The eight major elite families of Cangyun City.

Although the Li Family ranked last among them, its influence was not to be underestimated. It could be said that from the moment Li Chen was born, he was destined to be above others, looking down on countless people.

"Young Master, that woman Jiang Ying may seem obedient, but she's actually quite cunning. You should keep an extra eye on her," Guo Yang said, watching as Jiang Ying left the clubhouse. "What if she really gets pregnant, then hides away and has the child..."

"She wouldn't dare!" Li Chen scoffed. "She's smart enough to have lasted this long in our circle. If she dares to cross my bottom line, death is her only way out."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Guo Yang nodded repeatedly. Regardless, he would remain vigilant about this matter and not allow any accidents to happen. Otherwise, if Jiang Ying really returned with a child, Li Chen would become the laughingstock of their entire social circle.

「About twenty minutes later.」

Chen Yang arrived at the entrance of the private clubhouse by Weiyang Lake.

Though it was only a three-story building, its luxury and opulence were staggering.

It was still early, so not many people were coming or going. Chen Yang pushed open the main door and walked in. The lobby was dimly lit, filled with the scents of tobacco and alcohol, along with another faint, pungent odor.

CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.

Hearing the footsteps from behind the entryway, Li Chen, Guo Yang, and a young man who had just arrived all turned to look.

"He's here already?"

The young man was about the same age as Li Chen. But compared to Li Chen's slim and tall figure, he was the opposite extreme; standing there, he looked like an iron tower, formidable and intimidating.

Xu Jing.

He and Li Chen were childhood friends who had grown up together. Because they were two of a kind, their relationship had only grown closer over the years. Not long ago, Xu Jing had chartered a flight to bring over five exotic women, calling Li Chen to come "savor" them with him. Today, since Li Chen had found a fine 'item', he naturally wouldn't forget his good brother.

Tall and dressed in a leather jacket, Xu Jing looked up, grinning towards the entrance. "Li Chen, you'd better not disappoint me."

"You still don't trust my taste?" Li Chen lit a cigarette, squinting his eyes in satisfaction. "You'll see soon enough just how exceptional that woman is."

"Heh heh..." Xu Jing grinned widely.

But when he saw the person who had arrived, and that no one else was following, the smile on Xu Jing's face twisted into one of amusement. Li Chen's expression, however, instantly darkened, his gaze turning icy cold.

"!!" Guo Yang slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. Pointing at the approaching figure, he barked, borrowing his master's might, "You bastard, why are you alone? Where are the two women? What, are you ignoring Mr. Li's command?"

The person who had arrived was, of course, Chen Yang.

He didn't respond. He simply picked up a wine bottle from a nearby table, tested its weight in his hand, and continued walking forward slowly.

"Heh..." Li Chen rose to his feet, unfastened his jacket, and said in a low voice, "I told you to bring your girlfriend over, and you just let my words go in one ear and out the other?"

"And from the looks of it, you seem quite angry. Are you planning to smash this bottle on my head?" Li Chen held the cigarette between his lips, swirled a glass of red wine, and finally deigned to look at Chen Yang, his tone arrogant and his words extremely grating.

"It's been a while since I've seen such an arrogant fool who thinks so highly of himself." Xu Jing was slightly disappointed. However, after seeing the photo of Qin Qiu that Jiang Ying had sneakily taken on Li Chen's phone, a spark of anticipation grew within him. It seemed his trip wasn't a total waste after all. The process might be a little more troublesome, but the final outcome would remain the same.

Hearing his childhood friend speak, Li Chen lost a bit of face. He ordered Guo Yang, "Go! Go now and drag his girlfriend over here!"

"I show you some respect, but you don't know how to appreciate it." Li Chen drained his glass of wine, rolled up his sleeves, and stared grimly at Chen Yang.

Chen Yang still didn't speak, just continued his slow advance.

"Damn it!" Xu Jing cursed and took a few steps forward. "You bastard, who do you think you're putting on an act for?"

"Hold on." It was Li Chen who reached out an arm to stop him, speaking unhurriedly. "With Uncle Zhou here, we can just watch. Let's see this ant try to shake a tree, completely overestimating his own strength."

"To be honest, I know Qin Qiu doesn't want me to fight anymore," Chen Yang said, his voice calm. "But there are always people who seem eager to die."

BANG!

The wine bottle exploded over Li Chen's head. Blood and wine sprayed in every direction.

Before anyone could react, Chen Yang's hand shot out, grabbed Li Chen's head, and slammed it forcefully onto the coffee table. The glass tabletop instantly shattered.

CRASH!

The sound of shattering glass and toppling bottles was horrifying.

"You little bastard, you're looking for death!"

The middle-aged man Li Chen called Uncle Zhou stood up from the corner, his rage boiling over. The moment he moved, a frigid, lethal killing intent flooded the hall. However, just as he was about to act, he felt his limbs become impossibly heavy, as if a great mountain was crushing him. His muscles trembled, and cold sweat poured down his back. He couldn't move an inch.

This… this…

The very fact that he was Li Chen's personal bodyguard was a testament to his formidable strength; he was a top-tier expert in all of Cangyun City. So what was happening today?

"I may have resigned my post, but I still stand proudly in this mortal world."

Upon hearing Chen Yang's words, the struggling middle-aged man first froze, then felt a jolt run through his entire body as if he'd been struck by lightning.

He… could he be…

"You… you dare lay a hand on this Young Master? My Li Family could annihilate your entire lineage with the lift of a finger! Are you tired of living?" Li Chen clutched his bleeding head and staggered to his feet. He shouted at the middle-aged man, "Uncle Zhou, I want you to cripple him!"

But the middle-aged man remained motionless, a bone-deep chill seeping through him.

Could this guy… could he really be *that person*?

"I, Chen, may have lost my title, but I will still cut down those who deserve to die. Never mind your insignificant Li Family. Even if it were the four great imperial clans, with all their royal relatives and nobles, I would cut them down all the same."

Li Chen: "..."

Everyone: "..."

His heart pounding with terror, Li Chen turned to the bodyguard. "What title? Who the hell is this guy?"

"The Nine Gates Admiral… the Zhennan Prince..." the middle-aged man stammered, feeling as if his tongue would freeze solid.

A roar echoed in Li Chen's mind, like a sudden clap of thunder that nearly sent him crashing to the floor.

How… how did they provoke a figure of this magnitude?

Yes, he had resigned. But his combat strength and lingering prestige were far beyond what the Li Family could ever hope to challenge.

THUMP.

Nearby, Guo Yang, already scared out of his wits, collapsed to his knees and began kowtowing frantically, begging for forgiveness.

BOOM!

Chen Yang paid him no mind and walked straight toward Xu Jing. "What did you say just now?"

"I… I..." Xu Jing stumbled backward several steps, his face deathly pale. He shook his head like a rattle. "S-sorry, I apolo—"

BOOM!

Chen Yang pressed down with his hand. Xu Jing, who was built like an iron tower, had every bone in his body shatter. With eyes wide in absolute terror, he toppled over right beside Li Chen.

Li Chen: "..."

"..."

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