Chapter 230: The Great Play Begins

At the same time.

High above the sky.

"Honored One, you gave that Fist Intent Stone to him..."

He Youtong spoke with a terrified expression.

Chen Xiyuan frowned slightly and looked at He Youtong:

"Do you pity him?"

"No... no pity." He Youtong said:

"Who told him not to be willing to go to the Chen Family with the Honored One? He wants to obtain the Chen Family's resources, yet does not want to completely sever ties with the Great Xia. He is extremely greedy."

Although He Youtong said this, a layer of sweat could not help but seep out on her forehead.

This is Chen Xiyuan.

Seemingly gentle, but in reality like a venomous snake; once she strikes, it is extremely ruthless.

That Chen Yan is very pitiful.

Cultivating to the end, only to have even the last trace of his own consciousness disappear, completely becoming Chen Xiyuan's puppet.

Thinking of Chen Yan being like this, a trace of panic also emerged in He Youtong's heart.

In Chen Xiyuan's heart, she herself is also just a tool that can be destroyed at any time.

A smile appeared on the corner of Chen Xiyuan's mouth, and then she looked at He Youtong and said:

"I will tell you a truth."

"What truth?" He Youtong was dazed.

Chen Xiyuan's eyes, however, suddenly became profound:

"All good and evil in this world are defined by people.

But the world does not care, the Ancient Gods do not care.

The sky turning cloudy or clear, rain falling or snow arriving—human good and evil are rules, not right or wrong."

She looked faintly toward the distant sky, at the clouds drifting out from the mountain peaks, and said:

"The path of a martial artist pursues the peak, pursues being above the world. If one cultivates according to human standards, one is ultimately bound by these so-called human rules.

In fact, the path of seeking the Dao has never cared for these low-level rules sung by humans."

He Youtong listened quietly, but a layer of cold sweat suddenly seeped out on her back.

Chen Xiyuan's understanding of good and evil made her even more terrified.

At the same time.

The two looked down together.

They saw that Chen Yan had already walked out of the door, smiling toward the high sky.

Chen Xiyuan frowned slightly, and at this moment, she also sighed deeply:

"It is a pity he will not go to the Chen Family with me; otherwise, I would not have taken out that Fist Intent Stone."

On the street, someone passed by, heading in the direction of the Martial Suppression Bureau, holding a silk banner in their hand.

On the silk banner, large characters were written.

【Perhaps the Ice Immortal descends, drawing a spear to ask the vast expanse.

Sinking the world to cover the cloud dream, the cold blue breaks the heavenly rift】!

Chen Xiyuan's eyes flashed; this Ice Intent currently enjoys great prestige in Qinzhou.

These people cannot find Ice Intent, but they have all heard of him. Shen Yiwei might know where Ice Intent is, so they are all sending silk banners to the Martial Suppression Bureau.

"This Ice Intent is not easy to find; perhaps I can only go find Shen Yiwei..."

Chen Xiyuan murmured. Ice Intent is a true, ultimate genius!

Above the ground, Chen Yan stood at the doorway watching this scene, lost in thought.

………………

【Saint-Breaking Tree (Level 6): 78/500

Force: 57/100

Blood: 560/100

Skill: 76/100

Body: 60/100

Array: 56/100

Origin: 76/100

Intent: 38/100】

Five 【Intent】 character Saint-Breaking Fruits entered his stomach!

Hum!

Inside the cultivation room, rings upon rings of spear intent surged out.

Constantly overflowing and dissipating, crazily piercing the void, producing layers of pitch-black flowing light.

The aura on Chen Yan's body was rising violently, as if he were a spear breaking the heavens, wishing to ascend straight to the blue firmament, wishing to cross the dark abyss.

In his mind, the spear intent energy contained within the five 【Intent】 character Saint-Breaking Fruits was being rapidly absorbed by Chen Yan.

That understanding of spear intent became clearer and more thorough.

It was as if it were a truth that Chen Yan himself had possessed all along.

Following that, Chen Yan pointed a finger out.

Boom!

The Extreme Pierce struck the bluestone wall of the cultivation room, gouging out a deep indentation.

Spear Intent leveled up!

Fourth Grade!

Boom!

This surge of Extreme Pierce Spear Intent grew increasingly dense.

Level up again!

Fifth Grade!

Fifth Grade Extreme Pierce Spear Intent!

Chen Yan clenched his palm, feeling the spear intent raging between his five fingers, his gaze instantly turning sharp.

Fifth Grade Spear Intent alone is enough to annihilate an Origin realm!

Added to his own strength in the path of Qi and blood, one strike from Chen Yan is enough to kill an average peak Origin realm expert.

