As we were brought into the building, we noticed Xiang Peng was nowhere to be seen. Instead, in her place was a young man standing before us with crimson red hair and a haughty expression on his face, as if filled with disdain for us… or rather, more particularly, me. Towards the girls all he felt was lust — anyone could tell from the droll in his mouth and hearts in his eyes.

However, he soon shifted his gaze back to me and walked closer.

"So, you're the one who stole Big Sister Xiang Peng from me, huh?

"

"Hm? Stole?

" I smiled innocently.

"Whatever could you mean?

"

"Don't play dumb!

" he yelled, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth in anger.

"I don't know what kind of spell you placed on her, but you're clearly only using her for her body!

"

"Hm, saying that right after looking at my women with those lustful eyes?

" I laughed.

"What a hypocrite.

"

"Y-Your women?

" he was taken aback, cleverly avoiding my provocation.

"All of these beauties…

"

"What are you looking at, you bastard?

" Yu An Yan narrowed her eyes as she glared at the boy in disgust.

"S-Silence!

" he demanded, trying to appear cool.

"Did I give you permission to talk?

"

"Oh…?

" Yu An Yan's temper was boiling at this point as a powerful flame surrounded her, pushing back even the guards holding her back.

"Did I ask for your permission…?

"

"W-Wha…

"

"An Yan,

" I reprimanded, shooting her a look.

"…!

" she quickly averted her gaze in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry… I got heated.

"

The guards who she had forced away were afraid to go back to contain her after seeing what she could do, and the other guards guarding the rest of us all felt sweat trinkle down their faces.

I turned back to the boy, who had a bewildered expression on his face. Quickly fumbling out a gun of some sort, he backed away a few steps before aiming it right at my head after meeting my eyes.

"Oh…?

" I tilted my head curiously as the two guards holding me tightened their grip on my body.

"Go on… shoot.

"

"Wha…

" the boy's hands trembled as he heard my words, the revolver shaking violently in his hands.

"What's the matter? Can't bring yourself to pull the trigger?

" I laughed, continuing to taunt him. I was genuinely enjoying toying with this immature brat — if he really did shoot, I would have a valid excuse to hurt him back.

"S-Silence, insolent prisoner!

"

"Oh… nice cliche line,

" Obsidia murmured, observing this scene from one side. The two guards who were supposed to hold her had already been scared off, unable to do a thing.

"Come on… shoot already. All it takes is one gentle pull,

" I smirked fearlessly faced with gunpoint.

"I-I'll really do it, bastard!

"

"Will you now? Go ahead.

"

"Tch… AH!

"

He yelled and pulled the trigger, sending a bullet flying to my head.

And at that same moment, right before I was about to stop time and avoid it, a spear suddenly flew across my line of sight, hitting the traveling bullet perfectly and knocking it off-course as the spear pierced into one of the room's walls.

"How dare you… shoot at Master…

" Mei Gui, with a dark aura around her, raised her hand as her spear flew back into her hands, taking out a large chunk of the wall with it. The two guards who had been protecting her had been thrown off instantly — they didn't stand a chance with our new cultivation.

Similarly, the other girls all knocked out their guards cold, having received the signal. After all, this was 'self-defense'. They shot first. Even if the patriarch himself came, I would have a valid excuse to fight back.

Seeing as how I couldn't be left behind, I quickly threw off my own guards as well:

Level Two Fire Magic — Burning Body.

"AHHH!

" the guards screamed in agony as I used one of the spells I had learned back in the Yu Family library but never really got to use.

As I was enveloped in black flames, protected by the fire, the two guards who were originally touching my shoulders immediately disintegrated away to ashes, piling on the floor.

The boy who had shot the attack cowered in fear as Mei Gui slowly walked towards him, one dangerous step at a time.

His knees buckled and he collapsed onto the floor, dropping his gun in the process.

"W-Wait… no…

"

Mei Gui, naturally, did not listen. She didn't listen to anyone except for me… which was why, right before she could lop the boy's head straight off, I stopped her.

"Mei Gui.

" I grabbed her shoulder. As she turned around, I shook my head, signaling now was not the time.

"B-But Master… he tried to hurt you…

"

I smiled.

"Sure he did… and we acted purely out of self-defense. Isn't that right, Patriarch Xiang?

"

As the girls all looked around in confusion, I alone smirked while looking directly at the invisible figure of the patriarch.

