Heaven-Surpassing Divine Emperor

"Lui Yifa, if you don’t hand over the slots, then don’t blame me for enforcing family law!" Grand Elder Lui Chen said, his expression grave.

Lui Xiao closed in, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as he stared fixedly at Lui Guan. "Lui Yifa, you colluded with an outsider, disregarding the family’s interests. That’s a violation of family law deserving of severe punishment! And you, Lui Guan! You’re the Patriarch, yet you don’t act in the family’s best interest. Instead, you help an outsider! When we get back, I’ll join the other Elders and have you impeached!"

A triumphant smirk appeared on Lui Xun’s face as he sneered, "Lui Yifa? Jiang Chen? Hmph, you’re certainly capable, managing to hunt so many Demon Beasts in just a few days to win five slots. But so what? With just a few words, I can snatch the fruits of your victory. What can you possibly do about it?"

The Lui Family’s Second Elder, Third Elder...

All the experts stepped forward, closing in on Lui Yifa and his father.

Although Patriarch Lui Guan was usually fair and impartial, earning him great prestige...

...in the face of slots for the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm, everyone chose to ignore all that. These were slots for the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm, after all! If they could get inside, finding even a single treasure or inheritance would be enough for them to soar to unimaginable heights.

Who would be willing to give up such a precious opportunity?

Lui Yifa’s face was pale, his back soaked with cold sweat. He looked at Lui Guan, his expression full of self-reproach. "Father, I’ve dragged you into this!"

"You foolish boy, what nonsense is this? Our actions are blameless. I am proud to have a son like you!"

Lui Guan gently patted Lui Yifa’s head and stepped in front of him, shielding him. He looked resolutely at the Lui Family members across from them, his eyes filled with deep disappointment. "The ancestral teachings of our Lui Family state that we must never be ungrateful, never betray our friends. I never imagined that for a few slots to the Celestial Demon Ancient Realm, you would all forget the edicts of our ancestors. If that’s how it is, then I might as well give up my position as Patriarch! But today, anyone who wants to snatch these slots from my son will have to get through me, Lui Guan, first!"

The aura of the True Martial Realm Second Stage erupted from him without reservation.

Surging True Essence rolled out like a great river, and his entire figure seemed to grow much taller.

Lui Xiao’s expression flickered. He was only at the Peak of True Martial Realm First Stage and was no match for Lui Guan. "Grand Elder, Lui Guan has gone mad! He’s turning against the entire family for an outsider!"

"Lui Guan, you have disappointed me greatly. It seems you truly are unfit to hold the position of Patriarch."

The Grand Elder sighed deeply, his gaze suddenly sharpening as he stared at the father and son. "I will deal with Lui Guan. Lui Xiao, you go and capture Lui Yifa. The slots he holds must be handed over to the Lui Family!"

"Understood!"

Lui Xiao broke into a savage grin.

A battle was about to erupt. Isolated and outnumbered, facing their entire family, the father and son felt a profound sense of desolation.

Just then...

A slender figure entered everyone’s line of sight. The newcomer was handsome, with well-defined features and sharp, sword-like eyebrows. He gave a slight flick of his brow, and his eyes, as bright as the blazing sun, swept over the members of the Lui Family. He spoke coolly, "Going back on your word, faithless and treacherous. Mobilizing the entire clan against your own Patriarch over a few slots... is this the renowned Lui Family? I see your reputation is greater than the reality."

"Hm?"

Lui Chen’s expression darkened as he glared at Jiang Chen. "Who are you? Who gave you the audacity to openly insult the Lui Family?"

Lui Xiao glared. "You audacious punk, do you have any idea who you’re talking to?"

The experts who had previously tried to besiege and kill Jiang Chen had all been annihilated.

The only survivor, Zhao Qiankun, had been wounded in the arm during Jiang Chen’s counterattack and had yet to return from his convalescence. Thus, while everyone in the Celestial Demon Canyon knew there was an "Evil Star" who had killed masters like Gongsun Yangg and Chen Yidao, no one knew his true identity.

Lui Xun, of course, was also unaware. Otherwise, he never would have had the guts to try and steal Jiang Chen’s slots.

Now, seeing Jiang Chen appear, a cold gleam flashed in Lui Xun’s eyes. He whispered, "Father, that’s Jiang Chen."

"Oh? So he’s the one who made that bet with you?" Lui Xiao paused for a moment, then nodded, a look of contempt in his eyes. "Hmph, merely at the Martial Arts Ninth Stage. No matter how monstrous his talent, he’s still a mortal. I am a mighty True Monarch of the True Martial Realm. Dealing with a mere ant from the Martial Arts Realm will be child’s play."

The Profound Yellow Undying Technique was unparalleled at concealing one’s power. As long as Jiang Chen didn’t make a move, no one could gauge his true depth.

