Second Chapter: Kissing Chen Yiyue

Everyone was astonished. This spendthrift had actually started haggling and become shrewd.

They knew that Yang Lingtian had never haggled before.

Many people had taken him for a sucker, quoting prices ten times higher than the original. As long as he liked something, he would buy it outright.

On top of that, he often hung around gambling dens, which had earned him the title of spendthrift.

When Boss Wang heard Yang Lingtian speak like that, he grew furious.

"Family Head Chen, look at your adopted son. He did something wrong and is still acting so arrogant."

"You should discipline him properly. A parasite and good-for-nothing like him could squander even the greatest family fortune."

At this, Chen Zhengqing looked displeased at Boss Wang's words, his tone turning sharp.

"That's enough, Boss Wang. How I discipline my adopted son is a family matter. Let's continue discussing the compensation."

"Ling Tian is right. The ordinary losses for your brothel would only amount to around twenty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones. There's no way I'll give you two hundred thousand."

The aura of Chen Zhengqing, a Golden Core expert, gradually spread outward. It was as though the temperature in the room suddenly plummeted, and the entire place fell deathly silent.

It was obvious that the Chen Family would only pay twenty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones in compensation.

After all, as one of Tianchen City's Four Great Families, the Chen Family still had its dignity to uphold. How could they allow someone to extort them?

Although Boss Wang's cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, he surprisingly showed no fear in the face of a Golden Core expert.

He was brimming with confidence and said arrogantly, "Hmph, Family Head Chen, don't try to scare me. My brothel has a share belonging to the City Lord's Mansion."

"I'm not asking for this on my own behalf. I'm asking on behalf of the City Lord's Mansion as well."

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood. So it turned out that Wang Chenghan had the City Lord's Mansion behind him.

Although the Four Great Families wielded considerable influence in Tianchen City, the greatest power was still the City Lord's Mansion.

After all, the City Lord's Mansion had more than one Golden Core expert, unlike the Four Great Families, each of which had only one Golden Core expert guarding it.

When Chen Zhengqing heard that Boss Wang was connected to the City Lord's Mansion, he became somewhat wary.

Yang Lingtian, however, did not care what connection Boss Wang had with the City Lord's Mansion. What concerned him most now was completing the task and claiming the reward.

Thus, he shouted, "I'll say it one more time. You must take these twenty thousand Spirit Stones. Not a single coin more, and not a single coin less."

Seeing that Yang Lingtian remained so unyielding even after he had invoked the City Lord's Mansion, Wang Chenghan's expression turned vicious.

"What? Young Master Yang, are you trying to oppose the City Lord's Mansion?"

Yang Lingtian still showed no fear. "Don't spout all that nonsense about the City Lord's Mansion. I'm asking you—are you taking the twenty thousand Spirit Stones or not?"

Chen Zhengqing was faintly astonished. When had this adopted son become so brave? He had the air of someone who feared neither Heaven nor Earth.

Afraid that the matter would escalate further, he immediately said, "All right, Boss Wang. Two hundred thousand is too much. How about one hundred thousand?"

Before Wang Chenghan could speak, Chen Lingtian shouted, "No. Twenty thousand."

"Adoptive father, don't be afraid. Even if he has ties to the City Lord's Mansion, the people there aren't so bored that they'd bother with a trivial matter like this."

"If we let him succeed in extorting us, with so many people watching, the Chen Family's reputation will be utterly ruined."

"Who will fear the Chen Family after this? They'll say we're weak."

After hearing this, Chen Zhengqing also felt that there was some truth to it. The City Lord's Mansion indeed would not interfere in such a minor matter.

However, if Wang Chenghan really went to complain, it would affect the relationship between the Chen Family and the City Lord's Mansion to some extent.

Still, compared to the Chen Family's dignity, that small impact was not important.

Thus, Chen Zhengqing changed his mind and said, "Boss Wang, don't be so greedy. The compensation is set at twenty thousand!"

Wang Chenghan was livid. Invoking the City Lord's Mansion had actually been useless, and he could not simply forcefully seize the money either.

Although he had some connection with the City Lord's Mansion, he had only recently managed to curry favor with a Vice City Lord.

He truly could not bring himself to trouble that person specifically over such a matter.

He could only mention it in passing the next time he went to report some important matter.

Helpless and furious, he said, "Twenty thousand? Are you trying to send off a beggar? I don't want it."

"Let's go!"

Wang Chenghan turned around and prepared to leave with his subordinates.

Seeing this, Yang Lingtian immediately shouted, "Stop!"

He then walked up to Wang Chenghan and stared fearlessly into his eyes.

"You'll take these twenty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones whether you want to or not. Don't even think about leaving without them."

"Otherwise, people will say that the Chen Family abused its power and refused to pay compensation."

Indeed, if Wang Chenghan did not take the compensation, the Chen Family would become the subject of gossip.

If he accepted it, the Chen Family would have done nothing wrong. They would have paid the compensation, and no one could say anything.

Wang Chenghan instantly flew into a towering rage.

A mere Qi Refining Stage cultivator actually dared to act so arrogantly and threaten him.

A wave of anger surged to his head. Fury clouded his reason, and he seemed to forget that Chen Zhengqing was still there.

The aura of the Foundation Establishment Realm erupted in an instant. He raised his hand, intending to teach Yang Lingtian a lesson.

"Impudent!" Chen Zhengqing's explosive shout was deafening.

With a flash, he appeared before Wang Chenghan and seized his raised hand.

"Boss Wang, do you take me for nonexistent?"

"A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator dares to show off his axe before me and try to hurt my adopted son?"

