"Haha..."
"Qin Gengxin, Qin Zizai, long time no see."
Just as the Liu Family stood helplessly amid the pointing fingers and murmurs of the onlookers, a figure appeared in midair.
"Chou Yin, why aren't you staying obediently at Heavenly Firmament Academy? What are you doing here?"
Qin Gengxin snorted coldly and spoke with clear displeasure.
His voice carried an immense pressure.
Liu Chongshan only felt a mountain of pressure bearing down on him, his blood and qi churning within his body.
His legs slipped beyond his control.
With a thud, he fell to his knees before everyone.
The sudden turn of events left everyone dumbfounded.
Chou Yin's face darkened as well.
It was deliberate.
That damned Qin Gengxin had done it on purpose.
"This old man has come today to mediate the conflict between your two families."
As he spoke, Chou Yin waved his hand.
Only then did the pressure weighing down on Liu Chongshan vanish completely.
Liu Chongshan secretly heaved a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, he had prepared for this long ago and attached himself to Heavenly Firmament Academy.
For now, only by clinging tightly to Heavenly Firmament Academy's thigh could the Liu Family remain safe and sound.
"Just you?"
Qin Gengxin snorted disdainfully.
Hearing this, Chou Yin suppressed the anger in his heart and said with a genial smile, "This old man understands the full course of this matter."
"Indeed, the Liu Family acted without sufficient consideration."
"As the saying goes, it is easier to dissolve enmity than to forge it. I ask everyone to give this old man some face."
"This old man is willing to apologize to Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate on the Liu Family's behalf. Let this matter end here."
Chou Yin spoke lightly.
It was as though he were discussing some utterly ordinary triviality.
Liu Ruyan's personal visit to break off the engagement had been no different from slapping Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate across the face.
Now that Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate had mobilized in force, if it were driven back by the persuasion of a mere Heavenly Firmament Academy elder, Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate would lose all face.
When that time came.
Heavenly Firmament Academy's reputation would soar.
And he, Chou Yin, could use his achievement of driving back Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate to make his name resound throughout the Heavenly Flame Empire.
He might even gain the favor of the Left Prime Minister and the First Prince, soaring to the heavens in a single step.
It had to be said.
Chou Yin had considered matters quite thoroughly.
Although this move might offend Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate.
So long as he succeeded, he would gain both fame and profit.
"Haha..."
"What a fine 'let this matter end here.' The Liu Family swallowed so many of this Young Lord's resources, and you think one sentence of 'let this matter end here' can settle everything?"
"You, Chou Yin, are nothing but a nobody. If you don't want to die, get as far away as you can."
"If you want to be buried alongside the Liu Family, this Young Lord does not mind rewarding you with a coffin as well."
Qin Anlan unleashed a torrent of words at Chou Yin.
His tone was as arrogant as arrogance could be.
He did not place this Heavenly Firmament Academy elder in his eyes in the slightest.
One had to know.
Chou Yin was an elder of Heavenly Firmament Academy and a top expert at the Saint Lord Realm.
Throughout the entire Heavenly Flame Empire, he was a prominent figure of considerable standing.
Yet now.
He was being cursed by a junior like Qin Anlan, who was merely at the Emperor Realm.
It was the same as grinding Chou Yin's face into the ground.
Especially as Qin Anlan cursed without restraint, discussions rose from the surrounding crowd.
Every word was mocking Chou Yin.
Those remarks made Chou Yin's expression look as ugly as if he had eaten shit.
Well, now.
It was one thing for the Liu Family to lose face.
But they had dragged Chou Yin's reputation through the mud and turned him into a laughingstock.
Even the entire Heavenly Firmament Academy would likely lose face along with him.
If he still took no action, he feared that he would not be able to explain himself to those people upon returning to Heavenly Firmament Academy.
Chou Yin's eyes widened in fury as he stared fixedly at Qin Anlan and said in a deep voice, "Young Lord, do not go too far."
"This elder represents not only myself, but the entire Heavenly Firmament Academy. Are you certain you wish to make an enemy of all Heavenly Firmament Academy?"
"What a fine 'making an enemy of Heavenly Firmament Academy.'" Qin Anlan said with a face full of disdain. "Not to mention that a mere Chou Yin like you cannot represent Heavenly Firmament Academy at all."
"This Young Lord will kill every member of the Liu Family today. No one can protect them."
"If anyone overestimates themselves, this Young Lord does not mind sending them on their way as well."
As he spoke, an immense killing intent erupted from Qin Anlan's body.
Hiss!
Even Chou Yin, a powerful Saint Lord-level expert, could not help drawing in a sharp breath, his brows knitting tightly.
He had not come here under the orders of Heavenly Firmament Academy's headmaster, who was also the current Left Prime Minister.
Rather, he had come at the request of Heavenly Firmament Academy's chief disciple, Ye Qingyun.
It seemed that the Liu Family's eldest daughter, Liu Rumei, had some connection with Ye Qingyun.
Ye Qingyun was one of the disciples most highly valued by the Left Prime Minister.
He was also close to the current First Prince.
Furthermore, he was the disciple of Heavenly Firmament Academy's Number One Female Expert.
With so many halos above his head.
Ye Qingyun had become a red-hot figure within Heavenly Firmament Academy.
Even Chou Yin, an elder of Heavenly Firmament Academy and a Saint Lord Realm expert, had to give him some measure of respect.
But relying on Ye Qingyun alone to face Qin Anlan, the Young Lord of Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate.
Left Chou Yin without the slightest confidence.
Yet matters had already reached this point.
With so many eyes watching, how could he possibly wrap this up?
Chou Yin was now caught between a rock and a hard place—retreating was not an option, and advancing was even less so.
Not to mention that Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate stood above the rest in power and was absolutely not someone a mere Chou Yin could provoke.
Even Ye Qingyun, Heavenly Firmament Academy's chief disciple, or even Heavenly Firmament Academy's headmaster, the current Left Prime Minister, would not dare casually provoke Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate.
Take the present situation.
Setting aside the many experts of Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate.
Seventh Elder Qin Zizai was at the Peak Saint stage.
By contrast, Chou Yin was only at the Early Saint stage.
They were two stages apart, and the gap in their strength was anything but slight.
For experts at their level, each step was a world apart.
Whether in strength or cultivation, he was far from Qin Zizai's match.
If he truly came to blows with the people of Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate, the one who would die would certainly be Chou Yin.
Chou Yin understood this perfectly well.
Even if he could somehow defeat these people, so what?
Divine Marquis of Zhenguo's Estate was filled with experts like clouds. Crushing Chou Yin to death would be easier than crushing an ant.
At that thought, Chou Yin had already begun to consider retreating.
He could not win a fight, nor could he truly fight.
Reasoning with them did not work either.
Could they still have a pleasant time playing like this?
But he could not truly retreat.
After all.
Chou Yin represented Heavenly Firmament Academy.
Once he retreated, Heavenly Firmament Academy's reputation would plummet.
After returning, Chou Yin would have difficulty explaining himself to Ye Qingyun, and even more difficulty explaining himself to the First Prince and the Left Prime Minister.
With that in mind, Chou Yin piled a smile onto his face, clasped his hands toward Qin Anlan, and said, "Young Lord, the Liu Family was indeed in the wrong first."
"But the Liu Family has already recognized its mistakes and has attached itself to Heavenly Firmament Academy."
"I ask Young Lord to show mercy for the sake of Lord Left Prime Minister and the First Prince, and spare them this once."
"For the sake of the Left Prime Minister and the First Prince?" Qin Anlan snorted coldly. "Are you using those two to pressure this Young Lord?"
Before you continue