As the brocaded-clothed young man entered the tavern,
the diners inside all revealed frightened, uneasy expressions.
Chen Changqing cast the young man an indifferent glance.
He discovered that this man was no ordinary commoner, possessing Body Refining Level Eight cultivation.
Moreover, the several guards following behind him were all Qi Refining cultivators.
To mortals, such strength already counted as formidable.
However, in Chen Changqing and Qingyang's eyes, it was somewhat lacking.
Qingyang's cultivation was now already nearing Core Formation.
Chen Changqing, meanwhile, was at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.
Body Refining and Qi Refining cultivators were indeed so weak before them as to be beneath mention.
"Move aside, all of you! This is Dai Hai, the young master of Black Wind Stronghold!"
"Watch yourselves. Don't bring disaster upon your heads..."
"If you offend Young Master Dai, be careful you don't lose your heads."
"I heard that a few days ago, someone accidentally offended him, and their entire family was wiped out the very next day!"
"Black Wind Stronghold! That is an existence no one can afford to provoke!"
"..."
The diners in the tavern murmured among themselves. Seeing Dai Hai enter, they all chose to keep their distance.
Yet Chen Changqing and Qingyang remained entirely at ease.
They paid no heed whatsoever to those whispers.
"Junior Brother Chen, have a drink."
Qingyang raised his wine cup.
Chen Changqing smiled faintly, then drank a cup of wine with Qingyang.
At the same time, Dai Hai arrogantly surveyed the tavern.
Seeing the many diners fear him as they would a tiger,
Dai Hai wore a self-satisfied expression.
Suddenly, his gaze fixed upon Chen Changqing and Qingyang's table.
All the other diners had sensibly chosen to retreat three paces upon seeing him arrive.
Yet Chen Changqing and Qingyang acted as though nothing had happened.
Their manner clearly showed that they were ignoring him, the young master of Black Wind Stronghold!
At the mere thought of it, rage immediately flared in Dai Hai's heart.
"Didn't you see this young master arrive?"
"Why aren't you getting the hell out?"
Dai Hai spoke coldly, glaring viciously at Chen Changqing and Qingyang.
As the young master of Black Wind Stronghold, he had long grown accustomed to running wild and tyrannizing this region.
His father, Dai Xiongfeng, was the local emperor, and his cultivation had reached the Core Formation realm. Who would dare show him disrespect?
Hearing Dai Hai's shout, the diners in the tavern were scared out of their wits and scattered in all directions.
Only Chen Changqing and Qingyang completely ignored his words.
"Good!"
Seeing that the two still did not move, Dai Hai's fury intensified. His eye twitched as he shouted angrily:
"Men!"
"Throw them out for this young master."
Following Dai Hai's command, the guards behind him rushed out with sinister grins.
"You dogs! Seeing our young master, and you still refuse to get out of the way?"
"Courting death!"
"..."
Several guards charged forward furiously, their Qi Refining cultivation erupting.
Yet what these guards had never expected was this.
Before they could even rush forward, Chen Changqing suddenly swung out his palm.
"Boom!!"
In an instant, incomparably powerful spiritual energy swept out from his palm.
"Bang bang bang..."
Before those guards could react, Chen Changqing's single slap sent them flying.
Looking again, the guards had already crashed heavily into the wall, each one coughing up blood.
"You..."
Upon seeing this, Dai Hai's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.
He had never expected Chen Changqing to possess such formidable strength.
With merely one swing of his palm, he had sent all those Qi Refining guards flying.
What Dai Hai found even more unacceptable was this.
Within Black Wind Stronghold's territory, someone actually dared to attack the men of Black Wind Stronghold's young master?
The more he thought about it, the more uncontrollable Dai Hai's fury became. He glared viciously at Chen Changqing and said:
"Boy, you've got a lot of nerve!"
"You even dare hit this young master's men?"
"Do you know that my father is a Core Formation cultivator?"
"If you immediately kneel and beg for mercy, then if this young master is pleased, perhaps I'll spare your dog life!"
"If you refuse..."
Before Dai Hai could finish speaking, Chen Changqing suddenly turned to look at him, his cold eyes flashing like lightning!
"Too noisy."
Before his words had even faded, Chen Changqing backhanded Dai Hai with a slap.
An invisible wave of spiritual energy swept forth.
In less than an instant, it was as though an invisible great hand of spiritual energy had slapped down upon Dai Hai's cheek.
"Slap!"
A loud slap resounded.
"Pu!"
Dai Hai was struck so hard that his teeth flew out, and his entire body was sent flying backward.
After falling to the ground, he felt dizzy and disoriented, while half his face instantly swelled up.
"You... you dare hit me?"
Dai Hai was furious beyond measure, staring at Chen Changqing with eyes full of venom.
Chen Changqing's expression remained indifferent. He did not even spare Dai Hai another glance.
Just then, the guards Chen Changqing had previously sent flying crept fearfully over to Dai Hai's side.
"Y-Young Master!"
"Leave quickly!"
"They're Foundation Establishment cultivators. A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him."
Hearing this, Dai Hai's heart trembled. He then stood with the support of those guards.
"You... just wait!"
When he reached the entrance, Dai Hai turned back and glared at Chen Changqing.
As the young master of Black Wind Stronghold, when had he ever suffered such humiliation and bullying?
Chen Changqing stared indifferently at Dai Hai, an almost imperceptible glint flashing through his eyes.
Before long, Dai Hai left in disgrace with several guards.
Inside the tavern, the diners who had previously withdrawn all wore astonished expressions upon seeing this.
"This?"
"Am I seeing things?"
"Someone actually dared to lay hands on Black Wind Stronghold's young master in this territory?"
"Are they tired of living?"
"That kid looks like a reckless fool. That's why he stirred up such a huge disaster."
"..."
As the diners whispered among themselves, the tavernkeeper hurried over with a face full of panic.
"Immortal Masters, you've caused a terrible disaster!"
"Black Wind Stronghold runs rampant and tyrannizes others, while its stronghold master, Dai Xiongfeng, is a Core Formation expert."
"You have now beaten Dai Hai, the young master of Black Wind Stronghold."
"Black Wind Stronghold will absolutely not let this matter rest."
"Y-you should leave quickly!"
Chen Changqing smiled faintly, glanced back at the tavernkeeper, and said:
"It's fine."
Perhaps Black Wind Stronghold's fierce reputation spread far and wide throughout this region, but Qingyang and he were disciples of Mount Shu.
Besides, why should they fear a mere Core Formation cultivator?
Ever since breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Chen Changqing had wanted to find a Core Formation cultivator to test his skills against.
Unexpectedly, while heading to Hundred Herbs Valley with Qingyang this time, someone had delivered himself right to their door.
"Alas..."
Seeing that Chen Changqing and Qingyang were utterly unmoved, the tavernkeeper did not try to persuade them further.
After eating and drinking their fill, Chen Changqing and Qingyang took rooms in the tavern.
Before they realized it, night had fallen.
"Whoosh!"
A streak of light flashed past.
Looking again, Chen Changqing had already landed north of the tavern.
The next moment, with a flick of his fingertip, a transparent thread appeared.
This was a Tracking Thread, Mount Shu's most basic tracking technique.
When Dai Hai left during the day, Chen Changqing had already secretly planted it on him.
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