Realizing the terrifying truth, the Su family elder panicked, quickly taking a few rapid steps backward to put some distance between them.
He studied the terrifying crimson aura radiating from Chen Feng, desperately trying to steady his shaking mind.
Then, bursting forward with a single explosive footstep, he closed the gap in less than a second, launching a vicious counter-attack!
His sword, blazing with blinding blue inner energy, suddenly multiplied in the air.
The blade turned illusory, creating an overwhelming visual distortion until it looked as though hundreds of razor-sharp swords were simultaneously descending upon Chen Feng from every possible angle.
This was the Su family’s signature martial art—the Illusory War Sword Technique.
By utilizing extreme hand dexterity and supreme blade flexibility, the user could unleash dozens of deadly sword thrusts at once. Though most were illusions and only one is real.
Witnessing this lethal barrage, a calm, mocking smile played on Chen Feng’s lips.
The fiery red lotus above his head had already vanished, its energy fully absorbed into his body.
His eyes, however, remained entirely crimson, glowing with an otherworldly brilliance as he channeled all his inner energy directly into his vision.
Heavenly Eagle Eyes!
Through this supernatural perception, the Su family elder’s lightning-fast sword technique suddenly looked agonizingly slow.
Chen Feng could effortlessly track the trajectory of the elder’s blade, instantly pinpointing the only real sword thrust hidden amongst the hundreds of deceptive illusions.
Without a single wasted movement, Chen Feng casually raised his hand and caught the real blade right between two fingers.
Snap.
The moment his fingers clamped down, all the illusory swords instantly shattered into nothingness.
The Su family elder’s eyes bulged in absolute horror. Without a second thought, he released the grip on his sword, leaving it trapped between Chen Feng’s fingers, and threw himself backward in a desperate retreat.
Cold sweat drenched his entire body.
Up until this moment, a part of him had hoped that Chen Feng was merely bluffing or using some cheap illusion technique.
But the cold, crushing reality hit him like a physical blow—Chen Feng had genuinely broken through to the Martial Master Realm!
Or... had he already been a Martial Master all along?
Panic clawed at the elder’s chest. Why on earth is such a monstrously powerful expert protecting Suyan? What is his actual connection to the Su family? Does he want to make her his disciple? Or perhaps take her as his wife? Or is there some other hidden motive?
Within the Su family, there were only one individual who had reached the Martial Master realm.
The elder had once witnessed the terrifying might of the Su Family Patriarch, and it was etched into his nightmares.
Though the Su family lacked a true High-Grade technique, meaning their Patriarch didn’t possess elemental affinities and could only rely on raw, standard inner energy, his strength was still apocalyptic.
With a single strike of his inner energy, the Patriarch could easily reduce an entire wooden estate to splinters or shatter thick stone walls. That was the definition of inhuman, overwhelming power.
And yet... standing right before him was someone even more terrifying, someone who operated on a completely different plane of existence.
With unhurried, graceful steps, Chen Feng began walking toward the paralyzed elder.
"Why are you exhausting yourself?" Chen Feng’s voice was icy and detached. "You should just accept whatever comes your way."
Casually, Chen Feng flicked his wrist and retrieved a copper coin from his System Inventory, tossing it lazily toward the elder.
As the coin flew through the air, it suddenly ignited into a fierce, roaring flame!(Flame-Infused Claw skill)
Sensing the lethal heat, the elder desperately raised his hands, condensing a protective barrier of inner energy to shield his chest. But the moment the blazing coin collided with his defense—
BOOM!
A violent explosion ripped through the space. The elder was blown backward like a broken kite, crashing through the back wall and burying himself in the debris.
Strangely enough, despite the deafening noise and destructive force of the explosion, not a single sound leaked outside.
Chen Feng realized that these assassins must have utilized a specialized sealing formation or barrier technique to completely isolate the house from the outside world, ensuring no screams or clashes could alert outsiders.
Not that it matters, Chen Feng thought coolly.
