Chapter 69 The Shameless Wang Yifan

Chu Tianchen unleashed his Fifth-Layer Tidal Palm, blasting the Tier 2 late-stage Scarlet Flame Tiger more than a dozen meters away. Conversely, the violent shockwave also threw him backward by a matching distance.

His face turned pale, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Meanwhile, the Tier 2 Scarlet Flame Tiger's fiery red aura had dimmed completely, signaling that its life force had plunged into extreme weakness.

Witnessing this, Wang Teng and the other two stared with wide eyes, absolute disbelief etched across their faces.

One had to bear in mind that the aura Chu Tianchen had displayed from beginning to end was merely at the Fifth Layer of the Pulse Circulation Realm.

For someone at the Fifth Layer of the Pulse Circulation Realm to fight head-on against a Tier 2 late-stage Scarlet Flame Tiger—even if the beast was already injured—was astonishing, for it still possessed the might of a late Tier 2 entity.

Let alone the fifth layer, even martial artists at the eighth or ninth layers of the Pulse Circulation Realm would find it difficult to withstand the terrifying power of its claws.

Yet Chu Tianchen had battered this Tier 2 late-stage Scarlet Flame Tiger to the brink of death.

Looking back at Chu Tianchen, though his face was pale, he showed no signs of collapsing.

The Profound-tier high-grade palm technique that Qiao Wanling had given him was indeed formidable.

Had he mastered it to the seventh layer, stacking seven waves of force, that single strike just now would have claimed the Scarlet Flame Tiger's life outright.

Boundless rage flashed within the tiger's giant pupils. Gritting its teeth against the excruciating pain, it lunged toward Chu Tianchen once more.

This time, its speed was noticeably sluggish.

The blazing aura enveloping its body had vanished entirely.

Clearly, this was its final, dying throes.

With a thought, Chu Tianchen summoned the Fiery Cloud Sword back into his hand. Calming his mind and focusing his breath, a piercing chill suddenly surged from within his body, channeling directly into the blade.

Boom!

"Cold Light Slash!"

Exerting his last remaining strength, Chu Tianchen unleashed another Cold Light Slash.

A ferocious sword Qi tore through the air. The charging Scarlet Flame Tiger froze abruptly in its tracks, and under the gaze of the onlookers, it crashed heavily to the ground.

At that moment, a trace of blood also trickled from the corner of Chu Tianchen's mouth.

He was not injured by the tiger, but rather exhausted from the immense depletion of his vital energy and soul power.

Seeing the Tier 2 Scarlet Flame Tiger slain, Wang Teng and his companions snapped out of their shock.

"It—it's dead? Big Brother Tianchen killed that Scarlet Flame Tiger!"

"Fantastic! We're saved!"

"Is Big Brother Tianchen really only at the fifth layer of the Pulse Circulation Realm? How is this anything like what we know of the fifth layer?"

Zhao Tengfei and Mo Xiaolang cried out in excitement.

Wang Teng, meanwhile, remained utterly dumbfounded.

At that moment, a sudden realization struck him—he had misjudged Chu Tianchen. Chu Tianchen's refusal to join the Wang Faction or any other faction seemed to have valid reasons after all.

Yet, even with such extraordinary combat prowess, could he truly establish the Chu Faction?

After all, this was merely an injured Tier 2 Scarlet Flame Tiger.

Shortly after.

The three of them eagerly walked over to Chu Tianchen.

Chu Tianchen glanced at them and smiled faintly.

"Chu Tianchen, what was that palm strike you used just now?"

Wang Teng asked.

"Want to learn it? I'll teach you when we get back."

Chu Tianchen said with a smile.

"Teach... teach us? Really?"

"That palm technique must be at least of the Profound tier, right? Are you willing to teach me?"

Zhao Tengfei asked in astonishment.

"Chu Tianchen, thank you for saving our lives."

Wang Teng said sincerely.

"You guys just had good luck running into me here, haha."

Chu Tianchen replied.

The three of them shared a knowing smile.

Following that, Chu Tianchen swallowed a Qi-Restoration Pill and hurriedly circulated the Nine Dragons Devouring Heaven Technique to recover some of his stamina.

He approached the carcass of the Scarlet Flame Tiger, intending to split open its skull and extract the monster core. Just then, however, a figure emerged from the darkness.

The newcomer approached with the aura of the Origin Circulation Realm, sending shockwaves that forced Chu Tianchen and the other three back by several meters. In the next instant, the man cleaved open the tiger's skull with a single sweep of his saber, and a bloody, fire-attribute Tier 2 monster core appeared before their eyes.

