A commotion erupted around them as numerous women whispered to each other, casting glances at Chu Yan, their eyes glimmering with a hint of infatuation.

“Hey, don’t say that; Chu Yan looks quite imposing now, rather handsome, I’d say.”

“Handsome? What good is that? Just look at how confidently he speaks; if the Qin family retaliates, what will he do? The Qin family is formidable, even more so than the Liu family at present.”

At that moment, Qin Feng's cold gaze pierced through to Chu Yan.

If it were merely a war of words, he might have restrained himself, but given the circumstances—Chu Yan had struck one of his subordinates—it was a clear affront. To strike a dog, one must consider its master; Chu Yan had clearly dismissed him entirely.

“Chu Yan, you are a benefactor of the Liu family, but you have no ties to the Qin family. By rights, for striking my subordinate, I should sever your limbs as punishment. However, for the sake of Qingcheng, if you apologize now, I can overlook it. Otherwise…”

“Otherwise what?” Without allowing Qin Feng to continue, Chu Yan interrupted, “Are you going to kill me? Do you dare?”

Qin Feng clenched his fists, a crackling sound echoing as his eyes flashed with murderous intent; he was finally enraged.

“Ha! Of course, I won’t kill you; that would be too merciful. I will sever your limbs and leave you wishing for death!”

“Boom!”

With a fierce declaration, Qin Feng surged forward, a gust of wind swirling about him as stars flickered above his head—one, two, three, four. When the fourth star blazed to life, he felt the power of the fourth layer of the Mortal Realm surge through him, and he unleashed a powerful punch at Chu Yan.

Zhao Tu’s heart raced with urgency; he wanted to intervene, but it was too late—Chu Yan and Qin Feng were too close, and Qin Feng’s strength slightly surpassed his own.

Yet, faced with this onslaught, Chu Yan remained unmoved, a hint of mockery playing at the corners of his mouth as he calmly remarked,

“What? Do you intend to watch? If your Qin family harms me, you should be fully aware of the consequences!”

Chu Yan spoke as if to himself, but in the next moment, a whirlwind swept through outside the Liu family’s gates, and a middle-aged man leaped in from afar. With a single strike of his palm, he dispersed Qin Feng’s attack.

“It’s a member of the Qin family! Second Elder Qin Xuan!”

Seeing this middle-aged man, everyone gasped in surprise. At that moment, Zhao Tu’s eyes widened in disbelief; the Second Elder of the Qin family, possessing five star physical bodies, was indeed a genuine master of the Mortal Realm.

Most importantly, what had Chu Yan just said? Had he known Qin Xuan was nearby all along?

Qin Feng was taken aback when his punch was suddenly blocked, and upon seeing Qin Xuan, his brow furrowed deeply.

“Second Uncle, what is the meaning of this? He has just struck a member of the Qin family and insulted our ancestors! Step aside; I will kill him!”

“Fool! Be quiet!”

Qin Xuan flashed a fierce glare at Qin Feng, then turned to Chu Yan, his expression grave: “Chu Shao, it is our Qin family’s failure to educate our children properly, and we have offended you. I hope you will not take it to heart!”

“Chu Shao?” Upon hearing Qin Xuan’s address, everyone exclaimed in astonishment; they were no fools and could clearly see that Qin Xuan was wary of Chu Yan.

Chu Yan glanced at Qin Xuan and replied, “No offense taken; ignorance is no crime. But is your Qin family becoming quite arrogant?”

Qin Xuan trembled slightly, then, to everyone’s astonishment, he bowed deeply before Chu Yan.

“Chu Shao, forgive me!”

Qin Feng stared in shock at the sight of Qin Xuan bowing low: “Second Uncle! What are you doing? He struck a member of our Qin family; how can you apologize to him?”

“Silence!” Qin Xuan shot a panicked glare at Qin Feng. “Apologize to Chu Shao immediately! Otherwise, prepare to face the family law upon our return!”

“I…” Qin Feng was filled with rage but remained silent.

“Ha, Second Elder Qin, it seems your nephew is unwilling to apologize. No matter; I do not crave such insincere apologies. If you wish to resolve today’s matter, leave him here, and you may go. I shall treat this as if nothing has happened!” Chu Yan said coolly, raising a finger to point at the disciple who had insulted him moments ago.

The disciple trembled in fear, falling to his knees. He was no fool; Qin Xuan was a genuine master of the Mortal Realm, and if he treated Chu Yan with such respect, it indicated the latter's formidable background.

“Master, Master, I have been with you for ten years; please save me!” the servant clutched at Qin Feng’s trousers.

Qin Xuan glanced at the servant, initially considering interceding, but upon meeting Chu Yan’s piercing gaze filled with deep murderous intent, he abandoned the thought entirely.

“Feng’er, we are leaving!”

Qin Xuan seized Qin Feng and departed, leaving one of his subordinates behind at the Liu family.

