Infused with *Gang Qi*, this voice, second only to his opponent's in its range, carried Chen Yuan's unwavering defiance, seemingly dismissing the other's threat.

It was almost as if he feared no death!

Below, Yue Shan and the others watched their superior stride step by step into the void, their hearts leaping into their throats, fearing a sudden attack.

Chen Yuan was undeniably gifted and powerful, but that depended on the opponent. Against a *Tongxuan* martial artist, he could be arrogant, but he now faced a *Dan* Realm powerhouse!

Each such figure was capable of founding a sect, even supporting a first-rate force single-handedly. Their lifespans stretched to one hundred and eighty years,

setting them apart from ordinary men.

No matter how strong Chen Yuan was, he couldn't possibly defeat such an existence. Even if he were ranked twentieth on the Hidden Dragon List, or even in the top ten or five, he wouldn't stand a chance of surviving an encounter with a *Dan* Realm expert!

Most importantly, the man held a son-killing grudge against their superior!

A son-killing grudge, second only to a father-killing one...

Was their superior truly unafraid of death?

Their superior was truly... courageous!

The pointed exchange seemed to freeze the void. The biting wind whipped at Chen Yuan's hair as he faced a *Dan* Realm powerhouse, his heart filled with apprehension,

yet his expression remained as steady as an old dog.

His hand, hidden beneath his sleeve, clenched the sword talisman tightly, ready to activate it at the first sign of danger!

Su Ziyue had said that the sword talisman in his possession could be used to fight back even against a *Dan* Realm expert, inflicting serious injuries at worst, minor ones at best. No one could emerge unscathed from its strike.

This was her confidence in the Sword God Jiang He!

The void stilled for a moment as dark clouds roiled. A middle-aged man in a dark cyan robe, his hair tied in a bun, slowly emerged from the gloom.

The middle-aged man was simply dressed, with a plain silver sword on his back. His eyebrows bore a three-point resemblance to those of Gu Hao, whom Chen Yuan had killed.

Only he was older, with a touch of vicissitude and a wisp of beard on his chin.

His face was somber, his beard fluttering in the wind. Were it not for the menacing clouds, he might have been mistaken for an immortal.

Alas, the scene suggested nothing more than a member of the demonic path.

After some investigation, Chen Yuan knew the middle-aged man's name: Gu Chun, a powerful elder of the Qingyuan Sword Sect, second only to the sect leader, Xiao Yun Sheng.

"Sharp-tongued!"

Gu Chun spat out the words, his eyes calm yet filled with terrifying killing intent. He stared at Chen Yuan, the seemingly unremarkable man who had killed his beloved son.

His beloved son, on whom he had placed great hope for carrying forward the Gu clan!

He did have other offspring, but they were mere mediocrities and good-for-nothings, never catching his eye. Only Gu Hao had distinguished himself.

But now, he had died young in the Yuan Space Realm.

This man deserved to die!

He looked at Chen Yuan as if he were already dead.

This was understandable. Among all the *Tongxuan* martial artists, who could be certain of escaping a *Dan* Realm expert alive? Moreover, Gu Chun was not a novice in the *Dan* Realm.

His cultivation was at the peak of the Solid Core stage, just a step away from the Celestial Core.

Only with such strength could he wield such power in a top sect like the Qingyun Sword Sect!

Chen Yuan sneered, refusing to back down. He showed no inclination to kowtow or beg for mercy before the seemingly powerful Gu Chun. Adopting the stance of an Inspector, he said coldly:

"Is there anything wrong with what I said? Gu Hao dared to intercept a court official and disregarded the laws of the court. Such a person deserved to die at my hands.

I only regret that he dirtied my fists!"

"You are courting death," Gu Chun said coldly.

"I am merely stating a fact. Gu Hao's death was not a waste. If it weren't for the Qingyun Sword Sect, I would have already exterminated his entire clan." Chen Yuan's ears perked up as if he heard a transmission, and his tone grew even stronger.

"Are you not afraid that Gu will exterminate your entire clan to avenge my son?" Gu Chun was in no hurry to act. In his view, Chen Yuan was somewhat capable.

But in his eyes, he was still like an ant.

"The Chen family has only me left. If you can find my entire clan, I would be grateful." Chen Yuan smiled faintly, displaying a calmness that did not match his strength.

"I truly do not know if you are arrogant or confident, daring to speak so wildly before a *Dan* Realm Grandmaster," Gu Chun said.

Chen Yuan waved his sleeve and said coldly:

"Nothing more than the truth."

"This world belongs to the court, Qingzhou belongs to the court. I killed Gu Hao because he violated the law and was guilty of treason. If you kill me, you will bring disaster upon the Qingyun Sword Sect."

"Gu Chun, you old thief, do you know the consequences of intercepting a court official in public!"

Chen Yuan practically roared the last sentence.

