If anyone who knew Jiang Tianhu were to see this scene, they would undoubtedly be shocked.
The reason was simple: Jiang Tianhu was known as the number one tiger of Mingji City. In the past, it was always others who had to apologize to him—how could it ever be his turn to apologize to someone else?
Yet now, Jiang Tianhu not only bowed in apology, but even feared that Chen Feiyu would refuse it.
To be honest, Chen Feiyu was already tempted. He did not yet have a house of his own and had been living at Tang Meilian's place; this villa was precisely what he needed right now.
Just as he was about to accept it, his eyes rolled slightly, and he remained as unmoving as a mountain.
Jiang Tianhu did not dare to speak, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.
Suddenly, Xie Yongguo coughed twice.
Jiang Tianhu's expression shifted slightly. He took a bank card from his pocket, placed it on top of the keys, and said respectfully, "Mr. Chen, there are five million in here. Please do me the honor of accepting it."
Chen Feiyu still remained as unmoving as a mountain.
Jiang Tianhu's expression changed again. Gritting his teeth, he produced another bank card, placed it on top, and said respectfully, "Oh, I almost forgot, there are another ten million here, also prepared as a token of respect for Mr. Chen."
Jiang Tianhu's heart ached so much it felt like flesh was being torn from him, but he still had to maintain a pleasant smile on his face, his expression growing almost stiff.
Feeling that it was just about enough, Chen Feiyu finally broke into a broad smile, accepted the keys and the bank card, and said, "Since you're being so polite, I suppose I'll reluctantly accept them."
To think that this trip, aside from those medicinal herbs, had also yielded a villa and fifteen million for free—what a massive harvest.
Jiang Tianhu felt a wave of immense relief and let out a deep breath, only to realize that his back had actually been drenched in cold sweat.
However, Chen Feiyu's next sentence made his heart leap right back into his throat.
"Yesterday I was hauled into the police station. Did that matter have anything to do with you?"
Jiang Tianhu gave a sudden start. This overlord figure of Mingji City hurriedly explained, "Mr. Chen, it's a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding! It was all Li Tongwei scheming behind the scenes..."
After recounting Li Tongwei's plot truthfully, Jiang Tianhu cast a cautious glance at Chen Feiyu.
"Li Tongwei?" Chen Feiyu had a sudden flash of insight. Wasn't this the rich second-generation heir who had been pursuing his big wife and gotten severely beaten up by him? To think that the fellow actually dared to plot behind his back.
A sharp glint flashed across Chen Feiyu's eyes.
After agreeing to deliver the Essence-Solidifying Pills tomorrow, Chen Feiyu took his leave.
Since Han Muqing was not around, Xie Xiangxiang instructed Xie Xingxuan to drive him, and Xie Yongguo had specifically ordered them to drop Chen Feiyu off at the Gulf Villa in the suburbs.
Along the way, Xie Xingxuan kept thinking about the bet, terrified that Chen Feiyu might demand some outrageous condition. Her mind was in turmoil, and from time to time, she glared at Chen Feiyu through the rearview mirror.
Yet Chen Feiyu spent the entire trip with his eyes closed to condense his spirit, not even glancing at her once, which left her feeling slightly disappointed.
Halfway through the journey, Chen Feiyu seemed to sense something unusual. He suddenly opened his eyes, frowned, and asked, "Do you have bodyguards following you?"
Xie Xingxuan shook her head to indicate she did not, and with a hint of haughtiness, she said, "In Mingji City, no one dares to make a move against the Xie family. There's no need to bring bodyguards at all."
A thoughtful look appeared in Chen Feiyu's eyes. Suddenly, he said, "Pull over."
Xie Xingxuan instinctively slammed on the brakes, her head nearly striking the steering wheel, and snapped angrily, "Are you out of your mind?"
"Wait here for me."
Chen Feiyu directly pushed the door open and got out. He had only taken a few steps when Xie Xingxuan suddenly gritted her teeth, chased after him, and called out, "You still haven't told me the terms of the bet."
Chen Feiyu turned around and looked at Xie Xingxuan, whose exquisite and delicate figure was outlined by a cyan-white qipao. A mischievous smirk suddenly appeared at the corner of his mouth as he walked toward her. Very quickly, he arrived right in front of Xie Xingxuan, so close that the tip of his nose could catch her elegant fragrance.
"Y-You... what are you doing?" Xie Xingxuan's breathing suddenly grew somewhat shallow. Could it be... did he want to kiss her?
