Within the Chen Manor, two completely different energies collided with each other.
A powerful force echoed in this place, almost enveloping the entire Chen Manor, completely shrouded within.
Invisible to the naked eye, two energies competed and targeted each other here.
Evidently, a sense of terror permeated the surroundings.
A chill air enveloped the surroundings; wherever it passed, everything was frozen, creating a cold icy landscape.
Along the way, whether it was flowers, grass, or corpses, everything turned into beautiful ice sculptures, despite the miserable cries of the people.
In the center, two figures faced each other, staring at each other.
"Are we really going to have a fight after all?"
Facing Chen An in front, the Duke Chen sighed, "I thought we could resolve this peacefully."
"We could have," Chen An nodded calmly, "It's just that you, Duke Chen, are unwilling."
"Since you are unwilling, Duke Chen, then I have no choice but to act and reason with you," he lifted his head and gazed at Duke Chen, speaking lightly.
"The way you are now, doesn't seem like you want to reason."
Duke Chen glanced around with a hint of helplessness in his voice.
At this moment, the Chen Manor had completely changed.
The collision of the two auras emitted by the two men was exceptionally powerful.
The whole Chen Manor was already affected by the aura they emanated, turning it into a completely different place.
Numerous areas had turned into icy worlds, with ice sculptures appearing everywhere.
However, that was considered acceptable.
Neither Chen An nor Duke Chen harbored much killing intent in their hearts.
Naturally, Duke Chen didn't need to say much; as for Chen An, his killing intent was only directed towards Chen Li's family.
Chen An was not a bloodthirsty madman who killed randomly.
Of course, except for those who actively sought trouble with him.
Chen An had a good temper and appreciated beauty in adults, so if someone was looking for trouble, he generally wouldn't refuse.
But fundamentally, neither of them had much killing intent.
Therefore, despite the auras spreading and wreaking havoc, they didn't cause much damage.
Both maintained considerable restraint towards each other.
"That's just for you, Duke Chen," Chen An said lightly, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Would you deny me the revenge for the murder of my mother?"
"I see, it's your father as well," Duke Chen shook his head slowly, speaking leisurely.
"Father?" Chen An smiled, "I only see a greedy beast wrapped in human skin."
"Before I came to this mansion, if he had done anything, perhaps I wouldn't have been like this. At least, I could have been gentler in my approach. But he did nothing, and instead caused me a lot of trouble."
"This kind of father, Duke Chen, ask yourself, would you keep him if he were given to you?"
Duke Chen fell silent instantly, feeling somewhat at a loss.
He had also heard of the hardships Chen An had faced, indeed, Chen Li had gone too far.
"Since you have nothing to say, it shows that you still have a conscience, unlike those two beasts who can speak without a conscience," Chen An chuckled, "I am not an executioner. Give Chen Li's family to me, and I will leave immediately, without taking your title or inheritance. How about it?"
Duke Chen remained silent.
"Father!" Behind him, Chen Li spoke anxiously, seemingly afraid that Duke Chen would agree.
The situation in front of them was clear.
If Duke Chen nodded, he might lose his life on the spot.
On the side, Chen Qi's eyes sparkled.
According to Chen An's words, if Chen Li's family was handed over, he would leave immediately, not even wanting Duke Chen's title or inheritance.
Obviously, Chen Li and his family would likely meet their end if they fell into his hands, probably not even a single one of them would survive.
Wouldn't that mean that the Chen Manor's legacy would pass into his hands?
Thinking about this, his eyes brightened involuntarily.
If he hadn't been afraid of showing his intentions too clearly, he might have agreed on the spot, asking Duke Chen to hand over the people.
After all, the dead do not need wealth or leisure, and there were benefits to be had, why not do it?
All eyes were fixed on Duke Chen.
Under the scrutiny of so many people, Duke Chen sighed quietly and said, "He is still my son."
As the words fell, Chen Li's face showed relief, while Chen Qi's eyes were filled with disappointment.
Chen An, on the other hand, smiled, "Is that so?"
"Not bad," he continued, "I was thinking before, if you just handed him over like that, although efficient, it would have been a bit unsatisfactory."
"This way is better," he looked at Duke Chen, "If I want fairness and justice, I should use my own hands to take it back. I don't need your approval."
