Just as Du Bufan was fully engrossed in exploring the mysteries of the Heavenly Scripture, an urgent cry came from outside the secret chamber: "Young Master, the Family Head has ordered you to proceed to the front hall immediately!" The shout pierced the stillness of the chamber like a thunderbolt. Du Bufan frowned slightly and thought to himself, "Why such a panic? Father never disturbs my cultivation without reason. There must be a major development." "An esteemed guest has arrived, and the Family Head asks you to come at once!" the voice replied, tinged with hesitation, as if holding back a difficult secret. "Understood, I am coming right now." Du Bufan sighed softly, stood up to straighten his robes, and strode toward the front hall.
As he neared the front hall, Du Rong hurried out to meet him, his expression as gloomy as the dark clouds before a storm, so heavy it seemed moisture could drip from them. Du Bufan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked, "Du Rong, what has happened?" The Du Family had always been close-knit, and as the Young Master, Du Bufan was bold, loyal, and deeply respected by his peers, commanding immense authority. At this moment, Du Rong's eyes burned with fury as he gritted his teeth and said, "Young Master, someone is running wild in our Du Family. You must go and see for yourself!"
Hearing this, Du Bufan quickened his pace, stepping into the front hall like a gust of wind. Upon the main seat sat a middle-aged man in white robes, looking as cold and stern as an iceberg, exuding an imposing authority that commanded awe. Seated beside him was a young woman in blue robes; she possessed delicate features like a blooming flower, but her eyes betrayed a repulsive arrogance. Crossing her legs in a leisurely manner, she cast disdainful glances all around, as if nothing here was worthy of her notice. The gathered members of the Du Family, including Family Head Du Tianxiong, stood respectfully to one side, many of them burning with an intense rage that seemed ready to burst forth.
"Father, I am here. What is going on?" Du Bufan asked, looking at his father. Du Tianxiong wore a look of embarrassment and shame as he slowly said, "Fan'er, this is Elder Wang Weisuan of the Sword Mystery Sect, and the young lady beside him is Li Muge... she is your betrothed." Du Bufan's heart received a violent jolt, and his mind rapidly searched his memories for anything related to Li Muge. "Li Muge? The Luochuan Li Family... could it be..." An ominous prehension surged over him like a tidal wave.
Before Du Bufan could fully recover, Li Muge had already stood up, her chin held high as she said with utter contempt, "Du Bufan, I don't want to waste words with you. Just last month, I successfully broke through to the Qi Gathering Realm and even awakened a spiritual body manifestation. Now I have been taken in as a personal disciple by my master. And what about you? You're nothing more than a good-for-nothing who can't even break through the first layer of the Body Refining Realm. Do you really think you're still worthy of me?" Her voice echoed through the hall, every single word like a poisoned arrow piercing deep into Du Bufan's heart, seemingly intent on crushing his dignity to dust.
At these words, the members of the Du Family were instantly filled with righteous indignation, their eyes wide with a fury that looked ready to devour Li Muge. Yet Du Bufan remained as calm as still water, acting as though everything Li Muge had said had nothing to do with him, and simply replied indifferently, "I see. So you're here to call off the engagement? That's no big deal. Do you need me to write a formal statement? Oh, right, and what about compensation for emotional distress and wasted youth? Name your price."
Li Muge was stunned. She had expected her harsh and sarcastic words to fill Du Bufan with humiliating shame, never imagining he would be so calm. Little did she know that in Du Bufan's eyes, mortal romance was merely a passing cloud; in this world where the strong reigned supreme, true strength was the only foundation. At this moment, his only desire was to dismiss these people quickly so he could resume his cultivation and pursue higher realms.
"Ha! The Young Master truly has an extraordinary bearing, truly admirable!" Du Rong exclaimed loudly upon seeing this. A Du Family elder also nodded slightly, stroking his beard in praise: "Indeed! To be able to bend and stretch—that is the mark of a true man!" Other clansmen chimed in as well: "For our Du Family to have such a Young Master is truly our greatest fortune!" Praised by everyone, Du Bufan grew slightly embarrassed; he simply had an aversion to Li Muge's arrogant and condescending attitude.
Seeing this, a flash of annoyance crossed Li Muge's eyes, and she coquettishly whined to Elder Wang Weisuan, "Master!" Elder Wang Weisuan frowned slightly, his eyes narrowing into slits as a cold gleam flashed through them—a gleam like a tangible blade, instantly revealing murderous intent. He stared fixedly at Du Bufan, his voice piercingly cold, as if hailing from the nethermost hell: "Du Bufan, are you merely feigning generosity while harboring deep resentment, plotting to seek revenge on Muge once your cultivation achieves success in the future?" Du Bufan hastily waved his hands and said, "Ah? Elder, I have no such intention." Wang Weisuan let out a cold laugh: "Hmph, spare the clever talk. This old man has traveled the pugilistic world for decades; how could your little thoughts possibly escape my eyes?" Du Bufan quickly explained, "Elder, you truly misunderstand me. I harbor no such thoughts." But Wang Weisuan pressed on relentlessly: "Could it be you are still harboring those naive dreams of 'don't bully a young man into poverty'? Utterly childish!" Du Bufan spread his hands helplessly: "Elder, I really don't. You're overthinking it."
