"Bai Ruobing hurried to explain, fearing that Chen Bufan might suspect her motives.
Afraid that I'll be in danger? Chen Bufan smiled, not knowing how to respond.
In all of Dongzhou, there was not a single person capable of putting him in danger!
"Are you afraid I'll be killed and won't be able to help you?"
"To be frank, even without that, I still wouldn't want Mr. Chen to meet with any accidents. Zhennan Mansion claims to be the top force in Dongzhou, with ten halls operating under it, all determined to dominate the entire southern region. I don't want someone as extraordinary as Mr. Chen to have his promising future ruined by Zhennan Mansion." Bai Ruobing's expression was serious, her beautiful phoenix eyes and almond-shaped eyes fixed intently on Chen Bufan.
Being stared at like this by a great beauty would have unsettled ordinary men long ago, but Chen Bufan remained completely unfazed.
There are such things as pure good intentions in this world, but Bai Ruobing certainly did not possess them.
"Thank you for the warning, Miss Bai. If Zhennan Mansion really dares to come after me, I wouldn't mind wiping out their other nine halls and reducing Zhennan Mansion to ashes!" Chen Bufan said coldly, his gaze resolute.
Uncle Hui took a deep breath and couldn't help saying, "Mr. Chen, I know you are very formidable, and your strength surpasses mine, but Zhennan Mansion is the premier force in Dongzhou. They are not as weak as you think!"
Bai Ruobing's expression also shifted slightly, startled by Chen Bufan's words.
Destroying a single hall of Zhennan Mansion was already astonishing enough; for Chen Bufan to talk about wiping out the entire Zhennan Mansion was simply unheard of!
"In your eyes, am I that weak?" Chen Bufan glanced at Uncle Hui.
"That's not what I meant," Uncle Hui explained.
"Uncle Hui," Bai Ruobing warned with a look.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Chen. I spoke out of turn," Uncle Hui apologized.
They were counting on Mr. Chen to help the Bai family—he couldn't afford to offend him!
"From your perspective, you didn't say anything wrong. There's no need to apologize to me," Chen Bufan said indifferently.
"Regardless, I truly don't want Mr. Chen to meet with any mishaps. If you need any help, I am willing to represent the entire Bai family and offer our full support!" Bai Ruobing said sincerely.
"Thank you, but there's no need." Chen Bufan smiled. They had no deep friendship, and accepting help from others required something in return.
Besides, given his abilities, why would he ever need outside help?
"It's almost noon. I need to make lunch for Sisi. Would the two of you like to stay for a simple meal?"
He was giving them the hint to leave!
Bai Ruobing could hardly overstay her welcome.
"Then we won't disturb you any longer. I'll have a chance to treat Mr. Chen to a meal later." With that, she left with Uncle Hui.
"Sister Bai, why don't you stay for lunch before leaving?" Sisi walked up to Bai Ruobing and said shyly.
"..." Chen Bufan felt a row of black lines cross his forehead. The awkward one now was him.
Bai Ruobing beamed and pulled Sisi into a hug. "Thank you, little one, but I'm afraid of being a bother to others."
"Sisi, you shouldn't call her sister. You should call her auntie," Chen Bufan corrected.
"Why? Aren't only married people called auntie?" Sisi asked with a curious tilt of her head, looking at Bai Ruobing. "Sister Bai, are you married?"
"Nope. I suppose no one finds this sister attractive enough."
"Sister is so pretty, could there really be anyone who wouldn't like her?" Sisi asked, puzzled.
"Hehe~" Bai Ruobing was amused into a giggle.
"Daddy, Sister isn't married, so why can't I call her sister?"
At a loss for words, Chen Bufan improvised, "It's not polite."
"It's fine, not impolite at all. I give you permission to call me that," Bai Ruobing said happily.
"Alright, Sister has to go now. Goodbye!"
"Sister, when will we see you again?" Sisi asked, acting quite attached. She really liked this pretty older sister.
"Sister is moving tomorrow, and it just happens to be in this same residential complex. If you're ever bored, you can come find me to play anytime," Bai Ruobing said.