A shroud of black energy suddenly appeared and dispersed in less than the blink of an eye, revealing the patriarch who had been observing from the shadows all this time.

"Boy… how did you find me?

"

"I have my ways. But before that… you were waiting for us to kill this boy here, correct? That way… you would have a valid excuse to kill us as well.

"

"W-Wha… Patriarch Xiang… you were here and you didn't step in to help?!

" the boy cried in shock, as if this was his first time realizing this news.

"My father won't forgive this!

"

Saying this, the boy quickly got to his feet and tried to flee from the scene, but the patriarch suddenly sent a spike of black energy towards him. The poor kid didn't even have time to respond before it pierced straight through his heart, ripping his chest apart and causing him to fall to the floor, dead.

I whistled.

"Quite the ruthless old geezer.

"

"It would spell trouble for me if he informed his father of this… incident,

" he replied, then turned to one of the still-alive guards.

"You, go tell the Xu Family that their Fifth Young Master died trying to enter my family's forbidden grounds.

"

The guard quickly nodded.

"U-Understood!

"

As he rushed away, the patriarch turned back to us and narrowed his eyes.

"Your strength… it is far greater than what I witnessed in the tournament.

"

"Oh? Your own daughter's power has significantly increased too, no?

" I raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed it has… which I am both impressed and suspicious about. Tell me, boy… what have you done to suddenly raise your power by so much in the span of a few days?

"

"And how do you know I wasn't just this strong all along? I could've merely been hiding my true strength during the tournament, you know,

" I said, avoiding his question by asking one of my own.

"Hmph. Even if that is so… that does not explain how my daughter also gained such an exponential leap in power compared to when she left for Shenzhen on her mission just a few months ago. Besides, your age is so young… perhaps 17, 18, at best? Those guards were all Advanced Mages. To shake them off so easily…

"

"So you noticed the power level increase, but not the age difference?

" I laughed.

"You're quite amusing, Patriarch Xiang.

"

"Hmph! No one has ever had the guts to call me that since I was 12, boy… of course I have noticed the age differences as well. But what is age compared to strength? It is clear which is more important — but that is not the point here. Tell me, boy… how did you accomplish this?

"

"I don't know, old geezer. You didn't exactly give me a warm welcome — why should I tell you?

"

"That cannot be blamed on me,

" he said shamelessly, looking me in the eyes.

"The Fifth Young Master of the Su Family — the boy just now — has had a crush on my Peng'Er ever since they were kids. After seeing how close you were to her, he couldn't help but be jealous — especially with all these other fine young ladies around you.

"

I snorted.

"Not a bad excuse, Patriarch, pinning the blame all on someone else. Unfortunately, there are many logical loopholes in your lie. For one, I am superior to that boy in every way — shouldn't you be happy someone better is willing to take your daughter?

"

I said these words as if they were simple facts, without an ounce of arrogance or pride in them.

"Hmph… and what of it?

" the patriarch furrowed his brows.

"You are in my land. What you do here is decided by me and me alone.

"

"Oh? Is that so?

"

I opened my palm, an ominous black flame burning in them as I placed my other hand on my belt where Ace was hidden.

"You are arrogant, brat… you may have defeated those guards, but I have thousands more… not to mention myself — a Holy Emperor.

"

Saying this, his eyes shone a bright golden as he activated his own mana and Battle Soul, immediately encasing the room in a brilliant orange hue.

The girls and I all prepared to fight as well, as I smirked.

"A Holy Emperor, huh? What if I told you… I've faced one before already, and survived? That was with my cultivation back then, mind you, before the tournament. Are you certain you can take on all of us?

"

"… Mere pests. I have ways of making you talk.

"

He raised his hands as a Phoenix suddenly appeared hovering above him.

"Face my fiery wrath, puny brats. The Phoenix Battle Soul — hotter than any fire, brighter than any light. This is your last chance — surrender and tell me all your secrets.

"

However, instead of being intimidated like he had expected, I laughed.

"A Phoenix Battle Soul? What the hell is that?

"

"Pfft…

" From inside my pocket, my little pet could not wait any longer either.

"Master, master! Let me out! I'll show that old geezer what a real Phoenix looks like…

"

"You may have a Phoenix Battle Soul, but…

"

I held Flaria up in my hand as an even hotter orange enveloped the room, signaling her transformation complete.

"… I have a real Phoenix.

"