53: Ambush! Enemy of young men!

Yang Wen tidied up his belongings at home, unsure if he would return from this journey.

But with such deep-seated hatred, he would avenge himself even if it cost him his life; otherwise, he would be unworthy of being a son.

After finishing everything, Yang Wen thought of his wife and son, a rare softness flashing in his eyes.

Although he truly wanted revenge, his child was innocent, and he shouldn't be dragged into such deep hatred at such a young age.

This matter should end with him, the father.

Just then, Yang Wen felt a pair of soft arms embrace him from behind.

"Yun'er, it's you!"

Yang Wen naturally knew who it was, so he slowly placed his hand on the arms embracing him.

A woman rested her chin on Yang Wen's shoulder, her eyes red, "Wen Ge, can you not go?"

Yang Wen fell silent, then hesitantly said after a moment, "Yun'er, I…"

He was only at the eighth level of the Qi Gathering Realm, and due to an old injury, his cultivation had been permanently stuck at this stage.

But his enemy, Zhang Li, was now at the ninth level of the Qi Gathering Realm.

If Yang Wen didn't act now, and Zhang Li broke through to the Ning Yuan Realm in the future, he would have no hope of revenge in this life!

But the words caught in Yang Wen's throat.

Seeing her husband's distress, the woman clearly understood what was happening and realized she couldn't dissuade him.

Suddenly, she broke into a smile through her tears, saying, "Alright, Wen Ge, I was just teasing you. Go if you want to. Ying'er and I will wait for you to come home."

Hearing his wife say this, Yang Wen knew she actually didn't want him to go.

But his wife knew he had to go, and in the end, she supported him.

Yang Wen didn't speak, and the couple held each other tightly.

Just then, a robust little boy bounced out from the side.

"Haha! Daddy's crying, Daddy's crying! Daddy's a crybaby!"

The sad atmosphere in the room was instantly broken.

Yang Wen wiped away a tear and playfully scolded, "You little brat, daring to mock your dad! See how I'll deal with you today!"

"Daddy's going to hit me, Daddy's going to hit me! Mommy, help, Mommy, save me!"

The little boy ran all over the house, chased by Yang Wen, while the woman called Yun'er stood there watching, not intervening.

Watching the father and son play, the woman covered her mouth, chuckling.

"Daddy, spare me! Daddy, spare me!"

"Daddy, look, Mommy's laughing!"

At this, Yang Wen also turned to look at the woman.

Under Yang Wen's gaze, the woman couldn't help but laugh out loud again.

Yang Wen and the little boy also started laughing.

For a moment, the room was filled with the trio's laughter!

...

Before Yang Wen left, to prevent himself from never returning, he entrusted all his family to his sworn brother, Li Mang.

"Brother Li, I don't know if I'll live or die on this trip. I'm entrusting my family to you."

Saying this, he bowed deeply to Li Mang.

Li Mang quickly helped Yang Wen up, "We are brothers, why be so formal? Don't worry, your family is my family. As long as I live, not a single hair on their heads will be harmed."

Hearing Li Mang's solemn assurance, Yang Wen felt relieved, "Then, thank you, Brother Li."

Watching Yang Wen's reluctant farewell with his family, Li Mang felt a tug at his heart.

So, Li Mang suddenly said, "I'll go with you. You can rest assured about your family with me."

Yang Wen quickly said, "Brother Li, this journey is full of dangers. You also have an old family with young children; you shouldn't take such risks!"

Li Mang shook his head, "It's fine. As brothers, we should face dangers together. I, Li Mang, will go through fire and water for my brother.

Besides, you are only at the eighth level of the Qi Gathering Realm, while the opponent is already at the ninth. You might not have much chance alone. I am also at the ninth level. By joining forces, with careful planning against an unsuspecting foe, we are sure to win!"

Yang Wen was moved to tears by his words.

...

At this moment, on a small path outside the Vortex Forest, a group of people lay in ambush.

The leaders were Yang Wen and Li Mang, both constantly watching the exit of the Vortex Forest.

"Brother Yang, are you sure that Zhang Li will come out from here later?"

"Of course, I've inquired about all of this."

"Daddy, so you're here!"

Suddenly, a little boy's voice startled Yang Wen out of his wits.

Seeing that it was his son, Yang Ying, Yang Wen was instantly furious.

He was about to give the little rascal a good scolding on the spot.

