After listening, Chen Zheng said nothing more and simply waved his hand.

"Ugh!"

As if pulled by an invisible force, Su Zhe's body flew up from the ground, and Chen Zheng's hand clamped tightly around his neck.

"Grandmaster Chen, I beg you! So long as you spare this vile spawn, the Su Family is willing to pay any price!" Su Weizhong's voice was filled with pleading.

The Grandmaster kept his head lowered, no longer possessing the courage to even look at Chen Zheng.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for successfully triggering a selection mission.]

[Option 1: Do not pursue the matter with Su Zhe. Reward: The Su Family's loyalty.]

[Option 2: Punish Su Zhe. Reward: The formula for the Yuan Pei Pill.]

Hearing this, Chen Zheng immediately chose the second option.

The Su Family's loyalty?

In the past, that might have piqued his interest, but now, he couldn't care less. His power had grown to a point where countless families would pledge their allegiance to him. The Su Family? In his eyes, they were nothing but a grain of sand.

He asked indifferently, "What could your Su Family possibly have that would interest me?"

Su Weizhong's body went rigid.

Indeed, what could the Su Family offer that would catch Chen Zheng's eye? He was a man capable of killing even a Heaven Merging Realm expert.

As for Su Zhe, he was now plunged into despair. He had never imagined he would provoke such a figure. Not even his grandfather's pleas could move Chen Zheng's heart. He was completely ignorant of Chen Zheng's identity. In the bustling Imperial Capital, besides that world-shaking Pavilion Master, who else could make his beloved grandfather so reverent?

"Power of Time!"

Chen Zheng acted without hesitation. To him, the formula for the Yuan Pei Pill was a dazzling pearl. Compared to the Spirit Jade Elixir, the Yuan Pei Pill could directly stimulate a person's potential, making its value immeasurable.

Just then, a shocking scene unfolded before everyone's eyes.

They watched in horror as Su Zhe's hair turned snow-white in an instant. More and more white strands appeared until his entire head was a mass of silver. His face aged rapidly, wrinkles crisscrossing his features until he looked even older than Su Weizhong.

Everyone gasped, a bone-deep chill seizing them.

What kind of heaven-defying ability was this? It was too terrifying to be believed.

BANG!

Chen Zheng released his grip, and Su Zhe crashed to the ground like a falling meteorite. His life force was drained, as if he had experienced an entire lifetime in a few short moments. He had transformed from a young warrior into a white-haired old man.

"The effect is truly astonishing," Chen Zheng murmured.

This was the Power of Time. It mercilessly extracted life force, which in turn nourished its wielder. Chen Zheng could feel a surge of new vitality flooding his body, being slowly absorbed. His very cells seemed to be cheering in celebration.

"Zhe!" Su Weizhong cried, tears welling in his old eyes.

This was more painful than death. Originally, after obtaining the Spirit Jade Elixir, Su Zhe had hoped to reach the Grandmaster Stage within three years. Now, all of that had turned to dust.

"Let's go."

Chen Zheng swept his gaze indifferently over the crowd and walked straight toward the exit. Strick put away his weapon and followed close behind. Zhuge Xiyu, recovering from her shock, chased after them. Guo Xiancheng let out a soft sigh and followed as well. Wu glanced over impassively but did not move to join them.

After the group departed, only Huang Yun, whose fate was unknown, and the Su grandfather-grandson duo remained in the banquet hall.

"Grandfather, who in the world is he?" Su Zhe, now an old man who looked even more ancient than Su Weizhong, struggled to ask. The words seemed to sap the last of his strength, leaving him gasping for breath.

"He… he is the legendary Chen Zheng," Su Weizhong replied, his voice thick with grief.

"Chen Zheng…" Su Zhe's eyes widened. He finally remembered the powerhouse named Chen Zheng who had recently caused a storm in the Imperial Capital.

***

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for completing the selection. Reward granted: The formula for the Yuan Pei Pill.]

As Chen Zheng stepped out of the Tingwang Hotel, the system's whisper sounded in his ear, but his thoughts were already elsewhere.

In the days that followed, his fame echoed throughout the Imperial Capital. The major powers learned from the Su Family's bitter lesson. They meticulously compiled information on Chen Zheng and drilled it into their family members. Special emphasis was placed on his portrait, lest anyone inadvertently provoke him.

From then on, Yan Shuiyu's growth was unstoppable, and it expanded by leaps and bounds. Meanwhile, the Guo Family leveraged Chen Zheng's reputation to rise above the others, and no one dared to look down on them again.

「Three days later.」

Chen Zheng spent time with Wei Zixuan. They visited Xiao Menghai and then Xiao Yi, finally resolving the lingering grievances. Afterward, they made their way to Xiao Li's home. Though they didn't speak much, Chen Zheng keenly sensed the regret in Xiao Li's heart.

After a brief farewell, Chen Zheng, Wei Zixuan, and Guo Fu returned to Yun City.

「Back at the garden villa.」

Liu Qianqian and Li Yitong set aside their work and came to the villa to welcome them joyfully. Seeing Chen Zheng, the two women immediately threw themselves at him, hugging him tightly from both sides.

Wei Zixuan stood aside with a charming smile, while Guo Fu's cheeks flushed a shy red.

So Master has two other female confidantes! Goodness, he's so dashing. And it looks like Zhuge Xiyu from Yan Shuiyu has a crush on him, too!

Guo Fu's heart fluttered. Her feelings for her master had already surpassed that of a mere disciple. This budding affection was like the morning sun, warming her heart and bringing a faint blush to her cheeks.

Chen Zheng's voice broke her reverie. He introduced her to the others, "This is my disciple, Guo Fu."

Then he turned to Guo Fu. "Fu'er, these are Liu Qianqian and Li Yitong."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, beautiful big sisters!" Guo Fu immediately greeted them.

The two women's eyes lit up when they saw her. They walked over together, each taking one of Guo Fu's hands.

"Guo Fu, what a lovely name," Li Yitong said with a laugh. "In that case, should you be calling us 'Mistress'?"

"Yitong, doesn't that make us sound old?" Liu Qianqian's voice was like a spring breeze. "Fu'er, just call us big sisters."

"Alright, Sister Yitong," Guo Fu replied, her voice crisp and sweet.

After resting for a while at the villa, Chen Zheng drove out to buy groceries, returning shortly with bags full of fresh ingredients. The four women went into the kitchen together to show off their culinary skills, and a sumptuous dinner was soon served.

After dinner, Chen Zheng called Guo Fu aside. He took out an upgraded Spirit Jade Elixir formula and handed it to her.

"This is an enhanced version of the Spirit Jade Elixir formula," he explained, his voice as pleasant as a melody. "It can even accelerate the cultivation of a Grandmaster. For someone in the Qi Condensation Realm, it will increase their cultivation speed by at least ten times!"

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