C7 Domineering

The opening of the Loongze Lake Secret Realm was imminent, and it was anyone's guess how many prodigies would converge here.

Opportunities abounded within the secret realm, but they were inseparable from peril. Having a plethora of skills was certainly advantageous.

Jiang Yueyao hadn't sent any news since her last response, and Jiang Fann could easily surmise that she wasn't one to abandon her pursuits lightly.

As expected, the tranquility was short-lived; trouble soon stirred at Jing'ann Garden.

Overnight, the majority of the detainees at Jing'ann Garden had fled, including Qiao Qingzhu and Jiang Zhengloong. The report from the guards revealed that thirty masters had stormed the garden under the cover of darkness, with three at the Innate Stage, overwhelming the guards.

Yet, when pressed for details about the assailants, the guards were clueless.

Jiang Fann departed from the Jiang Family estate and made a beeline for Jing'ann Garden.

An hour's journey later, he arrived to find the garden eerily calm, showing no signs of the recent assault.

The two guards at the entrance were joking around, prompting Jiang Fann to suspect more than met the eye.

He strode forward and seized one of them. "What exactly happened last night?"

Recognizing him, their eyes darted away. "Young Master Jiang Fann, last... last night..."

Jiang Fann cut him off, "Spare me the excuses. I want to know whether it was the Jiang or the Qiao Family behind the attack!"

Before he could get an answer, he sensed a group closing in behind him—a sizable number.

"Jiang Fann! You worthless fool, do you really think you can defy fate just by returning to the Jiang Family with a few tricks up your sleeve? This is Loongze County, and the Qiao Family is not to be trifled with. You've crippled my son's cultivation; today, I'll have your life!"

The voice belonged to none other than the First Lady, Qiao Qingzhu.

Jiang Fann spun around to face them, noting their congested noses—a clear sign they feared the Soul Anchor Powder. Among them stood two Innate Stage masters, all hailing from the Qiao Family.

The two Jiang Family guards were taken aback by the unfolding scene.

One of them hastily implored, "Madam, this isn't what you said yesterday. If Young Master Jiang Fann comes to harm here, we're as good as dead. The head of the family won't spare us!"

The First Lady scoffed, "Just step aside, and I assure you, you'll be unharmed. Should he perish, do you really think his mother will seek retribution? Besides, it's the Jiang Mansion's decree to execute Jiang Fann. Should any issues arise, I'll shoulder them."

The guards hesitated, uncertain of their next move. They were all too aware of the turmoil Jiang Fann had caused within the Jiang Family, and his current standing was soaring.

The thought of what the Patriarch might do if Jiang Fann died here was beyond their comprehension.

Jiang Fann remained silent, his composure unshaken by the events around him.

One guard, with a grimace of resolve, bowed to Jiang Fann, "Young Master, we must look after ourselves. Forgive us."

With those words, he and his companion withdrew into Jing'ann Garden, shutting the gate behind them, effectively sealing off Jiang Fann's retreat.

Qiao Qingzhu's laugh was laced with malice.

"You little wretch, I'm curious to see how you'll wriggle out of this one. I'll wrench your head from your shoulders and present it to your dear mother!"

A Qiao Family expert whispered urgently, "Qingzhu! Time is of the essence. Any delay could turn the tide. Finish this swiftly!"

Then, with Qiao Qingzhu leading the charge, nearly thirty Qiao Family members surged toward Jiang Fann.

Jiang Fann surveyed the encroaching foes with contempt in his eyes and mockery in his voice.

"Fools, do you think plugging your noses is enough? Not one of you is leaving!"

His gaze locked onto the Qiao Family expert who had just spoken.

"You'll be the first to fall!"

Jiang Fann didn't back down; he moved to confront the Innate Stage expert head-on.

A blood-red pill materialized in his hand with a flick of his wrist, instantly shattering and vanishing into the air around them.

"Soul Severing!"

Despite sensing Jiang Fann's formidable combat prowess, the Innate Stage master refused to believe that Jiang Fann could defy the natural order imposed by a superior realm.

Yet, the moment their paths crossed, his vision blurred. In an instant, Jiang Fann vanished from sight.

