Chapter 388: KILL!

High above the heavens.

His gaze was fierce, his body erupting with golden light.

The blood mist from An Qing's exploded head was still drifting, yet between heaven and earth, only a terrifying silence remained.

The entire Xiaoyang was terrifyingly quiet.

Someone had annihilated the Desolate Market Chief in broad daylight.

Overbearing, decisive, cold.

This scene was chilling and terrifyingly glaring, seen by countless people; on the earth, not even a moment of discussion could arise.

"Chen Yan..."

Zhang Ting, the usually calm Chief of the Province, could not remain composed at this moment; several veins bulged from the corners of his eyes.

Just like that, looking at Chen Yan, Zhang Ting roared in fury:

"Give me an explanation!"

Boom!

His voice was like a great bell or a divine axe striking the firmament; a deafening roar instantly resounded across the sky, city-crushing black clouds gathered in an instant, and lightning light brewed within them.

Zhang Ting was enraged!

Killing An Qing right before his eyes—Chen Yan was challenging his bottom line.

Countless people looked on in terror, fearing that Zhang Ting would obliterate Chen Yan in the next instant.

In the hidden depths of the void, the Grand Preceptor and the Lesser Fate-Controller appeared, locking their focus onto Zhang Ting.

Once Zhang Ting made a move, they would suppress him.

Whether or not Chen Yan was deeply valued by the Great Xia no longer mattered.

What Chen Yan faced now was a life-and-death crisis.

But the young man standing in the firmament had a calm expression, even indifferent, even disappointed.

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

Chen Yan had not yet spoken.

Above the Military Guard, the sounds of Qi-blood power intertwining and exploding resounded.

In an instant, thousands of Military Guards appeared, flying toward Chen Yan's side.

"Zhang Ting, if you dare to strike, then let us go to war!!!"

Zong Heng laughed wildly, his entire body coiled with terrifying murderous intent.

"Hahaha, is it time for war? Although this old man has a herniated disc, I can still fight!?"

An elderly Military Guard stepped out from the hidden space, his body intertwined with blood-colored light, his aura incomparably overbearing.

"Zhang Ting, I give you a hundred guts—strike!"

On the earth, an old man resting in a park suddenly erupted with murderous intent, transforming into a blood-colored rainbow and flying toward the high heavens.

Roar!

Inside and outside Xiaoyang.

A blood-wolf Dharma form, thousands of meters tall, appeared, standing between heaven and earth, its pair of scarlet beast eyes staring at Zhang Ting.

Streaks of light arrived from all directions, each one an elderly Military Guard with a powerful aura!

"He is the successor of Old Brother Lu!"

"The Xunyang Tower has rioted several times just to find Chen Yan; Zhang Ting, do not ruin yourself!"

"Let me see who dares to lay a hand on Chen Yan!?"

"He is our Military Immortal Body; if the Xia Clan does not recognize him, my Xunyang Divine General faction does!"

An old man who had been fishing by the lakeside suddenly stood up, a terrifying golden Dharma form erupting behind him, his body overflowing with the 【Heaven-Patrolling】 aura.

With a single step, he covered a thousand meters!

In an instant, the entire Xiaoyang was stirred!

One by one, elderly Military Guards who had not made a move in a long time appeared.

Qinzhou is the power base of Lu Xunyang and the place where the Xunyang Divine Generals rose to prominence.

Lu Xunyang is gone, but among the old comrades left behind, there are still many powerhouses.

At this moment.

The entire Xiaoyang was shocked by this scene.

Even the Second-Rank Star Generals watching from afar, as well as the Star Generals who had rushed from all over Great Xia to guard the Thunder-Strike Treasure Land, were stunned.

In the previous scene, everyone was still worried that Zhang Ting would strike at Chen Yan.

In the next scene, this matter was actually developing into a war between the Qinzhou Martial Suppression Division and the Military Guard.

Was it really going to war?

The two major power bases left behind by Lu Xunyang were actually going to erupt into a peak battle because of Chen Yan, a seventeen-year-old youth!

Many citizens watched this scene, feeling as if the sky were about to collapse.

