A jolt went through Ye Chao's divine spirit at Chen Yang's words.

In an instant, his face turned as pale as paper, and he struggled to breathe.

As for Gao Fan, who had always been silent and cold, his eyes met Chen Yang's, and he couldn't stop himself from stumbling back several steps. He only came to a halt when he crashed into a table behind him, sending cups and dishes toppling to the floor with a clatter.

His expression was one of utmost panic as he instinctively looked toward the other two elders.

The two elders had already grown grim, their fists clenched tightly, their sharp eyes fixed on Chen Yang with extreme tension.

The rest of the crowd was utterly dumbfounded, their mouths agape wide enough to fit a fist.

They couldn't fathom how such a simple matter, especially on this minor Qiyun Road, had suddenly produced such an overwhelmingly powerful expert. An expert who was personally stepping in for two women.

HISS...

Gao Fan, always unbridled and arrogant, who never held anyone in high regard, was now thoroughly terrified. Not a shred of his former bluster remained.

After a sharp intake of breath, he looked again toward the two elders. Though he didn't speak, his meaning was clear. What are you two still gawking for? Get him! Both of you, now! I didn't spend a fortune on you just to have you watch the show.

GULP!

The two elders glanced at each other, seeing the trepidation and horror in the other's eyes. They both swallowed hard. Then, they turned their heads in unison toward Chen Yang.

BOOM!

They moved at the same time, unleashing their ultimate techniques. Their faces flushed red with strain, teeth gritted. They often worked together, and their combined attack was far greater than the sum of its parts.

Almost at the exact moment they moved, Gao Fan, without a second thought, turned and fled.

A fourteenth-tier Ten Thousand Phenomena Senluo!! he thought frantically. At this point, you'd be a fool not to run!

As for Ye Chao, whether he lived or died had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Chen Yang's right hand lifted slightly, his sleeve fluttering. A purple-gold radiance coiled out.

In a flash.

A fierce wind rose.

BANG! BANG!

The two elders, who had poured all their strength into their attack, were struck as if by a massive hammer. Their bodies bent like cooked shrimp as they vomited blood and were sent flying backward.

One after the other, the two elders crashed heavily on the floor right in front of Gao Fan.

As he was hastily trying to escape, he tripped over one of the elders, staggered, and fell flat on his face.

Intense, stabbing pain spread instantly through his limbs, gnawing at every nerve in his body. When he finally struggled back to his feet, he was horrified to find a terrifying face right behind him.

BOOM!

The face was as impassive as the wind, devoid of all expression.

Gao Fan's mind shattered, feeling as if half his soul had fled his body.

HUFF! HUFF!

He clung desperately to the nearby table, gasping for breath. His bloodshot eyes stared at Chen Yang as if looking at a prehistoric, man-eating beast.

"I heard this was your idea?" Chen Yang asked expressionlessly, adjusting his sleeve.

"I, I..."

Gao Fan's expression shifted repeatedly. His hands gripped the tabletop so tightly his nails dug into the wood. Sweat poured down his forehead, where bulging veins twisted like centipedes.

Chen Yang was in no hurry. He just watched him.

"I... I am from the Gao Family of Cangyun City! We have immense power and connections that reach the highest echelons of the Imperial Court!" Gao Fan finally managed, mustering his courage. "Yes, a Ten Thousand Phenomena Senluo master is powerful, but my Gao Family has one as well! If you kill me today, you will die too!"

"As the saying goes, it's best to leave a path for retreat so that we may meet again as friends."

"If you let me go today, we'll be friends. When you visit Cangyun City in the future, I'll be sure to treat you to the finest wine and delicacies!" Having said his piece, Gao Fan calmed down slightly and added, "It's better to make a friend than an enemy of the Gao Family."

"What do you think?"

BOOM!

Chen Yang slapped him, and Gao Fan crashed to the ground. Then, with a hook of his foot, he sent Gao Fan sliding across the floor with a dull thud, stopping right next to Ye Chao.

Ye Chao glanced at Gao Fan's miserable state and couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.

Chen Yang walked over to them, picked up a clean cup, and poured himself a glass of wine. Holding the cup by its base, he swirled the liquid gently. With his other hand, he pulled out a Great Seal and tossed it down in front of them.

"You like to use power to oppress others," Chen Yang said, raising his glass, his ethereal voice drifting through the vast hall. "But I'm afraid there are some people you simply can't crush."

When Ye Chao and Gao Fan recognized the characters on the Great Seal, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck them, making their hair stand on end.

The Governor's Great Seal!

In this world, there was only one Governor's Great Seal. This meant the man before them was no nameless nobody. He was the renowned Nine Gates Admiral, the Zhennan Prince.

"You... you're the Zhennan Prince?!" Ye Chao's eyes widened in utter disbelief. After stammering out those words, his heart felt like it would explode in his chest.

The first Ever-Victorious Commander since the founding of the dynasty, he had single-handedly forced the Barbarian defenders to retreat thirty miles. Rumor had it that no matter where he was, a single command from him could mobilize eight hundred thousand Martial Guards to any corner of the land within a week.

How did I manage to provoke this colossal figure?

The Ye Family was strong, and the Gao Family was formidable, but if the two of them faced this man, it would be as futile as an ant trying to shake a tree, or a firefly trying to outshine the moon.

"Can you still overwhelm me?" Chen Yang asked.

Ye Chao shook his head frantically.

Gao Fan, a bone-deep chill washing over him, simply lay on the ground and played dead.

Only now did he understand why there were Martial Department men guarding Qin Qiu's courtyard, he thought in despair. And one of them had even tried to reveal this powerhouse's name, but one of my own bodyguards had cut him off. Why couldn't I have just let him finish that sentence?

Gao Fan, who had been arrogant for decades, now lay flat on the ground, not daring to make the slightest move.

"Stand up," Chen Yang said nonchalantly after draining his cup.

"Yes, yes!" Ye Chao didn't dare hesitate, scrambling to his feet. At this point, he wouldn't dare refuse even if he were ordered to eat dirt.

Gao Fan also stopped pretending to be dead and obediently got up, keeping his head bowed low, not daring to meet Chen Yang's gaze.

BOOM!

The hand Chen Yang had just used to set down his cup splayed open. He swept it forward in a seemingly casual pat, but it sent both Ye Chao and Gao Fan flying into the air and slamming into the nearby wall.

*Cough, cough!*

*Pfft...*

These two, who had always been so high and mighty, believing they could lord over all, finally understood what it truly meant that there was always someone stronger. They finally understood what it meant for a single gesture to be so unstoppable, so utterly devastating.

This was a War God, but at this moment, he had become a demon.

SNAP!

Chen Yang snapped his fingers and commanded Yang Hu, "Clear the room."

"Right away!"

The people in the hall didn't dare linger. They didn't need any urging from Yang Hu as they scrambled to flee in a panic.

Chen Yang slowly walked forward, taking a moment to pat a wrinkle from his clothes. With one hand behind his back, he asked impassively, "I hear you came to back the Martial Association?"

Ye Chao was so terrified he was on the verge of tears. Why... why is he bringing up the Martial Association again?

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