Suddenly, the vast arena fell into a deathly silence, quiet as a grave.

Yet!

In everyone's minds, it was as if an earth-shattering thunderclap had exploded, jolting their thoughts into disarray and leaving them utterly adrift.

The Nine Gates Admiral, the Zhennan Prince.

In this land, who didn't know the name of the Commander of Hanyun Valley?

This was an existence that stood at the very pinnacle, a living legend!

He slaughtered Barbarians until they trembled at the mere mention of his name. Enemy guards willingly retreated thirty miles, extending the nation's borders and bolstering its prestige.

He was a War God and a vital pillar of the nation.

His name was sung by people across the land.

Liu Ruyan was rendered soulless. "This..." A desperate laugh escaped her lips, her entire being devoid of vitality, like a walking corpse.

Yes, that's right. So young, yet possessing the strength to crush all opposition… who else could it be but the Governor?

It turned out that the person who had been so wantonly slaughtering her Martial Association members, the one who held them in complete contempt, was the Zhennan Prince.

He truly did have that right.

"Haha!!!!" After the initial shock, Chen Ke burst into wild laughter. "Truly unexpected! The mighty Zhennan Prince is actually one of our own Chen Family!"

"Chen Yang, come back with me. With your current achievements, you will surely become a great hero of the Royal Chen Clan. All our clansmen will worship you, and your name will be recorded in the family annals for future generations to revere. What an honor that would be?"

Though he was laughing, Chen Ke's eyes were filled with nervousness and uncertainty.

After all, he had come with malicious intent and had repeatedly tried to kill Chen Yang. Now that the truth was out, all he could do was try to change the subject, hoping that Chen Yang would be magnanimous and spare him.

"I am who I am, and your Royal Chen Clan is your Royal Chen Clan. We have nothing to do with each other," said Chen Yang, taking a gentle sip from his teacup.

Chen Ke was startled. He wanted to say more, but a piercing WHOOSH cut him off. The sound was sharp enough to make one's hair stand on end.

It was the broken sword.

With a light flick of Chen Yang's arm, the broken sword shot out like a bolt of lightning, a straight, cold glint of light aimed directly at Chen Ke.

Chen Ke could only watch, his eyes wide, as the cold light grew larger in his vision.

SPURT!

The broken sword pierced his heart, dragging a long spray of blood behind it before embedding itself deep within the wall.

Chen Ke's eyes bulged, filled with extreme unwillingness and venomous resentment. Before he could even look toward Chen Yang, his life force was exhausted, and his head slumped forward.

At this, everyone present, including Liu Ruyan, felt their scalps tingle in shock.

Such a murderous method was truly soul-shaking.

In his eyes, human life was perhaps as insignificant as weeds.

HUFF. HUFF.

Li Zhendong gasped for breath, his face flushed with excitement.

So, he's the Zhennan Prince! Haha!!!

Li Zhendong laughed wildly in his heart, feeling ever more grateful for his decision that day. With such a powerful figure around, what was the measly Martial Association? Nothing! As long as the Zhennan Prince was here, who would dare to bully him? It was as if his ancestral tombs were emitting green smoke, allowing him to latch onto such a towering tree—no, a sky-piercing giant!

Liu Ruyan's expression shifted several times before she finally forced a question through her clenched teeth. "Why?"

"Don't you know exactly what your Martial Association is like?" Yang Hu immediately countered with a sneer. "And you still ask why? You have some nerve!"

"You..." Liu Ruyan glared at Yang Hu, her eyes blazing with fury.

"What? Was I wrong?"

Chen Yang waved his hand, gesturing to Liu Ruyan again. "Miss Liu, tea."

Liu Ruyan bit her lip. She eventually walked over and sat down opposite Chen Yang.

"Have some tea."

Chen Yang pushed a freshly poured cup toward her.

Liu Ruyan picked up the teacup, downed it in one gulp, and said in a grave voice, "Just tell me what I have to do for you to let the Martial Association go."

SNAP.

Chen Yang snapped his fingers and ordered Yang Hu, "Go take care of the rest of them."

"You got it!" The corners of Yang Hu's mouth curled into a wicked grin.

