Kissing Chen Yiyue

Everyone was stunned—this prodigal son was actually haggling, getting sharp all of a sudden.

They knew Yang Lingtian had never bargained before.

Many had taken him for a fool, charging him ten times the market price, and if he fancied something, he'd just buy it outright.

Add in his constant gambling, and that's how he'd earned his reputation as a wastrel.

Boss Wang, hearing Yang Lingtian speak like this, started fuming.

"Head of the Chen Family, look at this foster son of yours—does something wrong and still acts arrogant."

"Get him under control. A parasite and a waste like him could drain the biggest fortune."

At this, Chen Zhengqing's face darkened, and his tone turned sharp.

"Enough, Boss Wang. How I manage my foster son is my family affair. Let's get back to discussing compensation."

"Lingtian's right. The normal losses for your brothel are around twenty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones at most. There's no way you're getting two hundred thousand."

Chen Zhengqing's aura as a Golden Core expert began to seep out, as if the temperature in the room had plummeted, leaving dead silence.

Clearly, the Chen Family would only pay twenty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones as compensation.

After all, the Chen Family, as one of the Four Great Families of Tianchen City, had its face to uphold—how could they let themselves be extorted?

Though Boss Wang was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm, he showed no fear facing a Golden Core expert.

He was full of confidence, speaking arrogantly: "Hmph, Head of the Chen Family, don't try to scare me. My brothel has a share held by the City Lord's Mansion."

"I'm not just asking for myself—I'm asking on behalf of the City Lord's Mansion too."

Hearing this, the crowd suddenly understood—so Wang Chenghan had the City Lord's Mansion backing him.

Though the Four Great Families held great sway in Tianchen City, the biggest power was still the City Lord's Mansion.

Because the City Lord's Mansion had more than one Golden Core expert, unlike the Four Great Families, each with only one.

Chen Zhengqing, hearing that Boss Wang had ties to the City Lord's Mansion, felt a twinge of caution.

But Yang Lingtian didn't care who he was connected to. Right now, his only concern was completing the mission and claiming the reward.

So he shouted, "I'll say it one more time. You're taking these twenty thousand Spirit Stones—not a coin more, not a coin less."

Wang Chenghan, having already invoked the City Lord's Mansion, was stunned that Yang Lingtian was still so stubborn.

His face twisted with malice. "What, Young Master Yang, are you trying to oppose the City Lord's Mansion?"

Yang Lingtian showed no fear. "Don't drag the City Lord's Mansion into this. I'm asking you—are you taking the twenty thousand Spirit Stones or not?"

Chen Zhengqing was inwardly surprised. When had this foster son grown so bold, with that fearless, unyielding streak?

Afraid things would escalate further, he quickly said, "Alright, Boss Wang. Two hundred thousand is too much. How about one hundred thousand?"

Before Wang Chenghan could answer, Yang Lingtian cut in directly, "No. Just twenty thousand."

"Foster Father, don't be afraid. Even if he has ties to the City Lord's Mansion, they're not bored enough to meddle in a petty matter like this."

"If we let him extort us, with so many people watching, the Chen Family's face will be completely lost."

"From now on, who would fear us? They'd call us weak."

Chen Zhengqing, hearing this, found it reasonable. The City Lord's Mansion indeed wouldn't bother with such a trivial affair.

But if Wang Chenghan actually went to complain, it would still affect the Chen Family's relationship with the City Lord's Mansion to some degree.

Still, compared to the Chen Family's reputation, that impact wasn't so important.

So Chen Zhengqing changed his tune. "Boss Wang, don't be too greedy. The compensation is set at twenty thousand."

Wang Chenghan was furious. Even invoking the City Lord's Mansion hadn't worked, and he couldn't force it either.

Though he had some connection to the City Lord's Mansion, it was only a recent tie to a Vice City Lord.

He really couldn't bring himself to bother him over something like this.

He'd just have to mention it in passing next time he went to report something important.

Helpless and enraged, he spat, "Twenty thousand? That's pocket change for beggars. I don't want it."

"Let's go!"

Wang Chenghan turned to leave with his men.

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

Then he walked right up to Wang Chenghan, staring him straight in the eye without a trace of fear.

"You're taking these twenty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones whether you want to or not. If you don't, you're not leaving."

"Otherwise, people will say the Chen Family bullies the weak and refuses to pay compensation."

Indeed, if Wang Chenghan didn't take the compensation, the Chen Family would invite gossip.

If he did take it, the Chen Family wouldn't be in the wrong—they'd paid up, and no one could say a thing.

Wang Chenghan's rage boiled over.

A mere Qi Refining Stage nobody dared to be so arrogant and insolent, threatening him like this.

A surge of rage rushed to his head, fury clouding his mind, as if he had forgotten Chen Zhengqing was still there.

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

"How dare you!" Chen Zhengqing's roar was deafening.

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

"Boss Wang, are you pretending I don't exist?"

"A mere Foundation Establishment brat, showing off in front of me, trying to harm my adopted son?"

The overwhelming pressure of a Golden Core expert bore down entirely on Wang Chenghan, making it hard for him to breathe, as if a great mountain had crushed him.

