Rebirth Of The Urban Immortal Cultivator

by Stayrr

Chen Fan, the great cultivator, failed to transcend the Tribulation of Heaven: the final stage of his cultivation. Little did he know that this accident would bring him back to Earth and turn back time to five hundred years ago when he was just a teenager. 'I had once reached the precipice of power in the known universe and could look down on the ten thousand realms with pride; I

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Rebirth Of The Urban Immortal Cultivator #Chapter 225 - Green Vine Club - Read Rebirth Of The Urban Immortal Cultivator Chapter 225 - Green Vine Club Online - All Page - FREEWN

Chapter 225: Green Vine Club

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Xiao Fan, These are Song Zhe, Liu Daoyuan and Hua Zicheng." Fang Qiong introduced.

She only told Chen Fan their name but didn't mention their background, fearing that information might give Chen Fan too much pressure. Everyone in that group were heirs of reputable households, born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Their upbringing instilled great ambition in them.

"I am Chen Fan, Fang Qiong's friend." Chen Fan greeted the group with a nod.

Song Zhe and the other young man looked to Chen Fan with a welcoming smile. However, Chen Fan was able to see through their fake masks and peer into the contempt and disdain in their eyes.

"Junwen, who the heck is that dude?"

Song Zhe asked curiously as soon as he was alone with Sheng Junwen in the car.

Everyone knew that Shen Junwen had been trying to woo Fang Qiong for six years, but little did they expect to see a competitor. In addition, they also registered the strange affection in Fang Qiong's eyes when she looked at Chen Fan.

"He is Xiao Qiong's childhood friend. They had promised each other to attend the Jin City University together when they were little." Shen Junwen cracked a smile and said: "Don't mind him; he is not worthy to be my opponent."

"True that! Who can compete with you?"

Song Zhe nodded in agreement.

Song Zhe was the oldest among his circle of friends and therefore he was the big brother of the group. He had been slowly taking over his dad's business three years ago and by now, he had made it to the CEO's seat, managing over thousands of employees. However, Song Zhe couldn't help but feel afraid of this particular young brother before him.

Shen Junwen's ruthless methods and meticulousness in planning struck fear into Song Zhe's heart. While talking to Shen Junwen, Song Zhe often had the illusion of talking to his father, a veteran businessman.

It didn't take long for the cars to arrive at the destination.

The Green Vines club was nestled along the quiet shore of the Green Dragon Lake.

It was surrounded by tall lush trees and a tall white wall that was covered with green vines. The path to the entrance was made out of pebbles. It led them to a red gate that was armored with golden studs at a few places. Two stone lion statues flanked the gate, along with a row of attractive girls in Qipao on each side. The visitors felt that time had frozen in here, and they were back in a time a hundred years ago.

The owner of the club was an elegant looking girl wearing a cream colored dress. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and was wearing a bead bracelet. It was difficult to tell the age of the woman from her appearance. Her features suggested she was only eighteen, however, she carried a mature and sultry air around her.

"Sister Yifei, long time no see."

Zhong Yaoyao ran toward the woman and gave her a kittenish embrace.

"I was dealing with some business at Wu Zhou, therefore I was late." The woman cracked a smile as a few servant girls had brought out stools. This private club was elegantly decorated according to the aesthetic styles of the Tang Dynasty.

A long and narrow tea table set at the middle of the room and a few refined servant girls kneeled behind the tall table. A few teacups and a teapot set on the table. They were so delicate looking that it was evident that they were made by master potters.

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From the decoration of the rooms to the overall demeanor of the servant girls, Chen Fan registered that the owner of the club was a woman of incredible power and prestige.

The few elite heirs who could dominate the city followed the woman quietly as an employee would to their boss. Even Shen Junwen's face looked fearful.

This elegant looking woman was a legend among the elite class of the Jin City.

She was Tang Yifei, the only child of Tang Yuanqin.

Tang Yuanqin was a dominating figure of the Jiang Nan Province. The Tang family had deep roots in the Jin City; their connections and resources in the city were beyond anyone's imagination. It was not an overstatement to say that the city was run by the Tang family.

Despite the girl's soft if not meek appearance, Shen Junwen and his friends knew that she was the one who had been handling most of the family business ever since Tang Yuanqin's semi-retirement a few years ago.

Since she represents the Tang family, she was the uncrowned queen of the Jiang Nan Province.

After everyone settled in their seat, Tang Yifei started to prepare tea for the guests. Her pale skin seemed to glow under the sunlight, and even the white porcelain teacups couldn't compare.

"Supreme-grade White Hair Silver Needle Tea, steeped with the spring water from Hupao spring in a Jun ware teapot made in Jinde County. The flavor profile was rich and deep. This is sublime!" Shen Junwen raised his cup and smiled at it and then exclaimed.

"Why of course! Sister Yifei made it. Even Qin Hua complimented her on her skills." Zhong Yaoyao said with a smug smile.

"Mr. Chen, please try some of the tea." Tang Yifei picked up a cup and handed it to Chen Fan.

"Thank you." Chen Fan answered calmly and airily.

It was as if he thought that the tea that was worth a hundred thousand a kilogram and prepared by Tang Yifei was not much of a big deal.

Tang Yifei kept her smile, but surprise flashed across her eyes.

As Fang Qiong's friend, she knew that Fang Qiong was infatuated with a childhood friend. However, she always thought that her infatuation would eventually wear off when the reality set it. After all, most people tend to glorify the image of their first love.

The boy was from a little county in Jiang Bei, it was unlikely that he would be as outstanding as Fang Qiong thought him to be.

After meeting the boy in person, Tang Yifei started to doubt her previous conclusions. She had a keen eye for talent and power, and despite Chen Fan's average looks, she had sensed something unique in the boy.

"He is so... indifferent. He is either very confident or arrogant."

Tang Yifei wished that it was the former.

"Could this Chen Fan be some kind of big deal?"

Tang Yifei furrowed her brows for only a brief moment. They were in the Jin City, the Tang family's territory, even the combined might of all the other tycoons in the city wouldn't be able to challenge her, much less a young man.

"Please help yourself, Mr. Chen."

Tang Yifei replied, and then started to chat with the others.

It was evident that Tang Yifei was the center of the group. She was the oldest and the most powerful. Closely behind Tang Yifei influence wise was Shen Junwen and Fang Qiong. At a few times, Chen Fan registered a slight conflict between the alpha of the group and the new rising star, Shen Junwen.

"The Policy for the Jin City development is going to be issued. Would Wu Zhou partake this time?"

"Wu Zhou is too close to Zhong Hai, so I doubt it."

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"I have heard that the federal is going to release a stimulus package for the real estate industry. One of my uncles worked in the government said..."

As they prattled alone, Chen Fan noticed that their topics were much different than Chen Xu and his friends. They were not interested in sports cars or chicks, instead, their conversation focused on government policies.

Hua Zicheng talked the most, and he seemed to have an opinion on each and every subject.

Liu Daoyuan seldom spoke, but whatever he said always hit the spot.

Song Zhe's opinions were often much more practical than the other speakers.

Fang Qiong and Shen Junwen listened for most of the time, but they were the ones that led the conversation. With only a few words, they could summarize one subject and channel the flow of the conversation to another topic. In addition, both of their views were very similar to each other: great minds think alike.

Tang Yifei watched and kept her silence most of the time. However, from time to time, she would offer a few pieces of information that no one else knew about. Some of that information was classified and were not meant for publics' ears.

Chen Fan and Zhong Yaoyao were getting bored as the conversation went on.

"Hey, how's it going? Do you feel alienated yet?" Zhong Yaoyao came over to Chen Fan and asked mischievously. The smell of perfume wafted into Chen Fan's nose.

"No." Chen Fan said lightly. "No one is perfect but no one is worthless either. They would have no idea what I am talking about once I showed them what I am good at."

"Some people are good at ball games, but some are good at power games. Those are very different games for very different kinds of people." Zhong Yaoyao asked: "What kind of game are you good at?"

"The kind with a fist." Chen Fan said calmly.

"Fist? Fighting?" Zhong Yaoyao paused a second and then she gave Chen Fan a disdainful look.

With her upbringing, she would naturally look down on people who make a living by fighting. Even the most powerful warrior could only work as a tycoon's bodyguard. However, it was a seemingly weak and fragile girl such as Tang Yifei who had real power in her hands. One decision from her would change the lives of thousands, that was a much greater power than what fist could offer.

"If you like fighting, you can spar with some of my friends. If you can beat them, I might give you some reward." Zhong Yaoyao closed into Chen Fan and whispered in Chen Fan's ears.

Chen Fan felt her breath against his cheek and her whispering voice was inviting and tempting.

However, Chen Fan didn't notice the mockery in her eyes.

"Zhong Yaoyao!"

Fang Qiong caught the intimate scene at the corner of her eyes. She turned around and shouted at Zhong Yaoyao hotly.

"Haha! I am just asking him about the kind of embarrassing things you have done when you were a child. Don't get riled up please." Zhong Yaoyao cracked a smile and then gave Chen Fan a knowing look. She moved her mouth silently. "Don't forget!"

"What a goofy girl." Chen Fan was amused.

The conversation went on for a while and finally, people decided to leave.

After they have arrived at the entrance to the university, Fang Qiong dragged Chen Fan to a quiet corner and asked after much hesitation.

"It's late now. Where are you staying? Do you want me to book a hotel for you?"

"It's Ok. I am going back to my dorm." Chen Fan pointed toward the Business School with a smile. "I am a student there. Although I can't get into Jin City University, I am close enough to see you every day."

"Really?" Fang Qiong's eyes lit up from the pleasant surprise.

"The dorm is about to close, you should head back now. We will catch up later." Chen Fan cracked a smile and walked the girl to the dorm. After they said goodnight to each other, Fang Qiong walked into the dorm reluctantly.

Many people on campus had witnessed their interactions.

The next day, news spread across the Jin City University: Goddess Fang Qiong has a boyfriend!

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Chapter 226: Your Bright Future

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Haven't you heard, the freshman Fang Qiong from the business management faculty has a boyfriend now."

"Yes, I had just heard the news. It's really fast isn't it?"

"What? I didn't hear about it at all."

Even as everyone discussed the news, follow-up news already started to spread across the campus. It turned out that Fang Qiong's boyfriend was a no-account from the business school.

A highly sought after campus flower was taken so easily by a rich heir from the business school. It was a brazen insult to all the male students of the Jin City University. Overnight, Chen Fan had become the public enemy at the Jin City University.

Meanwhile, the two who were involved in the scandal were affected by stink eyes around them. They met up every morning for breakfast and at the school library. In the evening, they would hang out around Jin City.

Although Chen Fan and Fang Qiong hadn't seen each other for six years, it didn't take long for them to rekindle their old flame.

Along the Jinlin River, inside a mid-level dim-sum restaurant.

"Xiao Fan, do you still like chocolate as much as you used to?"

Fang Qiong asked coquettishly as she pushed a plateful of chocolate balls toward Chen Fan.

"Well, you haven't changed either and still liked cold drinks. Don't you remember that when you were on your period, the cold drinks always gave you cramps?" Chen Fan flung back at her.

"Stop it, you! don't make fun of me!" Fang Qiong replied hotly.

Whenever she talked to Chen Fan, She transformed from a cold and aloof goddess into a cute and down to earth girl-next-door. If Song Zhe, Zhong Yaoyao and their friends were here to see what she was like, they would be very surprised.

"Ah-ha! That's the Xiao Qiong I remembered." Chen Fan replied readily.

Fang Qiong paused a second as the smile on her face slowly disappeared. She said with a disheartened voice.

"We have all grown up, you know. After I moved to Jin City, I felt so lonely. I knew nobody at the school while everyone else around me is so... much better than me. But the helpless and loneliness finally drove me to work harder in order to blend in with new friends. Plus, Father's health is deteriorating ever since we moved here, he was about as helpless as I was, so I was his only helper. "

Chen Fan listened quietly as the girl started to fill him in on what she had gone through in the six years. He had heard of some of the events in his past life, but for some, it was the first time he ever heard of them. Slowly, Chen Fan felt a strong warm feeling rise inside of him,

"Xiao Qiong, don't you worry. You have me now, and I will share carry the burden with you, and protect you. If it is the world you want, I will conquer it and hand it to you on a platter."

Chen Fan reached out and hold on to the girl's hand as he said solemnly.

Fang Qiong panicked slightly and then said softly: "Xiao Fan, if I don't work hard, who will support my family? Who will run Ming De Group? I am an only child of my father and his only hope."

Fang Qiong paused and then smiled broadly: "It's true that I have my own dreams, but it is not to conquer the world. I want to study at the best university in the world to learn from the best and to see what the real elites of the world are like."

Chen Fan pulled his hand back and smiled back at Xiao Qiong. He was very pleased with Xiao Qiong's answer.

That was the Fang Qiong he had remembered. Wherever she was, let it be on the earth or in the Cangmin Immortal Realm, she was always more ambitious and strong-willed than him.

"Go ahead and fight then, Xiao Qiong. I will always be here for you and catch you if you fall. In the end, you will realize that the world is already wrapped up nicely in my pocket, waiting for you to ask for it."

Chen Fan looked away from the girl and into the distance. He saw fireworks across the river.

Flashes of sparkling fireworks pierced the dark night and lit up the opposite bank of the river.

Jin City, Wan Rong Royal Wood Community, Mansion number one...

Wan Rong Royal Wood Community was a top real estate development by the Wan Rong Group. The cheapest house here was worth well over ten million yuan. Mansion number one was worth as much as twenty million. However, this house was never put up for sale since the developer, Sheng Ronghua had given this property to his son as a gift.

Shen Junwen was sitting in the office on the second floor. He studied a pile of papers before him attentively.

"Young Lord, that is all I can find about Chen Fan." A middle-aged man encased in a brand name suit said respectfully.

As a high-level manager of a public company, he made millions a year and his decision would affect thousands of people. However, when he stood before Shen Junwen, who was younger than twenty, he scarcely dared to breathe.

The man knew the ruthless methods of the handsome young man. There were many veterans of the company who followed his father Sheng Ronghua since the inception of the company, and some of them had looked down on the young man. Those men were all kicked out of the company without any severance pay, worse, some were even sent to jail.

"Chen Fan, born in 1990, eighteen years old. He is from Chu Zhou City in Jiang Bei. He attended Si Shui Primary School and then Si Shui County high school. He was transferred to Ivy League High School at the Chu Zhou City at grade twelve. He didn't participate in the National University Entrance Exam, and as to how he was able to get into the Business School remains unknown."

Shen Junwen read the profile quietly.

He had never taken Chen Fan too seriously, as he was convinced that this ordinary-looking young man posed no threat to him at all. However, the rumors that were spreading among the students about Chen Fan and Fang Qiong finally caught his attention. Fang Qiong was his ultimate prize, as well as his bottom line that he would fiercely uphold.

Shen Junwen was a cunning man, and he knew the importance of planning. Therefore, he didn't act out immediately; instead, he did thorough research on Chen Fan's background. After he had gathered all the info he needed, he would then decided on the method he would use to deal with Chen Fan. He could either outright murder Chen Fan or pressure the Fang family to separate the two.

He was very confident that Chen Fan would not pass Fang Qiong's mother's scrutiny. She was a materialistic woman and she would not allow her daughter to date a no-account.

"Family background: his father is Chen Gexin, an officer at the Si Shui County who is in charge of Agriculture Drainage. He was from the Chen family of Jin City, and was the third son of Chen Huaian."

Shen Junwen was lighthearted when he read the first half of the sentence. If his father was just a county officer, the Shen family could easily quash Chen Fan's entire family with ease.

However, after he read the second half, he suddenly furrowed his brows.

"Chen Fan is from the Chen family of Jin City?"

Being a member of the Chen Family of the Jin City wouldn't mean a thing half a year ago, however, the Chen family's influence had suddenly surged of late. All three leaders of the Chen family had made a breakthrough in their business and careers and at times, they were now competing directly with the Shen family.

"No wonder he is so full of himself. He is from the Chen family."

A slight concern started to flicker in Shen Junwen's eyes.

However, he was still very confident in his competition with Chen Fan. The Chens were a prudent lot and they would not put all of their eggs in one basket, and even if they did, it wouldn't be Chen Fan since Chen An was a much better candidate for that role than Chen Fan. On the other hand, Shen Junwen was the sole heir of the Shen family and therefore, he wielded the collective might of the Shen family.

"His mother is Wang Xiaoyun. She is originally from Yan Jin and now she is the CEO of the Chens Group as well as the owner of the Jin Xiu Group in Zhong Hai."

Shen Junwen's face paled after he read about Chen Fan's mother.

"Oh-shit! He is Wang Xiaoyun's son!"

Compared to Chen Gexin, Shen Junwen was much more familiar with Wang Xiaoyun. Wan Rong Group and the Jin Xiu Group were the two largest real estate companies in China and they were direct competitors. The Jin Xiu Group seemed to had even outgrown Wan Rong Group within the last six months as they started to acquire as many plots in the Zhong Hai as they could. The housing price just started to rise, and already, the Jin Xiu Group had stood out among other real estate groups and was considered the biggest winner. Wang Xiaoyun was named the Queen of Jin Xiu because of her incredible success.

"I thought Wang Xiaoyun only has a daughter called An Ya, where does her son come from?"

Shen Junwen started to feel the pressure.

"He is not only the heir of the Chen family, the son of Wang Xiaoyun but also a childhood friend of Fang Qiong..."

Finally, Shen Junwen panicked.

Chen Fan turned out to be a tough nut to crack. Since Chen Fan's family power was on par with his, the tools he could use against Chen Fan was limited.

"I bet Fang Qiong's mother would pleasantly accept Chen Fan as her daughter's boyfriend if she knew Chen Fan's family background."

Shen Junwen thought to himself.

He knew Fang Qiong's mother very well. She had been trying to set up her daughter up with him solely because of her greed. She would easily ditch Shen Junwen if another rich heir turned up who happened to be Fang Qiong's childhood friend.

"But there is a silver lining. Chen Fan seemed to be of average talent. He even skipped his last year of high school and missed the National University Entrance Exam altogether. In the end, he could only attend second class colleagues such as the Business School at the Jin City University. I can definitely capitalize on that."

Shen Junwen tapped the table rhythmically as Chen Fan's weakness started to surface in his mind.

Although Chen Fan's family background was on par with his, his abilities were much inferior to him.

Even as the age of eighteen, Shen Junwen was already considered the elite of the city. His upbringing had groomed him into the heir of the Wan Rong Group with decisive actions and an incredible wealth of knowledge. On the other hand, Chen Fan resembled a rich brat who would only waste his life away while doing nothing.

Shen Junwen wagered that he would score much higher in Fang Qiong's parents' mind than Chen Fan.

"Humph! He is just a useless spoiled brat and he is deemed to lose in this competition." Shen Junwen let out a cold smile as he started to plot his scheme.

Suddenly, he heard a voice at the door.

"Good morning, my lord."

The door of the study swung open and a stately looking middle age man walked in. He was followed closely by a long-haired old man.

"Dad, Uncle Lin, why are you guys back so quickly?"

Shen Junwen rose to his feet and asked curiously. He didn't expect his father to be back from Jiang Bei so quickly.

The middle-aged man was the owner of the Wan Rong Group, the richest man in Jiang Bei: Sheng Ronghua.

"I got back as soon as I heard the news. Someone is competing with us on the East Mountain Meadow project. Our application was about to get approved, but Qin Hua that asshole had rejected it the last minute!"

Sheng Ronghua said with furrowed brows.

"East Mountain Meadow project is the most critical project for our company and we have poured so many resources into it already." Shen Junwen exclaimed. "Who dares to screw us over? Is it anyone from our province or is it a federal company?"

"Neither. A friend of mine told me that it is the Chen family of Jin City." Sheng Ronghua shook his head and said: "That's very strange, isn't it? We have never crossed each other's lines. Why would they want to sabotage our project at such a critical moment? Do they want a war with us?"

"Chen family of Jin City?" Shen Junwen was shocked.

He wondered if the incident was related to his investigation of Chen Fan.

"That is really strange indeed. Chen family shouldn't have interfered with the East Mountain Meadow project." Sheng Ronghua paced back and forth in the room and a pile of paper on the desk caught his attention.

"Why do you have his information?"

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Chapter 227: He Is Master Chen!

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"What's the matter, father?" Shen Junwen asked with furrowed brows. "He is Fang Qiong's old friend, and I asked Uncle Yan to gather some of his information for me."

He paused and then asked hesitantly: "Is he related to the trouble at the East Mountain Meadow? He is just an ordinary member of the Chen Family. His mother is Wang Xiaoyun, but even with his mother's help, he should not be so delusional as to challenge our multi-billion dollar project."

"You couldn't be more wrong." Sheng Junwen's father picked up a few pieces of paper and studied them carefully. Then he shook his head and said with a smile: "Xiao Yan only investigated what's on the surface. But the fault was not with Xiao Yan, after all, he is just a manager of our company, therefore he would have known who Chen Fan really is."

"So there is more than what meets the eye?" Shen Junwen asked curiously.

"He is Master Chen of Jiang Bei." Sheng Ronghua said after a long sigh.

"Master Chen of Jiang Bei?" Shen Junwen was taken aback at first and then realization finally dawned upon him. His face darkened as fear rose inside of him. However outstanding and mature he was, he was only an eighteen year old boy not the seasoned businessman that ran the Wan Rong Group in a decade or so.

Needless to say that Shen Junwen had heard of the name of Master Chen.

He was the person who had taken his father's seat of power in the Jiang Bei region. For the first half of this year, he had heard a lot of news about this man and it wasn't until recently that the inpouring of news about him started to dwindle. He knew that Master Chen was a young man less than twenty years old, but little did he know that Master Chen was actually Chen Fan.

"Impossible!" Shen Junwen lowered his head, eyes brimming with shock.

When he was still trying —sometimes failing— to take over his father's burden, Chen Fan had already risen to power and became his father's equal. Their gap was unbridgeable. If the Fang family ever find out Chen Fan's real identity, they would choose him over Sheng Junwen in a heartbeat.

Shen Junwen's heart sank to the bottom as he felt that Chen Fan had trampled on his pride and ego. Who would ever have thought that an ordinary young man could have been a powerful figure in the Jiang Bei region? He remembered the day when he first met Chen Fan and his showing off of knowledge and eloquence. In hindsight, he figured that Chen Fan must have been secretly laughing at him in his mind.

So thinking, Shen Junwen closed his fist as anger and embarrassment filled up his heart.

"Of course that's possible." Sheng Ronghua said as his lips curled into a cold smile."No... it is not only possible but also the only explanation. The Chen Family would never think of stepping on our toes, but that is not the case for Master Chen. He is young, impudent and full of himself, so it is very likely that he wanted to mess with us over a girl."

Sheng Ronghua not only knew that this son was trying to win the heart of Fang Qiong but he also openly supported him. Therefore, he had been keeping an amicable relationship with the Fang family.

"Do you mean..." Shen Junwen asked incredulously as his father's words set in.

"I mean he is after you, I am afraid." Sheng Ronghua shook his head and said.

Shen Junwen gasped as shock and disbelief came over him.

If that's true, Chen Fan had mobilized over a billion yuan to sabotage Wan Rong Group's project. Shen Junwen's meticulous calculations and micromanagement couldn't compare with such strident actions of a few daring broad strokes in terms of audacity and confidence.

"Hehe, Master Chen is a 'go big or go home' kind of guy. I doubt he ever took us seriously."

Despite himself, Sheng Ronghua cracked a smile.

Shen Junwen knew that smile. He saw it on his father's face when he was truly mad.

"I have heard that Master Chen dominated the Jiang Bei region because of his Martial arts and Dharma Spells. Brother Lin, you are a martial artist as well. Could you please shed some light on that?" Sheng Ronghua turned around and looked at the white-haired old man.

Uncle Lin was originally from Hong Kong and he was invited by the Sheng family to mainland China decades ago. Ever since then, he had saved Shen Junwen many times from assassination attempts. He was so powerful that he could dodge a bullet with ease. However, he was rarely known by anyone outside of the Sheng family. Rumor had it that Uncle Lin was actually seeking protection in the Sheng family from a powerful foe, otherwise, he would have already made a name for himself out there in the martial arts community.

Uncle Lin narrowed his eyes as something sharp glinted in his pupils. He then answered with a husky voice.

"My lord, I have been away from the Martial arts community for many years and therefore I have never heard of this young man's name. However, if he could be listed as powerful as Tang Yuanqin, I wager that he has reached at least the phenomenal success in his Internal Force cultivation, if not at the peak level."

"How about you, Uncle Lin?" Shen Junwen got right down to the point.

"Me?" Uncle Lin laughed out loud and said: "Please be rest assured, my lord. Even Tang Yuanqin himself is no match against me."

"That is good to know. Thank you for reassuring me." Sheng Ronghua nodded.

As the richest man in Jiang Bei, he was not afraid of any battle on the business landscape, however, he was concerned that Chen Fan would use more direct methods to harm him.

"Come test our might if you wish. We will teach you a lesson, I promise."

A flame danced in Sheng Ronghua's eyes. Even Shen Junwen was affected by his father's emotion and felt that his blood was boiling.

This was the unyielding spirit of the Sheng family of Jiang Bei.

A few days later, the East Mountain Meadow Development proposal was officially rejected by the government.

That marked the beginning of the war between the Wan Rong Group and Chen Family. By then, the other families in Jin City finally caught up to the ongoing clan war. News about the conflict quickly spread all over the province and caught everyone's attention.

One party was the overseer of Jiang Bei, the king of Chinese real estate industry, Wan Rong Group.

The other party was the Chen Family at its hay day with unprecedented achievements.

The battle between the two factions would determine the course of which the city would take for the next few decades to come. If Chen family was able to emerge victoriously, they would be forever written into the history of Jin City.

Meanwhile, Chen Fan suddenly got a text message from Fang Qiong, asking him to meet her at the school gym.

After Chen Fan arrived, he immediately sensed that something was off. Fang Qiong wore the Jade Marrow pedant all the time, so he could sense her presence from miles away, however, there and then, her presence was missing.

"Who is there?"

Chen Fan shouted as he projected out his Divine Will.

"It's you, Zhong Yaoyao? Why did you trick me to come here?" Chen Fan's face grew softer and asked lightly.

Zhong Yaoyao emerged from behind a column with a mischievous expression. She was wearing a small black tank top and a pair of short pants. Her spinner body and an impressive six-pack made her look fit and tempting.

"Chen Fan, haven't you said that you are good at fighting? I have found you some sparring partners."

A few brawny men wearing boxing gloves emerged from dark corners. Their burgeoning muscles reflected the light coming from the ceiling. It was evident from the snappy way they carried themselves that they were powerful fighters. Standing before these muscle men, Chen Fan looked like a weak fledgling.

"These guys are from the provincial Sanshou team. If you can defeat them, I might have a reward for you." Zhong Yaoyao gave Chen Fan a flirtatious smile.

Zhong Yaoyao had sent Fang Qiong away with some excuses and texted Chen Fan using Fang Qiong's phone.

"I will teach you a lesson today! " Zhong Yaoyao thought to herself contemptuously.

Zhong Yaoyao felt she had fallen out of love with her BFF ever since Fang Qiong and Chen Fan reunited.

"You again?"

Chen Fan looked to one of the big guys and let out a half-smile.

As soon as the person recognized Chen Fan, his face darkened.

The man was Brother Zhang who Chen Fan had met at Qin Yang County. He didn't expect to meet him again at Jin City almost a year later.

Brother Zhang was about to collapse to the ground. He was told by his friends that they were going to scare off some college student, and therefore he didn't even think that his junior teammates would even need his help. However, he didn't know that the so-called college student was Chen Fan.

Brother Zhang had witnessed with his own eyes as Chen Fan killed Linhu with three moves, that he had blocked a bullet with his own flesh, and killed Xin Zhong with one finger jab. Those memories still tormented him in the night, and he never thought that he would meet his nightmare again in real life.

"Hey, kiddo, I have heard you are some kind of a fighter. Why don't you try me?"

One of the brawny men wearing a pair of blue jeans raised his fists and challenged Chen Fan.

Zhong Yaoyao had many pursuers, and the man was one of them. His name was Xiao Long and he was one of the new members of the Sanshou team. He would be more than willing to show off his moves before the girl he liked.

"Just so, Chen Fan, why don't you come spar with Xiao Long?" Zhong Yaoyao lifted his chin and said with a smug smile. "If you don't have what it takes to defeat Xiao Long, then you might as well stay away from Xiao Qiong, otherwise, I will ask Xiao Long to beat you up. "

"Hehe, how dare you to bother Yaoyao's friend! I will break your leg..." Even as Xiao Long curled his lips into an ugly grin, he was dealt a blow at the back of his head.

"Oh OUCH! Who hit me?" Xiao Long turned around and noticed that it was Brother Zhang. He asked with surprise: "Brother Zhang, why did you do that?"

Brother Zhang was a senior member of the team and had won many awards. Therefore, he was much more respectable than Xiao Long.

"Because you are an idiot!" Brother Zhang kicked Xiao Long and sent the latter flying.

Under everyone's confused stare, Brother Zhang rushed to Chen Fan and dropped both knees. He kowtowed and pleaded: "Master Chen! I apologize, please forgive us! Please!"

"Brother Zhang, what the ...?"

Everyone was shocked by the turn of events.

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes and then said: "This is the second time you tried to offend me."

Suddenly, Brother Zhang was drenched in sweat. He said with a trembling voice: "I am sorry! I am so sorry! I beg your forgiveness. My brother didn't know it was you either."

"Hehe." Chen Fan let out a faint smile and then looked to Xiao Long who had just managed to sit up. "What did you say? You want to break my leg?"

"Master Chen! PLEASE!" Brother Zhang's face paled as he let out a pleading cry.

However, he was too late. He watched as Chen Fan's body turned into a blurry shadow and disappeared. In a blink, it flashed into view right before Xiao Long and then he stamped his feet on Xiao Long's leg.

"Ah!"

Xiao Long let out a saddening howl, and then he hugged his leg and rolled back and forth on the ground in agony. His thick and muscular leg was shattered. The terrifying sight drain life out of the other members' faces.

They didn't even have time to tell how Chen Fan did that.

"He is a badass, a total badass!"

The fighters screamed in their minds. Following Brother Zhang's lead, they kneeled down on the ground before Chen Fan, begging for forgiveness.

"This is the second time, and also the last time. If it happens again, I will unscrew your head off your shoulder." Chen Fan said calmly. Brother Zhang felt cold sweat slide down from his back. He knew that Chen Fan's words were not empty threats. Killing a person was as easy as flicking a finger for Chen Fan.

"Piss off now!"

Brother Zhang and his teammates hurried out of the room while carrying Xiao Long, leaving Zhong Yaoyao alone with Chen Fan.

Then and only then, the infamous Enchantress of the Jin City finally managed to gather herself. She squeezed out a placatory smile and said :

"Chen Fan, It was just a joke."

"Joke, you said?" Chen Fan gave Zhong Yaoyao an icy glare. Suddenly, Zhong Yaoyao felt she was standing on a frozen tundra in the middle of January.

"Can I tell a joke as well? I want to break your leg." Chen Fan said with an eerily even voice.

Zhong Yaoyao could no longer hold back the fear, and her legs finally gave in as she collapsed to the ground.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 228: Visiting Green Vine Club Again

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Chen Fan, I am Fang Qiong's BFF, you are not really going to break my leg, are you?" Zhong Yaoyao pulled herself together and asked pitifully.

She was such a dainty little thing that her current sorry state would give any man a heartache. She sat on the ground, legs folded under her body. She looked up at Chen Fan with whatever dignity that was left in her, but it could not hide the sparkling tears in her eyes. She was truly worth the title of an Enchantress. Any normal male would not bring himself to press her even further after seeing her miserable state.

However, Chen Fan was unaffected by her charm. He returned to his chair and asked with a great measure of interest.

"Did you hear what they called me?"

"What?" Zhong Yaoyao was taken aback. "They called you Master Chen, so what? Oh-wait! Master Chen? Are you the Master Chen of Jiang Bei?"

As realization finally dawned upon Zhong Yaoyao, she pulled a tight face and looked at Chen Fan in disbelief.

It made so much sense now. Only Master Chen could have scared off the elite fighters of the provincial Sanshou team without even making a move. Suddenly, the realization sent a chill down Zhong Yaoyao's spine.

She had been living in her own bubble, away from the real world. However, she was also well connected in the city and had heard of Master Chen's name many times in passing.

She also knew that Chen Fan had earned his title by killing many people.

"How could that be? You are Master Chen?" Zhong Yaoyao exclaimed under her breath. She looked away from Chen Fan, scarcely daring to hold his gaze.

She had never taken Chen Fan seriously, after all, she thought he was just a country boy from a little county. However, little did she know that Chen Fan was a mighty figure, whose power was on par with that of Sheng Ronghua, if not more. Even Tang Yifei and Shen Junwen wouldn't be able to catch up with him for the next twenty or so years.

That was the gap between the young rising stars and a seasoned veteran.

Shen Junwen and Tang Yifei were outstanding members of the young generation, however, they still need to pass the test of time. On the other hand, Chen Fan already rose to power and became the equal of the powerful tycoons that had claimed supremacy over Jiang Nan.

"Since you know who I am, you must also know that I will not let you get away with it." Chen Fan lifted a cup and then poured some wine into it. Zhong Yaoyao had bought the wine to celebrate with the boys she brought after they have beat up Chen Fan.

"Master Chen, I am sorry. Please forgive me, for the sake of Xiao Qiong." Zhong Yaoyao finally put away her charm; she lowered her head and pleaded to Chen Fan.

She knew that her family background was nothing in the eyes of Master Chen and only mentioning Fang Qiong might have saved her.

"You are already dead if not for Xiao Qiong." Chen Fan said with an icy voice. The words drifted into Zhong Yaoyao's ears and they sounded like the gales on the Siberian Tundra. It sent a chill down Zhong Yaoyao's spine, freezing her mind and soul.

After Chen Fan had said that, he flicked one finger and produced a flaming lotus flower on his fingertip. The lotus flower flew toward Zhong Yaoyao.

"What the..." Zhong Yaoyao's body tensed up and fear seized her.

Under her terrifying watch, the flaming lotus flower buried into her body.

"The fire of red lotus. It will remain dormant in your body until you want to plot against me again. It will reduce you into ashes by burning you alive."

Chen Fan left the gym, leaving Zhong Yaoyao by herself. Her face was lifeless and pale.

In Chen Fan's last life, Zhong Yaoyao had tried to disrupt Chen Fan and Fang Qiong's relationship many times, and therefore this punishment was justified.

Ever since then, Zhong Yaoyao no longer interrupted Chen Fan and Fang Qiong when they wanted to spend time together quietly. Even if she walked into Chen Fan on campus, she would lower her head and hurry to get out of Chen Fan's way. Later, even Fang Qiong noticed her BFF's strange behavior and asked Chen Fan why Zhong Yaoyao was so afraid of him.

Meanwhile, the battle between the Chen family and Wan Rong Group was heating up. Both sides had upped the ante ever since the war started. Wan Rong Group had pulled some strings and encouraged a government worker to blow the whistle about Chen Zhenxin's alleged embezzlement of public funds. Meanwhile, the Chen family also hit back by targeting the Wan Rong Group's stock price. The war had stirred up the entire city and everyone watched expectantly as they waited for the victor to emerge.

One day afternoon, Fang Qiong came to Chen Fan's dorm when Chen Fan was having lunch with his roommates.

"Xiao Fan, Sister Yifei invited us to the Green Vines to have tea with her. She told me to bring you with me."

So saying, she looked at Chen Fan in confusion.

Fang Qiong knew that Tang Yifei did not make friends easily. Of all the people in Jiang Nan Province, Tang Yifei would talk to only a very few people who she considered worthy of her time. As the ambassador of the Tang family, Tang Yifei was even more influential than many high-level government officials. Her invitation to Chen Fan had undoubtedly raised some questions in Fang Qiong's mind.

What about Chen Fan that had caught Tang Yifei's attention?

"Sure." Chen Fan replied readily.

After the two were both gone, Qiu Yilun slapped his thigh and exclaimed: "I just can't read him! He has such a hot girlfriend but he never talks about it!"

"Who is that beauty? She looked too pretty and sophisticated to be from our faculty." Qian Lulu asked.

Fang Qiong was about as attractive as Zhou Qinya, however, she carried a refined quality that would make Pan Li and Liu Xiaojin pale under comparison.

"She is Fang Qiong."

Zhou Qinya said lightly as envy flashed in her eyes.

It wasn't until Zhou Qinya met Fang Qiong face to face did she realize why so many rich heirs were after her. Her elegance and confidence were unmatched by anyone she had seen.

"She is Fang... Fang Qiong? The Goddess of Jin City University? Her family owns over a few billion assets." Qian Lulu stammered. Pan Li's face was as pale as a piece of paper. She had given all she had, trying to coax Chen Fan into her embrace. Despite Chen Fan's cold shoulder, she had been confident that, with time, she would be able to gain his trust and slowly win him over.

However, little did she know that Chen Fan already had a girlfriend. She was not only extremely attractive but also richer and smarter than her.

Even as Chen Fan's friends marveled at his luck, Qi Wangsun furrowed his brows and fell into deep thought. He had found some similarities between his strident fiancee and Fang Qiong.

Fang Qiong drove her red Audi model TT and arrived at Green Vines.

When they walked to the same vine-covered red gate that he saw last time, Chen Fan noticed that they were not the only visitors. Chen Fan furrowed his brows and walked in.

