Chen Jiuyang, brimming with killing intent, prepared to ascend the stage and slay Zhou Wushuang.
He hadn't anticipated this elaborate charade, delaying the confrontation until tomorrow.
"Heh." Chen Jiuyang let out a scoff, suppressing the murderous rage within him.
The Dragon Country Martial Ranking was abuzz, with millions inside and outside the arena. Not a single soul had foreseen such an event occurring during the rankings.
Chen Jiuyang had cut through a thousand li, arriving at the Martial Ranking arena. His opening move was a swift blade strike that killed Fang Han Yu, the Guangdong Province Martial Ranking champion. He then audaciously threatened Zhou Wushuang, truly striking fear into the hearts of these aristocratic families and sect powers.
If Chen Jiuyang's fury and killing intent were not appeased, all their efforts would be in vain, and they would face utter destruction. A minor loss of face was insignificant compared to such a fate.
The Chen family patriarch chuckled and said seriously, "Immediately return to our Chen family residence, lock the main gates, and refuse all visitors."
Elder Han nodded with a cold smile, "It is as it should be."
"Excellent," responded the sect leader of Mount Emei.
Following this, the Chen family patriarch, along with Chen Jiuyang and his entourage, departed the Martial Ranking arena at top speed, returning to the Chen family courtyard in Longjing. Representatives from sixteen factions filled the entire siheyuan, with all four gates locked to prevent entry.
Chen Jiuyang's phone was practically exploding.
First, all forty-six Marquises of Feng Province sent their congratulations. Then, Marquis Feng Han also expressed his immense joy. His disciple had entered the Martial Rankings with formidable presence, showing great promise to secure one of the five king positions!
Perhaps Feng Province would soon have a King!
Next came congratulations from the Heavenly King Alliance.
Subsequently, everyone who had any connection with Chen Jiuyang sent their felicitations.
What did it feel like to be the center of attention, sought after by all?
Finally, to save time, Chen Jiuyang simply turned off his phone.
This time, the Shu Mountain lineage had truly shone. Ye Tiannan of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect, with his magnificent sword intent, defeated Ye Tai Sheng, the son of the Dragon Country's Fifth King.
Furthermore, Chen Jiuyang of the Shu Mountain Chen family displayed unparalleled might!
Ye Tiannan was unlikely to contend for a kingly title; the Shu Mountain Sword Sect intended for him to join the Dragon Country national team for the world competition.
In a massive medicinal bath, Chen Jiuyang's body was immersed, allowing the herbs to nourish him. The leaders of the sixteen Shu Mountain factions conversed with Chen Jiuyang from behind a screen, listening to his account of traveling a thousand li from the Qinling Mountains, carving a bloody path.
The Chen family patriarch couldn't help but sigh, "Fortune or misfortune, it's truly hard to say. If you hadn't befriended that Lord Du in the Qinling Mountains, their wicked scheme might have succeeded."
"However, if they hadn't set this deadly trap, your combat power might not have reached this level."
"Fate weaves its threads, misfortune and fortune change in an instant, all resting on oneself." Chen Jiuyang soaked in the medicinal bath, his blood and flesh being nourished. He had worn the jade pendant since childhood, yet hadn't activated the Pure Yang Medical Immortal inheritance. If Wang Tian hadn't sent people to push him off the cliff, he wouldn't have awakened the Medical Immortal legacy.
"Patriarch, have you identified the factions that targeted me?"
"..."
Although everyone was aware of Chen Jiuyang's temperament, his question still sent a jolt through their hearts.
The Chen family patriarch replied, "The detailed information has been placed in your room. How you choose to deal with the Martial Ranking contestants they support is entirely up to you."
Today, Chen Jiuyang was no longer the naive youth of yesteryear. Like a roc spreading its wings, his influence now stretched far beyond eight thousand li.
As he had said, from this day forward, the Chen family would take pride in him. Having carved a bloody path through a thousand li, the Chen family patriarch knew he could no longer dictate Chen Jiuyang's decisions. The Chen family's role was simply to be his unwavering support.
Outside the grand residence, the sound of respectful greetings could be heard, but the assembled group feigned deafness, as if they couldn't hear.
Chen Jiuyang rose from the medicinal bath, changed into fine robes, his hair slightly damp but soon drying to a lustrous sheen. He said,
"I'm hungry. Are there any good wines and dishes?"
"Hahaha, of course, there are," the Chen family patriarch boomed with laughter.
The trajectory of the Martial Ranking had been set, unshakeable. In Longjing, no one dared to commit crimes or cause unrest.
In the spacious banquet hall, delicacies were served, including the renowned Quanjude roast duck. The duck's head and tail were placed before Chen Jiuyang.
According to custom, the person with the highest status and most esteemed position at the table would have the duck's head and tail placed before them.
This was known as "having a head and a tail!"
Chen Jiuyang sat at the head of the table, and the sixteen Shu Mountain faction leaders raised no objections.
Chen Jiuyang rightfully occupied this seat, signifying the Shu Mountain lineage's recognition of him, much like the forty-six Marquises of Feng Province who had come to pay their respects to Chen Jiuyang when he was at the Ji family in Feng Province.
To Chen Jiuyang's left sat Yao Zixuan and Ji Lengyue, and to his right were Lin Yuexian and Qiu Yihan. Chen Jianmin and Zhang Xiuzhen sat opposite Chen Jiuyang, while the remaining seats were occupied by the leaders of the sixteen Shu Mountain factions, Ye Tiannan, and Elder Han.
The atmosphere at the table was lively, with clinking glasses and bursts of laughter. The dozens of people interacted with natural closeness. Outside the Chen family's siheyuan, however, stood a dense crowd of people, all seeking an audience with the Chen family, gathered at the main gate, yet barred from entry.
Previously, they had blocked the Chen family patriarch and others from leaving, but now the tables had turned. They wished to see the Chen family but couldn't.
The main gates were locked, offering no opportunity for a meeting.
The Chen family patriarch and Elder Han, being seasoned strategists, had anticipated this and returned with Chen Jiuyang and his group immediately.
These people coming to pay their respects were merely seeking to quell Chen Jiuyang's anger and killing intent, hoping to strike a deal.
In the past, they had been so resolute and ruthless, leaving Chen Jiuyang no room to breathe.
Were they pushovers?
No, their bones were hard, and there was nothing to discuss.
A false pretense of "nothing to discuss" was merely a tactic to raise prices and exert control.
Truly "nothing to discuss" meant denying them any chance of a meeting.
These people stood outside the Chen family's siheyuan, hearing the sounds of feasting and merriment within, their hearts growing increasingly anxious.
They stood foolishly outside while the Shu Mountain people feasted and entertained themselves inside, leaving them no way out.
This caused their hearts to sink to the depths, realizing that karma had arrived, and no one could escape it.
"It seems the Shu Mountain people have made it clear they don't want to see us."
Some stood at the gate with ashen faces, their eyes filled with gloom, their complexions pale.
"What should we do?"
"What else can we do? Are we going to dare to force our way in?"
"Chen Jiuyang is destined to claim one of the five king positions. To appease his anger and killing intent, our current status and qualifications are insufficient to converse with him."
"Then we must find someone who can speak with him directly."
"Where can we find them?"
"Heh... we're not the only ones facing disaster. Someone will surely find a way to establish a connection and reach their residence."
...
Not long after.
In the Longjing Prefectural Governor's Mansion, Governor Hong Hai Meng entered the Swordsman Legion. Then, Palace Master Lie Xian of the Swordsman Palace, accompanied by his brother Gong Luo Que, visited the Chen family siheyuan.