"Is this the legendary supreme technique of controlling needles with *qi*?"
In Yun Feng's embrace, Zhou Ling's beautiful eyes widened as she whispered.
"This is one of the highest-level techniques from my Yaochi Sect's Second Master's medical lineage!"
"Even Second Senior Sister can barely manage to control nine needles at once..."
Yet from Yun Feng's golden needle pouch, a full forty-nine golden needles flew out!
With every needle that fell, Chen Jin let out a frenzied, agonizing wail, struggling desperately as if enduring the greatest torment in the world.
When the ninth needle fell, Chen Jin bit off his own tongue, begging only for a swift death.
The tenth needle was driven straight into Chen Jin's mouth by Yun Feng, unleashing all of Chen Jin's remaining life force to reconnect his severed tongue!
At this moment, Yun Feng seemed transformed into a netherworld judge upon the earth.
Since he refused to let Chen Jin die, Chen Jin was forced to endure endless, continuous torment within this boundless agony!
Even death had become an extravagant hope.
When the thirteenth needle fell, Chen Jin's eyes rolled back, and he passed out cold.
Yet the fourteenth needle plunged straight in, jolting Chen Jin awake amid his wails once more, forcing him to face this soul-crushing agony all over again.
Chen Jin's curses gradually turned into desperate pleas for mercy.
With his mental resolve completely shattered, he finally blurted out the truth:
"I don't know!"
"Yun Feng, I really don't know who wanted to kill your parents!"
"That person is on a level far beyond anything our Chen family could ever reach!"
"We merely received an order we couldn't disobey! We were just following orders!"
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
"Spare me, I'm begging you!"
"Ahhhhh!"
A string of blood-curdling screams echoed endlessly through the vast, dead-silent banquet hall.
Unmoved, Yun Feng continued his treatment.
As all forty-nine needles finally settled, Chen Jin's entire body turned a deep purplish-red, his eyeballs bloodshot to the extreme, as if they might burst at any second!
Yun Feng's forty-nine needles had driven Chen Jin's life force to its absolute limit!
For these forty-nine days, as long as his brain remained undamaged, he would not die no matter what.
Yet it was only forty-nine days.
Once the forty-nine days passed, Chen Jin's life force would be entirely exhausted, and even the greatest physician in the world could not save him!
With a casual snap, Yun Feng broke off a piece of a wooden stool leg and drove its sharp end straight through Chen Jin's heart, pinning him firmly to the floor.
Under the formidable effects of the forty-nine golden needles of Yaochi, even though Chen Jin's heart was pierced, not a single drop of blood flowed out.
Even the pierced heart continued to beat furiously!
Turning around, Yun Feng lit three sticks of incense before his parents' memorial tablets and kowtowed once more:
"Your unfilial son Yun Feng today takes the life of Chen family head Chen Jin to sacrifice to the spirits of my mother and father."
"May the eleven members of the Yun family find peace in the netherworld!"
When the three sticks of incense burned down to the end, Yun Feng picked up his parents' memorial tablets, took Zhou Ling by her small hand, and left the blood-soaked banquet hall.
From start to finish, he never glanced at Chen Jin again!
And this renowned head of the Chen family in Haicheng remained sunk in endless agony.
He would find release from it only after forty-nine days!
...
Chen Family Estate.
An elegant, quiet room was suddenly kicked open from the outside with a loud *bang*!
An old man with grey hair and a beard slowly opened his eyes, furrowing his brow as he scolded:
"Panicky and flustered, what kind of behavior is this?"
"The older you get, the less steady you become."
"Good thing the Chen family wasn't handed over to you back then!"
The middle-aged man who had rushed in steadied himself and hurriedly said:
"Father! Something terrible has happened!"
"Today at the engagement banquet, gunshots were heard coming from the main hall, one after another!"
"The men we had guarding outside were terrified out of their wits!"
"I just sent someone inside to investigate..."
"And they found... they found..."
"What? Gunshots?" The old man's expression changed as he sprang to his feet, demanding repeatedly:
"What did they find?"
"Out with it!"
"You're going to drive your old man to an early grave!"
The middle-aged man was Chen Jin's second younger brother, Chen Yin.
Swallowing hard, Chen Yin found it difficult to put the ghastly scene in the banquet hall into words.
He pulled his phone from his coat, tapped on an image, and handed it to Chen Shan, the former head of the Chen family standing before him.
Taking the phone, Chen Shan took one look and froze in place.
The massive banquet hall was littered with corpses in every direction.
The walls were riddled with scorched bullet holes.
His grandson Chen Shuo's head had been neatly placed upon a table.
As for the current Chen family head, Chen Jin, his entire body bristled with golden needles, his eyes bloodshot, his skin purplish-red, pinned to the floor by a stool leg with his fate unknown!