Overwhelmed by nervousness and shyness, her first instinct was to flee back into the car, but on second thought, she had already agreed to give Chen Feiyu one condition if she lost. If it was just a kiss, it wasn't entirely unacceptable.
Whatever Xie Xingxuan does, she honors her word just the same!
Nervously, Xie Xingxuan closed her eyes, looking as if she were prepared to face death, though her flushed cheeks and slightly trembling eyelids fully betrayed her inner shyness and tension.
The next moment turned out rather differently from what Xie Xingxuan had imagined.
Chen Feiyu did not kiss her. Instead, he reached out and pulled her into an embrace, blew a breath gently into her ear, and teased with a hint of amusement, "Once I've figured it out, I'll let you know. Be a good girl and wait for me in the car. Don't come out; I'll be right back."
It was Xie Xingxuan's first time being so intimate with a member of the opposite sex, and her earlobe was a particularly private spot. Having Chen Feiyu's warm breath blown against it made her feel her entire body go weak. If Chen Feiyu hadn't been holding her up, she probably would have lost her footing.
After releasing her, Chen Feiyu turned and walked forward as a fine drizzle began to fall from the sky.
Watching Chen Feiyu's receding back, Xie Xingxuan wore a complicated expression.
Chen Feiyu walked a certain distance forward until he reached a stone bridge. This area was rather secluded with practically no pedestrians around.
Suddenly, on the opposite side of the small bridge, a man dressed in black appeared. His gaze was cold, and his entire body radiated a fierce, biting aura; one could tell at a glance that he meant trouble.
"I don't believe we know each other. Why have you been following me?" Chen Feiyu asked, his hands shoved into his pockets, his demeanor relaxed and at ease.
Back when he was in Xie Xingxuan's car, he had already realized someone was tailing them, and that person was exuding intense murderous intent. That was why Chen Feiyu had deliberately gotten out of the car and headed to a secluded spot—all to lure the snake out of its hole.
It seemed the person tracking him was precisely the man in black before him.
The man in black said coldly, "You are nothing more than an ant from the lower classes, so naturally you wouldn't know me. I come from the provincial capital's Zhao family. To you, we are a presence as colossal as a towering behemoth."
"The provincial capital's Zhao family?"
This was already the second time Chen Feiyu had heard of the provincial capital's Zhao family.
The man in black continued, "Young Master Zhao sent me here to secretly investigate Xie Xingxuan, because she has already caught his eye. Furthermore, Young Master Zhao is a neat freak and detests having others touch his woman. Since you have embraced Xie Xingxuan, you must die!"
The man in black drew a short sword. The blade was exceptionally narrow yet razor-sharp, exuding a heavy killing intent.
The atmosphere grew heavy and tense, ready to erupt at a moment's notice.
At that exact moment, behind a willow tree not far away, a gorgeously featured young matron wore a look of profound shock.
"To think it's him. This is going to be troublesome."
Her name was Su Wanbai, and she had been dispatched by Su Yingxue to protect Chen Feiyu. She had already reached the Mid Qi Unification stage and could be considered a rare expert in her own right.
Yet at this moment, her heart sank straight to the bottom, for she had recognized that the man in black was none other than Zhao Tianlai, an elite expert of the Zhao family. Rumor had it that he had already reached the Early Nether Penetration realm and had once relied on the short sword in his hand to single-handedly take down ten special forces squads without sustaining a single injury. From then on, his reputation skyrocketed, and he earned the moniker "Zhao the Unwounded."
Now that Zhao Tianlai had made his move, Chen Feiyu was practically guaranteed to die without a doubt!
"Zhao Tianlai's cultivation is a full tier higher than mine. Even if I went up there to stall him and buy a chance for Chen Feiyu to escape, I'd likely just be throwing my life away for nothing. What on earth should I do?" Su Wanbai's heart was filled with internal conflict, and a look of despair even crept into her eyes.
On the small bridge, the rain continued to fall, showing signs of growing even heavier.
Chen Feiyu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you certain you can kill me?"
"Since I have come to kill you, you are bound to die. Remember, my name is Zhao Tianlai, also known as Zhao the Unwounded," Zhao Tianlai stated slowly, the murderous aura emanating from him growing ever more dense.
Chen Feiyu shrugged and said, "Heaven wants to rain, a mother wants to remarry, and you're hell-bent on throwing your life away—I suppose I have no choice but to grant your wish."