In the distance, Xi Congyun watched in astonishment.

He had always regarded Chen Yan as a leader-level figure of the impoverished faction in Qinzhou.

But he had not expected that even though he had overestimated Chen Yan to that extent.

It was still wrong.

He had not expected that those old subordinates of the Xunyang Divine General in the Military Guard would value Chen Yan so highly.

Even to the point of being willing to go to war with Zhang Ting.

This...

Beside Xi Congyun, Mu Zigui was also stunned, her breathing rapid, finding it hard to believe this scene.

These old military veterans had actually already come to regard Chen Yan as Lu Xunyang's successor.

Was it because of the several riots at the Xunyang Tower during the college entrance examination?

Her head felt dizzy.

As long as Chen Yan was around, Xi Congyun would never be able to gain the support of the impoverished faction.

Jidao Wu was also watching in silence.

At the source of all this, there was another terrifying detail.

That was, Chen Yan was a member of the Chen clan.

These old military veterans actually did not care about Chen Yan's surname at all.

He could not speak, and could not even judge what the events unfolding at this moment truly represented.

"Tell me, what the hell are you?"

A military veteran appeared beside the fake Chen Yan, who had just been challenging Lu Xuanzhi to a duel.

The fake Chen Yan's body stiffened.

No one could fathom the terror and embarrassment he felt at this moment.

"I... I... I... I..."

He slurred his words.

"You... you... you... get lost."

The military veteran slapped out; with a sudden boom, the fake Chen Yan was blasted into the ground, sinking deep into it, his entire skeleton shattered.

Lu Xuanzhi watched in silence, his gaze turning fierce.

He swept his eyes toward Chen Yan, a smile appearing on the corners of his mouth, a very ferocious smile.

On the plaza, the disguised Jiang Yuan watched this scene numbly, his lips twitching incessantly.

"Damn it, fuck!"

"How the hell am I supposed to play this?"

He cursed and swore non-stop.

Beside him, Ye Ziqing, still covered in gasoline and intending to self-immolate, watched from afar.

This was the person who had saved her.

Chen Yan, a distant and grand name.

Zong Heng and the others appeared beside Chen Yan, standing in confrontation with the group of experts led by Zhang Ting from the Martial Suppression Division.

San Jin appeared quietly behind Chen Yan, a smile of reflected glory appearing in her eyes.

"If... if a war starts, I... I will take... you and run."

San Jin transmitted her voice.

Cheng Zizhen was also extremely excited, watching Chen Yan from afar within the Military Guard.

He was full of admiration.

This was Chen Yan's influence.

This scene was destined to be recorded in the annals of Xiaoyang history.

"Young man, don't be afraid. The lives of us old folks aren't worth much; let's see who dares to touch you today."

An old military veteran said to Chen Yan with a laugh.

Chen Yan was somewhat surprised; he looked at the group of military people beside and behind him, a smile appearing on his face.

He was also stunned.

Unlike in the college entrance examination secret realm, he had people supporting him, people helping him.

He was incomparably strong, because he was strong himself, and also because he was strong through others.

These people came to help him for reasons involving Shen Yiwei, Lu Xunyang, and also for Chen Yan's own reasons.

A disturbance emerged within the Saint-Breaking Realm.

A chaotic-colored radiance, thin as silk smoke, appeared.

Although thin, compared to before, it was already sufficiently dense.

The chaotic-colored fruit radiated an ancient and mellow aura, as if it had gone through endless years of accumulation, resembling a bright pearl.

This fruit, which had appeared after Chen Yan became the Master of Will, had grown extremely slowly.

By today, it seemed to finally show signs of ripening.

Along the way, through the long and stormy journey, this fruit seemed to contain all of Chen Yan's vicissitudes.

Chen Yan sensed it.

He seemed to understand the meaning of this fruit.

His heart was as clear as a mirror; today, he would add the final bit of nourishment to the chaotic-colored fruit.

Saint-Breaking Tree.

It had always been the Saint-Breaking Tree.

As for Zhang Ting, his expression turned ugly.

He had actually been forced to this point by Chen Yan.

