A Dish Best Served Cold (The Man In Rage)

In the face of Ye Fan's overwhelming power, neither of them could hold him off, not even if they were Empyrean Ranking experts or martial arts leaders. Compared to Ye Fan's frightening might, those people only looked as soft as a bunny and as weak as a kitten. Never in anyone's wildest dreams did they imagine being overcome by Ye Fan's unstoppable force that swept across the vicinity with incredible ease. At that point, not a single one among The Great Four was left standing.

Even the supreme being, Odin, was bound to the peak of Kransbay. As for Moryana, Asura, and the rest, there were crippled, even if they had managed to survive the fall. In particular, both of Emir's legs were ripped apart, leaving only his upper body intact.

That sight had royally astonished the folks present on the battlefield. Ye Qingtian and the group were stumped to no end. Aaron and Carlo were so taken aback that they collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath. As for Chen Jiuzhou, who had previously taken pleasure in Ye Fan's misfortune and boasted about waiting to collect the latter's dead body, he was scared out of his wits. It felt like a tight slap had been mercilessly hurled toward his own cheek. He tilted his head a fraction, gasping for air as though he was drowning.

"No... It can't be... This can't be possible, can it?" He could not help but shake his head, finding it hard to believe everything that had occurred right before his eyes. Even at that very juncture, he refused to be convinced that the scene in front of him was the reality.

There was no way he would accept his master, The Great Four of Empyrean Ranking, whom he idolized be crushed by Chu Tianfan alone. Be that as it might, the stark reality was undeniable. Nothing would change no matter how much Chen Jiuzhou tried to delude himself. After decisively suppressing The Great Four, Ye Fan stood proudly above the horizon with his hands behind his back as he surveyed the surroundings.

"Who else can stop me?" His majestic voice resonated like thunder, resounding throughout the horizon. As soon as he let out that bellow, the entire Kransbay nearly crumbled. Earth shattered beneath his feet; thunder rolled above his head. Moryana was drenched in her own blood, barely clinging to dear life. Asura, in turn, was struggling in pain, his breaths labored as he teetered on the brink of death.

Panic was evident in his eyes. Even when he was about to breathe his last, Odin, who was stuck at Kransbay's peak, had his big, round eyes fixated intently on the man who seemed to be a living embodiment of a demon. Under Ye Fan's imposing authority, the once unparalleled quartet of Empyrean Ranking had their arrogance and dignity squashed.

"This guy's a freak! He's a real monster in this day and age..." Aaron trembled like a leaf. All he could hear was Ye Fan's domineering voice echoing in his ears. He looked up ahead, almost prostrating in submission.

"Yes. Some people are simply born to create miracles. He's the chosen savior, the legendary hero of all time..."

Carlo, for one, was deeply impressed by Ye Fan's aura. There would always be individuals who were destined from birth to possess the power to save the world. Chu Tianfan was the epitome of such a being. Although he had experienced a myriad of setbacks and faced life-and-death situations numerous times, no mishap had ever succeeded in bringing him down. Instead, it only transformed him into a stronger man with each daunting encounter, turning him into someone that others could only dream of becoming.

Boom!

The sky rumbled, and the land quaked. Even the world seemed to be in awe of Ye Fan's intimidating cry. Indeed, considering that he had triumphed over The Great Four, there would be no one else in the whole wide world having what it took to stand in his way.

In the meantime, a thousand miles away in the land of Jiangdong, Old Madam Chu was in desperation, looking at the massive Sky Gate up above the Chu residence. In her heart, she was secretly counting the days until she met her maker.

"Great-Grandma, why are you crying?" A young child's meek voice suddenly came from behind. To her surprise, it was Tang Yun leading Chu Lin into the courtyard. Witnessing the tear stains on Old Madam Chu's delicate face, the confused Chu Lin just had to put forward the question.

He thought someone must have bullied the old lady, and he wanted to exact revenge in her stead. A sorrowful sigh escaped Old Madam Chu.