Wang Yifan reached out, took the core, and grasped it in his palm.

"This Tier 2 monster core is of truly excellent quality. It should fetch a fine price."

Wang Yifan remarked casually.

"Wang Teng, do you know this guy? Tell him to join our Wang Faction."

"Since his strength is decent, just have him hand over eight thousand low-grade spirit stones as the entrance fee."

Wang Yifan continued.

Hearing this, before Wang Teng could respond, Chu Tianchen let out a sudden snort of laughter.

Even by his own standards of having a fairly thick skin, he had never witnessed such shameless behavior.

Had Wang Yifan not been lurking in the shadows earlier, but had instead fought alongside him to slay the Scarlet Flame Tiger, Chu Tianchen might have been willing to hand over the core upon request.

However, he had slain the beast entirely through his own efforts, yet this person had simply stepped forward to snatch the core.

Not only did he expect Chu Tianchen to join the Wang Faction, but from the sound of it, he even demanded an extra eight thousand low-grade spirit stones from him.

"Wang Yifan, where were you just now? If Chu Tianchen hadn't stepped in, we would have been devoured by that Scarlet Flame Tiger!"

Wang Teng said anxiously.

Knowing that Chu Tianchen would never join the Wang Faction, he was trying to smooth things over.

"Nonsense. I was lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow. Even without him, you guys would have been fine."

Wang Yifan said with unconcerned lightness.

Wang Teng's brow furrowed deeply at those words.

"In the shadows?"

"Do you have any idea how perilous it was just then?"

Displeasure marred Wang Teng's features.

"Hah? Are you questioning me?"

"Wang Teng, you're good for nothing. So what if you had died here?"

"Don't assume that because your surname is Wang, you're somehow superior to them."

"In fact, once he joins the Wang Faction, his status might even surpass yours."

"You merely possess a shred of the Wang family's bloodline—don't think so highly of yourself."

Wang Yifan sneered.

Fury instantly flared within Wang Teng.

"Wang Yifan, never mind my status for a moment, but we must conduct ourselves with integrity. These two friends of mine each gave you ten thousand low-grade spirit stones."

"That means you had an obligation to ensure our safety."

"Otherwise, what is the point of me having them join the Wang Faction?"

"Besides, my sister is the chief elder of the Wang Faction. If she finds out about this, guess what she will—"

Wang Teng said angrily.

Bang!

Before Wang Teng could finish, Wang Yifan lashed out with a vicious palm strike.

Noticing the attack, Wang Teng's pupils contracted as he hurriedly threw out a palm in defense.

Yet, upon the mere contact of their forces, Wang Teng was sent flying four or five meters backward.

Seeing this, Chu Tianchen's brow furrowed.

Wang Teng spat a mouthful of fresh blood before struggling to his feet.

"Wang Yifan, how dare you strike me!"

Wang Teng roared.

Wang Yifan shot him a murderous glare, causing Wang Teng to swallow hard in spite of himself.

"Wang Teng, stop trying to crush me with your sister's name."

Wang Yifan said with a cold laugh. "Who in the Wang Faction doesn't know that when your sister, Wang Xue, was breaking through to the Heavenly King Realm, she suffered a backlash, leaving her cultivation stuck at the early stage of the Heavenly Martial Realm?"

"Two months from now, the faction leadership will be re-elected. By then, her position as chief elder will inevitably be stripped away."

Wang Teng clenched his fists, utterly powerless to retort.

"Brother Fan, when we gave you the spirit stones back then, you said you would protect us," Zhao Tengfei chimed in.

"Shut the hell up! What the hell are you? Is 'Brother' a title you can use for me?"

"What? It's just ten thousand low-grade spirit stones—do you expect to act like my father now?"

"I already said I was protecting you from the shadows."

Wang Yifan barked loudly.

Frightened, Zhao Tengfei stepped back two paces. Supporting Mo Xiaolang, he dared not utter another word.

"My friend, have you considered what I just said? Join our Wang Faction, and I will personally recommend you to the higher-ups, securing your entry into the inner courtyard within three months."

"Furthermore, I'll personally ensure your safety throughout this trial."

Wang Yifan looked at Chu Tianchen and smiled.

"A mere Tier 2 Scarlet Flame Tiger was enough to scare you into hiding, lacking the courage to even show your face. How do you have the shamelessness to promise to protect me?"

Chu Tianchen mocked with a cold sneer.

A murderous intent instantly surged within Wang Yifan's eyes.