Chapter 196: Chapter 191: The Tang Family? Are They That Formidable?

"Tang Yu, you’d better kill me today. Otherwise, the next time you dare step out of the Tang Family’s gates, I’ll make you taste a suffering ten times worse than this." With that said, Kong Ye Ming swiftly dodged a guard’s attack. A wave of his hand unleashed a burst of Sword Qi, forcing back another guard who was trying to get close.

However, a total of ten men surrounded Kong Ye Ming. Even though he was a Wind Attribute Martial Artist renowned for his speed, and despite his cultivation reaching the level of a Three-Ring Martial Spirit, he couldn’t escape unscathed from their combined assault. Just as he forced back a Martial Spirit Guard with his sword, a powerful fist tore through the air with a whistle and slammed violently into his back.

BAM!

With a dull thud, Kong Ye Ming was sent flying. He grunted, a sweet, coppery taste rising in his throat. He was about to spit out a mouthful of blood but stubbornly swallowed it back down, his pale face contorted with fury. ’To think that I, Kong Ye Ming, am a well-known figure in the Imperial Capital. I may be arrogant, but I’m never overbearing and I don’t go around looking for trouble. I can’t believe I’ve run into a mess like this today.’

While still in mid-air, Kong Ye Ming looked up to see three Martial Spirit Guards leaping toward him, clearly intending to press their attack. A corner of his mouth twitched. He cursed, "Damn, you think I’m such an easy target?"

As he spoke, Kong Ye Ming gave his arm a shake. His sword, Wind Dragon Roar, let out a hum as a thick, green Primordial Power instantly shrouded its blade.

"Hurricane Sword Slash."

The next moment, Kong Ye Ming’s body, which had been flying like an arrow, began to spin at incredible speed. Instantly, a green hurricane three meters in diameter formed around him. Under his deliberate control, the hurricane shot forward with terrifying velocity. In the blink of an eye, it engulfed the three Martial Spirit Guards who were trying to intercept him.

SQUELCH...

"Ugh..."

The rampant Sword Qi crisscrossing within the hurricane slashed and wounded the three guards. Blood rained down from the sky as their formation was broken. Kong Ye Ming had broken through the encirclement. Circulating his Primordial Power, he quickly executed Walking on Air and flashed toward the Kong Mansion. The Shanjin Auction house was located between the academy and his family estate, but the estate was much closer.

But just then, four black-clad figures suddenly appeared before him. They were none other than the four guards Tang Yu had stationed at the auction house’s side entrance. The moment Kong Ye Ming had emerged, Tang Yu had summoned them to hide nearby, waiting for the perfect moment to ambush him if he tried to escape.

Before Kong Ye Ming could process what was happening, an iron grip clamped around his neck. A moment later, a fist slammed into his gut. The heavy blow sent a crippling spasm through his abdomen, and he cried out as he spat a large mouthful of blood.

"Trying to run?" Seeing Kong Ye Ming captured, Tang Yu sneered. "Did you really think this was all I had planned? To deal with the great Eldest Young Master Kong, I brought out all of the Tang Family’s elite guards."

"Pah!" An expression of utter disgust crossed Kong Ye Ming’s pale face as he spat a glob of bloody saliva right onto Tang Yu. "Haha! Tang Yu, oh, Tang Yu. You’ve really grown a backbone. But it’s like I said: either you kill me today, or... heheh... just you wait and see what happens."

Being spat on made Tang Yu’s face fall instantly. A red glint flashed in his eyes, and his voice became shrill and unsettling. "Damn it, you think I don’t have the guts? Beat him! Beat him so badly he’ll spend the rest of his life in bed!"

Tang Yu was thoroughly enraged, his reason long gone. However, the Guard Captain of the Tang Family’s elite frowned and interjected, "Second Young Master, I’m afraid that’s unwise. If you merely wish to teach Eldest Young Master Kong a lesson, that’s one thing. Even if Kong Ru investigates, the situation won’t escalate too far. But if you cripple him, the consequences will be dire. After all, the Kong Family is by no means weaker than our Tang Family."

As the Tang Family’s Guard Captain, he had often clashed with the Kong Family in secret and was keenly aware of their true power. For one thing, Kong Ye Ming was Kong Ru’s only son, a status far more significant than that of Tang Yu, a second son. Secondly, the Kong Family controlled the Empire’s entire supply of medicinal herbs. Kong Ru’s own Alchemy Skill was second to none in the Empire. If they truly provoked him, the Kong Family might be leagues behind the Tang Family in raw martial power, but when it came to influence, the Kongs were the undisputed Overlords of the Empire. If he wished, Kong Ru could use his pills to rally other powerful factions to attack the Tang Family. By then, the situation would be beyond repair.

Tang Yu had calmed down somewhat by now. His expression darkened as he looked at Kong Ye Ming and yelled, "Beat him! Hard!"

"Yes, sir."

Under a rapid flurry of attacks from the guards, Kong Ye Ming’s body was quickly covered in wounds. Yet, from start to finish, he never cried out in pain.