"Since you are standing in front of me, Duke Chen, don't blame me for being impolite!"
As he spoke, snowflakes scattered all around.
The condensed energy of the dark ice rushed to the sky, erupting suddenly and enveloping everything.
A powerful aura surged forward, heading towards Duke Chen.
Duke Chen's expression changed slightly.
He quickly retreated in a very agile manner to evade the impact.
A figure suddenly appeared behind him, swinging a blade.
The Wind Chasing Blade Technique, Roaring Moon!
The chilly long blade fell, seemingly unassuming but carrying a fierce power within.
Terrifyingly strong energy erupted in this strike, blossoming like a slowly opening flower.
As the blade fell, the ground around froze, and the air currents condensed into ice crystals, charging towards Duke Chen.
Bang!
A clang resounded, as if iron and blade collided with an extra loud sound.
In the dense aura, two figures entangled.
Duke Chen held the long blade with one hand, locked in a fierce struggle with Chen An.
On his hand was a heavy iron glove, appearing sturdy, bolstered by the enhanced aura, making it even more terrifying.
At close range, their auras collided head-on.
To Chen An's surprise, despite Duke Chen being much older, his aura was still impressively strong, not inferior to his own.
As for Duke Chen, he was even more astonished.
He had practiced martial arts for decades and ascended in aura for more than twenty years. He thought that in terms of aura quality, he should be able to overpower Chen An, this rising star. However, to his surprise, they were evenly matched.
It was an incredibly unbelievable occurrence.
How could a person who had recently ascended to the aura stage possess such a robust aura accumulation?
It was unbelievable!
Regardless of how shocked and disbelieving Duke Chen felt, reality was right before his eyes.
The two powerful auras clashed, finally erupting into a violent conflict.
Boom!
The ground exploded, creating a massive crater, cracks spread across the surface like a spider web.
The powerful energy rose into the sky.
Before Duke Chen could recover, Chen An's figure surged forward again, raising the long blade high.
With the blade falling, this time it was not a martial technique but a pure mastery of swordsmanship.
Chen An was a master at using blades, adept in various blade techniques. Applying them in a real fight was dizzying to watch.
"Even your swordsmanship is so exquisite," Duke Chen felt a sense of absurdity in his mind.
Compared to the current Chen An, he felt like his previous martial arts training had been a joke.
Ascending to the aura stage before the age of twenty was already incredible, not to mention possessing such a strong aura accumulation and such terrifying expertise in swordsmanship.
Could he be described as a genius?
If Chen An knew what Duke Chen was thinking, he would surely laugh at his limited perspective.
Geniuses could not reach this level, but bugs could.
Compared to bugs, all so-called geniuses were inferior.
Given enough resources, not only at this level, but he could probably reach the innate stage directly.
At that time, Duke Chen's reaction would be even more dramatic.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the money.
The battle began.
The long sword fell, casting a cold light that illuminated all directions.
At this moment, everyone inside Duke Chen's residence felt endangered.
Even as ordinary mortals, they could clearly sense the chilling aura wafting around.
The atmosphere was so terrifyingly intense, it drove people almost to madness.
Despite the scorching heat, it felt like winter was approaching.
In fact, this was the result of Chen An holding back his power.
He still had some consideration for people like Chen Ziling behind him, so he restrained himself to some extent.
Otherwise, if he unleashed his full power, one couldn't be sure how many people would survive in this vast residence.
The number would indeed be surprisingly low.
Watching this intense fight, the expressions of Chen Qi and Chen Li were grim.
Because as time passed, in their gaze, Duke Chen was gradually falling behind.
This left them incredulous.
How could this be?
Duke Chen had already reached the strength of the Qi Realm twenty years ago and had immersed himself in this level for many years. His power, even among others of the same level, was exceptionally formidable.
Chen An, on the other hand, was just a rising star in this realm and had probably reached the Qi Realm less than a year ago. Logically speaking, he shouldn't have been able to match Duke Chen in any way.
But now, the situation had completely reversed.
In the center of the courtyard, Chen An advanced, causing Qi to pulsate within his body.
