Chapter 441: Layer Upon Layer

Yunmeng City.

Above the Green Mountain.

Mu Zigui and Xi Congyun stood quietly.

"Is this alright? Using Chen Yan's father as bait; if we are reprimanded by the State Overseer, that would be a major issue," Mu Zigui said with some hesitation.

Xi Congyun shook his head slightly:

"It is not that I want to fish; it is that Ji Kong and Ji Chongyun have both appeared in Tie Province, and I suspect they intend to make a move on Chen Yan's father.

If we can capture Ji Chongyun today, or even Ji Kong, it would be a great merit."

Xi Congyun's expression remained calm throughout.

Chen Yan's father being in Yunmeng City is, for Ji Province, actually a sweet treat.

The father of a Divine General—if he were captured by Ji Province, how would the Great Xia answer to Chen Yan?

Chen Yuhu choosing to stay in Qin Province instead of going to Jin Province clearly gave the Ji Clan an opportunity.

Great Xia also had precautions in place, but after several months, Ji Province had yet to make a move on Chen Yuhu, and instead, they had lowered their guard.

Yet, Xi Congyun had glimpsed the Ji Clan's next move from minor details, so he chose to wait for the rabbit to strike the tree.

The Ji Kong and Ji Chongyun who came to Great Xia are both prodigies on the Five Clans Ranking.

Both are in the third tier; Ji Chongyun is at the thirty-third position.

And Ji Kong is at the second position, second only to Yu Yi.

If these two could be killed or detained, it would be an absolute great merit, enough to exchange for immense resources.

Mu Zigui's expression flickered, still somewhat hesitant.

Chen Yan's weight within the Xia Clan is immense; if they really wanted to capture Ji Kong, they could have completely swapped Chen Yuhu out first to prevent anything from happening to him.

But in doing so, the probability of the plan's success would have been much smaller.

For the sake of the plan's success, Xi Congyun still chose to fish, sacrificing some of Chen Yuhu's safety.

"I hope nothing goes wrong, otherwise..." Mu Zigui trembled slightly.

…………

At this moment.

Military Guard family villa district.

High above in the sky, a Sixth-Rank in red robes was sitting cross-legged in silence.

He was the powerhouse arranged by the Xia Clan to protect Chen Yuhu.

And it was at this time.

The void fluctuated, and a man wearing a military uniform appeared.

"Yuan Maoshan, you've come," the red-robed man said with a faint smile, looking at the newcomer.

"I've come to relieve you. Today is New Year's Eve, go and get some good rest," Yuan Maoshan said with a smile.

"Alright," the red-robed man smiled, then left directly.

Here, only Yuan Maoshan remained.

Yuan Maoshan looked at the house below, a trace of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he connected the communication:

"Ji Chongyun, check if there are any powerhouses nearby."

"None. Make your move. Rest assured, what I, Ji Province, promised you, I will not go back on," Ji Chongyun's voice came through.

Dozens of kilometers away, the Ji Clan genius named Ji Chongyun watched Yuan Maoshan's location from afar, a trace of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Capturing Chen Yuhu was simply an operation with a small investment and a large return.

The Ji Clan had endured for several months before choosing today to let him make his move.

As for Yuan Maoshan, he was a Sixth-Rank of the Xia Clan.

Buying him off was not very difficult; it was even easy.

This person had long since grown tired of the job of guarding a mortal in Yunmeng City.

Soon, Yuan Maoshan entered Chen Yuhu's house.

This scene.

Not only Ji Chongyun, but both Mu Zigui and Xi Congyun saw it.

"Yuan Maoshan, what is he going in for?"

Mu Zigui watched from above the Green Mountain.

Golden light arrays flickered in her eyes; even from a great distance, she could see very clearly.

"It must be an invitation from Chen Yuhu; yesterday, Chen Yuhu sent the food he cooked to the powerhouse protecting him,"

Xi Congyun said, his gaze sweeping across the entire Yunmeng City, wanting to find the Ji Clan members hidden in the darkness.

…………

As for Ji Chongyun, a trace of a smile now appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"So simple!"

He said with a faint smile; the plan was going surprisingly smoothly.

Yuan Maoshan entered the house without attracting the attention of those around.

The Xia Clan powerhouse trusted Yuan Maoshan and did not notice.

Only.

Whether it was Xi Congyun or Ji Chongyun.

Neither noticed.

