"Stop, or I'll kill him!" Harry stepped forward immediately, pushing Uncle Wen who was being held captive behind him.

Uncle Wen looked spiritless, exceptionally haggard, and somewhat vacant.

Chen Feng’s heart clenched, fury igniting from the depths of his soul, and he spoke with icy malice, "Are you threatening me?"

Harif sneered, "I know this old servant is important to you. If you let Gu Bo go, I can spare this old thing!"

Chen Feng stared at Harry as if he could devour him, finally saying coldly, "I never accept threats. However, if you dare harm Uncle Wen, I will make your entire Leff family pay the price!"

With that, the Ming Yu Sword in his hand flickered. Gu Bo’s eyes snapped wide open, as if he had never imagined he would be killed. In an instant, his breath was gone.

"Gu Bo, my son..." Harry's veins stood out on his forehead, his face crimson like an overripe eggplant. "Kill him!"

He shrieked, the sound almost a sob. Gu Bo was his most cherished son. Killed by Chen Feng’s single sword stroke, the sudden surge of anger almost made him pass out.

Seeing the eight Magi raising their staffs nearby, Chen Feng moved. But he didn't rush toward Uncle Wen; instead, he charged straight at Harry.

Catch the leader first; if he rushed straight for Uncle Wen, he likely wouldn't be able to save him.

Light beams shot from the eight Magi’s staffs. The magic elements in the air fluctuated intensely, instantly forming four magic walls in front of Harry. Simultaneously, four magic light arrows pierced towards Chen Feng, two from the front and two from the rear.

The timing of these four magic arrows was precise. If Chen Feng continued his charge, he would certainly be blocked by the magic walls, and the arrows ahead would strike him. If he retreated, he would be hit by the arrows behind.

The magic shields and arrows formed almost simultaneously, testifying to the incredible tacit understanding between the eight of them.

The only way out of this situation was to immediately change direction and leap into the air. Otherwise, whether advancing or retreating, an attack was unavoidable.

Just as everyone expected Chen Feng to quickly leap to temporarily evade the offensive, they saw his forward speed was undiminished; he charged straight into the four magic walls ahead.

"Break!"

As Chen Feng rushed forward, he suddenly roared. The Ming Yu Sword in his hand instantly released a dark-red radiance. This light seemed almost tangible, exuding a dense killing aura as it cleaved towards the magic walls ahead.

The four magic walls, capable of withstanding a full-power strike from a five-star Dou Shi, were as fragile as tofu under Chen Feng’s Ming Yu Sword, dissolving into wisps of energy with a soft thud that dissipated into the air.

This forward thrust effectively meant Chen Feng drilled through the magic walls, naturally evading the four magic arrows.

"Ah..." Harry, seeing Chen Feng arrive before him so rapidly, broke out in a cold sweat. He channeled a Featherlight spell and leaped backward, but his speed compared to Chen Feng’s full-force charge was like that of a snail. A chilling sensation swept his neck as a sword imbued with killing intent was placed against his shoulder.

"Release Uncle Wen," Chen Feng demanded coldly.

The Ming Yu Sword, brimming with murderous intent, pressed against his neck, making Harry feel cold all over. He had never imagined this youth would act so recklessly, disregarding the old man he held captive. Cold sweat traced a path down his neck.

"Take the sword away, and I'll release him..." Harry’s previously arrogant and cold expression vanished, replaced by nervousness.

Chen Feng sneered, the Ming Yu Sword unwavering. A ball of purple flame emerged from the index finger of his left hand and swept toward Harry’s right hand.

"Ah..." Harry cried out in agony, trembling violently. A scorch mark appeared on his wrist, and his right hand fell to the ground.

The eight Magi, seeing Harry thwarted, dared not move and remained frozen in place.

"I'll say it again: Release Uncle Wen," Chen Feng continued coldly.

This statement, however, carried far more weight than before. Harry hurriedly instructed the two clansmen holding Uncle Wen, "Quickly, release him!"

These two clansmen, seeing their patriarch held hostage and having lost a hand, reluctantly let go of Uncle Wen and stood beside Harry, prepared to rescue their leader at any moment.

The released Uncle Wen looked no different than before, still listless. Chen Feng knew he must have been afflicted by some specialized magic and said coldly, "Remove the magic on Uncle Wen!"

"I didn't cast any magic on him..." Harry said urgently.

Chen Feng ignored him completely. He grasped Harry's right shoulder lightly and squeezed. With a series of crackling sounds, Harry's entire shoulder blade was crushed into countless fragments.

"Ah..." Harry involuntarily began to shiver, the intense pain threatening to make him lose consciousness.

"Quickly... remove his... magic..." Harry stammered through trembling lips, speaking in a low voice. His face was now pale, and the area where his arm was crushed began to swell and turn red.

The two clansmen who had been holding Uncle Wen exchanged a glance and simultaneously chanted a spell, pointing their staffs at Uncle Wen.

A faint greenish light pattern appeared on Uncle Wen’s body. The pattern slowly faded until it vanished completely.

After the light disappeared, Uncle Wen gradually regained his spirit and stood up, surveying his surroundings. "Where am I? Fifth Young Master, Patriarch Harry..."