As soon as he entered the club, he was greeted by Song Zhe, Liu Daoyuan and their friends. The surprised looks when they saw Chen Fan suggested that they didn't expect to see Chen Fan again. Some of them wondered if Chen Fan was going to be officially accepted into the clique.

Unlike everyone else, Shen Junwen kept calm and sipped on his tea.

"Mr. Chen, you have finally arrived." Tang Yifei rose to her feet and came over to Chen Fan in a few sultry steps. "Xiao Qiong, can you please look after the boys for a second, I need to have a few words with Mr. Chen."

So saying, Tang Yifei gestured Chen Fan to follow her. She then walked toward a side door. Chen Fan followed her closely.

The room boiled over as soon as the two left.

"Who the heck is he? Why does Sister Tang want to talk to him in private?"

"Just so! It's the first time I have ever seen Sister Tang talked to anyone with so much respect."

"Fang Qiong, your childhood friend must be hiding something from us."

Liu Daoyuan exclaimed. Fang Qiong's mind was filled with questions. If Chen Fan really was just the son of a county officer as she thought he was, then why did Sister Yifei speak to him so carefully. Zhong Yaoyao wanted to chime in and tell everyone what she knew, but the promise of being burnt alive made her think better of it.

She had woken up by the same nightmare for many nights. In her dream, she was surrounded by fire, and she watched as her body was burnt to a crisp before it was reduced to ashes.

Shen Junwen was still working on his tea, however, a cold light started to glow in his eyes.

Chen Fan followed the girl out of the tea room, to the backyard of the club. This yard was a textbook example of the private garden in Jiang Nan province: a windy path wrapped around the pearl-shaped pond that centered in the garden; along the path were painted pavilions and benches for resting, man-made rock hills with caves that fit only one person and ancient gnarly trees whose trunks were so slented that their branches were kissing the water.

Tang Yifei walked quietly with Chen Fan.

She was wearing a green Qipao with a high slit. Every step she took would expose her breathtaking thighs. Her snowy white hand was decorated with a green jade bracelet on her wrist. She wore her hair in a bun that rested high on her head. She looked like a young lady of the last century in a sexually charged ballroom dress during her debutant.

"Mr. Chen, should I call you Chen Fan or Master Chen?"

Tang Yifei paused and then fixed her stare on Chen Fan.

"Call me anything." Chen Fan was unfazed after knowing his cover was blown. "did Zhong Yaoyao tell you about it?"

"Yaoyao can't even look at you in your eyes, much less snitch on you." Tang Yifei said: "It was Junwen. Without his tip, I would never have thought that the famous Master Chen was Xiao Qiong's pursuer."

"Shen Junwen?" Chen Fan was taken aback for a second and then he nodded. "It must be because of the East Mountain Meadow project. I knew Xiao Qiong ever since we were children. Why can't I take our friendship to the next level?"

"Then why don't you tell her who you really are?" Tang Yifei cracked a smile. "What will be the harm in it? Who would refuse you anyways, not me of course. "

So saying, Tang Yifei looked to Chen Fan with a sultry glance that would render many men defenseless.

"Hehe." Chen Fan cracked a smile and left it at that.

Tang Yifei would never understand the love between him and Fang Qiong. If he really wanted to be conspicuous, he might as well tell people that he was the North Mystic Celestial Lord. Not even an Immortal Cultivator could have resisted the temptation of dating someone so powerful. However, he was reborn as a mortal to reclaim the love that was pure and untainted.

By then a white-haired old man walked over to them and spoke to Tang Yifei respectfully.

"My lady, everything is ready. "

After Tang Yifei nodded, the old man retreated behind Tang Yifei. Judging from the look of the old man, it was easy to tell that he must be a powerful dominating figure in public. However, in this room, he acted as if he was Tang Yifei's servant.

"Mr. Chen, I want you to know that I can make you disappear from this world on a whim."

Tang Yifei cracked a faint smile. The alluring light in her eyes were replaced with an icy intent. She had finally put away her mask and revealed her true colors: the queen of Jiang Nan's underground world.

Suddenly, footsteps rose from all directions; they were all coming toward Chen Fan.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 229: Moment of Life and Death

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Shu, shu, shu."

A large group of men in black suits emerged into the garden. They were all brawny and muscular men with hard faces that was filled with malicious intent.

"Just you guys?"

Chen Fan cracked a cold smile.

He was surrounded by about a hundred men, each and every one of them were seasoned veterans whose fighting power was on par with a black belt in Taekwondo or a sanshou fighter such as Xiao Long.

However, as an Internal Force user, Chen Fan should be able to easily do away with a hundred hitmen.

"Of course not. We knew that you are Master Chen. Don't worry, we have done our homework." Tang Yifei's lips curled into a smile and then she clapped her hands. Five more men emerged out from behind a man-made stone hill.

Energies that emanated from these five fighters were much stronger than those men in black suits. Their glinting eyes and snappy movements of the two middle-aged man suggested that they were of phenomenal success in their internal force cultivation while the three other younger fighters were of initial success level.

"They are Uncle Hu, Uncle Nan and three of my father's disciples." Tang Yifei introduced the five men distractedly. "They were trained by my family and excelled at striking as a team. Even a peak level Internal Force user won't be able to withstand their combined might."

"Is that so?" Chen Fan asked calmly.

The Tang family of Jiang Nan province wouldn't be an influential faction if they couldn't even pull off five Internal Force users. Although they were much more powerful than run-of-the-mill factions, Chen Fan didn't take the threat seriously.

"Master Chen used to kill the Alaskan Tiger with three punches, I wager that he won't take you seriously, Uncle Nan." Tang Yifei cracked a smile.

"Humph!!"

One of the phenomenal success level Internal Force users snorted but didn't refute.

Tang family had long since learned about Chen Fan's dominance in Jiang Bei. They suspected that even the five Internal force users would not be able to overcome him.

"Therefore, I have arranged three elite snipers at three different high spots outside of the garden. I have heard that Master Chen used to block Xin Zhong's hand gunfire using Dharmic Dao, I wager if you would be able to survive armor-penetrating sniper rounds?"

Tang Yifei finally revealed her hand, including her trump card: the snipers.

Suddenly, a few red dots appeared over Chen Fan's body. It jittered and darted back and forth between his head and chest. Those red dots were laser pointers on sniper rifles.

These snipers would give Chen Fan no chance in turning the table. Even a top martial artist wouldn't be able to survive a shot from a sniper. These sniper munitions were able to pierce through steel-plated walls and if it landed on a human skull, it would cause a catastrophic explosion. Even a Grandmaster such as Lu Tianfen would have a hard time defending himself against a sniper shot.

"What's the meaning of this?" Chen Fan furrowed his brows and appeared to be scared.

"Well, I have heard of your power and naturally, I am afraid. So these measures are only to level the ground between us, so to speak." Tang Yifei bowed and then said: "You are the kingpin in the Jiang Bei region and we resided in Jin City; we had alway minded out own businesses. So I am curious as to what has brought you here?"

She looked up and locked her sharp gaze on to Chen Fan.

"Do you believe me if I tell you that I am here only for Xiao Qiong?" Chen Fan asked lightly.

"No!" Tang Yifei answered readily, eyes glinting. "Master Chen, at your level and with your power, you can have anyone you want. I am not convinced that you will be so dedicated to one particular girl."

"However beautiful Fang Qiong was, I can find ten other girls who are at least as attractive as her, if not more so. In terms of family background, I have a list of rich princesses who are from more well-off families. They would throw themselves into your arms should you so much as give them a wink."

Tang Yifei cracked a smile and then said: "So tell me, how would I believe that you are here for Fang Qiong?"

Chen Fan kept his silence and didn't reply.

Although he could have any girl he wanted, and it was true that many girls would die for spending a night in the same bed with him, Tang Yifei was wrong. Chen Fan came to Jin City just for Fang Qiong; it was as simple as that.

The so-called dominance of Jiang Bei, and the appearance of supremacy worth nothing compared to a smile on Fang Qiong's face. He used to be the North Mystic Celestial Lord and had power and influence trillion times more impressive than what he had now, so he wouldn't give a damn about his achievement in Jiang Bei.

"Why don't you say something, Master Chen?" Tang Yifei asked sharply. "Oh, let me guess. You are actually here to pick a bone with the Sheng family. I wager you have already sent Xu Ao and others into the Jin City and are ready to strike out at both us and the Sheng family."

"Er..." Chen Fan suddenly felt a lack of words.

He wanted to tell the girl that she had been thinking too much. He also wanted to tell the girl that if he really wanted to claim Jiang Nan province, he could have killed Tang Yuanqin with a single slap in the face. There would be no need to put up the ruse and set up the scheme.

"What do you want then? "Chen Fan played along, pretending he was mad.

"Nothing. We just want you to go back to where you come from and we will both mind our own business like we used to." Tang Yifei finally revealed what she was after.

Ever since Shen Junwen informed her of Chen Fan's real identity, she had been planning this moment. Chen Fan had fallen into her trap unknowingly one step at a time.

Tang Yifei knew that Shen Junwen was trying to incite conflict between her and Master Chen. However, she also knew that Chen Fan's presence in Jiang Nan province posed a much bigger threat to the Tang family than it would to the Shen family.

A great man cannot brook a rival.

"If we teach him a hard lesson today and drive him back to Jiang Bei, he would think twice before he wants to come down to Jiang Nan again," Tang Yifei thought to herself. Plus, all of his family is here in Jin City, so In the case that Chen Fan had enough audacity to return to Jiang Bei, the Tang family would always start the punishment by doing away with his family members.

"What if I say no?" Chen Fan replied readily.

"Then you will have to face our snipers. I am quite curious as to if you could overcome the powerful modern weapons." Tang Yifei pulled a hard face and then said coldly.

Even as Chen Fan heard the girl's reply, he felt the three red dots suddenly converged toward his head. Even the air smelled like danger.

All the three sharpshooters were elite assassins that had taken more lives than one could count. Chen Fan was convinced that if he made any sudden moves, an armor-piercing round would go right through his heart or the head. However fast a Martial Artist was, he would not be able to our run a bullet. Even those who purported to be able to dodge a bullet were only able to predict the trajectory of bullets ahead of time.

He wondered where did Tang Yifei hire these three elite sharpshooters.

"Sigh." Chen Fan suddenly let out a long sigh. He shook his head and asked: "didn't your father tell you who I really am?"

"What are you talking about?" Tang Yifei was taken aback at first and then said with a smug face. "Ever since my father heard about you, he went into seclusion and started to refine his power in order to counter you. He will be out of his seclusion cultivation very soon.

"I am afraid that you won't live to see him though." Tang Yifei said with pride in her eyes.

If she was able to defeat someone who was a headache even for her father, she would have bragging rights for many years to come.

However, she felt disappointed by Chen Fan's performance so far. He didn't act like the overlord of Jiang Bei, instead, he was brash and careless like a fledgling. He knew she was Tang Yuanqin's daughter, yet he fell for the trap regardless.

"How could a man of such ordinary talent bring down Xu Ao and other tycoons?" Tang Yifei asked herself.

"He has been in seclusion for half a year?" Chen Fan paused and then said: "That explains it! I was wondering why he hasn't come to greet me ever since I arrived. Worse, I thought he had consented your conspiring with Chen Xiao to plot against me."

"What do you mean?" Tang Yifei pulled a taut face and asked hotly.

In her mind, Tang Yuanqin was an invincible god. Hearing Chen Fan's insult toward her father, she made up her mind to make use of her sharpshooters.

"You are not a martial artist and so you don't really know anything about me." Chen Fan turned around to look at Tang Yifei as he said slowly. "If your father was here, he would kneel before me and beg me to spare your life."

"If you were a martial artist, you would never even think about offending me."

Chen Fan was at the top of the Heaven Roll and was considered the most powerful Grandmaster in the world. Anyone who practiced martial arts or internal force would have heard of his name. Snipers might be effective against normal Grandmasters, but not against someone who was also a Physique Refinement Grandmaster such as Chen Fan or Lei Qianjue.

A decade ago, Chen Longxiang from the Diamond Temple used to rush to a battlefield without any armor and killed hundreds of soldiers. In the end, his enemy had to barrage him with heavy cannon shells in order to stop him. Chen Longxiang was just a Physique Refinement Grandmasters, a far cry compared to Chen Fan's power.

Tang Yifei was removed from the world of martial artists. As the daughter of a local tycoon, she focused on business, intrigue and social skills. She rarely even talked to the martial artists trained by her father.

"No wonder the Tang family's fame was waning recently. Its influence simply couldn't compare with that of the Gu family or the Lu family."

"Chen Fan, you are courting death!"

Tang Yifei could no longer hold back her anger, so she shouted at Chen Fan hotly. She thought of sparing Chen Fan's life for the sake of Fang Qiong, but his insult had made her change her mind.

"My lady, let me test his strength."

Uncle Nan stepped forward and locked his eyes on to Chen Fan. He was ready to kill.

Although he knew that Chen Fan had killed a peak level internal force user before, he was confident in his success.

"Pathetic."

Chen Fan didn't want to waste any more breathe on them. He flashed out of view and reappeared before Uncle Nan. He yanked his arm up as an azure light flickered in his hand. The light quickly grew into a long blade that sliced open the air as Chen Fan swung it around in a flat sidearm slash against Uncle Nan's waist

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 230: Kill You Like Killing An Insect

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Bang!"

A loud boom echoed in the garden.

It was the heavy sound of a high caliber rounds firing at a close distance. A puff of cloud appeared as soon as the gunshots were fired. The armor-piercing rounds were so powerful that they would be able to pierce through steel-plated walls. Larger armor-piercing cannon shells could even obliterate an armored tank, much less a human.

However, Chen Fan acted quickly. He darted forward before the sniper had even pulled the trigger.

"NOW!"

Uncle Nan shouted and channeled his energy into his fists as he hurled them at Chen Fan. The other four fighters quickly followed suit and attacked the boy from all directions. The combined might of these fighters were powerful enough to make Lu Tianlong think twice about his next move.

However, Chen Fan didn't even seem to be interested in them. He darted forward, closing in on the fighters and when he finally passed them, blade auras formed at the tip of his fingers. With an almost lazy sweep, the Azure Wood Qi Blade sliced through the martial artists.

"Ah!"

Uncle Nan and the other four martial artists saw an azure-colored flash, and then their world went black. However, Tang Yifei had seen what happened. Chen Fan and glided toward the attackers and shot out an azure-colored Blade Qi that severed all five martial artists heads.

"Impossible!"

Tang Yifei was stunned with shock and disbelief.

Uncle Nan and the other fighters were elite martial artists of the Tang family. Each one of them was able to dominate a sizeable city. If Uncle Nan was to stay in Hai Dong city, he would be able to compete directly with Xu Ao for the seat of power without any assistants from Tang Yuanqin.

Yet, none of the five powerful fighters could survive one attack from Chen Fan. How powerful exactly was Chen Fan?

She had never seen such power even from her father. Before Tang Yuanqin went into seclusion, his power was about on par with the combined might of the five fighters that had been slain by Chen Fan.

"Be careful, my lady." The old man behind Tang Yifei took a step forward to protect the girl. His eyes flashed with concern. "This man is able to unleash Blade Qi. I wager he has already reached the Transcendent State."

"I didn't believe it at first. How could a less than twenty year old become a Grandmaster? But now it seems that the rumor was true."

"Grandmaster?" Tang Yifei was set back on her heels.

Although she had heard of the title of Grandmasters, since she was not a martial artist, she did not know the full extent of a Grandmasters's power. She had wagered that a Grandmaster was just slightly more powerful than a peak level Internal Force user. She would never have thought that a Grandmaster could have decapitated five Internal Force users with such ease.

"We are in deep trouble if he really is a Grandmaster." The old man said with a solemn face. His eyes locked on Chen Fan and said: "Those three sharpshooters are our only hope now. I hope they are worth the ten million dollar price tag."

A hint of expectation flashed across Tang Yifei's face.

Those sharpshooters were her trump card. They were hired from overseas with a hefty price. They claimed that they had never missed a shot in their life and could even land a precise shot on a moving target.

Meanwhile, Chen Fan flew pass the five dead headless bodies and dashed toward under a man-made rock hill. Then he launched himself up and flew to the ragged peak of the hill.

"Urhh!"

A headless body of a man in black camouflage outfit fell from the top of the hill, into the pond below, splashing water everywhere.

"Bang!" "Bang!"

The other two sharpshooters fired. The bullets hit the rocks and ricocheted off with a shower of loss stones. As the bullets flew through the garden, it compressed the air and rumbled like thunder. Even the visitors at the tea house heard the heavy and loud gunshots.

"What's going on?" Song Zhe rose from his seat and looked toward the garden through a window.

"It sounds like gunshots. I heard similar noises at the gun club that I used to go." Liu Daoyuan's eyes lit up as he put in.

"Why would there be a gunshot in Green Vines's garden? Could it be an assassin?" Hua Zicheng's words suddenly unnerved everyone.

It was not entirely unlikely that Tang Yifei powerful rivals would hire an assassin to do away with her.

"Xiao Fan is there as well," Fang Qiong rushed out of the room toward the garden with a distraught face. Everyone else except for Shen Junwen looked to each other knowingly before they started to catch up with Fang Qiong. Shen Junwen knew what was going on in the garden because he had planned it that way. He knew that this moment was inevitable as soon as he disclosed Chen Fan's real identity to Tang Yifei.

Even if the Sheng Family could emerge victoriously during a direct confrontation with Chen Fan and the Chen family, it would be a costly victory. Therefore, Sheng Junwen and his father had thought of inciting conflict between Chen Fan and the Tang family. Without Chen Fan, the Chen family would not be able to compete against the Wan Rong Group.

"Chen Fan, I agree that you are quite a character, and I can't defeat you, but someone else could." Shen Junwen' eyes lit up with a sinister light. "Physical strength could only take you so far, and only those who knew how to scheme behind the scenes using their wits could eventually claim the ladder of power."

He cracked a smile and emptied the tea down his throat.

The gunshot was a signal that the conversation didn't go well. Shen Junwen was convinced that Chen Fan would die in the garden today.

"Bang!" "Bang!"

Another two shots were fired and the sound was so loud that they threatened to pierce the sky. Many men in black suits rushed toward Tang Yifei and surround her for her protection. They were loyal to the Tang family and would die to protect Tang Yifei's life. Their protection slightly eased Tang Yifei's nerves.

She watched as Chen Fan flew up into the air. His body turned into a blurry shadow and landed on the roof of the pavilion.

"Ah!"

Another wail came up and then two halves of a severed body fell from the roof along with a shower of blood.

"Two down."

Tang Yifei looked concerned. Of the three sharpshooters she had hired, two were already read, and only one was still alive.

"How could anyone be so powerful?"

A hint of regret finally found her face. She had thought of bringing powerful armor-piercing rounds, however, she had never thought that those bullets wouldn't even so much as graze Chen Fan.

"Urhh!"

Another body thudded to the ground, the last sniper was killed by Chen Fan with a jab on his forehead, which penetrated through his skull.

The garden suddenly became pin-drop quiet.

Even those loyal fighters of the Tang family started to tremble uncontrollably at the development. In less than half a minute, Chen Fan had already killed eight people.

Worse, anyone of those eight dead men could have ordered them around because of their incredible prowess. But now they were all dead.

"Da, da, da..."

Chen Fan walked slowly on the cobbled path, the sound of his heel hitting the stones reverberated in the garden. In less than thirty seconds, he had killed five Internal Force users and three elite snipers. It might be a big deal in the eyes of a mortal, but Chen Fan really didn't think of anything about it.

His grey casual outfit didn't even have a speck of dust nor blood on it.

"Master Chen!"

Tang Yifei's confidence had evaporated as she turned into a bundle of nerves. She managed to squeeze a smile.

Chen Fan didn't reply as he kept on walking closer to her.

"Sir, please stop, one more step, we will fire." A few guards of the Tang family held the gun in their trembling hands and pointed at Chen Fan. Despite their fear, they were able to steady themselves thanks to decades of martial arts training. The leader of the bodyguards shouted at Chen Fan.

"Shu!"

Chen Fan extended a finger and jabbed lightly in the air.

Suddenly, a Qi energy flew out from the tip of his finger, and before anyone knew what was going on, the Qi Energy had killed the leader of the bodyguards.

"What.. what do you want?"

Another guard piped up. Even as he was about to pull the trigger, Chen Fan took a quick step and then flicked a finger in the air. Blood squirt out from the guard's temple where a hole suddenly appeared and then he collapsed to the ground, slumping in his death.

Everyone was speechless by the turn of events.

"Pa!"

The rest of the guards could no longer hold back their fear, so they threw their guns onto the ground and kept their heads low. They were bodyguards, but not Kamikaze soldiers. Chen Fan's deadly power had robbed them of mettle and bravery. They just wanted to live.

Chen Fan scanned the crowd of bodyguards, and let his powerful presence to sink in.

"Bam! Bam! Bam!"

The other bodyguards who wielded blades instead of guns also dropped their weapons. One after another, they dropped their knees and started begging for life. One glare from Chen Fan would have cleared their thoughts to try something stupid.

Suddenly, Chen Fan, Tang Yifei and the old man were the only three-people still standing.

"Mr. Chen..."

Tang Yifei struggled to stand still. She said in a broken voice.

Although she had been through a lot of turmoil as the leader of a powerful family, she just couldn't find any confidence and will to fight before Chen Fan's powerful presence.

"I told you that you have no idea who I am because you are not a martial artist." Chen Fan said lightly."If you are, you would know how stupid it is to fight me."

"Of all the fighters in China, there are only a couple who dare to stand face to face before me on a battlefield. None of those people are from your family."

Tang Yifei shook uncontrollably and was rendered speechless.

Her heart was filled with regret and remorse.

Chen Fan had flicked his fingers and killed over ten people, five of which were internal force users and three were elite snipers. Two Tang family's bodyguards were dead before they knew what had happened and the rest had dropped their knees begging for their lives.

This was indeed an incredible display of power.

Tang Yifei finally understood how Chen Fan made Xu Ao bend his knees. Any scheme or ruse would seem pale and useless before such power.

"Mr. Chen, the Tang family had been around Jian Nan for centuries. Do you really wish to have a full-on war with us?" the old man stepped forward and asked heavily: "If you are willing to spare our lady, we will let what happen today slide. The Tang family will never... "

"Shameless!"

Chen Fan cut the old man short with a wave of a hand. The white-haired old man was dealt a blow by an invisible force that picked him up and slammed him onto the wall. The impact killed the old man instantly.

Chen Fan didn't even spare the dead old man a glace as he kept on approaching Tang Yifei as if nothing had happened.

By then, Tang Yifei was by herself to face Chen Fan and his nonchalant gaze.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 231: Your Life Belongs To Me

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Mr. Chen..."

Tang Yifei was the queen of the underground world of Jiang Nan Province, therefore she was still able to stand upright. and managed to call out to plead for her life.

Her trickeries and ruses along with her power and influence all seemed like jokes before Chen Fan. Tang Yifei was defenseless before Chen Fan's deadly presence. She winced and pleaded for her life as she scrambled in her mind to come up with any way of getting out of the danger.

"Did you know that the moment I stepped into the Green Vines Club, I already knew your plan of ambushing me." Chen Fan stood still as a large group of people kneeled before him. He looked calm and peaceful.

"I had been curious as to what had emboldened you to mess with me. However, I am very disappointed. You only had a few Internal Force user and three sharpshooters."

He looked held Tang Yifei's pleading gaze, and then shook his head.

"Ah-what am I thinking. I shouldn't have expected so much of you. However smart and cunning you are, you are just a mortal. Without learning martial arts and Dharmic Dao, that was about all that you could pull off."

So saying, Chen Fan slowly lifted a hand.

Life drained from Tang Yifei's face as soon as she saw Chen Fan's motion.

Chen Fan had killed her guards with a smack on the head using the exact same hand.

"Mr. Chen, you gain nothing for killing me!" Life hanging by a thread, Tang Yifei's mind raced. She shouted out:

"I am the overseer of the Tang family, the daughter of Tang Yuanqin. If you kill me, my father and the Tang family will definitely seek revenge."

Chen Fan was impervious to the threat and his hand had already reached his chest.

"Of course, what am I thinking. The Tang family must be so insignificant in your eyes and you could destroy it with ease." Tang Yifei quickly changed tactics after seeing her threat had failed. "However, even if you could get rid of the Tang family, you would not be able to absorb all of its complicated connections and resources. If you let me go, I will surrender on behalf of the Tang family. By then, you would have the entire Jiang Nan Province in your disposal, including me. You can do whatever you want to..."

Tang Yifei batted her lashes as she looked at Chen Fan with a sexually charged gaze.

She was extremely beautiful even without any makeup and had a body to die for. She was at her prime year and adding on her prestigious background, no man would refuse her sexual temptation.

However, the cold indifference in Chen Fan's eyes disappointed Tang Yifei.

The look on his face was that of a mighty war god looking at a worthless insect. Only those who have become numb of killing people would have such coldness and lack of emotion in their gaze.

By then, Chen Fan's hand had already reached up as he wrapped his fingers around her thin and elegant neck. With so much as a small twist, he could snap the underground queen's fancy head off of her shoulder.

"Mr. Chen..."

Then and only then, Tang Yifei conceded that she really had nothing against Chen Fan. Let it be her gorgeous face or the Tang family's billion yuan asset, none would be able to sway Chen Fan from killing her.

"You can kill me but you can't kill all of us in this garden. Someone is going to call the police and what would you do then?" Tang Yifei shouted at the top of her lungs. "Plus, what are you going to tell Fang Qiong about my death?"

"Xiao Qiong?"

Chen Fan paused a second and then scanned his surroundings with Divine Will. He registered that Fang Qiong was waiting anxiously outside of the garden. The entrance was blocked by the Tang family's guards and therefore she would not enter the garden.

Chen Fan hesitated. Unlike in the cultivation realm, there were laws and order on earth. If he killed Tang Yifei, what was he supposed to do with the other a hundred or so witness? Kill them all? No one could have covered up such heinous crime for him.

When the last time Chen Fan taken a bunch of lives, he was enforcing justice by killing criminals. However, these men were innocent bystanders. Chen Fan wagered that if he ever killed these people he would have to hide overseas for a long time.

Tang Yifei's remark about Fang Qiong had also hit the target. How would he explain Tang Yifei's death to Fang Qiong? He was not ready to expose his real identity to Fang Qiong just yet.

"You see? Do you see what I am saying? You will gain nothing by killing me! But if you will just let me go, the Tang family will heavily reward you!"

Seeing Chen Fan had paused his movement, Tang Yifei was able to pull herself together and let out an alluring smile.

"Hehe. Silly girl, do you really think I won't kill you?"

Chen Fan suddenly let out laughter.

"My power and abilities were beyond your imagination. I can kill you in the most unthinkable ways, and not even the Forensic officer would be able to tell the cause of your death. They might as well write your death off as a normal heart attack. No one would suspect me."

Chen Fan let out a cold smile and then shook his head.

There were many curses and Divine powers that could kill people without detection

Chen Fan had killed Din Peng using the Curse of Heart Piercing Blade when he was at Lin City. Afterward, the police could not find any cause of death, much less suspecting Chen Fan. Without evidence and proof, the law was just a piece of paper.

Tang Yifei's face paled again.

By then, she finally remembered that Chen Fan was well known for his Dharma Spells and that he was able to control lightning and kill people without even being noticed.

"How dare you!"

Tang Yifei's eyes brimmed with terror and fear.

She watched as an azure color light came up from the tip of Chen Fan's finger. He swept his finger in the air and cut across from Tang Yifei's neck to her cleavage. Tang Yifei didn't feel any pain, but she saw many green lines pop up from her neck and chest. They quickly spread across all over her body like a green spider web.

In a blink, the green lines had covered Tang Yifei's entire body other than her head, hands, and feet. Those green lines formed a tattoo on her body and its eerie color made the girl look like an angry and creepy ghost. And then, as quickly as it surfaced on her skin, it disappeared.

"What are those?"

Tang Yifei could no longer hold back her fear as she stammered out a cry.

She could feel a powerful invisible force had invaded her body and spread across her system. It bore into every inch of her bones and buried deep into her heart. However, she couldn't do anything about it. An overwhelming sense of fear came over her. Living under the fear of the unknown was much more terrifying than death.

"This was called Yi Wood Spirit Qi. It can be used to save lives as well as take life."

Chen Fan replied lightly. "It can bring you back from the brink of death even if you wish to die, and it could also turn into countless needles that will penetrate your blood vain, heart, lungs and every single inch of your muscles. In the end, you will turn into a vegetable while still being conscious."

"In the remaining days of your life, you will feel the energy slowly petrifying your body, until you turn into a dead log."

Chen Fan said slowly and calmly. However, every word coming out from his mouth send a chill down Tang Yifei's spine.

"You are the devil!" Tang Yifei cursed.

Her mind finally broke down and could no longer keep her calm. The situation had shredded her defense layer by layer until she was no longer a strident Queen of Jiang Nan Province, but a naked and vulnerable girl.

Only those who had real courage would calmly face death. Tang Yifei was not one of them.

"Shu!" "Shu!" "Shu!"

Even as Tang Yifei shouted at Chen Fan, many green lines resurface and formed ridges on her skin. It was as if these lines were going to burst out from under her skin, threatening to turn the girl inside out.

"Ah!"

Tang Yifei wailed in agony. She collapsed to the ground, rolling back and forth. The pain felt like a thousand knives cutting her insistently. Those tiny sharp edges would penetrate her skin into her flesh, organs, and bones.

"A Hundred Thousand Arrows Through the Heart"

Such a technique was the stuff of legends, and Tang Yifei had the misfortune to test it in real life. The torture slowly drove her mad, and she wished that Chen Fan would kill her there and then. Even death was a sweet release compared to the torment.

A pin-drop silence fell over the garden. Everyone kneeled on the ground, trembling uncontrollably while listening to Tang Yifei's horrifying howling.

"Devil, he is a real devil!"

Many people screamed in their minds.

They were familiar with acts of murder, and many of them were also fearless warriors. However, they had never seen such brutal torture that would make death seemed a better option. Only the demons in legends could have pulled that off. The horrid scene was permanently tattooed in their memory and would torment them for the years to come.

"Pa!"

Chen Fan snapped a finger when he saw Tang Yifei's skin had started to petrify. Her shouting had turned into a husky wince. Her eyes were bloodshot, hairs fallen lose over her discolored face, making her look like a ghost. Suddenly, the Yi Wood Spirit Qi reversed its function and started to heal the girl's body. As gushes of life energy swept across the girl's system, the wound created by the green lines were healed.

In less than a few minutes, the girl had regained its former appearance. However, the exhausted look and loose hair suggested that she had just gone through something traumatic.

"From now on, your life belongs to me."

After Tang Yifei struggled to her feet. Chen Fan linked his hand behind his back and said lightly: "That was just a small punishment for disobeying my order. I hope you have learned your lesson."

"Yes, master."

Tang Yifei nodded and hurried a reply.

She would never ever want to go through that torture again. She had wished she could ram her head onto a pole and kill herself.

However, to her fearful surprise, she realized that her shattered organs and petrified flesh somehow recovered quickly as if nothing had ever happened to them.

It only took Chen Fan a split second to change his role from a murderer to a savior. Such an incredible display of power had deeply shaken Tang Yifei and robbed her of any desire for revenge.

Despite the humiliation of having Chen Fan dictating her fate, Tang Yifei felt a slight satisfaction. Deep down, she had always desired to be dominated by someone with great power.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 232: How Dare You?

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

When Fang Qiong and the other guests finally got into the garden, Tang Yifei had already regained her former appearance. She was walking beside Chen Fan, carrying on a seemingly amicable conversation with him.

However, those who paid attention to Tang Yifei would find out her body was still shaking slightly. Every time she looked to Chen Fan, her eyes were filled with marvel and admiration.

Chen Fan's power had far exceeded Tang Yifei's imagination.

He was not only able to kill ten martial artists in less than a minute, but also able to dictate her fate using the Yi Wood Spirit Qi. What he did was the stuff of legends. He could either kill or save her on a whim. However powerful and influential she was, she couldn't do anything should he decide to turn her into a vegetable.

"Sister Yifei, what were you doing earlier?" Fang Qiong asked.

"Oh, it was nothing. I and Mr. Chen had run into a little problem, but it's all good now." Tang Yifei brushed a strand of loose hair off her forehead and managed a smile.

Sensing Tang Yifei's hesitation, Fang Qiong decided to leave it at that. She then looked to Chen Fan and was greeted by Chen Fan's warm and relaxed smile. Seeing Chen Fan was unharmed, Fang Qiong felt a heavyweight was off her mind.

However, the sight had caught Shen Junwen by surprise and stunned him.

What the hell was going on? Why was Chen Fan talking so amicably with Tang Yifei? Shouldn't they be at each other's throats? Wasn't that gunfire he had just heard?

He was the renowned Master Chen of Jiang Bei, while she was the daughter of the local tycoon in Jiang Nan Province. They should be rivals, not friends.

Little did he know that Tang Yifei had already been completely subjugated by Chen Fan, mind and body. She would never think of fighting against Chen Fan again.

"Chen Fan."

Shen Junwen squeezed out a smile and tried to keep calm after seeing Chen Fan was coming toward him. Before he could finish his greeting, Chen Fan slapped him on the face and the force staggered him.

"How dare you?"

Shen Junwen covered his face and shouted in disbelief.

Chen Fan didn't use even one percent of his power, otherwise, the slap would have outright killed Shen Junwen. However, the insult didn't sit well with Shen Junwen. He was the heir to the Wan Rong Group, the son of the richest man in Jiang Bei. Not even his parents had ever slapped him like this, much less anyone else.

He rounded his eyes in fury as a poisonous flame danced in his pupils. He looked as if he wanted to kill Chen Fan there and then.

"I can not only slap you but also kill you. Do you want to try death?"

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes as a cold light flashed within.

Shen Junwen was taken aback at first, and then he quickly reminded himself that the seemingly ordinary boy was not a student from Si Shui County, but the renowned Master Chen of Jiang Bei. Even his father was concerned that Master Chen would show up at their doorstep and slaughter the entire household.

So thinking, a wave of terror came over him.

"Tang Yifei must have snitched on me, and told Chen Fan about our plot. Is the Tang family Chen Fan's ally now?"

As Shen Junwen's mind raced, he forgot to answer Chen Fan's question.

"Chen Fan, what have you done?"

As development finally setting in, Song Zhe and the others shouted hotly: "Who do you think you are? How dare you slap Junwen? "

Song Zhe felt a pang of disbelief. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Chen Fan's hand landed on Shen Junwen's face. He was the son of Shen Roufen, slapping him was a public insult to the entire Shen family.

Even Fang Qiong seemed distraught by the situation.

She knew Shen Junwen well. Despite his polite public appearance, he was vengful and spiteful toward his enemies. He had gained a seat at Wan Rong Group's board partly because of his ruthless methods. If the Sheng family decided to avenge the humiliation, Chen Fan might not be able to handle it.

She looked to Tang Yifei anxiously, hoping Sister Yifei would able to quell Shen Junwen's anger.

To her surprise, she watched as Tang Yifei furrowed her brows and castigated Sheng Junwen: "Shut up! Who gave you the audacity to insult Mr. Chen?"

"Sister Tang?"

Song Zhe was set back on his heels by Sister Tang's sudden outburst. None of them could understand why Tang Yifei was on Chen Fan's side. Did Chen Fan win over Tang Yifei in that a few private minutes they spent in the garden? No... not likely. Chen Fan was not even Tang Yifei's type.

"Shen Junwen, the Tang family will always remember what you have done. Now get the hell out of here."

Tang Yifei gave Shen Junwen a cold stare and then said.

Shen Junwen picked himself up and left the garden without saying a word. Chen Fan didn't stop him and watched indifferently as Shen Junwen exited the garden. Shen Junwen didn't change at all from his past life, however, instead of plotting against Chen Fan by himself, he tried to kill him with a borrowed sword.

"Master, do I need to do away with him?" Tang Yifei closed in onto Chen Fan and asked quietly under her breath.

She hated Shen Junwen for instigating the feud between Chen Fan and her. Without his encouragement, she would never act against Chen Fan and would not have fallen from grace to become Chen Fan's slave.

"Kill him? death is too easy for him. If I wanted to kill him, I could have done that a long time ago." Chen Fan let out a burst of mocking laughter. "I want him to fall slowly, crushing his hopes one and a time. When he is finally hopeless and hapless, I will then deliver the killing blow."

Tang Yifei quivered after hearing Chen Fan's words.

She wondered what kind of bad blood there was between Chen Fan and Shen Junwen. Chen Fan seemed to loath Shen Junwen more than he would to an ordinary love rival. However, little did she know that Shen Junwen was Chen Fan's arch-enemy, he was the mastermind behind Chen Fan's miserable life in his past life. He had robbed him of his lover, toppled his company and very likely killed his mother. In this life, Chen Fan would not let Shen Junwen and the Shen family get off the hook so easily.

Meanwhile, Song Zhe and the other guests would only stare.

They couldn't believe their eyes as the previously aloof Sister Tang whispered to Chen Fan intimately like a close friend. She wouldn't even spare most men a glance much less talking to them.

Even Fang Qiong registered that something was off. However, she didn't think Chen Fan had cheated on her. She was simply confused by the sudden improvement of the relationship between the two.

Zhong Yaoyao was quiet and she wagered that, just like her, Tang Yifei was also under the spell of the asshole.

