡¯s, his eyes lit up slightly before he coldly said. ¡°Who are they?¡± Selina chuckled, ¡°They¡¯re all my friends!¡± ¡°Friends?¡± Andre¡¯s mouth curled into a mocking smile as he pointed at Quintina. ¡°Aside from a Blood Clan Earl, the rest are just lowly humans. You actually say they are all your friends? The infamous little witch Selina, a Marquis of the Blood Clan, since when have you become so friendly?¡± Andre¡¯s tone was extremely haughty. The crowd behind him burst into laughter, and then everyone¡¯s eyes began to turn a strange, blood red. All these motorcyclists were actually members of the Blood Clan. And every one of them had considerable strength, at least at the rank of an Earl. As for Andre, he radiated a powerful aura, a Marquis of formidable strength. Such an aura made Quintina and the others turn pale. Selina licked her lips excitedly, eager to see how Xue An would react. She had brought Xue An and the others here on purpose. Although Andre only possessed the strength of a Marquis, his father was a major figure in the Blood Clan Council. Selina was hoping to use Andre as a means to rid herself of Xue An. But Xue An did not respond to Andre¡¯s words, instead looking interestedly at the motorcycle between his legs. ¡°A bunch of vampires gathering here every day for a race? How amusing!¡± One of the vampires sneered dismissively, ¡°Human, you think our Blood Clan races are the same as yours? These bikes are violently modified, their speeds are several times that of regular motorcycles! Fragile humans like you couldn¡¯t possibly handle them!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xue An raised an eyebrow slightly, intrigued. At that moment, Andre suddenly pointed at Xue An and said from above, ¡°Human, are you interested in a challenge with me?¡± ¡°A challenge about what?¡± Xue An asked. ¡°Naturally, about racing motorcycles. If I win, your female companion and that Blood Clan Earl must stay!¡± Andre stated coldly. ¡°And if I win?¡± Xue An said calmly. Xue An¡¯s question was met with a chorus of sneering laughter. ¡°Actually thinking of beating Andre?¡± ¡°Heh, this human probably won¡¯t even get the chance to see the tail lights of Lord Andre!¡± Amid these voices, Andre said proudly, ¡°If I lose, you can do whatever you want!¡± Xue An smiled slightly, nodded, and then looked deeply at Selina. ¡°As you say, this place is indeed not bad.¡± Originally feeling somewhat confident, Selina¡¯s heart suddenly lost some of its assurance upon seeing Xue An¡¯s smile. Xue An then turned his head to look at Yan¡¯er, smilingly said, ¡°Yan¡¯er, hubby will take you for a whirl.¡± An Yan nodded without hesitation, ¡°Mhm!¡± By then, a member of the Blood Clan had already offered up his motorcycle. It was a two-meter-long, all-red motorcycle, and just the deep roar of the engine was enough to exhibit the terrifying performance of the bike. Xue An got on the bike, and An Yan obediently sat behind him. Xue An twisted the throttle, and the engine roared to life instantly. Xue An¡¯s eyes brightened slightly, interestedly said, ¡°To actually use runes in modifying motorcycles, you guys are quite creative!¡± Andre was slightly taken aback by Xue An¡¯s words, and his expression became a bit more serious. This guy could actually discern the hidden secrets of these motorcycles, obviously not an ordinary person. Just as Xue An had said, the key components of these motorcycles were all inscribed with the Blood Clan¡¯s runes, and even in core parts such as the engine, various secret techniques were also integrated. Only then were these performance monsters crafted. At this moment, Andre spoke with a heavy voice, ¡°Are you ready?¡± Xue An smiled slightly, ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Then he turned to the Blood Clan member who had lent him the motorcycle, ¡°Excuse me, where is the brake?¡± This question rendered the surrounding dead silent, and after a moment, all the Blood Clan members burst into uproarious laughter. ¡°My god, isn¡¯t this human here to joke around?¡± ¡°Knowing nothing and daring to race against Lord Andre? He¡¯s really seeking death!¡± Even Quintina, who originally had full confidence in Xue An, couldn¡¯t help her eyelids twitching violently. Only An Yan remained nonchalant, as if she didn¡¯t care at all. At that time, the Blood Clan member sneered, ¡°This bike doesn¡¯t have brakes at all.¡± This was something the Blood Clan member had said on purpose. However, Xue An simply smiled slightly, ¡°Alright then!¡± He then turned his head to look at Andre. ¡°I¡¯m ready, let¡¯s start!¡± Andre snorted coldly, believing that Xue An was purely seeking death. But An Yan¡¯s staggering beauty made it hard for him to contain himself, so he gave a ferocious smile and twisted the throttle. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me if you die!¡± As he spoke, someone began to count down. ¡°Three!¡± ¡°Two!¡± ¡°One!¡± ¡°Go!¡± As the words fell, Andre¡¯s motorcycle shot out like an arrow from a bow, dashing away in an instant. Xue An, however, was a full second slower. In front of these monster bikes with a speed of at least a thousand kilometers per hour, a second¡¯s difference was like a chasm. Many Blood Clan members let out a burst of mocking laughter, all believing that Xue An had surely lost. Selina even let out a sigh of relief. As long as Xue An lost this race, she could brazenly ask Andre for help. Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter 390 The Throne Forged in Blood (First Update) Chapter 390: Chapter 390 The Throne Forged in Blood (First Update) Fan Mengxue took a deep breath and stared at the man with a sleazy smile plastered on his face. ¡°President, what exactly are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Miss Fan, you¡¯ve been in the industry for so many years, I believe you should understand how things work. Just accompany me once and I guarantee that the grand prize will be yours, plus I can use all of my resources to help you!¡± The man¡¯s face was full of determination, as if he was sure of his success. In his view, Fan Mengxue had no reason to refuse. Upon hearing his words, however, Fan Mengxue¡¯s gaze grew colder, and she slowly stood up, saying coldly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President, I think you¡¯ve got the wrong person! Goodbye!¡± Fan Mengxue didn¡¯t want to entangle herself with this sort of person any longer. It was just a movie award, after all. It wasn¡¯t worth it. Fan Mengxue¡¯s outright rejection stunned the man, who then sinisterly said, ¡°Miss Fan, I hope you think this through. If I say the word, your films will never be shown in Europe again! Understand?¡± Fan Mengxue whirled around, glaring deathly at the smug-faced man, a dark light burgeoning in her eyes. She had initially tried to resolve the matter peacefully, but unfortunately, some people were just begging for death. ¡°Aging!¡± Fan Mengxue barked coldly. A grey light then shot towards the man. At first, the man was dismissive, ¡°Miss Fan, I¡¯ve never believed in any of this so-called¡­..¡± But before the man could finish his sentence, he felt an intense pain all over his body, and upon lifting his arm, he discovered the skin had become dry and wrinkled, resembling that of a dying old man. He let out a terrified roar, ¡°What have you done to me? No¡­.¡± The man felt something dropping off his face, and upon touching it, found it was large flakes of dead skin. At this moment, he couldn¡¯t even muster a roar, only managing to look at Fan Mengxue with cloudy, terror-stricken eyes, as he continued to age at a visible rate. Quickly! He became a skeletal figure wrapped in skin and then died in agony. Fan Mengxue stood there, dazed. Anastasia slowly walked in, a look of approval on her face, ¡°Nicely done! But I think, next time, you don¡¯t need to waste words on these kinds of people. Just take action!¡± But before Anastasia could finish, Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. She felt a sudden cramp in her stomach and doubled over, violently retching. This was her first time killing someone by her own hand. And she had used dark witchcraft to do it. The impact on her was immense. Anastasia looked down sympathetically at Fan Mengxue, who was crouched on the floor, and said lightly, ¡°The first time killing is always like this. You¡¯ll get used to it! Trust me, you¡¯ll eventually come to like this feeling.¡± Fan Mengxue looked up at her, tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°I will never enjoy the feeling of killing someone!¡± Anastasia chuckled softly and said, ¡°Hundreds of years ago, when I killed for the first time, it was a young priest. After being attacked with my dark magic, he died in agony right in front of me. I still remember his look of terror and hatred. My reaction then was even worse than yours, but I still persisted and came through it!¡± As she spoke, Anastasia¡¯s expression gradually turned more solemn. ¡°Remember, you walk a dark path, and you are different from the others. You are destined to ascend to the throne of the Dark Witch. But that throne is forged with blood and death! You have no other choice!¡± Fan Mengxue lowered her head, and her eyes slowly lost something while gaining something else. ¡°The president was quite influential. Now that he¡¯s dead, how shall we deal with the aftermath?¡± Fan Mengxue asked. Anastasia nodded in approval, ¡°Very good. A competent dark witch should indeed remain calm!¡± Then she looked disdainfully at the skeleton on the couch. ¡°In Europe, apart from those damned Light locusts and the Blood Clan bats, no one is a match for the Dark Council! A mere Association Chairman is already taken care of; I¡¯ve notified the people in charge of the cleanup. From now on, it¡¯s as if he never existed; no one will pursue this matter,¡± Anastasia was right. After centuries of influence, the Dark Council had become a behemoth in the underworld of Europe. Dealing with a minor Chairman was naturally an easy task. Country S. Inside a hotel. Quintina swallowed the Marquis Blood Bead bestowed upon her by Xue An. Her previously stagnant cultivation level started to climb rapidly once again. Finally. With a thunderous boom, the wings behind Quintina fully extended; the previous pair-and-a-half of wings had now turned into three pairs. Then, she slowly opened her eyes, which were filled with a crimson hue that gradually faded back to normal after a while. Meanwhile, Benedict was already prostrating excitedly on the ground, ¡°Noble Lady Quintina, congratulations on finally reaching the rank of Marquis!¡± Indeed, a Marquis of the Blood Clan! Quintina had finally stepped into this level. Quintina nodded slightly, standing up and heading to Xue An¡¯s room. ¡°My Lord!¡± Quintina said respectfully. Xue An and An Yan were sitting on the floor, engrossed in a game. Quintina entered, and Xue An turned his head, offering a small smile. ¡°You¡¯ve broken through to Marquis?¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s all thanks to your cultivation and aid, my Lord!¡± Quintina spoke with utmost reverence. Xue An said nothing but continued to furiously work the game controller, deeply engaged in his match against An Yan. Only after finally conceding a close game to An Yan did Xue An stand up and ask indifferently, ¡°How many days are left until Blood Mountain opens?¡± ¡°Tomorrow night is the full moon!¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Xue An nodded in satisfaction. ¡°My Lord, there¡¯s something else I must tell you!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°In the Blood Clan, after becoming a Marquis, one gains the right to attend the Blood Clan council meetings at Blood Mountain. This way, we can enter openly and with good reason!¡± Xue An frowned slightly, ¡°Is that really necessary? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just barge in?¡± ¡°Err¡­¡± Quintina was startled by Xue An¡¯s words. Then Xue An gave a small smile, ¡°Just kidding. Alright, at that time we¡¯ll disguise ourselves as your Blood thralls and enter Blood Mountain together to see what this Holy Land of the Blood Clan is truly like!¡± Although Xue An said that, Quintina couldn¡¯t help but think of an absurd idea that crossed her mind as she saw the excitement on Xue An¡¯s face. My Lord¡­ couldn¡¯t actually be thinking of storming Blood Mountain directly, could he? The next day. As soon as the night¡¯s moonlight began to fall to the earth, above the capital of Country S, there was a faint stirring in the clouds, with a center of deep crimson. Pointing at the eerie crimson spot, Quintina said, ¡°My Lord, that is the entrance to Blood Mountain!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Good, let¡¯s set off now!¡± Quintina nodded and turned into a streak of blood, rushing forward, with Xue An holding An Yan closely, they both headed straight for the clouds. Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Chapter 391: Selina’s Blessing in Disguise (Second Update) Chapter 391: Chapter 391: Selina¡¯s Blessing in Disguise (Second Update) Blood Mountain was about to be activated. Above in the sky, the Blood Gate was gradually taking shape. By the time Xue An and his group arrived, they found that quite a few of the Blood Clan had already gathered around the Blood Gate. At the same time, many streaks of blood light were flying towards it at great speed. These were members of the Blood Clan from all over Europe, preparing to attend the Council. Quintina, along with Xue An and others, drew much attention upon their arrival. After all, compared to those ancient bloodsuckers in medieval gowns, covered in thick lead makeup, Quintina appeared exceptionally young and beautiful. ¡°A new Lady Marquess, how rare indeed!¡± an old member of the Blood Clan said with a chilly laugh. ¡°I like this Lady Marquess!¡± another said, face full of greed. Meanwhile, Xue An¡¯s eyes shone as he sized up the group of bloodsuckers. Among these bloodsuckers, in addition to the marquises, there were actually several dukes present. In Xue An¡¯s eyes, these dukes were practically walking Blood Pearls! ¡°One, two, three¡­¡± Xue An silently counted, making up his mind. He would not let a single duke get away! Just then, the Blood Gate burst into form and slowly began to open. A giant golden bat flew out, then transformed into a man with a haughty demeanor. ¡°Lord Harriman!¡± A multitude of Blood Clan members bowed in unison. Harriman nodded arrogantly, and then, in a piercing voice, declared, ¡°At today¡¯s Council, all the councilors shall be in attendance!¡± The many bloodsuckers stirred restlessly. Many were surprised. For past Blood Clan Councils, it was considered quite enough if just one councilor showed up¡ªhad something major happened for all of them to be present this time? ¡°I expect everyone to remain humble and restrained in the presence of the elders, understood?¡± Harriman spoke sharply. ¡°Yes!¡± the bloodsuckers responded in unison. Pleased, Harriman nodded and with a wave of his hand, the bloodsuckers began to enter the Blood Gate in an orderly fashion. When it was Quintina¡¯s turn, Harriman suddenly frowned, ¡°Wait!¡± Quintina stopped in her tracks. ¡°How come I have not seen you before?¡± Quintina bowed slightly, ¡°I am a newly advanced Marquess!¡± Harriman¡¯s expression changed slightly, ¡°A newly advanced Marquess?¡± He then scrutinized Quintina thoroughly. ¡°What is your name? Which family do you come from?¡± ¡°My name is Quintina, from the Cecil Family!¡± ¡°The Cecil Family?¡± Harriman furrowed his brows, thinking for a while with no recollection. Perhaps it was a small family from some remote area. Thinking this, Harriman became even more haughty, ¡°Do you know the decorum for facing your superiors?¡± Quintina nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± However, Harriman didn¡¯t let Quintina pass, but instead pointed imperiously at Xue An. ¡°What are these two doing here?¡± ¡°They are my blood slaves!¡± Quintina stated. ¡°Blood slaves?¡± Harriman showed a look of disgust. ¡°This is the Blood Clan¡¯s Holy Land, how can we allow such lowly creatures as blood slaves to enter? Get them out of here!¡± Xue An slightly raised an eyebrow, not expecting there to be such arrogant and bullying behavior within the Blood Clan. Just as he was about to react, another streak of blood light arrived. And, when it stopped, it turned out to be Selina. By then, Selina had already returned to her previous attire. She had tied her hair into twin ponytails again, applied her deathly makeup, wore a T-shirt and bikini shorts, and carried a baseball bat in her hand. Xue An was slightly taken aback. Selina first gave Xue An a respectful curtsy and then, chewing her gum, slowly walked towards Harriman. Harriman, seeing it was Selina, showed an expression of embarrassment and fear. ¡°Little¡­ Lady Witch, what brings you here?¡± Selina blew a large bubble with her chewing gum and started laughing nervously at Harriman. Yet her smile made cold sweat break out on Harriman¡¯s forehead. Although Selina was only of Marquis strength, there was a significant figure backing her, which even Harriman did not dare provoke. ¡°I heard you wouldn¡¯t let my friend in,¡± Selina said with a mischievous smile. ¡°Ah, I truly didn¡¯t know this was your friend!¡± Before the words had even ended, Selina had picked up the baseball bat and swung it. Bang! Harriman was hit squarely on the forehead by that swing. Although his Marquis strength as a member of the Blood Clan meant he wouldn¡¯t be killed by the blow, the hit still sent him flying more than ten meters, with blood flowing from his forehead. ¡°Not knowing is a reason?¡± Selina said coldly. ¡°No¡­¡± Harriman was about to say something when, seeing Selina lift the baseball bat again, he got so scared he turned and ran. Selina aimed at Harriman¡¯s retreating figure, took aim with the bat, and then hurled it with force. The baseball bat traced a beautiful arc in the air and hit Harriman squarely in the back. Harriman stumbled midair, nearly knocked down, then sped up his escape. Selina clapped her hands, spat disdainfully on the ground, and then turned to face Xue An. ¡°My master, Benedict, feared you would encounter danger, so he sent me to assist you!¡± Xue An regarded the respectfully faced Selina, his eyes flickered slightly, but a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Your soul had already been severely damaged, I hadn¡¯t expected that this soul-binding would turn out to be a blessing in disguise, healing your injuries!