High in the void, a Seventh-Rank was standing quietly.

Zhang Ting!

At this moment, everything happening within Cloud Dream City was taken in by Zhang Ting.

He saw the excitement of Ji Zhongyun, he also saw the lucky escapes of Xi Congyun and Mu Ziqi, and he saw even more clearly the betrayal of Yuan Maoshan.

"I've waited for three months; once this matter is over, I should head to Ji Province," Zhang Ting sighed softly.

The reason he was still in this place was precisely to lure out the members of the Ji Clan.

He had thought the Ji Clan had given up on Chen Yuhu, but now it seemed that was not the case.

He narrowed his eyes; it was time to leave.

Go and kill Chen Changyuan!

Eliminating Chen Changyuan had been Zhang Ting's plan all along.

But his plan had been ruined by Chen Yan.

Originally, all his plans were for the sake of waiting for Chen Changyuan to ascend to the Seventh Rank.

Chen Changyuan held a great secret.

To lure out that secret, Zhang Ting had put on an act for so many years and sacrificed so many things.

But for the sake of that secret, everything was worth it.

However, it had been ruined by Chen Yan.

Zhang Ting could not say if it was good or bad.

The birth of a Divine General was clearly a higher priority.

But he still did not like Chen Yan.

He had appreciated and cared for him before.

But Chen Yan killed Shi Ziqin, and that was a thorn.

A thorn that made Zhang Ting feel incredibly uncomfortable even when he helped Chen Yan.

He knew it was his own doing, but he was not wrong; he was doing it to lure out Chen Changyuan.

He was doing it for the future of the Xia Clan.

He was also a victim.

It was just that Shi Ziqin thought he was truly going to be crowned King in Qin Province, and Shi Ziqin was willing to pay any price for his coronation.

But this was not Zhang Ting's original intention; it was fake, all of it was fake.

But Shi Ziqin was already dead.

He was not wrong, Chen Yan was not wrong; was Shi Ziqin wrong?

Shi Ziqin was already dead.

A cold glint appeared in Zhang Ting's eyes, and he slowly raised his hand, intending to suppress the traitorous Yuan Maoshan in an instant, and then wipe out that Ji Zhongyun of Ji Province.

But the next moment, Zhang Ting's eyes flashed instantly.

"Impossible!"

He let out a low roar, unable to believe it.

…………

At the same time.

Inside the room.

Yuan Maoshan's pressure descended, knocking Wang Yang and Wang Xinjian unconscious in an instant.

"You!"

Chen Yuhu stood up instantly, looking at Yuan Maoshan in shock, but the next moment he discovered with terror that he could not open his mouth at all.

A cold sneer appeared on the corner of Yuan Maoshan's mouth:

"You idiot, you could have stayed in Jin Province perfectly well, but you insisted on staying in Cloud Dream City; if I didn't make a move, someone else would have!

Even now, you still don't understand your own value."

Yuan Maoshan looked at Chen Yuhu with pity and laughed:

"You're asking me why I betrayed them?

The Xia Clan hasn't betrayed them yet, so what are we waiting for? The Longevity King went on an expedition, fought for three months, and the entire army was blocked at Mo Mountain Pass, unable to advance a single step—useless trash!

If we don't betray them, what are we waiting for?!"

Yuan Maoshan grinned hideously and waved one hand; his blood energy surged, the floor cracked open slightly, and the soil beneath surged up to form a tunnel.

Afterward, he grabbed Chen Yuhu and jumped into the tunnel.

A trace of despair appeared in Chen Yuhu's eyes.

He was wrong.

He had previously asked the experts of the Xia Clan if his presence in Cloud Dream City would cause trouble for everyone.

That Xia Clan expert said it was fine.

He had believed it to be true.

Looking at it now, he was wrong.

Chen Yuhu gritted his teeth; he had become a burden to his son and the Great Xia.

After being captured, he would definitely be used by the Xia Clan to threaten his son.

What regret!

He wanted to commit suicide, but now he didn't even have the ability to do so.

"Don't think about suicide; you need to know that true insects have no right to commit suicide—stay alive for me!"

Yuan Maoshan sneered and mocked:

"Your son is indeed formidable, but with you in my grasp, if I make your son kneel before me and call me 'Dad,' your son won't be able to refuse!"

Yuan Maoshan laughed loudly; he even fantasized about the scene of Chen Yan kneeling before him.