"Yay!" Sisi cheered happily.
"You're moving into our complex?" Chen Bufan asked in surprise.
"I can't live in a hotel forever. I might as well rent a place first. If Mr. Chen doesn't like it, I can look somewhere else," Bai Ruobing said with a smile.
She really has latched onto me... Chen Bufan gave a wry smile.
"Where you live is your freedom; I have no right to interfere."
"That's good then." Bai Ruobing smiled, then waved to Sisi. "Goodbye!"
After Bai Ruobing and Uncle Hui left, Chen Bufan tapped Sisi lightly on the head, truly left between laughter and tears by the little rascal.
"Is your Sister Bai really that pretty?"
Sisi nodded earnestly.
Being a child, her thoughts were entirely pure; who she was willing to get close to depended entirely on her first impression.
"Still not as pretty as Mommy, though."
"That's right, your mouth knows what to say. If Mommy heard that, she'd be thrilled," Chen Bufan said affectionately.
"Does Daddy like Sister Bai?" Sisi suddenly asked.
Good grief... Chen Bufan gave a start.
Why on earth would he like Bai Ruobing!
Realizing a second later, however, that Sisi's definition of "like" was likely different from his own.
"Sisi, whether Daddy likes her or not, remember this: don't ever ask a question like that in front of Mommy next time," Chen Bufan quickly cautioned.
If Yurou found out, it would probably cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
...
That same day, Chen Bufan summoned Canglong.
"Canglong, keep an eye on the movements of Zhennan Mansion. If they send people to Liyang, be sure to capture at least one alive. I want to interrogate them myself!"
He wasn't afraid of Zhennan Mansion, but he needed to find out from someone within their ranks who exactly wanted him dead.
"Understood!" Canglong nodded and immediately departed.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Dongzhou, at the headquarters of Zhennan Mansion, a young man stood in the main hall and volunteered himself.
"Dad, let me lead a team to Liyang!"
The speaker was none other than the Young Mansion Master of Zhennan Mansion, Murong Lei!
Having recently returned from studying abroad, he was eager to enter the core circle of Zhennan Mansion and desperately needed to achieve some merit so the old-timers would respect him.
At the head of the hall sat a middle-aged man dressed in a black Zhongshan suit, with a full head of silver hair and an aura of natural authority that commanded respect without anger.
This man was the Mansion Master of Zhennan Mansion, Murong Lei's father, Murong Ye—a top-tier heavyweight of the Eastern Territory, a terrifying figure whose mere stamp of the foot could make the entire Eastern Territory shake thrice!
"What are your thoughts on this?" Murong Ye asked the elders.
"Since the Young Mansion Master has the heart for it, let him try. After all, wiping out a remnant of the Chen family doesn't warrant the Mansion Master taking action personally!"
"Very well!" Murong Ye nodded.
"Murong Lei, hear my order! I command you to take men to Liyang immediately and execute Chen Bufan!"
"Remember, make it thorough. Leave no one related to him alive, and leave no trace of evidence behind!"
"Will do!" Murong Lei accepted decisively, licking his lips in excitement.
Chapter Thirty-Six: Heard You're Here to Execute Me?
Instantly, Zhennan Mansion mobilized a thousand men from its remaining nine halls and dispatched them to Liyang for Murong Lei's command.
They also deployed the Shadow Guards from headquarters—the absolute trump card of Zhennan Mansion, a squad of elite assassins trained in secret for many years!
The Twelve Shadow Guards were akin to twelve sharp blades, truly invincible and unstoppable, a force incomparable to Kirin Hall's five hundred blade-wielders!
To put it bluntly, the deployment of the Twelve Shadow Guards could wipe out those five hundred blade-wielders in total silence!
Zhennan Mansion had relied on the Shadow Guards in the past to eliminate a slate of enemies, striking fear into all factions across Dongzhou.
Who dared act rashly? Once they offended Zhennan Mansion and the Shadow Guards were unleashed, you wouldn't even know how you died!
