27: The divine power of the Golden Core arrives uninvited.

News of people arriving from the prefecture city spread like wildfire through the streets and alleys of Qingyang City on the second day after Chu He happily welcomed his daughter.

The arrivals were not just one person, but a team.

Leading them was a middle-aged general in the standard armor of the Prefecture City Garrison Army. His Face was stern, his Aura formidable, and he was actually a Late-stage Foundation Establishment expert!

Behind him followed ten elite soldiers, also clad in heavy armor, each possessing a high-level Qi Gathering Realm cultivation.

Such a force was enough to easily sweep through any Family in Qingyang City, except for the Chu Family.

After entering the city, they didn't stop for a moment, heading directly towards the Chu Family Mansion.

At this, the entire Qingyang City became tense.

"People from the prefecture city are here! And it's a general from the Garrison Army! What do they want to do?"

"Looking at this posture, they don't seem to come with good intentions!"

"Could it be... that they're here for Senior Chu?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Senior Chu just had a daughter, and caused such a huge celestial phenomenon. He must have been targeted by important figures in the prefecture city!"

"This is troublesome! The prefecture city has a Golden Core Ancestor overseeing it! No matter how strong Senior Chu is, can he be stronger than a Golden Core Ancestor?"

The city's common folk and major aristocratic families discussed animatedly, filled with worry.

They were now completely tied to the Chu Family. They would prosper or suffer together.

If the Chu Family fell, these small families who had just tasted sweetness would likely be immediately knocked back to their original state, or even suffer a worse fate than before.

Inside the Chu Family's deliberation hall.

The atmosphere was also somewhat solemn.

The Family heads of several core families from the Qingyang Chamber of Commerce were all gathered here, each with an unpleasant expression.

"Senior Chu, Zhou Wu, the commander of the Prefecture City Garrison Army, is already requesting an audience outside. What do you think...?" The Wang Family head cautiously looked at Chu He, who was seated in the main seat, and asked.

Chu He was leisurely sipping tea at the moment, with no trace of tension on his Face.

He had just broken through to the Golden Core Stage yesterday and was looking for a place to test his skills. Unexpectedly, someone had voluntarily delivered themselves to his doorstep.

"What's the panic?" He put down his teacup and said indifferently, "When soldiers come, generals block; when water comes, earth covers. They are just a bunch of Foundation Establishment Stage weaklings, can they really overturn the heavens?"

He said this in an understated manner.

But to the Family heads below, it was nothing short of a thunderclap.

A Late-stage Foundation Establishment expert, in Senior Chu's eyes, was merely a "weakling"?

To what terrifying Realm had Senior Chu's strength reached?

Although they were shocked, seeing Chu He's calm and composed demeanor, their previously anxious hearts inexplicably settled down.

"Let them in," Chu He waved his hand.

Soon, led by the Chu Family guards, Zhou Wu, clad in heavy armor, strode into the deliberation hall with his ten personal guards.

As soon as Zhou Wu entered, his sharp eyes, like those of a hawk, locked onto Chu He in the main seat.

He had thought that someone who could rise from an unknown youth to the Foundation Establishment Stage within a month, even stirring up the entire Qingyang City, would surely be a bloodthirsty or cunning hero.

He never expected Chu He to look so young, even younger than he had imagined. Moreover, his temperament was peaceful, like a boy next door, without the slightest Aura of a powerful expert.

"This person is either putting on a show, or he has returned to simplicity, with unfathomable cultivation!" Zhou Wu secretly warned himself.

Although he had come by the order of the Prefecture Governor, the Governor had specifically instructed him before his departure that this trip was primarily for "recruitment," and to avoid conflict if possible.

After all, a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator who could rise in such a short time might have an existence behind him that they couldn't afford to provoke.

"Zhou Wu, Commander of the Tianfeng Prefecture Garrison Army." Zhou Wu cupped his fists towards Chu He, neither humble nor arrogant, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Chu."

He did not address him as "Senior," but used "Fellow Daoist," a term for peers.

This was both a test and a statement of attitude.

We acknowledge you are in the Foundation Establishment Stage, but our prefecture city is not afraid of you.

Chu He looked at him and smiled, but said nothing, merely picking up his teacup and gently blowing on the tea leaves.

Ignored?

Zhou Wu's brow imperceptibly furrowed.

As the commander of the Prefecture City Garrison Army, he held a respected position. Wherever he went, wasn't he always greeted with reverence and surrounded by people?

This Chu He actually dared to treat him so disrespectfully?

A surge of anger rose from the bottom of his heart.

But he forcibly suppressed it and said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Chu, we have come this time by the order of the Prefecture Governor."

"The Prefecture Governor heard that a young and promising talent like Fellow Daoist has emerged in Qingyang City and is very pleased. He specifically ordered me to invite Fellow Daoist to the prefecture city for a meeting. The Prefecture Governor wishes to meet you personally."

He spoke with grandiloquence.

