A blinding flash shot straight towards Chen Feng’s chest, moving with the swiftness of a bolt of lightning.

Yet, Chen Feng acted as if he had already anticipated the strike; with a delicate pinch between two fingers, he caught the dagger that had lunged like a venomous snake’s tongue.

“You… you knew…” The attendant’s face changed color as he saw Chen Feng show no surprise at the attack, shouting madly.

Chen Feng offered no reply, retracted the hand holding the dagger, and swept his right hand across in a horizontal arc.

“Shick…”

The attendant’s chest was instantly ripped open by Chen Feng’s counter-grasp, a large gash from which blood sprayed forth.

“How… how did you know… I was going to kill you…” The attendant’s eyes were wide open in death, unable to believe that the other party had already discovered his purpose and pretense.

Staring at the corpse, a sliver of ice showed in Chen Feng’s eyes: “Though your feigned agony was convincing, your breathing remained steady, entirely undisturbed—that betrayed you!”

With that, Chen Feng ignored the body on the ground and strode up the long corridor, head held high.

Since the person he sought was in the pavilion atop the rockery, he would not retreat.

Step by step, he walked along the waterside corridor toward the rockery. Standing below were heavily armored soldiers, each one brimming with spirit and high morale. Chen Feng quickly assessed them: not a single one among the dozens present possessed cultivation below the rank of a Dou Shi!

Suppressing the shock surging through his heart, Chen Feng slowly approached the winding path guarded by the armored troops.

“Halt!” The foremost soldier raised his heavy sword defensively.

“Move aside!” Chen Feng, fully aware that any one of them was stronger than he, showed no sign of fear. Instead, he lifted his chin and spoke coldly.

In truth, he was gambling right now! Gambling that they didn't genuinely intend to kill him.

If their aim was truly to kill him, they could have sent just one of these heavily armored guards. Why deploy fourteen Eighth-Rank Dou Fighters?

As expected, a hoarse, ancient voice drifted down from the pavilion: “Let him come up…”…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A gentle breeze stirred in the small pavilion, the surrounding lake rippling with intoxicating, iridescent, fish-scale patterns.

“Ah…” Suddenly, a young girl’s startled cry echoed from above.

“Angelisa, don’t worry, this little fellow won’t die so easily!” An elder’s voice followed, steady and upright, carrying a note of solemn dignity that made one instinctively believe his words.

“But, Grandfather…” Angelisa’s anxious voice rang out.

“Rest assured, to be able to dispatch all fourteen of my C-rank guards in one go, this youth must have reached the peak of Ninth-Rank strength! Such cultivation at such a young age—no wonder my precious granddaughter is taken with him!” the elder’s voice continued.

“Grandfather, if you say one more word, I won’t speak to you!” Hearing her grandfather, Angelisa’s anxiety eased, and she gazed absently at a figure by the lake.

“Haha… Your grandfather has been young once too. Do you think I can’t see your little scheme? However, becoming my grandson-in-law won’t be easy. If he cannot pass my trials, no amount of pretty words will help,” the elder’s resolute face hardened with determination.

He glanced towards the lake, and after only one look, surprise immediately replaced his composure. He muttered under his breath, “Is this youth truly under sixteen years old…”

The sheer decisiveness of the young man’s actions and his fearless aura greatly impressed the elder. Staring as the youth walked steadily to the foot of the rockery, he finally couldn’t restrain himself and called out. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chen Feng ascended to the pavilion and immediately saw Angelisa.

Angelisa’s face flushed slightly: “This is my grandfather, Marshal Elvis, the Empire’s War God!”

Seeing Angelisa safe, and realizing the master of this place was her grandfather, Chen Feng felt a sudden, deceptive sense of being tricked. A fierce anger flickered within his cold eyes.

Angelisa saw Chen Feng’s expression and knew he was enraged. She quickly tried to explain, “Grandpa sent people to meet me when Jude and I were on the street…” Before she could finish, Chen Feng’s icy words cut in: “What was the meaning of those fourteen Eighth-Rank Dou Fighters? Why did you try to kill me?”

Angelisa’s cheeks were deeply flushed as she murmured, “Grandfather said he wanted to test your cultivation…”

“A test?” Chen Feng acted as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. He covered his forehead and laughed maniacally: “Ha, ha, ha, ha… A test! I thought you and Jude had been captured; I never imagined this was your idea of a trial! You truly have clever methods… Haha!”

“Insolence!” Elvis, who had initially favored Chen Feng for his display of strength, was now enraged by his presumptuous language and the tone he used toward his granddaughter.

“To hell with your insolence, you old fool!” In his furious outburst, Chen Feng cursed. He had rushed over, believing Jude and Angelisa were in mortal danger, ready to fight to the death, only to arrive and witness this situation.

