NOVPUBLiu Ruyue stepped forward, her eyes calmly analyzing the situation before her. Her gaze eventually landed on Chen Tian—only for a fleeting moment—before shifting to the Zhu family.
When her eyes met Zhu Lingfeng's arrogant posture, an unmistakable flicker of disgust surfaced in her expression.
Zhu Lingfeng noticed it immediately, and his face darkened.
"You bitch from the Liu family dare to look at my beloved like that?" Han Li, who still clung to Zhu Lingfeng's arm possessively, sneered. Her voice was sharp and dripping with venom.
She locked her gaze onto Liu Ruyue, a thin smile forming on her lips, cruel and mocking.
The conflict between the two sides was clear as day, palpable enough to make the air feel heavy.
Liu Ruyue raised a brow, her face cool and expressionless. She had no interest in stooping to Han Li's level. Verbal squabbles were beneath her.
She saw right through Han Li's attempt to provoke her and refused to be baited. Her voice was calm, indifferent.
"I have no interest in your beloved. Keep him chained to your side if you must, but don't expect me to care about such petty drama."
A dry chuckle echoed behind her.
"Who would've thought the Zhu family and the Han family would form a marriage alliance?" Liu Zhenhai remarked, his voice laced with sarcasm as his eyes flicked between Han Li and Zhu Lingfeng.
Only a fool would miss the intimacy between the two. While his initial reaction was surprise, what followed was a growing unease—especially considering the long-standing feud between the Liu and Zhu families.
If those two clans truly united, it would not bode well for the Liu family.
"Truly seems like a match made in hell," Liu Ruyue added, unable to mask the revulsion in her voice.
"What did you say, you sl*t?!"
Han Li exploded, her face flushing crimson with rage. She made to lunge at Liu Ruyue, but Zhu Lingfeng stopped her with a firm grip, his expression turning stern.
"It really is a surprise to find you with Han Li so quickly."
With a sly smile on his lips, Liu Zhenhai said, "Don't tell me that since my sister turned you down, you're now looking for a second-hand option."
Han Li's eyes narrowed in anger, but Zhu Lingfeng's grip tightened, preventing her from retaliating physically.
"Enough," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension in the room. "We are all here for a reason; let's not forget that."
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the chamber. Another group emerged from the shadowed corridor, their steps calm, disciplined, and perfectly in sync.
All eyes turned toward the approaching figures—ten in total.
The Yu family had arrived.
Their leader stepped ahead of the group, a tall, poised youth with deep-set eyes and a sword strapped across his back. His name was Yu Xuan—a name known well among the city's younger generation.
Yu Xuan swept his gaze across the room, noting the tension in the air before offering a polite nod.
"Seems we've arrived in the middle of something... entertaining."
Zhu Lingfeng scoffed.
"Just a bit of harmless banter, Yu Xuan. Nothing that concerns you."
Still visibly irritated, Han Li rolled her eyes.
"If that Liu bitch hadn't opened her mouth, there wouldn't be anything to banter about."
Liu Ruyue didn't even blink. Arms crossed, her expression remained composed.
"Still trying to claw your way into relevance, Han Li? Your desperation's starting to get a little pathetic."
Han Li's lip curled into a half-snarl, but Zhu Lingfeng raised a hand to silence her once more. "Let them bark," he said coldly.
Liu Zhenhai's face darkened but didn't become enraged. "Careful what you say, Zhu Lingfeng. You might find yourself biting off more than you can chew."
Yu Xuan exhaled quietly through his nose.
This wasn't new to him. He'd long grown used to the volatile clashes between the families.
The Zhu and Han clans were close—and both shared a mutual disdain for the Liu family. As for the Ming family, their real enmity lay with the Zhu family.
His Yu family remained neutral, always trying to maintain a delicate balance.
But amidst the escalating argument, no one noticed the silent figure lurking within the Zhu family group.
The demon—Moyin.
Unlike the others, Moyin wasn't focused on the family drama. His attention was locked onto two women standing quietly at the back.
Aria and Emilia.
Both women shivered slightly as they felt the weight of his gaze. It wasn't laced with lust but something far more sinister—cold, calculating, and filled with unrestrained hunger.
Moyin's stare felt as if it could strip flesh from bone. It was the look of a predator sizing up his next meal.
Then—without a word—Chen Tian stepped forward, placing himself in front of the two women.
A gust of wind swept through the space, subtle but chilling. It was enough to take everyone's attention away from the feud.
Chen Tian's eyes narrowed, brimming with killing intent as he locked eyes with Moyin. He already knew what the demon was planning.
Thanks to his Chaos Dantian, no one could sense his cultivation. His presence was like an abyss—untraceable, unreadable. To others, he seemed like nothing special.
But for Emilia and Aria, it was different. Both were cultivators—firmly in the Qi Refinement Realm. Their spiritual energy was something no martial artist on Earth could perceive, but Moyin, being a demon, recognized it instantly.
The moment he sensed their Qi, his expression shifted from confusion… to desire.
'How many years has it been since I last saw a cultivator…? Not one—but two! Both in the Qi Refinement Realm!'
'Hahaha… my lucky day!'
His heartbeat quickened with excitement. Greed boiled beneath his skin as his mind raced with plans to capture them.
Demonic beings like Moyin could grow stronger by absorbing spiritual Qi from cultivators. On Earth, where spiritual energy was practically nonexistent, these two women were treasures—rare and vulnerable.
Easy prey.
Moyin licked his lips, hunger burning in his eyes.
But when Chen Tian suddenly stepped in front of the two, the greed in Moyin's expression turned into stunned disbelief.
That killing intent…
It hit him like a wall of blades.
It wasn't normal. It wasn't something a martial artist should have.
It was something ancient.
Savage.
And deadly.
The sheer pressure of it made Moyin feel like his bones might splinter from standing too close.
For the first time since appearing here, Moyin's heart skipped a beat.