Murong Lei was also startled. To support him in killing Chen Bufan, they had actually mobilized the Shadow Guards for his use—what an extravagant move!
"With the Shadow Guards accompanying me, killing Chen Bufan will be a walk in the park. Flattening all of Liyang won't even be a problem!"
"Chen Bufan, I, Murong Lei, am coming for you! You destroyed the Kirin Hall of my Zhennan Mansion—prepare to meet your death!"
Little did he know, every move of his was already under the surveillance of the God of War Temple.
Canglong delivered the information to Chen Bufan without a moment's delay.
"Reporting to the Temple Master, Zhennan Mansion has indeed dispatched people. The one leading them is the Young Mansion Master himself, Murong Lei. He returned from studying overseas and has been in Zhennan Mansion for two years. Coming to Liyang this time is likely an attempt to use the credit of killing you to boost his own prestige..."
Every detail regarding Murong Lei was laid bare before Chen Bufan without a single omission.
After finishing his report, Canglong handed over a photograph. It was Murong Lei.
In the picture, Murong Lei had wolf-like eyes, thin lips, and a gloomy expression. He was clearly no saint.
"At the same time, members of the God of War Temple have also monitored that Zhennan Mansion has mobilized a thousand men from the other nine halls to fully assist Murong Lei!"
"How impressive, mobilizing all nine halls!" Chen Bufan gave a cold scoff, then clenched his hand into a fist and opened it again. Murong Lei's photo turned into fine dust, scattering in the wind.
"One comes, one dies; a thousand come, a thousand die. Liyang will become a graveyard for every single one of them!"
After reporting this news, the background check on Bai Ruobing had also yielded results, which Canglong immediately briefed him on.
Chen Bufan nodded upon hearing it; it was essentially identical to what Lei Tiansheng had told him, but that was not his primary focus at the moment.
"How are the inquiries going regarding Zhang Taishan, whom I asked you to look into?"
Ever since Lei Tiansheng told him that Liyang's number one expert was Xing Ao's master, Zhang Taishan, Chen Bufan had instructed Canglong to investigate him.
"Liyang's top expert is indeed Zhang Taishan. He lives in seclusion at the Wolong Studio in the suburbs, known as Master Wolong, specializing in swordsmanship and feng shui. He once proclaimed himself the number one swordsman of Liyang! Roughly ten years ago, he took Xing Ao as his disciple and taught him some martial arts."
"Not only the top expert of Liyang, but also its top swordsman. I'm quite interested in seeing him for myself," Chen Bufan said with anticipation.
Yet one thing puzzled him.
Ever since Lei Tiansheng revealed that Xing Ao was Zhang Taishan's disciple, Chen Bufan had been waiting these past few days for Zhang Taishan to show up at his door. After all, what master wouldn't avenge his disciple—especially his sole closed-door disciple?
Yet Zhang Taishan had never appeared, which was why he had asked Canglong to investigate today.
"Is Zhang Taishan not at Wolong Studio?" Chen Bufan asked.
"Hard to confirm!" Canglong shook his head. "Zhang Taishan lives in solitude among the mountains and rarely shows his face. I can go test the waters right away if you wish."
"Not yet," Chen Bufan said. "Let's take things one at a time. First, let's deal with the Young Mansion Master who has traveled from afar!"
"Understood!" Canglong replied, immediately ordering his men to continue monitoring the movements of Murong Lei's party.
A day later, the thousand men dispatched by the nine halls of Zhennan Mansion arrived in Liyang and rendezvoused!
Young Mansion Master Murong Lei, accompanied by the Twelve Shadow Guards, also landed at Liyang Airport.
Meanwhile, a steady stream of intelligence was delivered by Canglong to Chen Bufan.
"Temple Master, Murong Lei has arrived in Liyang!"
"Reporting to the Temple Master, Murong Lei has successfully rendezvoused with the thousand men and is currently gathering intelligence on you!"
...
"Reporting to the Temple Master, Murong Lei has checked into Tianhu Resort Village and is expected to make a move tonight!"
When the final piece of intelligence arrived, Chen Bufan finally made his move.