However, the thought of Chen Fan subjugating the mind of Tang Yifei, the queen of the Jiang Nan Province somehow gave her a strange pleasure. It was the pleasure of being conquered and tamed by an incredibly powerful man.

After the party was over, Fang Qiong gave Chen Fan a ride home.

No one spoke a word about what had happened today until they were close to the school.

"Xiao Fan, how come Sister Tang became so friendly with you? And why did Sister Tang suddenly hate Shen Junwen so much?"

"What happened in the garden is complicated. I can't say much about it if Tang Yifei keeps quiet about it. But, in a nutshell, I saved her life." Chen Fan said, trying to skip the details.

Fang Qiong was a smart woman, and her mind quickly linked Chen Fan's answer to the gunshot she had heard.

As realization dawned upon her, she covered her mouth to stifle a cry: "Did the Shen family send assassins to kill Sister Tang?"

Chen Fan cracked a smile and kept his silence.

Fang Qiong took his silence as acquiescence. She knew Chen Fan wouldn't lie to her, even if he did, he was very bad at it. Tang Yifei's 180-degree turn of attitude toward Chen Fan seemed to explain her suspicion. She nodded and said: "That explains it then. That's why Sister Tang said the Tang family will forever remember what Shen Junwen had done."

"But isn't the Shen family fighting a war with the Chen family? Why did they piss off Tang family at such an inconvenient time? They can't win a war while being sandwiched in between two powerful foes." Fang Qiong looked confused, nothing seemed to add up so far.

Seeing Fang Qiong's perplexed look, Chen Fan laughed in his mind, but didn't offer any explanations.

"Xiao Fan, you should stay away from Sister Yifei. She is a very special person in the province, and very dangerous as well." Suddenly, Fang Qiong turned around and looked at Chen Fan with grave concern.

She hesitated a little and then fished out a Jade pendant from under her shirt.

"A stranger called Chen Beixuan gave this to me. He said it can protect me from harm. Xiao Fan, maybe you need it more than me..."

"No, I am fine. I am just an ordinary student and won't get involved in the elites' circle. Don't worry about me." Chen Fan pushed open the car door. Before he stepped out, he waved at Fang Qiong and said: "Xiao Qiong, don't think too much. Go home now."

Fang Qiong didn't drive away until Chen Fan disappeared behind the school gate.

She was confused by the unnerving and anxious feeling when she thought Chen Fan was in danger. She wondered if she was in love with her childhood friend.

After the party at the Green Vines Club, Chen Fan's life returned to normal.

The battle between the Shen family and the Chen family suddenly ceased. It was as if nothing had happened between the two factions. However, everyone knew that this was the calm before the storm. Both sides were charging up their energy, preparing to deliver a final blow to their opponents. Meanwhile, Chen Fan was enjoying his relaxed and joyous life at school.

The only change in his life had been Zhou Qinya's attitude toward him. She started to invite him out for lunch and dinner more often and with Pan Li in tow. It was obvious that Pan Li hadn't given up on Chen Fan yet.

He also made progress on setting up the lab. The Jin City University had taken the matter very seriously and worked on it diligently. Once the lab was completed, it would be a state-of-the-art facility for equally state-of-the-art research projects. It was the university's only hope to catch up with other more renowned institutions such as the Huaqin University.

At the end of each class, he made sure that there were enough time for the students to ask questions.

His audience slowly grew and even many professors started to attend his class. The more they learned from Chen Fan, the more they were impressed by Chen Fan's knowledge and vision for the future.

Fang Qiong and Zhong Yaoyao were among his die-hard fans and they had never missed a class.

After the class was over, Xue Jiao came over to him and asked hesitantly: "Professor Chen, do you have time next week to attend an International Biology Conference?"

"International Biology Conference?" Chen Fan was caught by surprise.

A light glinted in Han Dongyu's eyes who happened to overhear the conversation.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 233: Class Reunion

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

According to Xue Jiao, this conference was attended by all the famous and renowned biologists from all over the world, including many representatives from large pharmaceutical companies. Some attendees were honored Nobel Prize holders. The scope of the conference will cover both biology and pharmaceutical science.

The most powerful pharmaceutical companies also held authorities in matters of biology. Nearly all the most advanced biotech and bio-mechanical researchers worked for these companies' labs. Chen Fan was the only person in Jin City University that could be considered to be on the same level as those experts. Therefore, the leaders of the university wished that Chen Fan would attend. Chen Fan agreed readily. He had been thinking of contacting those companies to purchase some of their equipment.

After all, the manufacturing of the Catalyst Essence Serum required sophisticated technology that the Jin City University simply didn't have. Therefore, Chen Fan wondered if those large companies would be able to offer some help.

"Professor Chen, I have a class reunion party, would be please come with me?" Xue Jiao mustered her courage and asked Chen Fan before the latter left the classroom.

"Class Reunion? Why do you want me to go?" Chen Fan asked curiously.

"Everyone else is going to bring their date, but I don't have one. It would be awkward if I go there by myself." She looked down, trying to avoid Chen Fan's gaze. "Please don't worry, you just have to attend and enjoy the party with me, no strings attached."

After she graduated from her master's degree program, she had been working for two years. By now she was over twenty-eight and most of her friends had boyfriends, if not married with kids. After she learned that one of her old-time rivals would be there as well, she felt more hesitant to go to the party.

"Sure thing."

Chen Fan checked his schedule and realized that Xiao Qiong would be attending a board meeting at her dad's company so he was free this evening.

"Really?" Xue Jiao lifted her head as her eyes lit up with glee.

She didn't expect Chen Fan to accept her invitation.

The promise of attending a Class Reunion with a handsome and charming rich heir by her side made her face bloom like a flower. She couldn't wait to see the envy in everyone's eyes.

"It will be at six o clock, at the East Hua Restaurant. Don't forget about it."

After Xue Jiao told him the details, she left the classroom to prepare for the night. She had already booked an appointment with her hairdresser this afternoon, and then she would buy some new clothing. None of her student clothing were good enough for Chen Fan's company.

"Hehe."

Seeing his assistant's silly smile, Chen Fan shook his head.

He wagered that there was no harm in doing a small favor for her.

Six o clock, Chen Fan drove an Audi A4 to the East Hua Restaurant. This car was assigned to him by the Jin City University for his personal use. Chen Fan didn't buy a car yet, so it was quite useful for him.

Suddenly, a brand new Mercedes-Benz S300 pulled over and a young man in his thirties stepped out of the car. He was encased in a black suit and looked like a financial elite form Wall Street. A moment later, a glamorous girl with dyed red hair also emerged from the passenger seat. She was wearing a short skirt with a low cut shirt. Although her looks were only above average, her make-up made her look extremely alluring and attractive.

The girl in the red skirt caught a glimpse of Chen Fan's Audi A4 and her eyes were filled with contempt. This was school property and therefore was not the most conspicuous luxury car out there. However, as soon as the girl saw Chen Fan's face, her eyes were brimming with surprise. She nearly ogled at Chen Fan as a hungry old man would to a young college girl.

"Yohui, what you are staring at? Let's go."

A hint of displeasure flared in the young man's eyes as he urged.

"Ok, honey." The girl answered. However, even after she had started off toward the entrance, she looked back at Chen Fan one more time.

Chen Fan followed them and left the underground parking area to the elevator. Seeing Chen Fan was going to the same floor as she was, the girl's eyes lit up with surprise. She said coquettishly.

"Hey handsome, are you here for the Class Reunion?"

"Sort of." Chen Fan answered unenthusiastically.

Chen Fan's aloofness didn't deter the girl, instead, she poured questions on to Chen Fan. Her infatuated gaze resting on Chen Fan's irresistible face didn't sit well with the young man beside them.

However, the girl knew that a handsome face was as useful as a piece of painting. She would still have to rely on her husband to feed her and clothe her. After getting no answer from Chen Fan for a while, she finally quit talking and inched back to her husband.

Because of this unpleasant run-in, Chen Fan gave the young man a bad first impression.

When they finally reached the meeting hall, Chen Fan recognized Xiao Xue who was standing by the door waiting for him. His assistant looked incredibly pretty today. She was wearing a white Chanel's jacket which might have cost her one year's worth of salary. Compared to most of the other women, she seemed more curious. Her hips flared out with breath-taking curves that stretched the skirt to its limit. She wore light make-up on her face but still looked more attractive than the woman in the red skirt.

"Oh, hi! Isn't it Xue Jiao? I have never seen you wear makeup before. Why did you dress up today? Do you have a boyfriend now?" The woman in the red skirt asked Xue Jiao contemptuously to mock Xue Jiao in front of everyone.

"Humph!!"

Xue Jiao didn't reply. She lifted her chin up and walked over to Chen Fan and put one arm through his elbow. She smiled and said kittenishly: "Professor Chen, you are finally here. Let's go in now."

"Xue Jiao, is that your boyfriend?" The woman in the red skirt asked in surprise.

She found it hard to believe that her old-time rival would have finally found a prince charming.

The girl in the red skirt was called Wu Yohui and she used to be Xue Jiao's roommate at college. Their looks were on par with each other and were both considered some of the most attractive girls of the school. However, Wu Yohui was more skilled at painting her face and was more outgoing and therefore, she was much more popular than Xue Jiao. She had gone through many boyfriends during college and some of them were even Xue Jiao's love interests. Needless to say, the two were at odds with each other.

Before she came to the Class Reunion, Wu Yohui thought she could brag about her husband who makes millions a year. However, her husband quickly paled in comparison with Xue Jiao's charming friend.

"We are just normal friends." Despite her words, she let out a smug smile.

"Ah-Ha! Two of our most beautiful classmates have arrived. Come in, please."

One of the organizers recognized them and welcomed them into the hall.

Wu Yohui snorted and then dragged her husband into the hall. As soon as she was gone, Xue Jiao suddenly let go of Chen Fan's arm. "Professor Chen, I got carried away a little. please forgive me."

"That's fine."

Chen Fan cracked a light smile.

Chen Fan was reveling in these two girl's drama, so he wouldn't blame her.

"Such was the limit of Mortals. They wasted their lives on meaningless squabbles and missed their chances of cultivating for longevity." Chen Fan lamented in his mind.

As he walked into the hall with Xue Jiao, he saw a great number of elites in society.

These were Xue Jiao's classmates from the Jin City Technology Institute. Most people who could make it to the Class Reunion had done pretty well for themselves after graduation. Those who lived below the class average wouldn't show up. Xue Jiao had missed her promotion for three years and therefore, this was the first time she attended the class reunion in three years.

"Ah! Miss Xue is here! Long-time no see! You look even prettier than before!"

"Miss Xue, I have heard that you have been working at Jin City University ever since you graduated with your master degree. Have you gotten the Instructor's designation yet?"

"Oh, Xue Jiao, is that your boyfriend? He is so handsome!"

Everyone greeted her and commented on her boyfriend.

Xue Jiao had been the most attractive girl in her class and had many pursuers. Some of those pursuers had also come to the party, and they wondered if they still had a chance with Xue Jiao.

However, as soon as they saw Chen Fan, their hearts sank to the bottom. Chen Fan was more handsome than any man at the party.

"Xue Jiao, could you please introduce him to us?"

One of the stately looking men at the party asked.

"He was the leader of the student union, Zhu Yongchen. I heard that he is from a powerful family. His dad is some kind of big wig in the government." Xue Jiao spoke under her breath and then let a broad smile break out over her face.

"He is my friend and also my boss. Professor Chen."

"Professor Chen?" Everyone was caught by surprise.

These were all college graduates, and so they knew how difficult it was to get the professor designation. However, Chen Fan looked like was only in his twenties, too young to even get an assistant professor position.

"Is he an assistant professor at the Jin City University?" Someone asked incredulously.

An assistant professor at Jin City University was a big deal since it was one of the best universities in China.

"No, he is a visiting professor at our school." Xue Jiao smiled proudly.

"Visiting professor!"

The revelation stunned everyone.

A Visiting professor was an even more prestigious title than an assistant professor. These roles were usually filled by top experts in the field. Chen Fan must possess unprecedented talent if he was able to earn the position at such a young age.

Many people felt slightly embarrassed about themselves before Chen Fan's illustrious achievements.

The eyes of the woman in the red skirt were filled with envy. Xue Jian's boyfriend was not only irritably charming but also extremely talented. He was a dream boy in every girl's fantasy.

"No wonder Xue Jiao stayed single for so long and refused so many of our classmates. Her eyes were set on Professor Chen." Zhu Yongchen cracked a smile and lifted a cup of wine.

"Please drink up, Professor Chen! Kudos to you for taking the treasure away from us! Haha!"

"That's right! Drink up!"

The rowdy guests shouted in excitement.

Xue Jiao looked to Chen Fan concernedly. She knew that most scientists didn't drink, and Chen Fan came off as one of those who wouldn't touch liquor.

To her surprise, Chen Fan replied readily: "Sure thing."

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 234: Chen Family's Crisis

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

To everyone's surprise, Chen Fan could hold his liquor very well. Let it be Chinese hard liquor or Remy Martin Whisky, he poured them down his throat as if they were water. After seven glasses of hard liquor, he remained unaffected by the alcohol. The development stunned everyone.

"Xue Jiao, your boyfriend is a badass!" Zhu Yongchen gave Chen Fan a thumbs up.

"He is the best drinker I have ever seen!" Many people exclaimed.

Even Xue Jiao was caught by surprise as she didn't expect a twenty or so researcher would be able to hold so many liquor. Seeing how much Chen Fan could drink, many people gave up the thought of playing drinking games with him.

After a while, the guests quickly forgot about Chen Fan's party skills and changed the topic at the dining table from Chen Fan's drinking skills to compliment some of the most successful guests. Zhu Yongchen was one of those successful classmates. His father was a big wig in the government and therefore, he was able to become a board member of a large company relying on his father's influence. He made at least a million yuan a year.

However, the most glaring star of the party was the husband of Wu Yohui: Zhang Baojun.

"Youhui, I have heard that your husband is the manager of a large company, and he makes over a few million yuan a year." A middle-aged woman who wore her hair in a bun asked with envy.

Zhang Baojun took a sip of his wine and didn't say a thing.

However, Wu Yohui had been waiting for their question for a while, so she hurried to answer. "Yes, he works for the Chens Group. He is the CFO there. It means Chief Financial Officer."

A wave of exclamation and marvel came up among the listeners.

Even Chen Fan nodded slightly and gave Zhang Baojun a quiet glance. He didn't expect to meet a manager of his family's company. He wagered that he was one of his mother's close assistants to be able to get such an important position in the company.

"Chens Group! I have heard of it before. It was one of the biggest companies in Jin City. Although the company hasn't gone public yet, it is not any less powerful."

"The Chens Group had grown with incredible speed for this last half-year. It is even extending its business into real estate."

"He is the CFO! the most powerful man in the company under his boss. He is the most influential executive in the company."

Many people looked To Zhang Baojun with respect and admiration. To be able to become a top executive of a large company was some of their life goals.

"That is nothing. My honey said he is going to sell his car and buy a Porsche Panamera." Wu Yohui said with a smug smile. She also gave Xue Jiao a provocative look.

Xue Jiao's face darkened after registering the brazen taunt.

"That's enough bragging, Youhui." Zhang Baojun coughed lightly and willed Wu Yohui to stop bragging about him. However, the pride in his eyes and the satisfied smile on his face betrayed his true feelings. He knew he was doing pretty well for himself, after all, he was just over thirty years old.

"Let's toast for Brother Baojun! My husband is a quiet and honest man and therefore people at his work always pick on him. If he ever quit his job in a fit of rage, he might have to seek help from you."

A young woman with a gorgeous face said enthusiastically. Her husband was sitting right next to her and hearing his wife's unctuous remark, his face paled, but he couldn't bring himself to refute.

"Of course, that is for sure. "Zhang Baojun said lightheartedly as his eyes lit up with pomposity.

After another few people offered toast Zhang Baojun was almost halfway there. Someone asked curiously.

"Brother Baojun, I have heard that the Chens Group is fighting against the Wan Rong Group over the East Mountain Meadow. Is that true?"

The question caught everyone's attention, so they became quiet and looked to Zhang Baojun expectantly. Most of these guests were middle-class managers of sizeable companies in the city and therefore, they have all heard the rumors about the fight between the two large clans.

"Sheng Ronghua was the richest man in Jiang Bei, do you think Chen's Group can really out-compete them?" Someone asked.

"Hehe, of course. Don't you forget that it was Chen's family of the Jin City behind the Chen's Group." Zhang Baojun said. Chen Fan registered a hint of contempt in his voice.

Everyone decided to leave the matter at that since the fight between the Chen family and the Sheng family was way beyond their paygrade.

Zhang Baojun kept on drinking and soon reached his limit. Face flushed red, he pointed a finger at Chen Fan and said: "Professor Chen, I despise people like you the most! Bunch of pretentious assholes. What does your research offer you? At the end of the day, you will have to crawl back to me and ask for fundings."

"Brother Baojun, you had too much." Some refuted.

"No, I did not. I am a simple man so I will just cut to the chase: these professors make only a few thousand yuan a month and their eyes will turn green with envy in an instance when they see how much money the businessmen are making. If they get a chance to turn their research into money, they will do it. They are all as greedy as anyone of us." Zhang Baojun let out a cold smirk and then continued. "But look at me, I barely even graduated from college, yet I make more than a few million yuan a year without even much effort. Plus, I am going to get a paycheck large enough for me to retire."

"That's enough. Zhang Baojun, you have drunk too much." Zhu Yongchen finally flung at him.

Zhang Baojun paused a second and then realized that he had said too much. A pang of fear seized him and paled his face.

"let me take him outside to cool down a little. You guys enjoy your meal." Zhu Yongchen rose to his feet and nearly dragged Zhang Baojun out of the dining room.

"Baojun was not entirely wrong. Although Chen Fan is a professor, he doesn't make a lot of money. I saw his car outside, he drove an old beat up Audi A4. Tell me, Xue Jiao, in how many more years do you expect him to earn enough money for your wedding and buying a new house?" Wu Yohui asked with a smirk.

"None of your business." Xue Jiao replied firmly.

She felt indignant for Chen Fan. She knew that Chen Fan was the creator of the Yun Wu Spirit Water, so she looked to Chen Fan, willing him to tell everyone about his huge wealth. However, to her disappointment, Chen Fan shook his head at her.

By then, Chen Fan had removed his attention from the dining table. Instead, he cast his Divine Will to follow Zhu Yongchen and Zhang BaoJun.

The two walked into a washroom and Zhang Baojun rinsed his face with cold water. Zhu Yonchen lit up a cigarette and coldly said: "You almost spill the beans."

"It's fine. None of them are from the Chens Group. They would just think that I have earned a year-end bonus." Zhang Baojun managed a smile.

"How's the material I told you to prepare?" Zhu Yongchen asked.

"Don't worry. I have been working under Chen Qianxin for over eight years and he trusts me fully. I know every single transaction of the company and exactly how much tax money they have evaded over the years." Zhang Baojun snorted and said: "Wang Xiaoyun sent me a new assistant. I knew what she was trying to do. She would slowly assign my job to my assistant and turn me into her puppet. In the end, when she had full control of my office, she would simply kick me out of the company. She would never have thought that I have prepared a plan B for myself."

"Don't worry, I have already confirmed with the Wan Rong Group. As soon as you blow the whistle, you will then get a million US dollars wired into your account." Zhu Yongchen puffed a cloud of smoke and then said: "The Chen family has made too many enemies. Shen Family was not the only faction that was at odds with it. You are smart to get off the ship before it sinks."

"Young Lord Zhu, I have heard that your father and Chen Zhenxin both work for Qin Huai, why would you..." Zhang Baojun looked at the young man and asked carefully.

He knew that the young man's father was an officer in the government whose position was as high as Chen Zhenxin. Rumor had it that the two were good friends.

"Hehe." Zhu Yongchen smiled lightly. His face was clouded in a puff of smoke. He said quietly under his breath. "No one wants to see a powerful Chen Family that could dominate the whole city. Their fast growth has unnerved many people."

"Interesting."

Chen Fan retracted his Divine Will.

He had never thought that his random decision of joining his assistant for a party would have exposed a mole in the Chen family working for the Shens.

"Of all my Uncle's coworkers, only Zhu Gemin had the same last name as Zhu Yongchen. Is he Zhu Gemin's son?" Chen Fan lifted a cup of wine and fell deep into thought. "Zhu Gemin is Qin Hua's most royal advisor, and I would be hard-pressed to think that Qin Hua was oblivious about Zhu Gemin's action against the Chen family."

"It appears that the Chen family's sudden rise to power has even made Qin Hua feet threatened."

Chen Fan found it hard to believe that Qin Hua would openly oppress the Chen family. However, it didn't mean that Qin Hua would refrain from disrupting the Chen family's further expansion clandestinely to weaken them. Qin Hua 's action also supported Chen Fan's suspicion. He had supported the group whose goal was to sabotage the Chens Group but left Chen Zhenxin untouched. This would definitely slow down if not halt the Chen family's development, but it would also preserve the Chen family's current power.

Chen Zhenxin was the most important member of the Chen family. Even the Chens Group could not replace Chen Zhenxin as the family's protector.

Zhang Baojun was one of Second Uncle's men. Chen Fan's mother wanted to get rid of him but failed. Wang Xiaoyun's action must have alerted Zhu Yongchen and therefore, giving him a reason to switch sides. So powerful was the Shen family that it would rally all of Chen family's enemies, including the Qin Hua, Zhang Baojun, Zhu Gemin, and many other factions. No wonder they were able to grow to become the most powerful family in Jiang Nan Province and then entire China in the future.

Chen Fan had never taken Shen Junwen and the Sheng family seriously ever since he was reborn. He was confident that he possessed enough power to turn the situation around at any given moment. However, this did not mean that he would sit idly as the Shen family bullied his family. It occurred to Chen Fan that without his involvement, the Chen family could not hold against the Shen family.

However, Chen Fan didn't think that exposing the Zhang Baojun and his conspiracy would do any good to the Chen family. The Sheng family would easily buy off another one of the Chens Group's managers. The root of the problem lay with the Shen family and their hostility. If Chen Fan got rid of Shen Ronghua and eliminated the Wan Rong Group altogether, the Chen family would face much less problems in the future.

"Show me what else do you get."

Chen Fan took a sip of wine and sat calmly.

The most heartbreaking moment in a man's life was not the moment of his failure, but the catastrophic defeat when victory was already at their fingertips. Chen Fan was bullied by the Sheng family until he was on his last leg. He had to watch as his enemy rose to power and lived in glory and success. This time around, Chen Fan would deliver the killing blow to the Shen family when they thought their victory was already in the bag for them. He would return all the suffering he had to endure in his past life back to them.

"Ah, right. Zhang Baojun mentioned a new assistant assigned to him by mother. Could that be Sister An?"

The thought of Sister An made his gaze soften a little.

He Hadn't seen her for half a year and so he wondered how she was doing.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 235: International Biology Conference

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

The Jin City was quiet as the Sheng family and the Chen family prepared for their final showdown. However, little did the Chen family know that most other factions in the city had already formed an alliance; including Qin Hua and many other opposing factions. The sudden rise of the Chen family had undoubtedly unnerved a lot of people.

Meanwhile, the International Biology Conference had just started at Jin City University.

Most of the attendees at the conference were young researchers from all over the world. Since many tycoons of the world-renowned Pharmaceutical companies and expert Biologists were going to be present, the Jin City University had spared no expense in preparing for this event. The school had rallied students to clean up and decorate the campus. They also hired many volunteers to welcome the guests.

"Professor Chen, I wish you could be a keynote speaker at the conference on behalf of the Jin City University. To show the world what we have achieved in the research of Yun Wu Spirit Water under your leadership." Xue Jiao trailed behind Chen Fan and asked quietly under her breath.

Ever since they were back from the Class Reunion, Chen Fan's assistant had been feeling sorry for what happened. Because of her, Chen Fan was humiliated by Zhang Baojun in front of everyone.

"Yun Wu Spirit Water?" Chen Fan nodded.

The Yun Wu Spirit Water existing production capacity was only enough to satisfy the elite market. However, if Chen Fan could make use of the plot at the East Mountain Meadow, the production of the water could be significantly boosted. The invention of the Catalyst Essence Serum alone would be a piece of sensational news among the scientific world. Many wealthy investors would compete with each other to get the technology for a profit. Although Chen Fan had a larger goal than simply making money, in order to set up a team to help him with producing spirit medicine he needed as much financial support as possible.

"I have heard that Mr. Jason is going to attend the conference as well. He is a Nobel prize winner. He is a columnist at Cell and Nature journals. His current Miracle Cell research was a contender for the next Nobel prize in biology." Chen Fan's assistant kept on going about this Mr. Jason. It was evident that Mr. Jason was her role model.

"That being said, your research on Spirit Water was not any less revolutionary than that of the Stem Cell. It would change the whole world." Xue Jiao hurried to add.

Chen Fan smiled lightly and didn't reply.

Meanwhile, at the Jin City International airport.

Han Dongyu held a nameplate high above his head, waiting for a guest to arrive.

A large group of men in black suits emerged from the exit. Among the group of buffed foreign muscle men was a blond youth in his early thirties. He and his entourage pushed people out of their way as they walked forward.

"Mr. Jason, it's me." Han Dongyu came over to him, but he was stopped by one of his bodyguards.

"That's ok, Mike. He is my classmate at Stanford." The blond young man cracked a warm smile and then asked: "Rain, how are you doing? How's your homeland treating you?"

"Nice to see you, Jason. I work in the Biology department at Jin City University." Han Dongyu replied.

"Jin City University?" Jason shrugged and said: "It might be a top university in China, but I have never heard of it. Neither do I know any renowned Biologists from that university. Rain, you should have stayed at Columbia or Stanford."

"Hehe, You might not have heard of it, but I promise you that you will. It's going to shock the world." Han Dongyu smiled back awkwardly and then said mysteriously.

"Shock the world?" Jason asked incredulously.

What kind of shocking advancement could a Chinese university make in the field of Biology?

"Indeed. Have you ever heard of the Yun Wu Spirit Water?" Han Dongyu took a deep breath and filled his old friend in with what he knew about the spirit water.

"Did you say the water can revive a wilted Narcissus flower?" Jason furrowed his brows and said: "Rain, you sound confused. There are no such things in this world. Even if it does exist, why would its owner sell it to the public? You know its priceless if it's real."

"I have seen it with my own eyes." Han Dongyu said readily but a hint of joy flashed in his eyes as he heard his friend's disagreement.

"I think there is more than what meets the eye in the spirit water. Perhaps it was some kind of trick."

A green light danced in Jason's eyes as he curled his lips into a smile.

As the opening of The International Biology Conference drew near, more and more renowned scholars across the globe arrived at Jin City University.

The beginning of the conference was announced by the principal of the Jin City University and a Nobel prize holder. It was followed by a keynote speech by Chen Fan.

These keynote speeches were reserved only for those who had made groundbreaking achievements in the field. Therefore, only very few people could have the credentials to make the speech.

"Biology department of the Jin City University? I remembered that it is one of the top Biology research institutes in China. But I don't recall any significant research programs there." A professor from the University of Melbourne murmured to himself.

"Ah, he could be a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Science. They often got seconded to another research institute in China." Another scientist from Switzerland replied with a shrug.

By then, Chen Fan had already made his way to the stage.

"Is he the inventor of the Yun Wu Spirit Water?" Jason tilted his head and looked to Han Dongyu.

"Yes." Han Dongyu nodded.

"Just watch me, I will expose his lies." Jason gave Han Dongyu a half-smile. His knowing gaze shocked Han Dongyu. He knew that his friend had already seen through his mask and got a handle on the power dynamic between Chen Fan and other researchers.

"He is even more astute than he had been in college." Han Dongyu lowered his head and exclaimed in his mind.

Chen Fan started his speech by introducing the theory behind the Catalyst Essence Serum. Despite Spirit Water's miraculous effect, it's production capacity was limited. Therefore, mass production was needed even though a drop in effectiveness was expected.

Xue Jiao translated his speech into English and it wasn't long before a wave of doubtful murmurs rose among the audiences.

An old researcher stood up and shouted at Chen Fan in a foreign tongue.

"Rain, it looks like I don't even need to do anything. Professor Scott from Melbourne has done it for me." Jason shrugged.

Hearing his friend's remark, Han Dongyu also cracked a satisfied smile.

He recognized that the angry old man was the famous professor Scott who was well known for his hot temper and intolerance for academic fraud. He had publicly humiliated a few researchers who had allegedly cheated in their research.

"...Your claim is preposterous! There is no such thing as a miracle cure in the world! It's against the scientific spirit..." Xue Jiao translated the old man's English into Chinese. She hesitated to keep on going as the old man's words become increasingly harsh and unforgiving.

"Tell him that I will show him proof." Chen Fan said lightly.

The audiences boiled over after Xue Jiao translated his words.

The experts around the world murmured to each other doubtfully, while the tycoons from the International pharmaceutical companies furrowed brows and locked their gazes on Chen Fan, scrutinizing him. On the other hand, if the boy was able to produce convincing evidence, the development he had made would be groundbreaking.

"Andrew, do you believe the so-called 'Yun Wu Spirit Water' could cure all ailments and strengthen physics?" An old man with an aquiline nose asked his assistant hotly.

This old man was the representative from the Adison Pharmaceutical Inc and his name is Grant. He was one of the most respected authorities in the field of Bio-Pharmacy. He owned patents to many drugs for treating cancer, tumors, and other cardiovascular diseases. Grant attended the International Biology Conference every year and although this year the conference was held in China, he didn't expect to find any groundbreaking researching from the host country.

"Mr. Grant, if such medicine exists, its value would be more than that of the diamond. I wager only the most powerful families in the world would have access to such secrets." The assistant said with a slanted eyebrow.

"Just so! Who would be outspoken about such a valuable secret? If he took the patent to Europe, he might be able to exchange the secret for a royal title. At least he could have become an honored guest at the court." Grant said with a smirk.

They were not alone, most audience members remained suspicious of the medicine.

Even as Chen Fan prepared to show them the proof, one after another renowned biologists voiced their concerns and questions. Many people even threatened to report Jin City University's outrageous support for pseudoscience to the International Biology Committee.

After a while, even the leaders from the Jin City University seemed to have lost faith in Chen Fan.

If Chen Fan turned out to be a fraud, Jin City University would become a laughing stock around the world.

"Professor Chen, the principal asked you how confident are you?" The deputy principal rushed to Chen Fan and asked. He was already drenched in sweat.

Chen Fan didn't reply. However, Xue Jiao answered for him hesitantly. "Deputy Principal, didn't you seen Professor Chen's demonstration a few months ago?"

"Yes, but... but..." Deputy Principal stammered. He started to wonder if the demonstration he had seen a few months ago was just a magic show. After all, he had seen magicians make a large airplane disappear and reappear, reviving a wilting flower should be much harder than that.

By then, the material for the test was finally brought up to the stage.

It was a dying rabbit. Its fur was patchy and had lost its shine. The dull and cloudy eyes suggested that it was near its death. Chen Fan nodded at Xue Jiao, and the latter dropped a few drops of clear solutions he had prepared into the rabbit's mouth.

This solution was prepared by dissolving Essence Gathering Pill into water.

The Essence Gathering Pill was able to clean up one's system even down to the bone marrows, therefore it was able to revive a human much less a rabbit.

Lo and behold, the dying rabbit suddenly sprung back to its feet and started hooping around. Even its fur turned into a shining coat of white silk. It was as if youth had been instilled into the rabbit's system alone with that few drops of liquid.

"How is that possible?"

The development stunned all the spectators.

"It must be some kind of stimulant. That rabbit will probably die very quickly after squandering its last few breaths."

"Just so, it has to be some kind of stimulant. "

The researchers started to deliberate about the nature of the solution.

Jason's eyes lit up with surprise the moment he saw Xue Jiao produce that solution.

"This... this is Heavenly Water!"

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 236: The Extraordinary

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Impossible! how could there be such powerful Heavenly Water on earth? I can sense its Life Force from a distance. It's such a waste to use it on a rabbit."

Jason closed his fingers tightly as strong emotions roiled inside of him.

Seeing the experts were still not convinced, Chen Fan ordered Xue Jiao to revise two wilted plants. After Chen Fan proved himself three times, the doubtful murmurs finally receded. Everyone rounded their eyes and stared at the young man in disbelief.

This was not a magic show. These experts verified with their own eyes that the rabbit remained alive and well even after half an hour. Even the best stimulant substance would not last that long.

"Andrew, is that the miracle cure we have dreamed about? We need to get it! We must!" The old man with aquiline nose announced in trembling voice.

"Yes, Mr. Grant, we will spare no expense to secure its recipe."

Grant and all the other world-class experts were shocked by the development. They looked at Chen Fan enviously as a hungry wolf would to its prey.

Experiments over, Chen Fan was about to walk off the stage with Xue Jiao. Suddenly, a wave of loud exclamations erupted among the audience.

"OMG! Is that real? That's against the law of nature!"

"He had revived dead plants and revitalized a dying rabbit. This medicine is unheard of. It has the potential to change the human world!"

"I can't imagine how excited the rich and powerful would be once they hear of such a product."

Many Biology experts argued with each other back and forth, trying to make sense of what they saw. Many more people rushed to the stage and surrounded Chen Fan. Some to ask him questions, and some simply wanted to pay tribute to the young rising star.

"Mr. Jason, do you think his experiment is real?"

Han Dongyu's heart sank to the bottom.

He had been convinced that Chen Fan has used some tricks to fool everyone's eyes, therefore, he had hoped that Jason was able to see through Chen Fan's ruse. However, it seemed that even Jason was fooled by him.

Jason didn't have time to reply, his attention was still fixed on Chen Fan and the solution.

Chen Fan quickly turned into the center of attention at this year's International Biology Conference. Even the other scheduled speeches were requested to be pushed aside to make room for Chen Fan's presentation. The attendees asked many questions after each presentation and most of them were related to the Yun Wu Spirit Water.

People were disappointed after learning that the Yun Wu Spirit Water's production was limited and the life-saving miracle required a concentrated version of the spirit water, which made it even more difficult to pull off. However, when Chen Fan announced that he was planning to create a lesser version of the Yun Wu Spirit Water that was potentially able to be mass-produced, the biology science community was shocked. Many representatives of world-class companies showered Chen Fan with financial promises and support in order to get the patent from him.

Needless to say that Chen Fan would never offer them the recipe regardless of how much money they paid. However, he could offer them some of the sale profits if they were willing to chip in on the research by providing equipment and well-trained technicians.

The conference lasted until midnight and as soon as it was over, the representatives rushed to their rooms and reported to their bosses.

Since it was getting dark, Chen Fan decided to stay at the accommodation near the conference instead of going back to his dorm. Xue Jiao had been translating for Chen Fan and sorting paperwork all day long, therefore, she was exhausted. When she arrived at Chen Fan's accommodation with him, she collapsed onto the sofa and didn't get up for a while.

"You need to get back now. You can't sleep here, you know." Chen Fan said as he shook his head.

Although his assistant was a very hard worker, she could come off as too clingy at times.

"Professor Chen, is your girlfriend pretty?" Xue Jiao lolled on the sofa, looking like a lazy panda. She asked out of the blue.

Chen Fan remained silent.

Suddenly the mood in the air became extremely awkward. Xue Jiao regretted blurting out that question without thinking twice. Suddenly, Chen Fan pulled a taut face and said: "Get up now, we have visitors."

"What?"

As soon Xue Jiao jumped off of the sofa, she heard the doorbell ring. She swung the door open and was greeted by Han Dongyu and another blond youth.

"Why are you here?"

Shock and anger was written all over Han Dongyu's face when he saw Xue Jiao. However, his task made him think better of acting up. He spoke to Chen Fan:

"This professor from the University of Stanford, the youngest national search chair of America, and the holder of the John Bates Clark Medal, Mr. Mike Jason."

Before he had finished the introduction, Jason stepped into the room and scanned around before he landed his gaze on Chen Fan. He then spoke in perfectly fluent Chinese, which surprised everyone.

"Mr. Chen, I am Jason from the Dark Totem, nice to see you. "

"I had expected that you are one of the 'Extraordinary Ones', but from my observation, you are just a beginner who had just unlocked the Extraordinary power. "

"Jason, you speak Chinese?" Han Dongyu was taken aback.

The blond youth didn't even spare him a glance. He carried a quality of indifference and aloofness that as if he was superior to everyone in the room.

"Mr. Jason, you are being rude. You are in Professor Chen's private room."

Xue Jiao's face was flushed red. Although the blond youth was her idol, she adored Chen Fan much more.

"Mr. Chen, please tell your servant girl to control her mouth. When an Extraordinary One speaks, mortals like her should shut up and be quiet." He let smirked and then gave Xue Jiao an icy glare as a green light flashed in his eyes. As soon as Xue Jiao caught a glimpse of the youth's icy glare, she was somehow rendered motionless as if she was frozen in place.

"Are you here to brag about yourself?" Chen Fan narrowed his eyes and asked.

"Of course not. I am here to extend the invitation of the Dark Totem to join us." Jason said seriously. "All Extraordinary ones belong to one of the covenants, and our group is considered one of the strongest in the world. Since you have just unlocked your power, it will be a good place for you to learn the ropes."

"What if I refuse the invitation?" Chen Fan asked with a smile.

"Well, then that will be very unfortunate, for you." Jason shrugged as a green light flashed in his eyes again. "Do you really believe that the power-hungry companies would sincerely negotiate a price that both of you would agree on? As soon as they are back, their companies would spare no expense to claim what you have, so much as to send the most powerful assassins after you. They will do whatever it takes to take the recipe of the heavenly water from you."

