Zhang Zhenhu strode forward with fierce determination. Soon after, his gaze once again swept over Li Chengze, who lay unconscious in the corner. Having committed such atrocious crimes, Chu Tianhe would make him slowly atone for them through ten thousand times the suffering!
Death was sometimes a mercy. Being unable to live and unable to die—that was true agony!
"The Li Family, is it?"
"Chu wants to see just how much power this Li Family truly wields!"
......
Meanwhile, at the War Department Command Center of the Great Xia Country!
"Report! Emergency alarm! A super-powerful martial artist has appeared in Jiangzhou!"
"Report! The signal from Chu Tianhe's restriction bracelet has vanished. The last known location is Jiangzhou City!"
Chu Tianhe had crushed his restriction bracelet, plunging the Grand Command Center of the Great Xia War Department into absolute chaos!
In the span of a mere ten minutes, the entire upper echelon of the War Department had assembled, tension etched deeply across every face!
"What on earth has happened? Why would Chu Tianhe crush his bracelet?"
"Are you all deaf? What does the War Department's intelligence division get paid for? Can someone give me an answer?!"
Zhang Zhenhu, Supreme Commander of the War Department, slammed his fist onto the table and roared in fury!
Yet, the only response he received was silence!
The War Department Command Center plunged into a dead silence. Everyone present knew Chu Tianhe's terrifying strength, but not a single person knew why he had suddenly shattered his bracelet.
They knew only one thing: when Chu Tianhe crushed his bracelet, it meant a slaughter was coming!!
The very heavens of the Great Xia Country were about to collapse!
"Commander, in my opinion, our top priority is to immediately mobilize all the Divine Martial Guards and dispatch them to Jiangzhou!"
A chief military strategist spoke with an anxious expression, proposing the immediate mobilization of every single Divine Martial Guard—a clear testament to how seriously he viewed the unfolding crisis involving Chu Tianhe!
"Mobilize them for what? To go throw their lives away?!"
Facing the strategist's suggestion, Zhang Zhenhu shot it down without the slightest hesitation, his voice stern: "With Chu Tianhe's strength, ordinary Divine Martial Guards aren't even enough to serve as his warm-up!"
As Zhang Zhenhu's roar faded, the entire War Department Command Center fell once again into a deathly hush!
"Order all elite forces of the Dragon Guards Protecting the Nation to fall back immediately!"
"The Flying Eagle Dragon Guard, the Sea Dragon Guard, and the SSS-class Divine Dragon Guards Protecting the Nation—every single member is to drop their current missions and recall at once! Assemble them for Jiangzhou, now! Now! Now!!"
A single action by Chu Tianhe had plunged the entire Great Xia Country into its highest state of alert. Every top-tier elite force executing missions abroad was recalled en masse, ordered to speed toward Jiangzhou at once!
The Great Xia Country was in turmoil, and its elite forces poured out in full force!
The momentum was vast and unprecedented—and this massive mobilization was for Chu Tianhe alone!!
Chapter 4
"Hall Master, the Great Xia War Department has made its move."
Inside the hotel room, Tianjiu stood behind Chu Tianhe with a grave expression.
The moment Chu Tianhe crushed his restriction bracelet, Tianjiu knew that this seemingly small action would inevitably send shockwaves through the entire Great Xia Country!
"Hush!"
Chu Tianhe frowned slightly and made a silencing gesture toward Tianjiu.
He cared not a whit for the actions of the Great Xia War Department. His sole concern right now was his daughter, Chu Yaoyao, who lay sound asleep on the bed!
"Sleep now, my baby. Once you wake up, everything will be fine."
Chu Tianhe gently stroked his daughter's delicate little face, his movements incomparably tender, as if he were touching a priceless national treasure—no, not even a national treasure would warrant such gentle care from him!!
This sight left Tianjiu utterly dumbfounded!
