"Who dares to challenge the might of my Wu Family?" Just as the crowd was guessing at Shen Haoran and his companion’s identities, a furious roar echoed from the distance. Immediately after, a figure descended from the sky, landing in the street and kicking up clouds of dust!

"COUGH COUGH..." The swirling dust sent the onlookers into a fit of coughing. Once it settled, they got a clear look at the newcomer.

He was a large, muscular man with a thick beard. The muscles bulging from his clothes were sharply defined, looking as if they were brimming with explosive power!

The moment she saw the man, the girl in red threw herself into his arms and began to wail, "Wahhh, Second Uncle, someone bullied me! You have to stand up for me! Wahhh..."

Looking at the girl crying her eyes out in his arms, the man quickly patted her on the back. "There, there, don’t cry," he said softly. "Tell Second Uncle who bullied my precious Mengqi. I’ll make things right for you!"

"It’s him! He molested me, wahh... Look at the state he left me in!" Hearing the man’s words, Wu Mengqi immediately pointed at Shen Haoran and shot him a provocative glare.

"Molested?" Hearing Wu Mengqi’s words, the man’s heart tightened. When he saw the girl’s disheveled state, a wave of pure rage surged within him.

"Yes, Second Uncle, you have to get justice for me!" Wu Mengqi pleaded pitifully.

"Don’t you worry. Put this on first. I won’t let this brat off the hook!" the man said in a low voice, patting Wu Mengqi before draping his own cloak over her shoulders.

After comforting Wu Mengqi, the man strode over to Shen Haoran. Looming over him, he asked in a cold voice, "So you’re the brat who dared to molest the apple of our Wu Family’s eye?"

"Uh... Molested?" Hearing the man’s words, Shen Haoran was completely baffled for a moment. ’When did I ever molest Wu Mengqi?’ When he glanced past the man, he saw Wu Mengqi giving him a triumphant look and instantly understood. He’d been framed.

"What? You have the guts to do it but not to admit it? And you call yourself a man?" Seeing Shen Haoran’s baffled expression, the man assumed he was playing dumb and sneered.

At the man’s words, Shen Haoran’s expression darkened. He shot a deep look at Wu Mengqi, who was still behind the man, before saying calmly, "Every accusation requires proof. You claim I molested her—do you have any evidence?"

"Hmph. Evidence? The wounds on Mengqi—weren’t they your handiwork?" the man snorted.

"That’s right, that was my masterpiece! But do you even know the first thing about what happened? You just casually slap a label like ’molester’ on someone. Is this how the Wu Family is raised? To condemn people without distinguishing right from wrong?" Shen Haoran met the man’s gaze, completely unafraid.

"Besides, you say I molested her? Sorry, but you’ve got that wrong. Even if she stripped naked and threw herself at me, I wouldn’t be tempted. Because I have absolutely zero interest in her!" With that, Shen Haoran took Ji Lingxuan’s hand and pulled her forward, casting a disdainful look at Wu Mengqi.

"You..." Wu Mengqi was so furious at his words she turned green! But when she saw Ji Lingxuan, who Shen Haoran had been shielding from view, she couldn’t find the words to argue back.

While she, Wu Mengqi, might not be a kingdom-toppling beauty, she was still quite attractive, and countless young, talented men in Celestial Martial City pursued her! But the moment she saw Ji Lingxuan, an overwhelming sense of inadequacy washed over her. It was a feeling of inferiority that came from the depths of her soul, one she was powerless to control.

At that moment, the surrounding crowd began to murmur.

"Sigh, I always thought Wu Mengqi was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. I even considered her my goddess. Today, I realize just how shortsighted I’ve been..."

"Exactly! The young woman with that fellow is the real beauty here. She completely outclasses Wu Mengqi in looks, figure, and aura! I’ve decided—from this day on, she is my new goddess!"

"Heh, with a goddess like that by his side, why would he possibly molest Wu Mengqi? If she wanted to frame him, she could have at least come up with a better excuse. If I had a woman that beautiful with me, I wouldn’t even glance at another, even if all the beauties in the world were lined up before me—let alone go and assault one!"

"..."

As chatter like this grew louder, Wu Mengqi’s expression grew darker and darker until it looked as if it might start dripping water.

"Shut up! All of you, shut up!" Wu Mengqi shrieked. She had wanted to use the molestation accusation to have her second uncle teach Shen Haoran a harsh lesson and let her vent her anger. She never expected to be hoist by her own petard. At that moment, she felt her pride being utterly trampled under Ji Lingxuan’s feet, even though Ji Lingxuan had done nothing at all.

Wu Mengqi glared at Shen Haoran and Ji Lingxuan with pure hatred, the flames of jealousy in her heart slowly twisting into killing intent.

"Second Uncle, they dared to insult me! Kill this wretched pair for me!" Her mind consumed by jealousy, Wu Mengqi had lost all reason and was now shrieking.

"Hmph. You’re the first person to ever insult the Wu Family like this. I’ll give you a choice: sever one of your arms and leave Celestial Martial City, or forfeit your life right here!" Wu Mengqi’s uncle threatened in a cold voice.

"Threatening us? Hmph. You’re just a minor branch of the Wu Family in Celestial Martial City. You should know, there are powers in the outside world that you cannot afford to provoke. If you dare touch him, I will make you regret it!" Hearing his threat, Ji Lingxuan stepped forward. She stared coldly at the man, her voice devoid of all emotion.

The man paid Ji Lingxuan’s words no mind, but when he looked at her again, he saw a black light flash in her bright eyes. The sight of it made him shudder, feeling as if his very soul were about to be frozen solid.

Sensing something was wrong, the man bit the tip of his tongue, snapping back to his senses. He grew even more furious. ’I was actually intimidated by two young whelps! If word of this gets out, what will happen to my reputation?’

"Hmph. If you’re looking to die, then I’ll be happy to oblige!" the man snorted. A tyrannical wave of Spiritual Power erupted from within him, and a visible tempest of energy radiated outward, about to slam into Shen Haoran and Ji Lingxuan.

"A Spirit General!" Shen Haoran cried out, feeling the man’s Spiritual Power fluctuations.

"Hmph. Scared now? Too bad, you’ve already lost your chance!" the man sneered as a tyrannical pressure bore down on Shen Haoran.

However, to the man’s confusion, neither Shen Haoran nor his companion showed the slightest fear in the face of his oppressive aura. Their expressions didn’t even change.

’Hmph, just putting on a brave face. Let’s see if you’re still so calm in a moment,’ the man grunted, increasing the pressure of his Spiritual Power.

"Who dares touch my people!" However, just as the man’s oppressive aura was about to crush Shen Haoran, an ethereal voice echoed through the surrounding space. In the face of this voice, the man’s Spirit General Level pressure was violently forced back into his own body!

"PFFT..." The backlash from the repelled aura caused the man to spit out a mouthful of blood. He staggered, struggling to keep his footing. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Who? Who’s there?"

"Hmph. You are not worthy of knowing who I am!" the voice rang out again.

Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Haoran wore an expression of utter disbelief. "Uh... This... How can it be him?"