Based on the hierarchy of local clans, the strongest figures were the Patriarchs, followed by the Elders. If a mere senior elder of the Su family was only at the Martial Expert realm, then any backup forces waiting outside would likely be mere Martial Experts at best.
And against a true Martial Master, even an army of a hundred Martial Experts could be slaughtered effortlessly, torn apart without a single drop of sweat.
As for the Su Family Patriarch coming here himself? That was impossible. Patriarchs rarely left their core domains, as their primary duty was to guard the clan’s foundation.
Turning away from the rubble, Chen Feng looked back.
Su Yun is kneeling on the ground.
She had just witnessed Chen Feng kill Elder Cheng. Judging from the terrifying power behind Chen Feng’s attack, there was no doubt that Elder Cheng was dead.
Su Yun lowered her head, her body trembling slightly.
She had just lost another important person in her life.
The shocking betrayal of her trusted uncle, the grim secrets behind her father’s death, and the relentless attempts on her life—and now, witnessing her uncle death—had completely shattered her heart.
Chen Feng walked over, crouching down gently beside her. "Suyan."
Hearing her master’s voice, Suyan jolted as if waking from a nightmare. She slowly raised her tear-filled eyes to look at him.
"Master..." she choked out, her voice trembling uncontrollably. "Why is this happening? I... I never wished ill on anyone. Why did they kill my father? Why are they trying to kill me? Just because I possess a unique physique? I never asked for this! It wasn’t my choice!"
She broke down completely, burying her face in her hands as bitter, heartbroken sobs wracked her body.
"I don’t want to live anymore, Master... I don’t have anyone left in this world. And this accursed physique... it keeps torturing me with endless hunger. Living like this is too painful..."
Looking at her, Chen Feng saw a reflection of his own broken self.
Earlier that very morning, had the System not awakened, his own final backup plan would have been suicide.
Yet, Suyan had walked into his life. And if he was alive right now, it was because of her.
Their lives had become inextricably bound together, two broken souls tethered by fate. How could he stand by and watch her shatter into pieces?
"Suyan," Chen Feng’s voice was soft, carrying a steady, comforting warmth. "Remember what you told me earlier today?"
Sniffling, Suyan blinked her tear-soaked eyes, looking up at him blankly. "I... I asked you to be my master..."
Chen Feng nodded gently. "And did I accept?"
"Yes..."
"Then am I not your family now?" Chen Feng asked quietly. "You say you have no one left, that all your loved ones are gone. Does that mean you aren’t willing to count me as your own?"
Suyan’s breath hitched in her throat. She stared up at Chen Feng in stunned silence.
A rush of memories flooded her mind.
Why had she chosen to trust this stranger and beg him to teach her martial arts when her entire family had already collapsed and she had nothing left to lose?
’Why did I want to live back then?’
Because her father had always told her: "Suyan, you can go far in this world... if only you ever get the chance to learn martial arts."
Ever since she was driven out of the Su family, those words had echoed relentlessly in her mind.
Her father had believed her life could have been entirely different if she possessed the path of cultivation. That single belief was the exact reason she had instinctively clung to Chen Feng and made him her master.
"Master..." Suyan whispered, her eyes shining through her tears. "You... you won’t ever leave me behind, will you?"
Chen Feng reached out, his hand gently wiping away the tear trails on her pale cheeks. "Never. We are already connected, Suyan. You consider me your master, and you are my only disciple. I’m not going anywhere."
As those words settled into the quiet room, a deep, gentle warmth bloomed inside Suyan’s hollow, freezing heart—a feeling of absolute safety she hadn’t felt since her father died.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Chen Feng’s neck and burying her face in his shoulder.
She wept openly, her shoulders shaking as all the suppressed terror, grief, and loneliness poured out of her.
Gently, Chen Feng raised his hand and patted her head, letting her release the immense pain weighing down her soul.
[Ding!]
[Su Yun’s Likability has increased to 73%.]