Chapter 297: Dragon-Elephant

"Old Madam, the people from the Inspection Bureau are here!"

A man rushed into a room in a panic and shouted at the old woman sitting in a chair.

The old woman had a full head of silver hair, her face layered with wrinkles, and a very calm temperament—the result of the sediment left by the passage of time and hardship.

"What are you panicking about?"

The old woman looked at the man, "My Chen family is upright and honorable; what is there to be afraid of?"

Her name was Zhu Qingyan, and she was the grandmother of the current head of the Chen family, Chen Yujing.

She did not live in Xingcheng with the rest of the Chen family, but instead held down the fort at Chen Family Village.

Here, everyone respectfully addressed her as "Old Madam."

"But..."

The man hesitated, wanting to say more.

He was also a member of the Chen family, and he had killed or maimed more than one or two women in Chen Family Village, so he was actually terrified that the Inspection Bureau had suddenly arrived.

Zhu Qingyan looked at the man and said, word for word:

"Have all the Chen family members enter the blockhouse. Follow the drills we practiced before, guard the main gate well, and without my order, no one is allowed to open it."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

The man felt a sense of relief and was about to turn and leave, but seeing that Zhu Qingyan was still sitting there, he asked hurriedly:

"Old Madam, are you not coming into the blockhouse with us?"

Zhu Qingyan looked calmly outside the house: "If all the Chen family members hide, it would only make it look like my Chen family is truly guilty. I must go and tell them whose place this is."

"Qingmei, help me up. I am going to welcome these wolves and leopards."

She called out, and a maid walked to her side to help her up.

"Old Madam..."

The man opened his mouth to persuade her, but Zhu Qingyan was already walking toward the outdoors with the maid's support.

The man gritted his teeth and ultimately chose to hide inside the blockhouse.

There were many people surnamed Chen in Chen Family Village, but few were qualified to enter the Chen family compound and hide in the blockhouse.

Under Zhu Qingyan's orders, the important figures and guards of the Chen family fled into the blockhouse built within the Chen family compound.

Zhu Qingyan, supported by a maid and accompanied by several guards, arrived at the courtyard directly in front of the blockhouse and stood there quietly waiting.

"Old Madam, some people have already broken in; our men couldn't stop them."

A steward came to Zhu Qingyan's side and reported in a low voice.

"How many people came?"

"Two people, a man and a woman, both very young."

"Did Master Qu go?"

"He has already gone."

"Tell everyone to speed up; everyone get into the blockhouse."

Zhu Qingyan ordered.

The Master Qu she spoke of was named Qu Wenhu, the strongest retainer in Chen Family Village, and a martial artist who practiced internal strength.

"Old Madam, with Master Qu's strength, he might have already taken the intruders down."

The steward at her side comforted her.

Zhu Qingyan nodded and was just about to speak.

Boom!

A loud noise suddenly came from ahead, followed by a series of rumbling sounds.

Zhu Qingyan turned her head to look, only to see a house had actually collapsed directly!

"Go and see..."

She had just wanted to send someone to check on the situation, but before she could finish, a figure suddenly flew toward them.

"Old Madam, watch out!"

The maid Qingmei at her side immediately blocked in front of Zhu Qingyan.

Bang!

The figure landed heavily not far in front of the group.

This person was covered in blood, his clothes were tattered, and he had crashed into the ground, leaving a crater, lying motionless.

"Master Qu?!"

The steward at her side recognized the man; it was the very Qu Wenhu he had claimed might have already dealt with the intruders, now lying on the ground like a dead dog.

"Old Madam!"

The steward turned to look at Zhu Qingyan, finally beginning to panic.

Zhu Qingyan's expression remained calm, though the veins on the back of the hand gripping her cane bulged.

"Close the gate immediately!"

She gave the order.

"But there are still some people who haven't gotten in."

"Close the gate!"

"Yes!"

Behind them, the gate of the tall blockhouse slowly closed.

At the same time, two figures walked toward them.

The arrivals were Li Fei and Li Tianyu.

After having Li Tianyu stop, Li Fei had taken over the fight.

And the fighting along his way here had been truly dull and uninteresting:

Charge up, strike, resolve!

Regardless of whether his opponents used swords, crossbows, or even guns, Li Fei did not dodge, crushing his way through with Li Tianyu.

It was not until he met that Qu Wenhu that Li Fei had to put in a little effort.

Compared to those martial artists from the Chu family, this strongest retainer of Chen Family Village gave Li Fei only one impression—weak!

The martial techniques mastered were weak, the transcendent abilities were weak, the application of internal strength was weak, the equipment on his body was weak, and even his fighting spirit was very weak...

Li Fei didn't even use the Ghost-Slaying Blade to bully the opponent; he fought empty-handed and took the opportunity to practice the Golden Body Seal he had just learned.

