Chapter 122: Chapter 99: Innate Might
"Are you looking for death?!"
That earth-shattering roar, like a thunderclap out of a clear sky, instantly plunged the main hall of the county office into dead silence.
The expressions of the three men in the hall changed abruptly, each reacting differently.
County Magistrate Lin Shou’s heart clenched, and a cold sweat nearly soaked through his inner robes in an instant.
He had thought Chen Sheng was still unaware of the visitor’s status as an Innate, and he feared they would come to blows over the slightest disagreement. A clash between Innate Powerhouses, even just the aftershocks, was far more than he could withstand. He would undoubtedly be caught in the crossfire.
A glint flashed in County Captain Wu Kuang’s eyes. The hand holding his teacup paused for a moment before the corners of his mouth curled into an irrepressible, knowing smile. He slowly set the cup back on the table.
Meanwhile, after a brief moment of stunned disbelief, boundless rage instantly overwhelmed the reason of the Xu Family’s Patriarch, Xu Yuanhai.
’As an Innate Expert and the master of his family, when had he ever suffered such a flagrant humiliation?’
’To be told I’m ’looking for death’ to my face by a mere eighth-rank minor official... It’s the most absurd thing under the heavens!’
"Inso—"
Xu Yuanhai’s face flushed crimson. A thundering "Insolent!", infused with True Qi, was about to erupt from his lips, ready to teach this ignorant brat who couldn’t tell the heavens from the earth a lesson.
However, the instant the syllable left his lips, Xu Yuanhai’s voice was cut short, as if an invisible hand had seized his throat and choked the word back down.
A powerful, refined, and uniquely sharp aura instantly washed over him like a tidal wave, locking him firmly in place.
’This aura is...’
’Innate?!’
Xu Yuanhai’s pupils contracted violently. The towering rage in his chest was doused as if by ice water, instantly extinguished.
He snapped his head up, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the hall in utter disbelief. At the same time, Wu Kuang and Lin Shou also seemed to sense it, turning to look with varied expressions.
A figure as tall and straight as a pine tree stepped into the hall, silhouetted against the sunlight pouring in from outside, his strides steady and powerful.
The backlighting outlined his slender form, illuminating a young yet exceptionally cold face. His brow held a knife-like sharpness, exuding an aura of unquestionable dominance and majesty.
Chen Sheng’s gaze was electric, and the Innate aura around him billowed out without reservation, flooding the entire hall like an invisible tide.
His indifferent gaze swept over Xu Yuanhai—whose face was now deathly pale, his eyes filled with shock and suspicion—before he began to walk slowly toward the seat of honor at the head of the hall, as if no one else were present.
Seeing Chen Sheng approach, Lin Shou stood up almost instinctively, yielding his position.
Chen Sheng didn’t bother with pleasantries, calmly taking the seat. He then fixed his gaze on Xu Yuanhai again, his look condescending and disdainful as he spoke:
"You are Xu Yuanhai? Since you are in my presence, why do you not salute me?"
’Salute?!’
Xu Yuanhai’s chest heaved violently, his expression turning impossibly grim.
’Previously, even when facing County Magistrate Lin Shou and County Captain Wu Kuang, he had treated them as peers. When had he ever imagined he would have to salute a mere eighth-rank military official?’
But now, all his planned posturing and intentions to lash out were utterly shattered by that single word: Innate.
’He could never have imagined that the commander of the Military Preparation Camp in Changshan County was such a young Innate Powerhouse. No wonder he dared to show the Xu Family no deference and detain Xu Shenzhi.’
A Foundation Establishment Martial Master and an Innate Powerhouse might seem to be separated by only a single realm, but in truth, the difference was as vast as that between the clouds and the mud.
Facing an expert of the same realm, he could no longer employ the condescending, oppressive tactics he had initially planned.
This held true even if he was confident his own strength was superior.
Because as he looked into Chen Sheng’s wild, ice-cold eyes, which glinted with a hidden edge, Xu Yuanhai had no doubt that if he chose to be confrontational, the other man would strike without the slightest hesitation.
At that point, not only would he fail to rescue his son, but the entire affair would be impossible to resolve peacefully.
At this thought, Xu Yuanhai took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the humiliation in his heart and the roiling of his qi and blood. After a moment of silence, he raised his hands and cupped his fist toward Chen Sheng in the seat of honor, his voice hoarse.
"I am Xu Yuanhai. I greet you, Commander Chen."
Seeing how quickly Xu Yuanhai’s attitude had shifted, Chen Sheng couldn’t help but feel a flicker of surprise.
’He had thought a fight today was inevitable, that he would have to test the mettle of this Patriarch Xu. He never expected the man to back down so decisively after sensing his Cultivation.’
’Truly worthy of a Noble Family Master. His ability to be flexible is extraordinary.’
Lin Shou, who stood to the side, was utterly dumbfounded.
Just moments ago, Xu Yuanhai had been unbearably arrogant, paying him and Wu Kuang almost no mind. He never expected that upon Chen Sheng’s arrival, sheer presence alone would be enough to make the Innate Patriarch retract his fangs and take the initiative to offer a salute.
At the same time, he sensed the profound, ocean-deep aura emanating from Chen Sheng, and an astonishing thought surfaced in his mind, one he couldn’t suppress.
’Could it be that Chen Sheng... has already reached the Innate realm?’
Wu Kuang, though somewhat surprised by how quickly Xu Yuanhai had yielded, found it was generally within his expectations.
He couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. ’The fact that these great Noble Families have endured for so long... The forbearance and adaptability of their Pilots are truly extraordinary.’
"A moment ago, Patriarch Xu, you seemed to have some complaints about my tardiness."
Chen Sheng’s tone was flat, betraying no emotion, yet it carried an invisible pressure.
Xu Yuanhai forced a somewhat stiff smile onto his face and lowered his stance even further:
"Commander Chen, you overstate things. I was merely worried for my son’s safety. In my anxiety, I spoke without thinking. I sincerely hope the Commander will forgive my transgression."
He then paused for a moment before getting straight to the point:
"I have come uninvited today about my son, Xu Shenzhi. He is young and foolish and doesn’t understand the rules. For any offense he has caused, I am here to apologize in his stead. I hope that Commander Chen can be magnanimous and show him mercy."