"Each and every pharmaceutical company was built on the blood of competitors and the lives of innocents. They were the real magnates of the world and nothing would ever satisfy their appetite for more profit." Jason shook his head and said.

"If you join us, we will offer protection. However powerful those tycoons are, they would think twice before messing with us."

"Oh? Then what is the price for the protection? The recipe of the heavenly water?" Chen Fan asked. He seemed to be interested in the offer.

"Haha, Mr. Chen, you and I are both Extraordinary Ones, so I will cut to the chase."Jason's eyes glinted and said: "I know Spirit Water doesn't just exist anywhere. Such medicine can only be produced in an environment with highly concentrated Spirit Qi. In addition, Spirit Water was not even meant for mortals, its real function is to improve the power of the Extraordinary Ones. It could also help to produce new Extraordinary Ones if used properly."

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Han Dongyu exclaimed confusedly. "Jason, aren't you going to prove that his act of reviving the plant and the rabbit was nothing more than a magic trick?"

"It's fake?"

The blond young man let out a peal of laughter.

He extended a finger as a green light shot out toward a rose flower on the table.

Most of the petals on the rose had already fallen off and the lack of care had resulted in the leaves to shrivel up. As soon as the green light came into touch with the rose, the leaves unfurled themselves as a lush green color returned to its tender texture. In a blink, the dying rose was blooming with joy.

"It. It.."

Both Han Dongyu and Xue Jiao were stunned by the turn of events.

What they had seen was even more unimaginable than Chen Fan's experiment. This was an outright superpower.

"This is the power of Extraordinary Ones." Jason pulled back his hand and said proudly. "All the other Extraordinary Ones like me possess power beyond the mortal's imagination. We are the true lords of this world. Chen Beixuan, as long as you tell us the location where you have found this spirit water, we will promise to groom you into the next superhuman just like me."

"One day, you will be as powerful as me and other elites of our organization. We are able to turn the sea upside down and control the lightning. We are feared even by the most notorious criminals. Therefore, you won't have to worry about threats from those tycoons. Once we have the heavenly water, we would be able to amass an army made out of Extraordinary fighters. By then, even the combined might of all the tycoons in the world would not be able to threaten us." Jason said, trying to coax Chen Fan into submission.

"So you mean there are no other ways of becoming an Extraordinary One without external stimulation such as using the spirit water?" Chen Fan asked abruptly.

"Without stimulation? That is going to be hard. But it is possible with high enough raw talent, I guess. I wager such a member would be able to lord over the world." Jason furrowed his brows and said: "There are many people that have tried to achieve power using various cultivation methods. However, their power was a far cry compared to ours."

"But it's purer." Chen Fan cut the young man short.

"What do you mean?" Jason pulled a taut face and said.

"I was wondering what the Extraordinary Ones meant, and then I realized that it was equivalent of obtaining an average Spirit Body. "Chen Fan shook his head and lamented. "Or, in truth, what you have was not even one-thousandth of the spirit body. If anything, it was just a fragile connection with the real Spirit Body itself."

Chen Fan had seen countless warriors whose power was on par with Jason and the so-called Extraordinary Ones. It was a dumbed-down version of the Connate Spirit Body. These warriors usually had an inborn affiliation with one of the natural elements. With proper stimulation, they could control the power of fire, earth, air, water, and lightning. Only after they had achieved a higher level of attainment in their cultivation, they could have accessed the real Connate Spirit Body.

Such cultivators were given many different names on different planets: Spirit Channeller, Spirit Rooter, or The Gifted. Many primitive deities started from this origin. Minor Immortal Cultivation sects occasionally admit disciples with such inborn talent. They were usually given the type of art that they had the highest degree of affinity to in order to maximize the effect.

However, in Chen Fan's opinion, these cultivators in the Gifted category were just slightly more powerful than an average Joe.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 237: The Real Power

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

It was evident that Jason was an Extraordinary One with an affinity with the Wood Element.

The affinity between Chen Fan's Azure Thearch Longevity Body and the wood element was a hundred if not a thousand times stronger than that between Jason and the wood element. Without even utilizing any Dharma Spells nor Dharma Spells, he was able to command the wood element and control anything that contained a trace of such element. Once he reached the Initial Success in his Azure Thearch Longevity Body, he would be able to stand against a Connate Cultivator face to face.

"Mr. Chen, I wish you to know that any martial artists and the Dao-Reaching Level cultivators have gone through years of hard training under the guidance of a powerful masters in order to achieve their level of attainment. However, Extraordinary Ones such as me. could unlock our abilities naturally. We just have to sit and wait as our power increases." Jason shrugged his shoulders and said matter-of-fact-ly

"I, for example, have used my Extraordinary Power and discovered the secrets of the Miracle Cells. I can live like a king while dating any girl I want to. Although I am only thirty years old, I have already reached A-Level. This is equivalent to a peak level Internal Force user. There are only a handful of youths in your country who could achieve my level of attainment at such a young age."

Chen Fan listened carefully and didn't interrupt Jason.

By now, he had only met one person in China who had reached the peak level in their Internal Force cultivation before the age of thirty. Most other people who claimed to have done the same had all became leaders of factions, such as Ye Nantian and Romon. The Extraordinary Ones indeed had a much easier time compared to cultivators in terms of growing their power.

However, Jason had made a mistake. Chen Fan was neither an ordinary martial artist nor was he a Dao-Reaching Level cultivator. He was an Immortal Cultivator, a powerful one at that. In Chen Fan's five hundred years of memory, he had seen countless people with the same power as Jason.

The Son of the Azure Thearch, for example, was the heir of the Perfected Immortal of the Five Elements Immortal Sect. He was born with a Dao Body which carried him through his early cultivation and helped him achieve Nascent Soul with ease. After he had mastered the Azure Thearch Longevity Body, he was trillion times more powerful than Jason. However, he was annihilated by Chen Fan in the end. Chen Fan remained undefeated in the universe for the five hundred years he had lived.

The journey of cultivation was that of constant evolution and perfection.

Only hard work could elevate one's existence beyond the earthly realm. Chen Fan had never met a Perfected Immortal who had achieved their attainment depending solely on raw talent. Without threading through the traitorous path and lifting the heaviest weight, no one could have achieved enlightenment.

"Mr. Jason?" Xue Jiao asked incredulously.

She couldn't believe that the legendary prodigy Jason had cheated his way through his academic career. Even when he was not cheating academically, he was cheating with other girls. She couldn't believe that she had considered him an idol.

"Your servant girl finds it hard to accept reality. Doesn't matter, there are plenty more girls who are more than happy to serve me." Jason said with a smug smile.

He was different than most other Martial Artist or Dao-Reaching Level cultivator. He carried an air of indifference as if he was above everyone and everything in the world.

"Chen Beixuan, I have said what I want to say, it's your turn now." Jason pulled a taut face and locked his eyes on Chen Fan.

"What if I refuse?" Chen Fan asked calmly

"Hehe, i don't think you fully appreciate the power of the Extraordinary"

Jason cracked a smile

He stamped his feet on the ground, and something from outside suddenly shattered the window of the room. It was a tree branch from an old Ginko Tree outside of the building. He produced a handful of grass seeds from his pocket and spray them in a circle. Suddenly, Green vines grew from between the floor planks. These vines were very sharp and could easily cut a human in half.

"Ah!"

Xue Jiao was terrified by the turn of events. Her body froze and was unable to move. Han Dongyu staggered back a few feet until he found a corner to himself.

The scene had stunned them. They felt they were in the movies, and Jason was a monster that could control the movement of a tree. Under his command a large bough turned in to a wooden hammer and smashed a sofa where Chen Fan was sitting into pieces.

"I am the Tree Herder from The Dark Totem. Nice to finally meet you Mr. Chen Beixuan."

Jason bowed to Chen Fan politely like an English Gentleman.

His blond hair and green eyes made him look extremely handsome. He wore an expensive tuxedo, standing before a wall of branches and vines that moved under his command.

"You are much more powerful than that Dao-Reaching Level cultivator, however, your energy is not nearly as refined." Chen Fan nodded and said.

Chen Fan had met Mr. Shi at the Yin Dragon Pond who happened to be a peak level Dao-Reaching Level cultivator that cultivated the Wood Element. Although Mr. Shi's power was smaller in scale compared to that of Jason, he had much better control over the ebb and flow of the energy.

"There are many powerful martial artists such as Ye Nantian, Green Dragon as well as Lei Qianjue from the Hong Sect. Of all the Extraordinary Ones, there were only very few people who could hold their ground in a fight against those martial artists. However, those powerful martial artists were few and far in between and every one of them required unthinkable dedication to their training. On the other hand, the Extraordinary Ones such as me could leverage our innate talent and keep improving ourselves without putting in much effort." A green light flashed in Jason's eyes as he said so.

"Chen Beixuan, this is your last chance. If you don't join us today, I will kill your assistant first and plant these saplings into your flesh, tormenting you until you give up the location of the Heavenly Water!"

As Jason said, a few vines slithered toward Xue Jiao and quickly wrapped themselves around the girl and dragged her toward Jason and hung her upside down.

"Go away! No!"

Xue Jiao shrieked and struggled to break free from the hold of the vines. However, these vines were much tougher than steel and the harder she struggled, the tighter it wrapped around her body. In the end, the vine-covered her entire body until she couldn't even move a finger.

"Han Dongyu, Professor Chen, save me!"

The girl wiggled her body helplessly as she screamed.

Han Dongyu scarcely dared to say a word much less save the girl. He covered his head with both arms and hide in the corner like a little chicken. The suffocating fear had turned his lips purple and he said with a shaky voice.

"Don't, please... don't kill me. "

Xue Jiao felt a pang of desperation after she saw how useless Han Dongyu was. She knew that Han Dongyu had a crush on her and she might have even liked him in return. However, his cowardice at the critical moment of her life was a major turn off.

She looked to Chen Fan for help and saw Chen Fan stood still calmly and didn't seem to be afraid at all.

"Professor Chen."

Xue Jiao knew that her hope of escaping alive, however slim it was lied only in Chen Fan and his miracles.

"Chen Beixuan, if you don't give me an answer, your assistant is going to die," Jason said with a sadistic smile. He had revealed his true colors, the Tree Herder Jason who was feared even by underground criminals.

"Sigh!" Chen Fan heaved a sigh. "You know Ye Nantian and Lei Qianjue, but you have no idea who I am?"

"You?" Jason was taken aback.

"Yes, me! You have been calling my name all the while, but you have no idea who I really am." Chen Fan said lightly.

"Who are you? Aren't you Chen Beixuan from the Jin City University?" Jason said with a contemptuous smile. However, a second later, the smile froze on his face as if he had remembered something. He rounded his eyes in disbelief and asked incredulously: "Chen Beixuan, are you THE Chen Beixuan of China?"

A lot of Chinese names sounded similar to foreigners and therefore it was difficult for Jason to tell one from the other. However, Chen Beixuan had become a household name since a few months ago and even Jason had heard of it in passing.

He had killed the Grandmaster Lei and slaughtered forty or so top elite assassins, including the King of Assassins, Blacksnake.

By then, Chen Fan had killed three Grandmaster level opponents. That would make him a world-class fighter. Worse, he was less than twenty years old and was even more talented than the most gifted Extraordinary One.

"Just so! if he was not Chen Beixuan, how could he have access to the Yun Wu Spirit Water?"

Jason's first reaction was to run away. However, as soon as he saw Chen Fan's indifferent glare, he felt as if he was suddenly being cast into a frozen lake as his heart sank to the bottom.

He realized that before such a powerful Grandmaster, his chance of escaping was zero.

"Shu shu shu."

A dozen Green vines lashed out at Chen Fan like steel whips.

Under Xue Jiao's incredulous watch, Chen Fan took a few steps forward with his hands linked behind his back. Although he didn't do anything to block the attack coming at him, an invisible force knocked those vines to the side as they tried to inch closer to Chen Fan. This was a telltale sign that Chen Fan was a Grandmasters level martial artist.

"KOM!"

Jason commanded the wooden hammer made of a large bough to strike Chen Fan. However, the overbearing attack was blocked by Chen Fan using only one finger. Jason channeled more energy in the bough, but he was unable to push it forward in the slightest.

"His power is terrifying, more so than even the top Extraordinary One I have met. Is this the power of a top Chinese Martial artist?"

Jason was drenched in sweet, seeing Chen Fan didn't stop coming at him, he shouted.

"Chen Beixuan! I am a manager of the Dark Totem. If you kill me, you are waging a war against the entire Dark Totem. Our leader is a Super Overlord. Our organization also has many A-level Overlords."

"Oh Really? I guess I will have to kill them all if they show up."

Chen Fan said calmly as he made another step forward.

By now, he was only ten steps away from Jason, as a Grandmaster, he should be able to cross that distance in a blink. Jason was turning desperate, so he shouted: "Stop! Don't come to any further. Or I will kill your assistant."

His threat seemed to have worked as Chen Fan paused.

Even as Jason heaved a sigh of relief, he watched as Chen Fan look up slowly and said: "You kept on calling yourself Extraordinary One, but to me, you are rather ordinary!"

Under Jason's stunned gaze, an azure-colored light surfaced on Chen Fan's body. The light carried the vastness and primordial quality of ancient forests. Jason suddenly lost control on the vines as they all let go of Xue Jiao.

It was as if they had seen their true master.

"Bang!"

Chen Fan flicked a finger and killed the Extraordinary One from Dark Totem who was still stunned by the development.

The Tree Herder, Jason was dead.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 238: The Dark Totem

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

The biology prodigy, an A-level Overlord from Dark Totem, was killed by Chen Fan with a flick of a finger.

Never did Jason think that he was so powerless before Chen Fan. If not because Chen Fan's curiosity in the power of an Extraordinary One, Chen Fan could have unscrewed his head off his shoulders even before Jason had the chance to summon the wood element.

"Professor... Professor Chen?"

A shaken voice came up from a corner.

Chen Fan looked over and saw a terrified Xue Jiao. Jason's power seemed like the stuff of legends. However, Chen Fan was even more powerful than Jason since he had killed Jason with a flick of a finger. Xue Jiao felt it difficult to take in all that had happened. She had never seen the Extraordinary Ones, the underground world, Grandmaster Martial Artists; before today, she had never thought such things existed.

"Will you be in trouble since you killed Jason?"

Xue Jiao lowered her head and said under her breath. Although Chen Fan could have killed people easily, she could not bring herself to fear Chen Fan.

"Doesn't matter"

Chen Fan summoned a ball of green flame and landed it on Jason's dead body. Suddenly, Jason's corpse turned into a puff of dark smoke and in less than a second, the body was gone.

Chen Fan snapped his fingers and the vines and boughs that were summoned by Jason turned into countless rays of green light as they shot toward Chen Fan.

Xue Jiao rounded her eyes and watched in disbelief. If there wasn't anything strewn around in the room, no one could tell that Jason was ever here.

There was one more person that needed to be taken care of.

They both turned around and saw Han Dongyu who was still hiding in the corner, covering his head with both arms. Fear and shock flickered in the eyes.

Jason's disappearance didn't seem to cause much suspicion from other people.

After all, this biology prodigy was well known for his carefree lifestyle. Even the event organizers thought that he had sneaked away to another country for his personal vacation. Plus, everyone's attention was on Chen Fan and therefore no care had time to care about him.

However, the news about Jason's death quickly spread through the underground world and shocked everyone.

Jason the Tree Herder was one of the most powerful Overlords in the Dark Totem. Dark Totem had only a small handful of members whose powers were on par with him. Although the Dark Totem was only a mid-tier organization among the Extraordinary community, it was the most powerful among its mid-tier peers. The death of Jason also carried other news to the Dark Totem: the existence of the heavenly water.

Meanwhile, inside a mysterious ancient castle somewhere in Europe.

The wall of the gorgeously decorated room was painted with murals created by painting masters. Two long blades were set in the shape of a cross on top of the fireplace mantel. Above the crossed blades were a pentagram depicting a demon. Any furniture, let it be the sofa, desk or even the teacups were a few hundred years old antiques that were worth tens of thousands of euros.

Inside the room sat four statuesque men. They were either surrounded by shadows or flashing lightnings. They represented powerful forces that controlled entire regions.

Meanwhile, one of the men who seemed to be surrounded by dark clouds received a phone call. After he heard the message, his face became gloomy.

"Theseus, my friend, why the long face?"

Across the room, a blond handsome young man said with a smile as he put down the coffee cup.

The blond young man knew that the man in the shadow was the leader of the Dark Totem. He was a powerful Overlord that dominated the underground world and his name is Theseus, the Phantom. He had the ability to control shadows and was considered the most powerful Assassin in the world. He was born to be an assassin.

"Zoro, my beloved disciple, Jason is dead," Theseus said with a husky voice.

"The Tree Herder, Jason was dead?"

The blond young man was Zoro the Thunder King from Hong Sect.

Zoro paused a second as he tried to come to terms with what he heard. Jason was an A-level Overlord under the age of thirty and therefore, Zoro had heard of his name. His death had caught him by surprise.

"The death of an A-level Overlord would be a big loss to any organization. Plus, Jason was so talented and so... young. What a pity." Zoro lamented.

Any A-level Overlord would be a leader of most small to midsize organizations. People such as Linhu could have dominated the entire Alaska. Others such as Tang Yuanqin dominated an entire province of a superpower nation. Although Jason seemed extremely vulnerable before Chen Fan, he was considered a mighty Overlord among his international peers.

"Before he died, he sent us a message, saying that he had discovered the whereabouts of the Heavenly Water of Life in China," Theseus said heavily.

"Heavenly Water of Life?"

Zoro and the other two guests were all stunned by the revelation.

The Heavenly Water of Life was ten times more precious than diamonds to an Extraordinary One. The Heavenly Water was able to bring out an ordinary person's full potential and unlock his supernatural abilities hence becoming an Extraordinary One. Most Extraordinary Ones were awakened with the external stimulation such as the Heavenly Water of Life.

"Where is it? I am looking for it as well." Zoro narrowed his eyes as tiny flashing balls of lightning wondered in his eyes.

"Thunder King, you are from the Hong Sect, why do you need Heavenly Water of Life?" Another member of the Dark Totem asked curiously. He was an old man wearing a white robe. He was surrounded by a powerful energy that seemed to be able to pick him up into the air at any moment.

The sight of the speaker alerted Zoro.

Arthur, The King of Wind. He was one of the three masters at the Dark Totem. He was able to harness the power of airflow and control wind. The other two leaders of Dark Totem were Theseus the Phantom and The Abyssal Titan.

The three were the most powerful Extraordinary Ones in Dark Totem. Any one of them was as powerful as Zoro himself, if not more so. Theseus the Phantom was the most deadly of the three and he was able to kill Grandmasters.

However, with the backing of the Hong Sect, Zoro did not fear them. A powerful international organization such as Hong Sect was untouchable. Compared to the Hong Sect, the Dark Totem was far behind in terms of power and influence. If not because of Theseus, Zoro would never take the Dark Totem seriously.

"Jason said that he had discovered the Heavenly Water of Life in China. He sent out the message right before he was going to obtain the water. However, half an hour later, the signal on his tracker disappeared." Theseus said heavily.

"His locator was made of a special alloy, and it was nearly impossible to destroy it. Only a Grandmaster or a perfected cultivator could have pulled it off." The old man in a white robe said with furrowed brows.

Everyone looked at Zoro.

The Hong Sect originated from China and therefore, they expected Zoro to know much more about China than them,

"Did he say who has the Heavenly Water of Life before he disappeared?" Zoro got right down to the point.

"Hold on, let me take a look." Theseus fished out his cell phone and announced a few words in broken Chinese. "Beixuan Chen? He is a biology professor from Jin City University. He could be an Extraordinary One as well."

Arthur and the others were confused by the unfamiliar name. Plus, all Chinese names sounded the same to them.

However, Zoro suddenly pulled a taut face and gasped.

"What's going on, mate? Do you know Chen Beixuan?" Theseus asked with furrowed brows.

"Dear Lord Phantom. Do you remember the death of Blacksnake?" Zoro bowed slightly and then asked seriously.

"You mean the King of Assassins from Blood Skull?" Members of the Dark Totem looked at each other fearfully. Of course, they remembered the incident involving a billion-dollar bounty and the death of an elite member of the Assasin's guild. The death of Blacksnake dealt a heavy blow to all assassins in the world. Death of a powerful assassin did not happen too often.

"That's the one. The person who killed him was Chen Beixuan. The most powerful martial artist in China." Zoro said heavily.

"Chen Beixuan!"

Everyone was stunned by the revelation. Even Theseus's eyes were suddenly clouded by concern.

Although he lived in Europe, he had heard of Chen Fan many times. After all, of all the unsavory members of the underground world, not many of them could have done away with a Grandmaster.

"If the Heavenly Water of Life is in his hands, I doubt that Dark Totem alone would be able to get it from his hands." Zoro had recovered his normal nonchalant expression. He said with a shrug of the shoulder.

Theseus, and Abyssal Titan both pulled a gloomy face and said nothing.

No one wanted to offend a Super Overlord, not even Theseus. Although he was also a powerful Overlord, he was afraid that Chen Fan would pick on his other disciples in the Dark Totem. He had no doubt that Chen Fan could have slaughtered the entire Dark Totem if he wanted to.

"I have heard that Chen Beixuan made his name by killing the Super Overlord Lei Qianjue in your sect. Afterward, your set had even posted a billion-dollar bounty. Have you given up on the revenge already?" Theseus said with a cold smirk.

"Of course not." Zoro cracked a smile. "But it is none of your business."

"That being said, if we join forces, we might be able to defeat Chen Beixuan." Zoro carefully offered the bait.

Arthur and the others gave each other a knowing look and then nodded in the end.

Let it be Jason's death or the Heavenly Water of Life, they could not let either of the matters slide. Knowing the power of their opponent, they reckoned that joining forces with Hong Sect was their only chance to achieve anything.

After using a secret art and erased Han Dongyu's memory, Chen Fan visited all the business tycoons. Jason's warning was on point. These international companies were nothing but greedy leeches. They would not easily give up on their pursuit of profit.

"This China man is full of himself. He thought that a few words would be able to deter us the Addison International?"

After Chen Fan was gone, the old man with an aquiline nose complained to his assistant hotly.

"He is too naive to think that we will follow the rule of law, little does he know that international companies like us are above the law." The assistant Andrew shrugged and said.

"This is a trillion-dollar asset, a miracle cure for all ailments. No company would pass up the opportunity. We might as well get it before anyone else does. The board members wouldn't rest with ease until we secured it."

"It seemed that he was pretty adamant in holding on to the recipe." The old man with an aquiline nose said slowly. "Inform the Headquarters right now and contact the mercs and assassins. We need to do some digging to find out the locations of his relatives and kidnap them all. I am curious to see if he values his secret over the life of his family."

"Mr.Grant, do you think it's a bit too much at this point? Maybe we can try to offer a better price first?" Andrew said with furrowed brows

"No, no! It's not too much, it's not enough! He is a rich man with a stubborn mind, making him a hell of a tough nut to crack. Luckily, I am pretty experienced in dealing with people like him."

The man with an aquiline nose said with a cold smirk.

Suddenly, the door swung open and an attractive secretary with large bosom walked into the room, holding a stack of papers.

"Mr.Grant, the headquarters had just sent a message to call back any action against Chen Beixuan. We are only allowed to negotiate with peaceful means."

"Damn it! What the heck is wrong with those idiots at Headquarters?" The old man's temper flared. "How are we going to make this stubborn asshole change his mind without using other means? I thought those old foxes always pride themselves for being greedy vultures, why did they suddenly become so docile?"

"We are not alone in this. Layton Life Inc. from the US and Genetech from the UK adopted similar tactics." The attractive secretary said with a confused look,

"How is that possible? We are supposed to be as aggressive as alligators, why do we act like a bunch of meek lambs?"

The old man lamented perplexedly.

"That's because Mr. Chen seemed to have a very complicated background." The secretary said with furrowed brows. She then read the fine print on one piece of paper. "His hidden identity is the most powerful Overlord in the Chinese Martial arts community, Chen Beixuan."

"The number one Overlord in China, Chen Beixuan?"

The old man paused a second and suddenly remembered a rumor he had heard, and then he grew silent without complaint.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 239: Chen Family In Ruins

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

As one of the biggest international pharmaceutical companies, Aid International had to deal with all kinds of powers, usually through its representative Grant. Therefore Grant had heard of Chen Fan's name in passing many times.

"Fine, then let's negotiate with Mr. Chen then."

The aquiline-nosed old man said with a forced smile that looked more like a frown.

His secretary and assistant looked at each other in confusion. However, since the order was from headquarters, they must oblige.

Meanwhile, as the International Biology Conference carried on, the fight between the two clans of Jin City was about to come to a climax.

The night before the storm came, inside the number one manner of the Royal Wood Community, Sheng Ronghua held a cup of wine in one hand and looked out through the window down into the bustling streets. Beside him stood Uncle Lin and his son Sheng Junwen.

"Zhang Baojun has started our plan, hasn't he?" Sheng Ronghua asked.

"Indeed, father." Sheng Junwen took a step forward and answered.

"How about Qin Hua?" Sheng Ronghua asked again.

"After Zhu Gemin's persuasion, Qin Hua decided to be neutral in the conflict" Sheng Junwen answered.

Sheng Ronghua cracked a cold smile and left it at that. He then asked: "How about Jiao, Xue, Song and Tang family?"

"No one wants to see the rise of a superpower. The Chen family is growing too fast." A manager at the Sheng family siad. "They all agreed to join us to dismantle the Chen family, except for the Tang family."

The mentioning of the Tang family made Sheng Junwen pull a taut face.

He remembered the moment when Chen Fan slapped his face.

"Humph! The Tang family is still on the fence. They think that we won't be able to handle Chen Fan without them?" Sheng Ronghua snorted and then gave Uncle Lin a serious look. "Have you contacted the Heavenly Kill?"

"Don't worry, my lord. The leader of the Heavenly Kill had promised to help us personally." Uncle Lin said in a wizened voice.

"Very well. This time, we will erase the Chen family from Jin City." Sheng Ronghua hammered the window and announced firmly.

"Yes."

Everyone agreed as a vengeful flame danced in Sheng Junwen's eyes

Meanwhile, the CFO of The Chens Group, Zhang Baojun reported to the Taxation department of the city about The Chens Group's evading over five hundred million yuan in taxes over the last decade. He also blew the whistle on Chen Zhenxin's involvement in an illegal scheme by purchasing goods using government funds at a discount rate and then reselling them to the private sector at a much higher rate.

Once the government had received the tip, the Law Enforcement unit was tasked to search a few key accounting offices of the Chens Group. The Law Enforcement units also made a few arrests.

The second day, when then Chen family woke up in the morning, they realized that all their family assets had been seized.

Seeing the Chens Group was under investigation, Chen Zhenxin called Qin Hua to ask for help. However, Qin Hua had brushed the investigation off. As soon as Chen Zhenxin hung up the phone, he was taken away by the Law Enforcement unit to the police office for investigation of his alleged crime.

The companies that did business with the Chen family ceased their contract immediately and even the banks started to call the Chen family, asking them to pay up the debts.

The sky above the Chen family seemed to have collapsed on them in one day.

Meanwhile, in the East Mountain Villas.

The entire family gathered at Chen Huaian's residence. Everyone looked gloomy and troubled. Wang Xiaoyun had rushed back to Jin City from Zhong Hai and had brought a lot of cash with her to ensure the cash flow of the Chens Group.

"Second Brother, what's the word from the Song family?" Chen Huaian asked.

"Many managers of the Song family told me that their family lord had ordered them to cease all contracts with us." Chen Qianxin said with a frown. "The Hua family gave us the same answer. Over forty firms had canceled their contracts with us. Even the penalties for breach of contract wouldn't deter them from severing the relationship with us."

"Hehe. Penalties for breach of contract? The Chens Group would have already been bankrupt when we finally get that money back through the court system." Wang Xiaoyun snorted. She looked up and said: "Dad, I think we might as well pay up the fine for tax evasion and serve our sentences. I have brought back enough cash to save the Chens Group. As long as we still have our core business, we can always look for new contracts."

Hearing Wang Xiaoyun's words, Chen Qianxin looked like he was about to cry.

Although he had to hand over the seat of the CEO of the company, he had gathered many royal followers over the decades. However, most of the people who conducted the criminal acts had been his old subordinates and further investigation would definitely bring attention to him.

"Dad, is there any other way? What did Uncle Qin say?" Second Uncle asked.

"Sigh..." Chen Huaian shook his head and heaved a sigh. "Qin Hua didn't answer my call."

A silence fell over the room as soon as they heard the old man's words.

Qin Hua was one of Chen family's most powerful benefactors. The fact that Qin Hua ignored Chen Huaian's phone call at such a critical moment meant that Qin Hua might have already given up on the Chen family, worse yet, he could be working with the Sheng family.

"Damn you, Sheng Ronghua! I had never thought that he would do this to us!" One of Chen Fan's uncle cursed.

Sheng Ronghua's attack was decisive and effective. Zhang Baojun had been working for the Chens Group for many years and knew the ins and outs of the Chen family's financial situation. His betrayal would drag the entire Chen family down, uproot them from the City.

By then, even Wang Xiaoyun was not sure how to deal with the current crisis.

Although she was a veteran businesswoman, the problem at hand was beyond the realm of business but a competition of benefactor's influence and reliability. Chen family had just rose to power and so far they had only one benefactor, Qin Hua. As Qin Hua started to waver, the Chen family suddenly lost their footing.

"Maybe... we should call Xiao Fan. His project at the East Mountain Meadow was what led to this after all. Now his Great Uncle is going to jail because of him, he can't just stand idly and watch the fire burn." Great Aunty said in a broken voice. She lowered her head and sobbed.

"That's right, we still have Chen Fan!"

The mentioning of Chen Fan lifted everyone's spirits slightly.

By now, everyone had figured out that Chen Fan was the Master Chen of Jiang Bei who controlled many powerful factions. His power was at least on par with the Wan Rong Group. In addition, he was supported by the Wei Family of the North Bank and Li Wuchen. If Li Wuchen was willing to speak out for the Chen family, the crisis would be averted almost immediately.

Chen Ning sat still and didn't say a word. However, a hint of hope rose inside of her.

She had never liked Chen Fan. However, at this point, she conceded that Chen Fan was the only person who could save the family.

"LIttle shit! If you can save my dad, I promise I will never speak against you again." Chen Ning thought to herself.

Chen An's lips curled into a helpless smile. Try as he might, he was not powerful enough to help his family. Instead of him, it was Chen Fan they had to rely on in the end.

Great Auntie, Second Uncle, Second Auntie all looked to Wang Xiaoyun pleadingly.

Chen Fan was their last hope.

"I have been calling Xiao Fan many times, but I can't get hold of him. You know how he is... he will just disappear sometimes." Wang Xiaoyun squeezed out a smile and said.

Chen Fan had disappeared?

The announcement made everyone's heart sink to the bottom again.

"Fine, fine..." Chen Huaian heaved a sigh and shook his head. "Let's do as Xiaoyun suggested. I have confidence in Zhengxin's moral bearing. I believe he will be fine."

Everyone looked gloomy as they walked quietly out of the house.

Many people asked the same question in their head:

"Is the thriving Chen family's hay days about to end?"

Meanwhile, Chen Fan was busy setting up the lab.

He managed to persuade a few International companies to partake in the project. Chen Fan promised that he would give these companies exclusive sale rights if they could help him finish developing the Catalyst Essence Serum. However, Chen Fan would still hold on to the recipe and the list of ingredients.

Chen Fan didn't tell the other companies that he was going to dilute the Catalyst Essence Serum with water at a ratio of one to ten before he sold them.

The mortal world was not ready for powerful advancements such as the Catalyst Essence Serum. The Catalyst Essence Serum was able to unlock normal people's supernatural potential and turning them into Extraordinary Ones. However, after diluting it with water, its effects were nearly unnoticeable.

If the production of the Catalyst Essence Serum didn't require advanced technology, Chen Fan would never expose such secrets to the scientists he hired, neither would he have to purchase expensive equipment.

Fortunately, he was in a solid financial situation and had the full support of the Jin City University as well as many other Biology experts.

Ever since the incident that led to Jason's death, Xue Jiao became even more of a fangirl of Chen Fan and was more motivated to work hard. After a while, she had become a competent lab manager.

When Chen Fan felt that things were on the right tacks and he could leave the rest to Xue Jiao, a few days had passed since the conference.

He arrived at his dorm and was greeted by his roommates and their girlfriends. However, they all looked at him with complicated emotions mixed with pity, regret, and sorrow.

Zhou Qinya even looked disappointed.

"What's going on?" Chen Fan asked in confusion.

"Boss, haven't you heard the news?" Zhang Mu said.

"What news?" Chen Fan was taken aback.

Qiu Yilun handed him a newspaper, and its headline read: "Chen's Group Under Investigation. Chen Zhenxin Accused of Embezzlement Crime. "

"Something big had happened to the Chen family." Pan Li said under her breath.

Chen Fan kept his silence as a cold light came up in his eyes.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 240: The Meaning of a Powerful Man

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"The Sheng family has acted already?"

Chen Fan didn't expect that Sheng Ronghua and son would act so decisively. He had only been away for a few days to sort out some stuff related to the lab, and they had already struck, pushing the Chen family to its last leg.

"Zhang Baojun controlled so many pieces of evidence that are detrimental to the Chens Group. It was evident that Second Uncle had been too careless for too long. His sordid deeds had nearly hollowed out the family so much so that the family would fall apart without any external support. It was no wonder that my family collapsed as soon as my grandfather died in my past life."

Chen Fan shook his head as he pondered on.

He knew what kind of person Chen Qianxin was based on his actions in Chen Fan's past life. If not because of the help of Jin Xiu Group, the Chens Group would have sunken to the bottom. This time around, the Shengs had chosen to attack another cornerstone of the Chen family's foundation: Chen Zhenxin. As long as Chen Zhenxin could clear his name, damage to the Chens Group would be temporary.

"When I heard about Zhang Baojun's conversation, I thought that Qin Hua was playing the power game to put a halt on Chen's family's growth. However, now it seems that what they wanted was to get rid of the Chen family entirely."

Despite the situation, Chen Fan was not worried at all.

"Boss, don't worry, let's think it through, maybe there is still hope." Qiu Yilun managed a smile and tried to offer some solace.

Everyone knew that Chen Fan was the heir of the Chen family. With the Chen family's patriarch under investigation, Chen Fan also fell from a rich heir to a poor soul who had lost everything. Such a blow would be devastating to most ordinary people.

Qi Wangsun and the others kept their silence.

Chen Fan suddenly realized something and then he scanned the crowd in the room, paying attention to their expressions.

Zhang Mu looked anxious, Qiu Yilun looked sorry, and Qi Wangsun looked calm and consolatory. On the other hand, Qian Lulu smiled gloatingly and Pan Li looked slightly gleeful. She felt lucky that Chen Fan had refused her so many times so that she would not be dragged down by Chen Fan and fall with him.

Meanwhile, Zhou Qinya took pity on Chen Fan because of his fall from grace.

"Hehe"

Chen Fan cracked a light smile.

He had seen through these mortal's true nature a long time ago.

Zhang Mu was naive and honest, Qiu Yilun was loyal to his friends, while Qi Wangsun, despite his reticent and aloofness, he would not hesitate to offer a helping hand when help was needed. Chen Fan was certain if he asked Qi Wangsun for help, he would contact his mightly family right away.

As for Qian Lulu and Pan Li, they were the typical gold diggers. However, Liu Xiaojin was not as materialistic as her two friends.

Chen Fan didn't want to waste time on them so he got up and announced: "I need to visit my home."

Silence returned the room after Chen Fan walked out.

In the end, Zhou Qinya finally broke the spell and said: "My boyfriend is looking for me, I need to go now."

"Ah-right! I have a date with my BFF. I am out as well." Pan Li said.

"Xiao Lun, the student union wants me to help out for the day. I will see you tonight." Qian Lulu left the room despite Qiu Yilun's protest.

They were convinced that the Chen family was doomed and therefore was worthless to them. There was no need for them to pretend they still cared.

By then, only the three boys and Liu Xiaojin remained in the room, still worrying for Chen Fan.

"These assholes! The moment they heard trouble, they ran away faster than a jackrabbit. Didn't Pan Li claim that she loved boss just two days ago?" Zhang Mu complained.

"Xiao Lun, keep an eye on your girlfriend." Qi Wangsun said with a faint smile.

Qiu Yilun didn't reply, but he was also angered by Qian Lulu and his girlfriend's actions.

Meanwhile, the apparent collapse of the Chen family stunned the entire Jin City.

"The Chen family is in big trouble!"

Many people lamented as they shook their heads.

While many people lamented the fall of the Chen family, many more were stunned by Sheng Ronghua's display of might. What had lent him so much power to topple a rising star and deter the interference of Qin Hua?

Meanwhile, inside the East Mountain Villas, the Chen family was having a meeting again.

"Ever since Xiaoyun returned, we have already handed in the money we owed the taxation department and paid-off our debt. Those who committed crimes were arrested and we have been slowly securing contracts. No later than tomorrow, the company account should be open again. If everything goes well, they should release Zhengxin soon. Once the other families see that we are back on our feet again, they would go away."

Chen Huaian announced to everyone with a great measure of decisiveness.

