The Martial Association's crushing defeat in Lingjin City was a grievous loss.

As the disciple of the Association President, how could Zhang Kun not know? The very reason he came to Tianque City instead of Lingjin City was to avoid that ruthless man who slaughtered Martial Association members like dogs, wasn't it? But now... that very person had appeared right before his eyes?

OH!

Zhang Kun's expression filled with horror, and his limbs grew stiff. The others at the scene, after a moment of shock, all revealed strange expressions. They were stunned, naturally, because Chen Yang had dared to kill members of the Martial Association so brazenly. It clearly meant he intended to fight the Martial Association to the end. What they found amusing was that the blustering Zhang Kun had hit a brick wall. His current expression was truly laughable.

Zhang Kun was in a predicament he couldn't voice. This was more than hitting a brick wall; it was like kicking the tip of a blade. Even his senior sister, Liu Ruyan, died at this man's hands. The crucial part was that Liu Ruyan had been accompanied by two Nine-Bag Elders! This...

GULP.

Zhang Kun swallowed hard, the hair on his body standing on end. He stood frozen to the spot, caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat.

"What is your position in the Martial Association?" Chen Yang asked indifferently.

"I... I'm just a..."

Zhang Kun had intended to say that he was just an ordinary disciple of the Martial Association. But upon seeing a flash in Chen Yang's eyes, Zhang Kun, who had just opened his mouth, suddenly felt his heart seize. It was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over his head, sending an uncontrollable shiver through his body.

This... this is killing intent!

That gaze was calm and direct, simply staring straight at him. In an instant, Zhang Kun felt as if a fishbone were stuck in his throat, unable to speak. A sharp, prickling pain spread over his entire body, as if he were being stared down by the Grim Reaper himself.

Chen Yang smiled. "You appear quite distinguished. You must hold an extraordinary position in the Martial Association, right?"

Zhang Kun turned his head away, not daring to make a sound.

However, the middle-aged man beside him spoke with booming confidence, "Who are you trying to fool? Do you take us all for idiots?"

The remaining old man had a mocking smile on his lips as he stared at Chen Yang. "Let's be blunt. You're younger than our Young Master by a few years—not even thirty—yet you killed so many experts from our Martial Association? Could it be you've already reached the Thirteenth-Grade, a Thousand-Faced Yama? You learned that our Martial Association suffered losses in Lingjin City and thought you could scare us by impersonating that scoundrel?"

The middle-aged man scoffed repeatedly. "I have to say, you have some clever tricks, but you're far too naive and foolish."

His words did hold some truth. After all, a Thousand-Faced Yama under the age of thirty was completely unheard of, an unprecedented feat. In fact, the consensus within the Martial Association was that their opponent had to be some powerful old monster with profound cultivation.

Chen Yang took out a cigarette and, in front of everyone, slowly lit it. His movements were elegant, his demeanor calm and confident. He showed no intention of replying to the middle-aged man's reasonable questions. His silence now was all the more unsettling.

Zhang Kun's expression shifted several times before he finally said coldly, "What a convincing act. I was almost fooled."

Though his words were harsh, his brows were knitted tightly together. He stared intently at Chen Yang, as if trying to find any trace of pretense in his eyes. Even a tiny bit of nervousness would be enough. But no... the man before him was as still as a mountain, his indifference and composure like solid rock.

Chen Yang exhaled a cloud of smoke. "From the very beginning," he said lightly, "none of you asked me why I killed them. You went straight to demanding my life. Isn't that a bit unreasonable?"

"A life for a life. That has always been the way of the Martial Association!" the middle-aged man declared proudly.

"So you mean the Martial Association can kill others, but others can't fight back and must simply wait to be killed?"

"Of course!" the middle-aged man said coldly. "How exalted is the Martial Association's status? How precious are its members?"

His words were utterly tyrannical and unreasonable. Chen Yang laughed but didn't speak. He simply raised his hand and swung his open palm toward the middle-aged man.

"Hmph!" The middle-aged man sneered, taking a fierce step forward and aiming a clenched fist straight for Chen Yang's chest.

BOOM!

With a sudden explosive sound, the middle-aged man crashed headfirst to the ground.

The middle-aged man was stunned. Zhang Kun was speechless.

"You... you..." The middle-aged man stared at Chen Yang, his eyes wide with disbelief. I'm a Twelfth-Grade master, yet he casually slapped me to the ground? Thirteenth-Grade... a Thousand-Faced Yama! How is this possible?!

Chen Yang wiped the blood from his hand, still staring at the middle-aged man. "I am quite curious," he said, "how exactly are people from your Martial Association more precious than others?"

The middle-aged man spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then collapsed, motionless.

He was dead.

HISS...

Zhang Kun drew a sharp breath, his gaze fixed on Chen Yang as if he were looking at a ferocious beast. "You... you..."

"Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Chen Yang said with a smile.

His words were an undeniable answer to their doubts about his power.

The nearby old man's wrinkled face went through several changes of expression. Finally, he clenched his jaw, turned, and bolted. He was only a Twelfth-Grade master; staying here was a death sentence.

WHOOSH!

His speed was like a flash of lightning.

Chen Yang flicked his finger.

WHIZ!

Accompanied by a sharp whistle, a streak of violet-gold light shot out and pierced the old man's heart from behind. After stumbling forward a few steps, he collapsed unwillingly in the doorway.

Everyone, not just Zhang Kun, was deeply shaken by Chen Yang's formidable power and decisive, ruthless actions. Those were masters from the Martial Association, not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry. To be annihilated with a wave of his hand and a flick of his finger?

HISS!

For a moment, the entire activity center fell as silent as a tomb. Apart from the sound of sharp intakes of breath, everyone stood frozen like statues.

"Now I'll tell you why my son associates with the Ten Thousand Martial Guards." Ren Tong righted the small table, picked up the chessboard, and placed it back on top. As he gathered the scattered pieces from the floor, he continued, "It's because my son is the Zhennan Prince."

Zhang Kun's expression changed drastically. This... this... His legs began to tremble, and his face turned deathly pale.

BANG!

Zhang Kun, arrogant for more than two decades, slammed to his knees. He lowered his head, hands clutching desperately at his clothes, and stammered, "Spare... spare my life!"

"Are there any other Martial Association members in Tianque City besides you?" Chen Yang asked indifferently as he stubbed out his cigarette.

"Yes, there are!" Seeing a glimmer of hope, Zhang Kun shot his head up and spoke with frantic energy. "After facing resistance in Lingjin City, the Martial Association established a new branch here! It's on the first floor of the Silver Building on Jinjia Road! Please, I beg you, spare my life!"

THUD.

Chen Yang kicked out.

Like a ragdoll, Zhang Kun flew out of the doorway, his blood staining the snow.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.