He had not expected such a turn of events, but how could he retreat now?

"Why did you kill An Qing?" Zhang Ting asked with a gloomy face.

"An Qing conspired with a Ji clan spy to eliminate me," Chen Yan replied.

Behind him, among the group of military people, someone erupted with killing intent.

"Our military has always believed in an eye for an eye, blood for blood!"

"Well done!"

Someone laughed in agreement, giving Chen Yan full backing.

"Evidence!" Zhang Ting barked in a low voice.

His body was trembling slightly.

He hated dealing with the military most of all; they were a bunch of unreasonable fellows.

"There is evidence!"

On the ground, an old man stood out; after scanning Jiang Yuan in the plaza from afar, the old man walked out.

Jiang Yuan was speechless; why are you looking at me?

Under the eyes of the crowd, the old man took out an array disk and circulated his Qi and blood, causing the array disk to bloom with light.

Immediately, An Qing's voice rang out.

"An Qing, you really have come to find us."

"I didn't expect, I didn't expect that the Chief of the Wilderness Market would also seek out our Ji Clan."

…………

"You want to kill Chen Yan?"

"He is a Great Xia top scholar and a Third-Rank General Star; he is very expensive."

"I want him dead!!!"

"But, he really is very expensive."

"I have a Bright Moon-grade tempering technique; this is my greatest secret!"

…………

"Don't you understand? It's not about what you want, but what I have!"

The sound of the conversation between An Qing and the Ji Clan spy echoed over Xiaoyang City.

In an instant, Zhang Ting's expression turned uncertain.

The high-ranking officials of the Martial Suppression Division were also roaring internally.

An Qing deserved to die.

This so-called Ji Clan spy was clearly fake.

It was highly likely that this Ji Clan spy was working in cooperation with Chen Yan.

Damn it, they couldn't even hire a professional assassin!

The four directions were shaken.

In an instant, they understood the ins and outs of the matter.

Many people shared a common thought.

Was this An Qing's brain kicked by a donkey?

Good riddance; if he had died any slower, he probably would have suffered social death across all of Xiaoyang City.

Zhang Ting reached out, grabbed the array disk that was still playing the audio, and handed it to the Minister of the Martial Affairs Department with a gloomy expression:

"Take it back and inspect it to see if it was artificially forged."

The Minister of the Martial Affairs Department snapped out of his daze and nodded hurriedly:

"Right, there is indeed a high possibility of artificial forgery!"

He needed to test it; after all, a person's voice could be forged, but the frequency and vibrational energy could not.

This was biotechnology.

Just like fingerprints, Qi and blood, blood, and pupils, it was a unique marker for every individual.

A wave of disdainful sounds erupted from the military personnel.

Many old men felt an even deeper fondness for Chen Yan; he was decisive in killing, brave and resourceful, and calculated in detail.

This made them feel as if they were seeing Lu Xunyang from back in the day.

Zhang Ting's expression was ugly and gloomy; he stared fixedly at Chen Yan:

"If An Qing is guilty, the procedure is definitely not for you to handle as you please; you should have reported it to the Martial Suppression Division and waited for the result, rather than taking action on your own."

He spoke in a low voice:

"You are still guilty!"

As Zhang Ting's voice fell, the military personnel erupted with killing intent.

In an instant, the atmosphere became even more heavy.

On the ground, the public also did not expect that Zhang Ting would still refuse to back down.

Although what Zhang Ting said was correct, this situation was definitely not the time to trace the roots or talk about procedure.

Clearly, these military personnel were determined to protect Chen Yan.

Yet, at this moment when the situation was on the verge of breaking out.

"Heh."

A light chuckle rang out.

Zhang Ting narrowed his eyes and looked at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan's entire body erupted with golden light, his gaze like a torch:

"If I don't kill him, will you?"

Coldness erupted in Zhang Ting's eyes: "I will!"

"Then why is it that when the Yunmeng Chu Clan harmed so many living beings, the Gong Clan, as the masterminds, faced absolutely no consequences?"

Chen Yan's expression was cold:

"Why is it that when the Gong family's affair erupted, the Aristocratic Family Alliance, as the ones behind the scenes, suffered no consequences at all?"