"What?!"
Chen Shan let out a cry of shock, collapsing backward onto the floor, his face a mask of utter terror!
"How can this be?"
"Who? Who did this?!" Chen Shan roared in furious interrogation.
Chen Yin hastily tapped to open another picture:
"We pulled surveillance footage from the surrounding streets. After the gunshots, only two people walked out of the banquet hall!"
"This man must be the killer!"
In the photo, Yun Feng was carrying two memorial tablets and holding Zhou Ling by the hand as they emerged from the main entrance of the banquet hall.
Staring at Yun Feng in the photograph, Chen Shan nodded bitterly, his voice raspy as he spoke:
"Good! Very good!"
"I've memorized this face!"
"In Haicheng, no one harms a descendant of the Chen family and gets away without paying a price!"
"I will flay him alive to comfort the wronged souls of my Chen family descendants!"
Right at that moment, a phone call suddenly came through on Chen Yin's cell phone!
"Second Uncle! Things are bad!"
"That man carrying the memorial tablets..."
"He's appeared on the streets near our estate!"
"Judging by the direction he's heading..."
"He's coming straight for our Chen Family Estate!"
Listening to the news coming through the phone, the skin on Chen Yin's face twitched as he looked at his father before him, his voice trembling:
"Father!"
"We're in trouble now. That fiend is coming right for us!"
"What should we do... what are we going to do?"
Chen Shan's expression turned stern as he delivered a fierce slap across Chen Yin's face, roaring:
"What are you panicking for?!"
"Isn't he just a high-stage martial artist?"
"Chen Jin had a brilliant mind and deep cunning, but he never cultivated martial arts!"
"And Chen Shuo is nothing but a good-for-nothing!"
"Any seventh-stage martial artist could easily handle those bodyguards and kill them if they wanted to."
"But..."
Chen Shan's expression darkened by degrees, his teeth grinding as he said:
"After pulling it off, not only did he not run, but he actually dares to come to the Chen Family Estate to throw his life away."
"This is him courting his own death!"
"Call out all the retainers in the estate!"
"My Chen family spends a fortune keeping them fed; it's time they earned their keep for my family!"
Chen Yin's face lit up with joy.
These Chen family retainers answered only to Chen Jin and Chen Shan.
His primary purpose in coming here was to leverage Chen Shan's authority to mobilize those retainers.
It played right into his hands!
A moment later.
Accompanied by a deafening crash, the gates of the Chen Family Estate were kicked off their hinges from the outside.
Amid swirling dust and smoke, Yun Feng took Zhou Ling's small hand and strolled into the Chen Family Estate.
The estate covered a vast area, boasting pavilions, terraces, winding corridors, and flowing streams—truly exquisite!
The very sight of this Chen Family Estate caused the anger burning in Yun Feng's heart to surge uncontrollably!
Why?
The people of the Chen family had murdered his law-abiding, kind-hearted parents and hounded him along every step of his escape.
Yet here in Haicheng, they colluded with officials, lorded over merchants, and preyed upon the common folk, enjoying such boundless wealth and living in peaceful luxury.
Why did good people die miserably in their homes while villains sat on fortunes worth billions?
This world was unjust!
"My name is Yun Feng!"
"Today, I have come to settle the debt for the annihilation of the Yun family seven years ago!"
Yun Feng's icy-cold voice instantly swept through the entire Chen Family Estate.
A flurry of chaotic footsteps came rushing from the depths of the estate!
At the head of them was none other than the grey-haired Chen Shan!
"Audacious madman!"
"Not only have you slaughtered over twenty members of the Chen family, but you've also wiped out all the luminaries of Haicheng in a single banquet hall!"
Striding forward, Chen Shan pointed at Yun Feng, heaping vicious abuse upon him:
"Seven years ago, we let you, this spawn of the Yun family, escape with your life."
"Today, the Chen family will uphold justice on behalf of heaven and eradicate you, this executioner!"
Yun Feng sneered:
"That's right, I am an executioner."
"Only, the one upholding justice on behalf of heaven today is none other than this executioner!"
He released Zhou Ling's small hand and respectfully placed his parents' memorial tablets upon the doorstep behind him.
Boundless killing intent suddenly surged within Yun Feng's voice!
"Before the spiritual tablets of my father, Yun Hai, and my mother, Wang Qian—"
"Which of you in the Chen family will step forward first to meet your death?"
Behind Chen Shan stood a crowd of people, many of whom possessed formidable auras.
Yet the first to leap out was a young man of roughly Yun Feng's age.
Sturdily built and wearing an undisguised, murderous glare, the youth pointed at Yun Feng and cursed:
"You vile murderer!"