Because his moves were not yet proficient, it ultimately took him fifteen moves to defeat the opponent.

Li Fei led Li Tianyu step by step toward Zhu Qingyan and the others.

The Chen family members hiding behind Zhu Qingyan who hadn't managed to enter the blockhouse retreated subconsciously, showing expressions of fear.

Zhu Qingyan felt no fear; she pushed aside the maid supporting her, stepped forward a few paces with her cane, and questioned loudly:

"By what right do you trespass on my property and injure my family's guards?"

Her voice was resonant and her presence imposing, not at all like an old woman at the end of her days.

"The Inspection Bureau is handling a case."

Li Fei answered simply.

Bang!

Zhu Qingyan raised the cane in her hand and struck it heavily against the ground:

"Even if the Inspection Bureau is handling a case, you must follow the rules, right?!"

Li Fei had by now stopped a few meters in front of them, pointing at Qu Wenhu, whom he had thrown over:

"The Chen family illegally used crossbows and firearms and violently resisted law enforcement; these are the rules I am teaching you."

Zhu Qingyan looked at Li Fei's calm eyes and suddenly smiled:

"Are you a registered martial artist of the Cease-War Academy?"

"No."

"Then may I ask, what is your identity?"

"A student of the Martial University; the Inspection Bureau invited me to assist with the case this time."

Li Fei stated one of his identities.

"So it is a proud son of heaven from the Martial University; no wonder your tone is so arrogant."

Zhu Qingyan nodded, looking into Li Fei's eyes:

"Young man, the Chen family has existed here for over sixty years; not just anyone is qualified to teach the Chen family rules."

Li Fei met her gaze and said calmly: "Over sixty years? Then there will be no more Chen family here from now on."

Zhu Qingyan's expression changed, and for the first time, clear anger appeared in her eyes:

"Good, good, good! I would like to see how you make my Chen family disappear from here!"

"Then you should look forward to it."

Li Fei nodded and stopped engaging in a war of words with her.

He and Li Tianyu stood there waiting quietly for a while, and Lu Sheng finally arrived with his men.

"Uncle Lu, how is it?"

"The village has been sealed off, but we only caught three target individuals."

Li Fei and Lu Sheng exchanged a few brief words.

"It looks like everyone has already hidden inside that blockhouse."

Li Fei pointed at the blockhouse not far behind Zhu Qingyan.

Lu Sheng took a few looks, his expression somewhat grave:

"That makes things difficult."

After saying this, he walked toward Zhu Qingyan and presented the arrest warrant from the Supervisory Court:

"Chen Hanbin, Chen Guihe, Chen Dongkai"

He read out over a dozen names in total.

"These people are suspected of multiple homicides, and I must take them back to the Supervisory Court for interrogation. Furthermore, there are people here illegally concealing and using prohibited weapons; I am going to confiscate them all and take the relevant personnel away."

Lu Sheng said to Zhu Qingyan.

Zhu Qingyan looked at him calmly, and only spoke after he finished:

"Officer, I don't know where the people you mentioned are. As for who you want to take away, please feel free."

Lu Sheng pointed at the blockhouse behind her: "Have someone open the door; I am going in to search!"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

Zhu Qingyan shook her head.

Lu Sheng frowned at her: "What, are you resisting the law?"

Zhu Qingyan wore a smile and said nothing more.

It was clear she was not cooperating, and she was not the least bit afraid of Lu Sheng.

As an old lady over eighty years old, her status was particularly sensitive; Lu Sheng truly could not do anything to her for the moment, and many of his methods could not be used.

He bypassed Zhu Qingyan, led his men directly to the base of the blockhouse, and began to inspect it.

A moment later, his expression turned ugly.

"Uncle Lu?"

Li Fei walked over.

"This damn thing was built to wartime standards. Unless we use cannons to blast it or bombs to blow it up, there's no way to open it!"

Lu Sheng said to Li Fei in a low voice with a grim expression:

"That old thing is trying to stall for time. The news here must have reached the city by now. The Chen family will definitely go all out to protect their assets. By then, the Chief might even send people over. We can't hold out against them, and it will be very difficult to take anyone away later."

Li Fei nodded.

The reason the Supervisory Court was able to determine the Chen family's crimes so quickly and accurately this time was mainly due to the intelligence provided by the 'Queen' Feng Sanniang.

They had only gone to the Chen residence to make arrests in the morning and came to Chen Village in the afternoon precisely to strike fast, to capture all the key figures and complete the chain of evidence before the Chen family could react.

As a result, most of the people they needed to capture had now hidden inside the blockhouse. If they couldn't take them back today, the situation would likely change, and it would be difficult to convict them later.

"My men just asked some of the villagers; some of the things those animals in there have done are truly inhuman. Damn it!"

