Sensing Chen Zheng's presence, Mukai Toshiaki didn't wait for him and his group to approach, promptly prostrating himself on the ground in a deferential bow.

Chen Zheng stepped forward, stared at him for a moment, then asked in a teasing tone, "Didn't Takeda Masao leave you some kind of divine talisman? Why not use it against me, instead of just kneeling here?"

Upon hearing this, Mukai Toshiaki lowered his head even further. "Mr. Zhao, your insight is sharp. I wouldn't dare act rashly!"

Chen Zheng remained noncommittal. "For Takeda Masao to hold it in such high esteem, that divine talisman must be quite powerful. Why don't you use it?"

Hearing this, Mukai Toshiaki's expression became extremely conflicted. Chen Zheng noticed and smiled faintly. "What's the matter? Am I wrong?"

Mukai Toshiaki clenched his teeth. "That divine talisman contains a strand of blade intent left behind by the former High Priest of the Asura Eight Divisions Shrine!"

"In the Dahe Nation, those who can become High Priests are all top-notch experts. Perhaps you, sir, are exceptionally skilled, but compared to a High Priest, I'm afraid..."

"Is that so?" Chen Zheng interrupted with a faint smile. "Then lead the way. I'd like to see for myself just how powerful this divine talisman from your so-called High Priest really is!"

Behind Chen Zheng, Situ Qi and Zhang Lingxue exchanged confused glances.

The situation was already decided, so what Chen Zheng was doing now seemed entirely unnecessary. Regardless of what was special about that divine talisman, it was clear from their conversation that it wasn't anything good. Why would he want to see it?

However, Chen Zheng was already following Mukai Toshiaki inside. Despite their confusion, Zhang Lingxue and Situ Qi could only trail behind.

...

On the other side, Liu Jiyu and Liu Jiangchuan stared at each other wordlessly. They had just witnessed everything that happened at the Black Dragon Society's dojo.

After seeing Chen Zheng's terrifying methods, Liu Jiangchuan was completely unsettled.

He had considered countless possibilities, but he never expected Chen Zheng to defeat Takeda Masao so effortlessly. After all, the power Takeda Masao displayed at the end was more than double his previous strength, yet he was still no match for Chen Zheng!

Just how strong is that Chen Zheng? Is Father really his match? Can I still get my revenge?

After a long moment of silence from Liu Jiyu, Liu Jiangchuan hesitantly asked, "Dad, Chen Zheng's power is terrifying. Shouldn't we make preparations sooner rather than later?"

"He's from the Zhao Family of Yangcheng, after all. Once he gains power, a fight between us is inevitable. When that time comes..."

"What's the rush?" Liu Jiyu waved a hand, cutting his son off. "He's just a brute. Give him a few more decades and he might actually stand a chance against our Liu Family. But now? Hmph!"

"Dad, are you saying you're confident you can deal with Chen Zheng right now?" Liu Jiangchuan suddenly realized something.

"Relying purely on physical force to solve problems is the way of a brute, even if strength represents everything in most cases." Liu Jiyu glanced at his son and shook his head with a smile.

"Takeda Masao was very strong. After stimulating the baleful energy within him, his realm could have risen even higher. But so what? In the end, he was still pinning his hopes on the divine talisman their High Priest left him to save his life!"

"The reason I haven't shown my face isn't because I'm afraid of Takeda Masao. It's because I've always known he possessed such a divine talisman!"

Hearing his father say this, Liu Jiangchuan's pupils widened. "Dad, are you saying that divine talisman is very powerful?"

"Do those strange things from the Dahe Nation really work? Storing blade intent inside a divine talisman? That sounds like something from a myth. Isn't that too far-fetched?"

Liu Jiyu shook his head. "My boy, your horizons are still too narrow. Many things you think are impossible have already been achieved by others!"

"Never mind storing blade intent in a divine talisman. There are even those who have mastered placing their own cultivation into a vessel of some kind!"

"Huh?" Liu Jiangchuan was flabbergasted. "How is that possible? Are there people in Da Shang who can do that too?"

"Wait, Father... don't tell me you can do it too?"

Liu Jiyu shook his head again, not answering his son's question directly. Instead, he gazed once more toward the Black Dragon Society's dojo.

"The world is a vast place, full of wonders. The fact that those shrines in the Dahe Nation have survived until today is proof of their special qualities. But there's no need for us to build up their prestige at the expense of our own!"

"That boy, Chen Zheng, is far too arrogant. If he really dares to open that divine talisman, I doubt he'll live to see tomorrow!"

"However, my concern right now isn't Chen Zheng. After today's events, the real storm is about to hit. You had better stay out of trouble in the near future. Don't expect the family to clean up your messes!"

With that, Liu Jiyu stood up and walked out, leaving a dumbfounded Liu Jiangchuan in his wake.

...

In a suite on the top floor of the Taizi Long Hotel, two women stood before a floor-to-ceiling window, gazing silently at the Black Dragon Society's dojo.

"Aunt, what do you think Chen Zheng will do next?" Zhu Wenjie asked the elegant, middle-aged woman beside her.

The woman was another prodigy of the Zhu Family, Zhu Wenjie's aunt, Zhu Hongyu. She had always operated from the shadows, working with Zhu Tingyu—one in the light, one in the dark—to establish the Zhu Family's current standing.

Zhu Hongyu didn't answer immediately. Instead, she asked softly, "Wenjie, you saw Chen Zheng's methods today. What are your thoughts on him?"

Zhu Wenjie furrowed her delicate brows. After a moment of consideration, she replied, "His strength was startling. He's more than twice as strong as when I saw him at the auction. I'm even certain he wasn't using his full power just now."

Hearing this, Zhu Hongyu smiled noncommittally. "You've been in contact with him for a while now. From your perspective, what do you believe his recent objective has been?"

"To exonerate the Zhao Family of Yangcheng!" Zhu Wenjie blurted out without hesitation. "I can't think of any other reason."

"Of course, if not for his aunt's current situation, he probably would have already started investigating the deeper aspects of what happened back then."

"If even you can see that, then I'm sure many others have as well." Zhu Hongyu's smile grew more captivating. "But do you have any idea how complicated the internal situation was back then?"

"You could say that the moment Chen Zheng lifts the lid on this, it's guaranteed to trigger a chain reaction."

"The resulting storm will be far more terrifying than the one Takeda Masao just caused!"

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