The Rogue Villager Chen Erbao

Chen Erbao landed a blow and immediately followed up with a ferocious assault.

With a series of thrusts and slashes, he left several significant wounds on Hou Jiufang's body within a few exchanges.

Hou Jiufang's stamina was already giving out. He could only rely on his years of experience to desperately hold on against Chen Erbao.

He was both frantic and terrified.

'This kid is definitely from one of *those* places. To have this kind of strength at such a young age... it's terrifying!'

Sensing he was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, Hou Jiufang decisively tossed his iron hooks to the ground and surrendered.

The sharp edge of the longsword pressed against his neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

"Did you come here just to die?"

'This old man's strength is comparable to Chuck's, but he's too old. His body can't keep up for long.'

A bitter taste filled Hou Jiufang's mouth as he admitted, "I'm the strongest fighter the Xie Family has. State your demands. The Xie Family concedes."

Although he wasn't a member of the Xie Family by blood, when faced with a powerful foe like Chen Erbao, he was fully authorized to make decisions on their behalf.

"You have two choices. First, Xie Yuan dies, and I leave. Second, come up with a billion, and I'll spare his life!"

Chen Erbao said coldly.

Hou Jiufang was stunned. Both options would have a massive impact on the Xie Family, and he couldn't make that final call himself. He had no choice but to say, "Sir, please come with me. You should meet the Patriarch of the Xie Family."

"You're not the Patriarch?"

Chen Erbao was a little confused.

'If this old-timer is their best fighter, how could he not be the Patriarch?'

Hou Jiufang sighed. "I am merely a Guest Minister Steward. Years ago, I received a great kindness from Second Master Xie. After I retired from the martial world, I came to the Xie Family to serve as a guard. Forgive me for this embarrassing display."

Chen Erbao lowered his sword and sneered. "So you're one to repay a debt of gratitude. And Xie Yuan?"

"He's inside."

Chen Erbao followed Hou Jiufang to the villa's entrance, where the bodyguards nervously aimed their guns at him.

"Lower your weapons!"

Hou Jiufang barked.

The bodyguards hesitated, exchanging glances.

But Chen Erbao had no time for talk. In a flash, he kicked the lead bodyguard, sending him flying back into the villa's main doors and knocking them open.

The remaining guards jumped in fright and aimed their guns at Chen Erbao again.

"Anyone else points a gun at me, and I'll send them to meet King Yama!"

Chen Erbao's expression was calm, but his tone was utterly vicious. Combined with the bloodstains covering his body, he was a terrifying sight.

At a signal from Hou Jiufang, they finally lowered their guns and warily stepped aside.

As he followed Hou Jiufang into the villa's courtyard, Chen Erbao's eyes immediately fell on the terrified Xie Yuan.

A dozen or so core members of the Xie Family, old and young alike, were also standing in the courtyard.

All eyes fixed on Chen Erbao. They were first taken aback by the blood covering him, then they cast worried glances toward Hou Jiufang.

Chen Erbao paid them no mind. He walked straight to the front of the group, looked at Xie Yuan, and chuckled. "Xie Yuan, I let you live once, but you just don't know when to quit, do you? You sent those hundred men, didn't you?"

His voice wasn't loud, but to Xie Yuan, it sounded like a demon's whisper. When he caught the faint scent of blood wafting from Chen Erbao, a primal fear bloomed in his heart, and his back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

"You... you..."

He stammered for what felt like an eternity, unable to form a single word.

Chen Erbao sneered, grabbed a handful of Xie Yuan's hair, and with a vicious tug, slammed him to the ground.

"Ahh! Grandpa, save me!"

Xie Yuan was too terrified to even think of resisting. Pinned under Chen Erbao's foot, he trembled as he looked toward the old man seated in the center.

The old Patriarch of the Xie Family, Xie Kun.

Xie Kun didn't mince words. "Sir, the attempt on your life was the sole decision of my unworthy grandson, Xie Yuan. The Xie Family accepts responsibility. What will it take for you to spare him?"

The old man had weathered countless storms in his life. Seeing that even Hou Jiufang was no match for this man, he had no choice but to concede.

Chen Erbao stared down at him coldly. "I don't care who sent them. It was one thing for Xie Yuan to try and rob me yesterday, but to dare to retaliate today... First option: one billion, and this matter is settled. Second option: if you're not willing to pay up, I'll take Xie Yuan's life."

Everyone in the courtyard drew a sharp, collective breath.

One billion!

That was no small sum!

The Xie Family could afford it, but a sum that large would still be a painful blow, even for them.

"One billion! We'll wire the money immediately!"

Xie Kun chose the first option without a moment's hesitation.

Xie Yuan was the sole heir for the last three generations of their family. If he died, wouldn't the Xie Family line die with him?

Compared to continuing the family line, a billion was nothing!

"My thoughts exactly. Get the money,"

Chen Erbao said with a cheerful grin, releasing his foot and taking a seat on a nearby stool.

Not a single member of the Xie Family dared to utter a word of protest. They all stood frozen in place, scared into silence.

Chen Erbao's brutality had been more than proven.

A hundred well-armed, vicious thugs, and Chen Erbao had taken them all down single-handedly without a scratch!

They couldn't afford to provoke someone with that kind of power!

Xie Kun ordered his subordinates to gather the money and had someone pour Chen Erbao a cup of tea. Only then did he slump back into his own chair, looking haggard as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

An eerie silence fell over the courtyard.

Xie Yuan remained sprawled on the ground, face etched with terror, not daring to move a muscle.

Just as they were all waiting, a bodyguard rushed in. "Patriarch, there are some people outside. They say they're from the Security Bureau. Should we let them in?"

The name "Security Bureau" meant nothing to these bodyguards; it was far above their clearance level.

Xie Kun's brow furrowed once more. Before he could speak, Hou Jiufang's expression changed. He stood and whispered a few words in Xie Kun's ear. A sharp glint flashed in Xie Kun's eyes, and he shot to his feet. "Quick, welcome them in!"

Hou Jiufang had just told him that the Security Bureau was the state agency in charge of dealing with Ancient Martial Artists. Even Grandmasters fell under their jurisdiction!

'If the Security Bureau can take care of Chen Erbao...'

Xie Kun fantasized about the perfect outcome.

He cupped his fists toward Chen Erbao. "Sir, if you would please wait here a moment, I must go and greet our guests."

Chen Erbao ignored him, continuing to sip his tea.

'Security Bureau?'

Chen Erbao had a bad feeling. The name sounded strange. 'But they couldn't be here for me... right?'

Xie Kun and Hou Jiufang strode out of the villa and took a shuttle cart to the estate's main gate, where they finally met the arrivals from the Security Bureau.

It was a group of three—two men and a woman, all unbelievably young.

The moment he saw the three of them, however, Hou Jiufang's expression flickered, and his heart filled with a mixture of shock and delight.

He could sense their auras—they were incredibly powerful, nearly on par with a Grandmaster!

'In the span of a single day, he had now seen four young Grandmasters!'

'In the past, such a thing would have been utterly inconceivable!'

In his youth, he had traveled all over, but he was merely a wanderer in the martial world. He'd heard the name of the state's Security Bureau, but his status had never been high enough to have any dealings with them.

Now, seeing this with his own eyes, he finally understood the meaning of the phrase 'there is always someone stronger'.

A Grandmaster this young would be considered a once-in-a-century prodigy in the martial world, yet the Security Bureau had just sent three of them as if it were nothing!

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