However, in this extremely perilous situation, Ling Chen appeared exceptionally calm. While his right hand swung the sword to slash at Flame Star Envoy, Ling Chen’s left hand tightly gripped the Red Sky Sword, positioning the blade behind him.

At the same time, Ling Chen’s body suddenly rotated at an incredibly precise moment. "Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle," the hidden weapons released by Huangfu Qi were deflected by the Red Sky Sword he held behind him.

The hidden weapons flew past behind Ling Chen, sparking brilliantly but only grazing his skin without causing any serious injury.

The Small Qinglong Array closed up, forming a perfect cage. The Flame Star Envoy from behind crashed fiercely into the light pillar but was unable to move it an inch.

Hoo.

Ling Chen halted his movement, looking at the Flame Star Envoy trapped within the array. He exhaled lightly and then turned to the somewhat stiff-faced Huangfu Qi, offering him a slight smile.

However, that smile was so sinister it sent chills down one’s spine.

Huangfu Qi, looking at the sinisterly smiling Ling Chen, twitched the corner of his mouth slightly, then forced a smile and said, "Brother Ling Chen, you truly have formidable skills. With the Sixth Layer of Sky Apex Realm’s strength, you’re able to contain a Corpse Evil whose strength is comparable to a Saint."

"No matter how good the skills, they can’t withstand Brother Huangfu’s treacherous moves."

Ling Chen chuckled, but the killing intent in his eyes could no longer be concealed. Ever since meeting him, Huangfu Qi had been constantly scheming against him, now even attempting to put him to death. Such actions have put Huangfu Qi on Ling Chen’s must-kill list.

"Fortunately, I have a large life; otherwise, I’d really have been done in by Your Excellency. This debt doesn’t seem like it can be just glossed over, does it?"

Ling Chen coldly laughed.

"So what do you intend to do?"

The hook-nosed elder behind Huangfu Qi stepped forward, saying deeply, "Does Your Excellency, a lone wanderer, intend to go against our entire Huangfu Clan?"

"Against? Weren’t we already at odds from the start?"

Ling Chen raised the Red Sky Sword in his hand, the blade pointed directly at Huangfu Qi in front of him, saying, "If Your Excellency still considers yourself a man, then come out. If you can take one sword from me, I will spare your life and let bygones be bygones."

Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback. Was Ling Chen intending to duel Huangfu Qi? But earlier, Huangfu Qi was clearly not Ling Chen’s match; would he accept Ling Chen’s challenge?

"Hmph, arrogant punk, let me teach you a lesson!"

The hook-nosed elder’s eyes suddenly flashed with a cold glint. Immediately, his figure shot forth, a claw extended towards Ling Chen.

However, before his claw’s glow could touch Ling Chen, it was suddenly pierced and shattered by an unexpected beam of blue light!

Seeing this, the hook-nosed elder was greatly shocked. He abruptly looked towards the one who acted, only to find out it was none other than Elder Bai of the Azure Dragon Family who had intervened.

The opponent’s strength was something he was quite wary of, never expecting this person to help Ling Chen.

"Elder Bai, why are you doing this?"

The hook-nosed elder’s expression was uncertain.

"For someone of your generation to make a move against a junior like Chen Ling, isn’t that humiliating for the entire Huangfu Clan?"

Murong Qingcheng’s gaze was indifferent, then her beautiful eyes glimmered with a hint of light as she spoke icily, "Or is it that the Huangfu Clan has always been like this?"

"Is Miss Murong intending to interfere in this matter? For the sake of someone unrelated?"

The hook-nosed elder furrowed his brows. It seemed Murong Qingcheng would not allow him to harm Ling Chen.

"Indeed."

Murong Qingcheng said flatly, "Since Huangfu Qi dared to undertake such backstabbing acts, does he lack the courage of responsibility? As a leading figure of the younger generation in the Huangfu Clan, it’s truly disgraceful."

Faced with Murong Qingcheng’s mockery, Huangfu Qi’s expression turned dark. It didn’t matter how others viewed him, but Murong Qingcheng was the one he had always admired, and being spoken to like this by his beloved woman was truly an ordeal.

"You scoundrel! Do you really think I’m afraid of you?"

Huangfu Qi, being pushed by Ling Chen, was genuinely enraged. Immediately, his eyes flashed with ferocity, and the vast true energy within him surged forth almost without reservation.

He didn’t believe he couldn’t take a single sword from Ling Chen!

"Heavenly Python Mysterious Underworld Break!"

A roar erupted from Huangfu Qi’s mouth. He thrust his spear forward, transforming it into a python, piercing through the air straight towards Ling Chen.

Facing the fierce spear light, Ling Chen remained unfazed until Huangfu Qi closed in to within just twenty meters. Only then did a cold gleam appear in Ling Chen’s eyes. At this distance, even if the hook-nosed elder wanted to save him, it would be too late!

Boom!