If he added the Word Realm, would it be...

The glint of sharpness in the depths of Chen Yan's eyes, capable of annihilating everything, grew even more brilliant.

He wanted to try it.

Although Chen Xiyuan could not pose a threat to Chen Yan.

But this feeling of being constantly kept in mind by others made Chen Yan very unhappy.

However, he was also grateful to Chen Xiyuan.

It let Chen Yan, who had been invincible for these past few days, know that he was still not enough.

If he couldn't kill Chen Xiyuan, couldn't annihilate the Luo Chen.

Then he was still not enough!

Not enough!

Not enough at all!

He wanted to be stronger, to crush Chen Xiyuan to death with one finger, to annihilate the Luo Chen with one stomp!

A sense of violent cruelty, wanting to slaughter everything, inevitably rose in his heart, and the aura all over Chen Yan's body churned.

But soon, Chen Yan calmed down.

He should leave.

The college entrance examination was about to begin; he would go to Xiaoyang City to take the exam and serve as a proctor.

Naturally, Shao Hengyang would also go.

Shen Yiwei would take them there together.

It was just that.

He had to set off in advance.

Bing Yi's slaughter of the Gong family was a matter of great importance and would inevitably affect Shen Yiwei to some extent.

After all, even ordinary residents knew about it; the Aristocratic Family Alliance and the Luo Chen could not be unaware.

If they wanted to find Bing Yi, they would constantly go and trouble Shen Yiwei.

Chen Yan was unwilling to do things that would drag others down.

Therefore, Bing Yi had to appear in another place.

As for Chen Yan, he would continue to stay in Yunmeng City, and when the college entrance examination began, he would go to Yunmeng City together with Shen Yiwei.

How exactly to do it...

Chen Yan walked out of the room, went to the Military Martial Guard, and looked for Shen Yiwei.

Time passed slowly.

Two days later.

The Luo Chen.

Inside an exquisitely decorated room.

Chen Min sat upright on the sofa; soon the door opened, and the second branch's Chen Jixuan arrived, shaking his head slightly:

"Your father has already gone to find Shen Yiwei, but Shen Yiwei refuses to disclose any news about Bing Yi."

Chen Min said with a calm gaze:

"No need to look for him, and I don't need him to help me."

Chen Jixuan frowned:

"No matter what, he is still your father."

Chen Min pursed his lips and said nothing.

Just at this moment, Chen Jixuan's pants pocket started to 'beep' and buzz; he took out his phone, and Chen Jixuan's expression changed instantly:

"Bing Yi has appeared."

Chen Min looked up:

"Where?"

"Xiaoyang City, Tianbu Boxing Tournament!"

…………

Jin Province, Xia Yue Prince's Mansion.

"How dare they!"

Xia Hanzhou's low, cold voice rang out.

Before him, a light screen appeared, within which the image of Shen Keqing emerged, and Xia Hanzhou continued to ask:

"What effect does the crystallization of malice within that Fist Intent Stone have on Chen Yan?"

"No effect," Shen Keqing said quietly.

Xia Hanzhou stroked his beard, feeling he had no need to ask this.

After all, Chen Yan had erased the malice right before his eyes.

"Is this Chen Xiyuan already at the Sixth Rank?"

"I think you shouldn't concern yourself with these things; you were the one who said it yourself, Chen Yan's path is for him to walk alone, don't get too involved," Shen Keqing sighed softly.

"I am only protecting him from the shadows and have never stepped forward; helping shoots grow by pulling them upward is not advisable."

Xia Hanzhou was silent, then asked:

"Then Chen Yan is currently..."

"In Xiaoyang City; over in Yunmeng City, a formation puppet disguised as him was created, and in five days, the formation puppet will accompany Shen Yiwei to Xiaoyang City."

"Oh," Xia Hanzhou nodded, waving his hand to erase the light screen.

Inside the room, one person was lost in thought.

A long while later, Xia Hanzhou rubbed his brow and spoke quietly:

"San Jin, come here for a moment."

This voice drifted outward, piercing through the void.

After a long time, the door opened.

A girl of about eighteen, wearing a loose white martial arts uniform and sporting two ponytails, with extremely beautiful features, walked in.

"Are you... looking for me?" the girl named San Jin asked with a stutter, holding a bunch of grapes and looking at Xia Hanzhou while eating.

"San Jin..." Xia Hanzhou looked at the girl and remained silent for a long time.

"If... if you're fine, I... will go," San Jin said.

"I have something to discuss," Xia Hanzhou's gaze turned gentle, yet carried a hint of guilt:

"San Jin, before your father died, he entrusted you to me; I promised I would let you..."