¡± Selina chuckled, the madness in her eyes completely gone, and her gaze was filled with gratitude towards Xue An. Just as Xue An said. As a child, Selina had suffered extreme abuse, which even continued for a hundred years. It was only after she grew into a Marquis that she managed to break free from that shadow. But such prolonged abuse had been devastating to Selina. It even resulted in multiple personalities. Her behavior was wildly erratic, and she never knew fear. That¡¯s how she earned the nickname ¡°Little Witch.¡± But Xue An¡¯s intervention with the soul-binding had miraculously eradicated those violent personalities. Selina now felt as if she had been reborn. Her once fragmented soul had also come back together. ¡°All thanks to you, my lord!¡± Selina said reverently. Xue An smiled lightly, ¡°All right, it¡¯s time to go inside! Your former master must be waiting for your return!¡± At the mention of this, Selina¡¯s body shuddered, and her eyes filled with boundless murderous intent. The one who had abused her for a century and enslaved her was her great-grandfather, the prestigious Prince of the Blood Clan Parliament, Wilson! Initially, Selina¡¯s soul had been firmly under his control, and she had worshipped this cruel abuser like a god. Now that her soul had healed, she naturally loathed Wilson to the bone! ¡°My lord, I want to tear Wilson into a thousand pieces! I will join you in the slaughter at Blood Mountain!¡± Selina said with hatred. Xue An laughed heartily and strode into the Gates of Blood. Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Chapter 392: The Twelve Speakers (3rd update) Chapter 392: Chapter 392: The Twelve Speakers (3rd update) Blood Mountain. This was a towering mountain range, reaching into the clouds. It could even be said that the entire Vampire Secret Realm was occupied by this mountain. Along its slopes, many ancient castles were built. The owners of these castles were primarily Vampire Grand Dukes. And atop the mountain was the location of the Vampire Council. When Xue An set foot on Blood Mountain, he saw countless blood lights converging towards the summit. Powerful auras streaked across the sky, causing Xue An¡¯s eyes to flash with wonder. These were all Blood Pearls! By the time he reached the great hall on the mountain summit, a large number of the Blood Clan had already gathered. These Blood Clan members were all dressed impeccably, gathering in groups of three or five, conversing with each other using various elegant phrases. When Xue An and the others appeared there, many cast curious glances their way. Especially Selina and Quintina, who were walking at the forefront, made many faces turn somewhat strange. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Selina who was played to the brink by Prince Wilson?¡± someone whispered. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s that little witch, ah, I didn¡¯t expect her to attend the council this time!¡± ¡°The Lady Marquess behind her is rather unfamiliar!¡± ¡°Probably a newcomer! Heh heh, she¡¯s so pretty, now the big shots have a new plaything!¡± Within these murmurs, Selina chewed gum, her face full of frosty colors. As per tradition, there was a brief banquet before the council began. So soon, various exquisite dishes were brought in like a flowing stream. But what attracted the most attention were the bottles of wine that glowed with a dazzling blood light. Upon seeing these bottles, a cold gleam rose in Xue An¡¯s eyes. Where were these wines? They were clearly refined essence of blood, concocted from human fresh blood! Each bottle might represent the lives of hundreds of people. Yet here, they served as red wine for these Blood Clan members to display their elegant demeanor. ¡°Master!¡± sensing the faint killing intent emitting from Xue An, Selina called out softly. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Now is not the time, those real big shots haven¡¯t shown up yet!¡± Xue An nodded, ¡°Understood!¡± As they were conversing, a voice brimming with endless malice came through. ¡°Dear Selina, I didn¡¯t expect you to come as well!¡± Upon hearing this voice, bloodlight surged in Selina¡¯s eyes, and without turning around, she said, ¡°My dearest brother, for such a grand council, of course, I must come!¡± The speaker was none other than Selina¡¯s half-brother from the same father, as well as Prince Wilson¡¯s most valued offspring, Dennis. Dennis chuckled upon hearing this, his eyes full of condescending arrogance. ¡°As the family¡¯s plaything, I¡¯m quite puzzled as to why you dare to speak to me with that tone.¡± Selina snorted coldly, without responding. Dennis¡¯s gaze was drawn to Quintina standing aside, he walked over with a wine glass in hand and bowed elegantly. ¡°Beautiful lady, I¡¯m delighted to meet you. I am Dennis, a descendant of the millennium-old noble Wilson family! Your beauty is truly unforgettable!¡± Quintina didn¡¯t respond, instead, she took a half step back and said indifferently, ¡°But I am not pleased to meet you!¡± This response caused Dennis¡¯s expression to change, his eyes flashing with restless and angry light. ¡°I hope you realize who you are talking to!¡± with his words, three and a half pairs of blood wings appeared behind Dennis. People around were shocked, ¡°He is actually on the verge of breaking through to a Grand Duke!¡± ¡°The offspring of Lord Wilson is indeed extraordinary!¡± In the midst of these discussions, Dennis¡¯s face was full of pride and arrogance. ¡°Lady Marquess, as long as you apologize for your attitude just now, and pledge loyalty to me, I am willing to forgive you!¡± Quintina sneered with a shake of her head, ¡°Daydreaming!¡± Boom! Everyone around was shocked by Quintina¡¯s attitude. Daring to challenge Dennis with the strength of a Marquis. Dennis¡¯s face became so dark with anger it seemed water might drip from it. ¡°Very well, Lady Marquess, I will remember you. After the council ends, I will be very pleased to have another talk with you!¡± With that, he turned and swept away. Quintina inwardly breathed a sigh of relief; just now she had been quite oppressed by the aura emanating from Dennis. But for her master, she could not bow her head. Xue An then smiled faintly, ¡°What a pity!¡± Only Quintina and the others knew what Xue An meant by that pity. A Half-Step Duke is not a Duke; the Blood Pearl that¡¯s condensed can¡¯t be used either. That was the reason for Xue An¡¯s sense of pity. Just then, there was a commotion at the front. The twelve chairs in the Blood Clan hall gradually revealed figures upon them. The twelve councilors of the Blood Clan council were actually all present. All the Blood Clan members bent over in unison, respectfully shouting, ¡°Greetings, councilors!¡± At the center was Prince Wilson, scanning the entire hall with an authoritative gaze. As an aristocrat who had lived for thousands of years, both his strength and prestige were awe-inspiring. No member of the Blood Clan dared to meet his gaze, and wherever his sight landed, all submissively lowered their heads. The only exception was when his gaze swept to a corner, where Selina was chewing gum, standing with an indifferent air. She even gave Wilson a cold smile, then extended a middle finger, muttering something quietly. Although it was inaudible, from the shape of her mouth, one could tell it was nothing pleasant. Wilson¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Selina¡¯s current demeanor was completely unexpected, as if she had slipped beyond his control. But immediately, a cold smile surfaced on his lips. Selina used to be his favorite toy, whom he tormented for a hundred years before she submitted to him. But once a toy submits, it loses its appeal. Thus Wilson had long lost interest in her. Now, seeing Selina in this state, his interest in her was piqued once again. The council officially began. The first to speak was Andrew. In an archaic and medieval emphasis he said, ¡°Esteemed councilors, yesterday my descendant Andrew died, and according to my investigation, many of our Blood Clan were eliminated along with him. I have every reason to believe that this was an attack directed at our Blood Clan.¡± His remark caused a slight stir. ¡°Was it done by the Church of Light?¡± another member of the Blood Clan loudly asked. ¡°It¡¯s not clear yet, but I believe we should be on high alert. Not long ago, Grand Duke Alldington fell, leaving not a trace of flesh behind, and now my descendant has been attacked. These events are clearly targeted moves against our Blood Clan in the shadows!¡± ¡°Therefore, I propose that our Blood Clan council should be vigilant about this matter,¡± Andrew¡¯s suggestion drew many voices of assent. Wilson nodded almost imperceptibly, ¡°Lord Andrew, your proposal is correct! I once sent Selina to investigate the cause of Grand Duke Alldington¡¯s death. Now, she should have some leads.¡± As the words fell, many eyes turned to focus on Selina. Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Chapter 393: Slaughter on Blood Mountain (4th Update) Chapter 393: Chapter 393: Slaughter on Blood Mountain (4th Update) Selina blew a large bubble and, after it burst, slowly ate it back up. Dennis frowned and said in a cold voice, ¡°Selina, the venerable prince is questioning you; you must answer promptly!¡± With a neurotic laugh, Selina picked up a baseball bat and walked to the front, addressing the Blood Clan, ¡°I did indeed do some investigating and then discovered a shocking secret!¡± ¡°Oh? What secret?¡± Wilson¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°It was a human who killed Alldington!¡± ¡°A human? Impossible!¡± The Blood Clan members caused a stir, showing expressions of disbelief. In their eyes, it was easier to believe that someone from the Dark Council had ambushed and killed a Grand Duke rather than admit that a Grand Duke had died at the hands of a human. After all, mere centuries ago during the Dark Middle Ages, humans were nothing more than talking animals to these Blood Clan members. ¡°Hehe, then tell me, why would this human target our Blood Clan?¡± Dennis asked with a cold laugh. ¡°Simple! Because he finds you self-important Blood Clan members annoying! Do you know why not even a trace of flesh was left of Duke Alldington?¡± ¡°Because this human powerhouse had condensed the Duke into a Blood Pearl!¡± This statement caused many Dukes to change their expressions subtly, and Wilson snorted, ¡°The ways of the Church of Light!¡± Indeed, there had been Grand Dukes who had fallen to ambush by the Church of Light in the past and had been condensed into Blood Pearls, becoming the Church¡¯s trophies of war prowess. But no one had expected this method to reemerge. ¡°Who is this human? Have you investigated clearly?¡± Dennis asked in a deep voice. ¡°Of course I have investigated clearly; I have even acknowledged him as my master!¡± Selina¡¯s excitement grew as she spoke. Her words sent shockwaves through the crowd. Many thought Selina had gone mad. Dennis snorted furiously, ¡°A noble Blood Clan Marquis acknowledging a lowly human as master? You are defiling the Blood Clan¡¯s reputation!¡± Selina burst into loud laughter, ¡°Noble Blood Clan? In my eyes, each of you isn¡¯t even equal to pigs and dogs!¡± ¡°Dennis, take her away. She¡¯s gone mad!¡± Wilson said indifferently. ¡°Yes!¡± Dennis grinned viciously as he moved to approach her. Just then, a serene voice echoed in the ears of all the Blood Clan members. ¡°Everyone should be here now, right?¡± At this voice, the Blood Clan members were taken aback. Selina, however, showed a look of extreme admiration, respectfully bowing, ¡°My lord, almost everyone is here!¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Xue An, leading An Yan, stepped forward to the front. ¡°Humans!¡± Many Blood Clan members exclaimed softly. Quintina also followed closely behind Xue An. ¡°How dare these despicable humans infiltrate our ranks? Harriman, how did you guard the Blood Gate?¡± One Blood Clan member shouted in anger and surprise. Harriman, who had been beaten black and blue by Selina, trembled at these words and quickly stepped forward, saying with a wry smile, ¡°At the time, Lady Selina repeatedly assured me this was her friend, and when I refused entry, she beat me up.¡± ¡°Selina, what exactly are you trying to do?¡± Dennis asked with venom in his eyes. Selina chuckled coquettishly, ¡°What am I trying to do? Naturally, I am here to reclaim the humiliation I have suffered over the past century, bit by bit!¡± At this statement, Wilson¡¯s countenance darkened, and he said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re courting death!¡± With that, a streak of blood light shot toward Selina with such speed that it even caused the grand Blood Clan hall to shake. The might of a prince was clear for all to see. But at that moment, two slender fingers suddenly appeared in front of the bloody light, and with a gentle pinch, the streak was caught between them. Then Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Alldington was killed by me!¡± The faces of the Blood Clan members changed instantly. Xue An then turned to Andrew, ¡°Your descendant was also killed by me!¡± Andrew¡¯s face turned ashen. Xue An surveyed all the Blood Clan present, the light in his eyes growing colder, ¡°And the reason for my visit today is to exterminate your filthy Blood Mountain!¡± The room fell deadly silent at these words, followed by roars of anger. ¡°Lowly human, you will pay for your arrogance!¡± a Blood Clan roared and rashly made a move. Strike after strike, emitting a chilling murderous aura, the blood glows darted straight towards Xue An. Yet, amidst this furious onslaught, Xue An merely raised his hand lightly, ¡°Flame¡­ White Lotus!¡± As his words resounded, blossoms made of pure white flames appeared in the air. The blood glows in front of these white lotuses were like snow under the sun, silently dissolving away. A rich and holy aura filled the entire Divine Temple. Wilson suddenly stood up, his voice cold as he said, ¡°It¡¯s the Flame of Purity, kill him! At all costs!¡± The Flame of Purity was a kind of Divine Flame that posed a great threat to the Blood Clan. The Blood Clan had always seen it as a mortal enemy. Now that Xue An had revealed this move, he naturally became the target of the multitude. All the Blood Clan attacked together, countless blood glows forming a sea of blood rushing towards Xue An. Quintina and Selina¡¯s faces turned pale, and they staggered back several steps, obviously overwhelmed by this joint strike. Xue An, however, laughed heartily and then took a step forward. ¡°Lotus Breaks All Laws!¡± Boom! The white lotuses suddenly multiplied by countless times, covering the entire hall. Wherever it passed, flames covered the sky. Countless Blood Clan did not even have the chance to groan before they were refined by the flames. Dennis cried out in terror, ¡°My Lord, save me!¡± Wilson snorted angrily, a beam of blood glow stretched out, just barely saving Dennis. But Harriman was not so lucky, directly refined by the flames into nothingness. Countless Marquis and Duke¡¯s Blood Beads fell like water into Xue An¡¯s hands. With a smile playing on his lips, Xue An said to An Yan, ¡°Wife, take these!¡± An Yan nodded, opened the Mustard Seed Ring, and directly sucked in all the Blood Pearls into it. This scene made Wilson and the multitude of strong Blood Clan figures¡¯ eyes almost split with rage. ¡°Attack together, destroy him!¡± Wilson roared. This human was simply terrifyingly powerful and also had the Flame of Purity, a severe threat to the heart of the Blood Clan, he had to be eradicated! The twelve councilors were at least at the peak of Duke level, the rest being of Prince caliber. And with top Grand Dukes like Andrew also taking action together, Under the joint strike of these Blood Clan powerhouses. Wilson sneered and said, ¡°Hell of Blood Light!¡± Boom! Endless blood light enveloped Xue An and others layer by layer. Wilson laughed heartily, ¡°No matter how strong you are, in my Hell of Blood Light, you¡¯ll be turned into a pool of blood!¡± As he spoke, Wilson¡¯s heart was filled with triumph. If he could refine this human powerhouse, it would greatly benefit his own cultivation level. But his excitement lasted only a few seconds before a calm voice came through. ¡°Is that so? But in my view, it is nothing more than that!¡± With these words, a pair of slender and pure white hands extended, forcefully tearing apart the blood light that wrapped around him! And then Xue An walked out slowly from within, smiling at the stunned Wilson and others, ¡°Today, none of you will escape!¡± Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter 394 Endless White Lotus Destroys the Blood Clan (1st Update) Chapter 394: Chapter 394 Endless White Lotus Destroys the Blood Clan (1st Update) With those words, the Endless White Lotus enveloped the entire Blood Clan Temple, and pure white petals fell like rain, turning into flames that incinerated everything in their path. The scene struck terror into the hearts of all the Blood Clan members. ¡°Human strong one, who exactly are you? Why do you slaughter our Blood Clan!¡± Wilson cried out in horror, his body radiating a thick blood light, desperately fighting against these flames of light. Xue An said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not important who I am. What¡¯s important is that all of you Blood Clan must die today!¡± ¡°No, the glorious Blood Clan will never be extinguished, you lowly human!¡± Wilson roared, the blood light around him suddenly multiplied by countless times. Six pairs of enormous blood wings emerged behind Wilson, and even his body transformed into a bat form. Seeing this, the other eleven councilors also roared in fury, each revealing their full form. Twelve golden bats floated in midair, the blood light was so intense that it barely held back the flames of light. Wilson sneered, ¡°Human, you are indeed powerful, but we twelve councilors are not so easy to deal with¡­¡±. Before he could finish, Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Interesting, but this is getting fun!