"Fine, fine, fine, I'll take it, I'll take it. I'll take these twenty thousand spirit stones, alright?"

Wang Chenghan quickly conceded.

Only then did Chen Zhengqing withdraw his aura, releasing his grip on Wang Chenghan.

He then took out twenty thousand spirit stones and tossed them to him.

After taking the spirit stones, Wang Chenghan hurried away. Once at a distance, he turned back and spat out a vicious threat.

"Just you wait!"

With Wang Chenghan gone, the Onlookers dispersed as well.

But Yang Lingtian's unusual behavior today left them puzzled.

Still, they didn't dwell on it—after all, they were just here for the spectacle.

Just then, the system's voice arrived as expected.

[Congratulations, Host, for helping the Chen Family save face and overcome a crisis.]

[As the first reward, you receive a supreme cultivation technique, the Chaos Dao Divine Art.]

[Additionally, a damaged Chaos Bead is granted.]

"What, a damaged Chaos Bead?"

"Why not reward me with an intact one?"

Yang Lingtian grumbled inwardly, but he consoled himself.

"Oh well, with my current cultivation, even a damaged Chaos Bead should be a Supreme Treasure to me."

"Still, this supreme cultivation technique as a reward isn't bad. The Chaos Dao Divine Art sounds pretty badass."

Then a surge of information flooded his mind, splitting his head with pain.

"The universe began from Chaos; Chaos evolved into myriad worlds. The source of the Great Dao, transcending all paths... Chaos Dao Divine Art."

The entire technique was imprinted in Yang Lingtian's mind, but for now, he could only cultivate the simplest initial parts.

And that damaged Chaos Bead appeared in his Dantian.

He also gained a deeper understanding of the Chaos Bead's power.

The Chaos Bead was a Chaos Supreme Treasure, containing the Great Dao Laws, capable of evolving an entire world.

It held terrifying power, enough to destroy heaven and earth.

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

As Yang Lingtian was still savoring the sensation, Chen Zhengqing called out to him.

"Lingtian, return to the manor and come to the Main Hall."

At this moment, Chen Zhengqing felt a hint of relief. He could see some change in Yang Lingtian.

Before, he was timid and seemed unlikely to amount to anything.

Now, he dared to step forward on his own, with a strong presence and no fear.

But Yang Lingtian's ruckus at the Brothel still angered him somewhat.

So he planned to summon him to the Main Hall for questioning.

Chen Zhengqing flew off, and Yang Lingtian followed closely toward the Main Hall.

The Chen Manor was vast. Although the Chen Family had only been one of the Four Great Families of Tianchen City for a few decades, lacking the foundation of the other three, it had grown rapidly in recent years, and its strength was not to be underestimated.

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

A major reason the Chen Family was recognized as a great family in the city was the presence of a Golden Core expert.

Inside the Main Hall, Chen Zhengqing sat by the table, along with Liu Yingxue and his fiancée, Chen Yiyue.

There was no denying it—Chen Yiyue was a peerless beauty.

Her face, her figure—she outshone every beauty he had seen on Blue Star.

But he was destined to become the strongest; women would only slow down his sword.

So his heart remained utterly calm.

[Beep, as a strong man, your woman should look up to you in admiration. Long-term mission now issued: win Chen Yiyue's heart.]

"Hmph, I'm not interested in women, but I'll take the reward!"

"Looks like I'll have to figure out how to make Chen Yiyue fall for me."

At that moment, Chen Yiyue looked at Yang Lingtian with disgust and displeasure.

Though Yang Lingtian was fresh and handsome, with sharp brows and starry eyes—a fine-looking man—

his lifelong habits of squandering and fooling around made her deeply averse to him.

A wastrel and a good-for-nothing was bad enough, but now he'd turned dissolute, visiting places like the Brothel.

It filled her with disappointment.

Everyone was furious about his ruckus at the Brothel last night, especially his future mother-in-law, Liu Yingxue.

The moment Yang Lingtian stepped up, she gave him no good face and began to interrogate him.

"Lingtian, do you know your wrongs?"

"You're supposed to marry into my family and wed my daughter—how could you go to a place like the Brothel?"

"You're this old, and you have no sense of shame."

Clearly, Liu Yingxue's anger hadn't subsided. She was loath to let her daughter marry such a worthless failure.

But her husband had made the betrothal back then, and insisted that Liu Yingxue marry Lingtian, so she couldn't defy it.

Yang Lingtian frowned slightly. Being scolded was indeed unpleasant.

And he was a man of principle, one who knew shame.

Back on Blue Star, no matter how much he couldn't hold it in, he never messed around.

Yang Lingtian replied calmly, "Don't worry. I won't go to places like that again."

"Let this matter end here. No more talk."

Liu Yingxue's temper flared even hotter, her face turning uglier.

"You won't even explain yourself, and you think it can just end?"

"The first time you went to the gambling den, you got beaten back and said you'd never go again."

"And what happened? You only got worse afterward."

"Every time, you came back loaded with debt, and we had to clean up your mess."