?

"Wuwu~"

With her heart pierced clean through by a sword, Feng Jiao's eyes bulged wide. Her feet kicked and convulsed incessantly against the ground. She stretched both hands toward Senior Brother Zhou Song of the Law Enforcement Hall, opening her mouth as if to beg for help.

But the moment her lips parted, large gushes of fresh blood surged out, drowning her voice. Only muffled, sobbing wuwu sounds remained-a miserable sight to behold.

When the sobbing faded, the last traces of vitality within Feng Jiao's body completely drained away. Her raised hands fell limply, her pupils instantly scattered, and those two beautiful, large eyes refused to close.

Dying with eternal grievance!

She had indeed been too clever for her own good, but even in death, Feng Jiao likely could not understand. Compared to a lowly slave whose face had been ruined...

Where exactly had she lost?!

If only there were a regret pill in this world.

Feng Jiao would absolutely never have stuck her neck out. She would absolutely never have provoked Yu Youwei, and she absolutely never would have provoked Chu Chen!

Unfortunately, even a Grandmaster of alchemy on the Desolate Ancient Continent capable of refining Immortal-grade pills could not concoct a so-called regret pill.

Riches and honor are sought amidst danger.

Most people in this world only saw the first half of that truth, entirely forgetting the fatal second half!

"Chu Chen, how dare you!"

With Feng Jiao dead, Zhou Song, a high-level disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall, was thoroughly enraged. He abruptly turned his head, glaring fixedly at the calm-faced Chu Chen, furious beyond measure.

"In front of my Law Enforcement Hall, you still dare to commit murder openly? Who do you think you are, Chu Chen?!"

"When I, Zhou Song, arrived, Feng Jiao was not yet dead! I clearly ordered you to stop! Why didn't you listen? Why did you still deliver the killing blow?"

"You are disregarding me, Zhou Song, disregarding the Law Enforcement Hall, and even disregarding the entire Divine Flame Emperor Palace!"

Whoosh-

Zhou Song snorted coldly, instantly releasing his Heaven Opening Realm Pressure and bearing it down forcefully upon Chu Chen.

The so-called Heaven Opening Realm signified that once a cultivator broke through, they possessed the power to cleave the heavens. With immense strength, they became true cultivators.

And Zhou Song, being the same age as Chu Chen, had already broken through to the Heaven Opening Realm. To achieve this and be selected for the Divine Flame Emperor Palace's Law Enforcement Hall meant he was truly a favored son of heaven.

"Hmph, a mere Heaven Opening Realm cultivator dares to clamor before me? Who gave you the courage?!"

Facing the crushing weight of Zhou Song's Heaven Opening Realm Pressure, Chu Chen snorted coldly, completely unaffected. Instead, he took a step forward, staring coldly into Zhou Song's eyes. Within his calm, lake-like gaze, there was only contempt.

Although Chu Chen was only at the Qi Gathering Realm, he possessed the Chaos God Physique and had refined the God Phoenix Feather. The sheer toughness of his physical body could rival cultivators at the Spirit Communication or even the Divine Fire Realm.

Wanting to force him, Chu Chen, to kneel and beg for mercy using Pressure alone?

It was nothing but a fool's dream!

Let alone Zhou Song, who was merely at the Heaven Opening Realm-even Zhao Kongyang of the Spirit Communication Realm could not do it!

"You... you..."

Zhou Song's face flushed red with anger. He pointed a trembling finger at the arrogant Chu Chen. Not only were his strength and realm far superior to Chu Chen's, but his identity as a Law Enforcement Hall disciple was usually enough to crush any opposition.

In the past, simply invoking the name of the "Law Enforcement Hall" was enough. Forget disciples of lower strength and status; even those stronger and at a higher realm than Zhou Song would lower their heads, bow, and offer respectful salutations.

"Chu Chen, I know of you!"

"You're just relying on your high talent, aren't you? A Top Grade Five-Element Full Spiritual Root is rare, but so what?!"

"In my Divine Flame Emperor Palace, you must obey the rules of my Divine Flame Emperor Palace. He who kills, shall be killed!"

As he spoke, Zhou Song refused to give Chu Chen any chance to reply. He suddenly waved his hand, and the dozen or so Law Enforcement Hall disciples around him instantly drew their long blades, surrounding Chu Chen in an impenetrable ring.

"Come! Arrest him! If he resists, kill him on sight without mercy!"

Shua! Shua! Shua!

Long blades left their sheaths, gleaming with cold light, all pointed directly at Chu Chen.

The atmosphere instantly turned murderously tense. No one expected that Chu Chen, who had been majestically controlling life and death just moments ago, was about to be reduced to a prisoner.

Experience told them that once taken by the Law Enforcement Hall, the outcome would be unimaginably miserable.

Even if one survived, they would be flayed alive.

In truth, from the very beginning, Zhou Song's true target had been this peerless genius, Chu Chen.

