372: Chapter 372 Those Who Defy Me Die! Big Brother Will Kill the Bad Guys for You

The cold morning wind swept up ashes from the scorched earth.

The amicable mask on Mo Wuhen's face shattered completely; the scholarly grace he had pretended to maintain for years vanished without a trace.

He was a powerful Saint-realm expert! Wherever he went, was he not revered and feared?

Today, he had condescended to coax a little girl, only to be called a 'ghost-headed mushroom' to his face and pointed at by a brat who called him a clown.

Such an immense humiliation! How could he swallow this Qi!

"Arrogant brat!" Mo Wuhen snapped his folding fan shut violently, a vicious light blazing in his eyes. His features contorted grotesquely with rage. "You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! I, this venerable one, kindly offered you a path to life, yet you dare show such ingratitude!"

One of his subordinates at his side could no longer restrain himself. Pointing at Tuoba You, who was hiding behind Xu Chen, he cursed furiously.

"A bastard born from a pile of dead bones! How dare you think yourself worthy of our polite persuasion? Since you, this little beast, insist on following this pretty boy to your deaths, then this old man will grant your wish today! I'll skin you alive, rip out your tendons, and throw you into the Blood Pool of Ten Thousand Bones to feed the vengeful spirits!"

Hearing the word 'bastard,' a flicker of unmistakable confusion and gloom passed through Tuoba You's pure, clear eyes.

She had grown up without parents, not even knowing where she truly came from.

In this cold, forbidden zone, what she feared most was others looking at her with such disgust and hatred, using the vilest words to define her existence.

Xu Chen keenly sensed the change in the little girl's emotions behind him. The small hands clutching the hem of his clothes were trembling slightly with unease.

The Supreme Sword Heart within Xu Chen's chest let out a piercing, bone-chilling ring.

A Dragon has its reverse scales; touch them, and you court death.

From the moment Tuoba You ate his roasted meat, this simple-minded girl with monstrous strength had been drawn into his circle of protection.

Dare to insult his woman as a bastard right in front of him?

Xu Chen wasted no further breath.

Reasoning with a group of soon-to-be-dead men was a pure waste of saliva.

He took a single step forward, shielding Tuoba You completely behind him.

The vast, dormant blood and Qi within his body erupted at that moment like a waking, active volcano!

True Dragon Treasure Technique!

Accompanied by a high-pitched dragon roar that shattered the clouds, dazzling, seemingly tangible purple-gold Dragon scale phantoms instantly materialized on Xu Chen's right arm.

An aura of supreme, ancient True Dragon majesty, capable of subjugating all demons and beasts, surged forth like a tidal wave, crushing down upon those ahead.

The ferocious grin on Mo Wuhen's face instantly froze.

Under this terrifying, overwhelming pressure, the five Saint-realm treasure hunters felt as if ten thousand mountains had been placed upon their shoulders. Their knees buckled uncontrollably, and their breath halted completely.

Their proud Saint cultivation, before this pure power of the True Dragon, seemed as fragile as thin paper!

"This power... you are from the Imperial Clan..."

Mo Wuhen was utterly horrified. He finally realized what an immovable iron plate he had kicked. Letting out a shrill scream, he frantically channeled the spiritual power within his body, trying to crush the teleportation jade talisman hidden in his sleeve.

But it was all too late.

Xu Chen raised his right hand high. His eyes held not a shred of warmth, like an ancient deity presiding over life and death. He mercilessly brought his palm down upon the five figures ahead.

"Boom!"

A colossal claw, hundreds of zhang in size, formed entirely from purple-gold Laws and True Dragon blood and Qi, tore through the thick gray mist above. Carrying devastating, world-ending kinetic force, it descended with overwhelming might!

The earth trembled. Black soil and shattered rocks shot skyward, stirring up a small land storm at the edge of the ancient hall.

There was no clash of equals, no spectacular exchange of Spells.

