After those words.
Chen Fan didn't linger. He turned to Chen Jianjun and said, "Uncle, let's go."
Chen Jianjun nodded. The Seven Kill Sword in his hand gave a light tremor, shaking off every last drop of blood on its blade. A few tiny blood blossoms splattered across the floor tiles.
He slid the sword back into its scabbard, as casually as if he were putting away an ordinary iron sword.
Xu Wensu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, walked over to Xu Changping, and lowered his voice. "Take those two girls with you. Let's go."
Xu Changping came to his senses as if waking from a dream. He hurriedly took Xu Jiuer and Xu Qinger along and followed after them.
Xu Jiuer and Xu Qinger were still in a state of stunned, almost numb shock.
A mighty Titled Douluo!
He'd been treated like a chicken—killed just like that!
And the Dai Family's imperial clan, which had terrified them, had been trampled into the dirt like mud!
It had all happened far too fast!
So fast their minds couldn't even keep up.
The group crossed the corridor of Taihe Hall, their footsteps echoing through the vast palace.
The guards and palace maids on both sides hurriedly backed away, heads lowered, barely daring to breathe for fear that the slightest sound might draw attention.
No one dared stop them.
No one dared speak.
Even their breathing was reduced to a whisper.
After Chen Fan and the others left, Taihe Hall remained utterly silent.
A full two and a half minutes passed. Only when the stench of blood from the corpses began to spread did the scene finally seem to come back to life.
"Y-Your Majesty..."
An elderly minister spoke in a trembling voice, so dry it sounded like sandpaper scraping together.
Dai Li didn't respond.
He remained sprawled on the ground. The warm puddle between his legs had already gone cold, soaking the hem of his bright yellow dragon robe.
Yet,
he was completely unaware of it.
He only stared blankly at the wall of Taihe Hall, where a human-shaped crater had been smashed into it; at the head of Dai Renfeng, which had rolled into a corner; and at Zhu Buchun's corpse, cold to the core...
The Dai Family...
Those two reclusive ancestors of his Dai Family were just... gone?
They'd just been snuffed out like that?
Nearby,
Empress Zhu braced herself against the wall and struggled to stand. Her face was deathly pale and her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a single word.
The Dai Family's eldest princess was curled up beside the dragon throne, both hands clutching her skirt so tightly her knuckles had turned white. Her whole body trembled uncontrollably, and not a trace remained of her former haughty air.
Once she came to her senses, she finally couldn't hold back any longer. She burst into tears. "Imperial Father... Ancestor... Ancestor, he..."
She sobbed so hard she could barely breathe. Tears and snot ran together, ruining her makeup until her face was a mess. She no longer looked anything like an imperial eldest princess.
"Shut up!"
Dai Li suddenly seemed to be jolted awake by her wail. He jerked his head up, his voice hoarse and strained. "Why are you crying?!"
"The ancestor is dead! Will crying bring him back to life?!"
Dai Yue was so frightened by his scolding that she stopped crying. Only her shoulders continued to tremble, stifled sobs escaping her.
Dai Li took a deep breath and used the armrest of the dragon throne to struggle to his feet.
His legs were still weak, but the dignity of an emperor forced him to stay upright. "C-Collect the bodies of the two ancestors."
"Yes!"
The palace guards answered.
After speaking, Dai Li turned and staggered toward the exit.
Empress Zhu followed close behind, stumbling after him with the support of a palace maid.
Dai Yue bit her lip, got to her feet, and hurried after them with her head bowed.
As Dai Li and the rest of the imperial family left, the ministers of the court also gradually dispersed.
Soon,
only a few palace guards tasked with cleaning up the mess remained in Taihe Hall, along with the traces of snow in the air that had yet to melt away.
"Hss!"
The icy sensation seemed to jolt Tang Wei awake. Only then did he finally come to his senses.
At that moment,
he realized his undershirt was soaked through with cold sweat, clinging to his skin and making him shiver. He instinctively touched his neck and struggled to swallow. "Th-this..."
"Just what level of strength does Chen Jianjun have?"
He didn't dare imagine it.
If—if Chen Jianjun's two strikes had been aimed at him...
Tang Wei didn't dare think any further. He took a deep breath and hurried out of Taihe Hall. "I have to get back to the sect immediately and report this to the sect master!"
Behind him, Tang Xiao had also become much more subdued and meekly followed along.
"Uncle, thank goodness you arrived in time."
They had barely left the Star Luo Imperial Palace when Chen Fan spoke.
Chen Jianjun glanced sideways at Chen Fan. He wanted to scold him, but the words wouldn't come. He could only sigh. "Fan'er, you really were reckless this time."
Chen Fan smiled faintly. "I knew you were coming, Uncle."
"Don't take such risks again."
After a pause, Chen Jianjun tapped him irritably. "You won't be this lucky every time."
"I'd only just entered the palace. I hadn't even made it into Taihe Hall yet."
"If my swordsmanship hadn't been good enough, you brat..."
"Heh, I had faith in you, Uncle!"
Hearing that, Chen Jianjun scolded him with a laugh. "What a smooth talker. You're just like your father."
"Um... Your Excellency, what should we do now...?"
Xu Changping opened his mouth beside them. He'd tried several times to speak, but hadn't dared interrupt. Only after the two of them fell silent did he cautiously speak up.
As the head of the Xu Family,
he was probably the most ineffectual family head in the Xu Family's history.
His Soul Power Level was barely above level sixty, making him a low-level Soul Emperor.
But what had happened tonight?
He'd never witnessed anything like this in his entire life!
First, Dai Li had nearly wiped out his whole family. Then his family's ancestor had made a stunning entrance. He'd thought a fierce battle was about to begin, but Chen Fan's single "divine pill" had made his ancestor, Xu Wensu, break through to Titled Douluo right on the spot!
Just as he thought everything had been settled, two old monsters had suddenly emerged from the Dai Family!
When he'd thought the Xu Family was doomed, those two old monsters had been cleanly dispatched by Chen Jianjun in just three strikes!
Even now, his head was still buzzing, as if someone had stuffed an entire nest of hornets inside it.
"Why don't you come to Xu Mansion and rest for a while?"
Chen Fan stopped and looked at Xu Changping, who was still being cautious. His gaze shifted to Xu Wensu, and he spoke. "Elder Xu."
"Master!"
"Get your things together and prepare to move."
Xu Wensu froze, but then nodded. "Yes!"
"This matter will probably get complicated. Start making preparations now."
After a pause, Chen Fan continued, "As for a place to stay..."
"We have our own arrangements," Chen Jianjun suddenly said. "Just take care of your own affairs."
"Yes, Your Excellency!"