The news lightened up the mood significantly.

Although Sheng Ronghua had caught them by surprise, the attack was unable to uproot the Chen family. As long as the old man was still alive, his connections and resourcefulness would be able to keep the family going.

"I have received a call from Xiao Fan. He is on his way here." Chen Huaian announced.

"Xiao Fan is back?"

Everyone was elated by the news as their faces lit up with glee.

"Hehe, Sheng family has underestimated us. They have made their move, now it's our turn." The third Uncle put in.

He was the manager of the Chens Group and recently he had been through a lot while fighting on the front line.

Suddenly, a young man rushed in an shouted: "Third Auntie had a car accident!"

Wang Xiaoyun was in a car accident?

Even as everyone tried to grasp what had happened, Chen Huaian's face suddenly paled. Meanwhile, Chen Fan was walking on a path that led to the Business School.

Dusk had just broken and most students were still in the class, so the path was empty. He had just called his grandpa to learn about the situation at home. After knowing that things had improved, Chen Fan heaved a sigh of relief.

"It appears that I have underestimated Shen Junwen's determination. But the current difficulties might not be a bad thing. It gave me time to prepare my killing blow. I want them to taste the bitterness of losing everything."

Suddenly, Chen Fan's cellphone rang. He answered the phone and heard Sister An's anxious voice.

"Xiao Fan, mom and I had a car accident!"

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 241: I Am Going to Kill

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"What?"

Chen Fan's face darkened.

Anger spurred him to shake body, sending out a wave of indivisible force from his puffed-up sleeves. Trees around him trembled and even the fallen leaves were crushed into dust as the force wave swept across space. He stomped the ground and created a large crater in the granite-stone path.

Chen Fan was too furious to care about his surroundings.

He had never been so unnerved ever since he was reborn. Sister An's phone call had opened the gate of memory as scenes in his past life flashed in his mind. He had been sad, afraid and above all, mad. His father fell silent after he heard the news, and his hair turned white overnight.

Wang Xiaoyun was the backbone of the family. Her death was a crushing blow to Chen Gexin, Chen Fan and An Ya.

It took a while for Chen Fan to manage to hold back his anger and calm down. He then asked: "How's mom doing."

Even as he asked the question, he extended his Divine Will and located the jade talisman. He had given An Ya, Wang Xiaoyun, Chen Gexin, and Fang Qiong each a jade talisman. It could not only ward off evil and protect them but also allowed Chen Fan to track them at any given moment.

"Well, the talisman you gave her must have worked. It was a semi-truck carrying a full load of gravel that hit mom's car. Mom only has some minor scratches, but she is still in shock. However, the talisman is shattered."

An Ya said.

By then, Chen Fan had already located An Ya and his mother. Chen Fan registered that An Ya's mind was calmer than her voice.

He then scanned the scene of the accident. A truck carrying a few tons of gravel had rear-ended into Wang Xiaoyun's Mercedes-Benz S-600. The backseat of the Mercedes was crushed and anyone who had been sitting there would have died instantly. However, despite her loose hair and her shocked face, Wang Xiaoyun was alive and well. The jade talisman had been shattered by an unknown force.

"That's good. As long as you and mom are safe. The jade talisman must have absorbed too much force and therefore was broken."

Even as Chen Fan tried to comfort An Ya. A cold light flashed in his eyes.

The truck had run a red light and rammed right into the Mercedes-Benz. It was not an accident, it was attempted murder. The layout of the scene was very similar to the accident that had killed Wang Xiaoyun in Chen Fan's past life.

At that time, the truck driver confessed that he had drunk too much and due to the interference of forces behind the scene, the real cause of the accident was never revealed. However, this time around, Chen Fan didn't need a jury to tell him who was guilty.

"The Sheng family. Sheng Junwen and Sheng Ronghua!"

Chen Fan looked up as azure flames burst out from his eyes.

It was the first time Chen Fan conceded that he had made a mistake. He shouldn't have underestimated Sheng family's ruthlessness, and their determination to kill.

The Sheng family wouldn't rest easy until they were the only dominant force in the city. The Chen family's success was built on three cornerstones: Chen Zhenxin, Wang Xiaoyun, and Chen Fan. Sheng family knew that only by getting rid of all three factors could they completely remove the Chen family from the city.

"In this lifetime, I have never taken the mortals seriously. I always considered them less than insects. Even someone as powerful as Lei Qianjue was a weakling in my eyes and was killed by me with ease."

Chen Fan said slowly.

However, Sheng Ronghua had taught him a hard lesson today. Even an insect's bit would hurt if it landed on the right place. He wanted to slowly turn the heat on the Sheng family, giving them a painful and slow death. However, so merciless was Sheng Ronghua, that his attack nearly crippled the Chen family. His ruthless and unforgiving methods reminded Chen Fan how he became the richest man in Jiang Bei.

"Mother and Sister An survived because of the Jade Talisman. What about next time?"

Chen Fan finally realized how useless his preventive measures were.

Clan wars were not playing pretend, it was a matter of life and death. Sheng Ronghua never once thought lightly of the matter and had given it all he had from the beginning. Meanwhile, Chen Fan had underestimated his opponent and even went off to attend a conference amidst the battle. His absence had made the accident possible.

Although Wang Xiaoyun was unharmed this time, he could not guarantee her safety every time. Worse, if his opponent had learned the secret of Wang Xiaoyun's jade talisman, they could purchase a counterspell to render the talisman ineffective.

"I need more power and to become stronger to protect my loved ones. I might even have to kill.."

Two balls of golden flame lit up in his eyes. The fire burned furiously, threatening to burn through the sky.

"Only after I have killed so many people that the mortals start to fear me, will they learn to stay away from my family and loved ones. From now on, those who harm so much as a hair on my family would face death."

Chen Fan managed to squeeze out a few words from his clenched jaws. The golden fire in his eyes went out, fueling his determination to turn the world into a slaughterhouse.

The ruthless and indifferent North Mystic Celestial Lord was finally back.

Chen Fan looked up as a grin broke over his face.

"So Sheng Ronghua had sent a few weaklings after me?"

As soon as he finished talking, three deadly presence rose from behind the bush.

Meanwhile, along the glittering shore of the Jin City River...

The dining hall inside the restaurant called Victoria was lit up with old-fashioned candles. Many waiters in tuxedos bustled in between tables, serving their customers. This was the most expensive high-end restaurant in Jin City. It was owned by British Royalty and one meal here would cost at least ten thousand Yuan. Despite the outrageous price, it was jam-packed every day.

An elegant looking girl followed a waiter to a booth. After realizing only Shen Junwen was there, she asked in surprise.

"Where is everyone else?"

"It's gonna be only two of us tonight." Shen Junwen cracked a smile and pulled the seat back for the girl like a gentleman.

"I thought I was meeting Sister Yifei and everyone else. What is it? I'm busy." Fang Qiong didn't sit down, instead, she asked with a cold voice.

"Xiao Qiong, didn't you notice that we had been drifting apart ever since Chen Fan came?" Shen Junwen said and then heaved a sigh.

"Please don't call me Xiao Qiong, I have a name, you know." Fang Qiong said with a frosty expression. "I can't believe I used to be your friend. How dare you send assassins after Sister Yifei?"

"Did Chen Fan tell you that?" Shen Junwen cracked a wry smile. He shook his head and said: "I guess he never told you who he really is?"

"What do you mean?" Fang Qiong's interest was piqued.

"His father is Chen Huaian's third son, and his mother, Wang Xiaoyun is the owner of the Jin Xiu Group, as well as the CEO of the Chens Group."

"Chen family of the Jin City? The Jin Xiu Group?"

Fang Qiong covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.

She had never thought that her childhood friend was from such a prestigious background. She wondered why did Chen Fan had to pretend that he was from an ordinary family?

Hold on... didn't the Chen family just clash with the Sheng family and lost the war? No wonder she hadn't heard from Chen Fan for so many days. Fang Qiong wagered that Chen Fan must want to stay away from everyone else to clear his mind as he coped with the toughest time in his life.

With that thought in mind, realization finally dawned upon Fang Qiong. Shen Junwen smiled wryly and said: "Xiao Qiong, I hope you understand that the Wan Rong Group simply did what we could to defend ourselves..."

Fang Qiong didn't even spare him a reply. She picked up her purse and rushed outside.

She understood the Shen Junwen's message perfectly well. There was no right or wrong in a clan war. However, since she was closer to Chen Fan, she was on the side of the Chen family.

"Junwen, did you have to tell her all that?"

Song Zhe emerged from another booth and he asked.

"She will learn the truth sooner or later. Xiao Qiong is a smart girl, so she will understand me." Shen Junwen heaved a sigh, but deep down, he didn't stop cursing Chen Fan.

"Chen Fan, after you are dead, Fang Qiong will be mine. She valued our time together before you showed up, I am sure of it. Without you in the picture, Fang Qiong would eventually accept my embrace."

The thought of Heavenly Kill's message he received earlier made him feel light-hearted. So he let out a burst of laughter.

He had been waiting for this moment for too long.

Meanwhile, on a path near the Jin City University's Business School, three dark shadows suddenly blocked Chen Fan's way.

The icy malicious feeling that came off of the three assassins was able to freeze one's soul. They were elite assassins in China and had claimed over a hundred lives during their career. It must have cost their client a huge fortune to hire all three of them.

They were the three leaders of the Heavenly Kill. It was almost an overkill to use three of them against a teenager.

To their surprise, the young man was unfazed by their presence and he even cracked a smile at them. In his eyes, two angry flames burned.

Suddenly the golden flame shot out from his eyes and landed on one of the assassins.

"Ah!"

The assassin's cry was short and painful, it was cut off by his death. A powerful assassin of peak level Internal Force cultivation was reduced to ashes in a blink. Even the alloy dagger in his hand was melted along with his flesh.

"Brother!"

"This is... Impossible!"

The other two assassins both gasped.

The three of them had claimed countless lives, many of which were powerful peak level Internal Force users. If they worked as a team, they might even be able to kill a semi transcendent level master. However, Chen Fan had laid low one of their best in a blink.

"Why didn't you figure out who I was before you took the job?"

Chen Fan took a step forward and disappeared and then reappeared beside another assassin. He reached out an arm almost lazily, and his hand went straight through the assassin's chest and reached his heart. Chen Fan squeezed his fingers and turned the heart into a bloody pulp.

A leader of the Heavenly Kill couldn't even block his slow-moving arm.

The last assassin shouted out with a contorted face: "Grandmaster, a Grandmaster!"

"You are so young... Are you Chen Bei—"

Before he could finish, Chen Fan's fist had borne down on him from above, crushing his body into a bloody mushy mass. The force created an imprint on the ground in the shape of a palm

"It's too late."

Chen Fan said lightly and then disappeared from thin air.

He was going to right the wrongs and kill some enemies.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 242: Knocking on the Sheng Family's Door

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Jin City, Wan Rong Royal Wood Community, mansion number one...

This group of mansions were developed by the Wan Rong Group and it took up a large swath of land along the shore of the Jin City River. Of all of them, the number one mansion had the best view. Nearly half of the building was cantilevered above the river. It had a few acres of lawn carefully decorated with meticulously trimmed flowers and plants. The entire estate was worth over a few hundred million, and it was not only a gift from Sheng Ronghua to his son but also the base of the Sheng family's operation.

Inside the mansion, lights were on and all the high-level officials gathered together in a celebratory party.

There was Sheng Rongxuan, Sheng Rongchen, Sheng Rongfang, Zhu Houde, Wan Zhengxiong... Not only were the Sheng family's leaders there, but also high-level managers of the Wan Rong Group as well as the Wan Family of Chu Zhou City. Today was the day that their alliance delivered the killing blow to the Chen family. After today, the Sheng family would reclaim its former glory and became one of the elite families in China.

Sheng Ronghua linked his hands behind his back and stood before a floor-length window. Outside of the window was the rushing Jin City River. The white-haired Uncle Lin stood beside him quietly. Over the decades, Uncle Lin had never left Sheng Ronghua and followed him like his shadow.

The rest of the managers of the Wan Rong Group stood behind the two in silence, waiting for their leader's instructions.

Sheng Ronghua's decisive blow had toppled the mighty Chen family. It was a perfect display of his methods and ruthlessness. Those among his family members who used to doubt his abilities were impressed and turned quiet.

"The Chen Group's account was freed just now.."

"The disciplinary units only arrested the manager of the Chens Group, Chen Qianxin was released under court order."

"Wang Xiaoyun had a car accident, the car was destroyed but she was unharmed."

None of the news had pleased Sheng Ronghua. However, Sheng Ronghua remained calm and confident.

"Chens Group and Wang Xiaoyun were not the biggest problems. As long as we can do away with Chen Zhenxin, the Chen family would become rudderless and easy to pick off."

Surrounded by Wan Rong Group's sycophants, Sheng Ronghua's ego bloated. He looked back and didn't see his son. He furrowed brows and asked.

"Where is Junwen?"

"Junwen and Wan Jun went to meet that girl from the Fang family." Wan Zhengxiong said with a smile.

"He shouldn't be absent at this critical moment. Although we have planned everything well, I still have a nagging unease. Call him back, now." Sheng Ronghua turned around and told the old man beside him.

"Brother Lin, is everything going well with dealing with Chen Fan?"

"Please be rest assured, my lord. No one could have escaped the three leaders of the Heavenly Kill. Even if he was of the peak level of the Internal Force cultivation, he would be dead before he knew what was going on." The white-haired one said slowly: 'Plus, even if they failed, you still have me. However powerful Chen Fan is, as long as he is not a Grandmaster, I am confident I can do away with him."

"Good, very good!" Sheng Ronghua nodded.

"We are only waiting for the news from the Heavenly Kill. Humph! the Tang family thought we wouldn't be able to handle Chen Fan?" Sheng Ronghua snorted.

"KOM!"

Suddenly, the gate to the mansion was busted open from the outside. The door was custom made from a swiss security company. It was able to block bullets shot at point-blank range. However, there and then, it was torn apart like a piece of toilet paper.

"Who goes there?"

The commotion stunned everyone in the manor, many of the bodyguards pulled out their guns and pointed toward the entrance.

The leader of Sheng Ronghua's bodyguards was a retired Special Force Sergeant. He put a calming hand before his boss and said: "Boss, please go to the second floor with the other managers."

"Don't worry, we have Brother Lin here. I am not afraid of anyone." Sheng Ronghua let out a cold snort.

Everyone looked toward the entrance and they saw a young man wearing a white casual outfit and he linked his hands behind his back as he sauntered through the threshold. He was of average looks and height, and there was nothing extraordinary about him. However, some people noticed flashes of golden light that sparked in his eyes like fire.

"Master Chen?"

The Sheng family members gasped as they finally recognized the young man.

They were originally from Chu Zhou City, and therefore they have heard of Master Chen. In addition, they had studied Chen Fan's profile and background many times while trying to come up with a plan to deal with him.

"Master Chen! How dare you trespass into my house."

Sheng Ronghua shouted at the top of his lungs. His eyes were clouded with concern.

Chen Fan's arrival meant the three leaders of the Heavenly Kill were all dead.

"Young man, if you leave now, I will spare your life." The old man narrowed his eyes and said in a sinister tone.

"Oh really? If you kneel and beg me, I might promise you I won't desecrate your dead body."

As Chen Fan took a step forward, the leader of the bodyguards threw himself at Chen Fan and delivered a roundhouse kick. The kick was powerful enough to snap a sizeable tree. However, before the kick landed on Chen Fan, Chen Fan had already unscrewed the bodyguard's head off his shoulder.

"Humph!!"

The old man snorted, as his body turned into a blurry shadow. In a blink, he had already made his way to Chen Fan and rose both of his arms. His gnarly fingers pointed down and bore down on Chen Fan from above.

The old man's speed was faster than any Internal Force user he had met. He might have been faster than even Lu Tianfen and other Grandmasters.

"Pathetic."

Chen Fan waved a hand and unleashed an invisible Fist Qi. The Qi Energy whizzed through the air, creating a long white mark. Under everyone's incredulous watch, the white energy shot at the old man.

"Did he just unleash Internal Force? Is he a Grandmaster?"

The old man's face paled as he quickly stepped aside to avoid the Fist Qi. The Fist Qi missed the old man by a hair's breadth and landed on a large TV behind him.

"Kaboom!"

The LCD TV exploded from the impact, sending countless glass shards in all directions. The members of the Sheng family covered their heads with both arms and scurried out of harm's way. The Fist Qi had went through the TV and created a large hole in the thick wall behind it.

"I never thought that you are a Grandmaster!"

The old man paused right in front of Sheng Ronghua, shielding the latter. Uncertainty and concern flickered in his eyes. "A Grandmaster that was younger than twenty years old? I have only been away from the Martial arts community for a decade, and the community had already produced such a power powerful rising star!"

"Is that right?" Chen Fan kept calm and kept on closing in.

"Stop, you! Stop right there!"

The old man straightened his back as his body let out a peal of cracking nosing like joints popping. In a blink, his height increased a few centimeters. His shriveled muscles swelled, stretching out the loose skin. The wrinkles on his wizened face disappeared and he has transformed from an old and frail-looking elder into a handsome middle-aged man with a perfect physique.

"Brother Lin?"

Sheng Ronghua was shocked by the development. Never had he thought that old man who had accompanied him for decades was actually younger than him. Many high-level managers of the Sheng family were also stunned by the development.

"Sigh. I have lived under my lord's protection for many years and saved him many times. I wager that my debt is paid. This will be the last time I help you, my lord. After this, I will leave the Sheng family and seek elsewhere to live." Uncle Lin heaved a sigh and then he returned around to face Chen Fan.

"Young man, you have achieved an incredible level of attainment at such a young age. Your future could have been bright. However, you shouldn't have messed with me. I am Lin Tatian!"

The old man announced proudly.

"You talk too much."

Chen Fan snorted under his breath and unleased azure-colored Blade Auras. He yanked his arm and hacked the Blade Aura at Lin Tatian.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 243: Fighting Lin Tatian

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Chen Fan was taken aback after he realized that there was a Transcendent Grandmaster hidden inside of the Sheng family.

Grandmasters were usually dominating powers of a region, such was the case for Chen Jiuyang of the Tai Chi Sect, Du San of the Miao's Land, Hua Yunfeng of Zhong Hai and Lei Qianjue of Hong Sect. Even the worst of them, Lu Tianyun was a dominating figure in Tian Nan province. Therefore, having a Grandmaster hiding in the Sheng family was unheard of.

Despite the turn of events, Chen Fan was not at all concerned. He doubled down on his art as the azure-colored Blade Auras surged. His opponent was just a Grandmaster, a level which Chen Fan was comfortable to deal with. After all, he had already killed three Grandmasters ever since he was reborn.

The Azure Wood Qi Blade was a belligerent technique. It sliced open anything that was in its way, let it be a sofa, walls or human flesh. Two Wan Rong Group's managers were unfortunate enough to be in the way of the Blade Aura and were sliced in half.

"Bravo! What a good use of Qi Condensation!"

Lin Tatian snorted coldly and stepped forward with a punch. Suddenly, dark energy waves bellowed out from his palm and quickly spread throughout the room.

A Wan Rong Group manager was a little too slow getting out of the dark energy's way, so he was ground into pulp by the seeming harmless dark energy. The dark energy looked like soft fluid, but each drop would crush a boulder. The death of a bystander didn't disturb Lin Tatian in the slightest. He charged up more energy and caused a huge dark wave to go after Chen Fan.

One can read in between Lin Tatian's decision of saving Sheng Ronghua and killing bystanders and see the pride of a Grandmaster. A Grandmaster never cared for anyone except for those to whom they were in debt.

"Break!"

Chen Fan brought the Blade Aura around and hacked. The Blade Auras surged into about three meters long and quashed absolutely everything and anything that it came in contact with. Sheng Rongchen, Sheng Rongfang, and Wan Zhengxiong, along with expensive decor were all sliced in half from the middle. After their blood bodies fell to the ground, their entrails spilled out from their opened bellies, they howled in terror and begged for a quick death.

Chen Fan was impervious to their saddened pleading. Those were just insects he had killed. So he charged up energy once again and hacked at Lin Tatian.

Lin Tatian's dark energy was sliced through the middle, creating a path for Chen Fan. Chen Fan darted forward, through two walls of dark energy and arrived before Lin Tatian in a blink

"Impossible!"

Lin Tatian's face tightened.

He had learned the dark energy wave from a master in South Eastern China. Once unleashed, the dark waves were able to submerge everything in a large area. Any ordinary people being caught inside the dark waves would be ground into a pulp. Even a Grandmaster would have to tread carefully around this art. The fact that Chen Fan was able to open up the dark energy with one slash using the Blade Aura, meant that Chen Fan's Azure Wood Qi Blade was much more powerful than his Dark Qi Energy.

"Come again!"

Lin Tatian cracked a smile as he extended both arms before his chest and started to draw a long breath. Suddenly, the dark energy pulled back and converged and compressed into the middle of his arms. In the end, the sprawling dark energy was turned into a squiggly crystalline black snake.

"Why don't you try the Art of Dragon and Snake Transformation"

Lin Tatian let out a grin and then flicked the tiny dark Qi snake out towards Chen Fan with his thumb.

Chen Fan's face tightened after he saw the incoming tiny wiggling snake. Although the snake was much smaller in size, the True Essence inside of it was so condensed that it was akin to True Essence. In other words, the small Qi snake was the equivalent of a True Qi Bomb that would kill everyone in the room once set off.

This technique used by Lin Tatian was very similar to his Skyfall Hammer.

However, Skyfall Hammer was able to harness the Power of Heaven and Earth to charge up the attack. Lin Tatian's art on the other hand, only consumed his own True Qi that he had been cultivating for years. This difference was what caused Lin Tatian's art to be much weaker.

"Kill!"

Chen Fan lifted the azure-colored Blade Aura with both hands. The Blade Aura had grown as thin a dragon fly's wing. If one looked at the edge, the blade was nearly invisible. Then Chen Fan hacked the blade at the neck of the snake. The Blade Qi was insubstantial, like the fuzzy drizzling of the Jiang Nan province, it's angle nearly inconceivable, but precise.

His strike was executed in one go in a fluid and decisive motion. Not even a single breath was wasted. It was a move only a blade master could have pulled off.

"Kaboom!"

The blade Qi snake exploded in the air, the booming explosion shook the entire residential area. Many people turned on their lights and peered out from behind their curtains to see what the ruckus was about.

Meanwhile, the shock wave swept through the room. It threw everything onto the ground, shattered all the windows, and cracked open the walls. Looking from the outside, the luxury manor was in ruins as if it was hit directly by an artillery shell. No one should have survived the attack.

Chen Fan stood still and motionless. The floor around his feet was still in pristine condition, while anything about three-meter away from him was all destroyed. There were bloody body parts strewn around everywhere. No one survived the blast, except for one.

Sheng Ronghua laid on the floor, his legs were caught by fallen ceiling debris. His dusty hair fell loosely over his shoulder, making him look like a ghost.

Lin Tatian must have protected him at the last moment from the powerful blast.

"Hey kiddo, you are indeed a powerful foe. This place is too small, let's end this outside." Lin Tatian let out a peal of laughter, then rammed through a wall and landed on top of the river.

The river had swelled a few days ago so the water was rushing. The wind came up and broke the waves into white splashes.

Despite the tumultuous river, Lin Tatian stood still like a stone pillar on the river bed. Around him, dark energy roiled, threatening to kill.

"Humph!!"

Chen Huaian didn't even spare Sheng Ronghua a glace, he flashed out of view and reappeared, standing on top of the river across from his foe. Everyone in the Sheng family, except for Sheng Ronghua was dead, and it wouldn't be too much work for him to finish off Sheng Ronghua. However, if he let the Grandmaster sneak away, he might be able to harm his family later.

Chen Fan might not have thought of so much before the wake-up call that nearly killed his mother. However, he had already reevaluated his situation and was more cautious.

The North Mystic Celestial Lord had slaughtered many galaxies and knew the importance of leaving no loose ends.

"I had never thought that anyone could have possessed such power at your age. You reminded me of someone I used to know." Lin Tatian linked his hands behind his back and announced. His posture was statuesque and his demeanor godlike.

"He was a dashing young lad just like you and earned himself the title of the most powerful Grandmaster overseas. He was thought to be very likely to achieve Immortal State. The last time I met him, he was on his way back to China to reclaim his dominance."

"I haven't seen him for ten or so years, I wager, he had already reached the peak of the Transcendent State and is not far from the Immortal State."

"You are doing as good as him, if not even better in the future."

Lin Tatian lamented.

"Oh, are you talking about Lei Qianjue?" Chen Fan said lightly. "I have already killed him."

"What?"

Suddenly, Lin Tatian's felt fear for the first time in a long time.

Meanwhile, a homestead across the river was hosting a party.

The elites of the Jin City knew that this manor was owned by a mighty figure of the Jiang Nan Province: Tang Yuanqin.

The Tang family estate hasn't seen so many guests for nearly half a year. Ever since Tang Yifei went into seclusion, only Tang Yifei and a few servants looked after the estate and rarely there were visitors. Today, Tang Yifei finally finished his seclusion cultivation, and therefore, tycoons all over Jiang Nan Province came to congratulate him.

The dominating power of Jiang Nan province was finally back.

"Dad, you are a Grandmaster now?"

Tang Yifei help a cup of wine and asked with a smile. However, she was not able to hide the exhaustion in her eyes.

No one wanted to let others dictate their life. What happened a few days ago in the garden of the Green Vines Club still kept her sleepless at night.

"Hehe, it is not that easy to become a Grandmaster, you know." The old man laughed out loud. His silver hair brought out the predatory sharpness in his eyes. His appearance and overbearing demeanor matched his title as the dominating figure in Jiang Nan.

"Grandmasters are true dragons, they are the stuff of legends. There is only a handful of them in China. Such as the Hua family of Zhong Hai, Lu family of Lin Zhou City, Tai Chi Sect of Zhong Zhou, Ba Ji sect, and the Hong Sect, they are all mighty forces to be reckoned with. If I can be a Grandmaster, I shall claim the entire Jiang Nan Province and compete directly with that hotshot from Zhong Hai."

Tang Yuanqin then shook his head and lamented: "Unfortunately, I am still not there yet. That being said, I have already achieved a semi transcendent state. Even a peak level Internal Force user would not last long in a fight against me. Peak level Internal Force users such as that Master Chen from Jiang Bei."

"Master Chen of Jiang Bei?"

Tang Yifei's smile froze on her face as if she remembered something extremely unpleasant.

"What's going on?"Tang Yuanqin registered that his daughter was held back something. He had groomed his daughter to be his successor. So she had learned at an early age to handle herself calmly before the crisis.

"Nothing..." Tang Yifei lowered her head and murmured.

She couldn't even bring herself to tell her father that Master Chen had already surpassed Grandmaster level, much less that her life was in the hands of Master Chen.

"Humph! He would never think of provoking the Tang family if I am present." Tang Yifei snorted and said: "Don't worry, Yifei. Dad is going to Jiang Bei tomorrow avenge the humiliation you suffered. ."

Having reached Semi transcendent, he felt that the energy coursing in his veins would give him enough power to kill Chen Fan with one strike.

"NO... dad." Tang Yifei hurried a reply.

"Kaboom!"

An explosion erupted from across the river. It sounded like someone had set off a bomb.

"What's that?" Everyone looked across the river but saw nothing. The river banks were too far apart for ordinary people to make out what was going on on the other side.

However, Tang Yuanqin was an Internal Force user and had an extra acute sense of vision.

"Those are... Grandmasters?"

Tang Yuanqin's face turned dark as if he had seen a ghost.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 244: Slaughter the Sheng Family

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

By then the two fighters on the river were at each other's throat again.

Lin Tatian was the second most powerful foe Chen Fan had encountered. He was easily more powerful than Chen Jiuyang, Blacksnake, Lin Tatian and was only slightly less powerful than Lei Qianjue. The boiling dark energy around him suddenly turned into countless sharp edges and shot at Chen Fan. Chen Fan registered that the only thing that had stopped him from reaching the peak of the Transcendent State was an old injury he had sustained a long time ago.

Chen Fan was not afraid of him. He was able to defeat Lei Qianjue who had not only reached the peak of Transcendent State but also perfected his physical condition. So Lin Tatian shouldn't be much of a problem.

Chen Fan's hypersonic punch was difficult to pull off, after all, he had only achieved Initial success in his Dao Body cultivation. Only those who had achieved phenomenal success in their Connate Body cultivation could break the sound barrier at will. Nonetheless, Chen Fan should be able to defeat Lin Tatian even without using the hypersonic punch.

"Kaboom!"

A large wave came up and water splashed into the dark energy above. The water quickly took form and became countless sharp blades that shot out at Chen Fan. Out in the open, Lin Tatian's power seemed to have grown by leaps and bounds, so much so that he was able to control the Essence Qi in between the Heaven and Earth and reach Union of Mortal and Heaven. However, his level of attainment was a far cry compared to that of Lei Qianjue.

"Kill!"

Chen Fan shouted at the top of his lungs and brought the Blade Qi down onto the incoming dark energy. The Blade Qi seemed to have torn open the very fabric of space and ripped the dark wave into half.

Chen Fan killed Blacksnake with this exact same attack. However, Lin Tatian was a much more powerful foe. He folded his hands and then fanged both arms outward in a circular motion, tracing out a ring made out of dark energy. The ring multiplied and quickly became ring-mail that covered the entire space before Lin Tatian to block the incoming attack. Although Chen Fan's Blade Qi was able to slice through the ring-mail like butter, Lin Tatian was able to get away using those few precious moments.

"Such power. I believe that you are able to kill Lei Qianjue."

Lin Tatian glided back on the sleek water surface, and then looked to Chen Fan with a serious glare.

"Well, I wish I could say the same about you."

Chen Fan pulled back the Blade Auras and closed his fingers as if he was snatching something. Suddenly, a dozen water sprouts erupted from the river and flew toward Lin Tatian like long fingers.

"Humph! Kiddo! I don't know how you can achieve such power, but you shouldn't think so lightly of me." Lin Tatian stomped his feet on the water and uttered coldly: "I shall indulge you with the coup de grace of the Lin Family!"

"The Art of Qi Blade, form!"

Suddenly, a white light spilled out from his mouth. He had been cultivating for many years and by then, it has started to take physical form. After he fused with countless True Qi, it was as hard as a diamond and as flexible as silk.

The white sparkling light writhed like a dragon and circled around Lin Tatian before it swooped down close to the river, tracing a shining white line in the air. Whenever it landed on a water sprout, the latter would fall apart, reduced into a splash of water.

"My Art of Dragon and Snake Transformation is based on The Art of Qi Blade."

Lin Tatian laughed proudly. "Since you have blocked the Dragon and Snake Transformation, I wonder if you could do the same with the decade-old Blade Qi in my mouth?"

With a high pitched whistle, the white light shot up into the sky and then plunged down onto Chen Fan. Lin Tatian had been strengthening and cultivating the Blade Qi in his mouth for over a decade and therefore he was confident that the Blade Qi was able to kill even the most powerful Transcendent Grandmaster.

"It's a shame that my injury had prevented me from returning to my former condition. Otherwise, the power in this attack should have reached the Immortal level." Lin Tatian heaved a sigh and then looked to Chen Fan.

He expected to see Chen Fan being carved in half by the blade.

To his surprise, Chen Fan had removed all the protection measures. He puffed his chest out to meet the incoming white light. The light shot through the sky like a lightning bolt and rammed into Chen Fan's chest. However, it didn't pierce through Chen Fan's flesh, instead, it shivered into countless bright lights like a glass arrow.

"This is... Impossible!"

Lin Tatian was so shocked that he nearly lost his balance and fell into the river.

The Blade Qi that was able to pierce through steel plate didn't even make a dent on Chen Fan's skin. What kind of body did he have? Was it made out of Diamond? Could he have achieved Diamond Body? Even the most powerful Physical Refinement Master would not withstand a frontal blow of his Blade Qi.

"I have told you, you are just an insect in my eyes."

Chen Fan said indifferently.

Lin Tatian was more powerful than most other Grandmasters he had met so far, however, his old injury had taken a toll on his power and rendered his strength inferior to Lei Qianjue. The Blade Qi was formed with decades of harnessing True Qi and could have rivaled the deadliness of a real Flying Sword. However, even a real Flying Sword would have been shattered into pieces if it landed on Chen Fan's Azure Thearch Longevity Body, much less a fake one.

Chen Fan slowly lifted an arm.

"Boom!"

A deep rumbling came up high up in the sky. Then there was an azure-colored ray of light appeared out of the clouds. Chen Fan yanked his arm down, commanding the energy in the sky to bore down on Lin Tatian like a hammer.

"What kinds of technique is this?"

The sight scared the living ghost out of Lin Tatian. He managed to pull back and summoned a cloud of dark energy to protect his body. However, his defense was useless before the azure-colored energy. It was able to crush an armored vehicle much less Lin Tatian. Even a Physical Refinement Grandmaster such as Lei Qianjue would not be able to survive the attack.

"Bam!"

Lin Tatian's was squashed into a bloody pulp from the waist down and fell into the gurgling river. His upper torso was still surrounded by the dark energy which supported him above the river.

"Yi Wood Connate Spirit Grand Qin Na Hand!"

It was an immortal martial art that came with the Azure Thearch Longevity Body. Only those Five Elements Immortal Sect cultivators who had reached the Connate Spirit could have pulled it off. Chen Fan was able to use it thanks to the Azure Thearch Longevity Body. Although he could only use one-tenth of his power, it was enough to kill Lin Tatian like squashing an ant.

Without Divine powers, and without using the hypersonic technique, Chen Fan had used their coup de grace to kill yet another Grandmaster.

"You can't kill me... I am the Grandmaster of the Lin family. I am the invincible Lin Tatian..."

Seeing Chen Fan approaching him, a few words managed to come out of the dying Lin Tatian. Chen Fan didn't even pause for a second. He jabbed the middle of Lin Tatian's forehead with a finger, ending his misery.

By then, Tang Yuanqin had just arrived at the battleground and witnessed Chen Fan's killing blow.

"Chen... Master Chen?"

Tang Yuanqin was stupefied by what he saw. He stood still in disbelief.

He had seen Chen Fan's picture and therefore he recognized Chen Fan right away. His heart sank to the bottom. Tang Yuanqin had seen the two Grandmasters duke it out on the river as Blade Qi and Qi Energy lanced out in all directions. However, he had never thought that one of the Grandmasters was Chen Fan and he had won.

"Huh?"

Chen Fan didn't spare him a glance and then flashed out of the view and reappeared in the Sheng family residence.

He saw Sheng Ronghua was still working on the fallen debris that pinned his legs down. There was a cell phone near him and the screen was still lit. He must be calling someone. When he finally saw Chen Fan, life drained from his face.

Chen Fan's appearance meant that Lin Tatian was either killed or had run away, neither would help his situation.

Seeing Chen Fan's indifferent gaze, Sheng Ronghua shivered. He knew that Chen Fan had already made up his mind to kill him. He shouted desperately: "There are many people working for me outside of the house, aren't you afraid of revenge?"

"Did you call Shen Junwen?" Chen Fan stepped on the cell phone and crushed it into pieces. Then he said calmly: "Don't worry, you will see your son soon. Not only your son but the entire Sheng family will join you down there."

"What do you mean?" Sheng Ronghua was taken aback.

Chen Fan calmly shifted his fingers to make a few hand signs to summon a web of Azure-colored light that formed an intricate Dharma Array. Chen Fan used to use the same Dharma Array arrangement to create The Inscription of Perpetual Life.

The Inscription of Perpetual Life had taken him a while to cast, but since he had reached Ethereal Enlightenment, it was just a stroll in the park.

No doubt that the power of the Dharma Spells was unimaginable.

"Inscription of Void Dimension!"

Chen Fan exclaimed.

The Azure-colored lights change shape again and formed Talisman Inscription with countless lines and nods. The glittering inscription gave off an overwhelming promotional sensation as if it was some ancient star chart.

"Fire of Divine Power!"

Chen Fan shouted again.

He cupped one of his eyes, and seemingly dragged a golden flame out of the eye socket. The flame was small in size, but it burned so intensely that it could burn through a whole on the fabric of reality.

This was the seed of the Li Fire Golden Eyes. Losing this seed, Chen Fan would have to recuperate for at least a month to regain his Li Fire Golden Eyes.

"The Lure of Bloodline"

Chen Fan shouted the third time.

Chen Fan slammed Sheng Ronghua with his right hand and somehow blood started to squirt out from all pores and holes on Sheng Ronghuas' body. These blood converged together, forming a bloody ball as Sheng Ronghua howled painfully.

"Your blood will complete my death curse!"

Chen Fan stamped the ground seemingly lightly, but even Tang Yuanqin from far away could feel the earth's tremble.

The star chart, golden flame, and the ball of blood finally merged into a crimson flame.

The flame shot out a dozen invisible threads into the night sky. Chen Fan had commanded them to search for the Sheng Ronghua's blood-kin.

"Ten Thousand Dharma Sect's Bloodline Death Curse; complete!"

Chen Fan murmured indifferently.

This time, he will slaughter the Sheng family and avenge his mother.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 245: The Bloodline Death Curse

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

The Ten Thousand Dharma Sect was famous for their curses. The perfected immortals who followed this sect were able to cast a curse from one end of the universe to kill someone on the other side of the universe. The curses' ability to go beyond the constraints of time and space were feared by most cultivators of other sects.

