As the furious shout rang out, a figure, swift as the wind, leaped high into the air from outside the courtyard and landed heavily in front of Hong Yu.
The newcomer was clad in a suit of silver armor from which a chilling light glinted. A masterfully written 'Hong' character was branded onto the chest. This was the Law Enforcement Divine Armor, a top-tier set from the Hong Family workshop. Only experts at the rank of Law Enforcement Team captain or above were qualified to wear it.
He was Hong Yun, one of the three hundred and sixty Law Enforcement Team captains of the Hong Family. His cultivation was at the Peak of the Eighth Layer of the Essence Realm!
In truth, Hong Yun had arrived much earlier. After realizing Hong Lin had brought men to get revenge on Hong Yu, he and his Law Enforcement Team members had simply been resting in the shade of a nearby tree. Hong Yun had also spotted Hong Yu upon his return, but as far as he was concerned, Hong Yu was no match for Hong Lin, so he hadn't bothered to intervene.
However, Hong Lin's crushing defeat meant Hong Yun could no longer sit idly by.
Seeing Hong Lin on the brink of death, he had no choice but to act!
BAM!
Hong Yun's cultivation was even higher than Hong Lin's. A terrifying force of nearly nine hundred jin erupted as he thrust out his arm, launching a palm strike that roiled with wind and thunder to meet Hong Yu's.
"Little Thunderbolt Palm!"
Hong Yu's gaze sharpened, and he let out a low roar as he executed his move.
As their Palm Forces collided, for a moment, they were evenly matched.
Hong Yun's heart sank. 'I can't believe Hong Yu has this much power!' With a surge of ruthlessness, he unleashed his strength again.
BOOM!
Hong Yun's power exploded, sending Hong Yu flying backward.
Staggering back three steps, Hong Yu steadied himself, his calm gaze fixed on Hong Yun.
Hong Yun remained expressionless, but inwardly he was reeling. 'How is this possible? My Wind and Thunder Burst just now was enough to severely injure an expert at the Eighth Layer of the Essence Realm, yet Hong Yu neutralized it just by taking a few steps back?'
At that moment, Hong Yun understood that he had likely underestimated Hong Yu.
His gaze shifted, and his tone softened slightly. "Hong Yu, to lay a vicious hand on Young Master Lin in broad daylight is a grave desecration of the clan rules. Now, this captain will give you one chance. Surrender without a fight and accompany me to the Law Enforcement Hall to accept your punishment!"
"Punish me?"
Hong Yu froze, a strange look on his face.
Hong Yun nodded indifferently.
Behind him, Hong Lin, having just escaped death, felt some color return to his pale face. His expression a mix of chilling gloom and venomous resentment, he roared, "Hong Yun, stop wasting words on this little bastard! I order you to take him down immediately. If he dares to resist, it doesn't matter if you kill or cripple him. If anyone comes looking for answers afterward, this Young Master will take the heat for you."
"This..."
Hong Yun was tempted.
He was merely from a side branch and had only reached the Eighth Layer of the Essence Realm after turning thirty. He had painstakingly clawed his way to the position of Law Enforcement Team captain. Without a miracle, this was likely as high as he would ever go.
But if he could build a connection with Hong Lin, it would be like stepping into the Seventh Elder's Faction's circle of power. Future promotions might not be out of the question.
At this thought, the cold indifference returned to his eyes as he looked at Hong Yu. "Hong Yu, surrender without a fight, or this captain will personally punish you. Make your choice!"
'Hong Lin brought his men here to wreak havoc, and the esteemed Law Enforcement Team did nothing to stop him. Hong Lin and his thugs injured my sister, and the Law Enforcement Team did nothing to stop them.'
'I was just getting revenge for my sister, and now his Law Enforcement Team jumps out to punish me?'
A wave of indignant fury washed over Hong Yu. A heroic spirit that seemed to billow to the heavens erupted from him as he bellowed, "Punish me? You're not qualified!"
His explosive shout, like a sudden clap of thunder, made Hong Yun's expression freeze. It was followed by a surge of rage. "Insolent Hong Yu! Are you provoking the Law Enforcement Team?!"
"Law Enforcement Team? Law Enforcement my ass..."
Hong Yun's condescending tone, as if he occupied the moral high ground of justice, had thoroughly provoked him.
'The whole point of the Law Enforcement Team was to prevent the strong from bullying the weak within the clan. Yet in all these years, I have never once been protected by them.'
'If the Law Enforcement Team was truly just and righteous, why did no one intervene when Hong Lin brazenly forced his way into my home?'
'If the Law Enforcement Team truly upheld the clan's rules, why did no one intervene when Hong Lin brought his men to trash my house and injure my sister?'
'If the Law Enforcement Team really represented the clan's justice as Hong Yun claimed, why did he immediately help Hong Lin deal with me the moment he appeared, without a single question about what had happened?'
'If the Law Enforcement Team was truly so just, why did he turn a blind eye when Hong Lin sneak-attacked me with a weapon?'
'Justice? Bullshit!'
'Fairness? What a joke!'
'This Law Enforcement Team is nothing but a pack of sycophantic wolves, the unscrupulous lapdogs of those in power!'
Hong Yu shot to his feet, his aura surging explosively. A powerful Elemental Power, roiling like a dragon, flooded his body. This was the first time he had revealed his true cultivation in front of the Hong Family!
RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
Fueled by his Elemental Power, a surging shockwave erupted around Hong Yu, roiling outward. His vitality blazed like a brilliant rainbow.
Hong Yun watched, almost stunned. 'What is with this dense vitality? Is this guy really just a disciple from a side branch?'
'The aura fluctuating from his body is only a fraction weaker than my own. And I'm at the Peak of the Eighth Layer of the Essence Realm! Doesn't that mean his true cultivation must be at the Late Stage of the Eighth Layer of the Essence Realm?'
'For a side branch disciple with no cultivation resources whatsoever to reach this level at such a young age... how could I not be shocked?'