The loud, crisp slap stunned every knight into disbelief; the family members, as if injected with stimulants, flushed crimson, palms sweating with tension, shouting their satisfaction, feeling that the humiliation of the past few days was finally being avenged.

"You dare strike me? Do you know who I am?" the lead knight roared, clutching his reddened, swollen face.

Chen Feng glanced sideways at him, completely ignoring the man, sensing he had no common ground with such an imbecile; to be struck off his horse and still try to act superior—wasn't that just asking for death?

"Xiao Wu, you're back..." Qigu trembled with excitement, feeling even more indebted to him.

The last time, he had returned to save the family; this time too. He had just broken his arm, yet Chen Feng always arrived to rescue them at the family's most critical moments. This bond...

Chen Feng surveyed the crowd, intending to speak, but found nothing to say; only now did he realize that an invisible chasm still separated him from the Kaint family.

"You..." The lead knight trembled with rage as Chen Feng ignored him, roaring, "Seize him!"

"Yes!" Seven or eight riders immediately charged forward, surrounding Chen Feng.

"Brother Chen Feng, watch out!" The young girl's crisp voice rang out. Chen Feng spared her a glance, offered a slight smile, then narrowed his eyes at the surrounding knights, letting out a sudden, sharp shout.

"Scram!"

This single word carried an overwhelming, potent aura. As soon as the shout finished, the horses beneath the knights panicked, throwing their riders off with cries of alarm.

These knights had endured countless trials; their coordination with their mounts was nearly at the point of unity between man and horse. They could never have imagined being thrown from their saddles by a single shout from a youth. Rising to their feet, they calmed their frightened mounts, then looked back at Chen Feng; their gazes now held a measure of awe, hesitating to advance.

"Vanish from my sight immediately, and I will spare you. Otherwise, never leave!" Chen Feng stated calmly to the knights.

"Good, good!" A ferocious look spread across the lead knight's face. "I never thought someone would dare act so arrogantly in front of me. Let me tell you, we have one hundred thousand garrison troops stationed outside. Even a Dou Zun expert would find only a dead end inside. Kneel down today and hand over the hidden wealth of your family, and I might spare your dog life. Otherwise, I’ll report to the General and have your family utterly erased from this world!"

Smack!

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp pain struck the other side of his face. It felt as though it had been scorched by fire, the skin tearing open with a faint smell of charring. The youth he had just seen was suddenly before him again, his face utterly devoid of emotion. "I did not wish to kill anyone!"

"You dare..." The lead knight tried to utter some platitudes, but catching Chen Feng's ice-cold gaze, he swallowed the words instantly.

"I have always been very bold," Chen Feng replied, flicking his finger. The knight’s pupils contracted violently, followed by a shriek as he instantly exploded as if packed with tons of dynamite!

Shredded flesh and blood scattered toward Chen Feng, but they dropped to the ground a full half-meter before him, not a single drop staining his body.

"Who else thinks I won't kill them?" Chen Feng surveyed the area.

At this sight, no one dared speak. Though their leader had been killed on the spot, the method was too bizarre, too powerful. As long as they wanted to live, they dared not breathe too loudly.

"Hmph, all of you, get back and tell your master, His Majesty Suo Men, to clean his neck and wait for me to arrive and kill him!" Chen Feng finished, turning away from the group of knights.

"Go!" One of the knights shouted, and they quickly wheeled their horses around, galloping back the way they came. The leader was dead; the priority was to return and report, summoning more forces.

As for avenging their leader, they didn't even consider it. The killing intent and gaze emanating from the youth made their limbs feel weak; they certainly weren't thinking of fighting.

"Brother Chen Feng is so amazing!" Once the others had left, the young girl cheered and ran over.

The Kaint family members also struggled to process what had happened. They might not have known the cultivation level of the lead knight, but everyone else did. He had been visiting daily for days, possessing a cultivation so high that even Patriarch Qigu, a Fourth-Level Dou Shi, was no match for him. Yet Chen Feng had destroyed him into fragments of flesh with a mere snap of his fingers. This strength... it was simply unimaginable!

"Patriarch..." Elder Yuqing called out. "How did you manage that?"

These people knew nothing of the Sacred Domain, so they couldn't possibly comprehend the methods of killing used there. Chen Feng offered no explanation.

After four years of rest and recovery, the clan population had grown significantly, now numbering perhaps one or two hundred souls. Every one of them looked at Chen Feng with expressions of adoration.

"I never expected it would be you who came to save the clan again this time!" Qigu sighed, a wry smile touching his resolute face.

"I was just passing by," Chen Feng said.

"Passing by?" Qigu shook his head. "Don't lie to yourself anymore. I knew I was wrong the day you left; I realized it then! I apologize! I banished you from the family, yet you have repeatedly saved us. Which member of this family doesn't recognize this deep devotion..."

