The crowd's hearts were in turmoil, for they had never imagined that their exalted king would appear so disheveled.
At a single shout from the other party, he had been so terrified that he knelt on the ground in abject fear.
Even witnessing it firsthand, they found it difficult to believe.
Wu Qiong said indifferently, "Your son attempted to kill my benefactor. You owe me an explanation for this matter!"
Wen Zhongjing's scalp tingled. He said with great trepidation, "This old servant is guilty, this old servant is guilty. It is all my fault for failing to discipline my son, which led to today's misfortune. I will immediately kill this wicked child."
Wen Zhiyuan, terrified, knelt on the ground. Although he still didn't know Wu Qiong's origins, he realized that the other party was a significant figure he could not afford to offend. He kowtowed incessantly, "I implore the divine being to spare my life. I had no idea Chen Nan was your benefactor!"
His voice trembled, his heart filled with boundless fear.
He had never expected his father to propose killing him.
Before he could even recover from his shock, he felt a sharp pain in his chest.
He instinctively lowered his head and saw a blood-stained long sword piercing his chest, held by his father, Wen Zhongjing.
Wen Zhongjing roared with rage, "What gives you the right to beg for mercy from the divine being?"
Wen Zhongjing was truly furious.
Even he dared not beg Wu Qiong for mercy, yet his own son was doing so.
This was simply unforgivable.
Wen Zhiyuan collapsed weakly to the ground, his eyes gradually losing focus. Blood quickly stained his white robes, pooling beneath him into a crimson puddle.
He had never imagined he would die.
Even less so, he had never imagined he would die at the hands of his own father.
"Wen Zhongjing, is it?" Wu Qiong's eyes were indifferent. "You are an unqualified emperor. Not only have you failed to discipline your son, but even your Inner Guard has greatly disappointed me."
"Benefactor Chen had clearly become an Inner Guard."
"News of his capture had reached the Inner Guard."
"Yet, why did the Inner Guard not offer assistance to save him?"
Wen Zhongjing was drenched in sweat and repeatedly said, "Divine being, please rest assured. This old servant will thoroughly investigate this matter and guarantee a satisfactory explanation!"
Wu Qiong let out a cold snort, "I am greatly disappointed in you. Therefore, the throne will be passed to someone else."
Wen Zhongjing stood frozen as if struck by lightning. He then respectfully said, "Thank you, divine being, for sparing my life. I will announce to the world at tomorrow's court session that the throne will be passed to another!"
He did not wish to lose his throne.
However.
He did not dare to defy Wu Qiong's words, nor did he dare to beg for mercy.
Because he knew.
In this realm.
The Wu surname was the absolute ruler.
A single word could cause a dynasty to change hands.
"Benefactor Chen, why don't we find another place to talk?" Wu Qiong looked at Chen Nan, a cordial smile on his face.
"Very well," Chen Nan agreed.
Not long after Chen Nan and Wu Qiong departed, Wen Zhongjing collapsed onto the ground, his eyes filled with daze.
At the same time.
Ye Chen arrived with the Inner Guard. Upon seeing Wen Zhongjing slumped on the ground and the tragically deceased Wen Zhiyuan nearby, he quickly knelt on one knee, "This subject arrived late. I beg Your Majesty to mete out punishment!"
Wen Zhongjing came back to his senses and slowly looked at Ye Chen, "Do you know that the third prince captured Chen Nan?"
Ye Chen shivered nervously, "This subject knows."
Wen Zhongjing roared with rage, "Then why did you not defend the rights of the Inner Guard? Why did you not save him?"
Ye Chen stammered in fear, "Your Majesty, although I am the commander of the Inner Guard, the third prince is, after all, a royal son. This subject was planning to seek your instruction after dawn..."
Before he could finish, Wen Zhongjing appeared before him like a ghost, his long sword piercing Ye Chen's chest. "Do you know that all of this today is because of you?"
"If you had not reported it, how would I have personally killed the third prince?"
"How would I have lost the throne?"
Ye Chen stood dumbfounded.
He never would have imagined that his caution would lead to his own death.
He had even caused His Majesty to lose the throne.
If he had known this would happen, he would never have withheld the information.
However.
There were simply no such 'if's.
------
"Benefactor Chen, do you know where I want to go?" Under the night sky, Wu Qiong and Chen Nan walked side by side.
Chen Nan: "If I'm not mistaken, Brother Wu wants to go to the Fierce Tiger Gang."
Wu Qiong let out a hum, a complex look appearing in his eyes. "You must have already guessed that I come from an ancient and long-standing tribe."
Chen Nan: "Ancient Gods!"
Wu Qiong chuckled, "You could instantly deduce my origins. It seems Benefactor Chen is also no ordinary person!"
Chen Nan: "And stop calling me 'Benefactor' repeatedly. Just call me Chen Nan."
"Then I shall call you Brother Chen!" Wu Qiong said, "My tribe has a rule: every disciple at the Divine Venerable realm must go out into the mortal world for training, to comprehend Dao in the midst of the mortal world."
"So, I came to the Eastern Mulberry Kingdom."
"And met An Ruo."
"She was a very pure and kind girl."
"Then we fell in love, and I lived a normal life. Life was very simple, with just daily necessities and the ups and downs of emotions, but these things that mortals possess are very rare for us cultivators."
"Fortunately, I am somewhat perceptive and comprehended my Dao amidst this simplicity."
"However, if I needed to attain enlightenment, I had to return to my tribe."
"It was at that time that An Ruo became pregnant with Yue Yue."
"In truth, I could have taken An Ruo back to my tribe, where my people would surely have taken good care of them."
"But..."
"The path of cultivation is fraught with endless hardships and unknown variables."
"I feared that my attempt to attain enlightenment might fail, so I left An Ruo to live alone in the mortal world. I thought they would live well, but I never expected them to be bullied."
"Fortunately, I met Brother Chen. It was Brother Chen who saved them." He spoke these words with gratitude in his eyes.
Chen Nan: "A true man, born between heaven and earth, should draw his sword when encountering injustice. It was merely a small effort, and besides, Brother Wu also gifted me a ring."
Wu Qiong nodded with satisfaction, "Not seeking reward for kindness, truly a role model for our generation!"
He paused and continued, "I once swore to kill all the villains who bullied my wife and daughter, so I implore Brother Chen to take me to the Fierce Tiger Gang. I want to kill all those scoundrels who bullied my wife and daughter!"
Chen Nan remained silent, sensing the killing intent in Wu Qiong's heart.
This was understandable.
If his own wife and daughter were bullied, he too would not be merciful.
He then led Wu Qiong to the headquarters of the Fierce Tiger Gang.
Without announcement, they burst through the doors.
Finally, they met the leader of the Fierce Tiger Gang, Song Dahu.
Song Dahu looked at Chen Nan with a nervous expression, "Brother Chen, you once swore not to trouble me, but why have you come today with such murderous intent? Are you going to break your previous oath?"
"It is not I who will kill you, but I!" Wu Qiong's eyes were filled with rage. The next moment, a terrifying aura surged out, instantly reducing Song Dahu to a mist of blood.