The rain intensified, blanketing the area in mist. On the distant surface of the river, a large fish would occasionally leap from the water, sending out a spray of waves. Small bamboo rafts dotted the river, each carrying an old fisherman in a straw raincoat. Their clever ospreys would dive down from time to to time, returning to the rafts with fish in their beaks. Along both banks of the Lingjin River, a constant stream of people strolled under umbrellas. The scene looked exactly like a living ink wash painting.

But who could have guessed that beneath such a beautiful scene, a great storm was about to shake the entire Lingjin River?

In the middle of the river, a small boat drifted. Fishing and brewing tea, its occupants were enjoying a pleasant, quiet moment.

In less than ten minutes, Chen Yang had already pulled up five or six fish, each one a fat specimen weighing over half a pound.

The Lingjin River was indeed rich with life.

Yang Hu, in contrast, was scratching his head in frustration.

He couldn't understand why he wasn't catching any fish in the very same river.

Chen Yang shook his head and chuckled. "There's a saying: 'You can't eat hot buns if you're impatient.' The float had just barely moved and you already yanked the rod! Since the bait is on the hook, you have to wait for the fish to actually eat it."

"Heh heh..."

Yang Hu grinned, trying to adjust his mentality.

In truth, besides his lackluster fishing skills, there was another, bigger reason for his unease. This opponent was unlike any he had faced before.

A peak Fourteenth-Tier expert at the very least. The Great Elder of the Chen Royal Family was quite possibly a Fifteenth-Tier master of the Star-Scattered Chessboard realm.

Even Yang Hu, a veteran of countless campaigns, had never encountered a Fifteenth-Tier Fist Master.

What would that level of power even be like? It's unimaginable.

Unconsciously, Yang Hu glanced at Chen Yang. The man was so unflappably calm it was frightening.

Yet amid the raging storm and the surging river, he radiated an inexplicable sense of tranquility. It was a feeling Yang Hu had often seen on the battlefield.

He was like a great mountain; as long as he stood there, nothing could be shaken.

This time, however, Yang Hu couldn't calm his own thoughts.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind," Chen Yang said faintly, releasing a small carp back into the water without a sideways glance.

"I'm still a bit worried," Yang Hu admitted.

Chen Yang simply smiled and said nothing more.

Yang Hu didn't press the matter, returning his focus to his fishing.

About twenty minutes later.

"He's here," Chen Yang said quietly. The fishing rod in his hand was bent into a deep arc by a fish in the water.

Yang Hu's expression jolted. He knew instantly that Chen Yang wasn't talking about a big fish on the line. He meant the Great Elder of the Chen Royal Family had arrived.

He looked toward the riverbank and saw a white figure speeding straight for the center of the river.

He had no boat, no raft.

Tapping his feet lightly on the water's surface, the man shot toward them like an arrow loosed from a bow. He moved so fast that the falling rain was blasted into a misty curtain around him, and a long white wake trailed across the river behind him.

Yang Hu's eyes bulged. He was speechless.

What kind of person is this?!

If Yang Hu was so shocked, one could only imagine the reaction of the crowd on the riverbanks.

"Is... is that a person? My eyes must be playing tricks on me, right?!"

"I think I'm seeing things too!"

"Seeing things my foot, that's a person! He's flying across the river!"

"Good heavens! Look at that man on the river!"

"..."

In an instant, the entire several-hundred-meter-long embankment erupted. Everyone stood gawking in utter disbelief.

It was indeed a person.

To be precise, it was a white-haired elder in a white robe, a longsword on his back and his hands clasped behind him. He appeared to be strolling casually, but his speed was astonishing. The wake he carved in the water behind him was like that of a darting swordfish.

"I think I saw that man at the Qin Clan's wedding banquet yesterday. He's the Great Elder of the Chen Royal Family from Cangyun City!"

"Yes, that's him!"

Sharp-eyed individuals recognized him from the fleeting glimpse they caught as he leaped from the bank into the river.

As this news spread, everyone's thoughts began to settle.

With an identity like that, it wasn't hard to understand how he could perform such an astounding feat. What kind of existence was the Chen Royal Family?

Rumor had it that even a Thirteenth-Tier Thousand-Faced Yama was nothing but worthless trash in their eyes.

Under the burning gazes of the crowd, the figure rapidly approached the small boat in the middle of the river.

Yang Hu's entire body tensed. The pistol from his waist was already in his hand. He wanted to shout a warning to Chen Yang but found his throat had gone tight, leaving him unable to speak.

Terrifying!

Even with a considerable distance still between them, he felt a bone-chilling cold, as if his very blood was turning to ice.

Chen Yang, however, remained seated on his small stool, his calm gaze fixed on the bobbing float.

Let the mountain storms come and the rivers churn; I will remain unmoved.

The small float bobbed a few more times and was about to be pulled completely under.

BOOM!

A blast of wind struck them. The small boat, already fragile, couldn't withstand such a gust and began to spin violently.

THUMP.

Chen Yang stomped his foot down.

The boat instantly stabilized, as steady as a boulder and utterly motionless.

A white figure now stood three meters from Chen Yang, balancing on a small piece of driftwood. This newcomer was, of course, the Great Elder of the Chen Royal Family, Chen Yunqian.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he gave Chen Yang a dismissive glance, looking him up and down.

"You scared away my fish," Chen Yang said. Seeing that his float was no longer moving, he lifted his line, re-baited the hook, and cast it back into the river.

Chen Yunqian's expression flickered.

This young man has such a steady presence.

Putting everything else aside, that alone was completely different from what he had imagined.

It was no wonder he had achieved so much at such a young age; he was truly out of the ordinary.

Finally, his deep-set eyes came to rest on the Ancestral Sword propped against the side of the boat. "From the looks of it," he said in a low voice, "you drew this sword intentionally to lure me here?"

"Since you were coming anyway, it's better to get this over with sooner rather than later," Chen Yang replied without looking up, his eyes fixed on the float.

Chen Yunqian smiled faintly. "If I'm not mistaken, you're trying to use this method to distract me and buy time for Chen Bonan to escape?"

"I couldn't care less if they live or die," Chen Yang replied indifferently, lighting a cigarette.

"Is that so?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, a large ship approached from a short distance away. At its bow, Chen Bonan and several others knelt in a row, their hands and feet bound.

Chen Yang glanced over, his expression as calm as still water.

Oh?

Chen Yunqian was slightly surprised before quickly breaking into a laugh. "It seems you harbor a deep resentment for the Chen Family. For your own parents, and for your entire branch of the family."

Chen Yang pulled a red carp from the water. As he unhooked it, he said calmly, "If we're talking about resentment, I should probably resent your branch of the family more, shouldn't I?"

"Chen Yang, why did you have to be so impulsive?!"

When Chen Bonan saw the Ancestral Sword stuck into the boat nearby, he immediately understood why Chen Yang had drawn it today.

This idiot was actually trying to lure the snake out of its hole. Regardless of his motives, this was a foolish move! Utterly foolish!

"You're no match for him! It's very likely he has already reached the Fifteenth Tier, the Star-Scattered Chessboard realm!" Chen Bonan's face was twisted in a grimace. "You should have hidden!"

"Why should I hide?" Chen Yang asked earnestly, finally standing up after releasing the fish. "Is the Fifteenth Tier supposed to be that strong?"

Chen Bonan was left speechless.

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