“Sigh! Those two are out of luck.”
Along the banks of the Jinling River, many tourists couldn’t help but look on with sympathy as they saw Su Chen and Ruo Ximeng surrounded by Chen Jingting and a group of cultivators from the Chen family.
The name Chen Jingting—and the Chen family—was not something ordinary people could afford to ignore.
The Chen family was one of the Four Great Clans of the Dayan Empire’s capital.
Historically, the Chen clan had produced figures as prestigious as the Grand General of Cavalry and even the Chancellor.
As for lesser officials like Ministers and Censors, there were too many to count.
The current Chen family head, Chen Jingting, even had a sister who was once a concubine of the former emperor.
The term “royalty and nobility” could not be more fitting when describing the Chen family.
In the imperial capital of the Dayan Dynasty, aside from the royal family and the other three great clans, who else would dare provoke the Chens?
Su Chen and Ruo Ximeng clearly didn’t belong to that category.
***
“Broad daylight, right under the emperor’s nose… are these thugs really planning to make a move? If anyone dares to act violently here, I won’t just stand by and—”
Among the crowd of onlookers by the river, there were still some warm-hearted individuals who believed in justice, and one of them spoke up indignantly.
However, before he could even finish his sentence, a companion beside him quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.
As the saying goes: ‘Trouble starts the moment you open your mouth; misery follows those who stick their necks out.’
This was the imperial capital.
This was the Chen family.
‘Who in their right mind would dare get involved?’
To the onlookers, it looked like Su Chen and Ruo Ximeng had been scared stiff.
At a time like this, any normal person would be on their knees, sobbing and begging for mercy.
But Su Chen’s expression was as calm and still as a deep, ancient well—completely unmoved.
It was as if the powerful Chen family cultivators in front of him were nothing more than air.
“Kneel down and apologize!”
Chen Jingting was clearly displeased with their reaction.
Within the borders of the Dayan Empire—especially here in the capital—anyone with half a brain would’ve heard of the Chen family.
Once they knew who they were dealing with, most people who offended the Chens would tremble like leaves in the wind, banging their heads on the ground in desperate apology.
But these two were different.
From the beginning, Su Chen had been completely indifferent.
Meanwhile, Ruo Ximeng stood beside him, casting a look of annoyance at the Chen family’s men—almost as if she were blaming them for ruining her pleasant outing with her master.
“Heh… interesting! I didn’t think there were still people within the Dayan Empire bold enough to disrespect the Chen family. To disrespect me, Chen Jingting!”
Chen Jingting suddenly chuckled, but the laughter carried no warmth.
Su Chen and Ruo Ximeng’s utter disregard for the Chen family’s authority had thoroughly enraged him.
And Chen Jingting’s anger was not something two insignificant nobodies like Su Chen and Ruo Ximeng could hope to withstand.
“Respect?” Su Chen finally let out a laugh.
“If I gave you respect… would you even dare accept it?”
His words stunned the entire crowd.
No one expected him to say something so outrageous in a situation like this.
***
Gasp—
Those who were familiar with the Chen family’s ruthlessness couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air.
They had seen bold people before—but never someone with such a death wish.
The ordinary-looking young man before them had actually dared to provoke the Chen family not just once, but multiple times!
“What are you all standing around for? Kill them both on the spot—now!”
Seeing Su Chen’s blatant provocation, the Chen family’s steward, Chen Zhong, barked coldly.
“Wait! Cut this brat into pieces and feed him to the dogs. As for that beautiful girl, take her to my estate. Let me enjoy her personally!”
Just as the Chen family’s martial artists were about to move, the second young master, Chen Shiyu, hurriedly interjected.
As the saying goes, when the upper beam is crooked, the lower beams are bound to be slanted.
Chen Shian was a lecherous, debauched scoundrel.
This second young master, Chen Shiyu, was no better.
From the moment Chen Shiyu arrived, his lecherous gaze hadn’t strayed from Ruo Ximeng’s full and delicate chest.
As the second son of the Chen family, Chen Shiyu had no shortage of women.
But even a man like Chen Shiyu, who had bedded countless women, was visibly stunned when he saw Ruo Ximeng.
She was only sixteen, yet already stunningly graceful and beautiful.
Her skin was like fine mutton-fat jade, pale and smooth as snow, seemingly fragile enough to shatter at a touch.
Her eyes sparkled like crystal-clear water, radiating brilliance even though she was visibly angry.
Her slim waist looked as though it couldn’t be encircled by both hands.
Her legs were long and slender, flawless in every detail.
She stood like a delicate flower reflected in still water, moved like a willow swaying in the wind.
And what made her all the more captivating was her figure—exaggerated to the point of being unbelievable for her age.
Her chest was full and firm, straining against the fabric of her clothes as though it might burst free at any moment.
Chen Shiyu’s fingers twitched slightly, and a thought flashed in his mind: ‘So big… unbelievably big!’
‘Magnificent—positively monumental!’
‘If I could bed this beauty, it would be like ascending to immortality. What endless bliss it would bring.’
Earlier, Chen Jingting’s gaze had been focused solely on Su Chen.
But hearing this reminder from his unfilial son, he finally turned to look at Ruo Ximeng.
With one glance, his heart stirred, and a hint of lewdness appeared in the depths of his eyes.
‘What a woman. No wonder that bastard Chen Shian got himself crippled over her!’
Though nearly fifty, Chen Jingting was notoriously lecherous.
At this moment, even though he hadn’t spoken, he had already decided—once Ruo Ximeng was captured, he would make her his thirteenth concubine.
‘These two brats—what do they know of true pleasure? Their grubby hands only spoil the fun.’
‘Tonight, this old man shall personally savor the bliss of pressing the flower beneath the pear tree!’
As several Chen family martial artists moved toward Su Chen, Chen Jingting prepared to capture Ruo Ximeng himself.
Seeing the look in his father’s eyes, Chen Shiyu’s heart suddenly sank.
This old bastard had ruined his plans more than once before.
That girl clearly still had her maidenhood.
But now, judging by his father’s expression, the old man had obviously set his sights on her.
‘Was he really going to have to wait until the old man had his fill before he got a taste?’
***
On the other side, a faint smirk was already forming on Su Chen’s lips.
The surrounding whispers, and the Chen family’s long list of misdeeds, had all reached his ears.
He was just about to strike—planning to blast the head off the martial artist walking in front of him, and then let the flying skull smash into Chen Jingting’s head and explode it, splattering blood all over Chen Shiyu’s face.
He imagined the look on Chen Shiyu’s face in that moment would be absolutely priceless.
But just as Su Chen was about to begin the slaughter, a furious voice suddenly rang out from the distance.
“Stop!”
“General Yanhuang has arrived!”
The shout echoed closer and closer, startling Chen Jingting and the rest of the Chen family into flinching.
Even a powerful clan like the Chen family—one of the four great houses of the imperial capital—could not afford to provoke General Yanhuang.
Since General Yanhuang was here, this matter would likely have to be dropped.
But even so, Chen Jingting couldn’t understand—’why would General Yanhuang personally step in?’