Tianjiu had followed Chu Tianhe for many years. In his memory, Chu Tianhe was a master strategist, decisive in slaughter, and at times even ruthlessly cold. He had never witnessed such a tender side to him!
"So what if the Great Xia War Department has moved?" Chu Tianhe turned his head, the gentle expression on his face instantly vanishing, replaced by a fierce, intense killing intent between his brows.
Daring not to speak further, Tianjiu hastily dropped to one knee, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
With Chu Tianhe's strength, even if every single top expert in the War Department arrived, they would be no match for him!
"Have you finished investigating the situation regarding the Li Family?" Chu Tianhe asked coldly, his voice dripping with murderous intent.
"It has all been investigated. Today marks the fiftieth birthday of Li Changshun, head of the Li Family, and he is currently hosting a banquet."
"They drove my beloved wife to her death and tortured my beloved daughter, yet the Li Family is wining and dining and celebrating?" In an instant, the killing aura surged wildly within Chu Tianhe. Driven by towering rage, he sneered, "Good! Very good! Excellent! Call Linglong over to look after my daughter, and you—bring Li Chengze and accompany me to the Li Family!"
"Understood!"
......
Jiangzhou City, the Li Family!
At this very moment, the Li Family estate was a scene of song and dance, alive with celebration. Big shots from both the underworld and legitimate circles of Jiangzhou had gathered here, alongside many prominent and influential figures from the provincial capital—proof enough of the immense clout Li Changshun held in Jiangzhou!
Inside the courtyard of this six-hundred-square-meter grand villa, voices were loud and bustling, and congratulatory gifts poured in endlessly. Every guest bowed and scraped before Li Changshun, utterly fawning over him.
After all, everyone in Jiangzhou knew that the Li Family operated in both legal and illegal spheres. On the surface, they ran a general merchandise business, but behind closed doors, far more unsavory enterprises kept them afloat!
Thus, a saying circulated widely through Jiangzhou: Better to offend the king of heaven himself than a member of the Li Family; otherwise, you might not live to see the dawn of the next day!
"The Chu Family of Jiangzhou presents its congratulatory gift!"
Just as the guests were raising their glasses in a toast and mingling amidst the din of chatter, an overwhelmingly tyrannical voice suddenly rang out, entirely devoid of courtesy!
This caught everyone off guard, causing them to instinctively turn toward the direction of the voice, wondering who on earth lacked the eyes to speak in such a tone on this occasion?
"Bang!"
Before anyone could even react, a massive wine jar plummeted from the sky, crashing directly into the dead center of the Li Family's courtyard.
Instantly, a foul, pungent stench permeated the crowd. Not understanding what had happened, the guests hastily covered their noses and scattered in all directions.
"Hiss!"
"Gag... ugh..."
Soon enough, the crowd caught sight of the contents of the wine jar, and they all sucked in a sharp breath in unison. Several people could even be reining back their stomachs no longer and began retching violently.
The wine jar actually contained a human being! His hair was disheveled, his eyes had been gouged out, and visible maggots crawled ceaselessly inside the empty sockets!
Looking closer, this wretched figure was none other than Li Changshun's son, Li Chengze!!
"Clatter!"
The wine glass slipped from Li Changshun's hand, shattering into tiny fragments on the ground as veins bulged furiously in his eyes!!
Rage surged instantly into Li Changshun's mind. He rushed over to Li Chengze, dropped to his knees, and cradling his son's head with trembling hands, cried out, "Chengze! My boy... how... how did you end up like this? Who did this?!"
"Someone come here! Quick, call a doctor! Now!!"
Watching his beloved son tortured to the point of unrecognition, Li Changshun was so enraged he nearly fainted, bellowing for medical help.
At this sight, every guest present turned pale with shock, unified in their expressions of terror as a murmur of panicked discussion instantly erupted!
"Who the hell has the guts to do this to Young Master Li?"
"In Jiangzhou City, offending the Li Family means you must be tired of living!"
"We're finished now. Young Master Li looks badly hurt; the heavens of Jiangzhou are about to collapse!"
