"He Chao laughed and apologized, but looking at him, where was there any sincerity in that apology?"
Zhou Ruohua had never felt so comfortable.
Stinking loser, let's see you put on airs now!
Suddenly, with a loud "clang," the private room door was pushed open, and two men walked in, reeking of alcohol.
It turned out to be Brother She and the bald man whom Chen Tianyang had encountered earlier in the mall.
Since Chen Tianyang and Lin Yaoyao had their backs to the two men, they did not recognize Chen Tianyang.
He Chao stood up, frowned, and said, "Mister, did you walk into the wrong room?"
Brother She had indeed walked into the wrong room and was just about to back out, but upon seeing Qin Xinran and Zhou Ruohua, his burning desire flared up unmasked. Deciding to play along, he said, "Little girl, our boss has taken a fancy to you. How about having a drink with our boss?"
The expressions of He Chao, Zhao Jun, and the other three changed instantly. Zhou Ruohua and Qin Xinran were their dates; now, right in front of them, someone was trying to steal their women. Any man would find this intolerable.
The faces of Zhou Ruohua and Qin Xinran turned pale with anger.
He Chao's expression grew gloomy as he said, "Listen here, we are people you can't afford to offend. If you leave right now, I can pretend this never happened, otherwise..."
Brother She let out a sinister, cold laugh. "Damn it, you actually dare to threaten me? Let me tell you, if you don't let this little chick come drink with our boss today, none of you are leaving this place."
Zhao Jun was the soccer team captain with the most explosive temper, and he had always harbored deep feelings for Qin Xinran. Now that his goddess was being insulted, how could he possibly hold back? He immediately kicked out, knocking Brother She to the ground, and cursed, "Damn it, you're asking for a beating!"
Seeing this, He Chao and Li Jianfeng didn't hold back either, and both waded into the fray.
Although Brother She and the bald man could fight, they were already drunk and light-headed, and coupled with being heavily outnumbered, they were quickly knocked to the ground and fled with their tails between their legs, though Brother She shot a fierce glare before leaving.
Chen Tianyang smiled with amusement.
"Damn it, they're lucky they ran fast, otherwise I would have crippled them for sure," Zhao Jun said, still holding a grudge.
Qin Xinran said with concern, "They must have gone to get help. Shouldn't we leave here first?"
Zhao Jun boasted, "Great Goddess Qin, don't worry, I'll protect you. No matter who comes, I'll beat them into a pulp!"
Chen Tianyang inwardly shook his head.
Suddenly, an imposing voice rang out from outside: "Oh? I, Jiang Tianhu, would like to see just who is so arrogant that they dare beat my men into a pulp in my territory?"
Immediately following, the door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man wearing a blue Tang suit walked in. He looked somewhat frail, with a sinister expression and a sickly, pale complexion. On his left thumb, he wore a green jade thumb ring, and his right arm was around a very alluring woman wearing a high-slit red cheongsam that was extremely sexy and charming.
Behind him followed quite a few lackeys, notably including the bruised and battered Brother She and the bald man.
"Jiang... Jiang Tianhu?"
He Chao, Zhao Jun, and Li Jianfeng's expressions instantly turned panicked and cowardly.
Jiang Tianhu was known as the First Tiger of Guanghua, notorious in the underworld. It was said he was ruthless and cruel, once wiping out an entire enemy family overnight with heads rolling everywhere. Moreover, his connections reached the heavens, making him an arrogant and domineering presence throughout Guanghua City.
Let alone He Chao and the others, even if their fathers were here, they would still have to respectfully address him as "Brother Tiger."
"Tiger... Tiger Brother, we didn't know they were your men just now, please forgive our offense," He Chao said with a ingratiating smile.
Zhou Ruohua and Qin Xinran were girls and hadn't heard much of Jiang Tianhu's reputation. Zhou Ruohua said with angry sarcasm, "He Chao, are you even a man? Clearly they were the ones who bullied us first, and you're still apologizing?"
He Chao's expression changed, and in his heart he cursed Zhou Ruohua to death. *Damn it, that's the ruthless Jiang Tianhu! A single word from him could get you gang-raped, and he'd still walk away scot-free afterward. By cursing him, aren't you seeking your own death?*
Did I give you permission?
