C7 Knowing His Wrongs

Although Xu Qing's father held the prestigious title of Minister of Rituals, his position was largely ceremonial and lacked real power, so Chen Dutian didn't take him seriously at all.

When Chen Dutian and Pang Yuan closed in on him, Xu Qing became noticeably anxious and stammered, "You... you need to step aside. I was invited here by Wang Yuntian!"

Chen Dutian scoffed at this and slapped Xu Qing across the face. The sharp sound of the slap echoed, leaving five bright red fingerprints on Xu Qing's cheek. The guards behind Xu Qing, seeing their young master struck, wanted to intervene.

However, the guards from the House of Protector were not to be trifled with. Four stern-faced men in silver armor, swords at their sides, stepped forward and quickly subdued Xu Qing's guards.

Xu Qing, who had reached the Seventh Heaven of the Awakening, was usually a match for Chen Dutian, who would typically rely on his own guards to deal with him. Xu Qing never expected that Chen Dutian, often dismissed as a failure by the younger generation of the Imperial Capital, had now developed his own skills. Moreover, Xu Qing hadn't even noticed when Chen Dutian made his move.

Did this mean Chen Dutian's abilities had surpassed his own?

Xu Qing clutched his cheek, filled with confusion, while Pang Yuan turned his head in surprise. Even the maids looked at Chen Dutian with astonished eyes.

The guards who followed Chen Dutian out had excitement gleaming in their eyes.

"Trying to use Wang Yuntian to intimidate me? Do you think I'd be scared of him?" Chen Dutian ignored the shocked stares from the crowd, crossing his arms and mocking Xu Qing.

"You... how could someone who never trained have a Power Node?" Xu Qing, still reeling from shock, asked incredulously.

"Smack!"

Before Xu Qing could finish, Chen Dutian backhanded him hard across the face, a fierce intent radiating from him.

"How dare you address me like that, you fool! Do you believe I won't kill you right here?"

With that, Chen Dutian swiftly drew a sword from a nearby guard and held it to Xu Qing's throat.

Chen Dutian wasn't joking. As the heir to the House of Protector, not only could he kill Xu Qing without consequence, but even if he wiped out the entire Xu family, the emperor would likely only give him a mild rebuke.

In the entire Phethia Dynasty, aside from the Imperial Guards directly under the Yan family's command, most of the senior military leaders were former subordinates of Lord Protector Chen Dou.

Back in the day, Chen Dou led the 500,000-strong Red Banner Army to defend against foreign invaders, claiming a million enemy lives! He conquered the southern tribes, pacifying over thirty regions, and expanded the northern borders, keeping the Di Rong at bay. His achievements were legendary.

Without Chen Dou, the current Phethia Dynasty might not exist. Even after many years, his former subordinates remain fiercely loyal, which is why the Yan family is determined to eliminate him.

Now that the Lord Protector is away from the Imperial Capital, anyone daring to harm his only son risks facing the wrath of the 500,000-strong Red Banner Army. Not even the Yan family's most formidable elder could likely quell these steadfast soldiers.

With a gleaming longsword pointed at him, Xu Qing was extremely tense, sweat beading on his forehead. Those around him stepped back in fear, unwilling to approach the menacing Chen Dutian.

"Mr. Chen, I misspoke earlier. Please, don't hold it against me!" Xu Qing took several deep breaths, suppressing his fear, and apologized to Chen Dutian with great respect.

In terms of background, he couldn't compete with Chen Dutian. Even if his father intervened, offending the Lord Protector's Heir would lead to severe consequences.

As for strength, Chen Dutian was once considered a powerless failure, but now he seemed like a changed man. Just hours ago, he had killed the Antler Marquis, Qin Fan, in broad daylight. The cold aura he exuded far surpassed that of an Awakening-level warrior, leaving Xu Qing no match for him.

Standing beside Chen Dutian were several formidable guards, ready to unleash chaos at his command.

"Realizing your mistake now? Kneel and give me three kowtows, and maybe I'll spare your life!" Chen Dutian sneered, noticing a few well-dressed young men emerging from the Crimson Moon.

Xu Qing, the second son of the Minister of Rituals and a long-time friend of Wang Yuntian, couldn't bear the humiliation of kowtowing to Chen Dutian in front of everyone.

"Quite the bold statement, Mr. Chen, demanding the son of the Minister of Rituals to kneel before you. Do you think the entire capital belongs to your family?" A cold voice interrupted from behind. Xu Qing looked up, his face lighting up with relief.

Pang Yuan and the others turned to see who had spoken, but Chen Dutian remained facing forward, gripping his longsword and sneering at Xu Qing.

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

"I heard he doesn't get along with Chen Dutian. This should be interesting!"

"Chen Dutian's arrogance is well-known. Even though the Grand Preceptor is the head of the civil officials, I doubt he'd dare to challenge Mr. Chen!"

Passersby stopped to watch, crowding the entrance of the Crimson Moon, their eyes mostly fixed on Chen Dutian.

The heir to the House of Protector is known as one of the top playboys in the capital. Just a few hours ago, he killed the newly appointed Antler Marquis in broad daylight. With the Lord Protector absent from the capital, everyone is speculating whether the Grand Preceptor will seize this chance to act against the Chen family.

"Pang Yuan, did you hear a dog barking?" Chen Dutian asked with a sly smile, glancing at Pang Yuan.

Pang Yuan, whose background couldn't compare to Chen Dutian's, was quite wary of Wang Xuanyang. Hearing Chen Dutian's words, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head, grinned, but stayed silent.

"Chen Dutian, you've got some nerve! How dare you speak so recklessly in front of Wang Yuntian? Believe it or not, I can have you arrested at any moment!" A young man with a gaunt face, standing beside Wang Yuntian, stepped forward before Wang could respond.

This was Lee Huai'en, the son of the Minister of Personnel from the Phethia Dynasty. He had been chosen at a young age to study alongside the crown prince and was also a protégé of Wang Xuanyang. The Minister of Personnel was a key figure in the Yan family dynasty, and Lee Huai'en's sister had married Yan Feng three years ago, making the Lee family part of the royal kin. This gave Lee Huai'en the confidence to speak to Chen Dutian in such a manner.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Wang Yuntian frowned involuntarily, Pang Yuan let out a derisive snort, and the onlookers around them looked at him with pity, as if he were a fool.

You think someone can just arrest Chen Dutian? Do you really believe the Lord Protector's title is just for show?