Zhao Tianlai flashed a look of utter contempt, because he could not sense the slightest trace of martial artist aura from Chen Feiyu whatsoever.
Dealing with an ordinary person like this would take nothing more than a single sword strike to finish them off instantly!
Wielding his sword, he stepped forward at blistering speed, kicking up countless splashes of water beneath his feet.
Chen Feiyu stood rooted to the spot, his hands still tucked in his pockets.
The next instant, Zhao Tianlai closed in on Chen Feiyu, his short sword slashing downward in an instant. A faint silver sword Qi manifested along the blade, parting the falling raindrops.
Judging solely by the momentum of this single strike, it was already several notches stronger than Leng Dao's "Twin Blades Cross Slash." He truly lived up to his reputation as an Early Nether Penetration Realm expert.
Not far away, Su Wanbai closed her eyes in despair, unable to bear watching Chen Feiyu die a wretched death beneath the sword.
Zhao Tianlai felt a surge of triumph within. It seemed his cultivation had advanced even further; this single strike was more than enough to cleave Chen Feiyu clean in two!
Suddenly, Chen Feiyu's gaze hardened. He abruptly reached out two fingers, and the aggressively imposing sword strike was shockingly caught right between his fingertips.
Zhao Tianlai's eyes widened sharply, a look of sheer disbelief crossing his face.
"Before me, you are not worthy of wielding a sword!" Chen Feiyu clenched his other hand into a fist and struck squarely against Zhao Tianlai's chest.
Zhao Tianlai let out a muffled groan as he was sent flying backward through the air. Several of his ribs shattered, and the short sword slipped from his loosened grip.
After sliding back a dozen meters or so, Zhao Tianlai finally managed to check his momentum. Suddenly, with a loud "blech," he vomited a large mouthful of fresh blood.
Su Wanbai had not heard the expected sound of a dying shriek, so she opened her eyes out of sheer curiosity and was instantly struck dumb with shock.
"Th-This... what on earth just happened? Why is Chen Feiyu completely unharmed while Zhao Tianlai is heavily injured?"
Su Wanbai suddenly felt that her brain could no longer keep up, entirely incapable of comprehending the scene before her eyes.
With the short sword in hand, Chen Feiyu walked forward at a leisurely pace and said indifferently, "Now, I'll let you witness what a true sword technique looks like."
"Who... who on earth are you?" Zhao Tianlai asked in shock.
"My name is Chen Feiyu, the one who is about to kill you." Chen Feiyu smiled indifferently, continuing his advance toward Zhao Tianlai.
Sensing the arrival of the grim reaper, Zhao Tianlai broke into a look of panic.
He himself was an expert at the Early Nether Penetration stage, particularly skilled with short swords, and possessed power capable of cleaving mountains and splitting rocks.
Yet his full-strength sword strike had been caught by Chen Feiyu with just two fingers.
Doesn't that mean Chen Feiyu's strength was far superior to his own?
Could it be that Chen Feiyu was a supreme powerhouse of the Late Nether Penetration stage?
"Damn it, I didn't investigate properly after all." Cursing viciously, Zhao Tianlai suddenly whirled around and sprinted into the distance.
"You want to escape? Do you really think it's that easy?"
With a spring of his foot that kicked up a flurry of water droplets, Chen Feiyu shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring. In the blink of an eye, moving fast enough to arrive before him despite starting behind, he closed in on Zhao Tianlai. With a single downward sweep of his sword, Zhao Tianlai's right arm was cleanly hacked off.
Zhao Tianlai let out a miserable shriek as blood spurted from his severed stump, only to be kicked down into the mud by Chen Feiyu, his entire body soaked in blood and rain.
"Y-You can't kill me! If you kill me, the provincial capital's Zhao family will definitely avenge me! When that time comes, you won't even find a place to be buried!" Zhao Tianlai threatened viciously.
"The provincial capital's Zhao family? They are more than welcome to try and avenge you. Once they provoke me, Chen Feiyu, I don't care if it's the Zhao family or the Wang family—I will wipe them all into oblivion!" Chen Feiyu said with a playful smirk. "I already said, heaven wants to rain, a mother wants to remarry, and since you're dead set on throwing your life away, there's nothing I can do. I can only fulfill your wish."
With that, Chen Feiyu closed in. The short sword in his hand moved as though imbued with a spirit of its own, its sword momentum shifting like an antelope hanging its horns by its horns from a tree—leaving no traces to be tracked.
