Swordholder

Chen Zhaoning's brows were furrowed with worry: "But... what if we're defeated? How will that end?"

"Oh."

Chen Yuan sneered, "Fight with all your might. If you are truly no match, then you can withdraw."

"If one dares not intervene when injustice is seen, one's heart will be filled with resentment, and how can one contend with heaven and earth, or strive to compete with the Great Way?"

Upon hearing these resounding words, Chen Zhaoning slowly narrowed his eyes.

She gazed at the young man before her, her beautiful eyes burning with intense passion!

"A young man should have the wildness of youth, and live up to his youthful spirit!" Chen Yuan said, then turned to look at Li Wei.

"Yeah, fuck it!!"

Li Wei responded in a low voice, his face flushed with excitement.

Unbeknownst to anyone, his entire palm had turned a gilded color.

Meanwhile, more and more people gathered outside the gate to watch and point.

The other diners in the tavern were all excited, waiting to see a good show.

"Ha, three ignorant fools."

"Completely lacking in manners and etiquette, how dare these lowly servants sit at the same table as nobles, and even dare to cause trouble for no reason?"

······

The diners in the tavern were buzzing with discussion.

Just then, someone spotted several figures walking out of the crowd and immediately turned pale.

"Good heavens! The magistrate of Huaishan County has arrived!"

"Where is the county magistrate?"

"Why does the magistrate need to personally intervene to deal with two mere brats? That would be giving them far too much credit!"

"That's true, Your Excellency the County Magistrate is none other than the Taoist Master Huangting!"

"I heard that the county magistrate has led his elite troops out to pursue the remaining members of the Sword-wielding clique."

"I see. No wonder only the county magistrate came."

······

Everyone gasped in surprise, their expressions changing slightly.

The visitor was none other than Huang Delai, the second-in-command of Huaishan County and the county magistrate.

"The presence of Lord Huang in person demonstrates just how powerful and influential the Liu family of Huaishan is!"

"Not only County Magistrate Huang, but also Yang Ling, the squad leader of the Wuxiang Sect, has come!"

Tsk tsk, that figure, big breasts and a perky butt, you could probably squeeze water out of it with just a light pinch.

"Of course she'll come; her immediate superior is none other than Young Master Liu's father."

"Even the tavern owner, He Lianzheng, has come. This commotion is probably going to get even bigger."

……

The whispers of the tavern patrons all reached Chen Yuan's ears.

He already knew that, apart from the county magistrate and the head of the Wuxiang Gate, almost all the powerful figures in Huaishan County were present.

Chen Yuan looked up and saw that the female captain of the Wuxiang Sect was a charming and curvaceous young woman.

As soon as she appeared, she moved close to Liu Gongquan intimately, her eyes full of shyness and charm.

County Magistrate Huang Delai was an obese middle-aged man whose tight-fitting official robe accentuated his flabby body, making him look bloated and unsightly.

At this moment, his face was filled with a fawning and ingratiating expression.

Beside him stood He Lianzheng, the tavern owner.

This man was dressed in fine clothes and covered in gold and jade, but he was bald.

While smiling obsequiously at Liu Gongquan, He Lianzheng pointed at Chen Yuan and the other two in the tavern and patted his chest, as if making some kind of guarantee.

Before long, a group of people stormed into the tavern.

Along with guards, yamen runners, and cultivators of the Formless Realm, they instantly filled the tavern to the brim.

The diners who were drinking and chatting in the store were all terrified and hurriedly got up and retreated.

In the vast tavern, only Chen Yuan's table remained seated as usual, calmly enjoying his food and drinks.

Chen Zhaoning and Li Wei instantly tensed up, looking at Chen Yuan with serious expressions.

Seeing that Chen Yuan was still calmly eating, the two felt inexplicably relieved, while at the same time preparing for a fight to the death.

The other side had a large number of people; more than twenty people alone flooded into the tavern, not to mention the guards and yamen runners standing at the entrance.

"This battle is likely to be a fight with a nine-out-of-ten chance of survival..."

Chen Zhaoning murmured to himself.