Before he could collect his wits, a searing pain erupted from his torso—a long saber had impaled him. Jiang Fann's silhouette slowly materialized before him, leaving him bewildered by the turn of events.

With a burst of energy, he lunged at Jiang Fann.

Claws for hands, he shrugged off his wounds, unleashing a tremendous force that struck Jiang Fann squarely.

But Jiang Fann's form simply faded away, defying logic.

"Something's amiss!" he uttered, retreating continuously.

"Too late!"

Jiang Fann's voice echoed beside his ear.

The world seemed to spin, and when it ceased, he found Jiang Fann standing next to a headless corpse—eerily familiar.

His eyelids grew impossibly heavy, and as they shut, his life flickered out.

From a distance, Qiao Qingzhu's eyes were wide with shock as she stood frozen. Positioned outside the fray, she had witnessed the entire scene with crystal clarity.

As the group of thirty charged at Jiang Fann, he met the Innate Stage expert head-on. With a single, effortless move, he claimed the expert's head, his clothes unstained by blood, and swiftly advanced on the next opponent.

She tried to warn them, but her shouts fell on deaf ears. Her only option was to send a distress signal, calling for backup.

Jiang Fann showed no mercy, swiftly decapitating a second head.

The two Innate Stage masters had fallen without showcasing their might, a truly eerie occurrence.

This tactic was initially devised for the Loongze Lake Secret Realm, known as the Restriction Spirit Pill. It could seal the senses and induce illusions. Jiang Fann had crafted a mere three, using the inner core of the Black Tooth Beast acquired from the Myriad Treasures Tavern as the key ingredient.

In his current state, Jiang Fann could employ the Restriction Spirit Pill to battle beyond his realm. However, against a Later Period Innate Stage expert, the pill's effects were significantly diminished.

The two adversaries before him were merely at the early stages of the Innate Realm, and they succumbed almost instantly, allowing Jiang Fann to dispatch them with ease.

Within mere minutes, the thirty-odd assailants encircling Jiang Fann had all fallen by his hand, not one left alive. Having witnessed countless life-and-death situations in his past life, Jiang Fann knew the rule well: those who take lives are destined to have theirs taken. He would show no mercy.

Qiao Qingzhu's complexion was ashen, fear gripping her for the first time. The scene before her felt surreal; Jiang Fann had undergone a profound transformation, and the intensity of his presence sent shivers down her spine.

Amidst the scattered corpses, Jiang Fann fixed his gaze on her, causing her legs to buckle, the thought of escape eluding her.

As the clamor of combat faded, a hush fell over the perimeter of Jing'ann Garden.

A sliver of the garden gate creaked open, and a guard peeked out, eager to assess the situation outside.

All he could see was Jiang Fann's retreating figure and the bodies strewn across the ground, which left him utterly dumbfounded.

When the gates of Jing'ann Garden swung wide, the two guards inhaled sharply.

They stumbled forward, falling to their knees beside Jiang Fann, their bodies shaking.

"Young Master Jiang Fann! I was blind to your strength, please mete out your punishment!"

Jiang Fann's response was icy: "Take the First Lady to Jing'ann Garden and spare no effort in pursuing Jiang Zhengloong. Any further slip-ups will be met with death!"

"Yes, sir!" The guards scrambled to their feet and hurried over to Qiao Qingzhu, intent on taking her back to Jing'ann Garden.

She had come to her senses by then and rebuked them furiously, "The audacity! This isn't over yet."

But the guards, their courage shattered by Jiang Fann's decisive action, wasted no words with her, hoisting her up and heading straight for Jing'ann Garden.

As Qiao Qingzhu struggled, one guard snapped, "First Lady, we mean you no disrespect. But in the end, it's the victor who prevails. It's best if you cooperate."

Jiang Fann remained silent, his attention shifting eastward. He sensed someone rapidly approaching, exuding a formidable pressure that surpassed even that of his father, Jiang Tianhai.

"Already at the Later Period of the Innate Stage?"

As Qiao Qingzhu was ushered into Jing'ann Garden, a figure emerged in the distance.