Hearing Lui Xun’s words, the members of the Lui Family began to jeer. "Someone from the mere Martial Arts Realm dares to act so arrogantly before the Lui Family?"

"I’ve seen plenty of country bumpkins like him. They’ve never seen the real world, so they get a little bit of skill and think they’re invincible. They’re actually just cowards. Once he realizes how powerful the Lui Family is, he’ll know to back off!"

Jiang Chen remained perfectly calm, completely unfazed by their taunts.

’Why would a dragon care about the idle chattering of ants?’

He glanced sideways at Lui Yifa and smiled. "Afa, you’ve been wronged because of me."

"Boss..."

Lui Yifa’s eyes turned red as he said excitedly, "I knew you would come back! I still need to carve a statue of you and place it in the Ancestral Hall for worship! There was no way you wouldn’t return!"

"..." Jiang Chen rolled his eyes. ’Damn it, how is he still on about worshiping me?’

He gave a wry smile and turned to Lui Guan, nodding respectfully. "Jiang Chen pays his respects, Uncle."

"Good, good, good!"

Lui Guan stared intently at Jiang Chen. The young man before him felt completely unfathomable. He couldn’t help but say, "For Afa to have a boss like you is a blessing that spans three lifetimes!"

Lui Yifa puffed out his chest, looking proud.

Little White glanced at him and curled its lip in disdain.

"Uncle, Afa, wait just a moment. I have a small debt to collect first." As he spoke, Jiang Chen’s gaze fell on Lui Xun, who was standing behind Lui Xiao. He crooked a finger at him and gave a wicked smile. "Lui Xun, I’m here now. Isn’t it time we settled the score between us?"

"Y-You, what are you trying to do?" Lui Xun flinched. The wicked smile on Jiang Chen’s lips reminded him of the peerless young man who had slain the Qinghuo Gang’s expert with a single slash of his sword.

With his level of strength, he was no match for Jiang Chen.

Lui Xiao’s expression hardened. He took a large step to stand in front of Lui Xun and boomed, "Kid, I don’t care who you are or what grudge you have with my son. But this is Lui Family territory. Here, whether you’re a tiger or a dragon, you’d better lie down and stay put."

Lui Xun’s confidence instantly surged. Sneering at Jiang Chen, he cried, "Father, he’s the one who said he was going to cripple me! You have to get justice for me!"

"Rest assured, my son. With me here, no one will harm a single hair on your head!"

Lui Xiao spoke with confidence. He then glanced to the side, unleashing the full pressure of his True Martial Realm First Stage cultivation to crush down on Jiang Chen. "Brat, I hear you’re arrogant enough to want to cripple my son? Today, I, Lui Xiao, will give you an ultimatum. Kneel before my son, kowtow, and beg for his forgiveness. Do that, and I might leave your corpse intact. Otherwise, I’ll make you wish you were dead!"

"Heh."

Jiang Chen gave a faint smile. Without sparing Lui Xiao a single glance, he narrowed his eyes at Lui Xun. "So, you’re determined to renege on our bet, are you?"

"Jiang Chen, stop putting on a brave face! With my father here, you can’t even save yourself, so what could you possibly do to me?" Lui Xun said confidently, no longer afraid.

Jiang Chen shook his head and sighed. "I gave you a chance. If you had honored our bet, I would have only crippled your cultivation. But since you insist on reneging, you can’t blame me for what comes next."

With that, Jiang Chen strode purposefully toward Lui Xun.

"Insolent brat! Die!"

Lui Xiao roared. The power of the True Martial Realm First Stage erupted instantly, coalescing into a massive black True Essence Hand that smashed down toward Jiang Chen.

Lui Guan’s expression changed. "Get out of the way!"

Lui Xun’s face twisted into a savage sneer. "Idiot! How dare you underestimate my father? He’s a mighty expert of the True Martial Realm! Beneath the True Martial Realm, all are ants. You’re dead for sure!"

"Lui Yifa actually follows an idiot like that?"

"Hahaha, is this kid really planning to take a blow from a True Martial Realm expert head-on? He’s got a death wish!"

"Before a True Martial Realm expert, even the strongest Martial Arts Realm cultivator is nothing but an ant. This attack will turn that kid, Jiang Chen, into a bloody pulp!"

The commotion had long ago drawn the attention of many onlookers, who now shook their heads and sighed.

However...

...in the very next moment, all such talk came to an abrupt halt. Every mouth snapped shut, and every eye went wide.

Facing the attack from the True Martial Realm expert Lui Xiao, Jiang Chen simply raised his hand and casually slapped out. With a loud SMACK, the immensely powerful True Essence Hand was shattered into fragments. The slap then landed squarely on Lui Xiao’s face, sending him flying.

As everyone stared, dumbfounded, Jiang Chen snorted with contempt. "You think you’re worthy of stopping me?"

His gaze then fell back upon Lui Xun, who was now trembling from head to toe, frozen in terror...