The surroundings changed with his movements, a layer of frost forming inch by inch, creating a scene akin to a sudden entry into a snowy landscape, breathtakingly beautiful.
Meanwhile, Duke Chen continued to retreat, gasping for air.
Even Chen Ziling, an ordinary person with no martial training, could see that Duke Chen was on the verge of defeat.
"Changan, how strong have you become," he murmured as he gazed at Chen An in the distance, a hint of longing in his eyes.
In reality, Chen An wasn't much stronger than Duke Chen.
Through this fierce clash, he had probably realized this.
Duke Chen's level was roughly equivalent to his, both of them at the second stage of the Qi Realm, Qi Transformation.
While their cultivation levels were similar, in other aspects, there was a vast difference.
Chen An was still in his prime, youthful and robust, in the golden period of his life, while Duke Chen had long since aged and was no longer in his peak physical condition.
You couldn't escape aging.
Even though Qi practitioners lived longer than ordinary people, they couldn't evade the effects of aging.
When it came to an old man, his body couldn't possibly compare to that of a young person.
In a way, Chen An's actions could be seen as bullying an old man.
But Chen An felt no shame in it; in fact, he was quite delighted.
After all, finding an evenly matched opponent, slightly weaker than himself, wasn't an easy task.
After achieving the Qi Realm, Chen An had mostly been crushing his opponents, or on the path to crushing them.
To finally find such a competitor naturally made him happy.
Not everyone could find a good opponent to have a satisfying match with.
And since he found the opportunity, he naturally wanted to give it his all.
It would be a waste of such a good opponent not to finish them off!
With respect for his opponent in mind, Chen An charged once again.
Strictly speaking, the man before him, Duke Chen, was practically Chen An's grandfather.
However, it was clear that Chen An had no intention of holding back.
Hence, the outcome of this fight was already largely determined.
Bang!
A crisp sound as two streams of Qi collided head-on.
Chen An stood still, calmly observing the situation in front of him.
Across from him, Duke Chen continued to retreat, his complexion becoming increasingly pale and unpleasant.
Upon closer inspection, one could see slight traces of blood at the corners of Duke Chen's mouth, and his complexion grew even paler.
He appeared to be in an unfavorable state.
Chen An furrowed his brow.
"Do you have injuries on you?" he asked, looking at Duke Chen with some confusion.
Since a while ago, Duke Chen had been feeling off.
He was able to maintain his normal level of performance at the beginning, but as time passed, he became increasingly weaker.
Towards the end, this feeling became more pronounced, as if he was carrying injuries.
This was clearly abnormal.
With that, Chen An decided to stop directly and asked Duke Chen about his condition.
"It's true." Standing there with a pale face, Duke Chen couldn't help but cough out a breath, letting out a helpless sigh. "It's an old injury from the past."
"I've been in seclusion all these years, trying to resolve this, but I've always been a bit short."
"Even if you didn't show up, I'm afraid I wouldn't live much longer."
Sure, I'll believe that.
Chen An looked at Duke Chen, who appeared on the verge of death with his pale complexion, and shook his head silently.
This old man wasn't being quite honest.
What does he mean by not living much longer?
He just looked horrible at the moment, but if Chen An spared him now and let him recover for a while, he would probably still be able to attend to his two sons.
His poor physical condition only seemed to be an obstacle when it came to fighting.
But that would still be disappointing.
"Enough." Chen An looked at Duke Chen's state with disappointment. "My previous offer still stands. If you strike now, you can still preserve your life."
"Otherwise, you'll take the journey with that beastly family of yours."
"Why bother?"
Chen An was truly disappointed.
He had thought he could have a good, satisfying fight, gain experience, and test his current strength.
He didn't expect Duke Chen to appear strong on the surface but fade quickly in reality.
That made it quite uninteresting.
With Duke Chen in this state, Chen An couldn't be bothered to bully him and issued a final ultimatum.
As Chen An spoke, silence fell over the spectators.
It took a long time before Duke Chen finally spoke, wearing a wry smile on his face. "Do you really think…"
Crack!
A crisp sound came from nearby before Duke Chen could finish his sentence.
Even before Duke Chen could speak, someone had acted from a distance.
Chen Li widened his eyes, looking at the person in front of him in disbelief.
