Seeing the dazed Chen Han, Chen Tianzheng quietly tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Han'Er, come and greet these two. This is Senior Chen Xianyu, and this is Chen Yiyao."
Filled with confusion, Chen Han stepped forward to pay his respects.
Chen Xianyu was pleasant enough. He had apparently been a life-and-death brother to Chen Han's grandfather, so he acted quite amiably. But Chen Yiyao, on the other hand, completely ignored Chen Han's greeting, appearing extremely arrogant.
"This is Chen Han?"
Chen Xianyu slowly rose to his feet, a naturally intimidating aura emanating from him.
Chen Han immediately felt an immense, formless pressure rushing toward him like a tide. Under the crushing weight, he could have resisted with his current strength. However, not wanting to reveal his true capabilities, Chen Han deliberately swayed, stumbled, and took several steps back.
"Sigh." Chen Xianyu frowned slightly and turned to Chen Tianzheng. "It's true, his strength has recovered. But he's still far from ready… As for the Inner Sect assessment, although I am one of the judges, I cannot bend the rules on such matters."
Hearing this, a thought struck Chen Han.
'So that's what this was about.'
'His father had used his connections, contacting this old man in the hopes that he would go easy on him during the Inner Sect assessment.'
A trace of disappointment appeared on Chen Tianzheng's face.
Meanwhile, Chen Han's predicament brought a sneer of disdain to Chen Yiyao's face.
"Grandfather, is this really the person I'm engaged to?" Chen Yiyao said haughtily. "Why am I engaged to such a piece of trash?"
"Shut up!"
Chen Xianyu barked.
He and Chen Han's grandfather had been life-and-death friends. Based on that relationship, they had arranged the marriage between their grandchildren before they were even born to bring their families closer.
Back then, Chen Han had certainly lived up to his reputation as a genius, reaching the Martial Disciple Third Layer at a young age.
But alas, that sudden disaster struck.
"My apologies, my granddaughter is being immature." Chen Xianyu, seeming to realize how harsh Chen Yiyao's words were, looked rather embarrassed. After a moment of contemplation, he took a wooden box from his sleeve and placed it on the table. "This is a Blast Essence Pill. After taking it, one's strength will temporarily reach the level of a Martial Disciple Third Layer. It should be enough to help Chen Han pass the first round of the assessment."
These words caused a sudden surge of anger to rise in Chen Han's heart.
Although he had never considered himself a genius, he could not accept their contemptuous attitude.
Chen Tianzheng's expression also changed. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Han stepped forward and said, "Senior Chen Xianyu, thank you for your concern, but please take back this Blast Essence Pill. I, Chen Han, am not some lowly character who uses back-door connections. I will enter the Chen Family Main Lineage openly, with my own strength."
His words made everyone present pale slightly.
Chen Xianyu was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly. After all, he still admired Chen Han's attitude.
Chen Tianzheng and his wife, however, turned pale. They never expected Chen Han to outright refuse the Blast Essence Pill.
As for Chen Yiyao, she just laughed haughtily. "What, you're not happy with this? Without my grandfather's help, you can forget about ever entering the clan's Inner Sect."
'Help?'
Chen Han laughed coldly.
'This isn't help. This is a handout.'
'When I had fallen on hard times, I had never seen any of them lend me a helping hand. If I hadn't received Emperor Yu's legacy and learned the Ancient Divine Technique, these people probably would never have shown up in my life.'
"Is that so? In two months, I will stand in the Inner Sect and make you apologize for everything you've done today!" Chen Han said bluntly, his expression cold.
"You?" Chen Yiyao sneered at Chen Han. "Today, I'll show you what true power is. The people of the Chen Family's Inner Sect are not people you can afford to offend."
BOOM!
The moment she finished speaking, a sharp, fierce aura erupted from her.
The entire room began to shake.
"This…"
Chen Han was shocked.
No one could have imagined that this seemingly slender and graceful woman, Chen Yiyao, would be so powerful, possessing the strength of a Martial Disciple Ninth Layer.
"Stop!"
Just as Chen Yiyao was about to strike, Chen Xianyu shot to his feet. An even vaster aura, like a mountain, erupted from him, instantly suppressing the turbulent energy.
The turbulent atmosphere in the room immediately returned to calm.
A thought stirred in Chen Han's mind.
'To be able to suppress the aura of a Martial Disciple Ninth Layer so easily… this unremarkable-looking old man's strength is truly immense. The Chen Family's Inner Sect is truly full of crouching tigers and hidden dragons!'
"My apologies. I have failed to discipline her properly. Please take this Blast Essence Pill as my apology." Chen Xianyu, realizing Chen Yiyao had gone too far, said this with a stern face before grabbing the unwilling Chen Yiyao and striding out of the hall.