An elder with snow-white hair and a youthful complexion approached, his brows furrowed with hostility, exuding an aggressive aura.

Upon seeing the strewn corpses of the Qiao Family, the old man erupted in fury.

"Damn you! Killing my kin? You're begging for death! Not even the heavens can save you now!"

Jiang Fann recognized the man as Qiao Sanyang, the Qiao Family Patriarch, who had been at the middle stage of the Innate Stage but seemed to have recently broken through, significantly boosting his power.

Jiang Fann's brow creased slightly as he thought, "He's going to be tough to handle! Once he's fully broken through, I might have a chance, but the gap is too wide right now. Father must have gotten the message; he should be arriving shortly."

Qiao Sanyang's presence was firmly fixed on Jiang Fann, his steps deliberate as he closed in, his gaze brimming with lethal intent.

Hidden behind his back, Jiang Fann clutched a black pill, a last resort he was reluctant to use.

For him, crafting this pill was a costly endeavor with a low success rate. He had only one, reserved for a life-or-death struggle.

Jiang Fann had no intention of backing down; if it came to it, he was ready to battle.

A crowd had gathered in the distance. Though Jing'ann Garden was not centrally located, it wasn't particularly secluded either. The clash between the Jiang and Qiao families was a turn of events no one had anticipated.

"Jiang Fann took down so many of the Qiao Family? How did he manage that? It looks like Qiao Zhan and Qiao Qinghai are among them, both Innate Stage masters."

"We had just arrived when we saw the Jiang Family's matriarch being taken back to Jing'ann Garden."

"What in the world happened here? Qiao Sanyang is incredibly powerful! Why isn't Jiang Fann fleeing? Is he looking for death?"

Qiao Sanyang's presence was formidable, his body shrouded in a black glow – the signature technique of the Qiao Family, the Black Cloud Cover. Clearly, the old man was leaving nothing to chance.

He was a sly old fox. Knowing Jiang Fann had managed to slay so many, he surely possessed some formidable skills. He had no intention of giving Jiang Fann the opportunity for an upset.

His approach was relentless, fueled by rage.

"Even if Jiang Tianhai himself were to arrive today, he couldn't save you."

Jiang Fann stepped forward, ready for the confrontation.

Out of nowhere, a figure stepped between them, catching both off guard—they hadn't sensed anyone nearing.

A woman stood there, clad in opulent attire, her figure striking. She seemed familiar.

It was none other than Han Qianxue.

With her back to Jiang Fann, she faced the formidable Qiao Sanyang without flinching.

"Young Master Jiang is under my protection! Let's end this matter here, shall we?"

Her voice was steady, treating the situation as though it were a trivial affair, the corpses strewn around her unnoticed.

Jiang Fann's lips quirked in a slight smile as the pill in his hand vanished, tucked away into his Hundred Treasures Bag.

A buzz of shock spread among the distant cultivators.

"That's Han Qianxue from the Myriad Treasures Tavern, stepping in for Jiang Fann. What makes him so special?"

...

Qiao Sanyang's anger flared. "Is the Myriad Treasures Tavern meddling in our family affairs now? You're just going to ignore the loss of so many Qiao Family disciples? Don't let your tavern's power go to your head."

Han Qianxue turned slightly, gracing Jiang Fann with a smile.

"Young Master Jiang is a friend, and I must intervene on his behalf."

She then faced Qiao Sanyang squarely.

"You're well aware of the root of today's events. Naturally, you can choose to proceed, but the Qiao Family will have to face the consequences."

Qiao Sanyang seethed, "Han Qianxue, you're pushing it too far."

Yet Han Qianxue remained composed.

"And what if I am bullying you?"

Her demeanor was imperious, utterly commanding—she bore the air of a queen.

Han Qianxue's enigmatic actions only deepened Jiang Fann's intrigue.

Qiao Sanyang surveyed the carnage, on the verge of losing control. His most prized son lay at Jiang Fann's feet.

He dismissed Han Qianxue with a cold indifference, his glare fixed intently on Jiang Fann.

"Really, Jiang Fann? Are you going to cower behind a woman?"