"I heard the Li Family keeps upwards of a hundred ancient martial arts experts. Who is blind enough to provoke them?"
Even as the crowd chattered anxiously, a flash of cold light suddenly whirled through the air!
"Whoosh!"
Before the startled eyes of everyone present, a short blade gleaming with a cold edge shot through the air. Right before Li Changshun's very eyes, the blade pierced straight into the back of Li Chengze's head and burst forth from the center of his brow. Bright red blood, mingled with turbid brain matter, splattered directly across Li Changshun's face.
"Hiss!!"
This scene stunned every single person in attendance. The previous chatter ceased instantly; the once boisterously lively Li Family villa grew deathly quiet in a heartbeat, so silent one could hear a pin drop!
Li Changshun stood frozen in place, utterly dumbfounded, staring blankly at his son's head. For a moment, his brain seemed short-circuited; the air around him felt entirely sucked out, and even his breathing stopped.
"WHO?!"
"WHO THE HELL DARED TO KILL MY SON?!"
"WHO?!"
The next second, Li Changshun's furious roar shook the entire Li Family villa. His hair stood on end, his fists were clenched so tightly that the veins on his arms bulged violently, and he glared with burning wrath toward the entrance of the estate.
Following Li Changshun's roar, countless ancient martial arts experts dressed in black combat uniforms swarmed into the courtyard, every single one of them radiating a biting, murderous aura!
The entire gathering of guests was scared out of their wits!
To dare carry out a cold-blooded murder of the Li Family's only heir right at Li Changshun's fiftieth birthday banquet, and right before his very eyes—what manner of divine monster possessed the sheer audacity to act so lawlessly?!
Just as all eyes converged on the main entrance of the Li Family villa, the figure of Chu Tianhe emerged into view.
He wore a black trench coat, his spine as straight as a javelin, exuding the presence of an immovable mountain peak—unshakeable and firm. Unless one stood at the very pinnacle of martial might, it was impossible to project such an awe-inspiring, towering presence.
"Today, the Li Family is washed in blood. Unrelated personnel, leave immediately, or you shall be executed alongside them!"
Chapter 5
As the words fell, the entire hall was left in shock!
Given the Li Family's standing in Jiangzhou, how could anyone dare utter such arrogant threats right here on their doorstep?!
Yet, the sight of Chu Tianhe killing Li Chengze moments ago still echoed vividly in everyone's minds. Fleeing with all haste, the guests rushed out of the Li Family estate.
In no time at all, the interior of the Li Family villa was left with only Li Changshun and the swarm of ancient martial arts bodyguards behind him!
"What are you all standing around for? Kill them!"
Consumed by blinding rage, Li Changshun let out a furious roar, and the martial artists behind him surged toward Chu Tianhe en masse!
Today was his fiftieth birthday, an occasion Li Changshun had intended to use to display the Li Family's might, suppress the other elite families, force them into submission, and make them serve the Lis.
Yet Chu Tianhe's appearance had completely shattered Li Changshun's plans. Furthermore, the hatred for killing a son was irreconcilable; Li Changshun's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Chu Tianhe, wishing he could skin him alive and pull out his tendons on the spot!
"Tianjiu!"
Watching the incoming Li Family thugs, Chu Tianhe lifted his right hand slightly and curled two fingers in a beckoning motion.
Tianjiu caught the meaning instantly, his figure flashing as he charged straight forward.
"Whoosh!!"
A flash of cold light—a military blade materialized in Tianjiu's hand out of nowhere. Wherever the cold light passed, throats were neatly and cleanly sliced!
"Puff, puff, puff..."
Accompanied by the sound of arterial blood spraying into the air, the ancient martial arts thugs kept by the Li Family were instantly wiped out to the last man. The entire process took barely two seconds!
Seeing this, Li Changshun suffered a violent shock!
He had not expected the enemy's strength to be so terrifying, sending a jolt of alarm through his heart!