Just as Yang Wen was about to act, a single sentence from the boy suddenly made him stop.

"Daddy, Mommy came too!"

"What, Yun'er came too!"

Yang Wen's heart pounded upon hearing this, and he looked up, searching for Yun'er's location.

After spotting Yun'er, Yang Wen quickly walked over and embraced her.

"Yun'er, why did you come?"

The woman nestled in Yang Wen's arms, and hearing his words, she looked up at her husband's face and gently said, "Wen Ge, wherever you are, I am. If you die today, I will never live alone!"

Hearing Yun'er's resolute words, Yang Wen hadn't expected his wife to be so determined, and he couldn't bring himself to tell her to leave.

So he held Yun'er tightly, "Since that's the case, today, our family will live and die together!"

"Mm, Wen Ge, wherever you are, I'll be with you."

Yang Wen smiled, "Good, Yun'er. Once the fight starts, you take Ying'er and hide far away, so you don't get caught in the crossfire.

Don't make me worry, okay, Yun'er!"

"Okay, Wen Ge, I'll listen to you."

Yun'er agreed.

"Quick, you two, stop flirting there, someone will recognize us."

Hearing this, the two reluctantly separated.

As they parted, Yang Wen was still a bit uneasy and reiterated, "Yun'er, you and Ying'er must be careful!"

"Mm!"

After hearing his wife's reply, he watched his wife and son go to the side, still feeling a bit uneasy.

So Li Mang sent some more men to protect them, and only then did Yang Wen return to his original position to prepare for battle.

Watching the familiar figure emerge from the Vortex Forest, Yang Wen could no longer suppress the hatred in his heart.

Years ago, he was the only martial artist in his family. His father's life savings finally allowed him to embark on the path of martial arts, and he married a gentle and virtuous wife.

Later, while out, Yang Wen rescued the heavily injured Zhang Li from the mouth of a demon beast and brought him home to recover.

At that time, his wife was not Yun'er. This Zhang Li actually took advantage of his absence and... then his wife, unable to bear the humiliation, committed suicide on the spot!

To silence him, Zhang Li brutally murdered both of Yang Wen's parents, and later tried to eliminate Yang Wen as well.

However, Yang Wen was lucky, surviving with severe injuries.

But because of this incident, Yang Wen was left with a hidden ailment, which stopped his cultivation progression after he reached the eighth level of the Qi Gathering Realm.

So, upon seeing his familiar enemy just emerge, Yang Wen eagerly joined Li Mang in surrounding him.

Somehow, Yang Wen felt that today's Zhang Li was a bit off.

How to put it, if the previous Zhang Li exuded a lewd aura, then the current Zhang Li exuded a terrifying murderous aura.

He was like a completely different person, which filled Yang Wen and Li Mang with a bad premonition.

Before leaving, Zhang Li took one last look at his wife and children.

Today, it's time for a reckoning!

And the Zhang Li they surrounded was actually Chen De.

It must be said that Chen De was quite bewildered at this moment!

Originally, Chen De had seen this group of people on the map, but he thought they were a group going into the Vortex Forest to hunt.

Chen De didn't bother with them, as he was a human now!

And their strength was utterly negligible to Chen De.

But he hadn't expected them to be highway robbers.

Didn't they see that he, Chen De, was empty-handed?

They would even attack someone so poor?

They were truly too wicked!

Just then, a man in front of Chen De, glaring at him, suddenly shouted.

"Zhang Li, I have endured humiliation for so long, just for the day I could get my revenge on you. Die!"

Chen De merely flashed, appearing in front of Yang Wen, a one-hit kill!

Yang Wen died unwillingly, and his sworn brother, Li Mang, who had come with him, instantly changed his expression.

At this moment, Chen De slowly pulled his hand out of Yang Wen's chest and looked at Li Mang.

When Chen De saw that Zhang Li, he knew everything. After all, when Chen De assimilated Zhang Li, he didn't just get the body, but also the memories.

However, what Zhang Li did had nothing to do with him, Chen De.

Chen De didn't necessarily need this body, so there was no need to clean up Zhang Li's mess.

It was just that these people remaining would ultimately be a problem for Chen De's current identity.

If they hadn't come looking for Chen De, that would have been fine; Chen De wasn't interested.

Since they had encountered each other, he might as well take care of it.

Li Mang was so scared that cold sweat streamed down his face, his mind rapidly thinking of a solution.

