C17 I Refuse!

"Monster?"

Chen Yi flashed a sly grin. "I must admit, that title does have a certain ring to it for me!"

As the esteemed Blood Sovereign of the Holy Heaven Realm, reborn into his youthful self from three hundred years prior, being called a monster wasn't too far off the mark.

"..."

The white-haired middle-aged man's lips twitched involuntarily, his mind swirling with bizarre thoughts, upon hearing Chen Yi's unabashed admission.

"You... You've transformed from a high-level Spirit Beast?"

He eyed Chen Yi's disproportionately large arms and the shadows swirling around his legs, a mix of realization and fear creeping into his voice.

"Transformed from a Spirit Beast?"

Chen Yi arched an eyebrow and chuckled. It was easy to see how one might be confused. Indeed, he was utilizing the innate talents of a Spirit Beast's bloodline.

The blood of the Spirit Violent Bear and the Shadow Quick Leopard enhanced his strength and speed, respectively. This golden combination allowed him to effortlessly overpower the white-haired middle-aged Cultivator of the Spirit Essence Stage.

"Now, tell me about your ties to the Wang Family."

Chen Yi cut to the chase, foregoing any further small talk.

In his past life, he knew of the Wang Family's connection to a Gu Master, but the details eluded him. Reborn, and having encountered them, he sought clarity.

The white-haired man met his gaze. "If I tell you, will you spare my life?"

"Are you trying to negotiate with me?"

Chen Yi's voice was cool, his fist, large as a sandbag, already aloft.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!"

The threat prompted the man, Yu Feng, to spill everything about his dealings with the Wang Family.

A rogue cultivator from the South Wind Empire, Yu Feng stumbled upon a manual for Gu Cultivation in his youth, which set him on his path. His association with the Wang Family began a month prior when he was desperate for money. In Honhyun City, adjacent to Wood County City, he offered his services in a mercenary tavern for the right price. Wang Sheng, who happened to be in town, recognized the value of a Gu Master and hired him. And so, their connection was forged.

In essence, his relationship with the Wang Family was nothing more than a simple contract.

"Just like that?"

Chen Yi eyed the man skeptically after hearing his account.

The man nodded earnestly. "By the heavens, I haven't lied about a thing!"

Pleading crept into his expression. "Young Master Chen, I swear, my involvement with the Wang Family is minimal. Please, have mercy on me!"

"Very well."

"You mean it?"

Hope flickered in the man's eyes at Chen Yi's response.

But what followed was a crushing blow from Chen Yi's palm to his chest.

"You..."

The man's eyes bulged, his gaze locked on Chen Yi as the latter's voice, cold and detached, reached his ears. "I reject your plea."

With a gurgle, blood spilled from his lips, and Yu Feng's body slumped to the ground, life extinguished in an instant. Chen Yi's strike had severed his heart meridian.

"It seems I was overthinking it."

Chen Yi murmured to himself, looking down at the lifeless body.

He had suspected that the Wang Family's Gu Master might be linked to an old enemy, but it appeared he was mistaken.

"A Gu Master this destitute is truly a first for me."

Removing a white Space Ring from Yu Feng's finger, Chen Yi's spiritual sense swept through it, eliciting an eye roll.

The ring held little more than two scrolls, a few vials of Poisonous Insects, less than two hundred gold coins, and some common medicinal herbs. He had seen the wealth of Gu Masters before, but never one so impoverished. It was no wonder Yu Feng had resorted to mercenary work...

"I won't leave your body to the mercy of the wilderness."

Chen Yi found a patch of soft earth along the mountain trail and buried Yu Feng's body in a hastily dug grave.

With that task complete, he hastened back to the Chen family estate.

Unsure if the Wang Family had laid further traps, and with his strength waning, he needed to return quickly.

The Blood Holy Bead could harness the powers of any Spirit Beast Blood, bestowing their gifts upon its bearer. But such power came at a cost, draining the user's vitality. His current form could barely handle the combined toll of the Spirit Violent Bear and Shadow Quick Leopard.

Though he appeared strong, his energy would soon collapse.

Racing back, it took mere minutes to reach the Chen family estate.

Upon arrival, his strength evaporated like air from a punctured balloon. His robust presence faded, his complexion turned ghostly pale, and his body wobbled, on the brink of collapse. Dizziness overwhelmed him, signaling the urgent need to rest.

"Level Seven of the Meditation Stage is still too weak..."

Overwhelmed by the backlash of his overexertion, Chen Yi couldn't help but shake his head in resignation as he trudged toward the nearby Chen family estate.

"Young lord?"

The two Chen family guards were taken aback at the sight of the frail Chen Yi, "What's happened to you?"

They moved to assist him, but he stopped them with a wave of his hand and continued on into the residence.

Across the street, a young man caught sight of this scene.

"He actually returned?"