BOOM!

The moment he charged forward, he was like a tiger pouncing on a flock of sheep. Despite their numbers, his opponents were completely powerless to resist.

Liu Ruyan's lips twitched uncontrollably. Her fists were clenched so tight her knuckles were white, and she stared fixedly at Chen Yang.

Chen Yang met her gaze and smiled coolly. "Spare the Martial Association? That's not an option."

Liu Ruyan's face paled. "You..." Before she could finish, Chen Yang continued, "The day I arrive in Cangyun City is the day I will annihilate the Martial Association."

Liu Ruyan was speechless.

"Indeed, you hold a high status and have outstanding military achievements," she said after a moment of silence. "But destroying the Martial Association is still impossible for you! The forces backing the Association are beyond your imagination."

"If things go wrong, you could be knocked off your pedestal and become a mere commoner."

Liu Ruyan regained some of her composure, the corner of her mouth even twisting into a scornful smirk.

"Is that so?" Chen Yang poured another cup of tea for Liu Ruyan and said lightly, "But in all the things I, Chen, have set out to do, I have never once failed."

"Since I have said I will annihilate the Martial Association, then it *will* be annihilated!"

"You're arrogant," Liu Ruyan said, clutching her teacup and brushing her bangs from her eyes. "There are three great hatreds in this world: stealing a man's wife, killing a man's father, and destroying a man's livelihood. By annihilating my Martial Association, you are destroying the livelihood of all those people. Do you think they'll just stand by and watch?"

"And what if I slaughter all of them as well?"

Liu Ruyan was speechless again. She studied Chen Yang once more.

This man was simply too domineering.

"I know you want to conduct a purge, but the noble class is an institution that has been deeply rooted in this land since the dynasty's inception," Liu Ruyan said calmly. "It's not something that you, a mere Zhennan Prince, can eliminate."

Chen Yang laughed. "Miss Liu, I think you misunderstand. I have no such lofty ambitions. I merely intend to exterminate the Martial Association. Naturally, I will kill anyone who tries to stop me. That's all."

"Then let me go," Liu Ruyan said. "As long as you release me, I can pay any price."

Chen Yang's gaze swept over Liu Ruyan.

"You..." Faced with his stare, Liu Ruyan instinctively assumed he was entertaining lewd thoughts and clenched her teeth. "To think that the great Nine Gates Admiral is also such a vulgar man."

"If you want my body, you can have it, as long as you let me go." Liu Ruyan turned her head to look out the window, her hands gripping her clothes tightly.

"Sorry, I'm not interested in you," Chen Yang stated bluntly.

Liu Ruyan whipped her head back around. While a wave of relief washed over her, she also felt an instinctive pang of shock and disappointment. She had the looks and the figure. In Cangyun City, she was adored by thousands, and countless men in the Martial Association itself were infatuated with her.

And yet, this man actually said he wasn't interested in her?

Chen Yang ignored her. He glanced at the time and instructed Li Zhendong, "Headmaster Li, the auspicious time is almost here. Take Miss Liu downstairs to ring the bell."

"Yes, Lord Chen!" Li Zhendong walked over with a smile. "Miss Liu, if you please."

Liu Ruyan's expression turned ugly in an instant. "Feiyang Martial Arts School is holding its grand opening, and you want *me* to ring the bell?" she said coldly.

Wasn't that the same as asking her to trample on the Martial Association's dignity? This was an outrageous insult!

"As the Martial Association President's Chief Disciple, you're the most suitable person for the job," Chen Yang said indifferently. "Besides, why else would I have kept you alive?"

In an instant, a chill shot through Liu Ruyan, so cold it felt as if her very blood had frozen solid.

「Downstairs.」

"Look, it's Liu Ruyan! She's coming down!"

"What did I tell you? The Martial Association came fully prepared! That so-called mysterious expert is nothing but a pushover!"

"In the end, the Martial Association is still the Martial Association. They're a cut above!"

The crowd murmured in agreement.

Seeing Liu Ruyan walk down unharmed, they all naturally assumed that the Martial Association had emerged victorious from the conflict.

The sign for Feiyang Martial Arts School will have to come down now, right?

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