Chen Jin struggled to control the sorrow and anger in her heart, her gaze sweeping over the important figures of the Shen family seated in the hall as she said:
"I, Chen Chajin, am not afraid of death. As long as you tell me the reason and if sacrificing myself can truly save the entire clan, I... I can agree!"
The last four words were almost squeezed out between her teeth.
The atmosphere in the hall fell silent.
The important figures present didn't dare to meet Chen Jin's gaze.
"Child, if it weren't for the circumstances forcing us, who among us would be willing to harm you? You just need to know that we have no choice," someone sighed.
"Chen Jin, the Shen family has raised you all these years. Have we ever mistreated you? Now that the clan is in danger, it's time for you to repay the clan. As a person... you shouldn't be too selfish!" someone coldly reprimanded Chen Jin.
"Selfish?"
Chen Jin trembled with anger, her eyes almost spewing fire. "You won't even tell me the reason, yet you abandon me like this, asking me to die, and you call me... selfish?"
Her emotions were becoming increasingly difficult to control.
While speaking, her gaze turned to Shen Yanxing. "You're my own brother, and you're willing to let me die too?"
Shen Yanxing's expression changed unpredictably, then he angrily said, "Chen Jin, stop being so childish, okay? If I could, I would rather take your place in making the sacrifice. But even if I die, it wouldn't save the family. Do you understand?"
Chen Jin's heart shattered like a sharp blade stabbing through it. Her fair face turned deathly pale as she said, "In the end, you have already abandoned me in your heart..."
She took a deep breath and looked at her father, Shen Changkong, sitting on the central seat. "Father, I just want to know one reason. Even if it means letting me die, at least let me understand why."
Slam!
Shen Changkong's face turned ashen, and he slapped the armrest of his chair, saying, "Since you want to know, I'll tell you. If it weren't for the things you did in Da Zhou, how could our Shen family have been implicated like this?"
He stood up, filled with anger. "You brought this calamity upon yourself, so you should bear the consequences! Don't blame the clan for being heartless!"
His words were like heavy hammer blows, mercilessly pounding on Chen Jin's heart, making her fair face turn pale and transparent, her hands and feet icy cold, as if trapped in an icy cave.
Chen Jin felt lost and confused, murmuring, "I thought that as a descendant of the Shen family, I would share the glory and the downfall with the clan. I never expected that because of one disaster, even my own father and brother would abandon me..."
At that moment—
Laughter echoed from outside the hall, and a voice said, "Chen Jin, Shen Uncle is right. You brought this disaster upon yourself. How can you drag innocent clan members along with you?"
With the sound, Lu Hao, dressed in a crimson robe, entered the hall with two old servants.
"Greetings, Young Master Lu."
"Young Master Lu, please forgive our inadequate reception. We hope you can pardon us."
Immediately, Shen Changkong and the other important figures of the Shen family stood up, bowing respectfully to Lu Hao, their expressions filled with deference and awe.
"Senior Brother Lu?" Chen Jin widened her eyes.
"Don't call me Senior Brother. I wouldn't dare to presume," Lu Hao said coldly. "Since you've returned, come with me."
With that, he glanced at Shen Changkong and the others, asking, "Do any of you have objections?"
"Naturally not," Shen Changkong forced a smile. "We were actually planning to send Chen Jin to the Moonwheel Sect, but we didn't expect Young Master Lu to come in person."
Others nodded and smiled in agreement.
Chen Jin's face was filled with disbelief as she asked, "The calamity that my Shen family is facing is related to you?!"
Lu Hao's expression remained unchanged as he replied, "I don't have that much ability. By now, don't you understand? It's the Moonwheel Sect that wants to deal with you, the traitor!"
Moonwheel Sect!
Traitor!?
Chen Jin trembled, finally understanding. "So that's it... No wonder even my close friends and family are heartless enough to abandon me..."
Shen Yanxing sighed and said, "Sister, now that you understand, follow Young Master Lu and leave. Our Shen family can't afford such a calamity."
At that moment, Chen Jin's expression turned numb, her heart as lifeless as ashes.
There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart!
She was utterly disappointed in the Shen family and no longer wanted any connection with them!
"Chen Jin, come with us quickly."
As he spoke, Lu Hao reached out to grab Chen Jin's arm.
Slap!
Chen Jin slapped Lu Hao's handsome face with a resounding sound. He stumbled backward, falling to the ground, his face swollen and red.
"You wretched person, how dare you hit me?!"
Lu Hao covered his face, angrily shouting.
Shen Changkong and the other important figures of the Shen family had their faces changed drastically, their angry gazes directed at Chen Jin.
"You insolent wretch! Kneel down immediately and apologize to Young Master Lu!"
Shen Changkong's face turned ashen with extreme anger.
"Kneel down!"
Elder Shen Shan shouted with great authority, his presence intimidating.
Others also had unpleasant expressions on their faces.
Chen Jin's slap had shocked them all, fearing that it would offend Lu Hao and bring consequences upon the Shen family.
"Young Master Lu, are you alright?"
Shen Yanxing hurriedly approached, reaching out to support Lu Hao.
"Get lost!"
Lu Hao kicked Shen Yanxing in the stomach, causing him to immediately stagger back, bending over in pain, his cheeks turning red like boiled shrimp.
