Li Qian laughed heartily, "You all are giving me so much face today! If the hospitality is lacking, please, Young Master Wu, Young Master Du, be understanding and give me a chance to invite you again separately!"
"And Mr. Chen, didn't I promise to introduce you to some friends? A few friends who are here to support me have arrived, you must meet them."
Li Qian, basking in his good fortune, moved aside and gestured behind him, "These few friends from the martial arts world are all capable and exceptionally skilled experts."
"Young Alliance Leader Zuo from Jinbei, the grassland martial arts master Nariye Wang, and the Hang family from the Northeast..."
As he spoke, the person he introduced waved his hand and strode towards the tea table, fixing his gaze on Chen Fan.
A powerful and terrifying aura surged forth, causing the slightly tipsy Li Qian to involuntarily stop speaking.
The man stared at Chen Fan, a grin splitting his face, and said, "No need for introductions. I know this friend. The God of War, Chen Tianjiao. Two days ago, he killed the Grandmaster of the Liuhe Sect, Gao Hongchang, in Yuzhou."
Li Qian was stunned.
"What a coincidence. We met briefly last time, and I didn't expect to see you again at Young Master Li's birthday banquet today. Chen Tianjiao, you are quite arrogant!"
"What do you mean?"
Chen Fan was also a little surprised, but his expression remained calm. He said, "Young Alliance Leader Zuo and I don't seem to have any dealings!"
The person speaking was precisely Zuo Tian Ce.
His father, Zuo Lizhou, was the Alliance Leader of the Hero Alliance.
With such a family background, Zuo Tian Ce's status and position were no less than that of a top young master.
In fact, due to being from a martial arts family, his status was even more transcendent than top young masters like Wu Chaoyang and Du Fumin.
His words also made many people's expressions tremble.
Li Qian's mouth fell open, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Mr. Chen is Chen Tianjiao?"
Du Fumin, his acting skills honed, also showed surprise, "Chen Tianjiao from the Chen family?"
Wu Chaoyang made no attempt to hide his thoughts and simply looked at Zuo Tian Ce, lost in contemplation.
As for the others, their expressions were even more shocked.
"The experience at the Dragon Ascent branch was actually the eldest young master of the Chen family?"
Zuo Tian Ce surveyed the surroundings and said, "This is interesting. You guys actually don't know this person's true identity? Chen Tianjiao, the God of War in the military, the eldest young master of the Chen family. Oh, and he has another identity, the founder of Longteng Group, the mysterious Mr. Long!"
He had virtually exposed all of Chen Fan's secrets.
Chen Fan was not too surprised by this. The Hero Alliance and the Brotherhood were one. It was only natural for the young alliance leader of the Hero Alliance to know information related to him.
Many were utterly stunned, including the somewhat inebriated Li Qian, whose mouth hung open, unable to close.
Chen Fan smiled and stood up, saying, "Young Alliance Leader Zuo knows my situation quite well. So, you are correct in all your statements, and then what?"
"And then what?"
Zuo Tian Ce said coldly, "Of course, nothing. You are the eldest young master of the Chen family, an invincible God of War. Who can do anything to you?"
"However, you deliberately concealed your identity and approached Young Master Li and the others. What is your intention?"
Chen Fan looked at Zuo Tian Ce, not quite understanding the meaning behind his questioning.
Was he trying to sow discord between him and these young masters?
The problem was, there was no need to sow discord. His relationship with Du Fumin, Shen Tinghao, and others was already superficial.
Even if these words planted a seed of doubt in the minds of Du Fumin, Xu Yuntian, and others, it wouldn't matter. Moreover, Du Fumin was likely already a member of the Brotherhood.
"What intentions could I possibly have?" Chen Fan scoffed and asked.
"Perhaps you want to annex and occupy something?"
Zuo Tian Ce smiled.
As he spoke, Li Qian, Xu Yuntian, and Yu Zhen's expressions became unnatural.