Uncle Wen looked at Chen Feng holding the sword to the neck of Patriarch Harry and was struck speechless with shock.

Harry was the most powerful person in Dragon Mountain Town, so in Uncle Wen's mind, he had always been an invincible existence. To now see the Fifth Young Master, whom he had personally raised, holding this invincible figure in his grasp, how could he not be astonished?

Outside the door, the Leff clansmen seemed to have heard the commotion and surrounded the area three layers deep. The Magi who had been loudly demanding revenge for Butler Robin were among them—no fewer than ten.

Chen Feng wasn't afraid of these people, but he feared harming Uncle Wen if a fight broke out. Thus, he flashed the Ming Yu Sword at Harry's neck and said, "Lead the way. We're going out!"

"Good..." Harry agreed immediately, without any hesitation this time.

"Everyone, move aside..." Harry shouted anxiously.

The crowd gathered outside the door looked at each other in dismay when they saw their patriarch captured.

"We can't let him go! Kill this red-haired demon! He killed my parents..." A youth suddenly cried out in grief and indignation from the crowd.

"Don't let him go! Avenge our dead clansmen..." another middle-aged man shouted.

"Kill him..."

The Leff clansmen roared in unison.

Chen Feng looked at the incensed Leff clansmen with a cold smile, dragging the Ming Yu Sword across Harry’s neck, drawing a line of blood. "It seems your clansmen are not very obedient!"

Harry’s face was waxy, perhaps from injury or anger. He roared, "Fall back, all of you!"

The clansmen looked deeply humiliated and shouted in unison.

Chen Feng paid no mind to these low-level clansmen and pressed harder with the sword in his hand. "It seems your authority is limited. You might not be of much use anymore."

Harry quickly said anxiously, "Don't be rash, I... I will speak again!"

Before he finished speaking, a sharp cry echoed from a distance, sounding like a military assembly signal.

A moment later, the ground began to tremble, a sound like muffled thunder approaching from afar. This vibration was extremely intense, causing everyone’s face to turn pale with dread.

"It's... it's the Empire's legion..." someone shouted.

"What? A legion?" Everyone’s hearts tightened upon hearing the word 'legion,' and they couldn't help but tremble.

Even if many of these people were Mages above the third rank, if they truly encountered a legion, they would only face slaughter. Legions were the foundation of an Empire; how could it control a nation without strong combat capability!

Dust rose, and in a short while, every single member of the Leff family was surrounded by a group of heavily armored soldiers. These soldiers, each riding a tall warhorse and looking imposing, exuded a strong aura of killing intent that saturated the entire courtyard even before they arrived.

The Leff clansmen had never witnessed such a formation; many felt their legs weaken and collapsed to the ground.

Austin rode at the forefront on a massive warhorse, clad in heavy armor and wielding a long spear, looking exceptionally majestic.

"Ah, that... that is His Highness the Third Prince of the Empire..." A Leff clansman recognized Austin and exclaimed in shock.

"The Third Prince? Are you saying the Third Prince who is most capable of succeeding His Majesty?" Another person clearly found the claim hard to believe.

"Who else could it be? Heavens, why would His Highness the Third Prince come to our family... Has the end of the world arrived?" This person was nearly breaking down.

All the Leff clansmen, including the subordinates of Butler Robin mixed within the crowd, felt their minds short-circuiting. What great matter could bring an imperial heir leading troops in person?

"You group of transgressors who defy Imperial decree! Do you not kneel before His Highness the Prince!" a powerful voice rang out from horseback. Someone recognized the speaker immediately: it was Caspar, the commander of the First Regiment of the Dragon Mountain Town garrison.

As Caspar shouted, the surrounding soldiers coordinated with a collective roar. This shout was like rolling thunder, striking terror into the hearts of the crowd.

"We greet His Highness the Third Prince..." Everyone knelt down at the same moment.

The Empire's hierarchy was strictly enforced, and the royal family held immense deterrent power over commoners. Thus, once the identity of Austin was confirmed after Caspar’s announcement, everyone knelt without hesitation.

Even Uncle Wen knelt down in fear. The only ones remaining standing were Chen Feng and Harry, held under his long sword.

Harry turned his head toward Chen Feng, who held the sword to his neck, and said urgently, "That is His Highness the Prince! Kneel quickly! We can discuss our grievances after he leaves, or we will all be sentenced to execution of the entire clan..."

It seemed he held a deep fear of the Imperial royal family.

Austin, seated on his warhorse, suddenly clasped his fists and called out loudly, "Esteemed Lord Chen Feng, I, Austin, the Third Prince of the Fenlai Empire, regret my late arrival. I beg your pardon!"

ps:: Ugh, I lost track of the days, forgot today was Sunday. My girlfriend came over in the morning and dragged me out shopping. In the afternoon, she used the computer to make a slideshow... I didn't code all afternoon... I'm dizzy. I am guilty. There is one more chapter tonight. I won't make the 12,000 words today, but I guarantee 9,000. Please forgive me, brothers. Women... cough cough... what a hassle... (To be continued. To find out what happens next, please log on to www**com for more chapters, support the author, and support genuine reading!)