"Damn it! That old bastard!"
As soon as Zhou Qianyuan left, Chu Yuan grabbed a chair nearby and smashed it to the ground.
After so many years in Beichuan, this was the first time he had ever been threatened like this!
"Patriarch, please calm down. That Master Zhou is indeed someone we cannot afford to offend."
Just as Chu Yuan was filled with anger, Old Huang immediately walked over and comforted Chu Yuan.
"Old Huang, what exactly are these 'cultivators' you people talk about?"
"Now that we've been pushed this far, you should give me an explanation, shouldn't you?"
Chu Yuan, suppressing the anger in his heart, turned to Old Huang beside him.
Old Huang, he didn't know his real name.
More than twenty years ago, when he was just a street punk, he accidentally saved Old Huang's life.
Since then, Old Huang had followed him, helping him conquer the world.
After more than twenty years of hard work, the Chu family finally reached its current status.
Old Huang's martial arts skills were extraordinary. There were almost no one in Beichuan who could be his match.
But every time he asked Old Huang what martial arts he practiced, Old Huang would always refuse to talk about it.
"Alas, Patriarch, actually, that Master Zhou is a cultivator."
"Just like those cultivators described in novels, who can fly through the sky and dive into the earth!"
Old Huang sighed deeply, finally deciding to tell Chu Yuan the truth.
He was just a cultivator in the Body Refining stage, the lowest tier in the cultivation world.
He didn't know Zhou Qianyuan's exact cultivation level, but he could guess that the other party was at least in the Foundation Establishment stage!
Such a powerful figure, if they truly wanted to deal with the Chu family, might be able to do so with just a puff of air.
"What? A cultivator?"
"As a dignified cultivator, why would he have designs on my daughter?"
"And from his words, he wants to take our Chu family under his wing?"
"From what I know, Master Zhou Qianyuan's consultation fee alone is tens of millions. He shouldn't be short of money, should he?"
At this moment, Chu Yuan was completely baffled and asked Old Huang again.
He had heard rumors about cultivators before, but had never been sure.
"Patriarch, Master Zhou doesn't want money. He wants our Chu family's intelligence network in the underworld!"
"For so many years, you've entrusted the Chu family's intelligence network entirely to me, and now I've spread Chu family informants throughout Beichuan."
Old Huang said with a helpless expression.
"So that's how it is."
With this explanation, Chu Yuan finally understood completely.
"But Lian'er is only nineteen this year. Do you really want her to marry a seventy or eighty-year-old man?"
Chu Yuan frowned deeply, his expression filled with worry.
"Patriarch, that Zhou Qianyuan is deliberately testing the Chu family's abilities. However, I've discovered that Mr. Lin's strength is definitely no less than Zhou Qianyuan's."
"If we can get his protection, Zhou Qianyuan will definitely not dare to move against us easily!"
Old Huang looked at Chu Yuan and assured him.
He had observed him at the shopping mall before, and Lin Chen was definitely a cultivator!
Moreover, the two stunning women beside him also possessed profound cultivation.
Such peerless beauties being willing to follow Lin Chen willingly already indicated his extraordinary nature!
Given Zhou Qianyuan's personality, if he really had a way to deal with Lin Chen, why would he resort to underhanded tactics from the shadows?
"But you also saw that that bastard Chu He has thoroughly offended Mr. Lin!"
Chu Yuan sighed, wishing he could drag Chu He back and beat him up again.
He was useless, only causing trouble!
"Alternatively, Patriarch, Miss herself has a spiritual root. The Southwestern Grand Competition is coming up soon. If Miss can apprentice herself to a master, with their protection, I'm afraid Zhou Qianyuan won't dare to act rashly."
"As for Miss's illness, there are countless masters in the cultivation world, and perhaps there's a way."
Seeing that the path with Lin Chen was blocked, Old Huang immediately thought of another solution.
There were many masters in the Southwestern Grand Competition. If Chu Lian were to be favored by one of them, wouldn't all problems be solved?
...
Three days later, in the mountainous regions to the southeast of Beichuan.
Sun Zhiqian led the way, bringing Lin Chen, Long Yuling, and others into a cave.
"Mr. Lin, this cave is actually a passage."
"Behind this passage is a special dimension opened up by an ancient powerful being using formations."
Sun Zhiqian explained to Lin Chen as they walked.
"Hmm."
Lin Chen nodded slightly upon hearing Sun Zhiqian's explanation.
A special dimension was equivalent to the space within the Nine Dragon Ring.
However, the flow of time within his Nine Dragon Ring could be altered at will, but he guessed that this special dimension created by formations would not have the function of changing the flow of time.
When Lin Chen and the others entered the special dimension, they were utterly shocked by what they saw.
They were currently on a sheer cliff, and about fifty meters in front of the cliff stood a high platform.
The platform floated in mid-air, appearing extremely magnificent.
Around the platform were several other places similar to the mountain peaks they occupied.
"This terrain is called 'The Moon Embraced by Stars'."
"The competition venue for the Southwestern Grand Competition is at the bottom of this valley."
"At that time, chains will be lowered from the high platform, and cultivators at the bottom of the valley can climb up by any means necessary. The first cultivator to reach the high platform will be the winner!"
Sun Zhiqian pointed to the platform in front of them, his expression filled with pride.
This special dimension was established by their Five Sects and Four Families in ancient times, and it naturally included the contributions of the Sun family.
"Tsk tsk tsk, what a grand undertaking!"
Looking at the magnificent scene before him, Lin Chen sincerely exclaimed.
He had thought the sect gate of the Ghost God Sect was grand enough when he saw it before.
But he didn't expect that there was always someone better, and this was the true paradise!
"Let's go, we'll register first."
Then, Sun Zhiqian led Lin Chen and the others to the registration area and registered the forces they represented.
"Hahaha, Little Friend Lin, we meet again!"
As soon as they finished registering, Lin Chen turned around, and Long Wumu and another cultivator approached them.
"Little Friend Lin, allow me to introduce you. This is the Enforcement Elder of our Long family, Long Gong!"
"He is also here with us to fight for the Long family."
Long Wumu said with a smile, introducing them to Lin Chen.
"Hehehe, Little Friend Lin is young and promising. To have become a Core Formation cultivator at such a young age is truly remarkable."
However, to Lin Chen's surprise, just as he was about to greet Long Gong, the other party spoke first.
But the tone of his voice seemed to carry a strange hostility.