"Time's up. Let's go meet this Young Mansion Master!"
That evening, as dusk deepened, a sedan departed from Yunlu Academy and quietly headed toward Tianhu Resort Village!
At seven o'clock in the evening, in the internal gardens of Tianhu Resort Village, Murong Lei had just finished bathing and climbed out of the pool.
A scantily clad, sultry beauty nearby handed him a bathrobe.
After putting on his clothes, Murong Lei sat in a rattan chair and leisurely sipped a glass of red wine.
Standing around him were numerous subordinates, including all twelve Shadow Guards lying low in the shadows. The entire resort village had been booked out, and men from Zhennan Mansion were stationed everywhere.
When Murong Lei finished his red wine, the sultry beauty promptly handed him a cigar and personally lit it for him.
"Huu..." Murong Lei took a refreshing puff of the cigar, then gave his subordinates their orders. "Rest up a bit. We move at midnight. I want you to bring Chen Bufan to me alive!"
"Yes, Young Mansion Master!"
"Also, I hear Chen Bufan's wife is very beautiful. Don't kill her—bring her back as well. I'd like to see just how gorgeous Liyang's top beauty really is." A sinister smile crept onto his lips as he said this.
"Of all people to cross, why pick Zhennan Mansion? Isn't that just courting death? Even if you're the king of Liyang, I'll still hack you down!"
"Reporting to the Young Mansion Master, someone is crashing through the gates in a vehicle!"
At that moment, a subordinate shouted loudly.
Before Murong Lei could even react, *boom*—the massive front gates shattered instantly as if crushed by a tank, and even the surrounding walls collapsed amidst a billowing cloud of dust.
A single figure stood imposingly in the doorway, towering like a mountain, a presence that could only be looked up to with awe.
"Who the hell are you?" Murong Lei demanded in shock.
"I heard someone wanted to execute me?" the newcomer asked indifferently.
*Bang, bang, bang!!!*
The moment his voice fell, a series of muffled thuds echoed out. Dozens of men instantly collapsed to the ground, having already stopped breathing.
"Hiss..."
Seeing this, everyone present was struck with terror.
Even Murong Lei was startled, his heart pounding wildly.
From his subordinate's warning to the moment these men were killed took only a matter of seconds!
The men of Zhennan Mansion were not ordinary citizens; they were thoroughly trained, yet they had offered zero resistance.
The newcomer was terrifyingly fierce!
"Chen Bufan!" Murong Lei stared at the figure in the doorway, gritting his teeth. There was no need to ask; he knew who it was. He never expected that the moment he arrived in Liyang, his target would come knocking on his door.
"How did you know my movements?"
"When the Young Mansion Master of Zhennan Mansion makes a move, naturally someone is paying attention," Chen Bufan said coldly.
"You've been monitoring me in secret?" Murong Lei frowned. His trip to Liyang with his men was supposed to be a top-secret operation—how had word leaked?
"Good thing you're here. It saves me the trouble of hunting you down. You wiped out the Kirin Hall under my Zhennan Mansion—how do you plan to settle this score?"
"Settle accounts with me? Do you even have the qualifications?" Chen Bufan asked coldly, hands clasped behind his back, standing there like an immortal king radiating boundless light.
"Haha!!!" Murong Lei suddenly burst into wild laughter.
"Someone actually asked if the Young Mansion Master of Zhennan Mansion has the qualifications! Let me tell you the truth: I brought a thousand men with me. Right here, outside, and lurking in the shadows—they are all my qualifications. Tell me, Chen Bufan, what do you have to fight me with?"
*Swish!* Just at that moment, a figure flashed swiftly, appearing instantly before Chen Bufan.
"Reporting to the Temple Master, everyone lurking in the shadows has been completely eliminated!"
Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Direct Sweep!
"Are you joking?" Murong Lei's expression changed drastically.
The thousand men sent by the nine halls were all lying in ambush around Yunlu Resort Village, yet in just a few short minutes, the other party claimed they had all been taken care of? What a shameless bluff!
"Don't believe it? Try calling your men and see," Chen Bufan said coldly.
