C17 Chapter 17

"Do you really think you can kill me? You must have forgotten who I am!"

A scornful voice erupted in the ears of the young man.

Startled, he looked up to find a peer of his own age smirking down at him.

To his shock, the young man was effortlessly holding his phantom in his grasp!

Was this... catching a blade with his bare hands?

Impossible!

The pale-faced youth's expression twisted in disbelief. He knew his own strength well; not even a B-class expert could easily counter his abilities!

And yet, how could someone so young wield such formidable power?

It made no sense!

A whirlwind of thoughts raced through his mind, but all were tinged with confusion about this unexpected individual who had caught his ability.

Biting back frustration, the pale youth flicked his finger, and a green pill materialized.

He watched as the young man casually tossed the pill to the ground, where it burst into a cloud of green smoke.

Yang Chen's gaze sharpened, spiritual energy focusing in his eyes, allowing him to pierce through the smoke and track the young man's shadow.

Then, under Yang Chen's watchful eye, the young man fled!

Yang Chen was momentarily dumbfounded, his thoughts struggling to catch up.

Even if you intended to murder, failing to finish the job wouldn't provoke No.98's wrath. Why the need to flee?

But then it clicked for Yang Chen; he understood why the young man had run.

"You should have stayed!"

The elder's voice boomed from behind the counter, filling the entire ground floor.

A formidable surge of Spiritual Qi erupted, snaking out like chains, swiftly ensnaring the young man's form.

As the elder spoke, the Ability Users in the hall exchanged startled looks, some instinctively bracing for a fight.

Xueh Tu, standing by the entrance, grimaced. His own apprentice was within headquarters, plotting against No.98's Ability User!

Whether Xueh Tu had been aware of his apprentice's identity or not, he was now certain to be under No.98's scrutiny.

With this blemish on his record, even if Xueh Tu managed to evade harsh interrogation, his future prospects of serving under No.98 were ruined.

Becoming a Grandmaster would be out of reach!

Hua Xia was not short on Grandmasters.

Besides, even Xueh Tu himself couldn't guarantee his ascension to that level.

Such was the confidence exuded by No.98!

The elder's Spiritual Qi settled into a void, revealing a pale figure wrapped in ethereal chains.

"Release me!" the figure snarled viciously at the elder.

The elder merely glanced at him before turning to Yang Chen, "My thanks, young friend. Without you, this man might have succeeded in killing one of Hua Xia's brightest talents."

Wang Teng, though young, had achieved Grade C Ability User status in a modest city like Hancheng. His talent was indeed that of a genius.

Yang Chen offered a modest bow, replying with a smile, "No need for thanks."

The elder returned the smile and with a gentle wave of his hand, conjured a black cube in the air. A black hole, large enough for a person, appeared on its surface. At the elder's command, the bound young man was swept into the cube.

"Ability Prison!"

A voice from the crowd spoke, its owner's eyes betraying a hint of dread.

"Ability Prison?"

Yang Chen's brow arched in curiosity. Wang Teng, now composed, shot Yang Chen a grateful look.

Leaning in, Wang Teng whispered, "The Ability Prison is designed to detain Ability Users. Ordinary jails can't hold them, hence the need for such a facility. Rumor has it, it even houses Grandmaster Level beings!"

Yang Chen's eyes narrowed.

Grandmaster Level beings!

Even someone as defiant as Yang Chen felt a surge of respect for No.98 of Hua Xia.

Ability Users were revered by the masses, and Grandmasters were the pinnacle among them. That No.98 could detain such entities spoke volumes of their might.

Even Yang Chen doubted his chances against a Grandmaster, yet No.98 had managed to imprison one.

With a final wave, the elder made the black cube vanish from sight.

"Cough, cough. Let's disperse for now. We'll leave further matters to the investigators," the elder announced, prompting the onlookers to quickly exit, none eager to draw No.98's attention.

Being on No.98's radar was a fate best avoided.

Xueh Tu's face matched the pallor of his disciple's, his expression one of defeat. He realized his ambitions were at an end, with no hope for advancement.

And as he watched Wild Wolf, Xueh Tu couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

The Wild Wolf strode quickly to Yang Chen's side, and after ensuring his disciple hadn't suffered any serious injuries, he breathed a sigh of relief and gave Yang Chen a respectful bow.

"Mr. Yang, I'm deeply grateful for your assistance!" he said.

"It's nothing. Consider that million repaid," Yang Chen replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Wild Wolf paused, a hint of surprise in his eyes, before he broke into a smile. "That million was a gift to you, Mr. Yang. How could it possibly repay you for saving my disciple? From now on, if you ever need anything, just say the word."

Yang Chen nodded in acknowledgment. "Let's set that aside for now. Weren't you going to introduce me to Grandmaster Chen? Let's not delay any further."

"Right, right. I got sidetracked by that fellow earlier. I'll take you to him now!" Wild Wolf said, smacking his forehead as if to clear his thoughts.

"Do you wish to meet Grandmaster Chen?" interjected the elderly man behind the counter, casting a sly glance at Yang Chen.

Caught off guard, Yang Chen responded, "Yes, is there a problem with that?"

"Heh, impressive, very impressive," the old man chuckled without directly answering Yang Chen's question, continuing to mumble to himself.

Yang Chen felt a bit bewildered but followed Wild Wolf towards the building's upper levels, eventually stepping into the elevator.

In the lobby, the old man leaned on the counter, watching Yang Chen's departing figure from the corner of his eye. He pondered the voice that had echoed in his ears, and a spark of clarity flashed through his cloudy eyes as he murmured, "Such a young age and already at Grade A cultivation. This kid's origins are quite enigmatic. Could he be... a descendant of those venerable elders?"

"Ah, forget it. I'll leave the pondering to Old Chen and the rest. I'm content to just be a lazy fish here," he concluded, shaking his head with a chuckle before settling back into his nap.

Meanwhile, Yang Chen had ascended with Wild Wolf to the building's 18th floor.

Ding~

The elevator doors slid open, revealing an expansive office space that took Yang Chen by surprise.

The entire 18th floor was one single office!

Yes, just one office!

And it belonged to a solitary individual—Grandmaster Chen, the head honcho of No.98 Jiangnan!

Yang Chen's eyes sparkled with curiosity. He found it hard to fathom that such an immense space was dedicated solely to office work. Such extravagance seemed almost excessive!

Wild Wolf, on the other hand, appeared unfazed, as if he had been here many times before.

Even Wang Teng, a scion of a wealthy family accustomed to luxury, was taken aback by the sheer size of the office. He had seen many grand places, but an office of this magnitude was a first for him.

Just how vast was the entire 18th floor? Surely it spanned several hundred square meters.

The room alone must be worth a fortune—hundreds of millions, if not a billion. Yet here it was, simply serving as an office!

To Yang Chen and Wang Teng, it seemed like an extravagant waste of resources.

"This is massive!" Yang Chen couldn't help but exclaim.

Wild Wolf tugged gently at Yang Chen's sleeve and whispered, "See the person by the window? That's our Jiangnan's chief, Grandmaster Chen."

Yang Chen followed Wild Wolf's gaze and there, standing serenely by the expansive glass, was a middle-aged man with the air of a scholar. He held a coffee cup in his hand and smiled warmly at Yang Chen.