"How dare you brutally slay my uncle and cousin!"
"Today, I will slay you with my own hands to wash away the disgrace brought upon our Chen family!"
Standing behind Yun Feng, Zhou Ling spoke in a low voice:
"This man is named Chen Mi, the most outstanding junior of the Chen family's second vein."
"Because their business ventures were tightly monopolized by the family head's lineage, Chen Mi's branch was forced to seek a breakthrough through martial arts."
"Though Chen Mi appears rash, he is actually meticulous and vicious. He must think his martial arts have achieved success and wants to kill you to establish his prestige."
"He means to seize control of the Chen family's industries while Chen Jin and Chen Shuo are dead, rise to power, and become the new family head."
"His strength is at the seventh stage, yet he can contend with me at the eighth. He can be considered a rare martial arts prodigy throughout all of Shenzhou."
Yun Feng slowly nodded.
Zhou Ling studied under the sixth vein of the Yaochi Sect, specializing in secret fragrance techniques rather than combat.
Yet Zhou Ling's own martial realm was not low; at merely twenty years old, she had already entered the eighth stage, placing her among the proud elites of the entire Shenzhou.
For this Chen Mi to fight Zhou Ling across realms meant he indeed had grounds for pride...
Only...
In Yun Feng's eyes, he was nothing more than a maggot to be crushed at will.
Seeing Chen Mi leap forward, a strange gleam flashed in Chen Shan's eyes, but he offered no words of restraint.
Emboldened by his grandfather Chen Shan's silent acquiescence, Chen Mi grew even more excited.
With a fierce roar, he threw a punch straight at Yun Feng's face!
The punch was ferocious and blindingly fast!
Behind Chen Shan, a high-level Chen family retainer smiled at the corner of his mouth and nodded in evaluation:
"Young Master Chen Mi's punch has already captured three parts of the essence of martial arts."
"Given time, he will certainly possess the bearing of a Grandmaster."
"He can lead our Chen family to even greater heights!"
Another Chen family retainer nearby chimed in with a nod:
"Indeed. For this fellow Yun Feng to be so arrogant, standing there without dodging or evading—is he planning to take Young Master Chen Mi's punch head-on?"
"Judging by his age, his strength is at most the sixth or seventh stage."
"Under Young Master Chen Mi's punch, Yun Feng will likely drop dead on the spot!"
"Heh, for this Yun Feng to dare storm our Chen Family Estate directly, he really is a lunatic!"
"Just a farce. Scatter; I'll go collect this brat's corpse."
As the Chen family retainers were murmuring among themselves, a dull *thud* suddenly exploded from ahead.
The retainers all drew sharp intakes of breath.
With a sound like that, Young Master Chen Mi must have shattered Yun Feng's skull.
Our cleanup job is going to be a lot harder now!
Thinking thus, the members of the Chen family all looked over together.
At the sight that met their eyes, everyone froze!
Yun Feng stood right where he was, his face as cold as frost, with only a single fist extended out.
And right across from him...
Chen Mi's head was gone!
In its place, covering the ground behind Chen Mi, were shattered fragments of bone and flesh!
Interspersed amidst it all were specks of pale white brain matter!
Obliterated with a single punch!
Behind the gates of the Chen Family Estate, you could hear a pin drop!
Chen Shan's aged pupils abruptly constricted!
This Yun Feng...
Was he truly this powerful?
"H-How is that possible?!" cried out a Chen family retainer in alarm, his face a picture of sheer disbelief.
"Young Master Chen Mi is a prodigy capable of fighting slightly weaker eighth-stage martial artists!"
"And his head was blown apart with a single punch???"
"Who's next?" Yun Feng's lips parted slightly, his indifferent voice harboring a deep killing intent as it echoed behind the gates of the Chen Family Estate...
The group of retainers all shuddered in unison.
"Y-You are Yun Feng?"
A retainer asked in astonished doubt:
"How old are you? How could you already possess the strength of an eighth-stage martial artist?"
"Are you from out of town? Why have I never heard your name before?"
Glancing at the retainer, Yun Feng said in a deep voice:
"Not having heard of it is only natural."
"After a full seven years, how many people in Haicheng even remember the name of the Yun family?"
"Yet I, Yun Feng, have not dared to forget for a single second what you did to my family back then!"
"Today, I will wipe out your Chen family to the last root!"
"Tricks of a buffoon, how dare you show them off?"
Hearing Yun Feng's words brimming with killing intent, the members of the Chen family finally snapped out of the shock of seeing Chen Mi's head blown off.
Looking at his son's corpse, Chen Yin nearly fainted on the spot as he wailed in grief:
"My poor Mi'er!"
"Father will definitely avenge your murder!"