"Lin, I'm crying because of you, because of this world. The world's on the brink of destruction. With our mother earth gone, how can we, mere mortals, continue to survive on our own?" Old Madam Chu shook her head emotionally, her expression one of grief.

After all, the world no longer had a future. Countless children like Chu Lin might never get the chance to grow up and see what their future entailed.

"Old Madam Chu, is there really no way to deal with it? Not even with your prowess?" asked Tang Yun as she approached the old lady.

"It's useless. I'm old and weak. I've long lost the ability to pull anything off. If I'm out of the Chu residence, I'll be nothing but a worthless person. Besides, I can't even leave this place." Sadness inundated her heart.

"What about the others? Is there really no one left in this world to save us all?" inquired Tang Yun once again.

"It's all over. There's no one else. Ever since Ye Fan's met his demise, in this present time, there's been no one else with the ability to salvage this land!" Old Madam Chu shook her head, her boundless desolation like surging sea waves, pouring out from the depths of her heart. The second the Sky Gate opened, she knew the mortal world was done for. However, just as Tang Yun was also falling into despair, a growl so loud came from the depths of the distant horizon.

"Who else can stop me?"

"Who else..." That voice was deep and forceful as it echoed across the distance. It was as if it originated from the oceanic abyss preceded by time. The ethereal, majestic voice could quiver one's soul. Under the pressure of that magnificent voice, many people would unwittingly succumb to the overwhelming oppression and go to their knees. Nevertheless, Old Madam Chu and the duo froze when that voice reached their ears.

"T-That voice..." Old Madam Chu shuddered.

"That power!" Tang Yun looked up abruptly, her pretty face filled with astonishment. Deep inside her head, there was even a crazy thought appearing at that moment.

"It's Daddy! It's his voice!" Chu Lin was the first to exclaim with delight.

"Aunt Tang, that's Daddy talking. Daddy came back... He's here..." the boy went on and cried out excitedly. Perhaps he really missed his father too much, or maybe he was surprised, that tears started streaming down his cheeks. He held Tang Yun's hand, dancing with joy, continuously clamoring, "Daddy's home!"

Unconsciously, Tang Yun's eyes also turned red with tears. Of course, she recognized that voice, too.

It was definitely Ye Fan's voice. That was the voice of the only man who had ever touched her heart, the one and only whom she had been intimate with.

He didn't die! He returned!

Seeing how happy Chu Lin was, Tang Yun could not stop her body from shaking. She grinned with much thrill, nodding with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, yes! Your daddy's back, Lin! He really came back!" Old Madam Chu, too, broke into a smile.

"What a lucky chap! To think that he had managed to survive, after all. Haha... He's Mr. Yunyang's chosen one. Since he's back, there's hope for this world.

Gone was her despair and trepidation in an instant. Her eyes were shining with hope once more. Happiness aside, the solemn mien on her face did not quite fade much nonetheless.

"I wonder how strong Ye Fan's abilities are now? Can he deal with this crisis? I hope everything goes smoothly." With that, she prayed silently in her heart.

Tang Yun could not help but feel worried as well.

"Old Madam Chu, why don't I go and help him out?" Tang Yun said with concern. Old Madam Chu laughed at that.

"Well, well, you've always been cold and distant, my dear, so when did you learn how to care about others?" On that note, Tang Yun blushed slightly. Wearing a smile, Old Madam Chu then shook her head. "That's just how things are in this world. Often, it's only after losing something that we learn to cherish it. Yun, it's time for you to face your feelings for Ye Fan. Otherwise, who knows what kind of accident might happen next? As for helping him out, I guess it'll be better if you don't go. The battle over there is out of your hands." She raised her head and looked in the direction of Mount Kransbay.

There, the wind stormed the heavens while lightning flashed wildly. It seemed that an apocalyptic battle that would decide the fate of humanity was imminent.