Chapter 544: Reverse Strategy 03

Chenyu instinctively took the whip, then saw Chenshu lightly float back a step.

The next second, the battered wooden house door was slammed open again.

The Chen family head first noticed the two corpses on the ground, then his gaze shifted to the fearful Chenshu and to Chenyu holding the whip.

"Father..."

Chenshu seemed to have finally found a supporter, timidly hiding behind him.

"Father, is Second Brother… not feeling well today?"

"Chenyu! What are you doing!"

Seeing this, the Chen family head became a bit angry, but not because of the two dead servants.

Now the Slay Demon Sect has allied with them; as long as Chenshu offers his body to the formation, the Chen family can obtain several treasures from Yaogong.

Usually they could bully Chenshu however they liked, but if Chenshu suffers any harm now, the Slay Demon Sect and the other families will surely object to the Chen family.

"Father! I didn't do anything! I just came to warn him! This person isn't someone I killed—it's this trash!"

Behind the Chen family head, Chening frowned, somewhat displeased: "Chenyu, admit your mistakes; don't talk back to your father."

"Chenshu has never learned martial arts; how could he possibly beat them? Moreover, these are clearly whip wounds."

Chenyu stamped his foot in anger: "Brother! Why don't you believe me! It was this trash who hit him!"

He glared fiercely at Chenshu: "You did this on purpose, didn't you!"

Chenshu hid in an unnoticed corner, quickly shaking his head to deny; his timid appearance looked nothing like someone who could kill.

If Chenyu hadn't just seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it.

He was inexplicably put in a bind, and he hated Chenshu so much his teeth itched.

"Alright, go out now; I have something to say to your younger brother."

The Chen family head waved him off, his tone already somewhat annoyed.

Chening had always known the father cared only for family interests, lacking much affection; seeing him say that, he quickly signaled with his eyes for Chenyu to leave and stop causing trouble.

"Father, do you still want to persuade me to go to the Back Mountain?"

Chenshu watched the furious Chenyu storm out, silently calculating when the magic poison golden needles implanted in his body would erupt.

"Silly child, I know you don't want to throw your life away, but this matter still has room for maneuver."

The Chen family head produced the prepared words, put on a kind‑father façade, and spoke nauseating deceit.

"You also know you completely failed to inherit your mother's talent; your meridians are congenitally blocked, and even the finest medicines can't cure it."

"The Back Mountain has many formations, and there's the Yao King's seal; perhaps it could give you a chance to break through the blockage."

Chening also chimed in; he had always been talented, and his close relationship with the Slay Demon Sect's Young Master made the Chen family head value him greatly.

"Little brother, don't be afraid; the Yao King is sealed and sleeping, you just need to stay in the Back Mountain for half a month."

Every line between the lines avoids mentioning death, seemingly all for his sake.

Chenshu heard the sarcasm and, before he could finish, said: "If this is such a good thing, why should it fall to me? It should be the brothers' turn."

"The Back Mountain is dangerous; I have no martial arts to rely on, I'm really afraid……"

"This matter is settled; you need say no more. If you resent this decision, when you later emerge from the Back Mountain, I will compensate you as father."

The Chen family head had no patience left to persuade; regardless of whether Chenshu agreed, he must go to the Back Mountain to offer himself to the formation.

As for what comes after, the deep furrows of his brow relaxed slightly.

What demands could a dead person possibly make?

Chenshu also didn't want to waste more words with the Chen family head; originally he was supposed to go to the Back Mountain anyway.

Before going, he still needed to find a way to make them unhappy.

His starry eyes shifted, glancing at the carefree protagonist‑type Chening, who bore the air of a graceful young gentleman.

"Can Dage give me some life‑saving treasures?"

Chening frowned at the words, looked at the father who hadn't clearly refused, and helplessly said: "Of course; we must go to the Back Mountain tomorrow—come with me now to get them."

The Chen family's treasure armory is nominally managed by Chening, but it's merely a title for show.

Everything in this manor, top to bottom, is firmly controlled by the Chen family head, whose desire for control is extreme.

He casually picked a few insignificant treasures; Chening also knew he couldn't tell good from bad, treating them as trash.

Chenshu accepted everything listed; his fingers hidden in his sleeve twitched slightly, and a faint golden light circled outside the armory.

"When you enter the mountain tomorrow, you'd better not resist as you did the past few days, or the Slay Demon Sect will surely not let you off."

Chening seemed to advise earnestly, regardless of whether Chenshu listened, then spoke and left.

That night the entire Chen household was quiet, but undercurrents stirred within.

To prevent Chenshu from escaping, every half‑hour another group of people secretly watched the wooden house, nearly blocking every possible escape route.

Not to mention the worthless trash they thought Chenshu was—even a top‑tier expert arriving could not guarantee escape.

The watched Chenshu, however, slept soundly.

Until he was awakened in the middle of the night by a sudden clamor of footsteps.

Chenshu, eyes half‑open, gazed at the smashed wooden door and the several Slay Demon Sect disciples and the Chen family head rushing in.

"Father, what is this?"

"The scheduled time has changed; you must now go to the Back Mountain to suppress the seal."

The Chen family head's tone allowed no hesitation, even though the youth before him was his own biological son.

【Master, it's said that Chening suddenly felt the Back Mountain seal destabilize during cultivation and urgently informed everyone.】

【……Why is he cultivating in the middle of the night instead of sleeping.】

Is this some essential skill of the protagonist‑type?

"Young Master Chen, please."

The disciples of the Slay Demon Sect urged them on; they had been ordered to escort Chenshu, and if they delayed the plan, they simply couldn't withstand the sect master's wrath.

Within the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Chenshu was taken by them to the entrance of the rear mountain of the Chen family.

Here, faint demonic energy is visible to the naked eye, the place is eerily still, and the barrier is heavily guarded—showing how much the righteous factions fear the Yao King.

Chen Ning, dressed in a green robe, hid in the corner, watching Chenshu being pushed into the barrier, and only then did she finally let go of her worry.

As long as this person dies, no one will ever be able to discover that Mother once poisoned someone.

The title "heaven's favored child" can only be used to describe him.

"Young Master, something's wrong!"

A servant came running over in a panic, but dared not enter the guarded area; in the haze he saw Chen Ning standing there and hurried forward to kneel.

"Why the commotion so late?"

Chen Ning was in a good mood and didn't bother to blame the servant for not knowing the rules.

"Second Young Master suddenly fell ill, his whole body twitching as if a reptile were crawling inside him… it's terrifying!"

The servant recalled what he had seen, and goosebumps rose all over his body.