¡± Saying so, he waved his hand casually. Endless sword light emerged in the hall, and with a thunderous rush, it attacked. Wilson and the others were shocked and dismayed. They thought they had secured victory by resisting Xue An¡¯s flames of light, but little did they expect that Xue An had this move up his sleeve. But after all, they were Vampire Princes, strong members of the Blood Clan, and they still had the power to protect themselves under the endless sword light. However, just because they could dodge didn¡¯t mean that the rest of the Blood Clan could as well. The slightly less powerful members of the Blood Clan were out of luck. Like Andrew, like Dennis. These Blood Clan members let out screams before being devoured by the sword light. The hall was deathly silent, the only sounds being the swishing of sword light cutting through flesh and the dripping of fresh blood. When the sword light dissipated, the flesh and blood of these Blood Clan members were gone, leaving only skeletons standing in place. The formidable vitality of the Blood Clan allowed them to survive even in such a state. But Dennis¡¯s skull trembled because Selina was approaching, wielding a baseball bat and a face full of murderous intent. At this moment, he could still speak. ¡°Mercy!¡± He begged Selina for mercy. But all that answered him was a baseball bat swinging with the sound of the wind. Thud. Selina channeled years of pent-up rage into that baseball bat. With one strike, Dennis¡¯s skull was shattered. Dennis staggered to the ground, while Selina, her eyes filled with murderous madness, stepped forward and began wildly batting at him. The screams gradually weakened. Selina¡¯s ruthless attack even turned Dennis¡¯s bones to dust. Even if the Blood Clan were immortal, such severe wounds were beyond repair, and all Dennis could do was weakly shout, ¡°Prince, save me!¡± Wilson watched from midair, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably. The ferocity of Selina¡¯s attack even made him shudder. At this moment, Selina stopped, took a few heavy breaths, licked the blood splattered on her face with her tongue, then raised her head, laughing maniacally. ¡°My dear ancestor, great Prince, don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re up next!¡± Wilson was so frightened by the madness in Selina¡¯s eyes that he instinctively took a half step back. Then realizing he had shown fear, his face darkened, and he said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t think having a powerful backer makes you invincible. As my descendant, if I command you to live, you live, if I command you to die, you die!¡± As he spoke, Wilson pointed at Selina, ¡°Death!¡± As the progenitor of Selina¡¯s bloodline, he indeed had control over her life and death. Usually, with just such a gesture, Selina would have turned to ashes and died. But this time, Selina merely blinked and then looked at Wilson with undisguised contempt. ¡°How is this possible!¡± Wilson exclaimed in shock and fear. ¡°Nothing is impossible. I have made your descendant¡¯s soul recognize me as its master. Now, all your bloodline shackles have completely lost their effect!¡± Xue An said indifferently at this moment. By then, after a wash of endless sword brilliance, only a few of the Blood Clan members within the great hall remained alive. Only the twelve councilors and a few Blood Clan members like Dennis, who were at death¡¯s door, were left. At that moment, Dennis¡¯s bones, smashed to powder, started to move slowly again, reassembling themselves. Without looking back, Selina casually swung her staff. Those bones were once again smashed into powder, accompanied by Dennis¡¯s cries of despair. After several such cycles, Dennis¡¯s regeneration speed had grown extremely slow, and even his momentum had dwindled. Clearly, by then, he was on the verge of death. Wilson took a deep breath and then lowered his haughty head. ¡°Human, what will it take for you to spare our Blood Clan?¡± Xue An smiled faintly, ¡°Very simple, after I condense all of you into Blood Pearls!¡± Wilson, livid with rage, clenched his teeth. Although terrified inside, he realized he had no choice but to fight for his life at this point. ¡°Then die!¡± Wilson burst out, transforming suddenly into a streak of light, lunging straight at Xue An. And in the blink of an eye, he broke through ten times the speed of sound. That was the full-force might of a Blood Clan prince. But just as he rushed in front of Xue An in an instant, Xue An suddenly reached out his hand, as if nonchalantly swatting a fly, and directly flicked Wilson to the side. In terms of strength, the prince¡¯s power was roughly equivalent to a human¡¯s Longevity Cultivation. For Xue An, who could obliterate even a Golden Immortal, this power was simply an offering. So with one palm strike, Wilson was directly slapped to the ground. As Wilson lay on the ground, still dazed, Xue An stepped on his back and grabbed the wings there, pulling with force. Crack. A pair of huge wings was violently ripped off by Xue An. Wilson let out a pitiful scream and then fainted from the intense pain. This scene sent shivers down the spines of the remaining Blood Clan members. This man was too bloody and domineering in his actions. But Xue An had no intention of sparing this so-called Blood Clan prince. With effortless plucking, he soon had removed all the wings from Wilson¡¯s back. Towards the end, every time he pulled, Wilson would shudder with pain. Finally, Xue An clapped his hands and nodded at Selina, who was filled with a murderous air, ¡°Now, he is yours!¡± Selina, crying tears of joy, said, ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± As she spoke, she stepped forward, grabbed Wilson¡¯s ankle, and swung him around violently, much like cracking a whip, slamming him several times into the ground. Wilson, battered into semi-consciousness, then saw Selina¡¯s face twisted with mad laughter, chilling his heart to the core as he tried to flee. But his wings had been violently plucked off by Xue Ansheng, and he was currently unable to recover his strength for the time being. Selina toyed with a gleaming dagger in her hand and chuckled, ¡°Prince, I hope you enjoy the game that comes next!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Wilson suddenly remembered that when he used to torture Selina, he would say the same thing before beginning. Now the roles were reversed, and he became the one being tormented. Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter 395: Unconscious, Fearless, and Indifferent to Life and Death Chapter 395: Chapter 395: Unconscious, Fearless, and Indifferent to Life and Death Before the voice had fallen. A cold light flashed, and a dagger plunged suddenly into Wilson¡¯s palm, nailing it firmly to the ground. The intense pain made Wilson scream miserably. Selina held the handle of the dagger, slowly turning it. With each turn, Wilson shuddered from the pain, and Selina¡¯s laughter grew all the more maniacal. ¡°The torment you bestowed upon me, this time, I shall return it tenfold!¡± Selina said calmly, yet the deep-seated hatred in her words sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. The remaining members of the Blood Clan roared angrily and charged forward in unison, attempting to rescue Wilson. Boom. As they rushed forward, countless pure white flames trapped them firmly within. Xue An¡¯s gaze flickered, and he spoke indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s take it one by one!¡± With those words, the flames devoured all the members of the Blood Clan. Though the stronger ones among them desperately propped up their blood-light, trying to resist the attack of the flames. But their resistance was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, only lasting for a few breaths before shattering tremendously. Screams echoed through the entire Blood Clan hall, then abruptly ceased. All the councilors were refined into Blood Pearls by Xue An¡¯s flames, which then fell into Xue An¡¯s hands. Xue An picked up one and examined it, then nodded in satisfaction. The Blood Pearls refined by the prince were much larger than the Duke¡¯s, and the Rule Power they contained was much stronger. By now, Xue An had nearly dozens of Duke¡¯s Blood Beads and seven or eight prince¡¯s Blood Pearls. And this scene turned Wilson¡¯s last bit of fantasy into a bubble burst. This man, was like a Demon God himself, having slaughtered the entire Blood Clan to near extinction. Xue An turned to look at the shivering Wilson, a slight smile on his face, about to speak. Suddenly. A crimson blood light appeared in Wilson¡¯s eyes, and his entire demeanor suddenly became ancient and powerful. ¡°Who dares to slaughter my offspring!¡± As the voice echoed, Wilson¡¯s entire body floated into mid-air, his aura rapidly climbing, with his wings on his back not only being restored to their original state instantly but also sprouting a seventh pair of wings. ¡°It¡¯s the second-generation Blood Clan!¡± Quintina screamed in horror. Xue An¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, watching with interest for a while before shaking his head regretfully, ¡°Just a projection, what a pity!¡± Wilson was slightly taken aback, ¡°Mortal, you surprise me, actually knowing about projections! Indeed, my true body is within the Blood Realm, but you¡¯ve gone too far in slaughtering so many of my offspring, I had to come!¡± As he spoke, Wilson looked down at Selina, her face twisted with maniacal hatred, and frowned, ¡°As an offspring of the Blood Clan, you dare to turn against your master? Are you aware of your sin?¡± Selina was fearless, with a cold laugh emerging, ¡°Aware of my sin? When I was being tortured mercilessly, where were all you guys? And now you ask me if I know my sin?¡± ¡°You lowly Marquis, dare to speak to me like this?¡± the second-generation Blood Clan member roared angrily. Upon hearing this, Selina snorted coldly and then stretched out two fingers viciously, ¡°This is my response!¡± Wilson¡¯s face gradually darkened, and he snorted coldly, ¡°Ignorant fool!¡± As his voice fell, a ray of blood light shot straight towards Selina. The immense energy contained within the blood light even caused ripples in the space it passed through. Yet facing such a powerful attack, Selina was not afraid, her lips instead curling into a scornful smile. Unfeeling and unafraid of life and death. This¡­ was the reason she was known as the little witch. It was at this moment that a strand of sword light suddenly appeared, shattering the blood light. Then Xue An¡¯s indifferent voice came, ¡°I¡¯ve long felt that these so-called princes simply could not have supported the Blood Clan¡¯s arrogance for so many years on their own. As expected, behind them are you so-called second-generations giving support, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wilson revealed a look of grave seriousness. His arrival this time was act of necessity, hasty and without preparation for significant energy resources. Therefore, he thought of disciplining these Blood Clan members and then dealing with Xue An afterward. But Xue An¡¯s dominance and strength still far exceeded his expectations. ¡°Human, I haven¡¯t sought retribution for you refining so many of my Blood Clan¡¯s warriors, and now you plan to intervene in the affairs of my Blood Clan?¡± Wilson said coldly. Xue An responded with a faint smile, ¡°You¡¯ve got one thing wrong¡ªI came to Blood Mountain specifically for you top-tier powerhouses!¡± With that, countless sword lights surged towards the sky, heading straight for Wilson who was in midair. ¡°Arrogant!¡± The second-generation Blood Clan member that had descended into Wilson¡¯s body was finally enraged. A thick, indissoluble mass of bloody light formed an enormous fist, which then met the oncoming sword lights. Ding ding ding. After a series of faint sounds, the sword lights gradually faded, leaving the Blood Fist unscathed. The smug smile of the second-generation Blood Clan member surfaced, ready to say something. Suddenly, a fist came barreling from behind. He was shocked and attempted to dodge. But at that moment, a faint voice echoed by his ear. ¡°Move¡­ heaven and earth!¡± Boom! He couldn¡¯t dodge at all. The fist pierced directly through his back and burst out of his chest. The second-generation Blood Clan member screamed in pain, looked down at the sudden appearance of the fist, then shouted in anger, ¡°Human, the Blood Ancestor has returned, and we shall soon re-descend upon this world. When that time comes, you will pay!¡± Xue An said coldly, ¡°Quiet!¡± At that moment, Wilson¡¯s entire body started to dissipate like sand in the wind, gradually turning to nothingness. With that, every member of the Blood Clan atop Blood Mountain was slaughtered by Xue An alone. London. Garry and Alonso followed a faint trace to the outskirts of the farm. Alonso squatted in the bushes to inspect the area and then stood up, gently dusting off his hands with a subtly complex expression. ¡°There are traces here of two forces of nature having clashed.¡± ¡°Oh? So there have been conflicts between other powers and the Dark Night Elves?¡± ¡°Appears so!¡± ¡°In Europe, aside from the Elf lineage, only the dark Druids possess the Force of Nature! Has the Dark Council also involved themselves in this matter?¡± Garry said with a furrowed brow. Alonso chuckled, ¡°The Dark Night Elves are increasingly waning; naturally, many want a piece of them. Forget them for now; you¡¯d better quickly find the entrance to the Elf Sanctuary!¡± Garry nodded, closed his eyes to sense the surroundings for a moment, then pointed at the large tree. ¡°The entrance should be right here!¡± Alonso¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Good, once we find the entrance, the rest will be easy!¡± As he spoke, Alonso began to chant softly, ¡°God said, all glory shall be mine!¡± A sword of holy light then appeared in his hand and he brought it down fiercely. Crack! The large tree was split in two with a clean cut. What was also cleaved open was the pathway to the Elf Sanctuary. Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Chapter 396 Punish You on Behalf of the Moon (First Update) Chapter 396: Chapter 396 Punish You on Behalf of the Moon (First Update) ¡°` Elf Sanctuary. Xue Xiang, Nian Nian, and Isabella were playing hide and seek in the forest. This time, it was Isabella¡¯s turn to seek. ¡°Bella, you can¡¯t peek now!¡± Nian Nian said playfully. After a long game of hide and seek, she had been caught the most times, so she particularly reminded her. Isabella nodded with a smile, ¡°Okay! I definitely won¡¯t peek!¡± ¡°Start!¡± Isabella closed her eyes, counted to fifty silently, then opened her eyes and looked around with a hint of a smile on her lips. ¡°Oh, where has everyone hidden themselves this time?¡± Isabella said as she walked deeper into the woods. It wasn¡¯t until she reached a patch of grass that she stood still, suppressing her laughter, she said, ¡°Nian Nian, I can already see you, aren¡¯t you going to come out?¡± The bushes didn¡¯t move. Instead, there was a flash in a tree hole nearby, and then Nian Nian emerged, pouting and looking sullen, ¡°Why? Why am I always the first one to be caught?¡± This time it was Isabella who was surprised. ¡°Oh, my mistake, I thought you were hiding in the bushes. Who would have thought that just by calling your bluff, you¡¯d come out!¡± Hearing Isabella¡¯s words, Nian Nian became even more upset, her chubby cheeks all scrunched up. ¡°Bad people, you¡¯re all bad people! I can¡¯t believe elves can lie too!¡± Isabella was caught between laughter and tears, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to trick you. I just called out, and you came out all by yourself! This is not my fault!¡± ¡°Humph!¡± Nian Nian turned her face away, puffing up and staying silent. ¡°Strange, where has Xiang Xiang hidden herself?¡± Isabella looked around, trying to find Xue Xiang¡¯s hiding place. But compared to Nian Nian¡¯s naivety and spontaneity, Xue Xiang was quite mature, even when it came to games she often won more than lost! Isabella searched around to no avail and couldn¡¯t help but say in resignation, ¡°Alright, I give up. Xiang Xiang, come out now!¡± No sooner had her words fallen when Xue Xiang¡¯s giggling voice came from above in the tree. ¡°You two dummies, I¡¯m here!¡± Isabella and Nian Nian looked up to see Xue Xiang standing at the top of a large tree, looking down at them with self-satisfaction. ¡°Wow, sister, you¡¯re so amazing! You actually hid in the tree.¡± Nian Nian said in admiration. Isabella was somewhat dumbfounded, eyeing the tall tree and asked, ¡°How did you get up there?¡± Xue Xiang, standing in the tree, laughed proudly, ¡°It¡¯s easy, these trees are very obedient!¡± Just as she said this, the large tree extended a branch to support Xue Xiang and slowly brought her down to the ground. ¡°Huh, you can control the trees now?¡± Isabella said, surprised. ¡°Yeah! I just learned it yesterday!¡± Xue Xiang beamed smugly. Seeing this, Nian Nian was so envious she was practically drooling, ¡°Sister, how did you do it? Can you teach me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really simple, just speak to these trees in your mind!¡± Hearing this, Nian Nian immediately turned to a large tree, closed her eyes, and began to concentrate. Then, with a frustrated expression, she said, ¡°Sister, why doesn¡¯t it work?¡± Xue Xiang too was surprised, ¡°How is that possible? It¡¯s really simple. What did you say to it?¡± ¡°I said I wanted to eat ice cream and asked the big tree brother to make one for me!¡± Nian Nian blinked and said. Xue Xiang covered her eyes, stomping her feet in frustration, ¡°Silly Nian Nian, how could the big tree possibly make you ice cream?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Nian Nian thought for a moment then looked up excitedly, ¡°Well, how about a hamburger then?¡± Xue Xiang: ¡°¡­.¡± Isabella: ¡°¡­.¡± Just as the three of them were playing. Above them, a dark vortex suddenly appeared. Garry, Alonso, and their subordinates emerged from it. Garry looked down at the three girls standing on the ground with a smug and greedy smile. ¡°What a beautiful place this is, to see three pretty girls as soon as we come in!¡± ¡°Who are you? Why did you suddenly appear here!¡± Isabella¡¯s expression darkened, she shielded Xue Xiang and Nian Nian behind her and demanded coldly. ¡°` ¡°We¡­,¡± Garry¡¯s face was suffused with a holy light, he said faintly, ¡°are messengers bringing you light!¡± Feeling the presence of the light, Isabella¡¯s complexion drastically changed, ¡°It¡¯s the church¡¯s bad guys. Run!¡± As she spoke, Isabella, like a frightened bird, grabbed Xue Xiang with one hand and pulled Nian Nian with the other, sprinting towards the Mother Tree. With a look of sad compassion, Garry softly sighed, ¡°Heretics will be heretics. We are servants of God, yet you call us the bad guys!¡± Alonso had been unable to restrain himself for a while now, his greedy gaze had never left Xue Xiang and Nian Nian. With a hideous smile, he said, ¡°Garry, these two are not from the Elf Race, but humans and a pair of twins at that! What a pleasant surprise! These two are mine!