C7 Knowing Your Mistake

Despite his father being the esteemed Minister of Rites, Xu Qing was well aware that the position held no real power. To Chen Dutian, he was hardly worth considering.

Xu Qing's anxiety was palpable as Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan closed in on him. His voice quivered, "Make way... I'm here at Prince Ying's invitation!"

Chen Dutian let out a derisive snort at Xu Qing's plea and delivered a sharp slap across his face. The crisp sound left Xu Qing's cheek adorned with five angry red marks. His guards, witnessing their young master struck, moved to intervene, but they were no match for the formidable guards of the Lord Protector's estate. Four stern-faced, silver-armored swordsmen stepped forward and swiftly subdued them.

Xu Qing, a practitioner of the Seventh Level of the Awakening Realm, had always been dealt with by Chen Dutian's guards in the past. He never imagined that Chen Dutian, often dismissed as worthless by the capital's youth, was capable of cultivation, let alone that he wouldn't sense the attack coming. This surely meant that Chen Dutian's strength now eclipsed his own.

Clutching his reddened cheek, Xu Qing was filled with bewilderment. Even Pang Yuan looked on in astonishment, and the female servants stared at Chen Dutian, their eyes wide with shock. Meanwhile, the guards who accompanied Chen Dutian could barely contain their excitement.

"Think you can intimidate me with Wang Yuntian's name? Do you really believe I'd be afraid of him?" Chen Dutian said, ignoring the astonished onlookers and sneering at Xu Qing with his arms folded.

"You... How could you, who've never cultivated, possess a Martial Gate?" Xu Qing stammered, still reeling from the shock.

With a swift "Pah!" Chen Dutian's hand met Xu Qing's cheek once more, his body radiating a fierce intent to kill.

"You dare address me with such disrespect? Believe me, I could take your life this instant!" Chen Dutian declared. Without hesitation, he drew a sword from a nearby guard and pressed it to Xu Qing's throat.

Chen Dutian was far from jesting. As the son of the Lord Protector, he could eliminate Xu Qing—or even eradicate the entire Xu family—with little more than a mild rebuke from the emperor.

Within the Phethia Dynasty, aside from the 100,000 Imperial Guards loyal to the Yan Family, the majority of the senior military officers in the other armies were once subordinates of Lord Protector Chen Dou. Chen Dou had led the Red Banner Army, numbering half a million, to repel invaders in the west, claiming the lives of a million foes. He subdued the southern barbarians, pacifying over thirty provinces, and expanded the northern borders a thousand miles beyond the Di Rong territories, earning himself a legendary military reputation.

It's fair to say that without Lord Protector Chen Dou, the Phethia Dynasty as we know it wouldn't exist. Despite the passage of years, his former subordinates remained unwaveringly loyal, which ultimately fueled the Yan Family's desire to eliminate Chen Dou.

Currently, the Lord Protector is absent from the capital, and should anyone dare to harm his only son, 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, under the threat of a gleaming sword, was overwhelmed with tension, his forehead beading with sweat. Those nearby recoiled in fear, unwilling to get close to Chen Dutian, who radiated a fierce desire to fight.

"Young Master Chen... I misspoke earlier. Please, forgive my indiscretion," Xu Qing pleaded, taking several deep breaths to quell his fear, and offered his apology to Chen Dutian with due respect.

In terms of background, Xu Qing couldn't compare to Chen Dutian. Even if his own father intervened, offending the Lord Protector's heir would bring dire consequences.

As for prowess, Chen Dutian was once considered useless, lacking any martial prowess. But now, he had transformed completely. Just hours before, he had slain Marquis Qin Fan in the street, and the chilling aura of his killing intent now far exceeded that of an Awakening Realm warrior. Xu Qing was no match for him.

Moreover, the guards flanking Chen Dutian were formidable in their own right. At his command, they would undoubtedly unleash a ruthless slaughter without a moment's hesitation.

"Now you realize your error? Kneel and kowtow to me three times. Maybe then I'll spare your life!" Chen Dutian let out a cold laugh. He had noticed several elegantly dressed young men emerging from the Crimson Moon.

Xu Qing, after all, was the second son of the Minister of Rites and a longtime friend of Wang Yuntian. The idea of kowtowing to Chen Dutian in front of an audience was more than a blow to his pride; it was unthinkable.

"Young Master Chen, that's quite the audacious demand, expecting the Minister of Rites' son to kneel and kowtow to you. Do you think you own the entire Imperial Capital?" A chilling voice rose from behind. Xu Qing looked up, his face breaking into a relieved smile.

Pang Yuan and the others nearby turned to see who had spoken, while Chen Dutian remained facing forward, his hand gripping his sword as he continued to sneer at Xu Qing.

"Wang Yuntian? What's he doing in a place like this?"

"The eldest son of the Tutor, always at loggerheads with Chen Dutian. Looks like we're in for quite the spectacle today!"

"Chen Dutian's arrogance knows no bounds. Sure, the Tutor is the chief of the civil officials, but I doubt he'd dare lay a finger on Young Master Chen!"

Bystanders began to gather, crowding the entrance of the Crimson Moon, their attention fixed on Chen Dutian.

The heir to the Lord Protector was the Imperial Capital's most notorious scion. Just hours earlier, he had slain the newly minted Marquis of Deer Cauldron. With the Lord Protector absent from the capital, speculation was rife about whether the Tutor might seize the chance to act against the Chen family.

"Pang Yuan, did you hear a dog barking?" Chen Dutian asked with a smirk, turning to look at Pang Yuan.

Pang Yuan, whose standing paled in comparison to Chen Dutian's, was understandably cautious around the Crown Prince and Tutor, Wang Xuanyang. Hearing Chen Dutian's taunt, he sheepishly scratched the back of his head, offering a forced smile without a word in response.

"Chen Dutian, the audacity! To speak so brazenly in the presence of Young Master Wang—do you really think I couldn't have you arrested this instant?" Before Wang Yuntian could utter a word, a gaunt young man at his side stepped forward.

This individual was Li Huaien, the son of the Minister of Personnel from the Phethia Dynasty. Chosen from a young age to be the study companion to the Crown Prince, he was also a disciple of Wang Xuanyang.

Being a high-ranking official in the Phethia Dynasty, the Minister of Personnel's position lent Li Huaien's family considerable prestige. With his sister having married Yan Feng three years prior, the Li family had close ties to the imperial line, giving Li Huaien the boldness to confront Chen Dutian so directly.

Yet, as soon as he finished speaking, Wang Yuntian, standing close by, involuntarily furrowed his brow. Pang Yuan let out a scoff, and the onlookers shared glances of derision, their eyes filled with pity for Li Huaien.

Thinking of arresting Chen Dutian? Does he truly underestimate the weight of the Lord Protector's title?