21: Chapter 021 Tomoko is a fool for her father!
"It's not that you don't dare, it's just that you know you're going to die!"
Chen An's gaze was icy as he looked down at the two trembling men on the ground, his heart devoid of any softening or pity.
These two were clearly desperate criminals who walked the gray areas of society.
Moreover, they were willing to be hired, broke into a private residence in the middle of the night, acted with ruthless cruelty, and spoke of crippling someone's cultivation and breaking their limbs from the very start.
They were vicious when committing their crimes, but when pushed to the brink, they used their family members as shields, deliberately acting pathetic to win sympathy—hypocritical and despicable.
How could Chen An possibly believe that such people would turn over a new leaf just because of a few words from him?!
Hearing Chen An's cold words, Ding Heng and Gao the Third froze slightly.
But before they could beg for mercy again, Chen An let out another cold snort. Immediately, the faces of Ding Heng and Gao the Third twisted violently, their eyes bulging. They let out a muffled groan, their heads lolled to the side, and they collapsed onto the ground like two dead dogs, motionless.
If someone were to dissect their corpses now, they would find that their Meridians had been completely severed and their internal organs shattered—they were dead beyond any doubt.
Looking at the two corpses on the ground, Chen An's gaze remained calm and unruffled, as if he had merely crushed two ants.
He stood up from his chair and searched the two corpses, finding a total of 573 yuan crystals, several bottles of ordinary Medicinal Pill, and a red dudou embroidered with plum blossoms.
"573 yuan crystals, not bad, passable!"
He weighed the money pouch in his hand, glanced at the cooling corpses, and thought of what he had just confirmed from them. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
The Bai family!! Bai Yifan!!!
With Bai Yifan's arrogant and vindictive nature, if he discovered that Chen An was safe and sound while these two had gone missing, he would certainly not let the matter rest.
Since that was the case, he might as well go all the way!
If his cultivation were still at the Acquired Realm and his strength insufficient, he might have been able to endure tonight's events, bide his time, and plan slowly.
But with his current strength, if he were to endure it again, what use would this cultivation be?!
Chen An took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.
In the next instant, the muscles on his face twitched slightly, his bones subtly adjusted, and his figure slowly changed.
In just a moment, the figure of the seventeen-year-old youth had completely transformed into a fierce, cold-looking middle-aged man in his thirties or forties with a square face and sharp, sword-like eyebrows.
The Body Tempering Realm, the first Realm of martial arts, is divided into five minor stages: Refining Flesh, Refining Skin, Refining Bone, Refining Organs, and Refining Marrow.
Changing one's appearance—let alone with his cultivation at the Grandmaster level, even a Martial Artist at the Body Tempering Realm could easily achieve this.
After doing this, Chen An reached down, picked up the two corpses, and with a movement of his body, transformed into a streak of silver lightning, soaring into the Void Realm.
Protective Aura protecting the body, walking on air!!! This, this is a Grandmaster!!!
Chen An did not immediately go to trouble the Bai family. Instead, he carried the two corpses in one hand and left Wurong County silently.
He headed straight out of the city toward the wild mountains in the suburbs, finding a steep cliff edge. In the mountain col below, a pack of High Grade Iron-Tailed Wolves was lurking.
With an indifferent gaze, he raised his hand and flung them.
Bang! Bang!! The two corpses fell in succession, crashing heavily into the center of the wolf pack.
The Iron-Tailed Wolves, which had been waiting to hunt wild boars, were suddenly startled. They arched their backs one after another, emitting low, warning growls from their throats.
But in an instant, the rich scent of blood and the smell of living humans wafting from the corpses ignited the wild nature of these Vicious Beast.
The strong, fresh scent of blood and Qi rushed towards them, instantly overpowering the smells of the surrounding vegetation and wild beasts.
Their wild instincts were completely ignited. The eyes of the Iron-Tailed Wolves turned crimson, their sharp fangs bared, and their tense limbs exerted force, causing them to scramble forward in a frenzy.
Low roars and the sounds of gnawing and tearing suddenly exploded in the mountain col.
Sharp wolf teeth easily tore through flesh, bones crunched as they were bitten, and scarlet blood quickly stained the ground.