¡± Garry nodded. Alonso sneered and charged forward, streaking over the heads of the fleeing trio before landing on the ground, blocking their path. ¡°Little girl, just surrender quietly, Uncle won¡¯t hurt you!¡± Alonso believed his smile to be very benevolent. But in the eyes of the three young girls, this man¡¯s smile was simply disgusting and sleazy. Xue Xiang, the candid girl, spat and said, ¡°Pah, you¡¯re not an uncle, you¡¯re a big bad guy!¡± Nian Nian, naturally honest and not prone to cursing, could only nod repeatedly, ¡°Sister is right!¡± Alonso laughed pervertedly, ¡°Heh heh, keep cursing, the more you curse, the more excited I get!¡± and with a wave of his hand. Several crosses of light sped towards the trio. The technique that had originally bound Isabella was this one, but now, in Alonso¡¯s hands, it was much more powerful. Isabella let out a cry of alarm, as dozens of vines stretched out, trying to resist. But helplessly, her strength was still too weak, no match for Alonso. The vines turned to ash in an instant before the crosses of light. Just when Alonso thought he had victory in his grasp. Xue Xiang and Nian Nian simultaneously pulled out the frying pan their father had given them, both shouting, ¡°Magic girl transformation!¡± Alonso, Garry, and the others laughed, considering it to be nothing but the foolish words of two young girls. But unexpectedly, the frying pan grew as it caught the wind, instantly turning into an enormous azure frying pan. They smacked the charging crosses of light with it. Boom! The crosses of light were resoundingly extinguished under Alonso¡¯s stunned gaze. With pans in hand, Xue Xiang and Nian Nian lifted their chins proudly, ¡°Big bad guy, today we sisters will punish you in the name of the moon! Ultraman, attack!¡± Boom! The frying pan suddenly flew out, with a mighty aura streaking straight towards Alonso. Alonso¡¯s body trembled, and he quickly dodged the blow. But before he could revel in his evasion, the frying pan returned and directly smacked him from behind. Thwack. Alonso was smashed to the ground. And then, the frying pan descended with a thunderous roar. In terror, Alonso screamed, ¡°God says, immortality through faith!¡± Boom, a white barrier just managed to block the frying pan. But before he could catch his breath, Nian Nian also raised her hand, ¡°Ultraman, go beat up the big bad guy!¡± The pan rushed over instantly, shattering the barrier. Boom. The two pans simultaneously descended. After a violent shockwave, the ground was left with nothing but a person-shaped crater. ¡°Sister, is the big bad guy dead?¡± Nian Nian asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Xue Xiang shook her head. At that moment, a charred Alonso burst from the ground, his face engulfed in towering rage, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: Chapter 397: The Holy Relic – Covenant of Light (Second Update) Chapter 397: Chapter 397: The Holy Relic ¨C Covenant of Light (Second Update) ¡°Sister, this big villain didn¡¯t die!¡± Nian Nian shouted. ¡°No need to shout, I saw it! Since he didn¡¯t die with one hit, let¡¯s hit him again!¡± Xue Xiang¡¯s little face was as cold as frost as she pointed at the frying pan. ¡°Ultraman, kill this big villain!¡± The frying pan rose again, heading straight for Alonso, who was mid-air. At this moment, Alonso was on the verge of going berserk. He had actually been beaten by two little girls. If this got out, how could he have any face left to mix in with the Radiant Knights? The only way to salvage his reputation now was to kill all these little girls. Therefore, Alonso took a step and chanted, ¡°The Deity says, redemption comes with return!¡± Holy white light enveloped him, transforming into a full set of Radiant Armor. By this time, the frying pan had already made its assault. Alonso snorted coldly, took a step forward, and actually withstood the blow. Boom! The armor on Alonso¡¯s body flickered slightly, and the menacing frying pan was bounced off. At the same time, a Holy Light Longsword appeared in Alonso¡¯s hand, and he sneered, ¡°Die!¡± With those words, the longsword came crashing down thunderously. The three little girls closed their eyes in terror. Just then, thick vines suddenly emerged, firmly protecting the three little girls. The Holy Light Longsword chopped down, severing countless vines, but the vines flowed like water, endlessly regenerating, quickly blocking the ferocious sword strike. Suddenly, the figure of Chloris, the Elf Mother Goddess, began to emerge, ¡°As a Radiant Knight, to strike at children with such cruelty, has the Church of Light fallen so low?¡± Chloris¡¯s voice was filled with anger and a hint of relief. The reason she arrived just now was that Garry and Alonso¡¯s group had used the Church¡¯s Secret Techniques to mask their presence, perfectly deceiving Chloris. It wasn¡¯t until Xue Xiang and Nian Nian found themselves in dire straits, triggering the Natural Barrier of the Goddess of Nature upon them that Chloris realized something was amiss and rushed over immediately. In her view, if she had arrived a moment later, the three little girls might have been in serious trouble. What Chloris didn¡¯t know was that Xiang Xiang and Nian Nian had various protective charms placed on them by Xue An, and had Alonso¡¯s sword struck a few centimeters lower, it would have triggered those protections. At that point, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the Chief Judge of the Church of Light himself came, he would have been unable to escape unscathed. Now Garry, along with the people from the church, had also arrived at Alonso¡¯s side. The group all gazed greedily at Chloris. ¡°A false deity, and with the Divine Status of Northern Europe to boot, hahaha, we¡¯ve struck it big this time!¡± Alonso couldn¡¯t contain his joy. For the people of the Church of Light, capturing or eliminating a false deity was the greatest accomplishment. It could even reinstate Alonso, who had made many errors, to his original position and allow him to serve again as Deputy Commander of the Radiant Knights. Chloris frowned, ¡°People of the Church of Light, my subjects have always been law-abiding and naturally neutral, yet for many years you have oppressed them, do you really think the Elf Race is easy to bully?¡± With the sound of Chloris¡¯s voice, numerous vines undulated behind her and even the trees of the entire forest extended sharp branches, all pointing towards Alonso and his companions. At this time, the Elves, sensing their Goddess¡¯s rage, hurried to the scene as well. Seeing so many Dark Night Elves of handsome countenance appear, Garry and Alonso looked at each other and smiled. Then Garry spoke calmly, ¡°False deity, you falsely claim divinity, and that is your greatest sin. As for your subjects, should they submit, they may have a chance at redemption!¡± ¡°Pah, we don¡¯t recognize the deity you speak of, Light pests, get out of here quickly, or we¡¯ll make sure you regret it!¡± Yifuro shouted furiously. At this time, his Cultivation Level had already recovered, and his confidence was sky-high. Garry smiled slightly, and with due reverence, he pulled out a sheepskin book from his bosom. As soon as this book appeared, Chloris exclaimed, ¡°A reprint of the Covenant of Light! How do you have such a thing?¡± Garry chuckled without speaking, preparing to turn the page. At this moment, Yifuro could no longer contain himself, and a javelin made from the Force of Nature appeared in his hand before he hurled it with force. Chloris also knew the situation was bad. If it were just an Archbishop in red and a Radiant Knight, she wouldn¡¯t be afraid. But now, this Archbishop actually had a reprint of the Covenant of Light, and even though it was a reprint, it was still a sacred artifact! Chloris gritted her teeth, ¡°Natural Barrier!¡± The boundless power of green enveloped an area of dozens of miles. As the deity of this sanctuary, she had absolute control over everything here, and her merciless move was naturally astounding in power. All the elves felt a jolt in their spirits, and their cultivation levels increased several folds. The natural javelin thrown by Yifuro also grew dozens of times larger, its momentum extremely terrifying. But just as it approached, Alonso swung his sword. Crack. The Holy Light Longsword and the natural javelin both snapped at the same time. Yifuro shouted, ¡°Attack together!¡± All of the Elf Race used their most powerful secret techniques. Alonso snorted coldly, the Radiant armor on his body shone brightly, and he was able to block these attacks with his own strength alone, firmly protecting Garry behind him. And at this time, Garry had already turned the first page, his face was full of holy brilliance, and he said indifferently, ¡°God said, ¡®Let there be light!¡¯¡± Boom! With his incantation, endless light descended from the sky, and the entire Elf Sanctuary began to shake. The forest, just brimming with life, withered rapidly under this baptism of light. The many elves also felt as if they were being bound, very uncomfortable. Chloris¡¯s complexion was extremely unsightly. With just one sentence, her Natural Barrier had been broken. Her strength had exceeded her imagination, but now that it had come to this, she couldn¡¯t just sit by and do nothing, so she snorted coldly, ¡°All things return to nature!¡± Under the white light, the retreating green power suddenly shook, then began to fight back fiercely. The light around Chloris also became increasingly strong. She was burning her Divine Status to fight the power of the God of Light. But just then, Garry turned to the second page and said indifferently, ¡°Divine might like prison!¡± Boom! Endless white light suddenly enveloped everyone, then transformed into individual cells, trapping everyone inside. Chloris was no exception; the cell trapping her was composed of the purest light of the God of Light, and it directly severed her connection with the outside world. Even the most powerful deity would become weak and vulnerable without the outside world upon which they depend. The light around Chloris quickly faded, and in the end, only a young woman with a fearful expression remained. And the many elves were also trapped in their own cells, completely unable to resist. Alonso laughed triumphantly, ¡°Great! Lord Garry is indeed powerful!¡± Garry smiled faintly, ¡°All glory to God!¡± Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 398: The Protection of the Ancient Holy Beasts (3rd Update) Chapter 398: Chapter 398: The Protection of the Ancient Holy Beasts (3rd Update) Garry was in a good mood as well. For this outing, he had specifically brought along his treasured copy of the Covenant of Light. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the true Covenant. The true Covenant, along with the Crown of Light and the Sword of Light, hailed as the three legendary artifacts, were all managed by successive heads of the church. The Covenant in his possession was a replica made by an Ancient Sage, and there were a total of three copies. Even though it wasn¡¯t the real Covenant, it could still be considered a powerful holy artifact. He hadn¡¯t expected to actually use it, and even managed to capture so many Dark Night Elves in one go. However, what was most important was this false deity. As long as he offered this deity, he would receive even more rewards from the higher-ups, and might even enter the core of the church hierarchy in the future. Thinking of this, Garry couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement. And it was at this moment when he suddenly heard a young girl¡¯s cry of pain from below. Looking down, he saw Xue Nian holding her own finger, tears brimming in her big eyes as she winced in pain. Isabella and Youna, along with others, all called out anxiously, ¡°Nian Nian, are you alright?¡± Xue Nian shook her head, with tears in her eyes she said, ¡°I just touched the white light and it cut my finger! These people are really mean!¡± Xue Nian¡¯s words brought a slight smile to Garry¡¯s face as he prepared to capitalize on the victory. But at that moment, an immensely vast and powerful aura suddenly burst forth from Xue Nian. Under this aura, the white light that trapped her melted away rapidly like snow under the blazing sun, and even the surrounding white light was swept away by the powerful force. Garry and Alonso¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their heads. ¡°How is this possible? Why is there such a powerful aura?¡± Alonso exclaimed in shock. But this was only the beginning. Suddenly, a giant Kunpeng phantom appeared behind Xue Nian. Although it was only a phantom, it still exuded an ancient and powerful breath. Seemingly stimulated by this breath, a confused Xue Xiang also experienced a fluctuation behind her, and then a Vermilion Bird¡¯s phantom appeared. Garry and Alonso were dumbstruck. Even though they didn¡¯t know what these divine beasts were, the formidable aura was unmistakably genuine! But this was still only the beginning. One by one, phantom images began to emerge. Azure Dragon, Kylin, Xuanwu, White Tiger, Pixiu, Bai Ze, Phoenix, Bi Fang, Hook Chen¡­ These ancient sacred beasts of immense power majestically appeared in the sky, eventually even obscuring the entire sky. An unmatched force caused the entire Elf Sanctuary to tremble and show signs of collapsing. Garry and Alonso turned deathly pale and shivered uncontrollably. For before the might of heaven and earth, they felt so insignificantly small. Chloris was also dumbfounded, then suddenly began to smile wryly. She understood. It was all because Xue An was worried about his daughter¡¯s safety, so he cast a guardianship spell on them. But this guardianship spell was a bit too outrageous, wasn¡¯t it? It was as if he had invoked all the ancient divine beasts! It was at this time that Xue Xiang snapped out of it and pointed at Garry and Alonso among others, ¡°They are the big baddies!¡± Following Xue Xiang¡¯s command, these formidable sacred beast phantoms simultaneously lowered their bodies, looking down at Garry and the others as if viewing ants. An endless onslaught of attacks fell like flowing water. Azure Dragon¡¯s Divine Flame, Phoenix¡¯s fire, Xuanwu¡¯s force, White Tiger¡¯s strike¡­ Although these were not real sacred beasts, their power was still astounding. The church members who came with Garry couldn¡¯t even let out a whimper before being annihilated into nothingness by these attacks. Alonso endured a little longer, but within a breath¡¯s time, the armor of the Power of Light he wore shattered bit by bit. Terrified, he screamed ¡°Lord Garry! Save me!¡± With a clench of his teeth, Garry lifted the Covenant of Light above his head, ¡°The grace of God is like the sea!¡± With his shout, the Covenant of Light suddenly burst into flames! And with the burning of the sacred artifact, magnificent white light also bloomed forth. After all, these holy beasts were merely illusions, and not physical entities. Thus, they were all annihilated into nothingness under the white light emitted by the burning artifact. After a final thunderous burst of white light, all the holy beasts disintegrated and vanished. And with them, the Covenant of Light disappeared too. Garry¡¯s heart bled for the loss, for these were sacred artifacts of which the Church of Light had only three in total. This was a huge loss! Alonso, however, let out a long sigh of relief and looked at Xue Xiang, Nian Nian, and the others with lingering fear, then sneered. ¡°Heh heh, you actually caused the death of so many of our people, you will all become slaves, and you will atone for this until your deaths!¡± The many elves had looks of utter despair. Chloris struggled to gather the Force of Nature. But Garry¡¯s previous attack had wiped out all the Force of Nature within a dozen or so miles, and now the surrounding area was filled with the Power of Light. This rendered her extremely weak. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with these two little girls who popped out of nowhere first!¡± Garry commanded anxiously. Alonso nodded, ¡°I know, just leave it to me!¡± Saying this, he charged straight at Xue Xiang and Nian Nian. The two girls let out screams. But just then, a voice laden with boundless killing intent came from the sky. ¡°How dare you bully my daughters?¡± Everyone was startled and looked up. They saw a streak of light speeding toward them, reaching Alonso¡¯s proximity in an instant. The speed was so great that Alonso didn¡¯t even have time to react, and a punch filled with supreme rage was already hurled forth, smashing directly into Alonso¡¯s face. Bang! Under this punch, Alonso¡¯s head exploded like a firework display. His body then shattered inch by inch, as if crushed by something! Blood scattered across the sky. One punch. This former deputy commander of the Radiant Knight Order, Alonso, was blown into pieces. Only then did everyone see the man standing mid-air, his face filled with overwhelming killing intent. Upon seeing this man, Xue Xiang and Nian Nian cheered with joy. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°Dad, you finally came to save us!¡± Indeed, it was Xue An. At that moment, Xue An¡¯s heart was brimming with towering rage. He had just finished slaughtering Blood Mountain and was preparing to return to the S country when suddenly, he felt an intense palpitation. He then sensed that the protective arrays he had placed on his two daughters had both been triggered. This deeply shocked him, for it surely meant that his daughters were in danger. He immediately planned to return to the Elf Sanctuary using the mark given by Chloris. But unexpectedly, Chloris was trapped by the Light, causing the mark to fail. In a fit of rage, Xue An burned his cultivation level and crossed over a thousand kilometers in a single step, arriving directly at the farm outside of London and breaking in. Only upon seeing his daughters safe and sound did his heart slightly relax. Then came the fury and killing intent intense enough to incinerate The Multiverse. In his three thousand years of Immortal Cultivation, Xue An had only one rule. Whoever dared to hurt An Yan and his two daughters, no matter if you are the supreme being of the Myriad Realms or a deity from the nine heavens, you must be killed! And now, the Church of Light had finally provoked an individual they should never have crossed! Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter 399: The Church of Light No Longer Needs to Exist (4th Update) Chapter 399: Chapter 399: The Church of Light No Longer Needs to Exist (4th Update) Xue An first lowered his head and tenderly smiled at his two daughters, ¡°Good girls, wait for Daddy to wipe out all these bad guys!