A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)
Chapter 1690

From the perspective of Gaius and the others, the appearance of Chu Yuan had undoubtedly thrown a wrench into their plans, and given the circumstances, it would not be wise to persist. Ensuring their own safe withdrawal from Mount Chumen had thus become the Dragon Slayers' fighters' most pressing priority.

"That's right, Dragon Master."

"It might be prudent to conserve your strength and live to fight another day."

"The four of us have a proposal to make."

"Let us stall this Chu Yuan so that you may make a hasty retreat from Mount Chumen.

"We'll figure out a way to get out ourselves after you leave."

Owen and Su Muqiu, amongst others variously advised.

Obviously, their caution stemmed from the traumatic memories of being routed by Chu Yuan in that year's

World's Martial Arts Tournament.

Now that Chu Yuan had made his return, and this time, from within the forbidden grounds of the Chu residence, it was possible that he might have become considerably more formidable than he had been previously.

As no one had any idea how powerful Chu Yuan could be right now, the very notion of it left many fearful to speculate.

However, Ye Fan was dismissive of the recommendations of Gaius and the others.

"Leave? I cannot do that, for there's no one else left behind me."

His bland joke evoked a feeling of sadness and desolation in Gaius and the others when they heard it.

That's right. It is as Ye Fan said. Is there any way out for him? Even if he were to pull out from Mount Chumen, would the Chu family let him off? Is he to continue the rest of his life on the run?

"But Dragon Master, Chu Yuan..." Although they have also realized his predicament, they did not wish to bear witness to the greatest tragedy that was to unfold.

"There are no buts. Before I came here, I had already prepared for the worst. At most, I shall perish here! But before that, I, Ye Fan, shall also have a few of Chu Yuan's teeth knocked out! Besides, that's the worstcase scenario. Without really going at it, it remains undetermined who might come out on top!"

Ye Fan appeared earnest as his lips curled into a sneer.

In his eyes, however, was an unfathomable and indomitable resolve.

"You few may descend now that you've already accomplished what you've come to do. Leave, and take Han along with you. Should I be able to return safely, I shall reconvene with the Dragon Slayers and all shall know of my name! Otherwise, let the Dragon Slayers disband, and go on to seek your own fortunes elsewhere."

Ye Fan waved his hand before he turned around. With the corner of his lips uplifted, he strode forth on his own and seemed to grow in stature with every step.

Unto the end, the sneering youth before them stood

tall.

"Let us fight, Chu Yuan! We shall settle the score for the humiliation that you've wrought upon my mother and me all these years, right here, right now!"

His inflection reverberated around the space like rolling thunder, causing the skies to tremble and the boundless clouds to scatter.

Ye Fan's roaring voice rumbled on, enveloping both heaven and earth.

"Let me go up against him!"

"This kid from China is truly arrogant..."

"How dare he continue to be provocative and haughty in the presence of Patriarch Chu himself?"

Those present expressed dismay at Ye Fan's insolence and stared at that poised and strapping youth with eyes gawking.

Even Chu Yuan himself furrowed.

"It's been so many years since. Apart from your father Chu Zhenghong, you might be the only one who dared to challenge me like this. To put it nicely, your courage is commendable. Otherwise, I'd say that you're courting death," came Chu Yuan's stark reply.

There were no fluctuations in his tone as he spoke, and even the way he regarded Ye Fan was as calm as he ever was.

Perhaps from Chu Yuan's perspective, he had yet to see Ye Fan as enough of an opponent to be taken seriously.

With that, Chu Yuan's feet finally broke into motion.

Unhurriedly, he advanced toward Ye Fan with the passivity of the breeze.

"If you've stayed quietly in China with your tail tucked between your legs, the Chu family wouldn't necessarily attempt to make life difficult for you. But alas, you don't know what's good for you. Seeking revenge on us after so many years? Today, I would not spare you even if Zhenghong got down on his knees and begged."

Whoosh!

The winds started to surge and thrash wildly, and energy gathered before Chu Yuan.

"Neither will I depart without wiping out you Chus first," replied a sneering Ye Fan.

The atmosphere was stirred by the explosiveness of his words before a flurry of attacks rushed in Chu Yuan's direction.

Like a ravaging storm, the assault seemed to cast a shroud almost simultaneously over all of Mount Chumen.

Everywhere in sight, Ye Fan imposed his will with his elemental force, and seemingly had the entirety of the Chu residence set ablaze.

Chu Zhengliang and the others with him were panicky to the extreme because they were too close to where Chu Yuan was for comfort.

If Ye Fan's attacks were to crash upon them, it was much less a question for Chu Yuan but themselves because they themselves would surely be unable to withstand it.

While Chu Zhengliang and the other members of the Chu family dreaded the ominous fate that might befall them, another unexpected twist came into play.

All everyone saw was the wizened elder raising an outstretched palm to the fore before he pulled it back slightly.

The tempestuous elemental force that ravaged frightfully like a tsunami before suddenly tapered down to a whisper, akin to the way the Monkey King's rampaging of the heavens was suppressed by the Buddha's palm.

Silence! All there was was dead silence!

From the moment Chu Yuan made his move, the entire world seemed to have settled into serenity.

Those who were present stood rooted to the spot and they regarded that seemingly modest-looking old man before them as though he was a ghost.

How powerful does this one individual need to be in order to be able to stop a storm in its tracks with a single hand?

Ye Fan was an unquestionable force of nature, but before Chu Yuan, what he could muster seemed like child's play.

While one side was going all out, all the other offered up was a rather insouciant response.

The briefness of that exchange led others to realize that before Chu Yuan, the immense threat posed by Ye Fan became muted.

"I-Incredible!"

"This Chu Yuan might very well be closing in on the god realm!"

Aaron and Sword Saint were completely stunned and all Topsy-Turfy inside.

That level of dominance felt unprecedented and was naturally inexplicable in the view of these martial arts leaders.

As strikingly unshowy and unassuming as it was, they found a certain aestheticism and artistry in Chu Yuan's airy palm technique.

"The way of simplicity harkens a return to the authentic! The way of simplicity harkens a return to the authentic indeed," Mochizuki Kawa blurted agitatedly.

It had been a long-standing tradition for many in the martial arts world to obsess over powerful and elaborate martial forms.

Now, it would appear that the endgame of the martial way did not involve much in the way of technique as Chu Yuan had demonstrated. Every move was packed with an overwhelming potency in itself. After he had neutralized Ye Fan's torrential attack, Chu Yuan followed up quickly with a weighted push of his own palm.

An unbridled force promptly manifested into the form of a trailing silhouette of a hand in mid-air and struck itself unerring upon Ye Fan's body with pace.

Ye Fan tried to will upon his Dragon God Body, amongst other means, to withstand the attack, but to no avail.

That blow had an effect akin to what the autumn breeze had upon the leaves in fall as it swept Ye Fan into the air and slammed him heavily back onto the ground.

As soon as his two palms connected, Chu Yuan followed through with a finger gestured toward Ye Fan's chest.

Crackle, crackle.

The Dragon God Body let out a resounding series of bone cracking and sinew splintering sounds, and from it, poured an eye-popping burst of crimson. "Dragon Master!"

"Ye Fan-"

All those who witnessed that scene, including Angie, outright burst into tears against their own will.

Others like Gaius even thought about going up to launch a rescue effort, but they did not manage to get in more than a couple of steps before being sent hurtling back a thousand meters by that spontaneous burst of Qi.