Who are you calling a brat... (Seeking recommendation votes)

"Senior brother, you're in luck. These streets are usually quiet, so it's a breeze. You only need to patrol a few times at night, and once the time is up, you can head home to rest."

Chen Huaijin walked side-by-side with Chen Han, describing the perks of the job. "If you're tired, feel free to sit at a teahouse... Oh, and if you run into any petty trouble, just chase them off. If you encounter people from the Black Mountain Gang causing a scene, don't get involved; just report it to the higher-ups."

"Not bad. In these times, this is truly a sweet gig."

Chen Han couldn't help but remark.

"That goes without saying. Our Chen Family is powerful and influential; those lowly commoners can't compare to us."

A look of smugness appeared on Chen Huaijin's face, and he didn't even bother to hide his disdain for the civilians nearby who might be listening.

Chen Han heard these words and remained speechless.

"High officials and nobles, peddlers and porters—survival of the fittest and the elimination of the weak are the rules of this chaotic world. All I can do is look after myself; what others do is none of my business."

"By the way, Senior brother, you've reached the Dark Force realm at such a young age, and you're even on the verge of breaking through to the Transformation Realm. That's too impressive! How did you do it?"

Facing his senior brother's look of pure admiration, Chen Han replied, "Just diligent study and hard practice..."

Just then, three sturdy men approached, wearing the same attire as the Chen Family members.

"Two junior brothers..."

The man in the lead was burly with a malicious gaze. Wherever he walked, the commoners automatically cleared a path. This man was Chen Shanzhen, the grandson of Chen Shanhe.

Chen Shanzhen was quite annoyed after learning that Chen Han had accepted his grandfather's recruitment only to later refuse it, believing Chen Han was intentionally toying with his elders.

He had just happened to see Chen Han patrolling the street and decided to take his revenge.

He looked at Chen Han with contempt. Seeing that the man was half a head shorter than him, he felt even more confident, and his tone became all the more arrogant.

"Is this how you patrol the streets, moving at a snail's pace? Can't you walk faster! And this lazy attitude—what is that supposed to look like? You're going to lose face for the entire family!"

Chen Shanzhen lectured them without restraint in front of the passing crowd, his spit flying everywhere.

"Ah, Senior brother Shanzhen, hehehe, it was this junior brother's negligence. I'll walk faster right away, right away."

Chen Huaijin acted timidly, not even daring to raise his head, his posture humble to the extreme.

He didn't dare to cross this man. He was the power-holder of one of the family's three main branches and the grandson of Chen Shanhe; he wouldn't dare provoke him even if he were given a hundred guts.

"Junior brother Han, did you not hear me?"

Chen Shanzhen shifted his gaze to Chen Han, who was the true target of his suppression this time.

"Fool, what kind of thing are you to think you can tell me what to do..."

Chen Han remained expressionless, his voice devoid of joy or sorrow, not putting this young master of the Chen Family in his eyes at all.

Chen Shanzhen's eyes widened in fury. As the precious grandson of the elder Chen Shanhe, no one had ever dared to curse him like this, and he was instantly overcome with rage.

Seeing this, Chen Huaijin pulled on Chen Han's sleeve discreetly and whispered, "Senior brother Chen Han, I know you have great talent in martial arts, but I advise you not to pick a fight with him. Although he is also a Dark Force martial artist like you, his family is wealthy, and his tendons and bones have been nourished far better than ours."

His tendons and bones are better than mine?

Chen Han found it amusing. His own body had been rebuilt and reborn through the consumption of exotic beast meat, time and time again, pushing his intake to a terrifying weight of over a hundred pounds.

His physical strength had long since been tempered by the exotic beast meat to a level that ordinary martial artists could not hope to match.

As for Chen Shanzhen, he only relied on daily medicinal soups and less than half an ounce of exotic beast meat to practice his punches. He hadn't even reached the level of true tempering, yet he dared to compare himself to him?

Furthermore, Chen Shanzhen was already twenty-eight years old. Talent that only reached the Dark Force realm at twenty-eight was incomparable to his own proficiency panel.

Chen Han remained indifferent and expressionless, which only made Chen Shanzhen look more like a clown.

"Chen Han..."

Chen Shanzhen clenched his fists tightly, his veins bulging. He wanted nothing more than to punch Chen Han in the face right then and there to show him his power.

"Senior brother Shanzhen, calm down, calm down. This isn't the place to fight. It won't be too late to beat this brat once we're back at the estate."

A friend following beside Chen Shanzhen immediately intervened.

"Fine. When we get back to the estate, I'll come find you at your place for a chat and see how arrogant you can be then... Let's go!"

With that, Chen Shanzhen and his two companions turned to leave.

"Oh!"

Just as they turned, they collided head-on with a little girl. The lotus soup she had just bought spilled entirely onto Chen Shanzhen's clothes.

The yellow and green stains, combined with the scalding heat of the freshly made soup, made him gasp in pain.

Chen Shanzhen was instantly enraged. He had just made a threat in front of Chen Han, and only seconds later, he had lost face.

"Where did this wild brat come from? Don't you know how to watch where you're going? Are your eyes growing in a dog's stomach?"

He immediately roared at the little girl with a fierce glare, scaring her into a wail. Tears streamed down her face like a fountain as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Chen Shanzhen felt no pity, continuing to shout, "What are you crying for? Where are your parents? Do you know how much silver this outfit cost me..."

Seeing his own kin acting this way, a look of displeasure flashed across Chen Han's eyes.

"It seems that even among one's own family, there is no shortage of those who bully others by relying on their status."

Chen Han naturally could not stand by and watch this develop further. Just as he was about to speak up to intervene, a familiar voice drifted over—incredibly aged and bone-chillingly cold.

"Who did you say was a wild brat..."

It was precisely the little old man Chen Han had seen a few days prior, the one who had engaged in a life-or-death struggle with Aunt Xue'er using his palms.

At this moment, no one knew when he had appeared behind Chen Shanzhen. A hand, covered in wrinkles, rested upon his shoulder. Messy locks of hair obscured most of his face, making it impossible to discern his expression, yet those eyes—their gaze was eerie, like that of a vengeful ghost!

Chen Shanzhen was instantly stunned. He felt a nameless, heart-stopping terror, his heart hammering wildly against his ribs.

He tried to break free, but that aged palm was like an iron pincer, firmly pinning his entire body to the spot.

In an instant, cold sweat poured down his back, his soul seemed to flee his body, and his breathing stalled.

Clearly, the person behind him had already developed the intent to kill. For the first time, Chen Shanzhen felt death was so close, as if his life would be ruthlessly snuffed out in the very next moment.

The opponent's strength had likely reached the peak of Transformation Force!

"Senior, this junior is from the Chen family martial arts clan, the grandson of the family elder Chen Shanhe. My grandfather is a martial artist; Senior cannot kill me."

Chen Shanzhen stammered. Having never weathered any storms since childhood, he had never encountered such a situation. He had merely shouted at a little brat; who could have imagined he would provoke such a hard target?

The two people beside Chen Shanzhen had long since been frightened senseless by the old man's aura. They hid far away; let alone stepping in to stop him, they didn't even dare to utter a single word.

"A martial artist?"

The little old man's voice was eerie, filled with mockery. "Is a martial artist very impressive... Yes, a martial artist is indeed very impressive, but you won't be able to file any complaints..."