A Father Knows His Son Best!

"You haven't become afraid. You simply know you're about to die!"

Chen An's gaze was icy as he stared indifferently at the two trembling figures on the ground, without the slightest softening or pity in his heart.

At a glance, these two were desperadoes who prowled the gray fringes of society.

What was more, they had willingly taken employment from another, broken into a private residence in the dead of night, and struck with vicious cruelty. Their first words had been of crippling one's cultivation and breaking all four limbs.

When committing violence, they were ruthless and savage; when driven into a corner, they used their elderly and young family members as shields, deliberately playing up their misery to win sympathy. Hypocritical and vile.

How could Chen An possibly believe that a few words from him would make people like them turn from evil and return to righteousness?!

Hearing Chen An's frigid words, Ding Heng and Gao Laosan's expressions stiffened slightly.

Yet before they could beg again, Chen An snorted coldly. The next instant, Ding Heng and Gao Laosan's faces suddenly twisted violently, their eyes bulged wide, and after a muffled groan, their heads lolled to one side. Like two dead dogs whose breath had been cut off, they collapsed limply to the ground, no longer moving in the slightest.

If someone dissected their corpses now, they would discover that every meridian in their bodies had already been severed, their five viscera and six bowels shattered to pieces. They were dead beyond death.

Looking at the two corpses on the ground, Chen An's eyes remained as calm and still as water, as though he had merely crushed two ants.

Rising from his chair, he searched the two corpses and found a total of five hundred and seventy-three yuan crystals, several bottles of ordinary pills, and a red embroidered bodice decorated with plum blossoms.

"Five hundred and seventy yuan crystals. Not bad—passable!"

He weighed the money pouch in his hand, glanced at the gradually cooling corpses, and thought of what he had just confirmed from their mouths. A glint of cold light flashed through his eyes.

Bai Family!

Bai Yifan!!!

With Bai Yifan's arrogant, overbearing nature and his habit of repaying every slight, if he discovered that Chen An was safe and sound while these two had vanished, he definitely would not let the matter rest.

Since that was the case, he might as well go all the way and leave no room for turning back!

If his cultivation were still at the Houtian Realm and his strength insufficient, he might have endured tonight's matter for the time being, concealed his brilliance and bided his time, then proceeded step by step.

But with his current strength, if he still endured, then what was the use of this cultivation?!

Chen An took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

The next instant, the flesh on his face squirmed slightly, his muscles and bones subtly adjusted, and the outline of his body gradually changed.

In no more than a moment, the body of the seventeen-year-old youth had completely transformed into that of a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties, with a broad square face, sharp sword-like brows, and a cold, fierce aura.

The Body Realm, the first realm of martial cultivation, was divided into five minor stages: tempering flesh, tempering skin, tempering bones, tempering organs, and tempering marrow.

Changing one's face and appearance was easy even for a Body Realm martial artist, let alone someone whose cultivation had reached the Grandmaster Realm.

After finishing this, Chen An bent down and picked up the two corpses. With a flash, his entire body became a streak of silver lightning and soared into the sky.

Protecting the body with astral qi, walking through the air!!!

This was a Grandmaster!!!

Chen An did not immediately go to trouble the Bai Family. Instead, carrying the two corpses in one hand, he silently left Wurong County.

He headed straight out of the city toward the desolate mountains beyond its outskirts. At a steep cliff, he found a pack of first-rank upper-grade Iron-Tailed Wolves lurking in the mountain hollow below.

His gaze was indifferent as he raised his hand and flicked it.

Bang! Bang!!

The two corpses fell one after another, crashing heavily into the center of the wolf pack.

The Iron-Tailed Wolves, which had been waiting for an opportunity to encircle and hunt a wild boar, were abruptly startled. They arched their bodies and let out low, warning growls from their throats.

But in the blink of an eye, the thick scent of blood and living human flesh wafting from the corpses instantly stirred the savagery of these ferocious beasts.

The rich, fresh aura of blood and qi rushed at them, immediately overwhelming the smells of grass, trees, and wild animals around them.

Their wildness thoroughly ignited, the Iron-Tailed Wolves' eyes turned scarlet. Their sharp fangs bared grimly as their taut limbs exploded with force, and they lunged forward in a mad scramble.

Low roars and the sounds of gnawing and tearing suddenly burst through the mountain hollow.