¡± ¡°Mm! Daddy, these bad guys are so horrible, they even cut my finger!¡± Xue Nian pouted, stretching out her finger to complain. Although the small wound had already healed, Xue An¡¯s heart still ached immensely. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Nian Nian, Daddy will avenge you now!¡± Having said that, Xue An turned his head to look at Garry, standing alone in mid-air, his eyes filled with blazing killing intent. ¡°Church of Light?¡± Garry shivered all over, watching Xue An with terror and stammered, ¡°You¡­ you dare to kill a Radiant Knight? The Holy Knight will not let you go!¡± Garry was most afraid of Alonso¡¯s death. After all, that Holy Knight was known for being fiercely protective, and if he learned of Alonso¡¯s death, he would certainly vent his anger on him. Xue An, however, just smiled, ¡°Holy Knight? No, he will be gone soon! As for you, you must die today!¡± Garry was taken aback at first, then his face turned a mix of shock and rage, ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to? I am the cardinal of the National Cult in Euros¡­¡± Before he could finish, Xue An vanished from where he was, appearing in front of Garry the next second and said indifferently, ¡°There will be no cardinals anymore, because even your church¡­ will cease to exist!¡± With that, pristine flames emerged. Garry trembled all over, yelling in disbelief, ¡°Divine Flame of Light, how can you possess such a divine flame?¡± Xue An spoke lightly, ¡°The god you worship might enjoy gilding his own face, but since when did this divine flame have to be named after his deity?¡± ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Garry shouted in terror. ¡°The one to obliterate your Church of Light!¡± Xue An stated calmly, and with a wave of his hand, the white flames enveloped Garry completely. Screams of agony rose from within the flames, and then Garry was burned into nothingness. Thus, all members of the Church of Light who invaded the Elf Sanctuary died. Xue An landed on the ground and hurriedly picked up his two daughters, thoroughly checking them over. Only after ensuring they were unhurt did he relax. At that moment, Chloris approached, her face full of shame as she bowed and said, ¡°My lord, I failed to protect the two young ladies, please punish me!¡± Seeing the Mother Goddess speak like this, all the members of the Elf Race knelt down, ¡°My lord, it is our oversight, please punish us!¡± Xue Xiang said, ¡°Daddy, it¡¯s all the fault of those bad guys, don¡¯t blame Mother Goddess sister or them!¡± Xue Nian also spoke, ¡°Yes, sister is right!¡± Xue An smiled and said to a guilt-ridden Chloris, ¡°Stand up. This isn¡¯t your fault, the blame lies with the people from the Church of Light!¡± Hearing Xue An say this, Chloris finally stood up straight. ¡°Daddy, where¡¯s Mom?¡± asked Xue Xiang. Xue An smiled, ¡°When I sensed something was wrong here, I immediately rushed over. Your mom is slower than me, so wait a little longer for her to arrive!¡± As he was speaking, An Yan, carrying a frying pan and brimming with anger, also appeared in the Elf Sanctuary. ¡°Who, who dares to hurt my daughters?¡± Typically gentle, An Yan was now like a cat with its tail stepped on, her fur completely ruffled and her face filled with murderous intent. ¡°Mommy, the bad guys have been wiped out by Daddy!¡± Xue Xiang and Xue Nian quickly jumped out of Xue An¡¯s arms and rushed over to her. An Yan squatted down and hugged her two daughters tightly, her heart still racing with fear. She had been terrified moments ago. Suddenly, Xue An became furious and informed An Yan that something might have happened to their daughters, saying he had to go ahead and then he disappeared into the sky. Upon hearing these words, An Yan¡¯s heart almost burst, and she immediately followed suit to rush back! With her strength, she couldn¡¯t return to London so quickly. Thankfully, with the help of the two Blood Clan members, Selina and Quintina, she just barely made it back in time. Even though An Yan had blind faith in Xue An, her heart was still a tumultuous mix of emotions all the way. Now, seeing that the father and daughters were all safe and sound, they could finally relax. At that moment, Xue An waved his hand, dispersing the Power of Light that had filled the entire Elf Sanctuary. The Force of Nature returned, and withered trees began to grow anew. Everyone returned to the Mother Tree of the Elves. Chloris once again formally apologized, and Xue An shook his head, ¡°I have said, this matter has nothing to do with you, the fault lies with the Church of Light!¡± The Church of Light! An Yan, upon hearing these words, clenched her teeth with hatred. Chloris then asked, ¡°My lord, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°What else can I do? If no one offends me, I won¡¯t offend anyone, but if someone offends me, I shall kill! This Church of Light¡­ has no reason to exist anymore!¡± Xue An stated indifferently. His words caused a great uproar. Many elves looked at each other in bewilderment. Indeed, they had just heard the words Xue An said to Garry, but they thought that Xue An was just speaking off the cuff. But now, Xue An was serious. Could this be possible? After all, they were up against the Church of Light, which had been glorious for a thousand years! Yet even the usually good-tempered An Yan couldn¡¯t help but nod her head, ¡°Husband, I agree! These people are utterly reprehensible, it¡¯s time to deal with them!¡± Chloris¡¯s eyes sparkled at the prospect. If Xue An could truly eradicate the Church of Light, the days for the Dark Night Elves would be much better. And how could she stand by on such a matter that affected her own interests? Thinking this, she bowed, ¡°Chloris wishes to follow my lord into battle!¡± Seeing their goddess act thus, all the elves also bowed in unison, ¡°We wish to follow my lord into battle!¡± Xue An smiled faintly. At this time, Elder Luna spoke up, ¡°My lord, although your cultivation level is unmatched, the opponent is a massive force that has ruled Europe for thousands of years, so relying solely on yourself might not be enough. Why not spread the news, to draw those who share our enmity?¡± Xue An did not express agreement or disagreement, but still nodded slightly, ¡°Alright! Then you shall be in charge of this!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Soon, a shocking piece of news spread throughout Europe. The cardinal of the national cult in Country Y and the former deputy leader of the Radiant Knights had all perished. The murderer, Xue An! This news alone was shocking enough. But the news that followed was truly jaw-dropping. Xue An declared he would completely eradicate the Church of Light. This was akin to stirring up a hornet¡¯s nest. All of Europe was violently shaken by this incident. True, the Church of Light had been increasingly unpopular over the years, and its current state was nowhere near its heyday in the Middle Ages. But even a camel emaciated to death is larger than a horse. The Dark Council and the Blood Clan, both ancient powers that had been passed down for a thousand years, had not managed to eliminate the Church of Light. Xue An alone was challenging the Church, a world-class massive organization? How is that possible? Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Dark Council (5th Update) Chapter 400: Chapter 400 Dark Council (5th Update) European town. After a period of intense training, Fan Mengxue progressed rapidly. She could even use some High-Grade Dark Witchcraft now. Such a rate of improvement left Anastasia in awe. Genius truly defies reason. While Anastasia was marveling, a slight disturbance occurred in the space, and then an emergency letter exuding dark energy appeared in her hand. Anastasia was slightly stunned. This was the kind of urgent letter the Dark Council used only when something extremely critical happened. Had something happened? Anastasia opened the letter and her complexion changed drastically. The letter clearly detailed the events. The Red Cardinal of the National Cult of Country Y, Garry, and former Vice-Captain of the Radiant Knight, Alonso, had both fallen at the hands of Xue An. At the same time, Xue An announced his intention to destroy the Church of Light. Such a significant matter made even Anastasia, who had experienced all sorts of storms, change color. ¡°Master, what happened?¡± noticing Anastasia¡¯s unusual demeanor, Fan Mengxue couldn¡¯t help but ask. Anastasia slightly furrowed her brows and then said in a deep voice, ¡°Take care of your matters, and come back to the Dark Council with me right now!¡± Fan Mengxue was taken aback. She didn¡¯t know what had happened, but seeing Anastasia¡¯s expression, she guessed that it must be serious and nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± The movie that Fan Mengxue had filmed before had won all the awards it could possibly win. Afterward, Fan Mengxue had turned down all invitations, publicly stating she planned to take a break for some time. Han Yao had also returned to her country due to some trivial matters. Therefore, Fan Mengxue was practically a free agent at that moment, so she quickly handled everything. Before leaving, Fan Mengxue, unable to suppress her curiosity, finally asked, ¡°Master, what exactly happened?¡± After hesitating for a moment, Anastasia then told Fan Mengxue what had transpired. Listening, Fan Mengxue¡¯s face grew paler and paler. ¡°The Church of Light¡­ are they very powerful?¡± Anastasia nodded, ¡°Very powerful! Our Dark Council has been clashing with them for over a thousand years, and for the most part, we have been at a disadvantage.¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes began to redden, ¡°Then¡­ what should we do? Why was he so foolish to challenge such a vast power alone!¡± Although Fan Mengxue knew that Xue An was no ordinary person and that his strength was formidable, his opponents this time were the top forces that had ruled over Europe for over a thousand years, not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry! ¡°No, I have to find him!¡± Fan Mengxue made up her mind and started to head out. Anastasia frowned, ¡°What problem can you solve by going to him?¡± ¡°I can¡­¡± Anastasia cut off Fan Mengxue, saying indifferently, ¡°With your current level of Dark Witchcraft, just any Purple-Garbed Deacon could defeat you. Your going would be of no help!¡± ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Fan Mengxue became so anxious that she began to cry. Anastasia said coolly, ¡°First, come back to the Council with me. This matter has become so big, if Xue An really intends to move against the Church of Light, the Dark Council cannot just stand by and watch!¡± The Dark Council was situated amidst the mountains in Eastern Europe. There were no roads available for humans to traverse, and even if you used an airplane to survey from the sky, no trace could be discerned. Unless you employed Dark Witchcraft or other dark magic, it was impossible to enter this place. After landing, Fan Mengxue took the witch¡¯s robe that Anastasia handed to her, draped it over herself, and followed behind her into the castle. Once they rounded a ridge, a pitch-black ancient castle suddenly appeared in the distance. The gates of the castle were wide open, and there seemed to be guards patrolling in front. Not until she approached did Fan Mengxue realize with horror that all the patrolling soldiers were skeletons. The leading skeleton, upon seeing Anastasia, even bowed very politely and said in a withered voice, ¡°Witch my lady, you¡¯re back!¡± My goodness, they could even talk. Fan Mengxue¡¯s eyes widened in amazement. Anastasia, unfazed, asked, ¡°Have the other lords returned?¡± ¡°They have all returned and are waiting for you inside!¡± Anastasia nodded and continued to lead Fan Mengxue inside. While walking in, Anastasia whispered, ¡°Those are Skull Head magic soldiers, created by a very annoying fellow, specifically to guard the entrance to the council.¡± ¡°Tassia, here I am hearing you gossiping about me behind my back, that¡¯s not something a lady should do!¡± a voice chimed in. Hearing this, Anastasia scoffed coldly, ¡°Karsath, if you dare call me a lady again, believe it or not, I¡¯ll dismantle your bones.¡± While saying this, Anastasia continued to lead Fan Mengxue into a large hall. The hall was sparsely furnished, with just an oval table in the center. At this moment, several people were sitting around the table. But these people were challenging the limits of imagination. One of them, even while seated, was about three meters tall, his muscles sculpted as if carved out, exuding a sense of explosive beauty. There was also a woman covered as if in mosaics, her face completely indiscernible. But the most eye-catching was the one who had been bickering with Anastasia. This person wore a western cowboy outfit, complete with a wide-brimmed hat, but beneath the hat was the form of a skull. At that moment, this skull was leisurely sipping red wine. Fan Mengxue was very curious as to how the red wine was actually consumed. As Anastasia entered, everyone in the room nodded in acknowledgment. Then Karsath¡¯s dry laughter broke the silence, ¡°Now that the Witch has returned as well, our council may commence! Oh, who is this?¡± Karsath took an interest in Fan Mengxue. Anastasia replied coolly, ¡°My newly accepted apprentice!¡± ¡°A female apprentice? I can already smell the faint scent of a lady, she must be a beauty, right?¡± Karsath said with a laugh. Anastasia coldly retorted, ¡°Of course she¡¯s beautiful, but you¡¯re a skeleton now, aren¡¯t you? All you can do is look.¡± ¡°Even looking is nice, a beautiful body is always worthy of admiration! And shouldn¡¯t you introduce your new apprentice so we can get acquainted?¡± Karsath said cheerily. Anastasia nodded, ¡°Mengxue, take off your hood.¡± Fan Mengxue did as she was told, removing the hood of her robe, revealing her face. The room fell silent. After a moment, Karsath was heard, almost moaning, ¡°My god, isn¡¯t that my favorite actress, Fan Mengxue?¡± Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Chapter 401 The Star-Crazed Necromancer (First Update) Chapter 401: Chapter 401 The Star-Crazed Necromancer (First Update) Karsath had lived for over a thousand years. He might also be the only Necromancer left in the whole world. The rest of the Necromancers had mostly died during the medieval period. At that time, the Church of Light was at the peak of its power, frantically suppressing and exterminating all foreign Deities and various heresies. Karsath was the sole survivor. Yet, even after having gone through so much, even now that his body had been offered to the god of death. He was still full of interest in life. And his ability to embrace new things was also very strong. In simple terms, he followed whatever was popular. In recent years, he had become obsessed with fan culture. By chance, he saw Fan Mengxue starring in God Slayer. The movie, and particularly Fan Mengxue¡¯s performance, amazed Karsath to the point of seeing her as a Heavenly Being, and from then on, he became an avid fan of hers. He even planned to go to Huaxia to find Fan Mengxue, but unexpectedly he met her here, and moreover, Fan Mengxue had become the apprentice of a Dark Witch. Karsath stood up, walked over to a confused-looking Fan Mengxue, and performed an elegant bow. ¡°Respected Miss Fan, I enjoy your movies the most, could you give me your autograph?¡± Fan Mengxue nodded in a daze. ¡°That would be great!¡± Karsath was delighted, and he somehow produced a pen and handed it to Fan Mengxue, then he took off his hat and respectfully bowed his head. ¡°Please sign on top of my head!¡± Fan Mengxue looked at her master, Anastasia, in a bit of a panic, and Anastasia shrugged her shoulders, indicating it didn¡¯t matter. With that, Fan Mengxue bit her lip and with trembling hands signed her name on the smooth-as-jade skull. ¡°Okay¡­ it¡¯s done!¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke. Taking a step back, Karsath raised his head, and the Skull Head was removed. Then, looking at the signature on top of the skull, he clicked his tongue in admiration. ¡°Such beautiful handwriting, but I should really learn some Huaxia language!¡± ¡°Alright, Karsath, quit your clowning, we have serious matters to discuss,¡± Anastasia said in a deep voice. Hearing her words, Karsath reattached his head and then sighed, ¡°If we¡¯re talking about who has been the most prominent in the past two years, then it definitely has to be Mr. Xue from Huaxia!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been gathering information about his deeds recently, and each one is astounding. But I never imagined he would be so bold as to kill a Cardinal and a Radiant Knight, and even declare his intention to eliminate the Church of Light!¡± The woman covered in mosaics spoke in an indistinct voice, ¡°The key isn¡¯t this, but how we, the Dark Council, should respond to this incident!¡± ¡°Meng Yan, then what attitude do you think we should take?¡± Titan said in a muffled voice. The woman known as Meng Yan was once a household name as a monster throughout Europe. After hearing Titan¡¯s words, Meng Yan said, ¡°If Mr. Xue truly has the strength to confront the Church of Light, we should naturally assist him. But if he is just all talk, then rash actions on our part could cause us significant losses!¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s what I was thinking too. Moreover, I feel that the chances of Xue An¡¯s success are very slim. After all, no matter how formidable he may be, the other side is an immensely large organization. How could he alone confront them?¡± Titan nodded as he spoke. But at that moment, Fan Mengxue suddenly said, ¡°I believe he is serious about eliminating the Church of Light!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The leaders of the Dark Council all looked towards Fan Mengxue. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Meng Yan asked. Fan Mengxue lowered her head, ¡°Because I know him!¡± Anastasia nodded to the questioning crowd, indicating that what Fan Mengxue said was true. ¡°Just because you know him, you trust him that much?¡± Meng Yan challenged. Fan Mengxue was silent for a moment, then spoke, ¡°I know him too well. If he said he would exterminate, then he surely will take action to exterminate, because he has always been a man of his word!