So satisfying, too satisfying, too painful, painful to the extreme.

"Ah!!!"

He roared, looking down at his abdomen, where a blood hole was gushing out blood.

Crack, crack, crack!!!

The biting cold ice instantly froze his mouth.

Yuan Maoshan's eyes widened, his pupils suddenly shrinking.

Inside the deep earthen cave, a figure dressed in black, wearing a white mask, had appeared behind him at some unknown moment.

Chen Yuhu was stunned; at this moment, he felt this voice was familiar to the extreme.

"Dad," Chen Yan said:

"Tomorrow, let's go to Jinzhou; the market there is big, and the stir-fried noodles sell well."

Chen Yan said with a grin.

Chen Yuhu's mouth hung open, and the next moment he was about to laugh out loud.

As for Yuan Maoshan, he was almost fainting from terror at this moment; he was in despair.

When Chen Yan truly appeared before him, he didn't even have the courage to breathe.

…………

At the same time.

"Something is not right."

Xi Congyun frowned and spoke.

"What is it?" Mu Zigui asked.

Xi Congyun pointed toward the side of Chen Yan's house:

"The silhouette on the room's curtain hasn't appeared for a long time, and logically, Chen Yuhu should have gone back to the kitchen to retrieve that freshly stir-fried dish."

Mu Zigui's expression trembled, and the next moment she immediately flew toward that side with Xi Congyun.

…………

At the same time.

Ji Zhongyun flew to the outskirts of Yunmeng City.

This was the result he and Yuan Maoshan had discussed.

He waited quietly.

Whoosh.

On the ground, suddenly the earth surged, and a figure appeared first; it was Chen Yuhu.

"Hahaha, so simple!" Ji Zhongyun laughed out loud:

"Yuan Maoshan, you did a good job!"

His eyes shone with a sharp light; the operation to capture Chen Yan's father was not very difficult.

It seems the Xia Clan doesn't value Chen Yan very much either.

With a *puchi* sound.

A laser instantly struck from underground; Ji Zhongyun's gaze flashed, and just as he was about to dodge, a blood hole appeared on his forehead the next moment.

Ji Zhongyun, dead!

Chen Yan appeared from behind Chen Yuhu and stored Ji Zhongyun's corpse into his own Origin Space.

"Dad, I'll send you back in a moment," Chen Yan said.

"Okay." Chen Yuhu still had lingering fears, but he quickly adapted.

It was also at this moment.

Zhang Ting arrived; he had not yet appeared, standing in the void watching Chen Yan below.

It really was Chen Yan!

He was suspicious and uncertain, astonished, and shocked.

Three months unseen, Chen Yan's strength was even greater.

Ji Zhongyun was in the third tier of the Five Clans Ranking, but he was also the 455th on the World Level Six Ranking.

The Five Clans Ranking does not look at strength, only at aptitude.

Therefore, this Ji Zhongyun was not weak.

Not weak at all.

Yet he was killed in seconds by Chen Yan with a single finger.

That was a bit too easy.

He was just about to reveal himself.

Below, beside Chen Yan, Zizhan appeared instantly!

At this moment, Zizhan was overflowing with white light, and three mighty streams of blood energy instantly poured out from within Zizhan.

This was the reward Chen Yan obtained for killing Ji Zhongyun.

So much!

Chen Yan's expression changed slightly; these three streams of energy—one was Body Tempering energy, one was blood energy, and the third was telekinetic energy.

Although Chen Yan could only choose one, each stream of energy was equivalent to a Bright Moon-grade Grade A 【item/pill】.

The effect of a Bright Moon-grade Grade A is far higher than a Grade D.

Chen Yan swept up so many precious medicines from the aristocratic family alliance, but in reality, he only obtained one and a half Bright Moon-grade, Grade A ones.

Chen Yan immediately chose that strand of blood-Qi energy.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!

The blood-Qi energy instantly poured into Chen Yan's body, surging and rolling.

At the same time, the Saint-Breaking Tree began to rapidly bear 【Blood】 character Saint-Breaking Fruits.

Within the Origin Space, the only remaining leg of the blood-Qi divine body that had not yet been forged began to be rapidly forged.

Chen Yan felt refreshed in body and mind; was this the feeling of absorbing precious medicines?

However, at this moment, Chen Yan had no heart to absorb these precious medicine energies.

