C15 Family Great Competition(part II)

As Chen Xiaoxiao was carried away, the Martial Training Field erupted with laughter. Oddly enough, Chen Faang, who had appeared quite angry just moments before, was now smiling at Chen Bai, his thoughts inscrutable.

When the commotion had mostly settled, Chen Yuan cleared his throat and declared that the Great Competition would continue.

The competition pressed on, but Chen Loong and Chen Lieh wore grim expressions. Chen Faang and Chen Yuan were busy cozying up to Chen Lieh, lavishing him with praise, likening him to the saying, "Like father, like son." Meanwhile, a crowd was eagerly ingratiating themselves with Chen Bai, their previous sneers and taunts seemingly forgotten.

"Next up, contestant number twenty-five, please take the stage."

Following Chen Yuan's announcement, two figures rose and approached the Martial Training Platform with somber faces.

The mood at the Martial Training Field instantly turned tense.

Upon reaching the platform, the two competitors exchanged a surprised glance.

"Ah, Yunfeng pays his respects to the Young Lord," said Chen Yunfeng, bowing awkwardly to his opponent.

Chen Ke was visibly elated at being addressed as Young Lord. The recent family upheavals had left him feeling quite downcast, but seeing Chen Yunfeng's respectful gesture, he quickly stepped forward to help him up, saying, "Please, there's no need for formalities. Brother Yunfeng, stand up. Here at the Great Competition, we are all equals. There's no need to call me Young Lord. I just hope you'll go easy on me, so I don't lose too miserably."

The sudden display of deference on the Martial Training Platform drew jeers from the crowd. Chen Loong, however, gave a slight nod and allowed a smile to grace his face.

"Cough, cough. No idle chatter on the Martial Training Platform, please. If you're both ready, begin!" Chen Yuan interjected, seeing no sign of the match starting. With a flamboyant snap of his fingers, he signaled for the fight to commence, though whether he did so deliberately or not was anyone's guess.

The unremarkable snap of his fingers caused Chen Yunfeng's pupils to suddenly contract. He quickly retreated to the edge of the Martial Training Platform, his face swiftly turning cold. He casually cupped his hands towards Chen Ke and said, "Please enlighten me!"

Chen Ke, taken aback by Chen Yunfeng's sudden aloofness, paused but then smiled and returned the gesture. As she was about to speak, a fist loomed large before her eyes.

"Pfft!"

The sound of a watermelon bursting accompanied the explosion of Chen Ke's head.

A deathly silence enveloped the Chen family, so profound you could hear a pin drop.

After a moment, Chen Bai was the first to snap out of it, exclaiming, "Damn, that's brutal! Chen Yunfeng is really going too far. What if he sets a bad example for the kids?"

"Ke'er! Ahhh! Ahhh!" Chen Loong came to his senses and in a flash, he was on the Martial Training Platform, cradling the remains of Chen Ke and wailing in anguish.

"Oh yeah ~ Look at how awesome I am!"

A jubilant voice rang out as Chen Loong, stunned, looked up to see Chen Yunfeng, who was usually composed, hopping around the platform and even wiggling his hips at Chen Loong.

"Ahh!" Chen Loong erupted in fury. His Golden Core Stage Level Five power burst forth. He gently laid Chen Ke's body down and charged, tearing Chen Yunfeng to pieces. Limbs and flesh flew through the air, transforming the Martial Training Platform into a battlefield of Asura, with Chen Loong resembling a demon emerging from the depths of hell.

Witnessing the sudden transformation of the Martial Training Platform into a scene from purgatory, the Chen family members were shocked into silence once again.

"Brother, you've gone too far," Chen Lieh said, appearing on the platform in an instant and effortlessly restraining Chen Loong.

Chen Yuan, as if he had anticipated this outcome, spoke slowly, "Patriarch Chen Loong, you have violated the rules of the Great Competition and mercilessly slain a member of our clan. You are no longer fit to serve as Patriarch. Effective immediately, you are relieved of your duties and will be confined to the back mountain for life, never to set foot beyond it. The role of Patriarch will now be assumed by Chen Lieh. Does anyone object?"

Upon hearing Chen Yuan's remarks, Chen Loong offered no rebuttal. Instead, he simply threw his head back and laughed uproariously, as if seized by madness.

The crowd remained quiet. The role of the Chen family Patriarch had always been Chen Lieh's, so passing it back to him didn't seem out of place. Particularly with Chen Bai's meteoric rise and Chen Lieh's own breakthrough, the family's loyalty had already been shifting towards the father-son duo.

After a brief silence, everyone bowed to Chen Lieh and declared in unison, "We greet the Patriarch!"

Watching his father reclaim the title of Patriarch brought Chen Bai immense relief. Yet, he couldn't help but feel irked by the sight of Chen Yuan's aged face, and he began to contemplate his next moves.

The unforeseen events meant the Great Competition could not proceed, so Chen Yuan declared an early conclusion to this year's event and dismissed the crowd.

As people dispersed, they occasionally approached Chen Bai with respectful nods, addressing him as "Young Lord." Some even knelt before him with bundles of thorns, seeking pardon for their wrongs. Chen Bai responded with comforting words. Once the crowd had cleared, he made his way to Chen Lieh's residence.

Standing at the threshold of the familiar courtyard, Chen Bai hesitated, unsure whether to step forward.

"What's the matter? You've come all this way to your old man's place and you're not coming in to sit?" Chen Lieh's hearty voice called out from inside the courtyard.

Prompted by his father's voice, Chen Bai quickly entered.

Inside, he found Chen Lieh tending to a plot of land like any ordinary farmer.

Chen Bai chuckled and remarked, "Dad, you're really enjoying yourself! How does it feel to be back at the helm of the family? Is it satisfying?"

Chen Lieh returned the smile with a playful scolding, "Satisfying, my foot! You rascal, you're never serious. You couldn't even look after my fields while I was away in the mountains these past few months. Just look at all these plants I've tended to; they're all dried up."

With a twinkle in his eye, Chen Lieh continued, "Now, come on, tell your old man how you managed to snag such an impressive master. Did he mention taking you somewhere to advance your training?"

Chen Bai mumbled under his breath, "I only picked it up from you, Dad." Catching a glimpse of Chen Lieh's impending glare, he quickly added, "Dad, 'hook up' is hardly the right term for my master. You see, that day, after I visited you on the back mountain, I was on my way back when a cloud of mist started to gather right in front of me..."

As Chen Bai's tall tales grew, Chen Lieh's expression turned increasingly incredulous until he finally interjected, "Enough already. If you keep this up, your master might just ascend to the heavens. If you don't feel like spilling the beans, that's fine. You're grown up now; it's perfectly normal to have some secrets of your own."

Chen Bai, with a sheepish grin, scratched his head and let out a chuckle. Then, he and Chen Lieh settled into a comfortable conversation about family matters.