Wherever the flashing sword light passed, deep, bone-abrading gashes opened up across Zhao Tianlai's body, blood gushing ceaselessly and staining the surrounding rainwater a deep red.
Su Wanbai was completely dumbfounded. Zhao Tianlai, who was revered by others as "Zhao the Unwounded," was being toyed with and utterly brutalized by Chen Feiyu.
Aside from a Late Nether Penetration realm powerhouse, who else could possibly possess such formidable capability?
Could it be that Chen Feiyu, despite his youth, was already an expert of the Late Nether Penetration realm?
Su Wanbai was thoroughly shaken to her core.
With one final sword stroke from Chen Feiyu that slit Zhao Tianlai's throat, the expert who had single-handedly defeated ten special forces squads without injury met his absolute end at Chen Feiyu's hands.
"If word of this battle gets out, Chen Feiyu's name will undoubtedly shake the entire region. However, since he killed someone from the provincial capital's Zhao family, they certainly won't let the matter rest," Su Wanbai worried aloud.
Suddenly, she noticed Chen Feiyu's figure vanish from the spot, taking her completely by surprise.
"Who are you, and why have you been tailing me?"
The next instant, Chen Feiyu's voice rang out right behind her like a ghost's whisper.
Startled, Su Wanbai whipped around to look.
Before she could process it properly, a blur crossed her vision, and her throat was already caught in Chen Feiyu's grip.
Subjugated in a single move!
At that moment, Su Wanbai felt the suffocating threat of death, and cold sweat broke out instantly.
Having already discarded the short sword, Chen Feiyu kept one hand tucked in his pocket while his other hand clamped around Su Wanbai's neck.
Taking in Su Wanbai's exquisite and alluring face, Chen Feiyu felt a mild sense of surprise. Coupled with the fact that she was wearing a red qipao that revealed her fair, slender legs, she appeared all the more seductive and captivating.
"A beauty like you, tailing me all this time—could it be that you've taken a fancy to me?" Chen Feiyu chuckled, reaching out to stroke Su Wanbai's pretty leg.
A look of humiliation flashed across Su Wanbai's eyes, and she blurted out, "I... I was sent by Miss Su Yingxue to protect you."
"Uh..."
Chen Feiyu was dumbstruck, his hand pausing mid-air. To think that he had just been flirting with the person sent by his own big wife.
Releasing his grip, he laughed awkwardly, "A misunderstanding. So you're one of us."
Having just regained her freedom, Su Wanbai coughed painfully a couple of times, dragged in a large mouthful of fresh air, and then glared fiercely at Chen Feiyu.
Chen Feiyu awkwardly asked, "You said you were sent by my big wife—what is this all about?"
Curious as she was as to why Chen Feiyu referred to Su Yingxue as his big wife, Su Wanbai didn't dare press the matter and could only answer honestly, "Because you've just arrived and have already offended Li Tongwei, Miss was worried you might run into danger and sent me to keep a quiet watch over you."
Of course, she left out the part about reporting Chen Feiyu's whereabouts at any given moment to see if he could build a successful career on his own.
That detail wasn't something Su Wanbai found easy to elaborate on.
With a peculiar expression, Chen Feiyu remarked, "My big wife may look frosty on the outside, but she's actually quite nice to me."
Su Wanbai lowered her gaze and remained silent, though her heart was already churning with turbulent waves.
*My dear eldest miss,* she thought, *if you had known Chen Feiyu was this monstrously strong, why on earth did you send me to protect him? It's more like *he* should be protecting *me*!*
Musing to herself, Chen Feiyu said, "Go back and tell Su Yingxue that there's no need for her people to follow me around anymore." With that, Chen Feiyu turned and strode away, vanishing into the misty, drizzle-laden haze.
"Miss, oh Miss, you simply must hold onto him—Chen Feiyu is a genuine hidden dragon," Su Wanbai muttered with a sigh. Then, her eyes rolling, she added, "Still, this young master of ours is certainly bold enough; he even dares to kill people from the Zhao family. I suppose I'd better help him dispose of Zhao Tianlai's body to stall the Zhao family for a little longer."
Riding in Xie Xingxuan's luxury car, Chen Feiyu arrived at the Gulf Villa gifted by Jiang Tianhu, after which Xie Xingxuan fled as if escaping for her life.