An aura suddenly erupted from Ling Chen’s body as the Ancient Saint King Battle Technique was activated to the second level, forcefully raising Ling Chen’s cultivation to the Eighth Layer of Sky Apex Realm. In the next instant, Ling Chen reversed his hand and thrust his sword, and the vast sword momentum filled the sky. A shadow of a celestial being flashed behind Ling Chen for a moment.

Green Lotus Sword Song Fourth Style, Immortal Points the Way!

Bang!

The earth-shattering sword, in the next moment, clashed fiercely with the python-like spear light under the gaze of the crowd.

At the moment of collision, a low piercing sound echoed, and the fiery cloud was forcibly torn apart by this force.

Bang!

Amidst the resounding noise, a metallic clanging and a piercing scream sounded. Then, everyone’s pupils slightly contracted as they saw one of Huangfu Qi’s arms suddenly explode into a mist of blood, and his body flew backward like a kite with a broken string.

Hiss.

Seeing such an outcome, everyone couldn’t help feeling a surge of shock. Who would have thought that Ling Chen could seriously injure Huangfu Qi with just a single sword strike in this manner?

Could it be that the strength Ling Chen just displayed was his true power?

Moreover, the ruthlessness of Ling Chen’s attack also startled them slightly. He appeared quite young, but his methods were exceptionally decisive and lethal.

He completely disregarded Huangfu Qi’s status and position.

Even the hook-nosed elder probably did not expect that Ling Chen could make Huangfu Qi so miserable with the power of a single sword.

"Beast, you’re courting death!"

The hook-nosed elder, seeing the severely injured Huangfu Qi, shouted in rage and turned sharply, striking at Ling Chen with a ferocious claw wind.

However, before his attack could harm Ling Chen in the slightest, it was shattered by a beam of light like a blue dragon. The white-robed elder intervened again, forcibly stopping him.

"Elder Bai, don’t push us too far!"

The hook-nosed elder’s gaze was deeply sinister as he coldly shouted, "Indeed, the Azure Dragon Family may be stronger than our Huangfu Clan, but that doesn’t mean we’ll swallow our anger. Now that Huangfu Qi is injured like this, how can I tolerate it?"

"Too far? It seems Huangfu Qi was simply inferior in skill and brought this on himself. How can you blame Chen Ling?"

Murong Qingcheng’s tone was cold, "If the Huangfu Clan intends to use this incident to cause trouble for Chen Ling, our Azure Dragon Family will not stand idly by."

Hearing these words, everyone was slightly moved. They knew that Murong Qingcheng would not protect Ling Chen for just any reason. It was all because Huangfu Qi had ignored her previous promise that she was giving the Huangfu Clan a hard time, and letting them know who was truly the boss of this region in Yangzhou.

"Damn it!"

The hook-nosed elder was extremely furious, but there was nothing he could do. In terms of strength, he couldn’t compare to Elder Bai, and even if all the Huangfu Clan’s powerhouses combined, they wouldn’t be a match for the Azure Dragon Family’s forces. If the other side wanted to intervene, they really couldn’t do anything and had to let this matter go for now.

"Kid, once this is over, I will make sure you wish you were dead but cannot die!" After a series of expressions passed over his face, the hook-nosed elder took a deep breath and said fiercely.

After saying that, he ordered someone to support Huangfu Qi and quickly stop his injuries, then led the members of the Huangfu Clan to rush towards the fiery red giant gate.

"I’m ready anytime."

Ling Chen smiled slightly, not taking the harsh words to heart.

"Chen Ling, letting you get ambushed by Huangfu Qi earlier was my mistake, but now I’ve repaid the favor. The future grievances with the Huangfu Clan are up to you to handle."

Murong Qingcheng looked at Ling Chen with a serious expression, saying, "I helped Ling Chen for my reasons. The conflict between Ling Chen and the Huangfu Clan cannot be easily resolved, and it will likely end in a life-or-death situation. She won’t intervene if Ling Chen clashes with the Huangfu Clan again."

"Lady Murong’s intervention is greatly appreciated. If the Huangfu Clan insists on antagonizing me, I am by no means someone easily bullied. The Huangfu Clan will only pay a heavier price."

Ling Chen cupped his hands towards Murong Qingcheng and said with a smile, though there was a trace of coldness in the depths of his eyes.

Murong Qingcheng merely nodded and said no more. In her view, Ling Chen was somewhat blindly confident and underestimated the Huangfu Family. After all, they were a renowned Saint Family, and without strong backing, Ling Chen alone couldn’t possibly contend with them.

After Murong Qingcheng and her group left, Ling Chen waved his sleeve, and the Thunder Sound Sword in his hand transformed into flying swords. Treading on the flying swords, Ling Chen’s form resembled a sword light, whistling toward the open fiery red giant gate.

And behind him, a large group of powerhouses also moved at the news, and instantly, figures, like a swarm of locusts, rushed into the long-sealed gate.