The coldness in Chen Yan's eyes grew increasingly intense:

"A thousand people die, ten thousand people die, yet you do not seek justice, but instead speak to me of procedural correctness at a time like this?"

"Lu Xuanzhi of Luzhou kills without restraint in the Great Xia, raping and murdering women, yet when his daughter comes to the Martial Administration Department to seek justice, no one dares to take the case.

Forced to the point where she intends to self-immolate at Xiaoyang Square, do you even see it?!"

A rare burst of fury erupted in Chen Yan's eyes:

"In this world, is there still such a thing as procedure?"

Chen Yan's voice was grand; between his words, ten thousand bolts of thunder seemed to resound and boom.

Zhang Ting's eyes trembled, and then they turned cold and sinister.

The crowd looked down and, to their surprise, actually saw a girl drenched in gasoline on the central square.

The girl was utterly bewildered; she had exhausted her entire life, yet even in death, she could not attract anyone's attention.

But at this moment, the experts throughout Xiaoyang were all looking at her.

She was at a loss, somewhat terrified, and tears fell in torrents from her eyes.

She recalled what she had been thinking before.

She raised the lighter in her hand.

Click.

Click.

Click.

In the distance, having already moved far away and not daring to show his face, Jiang Yuan watched in a daze.

No one told this thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl that she no longer needed to self-immolate now.

Click!

Click!

It was as if only the 'click' of the lighter remained within Xiaoyang City.

Extremely piercing.

Extremely ironic.

Crisp, yet carrying boundless despair.

The crowd did not understand why she still wanted to self-immolate when someone had already sought justice for her.

Isn't she stupid?

Isn't she foolish?

They did not understand, simply because they had never experienced it, never felt it.

They would never know that in true despair, one's own life is always the heaviest and yet the most insignificant thing.

"It won't light."

The girl murmured blankly.

Now, everyone was watching her; this was her one and only chance.

That lord had gone to great lengths to win this opportunity for her, and she had to cherish it.

She had to self-immolate.

She had to cry out.

She had to return to her mother's embrace.

Ye Zhiqing's expression was pained, and a figure flew over in an instant from her side, snatching the lighter from her hand and throwing it away.

"This lighter is fake; you've been deceived."

Xu Di gritted her teeth, looking at this desperate girl, her body trembling slightly.

He squeezed hard with one hand.

With a boom, the lighter exploded.

Xu Di was stunned.

The tears in the eyes of the girl named Ye Zhiqing could no longer be held back, and she looked up to the sky and screamed:

"Lu Xuanzhi raped and murdered my mother, I beg the lord to redress the grievances for my mother!"

"Lu Xuanzhi raped and murdered my mother, I beg the lord to redress the grievances for my mother!"

The shrill, screaming voice was hoarse and could not carry far at all.

A blade of grass about to wither can hardly stir a breeze.

Yet this scene made hearts tremble.

Chen Yan slowly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, killing intent surged in the depths of his gaze.

Terrifying, cold, and tyrannical.

"So, can heaven and earth give birth to a heart, and can the living establish their destiny?"

He shouted:

"I once believed that as long as one was strong enough, one could solve everything; I once believed in not demeaning myself just because others demeaned me, and not belittling myself just because the great world belittled me!

I thought that as long as I cast off the cold air, I could stand proudly in the world."

His voice was resonant, rhyming into the time of this place, carved deep and profound.

His eyes turned fierce:

"But some beasts simply do not care about these things."

They can easily wipe these things out, not giving us a single chance at all.

"Facing these beasts, I have only one word: kill!"

Chen Yan looked straight at Zhang Ting:

"Let me ask, was I wrong to kill An Qing?"

Roars echoed throughout Xiaoyang City, deafening and unrestrainedly high-spirited.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

Low growls resounded one after another.

The Military Martial Guards standing above the clouds erupted with surging killing intent.

The killing intent intertwined and continuously condensed, forming a sea of blood, incomparably terrifying.

It had already formed an aura, a powerful aura originating from the human heart that was difficult to shake.