Qigu looked towards the others as he spoke. One clansman shouted loudly, "Patriarch Chen Feng, stop deflecting! You must have rushed over as soon as you knew the family was in danger. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that you returned to save us twice when danger struck the family?"

Chen Feng was momentarily speechless upon hearing this; it seemed impossible to explain clearly, so he said no more.

Seeing his silence, the others assumed they had guessed correctly and were filled with excitement. Having such a patriarch seemed like a wonderful thing!

Following the others back to the main assembly hall, Xiao Hu and Ling Feng trailed behind.

"These two are..." Qigu asked upon seeing Ling Feng and the other.

"My friends," Chen Feng answered briefly.

Qigu saw he wasn't eager to elaborate and didn't press further, instead sighing deeply. "Actually, you shouldn't have returned! The Finlay Empire is nearly collapsing. They say some Grand Competition is about to be held. Regardless of the outcome, the Empire faces being carved up by the Locke Empire and the Tony Empire... If you return now, their armies will surely capture you too! By then, our family will truly be finished!"

"The Grand Competition cannot be held," Chen Feng responded flatly. The Grand Academy was in ruins thanks to him; how could they possibly hold the Grand Competition?

Although Chen Feng was displeased with Qigu, his revenge was complete, and Qigu was genuinely worried about him. There was no need to maintain the pretense of enmity.

"It cannot be held?" Qigu didn't know the reason but found himself believing it. He continued, "You just let those knights go. Once they report back, the hundred thousand troops stationed outside Dragon Mountain Town will charge in, and our family will be annihilated just the same! None of us clansmen will escape, but if something happens to you, who will inherit the wealth I've painstakingly preserved?"

"What wealth?" Chen Feng asked.

"The fortune we've accumulated in your name over these years!" Qigu explained slowly.

After Chen Feng left, the Finlay Imperial family had placed the industries of several original noble houses under Chen Feng's name, then spared no effort in helping the Kaint family develop. Consequently, in just over four years, the Kaint family's wealth had become the foremost in the entire Finlay Empire.

Qigu understood the principle that high branches attract the wind. Over these four years, the family’s overt businesses were moved underground, and before the Locke Empire coalition forces even arrived, all transferable liquid funds had been moved elsewhere!

When the coalition forces arrived and couldn't locate the true assets, they besieged the Kaint family, demanding they hand over their hidden wealth. Today was the final deadline.

"How much money is there?" Chen Feng couldn't help but ask. One hundred thousand troops stationed outside the city—if the money wasn't enough, it might not persuade them.

"A little over a billion Purple Gold Coins," Qigu said.

"A billion?" Chen Feng was also startled. No wonder the coalition forces were greedy; it could truly be called wealth rivaling a nation!

"It is all under your name. His Majesty Austin also explicitly guaranteed that he would spare no effort to find you, and as soon as there is news of you, he will immediately give you this sum. I believe an Emperor would not be someone who speaks without keeping his word!" Qigu explained.

"Austin?" Chen Feng recalled the man who had steadfastly held the ground outside the city for two or three years when he first entered Tianfeng City. These were all arrangements made by Austin; it seemed he truly hadn't given up looking for him.

"We've hidden this fund. When His Majesty Austin eventually finds you, you can follow the hints the Emperor provides to locate this money. Then, with proper management, there’s no worry about the family rebuilding!" Qigu proposed.

Chen Feng hadn't expected Qigu to have such plans. He wasn't cut out for business anyway, and money wouldn't be of much use to him. He shook his head. "I don't need the money, and you don't need to worry about the family being destroyed. As long as I am here, no one will dare move against us!"

This statement was incredibly arrogant, yet Qigu, for some reason, nodded involuntarily, believing his words.

"Where is Uncle Wen?" Chen Feng suddenly remembered the kind old man who had treated him well. He wondered how the man was faring after Chen Feng had left.

"He..." Qigu's face instantly darkened at the mention of "Uncle Wen."

Chen Feng sensed something was wrong and urgently asked, "Speak quickly, what happened to him?"

"Alas!" Qigu sighed deeply. "A few days ago, when the coalition commander visited for the first time, there was a conflict with the family. When he forcefully searched the premises, Uncle Wen tried to stop him... and was killed on the spot!"

"What?" Chen Feng shot to his feet. "You said Uncle Wen is dead?"

"Yes," Qigu confirmed.

"Who was that commander? What is his name?" Chen Feng asked coldly, his eyes filled with killing intent.

ps: Monthly tickets, it's double period, everyone with monthly tickets, please give them to Lao Ya! I beg you, thank you... (To be continued, to know what happens next, please log in to www**m, more chapters, support the author, support legitimate reading!)