The Bloodline Death Curse was an infamous spell of the Ten Thousand Dharma Sect. With enough blood as a lead, it was able to trace everyone who was related to the blood and kill them all. Chen Fan's power only allowed him to search across the globe, however, those powerful figures in the Ten Thousand Dharma Sect would be able to use the art and search the entire universe.

"First kill."

Chen Fan plugged the nearly invisible lines as he would to a guitar.

One end of the invisible line connected the burning crimson fireball while the other end shot into the distance. Chen Fan traced the line with his Divine Will and the line brought him to a private club. There were two young men sitting with two scantily clothed girls. They were drinking and singing Karaoke.

"Young Lord Sheng, it was quite a display of power from the Sheng family this time. Even the new rising star, the Chen family was destroyed by Wan Rong Group with one blow." One of the young men with greasy face said.

"Of course. Chen family is nothing, they should know better than to compete with us for the East Mountain Meadow project." The Young Lord Sheng said with a smug smile. "My Second Uncle was the richest man in Jiang Bei. He started with nothing and created Wan Rong Group. Those pathetic worms at the Chen family couldn't compare."

"But I have heard that Master Chen of Jiang Bei is also from the Chen family." Someone put in.

"Hehe, Master Chen?" Young Lord Sheng narrowed his eyes and said: "From today on, he will cease to exist. There is only one thing waiting for those who dare to oppose the Sheng family: death."

"OH? The Sheng family is going to do away with Master Chen?"

Everyone was shocked by the revelation. As the most powerful man in Jiang Bei, Master Chen was the equal of Tang Yuanqin. He also commanded many tycoons in Jiang Bei and could use many powerful Dharma Spells. People were hard-pressed to believe that the Sheng family was going to butt heads against such a mighty figure.

"Fine, whatever is done is done. I might as well tell you guys." Young Lord Sheng said proudly. "We spent over a billion yuan and hired the three leaders of the Heavenly Kill to get rid of Chen Fan. Even Zhang Donghai, the richest man in Jiang Nan Province, would not escape their assassin, much less, Master Chen."

"Heavenly Kill?"

Everyone gasped.

Although Heavenly Kill was not a renowned sect among the martial artists, however, they were well known as a powerful assassin group among the elite class of Chinese society. In the last decade, they had killed countless rich and powerful men in China.

"Master Chen is not going to get away if the three leaders of the Heavenly Kill are after him." Someone lamented.

"From this day on, Sheng family is going to rise to power."

Many people looked at the young man with complicated emotions. Although he was just Sheng Ronghua's nephew, he was bound to rise in social status as the Sheng family grew more powerful.

"Hahaha!"

Young Lord Sheng let out a peal of laughter. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Once the Chen family was finally uprooted, the Sheng family could finally get a solid foothold in Jin City.

"Wait, why is everyone look at me so strangely?"

"Uh? Hold on? Why can't I feel my body?"

"Wait... wait...what... what is this? ...no... no... NO!"

Under everyone's surprised stare, the young man who had been laughing one second ago had turned into a ball of a burning flame. The fire was blood red, and sprouted out from Young Lord Sheng's chest, and quickly spread throughout his entire body.

"Ah!" "Ah!"

The two slutty girls wearing heavy makeup ran away terrified after seeing what Young Lord Sheng had become. Despite the shocking development, everyone found it interesting that the flame only burned Young Lord Sheng but nothing else, not even the sofa he was sitting on. In a few seconds, the fire consumed Young Lord Sheng's body and then even the ashes. It was as if the fire had deleted him from the matrix.

"It. It.."

Everyone was shocked by the scene, their faces paled as if they had just seen a ghost.

A living person caught fire by himself and was reduced to nothing. Other than Young Lord Sheng's car keys and wallet that were still on the table, there was no evidence that Young Lord Sheng was ever there in the first place.

This scene played out not only in that one private club but also in many other locations in Jin City, as well as Chu Zhou City.

Rich brats from the Sheng family suddenly caught fire by themselves and were reduced into nothingness.

Elite members of the Sheng family enjoying a discreet moment with their mistresses disappeared after catching fire by themselves.

Senior members of the Sheng family who were surrounded by grandchildren suddenly disappeared.

"The seventh kill."

"The eighth kill"

"The seventy-third kill"

Chen Fan plugged the line gently and carefully with great emotion as if he was playing a guitar solo. Each motion of the string would send a pulse of energy to the receiving end of the line. Each plug of the string would take away one member of the Sheng family.

Let them be seniors, middle-aged men, adolescents, or children, as long as they were related to Sheng Ronghua, they were dead.

"What a pity that I can only trace the bloodline within four generations, but it should be enough. I don't want to kill too many innocents either."

Chen Fan thought stoically.

In less than a minute, he had killed seventy-three lives and nearly got rid of the entire Sheng family. However, he looked apathetic at the deceased. As the North Mystic Celestial Lord, Chen Beixuan had slaughtered countless sects and even eliminated an entire race. Billions if not trillions of lives were lost in his hand, so getting rid of the Sheng family was really nothing to him.

"Only two let... one is Shen Junwen and the other was..."

He looked into the burning ball of flame carefully and said.

There were only two lines left connected to the fireball. One line led to somewhere in the Jin City, while the other extended far away, out of China to overseas.

"Urh! Urgh!"

Even having lost nearly all his blood, Sheng Ronghua was still alive. He could no longer form any words, so he stared at Chen Fan, begging him to spare his life.

Whenever Chen Fan killed one of Sheng Ronghua's family members, the scene would play out in the fireball.

Therefore, Sheng Ronghua had watched as Chen Fan killed his entire family. The regret and remorse inside of him were beyond description. If he got to choose again, he would never choose to mess with the devil.

Yes, the devil.

Not a normal person could have used curses to kill everyone who was related to him. This heinous act could only be done by hellish demons and devils.

Tang Yuanqin also saw everything while hiding behind a wall.

"Only a descent of the Grand Magus from the Ghost Witch Sect could have pulled it off. I have only heard of the Bloodline Death Curse in legends but never expected to see it in person. Master Chen's ability should make even the renowned magus from South East Asia feel ashamed of themselves."

The Bloodline Death Curse was truly terrifying.

In fact, this was the first time that such a powerful spell was used on earth.

The curse could kill anyone as long as it was used on someone who was related to the victim through the blood.

Before Tang Yuanqin finished his seclusion cultivation, he had hoped to defeat Chen Fan with his new power. However, the development had robbed him of that hope.

"He was not only a Grandmaster but also a terrifying Perfected Dharma Cultivator... I couldn't believe that during my half-year of absence, such a demonic being would have risen to power."

Tang Yuanqin lamented.

Meanwhile, Chen Fan had dragged the last two lines.

"The seventy-fourth kill, Sheng Junting."

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 246: Terrorizing Jiang Nan Province

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Meanwhile, on the Jin City Bridge, Shen Junwen sat in the driver's seat and put his cell phone away.

"What's going on, Junwen?" Wan Jun asked curiously.

"My dad just called me. He told me to run away from Jin City as far as possible." Shen Junwen lowered his head and locked his brows.

"Uh? What does that mean?" Wan Jun asked perplexedly.

"I am not sure either. My dad sounded in a hurry and he hung up before I could ask anything." Shen Junwen hesitated and then said: "I think I have heard his last words were 'Master Chen'."

"Master Chen? Chen Fan? Didn't you guys already take care of him by hiring the three leaders of Heavenly Kill?" Wang Xiaoyun asked curiously. The Sheng family had adopted a three-pronged approach in dealing with the Chen family. The Gao family was in charge of instigating the coup against Che Zhenxin, Sheng family was in charge of getting rid of Wang Xiaoyun and Uncle Lin was suppose to make Chen Fan disappear.

"Brother Jun, I have a bad feeling. I wonder if everything went well with Heavenly Kill." Shen Junwen furrowed his brows and said. He then pulled out his cellphone and called Uncle Lin, but no one answered the phone. He then called all the other higher-ups in the Wan Rong group, but couldn't get through any of them.

By now, even Wan Jun started to become suspicious of the situation.

Even as the two tried to wrap their heads around the situation, they received a phone call.

Shen Junwen's face darkened after he hung up the phone. Wan Jun asked him what had happened, so he said: "Xiao Huang told me that Sheng Junlin is dead in a private club."

"What? Junlin is dead?" Wan Jun was stunned.

He was Shen Junwen's cousin and Sheng Ronghua's nephew. His death would shake the entire Sheng family.

"Xiao Huang also said that he was killed by a ball of red fire." Shen Junwen said heavily.

"Burnt to death?" Wan Jun fell into utter shock.

"I have to get out of here. I think my father is in trouble too. Could it be that Chen Fan has gone to my father?"

Shen Junwen pulled himself together and quickly made a decision. He pressed the gas-pedal and pulled the handbrake at the same time to turn his car 180-degrees. He revved up again and started off in the opposite direction. Luckily it was already late in the night, so the street was empty, otherwise, he would have to get stuck on the road for a while.

Wan Jun kept his silence. He could feel that subtle danger lurking behind the development, therefore he decided to stay out of it for now.

Soon, their suspicion was confirmed.

In the next few minutes that followed, they received many phone calls from many different places, informing them that Shen Junwen's sister, brothers, cousins, uncles, aunties, and even grandparents were all dead. The cause of their deaths was the same: fire.

"How is that possible?"

The last phone call Sheng Junting received was made from England, informing him that Sheng Junting was dead. Wan Jun was shaken by the news and could only gape.

"Sigh"

Shen Junwen heaved a sigh, eyes filled with remorse and indignation.

"Brother Jun, we were wrong from the beginning. "

"The real power inside of the Chen family was not Qin Hua, neither was it Wang Xiaoyun. It was Chen Fan, Master Chen."

"You mean Chen Fan had done all of it?" Wan Jun asked incredulously.

He had never thought that that ordinary-looking young man he met during the banquet at Chu Zhou City could possess such a mysterious and deadly power to kill so many people in different parts of the world.

"What else could it be?" Shen Junwen let out a saddened wry smile. "Master Chen... Master Chen... I have always wondered why people call him a master... Now I understand, but it's too late."

"This is not how it was supposed to end!"

Wan Jun watched as Shen Junwen's body started to glow red.

A crimson fire burst out of Shen Junwen's chest. The fire looked so much like freshly spilled blood that Wan Jun found it hard to tell which was fire and which was Shen Junwen's blood. In a blink, the fire consumed Shen Junwen and then went to engulf the entire Ferrari.

Other drivers watched in surprise as a luxurious car caught fire, rammed into a roadside pylon, and then turned into a ball of flame.

The seventy-fifth kill, Shen Junwen!

Chen Fan plucked the one last string and killed all the seventy-five men and women of the Sheng family. Adding those who were killed earlier inside the residence, Chen Fan had claimed over a hundred lives and erased the Sheng family from existence.

As the flame of curse finally died down, Sheng Ronghua also finally shut his eyes forever and left the world with incredible sorrow and regret.

Chen Fan didn't seem to be disturbed by his actions at all. He flicked a finger and shot out flames at the house to burning it down to the ground. There would be no evidence and no loose ends.

Afterward, he turned around and locked his eyes on Tang Yuanqin who had been peering at him from behind a cover.

Tang Yuanqin was stupefied by Chen Fan's sudden gaze. The icy intend in Chen Fan's eyes seemed to have frozen his mind and soul.

"BaaDa!"

The dominating power of the Jiang Nan Province dropped his knees and announced fearfully: "I am Tang Yuanqin, it's an honor to meet you, Master Chen!"

Chen Fan had killed a Grandmaster with ease and erased an entire family clan, Tang Yuanqin's influence and power couldn't compare. Chen Fan could have done the same thing to the Tang family as easily as he did to the Sheng family.

His ambition of reclaiming the seat of power in Jiang Nan Province suddenly evaporated. His only thought was to live.

The wind blew in from shattered windows and helped the fire spread through the room.

Tang Yuanqin kneeled before Chen Fan for more than fifteen minutes and still didn't get a reply. In the end, he decided to look up and noticed that Chen Fan was already gone.

"Humph!"

The old man slowly rose to his feet and realized that fear had exhausted him more than he had thought.

"I will have to investigate this thoroughly. Who the hell spread the rumor that Master Chen was only a semi transcendent level?" He cursed under his breath.

People in Jin City were hit by big news.

In one night, the Sheng family who had just started to regain a foothold in Jin City were eliminated in the most thorough way. The Sheng family's residence, gone; Sheng Ronghua's son, killed in a car accident; all other members of the Sheng Ronghua, disappeared. Suddenly, the Wan Rong Group became rudderless and was on the brink of falling apart.

Rumor had it that the Sheng family members didn't just disappear, they were burned into nothing by a flame.

These rumors were supported by many witness accounts and many elite members of the Jin City started to suspect that Chen family was behind all of this.

Many pieces of evidence even pointed directly to the powerful Master Chen.

Because of this, Chen Fan became a feared household name in Jin City.

The incident cast a mysterious and deadly light onto his already intimidating title as the mighty figure of the underground. His ability to kill a large number of people spread over a few thousand kilometers area was unthinkable. He had single-handedly destroyed an entire family clan of reputable power.

No one could have remained calm before such a frightening presence.

Chen Fan became feared by all big families. Even the all-mighty Gao Tianmin thought twice of avenging the death of his daughter in law.

"I came I saw I conquered." Such was the journey of Chen Fan in Jin City.

"Regardless if the rumor is true or not, from this day on, no one should mess with Chen family."

Qiao, Song, Hua and other renowned families quickly informed its members of the same secret message.

Even if they were not certain that Chen Fan was the perpetrator of the mass murder, they couldn't afford to risk it. What happened to the Shengs was their lesson. No one in their mind would mess with a murderer who could kill off the entire family clan without leaving a trace of evidence.

The Sheng family collapsed and so did the Wan Rong Group.

In contrast, the festering fear among other families, the Chen family's mood was lightened.

Just last night, everyone in the family put on a long face as they had to contain the damage done to the company, getting their patriarch back from jail, and deal with Wang Xiaoyun's car accident. The Chen family had been on its last leg, yet one night later, the situation suddenly turned around.

"Xiao Yun, did Chen Fan do all of this?"

"Yea, did he? I saw on the news that Sheng Ronghua's house was burned to ashes. Sheng Ronghua was nowhere to be found."

"That's not all. All members of the Sheng family disappeared. Rumor had it that they were burned into nothing by a fire."

People around Wang Xiaoyun chatted excitedly.

Chen Ning covered her mouth in disbelief. She couldn't imagine that her cousin could have power straight out of fantasy books. No wonder people call him Master Chen.

Meanwhile, Chen An looked gloomy and quiet.

Guoguo was elated by the news. She ran back and forth, bragging about her cousin's alleged power.

"Shut your mouth! No one will talk about this ever again!"

Chen Huaian shouted hotly.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 247: Green Dragon Grand Array

The news of the Sheng family's downfall had shaken the Jin City. However, after a few days, people moved on. After all, most people had never even seen Sheng Ronghua in person. The emotional and heated debates about the news quickly turned into indifferent remarks.

"Sheng Ronghua?"

Jinlin City was a large city with over ten million population and the Jiang Nan Province has an even larger population. Although Sheng Ronghua's company was huge in Jinlin City, it was an insignificant player in the entire Jiang Nan Province. In addition, most ordinary people only cared about their own benefits but not so much about even the nation's affairs, much less the petty feud between Sheng and the Chen family. If not because Chen Fan's fame had brought more attention to the matter, most people would simply flip this page over without overthinking.

However, to other people who were more involved, the fall of the Sheng family was unthinkable. How could the richest family in Jiang Bei just fall overnight?

Afterward, the Chens Group's account was freed and the East Mountain Meadow was sold to Chens Group as well. The truck drive was ruled guilty of first-order murder and would be sent to the electric chair very soon.

This time, Master Chen's name finally became a household name in Jin City. Despite the rumor about him using curses to burn all the Sheng family members to death, there was no proof. Other than a dozen or so witnesses who had seen the Sheng family member's self-immolation, there were no picture nor any video to prove that the Chen family had done it. However, this rumor kept ongoing among the elites of Jin City.

Most elites knew that the court ruling most often did not provide the truth. If Chen Fan didn't act, how come so many people from the Sheng family went missing that night? Could it really be like what the media said that the family had left China together?

That's preposterous. If there were only one or two people missing, then yes, that was possible. But a few dozen? It had to be a mass murder.

They knew that Chen Fan was the only person who was likely to have done this.

However famous Chen Fan was, there were only less than a few dozen people who had ever seen him. There were most people that knew of him than people who actually knew him. That was the same for Tang Yuanqin. Although he had been dominating the city for over ten years, most people in Jin City would have no idea who he was if he stood right in front of them.

Master Chen, Tang Yuanqin, Chen family, Sheng family... these names were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Other than those who had their skin in their conflict, most citizens of Jin City, including the heirs of rich families had forgotten the incident very quickly.

However, one person couldn't forget about what happened.

"I am glad that you are fine, Xiao Fan."

Fang Qiong heaved a sigh.

Ever since he heard about the news from Shen Junwen, she rushed to the school and made a few phone calls to Chen Fan. Since Chen Fan was already heading toward the Shen family, he didn't pick up the phone. When Fang Qiong had arrived at Chen Fan's dorm, she was told that Chen Fan had gone home. She panicked right away.

The girl knew Chen Fan very well. She knew that he would rush home to help his family. However, the battle between Chen Fan and the Sheng family was too dangerous for an ordinary college student. Chen Fan's life was in danger.

"Please don't' be so reckless next time. I have heard that your mother was even in an accident. Luckily both of you are OK. I can't imagine what I will do if you ..." Tears welled in the girl's eyes as her words were broken up.

"Fine, fine. I am sorry. Please forgive me." Chen Fan said apologetically. He should have told Fang Qiong where he was going.

He closed in and rubbed Fang Qiong's head with his forehead gently.

When they were both kids, he often did this whenever Fang Qiong was angry at him.

"Stop it. We are not children anymore."

The girl pushed him away, but the old trick worked as Fang Qiong's tears were gone.

Chen Fan apologized a few more times, and Fang Qiong finally decided to let the matter rest. However, she warned Chen Fan not to keep her out of the loop ever again. Then Fang Qiong asked curiously.

"So Master Chen really is from the Chen family? I have heard that he killed the entire Sheng family."

"I think people have exaggerated his power. It's like claiming to have seen a UFO. Rumors are just rumors."

Fang Qiong was a rational person ever since she was a child and didn't believe in supernatural abilities.

"Of course! I am Master Chen." Chen Fan said proudly. "I can kill Shen Junwen with a snap of a finger. If Shen Junwen ever dared to come to bother you, I will let him get hit by a car."

"Oh, you! Stop that." Fang Qiong rolled her eyes and didn't believe anything that Chen Fan had said.

After the two had chatted for a while, Fang Qiong was about to leave. She hesitated for a second and said reluctantly: "Xiao Fan, my parents want to invite you over for dinner. Don't let that get into your head, they just want to meet you."

So saying, she blushed and hurried away.

Chen Fan scratched his head and thought to himself.

"Do my father and mother-in-law want to see me?"

Chen Fan didn't like Fang Qiong's mother. In his past life, she was part of the reason that caused the couple's eventual break-up.

When Chen Fan arrived at the dorm, he was greeted by Qiu Yilun and other roommate's surprised stares.

They had never thought that that the Chen family's situation could have turned around just overnight.

The Sheng family were gone, and in its ashes, the Chen family rose as the biggest family in Jin City. Chen Fan's status as the heir of the rich family was restored. Pan Li regretted her actions for the second time and thought that she should have stayed with Chen Fan one more night.

However, from then on, Pan Li was never invited to any of the parties. Even Qian Lulu and Qiu Yilun's relationship was strained after Qiu Yilun had seen her true colors.

However, those were trivial to Chen Fan.

Chen Fan had been busy creating a few more Jade talisman for his mother. Afterward, he focused his attention on the East Mountain Meadow project.

Although the buyer's name on the contract was the Chen family, Chen Fan was the one running the show at the construction site. Under his supervision, large trucks drove into the East Mountain Meadow and transform the forested area into a flat land perfect for cultivation.

Chen Fan had formulated a good layout in his mind to subdivide the plots. He was going to build a homestead in the middle of the land for his parents to stay after their retirement. By then, the East Mountain Meadow would be surrounded by Spirit Qi that was beneficial to human's life.

As the construction carried on, the matter of casting a Dharma Array also been put on the agenda.

The Dharma Array Chen Fan plan to cast would be nothing like the Yun Wu Mountain or the Guardian Array at the Yin Dragon Pond. It would be a large size Spirit Gathering Array that can channel the Spirit Qi from the Green Dragon Lake to the land. In addition, it would also serve to misguide, defend, and assault any intruders. After all, the meadow was right next to the bustling Jin City and secrecy was on Chen Fan's top priority.

"Since the array uses the Green Dragon Lake's Spirit Qi, I should just call it the Green Dragon Grand Array."

The Green Dragon Lake meandered around the valley like a long drake. There was plenty of Spirit Qi in the lake to charge the Green Dragon Grand Array. However, due to the size of the array, it required much more material to set up than the Yun Wu Mountain Array.

The Chen's Group purchased countless gems and jades from all over China. Among them were Yin Crystals, ten-thousand-year-old sea rocks, thousand-year-old wood... the Chens Group was not the only buyer, the other buyers included the Wei Family of the North Bank, Xu Ao of Hai Dong, Medicine God Valley Sect, Yin Ghost Sect and Lu family of Lin City.

In a short time, they had collected a huge amount of materials, much more than Third Lord Wei had collected when Chen Fan was building the Yun Wu Mountain Array.

The Green Dragon Grand Array used the Spirit Qi from the Green Dragon Lake. It was also a Yi Wood Dharma Array since its basic function was to grow herbs. Therefore, the Green Dragon Grand Array was a hybrid array of both Wood Element and Water Element. It also had an extremely high requirement for the Wood Element Spirit Qi in the environment from which it grew. Without the ancient trees on the slope of the East Mountain, Chen Fan would not be able to pull the array off.

Another key factor in the success of the array was the Azure Thearch Longevity Body.

Without it, Chen Fan would not be able to handle such a large array. Even if he had enough energy and time, he would not be able to gather enough materials if he could not use ancient trees.

Despite the smooth sailing, money had been pouring out of Chen Fan's bank account ever since he started the project.

Over the last half-year, he had gained over a few billion by selling the Spirit Water. A part of that went to Jin Xiu Group, some went to Chens Group's debt the rest was spent on the East Mountain Meadow project and the lab.

In the end, Chen Fan suddenly realized that his bank account is nearly dry.

He never had to worry about money ever since he was reborn. So the sudden break in cash flow had caught him off guard. Despite the help from the Medicine God Valley Sect, Chen Fan still didn't have enough to continue the Green Dragon Grand Array. He needed more ancient trees and wood. Plus, the Catalyst Essence Serum and the herb seeds would also cost a huge fortune.

"I remembered that someone still owes me ten billion. It's time for them to pay up."

Chen Fan lifted his head slowly and looked toward the south, where Hong Kong was.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 248: Tang Yuanqin's Visit

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

When Chen Fan was at the Yin Dragon Pond, he sold Zheng Anqi a hundred Arcane Pills at the price of one billion yuan each. Zheng Anqi had agreed that she would send him the money right away, however, it had been half a year now, and the money was still nowhere to be seen. Chen Fan didn't see the news of the Old Man Zheng's death, so he wagered that the Zheng family didn't plan to pay him in the beginning.

"It's not that easy to get away with not paying me."

Chen Fan cracked a cold smile.

Before Chen Fan knew it, the October long weekend had arrived. In the one month time he spent at his college, he had remained quiet and kept things to himself.

This was the first long weekend for this year's freshmen and therefore, Qian Lulu and her friends had already started planning their vacation. It had only been a month since they left home for school, so they didn't feel eager to visit their parents yet. Therefore, the girls thought of going to some touristy place to spend the holiday.

In order to save her relationship with Qiu Yilun, Qian Lulu had planned a seven day Hong Kong trip. Hong Kong was a paradise for shopping, the shining pearl of Asia, and a modern metropolis in 2008. Therefore, many people from the mainland wanted to travel there and visit.

"There is Disneyland, the Central Market, the street food at Causeway Bay and the million-dollar villas by Victoria Bay..."

Qian Lulu went on about Hong Kong's tourist attraction and finally was able to pique Qiu Yilun's interest.

He had been to Hong Kong many times, however, he had never been there with a girl. Although he still hadn't gotten over Qian Lulu's action, the description of the lively city attracted his attention.

"You are going to Hong Kong?"

Chen Fan was light-hearted by the coincidence. He had planned to travel to the Zheng family in Hong Kong to retrieve the ten billion yuan they owed him. Chen Fan didn't mind the company of his friends; instead, he would very much love to spend some quality time with his friends.

"Sure, can I join you?"

Liu Xiaojin dragged Qi Wangsun into the trip and Zhou Qinya also decided to tag along since she just had a fall out with her boyfriend and needed some fresh air. Qian Lulu's original plan of a romantic two-person trip very quickly became a six-person group trip.

Liu Xiaojin and Qi Wangsun's relationship had heated up recently, and therefore Zhou Qinya and Chen Fan were two third wheels for the two couples.

However, right before Chen Fan was going to leave for Hong Kong, someone visited him.

"I, Yuanqin, humbly wish to have an audience with Master Chen."

An old man wearing a handmade shirt made out of plain cloth bowed to Chen Fan and said.

Tang Yuanqin treated Chen Fan with a great measure of respect as a disciple would to his master. His eyes no longer flashed fear, instead, it was filled with respect and reverence

"I wager you finally know who I am?"

Chen Fan cracked a light smile.

"I have eyes but failed to recognize a mountain. My mistake had led to the run in between you and my daughter. I wish you could forgive us." Tang Yuanqin bowed again, much more deeply this time.

Anyone would be surprised to see an old man pay so much respect to a young man. However, neither Chen Fan nor Tang Yuanqin felt the respectful bows were out of place.

Such was the way of martial arts: age did not define power, the more powerful one would always be the master.

No doubt, Chen Fans's level of attainment in martial arts and his status in society had far exceeded Tang Yuanqin. Therefore Tang Yuanqin's deep bows were justified.

"You may rise."

Tang Yuanqin obliged and looked up respectfully at the young man.

After he had returned home, he had contacted many of his friends to ask about Chen Fan's background. Tang Yifei was just an ordinary girl, and therefore her connection was limited. However, Tang Yuanqin was a peak level Internal Force user, and therefore, he had much more string to pull than his daughter.

After he had finally learned Chen Fan's illustrious achievement, he panicked.

In the half-year that he spent alone in seclusion, Master Chen of Jiang Bei had achieved numerous incredible deeds. He had killed the family lord of the Lu family, Lu Tianfen, Lei Qianjue of the Hong Sect; he had not only warded off many assassination attempts but also killed the King of the Assassins, Blacksnake. After he had climbed to the top of the Heaven Roll, he was considered the most powerful Grandmaster in China. He was thought to be as powerful, if not more than Ye Nantian, and had a nickname: Curmudgeon Chen.

Adding on the Grandmaster he had killed just a couple of days ago on the river, he had killed four Grandmasters so far.

Tang Yuanqin must be delusional if he thought that he could have defeated such a powerful man.

The more Tang Yuanqin thought about Chen Fan, the more afraid he became. In the end, he decided to pay Chen Fan a visit when Chen Fan was not so busy.

"Master Chen, I have arranged a banquet for you as an apology." Tang Yuanqin cupped his fists and said. "My daughter didn't know who you are, and therefore had offended you unintentionally. Lucky for her, you were merciful and had let her live. However, I am still troubled by the run-in, and feel deeply sorry about it."

"I wager that you didn't know I have already planted the Yi Wood Spirit Qi into your daughter." Chen Fan thought to himself as he gave the old man an amused look,

Chen Fan didn't care if Tang Yuanqin knew that or not. What could he do anyway? He was the top warrior on the Heaven roll, the most powerful Grandmaster in China. Even the collective might of Tang family was no match against Chen Fan, much less Tang Yuanqin himself.

"Very well."

Chen Fan had some other matters on his mind that he wanted to consult Tang Yuanqin on so he accepted the invitation.

Tang Yuanqin led Chen Fan to a Mercedes-Benz S-350 parked next to the school's entrance. When Chen Fan got into the car, Zhou Qinya happened to walk by and saw him. Zhou Qinya didn't think of anything at first since it was not the first time she saw a rich heir getting into a fancy car. However, she was shocked when she caught a glimpse of the driver.

"That was Seventh Lord Huang?"

"Seventh Lord Huang was a powerful tycoon in Jin City whose influence was on par with Chen Xiao if not more. Her father used to take her to visit Seventh Lord Huang, so she had recognized his face."

She knew that Seventh Lord Huang was more powerful than most of the elite class in the city, yet, he had lowered himself to chauffer for Chen Fan and that old man. Who was that old man anyways and how powerful exactly was Chen Fan? Suddenly, Zhou Qinya started to feel that she had been underestimating Chen Fan's power. Perhaps, he was not just an ordinary rich heir, and there was more to him than what meets the eye.

It wasn't long before Chen Fan and his host arrived at the Tang family's estate.

Tang Yifei led a group of tycoons in the Jin City and had already stood by the entrance waiting for him. These tycoons were all formidable powers in their own region, however, there and then, they stood fearfully waiting for his arrival patiently and respectfully. Chen Fan caught a glimpse of Chen Xiao among the crowd and his face was written with shock and terror. He had never thought that Tang Yuanqin was able to persuade Chen Fan to come to the banquet and neither did he expect Tang Yuanqin to be so respectful toward the boy.

"Yifei, I want to introduce you to Master Chen."

Tang Yuanqin said humbly.

"Master Chen!"

Complicated emotions roiled in Tang Yifei's eyes. Ever since the incident in the garden, she swore to never see Chen Fan again, fearing that Chen Fan would take advantage of her situation. She couldn't believe that her father had invited the wolf to the house willingly.

"This is Seventh Huang."

"This is Eight Fingers."

"This is..."

Tang Yuanqin didn't notice his daughter's awkward and reluctant expression and went on to introduce others to Chen Fan. He made sure that all of his subordinates had seen Chen Fan in person so that they knew who to stay away from. When he introduced Chen Xiao, a strong and complicated emotion rose in Chen Xiao. He remembered his warning to Chen Fan, however, it seemed that he had shot himself in the foot. By now, Chen Fan had become the most influential person in Jinlin City and was respected by even Tang Yuanqin.

"From today on, you should all treat Master Chen like how you treat me. If anyone of you dares to mess with Master Chen, I will make sure you pay for your mistake." Tang Yuanqin announced heavily.

"Yes, Lord Tang"

Seventh Lord Huang and the others cupped their fists and replied.

Chen Fan had got rid of the Sheng family and made a name for himself in Jinlin City. The rumor of Chen Fan using spells to kill the Sheng family was still floating around and therefore, no one in their right mind would think of messing with Chen Fan. However, many people looked back and forth between Tang Yifei and Chen Fan.

Although Tang Yifei tried to contain the spread of rumor, many people had learned of what happened at the Green Vines club. However, no one would risk the ire of Tang Yifei and snitch on her and tell Tang Yuanqin what they knew.

"Master Chen, you are a martial artist, you should sit at the head of the table. "

When Tang Yuanqin invited Chen Fan to the head of the table, everyone felt the situation was even stranger than they thought.

Tang Yuanqin didn't seem to act out of fear for the same fate as Sheng family, but out of respect and reverence, as he would to a wizened wise man. However, Chen Fan was less than twenty years old, how could he manage to garner so much respect?

"Dad?"

Tang Yifei gasped.

However fearful she was to Chen Fan, the sight of her father bending backward for a young man didn't sit well with her. She felt so bad for her father that she was on the brink of crying.

"My daughter is not aware of who you really are, please forgive her." Tang Yuanqin said awkwardly.

It was only natural for an internal force user to respect a Grandmaster. At Chen Fan's level of attainment, his age was irrelevant, it was his unimaginable power that gave him the high status.

"No harm is done." Chen Fan said lightly. He was the North Mystic Celestial Lord, so he wouldn't care what an insect thought of him. Plus, Tang Yifei's life was still in his hands. He then asked with a serious face: "I meant to ask you something. Do you know who is the person I killed? I heard his name is Lin Tatian."

Lin Tatian's power was just below that of Lei Qianjue. If he wasn't injured, he would have already become a peak level Grandmaster. He was one in a million kind of warrior, a frightening force to be reckoned with.

However, Lin Tatian had hidden under the umbrella of the Sheng family, disguised as a normal personal guard. Chen Fan smelled something fishy. It was as if he was trying to hide from something. What could have made someone so powerful so afraid?

Although Lin Tatian was already dead, Chen Fan was not sure if he had to prepare for acts of revenge from his family and friends. It would be ideal if he could act first and get rid of any potential danger in the first place.

"You mean that Grandmaster who wielded a Blade Qi?" Tang Yuanqin furrowed his brows and asked: "Lin Tatian... Lin Tatian? Humm... strange... I have never heard of any Grandmaster with that name. However, judging by his moves, he is a mighty warrior indeed."

"He said he was from the Lin family of Southeastern China. The Art of Qi Blade was his family's secret art."

"Lin family of Southeastern China? The Art of Qi Blade?" Tang Yuanqin was taken aback. However as old memories came back to him, he exclaimed with surprise: "Could he be the traitor of the Lin family?"

As soon as he said that, fear surfaced in Tang Yuanqin's eyes and even his gaze on Chen Fan seemed to change its tone.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 249: The Former Immortal State Cultivator

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"What's wrong? Is this Lin Tatian powerful?"

Chen Fan sipped his tea calmly and asked.

"Not just powerful, he is... legendary!" Tang Yuanqin let out a wry smile and the admiration and respect in his eyes deepened. "Lin Tatian had made a name for himself a decade ago overseas. Although his name was unfamiliar with people in China, he was a reputable dominating power in South East Asia. His art of Black Water Arcane Energy was deadly and made him nearly invincible. He was the most powerful Grandmaster before the rise of Ye Nantian. Rumor had it that he had already reached the peak of the Transcendent State before his disappearance."

As Tang Yuanqin went on, his tone became more and more servile.

Like Chen Fan, Lin Tatian used to be a renowned Grandmaster, and in his prime years, his power had been on par with Lei Qianjue. However, such a mighty figure was slapped into a pulp by Chen Fan. It spoke loudly of Chen Fan's power.

Although Tang Yuanqin had learned Chen Fan's ability to do away with Grandmasters, seeing the action with his own eyes was much more visceral and convincing that reading it on paper. Worse, the Grandmaster Chen Fan had killed was not just any Grandmaster, he was a peak-level Grandmaster.

"He was heavily injured before our fight, therefore he was at most mid-stage of the Transcendent State." Chen Fan shook his head. If Lin Tatian was mid-stage of Transcendent State, he would still be less powerful than Lei Qianjue. Chen Fan could not have killed him without using any divine powers nor hypersonic attacks.

"He was injured?" Tang Yuanqin furrowed brows and murmured to himself. Then he suddenly remembered something, so he slapped his thigh and said: "Ah! Right! He must have got injured while trying to run away after his family found out about his betrayal."

Even as Tang Yuanqin said that he shook his head and murmured: "No wonder Lin Tatian had disappeared in the decade that followed. He must be hiding from the Lin Family. Otherwise, he would never lower himself to live under a disguise for so long."

"If Lin Tatian was still alive, he would be placed at the top five spots on the Heaven Roll." Tang Yuanqin exclaimed.

Chen Fan nodded in agreement.

As soon as Chen Fan heard of the Heaven roll, he had been curious about the identity of Kunlun. How could he know so much about all the other Grandmasters?

The four other Grandmasters listed below Chen Fan were all Peak Level Transcendent State Grandmasters. If Lei Qianjue or Lin Tatian were still alive, they would have been listed as well.

"However, Lin Tatian had reached peak Transcendent State ten years ago, yet you said he was injured right around that time. Could there be anyone more powerful than a peak-level Transcendent State in the Lin family of Southeastern China?" Chen Fan asked curiously.

The mentioning of the Lin family of Southeastern China brought fear to Tang Yuanqin's face.

He hesitated for a second and then dismissed the other guests at the table. So far, the other tycoons that were invited to the dinner had been soaking up the information from the two's conversation. Although they knew nothing about the martial arts world, names such as Lin Tatian, Lei Qianjue and Ye Nantian were a sure sign that they were talking about something very important.

However, since the host had given them the signal to leave, they obliged without protest.

After everyone had left the room, Tang Yuanqin finally said heavily: "Master Chen, there are things that I really shouldn't bring up. However, considering you are the most powerful fighter in China, I think I can make an exception for you."

Tang Yuanqin paused a second and continued: "The Lin Family has always been a taboo among other Martial artists. No one would bring them up unless they have to. Plus the Lin Family has been quiet lately and if not because of Lin Tatian's involvement in the world again, I don't think many people would have even heard of them."

"So, you mean the Lin Family is very powerful?" Lin Family was unfazed.

"Very, very powerful. They could have dominated the entire China should they wish to do so." Tang Yuanqin said.

His face was written with fear as if he had evoked some unspoken horror. "When I was a child, I had heard my grandparents say that the Lin Family was the most powerful Martial arts family in China. The Lu family, Gu family nowadays couldn't compare with the Lin Family's might."

"Really?" Chen Fan asked.

Neither Chen Fan nor Ye Nantian had officially claimed supremacy over China, what made a family clan do that?

