"Jiang Chen, it’s you?!"

Zhao Qiankun’s eyes shot wide, a murderous glint erupting from them as he glared at Jiang Chen.

His thunderous roar, like a bolt from the blue, startled everyone around him!

"Zhao Qiankun knows Jiang Chen?"

"Judging by his expression, he seems to have some deep-seated hatred for Jiang Chen..."

The crowd was astonished, their gazes darting back and forth between Jiang Chen and Zhao Qiankun, filled with intense curiosity and confusion.

One was Zhao Qiankun, the number one expert of Yulan Mansion’s younger generation, aggressive and tyrannical. The other was a mysterious youth who had slain a True Martial Realm expert with a single strike and forced the Qian Family, the Luoo Family, and the Money Commerce Association to swallow a bitter pill.

What kind of story was there between these two?

Qian Luohao, Luoo Ri, and Meng Qing exchanged a look. Qian Luohao asked, "Young Master, you know this brat?"

"Know him? I’d recognize him even if he were turned to ash!"

Zhao Qiankun gritted his teeth, wisps of silver True Essence surging between his clenched fists. A boundless killing intent quietly spread as he said, word by word, "Patriarch Qian, Patriarch Luoo, Chairman Meng, weren’t you looking for the man who murdered Qian Jun and the others? I’ll tell you right now—I’ve found the killer!"

His voice cut off abruptly as Zhao Qiankun’s frigid gaze turned toward Jiang Chen.

Qian Luohao, Luoo Ri, and Meng Qing all shuddered and followed Zhao Qiankun’s gaze to Jiang Chen. After a moment of shock, the realization hit them. "Young Master, are you saying that Jiang Chen was the one who killed Jun’er and Ming’Er?"

"That’s right. Not just Qian Jun and Luoo Ming, but also Elder Gongsun and Elder Chen of my Qinghuo Gang, as well as the experts from the Demon Hunter Guild who participated in the siege that day—they were all killed by him. I saw it with my own two eyes!" Zhao Qiankun said in a deep voice, taking a sharp breath.

"Excellent, excellent, so it’s Jiang Chen! Not only did you murder my son and so many of my Qian Family’s experts, but you also cheated my Qian Family out of so much silver. The Qian Family will not rest until one of us is dead!" Qian Luohao’s face was ashen. The Buddhist Beads in his hand creaked and groaned under his grip, and his killing intent intensified.

Luoo Ri’s face was livid. "You murdered my son, slaughtered so many of my Luoo Family’s experts, and even extorted forty million silver taels from me. Jiang Chen, if you don’t die, how can I possibly face the ancestors of the Luoo Family?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"I will grind your bones to dust!"

Meng Qing’s gaze flickered, True Essence Power fluctuating in his palms. A ball of crimson flame materialized, clinging to his hands.

Hearing the conversation, the surrounding crowd gasped in unison, their faces filled with shock. "Holy shit, so Jiang Chen is that mysterious expert wanted by the Qinghuo Gang for killing Gongsun Yangg?"

"No wonder he could kill Lui Xiao with a single strike. This is the Evil Star who could even kill Gongsun Yangg!"

"This guy must have a screw loose. After killing so many people and provoking the Qinghuo Gang and a host of family powers, he still dares to show his face here? Are the Qian Family, the Luoo Family, or the Money Commerce Association easy to mess with? And now with Zhao Qiankun, the leader of the Three Heroes of Yulan, added to the mix, this Jiang Chen is a dead man for sure!"

"The road to Heaven was open, but he didn’t take it. The gates of Hell were shut, yet he charged right in. Who can he blame for seeking his own death?"

Murmurs of discussion rose from the crowd. For a moment, all sorts of complicated gazes fell upon Jiang Chen.

Curious, gloating, worried, regretful... The crowd unconsciously split into three factions: those who stood with the Qinghuo Gang, glaring at Jiang Chen like tigers eyeing their prey; those who stood aside, watching coldly; and the few who stood by Jiang Chen’s side.

"You little bastard, I’ll tear you to pieces!" Qian Luohao roared, his face contorted with rage.

Just as he was about to step forward, Lui Guan’s figure flashed, blocking the way. In a deep voice, he said, "If you want to lay a hand on Jiang Chen, you’ll have to get through me first!"

Qian Luohao glared, his bloodshot eyes filled with cold killing intent. "Lui Guan, you’re going to stop me?"

"Jiang Chen did a great favor for my son and me. I cannot stand by and do nothing."

Lui Guan paused in thought, then continued, "Qian Luohao, the reason Qian Jun and the others were killed by Jiang Chen was all due to your own greed. You dispatched so many experts to besiege Jiang Chen for the Qinghuo Gang’s bounty, trying to kill him, but he killed them instead. This can only be considered them reaping what they sowed; you can’t blame anyone else! I advise you to stop!"

"Stop? Easy for you to say. The one who died was my son!" Qian Luohao roared hysterically. "Lui Guan, if you don’t move, don’t blame me for disregarding our past friendship."

"Then make your move. I, Lui Guan, am not afraid of you!" Lui Guan’s voice was resolute.

"Hmph!"