The woman in the cheongsam was draped all over Jiang Tianhu, giggling, "Tiger Brother, it looks like this little girl looks down on you."
Jiang Tianhu stroked her smooth skin and sneered, "Fine, this little girl has some backbone. Baldy, who made a move just now? Cripple him for me. Let's see who dares to move!"
Lin Yaoyao shrank into Chen Tianyang's arms, trembling with fear.
The expressions of He Chao and the others all shifted. Zhao Jun and Li Jianfeng felt both regret and turned to He Chao as if seeking help.
He Chao immediately said, "Tiger Brother, my father is He Tian'an from the state-owned enterprise, and he has even had a drink with you before."
"Oh, so it's President He?" Jiang Tianhu paused slightly and said, "Fine, I'll give President He some face..."
Before He Chao and the others could rejoice, they heard Jiang Tianhu continue, "As for the men, break one hand each. Take all the women away and have them drink a few cups with my brothers tonight to make amends."
Zhou Ruohua and Qin Xinran were frightened pale. In their eyes, He Chao's father was already a towering figure, yet Jiang Tianhu wasn't giving him any face at all.
Only then did they realize what kind of terrifying big shot they had provoked.
He Chao, Zhao Jun, and Li Jianfeng instantly turned ashen, their legs trembling with fear.
The bald man laughed wildly, grabbed a beer bottle, and smashed it over Zhao Jun's head. Blood splattered everywhere as he cursed, "Damn it, that'll teach you to hit me!"
Brother She's eyes lit up with excitement as he smiled wretchedly and walked over, preparing to pull Lin Yaoyao out of Chen Tianyang's arms. Suddenly, a massive force struck him, and he was sent flying backward, landing face-first in the dirt right at Jiang Tianhu's feet.
"You want to cripple them? I have no objection. But you want to take these three beauties away—did you get my permission first?" Chen Tianyang stood up, his gaze slanted.
"Brother Yang..." Lin Yaoyao looked at Chen Tianyang with concern, and Chen Tianyang motioned for her not to worry.
Brother She scrambled up and suddenly shouted, "Alright! It turns out to be this brat! Tiger Brother, the incident in the mall last time—he's the one who did it!"
Jiang Tianhu's expression darkened as he said, "Talk about a narrow road! Cripple him for me, and then throw him out to feed the dogs!"
Upon hearing this, Brother She, the bald man, and Jiang Tianhu's lackeys all rushed forward, leaving behind only a cold-looking young man standing at the back.
"Be careful..." Lin Yaoyao cried out in alarm.
"Overestimating your abilities!"
Chen Tianyang let out a cold snort and suddenly lunged forward. In less than tens of seconds, Brother She and the others were all beaten to the ground, struggling and unable to get back up.
Everyone, including Tiger Brother and the young man behind him, was completely shocked.
Especially Lin Yaoyao, Zhou Ruohua, and Qin Xinran, who watched with wide-eyed astonishment.
The next moment, Chen Tianyang walked up to Brother She and sneered, "When you tried to drag my date away just now, was it this hand you used?"
With that, Chen Tianyang stepped down hard. With a "crack," Brother She's right hand suffered a comminuted fracture.
Jiang Tianhu's expression turned completely gloomy as he said, "Good kid, so you actually have some moves. No wonder you dared to disrespect me, Jiang Tianhu! Leng Dao, cripple him for me and let him know that I, Jiang Tianhu, am the law here!"
Leng Dao suddenly stepped forward, drawing a pair of sharp short blades, his battle intent soaring. "Will you break your own arm, or should I do it?"
"Too much chatter. If you want to fight, then fight," Chen Tianyang said indifferently.
"Then prepare to meet your death!" Leng Dao gripped the twin blades in both hands, his feet pushing off the ground with a sudden burst of strength. He shot forward toward Chen Tianyang like an arrow released from a bow, a fierce blade light cutting a dazzling arc through the air.
The man was cold, but the blade was even colder!
"Tiger Brother, with Leng Dao making a move, I reckon this brat is a dead man for sure," the cheongsam-clad woman smiled seductively.
Jiang Tianhu nodded proudly and said, "Naturally. Don't look at Leng Dao as only being around thirty years old; he has studied martial arts under a master since childhood and is now a Qi Combination Late-stage expert. Throughout Guanghua City, he is in the top five in terms of strength.
