C5 Chaos and Treacherous People

"Of course, I came here to kill you," Chen Dutian said with a low chuckle as he stepped forward, standing before Qin Fan.

The two richly dressed servants didn't dare to block Chen Dutian's path. Once they realized he was the notorious young master from the Lord Protector's Mansion, they were trembling with fear.

The long blade slid from its sheath, shimmering like water.

With that stroke, it was as if a mountain had been cleaved.

Blood mixed with white brain matter splattered everywhere.

Qin Fan's head, now split in two, had eyes that still bore the look of shock and confusion, deep fear, and profound regret.

With a single slash, Qin Fan's body was bisected.

A smile still played on Chen Dutian's face.

"Bastard, you...!" Qin Fan's two guards finally snapped to attention, enraged and more so terrified. With Qin Fan dead, they knew their own lives were forfeit.

Yuan Liu materialized before the two guards like a specter and swiftly snapped their necks.

Merely fifth-level practitioners of the Spirit Convergence Realm, the guards stood no chance against Yuan Liu.

"Young master," Yuan Liu said, looking at Chen Dutian with a hint of exasperation. She truly hadn't anticipated such a swift and decisive killing.

Qin Fan was a minor figure, but as the Marquis of the Deer Cauldron, his murder would bring about a host of complications.

"A fly was bothering me, so I swatted it dead," Chen Dutian stated coolly, as he delivered another strike towards the carriage.

"How dare you murder a Marquis of the Imperial Court in broad daylight! You deserve death!"

A thunderous shout echoed from afar, followed by a figure that seemed to arrive as quickly as the sound of his voice. However, Yuan Liu was there to intercept him.

"Chen Dutian, your brazen actions are outrageous! To kill the Marquis in the street, is this an act of rebellion?" Yan Feng bellowed, his voice not betraying anger but rather a hint of glee.

It was as if a dream had been handed to him on a silver platter. He had been plotting against the Chen family, and now Chen Dutian had openly killed the Marquis, Qin Fan, in the street.

No longer did he need a pretext; the Chen family could be eradicated without further ado.

"Someone is indeed plotting rebellion, but rest assured, it's not me," Chen Dutian replied indifferently, retrieving a yellow robe from the shattered sedan chair. Embroidered on the robe was a resplendent five-clawed golden dragon.

A jade seal tumbled out from the sedan chair.

"Good heavens, a Five-Clawed Dragon Robe and a Jade Seal, symbols of imperial authority. The Marquis of the Imperial Court, Qin Fan, is truly brazen. He dared to forge the Dragon Robe and the Jade Seal in a plot to rebel. I, Chen Dutian, as the son of the Lord Protector, hastened here upon receiving the news. I executed the treacherous Marquis Qin Fan in the street, catching him red-handed. I, young master Chen Dutian, am indeed the epitome of a loyal minister to the Phethia Dynasty," boomed Chen Dutian's voice, echoing so far that even those beyond Sparrow's Lane could hear his proclamation.

"Bastard!" Yan Feng's complexion turned ashen. He had entrusted the dragon robe and jade seal to Qin Fan, planning to use them to incriminate the Chen family in a rebellion. Yet, to his dismay, Chen Dutian had slain Qin Fan in public, and now the incriminating items were exposed.

Where could the leak have come from? Yan Feng wondered in dismay.

"Commander Yan Feng, do you hesitate because you're in league with the traitor Qin Fan? Were you plotting rebellion together, hoping to eliminate me, the one who uncovered Qin Fan's treacherous plans?" taunted Chen Dutian.

"Bastard!" Yan Feng exploded with rage, but was forced to restrain himself. He, too, was at the Astral Wandering state, one of the three great commanders of the Phethia imperial guards, yet he was no match for Yuan Liu.

With the plot uncovered, he had no grounds to accuse Chen Dutian of treason.

"More trouble than you're worth," Yan Feng silently berated Qin Fan. If Qin Fan were still alive, he would surely have dealt with the fool himself.

"Of course, I have no intention of rebelling. But whether the Marquis Deer Cauldron harbored such thoughts remains to be seen," Yan Feng stated icily.

At this moment, Sparrow's Lane bustled with life, teeming not just with commoners but also with many high-ranking officials and nobles.

The royal family of the Phethia Dynasty had sinister plans to dispose of the Chen Clan, a scheme that could not be discussed openly. Such machinations had to be carried out in the shadows, leading to the current predicament.

"Even with the dragon robe and imperial jade seal forged, it's still not conclusive? Could it really be that Commander Yan Feng is plotting a rebellion with Qin Fan?" Chen Dutian mused with ease.

"This matter must be thoroughly investigated," Yan Feng stated icily, barely restraining his desire to run Chen Dutian through with his sword. However, with Yuan Liu present and under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he was powerless to act.

"Commander Yan Feng, there's no need for formalities. My father is the Lord Protector, and as his son, it is my duty to execute any traitor conspiring against the state. You may return to the Emperor and inform him of my actions. Whatever title you wish to bestow upon me, I shall accept," Chen Dutian declared mockingly, his booming voice eliciting laughter from those around.

Yan Feng seethed with rage, yet he was helpless against Chen Dutian. The infuriating man had deliberately spoken so loudly that his words echoed down the entirety of Sparrow's Lane, leaving no doubt in the minds of the many who overheard that Qin Fan had indeed attempted to usurp the throne.

"Wait, wasn't he labeled as a worthless dandy, incapable of martial cultivation due to the lack of a martial spirit? How is it that he now possesses martial skills, and at the third tier of the Spirit Convergence realm no less?" Yan Feng's realization dawned, his expression darkening. "Such cunning and deep-seated strategy; he must have been tipped off, or he wouldn't have exposed himself. If we had clashed, Chen Dutian might have escaped, which would have spelled disaster."

Yan Feng's expression turned somber as the situation spiraled beyond his control.

"I could never have imagined that, after being enlightened in my dreams by a divine being, I would finally be able to practice martial arts. The divine being also forewarned me of Qin Fan's plot to counterfeit the dragon robe and imperial seal under the guise of preparing breakfast. He instructed me to execute the traitor publicly. Little did I know, the prophecy would come true, and I would avert a calamitous disaster for Phethia," Chen Dutian proclaimed, laughing heartily.

"Old Yuan, let's head home. I'm craving noodles. Throw in three eggs to celebrate my success in quashing the Marquis of Deer Cauldron's conspiracy," Chen Dutian called out to Yuan Liu. After dispatching Qin Fan, he made a beeline for home.

"This will surely cast a shadow of doubt over them and buy me a few precious days. Even if my father doesn't return in time, I should at least be able to advance to the Astral Wandering state. By then, with Old Yuan by my side, protecting my mother, Little Mei, and my dear ones will be no trouble at all. Once my father returns, we'll be able to eradicate all the evil spirits," Chen Dutian mused with a hint of resolve.

Yan Feng glared at Chen Dutian's retreating figure, seething with helpless rage. In his fury, he kicked the bisected corpse of Qin Fan. It wasn't long before someone arrived to deal with the aftermath, but the day's events were destined to become the talk of the entire Phethia capital.

"Did you think divine beings are pets your family keeps? Chen Dou was enlightened by a deity, and now this wastrel has been too?" Yan Feng was so incensed he was on the verge of madness.