"Su Ling!"

Seeing Mu Qiuyue collapse to the ground, and not having heard their conversation, Qiao Yun immediately rushed over, furiously demanding, "How dare you harm my daughter?"

"Which of your eyes saw me harm her?" Su Ling retorted irritably. "I'm warning you, stop your slander."

"You…"

Qiao Yun supported Mu Qiuyue. After confirming she wasn't seriously hurt, he finally heaved a sigh of relief and barked at the Mu Family bodyguards, "You're all useless! What are you standing around for? Get the young miss to the car, now!"

Qiao Yun then walked out and stood by the door, craning his neck as he waited.

Su Ling pulled over a chair to sit beside Chen Yang. His playful expression slowly faded as he asked solemnly, "Boss, are you really going to Chilian Peak?"

Chen Yang nodded.

Su Ling's emotions were in turmoil. Although the great battle was still two days away, many people had already rushed to Chilian Peak with tents and sleeping bags, braving the elements just to secure a favorable viewing spot.

Furthermore, the Liu Family, one of the eight major powers of Cangyun City, had publicly declared that a has-been like Chen Yang had no right to ascend Chilian Peak. The Liu Family would not allow it. This meant the Liu Family was openly planning to intercept and kill Chen Yang at the foot of the mountain. The reason was nothing more than to steal the glory.

Whether it was Xue Dalong or the Liu Family, they were surely acting on someone else's orders, but their goal was the same: to kill Chen Yang and be done with it. Most critically, these were only the forces operating in the open. Only heaven knew how many more were lurking in the shadows.

All in all, Chen Yang's acceptance of this challenge was fraught with peril. If he really went, the outcome would be near-certain death. For that reason, Su Ling naturally didn't want Chen Yang to take such a risk.

After listening to Su Ling's account, Chen Yang casually flicked the ash from his cigarette. "Well, that certainly makes things a bit more interesting."

Su Ling was speechless.

After everything I said about the dangers of the situation, he's completely unfazed? And now it's become *more* interesting? Does that mean he found it boring before?

Amid his astonishment, Su Ling felt a surge of admiration.

This Boss of mine is truly on another level. His style is just so overwhelmingly domineering!

Then, Su Ling lit a cigarette of his own, picked up his Longsword, and presented it to Chen Yang. "Boss, take this Treasure Weapon. It's wasted in my hands."

Chen Yang took the Longsword and examined it. A potent energy coursed within the blade; it was clearly no ordinary weapon. He figured this was what Su Ling had tried to tap into back on the highway, but due to his insufficient cultivation and strength, he couldn't fully control it.

"Alright, I'll borrow it for a couple of days," Chen Yang said, nodding as he set the Longsword aside.

In terms of feel, this sword couldn't compare to the Ancestral Sword, but they were in Cangyun City. It was better to remain low-key for the time being.

"Boss, I'm dying to know, what is your actual strength right now?" Su Ling asked with a smile.

"That curious?"

Su Ling grinned. "Just give me a number."

"Rank Fifteen."

"HOLY SHIT!"

Su Ling's eyes flew wide, his eyelids twitching. He worked his jaw for a moment before asking excitedly, "Is… is that for real?"

"What do you think?"

Su Ling was speechless again.

Looking at the faint, teasing smile on Chen Yang's face, Su Ling swallowed hard.

Such an important person wouldn't lie about something like this, would he? Rank Fifteen… That was a legendary stage of power! And he's only a few years older than me… This is insane…

Suddenly, Su Ling felt as if he had wasted the last twenty-odd years of his life. He felt so useless. He looked at Chen Yang, then thought of himself. The saying was true: comparisons will drive you to despair.

If Su Ling knew that Chen Yang wasn't just not exaggerating, but was actually being extremely conservative, he probably would have fainted on the spot. It was simply too terrifying.

"Is everything taken care of?" the Pill Dragon King asked as he walked out, followed closely by Qin Qiu and the others.

SCREECH!!

Just as he finished speaking, three luxury SUVs skidded to a halt at the clinic's entrance. Their imposing arrival signaled that their occupants were not to be trifled with.

The Pill Dragon King shook his head. "When someone is determined to court death, not even Yama can stop them."