Elder Wang Weisuan slowly stood up, every movement carrying a sense of oppression. Step by step, he closed in on Du Bufan, each footfall landing with the weight of a mountain, causing the ground to tremble slightly. His expression was frighteningly gloomy, akin to an impending storm, as he said coldly, "Muge is naturally gifted, and with my careful guidance, her future achievements are bound to be limitless. How could someone like you ever compare?" Du Bufan nodded in response: "Elder is right. Then this junior offers her his congratulations." Wang Weisuan's expression grew even darker, like storm clouds filling the night sky: "Hmph, but this old man has always acted with caution. Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance of a hidden danger is something I will never allow to exist. Therefore, today I shall cripple you to prevent any future trouble!"
No sooner had the words fallen than Elder Wang Weisuan slammed his foot down. With a deafening roar, the ground instantly fractured into a dense web of cracks that rapidly spread, while a powerful aura swept toward Du Bufan like a surging, violent wave. The aura resembled a primordial beast opening its cavernous maw to swallow Du Bufan whole. Feeling a mountain-like force press down upon him, Du Bufan found his body sliding uncontrollably backward as his heels gouged two deep trenches into the floor. His eyes sharpened, and an unyielding fighting spirit surged within him. Planting his feet with explosive force as if rooting them deep into the earth, he steadied his stance while the true qi inside him surged like a rushing river. The golden glow on his surface grew increasingly blinding, shining like a scorching sun to contend with the incoming pressure.
Seeing this, Wang Weisuan let out a cold snort, his figure flickering like a phantom as he instantly vanished from where he stood. The next moment, he teleported right in front of Du Bufan with a speed that defied belief. His hand formed a claw, his fingertips gleaming with a chilling light as he lunged for Du Bufan's throat with unmatched ferocity. The strike was lightning-fast, tearing through the air with a piercing screech like the scythe of the Grim Reaper sweeping across the void. Wherever the claw wind passed, tables and chairs were instantly pulverized into fine dust like fragile paper, the debris dancing wildly in the powerful currents of air. Daring not to be the slightest bit careless, Du Bufan immediately executed the Heavenly Dao Movement Technique, his figure flashing as he teleported away. Yet Wang Weisuan's attack pursued him like a shadow, clinging to him like an incurable affliction, that fierce murderous intent locking onto Du Bufan without a moment's respite.
No sooner had Du Bufan steadied his stance and caught his breath than Wang Weisuan's attack arrived once again. With a glare and an angry roar, Wang Weisuan clenched his hands into fists as the power within him surged wildly, executing the Dragon Form Nine Styles of the Heavenly Dao Fist. His fist wind roared outward, transforming into lifelike, roaring golden dragons that bared their fangs and brandished their claws, pouncing toward Wang Weisuan with world-destroying momentum. The golden dragons collided violently with Wang Weisuan's palm winds, instantly triggering a deafening explosion reminiscent of the creation of the heavens and earth, shaking the entire front hall. The formidable shockwave rolled outward like towering sea waves, sending everyone nearby staggering off balance like withered leaves in the wind.
Elder Wang Weisuan was driven back several steps by the punch, leaving deep footprints with every step. Yet, being an expert of the pugilistic world, he quickly steadied himself, though the murderous intent in his eyes burned even brighter, like a raging fire. Waving his hands with flowing grace, he chanted under his breath, uttering ancient and mysterious incantations. In response to his movements, the surrounding air began to churn violently, surging like boiling water. Visible swirls of current rapidly formed, spinning at high speeds like razor-sharp blades to shred Du Bufan apart. Wherever the vortices passed, even space itself seemed to be sliced, emitting a sharp, hissing sound. Flitting about like an agile bird weaving through the vortices, Du Bufan was nonetheless grazed by several of them due to their sheer number and blistering speed, sending fresh blood spraying into the air in a brilliant red bloom.
Disregarding his injuries, Du Bufan burned with a fire of anger and defiance. With a fierce roar, he pushed his internal power to its absolute limit. At that moment, his body seemed encircled by a layer of flame—the burning manifestation of his fighting spirit. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he charged at Wang Weisuan once more, every step carrying an unstoppable momentum. Their figures instantly intertwined, fist winds and palm shadows dancing as densely as snowflakes in the sky. Every single collision sounded like a clap of thunder, and the continuous rumbling shook the walls of the front hall, causing cracks to spiderweb across them and dust to cascade down in flurries as if the entire hall were trembling in terror at this heart-stopping battle.
The members of the Du Family watched anxiously from the sidelines, every one of them clenching their fists so tightly their knuckles turned white. Their eyes were filled with worry and fury, torn between deep concern for Du Bufan's safety and burning hatred for Wang Weisuan's tyrannical behavior, yet unable to intervene rashly due to the elder's overwhelming power. All they could do was silently break out in a cold sweat for Du Bufan, praying in their hearts that the Young Master would emerge safely.
Nearby, Li Muge's initial expression of triumphant smugness gradually turned tense. She had originally thought Du Bufan was nothing more than an ant in front of her master, but she had never expected him to possess such strength, able to hold his own against her master for so long. Beads of sweat formed on her palms, a trace of panic flickered in her eyes, and she began to worry that the situation was slipping beyond her control.