Following Zuo Tian Ce's line of thought, their immediate feeling was that Chen Fan intended to take over the Star-Moon Lake project.
Chen Fan indeed possessed the strength and capital to annex the Star-Moon Lake project.
Of course, this was provided he could deal with Shen Tinghao and Wu Chaoyang, forcing these two top young masters to withdraw.
Or, he could keep these two young masters in a subordinate position.
As for those with less powerful family backgrounds like themselves, if Chen Fan expelled them from the Star-Moon Lake project, they truly wouldn't be able to contend with Chen Fan.
After all, Chen Fan's influence and power in the military alone were enough to make their families flinch!
Under Zuo Tian Ce's words, they began to imagine, and the more they thought about it, the more they felt that Chen Fan was indeed likely to do such a thing.
They were unaware of the Brotherhood's existence and therefore had no idea of Chen Fan's true purpose in joining the Star-Moon Lake project under a hidden identity, their suspicions running wild.
Chen Fan, however, smiled, "Young Alliance Leader Zuo, then what exactly do you think I want to annex and occupy?"
Zuo Tian Ce said sinisterly, "That you'll have to ask yourself. I can't answer for you. I'm just analyzing you. You are arrogant, reckless, and uninhibited. Relying on your identity and power, what lengths wouldn't you go to?"
Seeing Zuo Tian Ce slandering him, Chen Fan said, "Then I have to ask Young Alliance Leader Zuo, what exactly have I done to make you, who has always had no dealings with me, so indignant?"
"You still have the nerve to ask?"
Zuo Tian Ce snorted coldly, "Three years ago, you massacred seven clans, killed the Feng family's heir, and committed countless murders."
"If you say that the events of three years ago are a bit distant, let's talk about recent events."
"In Hangjiang, you killed over a hundred people from the Jiangbei Gang, destroyed the Xu family, and slew martial arts masters like Gongsun Zheng. Is that correct?"
With a glint in his eyes, Zuo Tian Ce suddenly shouted the question.
"Yes."
Chen Fan disdained to deny it.
"Just the day before yesterday, at Mount Eagle in Yuzhou, you slaughtered another hundred people and caused heavy artillery to bomb the martial arts Grandmaster Gao Hongchang. Did that happen?"
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes.
This Zuo Tian Ce was well-prepared.
By listing the events from three years ago and the incident in Yuzhou, and repeatedly emphasizing his achievements, Zuo Tian Ce was clearly not trying to promote him.
Instead, he aimed to turn the numerous powerful families and clans against Chen Fan.
Present were Wu Chaoyang, Du Fumin, Li Qian, Yu Zhen, Li Haitian, and others, all young masters from top powerful families, and in a way, they represented their respective families.
In front of these people, portraying Chen Fan as someone with ulterior motives, invincible in combat, and a ruthless killer, would make these powerful families wary and fearful.
The impact of the incident three years ago had not yet subsided.
Zuo Tian Ce acting like this now was equivalent to placing another shackle and restraint on Chen Fan.
The purpose of doing so was, of course, to facilitate the actions of their Hero Alliance and Brotherhood.
Chen Fan had to admit that Zuo Tian Ce's move was quite brilliant, demonstrating considerable skill.
No matter how Chen Fan explained, the ingrained impression formed three years ago would only be deepened.
This was a transparent scheme, conducted openly. If Zuo Tian Ce had come up with it himself, then his schemes and composure were indeed not lacking.
"Regarding the incident at Mount Eagle, it seems Young Alliance Leader Zuo knows the inside story?" Chen Fan said.
"I know a little," Zuo Tian Ce replied solemnly.
"Then, Young Alliance Leader, why didn't you explain who I killed?"
Chen Fan said indifferently.
Zuo Tian Ce sneered.
"Who else could they be? Even if they had committed crimes, they shouldn't have been slaughtered by you at will."
"Holding power and acting so recklessly, do you truly believe no one can deal with you?"