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Fallen Town bustled as usual, merchants calling out, children chasing one another in the dusty streets. The Chen family's banners fluttered proudly over their mansions, a symbol of wealth and arrogance that stretched across the region.
Yet today, the ordinary rhythm of life was shattered.
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Long Fei's Defiance
In the marketplace, Long Fei stood surrounded by several young members of the Chen family. They sneered, clad in fine robes embroidered with the clan's insignia. Each one was a cultivator, their qi surging with the strength of Body Tempering and Qi Refinement stages.
"You dare walk in Chen territory, you dog?" one jeered.
Another spat at his feet. "Get on your knees and crawl, maybe we'll let you live."
The crowd gathered quickly. Townsfolk whispered in fear—yet their eyes betrayed something strange: pity. Pity for the Chen youths.
Long Fei clenched his fists. Just days ago he was a weak mortal. But under Lai's brutal training, beaten by wooden golems until he begged for death, his body had been reforged. Compared to the iron discipline of the farm, these spoiled brats were nothing.
One charged forward, fist glowing with qi.
Crack!
Long Fei's counterpunch broke the boy's jaw, sending teeth scattering across the street. Gasps erupted.
Another Chen youth slashed with a blade, but Long Fei dodged with instinct, sweeping the boy's legs and smashing him into the ground. One after another, the so-called geniuses fell, blood spraying across the dirt road.
Long Fei froze, staring at his own hands. "I… I can fight cultivators?" His heart thundered with shock. Master's training really is hell compared to this.
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The Chen Elders Appear
The humiliating defeat of their juniors could not go unanswered. The air thickened as several Chen family elders descended, their robes billowing, their auras heavy. Each one a Core Formation cultivator, their presence was enough to make ordinary mortals suffocate.
"Brat," one snarled, his eyes glowing with killing intent. "You dare touch my Chen bloodline? I'll tear you apart!"
The crowd scattered in panic. Long Fei stumbled back, body trembling—he knew he couldn't handle this.
But then, a figure stepped forward.
Garfield.
His silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, his aura vast and unrestrained. A Peak Nascent Soul cultivator—no longer the imprisoned beast Lai had found, but a disciple forged in blood and agony.
He grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Master said the farm's iron golems were good for me. Let's test if he was right."
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Carnage in the Streets
The elders attacked first, qi techniques roaring. Firestorms lit the sky, blades of lightning split the ground, and stone walls collapsed under their might.
Garfield roared back, his body swelling with demonic might. His fist tore through a fire dragon like paper. He grabbed one elder by the throat, slammed him into the cobblestones, and twisted—snapping the man's neck with a wet crunch.
Another elder charged with a spear, stabbing at Garfield's chest. The weapon pierced skin, but Garfield only laughed. "Iron golems hit harder than you!" He ripped the spear free, reversed it, and drove it through the elder's chest, pinning him to a wall like a butchered hog.
The last elder tried to flee, terror in his eyes. Garfield's shadow loomed over him. With one clawed hand, he ripped the man in half from groin to skull, showering the square in gore.
The streets of Fallen Town ran red.
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The Onlookers' Fear
The townspeople stared in silence, their bodies trembling. They had feared the Chen family for generations. Now, in one afternoon, their proud young heirs lay broken in the dust, and their elders were reduced to mangled corpses.
Some whispered prayers. Others covered their children's eyes. And yet, none dared to cheer. They all knew—this was not the end.
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Cliffhanger
Inside the Chen family's main hall, news of the slaughter arrived. Powerful cultivators, military officers, and arrogant heirs sat in luxury, feasting.
"What? Our elders… dead?" One officer slammed the table.
"Impossible! Who dares defy the Chen family?"
The Chen Patriarch, face red with fury, rose from his seat. His aura surged, shaking the hall. "Arrogant dogs! Whoever dares touch the Chen family will learn what true despair is! We are backed by sects and imperial generals! We are untouchable!"
A mocking voice cut through his rage.
"…Wow. That's really cliché."
The hall froze.
In the center, where no one had stood a moment ago, Lai appeared, straw hat tilted low, his gaze calm and cold.
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⚡️End of Chapter 7⚡️