The crowd erupted in an uproar.
Many stared, their eyes filled with disbelief.
Chen Jiuyang, a martial artist at the third level of the Earth Realm, had survived a full-power strike from a Half-Heaven Realm martial artist!
"This..."
"This is defying the heavens..."
"Unbelievable, truly unbelievable. Even a peak Earth Realm martial artist couldn't withstand a full-power strike from a Half-Heaven Realm expert, yet Chen Jiuyang endured it."
After a moment, many couldn't help but sigh, questioning themselves, they were no match for Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang, covered in blood and riddled with wounds, looked at Jiang Haoran.
Jiang Haoran's teacup fell to the ground as his gaze met Chen Jiuyang's.
"...Three moves have passed, can this Marquis leave now."
Immediately, Jiang Haoran's face turned ashen, and he remained silent.
Chen Jiuyang was so severely injured that another move would surely kill him. Alternatively, without his intervention, the hundred martial artists gathered from the four major factions would be enough to wear Chen Jiuyang down to death.
Jiang Haoran's thoughts were echoed by the hundred-odd martial artists behind him.
"If we attack now, Chen Jiuyang is guaranteed to die!"
"Exactly..."
"But this is not something we can decide. With so many people present, the Jiang family patriarch has already overstepped. He will face retaliation and punishment later. If he doesn't act according to the rules he himself set, the consequences..."
Someone sneered in the shadows.
Jiang Haoran had suffered a great humiliation this time. They watched to see how Jiang Haoran would choose.
Would he completely disregard his reputation and kill Chen Jiuyang, or would he shamelessly let Chen Jiuyang pass and escort him for a hundred kilometers alone.
Jiang Haoran's face was ashen, the low murmurs of the martial artists behind him reaching his ears, causing his expression to change several times.
Finally, Jiang Haoran gritted his teeth and said, "Since you have taken three moves from this old man, I will escort you for a hundred kilometers and ensure no one harms you."
He made his decision.
He had been tempted moments ago to kill Chen Jiuyang here completely, but there were Half-Heaven Realm experts observing from the shadows. If he made a move, those observing experts might intervene to save Chen Jiuyang, leading to even more chaotic and complex consequences.
"...Heh."
Chen Jiuyang let out a scoff, his eyes filled with killing intent as he gave Jiang Haoran a deep look. "Patriarch Jiang, I will remember this day's events and will certainly pay you a visit in the future."
"Crack—"
Jiang Haoran's true energy became somewhat volatile, and the tea table and cups beside him immediately turned to dust. He looked at Chen Jiuyang with a sinister gaze.
Chen Jiuyang ignored his sinister gaze and, despite his severe injuries, slowly walked in the direction of Longjing.
Openly and secretly, some people looked at Chen Jiuyang with envy, jealousy, indifference, and eagerness, while others harbored killing intent. However, no one dared to attack Chen Jiuyang.
There was more than one Half-Heaven Realm expert present, not just Jiang Haoran.
The news reached Longjing.
The Patriarch of the Chen family was furious, his true energy surging. Accompanied by the fifteen other sect leaders of Shu Mountain and Elder Han, he emerged from the Chen family courtyard.
Outside the gate, luxurious and prestigious RVs were gathered. Those behind the scenes had no intention of leaving, preventing the Chen family patriarch from disrupting their plans.
They also received the news at this moment and sensed the terrifying, pervasive killing intent, as well as the divine might hanging over them. The leaders of these factions immediately rushed out of their RVs.
The Chen family patriarch's face was ashen, his eyes filled with surging killing intent:
"Patriarch Jiang Haoran of the Eastern Province Jiang family even used a Half-Heaven Realm ancient artifact and intended to kill my Chen family's麒麟子. Is this your moderation? Is this your dragging plan?"
A person over fifty, not yet crowned king, with a profound family heritage and possessing ancient artifacts from reclusive great figures above the Venerable Realm, could refine them to suppress themselves and become a Half-Heaven Realm expert.
"Brother Chen, please calm your anger. Esteemed members of Shu Mountain, please calm your anger. This matter is indeed excessive on Jiang Haoran's part. We will definitely give you a satisfactory reply and compensation!"
"Brother Chen, please be patient. Although your family's麒麟子 is injured, his life is not in danger. Patriarch Jiang Haoran is currently escorting your family's麒麟子 for a hundred kilometers. Once he completes it, we will surely make him come to apologize with thorns!"
"Apologize with thorns?" The Chen family patriarch sneered, surveying the scene. Seeing that although these people showed some remorse, they had no intention of dispersing, he said coldly, "If Shu Mountain is not given a satisfactory answer regarding this matter, Shu Mountain will not rest. If similar incidents occur again, this old man will risk his life to crash against the red wall, uprooting all of you, preventing your eighteen clans from participating in the Martial Rankings for five hundred years, preventing a single Heaven Realm expert from emerging for five hundred years, and preventing the unsealing of secret realms for five hundred years!"
"Shu Mountain has this confidence. This is the confidence Shu Mountain earned with the sacrifice of twelve million people in the National Destiny War sixty years ago!"
As he spoke the last words, the Chen family patriarch roared, his voice reaching a thousand meters away like rolling thunder, startling countless people!
Sixty years ago, in the National Destiny War, Shu Mountain sacrificed the most for Dragon Country. Twelve million people, nearly every household was in mourning for years!
Many people's expressions changed drastically, and the leaders who were blocking the Chen family patriarch and others at the scene looked even more grim and fell silent, not daring to utter a sound.
This matter could not be easily resolved; someone would inevitably be sacrificed.
"We understand. In that case, please return home, Brother Chen, and await news."
The leading figure bowed his head and clasped his hands in a gesture of greeting. This was a promise, and also a way to pressure the Chen family patriarch and others to return to their rooms.
The Chen family patriarch dared to speak like this because Shu Mountain had made great contributions to Dragon Country, and they dared to act like this because they had the backing of the third prince of Dragon Country, Zhou Fangzun, as this matter originated from him.
"Hmph!"
The Chen family patriarch, his face ashen, turned and returned to the house.
After entering the house, Elder Han said, "Are we just going to let this go and forgive them?"
The Chen family patriarch's expression suddenly softened slightly and he said, "This is called advancing by retreating. This way, Zhou Fangzun will have no opportunity to harm Jiuyang in the end."
"Otherwise, if Jiuyang were to approach Longjing with severe injuries, and the other party made such a move, Jiuyang's life would truly be in danger."
The others slowly nodded, realizing it was indeed so.
...
On a warship of the Zhennan Army.
Upon hearing the news, Zhou Fangzun crushed a teacup. "A bunch of trash, incapable of achieving anything and only good at ruining things."
...
On the other side.
"Hoo!"
Chen Jiuyang slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, then spat out a piece of emerald green leaf. His severe injuries had already recovered by more than half. He slowly opened his eyes:
"If it weren't for the leaves gifted by the Peng Zu Divine Tree, it would have been truly difficult for me to recover from my injuries in this barren and cold land."
"However, I cannot fully recover my injuries. I must remain vigilant. If similar incidents occur again, I will have a fallback and a trump card. Otherwise, I will truly fall into the hands of these old scoundrels."
Chen Jiuyang slowly stood up, his gaze fixed on the direction of Longjing, a sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes:
"Let me see what other tricks you have in store for me."
Possessing a sharp weapon, though not by my will, my intent to kill has been ignited!