¡± ¡°But such a big matter¡­¡± Meng Yan wanted to say something else. Anastasia spoke, ¡°I agree with Meng Xue¡¯s words, and The Dark Council has been quiet for so many years. It¡¯s time to make a move, or else many will forget what it means to show reverence!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Titan was still hesitant. Anastasia shook her head and said, ¡°Titan, even if what Meng Xue said isn¡¯t true, enduring and compromising blindly can never last. Without showing our strength, we will only allow the Church of Light to become ever more overbearing!¡± Titan no longer spoke, his head bowed in silence. ¡°Moreover, if Xue An does make a move, and if he truly can shake the Church of Light, then by standing by and watching, even if the Church of Light is eradicated, we will have no right to take charge of everything.¡± Many were silent at this. Karsath then gave a raspy chuckle, ¡°Indeed, I concur with the Witch¡¯s words. These years of hiding have almost made these old bones of mine rust. It is time for my people to return to the world! At the very least, I must let the world know the Necromancers haven¡¯t been completely extinguished yet!¡± Titan and Meng Yan exchanged glances, still hesitant. At this moment, a letter suddenly appeared in Anastasia¡¯s hands. She unfolded it and her expression instantly turned grave. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Karsath asked. Anastasia¡¯s voice trembled slightly, ¡°News just arrived, Blood Mountain, the sacred ground of the Blood Clan, has been slaughtered by Xue An, and the Blood Clan¡¯s council has been utterly destroyed!¡± Hiss. All the significant figures present inhaled sharply. ¡°Is the news true?¡± Karsath asked in a deep voice. ¡°Absolutely certain!¡± Anastasia replied. The leaders looked at each other, each seeing the shock in the others¡¯ eyes. Then Karsath gave a wry smile, ¡°It seems we¡¯ve all underestimated Mr. Xue¡¯s capabilities!¡± The power of the Blood Clan was slightly stronger than that of the Dark Council. Yet even such a power had been annihilated by Xue An alone. Now, no one had anything left to say. ¡°The Titan clan agrees to take action!¡± Titan declared after a moment of silence. ¡°Meng Yan agrees as well!¡± Karsath chuckled, ¡°Even though I am the only Necromancer left, I still want to express our lineage¡¯s agreement.¡± Anastasia nodded, ¡°Very well, let the Dark Council begin preparations! Be ready to take action against the Church of Light at any moment!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± All the leaders responded in unison. But Fan Mengxue had been looking completely lost throughout the entire conversation. She had not yet recovered from the shock brought on by the news. One man annihilating the Blood Clan! Have you become so powerful now? At this thought, Fan Mengxue could not help feeling a sense of despair. I once thought that by pushing myself to the limit, I could keep up with you. But in the end, I couldn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of your shadow. Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Chapter 402 An Yan, Who Takes Breakthroughs as Daily Meals Chapter 402: Chapter 402 An Yan, Who Takes Breakthroughs as Daily Meals The news of the Blood Clan¡¯s annihilation spread rapidly throughout Europe. All sides were terrified. No one had expected that Xue An, by his own power, would have wiped out such a formidable force as the Blood Clan. Those who had previously disbelieved the news about the eradication of the Church of Light and thought it impossible, now found themselves horrified to discover. It seemed Xue An truly did have the strength to accomplish this. Now, many forces oppressed by the Church of Light began to stir restlessly. Big players from all sides focused their attention on the Church of Light, eager to see how it would respond. But, against all expectations, the usually arrogant Church of Light maintained silence this time. They even failed to respond to the incident whatsoever. This caused an even greater shock to many. A somewhat absurd idea began to form. Could it be¡­ that the Church of Light was afraid? The situation passed in this eerie silence for three days. Not just the Church of Light showed no move, but even Xue An seemed to have vanished without a trace. Many forces grew impatient and began their own little maneuvers. In an instant, numerous small conflicts broke out continuously in Europe¡¯s underworld, releasing long-standing grudges at this time. Those with greater audacity even started to launch frequent attacks on the Church of Light. In the span of three days, the Church of Light lost over a dozen small churches, and even a bishop in purple attire died. Even so, the Church of Light still made no reaction whatsoever. This emboldened many. Many forces that had been ravaged by the Church of Light for years emerged, ready to take this opportunity to vent their anger. But it was clear to the discerning that those who emerged were just smaller, insolent forces. The really big players, like the Dark Council, had not made a move. The situation became increasingly complicated. Inside the Dark Council. Anastasia shook her head and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not act rashly for now, the current attacks on the Church of Light are just scratching the surface and can¡¯t harm its foundation. Besides, the silence from the Church of Light is quite strange; I always feel something is not right!¡± Karsath nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed! It feels like the calm before the storm. These pests from the Church of Light are not the ones to suffer losses lightly, and who knows what schemes they are concocting!¡± Titan and others nodded in agreement; as those who had dealt with the Church of Light for so many years, they naturally understood that these people were not to be trifled with. Meng Yan sighed softly and said in a low voice, ¡°I wonder what our Mr. Xue is busy with now.¡± She wasn¡¯t the only one with this doubt. At this moment, everyone turned their questioning gaze to the instigator, Xue An, wanting to know exactly what he was up to. Elf Sanctuary. Xue An took out all the Blood Pearls, selecting those of the Marquis. The remaining Duke and Prince Blood Pearls totaled dozens. The only truly useful thing about these Blood Pearls was the Rule Power they contained. Combined, these were roughly equivalent to the value of a Golden Immortal¡¯s immortal lattice. Xue An took a deep breath, wrote a Profound Mystery Dharma Seal in the air, and with a light shout, ¡°Divide!¡± All the Blood Pearls floated into the air, then under the illumination of this Dharma Seal, they began to disintegrate gradually. The bloodlight within the pearls began to peel away like water, leaving strands of dazzling Rule Power. This bloodlight was pure Blood Clan essence blood; it would be a pity to waste it. Xue An glanced at Quintina beside him and said indifferently, ¡°This might hurt a bit, just endure it for a while!¡± Before Quintina could react, Xue An waved his hand and the bloodlight began to pour crazily into Quintina¡¯s head. Quintina screamed in pain, and her whole body burst from the immense energy in an instant. Her pale skin cracked open in moments, and she even turned into a bloodied figure. Boom. Quintina¡¯s wings spread out behind her, and at the same time, a fifth pair of wings began to grow. However, even so, Quintina still couldn¡¯t bear such a powerful energy. Even her entire being showed signs of collapsing. Xue An furrowed his brow slightly, looked over at Selina, and said lightly, ¡°Are you afraid?¡± A light shone in Selina¡¯s eyes. She had just been full of envy for Quintina, feeling that Xue An was being incredibly good to her. That was the purest Blood Clan energy, and he had given it all to her. However, Selina was very much aware of her own circumstances, knowing that she was lucky enough to have not been killed by Xue An. Naturally, she did not dare to hope for more. Now that Xue An asked her this, she was slightly taken aback, then quickly shook her head. ¡°Not afraid!¡± Xue An nodded slightly, waved his hand, and the blood light began to infuse into Selina¡¯s body. Boom. Selina felt her entire being begin to shatter at the cellular level and then reassemble. This kind of pain could drive an ordinary person insane. But Selina only furrowed her brow slightly. Compared to the torture she had endured over the past hundred years, this pain was negligible. Very quickly. This blood light was allotted equally to both Selina and Quintina. However, the energy was so immense that it would take them a long time to fully absorb it. The remaining power was all Rule Power. Xue An held his palm open, and the Rule Power began to converge, gradually forming a sphere of light. Xue An gave An Yan an indulgently smile, ¡°Yan¡¯er, close your eyes!¡± It was as if he was coaxing a child about to get an injection. An Yan nodded, ¡°Mhm!¡± Xue An first enveloped the light sphere with his Divine Sense, and then suddenly pressed it against An Yan¡¯s forehead. If Rule Power were infused directly, it might hurt a bit. Of course, Xue An couldn¡¯t bear to let his wife suffer even the slightest discomfort, so he protected it with his Divine Sense. Under the guidance of Xue An¡¯s Divine Sense, this Rule Power headed straight for An Yan¡¯s Seal. Boom! When all the Rule Power had been spent, the Seal was blasted open with a tiny crack. After completing the task, Xue An withdrew his Divine Sense and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Xue An feared injuring An Yan¡¯s soul, so he protected her with his Divine Sense throughout the whole process. As a result, he was more tired than An Yan. At this moment, An Yan blinked, and her momentum suddenly began to climb. Boom. A powerful aura radiated from An Yan. Xue An looked on in some astonishment. His wife¡­ had actually made another breakthrough. And this time, she had advanced from a Half-step Loose Immortal directly to a Loose Immortal. It should be noted that many people might never cross this threshold in their entire lives. Yet An Yan had broken through as easily as breathing. ¡°Husband, I seem to have become stronger again!¡± An Yan said excitedly. Xue An smiled and ruffled An Yan¡¯s head, proudly saying, ¡°Yes, my wife is indeed amazing!¡± Then he stood up, smiled lightly, ¡°Alright, now it¡¯s time to settle accounts with the Church of Light¡­¡± Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Chapter 404: No Big Deal, Just Killing You (Second Update) Chapter 404: Chapter 404: No Big Deal, Just Killing You (Second Update) Hearing these words, Ding Ran couldn¡¯t help but be overjoyed, leading everyone to follow behind the Priest and enter the church. ¡°My God, it¡¯s gorgeous!¡± When they saw the stunningly beautiful stained-glass light, Ding Ran and the others all exclaimed in a daze. The Priest slightly pursed his lips, feeling somewhat disdainful inside. Truly a bunch of country bumpkins who¡¯ve never seen the world. So he arrogantly said, ¡°Please don¡¯t make a fuss, this place is not ordinary! Moreover, the Bishop really dislikes people talking nonsense!¡± Ding Ran and the others quickly shut their mouths, not daring to make a sound. ¡°Bishop, I¡¯ve brought the people!¡± The Priest, leading Ding Ran and the others, came to a room and said softly. ¡°Let them come in!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Priest gently pushed the door open and then stood to the side with hands downcast. Ding Ran took a deep breath, steadying his spirit before walking into the room. The room¡¯s decor, like the church outside, was luxurious and stunningly beautiful. And a man in red garments was looking at them with a smile. A surge of excitement rose in Ding Ran¡¯s heart. The red-robed Bishop in Europe was a bona fide person of high status, and the fact that he could meet him was a substantial gain. So she stepped forward two paces and said very respectfully, ¡°Your Excellency, the Bishop, hello!¡± Klichen smiled faintly, ¡°Young people from the distant East, I am also very happy to see you!¡± Klichen¡¯s charity made Ding Ran and the others, who were rather nervous, secretly heave a sigh of relief. It seemed that the Bishop was not so inaccessible after all. Ding Ran said respectfully, ¡°Bishop, we are very honored that you could meet with us!¡± ¡°Under the heavens, all are children of God, and we are all equal before God, so what meeting do we speak of?¡± Klichen spoke lightly, his face emanating a holy glow. The approachability deliberately displayed by Klichen touched everyone deeply. Ding Ran was so moved that her voice trembled, ¡°Bishop, you indeed are a most respectable priest!¡± Klichen smiled slightly, ¡°Young people, I hear your interview is about the church¡¯s renovation and upkeep?¡± ¡°Yes! Bishop, this is the topic of our thesis; we are very interested and hope you can tell us about it!¡± ¡°Sure! But I think, we¡¯d better sit down and have some coffee before we talk! You must know, our coffee here is quite famous!¡± Klichen intentionally showed off a little humor. Ding Ran and the others indeed smiled. ¡°Thank you very much, Bishop!¡± Once the coffee was served, Ding Ran and the others began to ask some questions about church architecture. Klichen was forthcoming, answering every question. This harmonious atmosphere of host and guests enjoying themselves thoroughly surprised the Priest standing outside. He really couldn¡¯t understand why the usually haughty Bishop was paying such attention to these young people from Huaguo. But this successfully impressed Ding Ran and the others. By now, in their eyes, Klichen had truly become a respectable figure indeed. When the questioning was almost over, Klichen said with a smile, ¡°It seems it¡¯s getting late; why don¡¯t you stay for a simple lunch?¡± Ding Ran and the others nodded excitedly in thanks. Klichen clapped his hands, and soon a well-dressed Priest came in, pushing a food cart. The seductive crimson wine, the fragrant steak, and the extremely refined silverware. All these were noble experiences one couldn¡¯t buy outside no matter how much money they spent. Ding Ran and the others were even more affected by this atmosphere, their every gesture filled with increasing respect for Klichen. The ambiance at the banquet grew warmer and warmer. But just as host and guests were enjoying themselves thoroughly, Xue An had already arrived outside the church with An Yan. ¡°What a beautiful church!¡± An Yan exclaimed. Xue An offered a faint smile, ¡°As beings that once dominated this continent, each church is the most expensive building in the area; naturally, they are beautiful.¡± With that, Xue An walked inside. The priests guarding the church frowned upon seeing this and stepped forward, speaking in an arrogant tone, ¡°The church is not open to the public, leave immediately!¡± Xue An slightly lifted his gaze to look at the group of priests. Boom. The priests felt a majestic force assail them, sending them flying until they slammed against the wall, where they finally came to a stop, then all looked at Xue An with eyes filled with terror. Xue An gave a faint smile and then stepped forward into the church. These people were but small fry; not worth taking their lives. As Xue An crossed the threshold of the church, the entire building suddenly trembled slightly. At the same time, the statues of the God of Light inside the church emitted a dazzling radiance. But Xue An merely glanced at them casually. The trembling statues all quieted down. It was as if¡­ they were afraid of something. This commotion naturally startled Klichen, who was in the reception room, enjoying a lively conversation with Ding Ran and the others. He was initially startled, then his complexion changed drastically. Ding Ran and the others asked in surprise, ¡°Your Excellency Bishop, what is the matter? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Klichen no longer had the mood to pretend and roared, ¡°All of you shut up!¡± Ding Ran and the rest were all shocked because Klichen¡¯s face had become extremely ferocious and terrifying, devoid of his previous elegance. Just then, the grand doors of the reception room collapsed with a bang as Xue An, with his hands clasped behind his back, walked in slowly. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for disturbing your meal,¡± Xue An said with a smile, speaking indifferently. Upon seeing it was Xue An, Ding Ran and the others were stunned. Especially Ding Ran. She would never forget the scene at the Blood Clan castle. If not for Xue An, she might have been consumed as a post-dinner dessert by the Blood Clan long ago. But what was he doing here this time? Could it be that even this respected Cardinal was a vampire? Ding Ran¡¯s thoughts were scattered. Klichen had already stood up abruptly, looking at Xue An with eyes full of fear. ¡°Mr. Xue, your sudden visit, may I ask what it¡¯s for?¡± Klichen struggled to keep his voice steady. ¡°Oh? You recognize me?¡± Xue An said lightly. ¡°If we were to talk about who has been the most prominent in Europe lately, it would certainly be you, and besides, you are a Chinese, so it¡¯s not hard to guess,¡± Klichen said. Xue An nodded, ¡°You¡¯re quite smart! I¡¯m here for no other reason but to kill you!¡± Klichen was dumbfounded by Xue An¡¯s blunt statement, and then retorted in a fit of rage, ¡°Mr. Xue, it seems we have no grudge between us, do we? Just because that bastard Garry offended you doesn¡¯t mean I am your enemy too!¡± Xue An smiled faintly, but turned to look at Ding Ran and the others sitting silently by the side. ¡°What a coincidence to run into you all here again!¡± Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Chapter 405: Technology is Power! (3rd Update) Chapter 405: Chapter 405: Technology is Power! (3rd Update) Hearing Xue An¡¯s words, Ding Ran felt like crying. He must have somehow offended this person. Otherwise, why would he appear every time he dined with someone? Klichen¡¯s eyes lit up as he quickly said, ¡°Mr. Xue, I have taken good care of your compatriots! Moreover, I think there¡¯s no enmity between us, you see¡­.¡± Xue An waved his hand to silence Klichen and then spoke indifferently, ¡°How you treat them is none of my business. I am killing you because your Church of Light should not have set your sights on me!¡± As he spoke, Xue An took a step forward. Endless Sword Qi immediately enveloped Klichen. Klichen cried out, ¡°Xue An, must you be so ruthless?¡± Xue An said coolly, ¡°Save those words for the innocent souls persecuted to death by your Church of Light!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m really afraid of you! Divine might like prison!