Before him, Chen Qi held a long sword, his face fierce as he stared at Chen Li. "Second brother, don't blame me!"
"If you don't die, then Father will have to accompany you in death!"
His face expressing sorrow and pain, he spoke loudly. It was evident that he had made an extremely difficult choice.
Looking at Chen Qi, one might say he was a devoted son!
In order to prevent Duke Chen from dying at the hands of Chen An, he took the decision to first kill his own younger brother.
This act protected his father and prevented Duke Chen from bearing the disgrace of harming his kin, demonstrating both loyalty and filial piety.
Anyone would call him a dutiful son, except for Chen Li.
He presently lay on the ground, his chest pierced by the long sword, blood spreading from his body, creating a pool on the ground.
And yet, he never closed his eyes; instead, he glared at Chen Qi with intense bitterness, as though he wanted to devour him.
If one's eyes could kill, then Chen Qi would have been murdered countless times by now.
"Second brother, rest assured!" Chen Qi burst into tears, embracing his younger brother. "I know what you want to say. After you leave, I will take care of Father for you. And your wife and children, I will make sure to look after them. Big brother will also take good care of you. You can rest assured!"
One sentence—a pledge to take care of one's brother's family. Chen Li, worry not.
Chen Li's eyes widened even more, and he seemed to want to say something.
But Chen Qi just hugged him, sobbing, painting a picture of brotherly love and friendship.
Except for the fact that he still held a sword and made a stabbing motion, some might have actually believed it.
Chen An watched this scene with interest, finding it quite amusing.
He wasn't a fool and understood the reason behind Chen Qi's actions.
But he didn't expose it.
While the only enmity he had was with Chen Li's family, as for Chen Qi, although they had been openly or subtly fighting with Chen Li for many years, there was little animosity between Chen An and Chen Qi.
He wasn't a bloodthirsty person, so he spared him.
He found this little drama more intriguing.
More than Chen Qi's life or death, Chen An was more curious about Duke Chen's reaction at this moment.
After being determined to protect his son, who had just been killed by his other son in a mere instant, Chen An wondered what might be going through Duke Chen's mind.
Within the Chen Manor, two completely different energies collided with each other.
A powerful force echoed in this place, almost enveloping the entire Chen Manor, completely shrouded within.
Invisible to the naked eye, two energies competed and targeted each other here.
Evidently, a sense of terror permeated the surroundings.
A chill air enveloped the surroundings; wherever it passed, everything was frozen, creating a cold icy landscape.
Along the way, whether it was flowers, grass, or corpses, everything turned into beautiful ice sculptures, despite the miserable cries of the people.
In the center, two figures faced each other, staring at each other.
"Are we really going to have a fight after all?"
Facing Chen An in front, the Duke Chen sighed, "I thought we could resolve this peacefully."
"We could have," Chen An nodded calmly, "It's just that you, Duke Chen, are unwilling."
"Since you are unwilling, Duke Chen, then I have no choice but to act and reason with you," he lifted his head and gazed at Duke Chen, speaking lightly.
"The way you are now, doesn't seem like you want to reason."
Duke Chen glanced around with a hint of helplessness in his voice.
At this moment, the Chen Manor had completely changed.
The collision of the two auras emitted by the two men was exceptionally powerful.
The whole Chen Manor was already affected by the aura they emanated, turning it into a completely different place.
Numerous areas had turned into icy worlds, with ice sculptures appearing everywhere.
However, that was considered acceptable.
Neither Chen An nor Duke Chen harbored much killing intent in their hearts.
Naturally, Duke Chen didn't need to say much; as for Chen An, his killing intent was only directed towards Chen Li's family.
Chen An was not a bloodthirsty madman who killed randomly.
Of course, except for those who actively sought trouble with him.
Chen An had a good temper and appreciated beauty in adults, so if someone was looking for trouble, he generally wouldn't refuse.
But fundamentally, neither of them had much killing intent.
Therefore, despite the auras spreading and wreaking havoc, they didn't cause much damage.
Both maintained considerable restraint towards each other.
"That's just for you, Duke Chen," Chen An said lightly, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Would you deny me the revenge for the murder of my mother?"
"I see, it's your father as well," Duke Chen shook his head slowly, speaking leisurely.