He looked at the Child Lamp; just now, the Child Lamp had suddenly erupted with a bright light, and Chen Yan had seen the patterns on it that had never been revealed before.

This was the opening chapter of a divine technique.

Chen Yan wanted to look again, but that bright light had only shone for an instant.

He felt somewhat disappointed.

Chi, chi, chi!!

Suddenly, strands of malice erupted from within the Child Lamp, pouring into Chen Yan's body.

It was very intense, about the same as the malice from half a Sixth-Order Malice Crystal, though it had no effect on Chen Yan.

Moreover, a suction force also came from the Child Lamp, as if it wanted to suck Chen Yan into the Child Lamp itself.

The suction force was not very strong, but if it were an ordinary Fifth-Order, they likely would not have been able to resist this suction.

Chen Yan knew that the birth of the suction and the malice was because he had killed Ji Zhongyun.

The original intention of the Calamity Corpse Divine Lamp was, after all, to prevent the Five Clans from slaughtering each other.

If Chen Yan had not killed Ji Zhongyun, only precious medicines would have arrived.

Chen Yan stood up and looked toward the high sky:

"Chief Zhang, it is time for you to appear."

Zhang Ting's face revealed astonishment:

"You discovered me?"

Chen Yan's gaze was calm as he spoke:

"I ask that Chief Zhang take my father back."

Zhang Ting wanted to speak but stopped, then nodded; he looked at Chen Yan with a complex gaze.

Chen Yan flew away, sensing Zhang Ting's emotions.

The other party held no hostility, but there was a trace of estrangement toward him, perhaps related to what Chen Yan had done in the past.

Chen Yan did not intend to explain anything.

He asked himself that throughout his journey, he had never done anything against his conscience.

Chen Yan flew away.

He still had to go find Jiang Yuan.

Nowadays, Jiang Yuan could be considered to have encountered big trouble.

At the same time.

Throughout the entire Five Clans, voices rang out one after another.

"Ji Zhongyun has fallen off the ranking list, is he dead?"

"Chi Yi is on the list, a person from Chi Prefecture, suddenly on the list; did he kill Ji Zhongyun?"

"It must be him; it was almost at the same time that one fell off the list and one got on."

"Ji Zhongyun was only the thirty-third in the third echelon before, but how did this Chi Yi rush to the seventeenth?"

"It means Chi Yi killed him instantly; the faster you kill, the higher the list evaluates your aptitude and the stronger your combat power!"

"Chi Yi, Chi Yi, another powerful heaven-gifted talent has appeared!"

…………

Almost in an instant.

The border of Qin Prefecture.

A silver-haired man looked at the ranking list in his hand, his breathing sank, and the next moment he looked at Jiang Yuan beside him, roaring:

"It really was you! I only revealed this operation to you, Jiang Yuan!"

Jiang Yuan was stunned:

"Ji Kong, calm down, I am not a mole, I really didn't leak the information!"

"It was you, Jiang Yuan, you must die!" Ji Kong roared, and the next moment a long saber appeared in his hand, and he slashed toward Jiang Yuan.

"Damn it, you are framing me!" Jiang Yuan growled and hurriedly fled; he was speechless.

This time, he really hadn't leaked the information.

He didn't believe that Chen Yuhu would have no protection, so he hadn't leaked it.

But Ji Kong clearly had determined that he was a mole.

Well, he was indeed a mole.

But being exposed through such a misunderstanding, Jiang Yuan would not accept it.

Ji Kong was very strong.

Third echelon, second position.

Jiang Yuan felt like he was going to vomit blood.

…………

At the same time.

A thousand miles away from this place.

Yu Yi, dressed in black, looked at the list in his hand and frowned:

"Chi Yi, the same name as mine, is it intentional..."

He was silent for a long moment, then a communication came through.

"Yu Yi, help me kill Jiang Yuan!"

Ji Kong's voice was incomparably furious.

"Fine." Yu Yi chuckled, and the next moment he flew off.

…………

At Chen Yan's home.

Xi Congyun and Mu Zigui looked at the hole in the floor, their expressions now ugly to the extreme.

"It's over."

Mu Zigui stroked her forehead, her face turning pale.

Knowing that Chen Yan's father was about to be harmed, they had acted in secret, yet they had messed it up.

Now, they were both done for.

"Damn it!"

Xi Congyun let out a low shout, and the next moment he jumped directly into the hole.