Several Iron-Tailed Wolves fought and tore at each other, claws stomping and fangs biting. In just a moment, the two corpses were surrounded by the wolf pack and completely devoured.
Scattered bones and flesh littered the ground, leaving not a single trace behind.
A strong wind swept across the wild mountains, blowing away the lingering scent of blood and completely erasing any clues that the two men had ever existed in this world.
In the Void Realm, Chen An, now in the guise of a middle-aged man, stood quietly. He glanced down coldly before flying back in the direction of Wurong County.
...
In the east of Wurong County, a magnificent estate covering over a hundred acres stood—it was the residence of the local influential family, the Bai family.
The walls were built of blue bricks, with the perimeter wall rising over two zhang in height, stretching continuously with dark tiles laid along the top, their edges neatly aligned.
The vermilion, gold-gilded gate was imposing and heavy, and two fierce green stone lions stood at the entrance, their sharp gazes intimidating passersby.
The estate was adorned with carved beams and painted pillars, with pavilions and towers arranged in an orderly fashion. Rockeries, flowing water, flowers, and greenery filled the courtyard, making it several times more luxurious than the residences of ordinary officials and gentry.
Under the cover of night, the Bai family estate remained brightly lit. Servants moved back and forth, each performing their duties, the scene everywhere exuding the extravagance of a wealthy, influential family.
The hall of the guest courtyard was brilliantly lit. The sandalwood dining table was laden with delicacies and rare dishes. There were even several types of meat from second-tier Vicious Beast, which ordinary Martial Artist rarely got to eat.
Bai Yifan was dressed in fine silk and satin robes, sitting lazily at the dining table. He picked at his food distractedly, his brows furrowed with an irrepressible irritability and arrogance.
On the other side of the table sat a middle-aged man with a prosperous appearance and a steady aura.
His eyes and brows were seventy percent similar to Bai Yifan's, but his features were more rugged, his expression dignified, and his entire being radiated the oppressive aura of one who had long held a position of power.
This man was none other than the head of the Bai family, Bai Yifan's father, Bai Huaxiong!
Bai Huaxiong held a jade cup, took a sip of fine wine, and swept a calm gaze over his restless son before speaking in a slow, deep tone: "I heard from Qin Zhong that you asked him to send men to cripple a student from the County Academy?"
Hearing this, Bai Yifan's expression changed abruptly. He instinctively cast a cold, sidelong glance at the old man standing in the corner of the hall, who kept his head bowed and his eyes lowered.
That old man was Qin Zhong, the head steward of the Bai family. His hair and beard were half-white, and he stood respectfully, saying nothing.
Bai Yifan inwardly cursed the old ghost for being a tattletale, but he dared not show it on his face. He could only suppress his hostility and said: "Yes, Father. That person keeps pestering Shen Qinglan, so I just asked Steward Zhong to give him a little lesson!"
As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his father!
Bai Huaxiong clearly did not believe his son's words.
However, upon hearing the name Shen Qinglan from Bai Yifan, Bai Huaxiong did not say anything more.
He knew that his son was very attached to Shen Qinglan, and he also knew that Shen Qinglan's identity was not as simple as just being the pride of Wurong County.
Casting a faint glance at Bai Yifan, Bai Huaxiong said, "The County Exam is the day after tomorrow. Do not cause trouble. It is said that this County Exam is extraordinary, so you had better be careful!"
"Father, rest assured. I have already inquired clearly. That brat is just a waste with no parents and only at the Condensing Qi Stage 2. Even if he died, no one would stand up for him!" Bai Yifan said with a look of disdain.
"Hmm, eat your meal!"
Hearing this, Bai Huaxiong nodded faintly and did not bring up the matter again.
In his eyes, a solitary, low-cultivation student from the bottom of society was simply not worth mentioning, much less worth spending his energy on.
Hum!!!~~~~
Just then, the entire hall suddenly shook, and the air trembled faintly. A terrifying, bone-chilling, and boundless pressure, like a heavy dark cloud, suddenly descended, ruthlessly enveloping the entire Bai family estate.
The lamps suddenly flickered unsteadily, the cups and jade vessels on the table shook violently, and wine spilled out.
Everyone in the hall instantly felt a chill run through their bodies, their limbs stiffened, their breathing halted abruptly, and the color drained completely from their faces...