"Speak... speak like a human," San Jin stuttered.

Xia Hanzhou was taken aback, then waved one hand.

Light flickered, condensing in the air into the figure of a youth in ink-colored robes, handsome and refined, with eyes that seemed to hide endless coldness.

"His name is Chen Yan; he is the heaven-gifted prodigy I have valued most in my life, though I have intended for his path to be walked by himself."

Xia Hanzhou took a deep breath:

"But I still begged the State Master once for his life, letting Shen Keqing protect him, but during the college entrance exam, in that place, Shen Keqing's rank is too high to enter..."

"Speak... like a human," San Jin ate a grape, her crystal-like eyes fixed on the grapes in her hand, never looking at Xia Hanzhou.

Xia Hanzhou took a deep breath:

"I want to bind a Life Seal for you; during your college entrance exam in Qinzhou, and even after the exam, you must protect Chen Yan."

"You may die, but he must not."

Xia Hanzhou's voice trembled slightly, feeling that treating San Jin this way was truly too cruel.

But Chen Yan must absolutely not meet with any mishap.

Chen Yan is extremely important to this world.

His future...

The girl with the twin ponytails just stiffened slightly, looked at the portrait of Chen Yan for the first time, then lowered her head and continued eating her grapes.

"Oh."

"You agree?" Xia Hanzhou asked; San Jin's decisiveness made him feel even more uncomfortable.

"Mm."

Xia Hanzhou took a deep breath, the guilt in his heart now like a rising tide:

"San Jin, you..."

The twin-tailed girl raised her head and held up the grapes in her hand:

"Do... do you want... to eat, it's... delicious!"

…………

One day later.

Xiaoyang City, Tianbu Boxing Tournament.

The massive boxing arena had no ceiling, but instead a deep, dark expanse like the real universe, within which imitation stars floated slowly, constructing a galaxy.

Beams of starlight shone down, becoming flickering, undulating rays of light.

Around the venue, the spectator area was packed, with tens of thousands of spectators surrounding the circle.

At the very center, a gray stone ring a thousand meters in diameter stood silently.

Around the ring, golden secret scripts stood upright and floated, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Cheers erupted.

Everyone's gaze was locked onto the two figures constantly clashing and killing on the ring.

On the second floor of the spectator area, inside an independent viewing room.

Old Chi, wearing a flame mask, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Bing Yi, who wore black clothes and a white mask.

"I just received news that the people from Luo Chen have already arrived."

Old Chi looked at Chen Yan and spoke.

Ever since Shen Yiwei brought Chen Yan to find him a few days ago, he had finally confirmed that Chen Yan was Bing Yi.

"Good," Chen Yan nodded:

"Many thanks, Old Chi, for telling me this."

"You, sigh..." Old Chi shook his head:

"I am protecting you not because of Shen Yiwei, but because of you yourself.

Since you joined the Celestial Flail Boxing Tournament, you are a talent I value."

Chen Yan nodded, not expecting the Chen Clan of the Five Clans to treat him this way.

The Chi Clan, also one of the Five Clans, had instead shown him goodwill.

Of course, this likely had to do with the friendship between Chi Mi, Lu Xunyang, and Xia Hanzhou.

Although Old Chi kept saying with his mouth that he looked down on Shen Yiwei and that Shen Yiwei was trash.

Yet in the things he did, it seemed he was secretly helping the other party.

"Since that is the case, now that the people of the Branded Chen have arrived, things might not be peaceful, you..."

Old Chi said.

To the side, Chen Yan, after a moment of thought, said:

"Can I kill people?"

Old Chi was speechless; he should have known better than to ask.

It was also at this moment.

A clamor of voices erupted within the first-floor arena.

Streaks of light flew in from the exit, heading toward the spectator rooms on the second floor.

Although they only appeared briefly, it still left people astonished.

Because among those people, one person was not wearing a mask.

Chen Min.

The Branded Chen faction had arrived.

Never hiding himself—this was Chen Min's consistent style; after all, even Chen Min's limit-breaking awakening was publicly known.

But.

Everyone was astonished; wasn't Chen Min already crippled?

Immediately following, two more figures flew into the arena.

They were two women.

One of them had an extraordinary bearing, her entire body radiating a biting might.

Just as everyone was still guessing the purpose of the Branded Chen's arrival.

Suddenly.

Someone flew to the front of the ring and shouted to the surroundings:

"Chen Shuju of the Branded Chen, wishes to battle Ice Wing!"

PS: Brothers, sisters, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.

Don't ask why I would say 'sisters', because this book of mine truly has female readers, hahaha!