Chapter 4

Bao'er's efficiency was impressive; before long, she had returned with all the clothes and herbs.

After a quick wash, Chu Yan changed into the new clothes. Bao'er dried and combed his hair, then he looked at himself in the bronze mirror. Seeing the sharp features and deep, chiseled eyes, he smiled with satisfaction: "That's more like it. This handsome look suits me, the young master."

Bao'er, standing by, was a little entranced. Now, Chu Yan, dressed in a white robe, stood tall and straight, a far cry from the beggar he had been earlier.

"Master, you are truly handsome!"

"Bao'er, you speak so sweetly. This is for you." Chu Yan selected some low-grade blood-replenishing herbs from the ones Bao'er had bought and handed them to her: "Take one in the morning and one in the evening for seven days, then come back to me."

"Thank you, Master." Bao'er was delighted. Although the blood-replenishing herbs were cheap, they were not something servants like her could afford.

Chu Yan smiled and nodded. Then he lowered his head, now that he was finally clean, he could examine his condition.

Thinking this, Chu Yan sat in meditation, closing his senses and entering a meditative state. Soon, his spirit appeared before the Nine Heavens Mystic Tower in his dantian.

Looking at the Nine Heavens Mystic Tower, Chu Yan summoned his essence energy, and three starlights appeared in his dantian.

"Three-star life body?"

Chu Yan grinned. Although a three-star life body wasn't high, it was already above the average for a normal person. Since he wasn't in a hurry, the first level of the Nine Heavens Mystic Tower had just been activated. The higher he progressed, the higher his life body would become, eventually breaking through to nine stars.

So he didn't dwell on his life body and instead checked his cultivation and physical condition.

"Third stage of the Mortal Realm, a thousand pounds of physical strength."

Chu Yan grew increasingly excited. This proved he had completely shed the label of a waste and had broken through two stages in one night.

After confirming his condition, Chu Yan stood up, determined to go out and explore. After all, this place would be his home, and he needed to familiarize himself with it.

However, as soon as he stepped out, he saw two suspicious figures. He was taken aback and laughed. These two figures were the same guards who had confronted him yesterday.

"You two, stop right there!" Chu Yan called out.

The two guards were startled and tried to pretend they hadn't seen Chu Yan, attempting to flee the scene.

Chu Yan was taken aback by their attitude and quickly circled around to the front, smiling: "Heh heh, you two, you knelt before me yesterday, so why don't you recognize your big brother today?"

The two guards looked aggrieved. Zhao Wu glared at Chu Yan: "You have the nerve to say that! You, a waste, acting all high and mighty, saying you would protect us. If we had known you were a waste, we wouldn't have knelt!"

"Exactly!" Zhao Liu chimed in.

Hearing their words, Chu Yan laughed and then coughed twice: "How do you know I'm a waste?"

"Everyone in Tianyong City knows it. Could it be false?"

"Why can't it be false?" Chu Yan smiled. "I ask you, if I were really a waste, would Uncle Liu allow Qincheng to marry me?"

The two guards frowned, realizing there might be some truth to his words. However, Zhao Wu still retorted: "Then why do they say you're a waste?"

"I'll tell you a secret. I'm not a waste; I'm a genius, an unparalleled genius. Uncle Liu is worried that other families will covet me and try to marry me off to their daughters, so he had others believe I'm a waste." Chu Yan said with wide eyes, lying through his teeth.

But the most surprising thing was that Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu actually believed him. In a way, Chu Yan wasn't lying; he was no longer a waste and would indeed become a genius soon.

Chu Yan, acting mature, patted their shoulders: "Foolish children, in gratitude for your kneeling before me yesterday, follow me from now on. I won't let you down."

"Thank you, Master!"

Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu once again submitted to Chu Yan.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the Liu family's gate. Qin Feng and several Qin family disciples had arrived.

The female disciples of the Liu family swooned at the sight of Qin Feng.

"Look, it's the third young master of the Qin family."

"He's so handsome, and I've heard he has exceptional talent. If Sister Qincheng could marry him, it would be wonderful. Our Qin and Liu families' alliance would be a great story in Tianyong City. Unfortunately, Miss has to marry that waste, Chu Yan."

Hearing the praise from the Liu family's female disciples, Qin Feng's lips curled into a smug smile. Although he couldn't marry Liu Qincheng, he was still pleased to hear these words.

"Is this what you call handsome? When I walk the streets of Tianyong City, I'll be a sight to behold."

Chu Yan, seeing Qin Feng from behind, grinned and then tilted his head to ask Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu: "Tell me, who is this guy?"

This guy? Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu were embarrassed. In Tianyong City, few dared to call Qin Feng "this guy."

"Master, you don't know. He's the third young master of the Qin family. He awakened a four-star life body and is now a key figure in the Qin family, very famous in Tianyong City."