After all, as a prodigy himself, the hardest thing to stomach was watching a genius who posed a threat rise so powerfully, perhaps even surpassing him.

Otherwise, with his strength at the fifth level of the Heaven Opening Realm, if he had truly wanted to save her, Yu Youwei would never have been able to kill Feng Jiao.

Come on, Chu Chen!

Resist!

Zhou Song's hand already rested on his sword hilt. He had ordered his disciples to make the arrest, knowing that if Chu Chen dared to resist-even if it was just a shove or drawing his sword-

According to sect rules, he could be killed on the spot!

Zhou Song was at the fifth level of the Heaven Opening Realm. With his cultivation and strength, he could achieve a one-hit kill!

But just as Zhou Song stared intently at Chu Chen, ready to strike, an incredibly abrupt voice rang out from the crowd.

"Senior Brother Zhou, Chu Chen... this villain killed my Dao partner and disregarded sect rules! He must be severely punished!"

"Feng Jiao, my Jiao'er, you died so miserably!"

"I didn't even have time to intervene, and you were already killed, wuwuwu~"

Seeing that Chu Chen was about to become a prisoner, the cowardly turtle Zhang San finally found his courage. He pushed through the crowd, marched straight up to Chu Chen, and began to wail loudly, vehemently denouncing Chu Chen's heinous crimes.

"Chu Chen, you dared to kill my Dao partner! You are utterly insane and steeped in evil!"

"Today, if not for Senior Brother Zhou Song and the senior brothers of the Law Enforcement Hall being here, I, Zhang San, would definitely fight you to the death to avenge my Jiao'er!!"

"..."

"..."

Zhang San's touching speech made the surrounding disciples cover their mouths in disgust, their faces full of revulsion.

Chu Chen and Feng Jiao had been fighting for quite some time.

Yu Youwei had even walked step by step toward Feng Jiao with her sword drawn.

During all of that, not only did Zhang San fail to offer any aid, he hadn't even dared to utter a single word or let out a single fart.

Now that he saw Chu Chen about to be taken prisoner, he jumped out to establish his righteous persona and show off.

How utterly shameless!!

"Junior Brother Zhang, step back!"

Interrupted, Zhou Song was extremely displeased, but he forcefully suppressed his anger. After all, his true target was Chu Chen.

"Don't worry. Chu Chen killed your Dao partner. My Law Enforcement Hall will definitely handle the case impartially and give you justice!"

"I only hope that after Chu Chen is killed for resisting arrest, you can go before the Elders and bear witness for my Law Enforcement Hall!"

Chu Chen was, after all, a Top Grade Five-Element Full Spiritual Root and the disciple of Qi Lao'er of the Red King Palace. Without a legitimate reason, even the Law Enforcement Hall dared not touch him.

"Senior Brother Zhou, rest assured. That is only natural!"

Hearing this, Zhang San was overjoyed and quickly nodded in agreement. When he looked at Chu Chen again, his eyes were filled with mockery and amusement. He could already picture Chu Chen's impending miserable fate.

"Law Enforcement Hall disciples, make your move!"

After pacifying Zhang San, Zhou Song raised his hand again and waved it sharply.

"Arrest Chu Chen! If he resists, kill him on sight without mercy!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!!"

......

"Wait!"

But just as the dozen or so Law Enforcement Hall disciples closed in with their blades, Chu Chen, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, asking an utterly baffling question.

"Why are you arresting me?"

"..."

Zhou Song was stunned. The dozen or so Law Enforcement Hall disciples were even more bewildered, and the hundreds of Red King Palace disciples watching were completely confused.

They had all anticipated that Chu Chen would either resist arrest or obediently let himself be taken, quietly waiting for Palace Master Qi Lao'er to return and rescue him.

They never expected Chu Chen to ask... such a question.

"You..."

Zhou Song frowned, momentarily speechless.

By nature, he didn't want to explain anything to Chu Chen-just arrest him directly, and kill him if he resisted.

But with hundreds of Red King Palace disciples watching on their own territory, coupled with Chu Chen's unusual identity, it would indeed be difficult to deliver a killing blow without a legitimate reason.

Once Zhou Song recovered his wits, he said in a deep voice:

"You murdered a fellow disciple. According to the rules of my Divine Flame Emperor Palace, this is a grave crime, and you should-"

"Which eye of yours saw me kill someone?"

Before Zhou Song could finish, Chu Chen forcefully interrupted him. As he spoke, his gaze swept across the hundreds of disciples.

"Did I kill her? Was Feng Jiao killed by me?"

"..."

As soon as these words fell, everyone present was shocked.

But soon, those with sharp eyes guessed Chu Chen's intention.

So Chu Chen had prepared a backup plan all along. He was...

He was going to let that lowly female slave take the blame! Sacrifice a slave to save himself!

But doing this... wasn't it a bit...

Utterly heartless?!