"Father?" Chen An smiled, "I only see a greedy beast wrapped in human skin."
"Before I came to this mansion, if he had done anything, perhaps I wouldn't have been like this. At least, I could have been gentler in my approach. But he did nothing, and instead caused me a lot of trouble."
"This kind of father, Duke Chen, ask yourself, would you keep him if he were given to you?"
Duke Chen fell silent instantly, feeling somewhat at a loss.
He had also heard of the hardships Chen An had faced, indeed, Chen Li had gone too far.
"Since you have nothing to say, it shows that you still have a conscience, unlike those two beasts who can speak without a conscience," Chen An chuckled, "I am not an executioner. Give Chen Li's family to me, and I will leave immediately, without taking your title or inheritance. How about it?"
Duke Chen remained silent.
"Father!" Behind him, Chen Li spoke anxiously, seemingly afraid that Duke Chen would agree.
The situation in front of them was clear.
If Duke Chen nodded, he might lose his life on the spot.
On the side, Chen Qi's eyes sparkled.
According to Chen An's words, if Chen Li's family was handed over, he would leave immediately, not even wanting Duke Chen's title or inheritance.
Obviously, Chen Li and his family would likely meet their end if they fell into his hands, probably not even a single one of them would survive.
Wouldn't that mean that the Chen Manor's legacy would pass into his hands?
Thinking about this, his eyes brightened involuntarily.
If he hadn't been afraid of showing his intentions too clearly, he might have agreed on the spot, asking Duke Chen to hand over the people.
After all, the dead do not need wealth or leisure, and there were benefits to be had, why not do it?
All eyes were fixed on Duke Chen.
Under the scrutiny of so many people, Duke Chen sighed quietly and said, "He is still my son."
As the words fell, Chen Li's face showed relief, while Chen Qi's eyes were filled with disappointment.
Chen An, on the other hand, smiled, "Is that so?"
"Not bad," he continued, "I was thinking before, if you just handed him over like that, although efficient, it would have been a bit unsatisfactory."
"This way is better," he looked at Duke Chen, "If I want fairness and justice, I should use my own hands to take it back. I don't need your approval."
"Since you are standing in front of me, Duke Chen, don't blame me for being impolite!"
As he spoke, snowflakes scattered all around.
The condensed energy of the dark ice rushed to the sky, erupting suddenly and enveloping everything.
A powerful aura surged forward, heading towards Duke Chen.
Duke Chen's expression changed slightly.
He quickly retreated in a very agile manner to evade the impact.
A figure suddenly appeared behind him, swinging a blade.
The Wind Chasing Blade Technique, Roaring Moon!
The chilly long blade fell, seemingly unassuming but carrying a fierce power within.
Terrifyingly strong energy erupted in this strike, blossoming like a slowly opening flower.
As the blade fell, the ground around froze, and the air currents condensed into ice crystals, charging towards Duke Chen.
Bang!
A clang resounded, as if iron and blade collided with an extra loud sound.
In the dense aura, two figures entangled.
Duke Chen held the long blade with one hand, locked in a fierce struggle with Chen An.
On his hand was a heavy iron glove, appearing sturdy, bolstered by the enhanced aura, making it even more terrifying.
At close range, their auras collided head-on.
To Chen An's surprise, despite Duke Chen being much older, his aura was still impressively strong, not inferior to his own.
As for Duke Chen, he was even more astonished.
He had practiced martial arts for decades and ascended in aura for more than twenty years. He thought that in terms of aura quality, he should be able to overpower Chen An, this rising star. However, to his surprise, they were evenly matched.
It was an incredibly unbelievable occurrence.
How could a person who had recently ascended to the aura stage possess such a robust aura accumulation?
It was unbelievable!
Regardless of how shocked and disbelieving Duke Chen felt, reality was right before his eyes.
The two powerful auras clashed, finally erupting into a violent conflict.
Boom!
The ground exploded, creating a massive crater, cracks spread across the surface like a spider web.
The powerful energy rose into the sky.
Before Duke Chen could recover, Chen An's figure surged forward again, raising the long blade high.
With the blade falling, this time it was not a martial technique but a pure mastery of swordsmanship.
