The Transformation Realm

Chen Feng visibly froze, wondering if he'd heard wrong.

As the clan patriarch and head of the family, he naturally knew every martial artist in the clan. Chen Han was one of them.

The young man had good martial arts aptitude and talent. Chen Feng had met him a few times, and Chen Han had even come to him for advice on martial arts.

So he had some impression of him.

But during an outing to handle family affairs, Chen Han had been ambushed by a hostile force and suffered severe damage to his bones and sinews. The clan physician had said he would never be able to practice martial arts again.

When Chen Feng learned the news, he'd been troubled for quite some time, unable to eat or drink, and losing sleep night after night.

Now, many days later, he was hearing the young man's name again—and under these circumstances, no less. It couldn't help but make him curious.

"Come on. Let's go see."

He rose at once and strode toward the main gate.

The Chen Family had a large population, with more than three thousand descendants in total, divided into sixteen branches. Four hundred lived on the family estate under its protection; the rest were of little use to the family and had been sent outside to make their own way.

Before long, the two arrived at the gate one after another. At the sight before them, they fell silent for a long moment.

Chen Han had already entered the gate and reached the front courtyard of the Chen Family estate. All around him lay a large number of Chen Family guards, beaten so badly that they couldn't get back up.

Chen Han had one hand firmly gripping the wrist of a Dark Force Martial Artist, twisting it behind his back. With only a little more pressure, he could snap the man's arm and send blood and flesh flying.

"Chen Han..."

Chen Feng spoke softly, his presence imposing even without anger.

By now, quite a few clan members had gathered in the front courtyard to watch. They stared at Chen Han in uncertainty, whispering and pointing.

"Isn't that Chen Han? Didn't they say he was crippled and couldn't practice martial arts anymore?"

"Yeah. Elder Mo personally examined him and came to that conclusion. Could this Chen Han be an impostor?"

"One, two, three, four... twelve. You've got to be kidding. Chen Han took down two teams of guards all by himself, and he doesn't even look tired. How is that possible?"

Chen Han turned and met the gaze of Chen Feng, the family head. Then he released the wrist of the guard beneath him, who was writhing in pain.

He cupped his hands in greeting. "Family Head."

"Chen Han, explain to me what happened here."

Chen Han straightened up, his expression calm. "It went like this. I had something to discuss with the Old Steward, so I asked these elders to help inform him. But they seemed unwilling and even gave me a hard time, insulting me. I lost my temper for a moment and taught them a lesson."

Chen Han spoke at an easy, unhurried pace, as if he were describing something utterly trivial.

The Chen Family members watching could hardly believe their eyes. They murmured among themselves, their expressions a sight to behold.

"Chen Han's got some nerve. Just wait and see if the family head lets him get away with it."

"Those guards always act high and mighty around ordinary people, looking down their noses at everyone. They're no good. But did Chen Han come across some kind of lucky opportunity? Why did he leave like a beaten dog, only to return this powerful?"

"Brother Chen Han... so handsome."

Only then did everyone notice Chen Han's sharply carved features.

He wore a spotless brown outfit, his short hair neat and spirited. With swordlike brows, bright eyes, and a tall, straight bearing, he carried the ethereal air of a wandering hero.

Even some of the men couldn't help looking impressed.

"A lesson?"

Chen Feng's gaze was full of uncertainty. "Your injuries have healed?"

Chen Feng didn't care about these guards, who were older and had no chance of making further progress in martial arts. All his attention and curiosity were fixed on Chen Han's well-proportioned, sturdy frame—the body of a martial artist.

Chen Han had been a little genius who broke through to Dark Force at the age of eighteen. Compared to his situation, these guards' petty affairs were plainly insignificant.

At that very moment, in a corner of the crowd, a graceful figure watched Chen Han in silence, her gaze shifting as she looked at him.

"What in the world is going on with that boy?"

It was Chen Qiuyu, the very person who had once inflicted immense humiliation on Chen Han.

Her beautiful, peach-blossom eyes fixed on Chen Han, then swept over the martial artists strewn around him. Her feelings were tangled and hard to name.

"Impossible! His bones and sinews were shattered. He could never practice martial arts again. That was Elder Mo's conclusion... Maybe he just took some strange medicine and recovered a little, gaining a bit of strength."

Chen Qiuyu tried to reassure herself, hoping things wouldn't turn out the way she feared.

Word of the incident spread through the clan in no time, and many people came to watch.

Among them were the leaders of the Chen Family's three main branches. They exchanged glances, their eyes showing both delight and hostility.

If Chen Han had recovered, he could return to martial arts. He was a rare talent, and naturally, the three old men would fight to recruit him, perhaps even coming to blows.

That was no exaggeration. The family's Martial Arts Grand Ceremony was coming up soon, and the martial apprentices controlled by the three branches were evenly matched.

If Chen Han made a miraculous comeback, he would be the key to deciding the final outcome of the grand ceremony.

Whichever branch won him over would have the best chance of emerging victorious and securing the greatest share of the family's martial arts resources over the next five years.

While the three men secretly schemed over how to outmaneuver each other, the Old Steward hurried over at the commotion. When he saw the wreckage strewn across the courtyard and Chen Han, he first looked confused, then trembled with excitement, his fingertips shaking uncontrollably.

His eyes widened. "Nephew, you... you..."

His aged face and familiar figure immediately caught Chen Han's attention.

Chen Han took a long look at him, then smiled without answering the family head.

He walked straight to an open-air training area in the front courtyard. In front of him stood an iron post as thick as a water barrel, with a sturdy rope tied around it.

Though it had taken countless blows from martial artists, it hadn't bent in the slightest. It stood straight and firm, like a pine or cypress.

The onlookers began chattering again. "I get it. He's going to perform a set of punches to prove he's returned to the martial path."

"That's already impressive. He went from a cripple who couldn't even lift chopsticks to taking down twelve Mingjin Martial Artists. His talent is truly rare."

"Chen Han, there's no need to do this. Just tell me directly how your body is—"

Before he could finish, Chen Han, lips pressed tight, had already gathered his strength. He stepped forward, spread his five fingers, clenched them into a fist, and slammed it into the iron post!

A grating, teeth-on-edge squeal rang out. The Chen Family members, who had been talking over one another, fell silent in an instant. You could hear a pin drop.

The three branch leaders stared so hard their eyes nearly popped out. They wished they could tie Chen Han up on the spot.

Even Chen Feng, the Chen Family patriarch, a man who had seen it all, didn't react for a moment.

Several breaths passed before he came to his senses.

Chen Han had bent the iron post with one punch!

That was the kind of punching power only someone who had broken through to the Transformation Realm could possess!