But Wu Chen?
He simply stood there.
Unmoved.
Unbothered.
Elder Huang's eyes narrowed. "Oh?"
Lin Yufeng and the remaining Heavenly Blade Sect disciples watched in shock.
Wu Chen wasn't struggling at all.
Not even a flicker of discomfort.
Elder Huang's smile faded slightly. "You're quite the interesting one."
He increased the pressure—but still, Wu Chen did not react.
And then, Wu Chen spoke.
"Are you done?"
The crowd shuddered.
Elder Huang's pupils shrunk.
And for the first time, a hint of unease crept into his heart.
This brat… was completely unaffected?!
Elder Huang had been testing him—pressuring him to make a mistake.
Yet Wu Chen stood there as if nothing had happened.
Li Wei, who had been struggling to breathe, now stared at his teacher er in shock.
His teacher hadn't even needed to resist.
The pressure simply didn't work on him.
Elder Huang's hand flickered.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave blasted forward, aimed directly at Wu Chen.
The ground cracked, dust erupting into the air.
Spectators gasped.
But when the dust settled—
Wu Chen was still standing there.
Unharmed.
Unshaken.
He dusted off his sleeve. "Is that all?"
Elder Huang's expression darkened.
Lin Yufeng's jaw dropped.
The Heavenly Blade Sect disciples were frozen in disbelief.
What… what kind of monster was this boy?!
Elder Huang took a deep breath. "I see.
Wu Chen yawned. "If this is all, I'll be taking my leave."
He turned, motioning for Li Wei to follow.
Elder Huang's fingers twitched slightly.
For a moment—he considered attacking.
But something held him back.
A deep, primal instinct whispered—
This boy is dangerous.
Wu Chen smirked.
He had already won without lifting a finger.
And with that, he and Li Wei disappeared into the crowd, leaving Elder Huang and Lin Yufeng standing in silence.
The old elder's gaze remained fixed on Wu Chen's departing figure.
He had underestimated this boy.
And that was a mistake he would not make again.
The spectators whispered amongst themselves.
"Who is this young man?"
"Even an elder couldn't stop him…"
"Is he a hidden genius?"
But Wu Chen ignored them.
He had gotten what he came for.
Now, it was time to leave the city—before the real trouble arrived.
The air was still thick with tension as Wu Chen and Li Wei walked away.
Every pair of eyes in the crowd followed them.
The Heavenly Blade Sect may have retreated, but the city's most dangerous forces had just begun to take notice.
In the Shadows, High above, watching from a balcony, Elder Zheng of the Moonlight Auction House tapped his fingers on the railing.
"What an interesting young man."
Beside him, a veiled woman in a blue robe smiled. "He didn't even break a sweat."
Elder Zheng chuckled. "A million gold for the scroll… and now the whole city is after him. Does he even know the weight of what he holds?"
The woman's eyes gleamed. "Shall we intervene?"
Elder Zheng waved his hand. "No need. Others will act first. Let's see how he handles it."
---
As Wu Chen and Li Wei approached the city gates, they noticed something wrong.
There were more guards than before.
And they weren't just ordinary guards.
Among them stood men in fine robes, their presence radiating authority and power.
Li Wei's face tensed. "Teacher… they're waiting for us."
Wu Chen's lips curled slightly. "Of course they are."
The moment they stepped closer—
A man in silver armor blocked their path.
"Wu Chen, hand over the scroll. The City Lord demands it."
The surrounding guards tightened their grip on their weapons.
From the rooftops, shadowy figures watched closely.
The whole city had turned into a hunting ground.
And Wu Chen?
He was the prey.
But the only problem was…
They had picked the wrong prey.
Wu Chen didn't even stop walking.
He brushed past the silver-armored man as if he didn't exist.
The guards stiffened.
The man's expression darkened. "I said—"
Wu Chen's voice was casual. "And I ignored."
Li Wei held his breath. Teacher is so fearless…!
The armored man clenched his fist. "You don't understand. The City Lord is giving you a chance. If you refuse, you—"
BAM!
Wu Chen's finger tapped the man's chest.
And in the next instant—
The man's body flew backward, smashing through two stalls before tumbling to a stop.
The surrounding guards froze.
Wu Chen finally stopped and turned his head slightly.
"Next time, send the City Lord himself."
Then, he kept walking.
The City Holds Its Breath
People whispered in disbelief.
"He just dismissed the City Lord's order… and even attacked his envoy?"
"Is he insane?"
"No… he's terrifying."
From a hidden corner, a cloaked man grinned.
"Interesting. The boy doesn't care for authority at all."
Behind him, a young woman in red robes nodded.
"We should report back. The City Lord will be furious."
The man chuckled. "And when he's furious… things get interesting."
Wu Chen dismissed the city lord because he was certain the lord had a role in sending the guards after him, when he won the gold ring. This forced Wu Chen to flee and hide in a cave. After falling asleep there, he woke up in Trinity Palace.
Wu Chen and Li Wei finally reached the city gates.
The open road stretched ahead.
Freedom.
But just as they were about to cross—
A figure in golden robes appeared.
Li Wei's heart skipped a beat.
The man's aura was oppressive.
Wu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. "And you are?"
The golden-robed man smiled. "I am City Lord Bai."
The city gates slammed shut behind them.
The air turned heavy.
City Lord Bai's smile never faded. "Leaving so soon? I'm afraid… I can't let you do that."