Tang Yuanqin recognized Chen Fan's contempt, and so he said heavily: "Because the Lin Family has an Immortal State martial artist."

"Immortal State?"

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes after he heard the words. Ever since he had achieved the Azure Thearch Longevity Body, he had been invincible. Even someone as powerful as Lei Qianjue who was a Grandmaster in both martial arts and physical refinement was laid low after one hypersonic punch. He wagered that Ye Nantian would be at most a few levels above Lei Qianjue and therefore, he knew that only martial artist of Immortal State was his worthy opponent.

"I thought no one had seen an Immortal State martial artists for over a decade." Chen Fan asked.

"Indeed. The one from the Lin Family was the last known Immortal State martial artist." Tang Yuanqin said seriously: "He had risen to fame nearly a hundred years ago, and used to be the most powerful men of the Qing Dynasty, a personal guard to the Emperor. He never lost a fight ever since his debut appearance. "

"The Lin Family was able to claim supremacy over China and become the most influential Martial arts family of China."

"However, that was a hundred years ago." Tang Yuanqin shook his head and said: "The last time he showed up was sixty years ago. No one has heard of him since, and the Lin Family also grew more reticent. If not because of Lin Tatian, the world might have already forgotten about the Lin Family."

"So, you think it was that Immortal State fighter who had injured Lin Tatian?" Chen Fan asked with furrowed brows.

"Impossible" Tang Yuanqin shook his head and blurted out a burst of laughter."He had been famous since the year my grandpa was born. He had been a personal guard of three emperors, if he was still alive, he ought to be over a hundred fifty years old. That's impossible. "

"However, although he might have already been dead, I wager there are more than one powerful martial artists in the family. There could be people as powerful as Lei Qianjue and if they work together, they could have easily injured Lin Tatian." Tang Yuanqin said hesitantly.

Chen Fan kept his silence, however, a light glinted in his eyes.

Tang Yuanqin had thought that the Immortal State warrior must have been dead after so many years, but Chen Fan knew that if he was able to reach Divine Sea level, he should be able to live well over a hundred fifty years. If he were to reach Connate Spirit, he could live five centuries easily. The Immortal State on earth should be equivalent to the Divine Sea Level.

"My only question was if the cultivators on earth were able to live that long given how bad the conditions were on earth. The earth was deprived of Spirit Qi and had a harsh environment for cultivators. Even if he could live that long, his energy would have depleted. Plus, I am not afraid of him even if he still possessed the same power as he did during his prime years. As soon as I reach Ethereal Enlightenment, I could master the Divine powers and he would be no match against me." With that thought in mind, Chen Fan smiled proudly.

Afterward the conversation, the banquet was reopened. Once Chen Fan was done eating, he left the room under many admirable stares.

Tang Yifei could no longer hold back her anger after Chen Fan was gone.

"Dad, even if he was powerful enough to kill the entire Sheng family, we don't need to bend backwards for him. After all, we the Tang family are a proud and powerful force in Jiang Nan Province and he is a teenager less than twenty years old. At most, he is as powerful as us, but he still would be no match against you and your influence."

Although she knew that Chen Fan was powerful, she couldn't stomach the view of her father's servitude to Chen Fan.

"Sigh... Yifei, you are not a martial artist and therefore you don't understand." Tang Yuanqin heaved a sigh and then shook his head. Seeing the question in many other tycoon's eyes, he nodded and said: "Fine, I will explain it to you guys why I am treating master that way."

"Does anyone know who Master Chen really is?" Tang Yuanqin asked the people around him.

"Isn't he the Master Chen of Jiang Bei?" Everyone was taken aback by the obvious answer.

Even Chen Xiao looked up and was confused. Could there be anything more than what Chen Fan had already achieved?

"Hehe, Master Chen?" Tang Yuanqin let out a cold smile. "Why would I bend over backwards for a tycoon of Jiang Bei? Even the Sheng family of Jiang Bei was no match against me. I could have easily killed them all with force, although not as easily as using his spells."

"However, little do you know that he is a Martial arts Grandmaster!" Tang Yuanqin heaved a sigh.

"Dad, you are already at Semi transcendent level aren't you? I don't think you are that much weaker than him." Tang Yifei said indignantly.

She was not a martial artist and therefore knew very little about the power of Martial Artists. A Grandmaster could fight an Internal Force as an adult would to a child.

"Hehe, if he was just a normal Grandmaster, of course, I won't have to fear him. After all, even if I can't defeat him in a fight, I should be able to get away in one piece. In addition, we have lots of top snipers who could pose a threat to a Grandmaster. That is why the Grandmasters in China have left us in peace for so long. However..." Suddenly, fear flickered in Tang Yuanqin's eyes. "He is not just any Grandmaster."

"Not just any Grandmaster?"

The remark confused everyone even more. No one knew that there was a different kind of Grandmaster.

"Just like Internal Force, there are different levels of attainment at the Grandmaster level. Lu Tianfen from the Lu family, for example, was the least powerful Grandmaster. However, he was still able to dominate Tian Nan Province." Tang Yuanqin said.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The Lu family of Lin City was a must more influential family than Tang Family. They controlled the underground world at Tian Nan and owned a few tens of billions of assets, a few times more than that owned by the Tang family. The Tang family was nothing before the might of the Lu family.

"There were more powerful Grandmasters than Lu Tianyun. For example, Du San from the Miao's Land and Hua family of Zhong Hai. They could claim supremacy in a large area and even the government had to fear them." Tang Yuanqin said admiringly.

"Hua Yunfeng of Zhong!"

Even Tang Yifei was shocked by the announcement. Jiang Nan Province was close to Zhong Hai and therefore was heavily induced by the metropolis. Most provinces surrounding Zhong Hai relied on the backing of the Hua family to survive.

"Of late, someone created a Heaven Roll to rank off the Grandmasters in Chian. People like Lu Tianfen won't even make it on the list. Even Du San was listed on the eleventh spot. Hua Yunfeng was the fourth."

"That's insane!"

Everyone was stunned by what they heard. This was the first time for a lot of them to peer through the curtain of power to see the hidden forces at play. Powerful as he was, Hua Yunfeng only made it to the fourth spot. Then who was on the top three?

"Dad? What's the ranking of Chen Fan?" Tang Yifei asked indignantly. "Is he even on it?"

"Hehe..." Tang Yuanqin paused a second, letting the suspense hang in the air. "He is the most powerful Grandmaster in China, Chen Beixuan! Without the appearance of an Immortal State martial artist, he is undoubtedly the most powerful."

His words had shocked everyone.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 250: The Value of a Grandmaster

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Number one on the Heaven Roll?"

Tang Yifei murmured to herself as what happened in the Green Vines club kept on playing out in her head. Chen Fan had flicked a finger and killed the sharpshooters. In the end, not even his clothes were soiled in the slightest. Tang Yifei felt that Chen Fan was nothing but he surprised her.

Chen Fan, he was the heir of the Chen family in Jin City, Master Chen of Jiang Bei, Transcendent Grandmaster.

However, Tang Yifei had never thought that she would have underestimated Chen Fan's power yet again. He had set her back on her heels with his incredible power. Even the Tang family had to be careful when he was around. However powerful Hua Yunfeng was, he only took the fourth spot on the Heaven roll. How powerful exactly was the boy at the top spot?

"He is the most powerful man in China."

Seventh Lord Huang exclaimed.

Like anything else, the title of the champion was always much harder to obtain than the second best or the third. Since Chen Fan had claimed the top spot on the Heaven Roll and was considered the most powerful Grandmaster in China, his status must not be lower than that of the richest man in China.

"No wonder... He killed Sheng Ronghua and slaughtered the entire Sheng family, yet nothing had happened to him."

Chen Xiao said to himself.

"Hehe, What is Sheng Ronghua to a Grandmaster." Tang Yuanqin snorted. "He could handle a few more Sheng families at the same time. The bottom line is that the Chinese Government is not going to offend a powerful Grandmaster over the death of a small family. Look what happened to Gao Tianmin. He wanted to indict Chen Fan for his crime, but was fired by his boss."

Tang Yuanqin didn't know that Chen Fan was the Head sergeant of the Cang Dragon, otherwise, he would be even more impressed by Chen Fan.

Rich businessmen such as Sheng Ronghua were everywhere in China, however, there could only be one number one Grandmaster on the Heaven Roll. Every Grandmaster had to earn their spot using hard work, sweat, talent, and luck. A Grandmaster meant much more than wealthy men with over a billion yuan in assets. Ye Nantian, for example, had trained the Dragon Fang unit and pushed it to the top three list of the International special Law Enforcement units.

In addition, Chen Fan's Cang Dragon Physical Conditioning Exercise and Physique Refining Pill were able to help the Chinese military produce countless super soldiers. The Physique Refining Pill was still under development, and once it was able to be mass-produced, it's significance was no less than inventing a new kind of long-range missile.

The other Grandmasters also had their own contributions to the nation.

Hua Yunfeng had been helping China defend countless foreign influences attempts. Zhong Hai was the biggest city in China and was considered China's window to the world. However, there were often dark currents stirred up by the international criminal world. Hua Yunfeng was able to quell these disturbances and defend the peaceful life of the citizens.

Therefore, Chen Fan never worried about any consequences for slaughtering the entire Sheng family. A nation only considered self-benefits and interests, and keeping an amicable relationship with Chen Fan was much more beneficial than being on a Grandmaster's bad side.

Tang Yifei, Seventh Lord Huang and Chen Xiao kept their silence.

They were so shocked by the revelation that they would forever look at the world with a fresh new perspective. In the old world, the power of a nation needed to be taken seriously. Although they operated in the grey area of society, they needed to obey the laws set by the country.

However, in the new world, they just discovered that Grandmasters were above the law. They could kill an entire family clan without worrying about the consequences. And this was the true color of the world. At the end of the day, everyone only cared about self-interest, that extends to the nations in the world as well.

"From today onward, no one in the Tang family is allowed to offend Master Chen. Otherwise, I will chop him up and feed him to the fish in the Jin City River!" Tang Yuanqin announced.

"Yes, Lord Tang"

Everyone bowed respectfully.

They would have obliged their family lord's order even without being told the true power of a Grandmaster, although their reply wouldn't be nearly as sincere and fearful as it was now. They had finally understood that Chen Fan wouldn't even care to waste his time on them. They were too insignificant in his eyes. Neither would the government indict him, risking a bad relationship with the most important asset of the nation. Even Tang Yuanqin had to apologize to Chen Fan for a small run-in.

A pang of despair gripped Tang Yifei

If Chen Fan was truly so powerful, she doubted that she would ever free herself from the Yi Wood Spirit Qi.

"Dad, so the government just lets these Grandmasters do whatever they want?"

Tang Yifei asked hotly.

"Of course not. Although Grandmasters are powerful, they have to give the authority some degree of respect. After all, not even a thousand Grandmasters are able to hold themselves against an army. Plus, there are still those other guys in China who could counter them."

"Who?" Tang Yifei paused.

Fear flashed across Tang Yuanqin's face, and he kept the answer to himself.

Since the National Day holiday was coming, Chen Fan wanted to wrap up some tasks at hand, so he could make use of the holiday to visit Hong Kong. He went to the Jin City University and inspected the progress of the lab. Xiao Xue had been working round the clock trying to set the lab up, and she had lost a few kilograms of weight. Chen Fan gave her a bottle of Yun Wu Spirit Water for her to recuperate. If the assistant knew that she was getting a hundred thousand yuan a bottle supplement, she would be so moved by her boss that she would start to tear up. On the black market, the price of one bottle of the Spirit Water was even a few times higher than that.

Afterward, he went to visit the East Mountain Villas. Chen Huaian asked Chen Fan if they need to prepare for any repercussions for the death of the Shengs. Chen Huaian smiled and said:

"Sheng Ronghua was nothing, he was just a real estate agent. But I am a Grandmaster, there are less than twenty Grandmasters left in China. So I am much more important than Sheng Ronghua."

In addition, Chen Fan believed that the military headquarters had monitored his every action. Even his plan of creating the Catalyst Essence Serum couldn't escape the military's radar, much less his killing of an entire family.

Yun Wu Spirit Water not only had limited production capability, but it could also quickly spoil once produced. Therefore, it could only be used to meet a small number of privileged customers' demands. However, once the Catalyst Essence Serum was created and put into use, the entire population in China could benefit from the Spirit Water.

It was like the difference between Ferrari and Volkswagen. Although Volkswagen didn't make fancy over the top looking sports cars, the company was ten times larger than Ferrari. Volkswagen was a key component of the automobile industry, while Ferrari are only toys for rich people.

Transcendent Grandmaster, top Grandmaster on the Heaven roll, General in the military, Physique Refining Pill, Catalyst Essence Serum...

When the decision-makers weighed the pros and cons of siding with Chen Fan, the scale was obviously one-sided. A few days later, Chen Fan heard the news of Gao Tianmin being fired. This was an olive branch from the government.

After he had visited his parents, Chen Fan went to Fang Qiong.

Fang Qiong wanted to go to Hong Kong with Chen Fan, however, she was tied down by the business at her dad's company. She had been managing a makeup production-line in her dad's company for a while now. To be a competent business leader was Fang Qiong's dream ever since she was a child. However, she still felt sorry for being unable to spend more time with Chen Fan.

"If you would like to try new makeup samples, I can provide you some."

Chen Fan remembered that he once wanted to create a perfume from the cultivator's world for Sister An. However, due to the lack of ingredients, the project was shelved.

The perfumes of the cultivators were not made from synthetic chemicals. They used extracts from natural plants and had a very high standard for the raw material used. It had taken Chen Fan a great deal of effort to find semi-spirit herbs and therefore he didn't want to squander them on making perfume.

However, once the East Mountain Meadow project was completed, Chen Fan would have a large plot to grow Spirit Herbs.

With abundant materials in hand, it wouldn't be difficult for Chen Fan to create beauty products.

"Fine, fine Master Chen. I would love to see it." Fang Qiong pushed Chen Fan out of the room and said with a smile: "You are such a know-it-all. Is there anything you don't know about?"

"Sigh... young lady, you will regret it for not believing in me."

Chen Fan faked a sigh and then sauntered away.

By the time he had wrapped up all the loose ends, the national holiday has finally arrived. Chen Fan and his roommates were about to go on a trip to Hong Kong.

There were six of them in total: Qiu Yilun, Qian Lulu, Qi Wangsun, Liu Xiaojin, Chen Fan and Zhou Qinya; two couples and two third-wheels.

Qiu Yilun had taken care of the plane tickets, hotel, and car rental. Although Qiu Yilun had many bad habits, he was extremely nice to friends and very reliable.

To two couples were seated together on the plane, so that left Chen Fan and Zhou Qinya to sit together.

At school, she always wore makeup to look glamorous. However, today, she didn't wear any makeup. She was wearing a loose shirt with a small bow tie around the collar and a pair of white jeans. Adding on a pair of plain sneakers and simple hair and makeup, she looked like a cute girl next door. She was drinking a cup of orange juice while reading a fashion magazine.

The lack of makeup on her face revealed her incredible natural beauty. Her face was smooth and dreamy, making her look as sweet as a high school crush. Many men on the plane couldn't help but stare at her.

Zhou Qinya didn't care for these men's attention, instead, she looked to Chen Fan.

To her surprise, Chen Fan lolled in his chair and had already fallen asleep.

"So he doesn't like me without makeup either?"

Zhou Qinya lamented.

She had seen Fang Qiong and remembered that Fang Qiong rarely used any makeup. From then on, Zhou Qinya was certain that Chen Fan liked the more natural look. Therefore, she had decided to give up on her makeup and try to pull off a girl-next-door look. However, to her dismay, Chen Fan had ignored her again.

"Humph! Whatever, I think I'm too good for you anyway."

In a fit of anger, Zhou Qinya started to focus on the magazine and stopping caring about Chen Fan.

Even as the girl flipped through the page, Chen Fan opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of the magazine's cover.

It was Zheng Anqi posing with her fine statuesque body. Her half white face looked attractive and aloof, befitting a queen.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 251: The Capital of Spellcasters

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Her English name was Anna and her Chinese name was Zheng Anqi. She is a supermodel and was on the cover of VOGUE three times already. Even the chief designer at Versace invited her over to model for the brand." Zhou Qinya explained.

It was evident that she was well versed in the fashion industry. VOGUE was one of the most successful female magazines in the world. To be able to appear on its cover page spoke loudly of Zheng Anqi's fame in the fashion circle.

"Plus, she was also the female heir of the Zheng family, the daughter of the Zheng Haochang, owner of the Zhens Financial Group. Her grandfather was the legendary Zheng Zhongming. Her mother was royalty from England, a daughter of a duke or what have you. Anna had over billions of assets she could easily inherit, but she decided to create her own success in the fashion industry."

Zhou Qinya filled Chen Fan in about the Zheng family. Her voice was laced with admiration.

The Zheng family of Hong Kong was a reputable family among Chinese communities. Zheng Zhongming had been on the Forbes Rich List for decades. Even the Sheng family and the Chen family would come off as nouveau riche compared to the Zheng family. I wager that only Zhang Donghai, the richest man of Jiang Nan Province could have rivaled the Zheng family.

As Zhou Qinya's idol, Zheng Anqi was an epitome of beauty, wealth and talent.

"I know her." Chen Fan replied.

"You know of Zheng Anqi as well? I thought only those boys who are interested in fashion would know of Anna." Zhou Qinya was taken aback, and then she smiled mischievously and asked: "Are you a fan of Anna? Do you like her type?"

"No. She owes me money. That's all." Chen Fan replied lightly.

"Owes you money?" Zhou Qinya frowned in disbelief. "Anna was the heir of the Zheng family of Hong Kong. Her father owned the Zhens Financial Group that was worth over a few trillion. How could she ever owe you any money?"

Zhou Qinya asked with suspicion.

Although Chen family was considered powerful in Jin City, they were insignificant in Hong Kong. The connections and resources at the Zheng family's disposal were incredible and the Chen family simply couldn't compare. Zheng family also had connections with all kinds of other financial groups and organizations that the Chen family might have never even heard of. Zhou Qinya thought that Chen Fan meant that he knew of Zheng Anqi, instead of him knowing her personally.

Chen Fan smiled lightly and didn't reply.

He wagered that it would be difficult to explain the trillion-dollar debt to the girl so he didn't even bother.

Seeing Chen Fan had kept his silence, Zhou Qinya also kept her questions to herself.

Four hours later, they finally landed at the Hong Kong International airport. The hotel that Qiu Yilun had booked had already sent a chauffeur to pick them up. As soon as Chen Fan and his friends entered the airport, they registered an unmistakable sense of opulence in society.

It was really worthy of being called an International Metropolis. People from all over the world bustled inside the airport. They spoke English, Spanish, Thai, Japanese, and Korean and so on. Many people were having a short layover at the airport and would be on their way to elsewhere in the world.

Chen Fan nodded. Back in 2008, Hong Kong was much more modern than Jin City. However, in his memory, Hong Kong seemed to have held onto its competitive edge for the ten years to come but slowly, the city went downhill. Cities in mainland China finally caught up with her and some, such as Zhong Hai and Yan Jin City even surpassed it.

"Huh?"

Chen Fan projected his Divine Sense out and felt that there were a few men and women around him who had possessed Dharmic Powers. Ever since the Martial Arts Conference at Lin City, he hadn't seen so many powerful martial artists at once. Plus, this was just inside of the airport, how many more Martial Artists were there throughout the entire Hong Kong?

"NO... they are not just martial artists, they were Dao-Reaching Level cultivators as well?"

Chen Fan furrowed his brows.

Ever since he was reborn, most martial artists he had met were Internal Force users, and rarely did he met any spell caster who used Dharma Spells. He could only remember seeing a few of them at the Ghost Witch Sect, the Bai family of Southwest China, and at the Medicine God Valley Sect.

The difficulties in cultivating the Dharmic Dao was what contributed to the small number of spell casters. Although the Sect Master of the Bai family had reached the peak of the Dao-Reaching Level at a young age, his talent was exceptionally rare. Fearing his potential, the other six family clans of the southwest China even ganged up on him. However, the martial arts world never lacked talents. There were enough Transcendent Grandmasters in China to even make a list. On the other hand, it was almost impossible to meet a Perfected Cultivator. So far, Chen Fan only knew two of them: the King of Elixirs and the Sect Master of the Ghost Witch Sect.

"Could it be that Hong Kong was the haven for spell casters? I heard that the southerners in China were experts in Feng Shui and Chinese Esotericism. Masters of those matters were worshipped by the public. It appears that the rumor was true."

However, that still didn't explain the unusually high number of Dao-Reaching Level cultivators. With the task at hand nagging him in his mind, he let the matter rest and followed Qiu Yilun into the car and went toward the hotel.

The moment Chen Fan pulled back his Divine Will, many people in the airport looked toward Chen Fan's direction suspiciously.

"What's going on, grandpa?"

A woman in a vibrant red outfit asked.

"Strange! Why did I feel like I was being watched?" A white-haired old man rubbed his chin and said in confusion.

"Maybe you are tired Grandpa. You are the Sect Master of the Earth Pacifying Sect, a spell caster who had reached the peak of Dao-Reaching Level. Who would dare to use a spell on you?"

"True that." The old man nodded with pride in his eyes.

The journey of cultivating Dharmic Dao was much more difficult than that of martial arts. The world hasn't seen a Perfected Cultivator for so long that even those at the peak of Dao-Reaching Level start to think that they were able to claim supremacy.

"We need to put on a display of strength for these Feng Shui masters from the Lin Nan area during the Lin Nan Chinese Esotericism Conference." The old man brushed his white beard gently and said with a smug smile.

"Indeed. Zhou Daoji and Huang Wenze had been controlling the Feng Shui world in southern China for too long. It's time for a change." The granddaughter of the old man said vehemently.

"Sigh... Nuannuan, Zhou Daoji should not be taken lightly. After all, he was the number one master of Hong Kong. However, Huang Wenze..." The old man paused as an icy light flashed in his eyes. "I think it's time for him to give his title to someone else."

Meanwhile, conversations similar to this were carried out all over the airport.

Compared to a martial artist, spellcasters were much more sensitive to the Divine Will. After all, they dealt with Soul Energy every day. However, Chen Fan's Divine Will was so powerful and overwhelming, that there was no chance that they would trace it back to its source at all.

Meanwhile, Chen Fan was in the vehicle sent by the Hilton Hotel. Qiu Yilun had spared no expense on this trip. A standard room at the Hilton would cost well over a thousand a night. The price during the holiday was even more. However, the rich heir had booked three business class suits, each costing him two thousand yuan a night. He booked them for seven nights and so that came up to about fifty thousand.

Qi Wangsun, Chen Fan and Zhou Qinya were from well-off families and therefore they didn't think much about the cost, however, Qiu Yilun and Liu Xiaojin were extremely impressed by the money squandering. Once they entered the hotel, they just wanted to spend the entire time in their luxurious rooms.

"Boss, there are only three rooms. I and Lulu will share one, Qi Wangsuna and Xiaojin will have to share one as well. So you and hottie Zhou will have to be in the same room." Before Qiu Yilun left for his own room, he winked at Chen Fan and whispered to him:

"I have heard from Lulu that Hottie Zhou had a fight with her boyfriend, it's your chance!"

He then giggled and left the room, leaving Chen Fan alone with Zhou Qinya.

Chen Fan was light-hearted by the development. Since he was already seeing Xiao Qiong, he would not so much as touch Zhou Qinya. In addition, Zhou Qinya didn't give him a good first impression anyways. If he really wanted a mistress, he would choose anyone among Sister An, Xu Rongfei or Lu Yanxue.

Zhou Qinya didn't mind sharing the room with Chen Fan at all.

"It's a business suit, so there is a bedroom and a study. The study has a couch, so you can sleep on the bed and I can use the sofa."

"It's ok, I will sleep on the sofa."

Chen Fan answered calmly.

Zhou Qinya left the conversation at that and started to unpack.

As a fancy rich heir, half of her bag was filled with beauty products, shoes, and handbags. She even pulled out a few pieces of underwear from the bag despite the fact that Chen Fan was right next to her.

Chen Fan brought nothing with him. He had possessed the Azure Thearch Longevity Body and therefore his body was extremely clean. That saved him the effort of bringing any changes of clothing. The only thing he brought with him were bottles of Essence Gathering Pills.

Chen Fan stood before a floor-length window and looked down at the colorful city below.

The city was a few thousand square kilometers in size, however, it supported the lives of over a few million people. He looked into the distance and saw a small hill. On its green slopes sat many million-dollar houses. That was the famous mansion development called the Mid-level. It was home to many famous movie stars, and politicians; the Hong Kong equivalent of Beverly Hills. The Zheng family's mansion was also over there.

"Once the opportunity arises, I will meet Zheng Anqi and see how she will explain not paying me."

Chen Fan didn't have much time to waste on the Zheng family. Asking for his money back was only one of his goals while here in Hong Kong. If he really wanted money, the many tycoons that supported him back home, such as the Lu family and the Medicine God Valley Sect could offer him enough financial support to get by.

The other goal of Chen Fan on this trip was to search for ingredients for the Green Dragon Grand Array.

The Green Dragon Grand Array was a large scale array that covered over a few dozen acres of land. The amount of resource it required was tremendous and ancient trees and wood simply wouldn't cut it. Since Hong Kong is an International metropolis and was a land of Feng Shui masters, Chen Fan wagered that he would have a better chance of acquiring what he needed at many of the international auction houses here.

As soon as Chen Fan landed in Hong Kong, he knew he was in the right place.

He was impressed by how many Spell casters there were in the airport alone. Hong Kong was really worthy of being called the Asian Capital of Dharma Spells. A large number of spellcasters were a sure sign that the city had abundant materials for the Dharma Array. Even if he couldn't find what he was after, he should be able to find substitutes here.

"Boss, Hottie Zhou. There is an auction going on in the hotel, interested?"

Qiu Yilun came to visit them as soon as they finished unpacking. He waved a pamphlet in his hand and asked excitedly.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 252: Jade Gourd

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

The auction was a new and exciting thing for people from mainland China, such as Qiu Yilun. He had accompanied his parents to two charity auctions so far and had never been to an actual commercial auction before. Hong Kong was a much more open society than the mainland in accepting new western ideas; therefore, there were many auction houses in the city. Some were world-famous such as Sotheby's and Christie's.

In addition to the international big names, there were often smaller auctions held every few days. In order to make it easier for their customers who liked to stay at luxury hotels, these auctions were often held there as well. After all, only those who could afford to stay in five-star hotels could afford expensive auction items

"Let's go take a look then! So exciting! It's my first time ever joining an auction like this." Qian Lulu said.

Qiu Yilun was also excited by the event. Qi Wangsun was the only one who was not so interested in the idea. However, since everyone else wanted to go, he agreed to tag along as well.

Chen Fan was interested in the event because he wagered that since Hong Kong was the capital of Dharma Spells and was full of Spellcasters and Feng Shui Masters, there ought to be some useful Dharma Artifacts and Spirit Medicines kicking around in the city. He might even be able to use some of them to set up the array.

Everyone was led by a greeter of the auction event to the ground floor of the hotel. The auction was hosted at a large conference room. When they arrived, the room was already packed. Most of the attendees were tourists, some of them were couples and only a handful of them were Hong Kong local residence. Everyone looked calm and experienced in attending such high-class events and no one seemed to be overly-excited.

"Sir, this is the catalog for today's auction. If you are interested in any item, feel free to shout out your offer." A waitress wearing Qipao came over to them to hand them over a piece of paper on a platter.

Chen Fan flipped the list and started to read the catalog.

This auction at the Hilton hotel was modest in scale. Most of the items were Chinaware and antiques from a couple of hundred years ago that would be worth at most a few million yuan. The rest of the items were simply trinkets such as Jadeite Bracelet, wooden beads bracelet, rosewood Buddhism figurines, and swiss watches.

Chen Fan didn't expect to find a true gem here but he still kept on flipping through the pages.

To his surprise, he found one that had piqued his interest.

"A pouch filled with an unknown herb. Its aroma could last over a few decades. However, the herb had already gone extinct and therefore this was the only one left in the world. The item starts at ten thousand."

Chen Fan didn't pay attention to the elaborately embroidered work that depicted a Phoenix, instead, he looked towards the dark seeds beside the pouch

"That's the seed of Heavenly Fragrance Grass!"

Chen Fan was elated by the discovery. Although the Heavenly Fragrance Grass was not considered a spirit herb, its persistent and unique fragrance could be extracted to create a Heavenly Fragrance Spray.

The Heavenly Fragrance Spray was a very common perfume worn by female cultivators. Whenever they went out they would dapple some on themselves which gave them an unearthly scent. It was many times better than conventional perfumes made out of synthetic materials. Chen Fan had never thought that he was able to find Heavenly Fragrance Grass on earth.

Those seeds were already dead, but Chen Fan could revive these seeds using the Azure Thearch Longevity Body with ease. By then, he could start to cultivate these grass to create Heavenly Fragrance Spray from its extract. Those would be perfect gifts for Sister An and Xiao Qiong.

Even as Chen Fan thought about that, the auction finally started.

Chen Fan and his friends were not serious bidders and therefore, other than Qiu Yilun won the bit on a Jadeite Bracelet, Chen Fan was the only other members of his group that won the bid on the perfume pouch.

After he won the bid, everyone looked at him suspiciously.

These perfume pouches were usually used by girls, so everyone wondered if Chen Fan had bought it for Fang Qiong.

Zhou Qinya kept her calm, but she couldn't hide the disappointment in her eyes.

Chen Fan didn't care about the attention on him and went straight to pay for the pouch. After he finished the transaction, Chen Fan opened up the pouch and fished out the grass seed.

"Lo and behold, Heavenly Fragrance Grass!"

He nodded and thought to himself.

The extraction of the Heavenly Fragrance Grass could not only be used to create perfumes but it also could help to ward off bugs in the summer and give the user a refreshing feeling during the hot summer days. It would be useful for those workaholics such as Sister An, his mother, and Fang Qiong as a substitute for coffee.

The auction ended very quickly, and even as Chen Fan was about to leave the room, the auction sale cracked a mysterious smile and announced:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the actual auction is just about to start."

"The next item is a Dharma Artifact."

Even as he said that a girl walked onto the stage, holding a platter covered by a piece of red velvet.

"Dharma Artifact? What the heck is that? Is that used for Feng Shui?" Those people who had no idea what a Dharma Artifact is murmured to each other while a few billionaires suddenly looked excited as lights flashed in their eyes.

They had heard about the Dharma Artifacts many times in their circles. Rumors tend to exaggerate the effects of these Dharma Artifacts and rarely anyone has seen one with their own eyes. They had heard that each Dharma Artifact was worth well over ten million Yuan and were very hard to come by.

There were a few people who had been sitting uninterested with the auction suddenly they opened their half-closed eyes and looked elated after hearing the announcement. It was as if they had been waiting for the announcement from the beginning.

"This item was from an anonymous client. The client is in a hurry to sell this in three days and therefore was added into this auction session with very short notice." The host went to the platter and lifted the velvet veil, revealing a palm-size Jade Gourd

"Jade Gourd, starting five million. The bid increment is a minimum of a hundred thousand."

After the auctioneer announced the price, the crowd boiled over.

"That's bull crap! A Gourd that's worth five million? Look how old it is. The jade itself is not pure at all. I can get one of such cheap chintzy crap for twenty yuan each."

"The owner must be crazy! Who would by a jade Gourd for five million?"

"Preposterous!"

Many people cracked a cold smile and shook their heads. They were waiting to see how the auctioneer was going to end this farce. Qiu Yilun also cracked a smile and said: "Are People from Hong Kong really that superstitious? A Feng Shui toy would be worth as much a Rolls-Royce car!"

Chen Fan smiled lightly. He reckoned that this Jade Gourd was indeed a Dharma Artifact. Its power was on par with the geomantic compass used by Wu Shanhe. That geomantic compass was used to improve the Feng Shui by forming a lesser version of the Spirit Gathering Array. Meanwhile, this Jade Gourd offered a buff to its wearers abilities. There was a talisman inscription carved on its surface and it would help the wearer to clear his mind and improve his physique.

This was not a rare Dharma Artifact, and Chen Fan could have created hundreds of them with ease. They would pale in comparison with the jade talisman he gave to Sister An and his family.

"Hold on... Uh?"

Something suddenly caught Chen Fan's attention. He sent out his Divine Will to investigate the Jade Gourd.

Meanwhile, a few bidders eyes lit up as soon as the Jade Gourd was revealed from under the cover.

"Five million and five hundred thousand."

"Six million!"

"Seven million!"

In a blink, the price had surged to over ten million.

By then a swell of surprised murmurs rose from the other bidders. No one had ever thought that such a cheap ornament could have attracted so much attention. Qiu Yilun was so surprised that he could only stare.

"Could it be fake bidding? A show put up by the auction house to incite a bidding war?"

"Nah! I have recognized one of the bidders. He is the eldest son of the Zheng family, Zheng Anpin."

"Oh-yea! That is indeed Zheng Anpin! The one who was having a fling with one of the actresses. I read about it in the news many times."

Zheng Anpin was a young man in his early thirties. He was wearing a fashionable outfit, complete with shiny Italian leather shoes. He crossed his legs and gestured the attractive secretary beside him to offer his bid.

"Only the Zheng family of Hong Kong would offer fifteen million for cheap crappy trinket."

Some people lamented.

After Zheng Anpin called out the price of fifteen million, most of his competitors started to hesitate. Unlike China, Hong Kong had abundant spell casters as well as Dharma Artifacts and therefore, the price of a Dharma Artifact usually wouldn't go too high.

"Fifteen million once"

"Fifteen million twice"

"Fifteen million Trice!"

Zheng Anpin crossed his leg and half-closed his eyes as if he had fallen into a reverie. He didn't expect to meet any competitor during the auction today, so to him, the item was already in the bag.

"It is going to be grandpa's ninety-third birthday. He loves Dharma Artifacts the most, so he would definitely love this present."

"Over the last half-year, the ninth uncle's family had gained full control of the family business and bullied everyone else ever since they saved the old man. Even Zheng Anqi that little shit had tried to step on my toes many times. I can't believe she would be so lucky as to find such an effective medicine for grandpa."

Even as Zheng Anpin thought that the auction had ended, he heard a calm voice. "Twenty million!"

A silence fell over the entire room.

Everyone looked toward the bidder and saw an average-looking young man.

"OMG! Twenty million? For that junk looking thing? Twenty million?"

"Which family is he from? How dare he compete with Young Lord Zheng?"

"No idea... He sounds like a tourist from the mainland."

Everyone looked toward Chen Fan with surprise. Qiu Yilun could only gape at Chen Fan. He still had second thoughts on spending so much money on booking the five-star hotel, yet Chen Fan had just thrown away twenty million like it was nothing.

"Who is that?"

Zheng Anpin opened his eyes and looked over toward Chen Fan. Seeing how young his competitor was, he pulled a taut face and said: "Twenty-one million!"

If he backed down, the entire Hong Kong was going to know that he chickened out from a bidding war with a teenage boy. That would bring shame to him and his family, and give Zheng Anqi even more reason to look down on him.

Zheng Anpin thought that his new offer would deter the bidder. After all, this Jade Gourd was not priceless and twenty-five million was beyond what it was actually worth.

To his surprise, Chen Fan counter offered again: "Thirty Million!"

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 253: Young Lord Zheng the Gentleman

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

When Chen Fan called out his bid, even the auctioneer hosting the event was shocked.

The elites of Hong Kong attended and hosted such auctions pretty often so the auctioneer was quite versed in the price of different kinds of Dharma Artifacts. This Jade Gourd was effective in balancing the energy inside of the user's body and lightening the user's mood by adjusting the electromagnetic waves around the user. This kind of Dharma Artifact would be worth around ten to twenty million. Even twenty-five million was a bit of an overshot for this item, much less thirty million. The bidder had to be a super-rich guy who didn't care about squandering money to be able to put down such an outrageous offer.

Zheng Anpin hesitated. However rich the Zheng family was, he was only one of the Zheng family's branch that was not in power. Most of the family wealth was in control of Zheng Anqi's father, Zheng Haochang, his ninth uncle. Zheng Anpin's parents only run a jewelry store for the family can and Zheng Anpin's total wealth was only a mansion and a few luxury cars. He had to nag his parents to lend him some money before he came to the auction. If not because he was going to use the money on his grandpa's birthday present, his father would never give him that much money.

However, if his father knew that he had squandered thirty million on a Dharma Artifact, he would not let him get away with it.

Seeing Zheng Anpin didn't counter the new bid and neither did any other competitors, everyone looked to Chen Fan.

"Sir, can you please show us your bank account?"

It was evident that the auction house was suspicious of Chen Fan. After all, he looked like a teenage boy. However powerful his family was, no teenage boy would throw away thirty million without sweating about it. In 2008, thirty million was able to buy ten houses in Hong Kong.

Chen Fan didn't say a word and produced his bank card.

The card looked very ordinary. It wasn't as flashy as the premium bank accounts. The auctioneer took the card and ran the account number through their system.

It wasn't long before the manager of the auction company come over to Chen Fan and handed the card back respectfully.

He was shocked by the string of zeros in his account and reckoned that the bank account held over a hundred billion.

"Thirty million once!"

"Thirty million twice!"

"Thirty million trice! Deal! This Dharma Artifact is bought by Mr. Chen from the mainland."

When the gavel landed on the wooden plate the entire room boiled over.