Sharp wolf teeth easily ripped through flesh, while muscles and bones cracked beneath their bites. Scarlet blood rapidly soaked the ground. Several Iron-Tailed Wolves fought and tore at each other for their share, wolf claws kicking and sharp teeth ripping. In only a short while, the two corpses were surrounded by the pack and devoured completely.

Broken bones and scraps of flesh lay scattered across the ground, leaving behind not a trace.

A gale swept across the barren mountains, dispersing the lingering stench of blood and thoroughly erasing the last clues the two had left in this world.

In the sky, Chen An, now wearing the appearance of a middle-aged man, stood quietly. He cast one cold glance downward before flying back toward Wurong County.

To the east of Wurong County stood a magnificent compound spanning over a hundred acres—the residence of the local prominent Bai Family.

Its high walls were built from blue bricks, the more-than-two-zhang walls stretching in an undulating line, their tops laid with dark tiles and neatly edged.

The vermilion gates inlaid with gilding were grand and imposing. Two mighty blue-stone lions stood at the entrance, their sharp gazes intimidating every passerby.

The compound was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, its pavilions and towers arranged in orderly layers. Artificial hills, flowing water, blooming flowers, and lush greenery filled the courtyards, making it several degrees more luxurious than the residences of ordinary officials and gentry.

Under the night sky, the Bai Family residence remained brightly lit. Servants moved back and forth through the courtyard, each attending to their duties, and everywhere exuded the extravagance of a great and wealthy clan.

The lamps in the hall of the side courtyard shone brilliantly. The sandalwood dining table was laden with delicacies from mountain and sea, dish after dish arranged upon it. There were even several varieties of second-rank ferocious beast meat—things ordinary martial artists could rarely eat.

Bai Yifan wore an exquisite brocade robe as he lounged beside the table, casually picking at the dishes. An inextinguishable irritation and arrogance lingered between his brows.

On the other side of the table sat a middle-aged man with a prosperous face and a steady presence.

His features were seventy percent similar to Bai Yifan's, though his contours were more rugged and his expression more imposing. An oppressive aura naturally radiated from him, the aura of one long accustomed to high authority.

This man was the Bai Family's patriarch, Bai Yifan's father—Bai Huaxiong!

Holding a jade cup, Bai Huaxiong took a shallow sip of wine. His gaze swept lightly over his restless son as he slowly said, "I heard from Qin Zhong that you had him send people to cripple a student from the county academy?"

At these words, Bai Yifan's expression changed abruptly. He instinctively shot a cold sidelong glance at the old man standing in the corner of the hall with his head lowered and eyes downcast.

That old man was none other than the Bai Family's chief steward, Qin Zhong. His beard and hair were half-white, his expression respectful, and he did not say a word.

Bai Yifan secretly hated that old ghost for being so loose-lipped and betraying him, but he did not dare show it on his face. He could only suppress his hostility and say, "Yes, Father. That man kept pestering Shen Qinglan. I merely had Uncle Zhong teach him a lesson!"

A father knew his son best!

Bai Huaxiong clearly did not believe his son's words.

However, upon hearing Shen Qinglan's name from Bai Yifan's mouth, Bai Huaxiong did not say much more.

He knew that his son cared deeply about Shen Qinglan, and he also knew that Shen Qinglan's identity was far more than that of Wurong County's favored daughter of heaven.

Casting Bai Yifan a faint glance, Bai Huaxiong said, "The county examination is the day after tomorrow. Don't stir up trouble. I hear this county examination is anything but ordinary, so be more careful!"

"Father, rest assured. I've already looked into it. That brat is just a worthless orphan at the second level of Qi Condensation. Even if he dies, no one will stand up for him!" Bai Yifan said disdainfully.

"Mm. Eat."

Only then did Bai Huaxiong nod faintly and cease mentioning the matter.

In his eyes, a lowly academy student with no family to rely on and meager cultivation was not worth mentioning, much less worth spending any thought on.

Hummm!!!~~~~

Just then, the entire hall suddenly shook, and the air trembled faintly. A chilling, bone-piercing, boundless and terrifying pressure descended like heavy black clouds, brutally blanketing the entire Bai Family estate.

The lamps suddenly flickered wildly. Cups and jade goblets on the tables shook violently, spilling wine everywhere.

Everyone in the hall instantly felt a chill run through their bodies. Their limbs stiffened, their breathing caught sharply, and every trace of color drained from their faces...