Chen Zheng gently waved his hand, tactfully refusing their enthusiastic proposal.

"My friends and family are in Yun City. That is my homeland, and besides, things have not yet reached the point where I must leave it behind."

"Are you really sure about this?" Li Cangyun and Liu Daoyi asked, their faces fraught with anxiety and their eyes full of concern.

In Magic Capital, there was still a glimmer of hope. But if Chen Zheng went to Foshan alone, it would be like a sheep entering a tiger's den—a path of no return.

"Chen Zheng!" Li Yitong's hand gripped his tightly, her eyes brimming with unease and fear.

Chen Zheng looked at them, his heart filled with gratitude. He gently patted the back of Li Yitong's hand and offered a warm smile.

"I am well aware of your concerns," he said. "But I assure you, the Ye Family is not enough to make me feel fear."

This was not arrogance or overconfidence, but supreme faith in himself. He believed he had the ability to face any challenge. Moreover, by going to the Ye Family, he would also gain an opportunity to increase his strength. How could he possibly pass up such a tempting offer?

Even in the worst-case scenario, Chen Zheng had a contingency plan: the fixed teleportation card. If things truly took a turn for the worse, he would only need to activate the card to instantly escape the Ye Family's threat. What could they possibly do then?

"This… Grandmaster Chen…" Li Cangyun began, the words hesitating on his lips.

However, Chen Zheng decisively waved his hand, cutting him off. "I have made my decision. There's no need for further discussion. Just book me a plane ticket!"

His gaze shifted to Li Yitong, his voice becoming soft yet resolute. "Trust me, I will come back!"

At that moment, Li Yitong could no longer suppress her emotions and threw herself into Chen Zheng's arms. Her sobs sounded like the twang of broken strings, and her tears fell like beads from a snapped necklace, quickly soaking the front of his shirt.

Chen Zheng smiled gently, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on her back as if playing a comforting melody.

"Sigh…" Li Cangyun and the others were left speechless. They could only turn away and leave helplessly.

「An hour later.」

Chen Zheng stood in the cold wind at the Magic Capital airport. Beside him, Li Yitong clutched his hand, her eyes red and swollen like peaches. Clearly, she was still tormented by the heartbreaking news.

Chen Zheng gently released her hand. His eyes shone with a steadfast light as he spoke softly, "Wait for my return. The Ye Family is nothing!"

"Mhm! You must come back safely!" Li Yitong clenched her teeth, trying to suppress the worry and reluctance welling up inside her.

Then, she suddenly leaned in and pressed her lips against his. Chen Zheng felt their soft touch, and a wave of emotion surged through his heart.

A moment later, Li Yitong pulled back gently. She fought back her shyness and stared at him intently, as if trying to etch this unforgettable moment perfectly into her memory.

"I'm leaving now," Chen Zheng said with a smile before turning away.

Li Yitong stood there quietly, watching his back until his figure disappeared from sight.

In the distance, Li Cangyun and the others were also watching. They didn't dare to approach, simply waiting in silence. Only after Chen Zheng's figure had vanished completely did Li Cangyun walk over.

"Yi Tong, don't worry! Grandmaster Chen will definitely return safely!"

"Mhm!" Li Yitong nodded, then turned and left the airport.

「Three hours later.」

Chen Zheng stepped out of the airport's main entrance.

A black business vehicle appeared before him in an instant, pulling up like a silent cheetah. WHIRR. The powered door slid open.

"Grandmaster Chen, please!" A middle-aged man in a sharp suit opened the door for him from the passenger seat, his posture as poised as an eagle about to take flight.

Chen Zheng said little, merely offering a slight nod before elegantly stepping into the vehicle. The middle-aged man watched his departing figure, his eyes glinting with deep admiration.

They quickly left the bustling city and drove into the tranquil mountain forests. The mountain road was wide and flat, paved with a single lane of cement. The Ye Family estate was not located in the city center, but nestled in the mountains outside of it.

Thirty minutes later, the business vehicle arrived at a large manor. At the entrance, bodyguards stood guard as still and silent as stone lions. The car drove through the gates and into the manor grounds.

"Grandmaster Chen, we have been eagerly awaiting your arrival!" the middle-aged gentleman said, once again opening the car door for him as the vehicle came to a stop.

Chen Zheng stepped out without hesitation and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with the man toward the depths of the manor.

"It's time," Ye Badao's deep voice echoed through the main hall.

His words were a command. Someone immediately stepped out of the hall, made a brief phone call to confirm, and then returned. At that moment, Chen Zheng followed the middle-aged man to the entrance of the hall. The man stopped and bowed respectfully.

Chen Zheng paid him no mind, stepping directly inside. His hunter-like gaze swept from one end of the hall to the other. Under his stare, the fifty pairs of eyes before him seemed to freeze. Though the hall was deathly silent, an invisible pressure saturated the air.

His gaze finally settled on the figure at the far end of the hall: a middle-aged man with his back turned to him.

Ye Badao. The name alone stirred waves throughout the martial arts world. He was the Family Head of the Ye Family, an existence that made the entire community tremble.

"Your boldness is astounding, Chen Zheng. You actually dared to set foot in my Ye Family," Ye Badao said without expression, turning to face him.

"The Ye Family is nothing more than a paper tiger, not a den of ferocious beasts," Chen Zheng replied calmly, looking right at him.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for successfully making a choice. You have obtained the following reward: Random Grandmaster Ability Upgrade.]

[Ding! The Host may choose to upgrade one of the following abilities: Water Coagulating into Ice and Condensing Qi into Threads.]

Just then, the system's notifications rang out in his mind.

"Upgrade Condensing Qi into Threads!" Chen Zheng answered without hesitation.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on your successful choice. The skill has evolved into Silk Condensing into Sword.]

A segment of memory, as intricate and complex as spun silk, suddenly flooded Chen Zheng's mind. He absorbed and mastered it in an instant, like a blade being honed on a whetstone.

At that moment, a flicker of approval flashed in Ye Badao's eyes. "Very good. My Ye Family is not the den of ferocious beasts that the secular world imagines."

His tone suddenly shifted, becoming cold and resolute. "However, the Ye Family will be your burial ground! My son, Ye Cangtian, was a peerless genius who broke through to the Grandmaster Stage at the age of thirty. His future was filled with limitless possibilities. And Lin Guozheng and Zhao Wuxuan, they were also at the Grandmaster Stage, a realm they reached only after decades of diligent, daily cultivation."

His voice grew heavier. "And now, all of them are dead by your hand. My Ye Family will never let you go."

"Heh," Chen Zheng said, his eyes indifferent. "Since I chose to appear before you, did you really think I came to coexist peacefully?"

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