Chu Chen gritted his teeth.
Liu Rou was precisely the wife of the Chu family patriarch, his own aunt.
"Chu Haonan, you scumbag, to think you'd do such a thing!"
"This time, I will definitely kill you and avenge my kin."
A dark and violent aura emanated from Chu Chen's body.
Chu Chen, after all, was no saint.
At this moment, killing intent filled his eyes, as if the entire Chu family estate was shrouded in a layer of cold frost.
*Hum!*
Chu Chen's figure vanished.
The next instant, he appeared in a secluded alley.
This was the end of the Chu family guard patrol route, a place where no one normally passed.
"Who!"
Several Chu family guards spotted Chu Chen.
But before they could cry out, Chu Chen casually flicked out a few sharp projectiles.
They instantly pierced their skulls, blood spraying and staining the alley red.
Following this, Chu Chen's figure flickered, moving rapidly like a phantom.
*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Each punch was like a collapsing mountain.
Every blow landed with a dull thud.
Within three to five breaths, these Chu family guards lay dead in pools of blood, their bodies twitching, utterly deceased!
"So strong!"
"Brother Chu Chen is amazing."
"Hehe, he's second uncle's most beloved grand-nephew, even grandfather praises him. He's the most outstanding prodigy in our Chu family for nearly ten thousand years!"
Several young Chu family girls skipped around, watching.
"Brother Chu Chen..."
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Cousin Chu Chen's widow, Aunt Liu, has just given birth to a baby girl. She hopes you can help look after them."
Chu Chen listened, then chuckled and shook his head. "No need."
He didn't know Aunt Liu.
However, a woman with a child, alone and helpless, was indeed difficult!
"I can grant your request and look after her and the child. But only if they don't provoke me... otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"
A fierce glint flashed in Chu Chen's eyes.
"Thank you! Thank you, Brother Chu Chen!"
The little girls rejoiced.
To them, Chu Chen was already a colossal figure.
As for Chu Chen's personality... his undisguised aversion offered a glimpse.
However, they knew that Chu Chen was a man of his word. He would absolutely not go back on his promise to care for Aunt Liu's infant daughter.
...
The night was silent.
The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.
Chu Chen sat in the courtyard, drinking and enjoying the scenery.
Suddenly, Chu Chen's expression changed drastically.
He sensed a danger approaching.
*Swish!*
He suddenly looked up.
A ferocious, terrifying maw lunged towards him.
It was a demonic beast.
Its fur was as black as ink.
Its fangs were bared.
Although Chu Chen had never seen its likeness, he immediately recognized it. This was a demonic beast at the peak of the ninth stage of martial arts, a Bloodthirsty Mad Wolf!
This Bloodthirsty Mad Wolf had been lurking nearby. It only dared to emerge after Chu Chen had left. It had already smelled the strong scent of blood, left behind after it had devoured an entire mercenary team! Its eyes were blood red, filled with greed.
"Heh heh..."
"Blood food, delicious."
The Bloodthirsty Mad Wolf grinned, revealing its bone-white fangs. Its sharp claws shimmered with a dark light as it lunged at Chu Chen, seemingly wanting to tear him apart and devour him!
The strength of the seventh stage of martial arts, the sixth stage of Martial Master, was utterly pathetic in Chu Chen's eyes.
"Scram!" Chu Chen roared.
With a loud *bang*, the Bloodthirsty Mad Wolf was sent flying, smashing through the courtyard wall and falling outside, covered in blood. Severely injured, it howled and struggled to its feet before fleeing.
"A mere demonic beast, daring to attack me?"
"Pathetic ant."
Chu Chen sneered. He was at the sixth stage of Martial Master. Ordinary ninth-stage Martial Masters wouldn't last more than a few moves against him. What hope did a ninth-stage martial arts demonic beast have?
However, even with his sixth-stage Martial Master cultivation, he dared not relax his vigilance. He vaguely sensed that someone was monitoring his every move. The moment he returned to his manor, he had immediately alerted someone deep within the residence.
"It really is Chu Haonan."
"He's not dead?"
"Hmph, since he's not dead, I'll personally send you to the underworld to mourn my parents and brother!"
Chu Chen's gaze shifted towards a tightly shut room. That was Chu Haonan's courtyard.
"Brother Chu Chen, why are you staring at Uncle Chu Chen's room? He's not home, he seems to be out doing errands?" a little girl of about eight years old asked.
"Mm," Chu Chen nodded.
"Aunt Liu is pregnant, so Chu Chen went out to buy many things for her."
This little sister's father was a collateral branch member of the Chu family, and also a highly respected elder.
"I'm so envious of Aunt Liu."
The two little girls were very envious. After all, they were merely born of concubines. Even though they bore the Chu surname, the main lineage of the Chu family did not favor them!
Chu Chen sighed inwardly, continuing to savor the fine wine in his hand, paying no mind to these collateral branch members. He knew his own predicament. He was an illegitimate son. His father had died young, and his mother was deranged. Within the Chu family's main lineage, apart from his grandfather Chu Yunhe, the elders of the clan, and some distant relatives, everyone else was hostile towards him. Even without Chu Haonan, they would have found a way to confront him sooner or later.
"It seems I must find a way to break free from these people and seize more resources." A sharp glint flashed in Chu Chen's eyes.
Chu Haonan was a direct descendant of the Chu family, with noble status. Chu Chen was Chu Haonan's only son, highly regarded. It was normal for the Chu family to allocate some resources to Chu Chen. However, Chu Chen was not satisfied with all this! What he needed was the support of the Chu family's main lineage and to further advance, becoming a core member of the Chu family! Only core members of the Chu family's main lineage were qualified to participate in the Hegemony War! And the spots for the Hegemony War were divided by ranking. The higher the rank, the more intense the competition!
...
In the early morning, Chu Chen woke up early, washed up, and then went to the martial arts training ground of the manor. At this moment, the young disciples of the Chu family were gathered together. Today, they would undergo an assessment to determine their status as apprentices in various professions.
"This year, I am on duty." The elder responsible for overseeing the assessment of the new disciples this year was named 'Wang Changqing'. He glanced at everyone and said coldly, "This time, the rules have been slightly altered. Your so-called assessment will not just test your cultivation talent!"
"Instead, it will examine your combat capabilities and whether you are suitable to serve as guards!"
As soon as Wang Changqing finished speaking, there was an uproar.
"Guards?"
"Guards are like servants and retainers, specifically responsible for protecting the safety of us Chu clan members!"
"What do you mean? We are the young masters of the Chu family, not some lowly servants!"
"Wang Changqing, are you playing with us?"
A group of young Chu family members were enraged! This was simply an insult!