He understood that at this moment, if he didn't do something, he would truly be finished.

He helped Yang Wen because he knew he was at the same realm as Zhang Li and wouldn't die, which was why he was willing to act.

He wasn't truly unafraid of death. He and Yang Wen had a bond, but it wasn't to that extent, at least he thought so.

Now, he didn't care about brotherly loyalty; he just wanted to live.

So he slid to his knees before Chen De, kowtowing and begging for mercy, "Lord Zhang Li, you killed him well! When you acted on behalf of heaven to wipe out his whole family, you were momentarily careless and let him escape with his life, which was a life-saving grace!

Yet this person, in the face of his savior, still tried to repay kindness with enmity, and even madly brought people to ambush you. He truly deserved to die.

His saving you back then was merely narrow-minded petty benevolence. Your sparing him was the true great kindness!

In fact, I have always been feigning compliance with him. My coming here with him this time was to help you, my lord, and to get rid of this scoundrel, so he wouldn't harm others again.

Lord Zhang Li, you are a good person."

Chen De listened with interest and said, "Oh~, you also have such insight."

Chen De hadn't expected that even with a changed identity, his moral aura couldn't be concealed.

This truly bothered him a bit.

Li Mang quickly fawned, "Of course, of course."

As he spoke, he saw Yang Wen's son had run over at some point, so he pointed at him and said, "My lord, this is the son of that wolf-hearted scoundrel. I will deal with him right away. Such a scoundrel deserves to have his lineage ended."

Before Li Mang could finish speaking, Yang Ying on the side said with an incredulous look, "Uncle Li, my daddy didn't say..."

Slap!

Just then, Li Mang suddenly struck, slapping Yang Ying to the ground, then chased after him and brutally smashed his head.

"So young, yet full of lies. No wonder he's the son of a beast."

Chen De stood by, watching, not saying a word.

Seeing that Chen De still showed no reaction, Li Mang gritted his teeth and ordered his subordinates, "Bring the person over."

He also gave a meaningful look.

Then, Yun'er, Zhang Li's wife, who had previously been entrusted to Li Mang, was brought over.

The person brought over was indeed Yun'er, but blood flowed from her mouth, and her tongue was gone, clearly to prevent her from saying anything more.

After Li Mang brought the person over, he introduced her to Chen De in a fawning manner. Seeing that Chen De said nothing, only giving him a look to interpret, Li Mang immediately understood Chen De's meaning.

So, with a command, he had Yun'er's head brutally chopped off.

Seeing that all of Yang Wen's family were dead, Chen De then put on a compassionate and heartbroken expression, "How can you be so cruel? Killing only requires a nod of the head; only the chief culprit needs to be punished.

As the saying goes, do not extend punishment to the family, yet you didn't even spare their family, not even a small child. How could you be so wicked?

Such a lovely child, and you could still lay your hands on him. Are you even human?"

Li Mang was at a loss, bewildered by Chen De's righteous speech.

"My lord, this..."

Without waiting for Li Mang to respond, Chen De revealed an expression of disappointment and deep regret.

"Alas, since you have chosen a path to death, today I shall act on behalf of heaven!"

Saying this, Chen De was about to strike.

Seeing that Chen De was actually going to act, Li Mang, who didn't want to die, quickly shouted, "Didn't you give me a look, signaling me to do this?"

Chen De blinked, "I didn't, I didn't, you're talking nonsense. I was telling you to release them.

I didn't expect you to think I wanted you to kill them. If I really wanted to kill them, wouldn't I do it myself?"

Chen De questioned, surprised that someone would view him this way.

Could a person as upright as him truly do anything bad?

"Indeed, a dirty mind sees everything as dirty, even defiling me. You are truly a bad person; killing you was not a mistake."

Li Mang hadn't expected things to turn out this way, that Zhang Li would go back on his word. So he desperately shouted, "Zhang Li, you despicable scoundrel~"

Chen De was surprised. Even at the point of death, he was still trying to use the word 'despicable' to tarnish the reputation of a moral paragon like him. He truly deserved to die.

Chen De glanced at the panicked, scattering crowd, but he knew they wouldn't escape.

Then, Chen De acted, eliminating everyone present.

For Chen De, he had merely done a trivial good deed, nothing worth remembering or feeling grateful for.

After all this, Chen De continued towards his original goal!