His aura burst forth, and his body let out a low roar.

He was actually signaling to Jiang He to appear quickly. The distance between him and Gu Chun was only about sixty yards, a mere two hundred meters.

Such a short distance would allow Gu Chun to kill him instantly...

Yes, Chen Yuan's reliance was Jiang He, and always had been!

As for the sword talisman, it might indeed have the power to seriously injure a *Dan* Realm expert, but it would not be enough to kill him. And with his strength, he would be unable to defeat a seriously injured *Dan* Realm expert.

Only another *Dan* Realm expert could deal with a *Dan* Realm expert!

This was the plan he had devised after discovering that news of Gu Hao's death had spread. During those two days of rest in Jiuyuan Prefecture, Chen Yuan had directly used the communication talisman to contact Jiang He.

He had told him all about his situation and plans, and the answer he received was...

He could!

He could help Chen Yuan, which was why Chen Yuan had deliberately left Jiuyuan Prefecture and traveled incognito to Qingzhou City, all to lure out his opponent.

To catch a thief, first catch the king. He had to eliminate this threat completely and let everyone know that he, Chen Yuan, was not to be trifled with!

As for traveling incognito, it was just to deceive Gu Chun.

To make him believe that he was fleeing in panic.

Only in this way could he lure a *Dan* Realm expert to show his true colors.

As for concealing his whereabouts, it was not a big deal for a *Dan* Realm expert. As long as a person moved, he would inevitably leave traces.

Chen Yuan knew this.

Fortunately, Gu Chun had fallen for it... or rather, he might have known that Chen Yuan's movements were suspicious, but he was confident in his strength and did not care.

Yes, how could a Grandmaster at the Solid Core level care about the methods of a *Tongxuan* martial artist?

He was not ignorant of Chen Yuan's information. He was just from a humble background, and even if he had achieved something, he had not yet grown up and could be killed at any time.

"Inspector? How dare you call yourself an Inspector in front of Gu? It would be different if Jiang He came in person. And... what right do you, a mere Inspector, have to call yourself a court official?

Even if I kill you, what can the court do to me?"

Gu Chun seemed unconcerned, even mocking. He continued:

"Your *Qi* is like a dragon, so you have an extraordinary talent for body refining. But do you think that is enough to block Gu's sword? The difference between the *Dan* Realm and *Tongxuan* Realm is unimaginable."

Chen Yuan sneered and did not say much, but wondered why Jiang He had not yet appeared. He had clearly transmitted his voice to him earlier!

That was why he had dared to scold a *Dan* Realm Grandmaster and completely enrage him.

At the same time, he had exposed his physical cultivation level of *Qi* like a dragon, all to make Jiang He value him more, wasn't it?

He knew that the Dao God Palace valued him because of the talent he had shown, which was why they had given him the precious sword talisman and a chance to ask for help.

They might have a purpose, but that was how the world was. At least... he still had value to be valued.

And what he had to do now was to unleash all the resources and forces he could muster to warn those who were hostile to him.

Seeing that Jiang He had not appeared as promised, Chen Yuan's heart sank, and his fingers grasping the sword talisman turned slightly blue. Fortunately, he had the sword talisman... Even if he couldn't kill the old man,

he would have a chance to escape. So, he forced himself to be confident and smiled:

"Of course, *Qi* like a dragon can't block a sword from Grandmaster Gu Chun, but it's more than enough to beat Gu Hao to death. As his father, would you like to hear how he died?"

"Oh... right, his head has been burned to ashes by me. I'm afraid you won't see him one last time."

Gu Chun was still not enraged, but his face became even more gloomy. He sized up Chen Yuan, then glanced warily around, and said faintly:

"From your past information, I can see that you are not a fool. Why are you so eager to die? Are you trying to force me to attack?"

"You can think of it that way," Chen Yuan replied.

"Actually, I really want to ask, what right do you have to challenge me, you who came from a humble background? Do you think Gu can't see that there's something wrong with your movements?

If you really wanted to live, you should have stayed honestly in Jiuyuan Prefecture City."

"Tell me, who gave you the confidence to be so arrogant?" Gu Chun looked calm, as if everything was under his control.

Even if Chen Yuan had any tricks, he could easily destroy them.

But soon, he regretted saying that.

An exceptionally cold voice echoed through the heavens and earth.

"It was me!"

As the voice faded, from not far to the east, a figure in white, with hair as black as a waterfall obscuring their face, suddenly appeared before everyone. The man in white took a step, as if crossing a hundred yards.

His entire being was in harmony with the heavens and earth, faintly carrying a momentum that could topple the sky. His figure was straight, like a sharp sword with its edge exposed.

Extraordinary elegance!

That was Chen Yuan's first impression of the man in white.

Yes, this person was none other than Sword God Jiang He!

The powerful weapon Chen Yuan had prepared for Gu Chun.