In particular, his twin-blade technique was inherited from a famous Luoyang school. It is said that when both blades are unleashed, they can cut through running water and even allow him to challenge opponents above his rank. Last year, relying solely on the twin blades in his hands, Leng Dao publicly executed a Nether Penetration Early-stage expert on the spot.
In my view, even though this kid has some tricks, he probably won't even be able to take a single blade strike from Leng Dao."
As Jiang Tianhu spoke, he even shook his head, as if he had already seen the scene of Chen Tianyang being decapitated.
The expressions of He Chao and the others changed drastically. Although they knew nothing about martial artists, they had occasionally heard their elders speak in hushed tones about the ranks of martial arts, knowing that the Qi Combination Stage was already a rare powerhouse in the modern world.
No wonder Jiang Tianhu had been able to act so arrogantly and domineeringly in Guanghua City for so long—it turned out he had such an expert by his side.
He Chao's face was the color of dead ash, his heart filled entirely with despair.
While they were speaking, Leng Dao had already rapidly closed the distance to Chen Tianyang. Raising his twin blades high, he suddenly brought them down in a fierce downward slash, preparing to execute Chen Tianyang on the spot!
Are you convinced?
Suddenly, a blur flashed before Leng Dao's eyes, and he lost sight of Chen Tianyang, startling him inwardly.
"Your speed is too slow," Chen Tianyang's voice came from behind him, sounding somewhat disappointed.
It was as if Jiang Tianhu had just been slapped across the face; the smile on his lips instantly stiffened, as he never expected Chen Tianyang's speed to be so fast that he could evade Leng Dao's attack.
The cheongsam-clad beauty dropped her jaw as if she had just seen a ghost.
Startled, Leng Dao thrust his twin blades backward in a fierce, fluid motion, flawless and completely unhindered, fully displaying his mastery of the blade.
Unfortunately, Chen Tianyang was even faster and had already widened the distance.
With both blades missing their mark, a look of grave solemnity appeared on Leng Dao's face for the first time. "Take this next strike from me."
With that, he crossed his twin blades and, springing forward like a coiled spring with a cold expression, lunged directly at Chen Tianyang, shouting, "Twin-Blade Cross Slash!"
Jiang Tianhu exclaimed excitedly, "Leng Dao has actually pulled out this move! Last year, a Nether Penetration Early-stage expert was decapitated by this very blade strike. Since Leng Dao is using his ultimate technique, the outcome is decided."
Leng Dao's twin blades suddenly parted at an angle, slicing a brilliant cross through the air, swearing to cut Chen Tianyang down under his blades.
"Brother Yang, be careful..." Lin Yaoyao covered her little mouth; even Qin Xinran and Zhou Ruohua couldn't bear to watch any longer.
"You're too weak."
Suddenly, Chen Tianyang stood right where he was and said indifferently.
As if to prove what he had just said, facing the incomparably fierce blade strike, Chen Tianyang suddenly reached out his left hand and grabbed forward.
The next moment, the ferocious blade light came to an abrupt halt. The sharp edges of the twin blades were firmly and steadily pinched between Chen Tianyang's fingers.
"What?"
Leng Dao was shocked, Jiang Tianhu was shocked, and everyone else was struck dumb with astonishment.
That unstoppable strike from Leng Dao—a strike capable of even slaying a "Nether Penetration" Early-stage expert across realms—had actually been caught so effortlessly between someone's fingers?
Could it be that Chen Tianyang was a "Nether Penetration" Mid-stage expert?
Jiang Tianhu received a massive fright.
Immediately following, Chen Tianyang threw a fierce punch, slamming it straight into Leng Dao's chest.
Leng Dao let out a muffled groan, spat a mouthful of blood, and flew backward through the air, crashing heavily into the wall and causing cracks to spiderweb across the surrounding surface in a shocking sight.
Leng Dao defeated with a single punch!
Lin Yaoyao said with joyful delight, "Brother Yang, you're amazing!"
Zhou Ruohua and Qin Xinran were both startled and overjoyed, but then remembered their previous cold taunts and mockery toward Chen Tianyang. The two young women bit their lips as a faint sense of regret welled up in their hearts.
He Chao's expression instantly turned hideously ugly. Earlier, he had turned coward, lacking even the courage to resist in the face of Jiang Tianhu, yet Chen Tianyang—whom he had previously looked down upon—had not only stepped forward, but also displayed terrifying might.