They watched as an ordinary-looking young man from mainland defeated the Young Lord Zheng in a bidding war. A lot of people were also shocked by the outrageous price this item had fetched. This was a small auction house, so thirty million was not a small number. People would be less amazed by the price tag if it was an auction held by Sotheby's or Christie's.

"My love, our Hong Kong tour was such an eye-opener."

"Just so! There are so many badass rich people in mainland nowadays, even a young kid could outbid Young Lord Zheng. I wonder which family clan is he from? Could he be the heir of one of the super-rich families in the mainland?"

The other attendees chatted with each other about the development.

Qian Lulu and her friends could only stare. They would feel guilty for buying a thousand yuan handbag. Chen Fan never wore expensive clothing but he didn't even blink when he paid thirty million yuan for a trinket. Qian Lulu had finally seen the rich heir in Chen Fan this time.

Even Qiu Yilun couldn't hide his admiration for Chen Fan despite his efforts to hide it. Although his family owned a hundred million in assets, that money all belonged to his father. The highest amount of pocket money he could get was about a hundred thousand, a far cry from Chen Fan.

Qi Wangsun was the only one who still kept calm.

A light flickered in Zhou Qinya's eyes as if the development had confirmed one of her suspicions.

By then, the auction house had already placed the Dharma Artifact carefully in a suitcase and handed it over to Chen Fan. Everyone looked to the silver suitcase and hoping to see the treasure that was worth thirty million up close.

Chen Fan didn't want to waste a minute, so he picked up the suitcase and was about to leave the room. Suddenly, a group of men came over to him and blocked his path. The leader of the group was a young man in fashionable clothing.

"What a deal, young man! Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Zheng Anpin."

The secretary beside him put in. "Boss Zheng is the CEO of the Meng Dafu Jewelry Company. He is the grandson of Lord Zheng, Zheng Zhongming."

Zheng Anpin put on a smug smile as his secretary filled in the important details.

Although he has lost the bidding, he was still the Young Lord Zheng of the prestigious Zheng family, one of the top ten families in Hong Kong. Even the richest man in a mainland province would have to show some respect before him.

"Oh?" Chen Fan offered a distracted reply and asked: "Is there anything you need?"

"Boss Zheng wishes to talk to you in private about the Dharma Artifact you have just bought." Zheng Anpin's secretary replied for Zheng Anpin.

"I don't have the time."

So saying, Chen Fan turned around and started off.

The name of the Zheng family might have been able to impress others, but not Chen Fan. After all, the Zheng family still owed him a trillion yuan. Zheng Anqi had promised him that even if she couldn't afford it, her entire family will help her with the cost.

"Hold on, sir." Zheng Anpin shouted. Despite the displeasure in his eyes, he plastered on a smile and said: "Mr. Chen must be new to Hong Kong and is unfamiliar with things such as Dharma Artifacts. I have a famous Feng Shui master working for me, why don't we ask him to identify the item you have just bought?"

Zheng Anpin's offer had piqued Qiu Yilun's interest.

"Yea, boss. You spent so much money on this Jade Gourd, how do we know if it's the real deal or not? Why don't we take it to someone who can identify it for us?" Qiu Yilun suggested

Qi Wangsun also put in.

"Dharma Artifacts are even more difficult to identify than antiques. It requires years of experience and expertise."

Chen Fan's other friends also chimed in. They didn't want to see Chen Fan playing ducks and drakes of his money and get nothing in the end.

Hearing everyone's suggestions, Chen Fan furrowed his brows slightly and then unfurrowed them right away. He replied readily: "Fine, I will go with you."

The group filed out of the hotel, trailing behind Zheng Anpin. They shared a ride in the hotel's car to the most famous restaurant in Hong Kong, the Vasco.

"This restaurant has some of the best Spanish food in Hong Kong. Their chef was a Michelin rated chef, a student of Martin Berasetgui. This place is well known for its Iberian porchetta, Cochinillo, and Arròs Negre."

As a local Hong Konger, Zheng Anpin knew the restaurants very well.

His knowledge and demeanor spoke loudly of his elite upbringing. He looked and sounded just like a gentleman.

The education system and culture in Hong Kong were heavily influenced by the British and therefore, most elite families educated their children like the royal family of England would to their heirs. However sordid their minds were, they always kept the appearance of gentlemen. After seeing such a well-bred chinless wonder, Qian Lulu's eyes turned into hearts. Even Zhou Qinya couldn't help but be impressed by the young man's manners.

Compared to Qiu Yilun and the other brusque young boys at school, Zheng Anpin was much more mature and charming. No wonder he was able to date one of the most popular actresses in Hong Kong.

"I know the chef, and have requested him to cook for us personally." Once they entered a reserved private section, Zheng Anpin pulled the chairs out for all the girls. He then looked to Chen Fan and said: "Master Yuan won't be here for a while, would you be so kind as to indulge us and show us the Dharma Artifact?"

He had been coaxing Qiu Yilun and the other members of the group into thinking that he was warmhearted localhost, so everyone around Chen Fan agreed with him and asked Chen Fan to show the Dharma Artifact.

Chen Fan didn't mind the game Zheng Anpin played. These mortals wouldn't really understand the real power of the Jade Gourd anyways.

He opened the suitcase and took the Jade Gourd out. Upon close inspection, they noticed that the surface of the palm-sized Jade Gourd was covered by inscriptions. The quality of the Jade itself was rather poor and was ridden with imperfections. However, the carvings on its surface were very intricate and meticulous. Despite the inferior appearance of the Jade's texture, it felt smooth and silky to the touch just as a top-grade mutton fat jade would.

However, after looking close-up, people still couldn't find out why would it be worth that much money.

Qiu Yilun couldn't help but ask:

"Boss, you spent thirty million on this? Are you sure that's a good idea? It looks cheap."

Before Chen Fan could reply, Zheng Anpin put in with a smile. "Yilun, I don't think you understand the value of a Dharma Artifact. Even the most common Dharma Artifact would cost over a few million. This Jade Gourd has a calming and refreshing effect on its user's mind and body, so it would be worth around ten to twenty million. But Thirty million is a little bit too much for it indeed."

Zheng Anpin shook his head as if he was lamenting Chen Fan's overpaying the item.

Chen Fan was unaffected by the remark. He put the Jade Gourd slowly back into the suitcase. Concern and displeasure surfaced on Zheng Anpin's face seeing Chen Fan was unaffected by his words at all. A few moments later, Master Yuan finally arrived.

Everyone was surprised to find out that Master Yuan was not a skinny white-haired white-bearded old man. Instead, he was a middle-aged man in a suit.

"Young Lord Zheng. I heard you want me to identify a Dharma Artifact that you just acquired?"

Master Yuan laughed and asked.

"You have heard wrong, Yuan Hen. I didn't buy it, it's this young man here. He beat me in a bid and bought this item for thirty million." Zheng Anpin said with a smile. He sounded like he regretted his unsuccessful bid.

"Oh? thirty million for an ordinary Health Enhancing Dharma Artifact? That sounds a bit too much." Master Yuan furrowed his brows and then said: "If you don't mind, can I identify this item for you?"

Zheng Anpin hurried to put in: "Master Yuan is a reputable Feng Shui master in Hong Kong. He is a board member of the International Feng Shui Institution. He works for many Feng Shui consulting companies and was a student of Master Zhou, Zhou Daoji."

"Ah-haha. Thank you for the flattering introduction." Yuan Hen smiled humbly, but the pride in his eyes had betrayed him.

Zhou Daoji was the number one Feng Shui master in Hong Kong. His Dharma Spells, Feng Shui, and Dao Spells were unrivaled in southern China for fifty years. Yuan Hen has all the reason to be proud of being his student.

Qiu Yilun and the others were not sure what to think of Zheng Anpin's introduction of Master Yuan, after all, they knew nothing about Feng Shui.

However, Chen Fan registered that Yuan Hen was indeed a Dao-Reaching Level cultivator. He had reached the mid-stage of the Dao-Reaching Level, and his power should be on par with Wu Shanhe when he first met him. However, Chen Fan wagered that Wu Shanhe must be far more powerful now than he had been half a year ago.

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 254: A Fake Artifact?

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"Just so! Quickly, show Master Yuan the Jade Gourd!"

Qian Lulu and the others urged Chen Fan.

Chen Fan's friends were charmed by Master Yuan's aura and Zheng Anpin's trustworthy demeanor. They were convinced that it would be for Chen Fan's benefits to have the artifact identified by Master Yuan.

"Very well."

Chen Fan sat still and gave Master Yuan a knowing glance and then nodded.

He fished out the Jade Gourd from the suitcase and pushed it over toward Master Yuan. The moment Master Yuan saw the Jade Gourd, a hint of greed flashed in his eyes.

Everyone watched as Master Yuan carefully removed the Jade Gourd from the suitcase and after studying it for a while, he started to channel his Qi and started his art as he murmured something. After he has done that for a while, he put down the Jade Gourd and heaved a sigh.

"Master Yuan, what is going on?"

Qiu Yilun and the others hurried to ask. This was a treasure that came with a thirty million price tag. If it was proven to be a fake, that thirty million yuan would be going down the drain. Even if he was the heir of the Chen family from Jin City, thirty million Yuan was still a large amount of money.

"Young Lord Zheng, you are mistaken this time. This is not a dharma artifact at all, but just an ordinary jade trinket." Master Yuan shook his head in remorse.

"What?"

Qiu Yilun and the others panicked, this was what they feared the most.

Although they didn't know what dharma artifacts were, what they heard from Master Yuan meant that Chen Fan would have lost all the money he had put into the Jade Gourd. If the Jade Gourd was the real deal, Chen Fan could have at least got most of his investment back should he decide to sell it.

"We bought it from an auction from the Hilton hotel, how could there be any fakes at such a high profile auction?" Qian Lulu asked indignantly.

"Hehe, the Dharma Artifacts' powers are brilliant but subtle, without trained eyes, no one would be able to identify if an artifact was indeed real or not." Master Yuan snorted and then said: "Even items from Sotheby's auctions events could be fakes, much less that of smaller auction companies."

"It was purely buyers beware when it came down to an auction, and bidding on dharma artifacts was the riskiest."

After hearing Master Yuan's words, everyone fell silent and was nearly convinced by Master Yuan.

Zheng Anpin furrowed his brows and said: "Master Yuan, are you sure? I have a message from an insider and got there just for this Dharma Artifact. Even it's appearance looked very much like the other Dharma Artifacts."

"Fine, since young lord Zheng had asked about it, I might as well explain myself." Master Yuan said. It was evident that if Young Lord Zheng was not interested in the item, he was not going to offer his professional explanation.

He pointed at the Jade Gourd on the table and said: "It might look like a Dharma Artifact since it is covered with a Talisman Inscription. However, the key factor that makes an artifact a Dharmic Artifact is the infusion of a perfected cultivator's True Qi. In other words, this jade gourd was just a hollow husk and was unfinished."

"If this gourd ended up in the hands of a Feng Shui master, it would turn into a real Dharma Artifact, however, if it ended up in the hands of an ordinary person, it would be useless."

Hearing Master Yuan's explanation, the faces of Qiu Yilun and the others suddenly paled.

Everyone knew the huge difference in value between a half-finished product and a finished one. This Jade Gourd was pretty much just a piece of wood before it was carved into a statue by a woodcarver.

Zheng Anpin pulled a taut face and heaved a sigh. He looked to Chen Fan apologetically and said: "Brother Chen, I am so sorry to hear that. I had never thought that this artifact was unfinished. Sorry for the thirty million Yuan you have lost."

He put on a pitying frown as if Chen Fan had lost that much money because of him.

Qian Lulu and the other girls felt even more impressed by Young Lord Zheng's sympathy and compassion. They thought that they finally met a rich heir who was not a dip shit.

"Hold one a second. Why should we believe what you just said?"

Suddenly, a cold voice came up from the group of people

Everyone looked over toward the direction of the voice and saw Zhou Qinya stood still, crossing both arms across her chest.

Qiu Yilun was taken aback at first, but quickly he saw Zhou Qinya's point.

Just so! Master Yuan was the only person in the room who claimed to have knowledge about Dharma Artifacts. Most of them have no idea what a Dharma Artifact could do, much less telling the real ones from the fake ones. Therefore, they had to believe whatever Master Yuan had told them. The question is, how could they trust Master Yuan?

They were enamored by Zheng Anpin's charm and Master Yuan's authority. However, in hindsight, they felt there were many things in this situation that didn't add up. Some even wagered if Zheng Anpin and Master Yuan were on the same team.

After all, Zheng Anpin had lost the bid to Chen Fan and he very likely could have hired Master Yuan to lure Chen Fan into a two-man con. If Master Yuan identified the item as fake, he could then offer to buy the fake artifact from Chen Fan at a cheap price.

"I wager this lady does not trust my word." Master Yuan said calmly and didn't seem angry.

"I have seen swindlers such as you too many times. You use superstitious mumbo jumbo like Feng Shui or I-ching and lure people into thinking that something bad was going to happen to them unless they pay you a large sum of money. You will then slowly extract profit from these innocent families until they have no money left." Anger danced in Zhou Qinya's eyes as she flung back at Master Yuan.

It was evident that her family used to be a victim of a fraud.

"Miss Zhou, Master Yuan is not a liar, I can vouch for him." Even as Zheng Anpin was going to say more, Yuan Hen cut him short. "Haha! those swindlers from the mainland have tarnished the name of Feng Shui masters. Their knowledge and abilities couldn't compare with mine."

"I, Yuan Hen have been in this business for ten years and have identified numerous Dharma Artifacts and never once did I misjudge them. Most of my clients are the rich and powerful in Hong Kong. If not for Young Lord Zheng's invitation, I wouldn't even care to identify the artifact for you."

"Master Yuan, Master Yuan. We are all friends here, of course, we trust you." Zheng Anpin hurried to ease the mood.

An awkward silence fell onto the room. Although Zhou Qinya still had her doubts, she felt that if she pressed on, she would risk irking Young Lord Zheng.

After all, they were in Hong Kong but not Jinlin City. The Zheng family's power could reach every corner of the city.

"Fine, I will show you what a real Dharma Artifact is for the sake of Young Lord Zheng."

Yuan Hen snorted and then shot out two fingers and started an art.

Suddenly, the bracelet he was wearing started to clatter. The bracelet was a handful of hollow beads made out of jade, and bones. As they started to shake, air passed through the hollow hole in the middle and made a piercing shrieking noise that shot through the entire room. It sounded like the howling of ghosts.

Chen Fan and his friends felt that the room had turned into the underworld where demons and ghosts roamed.

They were surrounded by shrieks and started to hallucinate. They saw phantoms coming at them, stirring up a powerful gale that threatened to throw them off balance.

"Ah!"

The sight terrified the girls.

They have never seen such a horrid sight and were shaken by the sound and illusions around them.

Even Zhou Qinya's defense was shattered. She grabbed onto Chen Fan's arm tightly as her body shook like a little bird in a storm.

Only Qi Wangsun and Chen Fan were unaffected by the illusions.

"Dharma Spells and Dharma Dao are beyond the imagination of mortals such as you!"

Master Yuan's voice came up from a distance.

As he finished his words, the illusions and the shrieking suddenly stopped and everyone was back to the room. They watched as Master Yuan sat on his chair stately and calmly as ever.

Having experienced that, everyone looked at him with fear and awe in their eyes.

"He is a real master! A master with Dharmic powers!"

Qiu Yilun murmured to himself.

Qian Lulu and the others nodded in agreement as the doubts in their mind toward Master Yuan evaporated. With a simple wave of a hand, Master Yuan had brought the scene of the underworld right in front of them; another wave, he had banished the terrifying scene he had summoned.

Zheng Anpin had seen Spell Casters cast their spells many times, but he still couldn't help but be afraid. Qiu Yilun and the others were ordinary college students and therefore, they were even more terrified by the experience. Their pale faces also showed respect and reverence toward Master Yuan. Chen Fan and Qiu Yilun were the only two who were unaffected by the spell. Their calm demeanor even impressed Yuan Hen.

"Do you believe me now?" Yuan Hen posed on the chair and asked lightly.

"Yes, I do." Qian Lulu and the others nodded.

"This bracelet is called Illusion Dragon Bracelet. It was created and refined by many masters from Southern Sect and required Dao-Reaching Level of attainment to use." Master Yuan shook his head and said: "However, this Jade Gourd was at the best a good material for Dharma Artifact, but it required at least three years of refinement by a powerful Dharmic power user to become a real Dharma Artifact. It might be worth some money in my hands but it is worthless in yours."

This time, everyone, including Zhou Qinya believed him.

Master Yuan had such incredible Dharmic powers and therefore he must not be lying to them. Plus, if he really wanted it, he didn't have to play such a game with them, he could have just taken it away using his Dharmic powers.

"Brother Chen, I think it's pretty clear now that the Jade Gourd is not authentic and is useless to people such as you and me. It's only useful to masters." Zheng Anpin said slowly. "Why don't you just sell it to Master Yuan? This way, you can get at least some of your money back."

"Humph! I have all kinds of Dharma Artifacts. Why would I need a half-finished one? I don't want it." Yuan Hen shook his head and smirked.

By then, Qi Yilun and the others were completely captivated by Yuan Hen's powers and therefore they rushed to him and pleaded with him to purchase it from Chen Fan. In the end, Yuan Hen said reluctantly: "Fine, fine, how about three hundred thousand? I can't afford more for a half-finished product. It will take a lot of work for me to turn it into something useful."

In a blink, Chen Fan's thirty million shrank to only three hundred thousand.

Everyone looked at Chen Fan for his decision. Although they all fell bad for Chen Fan, they were convinced that this was the most Chen Fan could get out of his situation.

"Three hundred thousand?" A smirk broke over Chen Fan's face. He had been watching the show unfold quietly and was amused by what he saw. "You want to buy this Jade Gourd for three hundred thousand? You are quite brazen, aren't you."

64c3e69bf75c4d1715a59001

Chapter 255: The Treasure In the Gourd?

"What do you mean?"

Yuan Hen pulled a taut face and asked. He was a reputable Feng Shui master in Hong Kong. Although his fame was not as high as that of Zhou Daoji or Huang Wenze, he was a frequent guest of the rich and powerful. No one had ever talked to him with such insolence.

"Mr. Chen, If you don't like the price, we can negotiate of course. Master Yuan is willing to take the Jade Gourd off of your hands for your own benefit. After all, this Jade Gourd is not a Dharma Artifact yet and is useless to anyone except for Master Yuan." Zheng Anpin said conciliatorily.

Chen Fan didn't even spare him a glance as he slowly produced the Jade Gourd. He played it in between his palms for a while and then said lightly: "Why didn't you tell Zheng Anpin the truth?"

"What truth?" Zheng Anpin was taken aback.

Even now, Chen Fan didn't look like he was convinced that he had wasted thirty million on a forgery. Instead of breaking down into tears, he looked calm and steady. It was as if he had bought the artifact for thirty yuan, instead of thirty million yuan

The other people were perplexed as well.

"I am not sure what you are talking about." Yuan Hen kept his calm, but he couldn't hide the panic in his eyes.

"You are right, this item was indeed not an artifact. Despite the Talisman Inscriptions on its surface, it has not been infused with True Qi. Just like what you said, this was nothing but an empty husk and lacked any Dharmic powers." Chen Fan said calmly. "However, you told Zheng Anpin that this artifact was a healing Dharma Artifact and advised him to buy it."

"What?" Zheng Anpin's face darkened as he gave Yuan Hen a glare.

Qiu Yilun finally realized something was off, so they kept their silence and locked their eyes on the two hosts.

"However, You didn't expect that I would intervene and win the bid with thirty million yuan. That is why you came over here in a hurry to tell me the truth about the artifact. You thought that you could coax me into selling this item to you at a cheap price." Yuan Hen was about to protest, but Chen Fan cut him short and continued.

"On the other hand, Zheng Anpin still thought that he was helping you to get the Jade Gourd for him. Little did he know that you didn't intend to offer this Gourd to him from the outset. "

Hearing Chen Fan's words, Zheng Anpin's face turned even darker. He looked at Yuan Hen and asked: "Master Yuan Hen, is that true?"

"Young Lord Zheng, please allow me to explain." Yuan Hen managed a smile.

"I was going to buy this for my grandpa's 90's birthday. How dare you fool me?" Zheng Anpin said vengefully. A sinister and savage light flashed in his eyes, and he no longer looked like a well-bred rich heir.

"Young Lord Zheng, please forgive me. I have lost all of my money in the stock market recently, so I had to ask you to get this gourd for me. I promise, once I have found a proper Dharma Artifact, I will pay you back." Seeing his ruse was blown, Yuan Hen finally told the truth.

"Humph!!"

Zheng Anpin snorted and left the matter at that.

Yuan Hen was an influential master in Hong Kong who had as many resources in Hong Kong as Zheng Anpin. Although he had fooled Zheng Anpin, since there was no harm done, Zheng Anpin decided to let the matter slide.

"You little prick! How did you find out the truth?" Yuan Hen turned over and looked to Chen Fan hotly.

"I overheard your conversation over the phone." Chen Fan shrugged. Yuan Hen and Zheng Anpin were set back on their heels. They didn't expect that Chen Fan would have overheard their phone conversation.

"Well, let's cut to the chase then. Hand over the gourd now! "Yuan Hen narrowed his eyes and demanded. Then he threatened: "Or, I will make sure you won't go back to the mainland."

"This is Hong Kong! There is the Rule of the Law! Are you going to rob me blind?"

Qiu Yilun and the other college students jumped out of there seats and glared at Yuan Hen.

They had been stunned by Yuan Hen's amazing spells, but after realizing that Yuan Hen had lied to them, their hearts were filled with anger.

"Haha! Rule of the Law? How much is that worth?" Yuan Hen laughed out loud and rose to his feet. He pushed the door open and looked back at Chen Fan with an ugly grin. "I am not going to rob you either. That's too... low for me. I will make you hand it over to me willingly, without any trace of my involvement. Don't forget that I am a Spellcaster."

After he said that, he turned around and sauntered away. He didn't seem concerned that Chen Fan and his friends were going to run away or call the police.

Zheng Anpin filed out of the room after Master Yuan was gone, leaving Chen Fan and his friends alone in the room. They looked at each other and were not sure what to make from the turn of the event. They had never thought that the gentleman Zheng Anpin and Master Yuan were two con men.

"Boss, how did you know that they are swindlers? Did you really hear their phone conversation?" Qiu Yilun asked in confusion.

Chen Fan cracked a smile and didn't reply.

They wouldn't understand what he was talking about even if he told them that he had covered the entire area with his divine will and knew the two's scheme from the outset. If he didn't want to visit the culprit who had been pulling the strings behind the scene, Chen Fan wouldn't even think of coming to meet Master Yuan.

After all, what did a lowly Feng Shui Master mean to him anyway?

"Shit! If that Master Yuan really is a swindler, how are we going to fend off his Dharmic Powers?" Zhou Qinya asked with furrowed brows. "Should we report them to the Law Enforcement unit and leave Hong Kong as soon as possible?"

Everyone became silent after hearing Zhou Qinya's words.

Zhou Qinya's words had hit the mark. Just a few moments ago, they had experienced Master Yuan's power first hand. They didn't want to experience the living hell ever again. The thought of fighting against such a powerful man sent a chill down their spines.

Qiu Yilun and the others were just ordinary college students. Regardless of their well-off family, they were no match against Yuan Hen.

A light glittered in Qi Wangsun's eyes as he fell into deep thoughts. However, Chen Fan didn't seem to care about the threat at all. "Don't worry, he had cast an illusion on us to scare you guys."

"How do you know that?" Qiu Yilun asked in surprise."Plus, how do you know so much about Dharma Artifacts to know that this Jade Gourd was worth thirty million?"

Everyone looked to Chen Fan with the same question in their minds.

"Don't forget, I am from the Chen family of Jin City." Chen Fan shrugged.

The Chen family of Jin City had made a name for itself lately, and quickly became a legend in the city. Ever since the downfall of the Sheng family, the Chen family was shrouded with mystery in the public's eyes. Qiu Yilun and the others finally put two and two together and nodded.

Zhou Qinya was the only one who felt there were was more than what meets the eye. She gave Chen Fan a surprised look.

She knew Master Chen was behind the rise of the Chen family. She wondered if Chen Fan was one of Master Chen's disciples? Master Chen must have tremendous knowledge in dharma spells and artifacts since he had allegedly destroyed the entire Sheng family using Dharma powers.

It was a long day so after they had dinner, they went straight back to their hotel rooms

Meanwhile, on the 21st floor of an apartment in central Hong Kong...

Yuan Hen and Zheng Anpin were sitting side by side in a sofa, enjoying tea together.

Zheng Anpin's secretary had changed into a casual outfit. She cut a slice of peeled apple and fed it to Zheng Anpin like an obedient housewife.

"Young Lord Zheng, what a perfect spot to hide a mistress! Who would have thought that you own a penthouse in the middle of downtown? I wager that even your dad would not know about it." Yuan Hen said as he gave Zheng Anpin a knowing smile.

"Hehe, I need to be careful and always be on guard. If I let Zheng Haochang and his family catch any of my wrongdoing, I will never get my allowance for this month." Zheng Anpin said hotly.

"Ah... right. No one had seen that coming." Yuan Hen exclaimed. "I met your grandpa a year ago, and I was convinced that be was beyond the help of medicine. However, he was brought back to life by the miracle cure found by Zheng Anqi."

That had been a piece of shocking news among the Hong Kong cultivation community. Everyone knew that it would take at least a thousand-year-old herb or a Supreme-grade Elixir to restore life back to a dying man. Zheng Anqi was unlikely to find either. To everyone's surprise, Zheng Anqi found the cure and the cure didn't even seem to have cost her a penny.

"Whatever, let's talk about something else." Zheng Anpin shook his head and said: "Master Yuan, you spent so much time and even risked our relationship to get that Jade Gourd, so tell me, what exactly does that Jade Gourd do? Is it really just an empty container?"

"Of course not." Yuan Hen smiled awkwardly. "I had not only told you to buy it but also all of your competitors at the auction."

"What?" Zheng Anpin tightened his face.

"I thought one of you should have gotten it, but little did I know that it was taken by a northerner." Yuan Hen shook his head and heaved a sigh.

"So what's the big deal about it?" Zheng Anpin furrowed brows and asked in confusion.

"Fine, I might as well tell you now." Yuan Hen gritted his teeth and said: "The Jade Gourd was from one of my colleague's collections. I have seen it in his basement, on a pedestal. I knew it was a Dharma Treasure right then, but my colleague refused to sell it to me. That colleague died a few years later, and his heirs put all of his stuff on an estate auction. I informed all of you right after I heard about the estate sale. I was planning to use one of my Dharma Artifacts to exchange the Jade Gourd from whoever got it."

"A Dharma Treasure?"

Zheng Anpin's eyes lit up as he asked.

"I am not too sure yet. But it did look a lot like a Dharma Treasure described in the legend. The legend was just a high tale so I doubt it really existed. However, even if it was fashioned after the stuff of legend, it should be quite powerful." Yuan Hen furrowed brows and said: "Of course, only a cultivator would be able to use such Dharma Treasure, so it is useless to you."

"I see."

Zheng Anpin finally came to terms with his greed.

He knew there were many Dharma Artifacts that were useless to ordinary people, such as the Illusion Dragon Bracelet that Yuan Hen was wearing right now.

"On another note, how are going to deal with those mainlanders?" Zheng Anpin asked curiously.

"Hehe, it would be a talk in the park. Their wealth wouldn't help them at all. This is Hong Kong, our turf. It isn't uncommon to have a few mainland tourists disappear from time to time." Hong Kong cracked a cold smile.

Even as Zheng Anpin was going to agree, a cold voice came up.

"Is that so?"

They looked behind them and saw a young man standing by the window, staring at them.

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Chapter 256: Blad Strengthening Gourd

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

"You... How did you get in here?"

Zheng Anpin pointed at Chen Fan and asked in a trembling voice.

He had bought the top floor penthouse on the 21st floor. This community was called the Blooming Garden, and it was one of the most high-end developments in Hong Kong. It not only had 24/7 guards at the entrance, but visitors also needed to use card keys to get through numerous checkpoints. The stringent security measures could make sure not even a mosquito could get in.

However, there and then, Chen Fan appeared right by the window. Even the window behind Chen Fan was still locked from the inside. The sight sent a chill down Zheng Anpin's spine as he wondered if Chen Fan was a mortal or a ghost.

"The dip shit from Mainland?"

As a cultivator, Yuan Hen was less surprised by the development. He knew that many martial artists who had reached the Dao-reaching level had unimaginable abilities such as scaling the walls of a high rise building.

He narrowed his eyes as a cold light glinted in his eyes."I was going to find you myself, but you saved me a trip."

"You said you are going to do away with me?" Chen Fan was unfazed and he slowly and calmly walked toward the bar and poured himself a cup of wine.

Zheng Anpin had custom ordered this bar to store many luxury drinks he had collected from all over the world. There were 50 years old Johnnie Walker and CARDHU. These were perfect drinks when he was spending private time with his mistress. The bottle that Chen Fan had opened was one of the most expensive wines in the bar, it was 1847 Cabernet from the Cheval Blanc. It was said to be the favorite wine of the American president Jefferson. Each bottle is valued at over a hundred and thirty thousand dollars.

Zheng Anpin's eyes twitched a little; he meant to save that bottle for the most important moment of his life yet, it was squandered by a stranger.

"So what? It's not the first time a few tourists from mainland China who disappeared in Hong Kong. Do you know how many missing people there are in Hong Kong each year?" By then, Yuan Hen had already pulled himself together and was sitting calming on the sofa as he looked to Chen Fan with a smile.

"However, I had never thought that you are one of us. I couldn't register any Dharmic powers in you, so I wager you must still be an Internal Force user."

"He is an Internal Force user?" Zheng Anpin was taken aback by what he heard.

As the heir of the most powerful family in Hong Kong, he knew the power of Internal Force users very well. There were a few Internal Force users currently serving under the Zheng family as bodyguards and one of them was a Phenomenal success level internal force user from the Southern Sect who was an expert in Hong Fist. He could fight off at least a dozen elite Law enforcement unit members. He knew that in this small room, an internal force user could have killed him with ease.

The thought made Zheng Anpin panicked. His face was covered with sweat and his legs started to tremble.

"Hehe, even if he was an Internal Force user, so what? This Hong Kong, the capital of Dharma Spells, not the capital of Martial Artists." Yuan Hen crossed his legs and said haughtily. "Plus, you are the heir of the Zheng family, if he kills you, he wouldn't be able to get out of Hong Kong alive."

"Just so!"

Zheng Anpin agreed.

However powerful Internal Force users were, the elite units of the Law enforcement were also a force to be reckoned with due to many powerful masters among its ranks. The Zheng family was a renowned family in Hong Kong, and the death of its member would almost definitely be caught the attention of the authority and the underground world. Once there was a bounty on him, the bounty hunters and assassins all over the world would go after him. That was why most powerful martial artists didn't dare to cross any super-rich tycoons in the world.

"Kiddo, I would let the matter slide if you hand over the Jade Gourd, otherwise, I will give you a taste of my power." A cold light burned in Yuan Hen's eyes as he uttered his threat.

"Why do you talk so much? Use your Dharma Spells already, stop dragging this on."

Chen Fan took a sip of the wine and said casually.

Yuan Hen furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes after he heard Chen Fan's reply. He registered that something was off as soon as Chen Fan appeared inside the room. He had hidden his hands behind his back and started to weave a powerful spell using hand signs while keeping a calm appearance.

Compared to a martial artist, a spell caster needed significant time to prepare for his spell if he was not using a Dharma Artifact. The preparation time would be enough for a martial artist to end the battle. That being said, the spellcasters were feared by their opponents for their tricky methods. During most of the modern confrontations, the battle happened behind the scenes instead of face to face and on the spot. Therefore, most martial artists dreaded the fight against a spellcaster; one miss-step would have lost their lives.

"Die!"

Yuan Hen's spell was finally ready.

Suddenly, a wave of Malice Qi came from out of the caster and swirled in the air before it stormed toward Chen Fan. Although this Malice Qi was invisible to naked the eye, its powerful presence could be felt.

It was made out of the Malice Qi between heaven and earth and therefore was extremely deadly to anything alive. Any living being that came to contact with the Malice Qi would feel they were dropped into an ice cave in the middle of winter.

Zheng Anpin and his secretary felt exactly like that. It was October in Hong Kong and due to the low latitude of the city, it was still pretty hot outside. However, there and then, Zheng Anpin felt that he had suddenly arrived in northern China in January. He wore only a button-down shirt and it was not nearly as enough to keep him warm. He watched as the rose flower on the coffee table wilted after it came to contact with the Malice Qi.

"Yin Malice Array of Six Extremities"

Yuan Hen's lips curled into a grin as his fingers formed a strange sign. Six of the ten fingers pointed toward six different directions, as a visual representation of the six extremities. Suddenly, a deluge of Malice Qi converged toward the center of the array and formed an even larger flood of deadly energy that rushed toward Chen Fan.

"Kiddo, you are still a green babe in the woods. You shouldn't have allowed me so much time to prepare my spell."

This Yin Malice Array was the secret art of his sect. As the heir of the Southern Sect of the Arcane Finger Branch. Although he was not able to create an array in his palm as Huang Wenze did, he was able to cast an array using both hands.

The Arcane Finger branch of the Southern Sect was well known for their abilities to cast array using fingers. They had defeated many opponents by summoning a large dharma array. Those opponents included some careless martial artists. However, physically strong martial artists were, they didn't stand a chance before the Yin Malice Qi that devoured flesh and corroded their souls. Only a Transcendent Grandmaster would be able to survive such a deadly attack.

Yuan Hen was certain that Chen Fan would be dead.

He used the same move to kill a Polar bear. Chen Fan was a young internal force user, and Yuan Hen didn't take him seriously from the outset. With that thought in mind, he glanced at his opponent, but what he saw stunned him.

He watched as Chen Fan opened up his mouth a small tornado suddenly appeared before him. This tornado sucked all the Yin qi and Malic Qi into the center before the tornado was swallowed by Chen Fan.

"This is... Impossible!"

Yuan Hen could only stare.

Even his teacher would not be able to swallow so much Malice qi and remain unharmed. This only meant that Chen Fan's body, mind, and soul were nearly invincible; he was not a mortal!

"Your Malice qi is too weak. Compared to the Yin Dragon's hundred-year-old Malice qi, it tastes only a bit stronger than water." Chen Fan tsked and then shook his head.

When he was cultivating Void Mortal Refinement Art, he had used all kinds of energies such as Yin Qi, Malice Qi, Fiend Qi, and Aether Qi. This small dose of Malice Qi was not nearly enough to hurt Chen Fan, Instead, Chen Fan absorbed it as his own energy.

However, Chen Fad had already reached Ethereal Enlightenment and therefore, this small amount of extra energy would do nothing to further his level of attainment.

"Run, NOW!"

Yuan Hen panicked; the smug expression was replaced with an alarmed frown.

Chen Fan looked like a young teenager, but he was a Curmudgeon in disguise. The act of swallowing the Malice Qi alone was a terrifying sight to behold. Their conflict would only end in one result, death.

With that thought in mind, Yuan Hen backed away and started to channel energy into the Illusion Dragon Bracelet.

His bracelet was made out of small jade and bone beads. It was created by a few top masters from the Southern Sect. The bone beads were made out of the spine of arctic white snakes and it had been absorbing energy in a specially made Feng Shui Array for years. Once the energy stored in the beads was awakened by a spell caster, it would cast numerous illusions at its target's mind.

"Huuuulalala!"

The small room was suddenly filled with Dharma Spells and Dharma Energies. Waves after waves of shrieks sounded out and the room turned into a ghastly hell.

Yuan Hen knew that this Illusion Dragon Bracelet's illusions were not enough to stop Chen Fan, he only hoped to slow him down, giving him time to escape through the window. He had neither the time nor the abilities to care for Zheng Anpin and his pretty girlfriend. Their lives were at the mercy of Curmudgeon Chen.

Even as he thought that, he heard Chen Fan's voice.

"Break!"

The voice boomed in the room and echoed back and forth rebounding off the walls. It sent a shockwave throughout the room, knocking over and smashing everything and anything in the room. The illusion was gone before it could fully take form and even the bracelet was shattered into pieces and fell from Yuan Hen's wrist.

By then, Yuan Hen had already made his way to the living room, and one of his hands was already on the doorknob. Chen Fan waved a hand, and Yuan Hen was pulled by an invisible force and thudded to the ground before Chen Fan's feet.

"Grandmaster... he must be a Grandmaster!"

Yuan Hen trembled uncontrollably, and he could only think of one thing in his stupified state.

Although he had always looked down on Martial Artists, thinking that they only fought physically, but lacked the understanding of Dharma Spells, he was aware that Grandmasters were different. Any martial artist that had reached Grandmaster level possessed the equivalent power as Divine powers or Dharma Spells. Not even his teacher could have survived a confrontation with a Grandmaster, much less Yuan Hen himself.

"Now, can you finally tell me why you need this Jade Gourd so bad?"

Chen Fan produced the Jade Gourd and set it on the coffee table.

Yuan Hen kept his silence. He was pressed on the floor by an invisible force.

"Humph!!"

Chen Fan snorted. He flicked a finger and an azure-colored blade aura flew across the room and sliced one of Yuan Hen's legs off.

"Ah!"

Yuan Hen shrieked painfully and rolled around on the floor. Even as Chen Fan was going to sever the other leg, Yuan Hen finally gave in: "OK, Ok! I'll tell you"

"It could be a Blade Strengthening Gourd."

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