Dawn had barely broken when Wu Chen awoke.
He had sensed it even before opening his eyes—something was wrong.
Li Wei, still half-asleep, rubbed his eyes. "Teacher?"
Wu Chen walked toward the window and pushed it open. The streets below were eerily silent.
Too silent.
His eyes gleamed.
---
In the halls of the Moonlight Auction House, Elder Zheng watched the scene below with amusement.
Wu Chen had drawn too much attention.
"Now, let's see if he can escape."
Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Blade Sect's hideout, Lin Yufeng tightened his grip on his sword.
"We've cut off all his exits. There's nowhere left for him to run."
Elder Huang nodded. "This time, he won't walk away."
Wu Chen and Li Wei stepped out of the inn.
The moment their feet hit the ground—
Shing!
A dozen figures leaped from rooftops, weapons flashing.
"Hand over the scroll!"
Wu Chen's expression remained calm.
"You all keep asking for same thing ."
The nearest assassin lunged.
Wu Chen didn't move.
Instead—
BAM!
A casual backhand slap sent the man flying across the street, crashing into a wooden stall.
The other attackers froze.
But fear was quickly replaced by greed.
Another mercenary charged forward—
CRACK!
Wu Chen sidestepped and casually tapped the man's shoulder.
A moment later, the mercenary's body crashed into the ground, unmoving.
The remaining fighters hesitated.
One of them stammered, "T-this guy… he's something."
But before they could flee—
A new group arrived.
This time, they weren't mere mercenaries.
They were sect disciples.
Leading them was a tall young man dressed in white robes, the insignia of the Heavenly Blade Sect embroidered on his chest.
His expression carried arrogance, but beneath it was an unmistakable trace of hesitation.
Lin Yufeng.
Wu Chen's gaze flickered.
The very same young master of the Lin Clan whom Wu Chen had crushed in the gambling den.
Wu Chen smirked slightly. "Oh? If it isn't Young Master Lin. What do you want this time?"
Lin Yufeng's jaw tightened.
He had not forgotten the humiliation at the gambling den.
The crushing defeat. The sheer helplessness.
Most importantly, he had seen Wu Chen's true strength.
And he wasn't stupid enough to attack someone he had no chance of defeating.
But he couldn't back down either.
Not when the Lin Clan elders had pressured him into retrieving the mysterious scroll that Wu Chen had obtained.
He forced a smirk.
"Wu Chen, I don't have time for games. Just hand over the scroll."
Wu Chen raised an eyebrow. "And why would I do that?"
Lin Yufeng folded his arms. "Because you don't know what kind of trouble you're inviting upon yourself. That scroll isn't something a nobody like you can hold."
Wu Chen chuckled. "Oh? And you think you can take it from me?"
Lin Yufeng stiffened.
He wanted to bluff, to act as if he had some overwhelming backing…
But standing before Wu Chen, his body refused to move.
The memory of that single casual attack at the gambling den flashed in his mind.
Lin Yufeng wasn't an idiot.
Wu Chen was a monster in human skin.
And he had no intention of challenging him directly.
Instead, he scoffed, hiding his nervousness behind arrogance. "I wouldn't waste my time fighting you. But I'm warning you—many powerful figures have their eyes on that scroll. The Lin Clan included."
Wu Chen laughed softly. "So, in other words… you're too weak to take it yourself."
Lin Yufeng's face darkened.
But before he could retort—
A cold, authoritative voice cut through the air.
"Enough."
"Wu Chen. That scroll does not belong to you."
A pressure spread through the street as a new figure stepped forward.
The crowd instinctively parted, making way for a regal-looking old man in flowing gray robes.
A thin old man with gray hair and piercing eyes.
The Lin Clan's Great Elder—Huang Tian.
Lin Yufeng's face lit up.
He immediately bowed. "Elder Huang."
Wu Chen stopped walking.
Elder Huang smiled. "You've caused quite the disturbance, young man."
Wu Chen met his gaze. "And?"
Elder Huang's smile deepened. "And now, it's time for you to hand over the scroll."
The air grew tense.
Even the spectators felt it.
This was no longer a mere skirmish.
This was a true battle.
The street was silent.
Spectators held their breath as Elder Huang stepped forward.
Li Wei gulped. He could feel the difference.
This old man is Strong.
Wu Chen, however, remained calm.
Elder Huang smiled. "You're quite bold, young man. But boldness alone won't save you."
Li Wei tensed beside Wu Chen. "Teacher… this guy feels strong."
Wu Chen remained unfazed, watching as Elder Huang strode forward, his gaze locking onto the scroll hidden within Wu Chen's robes.
The elder's eyes narrowed slightly.
He had been watching from the shadows.
And though Lin Yufeng feared Wu Chen, Elder Huang did not.
Or rather—he refused to show it.
"Hand over the scroll, boy. It is not something you should possess."
Wu Chen smiled. "Oh? And why is that?"
Elder Huang's expression remained unreadable. "Because you do not understand what you hold. That scroll belongs to the Lin Clan."
Wu Chen raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. I don't recall stealing it from the Lin Clan."
Elder Huang's fingers tightened behind his back.
This boy wasn't intimidated at all.
Lin Yufeng had called him a monster—perhaps he wasn't wrong.
The elder sighed. "Listen, child. You may be talented, but there are forces in this world that even you cannot afford to offend."
Wu Chen chuckled. "Is that so? And let me guess—your Lin Clan is one of them?"
Lin Yufeng gritted his teeth.
Elder Huang's patience thinned.
He took one step forward.
The air grew heavy.
Li Wei felt his chest tighten, as if a mountain was pressing down on him.
powerful force erupted, crushing down on Wu Chen like a mountain.
The air twisted, and cracks spread beneath Wu Chen's feet.
Li Wei stumbled back, his face pale. "Teacher!"
This was the pressure of an expert at MORTAL 4.