Chen Xiaobei stood up with difficulty, picked up Chu Hongyu, and temporarily placed her in the bedroom. He still hadn't decided where to put her; following him was not safe.

While pondering, a burnt smell suddenly wafted out from the kitchen.

He saw the pot had already burned dry, inside it was a mass of blackened, scorched substance.

"Geez! Even though you're very beautiful, I didn't expect you can't even cook."

Images of Chu Hongyu clumsily cooking in the kitchen before Xu Quanrong barged in surfaced in his mind.

He scooped out the congee, took a bite with a spoon; the burnt taste was pungent, but Chen Xiaobei remained expressionless, eating it one bite at a time until it was gone.

Then he put down the bowl and spoon with a snap.

"Unexpectedly, it's quite delicious..."

He placed the pot and bowl back where they were, calmly said.

Then he made a phone call to Jiang Hongchun, who spoke indifferently: "What's up, Xiaobei?"

"Auntie, I have a favor to ask you," Chen Xiaobei said, "I have a patient here, hope to send her to stay with you."

"It's a woman, isn't it?"

Jiang Hongchun chuckled lightly.

"Yes, a silly woman," Chen Xiaobei said helplessly.

"Silly women are good because they always seem lucky enough to meet someone like you, Xiaobei."

Jiang Hongchun praised Chen Xiaobei unwarrantedly.

Chen Xiaobei blushed from the compliment: "Auntie, you'd better not say more, but you're right, having an aunt is great!"

"Always bantering with your aunt!"

Jiang Hongchun smiled warmly, said, "Alright, no more nonsense with you, find some time to send her over, my place is almost like your harem's rehabilitation center!"

Chen Xiaobei blushed, but as it's his aunt, even when she grumbles, Chen Xiaobei feels confident.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Xiaobei called Zhao Caixia over, then had her take Chu Hongyu to his aunt's place.

Meanwhile, Chen Xiaobei hung Xu Quanrong's mangled corpse on the streetlight outside the villa.

He returned to the bathroom for a medicinal bath.

In the bathtub, medicinal mist rose, Chen Xiaobei slowly exhaled, the mist turned into a dragon entering through his nose and mouth.

His energy quickly recovered, a rumbling sounded inside, like the roar of a demon god or faint thunder.

His silhouette was shrouded in medicinal mist, like a true dragon lurking in the clouds.

Time passed slowly, the sky gradually darkened, his face half-lit in shadows.

At the same time.

Longyang Western.

In front of a mansion with classical architecture, soldiers lined up, the guards were strict.

Zheng Haiyang hurriedly walked through the courtyard where soldiers stood guard on both sides; he had a video on his phone that startled him.

At the end was a ancient palace, not the typical mansion a wealthy person lives in, but full of imposing historical atmosphere, like the residence of an ancient emperor.

He pushed the door open carefully and said, "Young Master..."

The decor inside was all ancient styled, in the center was a Buddha, embracing a beauty in an act, yet dignified in appearance.

There were no electric lights, but candles were used; the flickering candlelight made the atmosphere eerie.

On the cushion before the Buddha statue sat a young man with sword-like brows and starry eyes, meditating. His features were sharp as a blade, with an aura as if ready to strike.

Beside him, however, was a naked beauty covered in hideous scars, eyes wide open, dead but unyielding!

Zhou Haoran's face was calm and solemn, eyes half-closed, softly said:

"The collapse of Mount Tai does not change expression; the sudden rise of deer does not flicker the eye. Zheng Haiyang, the panicked cannot enter the battlefield."

Zheng Haiyang took a deep breath, gradually calming himself, gazing respectfully at the young man before him.

Although he was much older than Zhou Haoran, he was utterly convinced by the Young Master's strength, not just from his lineage, but from genuine battle merits!

Joining the army at eighteen, leading thirty thousand Zhou Family's Martial Soldiers at nineteen, a four-star War General by twenty-six.

This strength made him feel inadequate; he was a rising star among the younger generation of Longyang Province!

"Young Master, I brought back the Young Madam, but there was an accident. That Chen Xiaobei blocked the way, I hired a hundred assassins near Qingyang to intercept him, and the result..."

He said cautiously.

"He escaped? No matter, after all, he's one who defeated Zhao Qingshan."

Zhou Haoran said softly.

"Not just escaped, he, he killed all those hundred assassins..." Zheng Haiyang said cautiously.

Zhou Haoran slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashed like a drawn sword: "Killed them all?"

"I didn't anticipate this, but yes... he single-handedly slaughtered a hundred assassins!"

Saying this, he took out his phone, playing a video for Zhou Haoran.

It seemed to be a surveillance perspective from the road, somewhat chaotic, but visible, Chen Xiaobei surrounded, moving like a war god.

The hundred assassins were no match, Chen Xiaobei fought bloodily, full of murderous aura, his methods extremely brutal.

After the video ended, Zheng Haiyang cautiously said, "This Chen Xiaobei seems stronger than I estimated..."

Originally thought by both him and Zhou Haoran, even with a hundred assassins attacking, Chen Xiaobei could still likely escape.

Unexpectedly, Chen Xiaobei was ruthless to this extent, counterkilling a hundred assassins alone!

This was too horrifying; hence he hurriedly reported to Zhou Haoran...

"Subordinate believes this person could be ranked fifty in the Longyang Genius List!"

As the name implies, the Longyang Genius List represents the rankings of young geniuses under thirty in Longyang; fifty seems low, but Qingyang is merely a Lower City, and Chen Xiaobei is not yet a Grandmaster.

To Zheng Haiyang, for a hundred years, only Chen Xiaobei from Qingyang qualified to make the list.

As for Zhou Haoran, since stepping into the Mysterious Sect, he's dominated the top three positions on the Genius List for years!

But Zhou Haoran, watching the video of Chen Xiaobei, slowly shook his head: "You've underestimated."

Zheng Haiyang sighed: "Indeed, it's my fault for underestimating him; I'll dispatch more people to kill him immediately..."

"I meant, even now, you still underestimate him, he's more terrifying than you imagine."

"In my view, he qualifies to compete for the top twenty on the Genius List!"

Zheng Haiyang's jaw dropped, stunned; if it weren't coming from Zhou Haoran, he'd think it's boasting.

Having already tried to overestimate Chen Xiaobei after killing a hundred assassins, but the top twenty on the Genius List?

That requires at least a Fifth Rank Grandmaster to be eligible.

And a powerhouse among Fifth Rank Grandmasters! They possess abilities to fight beyond the ranks!

Chen Xiaobei being rated so highly by Zhou Haoran?!

"Have you forgotten his mentor?"

With that single sentence, Zheng Haiyang froze, breaking into a cold sweat.

He thoroughly investigated Chen Xiaobei's life but couldn't find any information about his mentor.

However, reaching this point without a notable mentor is impossible!

"I'll investigate further!" Zheng Haiyang immediately said.

"No need." Zhou Haoran said softly, "It seems he obtained some opportunity, but it's nothing; no opportunity compares to my birth in the Zhou Family. If his mentor dares appear, we'll extinguish them together."

"Yes!"

Zheng Haiyang was invigorated; the Zhou Family had a rich heritage spanning centuries, though in the Lower Three Continents, even the four major families must respect the Zhou Family!

Even if Chen Xiaobei's mentor is from the Earthly Sect, in the eyes of the Zhou Family with their armed forces, they're just idle hermits! Not worthy enough to concern the Zhou Family!