"Go invite Third Master Bai over!"
Knowing he had run into a formidable adversary, Li Changshun ordered his head butler to fetch reinforcements without a second thought. Chu Tianhe made no move to stop him.
For the moment Chu Tianhe set foot inside the gates of the Li Family, this place had become a death zone. No matter who came, they would be executed without exception!
"To act so lawlessly on Jiangzhou territory—do you truly believe that knowing a few parlor tricks in ancient martial arts means no one can deal with you?!"
Soon enough, a figure dashed out, placing himself directly before Li Changshun. The man stood with his hands behind his back, his hair and beard completely white. He radiated a formidable aura, and the restriction device visible on his wrist clearly marked him as a powerhouse!
"Third Master Bai! These people killed my son—you must help our Li Family exact revenge!"
At the sight of Third Master Bai, Li Changshun regained his backbone, glaring furiously at Chu Tianhe with bulging eyes. Extreme rage made his entire body tremble uncontrollably.
"No matter!"
"Mr. Li, with me here, two mere clowns can make no great waves!"
As Third Master Bai finished speaking, he unhesitatingly shattered the ancient martial arts restriction device on his wrist by sheer force. Instantly, a mighty wave of ancient martial energy burst forth from his body, causing his long robes to flap wildly without any wind—he looked every bit a grandmaster, overflowing with imposing aura!
Across the entire city of Jiangzhou, Third Master Bai was the preeminent ancient martial arts master. His martial arts dojo boasted over a thousand disciples, and he had long colluded with the Li Family in countless shady dealings, binding their interests tightly together.
"Come here, kneel, and kowtow to apologize to Mr. Li, and I might grant you a clean death today! Otherwise..."
Perhaps accustomed to lording it over Jiangzhou, Third Master Bai did not put Chu Tianhe in his eyes at all. He spoke with supreme arrogance and a deeply overbearing attitude!
"Slap!"
Yet, he couldn't even maintain his imposing posture for three seconds!
Before Third Master Bai could finish speaking, Tianjiu moved like a ghost, flashing directly before him and delivering a crisp, decisive backhand slap. The blow sent Third Master Bai stumbling backward until he collapsed onto the ground, looking utterly wretched and forming a stark contrast to his earlier arrogance!
"Otherwise, what?"
Tianjiu's gaze was like a blade as it swept over Third Master Bai, who sat stunned on the ground clutching his swollen cheek, speaking in an icy tone.
Daring to insult Chu Tianhe—for that offense alone, Tianjiu had already mentally sentenced this Third Master Bai to death!
"Gulp..."
Watching Tianjiu brandish the gleaming military blade in his hand, Third Master Bai swallowed hard, tension spiking in his throat.
As the saying goes: a true expert reveals his skill the moment he moves. Both being ancient martial artists, the speed of Tianjiu's strike had completely surpassed the limits of Third Master Bai's vision. He hadn't even seen how Tianjiu appeared before him before a single slap had completely dazed him!
In an instant, he realized that the gap between himself and Tianjiu was as wide as a natural chasm!!
"Wait, little brother, let's talk this over. In Jiangzhou, old Bai holds a bit of weight. As long as..."
Third Master Bai instantly caved, beginning to plead for mercy. This sight deeply shocked Li Changshun, whose expression turned dark, his brows knitting tightly together!
What on earth was the background of these people, that even Third Master Bai was no match for them and had to resort to begging for mercy?
Before Third Master Bai could finish his plea, however, Chu Tianhe's chilling voice rang out.
"Kill!"
Chapter 6
With a single word, Tianjiu raised his hand and brought his blade down, cleanly severing Third Master Bai's head on the spot!
Blood splattered everywhere, and Li Changshun's expression changed drastically!
How could mere merchants driven by greed ever contend with heroes of heaven and earth?
