Chapter Two: Revealing Strength, Stunning the Entire Audience
According to clan rules, after the sinners were chosen, the remaining ones would be evenly distributed among the disciples of the Chen family as maids. The cold and aloof woman before him was a disciple of the Snow Sword Sect, skilled in secret arts—one of the individuals he coveted.
Li Xiuning was the one he had planted to assassinate Chen Xuan, but the other women were those he intended to possess and thus had deliberately arranged to enter the selection.
If Chen Xuan picked them first, all his prior arrangements would be ruined!
Chen Tian wore an expression of righteous indignation, as if everything was for Chen Xuan’s sake. “This woman is a disciple of the Snow Sword Sect. Even with internal injuries, she possesses a martial cultivation at the sixth level. Xuan is merely a worthless cripple who cannot cultivate. If she is taken away, she might be secretly assassinated on the way to the frontier!”
He deliberately emphasized the words “worthless cripple.”
Chen Xuan sneered inwardly: “Isn’t it just that you want her for yourself and don’t want me to succeed? Well, I won’t let you have your way!”
Chen Xuan’s shoulder twitched slightly, and a surge of fierce energy burst forth from his body, stirring the dust on the ground and blowing it several meters away.
His martial cultivation at the fourth level was revealed!
“It’s just cultivation. I never said I didn’t have any,” he said.
“Ah!?” Chen Tian’s eyes nearly popped out. “How… how can you have cultivation? You’re clearly a cripple!”
The other clan members were stunned as well.
“Isn’t Chen Xuan’s meridians blocked?”
“He’s been unable to cultivate since childhood. The clan leader said so himself. How is this possible now...”
“This is bad. Chen Tian went through great lengths to position these extraordinary sinners in this selection, aiming to get them through the rules and then benefit from their backing. Never thought Chen Xuan would beat him to it!”
Chen Tian’s face darkened. For a moment, he forgot to uphold the dignity due to his elder brother. His eyes blazing, he threatened, “Chen Xuan, don’t go too far! She was decided by me!”
Too far? This matter was far from over!
Chen Xuan chuckled lightly and, without care, delved into his mind’s sea, gazing at the azure panel that displayed the names.
Li Xiuning, An Ruxue, Lu Qiqi, and others—a total of seven sinners.
All had been selected by the system as potential objects of affection.
Turning to face the Chen clan leader, Chen Xuan said seriously, “Clan Leader, I want all seven sinners, including Li Xiuning.”
He spoke without concealment, simultaneously challenging Chen Tian with a provocative glance: “You want to fight me? You’re still too weak!”
The other clan members were equally astonished. The so-called cripple’s counterattack sparked their interest; they wanted to see how Chen Tian would respond next.
Chen Tian was thrown into utter chaos.
Couldn’t get one, yet wanted all of them?
If this happened, his plans would completely collapse. All the painstaking efforts to secure allies would only serve Chen Xuan’s success.
“Chen Xuan, you’re asking for death!”
The clan leader furrowed his brow. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation. Everyone could see it wasn’t wise to provoke the enemy now, but Chen Xuan deliberately went against the grain, as if to spite Chen Tian, taking all the sinners.
“Chen Xuan, your decision is a bit rash.”
Chen Xuan replied calmly, “I am about to head to the frontier to establish my own legacy. My parents left me three mansions and a set of shops in the capital, but these are useless to me. If the clan leader agrees, I am willing to trade these for the sinners.”
Hearing this, the clan members all shook their heads secretly, mocking Chen Xuan as foolish.
To sacrifice the inheritance left by his parents for a few women was no different from the worthless second-generation heirs outside.
---
The Chen clan leader hesitated.
Chen Xuan’s parents had distinguished themselves on the battlefield many times.
The court had rewarded them generously, including these properties.
In the end, money swayed the clan leader’s heart, and he consented.
“Fine, suit yourself.”
Chen Tian’s face flushed with anger. He wanted to continue stopping him but realized it was too late—his previous arrangements had crumbled completely!
After the selection ceremony ended, he rushed to Chen Xuan’s side and shouted fiercely, “Don’t blame me for not giving you a chance. Hand them over honestly, or you won’t leave the Chen family today!”
Chen Xuan was utterly unafraid, looking at him with mockery.
“If you have the guts, try me.”
“Chen Xuan!!!” Chen Tian roared in fury and threw a punch directly at Chen Xuan, trying to intimidate him with his martial cultivation.
But Chen Xuan was no longer the cripple he had been.
Li Xiuning’s favor had boosted him to a fourth-level martial artist, one level higher than Chen Tian’s third level!
Chen Xuan snorted coldly and struck back with a punch.
Their fists collided, fierce energy exploding. Chen Tian’s arm cracked sharply with the sound of breaking bones. He howled in pain and was thrown backward over ten meters.
Chen Xuan looked down on him disdainfully. “Trash. You dare challenge me?”
“You… you…” Chen Tian coughed up a mouthful of blood and fainted.
Seeing this, the other clan members did not help him but lowered their heads to laugh and quickly left. For them, the Chen family’s internal strife was severe; one less competitor meant a greater chance of eventually becoming clan leader.
Chen Xuan led the seven sinners away from the main hall to his residence.
He had taken all the sinners not just to spite Chen Tian but because they were all potential objects of affection.
Even with a ten-to-one chance, one or two might trigger a critical reward and become martial arts masters—it was only a matter of time.
...
In a remote courtyard in the capital,
Chen Xuan led the seven sinners inside, unlocking their shackles one by one and instructing, “Take a bath and freshen upI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.