Chen Fan paid it no mind. Still, the Shen Family had some renown across the continent, for its wealth rivaled a nation's.
Then he turned to look at Ling Qingcheng, who met his gaze with an innocent expression.
Chen Fan understood.
The supreme grand elder was speechless, exchanging looks with the other elders. True, the Divine Dao Holy Land feared the Shen Family, but why would a great emperor spare them a glance?
A great emperor? Ten thousand alpacas stampeded through the Shen Family ancestor's mind. You're telling me he's a great emperor?
He hurriedly spoke. "Greetings, Great Emperor. Please forgive our young master's offense of disrespect."
However unwilling he was to believe it, reality stood before his eyes. No wonder these old fellows from the Divine Dao Holy Land had accompanied him in person.
Hearing this, Shen Jinlin turned his head with difficulty to look at the Shen Family ancestor. A mighty Saint Realm expert was coughing up blood, prostrate and unable to rise.
Towering waves surged through his heart. The other party indeed hadn't brought a Saint Realm expert-he himself was a great emperor?
How was that possible?
Remembering that he had been seized, he felt terror plunge his heart into an abyss.
Shen Wancai could no longer bother currying favor with Shen Jinlin either. Looking at Chen Fan, he wondered why he seemed somewhat familiar...
Chen Fan said coolly, "Forgive you? I am not unreasonable. But before killing you, I must remind you of something: calamity comes from the mouth..."
Everyone present instantly felt as though they had fallen into an ice cellar, silent as cicadas in the cold.
At that moment, Chen Xuandao mustered his courage and hurriedly stepped forward.
The supreme elders' nerves were stretched taut. Nearly wetting themselves with fright, they reacted swiftly, directly suppressing Chen Xuandao with one hand after he had taken just one step and pinning him in place.
Terrified that someone beneath them would offend the emperor's might, they would let no one say a single word now!
Chen Xuandao suffered unspeakably as he looked at Chen Fan.
"Young Master, I am Chen Xuandao. I request permission to return to the lineage!"
If he didn't speak now, he would have no chance. The young master was going to kill people-what about Chen Wancai?
The young master ought to be informed and allowed to handle it. Though this was an inappropriate moment, he had to step forward and remind him. At worst, he would stop working undercover.
These words came quite suddenly, at odds with the atmosphere. Everyone looked at Chen Xuandao, enormous question marks filling their minds.
Chen Fan was caught completely off guard. The odds of finding an undercover operative were downright terrifying.
"You are an ancestor of the Chen Lineage?"
Only now did he learn this outer sect elder's name. Chen Xuandao? It was in the Chen Lineage genealogy.
"Indeed," Chen Xuandao said.
"Then return to the Chen Lineage with me. I assume none of you object?" Chen Fan had gained an unexpected delight. Bringing an ancestor home wasn't bad either.
The Divine Dao Holy Land's supreme elders were all dumbfounded. Caught completely off guard, they felt rather dispirited.
This...
"Great Emperor, we wouldn't dare."
Whatever you say goes. But there had actually been a member of the Chen Lineage right under their noses? How was this even possible!
They didn't dare utter a peep and could only accept it.
Chen Xuandao immediately beamed. "Yes, Young Master."
He couldn't treat the young master as a junior now. He really didn't dare.
Hearing this, Shen Wancai thought, Young master? Great emperor? The two could not possibly be connected. His expression changed drastically, and he no longer bothered with Shen Jinlin.
"Young Master, I am a Chen Lineage ancestor, Chen Wancai. I request permission to return to the lineage!"
His thoughts raced. He didn't know what had happened, but following Chen Xuandao's lead couldn't go wrong. Besides, judging by Chen Fan's appearance, he seemed somewhat similar to their Chen Lineage head.
At this point, Shen Jinlin and the Shen Family ancestor had even forgotten their own predicament, forgotten that Chen Fan had declared he would kill them.
The Divine Dao Holy Land had a Chen Lineage ancestor? Their Shen Family had one too?
Then which Chen Lineage was this, and who was this young master of theirs? He was actually an Emperor Realm expert!
They were furious at Shen Wancai's betrayal, yet did not dare interrupt.
Chen Fan laughed. Chen Wancai? The odds of finding an undercover operative could rise even further!
"Then you can return to the Chen Lineage with me as well."
Beside him, the silent Ling Qingcheng began to wonder just what their home was like. Silence, utter silence.
The old fellows from the Divine Dao Holy Land instantly felt better. So the Shen Family had one too.
Chen Wancai breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, Young Master..." His life was saved. Had he not stepped forward, he probably would have been finished.
The Shen Family members were so angry they could have spat three liters of blood.
Yet at that moment, Chen Xuandao hurriedly reminded him.