Influenced by the power of the Dark Swirl, Chen Feng already harbored a cynical disposition; this whole charade made him feel like a monkey being played with, how could it not send him into a rage!

“You…” Elvis, whose word was law in the military, whom even the Emperor of the Empire had never addressed with such disrespect, trembled with fury at being called an “old fool” by a mere youth.

“If my cultivation had been lower, wouldn’t I have been killed by you people?” The more Chen Feng thought about it, the angrier he became. To be manipulated like this only fueled his rage, which felt like it was swelling inside him, threatening to explode.

“Don’t be angry… It was my fault…” Angelisa saw Chen Feng’s state and how her grandfather was about to start a major fight, so she hurried forward to intervene.

“Get away!” In his fury, Chen Feng carelessly shoved her aside and glared at Elvis, saying, “A great man, you can treat people’s lives as a game? A War God of the Empire can disregard human life? Bah!”

“Good… Good!” Elvis steadied himself, the innate sternness of a soldier returning to his face: “Originally, I was willing to spare you for Angelisa’s sake. It seems you are inviting your own death!”

“Men, seize this arrogant boy!” Elvis roared.

“If you want to seize me, you’ll have to pay a price first!” Chen Feng declared, and instantly moved.

Every muscle in his body coiled at that moment, like a spring compressed to its absolute limit. With a sudden burst of power, he lunged directly at Elvis.

Upon arriving, Chen Feng realized that Elvis’s actual cultivation was not high; the War God was merely a genius in command, not necessarily a powerful martial artist or mage!

Since his cultivation was low, Chen Feng could achieve a single-strike kill or take him hostage—this realization was the source of Chen Feng’s audacity. Otherwise, those dozens of Dou Shi-level soldiers surrounding the rockery could have given him a serious fight, and he would have had no basis for his arrogance!

“Don’t…” Angelisa never expected Chen Feng and her grandfather to clash so violently. In desperation, she cried out, and simultaneously, a magical light wave appeared in her hand, shooting straight towards Chen Feng.

A diversionary tactic.

“Fine…” Chen Feng uttered, completely ignoring the magic orb behind him. He rushed forward at top speed, spun his right hand as he reached Elvis, and snatched his collar, pulling the marshal tight against his chest. Simultaneously, he whipped his left hand back, shattering the magic light ball behind him.

“Marshal…” The heavily armored guards below rushed forward at the exact same moment.

“If you dare come closer, I’ll kill him!” Chen Feng pressed his hand against Elvis’s throat, his voice chillingly calm.

“Stand down!” Marshal Elvis commanded, his voice still solemn and authoritative, betraying no trace of panic or fear.

“Marshal…” The heavy armored warrior who had tried to stop Chen Feng earlier called out, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked at Chen Feng, wishing he could grind him to dust!

“Let me leave safely, and I’ll let him go!” Chen Feng whispered coldly in Elvis’s ear.

“Hear my military order: Allow Iori Yagami to depart. No one is to seek private retribution. Violators will be executed!” Elvis’s voice was strong and resonant with authority.

“But, Marshal…” The heavy armored warriors could not accept the War God Elvis’s compromise.

“You won’t even listen to my command?” Marshal Elvis showed a hint of anger.

“Yes!” The heavily armored warriors were forced to step back, clearing a path, their faces etched with humiliation.

Chen Feng knew that a military order was law. Since these soldiers accepted the command, they naturally wouldn’t disobey. As he walked away, he felt as if he had just fought a battle, leaving him slightly weak. He forced himself to focus, released Marshal Elvis, and turned to leave, showing no concern that someone might attack him from behind!

Angelisa watched the crescent moon emblem painted on Chen Feng’s back sway and fade into the distance. For some inexplicable reason, her heart ached. She knew that after this day, she was growing farther and farther away from Iori Yagami. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Marshal… what was that…” The heavily armored soldiers looked at their Marshal in confusion as Chen Feng disappeared.

“Hahahaha…” Elvis couldn’t help but laugh heartily, a triumphant look on his face. He walked over to Angelisa and clapped her on the shoulder: “Not bad, not bad. I didn’t expect the man my dear granddaughter fancied to have such backbone. Very good, he has the spirit and the iron will of a soldier. If properly nurtured, he will surely become a military prodigy!”

Seeing the sorrow in Angelisa’s eyes, Elvis smiled: “Grandfather was just testing him, wasn’t he? He passed the first two rounds. If he fails this final test, your grandfather won’t approve of him either!”

ps: When I uploaded, I saw 229 monthly tickets, haha, just one more ticket for another update…

Haha, I can never have too many monthly tickets; the more you cast, the more I update, and the more satisfied you readers will be. Let those monthly tickets come in even harder… (To be continued. For what happens next, please visit www**com for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!) .