Pointing a trembling finger at Yun Feng, who stood not far away with his hands behind his back, Chen Shan roared:
"Yun Feng!"
"Don't think that having mere eighth-stage strength gives you the right to run wild in my Chen family!"
"I've always had regrets in my heart for failing to kill you back then!"
"Today, I'll make sure you bleed on this very spot!"
Stepping out from the crowd, a Chen family retainer bowed respectfully to Chen Shan and said:
"Old Family Head, I ask to fight!"
"I will surely slay this brat to uphold the dignity of our great Chen family!"
Seeing this, Chen Shan clapped his hands and said:
"Good! I leave everything to Elder Tang!"
Behind Yun Feng, Zhou Ling whispered:
"This Tang Hua is said to be an outcast of the Tang Clan. His mastery of hidden weapons is peerless; though he rarely makes a move, his strength is formidable, and he has always been a standout among the Chen family retainers."
"I deduce that he should be at the upper eighth-stage realm."
Tang Hua clearly heard Zhou Ling's words. Casting a side-long glance at her, he smiled without any warmth:
"Well, well, little girl. Not much in years, but quite sharp-eyed."
"Indeed, my realm has now reached the upper eighth stage."
"Little Yun Feng, you are indeed worthy of pride to have entered the realm of eighth-stage martial artists at such a young age."
"It's a pity that today, I shall be the one to snuff out this rare martial arts prodigy for the Chen family!"
"Come to think of it, I feel a twinge of excitement!"
As Tang Hua spoke, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes!
His hand, hidden within his sleeve, had already quietly groped for two flying locust stones!
He had made up his mind that when he struck, he would succeed in a single blow and cleanly smash Yun Feng's skull to pieces!
When that happened, his status within the Chen family would rise to even greater heights!
Giving Tang Hua a calm look, Yun Feng chuckled lightly:
"Have you finished running your mouth, stray dog?"
Tang Hua was instantly seized with fury!
Ever since he was expelled by the Tang Clan, he could not bear to hear anyone use words like "stray dog" in front of him!
This Yun Feng truly deserved to die!
With a flick of his wrist, Tang Hua prepared to unleash his flying locust stones at Yun Feng to shatter his skull!
Yet out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently caught sight of a faint golden glint shooting from Yun Feng's fingertips like lightning!
Silent!
Incredibly fast!
What is that?!
The thought had barely formed in Tang Hua's mind.
Before his gaze locked, his entire body was struck as if by lightning, freezing him stiff on the spot!
A golden needle had pierced right through Tang Hua's glabella and cranial bone before he even realized it!
The brain protected within the skull behind it was directly beaten into a paste by the force carried in the golden needle.
Three seconds passed.
*Bang!*
Tang Hua crashed face-first to the ground, his eyes wide open, devoid of the slightest breath of life.
He died with his eyes unclosed!
Behind the Chen family gates, a deathly silence fell.
What on earth just happened?
Tang Hua! An upper eighth-stage expert!
Tang Hua, the standout among the Chen family retainers, one of the foundational pillars that allowed the Chen family to stand firm in Haicheng for years!
Just like that... killed by Yun Feng?
Recovering his wits, Chen Yin hurried forward and flipped Tang Hua's corpse over.
One look caused Chen Yin to draw a sharp breath and collapse backward onto the ground.
"A golden needle?"
"Retainer Tang Hua... a Tang Clan martial artist most proficient in hidden weapons, was actually killed by a single golden needle?"
"How is that possible?"
Hearing Chen Yin's words, every member of the Chen family felt as though a massive boulder were pressing down on their hearts.
This Yun Feng was actually able to kill Tang Hua in a single move within his own domain of expertise—hidden weapons...
What realm was he truly in?
For a moment, Yun Feng seemed to transform in everyone's eyes into an unfathomable, bottomless abyss.
"Is there anyone else coming to meet their death?"
The corners of Yun Feng's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a mocking sneer:
"If not, I'm going to begin wiping out your entire Chen family to sacrifice to the spirits of my parents."
Looking into Yun Feng's calm yet infinitely murderous eyes, Chen Shan's expression turned as dark as pitch, beyond all description.
Chen Shan finally understood why this spawn of the Yun family dared to appear so arrogantly within the Chen Family Estate...
A Ninth-Stage Martial Artist!
An eighteen-year-old Ninth-Stage Martial Artist!
Terrifying beyond measure!
"I underestimated you..."
Chen Shan muttered under his breath:
"Back then, I should have dispatched Shadow to strangle you directly!"
"However..."
"It's not too late now!"
With a sudden, ferocious twist of his expression, Chen Shan shouted sternly:
"Shadow! Kill him!"
At those words, the members of the Chen family all exchanged glances.
Someone muttered in a low voice:
"Shadow?"