Chen An was a master at using blades, adept in various blade techniques. Applying them in a real fight was dizzying to watch.
"Even your swordsmanship is so exquisite," Duke Chen felt a sense of absurdity in his mind.
Compared to the current Chen An, he felt like his previous martial arts training had been a joke.
Ascending to the aura stage before the age of twenty was already incredible, not to mention possessing such a strong aura accumulation and such terrifying expertise in swordsmanship.
Could he be described as a genius?
If Chen An knew what Duke Chen was thinking, he would surely laugh at his limited perspective.
Geniuses could not reach this level, but bugs could.
Compared to bugs, all so-called geniuses were inferior.
Given enough resources, not only at this level, but he could probably reach the innate stage directly.
At that time, Duke Chen's reaction would be even more dramatic.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the money.
The battle began.
The long sword fell, casting a cold light that illuminated all directions.
At this moment, everyone inside Duke Chen's residence felt endangered.
Even as ordinary mortals, they could clearly sense the chilling aura wafting around.
The atmosphere was so terrifyingly intense, it drove people almost to madness.
Despite the scorching heat, it felt like winter was approaching.
In fact, this was the result of Chen An holding back his power.
He still had some consideration for people like Chen Ziling behind him, so he restrained himself to some extent.
Otherwise, if he unleashed his full power, one couldn't be sure how many people would survive in this vast residence.
The number would indeed be surprisingly low.
Watching this intense fight, the expressions of Chen Qi and Chen Li were grim.
Because as time passed, in their gaze, Duke Chen was gradually falling behind.
This left them incredulous.
How could this be?
Duke Chen had already reached the strength of the Qi Realm twenty years ago and had immersed himself in this level for many years. His power, even among others of the same level, was exceptionally formidable.
Chen An, on the other hand, was just a rising star in this realm and had probably reached the Qi Realm less than a year ago. Logically speaking, he shouldn't have been able to match Duke Chen in any way.
But now, the situation had completely reversed.
In the center of the courtyard, Chen An advanced, causing Qi to pulsate within his body.
The surroundings changed with his movements, a layer of frost forming inch by inch, creating a scene akin to a sudden entry into a snowy landscape, breathtakingly beautiful.
Meanwhile, Duke Chen continued to retreat, gasping for air.
Even Chen Ziling, an ordinary person with no martial training, could see that Duke Chen was on the verge of defeat.
"Changan, how strong have you become," he murmured as he gazed at Chen An in the distance, a hint of longing in his eyes.
In reality, Chen An wasn't much stronger than Duke Chen.
Through this fierce clash, he had probably realized this.
Duke Chen's level was roughly equivalent to his, both of them at the second stage of the Qi Realm, Qi Transformation.
While their cultivation levels were similar, in other aspects, there was a vast difference.
Chen An was still in his prime, youthful and robust, in the golden period of his life, while Duke Chen had long since aged and was no longer in his peak physical condition.
You couldn't escape aging.
Even though Qi practitioners lived longer than ordinary people, they couldn't evade the effects of aging.
When it came to an old man, his body couldn't possibly compare to that of a young person.
In a way, Chen An's actions could be seen as bullying an old man.
But Chen An felt no shame in it; in fact, he was quite delighted.
After all, finding an evenly matched opponent, slightly weaker than himself, wasn't an easy task.
After achieving the Qi Realm, Chen An had mostly been crushing his opponents, or on the path to crushing them.
To finally find such a competitor naturally made him happy.
Not everyone could find a good opponent to have a satisfying match with.
And since he found the opportunity, he naturally wanted to give it his all.
It would be a waste of such a good opponent not to finish them off!
With respect for his opponent in mind, Chen An charged once again.
Strictly speaking, the man before him, Duke Chen, was practically Chen An's grandfather.
However, it was clear that Chen An had no intention of holding back.
Hence, the outcome of this fight was already largely determined.
Bang!
A crisp sound as two streams of Qi collided head-on.
Chen An stood still, calmly observing the situation in front of him.
Across from him, Duke Chen continued to retreat, his complexion becoming increasingly pale and unpleasant.
Upon closer inspection, one could see slight traces of blood at the corners of Duke Chen's mouth, and his complexion grew even paler.