Witnessing Qin Xuan’s retreat, everyone in the Liu family stood in stunned silence. What had just transpired? Had the Qin family truly suffered a loss here?

And more importantly, was it at the hands of this so-called worthless son-in-law?

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Chu Yan remained calm, his gaze sharp as he looked at the Qin family’s disciple, a gleaming blade suddenly appearing in his hand.

“Do you understand? If you insult me, I might not care; I’ve grown accustomed to being scorned over the years. But to call me a bastard is to insult my mother! Anyone who dares to insult her must die!” Chu Yan stated coolly.

“Chu Shao, spare me! Chu Shao, spare me!”

“Some things can be forgiven, but others cannot.”

With that, Chu Yan unleashed his sword energy, blood staining the glazed tiles before the Liu family.

He had directly killed a disciple of the Qin family, and news of this quickly spread throughout Tianyong City, leaving everyone in shock.

A so-called worthless son had forced back the Qin family’s Second Elder? Many began to speculate about Chu Yan’s true identity.

Rumors abounded; some said he was a prince of the Changlong Kingdom, while others claimed he was the illegitimate son of a sect master from a celestial clan. In any case, speculation ran wild, yet his true identity remained a mystery.

Within the Liu family, Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu followed closely behind Chu Yan, their eyes gleaming with admiration.

“Master, you were incredible just now!”

“Indeed! The Qin family has risen rapidly in recent years, suppressing our Liu family. It has been ages since we’ve felt such pride!” Zhao Liu exclaimed excitedly.

Chu Yan chuckled, “Now you see my power, don’t you? From now on, follow me closely, and you’ll want for nothing!”

“We vow to follow you, Master!”

Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu felt as if spring had arrived, overwhelmed by the joy that Chu Yan had brought them.

—

While some rejoiced, others were filled with sorrow.

Meanwhile, within the Qin family, Qin Feng’s eyes were bloodshot, brimming with murderous intent.

“Second Uncle, what is going on? He’s just a worthless fool; why do you treat him with such respect?”

Qin Xuan sighed at his nephew, “Feng’er, remember this: Chu Yan is not truly frightening; he is merely a worthless son. However, behind him lies a force that our Qin family absolutely cannot provoke!”

“How terrifying can it be? Our Qin family is a prestigious family in the Changlong Kingdom; our ancestors were once influential officials. Can Chu Yan’s backing possibly be more powerful than the Changlong Kingdom?”

“It can!” Qin Xuan replied emphatically, then, recalling something, he looked alarmed. “Feng’er, remember this force is absolutely untouchable. If they wish, they could reduce the Changlong Kingdom to ashes in a single night.”

“An overnight annihilation of Changlong?” Qin Feng was stunned, his throat seemingly constricted, unable to voice his thoughts. What kind of terrifying force could that be?

“Now do you see why I stopped you earlier? If they find out that Chu Yan was harmed by our Qin family, you and I might already be lying in our graves,” Qin Xuan said, fear lingering in his heart. “In any case, you must remember: never harm Chu Yan in public. Instead, show him utmost respect!”

Qin Feng fell silent, understanding the implication behind Qin Xuan’s words: it was clear he could not act in public, but what about in private?

“Does that mean if there’s no one around, I can…” he began, mimicking a throat-slitting gesture.

Qin Xuan frowned slightly, then smiled, “I didn’t say that. However… if he were to die unexpectedly, it would have nothing to do with our Qin family. At that time, the Liu family would be the ones to worry. Without the protection of that powerful force, the current balance among the three families in Tianyong City could easily be disrupted.”

A heavy wave of murderous intent flickered in Qin Feng’s eyes as he became increasingly greedy. “Chu Yan! Liu Qingcheng! You’ve forced my hand; from now on, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

—

Unbeknownst to Chu Yan, who had just forced back Qin Feng, he returned to his residence under the escort of Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu.

That night, Bao’er prepared warm water for Chu Yan, looking at him with a bright smile. “Master, you were truly magnificent today!”

“Magnificent? You don’t even know how much more magnificent I can be,” Chu Yan replied playfully, flashing a mischievous grin.

Though young, Bao’er understood some matters of the heart, and his words made her cheeks flush crimson.

“Master, you’re so naughty! No wonder everyone outside calls you a charming rogue!”

“A charming rogue?” Chu Yan chuckled bitterly; he had never expected to acquire such a reputation in Tianyong City. However, he didn’t mind and, after finishing his conversation with Bao’er, began his bath.

Following his instructions, Bao’er had added various herbs to the warm water, remedies that Chu Yan had prepared himself, mainly to replenish energy and strengthen the body.

Soaking in the medicinal bath, Chu Yan began to circulate his energy. After a day’s time, his internal energy had settled, but after today’s confrontation with Qin Feng, he had clearly realized his shortcomings.

This was due to Qin Xuan being nearby, who had intervened just in time; otherwise, he would have surely suffered a blow from Qin Feng.

“The third layer of the Mortal Realm is still too low; I must strive to enhance my strength!”