C8 You must Die

Chen Dutian couldn't help but laugh at Lee Huai'en's comment. He turned slowly, giving Lee a mocking look, and weighed his longsword thoughtfully before sneering, "Ah, Young Master Lee, do you really think I, Chen Dutian, am easily scared?"

"Hmph, everyone in the Imperial Capital knows you're nothing but a spoiled brat," Lee Huai'en retorted with a snort, stepping forward to confront him. "Relying on your family's power, you've bullied and oppressed countless people. Do you honestly believe you're untouchable?"

Lee Huai'en saw his chance to strike against the Chen family, now that Chen Dou was away from the Imperial Capital and his brother-in-law, Yan Feng, commanded the Imperial Guards.

Chen Dutian, however, just sneered contemptuously. A sharp glint appeared in his eyes as he approached Lee Huai'en. With a flick of his longsword, a crimson line suddenly marked Lee Huai'en's shoulder.

Wang Yuntian inhaled sharply at the sight, and the guards by his side furrowed their brows in unison.

"Spirit Convergence... When did Chen Dutian, the so-called trash, gain the strength of the Spirit Convergence Realm?"

The shock wasn't lost on Wang Yuntian alone; even Lee Huai'en was visibly shaken. The Imperial Capital's noble families boasted many prodigies.

Yet the most powerful among them had only reached the Fifth Heaven of the Spirit Convergence Stage. Yan Feng, despite being the commander of the Imperial Guards, had barely stepped into the Astral Wandering Stage.

Chen Dutian, who had been written off from a young age as having no Power Node and thus incapable of cultivating, claimed to have received the Teachings of the Divine after slaying the Antler Marquis, Qin Fan, earlier that day. Everyone had dismissed his claim as mere bravado.

But against all odds, the man once deemed worthless had become a warrior of the Spirit Convergence Realm overnight. The rapid ascent in his abilities was nothing short of terrifying.

"You... you claimed to lack a Power Node?" Lee Huai'en stammered, his nerves fraying.

"What's the matter? Thought you could push me around because I didn't have a Power Node?" Chen Dutian's longsword moved swiftly, its cold gleam preceding another cut across Lee Huai'en's chest.

"Stop! Chen Dutian, don't be so reckless! Lee Huai'en is the eldest son of the Minister of Personnel!" Wang Yuntian snapped out of his shock and, seeing the relentless killing intent in Chen Dutian's eyes, he rushed forward to rescue Lee Huai'en from the edge of his blade.

However, Wang Yuntian had only recently advanced to the Spirit Convergence Realm, and he was significantly outmatched by Chen Dutian. As he threw his punch, Chen Dutian sidestepped with ease, effortlessly evading the forceful blow.

The longsword in Chen Dutian's hand vibrated, and three beams of sword light burst forth, hurtling straight towards Lee Huai'en.

No one can save a person marked for death by the God-Emperor!

Terrified, Lee Huai'en's face turned ashen, and his legs gave out, causing him to collapse to the ground. Wang Yuntian positioned himself in front of Lee Huai'en, determined to block the three sword lights with his own body.

Spiritual Qi swirled around his arms, igniting a glowing white light as he bravely met the sword lights head-on.

"Crack!"

In the span of two breaths, the white light shattered beneath the onslaught of the sword lights. Wang Yuntian staggered back, but the relentless sword lights continued their trajectory, threatening to pierce his chest.

"Young Master, get back!"

Unable to stand idly by, Wang Yuntian's guard leaped forward and struck the sword lights with a powerful palm.

With a dull thud, the sword lights vanished into thin air, and the guard, slightly shaken, quickly moved to protect Wang Yuntian, guiding him to safety.

"I'm still too weak. If I had the power of the Astral Wandering Realm, those three sword lights would have been enough to take out Wang Yuntian's guard!" Chen Dutian muttered to himself, shaking his head in disappointment.

The guard who had just intervened was a Seventh Heaven Spirit Convergence Realm warrior. Chen Dutian's seemingly effortless thrust was an application of the Starfall Sword technique from his past life. With a strong foundation of Spiritual Qi and the technique fully mastered, he could conjure hundreds of sword lights capable of instantly annihilating a warrior in the Deification Realm.

Seeing Wang Yuntian's guard take action, Chen Dutian's companions knew they couldn't afford to hesitate. They drew their longswords and closed in, ready for confrontation.

The atmosphere in front of the Crimson Moon Gate was electric with tension, the air almost solidifying with the palpable sense of danger.

"Wang Yuntian, step aside! Lee Huai'en's death is non-negotiable today!" Chen Dutian declared icily, brandishing his longsword with an ease that suggested killing Lee Huai'en was as trivial to him as slaughtering livestock.

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

The Lee family was nobility, and Lee Huai'en had a good rapport with Wang Yuntian. With so many witnesses present, how could Wang Yuntian simply stand by as Chen Dutian sought to kill Lee Huai'en right before his eyes?

"Humph, do you think you can stop me?"

Chen Dutian's desire to kill was unmistakable. With the end of his taunt, he swiftly shifted his stance and unleashed three dazzling arcs of sword light.

Gone was the arrogance from Lee Huai'en's face. As the sword light bore down on him, he desperately cried out, "Someone save me!"

The Lee family's guards sprang into action, but they were no match for Chen Dutian's entourage. In an instant, the guards were overpowered and sent flying.

Wang Yuntian moved to engage Chen Dutian once more, but the sword light found its mark, piercing Lee Huai'en's chest. He met a gruesome end at the hands of Chen Dutian.

With a thud, Xu Qing, witnessing the murder, collapsed to his knees in terror.

"Master Chen... please, have mercy!"

Xu Qing's status was far beneath Lee Huai'en's. If Chen Dutian could execute Lee Huai'en so publicly, dispatching Xu Qing would be just as effortless.

Overcome with rage, Wang Yuntian nearly fainted. He had vowed to protect Lee Huai'en, yet Chen Dutian had brazenly murdered him in the street, utterly disregarding Wang Yuntian. It was a direct affront, a slap to Wang Yuntian's face.

"Chen Dutian, you've gone too far! Committing murder in broad daylight, as if the law doesn't apply to you, and executing a high-ranking official on a whim—you're utterly... utterly unforgivable!" Wang Yuntian trembled with rage as he jabbed a finger at Chen Dutian's nose and berated him.

Chen Dutian, however, didn't even consider Wang Yuntian a threat. He scoffed dismissively and tossed his longsword to a nearby guard, taunting, "And what exactly can you do to me?"

"Fine! Fine! We'll see about that. You'll regret this!" Wang Yuntian retorted.

Despite being the Grand Preceptor and the foremost civil servant of the Phethia Dynasty, he lacked military authority and was indeed powerless against Chen Dutian.

After watching Wang Yuntian storm off with his entourage, Chen Dutian leisurely turned to face Xu Qing, who was still kneeling on the ground. With a nonchalant kick, he said coldly, "Get lost. Next time you see me... make sure to give me a wide berth! Otherwise... you'll end up just like Lee Huai'en!"