"I've seen people courting death, but never someone in such a desperate rush to descend into hell. I'll grant your wish!" Murong Lei's anger flared, and he roared fiercely, "All personnel, show yourselves!"
In the silent night, there was no response.
Murong Lei's voice sounded exceptionally hollow.
"I said all of you, come out! Stop hiding!" Murong Lei shouted again.
Still, no response!
At that moment, a figure clad in black hurried up to Murong Lei—one of the Shadow Guards.
"Young Mansion Master, our men have all been killed!"
As he spoke, fear was plain in the eyes of this Shadow Guard.
Over a thousand men! Yet all of them had been wiped out without the guards even realizing what was happening—it was simply unthinkable!
"What did you say?" Unable to believe it, Murong Lei rushed outside.
When he stepped out of the villa and saw the scene before him, he was instantly dumbfounded!
An endless sea of figures dressed in black stood like silent statues, exuding an icy aura that oppressed the surrounding eight directions.
He could swear on his life: these were not the men of Zhennan Mansion, but an entirely unfamiliar group of people!
"How do you like the hospitality I've shown as the host?"
Chen Bufan's voice came from behind. Murong Lei felt his entire body turn ice-cold, an absolute chill pouring straight into his chest as if he had swallowed a lump of ice.
These men... were brought by Chen Bufan!
Which meant their ability to appear here proved that the thousand men sent by the nine halls had already met a grim fate...
At this realization, he spun around abruptly and issued a roaring order.
"Kill them!"
There was no time to ask questions; he had to eliminate Chen Bufan immediately, or else the one who died would undoubtedly be him.
That intense sense of crisis made Murong Lei smell the scent of death!
The twelve Shadow Guards, along with dozens of internal members, moved instantly, charging toward Chen Bufan and his companion.
"I said it before: one comes, one dies; a thousand come, a thousand die. No one escapes!" Chen Bufan declared coldly, moving instantly to slaughter his way through them.
Canglong followed closely behind.
*Bang, bang, bang!!!*
The dozens of ordinary subordinates were utterly incapable of blocking the two men and were quickly knocked flat.
As for the twelve Shadow Guards, they offered stubborn resistance.
Even though they weren't dead yet, Murong Lei was already breaking out in a cold sweat.
Because being killed was only a matter of time!
Chen Bufan was far too fierce, his body moving like a coiling dragon as he wove through the crowd.
*"Crack~"*
*"Bang!"*
Any Shadow Guard who engaged him in combat failed to survive the next second, crashing instantly to the ground.
The Twelve Shadow Guards were indeed formidable; any single one of them possessed strength surpassing Xing Ao's.
Pity that what they encountered was Chen Bufan—the God of War Temple Master Chen Bufan, bearing the title of the peerless War God, a man who had once forced global powers to their knees!
What capability did twelve mere Shadow Guards cultivated by Zhennan Mansion have to withstand his onslaught?
"Go to hell!" One Shadow Guard suddenly drew a sword, slashing savagely at Chen Bufan. The blade flashed, illuminating the night.
Chen Bufan did not retreat an inch, launching a direct, frontal punch.
*Bang! Crack!*
The sharp blade snapped in two on the spot. The swordsman stood dumbfounded, staring incredulously at the two broken halves in his hand.
To shatter a sharp sword with bare fists alone—was he even human?
*"Boom!"*
Before the man could react, another punch struck him dead center in the chest, sending him flying instantly with every single rib shattered!
The remaining men were struck with absolute terror.
Too terrifying—they simply weren't human at all!!!
The proud elite assassins cultivated by Zhennan Mansion actually found the thought of fleeing creeping into their minds at this moment.
And they acted on it immediately!
*Swish! Swish!*
Before they could run even a few meters, several streaks of cold light flashed through the air.
Their necks grew suddenly cool, followed by a rush of warmth as blood sprayed wildly.
*Bang, bang, bang!!!*
Shadow Guard after Shadow Guard collapsed to the earth.
Three minutes later, not a single one of the Twelve Shadow Guards remained.