"Young Master, Miss Qin and that stranger have left the city. They should be outside the city by now," the leader said grimly.
"Follow them." Nangong Yi's face turned extremely cold. With a flicker of his body, he vanished from his spot.
The other three men nodded and quickly followed.
At this moment, about ten miles from the Qin residence, there was a wide official road lined with dense trees, their foliage blocking out the sunlight.
"Miss Qin, I'm truly grateful to you this time," Chu Chen said with sincere gratitude. He had originally intended to seek Qin Hong's help, as Qin Hong was the head of the Qin family and held great authority within the Qin residence.
Qin Ziyan chuckled softly, "Brother Chu is too polite. I was idle anyway, so what's the harm in helping Brother Chu?"
"Then thank you, Miss Qin," Chu Chen said, cupping his fists.
As their words fell, the two stopped.
From the distance, five or six sharp sounds of air being torn apart could be heard from the sky, each accompanied by a fierce sword intent and a powerful aura.
"Young Master, it's him!" the masked man in black pointed at Chu Chen and said to Nangong Yi.
Nangong Yi slowly turned, his dark pupils suddenly constricting. He recognized Chu Chen's appearance, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"It is indeed you, Chu Chen!" Nangong Yi's rage surged, his killing intent boiling. He wished he could kill Chu Chen immediately and avenge his father!
He looked at Nangong Yi without fear and said calmly, "We finally meet again. It seems you are still alive."
Chu Chen could see through Nangong Yi's injuries at a glance. He could clearly feel it.
A violent sword energy raged within Nangong Yi's body. If it wasn't controlled in time, he might not even be able to save his life.
"Heh, I never expected that a core disciple of the prestigious Nine Star Sword Sect would stoop to bullying ordinary people. It's truly laughable!"
Chu Chen taunted, his words sharp and merciless.
"You scoundrel, I will kill you today!" Nangong Yi roared in anger, his eyes bloodshot, staring ferociously at Chu Chen.
"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Chu Chen showed a disdainful smile. "Do you think I'm still the same fool who was defeated by you last time?"
"Hmph, last time it was because that girl Qin Ziyan was present, otherwise I would have crippled you long ago!" Nangong Yi snorted. "But now you're alone. Today is your death day!"
"A loser is always a loser, only knowing how to rely on women," Chu Chen sneered.
"Sharp-tongued. I'll tear your mouth apart later. I'll make you beg for mercy on your knees!" Nangong Yi growled, his eyes filled with extreme ferocity.
Before his words even finished, Nangong Yi suddenly charged forward, unleashing a torrent of powerful true qi with his palm, which transformed into a giant tiger claw phantom and lunged towards Chu Chen's chest.
A playful smile appeared on Chu Chen's face. He remained motionless until the tiger claw phantom was about to reach him.
Then, with a sudden roar, he punched out, colliding with the tiger claw phantom.
"Bang!" A muffled sound echoed. The moment they collided, the tiger claw phantom shattered, and Chu Chen stood unharmed.
"How is this possible!" Nangong Yi's pupils contracted violently. He looked at Chu Chen in disbelief. His full-power attack had been so easily blocked by Chu Chen.
"Your strength is deteriorating more and more," Chu Chen said indifferently, glancing at Nangong Yi before suddenly charging forward.
"So fast!" Nangong Yi was shocked and hastily used his movement technique to dodge. But he soon realized he was wrong. Chu Chen was faster than him, and he couldn't dodge at all.
"Bang!" Chu Chen punched out, striking Nangong Yi's abdomen. A powerful force erupted.
Nangong Yi spat out a mouthful of blood, his body sent flying backward, crashing ten meters away.
"Pfft!" Nangong Yi clutched his aching abdomen, spitting out several bloody teeth. He looked miserable and disheveled.
"How is this possible..." Nangong Yi struggled to get up. He couldn't believe he had been defeated by Chu Chen, being severely injured in just one move.
"Stop struggling. In your current state, you can't even harm a single hair on my head. I'll give you a chance now. Hand over the medicinal ingredients I need.
Perhaps I can consider sparing your life, otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Chu Chen said calmly, his tone filled with threat.
"You..." Nangong Yi glared at Chu Chen furiously, feeling utterly wronged but unable to refute. Everything Chu Chen said was true.
His current strength was no match for Chu Chen's.
"I don't care how you get the Emperor to spare you, but as for me, I won't let you go," Chu Chen said to Nangong Yi.
"What do you want to do?" Hearing Chu Chen's words, Nangong Yi's heart trembled, and he couldn't help but step back a few paces.
"Don't worry, I won't kill you for now. But if you dare to cause trouble again, I will not be lenient!"
Chu Chen said coldly, then, without waiting for Nangong Yi to speak, he dashed straight into the depths of the dense forest, disappearing in an instant.
"Young Master, this matter might not be kept from the Master," one of the guards frowned.
"Father's injuries have just stabilized. If he finds out, it might trigger a relapse of his old illness," another guard reminded him.
"I understand." Chu Chen's expression flickered, and he finally gritted his teeth. "Let's go back first."
The Royal Hunting Mountains were located in the northwestern border region of the Azure Dragon Empire. They were vast, with towering mountains and numerous dangers.
Even martial masters entering them might not be able to leave alive.
Deep within the Royal Hunting Mountains, there was a large, ancient manor, spanning thousands of square feet, luxurious and magnificent.
Within the manor, a resplendent palace stood. In the center of the palace was a coffin, heavily guarded and under strict surveillance.
A somber atmosphere permeated the manor. In the main hall, a middle-aged man sat on a throne.
His body trembled slightly, his gaze fixed on the front, his eyes moist, tears streaming down his face, appearing utterly grief-stricken.
Chu Chen and Qin Ziyan walked into the hall. When Chu Chen saw the middle-aged man lying in the coffin, his body trembled violently, and his eyes immediately turned red.
"Father!" Chu Chen cried out choked with emotion, his eyes welling up.
"Father, your son is late!" Chu Chen knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the coffin, tears flowing uncontrollably.
Chu Yunyang, the patriarch of the Chu family's main lineage, a top general of the Azure Dragon Empire, was once a renowned general with brilliant military achievements.
He was majestic and respected wherever he went.
However, this valiant general passed away from illness twenty years ago and never opened his eyes again.