Chen Xiang's face changed dramatically as he pressed his toes into the ground and propelled himself backward, crashing through the phone booth. But in the next moment, he slammed against an 'iron wall' with a loud bang.
"Why is Mr. Chen running away?"
A warm voice came from behind him.
Chills shot up from his tailbone, rushing through his entire body.
"Are you... from the Crocodile Sect?"
"Yeah." The burly man nodded. "Crocodile Sect, martial arts chief, Mandong."
As he spoke, the two severed heads fell from his hands.
"I'm not here to kill you, Mr. Chen. I've come to invite you to my Crocodile Sect. Our master wants to see you..."
A massive palm reached for Chen Xiang, who fled in panic. He could clearly sense that no matter how fast he ran, that enormous hand hovered above him, unavoidable.
He even sensed a terrifying spiritual aura from Mandong that surpassed his own!
The hand lightly pressed on Chen Xiang's shoulder, like a mountain crashing down, causing his bones to crack.
Without hesitation, Chen Xiang ducked, bending his right leg while violently kicking backward with his left leg, striking Mandong's chest with a muffled thud!
The intense recoil nearly shattered his left leg, but the burly man remained unfazed, completely unharmed.
Should I use the Black Flame?
No, there are too many surveillance cameras on the street. If Wei Qingqiu is telling the truth, I mustn't expose the Black Flame easily!
Now is not the time.
"Mr. Chen, why make futile efforts? Just come with me..."
Without replying, Chen Xiang focused on the mysterious techniques recorded in the Giant Image Method, a technique that allowed one's bones to expand like a giant. Reversing it would naturally cause his body to shrink.
Like a slippery eel, he slipped away from the burly man's grip, relying on his immense spiritual power to rapidly recall the various methods he had seen in the Giant Image Method and analyze them at breakneck speed!
Got it!
In the blink of an eye, Chen Xiang selected an appropriate technique. He funneled all his strength into his right leg, compressing it through his bones and muscles.
In a mere tenth of a second, he stomped the ground four times, each strike heavier than the last!
With the immense reaction force, he shot off like a bullet, racing towards the alley!
"Hmm?"
Mandong clicked his tongue in surprise.
"What a powerful secret technique, but what good is it..." He frowned, glancing down at the two grenades he had pulled the pins from.
Suddenly, two fireballs swelled up!
......…
Wu Manor.
"Dad, you said that since that guy became a formal assistant, we shouldn't provoke him anymore... so why send Mandong to invite him?"
Wu Jinlu asked softly.
"Mandong is bloodthirsty; it could go wrong..."
"Don't worry."
Wu Jinlu, adorned with rings on all ten fingers, replied calmly,
"Little Man listens well. If I tell him not to harm anyone, he won't harm Mr. Chen."
His tone was extremely confident, as if everything was under his control.
Wu Shangpin frowned in confusion:
"But Mandong is unpredictable; he'll definitely offend that guy, won't he?"
Wu Jinlu shook his head, rubbing the rings on his fingers:
"Young people have tempers; they need to be tempered a bit... it's better to be honest, better to be honest..."
Wu Shangpin contemplated for a moment before shifting the topic:
"A lecturer can only appoint one formal assistant, but I didn't expect Lecturer Lin to assign me to another lecturer..."
He paused before continuing:
"Dad, this was arranged by you, right? Your relationship with Lecturer Lin must be more than it seems..."
"Enough."
Wu Jinlu's brow furrowed:
"You only need to know what you should know. Don't dig too deep; it won't do you any good. Just wait for Mr. Chen to come visit..."
Suddenly, his voice halted as if he sensed something, and he walked to the window.
"Dad, what's happening?" Wu Shangpin stepped forward curiously, his expression changing drastically.
The window faced the manor's main gate, where a man with half a face masked was slowly approaching, with security personnel falling one after another.
Wu Jinlu rubbed his ring, saying casually:
"Your presence is quite notable; what brings you here?"
The man, with hands behind his back, spoke calmly:
"My younger brother has been taken by you."
"Ha." Wu Jinlu smiled. "When did Mr. Chen become your Li Dongyun's brother?"
"People of the Fire Sect are all brothers and sisters."
"But Mr. Chen is not one of them."
"Chen Shaoyan is."
As he spoke, Li Dongyun leaped lightly, covering hundreds of meters, crashing directly into the villa!
"Hmm, not here? Am I early?"
Amidst the smoke and dust, he muttered, glancing at the Wu father and son:
"Your subordinate seems a bit slow."
"Yes, a bit slow; I'll teach him a lesson later... Shangpin, pour tea for your Uncle Li."
As the two exchanged casual remarks, they suddenly collided.
......
The fireballs exploded, and a massive sound reverberated through the long street, filling the air with smoke!
However, after a few breaths, a figure slightly charred soared from the smoke, leaping into the air and landing heavily in the alley!
'Boom!!'
With a heavy thud, the mud in the alley surged several meters high!
"Mr. Chen, if you don't behave, I'm going to get angry."
Mandong grinned at the kneeling youth, yawning casually.
"If Mandong gets angry, the consequences can be quite severe..."
At this moment, Chen Xiang was half-kneeling in the alley, his right leg, under the explosive power of the secret technique, was cracked and bleeding profusely.
"May I ask..."
He struggled to raise his head, meeting the towering figure of Mandong:
"Why does your master want to see me?"
"Hmm..."
Mandong replied with a smile,
"Of course, it's to apologize. The young master was a bit reckless, so the master is here to express regret on his behalf."
Chen Xiang responded calmly,
"You're inviting me over to apologize... is that how this works?"
Mandong looked down at the youth:
"Mr. Chen, it's better to be obedient. Just because I can't kill you doesn't mean I can't kill those around you. I've heard the name Chen Shaoyan many times; I'd love to see what it feels like to snap her neck..."
Chen Xiang stared quietly at the terrifying man, his voice barely above a whisper:
"Last question, at what level are you in the Mystic Arts?"
"Me? I've got one foot in the extraordinary realm, so I'd say around 2.5..." Mandong muttered. "What about you, Mr. Chen..."
Before he could finish, he saw the youth lift his head and grab his pant leg, a bright smile on his face.
"That's good."
As those words left his lips, Mandong noticed dark flames bursting from the youth's mouth, nostrils, eyes, and ears, enveloping him like a demon emerging from the abyss!
"Abyss Black Flame??!"
Mandong's expression changed drastically as he retreated abruptly!
"Why are you running?"
Standing amid the black flames, Chen Xiang watched the fleeing giant, his voice calm:
"Why bother with these futile efforts?"
The black flames clinging to Mandong's pant leg surged, engulfing him in an instant!!
'Roar!!'
Mandong let out a howl, seemingly unable to bear the excruciating, soul-searing pain. He stepped forward, standing before Chen Xiang, fist raised high!!
If he could just kill this youth, the black flames would stop.
But ultimately, he did nothing.
"The master said I can't kill you," Mandong muttered to himself, remaining still in the fire.
"I'm in so much pain..."
This terrifying giant did not wail but simply closed his eyes quietly. After a few breaths, he fell silent.