"Knock, knock, knock." A knock sounded at the door.
"Young Master Chu, I have something to report to you," Li Shi's voice came from outside.
"Come in," Chu Chen said.
The door opened, and Li Shi walked in, her expression respectful. "Young Master Chu, the information you asked me to investigate has yielded results."
"Speak," Chu Chen said.
"Regarding the Qin King's consort, I have inquired thoroughly," Li Shi said. "This woman is indeed not simple; she is the Qin King's favored concubine.
She holds a very high position in the Qin King's heart. The Qin King once promised that as long as this woman was willing to marry him, he would make her his consort."
"So, you believe that if I marry this woman, the Qin King will not move against the Chu family?" Chu Chen's eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing within them.
"Precisely," Li Shi nodded and continued, "The Qin King harbors great ambition. He wishes to use the Zhao family's influence to eliminate his rivals and consolidate his power."
"Heh, interesting," Chu Chen suddenly laughed. "The Zhao family and the Qin King are in cahoots.
I thought it was only the Zhao family colluding with the imperial family, but I didn't expect the Qin King's mansion to be involved as well."
"It seems the situation in the imperial city is undergoing drastic changes. His Majesty the Emperor does not seem to want the Zhao family to monopolize power," Chu Chen murmured to himself.
"Young Master Chu, what are your plans?" Li Shi asked cautiously.
"This matter does not require my intervention. Father will handle it. You should all cultivate peacefully within the Chu family and wait for my return."
Chu Chen said, he had no intention of getting involved in this war, as he disdained it.
"Today's events, I presume you have all heard?" The Zhao family patriarch sat in the main seat, his face grim as he scanned the elders in the hall.
"Patriarch, have you truly decided to attack the Chu family?" The Fourth Elder asked with a frown.
"The secret letter from the Qin King's mansion was very clear. If we dare to refuse, they will launch a frenzied retaliation against the Chu family!"
"Our current strength is no match for the Qin King's mansion's furious retaliation," the Fifth Elder chimed in.
"Hmph!" The Zhao family patriarch snorted coldly, his gaze sharp. "This matter is no longer up to us to choose!
If we do not comply, even if we are not annihilated by the Qin King's mansion, our Zhao family will surely face utter destruction!"
The Zhao family patriarch's attitude was resolute, his words decisive.
"But..." The elders all showed signs of worry; they all felt this was a foolish course of action.
"There is no 'but.' Follow my orders," the Zhao family patriarch said coldly. He had made up his mind to completely sever ties.
As night fell, the dark sky enveloped the land.
Under the bright lights, in the spacious square, hundreds of guards were neatly arrayed, well-trained, exuding a chilling aura of killing intent.
At the entrance of the Chu family, thousands of Zhao family guards gathered, each one eager for a fight, their ferocious aura filling the air.
"Chu Chen, a mere brat, dares to provoke my Zhao family. He is courting his own destruction!" The Zhao family patriarch snorted coldly.
Beside the Zhao family patriarch stood Zhao Long and Zhao Hu, their faces contorted into sinister smiles, their eyes filled with ferocity.
"Chu Chen, you'd better not show up, or I'll make your life worse than death!" Zhao Long gritted his teeth, having lost all face publicly today and hating Chu Chen to the bone.
Zhao Hu snarled even more fiercely, "Chu Chen, you crippled my brother's right leg. I will settle this score with you slowly!"
"Rumble~!" Just then, the Chu family's main gate suddenly trembled, emitting a deafening sound, as if the earth itself was shaking.
"Hmm?" The Zhao family patriarch frowned, and the expressions of the other elders also changed drastically.
"Who goes there? Retreat quickly, or do not blame my Zhao family guards for being impolite!" The Zhao family patriarch roared, his voice rolling out.
"Whoosh~!" As soon as the words fell, a sharp sword qi streaked across the sky, piercing the main gate and instantly slitting the throats of the Zhao family guards.
Heads flew off, blood splattered, a gruesome sight!
"Hiss!" Witnessing this scene, the elders gasped in unison, utterly horrified.
In a single move, dozens of guards were killed, and even the Zhao family patriarch had no time to react.
"Chu Chen, is that you!" The Zhao family patriarch's pupils constricted.
"Zhao Long, Zhao Hu, why don't you come out and face your death?" Chu Chen's voice boomed from within the Chu family mansion, like a thunderous bell, deafening.
Upon hearing this, the Zhao family patriarch was enraged. "What arrogant words! A mere youth dares to bluster. Take him down!"
"Swish, swish, swish!" A group of Zhao family guards charged out, surrounding the main gate, drawing their swords and pointing them menacingly.
"Overestimating yourselves," a mocking arc appeared on Chu Chen's lips. He then slowly stepped forward.
An invisible aura of authority spread out, instantly causing the surrounding temperature to plummet, as if falling into an ice cave, suffocating.
These guards were all in the early stage of Body Tempering. Facing the pressure emanating from Chu Chen, they could not withstand it and fell to the ground with thuds.
"Bang!" Chu Chen flicked his finger, and a strand of sharp sword energy whistled out, piercing the chest of one of the Zhao family guards.
Then, several more sword energies flew out, instantly turning these Zhao family guards into a sieve, leaving them twitching on the ground.
In just a short moment, all the Zhao family guards were dead! Killing enemies with a single sword, swift and decisive, without any hesitation!
"Chu Chen, do you know what you are doing? You dare to attack the Zhao family, you are courting death!" The Zhao family patriarch roared.
"I am merely here to inform you that I have returned. It is time to settle our grievances." Chu Chen's voice remained calm, as if devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
"What do you mean by that?" The Zhao family patriarch's brow furrowed deeply.
"Zhao Yunyang and that good-for-nothing are dead," Chu Chen said indifferently. "Their deaths have nothing to do with me. But anyone who obstructs me from avenging my grandfather, I will kill!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Chen's figure suddenly flashed, turning into an afterimage that shot out. His speed was incredibly fast, and he instantly appeared before the Zhao family patriarch.
"Such speed!" The Zhao family patriarch's expression changed drastically. He could sense that Chu Chen's speed was far more formidable than before.
Chu Chen extended a hand and fiercely grabbed the Zhao family patriarch by the collar, lifting him up.
"What do you want?" The Zhao family patriarch's face was filled with terror. He felt as if he had been targeted by a venomous snake.
Goosebumps erupted all over his body, a chill ran through him, and his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his throat.
"What do you think?" Chu Chen smiled coldly, flicked his arm, and the Zhao family patriarch's body was flung through the air, smashing through the wall and landing in the courtyard.
"Patriarch!" The many Zhao family elders were stunned into silence and rushed over to help him up.
"Cough, cough, cough~!" The Zhao family patriarch struggled to get up, his face ashen, his body in excruciating pain. He looked up at Chu Chen.