The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.
More people were shocked that Chen Jiuyang dared to provoke Zhou Fangzun in full view of everyone. Was he tired of living?
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
The Patriarch of the Chen family, Elder Han, and Marquis Feng Han flashed their figures and arrived at Chen Jiuyang's pit, shielding him.
Ordinary people, with access to cultivation resources, could reach the Profound Realm in their lifetime, and with decent talent, could advance to the Earth Realm Grandmaster.
Those who could step into the Heaven Realm were rare, one in ten thousand.
Chen Jiuyang had now proven to everyone that in the near future, he would be able to step into the Heaven Realm and be crowned King.
The Patriarch of the Chen family cupped his fists and bowed to Zhou Fangzun, his face as dark as water, but he dared not show any disrespect. "Why does the Southern Zhen King intend to harm the young master of my Shushan Chen family?"
Zhou Fangzun's eyes, deep as an abyss, swept over the three of them. A sinister smile curved his lips. "Shushan Chen family, Suhang Han clan, Marquis Feng Han, if I wanted to kill him, could you stop me?"
This was clearly Zhou Fangzun returning Chen Jiuyang's earlier provocation word for word. The three of them broke out in cold sweat, gritting their teeth and not daring to speak.
If they had acted like Chen Jiuyang and courted death by speaking up, Chen Jiuyang would have died instantly.
"What reason do I, Zhou Fangzun, need to kill someone?"
"What arrogance!" Lin Yuexian, standing below, interjected, "Southern Zhen King, dare you touch my husband and see?"
"...Daughter of Lin Xianxing," Zhou Fangzun's gaze shifted slightly, his voice still indifferent. "If your father were here, I might give him some face."
"Well said," Chen Jiuyang said mockingly, spitting blood from the pit. "Face is earned. Zhou Fangzun, you are the third Southern Zhen King of our Dragon Country, which is why I didn't kill your useless son when he fought me. I was giving you face."
"Tens of thousands of people here are giving you face."
"But once I ascend to the Heaven Realm, let's see how much face you have left."
"Once I ascend to the Heaven Realm, you and I will surely fight, just like today, to determine victory or defeat, life or death!"
"Silence!" The Patriarch of the Chen family's face changed drastically. He quickly reprimanded Chen Jiuyang, telling him to shut up. "With the Southern Zhen King present, you cannot speak nonsense."
Even if you have such aspirations, you must first reach the Heaven Realm. You are only at the second layer of the Earth Realm now, and who knows how long it will take to reach the Heaven Realm.
Moreover, Zhou Fangzun had ascended to the Heaven Realm decades ago and was no ordinary Heaven Realm King expert.
"I will wait for the day you ascend to the Heaven Realm," Zhou Fangzun said expressionlessly, his eyes deep, as if he didn't take Chen Jiuyang's words seriously at all.
In full view of everyone, Zhou Fangzun turned around with his hands behind his back and slowly stepped towards the sky.
Tens of thousands of people breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the incident of Chen Jiuyang provoking Zhou Fangzun was over.
However, halfway through his ascent, Zhou Fangzun turned back sinisterly, his voice indifferent. "I have suddenly changed my mind. Xi Butui has been my confidant for decades. Although he is a good-for-nothing, he said something well before he died."
"Some geniuses must be strangled in the cradle before they mature."
With that, the Patriarch of the Chen family and the others felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their faces turning pale.
Tens of thousands of people held their breath, their hearts in their throats. Was Zhou Fangzun really going to slaughter Chen Jiuyang in front of them?
A king cannot be insulted, otherwise, where would his authority lie?
The Patriarch of the Chen family gritted his teeth and said, "Southern Zhen King, if you truly intend to kill my Chen family's young master today, my Shushan will shatter into pieces, but we will still submit a petition to the Red Wall in Longjing."
Zhou Fangzun walked towards them step by step, his eyes filled with mockery, dismissing the Patriarch of the Chen family's words with disdain. What threat were their words?
It was a clownish act that invited ridicule.
With every step Zhou Fangzun took forward, the nerves of the tens of thousands of people present tightened a notch.
The Patriarch of the Chen family and the others circulated their true qi and divine souls, revealing their trump cards and moves. If Zhou Fangzun truly made a move, they would not stand idly by.
At worst, they would die, as long as they could protect Chen Jiuyang.
They thought bitterly.
Just as the atmosphere was at its most tense and the situation was on the verge of exploding.
"Southern Zhen King, you truly have great authority, daring to wantonly kill the family members of a high-ranking official of our Dragon Country?"
"Rumble!"
An armed helicopter suddenly appeared. Lin Xianxing, thin and pale, but with a powerful aura, met Zhou Fangzun's gaze. The former's aura was even stronger, showing no fear of Zhou Fangzun.
Lin Xianxing stared at him and said word by word, "Zhou Fangzun, I ask you, do you wish to commit treason and be stripped of your royal title?"
"...Lin Xianxing," Zhou Fangzun's eyes showed a flicker of emotion for the first time.
Lin Xianxing continued, "Chen Jiuyang is my daughter's husband. Zhou Fangzun, try to lay a hand on my son-in-law."
"Let's see who dies faster. Elder Long, I'll trouble you." With that, Lin Xianxing cupped his fists and bowed.
The person who appeared next caused everyone present to gasp in horror and suck in a breath of cold air.
A venerable elder, dressed in black dragon robes, holding an eight-sided Han sword, slowly emerged from the helicopter and stepped into the air.
"Lord Sword Holder of Longjing!!!"
"This lord usually only guards Longjing and stays within the Red Wall. Lord Lin truly has great influence to be able to invite him here."
Zhou Fangzun's eyes flashed with anger, and then he couldn't help but show apprehension.
Seeing the elder in the black dragon robes, Zhou Fangzun was forced to cup his fists and bow to the old man. "Southern Zhen King greets Lord Sword Holder."
The elder in the black dragon robes' voice was hoarse and ancient. "Do you intend to make a move?"
A look of humiliation flashed across Zhou Fangzun's face, and a killing intent surged within him. He had been outmaneuvered by a mere ant.
How could fine jade clash with a broken tile?
"Hmph!"
Zhou Fangzun flicked his sleeve, turned around, and left with his consort in the helicopter.
"Whoosh—"
The Patriarch of the Chen family, Elder Han, and Marquis Feng Han breathed a long sigh of relief, their faces showing the joy of surviving a disaster.
"Fortunately, Father arrived in time," Lin Yuexian also said, covering her heaving chest.
After seeing Zhou Fangzun leave, Lin Xianxing also returned to the helicopter and departed without landing to exchange pleasantries with Chen Jiuyang and the others.
His body had recovered, and he had more important matters to attend to.
The situation took a dramatic turn. It was initially thought that Chen Jiuyang was doomed, but unexpectedly, Chen Jiuyang's maternal family was so powerful that they could invite the Lord Sword Holder of Longjing to appear, forcing the Southern Zhen King to retreat.
The Southern Zhen King was in the wrong in this matter from the start. If he had truly acted without regard for the rules, then there would have been rules from higher up to deal with him, and the consequences would have been severe.
The battle to the death between Xi Butui and Chen Jiuyang today was full of twists and turns. Not only did Zhou Fangzun, the Southern Zhen King, appear, but even higher-level figures of the Dragon Country made an appearance.
With Xi Butui dead, Zhou Fangzun gone, and Chen Jiuyang alive, this storm had come to an end.
However, the matter was not over yet.