Ten Thousand Martial Guards!

Who didn't know that this force stood aloof from the Martial Department, an extraordinary existence? Why had they come here so late at night? Subconsciously, Pan Hong looked toward Pan Haizhuo, his expression a clear question.

Logically speaking, as the man in charge of the Tianque City district, Pan Haizhuo should have been aware of such a large troop movement. Moreover, what were the Ten Thousand Martial Guards, the protectors of Cangyun City, doing in Tianque City?

Pan Haizhuo shook his head, his eyebrows tightly furrowed. "I only know that this unit of the Ten Thousand Martial Guards traveled south along the Tianshui River. They made landfall in Tianque City three days ago!"

How strange. The atmosphere in the villa suddenly grew tense and eerie, thick with unspoken meaning.

Aside from Pan Haizhuo, neither Pan Yang nor Pan Hong was qualified to have any contact with the Ten Thousand Martial Guards. In that case…

Suddenly, Pan Hong's eyes fixed intently on Chen Yang. Since every member of the Pan family was ruled out, only one possibility remained. In an instant, the Pan Family Head's breathing became rapid.

"Grandfather, there's no need to worry! You just said it yourself, he's nothing but Ren Tong's adopted son! Ren Tong muddled through his entire life in the Martial Department and amounted to nothing. How much could this loser possibly achieve?" Pan Yang, knowing what Pan Hong was thinking, scoffed, "A dog can't father a tiger; that's an eternal truth."

"Exactly, exactly!" Pan Xue quickly chimed in, her tone and demeanor much softer than before. She pursed her lips and sneered, "Even my second uncle can't get close to the Ten Thousand Martial Guards, let alone a piece of trash like him."

"Who are you calling trash?"

A deep voice, like the tolling of a bronze bell, sounded from the doorway. The words carried a clear bias, causing the expressions on Pan Yang and Pan Xue's faces to change drastically. A chill swept over Pan Hong and Pan Haizhuo in particular, and their eyes contracted sharply.

Then, a middle-aged man in martial attire strode in, exuding an authority that required no anger. Nothing else about him mattered besides the three large characters that shone brightly on his uniform, standing out distinctly: Ten Thousand Martial Guards.

Though he was only a Chiliarch, both Pan Yang and Pan Haizhuo had to greet him with respect, not daring to act presumptuously.

"I asked, who were you calling trash?" Ji Ping's icy eyes scanned the room as he demanded an answer in a sharp tone.

Pan Yang quickly lowered his head, unable to meet the man's gaze. Pan Xue, meanwhile, hid behind Pan Haizhuo, too scared to make a sound.

As his gaze swept over them, it finally landed on Chen Yang. Ji Ping took two steps forward, stopping a meter away. "Chiliarch Ji Ping of the Ten Thousand Martial Guards," he announced respectfully, "pays his respects to the Nine Gates Admiral!"

"The Third Division of the Ten Thousand Martial Guards pays its respects to the Nine Gates Admiral!"

Outside the villa, the cold wind howled, and a chill enveloped everything. The uniform, earth-shaking shout was like the charge of an armored cavalry, piercing the very heavens.

Chen Yang waved his hand. "Did Yang Hu send you?"

"Yes," Ji Ping nodded.

"Nine Gates Admiral… Zhennan Prince?!" Pan Yang's lips quivered.

Even the usually composed Pan Hong and Pan Haizhuo were left staring wide-eyed, utterly speechless.

Pan Xue clutched Pan Haizhuo's clothes tightly, but her strength failed her. She collapsed, hitting the floor with a dull thud that echoed in the deathly still hall.

THUD!

She landed on her bottom, her face ashen. The others were as silent as cicadas in winter, all utterly dejected.

Pan Yang gasped for breath, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit a fist. This man in front of me, who's younger than I am, Old Ghost Ren's adopted son, is actually the Nine Gates Admiral?

Pan Hong was mentally shaken, overwhelmed by a storm of emotions. In the past and in the present, neither Ren Tong nor his son, Chen Yang, had ever been worthy of his notice. But now…

'None of your descendants can compare to my Chen Yang! If I said his name, it would scare the living daylights out of you old geezers!'

'Keep boasting, Old Ghost Ren. You've been doing it your whole life!'

'Believe it or not. One day, you'll see for yourselves.'

Memories of past conversations with Ren Tong swirled in his mind, replaying on a loop. On that small square, Ren Tong had said those very words to everyone, more than once. And every time, they had all met his claims with mockery and disdain.

"So, your Chen Yang is *the* Chen Yang, the great hero of this era," Pan Hong murmured, his eyes hollow as a bitter laugh escaped him. "They all say you love to boast and talk big, Old Ghost Ren. So why didn't you ever mention something so monumental, something you could have proudly declared?" In his heart, he couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment toward Ren Tong.

"Grandfather, this… this…"

Pan Xue turned her head, only to see Pan Hong wilt before her very eyes, as if he had aged more than a decade in a single instant.

Pan Hong waved his hand feebly. "Accept defeat."

Pan Xue: "..."

Her heart hammered against her ribs, threatening to burst. She had believed she was superior to Chen Yang, that she could easily crush him into pulp. And the result? It turned out she was the insignificant ant, utterly worthless in his presence.

"Big brother, Second Uncle, you have to save me!" Pan Xue turned to Pan Yang and Pan Haizhuo, pleading desperately, her eyes brimming with tears.

However, neither her brother nor her uncle spared her a glance. They simply stood with their heads bowed, trembling in silence. At this point, they had their own safety to worry about. How could they spare a thought for anyone else?

The despairing Pan Xue turned her gaze back to Chen Yang, tears streaming down her face. "Chen Yang, I… I know…"

"You don't know," Chen Yang cut her off, his voice indifferent. "If you really knew, you would have been quietly waiting for death."

That one short sentence shattered Pan Xue's last shred of illusion.

Chen Yang picked up Pang Wenxuan's phone from the table and handed it to Ji Ping.

Ji Ping respectfully took the phone. After scrolling through it for a moment, a cold light blazed in his fierce eyes. "What a venomous, black-hearted woman!" he roared. "Do you even deserve to be called human?"

Ji Ping, who had always hated evil as if it were a personal enemy, stared at her, the veins on his forehead throbbing. "This is a crime that merits death, and your entire family will not be spared!"

PS: I'll post as much as I can write tonight

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