"Young Master, Chen Wancai has already betrayed our Chen Lineage!"
Anger filled his heart; he wouldn't feel satisfied without saying it.
"Chen Xuandao, don't slander me! What evidence do you have?" Chen Wancai couldn't stand it.
Inwardly, he cursed Chen Xuandao for having no martial virtue.
Everyone was dumbfounded once again. There was actually another twist!
"Young Master, my loyalty to the Chen Lineage is plain to see. I truly had no choice in doing this," Chen Wancai argued.
Yet inwardly, he trembled terribly, his conscience guilty.
With his Double Pupils, Chen Fan gave the two a meaningful look, then immediately struck and erased Chen Wancai.
Terror filled Chen Wancai's face before he disintegrated into ash. Even in death, he never understood why Chen Xuandao could do it but he couldn't!
Everyone's hearts clenched, their eyelids twitching wildly. Though only an ant had died, erasing his own family without asking a single question was ruthless enough.
Chen Xuandao hadn't expected the young master to be so decisive either! Was it merely out of trust in him? That shouldn't be. Both he and Chen Wancai were meeting the young master for the first time after many years.
"I was attending to some family affairs." Chen Fan then looked at the Shen Family members. "Remember, calamity comes from the mouth..."
He didn't want to waste time.
"Don't... kill me..." Shen Jinlin was utterly terrified.
This young-looking great emperor was a ruthless man.
But he knew he should never have said those words.
Ancestor Shen's eyes bulged. Unfortunately, suppressed by the emperor's might, with a gap between them like a vast chasm, he could not resist at all. He couldn't even voice a plea for mercy now.
In an instant, the two followed Chen Wancai to their deaths.
Having erased them, Chen Fan said, "All right, let's go."
The Divine Dao Holy Land elders hardly dared breathe. "We respectfully see you off, Great Emperor!"
Fortunately, they hadn't fared as miserably as the Shen Family.
But it seemed the heavens were about to change.
"Young Master, please wait a moment." With no time to explain, Chen Xuandao hurried back to gather the disciples he had recruited over the years.
He would pack them up and take them along.
Before long, a group appeared.
Upon seeing Chen Fan, they immediately knelt in accordance with their master's instructions.
"Greetings, Great Emperor!" The disciples were all immensely excited. Wonderful! Out of nowhere, they had suddenly received an upgrade.
From disciples of a saint-tier faction to emperor-tier!
"We are willing to follow you to the Chen Lineage, Great Emperor!"
They expressed their resolve and will.
Everyone from the Divine Dao Holy Land had their jaws drop!
They opened their mouths but said nothing.
Ling Qingcheng fell silent again. Things always developed in such unexpected ways.
"Young Master, these are the disciples I have trained over the years," Chen Xuandao reminded him, without blushing or his heart skipping a beat.
Chen Fan hummed in acknowledgment. "Good."
The Divine Dao Holy Land elders watched their departing figures.
They stood dumbfounded.
For a long time afterward, the continent's factions would pale and panic at any mention of Chen Lineage members, not only because the Chen Lineage had a great emperor for a young master...
But also because of its many bandit-like undercover operatives. Why didn't they just go rob people!
Meanwhile.
The Shen Family in the Heaven and Earth Dao Domain erupted in fury. The life tablets of one of its ancestors and its young master had shattered!
The Chen Lineage, Heavenly Abyss Domain, White Emperor Province.
The experts from the various factions had been thoroughly enraged by Bai Fengyao.
After taking a step back, the more they thought about it, the angrier they became!
They were people of standing and reputation, after all. How could they endure this?
Yet no matter how they attacked, they could not break through the Chen Lineage's formation.
During a break.
Daoist Jiyuan looked at Yun Lan.
"Sect Master of the Falling Cloud Sect, could it be that your sect has no interest in this place?"
They must not have enough manpower. Though they were all sages, Yun Lan was far stronger than they were.
Sage Wuhui thought the same as he looked at Yun Lan, who had made no move since arriving.
Yun Lan said, "Our Falling Cloud Sect came to meet the great emperor. We have no intention of giving offense."
What a joke. She still trusted her disciple, because every sign suggested something extraordinary.
Everyone frowned. Was that true or false?
They glanced at Fang Yuehua to the side as well. The Divine Dao Holy Land of Burning Province had quite a long reach. Just as they were about to speak.
A terrifying sense of pressure descended out of thin air.
Everyone paled. "An Emperor Realm expert..."
"Fellow Daoists, it is merely a city. Let our Great Desolation Holy Land take it!"
An Emperor Realm expert from White Emperor Province's foremost holy land, an emperor-tier faction, had appeared...
The voice was immensely sonorous, like exploding thunder.