Lu Sheng, this captain, could be considered well-traveled and had seen all kinds of criminals, but he rarely felt this much anger.

At the start of this operation, he had been acting with the mindset of striking at the Chen family, but as he learned more, he truly wanted to bring some of those animals to justice!

"Captain, why don't we find a ladder and try to get in through those windows?"

A squadron leader walked over and suggested to Lu Sheng.

Lu Sheng looked up at the windows and shook his head: "No, those windows are all guarded. If the people inside decide to obstruct you, you will easily get hurt."

"Do they dare to attack us openly?"

The squadron leader was somewhat skeptical.

"Uncle Lu."

Li Fei spoke up.

He did not want these inspectors to risk testing the Chen family's bottom line.

"Let me try."

"You want to go in through the windows?"

Lu Sheng looked at Li Fei.

"No."

Li Fei shook his head, then walked to the iron door of the blockhouse.

This was a thick iron door over three meters high and four meters wide.

"I'm going in through here."

Li Fei said.

Zhu Qingyan also looked over at this moment, and seeing Li Fei walk to the iron door, she couldn't help but smile.

This blockhouse was indeed built to wartime standards, and its primary defense was against powerful martial artists.

The material of the walls could withstand a martial artist's innate Qi and force.

Even if a Force-Refining martial master came, it would be impossible to break the wall without spending half a day.

The same went for that iron door; unless cannons were used or a powerhouse at the Dao Foundation realm took action, it could not be broken.

Zhu Qingyan did not believe that Li Fei was already at the Dao Foundation realm at such a young age.

"Xiao Fei?"

Lu Sheng was also full of confusion, not understanding how Li Fei intended to enter the blockhouse through the main gate.

Li Fei began to circulate his Diamond Force, his hands quickly forming seals in front of his chest.

A few seconds later, the seal was completed, and his body suddenly expanded, entering the 'Tyrant Body' state.

Not only that, the 【Steel Armor】 implant seemed to be stimulated by some intense force, erupting with power far exceeding its normal state.

Standing to the side, Lu Sheng suddenly felt that Li Fei had become incomparably tall, even taller than the blockhouse before them, filled with a sense of power!

This was the ultimate technique Li Fei had newly learned—Diamond Seal: Dragon-Elephant!

The Diamond Seal was an auxiliary martial technique that could mobilize Diamond Force through hand seals to achieve various effects.

For instance, this 'Diamond Seal: Dragon-Elephant' style could allow Li Fei's next strike to have its power significantly increased!

Clang—

Li Fei drew his Ghost-Slaying Blade.

"Uncle Lu, you all stand back a bit."

He said calmly.

Lu Sheng immediately led his subordinate inspectors to step back.

The next second, Li Fei held the blade with both hands, the blade erupting with brilliant golden light, and slashed heavily onto the iron door before him.

Bang!!!!

A thunderclap erupted on level ground, and the earth itself shook.

The brilliant golden light exploded, kicking up a violent gust of wind.

Zhu Qingyan was startled and recoiled sharply, being supported by her maid just in time.

She looked at the iron door with an astonished expression, then immediately let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, the iron door had not been blasted open; it had only been slashed with a crack and dented inward slightly.

Li Fei stuck his blade into the ground, continued to form seals with both hands, and once again unleashed the Diamond Seal: Dragon-Elephant.

Then he picked up the Ghost-Slaying Blade and slashed out again.

Boom!!!!

Just like that, Li Fei slashed at the iron door before him, one strike after another.

He not only used the newly learned Diamond Seal: Dragon-Elephant but also the Armor-Piercing Style that Hao Yi had taught him.

This blade technique was perfectly suited for dealing with the iron door before him.

The iron door was shaken time and time again, and the ground trembled with every strike.

Everyone, both outside the blockhouse and inside, was terrified.

It felt as if a giant beast was repeatedly slamming into the iron door with all its might!

The material of the iron door was not as good as the Ghost-Slaying Blade; although it could resist a martial artist's force, under the combined attack of Diamond Force and the Armor-Piercing Style, it would be broken a little more with every hit.

After nine strikes, the iron door was forcibly slashed open by Li Fei, creating a gap!

"Ah—"

Screams came from behind the door.

"Holy shit..."

Lu Sheng swallowed hard.

Although he knew that martial artists possessed superhuman strength, the scene before him still shocked him.

Even if they had used cannons to blast that iron door, it would likely have taken several hits to break it, yet it had been forcibly slashed open by Li Fei just like that?!

Li Fei did not stop and continued to strike.

Boom! Boom! Boom...

The gap in the iron door continued to widen.

Finally, Li Fei slashed a gap in the center of the iron door that was taller than a person.

Clang—

Li Fei sheathed his blade.

He looked back at Zhu Qingyan, then calmly stepped through the gap and walked into the blockhouse.

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(End of chapter)