Mu Chen was just leaving the auction house through the main entrance when he saw a crowd gathered not far away. In the air above them, several figures in black were restraining a young man in a purple robe. Mu Chen focused his gaze. The sight made his blood boil. With a stomp of his foot, Thunder Light erupted with a crackle, and his entire body shot into the sky like a white shadow. WHOOSH!

"Thunderbolt Fist!"

The one restraining Kong Ye Ming was none other than the Guard Captain, the strongest of the Tang Family’s guards, whose power had reached the level of a Nine-Ring Martial Spirit. Sensing a potent surge of Primordial Power approaching from his left, the captain’s eyes glinted. He raised his right fist to intercept the incoming attack, which carried a terrifying force.

BOOM!!

With a deafening roar, the Guard Captain felt his fist slam into something as unmovable as a mountain range; he hadn’t budged his opponent in the slightest. That wasn’t all. The immense force of the impact sent a numbing shockwave up his arm, and his entire body was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string, crashing violently into a nearby building.

The battered Kong Ye Ming began to fall from the sky. Mu Chen’s figure flashed as he gently caught him and slowly descended to the ground. As he looked at Kong Ye Ming’s pale, blood-streaked face, Mu Chen’s eyes filled with an unquenchable rage.

After leaning Kong Ye Ming against a nearby wall, Mu Chen slowly rose to his feet. His face was terrifyingly grim. He turned to the dozen or so guards in black and asked in a low voice, "Was this your doing?"

Tang Yu was already furious with Kong Ye Ming; if not for his identity, he would have loved nothing more than to tear him limb from limb. But now, with some busybody suddenly interfering, Tang Yu’s anger flared. "Who the fuck are you?" he roared. "How dare you meddle in my business!"

"Young Master Tang, that’s him! He’s the lackey who bullied me," Yan’Er, who had been hiding behind Tang Yu and enjoying the show, suddenly chimed in.

A look of realization dawned on Tang Yu’s face, followed by a cold sneer. "Oh, so that’s who it is. You’re just Kong Ye Ming’s lackey. No wonder you’re so reckless. Eager to protect your master, are we? Let me give you some advice: stay out of this! Maybe I’ll be merciful and only break one of your arms. Otherwise... heheh... I might not dare to touch Kong Ye Ming, but as for you... I can do whatever the hell I want..."

SLAP!!!

A sharp crack echoed. Tang Yu felt his left cheek go numb, and a deep red palm print instantly appeared on his handsome face.

What was terrifying, however, was that no one had appeared in front of Tang Yu. He touched his cheek in disbelief; the stinging pain was all too real. Realization dawned, and Tang Yu bellowed, "Who hit me?! Who dares to hit me?! Who was it? Show yourself if you have any guts!"

No one noticed that just as Tang Yu finished speaking, Mu Chen’s figure had blurred for an instant. It was a flicker so brief that an ordinary person would have been completely unable to perceive it. Only the Guard Captain, who was just pulling himself from the rubble of the wall, noticed something was amiss. Even then, he had only vaguely sensed a stir in the air.

Mu Chen’s face was grim. "What was that? Care to say it again?"

Enraged, Tang Yu momentarily forgot about the slap. He roared, "Say it again? Who the hell do you think you are? A pathetic little lackey, daring to give me orders? You..." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

SLAP!!!

Another crisp, clear slap rang out. A matching red palm print appeared on Tang Yu’s right cheek. This time, he saw it clearly: for a split second, a figure had appeared before him and slapped him hard across the face.

"Anything else?"

Mu Chen stared at Tang Yu, his voice so cold it seemed to pierce the marrow. Tang Yu looked back in terror, pointing a trembling finger. "You... you... you hit me? You..."

A grin touched Mu Chen’s lips, and his entire figure blurred. The next moment, with a loud THUD, Tang Yu was sent flying backward, crashing hard into the guards behind him. The immense force knocked several of them, along with Tang Yu, off their feet.

"GACK!!!"

A spray of crimson blood mixed with bile erupted from his mouth. His handsome face turned deathly pale, his eyes bulged, and he collapsed to the ground, twitching violently.

The Tang Family guards were stunned. The onlookers were stunned. Even Kong Ye Ming, lying dazed on the ground, was stunned. Everyone stared at the blue-haired, white-robed youth as if he were a monster. Aside from that first blow that sent the Guard Captain flying, the mysterious young man hadn’t used a single shred of Primordial Power.

"Done talking? Or are you unable to?" Mu Chen walked toward Tang Yu, one step at a time. Thud, thud, thud. His footsteps were heavy and deliberate, each one seeming to land on the hearts of the onlookers, pulling them into his unnerving rhythm.

The closer Mu Chen got, the more terrified Tang Yu became. The Guard Captain quickly moved to stand between them. "Young man," he said in a low voice, "I urge you to reconsider. You are attacking the second young master of the Tang Family, one of the three great families of the Imperial Capital. If you press this further, the consequences will be more than you can bear."

Thud.

Mu Chen stopped. He tilted his head slightly and asked with chilling indifference, "The Tang Family? Are they supposed to be impressive?"