This stark contrast made him feel like a complete idiot. Moreover, he knew clearly that after this incident, not only Lin Yaoyao, but even Zhou Ruohua and Qin Xinran would hold deep gratitude toward Chen Tianyang.
*Damn it, if I'd known this would happen, I never would've come here.*
At this thought, He Chao glared viciously at Zhou Ruohua.
Chen Tianyang toyed with the twin blades in his hand and slowly walked toward Jiang Tianhu.
Jiang Tianhu's expression changed drastically. Just as he was about to turn and run, a sudden chill hit his neck—Chen Tianyang had already reached his side and pressed a blade against his throat.
The cheongsam-clad beauty let out a piercing shriek and tumbled to the ground, the hem of her cheongsam shifting somewhat and exposing a dazzling expanse of skin. Chen Tianyang inadvertently glanced over, his breathing instantly turning somewhat hurried as he hurriedly averted his gaze.
"Damn it, even Jiang Tianhu is no match for him. What a piece of trash!"
At that exact moment, inside the private room directly across the hall, Li Yuanze was seated. He was having a dinner gathering there and happened to see the conflict erupt between Jiang Tianhu and Chen Tianyang, relishing the prospect of Jiang Tianhu teaching Chen Tianyang a lesson.
Never had he expected Chen Tianyang to be so formidable that even Jiang Tianhu would fail.
"Fine then. Getting revenge with one's own hands brings the greatest pleasure," Li Yuanze sneered, picking up his phone to dial a number. "Hello, Bureau Chief Zhou? It's me, Li Yuanze..."
Putting aside Li Yuanze, Chen Tianyang kept the blade pressed against Jiang Tianhu's throat and sneered, "Now, I am the cleaver and you are the fish. Are you convinced?"
Kneel down and apologize!
Jiang Tianhu's expression shifted, and he put on a ingratiating smile. "Brother, it was my eyes that were blind, failing to recognize that you are a Nether Penetration Stage expert. Please forgive me. However, I answer to the Xie Family of Guanghua City. Killing me is one thing, but if you offend the Xie Family, even as a Nether Penetration Stage expert, I'm afraid you won't come out ahead."
"Nether Penetration Stage? What the hell is that?" Chen Tianyang frowned inwardly. He was a cultivator who had lived in the mountains since childhood, so he was unfamiliar with the ranks of martial artists.
The expressions of He Chao, Zhou Ruohua, and the others shifted once again. They hadn't expected Jiang Tianhu's backer to be the Xie Family, but that also explained why he could act so lawlessly in Guanghua City.
Seeing Chen Tianyang frown in silence, Jiang Tianhu assumed he was afraid, and his confidence surged. "Brother, you haven't really suffered any losses anyway. Why don't we just let this matter rest?"
Chen Tianyang sneered, "Kneel for me!"
He infused his words with true qi, resembling the Buddhist Lion's Roar technique. Jiang Tianhu's knees went weak, and with a dull *thud*, he collapsed onto the ground.
He Chao and the others watched with slack-jawed stupidity, their hearts filled with incomparable shock.
Could it be that Chen Tianyang wouldn't even give face to the Xie Family?
Lin Yaoyao felt that Chen Tianyang was overflowing with masculine charm, her eyes filled with tender affection. As for Qin Xinran and Zhou Ruohua, the remorse in their hearts grew even heavier.
Was Jiang Tianhu arrogant? Absolutely arrogant.
Was Jiang Tianhu domineering? Undeniably domineering.
Yet Jiang Tianhu, who had always been arrogant and domineering, couldn't even manage a slight resistance under Chen Tianyang's roar, forced to kneel publicly on the ground as cold sweat continuously streamed from his brow.
If anyone were to witness this scene, they would surely think the world had gone mad.
At this very moment, such was the exact state of mind experienced by He Chao and the others.
With a haughty expression and looking down from on high, Chen Tianyang said indifferently, "Apologize."
Internal struggle raged within Jiang Tianhu.
"Apologize! I won't repeat myself a third time!" Chen Tianyang said coldly, his left hand exerting slight pressure as the short blade plunged into the ground right in front of Jiang Tianhu, leaving only the hilt vibrating with a low hum.
