A warm, gentle smile appeared on the young man's face. Only after comforting the weeping woman did he say quietly, "Madam, rest assured. I'm fine. I'm just a little exhausted."
Abel's father also emerged from the room. Looking at Yi Chen, he demanded sternly, "Who exactly are you people? Such outrageous behavior! How dare you hurt our people at will? You owe us an explanation... oh, you're Yi Chen? Are you Yi Chen?"
Yi Chen bowed slightly and said with impeccable courtesy, "Honored general, I am Yi Chen. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is now my vassal... I came specifically to resolve this trouble."
Abel's mother raised her head and roared shrilly, "I don't care who you are. You have to die!"
Yi Chen laughed easily. "Of course. So?"
Abel's mother screamed through gritted teeth, "Of course we'll kill you and tear you to pieces! You damned bastard! My son was beaten unconscious, and his face is swollen like a pig's head. He needs treatment!"
Abel's father restrained his wife and said quietly, "Calm down, calm down. If we can't safeguard our own interests, we won't help the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
He drew a deep breath and said solemnly, "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is a superpower. Its authority and wealth surpass ours, and it can offer us enormous rewards we cannot refuse. So please understand us. In this world, many people live for money."
Yi Chen nodded slightly and said softly, "Of course. I understand you. If we weren't friends, I wouldn't have any interest in negotiating with you, either."
"But you need to understand something. Right now, I'm the master here... you know perfectly well what punishment awaits you if you refuse to cooperate with me, don't you?"
Abel's father hesitated, then said quietly, "We need a Titled Douluo..."
Yi Chen cut him off without ceremony. "I don't have time to play these games with you... we need you to provide information on the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's core members. Also, you must tell me where its secret bases in London are."
"Besides that, tell your people to stop harassing my friends... as for my terms, we'll discuss them once I've established how trustworthy the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is. If they truly keep their promises..."
Abel's mother shrieked, "No..."
Dazzling golden light suddenly burst from Yi Chen's eyes, and an immense pressure slammed down on Abel's mother!
Unleashed at full strength, that oppressive force was enough to split an ordinary person's liver and gall with terror, let alone this woman who could scarcely withstand a breeze. With a wretched scream, she crumpled limply to the floor.
Yi Chen said calmly, "Don't try my patience. If you keep screaming, I can kill every one of you... of course, I would rather not do that... because I'm a merciful man."
His face ashen, Abel's father stared at Yi Chen. "Don't get too arrogant... we're Douluo too. I have plenty of soul rings and soul skills. I'm not afraid of you!"
Yi Chen gave a few cold laughs. "Oh, really?"
With his hands clasped behind his back, he strolled toward the heavy door and said contemptuously, "Would you like a taste of my fists?"
Abel's father clenched his fists. Wisps of black smoke seeped from the gaps between his muscles, and his vigor surged many times over.
He glared at Yi Chen through gritted teeth. "Don't push me too far..."
Yi Chen shook his head, then suddenly lashed out with his right foot, kicking viciously at Abel's father.
His speed was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, his foot reached the general's chest and sent him flying several meters backward. Abel's father spat out a mouthful of blood and stared at Yi Chen in shock.
The next second, he suddenly roared in fury, "You bastard..."
A faint layer of black energy rippled over him, making his entire body seem to turn into black mercury.
Abel's mother let out a piercing scream. "No..."
Yi Chen sighed. "Oh dear, what a nuisance. I've already promised to avenge you. Why are you still refusing to let this go?"
He slowly waved his hand, and a buzzing filled the air. Abel's father suddenly found himself unable to move so much as a fraction. He howled hoarsely, "Help..."
Yi Chen's fingernails suddenly blazed with a blinding red light. He slapped Abel's father across the cheek, casually caving in his entire face. The sound of shattering bones and a mournful cry rang through the entire castle together.
Yi Chen smiled. "I've already been very merciful... if this were back when I'd just started learning soul skills, you'd already be a corpse."
Abel's father collapsed, clutching his neck, and moaned in agony, "Help... help..."
Abel crawled laboriously to his father's side and helped him up, asking anxiously, "Are you hurt?"
Abel's father began coughing violently, and thin streams of bloody froth rose from his throat.
After struggling for a moment, he finally spat out two bloodied molars. He glared resentfully at Yi Chen. "Your power is truly formidable."
Yi Chen said softly, "I know what you're worried about. Rest assured... I can guarantee that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has a glorious future. As long as you serve it loyally, you will be richly rewarded. Surely that's much better than living in fear every day as you do now?"
Yi Chen shrugged and looked toward Christina, who stood in the corner like a heap of mud. She had already lost consciousness.
Abel's father frowned, then suddenly cried out, "Blood Rain Shocks the Heavens!"
At that moment, he actually chose to launch a sneak attack!
Vast soul power surged. Countless blood-red arcs of lightning gathered, forming a crimson sword roughly nine meters long and thirty centimeters wide that slashed down at Yi Chen. At the same time, a ring of white mist burst from Abel's father and enveloped Abel.
At a critical moment, it could protect its master from being caught in an enemy's attack.
Yi Chen smiled at the descending Thunder Sword and gently pressed a finger against it. Then the Thunder Sword instantly vanished without a trace.
Abel's father stared at Yi Chen in horror. "How is that possible? How... how is that possible?"
Yi Chen said menacingly, "I don't like people clamoring in my ear. Especially when you actually dare to swear at me..."
Yi Chen suddenly raised his left foot and stamped viciously on Abel's father's belly.
With a muffled groan, a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of Abel's father's mouth. He fell to the floor, his whole body convulsing as billowing black energy rose from him.
Yi Chen said coldly, "If I hadn't taken your advanced age into account, you'd have turned to ashes long ago..."