"How arrogant!"

"How dare he provoke Commander Luo? He’s simply courting death!"

"He doesn’t know his own limits!"

Every single expert riding a Thunderfire Griffin revealed looks of fury and cold killing intent.

They were the elite of the Imperial Capital Defense Army. Luo Hao was the Commander of the 99th Battalion, and his cultivation had reached the True Martial Realm Eighth Stage. He was once a top-tier prodigy who had nearly made it onto the Spirit List.

Luo Hao could even hold his own against a master of the True Martial Realm Ninth Stage.

And yet Jiang Chen dared to say Luo Hao wasn’t qualified?

In the eyes of the crowd, this was no different from suicide!

Luo Hao narrowed his eyes. Perched atop his Thunderfire Griffin, he looked down upon Jiang Chen, a frigid glint in his eyes. He spoke, enunciating each word, "Brat, you’ve got some nerve! You dared to cripple my, Luo Hao’s, little brother. It seems you have no respect for my Luo Family at all."

"To earn respect, one must first possess respectable character. Given the character of that *thing*," Jiang Chen said with a look of indifference, "the only reason I didn’t kill him outright was because I didn’t want to dirty my hands!"

This was simply his personality: he wouldn’t attack unless provoked.

But if someone insisted on pushing him around, there was only one thing to do—fight!

Luo Hao’s expression shifted rapidly, his rage soaring. His killing intent was so thick it was almost tangible. "It seems you’re tired of living. Men, seize this criminal for me! If he dares to resist—kill him without mercy!"

"Yes, sir!"

The soldiers immediately advanced.

These soldiers were all at the Martial Arts Fifth Stage or higher; their two captains, in particular, were masters of the Martial Arts Ninth Stage.

Twenty well-trained soldiers surrounded Jiang Chen completely.

Killing intent surged as True Qi crisscrossed the air!

"Form the Black Tortoise Battle Array—kill!" the two Martial Arts Ninth Stage captains roared in unison.

The auras of the twenty soldiers linked together, and the terrifying fluctuations of their True Qi condensed into a single force, no weaker than the True Essence of a True Martial Realm First Stage master.

Such was the might of a Battle Array!

Jiang Chen glanced at Xiao Qingyi, treating the twenty murderous soldiers behind him as if they were nothing. A gentle smile touched his face. "Qingyi, you and Little White wait for me on the side. Later, I’ll take you to the best restaurant in the Imperial Capital for a nice meal!"

"Mhm!"

Xiao Qingyi nodded and, as quiet as a statue, obediently moved to the side.

Nestled in Xiao Qingyi’s arms, Little White waved its paws at Jiang Chen. "Go, Boss!"

This display greatly provoked the twenty soldiers. With bloodshot eyes and surging anger, one shouted, "Damn it, how dare he be so condescending... Brothers, attack together! Cut this little bastard down!"

BOOM—

The twenty men moved as one, their actions perfectly synchronized as they merged into a single entity.

A terrifying torrent of True Qi converged and rushed toward Jiang Chen. The dreadful fluctuation was enough to stir the winds and clouds, drawing gasps of alarm from the crowd.

However...

Facing such a tyrannical attack, Jiang Chen merely raised a hand, unleashing a fan-shaped wave of True Essence. "Get lost!"

SWOOSH—

The fan-shaped wave of True Essence swept past.

Like a tidal wave, it instantly shattered the Black Tortoise Battle Array formed by the twenty soldiers.

One after another, the experts were sent flying, spitting blood. In an instant, Jiang Chen had crushed the soldiers’ coordinated assault.

HISS!

"How is that possible? The Black Tortoise Battle Array can stand against a True Martial Realm First Stage expert. Could this kid be a True Martial Realm Second Stage powerhouse?"

"He looks to be only sixteen or seventeen, yet he has such terrifying strength?"

"What a pity. The unyielding are easily broken. This kid is too reckless; in the end, death is his only path!"

Jiang Chen’s power drew gasps of shock, as well as sighs of pity.

Everyone’s gaze fell upon Luo Hao.

Luo Hao raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. He nodded and said, "No wonder you’re so arrogant; you actually have some skill. However, for daring to offend my Luo Family, you still won’t escape death. Men, take him down!"

"Commander, I alone am enough to deal with this trash!" said the young man with a black mole at the corner of his mouth, who stood to Luo Hao’s left.

"Fine, you go then!" Luo Hao hesitated for a moment before nodding.

This young man’s cultivation had reached the True Martial Realm Fourth Stage. He should be more than enough to deal with Jiang Chen.

The young man strode through the air, holding a Battle Blade, and said coolly, "Brat, remember the name of the one who kills you. I am He Qiang!"

"One move," Jiang Chen said flatly.

He Qiang froze for a second, then burst out laughing. "Hahaha, so you know your place after all, knowing you can’t even last one move against me. Since you’re so sensible, I’ll grant you a complete corpse!"

Jiang Chen glanced at He Qiang, speechless. ’How can this guy be so full of himself?’

He couldn’t help but shake his head. "What I mean is, I only need one move to kill you!"

"What?" He Qiang’s smile froze instantly, replaced by sheer rage and indignation. "Arrogant brat! I’ve decided to tear you to pieces! Take this—Destruction Blade Technique!"

A torrent of black saber light poured out, stretching over five hundred feet long and shining with an incomparable sharpness.

"So weak."

Jiang Chen shook his head, formed a Sword Finger, and jabbed it forward. "Break!"

A brilliant golden radiance erupted from his fingertip, shining with a dazzling glint as it shot forward.

CLANG!

The golden Sword Finger shattered the saber light, snapping it in two. Its momentum undiminished, the attack slammed directly into He Qiang.

He Qiang let out a wretched cry as he was blasted backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.

His chest had caved in. With a mouth full of blood, his pale face was a mask of horror. "H-How can you be so strong?"

"He Qiang..."

The young man to Luo Hao’s right paled. With a great roar, he hefted a crimson Long Spear and thrust it at Jiang Chen. The spear moved like a coiling dragon, its crimson light vibrating the very air as it shot toward Jiang Chen.

This man was one of Luo Hao’s most trusted subordinates, his cultivation a level higher than He Qiang’s.

Facing this new attack, Jiang Chen raised his right hand and thrust his palm forward. "Get lost!"

Light erupted from his palm, forming a mountain-like projection that slammed down on the attacker.

BOOM—

With an earth-shaking rumble, the crimson spear light was obliterated.

The spearman’s expression changed, and he swept his Long Spear once more. "Iron Blood Barrier!"

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

Streaks of spear light shot through the air, their peerless afterimages flying out to form a crimson barrier of light.

A hint of confidence flashed in his eyes. "My Iron Blood Barrier is a Profound Tier Intermediate Defense Martial Skill! You can’t possibly break—How is this possible?" His words weren’t even finished before the crimson barrier was smashed to pieces.

The young man screamed, also sent flying by the palm strike, unable to get back up.

In that moment, Jiang Chen was like an invincible War God!

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his robes fluttering and his black hair stirring in a windless air. He lifted his cold gaze to the grim-faced Luo Hao, beckoned with a finger, and said flatly, "Your turn."