Jiang Tianhu's expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with humiliation as he lowered his head and said, "I... I'm sorry."
He Chao and the others were dumbfounded. Even their fathers had to act overly courteous when meeting Jiang Tianhu, terrified of offending the man. Yet Chen Tianyang had not only forced Jiang Tianhu to his knees, but also compelled him to apologize in public.
With Chen Tianyang being this terrifying, what if he held a grudge and sought revenge for their earlier mockery?
At this thought, cold sweat broke out all over He Chao and the others once again.
Toying with the other short blade, Chen Tianyang said calmly, "I ask you, do you know where you went wrong?"
The look of humiliation in Jiang Tianhu's eyes deepened. Though he knew how to bend and stretch with the circumstances, he was still a prominent underworld boss in Guanghua City; when had he ever been humiliated like this?
"Even though you're a Nether Penetration Mid-stage expert, you're not invincible in Guanghua City. Do you really want to fight me to the bitter end?" Jiang Tianhu said angrily.
"To the bitter end?" Chen Tianyang smiled with amusement. "You can try and see if you have what it takes."
Suddenly, Leng Dao, who had been heavily injured, seized the opportunity after a brief moment of internal recovery to suddenly strike. Springing violently off the ground, he lunged toward Chen Tianyang with even greater speed.
"Be careful..."
Lin Yaoyao, Qin Xinran, and Zhou Ruohua cried out in alarm all at once.
"A cornered beast's desperate struggle—nothing more. Still utterly vulnerable."
Chen Tianyang said dismissively. With a slight flick of his right hand, the other short blade instantly shot outward, carving a brilliant streak of light as it pierced straight into Leng Dao's shoulder. Unabated in momentum, the blade carried the man backward along with it before slamming him heavily into the wall, vibrating with a dull hum.
Lin Yaoyao, who was the most timid, turned somewhat pale with fright.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Chen Tianyang said proudly, "Well? If you have any other moves, use them all together. I'll take them all."
Despair surfaced in Leng Dao's eyes. Chen Tianyang was simply too powerful; there was no room for counterattack whatsoever.
"Alright, now it's your turn." Chen Tianyang looked at Jiang Tianhu, smiling with disdain. "Let me ask you again: where did you go wrong?"
Jiang Tianhu had already deeply experienced Chen Tianyang's might and invincibility, filling his heart with despair. However, being known as the "First Tiger of Guanghua," he certainly possessed genuine substance.
Rolling his eyes, Jiang Tianhu suddenly said, "Spare my life, and I'll tell you a secret—a secret you will definitely be interested in."
Treasures
A trace of curiosity flashed in Chen Tianyang's eyes. Besides, given his formidable strength, he wasn't afraid of whatever tricks Jiang Tianhu might try to pull. Pondering for a moment, he said, "Yaoyao, you guys go on back first."
"But... but..." Lin Yaoyao was still hesitant, but Zhou Ruohua made a decisive judgment and pulled her away. As for the three men—He Chao, Zhao Jun, and Li Jianfeng—they had been sitting on pins and needles the whole time, and hearing this as if granted a pardon, they scrambled away in a panicked rush.
"Alright, whatever secret you have, you can speak it now." Chen Tianyang walked straight over and took a seat.
Jiang Tianhu said with difficulty, "Sir, could you let me get up first?"
Chen Tianyang gave a slight nod. Jiang Tianhu let out a breath of relief and stood up. His very first action was to rush over to Leng Dao's side and say, "Brother, bear with it." With that, he yanked the short blade out of Leng Dao's shoulder, instantly sending a splatter of fresh blood flying.
Leng Dao's face turned ashen white, yet he stubbornly endured it without uttering a single groan.
Chen Tianyang praised approvingly, "I didn't expect you to treat your subordinates quite well."
Jiang Tianhu said proudly, "Naturally. Operating in the underworld, we have to value a sense of loyalty. As long as someone is my brother, Jiang Tianhu, they are my brother for life. Wouldn't you agree, sir?"
Suddenly remembering his current predicament, Jiang Tianhu laughed awkwardly, waved his hand to summon two lackeys to help carry Leng Dao away for medical treatment, and dismissed everyone else from the room.
Inside the entire private room, only Chen Tianyang and Jiang Tianhu remained.
Chen Tianyang sat, while Jiang Tianhu stood.