She glanced at the boy beside her, and a thought suddenly arose in her mind:

To be able to fight alongside him, even if I die, I will have no regrets.

"Heh, was it you who threw the bowl and ruined my good time?"

Liu Gongquan stepped forward slowly, a mocking and cruel smile playing on his lips, and gently shook the folding fan in his hand.

Suddenly, he caught sight of Chen Zhaoning beside him, and his eyes lit up.

The woman before him possessed a more refined and elegant air than the girl on the street earlier; her skin was fair and her features were exquisitely beautiful.

Her captivating eyes sparkled, instantly reigniting the desire that had been extinguished in his heart.

He sat down directly in the empty seat at the table, looked at Chen Zhaoning, and spoke with a contemptuous tone:

"You lowly person dare to sit at the same table as a noble person; you have already violated the law. You should immediately kneel down and accept your punishment, or else..."

The onlookers and the beasts around them all wore amused expressions, and a sense of superior arrogance arose in their hearts.

It was as if they had the final say over everything here, from life and death to honor and disgrace.

"You three are incredibly audacious! How dare you, lowly commoners, sit with such nobles? Kneel down immediately and beg for forgiveness!"

County Magistrate Huang Delai shouted loudly, his entire body of fat trembling.

"Ha, what a fool who doesn't know his own mortality."

Yang Ling, the captain of the Wuxiang Squad, gently lifted her large breasts with one hand and stroked her chin with the other, her face full of disdain and contempt.

Seeing that Chen Zhaoning's appearance and temperament far surpassed his own, a cold and murderous aura instantly flashed in his eyes:

"What a beautiful woman, Young Master Liu. After you've had your fun, I'm going to gouge out her eyes and skin her."

Such exquisite beauty is only worthy of us beastly beauties.

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the tavern suddenly became oppressive, filled with murderous intent, and the surrounding temperature seemed to drop instantly!

Liu Gongquan glanced at Yang Ling, his heart itching with desire at her alluring gaze, and said coldly:

"Humans, who are born lowly, are not worthy of such beauty."

The beauty of this world rightfully belongs to us, the noble beastmen.

Yang Ling's eyes were like water, full of charm: "What Young Master Liu said is very true, it is exactly what I want."

Liu Gongquan smiled slightly, then turned his gaze to Chen Yuan.

"Young Master Liu, Lord Huang, Captain Yang, this matter is all due to the poor management of my He family tavern, which allowed three ignorant brutes to enter and cause trouble."

If it comes to a fight later, the people of my tavern are willing to lend a helping hand.

After this matter is settled, I will host a banquet to properly entertain you all.

Bald He Lianzheng opened his mouth with a big smile, which made everyone present look amused.

Everyone knew in their hearts that they would definitely receive gifts and benefits from He Lianzheng afterward.

Thinking of this, everyone was secretly satisfied.

Only Chen Zhaoning and Li Wei's expressions grew increasingly solemn.

The disparity in strength between the two was too great, and the pressure on them increased sharply, with fine beads of cold sweat already seeping from their foreheads.

"What else?"

Chen Yuan steadily picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks, turned his head slightly, looked calmly at Liu Gongquan, and spoke in a flat tone.

"otherwise……"

Liu Gongzheng was about to utter harsh words when he noticed Chen Yuan's simple and plain clothes. His eyes suddenly darkened, and he shouted sternly, "How dare you! You lowly commoner, how dare you associate with a nobleman..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was abruptly interrupted by a cold, angry rebuke!

"What kind of 'noble person' is this? Screw the laws!"

The next instant, Liu Gongquan's pupils suddenly contracted, his face filled with disbelief!

He couldn't believe that someone would dare to kill him in public within the territory of Huaishan County!

Everyone present was stunned and speechless!

After Chen Yuan shouted angrily, a chopstick suddenly shot out from his fingertip, aiming straight at Liu Gongquan!

puff!

The chopsticks pierced Liu Gongquan's right temple and exited through his left temple!

The tips of the chopsticks were stained with blood and white, greasy brain matter—a truly horrifying sight!

Upon seeing this, Huang Delai, Yang Ling, and He Lianzheng turned ashen-faced and horrified!