Surprise flickered in the young man's eyes as he watched Chen Yi. It wasn't until Chen Yi had disappeared into the Chen family estate that he snapped to his senses.

"I must inform the Patriarch immediately!"

With that thought, he turned and hastened in a direction that clearly led to the Wang Family.

...

"Yi, what's wrong?"

Chen Shanheng was already at the courtyard when Chen Yi arrived, his face etched with concern. "Did the South Wind Auction House make a move against you?"

Considering Chen Yi's recent confrontation with Grandmaster Qian Yun, it was reasonable for Chen Shanheng to suspect the Auction House's involvement, especially since Elder Weng, despite his status, didn't quite measure up to the Grandmaster.

Before Chen Yi could respond, Chen Shanheng pressed on, "I told you to let me accompany you, why wouldn't you listen?"

"Father, it wasn't the South Wind Auction House."

With a wry smile, Chen Yi recounted the ambush by Yu Feng.

"The Wang Family sent a Gu Master after you?"

Chen Shanheng's face grew serious with a hint of confusion. "Since when does the Wang Family have a Gu Master?"

"They hired one from Honhyun City."

"Hired?"

Realization dawned on Chen Shanheng, his expression turning fierce, "The Wang Family has some nerve, attacking you within the city. Do they think the Chen family is defenseless?"

"Yi, I'll demand justice from the Wang Family for you!"

Chen Shanheng was about to summon his men to confront the Wang Family when Chen Yi interjected.

"Father, wait! There's no need for us to act against the Wang Family. They'll soon crumble on their own."

"Yi?"

Chen Shanheng turned back, puzzled.

"Father, here's what happened..."

Chen Yi took a moment to explain the events at the banquet, including the Wang Family's plot to infect him with the Life Devouring Blood Insect through Wang Yun.

"Life Devouring Blood Insect?"

Anger flared in Chen Shanheng's eyes as he grasped the gravity of the situation. "I knew the Wang Family was up to something. They intended to assassinate you!"

He then looked at Chen Yi, concern etched on his face, "Yi, that Blood Venomous Insect..."

"It's not inside me," Chen Yi assured, shaking his head.

"Then where is it?"

"In Wang Yun's body."

"What?"

Chen Yi's revelation left Chen Shanheng astounded.

"That's right. Wang Yun tried to infect me with the insect, but I managed to redirect it back to him. Now, it's consuming his blood."

Chen Yi explained, his smile betraying a hint of satisfaction. With Yu Feng, the Gu Master, dead, there was no fear of the truth about the Life Devouring Blood Insect being discovered.

"Brilliant!"

Chen Shanheng exclaimed, a realization dawning on him, "So the method you used... was specifically to transfer the insect?"

"Exactly."

Chen Yi nodded, seeing no need to correct his father's assumption.

"So, Yi, what are you suggesting?"

Chen Yi laid out his plan, "With the Life Devouring Blood Insect within him, the Wang Family will be drained trying to save Wang Yun. Once they've weakened themselves, we'll strike at their most vulnerable point!"

He was determined to repay the Wang Family in kind for their past actions against the Chen family.

"Yi, you've thought this through quite thoroughly!"

Chen Shanheng was impressed by his son's foresight.

He realized that there was much he had yet to learn about his son, but this revelation was welcome. It meant Chen Yi was ready to shoulder greater responsibilities.

...

Meanwhile, on a distant hillside, Wang Sheng stared in disbelief at a corpse unearthed from the soil.

"How can this be!?"

Beside him, Wang Hee, the Wang Family's Great Elder, shared his shock, "That young man managed to kill Mr. Yu?"

Despite Yu Feng being at the early stages of the Spirit Essence Stage, and also being a Gu Master, it was inconceivable that he'd be bested by a mere novice at the Meditation Stage. Even cultivators at the middle stages of the Spirit Essence Stage might struggle against him. Their disbelief was palpable.

"Someone must have lent him a hand!" Wang Sheng declared, his voice heavy with conviction.

It wasn't unheard of for a Meditation Stage cultivator to triumph over adversaries one or two minor levels above. But the idea of one defeating, let alone slaying, a Spirit Essence Stage cultivator was beyond the realm of possibility!

Wang Sheng was convinced that Chen Yi had received assistance. Considering the enigmatic technique Chen Yi employed to best Wang Yun, and his subsequent rise as a Pharmacist, all signs pointed to the presence of a hidden mastermind supporting Chen Yi.

This realization soured Wang Sheng's expression considerably. Such developments spelled trouble for the Wang Family.

"Patriarch, what's our next move?" Wang Hee inquired, glancing at Yu Feng's body before turning his gaze to the family head.

Taking a deep breath, Wang Sheng responded coolly, "Take care of the body. We'll convene at the mansion and strategize."

He had banked on Yu Feng to neutralize the Chen Yi threat, hence the decision not to deploy additional forces. The outcome was a bitter pill to swallow.

Now, all they could do was regroup and plan their next steps.

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