The Family Head of the Mu Family in Cangyun City, a person of significance and status? Were the lives of the Mu Family the only ones that mattered, while others were mere trash, disgusting maggots? And who did they think he was? The Nine Gates Admiral, the Zhennan Prince. With legendary military honors, his name was known throughout the empire. In front of a man like that, the insignificant Mu Family was nothing! Heh... It was as laughable as a novice, fresh from his master, striding up to a grandmaster and vowing to kill him with a single blow.

Mu Yunting's face drained of color as he shook with trepidation. Where had all his previous swagger gone? After what felt like an eternity, he slowly raised his head and forced himself to speak. "You've already stepped down. There is no Nine Gates Admiral anymore, nor is there a Zhennan Prince! What can you do to me?" he added, clenching his teeth and feigning calm.

"I could annihilate your entire Mu Family. Is that enough for you?"

Though only a few words, they rang out like a death knell. A silence so profound it was almost tangible spread through the vast clinic, a quiet so complete one could hear a pin drop. The entire room fell utterly still.

Mu Yunting trembled, his limbs suddenly stiff and his teeth chattering as a towering rage surged within him. He desperately wanted to retort, but in the end, not a single word would come out. He didn't dare. As the saying goes, a starved camel is still larger than a horse. Even though the man had retired, his lingering influence remained, to say nothing of his personal power. How could his insignificant Mu Family possibly afford to offend such a person?

"Dad…"

Lying in a pool of blood, unable to move, Qiao Yun's face turned a ghastly shade of purple. The 'maggot' she had cursed was the recently retired Nine Gates Admiral. She looked toward Mu Yunting, pleading for help.

Mu Yunting stood as if he hadn't heard her, completely motionless. What else could he possibly do at this point?

"It was just a matter of waiting in line, yet you were chasing people away and threatening to kill. Does your Mu Family really consider itself the Heavenly King?"

The words caused Mu Yunting's eyelids to twitch uncontrollably, and a paralyzing terror sent a chill through his entire body. If it had been anyone else, he would have retorted, "I, Mu Yunting, *am* the Heavenly King!" But now...

Acting purely on instinct, the Mu Family Head looked to the Pill Dragon King, hoping he would step forward and say a few good words on his behalf.

"Don't look at me. This has nothing to do with me," the Pill Dragon King said, waving his hand dismissively. "Besides, you overestimate me. Do you think I have any power to stop him from doing what he wants?"

Despite his nonchalant appearance, he was sneering inwardly. The Mu Family brought all of this upon themselves.

Chen Yang remained silent. He simply opened his hand and pressed it downward.

SPLAT!

At that moment, Mu Yunting could no longer hold himself up. He collapsed to the ground, utterly dispirited and gasping for air. He had always been decisive and swift to action; never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he would face such a calamity on the verge of his peaceful retirement. His gaze fell upon his daughter-in-law, whose body had just ruptured, her life completely extinguished.

"You wanted to have a proper chat?" Chen Yang finally turned to Mu Yunting.

First, break his limbs, then have a proper chat. Remembering his own words from moments before, Mu Yunting's face turned crimson, and he didn't dare move a muscle.

"She just said that the lives of your Mu Family are precious, while others are less than weeds, nothing but disgusting maggots. Did you teach her that?" Chen Yang asked.

He was gripped by a suffocating anxiety. How could he not know the temperament of his own family? Their personalities were forged in the atmosphere of the household he had created. If he was this kind of person, how could his descendants be any better? The son's misdeeds are the father's fault. Ultimately, this was all his responsibility. It had never seemed like a problem before, but today… Did he have regrets? At this point, how could he not?

"You people always like to place yourselves above others, thinking you're superior," the Pill Dragon King said, lighting his tobacco pipe and taking a deep, smacking draw. "The Zhennan Prince is a man of incredible status, yet when he comes to my clinic, he still takes a number and waits his turn. But your little Mu Family? You not only drive away other patients but also threaten to kill people. What a grand display of arrogance!

"Looking at you now, does your Mu Family think it's one of the four great imperial clans? Or perhaps royalty?"

The Pill Dragon King's scornful laughter was like a knife, stabbing deep into the hearts of Mu Yunting and every other Mu Family member present. The pain was indescribable. All that arrogance and bluster, with no real ability to back it up.

"Let's go."

Calling out to the Pill Dragon King, Chen Yang took Qin Qiu's small hand and slowly walked out of the clinic.

PFFT!

Just as Mu Qiuyue was sighing in relief, thinking she had narrowly escaped death, a stabbing pain suddenly wracked her body. Confused, she looked down. A web of thumb-thick cracks had spread across her entire form, from which blood flowed like countless tiny streams.

"This…"

Before she could even begin to understand what was happening, she collapsed.

For some people, their very existence is a sin.

"Gah!"

Watching Mu Qiuyue breathe her last, Mu Yunting violently spat out a mouthful of blood. His entire body went limp, and a deathly aura enveloped him.

The Pill Dragon King watched on, unmoved. The man's life force has been severed. He won't live another seven days. He is only reaping what he sowed.

「...」

By the Qingyuan River. A restaurant with a river view theme sat on a small peninsula, offering an unobstructed panorama of the water. There's a saying that March holds the most beautiful days of the year, and from this spot, Chilian Peak was clearly visible in the distance, its slopes a breathtaking tapestry of blossoming color. Beneath large parasols shielding them from the bright sun, several people sat around a vintage-style dining table.

"Heh heh..." Su Ling gestured toward the river and the distant Chilian Peak, grinning proudly. "Boss, not a bad view, huh?"

"It's very nice," Chen Yang agreed, a smile touching his lips.

His days in the capital had been too gloomy; only now did he feel like his old self again. He had completely let go of what needed to be let go and was now fully prepared to face whatever was to come. Don't dwell on the past, don't fear the future. Life should be this simple. He'd been too fixated lately.

As the thought crossed his mind, a wide smile bloomed on Chen Yang's face. He spread his arms, letting the warm river breeze wash over him. This feels incredible!

Beside him, Qin Qiu smiled and let out a huge sigh of relief. He's truly moved on, she thought.

Lunch was an exceptionally lavish affair. Half the dishes on the table were freshwater delicacies from the Qingyuan River, while the other half were mountain treasures from Chilian Peak. The wine was another story entirely. According to Su Ling, the bottles of red were top-shelf vintages his father had cellared for over a decade. This wasn't an empty boast; the quality was superb.

After lunch, Qin Qiu and her sister took Qin Gang for a walk along the riverbank. Chen Yang and Su Ling remained, sitting side by side and fishing in the gentle spring air.

"So, let's talk about those injuries of yours. Who did that to you?" Chen Yang asked, holding his fishing rod steady. They were obviously from a fight. There's no way he just fell.

Su Ling looked awkward, his face flushing with embarrassment. "It was that damn Gao Yang, the eldest young master of the Gao Family!" he muttered. "The guy's so petty! All I did was boast a little about beating him in our last sparring match. Who would've thought he'd come after me for something so trivial?" Su Ling said, growing indignant. "He has none of the dignity a so-called young elite should have!"

"So you sullied his reputation and you think you're in the right?" Chen Yang asked with a wry smile. This Su Ling was a real character, the kind that made you want to laugh and cry at the same time. "By the way, is he still looking for you?"

"W-well, maybe," Su Ling stammered, his eyes flickering for a moment before he puffed out his chest. "But now that you're here, Boss, I kind of hope he does show up!" he declared arrogantly.

Chen Yang simply smiled and said nothing.

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