The overwhelming pressure of the Golden Core Stage focused entirely on Wang Chenghan, making it difficult for him to breathe, as though a great mountain were pressing down upon him.

"All right, all right, I'll take it! I'll take it! Isn't it enough that I'm taking these twenty thousand Spirit Stones?"

Wang Chenghan hurriedly conceded.

Only then did Chen Zhengqing withdraw his aura and release Wang Chenghan's hand.

He then took out twenty thousand Spirit Stones and tossed them to him.

After taking the Spirit Stones, Wang Chenghan hurriedly left. Once he had gone some distance, he turned around and threw out one last vicious threat.

"Just you wait!"

As Wang Chenghan departed, the onlookers dispersed as well.

However, Yang Lingtian's abnormal performance today left them puzzled.

They did not investigate further, though. After all, they had only come to watch the excitement.

At this moment, the system's voice arrived right on schedule.

[Congratulations, host, on helping the Chen Family save face and overcome a crisis.]

[As the first reward, you have obtained the strongest cultivation technique, Chaos Dao Divine Art.]

[Additionally, you have received one damaged Chaos Bead.]

"What? A damaged Chaos Bead?"

"Why didn't it reward me with an intact one?"

Chen Ling Tian secretly complained, but he consoled himself.

"Forget it. With my current cultivation, even a damaged Chaos Bead should be a Supreme Treasure to me."

"Still, this strongest cultivation technique is pretty good. Chaos Dao Divine Art sounds incredibly formidable."

A surge of information rushed into his mind, causing his head to throb as though it were splitting apart.

"The universe began in chaos. Chaos evolved into the myriad worlds, the source of the Great Dao, transcending the ten thousand Daos... Chaos Dao Divine Art."

The entire cultivation technique was engraved in Yang Lingtian's mind, but with his current strength, he could only cultivate the simplest portion.

The damaged Chaos Bead appeared in his dantian.

He gained an even deeper understanding of the Chaos Bead's power.

The Chaos Bead was a chaos Supreme Treasure. It contained the Great Dao Laws and could evolve an entire world.

It contained terrifying power capable of destroying Heaven and Earth.

Unfortunately, it was damaged now and had fallen into silence.

While Yang Lingtian was still carefully sensing it, Chen Zhengqing called out to him.

"Ling Tian, return to the manor, then come to the main hall."

Chen Zhengqing was somewhat pleased inwardly. He could see that Yang Lingtian had changed a little.

Previously, he had been timid and shrinking, looking like someone who would never accomplish anything.

Now he dared to step forward on his own, and his presence was imposing and fearless.

However, Chen Zhengqing was also somewhat furious about Yang Lingtian's rampage at the brothel.

Thus, he planned to summon him to the main hall for questioning.

Chen Zhengqing flew away, and Yang Lingtian followed closely behind toward the main hall.

Chen Manor was large. Although the Chen Family had only become one of Tianchen City's Four Great Families a few decades ago and lacked the deep foundations of the other three families, it had developed rapidly in recent years, and its strength was not to be underestimated.

Moreover, Chen Zhengqing was one of Tianchen City's seven Golden Core experts.

The Chen Family's recognition as one of Tianchen City's great families was largely due to having a Golden Core expert guarding it.

Inside the main hall, Chen Zhengqing, Liu Yingxue, and his fiancée Chen Yiyue were seated beside a table.

It had to be said that Chen Yiyue truly was an unparalleled beauty.

Her appearance and figure were more stunning than every beauty he had ever seen on Blue Star.

However, he was destined to become the strongest. Women would only affect the speed at which he drew his blade.

Thus, his heart remained completely unmoved.

[Ding! As a strong man, your woman should worship you. A long-term mission has been issued: win Chen Yiyue's heart.]

"Uh, I'm not interested in women, but I do want the reward!"

"Looks like I'll have to think of a way to make Chen Yiyue fall for me."

At this moment, Chen Yiyue looked at Yang Lingtian with disdain and displeasure.

Although Yang Lingtian was fresh-faced and handsome, with swordlike brows and starry eyes, he could be considered a strikingly handsome man.

However, his spendthrift behavior and aimless debauchery since childhood had made her deeply resentful.

He had been a useless spendthrift before, and now he had started womanizing as well, going to places like brothels.

This left her sorely disappointed.

Everyone was furious about Yang Lingtian's rampage at the brothel the previous night, especially his future mother-in-law, Liu Yingxue.

The moment Yang Lingtian arrived, she did not give him a pleasant look and began interrogating him.

"Ling Tian, do you know what you did wrong?"

"You're going to marry into my family and become my daughter's husband. How could you go to a place like a brothel?"

"You're already so old, yet you have no sense of shame."

Clearly, Liu Yingxue's anger had not yet faded. She truly did not want her daughter to marry such an unpromising good-for-nothing.

But her husband had made the engagement long ago and insisted that Liu Yingxue marry her daughter to Ling Tian, so she had no choice but to obey.

Yang Lingtian's brows furrowed slightly. Being reprimanded was indeed unpleasant.

He was a man with principles and a sense of shame.

Back on Blue Star, no matter how badly he had been pent up, he had never gone around fooling with women.

Yang Lingtian replied calmly, "Don't worry. I won't go to that kind of place again."

"Let's end this matter here. There's no need to keep bringing it up."

Liu Yingxue grew even angrier, and her expression became uglier.

"You want to end it without explaining yourself?"

"When you first went to the gambling den, you said the same thing after other people beat you and sent you back. You said you wouldn't go again."

"And what happened? Later, you only became worse."

"Every time, you returned covered in debt after losing everything, and we had to clean up your mess."