Luoo Ri snorted coldly and stepped forward alongside Meng Qing. "The Qian Family may not be able to handle your Lui Family, but what if you add my Luoo Family and the Money Commerce Association? With our three families united, annihilating your paltry Lui Family would be effortless. You’d better think carefully about whether you want to bet the entire Lui Family on a single Jiang Chen!"

The Qian Family, the Luoo Family, and the Money Commerce Association—not a single one of them was weaker than the Lui Family.

If the three families joined forces, destroying the Lui Family would not be difficult!

The expressions of the Lui Family members behind Jiang Chen changed slightly, but Lui Guan remained calm and composed. He shook his head gently and said with a resolute tone, "My Lui Family has an ancestral teaching: never be an ungrateful or treacherous person. Jiang Chen has shown great kindness to my son and me, so I will absolutely not allow you to harm him!"

"Dad, you said it well! Your son supports you!" Lui Yifa declared spiritedly, then looked at Lui Chen. "Grand Elder, what about you?"

"So be it, so be it!"

Lui Chen hesitated for a moment, then gave a wry smile. "I already made a mistake regarding the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm quotas. I cannot be wrong again! I will listen to the Patriarch!"

"The Lui Family will never be ungrateful!"

"We will never abandon a friend!"

"Patriarch, we support you!"

The members of the Lui Family all stepped up, forming a line to shield Jiang Chen.

"Good, very good. Worthy of being the sons of my Lui Family..."

Lui Guan nodded in satisfaction, his fearless gaze turning to Qian Luohao and the others.

"Damn it, the Lui Family is just a bunch of stubborn lunatics!" Luoo Ri spat, speaking viciously.

A vicious glint appeared in Qian Luohao’s eyes. "Since the Lui Family wants to die, then let’s grant their wish!"

"Attack!"

The experts from the Qian Family, the Luoo Family, and the Money Commerce Association drew their weapons, their auras soaring. They formed a dark, oppressive mass and pressed toward Jiang Chen and the Lui Family members.

A great battle was about to erupt...

But just then, Jiang Chen, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines all this time, finally spoke. "Patriarch Lui, Afa, you can all stand down. They’re just a few ants; there’s no need for you to act!"

"Hmm?"

Lui Guan and the others were all stunned.

Before they could react, Jiang Chen’s figure suddenly blurred. A gust of wind blew past their ears, and when he reappeared, he was already standing before the Qian Family members.

Jiang Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his black hair stirring though there was no breeze. A sudden wind swept through the calm Celestial Demon Canyon, making his robes flutter as if he were a peerless Swordsman. His calm, indifferent gaze swept over Qian Luohao, Luoo Ri, and Meng Qing as he slowly said, "I was planning to deal with you after the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm ended. But since you’ve jumped out on your own, we might as well settle our new and old debts today!"

"You little bastard, you have the gall to talk about settling debts with us?" Qian Luohao raged.

Luoo Ri’s eyes flashed with killing intent. "You cruel butcher! I’ll cut off your head as an offering to the spirits of Ming’Er and the others in heaven!"

"Hahaha..."

Jiang Chen threw his head back and laughed loudly. His gaze suddenly sharpened, his smile turning into thick mockery. "’Cruel butcher?’ Let me ask you, did I, Jiang Chen, ever provoke you? On the contrary, it was you who sent so many experts to try and kill me. Was it wrong for me to fight back? Am I just supposed to stand here and let you kill me?"

"My Qian Family is high and mighty! Jun’er’s status was so noble! The fact that he was willing to personally deal with a little bastard like you was your good fortune!" Qian Luohao said, righteously indignant.

Luoo Ri’s expression was grim. "My Luoo Family is one of the Four Great Clans of Yulan Mansion, far above the rest. To dare defy my Luoo Family is to court your own death!"

"Anyone who opposes my Money Commerce Association will be killed without mercy!" Meng Qing gritted his teeth.

Facing the three, whose killing intent was growing stronger, Jiang Chen’s lips curled into a smirk, his eyes growing colder. "Tsk tsk. High and mighty? Three great families? Kill without mercy? It seems you’ve grown too comfortable and forgotten that there’s always a higher mountain and a stronger person. There are many people in this world you cannot afford to offend. Perhaps in the eyes of others, you are untouchable, but in my, Jiang Chen’s, eyes, you are nothing but livestock that can be slaughtered at will. You want to kill me? Then you’d better be prepared for your clans to be annihilated!"

"Arrogant brat!"

"Luoo Ri, Meng Qing, the three of us will attack together and kill this brat who doesn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth!" Qian Luohao roared.

The three masters attacked without any warning.

Facing the combined assault of three masters at the True Martial Realm Second Stage, Jiang Chen snorted coldly, standing firm against the wind, his black hair whipping about. The sword in his hand pulsed with a ring of cyan light. Its sharp, cyan edge was so brilliant that it seemed to make the Blazing Sun in the sky dim in comparison.

A single strike tore through the air, its Sword Aura stretching for ten thousand zhang, its power immense!

At the same time, Jiang Chen’s indifferent and disdainful voice rang out...

"Take my life? You are not worthy!"