Tianjiu's strikes were far too ruthless. Even though the Li Family was a mighty clan that could turn Jiangzhou upside down with one hand and kept numerous ancient martial experts in their pay, Li Changshun could not help but shudder with fear at the sight before him!
"The Li Family shouldn't only have this much capability, should they?"
Having beheaded Third Master Bai, Chu Tianhe fixed his gaze directly upon Li Changshun!
Since Chu Tianhe's purpose today was to wipe out the Li Family entirely and avenge his deceased wife, he naturally had investigated every single detail concerning the Li Family!
The reason the Li Family was able to reign supreme in Jiangzhou relied on far more than merely keeping a few martial artists!
Whenever people spoke of the Li Family in Jiangzhou, one could never bypass a certain moniker: the Twin Tigers of Jiangzhou!
These "Twin Tigers" referred to the two brothers, Li Changshun and Li Changhu!
"I don't know what kind of big shot you think you are, but you've come to the wrong place and provoked the wrong person!"
Seeing Tianjiu kill with such ruthless efficiency, Li Changshun was no fool; he had already guessed that Chu Tianhe possessed an extraordinary background, yet not a shred of fear showed in his eyes!
Because this was Jiangzhou City—the undisputed territory of the Li Family!
As the saying goes, a formidable dragon cannot crush a local serpent. Once in Jiangzhou, even if Chu Tianhe was a dragon, he had to coil; if he was a tiger, he had to lie flat!
"Changhu, our Li Family is in trouble. Your nephew has been killed, and many of my martial arts bodyguards are dead. Bring your men over right now!"
Without a second thought, Li Changshun called his younger brother, Li Changhu.
In an instant, the entire city of Jiangzhou was shaken to its core!!
Li Changhu was the commander of the Jiangzhou Divine Martial Guards, commanding a force of thirty thousand troops. He could unquestionably be counted as a feudal lord of his region!
Precisely because of this, the Li Family was able to command wind and rain in Jiangzhou, moving with unhindered success!
Hearing that his family was under attack, Li Changhu could no longer sit still. Blind fury surged within him as he roared: "Assemble! All Divine Martial Guards, assemble for me at once!"
"Damn it! You've got guts! Tremendous guts!! To dare make a move against our Li Family!"
"I want to see what son of a bitch grew the bear's gall and tiger's heart to provoke our Li Family!!"
"All Divine Martial Guards, mobilize completely! Bring every piece of equipment, and don't leave a single thing behind!!"
In no time at all, the Jiangzhou Divine Martial Guards surged into motion. The earth trembled as thirty thousand Divine Martial Guards assembled, their overwhelming momentum driving them straight toward the Li Family villa!
However, by this time, Chu Tianhe had already left the Li Family, leaving behind only a sea of corpses and a trail of crimson blood!
Every single ancient martial artist belonging to the Li Family had been utterly slaughtered, down to the very hunting dogs the family kept. Not a single living soul remained within the Li Family estate!
"Dammit! Dammit! Who was it?! Who the hell dared to do this?!"
Upon witnessing the tragic devastation inside his family's villa, Li Changshun's eyes split open with rage, and fury soared to the heavens. The Divine Martial Guards following in his wake all wore ferocious, distorted expressions!
"I'll skin him alive! I'll hack him into ten thousand pieces, ten thousand pieces!!"
Driven to the brink of madness, Li Changshun trembled all over. Their Li Family had never suffered such a catastrophic blow, and today of all days—his fiftieth birthday—it had culminated in this. Li Changshun's anger erupted like a volcanic explosion, completely beyond control.
"Report! Mr. Li's body has not been found."
At that moment, a trusted subordinate stepped forward to report. Although the Li Family estate was littered with corpses, Li Changshun's body was nowhere among them!
Clearly, Li Changshun had been taken away alive by someone!
"Investigate! Find out immediately who abducted my brother. I'll tear them limb from limb!"
Learning that Li Changshun was not yet confirmed dead, the ferocious expression on Li Changshun's face eased slightly, though his fury remained unquenched!