"Four-star life body? So impressive?"

"..."

Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu were speechless. How could a one-star life body like you say that?

"However, Master, you should be careful. Qin Feng has always been Miss Qincheng's top suitor and is ruthless and unscrupulous. Now that you're marrying Miss Qincheng, he won't let it go easily."

"Marrying my wife, what's it got to do with him?" Chu Yan looked disdainful, seeing Qin Feng as a minor character, not worth his attention.

At that moment, Zhao Tu hurried out of the residence and greeted Qin Feng politely.

"Third Young Master Qin? What brings you here today?"

"Where's Qincheng?" Qin Feng said coldly. "I heard she's getting married. I came to offer my blessings."

Zhao Tu frowned. He wasn't a fool; Qin Feng had always been Qincheng's top suitor. Now that she was getting married, would he really come to offer blessings?

So, he hesitated about whether to let Qin Feng see Qincheng.

"My wife isn't here. If you have something to say, say it to me."

Just as Zhao Tu was at a loss, an out-of-place voice rang out. Chu Yan, with a straw in his mouth and hands in his pockets, pushed through the crowd, followed by Zhao Wu and Zhao Liu, who looked quite imposing.

"Who is this guy?" The Liu family's girls were taken aback.

"He's really handsome, even more so than Third Young Master Qin."

"Look closely, doesn't he resemble Chu Yan?"

"You're right, he does. And he just called Qincheng his wife. Could he be the dirty Chu Yan from earlier?" The Liu family's girls gasped.

Zhao Tu's head spun. One Qin Feng was enough to give him a headache; now Chu Yan had appeared as well.

But somehow, he felt Chu Yan was different.

Zhao Tu had been in the Liu family for a long time and had seen many people, but now, looking at Chu Yan, he found himself unable to read him.

Chu Yan seemed to exude a unique aura, with a hint of wickedness.

"Third Young Master, this is Chu Yan," a Qin family disciple whispered to Qin Feng.

Qin Feng nodded, sizing up Chu Yan, then smiled slyly: "So you're Qincheng's fiancé."

"Yes, I know you. I've heard you've been pursuing my wife, but she hasn't agreed, right? No worries, you can continue pursuing her after our marriage. Don't worry, I won't be jealous. After all, my wife is beautiful, and a beautiful woman needs a few backups to look good."

The Liu family members gasped, and Zhao Tu's face turned stiff. He hadn't expected Chu Yan to start with such vicious words to humiliate Qin Feng.

Qin Feng clenched his fists but quickly relaxed them. He wasn't the type to act rashly; he knew the value of patience and striking from the shadows.

"Ha, boy, rest assured, I'll continue pursuing her. Don't worry, you'll have nowhere to cry when your wife leaves you for me."

"Rest assured, my wife's eyes aren't blind!"

"You..."

Qin Feng's face contorted. A Qin family disciple couldn't hold back: "Boy, you have some nerve. We are from the Qin family. Even Liu Tianfeng would be polite to our young master. Who do you think you are?"

Swish!

Chu Yan's eyes changed, and the atmosphere around him grew heavy as he stared at the Qin family disciple.

"What did you say? Say it again!"

Everyone was shocked by Chu Yan's sudden change, even Zhao Tu was surprised. It seemed as if a natural-born king's aura was burning around Chu Yan.

The Qin family disciple was startled but quickly regained his composure, remembering he was from the Qin family and that Qin Feng was nearby.

"I said you're a bastard! What are you going to do about it?"

"Smack!" As soon as the disciple spoke, Chu Yan flicked his sleeve, sending a gust of wind that slapped the disciple's face.

The slap was hard, and the disciple spat out a mouthful of blood, stumbling back several steps, glaring at Chu Yan.

"Little bastard, even the Liu family dares not offend the Qin family. How dare you hit me?"

"Qin family? Descendants of Qin Poshan? Qin Poshan was indeed remarkable, serving as the Dragon General of Changlong Kingdom. In the thirty-sixth year of the kingdom's founding, the northern barbarians launched a massive invasion. Qin Poshan, with divine assistance, led a hundred-man squad to the enemy's heart, cutting off the head of the enemy leader and breaking through their defenses."

The Qin family disciple was stunned. He didn't know who Qin Poshan was, only that the Qin family's ancestor was the Dragon General of Changlong Kingdom. He lifted his head proudly: "So what? Are you afraid now?"

However, Chu Yan gave the Qin family disciple a disdainful look.

"But... so what? So impressive? Even if Qin Poshan were to rise from the dead and sit at the head of your family, what could he do to me? Maybe the Liu family fears you, but I, Chu Yan, do not. I don't just hit you; I could kill you, and your Qin family wouldn't dare to make a sound!"