His hair was as white as hoarfrost, his face like ancient tree bark. Yet, clad in flowing white robes, his eyes dazzling and his vitality surging, he stood as erect as a vigorous pine tree. Even as the pale moon hung high in the sky, casting down its boundless radiance, it still couldn't match half his magnificence.
Like a Daluo Golden Immortal with a divine aura circulating around him, every step he took shook the souls of all who watched. In this world of azure seas and blue skies, where heroes rose in droves, he alone could not be confined by the heavens.
A single phrase was all it took.
His heroic spirit soared, a domineering energy piercing the sky. Who in this vast mortal world, among the countless living beings, would not aspire to beco such a figure—one who stands proudly above the Ninth Heaven and holds sway over a royal lineage? Even if he remained in seclusion, the mont he descended upon the world, he was the undisputed center of attention. He was a man determined to rival the heavens.
Moreover, judging by the commotion from the opposite bank of the Qingyuan River, it seed that nearly every major figure from the pinnacle of this magnificent era had gathered here.
"Chen Shangwu, you deserve to die!" a furious roar bood from across the Qingyuan River, its earth-shattering sound waves sweeping across the sky.
BOOM!
In an instant, a massive palm imprint crossed the river, slamming down.
The crowd, though accustod to grand spectacles, was still stunned into speechlessness. To move to suppress the Sovereign of the Chen Family after a single disagreent? The palm imprint blotted out the sky, pressing down like a mountain range as it enveloped Chen Shangwu in the blink of an eye.
How rciless. That must be another Sovereign, and a fiery-tempered one at that.
"Showing off for an expert," Chen Shangwu sneered, raising a hand to counter.
BOOM!!
His palm strike unleashed a boundless burst of starlight. The swirling snow and wind rolled back upon themselves, parting like clouds over the summit of Canghai before cascading down like a waterfall. The attacking palm imprint shattered, leaving only Chen Shangwu, standing with one hand holding up the heavens.
"Hmph!" The other party, filled with resentnt, coldly rebuked, "Chen Shangwu, have you forgotten the agreent from all those years ago?! This man must not be spared!"
Chen Shangwu scoffed. "That's only because he wasn't born into your Dugu Family. Otherwise, old ghost Dugu, would you dare claim you'd personally kill him to uphold that laughable agreent?"
The implication was clear: if Chen Yang were one of your own, Dugu Hanxiao, you would do the sa. This statent made his stance crystal clear. He would protect Chen Yang.
Then, the opposite shore fell silent.
Chen Shangwu couldn't be bothered with them any longer. He turned his gaze to Chen Yang, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
"Under thirty years old and already at Seven Steps to Sanctity. Not bad, not bad at all!" After his examination, Chen Shangwu's eyes narrowed into slits as he laughed heartily. "Kid, don't you worry. I will protect you."
Chen Yang: "…"
The crowd: "…"
This old fellow is certainly sothing else.
But for Chen Bo, Chen Xiaoxian, and the other mbers of the Chen Family, their minds went blank. Their eyes were wide, their faces masks of utter disbelief.
How… how could this be…
GULP.
With no ti for further thought, they swallowed hard, and no one dared to delay. One by one, they fell to their knees.
"Chen Xiaoxian pays his respects to the Sovereign."
"Junior Chen Bo greets the Sovereign Grandfather."
"…"
A chorus of voices rose and fell in succession. Even Chen Jinnan knelt to pay his respects. In the midst of it all, Chen Yang remained standing, sticking out like a crane among chickens.
Chen Shangwu's interest was piqued. His gaze swept past Chen Yang and landed on a small group not far away. Their leader was a man in his fifties who had just crossed the Qingyuan River, intending to join forces with the Chen Family to kill Chen Yang. But now, just as they were trying to sneak away, Chen Shangwu's gaze locked onto them like the stare of the Grim Reaper.
We've run into the devil himself!
"Little Tianlong, when you used to serve tea and respectfully call 'Uncle Shangwu,' you seed so honest. When did you resort to sneak attacks?"
Dugu Tianlong: "…"
Everyone: "…"
The second-most-important figure of the dignified Dugu Royal Family, a top-tier powerhouse who stood at the pinnacle of the world, was being called 'little Tianlong' in public? Not only did Dugu Tianlong not dare to argue, but he also bowed his head deeply, cold sweat streaming down his pale face.
BANG!
Dugu Tianlong dropped to his knees, not daring to move a muscle.
Chen Shangwu just smiled, his gaze returning to Chen Yang.
"Boy, you dare not kneel before the Sovereign?" Chen Bo scolded coldly.
Chen Yang remained unmoved. Chen Shangwu said nothing, simply eting Chen Yang's stare.
Seeing his son ignored, Chen Xiaoxian hastily interjected, "Sovereign, my son Chen Bo has earned the recognition of the Ancestral Sword. He is extraordinarily talented and resourceful, a truly promising talent." In truth, he sensed things were taking a terrible turn and could only try to change the subject, hoping Chen Shangwu wouldn't press the issue.
"Extraordinarily talented and resourceful?" Chen Shangwu turned, raising an eyebrow. "So he takes the family's Feather Arrow and launches a sneak attack from behind?"
Those words made Chen Xiaoxian's scalp tingle. If their Sovereign was truly siding with Chen Yang, how many mbers of the Chen Family would have to die today?
Chen Bo's heart leaped into his throat. He quickly kowtowed, begging for rcy. "Sovereign Grandfather, it's all a misunderstanding! It was Chen Yang who was treacherous and committed countless evil deeds. I only stepped forward to protect our family's reputation."
"Oh?" Chen Shangwu said. "Then tell , what evil deeds has Chen Yang committed? List them for , one by one."
Chen Bo: "…"
Completely shaless. A real expert at slinging mud. Chen Shangwu shook his head to himself. He then spoke aloud, "A person like you dares to make such boasts and call himself the Crown Prince?"
Chen Bo was utterly dumbfounded. At this point, who couldn't see the truth? This whole affair was rely a continuation of the Chen Family's internal strife from twenty-nine years ago. To secure their own positions, they had to get rid of Chen Yang. Everything else was just an excuse. They had never imagined that the Sovereign, who usually only managed the grand sche of things, would personally intervene.
"Nothing to say?" Chen Shangwu glanced at Chen Bo. "In that case, would you like to take one last look at this magnificent scenery?"
Chen Bo: "…"
Is… is he going to kill ?
"No, no!" Chen Bo shook his head frantically, screaming, "Sovereign Grandfather, I…"
SHIICK!
His words were cut short.
"The Road to Hell is lonely. You go along as well."
Across the vast lands, the entire nation was stunned into silence, their pupils dilating in shock. Who could have imagined that things would escalate to this?
His own family… he killed him just like that? Then, what about the Chen Family's outer court…?
Before they could think any further, Chen Shangwu waved his right hand. The Ancestral Sword shot towards the Chen Family Ancestral Mansion—the outer court. In an instant, a chorus of shrill screams echoed from the distance.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Chen Shangwu looked at Chen Yang with a complex expression. "Factional struggles can never be truly eliminated. I only learned of the events of that year after the fact. Now that you have returned, it is only natural that they must die. You need not lift a finger.
"If the three great royal families wish to kill you, they will have to step over my dead body first."
Chen Yang did not respond. The entire area was deathly still, the crowd frozen in silent fear.
This old man… he's truly willing to go all in.
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