"The medicine is prepared," he said, patting Chen Yang on the shoulder. "Take it continuously for a month, and the illness will be cured. But this old gentleman of yours has lived a long life. After so many years of being consumed by his illness, his vitality is depleted. I can't make any promises for ten years down the road."

This old fellow never minced his words.

"Thank you," Chen Yang said, standing up sincerely.

The Pill Dragon King waved his hand. "No need for such courtesy with me. Just make sure you clean up this mess."

Chen Yang simply smiled.

"Dad, it's him!"

Knowing her backup had arrived, Qiao Yun stormed back into the clinic and pointed a trembling finger at Chen Yang. "This damned mongrel attacked us again and again! He even knocked out Qiuyue! Watch me tear your face to shreds!"

An old man in black brocade robes, leaning on a cane, strode forward with more than a dozen men trailing behind him.

Chen Yang's hand shot out and clamped around her neck, a frigid killing intent glinting in the depths of his eyes.

Like a duck being throttled, Qiao Yun was instantly immobilized, unable to move a muscle. Her face rapidly turned a purplish-blue.

"Presumptuous!" the old man, Mu Yunting, the Mu Family Head, boomed. He advanced with the powerful gait of a tiger and pointed his cane at Chen Yang. "Still daring to act so savagely? Do you think I, Mu Yunting, am a pushover?"

"Dad! Dad, kill him now!" Qiao Yun shrieked, then turned a malevolent sneer on Chen Yang. "You mongrel, are you ready to die?"

"Hm?"

Expressionless, Chen Yang put a little more force into his arm and slammed Qiao Yun onto the floor.

BANG!

A sickening crack of shattering bone echoed through the clinic.

In an instant, the room fell deathly silent.

Mu Yunting was standing right there. He had just issued a harsh threat, yet this man had smashed Qiao Yun to the ground like a dead dog right in front of him.

This… this! Did he have no regard for him whatsoever?

Sharp hisses of indrawn breath could be heard throughout the room.

"AHHH!!!"

After a long moment, a piercing scream finally erupted from Qiao Yun's throat. As a member of the Mu Family, she had always been high and mighty. When had she ever suffered such inhuman torment? She couldn't move her limbs. Had… had she been crippled?

Even if I'm middle-aged, I'm still a woman! Shouldn't he have cherished the fairer sex and shown some mercy?

"You damned bastard, you deserve to die!" Qiao Yun roared with all her might.

Chen Yang ignored her and turned his gaze to Mu Yunting.

Mu Yunting's face, normally ruddy with health, was now so dark it looked like water could drip from it. As the Head of the Mu Family, a prominent figure in Cangyun City, to be disregarded so thoroughly?

Heh… Has it been so long since I've made a public appearance that the world has forgotten my strength? Very well. I'll just have to kill a few people to remind you all that I, Mu Yunting, am not to be trifled with.

"Go. Break his limbs first. Then I'll have a proper chat with him," Mu Yunting ordered with a cold wave of his hand.

TAP. TAP. TAP.

The men behind him sprang into action.

However!

A newly conscious Mu Qiuyue stumbled forward. When she took in the scene before her, a cold sweat poured down her already pale face.

"Don't worry, Qiuyue! This mongrel's end will be miserable!" Qiao Yun cackled.

Mu Qiuyue ignored her. Staring at her grandfather, who stood there radiating a fearsome killing intent, a chill shot through her from head to toe.

"Stop! All of you, stop!"

Mu Qiuyue first ran to block the men who were about to attack, then scrambled to her grandfather's side. "Grandfather, apologize! Now!" she pleaded, her voice trembling. "He… he is someone our Mu Family cannot afford to offend."

Mu Yunting frowned. Had his granddaughter's mind been addled by the blow?

THUD.

Mu Qiuyue collapsed to the floor, grabbing Mu Yunting's leg. Forcing her voice to remain steady, she stammered, "He… he is the Nine Gates Admiral, the Zhennan Prince."

Mu Yunting was dumbfounded.

It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head. Having been retired for decades, he hadn't experienced such a seismic shock in years. He staggered back several steps, his face draining of all color, looking utterly lost and morose. He was speechless.

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