¡± Klichen knew conflict was inevitable and roared angrily. A dazzling holy light burst from him and went straight for Xue An. But Xue An simply waved his hand. The seemingly grand and powerful holy light vanished into thin air. Klichen almost popped his eyes out, exclaiming, ¡°How is that possible! This holy light is indestructible, how could you¡­.¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the only one with light?¡± Xue An said indifferently as pure white lotuses appeared in the air. ¡°Divine Flame of Light! No¡­.¡± Klichen screamed in agony as the protective holy light around him completely submitted to the lotuses like subjects to an emperor. The sword beams wrapped around Klichen and within a few breaths, reduced him to blood and water. With Klichen¡¯s death, several statues of the God of Light in the church suddenly developed cracks, and the once splendid hall fell into gloom. Such was the role of a bishop; he could greatly enhance the sanctity of a church. Now that Klichen was dead, the church fell alongside him. After doing all this, Xue An turned to look at Ding Ran and the others, who had a dazed expression, and said coolly, ¡°This place is very dangerous. You should return to China. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll be this lucky next time!¡± Having said that, Xue An left with An Yan. Once he was far away. ¡°Sister, what should¡­ what do we do?¡± Ding Guang asked with a trembling voice. Ding Ran shuddered back to consciousness and stood up without hesitation, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what he said? We are going back to the country now!¡± ¡°Are we leaving now? What about our thesis¡­.¡± ¡°What damn thesis, I¡¯d rather not graduate at all!¡± Ding Ran yelled angrily and turned to march out. She made up her mind; never again! No, she decided she would never come to Europe in her life! This place was far too dangerous! The news of Klichen¡¯s fall spread rapidly. All sides were shaken. Countless people focused their attention on Xue An and the Church of Light. They all wanted to know what the next move would be for these two parties. Many asserted that the Church of Light would definitely react, after all, this was the third high-ranking official Xue An had killed. But to everyone¡¯s surprise, the Church of Light still maintained its silence, as if nothing had happened at all. In stark contrast was Xue An, who was making his way southward, successively slaying several churches along the way and obliterating four or five purple-robed deacons. Many people sobered up from their initial shock and confusion, and were then horrified to realize that if Xue An continued southward on this route, he would inevitably reach the headquarters of the Church of Light, the Holy Nation of Light! Could it be that he really intended to challenge an entire nation by himself? This thought shocked many, but at the same time made many with their own agendas restless and eager. In any case, the whole of Europe, and indeed the entire world, was stirred by Xue An¡¯s actions, and countless eyes were drawn to the Holy Nation of Light. The Holy Nation of Light is a small country spanning just a few square kilometers. Despite its small size, there stood one exquisitely beautiful church after another on its land. And located at the most central position was the world-renowned Holy Church of Light. This was a place said to allow direct communication with the God of Light, and its history traced back even to the Desolate Era. This was also the very core of the Church of Light, where the Pontiff of Light resided. At this moment, on the sacred square in front of the Holy Church of Light, where tourists teemed, it was extremely lively. In the Middle Ages, this was a bona fide forbidden ground. However, with increasing secularization over the years, and particularly after an edict from the former Pontiff, the whole Theocratic Nation had begun to open its doors to secular tourists. This naturally included the sacred square, claimed to be a place where one could hear the whispers of God. But now, the crowd on the square was not merely tourists. Almost every nation¡¯s intelligence agents were present, as were spies sent by various powers in Europe. After all, recent events had touched the hearts of many, and everyone wanted to know why the usually dominant Church of Light was being so silent this time? David was an intelligence agent from the M Country¡¯s agency, and he was here on a surveillance mission. And David believed that among the tourists on the square, there were certainly many of his colleagues. Honestly, this mission was quite nice, almost like a paid holiday. Not only could he enjoy exquisite medieval architecture for free, but occasionally, he might even have a romantic encounter with beautiful tourists from various countries. At the thought of this, David couldn¡¯t help but get a little excited and casually walked over to an open-air caf¨¦ on the corner of the square where he bought a cup of coffee and a sandwich. As he took the coffee, the bearded stall owner smiled and said, ¡°May God bless you!¡± David nodded, then, without changing his expression, he said softly, ¡°Still no anomalies, I suspect the Church of Light really might have become afraid of Mr. Xue now!¡± ¡°Keep watching!¡± the bearded owner said with a smile, then turned back to his work. David looked at the owner who didn¡¯t seem like an intelligence agent at all, shrugged his shoulders, and turned to enjoy his meal. Meanwhile, a few kilometers away from the sacred square, in a black business van. Karsath, with a cigar in his mouth, exclaimed in admiration, ¡°You see? Technology is power!¡± Anastasia, Fan Mengxue, and Meng Yan all looked at the screen in Karsath¡¯s hand. What it showed was a live image of the sacred square. Karsath took a deep drag from his cigar, letting the smoke drift out through the skull head¡¯s various holes, and said with great pride, ¡°On this sacred square, any use of black magic or witchcraft would be detected, but not this mechanical beetle! How about that? Isn¡¯t it impressive?¡± Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Chapter 406: Looting a Burning House (4th Update) Chapter 406: Chapter 406: Looting a Burning House (4th Update) ¡°` Speaking of which, he was remotely controlling a mechanical beetle with his phone, making it circle around the square. Anastasia couldn¡¯t help but nod in admiration, ¡°Karsath, I didn¡¯t expect you old bones to still be able to handle such high-tech gadgets!¡± Karsath grumbled a bit displeasedly, ¡°Miss Tassia, I hope you understand that as a Necromancer, I am still a youth at just over twelve hundred years old!¡± Anastasia snorted disdainfully, ¡°A youth, you say? A youth whose head spouts smoke when he takes a puff of his cigar?¡± Fan Mengxue originally didn¡¯t want to laugh, but hearing what Anastasia said, and recalling the image from before, she couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. With a snort, Fan Mengxue laughed out loud. Hearing Fan Mengxue¡¯s laughter, Karsath, who had been feeling a bit embarrassed, couldn¡¯t help but feel smug again. ¡°Ahem, no matter what you say, it seems Miss Mengxue is quite fond of me, right?¡± Karsath looked at Fan Mengxue full of hope. Of course, this hopeful expression could only be discerned from the two dancing flames in his eye sockets. After spending the past few days together, Fan Mengxue had already become familiar with Karsath¡¯s personality. Chasing trends, flirting at every turn, rooted in place at the sight of a beautiful woman, and always feeling irresistibly handsome ¨C he was incredibly narcissistic. These were the most prominent traits of Karsath. As Anastasia put it, it was a good thing his sect had perished at the hands of the Church in the middle ages; otherwise, even if they had survived to the present day, he would have infuriated them to death. Thus, Fan Mengxue responded with a polite smile and discreetly shifted a little further away. Now Karsath truly felt awkward. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly uttered a light ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh, aren¡¯t those the Dark Druids?¡± Karsath pointed at the image of the Dark Druid High Priest To Ran and his company on the screen. Anastasia looked and couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°To Ran and his bunch have such nerve? To actually stroll around in the Sacred Square?¡± Karsath curled his lip, ¡°These guys aren¡¯t like us; they all worship the Force of Nature, and if they don¡¯t use it, they¡¯re no different from ordinary people! Naturally, they aren¡¯t afraid of the Church of Light¡¯s checks! But I am curious, what are these guys doing here?¡± Just as Karsath said, To Ran had brought a group of his followers to the Sacred Square. Their purpose was simple: they wanted to see if there was an opportunity to exploit. Compared to other forces and their deep hatred for the Church of Light, the Dark Druids didn¡¯t have such strong animosity. This time, they purely wanted to take advantage of the chaos and pocket some benefits. However, after To Ran had made a round, he didn¡¯t find anything unusual and couldn¡¯t help feeling somewhat disdainful. David, watching from a distance, was fixedly staring at To Ran, whispering into his button intercom, ¡°It seems like the Dark Druids. These guys showing up too, it seems the situation is getting more complicated!¡± The bearded man, busy tending to his business, smiled and nodded to a customer. But when he turned around, he whispered, ¡°This affair has startled even the most hidden of the dark forces. Continue to observe, especially for any members of the Dark Council!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± David responded, quickly gulping down the last of his sandwich, and was about to stand up when, a low chant began to drift out from the Church of Light¡¯s grand cathedral. David was momentarily stunned, then his eyes widened in surprise. Not just him, everyone in the square was taken aback. Because the chant was astonishingly beautiful, as if¡­ there were truly angels murmuring. ¡°` A faint holy light began to rise from the ground, gradually ascending from the statue standing in the square, while the chanting became clearer and clearer. At that moment, a scream pierced the air. A well-disguised member of the Dark Races, illuminated by the holy light, started to emit black smoke from all over before dying miserably on the spot. This scene seemed to serve as a reminder to everyone; many shuddered and expressions of terror appeared on their faces as they turned to flee the square. But just then, the chanting grew even louder. The entire Church of Light began to radiate intense holy light. Countless believers and the congregation, upon seeing this, couldn¡¯t help but fall to their knees in excitement, praying loudly. Druids like To Ran from the Dark Races also felt a sense of fear; they were just there to join in the excitement, so how had things suddenly taken this turn? To Ran gritted his teeth and quietly led his people to retreat toward the outskirts of the area. However, upon reaching the edge of the square, a thin barrier of holy light suddenly appeared. At the same time, the chanting became deafening as a radiant orb of light appeared atop the Church of Light. An immensely powerful aura instantly enveloped the entire place. All the believers and the congregation were moved to tears at this moment. Whereas people like David and To Ran looked on as if they had lost their kin, their faces pale as they watched the unfolding scene. The light gradually floated in mid-air. And behind it, one after another, powerful figures materialized. In an almost moaning tone, David said, ¡°The Pope, the Chief Judge of the Heretics, Holy Knight of Light, Chief Judge of Light¡­ all these luminaries of the Light have gathered, so this light¡­¡± He dared not continue. For the conclusion was simply too terrifying. But at that moment, the light gradually dissipated, revealing a young man radiating an almost tangible holy light, with an exceedingly handsome face and two orbs of holy light burning in his eyes. This man looked down upon everyone in the square, a smile of superiority appearing on his lips as he spoke softly, ¡°God said, ¡®Let there be light!¡¯¡± Upon his command, countless holy lights rose, and all the believers and the congregation felt themselves become younger and stronger. This revelation made them fanatically devoted to the man. But those tainted with the aura of darkness were not so fortunate. For instance, To Ran, who was enveloped by a mass of holy light so powerful that it almost completely eradicated his Force of Nature. Luckily, To Ran reacted quickly enough to escape, though not without injury. However, his underlings weren¡¯t as lucky; most of them didn¡¯t even manage to scream before they were annihilated by the holy light into oblivion. This discovery made To Ran tremble all over, but he didn¡¯t dare look back, instead running away frantically. Because he suddenly recalled a legend, a profoundly terrifying legend. Meanwhile, in the black business car, Karsath and Anastasia, among others, all stared blankly at the man exuding superiority on their phone screens. Suddenly, the man turned his head to glance at the screen. Crack. The phone screen shattered, and a few wisps of holy light shot through the air towards Karsath. Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter 407: The Descent of the Saint Heir (Fifth Update) Chapter 407: Chapter 407: The Descent of the Saint Heir (Fifth Update) Karsath cried out in shock and with a wave of his hand, a thick black mist formed a barrier in front of him. But this black mist was like a thin sheet of paper in the face of the holy light; it had no power to resist. A ray of holy light touched Karsath¡¯s arm. Sizzle! Black smoke rose, and Karsath cried out in pain. At that moment, Anastasia¡¯s face was stern as she waved her hand, ¡°Confusion!¡± The holy light was instantly enveloped by a dusty glow. Simultaneously, Anastasia stepped forward, tore off Karsath¡¯s affected arm and threw it aside, then commanded coldly, ¡°Run now!¡± Everyone was startled and immediately used their strongest escape abilities, vanishing from inside the carriage. No sooner had their figures disappeared than the holy light violently broke free from its restraints and exploded. Boom. The entire carriage was instantly blown to pieces. Above the Sacred Plaza. The young man snorted disdainfully and said lightly, ¡°They sure run fast!¡± The Pope, in utmost humility from behind, gently said, ¡°Saint Heir, should we send someone to pursue them?¡± ¡°No need! Let these dark worms live a few more days!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Pope and the other magnates all bent down and agreed, their demeanor extremely deferential. At the same time, the entire plaza, the entire Grand Cathedral of Light, indeed all the clergy and faithful of the Holy Nation of Light knelt down in unison, praying devoutly to the man radiating intense holy light in the sky. ¡°We welcome the Saint Heir, descending to the world!¡± The Son of Light revealed a smug smile and nodded slightly, ¡°God loves the world, and I am here by the command of my father, the Divine King, to spread the divine word and eradicate the darkness!¡± All the faithful and clergy were excitedly bowing their heads repeatedly, some even weeping uncontrollably. To them, it was the greatest honor of their lives to see a living god. Meanwhile, those like Karsath who had barely escaped wore extremely somber expressions. ¡°I knew it, the Church of Light has never been an easy opponent. This silence and forbearance were because they were summoning the Saint Heir! And damn it, they¡¯ve actually succeeded!¡± Karsath cursed, his voice trembling slightly with profound fear. Anastasia and the others also had very ugly expressions on their faces. ¡°The Saint Heir has come; I didn¡¯t expect that since the War of Divine Fall in the Middle Ages, they would dare to use such a forbidden technique!¡± Anastasia said hatefully. Fan Mengxue asked somewhat perplexedly, ¡°Is this Saint Heir¡­ really that powerful?¡± Upon hearing this, Karsath sighed and said, ¡°How should I put it? This Saint Heir is the divine child of the God of Light that the Church of Light worships. Each one possesses tremendously potent strength and can even¡­ be regarded as invincible in this world!¡± Hearing this, Fan Mengxue¡¯s complexion turned visibly pale at a visible speed. ¡°Then¡­ you mean, Xue An¡­ he¡¯s in danger?¡± Everyone fell silent for a moment, then Anastasia sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of if he¡¯s in danger, but that he definitely is! The coming of the Saint Heir represents invincible power. Although Xue An is formidable¡­ how could he possibly contend with a god?¡± Fan Mengxue swayed slightly and nearly fainted, but Meng Yan quickly supported her. Then, with a pale face, Fan Mengxue said, ¡°Isn¡¯t there any other way?¡± ¡°There is one! That is to notify Xue An right now to run as far as he can!¡± Karsath said gravely. Fan Mengxue gave a wry smile, ¡°I know him too well, he definitely won¡¯t run away!¡± ¡°Then he¡¯s only going to meet his death!¡± Karsath sighed helplessly. Fan Mengxue slowly raised her head, a fierce light flickering in her eyes, and suddenly knelt down, ¡°Master, you once told me that within Dark Witchcraft there is a Dark Forbidden Curse, an extremely powerful spell. Please teach it to me!¡± Anastasia¡¯s gaze flickered, then she shook her head and sighed softly, ¡°Meng Xue, is it worth it for a man?¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Fan Mengxue said calmly. ¡°But I can tell you now that even if you learn these Dark Forbidden Curses, you still won¡¯t stand a chance against the Son of Light because light is naturally the bane of darkness!¡± ¡°I know! But I still want to learn!¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s tone remained as calm as ever. The people in the room looked at each other and then shook their heads helplessly. ¡°Mengxue, you¡¯re a good kid, but this isn¡¯t something you can control by yourself!¡± ¡°I know, but I still want to learn!¡± Fan Mengxue repeated mechanically, like a broken record. Anastasia finally nodded with difficulty, ¡°Fine! I can teach you, but you must understand, it realistically won¡¯t have any effect!