Even when they were far away, Chen Han could still hear Chen Yiyao's voice—
"Grandfather, why didn't you let me teach that brat a lesson?"
"Trash like him wants to enter the Inner Sect? That's like a toad dreaming of eating swan meat!"
"And… why am I engaged to such a piece of trash?"
...
Meanwhile, Chen Tianzheng and his wife stood at the door, watching the departing pair with blank expressions.
They had gone to great lengths to contact Chen Xianyu. They originally thought they could use their past relationship to get Chen Han into the clan's Inner Sect through the back door, but they never expected things to turn out like this.
"Sigh!"
Chen Tianzheng seemed to have aged several years in an instant.
Although he knew.
Even though Chen Han's strength had recovered, the difficulty of joining the Inner Sect within three months was still immense.
"Father."
Looking at Chen Tianzheng's back, a flash of guilt appeared in Chen Han's heart.
'If only I had told them about my current strength earlier, perhaps we wouldn't have suffered such humiliation today.'
"Don't worry. I will definitely pass the assessment in two months."
To Chen Tianzheng, Chen Han's words sounded like nothing more than an attempt to comfort him.
After all, reaching the Martial Disciple Third Layer in three months was just wishful thinking. Nevertheless, he forced a smile and nodded in approval.
"Father, I've already reached the Martial Disciple Third Layer," Chen Han said, seeing that Chen Tianzheng still didn't believe him.
"What?"
Chen Tianzheng's eyes widened.
How could he not be shocked?
Just when he thought his son had no hope of joining the Inner Sect, Chen Han was now telling him that he had already reached the Martial Disciple Third Layer.
"Good, good, good!"
Chen Tianzheng couldn't help but burst out laughing.
For the past three years, because Chen Han couldn't cultivate, he had suffered countless scornful looks and endured endless insults. Now, the hard days were finally coming to an end. It was time to hold his head high.
The thought of the shocked expressions on the faces of those who had bullied him when they learned that Chen Han had reached the Martial Disciple Third Layer sent an irrepressible thrill through Chen Tianzheng.
Vindication!
The dark cloud that had been hanging over their family was, at this moment, finally swept away.
As if remembering something, Chen Tianzheng immediately stood up and ran toward the door.
"Father?" Chen Han called out in confusion.
"Chen Xianyu and the others can't have gone far… If we tell them your real situation now, it might be easier to get into the Inner Sect. Besides, that Chen Yiyao is good-looking and poised, and her strength isn't bad. You two still have a marriage contract…" Chen Tianzheng said excitedly.
He could already picture Chen Han joining the Inner Sect, even marrying Chen Yiyao.
"There's no need."
Chen Han shook his head firmly.
He had already guessed his father's thoughts and decisively cut him off.
Now, he no longer needed any outside help to join the Inner Sect. He could do it with his own power.
As for Chen Yiyao. She had reached the Martial Disciple Ninth Layer at such a young age. In the past, Chen Han might have had to look up to her. But things were different now. Ever since catching that fleeting glimpse of Emperor Yu's phantom on the main star of the Nebula Map, his confidence in the Ancient Divine Technique was immense.
It wouldn't be long before he surpassed all these people who had once looked down on him. He would even trample them underfoot.
There was no need, and certainly no reason, to curry favor with them.
"Alright, I respect your decision!" Chen Tianzheng let out a long breath and said slowly.
"Oh, right," Chen Han suddenly remembered something and warned, "Regarding my recovered strength, you must not reveal it to any outsiders. Otherwise, it could bring us a lot of trouble!"
Although Chen Tianzheng didn't understand why Chen Han would say that, he ultimately nodded in agreement.
...
「Late at night.」
On Qingcheng Mountain, within a luxurious building.
Chen Yu slowly opened his eyes.
"Damn you, Chen Han! To think you humiliated me so badly."
Chen Yu clenched his fists.
'To think that I, an Elite Disciple of the Inner Sect, was actually defeated by a piece of trash.' The thought of what happened in the Martial Arts Arena that day made him fly into a rage.
Chen Yu gritted his teeth, hatred flashing in his eyes.
And his own brother, Chen Liang, had been turned into a cripple because of Chen Han.
"Brother, you have to avenge me," Chen Liang wailed in pain from his bed. "I won't rest until Chen Han is dead!"
At the mention of Chen Han's name, a venomous expression clouded both brothers' faces. This was especially true for Chen Yu; as an Elite Disciple from the Chen Family Main Lineage, being defeated by trash from a side branch was a humiliation he found almost unbearable.
"Don't worry."
Chen Yu slowly rose, a venomous glint in his eyes. "I have already cultivated the Flame Fist Technique and the Celestial Wolf Transformation to the Great Achievement Realm. Combined with my strength at the Martial Disciple Fourth Layer, I will surely kill Chen Han in a single blow, giving him no chance to fight back."