Those five self-proclaimed elite treasure hunters, along with their proud Formations and protective Magic Treasures, were solidly slammed by this sky-covering True Dragon claw into the hard, scorched earth.

Their wretched screams lasted barely half a syllable before being drowned out by the deafening roar.

When the purple-gold radiance faded and the swirling dust settled...

...all that remained on the once-flat ground ahead was a massive dragon claw imprint, several zhang deep, exuding an aura of utter destruction.

As for Mo Wuhen and his four subordinates, they had been completely pulverized into a bloody paste. Crimson blood slowly seeped along the grooves of the claw mark. Not a single intact bone remained.

Xu Chen slowly retracted his right hand. The Dragon scale phantoms on his body surface dissipated into motes of flowing light in the air.

He didn't even glance at the deep pit, as if he had merely swatted a few bothersome flies.

He turned around. The icy killing intent on his face instantly melted away, replaced once more by that gentle, warm smile.

He walked up to Tuoba You and gently placed his hands on the little girl's shoulders.

"Youyou, did you see clearly?"

Xu Chen's voice was low and gentle, like a patient elder brother teaching his little sister the most fundamental rule of survival.

"In this world, there will always be bad people with foul mouths. When they can't beat you, they'll try to hurt you with the ugliest words. When facing such people, you don't need to reason with them, nor do you need to feel sad because of what they say."

Xu Chen pointed at the massive, blood-reeking claw imprint ahead, his tone carrying an arrogance that regarded all things as mere grass.

"You just need to clench your fist and smash them, mouths and all, into a pulp. As long as your fist is hard enough, no one in this world will dare say a single word against you! That is the true way to protect yourself. Do you understand?"

Tuoba You stared blankly at Xu Chen.

It was as if a scorching sun had been cast into her simple, pure heart, instantly dispelling all the gloom and inferiority.

From childhood till now, no one had taught her right from wrong, nor had anyone told her what to do when wronged. She only knew that having great strength was bad, that it made people dislike her.

It was this big brother who told her that great strength was a supreme talent.

And it was this big brother who, when others pointed at her and called her a 'bastard,' stepped forward without hesitation. He used the most violent, most direct means to crush those bad people into mincemeat, venting her anger for her!

That feeling of being firmly chosen, of being fiercely protected from behind, surged through Tuoba You like a tidal wave, completely washing away the last line of defense in her heart.

"Big brother..."

Tuoba You's eyes reddened. Large teardrops welled up and shimmered in her clear eyes, reflecting unreserved worship and bone-deep attachment.

Like a little cannonball shot from its barrel, she suddenly spread her arms wide and threw herself headlong into Xu Chen's embrace.

"Big brother is the best! Youyou will listen to everything big brother says from now on! If anyone dares to insult big brother, Youyou will help big brother smash their head!"

The little girl was so excited she forgot herself.

Her slender arms locked tightly around Xu Chen's neck. She buried her fluffy head in the crook of his neck, rubbing against him fiercely, trying to express the overwhelming emotion bubbling in her heart.

This hug nearly cost Xu Chen his life.

That was the innate monstrous strength capable of smashing a Quasi-Emperor's skull with bare hands!

Under this unrestrained, passionate embrace, Xu Chen felt a terrifying, mountain-crushing force instantly clamp down on his cervical spine and windpipe. His handsome, composed face instantly turned a purplish, liver-like color.

"Cough... Youyou... loosen... loosen up a bit..."

Xu Chen's hands flailed weakly in the air for a moment, his eyes rolling uncontrollably.

His formidable physique, which could withstand even remnants of an Emperor's Formations, now emitted groans of overburdened bones under his little lolita's 'loving hug.'

This girl's enthusiasm was truly an unbearable weight of life!

Standing to the side, Ji Qingyun watched this sudden shift in tone—from slaughtering all in the previous moment to being strangled and rolling his eyes the next—and couldn't help but cover her lips with a light, amused chuckle.