"Young Master Chu, we are truly indebted to you for your timely assistance. Without you, our village would have been destroyed by the Wolf Fang Stronghold, and our people would have met a terrible fate. On behalf of all the villagers, I thank you!"
Chu Chen remained silent for a moment, then slowly replied, "I promised your father I would protect your safety. When the people of your Wolf Fang Stronghold dared to attack you, I naturally wouldn't stand by and do nothing."
"Young Master Chu..." Li Hao hesitated, as if wanting to say something.
Chu Chen interrupted him, "What do you want to say?"
Li Hao gave a bitter smile. "Young Master Chu, although you killed everyone from the Wolf Fang Stronghold, they were still my kin. You shouldn't have done it."
Chu Chen's expression faltered. He looked at Li Hao in surprise, clearly not expecting such words.
"This is a poor and remote region. Many people have been persecuted by the Wolf Fang Stronghold. Sooner or later, this place would have become their stronghold. Rather than let the Wolf Fang Stronghold grow stronger, it's better to uproot them entirely," Li Hao sighed, shaking his head.
"We are just ordinary villagers, unlike you. You don't have to concern yourself with us, and with your strength, you could easily stay out of it."
A hint of confusion flickered across Chu Chen's face. "You don't wish to join me?"
"We villagers are accustomed to a peaceful life and have no interest in power," Li Hao said softly.
Chu Chen took a deep breath. "Alright, I promise not to force you to join my ranks anymore."
Li Hao's face lit up with joy, and he quickly bowed. "Thank you, Young Master Chu."
"It was nothing," Chu Chen waved his hand. Just then, he sensed a ripple of energy.
Chu Chen frowned and moved towards the direction of the disturbance. Li Hao also noticed the anomaly and quickly followed.
He pushed off the ground, his body recoiling to evade the arrow's attack. He stopped, his gaze fixed on the dense forest ahead. A masked man in black emerged from the woods.
"Who are you?" Chu Chen narrowed his eyes. He felt a chilling killing intent emanating from the man in black. The man held a crossbow and looked at Chu Chen, a grin spreading across his face. "Chu Chen, your courage truly amazes me. To dare come here alone, aren't you afraid of retaliation from the Wolf Fang Stronghold?"
"Heh, a mere Wolf Fang Stronghold. If you can kill me, then you're skilled," Chu Chen sneered. "I'd like to see what the Wolf Fang Stronghold is truly capable of."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Chen's eyes turned golden.
"Golden Eyes!" Chu Chen exuded a powerful aura, his pupils instantly turning golden-yellow, like two golden suns hanging in the void.
"Golden Eyes..." The man in black trembled, his eyes filled with deep fear. "You possess the Golden Spirit Physique!"
"Not good! Retreat quickly!" The man in black immediately turned and fled.
"Where do you think you're going!" Chu Chen's body became a bolt of lightning as he shot forward, intercepting the man in black in an instant.
"You're seeking death!" The man in black roared, his curved saber slashing down abruptly. A cold glint tore through the air, aimed directly at Chu Chen's throat!
"A mere trick!"
A mocking smile appeared on Chu Chen's face. He grabbed the blade with one hand, flicked his wrist, and the curved saber flew out, embedding itself with a *thwack* into the man in black's back. Blood splattered, and the man in black grunted, falling to the ground. After a few twitches, he was still, his throat clearly severed.
Chu Chen's gaze shifted to the bushes not far away. "Who else? Come out together!"
*Rustle~* The bushes shook violently, and then a tall, burly middle-aged man emerged. He wielded an iron rod, his muscles bulging, his skin dark and rough, as if containing immense power.
"Are you Xu Yong, the third leader of the Wolf Fang Stronghold?" Chu Chen frowned slightly, feeling a touch of wariness. However, in Chu Chen's eyes, this was still not enough.
"You are very powerful!" Xu Yong stared at Chu Chen. "But today, you are the one I will kill!"
"Oh? What makes you think you can kill me?" Chu Chen asked with interest.
"The second and third leaders of my Wolf Fang Stronghold have fallen by your hand, and the Wolf King himself died by your hand. I heard your movement technique is very fast, your speed astonishing. But what of it? In the face of absolute strength, all means are meaningless!" Xu Yong sneered. "Today, I will make you understand that power alone cannot solve everything!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Yong swung his iron rod with great force. Chu Chen's eyes narrowed, and he retreated rapidly.
*Bang!* The iron rod struck a tree trunk as thick as a bowl. Instantly, debris flew everywhere, and the trunk collapsed. The tree itself, however, only bore a shallow mark.
"It is indeed very hard," Xu Yong sneered. "Such a sturdy tree, how did you damage it?"
Chu Chen's eyes narrowed. The moment he had stabbed with his sword, a surge of powerful yuan qi had entered the tree trunk, making its surface incredibly tough.
"But no matter how strong your defense, I have a way to break it!" Xu Yong strode forward, his feet stomping on the ground, causing it to crack and earth to churn, as if a gust of wind was sweeping in.
*Rumble!* The ground exploded. Xu Yong, like a charging bull, barreled forward, his iron rod emitting a brilliant glow.
Chu Chen stood his ground, unmoved. His eyes narrowed, his right arm extended, his five fingers forming a fist. A simple, unadorned punch was thrown.
*Bang!* The fist met the iron rod, emitting a low sound. Both were locked in a stalemate. Xu Yong's body suddenly shot forward, his iron rod spinning sharply, sweeping towards Chu Chen's head in mid-air. This move was extremely threatening. Had it been anyone else, they would surely not have been able to withstand it.
Chu Chen's body tilted slightly, narrowly evading the blow. He stomped his feet on the ground, leaped up, and kicked towards Xu Yong's forehead. Xu Yong reacted nimbly, raising his hand to block, but he couldn't completely stop it.
*Bang!* Xu Yong was sent flying, smashing through a large rock, and spitting blood. His peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a fiery red color at the edge of the shattered rock!
Chu Chen knew that Xu Yong had a poison pill in his mouth. His previous attack had not been at full strength; otherwise, it would have been enough to cripple Xu Yong.
"Cough, cough." Xu Yong struggled to get up from the pile of rubble, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"So strong! With this kind of strength, even in Jiangnan City, he would likely be a top expert."
"Trying to leave?" Chu Chen stepped forward and grabbed Xu Yong's shoulder.
"Hahaha, you think you can keep me? Dream on!" Xu Yong laughed ferociously. "I am the third leader of the Wolf Fang Stronghold, do you think you can just kill me as you please?"