C7 Knowing His Mistake

Although Xu Qing's father held the title of Minister of Rituals, his influence didn't match his lofty position. Chen Dutian hardly considered him a threat.

Xu Qing, visibly tense, stammered as Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan closed in on him, "You... Step aside. I'm here at the invitation of Wang Yuntian!"

Chen Dutian scoffed at Xu Qing's claim and delivered a contemptuous slap across his face.

The sharp sound of the slap left Xu Qing's cheek marked with five angry red welts. His guards, witnessing their young master's humiliation, moved to intervene, but they were no match for the formidable guards of the House of Protector. Four stern-faced, silver-armored swordsmen stepped forward and swiftly subdued them to the ground.

Xu Qing, a practitioner of the Seventh Heaven of the Awakening Realm, had always been handled by Chen Dutian's guards in the past. He never imagined that Chen Dutian, often dismissed as a weakling by the Imperial Capital's youth, had secretly honed his skills. The fact that he hadn't sensed Chen Dutian's strike meant that his opponent's strength now eclipsed his own.

Confusion clouded Xu Qing's mind as he clutched his reddened cheek. Pang Yuan looked on in astonishment, and even the maidservants stared at Chen Dutian, their eyes wide with shock. The guards accompanying Chen Dutian, however, gleamed with excitement.

"Think you can intimidate me by dropping Wang Yuntian's name? You really believe Your Grace would be scared?" Chen Dutian said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he ignored the astonished onlookers and fixed Xu Qing with a mocking stare.

"You... How could a worthless non-cultivator like you possess a Power Node?" Xu Qing blurted out, still unable to grasp the reality of his defeat.

With a sharp "Pah!" Chen Dutian's hand met Xu Qing's cheek once more, this time his aura seething with lethal intent.

"How dare you address Your Grace in such a manner? Believe me, I could end your life this instant!" he threatened.

Chen Dutian then swiftly drew a sword from a nearby guard and pressed it against Xu Qing's throat. He was far from jesting. As the Lord Protector's Heir, he could eliminate Xu Qing or even the entire Xu family with impunity, and the emperor would likely do little more than issue a mild rebuke.

Within the vast Phethia Dynasty, aside from the Yan family's personal Imperial Guards, the majority of the senior military officers were loyal to the old guard of Lord Protector Chen Dou.

In the past, Chen Dou led the 500,000-strong Red Banner Army westward to repel foreign invaders, claiming the lives of a million enemies. He subdued the southern barbarians and brought over thirty counties to heel. To the north, he expanded the nation's borders a thousand miles beyond the Di Rong tribes, establishing a formidable legacy of military achievements.

Without the Lord Protector Chen Dou, the Phethia Dynasty as we know it would not exist. Despite the passage of time, his former subordinates remain unwaveringly loyal. This enduring allegiance is precisely why the Yan family is so intent on eliminating Chen Dou.

Currently, the Lord Protector is away from the Imperial Capital. Should anyone dare to harm his sole heir, the Red Banner Army stands ready to storm the city. Even the venerable Skyflight elder of the Yan family might struggle to contain these iron-willed soldiers.

Xu Qing, cornered by the gleaming longsword, was consumed by anxiety, his forehead slick with a sheen of sweat. Those around him recoiled in terror, unwilling to draw near the menacing presence of Chen Dutian.

"Mr. Chen, I misspoke earlier. Please, overlook my foolish words," Xu Qing pleaded, his voice trembling as he fought to stifle his fear, offering a respectful apology to Chen Dutian.

When it comes to lineage, Xu Qing couldn't hope to compare with Chen Dutian. Even if his own father intervened, offending the Lord Protector's Heir would have dire repercussions.

As for prowess, Chen Dutian was once dismissed as a talentless individual lacking a Power Node. But now, he appeared utterly transformed. Just hours before, he had slain the Antler Marquis, Qin Fan, in broad daylight. The icy aura of his lethal intent now far exceeded that of an Awakening Realm warrior, leaving Xu Qing hopelessly outmatched.

Moreover, the guards flanking Chen Dutian were formidable in their own right. At his command, they would not hesitate to unleash a bloodbath.

"So, you realize your error now? Kneel and bow your head to the ground three times before me, Your Grace. Perhaps then, I might consider sparing your life," Chen Dutian said with a cold laugh, his attention drawn to several well-dressed young men emerging from the Crimson Moon.

Xu Qing, the second son of the Minister of Rituals and a longtime friend of Wang Yuntian, found himself in a delicate situation. Before an audience, he was expected to kowtow to Chen Dutian, a gesture that threatened his dignity.

"Quite the audacity, Mr. Chen," an icy voice cut through the air behind Xu Qing, who looked up to see a familiar face, his expression brightening instantly. "Demanding the son of the Minister of Rituals to bow and scrape before you. Do you think you own the entire Imperial Capital?"

Pang Yuan and the others nearby turned to see who had spoken, while Chen Dutian remained unfazed, his grip on his longsword unyielding, his cold smile fixed on Xu Qing.

"Wang Yuntian? What brings him to a place like this?"

"Rumor has it he doesn't see eye to eye with Chen Dutian. We're in for quite the spectacle today!"

"Chen Dutian's arrogance is legendary. The Grand Preceptor may lead the civil officials, but I doubt he'd dare confront Mr. Chen."

Onlookers gathered, crowding the entrance of the Crimson Moon, their attention riveted on Chen Dutian. The Lord Protector's Heir, notorious for his debauchery, had slain the newly minted Antler Marquis mere hours earlier. With the Lord Protector absent from the Imperial Capital, speculation was rife about whether the Grand Preceptor would seize the chance to act against the Chen family.

"Pang Yuan, did you hear a dog barking?" Chen Dutian asked with a sly grin. Pang Yuan, whose standing couldn't compare to Chen Dutian's and who was notably cautious around Wang Xuanyang, touched the back of his head in embarrassment, offering a sheepish smile without a word.

"Chen Dutian, you've got some nerve!" exclaimed a gaunt young man at Wang Yuntian's side before the latter could speak. "To spout such insolence in Wang Yuntian's presence! Do you think I can't have you arrested on the spot?"

This was Lee Huai'en, the son of the Minister of Personnel from the Phethia Dynasty, a former royal study companion to the Crown Prince and a disciple of Wang Xuanyang.

The Minister of Personnel was a high-ranking official in the Phethia Dynasty, and Lee Huai'en's sister had married Yan Feng three years prior. This connection made the Lee family akin to royalty, which is why Lee Huai'en felt emboldened to address Chen Dutian so boldly.

Yet, as soon as he finished speaking, Wang Yuntian, who was standing next to him, involuntarily furrowed his brow. Pang Yuan let out a scoff, and the onlookers gave Lee Huai'en pitying glances as if he were a fool.

'Summon someone to apprehend Chen Dutian? Do you truly believe the title of Lord Protector is something to be taken lightly?'