He appeared to be in an unfavorable state.
Chen An furrowed his brow.
"Do you have injuries on you?" he asked, looking at Duke Chen with some confusion.
Since a while ago, Duke Chen had been feeling off.
He was able to maintain his normal level of performance at the beginning, but as time passed, he became increasingly weaker.
Towards the end, this feeling became more pronounced, as if he was carrying injuries.
This was clearly abnormal.
With that, Chen An decided to stop directly and asked Duke Chen about his condition.
"It's true." Standing there with a pale face, Duke Chen couldn't help but cough out a breath, letting out a helpless sigh. "It's an old injury from the past."
"I've been in seclusion all these years, trying to resolve this, but I've always been a bit short."
"Even if you didn't show up, I'm afraid I wouldn't live much longer."
Sure, I'll believe that.
Chen An looked at Duke Chen, who appeared on the verge of death with his pale complexion, and shook his head silently.
This old man wasn't being quite honest.
What does he mean by not living much longer?
He just looked horrible at the moment, but if Chen An spared him now and let him recover for a while, he would probably still be able to attend to his two sons.
His poor physical condition only seemed to be an obstacle when it came to fighting.
But that would still be disappointing.
"Enough." Chen An looked at Duke Chen's state with disappointment. "My previous offer still stands. If you strike now, you can still preserve your life."
"Otherwise, you'll take the journey with that beastly family of yours."
"Why bother?"
Chen An was truly disappointed.
He had thought he could have a good, satisfying fight, gain experience, and test his current strength.
He didn't expect Duke Chen to appear strong on the surface but fade quickly in reality.
That made it quite uninteresting.
With Duke Chen in this state, Chen An couldn't be bothered to bully him and issued a final ultimatum.
As Chen An spoke, silence fell over the spectators.
It took a long time before Duke Chen finally spoke, wearing a wry smile on his face. "Do you really think…"
Crack!
A crisp sound came from nearby before Duke Chen could finish his sentence.
Even before Duke Chen could speak, someone had acted from a distance.
Chen Li widened his eyes, looking at the person in front of him in disbelief.
Before him, Chen Qi held a long sword, his face fierce as he stared at Chen Li. "Second brother, don't blame me!"
"If you don't die, then Father will have to accompany you in death!"
His face expressing sorrow and pain, he spoke loudly. It was evident that he had made an extremely difficult choice.
Looking at Chen Qi, one might say he was a devoted son!
In order to prevent Duke Chen from dying at the hands of Chen An, he took the decision to first kill his own younger brother.
This act protected his father and prevented Duke Chen from bearing the disgrace of harming his kin, demonstrating both loyalty and filial piety.
Anyone would call him a dutiful son, except for Chen Li.
He presently lay on the ground, his chest pierced by the long sword, blood spreading from his body, creating a pool on the ground.
And yet, he never closed his eyes; instead, he glared at Chen Qi with intense bitterness, as though he wanted to devour him.
If one's eyes could kill, then Chen Qi would have been murdered countless times by now.
"Second brother, rest assured!" Chen Qi burst into tears, embracing his younger brother. "I know what you want to say. After you leave, I will take care of Father for you. And your wife and children, I will make sure to look after them. Big brother will also take good care of you. You can rest assured!"
One sentence—a pledge to take care of one's brother's family. Chen Li, worry not.
Chen Li's eyes widened even more, and he seemed to want to say something.
But Chen Qi just hugged him, sobbing, painting a picture of brotherly love and friendship.
Except for the fact that he still held a sword and made a stabbing motion, some might have actually believed it.
Chen An watched this scene with interest, finding it quite amusing.
He wasn't a fool and understood the reason behind Chen Qi's actions.
But he didn't expose it.
While the only enmity he had was with Chen Li's family, as for Chen Qi, although they had been openly or subtly fighting with Chen Li for many years, there was little animosity between Chen An and Chen Qi.
He wasn't a bloodthirsty person, so he spared him.
He found this little drama more intriguing.
More than Chen Qi's life or death, Chen An was more curious about Duke Chen's reaction at this moment.
After being determined to protect his son, who had just been killed by his other son in a mere instant, Chen An wondered what might be going through Duke Chen's mind.
