C8 You must Die!

Chen Dutian chuckled at Lee Huai'en's words, slowly turning around to cast a mocking glance at him. He weighed the longsword in his hand and sneered, "Oh, it's you, Lee. Do you think I got where I am by being scared of people like you?"

"Hmph, everyone in this city knows you're just a spoiled brat, using your family's influence to bully others and get away with it. Do you really think no one can bring you down?" Lee Huai'en retorted, stepping forward with a fierce glare.

His brother-in-law, Yan Feng, was the commander of the Imperial Guards, and with Chen Dou out of town, Lee saw this as the perfect chance to take down the Chen family.

But Chen Dutian merely smirked, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He approached Lee Huai'en slowly, and with a flick of his longsword, left a fresh cut on Lee's shoulder.

Wang Yuntian, witnessing this, couldn't help but gasp, while the guards around him all frowned in unison.

"Spirit Convergence... When did Chen Dutian, the so-called waste, gain such power?"

It wasn't just Wang Yuntian who was stunned; even Lee Huai'en couldn't help but shiver. Among the younger generation of the city's elite families, there were indeed some extraordinary talents.

However, the strongest among them had only reached the Fifth Heaven of Spirit Convergence. Yan Feng, a commander of the Imperial Guards, had just entered the Astral Wandering stage. Chen Dutian, on the other hand, had been deemed incapable of cultivation since childhood due to a lack of Power Nodes. When he killed the Antler Marquis, Qin Fan, in broad daylight, he claimed to have received teachings from the divine, but everyone dismissed it as mere boasting.

Unexpectedly, this guy really hit the jackpot. Once considered a complete failure, he became a Spirit Convergence warrior overnight. The speed of his power increase was downright terrifying.

"You... weren't you supposed to be without Power Nodes?" Lee Huai'en stammered, overwhelmed with anxiety.

"What? Does lacking Power Nodes mean I should go easy on you?" Chen Dutian retorted, his longsword flashing as it sliced through the air, leaving a fresh wound on Lee Huai'en's chest.

"Stop! Chen Dutian, don't be so arrogant. Lee Huai'en is the eldest son of the Minister of Personnel!" Wang Yuntian snapped out of his shock, seeing the murderous intent still in Chen Dutian's eyes. He rushed forward, trying to save Lee Huai'en from Chen's blade.

But Wang Yuntian had only just entered the Spirit Convergence stage himself and was no match for Chen Dutian. As Wang threw a powerful punch, Chen sidestepped effortlessly, dodging the blow with ease.

The longsword trembled, and three beams of sword light suddenly shot forth, heading straight for Lee Huai'en.

"When the God-Emperor wants someone dead, no one can save them!"

Lee Huai'en turned pale with fear, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the ground. Wang Yuntian stepped in front of him, determined to block the three beams of sword light with his own strength.

Spiritual energy surged through his arms, and a bright, white light flared up as he fiercely collided with the sword beams.

"Crack!"

In just two breaths, the white light shattered under the force of the sword beams. Wang Yuntian shuddered, stepping back half a pace, but the sword beams remained relentless, poised to pierce his chest...

"Young master, step back!"

A guard behind Wang Yuntian could no longer stand by. He leaped forward, striking at the sword beams with a powerful palm.

With a deep, resonant hum, the sword beams dissipated into the air, though the guard trembled from the impact as he shielded Wang Yuntian and retreated to the side.

"Still too weak. If I had the power of the Astral Wandering realm, those sword beams would have been enough to kill Wang Yuntian's guard!" Chen Dutian thought to himself, shaking his head slightly.

The guard who had just protected Wang Yuntian was a warrior of the Seventh Heaven in the Spirit Convergence realm. The seemingly casual strike from Chen Dutian was actually a move from the "Starfall Sword," a technique he had learned in a past life. With strong spiritual energy, it could be cultivated to the point where hundreds of sword beams could be conjured instantly, and the mere sword aura could annihilate a warrior of the Deification realm.

Wang Yuntian's guards sprang into action, and the men Chen Dutian brought with him quickly drew their longswords, surrounding the area. The tension at the entrance of the Crimson Moon was palpable, as if the air itself had frozen.

"Get out of my way, Wang Yuntian! Today, Lee Huai'en must die!" Chen Dutian declared coldly, his longsword in hand, as if taking Lee's life was no more difficult than slaughtering a chicken.

"He's the eldest son of the Minister of Personnel and a companion to the Crown Prince, not to mention my father's prized student! As long as I'm here, you won't lay a finger on him!"

The Lee family had royal connections, and Lee Huai'en was on good terms with Wang Yuntian. With so many people watching, there was no way Wang would stand by and let Chen Dutian kill Lee right in front of him.

"Do you really think you can stop me?" Chen Dutian's intent was clear. With a swift movement, he unleashed three flashes of his sword.

Lee Huai'en, no longer as arrogant as before, saw the sword lights closing in and shouted desperately, "Help me!"

The two guards from the Lee family moved to act, but Chen Dutian's men were far superior. In an instant, the Lee family guards were sent flying.

Wang Yuntian wanted to step forward and face Chen Dutian again, but three swift sword strikes pierced Lee Huai'en's chest, leaving him dead at Chen Dutian's feet.

*Thud...*

Behind him, Xu Qing, witnessing Lee Huai'en's death, fell to his knees in terror. "Mr. Chen, please spare me!"

Xu Qing's status was far below that of Lee Huai'en. Seeing Chen Dutian kill Lee so publicly, he knew he could easily be next.

Wang Yuntian was furious, nearly losing his composure. He had just declared he would protect Lee Huai'en, yet Chen Dutian had brazenly committed murder in the street, showing complete disregard for him. It was a direct slap in Wang Yuntian's face.

"Chen Dutian, you've gone too far! Committing murder in broad daylight, defying the law, killing a high-ranking official like it's nothing—you’re utterly reprehensible!" Wang Yuntian shouted, his whole body trembling as he pointed accusingly at Chen Dutian.

But Chen Dutian was unfazed, letting out a mocking laugh as he casually tossed his longsword to a nearby guard. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"Fine! Just you wait. You'll regret this!" Wang Yuntian fumed. Although he was the Grand Preceptor of the Phethia Dynasty, he held no military power and couldn't take action against Chen Dutian.

Watching Wang Yuntian storm off with his entourage, Chen Dutian slowly turned around, glancing at Xu Qing, who was still kneeling. He kicked him lightly and said, "Get lost. And in the future, when you see me... make sure to steer clear! Otherwise... Lee Huai'en's fate will be your warning!"