¡± Fan Mengxue silently kowtowed and didn¡¯t speak. Just as Fan Mengxue began to frantically practice Dark Forbidden Curses. The news of the Saint Heir¡¯s arrival spread throughout Europe and the entire world at a terrifying pace, like a hurricane. Countless forces that had been eager to move instantly changed their stance, reverting to utmost respect. Those small forces that had taken advantage of the chaos were so frightened that they fled in the middle of the night. Even those forces that had always been friendly with the Church of Light were now as silent as cicadas in winter and trembling with fear. It could be said that the whole of Europe was prostrate before the Son of Light, trembling uncontrollably. At the same time, everyone¡¯s attitude towards Xue An changed completely. If previously some really believed that Xue An might be able to destroy the Church of Light, now none held any hope of that. Some even thought that the most sensible thing for Xue An to do after hearing the news was to run away immediately. Otherwise, he was simply courting death! Yet faced with these doubts, Xue An just smiled indifferently, showing no concern, and continued to take An Yan on sightseeing trips while resolutely heading towards the Holy Nation of Light. Just when the atmosphere had fallen into a weird and terrifying silence. At Blood Mountain. In the council of the Blood Clan that had already been slaughtered by Xue An, space suddenly fluctuated violently, and a surge of towering blood-red light burst forth, making the entire Blood Mountain tremble under its might. Then, a foot stepped out of the spatial rift, touching down upon the ground. This person¡¯s face was extremely sinister, with eyes filled entirely with eerie, crimson blood light. Behind him, a pair of huge, translucent wings. The man stood in the midst of the Blood Clan council, looked around, and slightly furrowed his brow. At that moment, more than a dozen individuals emerged from the spatial rift. All of these people, who were either second-generation or first-generation of the Blood Race, had seven or eight pairs of wings on their backs and exuded an incredibly powerful aura. ¡°Divine Ancestor!¡± All the Blood Clan members bowed respectfully to the man. The Divine Ancestor spoke indifferently: ¡°Where are my children? Why do I not sense their presence?¡± After a moment of deadly silence, a second-generation member of the Blood Clan stepped forward and said in a deep voice: ¡°Respected Divine Ancestor, a projection of mine once came to this world not long ago. At that time, there was someone who slaughtered the entire Blood Mountain!¡± Boom! An invisible energy blasted the second-generation member of the Blood Clan far away. Light golden blood spilled onto the ground. ¡°Why did you only tell me now?¡± the Divine Ancestor coldly said. The second-generation Blood Clan member knelt trembling on the ground, ¡°Divine Ancestor, I did not want to disturb your return, so I did not dare to tell you!¡± ¡°Heh heh, the lowly humans dare to slaughter my children? Very well, put the word out. I want to turn this person into a Hellish Blood Slave and let him endure endless suffering forever!¡± said the Blood Clan with a sinister tone. ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 408: The Return of the Blood Ancestor (First Update) Chapter 408: Chapter 408: The Return of the Blood Ancestor (First Update) ¡°` If the arrival of the Saint Heir had caused an earthquake of magnitude nine, then the return of the Blood Ancestor was akin to a volcanic eruption on top of a nine-magnitude earthquake! All of Europe and indeed the whole world were thrown into complete disarray by this series of explosive news. The strongest rulers of both the Light and Dark factions had descended almost simultaneously, with all their spears pointed towards Xue An. Now, even those who were most optimistic about Xue An had changed their opinions. No one believed that Xue An could turn the situation around under such circumstances; some even declared that Xue An was undoubtedly doomed! Dark Council. Fan Mengxue had not left her room for three whole days. She was furiously honing her Dark Witchcraft. Outside the room, Anastasia and Karsath looked at each other with ugly expressions on their faces. ¡°Should we tell her about this?¡± Karsath asked. Anastasia sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s tell her. Then I will take her to meet Xue An, and by any means necessary, we must get him to flee Europe and avoid the limelight for now!¡± ¡°All right! Just be careful not to upset her,¡± Karsath said worriedly. He was even more nervous than Anastasia was. Through the time they had spent together, Karsath had come to see Fan Mengxue as his junior, even as a daughter. Anastasia nodded, pushed open the door, and walked in. The room was filled with dark mist. Fan Mengxue was sitting in the center, meditating, her cheeks visibly thinning at a rate visible to the naked eye, yet her aura was growing stronger by the day. Anastasia let out a slight sigh and then said softly, ¡°Mengxue!¡± Fan Mengxue slowly opened her eyes, releasing a powerful force of darkness. Anastasia herself was surprised. In just a few short days, Fan Mengxue¡¯s progress was nothing short of miraculous. ¡°Master! What is it?¡± Anastasia stepped forward, hesitating slightly before saying, ¡°I just received a piece of news.¡± ¡°Is it about Xue An?¡± Fan Mengxue¡¯s expression jerked. ¡°The progenitor of the Blood Clan, along with the first and second generations, has returned to this world, and has announced that they are targeting Xue An!¡± After saying this, Anastasia watched Fan Mengxue worriedly, afraid that she couldn¡¯t handle the shock. But aside from turning a bit paler, Fan Mengxue showed no other outward sign of distress, simply lowering her head, ¡°Mhm, I understand.¡± Anastasia said, ¡°Mengxue, you might not grasp what the return of the Blood Ancestor implies!¡± ¡°Although the Dark Council and the Blood Clan both belong to the Dark faction, they have always been united in name but divided in spirit, and even in the ancient times, they had clashed. Hence, the Dark Council has quite extensive records about this Blood Ancestor.¡± ¡°He is an existence akin to a Demon God, and all the bloodkin in this world are his descendants, his power is so formidable, he is even on par with the Son of Light!¡± Throughout the conversation, Fan Mengxue did not lift her head. However, Anastasia could still see, through the hanging strands of hair, bright red Blood Pearls rolling down. It was because Fan Mengxue had bitten her lips too hard. ¡°Therefore, Karsath and others have discussed it, and the most important thing right now is to meet with Xue An and convince him to leave Europe immediately, otherwise¡­¡± ¡°` Otherwise, the words to follow remained unsaid, but Anastasia believed Fan Mengxue understood what she implied. ¡°It¡¯s futile!¡± Fan Mengxue, however, sighed lightly. ¡°You don¡¯t truly understand him; his nature has never changed. Even if it were the God of Light himself, he would not back down!¡± Fan Mengxue murmured nearly in a whisper. Then, she smiled at Anastasia, ¡°Master, please teach me all the Forbidden Curses!¡± Anastasia was stunned for a long while, then she nodded gently, ¡°Very well!¡± The Blood Clan Council. The Blood Ancestor sat upon the soft human skin sofa, leisurely savoring a sip of a young girl¡¯s fresh blood. ¡°This is the flavor! Unlike the tasteless blood offered by the blood slaves of the Blood Realm, this is the supremely sweet and fragrant ultimate delicacy! After a thousand years, I have finally tasted it again, how nostalgic!¡± exclaimed the Blood Ancestor, his face filled with rapture. At that moment, a second-generation member of the Blood Clan landed on the ground, ¡°Great Blood Ancestor, the message has been sent out, and I have also gathered much information regarding Xue An and¡­¡± ¡°And what?¡± the Blood Ancestor asked indifferently. ¡°And the Church of Light!¡± ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it!¡± ¡°After Xue An slaughtered our people of the Blood Clan, he somehow appeared in country Y and declared that he would completely eradicate the Church of Light!¡± ¡°Heh!¡± The Blood Ancestor¡¯s lips curled into a cold sneer, his heart filled with even more disdain. Such an ignorant fool, he has no idea how terrifying the backing of the Church of Light is, nor does he grasp the importance of this world to those giants amongst the Multiverse. Yet, what the second-generation Blood Clan member said next left the Blood Ancestor stunned. ¡°The Church of Light maintained silence as Xue An continued his slaughter southward, but just the day before yesterday¡­ before the eyes of countless, the Son of Light descended!¡± As this second-generation Blood Clan member mentioned the Son of Light, his voice trembled slightly, clearly frightful. However, after a brief moment of astonishment, a smile appeared on the Blood Ancestor¡¯s face. ¡°The Son of Light has come too? It seems this world is indeed about to undergo great changes! But which one is it? The seventh? Or the twelfth?¡± the Blood Ancestor whispered to himself and then nodded, ¡°Understood! So, this Xue An has not only provoked our Blood Clan but has also offended the Son of Light! Has he fled then?¡± As he said this, the Blood Ancestor¡¯s face displayed a malicious grin. Alienating both the forces of Light and Darkness simultaneously, this Xue An seems to have set a precedent! ¡°Yes! But when everyone thought Xue An would flee, he actually continued unhurriedly southward, his target being the Holy Nation of Light!¡± A glint of ruthlessness flashed in the Blood Ancestor¡¯s eyes, ¡°He¡¯s quite the daring one, indeed. But things are getting more and more interesting!¡± As he spoke, a letter shrouded in an ominous blood light appeared in the Blood Ancestor¡¯s hand. After contemplating for a moment, he wrote a few words, then handed it to the second-generation Blood Clan member. ¡°Go, deliver this letter to the Son of Light!¡± The second-generation Blood Clan member thought he had misheard. ¡°My lord¡­ the recipient is the Church of Light!¡± The Blood Ancestor laughed, ¡°It is only the weak who differentiate between Light and Darkness; the true strong look only at interests and power! Go!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The second-generation Blood Clan member responded with a trembling voice, then turned and flew away. The Blood Ancestor slowly took another sip of fresh blood, his eyes flickering with a strange blood glow. ¡°So, even the God of Light can no longer restrain himself? What secrets does this world hide that have you supreme gods so utterly captivated?¡± Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Heading South, Fighting Along the Way (2nd Update) Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Heading South, Fighting Along the Way (2nd Update) Church of Light. The Great Cathedral of Holy Light. Ever since the Saint Heir¡¯s arrival, this place had returned to a state of strict vigilance reminiscent of the medieval era. At this moment. The Pope and many high-ranking officials were standing outside the door with utmost respect. Not until the final sound ceased did the Saint Heir walk out of the room naked. Several cardinals in red hurriedly stepped forward to present the sacred robes already prepared. Then several beautiful women helped him put them on. A pleased look appeared on the Saint Heir¡¯s incomparably handsome face as he turned to the Pope and said, ¡°I am quite satisfied with this Holy Maiden, but the number is too few!¡± The Pope trembled all over and immediately responded, ¡°Yes! I will prepare more next time!¡± The Saint Heir nodded in satisfaction. At that moment, someone from inside the building carried out several Holy Maidens wrapped in white cloth, their bodies covered with injuries. These women, abused beyond recognition, all had a vacant look on their faces because they knew their fate would be miserable, likely becoming playthings for the entire high echelon. The Saint Heir sat down on a spacious and comfortable sofa, and someone brought over a hundred-year-old vintage red wine. The Saint Heir tasted a sip and exhaled a comfortable sigh. The feeling of descending to this plane was indeed exhilarating. Not only was there no one to control him, but he was also invincible. ¡°What¡¯s the situation with that Xue An?¡± asked the Saint Heir indifferently. ¡°Lord Saint Heir, this person has been traveling southward. He will arrive in the Theocratic Nation at the latest by tomorrow or the day after!¡± the Heretic Chief Judge stated, speaking before the Pope. The Saint Heir nodded, ¡°Good, keep an eye on his movements at all times!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The Heretic Chief Judge, pleased with the praise, quickly bowed and responded. The Pope, who had been keeping his head down, had a barely perceptible cold gleam flash in his eyes; then he stepped forward and bowed, ¡°My Lord Saint Heir, there is another matter I feel I must report to you!¡± ¡°What matter?¡± ¡°Rumors from the outside world say that the ancestor of the Blood Clan descended two days ago!¡± The Pope¡¯s words quieted the room. As the top brass of the Light, of course, they had all heard the news, so they all looked towards the Son of Light. Upon hearing this, the Saint Heir slightly furrowed his brows, ¡°Blood ancestor? That guy also descended at this time?¡± Just then, a cardinal in red robes walked in tremblingly; upon entering, he prostrated himself on the ground. ¡°Oh Saint Heir above, a letter suddenly appeared in front of the cathedral doors!¡± ¡°Oh? What letter!¡± The red-robed cardinal took out the letter from his bosom, which was suffused with a tinge of bloodlight. Everyone present was taken aback. This was¡­ the aura of the Blood Clan! The Saint Heir was also slightly startled, then extended his hand and a strand of Holy Light brought the letter over to him. Upon unfolding it to read, a look of surprise appeared on the Saint Heir¡¯s face, followed by a cold chuckle. ¡°Truly an annoying bunch of bats!¡± Having said that, he slightly raised his hand, and a flash of Holy Light burned the envelope to nothingness. Then he stood up, walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, and gazed at the magnificent and solemn cathedral. He said indifferently, ¡°The blood ancestor said in the letter, he will come to the Holy Nation of Light in the next two days.¡± This statement made everyone in the room look at each other. The Holy Knight of Light stepped forward and said, ¡°Lord Saint Heir, do we need to prepare and then exterminate this blood ancestor?¡± ¡°Exterminate? Why exterminate?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± This question from the Saint Heir left the Holy Knight and everyone else in the room stunned. After all, Light and Darkness were inherently incompatible; did one need a reason to exterminate an ancestor of the Blood Clan? The Son of Light chuckled, ¡°This Blood Ancestor is here to deal with that Xue An as well. From that perspective, we are allies! Why should we exterminate him?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone bowed their heads. ¡°You may leave now!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After everyone had left, a hint of a cold smile appeared on the edge of the Son of Light¡¯s mouth. ¡°Blood Ancestor? Hehe, have you caught wind of something? Coming here to join the fray at this time? But this time, I have descended upon the order of the most high Father God. If you dare to interfere, even the revered Blood Demon behind you cannot save you!¡± ¡°And as for that Xue An, I am truly curious; who exactly are you? How could Father God value you so much? To the extent of burning the Divine Status of three Holy Angels just to let me descend in my complete form? All to deal with someone like you, a mere mortal!¡± As he spoke, an incredibly powerful Power of Light emanated from his body, and a beam of holy light shot straight up into the sky from the top of the church. In another corner of the church, the Pope and others silently felt the strength of this Power of Light, and their faces showed a mix of shock and delight. ¡°The Saint Heir who has descended this time seems to be much more powerful than recorded!¡± the always silent Chief Judge of Light whispered. Everyone nodded slightly. The Holy Knight then asked somewhat puzzled, ¡°If the Saint Heir is so powerful, why not just eliminate that damned Blood Ancestor? If we did, the Church of Light would have one less powerful enemy!¡± Upon hearing this, the Pope shook his head, ¡°Holy Knight, you simply do not understand, the gods have never gotten along so harmoniously, even our most high God of Light has His own considerations!¡± Hearing the Pope¡¯s words, the Holy Knight bowed his head. However, the Chief Judge of Heresy smirked at this, ¡°Your Holiness, are you implying our Father God is not omnipotent? Or do you believe that Light and Darkness are not oppositional?¡± The Pope responded indifferently, ¡°The division between Light and Darkness has never been clear-cut!¡± Just as the entire Church of Light was shaken by this event, At the eye of the storm, Xue An and An Yan were leisurely frolicking in nature, incidentally eliminating the powers of Light along their path. Heading south, they walked and slaughtered as they went. This was the seventh day that Xue An had been doing this. In the beginning, An Yan wasn¡¯t used to it and worried that they might kill the wrong person. However, once the repugnant truths were laid bare before her eyes, An Yan shut her mouth. By the fifth and sixth day, the churches they encountered along the way were already deserted. Another significant change was that the number of people tracking Xue An sharply decreased. During the first few days, those tailing Xue An were as plentiful as hairs on a cow, but in the last two days, their number had plummeted. Even if there were still some, the looks in their eyes had become very strange. Xue An merely smiled faintly at this. At this moment, he was enjoying a meal at an inconspicuous little restaurant with An Yan. It must be said that, though small and off the beaten path, the restaurant¡¯s food was quite good. As they savored their sweet time together, Quintina and Selina arrived, travel-worn and dusty. The appearance of the two beauties attracted the attention of many in the restaurant. When they saw Xue An sitting in the corner, they let out a sigh of relief and walked straight toward him. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°My Lord!¡± The appellations of the two women caused everyone who had pricked up their ears to eavesdrop to freeze, and a meaningful smile appeared on many of the men¡¯s faces. Xue An nodded, ¡°What is it?¡±