But Chu He knew perfectly well in his heart.

What pleasure? What invitation?

To put it plainly, isn't it just because I've risen, so they want to test my background and see if they can recruit me?

If my strength was insufficient, or my background not deep, I'm afraid today would not be an "invitation," but an "arrest."

Chu He still didn't speak, just slowly took a sip of tea.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became awkward and oppressive.

Zhou Wu's Face grew increasingly unsightly.

The ten personal guards behind him unconsciously placed their hands on the hilts of their waist-swords, their eyes flashing with dangerous light.

The Qingyang City Family heads sitting below were so nervous that their palms were sweating.

They were afraid that if these two sides disagreed, they would start fighting.

That was a Late-stage Foundation Establishment expert! If they really started fighting, their deliberation hall would probably turn into ashes instantly!

"Fellow Daoist Chu!" Zhou Wu finally couldn't hold back, his voice rising a few octaves, carrying a hint of accusation, "What do you mean by this? Do you intend to disrespect even the Prefecture Governor's Face?"

"Face?" Chu He finally put down his teacup, raised his eyelids, and glanced at him.

"What is your Prefecture Governor? Does he even deserve for me to give him Face?"

Boom!

This sentence was like a bomb, exploding with a roar in the hall!

Everyone was stunned!

He's crazy!

This Chu He must be crazy!

He actually dared to say that the Prefecture Governor "is nothing"?

That was a Golden Core Ancestor! The sole ruler of the entire Tianfeng Prefecture!

Zhou Wu, even more so, was so enraged by this sentence that his whole body trembled, and his Face instantly turned purple like a pig's liver.

"You... you audacious fellow!" He pointed at Chu He, roaring furiously, "You dare to insult the Prefecture Governor! I think you're tired of living!"

"Men! Take him down! I don't care if he lives or dies!"

He gave an order.

The ten Qi Gathering Realm personal guards behind him instantly drew their long blades from their waists and rushed towards Chu He with surging Evil Qi!

"It's over!"

The Family heads of Qingyang City all turned ashen, closing their eyes, not daring to look anymore.

However, Chu He remained steadily seated in the main position, not moving an inch.

He merely raised his eyelids and indifferently glanced at the ten charging personal guards.

Then, softly, he uttered a single word.

"Kneel."

The voice was not loud, yet it seemed to contain some profound principle of Words Manifest as Law.

The next second, a bizarre scene unfolded!

The ten imposing and Killing Intent-filled elite soldiers, halfway through their charge, seemed to be forcibly pressed down on their knees by an invisible force.

Their bodies, uncontrollably, fell to their knees one after another, in perfect unison, before Chu He, with a series of "thump! thump! thump!" sounds!

Their long blades also clattered to the floor.

Everyone's eyes were wide, their Faces filled with boundless fear and horror!

They tried to struggle, tried to stand up, but found their bodies felt as if they were filled with lead, incredibly heavy, unable to even move a single finger!

What kind of demonic art was this?!

The entire hall instantly fell into a deathly silence!

Everyone was completely stunned by the bizarre and extraordinary scene before them!

Zhou Wu's eyes nearly popped out. He pointed at Chu He, his lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

"You... you..."

He felt his worldview completely overturned at this moment.

A single glance, a single word, caused ten battle-hardened high-level Qi Gathering Realm Cultivators to kneel without any resistance?

This... this was absolutely not something a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator could do!

Even a Foundation Establishment Perfection Cultivator absolutely couldn't!

Could it be... could it be... a terrifying thought, one that made his Soul tremble, surfaced in his mind.

"Golden... Golden Core?"

He exclaimed in shock.

Chu He ignored his shock.

He slowly rose from the main seat and walked towards Zhou Wu, step by step.

With each step he took, Zhou Wu felt his heart being struck by a heavy hammer, and his Face grew paler.

"You just said you wanted to take me down?" Chu He walked in front of him, a playful smile on his Face.

"No... I wouldn't dare... Senior... Senior, spare my life!" Zhou Wu's psychological defenses completely collapsed under the leisurely pressure of Chu He.

With a "thump," he also knelt down, kowtowing frantically to Chu He.

"This Junior was blind and failed to recognize a great expert! This Junior was arrogant due to his master's influence! I beg Senior, for the sake of the Prefecture Governor, spare this Junior's dog life!"

He brought up the Prefecture Governor again, but this time, it was not a threat, but a plea.

"Prefecture Governor?" Chu He smiled.

"Do you think he can still protect you now?"

As Chu He spoke, he extended a finger and gently pointed it towards Zhou Wu's glabella.

He wanted to kill to establish his might!

He wanted the entire Tianfeng Prefecture to know that his Chu Family of Qingyang City was not a soft persimmon that anyone could squeeze!

However, just as his fingertip was about to touch Zhou Wu's glabella.

An old and majestic voice, as if coming from beyond the Nine Heavens, boomed throughout the entire Chu Family hall!

"Fellow Daoist, please show mercy!"