Although he already knew this villa would undoubtedly be high-end, Chen Feiyu was still thoroughly awed upon stepping inside.
A four-story standalone mega-villa accompanied by a two-story underground mega-garage—it spanned at least ten thousand square meters. The living room featured authentic calligraphy and paintings by various Ming and Qing dynasty masters, striking a balance between opulent grandeur and elegant refinement.
Standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor, one could even catch sight of the vast distant ocean, instantly refreshing both body and mind.
"No wonder Jiang Tianhu managed to become a local overlord; his generosity is certainly formidable. A property like this villa must have cost tens of millions at the very least. Tsk tsk."
Chen Feiyu first called Tang Meilian to let her know he had found a place outside and would be moving out from now on. After Tang Meilian offered a few words of concern and told him to come over for a meal in a few days, the two hung up.
Carrying the medicinal herbs into the bedroom, Chen Feiyu began refining pills.
Ever since he was a child, he had relied on various rare medicinal pills to supplement his martial arts training. However, precious herbs were difficult to come by, and by now, nearly all the herbs on the mountain had been consumed by him, causing his cultivation to hit a bottleneck. That was why he had no choice but to come down the mountain to search for rare herbs and refine pills to aid his breakthrough.
On the other hand, alchemy was his specialty, surpassing even his medical skills.
"Lacking Cyan Jade Ganoderma, Fire Essence Grass, and Heavenly Heart Fruit... well, nothing can be done about it; I'll just have to make do with what I have and try my luck. Hopefully, I can refine some 'Mystic Yang Pills'."
With that, Chen Feiyu arranged the required herbs in front of him, then drew a bronze little tripod from his bosom. The surface was engraved with the textures of the sun, moon, and stars, making it look archaic and profound.
The *Celestial-Martial Synthesis Art* he practiced inherently utilized the pure Yang Qi of heaven and earth for his own use, so naturally, it could also extract the vital essence contained within medicinal herbs.
"Heaven and earth intersect, dual phenomena merge into truth, Yin and Yang descend in Qi, corresponding above to the Nine Mysteries, flowing elixir through nine revolutions, condensing Qi into essence."
Sitting cross-legged, Chen Feiyu condensed his spirit and chanted the incantation.
Wisp after wisp of cyan Qi could be seen rising from the herbs laid out before him, converging into the bronze little tripod, where it swirled and misted within the vessel.
Channeling the internal Qi within his body, Chen Feiyu caused the bronze little tripod to levitate in mid-air while a blazing ball of fire spontaneously ignited beneath it.
A short while later, with the heat timing perfected, the rich medicinal fragrance transformed into white, tangible wisps of vapor that permeated the entire bedroom, refreshing anyone who breathed it in.
"Inhaling the essence of sun and moon, running the marvels of the twin aspects, supreme treasured wonder, giving birth to the divine elixir!"
Forming hand seals with both hands, Chen Feiyu extinguished the flames. At the same time, the dense medicinal Qi filling the room was drawn into the tripod like a giant whale swallowing water, condensing into twelve crimson-red pills.
Just looking at the quality of the pills was enough to feel the boundless vitality contained within them.
Yet a trace of disappointment flashed in Chen Feiyu's eyes as he frowned, muttering, "As expected, I overestimated myself. Lacking a few key ingredients, the Mystic Yang Pills still couldn't be refined. Still, although this batch is a failed product, it should be more than enough to cure Uncle Zhong's stubborn affliction."
Chen Feiyu decided to name this batch of failed products "Lesser Mystic Yang Pills."
The reason they were called Lesser Mystic Yang Pills was because compared to true Mystic Yang Pills, their efficacy fell short by more than a hundredfold, rendering them of little use to Chen Feiyu himself.
After casually refining some more Essence-Solidifying Pills, Chen Feiyu tossed a Lesser Mystic Yang Pill into his mouth and began meditating to cultivate. Though it wouldn't help him break through, it was still better than nothing.
The next morning, after requesting another day off from Tang Meilian, Chen Feiyu called Han Muqing and asked her to come pick him up.
Han Muqing had no idea Chen Feiyu had moved into the Gulf Villa. When she arrived at the designated address provided by Chen Feiyu, she was thoroughly startled.
As the general manager of Mingji Trade Building for three years—and now its president—her combined annual salary over all those years wouldn't even be enough to buy a single villa like this. Yet Chen Feiyu had managed to secure one in just a few short days. Truly, comparing people only made one want to die of frustration.