The smile on Tan Fangjun's face suddenly froze.
That voice… sounded familiar!
He whipped his head around to look at the speaker, eyes flickering in shock and uncertainty.
Before he could react, Chu Jinglin stepped forward, face dark, and shouted angrily, "How dare you! Do you even know who you're talking to?!"
Tan Fangjun didn't have time to stop him.
"Of course I do. The Inner-Sect Steward of Changtian Sect's Yuan Shuang Peak, Steward Tan Fangjun, isn't it?"
The man wearing the veiled hat spoke clearly, his tone lazy but precise, stating Tan Fangjun's full identity clearly.
Tan Fangjun's expression also grew darker by the second, even his fingers trembled.
There's a difference between Changtian Sect's Inner-Sect Chief Steward and a Yuan Shuang Peak Steward. One was the main sect steward, the other merely a branch steward.
The two positions were not equal in rank or control over resources.
But Chu Jinglin, oblivious to this nuance, kept barking, "Since you know, how dare you be so arrogant! You don't even have the guts to show your face, shameless coward!"
"Shameless?!"
At that, Ke Chongbo flared up, yanking off the veil with a sharp motion and revealing his bold, handsome face, "Me, this young master, is shameless? Hah! Coming from a family of scoundrels like yours, that's rich! That's like disgust giving birth to disgust itself, you people are disgust incarnate!"
"You—!" Chu Jinglin's eyes bulged in rage.
But before he could finish, Tan Fangjun let out a strangled gasp, "K-Ke… Young Master Ke?!"
His face turned ghostly pale, eyes full of terror.
Oh shit!
"Well, well. I'm surprised Steward Tan still recognized me." Ke Chongbo grinned, baring his teeth in open mockery.
Tan Fangjun felt his scalp go numb.
He's doomed!
How did this unruly little demon king, Ke Chongbo, end up running around with Chu Jingzhuo and his companions?!
Could their sect be another major power?
But if that was true, why would Chu Tianbai dare to act so arrogantly earlier?
At this moment, Tan Fangjun's thoughts were in complete chaos, his expression slipping out of control.
It wasn't because he was cowardly, but because Ke Chongbo's identity wasn't ordinary!
Both of Ke Chongbo's parents were Spirit Severing Stage cultivators, each the Peak Master of a separate mountain!
And both those peaks outranked Yuan Shuang Peak.
On top of that, Ke Minglu, Ke Chongbo's father, had already reached the pinnacle of Spirit Severing Stage and was a likely candidate to breakthrough, becoming a Soul Transformation Stage Elder.
He's also a strong contender for the position of the next Sect Leader!
Ke Chongbo's elder brother, Ke Chongzhen, was already 120 years old and likewise in Spirit Severing Stage.
A family with three Spirit Severing Stage cultivators!
And Ke Chongbo himself, the youngest son born to Ke Minglu and Wen Yan in their later years, was adored and spoiled beyond belief. Raised as the darling of the entire sect, able to get whatever he wanted.
At only twenty-five years old, he had already reached Golden Core, and his path toward Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, and even Soul Transformation would surely be smooth.
A genius with a monstrous background like him was the center of attention in Changtian Sect.
Though Tan Fangjun held a position of prestige as an Inner-Sect Steward, before Ke Chongbo, he was nothing!
"Young Master Ke, how could I possibly fail to recognize you?"
No matter what thoughts filled his heart, Tan Fangjun forced a smile.
He hurried forward with a servile trot, "I didn't realize Young Master Ke had come here…"
"If I hadn't come, I really wouldn't have known how impressive Steward Tan's authority was." Ke Chongbo said lazily, folding up the veil and tucking it into his storage pouch.
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!" Tan Fangjun's face turned ashen, he bowed his head at once. "I-I was only joking! Yes, I was joking!"
Everyone watched the difference between his arrogant behavior before and the humble attitude after in stunned silence.
He could actually stoop and grovel like this!
Chu Tianbai, father and son's face turned devastatingly pale, both their legs almost giving out.
They weren't idiots, they could tell what Tan Fangjun's reaction meant.
They had run into a truly terrifying figure!
Ke Chongbo sneered, "But I didn't find your joke very amusing."
"Yes, yes, I'll never make this kind of joke again!" Tan Fangjun stammered, slapping his own mouth. "Young Master Ke is right to discipline me!"
The crisp sound of slaps echoed in the dead silent courtyard.
Chu Jingzhuo's group of four exchanged glances—Meng Fanzé hadn't come along. Qin Yiwei had forbidden him from going out, worried he'd be tricked again if he ran into He Yinglan.
Before coming, they'd considered every possible outcome.
And since their Master had sent the Iron-Eating Beast and the Black Abyss Falcon to guard them, there had been no need for Ke Chongbo to join.
They had come to demand repayment, not to start a massacre.
With those two spirit beasts present, the Chu Family wouldn't dare act recklessly.
But Ke Chongbo had insisted, "We're good brothers! How could I let you face them alone?! Don't worry, big brother's got your back!"
He'd even said that, as a member of Changtian Sect, if anyone tried to abuse power, he could also intervene.
He'd been so determined, everyone could only let him follow along.
Who could've thought he was actually useful!
Seeing the Chu Family's twisted, ashen faces, they suddenly laughed.
"Good thing Brother Bo came. Otherwise, who knows how long this would've dragged on."
"Exactly. I still want to get back and see Master early!"
Sure enough, with Ke Chongbo's appearance, everything was resolved in moments.
Tan Fangjun immediately turned cold, glaring at Chu Tianbai, "Hurry and bring out the Eight-Ginseng Wood and the spirit beast egg for this…little young master!"
After all, a friend of Young Master Ke was naturally a young master too!
Hearing that title, Chu Tianbai and Chu Jinglin's faces became even uglier.
"Steward Tan…" Chu Tianbai tried to protest weakly.
"Move it!" Tan Fangjun barked, face dark. "If you delay Young Master Ke's business, can you afford the consequences?!"
Chu Tianbai: "..."
But, he also looked at Ke Chongbo with reverence and dread.
He didn't know Ke Chongbo's identity, but judging from Tan Fangjun's fear and respectful attitude, he's definitely someone extraordinary.
At this point, Chu Tianbai didn't dare resist any longer. He forced a stiff smile, "V-very well, I'll fetch them right away!"
"That's all?"
Ke Chongbo stopped him, "Aren't you forgetting emotional damages?"
That's a phrase he'd learned from Mu Shiyue.
She'd once been disciplining a few mischievous cubs and kept muttering about collecting emotional damages.
He thought it fit perfectly here.
"Emotional damages?!" Chu Tianbai's expression changed.
He wasn't stupid, he understood the meaning instantly.
"Of course." Ke Chongbo assumed the full posture of an arrogant young master, nearly bouncing his leg as he spoke. "This matter could've been resolved instantly, who told you to drag it out for so long?"
As he said that, he gave Tan Fangjun a sidelong glance.
Tan Fangjun immediately bowed his back even lower, nodding rapidly, "Young Master Ke is absolutely right."
Then he turned and glared at Chu Tianbai, "Well?! Get moving!"
Chu Tianbai was on the verge of bursting from fury.
But he dared not resist, he could only force another strained smile, "Yes, right away."
At last, he dragged a reluctant Chu Jinglin back inside.
No one knew what kind of argument erupted within, but when the two finally emerged, both wore blank, dark faces.
In their hands were the Eight-Ginseng Wood and a large white egg, Chu Tianbai also held out several top-grade spirit stones.