"You wretched person, I've tolerated you for a long time!"
Lu Hao got up and rushed forward, raising his hand to slap Chen Jin.
Shen Changkong quickly stepped in to stop him, wearing a forced smile. "Young Master Lu, calm down. I can handle this small matter myself."
With a stern gaze, he looked at Chen Jin and said, "Girl, I am the one who gave you life. Now, if you still consider me your father, kneel down obediently and apologize to Young Master Lu. Otherwise, don't blame me for personally capturing you!"
Chen Jin's expression became even more desolate and lifeless. Is this... something a father would say?
"Kneel down now!!"
Not far away, Shen Yanxing, who had been kicked by Lu Hao, vented his anger on Chen Jin, his face twisted with ferocity and anger. "Are you determined to kill all of us?!"
However, Chen Jin seemed to finally snap out of it and said, "From now on, Chen Jin and the Shen family have no connection whatsoever!"
After speaking, she turned and left.
This was the home where she had grown up since childhood, but now it had become the place she detested the most, where her heart couldn't bear to stay any longer.
"Stop! Who allowed you to leave? If you don't kneel down and apologize, don't even think about leaving!"
Lu Hao shouted angrily.
As he spoke, Shen Changkong made a direct move, slapping Chen Jin's shoulder, attempting to force her to kneel and apologize to Lu Hao.
Not far away, the other important figures of the Shen family wore unfriendly expressions, intending to intercept and capture Chen Jin if she dared to escape.
Just at that moment, a calm voice suddenly sounded:
"Chen Jin, by leaving like this, you would be giving these wretched people an undeserved advantage."
As the voice resounded, Shen Changkong's vision blurred, and he was sent flying backward, crashing onto a desk more than ten zhang away, causing the desk to shatter with a loud bang, sending wood splinters flying.
As the voice subsided, a tall figure had already stood beside Chen Jin.
Clad in a jade-like green robe, he seemed detached from the mundane world.
It was Su Yi.
"Master..."
Chen Jin, as if finding a reliance, burst into uncontrollable tears of grievance and disappointment. Her overwhelming sense of despair and uncertainty found solace in Su Yi's presence.
"Don't cry, I am here."
Su Yi spoke softly.
"Who are you to dare intrude into my Shen family?"
An elderly man with graying hair angrily rebuked.
Su Yi's gaze swept over.
Boom!
The elderly man with graying hair felt as if his soul had been struck by a sharp sword. Blood flowed from his seven orifices, and he let out a scream, collapsing to the ground weakly.
The power of Su Yi's divine sense was so strong that it was beyond the reach of these ordinary martial practitioners.
The whole scene fell into silence, and everyone's faces turned pale.
At this moment, Lu Hao exclaimed in disbelief, "Su Yi, why is it you!?"
Su Yi!
Just a name, but to the important figures of the Shen family, it was like a bolt from the blue, leaving everyone dumbfounded and stunned.
Although this place was the Da Wei Tianque City, how could the prominent figures of the Shen family not know about the epoch-making battle that took place over Yujing City in Da Zhou on the fourth day of May?
Young Su Yi, like a legend, single-handedly defeated more than ten transcendent figures, beheading them one after another, causing the heavens and earth to change color. Such a bloody and illustrious record had long spread throughout Da Wei!
However, these important figures of the Shen family had never expected that the renowned "Imperial Tutor of Da Zhou" would appear in their Shen family at this moment!
It left them almost dumbfounded.
"Kneel."
Su Yi paid no attention to them and looked at Lu Hao, casually uttering two words that seemed to carry an extremely terrifying power.
In an instant, Lu Hao's figure knelt on the ground with a thud, trembling all over, filled with extreme terror. He wanted to scream, but found himself unable to utter a single word, as if he had been silenced by some forbidden technique.
"We'll settle the score later."
As Su Yi spoke, he looked at Shen Changkong in the distance with indifference. "As a father, being afraid of outside pressure and heartlessly abandoning one's own flesh and blood, it's worse than a beast."
As he spoke, he raised his hand, ready to kill Shen Changkong. However, he was stopped by Chen Jin, who whispered, "Master, I have cut off all ties with the Shen family. We have no more connections. Please... don't be angry because of this."
Her face was filled with sorrow and desolation, evoking sympathy.
"Death is forgivable, but living is unforgivable."
Su Yi said, pointing at Shen Changkong in the air. "Kneel."
Bang!
Shen Changkong immediately knelt down, disheveled and with shattered knee bones.
Shen Changkong was also a top-tier Precelestial Martial Ancestor who had shaken Da Wei, but at this moment, he was as insignificant as an ant.
This scene shocked and chilled the hearts of the important figures of the Shen family, leaving them in a state of extreme terror.
"You all, kneel."
Su Yi reached out his hand and casually pressed it in the void.
Boom!
A terrifying might descended like a collapsing mountain and a surging tsunami, pressing down on each and every important figure of the Shen family, causing them all to kneel, their heads hitting the ground.
In an instant, the grand hall was filled with people prostrating themselves in panic.
Chen Jin's expression was complicated.
Before, these elders were domineering and fierce, trying to force her to kneel and apologize to Lu Hao.
But now, with the appearance of Su Yi, with just a wave of his hand, he made all these detestable individuals kneel before him!